Magic Mountain

Headed to Magic Mountain for a day of wet and wild fun with the family.

Its going to be fun.

Tom

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

Playground Workouts

Un-Gym Yourself

Sick of the skank of the gym in the middle of a humid summer?  Craving some sunshine and blackflies?  Hit the parks and playgrounds.  Running trails usually pass some interesting opportunities for a quick workout.  Here are just a couple:



Pull-ups on Monkey Bars - Great for Lats and Biceps

Just look around and you'll find lots of great opportunities for a workout in the fresh air.

Bench Dips...on a bench!



Tom

Hate Me Now - Thanks Me Later

Tabata

Kettlebell Swing Tabata

Tabata refers to a very high intensity interval-type training.  Made popular by Crossfit, Tabata is the brain-child of a speed-skating coach who experimented with ideal training styles. 

Kettlebell Swing

In this article we're going to use the kettlebell swing as the chosen exercise for Tabata.  Kettlebells come in a wide variety of weight-levels.  Kettlebell swing is wicked for core, quads and shoulders. 

Classical Kettlebell Swing

The photo sequence above shows a classical kettlebell swing that goes to approximately eye-level.  Its "ok".  But if you really want to blast out a good workout, look at this:

Hardcore Kettlebell Swing



Swing the kettlebell to right above your head.  Doing-so forces your abs to engage in order to prevent you from falling over backward.

Proper Technique for Kettlebell Swing

• Keep your back straight
• Feet wide apart
• knees bent
• swing the kettlebell low
• build and maintain strong momentum with kettlebell throughout

Tabata Timings

• 20 seconds of activity followed by 10 seconds of rest
• repeat 8 times
• Total workout time is 4 minutes

Benefits of Tabata

Tabata allows you to blast out and intense effort without crashing too early.  It is brief but effective.  Great when combined within the context of a more thorough workout.  Tabata can be done with almost any exercise (push-ups, jumping-jacks etc).

Tom

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Coming Soon - Dressage Fitness Training

Equestrian

Dressage is a physically demanding sport which taxes the rider and the horse to the max.  In an upcoming article, I will show you what you can do to prepare yourself for this challenging sport.

Tom

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Independence Day

Happy Birthday USA

Tom

Blueberries

Blueberries Burst with Goodness

Ripe and Ready

Blueberries are in full season now.  Each one of these tender, delicious fruits yield a bounty of beneficial elements. 

Nutritional Analysis

Great source of Vitamins C and K.  Lots of fibre.  Good source of manganese (if you're worried about that).  Some potassium.  Excellent source of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids (more on this topic in a future blog post). 

Portion Control
Don't gorge on these like a bear though; these little guys do contain sugar and have a significant carbohydrate level.  Half a cup or a double-handful should suffice for a maximum serving at one time.

Nature's Candy

Blueberries are a nice treat and make an excellent dessert all by themselves or mixed into low-fat yogurt.  For a really nice treat drop a handful of blueberries into a cup; slap in a blob of plain greek yogurt and sprinkle with steel-cut oats.  Tasty, filling and nutritious.

Tom

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Happy Canada Day

Happy Birthday Canada

Get out and enjoy some sunshine, surf and sand today.

Or...at least some sunshine, surf and slush.

Tom

Hate Me Now - Thank Me Later

on FB https://www.facebook.com/FEATTraining