Featured Article: Men's Fitness UK

Featured Article: Men's Fitness UK

The Fitness Explorer is featured in Men's Fitness magazine. 

The article entitled "BODY POWER" is featured in this month's issue of the magazine (edition Jan 2011).  

There is discussion on the limitations and benefits of bodyweight training.  

In terms of injury prevention, building muscle mass and generating power - manipulating your own body should be the most important aspect of any training programme. 

Men's Fitness Jan 2011 - on sale now

Video: Gym Jones : "JonesTown Sprint"

Gym Jones - 'JonesTown Sprint'

20 Push Press @ 30kg/65lb

20 Burpee Pull-up

10 Push Press @ 30kg/65lb

10 Burpee Pull-up

Edit of Mark Twight: Gym Jones

"Start the (quick) journey with 20x Push Press, dip the hips and knees slightly, drive the bar overhead to full extension.  Once finished rack the bar and set up under the Pull-up bar to do 20x Burpee Pull-ups (execute a Burpee but instead of the normal finish jump through as much of a Pull-up as possible then finish it with the whole head above the bar), after the final Pull-up drop off the bar, grab the barbell and do 10x Push Press, etc.

Record the look of surprise on each player's face when they start the second set of Push Presses, it's fun."

Workout: Gym Jones (Seminar Day 2)

 Workout: Gym Jones Intermediate Seminar - Day 2

Photo: Mark Twight - Gym Jones

Warmup:

Technical Practice : Push Press, Split Jerk, Push Jerk.

Workout: AM

Gym Jones: "JonesTown Sprint"

20 Push-Press - 30kg(65lb)

20 Burpee-Pull Ups

10 Push-Press - 30kg(65lb)

10 Burpee-Pull Ups

Times:
 

Cody = 4:29 

Chris = 4:40 

Josh = 2:59 

Carolyn = 6:46 (@ 2 x 25# DB) 

Burkey = 4:10 

Paul = 5:47 

Joe = 4:44 

John = 4:25 

Milos = 3:15 

Ramy = 3:18 

Ian = 3:37 

Jeff = 2:38 

Darryl = 2:43 

Jenny = 4:54 (@ 2 x 25# DB)

Things to Note:
 

There's much less oxygen in Salt Lake City, than in London;

I managed to beat Bobby Maximus' best time of 2:57.

Cool Down

---

Workout: PM

45 sec at each of the following stations, 15sec rest: 

AirDyne (aka Satan's Bike) 

FLR on Rings (plank with feet on box and hands on gymnastics rings) 

Whip Smash (whipping a large rope continuously using a two handed grip)

OH Hold (holding a slosh pipe or barbell overhead)

KB Swing (2 hand KB swing)

Dead Hang (hanging from a Pull-Up Bar)

Ball Slam (slamming a ball from over head to the ground into a low squat position)

Wall Sit (hold a squat against the wall)

Then Repeat!

Then: 

One minute "All-out" AirDyne 

Things to note:   

• I hated the AirDyne, I want an AirDyne;
• I need to make a slosh pipe;
• Being told half way through the first round, that we have to repeat the circuit.  Not funny!

Video of the "JonesTown Sprint" to follow.

Health: Exercise not Just to Extend Life, but to Extend Youth

Photo: New York Times

An interesting article I came across today in the New York Times (online).  It discusses the extraordinary abilities of a 91 year old Master's Canadian athlete, Olga Kotelko who started to compete at the ripe young age of 77.  But this is not just a piece on a remarkable young lady, but an insight into how we can all gain from her work.

It is common knowledge that as we age, we lose (amongst other things) muscle mass, bone density, strength, flexibility and cardiovascular ability.  This process is also accelerated rapidly with one's personal choice (or via peer pressure) to become more sedentary as we age.  Our increasing reliance on 'mobility' devices - (should they not be called immobility devices?) and a general lack of enthusiasm for movement of any kind.  

This lack of mobility in our lives was especially poignant as I arrived at my destination airport last night (after a long haul flight from London).  I was astounded at all the travelators, escalators, and electric cars escorting healthy, able-bodied persons around the terminal.  

"After sitting for 10 hours on the plane, why not continue to sit in a wheelchair, be escorted to my car and then sit as a passenger all the way home"?  

Anyway I digress.... 

This article explores a few areas of research looking at exercise as a way to decelerate the ageing process.  Looking at mitochondria (responsible for releasing energy from glucose during respiration) and its ability to support youthful exuberant activities.  Some researchers have noticed a strong correlation in physical function degeneration with mitochondria degeneration thus increasing the importance of movement and exercise as an elixir of youth.

There is also discussion on why some individuals tend to hold onto their functional capabilities for longer. 

Two very interesting segments are:  

exercise — elixir not so much of extended life as extended youthfulness

James Fries, an emeritus professor at Stanford School of Medicine, coined the working buzz phrase: “compression of morbidity.” You simply erase chronic illness and infirmity from the first, say, 95 percent of your life. “So you’re healthy, healthy, healthy, and then at some point you kick the bucket”

In a nutshell, maintain as much of the prime of your life as possible, by maximising your abilities for as long as possible.

The full article can be read here:

The Incredible Flying Nonagenarian