Athletic training can help someone achieve a higher level of physical fitness than just regular exercise. It can also create stability within a person’s core emotional health. Many people look to athletic training to keep building upon their fitness foundation that they’ve already established, but everyone can benefit from this practice. There are certain disadvantages that must also be considered, so here is a look at the pros and cons of athletic training.
What Are the Pros of Athletic Training?
1. It helps to ward off disease.
Regular exercise helps to build up a person’s immune system and strengthen it. This helps people be able to keep diseases away because their immune system can destroy the invaders before they cause a problem. Even if just two sessions of athletic training per week are added to someone’s sedentary lifestyle, it can be enough to promote greater life longevity and reduce the risks of getting sick.
2. It can help with the physical symptoms of certain disorders.
People who struggle with anxiety and depression may not want to start athletic training, but doing so could be to their advantage. Not only can the exercise from the training help to relieve anxiety, but they can even lessen the symptoms of depression. That’s because as a person goes through the athletic training routine, endorphins are released that tell the body that it is feeling good. This helps people to achieve an overall better mood.
3. Anyone can begin at any time.
Thanks to apps, YouTube videos, and how-to guides on the internet, anyone can begin athletic training at any time. The key to being successful with this type of lifestyle change is to create a schedule of needed workouts and then keep to it. The schedule should be progressive in nature and encourage harder work over time. As long as the right equipment is on-hand, the time to get started could be right now.
4. There’s an extra level of accountability involved.
People tend to work better when they are around others than when they are on their own. This is because there is an extra level of accountability present when there are other humans around. It might be fueled by a desire not to be embarrassed or it could be as simple as wanting to get more value of the price being paid for athletic training so sessions aren’t skipped. Either way, better results are typically achieved because trainers are present while working out.
5. There’s more motivation.
Everyone has a place and time during training where they’d rather be on their couch, watching their favorite movie, and enjoying a large tub of triple chocolate brownie fudge ice cream. Putting on the headphones and killing it for 60 minutes isn’t for everyone. When a trainer is encouraging someone to do one more rep or 1 more minute of training, it can build up energy levels that just can’t be found solo.
6. It’s fun.
Most athletic training adds in a level of variety that most people who work out on their own don’t achieve. It can be boring to jog the same 2 mile stretch of road every day. Who wants to keep putting down 3 miles on an elliptical with the same playlist or show on the TV? Athletic training uses different tools, environments, and equipment to create results. The variety can be exciting and have people looking forward to their next workout session.
What Are the Cons of Athletic Training?
1. It can be an expensive venture.
It doesn’t cost anything to go out for a jog down the street. To begin athletic training, a person may need to join a gym or fitness facility and pay the trainer who will guide them on this journey. The costs of each session are comparable to what a family of four would pay for a dinner out on the town. Not everyone can afford their services, which means the exercises they take on themselves to do on their own may not be the most beneficial.
2. It can be inconvenient.
Let’s just be honest. It may take up to 60 minutes for a complete athletic training session. Not everyone has that kind of time to commit to the exercising and fitness process. Even a 20 minute session may be difficult for some to have in their schedule. Between professional and family responsibilities, people are busier than ever before. That may means there just isn’t enough time to meet the goals that are needed or wanted for better health.
3. There’s always a chance of injury.
Whenever physical activities are being performed, there will always be a chance for an injury to happen. Although painful, most injuries won’t affect someone’s lifestyle, but there are always some that could. A devastating injury could potentially change life all because of a desire to train. It’s rare, but high profile stories like Sheryl Sandberg’s should be considered so that safety is always a top priority.
4. There can be an inconsistency in results.
Athletic training should be individually tailored to provide the best results, but far too often a group session type of atmosphere tends to be created instead. People are encouraged to do the same exercises and tasks that everyone else does and that may limit someone’s overall fitness over time. Look for athletic training that will address individual weaknesses for the best results. If you’ve got a bad knee, a program that recommends lots of leg squats might not be the best option.
5. There’s often less attention to form than one might think.
Athletic trainers are often running their own business. This invariably means that you don’t have 100% of their attention. A phone call from another client, a business issue that needs to be addressed, or other distractions make it so that the individual training has to pay more attention to their form than their trainer. Good training only comes through repetition and constructive criticism, so if that isn’t being received, look for somewhere else to workout.
6. It may result in over-training.
Athletic training can provide fitness results, but it may also come at a price. Many people tend to over-train because they don’t want to let themselves or anyone else down. Some people even hide injuries to continue participating and this can create the foundation for future harm without anyone ever realizing it. This may also mean enough recovery time is not allowed for maximum benefit.
The pros and cons of athletic training show that it is generally beneficial. As long as the disadvantages are considered and options are made available to meet individual needs, regular athletic training can help many people achieve their fitness goals quickly and effectively.