Are you, or have you ever been in the place where you want to commit to being in shape, start working out, begin a cardio routine or some sort of exercise plan but something keeps you from making or initiating that decision?
I know I've had moments.
What were the reason or reasons that came up?
There are numerous reasons that come up for people.
-From not having time to exercise due to work and life commitments,
-To having lack of energy due to either illness, insomnia, busy living or just poor health and fitness,
-To not having the knowledge or resources for a workout or not really knowing where to begin.
-Or to injury that creates a fear of further damage and risk when exercising.
These are the 4 causes of of all obstacles to exercise;
A sense of lack of time,
A sense of lack of energy,
A sense of lack of money or resources,
AND
A sense of lack of physical safety
Cause no1.~ A sense of lack of time
If you've ever thought;
"I'm too busy to exercise",
"I'll start getting into shape when things die down and I have more time."
OR
"a session takes too long."
Then you are definitely dealing with the first cause~A sense of lack of time. (sorry for being so obvious :))
What's common with this particular cause is the misperception of just how much time you need to get in shape.
You don't need one set, solid long duration for a workout. Nor do you need a frequency that is outside your comfort zone.
There are multiple ways to get brief workouts in as little as 5-10 minutes short. The High Intensity Interval Training is a popular way to do this. Using jogging as an example. Over the space of a few minutes, it is very possible to achieve a great cardio by using the 20:10 ratio. Run at jogging pace for 20 seconds, then sprint hard for 10 seconds. Repeat this over a few minutes and I guarantee, you will be sweating.
For muscle exercises, simply pick 5-10 exercises you can do a minute each and you get the picture. If you want multiple sets, 3 exercises, each done 2-3 times. If they are one minute durations, 6-9 minutes. If they are sets of ten, well c'mon, how long do you think a set of ten of anything is going to take?
You can also incorporate exercise within your busy schedule by making small choices in how you plan your day. From choosing alternate means of transport, to parking the car further and jogging the rest of the way, to committing your lunch hour to a workout.(you don't even have to commit the whole hour. You could even do a 5-10 minute high intensity session just before having lunch, maybe on the way to lunch).
As for frequency, you don't have to try to be going 3-4 times a week if that seems like a strain to commit to. You can do either one solid half hour session a week or do micro session throughout your week or day like I've suggested.
And finally, be flexible. Leave yourself room to vary up the durations, frequencies and scheduling.
Work out what time of day your motivation soars and when your most likely to commit to a session.
Cause no.2~A sense of lack of energy
This is the cause that makes people tell themselves;
"life demands too much of me, I don't have the energy right now."
"I'm not well enough to exercise right now."
OR
"A workout tires me out too easily."
What's interesting is the similarity it shares with the sense of lack of time.(they often appear together)
Because of those similarities, a similar answer applies.
Again, there is a misperception of just how much energy you need to have for a workout. You only need as much energy as you are willing to commit. Furthermore, it increases energy and eliminates any sense of fatigue within minutes.(worth keeping in mind)
Also, if you lack energy, its worth looking at how you manage it.
Do you have enough sleep?
Is your diet and nutrition optimal?
Do you know how to breathe correctly?
Are you hydrated enough?
AND
Do you know how to conserve energy in your daily composure?
These are the major ways of properly monitoring and managing one's energy levels.
If you have read my report, then you are aware of the 3 pillars of energy management;
Rest(quality and quantity of sleep)
Recovery(restoration of muscle fibres, energy stores and injuries or strains)
Nutrition(absorption of adequate macronutrients and oxygen from sources that provide more energy than it takes. i.e. fresh fruit and veg, lean meats, seeds and nuts, proper breathing and fluids.)
A few tips on managing your energy;
-Fresh food, lean proteins, avoid(or at least reduce) processed foods like pasta, chips, most breads, etc.
-Good fluids, water, green tea, avoid carbonated drinks, alcohol and milk is NOT a fluid.
-Practice deep breathing (it oxygenates the blood), use the 2:1:4 ratio. Breathe in for 2 seconds, hold for 1 second and exhale for 4 seconds. This is variable, for example; 4:2:8 or 6:3:12.
-Watch what focuses take your energy that is not productive. i.e. TV, radio, internet or any excess blaring noises or stimulants on the senses. You don't have to cut them out entirely but be aware and consider reducing them at certain times, especially a few hours before sleep.
-Lastly, meditation is a great way to rest without going to sleep. Alternatively, naps or ciestas are effective refreshers too.
Cause no.3~ A sense of lack of money or resources
Do these thoughts sound familiar?
"I can't afford a trainer or a gym membership."
"I don't have any equipment to workout with."
"I don't where to begin, I need to be shown, I can't afford it right now."
Nothing can feel more defeating than wanting something, but having that something feel out of our reach because we feel we have a limited access to the resources that is required.
Let me tell you that it's NOT an issue when it comes to getting into shape and looking after your body.
All you need is a body with reliable motor functions and a brain.
It's nice to have a trainer to guide and support you, or membership to a facility with a variety of equipment to choose from that do different things. However, it's not essential.
Whatever it is that you want to experience physical wellbeing through in terms of exercise, whatever you want to learn to do with your body that will strengthen and condition it, or that you want to master, you can learn it by using your ability to question and the infinite nature of the information that we are surrounded by in this age.
Books, magazines, TV, internet, libraries, word of mouth, etc.
Information is now literally at our fingertips.
The other half of this type of obstacle, is knowing what you need to know but not practicing it due to self doubt and uncertainty of the execution of the exercises.
As someone who has taught himself wing chun, I'm familiar with that feeling.
What I suggest is to face the doubt as you practice those exercises and use the doubt to prompt the questions that serve you in refining your technique and execution of the skills you are practicing. Eventually the familiarity of the exercises and what you have learnt will bring a sense of comfort and confidence in your ability and you'd be surprised how you can grow from the process of self learning alone.
Cause no.4~ A sense of lack of physical safety
This is based on a variety of physical conditions that can occur to an individual.
-An injury that needs to be nursed typically comes with the fear of harming it and undoing any healing or doing more damage to it
-An illness that leaves an individual week and frail can rob that person of any sense of security that can do exercise without having an accident that can impact the health condition or damage the body due its fraility
-Lack of physical strength, coordination or balance also for fear of accidents in the attempt to execute the exercises
-Age, the sense of lack of safety that comes from not having the strength and conditioning that comes with youth and the process of the body degenerating as a result of age is another way that an individual can lose confidence in their ability to perform some exercises.
These are all reasonable obstacles, we do need to be cautious in times when our bodies are not at their most reliable.
However, as we know, exercise is an integral part of healing, recovery and rehabilitation. The way to overcome these types of obstacles is by consulting with your physician, doing research on your condition or injury, knowing all the facts, assessing all the risks and look for what exercises and movements you can still do.
What CAN you still perform, and what will actually help restore, heal or compensate your injury or condition?
In some cases an injury or health condition has the potential to necessitate exercises that become a strength that you wouldn't normally have attained had you not had that challenge.
An experience that comes to mind that I've had was when I fractured my ankle. It was frustrating me. I didn't want to let it keep me from my training sessions. Needless to say, I had to compromise. What I found was that my compromise served as a compensate. I focused one legged exercises more, I developed skills that allow me to swivel and pivot on one foot and since the recovery of ankle I have transfered that skill into my other foot (to keep things balanced). I don't think I would have the footwork I now have if it hadn't been for that injury.
Whatever you might think you need more of that is keeping you from keeping fit, there is always a way to create it. As long as you have the commitment.
Whether it's time, money or resources, energy or physical wellness to perform the activities you need, it's not the quantity of these things you have, but the quality of your management of these things that really determine your results and your experience.
Inspired by fitness,
Clinton Boucheix
Free Exercise Motivation Report
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