I really dislike the direction social media has taken—especially when it comes to health, fitness, and training.
The incentive now is to be controversial, polarizing, and dogmatic.
Controversy drives clicks, and more often than not, that means attacking anyone who sees things differently.
These days, it feels like every other coach or influencer is calling out someone else’s methods, beliefs, or business model.
Yes, there are charlatans and snake oil salesmen out there, but there are also thousands of good coaches helping real people improve their health and quality of life.
The truth? No one has it all figured out.
Science evolves. New methods emerge. Old ones resurface. What works for one person might not work for another.
You’ve got the “evidence-based” camp preaching heavy squats, deadlifts, and bench forever—backed by studies, yet often blind to the pain and dysfunction many people face when those lifts don’t serve them.
Then you’ve got the “functional movement” crowd—coaches with thousands of testimonials helping clients out of pain, but little hard data to validate their methods.
The algorithm wants you to pick a side.
But I’m reminded of what one of the greatest martial artists of all time once said.
The Greatest Lesson of Bruce Lee
“Absorb what is useful. Reject what is useless. Add what is specifically your own.”
– Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee trained extensively in Wing Chun, a traditional Chinese martial art. But as he encountered other systems and real-world challenges (like boxing, fencing, and street fighting), he realized that rigid systems often failed in dynamic, unpredictable situations.
He believed most traditional martial arts were too stylized, inefficient, and focused on form over function.
Lee challenged the notion that any one system was “complete,” and instead began pulling techniques from many styles, based on practicality — not tradition.
He trained boxing footwork and head movement, practiced fencing timing and distance management, studied judo and wrestling-style grappling, all while exploring philosophy, psychology, and biomechanics.
His goal wasn’t to “mix” styles just for variety—it was to extract the essence of what made each one effective, and discard the rest.
This led to the development of Jeet Kune Do—not a fixed system, but a concept. It emphasized simplicity, efficiency, and adaptability.
Bruce Lee insisted that no system could be universally applied. What worked for one person might not work for another.
Factors like body type, personalty, physical limitations, and one’s mental approach were pivotal in expressing martial arts mastery.
The Lesson Applied
While researching Bruce Lee and the quote for this article, I realized how naturally my own path in martial arts and fitness has mirrored this lesson.
I started out in 2012 as what you’d call an “evidence-based” coach—rooted in conventional education, studying exercise science, and earning my C.S.C.S. in 2013. I followed the textbook.
But by age 35, I was riddled with pain, sidelined from the mats, and seriously considering walking away from martial arts altogether.
That’s when I began rejecting what was no longer serving me.
I opened my mind to unconventional approaches and absorbed what was useful.
Then I added what was specifically my own—blending the pieces that worked into my own personal “Jeet Kune Do.”
That’s what became the minimalist, high-value methods I now write about each week.
Do I have it all figured out? Not even close. But I have the awareness to know that, which means I’m open to learning, evolving, and improving.
That’s the philosophy behind Order & Progress—a commitment to continual self-growth. There’s no finish line—only the ongoing process of studying, testing, and refining.
Final Thoughts
Each week, I’ll continue sharing the most effective methods for strength, conditioning, mobility, recovery, and mindset—tools to build real resilience for jiu-jitsu and life.
That’s my commitment to myself, and to you—the loyal readers of Order & Progress.
But I encourage you to carve your own path alongside me.
Take what works. Whether it’s an exercise, a principle, or a mindset—if it serves you, use it.
Don’t cling to methods just because they’re traditional or popular. If something doesn’t fit your body, your goals, or your context—let it go.
Once you’ve filtered through the noise, make it your own. Adapt everything to suit your body, your instincts, and your lived experience.
That’s how we find clarity—and make real progress—in a chaotic, divided online world.
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