We are now one month into the new year and according to statistics,
most New Year's resolutions have already bitten the dust. One
study showed that 60% of people failed to succeed with whatever
goal they set on December 31st. One problem I see with most goals
is that people set output-oriented goals, or cosmetic goals, instead
of input-oriented or performance goals. Rather than saying that
you would like to run a 200m in 24 seconds and perform 15 pullups,
most people set a goal such as losing 10 pounds and adding an
inch to their biceps. This goal is pretty ambiguous, because it
does not say how the goal will be reached and does not focus on
the process. The second problem people run into is that even if
they do lose the weight, they tend not to look or feel any better.
After crash dieting and some aerobics, people lose some fat, but
some muscle as well. The end result is little change in body composition,
the ratio of lean body mass to fat. Furthermore, as soon as these
people go back to their normal habits, their weight will come
back with a vengeance. Not being any stronger or fitter than they
were the first time, they are back to square one and it will be
just as hard to lose the weight as it was the first time. If you
have a relapse, but you have improve your strength and work capacity,
you will be able to improve your appearance much more quickly.
Many people, when they begin a good training program get great
results without even trying. One day they just realize they are
getting strong and lean. I have heard a lot of stories like this
from Kettlebell lifters. Usually within the first months of training,
they increase their workload by about 50%, sometimes even double.
This training process, which led to an increase in performance,
also resulted in an improved physique. Even better results will
come when the lifter becomes even more advanced. The ability to
handle more difficult loads will manifest itself in an improved
appearance. Form follows function!
One important note must be made, however. You must be careful
what type of performance increase you pursue. If you pursue an
increase in aerobic endurance, you will likely burn as much muscle
as fat. If you seek pure muscular strength, you will gain improved
muscle tone, but you will not likely burn any fat or lose weight,
because strength is a neuromuscular skill. It is very difficult
to distinguish two people based on neuromuscular properties alone.
Can you tell the difference between a person who can juggle and
one who cannot? That might be a bit extreme, but my point is that
improved neural abilities alone are unlikely to change your appearance.
At the same time though, they can be extremely valuable in achieving
other goals. For example, if you improve your squatting and/or
deadlifting strength, you will become a better kettlebell lifter
as a byproduct of that training. Improved strength will allow
you to handle a tougher workload, which is very beneficial for
pursuing a cosmetic goal. Weak stimuli produce muted results.
Pumping a color-coded dumbbell will not get you anywhere, despite
what the "pump and shape" crowd tells you. Strong stimuli
will lead to dramatic results. For example, Arnold Schwarznegger
was a powerlifter before he became a bodybuilder. As a result,
he was able to train with heavy weights, giving him more benefit
out of each rep. If Joe Average were to starting following Arnold's
routine, there is no way he would get the same results. Squatting
180 for three sets of 10 reps will not do too much for muscle
building. Three sets of 10 with 300+ pounds will do much more
if hypertrophy is your goal. Before deciding to bulk up, establish
a base of strength by training like a powerlifter. This is the
problem I see most guys running into. They want to get huge NOW
and every magazine is telling them it will only take 4-6 weeks.
One month of pumping puny weights for high reps is not going to
add much bulk, nor will the strength increase be that great.
When people look at the physiques of great athletes, they see
something unattainable. They attribute it to genetics or drugs.
These same people don't even think twice about picking up a bodybuilding
magazine and trying the latest arm routine and buying the latest
supplement! If you want to talk unattainable, let's use the bodybuilders
in the magazines as the perfect example. Their physiques are temporary
results of crash diets, diuretics, good lighting, make-up and
computer retouching. Contrast that with athletes- what you see
is what you get. They do not even try to look good. Their physiques
are an unintended result of pursuing higher and higher levels
of performance. I've seen some top athletes train and I was pretty
shocked that they were doing a combination of aerobics and piecemeal
bodybuilding routines. Nationally ranked college tennis players
were performing curls, leg extensions and jogging for miles. Even
with poor training programs, they looked pretty good. Their high
fitness levels were mostly a result of tough practices on the
court. This should give hope to the rest of us, because we have
access to the best training programs in the world. It is not easy,
but we can achieve the fitness levels of top athletes. This will
not give us their skills, which is what makes them great, but
at least we can look just as good.
To set your goals, take a look at top athletes and pick what you
want. Gymnasts have incredible upper body and torso strength,
amazing flexibility and body control. Olympic weightlifters have
incredible strength and power in the hips, legs and back, plus
they rank high in the flexibility category. These athletes have
certain traits like balance and technique that will be difficult
to develop, but these are neuromuscular skills, so you don't need
them just to look good. Of course, you can have some fun and a
healthy challenge in trying to develop these skills. Sprinters
have incredible explosiveness and speed. Contrast the lean, muscular
physique of the sprinter to the emaciated physique of the marathon
runner and you will wonder why people spend so much time running
for hours on treadmills. Basketball players are known for their
powerful leaping abilities, agility and speed. They are also among
the leanest of all professional athletes, averaging around 5%
bodyfat. Looking at the event itself, it is a game with a lot
of rest periods spread throughout, punctuated by many brief bursts
of power and explosiveness. This work to rest ratio proves that
you do not need continuous exertions to burn fat. Kettlebell lifters
are known for their incredible work capacities and balance between
strength and endurance. This type of training leaves almost no
physical attribute untouched- strength, power, speed, endurance,
balance, etc. In Vorpayev's study of Kettlebell training versus
standard calisthenics training, the Kettlebell lifting group outperformed
the other group in each of a wide variety of tests. This is despite
the fact that they did nothing to specifically prepare for the
tests and the other group trained in the same events as they were
tested in. This should be a powerful testament to the performance
enhancing effects of kettlebell training. Old-time strongmen are
famous for their incredible feats of strength, as well as their
amazing physiques. Many of them were accomplished wrestlers, gymnasts
and athletes as well.
What can we take away from this survey of the athletic spectrum?
This diverse group trains in a wide variety of ways, but each
is rewarded with a good physique. They come from mostly anaerobic
sports, which are explosive but short in duration. Thus, when
training for a better physique, go hard and fast. Brief, intense
workouts can work miracles. There is no need to become a master
at any of these disciplines, because the basics work all of the
same muscle groups. Aim for improvement and proficiency, but remember
that it takes quality coaching and an incredible investment of
time and effort to develop the skills of these athletes. You will
derive great benefit from the training long before you achieve
mastery in the discipline. Drawing from a basic collection of
exercises that tax all of the major muscle groups, you can design
a very effective training program. Below I list a sampling of
exercises from a variety of sports. The CrossFit program, which
incorporates many of these movements, has a huge variety of templates
that you can use or you can even follow their workout of the day.
You can also easily design your own training program, picking
elements you like from any of these sports.
Gymnastics- pull-ups, dips, L-sits,
ice cream makers, handstand pushups, press into handstands, walking
on hands, tumbling
Olympic Weightlifting- Snatch, Clean
and Jerk, variations of both exercises
Sprinting- Sprints in a variety of
distances: 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, etc.
Kettlebell lifting- any type of Kettlebell
training that will lead to improvement in competitive Girevoy
sport
Old-time strongmen- incorporate a
wide variety of training, but focus mainly on events that challenge
the whole body, like bent presses.
Kickboxing- heavy bag work and Thai
pads if you have a partner. Focus on good footwork and fight an
imaginary opponent who is trying to hit you.
