03/07/2014
The difference between Physical activity, exercise & training:
3 concepts with similar traits but varying results, which category are you working in...?
THE PHYSICAL ACTIVISTS (physical activity) - Defines as any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscles that result in a substantial increase over resting energy expenditure (american college of sports medical science definition)
SIMPLIFIED: PA is what you do most days, when you walk the dog, chop wood, play touch or go swimming.
you burn calories and contract muscles which is a great place for most to start, but there is no specificity to what you are doing.
You are beginning to embark on a healthier lifestyle.
RESULTS = small, sporadic & not specified to yourself.
THE EXERCISER (exercise) - a type of PA. consisting of planned, structured, and repetitive bodily movement done to improve or maintain one or more components of physical fitness. (american college of sports medical science definition)
SIMPLIFIED: You've signed up to the gym you go 3,4 maybe 5 times a week, you have your program off bodybuilding.com (great resource BTW) but you dont know WHY your doing what your doing. you will be find it tough at first then you will get use to the resistance/cardio and start enjoying exercise because its easy now. You are starting to see some muscles popping up, that tyre on your midline is starting to say goodbye and your feeling better about things. After 4-6 weeks things will stop changing, the pro-active will get back online find another program and start again, in my experience 3 months is about the lifespan for an avid 'exerciser', then regression will occur. Chances are your lifestyle out of the gym has changed somewhat, but you still enjoy the beer on the weekend, and that packet of chips during work.
RESULTS = small, unsustained, not specified to yourself.
THE TRAINEE (training) - The action of undertaking a course of exercise and diet in preparation for a sporting event (oxford dictionary)
SIMPLIFIED: You have set your goal of performing or looking better for, the Olympics, the world cup, your friends wedding, the next crossfit competition, the upcoming summer holiday. You have been through the physical activity and exercise stages, and you are more committed now to achieving your goal then you ever have been before. You want real results with the way you look and your performance. You have seeked out a reputable fitness professional, who has in turn periodised out your training from day 1, right up until your goal, and for a period after your goal. wether it be 3 months, 1 year or 4 years. You know what phase of training you are going to be in, in what month of what year and in some cases to what day.
You are training 7 days a week (remembering diet accounts for training also). Your training is 100% specific to your body's, needs and wants, you have heavy days, light days, recovery days and you dont feel guilty for not working to your full capacity, because you know the game plan, you know what you are doing today is building a better you for tomorrow. You are reading more, asking questions why you are doing certain things because you want to learn and be the best you can physically be.
RESULTS: substantial increase's in performance, 100% specific to you, sustained and resulting in lifestyle changes.
Everyone generally fits into one category, or maybe even in limbo between 2 categories. assess: where you are, where you want to be, and what do you need to change to be there.
in my opinion, to be in the 'training' category is where most rewards are reaped. but it is a process getting to that point, it is a lifestyle and a willingness to want to better yourself.
These are my thoughts and opinions, if your's differ from these would love to hear what you have to say, as theres plenty ways to skin a cat
Where do you fit?
-FTF
