Exercise is for everyone, not just the sporty!
KEY TAKEWAYS
- Find something you enjoy
- Fit it into your daily routine so it becomes a habit
- Walking can be a great low impact exercise
- Walking can be done almost anywhere
- Walking can be incorporated into every day life
- Every step counts
Some people really struggle with exercise for a variety of reasons, even dating back to school years. If you’ve been told you aren’t a sporty person you may have been put off activity altogether. You don’t need to be the fastest or most competitive person to enjoy and benefit from exercise. Childhood beliefs often influence future actions and can lead to avoidance. We want to quash these pre-learnt beliefs, and get you moving more.
‘It’s never too late to start exercising’
From Pilates, to walking, weightlifting, dancing, running….. All these activities can have positive effects on your overall health:
Improved cardiovascular health
Joint mobility
Improve mood
Fun and social
and much more….
What exercise should I try?
Everyone is different and you need to consider your current physical fitness levels, bearing in mind muscle wastage happens within 2weeks! If you were running 15 miles 6 months ago and haven’t maintained it, you will need to gradually build up from scratch. Similarly, if you were lifting heavy weights, you need to start with lightweights and gradually increase over time. A good rule is not to increase running distance more than 20% a week, the same can be applied to weight increase. Prematurely increasing running distance or weights can lead to injury.
If you’ve been injured and received treatment from a Chiropractor, why not ask their advice as they will have a good understanding of your current physical fitness, stage of recovery and therefore can advise you on the most beneficial exercise to start with. Swimming is a great sport as you can activate your muscles and get your body moving while minimising impact.
Am I too old to exercise?
No! It’s never too late to exercise, but it’s important to choose something to suit your body. Starting running in your 70’s may not be the best choice. Instead, steadily building up your exercise levels, via low impact activities such as instructor guided Pilates is a better starting point. This doesn’t mean you can never run, but it’s worth investing in building your foundation strength if you have been inactive for some time as you are likely to lack supporting muscles and will be more prone to injury.
It’s certainly not one size fits all.
If you currently leave the house 1x week to walk to the corner shop it may be as simple as introducing another similar or shorter walk to your week. Ideally not increasing distance by more than 20% a week. Steady increase in activity gives your body the chance to adapt to the increased demand and not over stress structures which can otherwise result in injury.
We recommend you seek a health professionals advice if you plan to change your activity levels to ensure your plans are appropriate.
Forget what your teacher said about your sporting ability. Exercise is good for everyone no matter what speed. It’s far more important you get out there and move than do nothin at all. Exercise has been shown to boost mood too so why not find something you enjoy and start today.
We have some great tips on our social media channels and blog to help you with some healthy lifestyle habits. If you would like more specific help contact us via email or phone. We will arrange a personal consultation to establish your needs. Contact KH Chiropractic near Honiton now:
Email info@khchiropractic.com
Phone 01392 984959
