New York City has so many great places to work out for free – you just have to be creative!

I’ve got nothing against training in a gym, but with spring finally blooming after a long snowy winter, my brother Danny and I couldn’t wait to venture back out to the streets of Manhattan for another edition of Sets in the City.

We all have the opportunity to better our bodies every single day. Instead of sitting around waiting for things in your life to magically fall into place, go out and make opportunities for yourself. Learning to improvise with whatever’s in front of you is a helpful skill in the world of fitness, but it’s an even greater asset in everyday life.

Watch the video below to see Danny and I getting it in anywhere we can with scaffolding pull-ups, muscle-ups and of course, the human flag.

Working out doesn’t have to be work – in fact it can be a lot of fun!

Play time is a necessary part of being human and that doesn’t stop once we finish kindergarten.

I got together with my brother Danny at Tompkins Square Park earlier this week to try out some new moves and we had a blast in the process.

We did some variations on basic exercises like push-ups, pull-ups and dips and even had fun with a little manual resistance training.

All in all we had a good time – getting a great workout was simply an added bonus!

Watch the video below for more:

While books and websites can be entertaining and educational, there is no substitute for the inspiration that comes from a real flesh and blood training partner. Anyone who has had a great personal trainer or worked out with athletes can tell you that there is no better motivation in the world.

Oh Brother!
My number one training partner is my brother Danny; he and I have been working out together since we were teenagers. We’ve done scaffold pull-ups, had a dead hang pull-up contest and even built a backyard pull-up bar. We sure love pull-ups!

Grok and Roll
Though it’s great to train with someone so similar to myself, working out with different trainers and training partners has led me to expand my horizons. From my caveman workout with Lenny Lefebvre, to my MMA workout with Matt Ruskin, I’ve been lucky to have lots of great training partners over the years.

Bar-Brothers
Another of my favorite workout partners is my friend Rick Seedman from the Bar-barians. Rick and I spend a lot of time training together at Tompkins Square Park. We’re constantly pushing each other to test our limits.

Don’t Get Dependent
While it’s great to get a session in with friends when possible, don’t get dependent on them. It’s not going to be feasible to train with a partner every workout; remember that you need to find intrinsic motivation as well.

Watch the video below to see some highlights from my recent workout with Rick:

Always on the hunt for fun and creative ways to exercise, my brother Danny and I recently ventured out to practice some of our moves throughout the streets of Manhattan.

In addition to the usual array of scaffold pull-ups, muscle-ups and dips, we also practiced human flags, shrimp squats and hand balancing. It was chilly out, but after working out in the snow, this was a breeze.

For those of you who have a hard time fitting exercise into your day, remember that fitness and life are one in the same. You don’t need a gym to work out when the whole world is a playground!

Watch the video below for more:

The NYC marathon always attracts a crowd and this year was no different. In addition to the 37,000 entrants, there were millions of friends, family and fans lined up to cheer on the racers, giving the entire city Marathon fever!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a whole year since I ran the NYC marathon, but time flies when you’re having fun. And hey – it’s been a good year!

This time around, I was excited to be a spectator. Being part of the crowd is almost as much fun as being in the race itself! It was a beautiful day and the positive energy was overwhelming.

The popularity of distance running is undeniable and everyone is welcome to participate. With entrants from all ages, nationalities and body types represented, it proved to me that anyone who sets their mind to it can run a Marathon.

Check out the photos below for more:

Age is just a number. So is 26.2.

Go Frank!

Viva Italia!

Waldo!

Heel striking in Vibrams? Oh and he's in a funny costume, too.

Photos by Colleen Leung