Fall Warm-Ups, Recovery, and Community Events: September Newsletter

Hello Clearwater Family! It’s Fall, and that means getting cozy while also enjoying crispy trail runs, harvesting vegetables, hikes, and getting your skis ready for Winter!

The Warm Up

Is there a Fall event on your schedule?

Warm up? Ew! No one has time for that… But, have you noticed how crappy you feel for the first 15–20 minutes of your adventure? A good warm up can start your day right.

Pick from:

Lunges
Leg swings
Arm swings
Glute bridges
Planks

Some even choose to jump rope before a spicy lift. The truth is, you need to get your heart rate up to improve blood flow to your muscles. We’re all busy and ready to work out and head to the next task but consider taking 2–3 minutes to get the engine turning.

Preventative Exercises

When you hear preventative exercises, think about movements that help reduce the risk of injury, improve joint stability, and keep the body resilient.

Calf Raise: Stand with feet hip-width apart, and toes pointing forward. Slowly rise up, pause, then lower back down.

Single Leg Deadlifts: Grab a dumbbell and stand on one leg with the other slightly behind you. Hinge forward at the hips and lower your torso until you are parallel to the ground. Drive your back knee forward to return upright!

Ankle Band Walks: Place a resistance band around your ankles or just above the knees. Bend your knees slightly and hips back into a squat. Step sideways and take 8–12 steps in one direction, then back the other way.

For each of these exercises, complete 3 sets of 10. If you experience pain, stop the exercise.

Recovery Techniques

Recovery is when your body adapts and gets stronger. The non-negotiables are:

Sleeping 7–9 hours a night
Eating carbs and protein after training within 1–2 hours
Hydrating throughout the day with water and electrolytes

Helpful movements include:

Active recovery by walking on your lunch breaks or doing a quick yoga sequence
Foam rolling or Theragun techniques to manipulate sore muscles and increase circulation
Ice baths or cold showers to reduce inflammation
Saunas or hot baths to increase relaxation and circulation