Strength vs Conditioning vs Energy Systems Training?

Hey team,

This was a blurry topic when I first got started, so I wanted to shed some light on the topic of Strength vs Conditioning and how much/often you should do each (Sample Workouts to Follow):

The fitness industry is like a revolving door.

One month there is a trend towards strictly running for cardio, other moments are all about nutrition and the latest diet trends, and then of course, the latest 'fitness studio/class' (Orange Theory, Pilates, CrossFit, etc.. you can fill in the rest).

And instead of hopping on each of these bandwagons and being ALL IN until you fall off track, get busy, or get hurt, why not see them for what they are? Trends. And trends often come and go over time. Some have long-term momentum, while others come on the scene hot out of the gates, only to crash and burn after a few years.

Listen, I am ALL FOR attending workout classes to socialize and have fun with friends, and training for specific events (like a marathon, hyrox, etc). But when it comes to your longevity, how will you balance these aspects of your training with doing the things your body truly needs to function optimally long-term?

And just so I am clear, this post isn't to 💩 on any particular fitness modality.. if something gets you moving, DO IT! But do so knowing that you are likely leaving elements of your performance on the table because you are neglecting other aspects that are vital to optimizing the human condition.

With all that said, what's my approach? I view things in terms of the human ENERGY SYSTEMS.

What are they?

(1) Phosphagen System (Anaerobic Metabolism - think sprints & low rep strength/power training)

(2) Glycolytic System (Anaerobic/Aerobic Metabolism - think circuit-style strength/conditioning training)

(3) Oxidative System (Aerobic Metabolism - think low-intensity steady state activity, like running a marathon or going for a walk)

Each of the above can be trained every week with the right program structure to give you a combination of each energy system for overall optimization. As many of you have probably seen with my FLOLYFE programs (both my subscription and 1:1 programs), I utilize a variety of different training splits to promote training each of the energy systems every week.

I have been doing this for the better part of 4 years now and have never felt better.

So, regardless of your goals for your health and fitness, I encourage you to do your best to have elements of each of the following in your program every week (you might be shocked by how much better you feel):

Strength Training: to me, this is a no brainer. No matter if you are training for an ultra-ironman or the olympic sprint team, strength has been shown to have benefits for power, athleticism, strength, and boosting performance in sport and everyday life. 2x days per week is a bare minimum here.

2. Aerobic AND Metabolic Conditioning: This is probably where the biggest debate currently is inside the fitness industry. When you are considering our goal of optimizing the human condition, should you be doing long-duration steady state cardio, or a bunch of high intensity interval training (HIIT)? To me, it isn't a question of which is better, but which is more optimal for you. Each of us has different levels of training and lifestyle demands. Some of us have several hours a day to do cardio, while others only have 30 minutes where we need to squeeze as much out of that time as possible. So when you look at your own personal training program, I would recommend starting with asking the question "how much time do I have to dedicate to this each week?" and also "is this going to help serve me in my day to day lifestyle?"

I am not training for anything specific right now. Just to be a fit, healthy, and happy husband and father. So my current training routine (the one I post on The Daily FLO) has elements of BOTH aerobic and metabolic conditioning, each channeling different energy systems.

I could drag this post on and on about the nitty gritty scientific aspects of human physiology, but I won't bore you. Let me show you how the above might pan out when you are putting together workouts for yourself:

Full Body Push Strength (Workout #1):

4x rounds OR a 20 minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)

12x Goblet Squats

12x Push Ups

6R/6L Split Squats

6R/6L Half Kneeling SA Press

6x Burpees

Full Body Pull Strength (Workout #2):

4x rounds OR a 20 minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)

12x KB/DB Swings

12x DB Hammer Curls or Crush Curls

6R/6L SL RDLs

12x 3-Point Rows

6x Medball Slams

Aerobic Conditioning (Workout #3)

30 minutes

Alternate Run 2:00 minutes / Bike or Jump rope 2:00 minutes

Metabolic Conditioning (Workout #4)

8x 50m sprints with 0:60 second walking recovery between each rep

Now you have all this in the knowledge bank, I would love to hear your thoughts AND questions on this. Be sure to drop me some comments to let me know 👊

1:1 Coaching Application

My Training App (My Personal Program)

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