How to approach fitness after competition using a training mindset.
At some time in life after competition, most former athletes come to a point where they realize that there is a considerable shift underway in their physical conditioning. We can experience it by design as we shift the types of workouts we use, or the transition can come upon us naturally as we just stop training altogether and wait for the effects to take place. Competitive training routines are a series of activities designed to create within our physical makeup an imbalance of strength or stamina that gives us a competitive edge. The desired outcome is improved performance, and not necessarily an eye for long term health and fitness.
So how do we get to this intentional state of physical imbalance? Training routines are designed with specific outcomes in mind. The work done taxes our bodies and forces them to grow and develop in ways that enhance our performance. It starts with the ideal physical condition in mind, and then builds upon our current state of performance. The program is designed to elevate the latter to come close to the former. Balancing our physique or strength is considered only from the lense of expectations of our sport – little consideration is given to what those imbalances in strength or development mean in years to come. The training outcome and the competitive advantage sets the expectations in training.
In some ways, strict training regimens keep us healthy while we compete. They prepare our bodies for the wear and tear of the sport, as well as for enhanced performance. Added physical strength or exaggerated cardiovascular fitness are not bad things, and yet they are ways in which we create intentional physiological imbalances that can impact us later in life. Added muscle mass requires proper nutrition – something we get at training tables, but not necessarily in life after competition. Endurance sports have their own brand of wear and tear – while it may look different, the fact remains that it is also an imbalance that stresses the body.
While the long term impact of training are not apparent to us while we compete, the effects are there in our daily lives. Most athletes experience the realities of this imbalance most obviously in clothing stores. There is a comical moment where we try to squeeze overdeveloped thighs into jeans, or to fasten a shirt collar around an abnormally developed neck. This happens to male and female athletes alike, and in different ways that vary by sport and conditioning. Balanced physiques and mainstream concepts of fitness are simply not factored into the ways in which we encounter in the world of competitive sport.
It is only natural then that we come to the end of our competitive experiences with a sense of dread when it comes to our physical bodies. Some athletes walk away swearing never to train again, and others aspire to either continued fitness or to different competitive pursuits. Whether seeking a new competitive outlet or just the comfort of the couch, a key concept to restoring our bodies to a healthy state of being lies in a clear understanding of what’s needed to get us from competitive shape to where we want to be in life after.
We start our fitness planning at the same place we did in training. We begin with our outcome in mind. Do we aspire to continue to compete in other sports or recreational activities? Do we want primarily to heal and recover? Do you want to be fit and physiologically balanced? The choice is individual to each of us, and our choices will set our path. Just remember one thing – that not to choose is still making a choice. You just may not be happy with the outcome.
The next step in the thought process is where you are at that moment. Any training program depends on an objective awareness of our current situation. There are some factors that translate well; maintaining muscular flexibility does wonders when it comes to remaining active and pain free over the years, cardiovascular fitness is a well-recognized key to balanced health, and maintaining some form of strength training is a great way to keep a balanced metabolism while staying ahead of joint pain. We know these things from our competitive experiences, and yet we also have to acknowledge that our workouts in these areas can look very different than they did in our competitive training. Long training runs or throwing heavy weight around the gym just aren’t going to bring us to the same places they did in competition. The goals are different, and as such so should the approach be different.
Developing a thoughtful fitness program post-competition requires re-learning what we know about working out. A personal trainer can be a great asset if we can afford one, or if not the topic can be researched through a variety of on-line resources. Diet is no less important, and is a meaningful place to engage experts in balancing our diets in a way that will bring about a balanced outcome. We will take a deeper dive into the nutritional demands in an upcoming post, and there are many fantastic people writing and speaking on the topic on line.
Above all, we have to engage whatever resources we can to learn what it takes to create balance in our bodies, to insure we have a level of health and fulfillment in our years after competition. Please feel free to join in the discussion in the comments below, whether you are looking for specific answers or you have them to share.