Getting Started

Getting started is always the hardest part of any new endeavour. There are a number of options for anyone new to the Personal Evolution philosophy. This all depends on the goals and needs of the athlete and how seriously you are willing to take it.

First up let me start by saying that what we do is different. Yeah I know, you’ve heard that one before. It’s even fashionable now days to say you’re different. But seriously, I mean what I say. Fitness programmes and training methodologies are designed to appeal to the masses. This approach is for the non-thinking person who is willing to go with the herd.

There are a number of problems with this approach. First of all not everyone is the same. We are all different, we all have different needs, different genetics, different goals, a different training history, a different schedule etc. This calls for an individual approach. This is something the mainstream sport and fitness industry does not provide.

The sport and fitness industry is like anything else. The more things can be systemised and applied to the majority, the easier it is to market and hence make money from. This doesn’t make what you are getting the most effective. What you’re really getting is the stuff that was easy to systemise. In addition to that, modern fitness methods are influenced by the public with no knowledge of effective training practices. It’s just what seems popular and what appears to be a quick fix.

Our approach is a little different because what we offer is exclusively determined by results. If it’s not the most effective and efficient way at the time then it gets discarded to make way for something better. This approach is not for everyone, far from it. This mentality is for the “others”. This probably means you if you’re reading this site.

Who are the “others”? Certainly not those weird people from Lost. By others I mean those that want to train hard and smart. People who want real athletic conditioning and are willing to do what it takes to achieve it. If you’re one of the others then your primary focus is NOT how good you look in a bikini or speedos. Your primary focus is performance. Whether that is sports performance or day to day performance. What we teach is functional, which means increased performance AND a great body as an added bonus.

Where to Start

There are a number of places to start. As I mentioned, getting started is the hardest part of any undertaking. So I’ll try and make it smooth for you. But I won’t hold your hand completely.

1. If you are familiar with the exercises we use and the potency of this style of training then by all means jump right in. You can choose to follow either a programme or choose a workout of the day from any of the workout sections contained on this site. What you choose is dependent on your goals. For all-round GPP simply choose a workout of the day from the GPP workouts section or follow our programming structure and apply all of the methodologies.
2. If you are moderately acquainted with athletic conditioning, Olympic lifting and elite strength and conditioning but are still new to some or many of the exercises we use then I suggest following along as mentioned in point one. For any exercises you are unsure of, be sure to spend the time to learn and practice them until you have it perfect before applying it. If you can’t do an exercise properly, like a snatch for example, then learn it inside out before applying it in the context of one of the workouts.
3. If you are clueless or near clueless as to how to perform most or all of the exercises we prescribe then I recommend spending a few weeks to a few months learning the movements. This will benefit you in the long term and will ensure you progress as rapidly as possible.

   What we do is perfect for the beginner, no matter how unfit or uncoordinated you happen to be. The movements we use are the most efficient methods for producing elite athletic ability. Take the time to perfect them for long-term dividends.

We offer a simplistic, minimalist approach. This is reflected by the basic functional movements we use and the limited equipment required. Especially compared to most commercial fitness centres and personal training studios. Just because the equipment is there and people are using it does not mean it’s best practice.

If you can equip yourself with at minimum of an Olympic weight set with some decent weight, a medicine ball or two, somewhere to do pull-ups, gymnastics rings, space for running/sprinting and some dumbells then you have yourself a fully equipped fitness facility that is state of the art for less then a few grand, and that’s if you buy the brand spanking new stuff. Most of this you can get either free or second hand. In addition to what is listed it would be helpful to have some plyometrics boxes, kettle bells, climbing rope, large truck tyre, harness for towing, somewhere to swim, a punching bag and any other tid bits you might care to employ. Keep in mind though that you can get by quite well with the bare minimum.

Whatever you do though, understand that Personal Evolution workouts and programmes are extremely demanding as a general rule. They have been known to tax the capacity of even the most conditioned elite athlete. It is advised to start carefully and ensure you know the exercises and know your own capacity. Work towards completing workouts comfortably at first, without trying to break records. Go through the motions for a good month or more before turning it up a notch and pouring on the heat. In the beginning you may want to reduce loads, reduce times, reduce rounds, use substitution exercises etc. Be well prepared and take it on safely and properly from the very beginning and establish a habit of consistency. From there you will be well established to go as hard as you like and start aiming for 100% effort.

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