I read an article this afternoon and I thought the author brought up a really good point: How Much Is Enough?
Whether you are training for an event like a marathon or weightlifting competition or an ice skating performance or football tryouts, you need to be aware of WHY you are doing what you do with your physical training.
We aren’t all running 5ks, and we aren’t all going out for the soccer team. Your workouts
should reflect WHAT your goals are, and they should be related to getting you faster, stronger, or more agile.
Your goals should motivate you and keep you focused to work hard and improve your fitness.
It’s always good to think for a little bit about what you want and need out of your exercise routine. (I hate the word “routine” because I think you need to keep a varied program going to keep your body challenged and your mind engaged.)
Do you want to be able to lift your grandson? If that kid doesn’t weigh 300 pounds why do you want to be strong enough to lift a 300 pound barbell?
Do you want to be able to do your laundry without hurting your back? If you aren’t doing body weight and spinal strength and stability exercises, you may be missing the boat. If you are only doing dumbbell exercises with 3 pound weights, and your laundry weighs 15 pounds, how does that make sense?
Do you want to be able to win the local 10k Turkey Trot held every Thanksgiving? Do you want to qualify for the Olympic team? Or do you simply want to be able to run the entire distance without having to stop and walk?
Each of these goals is PERSONAL to YOU and reflects who YOU are and WHAT YOU WANT to do in your life. If your neighbor is bench pressing 135 pounds every night in his garage, you don’t need to automatically feel odd about “only” doing pushups. It’s what will help you reach YOUR goals that you need to stay focused on!
It’s about what YOU need to stay healthy and avoid injury on your way to achieving the goals YOU want in your life, and what makes sense for YOU.
Go after those goals. They ARE within reach.
