More vs. Better on the Path to Fitness Mastery

While you might never guess this from the tone of most fitness articles or in gym conversations, not everyone seeking a better body is failing to get results.

In fact, a good swatch of “Transformers” overcome resistance to enjoy excellent results — a very seductive reward.

This is good news. We want to get to the place where effort and discipline give way to freedom and flow. Where “I have to” is replaced by “I want to.”

As one progresses, becoming wiser, leaner, you naturally seek to take yourself to that “next level.” To step it up.

At some point this “advancing” can become pavlovian like a Vegas slot machine. An hour ago you slipped a dime in and cranked the handle. Now your at fifty bucks a crank with no thought of stopping now.

This is where I believe many on the path to mastery make a critical and potentially devastating error. In the quest for more, the confuse “depth” with “span.”

Span vs. Depth

The concept of span vs. depth is one I picked up 20 years ago from the Philosopher, author and all around brilliant human, Ken Wilber. What is says is that there are two opposing forces constantly at play in your world.

There is “Span” which seeks to extend, go wider, be more prolific. It is quite simply about more.

An example is Walmart or McDonalds. Both are focused on being everywhere you could ever be. They win not because you deeply value them but that you can’t get away and will eventually slip into one, like it or not.

Depth is the dimension not of more but better. It is the domain of quality.

The depth of an experience. The unmitigated joy of a real, handmade burger at your best local joint. The quality of a Rolex versus the span of Timex.

For years I’ve used this example when describing the trend in supplements: Supplements have an asymptotic relationship with water. In that by seeking to be the most widely distributed they become less and less potent until ultimately they become nearly water — as in completely impotent.

Say What About Sculpting My Chiseled Physique?

Okay, nice lesson in market forces, Shawn but what does this have to do with my path to mastery — and my quest to improve?

The trap of the advancing trainer, the one feeling the reward of results, in the quest to “step it up” tends to default for the more (the span) without even considering better (the depth).

More time for more training. Add another exercise, another set. The “scope creep” of training takes over their thinking.

At some level of competence it’s very understandable. Hell, I know I’ve been there. Where the training becomes the most rewarding thing you do all day. The tribe becomes your comfort zone and there’s no other place that you’d rather be.

So you train. More.

Now, let me be clear: More is not always wrong. It’s just that it is not the only way. Rather than more, better — deeper — is more potent variable.

To discover the depth of training you will want a clearly defined, set training plan. One that isn’t going to slip from 38 minutes to 70 because “you’re feeling it.”

This set “container” helps to force the focus on the qualitative aspects of your training. The depth.

Going Deeper

Increase your mind-muscle connection. Synchronize breath. Use focus to bring more and more intensity to every rep such that you break through barriers in 30 minutes that you’d never hit in 90 of typical “flat land” training.

I’m reminded of how 6x Mr. Olympia, Dorian Yates, famously trained. Hard as hell. With terrific focus and intensity. And short. He did an exercise for legs. Then another set, maybe. And he was done before most of his wanna be competitors got warmed up.

My challenge to you is: If you’re seeking a “more advanced” workout. Do you really need more of the same baseline quality of do you need to become someone who gets more out of less?

You might also think about other places where depth vs span applies in your life — where you might have more to gain by choosing quality over quantity.

Perhaps, rather than more food, better more nutritious food. Rather than more TV, a great movie. Of course, rather than more hours at work, more results.

Here’s to your best self and more years — one place where more and better go well together.