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Getting Started
Change, Enhance, and Improve
So what makes the difference between success and failure? To do yourself any long term good at all, you need to be very specific about what you intend to change, enhance, and improve. At the same time you need to keep your goals positive. Never let yourself get bogged down in what you don’t like about yourself. Instead, use the words, or other similar words, that I just used in the previous sentence; change, enhance, improve. I have used this method with my private clients as well as acquaintances that needed guidance toward living and feeling healthier and have had great success. I break the goals down in to three categories; Functional, Aesthetic, and Ghost injuries. Basically this is a process of pinpointing what you really want, and accomplishing it by giving the attention it needs and deserves. Your functional goals are a list of activities that you do in your everyday life that you find difficult at times or that you feel are not as easy to accomplish as they used to be. Aesthetic goals are simply a head to toe, body part by body part analysis of what you would like to change, enhance, and improve upon. Ghost injuries are those odd aches and pains that we all sometimes wake up with and have no idea why we have them. Sometime we write them off saying, “I must have slept on it wrong”. There is always a reason for these mysterious ailments and if we begin by keeping a list of them, and when they occur, we may figure out their mystery.
So now ask yourself, “What do you really want?” Be honest and write it down. Be specific. Stay positive. Take your time and allow yourself to add to your list at anytime. This attention to detail will begin the process for you getting to know your body again.
Choosing the correct exercises for YOU
Where to begin
Your mind is a mighty fine place to start...
Many people start with their bodies, with some success I might add, but nine out of ten times, or more, these successes fall short of the longevity that was hoped for. Not for good intentions, but for a lack of coordination with the brain. The body was put in somewhat new circumstances with many new tasks to be performed under duress and it simply had to quickly adapt and execute. This is admittedly a great exercise for the brain, and drills like this help to keep it sharp, but there are times when it is prudent, (as in skydiving, getting married, and making soup), to lay a bit of ground work first before jumping right in.
After more than a quarter of a century meeting clients at gyms and addressing their individual needs and physical desires, I have determined that the mind is in charge of the body. If I had paid more attention in science class and been a better reader, I might have figured this out twenty-seven years sooner. But alas, here I am and here’s the secret…YOU. Yes brothers and sisters, YOU have the ability to do great and wondrous things. All you have to do is strip away all of the self-doubt and negativity. Embrace failures as gifts of education, and love yourself through and through. Your subconscious mind accepts what ever you choose to believe. It has no sense of humor and it takes what you say literally. The words we speak are an indication of our inner thoughts. Now go back and re-read the last three sentences again at least three times. I can’t tell you how many times I have watched someone lift or press a weight up, all the while telling me that they couldn’t, and that it is too heavy. Okay, here’s a tip… Your ears are listening to every word you say. Because those spoken words come from your brain, the same brain that your ears are connected to, your afore mentioned subconscious absolutely believes what it is hearing. There’s no credit given for accomplishing something that you “cannot do”, only confusion. Your brain was just told, by what it deems a very reliable source that the body cannot do what it was doing. So we have to get YOU, your body, and your mind to all work toward a common goal. And that goal may very well be the biggest obstacle of all to change, enhance, and improve. It can be so overwhelming to some that they just walk away and save their fitness intentions for another day. Others may be a little bolder and choose a too extreme routine that simply cannot be sustained by either their time allowance or their current ability so they eventually quit feeling good that they tried, and sad that they gave up.
Step 1
The best advice I can give someone just starting out is to first set those goals. Know what you want functionally and aesthetically, and know your limitations as per your prior injuries or other ailments.
Step 2
Find a gym. Whether you plan to work out at home or in a gym, there are many lessons to be learned in an established gym where someone has gone out and bought equipment that works all parts of your body and there is a vast collection of cardio machines to choose from as well.. There are also hours of educational entertainment to be had watching other gymfolk grinding out their routines. In other words, before you buy anything or make any rash financial decisions, find out what you truly like to use and how often you use it so that you can make an educated expenditure when and if you decide to work out at home. Personally, I think a gym membership is the best way to go. Sometimes you just need that alternate environment to get your head on straight and do what you need to do without any distractions.
Step 3
Talk to a trainer. Any good fitness trainer that is reputable will not charge you to get you started. Free advice is out there and it shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes to get it. The human body hasn’t changed for thousands of years so building a beginning basic routine is easy. You want to hit the major muscle areas; chest, shoulders, back, hips, legs, arms, abs, and incorporate balance and good posture as well. One or two exercises for each will do the trick.
Step 4
Take it easy and enjoy your visits to your gym. It is more important that you create a habit of going and exercising rather than becoming a body builder at this point. Less is more. Start off easy and gradually build your workout as you learn more about what you are doing. This helps you build strength so your body adjusts as you ramp up your workout.
Don’t forget to breathe deeply and evenly throughout your workout to keep yourself focused on good form. Breathing evenly reminds you not to overdo it. Keep a journal. Refer to your goals that you have written down. Track your progress physically and emotionally. Allow yourself to feel new sensations and emotions as they get brought to light. Take breaks. Allow your muscles to recover before starting another set. Drink lots of water. Hydration is not only good for you to replenish what you lose to sweating; it is also key to healthy blood and kidney function. Get into a routine that is not routine. Get out and have fun doing a variety of different things. Bike riding, hiking, winter and summer sports, swimming… the list is endless. Go and play! Whether that means doing different activities or incorporating weights, machines, and sports. Working your interests will quite possibly spawn new interests.
Peace,
Jeff