Sooo ... it's been a while. So long, in fact, that I had trouble remembering my log-in information for Survival of the Fittest. (But that could also be the "notable" cognitive decline that sets in by age 27 -- and I left that marker behind a while back.)
My apologies for the absence! Life has been a titch more hectic than usual, and I found myself needing to scale back in some areas to just keep my head above water. But, I've been stockpiling post ideas, and I'm ready and eager to emerge from hibernation. If you're still there, I'd love to hear what you guys have been up to lately. (Comments! Comments! We love comments!)
Allow me to kick off my return by unabashedly ripping off some noteworthy linkyloos from other blogs:
"Inspiring Business With Sport": Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi Worldwide (the Lovemarks company), offers four reasons sport is important to people.
He examines the idea from the angle of the fan, but I would posit the same values apply to athletes themselves. My favorite was No. 4: "Sport inspires radical optimism," and offer "a story, a purpose to commit to and defend." Love it.
Weighted Single-Leg Squats: A good video demo from Michael Boyle. Yes to single-leg exercises! Regardless of age.
Wait ... why single-leg exercises instead of unstable-surface training? From Josh Hillis, RKC: "For all the people that are ... addicted to BOSU balls and stability balls: Doing single leg squats and deadlifts on stable ground is usually a more sport-applicable way to build stability than doing two-leg squats and deadlifts on an unstable surface. How many sports and how often in real life are you really standing on an unstable surface? Surfing, maybe? On the flipside, you have most of your weight on one leg all the time." (For more info on the topic of unstable-surface training, see my interview with Eric Cressey, MS, CSCS, author of Maximum Strength: Get Your Strongest Body in 16 Weeks with the Ultimate Weight-Training Program.)
"How to Fix Shin Splints": Tony Gentilcore posted this long-and-worth-it video from DieselCrew.com on treating shin splints. The protocol involves stretching the calves, improving dorsiflexion, inversion, and eversion, and doing soft-tissue work and ice massage. It's fantastico. (I've been taking an Italian language class -- impressed?)
"Mr. T Takes Up Rugby": As part of a simultaneously disturbing and uninspired marketing campaign for Snickers called "Get Some Nuts," Mr. T attended a practice with the Saracens Rugby Club in England. He mostly just stands around saying gruff, nonsensical things -- and not a single pitiable fool tried to tackle him -- but still. The video seemed like something I should share. (Note: You must be at least 12 to watch it. Unclear why.)
(photo credit: Mike Lietz)
Hooray, you are back! I am going to give those one legged squats a shot. I am always looking for new ways to torture my legs into growing muscle...
Welcome back!!!
Welcome back, Jen!
Thanks for the vid on fixing shin splints! Where were you 6 months ago when I needed this?!? ;)
Glad you are back, question, any relation to age and lactic acid/muscle repair post exercise? I am nearly at the big 30 and seem to take much longer to recover from things like rugby tournaments, somehow the soreness seems worse then I remember it being in years past. Any articles on this would be great.