Creating a sustainable exercise routine is essential for avoiding injury and a few simple adjustments can go a long way in achieving a healthy exercise lifestyle.
Number 1 make it fun:
The exercise you choose to undertake should be something you enjoy. This doesn’t mean every time you exercise you will enjoy it, sometimes it is just hard yakka (Australian for hard work). If you choose something you don’t enjoy even with a bit of determination and discipline, you might last a couple months before giving up.
Number 2 patience:
Doing too much too quickly, this is a recipe for injury. When you start to exercise for the first time or after many years of being sedentary, start slowly and infrequently. Let us use running for example: Two times per week is ample, starting at 10-15 minutes with a combination of running and walking. Every two weeks increase that time frame by 10-20% of the previous time frame and repeat until you achieve your goal.
Number 3 frequency:
We cannot perform high intensity exercise every day, rest days are essential not only for injury prevention but to allow for muscle adaptation and recovery. When starting an exercise program always allow for a rest day following an exercise day.
Number 4 intensity:
If every exercise session is done at 100% and at great distance/ duration not only, will you start hating exercising, but your body will start hating you. Exercise intensity should follow cycles such as low, medium and high intensity exercise sessions e.g.
Week 1
Monday high intensity 10km
Wednesday low intensity 5km
Friday medium intensity 7km
Number 5 cross training:
Doing different types of exercises on different days will not only make exercising more enjoyable, your joints will thank you for it. When you exercise performing different modes of exercise, such as cycling and running, you are using different muscle groups and exercising some of the same muscles in different ways. Not only is this a great way of preventing injury it will improve your performance in both exercise modes.
Why is regular exercise so vital for health?
If we were able to transform exercise into a pill it would be the most effective medicine humans have ever created. A sedentary, inactive lifestyle is the single modifiable risk factor most likely to cause disease and premature death. Having a regular exercise routine, is not only enjoyable it can provide a great social outlet and be a game changer for both physical and mental health.
So here you are, a short summary on how to start exercising in a healthy and sustainable way. If you would like more advice or help creating an exercise program, just call at 052 608 5262.
Ryan Green