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There was a time when I greedily accepted each and every offer to try out the latest fitness programme or exercise craze. And I loved it! I learned how to belly dance, how to do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and even Stand Up Paddling (read about them all here on my blog). Like a lovesick teen I wanted to do everything – every day.
But apart from not having enough time to do everything – and the fact that I have yet to find someone who is prepared to pay me for indulging my passion for exercise – there’s also the very important reality that too much of a good thing is bad for you.
A very wise man once said to me that “more is not better, better is better”. And he was right. As hard as it was for me to realise that I couldn’t do everything I wanted to, it eventually became clear that one hour a day of quality exercise was actually plenty.
I say “quality exercise” because if you’re just spending an hour half-heartedly doing a number of different exercises with no real plan in mind, you’re not going to get anywhere. Not even three hours of exercise a day can help you if that’s your approach.
So here’s what I did: I chose the most effective workout that suited my goals. I made sure the programme was sound and would help me reach my goals without killing me in the process. I also chose a few other favourite activities and rotated them on weekends. This meant that I could still enjoy a little bit of everything without burning myself out in the process.
If you think you might be overtraining, check out this story to find out what the symptoms are and how to avoid it. It’s not pleasant, and pushing your body that hard will get you exactly where you don’t want to be.
Train hard, but train smart – and always remember that better is better.
