Extreme workouts busts exercise rut
By Michelle Tabatabai-ShahabCopy Editor, The VOICE
It's about time you took your workout to the extreme. You won't be disappointed with the adventures that Arizona has in store for you.
Get out of the generic gym scene and take your workout to the vertical limits.
You've spent all winter indoors running in place on a treadmill and getting nowhere on a stationary bike. The Arizona trails can take you anywhere from a brisk walk with your dog to a muscle-challenging climb up a gorgeous mountain.
For beginners and light workouts try out courses like North Trail, Lost Dog Wash, Bobby's Rock Trail, Ramada Loop Trail, and Brittlebrush Trail.
Here's a fitness tip: to tone your muscles while hiking try using rocks as weights for your arms and try wearing ankle weights to tone the muscles in your legs.
For a moderate hike or a cross country-type of terrain you could try out courses such as Pass Mountain, Summit Trail, Cholla Trail, Reed's Water, Eagletail Mountain and White Tanks.
Experienced mountain climbers would call Camelback Mountain and Boulder Canyon child's play, but to somebody that frequents the gym and programs their elliptical to the cross country mode for about an hour, this is exactly the workout you've been waiting for.
Courses like Camelback Mountain force you to exceed the cardio limits of the most vigorous gym equipment while you work out every muscle in your body, including the ones you didn't know you had.
For all those adrenaline junkies, you will find Camelback Mountain, and mountains like it, to be just the fix you were looking for.
For harnessed rock climbing checkout Queen Creek Canyon, Little Granite Mountain and South Mountain.
By the end of the summer you can take your amazingly fit self straight to the Grand Canyon, which is not for amateurs, and experience the hiking expedition of a lifetime.
Grab your sunscreen and your water bottle and hit the trails for your ultimate summer workout amongst the elements.
For directions and trails nearest you, go to arizonahikingtrails.com/phoenixhikes.asp.
For rock climbing experiences find the course that's right for you at rockclimbing.com.
Please send comments to mtabatabaishahab@gccvoice.com
