Constructing Your Castle

It seems more and more common each week that someone asks me for help when trying to create a workout program or “training plan.” Whether it is a member that has been taking one of my group exercise classes or a close friend that has recently become motivated, people are starting to realize what some of us have known all along. Working out is like baking; the product is a result of ingredients and with too many, too little or the wrong ingredients the product will never look, taste, smell or feel just right. Now, it would be simple to just say add “X”, remove “Y” and stop eating “Z,” but the truth of the matter is that working out and training is much more intricate than that. Like baking it requires a level of dedication and every recipe can be altered to an individual’s specific liking. This is precisely why there are so many books, videos and magazines out there of which some are helpful, others are hurtful, and some are just darn right useless. So, with that being said I offer up another metaphor to help you understand concepts associated with working out from another perspective to let you decide if you are ready to begin.

A few weeks ago I came across a motivational metaphor that I found to be a rather interesting and accurate way to describe and think of training.  The metaphor, of which I could not figure out the original author or exact text, described training like building a castle. It explained, in more ways than one, how training is very similar to building a castle. Over the past few weeks I have pondered upon this metaphor’s relationship to training and transformed it into something that I felt might be a more holistic description of the training process.

Your body is a castle and training is the process of constructing that castle. We all start with a vision (goal) and each day of training is a day spent on your castle. Like any structure you must first choose the right location and environment to build (i.e. healthy environments and positive human influences). Once the location has been decided a plan (program) is imperative (although too often neglected). Construction is sequential, as a solid foundation precedes a sturdy structure creating the skeleton to any other fine details (Sometimes this foundation does not initially seem directly linked to the end product). As it is often said, “you get back what you put in,” and thus without adequate time (on a daily or weekly basis) allocated to your castle, construction will slow or even stop (Plateau). If construction stops for too long the rough elements and time will deteriorate your structure at an exponential rate (detraining) leaving your castle in ruins.  On the other hand if construction is rushed the quality of the end product will be jeopardized. Remember that at times mortar will need to set and paint will need time to dry (recovery-mental and physical). Though more time, effort and detail put into your castle can result in more elegance, working smarter rather than harder can have similar and often better results within a shorter period of time. A benefit that leaves more time to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor and all aspects of life surrounding one’s castle.

As I tell anyone that solicits my services in creating a workout program or achieving a goal, it requires your time, commitment and determination. None of which, can be provided by anyone other than one’s self. Thus, decide how elegant, magnificent and extraordinary you desire your castle to be and then accept the time, commitment and change that will be required to construct, transform and create your castle.

1. Devise an Effective plan

2. Make your goal a priority

3. Stick to the plan

4. Stick to the plan (No! Seriously, stick to the plan)

Tell me what aspects of building your castle seem to resonate most with you?