By Ron La Fournie

One of the biggest mistakes people make in fitness is believing they need to use all the tools.

They don’t.

Fitness isn’t about collecting methods — it’s about choosing the right ones for your body, your health, and your stage of life, then using them consistently.

That’s common sense.

Start With Where You Are — Not Where You Used to Be
Many people choose fitness tools based on who they were, not who they are now.

“I used to run.”
“I used to lift heavy.”
“I used to play sports.”

There’s nothing wrong with that history — but your current body gets the final vote.

The right tools meet you where you are today and help you move forward safely.

Your Body Is the Filter
Every fitness tool should pass a simple test:

Does it cause pain during or after?
Does it feel sustainable?
Does it help you move better in daily life?
Can you recover from it?

If the answer is no, it’s not the right tool — right now.

That doesn’t mean never. It means not yet.

Match Tools to Outcomes
Dif...

Summary

Fitness tools are not machines or gadgets — they are simple methods of movement that humans have used for thousands of years. Walking, lifting, stretching, breathing, and resting are all tools that support strength, mobility, balance, cardiovascular health, and mental clarity. When used consistently and with common sense, these tools help slow aging, prevent disease, and preserve independence. This is not about doing everything. It is about doing the basics, repeatedly, for life.

When most people hear the term fitness tools, they think of equipment — machines, programs, or expensive solutions. That was never my definition.

In common sense fitness, tools are simply the ways we move our bodies and recover from life. Nothing fancy. Nothing extreme.
Just what works — and has always worked.

Walking – The Foundation Tool
Walking is the most natural human movement. It improves cardiovascular health, joint mobility, posture, circulation, and mental clarity. If walking were a pill, it...