Mason has fallen into a bit of a routine lately.  The winner’s in this pleasant situation include everyone, especially if your last name is Szymanek and you live in Hawaii and or you read the unorganized random info presented at this blog (or is it on this blog?).  Mason, because he is rested, fed, clean, and happy.  Yours truly because I can do things like read, train, and investigate all matters of debauchery and wickedness with my afternoon free time.  How are you the benefactor in this equation?  Well my silly little rabbit, because when I read or come across something cool I pass it your way.  

Today’s tip, trick, and tid bit of helpfulness comes from, Rippeteo and Kilgore’s, Practical Programming.  It’s a simple concept called the Continuum of Adaptation Persistence.  The basic idea is that some training adaptations (the things that happen when you bust your butt) happen to stick around longer than others.  According to coach Rip, the most persistent adaptation is hypertrophy (increased muscle size) and the least persistent adaptation is cardiovascular endurance (the hearts ability to get O2 to muscles).  Furthermore, when you look at the continuum more closely you realize that structural adaptations contribute to increased performance far more than metabolic adaptations.

As an example let’s look at jogging (the average persons attempt at cardiovascular adaption) and back squatting (what everyone must do to reach their genetic potential).  Ever notice that when you get off of running for a week and try to hit it hard it seems like your starting over.  That’s because we see a significant loss in VO2Max (peak aerobic capacity/measure of cardiovascular endurance) in a matter of days.  However, if you don’t squat one week and get back to it the next your strength numbers will be relatively the same.  Even if you lose some strength you won’t be starting over.  Before you call me a liar or say BS try for yourself.    

Now, you can take this info and apply to your programming in any number of ways.  Be creative, do some more research on the other adaptation in between the two mentioned, and make some decisions about why and how you train.  Whatever you do I hope you understand this point, that this is just one more reason to lift weights and train for strength.  Not only are the gains more relevant to everyday life, the gains will also last longer.  Its like the difference between investing your money in sound investment portfolio and sticking an extra few bucks in your old sneakers.  With one you are investing in your future and improving tomorrows quality of life, who knows with the other.  The bottom line is that you simply get more bang for your buck when you pick heavy stuff up or throw it on your back.  Imagine if you even went so far as to put some planning behind the how and what you pick up.       

Don’t kill the messenger folks just get with the program.  I hope that you are starting to recognize a theme?  Here’s a hint, if you get strong you get better – at everything.