National Fitness Day

[Rivière]

Did you know today is National Fitness Day in the US?

Its purpose is to not only encourage and inspire, but also to motivate us by recognising how important physical exercise can be as part of our daily lives.

Physical exercise doesn't have to be about going to the gym and spending a good 30 minutes on a treadmill. It doesn't have to be about spending your time trying to complete 100 squats a day. There are so many different ways you can partake in physical exercise that can be fun, and different from what people usually get involved with.

If you're the kind of person that likes to go on adventures and visit somewhere new, heading off with a backpack with some food, water, and a few other necessities for the journey can be a great way to keep fit. If the weather's bad and you don't feel like going outside, there are thousands of videos on YouTube that provide free no-equipment workouts like this one for example.

There's nothing worse than getting into fitness and being stuck with the same few exercises over and over because they're the only ones you know. Again, YouTube has so many different fitness YouTubers that can help give you new exercises, help make sure you have good exercise technique, and give you the confidence you need to branch out and try new things!

Athlean-XX for Women is one I used to follow heavily when I first got into exercise. Not just because they were exercises taught by women, for women; but also because the Personal Trainers were educated directly by Jeff Cavaliere, a highly recommended pro-athlete personal trainer and physical therapist, whom has his very own YouTube channel.

Did you know that music actually affects how well you perform your exercises.. and how much effort you put into your session overall? Although quite a few people are capable of exercising without music, let's face it, it's so much better if you're able to put something on that really sets the scene, and your mood to exercise. For the times I've headed to the gym or performed exercise from home, putting on really fast-paced music for HIIT routines worked exceptionally well. Whereas putting on heavy metal or something with more aggression was better suited to the times I wanted to lift heavy weights. Being an avid gym-goer and personal trainer, I've spoken to many gym members, and had my own clients tell me time and time again that their sessions have gone far better when they had music on, and the music was suited to their tastes.

While we commonly hear about 'getting fit and healthy' regardless of what country we're from, there's a reason for it. Resistance exercise (using weights or weighted equipment) is great for...

• Increasing bone density.
• Developing stronger ligaments and tendons.
• Developing muscle.
• Improved posture.
• ...and more!

Cardiovascular exercise has a load of benefits too, such as...

• Lower blood pressure.
• Reduction of 'bad' cholesterol.
• Improved VO₂ max (maximal amount of oxygen that can be used by the body).
• Developing a stronger heart
• ...and so on.

I first started going to the gym when I went to university back in 2016. I wanted to lose some weight and increase my strength. It was really hard work and a lot of trial and error. In fact I was so afraid to go that for my first 3 months I went with a friend. We literally glued ourselves to the cross trainer for an entire hour once or twice a week. Maybe branching out to a rowing machine for 30 minutes. We never did anything that involved weights.

Eventually I wanted to start branching out further and so went alone. I spent most of my time using the resistance equipment upstairs and had zero clue what I was doing. I spent my time either watching how everybody else was doing it so I could copy them (which in hindsight was a teeeerrible idea!), or just try and read those little description labels stuck to the machines and hope it's ok. I was so new I even bought protein powder and everything, thinking I needed it because I was 'lifting heavy' (I wasn't).

I also bought some home equipment so I could continue exercising without having to travel to the gym (thinking back it was pretty silly because it was a 5-minute walk). I bought a box of 30kg adjustable weights that can be either dumbbells or a barbell and it was so heavy the mail staff gave me a trolley so I could wheel it to my flat. Except... the lift was out of order and I had to lug it up 3 flights of stairs. I had to collar a guy from the flat below and he helped me carry it upstairs, but even then we both struggled.

Eventually I got into powerlifting in my 3rd year, and the rest is history.

Looking back at all my struggles, I remember how weak I felt, and never wanted to feel that way again.

Physical fitness isn't just about physical health, it's also about developing confidence and self-esteem. It's about empowering the person and becoming the best version of ourselves.

Have you ever taken part in physical exercise? What kinds of exercises do you like/dislike? Have you ever been to the gym? If so, did you enjoy it? Do you have any fitness stories to tell?

[Starseeker]

Hey Sarah,
that's such an interesting post. I think it's great you included important information: that physical exercises don't have to be boring/limited to a treadmill, how to start using YouTube videos or other web sources... and the story of your own beginnings put a smile on my face - it's especially encouraging for people with little gym experience. You prove that nobody starts this journey with all the knowledge. I also felt silly trying out some equipment at the gym that I had no idea how to use Now I pay attention to every kind of physical movement during the day and it turns out that, even though I train 5 times a week, I still move quite a lot apart from that. For example I live on the 3rd floor without a lift, so I go up and down the stairs a few times a day; I walk the dog three times a day; I try to cycle instead of driving when possible. I'm writing about all this because people, especially when starting their fitness journey, often believe that a day is wasted when they don't complete any specific trainings. It's important to train whenever possible (while giving the body some time to regenerate), but don't blame yourself if you don't have motivation to train for a day, two or even a week. Every small movement counts!

[Celyn]

I didn't know this was a thing. Thinking back, I'm gutted I never made use of the gym at uni (and my uni had a reputation for sports!) I think I'm too anxious and unsure of going to a gym but I do want to lose weight and get fitter. I have an indoor bike that I go on and it's always better with music! I'd like to get out more than and go for walks too...I live in an area with lots of hills and countryside so it would be a good idea for me to take advantage of that