Monday Workout: Ladder, No Snakes

This week we’re working with the speed ladder.  This, in addition to the round lunges, the single leg squats, and the BOSU work, will help us with our coordination and balance.  Life happens in many directions and on unstable surfaces, so we practice in our workouts!  Three rounds.

ladder in in out out	1 min
deadlifts	20
round lunges	10
ladder side ins	1 min
1 leg squats	20
pushups	10
carioca/grapevine	1 min
(BOSU) curls	20
Russian twist	10

Friday Reading Report: Swordfighting

Sometimes I start reading a book for one purpose and it turns out to be useful for something else as well.  Guy Windsor’s book Swordfighting, for writers, game designers, and martial artists is that kind of book.  I started reading in order to write a non-cringeworthy fight scene.  I have a lot more tools to accomplish that now.

However, from my perspective as a personal trainer, I found a great book about how to learn physical processes.  Windsor’s methods boil down to what I learned as “praxis” back when I worked as a facilitator for a service-learning program.  He combines analytical work, including scholarship and intellectual inquiry into how techniques are playing out, with rigorous physical training.  The results enrich both the theory and the practice as the knowledge informs the movement and the movement provides feedback on the quality of the knowledge.  Essentially, he provides a blueprint for one way of doing mindful movement.  That may sound a little Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, but it’s a good thing.  (And I liked that book, back when I read it a hundred or so years ago…)

This may not be the book for everyone.  I happen to have a degree in English with an emphasis on the medieval period, so I don’t need to be sold on the coolness of swords or manuscripts and I find the research part as fascinating as the practical aspects.  It is not a stand-alone reference for the new-to-the-subject—a lot of the Italian names for the various techniques are unexplained and untranslated.  However, Windsor is an engaging writer with strong and sometimes eccentric opinions, some of which align with my own eccentric opinions.

I like his general philosophy for working hard and smart.

The Small Stuff...

Sure, a lot of fitness is about the big stuff—getting in the cardio and the lifting.  But little stuff can make a big difference, too.  Here are some small things that don’t take a long time that can help us without using up a lot of time.  We tend to skip them, but it’s really worth the few minutes of investment.

• Floss.  Yeah, it’s not fun at first with the bleeding and all, but life is better with teeth.  It takes less than five minutes to do.

• Roll.  At the end of the workout, we often want to head straight for the shower.  We don’t want to take any extra steps or get down on the floor one more time.  Until we get used to it, rolling hurts as we untangle the knots in our muscles.  Then, after we’re used to it, we feel a little guilty “wasting” time on something that feels so good.  Less tightness in our muscles and greater range of motion are worth the few minutes of investment.

• Pack a lunch.  A few minutes of organizational work in the morning can make the difference between getting our healthy veggies in and a face full of fries.  It’s also cheaper, which is better for our financial fitness.  For bonus points, weather permitting, we can eat our lunch outside in the fresh air.

• Breathe.  Fine.  I know we actually do this all the time.  But pausing to focus on our breath for a few minutes a few times a day can help reduce our stress and calm our minds.

• Hug.  Contact is essential for healthy humans.  (Get consent first, of course!)  Wrap your arms around your spouse or kid or dog or buddy and hang out for thirty seconds.  Everyone will feel better afterwards.