Work Out Now to Avoid Pain Later

If you are a car or home owner then eventually you are going to need to work on them.

For example, this last weekend I had to replace the seat belt in my little Geo Storm. Doesn't sound very physical? Well, you'd think that. The problem is that to replace the seat belt you can't just remove a few bolts and hook it up, oh, no. You have to remove all the side paneling and the back seat. So me and my six foot three self were stooped over inside the car, pushing and pulling to get the back seat out.

The point of this adventure is to demonstrate that everyone has to do more physically in their life than they are planning on. I didn't plan to be in a weird position straining to rip out the back seat of my car this weekend, but life happens. Isn't it wise to be prepared for moments like these?

Don't think it could happen to you? Think again.

Ever had your hot water heater go out? Even after you hook your water hose up and drain it, a water heater isn't light. And it's never put in an easily available spot. Even if you have readily available friends, moving a water heater requires muscle.

Need to replace your privacy fence? Nothing to it, right? Just pull a few posts out of the ground, right? The more muscle you have available for that the better.

Ever had to mow your yard? People throughout the country pass out from exhaustion every week from having to mow their yard.

Were you ready for the annual Thanksgiving cousins' football game? Weekend warriors throughout the country were straining shoulders, backs, tearing hamstrings and twisting ankles to be able to play against their relatives, friends and neighbors. A little bit of time in the gym could have saved many a doctor's visits during this time of year.

The truth of the matter is that a regular fitness routine now can save you a great deal of hassle and pain later on, especially if you are doing any or all of the activities that I have listed out above.

What about the daily battle of spending time with the kids? Believe me, it a great deal of fun to not have to worry about whether or not you will hurt yourself if you go play with your kids. Kids are amazing and have virtually no fear. On any given day if you decide to go through their adventures you may find yourself throwing a football, running around with a soccer ball or jumping on a trampoline. None of these things are possible if you have not done any running or working out to get ready for them.

This doesn't mean that you need to spend all of your spare hours in the gym getting ready for these things in your life. For a simple, complete workout routine, relative to the rest of the week, time in the gym is quite minimum. A week has 168 hours in it. Just spend 3-5 hours in the gym (or working out somewhere) and you can save yourself many, many hours of recovery from various injuries.

To illustrate the point further, the most common reasons that people miss work are back injuries and sickness. Many, many studies have indicated that working out even a little bit can improve your immune system considerably, thus reducing the chance of sickness. Stress, another big immune system reducer, is greatly reduced with even moderate exercise. And back injuries happen much less with a strong torso from working out. Even if a back injury does occur, it's severity is usually greatly reduced if the person that has been injured is in good shape.

What type of routine should you do? That varies dramatically per person, but start out at the level you are now and gradually increase. Don't try to do what you did "back in the day" but instead be very progressive and somewhat cautious. Cardiovascular exercise should start off with walking or low level cycling or something else low level then build up. This should take place for 20-30 minutes 2-5 times a week depending upon what your goals are and what your current physical condition is. A good full body resistance training routine should take place 2-3 times a week (also varying depending upon many of the aforementioned factors). Do each exercise slow and under control, always keeping your abdominals tight. Do more research or speak with a personal trainer to get a specific routine that is right for you.

But the point is, a little exertion now can save a great deal of pain later on. Not only that, but beginning a workout routine and keeping it consistent can be one of the best things you have ever done for yourself. Take the time to get in shape now and many of life's big surprises that require you to be physical will be much more enjoyable.