Follow the old Nike saying ‘just do it”. People are frightened surrounding the mystery of resistance training. They have the old stereotype in mind, with the muscle bound sweaty men lifting huge weights in a dimly lit dirty garage grunting and making animal noises. That’s not what I’m talking about and yes that thought can be off putting. The idea of venturing into a gym with no idea of what to do can be intimidating especially if you never were an athlete or your athletic days are so far behind you that you would need an archaeologist to find them.
I’m talking about a lifestyle change here not a quick fix. This will take a commitment on your part and an understanding that it will take a period of time to make permanent positive changes to your body. You will notice some positive changes in as little as 3 weeks but the overall health benefits will take some time and it all depends upon the individual. We all respond differently to exercise but it is clear we all do respond. So how do you start and the most uncomplicated way I can say it is to just start. Start by making a conscious decision to move more each day. Walk more take the stairs, park farther away you know you have heard these things in the past now just do it. Start doing some body weight exercises at home, for example sit on the edge of a kitchen or dinning room chair, with your feet flat on the ground about shoulder width apart, stand up by engaging your quadriceps and your glutes pushing through the heels of your feet. Then sit back down till you touch the edge of the chair and stand back up. Do as many and you can do, rest and do it again. If you can only do 2 do 2 but work at it daily and you will improve, your body will adapt and soon you will be doing sets of 10 repetitions. Add a push up it doesn’t have to be the standard off the floor pushup, modify it, stand up near a wall place your feet several inches away from the base of the wall again keep them about should width apart. Lean forward and place your hands on the wall about chest high, even with your shoulders, keep your elbows in and push yourself away from the wall, repeat. If this is too easy use a chair, put your hands on the sitting portion of the chair instead of the wall. Do as many repetitions as you can. Before you know it you will improve. These simple exercises will produce big results and before you know it you will notice change. Celebrate the improvements even if they are small. Honor the process and you will improve. Be honest with yourself and don’t make excuses make commitments to improve and just start. If you need help just contact me.