Did COVID force you to fall off the fitness wagon? Here’s how you can get back in your game
Now that we're starting to get back to some semblance of normal" in our daily lives, I'm hearing from people who are looking for advice on how to get back to their pre-lockdown fitness levels.
While I do know some who have actually gotten fitter during their extended periods at home, many others have struggled trying to establish new routines for exercise and nutrition. Last week, I heard from one reader in particular who was looking for guidance and asked me to write a column about returning to one's previous condition.
While I was outlining my story, I came across an article that quoted from a variety of science-based studies concerned with strength and cardiovascular fitness dose recommendations. The article dealt specifically with the effect that exercise can have on life expectancy. It struck a chord with me and I thought it would be an ideal place to start.
My recommendation for anyone looking for a restart is to make a plan that moves them to the recommended frequency, duration and intensity levels established, through science-based research, to increase both quality and length of life and to give equal focus to cardiovascular exercise and strength training.
According to an analysis of research completed at Indiana University from data compiled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2011, adults 50 years of age and older who had low muscle strength were more than twice as likely to die during a followup period than those with normal muscle strength. This is significant since many adults consider strength training only as an after-thought once they have completed their regular aerobic exercises like walking.
An interesting side note is that while muscle strength influenced life expectancy, muscle mass did not. In other words, function matters more than what you look like.
With strong evidence to back up what most exercisers inherently know," it's important to translate the data from scientific research into usable advice that can be applied into everyday life; especially when everyday life has been upended for most of us.
Here are the exercise guidelines that can be used by everyday people to promote better health, function and, possibly, even greater longevity.
According to Health Canada, adults, including seniors, should accumulate 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. Although 2 hours can seem intimidating, it can be broken down into as little as 10 minute segments, spread out over the week. The types of activities that would be appropriate include walking, dancing, biking, yard work and sports like golf.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there is also great value in engaging in up to 75 minutes of vigorous" aerobic activity each week. Vigorous activities would include hill walking, stair climbing, running, biking at a fast pace and playing higher intensity sports like tennis, pickle ball, hockey or basketball.
It is also recommended by both of these organizations that adults should engage in strength training exercise at least twice per week. Activities like weight lifting, body weight training and/or using devices like resistance bands or suspension trainers.
My advice then to people like D, who are wondering where to begin, would be to write and follow a weekly schedule that includes daily walks, higher intensity (vigorous) activities once or twice per week and full body strength training sessions twice per week. As pre-lockdown fitness levels return, cut back on moderate" activities, increase the frequency of vigorous" exercise and add a third day of strength training.
Based on this advice, here is what a comeback" training schedule might look like:
Monday: 30 minutes of walking
Tuesday: Full body strength training
Wednesday: 30 minutes of walking
Thursday: 60 minutes of yard work
Friday: Full body strength training
Saturday: 30 minutes of trail walking, including hills
Sunday: Rest
Here's what my typical week looks like:
Monday: Strength training with dumbbells, resistance bands and body weight for pushing" muscles
Tuesday: 60 minutes of walking my neighbourhood, including uphill climbs
Wednesday: Strength training focusing on pulling" muscles using a TRX suspension trainer and weighted skipping rope
Thursday: 60 minutes of walking in Kings Forest, including hills
Friday: Strength training for the entire body at a high intensity, 45 minute walk through neighbourhood
Saturday: No exercise
Sunday: 90 minutes of urban mountain biking" divided between roads and conservation area trails
Medical Exercise Specialist Ernie Schramayr helps his clients manage medical conditions with exercise. You can follow him at erniesfitnessworld.com; 905-741-7532 or erniesfitnessworld@gmail.com