Something interesting happened recently. I took a yoga class at a crowded studio here in Los Angeles. The room was hot (not intentionally, but there were a lot of windows and it was sunny) and people were very close together. I was a little nervous before we started that someone might actually sweat on me. I wasn’t sure how long I could handle it. I got a little cagey actually and almost left the class.
I rarely have a chance to take a class (instead of teaching for once), so I made myself stay.
Guess what. The class was amazing.
I felt overwhelming rejuvenation and energy as I walked out of the studio. I started thinking about how different this in person workout was from my usual at home workouts. I’ve tried them all, DVD, audio, personal trainers, group fitness classes, yoga, dance and ones completely alone with no dvd/audio guide.
Comparing all of these ways of getting the workout in, made me wonder which one was the best learning environment for me. Do I like to HEAR my workout, SEE my workout, or just READ MY WORKOUT! (ok…get the monkey reference now? I know…it’s a bit dilluted…hehe but hopefully you get my driift!)
I couldn’t help but ask the question, what if people chose their workouts based on their individual learning style? Would they work harder and see results faster?
Without going into a whole discussion about learning styles – and the different ways people absorb information, I’ll explain what I know works for me.
I know that I do my best, most focused, most fat-burning workouts with a combination of audio and visual teaching. Maybe you are the same. I used to like DVDs, but now only tend to use them when I need a bit more focus or I’m having an “I don’t wannnaaa” day.
What’s funny is that I recently came back to DVDs while doing the Action Hero Babe Training System from Valerie Waters. On the days I worked out with her, instead of just doing the listed exercises, I got a much intense workout and definitely felt more energized.
This all leads me to the realization that maybe I need to re-think doing DVDs or videos–especially since getting to a class is difficult with my work and Mila schedule.
Ok…so let’s try a few other workouts…
Written exercise lists that include 1 image and mostly text is what I normally follow. After I know the exercise, have seen someone do it a few times, I’m usually confident enough to do the entire routine. I rarely do it in complete silence, though, so I turn on the music to get going. So, perhaps reading an exercise list is not the best workout for me…unless it’s paired with music or some sort of audio guide.
Audio instruction is interesting…unless I’m able to play audio workout on a computer and do the workout nearby, I find that I can never put my iphone/ipod in the right spot. I hate it strapped to me. I get preoccupied with where to put the device rather than focusing on exercising. But – I do like the audio workouts…it’s just harder for me to focus and move from exercise to exercise.
Group Classes are great because you get the general energy of everyone around you and a teacher guiding you through the movement. No distractions…just movement. I think many people do classes because of this. It’s hard to dedicate a few moments to yourself at home when the laundry or your email or your children/husband are in the next room waiting for you…or worse yet, knocking on the door!
What about you? Try a few “different” types of routines (time, place, public, private, group, solo, sports) and see if one stands out as making you feel more “worked out” and more energetic than the others.
You might find that some days you need a group class, but the other days you need to follow a dvd or video on the computer. Either way – both fit the same basic visual learning style.
On the other hand, if you found that an audio workout really pushed you harder, you might want to do a few more of these in a week. That doesn’t mean you can’t do a dvd or you can’t go to a group class. An audio workout requires more mental visualization … which in turn might give you more challenge. By shaking up your routine with this a few times per week, you might get to your goal that much faster.
Here are some tools to help you find your best way to workout:
Search Google for Learning Styles Quiz (I did this to see what it would say and they were all visual)
Checklist of different workout types/places
Over-analysis or Time Saver?
I know I’m a bit of a geek and like to analyze things that others might not consider, but training myself to evaluate/measure my progress has made a huge difference in the way I exercise and take care of myself.
Why spend countless hours doing activities that just annoy you or that you routinely cancel or put off? Why not spend a few moments to figure out the best way for you to get yourself moving and doing something that actually keeps you moving and consistent? You don’t need to take as much time as I do looking at this stuff, but you can simply try a few different ways of exercising and ask yourself the question: How did this workout measure up?
You will set yourself up for more results in less time!
I look forward to hearing from you and seeing what you discover.
If you want help figuring out your workout learning style, email me or leave a comment below. I’m happy to help you find your best learning style and workouts to go with it!
