Physical Funness for the Motion Starved

Fit more fun into your fitness while exploring the outdoors.

Tag Archives: fitness walk


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Recovery is counter intuitive

It’s hard to believe; sometimes the best thing you can do for those super sore muscles is to workout. We call it “active recovery.”

I know how it is — You worked out really hard and your legs hurt, all you can bear to do is to lay on the couch because it hurts to walk or even get out of a chair. The problem with not doing anything is that you’re not encouraging oxygenated blood to flow through those taxed muscles. With that, the stiffness (metabolic waste or muscle pooh as I like to call it) will take even longer to find it’s way out, allowing the spunk to come back into your legs.

The general theory is that your muscles grow and get stronger while you rest, not while you’re working out. I believe that. Work out hard, then let your body repair itself becoming stronger while you “rest.” However, when I say “rest” I don’t mean sit on the couch and do nothing. I mean actively recover.

Active recovery workouts are low intensity and low volume workouts in which the goal is to get blood into the muscles to enhance recovery. In addition, active recovery  loosens up stiff muscles allowing them to perform even better the next time you tax them.

An active recovery workout really just means to keep moving, be active. Go for a long walk, easy jog, take a yoga class, go for a spin on the bike, play with the kids, just keep moving and have some fun. You can lay around when you’re sleeping (or dead as some like to say).

Got it?

P.s. Same rule applies for a hangover. Keep moving to cleanse the body of those yummy toxins.


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Unflappable

Just don't look up!

It’s the week before the big Fight for Air Climb. Yikes, 1,197 steps up 52 floors. That’s a lot’a steps and it’s all taking place in the stairwell of the B of A building here in San Francisco. If I wanted to, I could start stressing myself out by thinking about what’s in store for me this Saturday, but I won’t do that. I know better. Why bother, it won’t make the event any less painful and certainly won’t make this week pass any more smoothly.

Here’s the plan — My training is complete. It takes 3 weeks to reap the benefits of training so there’s no need to go out and hammer out another hard training session. I’ll exercise this week but won’t do anything that might stress my legs. Lots of yoga and easy endurance work. All I can do is trust that I’ve trained well and let my body rest and recover from the past weeks of intense training. I’ll make sure to drink plenty of water, get lots of sleep and eat right, keeping the fiber flowing. I sure as hell don’t want to carry any extra stuff up those steps. Know what I mean? I’ll make sure I have the cutest possible outfit ready to wear. Shoes ready to go and all the information I need to smoothly pick up my race packet and timing chip on event day. Early in the week (today actually) I’ll make sure to read all event info so I know the exact details of what I can, and can’t take with me in the stairwell, where I can park and so on. I don’t want any surprises the day of the event. It’s important that on the big day all I have to do is show up, and race. I’ll get everything done before hand so I can focus only on doing my very best.

So there you have it. I am confident and ready to go, unflappable. On the day of the event I will find a nice pair of buns and follow them up the stairs all the way to victory. I will feel no pain and dance up the steps to the rhythm of my smooth breath.

The best part of all this, when it’s over I get to come up with a new way to torture myself. A new goal, get ready!

P.s. It’s not a good idea to try something new the day of an event. New shoes, new food, stuff like that. You don’t want to find that GU gives you the runs while you’re ascending an indoor stair case or running down the road with thousands of people, same goes for shoes and cloths you don’t want to find out that your new stuff chafes. Stick with what you know works. This is no time for surprises.


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What is a Fitness Walk?

A Fitness Walk is a workout tailored to those wishing to participate in an exercise program yet are not comfortable committing to a more intense boot camp style class or challenging training regiment.

During these workouts you can expect to walk briskly take in the scenery and perform various low impact, body toning and agility exercises.

Think of this class as a soft-core circuit-training workout or the precursor to those ever-popular “boot camp” classes (something to aspire to if that’s what you’d like).

Don’t misunderstand – this is a workout, not a stroll, we will not be stopping along the way for cocktails or cocoa.

For more information contact Kelley@motionstarved.com


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Full Moon Fitness Walk

Glow Sticks are cool.

I want to thank everyone who came out last night for my Full Moon Fitness Walk. We had a great turnout of all sorts of folks. Everyone was in a fantastic, friendly mood and every body did their very best, even during the ab section of the workout. I especially want to thank Shania the pooch for leading the pack and for her patience; I know you wanted to run Shania.  I’d also like to thank Mother Nature for giving us such amazing weather. The night was absolutely perfect. I hope the rest of you got out! (Huge props to my friend Michelle who suggested taking Glow Sticks along on the walk.  Not only did they help us keep track of each other but they were as fun as all get out! Pick some up for the next time you’re playin’ in the dark.  Hella fun!)

It looks like we’re in for a spell of some nice, relatively warm sunny weather, at least through the weekend. I’d say get your booty outside and get some vitamin D.  Get it while it’s here!

I’ll be back tomorrow with some ideas for fun and interesting things to do over the weekend. Until then, ponder the thought of attending my next Fitness Walk.  It’s more than just a walk.  I promise you.

Be there or be square!