It TRULY Does Not Take Much

I know, I know. Many of you, if you even clicked on this post are rolling your eyes saying "ya, ya Coach, we know it doesn't take much to feel better". So then the question arises, if you're someone who complains to yourself and others about a particular aspect of your health; "Then ARE YOU doing something to create the change you want to feel?".

I have a few small examples recently, two of which are from my own experiments in my routines and one from a client conversation.

A post from a couple weeks ago I shared here, discussed a kettlebell routine I've been playing with once per week that connects explosive work, with breathwork. As of writing this I'm two days post-another of this routine and it really made me think of this fact: "It TRULY does NOT take much". Let me share why that thought came to mind this morning. Here the after effects (for me) after the first FOUR (JUST four, remember that) sessions of this kettlebell ladder routine. Here's the breakdown...

Session-1: My hamstrings (which suffered multiple strains in the latter quarter of my soccer career) were sore for 3-4 days following this session. Not "I can't walk" sore, but like "oh wow - yep, I did some work on those" kind of sore. Settling after day 4 or so.

Session-2: My hamstrings felt it for 2-3 days after the session.

Session-3: Kind of noticed my hamstrings for 1-2 days following the session. The feeling definitely drew less of my attention without question.

Session-4: 2-days post-session, my hamstrings feel completely normal. Minimal stiffness the day after the session as well. Added an extra round of swing: breathing to this session, making 136 reps of each swings and breath.

To reiterate the point of "It truly doesn't take much":

🏋That CHANGE and PROGRESSION took 4-sessions.

🏋That's ONCE per week with this routine.

🏋The routine takes approximately 15min.

Let's move on to the next example...

On one other day in the week over the last few weeks, I've been playing with a 3-movement kettlebell routine which includes:

Turkish Get-Ups

Single Arm Overhead Press

Goblet Squats

(Like my ladder routine, this 3-movement session takes approximately 15min).

In JUST my third session, I felt MORE mobile and my movements felt SMOOTHER. The most significant shift to again reiterate "it really doesn't take much" is my single arm overhead press movement.

Session-1: I did 2 sets per side. 5 reps both sets on the right. But the left I could only get 4 reps.

Session-2: I did 2 sets per side again (same weight). This time I still got 5 reps on the right side, but 4.5 reps on the left. I was getting that weight up just a little bit further.

Session-3: Both sides I got 5 reps x 2 sets (same weight again) with very smooth, strict movement (no help from the legs to push that weight overhead). I definitely could have added a third set no problem, but stayed with the good vibes in play.

To again, reiterate the point of "It truly doesn't take much": 

🏋That CHANGE and PROGRESSION took 3-sessions.

🏋That's ONCE per week with this routine.

🏋The routine takes approximately 15min.

As if that's not enough, this morning (knowing I wanted to share this reminder of how powerful small actions are for us and our health), I had a conversation with a client during her session that created an "ah-ha moment" on a similar wavelength...

-She brought up some tightness/weakness in her glute and hamstring area on her right side. She's found her step ups tough on that side over the past few weeks.

-She acknowledges in bringing this up that she has NOT been diligent with her exercise(s) her physio suggested, which she knows helps.

-As she's sharing this with me, she steps up onto the step to do her exercise for the third set of the day and says "Oh sure! Now it feels fine". To which I pointed out, because she's been moving and she's done two previous sets of that exercise.

The final reiteration point of "It truly doesn't take much": 

🏋 That CHANGE and PROGRESSION took 2-sets of the movement itself.

🏋That reminded my client that if she creates the opportunity to DO her physio work, she'll feel change in the direction she's hoping for

As always, our mind can be our biggest barrier

Our health, how we feel inside and out, does NOT require much other than a LITTLE BIT of effort and consistency. These are just THREE examples of MANY that we can all remind ourselves about when we think it's going to take "moving mountains" to feel better. NO IT WON'T!! But you DO have to DO something to get things moving.

👉START so small you THINK it's stupid. Then there's ZERO reason you "can't do it" and it won't feel like as much of a burden. Then do it again, and again, and again...

👉Don't RUSH anything. Just take action. You notice in each of these three examples how NOTHING is forced or rushed?? The more you try to rush or force something, not only will it create more stress but you also may end up overlooking these progressions like the ones used in the examples here.

👉Enjoy it. I know, I know! "HEAVEN FORBID!!!" But seriously. Enjoy the feel not only of DOING something but the feel of doing something that IS NOT stressing you out to do it!