BY TEAM HEAT | The long days and warm sun of the summer are reason enough to work a one-hour window for health and fitness into your schedule. That, paired with all the beautiful scenery Chelsea has to offer, should have you on your feet and out the door in no time!
Jogging is my go-to workout, no matter where I am or what’s going on in my day. It’s not only good for burning calories and improving your overall cardiovascular health, but it can be done anywhere — and with no equipment (other than a good pair of shoes). Never jogged before? Let us help you begin your fitness journey!
We picked Hudson River Park for our route. We began at the W. 17th St. portion of Chelsea Piers, and chose a spot off the path for some pre-jogging stretches. To prevent pulls and tears, it’s important to stretch your quads and hamstrings thoroughly before working out.
If you’ve never jogged before, you can start at a VERY slow pace; a bit quicker than a fast walk, but just enough to get your heart pumping the blood a little harder.
Don’t set expectations! See how many steps you can jog, and build from there. Alternate between jogging and walking, and try to pass your step record each time you hit the road.
Hydrate! One of the great things about running through Hudson River Park is the many water fountains along the trail. Use them!
Hydration is great for your muscles. It also helps to lubricate the joints and regulate body temperature.
Like stretching, hydration makes a real difference when it comes to preventing pulls and tears.
We ended our jog at Pier 40 (at W. Houston St.), which is roughly a one-mile stretch.
As a cool down, we walked back, enjoying the scenery and fresh air.
Another great feature of this particular stretch of Hudson River Park is the alternate waterside route, right off the main path along the West Side Highway, where it is FOOT TRAFFIC ONLY!
We hope you enjoy this route as much as we did. Try to incorporate health and fitness into your daily or weekly routine, especially with all the beautiful places our city and our neighborhood have to offer.
While prepping for fights, Devon Cormack and Heather “The Heat” Hardy (aka “Team Heat”) work as personal trainers at Gleason’s Gym (77 Front St., Brooklyn). Hardy, a single mom, is a professional boxer with a record of 17 wins and 0 losses (including 4 KOs). Before turning pro, she won championships in Muay Thai and Kickboxing. As a Golden Gloves contestant, she won silver in 2011 and gold in 2012 (125-pound division). Chelsea resident Devon Cormack (d1champ@me.com), who took the photos for this article, is a three-time World Kickboxing Champion. He teaches martial arts, boxing, and kickboxing, and coordinates fight scenes for film and TV. For more info, visit Heather-Hardy.com and follow her at facebook.com/TheHeatHeatherHardy. Also visit gleasonsgym.net.
