So many people go to the gym, wander around aimlessly and just hop on whatever machine looks fun at the time, do a few sets, move on to something else that looks interesting and do a few sets, then go home when they’re bored. All the while wondering why they aren’t “seeing results”.

Well the first question I guess you have to ask yourself is “what are the results I hope to get? What am I trying to accomplish?” If you don’t have an answer for this then that is priority one. Really think about this because it decides what program you need to follow.

Here are the 2 most common types or programs people train, endurance sports and bodybuilding. The problem is, people either don’t realize that they are training in one of those, or they are doing the wrong program for what they want.

Think back to the 10 general physical skills for a second, cardio vascular/pulmonary endurance, stamina, strength, speed, power, agility, accuracy, balance, flexibility and coordination. Now if your sport of choice is long distance endurance sports (marathon running, triathlons, etc) then you’ll want to focus on cardiovascular and pulmonary endurance, stamina and power. If you want to be a body builder (nicely defined muscles that are mostly for show) then you’ll want to work on isolating and pumping certain muscles and hitting the supplements hard.

However, most people just want to be in better shape. Ask them why they go to the gym and they’ll say, “I just want to get in shape”. But is that a proper goal? Not really as it is not quantifiable. How do you know when you’ve achieved “better shape”? So if you don’t want to be a body builder or marathon runner, then why spend all your time working isolated body builder splits and LSD (long slow distance) running? Is that in line with your goals? If you ultimate goal is to generally get stronger, faster, leaner, more powerful, etc, then you want a GPP program. GPP stands for general physical preparedness. Essentially not training for anything specific, but training for anything and everything. This is what the CrossFit program is all about. You train the body as a single unit; there is no isolating because our bodies don’t ever function that way in life. By training the entire body with functional everyday movements, your body will become more effective as a unit when doing functional everyday movements.

So, do you have an answer to the question? “What am I trying to accomplish at the gym?” If not you better get one right away quick because without a goal, or a target to reach, how do you know which path to take? If you want to be an endurance athlete then keep on truckin’ on the LSD training, if you want perfectly defined eye candy muscles then hit the body building programs and get your swell on. But if you just want to be a more functional human, and realize the full potential of the human body, then you want a GPP program and I would highly recommend CrossFit. (Keep in mind that a strong, lean and muscular body is a side effect of being functionally fit)

So with that in mind, if GPP or “better shape” is what you’re after, give this workout a go:
3 rounds for time (this means do it all as fast as you can) of:
Run 400m
25 Burpees
25 Sit-ups

Now remember, a squat thrust does not a burpee make. A burpee is when you squat down, place your hands on the ground, kick your legs back, drop all the way to the ground, push up, pull your feet under your hips, and jump up with your hands above your head. A sit-up goes from shoulders touching ground to touching your toes, be it with straight legs or knees bent that’s your call.

Chris Walls is a Personal Trainer at the Crossfit Kelowna training centre. For more information on Crossfit, please visit http://www.crossfitkelowna.com