We’re kicking off a series of conversations with people with different perspectives on all things health, nutrition and fitness. It might challenge your assumptions, or even inspire you to try something you previously thought you never would!
This week we're chatting to online coach and PT Dottie about belong in the fitness space. Everyone has to start somewhere so we wanted to know more about how to start and how to overcome any negative feelings. Let's talk about it.
Fitness: An ever-growing “trend” amongst many industries; fashion, social media, corporate or otherwise. What if you’re a little behind on the times or perhaps don’t
follow trends as devoutly as your 14 year-old niece? What if, you simply would like to approach fitness for its true identity? To better your health, mental wellbeing and that be it. No brovado, no £££ activewear, just pure, simple, exercise. All of a sudden, you’re the one who feels like they stick out like a sore thumb (or sore everything else as it seems). Here’s why your workout is just as worthy as the next person, and better yet, will never have to look the same has there’s:
“Personal” Training:
Before the job title existed, this is exactly what fitness was. Training, or exercise,
specifically performed to get each individual closer to their own personal goal. No
comparison, no leaderboard. A huge reminder before stepping in to any fitness space, whether it be a class studio, a free-for-all gym floor or even an online group workout, is that you are there for your own reasons. You’ve had your own personal history with exercise both short and long lived, you’ve possibly had, or still have, injuries, other time commitments and priorities. Each individual is completely different, and that’s wonderful, so why in this environment should it be any different?! Remember that.
Started From the Bottom, Now We’re Here:
Name an environment in which you are automatically expected to know
everything about. How to use everything, where everything is, what happens when
things go wrong. I’ll wait… Exactly.
So why is the fitness space so different? There are an abundance of questionable looking items all sprinkled with a variety of grunts, groans and sweat-laden humans all peacocking around with their smelly protein shakers in one hand and half-eaten banana in the other. How did they get there? I’ll tell you how; experience. We all start somewhere. Just with any hobby or skill you have to start with the basics and fundamentals. Unfortunately, these never feel particularly glamorous or show-worthy but they are the most important. They won’t necessarily have you huffing and puffing, or perhaps vice versa, they’ll have you huffing and puffing all that bit too quickly, but our bodies are incredibly adaptable and eager to learn so keep at it!
Progressions, Regressions, Adaptations:
How to know when you’re ready. We’ve covered the basics and now they’re,
dare I say it, starting to feel easy?! In come our three little friends; progression, regression and adaptation. Three variables you can add to an exercise to make it achievable for you.
Perhaps, let’s say, you’ve been really trying to work on your Push-Ups, knees down, hands below shoulders, elbows out at 45’ angle. Perfect. Time for the next step!
However the progression up to full plank push-up is just a liiiiiittle bit too far. Here is a regression: Up on your toes but let’s elevate the hands a touch higher, say, on a box or your sofa, later down the line you pick something a little lower than the box, then a little lower than that, then hey! You’re into full push-ups!
What if you have a history of shoulder injuries? Let’s give you an adaptation and change the angle of the elbows as you bend. Having looked through it like this you can see why progressions, regressions and adaptations are important and exactly why comparing your workout to someone else’s is, well, a little bit silly right?
The Pain Cave is NOT Workout Justification
Last set, final rep, finished. Yay! Taking a look around, you find yourself to be the
only one not rolling around the floor like a 3-year old with a stubbed toe, or dripping from every orifice for that matter.
Suddenly you feel inadequate, session counted unworthy, but why? Just because you haven’t been submitted into the pain cave does not mean you didn’t ace your workout. Movement of any kind is justified and should be acknowledged, not just the bit that makes you question your life choices or the workout that took you almost a week to recover from. Acknowledgment and justification should come the moment you act on the intention, the second you step into the class studio, or put your trainers on. That, that right there, is the good stuff.
