Get Strong

How To Train Movement, Not Just Muscle.

When bending down causes pain, when playing with your child leaves you exhausted, when a flight of stairs feels daunting — these are all signs of weakness.

 

Being weak is dangerous. Slipping, falling, struggling to get up.

 

The fear of injury leads to hesitation in everyday life.

 

You lose confidence in the way you hold yourself together.

 

Weakness is often naturally associated with ageing, but those who age well keep up their strength. Here’s how to do it. 

 

It takes work, but the benefits are immense, so I’ll lay out the simplest instructions for you to begin feeling results ASAP (ideally you should get going today or tomorrow, before this info slips into the past). 

 

We are going to cover 5 key points:

 

1. Why strength is about movement, not just muscle.

    

2. Simple techniques and exercises that only need to be performed 1-2 times per week for maximal benefit.

    

3. How strength training prevents injury and neurodegeneration, so you can stay physically confident and mentally sharp at any age.

    

4. What mainstream methods are, and why they are not sustainable for most people (hence the disturbing reason for their popularity)

    

5. The most effective and fundamental methods that will improve your mobility, longevity and mental function as you age, without exercise taking over your life.

 

The Mainstream Myth: Muscles Over Movement

 

Now, let’s get clear on what strength training really is, what it looks like and what it involves.

 

Most people associate strength with gym workouts designed to grow muscle for aesthetics and confidence.

 

This method is simply a distillation of bodybuilding - the competitive sport centered on the aesthetics of human musculature.

 

Mainstream strength training is about muscle, not movement. 

 

What’s disturbing is the marketing - almost no one at the gym plans to become a bodybuilder. 

 

They just want to be less insecure, more confident and sexier. Good for them. But by focusing on muscle, not movement, they end up with a lack of physical development, plenty of injury, and potentially decades of work in undoing damage due to poor habits. 

 

Sex sells, and gyms make a lot of money from peoples’ insecurities. But those people pay a price far greater than their monthly subscription - with a dysfunctional body that doesn’t serve them.

 

Getting strong for movement (not muscle) is more complex, engaging, sophisticated, diverse and rewarding. 

 

Now - before you functional trainers jump on me with “Hey! I combine bodybuilder training with mobility exercises and I’m doing just fine!” - hear me out.

 

If you’re filling in some of the gaps by ensuring that all your joints get strengthened - good - you are definitely helping yourself out when it comes to longevity. But, you’re still not training movement.

 

You’ve simply gone from training “muscles” to training “muscles and joints”.

 

The approach is still primarily working with isolated patterns, and lacks an in-depth understanding of the interconnected body.

 

Take one example:

 

Functional training obsesses over alignment and ‘proper form’ - but life is not like this. Ever. 

 

When we avoid moving out of alignment, we become vulnerable to life’s unpredictability. One slight move out of alignment and we find ourselves injured, because we have not strengthened those areas in our training. 

 

Movement training embraces all directions and angles so you are always prepared for life's unpredictability.

 

Note:

 

Training movement obviously still trains muscles (and joints) - the key difference is in the intention behind the process. When you put movement first, aesthetics are a bonus. But when you put aesthetics first, you won’t improve movement. If you don’t believe me, look around… or try it and see...

 

Why You Should Train As A Movement Generalist

 

Someone who is very good at lifting weights is not necessarily strong in other scenarios.

 

(Likewise, a specialised climber may have a weak bench press, and the world's strongest ballet dancer may be unable to do a push up) 

 

Strength specialises. 

 

A Gym Rat may be able to squat 100kg, but can they confidently climb a tree? 

 

They feel lost in other disciplines like calisthenics, gymnastics, martial arts and dancing.

 

Odds are you don’t just want to lift weights for muscle, you want to be free from pain, able to drop down to the floor and play with your children on demand - without fear of injury.

 

To run, throw, catch, climb and swim. To be more expressive as well as fit and energetic.

 

You want to generalise, not specialise.

 

People that can do this are what I refer to as movement generalists - they are strong, supple, flexible and highly adaptable to different scenarios. They are sharp, coordinated and creative on demand. 

 

It’s totally possible for everyone, but the mainstream doesn’t teach it because (apparently) it’s not sexy.

 

Make this mental shift now: There’s a lot more to training strength than looks, and you need it.

 

Consider Kev.

 

A skinny kid who started lifting weights because his friends did too - he followed mainstream ideas around fitness and lifted weights 3-4 times per week.

 

Kev never learned about the value of movement training, of mobility as essential to longevity. He ended up with long term shoulder injuries due to heavy weight plus improper mechanics.

 

Where did this lead? Decades of pain and restricted movement.

 

A brute brick house with zero flexibility, coordination and grace.

 

You know the type…

 

• They waddle rather than walk.

• They don’t understand scapula mechanics, few know what the scapula is.

• They lack articulation of the hips, spine and shoulders.

• Their balance is below par

• There’s no agility or coordination

• They are always tense (though they don’t realise it).

 

Now, in his mid 40’s, Kev’s previous habits are really catching up on him. He may be muscular but he cannot squat down to the floor and roll around to play with his children. He cannot run very fast or for very long. 

 

He sure as hell cannot dance.

 

What did he spend all those years training for? A lifetime of pain, stiffness and restricted movement?

 

This all changed when we met just a year ago. 

 

I showed him a better way, and now he’s discovering and unlocking greater movement capabilities than he ever dreamed of, week by week.

 

I got him started on the shoulder mobility routine I’m sharing below, and now his shoulders are pain and unjury free.

 

He can play with his kids fearlessly. Running, throwing and catching, even climbing trees.

 

His body is far more flexible, relaxed and intelligent than ever. 

 

Now, at 45, Kev feels stronger, more capable, and more pain-free than he did in his 30s.

 

Kev’s Key Shift: Movement Over Muscle

 

Did Kev bail on the mainstream approach? Absolutely.

 

Did he stop training for strength? Hell no.

 

He trains more intelligently.

 

Now he has real confidence - no longer dependent on superficial things like muscle size.

 

With intelligent movement, you develop true substance - aesthetics come on the side. 

 

We get the most benefit from movement when it is sophisticated, holistic, expressive, challenging and meaningful.

 

Bodybuilding is definitely challenging - though not in a complex way, only in a ‘brute force’ sense. 

 

“Pump it and be consistent!”

 

It lacks the sophistication necessary to stimulate someone like you - a generalist who craves movement, not just muscle. 

 

Strength should lead to transferable abilities (movement intelligence), freedom from pain and a body that lasts.

 

Here’s the good news:

 

1. Training movement results in muscle development, so you still get the looks, but as a side effect rather than a primary focus.

2. When you train right, your broad movement abilities are available on demand, even when you’re tired from a long day.

 

So at this point you’re wondering where to actually start?

 

Read on, my fine friend.

The Intelligent Approach:  Prevent Injury With Foundations for General Strength

 

First, let’s understand why strength is essential for everyone at any age.

 

Strength Training:

 

• Is the most powerful preventative measure for neurodegenerative diseases like alzheimers and dementia. 

  It literally makes your brain and body younger. Do it when you’re old (but do it right).

• Prevents injuries and improves physical function, so you have less pain and more freedom to move spontaneously.

• When you are strong, hard work feels easy - so you can move with ease and confidence, without fear of getting hurt. This is essential to the art of self expression.

 

If that doesn’t get you excited about the potential that you have for growing stronger, sharper, more resilient and expressive, then I don’t know what else to say. 

 

Either you build strength, or time takes it from you. The choice is yours.

2 Steps To Indestructible Foundations

Let’s do this right once and for all. No more silly injuries, no more “I can't do this because I’m not strong enough”. 

 

1. Invest in injury prevention for life: Full body mobility and proper mechanics.

 

(if your mobility urgently needs work and you’re starting from level 0, returning from an injury or going back over foundations, check out 21 Days of Movement here)

 

Why are shoulder injuries so common among weightlifters? (I’ve worked with many)

 

They lack proper movement foundations. In particular - their scapula mechanics suck - they have literally no idea how the shoulders are supposed to move. Yet, off they go lifting weights just like Arnold (who obviously knew better, since he worked with top coaches, so he knew what I’m about to show you). 

 

Lo and behold, they grind their shoulders into an inflamed mess of impingements and rotator cuff tears. Then they stop, thinking this style of training is not for them.

 

Life goes majorly downhill from there.

 

Those that stay active give up on shoulder strength because they’re scared of injuring themselves.

 

The rest get overweight, and the only ‘solution’ they know about is cardio and weight training (severe lack of movement education) - both of which are immensely unattractive, boring and uncomfortable. 

 

Who's got the time or motivation for this shit? 

 

A similar situation commonly appears with hip injuries - people do heavy squats with poor hip mobility. Very VERY bad idea.

 

You need your shoulders, hips and spine your entire life - so LEARN your basic mechanics.

 

2. Choose exercises that are specific to the ways you want to move (as opposed to which muscles you want to ‘work’). 

 

I’m giving you some below - but first remind yourself:

 

Don’t put muscles before movement. Just don’t. 

 

Pro bodybuilders (along with all good athletes) understand this:

 

• Obsessing over muscles makes you lose sight of your limitations when it comes to your movement (strength, mobility, etc). 

• Risk of injury is far greater, because rather than stopping when you should, assessing to ensure that you’re coming from a place of quality (over quantity), you chase the pump down the rabbit hole and wear out your joints.

• With basically zero attention on the quality of the movement, you’re giving your body zero benefit - and you look like you have no idea what you’re doing (because you don’t). 

 

Take your time to feel the quality.

 

Movement over muscles, people. Make this mindset switch now.

 

You will be pain and injury free, more diverse, strong and confident.

How To Train Your Scapula

 

Now we’re getting to the juicy part - the scapula - the engine of your upper body. When developed right, your body becomes like a fortress of movement freedom.

 

The fact that physical education in schools does not cover this is an absolute horror.

 

Most shoulder issues, from impingements, come from an underdeveloped scapula.

 

Many people even ask “what is the scapula?”

 

The scapula is your shoulder blades. It is the reason why your shoulders have more mobility than any joint in your body.

 

It is the reason why your shoulders need extra care and attention to properly develop. 

 

Let’s get a little technical - take time to understand this. It will pay off massively.

 

Example: Consider the most popular upper body strength exercise, the bench press.

 

• A staple upper body pushing movement, right? Wrong. 

• The bench press teaches naive fitness enthusiasts that ‘pushing’ comes from the chest. No it doesn't. (Can you guess where it comes from?)

• Correct! It comes from the scapula, but the bench press blocks the scapula (because you’re lying on your back, so you cannot engage it…)

• This is done intentionally to target the growth of the pec major - muscles before movement: Red flag.

• This results in poor body mechanics in all other pushing movements - because the scapula (the true base of upper body strength) is weak.. Over time: injury.

 

Incase you want more detail:

The primary muscles that engage in scapula protraction are the serratus anterior muscles that line the rib cage - they protract the scapula to form a base through which force can be transferred effectively through the arms. No base, no push. Reminder: Bench press is popular only because it gives you a chest pump - not for any movement benefits.

 

Only by first understanding how the scapula works can this be performed safely.

 

Otherwise, loading up with weight is dangerous. 

 

Yet, people do it for the chest pump… insane, right?

 

Do these daily to unlock your scapula.

 

How To Think in terms of movement - not muscle.

 

• Your body never evolved to grow muscle, it evolved to develop more complex movement. Muscles grew in order to fulfill a primary need (movement) - as a consequence, not a primary intention. 

   

• Turning muscle growth into a primary intention is not working with nature, but against it.

   

• ‘Isolation’ does not exist. The body is interconnected and movement information travels everywhere, through your fascia tissue. Don’t waste your time training individual muscles - it won’t improve your movement.

 

When I trained weighted chin ups, I did multiple sets of 10 reps consistently for a year. I had the best biceps I’d ever seen. I was sub 10% body fat.

 

(Did I do this for the muscle? No. The goal was to increase my pulling capacity. The muscles were a consequence.)

 

After, I decided to start training for one arm chin ups. Up to 5 reps only. After a few weeks, my bicep size went down.

 

Big deal.

 

I’m not going to reorient my entire process just for a little extra pump… as if my bicep size reflects my competence as a human… what kind of a delusion would I have to be in?

 

Soon I’m going to be dead, just like the rest of us. My body will decompose within hours. I’ve got more important, lasting changes to focus on than simply adding a few cm diameter to a piece of flesh.

 

Movement over muscle. Deep, meaningful change first, looks second. 

 

Internal transformation leads to external growth.

 

(the reverse doesn't work) 

Study Mobility

The more you understand your joints, the stronger you can safely become - for life. 

 

This means moving freely - without pain, stiffness, or fear of injury.

 

Unlock your hips, spine, shoulders and more, and become stronger than any denizen of Gym-Rat Land in less than 30 minutes per day - with 21 Days of Movement. 

As you can guess, this isn’t a bundle of exercises to ‘train your muscles and joints’.

 

It’s not even a bundle of ‘cool movement tricks’.

 

It’s a comprehensive breakdown of the body and its interconnections. 

 

A guided internal journey that builds your awareness, balance, coordination, mobility, strength, articulation and more - a permanent upgrade in 3 weeks.

 

Finally, beginners can learn the basics of holistic mobility without drilling through mindless repetition that focuses on muscle, not movement. 

 

21 Days of Movement breaks down the insane complexities of the body in simple ways, so you can discover muscles and connections you didn’t know existed (like Adam did).

 

You won’t find this anywhere else because no one else is teaching this.

 

But of course if you don’t wanna spend anything you can grab some free tips from my instagram. Here’s one.

 

Hope you enjoyed the read. There’s plenty to implement, so take your time. Observe how people make the key mistakes that I outlined, so that you can avoid them. 

 

Move wisely and take care of yourself.

 

James