FitMarker Journal: Al_Kavadlo

Barefoot Running

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:04:38 -0500

Barefoot running is appealing not only because it taps into our primal caveman instincts, but more importantly, because it encourages forefoot running, which is generally considered the safest, most efficient running technique. Forefoot running lessens joint impact and facilitates a higher stride frequency, which is often correlated with faster race times. Will Barefoot Running Make You Faster? Maybe, but probably not. However, barefoot running will help you learn how to run with less impact, which will reduce the likelihood of pain and injuries – at least in the long run (pun intended).

Transitioning to Forefoot Running While running barefoot or with minimal footwear is a great way to learn the forefoot technique, it isn’t absolutely necessary. You can learn to run on your forefoot in any comfortable sneaker. When making the transition to forefoot running, it is common to experience severe soreness in your calves. This doesn’t mean that you’re doing anything wrong. It just means you’re using muscles that you aren’t used to using. In time, those muscles will become stronger and the soreness following a run will subside. The Technique Other than the obvious, there are a few key differences between the forefoot running technique and the heel-to-toe technique. First, in forefoot running, your foot lands right under your hips instead of in front of your center of gravity. This does not mean that you’re up on the tips of your toes the whole time, but rather that your foot will land almost totally flat, with the heel just barely making contact with the ground. Maintaining good posture while bending your knees and leaning forward from your ankles will help facilitate this. Forefoot running technique is more about using your hamstrings and glutes to kick out behind you, as opposed to using your quads to reach out in front. Don’t think about lifting your knees, instead just think about picking your foot up off the ground. The rest should take care of itself. Another difference with barefoot running technique is that you aim to keep your foot in contact with the ground as briefly as possible. Rather than leaving your foot down there while you roll from heel to toe, in forefoot running, you strike down quickly and move into the next stride immediately. Whether you choose to wear shoes or not, relax, focus on proper posture and listen to your body to avoid pain. Ease in slowly and gradually, allowing yourself time to adapt. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Weight Vest Calisthenics

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 08:00:54 -0500

Wearing a weighted vest is one of the best ways to up the intensity of calisthenics workouts. From push-ups to pistol squats and, yes, even muscle-ups, there’s hardly a bodyweight exercise out there that can’t be cranked up by wearing a weight vest. Sure, some of you guys (and gals) are still learning to do a pull-up, but I know lots of you can peel off 15 or 20 of them in a row (I’ve seen your videos on youtube). If you’re looking to add a new challenge to your bodyweight regimen, weight vest training could be for you.

It’s All Good While working towards higher reps on basic exercises like pull-ups, dips or squats can lead to progress in your training, wearing a weight vest when performing these exercises can shock your body and stimulate new growth. That’s not to say you can’t continue to increase your strength with just your bodyweight. If you continually work towards harder exercises, no equipment workouts can still be very intense! However, it is helpful (and fun!) to vary one’s training stimulus on the road to a well-rounded, functionally fit body. “Weight” For It Only once you can perform a given bodyweight exercise for ten or more reps with proper form should you consider adding resistance. Better to wait until you are ready than to get injured because you were overzealous.

Do the Math Keep in mind that the amount of weight in your vest must be relative to your body weight. A man who weighs 135 pounds might find doing dips with an additional 25 pounds to be very challenging, whereas a man who weighs 235 might barely even feel a difference with 25 extra pounds. It’s better to base your decision on a percentage of your bodyweight, rather than a catchall number. First timers should add between 10-20% of their bodyweight (depending on the difficulty of the given exercise). When you can get at least five reps with clean form, feel free to gradually ramp up that percentage. Maybe This Weight is a Gift Weight vests are not the only way to add resistance to bodyweight exercises. You can use a weight belt, have a training partner provide manual resistance, or simply toss some free-weights into a backpack. Just don’t do that last one at your gym or they might get the wrong idea; free-weights doesn’t mean free weights! Check out this video of me doing some weight vest training for more. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

The Best Time To Work Out

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:14:38 -0500

Do you have a hard time fitting workouts into your busy schedule? People often ask me when is the best time of day to exercise. Let’s weigh the pros and cons of a few different approaches: Morning People A lot of people like to exercise first thing in the morning in order to get it out of the way. If you do your workout before the stresses of the day start to pile up, then you don’t have to worry about life getting in the way and derailing your plans. I like this approach. On the other hand, a good night’s sleep is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. Sacrificing sleep in order to get a morning workout might be solving one problem, but it creates a new one in the process. Besides, you’re unlikely to muster up the energy for a great workout if you’ve only had 4 or 5 hours of sleep. If you're going to work out in the morning, just make sure you get to bed early the night before. The Lunch Crowd If you can slip away from the office in the middle of the day, it can be a great time to fit some exercise into your schedule. Gyms are usually pretty quiet in the afternoon, which can let you get your workout done without a lot of distraction and wasted time. Just make sure you don’t skip lunch. Nutrition (especially post-workout) is a key part of the fitness equation. After Work The evening is generally the most popular time to go to the gym. After a stressful day, exercise can be a great way to blow off some steam. Plus you don’t have to wake up any earlier than usual! The downside is that the gym can be very crowded and you may wind up spending half of your time waiting for the equipment you need. It’s helpful to have a back up plan and to be able to improvise in these situations. Additionally, some people find that evening workouts rev them up too much and cause insomnia. If you are going to the gym in the evening, you might want to give yourself a few hours to settle down before bed. Trainer Tips: It takes time to make a habit stick–eventually early risers will go to bed earlier and it will get easier. But for night owls, going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can allow for deeper and more restful sleep. No matter when you get your workout in, the important thing is consistency. Get it in when you can fit it in, but don’t stop working for it or it might stop working for you! Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Bodyweight Training: Levers and Leverage

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:01:12 -0500

Your arms and legs are complex machinery, but they move under basic principals of physics and gravity. All of our body’s movements are performed through a system of pulleys and levers; front levers and back levers are just an exaggerated example. What makes front levers and back levers unique is that instead of using leverage in your favor (like you do during a deadlift) you’re doing the opposite–using primarily your arms to move the rest of your body!

Front levers and back levers are two challenging exercises that require tremendous core strength as well as a powerful upper-body. Practicing towards these movements can build serious strength in your arms, chest, back and abs. Perhaps more importantly, levers train you to use your muscles to work together, which is how to utilize them most effectively. Front Levers A front lever involves holding your body out in a straight line parallel to the ground with your hands grasping a bar(s) or ring(s). Your chest faces upwards. Note the placement of the hands is closer to being over the hips than it is to the shoulders. In addition to thinking about keeping your abs tight and extending your back, you need to be actively pulling your hands down towards your hips, engaging your lats, triceps and chest. A pullover is a great exercise to build strength for this movement.

Back Levers A back lever is the same idea but now you are facing downward. These are also best performed with a pronated (overhand) grip. Keeping a narrow grip is also a good idea as it allows you to leverage some of your weight against your arms. A great way to practice performing a back lever is to lower yourself down into it slowly and/or use a bent knee position to progress to the full version. As you drop into position, pitch your chest forward to wind up with your hands over your hips.

Variations Front levers and back levers can also be performed on parallel bars. There are subtle differences between the two that I encourage you to explore for yourself. Also, remember that levers can be easier when using a bent knee position. Performing a front lever with a split-legged position or with just one knee bent also works as a great variation on the way towards the full lever position. Experienced trainees might want to challenge themselves by practicing towards a one arm lever–you can always find a new challenge! Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Pain, Discomfort and Overtraining: Separating Fact from Fiction

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:16:04 -0500

When conducting a personal training session, one of the worst things to hear from my client is, “this hurts!” After all, I am there to help them, not to mess them up! However, a lot of the time when a client complains that something “hurts,” what’s really happened is that they’ve confused pain and discomfort. Pain is something to avoid; discomfort, on the other hand, is something to accept. Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference.

Experiencing a burning sensation in your muscles (and/or lungs) during exercise is common, and should not be mistaken for pain. Once you can accept this and get on with what you need to do, you can really start to get somewhere. A common characteristic amongst great athletes is a high tolerance for physical discomfort. Soreness following a workout – even extreme soreness – can be unpleasant, but it doesn’t mean that you are injured or over-training. When people experience the severe soreness that results from doing a serious leg workout for the first time, it’s not uncommon to be concerned that something has gone wrong. Rest assured this is not pain, just discomfort.

Real pain, if you are ever unlucky enough to experience it, doesn’t leave any vagueness as to its nature. True, you’ll hear the occasional story of the guy (or girl) who walks around on a broken foot for 3 weeks without realizing it, but those stories are exceptional because when bones break and muscle tears happen, it’s usually painfully clear what has occurred. While over-training can be a real concern to elite athletes in competition training, it is rarely, if ever, something that is experienced by the average Joe. Yet I hear this concern brought up in the gym surprisingly often. Being sore doesn’t mean you’re over-training. Doing two workouts a day doesn’t mean you’re over-training. The problem is that most people are under-trained! While you should generally avoid doing heavy weight training on the same body part every day, you simply have to get yourself conditioned to exercise - your body will adapt. If your workouts are so intense that you actually manage to cross the threshold into over-training territory, you won’t have to ponder it – you’ll know it.

Whether we’re talking about a boxer getting conditioned to taking a punch or an ultra-marathoner building the endurance to run all day without resting, we humans have an uncanny ability to adapt. While the idea of daily workouts might seem overwhelming to most people, an individual who builds up their strength and endurance gradually should have no problem working out for an hour every day. It’s okay to take it easy on some days (active recovery workouts have long been a part of my regimen), but don’t let fear or laziness stand in the way of getting fit. They are the two biggest obstacles to achieving any goal, be it in fitness or life, and it is up to you to overcome them. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

The Importance of Flexibility

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:19:41 -0500

I once knew a guy who threw out his back while grabbing a can of beer out of a cooler. Seriously. If you don’t take care of your body, at some point you’ll wind up getting an (easily preventable) injury. Flexibility is often the most overlooked aspect of fitness, but without a full range of motion in your joints, basic exercises like squats, overhead presses and even pull-ups can be problematic.

The most common areas where people tend to become overly tight are the hips, hamstrings, shoulders and back, though tightness in the wrists and ankles can also pose a problem when performing exercises like push-ups and squats. If you’re inflexible, you need to devote as much attention to improving your range of motion as you do to increasing your strength. After all, without a healthy range of motion in your joints, you can’t fully work your muscles. Hamstring Flexibility The standard way to assess hamstring flexibility is the sit and reach test. (See photo above) After warming up, have a seat on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you. Without bending your knees, reach forward for your toes. If you cannot touch your toes, you need to work towards loosening your hamstrings. Hip Mobility To test the range of motion in your hips, you’ll need a sturdy table or ledge just below waist height. Pick up one leg and place the outside of your ankle on the table. Now rotate your hip to try to touch your knee to the table as well (your shin should be perpendicular to your body.) If you cannot touch your knee to the table, your hip mobility could stand to improve.

Shoulders and Back Shoulder mobility can also be easily tested. Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Reach both hands overhead and try to touch your wrists to the ground without raising your lower back off the floor. If you cannot do this, guess what? You have poor range of motion in your shoulders and upper back. While men generally tend to be stronger than women, flexibility is one area where the ladies get the long end of the stick. Most men will not be able to pass all three tests (I can’t – my shoulders are tight!) so don’t feel bad. Luckily, there is a simple solution to this problem – stretch!

Improving your flexibility takes time, especially for older individuals as your body has had more time to get used to being stiff. You must be patient and dedicated if you wish to increase your flexibility. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

How to do a Muscle-up

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:35:05 -0500

Muscle-ups are one of the most intense body-weight exercises ever. They work so many different muscles and will get your heart and lungs pumping as well. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the muscle-up, it’s almost like a combination of two of my favorite exercises: the pull-up and the dip, but way more intense than either of those on their own!

Beyond Pull-ups Before you can achieve a muscle-up on a straight bar, you must be able to comfortably perform pull-ups and dips on one, but there is no set rule for how many reps are needed as a prerequisite. Some people who can only manage six or seven pull-ups can muster up a muscle-up, others who can bang out twenty dead hang pull-ups still continually fail at getting through the sticking point; the muscle-up is a unique challenge and must be treated as such. Get High Before you’re ready to do a muscle-up, practice doing pull-ups with an exaggerated range of motion. Instead of stopping when the bar is below your chin, pull that sucker all the way down past your chest. Get as far over the bar as you can!

Kipping is Appreciated When you are learning to do a muscle-up, it’s helpful to use your hips and legs to generate additional power to get your chest beyond the bar. It’s normal to have to kick your legs and throw one arm over before the other when you’re first learning to get the movement pattern down. Do whatever you need to in the beginning – with practice you’ll learn to keep your legs straight and make the movement fluid. Don’t get hung up on perfecting your form before you can even do a single rep. As you get stronger and more comfortable with the movement pattern, you can begin to work towards a controlled, straight-legged muscle-up, as well as other types of advanced muscle-ups. King of the Ring Performing muscle-ups on rings may at first seem a lot harder to someone who is used to doing the exercise on a bar, but once one acclimates to the subtle differences in technique, the disparity should balance out. The main difference between the bar and the rings is that the rings add a stability component. The other big difference is that because the rings are not in a fixed position, they allow you to rotate your wrists as you pull yourself up and over. While this may seem like an added challenge at first, the rotation actually makes the move less difficult.

The False Grip While utilizing a false grip to perform a muscle-up on a bar is helpful, using the false grip to muscle-up on rings is essential. A false grip involves cocking your wrist and putting your hand through the ring, so that the tip of your ulna (the bottom bone in your forearm) is in contact with the ring. This will likely feel uncomfortable at first. (You may get some bruising on your wrists, consider using wraps if it is an issue.)

The Technique As you pull yourself up, think about bringing the rings towards your armpits and reaching your legs forward. Once the rings are below your shoulders, begin pushing your chest and shoulders in front of your hands while rotating your wrists so your knuckles wind up pointing towards the ground. From there, simply press yourself up, lock your arms and get ready to do it again. Watch these videos for demonstrations and more: Muscle-up Tutorial Muscle-up on Rings Tutorial Over 20 Consecutive Muscle-ups Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Workout Gloves: Yay or Nay?

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 07:42:38 -0500

When I was in high school I got a pair of gloves to wear for lifting weights. At the time I thought workout gloves looked cool and since I had just gotten into lifting, I wanted to have all the gear. I was probably concerned about preventing callouses too, but like most teenagers, looking cool trumped that.

I went out and bought the most high tech lifting gloves I could find. I was so excited to train with my new gloves and I couldn't wait to see how much better it would feel to lift with them. Funny thing is, I wound up getting callouses anyway! Turns out there was still friction between my hands and the gloves when I would hold a heavy barbell or grasp a pull-up bar. Once I realized this, they started to look less cool to me. I tried a few different types of gloves over the next few years and always wound up returning to the same conclusion: I was better off with just my bare hands. Not only didn't the gloves prevent callouses (or make me look cool), they actually weakened my grip capabilities. Less is More I’m a minimalist in most aspects of my life and this is a great example of that. For the same reasons I enjoy running with minimal footwear, I find working out barehanded to be a superior technique. If you’ve ever had to use a cell phone in the winter while wearing gloves you already know that having a glove in between your hand and whatever you are gripping acts as a barrier. Your coordination suffers and it’s harder to get a sense of what you are doing.

Get a Grip Once you start going barehanded, you’ll likely see an improvement in your grip strength and your body awareness. I want to feel as connected as possible to what I am doing with my body and gloves just get in the way of that. One exception is if you are going to be moving on your hands in an urban setting where there may be broken glass or other tiny, sharp objects on the ground. When that is the case, gloves can be a safety precaution. A callous, on the other hand, never hurt anyone. Yes, you’re going to get callouses if you do lots of pull-ups or lift heavy weights – get over it. Nobody but you cares if you have callouses (even you ladies). Learn to see your callouses as a badge of honor – you earned them!

Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Find Your Target Heart Rate

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 09:34:24 -0500

I got an email recently from a runner (let’s call him Jim) who had just started wearing a heart rate monitor during his training. Jim was concerned because at 56 years of age, his maximal heart rate was “supposed to be” 164 beats per minute (bpm), yet during a recent running excursion he managed to get his heart rate all the way up to 172 bpm. Was Jim putting himself in danger by exerting himself too hard?

Of course not! Theory is for science; practice is for living. What do I mean by that? Simple, Jim’s theoretical maximum heart rate is 164, but in reality he got his heart rate all the way up to 172 (which for the record is definitely not the fastest his heart could beat.) Instead of assuming that something is wrong with Jim, maybe something is wrong with the chart that told him he couldn’t get beyond 164. Don’t be afraid to question things, people! Don’t Trust the Chart The heart rate charts that appear in many fitness books and manuals that come with heart rate monitors are antiquated and based upon the fallacy that as you get older, your heart gets weaker. This might be true if you spend your entire life sitting at a desk, but if you are an active person, there is no reason why your heart can’t be just as strong at 56 as it was at 26. The other major problem with the chart (and with all charts of its nature) is that it assumes all people are identical! There is no one thing that is best for everybody and heart rate ranges are no exception. You need to know what your body is individually capable of and a chart or magazine can’t tell you that. You need to find out for yourself firsthand.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^These Charts are Bullshit^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Finding Your True Max Heart Rate So how do you find your target heart rate? I have a very simple test. If you have a heart rate monitor it will help, but you can do this test as long as you have two fingers and a pulse. First, warm up with one or two miles of easy running, then step up your pace a little bit for another mile. Once you have a good sweat going and your heart is pumping, sprint as hard as you can for as long as you can! Then check your heart rate. Add 5 to that number, and that’s your max heart rate. You can also do this same method on a bike or with calisthenics exercises like jumping rope or burpees. One more thing - don’t be foolish. If you have a heart condition or if you’ve never run more than a mile, don’t try this test just yet. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Throw Out Your Treadmill!

Fri, 27 May 2011 08:24:27 -0500

I have often been heard to remark that indoor cardio (with machines like treadmills or stationary bikes) is, at best, a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it is nice to be able to know exactly how fast of a pace you are keeping. And it’s nice to be able to adjust your intensity with the push of a button. However, anyone who has a considerable amount of mileage under their belt on both treadmills and actual terrain knows that they are quite different experiences. I've got beef with anyone who considers themselves a “runner” but doesn't actually run outdoors.

When you’re on a treadmill, the conveyor belt moves towards you and you stay in the same place. All you do is lift your foot. You don’t actually propel yourself forward. All this probably sounds obvious, but bear in mind that this phenomenon makes it considerably less work, and it can give you a false sense of how fast you are. You might be setting yourself up for a rude awakening when you actually start running for real. It is so much more challenging – and of course, the greater the challenge, the greater the reward! Actual running does more for your cardiovascular health as well as the development of your leg muscles when compared to the treadmill.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to sound like an elitist here. Treadmills are nice for the reasons I mentioned above, but it’s easy to rely on them too much. They are designed to supplement actual running – not replace it. If you only run on the treadmill, you are missing out on one of the greatest joys that I’ve known in life. I get sad when I walk by a gym on a nice day and see people inside running on treadmills. Why don’t they go outside? What are they afraid of? It’s kind of like watching animals in a cage at the zoo - only these people chose to be there!

I have had many enjoyable long runs that lasted an hour or longer because I simply lost track of time. I don’t know anybody who’s spent an hour on a treadmill without watching the clock constantly. The recent boom in popularity of outdoor running is undeniable. Every year more and more people are entering marathons and other distance races around the world. Getting a spot in the NYC Marathon nowadays is about as hard as getting tickets to an NBA playoff game. Though a marathon is a serious undertaking, a 5K or 10K can be a great way to ease into recreational racing, which is my favorite way to experience the excitement of actual running. So what are you waiting for? Throw out your treadmill and start running for real! Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

No Fear

Fri, 20 May 2011 07:49:16 -0500

While running down a flight of stairs trying to catch a train, I was recently made aware of a phenomenon that prevents many of us from reaching our potential. At the top of the stairs I could not run quickly, not because it was crowded, but because my body was afraid of mis-stepping.

When your body senses the risk of danger to be higher, skills that would normally be performed with no hesitation will suddenly cause nervousness. This is essentially why a fear of heights can be paralyzing for some. If you’ve ever stood on the balcony of a tall building with a relatively low railing, you might have felt tentative approaching the edge. While you would never worry about falling over a low fence that was on level ground, as soon as that same scenario is 20 or 50 feet in the air, your perspective can change. Nature or Nurture? This fear of heights is likely an evolutionary defense mechanism built into humans to prevent us from falling, but since childhood, most of us have also been told by parents and teachers not to jump, climb or hang from things that are high up, so it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between intuition and conditioned behavior. Whatever the reason for it, our fear holds us back more than it helps us. I’m not saying to disregard what your intuition is telling you, but rather to gradually push the limits back.

Face Your Fear To reprogram yourself to move beyond this performance inhibiting behavior, you must start slowly. Go to a park and try doing a precision jump on ground level. Just a long jump with both feet taking off together and landing together. No running start. Now count how many feet you jumped. The next step is to find two sturdy, elevated objects several feet from the ground that are closer together than the distance you just jumped. Since you know that you can cover this distance (you just did a longer jump on the ground!), you should be able to quiet that fear enough to give it a shot. Once you get comfortable with that, find a place to practice jumping a slightly longer distance. In time, you’ll be able to jump just as far while up high as you can on the ground, maybe even farther!

The Only Thing We Have to Fear is... You might also try experimenting with other parkour moves, like vaults to help you overcome your fears. Climbing a rock wall, jungle gym or tree is another great way to build confidence. Whether your into weight lifting, calisthenics or any other physical activity, you can continue to push back your perceived limitations with consistent practice. In time, you’ll eventually be able to shut out fear and replace it with courage. You might even find that confidence sneaking into other aspects of your life. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Pyramid Sets and The Rest/Pause Method

Fri, 13 May 2011 08:59:52 -0500

The mind is the most powerful muscle in the body, for without the mind, your physical muscles are useless. Pyramid sets and the rest/pause method will test the limits of both your body and your mind, while allowing you to push your strength and endurance to new heights.

Pyramid Sets Pyramid sets are a fun way to breathe new life into your workout routine. Without changing any of your exercises, you can use pyramid sets to shock your body and progress your training. The term “pyramid set” typically refers to multiple sets of an exercise (or exercises) with descending or ascending numbers of reps in concurrent sets. For example, you might only do 1 rep on the first set, then do 2 on the second all the way up to ten. Then you can start working your way down, like going up and down the steps of a pyramid. You can do this with a circuit workout as well, performing increasing reps of several exercises in succession. (1 push-up, 1 pull-up, 1 dip; 2 push-ups, 2 pull-ups, 2 dips, etc.) This type of pyramid protocol can become a serious endurance challenge after a few sets. It’s also a way to make a game out of building up your conditioning. Changing the number of reps not only mixes it up for you mentally, it also keeps your body guessing. But don’t forget, working out is serious business -- it ain’t a game! Weight Training and Pyramid Sets Pyramid sets are commonly seen in weight training as well. In this context, one will usually increase the weight as the reps decrease. In the weight room you might do your first set of squats with 95 lbs. for 10 reps, then 135 lbs. for 8, followed by 185 for 6, etc. This is a great way to build strength and size.

The Rest/Pause Method The rest/pause method involves taking short breaks during a long set in order to get more total reps. Instead of stopping after you reach a pre-determined number of, let’s say, push-ups, just rest at the top with your arms locked out once fatigue sets in. Take a breath or two, then keep pushing out one rep at a time, with several seconds in between reps if need be. This will allow you to push the boundaries of muscular failure. Incorporataing the Rest/Pause Method Push-ups are one of the best exercises to use this technique with, but rest/pausing works great with pull-ups, squats and even muscle-ups.

You can use this method when training with weights as well. Pick a weight that you can normally manage for 10 reps, then try to rest/pause your way to another 10 reps without setting the weight down. Make sure to use a spotter. After an intense session using the rest/pause method, it’s important to have a rest day or a recovery workout the following day. Rest/pause workouts are best used as a shocking technique, so they shouldn’t be done more than once or twice a week. The power of using your mind and taking it one rep at a time can often lead to groundbreaking workouts. The rest pause method recently allowed me to set a new personal best in muscle-ups. Luckily, I was able to get it on film! Check out this video to see me doing a pyramid workout. Then watch this one in which I use the rest/pause method on a set of muscle-ups. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Parkour: The Basics

Fri, 06 May 2011 07:46:39 -0500

Whether your focus is on strength training, cardio conditioning or any other aspect of fitness, parkour can be a fun way to supplement your workouts, have a good time and further develop your body awareness. About Parkour Parkour comes from a French word meaning “obstacle course.” Basically, it involves navigating an urban landscape with quickness, efficiency and grace. Parkour training is playful and less structured than most formal types of exercise, but there are a few basic moves that all traceurs (that’s what parkour practitioners like to be called) should be comfortable with.

Precision Jumping As the name implies, this skill is about leaping onto a small target (often a ledge or rail) with the utmost accuracy. Precision jumps are typically performed from a stationary position, with both feet together during the take off and the landing, though they can be done with a running start. To get the most distance out of your precision jump, lean forward from your ankles while reaching your arms up and away from your body. Once you are in the air, bring your legs up to get as much height as you can. More height means more distance! Keep your eye on your target and remember to sink into the landing like you were performing a squat – this will help you absorb the impact. For this reason it is common to land towards the balls of your feet. Your objective should be to have as quiet of a landing as possible.

Vaulting Vaulting is a technique used to hurdle an object (often with a running start). Unlike a track and field hurdle, however, you use your arms when you perform a vault. There are countless variations on the basic vault (one arm, two arms, 360 degree turns, etc) but the idea remains the same – get your body over a sturdy object quickly and efficiently. To perform a vault, place your hand(s) on the object as you begin jumping over it. You should feel your weight shift from your legs into your hand(s) as your feet come off the ground. When you are learning, put your foot on the object you're vaulting to spot yourself as you go over if you need to. Start with lower objects and build up to challenging yourself by attempting to vault higher ones. Cat Jumping Cat jumps involve jumping up onto an obstacle like a fence or a wall that would otherwise be too tall to climb. When the traceur is separated from an obstacle by a body of water or other uncrossable terrain, a cat jump becomes a necessary skill. For practice, however, it’s okay to cat jump without clearing any hurdles. After cat jumping onto an object, it is typical to continue climbing the rest of the object or to push off and reverse direction.

Rail Walking Rail walking is a balance challenge that involves walking across a narrow bar or rail. When starting out, it’s best to practice this skill on a relatively low surface, so that if you lose your footing, you can safely jump down. Check out this video and this video to see me try some of these fun parkour moves. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Manual Resistance Training

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 07:41:27 -0500

Manual resistance workouts are a fun, outside-the-box way to spice up your strength training routine. They don’t require a gym membership or any fancy equipment - you just need a partner! Essentially another variation of bodyweight training, the term “manual resistance training” simply means that instead of using weights to oppose your muscles, you are using another person to add extra resistance to your exercises with their body weight - so grab a friend and let’s go!

Partner Push-up Instead of using weights to do resistance training, try using a buddy! Get into a push-up position and have your partner place their hands on your upper back. Lower yourself down and have them press down as you try to push yourself up. They can vary the amount of pressure in order to make it more or less challenging for you. If you get strong enough, you can even try having your partner lie down on your back! Fireman’s Carry Get your buddy up on your shoulders in a horizontal position and try to walk or run a few meters while carrying them. Start with a partner who is of a comparable body weight to your own and remember to lift them into position with your legs. If the idea of running around with another person on your back sounds difficult, remember that when firemen do it they have the added challenge of a burning building! Once you get comfortable with carrying your partner in this position, you can try to do squats, lunges or climb stairs with them up there. If that gets easy, find a heavier partner!

Manual Resistance Leg Raises Lie on your back, holding your partner’s ankles while they stand over your shoulders. Raise your legs up by engaging your abdominal muscles and have your partner push them back down when they reach the top. Try to lower your legs slowly and with control, resisting your partner’s push. Focus on using your abdominal muscles more than your legs. The Two Headed Monster This move takes monstrous strength from both participants! Get down in a push-up position and have your workout partner do the same directly alongside you. Next, you each take your inside arm and rest it on your partner’s upper back. Finally, cross your inside ankles over one another, thus forming the “two headed monster.” The goal now is to do a push-up as a team. It might take some practice to get the timing right so don't expect to nail it right away. Essentially each person needs to perform a one arm push-up to make this happen, but having the other arm draped over your partner makes it even tougher to do so. These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg - there is always more to explore in the world of fitness. Get creative with manual resistance training and have fun! Check out this video to see my brother Danny and I performing the two headed monster as well as many other bodyweight exercises that you may not have seen before. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

How I Came to Love Barefoot and Minimalist Running

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 08:03:54 -0500

The first sneakers that I ever ran in were a pair of Nike Shox. I got them because I thought they looked cool. It wasn’t so cool when my feet started to hurt from training in them though. I asked around at my gym and a few people recommended that I check out New Balance so I ditched my Nikes and went for it. The New Balance sneakers were way better, and I quickly became loyal to them (I ran the 2009 NYC marathon in a pair of 1224’s). I experimented with Asics as well; after reading all the hype about the Gel Kinsei, I had to try it myself. After all, a sneaker with a $175 dollar price tag must be incredible, right? It turns out after all my experimenting, I eventually came to the conclusion that a simple piece of rubber with a string tied around it was my running footwear of choice.

Life’s a Beach As a resident of New York City, running barefoot makes me concerned not only with bacteria and fungus, but also glass and other dangerous debris. I had finally finished reading Born to Run last spring and I was eager for the chance to try barefoot running - I just wasn’t ready to do it along the East River. A few miles from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is a small community called Sayulita, which is home to some of the most beautiful beaches that I have ever seen. It was on those beaches that I experienced barefoot running for the first time; it was one of the purest running experiences I have ever had. In fact, it was one of the purest experiences I’ve ever had. Prior to visiting Sayulita last year, I had already been experimenting in minimalist running. An old pair of Vans Slip-ons had become my go-to running footwear and it had been a long time since my heels had touched down before my toes while striding. I was on board with the idea of barefoot running, but I was easing into the actual practice of it. It seems fitting that it was in Mexico (not too far from where the Tarahumara Indians do their legendary distance runs) that I got to run barefoot for the first time. I ran on the beach, I hiked through the trails and I climbed rocks and trees. I went primal on that beach.

Back to Basics When I came back to NYC, I wanted to find something to bring me closer to that experience of running barefoot but without my aforementioned concerns. There are a lot of footwear options out there that simulate the barefoot experience, but I wanted to find something as close as possible to what the Tarahumara run in - footwear where my foot could be free. It was soon after my return that I contacted Steven Sashen of Invisible Shoe to get my first pair of his handmade huaraches. The Invisible Shoe is my personal choice for the barefoot experience, but I encourage you to experiment with all types of running footwear and find what fits right for you. Remember to ease in slowly to minimalist and barefoot running - enjoy each step along the way.

Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Squatting and the Illusion of Perfection

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 07:58:50 -0500

I recently began training a new client who had been working out on her own for years. She had fallen into a rut with her routine and decided she could probably benefit from working with a trainer. Smart girl. Whenever I begin working with a new client, there is always an assessment period. The first session or two allows me to get a feel for what that person is already capable of in order to find out what challenges I can present to them, and what weakness they may have that we can work towards improving. (This assessment period usually works both ways–they are feeling me out as a trainer as well!) One of the exercises that I typically have a client do during our first session is the squat. After watching my new client do a few squats, I cued her to initiate the movement from her hips and also to go down lower. (These are two of the most common corrections that I give people on squats.) As soon as she began following my cues, she exclaimed “Wow-I really feel this now,” then added, “I guess I’ve been doing them wrong all these years!” The second part of what she said bothered me. I told her, “You weren’t doing them wrong – it’s just that now you are doing them better.” Doing squats the way that she had been might not be as effective or efficient as the way I instructed her to do them, but it is way better than not exercising at all! I am certainly not suggesting that improper form is great for you, but it isn’t the end of the world either. This is a really important distinction to me and it comes up all the time–and not just with squats but with everything. I generally do not believe in the concepts of right and wrong. I find them to be a huge oversimplification. Like all things, squats are not simply a case of black and white–there are a lot of shades of gray in between. There is no such thing as a perfect squat–perfection is an illusion. Having said that, there are certainly ideals that we want to strive for when performing a squat and there are ways to potentially injure yourself by doing squats improperly. Keeping good posture, making sure your heels stay in contact with the ground and initiating the movement from your hips are three key components to performing squats safely and effectively. But even if you fail to do those things, you’re still probably going to wind up okay. You might not get the results you want, but you haven’t done anything “wrong” as far as I am concerned. Just make sure you improve your form before you start loading up a ton of weight. When you learn a better way to do something, don’t beat yourself up over having done it “wrong” first. Sometimes that is part of the learning process. If you're making an effort to improve your fitness then you are doing something right. My squats looked like crap when I was starting out, too, until someone finally told me to keep my heels down and stick my ass out. Remember that in exercise, like all things in life, there is always room to expand your knowledge and see things from another perspective. Allow yourself to be open to growth, but try not to be hard on yourself when your weaknesses are made apparent. Being humble doesn’t mean throwing yourself a pity party. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

One Arm Pull-ups

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 08:00:14 -0500

The first time I ever saw someone do a one arm pull-up was in Tompkins Square Park in 2007. I was absolutely in awe and I knew I had a new challenge ahead of me - it was a very exciting time! Even though I’ve been training this move for almost four years, it remains a challenge. Some days I can bang out a couple one arm pull-ups without too much trouble, other days I struggle to get even one decent rep. The one arm pull-up is a fickle mistress that reminds me to stay humble and keep training hard.

I am going to share with you some of the methods that I have been using to train for this awesome feat of strength, but keep in mind that these are not the only ways to train towards one arm pull-ups. There are many paths that lead to the same destination--feel free to be creative! The One Arm Flex Hang The flex hang, which involves holding your body at the top of a pull-up position, is commonly used to build strength and endurance in the upper body. Female marines are required to perform a flex hang in order to prove themselves worthy of that title. The flex hang can also be performed using only one arm. At first, I recommend keeping your legs tucked close to your body as it will allow you to engage more core strength. As you get better you can try practicing with your legs extended.

One Arm Negatives The idea here is to keep your body tight and controlled while slowly lowering yourself down out of your one arm flex hang. Be prepared that the first time you try to do a one arm negative you will drop very quickly. When starting out, don’t even think of it as a negative, think of it as just trying to keep yourself up. Gravity takes care of the rest. Eventually, try working up to the point where you can make a one arm negative last for ten seconds or longer. Archer Pull-ups Archer pull-ups are a great exercise regardless of if you want to work towards a one arm pull-up or not. When performing the archer pull-up as practice for the one arm pull-up, try to do as much of the work as possible with the arm closer to you. Think of your extended arm simply as a means of giving yourself assistance. Use it as little as possible. Eventually you won’t need it at all.

Weighted Pull-ups Weighted pull-ups are another great way to build the strength that you’ll need to perform a one arm pull-up. Use enough weight that you are only able to get around 3-5 reps. Going for a one rep max on this is also beneficial, but make sure that you are warmed up first! Keep in Mind It’s important to mention when discussing one arm pull-ups that in a true OAP, your secondary arm does not touch your primary arm in any way. It can be stiff against the body or it can be out in the air, but if you are holding your arm or wrist you are not doing a real one arm pull-up. The one arm pull-up is a very elusive move that demands patience, consistency, and dedication. The question you need to ask yourself is this: How bad do you want it? Check out this video for more. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com.

Down Under the Bar: A Guide to Australian Pull-ups

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:57:27 -0500

Whether you’re a beginner who’s still working on getting their first pull-up or a gym-rat who’s aiming to increase their reps, the Australian pull-up is a fundamental strength training exercise that everyone should have in their workout routine. Also known as a bodyweight row or a horizontal pull-up, the Australian targets the rhomboids and lats as well as your biceps and core muscles. Like all basic exercises, there are many different ways to do the Australian, and it can be incorporated into a number of different contexts within a workout. Using the Australian for Beginners If you aren't strong enough to do a pull-up (this goes for you too, ladies), this a great way to start to build towards one. Find a bar that’s about waist height, angle your body underneath it and pull your chest up to the bar. Make sure to keep a straight line from the heels of your feet up to the back of your head. Once you can do 3 sets of 10 without struggling (something that shouldn't take too long for any reasonably fit, dedicated individual), it won't be long before a pull-up is within your grasp. Trainer Tip The higher up the bar, the better the leverage. Of course, this is only true up until a certain point--once the bar is too high, then you're just doing a regular pull-up!

Using the Australian in a Superset The Australian pull-up is a great exercise to use in a superset with push-ups, since they work opposite muscle groups. You will get a great pump from doing this and it also allows you to keep your heart rate up. Due to the fact that you’re allowing certain muscles to rest while you are using others, you can maintain that elevated heart rate without burning out your muscles too quickly. If you are trying to really hit your back muscles, Australians can also be used as a superset after regular pull-ups (which is a great way to help improve your total reps on pull-ups) or another rowing type of movement, such as a dumbbell row. Plyometric Australian Pull-up I like to turn the Australian pull-up into a plyometric exercise by getting some air time and switching between overhand and underhand grips on alternating reps. You can also switch back and forth from a wide grip to a narrow grip in an explosive fashion to mix up this exercise with a plyometric spin. The One Arm Australian Pull-up Of course an Australian can be done with just one arm, which is a nice precursor for anyone looking to work up to a full one arm pull-up (more on OAP’s in a future post). Like any single limb movement, the one arm Australian pull-up requires a ton of core strength and stability and you’ll need to rotate your torso a bit on the way up. You can add an extra challenge by trying it on one leg also!

Check out this video for more on this great exercise. Al Kavadlo, CSCS is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of the book, We're Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness. To find out more about Al, visit AlKavadlo.com