The “Good Enough” Workout

 As we round the corner into winter, it’s easy to hibernate and let workouts fall to the wayside.  I challenge you to break this routine this year, and fill the gaps with the “good enough” workout (as inspired by Dr. Peter Janiszewski, Obesity Panacea). 

Often when you miss one workout, practice or activity, it takes a lot more motivation to get back to the next one.  With each missed session, the hurdle to get back just gets bigger and bigger.   So to overcome this, the goal of the “Good Enough” workout is to simply do SOMETHING. Often these workouts will be slower, shorter and with less enthusiasm, but doing something will make it easier to get back to your usual routine and normal energetic self.

These “Good Enough” work outs can consist of anything from walking around the block, throwing on some gym clothes and doing some basic bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, or pushups in corner at home, working through your physio homework or even just showing up to the gym to complete a half work out. 

Maintaining some activity level is not only hugely beneficial to your cardiovascular health, but also has significant effect on your tendon and muscular health.  Bedrest studies have shown that one will lose ~50% of their muscle strength in just one week of staying in bed! It is important to keep your muscles, in particular your postural muscles, good and strong to keep good support around your joints to prevent injuries.  Also, unfortunately, for those who are young at heart, but perhaps not in body, muscular strength is significantly harder to regain after 50 years old.  So the trick is to keep at it! 

If you have, fallen off the bandwagon, start back slow and steady.   Not back to the same level as before you took that exercise vacation.  Tendons are especially vulnerable to a quick change or increase in activity, so make sure to gradually build your exercise routine back up.  It would be terrible to have you return to exercise, and be sidelined with a tendon injury that can take 6-18 months to heal. 

So here’s your challenge.  The next time you’re ready to turn on the TV, grab some snacks and forget about that workout, instead go and do a “good enough” work out instead.  If you need some extra inspiration, or want some ideas for a “good enough” workout that will best suit you, come on into Physiologix and set up an appointment with our physiotherapists.