Exercise

The benefits of exercise include boosting brain function, mood, promoting mental health such as discipline, stress reduction, and confidence, reducing chronic illness, increasing blood circulation and energy, stronger muscles and bones for daily activities, and better sleep to name a few…

Weightlifting- I recommend a gym membership to go 3–5 days for 45–60 minutes. Switch days between chest/triceps/shoulders; biceps/back; legs-quads, hamstrings, and calves. Calisthenics can focus on the same body groups but without weights. For weightlifting or calisthenic workouts see: https://medium.com/@kolby14allen/weightlifting-and-calisthenic-workouts-2182b62e46b3

Run: See my Marathon training regimen: https://medium.com/@kolby14allen/running-26-2-or-anything-between-362f6519fd32

Bike: See my Triathlon training regimen: https://medium.com/@kolby14allen/triathlon-swim-bike-run-f291aeb4e072

Swim: See my Triathlon training regimen above

Yoga- Buy a yoga mat and look up a YouTube video with the duration and effort level you want. I often watch “20-minute yoga full body stretch and strength.” Follow the guru, be consistent, and you will naturally improve flexibility, strength, balance, posture, pain tolerance, injury prevention, and mental health. After runs, you can look up “post-long run recovery yoga.” When you are sore try “Yoga full body for stiffness.” Do whatever you are in the mood for that day!

My personal yoga instruction:

Child’s pose (5–10 breaths), Down dog. (5), Walk to top of mat, forward fold.

Extended mountain pose. You can cue a small back bend or side stretches.

Then do 5 Sun salutations. Extended mountain. Forward fold. Halfway lift. Chatarunga.

Up dog. down dog. Hold down dog and breathe. Then walk forward and repeat.

Then do sun sal Bs. Chair pose. Forward fold. Halfway lift

Chatarunga, updog down dog. Warrior 1 right side. Chatarunga, up down. Warrior 1 left side. Chat.,up, down.

Repeat and start with chair. Maybe balance sequence. Eagle both sides. Dancer. Tree. A heat opener — bridge or camel or wheel. An inversion, shoulder stand would work

Savasana.

Core Strength- Spend 15–20 mins focusing on core. My favorite exercises are Russian twists, V-ups, side planks and crunches, leg lifts, and high toe touches. My favorite core workout is called “OCS Core Hiit” and can be googled. Youtube is also a great source for a quick core workout. A strong core can improve balance, posture, back pain, and even confidence.

Cardio Misc: Hiking (AllTrails), Slacklining (balance, flexibility), Boxing (YouTube), Jump rope (choose duration), Rowing (gym), and Stair Climbers (gym) are my personal favorites.