Making The Right Training Decisions

by Michael Sahno, MS APK, TSAC-F

Decision Making is an important part of a training plan. From the obvious decisions we make, such as choosing which exercise to include in a daily workout, all the way down to the unconscious changes and adjustments that our bodies make to alter a movement when we encounter pain. Some of these choices are simple and don’t require any real thought and will most likely not result in a negative impact on our fitness goals or our overall health.

What will have a real impact though are decisions that overlook guidelines for safety and health that have been put in place by experienced professionals and organizations. Making training decisions that disregard these guidelines can put the individual at risk of injury, and at times, depending on the intensity of the evolution, even at risk for death.

While we are of course talking about the extreme end of the spectrum there are reports of individuals who have made, what I would call, “poor training decisions”. Training in a pool without supervision, working at heights without the proper tie-off, even training in high heat or altitude without the proper hydration or nutrition can have catastrophic consequences. Consequences that could result in an unfortunate ending to what the individual thought was “just another training day”.

We all want training results that meet or even surpass our expectations. But we cannot ignore the guidelines for health and safety that have been put into place by organizations like the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the International Society of Sports Nutrition, and the American College of Sports Medicine, just to name a few. There are even fitness guidelines for safety published by all of the US military’s service branches regarding required rest intervals and individual hydration plans.

All of these groups developed them for a reason. To help ensure that the day after your workout, you’ll be able to get back out on or back into the field. Please, push yourself, but do it responsibly. Remember, always train smart and always train safe.