I have been running a fair amount lately. I have always liked to go out for a run, for different reasons. Sometimes it is the perfect opportunity to blow off steam without much peripheral damage and little preparation. Sometimes it is a great way to get out and explore the world around me. Often going out for a run works as a meditation and allows me to let go of the clutter in my brain.
Some friends and I were recently having a conversation about the mental preparation for a long run and we realized that it really has little to do with the distance. For example if we are going out for a five mile run, that is often what our heads will allow; a 20 mile run is no different. It is just a matter of setting the bar at a certain level and reaching it.
On a recent Sunday I went out for a run with a certain distance and time in my head. Close to the junction where I would head toward home, I decided to keep going and make the run a bit longer. It was a beautiful morning and it felt wonderful to be out, see the possibility of spring and to sweat a little. About a mile down the road, about when I would have started to walk if I had gone straight home, I started to feel a bit fatigued. I kept on, thinking about the mental bar, and before long I felt great again.
For the last few miles of my run I thought about how the mental plateau of a run transferred into the bigger picture of my life. I realized it is easy to get through life in a series of “5 mile runs”. A 5 mile run will get you into shape and feel pretty rewarding; but at some point a 5 mile run is comfortable. This plays into life as well. I realized that over the last few months I have set the bar for my personal goals at about 5 miles so to speak. I am getting by. Nothing is really suffering but nothing is really thriving either; things are comfortable, I am in shape but not improving. I am realizing that I need to raise the mileage bar in my life and push my comfort zone a little. Think about it; where is the mileage bar set in your life? Is it at a comfortable place or just out of reach so you are constantly pushing to improve?
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The Power of 3
Three is a great number for working out. I break many of my strength training workouts into groups of 3. Here is one set of 3 to start off a Power of 3 workout!
Warm up for a few minutes to begin and grab a water bottle!
1. Forward & Back Lunge - With or without weight. Stand with feet hip distance apart and parallel, your shoulders down and back, your spine in neutral and your core engaged. Begin reaching forward with your right foot and coming into a front lunge, engage your core and the hamstrings and glutes of your supporting leg and lift your right knee, without putting your foot on the ground, reach the right leg to the back into a reverse lunge. Engage your muscles, lift the knee and lower into a forward lunge. The foot will not return to the starting position until you complete 10 repetitions. 1 Lunge forward, 1 lunge back = 1 repetition. After 10, return your foot to center and begin with the left leg. Great as a body weight exercise!
To increase the challenge, hold a dumbbell at chest height when you lunge, press the dumbbell overhead, keeping your shoulders down and away from you ears, as you lift the knee and switch the lunge, lower the dumbbell as you lunge, press with the knee lift!
2. Alternating Toe Touch - Begin on your back with your legs extended and your arms extended out to the side. Engage your core and with an exhale, lift your head, neck and shoulders off the ground and lifting your right leg, reach your left hand toward your right leg, inhale to lower and switch sides. Repeat for 24 reps, 12 on each side.
3. Side Plank Push-Up - Begin in plank position, the up position of a push-up with your shoulders stacked above your wrists and dropped away from your ears, your core engaged and the muscles in your legs engaged reaching back through your heels. Lower into a push-up with an inhale of your breath, on a exhale, press up and rotate into the side plank position extending your right arm to the sky. Return the arm to the floor, rotate back into plank and do a push-up. Exhale up and rotate into a side plank on the other side, extending your left arm. Return to plank and repeat. Feel free to do these on your knees! Repeat for 4-8 repetitions and remember to keep your core engaged and not allow your back to sag!
The power of 3! Repeat this set of 3 exercises 3 times, have fun and drink a lot of water!
Warm up for a few minutes to begin and grab a water bottle!
1. Forward & Back Lunge - With or without weight. Stand with feet hip distance apart and parallel, your shoulders down and back, your spine in neutral and your core engaged. Begin reaching forward with your right foot and coming into a front lunge, engage your core and the hamstrings and glutes of your supporting leg and lift your right knee, without putting your foot on the ground, reach the right leg to the back into a reverse lunge. Engage your muscles, lift the knee and lower into a forward lunge. The foot will not return to the starting position until you complete 10 repetitions. 1 Lunge forward, 1 lunge back = 1 repetition. After 10, return your foot to center and begin with the left leg. Great as a body weight exercise!
To increase the challenge, hold a dumbbell at chest height when you lunge, press the dumbbell overhead, keeping your shoulders down and away from you ears, as you lift the knee and switch the lunge, lower the dumbbell as you lunge, press with the knee lift!
2. Alternating Toe Touch - Begin on your back with your legs extended and your arms extended out to the side. Engage your core and with an exhale, lift your head, neck and shoulders off the ground and lifting your right leg, reach your left hand toward your right leg, inhale to lower and switch sides. Repeat for 24 reps, 12 on each side.
3. Side Plank Push-Up - Begin in plank position, the up position of a push-up with your shoulders stacked above your wrists and dropped away from your ears, your core engaged and the muscles in your legs engaged reaching back through your heels. Lower into a push-up with an inhale of your breath, on a exhale, press up and rotate into the side plank position extending your right arm to the sky. Return the arm to the floor, rotate back into plank and do a push-up. Exhale up and rotate into a side plank on the other side, extending your left arm. Return to plank and repeat. Feel free to do these on your knees! Repeat for 4-8 repetitions and remember to keep your core engaged and not allow your back to sag!
The power of 3! Repeat this set of 3 exercises 3 times, have fun and drink a lot of water!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Blast the New Year Workout!
Remember how much fun a jump rope used to bring? Now is the time to conjure up all fond jump roping memories and bring them into your workout! So, find a jump rope, a stability ball and a water bottle, this is fun!
Stability ball push-up & knee-up
Begin with your body in plank position, the up-phase of a push-up, with your feet on the ball. Stack your shoulders above your wrists, point your fingers forward, drop your shoulders away from your ears and engage your core, no back sagging! Bend your elbows, keeping your spine straight, lower into the down phase of the push-up, press up and repeat for 8-10 repetitions.
After the last push-up, remain in the up phase and roll your knees toward your chest using your core muscles. Extend your legs, 1 repetition. Repeat for 10 repetitions. Lower your knees and press back into child’s pose to rest.
Grab your jump-rope! Check the time and skip rope for 1 minute. Work hard, the minute will go by quickly, sort of. Be mindful of your core and keep your muscles engaged as you skip.
Sumo squat w/side leg lift
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart with your toes pointing out. Drop your shoulders and engage your core. With your chest up, bend your knees into a squat. As you straighten your knees to stand, lift your right leg to the side, lower the leg, coming back into the squat and lift your left leg to the side as you stand. Continue the motion, squat, side leg lift right, squat, side leg lift left, repeat for 24 repetitions; 12 reps per leg.
Jump rope, 1 minute.
Repeat the entire sequence for a total of 3-5 sets.
Have fun, drink lots of water and stretch when you have finished.
Stability ball push-up & knee-up
Begin with your body in plank position, the up-phase of a push-up, with your feet on the ball. Stack your shoulders above your wrists, point your fingers forward, drop your shoulders away from your ears and engage your core, no back sagging! Bend your elbows, keeping your spine straight, lower into the down phase of the push-up, press up and repeat for 8-10 repetitions.
After the last push-up, remain in the up phase and roll your knees toward your chest using your core muscles. Extend your legs, 1 repetition. Repeat for 10 repetitions. Lower your knees and press back into child’s pose to rest.
Grab your jump-rope! Check the time and skip rope for 1 minute. Work hard, the minute will go by quickly, sort of. Be mindful of your core and keep your muscles engaged as you skip.
Sumo squat w/side leg lift
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart with your toes pointing out. Drop your shoulders and engage your core. With your chest up, bend your knees into a squat. As you straighten your knees to stand, lift your right leg to the side, lower the leg, coming back into the squat and lift your left leg to the side as you stand. Continue the motion, squat, side leg lift right, squat, side leg lift left, repeat for 24 repetitions; 12 reps per leg.
Jump rope, 1 minute.
Repeat the entire sequence for a total of 3-5 sets.
Have fun, drink lots of water and stretch when you have finished.
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