Summer’s almost here. You’re trying to get that beach body ready. If you’re reading this, you probably have better than average knowledge about health and engage in moderate intensity exercise at least semi-regularly. You understand what it means to be healthy and, while you may not achieve all your goals, you try. You might be at a point in life where things start to hurt that didn’t used to. It’s your back, your shoulder, your knee. Maybe the aches and pains keep you from engaging in physical activities you loved when you were younger. Or you avoid moving certain ways because you don’t want to aggravate it and trigger other aches and pains. Getting old’s a bitch.
But it doesn’t have to be. If you train smarter. High intensity, circuit-style workouts and spin classes serve a purpose, but shouldn’t be the primary workout modality, in my opinion. Repetitive stress takes its toll, whether it be job-related activity or exercise. Running and cycling are popular activities that are great for cardiovascular health but are repetitive movement patterns which set the body up for muscle strength imbalances which will eventually lead to pain and injury. A balanced overall workout plan should include space and time for corrective and physical therapy work along with rest and rejuvenation. Low intensity physical therapy exercises can be folded into regular strength workouts making workouts more efficient while setting the body up to build strength and muscle.
In training smarter, we are seeking to find the “sweet spot”, providing enough stimulus to the muscles and the cardiovascular and nervous systems to promote cell growth and increases in “feel good” hormone production and blood flow. Overdoing a workout stimulus, on the other hand, releases cortisol, a “stress” hormone, which has the opposite effect of slowing down cell and muscle regrowth.
As we get older, finding the “training sweet spot” becomes ever more important. That’s why I developed my training app to deliver smart, customized training programs right to people’s phones. For many people, the obstacle to improved fitness is simply knowing what to do. A lot of people have worked out for years but never thought or understood how to progress an exercise program to continue to improve the body’s overall function. So, if you’re revamping your workout program for summer, as you should periodically, find ways to train smarter rather than harder. A few smart tweaks can make all the difference to achieve those just-out-of-reach goals AND reduce aches and pains.
Dale Dymkoski=
Dale is a local resident and offers home based training at his West Hollywood home.
Never. Take two years off of the gym and then go HAM on the bench because I’m As StRoNg As I aLwAyS wUz.
But seriously I ain’t paying $100 a month for a gym membership. I have to *checks notes* pay way too much for food and gas and utilities.
Unfortunately, my beach body was condemned long ago.
At the end of May, it’s almost too late.
Unless, of course, you are 19.