Training vs. Working Out

THE GREATEST TEAM IN ALL OF SPORTS THE NY FOOTBALL GIANTS!!! That time of year again... just wanted to remind you all which team has the most Super Bowl wins in the last 30 years. 

Something occurred to me today while watching one of our best athletes training today. 

Training and working out is NOT the same thing.

   If you think that is stating the obvious than excuse me your Highness, King of All Human Knowledge I am sorry for wasting your time.  Please ‘x’ out of my blog and go continue being your perfect, awesome know-it-all self.  For the rest of you whom are interested in possibly learning a little something – whether you agree or disagree – please read on. 

   Training is something an athlete does to put him / her in the best possible position to succeed at a specific sport / endeavor.  Training is not exclusive to people on a team or trying to play a professional sport.  It is not exclusive to “elite” athletes – in fact, there is no prerequisite anyone must have to train.  What you must have is a burning desire to accomplish something, to be the absolute best you can be and perform to your maximum capability at a specific event or events.  Rich Froning doing heavy squats to get stronger to get better to be able to win (again) at the Games….? That is training.  Lebron James doing plyo jumps to help his explosiveness to be able to win (again) the NBA Championship…? That is      training.  You walking into your Attitude Nation, CrossFit or globo gym to work on snatch complexes so you can hopefully at one point PR your 1RM snatch…?  Boom. Training.  You have never done an unassisted pull up and you are working your ass off week in and week out to develop the strength to make it happen?  That is training.  It is all the same.  The intensity may vary, the attention your success brings might not be as grand as that of Rich Froning or Lebron James, but you can bet your ass you are training just they are. 

   Training involves not only affecting the body but the mind as well.  Teaching your mind to ignore the pain, to ignore that voice that says “This hurts.  We need to stop and take a rest.”  It means disciplining your mind to get your aching body out of bed on the 6^th consecutive day of training to get into the gym and max out a set of 3 x 5 back squats holding and establish a 5 RM push press.  It means saying no to parties that might keep you out late at night and negatively impact your training.  It means not needing pats on the back, or looking for them.  It means getting the work done and doing whatever it takes to make lifts and get PRs.  It means having friends and family asking you “Why the hell do you want to do this?” and you just smiling back and saying “You wouldn’t understand.” 

   In training, the weights, the bar, the sweat, the pain… they are your master.  And you will do what they say. 

   Working out is no less admirable but quite different from training.  There does not have to be any defined goals, but merely a desire to remain healthy and fit.  Hard work is required but an understanding of limitations is necessary, and while these limitations should be continuously pushed, it should never be done at the expense of health and avoiding injury.  Working out means listening to your mind, and knowing when your body needs to stop or slow down.  You have choices when you work out.  If your day is busy and you cannot make it to the gym, that’s ok.  If you feel extra sore and you are having trouble getting out of bed, go ahead and rest.  Max efforts and PRs should always take a back seat to form and technique and the slow, gradual process of learning and mastering the movements. 

   When you work out, you are the master.  You make the decisions, the gym and everything in it obeys you. 

   I want to make clear that training is not superior to working out.  Much like blue is no better than green, they are just different.  For instance, someone who wants to train cannot have the same mentality as someone who wants to work out, and vice versa.  Injuries are expected when you train and compete (though never welcomed) and you are expected to train through them, whereas injuries are to be avoided at ALL cost when working out and any sign of discomfort should be treated with extreme caution.  In training we push beyond our limits, while in working out we push to our limits. 

  With the growth of CrossFit as a sport and the popularity of weightlifting, this question needs to be asked to every individual inside your gym.  People who are training may be doing so right next to someone who is working out.  It is of particular importance for coaches to understand this and be aware.  It is cool to yell at Jason Khalipa – the second fittest man on the earth – to try and eeek out one more rep, but not so cool to yet at my grandma who is merely trying to stave off decrepitude or a broken hip to “push through the pain.” 

   If you aren’t sure whether you or someone else is training or working out, I can help you right now answer that question…

   Ask yourself or someone else: What is more important than your time in the gym?

   If anything other than a particular god you believe in, family, or your dog is said, you are working out.

 

TIP OF THE WEEK:

So you want to get strong.  Your “Helen” time is lightning fast and you can rip off a 5K and 10K and run with anyone.  You do two conditioning workouts a day, 6 days a week and on the 7^th day you go for a run.  You spend 10-15 minutes a few times a week in your CrossFit class doing strength work but often don’t push very hard (let’s be honest here) because you want to save for the “WOD” where you can have your name written up on the board for the world to see with your lightning fast time plastered next to it.

“Why aren’t my strength numbers going up???”

Ughhhh.

Strength and cardiovascular fitness do not have to be exclusive… unless you are weak as hell.  PUT THE MET-CONS away for a while and take some time to focus on your strength numbers.  Start focusing more on your squats.  Hit a TRUE 5RM… and do it for 3 sets.  Hit snatch and clean and jerk complexes for MAX WEIGHTS.  Forget “Grace” and hit 85-90% of your 1RM snatch or clean and jerk for 10 sets of 1. Do strict pull ups, strict handstand pushups… not for time but for accuracy and strength development. 

I guarantee you will see a rise in your strength numbers.  Stop being a slave to the “5 rounds for time” and the long runs and the “cardio”.  Your new found strength will carry over and help you tremendously when you go back to running around like a chicken with your head cut off I promise you. 

“Grace” is a lot easier when your 1 RM clean and jerk is 300lbs instead of 200lbs.   Trust me.