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E.J. Holland: Work With What You've Got And Make The Best Of It

Published by
DyeStat.com   Apr 14th 2020, 4:38pm
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Home Gym, New Running Routes And A Few New Hobbies Help To Fill Days With Little To Do

Editor's Note: Senior E.J. Holland of Ashland OR, a University of Oregon recruit and two-time NXR Northwest cross country champion, shares his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

By E.J. Holland for DyeStat

Fall cross country, winter off-season, spring track, summer off-season. Repeat. 

This has been my yearly routine for the past six years. As someone whose life revolves around a dedication to running and all that it entails, a disruption like the COVID-19 pandemic has been, to say the least, a big deal.

I know it doesn't affect just me, but athletes around the world in every sport from track and field to table tennis. With that being said, I don’t want to focus on the bad and ugly, but rather, the good. 

This past week, the State of Oregon made the decision to waive the majority of graduation requirements for the class of 2020, thus rendering us seniors “graduated.” This means no more online school and even more hours to fill each day. 

Following the closure of my high school in Ashland, Oregon, and the cancelation of the OSAA track season, I’ve had to come up with inventive ways to keep myself occupied, stay fit and remain motivated through this crazy time.

The closure of all gym facilities has left many athletes, myself included, scrambling for a new strength routine. So, I decided, why not just make a gym a home? That’s exactly what I did.

The Holland Gymnasium is now complete with a pull-up bar, yoga ball, jump rope, dumbbells, exercise bands and a plyometric box. While it’s not perfect, it has been more than adequate and the convenience of working out at my house has been surprisingly nice. 

As someone who is incredibly goal-oriented and competitive, the lack of meets and natural benchmarks has led to some creativity. Along with a lot of other track athletes, time trials have been on my mind, as well virtual meets. For the past month, I have taken advantage of nice weather and the free schedule to bump up mileage, including hitting my first ever 70-mile week, and have had fun while doing it.

I've run to some new places, explored the endless trail system we have in Ashland, and done funky workouts just for the heck of it.

Going without competition can be tough, but it is great to have fun with some stress-free training. 

Outside of running, I have been filling the main hours with projects and other hobbies I don’t normally have time for. I’ve been practicing juggling, dusting off the old saxophone, getting into the kitchen more often and even starting to build a homemade motorbike.

In addition, I have been adding to my already 26-hour long Spotify Playlist titled “I need this to get through the day, usually,” which has been more true than ever this month. 

gym

E.J. Holland's Home Gym Circuit Workout

Jump rope x100

Goblet squat x15

Dumbbell push press step-up x8 each leg

Yoga ball hamstring curl x15

Pull-ups x10

Dumbbell reverse lunge x10 each leg

Dumbbell bicep curls x10

Calf raises x15

Single leg Romanian Deadlift x8 each leg

Resistance band lateral shuffle x10 each side

Push-ups x15

Complete 1-3 times, with 1 minute rest in between exercises 

 

Bodyweight Circuit (For Those Without A Gym)

Burpees x15

Single leg chair squat x15

Stair box jumps x15

Suicide planks 1min

Single leg hip bridges x10 each leg

Jump lunges x10 each leg

Calf raises x15

Single leg Romanian Deadlift x8 each 

Side plank leg raise x10 each side

Push-ups x15

1-3 sets, 1 minute rest in between exercises



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