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How to Prevent Outdoor Fitness Injuries
Athletes, Enthusiast, Injury Prevention, Outdoor Trainer
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 12/02/2016 - 15:55

The Bad News:  Injuries can happen. Aches, muscle fatigue and soreness are part of life for active people and those involved in athletic endeavors.
 
The Good News:  Most injuries are preventable, and are often a result of overtraining and repetitive stress.
 
Overtraining
Overtraining symptoms bear much resemblance to chronic fatigue syndrome; body aches, tiredness and feeling flat or uninterested in training. The expression often used to sum up overtraining injuries is "too much, too soon.” Another one is "too far, too fast."

Show Me How You Breathe - I'll Show You How You Live
Athletes, Cardio, Enthusiast, Exercises, Health/Well Being, Motivate!, Outdoor Trainer, Video
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 11/28/2016 - 21:19

Why Exercise?

Turn Your Next Trail Run into a Full Body Workout
Ask the Trainer, Athletes, BodyWork, Enthusiast, Exercises, Injury Prevention, Outdoor Trainer
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 11/07/2016 - 10:27

Turn your runs (and walks) into a full-body blasting adventure! Follow these simple steps to increase your fitness without increasing time spent on the trail.
 
I just came down off the mountain. Clothes drenched. Fully fatigued. Happy! What did I do? I hit the Coastal Trail on Mt Tamalpais for a trail run. Well, not your average trail run, I call it the 60:10 (sometimes I call it the 30:10). The 60:10 includes sixty minutes of cardio, and 10 strength/toning exercises; however, not the kind of exercises you'd expect!

For Better Performance - Mind Your Thoughts
Athletes, BodyMind, Enthusiast, Health/Well Being, Mental Focus, Motivate!, Outdoor Trainer, Video
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 10/26/2016 - 09:27

You've heard it said before:  Thoughts are things. The impact of our mental and emotional selves on our physical selves cannot be overestimated.

Lateral Leg Exercises Work More Than Legs
BodyWork, Enthusiast, Exercises, Injury Prevention, Lower Body, Outdoor Trainer
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 09/19/2016 - 13:00

Life is NOT a linear event!  For better results - mix it up.
 
The simple truth about fitness is this:  Exercise that can be done in an outdoor location, or site, that includes hilly or mountainous trails, a grassy city or suburban park, a sandy beach, can and will better your performance. By utilizing a variety of terrain, you will learn a new degree of body awareness and train your body to move in a variety of ways.

Trouble Focusing? Feeling Blue? You Could be Overtraining
Athletes, Enthusiast, Health/Well Being, Injury Prevention, News, Outdoor Trainer
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 09/13/2016 - 08:56

Too far too fast—overtraining and injury
Overtraining syndrome is the most common cause of injury and physical ailments. In a rush to accomplish too much too soon, people often do themselves—and their fitness goals—real harm. Play it smart, and you stay healthy, make steady progress, and enjoy your exercise uninterrupted by injury and fatigue. Overdo things, and you risk a host of injuries, including shin splints, stress fractures, ankle sprains, knee and lower back pain, and foot pain. 
 
Learn the Signs

How to Find Your "Target Heart Rate"
Athletes, BodyWork, Cardio, Enthusiast, Outdoor Trainer
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 06/28/2016 - 11:38

Cardiovascular Training - Using Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
 

RPE is a simple and effective method of monitoring your heart rate. It is a useful tool for monitoring the perceived level of muscular, cardiovascular and psychological fatigue. Whether used with or without a heart rate monitor, the RPE offers a correlation between your perception or “intuition” of your physical and mental output, and your actual heart rate.
 

Setting up an RPE during a workout

This simple RPE scale goes from 1 to 10—1 being a very weak (easy) effort, and 10 being maximum effort.  The RPE scale can easily be used in correlation with the Heart Rate Training Zones.

How Clean is the Air You're Breathing?

Athletes, Cardio, Enthusiast, Environment, Health/Well Being, Injury Prevention, Outdoor Trainer
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 06/18/2016 - 05:13

Air Quality and Exercise

Particulate Matter and Air Quality
Particulate matter is a broad term used to describe solid particles sometimes found in the air. These particles are coarse in nature and some can even be seen with the naked eye, like dust particles or soot. The particles may come from cars and trucks that stir up dust on the road, factory emissions and windblown dirt on trails. This form of pollution may impair respiratory function and decrease lung function, especially with exercise.

Trail Etiquette - Watch Out for Flying Biohazards!
Athletes, Enthusiast, Health/Well Being, Outdoor Trainer, Running
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 06/09/2016 - 07:39

Snot Rocket, Cannon Ball Blow, Air Hankie, Golfer’s Blow
It’s all about nose clearing on the fly.  Experts call it Exercise-induced rhinorrhea (EIR). And according to the Annals of Allergy & Asthma Immunology, it’s common in athletes; particularly outdoor exercise enthusiasts. What's more, the condition appears to occur regardless of underlying allergies.  I call it Flying Biohazards!  As coach, trainer and the best friend to one offender I’ve been sprayed and spit on…and I’ve taken it upon myself to be the “habit breaker” for many. 

Should You Trade Your Treadmill for the Trails?
Ask the Trainer, Cardio, Enthusiast, Outdoor Trainer
Submitted by Tina Vindum on 04/26/2016 - 15:45

Find out how outdoor exercise measures up to indoor gym workouts -- and then hit the trails!
NOTE: The following is from an interview I did with FITNESS MAGAZINE's Betsy Stephens.
 
Question: "Can I quit the gym this summer and still stay in shape by exercising outside?"

Answer: Absolutely.

Full-body Squat!

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