Training for the long haul. Performing exercise in order to optimize health, fitness, and athletic performance through the lifespan. That’s what we’re all about. Whether you are just getting started with this journey, or have been at it for decades, it’s great to assess and cogitate on occasion.
I’ve got 7 questions for you to ask yourself. They may not be the only questions, but they certainly are important considerations for a Lifetime Athlete.
What is my vision? This is where you see yourself, in terms of abilities and experiences, in the future. It represents the things you want to be able to do and why they are meaningful to you. Your vision can be similar to that of others, but it will have some characteristics that are entirely unique to you.
What is my goal? There are lots of ways to embrace the goal-setting process. General to specific. Short to long term. Product versus process. There’s nothing wrong with just saying you want to look and feel better, lose a few pounds, be more consistent, and the like. But outcomes are typically better when you make those distinctions more precise. As in identifying some numbers related to your key performance indicators (KPI’s). A goal which is challenging yet attainable, and which both represents and guides your journey…well that’s outstanding. Make it clear, put it out there, and let it define your behaviors.
What is my current conditioning status? Relative to the goal…where am I at right now? In the simplest of terms, are you almost there (to your goal) or are you a fairly long way from that becoming a reality. No worries either way. Answering this question basically allows you to add some structure to your plan. You determine what the goal requires, and then honestly assess the status of your abilities in the given moment. This creates a more vivid picture of where you are now versus where you want to be.
What are my strengths and weaknesses? Or, said differently, what are the unique congenital and acquired attributes which I must consider? Some folks bristle at the term “strengths and weaknesses” so it can be reframed as attributes and deficiencies. There is no stigma so the point is to get past nomenclature and into actionable thinking. This is a broad category. It includes your gifts and the things you’ve always been naturally good at. As well as those capacities or properties in which you’ve historically struggled. It’s also what you’re lacking in regard to long term health and functionality. Identifying these and other factors helps you to customize your program, so that it prepares YOU more ideally for your goal. Knowledge is power but self-knowledge is all-powerful. To some extent, you work to shore up weaknesses, but when it’s go-time, you lean on your strengths. Knowing what these are, and how to address them, is next level programming. This is where an experienced coach can be invaluable.
What are my go-to exercises? This is one of the keys to program design. It is essential to determine which exercises, modes, and methods are most effective in producing the outcome you seek. This not only addresses what you lack and what you need, but what you like and prefer. Know the evidence-based approach proven to develop the properties you seek. But also appreciate what’s always worked well for your body in the past, and what you need to modify or avoid due to injury history as well as your genetic predispositions. Generally, specificity wins the day. Work on the exact movement patterns and conditioning principles you’ve identified as critical for your success. But personalize them to match your physiology and personality.
How do I design an effective program? This is definitely one of the most enjoyable parts of training for life, and there is almost no limit to the creativity you can employ. Take the information you’ve gleaned from your answers to the previous questions. Use this to build a framework which includes the key workouts your goal requires, a schedule for the application of this stimulus, and an expected timeline for the process.
How do I monitor and adjust my program as I go through life? While this component may seem obvious, I’ve found that many folks struggle here. They do great on the front end, crafting and setting up a killer program, but they seem to lose sight of the fact that you can’t just hammer it out to the letter with blind faith. You’ve got to be dynamic. How are you recovering? Are you improving in your KPI’s? Do you need more easy days between your high workload sessions? Do the exercises and workout parameters need to be tweaked a little to fit you better? How do you respond to the occasional and inevitable life-related curveballs such as work, travel, family obligations, illness, emergencies, and schedule changes? Flexibly and confidently is the answer but this requires data analysis, introspection, and a positive attitude. And then there’s the beautiful thing known as maintenance. What if you achieved your goal…perhaps in stunning fashion? How do you modify your program to maintain these abilities for the long term? And how do you face age-related decline, even if it is subtle?
I bet you’ve noticed that, in this article, I did not provide too many examples and suggestions. Two reasons. First of all, I wanted to give you the opportunity to reflect and provide your own answers to the questions. Second, we have extensive resources on longevity-based training program design in The Lifetime Athlete App. Much of the content revolves around this principle and the Advanced Training and Coaching section is rich with material that members use to build life-changing, and life-sustaining, programs. There are a lot of ways to train for life. The Lifetime Athlete App is a damn good one.