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-   -   Fitness Tips: If you knew then what you know now. (http://forum.videofitness.com/showthread.php?t=231343)

Vintage VFer 07-05-21 12:48 PM

Fitness Tips: If you knew then what you know now.
 
What fitness tips do you wish you'd known when you first started working out? Here are a couple that come to my mind right away. I'm sure there are more.

1. Modify and/or Substitute. I learned this on VF and it is so important. Early on, I thought I had to do exactly what the instructor was doing to have a good workout. VF teaches us to modify or substitute moves as needed. At this point, I think I modify every single workout I do.

2. Foam Rolling before Strength workouts. I saw this technique in a workout set years ago. It was Rachel Cosgrove's "Drop 2 Sizes" set. About the same time, I was at a fitness convention and took a class with Cassidy Phillips who runs Trigger Point Fitness. He had us do a demo where we tried a strength move before foam rolling the muscle and then again after foam rolling. I was surprised at how the rolling improved strength and now foam roll for about 5 minutes before most strength workouts. If I remember correctly there is foam roll work in BeachBody's "Tai Cheng" set. (Which I did once and returned). Foam rolling is a great warm-up for the muscles. I wish I'd known that when I first started doing weight work. Of course, way back then, I'd never heard of a foam roller.

3. Don't waste your life trying to learn choreography if you are choreo-challenged (This one is more a personal observation. :) ) I was always terrible with complex choreography. Being slightly dyslexic doesn't help. I can't tell you how many hours and how many workouts I tried to learn with little success. It was a stressful waste of my time when I could have been having fun!

Any fitness tips you wish you'd known when starting out?

kristiep 07-05-21 01:19 PM

1. Strength then cardio. When I started exercising, everyone started with cardio, then finished with strength and toning. I find I do better when I alternate cardio and strength or do cardio after strength when doing on the same day.

2. Allowing for breaks between segments of exercise, e.g. when I do Katami 4x4, I love the 30-second breaks between circuits. I perform better when I have those short breaks.

3. Mixing it up. I gravitate toward the same types of routines, but now I have more variety in my workouts, and that has forced me to address my weaknesses.

Fun thread!

Lori_Michigan 07-05-21 04:58 PM

1. Modify
2. Proper rest and recovery
3. Mobility
4. Strength over cardio
5. I should have stopped high impact cardio long ago before injuries stopped me.
6. Skip the day if it's too not going to work or not feeling up to it.

cataddict 07-05-21 09:56 PM

1. Find what you enjoy, and embrace it when motivation is in short supply.

2. Do a variety of workout types---strength, cardio and flexibility.

3. Keep an open mind about different workouts styles and formats. You may discover you like something new if you try it.

4. If a move doesn't feel right or hurts, don't do it.

5. Listen to your body. If you need a rest, rest.

5. If you love complex choreography, do it! :D

Izzy 07-06-21 08:41 AM

I would not have used The Firm tall box. It was brutal on my knees and hips and over time caused a lot of damage. I know we have had some threads about physical therapist, but everyone that I have had for the past 15 years has said doing climbs on those 14" boxes is just not good for you.

Leonana 07-06-21 10:01 AM

I think I would have stopped high impact sooner. I started having pain from my bladder, due to a slight prolapse, when I did high impact. I'm wondering if the high impact made it worse. As long as I don't do high impact, I don't have any pain from it.

Vintage VFer 07-06-21 12:53 PM

Great replies!

From some of the injury posts I've read over the years, it is probably a blessing that I couldn't do very advanced and/or high impact or highly-choreographed workouts.

kristiep 07-06-21 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Izzy (Post 2932209)
I would not have used The Firm tall box. It was brutal on my knees and hips and over time caused a lot of damage. I know we have had some threads about physical therapist, but everyone that I have had for the past 15 years has said doing climbs on those 14" boxes is just not good for you.

Really? I like the tall box climbs, but I will lower to 10-12” if I’m not feeling like 14”. Are they bad at the lower heights or just 14+? Cathe also includes squats and presses off the step, and I do them for her workouts too (usually at the lower height).

cataddict 07-06-21 02:30 PM

Re the tall boxes: I think it depends on the length of your leg and how it bends in relation to the step? I always heard your knee angle shouldn't be more than 90 degrees to avoid injury. I didn't have a tall box, but have only used a maximum of 10 inches for step ups with Cathe. I don't think my knees would tolerate any higher. I'm just under 5"6".

Oh, VVFer, thanks for the info about using the foam roller before a strength workout. I have never heard this but it makes a lot of sense---kind of like tenderizing the muscle before it's "cooked." I will try rolling on my next strength workout.

wendug 07-06-21 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kristiep (Post 2932251)
Really? I like the tall box climbs, but I will lower to 10-12” if I’m not feeling like 14”. Are they bad at the lower heights or just 14+? Cathe also includes squats and presses off the step, and I do them for her workouts too (usually at the lower height).

I still do tall box climbs at 14 inches, but admittedly, not that often. I'm 5'5" and don't notice any knee issues. However, my heart rate really climbs when I do them! Now for regular step workouts, I stick with the 6 inch step. I feel uncoordinated using an 8 inch step with some of the dance moves on the step.


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