Why Training Specific to Your Goals Matters More Than You Think

When it comes to fitness, one of the most important (and often overlooked) principles is specificity. Put simply: you get better at what you train. If you want to run faster, you need to run. If you want to get stronger, you need to lift.

That may sound obvious, but in today’s world of endless fitness options—HIIT, CrossFit, yoga, spin, Pilates, weight training—it’s easy to fall into the trap of doing everything and wondering why progress feels slow. Specificity helps you cut through that noise and align your workouts with your goals.

The Science of Specificity

The technical name for this concept is the SAID principle—Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands. In plain language: your body adapts to the type of stress you place on it.

Here’s what that looks like in action:

• Endurance training → Builds aerobic capacity, heart efficiency, and the ability to sustain long-duration activity.

• Strength training → Recruits fast-twitch muscle fibers, improves bone density, and strengthens neuromuscular connections.

• Skill practice → Builds motor patterns that are highly specific. Shooting free throws doesn’t make you better at soccer.

Your body doesn’t make “general” improvements—it gets better at the exact thing you practice.

Why General Workouts Don’t Always Transfer

A common misconception is that any exercise will make you better at everything. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.

• Running five miles a day will get you better at running, but it won’t do much for your upper-body strength.

• Lifting heavy weights will increase strength, but it won’t automatically improve cardiovascular endurance.

• Cycling might build leg endurance, but it won’t prepare you for the impact stress of running a 5K.

This is why marathoners run, powerlifters lift, and Olympic swimmers swim—they train in the exact way their sport or goal demands.

Everyday Applications of Specificity

You don’t have to be an elite athlete to use this principle. Specificity applies to everyone, whether you’re in your 20s training for a Spartan race or in your 70s wanting to stay strong for daily life.

Here are some practical examples:

• Goal: Run your first 5K
  → Train: Prioritize running, with shorter intervals and longer runs. Cycling and elliptical can supplement but shouldn’t replace running.

• Goal: Build upper-body strength
  → Train: Incorporate presses, rows, and pull-ups. Push-ups and dumbbell lifts target the exact muscles you want to strengthen.

• Goal: Age gracefully and stay independent
  → Train: Practice functional movements like squats (to get out of chairs), step-ups (to climb stairs), and carries (to handle groceries).

• Goal: Improve mental resilience
  → Train: Choose workouts that challenge you in the way you want to grow—pushing through a tough lift, finishing that last sprint, or even practicing balance drills for confidence.

Myth vs. Fact

Myth: Cross-training makes you equally good at everything.
Fact: Cross-training builds general fitness, but it won’t maximize performance in a specific area.

Myth: Strength training makes you automatically faster at endurance sports.
Fact: Strength training supports endurance (stronger muscles, fewer injuries), but without actual running or cycling, you won’t see the performance carryover.

Myth: Older adults should avoid heavy lifting.
Fact: Strength training is one of the best ways for older adults to protect bone health, prevent falls, and stay independent.

A Real-World Example

One of my 65-year-old clients came to me with the goal of staying active into retirement. She loved walking but was worried about losing strength as she aged. Instead of giving her a generic “fitness class” routine, we trained with specificity: resistance exercises to improve bone density, step-ups to mimic stairs, and carries to make lifting groceries easier.

Within six months, she noticed not just more energy, but more confidence in everyday movements. She wasn’t just “working out”—she was training for her actual life.

That’s specificity in action.

Can You Train for Multiple Goals?

This is a common question: “What if I want to be stronger AND improve my endurance?”

The good news: yes, you can train for more than one goal—but there are trade-offs. If you try to maximize everything at once, progress in each area will be slower.

A smarter approach is prioritization:

• Focus on your main goal (e.g., strength) 70–80% of the time.

• Use the remaining 20–30% for secondary goals (e.g., cardio).

• Rotate priorities through the year if needed (athletes call this “periodization”).

This way, you get the best of both worlds without burning out or hitting plateaus.

Why Specificity Matters for Motivation

Here’s the bonus: training with specificity doesn’t just make you better physically—it makes you better mentally. When your workouts match your goals, progress becomes more visible and rewarding.

Imagine you want to run your first mile without stopping. If you focus on running three times a week, every extra block you complete feels like a win. That kind of progress keeps you motivated far more than doing random workouts with no clear connection to your goal.

Key Takeaways

• Your body adapts specifically to the type of training you do.

• General workouts are good for health, but won’t maximize progress in specific goals.

• Train with your main goal in mind—whether that’s running, lifting, or staying strong for daily life.

• Cross-training is valuable, but it should support, not replace, your goal-focused training.

• Progress is faster, more noticeable, and more motivating when you align training with goals.