“A better approach is to keep strength training for building strength, to keep conditioning for improving conditioning and to keep wrestling for improving wrestling.”—Kyle Klingman, Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum
The above quote refers specifically to wrestling, but it is applicable to all sports—and to all training goals, for that matter. Avoid the temptation to think that strength training and conditioning are one and the same—or that conditioning is strength training. As well, avoid the temptation to believe there is such a thing as “sport-specific training”.
A very popular trend in fitness is to train “athletes”—i.e., regular folks like the majority of us—with “athletics-like” activities. Most of these activities are unnecessary for real athletes, let alone us wish-we-were-still-athletes. I have adopted the label Cross-HIIT for these random, non-specific, workout of the day workouts (not to be confused with CrossFit, per se).
I cannot stress enough the importance of specificity in the exercise prescription. There is some transference between training modalities, but the body makes specific adaptations to the imposed demands. In other words, cardiorespiratory (aerobic) training improves cardiorespiratory fitness, strength training improves strength, muscle endurance training improves muscle endurance, speed training improves speed, etc.
The goals of training are sport-specific, but the training is goal specific. The only sport-specific training is the sport itself. Condition to practice better. Practice to perform better.
If you are not an athlete, your goals are probably much more general than the athlete. Don’t be led to believe that one training program suits all. Consider your goals and train accordingly. Compartmentalize your training to suit your specific goals and pursue a planned program of overload and progression. Don’t waste time on non-specific training activities. If your goals are simply general fitness and body composition, then regular HIIRT-type exercise may be fine, but realize that while these workouts will burn fat and have a positive effect on muscle endurance, they will have minimal effect on cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, and hypertrophy.
Know your goals. Know your why. Train smart. Train hard.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!