Dodge Ball Cross Training for Runners
I was invited to play Dodge Ball with my son at his school. We had signed him for a Dodge Ball class before school each Tuesday this fall. As this was the last Dodge Ball session before the Winter break parents were invited and so I decided to join in on the fun. Little did I know what to expect (duh, it is Dodge Ball after all – hello, anybody home McFly?!), but I know there is a voice in my head telling me different.
My day had started with an hour of kick-boxing at Kosama and due to a changed up exercise plan it was quite intense today. I burnt 732 calories according to the heart rate monitor and usually I am not that high with how many calories I burn. After showering and all that good stuff I went to work. From there I left to meet up with my 8 year old son at his elementary school. Dodge Ball started at 8.15 AM and there were 5 other Dads as well. The PE teacher explained the rules to us and then it was a go. The kids were totally crazy – I am sure seeing (some of) their parents lined up free to target with a ball was a cool thing for them. I had expected some physical exercise, but not as much as it actually was. I had planned to go back to work in the same clothes, but in the end I was soaking wet from running, jumping, ducking, and throwing balls and so I went home to change into some clean clothes. I am sure my co-workers appreciated the extra effort or they might singled me out for smelling like a wet dog.
Cross Training for Runners
It was an intense workout for 45 minutes actually. Lots of running and jumping and then sudden stops with immediate running again. I had a ton of fun, but I realized soon that I should have come in more appropriate gear. The kids really were crazy and they enjoyed the play as well – especially when they hit a dad right in the face with a ball. I do a lot of cross-training via the Kosama boot camp style workout, but playing Dodge ball fit right in. I see this as a great reminder for us runners to consider cross-training opportunities when they open up. A lot of runners don’t even know how much their running could improve if they would add (more) cross-training to their workout schedule. Cross-training does not always mean doing entirely different exercises even though core and back workouts should be prioritized as they are most important for runners. But doing any type of exercise that breaks the routine and forces you to use different muscle groups is a great training option. Cross training does not have to be just doing weights or stuff like that and having the added fun of doing a totally different type of exercise makes life a lot better.
Weather Forecast Highlands Ranch
I am still planning on heading out for a run this afternoon. That would be my 3rd workout of the day. The weather is really nice this week and temperatures should be in the upper 50s or maybe even low 60s today – no comparison with the cold weather we just had 10 days ago. Not looking forward to have single digit temperatures as the day’s high again anytime soon.
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