Mahler’s Monday Morning Motivator # 212 – The Right Equipment

[Mahler]

Mahler’s Monday Morning Motivator # 212 – The Right Equipment

The Right Equipment (04-28-08)

A recent discussion prompted me to think about how training has evolved in the short span of time that I have personally been involved in the process, which is about six years. Suffice it to say that I am using the word “training” in its broadest sense which will encompass my own personal choice of strength training, as well as the host of other methodologies. Given the broad scope of the subject area, actually the more I think about it, the more I question whether training has evolved to any great degree. I cannot think of one earth-shattering discovery that has been made that has somehow changed the face of training in our time and yet we are made privy to “training secrets” in every internet and magazine ad that somehow most of us have overlooked. We must be blind or incredibly stupid.

It seems that these days everything has to be made to seem new and cutting edge. Taking a brief look back at just the past few years, a lot of those cutting edge training ideas seem to have been around for quite a while, but are merely being reintroduced, recycled, or rediscovered. Oh, they’ve been used by quite a number of people over the years, but, let’s be serious, that does not make them the next generation fitness phenom that they are made out to be. And you don’t make a buck by promoting something that’s already been around for a while. A few examples that came to mind? How about rings? A few years ago this long time gymnastic mainstay suddenly became the newest and greatest training device. Some suppliers couldn’t keep up with the demand. Pay no attention to the fact that they are as old as the hills.

Then, I recall that bands were all the rage. You could use them to make your workouts new and different. You could even attach them to other pieces of equipment and add a new dimension by varying the tension as you lifted. Uhm? Doesn’t Bowflex do that?

Now, it seems, this year’s fair haired workout child is the kettlebell. Everywhere I look, I see the new and wonderful kettlebell. Brand new? I don’t think so. These babies may have been used by Adam while Eve was out picking apples. Oh, they come in pretty colors now and the videos showing their use look pretty cool, but new they are not.

What next? How about the amazing power and core developing qualities of the hoola hoop?

Call me a purist, but in spite of the new and improved innovations that keep arriving on the scene, my personal favorite is a piece of equipment that gave me my first real workout and continues to fulfill that function with great results. What is the one thing that hasn’t changed for decades yet still works wonders for the human body? It’s a bar with frigging iron plates fastened to each end. Sorry, but it is not new and fancy, or sexy and cutting edge or any of the other superlatives that you can assign to a piece of equipment when you are trying to sell it to the public. It’s just a barbell and all you do with it is to lift it in a variety of ways. There is such beauty in simplicity.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that we often get too wrapped up in the trappings of training and forget that they are merely tools to be used. Some of us stumble from one “innovation” to the other and never really make the gains we have promised to ourselves, failing to realize that it’s not the magic piece of equipment that makes the difference, but the magic within. The real secrets to success; the real innovations, the real cutting edge is not found in a piece of equipment, but within us.

The most important thing you need to succeed is not the equipment, but the commitment.


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Have a Great Week!

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[K-Court]

I agree, John. I particularly like your last sentence.

On a slight aside (but kind of on point), as you may know I recently started the TNT diet/workout program. I had my parents over for dinner last night and was explaining the "new diet" to my 81 year old mother who looked at me quizzically and said, "well, of course to lose fat you drop carbs out of your diet ... I've been doing that since I was a young woman." It's a truism that, with age and experience, comes wisdom.

[kaydubya]

Memo to self: develop "iron plate bar" as the next big thing in fitness. The name needs work, but the idea is rock solid, I'm sure of it.

[Phaedrus49er]

PLEASE come talk to the poo-poo heads that run my gym and tell them to put in another power rack while ditching the uber-cool medicine ball throw rocker chairs (yes, multiple).

[Phaedrus49er]

Originally Posted by kaydubya

Memo to self: develop "iron plate bar" as the next big thing in fitness. The name needs work, but the idea is rock solid, I'm sure of it.

I'm sure you could go for some sort of "divining rod" angle

[Terry Monk]

Great one John!

[Frank.S]

i agree with you mostly mahler.. but im never giving up my bands hahaha

[MindPower]

A good one, thanks Mahler

[Lost Dog]

dumbbell!

[kfisherx]

Excellent article and I could not agree more

[GG300]

Everytime I see a new fitness infomercial I have similar thoughts.

Thanks John

[RacerBill]

Great one. Thanks, John.

Y'know, that hula hoop idea is money...

[Sign]

Originally Posted by RacerBill

Great one. Thanks, John.

Y'know, that hula hoop idea is money...

About 7 years ago I was working at Zellers (kind of like a crappy Canadian version of Target) and we had hula-hoops yet they weren't called hula-hoops they were called fitness hoops and eventually called fitness rings.

[RedLefty]

The iron scepter of brawn.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by kaydubya

Memo to self: develop "iron plate bar" as the next big thing in fitness. The name needs work, but the idea is rock solid, I'm sure of it.

Mahler's Mighty Muscle Mawler

[ninja]

John's got something.

[Tom@foresight]

Another great one!
TOM