Emphasize don't specialize

Hello everyone! I hope your summer is going well. It's been rather pleasant here in Chicago; not too hot, not too cold. It's nice that I haven't had to run first thing in the morning, which I usually end up doing when the heat becomes oppressive. Today I'd like to call attention to a common misstep in the workout world, for which I will use the blanket term of specialization. There are a lot of people that only do one kind of exercise; be it running or walking for distance, power-lifting, swimming, or yoga; to name a few. Regardless of your reason or type of specialization, overemphasis on one type of training will lead to an overall loss of capability and greatly increase the risk of repetitive strain injuries.

When you think about it, this is nothing new. Cross-training has even been around long enough to have received its very own marketing strategies and ad-campaigns (Cross-trainer shoes, Cross-fit gyms, etc.). Yet there are still a large percentage of specialists roaming through gyms, unsure of what to do when you take them off of their favorite machine. Any variation in your training routine will be beneficial; but it is better to be mindful of how you exercise, and choose which components you undertake on a given day to derive the most benefits from your continuing practice.

Let's do a quick review of the different aspects of training. Diet is the proper intake of calories and nutrients to support the body for the demands of life. There is no such thing as a perfect diet. What works best for one person will not necessarily work better for anyone else; there are different metabolic types and food intolerances/allergies, to name just two of the many variables that a registered dietitian must account for. Endurance, whether muscular or cardiovascular, is the ability to sustain movement. Strength is the ability to resist force (gravity, momentum, and inertia). Speed is the ability to move quickly. Power is the applied combination of speed and strength. Flexibility is the ability to move through a full range of motion. Balance is the ability to align opposing forces while maintaining structural integrity and control. Agility is the ability to stop, start, or change the direction of force and momentum.

Now, we can discuss modifications to your current routine. If you already cross-train: Great job, keep it up! Start to consider the components; do they complement each other or are they thrown together in a random manner? (ex. Speed and agility fit well, but if you add power to the mix you can hit a whole other level) For those of you who don't: Leave one of your specialty days alone. Take one day, and only do other forms of training. If you aren't sure what to do, send me an email; or talk to friends or a personal trainer. With the other 2-4 practice days, cut twenty minutes away from your focus and add in functional movements that challenge your body. If you decide to work on flexibility or endurance training, make sure that those get added at the end of the workout. The more dynamic and skilled the movement, the fresher you should be when you practice it.