If you thought tires were only for automobiles...think again!

Tire Workout for Improved Athletic Performance

Video #26 Kima with a tire in the snow

Video #22 Coach Spaulding  - Video demo can be found on our  YOUTUBE  list in which  I handle a tire and demo some battling ropes with a discarded fire hose.  

I have been working with tires for the past 3 years and I have a strength coach at a neighboring school that uses them on a consistent basis.  I have worked with the tires I have learned a great deal of information on why I believe they are a great tool to use.  I personally have 7 different tires at home because of the different weight from each one.  My strength has gone up and my weight has stayed the same.  I would not just do tires, but rather as an additional tool to add strength and power in different planes of motion to impersonate game like movements.  Let’s start with my top 4 exercises and I have listed them in order of personal preference.  

1)  2-4 setsx 6-10 reps  The slam or Tire toss for height from the hang position (note: lineman could go from the floor or power position) – The focus should be on the hips getting low when picking up the tire.  If you choose to aggressively slam the tire down the focus should be on maximum core explosiveness as you push the tire towards the ground.  This should be a common theme if they already have experience in the weight room.  a)  Grab on the outside of the tire or on the inside rim area pick the tire up over your head and slam it down with force.  b)  With the same focus points tell student to throw forward.  c)  With the same focus points tell student to throw slightly behind them.  This is my favorite of the 3 because my hips create the most power from a leverage stand point.  d)  How many slams can you perform with max velocity in 12 seconds?  This is great because we do not get a chance to unload on any other piece of equipment like we can with a tire.  This will specifically help football and wrestlers bring the opponent down with great effectiveness and power.   

  2)  2-4 setsX 6-10 reps The catch  - To add intensity we could ask the student to catch the tire on the way down.  This is much like throwing a stiff arm or a block and the catch is great for absorbing force in athletic positions.  This will stress the eccentric or “negative” portion of the lift which will maximize strength benefits and also mimics a game like situation for contact sports such as football and absorbing a block in the correct manner.

1. 2-3setsX 10-15 reps  The bounce Side to side with a tire slap using both hands.  This will focus on change of direction and shedding off a defender in one exercise.
2. Plyometics with the tire on the ground.  Tell the student to not make contact with the tire while jumping from inside of the tire to the outside of tire.  Use of this with a bodyweight exercise like a burpee or a push-up can improve explosiveness while student is fatigued to mimic game like situations.  Example:  10 seconds of push-ups followed by 2-4 tire jumps. 

Top 4 reasons on Why tires??? – If you like med balls you will love tires!!!  In a world where the fitness industry is trying to convince us to buy products reminds me of outdated technology.  I am here to tell you results come from a committed individual.    

1.  They are free depending on where you go to obtain them.  For this reason, you can encourage students to get their own for home workouts.  

2.  Safe – just make sure no steel is showing from the tread portion.

3.  Different than what students are used to working with.  Add something new and students are more likely to get excited.

4.  Tires are clumsier than med balls which can be a good thing because it requires different muscles to move them.  I strongly believe the use of tires has made my body more athletic and explosive.

What to watch for.

1)  Gloves are recommended in my experience because the rubber will could create blisters.

2)  Examine tires for steel or sharp objects protruding before using.

3)  I cut a 3-4 slits in the tire to make sure water does not collect inside the tire.

With machines being expensive and not very functional I had to make changes to improve strength gains in an unconventional and cost effective manner.  The most important exercise that football players can do with tires would be a hip dominate exercise.  I believe the tires are safe and very effective for strength.       

 Note: Tire toss for height from the hang position This is much like coming from a 3 point stance (note: lineman could go from the floor or power position)

What is triple extension and why do we need a hip dominate exercise?  Start point of all these lifts is a good athletic stance with feet shoulder width, knees bent, getting the hips down and back straight.  Explode straight up with the secondary focus on triple extension of hips, knees, and ankles for explosive power.  Without locking at the hip, knee, and ankle, maximal jumping and sprinting can’t be accomplished. Triple extension is the key to a faster, more explosive athlete.

The experts are going to tell you that for you to achieve results you will need 1 or more of the following: equipment, video(s), special food, and/or a special person or coach.  Results can be found from something simple.  What is simple that you could add to your daily schedule to achieve more results?

Much thanks to the following people:

My wife – Tires sometimes don’t look great in the backyard

The Entire Football Program at Proviso West – They listen well and understand the importance of improving strength in the different phases of life.

Undergroundstrengthcoach.com – Mental fortitude is improved and creative ideas come from this site!

My Introduction to CrossFit Amplify

Two years ago was the first time I had heard about CrossFit and that was during my summer course through the Cooper’s Fitness Institute, by two Chicago police officers. They were discussing their Workout of the Day abbreviated as “WOD,” and it sparked my interest. I spent a little time looking at the CrossFit website http://www.crossfit.com

and then time passed. At this point in my life I was really into running. For the past five years you could say I have been I spent devoted to running. I have tried numerous things to get that last bit off just to run a 6:58 mile or to qualify for Boston. Two very extreme ends. Speed verses endurance. I am happy to have come from a 10 minute mile to an 8:30 for a half marathon and from an 8:30 to a 7:03 for a 5K. Yet, my personality leaves me for always wanting to improve.

I like challenges, intense workouts, extreme things, and I am VERY analytical. So it seems very fitting that I would be drawn to CrossFit. The only thing is, is that it is new to me, so where do I start???

I have been talking with a close friend and he guided us the right direction. Randy and Piper went through a WOD in his garage. Shortly after that we began transforming our garage. See where this is going? I like to read to further my knowledge and it helps me to rationalize my thoughts before pursuing something new. Piper let me borrow the “Paleo Diet for Athletes,” and I have been reading the CrossFit Journal on their website. What really got me was the CrossFit Games. I was amazed to see how women were portrayed in this sport. They were strong, athletic, and they won events based on their physical ability, which was clearly due to some strong mental fortitude! This was it!!! New Year’s Day we sat and watched the games and I told myself this is my year to really get into something new. No, I will not end up on the t.v., I just want to set some new goals and really push my self to do some new movements. These challenges is what keeps me excited about working out.

Piper told us about CrossFit Amplify, in Lisle on a Saturday evening. I spent Sunday and Monday morning browsing their website. You can too by visiting

http://crossfitamplify.com

Sure enough by Monday afternoon I had set up for Randy, Casey, and me to try a class out. I was very nervous, because the WOD’s I have seen can be very intimidating and require you to be well versed in all aspects of fitness. Mike one of the owners and a trainer there seemed very nice in our emails and was very helpful in answering my questions before we came. This was a very good first impression of their “Box.” That is what CrossFitters call the gym.

That evening as we pulled up I had mixed emotions. What if I could not do this...would I be excited to take it on or would I feel depressed? After Mike took us through an awesome dynamic stretch we were gearing up for 4 rounds of 200 meter sprints and 20 kettlebell swings, with a 2 minute rest. Mike carefully instructed us through the kettlebell swing and even “spotlighted,” us. That is where he watches one person at a time perform the movement. I am not one who right way likes to be observed doing an exercise. But having Randy and Casey with made it easier. Along with that Mike was very positive with his technique corrections and made us feel comfortable. I have done kettlebell swings before, but being told about the full range of motion at the top, made my core get a fabulous workout! Randy had the opportunity to use the rowing machine instead of sprints. This was an awesome modification for his achilles. Randy's achilles has been acting up just due to his increase in mileage and speed these past few weeks. We were done with technique and on our way to the rounds. After the second round I felt right at home with how I was feeling. It just felt different working out with people around. I just stopped caring for the traditional gym atmosphere, but I have missed working out with others. This atmosphere at Amplify seemed like people there just came to work and encourage each other. I liked reading the definition of “Amplify” on their wall:

1. To add to or expand, in volume or significance; make complete.

2. To make greater or more powerful; increase.

At the end of the 5 rounds (our group could not stop at 4, we wanted more, because it was just that much fun!) we went inside and discussed more about what CrossFit Amplified believes in for training and progressions. Mike offered a lot of progressions and examples of what he could scale for people who are new to CrossFit or new to this kind of workout. The gymnastics rings are much harder than what Annie Sakamoto looks like in her photo I have in our workout room. Anyhow, Mike added a resistance band to rings to help with full range of motion. This helped a lot and made me realize that I could pursue this.

What I learned by this visit was that anything in CrossFit any movement is scaleable. That means that the exercise can be modified so that one can perform the movement to their best ability and is safe. Mike shared with us some scaling for handstand push ups. This was very encouraging, because I think that is an awesome movement! I think people believe that CrossFit is only for the already fit and strong, but when in reality anyone can do a “WOD,” when they actually work with a trainer to learn how to scale for their individual needs. I just need to think in small steps and be patient with myself. I am sure there are times when I am going to feel like I can’t do something, but I will persevere. I did it with running and now I am ready to make a commitment to CrossFit for the next year. I do suggest visiting both websites which I have found to be very useful and very up to date with new postings each day. Of course I am doing this, because I think this could be the answer to getting my mile time to a 6:58 for a 5K...

So, there you have it the first day at a “Box,” and where I am headed. I think it helps to have support of others, research, identify the why, and share your plan, along with progress.

My goal is 1- Handstand push up, 2- work on the that kipping, 3- to have fun!!!!

Happy Spring!!!

Spring Cleaning

First of all, I apologize that my blog was not up at 3:30. I was working at school sending out reminders about Hinsdale South’s 5K / 1 Mile run that I am promoting with my elementary students. Then we had to go shopping to get Bryson his running shoes. Any how here I am finalizing this entry. I have one that I am very excited to post about with my CrossFit Journey and I hope to have that up over break. So......

It is time to start my spring cleaning on this blog. Just to let my readers know I value your comments and questions. I like to think about my answer, practice it, and research it as much as possible, instead of just giving you a quick response. Another words keep posting and I promise I will get to your questions!

1st: Turbo Fire verses Zumba....

That is a tough comparison. Let me just speak from the DVD’s I have. I loved TurboFire and the program has interval training with plyometric exercises. Zumba is what I call more of a steady cardio session with non-impactive stress to the body. Both are similar because the music creates a more enjoyable workout either way. I found Zumba less challenging with the choreography in the DVD’s than Turbo Fire. When I speak of Zumba I have the older series not the new Zumba Fitness which features Pitbull. My advise would be to try each one and see which one you enjoy more. Because the more you enjoy it, the more adapt you will be to stick with it and reach your goals. There is no sense in doing something if you do not enjoy it.

2nd: My response to “Un-Leash the Creativity.”

Your comments on this entry really warmed my heart. The students at PMSA have such good hearts and they seem to get the whole picture of life, about what you can do for others. I have to agree the four years in high school do go by very fast and it is important to be active within your high school. The community hours are new to me and that seems like quite a lot of hours. I would be interested to know what some of you do to get those hours. When I presented at Naperville’s P.E. Institute for DuPage County I shared some of the quotes from the students at PSMA from this blog as an example of what blogging can do for students. Your comments are what inspire me to write more!

P.S. I understand the financial commitment to the AVON Breast Cancer walk and just to let you know there are a lot of local breast cancer events one can do without such a large financial commitment. There is an all women’s event called “Dirty Girl Run,” in June and in September at Yorktown there is an amazing Susan G. Komen Race.

http://www.godirtygirl.com/

http://www.komenchicago.org/komen-race-for-the-cure/race-information/

3rd: Zumba a Live Class!

I must say I did try a class at X-Sport in Downer’s Grove and had a fantastic time. What I really like about the Zumba Instructors is that they really get into teaching their class. They have a lot of energy and their clothes make you feel like you are in a DVD. My instructor wore the bands on the wrist, the tank top that said “Zumba,” and had a jingly skirt that she put on. My favorite one was to “Stand by Me” Please listen to the you tube video. You can see how you want to flow during a class. I recommend looking at our local park district you can find reasonably priced classes for sessions in Zumba. The class I took was in the morning during a break at the X-Sport in Downers Grove, so this would be a good summer class to try.

4th: P90X

Truthfully, I did it for 4 weeks and then I stopped. It got me motivated to lift, but I enjoy lifting without DVD’s much better. I would suggest this DVD series to someone who is looking for a safe and effective way to incorporate lifting into their workout. The videos are long, so longer cardio sessions are hard to fit in during a week. I am someone who needs to do cardio at least 4 times a week.

5th: Heart Rate Monitors - Link to Polar Heart Monitors http://www.polarusa.com/us-en

Believe it or not while at Target you can view a wide variety of heart rate monitors. I will say though strapless is good, but not as accurate as a strap heart rate monitor. If financially you can do one without a strap it is better than not having one at all. I think that the more you use the heart rate monitor the more you get in tune with knowing exactly how you feel at the rate of exertion. Also, you can truly see where you are at with your cardiovascular fitness levels. It feels pretty good to know that I can keep my heart rate between 150- 154 bpm for 30 minutes without having to stop. I like to know my resting heart rate to measure my fitness at rest and to see if what I am doing is really helping. I use a simple blood pressure monitor I purchased from Wal-Mart. I do this first thing in the morning and I record where I am. Yes, analytical!! But I know these numbers and this means more to me than a dress size.

6th: A lot of people dis-like running, you are not alone....

So, I am not here to force you into running or to tell you that is the only way to do cardio. I just ask that you discover why you do not like running. Sometimes those reasons you can change and sometimes it is best to find another way to get your heart strong. For example, if you find it boring I would suggest running with a friend or find a safe outdoor path you can enjoy. If your reason has to do with a medical or physical reason than there is so much you can do to get that heart rate going. Anything from swimming, biking, jumping rope, and never under estimate power walking. Cardio is great for the heart, but I do believe in the fact that one needs some type of strength training with cardio for results that remain. Carrying muscle is good for you and for your metabolism. When you get to be closer to my age, you will be happy that you added a bit a muscle.

I really get a lot from the questions and comments. It helps me to see what my readers are interested about and where you are coming from. To those who have asked yes you can send me emails here is my address: “Trurunner27@yahoo.com”

It is March! I am super happy that spring is just around the corner. I went to my favorite running store in Elmhurst, the Runner’s Soul. I have the number to the store in my contacts on my phone. This is my favorite store because Jayne, the owner is super nice. Can you tell that I LOVE running?!? She really cares about the people that come in and she adores my children. What more could you ask for? On top of that the staff is knowledgeable about my FAVORITE shoe, “Newton’s!” You just have to check out their website, because I would not do it justice by writing a short bit.

http://www.newtonrunning.com/

All I have to say is that with my feet issues and my LOVE for running, Newton’s make it possible for me to do my “Soul Mate Workout,” as quoted from Chalene Johnson’s newly published book. The book is called “PUSH,” we have the I-Book version and the hard copy. I highly recommend reading it. It has helped us with our professional life and personal fitness. I placed a link to her website,too. So there you have it my favorite workout, favorite shoe, and my favorite book of the new year.

http://www.chalenejohnson.com/pushjumpstart/

Another favorite I have are the “apps” for my i-phone. I am an i-phone user, but some of my girlfriends who have other smart phones can use these apps,too. If someone ever looked at my phone without meeting me they would probably define me as obsessed with fitness and education. All my 30 plus apps pertain to...you probably guessed it fitness or education. Here is my list of top 5 and why....

IWorkout Muse: Customize any interval workout with your own music

Metronome: You can set the cadence to any beat that you like. I started using this because of natural running and what they say about the foot strike her minute.

Lose It! : A daily nutrition log that breaks down what you eat by nutrients and calories. It has a nice bar scanner to make logging quick and easy. It also has tons of restaurant choices so you can still log a meal out to eat and be accurate. It does take exercise into account for so you can log your workouts, too.

Tabata Timer: A simple 4 minute, 20 second on, 10 second off timer.

Heart Fitness: A heart monitor using the lens from your phone.

If you check these out let me know! I use at least 2 of these apps on a daily basis. I highly recommend logging food!

"NEW P.E., NEW Ideas"

Please click below for handout to Naperville's Presentation by Kima:

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BypVVxtTWFPZSzNfTWI0WGtUVzJCRERrdl9pUGdWUQ

In the presentation you will find the web address to my school blog where you can listen to my student projects for interval jumping rope and yoga en espanol.

This weekend I am going to post on here about my experience with teaching yoga to elementary students in Physical Education. In the mean time please visit:

http://www.Mindfulpracticesyoga.com

P.O.W.E.R. Fitness

Please click the link below to view Randy's presentation from Naperville.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BypVVxtTWFPZd0k5TmRxQm1SVFdpejhsSEpXcmhaUQ

In this presentation you will find the web addresses to the sites that Randy uses to keep him inspired and motivated for new techniques for the high school student. You will also find the screen shots to assist you in "I-Movie." Please browse through this blog and more importantly take note of what his high school students are commenting about.

Please leave us a comment if you come to visit.

Happy Blogging!

"Un-Leash the Creativity"

February, already?!?! It always amazes me how time speeds past us. Which I guess is always a good sign that we are enjoying what we are doing. This blog has turned out to be a fun hobby of mine, but I did not know where I was going with it. People suggested that I try to write reviews for products, but that is easier said than done. Quite honestly I like writing about my thoughts on faith and fitness. When this blog started my encouraging husband introduced my blog to his high school students. They have become such avid readers of my blog and always leave me feeling inspired to write more. I am honored to write this blog entry about some students at Proviso Math and Science Academy.

Back in December I got put in such the holiday spirit when I received an email from Karthika about the Destination Imagination Team. They asked if I would like to be the recipient of a generous donation to the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. I was so thrilled to get this email, because I had just attended a bowling event to raise funds for a friend who is a Breast Cancer Survivor. She is an amazing woman, high school counselor, and a mother of two little children who my children have been growing up with. The Destination Imagination Team has offered their donation to the “Pointer Sisters,” for this year’s Avon Breast Cancer Walk. The event consists of a walk in Chicago on June 2 and 3rd. Day one is 26.2 miles. Day 2 is 13 miles for total of 39 miles. Walking 39 miles and surviving breast cancer makes one filled with hope. The sign of the pink ribbon is one that I hold near to my heart as do many others in our world today.

Here is their story as told by Karthika Nair:

I am a student at the Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy and captain of their Destination Imagination Team. In this program we complete challenges as a team that promote teamwork, thinking out of the box and being creative. Last year, we won the community project challenge. We placed first in the state for our project. The challenge was to bring the community together for a common goal or cause. Our team consists of 5 members: Karthika Nair (me), Gaby Berndt, Saul Alarcon, Lissette Moreno, and Jorge Lopez. The team manager is Lauren O'Connor, a teacher at our school.

Destination Imagination Team has been around as long as we have. It has been four years and was started by Mr.Thomas Dix, a physics teacher at our school. Destination Imagination is a team-based, problem solving program that encourages creativity. The project that we chose last year was the community project that focused on using effective communication to bring the community together for a common goal.

Our goal was raising awareness and an affordable means to support breast cancer. Two years ago our found mentor, Mr. Thomas Dix, passed away due to lung cancer. We wanted to stick with the concept of fighting cancer, and thought that breast cancer was a more imminent topic to make into a community project. We selected breast cancer because we wanted a project that we knew has affected a lot of people but none of us have had the opportunity to make an impact upon. When realizing that the AVON breast cancer walk costs $1300 to participate in, we wanted to find a way for people in our community to have their own impact even if they don’t have that kind of financial support.

Destination Imagination ordered pink bracelets, made a lot of handmade bracelets and pink ribbons that we wore and sold around our school. Then, on April 1st of last year we held a Walkathon, without much success considering that the weather that day was terribly cold, windy and gloomy. That's where the amazing part unfolds. After the walkathon, between all the effort we put into bringing so much food, we had heaps of leftovers that we didn't know what to do with. We couldn't afford to just take them home, we had to at least make up the sum that was spent from parents on supplies. In my lobby that day, there were a flurry of phone calls about public places that we could sell food without a permit and about our cause. That's when a neighbor of mine walks by and we all spark a lightbulb. "We're giving out free hotdogs and asking for donations for breast cancer". Apparently one person was having a party and another was facing cancer herself. Before we knew it, my lobby became like a little bakery shop. That day we made $375 solely off of going around my condominium talking about our cause.

My final thought is if this blog does nothing else I am happy for what it brought to the “Pointer Sisters,” and to the Destination Imagination Team. It brought two “tribes” together via the internet and allowed a good story to be re-told. Both of them teach us that over coming challenges, working together, and being creative can result in positive outcomes.

For more information about the Avon Breast Cancer Walk please visit the side link for "Pointer Sisters" on my blog. If you are interested in donating to the “Pointer Sisters,” you can visit the same website and 1st: click on donate at the top, 2nd: donate to a walker, 3rd: type in Wendy Biggs, Pamela Gonzalez, or Julie Kearney.