newsletter archives
Discipline of steel #16
A little six-pack truth, why moderation is key, silencing the voice in your head, and a secret ingredient for consistency.
Hey Warriors,
I like the results I got from the poll last week!
The majority of you said you trained 3-4 times.
That’s exactly what you want to do if your goals are strength, health, longevity, and overall well-being.
Twice a week might be good for maintenance, but be careful as this could be the first step to regression.
5 times or more is too much. 🙅🏻‍♂️
Progress occurs during recovery (sleep) and you can’t outsmart this process.
Trying to rush things never ends well in fitness, so pace yourselves and remember:
The fastest way is the slow way.
Next week, I’ll answer an important question one of you asked about a back exercise.
If you need any help with your training, please let me know by replying to this email and I’ll share my answer with everyone.
Now let’s start! 💪
1. Do yourself a favor and replace sit-ups with this.
First of all, sit-ups won’t give you a six-pack.
The reason you should train your abs is to have a strong core.
A strong core will make everything you do easier, whether it’s in the gym or in your daily life.
The exercise below is not only more effective than sit-ups, it’s also better for your back, and prepares you for an exercise which is a staple of bodyweight and gymnastics strength training: the Hollow Body Hold.
The sooner you incorporate it into your program, the better you’ll be.
Aim at 3 sets of 15 reps twice a week at the end of any workout.
Click the link below for the full YouTube video and instructions.
Hollow Body Reps
2. Learn to measure effort and recovery.
You don’t have to drain yourself at every workout, you just need to go a little further than the limit of your comfort.
I think there is a misconception about what workouts need to be.
Social media and a few fitness trends have a big part of responsibility in that.
We keep seeing images of people training in a way which is not sustainable both mentally and physically.
You need to challenge yourself AND recover.
Exhausting yourself all the time leads to detraining.
Detraining also affects your mood. Your mood impacts your workouts.
And just like that, you’ve entered the vicious circle; not the Enso circle.
I started training when I was 6, I am 37 now and I’m still progressing.
I can do things I couldn’t when I was 22.
I manage to do that by aiming at small progress and practicing patience.
“Training” so hard to the point where you’re about to throw up is the best way to detrain yourself, burn out, lose motivation, plateau and end up with an injury.
Also, is this even enjoyable?
Remember the fastest way to make progress is to take it slow and steady.
And let things come in their own time.
This is the only way they’ll ever come.
PS: what you see in this 12-second video represents years of training and patience. I eventually got there by going slow. There is still room for improvement and I'm not going to rush.
IG Video @nicosaar
3. The enemy is often in your head.
Each point of resistance on your fitness journey is an opportunity to build discipline.
Training usually doesn’t start in the weight room.
It starts when that little voice in your head tells you not to go.
It is the first opponent you have to fight.
You must stay aware and recognize it the moment it arises.
See it as a duel on the path to your goals.
Always accept that challenge and win it.
The only way to reach your goal one day is to keep beating that psychological resistance, and show up to training.
It’s not your only enemy.
There’s the one who tells you you don’t need that last set, the one who says you can do cardio next time, or one of the sneakiest: the one who tells you stretching isn’t necessary.
Accept every duel, fight, and win the battle in your mind.
This is how you clear the road to your goals.
If you don’t let your mind stop you, then nothing else will.
4. A secret for discipline and consistency.
Do one little thing to be fitter every day, and never go to bed before you did.
There is probably not a thing you will do every single day.
You’ll work out or be active on most days, you’ll eat healthy on most days, you’ll go to bed early on most days…
But we know you will never make a perfect score every day.
And that’s fine.
But if you follow the way of the Enso Warrior, you will never end a single day without having done at least one little thing right.
This is your secret to stay consistent and keep making progress for the rest of your life.
And this is your duty too.
Keep track and mark the calendar every day you stayed loyal to your duty.
Never break the streak. Can you complete a whole year? Can you do more?
Can you keep your word and do that little thing even when you’re in a bad mood?
Or when it’s late and you’re tired?
This is how strong minds are measured and strengthened further.
This is how you build a Discipline of Steel.
And this is what takes you far and beyond your goals.
