Why It's Important to Train for Life
Hello Jarrett,
Welcome back to the Total Performance Newsletter! If you are a new subscriber and did not receive previous editions, check out the "Newsletter" tab on my website (www.totalperformance-pt.com) and they are all posted there. If you have trouble accessing this link, please let me know! This month, we will continue to take a look at some specific movement and injury-related issues that commonly arise and how to deal with them.
Before we dive into today's topic, I wanted to give a quick social media plug. Follow us on Instagram (@total_performance_pt) and Facebook (@Total Peformance Physical Therapy). I have been more active in those places and will be making regular posts on ways to further help you move better, feel better, and perform better!
Getting back to today’s newsletter, we are going to talk about the importance of training for life.
In last month's newsletter, we talked about the importance of training for recreational athletes, but this month's content is for those who don't play sports and maybe even haven't spent much time in the gym, but want to stay healthy and active. Instead of performance, their goals are to walk a few miles on vacation, get up and down from the floor safely, go up and down stairs pain-free, or play with their grandkids.
Here are 4 main reasons why consistent training is important for these people as much as it is for athletes.
1) If you don't use it, you lose
It is true that all fitness qualities do decline over time-no matter who you are, you will not be the same at 75 as you were at 25. But, that does not mean we can't fight against that, slow down that decline, and live a vibrant and healthy life as we age. The best way to do this? Follow a well-rounded training program that addresses all important qualities (listed below) and is suitable to your abilities, goals, and schedule. If you don't want to lose it, you better train it.
2) Training builds skills, not just fitness
A big concern with this population is maintaining the ability to do basic functional activities, such as going up/down stairs or getting up/down from the ground safely. The ability to do these things is not only based on fitness qualities such as strength or flexibility, but there are also skills and techniques that make these tasks easier. The specifics are for another newsletter, but a well-rounded training program should include practicing these strategies to make these daily functional tasks easier and safer.
3) Building/Maintaining Muscle Mass and Bone Density
I think of this as building "body armor." Having some extra muscle mass and strong bones provides protection in the event of a fall or other bumps and bruises that happen in life. Quite literally, it gives you a physical buffer in those unfortunate instances in which gravity wins or the edge of that coffee table magically appears out of nowhere. Similarly, if you do get sick or have some other event in which fitness gets put on the back burner, having some extra muscle mass and strong bones ensures you will have a "reserve" to keep you going. Also, the better shape you are in prior to such an event, the easier it will be to get back into shape once you recover. Build that armor while you can!
4) Training should be fun and empowering!
Even if you dread going to the gym, good training should still leave you feeling invigorated and energized! There is a tremendous sense of accomplishment that comes along with lifting a heavy weight you didn't think you could do or mastering a challenging exercise. It's also quite refreshing to realize you no longer feel stressed when you have a physical event coming up, such as getting on/off a boat during the summer or climbing the bleacher stairs at a sports game. Training should not just be about the gym, but also about the benefits that extend to everyday life.
With all that being said, let's take a look at what a good training should look like. It should include mobility, power/balance, strength, relevant skills, and cardio. Here's a sample workout (click on names of exercises for links to video demonstrations):
Circuit: 2-3 rounds (mobility-focused warmup)
Hands Supported Downward Dog; 6-8 reps
Stability Ball Roll and Reach; 8-10 reps (*use a stability ball if a medicine ball is too low)
Circuit: 2-3 rounds (lower body power and balance circuit)
Marching; 20-30 yards (single leg balance)
Bouncy Calf Raises; 20-30 reps (lower body power)
Circuit: 2-3 rounds (strength circuit)
Elevated Deadlift; 8-10 reps (picking heavy things up)
Hands Supported Pushups; 6-10 reps (upper body strength)
Circuit: 2-3 rounds (strength/skill circuit)
Hands Supported Split Squat; 6-8 reps (leg strength, getting up from ground)
Split Stance Single Arm Cable Row; 8-10 reps (upper body strength, single leg stability)
Mini Squat Stance Palloff Press; 6-8 reps (core/stability work)
Circuit: 2-3 rounds (muscle building circuit)
Seated Bicep Curls; 10-12 reps (upper body muscle building)
Tricep Pushdowns; 10-12 reps (upper body muscle building)
*Separate from gym workouts, get in regular walking for cardio; at least 30 minutes 2-3 times per week!
As always, this is just a sample workout that would be part of a larger program and can be adjusted to fit anyone's goals and abilities. If you need some help creating your own program to keep strong and healthy, feel free to reach out!
Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter, where will we continue to look into some common issues that arise and practical solutions to deal with them! Also, if you have any topics that you want to see covered in a future newsletter, please let me know!
