Exercise for Health

​It is the New Year and it is time to get back in shape... you are pumped up, excited and ready to get rid of the Festive Season bulge! But after 2 sessions, you can barely walk and you want to chop your legs off below the knees, in the hopes that this will be less painful than what you are going through right now!
BY: Better Backs: Your Bedfordview Chiropractor     23rd January 2019
The Festive Season was good for you and, if you want to gauge just how good, have a look at the food bump below your chest area. It is challenging to stay fit and eat healthy during the holiday season and almost impossible to get back into a routine and get back into shape. It is always easier to always stick with an exercise regime, even if you are travelling or on holiday.

If you choose to see exercise as a chore, a necessity or uniform, it will be difficult and tough. It should be fun, varied and challenges you to want to carry on. The best way is to set achievable goals and have a structured (and varied program) to keep you on track. Preventing injuries while training should be your main goal. So, here are our top tips to help you get back on track, without getting hurt.

3 Top Tips for Muscle Gain without Pain

Slow and Steady
  • Prepare the muscles for exercise by warming up correctly.
  • ​Slow to brisk walking for 10 minutes prepares the muscles for exercise.
  • Start Slow. Using a heart rate monitor will help, but most cardiovascular machines will be have sensors that can read your heart rate. It should start at about 100 to 130 beats per minute for the first 10 minutes. Rowing, light jogging, using the cross trainer or climbing stairs are good ways to control your heart rate in this zone.
  • Increase the intensity slowly and steadily: allow your heart rate to climb to about 140 beats per minute. Keep it there for 10 to 15 minutes. Increase the intensity of exercise by jogging at a slightly quicker pace or increasing the intensity on the ergo machine or cross trainer. 
  • Slow down the heart rate again to 100 to 130 beats per minute for the next 10 minutes. 
  • Start to walk to cool down for at least 5 minutes. 

Stretch​
  • Stretching after exercise is tiresome, but it will prevent injuries. 
  • When you have finished exercising and your muscles start to cool down, they contract.
  • Stretching them after exercise, helps to lengthen the fibres and prevents post-exercise soreness, by increasing the blood flow to the muscles before cooling down completely.
  • A stretch should be static, this means that during the stretch, the body part should not move at all. 
  • Holding a stretch for 35 to 40 seconds helps to lengthen the muscle fibres. If you hold it for a shorter period, it will not achieve anything. 
  • Stretches of the lower back and legs are important, especially when you have done a fair amount of cardiovascular training in the session. 

Consistency is Key
  • It seems like an insurmountable challenge in the first couple of weeks.
  • But no matter how tired or sore you feel, challenge yourself to keep going.
  • Things like soaking in an Epsom Salts bath or using a bean bag to ease any discomfort will make exercising easier in the long term.
BEFORE ENGAGING IN ANY FORM OF EXERCISE IT IS ADVISABLE THAT YOU CONSULT WITH YOUR CHIROPRACTOR FIRST. TO FIND OUT ABOUT HOW A QUICK POSTURE ANALYSIS CAN HELP YOU, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW.
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