How big is your bull?

Milo of Kroton was a famous Olympic wrestler in ancient Greece and was said to be the strongest man of his time. How he gained that strength is a tale worth telling and one that can teach us about ways to achieve our own goals.

When Milo was young, his family had a small farm and, on that farm, a small bull calf. Milo’s father placed the bull in Milo’s care and instructed his son to ensure that the bull grew up healthy and strong. One day, Milo’s father asked him, “How big is your bull today, Milo?” Milo ran outside, picked up the calf and carried him inside to show his father.

Each day, Milo’s father asked him “How big is your bull today, Milo?” and each day Milo ran outside, picked up the bull and carried him to his father. This went on for a number of years. As the bull grew, so did Milo’s strength.

One day, his father was competing in the games at the great Olympic Stadium. Knowing his son’s incredible strength would shock the crowd, Milo’s father asked his son the familiar question, “How big is your bull today, Milo?” Milo ran the short distance to their farm, picked up the now full-grown bull and carried him into the great stadium, placing him by his father’s side.

The crowd, seeing Milo carry a full-grown bull on his shoulders, erupted in applause. Word of his feat spread across the land and a legend was born.

In exercise physiology, this story represents the principle of progressive overload, or the need to progressively increase the degree to which we challenge ourselves when exercising in order to see continued improvements in our fitness. Fortunately or unfortunately, the human body is a great adapter and it will adjust, as necessary, to the amount of physical activity we undertake.

For example, 3.0 miles per hour might be a great speed on the treadmill when you first begin exercising but your body will soon adapt to that stimulus and will require a greater challenge if you want to keep seeing results. By gradually increasing the speed each week, you will continue to see improvements from your exercise routine.

In the story above, Milo became progressively stronger because he lifted a progressively heavier and heavier weight each day. If he had simply lifted the same size bull everyday, he would not have gotten any stronger because there would have been no need for him to get stronger. Likewise, if you are no longer seeing results from your exercise sessions, you need to ask yourself what you are doing differently today that will keep you progressively moving toward your goal.

Also, notice that Milo does not begin by trying to lift a full-grown bull. Instead, he begins when the bull is young and small and lifts him each day. It often takes great perseverance and patience to achieve a goal. Had Milo first attempted to lift the full-grown bull, he would have quickly become frustrated (and possibly injured) and given up, never realizing his true potential.

With exercise, begin easy and gradually work your way up to increasingly more challenging workouts. Make small adjustments to the intensity of your aerobic workouts and small increases in the weights you use when strength training. The objective is to establish a reasonable goal and then keep progressing toward it at a pace you can handle.

Lastly, the story demonstrates the need for consistency in your exercise program. If Milo had skipped a week or two every now and then, there is a good chance that bull would have outgrown him and he may never have caught up again. By sticking with it, day after day, Milo shows how important it is to maintain a consistent routine when trying to reach our goals. Each day is one small step towards your goal; don’t be afraid to take a bigger step today than you did yesterday.

Progressive increases in intensity, realistic goals, and consistent workouts will go a long way toward keeping you on the path to your own fitness goals. When you’re feeling impatient due to a lack of results from your exercise or diet plan, remember the words of Milo’s father - “How big is your bull?”. What are you doing today that has you progressing toward your goals for tomorrow?

Good luck and keep moving!

By Dan Strayton

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