You might ask yourself why this is a section title – I mean, after all, aren’t they all the same thing?
Well, yes and no.
They’re all an important part of staying healthy, mentally and physically,
but they are separate and distinct types of training (at least, as far as we’re
concerned). You see, activity is getting
out and moving – and while it’s active, it’s usually not strenuous. In fact, I would suggest that it should be
enjoyable... like a round of golf, taking the dog for a walk, or playing with
your kids in the playground. (I should
note – I said “playing” with your kids, not “watching your kids play while you
sit on a park bench”... just sayin’...).
Exercise is a little different – it should be, to varying
degrees, more challenging and strenuous than “activity”. Pick-up basketball, co-ed hockey, bootcamps,
hiking mountain trails with a fair degree of incline... this is exercise. Both exercise and activity will help keep you
healthy, but the fact that they are not progressive or directed means that,
generally speaking, once you’ve hit a certain level you will more or less
maintain that level – in other words, plateau.
This is why people who have not been recently active can join a bootcamp
and see great results for the first 8-12 weeks, then find it plateaus
(or worse, backslides) - because the structure of bootcamps does not allow for
progression. (I should note, I have no problem with bootcamps and think that, for those who are fit enough, they are a great addition to a training program... just that they shouldn't be the only mode a person relies on.)
This is what helps define “training”. Training has structure, purpose, and
direction. Training is what makes you
better at both your exercise and activity, as well as preventing those dreaded
plateaus. A great example would be
running. Going out and simply doing a 5km
loop... well, that would be exercise.
But going out and running three 1500m repeats at a pace 30secs faster
than your “race pace” with 500m of light jogging for recovery in between each
repeat... well, that’s training.
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She sure makes stretching look exciting, doesn't she? |