Runners, Lifters, and Fit People
A friend of mine very recently came to me for some advice on how to turn his health habits around. When exercise came up, he explained that he used to work out fairly frequently, and that his routine was simply a “total body workout” that he performed three days a week. He told me that exercise was discouraging for him because he was so sore afterward that he couldn’t bring himself back for more “punishment,” as he put it. I figured that since he needed some tips on how to establish a safe, effective routine that doesn’t wear you down, some of you might be looking for the same type of guidance.
One year ago today, I would be on my millionth 45-minute run in a row (That’s a gross exaggeration, but you get the point). I was afraid of changing anything because I thought running every day was a “safe” way to make sure I was burning calories and keeping my heart and lungs in shape every day. There were some problems, though: my body was easily adapting to the same routine, the joints and muscles in my legs were taking a very unhealthy beating, I was getting bored and unmotivated, and I was neglecting the rest of my body. Something had to change, but that change didn’t come quickly. It took a lot of research, trial and error, and letting go of the notion that I wouldn’t be able to keep a healthy cardiovascular system and/or level of body fat if I didn’t run every day. Instead of going through such a long deliberation process, try applying this advice. To me, these principles are among those crucial to distinguishing someone who works out from someone who is actually fit:
Work different systems and muscle groups each day. If you went on a run yesterday, try to leave your legs alone today. Instead, do a resistance workout that focuses on a couple of upper body muscle groups. The key to staying fit is to make sure your routines are well-rounded. If you’re only running, your heart and lungs are probably in decent shape (provided you’re continuously making the run more challenging), but you’re neglecting strength, flexibility, and your entire upper body. If you are only lifting weights, you are neglecting your heart and lungs’ ability to help burn fat and to consistently deliver adequate oxygen to every place that needs it (especially if you’re taking your time between sets). If you’re only “interested” in a specific body part, you can still emphasize it, but that should not excuse you from keeping the rest of your body in shape as well. For instance, if you are involved in a sport or a job that requires a strong back, incorporate a second back workout into that of a different muscle group that week.
Balance resistance training with cardiovascular training. All workouts should get your breath going and your blood flowing, but I will generally categorize workouts based on where the primary focus is: muscle strengthening (resistance) or heart/lung strengthening (cardio). You can (and probably should) be doing them both during a single workout (e.g. A plyometric workout is a cardio vascular workout that also shreds your legs), but the most direct purpose of the exercise is what we’re talking about now. I like to work out 6 days a week, switching off between resistance and cardio exercises (one of the “cardio” exercises being yoga, which is actually much more than just cardio; I highly recommend it). Some like to train only one muscle group per day (e.g. chest, legs, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps…or something of that nature), but this leaves no room for cardio days. Instead, I like to work 2-3 muscle groups in one workout, followed by a cardiovascular routine the next day. For example, a week might look like this: chest and back, sprints, biceps and triceps, yoga, shoulders and legs, long bike ride with intervals. I’ll also add a short core routine 2 or 3 times a week, usually on resistance days. The combinations are up to you; just make sure you’re taking care of your entire body in a way that allows its different parts to rest before you go after them again.
Take a day off. Our bodies are not becoming stronger while we work out, but rather during the time they have to recover. In addition to switching your focus of exercise every day, it’s important to take a rest day once or twice a week. As I said above, I work out 6 days a week, not 7. This is not to say you can’t be active and have fun getting some form of exercise on that 7th day, but don’t engage in a rigid, hardcore workout. Instead, play a pick-up game of basketball or frisbee, go on a long walk, etc. It’s important to maintain active as long as you’re not putting the usual 6-day-a-week stress on your body. If you’re just starting out, you might only work out 3-5 days a week, which is perfectly fine. If this is the case, just remember to intersperse your rest days so your body performs consistently.
Flexibility is the most important thing. As I mentioned briefly in my last post, you cannot forget to stretch. Aside from the routine warm-up and cool-down that you should be doing before and after every exercise, you should be taking a chunk of time each week (I like to do it on my rest day) to actively stretch your whole body. Even if you’re stiff and muscular, there is always room for improvement. Bicep curls and bench presses aren’t going to keep you from becoming the old man with the cane someday; stretching regularly will. If you’re doing yoga every week, you’re getting a considerable amount of stretching and flexibility work right there. Most importantly, though, is that you’re challenging yourself with the stretch. Stretching, like all types of exercise, should not have you just going with the motions. You should be fighting for more of a stretch every time, because that is the only way to improve yourself. Please don’t think I’m telling you to be merciless on yourself; you’ll end up tearing a lot of tissue. What I’m saying is that you should always try to be at the point where you’re really feeling the stretch, sometimes experiencing slight discomfort, but not much more than that. If you are consistently working on your flexibility, you know that the feeling of a limber and connected body transcends that of even the strongest chest or the fastest legs.
All in all, I’m trying to encourage you not to be the guy who can deadlift 550lbs, but can’t lift his leg higher than shin-level. I’m urging you not to be that “fit” young woman who runs marathons, but has to hire help to lift her moving boxes. I hope, even if you’re one who doesn’t “care” about cardio or flexibility, or one who isn’t interested in getting stronger, that you’ll begin to look at the big picture. By treating your body as a whole unit, you will build functional strength and vitality, instead of simply overworking one or two parts of your ever-so-connected system. If you’re killing the same type of exercise, give it a rest and tackle everything equally. That’s what I call fit.
Stay well-rounded,
Griffin
