Short Circuit

Remember that feeling when you took your last final for the semester in college, and you thought, "What am I going to do with all this free time?" That's kind of how I feel now that the half marathon is over. I plan on still incorporating running into my workout, but not as frequently as before. Tackling the half marathon was a huge accomplishment, and let me tell you, it did great things for my booty! But, I feel like I neglected a lot of muscles, and forget strength training. Between all my running and teaching 2 TurboKick classes a week, I have been a cardio queen. I'm so excited to be able to switch it up a little bit.

Whether you've been training for a half marathon or even going to the gym regularly, I'm reminded of how important it is to continue to switch up your routine. First, it keeps you from getting bored. It's so much more difficult to get to the gym when you expect it to be tedious.

I spent some time today going through some old Women's Health magazines and building up a library of some total body workouts that I can incorporate into circuit training. I blame it on smartphones, but we have become a multi-tasking society, and I'm no exception. A lot of combo moves used in circuit training work arms, legs, and core in one exercise. This is great for 2 reasons: first, you get more bang for your buck. One of my biggest complaints about strength training is that if you don't have a lot of time, it can be difficult to sufficiently work out your entire body in one outing. Second, the moves are more complex, so you don't get bored. By continuing to switch it up and combine moves, you're constantly required to focus on form and think about what you're doing. Also for those who dislike cardio (even though I'm not one of them), a circuit allows you to knock them out in small portions.

Now, not everyone can (or wants to) spend the time to seek out these combo moves and design their own circuits. One option is to check out a boot camp (or other circuit class) at your gym. Now group classes aren't for everyone, but if you try it once, you can get some ideas of moves you can do on your own...or if you REALLY don't like group classes, maybe just peek in on one here and there, or ask a trainer for some suggestions - particularly if you're unfamiliar with some of the moves, it is crucial to make sure you understand appropriate form.

It's so easy to get into a rut with a workout regime, but remember my favorite mantra: "Nothing changes if nothing changes." Our bodies get used to the same moves, so we need to continue to shake things up if we want to see results.