At Pretty Hard Work we do our fair share of intense training and workouts. We love pushing our bodies to their limit, then watching ourselves surpass those limits repeatedly. It give us great satisfaction, energy and motivation. Recently, we started including yoga in our training programs. And while yoga can be intense on its own, we have also noticed the benefits of using it as a cross-training workout to our more vigorous activities.
Our guest blogger, Chelsea Logan, came to a similar conclusion. Learn how she uses yoga to compliment her workout routine and why she encourages everyone to do the same.
Yoga as Cross-Training
I started to incorporate yoga in my workout routine several years ago. I used to be an athlete and now do high interval training as a way to stay in shape. Yoga has helped me recover faster between workouts and also elongates my muscles so I don’t “bulk up.”
I have been able to maintain a muscular, lean, and feminine frame by doing yoga 2-3 times a week. I have also found yoga to be instrumental in lowering my stress levels. It has become easier to incorporate the feeling of serenity into my everyday life.
Chelsea Logan, CEO & Chief Visionary, Satissimi
As working Moms, we have also come to appreciate the flexibility of a yoga routine. When obstacles arise that prevent us from making it to the gym, or our favorite class, we can count on our Yoga DVDs to be there for us. Taking it to the mat has never been easier and on those challenging days it’s often just what we need from our exercise routine.
Head on over to the Pretty Hard Work Store to check out our favorite yoga companions!
“I don’t have enough time…”
School time is going to be rolling around in a matter of 2 weeks for most states. This means the leisurely summer-time lifestyle will screech to a halt and the mundane activities of “life” will resume. Exercising on a “schedule” will also be one of those requirements however, it will be easier than you think to reintroduce it to your lifestyle!
The thought that you have to exercise for 30-45 consecutive minutes or your results will fail is a myth. I have seen little truth to it being a mandatory exercise “clause”. In fact, I find more intense exercise “spurts” work amazingly well for most of my “mommy” clients! The reasoning is that you are able to put more effort into your workout as you have more energy especially when the sessions are 1.5-3 hours apart!
With that being said, having an extra weight plate is very beneficial. Something that proves to be more beneficial is toting around a set of resistance bands with you! They can be used in a car or at soccer practice, talk about setting an example!
James “Mr. Health” Paul CPT, CSS, FTS, Chief Operating Officer, RRD Unlimited, LLC.
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About the Author: James Paul is an avid personal trainer who believes weight training falls under resistance training, and not vice versa. He advocates the implementation and determination of fitness goals into his client’s lifestyles. James has extensive experience training numerous classes of clients from beginner to the advanced athlete as well as special populations. The special population group does receive a bit more favor from James as they are normally turned away due to a variety of conditions that make most trainers nervous! read more →
This prize for our Swimsuit Ready Challenge comes to us from Joe Vennare of HybridAthlete.org.
About Hybrid Athlete
Hybrid Athlete is a nationally recognized innovator of fitness programming; providing online training packages and onsite instructional workshops for fitness professionals, general fitness seekers and athletes of all ability levels. Hybrid Athlete is the creation of business partners and brothers Anthony and Joe Vennare, who have also teamed up to create Kettlebell Cardio, a kettlebell group fitness program, and Race Day Domination, a comprehensive training program for obstacle race preparation.
The Prize: The Anywhere Athlete Training Manual
You do not need a treadmill, thousands of dollars of equipment or stacks of weights to get a great workout. Training sessions can take place outdoors, at the park or at home. Varying the training environment adds variety and interest to your routine and makes working out more enjoyable. Focusing on functional, total body workouts that require little more than a kettlebell, a jump rope, or your own bodyweight, the Anywhere Athlete Training Manual allows you to train anywhere, anytime.
This program is ideal for anyone who:
- Does not have the time or expendable income to spend at the gym
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Goals:
- Provide a comprehensive and progressive workout that can be done anywhere, anytime with minimal space and equipment requirements
- Develop a foundation of functional movement patterns, relative strength, mobility, and total body conditioning that allows the body to move more efficiently
- Gradually increase duration and intensity of training sessions to promote constant improvement in abilities
Enter to win this prize – just add a comment like “I want this!” to let us know you want this prize. Then – share it with your friends and go check out the other prizes that are available this month in our Swimsuit Ready Challenge!
(If this is the first prize you’re entering to win, you’ll need to Register for a login – it is super easy, just follow the instructions and you can use the same login over and over again to enter to win the prizes.)
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