A Deeper Meaning

One of the best books I have ever read is "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl. It is a famous book, one that many of you have probably read at some point, and is a literary work that should be considered required reading for anyone that wants to learn something about themselves. Frankl details his experiences as a prisoner in several Nazi concentration camps during World War II, and even in the most terrible circumstances he was able to find the joy and meaning necessary to sustain himself until he was liberated by the Allies. Certainly none of us will experience in our lifetime the horrors that Frankl was forced to endure, but reading this masterpiece prompted me to do some thinking about my own search for a deeper meaning. The questions I hope to answer are, how does this relate to the work that I do and the people I interact with in the course of that work on a daily basis? What exactly is it that I hope to achieve? This is what I ponder.

Naturally, we hope to achieve success and find meaning along the way. Some might attach meaning with only the end result, but I think it's important to value the process just as much, if not more, than the outcome. There is joy and meaning to be found in putting in the work, in simply giving the effort necessary to achieve something great. I believe this is true no matter what your occupation is or what it is you are trying to accomplish. Many athletes, when they look back on a championship season, are likely to talk just as much about the practices and experiences in the locker room as they are about the penultimate game. If you are an artist, there is meaning to be found in the creative process, of actually painting or sculpting something from scratch. I would imagine that most musicians and songwriters derive immense pleasure from realizing a vision they have in their head and writing a piece of music or a song that only they could write. While great works of art and memorable songs certainly bring pleasure to others, I believe that creative people need to satisfy themselves before they can bring happiness or value to others. In other words, they need to find meaning in their work first, otherwise the effect will not be the same. As Frankl says, "Don't aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself."

How does this relate to exercise? I can speak about my own experiences as an instructor and in my own workouts, and while most people are probably not as enthusiastic about exercise as I am, I think that both former and current Total Results clients can understand my perspective. I look at each workout as a chance to accomplish something meaningful, not only physically but mentally as well. I often talk about a Total Results workout as being a metabolic event, and on the cellular level that is exactly what we set out to accomplish, but it's more than that. We all know that these workouts are not fun, but each session is an opportunity to prove your mettle and improve your mental focus and toughness. Your instructor will push you to test your resolve and go beyond muscular failure, but it is also a way to expand your intellectual ability. Learning how to think through the process, and execute instructions will help you to sharpen your intellectual capabilities. The mental component of this workout can never be underestimated. If you can maintain your focus while pushing through intense muscular discomfort, you have won a very important mental battle. Clients are able to adapt mentally to the demands that are placed upon them, and the most successful trainees are able to tell themselves that they will work as hard as they possibly can for a very finite period of time. This is something that anyone can do with the right mindset and proper instruction. It is far more than just a workout; it is a chance to incorporate something meaningful into your life.

My goal is to broaden the concept of the meaning of exercise to the individual, both from a physical and a mental standpoint. Ken Hutchins gives a very specific definition of what exercise is in his landmark book "Super Slow - The Ultimate Exercise Protocol", but I want to approach it on a deeper level. In my opinion, high intensity exercise is not merely a physical activity, although the primary purpose is to stimulate tangible physical changes in the body through meaningful loading of the muscular structures. I believe we also cross an intellectual and spiritual threshold during a workout, since understanding and attention to detail are required in order to optimize the exercise stimulus. One gets the sense and feeling that they have done all that they can possibly do with their mind and body to achieve the desired effect. That is a victory. In our clinically controlled environment, the instructor and client work in concert to achieve something truly special - the greatest metabolic experience possible. This requires patience and understanding on the part of both parties, and can only occur as a result of developing great trust that each person will hold up his or her end of the bargain. Many former clients have tried to replicate this experience in a commercial gym setting, but typically fall short. It is nearly impossible to get the same experience without the privacy, attention to detail, equipment, and knowledge that one has come to expect at Total Results. Simply put, it is very difficult to achieve that deep level of meaning anywhere else.

There is a deep feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that I get in the succeeding minutes following a superb workout. These feelings are fleeting, but I wish I could hold onto them forever; that is what keeps me coming back every week and makes me exercise even when there are times that I don't want to. I get a similar feeling of pride each time a client completes a workout under my supervision. There is the sense that I have achieved something meaningful, in that I have helped someone else achieve something meaningful in their own lives. This helps me to know that I am on the right track.

The search for a deeper meaning is what gets us out of bed in the morning even when we would rather go back to sleep. It's what makes us work harder to get better at the things in life that we find important. A deeper meaning is what makes me enthusiastic every day about the concept of exercise and instructing our amazing clients at Total Results. A quote from Ken Hutchins says it perfectly: "Throughout the excursion, constantly strive to find meaningful resistance. Be on the search, the lookout, the quest, the hunt for meaningful resistance! If exercise has meaning in your life, then the essence of the meaning is the resistance - not the weight, not the movement, not the power, not the work, not the repetitions."