STOP EXERCISING. START TRAINING.

 

 “We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.”

-Archilochus

How is it going so far this year?  Are you on track with your goals?  As we enter the third week of January, when many people have already given up on their resolutions, are you finding yourself in an exercise rut as you work toward your new lifestyle change?

Well, then… stop exercising!

Exercise is a temporary solution to a permanent issue. Instead of exercising, you need to start training. Training is ongoing. When you train, you are trying to get in better physical shape, to stay in better physical shape or to accomplish a specific goal.

Let’s say you have a goal to run a half marathon. Is doing the same training run every day going to get you there? Not a chance. It might help you get started, but to keep improving, you need to plan your steps along the way to cross the finish line in the end. A plan like this would not only include a way to increase your strength and endurance, but would also include a nutrition plan to help with energy and recovery:  this is what I mean by “training.”

Once you can run a half marathon, the possibility to run a full marathon is well within your reach and you’ll be so excited at what you’ve accomplished you’ll be thirsty for more. So, you begin to train harder, run longer, and push yourself past all plateaus.

Here are few training tips I think are most effective when changing your mindset from EXERCISING to TRAINING:

• Set up your weekly training plan. Book it.  Stick to it.
  • Training is not recreational: walking, biking, playing with your kids and being active is great, but let’s separate it from your training.

• Get as specific as you can about your goal.
  • What do you want to achieve (BE SPECIFIC)? Drop body fat, build muscle, improve performance, train for an event, what?  Be as specific as possible.

• What is the time frame for achieving it?
  • What is your time frame? I like 8 weeks because it is not too long and not too short a time, and best of all, it’s of a length to build permanent habits.  Or even better, you have an event date you are training for.

• How will you MEASURE your progress?
  • You must know where you are starting so you have a benchmark against which you can track your progress. This is so critical… “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” holds true here.
    • Know your numbers: get a Body Composition test – it’s a game changer!

• Who is holding you accountable?
  • Do it with a friend, make a bet, make a public announcement. Find a way to make yourself accountable.
  • What will be your reward if you succeed?
    • Give yourself a trip away, a massage, a special outfit. Motivate yourself!
  • What will be your pain if you fail?
    • What happens if NOTHING happens, or worse, things get worse? How will you feel then?

Whether you are currently training with us or just thinking about it, we want to make sure that we are holding each other equally accountable. Our mission is to help every client reach their health and fitness goals. We want you to become the healthiest version of yourself you can be. With that in mind, we promise to continue to push you to reach your goals and never give up on you, if in turn, you promise never to give up on yourself.

I’d love to hear your areas of concern and questions… what subject would you like me to tackle / address?  Shoot me an email [email protected]

Phil Dozois, Breakthru Fitness Founder

Resource:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-rippetoe/exercising-training_b_4597039.html