Too Much of a Good Thing?

by admin on April 17, 2012

f_11310677595_fitness.jpgWe have all heard the term “overtraining-, but what does the term mean really? Well, it means different things to different people depending on what activity or sport is involved. Mostly it means too much, too often and too intense.

If you have been weight/resistance training, you will understand how great it is to see your body change so dramatically and how easy it would be to increase training intensity and frequency too quickly. Of course, rationally we all know this is a mistake. But, the desire for an even better shape and “feel good- chemicals (endorphins) can cause us to do just a bit too much…. And ouch.

I had this experience when I started training with weights 15 years ago. I had been teaching aerobics classes for 8 years when I started. Well, naturally the weights changed my body a lot and I LIKED the changes! Then one day, I decided to do the same workout twice in one day. I mean, after all, if one is good, two is better right? Wrong! The result was tendonitis in my shoulder which took forever to heal.

Now, often I spend a fair bit of time explaining to clients how more is not necessarily better. The key is to workout SMART! Ok, what does this mean?

First: rest is very important. Muscles need rest between workouts. Working the same muscles in the same way too often results in injury and a reduction in performance. When a muscle is overtired, the load is taken into the joint. Joints are not designed for load they are designed for movement. Tendonitis and joint pain are pretty common indicators of overtraining.

Second: varied workouts. This is why we fitness instructors recommend doing different sports or fitness activities. But for “die hard- weight lifters, variation can be accomplished in a variety of ways. One common way is to work different muscle groups in different days. Another method is to change the way in which a particular exercise is performed so as to train the muscles differently. An example of this would be to change the speed of the lift from workout to workout, like very slow one day, the faster the next time the muscle group is worked.

There’s lots of ways to vary your workouts. Check out some books on weight training or talk to a Fitness Trainer if you need some ideas. You will not only help prevent injury, but you will see changes in your strength and muscle development.

Keep your workouts SMART!

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f_01310677834_eat-healthy.jpgGarland Valley RN,BSN

Fitness and exercise are gaining popularity in our culture for many reasons. Reactions against the sedentary lifestyles Americans have lived for decades, a rash of type two diabetes with people engaging in fitness and exercise to improve their conditions, parents encouraging youngsters to get up and away from the television and work out, and the baby boomers, pursuing fitness and exercise as they age, to allow them to enjoy their advanced years. Regardless of the reasons, many Americans take fitness and exercise very seriously.

A healthy body is what most people are striving for. We are inundated constantly with images of slender, toned people. Be it on television or on a billboard as we’re driving down the street. Fitness isn’t all about the weight that the scale says or the dress or trouser size you wear. Fitness is about how healthy you are.

Exercise is vital in the quest for body fitness. Many people join a gym for the convenience of having all the equipment they feel they need to work out. There are machines there to strengthen and tone every muscle in your body. With the onset of personal trainers, the process can be almost effortless. In that case, the exerciser is given a prescribed routine of exercise that will help them achieve the fitness level and body weight that they desire.

Fitness and exercise aren’t restricted to the confines of a gym. Any type of movement can be considered exercise. By taking those movements, a step further a person can work towards their own personal fitness goal.

For a person who lives in an apartment building, the decision of whether to take the stairs or the elevator might seem inconsequential, but those steps up to their floor everyday equal a leg workout. Choosing to hike it up the flight of steps gives not only the legs a chance to stretch, but it also gives the heart a chance to beat faster. By choosing this everyday, the body would begin to respond in a positive way.

The same can be said for walking as opposed to driving. Often when a destination is close people feel inclined to get in their car and drive there and then drive the route back. Lacing up a pair of walking shoes and heading out the door on foot is considered exercise and the benefits aren’t only restricted to the gasoline that will be saved. The entire body will feel the results and if that walk is taken several times a week, perhaps even daily, the fitness level of that person increases.

Exercise can occur in almost every environment. It’s up to the health-conscious person to grab those moments and seize them. By mowing the lawn, the legs and arms are being worked out. Carrying the laundry is akin to lifting lightweights and chasing a toddler eventually equals a few laps around the running track. Paying attention to these same details and using them to their fitness advantage will result in so many health benefits.

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