I’ve done those exercise programs, Insanity, P90X, all that jazz.
There’s this trend going on right now that exercise has to be done fast and efficient. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that.
I live in New York City. I can appreciate the benefits of getting something done in record time, especially something I’m not to keen on spending a lot of time on. Some things I want done as quickly as possible and out-of-the-way, so I can concentrate on more important things like a nice bottle of wine and catching up with my Game of Thrones episodes.
The problem is that we’ve become what I call the “pill” generation, always looking for that quick fix. Give it to me fast and give it to me now and with as little effort as possible.
We want to be in the Matrix. “I know kung fu,” Neo says and it seems like the coolest thing in the world. Especially since he learned it in less than ten minutes.
But what about all those great things that take a while to acquire? What about the slow burn?
Sometimes speed is overrated.
The exercise programs I mentioned are both good but sometimes you have to be careful.
What are you really getting?
These programs are designed for speed and quick results. They’re designed to make you lose weight fast. They don’t really take into account body types, age, athletic ability, etc. They’re there to put a patch on a hole. They’re a pill, and that’s exactly what they sell you.
“Buy this and you’ll get a six-pack fast!” Again, there’s nothing wrong with that.
They even have some programs that are martial arts inspired. These are great if what you want is to get thin and in good physical shape in record time. They’re terrible if what you actually want is to learn the art.
These programs are not designed to be used over a prolonged period of time. And they are certainly not well equipped to teach you subtle skills like body feel, timing, the different applications of a technique.
Mastering the body is a complex journey. You’re not going to get it done in 90 days.
Martial arts exercise is not shallow. It affects the brain and the nervous system. It reeducates the body, making it healthier, more effective and more powerful.
This takes time. And the finer skill in life always take time to learn.
We live in a world where we want results fast. That’s just reality. But certain things were not meant to be learned this way. They were meant to last you a lifetime.
