We all understand the basics of financial saving. Deposits > Withdrawals = Savings.
One way to ramp up this simple formula is to withdraw some money, invest it wisely and repay the principal plus profits back into our account.
A similar concept applies to fitness.
Exercise is like a temporary withdrawal from our biological fitness account. Given time these withdrawals get paid back with some fitness profit on top. Crucially the repayments do not happen immediately. We have to wait whilst our cells repair and regenerate before the rewards of extra strength, stamina and flexiblity come flooding back.
Small withdrawals (like going for a thirty minute walk) get paid back quickly but with a low level of fitness profit. Large withdrawals (like completing an intense strength workout) get paid back slowly but with a much higher level of fitness profit.
Regardless of size if we accumulate too many withdrawals without repayment we slip and slide into our overdraft. Down here energy plummets, performance suffers and bodies hurt.
Exercise is our primary investment tool in future fitness but just like the world of money a reckless and impatient approach can easily see us going broke!