Are You an Exercise Perfectionist?
While plenty of people struggle to exercise on a regular basis, there is another group of people (or "freaks" as my husband calls us) who actually struggle to take breaks from exercise. For this type of exerciser, completing every workout with 100% effort is the norm. In fact, working at 100% is something this exerciser comes to expect.
But what happens when he catches a cold, or he doesn't sleep well or he's just tired? He may still push himself to the usual levels of intensity despite the fact that his body (and, perhaps, his mind) just isn't up for it. That can lead to unsatisfying workouts, poor performance and a feeling of failure. Over a period of time, it could lead to other problems such as overtraining, depression and burnout.
If you're an exercise perfectionist, you may find it hard to back off of your workouts or take recovery days. You may expect nothing less than perfection, even when perfection is out of reach. You may constantly worry about failure and ignore even your smallest successes.
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Are you an exercise perfectionist? If you're not sure you can take this quiz to, perhaps get some insight into what makes you tick.
Be sure to leave a comment and tell us about your perfectionist tendencies and how you overcome them.
I try to do all the movements the proper way sometimes to perfection. I try to isolate the exact muscle that i want to work and not cheat.
I’m definitely an exercise perfectionist. And I definitely don’t overcome it. To be honest, as a former obese person, I love that I’m an exercise fanatic and I LOVE the lift to my mood every day. Why would I want to overcome the perfectionist attitude. On days that I’ve been sick, I do allow the intensity to drop but the duration ends up extending so I reach my mileage minimum. Anyway, I think it’s a good thing.
Absolutely I used to be.
Now I enjoy my workouts even when I’m tired.
Exercise should make a person healthy – not insane
For a few years after I resumed a regular workout program, I would say I was an exercise nut. I pushed myself as hard as possible to maximize my heart rate, and I was rigid about following the same routine and not missing a single workout.
I have since revised my attitude and now practice flexibility, and adjusting my workout according to muscle/ankle soreness, and yes, occasionally skipping a workout. My weak ankle pretty much dictates one day off a week.
The ankle condition is exacerbated by a Keys CG2 elliptical machine with a partially broken magnetic brake. The elliptical imposes a much higher resistance level than designed. The Keys elliptical machine is our second brand-new machine; both units had the mag brake break down in the same manner after 15 months. The company has since filed for bankruptcy, and the replacement part is not available, even through the company now responsible for warranty and repairs.
Bottom line is that I am not getting any younger (60+ years), and need to periodically re-evaluate my physical status and reset my goals accordingly.
I don’t think I’m an exercise perfectionist, but I am a fanatic. That means I try to exercise nearly every day, with cardio 4 or 5 times a week, some weight training 3 or 4o times a week, and hot yoga 3 or 4 times a week. Yes that does mean some days I do 2 out of those 3, but that kind of cross-training is fine, even recommended. The challenge comes when I am travelling, as I am right now, and I have to work harder to get the sessions in – I always try to stay in hotels that have fitness facilities, but when I can’t (such as right now), I make up for it with running (which I do carefully because of a bad knee), and some body weight exercises. I think if I were a perfectionist I would go nuts, with the amount I travel. I have to say that the major preventive against perfectionism is the yoga, where I am clearly far from the most perfect practicioner, and the instructor emphasises often that this is yoga “practice” not yoga “perfect”. Some humbling is very worthwhile.
Well, you could say exercise is somewhat of an obsession. The endorphin high is just so desirable, however I have the problem of exercising a wee bit too much, for when I had gastro I continued to workout. Now I am underweight – but I am now working myself back up.
There are many different reasons to exercise regularly. Ask ten people why they work out, and you’ll get several different answers. I think of myself as a “gym rat.” I aim for five days a week; cardio all five days and weights four days. I work with a trainer one day a week. My goals are: keep my weight stable (more than twenty pounds off since I began five years ago); keep my aging (I’m 68) bones calcified and those muscles functioning; maintain good health; and relieve stress. But I am not the fanatic I was when I began. I miss a workout now and then. Sometimes I feel guilty about that; most times not. Twice a year the Lady and I take a week to get away from everything. My body welcomes the rest. I’ve got a heart condition that tells me to take a break when my breathing gets too labored, so I do. My cardiologist says that people with my type of heart abnormality should not lift weights. I do anyway, but I don’t go for Olympic numbers. I am definitely not a perfectionist. I think of my workouts as “life support.” Can’t imagine my life without the gym.
I do tend to over-train. I have come to realize that recovery is part of my workout routine. I always have a “plan B” — if I am swimming on a particular day, but my upper body is sore from a previous weight-training session, I’ll switch my workout to a day on the bike or elliptical machine. If I get a cold and have no energy, I’ll take a walk instead of a run. I use a heart rate monitor not only to make sure I have a HIT workout a couple days a week, but also a couple easy days, keeping my heart rate at 60-70% on recovery days. I do triathlon plus my job is teaching water aerobics, so it’s easy for me to overdo. As any body builder knows, it’s on your rest days that your muscles make repairs and gains, after a hard workout the day before, which is why you shouldn’t work the same muscle group two days in a row (not counting crash training). Nutrition also plays a huge role and can cut recovery time down significantly.