Panda Rambelings

[windwalker]

Here is an interesting article I found on the home page of Yahoo this morning:

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/healthieryou/8078/fitness-myths-busted/


There are a lot of MYTHs out there about evercising. Lots of training plans, healh, fitness and wellness ideas in general that are put together just to sell and are not really more than smoke and mirrors. I saw a training plan the other day that a fellow athlete had purchased from a famous trainer and it would have exhausted an Olympian. It was supposed to be for a runner just out of beginner stage.

The old rule of thumb that you take where you are right now and add no more than 10% to your miles, or to your exercise time each week. Also never increase speed and miles in the same week. Following that plan will get you good improvement and keep you realively injury free. Sounds to simplistic doesn't it?

Training Panda

 

[princessrunner]

Simplistic but true. Slow and steady wins the race remember. It is not just an old adage but should be applied to ALL exercise regimens.

We so often see the Resolutioners in the gym this time of year busting it to try and lose weight, for the quick fix. There is no quick fix people. If it took so many years to put it on, it takes twice that to get rid of it. The harder you go into it, the more chance you have of injury, thus derailing yourself entirely.

The other thing to remember is that, when you take some time off due to injury or life in general, you cannot go back to where you left off. It took time to get there and it will take time to get back there again. Listen to your body.

If you take anything away from the article that is referenced, please let it be that health and exercise are a lifestyle not a quick fix. You have to be in this for the long haul in order to see a difference, no matter what your goal is. Stick with it and you will see results, guaranteed!!

 

[escape]

I can identify with this. A few years ago, I made a NY's resolution to lose weight like so many people do. I joined a gym and hired a personal trainer. The PT knew I was a complete novice but he still chose to put me through the ringer. I lasted about a month. I did lose weight but I didn't feel good half the time. I'm sure it's because I wasn't getting the proper nutrition with my diet and I think the exercises I was doing was a little more advanced for me. After each session with the PT, I just wanted to go home and take a nap. After I quit with the PT, I quit going to the gym. I felt like I had set myself up for failure.

Three years ago, my friend Cindy completed her first half-marathon at WDW. She wanted me to do it with her in Jan. 2007. Here I was, 49 years old and I hadn't done any running of any kind since I was in elementary school. However, in Aug. of 2006, I decided to try to get in better shape so that I could start training in Oct. of 2006 for the half in January. I knew that I did not have enough will power or motivation to stick to any exercise program on my own. None of my friends in my immediate area was interested in working out with me and Cindy lived too far away for me to get together with her. So, I bit the bullet and hired another PT at another gym. He started me out very slowly. I thought at the time it was a little to slow (based on my prior experience with a PT). However, it proved to be the right amount of training at the time. Each week, I built on the previous week with my strength training and cardio workouts.

My actual half-marthon training began on Oct. 1, 2006. I decided to follow John Bingham's Marathoning for Mortals walk/run plan for the half. My goal was just to finish. On Oct. 1, I could not walk/run a 16-min mile. However, I followed the book and kept pushing myself to just get the distance in. Around the beginning of November, I finally broke a 16-min mile. By the end of December, I was doing around a 14.5 min mile. I attribute my gain to slow but steady workout and training exercises. If I had pushed out hard this time around like I had the first time around, I would not be here talking about this because I never would have made it to the start line for the half in 2007.

A year later, I completed the WDW full based on the starting out slowly and building on each week process. It works! I'm proof positive!

 

[princessrunner]

Susie, your trainer should have been shot. How unprofessional!!! Your trainer is supposed to help you toward your goal not push you out the door! This absolutely infuriates me.

However, you are a FAR better person for the accomplishments you have made since then. Kudos to you for finding another way to fitness which was the right way!!

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Thanks for linking the article. I found it interesting.

 

[wdw4us]

I have the nap gauge. If on the weekends I've either increased my pace OR increased my distance and don't need a 2PM nap I"m good or ready for more speed or more distance.

denise

 

[windwalker]

I have the nap gauge. If on the weekends I've either increased my pace OR increased my distance and don't need a 2PM nap I"m good or ready for more speed or more distance.

denise

Awesome, I kinda train by feel also. So much better than a canned program.

Walking Panda