Join Team Tortoise, not Hare
“Oh you thought you were special, did you.” A client chided me this past month..
We had been talking about my current training program for the NYC Half marathon coming up later this month. I noted how my knee became sore after progressing my long run from 8 miles to 12 in adjacent weekends.
She was right! I fell in to the trap. I based my current fitness on past performance. I was plotting my workouts based on what I had done a year or 2 ago versus what my body could tolerate at present.
Despite my best effort, I could not out run (pun intended) physiology and physics. Turns out your local physical therapist is human too!🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
As the weather warms, I anticipate folks will return outside and increase their exercise routines. Overall, we may see a spike in exercise work loads, which can be a great thing for wellness as long as the increases in activity are safe and appropriate.
Here are a few tips to help you ease in to your spring fitness!
- Start slow. Do not base your exercise on what you were doing 6 months ago if you have not been consistently active. If you are a runner or walker, think about a return to run or a progressive walking program. If you like to lift weights, start much lighter and with few repetitions..
- Warm up. The goal of a warm up is to perfuse muscles and dilate the vessels of our lungs and hearts to receive more blood and oxygen. The activity should be dynamic, warm our bodies, and begin to increase our heart rate.
- Rest days. Exercise is stress on the body. This is a good thing because it facilitates tissue adaptation, strength and resiliency. However, too much stress and not enough rest can lead to aches and pains, and potentially an injury. So prioritize rest! And look to the next tip!
- Watch out for early signs of injury. Soreness when you begin to exercise is expected and appropriate. Ideally, it eases in 2 to 3 days, does not compromise your movement, and does not limit your life activities. Watch out for joint swelling, stiffness the next morning that does not ease in <30 minutes, pain intensity > 6/10, and difficulty sleeping. If you notice these signs, then consult your local PT for guidance!
At the end of the day, slow and steady, like my friend the tortoise, gives you the best long term investment in your physical wellness! If you have questions on what is the best starting point for your exercise program, we would love to chat with you on how we can help! If you are struggling with an ache or pain, don’t guess, get assessed!
Warmly,
Joe