Lately I’ve been doing some training with a couple of lads where it could be said that there is a “slight” age difference between myself and the. In fact I recently figured that one of them would have been around 3 when I first hired a PT to coach me…
Despite all the promises you’ll see of quick fitness fixes online, when you start a fitness regime you should always be thinking of the long – game.
A game where you’re staying as fit, strong and healthy as possible for each stage of your life.
Whether you’re just starting out or have been doing it for a while, below are a number of tips to ensure longevity with your training…
1. Warm Up: Warming up properly is one of the best things you can do to get yourself up and running for your workout. And to help you recovery. Applied properly it will help protect you from injury, work your body up to a working temperature and get your CNS activated. In short it will help you train and recover better and help prevent injuries.
2. Move in all the planes of motion: Our body moves in 3 planes of motion – and you should be working on all of them in your training programs. By incorporating the 3 planes into your program, you’ll improve balance and stability and will be stronger overall. You’ll also be less likely to put your back out reaching for the remote control at home…
3. Watch your joints: Doing things like making sure your warmed up, aren’t letting your ego force you to lift weight away above your ability, keeping well hydrated, using proper form and managing your weight are all things that your joints will thank you for. Ensuring they won’t get crankier than necessary over your training life time and being less likely to give you training grief as a result.
4. Foods: Looking at this from purely the ability to train, if you’re eating mainly highly processed and inflammatory foods, this won’t help you with your recovery, injury prevention and abilty to train hard. If you were to start viewing your nutrition as something to be enjoyed and to help give you energy, health and help you towards your fitness goals, you’d take a big step towards fitness longevity.
A good question to ask yourself is; “How do you want to feel after eating the meal you’re about to start?”
5. Sleep and Recovery: You can only train as hard as you can recover. Good quality sleep is one of the most effective hacks towards improving your health that you’ll get. If you struggle with it, start with one or two simple steps to improve it and build from there. Want one or two steps?
– Get off your phone/social media at least an hour before bed.
– No coffee after 12pm
6. Who you train/hang out with: This can’t be emphasised enough. Train with people who enjoy progressing, getting stronger, aren’t whinge-bags and genuinely want to improve their fitness and the likelihood is that you’ll either be the same or will get pulled along by them. Helping to ensure longevity in the process.
7. Enjoyment: Closely related to number 6. Progress and enjoyment of your fitness program don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Also realise that there will be times that it’s tougher for you to train than others. Managing the intensity and frequency of your sessions during these periods will make you less likely to become one of those all or nothing trainees.
8. Strength and Conditioning: Most people tend to prefer either the strength or conditioning aspect of working out. Working on both will give you a much better base to build from than going all out on one or the other.
9. Make it as simple as ABC: Think about the location you train in, the times you can get to it and what curve balls may get in the way. Then work around your schedule and plan ahead for any training curve balls heading your way.
10. Consider your Reasons and remember these change: No matter what age you are, there a10. Consider your Reasons and remember these change:re endless benefits from working out. Continually reviewing the ways they will help you at whatever stage of life and whatever your ambitions are is something that will make you more likely to be someone who plays the long game with your health.
And more likely to be as fit strong and healthy as you can be…