Do or DO NOT. There Is No Try!

Perhaps the most rewarding part of my exercise experience has been the study of my own personal response to exercise.

We have a massive population to study here at our studios and we have all benefited from such a large sample to gather data. The study of progressing someone from ground zero up through the ranks provides many valuable clues and pieces to the puzzle.

No matter how refined our application of the exercise stimuli may be, the ultimate outcome will be dependent on a plethora of variables that can be near impossible to simultaneously control.  These variables include but are notlimited to, the subject’s genetic disposition, diet, current nutritional status (rates of absorption, elimination and excretion of nutrients, as well as toxins), recovery factors such as sleep, rest, chemical and hormonal status- life stressors; such as work environment, family stressors, illness and injury, motivation, intellectual comprehension, training maturity (ability to stimulate the body sufficiently), as well as many other variables that relate to one’s own biofeedback and how we might feel on any given day, from bio-rhythms to preference to times of day to train and energy levels.

When it comes down do it, the most consistent study ever conducted has been of only 1 person. There is only one study where one can control ALL of the variables that relate to the end result.

This is the study of ME!

Ultimately and honestly it is this study that I’m most interested in.

This doesn’t mean that others cannot benefit from my own selfish interest. I can assure you that many people have benefited from my conclusions.  Also, it’s safe to say that just because I’ve come to some understanding as to what works best for me, it does not necessarily apply uniformly and across the board.

In addition, any of the variables mentioned may ultimately affect the application and outcome for another person.

So…what can you take away from this?

At some point and time we all have to commit to something; a relationship, political views, education, a career, buying a house or a car, choosing a health care provider, dietary habits and of course our exercise program.

The determination of what decisions we make and how committed to our decisions we are, will in large part be based on our beliefs.

That’s where critical thinking comes in.

Critical thinking is the discipline of rigorously and skillfully using information, experience, observation and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions and beliefs.

Critical thinking means questioning every step of your thinking process:

Have you considered all the facts?

Have you tested your assumptions?

Is your reasoning sound?

Can you be sure your judgment is unbiased?

Is your thinking process logical, rational and complete?

This kind of rigorous, logical questioning is often known as the Socratic Method of questioning, after the GreekSocrates who is considered to be the founder of critical thinking.

By developing the skills of critical thinking, and bringing rigor and discipline to your thinking processes, you stand a better chance of being “right”.

As a result of developing this skill set, you are more likely to make good judgments, choices and decisions in all areas of your life. This is an important part of “success” and “wisdom”.

I don’t think anyone would argue the importance of this process and to a greater or lesser extent we call on the process multiple times a day, every day.

So why is it that when it comes to exercise that the critical thinking process is often avoided?

Why does it appear that exercise protocols are often based on the latest whim or fad?

Why is ones opinion about exercise so easily influenced by the latest expert or newest protocol?

Is exercise not based on fundamental science of which we do have some grasp of; Biology, Physics, Kinesiology, and Mechanics?

Is the body subject to different physical laws than the rest of the things that move around the earth?

I think most of us would agree that both critical thinking and reliance on basic physical laws would dictate, to a great extent, which way we should go with our exercise program.

What exactly is it that causes so much indecision and in-fighting within factions that hold similar ideological approaches?

We identify with it as a part of our “self.” But that tendency to create and defend a “self” gets in the way of developing our critical thinking skills fully.

Why?

Because once we identify with our own thoughts and beliefs anything that challenges them is felt as an attack we must defend against – even if that “attacking” idea is closer to the truth than our own.

One of the goals of the Renaissance Exercise movement has been to help identify the basic physical laws as they relate to exercise.  If this spawns business opportunity for us, as it has done in the past, great. If not we will continue on this path as we have done for many years in the past, behind closed doors, pushing this approach forward for ourselves in the name deepening our knowledge base. If we concede and settle for good enough, or the status quo, what will we really KNOW in the end?

At some point in time we all have to make a decision about what it is we believe in, what hypothesis we will stand by, based on our critical thinking and see it ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

There are some people who spend their entire lives studying one small piece of a process and this is why Renaissance Exercise is a team venture.  No one member of our team possess enough time, interest, skill or desire to solve ALL of the problems and remove all of the constraints to our one common goal.

The Renaissance Exercise movement has already spawned quite a bit of reaction and in every forum or venue where I’ve seen it mentioned. Needless to say, there has been no shortage of opinion, from overwhelming support to heinous attacks. In my opinion both are noteworthy, because once we identify with our own thoughts and beliefs anything that challenges them is felt as an attack and we must defend against them – even if that “attacking” idea is closer to the truth than our own.

That being said perhaps the most aggravating response I’ve heard from the discussions are those who might want to “try” what we are doing. There has always been something that boils my blood when I hear the word “try”, but in this context I have very little patience for the person who wants to try these methods or who claims he has “…already tried that”.

Try? Seriously?

How about we DO?

At Renaissance Exercise we have identified many of the constraints that prohibit us from producing the most profound exercise stress in the least about of time and we are nowhere near done refining this craft.  As a matter of fact, we’ve spent the last 15 to 20 years or more just getting started.

At some point in time we all have to commit to the thorough study of one thing.

We at Renaissance Exercise are absolutely committed to seeing this thing all the way through and removing every possible constraint to making Renaissance Exercise the most efficient, effective, safe exercise program.

Why?

Because it is a worthy pursuit and we think it will prove valuable for our own selfish interest and serve many people along the way. So for those of you who still think that this protocol is 10/10 and you are going to give it a “try” and come back and report the results, it might be best for you to keep chasing the magic exercise program that is finally going to produce the results that you never achieved in the last 30 years of trying.

One thing I can say for certain, as the years go on, the only things I’m willing to “try” are new ice cream flavors and perhaps the claimed most delicious pizza pies. We intend to ask the hard questions and provide more answers.

When all is said and done at least we know for sure that our efforts were more than a try.

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the conditions that surround him… The unreasonable man adapts surrounding conditions to himself… All progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

-George Bernard Shaw

Tagged as: critical thinkng, Renaissance Exercise