Fusion: Take it With You

We’re all busy.

We know that.

But somehow, we have to fit, into a hectic schedule, time for the most important asset we have and one of the few things over which we have some degree of control: our body.

There are countless ways to train the human body. Powerlifting, weight lifting, Crossfit, P90X, running, cycling, swimming, yoga. The list is almost endless. So, when presented with so many options, what do you pick?

Here’s what I did.

I made a decision about what I wanted to have first. And what I wanted to have was a healthy, fit lifestyle with energy to spare. I wanted to snow ski, hike, cycle, play a little basketball, jog with my dogs, and work in my yard without feeling completely spent and worn out.

To do those things, I knew I needed to be fit across multiple domains - strength, balance/flexibility, stamina, etc.

And, that’s because I have some wear and tear on these bones just like a lot of you. Knee injuries, shoulder surgery, spine injury, knee surgery, ankle fracture, etc. My body, and mind, needed a lot of work to get in shape and needed to stay there over the coming years.

But, I had two businesses, a marriage, three dogs, a house, and a growing interest in other things like music and reading.

I had arrived at a paradox or so it seemed.

I tried P90x. It was way too hard, at least at first. Sure, you can do the drills at home but it completely kicked my butt so much so that I felt unsafe. Scratch that.

I have  a gym membership. But, I’m not a fan of machines – they’re boring and don’t have enough real life oriented movement or demand. And there was very little open area to do the kinds of drills I needed to do.

I also used a TRX which is a very good tool but as a total routine didn’t provide me with the Balance/Flexibility work, Aerobic Capacity or Power.

And, to make matters worse, none of the above could accomodate my specific needs and abilities. The tools weren’t right, there wasn’t enough space, the loads were too high or sometimes too low. I wasted a lot of time running around the gym trying to figure out how to make certain machines work for me or having to invent new ways to use the tool (like the TRX).

The good thing was that I knew the technical part – what to do. I just needed to assemble the right tools, testing, and routines.

Three years later  I had developed Fusion.

Of course, Fusion can be done in a gym. So, you don’t have to abandon your gym membership. It just depends on the size of the place and how open the ownership is to you bringing in a few things of your own.

So what makes Fusion mobile?

Two main things: Tools and knowledge.

Combined they become what I call The Elements – but more on that later.

To take Fusion with you, you’ll need certain tools. Most these are not expensive and are fairly easy to move around. And I’ve used them.

Now, one of the first things that people ask me is, “Well, I already have an elastic band so I’ll just use it.”

It won’t work. I tried dozens of bands to find one that could handle everything I threw at it. And this is, so far, the only one I found that worked.

And, the second thing people usually say is, “Do I really have to buy a pull up bar?”

Of course not. You don’t have to do anything. But the great thing about a pull up bar is that it allows you to add superbands to it which makes pull ups possible for almost everyone. And a pull up is just a great drill. Period.

So, with the right tools, you then add the knowledge of what to do with those tools. At that point, you can train almost anywhere but certainly can train at home and even on the road.

Here’s a sample drill I call the Pull to Press. It’s a great drill for overall core conditioning, coordination, and even strength. Trust me. After about a minute of this, you’ll really know you’ve done something.

And here’s me in Vegas with nothing but  a Performance Band:

So, what are you waiting for?