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Fitness: Getting Off the Rat on a Wheel Routine
June 22nd, 2008 · Filed Under: Fitness & Performance · Health
Health and fitness should be interesting and enjoyable.
It always amazes me how this aura of suffering and discipline combined with large doses of blood and sweat seems to have encased the fitness industry.
There are tons of new programs out there that are upbeat, innovative, and exciting, yet the default images that come to mind still seem to be grueling and bleak where only the strong survive.
I have to admire the self discipline that the people must develop who go to the gym everyday to pump iron and run on the treadmill. I did it for a few years until I realized that I could utilize all the time spent, on my rat on a wheel routine, to learn something and develop usable skills, or at least have fun. So, instead of spending hours per week strapped into a machine repeating two dimensional motions, I focused on sports, martial arts, and just trying new things.
Since I made the switch, I enjoy working out much more, my body is more defined, my strength is more functional, my martial arts skill level has increased significantly, and I know a lot more about how the body works.
Now, if you’re a competitive athlete or even just a weekend warrior who wants to improve his/her game, then a sport specific conditioning routine outside of game play would be appropriate. Keep in mind that this still does not mean hitting the gym with the old “C’mon, c’mon . . . one more rep!” routine, it should be a varied and dynamic series of holistic movements that are specifically designed to increase, your speed, strength, agility, flexibility, etc. What I mean by holistic is multi-planar, multi-joint, and utilizing a rate of movement and control that would be needed in real life.
In any case, if you’ve reached the stage where you want to improve your game, then you have probably already incorporated a level of regularly performed exercise that you enjoy.
For those of you who are still challenged by the “regular exercise” stage, I recommend getting out there and trying something new. Go for a Yoga or Pilates class. Try swimming, or a team sport. Learn Boxing. Go hiking or rock climbing. Go kayaking or learn to surf. Join a bootcamp (they’re tough but fun!). Landscape your yard. The possibilities are endless. In my case, I like honing my martial arts and self defense skills. I also enjoy boxing, kickboxing, and submission wrestling among other less combative things like racquetball, hiking, ocean kayaking, body surfing, mountain biking, etc.
It’s true that classes tend to be more expensive than gym memberships, but here is a little known fact that I found out as a personal trainer: most people sign two or three year contracts at large chain gym, then quit within the first three months. Basically, the gym is making money over the course of three years despite the fact that their facilities were only used for a few months. If your gym offers classes, that’s great! It has been my experience, however, that class instructors at large gyms tend to be overworked, underpaid, and rather unenthusiastic about what they are teaching.
Most fitness studios that offer classes, on the other hand, charge monthly tuition without contracts, will often times give you a degree of personal attention that is largely absent of commercial gyms, and are generally passionate about their craft.
The take home message: If you want a change from the traditional gym routine, go shop around for an interesting class and just do it. If you’re on a budget, just get some friends together, go to the park, and use your imagination!
In Health,
–
Nhan-Esteban Khuong, L.Ac.
www.SGVJeetKuneDo.com
