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  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Endurance Ride Websites
    • Free Web Pages for Ride Managers
    • Autumn Sun Pioneer
    • Pine Tree Pioneer
    • Cariboo Gold Rush Express
    • Eagle Canyon Endurance Ride
    • Top O The World Pioneer Ride
    • Idaho IronHorse Challenge
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Recalculating Route: 6 Tips for Maintaining Fitness while Managing Injury

2/18/2022

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Early morning. Dark outside. Treadmill whirring. I'm halfway through my warmup when *ZING!* Pain stabs my forefoot. It's familiar. Dreaded. My old demon, Metatarsalgia.

This isn't a running injury, per say. In my case, it's a chronic condition caused by an unfortunate genetic cocktail of bunions, arch construction, and long toes. (Seriously? Long toes?) Most of the time, I keep it under control with custom orthotics, stiff-soled shoes, and an anti-inflammatory diet. But occasionally, it flares.

We all have something, don't we? Whether it's periodic acute injuries or aggravated chronic ones, there will also be times when pain gets in the way of our goals. As I sit here with my foot wrapped in a frozen clay pack, I realize that age and experience have improved on my skills when it comes to maintaining fitness while managing injury.

Here's what I've learned:

#1 - Know When to Fold 'em

Kenny Rogers was right. Sometimes, it's better to give up than to push through.

When my metatarsalgia attacked mid-run, I seriously considered finishing my planned workout anyway. It was only a recovery run! Just 4.5 miles of undulating hills! Maybe if I stretched my forefoot a little? Nope. Ran with my toes curled? Nope. Ignored the pain? Sure.

Right on cue, my online trainer started saying things I already knew. Ignoring our bodies' whispers will, eventually, force them to shout. What could have been a minor injury requiring a few days off may blow up into a serious problem that decimates race plans and wipes out months of gains. He was right, of course.

Sadly and brewing with frustration, I did the hardest thing. I stepped off the treadmill.

If you've ever been an athlete on a roll, you know it is terribly difficult to give up on a workout. You feel like you're violating your own commitment. Cheating. Wimping out. But think about it: Isn't it better to sacrifice a few miles today in order to avoid a month of missed runs? To skip those final few bench presses rather than taking several weeks off to nurse a nagging shoulder?

When injury strikes, base your decisions not on the workout in progress, but on the longer term. You'll achieve higher training volume overall by backing off early and recovering quickly than you will by pushing through. Injury will always call your bluff.

#2 - Focus on What You CAN Do

We left my tale of woe with me stepping off the treadmill mid-run. I was worried. I was irritated. And, I was prepared to shift gears. Instead of heading for the shower, I limped across the gym and switched my running shoes for cycling flats.

When we're hurt, it's really easy to bask in our misery. I'm going to lose so much fitness. I'll never be ready for my race. This sucks. What if, instead, we got creative?

It's perfectly possible to train around most injuries. Get specific about what you can't do (in my case, push off my left forefoot) and find challenges that don't involve that movement. If you can't run, maybe you can walk or cycle or swim. If you've tweaked your elbow, you can probably still squat and lunge. Sprained ankle telling you standing balances are out of the question? Skip the vinyasa yoga and do hatha instead.

You might even make some gains while you recover. For example, cycling has long been hailed as a beneficial cross-training modality for runners. (Now I have time to do more of it!) Even if you don't gain, you'll minimize loss. Research demonstrates that training your uninjured bits helps preserve muscle even in immobilized limbs.

#3 - Maintain Your Usual Routine

On a related note, sticking to your usual workout schedule ~ even if you're changing up the activities ~ has benefits of its own. 

Have you ever noticed that, despite initial resistance to taking a break due to injury, our natural tendencies toward laziness still kick in? "I can't run right now" has a way of morphing into "I'm going to binge Netflix and eat all the Cheetos." Don't do it!

You've worked hard to establish habits and routines, so stick to them. I hopped on the bike again this morning at my usual running time and pounded out a HIIT workout. After lunch, my strength workout is still on the docket, though I'll be working around a hamstring that I pushed a little too hard on Wednesday.

Even if your injury (or illness) really is severe enough that you can't do an alternative workout, still set aside your usual gym time to focus on your health. Use the time to stretch or read up on current research about your chosen sport. Alternatively, engage in a contemplative practice. Research has demonstrated real mental and physical benefits from mindfulness activities such as meditation and prayer, regardless of whether they are secular or religious in flavor.

Keeping your usual schedule will help you remain focused on getting back in the game instead of letting the sofa steal your success.

#4 - Actively Treat the Injury

Speaking of focus, there's a big difference between resting and recovering. Sure, rest is usually an important part of recovery, but there's so much more you can do than sit back and wait for your cells to repair. Depending on the nature of your injury, taking an active role in your recovery may even make the difference between a complete fix and chronic problems.

Don't be afraid to enlist a professional. The right practitioner (whether in sports medicine, chiropractic, soft tissue therapy, functional medicine, or whatever) is one who understands your goals and has the knowledge to help you return to full function. If you have that person's number in your phone, consider dialing it.

Of course, there are a lot of common sense steps you can take on your own. Get out your ice packs, foam rollers, and therapy balls. Soak in an epsom salt bath. Modify supportive devices, if applicable. (For me, that meant adding temporary forefoot support to my usual orthotic, per my podiatrist's direction). Tend to localized and systemic inflammation using compression, more ice, extra sleep and diet.

#5 - Eat Even Cleaner

Oh yes, diet.

It can be especially tempting to treat ourselves to junk food when we're injured. Self-medicating with food is common, including among athletes facing the depressive tendencies that accompany setbacks. The problem, of course, is that these "medicating" foods are usually pro-inflammatory choices like pizza, mac & cheese, or cookies.

Instead, try to stick to food that really does contribute to healing. You choose quality fuel to support your training, right? Wouldn't your damaged body appreciate quality building blocks even more?

Personally, I've upped my veggie and fish intake while staying away from inflammatory foods like grains and sugar. At the very least, it helps me mentally to continue treating myself like an athlete rather than a slug. 

#6 - Stay Positive

It all boils down to positivity, right? The mental game is at least half the battle, and all the strategies listed above contribute to it.

Personally, I find that curiosity and positivity go hand in hand. Recovery is an opportunity to explore new activities, read some research, and get creative. You really can maintain your athletic mindset throughout your recovery and out the other side. 
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Bonus Tip - Take This Advice to the Barn

Oh, horse people: Don't miss the crossover application to our furry friends! Having an injured horse can be just as frustrating to having an injury of your own...and it can also offer just as much opportunity.

If your horse is laid up, look for ways to spin his down time to your advantage. Work on a low-activity training issue, like accepting the bit, touching ears, or picking up feet. Learn some physical-therapy "tricks" like carrot stretches. Bond over extra grooming and hand-grazing in the sun. Get in some extra steps on a slow handwalks.

Whatever you do, don't let an injury lay waste to your time or ambition. Recalculate your route and keep going!
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Weekly Wraps -- 2022, Weeks 5 & 6

2/14/2022

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Oops! Time got away from me. I neglected to post my Week 5 wrap, so I'll drop it in below with Week 6.

I may not have been writing about it, but I've certainly been doing the work. Here's what's up:

Horse Days Are Back

We had sunny, 40-degree weather last week! It's probably a "fool's spring," but I'll take it. Despite a round corral still full of snow, mud, and standing water, I managed to get in several days of working with all three horses. I put a total of 30-ish slow miles on Jammer, plus some solid groundwork (and a brief ride) on Ledger. I also spent quite bit of "gentling" time with Bellalunaa. Even though I rode her several times before the weather turned last fall,
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I feel like she needs some quieter, less challenging attention to ease some underlying anxiety. I've backed off from the usual CA Method progression to really listen to her and give her time to think. I started with simple grooming and have added daily bits of things she already knows: a little bending here, some hoof handling there, some yielding of hindquarters or run-up-and-rub, but nothing too intense or for very long. She seems to respond best when asked quietly, then left alone, rather than being drilled. Interestingly, this is consistent with what a few students of Arabian bloodlines predicted. It also fits nicely with my current lack of facilities, giving us productive, relationship-building time while the ground dries out.

My Running Goal is Set Too Low

...the one about running a 10k at a 9.5 minute mile pace, that is. 

Why do I think it's too low? Because I finished this week's long run of 6.89 miles at a 9:47 pace. And it's only mid-February. 

Don't hold me to this just yet, but I'm thinking of adding a half-marathon completion to my goals list. I have two, main hesitations: Can my feet handle it? and Do I have enough time? Time in the days, that is, for enough training miles. I'm not sure. But I'm pondering.

​Since I'm on the subject, here's my Week 6 wrap:
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It's hard to see without paying careful attention, but I took this week a little on the easy side. For one thing, I had the first-day-of-period blahs on Friday, so I gave myself a pass on the strength workout. I also did more hatha yoga and less of my usual vinyasa. I felt like I needed it to facilitate recovery from my Week 5 long run. See below:​
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​8.66 miles! Okay, yeah, I know. It's not much in the broader running world, but it's farther than I have run in...well, geez...probably since I last training for a half-marathon in my early 20's. So I'm pretty happy about that!

I'm Bored with My Strength Programming

Since about October 2021, I've been using the Ketogains Novice 5x5 Strength Training Program. It was a perfect way to recommit to strength training after a few years of inconsistency. 5x5 programming is an old friend (it's what I started with some 15 years ago), and the minimal time commitment of about 35 minutes, 3 days per week, was attractive.

I definitely made gains. I've put on considerable muscle mass and strength, and only had one setback when my old SI tweak flared up. Adding regular mobility work at the beginning of the year has kept me feeling fantastic.

But, now I'm bored. Being bored of my programming makes me reluctant to train even though I know it's one of the most important things I can do for long-term health. So...time to mix things up!

I'm looking into some MAPS programming from Mind Pump. I've followed these guys for years and concluded that, once you look and listen past their "bruh" exterior, they're actually extremely knowledgable, experienced, and service-minded. They also happen to be having a Valentines Day sale -- 50% off all programs -- that I just learned about by signing up for their emails. Cool. Happy hearts day to me!

I'm Writing, Just Slowly

If anyone is wondering what happened to my thoughts on being an athletic rider, I haven't forgotten about the series. Writing anything useful takes a surprising amount of time, but I'm working on it. I think it's valuable stuff. Stay tuned. 

If you haven't followed The Sweaty Equestrian on Facebook or subscribed by email (use the little form in the right-hand sidebar), today is the day! 
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Weekly Wrap - 2022, Week 4

2/3/2022

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And there we have it! Month 1 of 2022 is in the books. 

I love this time of year because the weather, bad as it is for working with horses, gives me plenty of time to focus on my own fitness. Sticking to my 2022 Theme & Goals has been positively easy on the gym end. I've been 100% compliant with my plan -- including the hardest part for me, which is actually doing the mobility work.

My plan to include frequent, small doses of mobility exercises actually turned into a habit. I've stuck to those pre-run mobility flows, post-run foam rolls, and pre-life muscle activation routines. (There was one day I had to race to a work meeting right after my run, but I went back to the gym to foam roll right afterwards.) I think the key is keeping the mobility sessions short, short, short!

And guess what? My grouchy knee is hardly making a squeak. My lower back is pain-free. My shoulder is bearing up to increasing loads on the bar. And that makes me happy. 

Here are the stats:
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Want to hear something interesting? Since Mr. Sweaty and I gave up alcohol (as a daily thing, not completely and forever) after a family member's pancreatitis attack led to a night in the hospital, we have noticed the following:

  • Lower resting heart rate. Mine has dropped from the low-to-mid 50s into the mid-40s. My average over the past week was 45. Cooooool.
 
  • Higher heart rate variability. HRV is the amount of variation in the time between heart beats, and higher is better because it means the body is making micro-adjustments based on its needs from moment to moment. I use a Oura ring to track mine overnight.
 
  • Lower sleeping temperature. We're both sleeping much cooler and more deeply. No more waking up to throw the covers off. 

No developments on the new property or horse fronts to report. Both remain on hold courtesy of snow and mud. I'm dying to get out there and work with the horses, but I know they are going to need consistency and moving-of-feet (even more than usual, that is) for the first couple weeks to get them back in the groove. I'd rather wait than risk injury on poor footing. Soon, though. Soon.
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Weekly Wrap - 2022, Week 3

1/23/2022

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Well, this has been an interesting week. Mr. Sweaty and I spent Wednesday night in the ER with a family member. Everything turned out okay, but let's just say we all got a wake-up call on the hazards of long-term alcohol consumption. Everyone knows about the liver, but I'm here to tell you that your pancreas has an opinion as well. Not a good one.

In fact, Mr. Sweaty and I have decided to embark on an experiment in nixing the booze. We both tend to nerd out on health metrics and such, so it'll be interesting to watch the impact on everything from sleep to skin to body composition. Stay tuned.

The other thing about spending a night in the ER is that you don't get any sleep. Plus, I managed to aggravate a spot in my back that tends to go into spasm. All that gave me a chance to explore how I could adjust my workout plan to accomodate reality.  (Look at me learning to accept setbacks in my old age! Instead of pushing through no matter what, I actually honored my need for recovery. Yay, me.)

I'm a fan of intentional recovery, as opposed to just rest. There's a big difference between spending an easy day foam rolling, walking, and taking an Epsom soak versus lounging on the sofa with a bag of Cheetos.

I took a cue from this oldie-but-goodie All Banged Up post by Whole 9 and focused on anti-inflammatory nutrition, bodywork, and gentle movement. I did more yoga and less strength training than usual. My running mileage actually came in about the same; I just bumped the days around a bit. And (not reflected in my tracker), I also walked a lot.
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In other news, we met with the excavator at our new property. Despite a foot of snow, he was able to give us the good news that our ideas for the house and barn area will play nicely with the land itself. Hooray!
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This is my future round corral. Bit of work to do yet...

We're currently waiting on the building designer to bring back draft house plans. In the meantime, I need to sit down with a map of the acreage and plan for fences. I'm thinking of creating three pastures of roughly 10-12 acres each. (File that project under Reasons to be Fit!)

Speaking of being fit, I finally managed to get Ledger out for a walk-trot in hand. This was dual-purpose: I need to get my body ready for an off-treadmill 10K in late March, and Ledger needs to ease (mentally and physically) back into work. We're limited to the roadside for now because everything else is made of ice and mud, but he sure seemed to enjoy the diversion. That makes two of us!
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The Athletic Rider

1/18/2022

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For the first thirty years of my life, I didn't consider myself an athlete.

​I was the kind of kid who preferred books, animals, and blackberry picking to any kind of team sport. I had good parents who made me try all the things: kiddie soccer, basketball, ballet, softball, swimming, track. I liked some better than others, but nothing stuck. By the time I hit high school, I had no interest in trying out for any kind of team.

In undergrad, I became what I'd call an "exerciser." I jogged or went to the gym, maintained a healthy bodyweight, and had no trouble meeting the demands of farm life. I rode horses and rowed rafts and spent a lot of time outdoors. I even completed a half marathon once, but that was mostly about running away.
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By my late twenties, I'd discovered nutrition, strength training, and the "functional fitness" approach to human performance. I started lifting heavy weights. I did pull-ups and hill sprints. Outside the gym, I not only rode and rafted, but also canyoneered, backpacked, paddled, and climbed. I also fell in love with endurance riding, racking up classics, multi-days, and a couple 100's.
For the first time in my life, it dawned on me that I felt like an athlete.

An athlete! Me!

But...was I really? My only official sport was endurance. Try as I might, I couldn't get comfortable with the notion that distance riding, in and of itself, was what made me an athlete. In truth, endurance riding was one of the easiest wilderness challenges (physically speaking) that I was engaged in at the time.

I also noticed that, for whatever reason ~ advancing age, cumulative injuries, chronic illness, family responsibilities ~ a lot of riders made it through distance events on grit and knowledge, despite an absence of noteworthy fitness.

That's not a moral judgment; it's just a fact. And it made me consider: If someone who doesn't especially condition herself can do as well or better than a fit person in the same event, then simple participation in that event does not make me an athlete.
Allow me to clarify: I actually believe fitness and athleticism are distinct from one another. It seems to me that a person can be fit without being an athlete, or be an athlete without (yet or still) being fit.
A person can be fit without being an athlete,
or be an athlete without
(yet or still) being fit.
Back in my "exerciser" days, I was reasonably fit. But I didn't intentionally train to improve my physical stamina and skill to better engage in sport. I wasn't an athlete yet.

On the flip side, one of the athletes I respect most, ultra runner Tommy Rivers Puzey, recently spent months in a hospital bed, enduring a grueling race against a rare cancer. He could scarcely open his eyes, let alone run, but he was an athlete still.

That said, I think it's fair to say that fitness and athleticism do tend to correlate, especially over time. An athlete may not appear fit at a particular moment, but he or she will usually manifest change in that direction as months or years go by.
Distance riding can be about meditation, social connection, exploration, play, or knowledge. It doesn't need to have much to do with fitness at all.
Anyway, so what if riding endurance doesn't make a person an athlete? Not everyone wants to be an athlete.

​There are plenty of other reasons to ride: 
Get out in nature. Bond with your horse. Spend time with friends. Recreate. Improve your horsemanship.
Indeed, this sport is special because it allows non-athletes of all ages to play a thrilling, glorious, risky, challenging game. It is a gift from the horses, really, that most of us cherish and none of us deserve.

​But what if you 
do want to approach riding as an athlete? What does that look like? What does it mean? What would it cost, and what might you gain?
​
We equestrians have a way of getting prickly about the physical demands of our sport. We brag to our officemates about pushing wheelbarrows and hefting oats. I've even heard riders compare posting 25 miles to doing squats for hours at a time. (To that one, I'm just going to say it: If you really believe that, sister, you're either posting wrong or you're squatting wrong, or both.)
The truth is, farm chores notwithstanding, achieving our potential isn't going to come from distance riding alone. The truth is, whether we like it or not, the horse really does do most of the work. Yes, even when we ride fast. Even when we ride well.
The truth is, whether we like it or not, the horse really does do most of the work.
Ouch. I know. Ouch.​

I'm not saying that endurance riding isn't hard. It is. It takes knowledge, persistence, and courage. Riding 100 miles in a single day hurts like hell. But I'll bet it doesn't hurt like doing about any other sport for the same length of time. (Except maybe golf. Or baseball.)
Hell, I'm middle-aged, short, and about as genetically average as it's possible to be. I can't imagine running or swimming or rowing or sailing or cycling or climbing for 20 hours straight. But even I can ride that long.
I'll never place in a local track meet, let alone the Olympics. But day over day, I choose not just to get by, ​but to get better.
For me, what makes an athletic rider is effort and intention. I choose to approach distance riding as an any serious athlete approaches his or her sport. I will never place in a local track meet, let alone the Olympics. But day over day, I choose not just to get by, but to get better.
Being an athletic rider means that I eat well, I sleep lots, and I cross-train hard. Hard enough to build my body, my character, my feel. Hard enough to honor the effort with which my horse honors me.

​I run for my horse. I lift for my horse. I stretch and fuel and recover so that I can be there for him ~ really be there ~ in the dark hour on the mountain when it's just the two of us surging over unseen trail, my hands in his mane and his body in my mind, melting together into a single, sweat-soaked creature that is worthy of being called Us.

What kind of rider are you?

There's no wrong answer, as long as you're fair and inquisitive and kind.

If you happen to be the type who wants to be an athletic rider (or even if you're just athletic-curious), the upcoming series of posts on Building a Better Rider is for you. Over several weeks, we'll explore how endurance riding benefits from running, strength training, yoga, and nutrition. (In case you're wondering, it has almost nothing to do with weight loss.) 

You can follow The Sweaty Equestrian on Facebook, or use the little form in the right-hand sidebar to subscribe and never miss a post.
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Weekly Wrap, 2022 - Week 2

1/16/2022

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Well, boys and girls, here we are. Two weeks of 2022 are already in the books. How is your year going?

I feel like I've been super focused on a handful of different things. As usual this time of year (when it's too slick and muddy outside to do much with the horses), fitness gets a lot of attention. Here are my stats:
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I didn't muster the attention to subtract out my warmups and cooldowns from my runs, so my paces are still skewed to the slow side. Maybe I should put a notepad on the treadmill to help me remember. My weekly mileage already nudged above 20, but I'm feeling great so I guess that's okay!

I need to go buy some trail running shoes. My plan is to slowly add mileage in the great outdoors to prepare for that trail 10K in March. The treadmill is great, but I know it's just not the same! I'll start with paved roads due to the weather and move to trails ASAP.
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This is how my round corral (and just about everything else) looks right now.
Doing some outdoor running will let me engage more with the horses. I plan to take Bellalunaa and Ledger for in-hand walk-runs near the farm.

It's not much, in terms of training or conditioning, but there's something to be said for just spending time with them and getting all of us accustomed to regular lessons again.

​C'mon, ground, dry up already!
Speaking of ground: Exciting News!

Mr. Sweaty and I closed last month on 40 acres of land. It's an hour's drive northeast of our current farm, nearly adjacent to thousands of acres of public land. My little distance-riding heart is about to explode! We met with the builder last week to start on on designs.

​Here's a sneak preview: 
We're headed out there today to start figuring out where horse facilities and fence lines might go. Lots to do, gotta go!
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Weekly Wrap - 2022, Week 1

1/9/2022

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My first week of 2022 has been a balancing act. In the gym, it was a case of injury vs. ambition. I'm excited about chasing some new running goals, but it's sooooo easy for me to add too much, too soon.

My problem (which is, as Clinton Anderson would say, a good problem to have) is that my systems are fit enough to overstress my structures. And that's exactly what I did during the last week of 2021. I did a hard, fast interval run that gave me an exhilarating aerobic push -- just what I was looking for -- but also woke a familiar pain in my shins.

Compartment syndrome. 

Often confused with shin splints, compartment syndrome causes pain due to expansion of the muscle beyond what its inflexible fascia sheath can accommodate. It initially impacted me on endurance rides. Trotting downhill was especially brutal, and I'd end races with my shins so swollen the skin was shiny. I'd hobble around for weeks afterward, feeling as though my legs had been beaten with a 2x4. 

Foam rolling, custom orthotics, and compressions sleeves all but eliminated the issue...until that interval run. Since then, I rekindled my relationship with my ice pack and The Stick. I also kept running, but I dialed it back a bit.

​Here's my weekly wrap:
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Total: Just shy of 18 miles, which safely within the 15-20 mile range that I'd like to maintain most weeks throughout year. I kept myself to one V02 max workout (you're welcome, shins) and added a weekly long run. Well, long-ish. Baby steps.

The average paces look even slower than the really are because my warmups and cooldowns are included. Calculating this way is easy because the treadmill keeps track for me, but it's a bit demoralizing. I'm slow, but I'm not that slow! Maybe I'll actually do my own math next week.

Happily, I stuck to my mobility goals. I ended the week feeling better than I started, shins included, without compromising my workouts overall. I did cut the lower body work out of one strength session due to a tweaky knee, which I'm pretty sure was compensating for its neighboring shin. 

Speaking of systems (respiratory, circulatory, etc.) and structures (bones, ligaments, etc.), my own experience this week serves as a good reminder as I look ahead to spring conditioning for the horses. They, too, build aerobic capacity much faster than their tissues can remodel. It's my job to throttle them back.

​After all, I'm supposed to be the one that knows better.

One more thing: Mr. Sweaty and I both signed up for the Owyhee Off-Road Challenge 10K. It's not until late March, but I'm already excited! The course includes a very long uphill section, which motivates me to do plenty of incline work...starting as soon as I get my shoes laced up.
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Quick Mobility Routines You'll Actually Do

1/7/2022

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Did you ever get up from a chair or reach for a dropped object and think, "Damn, I'm moving like my grandmother?" 

Yeah. Me too.

My joint mobility is actually pretty good. (Ignore the ice pack on my knee. Really. It's just and old ski injury that flares up on occasion.) My real battle is with posterior chain muscle tension. It shows up most in my hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

This is particularly noticeable after a long or fast run, or when I increase the weight on my back squats or deadlifts. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to ignore it until it gets quite bad. Why do I do that?
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I explored that question as I was doing Stacy Westfall's 5 Steps to Blow Your Own Mind exercise (podcast episode 159). One of the steps is to list the reasons you haven't achieved a particular result before now.
In the case of mobility work, my main reason is that I always feel like my time is better spent on working out -- you know, running or cycling or lifting. I don't have time to waste on mobility. 

Until I can't move, of course. Until my sacroiliac joint pangs when I stand up, or my low back aches every morning, or my shoulder complains about doing pushups. Then I have to find time, and more of it!

​That's why one of my goals for this year is to focus on mobility.

I've established four, specific commitments that are quick enough to have minimal impact on my existing routine, while still addressing much-needed maintenance and improvement:
Quick Mobility Flow

Urdhva Hastasana
Forward Fold, walk hands forward into
Downward Facing Dog and pedal out feet
Three-Legged Dog (pick either side)
Low Lunge
Easy Twist
Low Lunge
Crescent Lunge
Half Hanuman
Low Lunge
Downward Facing Dog and pedal out feet
switch sides and repeat
Finish with Rag Doll, then roll up into
Tadasana


[Click here to print a copy for easy reference.]
  1. Do a quick mobility flow before every run and after every strength workout
  2. Foam roll after every run
  3. Do a muscle activation warmup before every strength workout
  4. Practice yoga for at least 3, 25-minute sessions per week
Muscle Activation Warmup

Glute Bridge (10 reps)
90/90 Stretch (both sides)
Bird Dogs (5 reps each side)
Squat Hold with Thoracic Rotations (3 reps)
External Shoulder Rotations (10 reps)
Lateral Pullaparts (10 reps)
Cheerleaders (10 reps)


See end of post for links to instructive videos.
[Click here to print a copy for easy reference.]
Totally doable!

#1 and #2 take about 3 minutes each. (Sure, those are short stretching and foam rolling sessions! But I almost never actually get long sessions done, so this is a win, right? Right.)

#3 takes about 10 minutes and isn't terribly exciting, but that's where temptation bundling comes in. I listen to podcasts to keep me amused during strength workouts anyway; the new warmups let me listen longer. Another win!
#4 is, admittedly, more of a time commitment. Yoga makes a massive difference in how well I feel, not to mention how well I ride. 25 minutes is shorter than most of my runs, so it takes my running slot on non-running days and I still come out ahead. (Also, goodness no, I don't have time to drive to a yoga studio! I use the Down Dog app.)

One more thing: I'm making a point of getting to my chiropractor/soft tissue guy at least monthly. Not only is the regular maintenance good for injury prevention, but it helps keep those old twinges (ahem, knee, ahem) under control.


That's it! Habit formation is underway, and I plan to end this year feeling better than when I started. How about you?

Resources:

Dr. Aaron Horschig of Squat University demonstrates his quick shoulder warmup

Movement Enhanced demonstrates a deep squat with thoracic rotation exercise

Adam Schafer of Mind Pump explains how to perform a 90/90 hip stretch

Free Printable Quick Mobility Flow and Muscle Activation Warmup Sheets

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What is a Workout?

2/15/2021

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Sixteen inches of snow fell on my farm over the weekend. They turned my regular farm chores into a sweaty affair involving trudging through drifts with armloads of hay, swapping out horse blankets bedazzled with icicles, and digging out the truck in case of veterinary emergency.
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In this weather, everything is harder and takes longer. Chore time winches up from ten minutes to half an hour. Eventually, I stomp back into the mudroom, dragging my coat and brushing damp hair back under my beanie… and go change into my workout gear.
 
Why?
​

What is it that compels me to maintain official workouts even when daily life offers exercise aplenty? What, in my nerdy little brain, separates "workouts" from "general activity?"
I think about this a lot, and I always circle back to the same conclusion: The defining feature of a workout is intentionality. A workout is designed to make meaningful progress toward a specific fitness goal.
The defining feature
of a workout is intentionality.
For me, this is different from general activity.
 
Now, general activity can certainly confer the benefits of physical exercise. It’s arguably the most natural way to stay fit. Just doing stuff – trudging up hills, pushing wheelbarrows, carrying posts, digging holes, heaving feed bags – it all makes me stretch and strengthen, bumps up my heart rate from time to time. What’s not to love?
 
I’ve certainly dragged inside after some exhausting days of building fence. I’ve enjoyed putting my feet up after riding a tough 50. At these times, I may consider myself to have gotten plenty of physical activity, but I don’t credit myself with a workout.
The point of general activity is to complete a task.

​The point of a workout is to improve as an athlete.
Why? Because with general activity, the goal is something other than fitness itself. It may be to get the bales stacked, the stalls cleaned, the hooves rasped, the water buckets scrubbed, the miles ridden. But it isn’t to do a workout, which is, per Merriam-Webster's  definition “a practice or exercise to test or improve one’s fitness for athletic competition, ability, or performance.”
Splitting hairs? Probably. But I find value in the distinction.
 
On a related note, as beneficial as general activity is, very few of us do enough of it. I often hear riders claim they don’t need to work out because they get their exercise taking care of their horses. After all, just feeding and grooming and paddock scooping earns them more steps than your average Joanne! 
 
I’ll grant you that. But is Average Joanne the right benchmark? “Average” these days is pre-diabetic with chronic back pain and mood swings. I don’t want to be average.
 
I could probably maintain reasonable health on farm chores and a decent diet. I could certainly still ride long distances. People do it all the time! But I wouldn’t get any better. You know what Henry Ford said: Do what you’ve always done, and you’ll get what you’ve always got. 
 
I want more. So, for me, general activity – even when it gets an extra boost from snowfall or unexpected groundwork with a frisky pony – is only a baseline. I’ll spin and run and lift my way up from there.
 
All the best riders I know make their own fitness a priority. Can you be a distance rider without working out? Yes. You can be a knowledgeable horseman and get your horse fit and make it through 50 or 75 or 100 miles. But will you be the best rider you can be?
I know that I wouldn’t.

For me, a workout about what I can get, not what I can get away with. It’s about taking ownership of my outcomes rather than settling for the status quo. A workout is an investment in excellence.
What is a workout?
​
​A workout is an investment in excellence.
What do you think? What is a workout? Is there a different definition that works better for you?

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Slow Build

2/12/2021

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Despite its challenges, nothing could have been better for my personal fitness than this pandemic.

Working from home saves me about 90 minutes of commuting. By the time I add that to my usual workout allotment, I can put in over 2 hours of gym time most days ~ especially while winter keeps her thumb on my riding opportunies. 

Since our new treadmill arrived in early December, I've found myself on an unusually cardio-heavy binge. Don't get me wrong: I still believe that strength training is queen, especially as we age. Nevertheless, I have really been digging the cardio.
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The great thing about having extra time is that I've allowed my usually-overzealous mind to settle into a very gradual building phase, particularly in the running department. I've been a casual runner since undergrad: did a half-marathon once, incorporated hill sprints for HIIT, enjoyed some trail runs. 

Over the last year, though, I've battled foot pain courtesy of bunions, flat feet, and (my podiatrist informed me in a frustrated tone) longish toes. Seriously? Yeah. Apparently, my toes are long enough to place extra burden on my already-taxed forefeet. Awesome.

Anyway, orthotics are helping. I've spent the past two months reintroducing running to my repertoire...veeeeeery gradually. By "gradually, I mean that I started with one-minute jog, one-minute walk intervals and took 8 whole weeks working up to 40 minutes at a 12-minute mile pace. 

Not fast. Not impressive. But right where I needed to be.
I relied on ultramarathoner Tommy Rivs' coaching through the iFit app to keep my progression slow. Although I almost always felt like I could do so much more, he convinced me to trust the process. To do the things that seemed too small.
Do the things
​that seem too small.
As I walked and jogged, day after day, Rivs talked about systems and structures. Our systems are things like respiration and circulation; our structures are our muscles, tendons, and bones. Both need to be brought along slowly enough that we don't injure our weaker bits because the rest of our components feel strong.
You hear people say, "No pain, no gain."

I hate that expression.

How about just:

No pain, no pain?
~ Tommy Rivers Puzey
In my case, my systems felt great after months of spinning on the bike. Aerobically, I could have pushed much harder ~ hard enough to break my structures, especially my feet. Thankfully, the process kept me in check.

And now, in mid-February, I find myself ready to bump it up a notch. I'm adding more speed, more incline, more distance. Gradually. One at a time.
You know what? It feels fantastic. I love the exhilaration of stepping with confidence onto a foundation that was built slowly enough to be solid. Feeling my lungs and muscles burn with effort, not with pain. Layering capacity on those systems, those structures, one tough workout at a time.

Of course, I never complete a single run ~ nope, not a single one ~ without the horses on my mind. Their turn is coming. Spring lies just beneath the four inches of snow that fell last night. I can feel it.

I've been spending time with my new mare lately, touching up her feet and lunging her a bit in the round corral. She has the foamy sweat of a seasonal pasture potato, but the energy of a spring wind. It would be so easy to climb astride and ride too fast, too far, too soon.

I'm grateful to have the benefits of long, slow distance freshly drilled into my brain. In the coming weeks, all the hard workouts will be for me. My mare will get the easy ones, week by week, until what once seemed hard is nothing at all, and what once seemed impossible is only a stretch away.

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The Only Key

2/7/2021

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​It’s February already! How are your 2021 goals coming along?
 
We all know how common it is for early enthusiasm to wane in the face of everyday life. Ambitions bow to apathy, and soon we find ourselves saying, Well, I’ll start on that next Monday. Or next month. Or next year.
 
And yet, some people manage to do great things. Whatever “great” means. They lose 50 pounds, ride 100s, raise kids on their own, finish triathlons, write books, recover from illness, step away from the rat race, master public speaking.
 
“Great things” are the things that matter to us, as individuals. Are we making them happen? Today, are we doing something to make them happen?
One of my favorite people to watch is endurance athlete Tommy Rivers Puzey. If you’re an iFit member, you’ve probably done his workouts. And if you have, you know he has a gift for simultaneously believing in huge accomplishments while encouraging small steps.
 
“Trust the process,” he says, especially when you feel like you aren’t working as hard as you could or should. “The only key is consistency.”
Trust the process.

The only key is consistency.
​
~ Tommy Rivs

Like Rivs, I’m a big fan of process goals. 
 
Want to get that challenging filly trained? Spend some time with her every day – even if you can’t ride, at least get out there and pick up her feet an whisper in her ear.
 
Want to run a 10k? Lace up your shoes and go outside – any pace, any distance – just get out there. Everything counts.
 
Want to lose bodyfat? Choose to cook salmon instead of ordering takeout tonight. Not for the rest of your life, but just tonight. 
 
If you’ve fallen off the wagon on some of your 2021 goals, so what? Hop back on. Zoom in from the end goal to the process. Doing something hard doesn’t mean every step needs to hurt.
An object in motion tends to stay in motion.
I don’t know about you, but I find that the more often I work on something, the more likely I am to keep working on it. This always makes me think of my undergrad physics course. Momentum. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. ​
Today is the day to replace inertia with momentum: Just do something. Then, keep doing that.

​The only key is consistency. 
​

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How to Fix Your Posture for Riding and Health

12/13/2020

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Last May, Mr. Sweaty and I took the horses on a little trail ride. Here we are, about a mile from home.

AAAACK! Look at that posture! Slumped shoulders, thrust-forward neck, eww!

Needless to say, that photo didn't make it to Facebook. It did, however, motivate me to straighten up.

I realized that I'd fallen victim to the same combination of laziness and poor movement (or lack-of-movement) patterns that drag most of us down to Slouchtown over the years.

​Time to fix it!
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My goal, whether standing or riding, is to be able to draw a straight line down through my ear, shoulder, hip, and ankle. The overall picture should be balanced and relaxed, not forced. This will minimize strain on my muscles, joints, and connective tissue. Not only will it look good, but it will minimize injury risk and fatigue both today and over the long haul.

The problem is that my lifestyle bears the hallmarks of modernity. I work at a desk, commute 45 minutes each way, lounge on a sofa, and spend way too much time staring down at a laptop or phone. 

Posture Impacts Our Health and Our Horses

Unfortunately for me, the research is clear: Poor posture has a detrimental impact on health.

The unnatural strain that slouching puts on our spines can lead to chronic back pain and even degenerative disc disease. Lopsided musculature throws joint alignment out of whack, as well as leading to inflexibility and lousy balance. Slouching even interferes with digestion and breathing!

If that isn't enough motivation, consider what dressage rider and coach Gina Allen says about how rider posture impacts our horses:
"The hunched or rounded upper back, known as “kyphosis”, is a common postural problem. It can inhibit breathing, interfere with digestion, and cause tremendous stress to the discs between the vertebral segments of the thoracic spine. All this offers little support to your equine partner and often results in pushing him onto the forehand. Stretching through the front (anterior) chest muscles and strengthening the mid-upper back muscles can help correct this problem as long as the kyphosis is not too advanced.

Another common postural problem is a protruding belly, or “lordosis”. It may result from tight hip flexors and poor abdominal strength. Although the “potbelly” may not necessarily be caused by weak abdominal muscles, the forward tilt to your pelvis will likely block your horse through his back, disallowing the hind leg energy to travel through his body. To correct a tipping pelvis, imagine that your pelvis is a bowl full of water. Rotate it backward as if trying to prevent the water from splashing over the front edge."

​
~ Gina Allen "Why Rider Fitness and Posture are so Important," Equine Wellness 2017
Guilty as charged.

The photo above provides my personal example of kyphosis, while the photo at right (taken in 2010) demonstrates lordosis. 

Thankfully, I went to a clinic put on by a couple endurance riders in my region shortly thereafter and got that bad habit corrected!

(I still forget to bring my elbows in sometimes, but that's a topic for another day.)
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Exercises to Correct Posture for Riding and Life

When I got the wake-up call from Mr. Sweaty's photo, my initial inclination was to hitch back my shoulders and stand up straight...and somehow remember to keep doing that day after day. I quickly realized, however, that there must be a better way. So, I did some reading.

It didn't take much googling on the subject to remind me of the highly-relevant fact that our muscle groups are designed to work in pairs: Quadriceps along the front of the leg balance hamstrings along the back of the leg, biceps work in opposition to triceps, and so on.
Problem arise when opposing muscle groups get imbalanced. The classic example for postural purposes manifests itself in the shoulder slouch.
Problems arise when these opposing muscle groups get imbalanced. The classic example for postural purposes manifests itself in the shoulder slouch.

Think about it: We hunch over our keyboards all day, letting our back muscles weaken while our chest muscles become short and tight. Over time, our very skeletons get pulled out of alignment.

Hello, back pain! Not to mention lousy ride photos.
Fixing this takes both stretching out the shortened muscles on the strong side and strengthening the muscles on the opposing weak side. Here's the plan I've selected to target my own weaknesses: upper back slouch, forward-thrust neck, and lower back pain:
IMPROVING POSTURE
Upper Back Slouch
Lower Back Pain
Thrust-Forward Neck
Stretching
Elbows Behind Back
Wall Stretch
Cat-Cow
Supine Twist
Chin Tucks
Strengthening
Bent-Over Rows
Reverse Flys
T-Pulls
Upright Rows
Renegade Rows
​Front Planks
Side Planks
Glute Bridges
Bird Dogs
Russian Twists
More Chin Tucks
It's not as much as it sounds like, because several of those moves are already built into my regular workouts and yoga. However, getting all the stretching and strengthening in does take some extra intentionality.

This is a good time to remember not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Even if you just pick one stretch and one strengthening exercise to target your problem area, you'll be miles ahead of where you'd end up if you took no action at all.

Building Habits to Improve Your Posture

 Building new habits tends to work best when we hitch the new habits to existing ones.

This can take the form of adding the new habit to something you already do: Every time you brush your teeth, do a stretch and a strength exercise. 

Or, take this opportunity to replace a less desirable habit: Every time you get the urge to check social media, do chin tucks instead. (I actually do this. It works.)

I also use a plain old timer system during the work day: Every 55 minutes, my phone alarm goes off. That's my cue to spend five minutes greasing the groove (get your mind out of the gutter, people -- it's pullups, chinups, and pushups) or doing a few stretches and exercises to target my posture.

As your physique gets more balanced, all you have to do is remember to apply it in the saddle. Again, try tying the habit to something you do anyway: Every time you see a ribbon or change diagonals, check in with your posture.

Your health, and your horse, will thank you.

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Can More Protein Build a Better Rider?

12/8/2020

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In last week's post about Building Muscle after 40, I mentioned that I need to pay more attention to protein intake. I had the feeling that it's been lower than optimal -- which is apparently the case for the majority of us looking to gain muscle and lose fat.
Sure enough, I tracked my protein intake for a week and found that it ranged from a low of 56 grams to a high of 102 grams per day, with most days landing in the 75-85 gram range. For reasons I'll explain below, I'm now aiming considerably higher.
"Most people naturally eat the right amount of protein for their needs...However, there are certain situations where it may be advantageous to increase protein intake." ~ Chris Kresser M.S., L.Ac.

4 Reasons to Consume Optimal (not just adequate) Protein

Protein is satiating. Not only is protein essential for human life, it is also deeply satisfying. Eating additional protein keeps us feeling full, automatically pushing out lower-value foods like starches and sugars and reducing the urge to snack.
What horse doesn't want a leaner, stronger, happier rider?
Protein feeds muscle. Maximizing dietary protein has a direct impact on gains in muscular strength and mass. Increased muscle equals improved metabolic health, which leads to effortless leanness and lower risk of chronic disease. 
Increased protein consumption combined with resistance training is the optimal formula, but even dietary protein alone helps minimize sarcopenia (muscle loss) as we age. What horse doesn't want a leaner, stronger rider?

Protein stabilizes blood sugar. Protein doesn't rapidly drive up insulin or lead to a sugar crash like carbohydrates notoriously do. Instead, it can have a hormonal effect that actually reduces anxiety. This means that it offers not only sustained energy, but also improved focus and mood: just what we need to pilot our horses over many miles of trail.  No more getting hangry on the third loop!

Protein promotes recovery. Injury recovery, I mean. Next time we take a fall or get our feet stepped on, we'd be wise to ramp up our dietary protein to supply extra building blocks for rapid tissue repair. Protein is good for injury prevention, too, contributing to stronger bones, connective tissue, and even immune response.

How Much Protein is Optimal?

This is not an easy question to answer. A bit of googling will find suggestions all over the map. After much reading (both lately and over the past decade), I've landed on two, solid recommendations:

One gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. This is an extremely common recommendation in the athletic realm. It is sometimes modified to refer to one gram of protein per pound of lean bodyweight (a calculation for which you need to know your bodyfat percentage in order to subtract out the corresponding pounds) or one gram of protein per pound of ideal bodyweight (useful particularly for those who are very overweight).

Since I'm pretty lean, but would like to get leaner while also building muscle, the plain-Jane version is a good baseline for me. I weigh 125 pounds, so that puts my target protein intake at 125 grams per day.
20% to 35% of calories. I got this recommendation from Chris Kresser, a functional medicine practitioner whose work I have respected for years. Many of us, including me, fall into at least one of the categories of people for whom he recommends protein intake ranging from 20% to 35% of total calories.

I eat about 2,000 calories per day, so Kresser's formula puts my daily protein target between 100 and 175 grams. ​Realistically, let's call my new goal 125 grams.
To calculate grams as a percentage of calories:

Multiply your average daily calorie intake by your desired percentage of protein intake, in decimal form. Divide the result by 4, because there are four calories in each gram of protein.

My example:
2,000 calories x 0.20 = 400
400 calories / 4 calories per gram = 100
So, 20% of my calorie intake equals 100 grams of protein.

Hate math? Just use the chart in Chris Kresser's article.

How to Eat More Protein

Now that I have the math out of the way, it's time to actually put something on my plate. For all its benefits, protein isn't the most convenient macronutrient to consume. I'll need to be intentional about getting enough. Here's my plan:

Don't skip breakfast. Because protein is so satiating, it's hard to pack adequate consumption into less than a full day. I find that if I don't start with a high protein breakfast, I won't be able to make up for it later.

Don't skip lunch. Protein really does keep my energy level steady. As a result, it's all too easy to motor along after high protein breakfast, completely forgetting to get more grams in at lunchtime. Once again, though, skipping a meal means I don't hit my target for the day.

Eat protein first. If protein is a priority, it makes sense to give it first dibs on stomach space. Doing so has the bonus effect of curbing any tendency to overeat because our brains have time to register that we're full before we pack in those starchy sides or sugary desserts.

Plan ahead. This one is huge. I have to make sure I buy enough proteins during my weekly grocery trip, pre-cook some of them for later convenience, and have protein-centric recipes in mind to keep me interested.


Choose appealing foods. Speaking of planning, there's the obvious question of what proteins to eat. The basics are obvious: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, and some plants (kind of). Naturally, everyone is going to prefer some sources over others.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of eggs and although I do okay on dairy, I suspect it isn't the ideal source of protein for the majority of people. (Lactose intolerance is common, and the hormonal response dairy provokes can promote bodyfat gain.)

Here are some ideas I'm trying out:

  • Meat and poultry dishes for dinner, making extra to heat up at breakfast or lunch. Canned chicken is nice to have on hand for low-leftover days.
  • Fish grilled or baked for dinner. Canned tuna and kippers for quick lunches.
  • Deli meats for lunch. Sliced roast beef or turkey is good wrapped around a bit of cream cheese and some veggies for an easy meal.
  • Eggs aren't my favorite, but they're surprisingly fluffy scrambled with cottage cheese. To get a full meal's worth of easy protein, add some ham or corned beef.
  • Plain Greek yogurt with fruit and toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds for breakfast variety (go easy on nuts and seeds, though -- the calories add up quicker than the protein).
  • Legumes offer occasional variety. Lentils and navy beans are relatively high in protein, as plant proteins go. However, I find that the micronutrient and protein bang usually isn't worth my calorie and carbohydrate buck.

I'm keeping my eyes open for new, high-protein recipes. With any luck, some of them will appear in my next Recipe Roundup. Got suggestions? Drop them in the comments!

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Further reading:
​

5 Reasons You May Need More Protein - Even on a Paleo Diet

The Definitive Guide to Protein

The Connection Between Protein and Your Mental Health
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Making a Run for It

12/6/2020

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Mr. Sweaty and I have been talking about the X22i treadmill for over a year. We have its bicycle cousin, and between us, we spin its little magnetic-resistance wheel dizzy.

Both the bike and the treadmill are those NordicTrack machines with the iFit membership capability -- you know, where they have virtual trainers to take you on runs or rides all over the world (or in studios). It sounds corny, but I do work harder with the app than I would on my own. Mr. Sweaty especially likes having indoor options for working out on our hottest, coldest, wettest, and windiest days.

Hence, yesterday's delivery of a very big box:
NordicTrack isn't offering assembly right now, due to COVID. It took the two of us (and let me tell you, it does take two!) about two hours to unwrap and piece together our new toy. That's not bad, considering I had to move the entire contents of our gym out of the way and back again.

Now, there's nothing left to do but run!

​I've been an off-and-on runner since I was 20. Trail running is my favorite, but I did a street half-marathon in about 2002. Mr. Sweaty, meanwhile, has run a bunch of halfs and one full marathon, and is faster than me to boot. He puts in a lot more miles than I ever will.

Cardio is not my strong suit. I consider myself more of a strength athlete. The truth is, while 23andMe claims my muscles produce a certain protein that makes me better at power than endurance, I'm not exactly destined for the Olympics in either category.

But, I have a goal for 2021: I want to do a Spartan race. That means I have to run. At a minimum, I should be able to do 5 miles at a decent clip in order to be prepared for race day. I've no idea when that will be, but as running is a weak point, I want to start training now. (First I need to get some foot pain dealt with, but that's a post for another day.)
​​While I'm learning to run, Mr. Sweaty is learning to ride.

Did somebody say
​Ride and Tie?
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My first (and only) Ride-and-Tie at Owyhee River Challenge in 2015
Hey, a girl can dream.

Anyway, our garage gym is re-assembled and ready for use. Zoom zoom!
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How about you? What are you doing to stay fit during this COVID winter?

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Building Muscle After 40

11/27/2020

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My body and I are having a disagreement: It is forty-two and thinks that's an excuse to not be in its thirties. I beg to disagree.

A lot of good that's doing me. 

Here's the thing: I have been "the fitness type" for a very long time. Having maintained the basics with casual running since college, I got serious about strength training in about 2006. I started with bodyweight work. Within a year, I'd added a home gym complete with barbell, dumbells, pull-up bar, and bench. Within 3 years, I had kettlebells, a weighted vest, a wellness library, and some pretty respectable muscle mass.

Fast forward to now: My home gym is further tricked out with a power cage, second barbell, box jump, spin bike, and yoga mat. I use them all pretty religiously. Between late December 2019 and mid-July 2020, I worked out every single day. For something like 186 days.

And yet...and yet. My muscle mass isn't what it used to be. I can tell that I'm not as strong, both when I do "real things," and when I look in the mirror.

Part of me says that's a normal part of aging. Everyone has a harder time holding onto muscle (let alone gaining) as they get older. Sarcopenia is a thing. I'm lucky to have a solid fitness base that keeps me motoring along pretty well. I'm even luckier to have a partner who doesn't labor under the delusion that a woman's value rests upon her appearance.

However. Another part of me won't give up that easily.
My solid fitness base is just that: a base. You don't go down from a base...you go up!
​There's half a lifetime of stuff I still want to do, and I need to be strong enough to do it. I can accept that it's harder now, but building muscle isn't a relic of my past. My solid fitness base is just that: a base. You don't go down from a base...you go up!

...which leaves me with making the best of 42. So, I did some reading.

It turns out that I wasn't imagining things. There are good reasons that what worked well for me a decade ago just isn't ideal anymore. There's a lot of overlap, of course. Most of the tried-and-true principles still apply. But, I can do quite a few things differently to maximize my muscle gains in (gasp!) middle age:

1. Increase Muscular Effort while Decreasing Injury Risk

With age come nagging injuries that persist longer than they did when we were young. I'm almost always tiptoeing around a touchy elbow, wrist, sacroiliac joint, or knee. If I waited for everything to feel perfect before embarking on a muscle-gain effort, I'd never get off the sofa. That said, max lift attempts aren't as appealing as they used to be.

Traditionally, most athletes build muscle by incrementally increasing the amount of weight they're lifting. Working out while avoiding injury means challenging muscles in other ways. The word on on the street is that these methods are as effective -- or nearly as effective -- as stacking on the plates.

  • Slow the pace. Lifting less weight, but at a slower pace, is a reliable way to fire up your muscle fibers. I've resisted this in the past because it seems tedious, but I think it's time to give it another try. Five slooooow back squats with 95 pounds can certainly be as tough as five normal-speed ones with 125 pounds. 
 
  • Go high rep, low weight. Low-load-high-rep is arguably less effective than high-load-low-rep for building absolute strength, but it's still an effective means of stimulating muscle growth. It isn't my preference, mostly because I get bored, but I must admit that a solid muscle-endurance set can really kick my butt without irritating problem joints. 
 
  • Mix it up. There are all kinds of other ways to challenge muscle without going too heavy. I'm going to experiment with eccentric movements, dropsets, and static holds as a change of pace to jump-start muscle growth. 
 
  • Find substitutes. There's nothing wrong with skipping a movement that hurts. Often, I find that I can work the same muscle group using a slightly different exercise that doesn't trigger pain. My left elbow doesn't like tricep extensions. Fine. I'll do dips and diamond pushups instead. 

2. Commit to Consistency

Back before COVID, I was at a backyard party chatting with a guy who was mid-50s, lean, and ripped. He commented that the biggest factor in staying fit as he got older was consistency. Unlike in his younger years, he couldn't expect to miss workouts without losing ground.

Even in my early 40s, I can attest that not only is it harder to build muscle than it used to be, but I lose it more quickly when I step off the wagon. As I overhaul my workout schedule to focus more on muscle growth, I'll be making sure that each muscle group gets worked 2-3 times per week.

3. Eat More Protein

Across many years and many sources, I have consistently been reminded of the importance of protein for muscle  growth, especially with increasing age. Recommendations generally range from 1 gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. The latter is hard to pull off, but it's what I'm shooting for. This will take some planning!

4. Emphasize Mobility

Oh yeah. I know. We all know. Our tissues lose elasticity, old injuries form mental and physical scars, and we lose range of motion as we age. This makes us more prone to injury, which impacts our workout consistency, which invites sarcopenia in for a beer. I'll admit that mobility work isn't my strong suit. It always feels less productive than doing a solid workout, and it takes a lot of time. But, if I want to see gains, I'm going to have to commit to more intentional mobility work and better warmups. 
Knowing may be half the battle, but it's only half.
I know what I need to do. Now, it's time to put it into action. I'm going to spend some time this week overhauling my workout calendar and menu planning for extra protein. 

How about you? Do you ever get the feeling that whatever you've been doing just isn't working anymore? Maybe it's time to make some changes...and make some change.

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Links for further reading

Eight Things to Know if You're Building Muscle After 40

How Women Can Build Muscle After 40
​

10 Golden Rules to Weight Training for Over 40s
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Getting my Groove On

10/12/2020

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Years ago (twelve? fourteen? too many!) I visited a middle school with a robust physical education program.​ Gesturing toward a whiteboard on which students' athletic stats were tracked, the gym teacher asked, "How many pullups can you do?"

Erm... I was there for work interests, not personal ones,
 but apparently my reputation as a "fitness type" had preceded me. The teacher's face was expectant. Of course I could do pullups. 

Except, I couldn't. 

I could, however, artfully dodge the question. It stuck with me, though, and that very afternoon, I set out to correct my deficiency. 

I can't remember now how long it took me to get my first dead-hang pullup, but I can tell you this: I vowed then and there that I would never not be able to do pullups again. There's something undeniably empowering about them -- especially for women. (Here's a great video if you want to learn how.)

I've kept that vow for over a decade. I've gone through phases of doing exactly zero pullups for months at a time, but I've never lost the ability. Those dry stretches take a toll on capacity, though.

Take now, for instance. Since riding couple 50's at Top o' the World this summer, I've really slacked off my formal workouts. I'm feeling pretty wimpy. Ugh. Time to get my pull-up count back up!

To do it, I'm dragging out an old technique that I've used off and on over the years: Greasing the Groove.

Greasing the Groove is a term coined by Pavel -- you know, the guy who popularized kettlebells in the West -- in his book Power to the People. Basically, it involves repeating a movement frequently, but at a weight and number of repetitions that fall well short of your maximum capacity. The idea is to strengthen neural pathways, essentially training the body to perform the movement efficiently.

GtG is usually used for bodyweight work like pullups and pushups, not least because it isn't terribly convenient to get yourself to a barbell several times a day. The simplest version is to simply do the exercise periodically throughout the day, but only at 40-50% of your max number of reps. The goal is to build neuro-muscular connections, remember, not muscle per se.

Some people do their reps every hour, on the hour. Back before the house fire, I had a pullup bar in my main bathroom doorway (ah, the benefits of living alone) and did a few pullups every time I went pee. 

This time, I'm going to try a new routine that builds GtG into my work-from-home weekdays. It's minimal, as GtG goes, but it's manageable. (In my world, not realistic = not done, so this will have to do!) 

Here's the plan:

I generally work at my desk for 50 minutes, then take a 10 minute break. Each of my first three breaks will begin with GtG. My schedule makes sure I do each movement at least 3x per day, 3x per week.

Day 1: Pullups and pushups
Day 2: Pullups and chinups
Day 3: Chinups and pushups
Day 4: Pullups and pushups
Day 5: Chinups and pushups

What about max sets? Those are important too, but I'm handing them separately from GtG. They're a whole different concept that I'll work into my overall workout schedule.

​The plan goes into action today. Wish me luck!

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How I Think About Fitness

9/1/2020

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In today's cacophony of fitness and nutrition discourse, we're all choosing who is worth listening to. This is especially true when it comes to bloggers like me, who are informed aficionados rather than trained experts. I am decidedly average in terms of athletic ability -- and maybe a notch above average as a home cook -- but optimal health has been one of my passions for over two decades. 

This introduction to How I Think About Fitness, together with its companion, How I Think About Food, is intended to lay out my philosophy on the subject. I don't mind if you disagree; I just want you to know where I'm coming from so you can decide whether you want to follow along. I'd love it if you do.

Fitness is Choices

I once heard fitness defined as the difference between the most you can do and the least you can do. When there is no difference, you're dead. I want that difference to be big. Huge! Expansive enough that I can say yes to any adventure: climbing mountains, descending canyons, running rivers, riding Tevis, traveling the world. 
When I was a kid, my dad told me that "Money is choices." I've come to think of fitness the same way. Fitness is choices: The fitter you are, the more options you have for what to do with your life.

When I talk about fitness, I'm not talking about running or cycling or yoga or lifting weights. Those are the tools; they're the means to an end.

Nor am I talking about trying to achieve a particular aesthetic; if that happens, it's only a side effect.
Fitness is the difference between the most you can do and the least you can do.
When I talk about fitness, I'm talking about maximizing my ability to truly, broadly, fully live.

Fitness is a Privilege

Several years ago, I experienced depression for the first time. Having always enjoyed an underlying sense of well-being, I was disquieted to find myself overwhelmed by the knowledge that, before I die, I will (probably) lose everything I care about: my family, my partner, my horses, my pets, my home, my strength, my mobility, perhaps even my mind.

I'm in a better place now, thankfully. Physical exercise helped me through the dark, back to gratitude and presence. It remains true that my body will eventually fail. Days will come when I can do less and less, and finally nothing at all.

But for now, I can run fast and climb hills and lift heavy objects. The more I do these things, the longer I'll be able to. Fitness is a privilege I don't intend to waste.

Fitness is an Obligation

I believe that, as an endurance rider, I am a member of a team. I have a responsibility to support my horse. That means having the flexibility to mount smoothly, the stamina to ride with balance and focus for many hours, the ability to walk many miles back to camp if my partner comes up lame. 
I am a better rider because I, too, work my body hard.
It also means understanding what effort feels like. I know the burn of straining muscles. The anaerobic hunger that gulps for air. The dullness that portends overreaching. The exhilaration of power and the value of rest. I am a better rider because my body, too, works hard.

Of course, I will not always be young, uninjured, free of fatigue. Someday, I will have to ask my horse to bear more of the load. But I will always be the strongest partner that I can. That is what I mean when I speak of being "fit to ride."

My Fitness Biases

I have no formal training in exercise physiology, kinesiology, or biomechanics. I'm just a longtime consumer of information that has led me to a set of well-founded biases. These are subject to change based on additional evidence, but for now, I operate on these baseline assumptions:

  1. Strength Training is Queen - Muscle is youth. Muscle is life. Promoting metabolic health through building and maintaining muscle mass is my highest fitness priority.
  2. It's Not About Burning and Earning - The purpose of working out is to maximize athletic ability: strength, power, endurance, flexibility, and agility. I don't believe in exercising to earn my meals.
  3. General Activity is Insufficient - I go out of my way to maximize movement throughout the day. However, general activity (including riding) isn't enough to maintain my fitness over the long term, let alone improve it.
  4. Mobility Matters - Intentionally maintaining flexibility and range of motion lacks the glitz of swinging kettlebells and climbing walls, but it's critical to keep me adventuring (and riding!) as I age.

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    Welcome

    Thanks for dropping by! I'm an endurance rider in the northwest region of the United States. This blog is about distance riding, training, and the practice of being my best self for my horse. I hope you'll come along for the ride.
    ​~ Tamara

    For more of my story, come visit the About page.

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    Aboard Jammer on our way to 100 miles at Oregon 100. Photo by Darlene Merlich

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