DIET | DETECTIVE^®

"The key to letting off steam while working up a sweat lies in picking the right type of exercise to counterbalance what you typically do all day long," says Steve Lischin, master trainer and former nutrition consultant for both the New York Mets and New York Giants.

For example, while highly stressed executives and managers may believe that meditation is the best way to clear their minds, in fact it may be the worst thing for type A people to do. Too much silence only gives a frenzied mind the opportunity to run in circles while the body remains still.

Instead, power brokers could benefit most from at least 35 minutes of low-intensity exercise to balance things out: speed walking, light cycling-anything that increases the heart rate while offering enough visual distractions to occupy the mind for a while.

The rule of thumb: To find your ideal workout, just examine the qualities of your workday, and go for the opposite when it comes time to exercise.

If you're the right-hand man (or woman) for an executive, you're doing your share of running around already. Stationary exercise machines, such as elliptical trainers and stairclimbers, which let you stay put for a change, will give you a great workout without reminding you of the running around you do at work all day.

Desk-bound worker bees need a challenge at the gym, since it's likely these types aren't getting much physical or psychological stimulation on the job. Weight lifting, team sports or exercise classes can add the sense of camaraderie and competition that may be lacking in their lives.

So who needs meditation? That's left to those who routinely engage in strenuous physical labor on the job. Without realizing it, these people are working out eight hours a day. Light stretching and yoga can provide relief from the physical stress of work, with the side benefit of keeping the muscles limber to increase flexibility and help prevent injuries on the job.

Stockbrokers and bond traders who dwell on details all day should avoid workouts that require counting repetitions and sets. Instead of planning every exercise session, Wall Street types should just walk into the gym and do whatever moves them, says Lischin. They should start with a goal, such as 60 minutes of aerobic activity, and move freely from one machine to another to achieve it.

If you're in the business of dealing with the public, try finding a solo exercise such as mountain biking, running or inline skating, to allow you some time to clear your mind.

If you're confined to an office all day staring at a computer screen, you could probably benefit from a class, a training partner or a team sport that allows you to interact with others.

By the same token, most competitive people would do well to avoid sports activities, aerobics classes or anything that places them in a situation in which they're comparing their performance with others.

On the flip side, people in creative positions may require structure in their workouts. While it's easy for a salesman to see how much business he's generated each day, artists, writers and performers regularly have to deal with not being able to measure their progress on the job. Charting their workout gains in a notebook and mapping out a fitness plan before they hit the health club can prevent the stress that comes with not being able to determine how they're progressing. The rule of thumb: To find your ideal workout, just examine the qualities of your work day, and go for the opposite when it comes time to work out.

Bookmark:

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed