"Starting is the hardest part." We've all heard this idiom, right? However, for many of us, this does not apply—especially in the category of fitness. Nearly everyone I've known in my life has started toward some fitness goal. Many of them have started several times. Far fewer have sustained their journeys over time. ON MOTIVATION … Continue reading Ditch Goals to Create a System of Sustainable Motivation
In 2020, a global pandemic hogged the spotlight, and cast in shadow were many other trials facing individuals and societies around the world. It was a year of chaos, turmoil, and uncertainty. We enter a new year, many bruised and bloodied from the last, in varied states of nerve: some of us stronger than ever, … Continue reading Practice Perseverance During Trying Times
I will never forget one elementary school field trip in particular. We went to Playland, where before me loomed the iconic wooden roller coaster, its rickety rails trembling beneath a flying capsule of screaming fanatics. Upon initial observation, the terror appeared to outweigh the fun. My friend Jacob saw things differently. I got into the lineup, … Continue reading When “System Overload” is a Good Thing
Nobody wants to get injured, inside or outside of training. It hurts. It dampens progress. And it prevents us from participating in the activities we enjoy. To avoid this costly accident, some supposed experts swear against performing certain movements—you know, the dangerous ones. Which are those? Turns out, none, really. Avoiding injury shares no parallel … Continue reading Knowing Thy Body: Avoiding Injury ≠ Avoiding Exercises
Surrounded by several other key muscles, the hip is a crucial component to any runner's anatomy. Weak hips affect form while running, which can drag down speed and efficiency while increasing rates of injury, according to USA Track & Field physical therapist Jerrica Thomas. “You can lose a lot of power if you have weak … Continue reading Hip Exercises to Improve Posture and Running Performance
There are many reasons people get involved with sports: improving physical health, relieving stress, building and strengthening social bonds. And there are just as many reasons to get better at sports, too. The brain generally does not appreciate stagnancy; anyone will grow bored of sitting on their thumbs too long. Failing to improve at a … Continue reading You Are What You Train: On the Principle of Specificity
The beautiful nation of Switzerland has a history of novel inventions, including Velcro, Cellophane, and the World Wide Web. One that the country is lesser known for, but no less enriching to our lives, is the parcourse. The concept of the parcourse is simple: exercise stations spaced out along a nature trail. Its origin dates … Continue reading The Parcourse: An Old Movement Returns with New Swagger
