Find Your Balance

Whether Spring, Summer, Winter or Fall it’s important to translate all the hard work you do at Mountain Life Fitness and apply it to your favorite outdoor activities! Whether you like to get out on the lake with your paddle board, ride your road bike up Trail Ridge Road, or crush the deep powder, it is important to continue your training both inside and outside the gym. This will help you not only maintain your current fitness levels, but you will continue to strive beyond the fitness goals you have worked so hard to achieve.

Grand County is filled with endless recreational adventure and many of us live here to enjoy everything from hiking, mountain/road biking, horseback riding, paddle boarding, kayaking, walking, running, skiing, snow shoeing, fat biking and the list goes on. Think of an activity in the outdoors that brings you happiness and peace. Now, begin to think about how you can set personal goals for that outdoor activity. Example: I want to ride my mountain bike for 30 minutes every evening before the sun goes down. Setting goals continuously throughout the year will help you to remain motivated and passionate about your overall health, fitness, and performance levels.

Now that you have your activity goals in mind, it is important to plan and begin to look at the big picture. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is all about balance. Balance in your workouts, balance in your diet, balance in your home life, work, and recreational activities. Much like standing on a paddle board, without balance, you’ll end up in the water. In all that you do, find your balance (both on and off the board) before attempting to dive in too deep.

From a performance perspective, you cannot achieve the balance needed to stand up on the board without appropriate training for strength, endurance, and flexibility. No matter what the activity, these components of physical fitness can easily be integrated into your workouts and will enhance your ability to perform the activity!

The guidelines below are not just specific to Stand-Up Paddle Board training, but you can apply them to workouts for many other outdoor activities.

• Increase strength in core muscles. This will help you generate paddling power and improve your overall balance on the board.
• Build muscular strength and muscular endurance in shoulders, back and arm muscles. This is important as you will make a continuous motion of paddling through the water on each side of the board.
• Improve your balance so you have a more stable base that will allow you to do your paddle strokes smoothly and efficiently.
• Make sure to always warm-up and stretch before any physical activity. Having flexibility and good range of motion is not only helpful when on the board but in all parts of life.
• Add cardio time, too. Complement workout plans with any exercise that builds up your heart and lungs— indoor cycling is a great aerobic exercise to integrate with your training!

*Before beginning a new training plan, be sure to consult with your physician*

Mountain Life Fitness is here to help you navigate your fitness journey both indoors and outdoors. Whether you like to join small group training sessions, one on one personal training sessions, or you enjoy working out on the fitness floor, it is important to ensure your workouts are effective and comprehensive. Make sure to keep in mind and incorporate the 5 components of physical fitness into your workouts (muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and body composition). Most importantly, “find your balance,” set new goals, shatter any limitations, enjoy the great outdoors, and you will be on your way to a successful health and fitness journey!

By Mackenzie Brenneman, Certified Personal Trainer at Mountain Life Fitness