Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Focusing on energy, movement, flexibility, mood
Each time the earth completes another revolution around the sun, I find myself less interested in quantifying numerical improvements within my exercise program.
These days, I’m focused on how workouts make me feel. I use subjective markers to evaluate the effects of an ongoing exercise regimen.
Two decades ago, I was the guy with a pencil and notepad recording every set completed, weight lifted and mile run. I needed to show myself that my time investment was paying off, and I used data to prove that progress had been made. At some point, I decided to sunset the record keeping in favor of evaluating
program efficacy using more relevant factors.
The key subjective factors that I think about are (in no particular order): energy, movement, flexibility, mood and confidence. I try to keep a pulse on each of these throughout a workout program and adjust stimuli as needed.
Energy is an easy factor to evaluate, because exercise of any kind makes me feel more alive. I always feel energized for at least one full day after a good workout, and chasing that feeling is often enough to keep my adherence level high.
Movement is a little more difficult to evaluate, but for me it goes hand in hand with flexibility. Some workouts can detract from these factors, and some can add to them. A really heavy leg workout, for example, can create soreness that lasts for several days. If that happens, I find myself demotivated and grumpy — which are feelings I’m not trying to foster. So, I adjust the resistance or exercises performed, or both.
Mood evaluation requires a fairly high level of self-awareness, because it’s not something that is often top of mind. If I have missed a few days of workouts, I can sometimes detect little personality quirks that rise to the surface. In my case, they can manifest as less patience, reduced focus or quicker frustration.
Confidence is tied to mood and energy in some respects, but it’s more of an overall feeling that spans days, weeks or months. If my clothes fit and I’ve adhered to an exercise program relatively well, confidence is usually consistent. But it’s one area to keep in mind, as confidence can affect so many other areas of life.
This week’s exercise is a great addition for anyone looking to improve balance, flexibility and body control. The Single Leg Balance With Rotation is appropriate for almost anyone and should help with balance by developing lower leg stability and strength.
1. Stand with both feet shoulder width apart.
2. Lift your right foot up until your right knee is at hip height.
3. When you’re stable, slowly start rotating the right knee out to the side of the body.
4. Go as far as you can without losing your balance, then rotate the knee back to the center of the body.
5. Continue for five repetitions, then switch sides and repeat.
I love this exercise because the body makes little tiny adjustments every second the balance position is held. The muscles supporting the ankle, lower leg, hips and core are all activated.
Even if the position can only be held for a few seconds to start, working on this move over time can really help an individual feel more stable during daily activities. Enjoy! Director of business development and population health solutions for Quest Diagnostics, Matt Parrott began this column Jan. 6, 2003, at Little Rock. He has a doctorate in education (sport studies), a master’s in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.