Be Specific!

The specificity principle is another important training principle. In fact, combined with the overload priniciple, these two are considered by many to be the most important.

So, what is the specificity principle? It's simple.

I states the body must be trained for the specific sport and/or activity it will be performing.

For example, a sprinter and a marathon runner wouldn't train the same way. Either would a bodybuilder and a gymnist.

I deal with this principle a lot with my coaching. Wrestler's need to be in condition no doubt. But, they need to be in the right kind of condition. So when I put them through their conditioning routines I am focusing on those energy systems used in the sport of wrestling.

How can you use this is your life?

One of the questions I ask potential clients before we start working together is: "If we were to work together what would you be looking to get out of it?"

Their response helps to key me into what specific results they are looking to get out of the time they spend with me training.

I could ramble off example after axample here but I won't. I'll just give you a couple. If a client says to me, "I just want to lose weight." Their training will be different than that of a client who says, "I want to get stronger, and if I lose weight that's okay too."

You need to analyze what you want to get out of your training. You can't do everything at once, believe me, I've tried. But, you can do a lot at once. I have clients who don't really want to do any sports, they just want to get into overall shape. Well, there are degrees of that too which must be considered. Even if they're just slight changes, everyone is different.

Train for your specific goals and watch your results compound.

Train smart,

RL