Happy Wednesday! If you’re dialed in with Space Girl Organics – now known as CFL Organics (tell ’em I sent you) in Central Florida then you know that Wednesday is delivery day! HURRAH!!! So of course there’s an unboxing video below which includes meal ideas for each item, and how I plan to eat everything! Also there’s a brief discussion about how fitness can fit into your lifestyle… actually, I want to write more about that here in greater detail…
The other day, a new friend and I had an interesting discussion. It started when he walked in and saw that I was livestreaming a video about a minor repair to an old computer I wanted to bring back online. This old computer will hopefully be the “brains” running a 3D printer that I’ll be building from a kit after I finish a large writing project (the kit purchase is one of a few technology-themed reward/prizes I’m giving myself upon that project’s completion). Anyway my friend was glad to see that even though I am very fit, I’m also into other things. This observation gave him hope for this own efforts to get in shape.
In most online marketing and social media circles the party line advice (from so many sources!) is to pick one topic and ONLY talk about that topic on your various accounts and channels. This is something I pointedly defy. I don’t like being pigeonholed, or categorized, or minimized into one subject. Then, after talking to my friend I realized how important it was (at least for the people I like to reach) that I keep occasionally posting about these other non-fitness-related topics like technology, computers, 3d printers, drones, and more.
After our discussion, my friend realized that not only does he NOT have to give up every ounce of his free time and his identity to become fit, but that getting strong and more coordinated will actually benefit everything else in his life.
So, am I “just another fitness person”? No. And neither are you. But no matter who you are and what you’re into, being fit, agile, and within a healthy weight range will help your brain work better, and bring a level of childlike confidence to all your responsibilities, activities, and interests. So no, buddy, you don’t have to start dressing a certain way and spending 2-3 hrs in the gym every day putting up with top 40 music while taking selfies doing curls in the squat rack. HAHAHA! 🙂
Conversely, I am now better equipped to think clearly, solve problems, and maybe even climb up a tree or over a fence to retrieve a crashed drone! My strong grip means I can do more with tools, I can carry heavy objects safely with confidence. Hurrah! I used to have a neighbor who kept insisting that I “must be running 10 miles a day” or “constantly working out”. NOPE.
I like the occasional sprint (see workout below video), but I do not do distance running, and I do not constantly workout. If you enjoy distance running, then great, go for it! (And be sure to counteract the wear-and-tear of that sport with some strength training…) But it is not something I enjoy, so I do other things. I do love calisthenics, kettlebells, sandbags, and a mish-mash of odd object lifting and training.
Fortunately, I can really do a lot for my physical well-being by just 2-4 short workouts a week. On a particularly crazy week, I might just do two “formal” 45 min to 1hr workouts and just little things at home even! That’s far from the theorized mainstream idea of “omg you must be like at the gym like everyday for like 2-3 hours!”
With smart training, you can do yourself a LOT of good in 3x 30-45min sessions a week! That leaves plenty of time for family, friends, hobbies, school, music, learning, curiosity… etc.
So here’s yesterday’s park workout… I’ll list the advanced version and add the intermediate options…
We warmed up with Joint Mobility and the CC2 Trifecta then…
10 rounds of…
- Begin standing tall, walk the hands out to a push-up position.
- Do 5-10 push ups (intermediate do 3 reps, beginners hold a really good straight arm plank)
- Walk the hands back and bend your knees so that you are in a very low squat position.
- Do 5 perfect bodyweight squats, then stay down on the last one.
- With control, reach back and transition to a “crab walk” position.
- With control, lift the opposite foot and touch with the opposite hand, alternate this cross-core pattern a few times.
- With control, get back to a squat position
- Stand up, and SPRINT out to a point 40-60 yards away (beginners may want to jog out and back, advanced may wish to sprint both out and back)
- Do 3 pull ups! (Advanced may wish to do more reps, but they must all be perfect…)
Following this, we got out the kettlebells and did some intense intervals of single kettlebell thrusters, and a burpee/swing alternating interval pattern:
First combo moderate to heavy weight if you have the energy! This is a great move for POWER!
4x
- 20 seconds kettlebell thrusters, right side, 10 seconds rest and transition
- 20 seconds kettlebell thrusters, left side, 10 seconds rest and transition
Second combo (also done 4x):
- 20 seconds kettlebell swings, 10 seconds rest and transition
- 20 seconds burpees or sprawls, 10 seconds rest and transition
Cool down with joint mobility and the trifecta again. And then I somehow had the energy to do this silly thing: Please note that I keep my head tucked in a timely way so that there is ZERO pressure on my neck… (it’s ok, Mom, I promise)
Speaking of kettlebells, please check out this super awesome article and video about kettlebell cleans from the one and only Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner! Need to dial in your kettlebell clean so you dont keep banging your arm? Steve has the answers!
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