Fitness: It's Not a Sprint
My fitness journey began approximately one year ago with my decision to spend the summer marching with the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps. Those who have watched drum corps or even watched a rehearsal know that it is an extremely physically demanding activity. Because of this, most corps place great emphasis on physical fitness when preparing you for the summer.
Depending on your personal fitness goals and what activities interest you, your approach to exercising and what sorts of exercises you do will vary greatly. In drum corps, core and leg strength and flexibility in the legs, hips, and torso are of utmost importance so that’s where I focused my efforts. Do some research on where you should be devoting most of your time and start there, then gradually include more exercises and muscle groups to balance your fitness levels.
Here are a few resources that I found helpful when I was just starting out and unsure where to start:
C25K covers anything and everything you might need to know about running, including schedules, articles, podcasts, and more. There’s an even an app to keep it simple to track your progress and keep you on top of your goals.
Nike Run Club
My personal favorite for running apps. If you just want to keep it simple, it can track your distance when you’re running around town, or you can use features like the guided runs to have a coach in your ear the whole time. There’s also a social aspect to this one, allowing you to participate in challenges and compete with your friends if that’s your game.
Stronglifts (5x5)
As someone who had little to no knowledge of weightlifting, and someone who was quite frankly scared s***less of figuring it out on my own, StrongLifts is a lifesaver. There are video demonstrations of the most common lifts right in the app, and based on your current fitness level and your goals, it will scale your workouts automatically so you don’t have to ask yourself “how many” or “how much.”
If you want more one-on-one help or need someone or something to hold you accountable, join a gym! Memberships are available for as little as $10 a month and often come with access to trainers and other resources to help you and hold you accountable if need be.
For myself and many others, fitness is about more than getting into shape and being healthier. Exercise is an excellent catalyst for improvements in all aspects of health--physical, mental, and emotional. Personally, my journey to becoming a fit person has:
Boosted my confidence and vastly decreased the presence of my depression
Improved my physical and aerobic ability to play my instrument
Helped me eliminate my fears of exercising with and in front of people
Cleared my mind and provided an outlet to work through my stress and anxiety in a healthy and productive manner
This is only the first of many articles on this subject. Involving fitness in your life, however that looks for you, is so so so important — I can’t wait to dive further into some of these ideas, but I wanted to first start a conversation about how living an active lifestyle can improve your overall situation in more ways than you think and hopefully give you some avenues with which to get you started.
Why did you embark on your fitness journey? What roadblocks have you encountered along the way? What successes have you experienced recently? Message me on social media or contact me; I’d love to hear about it! Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my email list to get notified when I post my next blog! More information about drum corps can be found here. Information about the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps can be found here.