Beyond the Deadline: Why Training for Life Trumps Training for an Event

Are you constantly waiting for a wedding, a race, or a reunion to motivate your fitness? Stop training for a finish line and start training for a lifestyle.

On this episode of Strong Principles, Wendy, Rob, and Larry dive into the counterintuitive trap of using competition or aesthetic deadlines to kickstart your health journey. While a goal event can be fun, relying on it as your sole driver often results in burnout, injury, and a crash back to inconsistency when the deadline passes (we're looking at you, 75 Hard graduates!).

Discover how to switch your focus from an "all or nothing" mentality to a mindset of sustainable consistency. The team explores the power of making exercise part of your core identity, embracing small "un-sexy" wins, and prioritizing longevity over short-term performance peaks. Learn why high-level athleticism is often the opposite of long-term health and how you can build a healthy, non-negotiable routine that fuels your life, not just your next event.

[Wendy](00:00:00)Hi, everyone.(00:00:00)I'm Wendy Shafranski.(00:00:02)I'm Rob Dela Cruz.

[Larry](00:00:03)I'm Larry Medina.(00:00:04)We are strong principles.

[Wendy](00:00:06)Alright, guys.(00:00:07)The topic we're gonna dig in today is the need to have a deadline or an event to be consistent in training.(00:00:13)So I'll give it a little context.(00:00:15)A lot of times when people come through the doors because, you know, they wanna start exercising and we ask about what their goals are, a lot of times it's to fit into a wedding dress, to look good for a class reunion and that sort of thing.(00:00:29)Or they decided, you know, I I'm, I'd wanna do a Spartan race or even our members who kind of fall off a little bit in their consistency.

[Wendy](00:00:37)They'll, they'll say, Hey, can you plan some sort of a competition at the gym?(00:00:41)Cause I need something to train for.(00:00:43)And, you know, having a deadline to train for something is kind of counterintuitive to what should actually work, which is training for life.

[Rob](00:00:54)Yeah.(00:00:55)And I mean, we often see that a lot of times in competitive kind of gyms and CrossFit made it really competitive in the class situation now that everybody's, like, Scott some kind of competitive metric they follow.(00:01:04)And what it does, it it like, competition is good, but when it's the only thing that is driving you to exercise and take care of yourself, there's going to be ups and downs.(00:01:16)And eventually what happens is it's a low, it's an all or nothing mentality.(00:01:20)So once you're not going for something, then your drive and motivation comes down really quickly.

[Wendy](00:01:27)Right.(00:01:28)And a lot of times when they have that deadline, they're more likely to do something that's unsustainable.(00:01:33)All right.(00:01:33)I'm going to work out six days a week and I only need to do this for three months and that's my deadline.(00:01:38)So they do it and then they're burnt out and they end up, you know, just kinda going from all to nothing.

[Larry](00:01:45)Now do do you feel like when when people do that, when they go from, like, hey.(00:01:49)I gotta train for x, y, and z, do you feel that's where people may be more injury prone?

[Wendy](00:01:57)I I I can't say that that, but maybe overuse injuries.(00:02:01)Like, they're they're adding stuff.(00:02:02)They're doing too much.(00:02:03)They're running every day.(00:02:04)Then they're lifting their you know, they're burning themselves out for sure.

[Wendy](00:02:07)So, yeah, that could, in essence lead to injury.

[Rob](00:02:09)Yeah.(00:02:10)And it does.(00:02:11)So certainly just like what Wendy said, the main thing that I see, what it really leads to is it leads to an unsustainable approach and it puts you at a position like a pinnacle position as far as like, it's an aesthetic show.(00:02:25)You look like you're not gonna look normally or it's a more performance based competition.(00:02:31)You're not gonna be able to stem maintain that performance all the time.

[Rob](00:02:35)So then there's eventually a backwards, and then that's where we see, like, be detrimental.(00:02:40)And it come like I said, competition is great, some of it.(00:02:43)But when it's based for, like, a lifestyle and health, it it becomes a problem a little bit because then you're always going back and forth to it.

[Wendy](00:02:50)Right.(00:02:50)And there's nothing wrong with doing Spartan races or DECA or Pyrox or any of that.(00:02:54)But when that becomes your driver and not saying, like, I'm looking to feel better in my own skin or longevity or these other more important factors, then, you know, once that event is over, then you kinda come crashing down.

[Larry](00:03:08)So it seems like it's a mindset.

[Wendy](00:03:11)Yes.(00:03:11)Yeah.(00:03:11)And I yes.(00:03:13)Absolutely.(00:03:13)And mindset is everything in the gym.

[Wendy](00:03:16)You know, if you're if you're someone that compares yourself to others or have negative self talk, it's it's hard to succeed.(00:03:22)But the mindset that could work better here could be, you know, I I read an article.(00:03:27)If you tie in exercise to your identity and it becomes part of who you are, you're more likely to do it.(00:03:35)Like, yeah, I'm somebody who exercises five days a week, so I'm gonna get up every morning and do it.(00:03:38)And it's not like the struggle.

[Rob](00:03:40)It's having a healthy relationship and like a little bit of competition is great.(00:03:45)Motivating, could be driving something to shoot for once in a while.(00:03:48)But, like, when that's the only motivating thing, then you're gonna run into a problem, especially, like, the longevity and taking care of yourself, the health, the, like, the lifespan.

[Larry](00:03:57)So it reminds me a lot of the, Jocko book, book by Jocko.(00:04:01)It's called Discipline Equals Freedom.(00:04:03)Mhmm.(00:04:04)Where basically, he talks about, like, if you're disciplined in life.(00:04:08)Right?

[Larry](00:04:08)Kinda like the the whole mentality of coming to the gym every day, five day five days a week identifying as x, y, and z.(00:04:15)Right?(00:04:15)Like, I'm I'm a gym person, whatever.(00:04:19)It it basically, like, it gives you freedom of, like, I know what I'm doing every day.

[Wendy](00:04:24)Right.(00:04:24)Right.

[Larry](00:04:24)Yeah.(00:04:25)You have more of a different

[Wendy](00:04:26)it's not based on an emotion, which motivation's an emotion.(00:04:30)It's based on this is what I do.(00:04:32)This is part of my life, and it's a nonnegotiable.

[Rob](00:04:35)Yeah.(00:04:35)And the thing you gotta be careful with too is, like, I've dealt with it a lot with the performance athletes, and and people run into that with the, like, aesthetic athletes and stuff too.(00:04:42)It's, it's not it's kinda like self defeating.(00:04:46)It's like it has been.(00:04:48)Like, I was one time able to do this when I wanted this competition, but I'm I'm not there right now, or I'll never get back there.

[Rob](00:04:55)Or, you know, so you're kinda like defeating yourself when it comes to that.(00:04:59)And so that over a long period of time, eventually, like, starts to get them to, like, not go to the gym, be as motivated to take care of their self.

[Wendy](00:05:08)Right.(00:05:08)And I'll let me when people start training, they have newbie gains left and right.(00:05:12)You know, it's very rewarding because every week you're getting stronger, but eventually that plateaus or you get older and that plateaus.(00:05:18)I mean, I'm not nearly as strong as I was when I ten years ago, but I just say, alright.(00:05:24)I I hit a menopause PR.

[Wendy](00:05:25)You know?

[Larry](00:05:27)Now is that because we're just getting older?

[Wendy](00:05:29)Is that Absolutely.(00:05:31)I mean, I I'm not training as hard as when I used to compete in in things.(00:05:35)And I had a coach, and I was leaner.(00:05:39)I was stronger, but I hurt all the time, you know?(00:05:44)So there's a trade off.

[Rob](00:05:45)So the, the thing Larry is to, yeah.(00:05:47)So there's a trade off and like performance driven sports and everything else.(00:05:52)We we've got to remember that's not like exactly like health, like wellness, especially like the longevity that people are looking at now.(00:05:59)And there's a cost.(00:06:01)And so there's a benefit to all exercise, strength and conditioning.

[Rob](00:06:05)And then eventually, if there's too much done, it becomes a cost.

[Larry](00:06:10)That could be such a mind, you know?

[Wendy](00:06:13)Yeah.(00:06:14)Because who's who's the Navy Seal, Goggins?(00:06:16)People put him on a pedestal because he's I mean, there's no doubt he has a strong mindset, but he's so extreme and people love it and to see what he's put his body through.(00:06:26)But he has failed marriages.(00:06:28)He has failed health.

[Wendy](00:06:29)I mean, there's you know, people love, like, the 75 hard thing, but, again, there's a deadline there.(00:06:34)So they're doing something unsustainable going, just get me through this for seventy five days, and I'm gonna change my life.(00:06:39)And then they go off the rails afterwards.

[Larry](00:06:41)So I know people that did the 75 hard.

[Wendy](00:06:43)Mhmm.

[Larry](00:06:43)And yeah.(00:06:44)They they did well.(00:06:46)Right?(00:06:46)They they did everything by prescription.(00:06:48)Seventy five days ended and wait went right back up and passed where they started.

[Rob](00:06:54)Yeah.(00:06:54)And some people, like, can take some of these challenges and they go and they go into it and they can take it.(00:07:00)Some people, it as soon as they're done because it was so hard to them or they needed they need a break.(00:07:06)And you like, you don't wanna take a break.(00:07:10)And also when when you go through and you do something I'm not so we're not saying don't have goals, but you gotta remember when you reach a goal or you do an event, there's gonna be a low a little bit after it.

[Rob](00:07:21)No matter what.(00:07:22)Yeah.(00:07:22)It just says.

[Wendy](00:07:23)And that's like a sexier goal.(00:07:24)You know, I did this amazing event where I suffered for six hours.(00:07:28)Great.(00:07:28)That's awesome.(00:07:29)Like, no, good for you.

[Wendy](00:07:31)But they don't look at the little things as goals.(00:07:33)Like, Hey, I can squat below parallel now, or my shoulder doesn't hurt.(00:07:37)Or w you know, I'm as strong as on my left side as I was, I am on my right side, you know, all these like little things that are very impressive to us.(00:07:45)They're not these, you know, sexy things to brag about, but like we see them and we, we call them out to our members.(00:07:51)Like that's huge.

[Wendy](00:07:52)Like you could actually hang from a bar for a couple seconds and couldn't do that before.(00:07:56)I mean, that's huge, but people like these big, you know, showy things and it's an accomplishment for people and I don't want to take that away from them, but again, you know, look at it as a journey and this is okay.(00:08:07)This is a little, this is a goal I have in my, in my long time journey of health.

[Rob](00:08:12)Yeah.(00:08:12)And I believe, like, we, we actually spoke on some of this before, like some of the professional athletes, some of the high level CrossFit athletes that like we've worked with in the past and everything, when they're done with the sport, they cannot find a motivation to work out, to change that mindset to like, it's like self love and like, like for their self, they they they'd lose the drive.

[Larry](00:08:34)Yeah.(00:08:34)I I'd like to me, like the way I look at, you know, the gym, the the the way you guys do things here.(00:08:39)Right?(00:08:40)Because, like, it should be told, like, I I try to work out in my in my own gym by myself.(00:08:45)And that's very different.

[Larry](00:08:47)Right?(00:08:47)Versus here, you have a community, you know, and and, like, me personally, like, I do think of this community that you have here.(00:08:56)It's almost like like it's almost like it is self care.(00:08:59)Is it it is self love.(00:09:01)You know?

[Larry](00:09:01)Because, like, you do have to work on yourself.(00:09:04)And one way by doing it is by coming to a gym, being around some people that are here doing the same thing as you are, and it's not a competition.(00:09:13)No.(00:09:13)The only competition is against yourself.(00:09:15)Yeah.

[Larry](00:09:16)That's it.

[Rob](00:09:16)Yep.(00:09:17)Yeah.(00:09:17)And, like, a little bit of competition is not a big deal, but it's, like, your main focus is taking care of yourself.(00:09:23)And and, like, we do there's a couple of ways we do that.(00:09:26)One, we deemphasize, like, the workouts that are, like, competition driven.

[Rob](00:09:30)Like, we're all here to support someone if they wanna do a competition, but we don't push it all the time Right.

[Larry](00:09:37)At

[Wendy](00:09:37)all.(00:09:38)And and so I've done GoRuck events before where you're up for, you know, twelve hours in with a special forces guy, and they just basically do whatever they tell you to do.(00:09:47)And every once in a while, I get a little bug, like, maybe I should do another one of those because it is so rewarding to go through something like that.(00:09:54)But my my training isn't gonna really change that much.(00:09:58)Yeah.

[Wendy](00:09:58)I might go rucking more or something like that, but I'm still going to keep the same schedule afterwards.(00:10:03)I'm going to maybe, you know, take a couple of days and chill, but then get right back on it.(00:10:07)You know, it's just, again, it's a little blip and it's something that you can be proud of, but it's not your reason for coming to the gym.

[Rob](00:10:13)Yeah.(00:10:13)And, like, don't get me wrong.(00:10:15)We have some people that they do a lot of competitions, but they also take care of their self and come in no matter what.(00:10:20)And so that person has, like, a a good relationship with competition.(00:10:24)But for some people, they they might think it's motivating and they have a good relationship with competition, but then they have a low after, and then they have a lot of inconsistencies.

[Rob](00:10:33)So do I would say that's not a good relationship with competition.(00:10:36)You need to be careful, like, what you're choosing to do.

[Wendy](00:10:39)And really in all of these competitions they wanna do, they're not elite level.(00:10:44)They just wanna do it for completion, which is great.(00:10:47)You know, like, this is something hard that most people in this world couldn't do.(00:10:50)So awesome.(00:10:52)But you would think they were, like, training for the Olympics or something, you know, the way they're they're so serious about it and then, again, fall off.

[Wendy](00:10:59)But to Rob's point, yeah, we know some games athletes, CrossFit Games athletes that now that they're not training for the games, they find it hard to even train.(00:11:07)And then when they do train, it has to be for time or it has to you know, it's like that that stimulus and that whatever it does to their their mental state.

[Larry](00:11:17)Dopamine.(00:11:18)Yeah.(00:11:18)Mhmm.(00:11:19)That's really what it is.(00:11:19)Right?

[Larry](00:11:20)It's it's Well,

[Rob](00:11:20)it's a sport too.(00:11:21)I I mean, I see that with NFL players.(00:11:23)And, like, some of the people, like, I've worked with in the past, once they're done, it's like, they only worked out with this to play this game.(00:11:29)So now, like, they're working out to take care of themselves.(00:11:31)They understand it, but they just can't get behind it very often.

[Rob](00:11:34)They're very inconsistent.

[Wendy](00:11:36)Yeah.(00:11:37)If if you were ever a competitive athlete, you have this mentality of sport is life, and that's your your identity is wrapped around that.(00:11:43)So when that's when that ends and it ends for everyone, there's a a a big identity crisis a lot of times.(00:11:51)So, you know, a lot of these people, they they'll wrap up their identity in this event they're gonna do, but why don't you just wrap yourself on a yeah.(00:12:00)Identity of, like, hey.

[Wendy](00:12:01)I'm somebody who's strength training three days a week.(00:12:02)Hey.(00:12:02)I'm somebody who no matter what, I'm gonna be in the gym four days a week or, you know, whatever.(00:12:06)So it's a lot more sustainable, but it's, yeah, it's not as flashy.

[Rob](00:12:11)Hey.(00:12:11)Because, like, there's a big difference between this is where people get it.(00:12:15)You can become fit, and you there is an element of getting healthy with competition.(00:12:22)But the things that work really well for competition or or sports don't work really well for, like, taking care of yourself for health for long period of time.

[Wendy](00:12:34)Well, most yeah.(00:12:35)Most high level athletes are actually not the picture of health.(00:12:37)No.

[Larry](00:12:38)Yeah.(00:12:39)Because you see Michael Jordan's knees are gacked up.(00:12:41)Right?

[Rob](00:12:41)Yeah.(00:12:42)I mean, it's an extreme compared to something that's more of a sustainable approach.(00:12:46)And and so, like, people get that, like, kind of confused really bad.

[Wendy](00:12:50)Yeah.(00:12:51)And even back to your bodybuilder and figure show thing, I mean, that's a science experiment.(00:12:55)You're not healthy at all.(00:12:57)You know, you're just not.

[Rob](00:12:58)And you're never gonna look like that normally.(00:13:00)So then that one time you did it, usually, like, you blow up after it.

[Wendy](00:13:03)You gained 20 pounds in a week, and then you're like, what the hell?(00:13:06)Why can't I look like that all the time?(00:13:08)And it takes it's your your self esteem takes a

[Rob](00:13:11)hit.

[Larry](00:13:11)Yeah.(00:13:11)And plus, like, your cheat days for those is just insane.(00:13:15)Yeah.(00:13:15)Right?(00:13:15)It's gotta be insane because, like, you're you're so strict for such a long time, though, so then you're like, I'm gonna pound this pound of pasta.

[Larry](00:13:22)Yeah.(00:13:22)No problem.(00:13:23)You know?(00:13:23)A whole pizza?

[Rob](00:13:24)Fine.(00:13:25)And both of the performance and the aesthetic driven competitions can give you some form of, like, either body dysmorphia or, like, performance, I would say dysmorphia of trying to be up here really high or I only looked a certain way, and now I don't like the way I look.(00:13:41)So both of those can cause an issue.

[Wendy](00:13:44)Yeah.(00:13:44)And it all boils down to me what we always talk about is sustainability.(00:13:47)Like, what what what can you commit to given your schedule, your life long term?

[Larry](00:13:52)So how do you convince somebody that's, like, competitive driven?(00:13:55)Like, it's and convince isn't really, like, a good word because, like, it's still up to the to the person.(00:14:01)Right?(00:14:01)Like, it should be up to the person to come, you know, come to terms of, like, okay.(00:14:06)Well, while yeah.

[Larry](00:14:09)I may I may not be competitive anymore.(00:14:11)How do I maintain being healthy?(00:14:14)Right.

[Rob](00:14:14)Yeah.(00:14:14)It's their why.(00:14:15)So when they come to us with that, like, listen, I just wanna be able to still, like, be happy with my performance, but I wanna be healthy.(00:14:22)I don't wanna hurt.(00:14:24)You know, and so, like, then you could kinda mold your conversation to that.

[Rob](00:14:30)But what happens is they'll say that, and then they're doing things that don't match that goal.(00:14:35)And so then that's when you, as a coach, have to, like, figure out how to kinda massage that and, like, gently come in and be like, hey.(00:14:42)What you're doing here is actually detrimental for what you're saying you wanna do.(00:14:47)I mean, this is fine.(00:14:48)I mean, that's fine here, but this has gotta go against the goals that you're that you're asking for or you were talking about you want it.

[Wendy](00:14:54)Yeah.(00:14:54)And the conversation of like a member coming to me and saying, Hey, can you put together the dry try this like this triathlon we used to do here?(00:15:01)Because I really need something to train for.(00:15:03)Then you can just kind of get into a conversation of like, you know, why they need they think they need something to train for, to be consistent and listen, you know, you have three kids and you're approaching your your fifties.(00:15:13)This is, you know, this is where you're laying that groundwork to be very viable and vibrant as you get older.

[Wendy](00:15:19)And it's hard to wrap your head around that when you're younger, but, you know

[Larry](00:15:23)Yeah.(00:15:23)That's the thing is that, like, life gets in the way.(00:15:26)You know?(00:15:27)Life gets in the way no matter where you're at.(00:15:29)And, like, if if you have a full time job and your full time job is not athletics, it gets hard to stay here because, like, it just takes time.

[Larry](00:15:40)You know, you will have a failed marriage.(00:15:43)Right?(00:15:43)You will well, maybe not.(00:15:45)Right?(00:15:45)Maybe you have somebody who's very understanding or whatever the case may be, but it's it's just it's hard.

[Larry](00:15:50)Right.(00:15:50)It's harder.

[Rob](00:15:51)Yeah.(00:15:51)So to maintain any kind of high level of anything of, like, athletics or aesthetics, there becomes, like, an element of being selfish.(00:15:59)Oh, yeah.(00:16:00)There's no way around it.(00:16:01)You're training with your eating and everything.

[Wendy](00:16:02)But, yeah, I mean, I guess the point in this whole thing is you don't there's nothing wrong with doing events, wanting to look good for a wedding or a reunion, but don't tie this deadline to, like, your process.(00:16:18)Look at long term, you know, sustainability and what you need to do to, you know, become active for the rest of your life.

[Rob](00:16:25)Yeah.(00:16:25)It's just having a health healthy relationship with it.

[Larry](00:16:28)Yeah.(00:16:28)That makes sense.(00:16:29)If I could give, some advice to the younger generation.(00:16:33)Right?(00:16:33)Our generation had three places that you could always be, whether it be school or work, your home, and probably the mall.

[Larry](00:16:40)Right?

[Rob](00:16:40)Yep.

[Larry](00:16:41)And the next generation that's coming up, they have school or work and home.

[Wendy](00:16:48)And the online world.(00:16:48)And the online world.

[Larry](00:16:49)And the online world.(00:16:49)And social media.(00:16:50)So they should make the gym the third.(00:16:52)Yeah.(00:16:52)Yeah.

[Larry](00:16:52)Make that happen.(00:16:53)Yeah.

[Wendy](00:16:53)It's that notion of a third third place.(00:16:56)I think the Starbucks CEO came up with that because he wanted Starbucks to be people, you know, that you have your home, your a lot of people, their church, and their work.(00:17:04)But, you know, I think, yeah, connect with people, make that you know, look forward to going to the gym and look forward to getting stronger.(00:17:11)Look, there's there's tiny little successes and wins that build up to big ones later on, you know, I think a lot of people don't notice those little things, but they're they're worth noticing.

[Larry](00:17:22)100%.

[Wendy](00:17:23)Yeah.(00:17:24)Alright.(00:17:24)I think we said it all.

[Rob](00:17:26)We wrapped it up.

[Larry](00:17:27)Thanks, everybody.(00:17:28)Have a great day.(00:17:29)Strong principles.