By Alexander Germanis
As the snow begins to melt and buds begin to burst forth, great sleeping giants emerge from their dens after hibernating through the long winter. They spend the next two to three weeks in a state known as ‘walking hibernation,’ during which they gradually awaken their metabolic rate, adjusting it slowly to its summer rate of function.
That natural inclination should be no different for humans as it is for bears, particularly for those who have remained somewhat inactive during the often bitter months of the Midwest winter. Bursting into one’s full summer level of activity all at once, therefore, is not a wise idea.
Nate Henry, Director of Sports Performance at Orthopedic Sports and Enhancement Center in Bloomington, has some simple advice for those emerging from their winter ‘caves.’ “When you’re dealing with a completely sedentary [individual],” he says, “something as simple as a 15-20 minute walk is a good way to step into a spring regimen.”
“If you’re talking about somebody who occasionally hits the gym, was still walking or was active with their children,” he continues, “they could start with a jog, but I would keep it short.”
“You’ve got to be honest with yourself,” Nate cautions. Just as when we eat, “most of us really do know how much and what we should eat if we listen to our bodies.” That same self-honesty is crucial in exercise. “You just need to look at yourself and say, ‘Would a 15-20 minute walk be activity or would it be exercise?’ If it would be exercise, that’s a good place to start.”
The key word here is “start.” As the weeks wear on, what was once a workout will cease to be one. “I’m a firm believer of the 10 percent policy,” Nate says. “Never up your activity level per week by more than 10 percent.”
“There are different ways to up your level,” he continues. “For example, if you say, ‘All I have is 20 minutes, how do I go up by ten percent?’ Well, that’s where intensity can come in. So you walked last week; you can jog half of it the next week. And then just keep adding elements of intensity: ‘I’m going to run the whole time today. And then I’m going to run a 9-minute mile instead of a 10-minute mile.”
“The most important thing is consistency,” he points out. “Not in what you’re doing but how often you’re doing it. Same thing with eating. You could have the grandest diet for five days and be perfect and then totally screw up in two days. It’s the same thing with exercise.”
One of the tricks about consistent exercise is that the human body eventually gets used to a routine. “Our bodies are very efficient,” Nate says. “If you’re doing the exact same things every day, your body says, ‘Ok, I’m not going to burn as much here because I want to conserve what I have.” For example, a lean, well-trained runner and an untrained, inconsistent runner can run the same race and the untrained runner may burn twice the number of calories.
It has been said that to ‘keep the body guessing’ is a way to avoid this ‘efficiency’ roadblock. But, Nate counsels, “Completely overhauling and doing crazy things is not the same thing as keeping the body guessing. So, you need to do some sort of cross-training: cycling, swimming, and I really recommend strength training. That’s a way to keep your body strong and healthy. It’s not really about keeping the body ‘guessing,’ it’s about having a smart plan, and it needs to be diverse.”
“And I can’t stress enough the importance of a proper warm up,” he continues. Failing to ease into activity both on a daily basis as well as seasonally can have painful results. Shin splints, muscle pulls and strains and plantar fasciitis are all common consequences of going, as Nate says, “too hard too fast.”
“Our bodies are complex structures,” he adds. “It’s not just all about exercise, it’s how you’re treating your body. So with all the jump in activity, your sleeping and eating patterns and your stress levels all factor into that. We need to be controlling all these different variables because they all contribute to the fatigue on our bodies. Being consistent, being true to all of those aspects in our lives,” is paramount, Nate concludes. “Consistency is a key to life.”
For more information on the programs available at the Orthopedic & Sports Enhancement Center, you may call 309-663-9300 or visit them online at www.sportsenhancement.net. They are located at 2406 East Empire in Bloomington. Personal training for all ages is offered in addition to the sports acceleration programs.
Photo credit: DieterMeyrl/iStock