"Inch Wide, Mile Deep" - This is a quote that my good friend Josh Sherwell introduced to me when we started doing a lot of Kettlebell training. Now more than ever it is relevant and makes sense. "Inch Wide, Mile Deep" refers to picking one area of focus. That area might've been forced upon us, for instance we only have one kettlebell to train with, or perhaps no equipment at all. At present time there is not much else to do but to narrow our focus and concentrate on becoming highly skilled in one particular area. Becoming the master of our tool makes me think of the classic line from full metal jacket, only we aren't talking about a firearm (not just yet anyway) "This is my dumbbell, there are many like it, but this one is mine".
When it comes to the exercises we can do with one implement we are only limited by our imagination in reference to how our body moves, and our bodies can and must move. Please let me get you started. I'm sure you'll all know where I'm going to begin with this but hold on because this will be a wild ride. Grab your new best friend, you're new thing, give it a little how you going, a little smoochy; kettlebell, dumbbell, weight plate, med ball, whatever it is. And we are off…… Can you: Squat it? Can you put it on your shoulders and squat it? Can you put it above you head and squat it? Can you squat it on one leg? Let's hope so. Can you: Pick it up? Pick up all the way to your shoulders? What about all the way above your head? Can you pick it up on one leg? Awesome if you can. What about: Lunges? Step Ups? Rear Foot Elevated? Front Foot Elevated? Holding it on your shoulder, above your head as well? Maybe. Let's hope you can: Lay down and press it? Stand up and press it? Press it with one hand or with both? Lunge and press it? Squat and press it? What about: Standing up and pull it upwards? Bending over and pull it upwards? Laying down and pulling it? Hold it between your legs and pull yourself up with it? Can you hold it and rotate? Can you hold it and sit up? I guess the point I'm trying to make is that all those questions above are questions you can ask of your body and at least try to find a way to make it work. If it's going to work and the answer is yes, well, then the question becomes can YOU answer yes and can YOU
answer it well. Time will tell, and you might have lots of it. "Inch Wide Mile Deep"