Hi
December 1, 2013
In this newsletter . . .
The Holiday Fitness
Survival Guide
Be a Fitness Pragmatist
Holiday Fitness Survival Guide
Some people may think it is not possible. But you actually can get through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, while not neglecting your fitness. Briefly, here's one way to do it:
- Don’t sit too much. Have fun. But get up off the couch. Move around.
- If pressed for time, abbreviate your workouts. Small doses are better than none at all.
- Follow Michael Pollan’s dietary advice: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
Between work, shopping, visiting friends and relatives, are there not enough minutes in your day? How can you possibly fit in regular workouts, you may wonder?
Here is a good combination movement that covers most of the upper-body bases in just one exercise: Try the Renegade Row Push-up Combo. Add some leg work, like the Side Split Squat, and you will be well served. For cardio, do a bit of jogging, or walking, or running, biking, or swimming. Your choice. And that's it.
After the first-of-the-year, you’ll be giving high-fives at the gym!
Be a Fitness Pragmatist
Pragmatic (prag-MAT-ik) -- means realistic or matter-of-fact; useful in practice, not just theory.Methods continually evolve in the fitness world. But is the "latest and greatest" always better? For example, when it comes to building strength and muscle, is there really anything better than a simple set of weights? Or are exercise machines safer? Or are resistance bands easier on your joints? Then again, maybe your own bodyweight is all you really need. There are high-profile experts to make the case for each of them.
Also, what is the ideal number of workouts per week: two, three, four, five times, or more? And what about cardiovascular exercise? For a while jogging was the be all and end all. Aerobics classes were big, too, and some still are. Then along came high intensity intervals, Tabata, etc. and “boot camp” circuits.
Such a smorgasbord of offerings can overwhelm a beginner, because every expert says his way is best. Even seasoned trainees can drive themselves crazy in a search for the perfect workout. I’ve been doing physical things since I was teenager. I don’t plan on stopping. It is a big part of who I am, and the benefits are huge. I have some advice.
If you are a beginner, don’t worry too much about discovering the “perfect” method. Just start with something that seems reasonable and has appeal to you personally. Particularly if you are a senior, start off easy and gradually build up. No matter what form or program you practice, if it has a measure of each of the following three components you are probably on the right track:
- resistance exercise
- cardiovascular training
- flexibility movements
The important thing is to begin and keep moving forward. Get clearance from your doctor and then get going. As you move along you will discover the emphasis that is right for you personally. Try not to over-think things.
You've probably heard about the tremendous benefits of weight training and how you can retain -- or even reclaim -- the attributes of youth . . . Discover the way with . . .
Gray Iron: A Fitness Guide for Senior Men and Women
Newsletter Policy
The Gray Iron Fitness Newsletter is a free publication sent twice monthly to subscribers. The purpose is to provide honest and realistic fitness information for people age 50 and above.
I have never been paid or received compensation of any kind to write a positive review or endorse a product. If I say that I personally use a product or service, it is because I find value in it and have paid for it with my own money.
Like newspapers, magazines and television, this newsletter and my web site contain advertising and marketing links. Naturally, I am compensated for these.
The newsletter and web site provide information to help users establish and maintain a fitness lifestyle. But fitness information is not the same as fitness advice, which is the application of exercise and dietary practices to an individual's specific circumstances. Therefore, always consult with your physician for assurance that fitness information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate for you.Your comments and questions are always appreciated. Simply click on the "Reply" bottom.
Sincerely,
Logan Franklin
The Gray Iron Fitness Newsletter
www.senior-exercise-central.com
