One Size Doesn't Fit All

This blog digs into the surface of knowing YOUR body when it comes to personal performance. Training completely depends on your lifestyle, condition, and objective . Each age group and individual is subscribed differently for a reason.

Let me begin by asking you an honest question. Have you ever walked into a gym, observed the others around you and thought, “They consider that a workout?” How about the complete opposite, “I could never do that.” It doesn’t matter if you find what someone else is doing super easy or super intimidating, you have no place assuming what their overall goal is or comparing it with yours. Every individual is chasing their own better. This is also a huge reason as to why you are not doing the same exercise or program as a friend, athlete, relative, or coworker you know. Genetics, gender, health, injuries, etc. all play a role; life happens. Here at CPC, we take that into consideration for each subscriber and class program we create; no two programs are the same. It is important to be aware of this and realize why each age group and individuals are prescribed differently in the exercise world.

I have been working with a range of youth kids for more than a few years now. I am yet to encounter two who are exactly the same (and I probably never will). Young children need attention and direction that fits their body and mind capacity. Trying to get the body to do what the mind is telling them is much easier said than done. In my opinion, the most important physical growth at a young age is kinesthetic awareness. It is not how fast, strong, or athletic they are so lets stop comparing. How malleable are they? How can you get them to understand their mental and physical connection in a relatable way? Agilities and body weight exercises are a huge component to this. We make sure that there is an understanding and an ability to perform movements correctly all while having fun doing it. If they leave feeling challenged, aware, and confident - you did your job. They are not going to wake up the day after training and magically become Tom Brady. In fact, if any of you are familiar with Tom Brady (if you aren’t you might as well live under a rock) his story didn’t truly start until he was 23. Parents, you need to realize that there is only so much growth in a certain amount of time. Their mental state has much more to do with their performance at this age.

As I continue to work at the Ludlow Senior center with the seniors, it becomes more and more apparent they all have individual goals. The most common of them is wanting to be able to continue to move around without any assistance or pain. Incorporating the suspension trainer and rip trainer is much more appropriate for them than adding load and power movements. They will go through the same grueling workout if they perform these focused movements correctly. Making sure they are happy, safe, and confident in themselves to take on the day is the biggest goal.

As for the in betweens - everywhere from teens, thirties, amputees, athletes, pregnancy, over the hill, you name it. Training completely depends on your lifestyle, condition, and objective. Are you exercising to lose weight, run a marathon, become more flexible, get better at golf, for the NFL, or to simply stay healthy? The list could go on forever, I could talk about this forever, and that’s why I combined such a vast age group. They are all so specific to the individual. Take an athlete training for his/her competitive season and a 40 year old who has had ACL surgery. They need completely different attention and programming, just as you need your own fix or program, to find out what gets you toward your goal. Allow yourself to reset and really consider how effective your last exercise was. If you feel the need to go do 100 burpees, squat a shit ton of weight with terrible form, or run until you have shin splints, ask yourself why. What are you really gaining? Stop looking around the room and comparing yourself to someone else. Everyone’s body has developed, grown, and been through a different story. PROGRESSION, REGRESSION. Find out what works, what doesn’t, and where to improve. If you’re unsure, that’s where we come in.