Thursday, February 27, 2014

Collected Fitness Wisdom #61


Before you complain about what the scale says, don't forget to appreciate the fact that you now DOMINATE going up and down the stairs...

or you carry groceries with ease instead of huffing and puffing with a gallon of milk in your hand...

or you're inspiring a co-worker, friend or family member into becoming a healthier version of themselves (and you don't even know it).

~ Mike Whitfield




If we look at the example of the child, of how we used to be, we can see that we were not made to be quitters. We were not made to stop, to sit, or to lie down and take the world’s attacks. We were made to get up, to stand, and to keep going. We were all born with a resilient mindset. This mindset was capable of helping us overcome any obstacle from gravity to baby gates and even overly cautious parents. You can walk today because you refused to quit trying to walk as a child. There is a lesson in there somewhere.

~ Tim Anderson




But the the truth is that you are enough, right now, and wanting to improve doesn't diminish that in any way. You can love your body, and still want it to be leaner or stronger. You can embrace your talents and still desire to be better at them. You can journey on a path of edification without self-abasement.

There's no shame in wanting to be better.

~ Neghar Fonooni





Hardly anyone quits smoking on their first attempt. Few people stick to a diet the first time. We all try, fail, learn, and get better. Keep going. Never quit. Stay strong, keep pushing, fall down, get back up, learn lessons, adjust course, come back stronger, and you will succeed!

~ Craig Ballantyne


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Thursday, February 13, 2014

Do Your Workouts Make You Better?

Unfortunately, we are living in a time where group workouts that exhaust or almost kill people are glorified. It’s gotten to the point where some exercisers don’t think they got a good workout unless they are practically crawling out to their cars when finished. 


 

But guess what? Puking or being on the verge of it does not constitute a good workout. It’s easy to run people into the ground; it takes absolutely no skill to exhaust someone.

 


A good trainer will encourage you to challenge yourself but also to listen to your body. You should not push through joint pain or extreme fatigue.

Rather than just running you ragged, your training sessions should increase your energy and make you stronger. They should be correctly designed to work muscle groups properly and thoroughly. Good form should always be stressed. If not, you simply become an injury waiting to happen. 


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