And there it was. Doosh! The split second a young mans ego crashes down to earth..
I’d just thrown my jogger bottoms down by my kit bag. They’d barely touched the dirt when hysterical laughs cut through the air.
It was early morning, coast-side, on the tropical Thai island of Phuket.
As I toe-sprung towards the starting line of a mini marathon, my Swedish friend Freddie couldn’t help but notice something amusing about my physique.
“Your calves!” he exclaimed, pointing to my thin legs.
“Your pins need some serious love my friend – You’re all show!”.
Ouch.
He was referring to the fact I had muscles up-top, though glued together with what’s classically known as – ‘Chicken Legs’.
I shrugged off the banter with a jokey response, pretending his observation was harmless. Yet, deep down, I knew he was right.
That’s why I wore baggier jeans and chinos 90% of the time — not the typical wear of an expat surrounded by palm trees!
You see, for years, I focused on mirror muscle training: endless sets of bicep curls, tricep dips, crunches, and chest presses.
By neglecting my lower body, I failed to realise the importance of a holistic approach to fitness.
It wasn’t until moments like Freddie’s teasing that I understood the genuine significance of strengthening every area of my body…
🌟 Here’s an analogy which perfectly wraps this up:
If you dedicate effort only to building those “mirror muscles” in the upper body, and neglect time to develop both the back and legs, and functional fitness – It’s basically like trying to hang hefty steaks on a flimsy wire coat hanger.
Can you picture that?
On the flip side, imagine strengthening every area of your body. Well, that would be the same as hanging those same steaks on a sturdy, wooden hanger.
It would provide the solid foundation needed for a well-rounded approach to how your body performs.
So, how can you avoid the same mistakes I made?
🌟 Take onboard these actionable tips to help you achieve a balanced fitness routine:
👉🏼 Resistance Training for All Muscle Groups: Don’t neglect your large back area and lower body! Include exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, and rows to build strength and stability.
👉🏼 Think About ‘Bigger Picture’ Functional Fitness: Focus on different ways you can mimic real-life movements, like bending, twisting, jumping and sprinting. This will improve your overall athleticism and help prevent imbalances.
👉🏼 Don’t Forget About Recovery: Give your muscles time to rest and repair between workouts. Overtraining can lead to burnout and injury, so listen to your body when it’s asking for a day off.
👉🏼 Look for Expert Guidance: Consider working with a certified personal trainer, and better still – a master health coach too; they can create a workout plan tailored to your goals and abilities, and focus on holistic lifestyle factors that may need your attention as well.
REAL fitness means looking at your body as a whole, addressing all aspects of movement.
We’re not talking about the common go-to’s of only strength or cardio. Consider flexibility, endurance, and balance, too.
*Especially if you’d like to defy ageing, for as long as you can.
So, next time you’re looking in the mirror… Be sure to turn around when know ones looking. Even better, take advantage of those multi-angled mirrors in the clothes shop changing rooms!
Become an all-rounder, so you’re prepared to handle any physical challenges you choose to do with finesse and power.
Whether darting for a meeting, throwing frisbee with the kids, or playing your favourite game at the country club.
That’s when you can welcome true fitness freedom.
Marc Overton is a Master Primal Health Coach and Men’s Health cited Personal Trainer. Don’t miss his FREE online course “How To Fix Eating and Exercise Mistakes, So You Can Finally Achieve Lasting Results” here:
👉🏼 https://coachoverton.thinkific.com/courses/how-to-fix-eating-and-exercise-mistakes