Seconding this whole thread from rydra_wong, but especially this last bit^.
You know how similar exercises can have a variety of benefits depending how you do them? For instance, you can build cardio-respiratory fitness, or muscular endurance, or muscular strength, or explosive speed/power, or precision control, or range-of-motion/flexibility, or balance, or postural alignment, or proprioception, or some other things I can't think of right now, or pretty often a few of these at the same time but never all of them at once (because multitasking to that degree is not possible and some of the functions oppose each other)...?
It helps me to remember that ego-satisfying fast/hard/heavy/impressive workouts only give some of the benefits of exercise. The other benefits require the other kind of work: slow, careful, gentle, light, basic (or as I'd rather say, foundational). This end of the spectrum can be surprisingly challenging to work on. Mentally and emotionally, of course-- it often isn't as ego-gratifying, especially for folks who've soaked up the "no pain no gain, go big or go home" propaganda, and isn't as exciting, attention-focusing, endorphin-producing as moving faster or harder. But also, the slow/gentle/basic end of the spectrum can be physically more challenging. Especially if done with maintaining effective mechanics and alignment throughout, and not relying on momentum or rebound effects.
Need a convincing illustration? Do a set of pushups (I think I remember that pushups are a thing you can do? any variation is fine-- traditional, from the knees, against the wall, whatever; howevermany is a set for you). That's your "typical exercise." Then take 30 seconds to do just one pushup (again, whatever flavor you do) with perfect form, OR hold in plank position (if your pushup flavor is against the wall, hold at the bottom of your wall pushup, with elbows at 90 degrees). That's your "easy" exercise. Then lay down flat on your back or belly and take slow breaths for another 30 seconds. That's your "boring rest" which may feel anything but boring after the 2 minutes immediately prior. Altogether, you've had about 3 minutes of exercise; this is "low dose"...but you'll probably feel it the next day, and give you fitness benefits if you repeat it a few times a week.
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You know how similar exercises can have a variety of benefits depending how you do them? For instance, you can build cardio-respiratory fitness, or muscular endurance, or muscular strength, or explosive speed/power, or precision control, or range-of-motion/flexibility, or balance, or postural alignment, or proprioception, or some other things I can't think of right now, or pretty often a few of these at the same time but never all of them at once (because multitasking to that degree is not possible and some of the functions oppose each other)...?
It helps me to remember that ego-satisfying fast/hard/heavy/impressive workouts only give some of the benefits of exercise. The other benefits require the other kind of work: slow, careful, gentle, light, basic (or as I'd rather say, foundational). This end of the spectrum can be surprisingly challenging to work on. Mentally and emotionally, of course-- it often isn't as ego-gratifying, especially for folks who've soaked up the "no pain no gain, go big or go home" propaganda, and isn't as exciting, attention-focusing, endorphin-producing as moving faster or harder. But also, the slow/gentle/basic end of the spectrum can be physically more challenging. Especially if done with maintaining effective mechanics and alignment throughout, and not relying on momentum or rebound effects.
Need a convincing illustration? Do a set of pushups (I think I remember that pushups are a thing you can do? any variation is fine-- traditional, from the knees, against the wall, whatever; howevermany is a set for you). That's your "typical exercise." Then take 30 seconds to do just one pushup (again, whatever flavor you do) with perfect form, OR hold in plank position (if your pushup flavor is against the wall, hold at the bottom of your wall pushup, with elbows at 90 degrees). That's your "easy" exercise. Then lay down flat on your back or belly and take slow breaths for another 30 seconds. That's your "boring rest" which may feel anything but boring after the 2 minutes immediately prior. Altogether, you've had about 3 minutes of exercise; this is "low dose"...but you'll probably feel it the next day, and give you fitness benefits if you repeat it a few times a week.
tl;dr : "Easy" isn't easy--and it's good for you.