Choices. How the world has changed over the last half century. Fifty years ago, life was far more mapped out than it is today. If your father was a farmer, you probably would be a farmer as well. You generally had one doctor that you saw for most any health related reason from a sore throat to a broken leg. And if you were one of the few men back then to aspire to a healthy lifestyle, your options for workout facilities were generally limited to backyards and the local highschool track.
If you were lucky enough to find a gym, it had big plates. On the floor. Iron only, and usually rusty. Some advanced facilities like the University of Notre Dame had low benches where you could lay down and "pull over" the bar to do a new fangled exercise called the "bench press".
Modern Health Clubs
Times have changed. Today, you can step into an airplane hanger that serves as a plush twenty-four hour spa that will serve up a Chinese menu of conditioning selections. Select from rock climbing, bike spinning on a Tour de France course, jump jumping, and/or a convoluted program of weightlifting, martial arts and yoga to accomplish your fitness goals.
If you want to build muscle, the choices become even more overwhelming. There are dozens of machines available for each body part. When it comes to free weights, there are regular bars, fat bars, EZ bars, and those funny shaped bars that look like coat hangers. Add big inflatable balls, balance boards, complicated pulley systems into the mix and the prospect of working out becomes more about playing with all the toys than actually getting in shape.
Too many choices can lead to paralysis by analysis. Sometimes simplicity is better. Determine your fitness goal. It might be to build muscle, increase endurance, lose weight, train for a specific sport, or some combination of the above. Once you're clear on the goals, work with a trainer at your local gym to design a program of specific routines using specific equipment (where applicable) to support those goals. Stay focused on the routines and don't allow yourself to be distracted by the shiny new neck machine they wheeled in yesterday.
Mix It Up In An Organized Way
It is key to change up your routines frequently to prevent both mental boredom and physical plateauing. Incorporate new activities and tools every so often to force your body to adapt to new challenges. But stay organized and consistent. The routines may periodically change, but when you walk into the gym, know the one you're going to follow.
