Why Your Workout Needs a Purpose
Have you ever finished a workout sweaty, tired, and feeling like you worked really hard?
That can feel great. But here’s something I want you to think about:
What was the purpose of that workout?
Was the goal to build strength? Muscle? Power? Improve your conditioning? Work on movement quality? Or were you simply doing a collection of exercises?
There’s a difference between exercising and following a training program.
And as a trainer, this is something I think about every single time I create a workout for a client.
A Good Workout Isn’t Random
There are thousands of exercises I could give my clients. But choosing exercises is actually one of the last pieces of the puzzle.
First, I need to know what we’re trying to accomplish.
That determines things like:
• Which exercises I choose
• How many sets and reps we perform
• How heavy we go
• How long we rest
• The tempo of the movement
• The order of the exercises
• How often we train
• When we progress
• And sometimes, when we need to pull back
For example, a workout designed to build strength may look very different from one designed to improve muscular endurance or power.
The exercises may even look similar, but the way I program them can completely change the training stimulus.
That’s programming.
Something I've Been Doing for Years—Now It Has a Name
This is actually something I haven't shared before.
Over the years, I've developed a particular way of training my clients. It wasn't something I sat down one day and decided to create. It developed naturally through years of coaching real people with different bodies, abilities, goals, limitations, schedules and training histories.
If you've trained with me for any length of time, you've already experienced this approach.
You just haven't heard me call it anything before.
Recently, I've been taking a closer look at the way I coach—organizing it, defining the different training phases, documenting why and when I use them, and putting structure around something I've been doing for years.
And I've finally given it a name:
The MFI System.
The MFI System isn't a new workout program that I'm suddenly introducing to my clients. It's the framework behind the way I've already been coaching them.
I'm simply becoming more intentional about defining it.
And I'm still developing it.
As I continue to coach, learn and gain experience, I expect the system to continue evolving too.
How the MFI System Works
Within the MFI System, I use different training phases depending on what a client needs.
Those phases can include:
Foundational Training
Movement Strength
Hypertrophy
Strength + Hypertrophy
Functional Training
Power
Recovery
But not everyone starts in the same place.
And not everyone moves through those phases in exactly the same way.
A beginner returning to exercise after several years does not need the same program as someone who has been strength training consistently.
A 70-year-old who wants to remain strong, independent and confident in daily life may have different programming needs than a 45-year-old who wants to build muscle.
Someone dealing with joint limitations may need a different exercise selection than someone who can squat, jump and move without restrictions.
The goal determines the program.
And the person determines how I apply it.
Training Should Change as You Change
This is also why I don’t believe you should do the exact same workout indefinitely.
Your body adapts.
As you become stronger, improve your movement, build endurance or gain confidence, your training should evolve with you.
Sometimes that means increasing the weight.
Sometimes it means changing the rep range.
Sometimes it means introducing unilateral work, power, more complex movement or a different training stimulus.
And sometimes good programming means recognizing that your body needs recovery.
More isn’t always better.
But there should be intent behind what comes next.
That’s the difference between simply working out and actually training.
You Don't Need to Know All of This
If you're reading this thinking, “How am I supposed to know which phase I should be in?” — you don't necessarily need to.
That's part of coaching.
My clients don't need to spend their time deciding which exercises to choose, how many reps to perform, when to increase their weight or what type of training they should be doing next.
That's my job.
Their job is to show up, communicate with me, work hard and allow me to coach them.
And now, for the first time, I'm putting a name to the system behind that process.
Because I want the people I coach to understand that there is a purpose behind what we're doing—not just today, but over time.
A great workout can make you tired.
A great training program should help you become stronger, more capable and better prepared for the life you want to live.
Ready for More Purposeful Training?
If you've been exercising consistently but you're not sure whether your workouts are actually moving you toward your goals, my 1:1 coaching may be the next step.
I build your training around you—your goals, your current ability, your training history, your lifestyle and where you are right now.
Whether we work together in person in Stamford or virtually, you'll have a training plan with a purpose and a coach guiding the process.
Interested in 1:1 coaching? Reach out to me and let's talk about what you're working toward.
Marisol
MFI Training
Comments