Every year a multitude of people throw themselves into a new training regime, determined to shed those extra kilos and feel healthier and more energetic. These are the reasons why most people exercise. Sadly every year a large percentage of these give up – either because they got injured or burnt themselves out by doing too much too soon.
Exercise should not be seen as a quick fix to achieve short term goals, like losing weight for a wedding or a beach holiday. It needs to be about improving your lifestyle long term. You don’t have to give up everything you enjoy to be fit and healthy and it’s not about willpower or driving yourself into the ground. Think longer term and think sustainable. Gradually increase your workload and address muscular imbalances before increasing intensity.
Think about posture and improving balance . Think about improving basic functional movement patterns like squats and lunges and deadlifts and overhead presses to establish good all round form, before increasing weights. Think about building a strong core – powerful glutes, strong abdominals, strong back but don’t overdo the weight until you’re sure you can handle it with good form. Work on a good balance between strong adductor and abductor muscle groups – imbalances and weaknesses here are often associated with knee injuries. Think about mobilisation strategies and recovery generally – this is where adaptation takes place. Think about your feet – are you looking after them properly? If your feet are not working as they ‘re designed to do this will affect balance and can lead to injury further up the kinetic chain.
Training is not simply a matter of hammering your body hard repeatedly – approach it intelligently and look for gradual, steady, sustainable progress, not overnight success. Although you can expect to see some results within 6-8 weeks if starting from scratch, especially from a low level, it can take years to build a truly athletic body, so be patient and consistent. And remember that many other factors are involved, like nutrition, hydration, sleep, avoiding stress etc.
If you’d like to learn how to train properly for long term health and fitness and not a quick fix, then contact me for a free consultation. This can be at the White Horse Leisure Centre, in the comfort of your own home or any other venue you like.
Email; davidperry57@sky.com
Phone or text; 07504439555.
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