As humans circle the sun, adding another year to their lives, some things remain the same, while others change. Thanks to the discovery of our buddy Isaac Newton in the late 1600s, we know that the presence of gravity remains constant. Until our sun goes into a supernova a few million years from now, we’re pretty much guaranteed to have gravity pressing down on our bodies and adhering us to Earth’s surface. In contrast, something that always changes as we circle the Earth is our age. Unless we figure out how to hop in a DeLorean with Michael J. Fox and travel back in time in a blaze of 1980s cinematic glory, we’re more than likely not going to travel back in time, let alone reverse the effects of aging as we have more birthdays.
The gradual effects of aging include a few things we may not want to hear about that happen to our bodies, including the addition of some wrinkles on our skin, discomfort around our knee joints, and a symphony of exciting popping and cracking sounds after getting out of bed in the morning. At certain periods in life, we may discover that we are no longer the vibrant, late-teen masterpiece of a human we were in our youth. Things slow down with age, and we may not be as strong, fast, or mobile. However, something that is always within our reach and that we can improve is the ability to sharpen our mind, body, and spirit by utilizing the gift of exercise. More often than not, people usually feel better following an exercise session. Similar to the fact that gravity is always present, the ability to feel good after a workout is also always available.
A potential obstacle that can arise when starting on a fitness journey is finding a place to start. Should an exercise newbie begin with a few classes at Orange Theory, acquire a few packages at a local Yoga or Pilates studio, or hire one of Napa’s finest personal trainers? These are critically important factors in improving the overall quality of life as humans age. However, starting on a new fitness journey can be a daunting task to pursue because people often don’t know where to begin.
A key theme in our personal training program for new clients is to focus on mastering movements that don’t require any resistance training equipment. Techniques that shift the body’s position to hold the mass of the body resisting against gravity create a rigorous environment in which the body must use its muscles to resist against gravity. These movements, which don’t require resistance training equipment like exercise bikes, treadmills, dumbbells, or fancy cable apparatuses, offer a lower learning curve, making them a welcoming entry-level and conservative approach to integrating exercise into a person’s lifestyle. Below are two examples of upper and lower extremity body weight exercises we regularly program into our newer exercise participants’ exercise prescriptions to develop a sense of mastery and competency in their exercise performance:
To perform the incline push-up, place your arms on an incline surface that is approximately hip height. While keeping your arms straight and your hands just underneath your eyebrows, lean forward in a plank position. Gradually bend at your elbows to lower your torso toward the inclined surface. Descend to the point at which your elbows meet your ribs. Once the torso has achieved its targeted depth, reverse the motion and push yourself up to your initial position. You should feel muscular engagement in the front of the shoulder, chest, triceps, and abdominals. Repeat this movement for five to ten repetitions.
To perform the lateral split squat, take a large, lunge-like step to the outside of the body to where your legs are abducted away from each other. Ensure both toes are facing forward and the feet are flat on the ground. Bend one knee and shift your hips laterally to one side of the body while straightening the trailing leg. You should feel a muscular sensation in the glutes, quads, and inner thigh muscles. Pay special attention to making sure the trailing foot remains flat on the ground. Simultaneously pull in with the extended leg until you return to your initial position. Maintain the “lateral split stance” position throughout the exercise, repeating the same movement until the desired number of repetitions is completed. Repeat this movement for three to five repetitions with each leg in both the leading and trailing positions.
Simple and effective tactics stimulate mastery and competency throughout our exercise efforts. As we live longer, challenges present themselves at unexpected times, and physical activity may not necessarily seem like it gets easier. However, by reinforcing our bodies with the gift of exercise, we can always make efforts to make life better for the next day with a stronger, happier, and healthier lifestyle.
Sean McCawley, the founder and owner of Napa Tenacious Fitness in Napa, CA, welcomes questions and comments. Reach him at 707-287-2727, napatenacious@gmail.com, or visit the website napatenaciousfitness.com.