Reconfiguring the Real Objective (In Exercise)

[Note: Although I usually prefer to place my obligatory statement of the definition of exercise as a preamble to my discussions regarding exercise, I have placed it at the end of this treatise. Scroll to the end if you need reference to it.]

Some of my readership is arguing about the principle of the assumed objective versus the real objective of exercise as I explained this for the first time in SuperSlow—the Ultimate Exercise Protocol in 1992. Gus Diamantopoulos believes that the arguments arise due to the confusion inherent with some readers being aware and others being unaware of our recent (2019) reconfiguring of the terms we employ to explain this extremely important principle.

Another aspect of this confusion is that the reconfiguring of the objective principle (as I term it collectively for brevity) is buried deep inside the free download, Transitioning from TSC to Feedback Statics (or at ) and somewhat remote to some readers.

On April 11, 2025, Gus emphatically insisted that we must excerpt this revision and place it into an article focused so that it is much more clear and succinct.

The Original Idea

As I originally structured the idea, the assumed objective (also known as the erroneous objective) was the subject’s unexamined notion that the objective of using a weight-training apparatus (for example: a barbell) is the achievement to lift the barbell while the real objective is to momentarily fatigue the involved muscle to stimulate its strengthening.

[Note that fatigue thwarts the achievement.]

I went on to elaborate that these two ideas are in conflict and that this conflict leads to a host of problems. These problems are explained in great detail in The Renaissance of Exercise—Volume I.

The central focus of all of my writing, including the definition of exercise, has been inroad—momentary fatiguing of the exercising muscle. With much reflection when composing the above-mentioned Transitioning article, we reshuffled some of the words to better reflect that inroad is NOT the objective. Instead, inroad is the process toward the desired objective—strengthening stimulation.

[Some readers have concluded that I assert that inroad is the stimulation. I deny ever doing this, although inroad remains as the only pathway that I can imagine toward this desirable objective.

We may never find the exact stimulus or learn of a way to directly flip its switch; however, there are benefits of the inroad process that we might not want to relinquish.]

Gus produced the following flow graphic to show our new rendering of real side of the objective conflict. In his words from the Transitioning article, it represents the following:

In the hierarchy of exercise values, it all begins with effort. Effort generates inroading. And inroading is the real process or the means by which we get to the stimulus. The stimulus is the desired objective of exercise. By focusing on the real process and the desired objective, we serve the purpose of exercise, which is to produce benefits to your body so that you can improve the quality of your life.

I produced the following graphic to show our new rendering of the assumed (erroneous) side of the objective conflict. We now have the assumed process (demonstrating strength by producing maximal force or sustaining a target load, promoting outroading behaviors) and the mistaken objective (injury, enhanced and impractical skill confused for strength gain, wasted time, poor inroading with questionable or no stimulus, overtraining etc. and serving compromised purpose or blurred purpose or no purpose or counter-purpose):

Gus also wants me to interconnect this concept with my presentation of the inroad-outroad continuum. Since I am striving to keep this article as simple and short as possible, I hereby link it here: The Inroad-Outroad Continuum. Both Gus and Josh Trentine are emphatic about its importance for all SuperSlow and Superstatics devotees to deeply ponder.

The Definition of Exercise:

Exercise is a process whereby the body performs work of a demanding nature, in accordance with muscle and joint function, in a clinically controlled environment, within the constraints of safety, meaningfully loading the muscular structures to inroad their strength levels to stimulate a growth mechanism within minimum time.