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Shawn Phillips, Well-Being - Written by Shawn Phillips on Monday, June 8, 2009 15:45 - 60 Comments
Training vs. Exercise
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The obesity epidemic is receiving a lot of airtime. You hear the wisdom every day from the weight-loss and health gurus who, in an effort to change the tides, call to “Get off the couch, set the chips and soda down, and start exercising!”
Yet, Americans continue to pack on the pounds, and I believe I may have uncovered the cause. So I have a slightly different message to offer: Stop exercising!
Yes, you read that right. I’m absolutely convinced that exercise is failing us—or more accurately, exercise has failed to produce the anticipated positive effect on an ever-increasing number of overweight Americans.
We’ve got more people exercising than ever—running, doing yoga, belonging to gyms, attending aerobics classes, buying in-home exercise equipment, and engaging in new forms of cardio exercise. And yet, collectively, we’re getting more and more unhealthy.
Go into one of the modern metropolises of a fitness center and take a look around. My guess is that what you’ll see is a pretty standard scene—loads of cardio machines and lots of people moving, reading, talking, socializing, watching TVs or watching others. In another area, some barbells, dumbbells and intimidating weight machines, a few people staring blankly, some talking, and others engaging in moderate circuit programs on the machines.
These people are simply going through the motions, dutifully performing exercises with the type of enthusiasm they bring to household chores. This dull, uninspired shuffle called “exercise,” this failure to train with a sufficient level of focus and intensity, is the greatest obstacle to developing the results most profess to be seeking.
Though often used interchangeably by others, exercising and training are distinctly different. Exercise is movement without purpose; motion without direction. It’s what my grandmother does when she walks around the block.
Now, I am for anything that elevates the heart rate and gets a body moving, and for some this is all they might be capable of. Exercise is a grueling activity that requires great discipline, an obligation: “I should be doing this.” In contrast, training is powered by an inspired vision: “I feel strong, fit and alive!”
I’m sure you’ve seen people training in those same gyms, too. You’ll recognize them as the few who truly look like they mean some business. Head down, focused, intense, driven with purpose. They’re not unfriendly people, just “in the zone.”
For a clear example of the difference between exercise and training, consider the fact that athletes don’t go to “exercise camp”; they go to training camp. Why? Because they are “in training” and focused on achieving specific results, which fuels an intense drive and motivation.
Training is a mindset, the way you approach any exercise you do, be that a set of bench presses or a session on a treadmill. Understanding this distinction will be as transformative to your results as the training itself.
If you could have only one reason to make strength training part of your fitness life, you might try this fact: It is the only way to reshape your body. Attempting to transform a body with cardio alone is futile. As my brother Bill is fond of saying, “If you’re shaped like a pear and do nothing but cardio training, you might lose some weight—but you’ll just end up looking like a smaller pear.”
If you are serious about transforming your body and life, if you have any desire to make measurable change, if you want your time in the gym to be efficient and effective, stop wasting your time exercising and start training!
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That’s a great way of explaining it. Too many people are going through the motions and not getting results. Those same people probably don’t have a plan, and many don’t even know how to develop an effective plan.
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Got me thinking about my reasons for exersize and then realized time to bring it back to training.
Now i have a goal, even more motivated to improve and keeping up the good work.
Great article, appreciated the simple insight.
I have changed very little of my regime, still run 20m and ride to work, I just now have a goal in mind!
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Yes, Spring has Srung!
I live in Hamilton Nat in the upper central part of the North Island……easy travel to mountains, beaches, sub-tropical forest and big cities. (Like America, NZ has all climates and ecosystems in one country. As you know, the difference is that it’s about the same size as the average farm in Iowa! Very convenient.)
Yes, I’m looking forward to next week. A couple of days training in the hotel gym, then pool and room service as I begin my week off! (It’s the NZ conference for Drug and Alcohol Treatment….a field I used to work in and like to keep in touch with).
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Hi Loweki…I confess, I have been away from the blogs and it’s because I lost focus. Long story but the good news is that food wise I’ve done well…training got lost in the shuffle due to travel cross country…got back into the training fold last week and here I am on the blogs again. It really helps me to maintain my focus and like you said, ‘it sure helps me to keep going’. Congratulations on your progress. What a marvelous feeling it is to have family acknowledge your success. You are making life-time changes! I’ve written on some of the other blogs…it serves as my connection to others and helps me keep at it. I am very much alone and feel like the ‘black sheep’ around my friends because I do not eat or live (train/sleep) like them…and yes, they have serious weight/health challenges. This challenge is life changing and I love it. I am learning something every day from it…about myself and my body. Have a happy day…I’ll be back!
Nat
[Reply]
Janiah Melsom Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Hi Nat,
I lost focus last week. I remember what Shawn says and course correct. Yeaye…no guilt. Back on track - results slow - yet are there. Black Sheep - hmm yes… culturally and within my greater family I can relate. I now comfortably (after a couple of decades) make the choices that are for me…and lead by example. My family still have their opinions..I love them..I am learning self love… I enjoy your comments…you always have something positive to contribute. Train Strong…GO WELL.. Love and Hugs from NZ
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Lowkei Reply:
August 22nd, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Hi Nat!
Are you still going?
Good to hear from Susan recently, but the blogs have been awfully quiet otherwise.
How’s everyone getting on?
Sending good vibes and Big Hugs. Finish Strong everyone :))
[Reply]
Nat Reply:
August 23rd, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Hi, Lowkei…thank you so-o much for your message. I am one of those who has not completed the challenge and it saddens me big time!!! Thus no messages online. Perhaps that is why so many others are not writing, too, I don’t know, but I sure would like to know the statistics.
Congratulations and a big high five to you, Lowkei…and Susan…that is huge! I am very happy for you and all of those who have completed our challenge. I am hoping that there is a follow through for those of us who have not finished.
I was doing so very well the first month. Then I travelling from CA to the east coast for a convention. I did really great through that trip. Really great…did not exercise, but my diet was great. However…on the way home my flight was cancelled, I wound up on two red-eyes coming home…zig zagging actross the country…and I was so exhaused and burned out when I did get back home, lost a day at work, and I never re-grouped so here I am.
I had actually put on 4 pounds during that first month…although my shape was indeed shifting and I had lost inches. Where am I today…back where I was at square one when I started the challenge. Training (no longer exercise) is my biggest challenge. More so than food. One without the other however doesn’t work for me.
So…that’s the deal…I am looking for something to kick start me into training again and being a little more diligent with food. Although, I am really quite good around food issues. It’s the training that brings me down. I just can’t seem to get into it enought to ‘love it’.
So…we’ll stay in touch. If anyone is having difficulty let me know. I find that I do my best when I help lift up others…now that I think about it. Hey…maybe that’s the insight I needed. We shall see.
Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you again soon. Keep me posted, ok?
Nat
[Reply]
Lowkei Reply:
August 25th, 2009 at 4:00 am
Glad to hear via the other blog that you’re getting back into it Nat. That earns more points than if it were all plain sailing! (Seriously, carrying on despite great adversity builds muscles of character, determination and will. Dare I say it…more important than big biceps!)
Congrats for me are a little premature, since I still have 2 1/2 weeks to go. The last week of the 12 I have a conference in Wellington, so I was interested to hear of your experiences in that regard. Whilst I’m a bit sad not to finish in my own home (specifically in the hall, amidst the kids toys and near the nappy (diaper) changing station!), I’ll be fine. I’ve chosen a hotel with a gym and will keep to my early morning routine.
Keep writing, keep training.
Nat Reply:
August 25th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Just a note…Where did you say you live in NZ? Your kind words truly appreciated and add a positive slant to the situation I feel as if my character is absolutely fabulous! How many times in my life have I said it may be a problem, or difficult, etc., but ‘it’s character building’. I know the term ‘nappy’…recall it well. My first son was born in New Zealand.
If you are going to finish while away (what kind of conference are you going to?) having just read Shawn’s latest blog, we are to take a week off to refresh, reflect, regroup. That’s great for you. For me my travel was so exhausing, mentally and physically that I did stop but very different than what Shawn is talking about now. P.S. big biceps I shall never have. So I guess character is a good second place for this work to developm huh?
Have a good day today…you are going into spring about now aren’t you?
Nat
4 weeks done!
I’ve lost about 8cm off my waist….but that’s quite enough thanks. Looking foward to the muscle pouring on! (Shawn mentions the stages of the Transformation in his book, so no worries!) Fantastic HIIT today. FEELING GOOD! Everyone else going great?
[Reply]
I finished the strong. I have found that if I write down every meal I am going to have in advance that I pretty much stick to that. It was the day’s I didn’t have it planned that I had problems with. I don’t know why but also I find that if I write down my meal or rep/set goals down in ink I am more apt to do them then if I write it down in pencil. It seems that pencil means I can erase it but ink is permanently implanted in my brain that that is what I am going to do. I’m am looking forward to next week.
Susan
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Oh yes. Just the one glass of a fine red. (Family asked me why I was so intoxicated. I simply have no tollerence to it!)
Looking forward to tomorrow. I do pleiometrics, hurdle skills and 5x rep 200 over the hdls max effort!!!
It was cool to get validation from teenage son, of course…but less good to be punched in the belly “when you least expect it” by all the smaller girls! (Their fists can fit ncely into the solar plexus!!!!!!!!)
How is everyone doing.
Let’s keep this forum lively…it sure helps me to keep going!
Big Hugs to all.
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