"For Runners, Soft Ground Can Be Hard on the Body" is the title of a New York Times article just out today (thanks to Josh for the heads up.)  The article basically talks about how people think there will be more shock absorption when running on dirt paths or ground, so they slam into the ground even harder, leading to more injuries.  While running on harder ground, their brains tell them to land softer, so they don't slam into the ground as much.  This way of thinking hurts my head.

Runners consistently buy the cushiest, most supportive shoes they can so there will be less impact on their joints.  This is the same reasoning as people who run on soft surfaces to avoid impact.  Regardless of the whether people run with 10" of foam under their foot or run on grass, ONLY THE PAIN IN BLOCKED, NOT THE IMPACT.  Your joints will still get rocked and rolled if you run with poor form on any surface, no matter what you have on your feet.

Good running form eliminates unnecessary joint impact, and allows for a smoother, more efficient stride.  So what is proper running form?

Pose running is the most efficient, least impacting, and fastest way to run.  Hands down.  To learn more about Pose running, check out my running page and start down the road to pain free running!

Here we are, going into the last weekend of the Jumpstart! Fitness Challenge.  With two challenges looming for next Thursday, it's time to buckle down and really push yourself to get strong, get toned, get angry!

Give this Quick Workout Of the Day a try over the weekend and be confident for your final exam next Thursday...

QWOD for Saturday July 9th, 2011

• 2 minutes of warmup (jog in place, jumping jacks, burpees without pushups)
• Max rep dips on chair, edge of bed or couch
• 5 more dips
• Max rep assisted pistol squats holding onto a door frame, partner, etc.
• 2 bonus pistol squats
• 15 diamond pushups
• 2 bonus diamond pushups
• 20 single leg squats per leg
• ***REPEAT TWICE***
  

It's Wednesday.  It's hot out.  You're probably sore from yesterday's workout (I know I am.)  You probably have a zillion excuses to not do today's Quick Workout Of the Day.

But you're an animal.  You're a champion.  You have a goal: get ripped and feel great!

So you're going to get off the couch, leave you're air conditioned apartment, and keep up that positive momentum by dominating today's workout.

Go git 'em tiger!

QWOD for Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

• 2 minute warmup (jumping jack, high knees, leg swings, etc.)
  
• Run for 3 minutes
• Stop, do 20 pushups
• Run for 3 minutes
• Stop, do 15 pushups
• Run for 3 minutes
• Stop, do 10 pushups
• Run for 3 minutes
• Stop, do 10 pushups
• Stretch quads and calves for 2 minutes
• Do 10 burpess with pushups
  

Have you ever aspired to finish a half marathon?  Maybe even a full marathon?  What about a 50-mile ultra marathon?  That would be nuts!  Well, what if you had the chance to run a crazy 100-mile ultra marathon up a mountain?  Crazy, right?

Even if you can't fathom running a local 5k, check out one man's experience running the Western States 100, a 100 mile race in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.  Barefoot Jason Robillard has an excellent writeup of his race experience that's worth the lengthy read.  It's inspiring what the human body can achieve with training, friends, and most importantly, a strong will.

As for yours truly, my marathon training schedule started this week, so with me luck!  I'll be sure to give plenty of updates on my Marathon page!

I love the 4th of July.  Fireworks.  BBQ's.  Burpees 'til you puke.

This weekend (or maybe twice this weekend), give this Quick Workout Of the Day a try and have some sweaty fun with it!

QWOD for Independence Day weekend, 2011

• Go outside and do 50 jumping jacks
• Bear crawl for 2 minutes, doing 5 pushups every 30 seconds
• Crab walk (hips up!) for 1 minute
• 20 1-legged squats per leg (keep your chest up and bend the knee as deep as possible)
• 50 air squats with good form
• Side planks with leg lifts for 30 seconds per side
• Superman for 1 full minute (keep those arms off the ground!)
• 25 squats jumps
• 25 dips on a bench
• ***REPEAT ONCE***
  

It's week two of the Jumpstart! Fitness Challenge, and you're just beginning to get used to the tush whoopings.  Don't get frustrated if you're sore, and don't feel bad if you can count your max rep pushups on one hand.

Keep pushing, keep sweating, and keep doing these Quick Workouts Of the Day!

QWOD for Tuesday, June 28th 2011

Complete three rounds as fast as possible of:

• 100 mountain climbers
  
• 25 pushups
• 100 jumping jacks
  
• 30 dips

**Please post your times in the comments section below**

Get pumped, get ripped, get sweaty, get your Quick Workout Of the Day on!  Have a great weekend!

QWOD for June 25th, 2011

• 50 biceps curls with gallon water jugs or soup cans or up to 5-10lb dumbells.  Do 25 standing on your right foot, 25 on the left
• Plank for 1:23 - keep those arms like railroad track, back flat, glutes squeezed.  If 1:23 is too easy, switch off raining a leg every 10 seconds for the whole time)
  
• Single leg squats - 25 per leg (I'm not going to lie, this will burn!)
  
• 40 shoulder presses (holding the weights in each hand, press the weights overhead, 20 on right leg, 20 on left leg)
• 6 supermans with 10 second holds
• 23 dips on the edge of the couch/chair/bed - keep one leg raised to increase difficulty
• 1:23 jumping jacks
• 20 pick-it-up, put-it-on-the-shelf (aka diagonal squat lifts) per side (Standing in a squat position, pick up a 5-10lb weight by your right foot, bring it up and to an imaginary shelf on the upper left of your head, and then bring it back down back to the right.  That is 1 rep.  Do 20 per side.)
  
• 16 burpees (keep good form on those pushups, and jump nice and high)

Well helloooooooooooo Tuesday!  I don't think Tuesday gets any respect.  It's lost between the dread of Monday and the 50-50 outlook of Humpday.  Well, today Tuesday will be given a Quick Workout Of the Day, aka QWOD.

Enjoy your burpees!

QWOD for Tuesday, June 21st

• With no rest, do the following as fast as possible:
  
• 1 minute of jumping jacks
• 10 burpees with pushups
• 10 burpees with rear leg lifts (no pushups)
• 10 burpees diamond pushups
• 10 burpees with jump knee tucks (no pushups)
• 10 burpees with sumo squat jump throughs, 5 with pushups, 5 without (When hopping your legs forward, hop extra hard so your feet go to the outside of your hands, landing in a sumo squat.  Continue the burpee by jumping up from there.)
  

The Wall Street Journal had a great article today about a guy who works out in Central Park sans equipment, opting for a more natural workout using the park's surroundings.  Sound familiar?

More specifically, Mr. Taylor of the article does a MovNat inspired workout, inspired by the founder Erwan Le Corre.  I got to meet Mr. Le Corre last year at an impromptu barefoot running session in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge.  I remember a small group of us running around the Bridge without shirts on, attracting the attention of tourists and locals alike.  It was badass, if you ask me.

MovNat uses nature as your gym.  Trees become ladders.  Branches become pullup bars.  Rocks become medicine balls.  And on and on.  I'd love to go to a MovNat clinic, but it comes with a steep price tag (plus, I could never ditch my loyal boot campers for a whole week!)

Anyhoo, the article talks about Mr. Taylor's typical workouts, and it also discusses various minimalist shoe options, like Vibram Five Fingers and the New Balance Minimus.  I wish the author had done more research and excluded the Nike Free and the Reebok RealFlex.  Both of those shoes have a high heel drop and are not flexible by minimalist standards.

If you're looking to get in awesome shape outdoors and use Central Park as your gym, try a Barefoot Benny Boot Camp today!

It's a long weekend for most people (thank you Memorial Day!) which means people get out of their good workout routines.

Well, this Memorial Day weekend, take some time from stuffing your face with cheeseburgers and steak and hot dogs and potato salad and more cheeseburgers drizzled with truffle oil and just a little bit of pepper and some caramelized onions and mushrooms sauteed in oil...mmmmmm....and do this Quick Workout Of the Day.  If you have time, do it two different days and try to do it faster than the previous workout.

Now get out there and crush some burgers and burpees!

QWOD for Memorial Day weekend, 2011

• Mountain climbers - 45 seconds (keep your bum low)
• Switching foot jabs - 45 seconds (In right fighting stance with right foot forward, jab with the right, then hop into left fighting stance with left foot forward and jab with the left.  Keep switching and punching)
• Two 30-second supermans
• 3-way single leg balance reach - 8 per leg (straight leg forward, side, back = 1 rep)
• Drink break for 45 seconds
• 15 burpees with GOOD PUSHUPS
• 1:45 forearm plank (don't let those hips drop)
• 23 single leg squats per leg (feel the burn baby!)
• 25 dips (raise a leg if you're feeling strong)
• Drink break for 45 seconds
• 30 prisoner squats with calf raises (hands behind head the whole time, hold that calf raise for 1 second)
• Bent over back flys- 1 minute (Go SLOW and squeeze those shoulder blades together.  Keep your back straight and look up the whole time)
• Opposite arm/opposite leg for 45 seconds per side
• 15 more burpees (yea baby!)