Pirate Mapping Fitness
The idea of a Pirate Map came about in responding to someone who (more or less) complained that some of my programs were “only one page long.” I mentioned how I thought this was honestly ridiculous; like, could you image a Pirate wishing his map to a buried treasure were dissertation-thick, just because? Obviously not. The Pirate (bless his soul) simply wants to know where the treasure is, and that’s it. Brevity, in such cases, is seriously preferred. Remember: Programs are meant to direct people toward outcomes, by providing clear-cut, actionable steps to get there. It’s precision we want.
Anyway, Dan John has taken hold of “Pirate Mapping”, and we frequently discuss Pirate Maps on the podcast for achieving various outcomes, from body re-composition to enhanced recovery. The wonderful thing about “Pirate Mapping” is it forces you to eliminate clutter, clear away distractions, and focus on the critical, most essential elements for reaching any given outcome. They (Pirate Maps) also remove our typically lame excuses, like not having enough time to read, or whatever. Because now it’s all right there: simple, straightforward, and written down.
Of course, Pirate Maps can be general, or specific. One might, for example, pirate map an action plan for overall physical preparedness, such as…
Strength/hypertrophy training 3x/week (30 – 60 minutes).
Daily brisk walk (30 – 60 minutes)
Metabolic conditioning 2x/week: complexes, sprinting, etc (20 minutes).
Consume .75 – 1g/protein per lb of bodyweight, daily.
Fast 15 hours 2x/week.
Restrict/Eliminate: sugary beverages, hyperpalatable foods (chips, pizza, etc), booze.
Honestly, if somebody checked those boxes every week, they would undoubtedly be stronger, healthier, and more generally fit, even without there being a tremendous number of specifics. That actually can be somewhat of a benefit, because getting *too* specific can be distracting or create unnecessary barriers to entry, or success. Frankly, I don’t care so much if somebody trains strength with kettlebells, barbells, or bodyweight. I mostly just care that they train strength, period. So, having room for self-adventure/exploration often makes the process more enjoyable/sustainable. Sometimes. Just so long as there are clearly defined boundaries of what must be achieved.
Of course, you could Pirate Map some of the particular points, themselves. Take strength/hypertrophy training, for example:
Volume: 12 – 20 sets per major muscle group/movement pattern, per week. (pushing, pulling, hinging, squatting.)
Intensity: 6 – 12 reps per set, working within 2 reps of technical failure.
Training split: Either two upper body days & two lower body days, OR three full/mixed body days.
Or something like that…