It’s Not About The Workout

I have never been a huge fan of the term “workout”.

When someone tells me they are going to workout it brings back memories of when I used to belong to a local gym and the kind of activities that go on there.

I don’t mean to sound harsh, but for the most part it was a lot of  people who didn’t know what 99% of the equipment was for, and if they did they probably weren’t properly instructed how to use it.

Which is why when you walk into most commercial gyms all the cardio equipment is being used.

At least on the treadmill I can work up a sweat, the thinking goes.

But I can sit in a sauna and sweat, so unless there is a purpose to the activity what’s the point?

Which is why I much prefer the term “training”.

Do we have workouts at Get Fit NH?

We do.

We do a “Burn the Pies off the Thighs” workout after Thanksgiving, and there is our annual “Wicked Winter Workout”, just to name a couple.

These are exceptions however, not the rule.

The difference is that these “workouts” are not part of the overall training plan that we have in place at Get Fit NH.

If you are like me when you walk (or used to walk) into the gym you did what you liked to do, what you were good at, and maybe just the things you knew how to do.

I mean training legs is hard, I think I’d rather just work on my abs today.

And pretty soon your back is hurting.

And I want sculpted shoulders, so I’ll do lots of overhead pressing, but doing pullups isn’t on my radar, and the next thing you know you can’t lift your arm to your side without pain.

Stretch, foam roll, mobility work? Never heard of it (or at least I’ll pretend I haven’t)

Which brings me back to my point.

Training for life is more than throwing a mish-mash of stuff together that makes you sweat and calling it good.

It’s more than just finding a place that will beat the snot out of you every day – anybody can do that, and unfortunately too many do.

Too many training programs are short sighted.

They are focused on the here and now, not on the long term outcomes.

I mean your body can handle just about anything, no matter how stupid, for a little while.

But eventually stupid hurts.

And just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

I saw an article the other day about a particular workout that shall remain unnamed.

The author was talking about now that he was older he couldn’t do what he used to do anymore in his workouts. That now he had to think about recovery and training loads.

This man was the ripe old age of 35.

He is partly right, he does need to think about recovery and training loads, but then again he always did need to think about those things.

I would submit to you that if he had taken better care of himself when he was 25 and “bulletproof” he wouldn’t be in such poor shape now dealing with injuries.

Now you may think I am just ranting, and maybe I am, a little.

But I am pretty fed up with watching unsuspecting people glom onto the latest and greatest fad and not thinking about the long term effects.

35? Seriously?

I got 10 years on him already and I plan to keep training until they put me in a box.

I enjoy a challenge as well as the next guy (5050 burpees anyone?)

Adventure races, I’m there.

The occasional 5k? Reluctantly yes. 🙂

But when it comes down to it, I am training for the Sport of Life.

My son Drew doesn’t care if I can snatch 200lbs 10x in 2 minutes.

But he cares if I can run around and play ball with him.

My daughters KJ and Amy don’t care if daddy can box jump 36″

But they care that I can get down on the floor and play with them.

And for me, that’s what it’s all about.

And it’s why I am so anal about doing the research and work necessary to write effective and safe training programs for our clients.

When we find a better way, we implement it.

But we aren’t aiming to be trendy, we are aiming for results in a fun, safe and efficient environment.

And that, as they say, is that.

Train Hard.

Train Smart.

Train for Life.