Conditioning for Sports and Fitness

“I want 6-pack abs”.

“I just want to look toned”.

“I want to work on my upper body”.

“I want to work on my core”.

As a personal trainer, these are the most common answers I hear after I ask the question,”What would you like to work on?”

Put yourself in the client’s shoes. How would you respond if I followed-up with this question:

“By when?”

Usually the answer is something like,”uuuuuuuuum…” They have no idea. Fantastic. Now I pray that I can convince them that it doesn’t literally, happen during one hour, of one night, per week (like on a TV show).

Nevertheless, sometimes my day is brightened by someone giving me the magical gift called a timeframe, i.g. ”I’m getting married in three months...I want to look good for summer...I want to make it on the next season of ‘Ninja Warrior’...I want to play on the PGA by next spring...I’m trying to get into the FBI and these are the physical tests I have to pass...etc”.

I’ve actually had each of those clients in my days. It’s a treat. Why? Because I see the opportunity to build a champion. How?

Conditioning is the process of getting in shape for any given reason. It is working out with a defined purpose. It is training towards a goal. It is what you do to get ready for a marathon. It is what your favorite football team is doing during their summer training camp. It is what you do to get your benchpress-max up, to get ready for swimsuit season, or a bodybuilding competition. In the military, it is bootcamp.

The results you achieve will match the demanding commitment required to get what you want. Let us break the word “ conditioning” into two sections: “ time” and “ work.”

Time

Think of “ time” in the most literal and raw way you can, and ask yourself “ time-questions.” Connect time to your goal. How many weeks (time) do I have to train? How many days can I workout per week? On which days will I workout? At what time of day? How long are my workouts? These questions build your conditioning program by giving it structure.

For example, I want to get my legs and core ready for ski season. How much time do I have until the resorts open? How many weeks do I have? How much time can I spend working out per week? How many workout sessions? What days?

I’d say I have about three months, which means I have 12 weeks. I can commit to working out for an hour, three nights per week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. That is a good solid basic time structure. Now I don’t have to worry about “when” I need to train/workout.

When the time is planned and structured, you no longer need to think about it, or waste time wondering when you’re going to workout. You know when, so trust the structure and commit. This is where the separation begins; between those who succeed, and those who fail. Some will last a few days, maybe a week or two.

Some give up after a month, because they do not see any results. Whatever the reason, they always break their time commitment, and they are done and done. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again.”

Only those who keep going, are those who get what they want; by staying consistent, and committed.

“The hallmark of excellence, the test of greatness, is consistency.” -Jim Tressel

Why is it a treat to train with clients who have specific goals? They are usually more committed and willing to try. Only the committed people will become the consistent people. Time is no longer the biggest obstacle. For any trainer, this is a celebration! Let’s get to work right now.

The work

The work is what you do during the committed time. It is how the time is spent. The work is “the how.” Let the workouts and training begin. Stick with it long enough until your efforts are recognizable. At least give yourself that chance to be able to see even a small degree of improvement/success/positive results. You can always reevaluate and try something different, just give yourself a chance by refusing to quit!

My first year in college I was in a class with a high-jumper. I asked him what I could do to increase my vertical jump. He said, word for word, “If you wanna jump, you gotta jump.” The vertical jump secret was instantaneously unlocked inside my mind and I was changed forever. Practice doing the thing. The thing that you want to do.

With that valuable time you have planned out, now fill it with work that mimics your goal. Find out what it takes to get a 6-pack, and do it. Find out what it takes to get toned, build your upper body, to strengthen your core, then do it. Going in-depth with each of these is in another, more specific search, and it is now your mission to find it.

It doesn’t hurt to research your goal, to hire a trainer, or get some advice from someone who has achieved what you’re trying to achieve. A good trainer should hold you accountable, track progress, make sure you are using correct form in weight-training, and prevent you from overdoing it (also known as overtraining).

Work hard, but work smart. Know why you are doing this exercise, or that exercise. If someone asks the question,”Why are you doing that?” could you give them a good answer?

There are so many tools to use for conditioning; everything in a commercial gym, college athletic facilities, home gyms, hiking mountains, running hills, riding bikes for miles upon miles, while the list goes on for another mile.

Now, look back at the desires of most people looking for a trainer (by the way, these are good goals):

"I want 6-pack abs."

"I want to look toned."

"I want to build my upper body."

"I want to work on my core."

Modus Operandi: Conditioning. Define the time, then define the work. Draw it up. Go!

Jesse Obed Nelson has been a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist since 2009, soon after graduation in Physical Education at Utah State University. He went on to complete a master’s degree in Sports Conditioning and Performance from Southern Utah University, where he was able to publish his thesis, on the topic of agility development in high school soccer players. His favorite activity throughout his life has always been snow skiing, and he lives a 15 minute drive away from the base of Sundance Ski Resort, Utah.

Main Photo Credit: Hammett79/shutterstock.com; Second Photo Credit: Jasminko Ibrakovic/shutterstock.com; Third Photo Credit: marekuliasz/shutterstock.com; Fourth Photo Credit: antoniodiaz/shutterstock.com