Some people exercise to feel good, others exercise to look good. Some people exercise so they can say they did, and still more do it for the social aspect. But for me, there is really only one reason to exercise, and that is to stay healthy. By that I mean to make sure my body is in the best possible shape in order to meet the demands of my lifestyle... be that playing cricket, playing with my son, achieving at work or dancing the night away.
So when it comes to my fitness regime, it is really important to me that it is functional. What that means is that the exercise mirrors the challenges I am likely to face in my daily life. I mean, look at a bench press. How often are you really lying flat on your back trying to push a heavy weight up off of your chest? Or what about running a marathon - how often are you going to need to run for four hours on end to get through your day?
There are some activities, though, that you are likely to need to do all of the time. Every time I pick up my son I need to do a squat. Every time I get up from lying down I do a sit-up, and when I field in cricket I do sprints and jumps. This sort of exercise not only trains the right muscles (including the ones you don't see) but if you are doing it right, it also teaches them to work in unison in order to get the job done in a safe efficient way. Bear in mind when doing functional exercise, though, form is everything. Rather than training until you can't go any more, train until you can't do it with the correct technique any more.
You will also find that this kind of exercise will allow you to do a more intense workout in a shorter period of time. It will also ensure that your body is not only better at doing your daily activities but also less likely to get injured whilst doing so. So get into functional fitness and get your body ready for life!
Subscribe to this comment's feed
written by Dr Brett Hill, January 04, 2011
Without individually assessing you it is really hard to say.
However if you really want to get back into running then there are a number of things you can do to really help your body deal with it.
1. See the chiropractor more regularly. Ensuring adequate alignment of your body will help you run better and with less injuries.
2. See a good podiatrist, particularly one who looks more functionally at the feet rather than just using orthotics.
3. Assess your running technique (and possibly shoes). A mid foot strike will take a lot of pressure off of your knees/hamstrings and a good pair of minimalist running shoes will help you do that.
p.s. I am not against running marathons. It is actually one thing on my to do list. I think running cops a bad wrap in terms of injuries and wear on the body. The more I learn the more I am convinved that it is not running itself but running poorly that cuases injuries. m
Heard you on 5AA and unfortunately just missed you when I called in. I have a complex question where I am interested in your view from an overall holistic/wellbeing approach.
We have a cardiac child who has undergone numerous open heart surgeries, more likely than not he requires more and has a couple of other health issues ... point being reasonably high stress levels.
I love exercise and particulary have found running to be my way of "clearing my head", reducing stress and maintaining fitness in relation to the cardiac and pulmanary aspect.
Several years ago I had an anterior cruciate knee reconstruction with a hamstring graft which saw significant rehab and unfortunately an issue with the hamstring that was stripped for the graft that has caused it to be shortened (semi detached and reattached?).
Since recomencing running several years after the reconstruction, I end up with some back tightness. I have seen a chiropractor on and off for a number of years and he commented some time ago that my back could not sustain my running. When I made this comment to a remedial and trigger point masseuse he suggested I was prematurely ageing my body. (However at age 41 a cardiac stress test saw me easily complete the levels of a 30 year old and I had plenty left in the tank).
My GP has suggested that it is a balance (or tension as I see it) as to not do any running leaves me from my preferred exercise and stress outlet which is maintaining muscle and bone density to some degree to help protect the knee and not see deterioration of the muscles around it. Obviously as many people point out, you need to enjoy the exercise you choose or else it is likely that it will not be maintained.
Given my quadracep on the leg of the reconstruction is still 2cm less in circumference than the other (despite training for and running my first marathon last year), I obviously have some ability to focus train on the muscles and groups to strengthen that leg and hopefully reduce some of the stress on the body. (calf, quad and glute).
Whilst you suggest marathons are not something we need to do, in my circumstance it is something I aspire to do again, and reduce the time below four hours this time around. Whilst some of this is my goal orientation, some is also having that outlet to aim at something and enjoy the achievement (a sort of escape from the stress of our situation if you like similar to yoga or pilates perhaps in a very different way).
Armed with all this information, I am interested in your view of the tensions between what I desire to do and what it may or may not be doing to my body (back) as opposed to total health and wellbeing.
cheers
Tim