What Does Finding Nemo Have to do with Fitness?
What does Finding Nemo possibly have to do with how I teach fitness? Let's dive into it 🐟
In my definition of fitness, there are three levels. In order from least to most specific: Exercise, Working Out, and Training. Most active people live somewhere between Exercise and Working Out.
But it's level three, Training, that most people don't even know exists. And it's level three, Training, which brings ALL of the specific outcomes that people crave. Let's analyze each level as if it were a character from Finding Nemo:
1) Exercise—Dory
I consider Exercise in this context to be completely random. You flit around like Dory with no particular direction or destination, asking if someone knows where you should go. Just keep swimming somewhere. Exercise defined this way is highly unspecific with completely random outcomes. Something will improve but you have no way of knowing what that thing will be or if you even wanted it. You may end up an entire ocean away from where you hoped.
2) Working Out—Crush and Squirt
I think of Working Out as a choice to move with some direction, effort, and intention towards some kind of end point, but with no firm plan. Crush and Squirt had to get to Hawaii, but they were also perfectly happy to float there haphazardly while diving in and out of the current, eating gummies, and high-fiving each other. Working Out will ultimately land you in Hawaii, which is great. But Hawaii also has 137 islands. Who knows where you’ll settle?
3) Training—The Seagulls Who Say "Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!"
Level three, training, is never random. You're only Training if you have a starting point, a plan, and an intended destination. Those points can be anything you want, they can (and likely will) change on the way, but they should all be specific and known entities at every minute. The seagulls? Laser-focused. They had a goal (fish) and a plan (unrelentingly demand and pursue it at every minute of the day). And they GOT those fish.
Training is not reserved for high-level athletes. It's a misconception that programmed fitness is only for running marathons, competing in the Olympics, or rowing at the Head of the Charles Regatta. You can train, and train for, ANYTHING. All it means is knowing where you're starting, where you're going, and how to get there.
It's also a misconception that you should ONLY live in the Training level and not the other two. Absolutely not the case. If you're happy with your work and your progress, hell yeah!!! Don't change a thing! Fitness should always make you happy first and foremost.
But if you feel constantly frustrated by doing regular exercise without seeing any improvements, or if you have no idea where to begin, or if you have a goal but the path to achieve it is a complete mystery (you mean watching a thousand Instagram posts has never gotten anyone anywhere?????), then you need a coach. (That’s me!)
Start today and you'll get there at least one day sooner. And if you can think of any good fish puns...
let minnow.
