1. Start sensibly. If you haven’t exercised in 6 months you’re capacity is going to be much less than it was when you last exercised, so cut it back by 50% and listen to your body and whether or not it’s telling you to go lighter!
2. Gradually increase your workouts. Whether it is distance, speed, hills, intervals, time it is always better to start slowly and build up.
3. Stretch after exercise. As you get older your body doesn’t recover as well as it did when you were 20 years old (surprise surprise..!). Foam rollers are great to get rid of lactic acid and muscle tension.
4. Exercise with someone or set goals. Exercising with a buddy or setting achievable goals both help you to maintain motivation. This doesn’t need to be a weight goal, unless that is what you are focusing on. It could be running distance or number of push ups…but make it realistic!
5. Lacking motivation?!?! Try something new. There are so many different types of exercise available to us these days so if you hate running it doesn’t mean you are destined to be unfit. Try walking, swimming, yoga, cycling, antigravity yoga (Google this if you don’t know what I’m talking about!) Pilates, extend barre, Zumba, spin classes, pump classes, X-fit (though choose your box wisely as there has been a lot of negative press lately!!) rock climbing, pole dancing…the list is endless.
But if injury does strike be sure to give us a call at Bend + Mend Physio in Sydney’s CBD so it doesn’t have to be an excuse to stop exercising!
