The gym is my playground

When I go to the gym, I don’t just zone out to my iPod. I see the machines and balls and free weights as opportunities to get my heart rate up and work up a sweat. It’s fun and challenging and I try to make it different each time.

It helps that our gym is large, accommodating, and has great array of choices. But a gym is a gym, and you still have to know what to do when you get there, regardless of what’s inside.

Lately, I have been using the gym as more than a place to hop on the treadmill, attend a yoga class, or do a few stretches. It’s a place to heal your body, recover from really hard workouts, work on individual skills (jumping rope for me) and try something new.

The gym is my playground.

I am still a one hour max person, and I really get a lot in during the hour. My purpose of going to the gym is usually for cardio. I balance CrossFit two days a week, which is a mix of getting your heart rate up with weights and fast movements, so I leave the other days for more cardio and less stregth training. At the gym, I always start with cardio machines like the treadmill, StairMaster or elliptical machines. Sometimes I do two cardio machines totaling no more than 45 minutes. Sometimes it’s straight to stretching after the machine, sometimes it’s using a few weight machines depending on what ails me.

Using the machines to your benefit:

A few months ago, I realized that my hip flexors were weak. I had pains on my outer hip and groin and realized they were related. At the gym, I found the best machine to strengthen these muscles–the adductor/abductor contraption. I piled on as much weight as I could handle for 3 rounds of 15, and did these 3-4 times per week. Within a few weeks, my pains were gone and my muscles were stronger. I could feel it working the day after I used the machine. Physical therapy done for free!

I also have very tight hamstrings. I do weighted “good mornings” where I put a 35 pound bar on the back of my shoulders and bend in half with a flat back. You can do it without the weight, but adding it gives a much more intense stretch. You’ll feel it the next day. 3 rounds of 15.

Jumping rope is a big part of CrossFit. I was terrible at it when I started. In class, sometimes we do 600-1000 reps on the clock. When you stumble over your feet every 3 jumps, it’s pretty embarrassing. And it takes more time than is allotted. Our gym has jump ropes, so I have been practicing for months. I still have a double hop in my rhythm, but I can jump without breaking for much longer. Success.

I also have some physical therapy stretches and strengthening to do for my IT Bands. I wanted to try and heal them without going to PT, so I do the stretches with the help of our gym’s equipment. I use elastic bands, a small rubber ball and a foam roller. I have been allotting myself more time for stretching than I used to also.

I used to get on machines and totally zone out and think I had a good workout just for being there. It’s not true anymore, and zoning out does no good. The gym is a great place to mix it up and get a great all over workout. It’s always a perfect 70 degrees and dry, which is hard to get in Houston sometimes.

Do you like the gym or despise it? What’s your best piece of gym advice?