Enhance Your Fitness with Attention to Weak Links
We all tend to settle into a routine of doing what we do best in our fitness routines. After all, it’s the path of least resistance, it feels good, and it gives us a sense of accomplishment. Yet each of us able-bodied fitness enthusiasts have weak areas or skills that could use a little attention from time to time, in order to maintain muscular balance and symmetry, help us move more efficiently and prevent injuries.
By adding a weakness day once every two weeks, you’ll create a stronger, fitter physique.
Give More Attention to Mobility
The weak-focused days are great for including foam rolling for back, hips, lats, calves and quads. Also add range of motion (ROM) for stiff areas such as the ribcage, shoulder girdle or hips, and balance work like Torso Circles. Stretching with a band or rope or simple yoga poses like cat/cow, pigeon, camel or Warrior poses can also be done on this day.
Try Things You Never Do
Have you learned to use the rower machine? What about performing a barbell Dead lift or Squat? A traditional barbell without weights is 45lb, light enough for most beginners to lift. But if you’re in doubt, try first with a lighter body bar. Have you tried walking lunges with a single Kettlebell in the Home position? Calf raises, lateral lunges, and bent over posterior fly are all valuable exercises.
Do Things You Don’t Enjoy
There are some moves that you’ll hate, maybe because you’re not good at them, or maybe you’re not good at them because you don’t do them. Either way, get that thing going, just twice per month! I’m still working on perfecting hanging leg raises, which become easier with practice, but of course when I neglect to do them, I dread them more. Couple your movement with something that you don’t loathe, just so you can get through it! Chin-ups anyone?
It shouldn’t take long to create a list of weakness exercises to fill at least an hour for your workout. But choose only a few at a time, working on them until you improve, and then adding the others at a later date.
By being aware of your weaknesses and dedicating just two days each month to them, you’ll begin to see and feel changes that will lead to better movement, more ability and confidence!
Best,
Lorna