Welcome to Miss Fit–a weekly advice column from someone who is a bit of a non-conformist when it comes to health and exercise.
Dear Miss Fit,
Sometimes my overly-flexible yoga teacher wants us to do certain poses that are too advanced for me, and I’m afraid I’m going to hurt myself. Like the other day, she had us doing backbends where we walked our hands down the wall behind us. She made it look so easy, but I did not want to do this and ended up straining a muscle in my back. I don’t want to stick out and not do what everyone else is doing, but I feel like she is too aggressive sometimes. What should I have done?
–Sherry in Michigan
Sorry that you hurt yourself. A good instructor should be sensitive to her students and should be able to sense fear or hesitation. First of all, she should have offered a modified move for students to take and realized that not everyone is at her level. Secondly, even if she didn’t offer a modification, you can–and should–always ask for one if it’s a pose that you are not comfortable with. Yoga should not hurt and should never be about pushing people into doing something they don’t want to do. Namaste!
Dear Miss Fit,
Is it gross to spit or blow snot when I run? I have a group of friends that I do long runs with every weekend, and some of them tell me it is.
–Carla in Virginia
Hurling “loogeys” mid-mile is certainly not anything new in the world of running, but doing it with other runners around presents a certain etiquette dilemma. As long as you’re not doing so during a head-wind with fellow runners behind you, you can probably get away with it once or twice during your run. If it’s several times each mile, then they are right -- you are gross.
Dear Miss Fit,
I hate exercise and want to know how long my workout “lasts”. How long do I have in between workouts before I have to do it again?
–Meagan in New York
That’s interesting question. Your workouts don’t really have a shelf life, so to speak. While it’s true that it can take two or three weeks to lose measurable levels of fitness if you have to take time off due to an injury or illness, that doesn’t mean you can just exercise once every two or three weeks. Think of your workout like taking a shower and brushing your teeth and make it a part of your daily routine. Just be sure to vary your workout and the muscle groups so you don’t work the same ones every day (i.e., do cardio one day and strength work the next; repeat for six days and on the seventh day, rest!) And for goodness sake, stop doing shit that you hate and find an exercise where you can really get your groove on.
Related posts:
Dear Miss Fit: How To Handle Gym Grunters AND Race Snobs
Dear Miss Fit: How To Handle Self-Serving Instructors And Other Fitness Predicaments
Dear Miss Fit: How To Handle Pushy Yoga Teachers And Other Fitness Etiquette Dilemmas
Dear Miss Fit: How To Handle Annoying Running Buddies, And Other Perils of Healthy Living