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Minimal Sneakers: Worth a Try?
Over the past decade, science article after science article has suggested that overly cushioned, modern footwear is weakening our feet. Findings detailed in such articles express that dexterous, strong feet not only improve athletic performance, but also ability. As someone who believes in looking at my training from the foundational level (mastering the basics: functional movement capacity), I took those…
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Bodyweight Training: Save Money, Prevent Injuries, and Stay Fit for Life
Bodyweight training is surging in popularity. This trend can be seen in the form of the calisthenics fitness movement and is the foundation of CrossFit training. If you follow any fitness tags on IG, Snapchat, or TikTok, you’ve surely seen posts of people performing gravity-defying yoga stands or difficult strength and technique movements, like planches or muscle-ups. But outside of…
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This Month’s Like – Gymnastic Bodies Course
My initial interest in the Gymnastic Bodies’ courses began in 2015. By then, I had been lifting since I was 17 and focusing on bodybuilding. Since then, I’ve learned that while hypertrophy (muscle growth) is great, it has to be coupled with flexibility and functional movements to keep the body progressing and to prevent injury. In 2015, my nagging shoulder…
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Exercise Videos
Below are videos from my current transition from bodybuilding to gymnastics. See my progress below, and maybe challenge yourself to some of these movements. Back Walkover Practice: First Attempt of Archer L-Sit Pull-Ups on Rings: Front Walkover Practice: Push-Up Variations: Single-arm Hanging Strength: View this post on Instagram A post shared by @llafitblog LLAFIT Senior Writer/EditorAs an athlete for…
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Why Yoga?
Whether you want to be flexible or not, stretching is essential for everyone of all ages. I obviously learned this when studying to become a personal trainer, but, I admit, I didn’t implement stretching in my routines as much as I was supposed to. However, after eight years of bodybuilding and limited to no focus on stretching, my body eventually screamed for…
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Memorial Day Workout – Upper Body Adult Gymnastics
Exercise Type: Core/Calisthenics/Gymnastic Strength Level: Beginner to Intermediate Goal: Skill development & muscle retention/gain Warm-up 3.5-minute jog around gym Forward and backward shoulder circles: One set: 20 – 30 circles each way Lightweight, one-arm kettlebell swings: One set: 15 – 20 swings per arm Wrist circles and stretches: Three sets: 20 – 30 circles each way and floor or wall stretches…
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My New Training Mix vs Old
For thirteen years (as of 2015), I followed a bodybuilding training regime. Now for the past year, I’ve been following a new training mix of athletic training: mobility, flexibility, and functional exercise. Why the change? I found flaws in my old routine. Strict bodybuilding practices, with limited focus on flexibility, mobility, or functionality, led to muscle imbalances and tightness in…
