Why Consistency and Patience Are the Key Ingredients of a Well-Sculpted and Strong Athlete

We live in an unprecedented era where literally everything is accelerating: information is accessible with a click, Instagram and TikTok videos scroll at lightning speed, technological innovations succeed one another at a frantic pace. In this context, it's easy to fall into the trap of instant gratification and wanting quick results, especially when it comes to fitness and physical development.

However, the fundamental reality remains unchanged: the pursuit of instant pleasure remains and will always be humanity's number one enemy.

The same goes for physical (and mental!) development. When I was training, many people would ask me: "How long did it take you to achieve this skill?" or "How long have you been training?". These questions demonstrate a common phenomenon: impatience to get quick or even immediate results.

Yet, in reality, real pleasure, like in other activities in life, lies in the process. "Woe to those who have nothing left to desire!" Schopenhauer would have said, and I agree with him on this idea.

The Real Pleasure in Gradual Achievement

From my experience as an athlete, I gradually realized that the true pleasure I felt didn't come from finally achieving the skill I wanted, but from each micro victory I achieved in my quest towards it: the first 2 seconds held in handstand, the first seconds of tuck planche, my first real pull-ups... It's these moments of small successes that constitute real happiness.

It is therefore natural to deduce that it's not impossible to stay constantly motivated and disciplined as long as you observe progress, however small it may be. It's in this context that the true key to an accomplished athlete is patience and consistency. However, it's important to understand that patience doesn't come alone; it draws its resources from something I call passion. It's this vision we all have of the person we deeply wish to become, this better version of ourselves. You have it, I have it, and we all have it. Only some choose to keep it quiet while others embrace it and nurture it every day. It's this passion that fuels the patience and consistency necessary to achieve our long-term goals.

Progress Is Not Linear

You've probably heard it many times, but it's true: progress is not linear. There will be days when you feel unstoppable, with a sense of lightness and freshness, and others when you feel stuck or even regressing. That's normal. What matters is to keep moving forward, even if it's in small steps. Every effort counts, every training session brings you a little closer to your ultimate goal.

An image illustrating this non-linearity of progress that I particularly like is that of a rock that you strike relentlessly 999 times before it suddenly breaks on the 1000th blow! That's exactly what progress is like—behind every apparent stagnation lurks progress. And it's especially true in calisthenics: mastery of skills sometimes happens from one day to the next, as if suddenly you reach a new level.

Progress in calisthenics is a bit like a tier system. As a result of almost imperceptible micro victories that pile up one after another, a great victory appears, a real level-up. Now, this tier crossed is exactly analogous to the sudden destruction of the stone on the nth blow. You work week after week on your exercises and skills until the sudden moment when you realize that you're executing movements that once seemed hard or even impossible much more easily.

It's on this that real satisfaction is based. It's the feeling of advancing silently, surely, savoring the small successes, the small stagnations and regressions preceding the level-up, the inevitable gain of strength and mastery.

Identify Training Methods and Plans That Work and Be Able to Constantly Adapt

If stagnation should absolutely not hinder your discipline and pursuit of efforts, you must be aware that it can be a signal that it's necessary to adjust your training routine.

Indeed, it's crucial to constantly evaluate the effectiveness of your training plan and be ready to make adjustments if necessary. This is one of the reasons I set up a carefully crafted tool to allow you to track your performance (See the training page). By observing performance indicators such as volume (number of sets, number of reps), intensity (max rep, max hold), you'll be able to implement corrective actions to break through plateaus. And most importantly, you'll be able to appreciate the proof of the non-linearity of your progress and continue to be stimulated by your training.

I understood that the number one reason that drove me to train regularly is passion, passion for this sport, and passion for self-improvement and progress. I created this tool precisely to maintain this flame for this beautiful sport. I created it for you, and for me. I hope you'll benefit from it!