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 MAY 1, 2002 Spring Training Like most things in life, you have a choice if you want to get in shape this spring for a special summer event: you can do it the slow, methodical way, or in a fast, madcap fashion. With the slow method, you're in for the long haul to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle by developing healthy habits. The mad fashion is faster, and preparing for a sporting event well in advance is wise. But going too fast raises the risk of potential pain and injury, not only physical, but mental as well if you fail to reach your fitness goals. Fitness experts agree that the slow method makes more sense. "If you try to go out like gang busters, the failure rate is quite high," says Ken Baldwin, president of Premier Fitness, Inc., a personal training company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Research shows that two-thirds of people who don't set realistic fitness goals fail after six months, and 75% fail after eight months. "I've done fitness make-overs both ways, and the slow method is the best. I can train someone hard three or four times a week for eight weeks, but I'm not setting them up for a long-term achievement," Baldwin says. The Slow Method The slow method consists of a comprehensive exercise and nutrition program. For cardiovascular training, Baldwin suggests doing aerobics -- run, swim, walk on a treadmill, ride a stationary or recumbent bike -- for 20 to 30 minutes two or three times per week. After the cardiovascular workout, stretch muscles in your shoulders, lower back, and legs. Do full-body strength training once or twice a week. The best way to initiate a slow method is with a periodization scheme, that is, "a strategy to progress from a baseline to advanced fitness level," says Dale Huff, co-owner, NutriFormance, a personal training and sports nutrition company based in St. Louis. Every four to six weeks, modify some variable, either the number of repetitions or number of sets, or do new exercises. Proper nutrition helps you make behavioral changes. "If you don't eat breakfast, then start to," Huff says. "The average breakfast-eater is 10 pounds lighter than a non-breakfast-eater." Follow the published food guide pyramid and model your eating strategy after that, he suggests. But don't incorporate nutritional changes at first. "If you also revise your diet right away, it can be too overwhelming," Baldwin says. The first month, he suggests drinking 12 to14 eight-ounce glasses of water daily. "Get in the habit of bringing a water bottle to training sessions, and keep it with you in the car or when you shop," he says. A few months into your program you can have a nutritionist assess your diet. |
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