Exercise characteristics and training value of special sports

The essence of different specialized sports is a differentiated training form superimposed on energy supply mode, force exertion logic, and participation scenarios. The corresponding exercise value is by no means a general "enhancement of physical fitness", but a targeted improvement tool for different physiological and psychological needs. There is no recognized "optimal specialty", and the choice that suits individual goals is the most efficient.

I have been working as a fitness coach for almost 8 years. I have seen too many people follow the trend and choose special sports. Last year when Frisbee became popular, a lot of people came to ask if they could lose weight by Frisbee. As a result, they stopped for most of two months because of knee pain. It’s not that Frisbee is bad, it’s that many people rarely even walk 10,000 steps, so they rush back and forth for two hours. Frisbee itself is a mixed energy event of glycolysis and aerobic energy. It is characterized by intermittent running, many changes of direction, and occasional bursts of force in the upper limbs. The original value of exercise is to take into account both Cardiopulmonary and agility can also meet social needs. It is a great tool for weekend relaxation for people who have a certain foundation in sports. However, for sedentary people, if they have not practiced lower limb strength in advance, their knees will directly bear pressure several times the body weight when changing directions. It is strange not to get injured. To put it bluntly, choosing a specialty is like choosing skin care products. You can’t just use a moisturizing cream to lighten spots, right?

You see, they are both endurance events. Marathon and powerlifting are completely different approaches. More than 90% of the marathon relies on aerobic energy supply. The movements are periodic arm swings and leg movements. The output intensity is stable throughout the process. After practicing for a long time, the resting heart rate can drop to 50 or 60, and you can climb five or six floors without gasping for breath. However, due to long-term low-intensity stimulation, it does little to help muscle growth. If you do not supplement enough protein, you will even lose muscle. The sports world has been arguing about this for many years. Endurance people say that long-term aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by more than 30%. Power people say that loss of muscle mass will lower basal metabolism and make you more likely to fall when you are old. In fact, both sides are right. It depends on what you want: If your goal is to run your first full marathon in the second half of your life, there is definitely nothing wrong with that amount of running. If you want to look good in tights, the efficiency of pure horse racing is really not as good as pumping iron three times a week.

The logic of force generation in different specialties is even further apart. If you look at people who practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, there are very few men with particularly large muscles, because Jiu-Jitsu requires the transmission of force from the core chain, not the brute force of a single muscle. I once had a student who was 1.6 meters tall and weighed less than 100 kilograms. After practicing Jiu-Jitsu for a year, he was able to lift 180 kilograms. The characteristic of this special event is that you have to judge the opponent's movements at any time, adjust your center of gravity, and control your breathing without panic. The value of exercise is not only to train the core, but also to improve concentration and emotional stability. It is more effective than any psychology class. The trainee used to be a product manager. He was criticized by R&D staff every day until he went home and cried. Now when he was criticized, he thought, "Now that I'm being criticized, I have to step back and find some space." His mood was extremely unstable. Of course, some people say that fighting is too easy to get injured and is not as gentle as yoga. This is correct. The characteristic of yoga is static control. All movements match your own breathing rhythm, which greatly improves the sense of proprioception. I have seen a sister who has been practicing yoga for three years. Her shoulder and neck problems are completely cured. She usually carries a 20-pound express delivery without any pain in her waist, and her core is very stable. However, if you want to develop the explosive power that can open a bottle cap with one punch, yoga cannot really do it.

Many people have lumbar prolapse while sitting in the office. Doctors recommend swimming, which is indeed reasonable. The characteristic of swimming is that the buoyancy of the water offsets most of the body weight, and there is almost no additional pressure on the joints. The strength of the shoulders, back and core must be mobilized throughout the process to maintain body balance. It is especially friendly to people with joint injuries or who are too heavy, but don’t deify swimming. An aunt came to me a while ago and said that she had been swimming for half a year and her bone density was still low. Why? Because swimming is a non-weight-bearing exercise, it does not stimulate the bones too much. People with osteoporosis still need to do some weight-bearing training, such as carrying a mineral water bottle and doing a few sets of squats every day. The effect is better than swimming for two hours every day.

When I make plans for students, I never recommend a specific project at the very beginning. I always ask you first about your daily routine, any old injuries, and what effect you want to achieve: do you want to look good in a small skirt, do you want to beat your colleagues in playing basketball, or do you just want to sweat and relieve stress after get off work. There is no distinction between high and low specialties. If you practice happily, persist, and achieve your own small goals, then this specialization is the best for you.