Training Is Deliberate Change--Not Mere Exercise

Key Quotes

"So, what exactly is "training?" Is it different than "exercise?" In this episode, we discuss what training specifically is, what it's not, and what it's attempting to do. Once you understand that we're after change in our bodies, we can better structure training to reach our goals."

Dan Cleather, the author, introduces the core concept of his book by posing a fundamental question about the definition of training. He posits that training is distinct from exercise because it is a purposeful endeavor aimed at achieving specific changes within the body to reach defined goals. This framing sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the principles that guide effective training.

"Your body doesn't know it's following a system like your body only knows what it's experiencing in any particular moment... so kind of you know the systems that are successful or the training programs that are successful aren't successful because of the system per se it's just because they've elegantly put together some training in a structured way that respects and reflects how your body wants to change and that respects the fundamental principles of training."

Dan Cleather argues against the rigid adherence to specific training "systems" or branded programs. He explains that the body responds to the immediate physiological experience, not to a named methodology. Successful programs, according to Cleather, are effective because they are structured in a way that aligns with the body's natural adaptive processes and adheres to underlying training principles, rather than the system itself being the sole driver of success.

"And so capacities are kind of or you know the analogy I use in the book and I've used in other writing is if if you think of a formula one car well the properties that the car have are the capacities and the skills of the driver are the skills... and kind of if you think about running you know like you hit the ground like every time you hit the ground in running you know you're expressing force against the ground like that's that's the skill of a runner and the amount of times that you do that you know like we're missing a trick if we're only focused on okay well you know how much energy have we got like you know what's our capacity and we're not thinking about well how good are we at hitting the ground."

Dan Cleather distinguishes between "capacities" and "skills" in the context of athletic development, using the analogy of a Formula 1 car. He defines capacities as the inherent properties of the vehicle (like engine size or brakes), analogous to physiological attributes like VO2 max. Cleather emphasizes that for runners, the skill of "hitting the ground" and efficiently expressing force is often overlooked when the focus is solely on improving capacities, suggesting a crucial element of performance is being missed.

"So, kind of like, you know, in a previous book, you know, I talked about the cardinal rule of training: you know, so like the number one rule of training is just do lots of training, be consistent. And then the corollary of that is, well, don't do things that stop you being consistent. You know, that that is what kills your change."

Dan Cleather identifies consistency as the paramount principle in training, referring to it as the "cardinal rule." He asserts that the most significant impediment to progress, or "change," is anything that disrupts this consistency. Cleather highlights that actions driven by an excessive desire for rapid improvement, such as overtraining or frequent program changes, often lead to inconsistency and ultimately hinder development.

"So, kind of like, you know, when we talked about this already in this conversation that kind of, you know, we want to be, you know, constantly seeking improvements in in how well we can run. And so we want to be exposing ourselves to a broad kind of spectrum of challenges that allow us to learn things about how our body moves."

Dan Cleather explains the principle of "discovery" in skill acquisition, particularly as it applies to running. He suggests that to improve the skill of running, athletes should engage with a wide range of challenges. This exposure, Cleather argues, allows the body to learn and adapt, leading to the discovery of more optimal and adaptable movement techniques.

"And then the the net effect of that is when you come back the next day you're tired. So that all that is realistically achievable again is to make yourself tired again. And that, you know, so there's two things operating here: there's one the kind of like, okay, goal of fatigue, and then the second being the goal of, okay, well, I need to prove that I've done enough. And what that does is it just gives you a really monotonous training program where you just do the a very similar thing every day."

Dan Cleather identifies a common training error where athletes equate feeling tired after a session with achieving a successful workout. He explains that this focus on fatigue as the primary outcome leads to a monotonous training program where the main goal becomes simply repeating the experience of being tired. This approach, Cleather contends, prevents genuine progress by not allowing for adequate recovery or variation in training stimuli.