Train Like an Athlete

Whenever we watch the Olympics one thing is obvious, those athletes are in great shape. Their training produces great, functional physiques. A fraction of the time that they devote to training would still produce great results. Why don’t we let their training inspire our workouts?

Anyone that has played sports on any competitive level (high school, college, or intramural) knows the benefits of consistent, intense and focused workouts. Unfortunately there comes a point in life that society decides it is time for us to use an elliptical machine, walk instead of run, jog instead of sprint, and otherwise limit ourselves for no reason at all. Barring a medical condition that precludes one from participating in such activities, why can’t 40 year olds sprint for example?

Look at how a sprinter is built. Powerful and lean. Not merely the aesthetics of it, but true fitness. Yet given the obvious benefits of sprinting, I still see more people walking and slowly jogging. Why? This doesn’t only apply to sprinting but a great may other activities. Who decides that at 45 years old yoga is the best thing for you?

Incorporate sports training into your workouts. The Internet is filled with great sport specific drills. Do soccer footwork drills with cones, for example. This is fun and will significantly increase your metabolism. Find a sport you like, find out how the pros train to improve at it, and then make it a part of your workout.

The truth is we must continue to progress our workouts in order achieve meaningful results. Our bodies, the great biological wonders that they are, will naturally adapt and become more efficient at whatever activity we are doing. Practice swimming and you will get better at it. Run and you will get faster. The point is that our activities must advance for us to continue to make progress. Train safe and contact me if you would like some ideas on where to start.

Josh Cormier is a Certified Personal Trainer and owner of North Atlantic Personal Training. visit www.NorthAtlanticPT.comfor more information or if you have any questions.