This post is part of a series.

To go to the previous post click here.

For PT.1 click here.

Table of contents

1. Individualization
2. Rest
   a. Overtraining
3. Reversibility
4. Highlights

1. Individualization

If you are walking or cycling with a friend, and doing exactly the same amount of training, don’t be concerned if one of you gets fitter faster than the other – this is what individualization is all about.

Everyone is different and responds differently to training. This is another way of saying that "one size does not fit all" when it comes to exercise.

This is based on a combination of factors like genetic ability, predominance of muscle fiber types, other factors in your life, chronological or athletic age, and mental state.

For example, women generally need more recovery time than men, and older athletes generally need more recovery time than younger athletes.

Some people are able to handle higher volumes of training while others may respond better to higher intensities.

Some days your training can go really well and the next day, even though it was exactly the same length workout, it can be a nightmare.

Training must be related to your age and gender, your injury status and fitness level.

Trying to mimic the training methods used by elite athletes or celebrities may end up costing you more than expected.

Any training that fails to be relevant to the you will fail to motivate you and will prove to be unsuccessful in the long term.

In order to use exceptional methods you need to be an exceptional athlete, which is easier said than done.

Coaches need to use average training methods for average people – it’s okay to have an average fitness, you have other goals that require more energy and time.

Also, well-designed exercise programs should be based on our your individual differences and responses to exercise.

With this in mind, you may or may not want to follow an "off the shelf" exercise program, DVD or class and may find it helpful to work with a coach or personal trainer to develop a customized exercise program.

2. Rest

Physical adaptations occur during the recovery and non-active period of the training cycle.

Therefore you and your coach must achieve the right amount of rest between sessions, good sleep patterns and the right nutrition, including the use of protein, to help repair the damage caused by intense training.

The body cannot repair itself without rest and time to recover.

Both short periods like hours between multiple sessions in a day and longer periods like days or weeks to recover from a long season are necessary to ensure your body does not suffer from exhaustion or overuse injuries.

Even elite athletes often neglect this.

At the basic level, the more you train the more sleep your body needs; despite the adaptations you have made to said training.

Organizing training into an effective sequence of providing stimulus and allowing your body to recover from is mandatory.

a. Overtraining

Overtraining is a very common problem and comes about when you don’t get enough rest during your training schedule. It can be caused both by too much volume or intensity.

This is when the body does not have time to adapt to the training and as a result the fitness of the athlete declines and they are more at risk of becoming ill or injured.

This should not be confused with overload which is the planned exposure to an increased workload and the right amount of rest between each session.

Hard training specific to your goals is paramount for success but if you don’t properly manage fatigue, then your training will not be sustainable.

If you don't have sufficient rest periods then you are at risk of overtraining.

3. Reversibility

Basically, if you stop training then the improvements you have made will be reversed.

This is the reverse of progression. Once training and performances are reduced, the body naturally adapts to new circumstances.

This simply means that your muscles hypertrophy with use and atrophy with disuse. This also explains why we decondition or lose fitness when we stop to exercise.

Your muscles will atrophy and the cellular adaptations like increased capillaries (blood flow to the muscles) and mitochondria density will reverse.

• The aerobic capacity can quickly reduce through lack of exercise.
• Muscular endurance diminishes when muscles are no longer used over extended periods of time.
• Skills levels however, can often remain high, but performance in skills might be reduced because of physical decline.

So if you are ill or have a holiday and do not train for a period of time (even as little as a week) you may not be able to resume training at the point where you left off.

If you discontinue application of a particular exercise like running five miles or bench pressing 150 pounds 10 times, you will lose the ability to successfully complete that exercise.

But don’t worry, if you aren’t an elite athlete or someone who’s constantly trying to maximize his performance you can get back on track within 2-5 days. Remember, it’s all about consistency.

However, if you need to be taking some time off – let’s say 1 month due to injury - You can slow this rate of loss substantially by conducting a maintenance/reduced program of training to stay active.

On the flip side, this also means that the detraining effect can be reversed once normal training is resumed.

It is essential to avoid unnecessary breaks in training and to maintain your motivation.

Interestingly, training has a lingering effect even when discontinued in that strength levels after de-training are seldom lower than pre-training levels.

4. Highlights

• Make sure that your program is custom tailored to your needs. Talk to your coach for further modifications.
• Get the right amount of rest! I know that you’re ambitious and perhaps a workaholic but sleep problems can really hinder your performance. Not all of us are Elon Musk (sleeps only 4 hours a day), and that’s okay, you can still leverage on your personal skills. Being successful in business or your career requires creativity and a sharp mind.
• Use it or lose it! Take a break only when necessary. Sometimes at the end of the year I love slightly reducing the loads on my workout in order to transition to the next year.

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Edward Casanova, fitness coach at ZenFit

Bibliography:

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