Things that are simple but not easy have always tripped me.
After a five-year break, I decided to rejoin the gym. For two months I managed a loose routine of weight training. Then I realized I wasn’t getting enough cardio, so I added High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
First two-weeks were great. I attacked HIIT with the same intensity I brought to lifting. The post-workout buzz was phenomenal — clear mind, high energy. Riding that high, I doubled down: replaced some weight training with more HIIT, added weekend pickup basketball, extended my runs.
By the fourth week, my back gave out. This was the second time in twelve months HIIT had sidelined me.
While recovering, I couldn’t help but noticed: I’d never injured myself during weight training. After all, lifting heavy weight should carry more risk than sprints or burpees, right? But I guess, the difference wasn’t the activity — it was how I started.
When I first got into weight training, I hired a trainer. For ten months I did what he told me: same exercises, same weight, week after week. It was repetitive, sometimes boring — but it let my body adapt, built a base of strength, and taught me proper form. Only after that foundation was set did I ramp up the intensity and push the numbers higher.
With HIIT, I skipped straight to the intensity. No foundation, no buildup, no consistency. Just all-out effort, until my body couldn’t take it.
It was reminder in so many areas of life — learning a skill, building a product, even having difficult conversations — I want to jump to the exciting part, the visible progress, the buzz. But the real durability comes from slow, steady reps. From showing up, again and again, until the foundation is unshakeable.
Note to self: Consistency before intensity. Always!