Training and exercise as a spectrum

[Christopher Button]

My younger brother joined a public gym a couple of months ago and has become quite enthusiastic about the whole affair. He is convinced of the superiority of his six-day body-part split, the "programming" for which consists in changing exercises every time so as to obviate boredom and keep it interesting to him. He cannot understand why I would want to do the "same shit all the time".

I have attempted on a number of occasions to clarify the difference between training and exercise, as per PPST3. He is adamant in every instance that he is training, as he is focused on getting stronger and gradually increasing weight.

Activities like Zumba are clearly exercise, performed for the purpose of instant gratification, as no kind of progression scheme is ever used or even considered. It is truly physical activity done for its own sake. However, could even the most sub-optimal routine be considered training, as long as some attempt at progressive overload is applied to the workout? Could training and exercise be considered as a spectrum, with Zumba at one end, beginner's "bro-splits" in the middle, and the SS basic novice model at the other?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I'm sorry for your loss. Zumba cannot be considered training, no matter the circumstances.

[Kyle Schuant]

could even the most sub-optimal routine be considered training, as long as some attempt at progressive overload is applied to the workout? Could training and exercise be considered as a spectrum, with Zumba at one end, beginner's "bro-splits" in the middle, and the SS basic novice model at the other?

In principle, yes. In practice, no. The bro-split guy has no plan, he just lifts heavier on days he feels stronger, or when his buddies are around and lifting more than him, and then misses a few workouts and comes back doing less.

Training involves a plan. I will do X, if I can X, then I will do Y next time, etc. One sign of a plan is the journal, and you will note that extraordinarily few people without journals make progress beyond the first 6-12 weeks.

Dan John expressed it well. Our jobs as trainers or coaches are supposed to be to take the person from where they are now to where they want to be, from A to B. The problem is that almost nobody is aware of just what A and B are.

The coach deals with athletes, and the athlete is crystal clear on B: "September 2016, I will snatch 200kg in the superheavyweight division", but they're not real clear on where they are now, "Um, but Boris, you just had shoulder reconstruction surgery, and have two herniated discs in your back."

The trainer deals with general gym members who are really clear on where they are now, "my back hurts, my wife won't touch me, I haven't seen my dick in three years," but utterly clueless about where they want to be, "uh... get fit, lose weight, tone up."

The coach deals with people who don't know A but do know B, and the trainer deals with people who know A but are clueless on B.

It's pretty hard for a taxi driver to take you from A to B if when you call for that taxi you can't tell them where you are, but are sure where you want to go, or vice versa. They need to know just where you are and where you want to go. It's the same for a trainer or coach.

Most people have no idea where they want to go with fitness, so the trainer just takes them for a ride. This is the purpose of Zumba, bro-splits and so on - you don't get anywhere, but you go for a pleasant ride. You won't persuade your brother to go somewhere because he just wants to go for a Sunday drive.

[Suwannee Dave]

However, could even the most sub-optimal routine be considered training, as long as some attempt at progressive overload is applied to the workout?

Is he using a lot of machines? If so ask him how he will progress when the next pin setting is too big of jump.

[HandPlaneSteve]

The SS-LP method requires one to realize that the only variation required in the big lifts is that the weight lifted increase. That's plenty variation for me, and is not boring at all. It's tough to be bored staring down 3 plates on the squat bar.

[mgrover]

You should just make him do those exercises ie, the big three, and then humor him with the vanity stuff

[Christopher Button]

Certainly it can't. But I was more curious about the six-day split: Can that be considered training, as he is gradually adding weight? My own feeling is that unless there is some kind of explicit protocol in place, predicated on developing strength in the basic movements, it will inevitably be closer to the exercise end of the spectrum (along with Zumba).

As per the Texas Method article:

Actual progress in the weight room is based on an increase in the loading of the basic structural exercises, not in the number of different ways you can perform a triceps pressdown. Very few successful lifters or bodybuilders confuse complexity with effectiveness.

This is the point I'm trying to convey to him, but he tells me he has "learned otherwise". Oh well. At least he's enjoying himself.

[TedB]

I'm sorry for your loss. Zumba cannot be considered training, no matter the circumstances.

Passively it is. Watching young ladies do Zumba is cardio training for me.

[Christopher Button]

I posted my reply above before Kyle's post was approved, but that is pretty much the best answer to the matter: You need a plan in order to train. More specifically, you need to actually execute the thing with regularity and minimal distraction.

[Kyle Schuant]

Certainly it can't. But I was more curious about the six-day split: Can that be considered training, as he is gradually adding weight?

He won't be able to add weight for long. Think of it this way: if you only squatted once a week, how long would you be able to add weight to the bar for? So if you just "do hamstrings" once a week, and just "do quads" once a week, how long will you be able to add weight on the leg curl and leg extension machines?

I strongly doubt the guy will have a journal for his bro-split. "Well, I know the exercises I do." Past the first 6 weeks or so he'll be spinning his wheels. They always do.