Have you ever considered viewing resistance training as a “sport” that has an in-season and an off-season? I often ask this question when I’m discussing training programs with members, primarily when individuals state they feel “burnt out” or that their exercise routines have become boring or stale.

It’s something to consider – that is, treating your workout program like an athlete treats a sport season. When looking at an athlete’s annual training program it is interesting to note that in all likelihood it is divided into at least three, and sometimes four (or even more in certain sports) segments. Let’s take a hockey player and analyze a typical season. It would likely have a pre-season, in-season, post-season and off-season. In each of these “seasons” a different type of training regime would be applicable.[read more]

How do you know you’re improving?

It’s the age old question when considering the effects of an exercise program. Most people want and need reassurance that the time and effort they spend exercising is paying off. How can someone accurately measure improvement, and what are the factors that affect different “measurement” strategies? Read on for the answers.

First and foremost, your initial level of fitness (i.e. how fit you were when you started your exercise program) will likely have the greatest influence on your rate of progress. Typically, the less fit you are when you start, the greater your initial results will be, if of course, you start and maintain a regular activity program.

These early positive results however will “taper” as you continue to exercise (at the same level of intensity). As your body adapts to the exercise (in effect it gets stronger, and has a greater capacity to do work) it requires more activity to maintain the same level of improvement.

After the initial start, your body gets into a “rhythm” and adjusts to the exercise you give it. The same amount of exercise can be compared to a steady burn in the fireplace. Want greater effect, you must add wood. With exercise, you need to add intensity and/or duration to keep improvements coming at the same pace. If you want to maintain your level of fitness, simply “keep the fire burning” by sticking to a regular program. You only “slide back” if you stop exercising – maintaining your achievements is easy if you keep regularly active.

Since most of us are motivated by improvement, it’s probably important to know what some legitimate measurement strategies are. The simplest and easiest test you can give yourself is to ask the question “how do you feel”. It’s a general question, but how you feel about yourself ( i.e. are you motivated, happy, feeling good) is a great measure of a successful activity program.