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Why is my performance not improving?

Just showing up and going through the motions isn’t enough to get fitter and see the results you want.

Here are some tips to ensure you see results:

  • When taking exercise, it’s important not just to be there but to be there in spirit too. 

  • Set an achievable goal – don’t set it too far away and don’t be vague.

  • To lose weight, to get stronger, to get toned for summer are impossible to measure and, therefore, never get accomplished.

  • Set very specific performance goals with actual dates and then work out a plan on how to do it.  Doing 3 chin-ups by November 15th is a tangible goal that is attainable. Wanting to get strong and do some pull ups, is not. 

  • Put your exercise times in your diary - like your social life!  If you don’t put it in, it’s too easy to put it off.

  • It’s tempting to skip warming up and just get right to the point. But, if you don’t warm up, you’ll get less out of your workout as your body won’t be ready to give it your 110%. The purpose of a warm-up is to gently activate and prepare your muscles for the workout and get your heart pumping more blood into the muscles.

  • When trying to get stronger/fitter getting adequate sleep (7-9 hours per night) is critical for an optimal hormonal environment and to restore energy for training.

  • Remember it’s too easy to choose your favourite muscle groups and then fail to exercise the ones you don’t enjoy doing. Do the ones you least enjoy first.

  • Don’t stop when you feel challenged. 

  • Don’t put all your efforts into cardio leaving you with no energy for weights.

  • If you’re lifting weights, pick a pair of weights you can lift and repeat a set with but don’t go too light so that it’s easy.  Remember to challenge yourself.

  • Change your routine regularly. Doing the same thing every time will lead to a plateau in performance and results and, you’ll probably be bored too.  The body needs new stimuli and progressive training if you want to see result. A good way to vary workouts is to do functional fitness (exercise that helps you with everyday activities, e.g: getting up off the floor, carrying heavy objects or putting something up on a shelf).

  • Have rest days to allow the body to recover.

The more you exercise, the more you should look after your body with regular trips to see your sports massage therapist (think about your car and the more you drive it the more you need to have it serviced / top up the oil / put air in the tyres).

Regular sports massage treatment will:

  • Stretch and releases muscular tissue

Which in turn…

  • Increases muscles flexibility

  • Speed up recovery from an injury

  • Help prevent further injuries

  • Relieves pain

  • Reduces swelling

  • Improves range of movement

  • Tones muscles by stretching

  • Reduces/breaks down scar tissue

  • Breaks down adhesions

  • Helps improve the production of synovial fluid around joints.

Which all means you can train harder for longer!

Sarah Sellick

Sarah holds ITEC Level 5 rating (the highest Sports Massage qualification) and has studied Advanced Reflexology (ART), Spinal Reflexology and Medical Acupuncture. Sarah has run Ridgehouse Practice for 12 years and also treats patients here at Stockbridge Osteopathic Practice on Monday afternoons and Thursdays.

By Stockbridge Osteopathic Practice

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