Get a BOOST

Need a boost? Yes, please.

It really doesn’t matter what it’s in reference to, I could use it. That little extra kick, motivation or assistance can come in really handy … especially when we’re talking about exercise and healthy eating. 

I exercise and eat healthy the majority of the time, but I do have some areas I slack in (ahem, strength training and flexibility). And, that's exactly where Peak Wellness can help me ... and you, too!

My lack of flexibility isn't obvious, right?

That's right, readers. The great coaches at Peak Wellness are offering you (and a buddy) the opportunity to receive coaching, as well as training and diet tools. All of the information and support is delivered online, so you don't need to be local to participate. 

I can vouch that Peak Wellness's coaching has helped me in my running life. They led me to me foam rolling, which I'm not very happy about while I'm doing it, but the end results are pretty fabulous. I also learned about a dynamic warm up before running, which I had no clue about until the folks at Peak Wellness introduced me to it. Both are wonderful additions to my running program. 

And, for someone like me, who is a little clueless when it comes to strength training, Peak Wellness is great. They provide instructional videos for each move. One of my biggest pet peeves is photos with descriptions of strength training moves. I can never interpret them and get frustrated before I do one rep. Give me a video, people.

What's something like this cost?, you ask. That's the beauty, folks. It's absolutely free. (I feel like an infomercial, but trust me, this stuff is legit.)

So, check out the Peak Wellness BOOST program. Be sure to look at the FAQs. Then, let's get a boost.  

Let me know if you are planning on doing the BOOST program. Or, let me know if you'd like to be BOOST buddies.

Training in an unfamiliar place ... the gym

I generally feel like I can hold my own when it comes to athletic endeavors. I can run (duh). I can play softball and volleyball. I can throw a football (a spiral even) and run a route to catch a pass. I can dribble and shoot a basketball.

But put me in a gym (away from the cardio machines), and I am completely lost. I don’t know what to do with weights or how to stretch. I don’t know the proper form. I don’t know the proper terms. I feel completely out of my element.

So, last night was completely comfortable for me.

Actually it was … well except for that last set of push-ups. 

Ack! Uncomfortable arms!

Last night was my first session with Chris from Peak Wellness. We went through some moves I’ll be doing in Phase 1 of my program. He was patient. And explained and demonstrated things … many, many times. And he was the reason I was comfortable in an unfamiliar environment.

We started with foam rolling (I hear great things about this, but I don’t do it … err, until now – it’s on my plan) and rolling calves with tennis balls. They both felt awesome in an “ahh, this hurts but it feels so good” way.

Then, things got serious: push-ups, split squats and cross leg-ankle rock (without the crossing of the legs and rocking). I did three sets with eight reps of each (look at me use these new terms).

Feels so good on the calves

Next up: band pullbacks, single-leg dead lifts and side-lying clams. I did three sets of each with 20 reps of the pullbacks (which got surprisingly hard … does pulling on a band sound hard?) and eight reps of the dead lifts and clams.

The fun part of the night: medicine ball slams. I slammed a medicine ball into the ground as many times as I could for 30 seconds. I did three sets with 30 seconds of rest in between. 

Now this is fun ... but my arms hurt

We wrapped up with stretching that felt pretty darn good. I was even familiar with one of the stretches. 

I do this after every run.

It's pretty cool to know that I have a program made for me. The things I did last night (and will continue to do) all support my goal of becoming a better runner. 

Do you feel comfortable with weights? Do you know what to do? Do you use a foam roller? Have you ever had a session with a trainer? Do you like push-ups?