Why Working Harder Doesn't Always Produce Better Results

Hard work matters, but effort alone doesn't guarantee progress. You can train consistently, push yourself through difficult workouts, and still reach a point where your results slow down or stop. When that happens, simply working harder may not solve the issue. You may need a better answer.

Effort Is Only One Variable

Your results are influenced by much more than how hard you work. Your program may need adjustments to exercise selection, training volume, training intensity, frequency, nutrition, recovery, movement, conditioning, or progression.

If one or more of these isn't appropriate for your current needs, adding effort can simply mean doing more of something that isn't producing the desired result.

Imagine someone who wants to get stronger but has stopped progressing. Should they add more exercises? Maybe—but first, other possibilities should be considered.

Their training volume may already be excessive. Their exercise selection may need to change. Their recovery may be inadequate. Their nutrition may not support their training. Their program may simply have stopped providing an appropriate progression. Different problems require different solutions.

Stop Confusing Difficulty With Effectiveness

A workout can be extremely difficult and still be poorly suited to your goal. Sweat, soreness, exhaustion, and calories burned can tell you something about what happened during a workout. They don't automatically tell you whether the workout was effective.

A better question is: Did what I did today help move me toward what I want tomorrow?

Effective coaching isn't about making every workout as difficult as possible. It's about understanding where you are, determining what you need, applying an appropriate solution, and adjusting as you progress. Hard work still matters. It simply becomes more valuable when that effort has a purpose.

Effort Isn't the Problem. You May Need a Better Answer.

Plyometric Training: What It Is, Why It Works, and When to Use It

Plyometric training refers to a category of exercises designed to improve explosive power by training the body to produce force rapidly. This form of training is commonly used in sports that demand sprinting, jumping, striking, and rapid changes of direction, such as basketball, football, track and field, and combat sports. Rather than focusing on maximal strength or muscle size, plyometrics are intended to enhance how quickly force can be expressed.

What separates plyometric training from traditional strength training is speed. While strength training emphasizes controlled movement under load, plyometrics emphasize rapid force production and short ground-contact times. The goal is not simply to jump or move fast, but to improve the efficiency of the neuromuscular system so the body can transition from force absorption to force production with minimal delay.

At the core of plyometric training is the stretch–shortening cycle, a natural muscular process in which a muscle is rapidly lengthened and immediately followed by a powerful shortening action. During this sequence, elastic energy is stored in the muscle-tendon unit and released during the subsequent contraction, allowing for greater force output in less time. When paired with appropriate neural activation, this mechanism makes plyometric exercises particularly effective for developing athletic power.

Properly applied plyometric training has been shown to improve jump height, sprint speed, and overall power output across a wide range of athletic populations. Even relatively low volumes performed consistently over several weeks can lead to meaningful performance improvements when plyometrics are placed appropriately within a structured training plan. However, the effectiveness of plyometrics depends far more on timing and readiness than on exercise selection alone.

Because plyometric exercises place significant stress on the muscles, tendons, and joints, they are not suitable for every individual at every stage of training. Athletes must possess sufficient strength, coordination, and movement quality before higher-intensity plyometrics are introduced. Without these prerequisites, the same exercises that enhance performance in one athlete may increase injury risk in another.

Injury risk associated with plyometric training is most often the result of poor sequencing rather than the exercises themselves. When volume is excessive, progressions are rushed, or movements are performed on inappropriate surfaces, the body may not be able to tolerate the repeated impact forces involved. When plyometrics are introduced gradually, coached carefully, and aligned with an athlete’s current capabilities, they can be both safe and highly effective.

Ultimately, plyometric training is best viewed as a performance amplifier rather than a foundation. It does not replace strength development, movement competency, or sound training fundamentals. Instead, it enhances the expression of those qualities once they are in place. Used correctly, plyometrics allow athletes to move with greater speed, power, and efficiency. Used carelessly, they add stress without meaningful benefit.

The true value of plyometric training lies not in the exercises themselves, but in knowing when, why, and how to use them. When integrated into a well-designed performance program, plyometrics can play a critical role in unlocking athletic potential while supporting long-term durability.

Golf Conditioning Myths

Golf conditioning is here and now! Golf has always been viewed as a game of leisure. But today’s golfer is leaner, stronger, and fitter. Until the last 10 years, golfers didn’t know how to go about incorporating exercise or, specifically, a golf conditioning program.

They have had a vision of going into the local gym and being intimidated by the “muscle heads.” It can also be overwhelming to decide what plan of action to take and if it will be worth the time and effort. I have listed three myths about strength training for golf and the truths about them as well.

“I will bulk up too much and that will hinder my golf swing.”

Golf conditioning specific for golf will not result in muscle gain that will alter your swing mechanics. To increase muscle size, involves lifting increasingly heavier weights with lower repetitions, increasing your calorie intake dramatically, and spending a couple of hours per day lifting weights.

A golf conditioning program incorporates moderate weight, with medium (12-15) repetitions, and in a time frame of 30-45 minutes. This type of program is designed to improve your golf specific strength and endurance, not build muscle.

“I will lose flexibility if I lift weights.”

In fact, the opposite is true! Weak muscles are also tight muscles. When you do resistance training, you are increasing blood flow, working through a functional range of motion specific to golf, and strengthening the tendons and ligaments in every joint of your body. In conjunction with a stretching program, strength training will improve flexibility, not hinder it.

“Weight training will cause me to lose feel.”

By strengthening your muscles specific to golf, you will have better control of your body. A sport specific program trains your body specifically for your golf game. When you improve functional strength, you have more control and balance, which will improve your feel. Strength training involves body awareness, muscular control, and coordination. These are all key elements for enhanced golf.

So in summary, golf conditioning can be done when you are in your early teens (with supervision), or into your late 80’s. My point is, that it is never too late to start. Search out a fitness professional or golf conditioning specialist to design a golf specific program. In due time, you will play better than you ever imagined! Start now on your own personal golf conditioning program with Push and Pull Performance™.