So this is about exercise and a few basic principles that work for me.
I’ve generally always managed to stay, or at least look like I’ve been in decent shape. I’m definitely lucky in many regards. But I’ve also found and then ingrained a few habits that fit into my lifestyle and serve me well and am sharing these with the hope they may help you too.
(BTW / disclaimer – I’m NOT a doctor, expert or professional of any kind in humans, training, biology or otherwise.)
1 – Be Consistently Inconsistent
- Make the number of workouts you do over three months very consistent. Let’s say 45 in my case.
- Make the number you do over one month less so. Somewhere between 10 and 20.
- Make the number you do in a week even more variable. Zero-6.
- But put some thought into it. Listen to your body. Give yourself breaks when you need them and go hard when you feel good.
- For me this keeps working out from becoming monotonous or feeling like a chore or todo list item.
2 – We have Time
- Let your body keep up. Ease into new things, be gentle with yourself, especially with new things. With intensity it’s easy to push yourself too hard to the point of breaking down.
- It’s a “push it” and then rest to allow your body to fortify your new position.
- This closely ties into item #1 for me. Inconsistency gives my body time to rest and recover.
- Even if I only add a few pounds to the weights or a couple of miles on the cardio each month. I’ll be amazing in a few months or years.
3 – Make It an Escape
- Headphones, music and an accelerated heart rate can make for a good time.
- I’ve generally tried to work out hard enough that I get a bit confused which makes things a bit more entertaining and mellows the suffering.
- Some stretching, intentional breathing and yoga’ish moves can add to the zen.
- Turning off notifications for a while can feel freeing to me.
4 – It’s Always a Learning Process
- Always be trying a new exercise, pose or tune.
- But keep the ones you like. These are the ones that feel right, you seem to like better at than others, make less popping noises, that you feel stronger at, etc.
- Your PT, Yoga teacher, doctor, influencers and creatives are all there to help you learn. Don’t expect them to have the answers. However they probably have advice that you should consider and add to your own model of how your body works and what it needs.
- You need to be the expert in you. No one else will ever care as much and be able to feel what you do. Hence you are in the best place to understand and take care of you.