Getting Fitness Right Getting Fitness Right. It is a brief expression, a quick phrase. It is easy enough to talk about, and harder to do. Still, it's not rocket science (which some say is hyped anyhow - a solid booster, fuel, a cone, propulsion and different phases - is it really that hard?).
There is a lot of talk these days about fitness. It is on the airwaves and in the coffee shops. It is over water coolers in office corners and at the dinner table. Talk about fitness can turn to dissertations that spin out from the first word and trundle on down to the last.
Why? Because a body is a temple, or might be. A body is a vessel and a vehicle, and a fit body is a source of energy, a coping mechanism and a sign of respect for ourselves. So you're into this fitness thing. You like the idea. You've been working out, perhaps you play a sport. You take walks after dinner or before the sun rises, a strong yellow ball, in the east. Okay, so isn't that good enough? Depends on what you're after.
Let's ask a couple of questions. Are you satisfied with your current fitness profile? Do you have specific goals that you want to achieve, such as permanent weight loss or a level of achievement in a specific sport or athletic discipline? Do you want to improve the nature and progression of your workouts?
Our best guess is that even for the fittest among you, there is some area of your body or athletic performance that you want to improve. You want to be stronger or faster, gain endurance or improve in your chosen sport or discipline.
Others may just want to lose weight or look better. Those are absolutely fine goals too. Once you start thinking about 1) where you are now, and 2) where you want to be, the sky is the limit. There are no instant formulas to Getting Fitness Right. Fitness is a spendid thing, properly approached. Fitness is an intrinsic component of daily life and well-being. It boosts energy and purpose and ratchets up contentment levels.
Awareness and the desire to change. Decision, belief and application. Moving forward with a methodical program that is right for you. Mix a solid fitness program with good nutrition, and you can't lose. Getting Fitness Right. Create a new fitness profile, one interesting workout at a time.
Build a Plan
What are your priorities and goals in establishing a fitness program for yourself?Do you want more energy and generally better health? Logic suggests you plan a general exercise and nutrition program that builds strength, cardiovascular level and stamina. If you are an athlete chasing superior performance, evaluate your current fitness state and your actual nutritional habits. Measure current speed, strength and stamina levels with the help of a personal trainer. Use these metrics as a baseline. Think about them. Don't despair if they register 'readings' below your expectations. That's where building and following a fitness plan come in...
Tennis playersprofit from speed, strength and stamina work, and from core work via pilates and related exercises. Whether you are Roger Federer or a weekend warrior, you benefit from a methodical workout plan.
Learn the value of stretching and warmups. Stretching, often thought a prerequisite to a vigorous workout, is most valuable at its conclusion or when you are fully warm. The warmup itself should be simple, and might consist of walking a treadmill or light jogging for five to ten minutes.
Listen to your body. Pay attention to its moods and rhythms. When you are energetic and focused, exploit this happy combination. If you are tired and distracted, go easy and go light. Don't try to squeeze water from a stone. Customize Your Plan Remember, fitness training is personal, so customize and tweak it to your benefit. Take runners: if you are a sprinter, customize a program that combines strength with speed and coordination exercises. A long-distance runner or rower gains the most benefit from a program that emphasizes endurance training. Endurance is stressed - but not at the exclusion of stability, strength or speed components.
If you count yourself among those without athletic inclinations, the impact of a well-planned fitness program may surprise you. No matter your athletic self-image at present, relevant exercises and drills make you better, stronger and fitter.
NOTE: Before getting strenuous, consult a doctor. Make sure you are ready for the physical demands of a full workout schedule. If you have limitations, set out a plan that does not risk your overall health.
Nutrition: A Team Player
Nutrition is often associated with dietary deprivation. It should not be. Nutrition is not only a critical component of health to be treated with reverence; it is also an essential aspect of building and maintaining a solid fitness profile.
Solid nutrition has its own rationale and justification. Switching to a vegetable and fruit-oriented diet will naturally promote weight loss in most people. Eating nutrient-rich foods becomes addictive and so does good nutrition. Should you revert to bad eating habits, the fitness fallout should spur corrective table action.
Once you migrate to a healthier diet, you are likely to eat fewer calories.You will be taking in far more nutrients per calorie, and since nutrients are what your body actually craves, it won't 'ask' for those chips, crackers and sweets.
Talking About UptoFitness.com:
Janmeet Rai, Juniors Coach, former Indian Davis Cup team practice partner (World Group semifinals) and former Indian Juniors National Champion, endorses UptoFitness as a primary teaching tool for work with his squad of international Junior players.
"UptoFitness has everything I need in the way of ideas for coaching tennis. My players' results have escalated since I discovered the site. I recommend it to coaches and parents everywhere - especially if they have doubts about their current path."
