Do you know the difference between exercise and recreation?

There is a difference between exercise and daily activity, and you need both to maintain a healthy body, mentally and physically.

Current research suggests we need 1.5 hours of activity a day. Normally, people take this as having to work out 90 minutes a day. I’m here to suggest that you combine both exercise and recreation – to hit this requirement.  Spend 45 quality, strategic, minutes in the gym, then live your life to the fullest. This combo is the best way to make up that 90 minutes.

Exercise needs to be scientific by being SMART  - Specific, Measured, Action-oriented, Realistic and Timed. I was introduced to this concept in a book published in 1988 called, If It Hurts, Don’t Do It, by Peter Francis, PhD. and Lorna Francis, PhD. Your program needs to be planned and executed properly (another good reason to have a trainer - to insure proper exercise form).

Exercise is a powerful key for good health. You don’t need to do a lot of it to reap the benefits. Recreation is personal and includes all activity. And yes, all activity counts. Hiking, swimming, walking, housework, gardening, skiing, golfing, tennis and the list goes on. Don't worry about the intensity. Focus on the joy of being able to have the strength to move your body in the ways that you enjoy, as pain free as possible.

In my training sessions I now primarily focus on strength training. Building muscle is essential for your overall health, which includes cardio endurance, muscle strengthening and flexibility and a reduction in body composition (which is more about ‘fat’ loss than ‘weight’ loss).

So, now that you know the difference between exercise and recreation, stop exercising harder and work SMART.

To stretch or not stretch...

It’s a hot topic in the fitness arena these days.  Do you do a static stretch before you start exercising, or after? That is the question.

In the early 80’s, which is when I came to fitness, the conventional way of warming up for your exercise session included static stretching before your cardio workout.

Picture someone stretching their calf muscle, one foot forward, front knee bent, arms on a wall, tree or lamp post helping them support their weight as they lean forward into the stretch.

The new millennium also brought new stretching wisdom. Dynamic stretching is now widely used throughout the fitness and sport industries. Knee ups, straight leg kicks, standing bent leg kickbacks are examples of this type of stretching.

Now…these days, static stretching after you’ve finished working out is highly recommended.

I agree, because stretching before leaves the muscle too relaxed to do any meaningful exercise (in this case strength training). Supported by a wealth of research, post exercise stretching is the way to go.

Trying out 'Body by Science'

In line with studying the Body by Science book (keeping your workout to one intense workout a week), I've been incorporating it's core elements into my own training routine. So far, I'm more than impressed - tons of energy, better sleep, less appetite, and more strength.

Here's what I did this week.

I had enough energy on Thursday to do an interval style workout. This told me four things:

1. I like to work out twice a week
2. The very intense 15-minute workout needs to be eased into
3. I like interval training workouts that use a combination of cardio equipment and strength training machines at least once a week
4. Eating enough food at the right time and drinking enough water throughout the day are crucial elements if you want to build muscle and lose fat

I stretched after both workouts and the total amount of time spent exercising was 1.5 hours. I point this out because I feel so good, for such little time spent. Who says more time training, equals better results?

Until next time, 

Jody

No Time For Exercise, Have I Got News For You...

Do strength training, for a shorter amount of time and less often and you will gain all the fitness benefits that your body needs with less wear and tear on your joints. 

Sounds good, right? Well it is just that. The book by Dr. Doug McGuff and John Little called A Body of Science introduced me to this new concept, then proceeded to methodically explain how and why it works. They backed up their information with the latest science on body mechanics and a host of new studies and papers written on the subject.  

And, by the end of the book, I got it: strength training is the best exercise for your continued health.  

It helps to have some understanding of science physiology but even if you don’t, it’s a fascinating read.  Once you understand this new concept of training, look for a trainer that knows how to put you through the Body by Science routine. 

As a busy fitness trainer with over 35 year of experience I can say that this way of exercising makes perfect sense to me. Day one training session for me was yesterday. I set my weights and did my workout in 15 minutes. I’ll keep you posted.

I've attached an info video of the author being interviewed, coupled with an example of the workout. Keep in mind this is meant for all ages, men and woman. Check it out: