Hot hot hot off the press...

So last week, I think we all figured out that summer can sometimes have it in for us.  When it is too hot to breathe, working out seems out of the question.  Here’s what to do:

• Hydrate.  I cannot overemphasize this.  Pretty much everyone I talked with last week, whether or not they were working out, felt tired and cranky and achy.  That is dehydration talking, among other things.  Drinking constantly when it is hot is pretty much the only way to mitigate the symptoms, mostly water and maybe the occasional drink with electrolytes.  (Yes, a cold beer or two would taste good, but will not help with the hydration problem.)

• Hydrate the outside.  Go swimming.  Do water aerobics.  Body surf.  It helps.

• Go early or late.  When it is really, really too hot, this might not be feasible.  Last week, it was too hot even at 5 a.m.  Still, it is worth a try.

• This is why it is sometimes useful to have a gym with air-conditioning.  Inside workouts are good, too.  Also, air-conditioned cars.

• Rest.  Heat is tiring.  It is all right to take it easy sometimes.

Be well!!!!

Monday Workout: Ropes

Sometimes we need to keep stuff simple.  There is not much simpler than slamming ropes into the ground.  Let’s do it!  Three rounds!

rope double slams	30
squats	20
lateral raise	10
rope alternating slams	30
deadlift	20
overhead press	10
rope double dutch	30
curls	20
Russian twist	10

Timothy Leary didn't say this.

I love mindfulness, but I also love mindlessness.  I think we all need both in fitness.

Mindlessness is the thing that gets us to the gym before we are entirely awake.  It’s the thing that gets us through the boring parts of cardio with loud music or just the hypnotism of the continuous rhythmic movement.

Mindfulness, however, is what helps us tune into the quality of our motions.  It allows us to keep our knees aligned with our toes, our bellies contracted appropriately, and the breath actually moving in and out of our lungs when our instinct suggests we hold it instead.

So let’s tune in AND tune out.  It will help.