In this blog we’re going to look at 5 common barriers for starting an exercise program and how to overcome them. These are 5 common concerns that members raise when approaching us to start an exercise program but we want to provide reasons not to fear exercise at Elossa and tips on how to stay consistent.
# 1 – Fear of Injury
This is a common concern for people who come to enquire about starting an exercise program. They might have experienced injuries in the past from intense gym programs or have had injuries that have taken a long time to recover. We understand!
However, strength training is so important for taking steps to improve muscular strength, joint stability and mobility in the longer term. The key here is to ensure you are training with exercise professionals who can show you how to safely perform the movements, guide you in what loads to start with and how to pace appropriately.
At Elossa you will undergo a 90 minute Initial Assessment with one of our Exercise Physiologists who will talk through your health history, any current conditions you have and set you up on our specialised machines with an appropriate load. You’ll enjoy access to our exercise professionals on every circuit who will be on the floor helping members with technique and providing advice on when and how to increase loads for improved strength.
#2 – Not Fit Enough
You’re joining to improve your fitness so don’t worry, at Elossa we’ll meet you where you’re at! In your Initial Assessment a baseline of your fitness, strength and balance will be assessed and your loads will be determined based on these results. A key value we discuss is “Pace it, don’t race it” This is your fitness journey so don’t compare yourself to others, start at your baseline and progress appropriately from there. Appropriate means not working at maximal intensities to try to get fitter quicker, it means safe and effective progressions because incorporating strength is a long term lifestyle change and not a quick fix.
We have members in their 50’s and members in their 90’s. Strength training is for everyone, at any age and any fitness level.
#3 – Not Enough Time
We get it, it’s hard. Juggling work, family, and other commitments may leave little room for exercise. However we encourage you to think about the “why” reasons you are wanting to start an exercise program. Often these are about maintaining and improving your capacity to do more of things you love such as sports, looking after grandchildren and engaging in hobbies. It’s worth carving out some time in your schedule to keep being able to do these things in the future. It’s also worth noting that exercise boosts your overall energy!
Our tip is to book your circuits in advance as appointments in your diary so you’re much more likely to keep them and not forget to go to the gym. Engaging in exercise is an investment in yourself for today and for the future, to keep doing the things you want to do, that’s important and it needs space in your life. Elossa circuits are 45 minutes on the dot, so you’ll know exactly when you start and finish for easy scheduling.
#4 – I Have A Chronic Injury
This is very similar to number one but a little bit different. This is for those of us who already live with a chronic condition or chronic pain and don’t want to make it worse. However, one of the best things you can do for chronic musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain is to exercise! Safe and effective movement will help you increase your mobility and improve your functional capacity.
What’s really important is to team up with a qualified Exercise Physiologist who will have a good understanding of your condition and be able to work with you on safe and effective exercise. They can also talk through understanding pain and making the right decisions regarding movement. Our Exercise Physiologists at Elossa love facilitating a renewed relationship with movement for members who have been struggling with chronic pain.
#5 – I Don’t Like Gyms
Have you ever had a previous gym experience where you:
- Joined a class with a 20 yr old who seems like an athlete and you’re struggling to just complete the exercises
- Spent 10 minutes just trying to figure out what to do and how to use the machines
- Didn’t improve your strength very much because your training was haphazard
- Aimed to get there after work but you’re tired and it just didn’t happen
- Didn’t like the music … thump thump thump
Elossa is different. Elossa is a gym for over 60’s which means you’re exercising with your peers in an environment that is designed for you. Enjoy the music you grew up with and join like-minded people who are there to improve their functional capacity at an appropriate pace. Circuit classes mean that you don’t need to think about what to do next, we’ve already designed a balanced circuit with full body strengthening and high challenge balance exercises to tick all those boxes. Our specialised equipment means that you don’t even need to remember seat height or your weights, you just scan your wristband and away you go, they also make it easy to enjoy a safe and effective load progression. Booking into circuits makes it easier for motivation and you have access to our exercise professionals on every circuit to discuss your training, any concerns you have and help ensure you perform the exercises correctly.
Don’t just listen to us, hear from our members by checking out our Google and Facebook reviews. Most of our members have had to overcome the barriers we’ve just touched on in this blog.
Book your Initial Assessment today and invest in being able to Do More in the future.