Going Too Far?

I'm a deep believer that you make progress with your training only when you push yourself. All those people who go to the gym and simply go through the motions, using light weights or never boosting the speed on the treadmill, will never see their bodies change.

But can you go too far? A training program called Crossfit may do just that, at least according to a recent article in the New York Times Magazine.

I've wondered about Crossfit for a while now, because I love the idea of trying something that's a bit extreme. Plus, it uses many moves that I love, Olympic lifts that use almost every part of your body.

But any training plan that seems to encourage injuries definitely goes too far. Of course the only real way to find out if Crossfit is too extreme -- and possibly cult-like -- is to try it.

Core Moves, From One of the Best

Mike Boyle is one of the great conditioning coaches out there. When really good trainers talk about the best, they often refer to Boyle. And when one of my favorite actresses, Jennifer Garner, wanted to lose her baby weight, her trainer sent her to Boyle because she was in Boston at the time.

Boyle has some great clips of core exercises here. Take a look.

God Bless the Basics

Every time I see someone doing some newfangled exercise at the gym -- and often doing it incorrectly -- I just shake my head and go back to my workout, which I know is better because it's full of the basics.

One of the best is the push-up. The New York Times recently wrote that it is a great indicator of your fitness. It added that the strength you develop from the exercise also helps as you age because it'll save you in a fall.

So stick to the basics and you'll develop ageless strength.

Get Yourself Right

As we get older but remain physically active, we often overlook certain aches and pains, figuring we can work around them. Over time, however, those aches and pains can cause our bodies to become a mess.

I'm dealing with this right now -- an aching right shoulder from my first day of snowboarding (don't fall with your arms outstretched each time because you just end up jamming your shoulder fall after fall and putting your wrists at risk for fracture).

Super-trainer Keith Scott writes about how to tackle this serious problem.

Get Better Faster

I've written a lot about the benefits of Velocity Sports Performance, where I went for speed and agility training for a couple of years. Not only did it make me a better athlete, but also it taught me techniques that I use on my own now.

Today's New York Times Play magazine has a nice piece about a similar program. In it, the author goes back to playing soccer but finds his skills diminished. The answer to his problem is speed and agility training.

If you have a gym that offers these types of classes, I highly recommend them. You'll find yourself accomplishing things you thought were beyond your abilities as you age.