Movement 101

𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬.

It comes from Aristotle. Every living thing has a telos, its end, its ultimate purpose. The telos of an acorn is to become an oak tree. But an acorn in the wrong environment isn’t going to grow. It needs the right conditions.

That’s why we use the term. Pursuing our telos. It essentially means pursuing our potential.

And to do that, we need to understand what our values are, what our mission is, what’s really important to us. We need to do so much more.

For me it started with a decision to get fit, get strong, get out of pain, and asking for help with that. Look where that’s led.

Fitness isn’t something you go and do and stay the same. It doesn’t work like that. It changes you fundamentally. The person I needed to become to quit drinking, quit smoking, get back training, overcome pain. I’m a different person. Right?

And I see it in Telos all the time. People doing things they had no intention of doing when they joined. Meditation. Writing. Abstaining from alcohol. Getting back to a sport they once thought was beyond them. Changing career. Broadening their horizons. Gaining clarity on the obstacles that were holding them back. Killing off disempowering beliefs. Getting clear on the life they really want to live.

That’s the ripple effect. And it’s the most rewarding part of what I do.

Our mind is our body, and our body is our mind. When we look after the body, we have changes in the mind. A different outlook. And when you’re not worried about stiffness and pain, that zaps energy and focus, you can focus elsewhere.

Physical progress is a gateway. It was for me.

It’s why I love what I do. It led to my career change also.

It’s been a class holiday. I got what I wanted out of it. Refreshed, energised, content. But also looking forward to getting back. We’ve work to do in Telos. The journey continues.

𝗪𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤.

Train for the life you dream of

#𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐬

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧.

Guy in his forties in the gym this morning. Squat. Romanian deadlift. Overhead press. All perfectly good exercises. Following an app, working hard, putting the effort in.

But his technique was off. And he wasn’t moving well. Poor range of motion. Hips not functioning. Very poor squat range of motion.

He’ll probably be sore tomorrow. But he’ll still be just as stiff when he comes home from his holidays. He’s “getting stronger” while further disimproving how he moves.

He’s training a strength program, which he needs. But he also needs to train movement.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠’𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐟.

That tightness is a tax on your body. A tax on your energy. And if you’re in pain, that steals your focus too, whilst reducing your quality of life.

This is my non-negotiable daily mobility routine. But on its own it won’t fix all that. It’s just one component. Intelligent strength training is the other half of it. It has to come together.

𝐀 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈’𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐲𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭.

Train for the life you dream of…

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Movement is the foundation. The prerequisite.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲.

The issue is that most strength coaches think strength is the foundation.

They don’t truly understand how to train someone to move better.

So people build muscle and strength whilst dis-improving how they move.

That catches up with you. Especially as you get older.

We do both as both are necessary. In a logical sequence. Using a holistic approach.

Train to move well, be strong and feel great.

Train for the life you dream of.

#𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐬

Morning routine 😎

Train for the life you dream of