The exposure and education on proper exercise is still at a very infant stage. To make a complicating subject easy to understand and performed by the masses has its disadvantages. When most people start exercising, the few common things that would most likely cross their mind are sports, jogging, aerobic classes, cycling and weight lifting. They are told to pick a single activity that they enjoy most and keep on repeating. This method is very effective to help develop a habit of being active for a start, but it can work against you in the long run. For example, if you love running and all you do is run, you’re likely to hit a plateau. As what Einstein famously said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.
While you progress, you’ll likely want to get faster, fitter and better at whatever you’re doing. This is when most amateur athletes and fitness enthusiasts make this common mistake – Doing more means getting better. Thus, the overtraining syndrome kicks in. As I mentioned in my previous post, one of the best way of preventing injuries from over training is to cross train. If you run, swim. If you swim, cycle. If you lift weights, do yoga. The idea is to mix things up to challenge your body and also to give the overworked muscles a break.
If you want to get better at what you do, you should also train at other areas to improve your skills. Here’s another way of mixing up your workout routine to maximise your performance potential and also reduce your risk of injury at the same time.
The following are the TOOLS OF LIFE, taken from the American Council of Exercise (ACE):
Agility: The ability to move in any direction anytime, anywhere
Endurance: The ability to remain active for a long period of time
Balance: The ability to support yourself when and how you want
Coordination: The ability to move in a harmonious way
Strength: The ability to overcome resistance
These 5 tools are not sports or skill specific and are applicable to any gender or age. For example, while balance is important for a gymnast, it is also a very useful skill for an elderly to remain balanced while they walk down the stairs.
Here are some of the performance benefits when you train at these areas:
Agility: Improve speed, reaction time and minimize risk of injury especially at the lower torso (ankle sprains, knee & hip injuries)
Endurance: Improve VO2max and cardiovascular system.
Balance: Strengthen stabilizing muscles (internal abdominal muscles, erector spinae, iliopsoas, etc.) to minimize injuries and improve overall strength and stability.
Coordination: Improve and preserve cognitive function especially when you age.
Strength: Maintain and build the musculoskeletal system to improve overall strength.
The principle of specific training applies for athletes for a specific sport. For instance, if you’re a marathoner, you need to run more often. However, in most cases, over specialization can be a problem. Neglecting any one of these areas limits your performance potential and it also increases your risk to injury. If the marathoner neglects strengthening his/her upper body and core, he/she risks getting knee or back injury. If he/she doesn’t work on his/her coordination & balance – sprained ankle; no agility – slower muscle response. Training at all 5 areas do not limit your ability and is transferable to any other sport. Instead, it makes you better at what you do.
Body building is another sport that emphasises too much on strength and too little on the rest. If you got the chance to sit down with Arnold, he’ll most likely share stories of his countless injuries he suffered. You may argue that body building does not require agility. Yes, but you’ll end up being stumpy and immobile. Not exactly ideal for your body in the long run now would it? Professional rugby players can be huge and bulky, but they are as agile as a cat.
Here are some example of exercises that you can do for each skill:
AGILITY
Cone Agility Drills
Shuttle Run
Hurdle Jumps
ENDURANCE
Jog
Cycle
Aerobic Classes
BALANCE
Stork Stance
Bird Dog
TRX
COORDINATION
Agility Ladder Drills
Dance/Step Classes
STRENGTH
Weight Training
Resistant Training
Plyometric Training
If you want perform like a pro or just live a functional and active life, you need to train and adopt all 5 skills. Remember to focus on the long term and not get distracted over quick gains.
For more specific instructions on the workouts, I’d recommend Googling them. 😉