Doctor Dumbbell

Some people seem to think that you can get fit in a day or a week. For a lucky few, they can get away with just doing a few sessions before noticeable changes start to happen. For most however, this is not the case. The only way to get the long term benefits that regular exercise provides is to develop Exercise Persistence and make it become a habit.

“The beginning of a habit is like an invisible thread, but every time we repeat the act we strengthen the strand, add to it another filament, until it becomes a great cable and binds us to the act.” –Orison Swett Marden

The key to making a habit form is persistence and there are certain things that need to happen within you if you are to make your January resolution last throughout the year and beyond, and not just for the month.

The first thing needed is definiteness of purpose. This is basically the reason why you are exercising. It could be to feel fitter, lose weight, fit into clothes, to take part in an event; whatever it is, you should keep this in mind if you want to develop Exercise Persistence.

The next thing is desire. How much does your goal matter to you? How much do you want the result you are looking for? If you want the outcome enough, you will find the motivation to start exercising comes a lot easier. If the short term desire of the TV, sofa, junk food and a warm house is stronger then the desire to achieve your exercise goals you may struggle. This is why you should keep your fitness goals at the front of your mind at all times.

Definite plans are also required if a habit is to be formed, and it is best to record these on paper somewhere and review occasionally. By having a plan to stick to you stay focussed and are likely to attempt at least, to stick to it. Deciding that you will stick to an exercise plan of three times a week has a stronger purpose than just deciding to exercise when you feel like it.

So you have a definite purpose to exercise, the desire to achieve results and some accurate plans, the next thing needed to develop Exercise Persistence is self-reliance. This is the belief in your ability to achieve your goals. If the task seems too big and you don’t think you can get there it is likely that you will give up. As you start to exercise regularly it is important to monitor your progress in some way. If you are looking for physical benefits I would recommend regular Health MOT’s or fitness tests as these will highlight the improvements in your body, increasing your belief in your ability to get results, inspiring persistence.

If you are to develop Exercise Persistence you will also require accurate knowledge. Guessing at training techniques and hoping that you get results may destroy persistence as the results may never come. Books, magazines, TV, the internet; the information streams are vast. Personal trainers can be considered expensive, yet the knowledge you will gain even from booking a few sessions could be valuable in helping you to be more persistent and achieving your goals - money well spent!

Having empathy and understanding from others will help you with support. This cooperation with others can help you through the tough times and keep you focussed when you lose sight of your goals. It could be friends, family, training partners, exercise professionals; whoever it is, find someone that will support you on your journey towards Exercise Persistence.

In summary, if you want to develop Exercise Persistence, set some goals that are especially important to you, develop a weekly exercise plan, and find out your benchmarks. Then, find knowledge on the best techniques for you, enlist the support of helpers and monitor progress regularly. By January 2011 you will be practicing Exercise Persistence and be a healthier, happier person as a result.

Little girls do ballet and little boys fight. Don’t they? Girls are interested in sitting up straight and looking pretty; boys like slouching and being mucky. Am I right?

So when they grow up women are more flexible than men and men are stronger than women.

These generalisations are presented to you not as facts but to provoke debate. Different hormone levels and genetics play are a factor as well but let’s concentrate on social conditioning. The pressure to conform to expectations. What does your child’s school offer?

How about a curriculum, which allows all children to sample a wide range of physical activity from an early age? How about more targets or milestones? This is not about competition; it’s about exposing young people to more options.

Is it time to stop thinking as certain sports as having a gender bias? For me hockey is an interesting one. When I was growing up this was seen as a girl’s sport in the UK. In the rest of Europe it was a boy’s sport. There is no obvious reason why.

I would like to think that it might be commonplace to have girl’s boxing, boy’s ballet and mixed football (soccer) teams. What do you think?

The Wii has brought physical activity to the computer game generation. The experience and interface has the game player moving in a way that no other computer game has managed previously.

The Wii was launched on 8th December 2006 in the UK. Have we seen a change in the nation’s health since then? Is there any group that has improved their health? Have people improved other aspects of their lifestyle since becoming Wii users? Does average Wii use equate to thirty minutes of moderate activity a day?

There is no doubt that a Wii is fun. I am not normally interested in computer games but the Wii is different. It seems to me that skills are more transferable. What I mean is, that I was never very good at using a keyboard or joystick. When I play the tennis game on Wii I use the controller in a similar way to a tennis racket. But I get the feel of playing tennis without actually having to learn how to grip the racket or run around very much. It is easier to get going.

The television commercials that I have seen portray the Wii as a family console. Everyone gets involved. In the same way that a family might play Frisbee in the park after a picnic, they might now head for the Wii after Sunday lunch.

All in all, I feel that it’s important to keep the Wii labelled as a game console. Not fitness (or sports) equipment. It’s great fun but my childhood is filled with memories of grabbing a tennis racket and hitting a ball against a wall for hours. Or heading for the park with friends to find a game of football. Sometimes we would go to White City Stadium and try the high jump or shot put. Those actual (rather than virtual) experiences set up a love for sport and exercise that I just can’t shake!

What do you think? Do you use a Wii for fitness? Have you got good results?

There’s a colleague called Garrett Turbett doing a biomechanics research project in London, UK. He already has some willing test subjects. The study will compare running gait between runners who always run in running shoes with those that regularly incorporate barefoot running into their routine. There will be a couple of different running trials in each session – getting runners to run in and out of shoes. This seems to be indicative of the interest that scientists are showing in this area.

I have given barefoot running a go for the last week or so. I have a read a fair bit about it and I figured that it was time to start seeing whether some of the things are true.

Well, firstly I’m pleased to report back that I did not injure myself. I survived even though I did not have a cushion of air and arch supports beneath me.

I’ve also noticed that other runners aren’t interested in what I’m doing. This surprised me because I expected questions and comments. I wonder if the power of advertising has many people convinced that they need shoes to run. I also wonder if people are scared. Scared of change. Scared of injury. Scared of being different.

There are parts of the world where running barefoot certainly isn’t being different. Some of the best runners come from these areas. However, once they are on the world stage they usually have a sponsorship deal and they will run in shoes.

Now, my three 5.6 km run this week are not enough evidence of anything. In fact my times were a little slower. But common sense suggests that it’s wrong to not allow the foot to do what it was designed to do! Nowadays many forms of exercise or therapy try and restore how the body was designed to function.

There is a twist! Something that I haven’t told you about ‘my’ barefoot running and how I’m doing it. There’s a small prize to the first person who can guess what it is… email me: stephan AT doctordumbbell DOT com or leave a comment here…

Following an irregular eating plan may result in a slower metabolic rate, making it more difficult for you to burn calories and lose weight.

A regular eating pattern is having a meal or snack every three to four hours throughout the day, and keeping a similar eating pattern everyday. Easier said then done, I hear you say. Yet with so many benefits, you would be crazy not to at least try to develop a regular eating pattern.

Eating regularly encourages a stable blood sugar level, preventing diabetes; a lower blood cholesterol level, preventing heart disease; and greater energy and concentration levels throughout the day with reduced fatigue.

I once had a personal training client who weighed thirty stone. She used to think that if she went for long periods without eating she was consuming fewer calories. It wasn’t until she kept a food diary that she realised that the longer period she would leave between meals, the more she would eat. So she was actually consuming all of the days’ calories plus more in just one or two meals on days when she skipped meals. She ate less when she began to eat regularly.

With a regular eating pattern you will find it easier to stop eating at the end of a meal, stop you thinking about food in between meals and reduce the temptation of high fat foods.

A recent BBC documentary explored research that demonstrated when we skip breakfast, there is an area of the brain that makes us more likely crave foods high in fat and sugar. Our impulses are designed to ensure we survive but they do not consider the consequences of our actions. That is the job of our conscious minds that we are in control of. You too can take control of your eating habits.

If you want to lose weight and eat healthier, developing a regular eating pattern is a great start. Here are some tips to help you out:

Eat Breakfast: Cereals, toast, fruit, a yogurt, even a cooked breakfast if you must – anything to kick-start your metabolism for the day.
Plan Ahead: Plan your meals and snacks in advance and set aside times to eat.
Choose Healthy Snacks: These can be eaten between meals - crunchy raw vegetables, fresh and dried fruit, crackers, oatcakes, yoghurts, etc.
Keep a Food Diary: People that keep food diaries statistically lose more weight.

I’m on a ‘well deserved’ break at the moment; enjoying the Mallorcan countryside. Whilst here, it has occurred to me that the beach body phenomenon is all about the end result and not the journey.  Once you’ve got your beach body, do you just want to become inactive and allow a flabby, saggy body to reform?

If you have summer holidays booked and you are shaping up to look great on the beach, perhaps start thinking about some activities to do whilst you are there.

Here are some suggestions:
•    Early morning or late evening jogs
•    Explore the surroundings with a hike
•    Find a scenic spot and practice Yoga or Tai Chi
•    Rent a bicycle and go to the next town or village
•    Bring a football and head for a pitch or open space (you’ll always find somebody looking for a game)

The great thing about all of the above is that it will inevitably lead to a stronger connection with local people and/or the environment.
Have fun and use the comment section to post your ideas for holiday fitness.

TAI CHI is thought to be one of the most practiced forms of health exercise on the planet. It is a gentle form of exercise that can keep you supple and refreshed.

Tai Chi is a Chinese Martial Art that has been practiced for hundreds of years, and is not exhausting or stressful. It is a series of continuous movements that relaxes the body whilst improving internal strength, stamina and suppleness. Most modern styles of tai chi trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun.

The excellent thing about Tai Chi is that you don’t need any special equipment or clothing. You can do it at any time, although for the best results, a morning session is ideal.

Learning to relax is the essence of Tai Chi. The slow gentle movements are designed to loosen up your joints and make you less tense. Breathing is essential, and it is good to practice to prepare:

• Try lying or sitting in a comfortable position and inhaling long slow deep breaths, taking the air right down to your stomach. Exhale smoothly. Start for a couple of minutes and gradually increase duration. This will help you stay relaxed when you begin to perform the movements.

When you practice Tai Chi not only do your muscles relax, but the nerves are calmed as well. Whilst other forms of exercise strengthen certain muscles, Tai Chi teaches the muscles to tolerate pressure without tension. The unique thing about this ancient art form is that rather than speeding up to get better, the more you slow down and relax, the better you become and the more you improve.

You can learn Tai Chi through books, DVD’s and taking part in a class, of which there are many across the UK, suitable for all ages and ability levels. Log on to www.taichifinder.co.uk to find your nearest class.

A bad back is no fun. It restricts what you can do.  Every day suddenly has its challenges. It can make you feel down, even lead to depression.
There are many reasons for chronic lower back pain. Certainly, you should see your doctor and find out as much as you can about what you can and can’t do.  That is the first step to taking control of the situation. There are three further steps to reducing or eliminating your pain.

Chronic lower back pain

1. Move! Yes, you guessed it. Movement is good. The key here is that it seems any type of movement or exercise is better than being sedentary.  Walking, cycling and really anything else that you feel like doing.  However, jolting or jarring movement are not a good idea and as always start slowly. This is a brave step- the normal human reaction is to stop moving.
2. Strengthen your legs. They are designed to do a lot of the work that the back ends up doing. This also takes a certain amount of re-education on favouring the legs for every day tasks such as lifting. Like any habit if you can force yourself to do it for, say 21 days it will become natural.
3. Work your deep postural muscles. Pilates is a great way to do this. A physiotherapist or exercise specialist can also help

And then let us know how you got on especially if you have an inspirational story that will help others.

There are lots of ways to improve your health. These are seven ideas that are simple and effective.
Run. Running is simple. People often say that all you need is a good pair of shoes. I’m not sure. Remember Zola Bud? She ran barefoot and so can you. Your running technique will improve and you will have fewer injuries.  This is as simple as exercise gets: no gym, no shoes, no specialist equipment, no relying on others. Just you and your body.
Breathe! It doesn’t get any simpler than that! I walked up the stairs with a colleague this week. Our offices are on the seventh floor. At a fast pace, I was breathless when I get to the top. My colleague was as well but didn’t want to admit it and was suppressing his breathing.  It then took him twice as long for him to be able to talk normally. Your body needs oxygen, and when you are exercising it needs more.
Hydrate yourself all day, every day. Yes you’ve heard this before but are you doing it? Team up with somebody to have him or her remind you to drink. My wife used to ask me whether I wanted a cup of tea. Now she asks whether I want a glass of water.
Eat smaller portions. We have all got used to portions that are much bigger than we need.  Even people who eat mainly health food can get this one wrong. Then they wonder why they are putting on weight! Secret tip: use a smaller plate.
Build functional strength first. A squat is a good example of an exercise that builds functional strength. If you are short of time or want to keep it really simple then it’s a good one to include.  An abdominal curl (or sit up) is an exercise that does not have much functional relevance so think about whether you need it.
Improve your posture. This gives you an advantage. If you are exercising it means that your lungs can function properly. If you are at work you will make a better impression. If you are on a date you will be more attractive.
Stay balanced. Remember these are tips for health! Too much of anything is not healthy! A Tour de France cyclist is not healthy; an amazing athlete: yes, but not healthy. In fact if you look at the life expectancy of extreme endurance athletes you may be in for a surprise.

Try these seven tips and see how much difference they make to your life

How do you plan your runs or bike rides? Do you get out a map and plot a route? Or do you just go through it in your head? What if you are meeting up with somebody?
Increasingly, I am using Google Maps. Especially when I’m meeting somebody for a bike ride. I have my favourite routes saved as ‘My Maps’ and I just email that out.
The’ Google Lat Long’ blog shows you how to do that here
I also use Google Maps to calculate distance. Many years ago when I was training for the London marathon, I found that a circular route around my local park was 2.6 miles. So ten times around would be the full marathon distance. This proved to be a simple and useful training tool. I could build up lap by lap. I’m sure that you can find a pleasant route of 2.6 miles somewhere near you. Give it a go. Let me know how you get on. Email me ( stephan AT doctordumbbell DOT com) or leave a comment to this post.
This Sunday, Doctordumbbell contributor Steve Berman is running the marathon. He has promised to post on this site just as he hits the wall at 20 miles…