We Speak Truth

Without sounding like a politician wanting both your vote and continued donations from his corporate masters, I try to answer the question with accuracy and veracity. 

It is one of the top three questions asked of the exercise physiology community. It has equivalency in many other areas, with perhaps the clearest being in retail. Their question mirrors ours; which is better, selling a lot of something for a little or a little of something for a lot? The answers are the same: It depends. 

Based upon a person’s Athletic Character Quotient, or the degree to which he or she forces the positive trajectory of their individual growth, which can be towards speed, power, strength, stamina, flexibility, special skills or any combination of them, said person will eventually discover (or not) that a point on the physical fitness timeline will include the active participation of the mysterious commodity known as passion. The mind must engage in this magical process if positive trending is to continue. This is where we add focus, flow, form, function and results to the package. If said person is lucky, dedicated, talented and aware enough to match these two internal components, the final piece of the puzzle is the involvement of the soul. And hence balance, presence, transcendence, joy and reward. BUT IT NEVER GETS EASIER. You, those who have earned a high ACQ, accept this as readily as the scholar who commits to a lifetime of learning. As your acumen increases, so does the work load. You lift more, run faster, ride more often, recover more efficiently, eat cleaner and rest deeper. You witness this process with gratitude and forgiveness. You enjoy the ride. You reach out in support of others, knowing the degree of difficulty that this process demands. You savor the highs and respect the lows. You recognize all this to be a proxy for life itself. The metaphorical imagery might be like climbing steps, higher and higher, one after the other, until you reach the top. 

And therefore, in answer to your question; Is it better to do 16 reps with lighter weights or 15 with heavier? I repeat: It depends. 

It depends on your ACQ, because it will guide your through the chaos, the distraction and the temptations to compromise. Should you have an upward trending ACQ you will see that the important part is in the doing and the measurement and management of that doing, while those trending in the opposite direction will simply see it as work, suffering, and discordant drudgery. 

When life presents you with challenge it is because our universal energy has determined that you are now, finally, at long last, ready to pass this exam and correctly answer the massively important question du jour. 

Those with a high ACQ stand up. Those with lower Q’s sit down. 

The corrupt politician might talk from both sides of his mouth. 

We speak truth.