Life is Training

By Adam Sinicki

If you're obsessive and hyperactive like me then you may find that just standing somewhere or sitting somewhere can be boring. Why be doing nothing when you could be training? Indeed why be doing just one thing when you could be doing that thing while training?
Whenever you do something that you find difficult you are training in a way. If we continue to practice this difficult task, then we will normally begin to find it easier. That's why we shouldn't shy away from things we find tricky and should in fact strive to make them more difficult. This can be applied to any situation, for example if you need to go somewhere you could take the easy route and drive, or you could take the hard route and jog - this way training your endurance. Personally I run everywhere, which is mostly because I'm mental. This even applies to social situations, for example, say you are invited to a party but won't know anyone you may choose not to go incase it's 'awkward'. However, by going you will force yourself to mingle with new people testing your abilities to interact and in a way training your social skills. So go, just take lots of beer. View everything in life as a chance to improve yourself and view problems and obstacles as challenges.
In the wild before gyms existed, we never used to have a set 'time' for working out and yet we will have been just as strong and fit as now if not more so. Back then life was training - chasing animals through the woods, building weapons, tearing the meat from the bone, pleasuring the wife... it was all go for cavemen so it's easy to imagine how they stayed trim and filled out those leopard skin tank tops.
It's likely that this is the way we are designed to train; rather than sit around all day long then blow all your energy in one hour. Fortunately that needn't be the case; the following are examples of what I call 'incidental training'. By that I mean you've turned a mundane task into a workout, or you've made something slightly more difficult to tax your brain. These are just a few examples; you should be able to think of more yourself:

* Calf Raises - while standing... anywhere
* Walking on Tip Toes - while going... anywhere
* Tensing - just flexing muscles is a workout for them
* Shrugs While Carrying Bags - turn those heavy Tescos bags in dumbbells on the way home
* Run places instead of walking
* Take the stairs instead of the lift
* Do not do sit ups while eating though. You will choke. Trust me.

So life is training. The question then, is what are we training for?