If you sincerely want to improve your body in any way, you have to be willing and able to push yourself beyond your everyday comfort zone. This concept is so important, in fact, that it doesn't just stop at fitness. This is true with just about everything we do in life. In order to accomplish something worthwhile, we must push ourselves at least a little bit. When it comes to exercise, the ability to see beyond your temporary discomfort and challenge yourself to reach your goal will become a valuable tool.
If you have been exercising for the last four to six weeks and have not seen any results, ask yourself: "Am I working and pushing myself, or am I just going through the motions?" If you know you're not pushing yourself, try bumping up the weights a bit, and go a little harder on the cardio machines. If you are like many people and don't know what it feels like to really push yourself, I can give you some direction.
Challenging yourself does not mean using the same weights or the same resistance forever. Pushing yourself should feel uncomfortable for the muscles themselves. This is a hard thing for some people to get used to, but it does become easier to tolerate later on. Your breathing rate will increase, and you will almost feel out of breath. This should be uncomfortable, not unbearable.
To give you a better idea of this concept, take the seated row exercise as an example. A typical exercise prescription would be to do three sets of 10 repetitions. After each set of 10, you should feel like you could do only a few more if you had to. Those who are more advanced and better at maintaining form may feel like 10 is the absolute maximum they can do. In contrast, if you feel you can do five to 10 more repetitions, then you are probably not pushing yourself.
When it comes to pushing yourself aerobically (on cardio machines), it's a lot easier to tell when you are pushing yourself: Your breathing rate will increase. A good way to tell if you are doing this right is by using the "talk test." If you can just barely talk to someone while you are working out in the cardio room, you are right where you should be.
There are a few other things to consider when challenging your body. I always recommend talking with your doctor before you start. If you have any cardiovascular, pulmonary or metabolic disorders, you may need the guidance of a professional trainer or therapist to make sure you are doing things correctly and at the right intensity. The same goes for orthopedic issues. While exercising, make sure that if you ever feel faint or dizzy, you stop the exercise immediately, sit down, and let someone know. This could be a sign or symptom of the previous disorders, or it could just mean that you overworked yourself. Again, it's a good idea to tell your doctor if you have this issue.
The last thing to think about when challenging yourself is to always maintain perfect form. If you don't know how to — or what perfect form is — then ask someone who knows. Seeking assistance will definitely help you down the road.
So before you throw in the towel on your fitness program, ask yourself how much effort you are really putting into the exercise itself. Just going to the gym will not get results, although it is a start. If you need to take baby steps, that's OK, as long as you realize a good workout is one that challenges your comfort limits safely.
Ted Santaniello, CSCS, is a certified personal trainer working at the Wellness Center at PARC, located at 295 New York Road (next to ARC) in Plattsburgh. For more information, call him at 324-2024.
