Sports Council Gives Its Tips On How To Start And Stick To Your All-New Exercise Regime
First Published in the Western Mail Newspaper| on January 5th 2007 and written by Madeleine Bringley.
Sports Council gives its tips on how to start and stick to your all-new exercise regime
The Sports Council for Wales is warning that there is little to be gained from over-exercising, especially if it follows a sustained period of indolence.
People who have not exercised all year think they can jump in at the deep end without giving their body time to adjust. But the sports council said that without proper preparation the chances of injury increases, excuses abound and disillusionment sets in.
Sports physiologists at the Sports Council have compiled the following top tips to ease you safely back into fitness and help keep you exercising beyond January.
Be realistic. Don't expect to be able to jump into exercise and to train hard five days a week. Your body will need three or four weeks to adjust to physical activity.
Be patient. Pushing too hard too early will be counterproductive and may just stop your exercise regime before it has a chance to get going.
Progress slowly. If you haven't been exercising regularly it is best to start off slowly. Allow yourself to get used to the strain of physical activity - you'll be able to increase the duration and intensity of your programme over time.
Rest and recovery. Exercise stresses the body and it is only when resting that your body is able to recover. Over-training means the body won't have the chance to adapt and grow stronger.
Warm-up and warm-down. Stretching is key in injury prevention. Your warm-up should last at least five to 10 minutes at a low intensity. The warm-down should include light activity and stretches for five to 10 minutes.
Whatever you do, do something. Just because you haven't got an hour to spare doesn't mean you have to abandon activity altogether. Small changes can add up to make a big difference.
Enjoy it. Getting fit doesn't mean you have to be on a treadmill or lifting weights. Exercise is about having fun and shouldn't be a chore.
Buddy up. Finding an exercise buddy will also help you stay motivated and on track. You'll also be less likely to back out of a session if you know you'll be letting someone else down.
Keep your body guessing. Adding variety will get better results and keep motivation levels up. Step outside of your comfort zone and look at what else you can do.
Don't give up. The first two or three months will always be the hardest as you try to get fit, but as you improve it will become easier.