In the year 280 BC, King Pyrrhus of Epirus invaded Italy with thousands of cavalry, archers, infantry and war elephants. Despite winning initial battles at Heraclea and Asculum the losses his army suffered were so great he was reported to have said;
"If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined"
From this story comes the term Pyrrhic victory - a success which comes at such a heavy price it is tantamount to defeat.
It is a trap we can easily fall into when pursuing fitness goals.
- Losing weight at the expense of our muscle tissue and metabolic rate
- Pursuing rapid strength gains at the expense of our joint-health
- Excessive intense exercise at the expense of our energy levels
I’ve fallen foul of all the above! In each instance a slower path would likely have led to greater long-term success. A more moderate approach to energy balance, a slower strength progression timetable and proper measures of rest between workouts.
The moral of the story;
Be wary of the quick-fixes. Often only a Pyrrhic victory awaits!