Photo of student volleyball game at U of T Scarborough by Ken Jones
Published: February 6, 2018
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Want to train like a Varsity Blues athlete? Talk to Alanna Veerman. Veerman is the lead assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Varsity Blues, a role in which she helps athletes develop and improve their strength, speed, power and energy.
“Everyone can benefit from incorporating a strength and conditioning program in their daily routine. The physical benefits can include a greater propensity for performing activities of daily living and leading a healthy active lifestyle,” she says. But your mental and emotional health also benefits greatly from a fitness routine. “A daily physical activity routine can keep you mind sharp, your body feeling more invigorated and full of energy, as well as a help you maintain a more positive mood throughout the day,” she says.
Veerman shares three handy tips to help you get the most out of your workouts. Tune in next week for more tips from the Varsity Blues coach.
1. Develop a routine
Human beings are creatures of habit, Veerman says. Incorporating some aspect of physical activity/strength and conditioning into your current daily routine can assist you in sticking with the routine in the long run
2. Slow and steady wins the race
If you are just getting started, start off by picking one or two things at maximum that you would like to begin or change. Veerman cautions that trying to change too much at once will only cause undue stress and increase the chances of reverting back to old habits.
Pick one or two behaviors, like getting to the gym before work or packing a healthy snack and implement these into your daily routine for two weeks. “If you are able to follow these new behaviours for a couple of weeks, then you can move on to the next thing you would like to tackle”.
3. Be consistent
Hitting the gym or engaging in physical activity two to three times a week over a longer period of time will do much more for you then trying to tackle hit the gym six to seven times a weeks but only maintain that for a short period of time.