When it comes to training for goals the water can become murky. What does it mean to train? What is your goal? Is all training appropriate for all goals?  The answers vary greatly depending on what exactly it is you want to accomplish.

​If we have worked together before, you likely know that I highly value maintaining and building mobility. I feel it is an important part of training for all of us. Whether you take part in sports, exercise for fun, or simply want to live healthier, mobility training is very important.

Why?


Because the ability for ourselves to use our bodies to their fullest ability is freeing.

Recently Elisabeth and I took a trip to go hiking in Stowe, Vermont. Stowe is a bit of a special place for us. We’ve taken several trips there over the years. We always have good time in any season. Ironically, Stowe is greatly known for its skiing and mountain biking- two sports we do not partake in. However, where there is skiing and mountain biking, there is usually hiking.

​In the world of fitness it is easy to get caught up in the new fads of exercise. Advertisements are always showing the newest gym in town. Revolutionary equipment is launched every quarter. The most studied diets come into vogue. It’s impossible not to be influenced by the next sexy thing that promises to make you healthier more easily than ever.

Coaches are influenced the same way. We see equipment, protocols, and trainings that promise to be the answer to all of the struggles we have when helping out clients. We are the same.

Sadly, few of these new innovations hold their weight and carry through on their promises. As we all know (but sometimes avoid) there is no easy quick fix, but instead it's the regular reasonable habits make the most difference in our lives.

Enter the bicycle.

Strength training is a great modality that should have place in everyone’s workout program. Hands down!
​
But, what is strength training? Perhaps your first thought is olympic weight lifting

​Or maybe it is strongman activities

​Or bodybuilding

​Really, “strength training” is quite a broad term. Strength is the ability to exert or resist force. Training is the act or process. So, Strength Training is the process of exerting or resisting force.

We’ll just keep it within the physical dimension today, but you can apply those definitions to other characteristics such as ‘mental strength.’

So, if strength training is ‘the act of resisting or exerting force’ as long as the energy put into a movement is at or above the threshold to maintain position, you’re strength training!

Stretching. Ah, stretching. We all know we should do it more often for our tight hip flexors (whatever those even are). Right?
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Here is a sample of a static stretching routine that I made for a high school athletic team I work with.

Stretching has been on and off popular for decades. Many have touted its miraculous ability to “lengthen tight muscles” whereas others claim it to be a futile effort.

I sit somewhere in between. It is hard to know, even for those of us who have degrees in the field, advanced certifications, and loads of experience. Just looking through my bookshelf I found a variety of different opinions on the topic of stretching.

It doesn't matter.
Well it does. 
But it doesn't.