Are training and exercising the same thing?

Are training and exercising the same thing? Or should we be looking at them separately in order to achieve our optimum health and wellness?
 
The fitness industry describes our movement habits as ‘training’, yet health organisations such as the NHS use the term exercise. However, they’re both used to describe the same thing - energy output. When actually they mean different things.

The difference between them is their intensity and purpose. Training is not only goal orientated, but designed to elicit a high level of discomfort, stress and physical adaption which cannot (and should not) be repeated daily.
 
Exercise on the other, elicits a mild discomfort whilst creating minimal stress on your body and mind, something which you can (and should) replicate daily.
 
Obesity and body dysmorphia are rife in today’s society, leading to most over-training and under-exercising, and under-recovering in pursuit of a new health or body image.
 
Any form of movement creates stress, a minimal amount is necessary for growth and health, however when combined with our current daily stress levels, it’s easy to see where most are going wrong in search of optimal health.  
 
Do you really believe that training too hard and too often, which often leaves you too sore, too tired and extra hungry, is the best path to optimum health? We don’t need to train every day, but we must move as much as possible.

Intensity is the key and where most go wrong. Some will chase their health goals throughout the week looking to recover once the weekend arrive. Others chase their goals until their unable to anymore.
 
The goal is to increase your overall daily output, and both exercise and training can help you achieve it. A 30-minute run as fast as you can will elicit a different response to a 30-minute jog or walk, yet both will help you achieve your goal.
 
For some, a 30-minute walk might be as intense as you can handle right now, and that’s ok. Training and exercise are subjective and it’s the intensity which determines the title.
 
Training 2-3 times a week, whilst exercising every day is the best way to ensure a holistic and optimal approach to your health and wellness.  
 
I stretch, walk and add in some push-ups and core work daily, whilst simultaneously pushing my boundaries 2-3 times a week with a performance specific training programme.

Check out The Conditioning Playbook for 50 workouts to help you become leaner, fitter and stronger. 

I’d love to know what you think, please leave your comments below.
 
Speak soon, JC ​