It is getting to be that time when we need to start saying goodbye to our family members and get packed up to head back to Tucson. This will be the last post until we are safely back home. As some of you may know, our journey from the Washington DC area to Tucson takes us three days: 1) DC to Nashville, TN, 2) Nashville, TN to Sweetwater, TX, 3) Sweetwater, TX home in Tucson. Back in the day we could go non-stop but as we have gotten older it just seems silly.
Three days in the car is brutal on me, so I thought I would link this workout from the American Council on Exercise for all of the drivers out there. Do it and you will not be a pretzel at the end of a long day sitting in the car. Mix it in with a good long dog walk when you finally get to your daily destination and you should be good to go!
Workout:
Warm-Up:
Jumping Jack, 30 repetitions
AMRAP 12 Minutes:
Box Jump, 10 repetitions
Hand Release Push-Up, 10 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Up, 15 repetitions
Have a Great Day and I will see you in the New Year!
The Washington Redskins answered all of the critics last night with a convincing win over the Eagles on the road. NFC East Champions. Weird. Anybody that told you that the 'Skins would find themselves in this position at the beginning of the season was either A) a maniacally loyal Redskins fan with no grip on reality or B) a liar who was just pitying the poor, insane Redskins fan. For now we can just sit back, relish our NFC East Championship and feel all warm and fuzzy knowing that we cannot end with a losing record! Enjoy it while it lasts.... the 'Skins are most likely hosting the Seahawks in the first round of the playoffs.... the same Seahawks that have eliminated the Redskins in their last three playoff appearances. You throw one 800 lbs. gorilla off your back, another one takes its place!
Workout:
Rest Day from the Weights and Strength Training
Steady Pace Cardio, 3 Mile Run
Mobility:
Quadriceps, Hamstrings and Calf Stretches
Have a Great Day!
The Redskins play the Eagles tonight in Philadelphia. It is true that there is a lot at stake tonight: Whoever wins will be in the driver seat to win the NFC East and go to the playoffs. For Kirk Cousins there is a whole lot more at stake. Can this guy win a big game under the lights being the only game on TV? Can he win on the road? How about three wins in a row? Can he close the deal that will send the 'Skins to the playoffs for the first time since RGIII took them there in 2012? Is Cousins worthy of a contract for a starting QB in the NFL? One big win tonight may answer every one of those questions. A loss and all of them may linger unanswered a bit longer. This is not a monkey on his back.... it is an 800 lbs. gorilla!
Warm-up:
Jumping Jack, 30 repetitions
Air Squat, 50 repetitions
Workout:
AMRAP 15 minutes:
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, 10 repetitions
Hand Release Push-Up, 15 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Up, 20 repetitions
Mobility:
Quadriceps and Hamstring Stretches
Have a Great Day and Hail to the Redskins!!
We had a very mellow and relaxing Christmas. Late breakfast, later lunch, gift exchange and then a wonderful home cooked meal. I made out like a bandit with a GoRuck 80lbs. Training Sandbag with refillable bags, a new Aeropress Coffee Maker, a couple of great big bottle craft beers and a package of wonderful handcrafted hard salamis!! You can't do much better than that?! For those who are tired of the normal carols out there for Christmas.... here is my all time favorite, The Season's Upon Us by the Dropkick Murphys! Enjoy!
Workout:
Warm-Up:
Jumping Jack, 30 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Up, 30 repetitions
5 Rounds for Time:
Air Squat, 10 repetitions
Dumbbell Thruster, 7 repetitions
Diamond Triceps Push-Up, 20 repetitions
Alternating Lunge, 14 repetitions per side
Have a Great Day and a Very Merry Christmas!!
The last day to frantically get gifts before the big day tomorrow! Fortunately I am done. Yesterday I went to fantastic store in DC called Rodman's to pick up some beer for a gathering with friends. It is a cool, quirky little grocery that also has an amazing beer selection in the back. Amazing place to buy last minute gifts for just about anyone.... but beware. Tight crowded aisles with lots of frantic last minute shoppers will not let you browse the shelves in peace looking for your Sweet Baby Jesus Porter!
Workout of the Day:
Warm-Up:
Steady Pace Run, 3 miles
Workout:
5 Rounds for Time:
Alternating Overhead Plate Lunge (35lbs.), 10 repetitions per leg
Hand Release Push-Up, 10 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Up, 15 repetitions
Have a Great Day!!
I just went for a walk with the dog around the neighborhood here in Bethesda, Maryland. It was raining so I wore my raincoat... but if it wasn't raining I would have just been in a t-shirt, shorts, a baseball cap and FLIP-FLOPS?! ON DECEMBER 23rd?! But don't worry. It is only supposed to be in the high 60s today. Should warm up to 75 degrees tomorrow?!
With the weather being as rainy as it is, I am forced to move into the very small basement here to exercise today. I normally like to workout outside, but sometimes when you are on vacation and the weather is crappy you have to make due with what you have got!!
Workout:
AMRAP 15 minutes:
Jumping Jack, 20 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Up, 15 repetitions
Hand Release Push-Up, 10 repetitions
Mobility:
Foam Roller Work
Have a Great Day!!
Just a quick workout post. Running around getting ready for Christmas day!!
Workout of the Day:
Warm-Up:
Jumping Jack, 30 repetitions
Steady Pace Cardio, 3 mile Run
Workout:
12 minutes AMRAP:
Hand Release Push-Up, 10 repetitions
Squat Jumps, 10 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Ups, 10 repetitions
Have a Great Day and Good Luck with the Holiday Chaos!!
Today is a great day in Redskins' Nation! Nothing is better than having the Redskins win and the Giants, Eagles and Cowboys lose and hear that the Cowboys are eliminated from the playoffs!! I honestly was hoping for a five win Redskins' season just to improve from last year's debacle.
The perfect situation for me would be this: Somehow the Skins go 8-8 on the season by beating the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas but don't go to the playoffs. This would allow me to have 1) The satisfaction of beating the Cowboys in Dallas, 2) Not have a losing record and dramatically improving from last season and 3) I blissfully end the season on a high note instead of hosting a playoff game against some team like Seattle who just obliterate the 'Skins at home.
Warm-Up:
Dog Walk, 3 miles
PVC Wraparound, 10 repetitions
PVC Passthrough, 10 repetitions
Workout:
AMRAP in 15 minutes:
Burpees, 5 repetitions
Box Jumps, 10 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Ups, 15 repetitions
Cool-Down and Mobility:
Dog Walk, 1/3 mile
Quadriceps Stretching
Have a Great Day!!
We had a great visit with my brothers and my step-mother and her husband. It was fantastic to see family and we all met at the new home my brother Kevin has built. The place is a super energy efficient design, will eventually be a "net zero home" and he plans to use it as a model home for his company, Newphire Building. I am super proud of my brother Kevin and the amazing business he has built!
While we were visiting we also went and checked out the Carolina Tiger Rescue facility. If you are ever in the area around Chapel Hill you should check it out and if you have the means to help support this awesome project they can always use the help. These cats are amazing!
We will get back to the workout tomorrow after a relaxing and educational vacation weekend!
Have a Great Day!!
The poor Och. When you are accustomed to 300+ days of sunshine a year, cold and rainy is pretty rough. I have never owned a dog that is so effected by bad weather. While we own this dog we will never, EVER be able to move to the Pacific Northwest?!
Warm-Up:
Jumping Jack, 30 repetitions
PVC Passthrough, 15 repetitions
PVC Wraparound, 15 repetitions
Workout:
5 rounds for time:
Dumbbell Deadlift, 20 repetitions
Hanging Knees to Chest, 15 repetitions
Mobility:
Hamstring Stretches
Foam Roller for the Back
Have a Great Day!!
We are going to see the new Star Wars movie at 8:45pm tomorrow with a couple of friends. My buddy went by to pick up the tickets today so that we would not have to wait in line. The people at the theater said they are going to open the doors at 5pm for people to find seats?! WTF?! Crazy.
Warm-Up:
Jumping Jack, 30 repetitions
Air Squat, 30 repetitions
Workout:
Four Rounds for Time:
Dumbbell Thruster, 20-15-10-5 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Up, 25-25-25-25 repetitions
Mobility:
Hamstring Stretches
Have a Great Day! And may the Force be with you! I may need it to be with me tomorrow night?!
After looking at my blog postings for the last few days I have decided to not be so damn heavy. Enough worrying about crazy politicians, religion and guns. It is the holiday season and I am excited to be back east among family, friends and great dogs!! For the remainder of this week at least I will refrain from too many heavy subjects!!
Warm-Up:
Dog Walk, 30 minutes
Turkish Get-Up, 3 minutes continuous
Workout:
For Time:
Air Squat, 80-60-40-20 Repetitions
AbMat Sit-Up, 40-30-20-10 Repetitions
Hand Release Push-Up, 20-15-10-5 Repetitions
Mobility:
Quadriceps and Shoulder Stretches
Have a Great Day!!
I spent the night at a friend's house on Saturday and while sleeping I often listen to the local public radio station. I woke early on Sunday morning to listen to NPR's Interfaith Voices and they were having a discussion regarding Islamophobia and and How ISIS Distorts the Quran. It was so nice to listen to real religious scholars soberly discuss these issues. I highly recommend anyone, who like me do not have a real grasp of the Quran or if all you know about it is from some political talking head or from searching Google.... I highly recommend you listen to the full radio show linked above. Very, very enlightening.
Workout of the Day:
Warm-Up:
Steady Pace Run, 3 miles
Workout:
5 Rounds for Time:
Alternating Overhead Plate Lunge (35lbs.), 10 repetitions per leg
Hand Release Push-Up, 10 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Up, 15 repetitions
Have a Great Day!!
Today is a day of rest from exercise. It was excellent just to hang out with friends and then watch the Redskins pull off an ugly road win. Though it was ugly, it was their first road win of the year and improved them to six wins this season which I did not predict would happen at the beginning of the year.
Back at the workouts tomorrow!
Have a Great Day!!
When President Obama said in his recent speech that many of our country's athletic champions are members of the Islamic faith, Donald Trump again showed his impressive ignorance by tweeting "Who? Is Obama profiling?" I think I am starting to realize that perhaps Donald cannot be held responsible for a lot of his bigoted comments because he doesn't know what profiling is?!
So for Trump's benefit, just off the top of my head... lets see... Muhammad Ali? Bernard Hopkins? Shaquille O'Neal? Hakeem Olajuwon? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Mike Tyson? Aqib Talib?
Workout of the Day:
Warm-Up:
Jumping Jack, 30 repetitions
Suicide Sprints, 5 sets
Workout:
12 minutes AMRAP:
Hand Release Push-Up, 10 repetitions
Squat Jumps, 10 repetitions
Hanging Knee to Chest, 10 repetitions
Have a Great Day!!
It is shocking the crazy rhetoric that is out there regarding Muslims in America. The idea that we would even consider banning people from entering this country based on their religion is insane. There was a great article in the Washington Post today about Muslims that serve in the U.S. military. The idea that because there are crazy people in this world that commit crimes in the name of religion (not just ISIS... some nut job shot up the Planned Parenthood office in Colorado Springs?!) that we would condemn everyone of that faith is just... well... un-American.
Warm-Up:
Dog Walk, 3 miles
PVC Wraparound, 10 repetitions
PVC Passthrough, 10 repetitions
Workout:
AMRAP in 15 minutes:
Burpees, 5 repetitions
Box Jumps, 10 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Ups, 15 repetitions
Cool-Down and Mobility:
Dog Walk, 1/3 mile
Quadriceps Stretching
Have a Great Day!!
We made our way across the country from Tucson to Abilene, Abilene to Chattanooga. Fortunately we got a full day in Chattanooga. Rebecca had a residency interview at a hospital there and that gave Ocho and I time to get out of the car and go for a nice walk around the town, Once the interview was done, we finished our trip to Bethesda, Maryland. It was great to get home and get the hell out of the car.
I brought a couple of things home with me to help keep in shape while we travel: a foam pad, an AbMat and a set of select-tech dumbbells that range from 5-52.5 lbs. I imagine there will be running and some exercises each day throughout the holidays to help battle all of the calories I am about to consume.
Warm-Up:
Jumping Jack, 30 repetitions
Steady Pace Run, 30 minutes
Workout:
10 Rounds For Time:
Hand Release Push-Up, 10 repetitions
AbMat Sit-Up, 10 repetitions
Goblet Squat, 10 repetitions
Have a Great Day!!
All of the news is wrapped up in another mass shooting in California (Don't get me started on this...) and rightfully so. Until these things end they should be front and center.
However, if that were not the headline we would be hearing more about the incredible news that Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter has opened up all military combat positions to qualified women. This is ground breaking but the reality is that in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (and most likely Syria here soon...) women have been in combat for over a decade. Its about time this happened formally. It took courage on Secretary Carter's part and I applaud him for that.
Today I am wrapping up work. After that I am packing the car and tomorrow morning we, as a little family begin the drive that will eventually land us in the DC area for the holidays. I will post workouts from the road though they will be pretty mundane just to keep me from losing my mind and curling up into a painful ball of knotted muscles from an old car seat! Once in DC, I will be more regular in my postings as we again discuss working out over the holidays and while traveling!
Have a Great Day!!
We are starting to move toward our December break here in Tucson and I have cranked out my Christmas shopping. Tonight I wrap gifts while Rebecca is at a residency interview in Pittsburgh. Then it will be time to make our annual migration back to the east coast. The workouts will continue but it will mostly be maintenance work without a ton of heavy lifting.
Warm-Up: Perform each exercise in order for one minute each to complete a set. Three sets total.
Jump Rope
TRX Row
AbMat Sit-Up
Weight Training:
Deadlift, 5 sets of 1-5 repetitions
Cannonball Pull-Up, 5 sets maximum repetitions
Sumo Deadlift to High Pull, 5 sets of 8-10 repetitions
Bent-Over Dumbbell Row, 5 sets of 4-6 repetitions
Have a Great Day!!
Today twenty newly minted NOLS graduates wrapped up their NOLS Semester in the Southwest! That is twenty more people that are out there that will advocate for Wilderness (with a capital 'W'...) and will always keep places like the Gila Wilderness, the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande, Cochise Stronghold and the Galiuro Wilderness close to their hearts.
Warm-up:
Superset: Perform each exercise in order to complete a set. 5 sets total. No rest between each set.
Jumping Jack, 1 minute
Hand Release Push-Up, 1 minute
Weight Training:
Bench Press, 5 sets of 5-10 repetitions
Axle Bar Reverse Grip Curl, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Dumbbell Fly, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curl, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Captains of Crush Grip Trainer, 15 repetitions with each hand between each of the above sets.
Have a Great Day!!
Just a Leg Workout Post Today!
Warm-up:
Jump Rope, 1 minute
AbMat Sit-Up, 50 repetitions
Weight Training:
Back Squat, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
24" Box Jump, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Romanian Deadlift, 3 sets of 10 repetitions
Bodyweight Calf Raise, 3 sets of 50 repetitions
Have a Great Day!!
