The last several months have involved solid training and even more solid recovery for team GSM, and these efforts have paid off for PLAY.   From stiff, creaky knees in the morning, to irritable necks, to recovering from the delivery of a baby girl, our team is not without the challenges life throws at us!  Fortunately, we are equipped with the knowledge and motivation to push back on soreness and build tissue capacity. Our team knows that we have to work hard to play harder and we put in the squats, lifts, and cardio so our resilient bodies can reap the benefits! 

Last summer, I had just moved home from the Midwest, where the most vertical I could gain at a time was about 600 feet.  Stoked to be back in the Montana wilderness, I dove right in with a 3000 foot elevation gain on my first hike of the season. My knees had *quite* the wake-up call.  This year, consistent, progressive weightlifting through the Move Better Series (and beyond into General Physical Preparedness – GPP) led to zero knee crankiness after my inaugural hike.  I also made a better choice about building up a little tolerance to the trail mileage, avoiding the dreaded “Boom/Bust” cycle.  Wondering how you can build up tolerance to continue doing the things you love?  Come see us for a consult and we can create a custom workout program to meet your fitness goals AND time constraints.   

While my goal is to prioritize outdoor time, I’m still getting in my heavy squats and lunges.  It’s actually easier for me to stay motivated to continue lifting this time of year when I can end a hike with minimal soreness in my knees.  The relationship is clear and direct.  And it’s extremely rewarding to feel the hard work pay off!  

The WHY behind the workouts is so apparent this time of year. We’re getting after it with everything from bagging peaks to enduring house renovation to spending hours in the garden without having to pay for it.  Being able to play hard is worth the work.  Get out and enjoy living your WHY! Let’s get after it!   

                                                                                                                                                                  -Written by Lexi Klawitter, DPT