When I became interested in fitness during the early 1990s, I wasn't sure where to begin.
I'd participated in "weights class" in high school but didn't see many benefits through that experience. Then I moved to a city that had a commercial fitness center, but I was too embarrassed to ask for help. I thought I could just watch others until I figured it out.
As I entered the fitness center, I saw people who seemed to know what they were doing. Men and women wore tight-fitting clothing that displayed the toned muscles they had worked hard to develop. They looked like they understood the concept of physical fitness.
I would just do what they did. Armed with only a pair of basketball shorts and a loose T-shirt, I embarked on an adventure that continues to this day.
Fooling around on the cardiovascular machines and free-weight floor only resulted in pain and confusion.
I stumbled from machine to machine with no plan, no goals and no understanding of proper technique. After the first week or two, I was frustrated and pretty sure I wasn't destined to be physically fit.
But then it hit me: Physical activity is not a talent. It's something you do, not something you are born with.
Doing things takes knowledge. Knowledge can be acquired. People acquire knowledge all the time! They learn to change the oil in the car. They learn to make a delicious meal using an electric slow-cooker. I hadn't managed either of those yet, but I felt sure I could acquire fitness knowledge and apply it to achieve the desired outcome.
The only thing standing between me and physical fitness was my lack of knowledge -- and the will power to apply that knowledge to produce results.
So I studied. I read books, searched the Internet and talked to people with experience in the matter. I asked as many questions as I could and became obsessed with understanding why certain people performed specific exercises while others didn't. After only a few months, I had improved my knowledge and began to perform an effective workout.
Since that time, I've done thousands of workouts in all sorts of places and made many fantastic friends. But I still feel empathy for those who are intimidated upon entering a fitness center, gym or workout shop. I was able to overcome my fear and stick in there with the fitness crowd by arming myself with knowledge, but I recognize that there are different ways to get going.
For instance, working out at home is a great way to start building confidence. It's a safe place where one can take one's own time to gain endurance and acquire knowledge.
This week's exercise is perfect for a home-based program. It requires only a medicine ball or similarly sturdy ball.
1. Select a medium-size soft-sided medicine ball and position it on the floor. Get into the "up" phase of a pushup with your chest centered over the medicine ball.
2. Making sure your hands are shoulder-width apart, lower your torso until your chest touches the medicine ball.
3. Extend your arms to raise your torso back up.
4. Lift your right hand and place it on the ball. Do the same with your left hand.
5. Hold this position with both hands on the ball for a few seconds, then move your hands back into the normal pushup position.
6. Repeat this cycle of 12 repetitions for two or three sets.
Even if you're an experienced fitness enthusiast, new equipment or techniques can be intimidating. I've known people who have performed the same basic workout for more than a decade, with marginal results.
Workouts should be stimulating to the mind as well as the body for maximum results. This is most easily achieved by acquiring and applying new and different exercise techniques.
With that said, I still can't change my oil or make a good meal in a Crock-Pot. Ha!
Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master's in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.
ActiveStyle on 08/06/2018