I've really enjoyed Mark Rippetoe's writing about the difference between Exercise and Training.
From the gloss for Practical Programming for Strength Training [1]: "Exercise is physical activity for its own sake, a workout done for the effect it produces today, during the workout or right after you're through. Training is physical activity done with a longer-term goal in mind, the constituent workouts of which are specifically designed to produce that goal."
He emphasizes that a realistic means of progression is one of the most important aspects of any training program.
Practical Programming and Starting Strength [2] (which is a better introduction to these ideas for novices) are together the best analytical discussion of physical training that I've seen.
From the gloss for Practical Programming for Strength Training [1]: "Exercise is physical activity for its own sake, a workout done for the effect it produces today, during the workout or right after you're through. Training is physical activity done with a longer-term goal in mind, the constituent workouts of which are specifically designed to produce that goal."
He emphasizes that a realistic means of progression is one of the most important aspects of any training program.
Practical Programming and Starting Strength [2] (which is a better introduction to these ideas for novices) are together the best analytical discussion of physical training that I've seen.
[1] http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Trainin...
[2] http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp...