Don't worry, beach happy

Welcome summer! If you’ve been outside this week, then you know temperatures are warming. Very soon, we will be immersed in the swampy humidity of the Mid-Atlantic.

What is a resident of DC to do? Leave the city, of course!

Summer vacation brings much needed time off from school, work and schedules. Put a pause on life to relax, enjoy time with friends and family, and get away from everyday life.

When the environment and the schedules change, having a plan to keep up exercise and your physical therapy routine is important. As James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, would say, “You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.” And system #1 is to have a plan or to put something on a schedule to make sure it gets done!

Of note, vacation can also be a time to NOT do any scheduled or planned exercise. It is your time to recharge, forget all your responsibilities and eat more ice cream.

However, if you are dealing with active pain symptoms or have an important goal (ie. a marathon) then keeping up some exercise is necessary. I surveyed the Joe Norton Physical Therapy team for their recommendations on moving well and often while on vacation. Here is our advice:

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1. Do not exercise on travel days. They will be stressful and busy. Accept they will be a day off.

2. If you don’t have access to equipment or cannot get to a gym, walking is an excellent alternative.

3. Focus on exercises that do not need equipment: bodyweight, core and mobility drills.

4. Break up the exercise. Instead of doing a 30 minute session, do multiple five minute sessions throughout the day. Better yet, each time you go for a cocktail try doing 10 squats.

5. Do what you can. Instead of doing all your exercises, try to do 25 to 50% of them. Something is always better than nothing

6. Make time for the exercise. If you have babies or toddlers, exercise during nap time. If the family is heading to the beach or for ice cream, walk, run, or bike to meet them there. Designate a time of day that will be for exercise and see if anyone wants to join you.

If you need help with exercise while away, let us know. We would be happy to put together a simple, yet effective, routine you can enjoy while away from home!

Be safe and have a great summer!


Warmly,

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Joe