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 his threshold run he managed to get his heart rate all the way up to 172 bpm. Was Jim… Continue reading

Rants and Raves, Running

On Wednesday I celebrated the release of my debut fitness book, We're Working Out: A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness, by signing copies at Nimble Fitness in NYC. The party was a smash success thanks to the support of my friends (both old and new!), family, and clients who came out to celebrate with me and get their books signed. Everyone in attendance had a… Continue reading

Rants and Raves

I know what you might be thinking, "Advanced muscle-ups? Aren't muscle-ups already an advanced exercise?" Yes, the muscle-up is a fairly advanced exercise by itself, but with practice, muscle-ups will eventually become manageable. That's when it's time to raise the bar! Plyo Muscle-ups If you know about plyometrics, it's easy to figure out what a plyo muscle-up might look like. To do this move, keep pushing… Continue reading

Body Weight Exercises, Pull-ups!

Having a strong core is an essential component of fitness; the plank is the most simple and fundamental core building exercise you can do. The term "core" generally refers to your abs, lower back and obliques. When holding a plank, you engage all of these muscles. Whether your focus is bodyweight training, weight training, yoga or anything else really, the plank is likely to come up… Continue reading

Body Weight Exercises

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. Parkour Vaulting Another great… Continue reading

Body Weight Exercises

When I was in high school I got a pair of gloves to wear for lifting weights. I'm not totally sure what my primary motivation was; there were several factors involved. At the time I thought they looked cool and since I had just gotten into working out, I wanted to have all the gear. I was probably concerned about preventing callouses too, but like most… Continue reading

Rants and Raves

My long-anticipated fitness book, We're Working Out: A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness, will be available on June 30, 2010. Some of you have asked to have a peek. Here's a little of the introduction (the first line may look a bit familiar). I was a tall, scrawny kid growing up in Brooklyn and I didn’t want to get my ass kicked, so once I was thirteen I decided… Continue reading

Rants and Raves

Running hills has long been a cornerstone of serious running programs. Whether you're doing threshold training or running intervals, running uphill is a great way to "ramp up" your cardio session. For city dwellers, running over a bridge can offer a nice variation on the classic hill run. If you are in the NYC area, I recommend running the Williamsburg Bridge as it's generally… Continue reading

Running

Jumping jacks are one of the most well known bodyweight exercises out there, but when was the last time that you actually did any? Just like jumping rope, the jumping jack (technically referred to as the "side-straddle-hop") is a low intensity plyometric exercise that involves your entire body. And like jumping rope, jumping jacks can turn into a serious cardio workout if done for a long… Continue reading

Body Weight Exercises, Strength and Conditioning

The pistol squat is one of my favorite bodyweight exercises. Pistols are challenging on many levels, requiring core strength, leg strength and flexibility. I often get asked about this exercise, so I decided a formal tutorial was in order. Once you've gotten comfortable with two-legged squats, you're ready to learn the pistol. I like to break it down into three phases. Pistol Squat… Continue reading

Body Weight Exercises, Working Out Your Legs