Open your mind to other approaches for building pulling strength. Although many open kinetic chain exercises are nonfunctional in nature, Dave and Nicole are demonstrating a perfect example of one that is functional, fun, and specific to grappling sports.
A great complex movement that builds incredible isometric and isotonic strength at the same time. A few reps should do your core, grip, and limbs plenty good.
In search of a fitness program to jump-start her weight loss, Fekerte “Nani’ Bezuayehu turned to the ultra-fit C-1 for advice while cleaning her teeth during a routine dental appointment. C-1′s recommendation turned out to be a life changing event not only for Nani, but for the rest of us too… thanks Tracy! Truth is, now we’re all addicted to that Nani Glow (patent pending). On top of being a workhorse in the gym, she’s an intelligent, funny, sweet, and sassy ball of positive energy. It’s no wonder her results have been so phenomenal over the past year.
But, let’s put it all into perspective. Nani’s first day was on February 17, 2007. She weighed 168 pounds. Her body fat was 37.3% and her BMI was 29.4.
After her first few months of training with us, Nani decided to kick it up a notch in order to get beyond those first ten pounds. She started attending two classes a day in addition to personal training sessions on the weekend. Not surprisingly, her athletic performance continued to soar, but she was still unable to lose her next ten pounds. So, what happened?
Turns out, she wasn’t eating often enough. Like so many of us, she would have a large meal and then skip the next. She also couldn’t control her nighttime snacking so she did what many people do — skip breakfast. Yikes! Today, she tries not to eat past 7 p.m. and when those nighttime cravings hit, she reaches for a warm cup of tea with a dash of Splenda or raw (key word) fruits/vegetables. Nani is now diligent about eating 6 smaller meals a day. She’s in love with Fuji apples and almonds and swears by these “ziplock” treats, which she prepares 5-7 days in advance. Her other secret weapon: boiled eggs.
Since Nani’s training regime remained the same (hardcore!), she quickly began to lose weight once she changed her diet. Thirty pounds later, her aura glows in the dark!
Eva B’s cool-downs are quickly becoming popular among the old school yogis, dancers, and gymnasts in the house. We were surprised to see a few members hitting the splits too.
Post some of your cool-down favorites to comments.
Jill makes running look fun.
On that note, the Nike Women’s Marathon is now open for registration. The event takes place on October 19th in San Francisco and sells out quickly. You can sign up for either the full marathon distance or half marathon distance. This year, due to overwhelming participation, the registration is on a lottery system. However, a “group†may sign up to enter the lottery and if that group is selected, all members will be registered.
To sign up, go here. You will be asked for a Group Email/Group ID. Use the following email address: ICWoman@yahoo.com
This race is not limited to women only. Men can register. You also need not be a “runnerâ€. Walkers are welcome.
Please talk to Erin if you’re interested in more information.
Working well with injuries is one of the greatest skills an athlete can learn, whether it’s a newly pulled muscle or the chronic knee pain from a years-ago accident. Since we have some people who are or will be making the big comeback (ahem), it can’t hurt to review some fundamentals.
-Assemble your team. Find doctors, physical therapists, and specialists you can trust and listen to their advice. Don’t go renegade.
-Focus on what you can work. Very few people get a total-body injury, so there’s generally some part of you that you can still exercise with peak intensity.
-Don’t put anything away for good. Many experts now think that by avoiding using an injured area entirely, we can make it worse. If and when you get medical approval, slowly bring your hurting parts back into your workouts.
-Strengthen neighbors. If you have, say, a sore shoulder, you may want to focus on the surrounding back and arm muscles to help protect that part from a repeat offense.
-Learn new ways to work. There are many ways to improve strength and endurance, so if you are prohibited from lifting weight, try working the negative. If you can’t go fast, try to gently increase your range of motion. You have options, and some of them will be better for your injury than others.
-Don’t lose hope. Because there’s nothing better than a good comeback story, and having to work differently and with more awareness may actually improve your performance in the long run.
Elisha Couchman (a.k.a. The Artist) is a great example of someone who followed those principles after an ankle injury one year ago (top photo). As a result, she’s back in action–even jumping a few hurdles this morning!
Lactate threshold + fatigue – balance = tonight’s workout.
Way to go C1 and Jess for finishing 60 seconds of the resistance froggies.
