Photo of student volleyball game at U of T Scarborough by Ken Jones
Published: February 8, 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.
Last week, Veerman shares her first three tips to help you get the most out of your workouts.This week, she shares three new tips with Bulletin Brief readers.
1. Be efficient
If you do not have much time at the gym, pick exercises that will target the full body like squats, push ups and pull ups. Exercises that involve moving the entire body and involve “free weights” (dumbbells, etc), will give you more bang for your buck as you need to use your core and stabilizing muscles to keep yourself in a good position.
2. Be critical
There is a lot of strength and conditioning and fitness material at the touch of our fingertips. Analyze the options from all aspects: where is the information coming from? Is this a reliable source? Is this something that can be implemented easily? Is the likelihood of injury high if you are unsure of the proper form? Being critical of the information that you are reading, find information that is reliable and useful to stay safe and prevent injuries.
3. Enjoy your workout
Finding a workout that you enjoy will help you stay on track and make positive changes. It won’t take long to fall into your old routines if you pick something you dread each and every day. “If you enjoy the social interaction of physical activity then find a run club, a recreational sports league, or a group of friends in which to hit the gym with. If the solo route is more your bread and butter, then figure out a way to keep yourself accountable and set yourself up for success - pack your gym bag the night before, or write down your goals and the progress you make each day towards them.”