What are you training for? Why do you get off that comfy couch and hit the gym, road or rink or mat? Ultimately what is your goal? These are simple questions but people rarely seem to ask themselves this before starting a training regime, or while they are in the midst of one. If you do not have a clear and defined goal, it is impossible to achieve it. Just as importantly, if you do not constantly question whether your activities are getting you closer to your goal, then it will be very difficult if not impossible to achieve your goal.
Let's say for example your goal is to get as strong as possible. Then all your activities in the gym, and most of your behavior outside should relate to getting stronger. You should be lifting heavy, using compound movements and eating lots of meat and calories. You should not be performing much cardio, playing sports, or dieting.
On the other hand, if your goal is to be a better hockey player you need to focus your training on improving as an athlete. Concentration curls and other isolation exercises will probably not be of much use. Your energy would best be focused on conditioning, speed and agility, and overall strength training.
Everybody reading this right now is nodding their head in agreement, so why is it I see everyone in the gym doing the same thing? Curls, bench press, and riding the stationary bike. Are these the golden exercises that will take you to the promised land? Hells no!!
Every time you expend energy it should relate to your goal and nothing else. So, before mindlessly "working out", sit down and really think about what you are doing. Does jogging make you better at your sport or bring you closer to your goal? Does lifting heavy? I truly believe a lot of athletes train the way they do simply because everyone else does. But you know what? Almost everyone else sucks at their sport! Seriously, almost everyone sucks because they do not do what they must to improve.
If you need to get faster, stronger, leaner or in better condition, then start working on that right now and quite going through the motions!
Let's say for example your goal is to get as strong as possible. Then all your activities in the gym, and most of your behavior outside should relate to getting stronger. You should be lifting heavy, using compound movements and eating lots of meat and calories. You should not be performing much cardio, playing sports, or dieting.
On the other hand, if your goal is to be a better hockey player you need to focus your training on improving as an athlete. Concentration curls and other isolation exercises will probably not be of much use. Your energy would best be focused on conditioning, speed and agility, and overall strength training.
Everybody reading this right now is nodding their head in agreement, so why is it I see everyone in the gym doing the same thing? Curls, bench press, and riding the stationary bike. Are these the golden exercises that will take you to the promised land? Hells no!!
Every time you expend energy it should relate to your goal and nothing else. So, before mindlessly "working out", sit down and really think about what you are doing. Does jogging make you better at your sport or bring you closer to your goal? Does lifting heavy? I truly believe a lot of athletes train the way they do simply because everyone else does. But you know what? Almost everyone else sucks at their sport! Seriously, almost everyone sucks because they do not do what they must to improve.
If you need to get faster, stronger, leaner or in better condition, then start working on that right now and quite going through the motions!