What’s the difference between a computer that used to occupy an entire room and one that is now even more powerful yet sits on the palm of your hand?
It’s the same difference between the Wright Brothers biplane and the modern-day space shuttle, or your brain in primary grade two and your brain now: progress.
Without progress we would still be chasing the woolly mammoth in loin cloths. By taking even the smallest of steps in the right direction, we can avoid standing still, and the associated dreaded rut of stagnation.
We employ the basic principle of progression in most of our endeavours however grand or small, whether it’s learning to write, cook, or master complex and lucrative professional skills.
Once we acquire some new ability or skill level, we get comfortable, and as a result we begin striving that little bit further towards the next level onwards and upwards. From Hansel and Gretel to Hamlet and Gertrude; from cheese omelette to beef Wellington.
But what about your exercise and fitness training? Are you still performing the same exercises as when you started? Are you still using the same weights? Are you still jogging the same route in the same amount of time?
Are you still pedalling on your exercise bike at home on the same setting, for the same duration and through the same TV programme – as you always have? Are you still eating the same foods you were before you decided to get fitter?
We all know the principle of progression gets us places, but how exactly can we apply it to our exercise progammes? The smallest of steps in your exercise and fitness endeavours can help you move closer to your lifetime fitness goals or the body of your dreams, but if we’re going to place one foot in front of the other, we had better make sure it’s in the right direction. Today we will look at the simplest and most basic ways to ratchet up your training. It’s time to take things to the next level.
If you want to lose weight, and you are performing steady pace cardiovascular training for anything less than 45 minutes, your first progression should be increasing duration. Whether you perform your cardiovascular training on one machine/activity or several, increase the cumulative time by five minutes per week until you are performing a grand total of 45 minutes.
Once you have conquered the 45-minute barrier, turn your attention to intensity. On the road, intensity can be increased by covering more distance within your workout, or incorporating more hills into your route.
In the gym, treadmill speed and incline (hills) can be increased, and resistance settings on almost any machine may also be increased. Always strive to perform more actual work within the designated time.
To make things even more interesting over the long term, set yourself a challenge. Have a crack at a two-kilometre indoor row, or a 1.6 km (one mile) run and observe your time. Carry on with your normal training but have a crack at your chosen challenge every month or fortnight, striving to break your record with each attempt. This is a tremendous motivator to train hard, and a practical measure of your improvements in functional fitness.
For free weights or resistance machines, avoid settling on a given resistance and sticking with it indefinitely. The standard protocol for most programmes is three sets of 10; however,this range realistically means anywhere from eight to 12.
When you start out with a given weight, aim to actually achieve three sets of 12. When you can successfully perform the full three sets of 12 repetitions in good form, during your next workout increase the resistance by another bar on the weight stack, or whatever the smallest available weight increment might be on your dumbbells or barbells.
Because the weight is slightly heavier, you probably won’t manage three sets of 12. In fact, your repetitions will most likely be closer to the region of eight. No problem, just strive for those extra repetitions each time you train, and before you know it you’ll be cranking out three sets of 12, and ready to repeat the entire process all over again. In this way you can make progress with each and every workout, whether it’s in weight or repetitions.
Remember that no exercise programme will yield results unless you apply basic forms of progression to it. Avoid falling into the trap of continuously changing your routines without giving any of them a chance to yield results.
When you begin a programme, set targets for yourself and only switch to a new one when you have achieved them. For example, a basic programme will often include the use of resistance machines.
If you are a healthy young male wishing to increase muscle mass and strength, set a target of three sets of 12 with the equivalent of your own body weight on the chest press machine, before you venture into the free weights area to tackle the more advanced barbell bench press.
Free weights should only be tackled before resistance machines under the tutelage of an experienced coach, instructor or trainer.
So as a general rule of progression regarding exercise selection, resistance machines before free weights, and cycling or crosstrainer before running, rowing or stepper.
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