FITKYT Resistance Bands, this is a set of three bands. They are made of fabric and will not roll or break. Perfect for lower body workouts. These will get your glutes fired up.
I have many goals I am wanting to achieve in 2021. I'm not into a lot of New Years resolutions, but with the year that 2020 was, it would be great to start off in a good direction.
In October I will turn 50, so my major goal for that is to get in 50 mile mountain bike ride. This past year I was able to hammer down a 26 mile ride and felt pretty good doing it. With some better nutrition before and during the ride, as well getting stronger off and on the bike.
Of course for a lot of people is setting a goal of losing weight, which wouldn't be a bad idea for me, but it's not the main priority.
There are a few training programs I have already, that I just need to buckle down and get strict with following them through.
I have thrown into the mix of stretching and exercise using the SpoxFit Yoga ball with resistance bands. The bands have a resistance of 220 pounds and are comfortable using the handles attached.
The SpoxFit yoga ball comes complete with plug and foot pump to inflate. I have used a yoga ball for awhile now, but nothing like this with a stability ring, in which the resistance bands attach to.
The kit of the ball, resistance bands and air pump also comes with a poster showing exercises to do using the setup.
The ball alone provided a great workout. Using it for wall squats, sit ups and hamstring curls. Add the resistance bands and work more on your upper body.
This is a great set up for anyone wanting to try different exercises.
I am looking forward to the New Year. I have a bunch of projects I want to share on my blog as well as mountain bike races and running races. I am looking to increase my fitness level too. Of course it's not a New Year's resolution, yet this time of year the majority of everyone starts some kind of plan.
Even with the holiday's this year, I have been able to keep my fitness level the same if not higher.
I have a hard time getting motivated in the colder winter months to get out and run or bike. This year I have put on an extra layer, or two, and gotten out of the house way before the sun even thinks of rising. With some days, the overcast hangs around long enough, the sun is never seen, yet daylight appears eventually.
I am looking forward to a great 2019 and look to share it all here in blogs or videos in the upcoming year.
Somedays are better than others. It has been a long, long, long time since I did a ride or run and totally ran out of energy. Nothing left in the tank at all. I was 24 miles into a 30 mile mountain bike ride when it happened.I had enough hydration and think it was pretty much a lack of replacing my nutrition along the way. It’s a little harder to eat while on the mountain bike because of the trail, but it can be done.For the ride I was doing too, I went out a little hard to begin with and by doing so paid the price by not being able to complete the distance I set out for. For the little under two and a half hour ride, I burned 2757 calories and finished doing 26 miles.
I was upset with myself that I was unable to finish the distance and focused on my nutrition and hydration the next two days afterwards. I started planning in my head doing the 30 mile mountain bike ride and finishing it.
So Saturday I went back out to the same trails and headed out to get this 30 mile ride finished. Started off way better in the nutrition department and speed, taking it a little easier the first 15 miles. The weather was about 14 degrees cooler with some cloud cover every so often.
The three hour 15 minute mountain bike ride came in at 32 miles burning 2571 calories.200 fewer calories yet five more miles. The speed definitely helped maintain some of the calories.
I mentally had to get out there and finish what I set my training goal for.I was more relaxed and focused the second ride knowing to take it easier.
For the past few months I have been reading “Maximum Overload for Cyclists” and using the programs for adding weight lifting into my training this year.
I have always done weight training, but with this book and the program it has, I am more focused.A good program, and I will focus more on a later post on how that is going and what it is all about.
Adding the Lizard Mad mobility band, made of latex has brought a new addition to my workouts.I have the dark blue Lizard Mad band, with its resistance being rated at 35 to 65 pounds. The large loop, about 41 1/2 inches long, folded. It is super flexible. Not needing it to be that length? Simply shorten the loop by tying a small knot, which can easily be removed after your specific stretch, workout.A super useful exercise I perform with the band, among a ton of others, is a squat.Step on the band on the floor, a loop of the band in either hand. Straighten out your arms and use your legs to push upward. Make sure to keep your arms straight, but the majority of the work is being done by your upper legs. The band is super strong and will not break. I am always finding new ways, workouts, stretches to use the Lizard Mad band with.The band comes with a five-year quality guarantee.
Proud to be representing and using Activ5 allowing me to exercise anywhere. Along with my cardio, cycling, running and swimming, using the Activ5 makes for quick yet effective workout. I have even showed it to my 10 year-old son, using the Activ5 device. Paired through bluetooth to my smartphone, select a workout ranging from upper body, lower body, toning, yoga and pilates, as well as abs, butt and leg workouts. For busy travelers there are even workouts on the app geared towards using in small spaces such as a car or airplane and finally hotel workouts. All these isometric exercises have easy to follow directions and images, showing a model using the device and where to place it for the exercise. The first time you do a specific exercise you will set your “max power” and the app will then contour the exercise according to that setting.
Before performing any of the exercise you can reset your max power output.
At the end of each exercise is give you a report on how you performed that exercise. Your max power in pounds and how much weight can be compared to that you just lifted. The muscle control you had in a percentage.
The little, very portable, device is powered with one AAA battery.
The device works off of applying pressure, sometimes on both sides of the device, others just pressing down, applying pressure to the one side, depending upon the exercise being performed. During each exercise you apply more pressure making the marker rise on the app, and apply less pressure to make it lower. The only setting adjustment I needed to make to my smartphone was the timeout length. I was running in to my smartphone falling asleep during my workout. I have now taken care of this and the Activ5 device is great.
These isometric exercises contract particular muscles or groups of muscles. The muscle doesn't noticeably change length and the affected joint doesn't move.
Besides the Activ5 app, there are other apps (games) out in the iTunes or Google Play stores. Involve the kids in these exercises paired with the games and they will have no idea they are helping tone their muscles.
Over the past few months I have focused on strengthening my glutes, as I have ran into some issues with them cramping on longer rides. The issue I had been having is with the running and cycling motions, my muscles get accustomed to just that forward and backward motion. To help with the strengthening I started doing a few workouts a week with some resistance bands.Using my legs in more of lateral motion to help treat those muscles.
Side leg lifts and doing squats then walking sideways I am trying to trigger and get at those muscles.
Over the holidays I took some much needed time off to spend with family and friends. Relaxed and started some planning of my year ahead. 2017 is here and I have many things this year I want to accomplish. I have put in place a strength program I hope to build on. I have done the program before and looking forward to take it to the next level.
Are your workouts boring? Doing the same exercises or routine every week. The Strength Stack 52 is an equipment free exercise card game. The card game is fun and ever changing. It can be used by oneself or numerous people and the skill levels are various. From beginners to very difficult the cards are very easy to understand and learn from. Each card has a picture of the exercise, a description of the exercise, name of the exercise, numbers of repetitions to be performed, difficulty rank as well as a QR code that can be used to link you to a video of the exercise being performed in a video segment. There is also a normal suite (hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs) that can be used on the card if you choose to use those in a desired game. There is a value given to each card, as this can also be used to develop or use in a desired game. The cards are also color coded with six different color, each color representing the dominate muscle group being worked. The Strength Stack 52 Fitness Cards Pack contains:
15 cardio exercises (Blue)
32 core/ab exercises (Red)
3 back exercises (Pink)
30 leg exercises (Yellow)
9 Arm exercises (Orange)
13 chest exercises (Green)
12 of the hardest bodyweight exercises known to man (Gold)
3 instructional cards
2 wild cards (used in games)
If you think or love the Strength Stack 52 your in luck, there are also the Strength Stack 52 Expansion Pack and Strength Stack 52 Insane Pack available. By the way the Strength Stack 52 was created by military fitness expert and scientist Sergeant Michael Volkin and used by the US Army in Iraq.
I was sent the Strength Stack 52 Fitness cards to test and review.
Swimmo: The Ultimate Swimmer's Smartwatch Improving Strength
This information is coming directly off Swimmo's Kickstarter campaign, which launched today, April 15, 2015. It is rapidly gaining backers and I have no doubt the campaign will be a total success. Not just for Swimmo, but swimmers who will become stronger and faster swimmers.
Follow the link below to find out more on this device.
