In these blog posts I’m trying to get the point across that exercise is
a natural, daily instinct, and help people to think of it that way so
that the subject of exercise is not so boring and guilt-ridden. It
seems to me that if people are given the permission and credibility
to do what they want for exercise that more people would get
moving instinctively, every day.
Quite frankly, even though my profession is exercise, I’m worn
down by the proliferation of information about exercise that we’re
bombarded with and tune it out myself. I don’t really care how
many minutes I should exercise to get my heart rate to a certain
point, whether I should do my cardio work-outs before my stretching
etc. etc. What I do works for me and my lifestyle.
So, in my effort to help you find your own way, here’s what I
suggest. If you’ve decided you want to start exercising but don’t
really know what to do here’s some advice:
l. Decide what you want exercise to do for you – make you healthy
and less heavy and give you a better looking body etc.
2. Then, if you want to look like a dancer, do what we dancers
do – slow, continuous stretching to classical music – alone or in a
class. See available Ann Smith Videos.
3. If you want to look like an athlete and be able to play
competitive sport, do the sport conditioning (push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, curls etc.) and machine work-outs that the gyms offer.
4. If you want to try other movement styles there are plenty -
Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi and all the other things your closest YMCA offers.
5. If you just want to be a healthy, happy you in your own style,
take that walk every day – with or without a friend.
6. You can even make up your own exercises. You’re the only
one living in your body, after all. You can figure it out.
