One Hundred Foul Shots
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ONE HUNDRED SHOTS
I like stories. I recently heard a story that I enjoyed so I will pass on to you: A legendary high school basketball coach told his players on the first day of practice that if they wanted to get a college scholarship, “all” they had to do was shoot one hundred foul shots per day. Not make one hundred shots but attempt them. How can a coach make such a guarantee? Isn’t that not being truthful? What about talent? You want to know if this was true? I don’t know! After hearing why, the coach could make such a declaration, I agreed with his assessment. Before you give up on reading this because you don’t play basketball, hang on! This does relate to your health and fitness.
What was the method to this coach's madness? He went on to explain what performance coaches and sports psychologists have known for years and that is the person that is willing to do the “small” and simple things is also willing to do all the other things that will improve performance. The athlete that is willing to shoot one hundred foul shots daily is willing to listen to the coach when the coach tells him/her to be in bed by 10 PM. The athlete that is going to shoot his/her one hundred free foul shots per day is going to strength train after the coach advises him/her to. The athlete that shoots his/her one hundred foul shots per day is going to care about the foods they eat. And the athlete that won’t shoot the one hundred foul shots per day will not do all those things that will help him/her. I agree with this assessment.
Most of the young basketball players that were told this by the coach to shoot one hundred shots did it, right?! You know they didn’t. By the end of the season around 10-20% of them were still doing it. That’s what I see in my practice too. Only 10-20% are willing to do the simple things day in and day out to get better. Or better put, follow the advice given.
If it is that simple, then why won’t they do it? Why won’t you? There is a saying in 12-step recovery circles that states “you can’t be too dumb to get this program, but you can be too smart.” Sentiment is a reason they don’t do it. I believe that the person that is not willing to do the simple things thinks they know better. “It can’t be so easy,” “what does he/she know?” “Who are they kidding?” I think it’s a trust and cynicism issue more so than flat out laziness, but it is probably both.
I know you may not play basketball, but this absolutely applies to fitness. What are the “one hundred foul shots daily” that would improve your physical fitness that you should do but aren’t? If you are not doing it, why? Are you too smart?
I can give you an example from my end and that is food logging. Food logging is simple. And logging food works! Food logging is simply putting everything you eat into an app on your phone or computer to keep track of your calories.
Why are only 10-20% of people willing to do this simple action until the goal is met? Study after study and my own experience has shown me that people who keep track of their food by recording it lose weight. It takes five minutes daily. Why won’t you do it? I know, I know, you already know what you eat. No, you don’t. Trust me. People underestimate how much they eat by at least 30%. Another reason is you don’t want to know? Do you want an excuse? That is one example of a simple fitness task that is very doable. What are others? One hundred push-ups daily? Would you, do it?
Talent and genetics play a role in just how well people can perform, for sure. All the free throws in the world won’t get you to the NBA if you are not tall enough or good enough. All the diet entries in the world won’t get you to the Mr. Or Mrs. Olympia (physique competition) title if you don’t have the genetics. But you absolutely can be good. And you can reach your ideal body weight and fitness if you would do all the “simple” things you should do day in and day out. Won’t you consider it? When we are better, the world is better.