Find Beauty in Simplicity

There is that old and clever maxim that declares beauty to be in the eye of the beholder. Many things in life that are beautiful, are in fact very simple. I have never been much of an art enthusiast, but I can appreciate talent when I see it. Several years ago on a visit to Philadelphia, I decided to check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in no small part because I wanted to run up the steps that were an iconic part of the Rocky movie franchise. Many of the works of art inside the museum were way over my head, but I found that I liked the pieces that were the most simple and did not require a curator to understand. One does not often think of classic rock music as beautiful, but give me AC/DC all day long. Critics of the band often say that many of their songs sound the same, but they have created a signature sound that has endured for 50 years. I would much rather hear a song with a simple and powerful backbeat and Angus Young's blues-based guitar work over the latest complicated techno-sampled poly-rhythm any day of the week.

Exercise does not need to be complicated, contrary to what the last fitness "experts" might have you believe. You can try to jazz up an exercise philosophy that is poorly-rooted in the classical sciences, but that is just putting lipstick on a pig. Don't overthink it, and don't listen to the purported exercise gurus who tell you all kinds of nonsense. A simple, straightforward, and balanced exercise regimen will be far more productive than the latest split routine found in bodybuilder magazines. You do not need or want the complicated (and dangerous) movements that are a part of participating in CrossFit. It is far better to keep things simple. Learn a handful of exercises but perform them correctly and with great effort. Variety may help stave off boredom for some people, but from a physiological perspective it is overrated and unnecessary.

Because I instruct exercise for a living, I see beauty in everything that it entails. Our machines are so meticulously engineered that my appreciation for their design grows by the year. The Total Results exercise protocol can be performed on many types of equipment, but it is most effective when Super Slow Systems and MedX equipment are used in a clinically controlled environment. I find beauty in a properly paced ten second positive and ten second negative, with a carefully executed turnaround. That is the creation of a work of art. It is the culmination of a desire to learn on the part of the client and solid teaching by the instructor. That is my reward.

Some clients will have difficulty mastering the particulars of proper form, and that's perfectly normal. Mastery takes a lifetime, and consistently applied effort will pay dividends. Our workouts are not easy, and they require patience, diligence, effort, and a learning mindset in order to maximize results. Find beauty and satisfaction in performing the process, as this is a journey rather than a destination. See the benefit in giving your best possible effort for 20 minutes, once or twice per week. Experience the satisfaction of squeezing out one more repetition or pushing on the movement arm for just a few more seconds when you didn't think you were capable. It is about quality over quantity. A few compound exercises (which are more simple to learn and perform) will cover more ground. Again, do a few things, but do them well.

If you want to achieve excellence, you must be prepared to sacrifice comfort. Even though our workouts involve twenty minutes of consistent hard work, there is a certain inherent beauty in their simplicity. When your mind and body are working in concert and you are giving 100 percent of your focus, it is a beautiful thing to watch. Think of each exercise as your blank canvas, and believe that you are creating a work of art with every repetition that you perform. The reward comes at the very end when you know that you have given everything you have in order to accomplish something meaningful. That is a special gift.