Fitness Tips: If you knew then what you know now.

[Jane P.]

Be flexible as things come up. Rotations sometimes have to be modified because life gets in the way.

Do not feel bad if you have to stop in the middle of a workout because you just don't have it that day.

Be sure and do a good warmup, the foam roller sounds like a great idea.

As far as the tall step goes, I've lowered my step to 10 inches and I don't use heavy weights. I also go at a pace that works for me, not the pace on the screen. I also don't do that move more than once a week.

Edited to add: I don't hold weights on my shoulders doing tall step work (this is shown in some dvds). One little wobble and an accident could happen. I keep the weights at waist level.

[kat999]

I am another one who doesn't do full tall box climbs anymore. When they use the full tall box for climbs, I break my Fanny Lifter down and just use the blue segment. Sometimes when they use only the purple one, I don't even use that anymore and just do the moves on the floor. I will say that FIRM boxes have made normal lunges and dips seem like the easiest thing in the world to me; same with squats and pliés. When other workouts have you do supersets of these, it's just an absolute breeze, so I really give the FIRM a big kudos for that.

With that said, I do think FIRM-style training does not do a lot for one's explosive modality, so I still struggle with very high impact moves in other workouts. Rather than worrying about it too much, though, I just modify down as needed or swap in another move.

Another thing I wish I'd figured out sooner: figure out a set of really basic cardio moves that YOU like and whenever a workout has a cardio segment that either seems too hard, boring, or just isn't your thing, swap in one from your personal arsenal of ones you DO like. Because, honestly, cardio segments and full cardio workouts/aerobics, etc. are just trying to get your heart rate up. How you get there is really, ultimately, up to you.

[Sue B]

There's a line in the old "Wear Sunscreen" song, "Take care of your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone" and I often think about it when just climbing the steps to our house! Yes, I would have been kinder to my knees by not doing as many tall box steps or too many reps of squats and lunges.

Also I would have worn more sunscreen.

[Jane P.]

Well it's not just your knees, it's your hips as well. I was doing plies with a barbell on my shoulders. As I bent my legs trying to go deep, I felt something go in my left hip. I can still exercise, but my left hip is considerable weaker than my right. I notice that Cathe now uses one dumbell when doing plies, but she still bends deeply. Respect your natural range of motion.

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by Jane P.

Well it's not just your knees, it's your hips as well. I was doing plies with a barbell on my shoulders. As I bent my legs trying to go deep, I felt something go in my left hip. I can still exercise, but my left hip is considerable weaker than my right. I notice that Cathe now uses one dumbell when doing plies, but she still bends deeply. Respect your natural range of motion.

I totally agree. I am not flexible and I am on the short side. I just thought if they say use a 14" box, then that's what I got to do. I am paying for it now.

[bfit]

I would say (1) Modify! (2) If something hurts don't just plow through, and (3) don't get rid of DVDs that you think are too easy. I'm in my 60s now and recovering from an injury, and I wish I had some of those easy workouts again.

[ellaenchanted]

Frequent intense workouts are not necessary and can even be counterproductive. Moderate exercise is enough to stay fit and motivated.

[Pam61]

I wish "my younger self" had added stretching and yoga workouts early on. I always did cardio and strength consistently, but only did the occasional yoga workout every so often. It never really became a habit.

I have never been very flexible, and I'm finding I'm really enjoying (and needing) my yoga workouts now. It's really helped with my mood (and all my aches and pains!)

So, my advice is to make time for the stretching component. It's really wonderful!

[bzar]

1. Pick out a workout the night before.
2. Feel free to end a workout at the time you had planned to quit - no one will arrest you if you stop early!
3. You can get by with a few workouts from a series rather than obsessing about owning the entire set.
4. The best workout is the one you will do!
5. Acquiring more workouts ≠ success.
6. There's fulfillment in even the simplest of workouts.
7. Exercise will not erase bad eating habits.

[Jennifer R]

I'll join in with realizing that heavy weighted tall box climbs are not good in the long term when you have a 28" inseam. I did them, but ditched it finally after several years when I connected severe SI and hip pain/sciatica to the tall box stuff. To this day I have episodes of bursitis in my hip and have to be very careful with weighted leg work.

I WAS glad I ditched most high impact early on and either did low impact workouts only or modified on the rebounder.

You don't have to have the most popular sets and jump on bandwagons. I did that a few times and most of the time wound up regretting it.

Figure out what you'll do and do it. It's fine to branch out now and then, but you don't have to do it all.