Exercise: Start with Why

The most important consideration with exercise to begin with is WHY. This is the theme throughout this brief exercise article, which sets the foundation for better outcomes.

What is exercise?

Exercise is activity requiring physical effort. It is performed for a variety of reasons, to either feel, function or look better. It is popularly used to enhance and maintain physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, including strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, physical appearance, mental clarity and enjoyment.

What is the ‘Diskin Life’ approach to exercise?

Like other lifestyle practices, such as eating better, thinking better and responding better; we categorise exercise as moving better, a key integral factor in your wellbeing. As with the other factors, its purpose, design and implementation are based on individual needs. It should to be considered in context of who you are, your health status and what you need, which makes up the WHY to exercise in the first place. Like anything, your particular exercise program needs to be appropriate for you, performed the right way and at the best timing for you and your lifestyle.

What are the signs that the way you exercise is negatively impacting you?

Our society has been conditioned to believe more is better, so if you want to gain more benefit from exercise, do it harder, longer and more often. This can be seen with the military type programs, where people push through their body’s cries to stop, in the pursuit of a new PB (personal best). While the immediate thrill of being a winner is exciting, the regret of “I wish I hadn’t pushed so hard” later, is based on a sort term gain, as opposed to a long term and sustainable health benefit. Unfortunately we have seen many past high level physical performers end up with lifelong suffering from their earlier-in-life relentless athletic pursuits.

How can you improve your exercise technique/activities?

Like our reorganizational approach to Chiropractic healthcare involves gentle precise touches to effectively reprogram your nerve system; carefully guided intelligent movement can also yield powerful and effective benefits and health outcomes. Often subtle modifications to exercise technique results in disproportionately impressive changes. As with all professions and in particular health practitioners, you need to find a movement coach that shares your values and has the interest, knowledge and expertise to guide you through the process. Also, having specific intended outcomes and direction will assist your program design plans – this is why its critical to choose the best chiropractor in melbourne.

5 common misconceptions regarding exercise

1. More is better: This may exceed your benefit thresholds, creating more harm than good.
2. Harder is better: This is the specific technique versus brute force debate.
3. No pain, no gain: This is based on the belief that pain is your body’s feedback for more.
4. We all have the exact same needs: If it seems to work for somebody else (on TV) it’s safe and appropriate for me too- regardless of realistic and practical individuality.
5. If I don’t feel well, I should sweat it out: If you are run down, the fist consideration is REST. Before you exercise, you must be fully rested, and well nourished- not to mention being in a safe state to benefit from the exercise you are about to undertake.

5 simple ways to improve your exercise activities

1. First ask why. Determine based on your intended outcomes, what will work best for you.
2. Use professional guidance. Choose your health care team advisors carefully.
3. Find a program that you enjoy. If it is something you don’t enjoy or even dread, 1) you won’t be as motivated, 2) you will give up sooner, and 3) you will also not gain as much benefit from it.
4. Listen to your body, so if it doesn’t feel right or you don’t like it, find another exercise that feels better and works for YOU.
5. Ensure your spine and nerve system is working at its best, to give you the support and integration potential you deserve.