Don’t Run by the Gym This Summer, Come In!
Summer is here and that can only mean two things: crowded running trails and empty Denver gyms. No, this is not some lame membership drive to get more people into Push Fitness during the summer months; I’d rather be outside, too (just don’t tell anyone)! But I do wish more of my fitness devotees wouldn’t completely neglect the gym during the summer.
Be a Warrior
I’ve seen it a lot over the years; many marathoners and triathletes will ghost on strength training and total fitness once the weather becomes more agreeable. The thought is that the winter dedication will carry you through the competitive season. Granted, there’s no better feeling than taking the running from the treadmill to mountain trails and dirt tracks, but letting weight training completely drop off may not help you achieve those personal bests.
Ultra-competitive runners won’t neglect squats and deadlifts needed to keep the legs strong, but recreational warriors might not return to our gym until fall. When you don’t keep up those weight-lifting regimens – meant to keep your whole body in top running/cycling/swimming shape – you may sacrifice that extra push when you need it most.
Arm Yourself for the Summer
Legs are definitely the bread-and-butter of marathons and triathlons, but many competitors forget about the arms! It’s easy to think that the arms stay engaged from general pumping on a typical run; did you know that strong arms can step in when your legs start to feel the burn of fatigue? Neglecting the arms in the gym may cause them to burn and fail when you need them most. Pumping your arms without weights do build endurance – a necessity of running excellence – except that creating strength in your arms is what will ultimately improve your running time. That means lifting heavier weights than what you might be used to for endurance training will benefit you on the trail.
I’m not saying you need to visit us on your regular winter training schedule; once a week is probably enough to keep your muscles on alert. Those visits should definitely focus both on strength-building and muscle cooldown since your gym frequency is down. The struggle against lactic acid is real, so keeping an eye on your gym time is almost as important as how hard you push. Then again, Push is what we help you do, whether it’s indoors or out.