5 Fitness Concepts My Dad Embodied.
Written by Dusty Breeding, Posted by Cecily Breeding
I spoke at a men’s breakfast last week and had a chance to verbalize some of the reflections I’ve had on the legacy left by our dad. I’d categorize his legacy with three F’s: faith, family, and fitness.
I think his fitness practice is something anyone could learn from. Our dad would come home each night after a long day working a manual labor job at a warehouse and would either jump on his bike for a 45 minute ride or would head to the basement to lift weights and climb the stairs. He did this for as long as I can remember, from my earliest childhood memories up until the very morning that his heart failed.
Here are five concepts our dad embodied that I think anyone could learn from:
1) Be Consistent: exercise was a priority for the long term. In the 35 years that he and I shared space on earth, he exercised regularly. No get fit quick scams. He was in it for the long haul.
2) Blend strength and cardio: dad would do the big lifts such as bench, overhead press, deadlift, pull-ups, and some bicep/tricep stuff. But he would also walk laps around our basement when it was too cold outside or raining. He’d climb the stairs in our house for fifteen or twenty mins. Or go for a bike ride.
3) Sweat outside: dad would regularly bike the River Road, which was about a 45 min round trip from our house. He loved this road and the way it brought him into contact with nature, seeing eagles, snakes, and even one time helping a deer which was trapped on a fence. It was both physical health and mental health.
4) Include your loved ones, but don’t be their personal trainer: dad always invited us and included us, but never pushed us. He never forced us to workout but through encouragement and positive reinforcement inspired us to join in.
5) Make time to do the work: our dad prioritized this 45 mins to 1 hr even though he was tired and it was time away from us or other priorities. He knew that loving and leading his family meant making time to do the things for himself that kept him mentally and physically well.
If anyone wants to become more fit, these five principles are a great place to start.
