How To Train For 10 Hours In 2.5

So here's the Deal. Some of us train extremely hard and glorify an intense work capacity and load. That's all good and well if you know what you're doing. The problem is, some of us have no clue what we are doing and even worse, we might not even know that we don't have a clue. 


You could easily be running yourself into the wall both physically and mentally whilst developing bad habits and unproductive patterns through inefficient training. You will then have to correct, re-pattern and potentially rehabilitate all the mess you've created here later down the line. 
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So here are a couple of actionable sign posts for you to begin or continue your movement training journey in a smart, productive and sustainable way. Following these points will help you achieve more as well as get the best out of your time and your body. 

1. Realize that your actual main goal is - Not to get injured: You're not made of steel and even if you were, you would still wither away with overuse. It's not cool or popular to be that person in the class who turns up over tired or injured already. You're not being drafted for an Olympic team. More likely still, no one is even watching you or cares how hard you're training. You'll realize this when you're making that lonely commute to the physio twice a week to rehabilitate the consequences of your poor decisions, instead of moving and enjoying a pain free existence. Learn to say no and stop in time. 
   
   
2. Figure out how you best retain and process information: Have you ever been in a class where the teacher is demonstrating something which you're not quite getting and you're first reaction is to utter the question: "Can you please explain that to me?" Or vice versa, they are explaining something in detail and you immediately think "Can you show me that in action?" Some of us have preferred ways of retaining and processing information. Take some time to reflect on the things you are learning and how you best digest material. Expose yourself to this more. This leads nicely onto the next point. 
   
   
3. Look for good teachers and don't be afraid to ask questions: Finding teachers that are versatile enough to deliver information in different ways is a huge time saver and benefit. Ask them to show you something, or to explain it again. Perhaps they will need to physically cue you. General rule of thumb here is that it helps to know why you are doing something a particular way, so that's a good question to ask. Good adaptable teachers should be able to shift, shape and demonstrate their information in a variety of different ways on the fly as well as explain the why's to their methods. Find one that passes the test. ​​
   
   
4. Don't burn yourself out every session: You're more likely to enjoy your Movement Training and want to come back to it with a positive mental attitude if you leave something in the tank for later. You will ingest more of the information and feedback you're exposed to. If you work yourself to the bone every single time, you are essentially putting yourself in a state of anxiety. You will need 2 to 3 days of complete rest and recovery. In the meantime, you could have still be doing some light consistent movement everyday and compounding hours and hours in the long run. Going to the max every single session is not always the smartest way to train. You'll be at risk of wearing out your body and training will no longer revitalize you or entice you as much. ​There is a time and place for intensity. 

   
​6. Training Atomization: This is a term I've coined for a concept which is unfortunately not practiced enough in the movement training community. How do I know? Because more often than not, when I talk about this to students they look at me as if I've turned into a rainbow coloured unicorn. Training Atomization deserves it's own blog post, so i'm only going to glance over it quickly here. Its actually quite simple.

For the full blog on Training Atomization, click here: how-to-train-for-movement-training-atomization.html

Think of the nucleus of an atom as the movement you are trying to learn, let's say a Macaco for example. Now picture the swirling electrons around the nucleus as all of the required prerequisites to perform that movement. Usual suspects here are things like strength & mobility among others. Focusing on those specific prerequisites - "the electrons" will reap huge rewards down the line because you will have spent valuable time increasing those attributes. Not only will they help you achieve the original movement, but also any other manoeuvres that also require that particular strength and mobility. This approach, if applied correctly will set your body up favourably overtime.
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General Rule of thumb: The more complicated the pattern, the more you want to avoid repeating it incorrectly over and over again with no success. Ingraining terrible habits will take time to break down and re-pattern later. Instead, use this method to "Atomize" the movement as much as possible, then come back to it once you've done the appropriate work. 

​OK, so we've discussed 6 great ways of using time and saving your body in order to avoid having to do extra work down the line. The best thing is, you can start applying these immediately. The more of them you apply, the more their benefits will compound. 

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I will leave you with this quote: 

“Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardour and attended to with diligence.” - Abigail Adams
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If you are interested in Movement Training with me, go to: www.faridherrera.com/onlinetraining

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Writing by @farid_herrera - 2018