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Originally Posted by chickadee32
Should? For YOU, from YOUR perspective, to achieve YOUR goals for yourself.
actually, no - from a biological perspective, that is how the Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness cycle runs.
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So what? Is exercise only worthwhile if someone pushes themselves as hard as they possibly can?
there are many ways of working to their potential, not just going balls-to-the-wall. the majority of ppl aren't doing any of that - they're not even trying to find out what approach works for them - they just follow some article or some trainer and when it doesn't work, they shrug and spend their gym time strolling on the treadmill chatting with their bestie who's cruising on the elliptical.
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People exercise for different reasons, and with different approaches. As someone who used to loathe exercise, I've found that, for me, enjoying my exercise while achieving improvements are the keys to keeping me exercising and improving my fitness/stamina/strength/etc. It's very similar, actually, to my approach to weight loss - to successfully lose weight, I had to both enjoy what I was eating and see the results of my efforts. If I had made myself miserable while losing weight, I wouldn't have been able to sustain the effort and would have given up.
which is exactly what i said above.
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In regards to the exercise, I'll use running as an example. I tried C25K on two occasions, and both times gave up a few weeks in. I was sincerely trying, but it felt SO hard to me, and I truly hated it. I felt like a failure each time I couldn't complete the runs intervals I was supposed to complete.
same thing - those intervals aren't "thou shalt" run x minutes. those are targets. if you can only do 30 seconds instead of 90, so be it - you do 30 sec until you can do 40, then 50, and so on. once you CAN do the required interval for the required time period, that's when you move on to the next stage. when i trained ppl in the gym, i'd give them, f.ex a 4-wk program involving 3 sets of 8 reps for the bench press.
they can do whatever weight allows them to meet the required sets and reps OR
they can use a higher weight and work up to doing 8 reps - once they've done 3x8 for 4wks, it's time to do a new program. one kid i trained, it took him nearly 3 months to finish the "4wk" program - i did draw the line, however, and made him start with a weight that allowed him to finish 5 reps successfully (any heavier is dangerous).
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Not everyone's primary goal is seeing improvements as rapidly as possible.
unfortunately, the vast majority of ppl in the gym and on diets WANT to see "incredible results with a minimum of effort!!!! have your beach body by june!!!!!".
there are various reasons:
1) the constant bombardment by media showing images of (debatable) physical "perfection" so we're all made paranoid because we're merely human.
2) the idea that we shouldn't have to actually strain ourselves - whatever we want should come wafting towards us at our summoning.
3) that there's only one way to do things - "my way or the highway" - and if you can't do it that one way, then you're a miserable failure and you might as well quit.
i signed up for c2k too - i don't run. i don't like running. i'm massively overweight, my boobs are too heavy, and they HURT and if i wear a sports type bra, i feel like i'm being suffocated. but walking is not doing a darned thing for me - and i mean it: i walked 10k/day, winter and summer, for months (i have a border collie) and it did squat-all. there's no gym with a treadmill available unless i want to drive 40 minutes.
which i don't.
so i will run.
i'm supposed to run 30 seconds, walk 90. i figure by the end of march i'll be able to run 30 seconds and that's okay - so a program that "should" take "so" long will take me 10x longer. big deal - i'm not going to win a million dollars if i complete it per spec, am i?