RIDICULUS*

DJ Hyphen sent me this video:

LL Cool J working out with DJ Envy



His trainer has some nice tricks up his sleeve (figuratively speaking as he rocks the bodybuilder tank): KB sumo deadlift high pulls (NO SWINGS?!), "ring" pushups, sledgehammer situps, bungie sprints..

Methinks Mr. Ross Enamait would have a fun time with Mr. Todd Smith and give his current trainer a run for his money.

It's good to see more people leaning towards the HIIT philosophies of exercise. The bodybuilder physique is one society came to idolize because how big and defined someone's muscle could grow. You could watch that person squat huge amounts of weight and bicep curl dumbbells weighing as much as a junior high student. Is that functional? How hard did one have to train and look that way? What does one have to eat? How would I stay looking that way? How long?

Mmm.. fake tans and veins!

If that's your goal, go for it! But if you're a regular joe you might want to think twice about trying THAT route. Long workouts. Strict dieting. Too many supplements. What are your goals? You want to be built bigger? Harder? Better? Faster? Stronger? (c) Daft Punk

If we were robots, we'd never have to workout. But then where's the fun in that?!

If you want to look more athletic (see 10 General Physical Skills) then become more athletic. How? By improving EACH and EVERY one of those skills: strength, endurance, flexibility, stamina, power, speed, agility, coordination, balance and accuracy. That's a lot, I know, but we can tie it together. We improve work capacity over broad and modal domains by using highly varied, if not random, functional movements performed at high intensity. The end result is you being harder, better, faster and stronger. And once you clean up your nutritional habits, you'll look good too. Form follows function, so to look more athletic become more athletic.

* brownie points for those who get it

Don't try this at home (or in public)

Chain Surfing - My oh my, how good is this guy's sense of balance?!

CrossFit puts balance in the 10 General Physical skills and defines it as "The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base." So whether it be holding the top position of a press (GOOD!), standing on one foot with your eyes closed (BAD) or standing on a bosu or swill ball (UGLY!) your body is constantly looking for it's center of gravity. One of the best examples of elite balance is the handstand. Try it. It also develops your proprioception, or the ability to sense the position, location, movement and orientation of the body and its parts.

An easy proprioception test:

• Stand shoulder-width apart with your arms wide open so that your body looks like a cross from the front.
  
• Close your eyes and tilt your head up so that you'd be looking at the ceiling.
• Without opening your eyes, take your non-dominant hand and touch the tip of your nose.
• Try it again with your dominant hand.

Could you do it on the first try?

The 10 General Physical Skills

1. Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance - The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.

2. Stamina - The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.

3. Strength - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.

4. Flexibility - the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.

5. Power - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.

6. Speed - The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.

7. Coordination - The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.

8. Agility - The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.

9. Balance - The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.

10. Accuracy - The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.

The first four are improved through training. The last four are improved by practice. The middle two are improved by BOTH training and practice.

Training: the process of bringing a person to an agreed standard of proficiency by practice and instruction

Practice: to do or perform something repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill

The difference is INSTRUCTION!