Are you "working out", or TRAINING?

[JOHN GARGANI]

we get so many threads on here where people list their various workout programs, or, where they complain that a certain bodypart is not growing and then list their current program and rep and set configurations......


fine.....but I love when people use expressions like: " I throw in a couple of sets of lateral raises", for example, and then wonder why their lateral delts are not growing.

or better yet, so clean and neat: " I do 3 sets of this, and 3 sets of that " etc., as If it were a homework assignment!

here is an interesting quote from WIKIPEDIA on Training:

Training differs from exercise in that people may dabble in exercise as an occasional activity for fun. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, and performance.

the first thing I highlighted was SPECIFIC GOALS: just what ARE your goals?? to get bigger, regardless of stronger, to get stronger, regardless of bigger, to get defined, regardless of size, to get bigger AND defined...etc......

I also highlighted CAPACITY: Training involves improving or increasing capacity.

meaning: if you are doing a neat little tidy program, where you "throw in " 3 sets of lateral raises, then what makes you think they are ever going to grow...

why should they??? what is the impetus, what is the forcing issue that makes the body WANT to prioritize them?


(please, keep in mind, that I am just using one muscle as an example)


So: with that in mind, why couldn't you do 5 sets, or 6 sets or whatever, in this case, of the lateral raises....or, why couldn't you do a pyramid styled workout similar to what you might do in benching.....

if you want a bigger chest, do you "throw in" 3 sets of benches for 8 sets each??? The guys who have built some really truly deep and big chests have POUNDED THE LIVING ****E OUT OF THEM with benching, earlier on, or still now.....

what makes people think that only works for one particular exercise??

My point, and it just comes around to an old rant of mine, resurrected again, is that once you start thinking in terms of a regimented written down, cross off the list, check off the boxes approach to bodybuilding, you are already self limiting yourself, and holding yourself back....

if you are TRAINING, then you are out to also improve your capacity, and for one workout, or several workouts, that might mean simply doing more of something else....and why?? for no other reason than 3 sets might simply NOT be enough to stimulate a weak bodypart......


a variation of this is when people will come on here and say: " give me another exercise for lateral delts, because I already did 3 sets of those".....

but I say: If you are getting a GREAT mind muscle connection with that movement, why move on to anything else??? instead of trying something else, which may not really hit that bodypart as well FOR YOU, why not simply DO MORE of what is working well for your body......


but if you are going to say " but I have already done what I was SUPPOSED to do in the workout plan", then forget about it, because in that case, I would have to say F@#$ the plan and F@#$ the horse it rode in on!

NEVER LEAVE AN EXERCISE IF YOU ARE GETTING GREAT MIND MUSCLE CONNECTION FROM IT AND ARE DOING GREAT AND MEANINGFUL REPS!!


don't worry if you "Leave out" something else that was "planned"...so what??

what would you rather do, some meaningless and pointless exhausted sets of whatever, at the end of a workout, or more sets of a movement where YOU ARE COOKING??!!

never be a slave to a written routine.....your body will tell you, every workout, what the routine should be.....

if you are simply NOT connecting to a certain exercise on a given night, then by all means, don't beat a dead horse and move on, but conversely, don't leave it if you are grooving on it.....

and don't worry about doing more sets than you were supposed to at the end, because, as I said, if we are "TRAINING" we are looking to increase some sort of capacity somewhere along the line at all times.....


going back to the Wikipedia quote: don't "DABBLE"....don't do 3 sets of everything all neat and pretty....do what you HAVE TO DO to get the job done......improve your capability and capacity and performance....in a word: TRAIN!!!!!!

[dantheman999]

Reps. That must have took forever to write, you bring up some great points!

Half of the threads on here are just asking for ANOTHER exercise to do, to tag onto an already cluttered program. People need to pick the good ones, plan ahead, and train there asses off.

And for the record, i TRAIN. I don't say im going to workout, or go to the gym, i say im training. You can always tell the guys that are in the gym to train and the guys that are there to get a workout in.

[essential222]

I am training for Power, Size and General Conditioning, as a Rugby Lock I need all three of these elements and my training style reflects these goals.

[The_Animal11]

this is a good thing to ask yourself every day!

Am I gunna work out today, or am i gunna TRAIN??

[XXX666]

TRAIN!!!!!!

You better know whats going down over here!

[nano.ix]

I am training for Power, Size and General Conditioning, as a Rugby Lock I need all three of these elements and my training style reflects these goals.

good to be reppin the sport n the position,
im training for flank.

[spirit3530]

This is what happens when you are working out.

[Bignbuff]

Great thread. So many people get so caught up in the little **** (such as finding the "perfect" workout and exercises for a bodypart) when all that is really important is being hungry and busting your f**king ass in the gym.

News flash: Hard Work with ****ty exercises > Low Intensity with the perfect split

When you do this, that's when you see the results. I am not kidding when I say that in 95% of my workouts, I always do more than what I envisioned on the ride/walk over to the gym (or even before the set began). Oftentimes, I'll do my first set of the first exercise for a bodypart to failure. Did I envision doing this at the start of the set? F**k no. Once I get going though, I just can't help myself - I want that feeling of accomplishment.

The same holds true for cardio - I'll bump up the incline during the middle of my run even if I didn't plan to, today I added five unplanned intervals to my HIIT during the workout, etc. I honestly get a little scared before some of my workouts because I'm not sure what's going to happen.

Sorry if I sound like an Animal ad right now, but there really is no substitute for going balls to the wall.

[chazzy1864]

As always, good stuff John. Brings many good points. Sadly I'm on re.

[Birddog6424]

Now that, my friend, was an excellent post!!

I can't tell you how many times I have said some variation of it. I preach it at my son all the time. He tells me the only place I use profanity around him is in the gym, and I tell him I hate my small muscles and I am going to fuc!!n kill them with weights until they are big (I do swear maybe a little too much in the gym). It's just something that helps me maintain intensity!!!

Going through the motions won't get you to your goals like getting mad dog mean and intense and fuc!!n killing your muscles

Weight lifting is hard and painful. It takes serious commitment and effort.


Reps to the OP for your post.

[-Lucifer]

An excellent post this is!

Repped.

[de_barathrum]

john g is the ****in man

[hochspeyer]

I'm fairly new here, but if I don't feel like I've kicked my butt (I'm trying to develop some discipline in the swearing department!) after weights or cardio, then I've wasted an hour or more.

[Ironlife]

as always, good stuff john. Brings many good points. Sadly i'm on re.

an excellent post this is!

Repped.

these^^

[Justin Buchana]

That's really good stuff man, it's a perfect example of how you can feel you can feel like you had a ****ty workout after doing a bunch of little different exercises. Then I feel like I kicked ass on a day that I only did squats, but I do alot of them, heavy, and intense as the fire in a devil's eyes.

[JOHN GARGANI]

Then I feel like I kicked ass on a day that I only did squats, but I do alot of them, heavy, and intense as the fire in a devil's eyes.

I LOVE THIS ONE!!!


thanks for all of the replies....

[Lean88]

Good post John, about a week ago there were several threads where people were asking how long people worked out for. I think this is linked to your post, dont put a limit on it and work till your happy with what you have done.

[Joe Go]

Great thread John!

[shaneee]

NICE post bro, hopefully this will help some people out to actually start training instead of being pussys in the gym

[Beech27]

Whatever recent success I've had, I owe to the philosophy that time spent in the gym is wasted without focus. Every rep, every second doing cardio, has to have a purpose. When you do that, the results start to come.

[...Kennedy]

Keep ranting anytime you feel the urge, JOHN GARGANI. We'll be all ears, guaranteed.

[PortendingEnnui]

Nice post for the new sticky a lot of the things you said about regimented workout routines really hit home with me - I am reluctant to not do some exercises that are on my workout log because I don't want to neglect a head, varying angle, etc, even though the move doesn't feel real great for me.

i will definitely be keeping some of this in mind as I continue to get comfortable in the gym!

[Jill74]

thanks for this very educational share. I am looking forward for building my abs a little and maybe I will just do training and not more on workouts

[Mr.Next in Line]

Gotta give props!!! Great thread big homie,

[xaltair]

Whatever recent success I've had, I owe to the philosophy that time spent in the gym is wasted without focus. Every rep, every second doing cardio, has to have a purpose. When you do that, the results start to come.

1000% true...if you're in there to train then train. You should know ahead of time what exercises to do, when to do them, how long to do them, how much water you should drink and all this other crap. I see guys in there doing a couple of sets and then talking to other guys for 10 mins and then doing another couple of sets of something and so on...


Without FOCUS it's wasted time, plain and simple, you're in there for yourself, to better yourself, to make yourself healthier and better...you need to give yourself all the focus you deserve to succeed. Lifting weights is not fun, not for most people and they do it because they want to do it or they like doing it, if you're not in there with a smile on your face every day then get out...use some AB Roller or some other crap to get "fit".

[theshoupguy]

NEVER LEAVE AN EXERCISE IF YOU ARE GETTING GREAT MIND MUSCLE CONNECTION FROM IT AND ARE DOING GREAT AND MEANINGFUL REPS!!

Can't agree with this more -- you hit it right on the head.
Great thread, John. Reps for sure.

[EliteAthletics]

never be a slave to a written routine.....your body will tell you, every workout, what the routine should be.....
if you are simply NOT connecting to a certain exercise on a given night, then by all means, don't beat a dead horse and move on, but conversely, don't leave it if you are grooving on it.....
and don't worry about doing more sets than you were supposed to at the end, because, as I said, if we are "TRAINING" we are looking to increase some sort of capacity somewhere along the line at all times.....

Completely agree. I never go into the gym with a "routine" I have probably never done the same workout twice as far as reps/sets/exercises. If I am getting a good pump doing incline db then I'll annihilate them, and move on.
me: "hey man you should try that its pretty good"
them: "no way man thats crazy"
me "ok Ill go do yours"

I TRAIN

[jdogg772000]

Amen! I am all about knowing the body and exhausting whichever muscle is being worked. When someone asks me about my "max" or sets / reps, my answer is, "I worked to failure."

If I had an issue with my program, I might consider writing stuff down just to keep myself in check, but I don't get long-term training journals. What's the value? If I am training for a month consistently and to failure, AND my capacity doesn't go up, something is wrong because IT HAS TO under those circumstances.

On "Training": One of my goals is to get people to forget the phrase, "working out" and "lifting weights", so every time someone used those phrases, I come back with, "My training went well..." or something to that effect. I think it is prejudicial that people easily call biking or jogging, say in preparation for a marathon, "training" but training with weights is "lifting weights". It's alot more scientific than that. If "lifting weights" was enough, movers would all be competing.

Okay, I'll put away the soap box, this post just struck a chord.

[jdogg772000]

I honestly get a little scared before some of my workouts because I'm not sure what's going to happen.

LOL! Repped THAT!

[hulkinout]

This reminds me of a guy who once told me I shouldn't consider myself a bodybuilder unless I plan on stepping onstage and competing.

"You just work out," he sniffed.