Brett Wiliams FNP, CPT

Maybe your new to training or perhaps you’ve started a training program in the past and came upon some insurmountable barrier that had you quitting within a week or two. That old knee injury started to act up, you tried running but left with the realization that it is just too hard, and you quit. Well, you are not alone, most researchers find that 67% of active gym memberships go unused. Why is that? One reason that I have seen over the 30 years I have been utilizing gyms and fitness facilities, seems to be the most common. We start out way too hard. We are under the assumption that unless we can’t breathe, we must not be working. Or we could easily run 5 miles, 5 years ago, surely, we still can. In all these cases, the individuals arrive eager to train, new set of shoes, maybe a new HR monitor and after a few weeks, back to their prior life, defeated yet again. The intent of this review will be to highlight the basic progression of a training program that is designed to help you succeed.

So, what do we need to start? We need a goal – what are we trying to achieve, why have we made the decision to start training. The goal needs to be specific: “Lose weight” is not specific enough, perhaps: “Lose 15 lbs. in 4 months” would be better. The goal needs to be realistic: “lose 60 lbs. in 4 months” is not realistic and usually only happens if you are dying, not if you are trying to become heathy. The goal needs to be measurable: “I will lose 1 lb. a week”. The goal needs to have a progression of change: “I will reach my goal by working out 4 days/week”. As we progress, we'll find joy in hitting our goals: “I am working out 4 days a week and seeing a 1 lb.  weight loss weekly”.

Once we have set a goal, we need to create a training plan. This plan needs to be in line with our goals. This plan needs to begin where we are right here, right now. If you were able to run 5 years ago, chances are you won’t be able to run today, that is ok – start where you are today. Your first few weeks at the gym should really be focused on consistency – if you plan to train Mon/Wed/Fri, the most important workout in weeks 1-3 is to show up on Mon/Wed/Fri. During this time, you will be getting your body accustomed to regular activity, you will be building habits, you will be watching for nagging injuries that are starting to creep in. It is usually in this phase (weeks 1-3) that many people will quit as they start out too hard too soon. We need to build a strong fitness foundation before we are ready to progress. A strong fitness foundation is created by focusing on control, proper body movements, correcting muscle imbalances and creating a strong cardiovascular base. Even elite athletes will periodically cycle back through this phase of training to correct muscle imbalances that may have resulted in higher demands of training. Don’t underestimate the power of steady slow but consistent training.

Eliud Kipchoge is a world-renowned long-distance runner from Kenya. He is known for running a marathon (26.2 miles) in under 2 hours. To put that in perspective, a really good time for the average person to complete a marathon is under 4 hours. How did he accomplish such a task? He focused on steady, slow consistent training. When we look at training intensity, a good measure is known as the ventilation threshold. As our bodies move, the cells must create energy to perform work. That energy is created through various pathways based on the type of energy needed. If a bear suddenly chases us and we need to run fast, our cells will create maximal output quickly. Unfortunately, this pathway known as anaerobic ventilation (or VT2) will only give us about 15 seconds of power before we start to exhaust our energy reserves. If we go for a walk, our cells will create a lower level of energy output known as aerobic ventilation (or VT1). This power output can be utilized indefinitely if we have a consistent supply of oxygen, food and water. Endurance athletes can run 100-mile races as they spend most of their race time at this level of energy expenditure.  The same is true with training. By focusing 80% of our training time on a VT1 threshold, we can build a strong foundation. We grow mitochondria within cells, stimulate additional capillary growth, condition our muscles to become more efficient, condition our heart and lungs to work in better harmony, condition our minds to love, not hate exercise. We start to learn that “slow is fast”. Once we start to have a strong foundation in place, we can then start to introduce additional training variables to aid in progression. These variables are known as frequency, intensity and duration. We add an extra day to our schedule, we add a day of fast interval runs, we run for 15 min longer etc. The key, however, is that we must have already started to build that foundation prior to building progression. If we have failed to do that first, we will not have sufficient base fitness and will burn out or get hurt.

So how do I find VT1 or VT2 levels? Most of us don’t have access to exercise science labs however a lot of research has been done looking at HR, perceived exertion and “talking”. When I am assessing a client for cardiovascular conditioning, I have them perform a repetitive task then watch their breathing pattern. When they can no longer speak in complete sentences but rather longer phrases, that is usually a good indication that they are at a VT1 threshold. Most will say perceived exertion is about 3-4 on a 10-point scale. I will then look at HR and record. We will then spend the next 2-4 weeks training at that exertion level before implementing additional training variables. As the body adapts, the base level will start to increase such that my clients can train longer, more frequently or with greater intensity than when they first started. Hence the saying, “it never gets easier, you only get better”.

So, what about that nagging knee or ankle injury? This is where it becomes more challenging to implement a program on your own. Our bodies are amazing machines that quickly adapt to the environment they are in. For every joint movement, one muscle will contract, one will relax, one will support, and one will assist as to accomplish the task.  This must all happen simultaneously. If we spend most of our day in a seated position, our brains start to think that flexed hips and elongated low back muscles must suddenly be the “new normal”. When we then go to stand, the brain senses that change in muscle length, and fires additional nerve impulses to try and maintain a “seated position”. The result of that response is a condition know as “lower crossed” syndrome and can easily be identified by a pelvis that is anteriorly tilted and a low back that is excessively arched. Now ask that client to squat, and you will usually see the foot arches flatten, knees come together, and toes rotate out. Not a big problem until you suddenly go to the gym one day and decide you are going to squat 200 lbs or do fast sprints. The ankle, knee and lumbar-pelvic-hip complex joints are in abnormal positions and when suddenly stressed, are prone to injury. This is the other component of starting a training program. We should really identify muscle imbalances and work to correct those imbalances by inhibiting overstimulated muscles and exercising under stimulated muscles, prior to excessively loading the joint. Once we have achieved that objective, we will find our bodies are better balanced and ready to start progression training. 

So, to sum it up, how do you start a training program? You start where you are today, not where you last stopped training. You start slowly, focusing on building a strong fitness foundation and a system of training habits. You correct improper muscle / joint movements through focused stretching and strengthening exercises. Once you have launched, you are now prepared to start pushing your limits and seeing incredibly things start happening in your fitness journey.