I've always been a runner. I feel like the first time you lace up your shoes, put on your music, and head out the door, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how far you go, how fast you go, or how often you go. If you choose to run, you are a runner.
If running isn't a punishment to you, you're a runner.
If running is therapy to you, you're a runner.
If running brings you peace, you're a runner.
If running is scheduled into your day/week, you're a runner.
I haven't always been big on strength training. I'm particularly talking about my core. Luckily through highschool and college I played a lot of sports so I naturally stayed thin and muscular. As I've gotten older, running is still great for me and I'm sure I'll never stop running, but I need to also incorporate strength training. Strength training including core, compound muscles, and simple muscles.
Ladies, we often have a very convoluted view of weight training. I've heard so many women say things to me about the fact that I'm weight training:
Aren't you afraid you'll bulk up?
Aren't you afraid you'll lose your figure?
My boobs are already small enough.
I don't want to look like a man.
I just don't know where to begin.
There are so many positive things about strength training for women that I felt I just had to share this with all of you. And a lot of the myths from above are simply not true or are extremely avoidable.
Strength training strengthens our bones, not just our muscles. Women are most susceptible to osteoperosis as we age. It is essential we defend ourselves against it.
Weight training actually burns calories for longer than cardio. Cardio is the best way to burn calories fast, however, once you stop doing the cardio, you stop burning the calories. Strength training continues burning calories up to hours after you put the weights down.
Intervals are the best bang for your buck. On days that I can't got for 3-5 mile run, I do circuits. I integrate my cardio into my strength training causing me to burn max amount of calories in the least amount of time. I shared some of my favorite circuits last week.
To do strength training, you don't have to use all those fancy machines at the gym. In fact, if you do you are wasting your time by working only one small muscle at a time. Instead, do lunges while you do bicep curls. This works your biceps as well as your legs - compound muscles. I will share in a future post my list of compound strengthening exercises that I do each work out.
Use small weights and you won't add bulk. However, do increase the weight gradually over time so that you still benefit from the workout. Just do low weight with lots of reps.
Make sure no matter what that you are doing core strengthening exercises. This does not only include sit-ups. I will share more core strengthening exercises later as well. Some of my favorites include planks, reverse crunches, plank jacks, lunges (stability), and butt exercises.
If running isn't a punishment to you, you're a runner.
If running is therapy to you, you're a runner.
If running brings you peace, you're a runner.
If running is scheduled into your day/week, you're a runner.
I haven't always been big on strength training. I'm particularly talking about my core. Luckily through highschool and college I played a lot of sports so I naturally stayed thin and muscular. As I've gotten older, running is still great for me and I'm sure I'll never stop running, but I need to also incorporate strength training. Strength training including core, compound muscles, and simple muscles.
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Aren't you afraid you'll bulk up?
Aren't you afraid you'll lose your figure?
My boobs are already small enough.
I don't want to look like a man.
I just don't know where to begin.
There are so many positive things about strength training for women that I felt I just had to share this with all of you. And a lot of the myths from above are simply not true or are extremely avoidable.
Strength training strengthens our bones, not just our muscles. Women are most susceptible to osteoperosis as we age. It is essential we defend ourselves against it.
Weight training actually burns calories for longer than cardio. Cardio is the best way to burn calories fast, however, once you stop doing the cardio, you stop burning the calories. Strength training continues burning calories up to hours after you put the weights down.
Intervals are the best bang for your buck. On days that I can't got for 3-5 mile run, I do circuits. I integrate my cardio into my strength training causing me to burn max amount of calories in the least amount of time. I shared some of my favorite circuits last week.
To do strength training, you don't have to use all those fancy machines at the gym. In fact, if you do you are wasting your time by working only one small muscle at a time. Instead, do lunges while you do bicep curls. This works your biceps as well as your legs - compound muscles. I will share in a future post my list of compound strengthening exercises that I do each work out.
Use small weights and you won't add bulk. However, do increase the weight gradually over time so that you still benefit from the workout. Just do low weight with lots of reps.
Make sure no matter what that you are doing core strengthening exercises. This does not only include sit-ups. I will share more core strengthening exercises later as well. Some of my favorites include planks, reverse crunches, plank jacks, lunges (stability), and butt exercises.
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