When it comes to fitness, Blackrock residents often feel like they need to be progressing hard and fast to get into better shape. They feel if they’re not constantly putting on more weight or running faster, then they are not challenging themselves enough. Of course, sometimes these people hurt themselves and go out of commission for a while – which is a much  bigger setback than if they had worked-out slow and steady instead. And that is what scientists are finding – that slow and steady wins the race.

 

Progression is the key to reducing the risk of injury, preventing overtraining and avoiding psychological burnout say fitness Blackrock trainers. Gradually building up to higher levels is best done under supervision of a personal trainer, fitness instructor or athletic coach, but it’s something that people can do on their own (with a bit of patience) too.

 

Exercise does not need to be an all or nothing type of activity. You don’t need to leave your Blackrock gym feeling like a spent force. People who haven’t been to the gym in a while should approach exercise cautiously, experts say. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends taking 22 weeks to establish a base level of training if you’ve taken a few months off. It takes five months to build new blood vessels and muscle tissue, thicken bones and prepare the body for better endurance. For others who weren’t sedentary, but who may have skipped one too many workouts, six weeks might be all it takes to prepare. Progression helps the body deal with stress better.

 

Any fitness Blackrock instructor will tell you that progression is made up of three parts: Duration (how much time you spend training), Frequency (how often you go), and Intensity (the effort expended.) First, start with building duration and frequency, later boosting intensity. For instance, if you were training for a 5K race, you would begin training for 20 minutes, then 30 minutes, and you would increase your training days from three to five over a 6-8 week period. On “off days,” you should still be swimming, cycling, walking or doing yoga to actively recover. Try increasing the amount of time you work-out by 10 percent every two weeks.

 

For intensity, monitor your heart rate and aim to get 60 percent of your max rate for 30 minutes to start. Gradually work your way up to 80 percent of your max rate. Fitness Blackrock Experts say that exercising at a 60-80 percent max heart rate intensity helps your heart move blood to muscles, bones and tissues more efficiently. It also prepares your body for more calorie burning, muscle building and oxygen delivery.