Your purpose for exercise shouldn’t be being “perfect” at lifting in the gym; it should be support for all the things you want outside of the gym.
We don’t take very many hardline stances on areas of your health, but this is one we’re more forward about. We aren’t “prescriptive” in that we don’t promote a specific diet (paleo, vegan, vegetarian, etc), specific workout routine (CrossFit, yoga, pilates, bodybuilding, etc), or specific forms of mental health. Our goal at Live Better is to lay tools at your feet, filter information through research and anecdotal evidence (both personal and with clients / peers), and guide you on YOUR path (not pick one for you). This is your choice; we are just the coaches and advisers, but you should look beyond the walls of the gym for a purpose for training.
Many people get hung up on the “purpose” of exercise being good at the specific exercises themselves as the end goal. The “normal” next step is to immediately relate exercise to how our bodies look, rather than what our bodies are capable of doing. Looking the way you want is a byproduct of the way you train + the way you eat (among other factors, of course); there is so much more on the other side of the journey.
The goal for training professional athletes isn’t to make them great lifters, it’s to use training as assistance to make them great at their sport (note: lifting specificity may apply to powerlifters or olympic lifters competing in these sports alone).
The same applies to our general population clients. Your goal isn’t to be “great” at squatting; it’s to squat enough that your legs are strong enough to do all the things you love, as often as you desire, limiting the risk of injury over the course of your life (like hiking, biking, golfing, playing with your kids and grandkids, avoiding back pain after sitting at your desk…you name it!).
What is your “purpose” for training?
Keeping this intention in mind is a really important step in making training a sustainable habit in your life.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to “look good” (which is whatever YOU decide that to be, not what the magazines tell you is right), but how do you go beyond that?
What are you capable of, physically?
Explore those limits. Getting stronger, specifically, opens all kinds of doors to not only your physical health but also your mental health. Self confidence, vitality, and drive are just a few consequences of strength.
The best day ever is limitless; go train for it.
