Some stuff for you try

This isn’t a programme or a schedule, just some things to think about. Throw them into your training, or start your training with them. Up to you.

1. Do 100 pronated shoulder width pull ups every week, in any order, at any time. See what happens.

2. Learn a new gymnastic movement each month. And you’re not too old. I did my first cartwheel (well first good cartwheel) at 33.

3. Stretch with a flexibility goal. Static stretching is out of fashion, but I’ve never seen or heard of anyone who can do the box and front splits who suffers with low back or hip pain of the type I see every day. Not empirical, but something to think about.

4. Take some time out of the weight room to master more body weight movements. Start with the push up, move on to hopping, jumping, crawling, and so on.

5. Walk everywhere for 2 weeks and see what happens your body composition. The reason most people are overweight isn’t because of some delicate calorie or hormonal balance, it’s the simple energy in/energy out equation that’s tilted the wrong direction.

6. Address a pain or ache you have with professional advice. A lot if people don’t address pain that they’ve learned to adapt to. You’d be surprised at how much better you’ll feel once you get rid of some background pain you’ve come to accept as normal.

7. Walk into every training session like you’re going to a party or doing a bungee jump. I’m no Tony Robbins, but many a training session has been scuppered due to a bad attitude. If its your sport or a game, remember why you play, smile and give thanks to Thor that you’re getting to do it instead of working or watching TV. If its something you’re scared of like a hard training session, treat it like a bungee jump: you’re scared but you know it’ll be worth it when you’re done.

8. Play more games. If you’re lucky enough to have kids or coach kids, play the games you’re coaching sometimes. Kids play with abandon, don’t think about what they’re doing next week, laugh, joke, and have seemingly endless energy. Part of this is because they’re enjoying it and are completely unconcerned with making fools of themselves.