Many years ago, more than I care to admit, I managed to convince my seniors in the military to allow me to do a non-trade relevant course, as a Unit Physical Training Instructor. I think in hindsight it was probably not that hard a “sell”, after all it was likely to result in me being way too tired and beaten down to be of any bother to them for the duration.
One of the first lessons I’d learned came under the title “Mindset” and was broadly speaking about the science behind habit forming and more importantly, breaking bad habits.
It really wasn’t rocket-science, after all we were all military personnel; but the crux of the matter was that it formed the foundation of a sustainable path to true weight management through goal setting and affecting realistic change.
Now more than 30 years later, I find myself looking in absolute amazement each time I see the Fitness Industry come full circle, proclaiming that the oldest of methods are still valid, actually many of them are still the best. And yet, as I see so many people fall for slick marketing campaigns promising instant results, I can’t help but think about those early lessons and how they are still critically relevant today.
Now I understand how some might suggest that this method worked because, well it’s the military … enough said. But that was always a complete misconception; people in the military weren’t all young, they weren’t all naturally fit and most had precisely the same battles with bad habits as any of their civilian counterparts; and just like them, their promotion and job suitability not to mention enjoyment of life was just as much linked to their physical and mental state. But there was a huge difference. In the military there was a concerted effort to train people exceptionally well to help personnel properly manage their physical and mental wellbeing. And they really knew their stuff!
A great deal about what worked in the military has found its way into our everyday gyms, and that’s great. But we at NZKM Fitness will bring you all that, and then some. Because with us it’s about the long-term management. Our programme, C-Shot (Creating Sustainable Habits over Time) is about that “sciency fact” stuff that appears to have become so important as of late. Don’t leave it any longer, your call to arms: get on board today.