Exercise is not very specific.
One of the most amazing aspects of exercise—any form of exercise—is that it acts on all systems of the body. It affects our tissues, chemistry, blood flow, organ function, lymph movement, healing, breathing, metabolism, hydration, hormones, vision, mood, mental focus, socialization, sleep, eating habits, and so much more.
The other interesting thing (and something that’s pretty tricky and frustrating in the area of exercise research) is that it’s damn near impossible to control for the layered and nuanced systemic effects exercise has on a person when they participate in a study.
Exercise is beneficial on many levels. However, the exact mechanisms by which exercise prompts positive adaptations over time cannot be entirely pinned down. There are some things we know about exercise selection for adaptations in strength or cardiorespiratory conditioning. We know a little bit about forces acting on various types of tissue and how those specific tissues might respond. We can operate from quite a lot of things we do understand to be true, today.
Things get pretty murky pretty quickly whenever anyone tries to make claims about one specific exercise being the thing for a particular goal. Claims about a specific exercise or type of exercise being a panacea for management of persistent pain, well that’s the most murky of all because outcomes can vary dramatically from one person to the next.
You may have seen that set of “4 corrective exercises” for resolving X condition on social media, yes? Or the body region specific mobility program that claims to prevent injuries. The laser-focused movements that tout carryover to a particular sport but aren’t actually that sport. They are all a lot less specific than one might think.
I’m not saying they aren’t worth doing. They could certainly be beneficial for progressing you toward your goals, whatever those goals may be. AND… there are probably about a hundred other things you could do that would be equally effective.
Given the high degree of analysis paralysis most folks encounter when beginning a new fitness routine, I value simplicity over specificity. Start with the basics, and maintain a solid foundation in the basics long term.
The basics work.
I like to divide the basics into 4 broad categories:
- Lift heavy weight slowly
- Lift slightly lighter weight with speed
- Move your bodyweight slowly for long periods of time
- Move your bodyweight quickly for short periods of time
The actual exercises you include within these categories?
Do whatever you like.
Do what feels good for your body.
Do what you can access with consistency.
Build up intensity slowly. Build up volume and frequency slowly. Be patient and keep going. Physiological adaptation takes time.
When we’re talking about general health and fitness (for folks who aren’t competing at high levels, and aren’t rehabbing an injury or recent surgery) precision in exercise selection is probably going to render little to no differences in the overall outcome.
You can’t go wrong with picking weights up off the ground and pushing/pulling against resistance 2-3 days a week. Learn some basic skills for moving weight faster and do that once a week. Walk briskly daily. Throw in a few harder cardio intervals a couple days a week—run, bike, row, whatever floats your boat!
All that stuff above is a lot. Hey, did I mention there are a lot of options and doing anything (any one thing of all those things) will promote positive adaptation? Yep. I’ll say it again:
Do whatever you like.
Do what feels good for your body.
Do what you can access with consistency.
If you need some help getting started I offer one-on-one movement coaching visits.
- Available in-person or online
- We’ll talk about your goals, your life, equipment access, and what’s possible and realistic for you right now
- We’ll measure your progress and refine as we go
- I’ll provide you with simple workouts you can repeat on your own between our sessions together, so you’ll build confidence and independence
Some day you won’t need me anymore and you’ll have tools that last a lifetime. This is MY GOAL for YOU!
CLICK HERE to schedule a 15 minute call with me to discuss.
