courtesy of Golds Gym

Have you ever walked into a gym and seen an indoor turf field - and avoided it like the plague? We get it! Seeing all that open space with the equipment you probably haven't used before is intimidating. It feels much safer to bee-line towards the familiar cardio and HIIT equipment. But how many times can you run on a treadmill or push through an elliptical workout before you get burned out? It's time to switch things up!
Indoor turf is a padded area in the gym filled with various equipment to help you build muscle and do cardio. The extra padding helps prevent injuries and is easier on your joints. It's also resistant, so there's less chance of slipping and hurting yourself.
Before we jump into how to use indoor turf areas, we're going to go over how to gain the confidence to use them. Feeling nervous trying something new at the gym is normal. The key to overcoming your nerves is to work out like no one is watching - because they're not! Everyone is focusing on their own workouts, so go all out, make mistakes and try new things! You might discover that you love this new workout and wish you had given it a try sooner! Keep in mind this does not happen overnight. Even fitness professionals can have a hard day at the gym. Keep working hard and you'll begin to see a positive change.
Somewhere along the way, turf fields became known as a workout space meant for athletes, not people who go to the gym for a cardio/strength-building workout. This could not be further from the truth. Turf fields can benefit everyone of all ages. It's an amenity that everyone should be using to build muscle while also burning fat. Don't be shy - hustle in there and claim your space!
The equipment you'll typically find in there are medicine balls, kettles bells, sleds, cones, ladders and other HIIT and cardio equipment. These are all great tools to improve agility and speed, get your heart rate up and build muscle quickly and effectively.
Let's jump into some effective exercises you can do on the turf.
Agility Ladders:
Improve your coordination and speed with agility ladders. The key here is quick feet and lots of focus. You'll be able to see your progress over the weeks with your speed and your accuracy of the steps. Lay out a ladder and practice short hops and quick steps. Once you practice that, you can start by running a couple of drills such as the River Dance, Ickey Shuffle and the Centipede.
Conditioning:
This is a great workout to build endurance and get your heart rate pumping. A couple of great conditioning workouts are gassers, where you sprint at full speed to the opposite side of the turf and back. That counts as one gasser. The next drill is 300-yard shuttles. Run to the 25-yard line and back six times in a row without stopping. When you're just starting, do it as fast as you can and eventually try to do it in under 80 seconds.
Cone Workouts:
These help increase agility and your ability to change direction quickly. Set up cones a few yards apart and run back and forth, quickly changing direction.
Strength Conditioning with a Weighted Sled:
Ready for an explosive workout? Sled pushes will help build your lower and upper body strength quickly and effectively. You can push the sled across the turf or strap the harness on and pull it behind you to strengthen and tone your legs.
Ready to try indoor turf workouts? Claim your seven-day free pass to Gold's Gym SoCal so you can utilize their indoor turf fields. You may love 'em! Gold's Gym 219-0400