As many of you might already know, I’ve been dealing with some injuries for quite some time. While I never had certain ones surgically repaired, as I should have, I’ve only been piling up new injuries. Last May, I tore my quad/adductor in my right leg deadlifting, and stopped lifting heavy-ish, only to tear my soleus/gastroc in my left leg in December… while deadlifting!
So, how am I responding to that?
Click HERE if you enjoy watching more than reading, even though the content on this post and in the YouTube video are different. We are trying to get back on track with a somewhat regular schedule for video uploads, so here is some footage shot on our January trip to New Orleans. This is going to be a two-part series focusing on travel, with a second installment demonstrating an upper body workout.
worked out to keep our tacos in check while visiting Mexico
The short answer to that “how did I build muscle in high school?” is… I didn’t, but allow me to expand on that. As an athlete who played almost exclusively team sports, I was used to focusing most of my time working with my team. Whether it was tennis, baseball, basketball or soccer, you were constantly practicing with your teammates, and even though you can work on skills independently, there are only so many hours in the day. Before the age of social media, you had far fewer influencers in your life (for better or for worse) so you were heavily dependent on your coaches and parents.
Fortunately for me, I was lifting weights at an extremely early age with my mother. She would take me to the gym and we would perform aerobics at home, but I’d never touch anything heavy or load up barbells with plates. I wouldn’t use selectorized strength equipment either, not until my high school soccer coach brought us into the school’s modest weight room to use the leg press machine. My father, who was a very competitive athlete himself, focused more on spending time “on the court.” That could mean hundreds of lay-ups and free-throws every day, lots of batting practice and volleying on the tennis court.
Hungry on the far right
With the latest innovations and breakthroughs technology has enjoyed over the decades, the fitness industry has benefited a lot since then. In the past, fitness machines were limited and even hard to use, and one would need the assistance of a gym instructor which can cost some money and of course time in queuing for the turn to ask for assistance. Furthermore, fitness machines back then were very user-unfriendly and one would need to adjust to the machine in order to get to the right position. However, today, the story has definitely turned around. Fitness machines are very user-friendly, to the point that anyone can use it easily without asking for assistance. They are now very self-explanatory and simple. Fitness machines today have truly come a long way, that is why it is a lot of people have begun relying on them.
One of the most famous fitness machines known for its versatility and easy functionality is the rowing machine. Rowing machines allow the user to experience the feeling of rowing a boat. And we all know that rowing a boat is not easy: it requires a lot of arm and leg strength, not to mention the control and rhythm that you need to maintain in order to move the boat properly. With that being said, a simulated boat rowing is a good workout. Not only does it develop the leg muscles and arm strength, it also promotes proper posture and core development. If you are just starting to get interested in rowing machines or is already looking to use them in your routines, then here are 4 tips on how to use them from our expert friends at Body Gear Guide.
Thank goodness it’s Friday! Another week has passed and I hope you have some fun (or relaxing) things planned this weekend. Get jazzed up! But you know what will make this weekend even better? A TGIF workout. Yep, you knew it was coming. No, it’s not just because we’re fitness freaks. Getting some exercise in before a weekend can make you feel so much better. We tend to get a little lax when it comes to eating over the weekend, so doing a workout beforehand can remove some guilt that may creep up. This one is for anywhere, you just need to find some type of hill! If you are using a treadmill, just put that incline up!
It’s no secret that life ain’t easy. It can get us down in all kinds of ways, life is creative in that manner. It’s easy to feel like there’s no way out and we’re stuck with whatever has been given to us. We can’t always sort the cards that life deals to us, but we can choose how we react to them. And that is what today’s meditation is all about–finding resilience in the face of adversity. What is resilience? According to google, there’s two definitions, both of which I believe apply to what I’m getting at:
Hungry & Fit is all about finding a lifestyle that allows you to be happy and healthy. There are thousands of different forms of exercise that allow you to develop your body, mind, and spirit, but there are few that have done this for thousands of years. Martial arts can be tracked back to the most ancient civilizations and, as a result, they have been developed to a level where they provide growth in all three of those areas: body, mind, and spirit.
While there are now thousands of different martial arts that are being practiced throughout the world, many of them share similar ideas since many stem from the same tree. Our friends at Warrior Punch have put together an amazingly attractive and understandable infographic (you know we love smart art!) that will help you quickly and easily realize many of the benefits of practicing martial arts.
Please enjoy a guest post from our friends at RunHundred.com.
The most consistently striking aspect of this year’s top workout songs is their consistently slower tempos. For many folks, “workout music” is interchangeable with “club music.” To that end, it’s natural that—as club music’s emphasis has transitioned from high energy beats to almost tropical grooves—workout music would follow suit. As evidence, consider the fact that the average beats per minute (BPM) of this year’s list is 113 BPM relative to last year’s average of 132 BPM.
This trend isn’t bad news per se. People haven’t stopped exercising. Moreover, if songs that wouldn’t have been considered workout music five years ago are getting folks inspired now, the rest is irrelevant. Accordingly, at the far end of this spectrum, you’ll find spirited singles with double digit BPMs from Pink and Sia. Moreover, the single most popular song in the gym this year—Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” hits the year’s average BPM exactly.
Please enjoy a post from our friends at RunHundred.com.
Dance tracks dominate the proceedings in our monthly workout music recap. While that sounds like the introduction to one-dimensional playlist, the tracks approach the genre from different avenues. Plus, there are a handful of pop singles mixing things up along the way.
The first batch of dance tracks are the remixes—where Top 40 favorites like The Weeknd and clubland stars like Flume both find their recent hits reimagined. Elsewhere, you’ll find David Guetta and Nevada each leading collaborative covers of a pair of ’90s, R&B singles. Finally, you’ve got straightforward pop tunes including a rousing send off to past loves from Little Mix and a contribution to the Singsoundtrack featuring Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande.
Please enjoy a guest post from our friends at Run Hundred!
This month’s top 10 workout songs span a wider tempo range than normal—with the fastest song clocking at more than double the speed of the slowest. Moreover, that’s just the beginning of this playlist’s variety. So, with no further ado, let’s get into the mix.
On the lower end of the spectrum, you’ll find new tunes from The Weeknd and Lady Gaga that are perfect for warming up, cooling down, and stretching. At the other end, you’ll find lightning fast tracks from Green Day and Dagny that will give you an extra boost mid-routine. Those tracks alone incorporate country touches, Scandinavian melodies, pop punk,and Daft Punk. Elsewhere, you can find remixes from Ellie Goulding and The Chainsmokers alongside soundtrack hits by Years & Years (from Bridget Jones’ Baby) and Christina Aguilera (from The Get Down).
Whatever your tastes, new faves await. When you’re ready to make tracks, here’s the full top 10 list—according to the votes logged on workout music site Run Hundred.
