Start Training
Some things are easier said than done, and for some training is one of them. The reasons behind it are different for everyone, some people hate feeling sweaty, others say that they’re always in pain afterward, and some just don’t feel like they have the time. The hard truth of the matter is that everyone can have an excuse for anything in life and training is no exception. Some of the most consistent people are those that have had excuses before and just flipped a switch in order to stop avoiding it and instead run towards it. How can we get more people to flip the switch?
The path towards change starts with understanding that working out is physically taxing, and often difficult to do. Everyone has a different starting point, but for most they haven’t exercised in years, and dusting off the joints can be a workout in and of itself. The basis of training falls on the SAID principle, Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand. If the body hasn’t trained for anything, it will adapt to exactly that, however if the body is trained to let’s say run a half marathon you’ll start to see the adaptations for that over time. When people say that it sucks, it’s easy to see why. Myocardial Hypertrophy, increased capillary density, increased oxygen uptake, are all examples of how the body adapts to a specific training stimuli (3), and when you first start out, it’s not easy because none of that has taken place. Slowly integrating a training stimulus will allow the body to prepare for more intense bouts of physical activity until you get the desired result to hit your goal. The adaptations “under the hood” matter more to performance and how you feel when working out than everything else.
Starting off with a warm up, a couple of basic movement patterns, and doing some static stretching will do the trick. Warm up with some dynamic stretching, foam rolling, or even some cardio. Basic movement patterns to start off with could be any of the following: hinge, squat, carry, push or pull. Throwing planks in there as well is a great idea as well. As for the cool down, static stretching can do wonders. If you need help reach out to an accredited personal trainer or group fitness instructor who can help you work these type of patterns into your current routine.
IG fitness videos are like watching world renowned chefs on a cooking show, and when you try to do the same thing at home and almost burn your house down. Not everyone has the years of experience like they do…or the kitchen, so why should we expect the same result coming out of the oven? Same applies for fitness, the workouts might seem easy, but for the average person it’s much harder to do. Building the basics first is the best way to approach it without burning the house down. Don’t burn the house down.
There are a few things that could help get us into a groove for training, and most of it comes down to building the habit of training into your lifestyle. (2) Recently, I’ve been working with a friend of mine to help him get more cardio in. We’ve looked at his daily routine and made his goal easy, so he can feel the benefit of actually achieving his goal, and build repetition around it. In this example, we’ve come up with walking a mile two days a week. He’s had so much success with it that often times he does either more than a mile or has done it more than two days a week. We also worked in a reward at the end of the walk; in this case it’s getting a cup of coffee. So now he walks that mile to his favorite coffee shop and gets a cup at the end. Even though the stimulus of walking one mile might seem like it’s not good enough for some, it’s allowing him to build the adaptations that his body needs to exceed that goal in the future. The point is to build consistency through success and victories, that way we feel confident enough to take bigger steps and accomplish more challenging goals. Start small, prove to yourself that you can succeed, and work in a reward to help with adherence. Having a cue in order to start the process helps as well, in this case for my friend it was him craving or wanting a coffee. The cue will start the cycle that leads to him getting up and out of the house to walk one mile and get the coffee. (1)
Start training now, before you need it and that way you’ll be prepared for future challenges. It’s just like saving money; you can’t wake up one day and expect to see the bank full of savings if you didn’t take the time out to save earlier. Training should be implemented at a steady rate over time, to avoid injury, setbacks, and headaches. Rushing to get in shape because of a wedding or a reunion isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it might not be enough time to see the best results. Find a true goal that you can maintain for a long time that means something to you. Speak to a coach/trainer that you trust to help get you started, or overcome any hurdles along the way. Set up small goals to build the habit of training around your lifestyle. Plan for a cue to start the process, create room for victories, and reward to build consistency. Get after it.
References
1) Duhigg, C. (2014). The Power Of Habit. Random House USA.
2) JT;, K. (n.d.). Increasing Physical Activity Through Principles of Habit Formation in New Gym Members: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Retrieved September 01, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28188586/
3) Smith, D., PhD (Ed.). (2017). Chapter 2 Cardiopulmonary and Endocrine Responses and Adaptations to Exercise. In Nsca’s essentials of tactical strength and conditioning. Human Kinetics.