Bad Wins, Yay or Nay?

I was listening to NFL Radio while running gym errands earlier this week and they were talking about a certain team’s win and the ugly nature of it. Bad clock management, QB didn’t play well, and the team offense got worse as the game progressed, not better. They raised the question of whether or not the the team actually improved in the win.

In sports, it’s commonplace to talk about a bad win, but I happen to believe that is nonsense. On the field, a win is a a win and they are always good, no matter the ancillary outcomes associated with it. Every game presents an opportunity to get better and I’d take the win column checked along with that over the loss column any day.

But is there merit to that within a gym setting. Are there such things as bad wins? If you grind out a back squat PR with terrible technique, is that a win? If you re-aggravated your biceps tendinitis, but you beat your 1000 meter row by four seconds, is that a win? If you dropped to your ideal body fat percentage but are miserable in the process, is that a win?

It’s an I wouldn’t presume to impose on you but would instead kick that debate over to you firebreathers for your own personal consideration — Where does your personal intersection occur between performance “progress” and how you feel in order to get it?

-Dave