For serious athletes like Conrad Anker and the rest of us "weekend warriors," regular therapeutic massage has many benefits. These include relieving muscle soreness, improved range of motion, relieving adhesions, increased circulation, and decreased blood pressure. Massage has psychological effects as well by lowering stress and increasing mental focus. These effects are significant for anyone, but can be of special importance to the athlete looking for ways to recover faster, prevent injuries, and improve performance.
Heather Ripplinger Licensed Massage Therapist, Canyon River Spa
part in group fitness or small group personal training, and working out first thing in the morning.
NASM- and ACE-certified instructor Paul
Taylor has been training in Billings for over 25 years, "Most of my clients would rather let themselves down than miss an appointment with me." If meeting a personal trainer is out of reach financially, consider a commitment to meeting a friend at the gym to taking your dog for a daily walk.
MAINTAINING ENERGY LEVELS: FOOD, HYDRATION, AND SLEEP
Some of us might feel as if we're running a hundred miles but ultra-trail runner Foote actually does. Nutrition, hydration, and sleep play major roles in his level of performance. Foote focuses on eating simple whole foods (though he too suffers from a self-described wicked sweet tooth—thank you, Big Dipper). During workouts he relies on hourly 200-300 calorie carb snacks and drinking lots of water supplemented with electrolytes. "Long-term energy comes from a high quality diet consisting of whole foods close to the source and good hydration," said Vogel. Regarding short-term energy for your work- outs, Vogel notes the number one reason for decreased performance is dehydration.
HEATHER MCPHIE I
typically get massage at least once a month, but two times per month I have found is ideal for me with my workout load. It helps with injury prevention, and helps me check in with my body and make sure I am in alignment.
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