April 30, 2019 | Jason Feairheller at Function & Strength
A large number of people go to the gym each year. They spend countless hours working out but often do not see the results they desire. These people are putting in the time and effort so why are they not seeing the results they deserve? These people typically go gym for exercise instead of going to the gym for training. Training is working out with a real purpose or a long term goal in mind. Exercising is going to the gym to get tired and sweaty.
Your body will adapt to the stress placed upon it. It does not matter how hard you work or how long you work. If you do the same routine over and over again your body will adapt. Here is a typical routine you might see someone do at the gym.
Squat 3x10
Bench Press 3x10
Lat Pulldown 3x10
Leg Extension 3x10
Leg Curl 3x10
Bicep Curl 3x10
Tricep Extension 3x10
30 min Cardio
Yes, this workout hits about every major muscle group, but if you continue to do this workout a few times a week, your body will adapt to stress. Eventually you will become one of those people who leave the gym tired and sweaty, and no longer see any improvement in your overall body appearance or function.
Improvement in your performance does not necessarily mean you have to spend more time working out. Eventually your body will adapt to the longer workouts. Improvements are seen when you follow a training program that puts your body through different intensities, intervals, and rest periods to vary the stress on your body. If your body is not given the opportunity to adapt to the stress placed upon it because the program is constantly varied, your body will continue to make adaptations and therefore, improvements. One of the keys to a good training program is managing the stress you place upon it. Too much stress is just as bad as too little stress.
Look for my next blog post as we get more in depth about ways to change your workouts to make sure you continue to see improvements.