Building Your Base for 2014 ~ By OMbassador Mandy McLane
Start 2014 off right with tips on Building Your Base from our newest OMbassador and professional triathlete, Mandy McLane.
Mandy is a woman who knows a lot about setting goals and staying motivated in order to get the most out of life. She is a motivation to many and we are thrilled to have her on The OM Collection team. Besides being a professional athlete, Mandy also coaches individuals all over the country to meet their fitness goals and works as a speech pathologist, helping children and their families. We managed to catch up with her in order to share with YOU a few base building tips for the New Year. Here is what she had to say!
January 1st is always a great time to push the reset button and start over; grasp a hold of new goals, start them, continue them, and gradually accomplish them. In order to succeed it is important to build a solid foundation and to set mini goals that are easy to meet, which helps maintain motivation. There are no short cuts or quick fixes to achieving a functional healthy life style. In order to reach your fitness and life goals, it is important to develop good habits and stick with them.
Part of my success in being a professional athlete, while maintaining my career, is taking a step back from the rigors of hard-core training each year and getting back to the basics. I spend time doing strength training, yoga, Pilates, and fun easy cardio workouts. The goal during this base building time is to have fun and set the foundation for proper form while generating a healthy mental attitude. The same philosophy applies for the every day person to meet her fitness, family and professional goals.
Start the New Year out by building a strong foundation, so you can take on life's challenges much more effectively. When your mind and body are where they need to be, everything else seems to flow more smoothly. To help you get started on your fitness goals, I’ve included one of my favorite base-building strength/cardio routines at the end of this blog!
Besides building a strong foundation, it is important to have attainable goals and to take baby steps! Your goals may be lofty, but pacing yourself through mini goals will keep you on track and motivated.
For example:
- If your goal is to lose 10lbs start by abstaining from that one piece of chocolate.
- If your goal is to finish your first 5K, start with a 10min walk/run
- If you want to gain flexibility and prevent injury, start by taking one yoga or Pilates class a week
Trust me as someone who knows a thing or two about building up my motivation, lots of mini goals that build off each other will keep you on track and feeling accomplished while you strive for your New Years resolution.
One of my favorite base-building routines
Make sure you start out with no weight or very light weight as you begin a new strength and conditioning program. It is also best to gradually increase your range of movement throughout each cycle of the following exercises. You do not want to over do any of the exercises the first time around
#1 Fire Hydrants 10 reps each leg
#2 2min running in place or jump rope
#4 2min run in place or jump rope
#4 Reverse lunge to row: 10 reps each side
#6 2min run in place or jump rope
Repeat the above cycle 2-3 times
Learn more about OMbassador Mandy McLane!