“Swimming hits the muscles in the wrong way,” said the athletics coach. “Lifting weights will make you slow and bulky,” said the boxing coach. “Cardio training will burn the muscle away,” said the bodybuilding coach. “Squats are bad for your knees,” said the trainer and “deadlifts are bad for your back”. Granted, we hear these things a lot less often these days, but there is no doubt such proclamations leave us a little dazed and confused.

It is hard enough committing to the decision to start being more active or to try something new, so the last thing we need is unwelcome complications. I was thrilled therefore to engage in some very healthy rounds of debate after the publication of ‘bout of cardio’ two weeks ago.

In that instalment we pitted the cross trainer against the treadmill, set in the context of a runner’s home training. We opted for recommending the cross trainer, but only if home training did not constitute the bulk of our runner’s efforts or, in other words, if the runner was already engaging in outdoor or competition-specific running elsewhere.

In such cases and in many other exercise-related debates, a predominant phrase tends to be, “it depends”. There are several variables that will affect the validity of your choice when it comes to the planning of virtually any element of your exercise programme. For this very reason, this week we approach the debate from a slightly different angle and in the process make our suggestions more all-encompassing.

When selecting exercises or equipment, it makes more sense to ask the right questions and establish how fit for purpose each of your various options may be.

Consider that each and every exercise included in a programme should have a very good reason for being there. Every single exercise and every single session does something to the body and produces some kind of outcome, however small. If this were not true, then any number of exercises and sessions would not work either, however many we throw into the equation.

The body has a finite amount of resources and, if an optimal training load is to be achieved to produce the right amount of stress on the body to which it can adapt favourably, we must highly value each and every exercise choice we make.

The body is an honest machine that will give you everything back and more

Efficiency without over-training is the key. We don’t want to wind up injured or ill. That said, how can we ensure the activities we choose are safe and effective?

The first strategy towards averting or minimising the influence of the “it depends” response is to establish clear start and finish lines. Where are you now and where do you want to get to?

If where you are now includes being overweight and having both back and knee injuries and where you want to get to is, for the sake of argument, running faster, then some of the statements we opened with might actually hold some weight.

So, “does the exercise or activity serve your goal? Is there any other exercise or activity that could serve it better?” A simple Google search along the lines of, ‘best exercise for...’ followed by whatever you are trying to achieve will serve as a good starting point, providing you with an initial set of options.

Secondly, is there anything about your current condition that affects your ability or suitability for those exercises or activities? Being overweight, for example, means you would have to beware of exercises that place excessive stress on the joints or, in other words, anything involving jumping, landing or running fast on hard surfaces. If you have a specific injury, your physiotherapist or relevant health professional will advise you which types of activities to steer clear of.

From a practical and logistical standpoint, are there any barriers that might make participation in that exercise or activity difficult?

Are there associated expenses you find excessive? Do you have to travel to a specific location that is difficult to get to? Do you think you might be shy or self-conscious?

Do you think you might get bored and give up? Do you think it might be too difficult for you technically given your current skill or fitness levels? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the activity you are considering should already have lost vital points.

And finally, are you confident you are able to perform the chosen exercise or activity correctly? If not, do you have the means or access to a suitable professional to learn? For example, as an avid crusader in favour of the universal applicability and benefits of performing strength exercises like the squat or olympic lifting exercises, I am the first to agree with all critics if performance of those moves is anything less than technically sound.

Are squats bad for the knees? If performed incorrectly, yes. Are olympic lifts dangerous for athletes? If performed incorrectly, yes. But by that same token, even a move that is relatively simple or second nature, like running or even walking, could be dangerous too if performed incorrectly or with the wrong equipment or in the wrong conditions.

So whatever you do, follow this simple checklist and make the most out of the investments you make in terms of time and effort. Remember that the body is an honest machine that will give you everything back and more.

matthew.muscat.inglott@mcast.edu.mt