What to do when you are not running...

After sixteen months, my membership at the local Crossfit ended.  I have really enjoyed my time there and learned a TON.  As you may know, Crossfit in general appears to be taking the world by storm and why not as the workouts are quick and really help to build and maintain a great level of fitness.  That said, you can easily avoid the sometimes steep fees associated with joining a gym and do the workouts on your own at a local YMCA or other gym. 

For starters, visit the Crossfit HQ page.  Everyday a new workout of the day (WOD) should be posted.  Write it down and do it.  If you have are unaware of how to do a certain exercise, go to youtube.com and look it up.  If you do not feel comfortable completing said exercise, just replace it with something else (for example replace thrusters with pull-ups). 

**Keep in mind that weight training will build muscle and cause you to bulk up, so do not be surprised if you are 10lbs heavier than when you started.**

If weights are not you thing, do not worry as there is plenty for you.  Get on a bike and ride, swim a couple laps, or do some sit-ups. 

If you have a smart phone and cannot always make it to a pool, or do not have a bike, look for the Interval Timer app and download it for free.  This app is perfect if you are looking to do a bit of Tabata intervals, which are tough but awesome!  The intervals consist of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This cycle is repeated 8 times (for a total of 4-minutes). A few popular examples include hitting a heavy bag, sprinting, jumping rope, or performing bodyweight calisthenics (ex. squats and pushups).

Jumping on a plane to Puerto Rico soon...until next time.

Next race: 2nd Annual SweetH2O Sweetheart 1/2 Marathon, Sweetwater Creek State Park, Lithia Springs, Georgia. Saturday, February 11, 2012