The One True Way Revealed

The argument rages on – who has "The Best" way of training. One group says you should train only a few hours a week, another says you should train a few hours a day.

One says strength machines are the greatest thing ever, but another says they aren’t worth the price of scrap metal. One says training with bodyweight is the only way to go, another says heavy singles are the only way to build strength. Still another says high reps with lighter weight are worthless but another says low reps heavy weight will leave you injured for days.

So whos right?

Well... they all are, at least to some extent, and they are all wrong to an equal extent.

You see, the first step is to separate "what works" from what doesn't – at least physiologically speaking That should be simple enough. The process by with the human body "gets stronger" has only a few, simple, and relatively easy-to-incorporate requirements.

Once those are filled, training can take any number of forms but once we separate what works from what doesn’t we still have to separate "what works" from what "works well."

Some ways to training are better than others but what makes those ways better than others, is what the heart of the matter is here.

And so, we have the "One True Way" – the only answer, the final point that all training comes down to... which is:

"Functional Dictates Design"

Surprised? You shouldn't be, those three words answer nearly every training question and "training" need never get any more complex than this.

"How many sets... how many reps... which equipment should I use... how many days to train... whats better squats or deadlifts... why is recovery important... should I do "this"... should I do "that"...

All the answers to these should be obvious.

Every workout has a purpose, or at least it should have one, otherwise, its just "doing something." And "doing something" while certainly important, is not necessarily the same as training for a specific outcome.

You choose the "tool" i.e. the means or method, based on what you are trying to accomplish. This should be obvious, and it was fortunately one of the first things that I was able to comprehend in my training career.

But if this concept were so simple why are folks essentially trying to pound in a nail with a banana and wondering why it isn't working so well?

I sure cant say, but the good news is that as long as you understand why “Function Dictates Design” you should know exactly how things need to be changed to get back on track.

For whatever way you woudl like to get stronger, for however you would like to train, simply do what is necessary to achieve it, no more, no less.

And when you understand "how" and "why" the only thing left is to "do it."

Train Hard,
John Wood

Train Like a Rock Star

A few months back, my girlfriend and I won tickets to a Redwings game at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit which we thought was being played last night.

The thing was, as I was driving into downtown Detroit all they could talk about on the radio was the Aerosmith Concert which was about to start at Joe Louis Arena.

Uh oh.

When I met her at her office downtown we checked the tickets sure enough we had the wrong date, the game is actually being played tonight (Saturday)

So we did the most sensible thing we could – we headed over to the Joe to see if they had any Aerosmith tix left, (They did) so we scooped em up and took our seats.

The warm-up band, Hinder, wasn’t bad, then, just as expected, Aerosmith rocked Detroit city for two solid hours. They put on one hell of a show.

Hard to believe Steve Tyler, Joe Perry and the other guys are in their late fifties and have been rocking since before I was born.

Not only have they made a career of doing what they truly love, but they have kept it up for the long haul.

You cant do that if you aren't serious.

Success in training is the same way. The great ones don't just begin - they keep at it. Heck, I can’t play a lick of music but you can bet that thirty years from now, Ill still be trainin' as hard as Aerosmith is rockin'. (They might still be at it too)

Now, we're off to catch the 'Wings.

John Wood