It’s human nature to compare ourselves to others and use their achievements as markers for what we could do and should be able to do, particularly when it comes to fitness and performance.
Obviously, if you’re an athlete there are clear markers which operate on different levels.
Did you break the world/national/local record or did you not?
Did you win the race or did you come second?
Did you beat your best friend or did they get the better of you?
Did you beat your personal best or were you slower?
Whatever level you operate at, the results of a competition can give you direction as to where your strengths and weaknesses lie and what you need to focus on to improve the next time you compete.
Your numbers don’t lie and always tell a story in one way or another.
But what about those who want to be an All-Round Athlete?
Think Hyrox events, CrossFit and the numerous fitness competitions cropping up around the world which, if designed well, test a range of abilities from maximal strength to muscle endurance and aerobic capacity over a day or two.
First, you need to understand that most of us have dominant muscle-fibre types and genetics which means we will naturally excel in different areas of the ‘All Round’ game. Typically, this comes with a comparatively lower standard of relative performance in other areas.
For instance, someone with a large proportion of fast-twitch fibres if likely to be found at the top of the rankings for Olympic lifting or maximum deadlift events, but is likely to be found lower down in the 10km running rankings.
The same is true for someone with more slow-twitch fibres who can post a 1 hour 15-1 hour 30 half marathon, but will never have a really impressive bench press.
A such, we cant really create a clearly defined set of targets that applies as the ideal level for everyone. It’s just not possible in the same way as we can have local, regional and national targets for the 800m for example.
We could add running and swimming targets, 100m sprints, cycling FTPs…the list could be as long as there are sports in the world!
What I have tried to do, is use lessons from my own training and events and watching other good All-Rounders to create a table of ‘Gym Fitness’ standards with Levels to aim for in the short, medium and long-terms.
With sustained training over a few years, you should be able to get close to Level 5 in all areas particularly if you have a good mix or fast and slow-twitch muscle fibres.
However, understand that some may stay permanently out of your grasp if you are heavily dominant in strength/power-based ability or heavily dominant in endurance ability.
You will also notice that someone who trains specifically for a particular event may surpass Level 5 by some way and see the target for their specialty as nothing spectacular.
They’re probably right but the point is that whilst achieving Level 4-5 in one area you are still able to achieve Level 4-5 in the other challenges which they are unlikely to do.
Of course, we could argue the finer points of each target but paralysis-by-analysis is usually what gets in the way in this age of unlimited opinions online!
Remember that the magic lies in your desire to keep improving, not reaching a particular number as some finish line.
The numbers are not an end game. If you can go beyond them without sacrificing any abilities to do so then fantastic!
They are a GPS rather than a destination.
Your aim is to reach Level 5 or as close as possible in all tests within around three months of each other. If you do this, you will be a very good All Round Athlete and perform well in competitions that test a range of abilities.
This requires a training methodology I refer to as Cyclic Prioritisation.
This methodology directs you to always train everything whilst prioritising one ability for a period of 4-12 weeks such as strength, power or endurance. over time you can elevate all areas of your abilities and never lose sight of any of them.
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