Fashion Intervention Optional

The most difficult part of workouts, I think, for most people is not what I expected when I started training people.  It’s not lifting heavy stuff.  It’s not dealing with the sometimes boring routine of cardio.  It’s not even the most hated exercises, like burpees, lunges, or YTA.  It’s the stretching.

I am going to blame the Protestant work ethic.  It won’t mind, since it is only a concept and has no feelings.  As we may or may not remember from history, the Puritans imported it into the United States, along with smallpox and funny hats.  The line goes that good people work hard, exercise self-discipline, and practice frugality.  (I seem to be in a frame of mind this week in which I interpret various religious ideas well beyond my level of expertise; sorry about that!)  They (the Puritans) were not really much of a live-it-up crowd.

In the way of culture, many of us have absorbed the idea that we have to be working hard All The Time.  Also, if something feels good, it’s probably either wrong or bad for us or both.

We show up at our workouts ready to suffer.  We will sweat and lift and huff and strain.  And then, at the end, we skip out on the stretching.  Stretching takes extra time, time that we really shouldn’t be spending on something that, you know, feels nice.

Here’s the deal:  we need to sit our inner Puritan down and explain that stretching is essential.  When we don’t stretch, we are setting ourselves up for injury.  We’re choosing to limit our range of motion, which means that as we age we’ll be in real trouble.  We are worth spending an extra few minutes on.

Pom poms on our skates?

In Zen, there is a concept that I really like:  beginner’s mind.  Because I am a fitness professional and not a Zen practitioner, theologian, or scholar, my take on beginner’s mind is perhaps not orthodox or even close to correct; take my thoughts, as always, with the appropriate amount of salt (not exceeding 2300 mg of sodium per day to remain within the guidelines for healthy eating).

Beginners have enthusiasm.  They’re like puppies, all wiggly and ready to explore.  They have potential, a lot of room in their skins for growth.

Of course, beginners are also awkward.  Sometimes they seem to have more feet than are allowed.

Our goal, as we approach our fitness activities, is to keep that puppy energy even as we learn to move with more grace and skill.

We all have our own way of finding enthusiasm.  Maybe we like to go back to the first exercises we learned, the first dance steps.  Maybe we go roller skating for the first time since middle school and remember how much fun it can be to go around in circles listening to pop music.  Maybe we try walking backward on the treadmill for a minute or two, just to see if we can do it (make sure it is a nice slow pace…).

One of the things we want out of fitness is a sense of freshness.

Let’s begin.

Monday Workout: More Ropes!!!

I confess I’m really enjoying what the battle ropes do.  So we’re playing with them again this week.  Three rounds.

rope double slams	30
flies	20
YTA	10
rope alternating slams	30
rows	20
lateral raise	10
rope double dutch	30
curls	20
pretty princesses	10