With the change of seasons, indoor training is becoming more frequent and important for our athletic community. From swimming, cycling, and running there are several facilities hosting events and activities catered to those individuals who are used to outdoor activity in the warmer months.
We had the wonderful pleasure of speaking with Mickey Ryzmek owner of North Coast Multi-Sports again. Mickey has been working with the triathlete community for years. He also coordinates many athletic events and knows what his athletes are doing during winter to prepare for big events and recover from summer injuries.
Athletes Favorite Indoor Training Cords from NZ Manufacturing
When we asked Mickey what types of equipment athletes are using indoors he states, “I’m finding that most of our swimmers highly enjoy training in the winter with the StretchCordz® Drag Belt/Tow Tether S109. This is one powerful endurance training tool that I hear many of swimmers bragging about. It doesn’t take long in the water to start feeling the chute’s resistance and it can be a quick and thorough workout. Our runners also enjoy ‘cool down’ rituals with the Turfcordz® Ankle Cordz S140. This assists them to strengthen not only their ankles but knees, legs, and hips. All key parts of your body that need equal amounts of strengthening attention with running”.
Best Equipment for Rehab from NZ Manufacturing
“Years of an athletic lifestyle can put a lot of wear and tear on your body”, stated Mickey. “Sometimes these strains will, unfortunately, lead to surgery. In fact, I have 3 woman triathlon participants who all had knee surgery in the last month. — The product I see athletes using most for rehab is the Medicordz® Bungie Kit. Our athletes like them because you can get a full upper and lower body resistance rehab workout. After an injury it’s important to get your muscles back to shape while preventing another injury from occurring. Another rehab favorite is the Door Mount Kit. This is something a patient can use in the comfort of their own home. It’s easily mounted to any door and provides durability for core muscle strengthening.”
Where Can Athletes Train Indoors
“For our cycling community, they are fortunate to have many indoor classes available for training. There are several YMCA’s and gyms who host cycling classes where cyclists can bring in their own bike or use stationary bikes. Technology has been huge with these facilities. Cyclists can bike in front of large screens and allow their imagination to take them on virtual trails and tours around the world. It’s really quite fascinating, says Mickey. “I know the Cycle Bar in Hudson, Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium, and Medina Fitness Facility all have cycling classes available through the winter” stated Mickey.
Indoor Triathlons are Trending
“Another really cool thing our athletes love participating in is the indoor triathlons”, claims Mickey. “This is where facilities hold an event where a team or individual can swim, run, and cycle while volunteers count their reps/laps. The winner is determined at the end with whoever did the most reps/laps in the time frame of the event. For example, the Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium will be hosting a ‘Twilight Triathlon’ on January 6th at 8:00 pm where athletes or team members will cycle for 20 minutes, swim laps for 20 minutes and run for 20 minutes. This is where volunteers count the reps/laps and the winner is announced at the end of the event”.
This year active community athlete and Mayor of Cuyahoga Falls, Don Walters is participating in the Twilight Triathlon. We had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Walters about this exciting event. — Mr. Walters can be referred to as a quote, “fitness and nutrition fanatic” and claims in his “other life” this was his only job. “I have been in the weight room for 24 years straight only a break one time for a period of about 6 months. I live at the natatorium religiously 3 times a week in the evenings. I deadlift around 400 lbs on average combined with very heavy benching and squats. I’m not huge by any means for my age of 55 years and weight. For me it’s about lifting, eating properly, and rest. I signed up for the cycling portion of the indoor triathlon to get my cardiovascular endurance up since cardio has not been a main focus of mine recently. I’ve been training for this event, to say the least. I’m excited to be on a 3 person team with Sarah Kline, former Stow Mayor who will do the running portion and a natatorium employee who is swimming”, stated Mr. Walters. “The Cuyahoga Falls community and I are looking forward to hosting a fun evening for our triathletes”.
Other Indoor Triathlons Events
All events can be found on the North Coast Multisports website, http://www.ncmultisports.com/. Recent indoor events coming up are:
February 10th – Mandel JCC in Beachwood, Ohio
March 9th – The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio
March 31st – Salem Community Center in Salem, Ohio
If you are interested in speaking with Mickey Rzymek about events through North Coast Multisports he can be reached by email, ncmultisports@aol.com or phone 330-686-1680. Athletes interested in participating in the Twilight Triathlon can visit, http://www.cityofcf.com/activity/twilight-triathlon.
We’d like to thank Mickey Rzymek and Mayor Don Walters for speaking with us. We look forward to assisting our triathletes train, grow, and inspire others to do the same here at NZ Manufacturing. – Stretch Your Limits!
