In which trying works out to doing

We all have times when we’re tired or sick or stressed out and working out seems absolutely impossible.  Sometimes working out really is impossible, like when we are restricted to bed rest.

The rest of the time, even when it seems like too much, we can try.

Trying, in this context, does not mean thinking that maybe we will do it later when we are not so tired/stressed.  (Sickness is a special case.  It is bad karma to infect other people with our germs.  Also, there are times when our bodies need all their resources for recovery and we don’t want to give them more to work on.)  Trying means lacing up the shoes and starting.  Maybe we walk instead of run, or maybe we stop after half an hour instead of an hour, or maybe we choose light weights or an easier class, but we actually show up and do something.

What often happens when we try is that we end up less tired or stressed.  When we’ve been sick and we are stiff with holding still, that first gentle workout back can make a huge difference in our mood.

I’m not suggesting that we beat ourselves about the head until we go sweat buckets doing the hardest workout ever.  We need to be kind and to use our good judgment.  But most of the time, a nice little nudge toward moving will help us feel better.

No, it isn't the jokes about my dungeon equipment...

The single thing I like most about Pilates is the way it develops proprioception, which is a fancy word for how we figure out where our bodies are in space.

The Pilates exercises encourage us to tune in to the nuances of our movements, focusing on the details and the qualities as well as the quantities of particular gestures.  Some of us discover that we like to tilt our heads one direction or the other, or that we believe the center line of our bodies lies two inches to the left of actual center.  We may find that mirroring an exercise with our hands helps our feet do the right thing, or that a small shift in the pelvis makes all the difference in balance or low back pain.

The lessons of Pilates apply in our other workouts and in our lives.  We get to approach how we move with curiosity, comparing how we think we are doing with how we are actually doing, making little adjustments that shape the whole.

It is one way to map our bodies and that comes in handy.

Wait, I actually THINK about what we're going to do?

It is no surprise that there are lots of kinds of workouts.  I design mine the way I do on purpose to meet some specific goals.

One of my goals for my clients is basic cardio fitness.  I want us all to be able to go up stairs without heavy breathing.  Some of my clients work out other times than when they see me, either cardio or weights, but others not so much.  At least on days they see me, I want them to get their aerobic box checked.

Another goal I have is improving metabolism.  The combination of cardio and weights and the multi-joint exercises I like to choose not only burn more calories in the moment, but cue the metabolism to burn more the rest of the time, too.

Functional fitness means being strong, balanced, and flexible enough to do all the things we want to do without getting hurt.  The core exercises, the asymmetrical exercises, the ones with the BOSU, and all those squats contribute to making us all more likely to be independent well into old age.

I also care about strong muscles, although I find that just doing the work causes that to happen:  clients, over time, find that I keep handing them heavier weights and they handle them just fine.  Maintaining and building muscle mass is important for general health, weight maintenance or loss, and encouraging strong bones.

How these goals play out across workouts depends on the client in front of me.  If a client has a goal to reduce body fat percentage, I’m going to be zeroing in on building muscle mass and metabolism.  If someone is recovering from an injury, we work on corrective exercise, range of motion, and mechanics for prevention of future injury.  The workout of the week can look sharply different depending on who is doing it and what those folks want out of the experience.