Dare To Do Less

When you're just starting out, whether it's with kettlebells or another demanding physical discipline such as ballet or distance running, I tend to think you're best off adopting what I call a "dare to do less" approach.  Ease your way into it.  Don't feel like you have to kill yourself.  Stop short of complete fatigue, while your form is still impeccable.  Don't push the envelope.  Quality first, then quantity. 

The RKC catchphrase for this is "greasing the groove."  The theory is that under stress we all revert to our training.  Therefore if you always train with perfect form your technique won't break down even when you're placing insane demands on your body.   Theoretically. 

As a trainer I approve, because perfect form means less joint stress and a greatly reduced risk of injury.   This, incidentally, is one of the things I dislike about CrossFit, at least as it is practiced at many studios.  Students are encouraged to keep up the intensity even if it means sacrificing form, and that can be downright dangerous.   If  I'm having a client do kettlebell swings and I see his back starting to round, the set is OVER even if he hasn't gone the full minute (or whatever) yet.  But at many CrossFit studios that's not the case.  The instructor won't put the brakes on, and it's up to the client to take responsibility.  That's not all bad, of course.  Clients DO need to take responsibility for their workouts and their results.  But at the same time, if the client doesn't have a lot of experience with a particular lift I think the trainer needs to be more interventionist, because the client won't necessarily realize that his or her form is starting to slip.

If, however, the client has "greased the groove" sufficiently, this becomes a non-issue because the client has the experience to know when he needs to put down the kettlebell and take a breather without me telling him.  This is empowerment, and I like it!  I never want a client to feel as though he needs me there every session to keep him safe.   (He doesn't want that either.  I am expensive and unpleasant.)  I want him to be able to go for the intensity CrossFit-style if he so desires, with minimal risk of injury.  I want him ... eventually ... to push the envelope and Dare To Do More. 

And it will happen, if at first he Dares To Do Less.