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farzanwasti23-blog · 5 years

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Walk the talk

We are all blessed to be born in an age where we know the benefits of an active lifestyle. And here I am going to discuss with you some very basic, yet important things to keep in mind before embracing this healthy way of life. As a beginner it is very normal to be anxious and a bit fearful, when it comes to starting a fitness regime, however proper planning, approach and guidance will help you overcome this phase. I will discuss the above mentioned points in detail as these are the fundamentals to achieving success in our fitness goals and yet massively overlooked according to my observation. Before you actually start lifting that heavy iron in a gymnasium, it is very important that you set yourself a goal to achieve, it could be anything*gaining weight*losing weight*getting into your favorite pair of jeans*strutting a well toned body on the beach like I said, anything. However it is very important to be realistic in your approach and goal setting starting off, it should not be too easy or too difficult. Too easy and it will not let you reach your true potential, on the other hand too unrealistic will lead to discouragement. For example healthy weight loss can range from 0.5kg to 1kg a week  I know, initially even this sounds like rocket science to you and thus this is where a fitness professional will help and should be consulted i.e. in a balanced and goal oriented fitness program design. This basically includes the number of days you train, rest and the mode of training applied etc. Essentially there are two modes of training

1) Strength Training and 2)Cardiovascular training, each having their unique and very important benefits. Strength Training basically involves the use of resistance in the form of weights and machines to build strength, endurance and size of skeletal muscles, whereas Cardiovascular training improves heart functioning, lung capacity to name a few. It is thus very critical to in co operate both these modes into your training programme to get the best results and benefits possible, of course according to each individual’s requirements. Like for someone who wants to make gains in terms of muscle mass will have more strength sessions in a week as compared to cardio sessions and vice versa. But again, I stress the need of having a balanced approach here, as any fitness professional you consult would do to. Another component of overall fitness that I would like to bring to your notice is flexibility training, often ignored again. I don’t recommend that you remove or keep a separate day for it, you could depending on your training intensity and goals, but generally 10-15minz of stretching after your strength or cardio sessions holding a stretch for 30-40secs each will help maintain and increase flexibility overtime. Also make sure you have days off training, as it is very important that the body gets sufficient time to recuperate from the training it is made to go through, and also make sure that the same body parts are not worked on consecutive days as it may take up to 24-48hours for it to recuperate from an intense training session. Diet is yet another important aspect that cannot be ignored in the overall success of any training program. Essentially our body should be supplied with 50-60% Carbohydrates (preferably complex like Legumes, starchy vegetables, Whole-grain breads and cereals etc) 20-30% Proteins(eggs, milk, nuts, grains, poultry etc) and 10-20% Fat(Mono-saturated found in extra virgin olive oil and polysaturated fat found in omega 3 in fish oil are known to be good ). Again, I would stress that if your gym has a dietician, please make use of their expertise and make the best choices possible from above in accordance to your existing lifestyle patterns, as you are more likely to continue with those.

Now that the blue print towards achieving your goals is ready, its time to execute your plans. And here again I will share with you some important pointers, which have helped me tremendously and I am most certain will help you as well.

*Being a martial artist, it became known to me very soon that the mind is the most important muscle one can use to achieve any goal, irrespective. So every time you see a martial artist, gymnast or any athlete perform feats that seem unbelievable, be sure it’s the supreme application of the mind, commanding the body. And bodybuilding is no exception, you have to be present 100% mentally and physically if you are to get anywhere in terms of seeing any tangible results and yes, look unbelievable ;). I have observed people in the gym working-out for hours and years without any results and subsequently dropout. Of course there is an opposite example of it as well. The difference is of the approach to training, and thus I recommend that every time you train, you have to remind yourself of what you strive to achieve, how u wish to see yourself, mentally prepare for physical activity you are about to undertake and then believe it is possible. Once you see that happening, you shall know that there is no bigger motivator than that.

*Another common mistake made by beginners is to do, too much to soon. This can be in terms of the poundage used while training, duration etc. I will elaborate on this, while training it is very important to do the exercises with the best possible form, more so in the initial stages of training as an unconditioned body is more prone to injuries, which is definitely something I am sure all of you would like to avoid at any given point in time. So initially the best way is to do all the exercises under the guidance of a trained fitness professional, using weights which are challenging and not threatening  By duration, I basically mean overtraining the body, which can be followed by muscle soreness, which to an extent is normal but in excess has been a cause of dropouts. So starting training intensity should be mild-moderate, and you are the best judge of that, not exceeding 45-50minutes.

*Basics. This is all you should be concentrating on in the initial stages, this is your base and of prime importance. It is very normal to get carried away by trying to ape someone with an awesome body, which you aspire to have, however what you don’t realize is that it has taken that individual years of training to achieve that level of strength and aesthetics. For you to imitate someone like that can lead to an injury or simply leave you discouraged.

*On the same lines I would like to tell you that be very careful of whose advice you take on and off the fitness floor, as there are too many floating around and can leave you thoroughly confused. You have to realize that everyone is different, and different things work for different people. As mentioned earlier initially just get the basics right, preferably under the guidance of one fitness professional and once you do that you will be able to figure out in time as to what works best for your body.

*Time Management is another important aspect. We all make time in our busy schedules for exercising and thus it should be utilized for the same, maximally. Gossiping with friends, fiddling with gadgets, watching television etc during your workouts will not only take your mind away from the task at hand but also never give you the kind of results you are looking for. And thus it is very important to give it your best and concentrate each and every time you are pumping iron and then see changes that affect not only your body, but your mind  And Remember:-

Knowing is not enough,

We must apply.

Willing is not enough,

We must do.

-Bruce Lee ;)

By,

Farzan Wasti.

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