ON: EXERCISE Pt 1/3 - Starting out
One of the biggest hurdles in modern life is beginning an exercise routine. Where to start, how to start, how much and for how long are all common questions to this task.
Take a moment to consider where you are right now in your life and where you have been for the past while. This can be a confronting question, so be kind to yourself when being honest.
Did you ever have an exercise routine you enjoyed but fell away from? Was it a sport, a club you were a part of or something incidental you used to do because of your lifestyle (walking to school, gardening, cycling to work)? If so you have some where to start.
Outlined below are “tiers of exercise”. Tier 1 Is the most basic of life tasks. Before one may move to tier 2 they would generally need to be able to complete most of tier 1 and so forth. Note that this is something that requires continuous work. Even the most seasoned of athletes that don’t look after themselves could one day wake up to find tier 1 “difficult”
Tiers of “exercise”
Tier 1 - Basic life
Cleaning and dressing oneself. Being able to cook basic foods, pour a glass of water and check the letterbox.
Tier 2 - Daily life
Cleaning the house, hanging up washing, moving furniture around, shopping, carrying a small child (under 20kg) and walking around the block.
Tier 3 - Moderate exertion
Recreational aerobic activity where you can still hold a conversation.
Resistance/strength training program with light weights, swimming, group exercise class, social semi-competitive sport (short high bursts of intense exercise)
Tier 4 - High Performance training
Power training, maximal strength training, fully competitive (including amateur level) sport and any sort of ultra endurance sport. Generally this type of training comes with customised programming and high demand set training schedules
Understanding where your capability might lie right now can help to a) Create a pathway towards progressing and b) Protect your body from trying things which you may not have the capability to complete safely. This is not a reason to be disheartened, rather this is a reason to start exactly where you are knowing that the best way seems forwards.