"No pain, no gain"..."Just one more". Chances are most gym members or weight lifters have heard this before, and now you are hearing it again. This time it's from the guy across the gym, and he is reviewing the latest in his dated exercise philosophy. The "point of failure" in this sense is that you might actually be convinced that there are now some much needed adjustments to your fitness routine and that perhaps you aren't working out hard enough to achieve results.
Theory: The History of this philosophy
Often your body will be sore after working out or performing an activity that is new or that you haven't done in a while. The muscles become tight and may be painful to touch or use.
As the muscles become more used to the activity from performing the motion(s) over time, you become less stiff and less sore. At the same time, you realize that you have improved in the sport or that the former weights are now light and need to be increased. The natural assumption is that you 're not working hard enough, and thus the saying "No pain no gain", came as the improvements were connected with the body feeling sore.
It will never end. There will continually be those who are completely convinced that there is only benefit from taking weight lifting to your bodies extreme in fatigue. Or you will be considered being a wimp and you will never achieve results. Wait a minute!
The key to improvement is to actually know what results you want to obtain from your exercise activities. Being aware of when are you working in line with the required amount and intensity of exercise that will allow you to continually improve is an ongoing challenge.
Unfortunately, as people are trying to improve fitness, one of the most obvious results of the "fitness age" is that injuries are up. Way up. There are increasingly larger numbers of hospital visits and chiropractor appointments made by the modern day weekend warrior than before fitness became so popular.
How to get fit without the hospital stay
Some injuries are tough to avoid and are caused by unfortunate circumstances, which are possible for anyone, active or inactive. But many exercise-related injuries can be avoided:
Before you start, get a physical. No matter your age, a physician (look for one with a sports medicine background) knows what to look for when evaluating your current condition and assessing the activity (ies) of choice.
Any current or past injuries that may make you susceptible to an injury need to be addressed-especially when you take your physical. Be sure to wear any preventative aids or equipment that your physician recommends.
Wear the right equipment for the job. Aerobic shoes won't be good to use for a jog - ever!
If you are new to the activity or haven't performed it in a while, be sure to use the first 3-4 weeks as a break-in period for your body. Don't begin weight lifting thinking you should lift 5-6 days a week. Start with 3 days/week and allow your body to get used to or re-adjusted to the motions and physical exertion.
Start each activity slowly. Whenever you begin an exercise or activity, give your body ample opportunity to` "wake up" or get into the game. Spend 10-15 minutes light jogging in place, doing jumping jacks or using lighter weights (1/3-1/2 of your average weight) and be sure your warm-up is specific to the activity you are engaging in. Remember, warm-up does not mean stretching!
If you are tired, slow down. Don't continue when your body is telling you that it is done for the session. Most accidents occur when fatigue has set in and your physical awareness has been compromised.
Cool Down. When finishing an activity, slow down before you are completely done. Never just stop. Either walk around or continue the activity at a slower pace. Weight lifters will benefit by using some type of cardiovascular equipment like an exercise bike or treadmill after a session.
Spend 5-10 minutes stretching after each workout to improve flexibility.
If you feel pain, shortness of breath or any other abnormality, discontinue the activity and see a physician if necessary. Do not fight through the pain!
Play the game smart. Your body must last a lifetime and it provides many signals when it senses a problem. Take the necessary precautions to prevent injuries to allow yourself to keep healthy and enjoy being active.
Remember:
YOU have the POWER!
Darren Rieck
