Today I want to talk about going from Zero to 100 MPH, and I don’t mean driving. I’m talking about doing being an idiot when it comes to how we add or do things in training. And I’ll try and be quick.
About two weeks ago I was at Physical Therapy and they asked me how things were and how I was feeling. I said AWESOME because my hip is aces. I was reluctant to mention something else but I did.
I told them that my knees hurt. And my knees never hurt.
Like any good doctor should do, they asked if I have been doing anything different or new that may explain it. I racked my brain and came up with nothing. But then it popped in.
I said that I have been walking a lot with the Great Brandino.
Well, they said, what is a lot?
I said probably 30-50 miles a week.
And they said: Wow, that’s a lot. How much did you walk before the surgery?
My reply: Zero miles in the last 54 years. I never walk.
And then they called me an asshole. Deservedly.
I went from Zero to 100 MPH with the walking.
I said it’s just walking though? Right?
I was advised to cut it back and see what happened, so I did. Mainly because it’s been raining and Brandy simply will not leave the house in the rain. But, guess what? My knees hurt much less, almost not at all.
So, apparently going Zero to 100 MPH was a bad idea.
Let’s apply this to training.
You wouldn’t go in the gym and start your squats at 600 pounds with no warm up, right?
You wouldn’t start a track session with 50 yard sprints with no prep I hope.
So, why did I decide to add so many miles in right out of the gate?
Well, as I said, I’m an asshole. It’s just walking.
Wrong.
It’s a new “thing” your body isn’t used to, you have to let it adapt. This goes for any activity you add in.
A while ago, I was talking to Kevin, one of my training partners, about this exact subject, except not as it applies to us. We talked about how we see people come back after a layoff and ease into strength, but jump back into conditioning at Zero to 100 MPH like they never left off. And it never works out well.
I did this exact thing with walking, even though walking is not conditioning, it still is movement and needs to be added in at a pace that does no harm.
So, wrapping up, what’s the point?
Not sure if I have one other than, going Zero to 100 MPH in almost anything is not usually the best idea. Put a little thought into what you are doing, and some planning. Make sure that whatever you do or add in is done in a way that does no harm, but does do some good. And build off that good each session.
Seems simple, yet it got past me.
Hopefully it doesn’t get past you.
Did you see my episode of Table Talk?
Watch it here
Did you miss last week’s log?
Read it here.
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Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
June 1, 2023
