Interval training has been the basis for athletic training routines for years. The first forms of interval training, called “fartlek” involved alternating short, fast bursts of intensive exercise with slow, easy activity. Fartlek was casual, unstructured training that perfectly fit its English translation: “speed play.”
A re-cap of my Chelan Man Try-A Tri race based on pictures my sister took of the day…
9:00 I’m posing for pictures with family and friends, loving on my daughter telling her how much I love her. She’s telling me how funny I look in my wet suit and cap but that I’m strong and I’m gonna win. We’re watching the younger age groups start and many are getting pulled from the water before making the first corner, the water is rough and on nerves. My nerves seemed to be calm, I’m happy to be finally at the starting line, ready and anxious to be out there giving it all I’ve got!
We have all seen the advertisements, whether it be in Muscle and Fitness or at GNC, claiming they will increase performance, decrease recovery time, and promote muscle growth. But how much of this is true? Many of the supplements out there today rely highly on celebrity endorsements and mass marketing rather than solid scientific evidence. I recently read an article (Nitric Oxide Supplements for Sports) in the Strength and Conditioning Journal that proposed the question, how much science is behind these products? It was shocking to find out that with the exception of only one study, there is no published scientific studies to show that the dietary supplements currently marketed as “nitric oxide stimulators” have proven efficacy. So why are they so popular? It is in our nature to always be looking for that faster, better or easier way to achieve our goals. Next time you look through a fitness magazine keep a tally of how many advertisements are crammed in between those pages. This isn’t to say that all supplements out there are sugar pills, but be sure to ask yourself a couple questions before forking out your hard earned cash.
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It seems like once the nice weather comes around, everyone forgets all the hard work they have put in over the winter months gaining muscular strength and endurance. Some things that you should be thinking about if you are considering or have already fallen off the resistance training wagon are that if you do not use your muscles…it is certain that you will lose them, no questions asked, and it only takes a few short weeks to lose some the strength you have worked so hard to achieve previously. So, do yourself a favor and don’t negate what you have already put so much time and effort in to.
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Knowing that a trainer in the past was able to help me reach my goals and kept me motivated to keep trying, it seemed logical when I was feeling the need for an extra push to hire a trainer again. I’ve been fortunate to call Cara, our Gold’s Gym Stretch Therapist as my personal trainer. This past month, she has taken me thru work outs that are both physically and mentally challenging, but always full of fun.
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While most of you are tucked in bed and sound asleep this coming Saturday morning I will be wide awake and stretching for my next run. Once 7am strikes the clock and the gun is fired I will take off on my next journey. This is my second half-marathon that I will be participating in this year and I am so excited! I will be running from Tukwila,WA to Seattle,WA. You run along the water, freeway and even into downtown Seattle. I can only imagine how beautiful it’s going to be. I want to be very honest when I write these blogs so; I want to share a little secret with all of you and especially the ones who tell me they can’t run.
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So I definitely give two thumbs up to this Personal Performance Challenge. Last week were the last days for testing so hopefully none of you missed out! This is a different kind of challenge than the actual Gold’s Gym Challenge but, it’s one that pushes you to your limits and really shows you what you can do! This is perfect for those who want to continue on! I honestly didn’t think the testing would be as tough as it was and I was pretty tired by the end of it. There were five parts to it and you got a minute for each test with a two minute rest in between.
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This weekend I was out and about when I got stopped by someone to chat and during our conversation they asked me why I had a trainer when it seemed like I had enough motivation to keep going on my own. This lead me to my blog topic for the week and I think this is honestly one of the easiest things for me to talk about because I would recommend to everyone that they have a trainer. First of all I do understand that not everyone can afford to have a trainer. However, think of all the money you blow going out to eat all the time, going to happy hour, buying a coffee everyday or even stopping at the store to grab something. All these things add up and I’m not even going to mention all the calories you’re wracking up! This is how I compare the cost, for me, I think I’m actually saving money!
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I’ve come to realize that the one place I love most in the world is the place that most people are horribly terrified of. I am not sure why but I’ve noticed that almost everyone I’ve brought in has this preconceived idea that only people with perfect bodies are allowed to set foot into Gold’s. The more I thought about it and tried to see where they got that idea from that just lead me back to the first time I worked out at Gold’s. Thinking back I guess I was just like everyone else. I didn’t think there would be people my size in there walking around and I also thought that if I worked out for a few months I’d have a perfect body. Definitely wrong on both accounts! What is a perfect body now days anyway? Everyone has their own idea or dream of what they want their body to look like. All that matters is that you’re happy with how you look. The people walking around Gold’s are not all perfectly fit but they all have that one goal in mind – they want to be healthy! There are people there of all shapes, sizes and age.
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Has the recent cool weather had you guessing when summer is coming? It has me, but on Sunday I found myself outdoors actually glad it was a bit overcast. I’ve been wanting to get out and take in some training advice given by a friend, “go hiking, it’ll help build your cardio.” So, I invited another friend to help tackle Sage Hill trail. (I’m embarrassed to admit, until just recently I didn’t know this hike even existed! What rock have I been living under?)
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