Tip of the Day

One of the most important things to remember when starting or changing an exercise routine is the need for progression. Too many people jump into exercise not having worked out in years, and think they can just pick up where they left off or just start where Men’s Health tells them is a good weight and rep range. The problem is that the body is designed to function based on its adaptations, and if your body has not been involved in exercises, or has never done an specific exercise before, you need to progress up to it. By starting light, but perhaps more importantly, starting with the right types of exercises, you set yourself up for success. This would include your static holds, slow reps, and adequate time spent on warming up and stretching. In doing this you will allow your body to go through the necessary adaptations to allow for safe, productive and worthwhile exercise. These changes will include: 1) Rewire your neuromuscular system, allowing the brain to effectively tell the muscle fibers that they need to contract. 2) Strengthen the tendons and ligaments, allowing them to hold strong as you perform weighted movements. 3) Wake up your stabilizing muscles, making sure that they fire, and fire at the right time. 4) Lengthen then muscles, allowing the joints to move freely in their full range of motion to perform exercises as they were intended to be performed. 5) Harden the core, giving you proper power transfer through the body, and protecting the lower back from excessive loading or movement.

Without the proper progressions, you leave your body and your hopes for fitness at risk. Think of the January 1^st syndrome; the first week everyone goes out and hits the ground running with a 5-mile run with no warm-up and no stretch after. The next week, all those people are cursing their sore muscles, tight hamstrings, and the pain in their Achilles. You cannot expect your body to perform at its highest level until you have given it time to build up and learn how to exercise. Treat it like a new skill to be learned: you have to start with baby steps, but after a while, you will look back and see just how far you’ve come. Good luck and happy training!

-Colin