The Keys To A Consistent Physical Practice

“To practice regularly, even when you seem to be getting nowhere, might at first seem onerous. But the day eventually comes when practice becomes a treasured part of your life. You settle into it as if into your favorite easy chair. It will be there for you tomorrow. It will never go away.” George Leonard, the late aikido master and philosopher of human potential

 

Everyone can benefit immensely from cultivating a regular physical practice. Physical means using your body. Practice means something undertaken for its own sake. Examples include running, cycling, swimming, lifting weights, vigorous walking, gardening, martial arts, rowing, yoga, climbing etc. 

The indisputable and measurable benefits of physical practices include enhanced physical health, mental health, and creativity. Beyond that, such activities bring about deep confidence that comes with getting to know yourself from the inside out, the transcendence of peak experiences, and the joy of using your body as it evolved to be used. Regular physical practice isn’t just for elite athletes. It’s for everyone.

Physical activity is an integral part of my job no matter what my profession is. I’m hard-pressed to come up with a job for which it shouldn’t be. It’s not about getting fit for Instagram. It’s about getting fit for life.

Over the last year, I’ve included strength training to my own physical practice apart from endurance sports, which has been my focus primarily because of the love for it. The addition has been great; in no small part because it’s helped me to view physical practice with beginner’s eyes. Here are some of the things I’ve re-realized, which can be applied to just about anything.

The more you treat each rep independently, as its own workout, the better. This takes a lot of focus at first, but eventually it becomes second nature. Not only does your experience of training improve, but so does your performance. Whatever happened on the last rep doesn’t matter. Whatever may happen on the next rep doesn’t matter. Only this rep matters.

Leave your smartphone behind and the quality goes up. Your smartphone can get in the way of nearly everything. Don’t turn it on vibrate. Don’t turn it on silent. Don’t turn it off. Just leave it behind altogether. Whatever anxiety you may feel at first, you’ll make up for 10 times over in quality just a few minutes later.

Sleep and nutrition aren’t accessory. They are the practice. These things are not supplementary. They are part and parcel of a sound physical practice. You don’t have to be perfect but you need to be consistently good enough. Sleep 7 to 9 hours every night, avoid heavily processed foods and have plenty of water. 

Have fun. Comparison is the thief of joy. Do not succumb to peer pressure. You are not trying to win at your hobby unless you’re a pro-athlete where your career depends on it. One of the foremost things that gets in the way of all the benefits of physical practice is becoming too caught up in outcomes. Practice means for its own sake. It’s good to set goals, but only as they guide the process. All of the good stuff is found in the process. Have fun, laugh and enjoy the process.

Exercise isn’t just about improving your health down the road, and it’s certainly not just about vanity. What you do in the gym (or on the roads, in the ocean, etc.) makes you a better, higher-performing person outside of it. The truth will sound cliché but it’s true - when you develop physical fitness, you’re developing life fitness, too.