Fit For Life: Get Fit For Fun

Saturday, May 02, 2015

Matt Espeut, GoLocalWorcester Health +Lifestyle Contributor

Matt Espeut

Now that it's nice out, you’re thinking to yourself, “I don't need the gym, I'll walk outside. I can ride my bike outdoors. I'll lose weight that way. When summer comes, I'll paddleboard - and swim – instead of going to the gym." I hear this every year about this time, and if you are someone that says or thinks like this, you are making a big mistake.

Exercising outdoors isn't enough. Running, cycling, gardening, and paddleboarding are leisurely fun activities. They are not a substitution for a full body workout. You hear it all the time, heck you may even have said it your self, the nice weather is here so I will start walking after dinner every night or do some outdoor activities that are going to get me in great shape. Well, you have it backwards! Outdoor activities do not get you in great shape - they require you to be in good shape to perform properly, though, and to avoid injury. While walking will burn some calories, it doesn't build muscle. Actually, while everyone is encouraging walking, and yes, it’s a good thing to add to your fitness mix, walking is just a little more strenuous than sitting on the sofa. You will lose some weight because you are creating a small calorie deficit, but will gain it all back next winter, if that’s what your fitness program looks like. Look at all the seasonal warriors out there that yoyo from winter to summer. Now look at those that work out year-round and you will not notice a drastic change in weight gain from season to season. Why is this? Because when you stay active consistently, you build and maintain muscle mass, which raises your metabolic rate, thus giving your body the ability to burn more calories all the time, even at rest. Now don’t take this the wrong way, I am a huge advocate of the great outdoors, and think you should spend as much time out there as possible, just don’t use it as a substitution for a complete body workout and fitness program. For instance -

Biking: I am a big mountain biker. To me it is one of the toughest activities I do. And there are some intense road cyclists out there who log huge mileage. Both activities burn tremendous amounts of calories, and train your heart, lungs, and legs like nothing else, but that’s it. What about the upper body, and lower back, and core muscles? See where I am going with this? When you are hunched over for extended amounts of time, your hip flexors shorten, and your lower back muscles get overworked, and over stretched. Both recipes for low back pain. You also do minimum hamstring work, while working the quadriceps extra hard, creating imbalances throughout the body. Even though you do not develop strength in the upper body, you require strength there to allow you to ride more efficiently. The only way to achieve this is through resistance and mobility training, and neither can be done sitting on a bicycle.

Running: People that love to run, hate talking to me on this subject, because I do not advocate distance running, only sprinting. Here’s why. Some of the pros of running - clears your head/relieves stress, burns more calories than walking. And, some of the cons - causes ankle, knee, hip, and lower back injuries due to overuse or doing a constant motion in the same plane in a repetitive manner for an extended amount of time. Running causes unnecessary pounding and lots of impact to the body, and unlike sprinting, it makes your body adapt and become more efficient, rather than challenging your heart, lungs, and respiratory system like sprinting does by elevating your heart rate on an interval basis. Many of you get off the sofa in the spring, lace up the sneakers, and start your running program. To do this without abdominal/lower back as well as knee and hip stabilization work, first, will guarantee you a trip to the orthopedic specialist.

Kayaking: This activity will challenge the arms, back, and shoulders, on a conditioned athlete, so if you are not conditioned, this activity will seem like torture. I never train people in a seated position due to the fact that not many activities require an exertion of power while seated, but this is an exception. In order to do this, and feel ok after, you must maintain proper posture, and have decent shoulder, and thoracic spine mobility. If you don’t, you will find yourself slouching while you paddle, thus causing poor power output, as well as compensation in other areas of your body, such as the neck, cervical vertebrae, and scapula. This sport should not be done for extended periods of time without a strong core, and good shoulder stability/mobility, otherwise you will be sore for days afterwards.

In conclusion, I do not recommend these activities being used as a way to condition, or get yourself in shape, but as a way to actively enjoy the great outdoors. And I certainly don’t recommend doing these if you aren’t in shape. There is only one formula for getting fit, and that is strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, and proper nutrition. You need to build muscle and burn body fat, and the only way to do that is to use the formula described above. I know that when the weather is nice, being indoors to workout is not that desirable, but here at Providence Fit Body Boot Camp, you get an intense full body workout in just 30 min, and we guarantee results. In my opinion thats the perfect solution: get a great workout, and not waste any valuable outdoor time, and be in condition to excel at fun activities. I signed a new client that confessed that she had been an avid runner for years, but it broke her body down, and after just three weeks of bootcamp, she feels tighter, toner, stronger, more mobile, and injury-free then ever before. But don’t just take my word for it, stop in and see for yourself how a great training and nutrition program can change your life. Have fun outdoors, but don’t do it to get in shape. Stay in the gym year round, and you will feel the benefits.

Matt Espeut, GoLocal's Health & Lifestyle Contributor has been a personal trainer and health & fitnesss consultant for over 25 years. He is the owner of Fitness Profiles, a one on one, and small group personal training company, as well as Providence Fit Body Boot Camp, located at 1284 North Main St., on the Providence/Pawtucket line. You can reach Matt at (401) 453-3200; on Facebook at "Matt Espeut", and on Twitter at @MattEspeut. "We’re all in this life together – let’s make it a healthy one!"