Ets and I travelled up to Galway last weekend to attend a seminar with Dan John. We couldn’t believe how quickly the day flew by and this was down to the man himself. I felt engaged in everything he was saying all day long. He would constantly have to pull himself back to the material he was trying to get through because he would go into one of his many stories about incidents or funny situations he was found himself in over the past. We found ourselves laughing for most of the day! Dan John was a high level athlete in the Discus and also Olympic lifting. He has written 8 books and also writes weekly for Men’s Health and has been teaching and coaching for well over thirty years and has been in charge of the weights room for many top NFL, NBA and Olympic athletes!! What I love and respect about John is that he tells it like it is. He has real life experience, brains plus the years and years of experimenting with fitness to know what works and what doesn’t for the majority of people. Strength training can be broken down to: Putting weight over head Picking it off the ground Carrying for time or distance There are certain movements that we are built to do and which are fundamental to all human life: push, pull, squat, hinge, loaded carry and finally learn how to tumble. His Programmes are all focused around this methodology. 80% of his training never changes and he experiments a lot with the other 20%. Over the years he has kept what works and just throws away what doesn’t! His Programmes in large are universally simple but are not easy. One thing that stuck with me was when he was talking about longevity in training, staying healthy and maintaining performance for many years to come. One of his main goals is that the skills you learn today and the strength you build today (structure 😉 is there to serve you for decades to come, that your fitness regime adds to the quality of your life rather than takes away through injury, overtraining, or a level of intensity that cannot be sustained. Using free resources around you can also keep you in the game for longer. Sleep: He says that he can often improve and athletes career simply by insisting they go to sleep earlier. Sleep is free and it does wonders for your hormones, recovery process and fat burning. Fat burning? Do you eat while you sleep?! Water: The other free or nearly free resource is making water your main drink. Don’t swallow liquid calories. Longevity Facts from Dan:
- Start your day by thanking someone or something.
- Have 20-30 grams of protein within 30mins of waking up.
- Occasionally don’t have any breakfast. Fast.
- Follow the 100/100/10 rule: Have 100grams of protein, 100 grams of carbs (or less) and 10 (or so) glasses of water.
- Strength train 3-5 days per week. “Get Sweaty” 2-3 days per week.
- Have beautiful technique.
- Have more coloured veggies.
- Walk more than you drive. Take the stairs and park further away.
- Don’t be afraid to stretch whatever’s tight.
- Have a sleep ritual.
- Train consistently for progress. Add variety for plateaus. Randomness for fun.
The majority of people that decide to start exercising do it because they want to look good naked. Dan believes this can be effectively achieved through simplicity and compliance. If you start something stick to the routine and follow a sensible nutrition plan, you then can achieve a decent level of fitness and body composition. A food diary (MyFitnessPal App) is important for tracking your macronutrients and educating yourself on calories and portion sizes. Top tips from Dan:
- When doing your shopping for the week, eat before you go and have a list made out of exactly what you need for your planned meals, simples!
- Working hard on moving better can help with overall longevity. If you don’t move well you won’t be strong or stay strong for long. Always try to improve your movement patterns by including mobility drills to your lives.
The key to achieving your fitness goals are patience, consistency and persistence. Dan donated his time, expertise and knowledge on the day for free. He donated everything on to a charity fund for ongoing medical costs for an 8 year old girl call Leah Gross who is battling a rare debilitating complex neurological condition called PANDAS. On the day over €3500 was raised! This epitomizes the ethos of Dan John, focus on what’s important, do it right and have fun while doing it!
