Any discussion on marathon training, irrespective of exhaustive training, physically, with the best plan and trainer will not be complete without discussing the extremely important role of nutrition and diet.
Similar to the planned and periodized approach we take to physical training, it is very critical to plan and periodize nutrition throughout the training period and can in fact make or break your performance!
It will also decide your performance during the entire training period, your motivation levels and your health and fitness status (absence of sickness, fatigue, injuries and beyond that too). Fatigue, lack of ability to cope up with the daily activities, injuries, dehydration, nutritional deficiency syndromes are quite common complaints during the training period.
However, many of the people see marathon training as a weight-loss option and try out low fat diets, low carbohydrate (low-carb) diets and other fad diets, which can not only hamper final performance, but also cause long-term effects, which can sometimes be irreversible!
A good nutritional plan basically consists of three stages – the nutritional plan during the training period, couple of days before the final day, and that on the final day. An added emphasis on carbs is also a sign of a good nutritional plan. A high-carb diet is essential during this time, as decided by the sports nutritionist.
It is important to consult a nutrition expert to get the plan designed. This is because, when one says a high-carb diet is essential, the quality and type of carb is extremely important. Carbohydrates are of many types – simple, complex, high glycemic index, low glycemic index and the like. This is important because each of them has different absorption rates, and hence get absorbed at different speeds and quantities into the bloodstream.
A good nutritional plan basically consists of three stages – nutritional plan during training, few weeks before the final day, and that on the final day. Since nutritional requirements during the marathon training are higher than usual, it is important to eat the right kind of foods to avoid any additional weight gain which will increase the challenge on the body and hamper performance.
Carbohydrate-rich foods (Carbs) form the major component of diet during this time, followed by proteins and fats. Carbs are stored in muscles, liver and blood as glucose, and are easily available for providing energy. The rate at which the energy is released depends on a factor called as the ‘Glycemic index - GI’ (or another factor called glycemic load, closely related to glycemic index) of the carb consumed.
A low GI (usually complex carbohydrates) food gets into the system slowly, and thus ensures a slow and steady supply of energy. This helps to maintain stable and adequate blood glucose levels and ensure continuous supply of energy for longer distances. Simple carbohydrates usually have high GI and enter the system and get depleted fast, causing extreme variations in blood glucose levels, extreme highs followed by extreme lows. Some examples of low GI foods are whole grains like barley, legumes and pulses like kidney beans, soyabean, wheat bran and vegetables like green leafy vegetables, cauliflower etc.
Polished rice, bakery items like white bread, cookies, ready-to-eat cereals are all examples of high GI foods. Low GI foods also help avoid additional weight gain!
Therefore, usually complex carbohydrates form a major component in the nutritional plan (almost 65% - 70%), followed by proteins - for growth and repair, and fats – for proper functioning of the body systems, during the training.
The nutritional pattern changes as you approach the final day, with many techniques that are used to ensure stable energy supply for longer duration on your final day…
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Marathon Pointers
Thanks to its growing popularity over the past years, here are some techniques that are used in preparing for the marathon.
As emphasized earlier, progression, planning and mental preparation are three of the most important aspects to marathon training for two important reasons – avoid acute or chronic injuries and to perform optimally. Also, the training needs to begin quite a few months in advance, with respect to the final date.
Though marathon training needs to be an optimal mixture of stamina/endurance and mental focus and strength, there are some techniques used for training as follows –
Stay relaxed and loose – Mostly while running, we tend to tense up our shoulders and arms or twist our hands into a fist, both of which increase blood pressure temporarily and also advances the onset of fatigue easily and pain. Hence the key is to relax the shoulder and arms by moving or shaking your arms as naturally as they move.
Countdown the mileage – Break the total distance into comfortable chunks of distances, like say 5 kms each and then countdown from 5kms downwards as you move forward. This reverse counting has proven to be effective in keeping the motivation and mental strength up and going.
Stride length – Longer strides may make you feel like you’re covering more distance but it will advance the rate of exhaustion faster causing any initial gains in distance to get nullified by the slowing down due to fatigue that follows. Hence it is advisable to use smaller strides, or smaller steps to conserve energy.
Pacing – For the first set number of kilometres (as decided by your trainer depending on your goals and level of conditioning and training) use a higher pace and slow down the pace as you progress. Avoid increasing speed un-methodically since any gain in distance will be easily offset by the slowing down that follows, due to fatigue.
Hydration – Drink adequate fluids as decided by the dietician before the run and during the run to avoid dehydration. Even a small amount of dehydration can cause tremendous mental and physical fatigue.
Proper Surface – Usually, the marathons are run on tarred or concrete roads, on the main day of the event. However, while training it may not be a good idea to start out by training on roads, since the impact forces exerted by these surfaces are extremely high which can lead to joint injuries, in an un-conditioned body. Also it increases the challenge and may initially lessen motivation, to be consistent. A treadmill, synthetic tracks or dirt paths are ideal to begin training. However, as one progresses and gaining muscular and cardio-vascular strength and endurance, training can be shifted to actual road surface, in order for the body to adapt to the challenges offered by the surface.
Breathing – One of the most important factors to work on during the training and which can drastically affect the endurance and rate of exhaustion. Practicing deep breathing (through the belly) is essential to increase the amount of oxygen intake into the body. Only chest breathing proves insufficient for the challenge posed by the long duration nature of the marathon. Deep breathing exercises, done on their own or through meditation techniques are very helpful.
Take breaks – Taking walking breaks in between the run, is a very good idea since it gives a small and quick rest to all the systems in the body thereby refreshing you. Water or energy breaks are also a good idea for a quick rest.
Nutrition before and during the run – One of the most important aspects during the pre-marathon training is the nutrition and energy intake, as designed by an expert sports nutritionist, depending on your energy requirements and activity levels. During the marathon, it is perfectly acceptable to refuel your body with food or energy drinks like bananas, raisins, sports drinks etc.
As the final date of the marathons near, the sports nutritionist may suggest structured and planned techniques to store up energy, for the final run.
Therefore, a planned and structured approach is the only way to train for a marathon and enjoy it too!
As emphasized earlier, progression, planning and mental preparation are three of the most important aspects to marathon training for two important reasons – avoid acute or chronic injuries and to perform optimally. Also, the training needs to begin quite a few months in advance, with respect to the final date.
Though marathon training needs to be an optimal mixture of stamina/endurance and mental focus and strength, there are some techniques used for training as follows –
Stay relaxed and loose – Mostly while running, we tend to tense up our shoulders and arms or twist our hands into a fist, both of which increase blood pressure temporarily and also advances the onset of fatigue easily and pain. Hence the key is to relax the shoulder and arms by moving or shaking your arms as naturally as they move.
Countdown the mileage – Break the total distance into comfortable chunks of distances, like say 5 kms each and then countdown from 5kms downwards as you move forward. This reverse counting has proven to be effective in keeping the motivation and mental strength up and going.
Stride length – Longer strides may make you feel like you’re covering more distance but it will advance the rate of exhaustion faster causing any initial gains in distance to get nullified by the slowing down due to fatigue that follows. Hence it is advisable to use smaller strides, or smaller steps to conserve energy.
Pacing – For the first set number of kilometres (as decided by your trainer depending on your goals and level of conditioning and training) use a higher pace and slow down the pace as you progress. Avoid increasing speed un-methodically since any gain in distance will be easily offset by the slowing down that follows, due to fatigue.
Hydration – Drink adequate fluids as decided by the dietician before the run and during the run to avoid dehydration. Even a small amount of dehydration can cause tremendous mental and physical fatigue.
Proper Surface – Usually, the marathons are run on tarred or concrete roads, on the main day of the event. However, while training it may not be a good idea to start out by training on roads, since the impact forces exerted by these surfaces are extremely high which can lead to joint injuries, in an un-conditioned body. Also it increases the challenge and may initially lessen motivation, to be consistent. A treadmill, synthetic tracks or dirt paths are ideal to begin training. However, as one progresses and gaining muscular and cardio-vascular strength and endurance, training can be shifted to actual road surface, in order for the body to adapt to the challenges offered by the surface.
Breathing – One of the most important factors to work on during the training and which can drastically affect the endurance and rate of exhaustion. Practicing deep breathing (through the belly) is essential to increase the amount of oxygen intake into the body. Only chest breathing proves insufficient for the challenge posed by the long duration nature of the marathon. Deep breathing exercises, done on their own or through meditation techniques are very helpful.
Take breaks – Taking walking breaks in between the run, is a very good idea since it gives a small and quick rest to all the systems in the body thereby refreshing you. Water or energy breaks are also a good idea for a quick rest.
Nutrition before and during the run – One of the most important aspects during the pre-marathon training is the nutrition and energy intake, as designed by an expert sports nutritionist, depending on your energy requirements and activity levels. During the marathon, it is perfectly acceptable to refuel your body with food or energy drinks like bananas, raisins, sports drinks etc.
As the final date of the marathons near, the sports nutritionist may suggest structured and planned techniques to store up energy, for the final run.
Therefore, a planned and structured approach is the only way to train for a marathon and enjoy it too!
Marathon Training!
The Pune marathon always seems to be a great hit amongst the locals and foreigners alike! Marathon training has been gaining popularity over the last few years as an attractive option not only to athletes but also to non-athletes who choose it for the challenge and excitement among other reasons.
Running a marathon, needless to say, takes a different approach altogether with respect to physical training, nutrition and mental/emotional training. Without any previous training, running for such long durations and distances, on tarred roads makes a perfect case of serious injuries which could affect health for years to come.
First and foremost, running a marathon is all about endurance and stamina, instead of short bursts of heroic strides. Short energetic sprints not only depletes valuable energy resources but also builds substances in the body that inhibit adequate supply of energy from other resources.
Some basic rules for beginner marathon trainers include
o Training gradually by increasing the number of miles run, during the training session gradually and progressively, instead of training too much too fast.
o An important goal in the build-up phase of the training is to avoid injuries and ensure adequate rest and not neglect these at the cost of adding the number of miles run per session.
o Running for such long durations requires both - cardiovascular endurance and muscle (local and general) endurance.
o Mostly the running is done at 55%-70% of your Maximum Heart Rate (220-age) in order to build up cardiovascular stamina and endurance. Running above these levels may not help in building endurance and instead tire you out faster. For well-conditioned individuals, the heart rate ranges may vary depending on the level of conditioning.
o Another very important point to consider is getting adequate practice of running on the ground/road, and not just on the treadmill. Even the best of performances on the treadmill will fall short of actual performance on the road/ground. Though the initial training may include using the treadmill to build you up gradually, ultimately you will need to practice on-ground running to consolidate on your endurance and perform at the marathon!
Marathon – what does it take?
The key to running a marathon successfully or at least un-injured are contained in two simple words – Planning (for physical and mental training) and Progression.
The training needs to start couple of months in advance with regular and consistent routines focusing mainly on endurance – cardiovascular and muscular. Also, the training needs to be built up slow and steady and progressively in order to manage long distances with minimal exhaustion and injuries.
Running is a high-impact activity (in which both feet are off the ground at some point for a fraction of a second) and places excessive impact forces on the joints, especially the ankles, the knees and the lower back. These joints which are supported by the ligaments and the associated tendons (connect muscles to the bones on either side of the joint) also bear the brunt of these forces and hence need to be conditioned well.
Usually most of the injuries arising out of improper training are associated with these ligaments (tears, ruptures etc.) and joints (stress fractures, dislocations etc.) which have the power to negatively affect health in the long term also.
A slow and gradual training schedule will ensure that the muscles, tendons and ligaments adapt to the overload (or excessive stress for extended periods) optimally. Sudden and unplanned intense training can place excessive stress on these and lead to tears or fractures.
However, another important area of training is the ‘mental’ aspect. Mental concentration and internal motivation are key elements to effective training and performance. Visualization exercises are popularly used to keep the runner focused and distracted from the exhaustion. It is helpful to break the total distance down into smaller units to keep the motivation levels up. Different strategies can be used depending on the mental state feedback during the practice sessions, like for example some people have the habit of looking downwards while running. However, looking downwards will only increase the feeling of fatigue and hence shifting the gaze upwards or straight ahead, while running will help them cover longer distances as compared to the former.
Running a marathon, needless to say, takes a different approach altogether with respect to physical training, nutrition and mental/emotional training. Without any previous training, running for such long durations and distances, on tarred roads makes a perfect case of serious injuries which could affect health for years to come.
First and foremost, running a marathon is all about endurance and stamina, instead of short bursts of heroic strides. Short energetic sprints not only depletes valuable energy resources but also builds substances in the body that inhibit adequate supply of energy from other resources.
Some basic rules for beginner marathon trainers include
o Training gradually by increasing the number of miles run, during the training session gradually and progressively, instead of training too much too fast.
o An important goal in the build-up phase of the training is to avoid injuries and ensure adequate rest and not neglect these at the cost of adding the number of miles run per session.
o Running for such long durations requires both - cardiovascular endurance and muscle (local and general) endurance.
o Mostly the running is done at 55%-70% of your Maximum Heart Rate (220-age) in order to build up cardiovascular stamina and endurance. Running above these levels may not help in building endurance and instead tire you out faster. For well-conditioned individuals, the heart rate ranges may vary depending on the level of conditioning.
o Another very important point to consider is getting adequate practice of running on the ground/road, and not just on the treadmill. Even the best of performances on the treadmill will fall short of actual performance on the road/ground. Though the initial training may include using the treadmill to build you up gradually, ultimately you will need to practice on-ground running to consolidate on your endurance and perform at the marathon!
Marathon – what does it take?
The key to running a marathon successfully or at least un-injured are contained in two simple words – Planning (for physical and mental training) and Progression.
The training needs to start couple of months in advance with regular and consistent routines focusing mainly on endurance – cardiovascular and muscular. Also, the training needs to be built up slow and steady and progressively in order to manage long distances with minimal exhaustion and injuries.
Running is a high-impact activity (in which both feet are off the ground at some point for a fraction of a second) and places excessive impact forces on the joints, especially the ankles, the knees and the lower back. These joints which are supported by the ligaments and the associated tendons (connect muscles to the bones on either side of the joint) also bear the brunt of these forces and hence need to be conditioned well.
Usually most of the injuries arising out of improper training are associated with these ligaments (tears, ruptures etc.) and joints (stress fractures, dislocations etc.) which have the power to negatively affect health in the long term also.
A slow and gradual training schedule will ensure that the muscles, tendons and ligaments adapt to the overload (or excessive stress for extended periods) optimally. Sudden and unplanned intense training can place excessive stress on these and lead to tears or fractures.
However, another important area of training is the ‘mental’ aspect. Mental concentration and internal motivation are key elements to effective training and performance. Visualization exercises are popularly used to keep the runner focused and distracted from the exhaustion. It is helpful to break the total distance down into smaller units to keep the motivation levels up. Different strategies can be used depending on the mental state feedback during the practice sessions, like for example some people have the habit of looking downwards while running. However, looking downwards will only increase the feeling of fatigue and hence shifting the gaze upwards or straight ahead, while running will help them cover longer distances as compared to the former.
Intensity Monitoring!
An important aspect of exercising, whether one is at a beginner, intermediate or advanced level is monitoring the intensity, especially in case of cardio activities.
In case of strength training exercises, intensity can be monitored by noting the amount of weight used per repetition for each set or by determining the volume (reps x sets per exercise), the former being an easy and quick method to monitor intensity.
In case of cardio workout however, there are many ways to monitor intensity. Usually the cardio machines come with heart rate calculators, located at the handles or below the dashboard and are easy to use. The target heart rate is calculated as 60%-70% of Maximum Heart Rate (220-Age) for normal exercise routines. The other heart rate zones can be worked upon under expert guidance.
In case the intensity is lesser than the desired value, it can be increased by increasing the challenge (level, speed etc.) or by including arm movement.
There are also many other methods to calculate, which come in handy when one is not using the cardio machines or during an aerobic class, kickboxing class etc.
Some of them include –
Pulse Monitoring – Locate the pulse on the radial artery (around the wrist, below the thumb) where the pulse is easily palpable, and count the number of pulses in 10 seconds and multiply it by 6 to get the heart rate. It is advisable to follow this sequence since measuring the pulse rate for one whole minute increases the chances of errors as well as breaks the exercise tempo causing the heart rate to come down.
The other option is to measure on the carotid artery, around the neck adjacent to the voice box. However, this artery is highly sensitive to pressure and any excess pressure can affect the blood supply to the brain and cause light headedness, apart from also breaking the tempo of exercise.
Aerobic Intensity Monitoring!
As per last week’s discussion, it is advisable to monitor intensity while working out, especially the cardio aspect. There are many non-invasive, non-intrusive and simple ways to monitor the intensity like measuring heart rate or the rate of perceived exertion.
The Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale is a popular method worldwide especially in group settings, apart from radial artery pulse monitoring, as discussed last week. Exertion is defined as the amount of stress or effort exerted. Perceived exertion is the way the exertion is perceived which depends on many factors like health & fitness status, conditioning level, mindset to name a few. The rate of perceived exertion scale, also known as the Borg Scale is used to present a quantitative feeling of fatigue. There are 2 ways in which is used – 20 point scale, 10 point scale.
The 10 point scale has a range which starts with the exertion level as
0 - very very light (almost resting),
1 - very light (as in slow walking),
2, 3 - fairly light / moderate
4 - somewhat hard (steady pace),
5, 6 - hard,
7, 8, 9 - very hard,
10 - very very hard
Usually the instructor in a group setting asks for your RPE out aloud, inorder to modify the workout intensity. An RPE of 4 to 6 is a good rate to maintain. With the 20 pt scale, the range starts from 6 until 20, and the reading multiplied by 10 gives the approximate heart rate at the time. The 10 pt scale however is more popularly used.
The other method of monitoring intensity is the Talk test, which requires for the person to be able to talk without hyperventilation, at any point in the workout, to determine intensity.
Both the methods are simple, practical, easy to use and help monitor the intensity of exercise.
In case of strength training exercises, intensity can be monitored by noting the amount of weight used per repetition for each set or by determining the volume (reps x sets per exercise), the former being an easy and quick method to monitor intensity.
In case of cardio workout however, there are many ways to monitor intensity. Usually the cardio machines come with heart rate calculators, located at the handles or below the dashboard and are easy to use. The target heart rate is calculated as 60%-70% of Maximum Heart Rate (220-Age) for normal exercise routines. The other heart rate zones can be worked upon under expert guidance.
In case the intensity is lesser than the desired value, it can be increased by increasing the challenge (level, speed etc.) or by including arm movement.
There are also many other methods to calculate, which come in handy when one is not using the cardio machines or during an aerobic class, kickboxing class etc.
Some of them include –
Pulse Monitoring – Locate the pulse on the radial artery (around the wrist, below the thumb) where the pulse is easily palpable, and count the number of pulses in 10 seconds and multiply it by 6 to get the heart rate. It is advisable to follow this sequence since measuring the pulse rate for one whole minute increases the chances of errors as well as breaks the exercise tempo causing the heart rate to come down.
The other option is to measure on the carotid artery, around the neck adjacent to the voice box. However, this artery is highly sensitive to pressure and any excess pressure can affect the blood supply to the brain and cause light headedness, apart from also breaking the tempo of exercise.
Aerobic Intensity Monitoring!
As per last week’s discussion, it is advisable to monitor intensity while working out, especially the cardio aspect. There are many non-invasive, non-intrusive and simple ways to monitor the intensity like measuring heart rate or the rate of perceived exertion.
The Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale is a popular method worldwide especially in group settings, apart from radial artery pulse monitoring, as discussed last week. Exertion is defined as the amount of stress or effort exerted. Perceived exertion is the way the exertion is perceived which depends on many factors like health & fitness status, conditioning level, mindset to name a few. The rate of perceived exertion scale, also known as the Borg Scale is used to present a quantitative feeling of fatigue. There are 2 ways in which is used – 20 point scale, 10 point scale.
The 10 point scale has a range which starts with the exertion level as
0 - very very light (almost resting),
1 - very light (as in slow walking),
2, 3 - fairly light / moderate
4 - somewhat hard (steady pace),
5, 6 - hard,
7, 8, 9 - very hard,
10 - very very hard
Usually the instructor in a group setting asks for your RPE out aloud, inorder to modify the workout intensity. An RPE of 4 to 6 is a good rate to maintain. With the 20 pt scale, the range starts from 6 until 20, and the reading multiplied by 10 gives the approximate heart rate at the time. The 10 pt scale however is more popularly used.
The other method of monitoring intensity is the Talk test, which requires for the person to be able to talk without hyperventilation, at any point in the workout, to determine intensity.
Both the methods are simple, practical, easy to use and help monitor the intensity of exercise.
Beginner's Diaries - Warmup & Cool down
Continuing the discussion on points to consider when beginning an exercise routine for the first time or after a long gap, it becomes important as a beginner to emphasize on the following the routine step-by-step and not skip steps. In simpler words, the most important parts of the routine are the warm-up and cool down.
The warm-up is an important component for everyone and not only the beginners to get the best out of exercise. However, it becomes especially important for beginners since the muscles in the body needs to be conditioned to sustain the exercise that follows and also to get all the internal systems like the cardio-vascular (heart and blood flow), cardio-respiratory ready for the routine. Sudden pressures on the muscles and internal systems can lead to injury and even prove fatal.
A warm-up raises the body temperature, enhances blood flow and lubrication at the joints, improves the neuro-muscular coordination and generally improves the body’s ability to deal with the exercises and avoid injury.
The warm-up can be general or specific. General warm-ups target the whole body, like cardio activities like walking or suryanamaskars or usually consist of dynamic stretches targeting joints and muscles. Specific warm-ups are for the specific muscles being worked out in the following workout which could range from mimicking the movement of the exercise without any weights or performing some repetitions of the exercise with the lowest possible weight.
Cool downs, are important to restore the blood flow (while exercising blood flow is shunted from non-active systems like digestive and reproductive systems to active systems like the muscular systems etc.), bring down the body temperature as well as to stretch the shortened and tense muscles and restore chemical balance in the body.
Cool down usually has static stretches which need one to hold the muscles in stretched positions for 20-30 seconds, deep breathing and relaxation exercises.
Many of us opt to skip the warm-up and cool down session to save time or to give more time to the main work-out believing that it will bring the desired results faster. Needless to say, it is wise to avoid doing this and follow the process to get the best out of exercise!
The warm-up is an important component for everyone and not only the beginners to get the best out of exercise. However, it becomes especially important for beginners since the muscles in the body needs to be conditioned to sustain the exercise that follows and also to get all the internal systems like the cardio-vascular (heart and blood flow), cardio-respiratory ready for the routine. Sudden pressures on the muscles and internal systems can lead to injury and even prove fatal.
A warm-up raises the body temperature, enhances blood flow and lubrication at the joints, improves the neuro-muscular coordination and generally improves the body’s ability to deal with the exercises and avoid injury.
The warm-up can be general or specific. General warm-ups target the whole body, like cardio activities like walking or suryanamaskars or usually consist of dynamic stretches targeting joints and muscles. Specific warm-ups are for the specific muscles being worked out in the following workout which could range from mimicking the movement of the exercise without any weights or performing some repetitions of the exercise with the lowest possible weight.
Cool downs, are important to restore the blood flow (while exercising blood flow is shunted from non-active systems like digestive and reproductive systems to active systems like the muscular systems etc.), bring down the body temperature as well as to stretch the shortened and tense muscles and restore chemical balance in the body.
Cool down usually has static stretches which need one to hold the muscles in stretched positions for 20-30 seconds, deep breathing and relaxation exercises.
Many of us opt to skip the warm-up and cool down session to save time or to give more time to the main work-out believing that it will bring the desired results faster. Needless to say, it is wise to avoid doing this and follow the process to get the best out of exercise!
Beginner’s Diaries...
Continuing the series on the essentials when beginning an exercise routine for the first time or after a long time, the focus this week is on the nature of the routine – weight training and cardio. As we have seen that while beginning a routine, maintaining regularity or frequency is more important than increasing the duration or intensity. It is also important to consider the reason for beginning or getting back to the workout, especially if it is after surgeries or other health problems.
As far as weight training is concerned –
o It is ok to begin a weight training routine in the first week itself, provided it focuses on full-body conditioning and includes all muscle groups with lesser weight and average number of repetitions (12-15)
o The first week workout could be all-body parts, three times a week on alternate days to ensure adequate rest. Avoid using body splits and advanced techniques like 2-muscles / 3-muscles per day or techniques like drop sets, pyramiding, reps until burn etc. in order to leave no room for injuries and enough room for progression.
o One or two sets with 10-15 or more repetition, depending on the muscle group worked out are adequate in the first week. For example, leg exercises usually use more repetitions due to the large musculature than chest exercises.
o It is advisable to focus on the technique of lifting, posture and the ‘form’ of the exercise while beginning out, in order to build up on it later. The form is very important to focus on the right muscles so that they develop proportionately and also to avoid muscular imbalance and postural deformities due to the imbalance.
o Most importantly, it is necessary to include a good warm-up session in order to activate the muscle fibers to work optimally. Warm-ups can be general (like a 5-minute cardio activity, walking etc.) and specific (an active stretching of the muscle targeted) and help to get the best out of the exercise and to avoid injuries.
These guidelines apply to both - men and women, who are beginning out on a workout. And for the umpteenth time, weight training is strongly recommended for women since it only strengthens the muscles, and does not cause them to bulk up!
Cardio activities are the best way to begin since they are ideal to condition the cardio-vascular and cardio-respiratory system, which form the foundation of any activity - exercise or otherwise!
Cardio activities in a gym set-up usually range from treadmill, cycle – upright and recumbent, cross trainer, rowing machine to group classes like Aerobics, Kickboxing and its variants. While in the case of beginning a home-based workout, walking is the best way to start.
o In case of the gym, walking on treadmill and cycling are great ways to start off the exercise routine, at least in the first week.
o Cardio workouts need to usually last at least 20 minutes, continuously, or cumulatively over a few breaks in between if it gets extremely challenging. The 20 minute target is required for the fat resources to takeover from the carbohydrates and other sources and begin providing energy to sustain the exercise activity. Ideally any time between 20 and 40 minutes is good enough to provide a good workout to the cardio-vascular system.
o The cardio activity needs to be steady and even-paced, in that maintaining a rate which can be sustained over a period of 20 minutes. It is better to stick to walking and use jogging as progression option weeks down the line. A speed of 4 – 6, as seen on the treadmill screen is good. Avoid using any pre-set programs on the treadmill or cycle and instead stick to the manual mode of varying speed and intensity.
o Gradually increasing intensity and Interval training while walking on the treadmill can be good options. For example, an option may be to start at the speed 4 and progress on to 6 by the 15th minute and then maintain it or switch between 6 and 5 depending on the perceived exertion.
o It is important to remember to slow down speed before stopping completely, to avoid blood pooling in the legs which can lead to dizziness. Also let the treadmill stop completely, before getting off and not get off sideways while it is still working to avoid injuries.
o Even cardio activities need a good 5-7 minute warm up using dynamic stretching prior to beginning.
o It is also recommended to measure intensity to get the best out of the workout, which will be discussed in the coming week.
As far as weight training is concerned –
o It is ok to begin a weight training routine in the first week itself, provided it focuses on full-body conditioning and includes all muscle groups with lesser weight and average number of repetitions (12-15)
o The first week workout could be all-body parts, three times a week on alternate days to ensure adequate rest. Avoid using body splits and advanced techniques like 2-muscles / 3-muscles per day or techniques like drop sets, pyramiding, reps until burn etc. in order to leave no room for injuries and enough room for progression.
o One or two sets with 10-15 or more repetition, depending on the muscle group worked out are adequate in the first week. For example, leg exercises usually use more repetitions due to the large musculature than chest exercises.
o It is advisable to focus on the technique of lifting, posture and the ‘form’ of the exercise while beginning out, in order to build up on it later. The form is very important to focus on the right muscles so that they develop proportionately and also to avoid muscular imbalance and postural deformities due to the imbalance.
o Most importantly, it is necessary to include a good warm-up session in order to activate the muscle fibers to work optimally. Warm-ups can be general (like a 5-minute cardio activity, walking etc.) and specific (an active stretching of the muscle targeted) and help to get the best out of the exercise and to avoid injuries.
These guidelines apply to both - men and women, who are beginning out on a workout. And for the umpteenth time, weight training is strongly recommended for women since it only strengthens the muscles, and does not cause them to bulk up!
Cardio activities are the best way to begin since they are ideal to condition the cardio-vascular and cardio-respiratory system, which form the foundation of any activity - exercise or otherwise!
Cardio activities in a gym set-up usually range from treadmill, cycle – upright and recumbent, cross trainer, rowing machine to group classes like Aerobics, Kickboxing and its variants. While in the case of beginning a home-based workout, walking is the best way to start.
o In case of the gym, walking on treadmill and cycling are great ways to start off the exercise routine, at least in the first week.
o Cardio workouts need to usually last at least 20 minutes, continuously, or cumulatively over a few breaks in between if it gets extremely challenging. The 20 minute target is required for the fat resources to takeover from the carbohydrates and other sources and begin providing energy to sustain the exercise activity. Ideally any time between 20 and 40 minutes is good enough to provide a good workout to the cardio-vascular system.
o The cardio activity needs to be steady and even-paced, in that maintaining a rate which can be sustained over a period of 20 minutes. It is better to stick to walking and use jogging as progression option weeks down the line. A speed of 4 – 6, as seen on the treadmill screen is good. Avoid using any pre-set programs on the treadmill or cycle and instead stick to the manual mode of varying speed and intensity.
o Gradually increasing intensity and Interval training while walking on the treadmill can be good options. For example, an option may be to start at the speed 4 and progress on to 6 by the 15th minute and then maintain it or switch between 6 and 5 depending on the perceived exertion.
o It is important to remember to slow down speed before stopping completely, to avoid blood pooling in the legs which can lead to dizziness. Also let the treadmill stop completely, before getting off and not get off sideways while it is still working to avoid injuries.
o Even cardio activities need a good 5-7 minute warm up using dynamic stretching prior to beginning.
o It is also recommended to measure intensity to get the best out of the workout, which will be discussed in the coming week.
Slow and steady!
As discussed, when beginning an exercise routine for the first time or after a long gap, it is necessary to take it slow and work along with your body in getting accustomed to the activity.
This is essential, not only to maintain the motivation and long-term adherence but also to avoid any physical injuries. For those who are getting back to exercise after a long gap, it is essential to understand that our body begins to lose the conditioning within a month of stopping of the activity and must be conditioned all over again!
After preparing for the new exercise routine before hand in small ways as discussed earlier, the next step is to focus on increasing the frequency before increasing the duration and intensity.
In other words, if you begin with 45 minutes three days a week, then the next progression would be 45 minutes 5 times a week, i.e. the frequency is increased without increasing the duration or intensity. However, most of the routines prescribed at health clubs are for 6 days a week, right from the beginning and hence some helpful points to note should be –
o Make sure that the weight training routines are restricted to 2-3 times a week, and with a gap of one day in between. Also 1-2 sets of around 10-15 reps, depending on the muscle groups targeted are sufficient for the first couple of weeks.
o It is also ok to exercise only 5 days out of the 6-day schedules, in the first couple of weeks depending on the signals of fatigue or pain from the body.
o Once the routine feels comfortable, the next step would be to increase intensity in case of weight training exercises and duration in case of cardio exercises. This means, in case of weight training, progress by increasing repetitions to the point of fatigue or increase weight and in case of a cardio activity like walking on a treadmill, increase the time instead of opting for jogging or running in the same time. The reverse way may not be very helpful.
o Get a good 8 hours of sleep and adequate rest every day for optimum results. Needless to say, a good nutritious diet will help boost the energy levels and progress faster.
This is essential, not only to maintain the motivation and long-term adherence but also to avoid any physical injuries. For those who are getting back to exercise after a long gap, it is essential to understand that our body begins to lose the conditioning within a month of stopping of the activity and must be conditioned all over again!
After preparing for the new exercise routine before hand in small ways as discussed earlier, the next step is to focus on increasing the frequency before increasing the duration and intensity.
In other words, if you begin with 45 minutes three days a week, then the next progression would be 45 minutes 5 times a week, i.e. the frequency is increased without increasing the duration or intensity. However, most of the routines prescribed at health clubs are for 6 days a week, right from the beginning and hence some helpful points to note should be –
o Make sure that the weight training routines are restricted to 2-3 times a week, and with a gap of one day in between. Also 1-2 sets of around 10-15 reps, depending on the muscle groups targeted are sufficient for the first couple of weeks.
o It is also ok to exercise only 5 days out of the 6-day schedules, in the first couple of weeks depending on the signals of fatigue or pain from the body.
o Once the routine feels comfortable, the next step would be to increase intensity in case of weight training exercises and duration in case of cardio exercises. This means, in case of weight training, progress by increasing repetitions to the point of fatigue or increase weight and in case of a cardio activity like walking on a treadmill, increase the time instead of opting for jogging or running in the same time. The reverse way may not be very helpful.
o Get a good 8 hours of sleep and adequate rest every day for optimum results. Needless to say, a good nutritious diet will help boost the energy levels and progress faster.
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