WHAT'S YOUR PLAN?

With Fall rapidly approaching, do you have a plan to maintain your health and fitness goals?

Cooler weather is around the corner, and for many of us, that means finding ways to stay healthy indoors. However, with the coronavirus pandemic still raging, I highly doubt you want to go back to the overcrowded, dirty, gyms and fitness centers.

Alternative Indoor Options

1. Group classes

2. Private studios

3. At-home exercise

Group Classes

Crossfit, Orangetheory, etc... These options are generally safe for the young, healthy individual. However, these classes are not for everyone.

Regarding Crossfit - Injuries are almost a guarantee... "A portion (30.5%) of the participants surveyed reported experiencing an injury over the previous 12 months because of their participation in CrossFit training. Injuries to the shoulders (39%), back (36%), knees (15%), elbows (12%), and wrists (11%) were most common for both male and female participants"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6201188/#:~:text=A%20portion%20(30.5%25)%20of,both%20male%20and%20female%20participants.

Crossfit is meant for the "20-something" former athlete... period.

Regarding Orangetheory - The “theory” in Orangetheory is excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC. That’s a complicated way of describing your body’s natural afterburn following strenuous activity. OT argues that you continue to burn calories post-workout. Every minute your body spends at 84 percent or greater of your maximum heart rate contributes to this. However, this theory is flawed because heart rate indications must consider a number of factors - age, weight, gender, medical history, medications...

Furthermore, their technology is flawed.

A chest strap fails to effectively monitor electrical activity. Unlike an ECG [electrocardiogram], where up to 12 leads are placed on various parts of the patient’s body.

One additional concern with the aforementioned.... they are group classes.

If you are looking for a safe, private environment, you need to keep looking...

"Researchers are warning intense workouts done in a group setting in a confined space could increase the risk for infection. They found 112 COVID-19 cases linked to fitness dance classes at 12 different gyms, according to a research letter recently published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

“Avoiding intense exercise in confined space is crucial,” Dr. Ji-Young Rhee, the co-author and an associate professor of infectious diseases at Dankook University College of Medicine"

Private Studios - Personal Training

This, in my professional opinion, is your best option (unless you plan to exercise at home). If you choose to go this route, what qualities should you look for in a "personal trainer"?

1. Are they qualified?

2. Are they certified?

3. Can they inspire you?

Are they qualified?

Does your "trainer" possess an advanced degree in a relevant field? (Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology, Physical Therapy, etc.) If your trainer does not have at least a Bachelor's degree in one of these fields, you should look elsewhere.

Are they certified?

Does your trainer hold a nationally accredited personal training certification? Ask your trainer if they have one of the following certifications: ACSM, NASM, ACE, ISSA, or NSCA. If they do not, you should look elsewhere.

Can they inspire you?

Your trainer can't make you move when they're not with you (they also cannot take the spoon out of your mouth). Therefore, you should be working with someone who inspires you.

You might see your trainer 1-2 hours per week... This is hardly enough time to change years of poor eating habits and sedentary behavior. A good trainer should inspire you to be intrinsically motivated even when you are not with them! Like a little voice in your ear saying: "Don't eat that" or "Get up and move!"

At-Home Exercise

Wonderful! If you are motivated and have a plan.

Problems with at-home workouts:

1. You don't have the equipment

2. You don't have a plan

3. You only do cardio

4. You get interrupted/distracted to easily

Colder weather is approaching... Do you have a plan?

The Fitness Doctor offers private, one-on-one, individually prescribed exercise and nutrition.

1. All training takes place in private suites.

2. All trainers possess advanced degrees and certifications.

3. Each suite contains advanced, virus filtration technology systems.

Don't trust an unqualified personal trainer. Don't go back to an overcrowded gym.

Trust The Fitness Doctor!