Want to run?

A couple of months ago my new client indicated she wanted to try running.  In the past she has tried but didn't get far.  She would start out too fast and her legs would hurt for days afterwards.

My solution?  Start a run:walk program and go slow.  We are making great progress and no sore legs!

I looked at a couple of run:walk programs (see links below) but they weren't working for us so I created one to suit our needs.  We started with the ratio of 30:30 run:walk.  Each week we would tweak our times as we felt stronger.  We moved it up to 45:30 but decided this week we needed a little more walk time so we are going to see how  45:45 feels.  Our first 5K is this month and our only goal is to finish strong...which I know we can!  And our legs will feel great.

Here are some links to other run:walk programs.

Couch to 5K

Jeff Galloway training programs

Sore muscles?

Try foam rolling...

When I get sore muscles I usually stretch....isn't that what we have all done?  Well...sometimes stretching is not enough.  During my workout on Friday I did  some one-leg deadlifts with a heavy kettlebell and that evening I could feel the soreness kicking in.  I knew this weekend was going to be filled with some "ooowww" moments when I sat down or bent over.  I decided to start foam rolling that night before the soreness reached its peak.    I did about 10 minutes each night and it reduced the soreness by 75%.  I won't lie....foam rolling doesn't feel great...but the effects are worth the discomfort.  It is like a deep tissue massage.  Hurts so bad but afterwards feels so good.

Foam rolling has many benefits and I am trying to make it a regular part of my fitness routine...not just when i am sore!

Here is an article with many links to other excellent articles on this subject.

I Can Do This

Read this quote on manbicep.com this morning and had to share it.  

A new member started coming to my classes after the New Year.  She was going hard core and coming at 5:15am.  We all welcomed her.  She told us that she is usually good for 2 weeks and then she quits.  "Well you won't do that this time", we told her...we encouraged her every morning.  What I wish I had said was this:

"You must change your thoughts.  You have already allowed yourself to quit after 2 weeks.  If you want to change that cycle you must change your thoughts...create a new mantra.  You don't have to quit after 2 weeks."

Sure enough we didn't see her again after those 2 weeks.  I bet she loved the way she felt when she was working out.  I bet she hates seeing her bank account each month when $40 is deducted for the gym membership.  I bet she wishes she was still coming.

I have moments when I want to quit.  I struggle to get out of bed some mornings.  My mantra is "I can do this".  When the "i can't" messages start flooding my mind I replace them with "I Can Do This".  

And you can do it too.  Write down all the negative phrases that are keeping you from your goals/dreams and replace them with phrases that will push you forward.  Thoughts lead to action....let's make sure we are going in the right direction.