The biggest misconception of training at a “high intensity gym” is that you will feel like trash day in and day out. Or that you have to be laying in a puddle of sweat after every workout. You don’t have to feel beat up. Results can be seen without running into a brick wall over and over again. You don’t have to feel beat up to see results!
The Truth
The truth is that your gym is probably programming high intensity workouts because they don’t understand the principles of strength and conditioning. CrossFit coaches who don’t follow CrossFit.com. CrossFit.com puts out free workouts that have “strength” days. Not just cardio workouts. Cardio workouts day in and day out with hundreds or thousands of reps will leave you with a broken body and no results.
Or maybe your coach has never read any of the Strength and Conditioning resources that are available. For conditioning Joel Jamison and his Certified Conditioning Coach program is a huge one. For strength training one example would be Louie Simmons. But there are hundreds of great resources that end up at similar conclusions.
If your gym is constantly beating you up with workouts, doesn’t program any conditioning work for your aerobic base, and doesn’t address recovery methods, they probably aren’t going to be a good fit long term for you.
At OC we will train clients for years upon years. We believe one of the reasons members stay so long is because we are delivering them results as long as they do their part; show up!
Aerobic Conditioning
Aerobic conditioning work, especially Zone 2 training, isn’t sexy. This work is great for recovering though. This is the work that will help you lose stress. This is also the work that lowers your resting heart rate, and helps you recover so that you get stronger.
At OC we do at least one aerobic conditioning workout a week. Usually this is Wednesday. But recently some members have started wearing heart rate monitors and asked me about some of the strength circuits we use where the clients noticed their heart rate was between 135-150 for 30 minutes. It is true we try to get in another day of just accessory work that also for a lot of people ends up being an additional workout in the Zone 2.
Junk Zones and Conditioning
The junk zones related to conditioning are the zones where you’re not working as hard as possible either due to the type of workout or loading or because it is impossible as the duration of the workout is too long.
Running for fitness unfortunately ends up being one of the most common “junk” activities in a workout. The pace of the running isn’t an actual run, it is more of a shuffle. The workout duration is 15-25 minutes and involves hundreds of repetitions. These types of workouts do nothing to improve your conditioning level, leave you feeling beat up and don’t help you lose fat.
Building Strength is Key
Getting strong is going to help your metabolism. Building your strength makes your aerobic training easier as it is easier to propel yourself in whatever activity.
Strength is a relationship between your body weight and the load you are lifting. The greater the ratio the stronger you are.
Strength and lifting weights won’t make you bulky. The stronger you are the healthier you will be and the less likely you are to be injured. Strength is the key to developing a long term approach to physical fitness.
You Don’t Have to Feel Beat Up
See results, get stronger, lose fat, boost testosterone, look better in your clothes. Doesn’t mean you have to get crushed into the dirt every training session. In fact those sessions will over time lead to burn out and a lack of progress.
Experience the difference! Book a Free Introductory session today!
OC is Central Oregon’s premier Personal Training, CrossFit and Sports Performance gym. We have changed thousands of lives since May, 2009.
