Hopefully, many of you have seen the Fit to Pass fitness competition ads and stories in previous editions of The Trucker. I’m hoping those ads motivated you to sign up and compete, which was my goal. Most of us can always use an incentive and or a reason to kick-start a workout program.
What I like — and what I have experienced — is how effective a competition can be in kick-starting a personal fitness program. With our competitions, you don’t have to come up with a special exercise routine; plus, we supply you with the training manual to get prepared. All you have to do is show up and participate, and — depending on your fitness level and how hard you train — you can win big prizes.
Prizes are always a nice reward for your hard work and dedication, but in the end everyone who participates is a winner, not to mention healthier. You may notice that the exercises in our competitions combine strength and cardio. Getting cardio training in as a driver can be a challenge on the road (unless you are a dedicated runner).
When strength and cardio are incorporated simultaneously into routines, the combination is sometimes referred to as “concurrent training.” In a perfect world, you would have two separate workouts each day. You would do a weight-training workout and then a separate cardio workout. However, most people don’t have time to do two separate workouts each day — especially professional truck drivers.
As a driver, concurrent training is a great way to maximize your time by combining strength and cardio. So, the next time you are struggling to start a routine or need an incentive, consider getting involved in a competition
(maybe one you see advertised in The Trucker). Remember, it’s not about the exercise you SHOULD do — it’s about the exercise you WILL do. I hope you find it.
Bob Perry is a regular contributor to The Trucker. He has spent nearly the past four decades on a mission to educate professional drivers and share life-changing products and services to help them live healthier lives while on the road. Recognized throughout the transportation industry, from bus drivers to over-the-road professional drivers, Perry has played an important role in creating a paradigm shift helping regulatory agencies, private and public sector entities, and consumers understand the current health challenges of the professional driver. He has participated as a wellness advocate in several roundtable discussions, large audience groups and small forums as well as going “curbside” through a national truck stop tour.
Bob’s articles have been featured in The Trucker and a number of other national transportation industry publications and is the host of a weekly wellness call produced by Rolling Strong. Bob has been a regular guest on RedEye Radio and Land-Line Radio, and is often an invited guest on Sirius radio shows. He has been featured in the New York Times, Men’s Health Magazine, Drug Store News, American Road Magazine, WSJ, NPR, ABC National Radio, as well as hundreds of daily newspapers. He has appeared on television news shows across the nation, including a featured TV segment on ABC NightLine News.
