I see a lot of people constantly looking for THE perfect workout. Whether it is a workout to firm the glutes, build mountainous arms, or chisel your abs. The thing is...this is a myth..sort of.
The majority of people that I see looking for the perfect workout are looking for three things:
- Time crunch - With busy and hectic lives, people are looking for something they can do around all their busy schedules.
- Don't want to fail - People are afraid of looking like they don't know what they are doing or don't want to simply fail.
- They are not into working out - They either don't like to break into a sweat or sports/athletics is not their thing.
Above, I said that THE perfect workout is a myth...sort of. I say sort of because even though there is no perfect workout for all people, you can certainly find THE perfect workout for you.
Physiologically, we all have the same body structure. Heart muscle, skeletal muscle, central nervous system, bones, joints all make up our structures. Yet, we all have unique individualities. Some have to do with genetics. Some people are fast, some are slow. Some people are tall, some are short. Some people gain muscle easily, some have to work at it very hard. So many variations and combinations that every body's react differently to different workouts.
For people that have an uber busy schedule, they will need to find a workout that is short but intense for them to get any benefits from it. Especially if they are not a beginner. Another option would be to get up a couple hours earlier than normal and workout before your day starts.
For people that don't want to fail, don't challenge yourselves. Challenge yourself to see what you can do and at what point you will fail. It is empowering and it lets you know what your limits are. I'm not saying to put 1,000 lbs on the bar and try to squat it when all you can do is 135 lbs. That's not smart. If you can only do 135lbs., on the next workout try to do 137.5 or even 140 lbs.
People that are not into working out, this is not just about being into sports or athletics of some kind. This is about general health and fitness. It is about being able to do daily activities. Do you ever have to pick up a large bag of dog food off the floor? Do you have to pick up trash off the floor while holding a baby? Do you have to trim shrubs when you do yard work? These are different activities where you twist, brace yourself, squat down, hold up and hold. Also, financially, it helps to lower insurance costs. Some insurance companies will pay for gym memberships and reimburse you for an annual wellness check up with your primary doctor.
The big focus should not be on getting huge, unless of course your goal is to win the Mr. Olympia. For most people it is not. If you play sports on a recreational league, your goal will obviously be to improve your performance. A goal for everyone, though, should be to be healthy and have a good quality of life and the ability to enjoy doing what you love to do and spending time with people you love. For this, just do things you get enjoyment out of. I have no interest in running a marathon. So for me, running from 3 to 15 miles every other day just sounds boring. I know some people that enjoy that. That is their "me" time as busy as they are. My wife prefers to do exercises that combine two movements in one exercise to doing old school weight lifting routine of three sets of one exercise before moving on the the next. You can swim, ride your bike, or even go roller skating. Just get out and be active.
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