




06
This piece of equipment might well be one of the coolest things I’ve seen (and after more than a decade in the fitness business, I’ve seen a lot of cool things)…Skywall! A motorized climbing wall that enables you to hone your climbing skills, without the height (or necessary belts and harnesses). The wall is about 11 ft tall, has 10 different climbing speeds, and the rocks can be moved around, so each climb is completely unique.
Some benefits to climbing, in case you’re new to this sport (as am I):
Climbing…
You can find out more about the Skywall at Motion Fitness.
P.S – There is a kid-sized version of this wall that is 9ft high and recommended for kids up to age 9. Another, slightly larger model is designed for kids up to age 12. My two cents: this seems like a fun way to introduce kids to climbing in a safe environment. If I can find out what gyms/where have these, I’ll pass the info along.
07
I’ve been bombarded recently with questions related to interval training and how to incorporate them into a regular routine. Intervals are all-out spurts of effort (85-95% of max heart rate), usually spaced systematically throughout a workout. A simplified example of a running workout with intervals might look something like this:
5 min warm-up
2 min run at moderate pace (6-7 on RPE scale of 10)
1 min run at fast pace (8-9 on scale of 1-10)
1 min recovery (4-5 on scale of 1-10)
repeat 4-6 times
You could also replace the speed work with hill repeats, or use a combination of both throughout the workout. The point is really to increase the intensity for short bouts of time. You’ll burn more calories in less time doing intervals, and also notice an improvement in your cardiovascular level. Intervals are an excellent way to add variety to your routine, move off of a fitness plateau, or cross train.
* Note: Blue Sky Gym and the author disclaim any liability for any injury, physical or emotional, suffered during or as a result of exercise or activities recommended. As always, you should use common sense and consult your health professional before beginning any exercise routine or program.
31
Mix it up
Have fun! The best cardiovascular activity is the one you will actually do. To put it another way, there is no “best” cardio activity. True, some burn more calories per minute than others, but it really comes down to which activity you enjoy doing the most, because that is the activity you will most likely stick with. Case in point: running at 7mph burns approximately 11 calories per minute.* However, many people don’t enjoy running. If you are one of those people, then it is likely that while you are tempted to do the activity because it burns a lot of calories, it is unlikely you’ll stick with it for very long, unless you miraculously learn to love it (which could happen, but probably won’t in the short term). If, on the other hand, you like to swim or power walk, then do that.
To find out how many calories your favorite activity burns, go to the “tools” page at Blue Sky Gym – Tools