It can be difficult to get in a mindset where you’re going to be working out every single day or at least every other day. We understand that you have a full time job, a family to take care of, and various hobbies that you want to engage in. Simply finding the time to go for a short run or lift a couple weights can often be a daunting task in and of itself.
Many people elect to wait until the weekend rolls around before they exercise in earnest. The problem is that a body isn’t used to that sort of five days off/two days on regimen. On Monday, your body will just be adjusting to the new exercise you’ve put it through. But by Friday, that muscle memory will recede and the progress you made over the weekend will be lost. You’re essentially starting all over again every time Saturday comes.
This leaves you open to injury. It’s perfectly acceptable and even advisable to let your body rest for a day or so. But you need to supplement that rest with light exercise so that your muscles don’t only experience peaks followed by valleys. There has to be a baseline of activity to achieve. Without it, you leave yourself open to strains, tears, and even fractures.
A new report finds a San Francisco doctor offering advice to persons who only workout on the weekends geared toward helping such parties do more on the weekdays as well. It’s important to note, though, that all of the tips will require you to allot some time during the day, be it in the morning or at night, to give your body the exercise it needs.
Take proper stretching, for instance. When time is a commodity, it can be tempting to skip stretching and go straight into the workout. Actually, the opposite holds true: if you can’t work out, at least take five minutes a day to stretch. In doing, you’re getting your muscles limber and into the mindset of an activity. Without it, your body isn’t ready for an intensive workout.
When it comes to weights, you should go for repetition and length rather than weight itself. Don’t worry if your weekday routine doesn’t involve hefty barbells. It’s the movement that really counts. If you can take just a few minutes to lift a certain weight, that muscle or set of muscles will benefit, and you can then ease into the higher limits.
No matter how short you are on time, get your pulse rate going. Jog around the block after stretching. Purchase a stationary bike you can hop on when you get some free time. Once you get in the habit, you’ll start to find ways to make time, and the length of your workouts will increase, weekday and weekend alike.
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