Strength Without Conditioning is Lame
Many moons ago, physicist Albert Einstein opined that ‘science without religion is lame, and religion without science is blind’.
In other words, to have a true understanding of the world — indeed, the *universe* — and all its glory, both science and religion provide complementary perspectives that help you get a fuller picture.
And so it is with your training.
While people might have a religious-like devotion to ‘strength only’ or ‘conditioning only’, the truth is that one without the other will hamstring you big time.
Case in point:
If you are strong but your conditioning sucks, it will eventually negatively impact your training, since your recovery capacity — both between sets AND between training sessions — is dependent largely on the development of what is known as your aerobic energy system (i.e. your conditioning). Good conditioning => good recovery => greater ability to train hard and often.
On the other hand, if your conditioning is great but you’re weak as a kitten, your conditioning will be useless, since the moment you need to do an exertion that is greater than slapping the pavement with your overpriced sneakers, you’ll fold like a cheap suit.
Example:
When I lived in Israel, I was friends with a guy who was serving in the military. As you know, military guys and gals in *any* country spend loads of time on conditioning: running, rucking, etc.
Well, this chap needed help moving a washing machine a block or two so he called upon Yours Jewly to step up to the plate. And even though we didn’t have to carry it far, he struggled mightily and needed several breaks just to make the short trek, while I was no worse for the wear.
Ye olde moral of the story?
You don’t need to take on the training schedule of a full-time athlete to gain both strength and conditioning.
In fact, if you know how to do it right, you can build what Pavel calls “incidental conditioning” in the way you train your favorite strength movements.
My favorite way to do it?
Various gait pattern movements.
If you’ve got at least a kettlebell or two and 9 minutes to spare, my 9 Minute Kettlebell & Bodyweight Challenge will show you how to take loaded carries and some of my other favorite full-body, no BS “non-exercises”, like crawling, and ratchet up your strength, boost your physical vitality, ramp up your resilience, and unlock your natural human movability — quickly, easily, and effectively.
Best of all: you don’t have to put your current workouts to the side; you just tack the 9 Minute Challenge on to the beginning or end of your training and BAM — you’ll be unlocking new and exciting levels of strength you never even knew you had in you in no time flat.
Check it out here => www.alekssalkin.com
Have fun and happy training!
Aleks Salkin
Aleks “The Hebrew Hammer” Salkin is a level 2 StrongFirst certified kettlebell instructor (SFG II) and an Original Strength Instructor.
He grew up scrawny, unathletic, weak, and goofy until he was exposed to kettlebells and the teaching and methodology of Pavel in his early 20s, and took his training and movement skills to the next level upon discovering Original Strength in his mid-20s.
He is currently based out of Omaha, Nebraska where he spends his time teaching students online and in person, as well as spreading the word of strength, movement, and healthy living.
He is the author of the popular free ebook The 9-Minute Kettlebell and Bodyweight Challenge as well as numerous articles scattered around the farthest-flung reaches of the web.
Find him online at www.alekssalkin.com
