Ben's Fitness and Training Tips

Here are a collection of fitness and training tips from the one and only Ben Davis.

- Go Hard: Go hard or go home. We can take this cliche and make it real. We have to figure out a way to keep getting better. Don't settle for staying in one place. Don't settle for that plateau. Keep looking forward. I've found that one of the biggest motivations is not just seeing my body change, but seeing the time of my races improving. Keep getting better. Go hard or go home

- King and Queen of the Hill: I always try to incorporate hills once or twice a week into my training. Even if the event you're training for doesn't have hills, you're going to perform better with the hills in your back pocket than if you don't do hill training at all. They build some endurance when its much needed during those tough parts of your races.

- Stepping Up: When you're setting goals--weight-loss or otherwise--break them up into smaller goals. Don't go into a big life-changing journey and make your goals outlandish. If you are starting running, don't immediately focus on the marathon; get that 5K under your belt. If you need to lose weight, don't look at the ultimate number. Break it up into 10 or 20 pound increments. It makes it more realistic and doable!

- Team Player: The main point I make to new runners/cyclists/swimmers is that we have to have a partner or, better yet, a team. It makes it much more fun to stick with if we wake up every morning and we know we have likeminded individuals doing this whole deal with us. There are going to be sometimes we'll need that accountability system in place to keep us motivated to keep moving forward. Everything's better when we do it together!

- Toughing it Out: A lot of us fitness fanatics are under the impression that we aren't "tough" if we don't push through injury. It's one of the biggest misconceptions we can have. Most small nagging injuries will get better if we just rest for a few days, but if we force ourselves to push through, the injury could perpetuate itself to something serious. Don't be afraid to rest! It's better to take a few days off than to be sidelined for a few months!

- Hydrate in the Heat: With summer upon us, it can be discouraging to get out there and keep training. It's hot and sometimes we will want to give up. But keep at it--slowly, of course--and you'll be surprised at how your body acclimates to the heat. Be smart, drink lots, but stick with it.