We all remember the anti-drug commercial that said "This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs." Well there are a couple of comparisons I want to make with drugs and fitness training without cracking an egg.
Now let me first say that I do NOT have first hand experience with drugs but I am sure we have all heard how drugs work and their effects on the mind and body. Usually a person begins with a small amount but eventually require more and more to achieve the same effects. You never hear of someone doing the same amount of drugs day after day for 20 years. You always hear how one drug leads to many or to stronger types of drugs.
The same can be said about an effective fitness regimen. You can't expect to do the same type of training day in and day out and achieve the same effects. That means that you can't just walk for 30 minutes a day or do your 3 sets of 10 on the circuit machines at the local Globo gym and see drastic results. That may work for a short time but eventually you will need more. You have a couple of options. You can either change the intensity or the exercises or better yet, both. I have seen many people who attend the same boot camp classes who after years of training are still doing modified push-ups and using 10lb dumbbells for overhead presses. After several months or years of training, it is going to take more "drugs" than that to achieve a higher fitness level. You can't get or stay fit without getting stronger. Some may say that they don't necessarily want to get anymore fit than they are. That is fine but if you continue to do the same thing, your fitness level will not stay the same but actually drop. Remember, it takes more drugs to achieve the same high.
That is why we do the Crossfit prescription of "constantly varied, functional movements executed at high intensity." This keeps our bodies guessing while achieving high levels of fitness and also leading to the physiques we've always wanted. It is a fitness regimen that is evidence based in that we keep scores and results from each workout which allows us to track our results both on paper and in the mirror. Better yet, these workouts don't take long. We substitute intensity for time.
The other comparison with drugs and fitness is the chemical high you can get from both. I have to admit that I am a fitness addict. I rely on that endorphin high and confidence boost I get from training. If I go too many days between workouts, I get agitated and frustrated. My body seeks that release. The biggest difference is that drugs tear down your body while training builds and strengthens it. So don't expect to see me in rehab anytime soon because this is one habit I don't plan on kicking. What can I say. This is my brain on drugs. Any questions?
