“Go hard” Workouts are doing more HARM than good.

“Go hard or Go home”. Guess what, with only 5% of people doing regular exercise and fitness, people have chosen – they are going home.  This “Go hard” message is doing more HARM than good.

I understand this can motivate some but the reality is, most people are unfit with poor posture, overweight, stress as well as tired. So adding the expectations of “Killer” workouts on top of our stressful life can be a recipe for danger and anti-motivating for the majority of people. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in hard and high intensity workouts but only when it is appropriate.

We are missing the point. To help the majority of people include exercise and fitness on a regular basis we need a understand a couple of key points  –

• People will not make time for things that are ”go hard” workouts especially when they are stressed.
• Most will be drawn towards fitness goals that are achievable at first
• Finding exercise or fitness that is fun without the prospect of throwing up, sore, tired and smashed for days is better for consistency over the long term. https://www.corehealthcoaching.com.au/lost-your-exercise-mojo/
• The body needs strength and fitness conditioning not to be “smashed up” and “Go hard” The risk of injury and illnesses are significantly higher when the body is at higher intensity especially without the appropriate conditioning beforehand.
• Extreme exercise and fitness can increase our body’s stress responses which on an unhealthy and stressed body will increase the risk of injury, illness with poor aesthetics and physical improvements.
• Benefits of improved posture are significant to aesthetics, weight loss and injury prevention and are not necessary achieved by “hard” workouts. https://www.corehealthcoaching.com.au/good-posture/
• Low intensity exercises like pilates, yoga, tai-chi can be as effective as “hard” sessions as it has a number of positive effects by reduce stressing, improve breathing function and increases the heart rate. https://www.corehealthcoaching.com.au/is-pilates-or-yoga-better-than-weights/  https://www.corehealthcoaching.com.au/correct-breathing/

I know this idea flys in the face of current marketing but the reality is that we are see dramatic increases of lighter forms of exercise like pilates, yoga, tai-chi and even mediation. This type of “Go hard or Go home” marketing is making the idea that exercise too hard for the majority which it does not need to be.

Here is what I saw that prompted by rant!! A gym promoting “Flatline” with comes with a post-session oxygen and defibrillators and describes itself as “potentially deadly”.

What do you think? Is this healthy, is this going to appeal to the majority or does this excite you to exercise harder or actually “Go Home”?

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Lost Your Exercise Mojo?

Why is good posture so important?

Is Pilates or Yoga Better than Weights?

Correct breathing can improve fitness and wellbeing