How To Remain Fit With Exercise

3 tips for getting started (when you hate it)

Think you're not cut out for running, and you just hate it? But maybe you've heard of the benefits for the cardiovascular system, muscle, weight control, and even back health - and you secretly want to change your mind? I have what you need: Tips for getting started with running, when you don't like it.

And we're not going to lie to each other, just over a year ago I was - I completely refused to train to race (even though I was already running Spartan Races, being disappointed with my results). And since then everything has changed, I run 4 times a week, and I prepare a somewhat special race (I talk about it at the end of the video!). Like what, everyone can change their mind!

Running is also an interesting discipline because it is very varied: you can do speed training, very long runs, trail running (on paths). In short, forget about jogging around the block, there is has loads of things to discover, but for that… we must get started!

One last tip before you put on your sneakers: listen to your body ... but not too much! We tend to systematically avoid painful situations, and starting a new discipline, such as running, will inevitably lead to moments of discomfort: because the heart rate increases and we are not necessarily used to it, because the knees and the ankles are under more pressure than usual, because your calf muscles are not sharp, because you do not have very good hip mobility yet etc. The first few sessions may be uncomfortable, and that’s NORMAL. It's about persevering a bit, trying, as explained in the video, to find a way to distract your attention.

The results are very fast, and this is one of the disciplines in which we can progress the fastest, if we manage to get past the unpleasant first times.

So don't give up - and of course, if you're in real pain, stop and go to the doctor, because it's out of the question to hurt yourself - but if it's just discomfort, or pain from exertion, this is completely normal, and a sign that you are doing something that is transforming your body. And that's what we're looking for!

If you have any questions, feel free to comment - and if there are other more specific things you'd like me to talk about on video, let me know!

I tested for you: the Freeletics program and app

There are a huge number of sports programs to do at home - in pdf, on Youtube, to order, on apps ... and it can sometimes be difficult to navigate. Today, I share with you my opinion on the Freeletics program (available as a mobile app) that I tested for 2 months. For the context (or as a reminder, for those who have been reading this blog for a while) I am Personal Trainer and Spartan SGX Coach, and I have been doing sports 6 times a week for 5 years. My opinion is therefore double-edged: fitness professional… and sports fan. I will try to give you the most objective review possible, so that you can decide whether Freeletics is right for you or not.

How did I come to test Freeletics?

As mentioned above, I am a gym addict. I have also been a Personal Trainer graduated for over a year now, and I teach fitness with weights and equipment, but also obstacle course (type Spartan Race) to sportsmen and women who need a a little boost. So when the lockdown was announced in Singapore, with gyms & parks closing immediately, I had to review my training plan - in addition to moving all of my private lessons from real life to live versions. line.

That said, I struggled to stay motivated without my usual loads - I had a routine that included a rower and ski-erg for cardio, loaded bars and dumbbells… and no way to recreate the same workouts without NOTHING, equipment side. A friend told me about Freeletics - which I had skimmed over to learn the mechanics, without trying the program for more than a session or two. I told myself this was the perfect opportunity to get into a real test.

What is the Freeletics program?

If it was originally a pdf that you could buy online (some people may have had the opportunity to test a few years ago), the program has evolved enormously and is now available as a an app.

Freeletics has broken away from a single program, and offers a series of training plans, mostly focused on bodyweight exercises (although there are also programs to be done at the gym with weights) .

The programs usually range from 8 to 12 weeks, and they all start with a week of evaluation (we can give feedback on each exercise, so that the virtual “coach” adjusts the sessions), then with a gradual intensity, until at “Hell Week”, the week of hell, which is a week of “test” at the end of the program.

Several programs are offered depending on each individual's goals (muscle gain, fat loss, improved cardio, etc.) and the equipment available. There are also programs dedicated to running, which I have not yet tested.

On the muscle / cardio strengthening programs, the evaluations are done on their “star” workouts, whose names are inspired by mythology - the most famous being Aphrodite