Training: The Importance of Training
TRAINING: THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING
Training results in a huge number of benefits. Training utilises a variety of functional movements; setting you up to lift heavier, move faster and go for longer, as well as decreasing your chance of injury. Your ability to move influences all aspects of your lifestyle, from the way you look and feel to how you perform.
There are many reasons to train. Some people care mostly about aesthetics, or how they look: they want to lose fat, gain muscle, and improve body composition. Other people train to get stronger, faster, or better at their sport and will prioritise performance. Another reason to train is for enjoyment or to live a healthier life. No matter the reason, fitness training will set you up to look and feel your best whilst potentially improving your health, strength, and performance.
AESTHETICS
Many people strive to improve their physique. They desire to develop their bodies to suit their aesthetic goals. This often requires training to build a bigger and stronger physique and can be done through a bodybuilding approach.
Bodybuilding involves developing your body through resistance training. In a similar way to an artist creating a sculpture using shaping techniques, a bodybuilder applies resistance to sculpt certain areas of their body to change their appearance.
Bodybuilding is more than just physique shaping. It is a form of strength training and physical exercise. At its core, bodybuilding represents important aspects of how we see each other as humans. Research shows that how you look impacts both how others see you and what you think of yourself. Since everyone has different tastes and opinions, what ultimately is important is what you desire to look like. As there are obstacles to achieving this desired aesthetic (such as genetics) it is important to prioritise the process (training) rather than the results (aesthetics).
Overall, you should create realistic goals based on your genetics and body type. Focus on what you can control; what you eat, the exercise you do, your activity level, managing stress, how you feel and what you think of yourself. It is perfectly acceptable to train to attain your ideal physique, but it is important to strike a healthy balance and mindset when pursuing this objective.
HEALTH
Training conveys numerous physical health benefits which can significantly improve your quality of life.
- Utilising a variety of functional movements to train your muscles can result in fat loss due to the caloric burn of training in a progressive manner.
Body recomposition may take place whereby you gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously. Overall fat loss occurs, improving your physique and reducing your risk of developing certain diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
- Resistance training works your muscular, skeletal, and cardiovascular systems.
Implementing a variety of movements with different set and rep schemes will lead to optimal results. Performing a variety of movements, hitting your body from different angles, and applying different loads and speeds will strengthen your bones and muscles whilst increasing stamina. This builds endurance by strengthening your cardiovascular system - transporting blood, oxygen, and nutrients around the body.
- Training reduces your susceptibility to pain and injury.
Resistance training or weight bearing activities develop strong bones and muscles, improving your ability to handle the challenges of everyday life. In order to maintain strength and avoid injury, it is important to perform full range movements.
STRENGTH
Increasing strength is a common goal for athletes as it provides purpose to training. Training for strength is a great way to measure progress and improve over time.
There are many factors that contribute to lifting more weight (technique, diet, rest, and programming), however strength training is an effective way to measure improvement. It is definitive and measurable. It is evident that people that train for strength are more likely to remain consistent. This may be due to strength training being tangible and a powerful tool to build confidence and consistency. There is a correlation between getting stronger and growing muscle which makes strength training beneficial for those pursuing aesthetic goals.
Overall, strength training is objective and allows you to hold yourself accountable to progress.
PERFORMANCE
In order to get strong, improve performance and build muscle it is important to train with a wide range of lifts, including both functional (compound) and isolated movements.
Functional (compound) movements work multiple joints and muscles simultaneously. These are considered functional as they mimic the actions of sport and life. Isolated movements work only one joint and typically target a specific muscle group. Both compound and isolation movements have their place and importance within a training program. Different exercises can be utilised for different purposes. Exercises are needed to work both the entire body and specific areas of weakness or imbalance. It is therefore important to utilise and perform both functional and isolated movements.
Resistance training will improve your performance. It will increase strength, force development, speed and acceleration, balance, and endurance.
OVERALL
A strong, healthy physique will make you look and feel better, help prevent injury and pain, maximise strength and performance. Everyone can benefit from training, no matter who you are or what your goal is.
