Six Things Your Training Should Have (if It Doesn’t Already)
By
Christopher Smith
Everyone has a different training program. There isn’t any magic program out
there that will work universally. However, there are training principles that
anyone can use to create a successful program. Most people who are involved in
strength training know the basics—the overload principle, the plateau effect,
specificity, and so on. These basics will only take you so far though.
Here are six things that your training should include to help take you to the
next level.
Suspension training
Suspension training is a great addition to any training program. It’s a great
way to include body weight exercises in your training, and it allows for maximum
variety. With a pair of rings or any other suspension training tool, you can do
almost any exercise that you can imagine, and you’re only limited by your own
creativity. In addition to bringing some great variety, suspension training is
an awesome workout. The unstable nature of suspension training means it enables
maximum muscle and motor unit recruitment because your body needs to utilize
every available resource to stabilize your movement. If you don’t believe me,
try some ring dips and compare them to dips on stable parallel bars.
Unilateral training
Think of an exercise that you regularly perform in your training. Chances are
it’s a bilateral exercise (i.e. one that uses both sides simultaneously). Chest
presses, military presses, squats, deadlifts…the list goes on. Many common
exercises are performed bilaterally. It’s just the way we think to do them. The
idea here is that pretty much any exercise can be performed in a unilateral way.
Unilateral training engages the body in a way that requires it to stabilize
itself due to the off balance loading. Because almost everyone has one side that
is dominant over the other, it’s a great way to work out imbalances between the
two sides. Try unilateral military presses or a one-legged deadlift and you’ll
know what I’m talking about.
Plyometrics
Anyone can benefit from the ability to produce more power. Plyometrics are an
excellent addition to any training program whether you’re an athlete or just
someone looking for a good workout. Because plyometrics require the generation
of great force, they tax the body in a way that regular exercises fail to do.
They develop maximum power, and many plyometrics exercises are done against your
own body weight so they require no equipment to perform. Try super-setting a
normal resistance exercise with a plyometrics variant (e.g. squat and jump
squats, bench press with plyometrics push-ups), and you’ll see why plyometrics
are something your training needs.
Core training
Core training doesn’t equate to abdominal training. Many people hear the word
“core” and immediately think that it means abs. Your abs are only part of
your core and should be trained accordingly. Core training doesn’t mean endless
crunches. Depending on who you’re talking to, the definition of “core” can vary.
Generally, your core is your whole midsection and trunk—abdominals, hips, back,
obliques, and so on. Anything that taxes these muscle groups can be considered
core training.
Often, people neglect core training or have such a narrow definition of it
(read: abs) that they fail to train their core effectively. The next time you do
some core training, be creative. Instead of just doing set after set of
crunches, throw in some windmills, Russian twists, planks, and so on. Remember,
you can train your core while you train other muscle groups as well. A front
squat is a great core exercise. So is the kettlebell swing. Start treating your
core like you would any other muscle group and watch the benefits that it can
bring to your training and performance.
A partner
Having a training partner is a tricky thing. Many people (the author
included) prefer to workout alone. However, even I enjoy having a partner once
in a while. There are loads of benefits to training with a partner. When you
train with a partner, you have someone there to motivate you in a way that you
can’t do for yourself. A partner will often push you to lift that heavier
weight, hit that extra repetition, or try one more set. This can be a great
thing if you’re having an off day and just don’t feel like going that extra bit.
The other great benefit of a partner is having someone there to call “bullshit.”
If you have a good training partner, he or she should be able to tell you when
your form was bad, when you cheated too much, or when you failed to do what you
should have done. This can be a great motivational tool and can be invaluable to
have when training.
Variety
Variety is the number one thing that anyone’s training needs. Change your
program! Lots of people out there perform the same kinds of workouts day in day
out, month after month, and year after year and then wonder why they haven’t
made any progress. Try something different! Ever try only body weight drills for
a few weeks? Metabolic conditioning? Powerlifting? Even something as little as
performing a different training split can have huge impacts on your progress.
Your body will adapt to a given stimulus fairly quickly, and if you don’t
provide new stimuli often, your progress will grow stagnant and will cease to be
progress at all.
Don’t be afraid to try something completely different from what you’re doing.
It may seem a little weird at first, but eventually you will get comfortable not
only with the new change but with making changes in general. Once you do that,
you’re well on your way to reaching new levels of progress.
I could easily have included any number of other things that your training
should include, but eventually it just becomes a list of different training
tools and methods. The above six items are basic things that I feel are
essential to a successful training program. I’m sure plenty of people will ask
why I didn’t include this or that. What? No kettlebells or Strongman training?
What about grip work? The list goes on and on.
The bottom line is that if you’re serious about reaching your goals (and
constantly have new ones), you need to try new things. “Variety” is the final
point in this article, but it’s also the most important. There aren’t any
perfect training programs for everyone. No single program or tool is going to
magically make you reach your goals. Any time you reach a goal, it means you’ve
adapted to something in order to get there, and it’s time to challenge yourself
to adapt again! Keep challenging yourself, and your training can take you
anywhere.
Christopher Smith is a personal trainer from New York City certified through
the American College of Sports Medicine specializing in tactical strength and
conditioning, martial arts, and strength training. He is an avid strength
trainer, martial artist, and all around fitness enthusiast.
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength
training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products
and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the
industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit
us at www.EliteFTS.com.
