Issue #71

1) The truth about the swimmer’s body illusion.
2) It’s about the movement, not the tool.
3) Runners: do you train strength?
4) Exercise of the week: Box Squat.

Read time: 4.2 minutes

What’s difficult about building strength and getting in shape is not what you think.

It can feel like you have so many variables to study and manage.

But the truth is there’s only a couple of things you need to do that will contribute to 99% of your success.

And the real difficulty lies in finding the drive to keep repeating the same actions day after day.

In this weekly class, I avoid writing about the countless details that make up for 1% of fitness and mostly work as distractions. It creates catchy headlines and fancy newsletters, but also very confused readers who can’t find one simple path to follow.

I believe that giving you new ways to see or do the few actions that really move the needle is a much healthier way to find motivation and stay consistent.

And that is mostly about cultivating a mindset, discipline, and mental strength—not by constantly adding items to a never-ending to-do list.

I hope each week’s lessons help you stay focused and remove the anxiety of feeling like you have too many balls to juggle—because you don’t.

Building strength with my method is a simple 2-step process: 3x5, 3x15. 3 sets of 5 reps to build strength, 3 sets of 15 reps to build strength endurance. In every workout.

I call it the Dual Strength Method, it’s as simple as it sounds, and you can start applying it today.

In fact, you shouldn’t wait.

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If you need help or have a question about your training, please do not hesitate to use this message box.
I will reply personally, and will create more adapted content thanks to you.
The better I understand your challenges, the better this class gets! 🤜🤛

1. The truth about the swimmer’s body illusion.

Misunderstanding the swimmer’s body illusion can trap you in a fixed mindset.

If you’re not familiar with it, the swimmer’s body illusion is a concept that means we confuse factors of selection with outcomes.
In this case, we think professional swimmers have this exact body shape because they swim, when in fact they are able to swim professionally thanks to their particular physique and genetics.

It is true that bone structure and long limbs are genetic, and it’s not something you can change.

But that doesn’t mean swimming can’t make you fit.
You can become faster, increase your cardio health, and you can definitely build muscle and burn calories if you swim regularly.

The same goes for rowing, climbing, or boxing.

You may never look like those professionals, but you will become muscular and in much better shape and health by practicing their sports.

Remember, they would never look like this without a lot of hard work either.

Professional athletes may have been born with an advantage (not all), but none of them was born with an Olympian physique.

Most of what you see comes from practice and you can get pretty close to that too—if only you’re willing to do it for years.

Many people quit after a few months because they don’t see results.
The truth is nobody does.
It’s not your genetics, it’s just how things work.

Your body can achieve a lot more than you think.
And even if you can only get 80% of what a genetically gifted athlete has, it’s definitely worth chasing.

2. It’s about the movement, not the tool.

Understand that it is the movement that gives an exercise its purpose, not the tool.

If you want to learn how to train yourself, you need to start with movements and understand how the body works, then find tools to make these movements challenging.

It’s not dumbbell curls that build big biceps, it’s curls.
Dumbbells create the resistance you have to work against to induce growth.

Muscles only know 2 things: shortening and lengthening.
They contract to pull 2 body parts together, and it’s always true even when it is not immediately obvious.

When you understand which movement requires a muscle to shorten (and pull 2 body parts closer), you can train that muscle in many different ways that are up to you.
You’ll be able to use any equipment you prefer, or in some cases, work with however little is available to you.
You will always find a way to train, no matter where you are. This is freedom.

When I demonstrate an exercise, focus on the movement itself.
Most of the time, you’ll be able to recreate it while standing, sitting, using a cable, a machine, your environment etc.
As long as you can create resistance, it works.

3. Runners: do you train strength?

Is strength training part of your preparation for marathon? It should.

Good cardio fitness and efficient running technique are not the only things that can make you run faster and longer.

Let’s start with the most obvious: lower body strength.
The stronger the legs, the longer they can function.
But stronger legs will also protect your joints, and will save you from mid-race cramps (we now have evidence that fatigue—not dehydration—is the main culprit for it).

Then comes core strength, which helps you keep good form and prevents energy leaks.
A strong core will also help you endure the repetitive pounding of running.

Finally, while you don’t need to lift super heavy, strong shoulders and arms will delay fatigue and energy loss by helping you maintain proper mechanics.

Bodyweight training and compound exercises with free weights are your best options, as they usually require you to engage your whole body during exercises—just like running.

4. Exercise of the week: Box Squat.

Box squats are a popular variation of traditional squats, with many different applications.

The first reason why you would use a box squat is for the safety it provides.
The box won’t allow you to drop too low, reducing the risk of getting stuck, and alleviating some of the stress on the knees.

Another reason would be to break through plateaus by exposing your muscles to heavier loads.
Thanks to the pause in the middle, you’re able to handle more weight and increase the focus on the legs and less on the core.

Box squats are also a great option to improve sprint-specific power, especially for track athletes or other sports where you accelerate and jump.
By using a slightly higher box, you can focus on the concentric (pushing) phase and use more weight.

Finally, box squats are simply the best option for beginners to learn the proper squat form, whether it is with or without weight.

What I’m doing here:
I am primarily interested in developing explosiveness for my sprint acceleration.
To do this, I use the 60cm Technogym Plyobox (very stable, I don’t need someone to sit on the other side), as well as Multipower for extra safety and less demand on the core.

I hope you found some useful tips and motivation in today's edition.

Please share your feedback and help me improve my content for everyone!

A great way to do this is by replying to this email with a personal question you have about fitness.

Thanks for reading and see you next week!

- Nico

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