Fitness 101: Movement Pt. 2

If you haven't read Part 1 on Movement go back and read it now! We discussed: 
- Meant to move
- Benefits of moving
- Components of fitness (what it means to be overall FIT)
- Types of movement

Now let's talk about building your movement life!

Now hear me out, I started somewhere too, I was once afraid of the weight section of the gym, so if you’re nervous about going to the gym, me too, I’m with you, I get nervous going to new classes or gym, I understand! You aren’t alone, and people work as trainers and at gyms to help people! We want to help you!

If you already move regularly and have a scheduled training routine, excellent! You're ahead of the game, and keep going! In fact, I challenge you today to do something new in your next workout! Challenge yourself, maybe a new movement or type of exercise, or a heavier weight. I did toes to bar and went for a heavier hang squat clean. That was new for me!

For those wanting to build on their movement, you wouldn’t go from being a couch potato to running a marathon the next day right? Similarly, you wouldn’t put shingles on the roof of your new house without building the foundation and the rest of the house first. Therefore, to build your movement life, we want to build it on a solid foundation first. Now things like CrossFit, bodybuilding, powerlifting, marathons, triathlons are incredible, however, there is a time and a place for all of them, and the time and place for these are after having a solid foundation of movement built. You need the basic skills first, just like a house needs a solid foundation. Also, for each of these, there will be specific training methods.

First, let's consider our goals and why for movement, what is it for? What do we aim to accomplish out of our movement life?

- Health and vitality
- Performance
- Strength
- Weight loss
- Muscle gain

Different goals for movement mean different paths, different training methods. For example, if your goal is strength, you will be weight training, using progressive overload and periodization in main lifts. If your goal is weight loss, your training would likely be less specific than the strength focused individual, but still include weight training, plus cardio and an overall focus on the increased amount of movement. Someone whose goal is health and vitality might focus on movement that brings them enjoyment, and raises their heart rate and provides training for cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance and strength. Maybe you just want to move more in general so you're going to walk more, goal of hiking. Now that you have identified your "why," you will start to build your movement life!

1. Goal:
- Choose your goal to determine where you want to go
- Make it personal for you, doesn't matter what your best friend or next door neighbor is doing, stay in your lane

2. Motivation for movement:
- Determine your priorities and what you are valuing more right now
- Perhaps you spend more time watching TV than getting healthy groceries and making a healthy meal
- If changing your life is important to you, you may have to give up things that aren't helping you get closer to your goal i.e. TV
- Turn dead TV time into healthy meal prep time
     - Perhaps find a good podcast that you are interested in to listen to while you meal prep, make it fun!
- What do you value more? Watching TV or feeling healthy and exuberant!

3. The form of exercise/Form of movement: 
- Choose your form of exercise/movement
- What form of exercise would you enjoy?
- What form of exercise would you have you wanted to try?

4. Enjoyment: 
- Choose a form of movement that you enjoy!
- With any lifestyle, that means FOR LIFE, its a habit, not a fad, so it will mean consistency, choosing a movement that you enjoy you will continue to exercise over time.

5. Consistency: 
- Consistency in the effort is where we see results, so whatever your goal, you have to put in the WORK, meaning you need to WORK to gain strength, WORK for weight loss, and that means consistently putting in the effort.

6. Realistic & Attainable:
- When building your movement life, consider what is realistic and attainable
     - I.e. when the New Year comes around people are determined they are going to eat only clean and exercise 7 days a week for an hour, does that sound like something you can do every day for the rest of your life? No likely
- Maybe 30 mins 3 times per week is good for you, to start

7. Get a gym membership:
- Most gyms have free weight machine orientations that will show your way around the gym so you feel comfortable
- Some gyms have one free session with a trainer to introduce you to the gym, working out
- Most gyms have classes that come with the membership which is helpful if you are new, you can just follow the instructor! Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, they are there to help you!
- Group classes are also great for a social community! You will make friends who are on the same health journey. Crossfit has an amazing community aspect
- Some CrossFit gyms have an introduction beginner series which is a great way to get your foot in the door, especially in a safe and effective manner for CrossFit! Find the right fit, a coach you click with and who cares about you and your goals

8. Get a gym buddy:
- Whether you know someone who goes regularly that can hold you accountable to just showing up, or someone you can go take classes with, it can be more fun when it's not just you, it's you with someone else, or you with others!

9. Schedule it:
- What gets scheduled get done, don't just say you'll fit your movement in when you get to it…
- MAKE TIME FOR IT, I love the quote: “There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”

10. Start small, one step at a time: 
- Don't overwhelm yourself and your body by starting to go to the gym cold turkey for 2 hours a day, your body will hurt
- Ease into it! Start with a little at a time
- Just like running a marathon, you have to train, and build up endurance for longer runs, the same applies
- I wouldn’t just go and try a handstand, I know I need skills and upper body strength to get there, eventually!
- As you build more endurance and stamina, go to the gym for a little longer, run a little longer, etc.

11. Ditch the all or nothing mindset:
- Don't tell yourself excuses like, "I only have 20 mins to workout so I might as well not go because it's not worth it." GO!
- Something is better than nothing! Even 20 mins 3 times a week is beneficial for health and body health

12. Basics:
- You want and need to master the proper function of the body and movements and become proficient in quality of form and function of these movements before progressing
     - For some that might mean improving posture and stability before moving onto progressive exercises
- It might seem tedious because I know you want to be fit and strong and do pull-ups right now, but I promise you it's worth it to prevent injury and pain!
- Even just lifting weights, learning the basic movements and becoming proficient in those before progressing to more challenging versions of the exercise.

Quantity recommendations:

The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 mins per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity.

The American College of Sports Medicine suggests all adults should engage in 30 minutes or more of moderately intense physical activity daily.

For fitness benefits, more may be needed.

For weight loss benefits, even more, may be needed. Some suggest 5 hours per week is the ideal for weight loss and maintenance of weight loss. If you are at about 5 hours, perhaps kick up the intensity a little bit.

So start building up your movement over time to the ideal amount and lifestyle for you and have fun on the journey! Don’t forget it's not a place you reach and then stop, it's a process for the rest of your life!

-Charissa

Charissa Sutliff is an Online Fitness & Nutrition Development Coach, a Competition Prep Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, and holds a B.S. in Kinesiology. She also holds an M.A. in Higher Education Administration. She is enthusiastic about faith, working out, healthy nutrition, meditating, learning, growing and coffee!