By Jonathan Davenport, CSCS, TSAC-F, CCC, CPT
Why you should never stop striving for athletic purpose! Start training with athletic purpose today.
The title of this article may be confusing to some, whom may not consider themselves athletes; however, let me give you perspective on why I so often use the term “athlete” for all of my clients. For starters, the definition of athlete goes deeper than just one who participates in organized sports, but also one who is proficient in exercise. We DO NOT stop being athletes or doing athletic activities just because we are no longer participating in organized sports! With that being said, when clients come to train with me, they are now athletes striving for complete proficiency in exercise. I categorize my athletes into 3 categories: aesthetics, longevity, and performance.
My aesthetics athletes are those who are seeking to change their body composition whether that is losing weight or building lean-muscle mass. The two should go hand-in-hand. These athletes are focused on reducing their body fat percentage, increasing their lean-muscle mass, and developing healthy eating habits. The aesthetics athlete category is not just for those who are overweight, but also for those who want to optimize their weight for their sport. Athletes in this category can benefit largely from personalized nutrition plans based on metabolic testing, custom training plans, and consistent accountability from a coach.
Learn More: What is Metabolic Testing?
My longevity athletes are those who want to extend their health-span, or the part of a person’s life during which they are in good health. These athletes may be aging, have a history of injuries, and/or in poor health. Longevity athletes will benefit from specialized training programs that are comprehensive (focus on strength and conditioning), but especially catered towards cardiovascular health and developing healthy eating habits. These athletes can benefit from the aforementioned in aesthetics and VO2Max Testing.
Learn More: What is VO2Max Testing?
My performance athletes are those who want to maximize their athletic potential and achieve sport-specific goals or fitness endeavors that need maximum performance. These athletes are focused on improving their strength, speed, power, and endurance to achieve their highest level of performance. These athletes will use all of the tools at their disposal to achieve maximal human performance.
In summary, I train all of my clients as athletes because we never lose the title of “athlete” just because we no longer are apart of organized sports. Being more athletic, or proficient in exercise, is the most valuable attribute one can have!