Commitment To Health by Rick MacKay
Change It Up A Little
When you stop and think about it, exercise is the closest thing you will find to the “Fountain Of Youth.” It boosts the power of the immune system and is an effective stress reliever. That is some pretty powerful stuff so we need to always focus on the big picture on why we exercise and its importance. I will give you some ideas that will help you keep your enthusiasm peaked.
There will be times you will feel like you have hit a wall in your workout program. This is normal and just requires you to change things up a little in your program. Bicyclists, hikers, and runners have one big advantage in that they can always change up their path and experience a different workout each day.
Those who chose a workout program in a gym for both cardio and strength exercises tend to hit that wall sooner than most. When you incorporate cardio exercise with strength exercises, you need to periodically change things up. If you start out doing 20-40 minutes of cardio before strength exercises change off on the machines you use (treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, and such). You can start off with 10 minutes on one of the cardio machines and then move to various strength exercises. When done with strength exercises go back and do another 20-30 minutes of cardio. You can do your own cardio and strength circuit type workout. Start off with 5 minutes of cardio and move to a strength machine and do 1-2 minutes of as many reps as you can manage. You need to be careful and use a weight that you are comfortable with for the 1-2 minutes. You will alternate between the cardio and strength machines for a 45 minute to 1-hour workout. Always remember when doing any kind of strength exercises to do slow reps with controlled breathing and give those muscles you’re working at least 48 hours to recover before starting another program.
Those who chose a gym setting for their workouts there is an etiquette that should be followed. Respect those who are also working out. Most gyms have rules and guidelines that you should familiarize yourself with. Social interaction is fine, but be careful that this does not interfere with others. Also, don’t hog one machine or spend your time resting on that machine, allow others to work in with you. It is very important to use the wipes that are available on the equipment you use. Germs can spread as we sweat and we don’t want to get sick or pass something on to someone else. This is our commitment to a healthier lifestyle, and remember, “This Is All About You.”
