What to focus on when
Setting priorities about health
Hi team,
Hope everyone is well! Rib is healing. Back to being able to drill jiu jitsu, although no live rolling.
One of the most powerful things you can do for your fitness — and your life — is to take a step back and think about the big picture. Where do you want to go? And how do you build a path that gets you there without burning out or losing focus?
Here’s a simple framework I use to help clients (and myself) think about priorities and progress over the long term. There are five levels to developing your fitness. You don’t need to rush — the point is to see where you are now, and what your next step could be.
Level 1: Movement
Time commitment: 15-30 minutes.
Outcomes: Get rid of chronic pain; safely do most normal range of movements.
Focus on safely establishing basic movement patterns: getting on and off the ground, squatting, bending over, two-legged jumping.
Strength, conditioning, expensive gym equipment all come later — just move.
Total budget for this could be $50: lacrosse ball, softball, broomstick/PVC pipe, jump rope, backpack with weight, foam roller, stretch bands.
Level 2: Consistency
Time commitment: 30–60 minutes
The goal here is creating life routines that allow you to train every day (or nearly every day), building up to an hour a day.
Include more variety: one-legged jumps, jump rope, running.
Make small nutrition improvements: more protein, less sugar and alcohol.
Equipment: Again, probably don’t need to make big investments. Some dumbbells might make sense.
Level 3: Performance
Time commitment: ~60 minutes/day
Either work out or do something physical for fun (sport, gardening, etc) every day.
Now that we can be consistent, we can make real gains in conditioning and strength — the kind that research shows are as beneficial as quitting smoking.
Use standard gym equipment: free weights (dumbbells, barbell) and a low-impact cardio machine (rower, bike, etc). This could be a gym membership, a few hundred dollars for some used equipment, or a few thousand dollars for new equipment.
Start thinking about nutrition more purposefully: lots of fruits and veggies, manage allergens, figure out if body runs better on fat or carbs.
Begin tracking basic body composition.
Level 4: Capabilities
Time commitment: ~120 minutes/day (strength/movement + cardio daily).
Morning: strength or mobility. Afternoon/evening: cardio, sport, or something that gets the heart rate up.
At this stage, you’re building resilience — a virtuous cycle between training stress and life stress that makes you more adaptable in all areas of your life.
Start exploring supplements and refining your routines.
Level 5: Genetic Potential
At this level, you’re expressing your basic genetic potential — “elite” conditioning and “advanced” strength.
This is the foundation for longevity, high performance, and the ability to pursue any physical goal you choose.
Consider a DEXA scan to assess body composition and progress.
Where are you now? What’s your next step?
Remember: this isn’t about doing everything at once. Fitness is a lifelong practice. Progress is about stacking small wins, building habits, and enjoying the journey. If all you did this season was just get one more bullet from this list under your belt, you’d be well on your way.
If you’d like help figuring out where you are and how to level up, reply to this email — I’d love to hear from you.
Happy training!
Ben