subject: Our Body Doesn't Break Down All At Once - It's A Gradual Process [print this page] It is easy to forget our bodies are engineered to be physically active, to move, to go hunt and gather food, and to avoid predators. We are meant to walk, run, jump, climb, lift, reach, bend and squat down. Our bodies were not made to sit in chairs for long periods as many of us do when we sit behind a computer screen all day then sit in front of a television set in the evening.
When we finally get up out of our chairs and attempt to use our body for something functional or to be active we can find it hard to do and may even injure ourselves. We may have an easy and comfortable lifestyle and rarely ever have to exert ourselves but are we aware that this is slowly but surely eroding our bodies?
Our modern society doesn't help as most of us simply are not required to use our body in physical ways very much any more and we tend to stick to a few simple repetitive movements. We are not required to bend down, lift, carry or stretch as much as our ancestors, movements the human body has been made to do.
Losing our strength, flexibility, endurance and joint function sneaks up on us and we lose a little bit here and a little bit there. This insidious process means we suffer this function loss by degrees and we then stop doing this and stop doing that. This could mean a sport or an activity we used to love or we start hiring other people to do what we used to do ourselves. Sometimes it is only when things reach a critical point that we become aware of what has been going on beneath the surface for a long time.
We each have a choice about how we grow older. We can surrender to a downward spiral... or we can take action and control how strong and energetic we remain. Some of us understand what we need to do and begin an exercise program and start taking an active role in maintaining our muscle and joint health. Some of us feel the changes in our body but are unsure about what we should do and wonder to ourselves "If this is how it is now, how are things going to be for me years down the track, how will I manage?"
The Answer - What we need to do - we need to stay strong. The strength of our muscles is what holds our skeleton up, supports our spines and protects our joints and there is just no substitute for restoring and maintaining muscular strength. We need to implement a strength training program to strengthen the muscles that allow us to do everyday tasks and activities easily. And we need to keep it that way.
Just 2-3 sessions each week is all that is needed to keep our body strong and functional. If you seek the help of a fitness professional they will set up your program and show you how to do the exercises properly. The bottom line - If you have a moving part you need to move it... often. A bit of effort invested into your exercise program will help you hold on tight to your strength, energy and vitality for as long as you possibly can.
