There’s one worrisome workout trend that has arrived in recent years that could actually be more trouble than it’s worth: intensive regimens that attempt to push people as hard and fast as possible, offering a quick ticket to a better looking body. While some people swear by these types of exercises, which are typically offered as instructional videos on late night television, there are a slew of others who come away with sore muscles and injured body parts.
The truth is that our bodies aren’t designed to cope with what basically amounts to full-body exercise trauma. The best workouts are those that slowly ratchet up the intensity in a way that your body is comfortable with. You take break periods with which to recuperate and then you head back out, a little bit stronger and ready for the next challenge.
That’s the opposite of what intense, flash-bang workouts offer. Even if you get through such a workout, you’re going to be sore. This increases the risk of getting burnt out altogether, and thus you’re stuck back at square one after a couple weeks of inactivity. And if you step the wrong way just once or misjudge soreness as nothing to worry about when in actuality it’s indicative of an underlying injury, you could be seriously hurt.
We caution against these types of workout regimens, and to stress our point, we’d like to turn your attention to a new article from National Public Radio in Boston. In it, a transcript is provided of a podcast with the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine’s director, and the points he makes are worth paying attention to for all those who are thinking about initiating some type of intense workout.
One big problem is the fact that doing a single motion as fast and as hard as you can necessarily comes with a shortfall in form. If a DVD offering a high-intensity workout asks you to do a jumping jack as fast as possible, the first few might be okay, but the next ones will find your body flailing about in a way that gets you tired but doesn’t necessarily aid your muscles and bones. This goes for a number of actions.
Overuse injuries are another serious concern. When asked to do numerous reps that go beyond the standard workout, you’re placing excessive strain on those areas of the body being worked out. This can lead to chronic injuries over the course of time. Tendonitis is one possibility of many. You also can’t underestimate the repeated impacts your body faces during such intensity. If you’re jumping up and down again and again and again, that move is going to wreak havoc on your knees.
Moderation is key. Exercise in an intelligent way so that your longterm health rather than your short-term image is improved.
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