Posts Tagged ‘fitness’

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Hands On: The New Jawbone UP

Tuesday, November 27th, 2012

Initially released this time last year, the Jawbone UP, designed by Yves Behar, made its debut as a holistic life tracker worn on the wrist 24/7. As you may remember, the bendable band syncs with an iPhone app to record bodily information such as daily activity, sleep and diet. You might also remember the original device was plagued with issues ranging from general usability to total hardware failure. Now after a significant amount of research Jawbone has released a comprehensive update. Along with a hugely improved iPhone app, the externally identical UP’s hardware and software has been redesigned, tested and reworked again—through 28 new manufacturing processes and nearly three million hours of testing, Jawbone claims—to make the new and improved device more durable, more waterproof and more functional. I’ve been wearing an UP for the last week to give it a fair shake and am quite pleased with the new version. (more…)

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5 Best Bodyweight Training Exercises

Monday, November 12th, 2012

Many people don’t realize the benefits of bodyweight training because in every magazine you see, there are dudes in the gym hitting weights. But, with all training, there is a regression and progression to every exercise.  For example a regression for hanging leg lifts is performing a plank. The progression would be performing the movement with a medicine ball between your feet.

Another example would be a bench press. Many people can’t do a conventional bench press because of existing shoulder issues, their form is bad or they just don’t have access to the equipment.

Push-ups are a great alternative. Not only can you perform push-ups with various hand positions but you can also do them from an elevated surface extending the range of motion for the shoulders and engage more muscle fibers.

Bodyweight Training Benefits:

  1. Free
  2. Versatile, many different variations
  3. Can be done anywhere
  4. Improves movement
  5. Improves relative strength
  6. Can improve reactive strength

(more…)

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CrossFit: It’s anybody’s game

Thursday, November 8th, 2012

As I stood in the Home Depot Center Stadium and looked around, I realized that in just two short years I have witnessed a true evolution in CrossFit.

Here in Carson, California, before a sold-out crowd, athletes from around the globe have come to challenge themselves like nothing you have ever witnessed before, in the hopes of being crowned fittest one earth.

Brutal workouts of burpees, pullups, running, Olympic lifting and gymnastics will force them to take their bodies to their limit. What was once a grassroots organization with garage gyms, and what some believe is a crazy approach to fitness, is now a televised event on ESPN with full sponsorship from Reebok. Million-dollar campaigns are now seen on primetime networks, as Reebok shows the world its specialized gear, specifically designed and inspired by CrossFit. There’s even a growing celebrity segment that has my mom finally believing that what I do is OK. That’s right if “Bob” says it’s OK… then mom says it’s OK. That “Bob” would be Bob Harper of NBC’s Biggest Loser, who was an avid spectator for the three-day event. (more…)

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The Last Two or Three Repetitions

Friday, November 2nd, 2012

Often you are provided with a rep range. For example, you will be asked to do 3 sets of 6-8 reps. When you see these rep ranges, you should be striving to achieve the highest number in the range in each set. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed people skimping by, and doing the minimum amount of reps per set. To put it simply, 6 or 7 reps just isn’t the same as performing all 8 reps.

Skimping on reps can dramatically impede your athletic progress, since most of the positive adaptations in exercise come from exceeding your comfort barrier and grinding out those last and most difficult repetitions. Little differences in the way you approach these strength sets, can dramatically alter the outcome of your training.

Let’s say you are doing 3 sets of 6-8 reps of shoulder press and determine that 150 lbs is an appropriate weight for you. Maybe you’re feeling a little tired, and decide to do 6 reps per set, even though you’re capable of doing 8 reps per set. We can calculate the effect of that decision by using the formula for work, which is just force x distance.

(more…)

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Hit the Hills

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012

Hill workouts are a necessary evil for all runners.

Just a mention of the word “hills” causes some runners to shudder. Hills should not be thought of as an enemy that slows the average pace of your run, increases your heart rate or causes agony to your comfortable outing. Although they’re not easy, they are very necessary and should be planned for and embraced as a positive training element.

Hill work is an extremely effective way to gain more power, increase running economy and improve speed. The repetitive nature of hill workouts forces the muscular system to develop in response to the stress being placed on it, while the nervous system increases firing patterns to fast-twitch muscle fibers. Completing hill workouts also increases speed and endurance because of the resistance inherent to running up hill and the associated increase in heart rate.

Hills should be thought of as a form of speed work and included intentionally; they help introduce the body to faster work with less impact at a slower pace. Injury-prone runners who struggle with adding faster work will find hills provide the same stimulus with less risk. It might seem a bit counterintuitive, but, if done properly, running up a hill at a slower pace with lighter footstrikes is actually a much safer approach than jumping on the track and hammering out speed work. Hills are also a great way to keep your heart rate up for an extended period of time, thus increasing overall aerobic development.

(more…)

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The Best Halloween Runs in America

Friday, October 19th, 2012

If your belly’s full of bite-sized Snickers and the trick-or-treaters don’t show up at your door for another two weeks, it might be a good idea to go for a run. Or maybe you just want to sport your homemade PSY costume and “Gangnam Style” your way to the finish line. Check out these Halloween races that are more about the costume and party than that whole running thing.

Devil’s Chase 6.66 Miler
Salem, Massachusetts
Saturday, October 27 ($40 in advance/$45 race day, bsnfitness.com)
Price: $40 in advance and $45 race day

If you’re into superstitions, you can secure bib #666 for this 6.66 mile run—but you’ll have to pony up for it. Last year, the winning bid on the beast-numbered bib was $366.66, so get ready to dig deep into your pockets if you fancy numerology. Competing in the costume contest? Remember to dress in a devil-themed costume to be eligible. And if pitchforks and horns aren’t your thing, get creative: Deviled eggs and Devil’s food cake are also acceptable costumes . . . but dude, good luck finding those at your local Party City. (more…)

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Who Needs a Gym?

Saturday, October 6th, 2012

Few men believe it, but you don’t need barbells, dumbbells, or machines to build muscle; in fact, weight-training equipment often inhibits the process. That’s because it requires you to be in a specific location, which might explain why more men consider themselves runners than lifters. After all, running is the most accessible form of exercise — anywhere you go, there’s your gym. But learn a little bit about physics and the same can hold true for your muscle workout.

Consider the pullup: It’s the standard by which all body-weight exercises are measured. And even the most hard-core lifters will agree that there’s no better muscle builder for the upper body — with or without weights. The reason for its effectiveness: It takes full advantage of the scientific laws of motion and leverage, placing your body in a position that forces your back and arms to lift your entire body weight. Call it applied science at its finest.

Now imagine if all body-weight exercises were as challenging as the pullup. You’d be able to build muscle anywhere, anytime — at home, on the road, or even in a public park. Physical science makes it possible. So with that said . . . the Five Laws of Body-Weight Training. (more…)

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Treadwall

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012

The M6 Treadwall is based on 20 years of design and research into the rotating climbing wall. The newest incarnation of our original product has every feature that we could stuff in, including legendary durability. For fun, and for serious training, the past two decades has seen the treadwall put to multiple uses throughout the world.

Cross training in particular has never been easier, lower the M6 to the full -12 degree angle and work all the muscles in your arms shoulders and core at once. Change the angle to +12 degree and get your hips, legs, core, and balance dialed to perfection. Find the most comfortable angle for you and get a continuous aerobic burn everywhere, at once. Whatever your motives are this rotating climbing wall has enough space at 6 feet wide and 10 or 11 feet high to let you roam.

Available in two configurations, freestanding or wallmount, the M6 doesn’t take up a ton of space. The freestanding M6 can even be fitted with casters to provide easy movement through your gym affording you as much space as you require. The wallmount unit sits tight to the wall freeing up valuable floor space while still allowing you to cruise at a +5 or -5 degree angle. Or, get the external upgrade and trailer option and take your treadwall to the moon!

Courtesy of Brewersledge.com

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Build Warrior Abs

Saturday, April 28th, 2012

If you’re looking to really build your core, you’ve come to the right place.  We’ve taken and outlined the keys to the core of UFC champ Jon Jones.  So whether your looking to get in the ring for an MMA bout or want to look great at the beach this summer here’s a few tips that will get you exactly what you want.
Find your threshold
A fight doesn’t end when one guy does 12 kicks or 12 punches. Combat sports are ruled by the clock. That’s why you don’t count reps or sets at the Wat. Instead, you exercise in 3-or 5-minute intervals to simulate rounds in a fight. “The goal is sustained intensity over time,” Kru tells me. It’s brutally efficient. Time-based training forces you to go as hard as you can for as long as you can and to find your own maximum work rate. You learn to pace yourself—fast.

To try it, pick three exercises—the pullup, squat thrust, and goblet squat, for example. For each, see how many you can do with good form in 1 minute, with no rest. As soon as you finish pullups, start doing squat thrusts, and as soon as you finish those, start squatting. Rest for 1 minute and do another set. The short-term aim is to improve the total number of reps you can do in a minute. In the longer term, you also want to increase the resistance you use. Typical Kru workouts are variations of this: 10 to 20 rounds of calisthenics, lifting, striking drills, and sparring, and then stretching. (more…)

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The Whole House Workout

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

Burn Fat and Build Muscle without Lifting a Weight

Though Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley make a convincing sales team, you don’t need their Total Gym to work your total body. “Body-weight workouts can be just as effective as those done with barbells, dumbbells, or machines,” says Craig Ballantyne, M.Sc., C.S.C.S., owner of turbulencetraining.com. The secret: choosing the right exercises. Try Ballantyne’s body-weight circuit, below, which trains every muscle in your body while challenging your cardiovascular system as intensely as a hard treadmill session.

Directions
Perform this workout three times a week, resting at least a day between sessions. Do the exercises as a circuit, completing one set of 8 to 10 reps of each exercise before resting for 2 minutes. Then repeat two more times. Too easy? Shorten your rest period or add another circuit. (more…)

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