The Boring Foundations

Laying the groundwork

Contemplation:

There is always foundational work to be done before we reach the point of making serious inroads in any endeavour. But laying the groundwork does not bring the instant results we crave.

A novice drummer needs to work out how to hold their sticks correctly and then play a lot with other musicians. But we want to play like Ringo Starr or Chad Smith straight away. We can admire their skills and their feel around the kit, but we don’t see the countless hours they spent mastering the basics.

If we begin an exercise regime without slowly building a foundational level of strength, endurance, and flexibility we’ll soon encounter our first significant setback. Typically this will be some kind of injury, a pulled muscle or an inflamed tendon, that blocks further progress and will often herald the end of our latest fitness drive.

We have become accustomed to quick wins and instant results. TV shows or viral memes turn people into overnight sensations. Easy come, easy go. We want it all now and cannot bear the thought of having to delay our gratification.

It’s in enduring the boring foundational work, however, that we find the seeds of something that is character-building. In a world obsessed with self-image and ‘personal branding’ - often prioritising appearance over substantive character - it is those who root themselves in principles and discipline who ultimately stand apart from the crowd.

Whether learning an instrument, improving fitness, or building our own character - our desire for quick results is often our downfall. The early stages of practice or preparation often lack visible results, making it so very tempting to skip steps and hack our way to good health or give up and move on to the next thing that draws our attention. We may convince ourselves that shortcuts will suffice, but the absence of a strong foundation will catch up with us further along the path.

When starting any fitness campaign, or returning after an absence, we need to give ourselves time to make foundation-building the initial goal to create a solid base upon which to build further layers.

Personal Reflection:

I tend to go through seasons with my fitness pursuits, sometimes the focus is running, or it can be cycling, swimming or kayaking. I’ll also do various callisthenics exercises - pull-ups, Olympic rings, push-ups etc. Switching between things, I have to give myself time to go back to basics when returning to something I’ve not done for a while - and I’ve only learnt this by being too enthusiastic in trying to perform at previous levels.

I’ve returned to foundations for the next couple of weeks - we all had flu in our family over Xmas which is the first time in ages I’ve not been able to exercise. So the next two weeks are going to be back to basics for me - a simple goal of getting out for a run every day, getting back into yoga, with some daily callisthenics where I’ll be concentrating on the basics.

Boring but sensible.