This past week has been a tough one for those of us living in the Carolinas with Hurricane Florence. Fortunately, here in Columbia we weren't impacted much at all. But others have suffered a lot more with floods and road closures that are still getting cleaned up. Even though we didn't have a heavy impact personally, it was a good reminder that a disaster can strike at anytime, and the best thing to do is to prepare BEFORE the disaster comes rather than when it's happened. That's why I'm devoting today's post to the need for disaster preparedness. There are two things you can do to prepare to survive a disaster today. First, you should prepare your body. One of my underlying principles of fitness is that regular exercise should prepare you for the Activities of Daily Life (ADL). To me, Activities of Daily life include the things you love to do. This means training for the sports you play, being fit enough to travel, being in good enough shape to run around and play with … [Read more...]
The Reason Why I Exercise
Sorry for not writing these last two weeks, but I took a much needed end of summer vacation with my wife. We went to Hickory Knob State Park for some swimming, canoeing, golf, and relaxation in the natural beauty around us. View this post on Instagram Swinging into September like... if you have a set back, laugh, move in, and try again. Don’t give up! A post shared by Philip Looney (@philiplooneyfit) on Aug 29, 2018 at 9:29am PDT On this vacation, I was reminded of one of the reasons why I exercise. I exercise so I can have the energy, strength, and endurance to do the things I want to do. Let me explain. The first night there, we camped out with a beautiful view over the lake. I walked down to the shore and decided to take a dip in the lake to cool off. As I was paddling around, I looked across the dock on the other side of the lake and thought to myself "I wonder if I can make it to the … [Read more...]
My Favorite Bodyweight Exercises
Today, I'm going to share with you my favorite bodyweight exercises. I've already talked about my favorite TRX and kettlebell exercises, but the disadvantage that these exercises have is that they do require some piece of equipment. With bodyweight exercises, you don't require any equipment at all (with the exception of pull ups and jump rope, but we'll get to that in a bit). Since bodyweight exercises require little to no equipment, it means you can do bodyweight training almost anywhere - at home, in a hotel room, or better yet outside at the park. One study found that exercising outdoors can have a positive effect on mental well being in addition to the physical benefits. The participants in the study reported feeling revitalized, a decrease in negative emotions, and an increase in energy. So if you're looking to mix up your routine, take this bodyweight workout outside. Bodyweight workouts are also good for you if you're just starting to exercise and aren't in great … [Read more...]
My Favorite Kettlebell Exercises
Last week, I talked about my love of the TRX. But my second favorite piece of equipment in gym? It's got to be the kettlebell. Kettlebells were originally farm tools in Russia, and were primarily used to weigh crops in the 18th century. Strongmen used to lift them in feats of strength and competitions in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, they're a common strength training at most gyms. Kettlebells allow for lots of exercises that are compound movements, meaning that you engage two or more joints and engage an entire muscle group or multiple muscles. Because of this, you can easily get a full body workout with a single kettlebell. Plus, exercises like the kettlebell swing can make a great cardio workout. One study that was conducted with a women's college soccer team found that those who did kettlebell exercises instead of steady state cardio exercise (meaning, running laps) had an increase in their aerobic capacity compared to the group who did not do kettlebell … [Read more...]
My Favorite TRX Moves
The TRX has long been one of my favorite pieces of exercise equipment. It's the most versatile piece of equipment you can own, letting you get a full body workout and hit every muscle group using body weight for resistance. The TRX is perfect for every level fitness, from those who are just starting to long time gym rats. Plus, it's easy to pack with you and take on the road for vacation or business travel. Just do an image search for "TRX on the beach" and you'll see where people hook their TRX to the closest palm tree for a workout. Another great benefit to TRX is that almost every TRX exercise engages your core, so in addition to the primary muscles you're working on with an exercise, you're working your abdominal muscles. Studies have shown that you can build just as much strength with TRX as you can using traditional weights. While there are tons of exercises that you can do with the TRX, I thought I'd put together a list of my favorite TRX exercises that I find myself … [Read more...]