People who train can usually be divided into two groups – those striving for maximum fatigue and training in a calmer, but disciplined way, constantly checking and even recording their progress and overload, the time achieved and the kilometers of the run etc. and those who train ‘whatever they feel’. Of course, this division applies to those who have already successfully passed the novice stage and know what they’re doing but, for those who haven’t, lets drill down into the benefits of a properly structured training program.
Training like in the army - what does it give us?
A dozen or so years ago, CrossFit entered gyms across the world and too training rooms by storm - training based on military training, strongly focused on fatigue, even torture of group participants. It immediately turned out that this training is not for everyone - what was needed here was the willingness to "bring oneself to the extreme’’. CrossFit groups were connected by strong, rough bonds taken straight from commando groups. And that's what it was all about - that training should give you more than just physical effort. Over time, group CrossFit became commonplace, many people decided to practice this sport individually (which is not easy, because it requires incredible mobilization), and began to combine it with other forms of activity - combat sports, street workout, runmageddon style runs. However, this type of training focused on maximum fatigue, crossing the limits of endurance, constantly proving to ourselves (and others in the group) can be incredible challenging but also rewarding.
What's your training goal?
"A good workout must hurt", "No pain, no gain", "A T-shirt wet with sweat is the best proof of commitment to training" - do these sentences summarize your approach to your training? Are you only satisfied after exercise when you only just have the strength to shower? Do you revel in the feeling of having fought a battle against your own weaknesses and know that you will give it your all again in the next training session. With contempt or compassion you look at those who lazily lift the same weights in the gym, and the training bench after their exercise does not even need to be wiped. You have a different approach, you give it your all.
Or is it completely the other way around? Training and your performance are one of the many points of the day and after finishing the exercises you go to meet your friends, do some shopping etc. You have strength because, unlike those lunatics who live half their lives in the gym, you treat training as an important, but not the most important element of the day. Are you able to see progress in your exercises then? Or maybe you don't need to at all, because "you’re good as you are"?
Focused on progress
These are the trainees, for whom the most important thing is to get a little better at each training session. A few more pounds on the bar, a few minutes less running time. It may seem that their approach to training is more reasonable, more planned. However, it is easy to fall into a trap here as well. Because what if you just can't improve the result after a few workouts? And it even turns out to be worse than it was? There is dissatisfaction, discouragement. The downside of "progress fans" is not listening to your own body, which often quite clearly says: it's time for a break.
Is it possible to balance this?
The two extreme training approaches described above divide the majority of clients in gyms into 2 distinctly different categories. According to experienced trainers, the golden mean is of course somewhere in the middle.
- Without muscle pain, it is difficult to talk about their growth and improvement of strength. Damage to muscle fibers, commonly known as soreness, actually proves the strong work of a given muscle group and progressive strengthening.
- Without breathlessness and sweat, we are unlikely to improve stamina and speed.
- Performing the same exercises over and over again - at the same level of difficulty, with the same load and according to the same pattern of movement - makes us have a clear conscience, but ... nothing more.
On the other hand, the body does not like to be treated as an enemy. Overtraining, too high training loads will quickly make themselves felt in the form of muscle or joint injuries, and this will effectively eliminate us from the training cycle.
- Treating training as "life or death" can be addictive and make you feel bad when we do not exercise or when for some reason (another trainer, another training room or simply a runny nose or abdominal pain) we don’t try to murder ourselves in the gym.
So it seems that the way to success and well-being is first of all understanding that training should be work rather than a fight. It can be hard, exhausting work, but not punishing the body and constantly fighting with weaknesses and pain. A break in training is a planned recovery time, not a failure. And lighter training often has a beneficial effect on the body and mind.