For years, it's been widely accepted that the only way to work out effectively is to push yourself to the absolute limit.
You've seen the memes about struggling to walk after leg day.
And those photos of sweat patches on grimy CrossFit gym floors.
Yeah, I used to buy into all of that.
Did I see results? Sure, I guess you could say I got better at sustaining grueling workouts, but I also ended up pretty beat up along the way.
The important question is, did those results actually translate to improved performance in anything other than exercising for the sake of it? Not really, if I'm honest.
My sport of choice is golf. When you're stiff, exhausted, and drained, playing golf feels more like a chore than a fun activity.
But the real reason behind this blog isn't to debate the effectiveness of this type of training; it's to address the unrealistic expectations it creates around exercise in general.
What tends to happen is that we get sucked into this belief that pushing ourselves to the extreme is the ONLY way to achieve results. There's a certain thrill in overcoming something incredibly tough, I'll give you that. But that feeling doesn't always translate well, especially if you're hitting the golf course afterward.
The problem arises when athletes transition to a more specialized type of training focused solely on results. The instant gratification of pushing yourself to the limit is replaced by a delayed sense of achievement. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to push your body to its breaking point to see results, especially if those results are tailored to a sport like golf.
Does this mean we don't train hard? Of course not. But the goal isn't just to push ourselves to the brink; it's about mastering movements that will directly impact our performance in our chosen sport.
That's where tracking metrics comes in.
Because we've been conditioned to believe that we're not making progress unless we're sore, exhausted, or completely wiped out, tracking metrics can silence that nagging voice in our heads.
Thankfully for golfers, there's no shortage of metrics to track: handicap, score, ball speed, smash factor, attack angle, club path, and so on. And if you're also concerned about your body composition, you can take progress photos or get body scans. Just remember, your body composition is mostly influenced by nutrition, so don't blame your workouts if you indulge in a few too many beers and hot dogs at the ballpark come summer.
So, if you've decided to give a program like my Lift Heavy, Swing Fast a try, don't expect to be completely wrecked after every workout. You don't need to be to achieve incredible results, I guarantee it.
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