Beast Skills

[sonicblue]

http://beastskills.com/

My right knee is long since shot, years of baseball catcher and football, and five surgeries.  I can't do much cardio because of the impact.  I started road biking last spring/summer and it's a great workout, great for the legs and easy on the knees, and gets the blood pumping.  I've always lifted weights, and still try to, but I still needed something to really hit overall core strength and balance, and situps on a ball and the like just isn't fun.  I stumbled onto this and I think I'm hooked on the idea.  Not that this is some revolutionary set of skills, but to have them in one place, along with tutorials and descriptions, is a great resource.

First up is a basic handstand.  I've never done gymnastics, martial arts, anything that involved even cartwheels or such, let alone skills like these.  I'm only one night of practice in - just practicing kicking up while next to a wall, getting the feel for supporting myself, and the balancing point.  I've known my shoulder strength is subpar for a long time, but this really shows it.  What I didn't realize, is how inflexible my wrists are.  They were killing me at first, but they're already adapting.

I'm not going to set my sights on the really advanced skills just yet, but I figure if I can even get a couple of these basics down, my overall shoulder and torso strength and balance will be vastly improved.  I do also want to find some sort of yoga/stretching routine to go with this, throw in a handful of good range-of-motion weight exercises (I have a Soloflex) and get back on the bike as soon as weather permit, but I'm really excited about this.  If nothing else, it's just cool to think I'll be able to do some of them!

[saevel25]

Interesting

I read a while ago, i believe it was a CNN article or video or something similar were this one guy worked out just on a pole. He's able to hold himself out sideways to work out the arms, and do other things. I love the concept behind this stuff, off course our bodies work for motion, but just stability is so huge. Also you are working for power that way as well, because your fast twitch muscles will work when you are just holding a position, instead of doing long range of motions. Thats why i like holding a squat, really get the legs shaking..

[bunkerputt]

I saw a guy holding a pole and walking up the air like there was a wall next to him on a commercial.  I officially resigned as a man when I saw that.  I thought I was something for being able to do 200 push ups and go from prone to headstand to handstand at 225Lb.  Nope.  Keep dreaming self.