Wellness Wednesday 

Live your life like an effective weight training class. 

I often notice in weight training classes that there are those people who pick the same weights, set up in the same spot and do the exercises the same way. Often, their weight is too light and they have bad technique which renders their efforts useless.

In weight training as in life, challenge brings change. Also in life as in weight training, people often prefer to do things the easy way.

Weight training is used to build muscle endurance, strength and power. Exercises are performed with resistance (ie body weight, Dumbbells, barbells) acting against various muscle contractions. To be most effective, good technique and variety in training are required. By doing the same exercise the same way with the same resistance, there is no challenge to the muscle and consequently little if any change. Life can be like that too.

Staying in one’s comfort zone is easy and reassuring but often the experiences that have most profound effect on our lives comes from challenging situations.

In weight training and in life:

• Challenge yourself. Weight training: Try increasing the weight on your bar and do push-ups on your toes if you are used to doing them on your knees. Life: Travel to a destination where the culture and language are completely different than your own or bike/walk to work/school.
• Vary your exercises. Weight training: Work the same muscle groups in different ways eg chest push-ups and chest press for the pectoralis major; lunges with one foot elevated to increase depth of movement, then one foot off the floor for balance then simultaneously performed with a bicep curl for a compound exercise. Life: Try preparing your favourite food a different way eg beets in a burger mix instead of a salad or take a different route to work for a change of scenery.
• Rest. Weight training: Muscle change really happens on rest days when muscle tissue works to repair itself, making it stronger for the next round of exercises. Life: During a period of stress, take some time to rest so that your body and mind are better able to process what is happening. An aromatherapy massage, walk in nature or scrumptious green salad (or small portion of dark chocolate) can help rejuvenate you and your resolve.