View Larger Image Just as you prepare your clay to be molded, shaped, and thrown, you also need to prepare your body in order to prevent pain in your neck, shoulders, elbows, and especially your wrists and hands.

July 25, 2007

How Exercise Can Make You a Better Potter

by Ceramic Arts Daily | Read Comments (0)

In the last issue of Ceramic Arts Daily, you saw how exercise can pay off in the studio and what you should consider when beginning an exercise program. Today, you'll see that exercising doesn't have to mean spending all your time at your local gym, pumping iron and doing everything BUT pottery. You'll also see how spending a little time away from the studio can actually help you to extend the time you spend in it.

When it comes to exercising, you have choices
Will you exercise at home or at a fitness center? Selecting a fitness center can be a challenge, but you may find the community support motivational. Exercising at home, however, may be more convenient, and the added flexibility to workout when you want to might help you stick with your exercise routine. But there are things to consider: Will you need any special equipment? Do you have the space for exercise equipment? Do you even need to buy a room full of equipment to get a good workout? And there's the clincher. You don't need to go to the gym or buy a room full of weights and exercise equipment to get in shape by exercising. Adding exercise to your day can be as simple--and enjoyable--as a walk through the woods with your family.

But whatever activity you choose, and wherever you choose to do it, make sure you take it easy. Exercise intelligently and cautiously, and follow some guidelines for beginners:

1. Proceed with caution. Anyone beginning an exercise regimen should begin slowly. Allow yourself to get used to the strain of physical activity. As your body adjusts, you'll be able to increase the duration and intensity of your program. If you feel any discomfort, stop exercising and consult your doctor.
2. Dress comfortably in loose-fitting clothing. Wear the appropriate footwear. Consider the weather. If the temperature and humidity are extreme, either too high or too low, physical exertion may be dangerous.
3. Begin with a "warm-up" session. Stretch muscles slowly to avoid injury during the actual exercise. Get your respiration, circulation, and body temperature to increase by beginning with some low-impact exercises. Your warm-up should last about three to five minutes.
4. Begin the actual exercise phase at a moderate intensity. The duration will build cardiovascular fitness. Don't overexert yourself. If you exercise regularly, you'll be able to lengthen the time and increase the intensity. While you're exercising, you should feel your heart beating faster. You should be breathing more rapidly and deeply, yet still be able to carry on a conversation. You should begin to sweat. These are ways that your system responds to the challenges of exercise.
5. End with a "cool down" session. Spend a few minutes walking slowly to let your body gradually decrease itself. Just as you needed to gradually begin to exercise, you need to gradually begin to rest.
6. Plan for your next exercise session. Commit to it. In order for exercise to be truly effective, it must become a regular part of your routine. Cardiovascular fitness needs to be maintained.
7. Exercise should improve your health, not risk it.

If you're still making excuses for not exercising--or are hesitant about spending time away from the studio exercising and sweating, at least try some of these simple, realistic everyday activities that can become the first step toward a healthier tomorrow:

• Take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator at school, the office or the mall. Just start with one flight. Soon, you'll be ready for two.
• Park your car at the far end of the parking lot. The short walk to and from the store or school helps your heart.
• If you ride a bus or subway, get off a stop before your destination. Walk the rest of the way.
• If you can, spend a few minutes of your lunch break taking a stroll. An added benefit here is a brisk walk can even help you stay awake after lunch.
• Think of housework as an extra chance to exercise. Vacuuming briskly can be a real workout.
• Mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, and raking leaves are also chores that can add up to more opportunities to exercise.
• If you have a dog, think of the dog as an exercise machine with fur. A brisk walk with the dog is good for both of your hearts. Make it a part of your daily routine.
• Schedule an after-dinner walk. If you have a family, make it quality time for everyone.

Once you develop carpal tunnel syndrome or other ailments associated with inactivity or using improper form--while sitting at the potter's wheel, for example--you will always have a tendency toward them. By exercising and taking precautions now before symptoms develop, you stand a better chance at being able to practice pottery for many years to come.