The Real Goals of Training
First place, last place, middle of the pack—does it matter? Not really. At least, not in training. The leaderboard can be a fun motivator, but if your eyes are only on where you rank, you’re missing the bigger picture.
You see, training isn’t about winning or losing; it’s about improvement, adaptation, and building the capacity to perform at your best every session. Below, we are going to delve into the real goals of training, so you can maximise every session moving forward.
Stick To The Stimulus.
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Every workout has a goal, or “stimulus.” Maybe it’s building strength, increasing endurance, refining a skill, or just getting your heart rate into a specific zone. Coaches design workouts to create a specific adaptation in your body, but that adaptation only happens if you approach the workout the way it’s intended.
For example, if the goal of a workout is to test your aerobic engine over 20 minutes, scaling the weight and movements to keep moving at a steady pace is essential. If instead you choose to grind through heavy lifts that force you to stop every 20 seconds, you’ve missed the stimulus entirely. Sure, you’ll finish the workout, but you won’t get the benefit it was designed to deliver.
Scaling: It’s Not Cheating, It’s Smart Training.
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Scaling is a tool, not a sign of weakness. It allows you to train with intent and stay true to the stimulus. Whether that means reducing/increasing the weight, modifying a movement, or adjusting reps, scaling ensures you’re working at the right intensity for you.
Think of it this way: if a workout calls for 21-15-9 thrusters and pull-ups in 7 minutes or less, and you’re still on round 1 at the 6-minute mark, you’ve missed the boat. Scaling might mean lowering the weight on the thrusters or swapping pull-ups for jumping pull-ups. You’d still get the same intended outcome—high-intensity effort that builds stamina and strength—without losing the essence of the workout as well as keeping you safer and in the gym for sessions to come.
Movement Standards Matter
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Another key part of sticking to the stimulus is maintaining movement standards. Cutting depth on a squat or shaving a rep here and there doesn’t just short-change your workout—it undermines the reason you’re training in the first place. Proper movement ensures you’re working the right muscles, keeping your joints healthy, and building a solid foundation for long-term performance.
When you skip these standards, you’re not fooling anyone—except yourself. You might finish faster, but you’ve robbed yourself of the opportunity to improve.
The Science: Adaptations Come From Effort, Not Ego
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Let’s get nerdy for a moment. The whole point of training is to create specific physiological adaptations: stronger muscles, better cardio endurance, improved neuromuscular efficiency, and so on. These adaptations only occur when you challenge your body appropriately.
Push too hard, and you’ll fatigue or break down before you can finish the workout properly. Take it too easy, and you won’t stimulate the changes you’re looking for. The sweet spot is working at the right intensity and volume for your current ability—and that’s exactly what the workout stimulus is designed to help you do.
The Takeaway: Play the Long Game
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Training isn’t about being the fastest or strongest today. It’s about becoming better over time. When you commit to the process—scaling when appropriate, sticking to movement standards, and honouring the stimulus—you set yourself up for real, lasting progress.
So, next time you’re tempted to chase a leaderboard position or skip a few reps to “win,” remember: first place means nothing if you didn’t stick to the plan. Honour the process, trust the stimulus, and play the long game. That’s how you truly and continually win.
