Box Jumps are Like Rome
Jan 05, 2014
Rome wasn't built in a day. You've heard that before, right? I'm sure it is true. No one blinked one day and suddenly found a powerful empire called Rome. It took time. The same thing is true for anything that is powerful and long lasting, a solid foundation must be laid first. I bring this up because many people don't see this "truth" when it comes to training. Many people just jump right in to high levels of power in their training, literally.
Take the box jump for instance. It is athletic. It is powerful. It is strength. It is grace. IF the body has a solid foundation to perform it. IF the body is not ready for the box jump, however, it can be chaotic, sloppy, weak, even suspenseful. Suspenseful? Yes. Ever watch someone do box jumps wondering if they could make the jump or not? That is suspenseful.
I have nothing against box jumps, by the way. I think everyone should be able to do them, especially if they want to. In fact, you absolutely should be able to do them. BUT, you should have a solid, reflexively strong foundation from which to build them upon. Box jumps are just like Rome. They are not built in a day.
Take a guy who has worked behind a desk for 25 years, who suddenly decides he wants to perform box jumps inside of his new exercise routine. This guy is asking for trouble. He has spent 25 years teaching his muscles, tendons and ligaments how not to do anything that requires strength, stability, or explosiveness.
Now, by contrast, look at a 5 year old. A five year old has spent 5 whole years moving and preparing his joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments for the rigors of a life begging to be explored. Everything in a 5 year old's nature calls him to run, jump, and play. And, the 5 year old follows the desire of his nature. He does indeed spend his time moving, running, jumping, playing and climbing. His body becomes acclimated to the thrill of "flying" and landing and launching and leaping, even crashing into the earth. A 5 year old builds his body - OVER TIME - and he prepares himself for any physical challenge, like box jumps for example.
Do you see? The foundation, the original strength of the five year old, is laid over time and the constant engagement of movement. He prepared, and prepares, his body for explosive, powerful events. But it didn't just happen in a blink of an eye.
Now, lets go back to our desk jockey. He also prepares his body over time. He prepares his body to be soft, weak, and immobile. He doesn't use it and therefore, he doesn't need explosive, powerful muscles or strong, resilient connective tissue. At least his body doesn't think he does.
Desk jockey man should not jump right into something like box jumps. He needs to do what the five year old did. He needs to lay a solid foundation of movement, he needs to regain his original strength back, before he engages in such a high level move like a box jump.
It is not that desk jockey man should never perform the box jump. It is just that he needs to regain and remember the body he used to have before he does it.
We should all be able to perform any physical feat we see athletes do on TV. We shouldn't have to dream of sprinting through the woods like Daniel Day-Lewis in the Last of the Mohicans. We should all be able to do that! AND, we should all be able to perform box jumps safely. We were made to do these things. But we were made to do them on a solid foundation. A foundation that may take more than a day to rebuild.
You can absolutely regain your original strength, your foundation, and you can absolutely perform any physical feat you imagine. But know that it may take time. And that is okay. Rome wan't built in day. You weren't either. Be patient, and be consistent. Enjoy your story, and rebuild the YOU that you were made to be. Conquer those boxes!
Comments (0)
Please login to comment.