Time To Mix It Up
As a cyclist (primarily) I can get pretty focused on riding, especially during the peak months of April to October. Well, October is almost over and I have officially begun my winter cross training program.
The reason for this is two-fold: to give my body (and mind) a break from riding and to help my body regain “functional fitness”. What I mean by that is that I use the months from October to March to build strength, flexibility, and to work other areas of my body that don’t get addressed as much during riding season.
As someone who is now closer to 50 than 40 (wow, I’m getting old) it is becoming more and more important for me to work my body in different ways. This will help me get remain as vital as possible as I get older.
The Program
I still plan on riding in the next 5 months but it won’t take up all my training time. I plan on doing a few more activities:
- Running- I got my start as a runner and I miss being able to run fast. So this year I am going to spend a couple of days a week running with the goal of completing a 5k or 10k in the Spring.
- Walking- With the cooler weather I am able to walk to work a couple of days a week. My office is about 2 miles away so I can get a good workout in. I walk fast (around 15 minute miles) so my heart rate elevates a bit. Each day I walk I end up with 4 to 5 miles (I walk during lunch as well).
- Strength training- I have set up a basic home gym in the basement to help me work on my strength. I’ve become a big believer in body weight exercises and as a result I don’t have a rack full of weights. I try to do compound exercises that work multiple muscles and joints. Push ups are a perfect example. I also do a lot of core strengthening exercises such as planks, crunches, etc.
- Stretching- I’m an incredibly inflexible person. Stretching has always been my biggest challenge but I try to work on it whenever I can. This Winter I am making a commitment to getting more flexible.
- Rowing- We have been tooling with the idea of getting a rowing machine to put in the basement. Rowing is a great workout but a decent “ergometer” costs close to $1000 new. I’ve been scouring Craigs List and ebay hoping to find a deal. We’ll see.
I feel pretty good about my strategy. I will post weekly updates so you can see what I’m doing as well as to hold myself accountable.
What kind of exercise program are you looking to do over the Winter? Share your plans with the rest of us.
I’m just trying to get myself into the habit of some form of exercise everyday. I usually walk @ least 2 miles in the mornings, but its hard to fit any exercise into my afternoons (I work from 2pm to 11pm). Walking while on breaks is a great idea though, and would probably inspire some of my co workers to do the same. I’m also trying to get more time in on my Diamondback before the cold weather really starts up here in VA. Nice website!
Hi Joe,
Building the habit of regular exercise can be a challenge. You just need to try to find a time that works for you and do as much as possible to get in some sort of routine. Walking is a great exercise and you can do it just about anywhere at any time. If you can get some co workers on board with you it will be easier for all of you to stick to it.
I’m glad you enjoy the site. Let me know if you have any suggestions for articles. I’m working on a book that should be available within the next couple of months titled “Beyond The Twelve Ounce Curl”. It’s a book to help people who like beer and food get in shape and build a healthy lifestyle. I’ll post an update on it in the next week or so.
Thanks for reading and commenting!