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Summary
On episode 47 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan checks in with his coaching clients John and Tammy as they move into the intensity phase of their program, the third step after persistence and patience.
Allan explains why now, after weeks of building a base, is the time to push harder and rediscover the athlete each of them used to be.
Tammy also reports on her week, including getting her coworkers moving and dealing with good, hard earned soreness from the weekend.
Links
- https://40plusfitness.com
Key Takeaways
- Intensity is the third P after persistence and patience. Allan says once someone has built a consistent base of walking and basic strength work, it’s time to start testing what failure actually feels like in a workout.
- Progression means pushing past your normal stopping point on purpose. Instead of dropping to your knees at the usual point in a push-up set, Allan has clients keep going until they truly can’t do another one.
- Reconnecting with your inner athlete drives better effort. Allan ties this to the psychological state of flow, where past athletic success came from being fully in the moment rather than overthinking the movement.
- One setback doesn’t erase a pattern of good choices. Allan uses the image of a jar filling with white marbles for good decisions, a single black marble from a bad day barely shows once enough good ones are already in there.
- Small, smart adjustments add intensity without adding risk. Allan suggests things like resting a few seconds less between sets or holding the bottom of a squat a bit longer rather than doing something drastically harder.
- Men and women often lose weight at different rates, and that’s not a reason to get discouraged. Allan tells Tammy this comes down to biology, more testosterone versus more estrogen, and that it doesn’t change what she can eventually achieve.
- Soreness from real effort is a good sign, not a warning to stop. Allan tells Tammy that being sore because you pushed yourself is different from being injured, and it shouldn’t keep you sidelined for days.
- Turning movement into play, like dancing, makes intensity sustainable. Allan points Tammy toward things she already enjoys, since finding a physical activity you like keeps you coming back to push harder.
Another Episode You May Enjoy
Episode 57 – Do You Have Patience, Persistence and Progression
