Internal and external load.
Training is, by definition, a voluntary stress that we impose on our body in order to achieve an adaptation afterward.
When talking about training, we cannot avoid discussing training load. But what exactly are we referring to?
The training load is simply the measure of the work we need to perform to induce the desired adaptations.
(For example, the sum of sets and repetitions done during a training session to increase muscle mass).
With that said, we can divide the training load into internal and external load.
The external load represents what we perform in terms of the amount of work (how many kilograms we lift in total, how many kilometers we run, etc.). It is an objective parameter and can be measured.
The internal load, on the other hand, represents the subjective response of the person performing the training. Given the same external load,
different individuals will have different physiological responses.
Training is individual do not copy others.
This is why we cannot have a beginner follow a bodybuilder’s training plan, nor can we take Hollywood stars’ workout routines and try to replicate them.
The internal load is a subjective parameter and cannot be quantified because it varies from person to person, and even from session to session for the same individual, depending on various physical and psychological factors.
How many times have you gone to the gym and found that you couldn’t lift a weight that’s usually easy for you, or that you ran less on the treadmill than usual?
This highlights the importance of giving our body the correct stimuli, remembering briefly that: “weak stimuli do not cause adaptations, moderate and intense stimuli provoke adaptation processes, and finally, stimuli at maximum intensity damage the body.”
Conclusion:
All of this leads to the concept of individualization: every training program must be tailored to the person who will be executing it.
Below are three practical tips to reflect on:
1. Do not imitate exercises from champions or famous people. That exercise might not be suitable for you.
2. The exercise doesn’t need to be “cool” or trendy; it should genuinely help you improve a specific area you want to work on.
3. Don’t rush to reach a goal. Proceed step by step, give your body time to adapt, and don’t underestimate the importance of your health.
It’s easy to get caught up in the rush to do more, but always remember that the goal is to be and not to appear.
If you’re in shape, feel good, and are relaxed, the people around you will benefit as well, and you won’t need six-pack abs to appear attractive to the world.
