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Health & Fitness

Fall mornings, a rejuvenating workout

Hill workouts. As beautiful as Grosse Pointe is, one thing that is hard to come by is hilly terrain. But if you look closely, we DO have some inclines here in the Pointes....You don’t need a huge hill to get a great workout…For instance, Moran road between Lakeshore and Grosse Pointe Blvd…is a nice steady incline. There is also a series of gradual rolling landscape between Charlevoix and  Kercheval, in the Farms. Whether you are a runner training for a specific race, or someone who enjoys a brisk walking workout…don’t neglect this very important aspect of any great training schedule, or quest to get into better shape. Hills stress our Vo2 max and allow us to use different muscles at a high level that, once we return to running or walking fast on flat land, will increase our muscle strength and improve our cardiovascular fitness. So whether you are a runner or a walker, incorporate a hill workout into your training regime. The key to hill workouts is to decide on your ‘start’ line, and your ‘finish line.’ When I say finish line, I mean you will be crossing the finish with nothing left. If you are a distance runner, take yourself out of you endurance mentality and pretend you are a sprinter. You should not be able to carry on a lengthy conversation at the end of each interval, otherwise you are not getting the full benefit from your effort. Attack the hill as if you are at the end of a race and by the time you cross the finish you have nothing left to give. For beginners, you might start with 2-4 repetitions. For advanced exercisers, you could do as many as 10 repeats. You know you’ve gleaned the most out of yourself when the next day you are a bit sore in the glutes (rear area), Hamstrings (backside of the leg above the knee extending to the glutes), and adductor muscles (inner thigh.) For runners, hill work is the among the best strength exercises that you can do to become a better athlete. Try inserting these workouts into your schedule every 10-12 days. So put down the weights at the gym…forget the deadlifts and squats (which by the way are really not that great for your joints anyway), and run an incline.  You will notice immediately that your next “flat land” session seems easier. And over time, you will improve your strength, cardiovascular fitness and susceptibility to injury. Next time you are headed to the gym for a weight session…give a hill workout a try. There is no risk. You can only gain muscle tone, cardio fitness, good health, and a sense of rejuvenation that only working out in the crisp morning air has to offer. Happy September!!

 

Katherine

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