Listen to Your Body

Competitive, Type A, driven individuals get this wrong every time.

There is a HUGE difference between "hurt so good" and "hurt not so good."

We must listen to our bodies when there is pain in a specific area. Be still and take note of it. I had a client this morning who is an extremely motivated, tough as nails woman who pushes me almost more than I push her every single workout. She is amazingly strong. Yet, she has had some issues with discs in her back and when they flair up she needs to take a step back, stretch, heat, and listen to her body.

She is not pictured below, but here is Kevin, my Biggest Loser contestant, and we are doing down dog, a basic yoga pose to promote strength in the shoulders and back while safely stretching the whole back of the body from spine down to calves.

So many times people stop all together if there is pain. I do not agree with this approach. If something hurts, yes, a doctor's advice on proper healing is ideal, but also try and do other activities that do not overextend the hurting area. If your back hurts, no jumping up and down, but safely stretching and appropriate yoga moves can still strengthen the rest of your body without putting strain on the area that is inflammed. If your knee hurts, don't pound at the pavement, try the stationary bike or focus on your core with pilates type mat work.

I bring this up because I struggle with this all the time. My favorite thing to do is to exercise, but I love my job even more. If I am hurt/injured/in pain, then I am going to have a hard time doing my job keeping other people injury free and active.

Apply this to the crazy HEAT we have had over the last several weeks and lower the intensity if you must exercise outdoors and do your workouts in the early morning or late in the evening (always buddy up!). Drink PLENTY OF WATER throughout the day and throughout your workouts. Properly cooldown with lower intensity cardio and stretching. As football practice has begun there has already been reports of high school kids collapsing after practice and dying (one in Locust Grove and one from Fitzgerald).

Listen to your body. Drink plenty of water and consume lean protein after workouts to help your body recover faster. Stretch. Rest.

We are only given one body, so start taking care of it TODAY!