Furniture Sliders - Dirt Cheap Workout Equipment

Are you always on the go, and can't find a gym, or are the ones that you do find not quite up to snuff? If you normally work out at home, and have limited access to heavy equipment, what can you use to add to your répertoire?

Look no further than furniture sliders! One of my favorite pieces of budget equipment, I keep a pair around the house, in the car, and always make sure to carry them on trips.

You may notice at your local sporting goods store a version made specifically for exercise, but don't waste your money, and just get a pack of these. They are pretty much the same thing if not better, since the surface area is larger. The going rate is roughly $12-15 for a set of four.

Once you have mastered the basic movements, there is a plethora of variations you can add to change things up. Have a blast!

Tabata Method Planks

Performing planks is one of the simpler, more effective methods of increasing core strength. If you are bored of the same old, you can make it slightly more challenging by incorporating the time tested Tabata Method, which follows a 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off scheme.

However, instead of resting at the 10 second interval, you will perform the following:

20 seconds to one side (left or right)
10 seconds to the front
20 seconds to the other side
Repeat until time is up

Of course, the prerequisite would be being able to hold a plank in each direction for 30 seconds to a minute nonstop. Add this to your repertoire, and you'll definitely notice an increase in core strength!



30/30 Squat Challenge

Has anyone tried Ido Portal's 30/30 Squat Challenge? This has been taking the internet by wildfire lately, and it's a very simple, effective move (or non-move, I should say) that will help with posture, knee strength, digestion, and overall health. Promoted by one of the foremost calisthenics/movement experts in the world, Ido Portal, the program, if you even want to call it that, consists of one simple premise - 30 minutes per day of being in the "squat" position (not the actual squat exercise) for 30 days straight.

Of course, you don't have to do all 30 minutes in a row. You can break them down whenever you have the chance, but just make sure that by the end of the day, the elapsed time accumulates to 30. I have only started for a couple of days, and I can already tell that my body feels more limber overall, and knees are definitely not as strained. Give it a shot, and let me know how it goes!

Handstand Progressions using a Door

Have you or someone you know been working on handstands, but just can't quite get there? Of course, one of the best early progressions is to practice on a flat wall. This is a great way to develop upper body and core strength, not to mention the balance needed to perform a handstand. 

The hardest part in initial training is learning how to kick up in a controlled manner. The wall will help prevent you from toppling over, even if your ascent is less than elegant. Over time, you should be able to refine your kick up to the point where all you really need is a light tap on the wall to regain balance.

However, this is where some may struggle. Obviously, a wall does not move, and if you are still trying to get your bearings straight, your feet and entire lower body may undoubtedly flop around slightly while in the air trying to straighten out. If the wall is constantly in your way, it does not really assist you much. It may even throw you off if you accidentally bump into it, ultimately messing up your rhythm.

So, is there some type of "missing link" to help you transition between a wall and freestanding? You still kind of need something to tap with your foot when you kick up, but you also don't want it to get in your way once you don't need it anymore.

The solution? A door! Check out my most recent video to see exactly how this works. Hope this helps! Your handstands should improve immensely in no time!

Silver Lining of Getting Sick

So, this past weekend, something happened to me that rarely ever happens… I got sick. Yes, I do take pride in that I rarely succumb to most airborne viruses, even when individuals surrounding me are all affected. However, this time, it was different, and it took me out of commission for a good two and a half days.

However, I am actually thankful for it. Why? Because I fully understand how and why it happened, and I know full well that I deserved everything I got. In a nutshell, despite my 10+ years of training experience and much longer than that in exercise on a personal level, I still sometimes fall into the trap of going against my own advice of NOT overtraining and getting plenty of rest.

Basically, it was a good lesson on the importance of pacing myself and not thinking that skills or strength will diminish if I don’t go all out beast mode every day. As a matter of fact, I had already been noticing a slight decrease in performance for awhile from the excessive training, but instead of taking a step back like I should have, I kept going even harder, thinking it would improve the situation.

It wasn’t until I got slapped with a good hard dose of reality - in the form of getting sick - that I fully realized the ills of my ways. My body was essentially taxed to the point of severely weakening not only my muscles, but my immune system, leaving the door wide open to many potential hazards. And sure enough, I got what was coming to me.

Because of this, now that I am almost fully recovered from illness, I will reboot my system by taking a full week off from any strenuous exercise, and when I return, my focus will be more streamlined to include more efficient movement and MUCH more rest.

P.S.  The greatest silver lining to getting sick? Once you wake up from all that sleep, with all the water and fat loss, you come out looking absolutely RIPPED to SHREDS!

Stocking Stuffers for a Fitness Friend

So, you have a friend who is into fitness, or perhaps one who isn’t, but you’d like to get him/her started. Your budget is somewhat limited, so what would make for the perfect holiday gift? Obviously, any fancy equipment or memberships are out of the question, so likely something for home usage would be ideal.

I’ll just make this quick and simple. These two items I am about to list are not only affordable, but are essential pieces of equipment that everyone - beginners and professionals alike - should include as part of their arsenal.

1. Do-It-Yourself Parallettes - For way less than $10, with maybe 30 minutes tops of getting your hands dirty, you will provide your loved one with one of the single most beneficial pieces of equipment money can buy. With these parallettes, you can perform progressions for such moves as the handstand, handstand push up, planche, L-sit/V-sit, etc. Of course, if one is just starting out, the push up, dip, and other foundation movements can also be performed.

2. Furniture Slides - Say what? Those things you slip under coaches and tables to help move them around the house? Yes, you read that right. If you are not convinced that these sliders are one of the most affordable, effective, pound-for-pound best workout apparatuses, look no further than this video from our good friend Ross Enamait. You can also find sliders marketed solely for exercise, but these are often overpriced, and you are basically paying extra for branding. Save the money, and get these instead. Also, if all else fails, paper plates work as well!

In closing, give your friends and family the gift of fitness (on a budget) this holiday season, and they will be more than thankful.

No Access to the Gym? You’re Already There!

Some people who work at office jobs say they don’t have time to go to the gym and/or their building doesn’t provide a gym. To those individuals, I say take a look at the picture below.

To the uninitiated, this may only appear to be a staircase in a hallway, but to us, and many like us… it’s the best darn office gym that no money can buy! The open steps can serve for a myriad of different pull up grips. They can also be used the way monkey bars would, by either climbing one step at a time, or by doing plyometric pull ups up and down each step.

There is also plenty of open space to do a variety of push up variations, handstands, quadrupedal movement, etc. The staircase also makes for an amazing leg workout.

How much time exactly do I use this “gym” each day to satisfy my daily needs? No more than 10 minutes! Another great idea is to bang out a few pull ups every time you pass by, and when going to the restroom, instead of simply walking, do a set of lunges all the way to and fro.

Of course, if you can supplement that with a standing desk and walks during lunch instead of pigging out at Jack-in-the Box with coworkers, you will be well on your way.

No access to the gym? No time? No money? I think not!

Best Walking Shoes?

Before embarking for my most recent of many frequent trips to the mecca of the street workout movement, the Almighty NYC (I was there for reasons unrelated to fitness), I knew this time I'd be doing a ton more walking than usual. I had a mission to explore as many neighborhoods as I possibly could.

So, what does this mean? My footwear HAD to be up to par and stylish to boot (NYC is also the fashion mecca after all). What to wear? One of the many colorways in my arsenal of trusty Air Max 90s? Perhaps something out of my Vans collection? NOPE.

When it was all said and done, I settled on a good old fashioned pair of...

And my feet thanked me for it. Of the miles and miles I trekked across this gargantuan, sometimes unforgiving City, my feet were never sore for a single second. I can safely say that I'm completely sold on Chucks now. What makes them the ideal walking shoe is the fact that they are completely flat, without the flawed logic that "arch support" is necessary for foot stability.

So, the next time you have to do long hikes around the City, and still want to look fresh ta def, give those old Converse a try!

Please Stand Up!

I know many of you are like me, and have a regular office job by day. Of course, we in the movement industry always talk about how humans have not evolved to the point where sitting at a desk all day is not doing anything other than ruining our bodies, but have any of you tried standing up at work?

I have been doing it for the past few days just on a whim, and man, it feels great! Posture is better, knees seem to not ache as much. It's pretty much like how they tell office workers to get up and walk every hour or so to get the blood flowing, but instead, you are already up!

I find productivity to be better overall as well, since you are literally always on your toes. Ever notice how when you are comfortable in your seat, it's hard to get yourself to stand up to do other things? No worries at all with this method. Best of all, you are much less likely to fall asleep at your desk or experience that dreaded food coma after a moderately sized meal! What do you guys think? Any experience with this method?

This guy would be proud.