Weekly Web Fitness: If They Could See Us Now

Fitness prediction from 1901: We'll all walk 10 miles with ease

"Everybody Will Walk 10 Miles. Gymnastics will begin in the nursery where toys and games will be designed to strengthen the muscles. Exercise will be compulsory in the schools. A man or woman unable to walk 10 miles at a stretch will be regarded as a weakling."
I wonder what they'd think if they knew we were edging our way towards 100% obesity by 2040. They hadn't apparently predicted the ready supply of pizza and cable television, or this would have been an easy call.

“I’m Off To The Physiotherapist...”
"For those of you who have had (or are currently experiencing) tendinitis of the rotator cuff, than you know exactly where I’m coming from. You never really know how important your shoulder is until you injure it because it is involved in all of your upper body movements (including walking - and with this injury, you feel it!)."
I've never torn my rotator cuff. Read this article and keep its tips in the back of your mind. I cycle in low-rep, but I back off the moment I start to feel sharp little pains in my shoulders. I don't do exercises where my arms go far behind my back (either high or low, ie dips or behind-the-neck pull downs). I do several rotator cuff specific exercises every week, such as external rotators (scarecrows) and cable laterals.

I can't imagine not lifting at all for two months and then being very restricted in movement for months after. Take the time to make sure you're exercising safely so you don't have to face these setbacks and lose your hard-earned gains.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
"Unless you're in the small minority of people who have more money than they know what to do with, the thought of totally wasting cash is properly motivating so "put your money where you mouth is."

I've talked recently about motivation, and here's another great method to add to the list. I'm a personal trainer, but I don't deny that I have to trick myself into doing cardio, and I'm not that easily fooled by myself. I always seem to be one step ahead.

But I think this method would work for me. Knowing I already shelled out the cash is good motivation. Ask my wife: I am a total cheapskate.