If You’re Not Improving, You’re Going Backwards.
If you’re like me you want to be as efficient as possible with your time so you can spend it doing the things you enjoy. But with our busy schedules it’s hard to fit everything in, including our own fitness. That’s why I recommend people do training or sports they enjoy most. There’s no need to make the habit any more difficult for yourself.
You may find that after a period of time in your chosen activity you want to become better and improve. This is no surprise because we tend to compare ourselves to others. Plus, we’re goal striving creatures.
Issues can arise with this however. Take for example, you love running and you want to become better. Improving beyond the point of being proficient really requires more time investment. Simply, to become better at it, you need to run further.
The same occurs for many sports. Time is one of the best ways to improve. If you genuinely value your time there is a better way and it involves weight training.
I believe weight training is the best way to improve at many sports and activities and to improve your general well being.
Beyond all the advice that is given on the internet and media about ways to get lean or improve muscle mass, the simple fact of the matter is: the best way to get better is to get stronger.
The term we use is progressive overload which is just the name given to increasing the load you lift for a given exercise over a period of time such as weeks, months and years.
One of the great things about this very simple concept is that it is the most time efficient way to improve. In a gym or training facility you can easily and quickly increase the load without the need to invest any extra time into your training. An hour spent training in the gym today can be the same as an hour training in the gym in 6 months but you would have improved because of progressive overload.
What people often don’t understand is that getting stronger helps improve so many other activities and sports where strength doesn’t appear to be a key ingredient to success.
Will getting stronger help you run further or faster? Your muscles were used to the load they had to carry – your own bodyweight – but getting stronger means that bodyweight now seems light in comparison.
Getting stronger means your muscles won’t fatigue as quick. Getting stronger means you can carry a heavier weight. Getting stronger means you have improved. All with the very time efficient act of adding just a little more weight than you did the week or month before.
I respect all types of training and activities, but just remember that the best way to improve your fitness is also the simplest way. It also saves you time. Time you could spend doing the things you love with the people you love for the rest of your strong and healthy life.
Now that sounds like a type of training I could get used to.
For more information on training, nutrition and mindset go to www.peakstrengthandnutrition.com or signup to the Newsletter here for weekly updates.
Marco is the Coach and Owner of PEAK Strength & Nutrition. His aim is to help those in the Corporate Workforce optimise their health, work efficiency and mindset so that they can achieve their full potential.
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