Starting an exercise program may be one of the toughest things that you do; particularly if you have had a sedentary life before this. You have to commit to exercising – you have to make the time and do what it takes to make the time. You have to persevere even if at first you are exhausted and in pain. So prepare yourself for it.
The obvious question would be; how can exercise be so good for you if it hurts? Well the simple answer to this is Disuse. When muscles are not used they get used to the inactivity and then when they are propelled into activity, then they hurt. It is the unaccustomed activity is what causes the problem.
If you start walking after a long time, then your legs – calves, thighs and so on may hurt. If you lift weights for the first time in your life then the pain can be quite severe – you may find that you cannot even lift your arms for a couple of days after lifting for the first time.
Similarly if you're doing ab exercises such as sit ups or crunches or oblique crunches for the first time, then this will cause your tummy muscles (which are rarely used otherwise in everyday activities) to hurt so much that coughing or sneezing may be painful.
So how do you avoid exercise pain?
- Start slow – if you have not been active before then start with baby steps so that the body is not shocked with too much sudden activity. If your aim is to be able to take a brisk 4 mile walk each day, don’t walk 4 miles suddenly one day after months of even years of inactivity. Start with a mile and then work your way up to the desired speed and distance. Similarly if you aim for 5 sets of bench presses start with only one set and work your way up slowly.
- Give yourself rest days in between days of exercise. This gives you time to recover and muscles to heal themselves from the unaccustomed activity. This also allows the pain to die down and will help you renew your motivation to stick to the program.
- Learn to recognize exercise aches and pains – soreness or aches are normal when starting out, but sharp or shooting pains are not. One should be able to tell apart regular aches and pains that exercise can bring along, from pain that is caused by an injury. If it an injury, never ignore it; it could get worse and cause even more damage.
Learn to recognize the many benefits that can come from exercise. Not only will you feel physically better, more energized and able, but you will also look better. Exercise is known to release hormones that make you feel better as well, so one may well find that mood elevation that results from exercise. The fact that exercise makes you healthier is a no brainer. So recognizing the many benefits from exercise will help you persevere and over look the pain (which is temporary in any case) and help you become fitter, healthier and more attractive.
Author Bio:
This is a guest post by FitnessHealthZone.com, a premier blog on health and fitness. The blog offers expert advice, tips and information on topics such as mens fitness, exercises, diet and nutrition, body building, exercise equipment, healthy living, yoga, vitamins & supplements.Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 February 2012 01:36
