Stimulate, Don't Annihilate.

'In an ignorant fitness society, the value of exercise is determined on how crappy you feel afterwards'.

- Dr. John Rusin

Metabolic Conditioning (Metcon) is one of the cornerstones of effective strength and conditioning. Typically it comprises of a series of compound exercises repeated for a specified time or number of reps, carried out against the clock. Classic examples would be 5 rounds of 3-5 exercises completed in the fastest time possible, or a ’10 to 1’ which would involve 10 reps of a specified number of exercises, followed by 9 reps, 8 reps, 7 reps, etc. until all exercises are completed down to 1 in the best time possible.

The key to metabolic conditioning is keeping intensity high, this is why the workouts are kept relatively short. You can train hard or you can train long - you can’t do both!

Metabolic Conditioning is tough by anybody’s standards, but can illicit outstanding improvements in strength, fitness and fat-loss. Unfortunately, it is a system that is now frequently abused and poorly programmed in many cases, particularly to beginners.

Metabolic Conditioning can cause poor recovery if badly programmed or overdone, and volume should be carefully considered when training at intensity. Many people fail to realise the effect on recovery a basic 20 minute Metcon can have.

Although fatigue and a healthy bout of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) can be expected when training effectively using a progressive training program, we need to be sensible. The point of training is to stimulate adaption - not annihilate yourself. This adaption stimulus followed by sufficient recovery, which includes solid nutrition principles and sufficient sleep, will trigger a period of ‘super compensation’, during which the body will improve.  This process is called the 'Training Adaption Cycle'.

There seems to be a growing culture of ‘beat-down’ workouts, where trainees aren’t happy unless they finish a workout physically exhausted, and soreness and fatigue seem to be the measure of a good workout. This is incorrect, this is also a poor reflection of training quality and progress. Any idiot can overwork people and leave them aching.

The point of training is to stimulate adaption - not annihilate. Using this approach for long enough with insufficient recovery will come result in declining performance, illness and injury.

It took me years of training when was younger, years in the military and countless injuries to fully appreciate training QUALITY over training QUANTITY.

Training consistency makes all the difference. But it’s hard to be consistent if you’re sidetracked with an injury!

• Have a measurable goal in mind and train towards it. Training for the sake of being a sweaty mess on the floor at the end of a workout doesn’t equate to solid progress

• Maintain a level of intensity where your form during reps is maintained and the movement is efficient

• Apply the appropriate training volume for your level of advancement, then apply progressive overload and improve

• Finish strong. Recover. Improve!