COMMANDO STANDARD PROGRESS
WHAT MAKES A GOOD WORKOUT?
If you train hard long enough and frequently enough you will get fitter! Go train, suffer and yield the results! Right?
...it depends.
You can work hard - get out of breath and work up a sweat, but to no avail.
"No Pain, No Gain!”
Not really.
Sweat is cheap, getting tired is cheap, pain is cheap. You can accomplish either of these by jumping around for a few minutes and stubbing your toe. This should never be the aim or definition of a 'good workout' but instead, be a bi-product of a good workout.
So actually...
"No Gain, No Gain!"
A good workout is one where you have made measurable improvement - progress.
In a modern lifestyle - we cannot afford to waste time, we must achieve this primary aim with every workout. That should always be THE focus.
Our bodies are incredibly sophisticated adaptation machines. They respond to a great many factors. If we work with our hands they develop callouses, if we eat too much, we put on fat! If we stress our body it with progressively harder physical exercise - the body will get tougher, stronger, fitter.
Stress to accommodate efficient change has to be more than the body is used to.
A workout should break the body down enough so that it repairs a step closer to the desired result.
SO HOW DO WE STRESS THE BODY ENOUGH TO CHANGE?
Simple - You make measurable progress by measuring your progress.
THE LOGBOOK IS YOUR BIBLE
By keeping a logbook you can ensure that you are always better than you were the previous session. Based on the data you collect, you can determine what needs to be done to progress in the current session.
Step out for a run with a definitive challenge in front of you.
Walk on the gym floor knowing exactly what exercises you have to do, down to the tempo, reps, sets and rest times.
The simple act of having a target can bring out the best in us.
WHAT IF I CAN'T?
In the past, I have heard people avoid logging due to a fear that it will put them off if they can't beat their numbers. Over time, it is inevitable that you will not be able to beat the targets you set - at this point, it is really important that you are aware of it. This is not a bad thing, in fact - it is definitively a good thing. You have increased your awareness of how your body is responding to what you are doing. This would be the first flag in letting you know that you may have to change something.
Missing your target once can be down to a number of other factors - you could simply be having a bad day. If you miss your target two sessions in a row, you would be certainly aware - and three in a row, then something needs changing.
HOW FAST SHOULD YOU PROGRESS?
We are looking for a steady rate of progression. Do not expect to be making huge leaps in strength and fitness on a session to session basis.
Even the smallest step forward is still a step forward! Lots of small steps over time will become one giant leap.
Every session you progress because you ask it of yourself. If you demand huge strength leaps session by session - you will be disappointed/missing the point.
Remember - your body is an adaptation machine. Adaptation is a steady process, it can’t/shouldn’t be rushed!
The best short term goal is to be better than you were the previous session.
How can you do this?
Increase the number of repetitions you can perform by a minimum of 1.
Increase the speed you complete a given task by a minimum of 1 second.
YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO PROGRESS EVERY ELEMENT OF YOUR WORKOUT
Even with stretches or exercises that don't include additional weight. Focus on better movement quality or an increased range of motion. It may be less measurable, but the effort will yield far greater results.
IN SUMMARY
All are VITAL in the correct application of the Commando Standard.
The key to a good workout is making measurable progress or improvement.
Simply sweating or feeling tired is not enough. To stress the body enough to change, you need to work harder than it is used to.
Keeping a logbook of your workouts can help you measure progress and adjust your goals and targets accordingly.
Progress should be steady, not huge leaps session to session, and can be achieved by increasing the number of repetitions or the speed at which you complete a task.
Progress can also be achieved in stretches or exercises that focus on movement quality or increased range of motion.
The aim of every workout should be to improve on the previous one.