Full Body Training

The more I run the more I realize that you have to really balance out your training to insure that muscles and stamina/endurance stay neck and neck. It does you no good when your lungs and mind can go 6 miles but your legs crap out at mile 4 or vice versa. Having a weight training program is key to keeping things in balance, and to assist in injury prevention. Yes, this means logging a few hours in the weight room with those men that grunt and groan with every incorrectly done bicep curl. I feel your pain, but you will feel more pain if you neglect this very important aspect to training and running.

Some keys to your strength regimen:
1) Circuit training - while you are in there, you might as well get maximum benefit and shed some serious calories by doing circuit training. If you do one set of reps and hang out for a few minutes then do your next set of the same reps, not only are you wasting time, but you are wasting the opportunity to burn off that extra martini you had the night before. Circuit training involves constantly moving between exercises. Have a plan of each exercise you plan on doing, do one set of each in a nice fluid round and go back around for the 2nd set with only the time spent moving between machines as rest time.
2) Keep it fun - see below for some different weight training exercises that you might even look forward to doing! And don't forget to make a great music mix...it is a rare thing to find a gym that plays all the best music, all the time. No one enjoys working out to elevator music.
3) Hydrate and fuel - although you aren't out pounding the pavement, it's still key to eat right and drink plenty of fluids. If you are doing your weights properly, you should work up a sweat. As for fuel, as you lift weights you are actually causing your muscles to tear and bleed slightly (sounds gross, I know). These tears then heal and create strength and muscle tone (hence why you need time off between strength workouts), so eating right is very important for proper recovery.

A few weight training exercises. This week I will focus on legs, next week arms and so forth:

Legs: This is where I have some fun...

• Bosu ball.
  
• These are those funky half ball things that look more like a very bad idea than a great work out. I know what you are thinking...balancing on one of those is about as easy as walking in 4 inch stilettos after a veeeery long happy hour. Once you master this skill though, you will love it. I have a specific little exercise I do for calves that gives me a secret giggle every time I do it. Turn the ball so the round part is on the ground, the flat part on top. Hold on to something nearby and carefully climb onto the flat part. Place feet about a foot apart and evenly in the middle so as to keep your balance. You have already begun to master it once you get past this part (now let go of that thing you are holding on to!). Now, slowly roll your ankles in a circle, starting clockwise. You are essentially trying to roll your pressure all the way around the edge of your feet. You should feel all aspects of your calves engage. And the ball should also start turning so you will begin to make a full circle (this is where I giggle...you are slowly spinning in a circle). Do this until you make a full 360 circle and then switch directions and go counter clockwise.
• To work the thighs, turn the ball so that the flat part is on the floor, the ball part on top. Carefully step onto the ball with feet about shoulder width apart. Slowly and carefully lower yourself into the sitting position, and slowly rise back up. I recommend doing this without weights, at least for now. You will notice muscles other than just your legs and thighs engaging to keep you stable. Now here is a very important thing to note: you need to focus your gaze on something immobile or just on yourself in the mirror...if you get distracted you will most likely wobble off the ball. I know...it is guaranteed that the dreamy Adonis you have been eyeing will casually stroll into the weight room at the precise moment you are squatting on the ball but eyes forward! Keep your focus! Men like a challenge anyway so it's a win win... I mean, you falling off the ball is NOT a great first impression (unless you bump your head and he carries you to the nearest hospital...not that I'm recommending this).
  
• Lunge and kick. This is what I like to call the booty-licious exercise. Holding weights in each hand (or start without weights and work up to a few lbs), take a nice big step forward and lunge, stopping just before your knee touches the ground. As you are coming up, begin to bring your back leg up. By the time you are fully standing your back leg should be up and parallel to the ground and you should feel it in your gluts. Take the back leg now and step forward repeating the same motion with the other leg. Take about 8 steps like this (4 on each side), turn around and go back the same way for a total of 8 on each leg. These little muscles are great to help propel you up those hills...and to turn heads while wearing your favorite form fitting jeans. I'm just saying...
• One legged squats. Stand about a foot or two away from the side of a flat weight bench. Take one leg and place it on the weight bench behind you, with the flat top of your foot resting on the bench. If you want to use weights (if you are up to par strength wise, otherwise skip the weights and work up to that), hold a weight in each hand. Slowly lower your body down into a one-legged squat until your back knee is fairly close to the ground. Slowly rise up. You should definitely feel this in your thigh. Do about 10-12 reps of this and switch legs.
  
• Inner and Outer thighs. Sometimes it's easy to forget that even these muscles are integral to running. If you have one of those machines at your gym that work these, go ahead and hop into that awkward, legs open position and pound out a few good reps for each inner and outer thigh. If you do NOT have a machine like this at your gym, go ahead and do it Jane Fonda style, laying on your side with legs stacked on each other, slowly raising the top leg up and down. As for inner thighs, get some of the elastic bands and use resistance to pull your leg in towards your middle and feel your inner thighs engage.

Stretch it out! Don't forget that just as with running, stretching afterwards is key. If you rarely do weight training, you should be sore the next day, and most weight days should produce a little bit of soreness, but that is ok. Just make sure not to over due it with too much weight or going too fast. And again, STRETCH at the end, and take your time with it. It takes muscles anywhere from 15-30 seconds to recognize that you are stretching and actually relax. So take this time to breath, relax and think about how hot your are going to look in that new dress and heels.