Smart Workout
Smart workout plans account for different energy, ability
and skill levels in the people using them. They give the body a great workout
without allowing it to be overdone, and help the exerciser and her body do the
talking in terms of knowing your limits. To know your limits is to be safe and
still healthy while you engage in your workout plans. Good workout plans help
you know your limits and continue to know them for a longer, healthier exercise
habit.
Avoid Strictness
Workout plans that are extremely strict and limiting in
what you can do and how much you do it are a recipe for disaster when it comes
to the body’s natural limits. Lifting too much weight, doing too many sets of a
particular exercise, and not having the choice to modify exercises in any way
can be dangerous to your health, cause injury, and help you hate exercise that
much more. Look for workouts that allow for modified pushups, limited sets with
the OPTION to go above.
Listen to Your Body
Your body is talking all the time – it tells you when it’s
hungry, thirsty, and needs rest. The same is true of your body during your
workout plans. Listening to your body and honing in on its cues that it has had
enough can be vital to avoiding injury and not getting (too) sore after a good
workout. If you start feeling dizzy, lightheaded, getting cramps, or losing
form, it may be a sign that you’re reaching/have reached your limits.
Switch it Up
One of the best ways to avoid overdoing your limits and
doing it right with smart workout plans is to plan for a different exercise each
day. Always allow your body at least one day in between strength training
sessions to recover and never do high intensity cardio at your maximum heart
rate for more than a few minutes at a time. A good way to switch it up and
account for your body’s limits is to try interval training – going harder for
bouts and easier for others to allow temporary recover time during the workout.