Wave Health & Fitness Tips
Kicking Your Fitness Up a Notch
Cross training is a great way to take your fitness to the next level. By combining different methods of exercise for both cardio and strength, you will reduce boredom, exercise several different muscle groups, reduce the risk of injury, improve agility & balance and produce a higher level of all around conditioning. Change your routine regularly, having several different types of exercise in a week. For cardiovascular cross training you may want to run on Monday, swim on Tuesday, bike on Wednesday, run again on Thursday then row or stair climbing on Friday. You could even do a combination of two to three in one day (run 10 minutes, row 10 minutes then bike 10 minutes). Other possibilities for cardio exercises are group exercise classes, jumping rope, skating, skiing, racquetball, basketball, etc. For your strength training needs combine weights with machines, tubing exercises and functional training exercises. You will be pleasantly surprised with the results.
Setting Measurable Fitness Goals
How do you measure success? When it comes to your health & fitness it’s important to have measurable goals. Whether you want to lose weight, run a road race or hike a mountain, your goals should be realistic and have a set date for completion. Committing to a schedule, along with telling your friends & family about your goals will help you stick to them and be successful. Start with a short term goal that you can accomplish within 3 months, followed by a long term goal that may be 6 months away. Take a long term goal of a 10K road race, for example. After training for three months and completing a 5K race, your next goal should be to run the 10K three months later. With weight loss, you should set a short term goal of reaching a certain amount of weight lost in three months then reevaluate and set another goal for the next three months. But don’t end it there. Keep setting and changing your goals to maintain focus, interest and results!
A Fitness Tip for Endurance Athletes: How to Boost Your Running, Cycling and Swimming Endurance
Don't forget to stretch! When you are feeling pressed for time and pressure to get on the road or in the water as quickly as possible, do not forget to stretch. Be sure to do some active stretching before training and static/sport stretching after. It only takes a few minutes to add this simple step to your routine. You will benefit by reducing muscle tension, increasing range of movement in the joints, enhancing muscular coordination, and increasing circulation of blood.