Exercise While Working a Physically Demanding Job
If you work a physically demanding job, it may feel unnecessary to exercise, but here are 3 reasons that exercise is important for you.
Injury prevention. Manual labor is oftentimes repetitive and the same movements are performed. This means only certain muscles are being worked and only in certain movements patterns. With a good exercise program you can improve the strength and balance of your muscles along with training other motor patterns. You can also maintain or improve mobility and flexibility which can reduce injuries.
Specificity. Having a manual labor job can result in a lot of movement throughout the day, but it is not specific to improving strength or endurance. A well structured exercise program will be progressive and improve strength and endurance over time. Exercises will get progressively more challenging as you get more fit to continue to progress. This typically doesn’t happen at a manual labor job because you are just completing the task.
Intensity. Most manual labor jobs involve lower intensity tasks that are performed many times throughout the day. This means that your heart rate is likely not getting near max and you aren’t testing maximal strength capacity. To maximize health and function throughout your life, there are times where you should challenge your strength, power, and endurance at a high intensity.
If you work a manual labor job, it is still important to regularly exercise. A well structured plan that keeps in mind the demands of your job can reduce injuries, improve strength and endurance, and improve your overall health.