Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays. This week, we are talking to those of you who are starting to take advantage of the nice weather we have had and that is coming up. In fact, you are looking to run more, you are looking to bike more, and you are looking to do more endurance events overall outside. What things should you be doing now with your workouts to make sure your body feels well as you transition to doing more endurance-type workouts?
1) Do Total Body Workouts
Our first exercise tip if you are doing more endurance workouts is to make sure you keep your muscles strong by incorporating total body resistance training workouts. Resistance training can often be overlooked if we really enjoy doing cardio workouts, however, it is vital to keeping your muscles strong and working well. A lot of times, resistance training can be considered a form of cross training, so make sure you are getting your cross training in through doing total body resistance training on a regular basis.
Action Step: You should aim for a minimum of two resistance training workouts per week. Not sure where to start? Check out our Facebook Live videos for our at-home workout series!
Related: 3 Considerations When Doing Cardio
2) Start at 50% or Less of Where You Ended
Our second exercise tip if you are doing more endurance workouts is to start at 50% or less of where you ended last year. When you first start your endurance workouts for the year, you may be tempted to jump right in where you left off last year. However, your body has likely become deconditioned over the winter months, so you need to ease into your training volume. A general rule of thumb is to start at 50% or less of where you ended last year and then gradually progress yourself up from there based on how your body is feeling.
Action Step: How far were you running at the end of last season? How long were your bike rides? Take 50% of that volume and have that be the maximum you begin with this year. If it feels easy, great! The goal is to make sure you workout at a level that you can come back to, so let it be easy at the start and then incrementally increase your volume over the next few weeks.
Related: Love cardio? You still need to lift weights, and here’s why.
3) Connect With Your Local MAT® Specialist
Our third exercise tip if you are doing more endurance workouts is to connect with your local Muscle Activation Techniques® specialist. Your MAT® specialist is trained to find the muscles within your body that aren’t working well and then get those muscles working better. This will reduce muscle compensations and imbalances that you may be experiencing, as well as help to protect your joints from excessive stress. Just like you would want to make sure your car is tuned up before you start driving it again, MAT® can help ensure your body is tuned up before you begin your endurance training.
Action Step: Want to schedule a session with us at Muscle Activation Schaumburg? Find a time that works for you here. Not located in our area? You can find a certified specialist near you here. And be sure to check out our 20-page guide on MAT® if you’d like to learn more.