Ease into Exercise
Posted on May 28, 2013 by bob in Moving Free
It’s getting to be summer again and I’ve been getting e-mails for a month asking for advice on how to get on, and stay on, an exercise program. There are questions about commitment, pushing one’s limits, pain, and quick results. I go a little crazy this time of year because I’m at odds with a very vocal segment of my industry about how to get started with an exercise program. They’re sincere, well-educated trainers but I don’t think they remember what it felt like to be de-conditioned. They expect beginners to do too much too soon. I’m beginning to think years of over-vigorous exercise dulls one’s sense of empathy.
I’ve seen it time and time again: determined beginners pushing so hard and either getting hurt and quitting, or just quitting because they couldn’t take it any more. If this sounds like you, don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault. We’ve heard “no pain, no gain” all our lives. We’ve watched contestants push themselves to the brink of disaster on TV, and we’re inundated with infomercial promises of big results in no time. It’s enough to make anyone think “I’ve got to beat myself senseless immediately so I can hurry up, get fit, have the body of my dreams and live happily ever-after.”
By the way, I’m not against vigorous exercise. On the contrary, I love vigorous exercise. But I wouldn’t have loved it nor would I have been safe doing it as a beginner. In my experience, that approach only works for a few stoic types and sets the rest of us up to fail. So how DO you get started?
I suggest starting by standing up and doing about five minutes of gentle limbering movements. Do this a few days in a row. You may be surprised at how good this feels and what a wonderful state of mind these simple natural movements put you in. You may find yourself exercising longer than five minutes after a few days because you LIKE it.
You may want to go for a little walk, then a brisk walk, then a half hour brisk walk. Don’t rush it. It doesn’t matter if it takes a couple of weeks, a couple of months, or a year.
Once you’re enjoying a half-hour brisk walk most days of the week, add some light weight training for your major muscle groups a couple of times a week. Increase the weight, number of reps and number of exercise days only when it feels too easy. Build up slowly to weight training three days a week, with a day off in between sessions. Remember to keep it pleasant. If it’s too intense, it ceases to be fun and there’s a good chance you’ll quit.
This approach takes longer, but it works. It’s much more sustainable than those quick-fix pump-you-up methods. Those intense immersion exercise programs remind me of the guy who beats his head against a brick wall. When asked why on earth he does that, he says: “because it feels so good when I stop.” Ease in and invest in your body. It will pay you back in quality of life.
Mirabai Holland M.F.A., a leading authority in the Health & Fitness industry and a public health activist, specializes in preventive and rehabilitative exercise. Her Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work (www.mirabaiholland.com).
