Sumrell Strength

Life can teach you some things if you pay attention. This seems especially true during periods of change. And NOTHING recently has caused more of a global shake-up than the Covid-19 pandemic. In that shake-up though, I learned a lot and gained some wisdom worth sharing. Naturally, these insights are mostly focused on fitness which shouldn’t come as a surprise. The bigger picture ideas however, can still be applied universally.

Here’s 5 things I learned from quarantine

1. You don’t NEED a gym to make gains

Not having access to a fitness facility was a real limitation for a lot of people during lockdown.

As a thought experiment, I decided to treat myself as though I had restricted access too. (I had full access but I wanted to see something). I acquired a pullup bar, some bands , and even made a makeshift sand bag. With this basic set up I did the bulk of my strength training. During this time I made solid improvements while also boosting my resilience, running ability, and athleticism. You can say I made out pretty well.

What I also realized was that the exact exercise and equipment didn’t matter as long as it was the right movement for the desired effect. That in turn made me dig deeper into my tool box and get more creative.

With a little imagination and resourcefulness, it’s very possible to do effective workouts. Even with a minimalist set up. Before gyms existed, this approach was likely the default. And Im willing to bet there were still plenty of strong people who just used what they had. What still reigns true today is that an over reliance on the gym can be a major impediment should a pandemic happen to strike.

2. Maintenance isn’t a bad thing

When you put a lot of work in to get to a certain level physically, it makes sense to view maintenance as an equally high effort endeavor. But it actually requires less effort than people think. And that’s good news for those concerned with losing gains and getting weaker. There’s value in being on cruise control from time to time. And in a pandemic, where stress may be up, it helps if your fitness doesn’t come with a crazy demand or an obnoxious time cost.

The world doesn’t end if extra weight isn’t being slapped on the bar every week. Maintaining what you have is still a useful approach that doesn’t rely as heavily on facilities you might not have access to. That was my experience. Admittedly, my understanding of strength and conditioning principles may have made this path easier to find. But the point to grasp is that it’s perfectly fine to take the focus off number chasing and channel it towards other aspects of fitness and well-being.

3. Motivation fluctuates and that’s ok

The irony about home workouts is that even with convenience accounted for, a push may still be required to get it done. I’d be lying if I said that I, the coach and trainer, looked forward to every single quarantine workout. What I found though is that routine and schedule are often better “motivators” than actually feeling in the mood. For many, keeping schedule and remaining on task is enough of a nudge to “clock in” and get the work done.

We can define motivation as the reasons and desires that push people to act in particular ways. The problem is that most times, the enthusiasm associated with said motivation is fleeting. It’s usually a goal, or goal oriented behavior, that harnesses that spark and gives it meaning.

However you choose to go about getting things done, deliberate action beats waiting for artificial energy to fall from the sky. Especially when that energy itself is known to evaporate quickly.

4. Having a hobby that involves physical activity is a game-changer.

Things that are enjoyable take less motivation to do. Plain and simple.

For me, having a collection of activity based hobbies kept me moving and sweating often. Outdoor fun included lots of bike rides, and even time working on my jumpshot. As the virtual world opened up, so did opportunities to try different things and rekindle old hobbies like salsa and boxing. What I got was an amalgamation of fun activities that all served to keep me fit.

Your recreational preferences might be different from mine. But if you have a part time hobby that involves movement, you’re a lot more likely to be physically active and forget you’re even exercising.

5. Mindset Is Everything.

All of us think, feel, and adapt. Yet nothing throws a monkey wrench into a situation like adversity and major uncertainty.

For me there were definitely moments of great introspection and corralling of spirt that had to take place in response to being shut down.  Winning the battle in the mind was crucial for turning a non-ideal situation into something good.

As a professional in an industry that was hit hard with gym shut downs, the need to pivot business wasn’t just unique to me. The triumph however, was in regrouping, improving, and finding alternative ways to help people. Being forced to think on your feet has a way of helping you find opportunities for success.

Within my own mind, the tenets I latched onto the most were the importance of purpose, strength in community, and the destructive nature of fear and worry. Those things alone could’ve been their own post but I believe they all came together nicely under the mindset umbrella.

With stressful circumstances it’s important to shine some light and attempt to find the good in the situation. That glass-half-full filter, combined with my experience, is how this piece came together. I speak from the perspective of a fitness professional, coach, and the many other identities that influence my outlook. But if you strip away some of the details and look closer, you’ll find that you may have learned some of these same things too.

I often refer to myself as a man of many interests. I know that’s quite the interesting title to claim, but its true. I am. Whats even more interesting though is the journey that led me there and taught me many things along the way. With this piece I’ll highlight my adventure into salsa dancing and reveal some of the cool gems I’ve picked up throughout the whole process.

How it All Started

Shortly after graduating from college, reality hit me that I was a full-blown adult and completely immersed in the workforce. There was no going back to the student life. This WAS my new life.

Work began to occupy a larger chunk of my life, and although I enjoyed training people, I felt the need to explore other pastimes besides just working, training, and weekend festivities.

And thus my quest began. After attending a Latin night and not being able to dance as well as I wanted to, I set my sights on salsa dancing as a new skill to master. Now I’m currently not a master by any means. Maybe an intermediate at best. But the journey towards mastery has been incredibly educational. And in addition to helping a woman look great on the dance floor, I also drew a few broader insights that I’ll share with you.

Here are 3 things I’ve learned from salsa dancing

1. Its easier to master something when you understand it

They actually go hand in hand (no pun intended). In the case of my salsa dancing, I made leaps of improvement once I gained a better understanding of the music. Early on however, that connection was shaky. The basic salsa rhythm was different for me and took some getting used to. Couple that with a partner following my lead, and you can imagine how unimpressive my first few dances were. But as I practiced and listened to the music more, the rhythm started to become more natural. I went from having to count my steps, to being able to improvise. Eventually I unlocked the ability to really groove to the music which made it come alive for me. 

Here’s why this matters. Gaining a deeper connection to the music helped sling-shot my skills forward. As I began to understand it more, I was better able to layer the dancing on top. This isn’t the only arena where we see ones level of comprehension show up as a performance enhancer. We see a similar link play out in some of the following scenarios:

• Memorizing definitions vs being able to explain something
• Multiple choice vs open response questions on tests
• Being good at sports drills vs performing well in competition
• Following recipes vs being able to improvise and create delicious meals

In each of these scenarios, the superior level of mastery is tied to a deeper understanding of the subject/ task at hand. The learnee is able to find a context and better apply what they’ve learned.

As this epiphany unfolded in real time, it motivated me to dig deeper and expand my abilities in ways that even impressed some teachers.

People often overlook the value of understanding what you’re trying to get better at. And just like overthinking, this can be detrimental. However, the right amount of extra thinking may help the learning process. Building on top of that, salsa helped reveal some things about my own personal learning process. Which brings me to my next point…

2. How you learn can affect what you learn.

Learning styles play a major role in skill acquisition whenever there is a student – instructor relationship. I think that’s a case that can build itself. People have unique ways that they process and learn things. I’ve witnessed this not just in dance, but in sport and classroom settings as well. And when two people are not on the same page, information can easily get lost in translation. Through my experience, I’ve found that I’m more of a visual and kinesthetic learner when it comes to picking up new skills. In other words, I like to see it done properly, walk through it, then do it until my body understands it. I’ve always done this intuitively but what made me more aware was how my experience in classes would differ depending on the instructor. It made a huge difference when I had instructors who would demonstrate movements while explaining, instead of solely relying on verbal cues.

Its funny how having even a slight awareness of learning style can improve outcomes. This goes for both the teacher and the student. I know this especially because I often find myself on the instructor side when training clients. I say with confidence that it’s helpful.

My way of learning may differ from the next person, but we can still aim to create enjoyable experiences by making accommodations.

And speaking of enjoyable experiences…

3. Exercise is easier when you can enjoy it

Finding hobbies that include physical activity can be hugely beneficial towards maintaining an active lifestyle without always relying on the gym. Sure the gym is great. But who wants to live a life of sets and reps. You’re just way more likely to do things you think are fun. I think many have become so fixated on the concept of exercise and training and fail to see the big picture. Now don’t get me wrong, I love training and mapping out strategies to achieve physical goals. I’m just weird like that. But whether or not you get a thrill from difficult physical tasks or not, making movement a regular thing is still one of the most important habits for staying healthy. For many, the key is to include things that don’t feel like exercise while doing it.

For me, Salsa dancing is a way to express myself, enjoy music, and connect to other happy humans in a fun way. Not to mention it burns calories. And I’m pretty sure it wins in the enjoyment category. The activity that fuels your fire might be different for you but the concept remains the same.

That concludes my 3 things I’ve learned from Salsa Dancing. But stay tuned if you want to see what else I’ve learned from my hobbies. Cheers to learning, applying, and getting better at things.