Variety creates progress
Jul1
I got started in Triathlons because I got injured as a runner. Simple fact. I had been running for a few years, and really loved it, but did find myself getting a few injuries along the way, shin splints, heel spur, sore knees – just because I was pounding the pavement too much. So then someone said “hey, you should try this little triathlon” whilst I was recovering and because I am Dutch and therefore born on a bicycle, and I could swim a length, I thought I would just try it. I actually won that triathlon, much to my own surprise! But it got me into wanting to do more and I started working on my swimming and cycling skills.
Cross training is great for your body AND for your mind. It really does make a huge difference when you are rotating your training sessions from one sport, like running, to swimming, giving your muscle groups a break and using them in a different way all the time. As I wrote yesterday, it prevents your body settling into a kind of boredom routine and thus keeps it actively working and thus improving. And mentally it’s much more fun then doing the same thing every single day, over and over again. And most importantly of all – it does prevent injuries.I would always advise you to find two or three things you enjoy and rotating them in your weekly schedule – it will make the whole training thing much easier and if you don’t feel like running one day, then you don’t – but you can still get a great workout on the bike, or cross trainer, or pool or whatever.
People aren’t meant to have singular routines – humans like variety in their food, their daily lifes, their work…so why would you not do the same in your work-outs!? Try it, you’ll enjoy it and you’ll find you’re better for it!
Enjoy this article?
Consider subscribing to our RSS feed!
8:29 am on July 19th, 2009
Training with a Twist
For many years, I have been working out in a gym – sports is my life. After 20 years of martial arts, tennis, squash, golf and marathon I have to work hard to stay in shape — definitely with all the travel I am doing and the increase in years I have been around.
Since half a year I work out with Traci Johnson, a personal trainer in Chicago. In the past I have worked with Personal trainers before, but after a while I always get bored – not so with Traci however. What makes the sessions with her so good is that she knows how to bring a lot of variety to her exercises and bases the exercise she chooses based on the person’s capacities and inabilities. She doesn’t make me do stuff no matter what. Often she even changes exercises around to suit how I am moving that day. Next to training exercises, she keeps a pretty close check on the food side of things too. Every two weeks she will measure mine and my training buddy’s fat measurement and weight – in short, she definitely keeps a close eye on everything making it less likely that we’ll go off the rails. Traci is a controlled fanatic, nicely so without it being a burden. The only thing she can’t handle – is when my son and I speak Dutch
A personal trainer to honour.