SUPPLEMENTAL STRENGTH TRAINING

There's a particular type of lifter who 'll look at a workout and immediately try to improve upon it by adding exercises for a particular part of the body. "There's no direct work for my biceps. So I'll just add some curls. And maybe some kickbacks for my triceps. And maybe some lateral raises for my shoulders . . ." It goes on and on, until the workout looks more like the inbred child of Shape and Flex magazines than anything a veteran coach like Alwyn would design. My advice: Stop the temptation to "improve" the workouts before it starts. If you need to work around orthopedic problems, that's different. If you have a medical condition that calls for modifications, again, you're encouraged to make whatever changes you need, preferably with professional guidance. But if you're tempted to tinker with these workouts for the sake of doing more for something that, on paper, appears to be neglected, all I can say is, "Don't." These workouts are balanced, and they've been tested and refined by thousands of women trained by Alwyn and his staff over the years. HIKING, BACKPACKING, HEAVY-DUTY LANDSCAPING, OR HOME REMODELING It may not look or even feel like serious exercise-you aren't, after all, doing sets or reps or listening to an instructor tell you when to change speeds. But an hours-long hike or a Saturday spent planting your garden can wear you out in ways you don't anticipate. A day working a shovel and rake may put unusual strain on your lower back, or leave you with blistered hands and exhausted forearms. A few hours hanging dry-wall can do a number on your upper back and shoulders. A hike in the great outdoors might be so exhilarating that you don't even notice how deeply you've exhausted every muscle in your lower body. (Although you'll probably notice the next day.) You certainly aren't training for anything when you hike or move furniture or plant azaleas. But your body doesn't know that. It just knows it's exhausted, and it's most likely worn out in such a unique way that it could take days of recovery before you're ready for a serious workout. There's no rule for when you can get back to your regular workout schedule after a tiring day in the yard or on the trail. The key is to realize that you've just done something that requires recovery. How much you need can only be determined by you. BUSINESS TRIPS AND VACATIONS I'm continually surprised by how many readers ask me vacationrelated questions every spring and summer. My first instinct is to say, "Enjoy yourself and don't stress over taking a week or two off from formal workouts." But, to be honest, I don't follow that advice. I like to work out, and I often squeeze in workouts when and where I can. Still, I don't try to do the workouts in the particular program I'm following at the time. If I'm working out in a big, commercial gym (most will allow visitors to pay a day rate to work out) , I'll mess around with equipment I don't typically get to use. If I'm in a bare-bones facility, like a hotel gym, I'll challenge myself to make up exercises that give me a complete workout despite the lack of equipment. My goal is to have fun, test my creativity, and not do anything stupid that spoils my business trip or vacation. Another consideration is stress management. If squeezing in a workout relieves your stress, then it's a good idea. (Yeah, like you needed me to tell you that.) But if it adds to your stress, and you're doing it only because you feel you have to, then it might be a better idea to take care of business first (on vacation, your job is to have fun and enjoy whatever company you have) and save the workouts for when you return to your real life. DIMINISHING RETURNS With any type of exercise, there's a point at which you're doing more harm than good. You can probably tell if you're reaching that point by asking yourself this simple question: "Do I really feel like doing yoga tonight?" (Or Spinning, or kickboxing, or whatever you feel obligated to do aside from your weight workouts.) If the answer is yes, and it's an honest yes, then it's unlikely you're pushing yourself too far. But if you ask that question and realize you'd rather do almost anything else, then you probably should save your energy for a future workout. Fitness geeks like me talk about the importance of listening to your body, but sometimes it's just as important to listen to your brain. Sagging motivation tends to be a pretty good sign that you're trying to do too much. Personally, the older I get, the more I pay attention to my motivation. If I really want to hit the weights, but for some reason have to skip that day's workout, I get cranky. (Others might say I turn into a turbo-powered jerk. I admit I'm not the best judge of my attitude when I'm workout-deprived.) But if the opposite happens, and I work out despite feeling sluggish and unmotivated, I tend to come down with something-a cold, sinus infection, or whatever the kids bring home from school that week. Final thought on this subject: Remember that your gym, no matter how clean and well maintained, is still a launching pad for whatever viruses are going around. And, if anything, the viruses are more motivated than you are. All it takes is for one person to enter the place bearing a communicable disease-the employee who swipes your card at the front desk, the yoga instructor who uses her hands to correct your form, or the chatty woman sharing the lat-pulldown station -and chances are good you'll be exposed to whatever she has. If your defenses are in any way compromised because of exhaustion, undernutrition, stress, or the fact your body's already trying to fight off a rival virus, you could be in worse shape than if you'd put the workout aside for another day.