Phil Yudson Fitness and Performance

"What for?" Is not a rhetorical question.

Why are you doing what you are doing? We can look at our smaller choices and identify rationale. Our exercises should be dictated by the intended result. We program with a desired outcome. Otherwise we cannot expect to arrive at our goals.

But we also should consider the "why" of our motivation.

As adults, most of us are no longer playing competitive sports. Some are still finding ways to compete with themselves or have found recreational leagues. For some, it's purely vanity-- and there's nothing wrong with caring about your appearance.

But most folks are often looking more for "why not?" than "why?" And if we are looking for an excuse not to exercise, we will always find one.

And particularly as we age, inertia matters. If we don't, we won't.

So consider the long term. Consider the long term of others as well. Staying fit and strong and healthy means being independent. It means being able to participate in activities. It means being able to share. It means being present.

What for? Not just for you. For them.

There's a balance we walk when setting standards for ourselves.

We may look at our circumstances and say things could be worse. Often true. And perhaps this is a way to remain optimistic when things aren't going the way we want. But this can be a slippery slope.

We may also find ourselves contending with a situation that minimizes potential for challenge. In that moment, we may justify the situation as being good enough. We accept the circumstances befallen us as tolerable, although not ideal.

The issue becomes when we accept these standards. If we are consistently accepting minimal progress and lesser efforts we no longer make progress towards our goals. We only slide further and further down as we accept less and less of ourselves.

It's ok to have a bad day. It's ok to recognize circumstances beyond your control. But it is necessary to keep challenging ourselves to be better.

If we spin our wheels every day, the world will pass us by. And that's not good enough. Because we have places to go.

Pushing through a challenging lift is a skill. It takes practice to learn to trust yourself when your body is telling you that you can't do something.

And those skills are particular. Each lift can feel very different for each person. You may feel more confident or more bold with a heavy deadlift than maybe a barbell back squat. Knowing a failure means the barbell falls down to the ground vs knowing you are underneath of that same barbell can leave you with a very different mind state.

But like anything, we can practice good habits. We can get more proficient, not just stronger.

I always tell clients that we have to be strict about our technique while we are learning. Because we want to build that skill. We need to establish habit and confidence before the weight gets heavy enough that it can become an issue.

Lifting heavy weights is not dangerous. In fact, all research indicates that is when we benefit the most. But lifting heavy weights with poor technique is what becomes dangerous. Take the time to develop the skills. Pay attention to the details and ex*****on of the movement.

And when it's time to push, you'll see you can do it. Not just because you're strong. But because you've earned that trust in yourself.

Do the work, and you'll be able to do the work.

Every action has a reaction. Every choice you make or don't make has an outcome.

It's important to retain a positive outlook on each of the things you do. I say this because positive reinforcement is much healthier than negative. Constantly berating yourself isn't productive and it isn't conducive to good choices either.

But there are repercussions. Consequences. Costs, even. Particularly when you are young, you have more leeway. We can call it fitness currency in a sense. You can spend more frivolously. The way you will feel or how your body will respond to eating a cheeseburger at 3am after being out with your friends is going to feel completely different at 23 versus 43. There is a cost to these choices. And choices that seem far less bombastic than they used to can still cost you because you have less to spend nowadays.

That doesn't mean you should feel guilty about living your life either. Every once in a while, you'll decide to do something like that. And you'll feel it, but you made your choice and then you're back on track again.

But consider those consequences. You can build up more currency and leeway by investing more in yourself.

It's worth the investment. It's not just smart for your future, but for right now.

Sometimes you need a push.

Momentum, routine, habit, call it what you want. We can debate semantics, but there instances where you need something to give you a bump. Even when we are consistent, perhaps we are plateauing, or what used to work isn't working anymore. Or maybe we aren't being honest with ourselves about what we are actually doing.

The form of that push can take many forms. Ideally it is a positive occurrence vs a negative one. It may be a push you see coming. Or it may catch you off guard.

But when it happens, the best result is it spurs you in the right direction. It may not even be the direction you expected. You may surprise yourself with how you respond to that push.

But there it is. It's your moment. This is when something changes. And that means you can change!

The gym can be an intimidating place for people.

There is a fine line as a professional in terms of giving attention to gym members. On the one hand, I want the gym to be as welcoming as possible. New people should understand there is a community with common goals and kindred spirits to build relationships with.

But some people are very self conscious and would prefer to avoid attention entirely. There are power dynamics to be mindful of, and it's something I try to observe. A new person may feel as though they are being judged by more experienced exercisers. Or someone may feel they are having their privacy infringed upon.

As an expert, it is my job to be an ambassador to the world of fitness. It is also essential that I don't make anyone uncomfortable with unwanted attention. I am a valuable resource and eager to help answer questions, but there are people that are not interested in outside input.

It's a delicate balance to walk, but it's a role I willingly take on. All I can do is my best, but rest assured I and others are pleased to see you in the gym, doing your best also.

Years ago a friend and I were speaking about his fitness casually. He was asking my professional opinion, and apparently I told him I wasn't sure about the answer to his question. I explained my thinking and why I would follow a particular strategy and what my experiences had been.

I say "apparently" because it didn't stick with me specifically, but he later told me that my ability to acknowledge a possible limitation inspired more trust in me.

When a client accepts that I'm right about something, I tell them it's easy to be right when I stick to familiar territory.

I have been in this business for over 20 years. Before that, I was in the gym starting at 15 years old. I have a degree in my field. I was fortunate to work under fantastic strength coaches. I have had the privilege of hearing brilliant people speak at conferences. I have read enlightening and thought provoking studies. I have been able to compare notes with inspiring professionals. And I have suffered and recovered from injuries that allowed me to grow and gain even more first hand experience.

I don't say all this to impress anyone. It may not be all that impressive.

I say this because I am fully aware that as much as I have learned, there are many new things to learn and new ways to help my clients. And I will keep on learning.

Because I love it. And because I intend to keep on earning your trust.

Routine is essential. Complacency is the enemy.

Over the years, one of the scenarios I have most become wary of is that of complacency. I have seen clients contented. They stop pushing. The routine we worked so hard to establish is reduced to a less effective, less committed version of itself.

I might still get that client into the gym once or twice a week, but the attention to nutrition abates, as does the regular cardiovascular exercise without me. And the client slides.

Are they better off than before they started? Of course. Are we still benefiting from our regular workouts? Of course. But forward progress grinds to a halt, and we are merely fighting against a back slide. They start to accept it. We have lost momentum.

I have seen this happen despite my best efforts too many times. I often blame myself for not continuing to push for more goal setting and accountability. Especially if a client has entrusted me with their wellness. But I also can tell when I have become an excuse. Someone may decide "well, I'm not pushing as hard as I could, but I still go to the gym with Phil. It's good enough."

Good enough is bad for everyone. Good enough is accepting limitations. Good enough is setting a lower bar. Good enough is not good enough.

And so I try to set that expectation early that we have only just begun. I try to utilize positive reinforcement to show potential. And I try my best to ask directly about whether or not a client is doing their best when they are not with me; to build a culture of honesty and accountability.

I won't let you down and I'll do everything I can to stop you from letting yourself down. I'm going to do my best to see to it that you do your best.

Confidence makes all the difference in the world.

Your ability to push yourself when something is hard goes hand in hand with your sense of self efficacy. If you believe you can rise to the challenge, you will. Even if you hit the wall, you're that much closer to breaking through.

Sometimes I work with clients who are athletes. Some play sports, others run and so forth. They are used to facing a challenge. Others were athletes when they were younger. They remember what it was like and they are often eager to unearth that part of themselves. Some have never been athletes, but they embrace the opportunity to be pushed.

Some shrink away. And that's the most disheartening to witness.

But familiarity in the gym breeds comfort, and with comfort comes the lack of fear. That's confidence. That's the biggest asset in fitness, and arguably the most powerful thing I can bestow upon a client, more so then any skill or knowledge.

Give yourself the opportunity to earn your own trust. You can do so much. I know it. And you should know it, too.

I get it. It's hard to fit exercise into your daily schedule every day. You can plan a workout and then life will throw you a curve ball. So what happens then?

You might be inclined to squeeze a cardio workout into another day when you're planning to lift, or vice versa. The problem with this is that you may end up impeding the desired benefits of that workout.

If you are already accumulating fatigue mechanisms from one workout, the other is going to be reduced in value. Even a single workout that lasts too long will give you diminishing returns. Your body doesn't see these as separate workouts, it just feels the stress of the exercise.

So what do you do? You might just need to scratch one day and pick up with the next workout. If you're concerned that you'll fall way behind, then I would suggest you try to be more consistent with your other habits that set you up for success as well. That way you can maintain consistent habits regardless of missing a day.

If you're missing multiple days, over and over? It's time to revisit your plans, because it sounds like your current approach isn't realistic.

But if it's just one? Take the loss and keep moving forward. It's all about the big picture. You can't cram for fitness.