MEDICAL MATTERS

Having an off day?

FIA Chief Medical Officer John Searle looks at motivation I don’t want to go the gym…

Ever felt like this? The reality is that at times many of us lose our drive to keep training, usually only for a short time. When this happens to me I feel guilty and sometimes anxious. Firstly because keeping fit is important and quite irrationally I begin to think that I will lose all the health benefits of training (not true, of course). Secondly, clients and colleagues alike expect us to train and keep fit. For our clients that is part of the role model we offer them and the inspiration and encouragement they often need.

Why do I feel like this? There are lots of possible explanations. Are you overtraining? We can fall prey to that as much as our clients. Regular rest days are vital for the effectiveness of our own training. Are you just too busy and so have got demoralised? We too need to put our training sessions in the diary. Are you sleeping enough and eating well? Healthy sleeping and good nutrition can easily get squeezed out by work and fun times. Both are essential for maintaining good energy supplies.

What can I do about it? The single most important thing is not to worry about it. Of course our fitness levels will fall if we go for two or three weeks without doing any exercise, but not by much and we shall pick up very rapidly when we get back to training. However, we do need to maintain our activities of daily living: keeping mobile, walking or cycling instead of using the car whenever possible, avoiding lifts and all the things we advise our clients. When I do go back to the gym I reduce the duration and intensity of my training for the first couple of sessions. The temptation is to go flat out and then get demoralised because we feel shattered!

How can I prevent it? Sometimes we can’t – it just creeps up on us. But I find three things help. First, regular rest days are essential; secondly, I try to plan ahead when I know my normal routine is going to be disrupted. I travel a lot in the course of my work, which means I can’t easily get to a gym. So I look for other ways to keep active – walking briskly as much as possible, doing a few simple body weight exercises in a hotel room and fitting in a quick swim (swimmers take up much less room in an overnight bag than gym kit!). Thirdly, and some people will disagree with me, I take a deliberate break from the gym when I am on holiday. Again, keeping active is necessary but so also is the rest from our normal life and routine so that we come back with renewed energy.

www.exerciseregister.org PilatesUnion.indd 1

Pilates Union UK is an independent organisation created to serve the needs of Pilates instructors and enthusiasts alike. Join our global network of growing instructors and promote your own business on our site.

PILATES TEACHER TRAINING RESOURCES A range of Pilates DVDʼs and Pilates Instructor Training Manuals to facilitate your knowledge and teaching.

PILATES TEACHER TRAINING REPʼs approved Level 3 Pilates Mat Courses. Courses available in Reformer and small equipment. Access a range of CPD courses from different training providers round the UK

INSTRUCTOR INSURANCE Receive competitive insurance rates for comprehensive cover.

PILATES PRODUCTS Members receive a discount on equipment from Stott Pilates, Physical Company and Pilates Mad plus others.

JOB VACANCIES Employment Opportunities within the Pilates industry. Look up the latest jobs in your area or advertise your vacancy.

PILATES NEWS & ARTICLES Find out the latest developments in the Pilates community and read our latest articles.

INSTRUCTOR DIRECTORY Add your details to a growing number of UK instructors who have already updated their profi les to increase business opportunities.

ANATOMY TRAINING View real muscles and enhance your anatomical knowledge on real Cadaver Studies at our teaching hospitals.

Director, Emma Newham, has 15 years

experience in the fi tness industry and has created comprehensive Pilates resources to further assist

your teaching, with a range of Instructor teaching Manuals and DVDʼs.

www.pilatesunion.co.uk 0191 5193351

13 17/11/10 18:11:54