1. Sport is for professionals.
This idea applies only in the case of performance sports. The native qualities required for professional sportsmen (speed, skills, specific height, etc.) can only be developed, they can’t be formed by training. As long as the aim of a regular person is not performance, almost all sports can be practiced for keeping the body in a good shape. It’s all about dosing the training you chose, so that the benefits are bigger than wear and tear. Even the sports considered tough can be practiced in a ‘soft’ way (tae-bo, mini-triathlon, jogging, etc.).
2. Training is tiring
This idea is true as long as it refers to consuming all your energy (muscular and hepatic glycogen), but it doesn’t mean that training gets you into that state of exhaustion which would slow down the process of recovery of the body. Even in performance sports, the purpose is to have rather effective than exhausting training, so that the body can get the stimulation necessary to qualitative progress from one training to the next.
People can come to the gym tired after a challenging work day and leave relaxed (physically and psychologically) without that feeling of exhaustion. This is extremely useful for people with sedentary jobs, and can also be a mental relaxer for those who participate in high amount of physical work.
3. Training takes too long
Again, this idea is true if applied to performance, which can only be obtained by working a lot. But also in this case short and very intense training or training for relaxation and recovery are often performed. In fitness, you can get to 20-minute training, working only super-series of fast exercises, which could involve, directly or indirectly, all the muscles. Regular training shouldn’t take longer than an hour and a half. These days, you can get an intense workout ranging from 13-30 min with CrossFit, H.I.I.T, Boot camp, kick/boxing and so on.
5. Too dangerous to exercise if you’re old
This is true only if we refer to extremely demanding efforts (really heavy weights, fast running, jumping, etc.). There are lots of exercises created while keeping the older population in mind. As we age, our muscles and connective tissues tense up, disc in the spinal column shrinks or totally disappear, degenerative diseases and arthritis attacks the body and so on. It’s for these specific reason that many special exercises have been created. These exercise programs focus on increasing balance, stability, mobility, strength, and help enhance postural alignment. That’s only to name a few…
Exercising is something that can benefit us all in one way or another. With the correct mindset, we can and should get into an exercise program as long as we have permission from the Doc man. The benefits are well worth it if done in a control manner. We have one body, so it’s our job to take care of it so we can be functional as we age while on this Earth.
