Fit Milwaukee » cross training

Being Held Back: The Dilemma of Rest

Anne — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

“We need coaches to prescribe rest rather than workload, as athletes will always overdose.” –Jureg Feldman, FACT Canada

“You need to take two full rest days immediately.”

My trainer was scolding me! I couldn’t believe I was hearing this — again. I thought to myself, I’m running less, like he asked. I’m cross-training MORE, like he said. I even have biceps from doing nearly 30 straight days of workouts! He should be impressed!

I could feel my skin getting warm. I felt ashamed of myself for not being able to do more and ‘get away with it’. He could see it on my face, yet he continued to lecture me. He asked me honestly why I am afraid of a rest day. Is it because I am afraid I will lose all the I’ve worked for and gain 100 lbs back because of too much rest? I replied that that’s part of it, but it’s also that I feel this need to cross something off my list every day. That workout is one thing I know I can do, and do right. The satisfaction I get can’t be gained from RESTING.

When I rest, it feels like everything is on hold. I feel like someone hit the pause button on my progress and growth, and I’m not getting any better that day. When in fact, all the gains we make from our workouts are made when we are resting and recovering. In my case, my heart rate was incredibly high, a sure sign of overtraining. My heart couldn’t repair itself when it hadn’t had a rest day in 30 days. My heart. I need my heart! I took those two rest days, plus some.

The dilemma for athletes isn’t that we can’t and won’t do more. We’ll do it all, if you ask us. We’ll run every damn day, each one harder than the next. We’ll push it with two-a-days, always rise to the occasion, and we cannot say no to a challenge.

Our bodies will pay the price for it. We’ll suffer injuries, fatigue, burnout.

My solution: in order to be able to FEEL like I did something to better myself on my rest days, I decided to stretch really well on those days. I’ll warm my body up just a bit, and then stretch it out. I can ‘check’ that off my list and try to remind myself I’m getting better that day.

How do you react to being ‘held back’? Is it hard to take a rest day? Does anyone remind you to get the rest you need?

Inspiration via Pinterest

Tracey — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Everybody’s talking about Pinterest lately. Amy mentioned it a while back on this blog too. When I initially signed up I got really into pinning motivational fitness photos and mantras. (You can check out my board here.) Lately though when I scroll through people’s fitness pins, my eye has been drawn to all the mini-circuit workouts that are being posted. For example:

Source: thinfithot.tumblr.com via Kathy on Pinterest

I’ve been stuck at home with a sick kid or two a number of times this winter. Each time that has happened I’ve had to motivate myself to get in my workout in a less than ideal environment. I get bored doing the same dvds over and over again but I also need a “plan of action” when I exercise at home otherwise I’ll get distracted by chores, children or the couch/dvr combo. So I started nabbing different circuits that I found on Pinterest and trying them out and after a little while I was inspired to start creating my own combinations. Here’s a super short one I made up for fun one night:

50 Jumping Jacks
40 Squats
30 Bicycle Crunches (Right + Left = 1 rep)
20 Static Lunges (20 right AND 20 left)
10 Push Ups

Do this series THREE times through. If you’re feeling feisty, change the push ups to burpees.

On paper it looks simple enough, but just doing short cardio circuits like these for 15-20 mintues raises your heart rate and you’ll work up a pretty decent sweat. Not bad for when you’re busy and don’t have a lot of time to spare!

Are you on Pinterest? Are you inspired by the fitness boards too?

Join Team FitMKE at the Fight for Air Climb

Anne — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Have you ever considered climbing to the top of the US Bank building? You know, the tallest building of Milwaukee’s skyline? Well it’s time to climb!

US Bank Center

The Fight for Air Climb is 8 weeks away and Fit Milwaukee has started a team. We have 8 weeks to train!

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When I first started running a few years ago, I thought running was everything. After exhausting nearly every type of running event from fun 5k to trail marathon, I decided this is the year to try some other ways to stay fit. The first thing on my radar is the Fight for Air Climb at the US Bank Building.

The Climb is a challenge you can take on as a team or individual, and it takes place on March 17 this year. The event has you climb 47 floors of the US Bank Building, which is 94 flights or roughly 1,034 steps. They say if you can walk a mile, you can do this event.

Fit Milwaukee has started a team and we want you to join us! In order to sign up, head over to the Fight for Air Climb registration page and search for team “Fit Milwaukee”.

Training

In order to prepare for the challenge of all those stairs, you’re probably wondering how to train. Here’s what I think will work best for taking on such a climb:

Make a page/card/spreadsheet/whatever works for you, with three columns:

Strength
Speed/plyometric
Endurance

Then, under each column, list potential workouts (or pieces of workouts). Plot out one or two days a week when you can visit some stairs. Your endurance and strength don’t necessarily need to be done on stairs, and when they are, they don’t need to be the tallest stairs in the city, just enough to be able to do a few flights at a time. When that day comes up on your schedule, you can pick/choose what you want to do from the list.

Mark your calendar off for these training days, alternating which type you do. You can rotate through the types of workouts in a 1,2,3 pattern, or mix it up. I feel that as long as you have the endurance down, the rest will come with a few sessions. You may be doing some of the stuff already!

1. Strength

This workout isn’t “explosive”, just repetitive strength movements that you should be able to do for 30 mins or more. Mix up a good routine of squats and lunges to build up your leg strength. Of course, strong abs and upper body will help you pull yourself up using the handrail, so pushups, dips, and planks will help you there. Try a bootcamp, build your own workout using Gain Fitness, or challenge yourself to the 30 Day Shred.

2. Speed/Plyo

This workout will give you fast feet, and it won’t take long. Start with 2-3 mins of explosive work (surrounded by a warmup/cooldown). Each week, add a minute or a few flights of stair sprints.

Stair stuff:

Run stair repeats: run up a few flights as fast as you possibly can, then walk/jog down. repeat for 10-15 minutes. (do a warmup and cool down)

Other stuff, do for a minute at a time and build from there:
Jump rope: (regular, on one foot, alternating feet, double jump rope, or rock star jumps)
High knees: Think of it as running in place, bringing your knees up to about hip level. Tilt your pelvis forward and push!
Butt kickers: Run in place but literally kick yourself in the butt.
Hackey sacking: Run in place, but kick your foot up and in, toward your opposite hip, and tap it with your hand. Alternate feet. It will kind of look like you’re playing the drums.

3. Endurance

Hit the stairs, just climb. A lot. Up, down, up, down, up, down. The endurance stuff SHOULD take you 30 minutes or more. If you’re a runner, your long runs cover some aspect of endurance, but you still want to get your body used to the repetitive climbing. So find some stairs, climb up, and alternate between taking the elevator down (better for the knees) and walking down (it’s good to do the opposite motion of climbing, for balance in your muscles). Now climb up again. Take your time, find a nice even pace. Worry about speed only on the speed days, and your climbing will gradually improve on its own as you become more fit. Once a week should do it for this endurance workout.

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So, do you feel confident that you could climb 1,034 steps by March 17th?

Sign up here with Team Fit Milwaukee! —-> Fight for Air Climb registration page

Challenge: 30 Days of 30 Day Shred

Anne — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

We’ve talked about #runstreak and #plankaday, now I’m adding my own daily dose of activity: I’m doing 30 days of the 30 Day Shred. As Jillian says, ‘it’s a little bit old school, but really effective’! I’m about halfway though and I wanted to share my findings so far.

The Shred

I picked up the DVD at Target not really knowing what to expect. I’ve never done a workout in my living room before, and I didn’t think that would work for me. But once I moved some furniture around and got started, I found that it was energetic and fun, and it was over before I knew it! After a few days, I realized it’s actually quite perfect for me and I’m strongly considering quitting my gym membership.

The 30 Day Shred video is $9 at Target, or you can grab it on iTunes or Amazon for a similar price. It’s a series of three 20-minute workouts with three levels of intensity. You’ll need some hand weights – I like 3′s and 5′s, and a mat if you’re on a hard floor.

The Challenge

The reason I’m challenging myself to 30 days is because if I know anything for sure when it comes to fitness or any area of life, it’s that consistency matters. And if I can find something I don’t hate doing, then I’m willing to rock it out until I burn it out. What I really like about it is that it switches up so you do 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs — and that one minute is the longest minute of your life. Now that I’ve made it halfway through I wanted to share what I’ve found so far.

The Levels

I believe you’re supposed to start with Level 1 and do it for 10 days before progressing to Level 2 for 10 days, and so on, but I felt I’d get bored with that pretty quickly. I started on Level 1 the first day, moved to Level 2, and then was afraid to see what was in store for me for Level 3 so I alternated the first 2 levels for the first week. But after that I decided, what the heck, I’ll give Level 3 a shot. It was really challenging but with the baseline I got from getting through 1 and 2, I found that Level 3 got better the second time I tried it.

Here’s a brief breakdown of each level, if you’re interested in what kind of exercises are done in the video.

The Girls

Jillian: She is amazing. A crazy person, but amazing. She really makes me feel like I want to keep working hard. She gets a little nudge in just when I think I want to quit, “Don’t give up on me now. If you want a 20 minute workout, you can’t phone it in. Stay with me! Think about swimsuit shopping!” Or, she’ll be real honest when helping one of the girls, pointing out that she’d love to have abs like that and she’d do just about anything to get them. Well, Jillian’s abs are damn fine but it’s nice to be reminded that everyone has to work hard to get a great body, and everyone has an area they’d like to improve, even if they are a superstar trainer hot-body like Jillian Michaels!

Anita: There are two examples to follow, and my favorite has got to be Anita because although she is shredded and could clearly do all three workouts back to back without breaking a sweat, she shows us the ‘easy’ version of the exercises, going for half the range of motion and altering some of the plyometrics movements to just be regular movements. “If you think you’re gonna die, watch Anita!” It’s nice to follow along with her before I’m comfortable with a move or when I need a break (shh, don’t tell Jillian I took a break!).

Natalie: If you want to follow along with ‘my girl Natalie’ (as Jillian says) wow, more power to you. This girl’s high-knees are through the roof, and her butt-kicks are insane. Mostly though, she just does the full range of motion during each exercise. One thing I just have to call out, though — I find it hard to believe those ladies are using 5lbs dumbbells for every workout. For example, jumping jacks with weights? Those are HARD. Also, (teehee) Natalie totally cheats when Jillian isn’t looking. I giggle when she gets busted not going into a full squat in Level 2.

The Results

Since I’ve been doing the Shred every day, I’ve noticed my thighs trimming down quite a bit, a reduced ‘pooch’ (as Jillian calls it), and my arms and back are starting to see a lot of definition. Some of the more strenuous moves like ‘skaters’ and high knees were too much for me at the beginning and I thought “Well, that’s just something I’m not good at.” A few days later, I’m skating right along with Natalie. Just keep at it.

If you’re doing the 30 Day Challenge, make sure you add in a rest day each week, maybe even 2. I’m making my rest day a light Shred day using no weights or smaller weights, and skipping anything that would burn my muscles or get my heart rate up too high.

Good luck getting shredded!

Feel the Burn: Dance Workout

Tracey — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Recently I’ve begun taking dance classes again after a long (ok, VERY long) hiatus. I was a dance major in college and have come back to it multiple times over the years not only because I just can’t quit it, but because it really is fantastic exercise as well. Now before you stop reading because you’re thinking to youself “I’ll never be a ballerina” or “I’m just not coordinated to take a dance class,” let’s back up a little bit. Right now I’m taking an intermediate level modern/contemporary class at Danceworks on Water Street. But that’s not the class I want to talk about. After a recent session I stayed after to chat with my instructor a bit. Upon hearing that I’m now a runner, she suggested that I might like to take a newer class that they offer called “Dance Workout”. It was described to me as a blend of dance with yoga, Pilates and resistance training- including props, bands and weights. Hey, all things I like! So I decided to try it out.

Photo by kauiwaui. (No, you don't really have to dress like this for class.)

I’m going to be honest. If you’ve never ever done any dancing in your life there’s a chance you might feel a little bit intimidated when you first walk into the studio. Yes, there are ballet barres. Yes you do use them (for a bit, but only for a portion of the class.) However, the instructor I had that day was so welcoming and attentive. She inquired as to what my prior dance experience was and assured me that nothing would be too complex and that she would provide modifications if needed.

But what were the exercises like? Let me just start by saying that the that the woman teaching this class was not kidding around. Although some of the exercise were “dance-y” it wasn’t the bulk of the class. The common thread throughout the hour though was that my behind was buuurnnning. Sure we did ballet exercises like plies and tendus (including a series of pulsing plies that just about killed my quads dead) but we also did about a million leg lifts of all different varieties, front, side and back at the barre and also lying on the ground. This was followed by series of arm exercises with weights and finished up with a series of ab work on the floor and a nice long stretch. I have to admit I kind of smirked at first when I realized my only options were five pound weights, but the repetition of the movement, followed by repetitions, and yes EVEN MORE reps had my arms on fire.

Could you take this class? Yes you could. Were there people with obvious dance experience in the class? Yes. But they weren’t the only people there. My class ranged in age from college students to women in the 50+ age group. And yes, we even had one male in the class. But get this: I overheard one of the more experienced students say on the way out “You’d think after taking this class for three years it would get easier.” You see? If it’s worth doing it’s never easy. Not for anyone. You’ve always got to work for it.

Go try it out!

Where? Danceworks, 1661 N. Water St.

When? Tuesday and Friday morning, Thursday PM or Satuuday AM. Check schedule for times.

How Much? $14 /$12 for morning classes (multi-class packages available)

*Also on the schedule are Hip Hop Workout, Tap Workout and African Dance Workout.

H-I-double-hockeysticks

Anne — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:00:00 +0000

“Hill, what hill?”

That’s what I tell myself when I’m approaching one, anyway.

Whether it’s a ‘NEHOD’ along Lake Drive, (Never Ending Hill of Death, as we like to call it)… or ‘Vomit Hill’ which got its rightful name after a runner vommed after forcing herself to run right up it, or ‘The Wall’ at Lapham Peak, which a fellow runner once told me “I was looking for the ladder to climb up it”… I use the same mental and physical prep.

I shift my focus from gazing straight ahead to looking down at the 3 or 4 feet of personal space on the ground directly in front of me. That way I only see the tiny little section of hill I’m conquering at that time. I don’t have to think about all the hill that lies ahead, just the few steps that are next.

I keep my arms low and to my sides, I shorten my stride, and I slow down a bit. I try to use the same amount of energy I would if I was running fast. I imagine being at the top of the hill, winded, relieved and proud, but not so out of breath that I need to walk.

I keep moving, pushing off with each step with a steady force. I tell myself I’m strong. I block out everything but those steps. It hurts for a while.

But I summit that hill.

How do you get yourself up a big hill?

Gain Fitness: Build your own workout

Anne — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Ever see someone in the gym and wonder ‘What the heck are they doing?’ or ‘How did they come up with THAT’ or ‘I wish I knew some awesome exercises like that. All I do are crunches.’

You’re in luck! You are about to be one of those people that walks around the gym with a sheet of paper and a purpose. Or at least have some idea what to do when you’re creating a workout to do in your own home.

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon GainFitness.com. This tool allows you to select your available equipment, workout time, and area of focus and it creates a customized workout complete with instructional videos. There is also an iPhone and iPad app to help you create workouts.

First, enter how long you will be working out for, what your goal is, and what your area of focus is. You can select some additional options such as gender and intensity, and then select which equipment you have available.

Once you have your options chosen, click Build Workout and the program will give you a list of exercises to target your focus area, or an overall body workout if that’s what you wished for. If you don’t like the exercise you were given, you can click the refresh button to get another exercise that targets the same body part.

If you don’t have any equipment at all, the program will be built with that in mind. Below is one example of an exercise you could do with your own body weight in your own home. It comes with a video explanation as well.

What I really like about GAIN is that you can export your workout right to your Google calendar or email it to yourself, as well as printing, saving, or sharing it. The site seems to be still ‘in the making’, but there are some bonus features you can unlock that will allow you to get a program that provides an A, B, and C day workout you can put right into your calendar, depending on how many days a week you’d like to work out. I’ve found GAIN to be a great spark just for perusing different exercises, and it has given me knowledge and inspiration to create my own workouts!

Would you use a tool like GAIN Fitness to create your own workout plan?

A Stronger Core For Improved Running

Anne — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:00:01 +0000

If you want to be a good runner, start with good posture. One way to achieve good posture automatically is to have a strong core. When I say “core” I don’t just mean abs. You don’t have to have a six-pack to be a good runner or walker. But you do need strength in the trunk of your body, from your chest area to your hips!

Here are a few reasons it is necessary to strengthen your core:

Improved balance and stability – Your pelvis, abdomen, hips, and lower back all work in harmony with your core muscles to keep you moving smoothly. Your body depends on keeping the muscles strong to work to the best of its ability. Think about the times you’ve needed to have very good balance in order not to fall. It becomes easier to balance when you contract your core muscles. Imagine how this will translate into running if those muscles are strong! Read: efficient, almost effortless running!

Lessens risk for injury – Because your core aligns your entire body it helps make every activity you do easier. If your core muscles are weak you are at risk for poor posture, lower back pain, and muscle injuries. I’ve heard stories of people with strong core muscles who walked away from auto accidents unscathed when the doctors said they should have had a spinal injury! While your case hopefully won’t be that extreme, being in proper alignment can ward off knee, shin, hip, and ankle issues.

Easy to do at home – Core exercises are great for people with no gym membership or no budget for at-home fitness equipment. They can be done in your own home, using very little space, and your own body weight. It’s easy to learn a wide variety of options to keep your workout fresh, and you can ‘drop and give me 20′ anytime you think of it!

Click here for lots of examples of good core exercises.

The guy even demonstrates all of them for you in a little animated gif! Try not to laugh at him too much!

Other good activities you can do are Pilates and yoga. You can find some resources on ExerciseTV or try out a class at one of the Milwaukee area gyms.

PLANKS: One more thing that is so ‘easy’ to do to strengthen your core – planks! Planks are basically you, holding yourself up in a straight line on your forearms and toes. When you’re counting crunches, remember to count each second of your plank as one whole crunch. Makes planks a bit more appealing, doesn’t it?

Check out this link for a Proper Plank How-To

Some people suggest that if you can hold a plank for 60 seconds, you are ‘fit’.

Strong: Holding the position for 60 seconds
Average: Holding position for 30 – 60 seconds
Needs Improvement: Holding position for less than 30 seconds means you need to strengthen your core

What are some core workouts that you like? How long can you hold your plank?

Lunch Hour Workouts

Anne — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:00:03 +0000

Because I have a need to keep things fresh in my workouts, on a whim one day a few weeks ago, I tried a quick lunch hour workout. I happened to love it!

Whether you want to mix things up, or if you HAVE to do lunch hour workouts because of time constraints, here are some tips to make the most of your workout. These noon sessions can be good for people who work too early in the morning to get in a workout before work, and are wiped out by the end of the day because of a long workday. This can really re-energize you!

Intensity

Studies show that working out for shorter periods of time with a more intense workout can have the same benefits. So, instead of aiming for your normal 60 minute zone-out on the elliptical, crank up the resistance and feel the burn for 20 or 30 minutes.

*IDEA* This is a great time to hop on that machine you’ve been reluctant to try! The gym tends to be less busy during the day (in case you’re timid about things like that).

Pump Iron

This is a perfect opportunity to do some intense strength training routines. These kind of routines only take 20-30 minutes plus a quick warmup. Focus on a different area of your body each day and you’ll have a nice well-rounded routine going!

*IDEA* Try supersets! Supersets alternate two different muscles and are done in quick succession. Check out this post on supersets for more information

Pack a lunch

“If I work out during my lunch hour, when am I going to eat?” you ask… Well, many people like to grab a banana or something light before the workout, and then eat after. But remember you’ll probably need to either hurry up and eat before you get back to work, or bring something and munch at your desk. But — don’t go ruining that awesome workout with a drive-through meal!

*IDEA* Bring some sandwich fixings and keep them in your office refrigerator. Your lunch will be ‘packed’ and ready for the whole week.

Pack a gym bag

Put all your clothes in your bag the night before. It is said so often but it is such a simple thing that can really save you lots of time.

*IDEA* See if your gym offers permanent lockers or laundry service. This can really reduce the time it takes to pack a bag and haul it back and forth! If that’s not an option, consider at least leaving a pair of sneakers in your car or at your desk so you don’t have to lug them back and forth all the time.

Stay fresh

You might have stayed away from lunch hour workouts til now because of the time it takes to get presentable post-workout. Depending on how much you sweat you can choose from either the towel shower, quick rinse, or full shower. If you’re high maintenance, you might be in trouble here, but if you can master that 2 minute quick-shower, you’re in luck.

*Idea* Ladies, this is not a good time to wash your hair, so you might try just washing / rinsing your scalp and then blowdrying your hair for some texture.

What are some of your tips to working out on your lunch hour?

Five More

Anne — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:09:38 +0000

“Five more.”

No, I’m not talking about the number of additional M&M’s you allow yourself to have before you put the bag away.

I’m talking about strength training — where it’s the last few reps that count.

During a grueling workout, these are the dreaded words I never want to hear my trainer say. But he says it all the time — to the point where I told him that should be his middle name.

It’s the last reps that make things happen. Skipping them can mean you are not stressing your muscles enough, meaning they will not grow as much in recovery, meaning you’ll never get those sculpted arms you’re after!

Make those last few reps tough enough that they are hard to finish, but not so tough that you compromise your form. If you are ‘oomphing’, using momentum, or rounding your back to finish, these could be signs you are cheating your way through the last few. Keep your form and knock out the last tough reps. Slow and steady wins this race. Some suggest not even counting your reps, just going until you get to that point of a definite stress on the muscle.

Runners will identify with this feeling. When you’re training for a distance race, it’s adding on those last few miles, finishing out that end of that interval that make you stronger. It’s *because* it’s tough, that you have to do it.

And with that, I’ll leave you with the quote that inspired this post, from our friend Ahhnold:

“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.” –Arnold Schwarzenegger