Roadmap to Fitness

• Putting it all together

  • In this document I discuss the various components of the programs and blog posts I have put together, give a brief summary of each, and how they relate to each other. This is part table of contents, part roadmap, and mostly my attempt to give direction through the information I have provided, and provide clarity among the ever expanding amount of research and other content produced by the fitness industry.

• Build the leg strength to go for a walk (click to go to blog)

  • Start here, especially if you have trouble getting up from a seat without support, or up off the ground without support.

  • This program was written as a place to start for people who are able to get around but may struggle to get down into a chair or up out of a chair with complete control.

  • Some steps may be skipped if squatting can be done with adequate range of motion. The next checkpoint here is getting down to and up off of the ground without external support, using only the strength of the legs.

  • If that can be managed, the next checkpoint is whether you are able to walk for 30 minutes continuously and do so regularly, or at least take 3x 10minute walks each day, one after each meal.

    • Walking after meals helps with blood sugar control, and the contralateral motion of the opposite side arms and legs and the resulting motion in the core aid in digestion.

    • Walking also aids in moving fluids such as blood and lymph around the body and has more benefits for the brain and body than I care to mention. In short go for walk, do so frequently, once a walking habit is established then consider taking your exercise routine further into resistance training. Which also also numerous benefits for both the body and the mind (which aren’t really separate things, a body with out a mind is a corpse and a mind without a body is… think about that one a bit and get back to me).

  • Even if you don’t fall in to any of the above categories it is still worthwhile to understand this documents because there are principles of exercise progression that could be applied in other training situations. And you may know someone who does fall in to those categories.

• GOATA Video Program and Progression (click to go to this blog)

  • Once you are able to get down to and up off the ground (with or without support) you should begin your GOATA journey. It will continue for a while. You can get to a point where you no longer need to do these exercises, but while you may not be doing explicitly “GOATA” exercises, the positions, patterns, and principles will have been integrated into your movement patterns so you will be doing other exercises but they will still incorporate the same positions, patterns, and principles that make GOATA successful.

  • These exercises will correct compensations and dysfunctions in the movement patterns of gait (walking and running mostly).

  • I recommend progressing through this program with some diligence, especially if you are someone who wears shoes and or has to sit for extended periods of time (in the car, at a desk, on the sofa, etc.).

    • As you progress through the system you will regain the ranges of motion required, shift your dominance from front chain to back chain, alter your movement patterns of gait, and begin to incorporate the principles of GOATA in to other aspects of your life you will not need to spend as much time doing GOATA specific exercises.

• Exercise Selection - Main Lift, Variations, and Accessory Lifts (click to go to this blog)

  • This or the other exercise selection posts would be where I recommend the journey go next. Especially if you are new to exercise. Begin practicing the movements using just bodyweight or light weights. Don’t worry about getting strong just yet, that will come with time, especially if you develop proper technique early. Proper technique will minimize the chances of injury, which will allow for consistent training, which will lead to consistent progress.

  • In this post I discuss selecting exercises to be done in a gym including my recommendations

  • I discuss several variations of each exercise and why you might select one or another, as well as how you might include more than one in your training.

  • I also briefly discuss accessory lift and how they fit in to a training program and session.

    
    

• Selecting and progressing weight, number of sets, and reps for any exercise (click to go to this blog)

  • Some people may start here. Many do. That's not necessarily bad but understanding and practicing the other components described above will build a stronger foundation for strength.

    • With that foundation it then becomes appropriate to begin focusing on progressive overload and resistance training. This document describes how to do that.

  • This blog covers: how to select what weight to use, how many sets to do in each session, and how many reps to do in each set.

    • You will need to do this for each exercise you select. Assuming you wish to track and ensure progress.

  • The progressions in this document can be applied to many exercises and are focused on building strength with some muscle to match. It won’t make you Brian Shaw or Arnold Schwarzenegger but it will make you stronger and more muscular than you are today.

    • As you progress through your GOATA journey you will be able to incorporate progressions from this document in to exercises that incorporate the positions, patterns, and principles of GOATA which will greatly expedite your progress towards GOATA movement. This is especially true for leg exercises.

  • Start with the simplest progressions found earlier in the document and repeat them until you are unable to progress. ONLY once that point is reached should you move on to a more advanced progression.

    • If this “progression of progressions” is followed, this document could keep you busy in the gym and getting stronger for years.

  • There may be certain individuals, exercises, or goals that these progressions are not ideal for. Anyone in such a circumstance should seek professional guidance.

• Planning the Lifts (with examples) (click to go to this blog)

  • This blog describes how to take the exercises you have selected and put them together in one or more sessions and gives examples of various combinations.

  • When combined with "Selecting and Progressing weight, reps, and sets..." you will be well on your way to designing your training program.

• Components of Training and Planning a Training Session (click to go to this blog)

  • This is a series of blogs each detailing a separate component and the last discussing how to put them all together with resistance training.

  • There are several components of training here that can be practiced well before going to the gym.

    • These include: breathing, self-myofascial release, corrective exercise, and Post Activation Potentiation. (click any of the components to open the related blog)

    • The individual components are discussed briefly and resources are given for independent investigation.

  • I recommend familiarizing yourself with these practices next. Depending on your circumstances you may decide to start here before developing a GOATA practice, or even walking.

    • Breathing and self-myofascial release (SMFR) can be done prior and in combination to ANY other practice.

    • Corrective exercise should most likely be done under the guidance of a professional.

    • There are aspects of Post Activation Potentiation (PAP) that would be useful at any point in your journey though individual results will vary depending how PAP is applied.

    • It’s important not to get lost in these practices. Especially SMFR. In my experience SMFR can be done with positive results on it’s own for a time, but reaches a point where it greatly benefits from doing it in conjunction with other exercises, whether they be corrective or strengthening in intention.

  • Several pieces of this series go with videos posted on my social media for more detailed explanations.

    • I did my best to explain in text, though I understand that given the subject matter discussed, video is a better medium than text as it can be hard to understand and picture what is being written about. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if more explanation if necessary. I would like to improve my teaching and knowing where I fall short is necessary, so feedback is appreciated.

  • Lastly I discuss how these components can be all applied within a training session. It is not necessary to do so though for most there is tremendous benefit in developing the habit of practicing each, at least for some time, and returning to the practice from time to time.

• Home exercise selection and progression (click to go to this blog)

  • This or the other exercise selection posts would be where I recommend the journey go next. Especially if you are new to exercise. Begin practicing the movements using just bodyweight or light weights. Don’t worry about getting strong just yet, that will come with time, especially if you develop proper technique early. Proper technique will minimize the chances of injury, which will allow for consistent training, which will lead to consistent progress.

  • If you decide that the gym isn’t for you or can’t make time to get there this document discusses low cost ways to exercise at home and get fairly fit.

  • Overall I recommend a gym membership as the gym has equipment that few people will have in their house.

  • There are benefits of exercising at home

    • Such as the option to space out your sets throughout the day rather than getting all of them done in one hour or less at the gym.

    • Little equipment is needed meaning it is easy to travel with your gym if needed and not miss any training sessions.

    • Fewer excuses for missing a training session.

  • This can also be done in conjunction with your GOATA exercises and any leg exercises should incorporate the patterns and principles of GOATA.

  • These exercises will use progressions found in the other documents and many of the components of a training session can be done at home as well.

• Progression of an Exercise “Career” (click to go to this blog)

  • This document overlaps with the “Components of Training” because over a career there will be times when each of the components requires more or less attention. This is also discussed in “Putting it Together”

    • There are times to focus on any of them and that is why it is important to at least be aware of each of the components and have some experience.

      • Taking time from strength training to focus on SMFR is not necessarily a “step back” especially if it helps you to “take two steps forward”. Likewise with any of the other components.

      • Taking time in the beginning of your “career” to familiarize yourself with each component and possibly delve in to them and receive some of the fruits of each practice will likely serve to build a better foundation up which to build your strength.

  • I also discuss how you might expect to progress through a training “career” from a higher level view point than “sets and reps” and how training can be viewed relative to the rest of life, or at least the view I take of it.