Andrew Read, Author at Whole Life Challenge https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/author/andrew-read/ The Game That Changes Your Whole Life Fri, 03 Nov 2023 12:01:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.7 The Golden Mean Training Plan: A Simple Template for Success https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/golden-mean-training-plan/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/golden-mean-training-plan/#comments Fri, 03 Nov 2023 12:01:36 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=6944---da59c917-a607-4b88-be3a-ecc37437a2f5 At the beginning of each year, it is easy to be fooled into thinking you need a new workout. New year, new you, and all that jazz. Don’t be fooled by fitness marketing hype.

The basics are the basics for a good reason — they work.

Let’s face it, squats don’t stop working to make you stronger just because you’ve been doing them for a while.…

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At the beginning of each year, it is easy to be fooled into thinking you need a new workout. New year, new you, and all that jazz. Don’t be fooled by fitness marketing hype.

The basics are the basics for a good reason — they work.

Let’s face it, squats don’t stop working to make you stronger just because you’ve been doing them for a while.…

The post The Golden Mean Training Plan: A Simple Template for Success appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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The 4 Principles of Healthy and Effective Exercise After 40 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-4-principles-of-healthy-and-effective-exercise-after-40/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-4-principles-of-healthy-and-effective-exercise-after-40/#comments Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:00:25 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=6248---bed7a699-0a3e-4fe5-8ca8-88960797b6d2 I am inundated with health and fitness advice daily. I’m sure you are, too, and just like you, I need to apply a careful filter to what I pay attention to and what I ignore.

One of the things I am less and less inclined to pay attention to is the advice of someone much younger than me. The reason is quite simple — a thirty-year-old just doesn’t know what it’s like to try to stay active in their forties.…

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I am inundated with health and fitness advice daily. I’m sure you are, too, and just like you, I need to apply a careful filter to what I pay attention to and what I ignore.

One of the things I am less and less inclined to pay attention to is the advice of someone much younger than me.…

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Get Fit by Trusting Your Gut: 5 Questions You Need to Ask https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/get-fit-by-trusting-your-gut/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/get-fit-by-trusting-your-gut/#respond Thu, 25 May 2023 09:00:41 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=5952 Training and diet aren’t rocket science. Any website or article that tries to tell you otherwise is just trying to sell you something.

Inside all of us is a very perceptive brain, often called the lizard brain. The lizard brain is a throwback to our ancestors and is often associated with visceral feelings. You know that time you got a bad “vibe” from that one guy and he turned out to be a criminal?…

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Training and diet aren’t rocket science. Any website or article that tries to tell you otherwise is just trying to sell you something.

Inside all of us is a very perceptive brain, often called the lizard brain. The lizard brain is a throwback to our ancestors and is often associated with visceral feelings. You know that time you got a bad “vibe” from that one guy and he turned out to be a criminal?…

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The 3 Steps to Training Smarter as You Pass 50 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-3-steps-to-training-smarter-as-you-pass-50/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-3-steps-to-training-smarter-as-you-pass-50/#comments Mon, 08 May 2023 09:00:19 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=5811 When it comes to training information, there has never been a better time to be alive. All the best authors and greatest minds are right there at your fingertips. Books, research papers, blog posts, and even forum posts directly from these authorities make learning easy. But the information is often pitched at one demographic — the twenty- to thirty-year-old male looking to be (pick one) jacked, super strong, or ripped.…

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When it comes to training information, there has never been a better time to be alive. All the best authors and greatest minds are right there at your fingertips. Books, research papers, blog posts, and even forum posts directly from these authorities make learning easy. But the information is often pitched at one demographic — the twenty- to thirty-year-old male looking to be (pick one) jacked, super strong, or ripped.…

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The Walk/Run Program 2.0: Run for 60 Minutes Straight in 13 Weeks https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-walkrun-program-2-0-run-for-60-minutes-straight-in-13-weeks/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-walkrun-program-2-0-run-for-60-minutes-straight-in-13-weeks/#comments Tue, 11 Apr 2023 03:00:47 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=5656 Running is one of those things that most people either love or hate. Usually, the two camps are divided by one factor — skill.

The group of people who love running tend to have run earlier in life and picked up some skill at it. Like with many things, those who develop a particular physical skill early will often have a seemingly “natural” ability at it later, even if they don’t perform that task often.…

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Running is one of those things that most people either love or hate. Usually, the two camps are divided by one factor — skill.

The group of people who love running tend to have run earlier in life and picked up some skill at it. Like with many things, those who develop a particular physical skill early will often have a seemingly “natural” ability at it later, even if they don’t perform that task often.…

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The Best Way to Exercise for a Healthy Heart After Age 40 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-way-to-exercise-for-a-healthy-heart-when-youre-over-40/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-way-to-exercise-for-a-healthy-heart-when-youre-over-40/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2023 10:00:03 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=5477 What would you give up to reach your strength goals? The internet is filled with inspiring videos and memes — “When you want success as much as you want air, then you will be successful” — and all that.

But are we focused on the wrong thing? As I’ve gotten older, two things have started to happen. First, I recognize the place training should have in my life, which means it is there to support the rest of my life not be the central piece to my entire life.…

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What would you give up to reach your strength goals? The internet is filled with inspiring videos and memes — “When you want success as much as you want air, then you will be successful” — and all that.

But are we focused on the wrong thing? As I’ve gotten older, two things have started to happen.…

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The Most Important Thing to Know About Training If You’re Over 40 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-most-important-thing-to-know-about-training-if-youre-over-40/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-most-important-thing-to-know-about-training-if-youre-over-40/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2022 20:51:46 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=5044---f40c8b47-864e-4817-98f6-6b81bd924925 One of the hardest parts about getting older is accepting that maybe things just don’t work like they used to. As the lyrics go, “I may not be as great as I once was, but I’m as great once as I ever was.” I know I can still lay the smack down in the gym if I want to and shame my younger clients – but they’ll be able to do it again tomorrow and I’ll need a few days off to deal with the consequences.…

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One of the hardest parts about getting older is accepting that maybe things just don’t work like they used to. As the lyrics go, “I may not be as great as I once was, but I’m as great once as I ever was.” I know I can still lay the smack down in the gym if I want to and shame my younger clients – but they’ll be able to do it again tomorrow and I’ll need a few days off to deal with the consequences.…

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Why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Is the Ultimate Functional Fitness https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/why-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-is-the-ultimate-functional-fitness/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/why-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-is-the-ultimate-functional-fitness/#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=4652 Martial arts have been around for nearly as long as we have. From the moment one of our ancestors figured that there were better ways to swing a club or throw a rock, we started systematizing approaches to combat.

When I was growing up, my mother thought I lacked discipline. She probably also thought it would be nice to get me out of the house more often, so she enrolled me in a local Taekwondo class.…

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Martial arts have been around for nearly as long as we have. From the moment one of our ancestors figured that there were better ways to swing a club or throw a rock, we started systematizing approaches to combat.

When I was growing up, my mother thought I lacked discipline. She probably also thought it would be nice to get me out of the house more often, so she enrolled me in a local Taekwondo class.…

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The Best Way to Begin Kettlebell Training https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-way-to-begin-kettlebell-training/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-way-to-begin-kettlebell-training/#respond Thu, 30 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=4136 There are a number of pathways open to people looking to begin kettlebell training:

  • Option A is with swings during a CrossFit workout.
  • Option B is by training with an RKC- or StrongFirst-certified instructor.
  • Option C is via corrective exercise work through systems such as the FMS with exercises like the get-up.
  • Option D is through girevoy sport, which is the sport of kettlebell lifting.
  • The post The Best Way to Begin Kettlebell Training appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    There are a number of pathways open to people looking to begin kettlebell training:

  • Option A is with swings during a CrossFit workout.
  • Option B is by training with an RKC- or StrongFirst-certified instructor.
  • Option C is via corrective exercise work through systems such as the FMS with exercises like the get-up.
  • Option D is through girevoy sport, which is the sport of kettlebell lifting.
  • The post The Best Way to Begin Kettlebell Training appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    How to Launch a Successful Post-Holiday Exercise Plan of Attack https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/how-to-launch-a-successful-post-holiday-exercise-plan-of-attack/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/how-to-launch-a-successful-post-holiday-exercise-plan-of-attack/#respond Mon, 27 Dec 2021 13:00:00 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=6738 It’s easy to get derailed during the holiday season. Work accelerates because everyone is frantically trying to finish tasks before the end of the year, but this happens at a time when most people’s brains are already in vacation mode. With more work on your plate and everybody else moving at a slower pace, it’s easy for things like your training to take a back seat.…

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    It’s easy to get derailed during the holiday season. Work accelerates because everyone is frantically trying to finish tasks before the end of the year, but this happens at a time when most people’s brains are already in vacation mode. With more work on your plate and everybody else moving at a slower pace, it’s easy for things like your training to take a back seat.…

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    The Best Pulling Exercises for Barbell, Kettlebell, and Bodyweight Training https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-pulling-exercises-for-barbell-kettlebell-and-bodyweight-training/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-pulling-exercises-for-barbell-kettlebell-and-bodyweight-training/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2021 05:30:33 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=8461 The running joke within fitness circles is that Monday is International Bench Press Day. This comes from the days when bodybuilding ruled the roost and people split their workouts into specific days for certain body parts.

    What makes this funny, when viewed through a strength lens, is that the muscles that push only make up about 30% of the muscles of the body.…

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    The running joke within fitness circles is that Monday is International Bench Press Day. This comes from the days when bodybuilding ruled the roost and people split their workouts into specific days for certain body parts.

    What makes this funny, when viewed through a strength lens, is that the muscles that push only make up about 30% of the muscles of the body.…

    The post The Best Pulling Exercises for Barbell, Kettlebell, and Bodyweight Training appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    The Best Pushing Exercises for Barbell, Kettlebell, and Bodyweight Training https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-pushing-exercises-for-barbell-kettlebell-and-bodyweight-training/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-pushing-exercises-for-barbell-kettlebell-and-bodyweight-training/#respond Wed, 14 Apr 2021 12:00:19 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=8004 Training is simple. We make it far more complex than it really needs to be. Lift more weight — either by performing a higher volume (sets x reps) or by increasing intensity (lifting a heavier weight) — and you’ll improve. However, there are some exercises that should be considered your main courses and others that don’t even rate a mention on the kids’ menu.…

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    Training is simple. We make it far more complex than it really needs to be. Lift more weight — either by performing a higher volume (sets x reps) or by increasing intensity (lifting a heavier weight) — and you’ll improve. However, there are some exercises that should be considered your main courses and others that don’t even rate a mention on the kids’ menu.…

    The post The Best Pushing Exercises for Barbell, Kettlebell, and Bodyweight Training appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    Fitness After 40: A Simple Plan for Life-Long Health https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/fitness-after-40-a-simple-plan-for-life-long-health/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/fitness-after-40-a-simple-plan-for-life-long-health/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2021 06:00:32 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=4459 Not long ago, doctors told people to slow down once they reached 40. To take it easy. They believed when it came to “fitness after 40” that the heart couldn’t withstand much stress and it was best to just put your feet up for the rest of your life.

    Obviously things have changed, and we have a number of amazing humans to thank for it.…

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    Not long ago, doctors told people to slow down once they reached 40. To take it easy. They believed when it came to “fitness after 40” that the heart couldn’t withstand much stress and it was best to just put your feet up for the rest of your life.

    Obviously things have changed, and we have a number of amazing humans to thank for it.…

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    How to Escape the Fitness Industry Matrix and Get Healthy https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/how-to-escape-the-fitness-industry-matrix-and-get-healthy/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/how-to-escape-the-fitness-industry-matrix-and-get-healthy/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2020 07:30:03 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=5209 Recently in the cycling media, a long-time and trusted source did the unthinkable. He spilled the beans on the house of cards that product reviews and magazines are based on.

    The short version goes like this:

    Magazines don’t really make money off you, the reader. They make money by advertising products. Most articles in the magazine are really ads disguised as journalism and more often than not money changes hands so that products are reviewed favorably against their peers.…

    The post How to Escape the Fitness Industry Matrix and Get Healthy appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    Recently in the cycling media, a long-time and trusted source did the unthinkable. He spilled the beans on the house of cards that product reviews and magazines are based on.

    The short version goes like this:

    Magazines don’t really make money off you, the reader. They make money by advertising products. Most articles in the magazine are really ads disguised as journalism and more often than not money changes hands so that products are reviewed favorably against their peers.…

    The post How to Escape the Fitness Industry Matrix and Get Healthy appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    How to Win at Exercise After Age 40 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/how-to-win-at-exercise-after-age-40/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/how-to-win-at-exercise-after-age-40/#comments Tue, 21 May 2019 07:01:37 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=9232 I recently ran a survey on my Facebook page and was overwhelmed by the response. Hundreds of people over the age of 35 replied and let me know their biggest problems when it comes to getting in shape and staying there.

    There were two things that stood out:

    1. What people saw as their biggest impediments to training. While there were many answers, they boiled down to four main things: previous injury, time, work, and family.

    The post How to Win at Exercise After Age 40 appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    I recently ran a survey on my Facebook page and was overwhelmed by the response. Hundreds of people over the age of 35 replied and let me know their biggest problems when it comes to getting in shape and staying there.

    There were two things that stood out:

    1. What people saw as their biggest impediments to training.

    The post How to Win at Exercise After Age 40 appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    3 Smart Shoulder Exercises That Will Improve Your Shoulder Health https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/3-smart-shoulder-exercises-that-will-improve-your-shoulder-health/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/3-smart-shoulder-exercises-that-will-improve-your-shoulder-health/#respond Wed, 14 Mar 2018 09:00:19 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=10061 Over the years, I’ve read a bunch of articles written by people who told me how hard on the shoulders the bench press can be. I took note of the information in these articles, but only in a circumspect way. I had no real understanding of what was being said.

    The reason for that was simple: most of these articles were written by guys who had been training longer than me.…

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    Over the years, I’ve read a bunch of articles written by people who told me how hard on the shoulders the bench press can be. I took note of the information in these articles, but only in a circumspect way. I had no real understanding of what was being said.

    The reason for that was simple: most of these articles were written by guys who had been training longer than me.…

    The post 3 Smart Shoulder Exercises That Will Improve Your Shoulder Health appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    The Research-Backed Reasons You Need to Start Walking https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-research-backed-reasons-you-need-to-start-walking/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-research-backed-reasons-you-need-to-start-walking/#comments Tue, 30 Jan 2018 10:00:21 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=9752 Man has spent centuries on packaging the world into a neat space with a roof, lights, and climate control. Because of this, we tell ourselves that we are advanced, evolved beings.

    But we’ve got it wrong.

    The modern fitness world has spent billions of dollars developing machines (and advertising them to you) in order to keep you fit and healthy.

    But they’ve got it wrong, too.…

    The post The Research-Backed Reasons You Need to Start Walking appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    Man has spent centuries on packaging the world into a neat space with a roof, lights, and climate control. Because of this, we tell ourselves that we are advanced, evolved beings.

    But we’ve got it wrong.

    The modern fitness world has spent billions of dollars developing machines (and advertising them to you) in order to keep you fit and healthy.…

    The post The Research-Backed Reasons You Need to Start Walking appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    The Best Leg Exercises for Barbell, Kettlebell, and Bodyweight Training https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-leg-exercises-for-barbell-kettlebell-and-bodyweight-training/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/the-best-leg-exercises-for-barbell-kettlebell-and-bodyweight-training/#comments Mon, 23 Oct 2017 09:00:18 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=8715 Having covered the best pulling exercises and pushing exercises in previous articles, that leaves us with legs. Many people would think finding the best leg exercise is simple — just pick squats, work hard and heavy, and move on.

    But are squats really the king of lower-body movements?

    A Critical Point When Picking the Best Leg Exercises

    Before we pick our best leg exercises, we need to remember what our legs can do.…

    The post The Best Leg Exercises for Barbell, Kettlebell, and Bodyweight Training appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    Having covered the best pulling exercises and pushing exercises in previous articles, that leaves us with legs. Many people would think finding the best leg exercise is simple — just pick squats, work hard and heavy, and move on.

    But are squats really the king of lower-body movements?

    A Critical Point When Picking the Best Leg Exercises

    Before we pick our best leg exercises, we need to remember what our legs can do.…

    The post The Best Leg Exercises for Barbell, Kettlebell, and Bodyweight Training appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    The 3 Most Effective Kettlebell Exercises for the Advanced Trainee https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/3-most-effective-kettlebell-exercises/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/3-most-effective-kettlebell-exercises/#respond Tue, 13 Jun 2017 09:00:18 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=7856 I recently wrote a three-exercise kettlebell program that I coined “Recon Ron 2.0.” The whole premise of it was to design a program that yielded the best possible results in a short time span. It was never designed to be a lifelong program to follow — if such a thing even exists — nor did I consider the exercises necessarily the most important kettlebell drills.…

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    I recently wrote a three-exercise kettlebell program that I coined “Recon Ron 2.0.” The whole premise of it was to design a program that yielded the best possible results in a short time span. It was never designed to be a lifelong program to follow — if such a thing even exists — nor did I consider the exercises necessarily the most important kettlebell drills.…

    The post The 3 Most Effective Kettlebell Exercises for the Advanced Trainee appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    Why More Is Better and Intervals Can Be a Bad Choice https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/why-more-is-better-and-intervals-can-be-a-bad-choice/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/why-more-is-better-and-intervals-can-be-a-bad-choice/#comments Mon, 08 May 2017 09:00:53 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=7583 10,000 hours. That’s the number it is said to take to master something. 10,000 hours of hard work to get world class.

    But what if you don’t want to be world-class as an athlete — what if you just want to be in really good shape? How many hours does that take?

    If we start with what 10,000 hours might look like broken down into a weekly target, we can work our way backward and figure out the hours you need to put in to achieve your fitness goals — as well as the most effective thing to do during those hours.…

    The post Why More Is Better and Intervals Can Be a Bad Choice appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    10,000 hours. That’s the number it is said to take to master something. 10,000 hours of hard work to get world class.

    But what if you don’t want to be world-class as an athlete — what if you just want to be in really good shape? How many hours does that take?

    If we start with what 10,000 hours might look like broken down into a weekly target, we can work our way backward and figure out the hours you need to put in to achieve your fitness goals — as well as the most effective thing to do during those hours.…

    The post Why More Is Better and Intervals Can Be a Bad Choice appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    How to Create an Effective Workout Program in 2 Simple Steps https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/how-to-create-an-effective-workout-program-in-2-simple-steps/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/how-to-create-an-effective-workout-program-in-2-simple-steps/#comments Mon, 03 Apr 2017 09:00:18 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=7412 What if you had to write an exercise program for someone (or for yourself)? Where would you start? Would you start with basic bodybuilding movements or would you go for the big three power lifts?

    Right now, in gyms all over the world, people are answering these questions. And right now, their clients are getting bigger and stronger. But what if “bigger” and “stronger” are only the answers to a very small number of questions and we, the general public, has been led astray by sports strength and conditioning?…

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    What if you had to write an exercise program for someone (or for yourself)? Where would you start? Would you start with basic bodybuilding movements or would you go for the big three power lifts?

    Right now, in gyms all over the world, people are answering these questions. And right now, their clients are getting bigger and stronger.…

    The post How to Create an Effective Workout Program in 2 Simple Steps appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    Recon Ron 2.0: How to Get in Shape with Little Time or Equipment https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/recon-ron-2-0-how-to-get-in-shape-with-little-time-or-equipment/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/recon-ron-2-0-how-to-get-in-shape-with-little-time-or-equipment/#respond Tue, 07 Mar 2017 10:00:10 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=7161 I am not usually a fan of minimal plans. My belief is that when you remove a lot from training plans, you open the body to injury and overuse.

    However, there are times when you need to get in, get it done, and move on. Often these times come when you have little in the way of equipment, like when on holidays or when deployed.…

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    I am not usually a fan of minimal plans. My belief is that when you remove a lot from training plans, you open the body to injury and overuse.

    However, there are times when you need to get in, get it done, and move on. Often these times come when you have little in the way of equipment, like when on holidays or when deployed.…

    The post Recon Ron 2.0: How to Get in Shape with Little Time or Equipment appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

    ]]>
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    There’s No Such Thing as Pilates https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/theres-no-such-thing-as-pilates/ https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/theres-no-such-thing-as-pilates/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2016 09:00:49 +0000 https://www.wholelifechallenge.com/?p=4867 Fitness is cyclic. What was once trendy will soon be forgotten, and tomorrow’s amazing new workout was probably first thought of a hundred years ago. Even in my short time, I have seen the rise and fall of many trends from bodybuilding to indoor cycling to aerobics classes to yoga and Pilates. Often these trends are driven by a few movie stars saying they use these activities to stay in shape.…

    The post There’s No Such Thing as Pilates appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

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    Fitness is cyclic. What was once trendy will soon be forgotten, and tomorrow’s amazing new workout was probably first thought of a hundred years ago. Even in my short time, I have seen the rise and fall of many trends from bodybuilding to indoor cycling to aerobics classes to yoga and Pilates. Often these trends are driven by a few movie stars saying they use these activities to stay in shape.…

    The post There’s No Such Thing as Pilates appeared first on Whole Life Challenge.

    ]]>
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