Is a Half-Ass workout better than no Workout?
I overheard this question recently and wanted to talk about this a little bit.
Before we get into this though, I want to introduce myself because this is my first post.
My name is Juha Juppi. I am based in Toronto (go raptors!) and I help people live healthier lives. My specialty is teaching people how to basically do strength training, for their joints.
— let’s continue onto our topic now!
The short answer to this question, is yes. I want to encourage you however to look at this with a different mindset.
Many of us live really busy lives. Right now we are in the tail end of the Christmas holidays. We all saw family, friends, and are now looking forward to new years plans. We know exactly when this time of the year is coming — yet we still find ourselves having a little too much fun. We might be faced with the question if it’s even worth doing a workout at all. You have so many things going against you, so what is the purpose? If you measure a successful workout only by how many calories you burn, then it probably won’t be worth it. You’ll eat an excess of calories no matter how long you spend on a piece of cardio equipment. What if you could look at in a different way? In a way that makes it sound so obvious why you should always do a little more if you can fit it in.
When you’re doing exercise, it is targeting way more than just one muscle. It is doing more than just raising your heart rate. It is doing more than getting you fresh air. It is doing more than giving your mind a break from technology and screens.
Consider what you’re doing for your connective tissue. Not just your muscles, which is typically what is on the forefront of peoples minds. Why is this important? It’s important because when you exercise, your entire body is being challenged. Your entire body has to respond to the stimulus you’re providing it. So you may see the improvement in your muscles when you look in the mirror — but you would have been injured by now if the structures around the muscles didn’t also grow and improve.
So what are the different things that make up connective tissue? Fascia, Ligament, Tendon, Capsule, Adipose Tissue, Blood and Lymphatic Tissue, Cartilage and 80% of nerves. Below is a brief summary of what each does (stolen from wiki most likely). There is A LOT more that can be said about each, but i’ll just keep it very macro for today.
Fascia = is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs
Tendon = a fibrous connective tissue which attaches muscle to bone. A tendon serves to move the bone or structure
Capsule = holds the bones and other parts of the joint together.
Adipose Tissue = loose connective tissue composed of adipocytes. Its main role is to store energy in the form of fat, although it also cushions and insulates the body.
Blood and Lymphatic Tissue = a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials.
Cartilage = a resilient and smooth elastic tissue, a rubber-like padding that covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints.
80% of Nerves = specialized cells known as neurons that transmit signals between different parts of the body.
Now, this isn’t a post where I educate you the importance of each of these. If you would like me to talk more about each of these please comment below telling me. I will gladly go into greater detail — but the purpose of this post is to change your mindset, not necessarily educate you like a textbook.
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So the next time you wonder “I only have 15 minutes to workout, is it even worth it?” You could be asking yourself instead…
“Am I going to do anything in the next 10 minutes that will benefit my health?”
“Am I going to spend the next 10 minutes helping myself or hurting myself?”
“Am I going to spend the next 10 minutes moving my body, or just sitting down?”
“What could I do in the next 10 minutes that would be more important than making my connective tissue healthier?”
“Am I going to be happy that I sat on my couch for an extra 15 minutes OR would I enjoy doing my physio exercises”
“Is sitting on my couch as beneficial as exercising and improving my bone, ligament, capsule & more health?”
So the long story short? Yes. Yes. Yes.