A Walk Through the Five Ts: Techniques

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” – Meister Eckhart

 

So we’ve discussed a bit the Time and Tools portions of the Five Ts, and now it’s time to consider another aspect: Techniques.  

What exactly do I mean by “techniques”?  Well, in broad strokes, “techniques” covers one’s proficiency in executing various movements (Oly lifts, as an example), the ability to target/isolate a particular muscle group if need be (the application/integration of JReps is a good example here), efficient and effective “surfing the curve“, and the ability to move from mere “exercise recipe follower” to full-blown “Strength & Conditioning master chef”.

But “techniques” covers so more than that.  A trainee also needs to be adept at recovering following a workout — via rest and proper nutrition.  And not just following an individual workout, mind you, but over the course of an entire training block;  an entire training lifetime.  And to be able to recover while juggling real-life stress as well.  Some can do this by “feel” (I include myself in that camp), others by use of technology — Joel Jamieson’s BioForce is my go-to here (and my use of this ultra-cool technology is something I’ll post more about soon).  But one way or the other, the recuperation aspect of the game needs to be dialed in.  And then there’s the flexibility/stability/mobility aspect of one’s movement pattern that needs to be constantly assessed/re-assessed.  Who better than K-Star to exemplify that continuum?

As an aside, Becoming a Supple Leopard is absolutely the finest book I have ever read in the flexibility/stability/mobility continuum.  Don’t let the quirky title put you off.  This is a seriously good reference manual for maintaining your body’s proper movement patterns.

I don’t want to make all of this sound like rocket science but, when done right, there is a lot more to strength and conditioning (specifically), and physical culture (generally), than most people imagine.

In health, fitness and ancestral wellness –

Keith