To Get to Point B from Where You’re At You’ll Need Directions but Preferably a Map

​​Traveling isn’t just picking up and going. Without a set destination, this is best classified as wandering. You can always church it up a bit and call it exploring, but to be on a journey you have to have a destination, or at least a direction, before you can get on down the road. The same need for direction applies to our fitness journeys. Without some sort of goal (do 10 push-ups, walk a mile, touch your toes etc.), your just burning energy. Although “just get moving” is step 1, it should never be the last step for anyone. So, once you have a goal in mind, here comes step 2: “figuring out the best route.”  The easiest route somewhere is the familiar one, but if you haven’t been then you’ll have to rely on outsider information. This is when the source of your directions, or map, becomes very important.   ​
In physical travel you rely on a trusted source or a Cartographer (a professional map maker) to highlight the best routes to your destination. Anyone’s directions could be great but the best bet is the cartographer because making maps is their actual profession.  Take a second and think—would you rather “go to the tree and turn right” or use Google maps and make to the front door by 8:41pm? Now let’s apply this situation to fitness and there is an immediate conundrum: just who do you ask for directions or a map to reach your fitness goals? Some top answers are the internet/Google, an old sports coach, in shape friend, church pastor, kind of in shape co-worker, and your spouse. Now don’t get me wrong; all of these sources have some possibility of giving you directions that can get close to your goal, but the probability of success will be higher with the map maker, aka fitness professional. Because there are so many sources for directions on your fitness journey here are few that will help you reach your goal in a hurry:

• Exercises Books and Publications – Books and magazine articles are a great source for fitness directions. You can easily order online, purchase at a store, or even check out from your local library multiple titles on reaching a goal that interest you. Magazines provide new goal-specific input monthly to help you discover alternate ways to keep on track and are inexpensive. Both are portable and list additional text within the reading that will build your knowledge of how to get to where you’re going.              
• Fitness Websites , Blogs, Forums, Research Articles– The web is another wonderful source for directions that can be even more specific than books or magazine articles. The web allows us to research our specific goals in great detail and speed. There are a number of dedicate pages, and groups that allow for personal interaction with others who are travelling in the same direction. There is a ton of information to be found online but traveler should beware that it isn’t all credible. With more input comes more variation in the directions so compare suggestions as they come and use them to find your own way.            
• Fitness Instructor – The fitness professional (Fit Pro) or in our case the basic map maker, will always be your best bet for specific directions to your destination. The Fit Pro has training in making personally tailored directions that get right to the goal and even take into account the type of scenery you want to see along the way. The personal maps aren’t free but the fee is worth it because there is less personal planning and more focus on personal effort. Find out how to start for free at k2body.com/3forfree.  
• Specialized Personal Fitness Professional - If you have a specific need to be addressed before you travel, or monitored while you’re in motion, then employing a specialty fitness map maker will be the way to go. No matter if you’re dealing with a previous injury(knee/shoulder surgeries), disease (cardiac, pulmonary, muscular, internal), birth ailment (wheel chair, mental needs), or in a certain stage of life (elderly, pregnant, youth) there are certified Fit Pros that can design a map just for you.                

​Let’s retrace these beginning fitness steps. “Step 1” is to get up and start moving—remember activity by any means necessary. This initial physical activity builds your personal understanding of what you can do, want to do, and want to be able to do. The next foot hole, or “Step 2,” is for you to choose a direction of travel. Once you’re familiar with your body and its capabilities you’ll be able to mark areas of performance you want to improve. This is a great way to set reasonable personal goals. With these two steps forward, you have taken care of much of the guess work in your fitness travels, and can now take one of the previous four navigational suggestions to plan out the most interesting route to your goal. Mix and match any of these fitness sources for additional input on possible fun detours and unexpected route changes to make sure you can always get back on track. Having a destination will increase your chances of getting the right information, because you can’t go to the second line unless you know where the second line is at.
 
Stay Active, Stay Strong