Effort Based Training The Improved Method
You walk, run, cycle or circuit train to improve your cardiovascular system improve your health. For years, sayings like no pain, no gain has been drilled into our society. We must breathe hard, work up a good sweat and be exhausted when we are done to get any benefit from the gym or activity. Quite simply stated that is bunk. Training smarter allows the individual to be just that an individual. What works for me, the distances I run, the amount of time I take does not work for everyone else or else the entire world would train the same way, and all the athletes would perform in the same fashion. The goal is to find what works for you, to help you obtain your individual level of progress.
Effort based training allows you to work out at the level your body needs and to improve as your body gets stronger. The effort is based on your heart rate. Aerobic training [able to maintain a conversation], is generally shown to be found at 65 to 75% or your maximum heart rate. There are heart rate monitors that can be used to help keep an individual aware of their heart rate so that the individual can either slow down or speed up their activity to maintain the proper heart rate training level. If you normally walk at 5:30 AM, the effort your body must exert to cool you and maintain a pace is not nearly as much effort your body must exert to cool you at 1:30 PM in July at the same pace. If pace or time are your only indicators, then you will be exerting much more effort, have a higher heart rate and more rapid [anaerobic] breathing pattern. This adds up to the no pain, no gain mentality and this is NOT the suggested approach to improve ones health through a strong cardiovascular, respiratory and muscle tone. Is there room for the anaerobic training in your workout program? Certainly. The decision to add anaerobic training depends on your individual goals. Next week more will be discussed about anaerobic training and where it is used in training
Safety
Recommendations for walkers and runners of basic safety rules include; facing traffic, use sidewalks whenever possible, be alert and aware of your surroundings and wear identification. Drivers are not looking for runners when they are driving, so be prepared. Certainly drivers should have enough control of their vehicle to handle a walker or runner on the side of the road, or the driver should slow to a speed that is appropriate for the conditions.
The Baytree 8K is quickly approaching. This July 4th Independence Day Celebration is open to runners and walkers alike. There will be an Honor Guard, singing of the National Anthem, recognition of Veterans and a whole lot more. Anyone who wants to participate or volunteer can get signed up by getting an application at Get Active Running and more, the Valdosta Daily Times web site or runningintheusa.com web site. Sponsors already supporting the family event include Get Active Running and more, Valdosta Daily Times, NewsTalk 105.9 FM, ENT & Allergy Associates of SG and Advanced Portable Toilet Service. Proceeds from the event go to the Lowndes Veterans Council therefore all Veterans in Lowndes will benefit on this most Patriotic Day. Support the Veterans as they supported and sacrificed for all Americans. You will want to pre-register at the Get Active store before race day to make it easier for everyone on race day. The store will be open extended hours to allow pre-registered people to pick up their numbers and instructions the week before the event.
Once the Baytree 8K has wrapped up for the day, all the participants and their families are invited to the Spirit of America Celebration that starts at 2 PM with family oriented fun, food and live music. The day starts with a participatory event for the whole family, moves on to an outdoor party for the whole family that ends, hopefully with Fireworks around 9:30 PM that evening for the whole family.
Other events coming up or currently in progress include a series of Cross Country races are available every Thursday evening starting at 7 PM at Freedom Park. The first Thursday is July 12th and ends on August 9th. There is a 1 mile event every week and the 5K event immediately following the 1 mile. This event is open to all-comers; there is no cost, no frill event. Middle School, High School and College runners would certainly benefit from the opportunity this presents.
There are weekly, free activities for the runners and cyclists in the area. Runners can show up at Get Active on Saturday and Sunday morning at 7AM for runs from 1.5 to 8 plus mile runs. The Thursday morning is a womens ONLY run, the other runs are all-comers. Cyclists can meet for rides on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information, check out the web page at
www.azaleacitycyclists.com.
Do you have results you want to share about yourself, a loved one or friend? Send, email or call the information in to me at Get Active Running and more.
If you have questions about your walking, running or other training, drop me an email and I will do my level best to answer your questions. Email getactive.val@earthlink.net or join the GetActiveSouthGeorgia yahoo group. Listen to the Get Active South Georgia radio show on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7PM on NewsTalk 105.9 FM WVGA to receive additional information or to ask questions.
Thank
you,
Todd
& Alice Smoot
GET
ACTIVE
Running
and more
GET
ACTIVE SOUTH GEORGIA
as
heard on
NewsTalk
105.9 FM WVGA
Wednesdays
6
to 7 PM - call into the show at 229-241-1059
GET
ACTIVE SOUTH GEORGIA
as read weekly in the Sunday VDT - look for us
www.getactivevaldosta.com
3200-C
North Ashley Street
Valdosta,
GA 31602
229-219-0010
229-219-0012
(F)
In
the long run, one must have goals to succeed.
"To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift" Steve Prefontaine