[SB # 221] It ain't the program
I’m Matt, and welcome to Steady Beats. If you like to walk for a better life, and also like Dire Straits’ “Walk of Life,” you just might like this newsletter.
It ain’t the program
The variance is striking.
Last Friday morning, 6:30am: empty. I swear a tumbleweed rolled past the shoulder press machine I was perched on.
This Friday morning, 6:30am? Packed. Lines at machines like Chick-fil-A at noon.
Knowledge isn’t the main problem driving people’s fitness failures. Consistency is.
So much of the dialogue around fitness is about the program: CrossFit or running? Free weights or machines? Do you even squat, bro? (No.)
Just about any fitness program can work perfectly well. The same program can also fail harder than a sunglasses and a maroon hat disguise at a Spartan Stadium night game*.
Consistency is the key variable in fitness success. By scheduling consistently, you’ll create the routine effort that drives uncommon results.
Don’t worry about which program is perfect. Worry about the one you will keep doing. Solo or social? Longer and fewer workouts or shorter and more frequent?
If you need variety in your workouts, then create variety in your program. But show up consistently.
*Did you really think I’d never find a way to mention the Michigan and Connor Stalions scandal?
Fit Tech: Five Impressions
Recently, I swapped out my Apple Watch Series 7 (Midnight Green) for the high-powered Apple Watch Ultra 2. Here are five quick impressions:
While the Ultra’s screen is slightly bigger than the regular series (49mm vs 41mm), the Ultra’s face is flat, which makes the screen seem much bigger than the bubbled version of the regular series.
The Ultra’s battery life is in another universe (Up to 36 hours vs. 18 for the regular series). If you are a marathoning maniac like my sister, the regular series won’t last through long training sessions. I normally had to charge my Series 7 at midday and again at night after tracking my modest workouts. No such issues with the Ultra.
The Ultra is a thick beast. Pretty sure I’m affecting the tides in Tampa Bay by wearing it. If you have dainty wrists, the Ultra may not be your ideal option.
There are a bajillion strap options, but I prefer the Nike Sport Loop bands. Made from nylon, they look good and breathe in oppressive Florida humidity (unlike rubber or leather options). You can wear it during a workout, hop in the shower, and just clean the band with soap right then and there. The new the new orange and olive version on the way.
In the increasingly rare instances I take an actual phone call, the Ultra provides a great experience. Whatever Apple has done with the mic and the internal speaker, it’s always a pleasant experience on both ends. From a watch. Not bad.
We are so unimpressed by everything these days. Cynicism has replaced wonder. But if you showed 12-year-old me this watch, I would have fainted with delight. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 really is a remarkable device.
Three things I liked this week
1. ‘s thoughts on strength training for longevity:
2. , on writing bravely:
3. just strutting with this beautifully written passage in her essay On Mornings:
And so, the other morning, I zipped out the front door to a ground glazed with moisture, the world buttered with cobwebbed colors, a sky stickered with a sleepy sun, and cuts of a brisk cold carved with space for hot coffee.
I love great alliteration.
Thank you for reading.
Let’s keep the Steady Beats going. 💚
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“If you need variety in your workouts, then create variety in your program. But show up consistently.”
This is the key.
My next essay is on how I learned to exercise for the sake of exercise. I’ll have to use this quote.
Thanks for the mention 🙏