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!

Motivational Monday: Change of Scenery

Happy Motivational Monday!  Every Monday, I'll be posting a new little motivation to get you through the day, week, month, eon...whatever!  These just come from my personal stories as a 25-year-old experiencing life while working hard. 
This weekend I went down to Newport, Rhode Island for a couple of auditions, and decided to make it a mini-vacation.  While I was down there, I got to experience the beauty of the ocean, as well as the smell of the sea.  And in case you're wondering, yes it was cold!  There was a huge storm that was coming through at the time, so the winds were unusually high.  Despite this, I had a great time.  I stayed at a wonderful Bed and Breakfast called Fair Street Guest House.  It was straight out of the Victorian Era, complete with flowery wallpaper.  I went out, had a drink at a bar, and generally had a good time.  I even had a mother try to set me up with her two daughters that were with her!  Crazy stuff.
The point of this little story is that I got to relax and had the ability to take a break from everything.  It was just enough of a reprieve of everything that is going on in my life that I had a renewed sense of vigor. 
If you feel like your life is getting stale or you're in a rut, then go out there and do something impulsive.  Go camping for the weekend; take a road trip or a last minute flight to somewhere for the weekend.  You'd be surprised what a change of scenery can do for your disposition.

Newport Harbor

Workout Routine, with a Headache!

In the midst of a splitting headache, I'm writing this, and I felt it throughout my workout.  Regardless, I kept up with it; it put the headache at bay.  Here was my workout:

Abdominal Work:

• 30 second front plank
• 30 second back plank
• 30 second side plank left
• 30 second side plank right
• 3x(Leg Raise x7, Hanging Knee Raise x5)
• 2x (Hanging Knee Raise x5)
• 3x 30 second Ab Wheel Rollout

Main Workout: Cardio, Running

• 10 minute warm up
• 5x (1 minute sprint; 1 minute easy jog)
• 5 minute rest
• 5x (1 minute sprint; 1 minute easy job)
• 10 minute cool down

Joint Integrity Work:

• Headstand x3
• Short Bridge:55/55/55
• Neck Strengthening Work

With that being said, I'm off to pass out and deal with my headache.  Night...

Physical Perfection Phase 1, Week 3 Day 2: 300 Bodyweight Challenge

Ok y'all, so here's my workout for the day.  It was a combination of bodyweight exercises, plus some cardio thrown in there for good measure.  And of course, abdominal work :-)
Enjoy!

Abdominal Work:

• 30 second front plank
• 30 second back plank
• 30 second side plank left
• 30 second side plank right
• 3x (Clockwork Leg Raises x6, Twisting Knee Raise x6)
• Windshield Wiper x6

Main Workout: Spartan 300 Bodyweight Workout: Intermediate Level for Time:

• 30 Chin Ups
• 30 Shift Pushups
• 30 Deck Squat with Shoulder Stand Plow
• 30 Tuck Sit-ups
• 30 TRX Low Rows
• 30 Dive-Through Pushups
• 30/Side Archer Squats with Assistance
• 30/Side Bicycle Crunches
• 30/Sprinter’s Lunge
• 30 Squat Thrust with Pushup
• Time: 23:19 minutes

Cardio: 

• ¼ Mile, checking Form
• Rowing: 10:06 minutes: 2186 meters (Approx.1.36 miles)

TRX Routine

• 10 Atomic Pushups 
• 10 Suspended Lunges/side 
• 10 Low Rows 
• 10 Hamstring Curls

Joint Integrity Work:

• Wall Pushups: 50/55/60
• Knee Tucks: 40/45/50
• Calf Strengthening Work

Sounds like a lot?  It is.  But I love every minute of it.