Best Methods for Growth?

So we should now understand the basics of the General Adaptation Syndrome and Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands.  We don’t work beyond our ability to adapt (over train) and we utilize training movements specific to our goals.  The first question that beginners ask is “what is the best way for me to (generic desire here)?”  The desire is usually to lose pounds or inches because this is the most common short-term wish.  Ironically, most people will rush to purchase the latest exercise video, equipment gimmick, or whatever magic pill promises to help them reach their goal in the shortest time.  With that short-term approach it is no wonder that so many continually yo-yo back and forth while unscrupulous, modern-day snake-oil salesmen laugh their way to the bank.  Some of these products can work for some.  It really just requires that we work according to a good long-term plan and include some sort of resistance training.  The better, long-term approach usually consists of finding an activity you enjoy and building your training around that.  Let’s look at a real life example of someone approaching a new activity for the first time. 

Not long ago, I started indoor rock climbing.  I thought that it would be a good sport for me because I have a high strength to weight ratio and I needed something new to add to my physical training.  My fear of heights made this sport an exciting one even at low elevations.  I was taught the basics over one summer by a group of children ranging in age from 12 to 19 years old at a local climbing gym.  This taught me some humility.  Although some of the kids would look at me funny when I started trying to climb a route, they would usually get over my age (I’m in my 40s) and start giving me much needed advice after watching me struggle for hours.  At first, I was horrible at climbing.  Even though I was a ranked elite strength athlete, I was the worst climber in the gym.  Some of the staff must have felt sorry for me because they too started offering advice and I sucked it up like a sponge.  Part of my problem was that the strengths I had developed in powerlifting were not the ones I needed to be a good climber.  They didn’t hurt my climbing, but they just didn’t grant me the same prowess I had in powerlifting.  Climbing was a different animal with different requirements.  Slowly, I gained those requirements.  I did it by climbing more often and for longer duration.  At first, I couldn’t climb for more than twenty minutes before I was unable to close my hands anymore.  That got better with practice.  I had to teach my nervous system and muscles new types of movement.  This required cycles of heavy and light loading so that I could grow in the spaces in between.  It wasn’t long before I could climb for almost an hour.  I lost some muscle weight, but I gained some flexibility with my new sport.  I felt better and learned new skills. 

Now I only get to climb once or twice per month because the closest climbing gym is an hour away.  Climbing in my powerlifting off season is fun and provides variety to my training.  After months, I am only a V3/V4 climber but there aren’t any climbers in almost any weight class that can compete with me on the lifting platform.  Again … specific training for what you want to accomplish without over training is the key.  Because the training is so specific, the odds of me being competitive in climbing AND lifting are slim.  Fortunately, climbing is a much more laid back sort of sport.  So if I feel the urge, I’ll have to cut one sport to leap to the other.  You only have so much time, so you need to be specific with your goals and your training in order to be successful.  The best method for growth depends on the individual.  If you pick something you enjoy, you are likely to stay at it longer.  Take the long-term view to succeed.  Stay strong J