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!



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!

Chinese Squat (No Pun Intended)

Are you tired of doing regular air squats, pistols, etc., but don't have any free weights to do weighted squats? One of the most effective exercises to develop leg strength and coordination is the Chinese squat (no pun intended). The only equipment you need is a flat wall and your own body!

When first trying it out, make sure not to go too fast, or you might end up on your duff! It takes a little bit of practice, but once you have it, you will be well on your way to a great leg workout.

Muscle Up Made Easy

The muscle up is one of the most effective, yet simple exercises for complete upper body development. However, it can be somewhat challenging and daunting until you get into the swing of things (no pun intended), but no worries! Once you get your first one down, everything after that will be a cinch!

This is one of the moves I get asked about most frequently, but it doesn't have to be so difficult! Here is a super easy tip to use if you are stuck in a rut, and once you get better, you can progress to more advanced variations. Remember, you should be able to do at least 10 pull ups and 10 dips before attempting! Have fun!

Wall Handstand to Pseudo Planche Push Up

The normal handstand to planche push up is a very impressive move indeed, but of course, the level of difficulty is quite high. This is a simple move to help you get a feel for the movement, improve your general hand balancing skills, as well gain some great upper body development.

Before attempting make sure your wall handstands and pseudo planche push ups are sound!



10 Muscle Ups for Time

One of the most effective calisthenics movements for upper body development is the muscle up. There are many ways to test your prowess in the muscle up, including doing as many as you can nonstop. Another is to see how quickly you can perform 10 in a row.

Check out this video of E trying it. Give it a shot when you have the chance! It also helps when everyone around you is having a blast!


APEX Movement Climb Up Test - the Measuring Stick

The climb up is one of the most useful moves in parkour, yet also one of the most difficult to master because it requires a good deal of lower and upper body strength along with stellar coordination. Ryan Ford of APEX Movement uses a "measuring stick" to test your prowess, which is 5 climb ups in a row.

Anything 15 seconds and under is pretty impressive. If you can get it down to 11-12 or even less, you are truly an amazing athlete. Even if you don't do parkour, this is a great skill to practice, as it is essentially a complete upper body workout, with a bit of legs thrown in the mix. This is also a precursor to the muscle up, so if you are able to do a good amount of these, you should be able to perform a muscle up without too much difficulty and vice versa.

Also, keep in mind that the time starts from the moment you make your first descent, and ends when your feet touch the top of the wall on the fifth climb up, not when you ascend back down. Have fun and be safe!


The Foundation of Bar Work - Muscle Ups, Dips, 'n Pull Ups

When it comes to working out on the bar, you often see individuals performing complex moves that test the boundaries of human strength. However, you don't necessarily have to try anything quite as daunting to get amazing results.

It all boils down to the basics - muscle ups, dips, and pull ups. As demonstrated in this video here, if performed only a few times per week, this simple superset is sure to provide stellar upper body development. Once these become easy, there are many different variations you can attempt. Happy training!



Welcome to the new blog!

As mentioned on our old Posterous-hosted blog, we've moved over to our new home here at Posthaven! We've also taken the liberty to transfer all of our old posts, so you don't have to worry about not being able to find some of your favorites. However, since Posthaven is still working on ironing out the kinks, some of the features don't quite work yet, such as the index, and the formatting also may be a little bit off.

Thanks for visiting, and we hope you enjoy reading our content. As always, be safe, and have a fun workout!