Most of us want to look and feel good when we wake up in the morning. We want to age gracefully, and we don't want to stop doing the physical activities that we love because of pain or limitations in our mobility. We know that in order for this to happen we need to move our bodies, but we also know that as we age we must exercise in an intelligent way. This helps reduce the chance of injury and maximize the health benefits of fitness. So how do we go about getting on an exercise routine/program that is not only beneficial for building muscle and cardiovascular fitness but also helps to prevent injuries?
The answer to this question can become extremely complex. If you prefer to spend your time/energy elsewhere you can hire a knowledgeable personal trainer who can design a program for you. Or, you can join a CrossFit type of gym with knowledgeable trainers who do the programming for you and can help you achieve your fitness goals. However, for those of you who want to go about this on your own, here are 6 tips that can make this process a little easier and get you going in the right direction.
1. Get to know your body. What is your body type? Are you tall and skinny and have a hard time building muscle (ectomorph)? Are you athletically built and gain muscle quickly (mesomorph); or are you generally soft and round and gain weight easily (endomorph)?
2. Train for the body type that you want. It’s important to have a vision of what you want your body to took like and match your training program to build that body from the ground up. For example, if you are an endomorph and want to look more like a mesomorph then you have to spend more time doing high intensity exercises and interval cardio training to cut the calories and then build the muscle.
3. Determine your fitness goals. Are you trying to gain muscle and/or lose weight? Are you training for a marathon or triathlon? Are you working out to be able to minimize injuries during your weekly game of basketball or softball? Or are you just trying to maintain your general fitness level and muscle composition? Make sure that you keep the answers to these questions in mind when designing your exercise routine.
4. Determine your weak points or prior injuries. Depending on the amount and/or types of injuries you’ve had, this may determine how much you can push yourself in a given exercise, the modifications you might want to take, or if you may want to begin or end some of your routines with some specific rehabilitation exercises. For example, if you have a history of knee issues (such as a torn meniscus) you may want to avoid certain exercises like deep squatting (instead just go to 90 degrees), long runs on concrete, or “pigeon pose” during yoga. Another potential factor to consider is what you do for a living. For example, if you’re a drummer and spend many hours sitting, you’re most likely going to have very tight gluteus and back muscles, chronically shortened hip flexors and overly tight pectoral muscles. Therefore, it would not make biomechanical sense to make your primary exercise a seated exercise like cycling. Also, due to the over use of the pectorals, make sure you do exercises that strengthen the postural muscles (i.e. Rhomboids, middle and lower traps) with an exercise like the standing row with bands.
5. Use a variety of exercises when making your fitness plan. Just like you should include a diet with a wide variety of nutrients, having variety when it comes to your training is also beneficial. Not only will this be better for your body but it will also make it so you don't get bored, burn out, or overdevelop certain muscle groups. An issue I see sometimes is certain people become obsessed with one type of exercise like cycling and they only do that 6 to 7 days per week. Unfortunately, sometimes this can lead to one muscle group being over dominant over another, which can then compromise or destabilize your joints. In this case, the quads often become over dominant compared to the hamstrings leading to knee instability and a higher chance of potentially tearing cartilage or a ligament i.e. your ACL. [1][2]
6. Write out your fitness plan week by week and stick to it. Write down the specific workouts on your schedule and commit to them. For example, if your goal is to workout 4 days per week for general fitness and you have a history of ankle injuries, your plan can look something like the following: Sunday- high intensity weight training with core strengthening for 1 hour, Monday- day off, Tuesday- 1 hour Spin class, Wednesday 3-4 mile hike with 10 minutes of ankle strengthening using resistance bands, Thursday- day off, Friday-1 hour yoga class with an extra focus on one-legged balancing poses to strengthen feet and ankles, and Saturday- day off. Unfortunately, many people don't prioritize their workouts and then end up canceling last minute because something “more important” comes up.
On a final note, everyone is born with his or her own unique genetic makeup and body type. If you were born with an endomorphic body type and want to have a lean muscular body then you may have to work twice or three times as hard as someone with a mesomorphic frame. However, if you carefully construct your exercise plan with the aforementioned information in mind and maintain an appropriate dietary plan, it may be possible to achieve your fitness goals.
Resources:
[1] Gelula, Melisse. “Does Spinning Lead to Bulky Quads?” Well+Good, 12 July 2012, www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/does-spinning-lead-to-bulky-quads/slide/3/.
[2]www.myontec.com/monitorin-uadriceps-vs-hamstrins-ratio-and-muscle-relaation-level-with-mbody/.