#Strength10Me

Categories: Blog Sep 27, 2015

 

We accidentally stumbled into a movement challenge. Often when I strength train, I pick a few movements and perform them for 10 minutes at a time. Generally, my goal is to perform the movement, whatever it is, for 10 continuous minutes without stop or rest.

I have to credit my friend John Brookfield for teaching me this method for strength training. He is the father of work capacity training. Though, I modified John’s style to suit myself. John typically pics a task, or movement, and stays on it for 45 to 60 minutes. I find I really like 10 minutes!

Anyway, learning and training with a particular movement for 10 minutes can really help your body build tremendous amounts of strength. It can also help your brain develop strength, mental tenacity, as well; if the particular movement you chose were physically demanding. But it doesn’t have to be.

You could choose a reset like segmental rolling and roll for 10 straight minutes. Or, you could perform deliberate diaphragmatic breaths for 10 straight minutes. Even though they are not strenuous, they are so good for you and they will absolutely add strength and vigor to your body.

And yes, you could backwards spiderman crawl for 10 straight minutes as well. This is slightly more demanding, but it is a reset and it will unleash your God-given strength. You could even pick movements or task that are not necessarily resets. For example, you could carry around a 70 pound rock for 10 minutes without putting it down. Hello mental tenacity.

The point is, strength training does not have to be sets and reps. It can be timed exploration. Strength training does not have to include traditional forms of exercise either. It can totally be done through your body’s natural movement patterns.

And that is where real strength comes from. Real strength comes from the operating system that was placed inside of you. When you spend your time moving and exploring though your natural movement patterns, your body becomes strong - all of you; your mind and body become strong. Why? Because your natural movement patterns, those RESETs, establish your reflexive foundation for strength, mobility, and control. And when you have that foundation of reflexive strength and control, everything else you do works better, like traditional strength training modalities.

Here is the funny part. Crawling around like a baby for 10 minutes can make you ridiculously strong. It can make your strength training efforts more fruitful as well. Performing dead bugs for 10 minutes can also tie your body together and allow amazing strength to be released. And the truth is, even lying on your back and practicing deep belly breaths for 10 minutes will allow your body to express superhuman strength. It’s crazy, I know. But it’s also crazy enough to work. And it does.

Do you want to be strong? Are you up for the challenge? Pick a reset, pick a natural movement, easy or hard and learn from it for 10 minutes at a time. Establish a bedrock foundation of reflexive strength, mobility and control. See if it doesn’t make your other strength training methods better and more fruitful.

If you do this, Let us know what you discover. Share your journey with us. Express your strength. #Strength10Me.

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