During the month of March, despite the cold and dreary weather of Southwestern
Pennsylvania, I managed to get myself to the gym Monday through Friday at 5am, getting a complete workout in 5 days per week.
We
know that all workouts are not created equal; and everyone will tell
you they have the best one for you. Quality workouts will always have a
couple of things in common. Here are the
four exercise absolutes to help you shape your routine that I have
implemented over my past month of successful
exercise.
4. Recovery Time
Many injuries that I see in my office are related to chronic overuse of a specific muscle group or joint. Our bodies need time to heal. When you exercise, you are stressing the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and bones. That stress weakens the tissue temporarily. The body needs time to repair that stressed tissue. Given the proper time, the tissue will become even stronger and that's how we build muscle. So many of us want to be macho men and women picking up the intensity of our workouts day after day. In the long run (no pun intended), your body will break down to a point of injury, which will essentially force you to take the time off that you should have been taking in the first place.
4. Recovery Time
Many injuries that I see in my office are related to chronic overuse of a specific muscle group or joint. Our bodies need time to heal. When you exercise, you are stressing the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and bones. That stress weakens the tissue temporarily. The body needs time to repair that stressed tissue. Given the proper time, the tissue will become even stronger and that's how we build muscle. So many of us want to be macho men and women picking up the intensity of our workouts day after day. In the long run (no pun intended), your body will break down to a point of injury, which will essentially force you to take the time off that you should have been taking in the first place.
When it comes to resistance training, I never recommend working out a muscle group more than twice in
one week. Even when I was training for my marathon, I never did the same type
of running workout more than 1-2 times per week. That is why varying your
workouts is so crucial, because you can still work out daily while giving
muscle groups a chance to heal and become stronger.
Stretching is also a key
factor in your recovery. I do not have a specific stretching time or routine
that I stick to; but I can tell you that I stretch several times throughout my
day. If I feel my muscles are tight, I stretch that muscle group. Depending on
the muscle group, I will hold a stretch for 5-20 seconds (holding longer on large muscle groups). You don’t have to be a
yogi master to take the time to stretch. One to two minutes 3 times a day would
make an amazing difference in the strength, flexibility and recovery of your
muscles.
This is the final exercise absolute to help you revamp your routine and get the most out of whatever exercise routine you choose. Check back next week for a new healthy topic. (Do you have a burning health question or topic you'd like to hear more about? I'm always open to suggestions!)
Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter.
Stretching is also a key
factor in your recovery. I do not have a specific stretching time or routine
that I stick to; but I can tell you that I stretch several times throughout my
day. If I feel my muscles are tight, I stretch that muscle group. Depending on
the muscle group, I will hold a stretch for 5-20 seconds (holding longer on large muscle groups). You don’t have to be a
yogi master to take the time to stretch. One to two minutes 3 times a day would
make an amazing difference in the strength, flexibility and recovery of your
muscles. This is the final exercise absolute to help you revamp your routine and get the most out of whatever exercise routine you choose. Check back next week for a new healthy topic. (Do you have a burning health question or topic you'd like to hear more about? I'm always open to suggestions!)
Dr. Dan Turo is the owner and chiropractor of Turo Family Chiropractic located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Follow him on facebook and twitter.
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