In today’s everything NOW world, it’s easy to assume that you’re ready to do something you see or read about online.
Look at my Instagram page – @mattfureysays – and you’ll see there are plenty of exercises that you may be able to do – and plenty that you probably cannot do YET.
The same goes for what I write about in my emails.
Hindu Squats, for example, are a knees-over-toes exercise. I have always been able to do them without any pain whatsoever.
But when I saw another knees-over-toes exercise, I instinctively knew that I had to work up to it, that I wasn’t ready for it YET.
I set up a progression of smaller movements that I could do without pain. As I checked the “no pain” box for each level, I worked on the next progression, and so on – until I was doing something that I couldn’t do before without consequences.
My knees are currently stronger than they’ve ever been, due to the additional exercises I’ve added into the mix. But I didn’t start these exercises at an intermediate or advanced level. I started at the beginner level. In fact, I’m still NOT at the advanced level of these exercises – but I will be over time.
There are a lot of videos on Instagram and Facebook and YouTube showing a ton of insane bodyweight exercises that are SAFE if your body is ready for them and UNSAFE if your body isn’t. The exercise itself is neutral.
One of the keys to making progress is refraining from making assumptions.
Make no assumptions about what you can or cannot do until you prove you can.
Is it safe to assume that just because an exercise is safe for the person doing it, that you are also ready for it?
We can assume that a basic pushup is a safe exercise. And it IS – except for those who are not ready for it.
While one person can do one-arm pushups on his fingertips safely, another person can barely do a basic pushup from his or her knees, while another person is maxed out holding a plank pushup position from his knees for a few seconds.
Keep this in mind when you go through Combat Conditioning or any other fitness books, videos or courses.
Keep this in mind as you look at the progressions I provide in knees-over-toes exercises to members of the Matt Furey Inner Circle.
Kick ass – take names,
Matt Furey
By the way, if you’ve enjoyed this simple email and want to know how you can start a whole new career doing something similar, click here.
