Winter has gone and with it the layers of clothing hiding our imperfections. New Gym memberships peak at this time of year, bicycles and surfboards get dusted off,  walking tracks fill up, garden clean-ups and make overs are heralded by the buzz of mowers and chain saws and camp grounds fill up too- all of these things have one thing in common, the use of dormant muscles that let you know they have not been used for months.

Whether improved fitness is your goal or simply the by-product of having fun it is sensible to have a realistic approach and plan to avoid injury and other misadventure.

*It only takes a few days after exercise to start losing physical condition, don’t restart exercise or sport at the level you last did it, start modestly and gradually work up to where you want to be.

* If you like exercising outdoors doing it at the hottest part of the day not only increases the risk of dehydration and sunburn it saps your energy faster and therefore limits the time you can spend doing it and achieving the results you seek.

*Running is free and a fast way to achieve weight loss and cardio fitness, doing it on grass and sand is way friendlier on your joints than running on roads and pavement, an injury to your knee or calf muscle can set you back weeks or even months.

*All continents except for Antarctica have a tic population, Lyme disease can seriously effect your energy levels for years after you get it, whether you are gardening or in the bush insect repellant, protective clothing and sticking to the beaten track will help you enjoy Spring and Summer alot more.

Whatever extra  physical activity you undertake listen to what your body tells you, sometimes we can stubbornly work through the pain barrier and find we are ok afterwards, sometimes after the body’s own pain-killers wear off a few hours later we can be full of pain and regret….alcohol can mask the damage too!

Getting a massage is  good preparation for Spring, I get regular massage and I invariably discover muscles that I did not realise were stiff or sore, the massage not only helps prime the muscles for exercise, it acts as an early warning system- stiff muscles tear more easily.

It is often wise if you are unsure where to start to get some professional instruction if you want to get fit, it is not wise to assume that the exercises you did playing junior sport are still going to work for you now (men are particularly bad offenders at doing this).

*Google the exercise and fitness sites, do some research.

*An instructor close to your own age may have better insight and understanding about what will work for you than a younger instructor who has never had to cope with age related injury before.

*The best exercise regimes should include cardio, resistance and stretching exercises.

*Be consistent and be patient for results.