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If Not Now, When?
They say the only thing better than the cure is prevention. Seems like pretty reasonable logic, right?
So it’s quite staggering to think that people are reluctant to invest time and money into their health and fitness before it’s too late and the damage has already been done. Regular exercise and a healthy diet have many immediate effects that are at the forefront of most people’s minds, such as weight loss, increased energy and improved mental health. But the preventative benefits are so often overlooked. We are so focused on finding the cure for so many health-related problems, when really we should be spending our time and money on preventing them in the first place. It’s no coincidence that obesity, diabetes and even cancers are growing at a staggering rate every year and a poor diet is undoubtedly part of the cause. It’s also no coincidence that back, hip and knee problems are as prevalent in modern society as they are. A lack of well-rounded exercise, and as a result the loss of key ranges of motion, undoubtedly play a key part in this.
In my opinion – an opinion shared by many other fitness industry professionals – a good gym is the best method of prevention you can find. And when I say a good gym, I mean a facility with a well-rounded exercise program coached by professionals. One that is inclusive of functional resistance training that tests you not only aerobically and anaerobically, but also tests your power, strength, speed, agility, flexibility, balance and coordination. Not a gym full of machines, mirrors and poor movement patterns that are going undetected. By training your body to move through basic everyday functional movements, with good technique and the required range of motion, you are giving yourself the best chance of avoiding constant trips to the physio or chiropractor. By increasing your cardiovascular fitness you are making it a lot less likely that you will encounter issues with obesity or heart-related problems.
So in the grand scheme of things, the $30 a week it will cost you for a membership at a quality gym with good coaching will potentially be the best investment you will ever make. You only get one body, so why wouldn’t you take care of it?
