Fit for Life: Do You Just Want to Have Fun?
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Exercise is not fun, it's work. So treat it as another necessary part of your day.
It’s Not Fun…It’s Work…
Let's be completely honest with ourselves, exercise isn't very fun. Unless you disguise it with a bicycle, a lake, or a soccer ball, it’s a grueling challenge to not only find the time, but to also take the actions to get it done! If it were easy and fun everyone would be doing it, and we wouldn't be in such a physical mess to begin with. It’s estimated that only 14% of the US population exercises in a regular, effective program. So with this being said, let's accept it for what it is: exercise is work, and it’s something that we need to do more than want to do. It doesn't have to be complicated, or fun. You do not need to add variety to every single workout, and you do not need to add variables and tricks to every exercise.
News flash!
Here’s a news flash: adding tricks for variety or fun not only looks stupid, it is dangerous. There is no need to do this. Nor are most people ready to veer off the path of basic lifts and primal movements such as the squat, lunge, press and dead lift. Saying that, I do like to vary my routines, but a client needs to master certain tasks and moves, first. I change sequences, but practice the same movements. If I were to constantly change exercises, mastering them becomes difficult. I see people doing push-ups with their feet elevated, when their lower back is so arched it looks painful. In truth, not many people perform basic push-ups correctly anyway, so progressing before you "own" an exercise leads to injury and poor performance. I saw one guy balancing on a stick with a med ball and his feet on a balance board, while doing a push-up. Why? There are so many ways to vary the push-up without performing a circus act, why try so hard to be different? Another example, doing jump lunges, using erratic, ballistic movement patterns – what do they do? – they set you up for a knee injury, instead of just mastering a normal lunge. I see these silly and dangerous moves all the time in the gym – the other day a woman was attempting to squat standing on a bosu platform. When she attempted to do one, her knees bent about 20 degrees, while she over flexed at the waist, meaning she lacked enough flex ability to squat on solid ground, let alone on an unstable one. Across the gym a guy had the same issue, only he put on knee wraps and a belt, loaded the bar with 300lbs, and exercised poor form, instead of lowering the weight and doing it correctly. I realize all these people have good intentions, and everyone that laces up their sneakers and goes to the gym deserves credit, but I hate to see people setting themselves up for injury, or best case, lack results and waste time.
(Not) just the basics
My advice to you is to master the basics: the push up, the pull up and the squat. Be able to perform these exercises perfectly before you progress, and add variations. Treat exercise as another necessary part of your day. Go in and get it done, use the gym as a tool towards your goal. It doesn't have to be glamorous or dangerous or exciting. One of my instructors always said: push something pull something, squat, and do something rotational and you have a routine. Simple, safe, and effective. When you realize all the good you are doing for your body – hey – it just might be fun for you, too.
Related Slideshow: New England’s Healthiest States
The United Health Foundation recently released its 2013 annual reoprt: America's Health Rankings, which provides a comparative state by state analysis of several health measures to provide a comprehensive perspective of our nation's health issues. See how the New England states rank in the slides below.
Definitions
All Outcomes Rank: Outcomes represent what has already occurred, either through death, disease or missed days due to illness. In America's Health Rankings, outcomes include prevalence of diabetes, number of poor mental or physical health days in last 30 days, health disparity, infant mortality rate, cardiovascular death rate, cancer death rate and premature death. Outcomes account for 25% of the final ranking.
Determinants Rank: Determinants represent those actions that can affect the future health of the population. For clarity, determinants are divided into four groups: Behaviors, Community and Environment, Public and Health Policies, and Clinical Care. These four groups of measures influence the health outcomes of the population in a state, and improving these inputs will improve outcomes over time. Most measures are actually a combination of activities in all four groups.
Diabetes Rank: Based on percent of adults who responded yes to the question "Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have diabetes?" Does not include pre-diabetes or diabetes during pregnancy.
Smoking Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are current smokers (self-report smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke).
Obesity Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher.
Source: http://www.americashealthrankings.org/
Related Articles
- Fit For Life: “Why Can’t You Be Normal?”
- Fit For Life: 3 Steps To Losing Weight While Getting Fit
- Fit For Life: 4 Ways To Get Healthier For Free
- Fit For Life: A System For Feeling + Looking Better
- Fit For Life: An 8-Step Plan For Better Living
Delivered Free Every
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It