The Four Seasons of Strength. Which one are you in?

16 Dec The Four Seasons of Strength. Which one are you in?

I am a coach, and I am from London, UK. Naturally, you’lI hear me talk about strength and the weather a quite a lot… although not normally at the same time!

The word ‘strength’ means different things to different people. What does it mean to you? If you played that word-association game, what is the first word that springs to mind when you think ‘strength’? Your response can be the first indicator as to which ‘season of strength’ you are in, and it’s not necessarily age-related. Why does it matter? The answer will shine a light on your ‘Why’ and thus bring those feelings to the fore, creating a powerful motivator to maintain that all-important consistency.

Springtime… this season is all about Performance. Your main reasons for pursuing greater strength are to go ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’, even if you’re not heading to the Olympics. You might be looking to get into a sport or improve your achievements in an existing one. You might be training for a charity event, where a form of improved strength will enhance your enjoyment on the day or protect you from injury as you prepare. You could be interested in getting stronger for getting stronger’s sake, increasing the amount you can push, pull or press.

If it’s Springtime for you, there is normally a race day, a match or a particular load on a lift that you are aiming for. The successful outcome is the goal. Sure, the behaviours that you adopt leading up to your big day will get you there, but regular, effective visualisation of a successful day will help get you moving on a cold winter’s morning.

Summertime… the focus of this season is Function. If you are running, you have moved on from chasing a personal-best in races. For you cyclists, mid-peloton is fine just as long as you’re not permanently ‘off the back’. In the gym you have realised that somebody somewhere is warming-up with your maximum. (And you’re cool with that). You are training just as hard and consistently, but your focus has shifted. Technique is now interesting and more important to you. Perfecting movements which have cross-over into your life is a great feeling. You’ve stopped skipping warm-ups and mobilisations, your posture is getting better, and you’re getting fewer niggles and strains than a few years ago.

In the summertime season of strength, the goal is mastery over performance. It’s the process that drives you to continue. Whatever the activity is, you’re enjoying it for its own sake, whether or not there is a specific ‘end-goal’. There are of course health and aesthetic benefits to be had, and there is progress to be enjoyed here. That said, it’s doing things right, and achieving the conditioning that helps you bounce back quickly with minimal muscle soreness which keeps you coming back.

Autumn. It’s time for Resilience. We’re now creating that deep strength which lays the foundations for you to be able to continue to enjoy activities both planned and unplanned without a second thought. Being able to enjoy ‘your thing’ and not worry about whether you still can. Keeping up with your kids, nieces and nephews. Embracing hikes, gardening or DIY without a second thought. And yes, resilience of physique, too. It’s a fact that maintaining strength levels and muscle mass make it a LOT easier to keep your body fat levels under control, both internally and externally.

Winter; now it’s about Longevity. We’re looking to maintain a ‘state of readiness’ for as long as possible. To keep that posture optimal, the bones strong, and age/injury/setback-related maladies at bay. To walk and hike with confidence and minimal (if any) support, and to significantly reduce the risk of falls. Training is more life-based, as opposed to session-based.

It’s easy to read the above and assume that the ‘seasons’ are directly correlated with age. Not so. The seasons can present themselves in any order at any stage of life, and of course, they can overlap. The useful thing here is to look beyond the training session or exercise and remember what the real reason behind your quest for improved strength is. Keeping that reason/vison close can be a powerful driver towards your continued improvements.

If you have a question or would like help achieving your goal, contact me at: https://www.ayotrainingnutrition.com/contact/

Ayo Williams