Last week we had a quick chat about why HIIT is not enough to build a body that’s strong, looks good, and has longevity. Well, it would be rude of us to say that HIIT isn’t enough and then not fill in the blanks on the other things that you should be doing. So, today, we’re doing that.

 

As an illustration, we compared our bodies to houses—and that we are the contractors hired to build those houses. We need a well-stocked toolbox to build a house that stands strong, looks good, and lasts a longtime—just having a hammer won’t get the job done. (HIIT is the equivalent of that hammer.)So, let’s think about the components of a well-built house and draw some comparisons to training our bodies.

 

Every sturdy house relies upon a solid foundation. That foundation gives stability to a strong set of walls and a reliable roof. Then the whole shebang is decorated with whatever combination of siding and shingles suits your individual fancy.

 

Let’s transpose those same qualities onto our bodies.

 

The foundation is the ability to move well with healthy joints.

 

The walls and the roof are the culmination of strength and a well-designed strength-training program.

 

The exterior, those attractive elements, come from good nutrition and the little extra work that things like HIIT and other conditioning gives us.

 

Moving well lays the foundation because if we don’t have a solid base of good movement we can’t train consistently or expect to have any kind of longevity. Sure, we could build strength and do the aesthetics work without having a foundation of good movement, but then we’re only asking for a big bad wolf (injury, etc.) to come by and blow our house down because we’ve tried to build fitness—a house—without a foundation to keep our bodies healthy.

 

Strength, when coupled with good movement, is the next step in a sturdy body that can stand the test of time. Strong bodies are more resilient—they don’t get injured as easily, and they are, without a doubt, more useful. Strength, and the strong walls it builds, allows us to hang fancier aesthetic décor. A strong body is better able to be developed in multiple ways. Want to be leaner? It’s much easier to get lean if you’re strong.

 

Once we have our foundation built, and our walls constructed, we hang the siding by adding in the HIIT, conditioning, etc.—all of the extra work that helps us burn fat and prepares us for whatever other challenges life throws at us.

 

Listen, if you have a well-written HIIT class, like our Metabolic Conditioning at BSP NOVA, then you can likely start doing some conditioning before you work on your mobility, movement, and strength. But, that’s only because a great coach is going to help you pick the right exercises for you that are done at the right pace for you. That way you’re moving as best as possible and working in a way that suits your current fitness level. If you have that, then it can work to do some HIIT first. But, the best houses are build foundation and walls first—and we can’t speak for anyone else’s HIIT-type classes, only our own.

 

Okay, so we need to build this body, and we need to know what we’re doing to get it done—especially on the days when HIIT isn’t the chosen tool. Well, the process is pretty simple. On every other day we focus on moving well and getting stronger to build the foundation and the walls.

 

At BSP NOVA, we mostly do that with our semi-private personal training. Each month, each client trains using a customized program—one that is designed to take them closer to their goals while also developing their bodies in a way that accounts for their foundational (movement) needs and that builds sturdy walls (makes them stronger). We know how to customize each program for each person because we evaluate each person’s movements to make sure the exercises we choose for them fit their bodies.

 

But we also have something else, something super cool, that’s coming to BSP NOVA in early September—Kettlebell Strength Classes.

 

They’re running every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and they’ll focus on all the foundational, and wall-constructing, elements we’ve talked about up until now. That’s why we love kettlebells—they’re such versatile training tools. Within the course of a 45-minute class, we can use them to get more mobile, improve our movement skills, and build tons of strength that’s applicable to every day life. (Classes start September 4^th.)

 

In the mean time, let’s chat about what you can do to build a solid, aesthetically pleasing body—even if you only have three days per week to train.

 

Take two of those days and work on your foundation and walls. Do some mobility training, stretching, yoga-esque movements and then some basic strength training. Even someone that’s been exercising in a gym for years would benefit from this set-up. New trainees, you’re also going to benefit from this. Then, on the third-day, get after it a little bit with some conditioning or a HIIT style workout—after doing some foundational movement training to keep the foundation healthy, as well as to prepare for the work you’ll do during your workout. If you can get in four days of training, add in either another foundational day or another HIIT day—depending on your goals and current fitness level.

 

 Here’s an example of this 3-dayfrom coach Chris:

Warm-up: Give this one a try before each of the below training days.

Monday: Basic Strength Day

A1. Kettlebell Goblet Squat 3 x 8 reps (RPE 7/10)

A2. Chest Supported Dumbbell Row 3 x 8 reps (RPE 7/10)

A3. Hip or Shoulder Mobility Drill, based on your needs 3 x _____

                                 ———–      ———–      ———-

B1. Stability Ball Hamstring Curl 3 x 8 reps

B2. Push-up 3 x 8 reps

B3. Hip or Shoulder Mobility Drill, based on your needs 3 x _____

Wednesday: Basic Strength Day

A1. Kettlebell Deadlift 3 x 8 reps (RPE 7/10)

A2. Dumbbell Chest Press 3 x 8 reps (RPE 7/10)

A3. Hip or Shoulder Mobility Drill, based on your needs 3 x _____

                                 ———–      ———–      ———-

B1. Body-weight Reverse Lunge 3 x 8 reps/leg

B2. Inverted Row 3 x 8

B3. Hip or Shoulder Mobility Drill, based on your needs 3 x _____

Friday: HIIT Day

A1. Kettlebell Swing 4-5 x :20/:40 (RPE 7/10)

A2. Short Response Chest Pass MB Throw 4-5 x :20/:40(RPE 6/10)

A3. Body-weight Lunge Jump Switch 4-5 x :20/:40

A4. Ski Erg 4-5 x :20/:40

A5. Battling Ropes 4-5 x :20/:40

 

Build a Solid House

 

If you want a body that looks good and lasts long, start with a foundation of good movement and build solid walls with strength training. Then, hang some attractive siding with your HIIT training and conditioning. If you want a hand figuring all this out, we’re happy to help.