Week Five:
Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast.
These movements are probably the ones that we dislike most – running, rowing, biking, swimming. They can seem monotonous and boring. Never ending. They are probably the most practical in terms of real life though.
Who knows when you may have to run after the guy that stole your wallet, or run away from someone chasing you. Or just running around the yard playing with the kids and dog. (And you never know when the Zombiepocalypse will strike – will you be ready?)
Each of these are monostructural metabolic conditioning movements (cardio) – a great stand alone exercise. Fantastic when partnered with a barbell or other power movements.
3 of the 4 of these movements make up the triathlon – which some would consider the ultimate test of endurance.
Biking
Biking is a great workout for the entire body, especially the lower body. People who want to develop great muscle tone on their legs, back end and hips while trimming their waists and increasing their cardio vascular health should try biking.
Biking regularly can significantly decrease a person’s risk for heart disease. Biking is a low-impact activity that doesn’t cause a lot of stress on joints so biking is a good exercise for people who may have limited range of motion or may not be able to handle an exercise like running which puts a lot of stress on the joints.
Low impact activities like biking can also reduce cholesterol and can help lower blood pressure, which is a major health concern for millions of people. Bike riding can also reduce stress, and it’s been proven that managing stress is a key component when it comes to staying healthy.
Running
Quite possibly the easiest one to get out and do. It requires nothing more than a pair of running shoes. No other equipment needed. True, some high-tech gear will make your run more fun, but really, all you need is a good pair of shoes, (and a supportive sports bra if you’re a woman.) It couldn’t be simpler. And everyone knows how to run. You may not have perfect form yet, but you already know how to place one foot in front of the other and settle into a comfortable pace. No new skills to master, no equipment to buy – just get out there and run.
Trail running is a great option as well. It’s a bit easier on your joints, and strengthens them at the same time. You won;t be hitting the hard pavement, so there is a bit more cushion to soften the blow to the knees and ankles. It is this same instability that will help you increase your knee, and especially, ankle strength.
Swimming
Swimming can be beneficial to people across a broad range of ages and abilities: the very young to the very old, the very slow to the very fast, those with injuries or degenerative conditions, pregnant women, beginner to serious athletes, and fitness buffs. Swimming is the ultimate all-in-one fitness package, working most muscles in the body in a variety of ways with every stroke.
When strokes are performed correctly, the muscles lengthen and increase in flexibility. The significant repetition of strokes improves muscle endurance, and because water creates more resistance against the body than air does in land exercise, the muscles are strengthened and toned.
Swimming also significantly enhances core strength, which is important to overall health and stability in everyday life. The hip, back, and abdominal muscles are crucial to moving through the water effectively and efficiently. Swimming builds these core muscles better than any abs video or gadget advertised on television.
Swim workouts provide incredible improvements to the cardiovascular system. The nature of breathing when swimming – with breath being somewhat limited in volume and frequency – promotes greater lung capacity and a consistent intake of oxygen. Both aerobic and anaerobic gains can be made in the same workout.
Swimming is a great option if you have joint pain or restrictions as there is no direct impact to any of the joints.
Rowing
The rowing movement activates over 90% of the body’s musculature AND promotes the strengthening of the smaller stabilizing muscles throughout the abdomen, back, and hips. Strength and stability in these areas helps athletes maintain proper form and technique in all of the varied movements we do in CrossFit. Having these muscles fine tuned can help maintain higher paces and power outputs for longer periods of time.
Plus, if you’re maybe looking to drop a few pounds, rowing delivers great bang for your buck in terms of energy expenditure. Since rowing involves muscles throughout the body, caloric expenditure rises quickly.
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Our next Rowing Technique Class will start February 20th at 11:30am.
CrazyLegs is Saturday, April 30th at 10:00am. We will again have a gym group participating – join us it will be fun!
In order to help with training for this 8k fun run, we will be having a Running Endurance Class. The class will help train for this event, but any other 5k, 10k, half, or full marathon you may be running in 2016.
Sunday, February 14th we will be hosting a Private Bicycling Class at Flyght at 1:00pm. No charge to you – it is our gift to you all for Valentine’s Day! I do need everyone that is interested to sign up on-line or on the sheet at the gym. 30 person max. (Don’t worry, we’ll host a swimming event in the near future as well…)