The sun has many redeeming qualities, and is impressive for many different reasons. A source of neutrino particles, a gigantic nuclear fusion reactor, it’s age, gravity. But one of its best attributes is the ability to motivate humans to do more. Every spring and summer around the world humans, like all animals, respond to the sun and are filled with the motivation to (re)start moving. The tricky part is factoring in the effects of a winter of work, red wine and Netflix. Our brain’s aren’t very good at detecting slow changes in stiffness, weakness and incoordination. And less moving causes all of the above. So we tend to jump back in where we left off – and get injured. The key is regularity and progressively increase the duration and intensity. If you haven’t moved for 3 months, don’t run 10kms, or deadlift 100kg. Those exercises don’t injure you on their own, it’s going too hard too soon that gets you.
The good news is it that, in terms of exercise, especially in the prevention of pain episodes or injury, it doesn’t matter what you do, just do it regularly. My advice is to do what you like. You might think that running is good for you, and you would be correct, but if you hate it, you’re not going to do it for long.
So, to successfully get back into exercise without booking in at Newcastle Performance Physio, make a plan, gradually increase the overall load week by week and avoid getting bored. Exercise has loads of positive chemical effects – if you get good enough at it and do it regularly enough it’s like a stone rolling downhill, it will keep going.
One big enemy of us all is time. So work out a plan to keep yourself moving until it gets easy. Get a friend, trainer, book a class, join a team. Or prioritise your health and wellbeing over premier league replays – hard I know. Otherwise the pressures of time will see you push the movement part of your day further and further away. And before you know it the sun we will move further away from the sun and things just get harder, and colder.
Share this on social media with your summer movement buddy
Until next time
Dave
