Workout Wednesday: Handstand Pushups.

Ok, so I've been out for a bit with a shoulder injury, which has been an awfully boring, but ultimately fruitful experience.  So I decided to post a video of something that I was able to do a couple of weeks ago: handstand pushups!
I've found these to be one of the best exercises for your shoulders.  Not only does it give you massive shoulders (since you're pushing about 90% of your weight off the floor), but it helps with rotator cuff stability (something that was damaged a bit with me during my injury), as well as balance and core work.  Try a few for yourself, but make sure you use a wall first.
Check out these tips to get the most out of your handstand pushup:

Sweet!

I'm beginning a new workout routine next Monday, but until then I'm going to relax, and keep working my shoulders.  Suffice to say, it's gonna be a doozy of a workout.

Until then!

Injuries, Lesson 2: Embrace Something Else

A few weeks ago, I injured my shoulder during filming.  During this phase of training (because really, isn't everything training?), I've managed to learn a few things.
Lesson #2: Embrace something you wouldn't have done before.  In my case, this was biking.  I've never been very into cycling or anything like that, always attributing the strange shoes and tight shorts as guys and girls showing off (this coming from a swimmer, who spent most of his swim team youth in a mankini).  However, I decided to quit knocking it and give it a shot.  Yeah, it sucked at first (the seat is so uncomfortable!), but in time I grew to enjoy it a little bit, and it even became therapeutic for me.  It's something that I'm going to add to my routine.

Injury: Lessons Learned Part One

So, a few weeks ago during filming for a new web series that I'm hosting, I messed up my shoulder in a stunt known as the "Human Adagio."  Basically I was supposed to keep my arms straight the whole time.
Time for a game boys and girls, entitled "Where Did Jordan F*ck Up."  Can you guess where he messed up (hint: it's where everyone goes "ooooo").

Ow.  

During this time, I have written several things and made a lot of observations on what has happened.  I'll be writing one thing per entry for the next few days or so.

The first thing I have learned: don't stop working out after injury.  After what happened in the video, I stopped working out for about two weeks.  During that time, the injury went from one shoulder to affect both shoulders.  Not only that, but the pain was different on each one.  Again, not a smart idea.  So I decided to train for my triathlon (which is coming up this Saturday) by doing a lot more biking and running, since I am not comfortable on biking or the biking-to-running transition.  Little by little, my body began to heal itself. 

I read somewhere recently that if you get injured, you shoulder continue to work out, because not only will you heal faster, but you will actually become stronger in the affected area.  That seemed to be the case, as about a week after I started biking and running again, I tried my hand at swimming, and ended up swimming about 2 miles in an hour using mostly my arms.

More to come this week.  

Motivational Monday: Find the Motivation.

Today for my Motivational Mondays, I'm going to talk about swimming.
I was a competitive swimmer for nine years of my life.  I remember first jumping in the pool at age nine and attempting to swim across the pool as fast as possible.  Swimming sets, when timed by the clock, with nothing but a pair of goggles and a swim suit.  It's poetry to me.  I was partially inspired to get back into the pool by watching the U.S. Olympic trials, which are nothing short of extraordinary.  The USA has an amazing swim program; it's a shame it's not covered in the same way as basketball or football, especially with a little fella named Michael Phelps came on board. 
I was also inspired by an old swimming buddy of mine who, after much coaxing on her part, got me to jump in head first and compete in a triathlon.  No prepartion, no decent equipment: just me and my wits.  I didn't do half badly, but I can do much better.  So I decided to take it upon myself to get back into training.  Not just for stunt work and acting, but for swimming and potentially triathlons. 
It's nice when people push you out of your comfort zone.  The problem where I live is that there are so few people willing to go that extra mile in their workouts (however, if you're out there, please train with me!).  Now thanks to those two big influences, and having this girl check in on me from time to time, I'm getting back in the saddle, and giving competing my first real try since...well, ever.
Let's see what I can do.  Oh and America: the next time we race, you'd better watch out. 

The Strength Test Project: Easy Swimming

Today I got back in the water for the first time in almost two years.  Even though my shoulder hurt to swim, it felt so nice to get back into the water.
Also did some shoulder work and pull ups and pushups.  No handstand work yet, but some great functional stretching.

The Strength Test Project: Starting to Get my Groove Back

Today I had a success story: I was doing full pull ups without pain.  My shoulder isn't 100%, but it's very quickly getting there.  I also did some pushups and worked with my shoulder rehab sequence.  In addition, I also did a nice 20 minute run, with a few speed runs and two 100 meters sprints.  It felt very good to be working hard again.  Tomorrow, I'm going to give the weights a (very gentle) go.
On another note, I'm learning a lot more about my body, such as the tightness I tend to get in my upper trapezius.

The Strength Test Workout: Recovery and Healing

Ok, so I know I haven't been able to work out much.  This is because during filming this weekend for my new web series, I injured my shoulder attempting to execute a move.  Check out the video below and see if you can figure out what happened:

Ow!

In case you didn't figure it out, I hurt my shoulder.  Tweaked the rotator cuff I believe.  Even still, with the injured shoulder, I forged ahead, and did a lot of cool stuff, including this:

Check out my legs!

Afterwards, I started feeling a lot of pain and discomfort, specifically when I raised my shoulder.  A lot of tension as well.  This tells me that my body was trying to protect me.  It did a very good job too, as my injury seems to have almost been healed (famous last words).

But during these past couple of days, I've had some time to reflect on what I've learned as a result of my injuries.  My first significant injury that really affected me was when I was 17, and developed chronic tendonitis in both of my shoulders from swimmers. Tendonitis is when your tendons become enflamed due to overuse or stress.  Now I've had tendonitis from track and cross country, but I asked my doctor "ok, so I'll be ok right?"  His response: "no; you will have this for the rest of your life.  If you don't keep your shoulders strong, it's going to come back."

Something in me clicked.  For the first time, I understood that I wasn't invincible.  I was human, made of flesh and bone, and that I had to take care of myself.  

I started to understand the human body more, started to explore what worked best for my body.  From dance to swimming to yoga and Reiki, I absorbed everything I could find about the human body.  It probably led to me wanting to become a personal trainer and nutritionist.  

But what I learned the most about my body is this: that our bodies are so smart.  Whether you believe in Creationism or Evolution, our bodies are designed to protect us, to keep us alive.  When we receive a cut, our body creates millions of different kinds of cells to make sure that that cut doesn't harm us further.  We have a complex survival system that, when threatened, allows us extra strength to either run away at blinding speed, or fight for those we love.

Our bodies are smart.  That's why I've been able to do the things I can do.  I know ultimately when to push my body, and when to back off.  This week, my shoulder has some inflammation; my right trapezius and neck muscles are tense from making sure my shoulder didn't dislocate; and my lattisimus dorsi is very sore.  

I've altered my shoulder rehab routine, and a friend of mine is going to help supplement my workout routine with circus/gymnastic style workouts, because these guys are insanely strong, flexible, and have fantastic endurance.  

Thanks body for protecting me.

The Strength Test Project Day 5: Strength sans Cardio *Sad Face*

Friday is here!  And I have the longest work day ever!!!
...Actually not really.  But it is long.  As such though, I have a slightly quicker workout to do.  Which means: no cardio, sadly.  Don't worry though, I'm sure I'll get it in this weekend.
Here's the workout I did today.  It's a repeat of Tuesday's, but I decided to throw in front squats as well, which are a very lovely variation on back squats because the bar is on the front side of your body as opposed to...well, the back.  I've adjusted some of the weights, but overall it remains consistent.
Check it out:

• Bench Press (165) and Plyometric Pushup: 3 sets of 5 and 10; 2 sets of 3 and 5
• Barbell Curls (70) and Hang Cleans (135): 3 sets of 5 and 5; 2 sets of 3 and 3
• Weighted Dips (27.5) and Floor Wipers (175): 3 sets of 5
• Dumbbell Curls (35) and Triceps Pulldown (115): 3 sets of 5
• Squats (185): 3 sets of 5
• Knee Tuck Jumps: 2 sets of 30 seconds
• Skater Plyo: 2 sets of 30 seconds

Yes, I did my upper body circuit:

• Chin Ups: 5 sets: 9/8/9/8/9
• Incline Pushups with Handles: 25/25/25/25/25
• Handstand Pushups: 2/2/2/2/2

And I did my abdominal workout too!:

• Hanging Leg Raise x 7, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Hanging Leg Raise x 1, Clockwork Leg Raise x 4, Hanging Leg Raise x 1, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Hanging Leg Raise x 7, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Twisting Knee Raise x 4, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Twisting Knee Raise x 4, Hanging Knee Raise x 5

Happy Friday everyone!  I'm off to New York to work on a new project. Stay tuned!

Strength Test Project Day 4: Spinning and Revisiting my Weights

Ok, so today was another scorcher, although not as hot as it was yesterday.  I decided to do some very easy swimming (which consisted of teaching a 6-year-old that the deep end of a pool isn't scary).
In addition, I did another spinning class!  I'll admit, I may be starting to enjoy this whole spinning thing.    It was an endurance class, so it was about maintaining an aerobic pace (about 65-75% of your maximum effort).
In addition, I did my upper body bodyweight circuit:

• Chin Ups: 5 sets: 9/8/9/8/9
• Incline Pushups with Handles: 25/25/25/25/25
• Handstand Pushups: 2/2/2/2/2

And I did my workout from Monday.  Since I've done it before, I decided to up the weight on a few of the exercises, but for the most part kept everything the same.  New weights are highlighted and italicized.  I also decided to add shrug rolls in addition to the power shrugs.  This sequence meant that I started with power shrugs; then I did forward shoulder rolls with the weights; then I switched directions.  The goal is to always go through the maximum range of motion:

• Handstand Pushups and Repetition Jerks (100 pounds): 3 sets of 5; 2 sets of 3
• Weighted Chin Ups (27.5 pounds) and High Pulls (85 pounds): 3 sets of 5; 2 sets of 3
• Power Shrug/Shrug Rolls (55 pound dumbbells) and Thrusters (35 pounds): 3 sets of 5
• Lat Pulldown (120 pounds) and Single Arm Dumbbell Row (60 pounds): 3 sets of 5
• Deadlift (185 pounds) and Straight Leg Deadlift (115 pounds): 3 sets of 5
• Split Jump: 2 sets of 30 seconds
• Gunther Hops: 2 sets of 30 seconds

After another hot day, I deserve a break.  Nighty-night; got to get my rest and recover.

The Strength Test Project Day 3: Hot Day

Ok, today was a scorcher where I was.  And as Wednesday was my "recovery day" (I use that term loosely), I gave myself a nice and easy 20 minute run in the 95 degree, 95% humidity air.  For someone who doesn't function well in the humidity, this may have not been a smart idea (hooray accelerated metabolisms!).
In addition, I did my upper body bodyweight workout:

• Chin Ups: 5 sets: 9/8/9/8/9
• Incline Pushups with Handles: 25/25/25/25/25
• Handstand Pushups: 2/2/2/2/2

And my abdominal workout:

• Hanging Leg Raise x 7, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Hanging Leg Raise x 1, Clockwork Leg Raise x 4, Hanging Leg Raise x 1, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Hanging Leg Raise x 7, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Twisting Knee Raise x 4, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Twisting Knee Raise x 4, Hanging Knee Raise x 5

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pass out now and hopefully cool off.

The Strength Test Project, Day 2: I Try Spinning

Ok, so here we go with the next installment!  Today I started with a spinning class.  Now let it be said: I do not enjoy classes.  I never have.  But if there's any class that I've tried that I like, it's spinning.  And we did a series of intervals, something called hills and valley; we did 3 sets of 3 minute hard intervals followed by 2 minutes of recovery; then we flip-flopped, doing 3 sets of 2 minute hard intervals followed by 3 minutes of recovery.  All in all, a lot of fun.
After my spinning class, I enjoyed a lovely little workout like this:

• Bench Press (165) and Plyometric Pushup: 3 sets of 5 and 10; 2 sets of 3 and 5
• Barbell Curls (65) and Hang Cleans (135): 3 sets of 5 and 5; 2 sets of 3 and 3
• Weighted Dips (27.5) and Floor Wipers (175): 3 sets of 5
• Dumbbell Curls (35) and Triceps Pulldown (115): 3 sets of 5
• Squats (185): 3 sets of 5
• Knee Tuck Jumps: 2 sets of 30 seconds
• Skater Plyo: 2 sets of 30 seconds

And also, I did my upper body circuit:

• Chin Ups: 5 sets: 9/8/9/8/9
• Incline Pushups with Handles: 25/25/25/25/25
• Handstand Pushups: 2/2/2/2/2

Well, that's all.  Until tomorrow!  I'm off to relax my muscles, and gear up for tomorrow.

New Workout Challenge: The Strength Test Project

Ever been curious as to how people gain muscles for movie roles?  

Me too.

Recently I was on a feature film with a lead role, during which time I looked at my character and decided he needed to be a bit bigger.  Not fatter, but a bit more muscular.  I told the director this and he said "if you can do it, then go for it."  I decided to give it a shot, by gaining 10 pounds of muscle before filming began, and maintain it throughout the shoot.

We started filming in a month.

So I threw myself into my training like never before.  I was putting up weight after weight, pushing myself beyond my self-imposed limits.  So what did I do?

I gained 10 pounds of muscle in 3 weeks.

Now this may not seem like much to many, but for someone who works out as frequently as I do, and as someone who has an accelerated metabolism, putting on weight is quite a task.  I would like to tell y'all how I did it, and especially how I maintained it (I had a shirtless scene about halfway through the shoot), but the truth is that I never wrote it down.

Well, I kind of liked that challenge.  So I thought to myself "what if I try to gain functional, real strength, while at the same time putting a bit of size on myself?"

Welcome to what I'm dubbing "The Strength Test Project."

Note that I'm not calling it "the size project" or something.  I want to put muscle on me that not only looks good on camera, but is muscle that I can use for various races and activities I'm doing this summer, including my first ever Triathlon.  As I tell people: don't train for show, but train for go.  But first, down to the stats, because I have to know what I'm working with in order to gain strength and know where I'm going to begin.  

• Resting Heart Rate: 60 Beats Per Minute
• Weight: 169 lbs 
• Body Fat: 6.3%
• Neck Measurement: 16”
• Shoulders at their widest point (halfway between your nipples and your clavicle): 48”
• Chest (measuring tape right across your nipples and under your arms): 40”
• Waist 3 inches above your bellybutton: 32.5”
• Waist at your belly button: 32”
• Waist 3 inches below your belly button: 35”
• Hips at their widest point: 39”
• Thigh 9 inches above the top of your kneecap: 23”/23.5”
• Thigh 6 inches above the top of your kneecap: 21”/21”
• Thigh 3 inches above the top of your kneecap: 18”/18”
• Calf at its widest point: 16”/15.75”
• Bicep (flexed) measure the widest point: 15”/15”
• Forearm at its widest point: 13”/13” 

Ab Vanity Shot, With Free Action Glasses!

...And Here's a Bicep Flex

So the basic plan is to do four days of hardcore working out, starting with moderate weights to not completely shock my body.  This will also be complimented with a wide variety of cardio, including swimming (shocker I know) and biking (which I'm personally not looking forward to).  Along the way I'm going to be modifying the exercises and intensity of the workouts as needed, so it's going to constantly challenge my body.

The program itself is going to last eight weeks, during which time, if anyone has any questions regarding this, I will be posting a weekly video to highlight my progress, and will hopefully answer any and all questions, comments, concerns, and reasons as to why I'm putting myself through this awful process (or if any questions are asked at all).

Let's get started!  Today I focused mainly on a few compound exercises, followed by complimenting exercises designed to exhaust the body parts.  If anyone wants me to, I can film myself demonstrating the exercises that I'm doing, as I'm trying to keep these postings kind of short...I said kinda didn't I?

Here was the exercise regiment that I did today; a few of these exercises (specifically the high pull and the straight leg deadlift) were brand new to me, so I didn't want to start with very heavy weights.  Most of these exercises I started with moderately heavy weights, to get my body used to the load (didn't want to kill it on the first day, I've got 8 weeks to last!).

Here we go: 

• Main Workout:
• Handstand Pushups and Repetition Jerks (all at 95 pounds): 3 sets of 5; 2 sets of 3
• Weighted Chin Ups (27.5 pounds) and High Pulls (85 pounds): 3 sets of 5; 2 sets of 3
• Power Shrug (55 pound dumbbells) and Thrusters (35 pounds): 3 sets of 5
• Lat Pulldown (100 pounds) and Single Arm Dumbbell Row (55 pounds): 3 sets of 5
• Deadlift (185 pounds) and Straight Leg Deadlift (115 pounds): 3 sets of 5
• Split Jump: 2 sets of 30 seconds
• Gunther Hops: 2 sets of 30 seconds

In addition, I did a little upper body routine, which I will be doing 4-5 days a week, slowly increasing the repetitions as time goes on:

• Chin Ups: 5 sets: 9/8/9/8/9
• Incline Pushups with Handles: 25/25/25/25/25
• Handstand Pushups: 2/2/2/2/2

And of course, I did some abdominal work:

• Hanging Leg Raise x 7, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Hanging Leg Raise x 1, Clockwork Leg Raise x 4, Hanging Leg Raise x 1, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Hanging Leg Raise x 7, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Twisting Knee Raise x 4, Hanging Knee Raise x 5
• Twisting Knee Raise x 4, Hanging Knee Raise x 5

Oh yes, and let's not forget; I ran about 50 minutes today.  Not a fast pace, but a comfortable cruising pace that allowed me to listen to my music and just forget about everything.  

Well, that's all for now; tomorrow I hit day 2, and I have a feeling I'm gonna be sore...

Motivational Monday: Make Your Own Miracles: My Philosophy

Hey there everybody!  After a bit of a creative hiatus to get me back to my roots (which involved me seeing friends and family, including two friends of mine getting married, yay!), I'm back with vigor.
You know, a little over two years ago, I graduated college with a degree in Musical Theatre.  Now to my knowledge no one had graduated with that kind of degree in at least 10 years (it was an individualized major).  A lot of people said that I was nuts, that it couldn't be done.  Yet there I was, doing what people thought was a fool's errand.
When I said I wanted to be a film actor, I had more than a few people say that I had to "go to Los Angeles, be there 3-5 years, and then you may get some parts, but you'll never really make it."  I've barely been at this film thing for 1.5 years, and already I am a union actor (SAG-AFTRA); I have a demo reel and a website; people are contacting me for gigs; and I am on the top of my game.
People told me I'd have to choose, that I'd have to give up some activities as I got older.  Since I've graduated, I've worked on feature films and commercials; done Tough Mudder and Spartan Race; met and embraced a new family in the worlds of film and physical fitness; travelled across the country.  I am surrounded by so many friends and family who want the best for me, I've honestly lost track.
So to all of those people who think that I don't have what it takes, to all of those people who wish to see me fail, let me tell you this: I've done all of this in 1.5 years, and I haven't even begun yet.  If you think I've succeeded now, you ain't seen nothing yet.  Brace yourself, because I'm making my own miracles, each and every day.

Motivational Monday: Honor Those Who Serve

Motivational Mondays are back!  I've been out for a few weeks due to filming (I'll update you with my other blog, for my acting career in a bit), but I'm back and ready to kick some serious butt!
Today is Memorial Day in the United States, where we honor those who have served, are currently serving, or will serve in the armed forces.  Now speaking as someone who has never been in the service, I have nothing but tremendous respect for these people.  They put their lives on the line for little pay to help make the world a better place.  Now some of you may disagree, but look at World War II.  Do you know how many people sacrificed their lives so that we wouldn't live under Nazi rule?  I don't know, but it was a lot.
Many people are against the war we are currently in, myself included.  I don't like war and violence; it doesn't solve much other than get the adrenaline going and maybe a couple of broken appendages.  But I do support those who serve, because of what they do.  God know I couldn't do it.
So to those in the forces, I honor you not just today, but everyday.  You are truly an inspiration for us all to be something more than we are, and to fight and protect those you love.

Motivational Mondays Are Back! So Very Blessed!

Ok, so I know I've been gone for a little while, but I'll do my best to be a bit more consistent next time.  I've just had so much happen to me in the past couple of months that it's been overwhelming me a bit.  More on that later.
You ever have so many wonderful things happen to you that you just can't bear it but tell the world?  That's me right now, and usually all the time.  I am 25 years old, and I have never been happier, in better shape, and better off at tackling the world than I am right now.  And the best part is is that it's only going to go up from here.  I'm so excited to be sharing this world with y'all that I can barely contain myself.  I've learned a lot about myself, both professionally and personally.  Am I pushing myself too hard sometimes?  Perhaps, but that's the only way I'm going to reach the top. 
And really, none of that would be possible without a good support system.  I have wonderful friends, family, and loved ones who have always believed in me, who have always wanted me to be to succeed and be happy.  It is those people (and you know who you are) that have helped me through all my victories and failures, achievements and mistakes, and have helped me to grow.
So to those people, you have no idea how much you have helped me, and this blog entry will hardly do it justice.  All I can offer is my undying humility and gratitude and my promise to keep pushing myself and being happy.
So today, thank someone who has been a big inspiration in your life.  I try to do this every day of my life.  You don't have to do it, but at the very least you could let them know that you love them and appreciate all that they've done for you. 
Namaste, God Bless, and Thank You.

Myself after New England Tough Mudder

Make your own miracles

Workout Wednesday: Hand Stand Pushups

After a couple of days to really focus on my work and working out, I'm blogging about something that I've been working to get back to for a couple of weeks now: handstand pushups.  They're just awesome.  If you want powerful and functional shoulders, you should try for this (men and women alike).  They're just sexy. 
Don't believe me?  Then check out this girl doing handstand pushups and prove me wrong.
Enjoy.

Is that sexy or what?

Motivational Monday: Relaxation

Well, after a weekend of filming, rehearsals, lots of walking and being in 40 degree weather with my shirt off, I am finally able to relax.  And that's part of the game; learning to relax.
In the world of gaining muscle, it's not how much you lift that matters so much as how much rest you give your muscles.  That's because they need to be torn down and rebuilt stronger and more durable, more able to handle heavy loads.  The same thing can be said for when you break a bone; your body creates more calcium for that bone so that it's less likely to break. 
We all need time to relax.  Which is why I'm so glad I get to go to California (San Francisco to be specific) to celebrate a birthday and see friends.  I will still hit the weights and pavement of course, but to have that lack of stress for a few days will keep me energized and ready for what's around the corner.  Big things in store, so stay tuned.

March 23rd, 2012: Carrying to Safety Workout

So today, I did the aptly named "Carrying to Safety Workout" because, well, sometimes you gotta carry somebody.  To accomplish this, Chad Howse talked about some key things that you have to work on:

• Grip Strength
• Lifting Power/Strength
• Muscle Endurance
• Lifting Technique

So he starts us off with power cleans, which is one of the best athletic movement you can possibly do; it works your entire body in one explosive movement, burning major calories and really testing your grit.  Admittedly I haven't done these in a very long time, so I need to get my form back.  Then doing a workout geared towards endurance particularly in the legs, shoulders and back.  The endurance challenge was designed to have me lift heavy weight, so breaks were required (as in, I had to lift heavy enough weights to stop a couple of times)
But me being me, I threw in some extras.  Yes, that means I did my ab exercises, but I also threw in some extra chest work, because I like pushups.  I threw in some clap pushups, and some swinging planks, which work the whole body.  I also had to vary up the heavy bag lifting exercise, seeing as how I didn't have a bag.  Let's go.
Explosive Movements: 

• Power Cleans: 4 sets of 3: 115/135/145/145
• Clap Pushups: 3 sets of as many as possible without sacrificing form at all: 17/17/18

Endurance Challenge: as fast as possible for time:

• Farmers Walk: 60 seconds: 45 pound dumbbells in each hand
• Hack Squat (barbell behind you on the floor): 30 reps: 125 pounds
• Lumberjack Press: 30: 65 pounds (this one hurt a lot)
• Front Squat (barbell positioned on your shoulders, working your postural muscles): 30: 95 pounds (it's harder than it sounds, trust me).
• TRX Row with feet suspended: 30 (keep in mind I had my entire body suspended)
• Lunge Walk: 30 each leg: 45 pound dumbbells
• Weight Walk: 100 feet x6: 45 pound plate (also held out shoulders to put more stress on them)
• Swinging Plank (start in a Yoga Child's Pose but with your legs out to the side; slide out into a low pushup position; switch sides): 30

Time: 23:21
Ooof.  This one was tough.  My weakness seems to be odd lifts (i.e. the front and hack squats).  The lumberjack press also threw me for a loop.  Because I've never done about half of these lifts, I'm not too concerned.  I'll just get faster :)
Until tomorrow, where I will try to get something in, but with filming all day, that will be doubtful.
And for my own inspiration, here's a photo of Bruce Lee, because he brought the term "Superhero" to real life.  Now to finish watching the UNC/Ohio U. game.  Cheers!

So freaking badass.  

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012: Yoga it Up!

So, sometimes when you do a new workout routine, you gotta listen to your body and how it responds to it.  Sometimes you have to be gradual.
That's what I'm doing here.  Today I did yoga, and really let my body stretch and relax.  However, the yoga itself was difficult, seeing as how I had to hold a low pushup position for 30 seconds minimum, or a hand balancing pose for a minute.  But still, easier than some stuff I could put it through.
Tomorrow, I start workout routine #3 for being a hero.  Rock on.

Tuesday, March 20th AND Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

Hmmm...
So, apparently my post from Tuesday didn't save at all.  Lovely.  Guess I'll have to write two of them.
Tuesday's Workout:
An oldie but a goodie.  I'm a huge fan of Spartan lore, and all things Spartan (except the Michigan State Spartans, when it comes to college teams I'm a Tar Heel fan through and through.  And while we're on the subject, Marshall is gonna be fine, so watch out Ohio).  So I decided to do one of my favorite workouts, created for the Starz original series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand: The Spartacus Workout.  Aw yeah.
Here's all you need: a pair of dumbbells that are moderately heavy, and some space.  You have 10 full-body exercises, each lasting 60 seconds, with 15 seconds to transition between each.  Then after going through the whole sequence, catch your breath, and go through 2 more times.  Yes, you heard me.  Ready?

1. Goblet Squat
2. Mountain Climber
3. Single Arm Dumbbell Swing
4. T-Pushup
5. Split Jump
6. Dumbbell Row
7. Dumbbell Side Lunge and Touch
8. Pushup Row
9. Dumbbell Lunge and Rotation
10. Dumbbell Push Press

I did this workout outside, and boy oh boy was it great to do that.  The sun beating down on my back and chest while I ripped it up; priceless.
Wednesday's Workout:
Well, I'm working on being a superhero.  The next workout in Chad Howse's series is called Pulling to Safety Workout, aptly named because, well, if you need to pull yourself and someone out of, say, a raging river, you can do so.  To do this, Chad says you need a few things:

1. Upper body pulling strength and endurance
2. Grip strength and endurance
3. Core stability

While I agree with these, I'm a little hesitant to say core, only because core is essential in everything we do.  But who am I to say?  But, being me (slightly crazy; ok maybe a lot crazy), I added a few things.  So, while Monday's workout had a power component but Wednesday's didn't, I decided to add one, with very little rest (20 seconds or less) in between each other.  I also added my own abdominal work; 3 sets of hanging leg raises followed by five hanging knee raises, and some pushups thrown in for fun.
What was the same from Monday was the challenge/endurance workout.  The weight was meant to be heavy, so heavy that you had to stop after a few reps to catch your breath.  But what bugged me was that, despite Chad's knowledge, his form in the video was SO BAD!  Good God, my back and shoulders were aching from that; I'm built like a twig and can't take that kind of pounding, and I want to be able to use my body injury free for the next 50 or so years thank you very much.
So I adhered to strict form (I'm so anal about form), did a way with the barbells, and the minute my form started to affect my repetitions in the slightest way (I started to throw my back into my bicep curls, or I felt myself falling even an inch during my static holds), I stopped and rested just enough to gain some endurance back.  So, without further to do, here's my Pulling to Safety Workout:
Power/Endurance:

1. Pull Up Static Hold (chin above the bar): 2x hold: 32 seconds/33 seconds
2. TRX Low Row Hold: 2x hold: 20 seconds/24 seconds
3. Plank: Held for 1:37 

Endurance Challenge: 30 repetitions, keeping to extremely strict form

1. Moving Pull Ups (moving body from left to right hand, then alternating)
2. Bent Over Row: 40 pound dumbbells
3. Farmer's Walk: 45 pound dumbbells: walking for 60 seconds
4. Side to Side Pushups
5. Dumbbell Bicep Curls: 25 pound dumbbells
6. Plank: 2 minutes
7. Hanging Leg Raises (the kind I do): 20

Then I went for a nice, long hour run.  Easy, just working on form and getting the mileage back after a busy winter.
Didja enjoy?  If you have any questions, let me know.  Tune in tomorrow: hopefully my blog will work this time!
Oh, and here's a cool photo of Tony Jaa, because he's such a badass.  Enjoy!

Total B.A.

Workout Wednesday: Awesomeness

Need I say more?

March 19th, 2012: Superhero Workout Begins!

I love comic book heroes.  There's just something so incredibly awesome and awe-inspiring about them.  They just exude charisma, class, and mad crazy athleticism.  Spider Man can climb up walls like it's nothing, Captain America throws his shield like a pro, and Batman is just...Batman.  I've spent a lot of time in my yard when I was little pretending to kick bad guy butt.  Ok, maybe I do that a little bit nowadays.  The point is that heroes kick ass.
Which is why I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across this workout series called "The Hero Training Workouts," created by Chad Howse.  He created a series of five workouts, all geared towards doing something heroic in real life.  Now while the workout names aren't very creative, they focus on real-life situations, and gives you workout to help up your ante.  He has you focus on a couple of key moves to hep create strength in that area, then gives you a workout challenge to help with muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
Like today's workout for instance.  It's so creatively called the Chase Down a Purse Snatcher Workout.  As outlined by Chad, he says a couple of things you'll need for chasing down that nasty ol' purse snatcher is, and I quote:

• The explosive speed needed for the start of the sprint and the first 10-20 meters.
• The endurance should the chase go longer than expected

Ok, cool beans.  I'm game.  And I wanna be Batman.  So let's give this workout a shot.  I'll try the workout for eight weeks, gradually changing things and upping the weight if need be.  Because the system varies so much, I can do this workout for a bit longer than your typical, not-superhero workout.  
But first, to make sure that these workout actually make a difference, let's get some stat info.  I decided to go ahead and measure my right and left sides, respectively, because who wants a superhero that isn't symmetrical?  That's just silly.  Anywho, here are my stats:

Weight: 169 lbs 

Body Fat: 6.1%

Neck Measurement: 16”

Shoulders at their widest point (halfway between your nipples and your clavicle): 48”

Chest (measuring tape right across your nipples and under your arms): 40”

Waist 3 inches above your bellybutton: 32.5”

Waist at your belly button: 32”

Waist 3 inches below your belly button: 35”

Hips at their widest point: 39”

Thigh 9 inches above the top of your kneecap: 23”/23.5”

Thigh 6 inches above the top of your kneecap: 21”/21”

Thigh 3 inches above the top of your kneecap: 18”/18”

Calf at its widest point: 16”/15.75”

Bicep (flexed) measure the widest point: 15”/14.75”

Forearm at its widest point: 13”/13” 

Posing shirtless with a fedora, like a boss

Now you may or may not know me, but I always like to add a little extra.  So I did.  I decided to add a nice 30 minute run after the workout, and a lovely exercise called Floor Wipers, as well as my ab work.  Those who followed my old blog would have seen the video for this, but I'll give you a link to the video here, as well as the link for my ab workout here (keep in mind I did three sets of these).

Ready for the workout?  Remember, it's two segments, strength and endurance/challenge set, plus the run afterwards.  I'll separate them.  Let's get super...sweaty.

Strength: 

• Deadlift: 3 sets of 3: 205/210/215
• Floor Wipers: 3 sets of 10: 175/180/185
• Box Jumps: 2 sets of 6 @ 30 inches
• Box Jumps: 2 sets of 12 @ 30 inches

Endurance Challenge: Done as fast as possible: done in 13:35

• 50 Pushups
• 50 Kettlebell Swings @ 35 pounds
• 50 TRX Low Rows
• 50 Bodyweight Squats
• 100 Lunge Jumps
• 60 seconds of High Knees

4x50 meter sprints

30 minute vary pace run (varying the speed that I'm running, but keeping it manageable).  

I will progress and get better; now that I have some idea of how things flow, it'll get so much easier.
Well, until tomorrow!

Motivational Monday: Be a Hero

Now since I'm on a superhero kick, I'd like to start off this week's Motivational Monday by talking about being a hero.
Now when I talk about being a hero, I don't mean being able to jump buildings in a single bound, or shoot webbing from your hands, or have an awesome utility belt, although if you have those they'll help too.  Also if you have a utility belt, you're probably loaded, and if that's the case, I'll gladly be hired on as your butler, fake British accent included. 
What I'm talking about is being a hero in any way possible.  There are those of us, like Bill Gates, who gives oodles and oodles of money to various charities, or Angelina Jolie who is a Goodwill Ambassador.  I give them tremendous respect for what they do, but not everyone has money to give or the time to be an Ambassador.  We're all busy, and Bill Gates and Angelina are wealthy and good looking (if you go for that geeky type of guy; I'll stick with Angelina thank you, especially after she pulled that leg stunt at the Academy Awards...thank you Angelina...). 
Anywho, what I'm talking about is just being a good person to someone, even if it's a small gesture.  Hold the door open for someone; help an old person with their groceries; be a Big Brother or Sister; volunteer at the Soup Kitchen.  Do something to help out someone, man or woman, dog or cat. 
Even if you do something as simple as help out someone in need, in that brief moment, in their eyes, you're a hero.

Sunday, March 18th, 2012: Burpee Run

Because I wanted to enjoy some of the sunshine today, I did a lovely workout that I call burpee runs.  Basically what it means it that I run for 5 minutes on a track running at a good pace (about 70% of my maximum speed), then 1 minute of burps. Sound easy?  Try doing it 5 times through, with no rest.  It was a good time.  Also painful.  But fun.
Tomorrow begins my superhero workout.  To start getting into the mindset, I bought myself Infamous 2, the sequel to one of the best games I have ever played.  And yes, it's a superhero game.  You get powers, get to jump across buildings.  Now that I'm in the superhero mindset, I'm ready to begin tomorrow.
Bring it.
I'm also going to fall asleep with 300 playing in the background, to get me into that "breaking bad guys" mindset.

Want to get into the mindset of being a superhero?  This game will help.

March 17th, 2012: St. Patricks Day!

As today is St. Patrick's Day (which apparently means that everyone is Irish and celebrates by getting beyond hammered) you may or may not be reading this with a hangover, or drunk, or both.
Today, I decided to take a rest day. Reason being is that sometimes, you just gotta take a rest from things to recharge and relax. Plus my new workout plan is literally of heroic proportions. Until tomorrow, when I do a older workout, but one of my favorites.
Until tomorrow. Celebrate responsibly.

March 16th, 2012: Bodyweight!

Because it's a maintenance week (if you didn't get the memo, click here to read it), I did simply bodyweight training.  Here was today's workout:
2 sets of:
30 Pushups
60 Squats
25 Short Bridges
8 Close Grip Pull Ups
8 Hanging Leg Raises
8 Partial Handstand Pushups
I also did this lovely circuit 5 times through:
10-13 Hip Pushups (same as a regular pushup except for a few key differences; you are on your fists and they are near your hips, thus increasing the work load your upper body has to take; significant pausing so I would fatigue between 10-13 reps
3-5 Handstand Pushups; again, I used significant pausing to help me fatigue myself
4 Close Grip Pull Ups
4 Wide Grip Pull Ups
Ah, now wasn't that easy?
Well, I'm gonna be turning in in a bit, seeing as how I've been studying for my new certification course.
Nighty-night!

Freaking Awesome!

Wednesday and Thursday: Limited Time = Awesome Workouts

Hey there guys.  Didja think I forgot about Wednesday?  Well I didn't, I just wanted to write it today, and here's why: because I was dividing up strength workouts into upper and lower body.  Seeing as how you need to work out all parts of your body, I saved one part for each day.  My apologies for sounding a little loopy, but I've been running around for the past week and can barely keep myself awake.  My lack of time combined with me being so tired has lead me to do a maintenance workout plan this week, so it's short and sweet.  Keep in mind that each of these workouts took about 15 minutes to complete.  Who says you don't have time to work out?  So without any further to do:
Wednesday, Upper Body: 3 Rounds

• 7 Hanging Leg Raises
• 5 Hanging Knee Raises
• 30 Pushups
• 6 Pull Ups
• 6 Handstand Pushups

Thursday, Lower Body

• 15 minutes of Squats (doesn't sound hard does it?  Try it).

And now off to bed!  Ciao!

Workout Wednesday: Adventure Racing!

For today's Workout Wednesday, I'm showing you something that I got into last August: Adventure racing!  Giant obstacle course races that test your body, mind and will.  It's awesome!  I did a Spartan Race last year, and am Doing Tough Mudder this year with another Spartan Race, but there are so many of them now.  Just google "Adventure Racing" and see what you get.  There are enough out there to appeal to pretty much anyone, whether you're a couch potato looking to improve your life, or a hardcore fitness junkie who's looking for that next rush.
Here's a quick video of one of my favorites, Spartan Race.  Watch, then get out there with me and do some training for your first (or next) race!

So...much...mud!

Tuesday: Yoga!

Because of the craziness of today (I did some filming with a death scene and everything), I decided to stick with a high-intensity yoga routine.  Lots of bodyweight strength training, along with handstand holds, planks, and some crazy balance stuff that I'm not very good at.  Yoga is still very much a work-in-progress for me because I'm not very flexible for a yogi.  I'm working on it though, and that's what's important.
And since I got some fun comments from it, I'm sharing my photo of me during break on set.  That marks on my torso is dried blood.  I'm still a work-in-progress, so every day I'm improving myself, so we'll see how I look at the end of the year.
Rock and Roll!

Freaking love Instagram

Motivational Monday and Workout: Enjoy the Weather

For this week's M&M, I gotta start off by saying; anyone else thrown off by Daylight Savings Time?  It threw me off something fierce today with work.
But...It was unusually nice up here in Vermont, and warm too (the thermometer hit 68 today).  This time of year there's still plenty of snow on the ground, along with 20s-30s kind of weather.  Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this turn of Mother Nature.  I think she's being a little nicer after she dumped on us last year with the winter from Hell and that whole Tropical Storm thing (thanks Mother N, I forgive you, even though you need to have a pissy fit on occasion).
So today, I threw off the shirt and put on the shoes and went for a run.  Ran for about 45 minutes with the sun beating down on my bare chest, observing nature.  I gotta tell ya, it felt real good.  You need to learn how to appreciate nature, and get out there and smell the roses, whether literally or metaphorically.  Go out for a walk or a hike, and just enjoy nature.  And it also doesn't hurt to get a bit of color on your skin; I'm getting a little sick of being so white I reflect the sun.
Tomorrow, I'm hitting the weights again, hard.

Workout Wednesday: Parkour!

So to celebrate a new Workout Wednesday, I thought I would show you something that is very near and dear to my heart: Parkout.  From Wikipedia, parkour is "...a training method which focuses on rational movement in both the natural and urban environments. The focus is to move around obstacles with speed and efficiency..." 
It was developed in France by David Belle, and has since grown in popularity all over the world, and is even entering the mainstream in a big way, even though parkour and its cousin free running have been around for ages. 
Check out a quick clip of David Belle in action in the French action movie, District 13.  By the way, I wanna do this stuff; any takers?

Check this out!  So freaking awesome!

Split Routine: Week 1, Day 2

Hey there gang!  So for Tuesday's workout I worked the crap out of my legs, as well as abdominals.  The best part about this workout: there are plenty of plyometrics.  Plyometrics, also called "jump training" works your muscles in an explosive manner, and is much more applicable to real-world activiites like sports and dancing. 
Abdominals:

3x (Clockwork Leg Raise x6, Twisting Knee Raise x6)

Side Plank: 1 minutes per side

Oblique Twists: 30

Ab Wheel Rollout: 10

Main Workout:

            Deadlift: 3x 5-7: 185/185/185

            Squat Jumps: 3x 8-10           

            BOSU Lunge with Weight: 3x 6-10/side: 30/30/30

            BOSU Bulgarian Lunge Hop: 3x 10/side

            TRX Single Leg Squat: 3x 8/leg

            Skater Plyo: 3x 16

            TRX Lunge: 3x 8/leg

            Single Leg Reactive Box Hop: 3x 10-15/leg

            Squat Jump: 3x 30 seconds

Cardio: Sprint Work: Hallway sprints x4

I also received a question from Chris Leach, who asks:

"How do you anchor the TRX?"

Great question.  The gym that I work out at has an anchor point that doubles as a chin up bar.  The most important factors in an anchor point is that it can support your weight (should be obvious, but it sometimes isn't); the anchor point is (ideally) 7-9 feet off of the ground; and the workout straps highest point is about 6 feet off the ground. 

Don't worry, I've included a couple of photos:

Note how I've overlapped the TRX; this is to prevent it from shifting.

Where the workout straps' highest point is about 6 feet off of the ground.

Thanks for your question Chris.

Until tomorrow!

Workout, Split Routine: Week 1, Day 1

Hey there everybody.  I have a new workout scheme going.
Here's how it's gonna go: instead of working specific body parts or whole body parts, I'm going to do an upper body/lower body routine, incorporating a lot of functional, compound exercises (exercises that use the muscles together as opposed to isolating them), and incorporating abdominals and cardio in various forms.  Why do it this way?  In all honesty, I'm trying to see how much I can bench, as the most I've ever tried benching is 175 pounds, which I have always been able to do relatively easily; I want to push the threshold, plus see how hard I can push my body.  Rest assured, the workouts will get harder as I continue.
But first, let's check some stats of mine!

Neck Measurement: 16”

Shoulders at their widest point: 47.25"

Chest (measuring tape right across your nipples and under your arms): 40"

Waist 3 inches above your bellybutton: 31.5"

Waist at your belly button: 31.5"

Waist 3 inches below your belly button: 34.75"

Hips at their widest point: 39”

Thigh 9 inches above the top of your kneecap: 23"

Thigh 6 inches above the top of your kneecap: 21.5"

Thigh 3 inches above the top of your kneecap: 18"

Calf at its widest point: 16"

Bicep (flexed) measure the widest point: 14.75"

Forearm at its widest point: 12.75"

Weight: 167 pounds 

Body Fat Percentage: 7.0%

Here's a vanity shot!

Now for the workout.  If you have any questions about the workout, please let me know!

·      Abdominals:

o   3x (Hanging Leg Raise x7, Knee Raise x5)

o   2x (Hanging Knee Raise x5)

o   Tuck Sit Up: 30

o   Bicycle Crunch: 15/side

o   Plank: 1 minute hold

·      Main Workout:

o   TRX Sequence: twice through

§  I,Y,T: 5 per

§  Biceps Curl: 6-8

§  Triceps Extension: 6-8

§  Low Row: 6-8

§  Chest Press: 6-8

o   Barbell Bench Press: 10, 8, 5: 145/155/170

o   Barbell Bench Press Drop: 1 AMAP: 6 reps @ 135

o   Pull Up: 3x AMAP: 9/8/8

o   Assisted Pull Up: 1 AMAP: 5

o   Incline Pushup: 3x AMAP: 12/15/20

o   Dumbbell Single-Arm Row: 3x 6-10/arm: 45/45/50

o   Kettlebell Clean and Press: 3x 10/side: 35 pound kettlebell

·      Cardio: Rowing; 4,441 meters (2.76 miles) in 20:05 minutes

AI had a lot of fun with this workout.  Tomorrow is abs, lower body and some different cardio.  Let's go!