CHOOSE A FITNESS RESOLUTION SOLUTION
Fitness resolutions are some of the most common self-improvement goals that people work toward, so if you’ve been neglecting your workout routine or diet program, now is a good time to get things back on track again. New Year resolutions come and go, here are some fitness SOLUTIONS for you to try in 2009:
Before You Get Physical, Get a Physical
Start your workout program with a visit to your doctor for a medical check-up. I know what you're thinking! Why go to the doctor now, when you are not in shape yet? The doctor will be much more impressed with your physique after you have been working out for about six months. The point of the physical, however, is not to impress your doctor. The point is to find out if there are any fitness activities you should avoid NOW because of your current physical condition. Just consider this check-up the first of many snapshots of your physical fitness. In fact, it will give you a great basis for measuring your progress later on.
No.1 – Check your body-fat
There’s a good chance that you’ve relied on a scale to tell you what kind of progress you’re making with your body. Instead, go that extra mile and have a body-fat reading taken - it will give you a much better idea of what’s going on with your body composition.
No.2 – Keep a better workout diary
If you’re the type of person who goes by memory in terms of how much weight you’ve lifted and how many repetitions you’ve performed, start tracking this info more closely in a workout diary. This will give you a better indication of improvements you've made and help pinpoint weakness you may want to spend extra time on. Moreover, when looking back over the months, a diary can help you see how much progress you have made.
No.3 - Make stretching mandatory
Stretching is often the most neglected aspect of fitness. Insufficient stretching will put you at a higher risk for injury, so dedicate at least 10 minutes at the end of your workout to basic stretches.
No.4 - Move your workouts out of the gym
Always doing your workouts in the gym can add to the boredom you experience, and makes sticking with your workout program that much harder. To remedy this, consider taking your workouts out of the gym. Sign up for a recreational soccer team, try a new activity like jujitsu or take a couple of wall-climbing sessions to enhance your upper body strength.
No.5 – Focus on functional fitness
When we work out, much of the time, we’re heavily focused on bringing our bench press up 10 kilograms, squatting an insane amount of weight or just out-lifting our training partner. While these are fine goals to have, this year, spend some time focusing on functional fitness i.e. increasing your strength in areas that will help you in everyday life. Perform resistance tubing exercises to strengthen the ligaments and joints, and focus on weight-training movements that resemble everyday activities.
No.6 - Participate in a sport
Many of us talk about running a marathon, competing in bodybuilding or participating in the local triathlon, but few of us take action to pursue these goals. Make this the year that you finally do put those goals in place and get into the game - sign yourself up for a training group, get yourself onto a 16-week training plan or just find a buddy to do the event with you.
No.7 - Invest in proper running shoes
If you’ve been running all year in the same running shoes, it’s time to pay a visit to a local sport shop and get fitted for some new ones. Improperly fitting or worn-out shoes are some of the top reasons behind running injuries, making this a resolution that cannot be overlooked. I have seen many clients who have injuries because of using the incorrect running shoes, so make sure you get a new pair.
No.8 - Commit to early morning workouts
If the primary reason you're skipping out on your gym sessions is due to other things crowding your time, make the resolution to commit to early morning workouts. Initially, it will be hard getting yourself out of bed, but after you get into the habit of it, you’ll find you’re a great deal more consistent with your workouts than when you were doing them later on. The most common excuse of why people don’t train is, “I don’t have the time”. By exercising first thing in the morning you will always have the time.
No.9 - Add interval training to your cardio workouts
If you aren’t already doing interval-style cardio workouts, now is the time to start. Not only does it help with muscle retention, but it also promotes a faster metabolic rate and enhances lipolysis, speeding up the rate at which you see fat loss. Interval workouts involve alternating higher intensity exercise with low intensity recovery periods. By adding higher intensity intervals, you can build endurance and burn more calories.
No.10 - Include one new exercise each month
A lack of variety is one of the most common workout routine errors. Your body is going to stop responding unless you take steps to mix up your program. Make it a goal to add one new exercise to your program each month. Remember, this does not have to be an exercise using traditional weights and barbells. You can get a terrific workout by using your body weight.
Reference:
02-PAPA-01-09-WS
Written and Endorsed by Ronald Abvajee – MYPERSONALTRAINER
The information contained on this page expresses the views of the author and may not necessarily represent the views of Pfizer
