Off-Topic Game changers

[conor78]

The term game changer is bandied about a lot in the health and fitness world. If you tracked and implemented all of the game changers you wouldn’t have time to train; loaded carries, IF, OS, yoga etc. I’m interested in terms of the Strongfirst sphere what you have found as a game changer and has remained a game changer. Over the past 3-5 years for me my top 3 have been

• Moving towards a Strong Endurance style of training whether it be Q and D or A A
• Minimalist programs PTTP or S/S. I keep returning to rhese
• The kettlebell swing...

 

[Oscar]

The term game changer is bandied about a lot in the health and fitness world. If you tracked and implemented all of the game changers you wouldn’t have time to train; loaded carries, IF, OS, yoga etc. I’m interested in terms of the Strongfirst sphere what you have found as a game changer and has remained a game changer. Over the past 3-5 years for me my top 3 have been

• Moving towards a Strong Endurance style of training whether it be Q and D or A A
• Minimalist programs PTTP or S/S. I keep returning to rhese
• The kettlebell swing...

I have only found 1 game changer so far: finding a good program that is in line with your goals and sticking to it.

Aside from that, I think there is a bunch of "good stuff" that isn't mandatory for success but it is great. The kettlebell swing would fall in this category: it's awesome, but you can do great doing a barbell plan that doesn't have it.

 

[Mike Torres]

If I had to pick one, it would be the principle of “continuity of the training process”. Trust the StrongFirst system, follow a program to the letter, and the results will come. It’s the closest thing to magic there is to look, feel, and perform better.

 

[LukeV]

I still remember feeling blown away by Art Devany's original essay on evolutionary fitness - eat, workout and live with variety and randomness. Eat primarily meat and vegetables but mix them up. Avoid everything in the middle aisles of supermarkets - stick to the outside aisles where things are fresh and/or need refrigerating. If you have to lose weight, skip meals and do so without concern. In terms of workouts, use a small number of exercises across various rep ranges. Don't get hung up on programming - do what feels natural. Never be in the gym too long and leave feeling refreshed, not exhausted. Go back to the gym when you feel like it - not because your program dictates it. Run fast every now and then.

Stuart McRobert taught me that less is more and after reading Brawn I abandoned Schwarzenegger style programming for shorter full body workouts with what looked like ridiculously limited exercises and low volume and put 4cm on my arms in a year.

Until I read Pavel I thought strength was about getting big. His emphasis on high frequency "practice" for strength along with proper set up including getting tight was very influential on my thinking. I recall when I first joined StrongFirst asking a question about my training for DL. Steve F responded with advice on my set up - foot position and leaning against the weight. I broke my PB by something like 20kg and was like WTF!?!?!?!?!?

 

[Antti]

Two things come to mind:

A solid base of absolute strength. It makes everything easier. There's a reason it's at/near the bottom of the pyramid of athletic capabilities.

A true enjoyment of training. Better do something with passion than waste time procrastinating and doing things half right.

 

[vegpedlr]

Training movements, not muscles. I had been introduced to the idea, but it took quite awhile before the bodybuilder mentality of the body as a collection of parts faded. Dan John gets the credit for that.

More specifically, training the hip hinge with DL and swings. Unlike squats, hinge exercises didn't make sense before because I couldn't reduce it to muscles as easily. Thanks to DJ, SF, and a MTB skills coach, I "got" the posterior chain, and my riding improved dramatically.

Loaded carries, like the hinge, just improved mt riding in ways that continue to surprise. DJ too, for this.

Minimalist, high frequency training, not bombing and blitzing, then fighting or recovery. Daily practice appeals to my endurance mindset. DJ, SF, and Pavel for this.