Treadmill Tips
1. Don’t Skip the Warm-Up Because It’s Warmer Outside. It is very easy to just run out the door on a nice day and start running. Unfortunately, your muscles may not share quite the same enthusiasm as your brain. Warm your body up with five to ten minutes of dynamic stretching before you head outside.
2. Start Slow. Even the most lazy people feel like going outside and doing something when the spring weather rolls around. But if you have been sedentary most of the winter, start slowly and up the intensity just a bit each week. Set your goals for three months from now don’t just try and become an All-Star in a week.
3. Be Realistic. Just because you were in great shape last year does not mean that your body is in the same place now. You won’t be starting from scratch thanks to muscle memory, but give yourself time to work back up, and set a realistic time frame for getting back in shape.
4. Don’t Waste Your Time. Unfortunately, life doesn’t slow down just because we want to enjoy the spring weather. But research suggests that intense 15 minute workouts can be as effective (or more) as longer, less intense exercise at burning fat, toning muscle, and increasing fitness levels. Plus, a shorter time investment makes it a heck of a lot easier to stick with a longterm plan. The trick is to make those 15 minutes count.
5. Cross Train. Most people find one type of exercise they like and stick with it. When you train using a variety of different exercises can help fix muscle imbalances and can be a lot of fun. Hiking, biking, jogging, basketball, rock climbing, and ultimate frisbee are some great outdoor options in the spring, really anything that gets you outside will do the trick.
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