Ross Edgley is the first man to swim around Great Britain and Iceland. He is also the only person I’m aware of to finish a marathon while pulling a Mini Cooper and complete a triathlon with a 45kg tree attached to him, among other impressive feats. His book, The World’s Fittest Book, which details his key training philosophies, opens with one of my favourite quotes: “As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods.”
This quote, widely attributed to American engineer Harrington Emerson, is pertinent to anyone wanting to get in shape – not just world record-breaking adventurers.
There are a wealth of ways to become fitter and healthier, but only finite fundamental principles underlie them. If you learn these, you have the key to lifelong results.
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A method is an exact way of achieving something. This might be a diet such as 5:2, paleo or keto, or a specific exercise style like Pilates, calisthenics, BodyPump or yoga.
People tend to become hung up on methods and credit them exclusively for their success: “I do Hyrox classes and now I’m the fittest I’ve ever been,” or, “I only eat a Mediterranean diet and I’m in the best shape of my life.”
Neither of these approaches is bad – there are many positives to both, in fact. If they worked for these individuals, and they can stick with them for the long haul, then that’s great. But both methods work because they align with the basic principles of becoming a healthier human.
In relation to diet, the Mediterranean diet aficionado consumed an appropriate number of calories for their goal and ate the nutrients they needed for their body to function well. Any diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fibre and protein will likely deliver similar results.
And regarding exercise, our hardcore Hyrox fan regularly did something physically challenging (for them), and their body adapted to become better at handling this stress. Any progressive fitness routine that regularly requires you to raise your heart rate and move something relatively heavy will, again, likely deliver similar results.
This is why an exercise routine that sees you get out of breath and challenge all major muscle groups (a slightly ambiguous term roughly referring to your chest, back, arms, shoulders and legs) twice per week will quickly make you fitter than most people you know.
The body is an adaptation machine that is made to help you overcome obstacles – anything from fighting off threats to simply getting from A to B. To stay in shape, simply seek out obstacles, have fun hurdling them, then repeat.
The only caveat is that the obstacle must be relative to, and reasonable for, you. If you stepped off a piece of paper, it probably wouldn’t do much for your body. If you jumped off a house, you’d hurt yourself. But if you jumped off a bench, you could provide the stimulus needed to persuade your body to build stronger bones, joints and muscles.
Now you understand these few underlying fitness principles, you are ready to “select your own methods”, as Emerson puts it. The most important factor to consider when doing this is consistency – what will make you stick with it? Adherence is the adhesive that binds together any successful exercise routine.
This is why I would always prioritise enjoyment. You may need to experiment somewhat to find the activities you enjoy, as they often lie outside the staple school sports of football, rugby, athletics and netball. But I am confident there is something out there that will make you feel good.
This is why I don’t like wading into debates over what is better, CrossFit or Hyrox, strength training or Pilates, yoga or stretching. Exercise in any form can have immense value, especially when introduced to those who weren’t moving much before.
If you can find something you enjoy, do it regularly, and tweak it so it continues to challenge you as your body becomes more capable – that is the secret to lifelong fitness I teased you with in the introduction. Use it wisely, and have fun doing so.
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