Tag: Fitness Training

My Summer Goals

It seems that many people wonder where I am currently. I’m back in Denver, have been for 7 weeks and have nearly 7 weeks remaining. I’ve enjoyed my break from world traveling. It’s always nice returning to a familiar place. I get to see my friends, hike 14ers, discover new restaurants, and attend US events like Midwest Lindyfest, Stompology, and the upcoming Beantown Camp.

I’m most happy because I get to regularly train at Apex Movement again. Being a traveling dance teachers takes a toll on your body. I sleep in unfamiliar beds, teach aerials with unfamiliar people, have an irregular training schedule, and miss my wonderful chiropractors as I gradually wreck my body. Every time I return, my chiropractor asks “where’s your muscle mass?” or says “ohhhhhh” as he feels my back.

Fitness training equals greater dance longevity. Swing dancers love recounting their injuries or war stories, so here are some of mine: 1. Mild scoliosis 2. Flew off an innertube behind a boat and hit a wave wrong, thus hyperextending my back. Continued dancing and doing aerials until my lower back locked up. I’m susceptible to lower back rotation now. 3. Couple mild concussions thanks to soccer and a pullup challenge 4. Torn meniscus chasing down purse thieves. 5. Ankle sprain thanks to a poor lache to precision 6. Rotator cuff issues due to asymmetrical muscle up technique and calling out “lindy flip!” too late for my partner to react well. 7. Wrist issues thanks to poor swingout technique and repetitive swingout tossouts. Stuff happens. Best learn how to heal and improve yourself.

Needless to say, 4 months off in Denver will do me some good. While I’m here, I’ve made some training goals with Cosmo Dudley’s help.  He runs the Apex Movement Englewood location. He suggested two pulling goals, two pushing goals, two leg goals, and 1-2 full body goals.

Pulling: Dead Hang Symmetrical Muscle Up, .75 BW Pull Up
Pushing: .5BW Ring Dip, 1 Handstand Pushup
Legs: Back Squats 2.0BW, Advanced Level Shrimp Squats on both legs
Whole Body: 5 Climb Ups for time in sub 17 seconds, 3 sec hold on Flag – both sides

Thanks to my current training, I’ve achieved a symmetrical kipping muscle up. I never had a symmetrical muscle up since I started parkour training. I had an asymmetrical muscle up where I flared my left arm first. This eventually sort of wrecked my shoulders. They are still less mobile than where they were 2.5 years ago. My shoulder mobility also limits my full range of motion for handstand pushups, so I’m training negatives, shoulder presses, and different kinds of dips. Legs are fun and climb ups are a beast.

Stay tuned. I hope to achieve these goals by summer’s end.

London Training – Hitting the Streets

Every time I return to Colorado after a teaching stint, I visit my chiropractors, Drs. Kenneth Kao and Rachel Yan of Vital Balance Chiropractic. And every time I go I hear versions of the following:  “wow, you’ve lost muscle mass.” Before I began journeying as a full time dance instructor, I was training constantly at Apex Movement in Englewood, Colorado. I would leave work at 3pm, grab gym clothes at home, eat a quick meal at Whole Foods (pizza), and do crossfit followed by freerunning or ninja warrior class followed by parkour class followed by open gym (maybe). I think Apex labeled my going away picture with the acknowledgement that I’m a psychopath.

However, I haven’t been keeping up with my training. I’m able to maintain my fitness to a degree, but not having weight equipment limits my growth. My training is necessary to maintain longevity, prevent injury, and to protect susceptible muscle groups like my knees and back. I have to find creative ways to use my urban environment for workouts. Fortunately, London is a great playground. Here are some of the ways I train.

Broadjumps and Forward Quadrupedal Movement

Jumping and Landing

Hanging Wall Pullups

Aerial Recovery

Check out my friends:
DemonDrills
Vivo Barefoot