Progression

This is what it's all about. Life, at it's most basic, is just that: progression. You are born, learn to crawl, walk, talk, run, read, write, etc. It's progression. We all start small and work our way to more and more difficult tasks. We make these things easy, and then we move forward again. How am I able to recite the alphabet forwards and backwards or read a book? Progression. I started with A-B-C, worked my way to A-G, and eventually A-Z. We did it every day for almost a full year in school until A-Z was no longer a challenge. We then progressed to writing these letters, reading them in words, and learning their meanings. With the number of words in the English language progression is still a possibility.

If we have all learned to continually progress the mind, why do we not insist on putting our bodies through the same rigor? Our body is the vessel with which our mind resides, yet most do nothing to progress that body.

Fitness is an extension of this, yet many of us get it wrong. When it comes to fitness, progression is setting goals and working diligently to achieve them. So many people "work out" in the gym, but there are only a few who "train."

Here's what I mean... Say you want to lose some weight, but you aren't willing to put in some time to understand weight loss or weight training. You head to the gym and find yourself on a treadmill for 30 minutes each day, maybe do some "abs," and throw in a few curls for good measure. Sure, sometimes you hit the machines and do a few chest presses, but you're mostly sticking to what's comfortable for you. True, you may be in the gym 4-6 times a week on a regular schedule, but what are you accomplishing?

The short answer is pretty much nothing. Your body is as resilient a mechanism as you'll find. It realizes that you've changed its schedule and it will adjust its functions to accommodate for the minor changes you've made, and become more efficient at them. Your body now works less doing the same amount of work, and in a few short weeks you will no longer benefit from your "work out." Sure, that's super-cool that the body can manage stress so brilliantly, but your left sitting on 20% body fat and now you're wasting 4-6 hours a week at the gym!

The educated lifter hits the gym with a plan. Goals are set and benchmarks are in place before they begin a training cycle. These guys/girls know what they can do and know what they want to do. It could be weight loss, weight gain, increased speed, or increased strength, but it all comes with a plan. Each workout is progressively more difficult than the next. The weight loss trainee plans shorter and shorter rest periods for their high intensity interval sessions; the weight gainer lifts heavier weights each week and packs on the calories; the speed trainee works acceleration over 10 yards one workout and strength-speed the next; and when looking for increased strength the trainee works a combination of low repetitions with long rest periods and includes assistance work to bring up weaker points in their range of motion. Each of these trainees has a plan with a designated goal, and comes into the gym prepared to progress their bodies closer towards that goal each day.

If you're one of those who just "works out" then you need to quickly re-evaluate your situation. Sure, you may have seen some quick gains right off the bat, but they never last if you stick with what's comfortable for you. If gains begin to plateau or, even worse, you begin to put the weight back on you need to have a plan. So, get out your pen and paper and set yourself some difficult, but achievable, goals. Now that you've got some idea of what you want, ask an expert how best to accomplish your goals. And, remember, at the end of the day you need to "keep the goal the goal." Dan John spoke those wise words and they ring true. Make sure all of your effort is put towards your goal, and only stop when you meet that goal. Once you're there you can set another, because it's all about progression.