This Is What I Do

a health and fitness blog

Posts tagged exercise

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Learning Parkour

Now that my Junior year of college is over and I’ve taken a week to chill, I’ve decided to talk about a new activity I’ve been enjoying — Parkour. Parkour involves moving quickly and efficiently through your environment but also encourages self improvement both physically and mentally.

For 2 hours every Saturday in the past 6 weeks, I’ve been taking a Parkour Fundamentals class with a training group in Chapel Hill, North Carolina called Fifth Ape that also teaches martial arts and other movement classes. Colin Pistell is owner and head trainer of Fifth Ape and he was my teacher for most of the course.

During these 6 weeks, I learned how to approach, vault, climb, balance on, and descend from walls, rails, and other structures. There was also crawling in dirt, childhood games, and a myriad of other movements one doesn’t typically see on their college campus.

Each week of the fundamentals class we worked on new skills that built upon one another with the program culminating on the 6th session into a long form run—an extremely physically and mentally demanding venture where teacher and students go out and run for about an hour and go over obstacles as they encounter them.

In this post I’ve summarized what I learned each week and at the very end is a reflections section with some of my thoughts on parkour after having finished the course.

Read More —>

Filed under parkour fifth ape fitness workout exercise health activity natural movement vault climbing

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Never Leave the Playground

This is probably one of the most inspiring and awesome videos I’ve ever seen on staying fit and healthy into old age! Meet Stephen Jepson, a 71 year old man who hasn’t forgotten what it’s like to play and have fun.  And he’s thriving!  

I want to be as healthy as he is when I’m that old!

Check it out

Filed under play old age elderly playground playing activity exercise health fitness balance toys happiness memory healthy inspiring motivational awesome epic young at heart child at heart childhood

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Reads of the Week 4/9 - 4/15

Forgot to post this on Monday but here it is!

Fitness:
  • Parkour Office Hours #8: Catpasses, muscle ups, and other tips:http://bit.ly/HOEztKfrom Fifth Ape
  • Competitive PowerLifter Secrets: What The Diet Industry Doesn’t Want You To Know About Weights:http://bit.ly/IUWIDMfrom xojane
  • How to get a great workout on a playground:bit.ly/HLwqlCfrom Harold Gibbons
  • 5 Coaching Cues: Deadliftbit.ly/Hzvrrxfrom Tony Gentilcore
  • Foot Positions in the Squathttp://bit.ly/J4Ejnbfrom Charlie Weingroff


Food/Nutrition:

  • How Fasting Improves Workout Recoveryshar.es/r4vpavia from Marks Daily Apple
  • Fructose vs Glucose: What’s Worse?bit.ly/IOGMC3from Precision Nutrition
  • Amazing pumpkin pie oatmeal recipeow.ly/afT6Lfrom Jeremey DuVall
  • Cool flowchart of “A Complete Moron’s Guide To Supplements!”shar.es/ruMTXfrom Fit Jerk

Hope you enjoy!

Filed under reads of the week blogging fitness workout exercise nutrition diet reading

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Today Was A Great Day for Deadlifts!

My previous 1RM for deadlifts was 235lbs. Last week I was a little discouraged for only getting 3 reps at 205lbs.

Well today I did 5 reps with 215 and then 7 reps with 205! It was too easy! I had to double check the weight to make sure I hadn’t shorted myself.

Now my estimated 1RM is almost 250lbs! (248).  My sis did great too with her own PR!

I’ve been on a high ever since my deadlift workout :) Feels great 

How was your day, friends?

Filed under deadlift training workout exercise pr

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Reads of the Week 3/26 - 4/1

Happy Tuesday to you, readers.  Here’s my post from the past week explaining VO2max, lactate threshold, and their importance for endurance athletes, in case you missed it :). wp.me/p1vjNi-7G
And below are some of my favorite reads from the past week.  I ended up finding a ton of nutrition/diet/recipe posts last week as well as a ton of miscellaneous posts.  

Exercise/Training:

  • 5 Not so obvious things that fit people should know: bit.ly/Hcd7oJ from Sean Hyson
  • Aerobic Hill Sprints: bit.ly/GRVYQg from SAPT Strength
  • Fixing the tuck under when squatting Part 2: bit.ly/GSLjVE from Tony Gentilcore
  • Can switching from heel striking to forefoot striking help with compartment syndrome? bit.ly/GVkYGX from Alex Hutchinson
  • Good Advice for Your Training and Your Health wp.me/p2djGc-2c from Garrett Perrella


Nutrition/Diet:

  • The danger of high-sugar diets bit.ly/HdMAde from Greatist
  • Awesome, easy egg casserole recipe from Nia Shanks: bit.ly/H4YuED
  • Good guide on how to make homebrewed Kombucha: bit.ly/HGcyR3 from Mark’’s Daily Apple
  • Do I Need to Refuel Mid-Workout?: bit.ly/H3ZbxZvia from Greatist
  • Things You Need to Know Before Taking Supplements: bit.ly/GVzhtx from Breaking Muscle
  • Check out this guide for how to pick the best Spring produce: bit.ly/Hl9Vrj from Greatist
  • Can a hard workout block iron absorption? bit.ly/Hj1Wqo via Alex Hutchinson

Read More —> 

Filed under reads of the week physiology nutrition exercise diet blogging reading health fitness endurance strength and conditioning

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New Goals

One of my goals for a while has been to be able to rep out body weight pull ups but I haven’t really been focusing on it.  That’s about to change.  I’m going to start doing a couple sets of pull ups every time I’m in the weight room (3-4x per week).  Hopefully I’ll be doing pull ups like a freaking chimpanzee soon ;)

Also, I will start walking/running at least 1/2 mile barefoot 4-5 days a week (but preferably every day) and build from there if I want to.  This is to strengthen my feet and ankles.  My right foot has a partially collapsed arch (and less mobility than my lfet) that I’m trying to correct.  So I’ll just spend more time barefoot along with doing more ankle mobility exercises.  

Filed under mobility barefoot running pullups exercise

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Reads of the Week 3/19 - 3/25

Exercise:

  • The 7 Most Common Power Clean Technique Mistakes: bit.ly/GYECTP from Eric Cressey
  • 8 Abilities of an ATHLETIC BADASS (that have nothing to do with the Bench Press, Squat or Deadlift) bit.ly/GNAffi from Nick Tumminello
  • Good Kettlebell Interval Home Workout bit.ly/GDK5xg from Myomytv
  • 10 Stubborn Exercise Myths that Won’t Die, Debunked by Science ow.ly/9NrTY from LifeHacker
  • Good reasons to hire a personal trainer: jdstrength.com/?p=912 from Jeremey DuVall
  • Strength Training for Runners Part 3: Warm-ups and Cool-downs: jdstrength.com/?p=656 from Jeremey DuVall
  • Pressing considerations for the older lifter: bit.ly/GE5CEi from Diesel Strength
  • Straight bar vs Trap bar deadlifts: bit.ly/GD4fXDvia from SAPT Strength


Mobility:

  • Unconventional Exercises for Scapular Stability:bit.ly/GO1irI from Dean Somerset
  • Q & A: Fixing the “Tuck Under” When Squatting – Part I: bit.ly/GGiGLc from Tony Gentilcore
  • Changes in Movement Control Influenced by Duration of Training –Implications for Rehab & InjuryPrevention: bit.ly/GIDpib from PEAK Control

Read More —>

Filed under reads of the week fitness strength and conditioning mobility nutrition exercise

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Reads of the Week 3/5 - 3/11

Here are some things I enjoyed reading from the past week.  Enjoy!

Exercise:

  • 50 Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere: ow.ly/9x0Mz from Greatist
  • Progressions for the standing rollout from SAPT Strength
  • 2 Triple Threat Push Up Workouts: ow.ly/9vwQC from Nick Tumminello

Nutrition/Diet:

  • A diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids may cause your brain to age faster: bit.ly/xvqCQ2 from Science Daily
  • A Calorie Isn’t a Calorie(?) ow.ly/9xWiN from Matt Perryman
  • The fat loss vitamin: Vitamin D ow.ly/9tRdW from Men’s Health

Health:

  • 10 Things Your Breathing Tells Me About Your Bodybit.ly/A4Rblqfrom Perry Nickelston

Read More —>

Filed under blogs workout training exercise health nutrition diet fitness

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Reads of the Week 2/20 - 3/4

Here’s 2 weeks of reads packed into 1 post since I didn’t post last week.  Enjoy!

Training:

  • Strength Training for Runners Part 2: jdstrength.com/?p=542 from Jeremey DuVall
  • 15 Minute Complex for Great Gunz: ow.ly/9cdwe from John Romaniello
  • Cyclists who add high intensity sprints to their training improve more than riders who didn’t: ow.ly/9lWcl
  • Are Pull-ups THAT Essential? http://bit.ly/xxZsI2 from Eric Cressey
  • How to maximize your workout while minimizing time in the gym: ow.ly/9lolQ from Rebecca Gerdon
  • Can you target your lower abs? ow.ly/9qnFY from Jeremey DuVall
  • How to Squat Low: ow.ly/9rkD3 from Charles Poliquin
  • Conditioning 101: ow.ly/9rl0o from John Wendler
  • Simple Squat Progressions: ow.ly/9rshm from Smitty
  • Can too much steady state cardio induce hypothyroidism in women? ow.ly/9rslS from John Kiefer
  • It’s Not About the Weight - Other Progressions: ow.ly/9qo0k Jeremey DuVall
  • Kettlebell snatching tips: ow.ly/9qp6X from Neghar Fonooni

Nutrition/Diet:

  • All About Carb Cycling: ow.ly/9adHK from Precision Nutrition
  • Nutrition Triggers & Tips: ow.ly/9aelg from Nia Shanks
  • Benefits of ZMA: ow.ly/9agAe via James Garland
  • Top 4 Sports & Bodybuilding Supplement MYTHS: ow.ly/9ecXQ from Nick Tumminello
  • The College Student’s Guide to Grocery Shopping & Healthy Eating: http://bit.ly/zDmkF8 from Jordan Syatt
  • Top 5 Nutrition and Supplement Tips for Athletes with Dr. Jose Antonio: ow.ly/9fVHy

Read More —>

Filed under reads of the week training workout exercise fitness strength

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Reads of the Week: 2/13 – 2/19

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you enjoy my favorite reads from last week! Just click on what grabs your interest :)

Training:

Diet/Nutrition:

  • Does Dietary Elitism Scare People Off “Healthy” Eating? ow.ly/95smb from Yoni Freedhoff
  • How Birth Control & The Menstrual Cycle Affect Weightlifting: ow.ly/95zLb from Lift Big Eat Big
  • Nutrition Triggers & Tips: http://ow.ly/9aelg from Nia Shanks
  • All About Carb Cycling: http://ow.ly/9adHK from John Berardi

Read More —>

Filed under exercise fitness training diet nutrition reads of the week workout

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Today’s Workout

Here’s my workout for today! Strength training plus treadmill hill sprints afterwards! Rest intervals were 10 seconds.

In other news….. TOMORROW I GET MY CAST OFF!!! Happy Valentines Day to my arm lol :)

forever-athlete earned 493 points for:

·         Dumbbell Bench Press: 

·         30 lb x 10 reps (+77 pts)

·         30 lb x 8 reps (+71 pts)

·         30 lb x 8 reps (+71 pts)

·         Dumbbell 1-Arm Triceps Extension: 

·         20 lb x 12 reps (+23 pts)

·         20 lb x 12 reps (+23 pts)

·         20 lb x 12 reps (+23 pts)

·         Body Weight One-Leg Squat: 

·         5 reps (+22 pts)

·         5 reps (+22 pts)

·         5 reps (+22 pts)

·         5 reps (+22 pts)

·         4 reps (+18 pts)

·         4 reps (+18 pts)

·         I love doing these :)

·         Stability Ball Jack Knife Sit-Up:

·         15 reps (+23 pts)

·         Running (treadmill):

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:00:20 || 6.2 mph || 15 % (+5 pts)

·         0:01:00 || 6.6 mph || 11 % (+8 pts)

·         sprint intervals. done inside for convience. I’d rather just run up a hill outside but today was super busy

Follow me on twitter (@rgerdon) or on fitocracy (forever-athlete)

Filed under fitocracy workout exercise fitness