Kendall Giles

I've been on the road quite a bit lately, plus am in the middle of the fall semester, so postings have been not as frequent as I would like. However, I've been progressing through the RKC Right of Passage, and today I tried out my new 28KG kettlebell.

This was a move up in weight for me, and today I did 5 sets of hard-style press ladders with 3 rungs with the 28KG kettlebell. I then did 7 minutes of swings with the 28KG kettlebell, 20 swings per minute, or 8642 pounds lifted in 7 minutes. Finally, I finished with 5 sets of 3 hard-style pullups.

I should also comment on the new kettlebell. There have been some discussions in the community about the fact that DragonDoor moved their kettlebell production offshore to China. While I understand there were some initial issues with quality, by now I think things are under control. At least the kettlebell I got seemed to be in good working order. The finish was a little different than my US-made kettlebell, but it did not cause any problems during my workout, and there were no seams or ridges to tear into my flesh. All the edges were smooth, and the weight and logo verbage was clear. So I was happy with my new DragonDoor kettlebell, and will buy another, once I am ready to move up in weight.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). This is a wrap-up of the FORCE program (84 days).

I finished the TRX FORCE program last Sunday, but I've been on travel and so haven't had a chance to post.

Overall, I was happy with the TRX FORCE program. I felt it gave me a jump-start at developing overall body functional fitness, and the final week 11-12 routines are ones that I will come back to now and then during my alternate training days. The program takes a bit of dedication to get through, since it is 12 weeks-worth of exercises, but if you can stick it out, then you *will* see results.

I did not do a pure experiment though -- I started out doing kettlebells, just kind of teaching myself, but at the same time enjoying this really efficient and useful exercise system. But I didn't want to go too far too fast without consulting with an RKC, so I took up the TRX FORCE program to work on until I could meet with one.

At about mid-way through the TRX FORCE program I was able to meet with an RKC (thanks Sandy Sommer!) and got some instruction that enabled me to move forward with my kettlebell training. But I didn't want to just quit the TRX, so I tried doing kettlebell workouts in addition to my TRX FORCE program workouts.

Then, from out of no where, I decided I wanted to run a 10-miler, a couple months hence. Note that I am not a runner. So I began to incorporate training for the 10-miler plus the kettlebells plus the TRX FORCE program.

Ugh.

I made it through the TRX FORCE program, and am now easing back a little to let some body parts heal and to re-assess where I want to go from here.

I still have the 10-miler coming up in a few weeks. The farthest I've ever run is about 7.5 miles, and I am still recovering from that run - especially my ankles, for some reason.

I also want to work on sustained performance - being able to do kettlebell lifts (especially snatches and swings) for many repetitions in a row. Up until now I've been working on several reps + rest for many minutes, but I've discovered this is not exactly the same as many reps + no rest.

So kettlebells plus running will probably be my focus going forward, using the TRX FORCE week 12 workout now and then to shake things up. I've also started using a rowing ergometer, and have been happy with the cardio plus strength benefits.

And I am hoping to heal some - over-doing it is not as risk-free as when I was younger.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 82.

The first week of the fall semester is always one of bedlam, slipping schedules, and unexpected emergencies. This week was no exception to this expectation. So I wasn't able to manage more-frequent updates, and this one will be pretty succinct.

But I have managed to get in some training, however meager.

Tuesday I started out with 5 clean and push-press ladders of 2 rungs each with the 32KG kettlebell, which means that the next time I do clean and push-press ladders I should increase the number of rungs on the ladder. I also tried to work on my grip by doing single-arm swings, but I only managed 5 minutes of 10 single-arm swings per minute with the 32KG kettlebell before my grip gave out. I then ran about 2.7 miles, varying the tempo of my speed as I ran. I also did TRX workout 1 of week 12 of the TRX force program. As in week 11, I was pretty beat by the workout.

Wednesday, fitness-wise, I managed workout 2 of TRX FORCE program week 12, 5 minutes of 10 high pulls per minute with the 24KG kettlebell, and did about 30 minutes of rowing.

Today, Thursday, Day 82, I did 3 clean and push-press ladders with 3 rungs with the 32KG kettlebell. I also did 20 minutes of 10 swings per minute with the 32KG kettlebell, or 14,109.58 pounds lifted in 20 minutes. I also did 30 minutes of rowing, and TRX workout 1 of week 12 of the FORCE program. Nothing too exciting - just trying to get my workouts in under very compressed and hectic schedules.

I am noting that with my schedule I am only making one or two runs per week. Not the best training program if I am trying to work up to a 10-miler! September, the month of my 10-miler race, will no doubt be interesting.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 76.

After my long drive yesterday, I managed to get in a kettlebell and TRX workout. I was going to run also, but the heat ran that idea into the ground.

For kettlebells, since I need to strengthen my grip (noted after my trouble with the 32KG kettlebell) I did 20 minutes of 10 single arm swings per minute with the 24KG kettlebell. This was not particularly difficult, but by the end I did notice fatigue in my grip. So hopefully this nice long burn will help. And that's 10,582 pounds lifted in 20 minutes.

I also completed workout 1 of the TRX FORCE program week 11. This was another no-rest killer leg workout. Ya, that's another reason I decided not to run.

However, today was not as hot out, so I got in a 6.75 mile run, right before the thunderstorm. That's 67.5% of the way towards my goal of being able to run 10 miles.

The run was pretty uneventful, other than some technical difficulties with my iPod Touch. I found out that the iPod Touch interface is almost impossible to use when everything is soaking wet. Need to work on a solution for that.

After my run I did workout 2 of the TRX FORCE program week 11 program. Luckily, today was a superset on upper-body, which was good since my legs were pretty shot after the run. Also, happily, this is the end of week 11. Just one more week to go in the TRX program!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 74.

I've been doing crazy travel for the last couple of days, but I did manage the following:

Two days ago, on Tuesday, I did TRX workout 2 of week 11: another humbling, crumbling, mass of exercises with multiple sets with some/no rest and minimal rest between exercises. But this day was mostly upper-body, so to me it wasn't as bad as the lower-body supersets-of-death on workout 1 of week 11.

Wednesday was a rest/travel day, and Thursday (today) was another crazy travel day. So I am postponing my regular TRX workout until tomorrow, but I did manage to get in some exercise today, however minimal.

First, as something different, I did 40 minutes on the rowing machine. I've never done this before, so I don't know what to expect. While it did not seem that strenuous, when I moved to kettlebell snatches, I could only manage eight minutes of 10 snatches with the 24KG kettlebell on the minute. Perhaps it was the 93F heat, perhaps it was the rowing workout prior, perhaps it was the travel, but when my form started to lapse, I stopped.

More travel tomorrow, but I hope to get in my TRX workout when I get to my destination.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 70.

Although I was supposed to do a TRX workout on Friday, a crazy travel schedule kept me from it. But I got in a workout first thing Saturday morning, yesterday, so that was the last strength workout of the TRX program for week 10. Just two more weeks to go!

I was supposed to have rested today, but I am getting nervous that my schedule is not allowing me to get in enough runs, so today I did about 5.5 miles outside. Though it got really hot today, I started my run about 10:30 AM, so only got a taste of the heat.

I note that a lot of folks around here let their dogs run free, and someone jogging down the road with nice juicy (to them perhaps) ankles is evidently too tempting a target. So when I run outside I have to carry a stick, just in case.

I haven't had to use it yet --- one dog stopped about 20 feet from me, perhaps after noticing I could defend myself if needed. It's actually not too much of a bother to run with a stick, and switching the stick from one hand to another is a nice distraction from the signals from my legs to stop running!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 67.

So I got tired of being sick, and tried something a little different today. I've been getting used to my new 32KG kettlebell, mostly by doing cleans and swings. I'd like to be able to work up to doing presses with this weight kettlebell also, so today I tried a clean-and-push-press. This was a big weight jump for me, but I did 5x1,1 of these clean-and-push-presses, holding the kettlebell a few seconds in the lock-out position, and then trying to go slowly on the way back down to the clean position. This seemed to work, and I was happy to see that weight go up into the air, even if it wasn't a strict press. But the trouble came when I also tried to cut my time in doing swings with the 32KG kettlebell.

Up until now I've been doing 10 swings on the minute with the 32KG kettlebell. Last week I made it through 15 minutes of these swings at this pace. So today I thought I would try cutting my rest time, doing sets of 20 swings on the minute with the 32KG kettlebell instead of 10 swings on the minute. My goal was to make 5 minutes.

Unfortunately, by minute 4 my lungs were on fire and just a few swings into the last minute I lost my grip. It happened so fast --- I was tired and it was really humid/slippery, and suddenly one hand lost its grip. Luckily, I managed to hang on with the other hand and get the kettlebell to the ground without it being launched across the room. And, double-luckily, today I was working out in the garage rather than inside the house. While this meant it was warmer and more humid, had I sent a 70.5 pound cannonball sailing across the living room, I think my wife would not let me live to lift another day.

In the garage I was doing my swings on two rubber mats (like the mats that go under gym equipment or that you do yoga on), and the kettlebell cut through both layers. But the concrete below, and my toes, are fine. In the end, I'll just say that's 5,643 pounds lifted in 4 minutes.

I've never had my grip fail before --- this gives me new insight into the importance of not training to failure. Now I know to worry about failure of the exercise action *as well as* failure of the grip. Hmmm.

After that, I moved on to the TRX, and did the day 1 workout of week 10 of the FORCE program. Nothing too spectacular --- a superset on legs was the high point.

Finally, after the TRX I ran about 3.7 miles (about an average between my Nike+iPod foot sensor and the treadmill).

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Yesterday was Day 65.

Today is a rest day, and I am doing just that.

I don't know if it was the intense August heat we had yesterday, or the fact that I am still fighting off a cold, but I had no energy going in to my workout. I was determined not to lose ground, so I repeated 10 minutes of 10 snatches with the 24KG kettlebell. However, I really wanted to quit by the 8th minute, and my form was starting to crumble on the 10th minute, so that ended the day's kettlebell workout.

I then moved on to the TRX workout and did day two of week 10 of the FORCE program. The superset was for shoulders, but still the worst part was the suspended pikes at the end.

So, nothing too noteworthy, just trying to hold my ground fitness-wise amid high heat/humidity and illness recovery. So, really glad today is a rest day.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 64.

Somewhere in my recent travels I picked up a head cold. Blah. But, I didn't want to lose any ground, so decided to push through the workout as planned, though perhaps I didn't have as much pep in my step as I had hoped.

I started out with 3x5 kettlebell cleans with the 32KG kettlebell. While I still can't press the thing, I do feel that sticking with cleans to get me used to the weight is paying off, since now I can pass the kettlebell to my other hand without having to first put it down on the ground. More interesting is the little trick I am working on to help save my hands.

While kettlebells are the most effective way to build strength and endurance I've found so far, one artifact of their use is that you really need to take care of your hands. Because the handle of the kettlebell rotates in your hand as you do your exercises, especially with a heavier weight or with high volumes of reps, calluses will develop on your hands. Left unchecked, those calluses will grow and eventually tear, at a minimum causing you to miss days of training.

I've been trying as best I can to keep my hands from shredding, mostly by knocking down calluses with the magical Ped Egg and with frequent application of good old Corn Huskers lotion, but still, especially when working with the 32KG kettlebell, I tended to tear the skin on my palms at the base of my fingers.

I didn't want to have to resort to superglue to keep the workout going, so I modified my technique slightly and so far this new technique is paying off wonderfully. Basically, when the kettlebell is in the loaded clean/press/snatch position, the handle is resting across the palm of my hand. No problem. But when I would rotate the kettlebell down to the ground or through my legs for another rep, the portion of skin on my palm at the base of my middle finger especially would get the most friction, causing heavy calluses and eventual ripping. So now, with my new (experimental) technique, as I am rotating the kettlebell down I transition the kettlebell handle from across my palm onto my fingers, effectively missing the previous high-friction point where my fingers join the palm.

This is hard to describe in writing, but it is almost like I lose contact with the kettlebell for an instant, and in that instant my hand shifts its contact with the kettlebell handle to transition from palm to fingers on the way down, and from fingers to palm on the way back up, allowing for (so far!) tear-free kettlebell happiness. I am still working on perfecting this motion, as I need to build up more strength in my fingers, but this, along with the above hand care tips, seems like a winning combination.

After kettlebell cleans I also did 3 sets of 5 kettlebell presses with the 24KG kettlebell.

Following kettlebells, I did TRX Day 64, which is the start of week 10. Week 10 is actually a repeat of week 9, and the repetition allows your body to adjust to the big increase in intensity started in week 9. Nothing really exciting to report --- the hardest part was the superset on legs. But I was also happy to have a wobble- and crash-free double set of side planks, though from previous attempts at that exercise I had developed a good rear-end-crash-landing technique that I am rather proud of.

I ended the workout with about a 3 mile jog. In previous runs I had ended up holding my iPod Touch in my hands as I ran --- kind of annoying. So today I tested the Nathan Gel Waist Pack, and it worked very well. My iPod Touch didn't bounce around and I didn't even notice that I was wearing the pack. In addition to the iPod Touch, I'll have room for car keys, ID, and money, and maybe another small item or two. Very happy with this product.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 61.

My goal for today was to make it through 20 minutes of swings with the 32KG kettlebell. Alas, my gas tank was empty, and I only made it to 15 minutes of 10 swings on the minute, or 150 swings with the 32KG kettlebell. That's 10,582 pounds moved in 15 minutes. That's a high-water mark for me, but I really need to do a lot better. I stopped at 15 minutes rather than have sloppy form and risk injury. Plus, Pavel, in Power to the People! : Russian Strength Training Secrets for Every American, has good insights into why it is wrong to train to failure. So I'll work to get to my swing goal next week.

After swings I moved to Day 2 of TRX FORCE program Week 9. Today was a superset on shoulders. I made it through the exercises at the required pace, but with low energy reserves I otherwise had no spring in my step at all.

They say rest days are important, so I am definitely looking forward to them this week!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 60.

Today was a repeat of Monday's TRX strength workout --- nothing really new to report there.

But the big news (to me) is that today I made it to 10 sets of 10 snatches on the minute with the 24KG kettlebell. I know this isn't really that big of a deal to most kettlebellers, but just 3.5 weeks ago RKC Sandy Sommer showed me how to snatch the 24KG kettlebell, so being able to snatch 5,291 pounds in 10 minutes is an accomplishment for me. But, yes, that's just half-way to my goal of being able to kettlebell snatch 5,291 pounds in 5 minutes.

Onwards and upwards.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was a summary of Days 57-59.

I've been doing some crazy work and travel over the past few days, so I just now have a chance to post a summary of what I've been up to, fitness-wise.

Two days ago was TRX Day 57, the start of the TRX FORCE program Week 9.

I started out with a kettlebell routine of 2,2 Turkish Getups with the 24KG kettlebell, follwed by 3x5,5 ladders of kettlebell cleans with the 32KG kettlebell. I needed to work on my press, so I then did 5x3,3 military presses with the 24KG kettlebell. Then I moved on to the TRX.

TRX Week 9, Day 57, ramps things up with another reduction in rest between sets and between exercises. In fact, three exercises were combined into one big superset: hamstring curls, hip crunches, and hamstring bicycles, all back-to-back. But even though this was the most intense of the weeks so far, and though my legs were really burned out after the superset, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I finished things off with a 5K jog.

For Day 58, I only had time for the TRX Day 2 of Week 9. This also saw a reduction in rest between sets and between exercises, and today had a superset of shoulder exercises. Again, I made it through, but I did not appreciate the ending oblique pikes with saw.

Day 59 was supposed to be a rest day, and so I did rest from doing TRX and kettlebells. But I really needed to get in some miles to get ready for my upcoming 10-miler, and I ended up running about 5 miles today - the longest I've ever run so far. I took a slow pace, but made it without stopping along the way.

I say about 5 miles because I am really not sure the true mileage. I set my iPod for a 5 mile run and was really happy when I heard from my iPod that I completed my goal, but was dismayed when the treadmill only registered 4.5 miles. So, in order to get a psychological win, I went ahead and kept going until my treadmill also said 5 miles. So I either ran 5.7 miles or 5.1 miles, assuming one of the two devices is correct. For a warm-down, I swam a leisurely 500M.

But my adventures in running bring up a more important point. And that is, what motivational music should I be listening to? On my run today, where I was trying to run longer than I had ever run before, I really struggled. I was hoping that my music playlist would carry me through the difficult patches, but just when I needed that psychological boost, on came Girlfriend in a Coma by The Smiths.

Yes, the title of the song is telling. I was hoping for music to distract me from worrying about having a heart attack while mid-stride, but a song about teen angst really wasn't much of a lift. And when I thought it couldn't get worse, then came Death of a Disco Dancer, by The Smiths. So, no more The Smiths while running. I then switched to an audio version of The Wall Street Journal and, while it was a little down due to the current economy, it actually wasn't as bad as those death depression songs.

But this makes me wonder - what are *good* motivational songs I should be listening to? I.e., what are Songs to Run By? If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

UPDATE: Mistress Laura gives some insights into and examples of motivational music. Game on!

Finally, I made a simple video about how to anchor the TRX FORCE fitness suspension system:

Note especially, for maximum stability, how I place the Door Anchor on the side of the door closer to the hinges and with the door opening away from me.

Enjoy!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 53.

The grind continues.

My workout started with 4 Turkish Getups as warmup (after jump rope) with the 24 KG kettlebell. I followed this with 3x5 ladders of kettlebell cleans with the 32 KG kettlebell. Then, needing to work on my press, I did 5 sets of 2,2 kettlebell presses with the 24KG kettlebell. Everything felt solid - hopefully I can push the boulder uphill a little by next week.

For the TRX FORCE, I did Day 1 of week 8 of the FORCE program. This was a repeat of week 7 Day 1, which to me is easier than Day 2. But it was still a challenge, and left me sopping wet, especially with the summer Baltimore heat/humidity.

Keep going!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 51.

Some days are about pushing that boulder up the hill. Some days are about not letting it slip and crush you. Some days are just about holding your own.

Today was the latter. I started out with 4 Turkish Getups with the 24 KG kettlebell, then did 7 minutes of 5,5 snatches with the 24 KG kettlebell, on the minute.

I followed the kettlebell workout with TRX Day 51, which is Day 2 of the TRX FORCE program week 8. It is a repeat of week 7, but I think this is about consolidating gains before the next effort to push the boulder uphill in week 9. All exercises were completed, but, in a bit of British understatement, I still think that last session of pendulum swings and oblique pikes is not very relaxing.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 47.

No running today, and thankfully the calf muscle soreness seems to be dissolving.

I started out with 7 sets of 5,5 snatches with the 24 KG kettlebell, on the minute. I am slowly trying to build up my endurance with the 24KG kettlebell, since that is the kettlebell used for RKC and SSST testing.

I followed this by TRX Day 2 of Week 7 of the FORCE program --- once again, by the time I finished the pendulum swings and the oblique pikes, I was just a puddle of sweat. Thankfully my recovery period seems to be shortening, so I didn't have to puddle for long.

Finally, I am amazed at the number of articles I am seeing slamming those squishy running shoes everyone seems to be using. Since I am just starting out running, I don't have any bad habits to break, and with my engineering background, I want to choose the best running method and equipment to use from the start. And the more I research this, it seems clear that you really can't beat the millions of years of design evolution that went into the human foot --- the foot is optimized, all by itself, for running. Adding pillows, rigid plastic encasements, gel chambers, and lots of padding (i.e., modern "running" shoes) won't make the foot run better --- in fact, it just might cause injury and certainly promotes poor running technique. I haven't found anyone who can explain why squishy running shoes are better, other than because lots of other people buy the squishy running shoes. "Running" shoe marketing departments may know how to sell lots of shoes, but they don't seem to have the moral high ground.

So I am happy to continue using my VFFs, though actually using my leg muscles as they were meant to be used while running does make them sore!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 46.

Yesterday was a rest day, but my calves didn't get the memo.

People at work are amused at me hobbling along as I try to walk with *really* sore calf muscles from starting my running program. I would chase after them for calling me old man if it weren't for the fact that I would probably fall over.

Nevertheless, after a big rain I went on another 2-mile run today. Nothing special, other than the fact that my calves were on fire the entire time. It was amusing to hear my iPod Touch Nike+ Sensor voice congratulate me for achieving a new PR in the mile.

But I realized that I should not have started with a run, because when I moved to my kettlebells, I found I was pretty much out of energy. Not good when your intent is to sling heavy cannonballs around! I did manage 4 sets of 1-4 clean ladders with the 32 KG kettlebell, though the TRX strength workout was pretty lame --- got cramps in my legs during the leg exercises and had to abbreviate some. The upper body exercises were OK, and the core exercises reduced me to a puddle. I finished by trying to do some kettlebell presses, concentrating on form --- perhaps I was concentrating too much because I got cramps in my hips while trying to do presses!?

I never thought I would be doing enough exercise to worry about overtraining, but since I am doing parallel TRX FORCE, kettlebell, and running workouts, perhaps I am just not getting enough recovery time between workouts? Hmmm. I will ponder this as I hobble down the hall.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 44.

The day started with me really feeling the effects of yesterday's run. My calves were really sore. Why were they sore? Well, I ran 2 miles and am not a runner. Also, I am using a natural running technique --- running on the forefoot, rather than the heel-striking method promoted by the squishy running shoe industry.

You can check out folks who have done their research for more information, but the basic idea is that the human foot is evolved to run a certain way, and the squishy running shoes promote a non-natural running technique, which can lead to injury. Since I am just starting out, I'd rather start off on the right foot, ha ha! But my initial learning curve might be a bit more difficult than the easy path of the running shoes, since you need to build up muscles in the foot and leg, especially the calves, because shoes tend to let some leg and foot muscles atrophy due to non-use.

I don't want to cut my feet, so instead of running barefoot I am starting out with Vibram FiveFingers. Here's a short video showing the heel-striking squishy running shoe technique compared to a more natural form:

I am trying to work up to running 10 miles in the Vibrams --- I may have to take the easy way out though and resort to squishy running shoes if I can't build up my leg muscles in time for the Virginia 10-miler.

But that was just the effects from yesterday's workout. Today I started out with 4 sets of Turkish Getups, 2 with the 40# kettlebell, and 2 with the 24KG kettlebell. Then I did 6 sets of 5 snatches with the 24KG kettlebell, on the minute, followed by 10 sets of 10 swings with the 32 KG kettlebell, also on the minute.

Then I did the TRX strength component --- Day 2 of Week 7 of the TRX FORCE program. This also saw an increase in the number of repetitions per set, a decrease in rest between sets, and a decrease in rest between exercises. Perhaps it is because I am doing a kettlebell workout immediately before the TRX exercises, but today's 40 suspended rows really hurt, and I was really wiped by the end oblique pikes.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 43.

I started the workout with a general warmup, then 4 Turkish Getups --- 2 with the 40# kettlebell, and 2 with the 24 KG kettlebell. Then I did a 2 x 5 ladders of kettlebell cleans with the 32 KG kettlebell. From that, I moved on to the TRX strength component.

For the TRX, today was the start of Week 7 of the FORCE program, and today's exercises saw three changes to make things harder: 1.) a general increase in the number of repetitions per set (usually an increase from 10 to 15), 2.) a decrease in the amount of rest between sets per exercise (from 45 seconds to 30 seconds), and 3.) a decrease in the amount of rest between exercises (from 45 seconds to 40 seconds). So not only are the muscles more fatigued due to an increase in the repetitions per set, but the recovery period is also reduced --- kind of a double whammy.

I finished the workout with a 2 mile run. Why run? Well, it seems that I signed up for the Virginia 10-miler, despite the fact that I am not a runner. So I thought I should actually try to run a little before the big event. I was advised that two miles was a nice introduction for a non-runner, which I did, though my calves are going to really be sore tomorrow.

I ran in Druid Hill Park, around Druid Hill Lake, and below is a video I took during my run:

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today is a summary of Day 39 and 40.

On Day 39 I felt really crappy --- no energy and splitting headache. Headaches especially do not mix with lifting heavy weights, especially kettlebells. So rather than risk injury, I managed a set of 5 x 3 cleans with Big Red, the 32KG kettlebell, and then moved on to a TRX strength set - day 1 of week 6. Nothing spectacular --- just tried to get through the sets.

Day 40 was a better --- no headache! So I did 6 sets of 5,5 snatches on the minute w/ 24KG kettlebell, 5x5 goblet squats w/ 32KG kettlebell, TRX Day 40 strength workout, and finished with 3 sets of 3,3 presses w/ 24KG kettlebell.

One small measure of progress is that now I can get through all the above back-to-back, which takes about an hour, whereas two months ago I was having trouble getting through 20-min kettlebell workouts.

I was very winded by the sixth set of snatches, but really tried to lock in the corrections I received. The Goblet Squats felt pretty solid, and I felt solid through the TRX strength workout, though those suspended oblique pikes always seem to kill me at the end. And I did the kettlebell presses to lock-in corrections I received. They must be working, because I never fell into a dead zone with my left arm like before. It is amazing what a simple correction by an RKC can do!

Finally, some folks have asked me about the TRX --- just what is it? Well, feel free to click on the above image of the TRX package contents and you will be taken to the TRX website, but below is a video of just an example of two exercises being combined into one compound exercise. Note that the Body Saw and the Pike are intermediate exercises, and combining them together is extra tough --- these exercises individually aren't introduced in the FORCE program until weeks 5 and 6, so you should really only attempt them after you've built up your core a bit. Anyway, here's Fraser demonstrating the Body Saw and Pike combo:

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 37.

I started off today with kettlebell snatches. From meeting with RKC Sandy Sommer yesterday, I received several kettlebell corrections that I needed to work on, he moved me up in kettlebell weight, and he gave me a customized snatch workout so that I can make progress towards my kettlebell goals.

So I moved from doing snatches with a 40# kettlebell to a 53# kettlebell, and worked on form corrections. I only did 50 snatches in 5 minutes, which for other people is kind of an easy rate I think, but especially since this was my first workout at this weight, I had slowed down quite a bit by the last set.

I then moved on to Turkish Getups, 2 with a 30# kettlebell and 2 with a 40# kettlebell.

I finished up with the week 6 day 2 TRX strength workout. This is the one with 20 suspended incline presses and 30 elevated back rows. These were tough, as were the final suspended oblique pikes. But for some reason I really like the atomic pushups --- that exercise really engages the whole body and I almost get recharged from doing them, after the draining suspended incline presses.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 36.

In fact, today was to special that I broke today's fitness summary into two postings. The first is to summarize my meeting with RKC Sandy Sommer, of Charm City Kettlebells. The second is contained in this post: what I did afterwards.

Once I got home I was so energized about trying out the corrections and advice on my kettlebell technique. Since I had tried kettlebells on my own, Sandy had provided a few suggestions over four different kettlebell exercises.

So today I focused on the swing, really focusing on driving the swing with my hips and correctly allowing the kettlebell to fall before sinking my hips to meet the follow-through. I tried this out on my new 32 KG bell --- I wanted to make sure I was using correct technique, rather than muscling through with incorrect technique by using a lighter kettlebell.

The results? I do have some muscle-memory to readjust, but I think I am getting the suggested changes. The evidence is that, whereas before I had only done 3 sets of 10 swings with the 32 KG bell, today I did 10 sets of 10 with the 32 KG kettlebell, before moving on to Turkish getups on the TRX routine. After those 10 swings sets I probably could have happily done more, and I didn't feel unstable and wrecked afterwards, like I used to feel. So I think the changes are working!

This was week 6 of my TRX FORCE routine, and is a repeat of week 5. I am feeling more stable in the exercises, and I can really focus on maximizing the benefits from the exercises, whereas before I was mostly focusing on not falling over into the furniture.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 33.

I led things off with 24 sets of 7 snatches in a 15:15 interval (168 snatches) with a 40# kettlebell. This is 4 more sets than I did on Tuesday. Not a big increase, but I'll take it.

I then did a TRX strength workout --- workout 2 in week 5 in the FORCE program. This exercise set leads off with 20 suspended incline presses, which tends to take the wind out of you, and the 30 suspended rows just about finishes off the upper body, but it's a really good set to balance the lower-body emphasis set of workout 1.

Some may ask if all my TRX and kettlebell work is worth it. Granted, I am only 5 weeks in to my parallel TRX and kettlebell binge, and so the final verdict is a ways off, but as an engineer, I like to base my answers on evidence. In general, so far I see improvements to overall my overall fitness level and ability (the practical meaning of this is that I need new jeans). And even with my crazy work, eating, and travel schedule, since I started I've dropped about 7 pounds, have gained muscle, and have dropped 2% in body fat. While these aren't big drops, I think they are solid drops done at a healthy rate. Finally, given that, so far, I am doing this on my own and am teaching myself as I go, I am happy with my progress to date. From a project management standpoint, this is enough of a teaser to say "keep on with the project".

Note that I don't really recommend the teach-yourself approach, especially when working with kettlebells. In fact, Sandy Sommer, RKC, has graciously agreed to meet with me to evaluate my kettlebell form and (hopefully) prevent me from doing something pathological. More on that meetup later.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 32.

Yesterday was a rest day. Today I started things off with a brief warmup (the usual quick round of jump rope), then launched into 3x4 clean ladders, 5x10 rounds of swings, and a few front squats, all with Big Red. I want to keep pushing the envelope, but don't want to go too fast too soon until I meet up with an RKC --- scheduled soon to meet with RKC Sandy Sommer --- to tweak my form. My kettlebell training to-date has been all intuitive. I think I am not as bad as Jillian Michaels, since I think it important to actually work with a RKC to make sure technique is solid, especially as you move up in weight.

I then moved to a TRX strength circuit for week 5: two sets of each exercise, with 45 seconds rest between sets and between exercises. While my heart rate drops when I move to the TRX from the kettlebell, I do find that the core strength exercises are helping, since the TRX develops functional strength at odd angles, strengthening muscles that are dormant in typical gym workouts.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 31.

Today I managed 140 kettlebell snatches with my 40# kettlebell (ya, I know real kettlebells are in KG, but this was before I knew to buy DragonDoor kettlebells and I bought one of the lower-quality ones). I had wanted to try for a few more reps, but a phone call came that I had to take, and kettlebelling is something that requires your full attention, especially when swinging a 40# ball of iron between your legs at high velocity. So, my self-preservation instinct said I should stop, and live for another day.

After my call, I continued on to do the TRX strength day workout #2 of week 5 of the FORCE program. Again, most exercises increased to two sets/exercise and the rest period between sets and between exercises dropped to 45 seconds. The hardest exercise today was doing 30 elevated back rows. They give you 3 minutes to complete 30 rows, but I peaked after 10. I made it within the allotted three minutes, though the last three rows were not of high quality.

Finally, I have to point out an article by RKC Sandy Sommer on kettlebell swing safety. NB: he didn't mention anything about cell phone calls during your kettlebell workout, but, nevertheless, please don't do it.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 30.

I spent most of my day driving on travel, and so it felt good to actually be able to get out of the car and hit the TRX. Today was the start of week 5, and, as expected, I saw an increase in the number of sets per exercise and a reduction in the time between each exercise --- the number of sets per exercise, for all 11 exercises, jumped to 2 sets and the rest between each set and between each exercise is now 45 seconds. The reduction in time is just enough to grab a quick drink of water, towel the face, and re-configure the straps to get setup for the next exercise.

I found that the increase in the number of sets per exercise was not too bad. However, I was sorry to see the Suspended Crunch (which I really liked) be replaced with the Body Saw (jury is still out on this one).

Also, I was really curious to take a swing (ha ha) at Red, my new 32 KG kettlebell. And I am happy to report that I finished with the same number of body parts I started with.

For my first ever workout with this kettlebell, I did 3 x 2,3,4 ladders of kettlebell cleans, and did 5x10 two-handed swings. Everything felt solid, but I suspect I need to work on my pressing strength to be able to move to clean & presses with this kettlebell.

And all that driving today made me appreciate training with the TRX and with kettlebells. They really are great fitness systems for folks who want to get the maximum benefit from the smallest amount of time spent exercising. And these are very portable systems too! In fact, to parallel the guest post at Charm City Kettlebells on the "10 reasons you should make the kettlebell your workout", I'd have to say I like the kettlebells and TRX because:

• Kettlebells and the TRX replace an entire gym's worth of equipment.
• Kettlebells and the TRX are very portable --- important to me because I travel so much.
• Kettlebells and the TRX allow for fast, efficient workouts --- in the time it takes me to jog 3 miles, which just results in a cardio workout, I can get an entire full body strength and cardio workout with either the kettlebells or TRX AND with a higher calorie/minute burn rate. For people with not a lot of free time, kettlebells and the TRX clearly are the winners.
• Especially with kettlebells, but also with the TRX, you really have to focus your mind on the exercises you are performing --- none of this pedaling-an-exercise-bike-while-reading-a-magazine stuff. As I discovered with Red, the 32KG kettlebell, your mind needs to be focused or you will leave the floor with fewer or less intact body parts than you started with. To me, this is refreshing and highly motivating.

Happy 4th of July!

And this weekend I picked up a new (used, new to me) 32 KG DragonDoor kettlebell! Helpfully painted a nice cheery red.

Now the hard part will be figuring out how to incorporate Red into my training, such that I don't hurt myself or damage nearby objects.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 29.

Today I led off with 140 snatches in 10 minutes, which counted as my intense cardio, then jumped into suspended incline presses and the other strength exercises of the week 3 and 4 program. Next week the exercise sets change again --- I suspect there will be more sets, more repetitions per set, and less rest between sets. I.e., no rest for the weary.

By the way, here's an interesting graphic, via Dean Bruner: the scatterplot shows adult obesity rate as a function of per capita GDP by state. It is interesting to see the data of what we suspected (think about Mississippi and West Virginia, versus Colorado, as noted in this WSJ article) --- there seems to be a negative trend --- poorer people tend to be more overweight. Is this a problem of education?

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 28.

Day 27 was a rest day.

For Day 28, I led off with 180 kettlebell swings in 10 minutes. This satisfied the call for an intense cardio component.

For the strength component, I did a repeat of Day 21. While I am not looking forward to the ramp-up in intensity that next week will bring, I recognized that I actually getting used to the workouts in these two weeks, and so see how it will be best to move on to new TRX challenges.

Finally, I note that Fitness Anywhere has re-designed their web site.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 26.

With the same idea in mind as yesterday's workout, today I started out with the cardio component of 140 snatches in almost 15 minutes, which got my heart rate going (ave > 160 bpm for 15 minutes). Then I launched into the same strength program as in Day 16.

Overall, however, I was pretty fatigued --- I think I am paying for working so hard last week, and the reduction in sleep and excess of stress is catching up to me. So after the TRX workout, I decided I should call it an evening, rather than launch into another kettlebell exercise set and risk getting hurt. Kettlebells, like the TRX suspended inclined press, demand your full mental and physical attention. And I think it is better to know when to stop than to keep pushing the envelope and risk getting hurt.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 25.

I decided to try something new today. Previously I had been doing the TRX strength component, then followed by the cardio component. But today I first did ten sets of ten kettlebell swings. Then I followed this by the TRX strength component (which is a repeat of Day 15, then five sets of ten goblet squats with the kettlebell.

It was interesting because the swings, of course, rocket your heart rate. But my heart rate was also higher during the TRX strength component --- more than my average heart rate during that component if I lead off with it. Thus, I think I am getting a better workout by doing kettlebells first, then the TRX. The final kettlebell set was just to squeeze out whatever I had left in me.

So I'll continue this experiment of bracketing my TRX strength component with kettlebell workouts.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 24.

It really boggles the mind sometimes --- I often feel guilty on days like today when I don't workout. TRX Day 24 calls for a rest day in the strength component and a stretching/alternate cardio day for the cardio component. But really, the body needs these rest days in order to recover from heavy stress days. When the body is broken down, it needs time to recover in order to come back even stronger than before. Keeping up the intensity day after day leads to injury and poor progress, since the body never has a chance to heal.

So today was a healing day. We live to kettlebell and TRX another day.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 23.

I started out strong, plowing through the first set of suspended inclined presses, but mis-read the instructions and did two sets instead of one. Not usually too much of a big deal, but this stress on my shoulders had implications later on. I do like the suspended inclined presses, but like the atomic pushups more.

I did kettlebells after the strength component, and could not make it through five sets --- I only made three. I blame this being a rough work week and lack of sleep. On kettlebells, I did three sets of 4 pyramid clean and presses. Wish I could have made five sets, but maybe after some rest.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 22.

Today was another brutal day at work, but I managed to get through TRX Day 22. Today's strength component was a repeat of Day 15. So far, the TRX FORCE program has you work on the same sets of exercises, rest intervals, and numbers of sets, for two weeks each time before changing things up. So this week will be a repeat of last week, for the most part. But the fact that this week seemed almost "normal" means that my body much be growing and adapting to the new stresses, which resulted in concern and struggle last week.

Yesterday I commented that I could see and feel improvements after three weeks on the FORCE TRX program. But am I unusual in that respect? I mean, would most anyone who trained with the TRX see any benefits? Well, an informal experiment was conducted by John Berardi, Alwyn Cosgrove, and Fitness Anywhere's Fraser Quelch, to compare three strength and conditioning programs. Basically, they compared a strength program that also included steady state cardio (like a treadmill), a strength program and interval training (like high intensity interval training), and a strength program with suspension training (the TRX). So each fitness program had the same strength component --- what varied was the cardio component.

While I haven't gone through the results in detail, they report no statistical difference between the three programs. Assuming they set up and conducted their experiment correctly, this shows that the TRX is no worse than more traditional cardio methods. And, they report an anecdote that the more traditional cardio methods (steady state and HIT) had higher percentages of drop-outs than did the TRX. The suggestion is that you are more likely to quit a program that involves you running on a hamster wheel / treadmill-type device, whereas the suspension system is more likely to keep your interest, and therefore be a better exercise option.

In any case, After three weeks I see the usefulness and benefits to a suspension system, so I plan on keeping the TRX in my long-term fitness program.

But in the short term, I need to finish FORCE!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 21.

Three weeks completed! That's three weeks further into my fitness goals than I was, well, three weeks ago. So, onwards for the remaining nine weeks.

But really, I can see and feel improvements, so I think the TRX FORCE program is definitely working. I was skeptical at first, but results trump skepticism any day.

The TRX has also improved my kettlebell work, and so today, to celebrate the end of TRX week three --- which was a rest day for strength and a long run for the cardio component --- I did an "intense" cardio workout that I was not able to do yesterday.

So today I did 270 swings with the 15:15 protocol --- I think that qualifies as intense cardio! In fact, I don't know a better cardio exercise than the kettlebell swing.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 20.

Also, today was a little unusual.

Not from a TRX standpoint --- today is actually a rest day for strength. Which is fine by me, because I went in to work yesterday at 7:30am, worked until about 8:30pm, came home for a few hours (exercised, showered, ate), then went back in to work (around midnight), worked through the night and day today, then left work today at about 5PM. I am not used to having to pull all-nighters!

So for this reason I am delaying the intense cardio component until tomorrow. Hopefully I will at least be a little more lively than my current zombie shuffle and moan.

Life sometimes does get in the way, and you will sometimes have to re-arrange schedules, but it helps to try to get back in the swing of things (that's a funny, if you do kettlebells as soon as you can so that you don't lose any forward momentum and progress you might have been developing.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 19.

Today was a very busy day at work. So I did a long day at the office, came home to do TRX and eat, and then went back to work.

The TRX workout itself went well --- today was an upper body workout with an extra set for some of the core exercises, though I am getting used to the added reps and sets, and reduced rest time. After next week I should be ready to ramp up again. Still, I think the hardest exercise in this set is the inverted row.

But now, back to work.

Sherlock Holmes.

Remember him?

If you will recall, he was quite skilled at thinking his way through problems. But he was also no couch potato --- in fact, he was quite skilled in the martial arts, and these skills aided him in his adventures. In specific, he was skilled at the art called Bartitsu, and this was mentioned in The Adventure of the Empty House.

Developed by Edward William Barton-Wright in England in the late 1800's, Bartitsu is what might be considered to be the first MMA, or mixed martial art, as it combined elements from Western wrestling, jujutsu, British boxing, French savate, Western stick fighting (la canne), and a strong physical culture foundation. Some techniques were published in a self-defence article from 1901 --- "Self-defence with a Walking-stick: The Different Methods of Defending Oneself with a Walking-Stick or Umbrella when Attacked under Unequal Conditions".

Although the art fell out of style, it has lately seen a resurgence of interest. The Bartitsu Society has thoroughly researched the history of the art, publishing two books on its history, and Tony Wolf prepared a short documentary:

Bartitsu is also discussed in the book Absinthe & Flamethrowers: Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously, and fighting techniques from that art are said to be featured in the upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie by Guy Ritchie.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 18.

Today for the strength component we did a repeat of Day 15, which concentrates on lower body. The single-leg squats went well, though I really need to use the ropes less if I want to do kettlebell pistols. The side planks, with ground taps are bothersome, but the suspended crunches are probably my favorite exercise in this set.

For cardio, as a running alternate I went kayaking about 6-7 miles. This was my first time and, amazingly, did not flip over, though I did swallow a bit of river water by accident (not the highlight of the day). Really beautiful scenery along the Severn River --- even saw some ospreys in nests with their chicks.

Since kayaking is an upper body workout, even as poorly as I do it, it was good that the strength component was lower body.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 17.

There was a much needed rest day for the TRX strength component and the cardio component called for a rest/optional cardio program. So this gave me a chance to do more kettlebells, using my EULA'd kettlebell.

After a little jump rope, I did a 5x4 clean and press ladder, followed by kettlebell swings. I managed to do 160 in 10 minutes (using a 15:15 protocol). By the end I was really sucking wind, but it's progress towards my 200 goal.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 16.

Much like yesterday, today saw a similar increase in number of repetitions per exercise, a reduction in rest between exercises, and for some exercises, an increase to two sets per exercise.

In this workout, the suspended incline press is probably my favorite.

The cardio component called for a recovery day, so I did!

So I took my kettlebell in to work today to show some folks, and someone installed the following End-User License Agreement on my kettlebell:

BY ACCEPTING THIS KETTLEBELL THROUGH YOUR WINDOW, YOU ACCEPT IT AS IS AND AGREE TO MY DISCLAIMER OF ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS WELL AS DISCLAIMERS OF ALL LIABILITY, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL, THAT MAY ARISE FROM THE INSTALLATION OF THIS KETTLEBELL INTO YOUR BUILDING.

This was a humorous take on that incident a few years ago with outrage and frustration against SONY BMG for putting spyware on their music CDs --- back then someone had posted about installing an EULA on a brick and sending it to Sony through their window.

So now my wife can't get mad at me if the kettlebell slips from my hands during training and breaks anything --- I'm covered!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 15.

OK, the intro two weeks are over. Today, the start of week 3 of the TRX FORCE program, saw the intensity of the workouts change in three ways: the transition time between exercises was reduced, the number of repetitions per set increased, and for some exercises (core exercises) the number of sets increased from one to two.

As a result, I noticed that my average heart rate during the strength component was about ten beats/minute higher than on weeks one-two.

I am also now appreciating why the exercise booklet is made of heavy card stock that is also *laminated*!

For the cardio component, I goofed --- I was so distracted by the change in intensity of the strength workout that I did an intense cardio workout rather than the proscribed active recovery. Oops. I did a set of kettlebell snatches and, in the spirit of the increase in intensity of the strength component, I increased the weight of my cardio snatch kettlebell from 30 pounds to 40 pounds. Unfortunately I was only able to get in ten snatches at the 15:15 rate, with seven snatches/set (immediately after completing the strength workout). I think I also came up a little short on the cardio because I've not been getting in the necessary sleep due to increased work demands. Alas.

But speaking of kettlebells, here is a short video of an interview with John Du Cane, of DragonDoor.com, who discusses the origins of the modern kettlebell movement in the U.S.

I particularly enjoyed his comments about being married to a Goddess!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 14.

Today was the end of the TRX Force program week, and was a rest day for the strength component and a light run for the cardio component. So I substituted some jump rope, kettlebell goblet squats, kettlebell Turkish getups, and kettlebell windmills.

Sometimes the body needs a rest, and it seems that Days 7 and 14, at least for the first 2 weeks of the TRX Force program, are the lightest days of any so far.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 13.

Today was a rest day for the strength component, which I needed, and an intense cardio run. I substituted 30 sets of kettlebell swings instead of the run, though I probably should have chosen a heavier kettlebell. I did manage to break the 10 calorie/minute burn rate that seems to qualify a workout as a "decent" workout, but I hope to do better. Nevertheless, this is an improvement over where I was a month ago.

In any case, some of you might have been put off by all my discussions of kettlebell ---- after all, that's a guy thing, right? Viking Warrior stuff, right? Well, increasingly, women are becoming interested in kettlebells too.

In fact, I'll let the belles behind the bells speak for themselves:

Have you got what it takes?

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 12.

So the strength component of the FORCE workout was a repeat of the exercises in Day 9. Nothing really to report except that I am happy I feel more stable as I repeat these exercises. Something is happening!

For the cardio component I did 5x3 clean and press ladders with the 24KG kettlebell. Made it through to the end, though by the 5th set my heart rate was pretty high.

Sandy Sommer, RKC, had an interesting post today about sea wave training --- the idea that you train hard, but also allow for lighter training intervals. I am noting that in the FORCE 12-week training program, there is no day out of 84 days where you do not have a strength and/or cardio training component. I wonder how this meshes with the sea wave?

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 11.

The strength component was a repeat of Day 1. I know I'll regret saying this, but by now I am ready for something a little different. The minute rest between exercises seems plenty now and by the time I finished all 11 exercises of the strength portion, I basically felt just warmed up, despite the intensity of yesterday's punch and kick fest, which left me sore and humbled. So for the cardio component I did a set of 20 15:15 kettlebell snatch intervals --> I think that qualified as a substitute for the "intense run"!

Really, I am continuously surprised at how versatile and effective something as simple as a cannonball with a handle (i.e., the kettlebell) can be.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 10.

Today was a "rest" strength day and an "alternate" cardio day. Last time this happened I did yoga, which gave me a good stretch, but this time I wanted something a little more active. So I opted for the lower body workout of The Pit Workout.

This DVD contains three workouts by John Hackleman, trainer of MMA fighter Chuck Liddell---upper body, lower body, and full body. Note that this is not Tae Bo. In fact, my legs were smoked after just the warmup, and I ended up not being able to complete the entire workout, at least at John Hackleman's pace. But I made it through as best I could.

The workout is ideal if you have a heavy bag handy, but the neat thing is that they show how to do the drills when you do not have a heavy bag. But even without the heavy bag, this was (for me at the moment) a tough workout. And trying to do one-legged jump rope at the end of the workout was quite humorous. In terms of the quality of the workout, by calories/minute, this workout ranks in the top 10 of my workouts in the past five months (i.e., since I've been recording workout statistics). You are collecting your workout statistics, aren't you?

Anyway, for the price, this workout DVD is a no-brainer for getting in an alternate cardio workout that is actually useful in real life. I'll be coming back to these workouts for a very long time.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 9.

Wow, not much gas left in the tank today. After a long work-week, and getting home rather late, I wasn't really feeling like working out. However, I think (hope) I am over the hump of wanting to quit doing it, though hearing about Laura's experiences on Phase 4 of the TRX workout makes me think I may soon need to reassess the TRX love thing that is going on.

Today's strength workout was a repeat of Day 2 in terms of the exercises, but again I felt more stable than before. Each time I do the Suspended Incline Press I feel very awkward --- kind of like you might feel if doing a handstand on a railing above a cliff --- but that feeling wasn't as strong as on the first day. In fact, this time I remained upside down the entire time and was able to make all suspended presses.

There was alternative cardio called for, so I did a few Turkish getups, and called it a night.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 8.

Today was the start of a new TRX week, and for the strength component was a repeat of Day 1. Stability felt improved, and I was able to enjoy the workout more.

The really interesting observation came on the cardio component. Instead of an intense run, I substituted a 5x3 pyramid of clean and presses with the 24KG kettlebell. Previously on the clean and press I would tend to get "stuck" after the clean on one arm --- I had to do a clean and push press on my left arm. However, after one week of doing the TRX, on today's ladders I was able to do the regular clean and presses --- my left shoulder was much stronger and I didn't get "stuck" after the clean! This confirms that for me the TRX is a great kettlebell support system.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 7.

Finally, one week completed!

Today wasn't a tough workout day, actually. It was a rest day for strength and instead of a light run, as called for by the cardio component, I did some jump rope, Turkish getups, and two sets of light one-handed swings.

But one thing I am noticing is that, especially when doing a strength and/or cardio workout each day, every day, getting enough rest is really important. So far this week my work and travel schedules have kept me busy, and so in order to also get in the TRX workouts each day, the only way to make the time was to cut into my sleep schedule. After 7 days, I am no longer really feeling sore, but just really tired. The lesson my body is trying to tell me is that I need to do better at being sure I give my body enough time to repair itself after these workouts.

So, in lieu of more discussion, here's the TRX being used in The Biggest Loser show --- the TRX allows those who might be hesitant about going to the gym actually to have the gym be brought to them:

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 6.

Today was a rest day for the strength component, and an intense run day for the cardio component. I had intended to substitute a 50 x 15:15 snatch set for the intense run, but a phone call in the middle of my workout turned this into a 16 x 15:15 snatch set, 7 reps per set, a 2-minute break, then a 32 x 15:15 snatch set, 7 reps per set workout.

But even with the phone call break, I still averaged 150 BPM heart rate for the 30 minute workout. This confirms that the KB is one of the most efficient workout tools there are, especially considering that for part of the time I was chatting on the phone, and that with a 15:15 protocol you spend half your time resting!

Oh, and one more thing I forgot to mention from yesterday's workout: when using the Door Anchor, I've found it best to position the Door Anchor nearer to the side of the door with the hinges --- this provides a much more secure anchoring position.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 5.

Intense work and travel schedules, and neglected sleep schedules are fighting for attention, but today saw Day 5, which was composed of a strength component the same as in Day 2.

This time the Suspended Incline Press, which has you move your hands backwards as your ankle is strung up behind you as you move, was not so wobbly. In fact, this time I did not have an unfortunate crash landing, evoking David Lynch. The Single Leg Chest Press remains a little strange, but I like the Suspended Oblique Crunches in this workout set.

The cardio component was an alternative cario workout, so I did 100 swings with the 24KG kettlebell.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 4.

Today was very similar to Day 1 --- the strength component was a concentration of exercises more on legs and core. However, even though I was sore, I enjoyed this workout more than on Day 1 since I was more familiar with the exercises and I seemed more stable. Perhaps it was just that I wasn't freaking out over the idea of doing a lunge with the other leg suspended from a cable behind me. I was also much more stable in the side plank, which was, for the most part, a big disaster of cables, arms, and legs going everywhere on Day 1. My favorite exercise, so far, seems to be the suspended crunch.

Today was also the first day I tried the Door Anchor. This device, which comes with the Force Kit, allows you to anchor the TRX cables to a household door --- convenient when you want to train inside, such as when on travel, there's bad weather outside, etc. Just attach the Door Anchor to the cables, place the anchor on top of a door, and close the door --- no problem!

For the cardio component of Day 4, it was another intensity run, which I substituted with an intensity kettlebell workout of two 5-minute intervals of 15:15 snatches, 7 snatches per interval.

By the way, if you want to see what a kettlebell snatch looks like, check out this short video by RKC Sandy Sommer:

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 3.

Thankfully, Day 3 was a rest day for the strength component and active recovery for the cardio component. So I did some yoga stretches, a few Turkish getups, and some heavy bag kicks.

In retrospect, it was kind of a light workout --- I assume my body needs this down time to recover, but it felt weird having my peak heart rate for this workout be below the average heart rate for my kettlebell workouts!

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 2.

Day 2 was very similar to Day 1, except there were more upper body exercises, in addition to more core work. In all, there were 12 new exercises to learn, so like in Day 1, a lot of my time was spent figuring out how to do the exercises (and not break anything as a result). The suspended incline press was particularly tricky for me --- luckily neither humans nor furniture were destroyed as a result of me doing this exercise.

Day 2 also had a cardio component, classified as an "intensity run". Since one of my goals of the TRX program is to help prepare me for more intense kettlebell work, I substituted an "intense" kettlebell routine for the "intense" run. In particular, I did two sets of 15:15 snatches, 7 snatches per interval, resting an active 5 minutes between sets. For me, this was plenty intense --- the low calorie/minute rate for the strength portion of the workout was more than compensated for by the high calorie/minute rate during the snatches.

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program. Today was Day 1.

The TRX system is nice in that by changing the angle of your body and center of gravity, you have a continuous distribution of resistance difficulties --- you can make the exercise easier or more difficult by just changing your feet. However, that said, I found the first day to be challenging, but mainly because I am evidently lacking in a lot of the stabilizing muscles needed for functional fitness.

The first week of the infamous TRX 12-week program is mainly meant to get you introduced to the different exercises, with cardio and strength components. On the strength component for Day 1, I worked some lunges, pistols, and other leg exercises, along with some upper body and core exercises. However, since this was my first exposure to them, I found I spent some time figuring out the cable adjustments for each exercise --- I am sure this will get easier the second time around.

More amusing was how little balance I seemed to have --- I am not used to doing a one-legged squat with the other leg suspended from a cable! And so by the time I got to the side planks, I was really a leaf blowing in the wind. To make matters worse, the new mat I was using had some sort of coating on it which, when wet with sweat, became very slippery.

Since the first week is just an introduction, I only did one set per exercise. By the end I wasn't quite satisfied, so I finished the workout off with a 5x3 ladder of kettlebell clean and presses with the 24KG bell, and 10 sets of 15:15 snatches with the 24KG bell, with 3 snatches per set. The cardio component was just active recovery.

So, hopefully my next workout will be more stable!

OK --- summer's here and school's out --- time to get serious and get back into shape. My plan of attack is to use the TRX Force Kit, a suspension training system by Fitness Anywhere, and attempt their infamous 12-week training program.

I am assessing this system because I have a crazy travel and work schedule, which prevent me from typical gym usage. The TRX system is light and can be taken with you almost anywhere. I think this system will be a key part of the perfect mobile gym/program I am putting together --- thus the assessment.

What is a suspension system? The basic idea is that you attach a set of cables to any elevated anchor point --- door, tree, fence, bar, etc. --- and use your body weight to effect a large variety of exercises. Moreover, because the exercises do not occur in just one plane of motion, like traditional weight training, you develop core strength through functional training.

Will I make it through all 12 weeks? Or will I crumple into a ball of sweat and agony?

Stay tuned...Day 1 starts today.

"The human foot is a work of art and a masterpiece of engineering." --- Leonardo Da Vinci

The above quote is from a study on the natural form of the foot and proper running form based on the natural biomechanics of the human form. So it's too bad people shove those works of art and engineering into cramped shoes with thick, padded inserts, leading to bad running form, back and leg pains, and poor posture!

Folks who like to stay healthy often participate in a variety of activities --- running, jogging, hiking, lifting weights, kettlebells, martial arts, RKC, crossfit, etc. And then there's just walking around. All of these activities put a lot of stress on our feet, and the type of shoe we wear impacts our performance. In learning how to run, I discussed the problems some may have with squishy running shoes --- complete with inflexible soles and soft inserts --- especially since those shoes tend to promote the heel-strike running form, and are very unstable for use in the gym when lifting weights. In addition, those shoes, and many other shoes in general, prevent the development of leg stabilizer muscles, important for many functional activities, since they keep the toes of the feet trapped in the toe box and the squishy shoe padding prevents proper contact with the ground.

In fact, here's a timely article on running as nature meant, rather than as the shoe marketers want: "Will Running Barefoot Cure What Ails Us?".

So what is best for these activities, while helping us use a form Leonardo would be proud of?

One idea is to do what the body was meant to do --- go barefoot! I love walking in my bare feet, feeling the grass or sand beneath my toes. In some sense, walking barefoot feels like, well, freedom. However, the modern world sometimes frowns on folks in bare feet, and I don't like stepping on things that hurt. But with the Vibram FiveFingers shoes (sometimes called VFFs) my feet are free and safe!

Long a maker of quality soles for mountaineering boots and other footwear, Vibram designed a new type of shoe. This unconventional shoe is winning awards (e.g., it was named one of the best inventions of 2007 by Time Magazine) and gaining notice as fitness professionals and just plain folks are discovering the benefits of these shoes.

The company makes several models, and I've been enjoying the KSO (Keep Stuff Out) version. This version has a mesh covering the top of the foot and a velcro strap to keep the shoe snug. They also make other versions, such as the classic, the sprint, and the flow.

In addition to being a casual shoe that is very comfortable, I also wear them when working out, especially when lifting weights and running. This is one shoe that fits almost all activities (well, except for coat and tie occasions). They feel like your foot is wearing a soft glove, and when walking around you really can sense the ground beneath your feet. When I run, my body uses a more natural running form, where the foot lands on the fore/mid foot, rather than on the heel as when using squishy running shoes. When lifting weights, I am much more stable, especially in squats and overhead presses, and so am able to lift more weight and get a better workout (and am safer doing so, too).

When I first got them, I wore them the entire day without trouble --- no blisters, no soreness. Definitely happy feet! However, some folks have noted muscle soreness when first wearing them, so you may want to ease into them by wearing them just a few hours at a time. This is because your foot is likely not to have the muscle strength and support structure needed to handle long periods of walking barefoot.

What's not to like about them? Well, you may not like looking like a hobbit, but these shoes are certainly no uglier than the sandals, crocs, and basketball shoes that many people wear! In fact, you may find yourself the center of attention --- people *will* ask you what is on your feet!

You can order them on Amazon, from Vibram itself, or from a variety of outdoors and fitness resellers, such as Kayak Shed.

UPDATE: check out this great article from RKC Mark Cheng on the Vibram Five Fingers shoe, and why you should not settle for sub-optimal training (i.e., cheating nature).

I never thought I would be impressed by a timer --- usually they feel flimsy, cost too much, are tedious to use, or don't have the features I need. So I was surprised when I started using this Gymboss timer and found that it has all the features I need, it is very easy to use, it seems quite rugged, and it is inexpensive.

As you can see from my photo, the unit itself is fairly small and compact, and it has a belt clip on the back. There are three buttons on the unit --- they are used to set up the mode (repeating intervals, countdown, stopwatch), alarm type (high/low beep or vibrate) and duration, and timer start/stop. The display is very easy to read, and I like that the unit remembers the previously-used interval settings when you power on the timer. The timer also keeps track of the number of intervals you've completed when in repeating intervals mode.

You can buy the Gymboss Interval Timer directly from the Gymboss website, or from Amazon.

So you may find this timer very useful, especially if you are interested in fitness --- whether you do MMA, martial arts, cardio/sprint intervals, kettlebells, weight lifting, strength training, or other activities.

One of the best accessories I've bought in a long time is the $20 Nike + iPod Sensor.

It is a lozenge-shaped device that you can put inside special Nike shoes, or, really, attach to any running shoe (see my review of various running shoes and running styles here).

What is really neat is that the new iPod Touch and iPhones have built-in support for this device (see my review of the new iPod Touch).

Just turn on your iPod Touch or iPhone, select a workout music playlist, select the workout type (timed, open-ended, calorie target, mileage target, etc.), and off to the races you go. A pleasing voice will call out workout milestones, and will encouragingly motivate you when you are nearing workout goals. You can even denote a special "power song" to play during your final push for the goal line.

Once you've completed your workout, you can view a summary of your workout (distance traveled, time, pace, calories burned). Moreover, you can have these statistics uploaded to a free Nike Plus web account where you are effectively included into the world's largest running club.

There, you can view your workout history (as you can on your iPod Touch or iPhone), along with graphs of your workout pace. You can also challenge other members to virtual races, participate in virtual group runs, and otherwise chart your fitness growth and history.

Not bad, in my book, for a $20 device.

As a bonus, my understanding is that many gyms are installing Nike + iPod compatible workout devices so that you can log your workouts for more than just runs using the Nike + iPod sensor.

So, I had a plan for the last free month of the summer before school starts: exercise four hours per week for four straight weeks. I accomplished this, but along the way I found that I didn't know how to run.

Especially in light of the Olympics, four hours of exercise per week is nothing compared to what real athletes do. For me, however, with my middle-age lifestyle and Type A work and travel schedule, getting four hours of exercise time per week, for four straight weeks, was a bit of a challenge. I finally accomplished this goal (one on my 101 Goals in 1001 Days project) this week.

I've been trying to do more functional strength training and cross-training---lifting weights, working the heavy bag, and jogging, and had been using an old, typical pair of running shoes to do all these different activities.

The first thing I learned is that typical running shoes are horrible for any type of non-running activity. And when I say "running shoe", I mean the ugly, moon-boot shoes that the salesman will try to sell you in a mall athletic store. You know, the shoes with lots of gaudy colors, often including the word "gel" somewhere in the name or sole, with squishy heals at least an inch thick, and often costing over $100. The walls of your typical sports store are covered with them and the salesman, paid on commission, will swear that these are the best shoes to exercise in.

Basically, for a cross-training shoe, these moon-boot running shoes are not good to use---in fact, they can be quite dangerous. The reason is that when lifting weights, the nice squishy soles on typical running shoes give you an unstable lifting platform, which can cause injuries like toppling over when doing squats, for example, and reduce the lifting effectiveness of your muscles, since your muscle force gets absorbed by the squishy sole rather than being used to actually lift the weight.

So I tossed my running shoes until I could find a replacement. And when I began to exercise in my bare feet, I learned I didn't know how to run! More importantly, I learned that typical "running" shoes are not only not good for cross-training purposes, but they actually are not good for running!

As expected, my lifts became much more stable after giving up my old running shoes, but running in bare feet was a bit of an eye opener. You see, most people who wear those "running" shoes run heel-to-toe. This means that the heel is the first part of your foot that strikes the ground, and then you roll to your forefoot as your step progresses. But if you try to run this way in just your bare feet (try this outside on a sidewalk, for example), you will soon realize that your foot is not engineered to strike heel first! Your foot was engineered to strike with the forefoot first, letting the pad of your foot, arch, and other foot muscles absorb the impact of the step---the heel contact with the ground comes after the foot has settled, if at all.

This site shows an animation highlighting the differences between the forefoot and heel-to-toe running techniques.

So, those squishy running shoes promote running with bad form, with the heel jarring against the ground and sending much of the impact force to the knee. No wonder so many people give up running due to shin splints, sore knees, heel spurs, etc.

When I re-engineered my running form to a more forefoot-first step, I noticed less knee soreness and greatly increased muscle development in the calf and foot muscles. Based on this insight, I chose a shoe with minimal heel, allowing for lifting stability as well as promoting proper running form. Some shoes I've seen recommended as being more suitable for cross-training include the Nike Free, Puma H-Street, Asics Tai-Chi, Asics Bukokan, Vibram Five Fingers, and Addidas Samba, if you insist on wearing shoes at all.

In case you are interested, there are a lot of resources online about this sort of running technique, such as information on the POSE method, Vibram Five Fingers running shoes, and just plain old running barefoot.

But if you've given up running or even walking due to certain injuries, such as those caused by a heel-to-toe step, then you might consider how your foot was engineered and adjust your form according to your fitness needs, while possibly ditching the squishy running shoe.

HOWEVER, note that what works for me might not work for you. In fact, I recently heard from a friend who suffered from plantar fasciitis when running on the balls of his feet, but was fine when running heel-to-toe.

So, for a bit of a running/health pun: your mileage may vary.

Time has a way of warping when you are not looking. Blink, and you'll soon realize that years have gone by, as you struggle with work, paying bills, and just making ends meet. But as you get older, you need to be more careful about these large lapses in time. And without proper care, the body will quickly degrade if not kept in shape, as can be seen by America's expanding waistline and the fact that the U.S. Obesity Epidemic Continues to Grow.

We'll see if I caught mine in time, but for now at least I can begin the process of getting back in shape. Towards that goal, we recently completed setting up a home gym.

Why set up your own home gym? Why not just join a local fitness center? Well, for me, my biggest constraint is time, and so having a gym at home really pays for itself when you consider the overhead of travel to and from a fitness center. Also, as I learn more about what is involved in fitness and proper exercises, I have found that most local fitness centers just do not have the right types of equipment there to be worth my time and money. And I really shouldn't have to mention awful music, OPS (Other People's Sweat), and hefty fees commonly found at the local fitness centers.

A good guide on how to set up your own home gym, with pointers to proper equipment and possible vendors, can be found here in the September 1, 2002 issue of the CrossFit Journal. Our current home gym is a first-pass at their prescribed configuration, and includes a multi-station exercise center, plates and dumbbells (and a couple kettlebells), treadmill, striking dummies/bags, pullup station, and some tumbling matts. There are a few pieces of equipment I am lacking, such as a climbing rope, rings, and a rowing machine, but for the most part the current configuration allows for a reasonably effective and useful workout.

Note that the above-linked CrossFit Journal article also contains a list of things you can do to get kicked out of your local gym (I think they were being humorous) - maybe that's a way to get your gym to refund the remaining balance of your gym membership if you want out?

Day 1
Bring your own music - use a boom box - and turn it up to inspiration levels and start working out. ACDC's "Thunderstruck" should do the trick.

As for how to structure your exercise workouts, I can't think of a better program than CrossFit - there you'll find a WoD (workout of the day), videos on how to do each exercise, nutrition information, and lots more. They stress functional fitness, and their workouts will help you get into the best shape of your life.

If you want more of a tactical workout, then you might want to try The Pit Workout and The Pit Workout - CrossPit. I am currently working through The Pit Workout and, well, let me just say it's not yoga down at the Y or tae-bo. Once I get The Pit Workout under my belt, I'll move to CrossPit.

Finally, if you need some motivation to get back in shape, whether you stick with your fitness center or build a home gym, and want examples of how effective the CrossFit program is, you may want to watch this video of one of the CrossFit workouts.

Note that setting up this gym completes one task of my 101 Goals in 1001 Days project.

If you've ever wanted to combine staying healthy with literature, then you might want to consider walking, biking, swimming, or rowing to Rivendell.

Here's the idea: Karen Fonstad (sadly, when writing up this post, I saw that Karen died in 2005 due to complications from breast cancer) reverse-engineered the route Frodo and Company took on their way to Rivendell in her book The Atlas of Middle-Earth. For example: leaving Bag End, heading west through the gate into a lane, following the lane for a bit, then following the hedgerows south is about a 3 mile trip.

In her Rivendell mileage chart, Karen notes the cumulative miles, miles between each milepost, and the description of each milepost location. So if you are just starting out and log 3 miles on today's run, then you would make a note in your notebook your mileage run for the day and the cumulative miles you have run. That way you can compare your progress against the progress of the Company as they (and you) head to Rivendell.

All this may sound a bit geeky, but it does work---I have started the journey, though extensive, non-fitness travel has kept me away from too much "Hobbit-walking", as my wife calls it. Nevertheless, yesterday I jogged 2.25 miles, which brings my cumulative total to 36.84 miles. On the Rivendell journey, this puts me just beyond that incident with the Black Rider, but before they meet up with the Elves on the Road.

As a final note: in case you are not familiar with Rivendell, Hobbits, or J.R.R. Tolkien, get thee to Amazon and buy the books, or at least the movies. Getting back into shape can wait until you finish - one has to have priorities.

For some time now I have been on frequent travel. You know what this means - quick meals from the drive-through window, not enough "good for you" foods and drinks, exposure to lots of other people on the run and sometimes sick with a cold or flu, lack of a good night's sleep, and a difficulty in getting enough exercise. While pushups are great, and can be done anywhere, I also wanted a little something more than a pushup or situp.

I thought about bringing around some kettlebells, but those aren't very portable, and I didn't want them flying around the car in case there was an accident. But after looking around for a bit, I took a chance on an inexpensive and portable chin-up / pull-up bar, called the Creative Fitness Door Gym.

After a quick assembly, I was actually quite impressed. It rests on the frame of a door - no nails or screws or glue needed - it takes about one second to remove it from the door, leaving no marks. Yet it is very sturdy and allows for as many chin-ups as you could ever possibly want to do. With it you can do pull-ups using multiple grips - with your palms facing away from you, palms facing towards you, and palms facing each other. Moreover, the bar also can be placed on the floor, allowing you to do deep pushups. When I am done and have to hit the road, I throw it in the back of the car.

Note that the image on Amazon does not do the product justice - here it is on a door frame:

Technorati Tags: fitness, review

Richmond regularly tops lists of high-crime cities, and just a few weeks into my new job there, I was "reacquainted" with this unfortunate aspect.

While walking to my car late one night from the office on campus, sick with the flu and carrying a couple bags of books, it seems that I was selected as the target of a gang initiation, whereby the candidate inductee must start a fight with the victim. Luckily I kept my cool during the incident and all ended OK, but it was not a pleasant experience, and it was a good reminder that, when in the real world, all is not milk and honey.

Thinking now of practical self-defense options, here is a movie made in about 2002 by a Western martial arts group who got together at Frogmore Grange, Coventry, England. Participants enjoyed tea and crumpets before the days' activities of walking stick fighting, pugilism, and jiujitsu, followed by a three-course meal in a Victorian dining room:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGiTAtJI_uU

Self-defense laws being what they are, especially on university campuses, certain self-defense options are precluded from consideration. However, the cane or walking stick certainly seems viable. Here is a transcription of a self-defence article from 1901:

"Self-defence with a Walking-stick: The Different Methods of Defending Oneself with a Walking-Stick or Umbrella when Attacked under Unequal Conditions"

Self-defense with a cane is a component of Bartitsu, the martial art made popular in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Other resources for this line of self-defense and training include:

• The Bartitsu Society
• canes at woodenswords
• Defense Dans La Rue
• Bartitsu Wikipedia entry

Be safe, and be prepared!

Technorati Tags: culture, defense, fitness, martial arts, security, virginia

Just look at the labels or the bottled water ads: deep, pristine pools of spring water; majestic alpine peaks; healthy, active people gulping down icy bottled water between biking in the park and a trip to the yoga studio.

While the shiny labels on bottled water make us think we are doing the right thing by buying and drinking it, this story lists 5 reasons not to drink bottled water:

• Bottled water costs more than gasoline
• Is regulated by the FDA less than tap water
• The containers are plastic: 80% are thrown away each year, entering oceans and filling garbage dumps
• More bottled water means less improvement to the public water supply
• Fosters the corporatization of the water supply

Also, many investigations have shown that expensive bottled water is often little more than regular tap water with a fancy label.

While it is unfortunate that probably most people think bottled water is somehow better for them than plain tap water, as a valid reason for drinking bottled water I can see that bottled water might be useful when traveling to different towns, since you would not be accustomed to the bacteria strains present in the local tap water systems. Some also like bottled water when exercising.

As a resolution to the dilemma, I have found that buying a reusable bottle, such as the Colored Lexan Wide Mouth Bottle (32 oz.) - Nalgene Water Bottle, and re-filling it with filtered water or tap water, seems to be a reasonable compromise between not being wasteful with all the plastic throw-away yet having water convenient when exercising or traveling.

The bottles pictured above have a wide-mouth, making it easy to add sports-powders or ice cubes to the bottle, and the lexan material means that the bottle will last for many years of rugged use. Note that the bottles comes in a variety of colors, and there are also narrow-mouth versions.

Technorati Tags: living, science, technology, travel

A Pell is essentially a striking dummy that is used for weapons training. Pells have been used for hundreds of years both in Western Arts as well as Eastern Arts. They can be used indoors or outdoors, can be mounted or left free-swinging, and used with a variety of weapons. The purpose is not to swing as hard as you can, but to refine your technique and control - developing a solid foundation of basics is very important if you want to progress in your abilities.

I'll certainly let you know when I get there.

In the meantime, here is a picture of a pell I made:

It is a modification of the Tire Man #1 found in the Pell FAQ. My design is free-swinging, allowing for dynamic training interaction. A variety of weapons can be used by the little guy - he is wielding a basic bamboo shinai in the picture. Also, he has two arms, so he can wield single or double-handed weapons. And, he has two legs, for leg strikes.

For the head, I have used an American football helmet. If you will be doing light strikes with shinai, as with kendo, then you can substitute a kendo men helmet or even a baseball helmet. But if you are practicing other sword/weapon arts and use strikes with more intent, then you may find the football helmet more durable. Of course, feel free to substitute a knight's helm if you have some spares around...(-:

A variety of weapons can be used against him - shinai, fukoro shinai, bokken, waster, steel sword blunt, dagger, bo, quarterstaff, spear, etc. The only caution would be the fact that the rubber in the tire may mark your wooden/bamboo weapons, so take note. You can strike him while he is still or you can swing him for a more dynamic effect.

In the picture he is outside, but he can be moved indoors and mounted on a heavy punching bag stand or mounted on a more static base (and not left swinging). You may also want to add another rope to your swinging pell because sometimes he can turn in circles, making it hard to interface with.

Finally, here are some pell links that may be of interest:

• Big Blue
  
• Bob
  
• Pell FAQ
  
• The Ubiquitous Pell
  
• Hanging Cross Pell E.g.
  
• Bayonet Pell E.g.
  

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Technorati Tags: defense, fitness, martial arts

The Secret History of the Sword: Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts, by J. Christopher Amberger

An amazing treasure-house of anecdotes, accountings, and historical musings on sword play across the generations and cultures. Its loose presentation style lends it to reading in frenetic bursts. I really enjoyed his commentary and analysis of fencing training and combat arts. One criticism is that he's not very strong on pre-Renaissance swordsmanship or history. But his pre-Renaissance discussion is just at the beginning of the book and that can be quickly skimmed -- the rest of the book is great.

Technorati Tags: book, culture, fitness, martial arts, review

I took my first real ride on my Downtube Mini folding bike over the weekend. I mentioned earlier that I had brought the folding bike with me to Los Angeles, since I wouldn't have a car while I was here.

Someone at work had mentioned that San Vincente Boulevard was a nice road to take to the beach, so I thought that would be a nice way to test out the new bike and to see some of the sights. The route I ended up taking is highlighted in purple (UCLA is in the upper right corner; Santa Monica pier is in the lower left corner).

The first task was to find San Vincente Boulevard. So I started at UCLA, headed South on Westwood Boulevard, and followed the Bike Path signs west on Wilshire Boulevard. The first ten minutes of my trip went fine.

However, my first mistake was to ride in traffic along Wilshire Boulevard. I am not a bike rider, but I knew that it is best to ride in the right-most lane. And after all, I was following the Bike Route signs. So all was fine, until I discovered suddenly that my lane, and the one to my left, turn into feeder lanes for the 405 San Diego Freeway.

Luckily, the Downtube Mini has a sharp turning radius, and after a bit of dodge and weave, I managed to get out of that situation.

Once I got west of the 405, I turned right onto San Vincente Boulevard. This was a much nicer road -- with a real bike lane, lots of nice houses, and being generally a pleasant place to ride a bike, as the following pictures show.

My second mistake was to not apply sunscreen. There is quite a bit of sun in L.A., especially at the beach. So about six miles into the trip, which put me near where San Vincente hits Ocean Avenue, I was starting to feel the heat. However, all discomfort was forgotten once I saw the view:

Note that in the second beach picture, the pier in the distance is Santa Monica Pier.

Also note that these pictures were taken from Ocean Avenue, which is on top of a small cliff, above the Pacific Coast Highway and above the beach.

However, when you have a folding bike (which weighs 24.5 pounds), cliffs are not a problem. No, I did not fall off the cliff, for once, but I did find some stairs going down the cliff. This picture is looking back after I carried my bike down the stairs and crossed the bridge over the Pacific Coast Highway:

However, by this time I realized my third mistake. On my next trip I will leave my backpack containing my laptop computer and some textbooks in my room. Evidently these sorts of things aren't really needed at the beach.

The fourth mistake dawned soon after -- riding a bike a long distance in the sun makes one thirsty and hungry.

Nevertheless, I rode my bike along the beach until I got to the Santa Monica Pier. There were the usual things one finds on a pier -- people fishing, people walking, people selling trinkets, people playing musical instruments -- though this was the first time I have seen a 9-story ferris wheel on a pier before:

My return trip was similar to my outbound trip, except that I rode back to San Vincente along Ocean Avenue instead of along the beach, so that I would not have to carry my bike, backpack, laptop, and books back up those stairs.

The round-trip was about 15 miles.

Technorati Tags: bike, culture, fitness, living, travel

Well, at least using my experience with one trip, it works.

In my previous post, "In theory: how to survive when on travel without a car - the folding bike", I discussed this idea for staying in a city without a car. I showed a picture of the bike and a picture of the bike folded in a suitcase.

Here is a photo of the bike, unpacked from the suitcase, after a trip of 2,329 miles via airplane:

Technorati Tags: culture, living, travel

This is a tanjo.

Technorati Tags: culture, defense, martial arts

There are not a lot of options for classical fencing in Virginia. However, I am just finishing up a beginner's class at Salle Green, in Richmond, and it has been a good class. While I would prefer longer sessions, the one-hour class, once a week, for eight weeks in the beginner's course is probably just right for those new to fencing and martial arts.

If you are at all interested in fencing (classical or sport), or western martial arts, or just want something to do that is a little more sophisticated than basketball or listening to your iPod, then you should come out to Salle Green.

Technorati Tags: fitness, martial arts, virginia

Today was a perfect day for the 93rd annual National Cherry Blossom Festival in our nation's Capital. Our group, the Capital Area Budokai, put on a martial arts demonstration in downtown Washington D.C. for the festival. The skies were blue, the blossoms were at their peak, our stage had a great view of the Capitol, and lots of people came out to see us.

Here are a few photos from the demo. Note that though my wife took lots of great pictures, by the time we went on, the sun had moved us into shadows. Thus, I had to wrangle with the brightness and contrast in the pictures to make them even partially visible.

The intro however was in bright sunlight. Here you can get a feel for the crowds, the stage, and the stage floor - it was a squishy gym mat that soaked up the sun's rays. Also, note that this image shows things as they should be: the jo player standing over the defeated swordsman:

For the tanjo set, here I am doing Kote Migi:

followed by Sutemi. Note that I got a good strong block on my opponent's strike, though I really should have caught both elbows:

For the jo set, here is the group at the beginning of Tachi Otoshi. Note how small the stage is: I had to pull a lot of my suigetsu strikes to prevent my opponent from sailing off the stage:

In the first part of Tachi Otoshi, I strike at my opponent's head: luckily (for him) he was able to block my strike:

He tried to counter by striking my neck, but the photo shows me just before my kuritsuke catches his tsuka for a block:

All in all it was a fun demonstration and a lot of people got to see some traditional Japanese martial arts. Maybe next year, if the stage is a little higher (so more people can see) and a little larger (so we can move around without worrying about falling off), it will be even better.

Technorati Tags: culture, fitness, martial arts, virginia

Recently on the popular blog BoingBoing, there were several entries making reference to two articles posted on EJMAS about a series of self-defence techniques with a walking stick originally printed in Pearson's Magazine in 1901.

While I suppose any relatively positive appearance in popular media about (Western) martial arts is a good thing, I still couldn't help but cringe when Cory Doctorow mentioned that these techniques allowed you to "kick someone's ass" with an umbrella.

Although, when they start teaching samurai-aerobics (e.g. in New York you can take "FORZA!", which is described in their literature as: "Italian for 'strength and power.' Also known as Samurai sword training, the one-hour class is a super-charged workout that blends elements of two Japanese Sword Fighting techniques--Kendo and Aikijujitsu. Intermediate-advanced levels.") fashioned after The Last Samurai and Kill Bill, I suppose arming yourself with an umbrella is at least a credible option.

Technorati Tags: fitness, martial arts

Lately, with work, school, research, travel, and family obligations, I have not had as much time as I would like for MA training. However, I did jump through quite a few hoops in order to be able to attend a two-day seminar on Italian Dueling Sabre this past weekend in Annapolis, MD. The seminar was taught by Maestro Sean Hayes, master of arms at the Northwest Academy of Arms, and was sponsored by MASHS

Dueling sabre was from a time where swordsmen developed exquisite technique as well as the highest levels of health and conditioning in order to not only excel at their sword art, but also to survive its direct application in the form of duels.

The seminar was excellent and Maestro Hayes is a superb instructor. He took a well-attended but diverse audience, all new to the dueling aspects of sabre, from initial positions to the Countertime Theory, a great example of time and action in the later 19th century Italian schools.

Dueling sabre, as taught by Maestro Hayes is a living tradition of a historical martial art, and I look forward to exploring its subtleties and power in the future.

Technorati Tags: defense, fitness, martial arts

I have bad form, but here I am doing the Muso Shinden Ryu jodo kata Tachi Otoshi; Steve is doing sword.

If your browser doesn't have the right plugin, you can download the movie.

Technorati Tags: fitness, martial arts