It seems like there's a new trendy workout popping up every month. And each one guarantees that you'll be happier, healthier, stronger and slimmer.
There is a viral challenge known as 75 Hard, which promises to improve your mental toughness if you train for 45 minutes twice a day, as well as follow a diet and drink approximately 4 liters of water a day, among other things. Another, known as 12-3-20 (not to be confused with 12-3-30 or 25-7-2), claims to transform your body. And there's always some new Kettlebell routine with thousands of views on TikTok that says it can make you a faster runner almost instantly.
There's no doubt that a vigorous exercise regimen can help improve your endurance, just as eating a healthy diet and getting more sleep helps you feel energized and well-rested. The workouts for these challenges are usually perfectly fine, but the issue is how they make you think about the workout.
Victoria Szekely, physical therapist and founder of Train Smart Run Strong, says the advice in these fitness strategies is often “misguided at best and dangerous at worst,” ultimately leaving you feeling worse than before, on your way to success. Getting injured or completely low on energy.
Be realistic with your starting point
Many fads are designed for people who already have an exercise routine and may not be suitable for beginners. Influencers don't know your starting point.
“The person giving you advice on social media may have no basis other than their own experience,” said Heather Milton, a clinical exercise physiologist and strength and conditioning specialist at the Center for Sports Performance at NYU Langone Health.
If you've never trained with heavy weights, for example, do so Balance the Kettlebell in an intense routine where you increase the repetitions It could hurt you. Although some challenges do not limit the type or intensity of exercise, starting a training plan that lasts an hour or more per day can be exhausting.
Instead, Milton recommends starting simply with 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity week. Determine what is moderate for yourself, rather than relying on the words of others.
“Every person has different needs based on genetics, medical history including injuries and body type,” he added. These factors affect our ability to perform different exercises and determine their benefit, Milton said.
If you can, exercise with a professional who can help you adapt exercises to your current physical condition.
Focus on “process goals” and “end goals.”
Viral training plans are usually based on a simple equation: perform a certain activity for a certain number of days to achieve a certain result.
Experts call these types of outcomes “performance goals” (or endpoints), such as running a faster mile or doing more pull-ups. But to achieve these goals, it's helpful to focus on what they call “process goals”: smaller, more achievable steps, such as improving technique, says Carla Meijen, a sport and exercise psychologist and associate professor at the University of Amsterdam.
One of these goals is to learn to listen to your body, which is a skill in itself. Being aware of the impact of your workouts is even more important for longevity and to bear Experts say a strict course must be maintained in the short term. If you're having a bad day and struggling to train, instead of beating yourself up, see it as an opportunity to build a practical goal by working on mental strength.
The same recommendations apply to athletes competing in a race. Instead of focusing solely on the completion time – the performance goal – experts recommend setting smaller goals along the course.
Avoid plans without vacation days
For many programs that are limited to a number of days, the challenge is the daily commitment, with no days off. If you skip a workout in the Hard 75 Challenge or don't follow your diet, you're supposed to start over.
Although this may be beneficial for some people, most need time off to do this Your body and mind Sikely said he recovered.
“You can't build muscle, get stronger and faster and do all that without rest or recovery,” he said. “This is the physiological way our body works.”
Don't judge success by your appearance
Before and after photos can help spread many plans. But be careful about using your appearance as a measure of success.
Melton explained that there is no one “right” body type, and no one reacts to exercise the same way.
The most sustainable goals are about how you feel: becoming stronger, increasing your endurance, or gaining flexibility. But to do this you have to be patient and work constantly, which is something that fads do not usually emphasize.
“Habits are created by doing things that are very simple, very easy, and introducing them little by little into the way you live,” Szekely said. “When we let go of perfection we can truly move forward.”
“Creator. Devoted pop culture specialist. Certified web fanatic. Unapologetic coffee lover.”