I posed the question to my students: “How do we make the most of the time we have for training?” In part, it begins with an understanding of the principles of overload, progression, and specificity. Another important principle is “maximal recoverable volume”—the maximal amount of any exercise we can do in a given workout and adequately recover by the next workout.
To understand what I mean by “adequately”, we have to also consider concepts of overloading/underloading, over-reaching, and over-training. I often make the argument that most of us tend to under-train. In other words, we could potentially do more—under the right conditions. It is rare that anyone actually over-trains. In my experience, over-training is really more of an issue of poor planning. I say “adequately” because there are times when one might want to push beyond the ability to completely recover—we push the load to a point of over-reaching with the intention of following with a period of deload—i.e., a planned reduction of training load with the purpose of maximizing the adaptation from the period of over-reaching. This is the purpose of periodization—of cycling the training in a planned and controlled fashion.
So, what do we do?? How do we make the most of the time we have for training?? We cut the bull****!! By this, I mean we stick to the basics. We to our goals and what works—specificity.
The essentials of an exercise program are always relative to the individual goals, but, in general, they include an appropriate balance of the health-related components of physical fitness (cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, and body composition) and the motor skill-related components of physical fitness (speed, power, balance, coordination, agility, and reaction time). The balance of these is dependent upon goals, time, desire, and accessibility. Cutting the bull**** means understanding that opportunity costs. If something it not relative to one’s goals or less effective than an alternative, it is wasted effort. Before including any exercise in your workout, ask yourself: “Why?” If there is not a sound (physiological) reason for doing in, don’t!
Years ago, the “Father of Aerobics”, Kenneth Cooper, said “if you are running for more than 30 minutes, you are doing it for more than your health.” That said, don’t haphazardly buy into the Cross-HIIT mentality either. Consider what you are trying to accomplish. Don’t confuse your cardiorespiratory goals and our body composition goals.
When it comes to muscle strength/endurance, again, don’t buy into to the Cross-HIIT mentality. Train with specificity in mind. Train with time effectiveness in mind. If you are 55, like me, you are probably not an athlete. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you have to train like one. If you are not a bodybuilder, you probably don’t need to do a lot of curls and abs. Stick to the “basic 5” (variations of the squat, deadlift, bench, row, and press) and add as time permits and need demands.
Don’t neglect flexibility training (as I often do), but also don’t over emphasize it. Train with proper full ranges of motion and supplement it the essential stretches—i.e., the areas of greatest tightness and restricted movement.
When it comes to body composition, the above activities and a well-controlled diet will be most effective. Endless abdominal exercises will not give you six-pack abs if your diet is lousy. Calories in v. calories out!!
With regards to motor skill-related fitness, the top priority is to move! Be active. Play recreationally. Include some athletic-like training in your programming, but don’t make prehabilitation and “functional training” exercise your priority. In other words, deal with limitations, but not at the expense of real gains.
Train smart. Prioritize effective exercise. Avoid the trends and do what works.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow!
Carpe momento!