Why skill building and mastery matters
There is something quite magical about learning new skills and it’s something that we feel is often lost in the outdoor exercise world.
You can go to a gym and learn functional movements and, if you have a good PT, you’ll find that you can progressive over time to heavier weights or more challenging movements. You can go to a CrossFit box and learn some really useful movements too. But in the outdoor exercise realm we seem to settle for circuit training and getting out of breath.
There's also a lot of research that shows that those who exercise because they enjoy it, or for a sense of mastery, are more likely to stick to it. As oppose to those motivated for “body reasons.”
When I started WildStrong or MomGym as it was called, none of the skill building side was remotely interesting to me (that was Andrew’s big passion). But when you’ve have been coming to WildStrong consistently for a few months you’ll suddenly find that you keep unlocking little skills that you never thought you’d be even the slightest bit interested in.
Perhaps you’re pressing a heaver weight or jumping further. And this has an immediate carry over to your life – maybe you’re carrying more shopping in from the car, opting for the more challenging hill on the way home from work, or just making more time to jump and play when you’re in the woods. Or maybe you’re completely internalised the need to gain full range of motion your push up…
All of this sounds like gobbledygook when you first arrive but over time you start seeing how improved movement quality and consistency helps you become stronger and more mobile across the board.
To learn new skills we use a peer coaching model that enables everyone to develop an understanding of why we do certain movements, and the steps required to complete a movement properly.
We like the idea of giving people the skills to teach themselves and others. I never enjoyed going to classes where I felt like I didn’t have agency, where I couldn’t understand “the why?” I’d come out of a yoga session and be unable to remember any of the movements because I’d been passively following a teacher.
The mirrors in the gym are not just for busting out bicep curls to Eye of The Tiger, they are also for ensuring that each movement is carried out correctly. We haven’t got mirrors so we use each other and together we work to reach full movement quality. Our coaches provide feedback and support, but by teaching each other we build our understanding of how our bodies need to move and how to keep them strong and mobile.
If you’re curious to try a session at WildStrong, just get in touch, you’d be very welcome! info@wildstrong.co
