Why do we preach “work Smarter, not harder?”

 

I first heard work smarter, not harder back in middle school at a basketball camp.  The context was teaching us how to play great team defense.

For you sports junkies, this makes sense.  The best defensive teams are great communicators. They know the angles.  They know when they can sag off.  They know where their help is.  They know when they have to get up in someone’s face and they know exactly when they can be lazy.

This makes it appear as if everyone is everywhere, there is nowhere to go, everyone is covered, despite the offenses every effort, there are no gaps to exploit… How is it possible to play such amazing defense and never fatigue, never have a breakdown, never have a lapse in coverage?  The best defensive teams work Smarter, not harder….

To put it simply, they know when they have to work and they know when they can borrow some time and get some rest.  That is the true magic in team defense, not always spinning your wheels and going 100 mph, but working in short, high intensity bursts exactly when needed.

Over the years I have adopted a training philosophy that really tries to work Smarter for clients, not harder.

The point is, we at Smart Strength want you to be a part of our great team defense against inactivity and poor health.  We want to be in constant communication with you, letting you know where your help side is.  We want to push you at times, and yes we even want you to enjoy the fruits of your fitness labor and take some time to gloat to your friends and family about how strong you now are! 

The whole idea is to learn the ratio, the balance of the brain vs. the brawn and make fitness a lifelong commitment.

No one can go 100 mph all the time.  The burn out factor is very real in fitness and we know this.  We find that consistency and healthy habits always outperform the binge and short-term efforts that so many people think is fitness.  We want to see you for a lifetime, not just a few weeks before spring break.  We want you to learn and live the motto: “work Smarter, not harder.”

Grinding yourself down is not always the right answer.  Sometimes continuing to push and struggle is not the right call.  Sometimes, a calculated approach is more valuable than just a herculean, never say die effort…

This is hard for me to admit or write.  I have been an athlete, and I am a coach. Preaching that effort is not the answer seems unthinkable.  But truth is, sometimes all the effort in the world is not enough.  Sometimes effort can even be harmful if effort is applied in the wrong direction.

Effort alone is not the answer…

coordinated effort is the key…

coordinated effort is at its heart, Smart Strength….

Your Trainer,

Alex