Whether you are new to exercising or you’ve been doing it your whole adult life, these 10 exercise commandments are for you!
There are a tonne of things you should be doing as soon as you start exercising and these 10 exercise commandments are some of the top ones!
// Thou shalt re-rack thy weights
There is no reason to leave your weights lying around the place, it’s inconsiderate, untidy and a hazard to other people in the gym. Re-rack your weights!
// Thou shalt challenge oneself
Your body only changes when it is being challenged. Doing the same thing day-in-day-out will lead to stagnation and no progress. Keep things varied, you can vary your exercises, repetitions, style of workout or intensity.
// Thou shalt incorporate rest days
While rest can be a hard one to get used too, if the body doesn’t get sufficient rest then it will be unable to recover and repair your muscles for the next workout.
// Thou shalt set goals
Entering exercise without a goal is a sure fire way to fail in the long run. If you don’t have a goal how will you know if what you are doing is working? It could be as simple as a goal to run a race, or complete 3 workouts a week for 3 months. Choose something relevant to you.
// Thou shalt not hog the equipment
This will get you more death stares than you know what to do with. If the gym is busy use one piece of equipment and then move on, do not use one while your towel is on another and you are sitting there texting for 5 minutes after your set, people will want to punch you.
// Thou shalt drink (more) water
Being hydrated is essential, whether you are working out or not. Being hydrated while working out is even more important because you are sweating water out of your body so you need to replace it.
// Thou shalt not cheat (on reps, form or anything else)
Do ALL your sets and don’t cut corners. Go parallel on your squats, do full push-ups. Ensure you are challenging yourself and completing your damn programme! If you don’t have a programme keep going until you know you are done, not when you get bored.
// Thou shalt breathe during exercise
So many people hold their breathe whilst performing exercises, most of them don’t even realise they are doing it. I’m constantly reminding people to keep on breathing whilst exercising, you don’t want to pass out while exercising! Plus breathing can actually help you complete your repetitions!
// Thou shalt nourish thy body
Sorry but it DOES matter what you put on your plate. Working out for an hour each day isn’t enough if you are eating terribly, in fact no matter how much exercise you do it will NEVER be enough if you aren’t eating well. I’m all for moderation in foods, just ensure that 80-90% of the time you are eating good foods found in nature.
// Thou shalt not give up
Your health and fitness is an ultra-marathon, not a sprint. At the end of the day, you are your longest commitment and you want to be able to live a good life in your body. Treat it well, be consistent and don’t give up!