“What would you prioritise – run or gym?”
Asked Jess as she was about to leave for her early morning cardio. (She’s feeling a little under the weather, and wanted Yours Baldly’s humble yet correct opinion on where to invest her energy).
I told her to prioritise the gym.
Here is why:
Strength is the pre-eminent athletic characteristic.
The stronger you are the better you will be at everything else – you’ll run faster, jump higher, balance better, and so on.
You cannot argue this point. (Although plenty of people try).
In practical terms, it means strength training ought to be the priority for people like Jess who are fairly strong but still have room to grow.
Gym work is the most efficient and effective path to a strong, lean, and healthy body in this context. What’s more, gains come quickly which is great for morale when you see your physique changing week-to-week and, sometimes, seemingly overnight.
By contrast, someone who is respectably strong (squatting double bodyweight, benching bodyweight and a half, and so on), is free to prioritise other things – if they so wish.
That’s why, when pushed, I’ll drop lifting sessions in favour of running. I’m already plenty strong, and while I could probably get my numbers a little higher, the health and lifestyle benefits from doing so are negligible. Whereas running keeps me trim and, most importantly of all, able to keep up with my toddlers.
Now it’s time for something different.
I’ve decided to open my diary for private calls.
However, I need to filter those who simply want to pick my large and shapely brain from those who are serious about working with a personal trainer but aren’t sure if I’m the man for the job.
To that end, I charge £150 (inc VAT) for an hour.
You’ll get that back if I decide I can’t help you or we agree to work together.
I think this is fair, but only you can decide if that’s the case from your perspective.
If you’d like to book a call, reply to this email with the subject line CALL, and I’ll send you an invoice.
Once paid, you’ll get a link to my calendar wherein you can book a time to suit.
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman