Category Archives: Fitness

Experience Climbing Outdoors!

A fun activity to do is climbing outdoors. This is a great way to challenge your body and to improve your confidence as you are able to learn how to scale large rock walls and to see gorgeous views of the amazing world we live in. Climbing outdoors is a lot of fun but it requires skill and precision to do. It is a wise idea to invest time in a group training class and joining a climbing club so you can learn how to rock climb properly, and will be able to stay safe when you are climbing.

Rock climbing is a very difficult activity. You can learn it but you have to be prepared to have the physical capabilities along with the mental capabilities to really make it to the top. You do not want to give up on yourself when you are out there. It also helps to have some strong supporters with you in order to keep you motivated and to keep you safe when you are climbing outdoors. With practice you will start to get better and over time you will be able to defeat some of the biggest and most challenging rock walls out there!

Like any sport rock climbing will require special gear and equipment. With rock climbing you have to focus on safety. It is vital that you purchase the right type of safety equipment and that you learn the importance of belaying another person when they are climbing outdoors. You are responsible for their safety as much as your own. Taking a few courses on rock climbing will give you the best opportunity to learn safety techniques and how to climb to also to learn different climbing styles. Make friends in the rock climbing community as they can also help to teach you additional skills.

Cutting trees for warmth

Cutting trees is hard work especially if you cannot afford a chain saw for the task and you are cutting a solid wood or hard wood tree. It is however a very invigorating form of exercise provided you can justify the need to be tree cutting in the first place. The great thing about cutting trees is that it provides warmth twice or possible three times. The first time is the actual felling of the tree. The second warming experience is when you are splitting logs for firewood and finally the third is when you actually burn the timber in the hearth (fireplace).

You can make the most beautiful furniture from trees you cut down. If you can get the tree to a saw mill for cutting (slicing) you will be rewarded with lumber than can be transformed into benches, gazebos or arbors for your garden or yard. If you get the timber planed then you can create interior fine furniture for your home. You can select the cuts that are most beautifully grained and make a treasured dining room table which can be French polished to bring out the grain. The surplus pieces and off cuts will warm you via the fireside through out the winter.

The safest way to cut a tree or logs is without using the chainsaw. This powerful machine is deadly and all it takes is one slip or trip and the consequences could be fatal. Better is to use a good ‘Bushman’ saw, which is a hand saw, and allow plenty of time for the work. It will, of course, be much harder, more tiring and you will be warmer, but more importantly you will still be around to enjoy the heat from the logs you cut so lovingly. I like to replenish the trees I have to take down and I always plant new ones as replacements.

For Those Not into Weight Lifting: Hamstring Exercises without Weights

The reason why a lot of people are discouraged from exercising is the use of weights and machines, especially with what they see on advertisements. But of course you can perform exercises even without weights or machines; you just have to be resourceful and creative. You may even find that there are exercises specifically developed so you won’t need anything else but just your body movements to execute them.

You can perform the following hamstring exercises without weights:

1.    Dead lifts use only your body weight for resistance. Stand with your feet apart and pointing forward. Bend your knees a little, your arms hanging loosely in front of you. Keeping your spine straight, bend at the waist to lean forward and reach the floor. If your hamstrings aren’t too tight, you may be able to touch the floor. Push through your heels, buttocks, and hamstrings to return to standing position. Do 2 sets of 20 reps each. Progression: do it one leg at a time.

2.    Ball hamstring curls are done by lying on your back with your legs straight and your feet on top of a stability or Swiss ball. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips. While pushing into the ball and bending your knees, roll the Swiss ball under your hips. Extend your legs straight once more while your hips are still in the air. Do 10 reps initially, followed by 3 sets of 15 reps each.

3.    Lying hamstring curls are done by folding your arms and relaxing your head on your arms. With your legs straight, bend your left leg and let your heel touch your buttocks. Return to starting position and do it with your right leg. Do 10-20 reps with each leg.

Remember to warm up before and cool down after whatever exercise you do. Work on these exercises regularly and you’ll have improved hamstrings—and glutes—in no time.