Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort — Paul J. Meyer, motivational author
It is true that hard work leads to achieving one’s goals. However, it is futile when the work is not planned and the progress of the goal is left unmeasured. It is akin to a car being simply driven without direction — it amounts to inefficient use of fuel and valuable time. Therefore, it is no wonder when many exercise for a considerable amount of time but don’t achieve a positive result. This is often owing to the fact that one is not being optimally efficient in their expense of energy so as to achieve maximum productivity. It is crucial to identify the basic essentials for one’s progress, so as to able to work smart as opposed to simply working hard.
Many run five kilometres a day, yet they are not ideally in their fittest form. It is undisputed that running is effective. However, merely running will not be a recommended practice for a consistent growth in one’s health.
Running is typically an aerobic-cardiovascular activity that truly benefits the lungs and heart. It does wonders, however it is limited to the benefit of the cardiovascular muscle. While the respiratory organs and cardiovascular organs are essential to be exercised, our body is predominantly musculoskeletal, compromising muscles, bones, cartilages, tendons, and soft tissues.
The primary function of the musculoskeletal system is to support the body’s weight, maintain stability and posture, and enhance the range of motion, that is, movements. Training the musculoskeletal system should be one’s approach so as to achieve the best possible results in terms of fitness.
Jumping jacks, burpees, shuffles, high knees, skipping… benefit the body overall. In order for one to progress consistently, it is essential to overload the muscles
Strength training
The musculoskeletal system can be made efficient by training the muscles, which in turn, as a result of a chain of action, strengthens ligaments, tendons, cartilages and soft tissues. Functional movements and strength training have stood the test of time and have proven to be the best adopted form of exercise.
Functional movements include movements which one incorporates, quite naturally, in everyday life. For example, squats, step up and lunges will strengthen the abdominal and gluteal muscles. It is more likely for one to be able to run with better form and cover a longer distance in shorter time when these exercises have been incorporated in the workout regimen. Similarly, push-ups and pull-ups enhance the muscles in the torso region. This prevents drooping shoulders, stiff neck, hunched back, frozen shoulder, and so on. Jumping jacks, burpees, shuffles, high knees, skipping… benefit the body overall.
Strength training incorporates the usage of a resistance so as to increase the stability of the core. It aims to train the body as one whole unit, thereby enhancing the overall productivity. Performing squats, lunges, deadlift, push press, high-pull, rows, and olympic lifts with resistance, such as weights, engages the whole body as a composite unit. It would be impossible to perform either of the exercises if any part of the body is injured. This is the very nature of strength training. It not only optimises one’s strength, but also engages each minute part of the human body.
The purpose of training
It is very important to be intelligent when training. Being creatures of habit, we adapt over time. It is inherent in our very being, behaviour, attitude, and psyche to adapt to our surroundings, presumably for the purpose of survival. Much like the human inclination to condition oneself to the immediate surroundings, our body mimics the same pattern. The body, eventually over time, adapts to the workout.
Walking a mile could prove to be quite a task for a beginner. However, it is child’s play to an athlete. The body learns to utilise its resources efficiently against a load so as to sustain. Such is also the very purpose of training — to be efficient, in executing an exercise, against a particular load, in the least amount of time. It is this law which dictates the rules of the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games. For example, an individual will be able to perform 10 pairs of lunges with a resistance of 5kg weighted dumb-bell better after having practised it for a month.
Over time the human body will adapt and the growth ceases. In order for one to progress consistently, it is essential to overload the muscles. Gradual and steady increment of muscle loading can be achieved in two ways — either increasing the number of repetitions of the exercise or increasing the load of resistance.
Overloading of muscles sets off a chain of actions in the body. The muscles stimulate growth cells and involve a larger number of muscle fibres. As we load our muscles in a progressive trajectory, with each additional resistance, additional muscle fibres, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and soft tissues are engaged. If one continues to adhere to a particular weight, the body adapts and the growth of the cells decline simultaneously. It is therefore crucial to gradually load the body by either increasing the weight or the number of repetitions so as to train the body to be more efficient and move effortlessly over time.
Eggs, fish, legumes, beans, vegetables, and nuts are a better choice of protein. A protein supplement is recommended as the food is easily digested and has the daily recommended percentage of protein content
The diet
Along with an intelligent training regimen, it is highly essential to follow a nutritious diet.
Typical diets such as zero carbohydrates, zero salt and absolute protein are effective but they fail after a few months as they tend to deplete the body of essential nutrients.
As rightly taught to children in schools, the body requires groups of macro nutrition — carbohydrates, fat and protein constitute the macronutrients. Omission of any over a long period of time has proven to be detrimental to one’s health. It is permissible and often recommended to have protein in a higher percentage. However, a complete omission of carbohydrates, and/or fat, will eventually weaken the body, resulting in a nutritional deficiency.
Proteins contain amino acids which are the building blocks of muscles. It is required throughout the body — skin, hair, soft tissues, and of course muscles. They make up enzymes and control hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism. An ideal intake of protein will enable the body to utilise food constructively as a source of fuel for energy.
According to The National Academy of Medicine, an adult requires over 7g of protein for every 20 pounds of body weight. Research concurs that the source of protein is likely to be a deciding factor as opposed to the amount of protein. Most people, cardiac patients in particular, may be advised against red meat, processed meat and rightly so. Eggs, fish, legumes, beans, vegetables, and nuts are a better choice of protein. A protein supplement is recommended as the food is easily digested and has the daily recommended percentage of protein content.
Fats form an essential part of one’s diet requirement. The primary functions of fat are to reserve energy, insulation and protection of the organs. Fat is largely stored in the abdominal cavity, that is, visceral fat, and a portion of the fat is reserved underneath the skin, namely subcutaneous fat.
Almost 60 per cent of the brain requires fat for its functioning. In the absence of the required amount, the brain malfunctions, leading to cognitive impairment and difficulty in retaining information. It is therefore essential to include the macronutrient fat in our diet, however a lot is not needed for the body’s proper functioning.
The main concern of dietary fats is how they regulate the cholesterol level in the body. Consumption of food having a high amount of saturated fats often leads to the blockage of arteries, increasing the risk of a cardiovascular ailment and inflammation in the body. Processed, packaged, and fast foods are high in saturated fat and sugar and hence are advised against.
The healthiest types of fat are typically from plants and seeds that are monosaturated and polyunsaturated in their composition. Advised sources of fat are seeds, nuts, certain types of oil such as that of fish and olive and avocado.
Carbohydrates are responsible for converting food into energy and provide the required amount of fibre for the smooth functioning of the intestine.
Carbohydrates are broken down into their simplest molecule, that is, glucose, before entering the bloodstream to dissipate energy. Cells receive this for the basic purpose of metabolism. Once the body has had its immediate requirement of fuel for energy, that is, glucose, the remaining glucose is stored for later usage. This is glycogen, which is predominantly found in the liver and muscles. Stored glycogen releases itself gradually throughout the day so as to regulate the insulin and sugar level in the body.
When an individual has zero carbohydrates in their diet, muscles use their own amino acids for fuel to be converted into glucose for energy. This depletes the muscle cells and if continued for a long period, it impairs the basic function and growth of muscle.
Carbohydrates are the only macronutrient that aids digestion by providing fibre to keep the gut in its healthiest state. It is therefore important to have carbohydrates in one’s diet. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains are essential to be included in one’s daily intake of food.
In order to have a wholistic approach to one’s fitness regimen it is best to adhere to a well-informed workout routine under the supervision of an educated fitness coach. It must be noted that exercise, diet, and adequate sleep are mutually inclusive — omission of either will prevent positive and consistent results.
In the absence of adequate experience, knowledge, and education, one maybe under the illusion of working hard, however achieving no result. The human body is a part of science and so is fitness. Having studied the nature of exercises and the human anatomy, a health coach will be equipped with the knowledge to help one identify the constraints, and thereby achieve the desired results.
Anwar Wahhab is a metabolic analytic practitioner and strength and conditioning coach. You can reach him at anwarwahhab @awefitness.com