Yesterday, I posted about aiming for a Just Right workout. Some of us intuitively grasp how to hit that sweet spot. We will try not to hold that against those people. The rest of us can use a little guidance.
If we are hitting out goals, whether those are weight loss or general toning or improved endurance or even better moods, that’s a good indication that we’re getting it right. If we feel pleasantly sore the day after a weight training session, that’s another good sign. During the workout, if we get sweaty, we are probably working at least hard enough. If we can still talk, we’re probably not working too hard.
However, if we don’t seem to be making progress, our workouts are probably too easy. Hint: if we are still lifting the same amount of weight after six months, we are not making progress. If we never have to concentrate on what we’re doing, same deal. On the other end of the spectrum, if we need a steady diet of Ibuprofen to get through our daily lives without screaming every time we move, our workouts are too hard. (Perhaps a more practical way of phrasing this is: workout soreness should not last more than two or three days at most.) If we spend the whole workout gasping for air, we’re working too hard. There are some people who would argue with me about this, but if a workout makes us throw up, it is too hard. We want to avoid pain and excessive suffering—a little discomfort is all right.
We are the only experts on our own bodies. That means that even if a trainer or instructor is telling us what to do, we remain the boss and can choose not to do what they say. It also means that we have a responsibility to stay mindful of what we are doing so we can ensure that we are, in fact, doing a Just Right workout.
No comments:
Post a Comment