Topgrading

This Topgrading Tips is sort of a “silver bullet,” with advice that has enabled hundreds of busy, high performing A players to get in shape and then stay in shape … following this counter-intuitive dictum:

NO PAIN, YOU GAIN!  With all the hype about “easy” ways to get in shape and lose weight, you are skeptical.  Good.  Then please read it again – NO PAIN, YOU GAIN means that you never, ever push yourself beyond what is comfortable for you to do today.

There are 5 keys to this, which I’ll list, but let me tell you how I became an exercise advisor …

HISTORY:  BRAD IS “BUSTED”

About 25 years ago my wife Mary and I were at a party and a buddy asked, “Brad, do you exercise regularly?” and I responded, “Oh, sure!”

Another buddy asked, “Oh, really, how many times did you work out this week?”  Feeling awkward, I said, “Well, I traveled all this week, so I didn’t work out,” Smelling blood, another friend pounced with, “Uh, huh – how about last week?  You didn’t travel last week!”  Sheepishly I said quietly, “Um, I guess I haven’t exercised for weeks.”

Busted!  I’d been BS-ing myself (get it?  Brad Smart – BS?), convinced I exercised regularly when I didn’t.  So I looked inside my damaged soul and concluded I hated exercise.

Oh sure, I like tennis, but I don’t like the aerobic versions of running, swimming, bike riding, or crawling on crushed glass because all of these hurt.  Some joggers have beta endorphins that are like a narcotic, so they are literally on a running “high” as they pound the pavement.  I’m not one of them – are you? I like the feeling of exhaustion and feeling of satisfaction AFTER working out.

RESEARCH ON 2,000 EXECUTIVES WHO HATE WORKING OUT, BUT DO IT ANYWAY

So, I decided to ask candidates I interviewed:  Do you exercise regularly? Do you love exercising?

I ignored the executives who “love” the exercise itself.  I was interested in executives who, like me, hated it, but they were unlike me in that they really do exercise regularly.

In the next few years I’d studied about 2,000 executives who hated exercise but did it, and I was amazed to find that the vast majority followed the same principles.  I call them the Successful 2,000.

FIVE KEYS TO EXERCISING REGULARLY, EVEN THOUGH YOU HATE EXERCISE

1.  Remember the key: No pain, you gain.

This is the headline, and of course it requires explanation.  A lot of executives make New Year’s Resolutions to work out 3 times per week.  They hire a Mr. America-type 23-year-old trainer who snickers, “Chris, you are in sorry shape, but give me 1 hour three times a week and I’ll get your sorry body in shape!”

The executive is diligent for 1 month and then has a business trip and … well, never quite gets back to the intense workouts.  Why?  Because they were too painful, that’s why.  High performers have enough pain just living and working, and don’t need torture 3 times per week.

2.  Start SLOOOWLY, progress SLOOOWLY, doing SOMETHING 3 times per week.

The Successful 2,000 exercised comfortably, starting so slowly and easily, and progressing so slowly and easily, that even with jet lag or a cold they’d exercise.

What does that mean?  It means literally just walking for 10 minutes, three times per week, if that’s all you can do comfortably.

The point is to make a lifelong commitment to regular exercise, and when “way down deep” you know that your exercise session will NOT be painful, it’s easy to stay with the program.

Even if your effort is not aerobic to begin with, it eventually will be as you EASILY add time (eventually 20 minutes, 3 times per week) and intensity (how fast you peddle, walk, run, or whatever).  As you get in better and better shape, you’ll add time and intensity with no pain.

I started, decades ago, riding a Schwinn AirDyne, a bike you can use as a bike or use the bars for arm exercise, or both, and the “wheels” are actually baffles that blow air to cool you off.  I started slowly and over the years gradually added the speed and time, but NEVER made is so difficult it would be painful.  And if I have a cold or jet lag, I just do a bit less or do it easier … but I do it.  With strep throat, I skip it!

3.  Mix up the aerobic exercise.

Most executives get bored doing the same aerobic exercise all the time.  In the winter I use the AirDyne because I can watch news on TV at the same
time.

But when the weather is good I sometimes play tennis, ride a bike, walk the golf course, swim laps, or wind surf (if you’re lousy at it, as I am, believe me, it’s aerobic to fall off, get on, etc.).

4.  Exercise mostly at home, to save time.

Only about 1/3 of the executives in my study got in the car, drove to the health club, undressed, worked out, showered, got dressed, and drove back to work.  Simply to save time, 2/3 of execs in my study walk all the way down to the basement, because it’s convenient and saves time.

But the 1/3 love their health club and visit it regularly, mostly in the early morning.

5.  Keep a chart.

Remember how I kidded myself into thinking I worked out regularly?  To be SURE you’re working out aerobically 12 times per month, just tape a 3” X 5” card somewhere, draw lines showing each week, and add one chit mark every time you work out.

Is it the end of the month and you have only 10, not 12, chit marks?  Then next month do 14.  Let it creep into your brain that you WILL work out aerobically 3 times per week, 12 times per month, 144 times per year – no excuses!

IS THAT ALL THERE IS TO IT?

Yes, sort of …. but I should tell you what the 2,000 execs experienced.  Almost all eventually added 2 days of weight training, not to build bulk but to tone their body.  And almost all added stretching before and after every work out, to add flexibility.

And I hate to say it, because I don’t want you to anticipate pain I’ve promised you’d avoid, but almost all the execs work out 5+ days per week.  Asked why, 3 decades ago they all used the same terminology:  “Brad, I find that any day I don’t do some sort of exercise, I feel like S_ _ _!”  They say, “Working out isn’t painful and NOT working out is painful, so I do something almost every day.”

SUMMARY

Do you want to get in shape and stay in shape but hate exercise?  Then start slowly (maybe not aerobic for a year), do something easy 3 times per week, and do different aerobic activities for fun.  Make it convenient (exercise at home), keep a chart (3 chit marks per week), and eventually add some light weight training and stretches.

Remember:  No pain you gain! because without pain you’ll stick with your exercise plan.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: We just released a brand new Topgrading Workbook, the same workbook we use in our workshops.  It has a clear explanation of each of the 12 Topgrading hiring steps, exercises to teach each step, and lots of new tools and methods.  Click here for more information or to order.