Trying to achieve balance

This drawing is hilarious. Many people who exercise  also party hard. Don't we all think there's a conversion chart for working off potato chips and Sierra Nevada pale ales? I know we all have vices. The goal is to find that balance between falling off the wagon, rolling down a hill, and landing in a mound of bacon and Guiness versus depriving yourself of sleep to run a marathon every week. But even if you do end up in a hole of nachos with shredded cheese and cheap beer, it's good to remember that you don't have to stay there. Maybe I didn't have the healthiest dinner last night. Truthfully, it probably wasn't the most unhealthy choice I could have made either.  Should I sleep in past my alarm and beat myself up while skipping my morning workout? Of course not.

Life is meant to be lived. I want to drink beer and have my snacks on occasion. I like my smoothies spiked with coconut rum on a weekend evening. I'm gonna order pizza at times and eat too many pieces. We all do this. Right? But I'm also gonna walk my dog when I don't feel up for it and take the stairs up to the fourth floor when I have to use the bathroom at work. I'm never parking in the closest parking spot to the door wherever I go. These are little things I do to keep myself in check.

I do big things too. Like, I got up again at 5:30 and did an hourlong DVD before work. This time I did Jillian's Burn Fat Boost Metabolism. I did plenty of lifting with weights yesterday, so today was going to be my cardio burn. Burn, it did, indeed! I think tomorrow I'll even hit the gym before work. I haven't done that in ages. Seriously, maybe even years? But then I get my exercise out of the way before the holiday weekend. Bring on the fireworks, the beer, and the sweet joy of sleeping in! 

Balance

I'm not talking about achieving balance in different aspects of your life. I am literally referring to your body's ability to do balancing moves. I know the argument for free weights vs machines. I know that the machines make it easier, your muscles adapt quickly to the moves, etc., while with free weights you force your body to balance and stabilize. You never really do execute the same move 100% every time. This post is not about harping on the benefits and drawbacks of either method.

I just started thinking about this the other day when I posted the Move of the Day for HAL and the move was a squat on a Smith machine. This might be my favorite move of all time. I can feel that it works. I know I grow stronger bc I can lift more. However, as I was quickly glancing at some websites, I was reminded of the importance of varying your routine. So with that idea in mind, I set out for the gym this morning, inclined to change it up a bit. (* denotes variation)

• Smith machine (w/ 70 lbs) - 2 x10
• sumo squats (a pair of 10lb dumbbells) - 1x10 *
• single leg presses (85) - 1x12
• double up, single down leg press (100) - 1x12
• standing single leg squats (no weights) - 3x5 *
• lunges on foam (no weights) - 1x10

(I also did my usual circuit of shoulders, chest, back, biceps and triceps. I am pretty consistent about alternating with free weights and machines for the upper body.)

What a wake-up call those new exercises were. (The immediate soreness was the first key.) I used to do stuff like this in PT. It is based on the idea of proprioception. It is a very overlooked aspect of fitness. It is one though that is crucial, especially for runners. I remember a physical therapist telling me of a marathoner who could easily log long distances but she couldn't balance on one leg for even 10 seconds. You can imagine how her failure to develop those peripheral muscles landed her in PT. Proprioceptive training can improve your coordination and reduce your risk of injury during sporting activity. Consistent work will upgrade your strength, balance, and agility and reduce your chances of getting hurt at the same time.

Well this is my public service announcement encouraging you to work on those balancing moves.

For information on some moves and how to do them, click here for an in-depth training plan.