Wednesday 25 April 2012
Posted: April 25, 2012 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, gluten free, health, hipster, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, life, lululemon, marathon, motivation, natural, paleo, perspective, philosophy, pilates, psycology, running, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, yoga 25 CommentsLet there be a soft smile on your face, Let your speech be truthful and pleasant, Let there be restraint in emotions, in indulgence; Let there not be excesses anywhere-
**Not very often do we feel compelled to preface a post, well today is a bit different. Our opinion today is wide-ranging and all over the place (for a reason) it’s up to you dear peep reading in your jammies on this fine morning to decide where you want to take this discussion today. So without further ado we present you this monstrosity!**
Today’s sign of the Apocalypse: A Night With the World’s Most Hated Bands
Does it seem that our society has made a gentleman’s agreement in regards to “stuff” that we should know? And the means in which this information is delivered is based on facts not knowledge: “You should eat a LvL 5 Vegan diet to run faster.” Why? “Well, it helped me so why would it not help you?” I don’t know? “Well Nickleback is the best band ever!” OK,please explain why that is so?
The reason we have a salacious love affair with facts is due to how easy they are to get (iThingy) and also how easy they are to test. “Great Little Bobby you scored 8 out of 10 on your Fitness Trainer Cert.” …Feel empowered to spread your wealth of facts and not true knowledge.”. This is not something that is new and if you happened to grow up in good ole ‘Merica? Our education system is entirely built on facts and committing to memory important dates in history (for the most part). Don’t believe us? Ask a ‘Merican if a Kit Kat is a cookie or a biscuit? The answer you will get is that it is a candy bar, fact! Period, argument over. Look here it even says so on wiki-i-know-nothing!!! Now ask this same question to someone who lives of the glimmering side of the pond? Pour a nice cup of PG Tips and prepare to debate Kit Kat’s!!!
End of Act One
We’ll leave this here to cheer you up a bit…
Act Two
From where we sit (in a plush purple love sac) being educated means being able to understand the question presented and thoroughly knowing enough relevant information to make a reasoned argument. It’s in making a reasoned argument, not facts, this is our key message today. What ever happened to learning to think and express ones thoughts in a persuasive way?
What is the currency of learning? What are some of the tangible’s? Is it preparing oneself to be wrong?
Truth be told it isn’t what you know but how you come to know it that matters to us most. Our society has forced us from an early age to memorize facts and useless information that clutter up our minds (pick up any issue of Runners World as an example). Your ability to articulate facts may be useful for passing tests in your life, impressing your friends during your conversation about Glee last night…When all is said and done? What do you do after you have exhausted your vast knowledge of facts?
The Plan-
The brighter, more serious students were the least desirous of grades, possibly because they were more interested in the subject matter of the course, whereas the dull or lazy students were the most desirous of grades, possibly because grades told them if they were getting by.
Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
The Workout-
Brought to you today by the: “Whoa, have not done this is in like 30+ years” department here at CultFit HQ.
Gather up the kids, neighbors, spouse, pets and anyone else who wants to have fun and…
Play around with Cart-Wheels and One Legged Squats while the little ones play. Followed by:
Freeze Tag until the sun goes down, or up…or if if its up all the time? 30 minutes or so?
Young at heart get tagged: 25 Perfect Push Ups
Kids get tagged: 25 jumping Jacks
BREAKING NEWS!!! Working out does not need to be tedious and dreadful! Leave that to reality TV!!!
Notes:
Jump in peeps and fire away with the comments! YOUR comments and sense of community here facilitate a sharing of ideas…Hmm, not facts. Have a blast and ENJOY!!!
Thursday 19 April 2012
Posted: April 19, 2012 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: active rest, crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, gluten free, health, jogging, kettlebell, marathon, motivation, natural, paleo, perspective, philosophy, pilates, psycology, recovery, rest, running, simplicity, trail running, walking, WOD, yoga 18 CommentsYou know, when you were a baby in your crib, your father looked down at you, he had but one hope – some day my son will grow to be a man. Well look at you now. You just got your asses whipped by a bunch of goddamn nerds-
The night air is remarkably cool and brilliantly lit by the night sky. The perfect recipe for a Rest Day…Before we take this post sideways and off into the abysses like we normally do. We feel the need to speak with you for one minute, a heart to heart. Thank You!!! We don’t tell you that enough nor could we ever say it enough to you dear reader. You are special and appreciated around these parts! At last count there were over 500 peeps who…err 490+ peeps (If you want to tick people off make fun of Cardio Barre Burn…we’ll leave it at that!) who decided to follow the ramblings of CultFit HQ. We are humbled, truly! Thank You once again for giving up five precious seconds from your glorious eventful day to stop by and hang out for a bit!
Enough of this feel good contextual (Hmm- Contextual Fitness?!?) snuggle party stuff! It’s “Best Caption” wins something Thursday…
** And because YOU are really special…One more from a recent gathering.**
The Plan-
The Workout-
Rest Day…
Basically all we did here today consisted of the following:
Self Reiki and Leg Drains followed by a touch of meditation in the morning sun. Afternoon…Scouted out some new parks riding the old bike with the kiddos.
Notes:
Thanks once again!!! There is a tough program on tap for tomorrow…Be well and ENJOY!!!
Wednesday 18 April 2012
Posted: April 18, 2012 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: crossfit, exercise, family, fitness, free range, gluten free, health, hipster, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, lululemon, marathon, motivation, natural, paleo, perspective, pilates, planks, recovery, rest, running, talent, trail running, walking, WOD, yoga 32 CommentsNew leaves and old roots are what makes a tree magnificent. New knowledge and old principles meld to become dharma. If wisdom of the sages can blend with the new sciences, It would be for the benefit to humanity-
Today’s sign of the Apocalypse: NYC’s most extreme workout
Each and every one of you taking the precious time to read this morning have a unique talent of some sort or another. If you feel the need to decree to the blog-o-sphere what that talent may be? Please leave a comment at the end today. YogaMom/Extreme Fitness Peep? Is this your talent:
Give us a moment to center ourselves here and…Hmm, Hmm Ok…How about entertaining this thought for a second: Dedicate yourself to right now, this very moment! Painfully forget about whether or not you have “found your talent”…How about finding our lives!?!
Sadly in today’s culture, it is so very easy to think that being talented, popular, the mayor of your pilates studio on Four Square or 400 friends on Facebook is the ultimate end goal. From the moment we awake in the morning we are conditioned to believe that our achievements are what makes us interesting, influential, and special.
You know what is important in your life? What truly matters on a deep, heart-felt personal level…is up to each of us!!!
The Plan-
The Workout-
Cleverly pulled from our “Spring Medley” series…
There are Warm Ups and then there are Warm the Joints Up…Two entirely different sexy beasts!
Today we will perform both…Warm Up into a nice lather doing something you enjoy and then Warm Up the Joints:
5-4-3-2-1 Hammer Curls to a One Arm Perfect Press (Feet together, toes actively grabbing the earth beneath you, eyes look through the press!!!) followed by:
10 Perfect Push Ups
Quick question peeps? When you walk are you not performing a plank? And when you perform a One Arm Press? Hmm…Why is it then when you do a plank it looks like hell? Do you walk funny…So on that note how about a nice Plank Medley?
Focus more on form than time today and everyday for that matter…All Planks begin with a Hinge Walk Out!!!
High Plank, Low Plank (chin barely touching floor), Side Planks w/press (look through the weight), Fore Arm Plank…Stand up and with the heavy kettle bells (or any other heavy object – KIDS!!!) you neatly placed nearby earlier: Rack Hold Farmers Walk 40m Out and Back.
How many times through is up to you! 10+ would be something to brag about via a tweet…
Notes:
Patience, Form, Flow and Grace today dear reader. Have fun and ENJOY!!!
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Posted: April 17, 2012 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, gluten free, hate, health, hipster, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, love, lululemon, marathon, memos, motivation, natural, notes, perspective, pilates, postcards, recovery, running, swimming, trail running, walking, WOD, writing, yoga 13 CommentsIn silence, in gossip, in humor, in music, So also in love, in bravery and victory; In all these and more does Man seek peace and joy. But happiness is within the soul-
This may come as a surprise to some of you reading this morning that, Yes there is a kinder gentler side here at CultFit. Over the past few years “our” clients detached from the inter-webz and social media have taken part in a rather old-fashioned means of communication, postcards! And finally due to much coaxing from these other member’s we have decided to present it to you!
Random Motivational Postcards for One Year!!! (Must clicky on this one!!!)
Miraculously you can actually feel and hold a postcard, pick it up and flick it around. You can even put them in the spokes on your new $2500 bike that was ridden once last year. All kidding aside this is pretty cool in our book and helps out a few people in a tough spot either in training or getting motivated to run a marathon for the first time. If you feel like this is something you would like or would like to share with a friend or family member? Please take the time to pass it on!!!
**1976…Hmm. Sums up our lives today pretty well?!? The fun starts at 1:35…**
The Plan-
The Workout-
As we start to spend more time outdoors this spring take the time to look around you for some ladybugs! Our good mates at the Lost Ladybug Project desperately need each and every one of you reading today to help out. Face it, you never leave the house without your iThingy to take precious little photos of yourself after a hard 2 mile run…How about not worrying about your image for a bit and looking around yourself for some friendly little critters!?!
Warm Up Thoroughly and certainly Not For Time…
Pulled from the “Honest Effort” archives here at CultFit HQ:
75-80% Max Effort Hill Sprints followed by:
20 Perfect Push Ups (At the top before you head back down)
By all means feel free to play with the rep range with the Push Ups. Meaning, ideally we would like 200-300 Push Ups today although that is a lot of hill sprints. Try to find a balance this morning that works for you and pushes you a tad…As an example: Sister Mel performed 10 Hill Sprints and 30 Perfect Push Ups…
Notes:
The Lost Ladybug Project is super-duper importante to us here and we implore you to help out! Be safe today during the program and by all means ENJOY!!!
Monday 16 April 2012
Posted: April 16, 2012 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: crossfit, exercise, fitness, free range, health, hipster, intensity, jogging, kettlebell, life, lululemon, marathon, motivation, natural, pain, paleo, perspective, pilates, recovery, remedy, rest, running, swings, therapy, trail running, walking, WOD, yoga 16 CommentsTo stray about and tire. To beg and feed oneself. To brag and act in conceit. To simper and fawn. To wilt and whine; to be furious; to be miserable: What is this living but a child’s antic!
Quick question to start this splendid Monday morning off on the right foot: Why do you insist that your workout should be so hard and uncomfortable? This post may be as personal as we ever get around here for one simple reason: There is an ethical brush fire surrounding the Fitness World and we are right in the middle of it. Uncle Francis recently coined the term…” The Random Fitness Placebo Effect.”
We are going to put faith in you dear reader that you are aware of the placebo effect and save you from explaining it here. That would be painful and nauseating…The faith we do not have in you is when this applies to your health and fitness program.
Answer these three simple questions after your next WAD or fire-breathing 5k program:
How does your current program enhance your current physical well-being? How much effort does your fitness program require from you? How many times during the last week did you perform said fitness program?
Expected benefit, Perceived effort, Adherence and Perceived benefit= The Random Fitness Placebo Effect (nice little definition if we must say so…). Basically and as simply as possible: The The Random Fitness Placebo Effect is a function of how hard YOU thought your fitness program was.
At least 300 peeps will email us here this week wanting something difficult and complicated to perform. Almost all of them will make the assumption that a challenging series of movements will do more for their overall outward appearance (That is what this is all about right? Gotta look hot in them yoga pants?) than a more simple less dynamic movement, or that a complicated program will do more for their body than just being mindful and present in oneself.
You will never get a Placebo Program here! Four peeps now why this is! There is a prevailing No-Pain-No-Gain mentality stirring up the winds to drive the flames further within the blog-0-sphere…You won’t find it here.
The Plan-
The Workout-
Thoroughly Warm Up into a think lather this morning and proceed with the following:
**Once you pick up your weight of choice it stays up**
25 KB Hard Style Swings
20 KB One Arm Perfect Presses (Each Arm)
20 Alternate/Pivot Goblet Squats
20 One Arm Bent Over KB Rows
Gently set the weight down and perform:
100m Sprint Out and Back
Rinse and Repeat…Oh, 5-10 times?
Notes:
Just because you choose to engage in something that YOU perceive is hard, does not necessarily give you the perceived benefit YOU think it does?!? Be safe today and most importantly, ENJOY!!!
CultFit 