Importance of strength training
The older I get, the more I realize how important strength training is! While stretching and cardiovascular exercise is great, we really should be incorporating strength work into our lives on a regular basis. I have a 40-year background in running, triathlons and all sorts of races, with minimal strength training. There just wasn’t time to do it all. Yet now I’m turning corners a bit and cutting way back on endurance work and increasing strength training in the forms of lifting weights and doing yoga & pilates. And guess what? I feel fit. I’m (finally) realizing that fitness isn’t about running 10 miles and biking 50 miles. I feel strong and fit.
I’m lifting weights 2-3x a week, running 3-4 miles twice a week, and doing yoga or pilates once a week. The week varies based on my travel schedule (luckily most hotels have some sort of weight room and yoga can be done anywhere). While I do miss the long runs and bike rides, I’m just not ready to go back to that kind of workout. Maybe someday…but not yet.
What about you? What are you doing to take care of yourself? As the saying goes “If you don’t take care of your body now, where are you going to live when you get old?” From personal and professional experience, I know that most people will be in less pain if they just work out more, stretch more, and strengthen their muscles (YES there are exceptions to this). Pain often comes from weak muscles, muscles that aren’t used much, and lack of flexibility. And the way to fix that is through exercise – weights, yoga, walking, stretching, running, whatever works.
If it hurts, then slow down, change your routine, go less weights or shorter time. And make sure you are continuing to get adjusted. When your body is in alignment, when the joints of the body are moving well, and when there is no (or minimal) nerve interference, then your body can function best. Keep those chiropractic appointments on your schedule. Schedule in workouts just like you schedule a meeting and your chiropractic visits. Minimize excuses.
And the only person who can make that happen is you. Set a goal, create steps to achieve that goal, don’t make excuses, and make it happen. You don’t have to be perfect; you just need to get something done. It’s never too late to start.