This video by Ben Crane is hilarious and when I need a good giggle it's my go to. But it also highlights a few great things; 1) We all get bored with our workouts sometimes and 2) It is great to have home gym equipment at your disposal.
It's winter. It's dark out. It rains some days. Some days it snows. Some days it’s warm. This past summer you’ve been on your bike for 8000km. You’ve run the equivalent of going coast-to-coast. The thought of running or biking the same route is so unappealing, the treadmill and trainer even less so. Most of us have those moments; so change it up.
I’ve been really sick lately and unable to run, but I get stir crazy just sitting around reading and watching movies. My goal for the off-season has been to add more strength and stretching in my workouts. A friend of mine, the lovely Shirlee Williams of Buddha Rider in Collingwood, recommended YogaGlo. This morning I did a great 30 minute Vinyasa flow class. With classes as short as 5 minutes and as long as 2 hours, and everything from meditation to strength training it has been a great way to change things up. YogaGlo offers a free 15 day trial and after that it is only $18 per month, way cheaper than a studio. Although I do enjoy meeting up with my girls at the studio and working in the heat of a Moksha class.
Maybe yoga is not your thing. Grab a group of friends and do a spin class together. Change up your run workouts. Go out and run hills, seems daunting but it’s highly rewarding. RunnersWorld has some awesome training tips.
The video also highlights the benefits of having a home gym, specifically that with just a few things in your house you can create a full body workout. Crane had a stability or Swiss Ball, A Bosu Ball, balance cushions, a Step and some light free weights; I haven’t quite figured out what the ‘snake shaker’ is.
With these simple tools and a quick search on the internet you can find endless workouts for you abs, arms and legs. Last fall I did two to three weight workouts a week in preparation for ski season. I didn’t want to get ‘bulky’, I wanted to remain light and lean. Using the stability and bosu ball, along with the balance cushions, I did lots of high repetition squats and lunges with my own body weight, as well as lots of core strengthening. After a successful ski season I had my most successful season on the track and on the roads in over 10 years!
Remember to keep your workouts fun. Most of us are not going to be Olympic Champions but that does not mean we should not train like them. We’ll have the same ups and downs in our training. And when you need another good laugh, watch the outtakes from Ben Crane’s On Working Out!
You're Bored With Your Workout, That's Why You're Here, That's Why I'm here
Coach Sasha
Sasha is a qualified Performance Level Coach with the Coaching Association of