F40

New Ideas, New Challenges -- and Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:11:00 +0000

One of my favorite blogs, Mark's Daily Apple, had a great post last week about urban workouts. The idea was to use almost anything you can find outside in your workout.

In the video that Mark posted, which I've embeded below, the guy makes his way along the bottom of some stairs using his hands and feet. Then he does it with just his arms.

Now, my workout yesterday wasn't urban -- it was in a gym. But one of the great things about working out is to take pieces of things you see elsewhere and incorporate them, or something into your workouts.

So at the end of my intervals I decided to try something similar to what I'd seen in the video. The pulley machine has a long bar connecting one station to the next. So I grabbed one end and made my way to the other by going hand over hand.

The distance was short but after sprints, side shuffles and dumbbell swings, it was tough. And it worked my entire body.

Give It a Try

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:23:00 +0000

I love trying new things when it comes to fitness, as long as they make sense (squats on the Bosu ball? No thanks).

I'd wanted to try an Indo Board since I first saw one in a surf shop a while back. It's basically a board that balances on a roller. You stand on it and see if you can slide back and forth, squat and so forth. It works pretty much everything, especially your core.

So when I spotted one at my gym, I had to try it. I damn near busted my ass. But with a little advice from someone who knew how to use it (start on a surface like the mat where people stretch because the roller moves slower), I picked it up.

How is it? Fun, and it certainly does what it claims to do.

Age is Meaningless, Part 10

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 01:10:00 +0000

Jamie Moyer will confuse hitters with what SI describes as "his what-was-that? curveball, many of them off the plate but irresistible" this season.

He's 46.

This Guy is onto Something

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:38:00 +0000

I'm a big believer in making working out something closer to play whenever possible. A recent Men's Health article may have had the ultimate example of that.

Erwan Le Corre is a Frenchman who has set up a camp in Brazil dedicated to workouts that resemble play and emphasize moving as nature intended. In other words, they're fun, but damn hard.

Check out this video to get an idea of what he's preaching. The Men's Health story has some simple ways to incorporate his ideas into your workout.

Know What You Don't Know

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:19:00 +0000

I watched a guy in skintight shorts, the kind men should wear under shorts only, not as shorts, giving instructions tonight to a woman at the gym. Normally I wouldn't care what he or anyone else wore. But what he wore fit what he knew, which clearly wasn't much.

He was showing her the barbell squat and he couldn't have been more wrong.

First of all, he bent at the knees first, not the hip (think about sitting down in a chair).

Then he told her to only do a three-quarters squat, but his three-quarters squat was about a quarter squat.

Finally, he told her to never go all the way down to when your thighs are parallel to the ground because it's dangerous. Sure, it's dangerous if you do it incorrectly like he did, rounding your lower back.

If that all wasn't enough to tell me he didn't know what he was talking about, there was another indicator: His legs showed almost no sign he'd added any muscle to them. Someone who knows how to do squats wouldn't have chicken legs.

Alwyn Cosgrove is a Genius

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:27:00 +0000

I've mentioned the name Alwyn Cosgrove many times in this blog. He's a trainer I learned of during my time running the Men's Health Web site. And he's a genius.

I know this because I basically follow what he preaches, if not his direct workout plans, and it works. He bases his beliefs on a huge amount of data he collects on clients at his California gym.

His blog is always great reading even though it's often written for other trainers instead of those of us trying to get or stay in shape. But even in those posts, he has wisdom for the rest of us.

Today is a classic example. Give it a read.

Make Common Tasks a Workout

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:34:00 +0000

I helped a friend this weekend spread all the gravel that her lousy snowplow guy dug up when he plowed her driveway this winter. There was a big pile of it.

My job was to shovel it into a wheelbarrow and cart it to various places, dump it and then she'd spread it.

So here's how I thought about it. Each time I dug the shovel in I bent my knees to keep my back straight and then straightened my legs to raise the shovel. That's basically a quarter or half squat each time.

Then when I turned to dump the shovel into the wheelbarrow, I twisted to the side, which worked my core.

I also made sure to switch sides and shift my grip (changing which hand was at the top) to guard against imbalances.

Then when I lifted the back of the wheelbarrow, I made sure it was with my legs and I braced my core for stability.

When I dumped the wheelbarrow, I used my legs again, pushing upward, braced my core and lifted my arms, which basically was a full-body move.

Today as I surfed I could definitely feel what I'd done yesterday.

So I helped her and helped myself.

The More Weight the Better?

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:18:00 +0000

A guy at the gym tonight kept loading up the bar with plate after plate as he did squats. Impressive, right?

Well, it would've been if he'd even come close to using proper form. He didn't. He barely squatted, not even coming close to getting his thighs parallel to the ground.

So what did he accomplish? Not much.

Go for form and the weight will follow.

The Strenuous Life

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:24:00 +0000

Theodore Roosevelt said that people should live a strenuous life. By that, he meant active. Get outside, do things.

Roosevelt of course went well beyond anything most people do today. He started a ranch out west almost on his own. He swam in the Potomac. He boxed. He explored an unknown river in Brazil.

But I do believe he's right, that we all should strive to be as active as possible. So this past weekend I snowboarded Saturday morning, split wood for three hours that afternoon (it's a great total body workout) and surfed Sunday. Then I worked in the yard, though that was the least strenuous of everything I did.

For me that's an extra-strenuous weekend. But it did feel good.

Just remember that being active can be as simple as getting in workouts when you can or taking the stairs instead of the escalator.

When You Need It Most

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:36:00 +0000

In this economy, the pressure at work seems to rise a bit more each day, and it's easy to bypass your workout. Don't.

The physical benefits from working out are obvious. What may be less obvious are the mental benefits. Put simply, a good workout relieves stress, lets you focus on something else for a bit. And these days, we could all use that.

No Space, No Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:06:00 +0000

A friend the other day was saying that the room where classes are held at his gym is too small for sprints. I have the same issue and there's an easy solution -- create more space.

The way to do that is by using angles and setting up markers. For instance, tonight I put a pylon against one wall probably five yards from one end of the room, another on the other side of the room a few more yards from the back wall and a third at the far end in a corner. Then I stood in the corner and sprinted to the first pylon, then ran across the room the second and then back across the room to the third, before making my way back.

So no, I wasn't able to run flat out but by running from side to side, basically, I was able to increase the space. I also was able to stop and start, which is something that happens in most sports and thus is good for you to know how to do.

Finally, a setup like this give you the ability to do multi-directional work. You can sprint ahead, shuffle to the side and back peddle, so that you move the way you do in real life. (We never simply move forward.)

My New Gym

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:51:00 +0000

When I moved, I had to find a new gym. Luckily, there's one three blocks from my house, about the same distance as I had before.

But the new gym is a bit like stepping back in time, and not just because of the equipment. People all around me are doing isolation exercises (it's hard to believe people still do so many curls) and one chest exercise after another.

I see far too few leg work and almost no posterior chain work. A full-body workout? Forget it.

In other words, they're doing bodybuilder workouts for the most part. Me, I'm plowing ahead with my full-body workouts because I know they work and make me a better athlete, not a bodybuilder.

We're Lazy

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:54:00 +0000

That's what I'm realizing as I go through my daily commute and here's why -- people line up for escalators even when perfectly good stairs are right there.

I see it every single day. I even saw someone walk up to an escalator, see that it wasn't working and walk to one that was working. Of course then once on the escalator people simply stand there instead of walking up them as well.

How did people become so lazy. Take the stairs.

Sorry for the Interruption

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:49:00 +0000

I moved recently, which temporarily threw everything into a bit of chaos. There was the move itself, the ensuing lack of Internet access because of the cable company's incompetence and trying to find time to post amid a life that now involves a long commute to work.

But there's a huge upside to all this -- I now walk to the beach to surf instead of driving an hour and a half. And I live where life moves at a slower pace. Just stepping off the train here each day feels nice.

I've Fallen and I ...

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:53:00 +0000

You know the rest of that. I've fallen and I can't get up.

I'd bet that most of us know of someone older who fell, broke a hip and soon died. It happens all too often. The New York Times this past weekend looked at the issue and described how doctors are treating falls as serious issues.

I thought of one thing when I read that article -- if they'd maintained their muscle tone, the chance they would've fallen would have to have decreased significantly. It just makes sense.

I never want to fall and not be able to get up so I'm going to do everything I can to maintain my muscle tone as I age.

The Bad Form Hall of Fame

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:23:00 +0000

That was my gym today, the Bad Form Hall of Fame. It seemed that everywhere I looked people were using bad form.

There was one guy who did every exercise he tried incorrectly, which had to be some sort of record. When he did tricep pushdowns, for instance, his elbows were flared out instead of pulled tightly against his body (and I'm not even getting into the discussion about why he was doing them in the first place).

I saw a woman try the same exercise. She leaned into it too much, making her entire upper body do the work, not her triceps.

And another guy did tricep kickbacks (again, why waste so much time on these isolation moves?) and he didn't even extend his arm fully.

There's an easy way to avoid this -- do a little reading or ask an expert. I may not always do everything right, but I do work hard to understand the correct form and then try to get it right.

A Better Warm-up, Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:55:00 +0000

I've touched on the benefits of using dynamic stretching to warm-up a couple of times before (here and here).

Today in its Play magazine, the New York Times trumpets this better way to stretch before a workout.

Of course I still see people come into the gym and perform static stretches before they work out, that is if they do anything at all. I'm certainly the only person I've ever seen at my gym who runs through the sort of warm-up that I follow.

Please Limit Your Usage

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:17:00 +0000

That's what a sign in the cardio area of my gym says -- please limit your usage. The idea, of course, is that so many people want to get on those elliptical machines and treadmills that you need to limit the time you spend on them.

But I know how to limit your usage -- do something else. People spend far too much time on those machines, and get too few results. There are times when it seems like the same people are on them when I start and finish my workout, which includes cardio.

Here was my cardio tonight: one-arm dumbbell snatches, four per arm; five box jumps; 10 ice skaters (jumping side to side quickly as if you're skating); eight burpees; and five medicine ball throw-downs (raise it over your head and using your core throw it straight down).

Run through eight sets, each of which took about a minute, with 30 seconds of rest between each one, and I was done. In other words, no time at all. And I promise you I worked harder than anyone on any of those machines.

Protect Your Shoulders

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 02:11:00 +0000

I still remember how it happened. I was doing a decline bench press and suddenly there was a sharp pain in my left shoulder.

But I was lucky. I didn't need surgery and simply had to take two weeks off.

I also learned a lesson. Shoulders are fragile.

Super-trainer Keith Scott recently pointed out five ways to wreck you shoulders. One of the top ways involves the bench press, a favorite of many.

Quit Looking in the Mirror

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:46:00 +0000

The recent Outside story on Gym Jones reminded me of another story the magazine had not too long ago about a different sort of gym, this one called the Monkey Bar Gym.

I love Monkey Bar's philosophy because it's all about creating a workout that's fun and that plays off how our bodies actually move. The gym itself also has no mirrors. The results are apparently impressive. You can sign up for workouts online.

Get Off the Ball, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:59:00 +0000

I've complained before about people who do the wrong exercises on unstable surfaces. Now, Dr. John Berardi, someone who knows a lot about fitness and nutrition, has sent out an email that addresses the topic. Here it is:

Wobble boards, foam pads, swis balls, bosu balls, and inflatable rubber discs...

You'll find them in most gyms and training facilities nowadays. In fact, chances are you've used these types of devices yourself.

But the big question is this...

Could it really be possible that these devices actually INCREASE your chances of injury - while DECREASING your ability to get stronger?

Sadly, the answer is yes...

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying "unstable surface training" is bad. Indeed, there are some very good uses of these types of boards and balls.

However, without a proper understanding of when to use unstable surface training (and a thorough understanding of why), the risks go WAY up while the benefits go way down.

Excitingly, my good friend Eric Cressey has just released a fantastic book called: "The Truth About Unstable Surfaces Training."

This book is a culmination of more than three years of research, experimentation, and analysis. In fact, the foundation of this book is based on Cressey's own research at the University of Connecticut. The rest is based on his experience coaching high level athletes.

In "The Truth About Unstable Surfaces Training" Cressey will walk you through the following:

* The origins of unstable surface training

* The problems with research-to-date on unstable surface training, and why you've been mislead

* The difference between balance and stability

* The five factors affecting one's stability, and how you can modify them to become a more stable athlete

* How unstable surfaces alter muscular recruitment patterns - and how you can use those alterations to your advantage or disadvantage

* The actual science - and research data - that quantifiably justifies or refutes specific uses of unstable surface training

* Guidelines for when and how to implement unstable surface training to maximize training efficiency and help you avoid wasting time and effort

* How unstable surface training can help or hinder performance in different athletes

* How unstable surfaces can increase the risk of injury in some populations, while actually rehabilitating others

* Guidelines for alternative, more sport-specific instability approaches when unstable surface training is not the best avenue to pursue

* 21 different stability progression models encompassing over 50 exercises with photos and descriptions

* How to train balance for maximum functional carryover and superior athletic performance

If you've ever trained using unstable surfaces (i.e. the
devices discussed above) or have always wanted to give it a
try, you absolutely need to have this book in your library.
The lessons you'll learn will be invaluable.

Click here to learn more about Cressey's new book:

Until next time,
JB

The Little Things

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:53:00 +0000

Tonight as I was doing hanging leg raises, I was having a tough time getting my legs as high as I wanted. Then I simply shifted where I was looking -- straight ahead instead of slightly down -- and I was fine.

My theory is that the subtle shift aligned my body differently, and more correctly.

I'm sure there are so many other examples when it comes to form. This again shows that paying attention to form always pays off.

By the way, I see far too many people doing hanging leg raises using those contraptions you rest your upper arms in, even people who've done them for a long time. It's fine to start out using them but move on to using no support and simply hanging from something. You'll get a much better core workout. Remember to always brace your core when you do them to keep your body from swaying.

Another Reason to Dump Low-Intensity Cardio

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:15:00 +0000

As I've noted many times before, I've feel better, enjoy my cardio more, save time and have lost body fat since switching to high-intensity intervals instead of going for a 30-minute run or something along those lines.

Super-trainer Craig Ballantyne recently wrote about a new study that backs up the benefits of high-intensity cardio.

Maybe It's Just Me

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:02:00 +0000

I've felt a bit rundown lately and that has run over to my gym time. But it took something as simple as a video to get me excited about working out again.

I was scouting around the Web for more info on something called Gym Jones, which is featured in the latest Outside magazine. It came from the CrossFit movement.

As I was looking around for more, I came across this video. Gym Jones was used to train the actors for "300," and the video shows a bit of the training.

Why did it inspire me? Simple -- it looks fun. As I said, maybe it's just me.

Gym Jones - Captain in 300 Film - The most popular videos are a click away

Get Up, Stand Up

noreply@blogger.com (Erle Norton) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:45:00 +0000

It's simple -- too many people do too many exercises sitting down. Walk into any gym and you see it all over the place. Many machines, of course, encourage this behavior.

But it actually makes for a worse workout, as super-trainer Keith Scott recently pointed out. Think about it. Sitting down most often makes a move easier. Standing up makes it harder. It also calls more of your body into action.

Keith also recently posted a humorous video that takes on this and other things people do wrong at the gym. Take a look.