Your Workouts Aren't Just Building Fitness
Last year, I started training for a 100-mile trail race.
My initial training approach was to view each workout as a stepping stone to becoming my fittest self so that I would be ready for race day.
However, I recently had a workout practicing downhill descents, and I realized there is an aspect of training we rarely recognize.
It’s easy to focus on the physical gains of our workouts, like stronger muscles or better endurance, but there’s an equally important power of practice.
It’s not just for musicians or athletes honing a specific skill but also a crucial element of our training regimen for life. When we practice movements or routines, we create neural pathways that make these actions more efficient.
Physically, practice makes our bodies more adept and comfortable at moving better.
Early in my personal training career, I remember that my sole focus when building programs was technique, reps, and weight. But one day, I recognized that one of my older clients had difficulty getting off the floor following an exercise.
So we started working on it, and he got much better at it.
Then, as I moved on from that job, he didn’t mention that he was thankful for his strength improvements, but he was most thrilled about his progress in getting off the floor. Indeed, his newfound strength and flexibility supported it, but with practice, he learned to move with speed and ease.
Additionally, through practice, we get better at accomplishing things.
If you think back to your first days in the gym, everything was a process.
It was complicated to know where to go, what to wear, what to eat, what weight to lift, etc., but through repetition, you begin to hone your process so that it’s much easier to accomplish.
Try working out every time you travel or are out of your routine. It’s good for your fitness and teaches you how to stick to a training program, even when things aren’t always going your way.
For Successful Practice Sessions
1. Repetition with Variation
Mix up your routine slightly each time. This keeps your brain engaged and helps to develop new neural pathways. That can be weight, technique, or trying new movements. Even for the set Crossover Symmetry programs, you can make variations to work on different qualities of your movement.
2. Have an Intention
Linear progression (heavier weights, more reps, etc.) is a good foundation for progressing your training program, although sometimes the goal of a workout can be to move with speed or develop a new technique.
3. One Win
Even if your workout was a bust, you can find a simple accomplishment. Maybe it was cut short due to life commitments, but it still honed the process for the next time you’re in the situation.
The Power of Practice
Remember, the power of practice in training goes beyond physical gains. It also creates neural pathways, improves efficiency, and fosters adaptability in all aspects of life.
My one-minute downhill runs weren’t all that physically challenging, but they still helped me improve for the next time I face them.
