September 9th 2025
Back in my twenties, all I wanted was to be gym strong. What do I mean by that? Being gym strong is being able to lift weights in a certain motion or structured movement without deviation, like deadlifts, back squats, and bench presses. Now, I’m not hating on these movements—in fact, I still incorporate versions of them today.
When I was trying to lift my max reps every week, I forgot a crucial lesson: real-world strength isn’t structured like a gym routine. In the real world, there’s a lot of unexpected movement and a hell of a lot of deviation. As a firefighter paramedic, I’ve had to remove unconscious patients wedged between a bed and a wall or extricate a trapped person from an upside-down vehicle. My back was bending in all kinds of crazy, contortionist ways.
Of course, this led to injuries. Why? I neglected real-world mobility, back flexion, and flexibility. Being strong is awesome, but if you can’t translate that strength into real-world movements, you’re in for a rude awakening dude!
What’s the cure? Along with being strong, train for a full range of mobility. Learn that it’s okay to round your back in flexion. Diagnose your hip mobility and improve it. Build strength and flexibility so you can do anything. Our bodies were meant to bend and play. Move, twist, get upside down, sprint, do handstands. Build up to this slowly, but in time, you’ll be stronger and more limber. Take time throughout your day to move your body in unconventional ways. A little bit every day makes a huge difference!
Until next time,
Jorge