Jumping Rope: The Undeniable Negatives (Part 1)

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Summary:

  • Jumping rope can be hard on the joints if done excessively.  
  • The learning curve can be a turn off.  
  • Don’t let me talk you out of jumping rope.

Jumping rope is a low cost, medium to high-skill activity people have been leveraging to build impressive cardio fitness for a long, long time.  Particularly athletes in the combat sports, boxing and mixed martial arts.

As a cardio enhancer, jumping rope is making a resurgence.

Here I am working the Ali Shuffle, and other patterns of jumping rope.  

Modern day metabolic conditioning is giving the jump rope a reason to play a large part of many high-intensity workouts.  

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When you’re a kid, you jump rope… 

As a kid, I can vividly remember jumping rope in elementary school.  We had a yearly fundraiser called “Jump Rope for Heart”.  All the kids brought their jump ropes down to the gym, they pumped some 90’s dance music, and we jumped for hours.

I was never the best rope skipper in the gym, but I could hold my own by showcasing classy moves like crossovers, single and alternate leg hops, and even surviving in the infamous Double Dutch vortex.

As a kid, you don’t over-analyze the value of jumping rope.  You jump because it’s fun, not because you want to know how to burn more calories or lose weight.  Jumping rope provides an outlet for kids to burn off extra energy while

Jumping rope provides an outlet for kids to burn off extra energy while

But then adulthood stumbles in.  Jumping rope is no longer cool, it’s taboo.  

When you’re a kid, you move for the fun of it, when you’re an adult, any movement beyond what’s necessary becomes a chore.

As we age, many ask less and less from our bodies.

The “fun” part of hopping over the turning jumping rope seems like the furthest thing in adulthood.  

“You want me to what?  Uh, no thanks”.  

Exerting on purpose as an adult becomes a depressive thought.

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But when mainstream media picks up on the trends, it often reignites our interest in old training methods.  

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Naturally, we head to the sporting good store and buy a badass jump rope. 

But before you start jumping, let’s work through a couple of hang-ups I have with jump rope training.  Particularly if you haven’t exercised in a while.  

1)  Repetitive ground impact and overuse injuries.

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Any activity overdone is going to put you at risk for overuse injuries.  

Too much of a good thing is generally a bad thing.  Drink too much water, bad thing.  Eat too much broccoli, bad thing.  Exercise too much, bad thing.

Overuse injuries certainly aren’t a jumping rope problem per say.  Overuse injuries often occur because of excess volume or intensity (or both combined) relative to what the tissue tolerance is capable of managing.  

If you’ve ever run barefoot or with minimalist shoes without some kind of pre-workout up, the extreme soreness you felt in the days after is a perfect example of impact forces overwhelming the tissues without any shock absorption.  

In other words, physical stress beyond what the body is acclimated to can create some painful issues.

As for jumping rope, it’s the ground impact forces doing the damage.  Every single jump places strain on the legs, particularly the calves and ankles.

How much strain?  Roughly 300lbs of impact is directed toward the foot and ankle while jumping rope, as measured by lab tests.

But this isn’t 300lbs just one time… it’s 300lbs multiplied by thousands of jumps per workout. Thi can be a recipe for injury if your body is not acclimated progressively.

If a person is spinning a jump rope at an average of 100-120 revolutions per minute, a 10-minute workout can add up to about 1,000-1,200 jumps.

Jumping rope for 10 minutes is nothing like running for 10 minutes.  These are two completely different stresses.  Time seems to stand still when you jump rope.  10 minutes can feel like 30 minutes.

Many websites recommend “20-minute jump rope workouts for toning”, but I am extremely hesitant to encourage anyone to jump for 20 minutes as a starting point.

Start with 1 minute unbroken, then 2 minutes… 5 minutes… 10 minute, etc.

10 full minutes of jumping rope without stopping for breaks is a commendable feat.  Once you hit 10 minutes, it’s time to go harder or increase the difficulty of the jumps (1-foot, side-to-side, running).

Now, the impact forces of jumping rope are far less than running. 

If you haven’t jumped 1,000+ times in a while, or you’re a de-conditioned individual who hasn’t engaged in moderate to high physical activity in some time, you stand a high likelihood of sidelining yourself after a short duration of jumping rope.  

Jumping rope is a sub-maximal variation of plyometrics (jump training), which can be very high-impact. Plyometric training is best kept to reasonable volumes during a workout.  Most high-level athletes are jumping anywhere from 25-40 foot contacts per workout in the off-season.  

Lesson:  Work into your jump rope training, progressively adding minutes to each session.  If you’re a beginner, consider jumping from less than 5 minutes cumulatively per workout.  You can always build up.  

2)  Learning curve versus training stimulus.

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Here’s a realistic scenario…

You go out and buy a jump rope to whip yourself into shape.  You get that baby home, rip it out of the packaging and head to the garage.  After you put on your workout playlist, get ready to turn the rope over like Muhammad Ali.  

Wham!  You catch your feet and stomp the rope on the very first turn.  Hey, no problem, it’s the first time in a long time you tell yourself.  Here we go again…

Wham!  Shins this time.  Wham!  Ceiling got in the way.  Wham!  Back of your head, not enough tension on the twirl.  Wham!  Toes again, but somehow this time the rope tied a knot that you have to unravel.  Damn, a tight knot too.  

Next thing you know, the rope is 10 inches shorter and you’ve wasted 45 minutes jumping 25 times.  Ouch.

Don’t laugh now.  This is a real scenario, I’ve seen it happen to coordinated athletes, so I know it is happening to the average Joe and Jane all over the world.  

The real benefits of jumping rope comes from continuous jumping.  In other words, getting hung up on your toes every fifth turn isn’t going to allow for any real training effect.  You won’t be exerting long enough to accomplish much.  

I applaud your spirit and motivation, but we have to consider one thing…

Jumping rope is a skill.  And like any skill, we all have a unique starting point and learning curves of various lengths to become better at that skill.  Some will acclimate to the rhythm faster than others.  Here’s another important thing to consider:  some of us have a higher resilience for knowing that we suck at activities, yet continue to practice until the day we move passed the “suck” stage.   

If you’re terrible at jumping rope AND you have a tendency to shut down at first encounter of resistance, consider saving jump rope practice for after normal gym work, when you have peace of mind that some quality work was put in.  

But don’t let me turn you off from jumping.  Get after it.  But beware, you may not have the workout of your life on the first go around.  

If your goal is to get into shape ASAP, and for many people it is.  Riding the struggle bus for 15-20 minutes a day just to turn a rope 10 consecutive times without stepping on it won’t sound like fun to most people.

Therefore, it may be worth considering that the jump rope can take a backseat to bread and butter activities like running, cycling, rowing or lifting weights.  Even a potent bodyweight workout should be considered before re-engaging with the rope of death.  Talk about defeating.  

Again, jumping rope is a skill.  Expect it to involve failure, slow progress, and patience.  

If you’re lucky, you’ll hop right into it.  If you’re not, I warned you.  

Lesson:  Treat jumping rope like a skill.  Dedicate a small amount of time before or after your main workout to improving your jump proficiency.  Don’t make the mistake of putting all of your eggs in the jump rope basket, only to find out you can only manage 10 seconds of continuous movement before you smash your toes.

This tip will save you a lot of frustration.

3)  Cardio benefits over-hyped.

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Yes, jumping rope burns calories, but so does doing the laundry or making the bed.

Yes, jumping rope can improve cardiovascular function, but so does push mowing the yard.   help reinforce posture during exertion.  

Yes, jumping rope can be a decent reinforcer of upright posture, but so is waiting in line for public transit.

Compared to running, rowing, cycling, kettlebell swings/snatches, burpees, or smart bodyweight circuits, jumping rope delivers less bang for you cardio conditioning buck.   

Some of this circles back to the learning curve and the barrier it has to a reasonable training effect.  

I’ve seen videos of Ross Enaimat spinning a jump rope so fast I wasn’t even sure it was still in his hands, but not everyone is Ross Enaimat.  

He’s got over a million views on some of his YouTube videos from people eating popcorn watching him sweat, aspiring to have his conditioning without putting any effort in.

Returning to my previous point about training effect, head out to your local hill for some incline sprints or pick up your heaviest kettlebell and swing away.  

You’ll probably find time is better spent elsewhere to get that conditioning stimulus.

Adaptation sadness…

At some point, you’re going to experience diminishing returns on your efforts.  This is called adaptation.  It’s a good thing and a bad thing.  It’s good because you’ve established an efficiency at a certain skill, intensity, and duration.  It’s a bad thing because now, you have to push yourself harder to keep progressing.  

Adaptation is bound to happen with any activity you commit to doing on a regular basis.  It’s only a matter of time.  

When you reach this adaptation point, it is important to remember that jumping rope is no different from any other form of exercise.  You have to re-adjust the variables in order to continue progressing and break out of your adaptation, moving forward to the next level of adaptation.

The problem, once again, circles back to the issue of learning curve.  Once you’re a pro with single hops and the duration of jumping is hovering around 15-20 minutes, personally, I feel it’s time to figure out how to leverage the next progression in order to save your precious time.  Unless you love jumping rope that much.  

So how do we progress?  Well, you could…

  •  Buy a weighted jump rope
  •  Increase the tempo of the jumps (turn the rope faster)
  •  Decrease base of support (single leg hopping)
  •  Mix and match various jumps (front to back, side to side, boxer jump, high knees, etc)
  •  Move on to Double-Unders

Adjusting any one of these variables will progress the training stimulus and keep you away from stagnation.

Wrap Up…

You’ll notice that this post is more of a cautionary tale than anything.  

Personally, I jump rope before almost every single workout.  I love it.  It get’s me in a standing position and it serves as a great warm-up prior the tough part of my training sessions.  

Jumping rope is not a bad activity.  But, it’s important to know how it could be bad, and where the disadvantages are.  Probably the most important part of this article is the warning about overdoing it.  The impact can leave you limping for days afterward.  

Some of you will be able to pick up a jump rope and get after it aggressively from the start.  Others won’t make it 3 consecutive turns without tying a noose around your ankles or blooding up your toes.

Get to know yourself, your current physical conditioning level, and make a decision if jumping rope is right for you.  If it is, schedule some practice time before or after a workout to hone your jumping skills and acclimate your body to the stress.  

This article would be a real let down if I didn’t recommend at least one great resource to related to jump rope training:

If you found this article while searching for alternatives to high-impact activity, I highly recommend you to check out these posts:

Cheers, 

Kyle 

Over-training for Performance and a Brief Word on Exercise Addiction

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Good morning kids…

It’s a beautiful Friday morning here in Wisconsin, and for once, the sun is out and it looks like it could break 70 degrees.  Thank the big man above for that, because we have just about had all of the rain, snow and flooding that we can handle up here.  I was starting to think that movies like “End of Days” or “The Day After Tomorrow” was movie from the big screen to reality.  Yikes.

Summer in Wisconsin

Summer in Wisconsin 2013

Anyways, I wanted to touch a few things this morning, most of which have to do with over-training, working out excessively and body image.

Over-training.  I cannot be certain, but I think I walked a fine line this week between taking my training to the edge of over-training (but not crossing) and doing a cannonball into the over-training swimming pool.  Yesterday was a struggle for me fatigue wise, and my mood was up and down all day.  Without any real noticeable stress to attribute to this, it is plausible to think that I may have pushed it too hard in the days prior.

What caused it?

Well, the workout that sent me over is one that I have leveraged for quite some time. Let’s just say that it involved a couple of 10 minute sets, a lot of squats, chin ups, lunges and kettlebell swings.  I don’t blame the workout itself because I have been using this particular workout for 4-5 years. It’s a staple in my training regimen.

What I do blame, is my lack of judgement leading into the workout.  The days leading up to this workout were filled with tough training sessions.  Over-training is a cumulative scenario.  I always picture it like a traffic jam of volume, intensity and a lack of sufficient recovery.  What starts as a traffic jam ends up being a 50 car pile up.

Screen Shot 2013-06-14 at 7.16.14 AMThe over-training 50 car pile up.

I’ve over-trained only a handful of times in my life.  All of those times, I felt ridiculously lethargic, tired and real drifty mind-wise.  Physical movement of any kind seemed like a real chore.  I’m talking about simple physical tasks like walking out to get the mail.  It seemed like climbing a mountain to climb stairs or lift basic household objects.

I recently read a neat little article about over-training on Runner’s World website.

To be honest, I don’t know what I was doing on Runner’s World, but I enjoy getting information from a wide variety of sources, not just kettlebells, fat loss and strength training.  Running is a major part of the body transformation equation.  My past comments about running on this blog were not taking shots at running itself.  There were intended to state that running delivers poor results to people who are seeking fat loss.  It’s a classic example of using the wrong tool for job.

—>  Check out this article from Rachel Cosgrove to help make my point:  The Final Nail in the Cardio Coffin

Alex Hutchinson is the writer over at Runner’s World, and I would encourage you to read through some of his older posts.  There are quite good.  He’s one of those writers that can break down research into terms that everyone can understand.  He also adds a bit of his own knowledge to his articles which makes his writing that much more applicable.

In the article, Alex describes a study where researchers took two groups:

1) a normal training group

2) an over-training group

… and measured their heart rates in the morning along with their performance measures based on scheduled training of different intensities and duration.

The “functionally over-trained” group had a big drop off in performance throughout the 3 week  training phase, but after a taper in training, they produced far better performance in the run-to-exhaustion test than the normal training group did.

A study like this shows that purposely over-training or over-reaching might have some performance benefit if you can get a handle on when and how to apply it to your own training.

Personally, I say that something like “functionally over-training” is a slippery slope.

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The last two sentences are the most important pieces of information to be passed on to the general public.  Go ahead and read or re-read them… I’ll wait.

My fear after an article like this is that Johnny Dad or Susie Mom (both are new or relatively new to running) is going to read an article like this and try pushing it to the limit unsuccessfully.  I like that Alex makes mention that functional over-training like this may be best reserved for elite athletes.  The interesting thing is that the amount of physical effort that it takes to over-train- at least in my opinion- will vary from person to person.  The amount of effort that takes me to enter an over-trained state is different from my next door neighbor, which is different that the neighbor on the other side of them.  We all react to the effects of training in different ways.

I’d like to think that one quality that I have is an ability to get a handle on what’s going on with my body.  Pre-workout, peri-workout and post-workout I am good at staying in touch with the effects of my physical efforts.  I’ve rolled out of bed on some days and known instantly that it was not going to be a day to train hard (or at all for that matter) but rather spend the day focusing on sufficient hydration, good nutrition, rest and recovery.

My fear is that I don’t think that everyone has a gauge to determine when it is right to push, and when it is not.  Some people come off of the assembly line with only gas pedals installed, no brakes and no speedometer.  Some people only have brakes and no gas pedal.  The latter probably doesn’t need to read much further. 🙂

Over-training for the sake of body image.  Just like we have addicts with food and drugs, we have addicts with exercise.  The difference is that exercise addicts often get the benefit of the doubt because a lot of people perceive excessive physical effort as a positive thing.

“Oh, Johnny Dad, you exercise so often.  You’re just so healthy and fit!  I admire your effort! Amazing!”

Little to most people know that Johnny Dad is flat-out addicted to exercise because he has a deep fear if he doesn’t burn off every single calorie that he consumes, that he will get fat.  Body image.

There are a lot of people who feel that they need to push their exercising to the limit in order to look good in a swimsuit, look good with their shirt off or fulfill some magazine model fantasy look.  Some feel that excessive exercising will help fight age.

If you’re one of these people, guy or girl I do not care… take a moment and read this article:

—>  It’s Hard Out Here for a Fit Chick

If you’re a person that just cares about increasing their 5K, 10K or “Fran” time, my simple advice to you is this:

Spend some time getting to know your body inside and out and BE CAREFUL.

Over-training is really not well understood compared to other studied sectors of fitness, but it is real.  I believe this based on experience, so I am not sure that anyone could convince me otherwise.  There definitely is a point in time where excessive physical exertion creates a long-lasting fatigue, series of mood swings, shift in appetite and decrease in performance.

The effects of over-training are not fun.  If you’re planning on pushing your daily workouts to the limit, make sure that at the very least you are consuming adequate amounts of water and post-workout nutrition.  If you’re over-training and not eating, you’re heading for a dark place.  A very dark place.

That is all.  I’m off to fish the Great Lakes…

Cheers to managing your workouts and feeling comfortable in your skin!

KG

The Scientific 7 Minute Workout and Shortcuts

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I don’t mind shortcuts.

If there is a more efficient way of completing a task or achieving a goal, I am all for it.

But shortcuts aren’t meant for everyone.  Some of us are always looking for shortcuts, the path of least resistance.  We abuse the shortcuts, and when the shortcuts become too challenging, they look for a shortcut to the shortcut.  Some people are always looking for shortcuts, a way out from doing the work.

When building fitness, I think that shortcuts are not appropriate for everyone.  People avoid physical exertion like the plague as it is, and now science is telling us that we can comfortably fulfill our daily activity needs in a matter of… wait for it…

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I respect science, but I cringe at how information like this is received by the public.  Now every personal trainer in America is going to be put on trial by their clients for holding 60 minute training sessions when The New York Times says that an effective workout can be achieved in 7 minutes flat.

With fitness, you get what you put in.  If you put forth an exceptional effort, you’ll get an exceptional reward.

If you put forth a crap effort, you’ll get a crap reward.  No secrets here.

In my experience, it’s tough to get a complete warm-up in 7 minutes time, especially when you are working to fix mobility and stability issues, let alone make a 7 minute workout change your body.

Is 7 minutes better than 0 minutes?  Of course it is.  If reading that New York Times article is the spark that you need to get you off the couch and moving, then god bless it.  Run with that motivation.  I can support that.

I have to assume that the article is only referring to building fitness, which is different than body transformation or fat loss.  Fitness does go hand in hand with accelerating body transformation, but 7 minutes won’t hold up against even an average nutritional effort.  If nutrition was perfect, you could make some decent gains (or should I say losses) with body transformation.

The main takeaway from the article (and the original research) was that short burst high intensity interval training can produce comparable health benefits to prolonged endurance training, if not better.

I know I have said this on this blog before, but I will continue to say it… what’s happening in innovative gyms across the country (and the world) at this very moment won’t be researched  for 2-3 years at least.  We have been executing -with great success- strength based workouts like the one below for years, and now the research comes.

In case you were wondering what the 7 minute workout entails, here is a snapshot from the New York Times site:

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With the exception of the abdominal crunches, I actually like all of the exercises listed in the workout.  It represents a minimalist total body (bodyweight) workout.  Not a bad little program.     The movements are require bodyweight strength based movements organized with minimal rest between movements.  Cardio strength.  I know you’ve heard that before.

Taxing your muscles to a high degree with minimal rest is an extremely effective way to accomplish performance improvement, body fat reduction and lean muscle gain in one shot.

Now that I think about it, this fitness news reminds me a lot of the Tabata intervals over-reaction that the fitness industry went through some years ago, but most of us have poured water on that fire.  Be careful not to mis-interpret the information and transform it into something that it was never intended to be.

And for someone who lacks the workout know-how, the diagram that was provided is perfect for that person.  My beef with still frame exercise tutorials has always been that it leaves A LOT unexplained.  You see the start of the movement, a mid-point and an end, but what does the entire movement look like?  What’s going on with the body in between those still shots?

In my early days of learning functional training, I used the still shot pictures of movements out of Mark Verstegen’s book (Core Performance), yet I never felt completely confident with what I was doing.  It was hard to know if what I was doing was an exact replication of what Mark wanted us to be doing.

Watching a video is better than still frame, and working with a knowledgeable professional is better than a video.  Hands on coaching from a good personal trainer is priceless, assuming they know what they are talking about.  If you are going to spend any money on a personal training, use it to learn the movements and get your technique down if nothing else.  Knowing how to execute basics movements like:  squats, lunges, chin ups, planks, push ups, cable movements, etc is well worth the money.  Learn how to execute big movements like deadlifts, front squats, split squats, bench press, rows, etc.

That’s an investment in your body for years to come.

Wrapping it up, give the 7 minute workout a shot, but don’t be afraid of physical exertion and increasing your body’s ability to handle that exertion.  Don’t shy away from training longer than 7 minutes, because that is just a recommendation.  Take your training to another level and see how it goes, learn something about yourself.

There is great long-term reward in pursuing physical endeavors throughout life.

 

 

Cheers to doing more than 7 minutes of exercise…

 

KG

 

It’s Just a Kettlebell Swing Workout

Quick Tips

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The kettlebell is a gym in itself.

I have not found any other tool that produces such dramatic results with body composition.

Sure, nutrition is a MAJOR part of ridding the body of fat and getting lean, but outside of a focused nutritional regimen, kettlebell training and more specifically kettlebell swings are a godsend to those who seek fat loss.

I have seen a lot of talk about the kettlebell swing’s ability to increase conditioning, but the truth is that I am not entirely sold on the idea of using the kettlebell swing for boosting conditioning.  I think that a fit individual who attempts to use kettlebell swings as a conditioning tool is going to quickly find that the volume of swings needed to elicit the kind of training effect needed to take one’s conditioning to the next level far exceeds the risks of overuse and mindless reps.

And quite frankly, extremely high rep sets is going to cause your grip to give out before your hips will.  I guess I would rather use other tools for increasing my conditioning (ex:  Airdyne, hill sprints, sled pushes/pulls, etc)

On the other hand, if you are a person who isn’t in game shape just yet, the training effect of kettlebell swings might be just what you need to mix into your workout regimen.

Either way, kettlebell swings are a great drill when performed with decent form, using a decent weight.  When selecting a weight to use for swings, go heavier rather than lighter.

Your hips are the most powerful region of your body and using a heavier bell will eliminate that chances of cheating the bell up with the arms.  Actually, “lifting” the kettlebell during the finishing movement of the swing is one of the biggest mistakes that I see in people.  The arms should definitely remain “taut”, but there should be no involvement from the shoulders when exploding out of the “hiked” position into the vertical standing position.

I like to picture my arms as two pieces of rope attached to the kettlebell when swinging.  My hand grip is not a death-gripped around the bell, but rather tight enough to keep control of the bell throughout the arcing motion.

The kettlebell, as I mentioned above, provides a fantastic opportunity to engage in a dynamic workout no matter what the occasion.  I personally love to engage in “swing-only” workouts the day after a tough cardio-strength training session.  If my body feels like it can handle the load of the kettlebell, I will go for a nice session of swings only.  Nothing else.  If I feel completely drained from the previous days workout, I will reach for the Schwinn Airdyne (aerobic based session) or simply roll and stretch and skip exertion altogether.

Long-term fitness is maximized when following a plan, but fine tuned and customized when you learn to listen to your body.  If you can train, train.  If you feel like you’re forcing everything that day, take a rest day and focus on hydration, nutrition and rest.  There is no shame in that.  I repeat, learn how to listen to your body and learn how to back off your training when it’s needed.

So, as the title of this post states, here is a simple swing only kettlebell workout that I have used in the past.  I view these as practice.  Swinging is an art, and I am not a master, although I do make a conscious effort to improve the efficiency of my swings, increase weight and continue to make forward progress.

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Alternating for 24 rounds (Set #1):

—->  15 seconds of 2-handed swings

—->  15 seconds of rest

Total Time: 12 minutes

Depending on your fitness level, you can stop here, or you can rest for 2 minutes and move into:

Alternating for 24 rounds (Set #2):

—>  15 sec Right Hand 1-Arm Swing

—>  15 sec rest

—>  15 sec Left Hand 1-Arm Swing

—>  15 sec rest

… and so on.

Total Time:  12 minutes

24 rounds seems like a lot, but consider that each work set is 15 seconds long and it is not maximal effort.  Why isn’t it maximal effort?  Because while kettlebell swings are definitely physically demanding, they are not a movement that you can max out on.  The bell swings as it will.  It is very tough to increase the swing count per work set to a point where you are will reach heart rates or perceived exertion that will tap you out.

The glory in kettlebell swings is the muscular engagement combined with the cardiovascular training stimulus.  This combination is pure gold for fat loss.

For a 15 second round, I am typically hitting 8-10 reps of kettlebell swings with a 28kg-32kg kettlebell.  This is my swing count for both two-handed and the single handed swings.  Single hand kettlebell swings call for a lighter weight bell and possibly a slightly slower rep count for the given work period.

*** Set a timer for alerting you when to swing and when to rest.  I suggest a GymBoss Interval Timer, but you can use whatever is easiest.  Ideally use something that doesn’t require you to work through mathematical equations in your head while trying to take in oxygen.  Not fun.

Please take care and attention to your form.  If it breaks down during the workout, put the bell down.  There is no blue ribbon at the end of the workout for struggling through with shitty swing form.  Only bad habits and increased likelihood of injury.  After the first 24 rounds of 2-handed swings, rest (yes, rest), and re-group for the single arm swings.

If you don’t know how to swing a kettlebell, a workout like this is not the place to learn.  If you can swing 2-handed comfortably but have never swung using the single arm version, again, this is not the place to learn.  Practice your technique before you engage in a workout like this.

If you clear the prerequisites listed above for entry to a workout like this, my only comments left are: don’t be afraid of work and opening up those lungs babies.

Set a timer and go for it…

Cheers to swinging fat off your body in record time!

KG

P.S.  As I mentioned above, fueling your body appropriately will enhance your workouts and your results from those workouts.  Precision Nutrition is the best nutritional program in the world right now.

The Freak 5K

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This past weekend marked my second experience at the local “hardcore” mud run… also known as the:

The Freak 5K

Yes, The Freak 5K was held once again this past weekend in Chippewa Falls, WI.

First let me say that this race is not easy.  What it lacks in distance, it makes up for in volume of obstacles and elevation change.  Each team was required to carry a keg the entire 5K, which added an element to the race also.  Someone mentioned that The Freak 5k had the same number of obstacles in about 1/4 of the distance of a Tough Mudder.

Freak 5K Map

Second, let me say that I only have one gear when competing in races.  No matter how much I say that I am just going to run for fun and enjoy myself, as soon as we leave the starting line, my competitive side appears and I basically black out from that point on.  I’ll step on heads to get out of the mud pits, ask slower racers to move over on narrower paths and elbow the males and females alike to get to the front.  I honestly hate losing and also hate seeing other people push it harder than I am, especially when I know that I have another gear.

I wrote an article a while back about the idea of staying “physically prepared”.  I enjoyed writing that article, and I feel that it loosely represented my philosophy on staying fit for demanding activities… whatever those demanding activities may be.

For The Freak 5K, I tweaked my training about 2 weeks prior and added a few longer distance aerobic based runs into the normal training regimen.  Why?  Just to make sure that my body had a few training sessions to adapt to the demands of running.  Personally, I respect running but I am not a fan.  It’s not my go to hobby for killing time and I rarely have a good time during a run.

I was told by someone before the race that the Cross-Fitters would do the best because they train for everything and it is hardcore training.  I always chuckle when I hear this.  Cross-Cult has got people believing everything these days.  Our guys dusted all of the “hardcore” cross-fitters on Saturday.  It’s hard to imagine that performing 50 continuous hang cleans or 100+ box jumps “unbroken” wouldn’t be enough to help someone power through a race like that no problem.

A workout is more than burying yourself in a pile of fatigue.

So, I took it as a personal challenge to torch everyone on the course after I heard this comment.

Here is a brief commentary on how we maneuvered the through the race…

On the starting line, my team chose to leave the starting line last for our wave, to avoid raising any tempers early on in the race.  Most people flail around like idiots in the mud pits, so I was on board with waiting for the flailers to move through the pits before we entered.  Shortly after the mud pit was a 35-40 foot dirt hill that was nearly a complete vertical climb.  Nice.

We made our move here.

Passing numerous teams on the dirt hill, we made our way into the woods.  The entire time passing competitors who were proudly sporting Cross-Fit t-shirts like they were tattoos.  Badges of honor.  Ha.

The demands of a condensed run course like The Freak 5K are interesting.  By far, the most difficult aspect of the course was the elevation change.  The course designers did a great job adding to the volume of hill climbing.  I bet we climbed 50 yards up and down for nearly 100 yards of horizontal travel.  It was brutal.  Up hill climb was exertion and focused breathing while the down hill was recovery into the next climb.  We made it through in good shape.

Freak 5K Elevation Change

So it turned out that we met up with a local high school wrestling team who we trailed for the remainder of the race.  The guys were in good shape, but we could have been relentless assholes and passed them a couple of times in sketchy spots.  We didn’t and it chaps my ass that we got stuck waiting for them to scale multiple obstacles, 20 foot lake plunges, 50 yard slip-n-slide, etc.  At these obstacles, we were typically forced to go single file, which is difficult to swallow when you are competing to win.  It really takes the wind out of your sails.

Our keg crossed the finish line 2nd behind the wrestler’s keg, by a matter of a few seconds.  I would like to note that we ran with 3 guys, taking turns carrying the keg for varying distances.  The wrestlers had 5 guys, doing the same.  No excuse, just saying that the rest factor could have played a part in how fresh they were toward the end.  God I wanted to bring home the trophy.  Next year.

Regardless, what I learned was this:

1)  Cross-Fit makes you good at… Cross-Fit… Training isn’t a sport, training is a means to accelerate at sports.

2)  I can train minimally still perform well at a demanding obstacle course-based race like The Freak 5K.

3)  I can keep my workouts to less than 30-40 minutes a session and still push it to the edge for 55 minutes no problem.

4)  Hip extension is everything, so train your butt muscles to be powerful extenders of the hip, add in some stability and mobility while you’re at it.

5)  It doesn’t take long to make adjustments to your training to acclimate to a specific demand if you’re training regularly.

6)  Trail running is superior to beating the pavement for building athletic qualities.

7)  Along with #3, simplicity in your workout regimen and your nutritional regimen yields great results.

8)  The ability to put your mind in a place where it is resilient to the thought of losing or quitting is essential to pushing yourself physically and squeezing  more out of your performance (black out and go for it).

9)  Life and sport happens on your feet… Make damn sure your lower body is strong, mobile and stable while taking care of your health/function of your muscles/joints.

10)  Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone with regard to physical exertion, you’re capable of enduring much more than you think you are.

11)  Never lose the desire to compete and avoid being average.

12)  Beer tastes great after a race like that.

13)  Spectators shouldn’t stand so close to the mud pit located at the bottom of the 50 yard downhill slip-n-slide when I slide down with a keg on my lap and toss it prior to water contact. (sorry old guy in the Levi’s with the new Polo shirt)

 

 

Cheers destroying your next race and The Freak 5k!

KG

Kelly Starrett: The View Hosts Attempt to Become Supple Leopards

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How to Become a Supple Leopard Squatting

 

Yesterday, I caught a couple of clips of the segment that Kelly Starrett (creator of mobilitywod.com) led on The View.

Yes, that’s right, The View.  I couldn’t be happier for the guy.  He put out free content for 365 days straight before building an audience that allowed for a website makeover, fitness product launch and a subscription based service to his content.  Awesome.

I have spoken highly of Kelly on this blog in the past, and my opinion has not changed.  Some of his methods seem to cater to the extreme fitness seekers, but for the most part, I value a lot of his concepts.  I think that he is a breath of fresh air in the fitness industry, and many of his ideas will stick.

The picture above is a snapshot that I took during the segment.

I think that it is brilliant, and Kelly’s commentary during the segment was slightly more polished with less jargon than his famous YouTube videos are.  It was funny watching the co-hosts attempt to follow Kelly’s lead and squat.

Forgive me, but I don’t know their names, but the male host was blabbing his mouth the entire time, essentially avoiding the squat drill.  I like his fabricated joke about calling his gardener to tend to his garden instead of doing it himself… I bet the “audience applause” sign lit up like a Christmas tree on that one.  If his writers didn’t set him up with that one, I bet he walked into the studio that morning bursting at the seems to crack that one-liner.

Real talk:  In my experience, if a person will not participate in a movement sensitive drill on my asking, it is typically for a reason.  No one wants to feel dumb, and that is never my intention of implementing the drill.  When the person refuses to participate after verbal instruction and my visual demonstration, that is a red flag to me that they probably lack the movement capability to successfully complete the movement.

I would bet that Mr. Jokey cannot squat for shit.  

The female co-host, Kelly I believe is her name, did her best.  Hell, at least she participated.  I found it ironic that she was wearing giant stilettos, which most of us know by now have wrecked females feet since their creation.  Fixing the ankle joint in that static/plantar flexed position all day will strip you of your ankle mobility faster than you can imagine.  Factor in that a lot of females wear heels for their careers and also out on the weekends, and that is a lot of poor ankle mobility we have on our hands.

Anyways, Kelly tried to squat and she maybe broke a depth that allowed for the backside of her thighs to reach parallel to the ground (which doesn’t mean that her femur bones reach that depth).  At that point, she hunched and locked up.

For your viewing pleasure, here are the clips:

I also love that Kelly announced that sitting is the new smoking.  I probably didn’t coin that term, but in my social circle, I have been saying it for years.  I should get shirts made and a website set up.

Another important point in Kelly’s brief segment where he says that many of the orthopedic problems that people experience today can be prevented, by that person, on their own, at home.

Brilliant.

We can take care of ourselves, we just need to take the time to seek out good information and then execute that information and make change.

How to you know what classifies “good information”?  Let me guide you here folks… I will continue to post links on this blog to resources that I truly value while giving my take on things, and hopefully you can find some value in all of it.

Here is the first resource of value… buy his book:

How to become a supple leopard book cover

@ Amazon.com

Cheers to doing your own gardening and supple leopards!

KG

 

The Shark Tank, Results and How Both Can Impact You

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Photo Credit:  stressfreekids.com

I love the television show “Shark Tank”.

I love everything about it.  

Here is how it works:

1)  The entrepreneur enters the “shark tank” (a room to present to five different successful millionaires) seeking to gain valuable business partners and investment capital for their business.

2)  The entrepreneur makes their product/idea pitch.

3)  Post-pitch, the sharks give feedback and ask questions about the business/idea.

  • The feedback is either sharp and harsh, or encouraging and curious.
  • The questions heavily pertain to past revenue, experience, growth potential, evaluation of the business, etc.

4)  The Sharks decide whether the idea is valuable enough to earn them profit on their investment.

I am absolute fascinated by people who find their calling and begin creating and designing gadgets, apps or services that can solve everyday problems, improve old products or pave the way for a new way of doing things.  I have such a respect for an entrepreneur that can sacrifice everything for their passion, refusing to give up through thick and thin.  It takes amazing courage to build a dream from scratch and see it through to the end.  

Many of these people have given everything to pursue the American dream.  

That’s passion.  

Another aspect of Shark Tank that I love is the negotiations.  Sure, the pitches that introduce the entrepreneur’s idea to the Sharks (who are millionaire/billionaire investors themselves) are great, but the negotiations after all of the glitz and glamour is what I get sucked into.

The questions from the Sharks are direct and typically no non-sense.  The Sharks want to know if the investment opportunity has gotten results in the past and what the plan is to grow on those results (the forecast).  The entrepreneurs that do the best on the show tend to answer the questions with sharp, crisp and clear answers.  They have a plan and they have results to show positive growth and execution of that plan. 

Those who respond with wishy washy answers get crucified on national television.

You’re probably wondering why I am talking about the Shark Tank on a active/fitness related blog…

… and to that I say: settle down and let me get there.  It might be choppy.

Here is an un-organized collection of my thoughts that I had earlier today…

As I briefly touched on above, shortly after the entrepreneur shares their product or idea, the Sharks take their gloves off and begin poking and prodding into exactly what they- the entrepreneurs- need (money and connections to influential networks), why they need it, what they will do with it when they get it, and most importantly, their past efforts and the results of those efforts.  

I have seen countless entrepreneurs lose out on investments by the Sharks just because they didn’t have results (sales/income/revenue) from their product or idea.  Maybe the product is being treated too much like a hobby, or maybe the entrepreneur has got some serious flaws and gaps in their business and how they have been going about growing it and scaling it.  

Either way, the Sharks always crack me up because they can sniff out flaws in a matter of minutes, and a few simple questions.  The numbers add up.  The numbers make the flaws glaringly obvious.

What have I learned from Shark Tank is the difference between an entrepreneur who is rejected out of the board room and an entrepreneur who makes a deal, and acquires one of the Sharks as a business partner…

Results matter.

If the entrepreneur hasn’t sold jack-squat in years, the reception of their product/idea pitch is typically lauded at.

In the fitness world, I hear and read a lot of people talking about how “results based” fitness is a scam.

Really?  How?  

How is getting the results that you seek a scam?  

How is stripping fat, running your first 5k, followed by your first 10k, followed by your first half-marathon, restoring function and posture, etc… a scam?  

We measure success in anything based on results.

I can see how getting the results that you seek at the expensive of bodily harm might be a scam, but I would call that recklessness, absent minded or possibly neglect.  

There is plenty of that going around for sure.

If you set out on a journey to build a body (and I don’t mean stage show bodybuilding) and you are getting great results… Why would you change anything that you are doing until you observe that change is necessary?  Don’t stay in your comfort bubble forever, but stick to the plan if it is working for heavens sake.

Again, you have to be getting results to maintain your same course of action.  

If you’re a person that is interpreting this as pass to continue the same ineffective workout habits that incorporate the same weight for the same amount of time for the same days per week…

… you are mis-understanding what I am trying to say, and maybe it’s an error in my ability to communicate effectively.

I wrote an article a while back where I described a 90 day kettlebell complex training program where I basically leveraged the same kettlebells (24kg Lifeline KB’s) for a full three months, making gains the entire time.  If you read back into some of my older posts, you’ll find that I love acting as the guinea pig.  

I will always try something on myself before I ever recommend anyone else to do it.  Not everyone can say that.  I am willing to put myself through the gauntlet prior to suggesting someone else try it.  I take pride in that.  That’s how I formulate my opinions on certain things, one of those being some aspects of Cross-Fit.  

That being said, I always caution everyone that what I do while training is not always a good fit for what they should be doing, and what their colleagues are doing in the gym might also not be what they should be doing.  Do what you can do, not your what your network can do or the random fit guy at the gym can do.  You’re not him, you’re you.

Sidenote:  I actually know a cosmetic surgeon in town locally who tries all of her techniques on herself first, prior to offering it out to her paying customers.  How bad ass is that?  She puts herself through the gauntlet before bragging about it to her customers just to make a buck.

I have a deep respect for that.  This surgeon’s face is constantly puffy and inflamed from all of the new treatments, but hey, at least she can say that it works or it doesn’t, which makes her far more credible to the patients who come to her for solutions.  Again, I love that.

Back to it…

During the 90 days of kettlebell complex glory, I leveraged the same general movements while I continued to tweak the reps, time under tension, sets, recovery time, etc.  

My results graph was steadily climbing in a positive direction , so why would I alter anything.

I know that staying in the vortex of the same workout for 90 days might sound crazy, and I definitely could have bumped up weights during that time, but I couldn’t resist giving it a go.  

What is the worst that would happen?  Maybe I would simply flat line and maintain my current fitness and body composition levels?  So what?  I was lean going in and the experiment wasn’t going to make me less lean or less strong.

Tweaking the variables can really take a program a great distance, and I think manipulating the variables of exercise is far less scientific than most people think.  Often, the point of improving your body, both performance and aesthetically, is to simply add or subtract.  Add weight, add time under tension, add reps… or… subtract rest period time, subtract volume, subtract paralysis by analysis.  

The last subtraction point is a huge hold up for most people’s results.  What are you waiting for?  The next big study?  We lean on studies and research like crutches.  It drives me nuts.  It’s like we can’t take action until we can justify it with a massive study.  That my friends, is an excuse in disguise.  You can call it being educated and precise, but in my world, someone who doesn’t take action and bases it on lack of research is an excuse maker.  

Trust me, you don’t need a landmark study to justify swapping an hour of TV time for a decent sweat.  And if you’re a person that wishes that you could shrink down, swap fat for muscle and become more athletic, then your results are sitting on the couch right next to you.  

Exercise + eating properly + H20 hydration = Authentic Health.

It’s that simple.  Screw complexity.  Follow the above formula for four weeks without falling off the wagon and see what happens.  You won’t be disappointed that is for sure.

Results require action, and the right kind of action.  On Shark Tank, the interesting part about some of the products/ideas (and the people that are behind them) is that they aren’t bad products/ideas and the business owners are putting in massive amounts of effort and time. The business plan/strategy is just plain wrong.

In these situations the Sharks have the jam to call these people out when they have sold less than $10,000 in 4 consecutive years of being in business.  That’s a red flag that something isn’t right.

Then you’ll get people that have sold $10,000 in their first month after launch, and they just don’t have the capital to take things to the next level.  Very interesting to see those situations.

Sidenote: In the case of building fitness, you don’t need capital.  That’s the beauty of it.  You can honestly get amazing results by buckling down and doing the work with your own bodyweight.  Heck, if you’re on a tight budget, I will even recommend going for a run.  

Running isn’t all that bad really, we sort of blow that out of proportion, just don’t expect to build much muscle by running.  Many times, running along with other long duration represents the entrepreneur who is willing to put forth the effort and time for their results, yet always ends up disappointed because they are operating off of the wrong business plan.  

Is that you?  I bet that statement connects with some of you out there… no doubt about that.

If you’re just starting to get serious about being purposefully active and building your fitness… and you’ve got decent mobility and stability where you need it while being proficient with the lifts, you are probably good to go.  In fact, you’re more than good to go.  Start with a simple strategy and build out from there.  Once you lay a solid foundation, the rest of the house can be built over time without crumbling.  

For example, building strength is simple, it really is.  It isn’t always the most comfortable process and it takes effort to continue added weight over time, but it is simple.  Building cardiovascular endurance is simple.  It isn’t always enjoyable to shave time off of your efforts, but it is simple.  

Sidenote:  Exercise professionals often overreact and preach about the details a little too much for my liking (I am guilty of this).  Sometimes I feel like it might be because they are dry on content or looking to stir up the pot somehow.  I love attention to detail as much as anyone, but it gets old after a while.

Segue…

So as the Sharks on Shark Tank seek investment opportunities that have seen results in acceptable periods of time, so should the person who seeks fitness.  Results are damn important.  If you aren’t seeing results, something is not right with your plan.  Your strategy isn’t working for you.  

People who are fit despite busy careers and family, while working in a much needed social life also, have effective plans.  

Go back to the drawing board, analyze your strategies and get back to it.  

But remember, results matter.  

 

Cheers to results and The Shark Tank!

 

KG

(Sorry for being away for so long)

 

 

 

 

 

“The 45 Lessons Life Taught Me”

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I wanted to share this email that I received today.

As much as this is a blog heavily directed at movement and lifestyle shifts, it is also about sharing what others have to say.  I value speaking with the older generation.  They have so much to teach us, and we have so much to learn from them.  My advice is to take the time to sit down and experience how great our elders are… they have maneuvered through this beautiful struggle that we call life, and chances are good that they might have a pearl or two to share with you.

The times are much faster paced now, but the principles of a life fulfilled never seem to change.

I hope you enjoy reading through this as much as I did…

-KG

Regina Brett - The Plain Dealer

—> Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio .

“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short – enjoy it.

4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7 Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.

8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don’t worry, God never blinks.

16.. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

19.. It’s never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative of dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab our’s back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you need

42. The best is yet to come…

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.”

Are You a Hotel with a Gym?… Thank You. If Not, We’ll Ruin Your Doors.

Quick Tips

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Finding time and space to workout while on the road can a real nightmare.

For those of you who travel often for your career, you undoubtedly know exactly what I am talking about.

It’s a constant challenge to find the motivation and the square footage.

Nothing is ever ideal while traveling, and maintaining positive progress is difficult.  It’s a real shame that it has to be this way, because so many of us travel frequently.

Not every hotel has made a conscious effort to provide its customers with adequate fitness equipment.  It’s disturbing to think about, especially since the active approach to life is gaining momentum.

For those hotels that currently have (and always have) provided paying customers with quality/spacious amenities like well equipped fitness rooms… I would like to say… thank you.

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Few and far between…

Thank you for taking the time to appreciate that not everyone who travels wants to sit in the hotel bar and waste away all night.  I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy a beer or two to come down after a long day of travel, but it’s typically not the first on my priority list.

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We’ve all been there…

Traveling is the definition of being force to be lethargic.  When we travel, we are crammed in narrow/uncomfortable seats on an airplane or stuck behind the wheel of a car.  We are forced in a static position that smashes our asses flat like pancakes and reeks havoc on our hips, lower backs and necks.  Maintaining this sitting posture can deeply effective our overall posture which is not a good things.

We develop knots, muscles firing out of whack or not firing at all, stiff and immobile joints along with a decrease in our overall energy levels.  Sitting makes the best of us lethargic.  It sucks.

Personally, when I arrive to hotel, I typically snap out of it and realize that I am not tired or groggy, but I am desensitized from lack of movement for hours on end.

The traveling businessman or businesswoman understands this feeling, I have no doubt.

Sometimes we just want to hop on the treadmill (yes I said the treadmill) and log a few miles with the headphones in, do some squats, push ups, pull ups, presses and unwind the damage caused from long days of travel.  It feels good to open up the lungs and get a good sweat in after being confined in the jail that we refer to as airports.

One of the reasons that I push so hard for people to purchase suspension trainers is because a suspension trainer allows you to take your strength training anywhere.  The resistance based moves that you’re able to perform with a suspension trainer might be sub-maximal and far from the weight that you’re capable of lifting, but at the very least you can execute one hell of a workout that will get your blood pumping, aid in maintaining strength and offset the detrimental effects that traveling posture can have.

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Just hook your trainer to your door and get after it.  It’s that simple.

Fire up your iPhone with Pandora, Spotify or music from your iTunes library and you’ve brought your home gym with you.

If you’ve got room, you can add a jump rope and a timer of some kind and now you’ve just set up a quality gym… all from the comfort of your hotel room.

The portability (is this a word?) of suspension trainers and jump ropes is a major turn on for active folks.  It’s fitness without bulk.

You can pack a suspension trainer, jump rope and timer in a bag not much larger than a quart sized zip loc.  Seriously.  These items pack like a charm and really provide the most benefit in situations where the equipment is not ideal.  I rarely travel without packing my suspension trainer and jump rope.  Even if I don’t end up using it, I know that it is in my bag if I need it.  That’s a good feeling for someone who places priority on staying active no matter what.  If it’s important, you should do it every single day.

You can’t put a price on that… well actually you can… because a suspension trainer is about $99 and a quality jump rope shouldn’t cost more than about $10-15 reasonably.

So for less than $115, you can have a fully functioning gym that you can take anywhere in the world and get a kick ass training session in.

Bad ass I’d say.

I have worked out in hotel rooms more times that I can count.  While it may be unpopular with your roommates and neighbors, I can honestly say that I have never regretted getting a workout in while on the road… and that just might be the point.  Rarely do people ever regret how they feel after getting a simple and effective training session in.  Can you remember the last time that you regretted getting a sweat and opening up the lungs? Probably not, we almost always feel better post-workout.

Be willing to adapt.  Training at home, everything is ideal.  You have what you need tool-wise and you’re neatly situated in your comfort zone.  On the road, it is almost always the opposite.  Space is tight, equipment is foreign and motivation is lacking.  It’s important to be able to adapt to your environment.  Your body will seriously thank you for making the effort.  The proof of your efforts will be visible to onlookers, I guarantee it.

The Wrap Up…

So if you’re a hotel (or hotel chain) that has taken the time to supply a fitness room that has properly functioning equipment… thank you.

Sincerely, thank you.

We travelers aren’t asking for much.  Just a simple space to take care of our bodies physically.  We enjoy being active, and just because we are away from home, doesn’t mean that we don’t give a shit about our health.  Sure, it might be a vacation and we are staying in your hotel to relax and have fun, but please realize that an increasing number of us really do want to stay active whole host of reasons that differ from person to person.

It’s become a part of our lifestyles, fully integrated into our lives just like showering or eating breakfast.

Hotels, thank you for recognizing this.  And if not, thank you for making the hotel door solid enough, and the lock with such quality that we are able to hang our suspension trainers from them and really get after it when you forget to include fitness rooms on your premises.  We appreciate that too…

Sorry for ruining your doors.

Cheers to keeping up with your movement while on the traveling…

KG