A Physical Practice vs. Traditional Fitness Programs

Why People Like Us Should Care

Let’s be real: for most of us, the story of our exercise life reads like a bad sitcom rerun. Jump headfirst into a hardcore workout program, crush it for a few weeks, hit burnout faster than a cheap candle, and then...repeat. Sound familiar? It works—until it doesn’t.

When you’re in the second half of life (aka the better half, because we know things now), it’s time to stop chasing the hamster wheel of fitness fads and start asking: What’s the point of all this?

Enter: A Physical Practice. It’s not some mystical concept or new-age mumbo jumbo. It’s a shift—a grown-up, smarter way to approach movement. One that’s designed for where we are now: wiser, maybe with a little wear and tear, but not ready to throw in the towel on being strong, staying active, and feeling damn good in our bodies. Let’s talk about why it matters, why it’s different, and why it might just save your sanity and your life.

What Is a Physical Practice?

Here’s the deal: a Physical Practice is like the wise, grounded older sibling of fitness. It’s not flashy or obsessed with six-pack abs, but it gets results that actually matter. Think of it as your forever plan for movement.

“Goals become a byproduct of your practice.”

Here’s the checklist:

• Sustainable: Built to last longer than your last New Year’s resolution. No extremes, no burnouts—just manageable habits you can stick with for life.
• Purpose-Driven: Forget chasing thigh gaps or winning bench press competitions. This is about staying capable, strong, and able to do the things you love—like wrestling suitcases into overhead bins or chasing grandkids who definitely got into the sugar stash. Or hiking up the mountain and skiing down, I see you, BHK.
• Individualized: You do you. No cookie-cutter boot camps here. Your plan fits your body, your life, your preferences, and what you actually enjoy doing.
• Dose-Appropriate: Fancy way of saying “be like Goldilocks.” Too much, you’ll crash. Too little, nothing changes. A Physical Practice hits the sweet spot.
• Holistic: This isn’t just about training. It’s about feeling good everywhere. Think strength, mobility, endurance, recovery, and mindfulness.

Traditional Fitness Programs: They’re Fine... Until They Aren’t

Look, I’m not here to hate on traditional fitness programs. They’ve been fine for what they are—a gateway, a starting point, or something to get your feet wet. But they’re also kind of like bad relationships: fun at first, but not what you’d bring home to meet your long-term goals.

Here’s where they usually fall short:

• Goal-Oriented: Great for a quick win like “lose 10 pounds” or “run that 10K.” Not so great when life throws curveballs like injuries, travel, or aging joints.
• One-Size-Fits-All: Built for everyone means built for no one. Your body deserves more than the fitness world’s latest cookie-cutter trend.
• High Intensity Training: These programs hit you with all-out intensity, but when there’s no variability, we experience fatigue, frustration, and a lingering sense of “Why am I doing this?”
• Short-Term Mindset: The “get ripped in 30 days” crowd rarely thinks about what happens on day 31—or year 31.

Why A Physical Practice is Perfect for People Like Us

We’re in it for the long haul—stronger, longer, better. Here’s why this approach works for us:

It Evolves With You: Life throws changes at you faster than a toddler with a tantrum. Your physical practice adjusts with your needs, whether you’re training for a hike or recovering from a knee strain.

It’s About Playing the Long Game: No six-week fixes here. This is about being strong, capable, and independent for decades, not just in time for summer.

It’s Integrated: A physical practice isn’t just a 90-day workout program. It’s a mindset and a lifestyle. You don’t “add it in”—it’s baked into how you live.

It Honors Recovery: Rest isn’t slacking. It’s strategy. A physical practice makes active recovery part of the plan—no burnout here.

It Prioritizes the Dose: Remember Goldilocks? Not too much, not too little, but juuuust right. That’s what this is about: finding the perfect balance of effort and rest for you.

Good, Better, Best

Let’s make it simple:

• Good: Starting any movement routine is better than none. Traditional fitness programs can be an good introduction.
• Better: Incorporating more personalized, balanced, and sustainable practices. Adding active recovery or mobility work to a traditional program, for instance.
• Best: Fully embracing a physical practice that evolves with you, prioritizes finding the right dose, and focuses on long-term vitality over chasing PRs every session.

Ready to Start? Here’s How

No need to overhaul your life by Monday. Start small. Start smart.

Find Your Why: Why do you care? Want to climb Machu Picchu? Garden without groaning? Put it front and center. It will be there when resistance tells you to stop.

Pick Two Moves: That’s it. Crawl and Carry, a hardstyle plank, a yoga flow—whatever feels doable. Commit to just ten minutes.

Plan Active Recovery: Walking counts. So does stretching. And foam rolling. Or skateboarding in the park (don’t judge).

Track Progress: Keep a journal. Nothing fancy, just a few notes on how you feel before and after each session.

How to start a physical practice that lasts.

Shift Happens

A Physical Practice isn’t just a fitness upgrade—it’s a paradigm shift. For people like us, it’s how we stop spinning in that cycle of burnout and start moving toward a life that’s not just longer but stronger and better.

No perfection required. Just progress. Now, lace up your sneakers, and let’s make this happen.

PS. The story you think it takes may be the thing that's held you back from succeeding or even starting in the past. Let's connect on a complimentary call and discuss how you can develop a physical practice. No pressure, no pitch. If you'd like to move forward at the end of the call, we'll discuss how. If not, we'll say goodbye as friends. Reply here or contact me at [email protected]