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alitheamateur · 5 years ago

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The Grind- Chapter 26

“You sure about this place, babe? How come you don’t just wanna grab some coffee from The Grind and go back to crash on the couch at home?” I asked as Colton pulled open my passenger side door to walk hand-in-hand with me down the sidewalk.

Luckily, I cautioned Tia’s persistent advice at dinner last night, and limited myself to only three glasses of wine, and one measly shot of Patron. So, Colton’s 7 a.m. feisty bite to the exposed skin of my cheek under the sheet as my wake-up call, wasn’t ruined with a blistering hangover. He was adamant about taking me to some diner he’d heard about from one of the guys at the bike shop to try their German potato pancakes that he was just so certain I’d love, and I was a sucker for a languid, sweatpants breakfast date every now and then.

“It’ll be fine, Livvy. Let’s enjoy some good grub, then I promise we’ll squeeze in a nap before we head to the gym later. Deal?”

He kissed the fingers that were interlocked with his own, then smiled mischievously as we slipped inside, escaping the rustling winds of the morning. We didn’t stop at the ‘wait to be seated sign’, instead Colt scanned the room, peeping over the full booths and tables around the room.

“C��mon, I see an empty table over here, babe.” he pointed, tugging me not so gently to the left of the hostess stand.

“Colton, we have to wai-,” I started to argue with his bullish, bizarre behavior, but before I could state my objections, reality slapped me across the face.

Seated with their backs to us, both sipping on a black cup of the house blend, were two Indiana natives, very far from home. Mom turned around to investigate the bustling approach over her shoulder, and stood to push herself from the seat with an unsure smile.

“Wh-..how did you guys get here? What’s going on?” I babbled wrapping a halfhearted, confused embrace around her neck, searching for an explanation from someone in the party of 3.

“It was all sweet, Colton, Liv honey. He arranged the whole thing. He insisted we come.” mom confessed, admiring Colton with a look of appreciation.

“I wanted ‘em here to see you fight, baby. And to see the house and everythin’. They got here yesterday afternoon, and I got them all set up at Westin, and ate dinner with the both of ‘em last night to get familiar.”

The pieces started to connect then. Why Tia was so snarky with keeping me away from the bottle, why Colton was so incessant about dragging me out of the house before 9 a.m. this morning, and why there was a button-down dress shirt discarded into the hamper when I did laundry after a late return home last night. I internally tipped a hat to his successful undercover moonlighting, though.

“Kid wouldn’t take a dime from us, either. Paid for the tickets, a ride from the airport, and our room, too. Seems we owe this one, sweetheart.” I heard dad say as I took one of the empty seats across the table from he and mom.

Their visit may not have been on my terms, or my timing, but I did feel complete having them here. Although there was a suitcase of nerves that landed on that plane along with their arrival to Pittsburgh, it just felt, right. The four of us, together, all in one place had me swelling with a sense of gladness and completion, all courtesy of the mysterious man in blue seated to my right.

“I can’t believe you did all this, Ritter. I expect a play-by-play when we get home, ya’ big box of lies.” I leaned to kiss him sincerely.

“I’m pretty impressed with myself to tell the truth.”

The meal consisted of bacon all around, mom whining about the cold temperature, those potato cakes Colton was correct about me losing my mind over, and a general calm, steady flow of conversation. I was impressed at how normal, and interested Tony and Liz seemed to be the entire time. Dad never brought up a single utterance of basketball, and mom pounded me with questions about my match, and what it would be like. I felt a connection so genuine that had been minuscule for so many years, and I knew Colton played a tremendous role in the healing psychological wounds.

“You guys should come by the house and spend the afternoon with us. All my stuff is moved in, and it doesn’t look like a construction site anymore. Mom, we could swing by the food market to get what you need for gran’s jambalaya for dinner, too!”

My inner, overly-eager, rambunctious childlike manner took me over, and I instantly began bulleting out an itinerary of events. I’d have to take mom to meet Andrew, and she would die over the Americana at The Grind. And dad, maybe Colton and I could take him to the trolley museum and a PNC park tour in the next couple of days.

“Livvy, we’ve got to try and get to the gym for a few hours today. It’s down to crunch time, babe,” Colt reminded me with apologetic tone. “But, we can check them out their room, and settle ‘em in at the house first, okay?”

Of course, the gym. This week wouldn’t be one of family dinners and touristy adventures with the fight countdown fuse burning low. And now, I had even more work to do down at Temple Fitness with my parents in attendance. The weight of potentially letting Colton, Tia, and the rest of my corner down was sickening enough, now add the weight of Tony and Elizabeth and you’ve got one wound tight Liv. Perfectionism is a weakness not all can relate to, and of that they should be eternally thankful. I failed my Warrior teammates and the rest of my small-town not so many years ago, and that disappointment in itself nearly disconnected me entirely. I may have grown and evolved in many ways since relocating to the Pittsburgh, but the will to please my loved ones was a quality I would undoubtedly live with until my final breath.

“You do whatever needs to be done today, sweetheart. I know these next few days are crucial, so don’t mind us. We’ll take whatever time you can give us.” my mom pats my hand from across the table, and shot and thoughtful smirk.

“We’re just happy to be here, Livvy. You’ve got a good one there.” My dad’s opinion of the man I loved was never considered to be a worry I had, but in that moment, I couldn’t have been more prideful in how truly wonderful Colton had been to them, and to me for organizing this little surprise.

After dragging my parents’ belongings up the front steps of our home, and leaving them the keys to my car in case they got the pangs to explore around a bit, Colton and myself dutifully reported for in for a session down to the gym. The last couple days I had been studying up on a submission move I really wanted to try out. The Omoplata essentially was a move to apply unbearable stress on the arm of your opponent, inevitably resulting in a tap out. Tia, nor Colton had introduced me to the technique, but it was one I had stumbled upon doing some research on my own one afternoon during some down time at the Pilot office. Having never actually seen it done in reality, I only had internet tutorials, and other martial arts circuit fights that had been posted online to educate myself.

Upon trucking into the somewhat crowded parking lot, and settling my duffle into a locker down the hall from the ring room, Tia had called to say something had soured in her stomach, and she wouldn’t be making it in to train with us today unless I wanted to mop up her throw-up. Naturally, I insisted she stay in and recover, leaving me in the hands of Colt.

“Grab the rope, let’s warm up for 10 minutes after you stretch, babe.” my handsome trainer instructed as he downed the settlings of a pre-workout drink at the bottom of his cup.

“Did you remember to tell dad about the construction on Liberty bridge in case they decide to venture out of the house?” My voice vibrated as I bounced with the whip-like jump rope.

“Yep, as we were walkin’ out the front door, Liv. Don’t worry, ‘ight? They’ll be fine. I gotta say though, I wasn’t expectin’ ya’ to be so thrilled about ‘em being here.”

I was fairly flabbergasted myself in that matter, but I had no explanation for my nervous excitement. I guess, maybe it was the common cliché of not knowing how much you in fact needed something, until you had it.

“Thank you, handsome. I really am glad you did all that. Although, I’m a little concerned with all the unsuspected sneaking around you were able to get away with.” I smirked, dropping the braided rope to adjust the tightness of my messy bun.

“It nearly got the best ‘a me lying to you like that, but it was for good reason, at least. Except, them being at the house every night for the next few days may turn out to be a little problem. Seein’ as their daughter can’t keep her greedy little hands off me & all…” he teased unnlacing his trainers to pull of his socks before we moved into the ring. He was knelt on one knee just a foot or two behind where I stood, then inched over in that crouched position to friskily bite the pert cheek of my backside, and grabbed a handful of the other.

I’d never get tired of those stout, mitt-like hands of his touching my body, and I let my head drop backward a bit to sigh into his touch. If by some unfortunate event, things between us happen to fall to pieces again, no man would ever live up to the bar set by the infamous Colton Ritter.

“I can manage a little self-control, you animal. Let’s make a bet on who caves in first, shall we?” I said, stepping over the middle rope of the mat.

“You better be careful playin’ with fire girl. You may get burned.”

We had bounced around, grappling and rolling for nearly an hour already, with just a couple rushed breaks for water, and I still hadn’t built up the courage to try the move I had been so eager to crack at. I welcomed the respect that Colton had to never half-ass me when we did train one-on-one, however always extremely careful to make sure I was never harmed in any way. His insights, and words of wisdom related to the cage were something I considered to be a matchless gift, and I loved him eternally for offering it up.

Just as I was about to weigh the Omoplata to be the impossible, especially considering my mock opponent at the current time, Colton let down a wall, and broke his own most crucial ‘golden rule’ of fighting. He attempted to tangle me, but instead, mistakenly gave me his back, awarding me the perfect moment to pounce. I pinched his shoulder between the bones of my knees, then swung one leg hurriedly over his head. Colton’s arm was trapped between the center of my limbs, essentially hooked around my left thigh as I crossed my ankles. I flattened his chest and face to the mat with speed I didn’t know I had, and swung my legs to the side, easing into a squat with his helpless arm still locked in. The stretching pressure of his muscle grew the higher I raised, and defeated, Colton yelped out with a tap.

Instantly releasing, I tumbled to my back, and laid to rest with exasperating breaths. Executing the technique on an individual with such a powerful strength, was equally as exhausting on the attacker as the victim, and I could feel my blood tingling, and rushing through my veins like the Colorado rapids.

“I sure as hell don’t fuckin’ remember teachin’ you that, 2-1,” my captor said still face planted onto the canvas, almost cackling. “But you pulled it off with damn near perfection. I’m impressed, baby!”

“That one is just a little something I picked up on my own. Coach…” I replied, mounting his back to massage his shirtless shoulders.

Colton flipped, doing a 180 to now laying on his back, with me still atop him with a sweaty, rosy face.

“Oh, so she thinks she can pin me now, huh? Don’t get too comfortable up there, Elliott. You know I don’t do bottom.”

TAGS: @torialeysha @eap1935 @littleluna98 @mollybegger-blog

#Tom Hardy #tomhardy #tomhardyfanfic #tom hardy fanfiction #tomhardyfanfiction #tommy conlon #elizabeth olsen #thegrind

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ruthellisneda · 8 years ago

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How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

When your day involves shuttling kids to school, daycare and baseball practice and … making three meals and snacks for the entire family, while also working and keeping everyone happy, it’s hard to remember to brush your teeth, let alone fit in a workout.

“As a mother of three and business owner, I admit it is hard (expletive hard!) to make time for exercise. Our mom to-do lists never end,” says Jessica Griffin, owner of NJ Fit Mom Training and Wellness Coaching.

But she finds a way. Like many other moms who are trainers, Griffin swears by one trick: scheduling her workouts for the week on Sundays. “As moms we live by the calendar. So my personal strategy is to schedule my workouts on there like all other things. Then I show up like I do all other important meetings. I do not cancel on myself. That would be rude,” she says.

You don’t need to be a mom to follow her example — or the examples of the trainers below who all have kids. If they manage to exercise while working and taking care of a family, you can too. After all, mother knows best, right?

1. MAKE A KID-FRIENDLY WORKOUT AREA

“I brought my 3-year-old’s art table into the place where I workout and will sometimes set her up with Play-Doh, coloring books, etc. to entertain her. But truth is, she does that for 5–10 minutes then prefers to come work out with mommy. She has her own 1- and 2-pound weights and she loves to ‘lift’ and do burpees!

– Griffin

2. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS

“I have infant twin boys and a 3 1/2-year-old toddler who keep me active and on my feet. I do a mommy-and-me yoga class with the twins and with my toddler, I make it a priority to get outside and go to Central Park for some cardio where we do a lot of walking, running, throwing balls, riding scooters and playing soccer.”

– Kristin McGee, celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor and author of “Chair Yoga”

3. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS, LITERALLY

“I’ll hold my son while doing exercises like squats or shoulder presses, have him sit in my lap for triceps dips, or I’ll bring out equipment like a mini trampoline and Bosu, and we’ll take turns using them. But sometimes he loves the equipment so much, I can’t get a turn!”

– Sara Haley, pre- and postnatal fitness expert

4. SET GOALS

“It’s hard to accomplish something when you haven’t identified exactly what you’re trying to achieve, so I set goals. Some examples are: number of runs per week, mileage, strength training goals, races I’ve entered (it totally keeps my run schedule on track when there’s a race looming!) and nutrition goals. Your goals need to be specific — decide what, when, how and where!”

– Nichole Sargent, American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer

5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NAP TIME …

“There really is no secret — it is all a mindset and how badly you want it. Excuses are so easy to make. Let’s face it, anything can typically derail our plans for the day. As soon as my daughter goes down for her first nap, I go jump on my treadmill and lift weights. If my little one does not want to nap, I include her in my workouts by either placing her beside me with one of her toys or actually using her as my weight.”

– Sia Cooper, personal trainer and Diary of a Fit Mommy blogger

6. … AND ANY FREE TIME

“I don’t schedule workouts into my calendar because everyday has different variables. If I’m set to teach at the studio, I try to take the class before mine or after, even if it’s just 15–30 minutes. If I’m working from home, I do a barre3 online workout, which are 10-, 30-, 40- or 60-minutes. Let’s be real, I rarely do the 60 minutes at home when my daughter is there. But 30 minutes is doable while she’s playing or watching TV. Sometimes I even break it up 10 minutes at a time.”

– Jenna Muller, certified barre3 and Pilates instructor

7. RETHINK YOUR COMMUTE AND DATE NIGHT

“I have learned to take advantage of biking to my dentist appointment instead of taking the subway, or, if the stars align, date night with my husband to a yoga class!”

– Tanya Sripanich Burton, instructor at Lyons Den Power Yoga

The post How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout appeared first on Under Armour.

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#How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

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almajonesnjna · 8 years ago

Text

How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

1. MAKE A KID-FRIENDLY WORKOUT AREA

– Griffin

2. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS

– Kristin McGee, celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor and author of “Chair Yoga”

3. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS, LITERALLY

– Sara Haley, pre- and postnatal fitness expert

4. SET GOALS

– Nichole Sargent, American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer

5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NAP TIME …

– Sia Cooper, personal trainer and Diary of a Fit Mommy blogger

6. … AND ANY FREE TIME

– Jenna Muller, certified barre3 and Pilates instructor

7. RETHINK YOUR COMMUTE AND DATE NIGHT

“I have learned to take advantage of biking to my dentist appointment instead of taking the subway, or, if the stars align, date night with my husband to a yoga class!”

– Tanya Sripanich Burton, instructor at Lyons Den Power Yoga

The post How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qPkVv6

#How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

0 notes

joshuabradleyn · 8 years ago

Text

How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

1. MAKE A KID-FRIENDLY WORKOUT AREA

– Griffin

2. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS

– Kristin McGee, celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor and author of “Chair Yoga”

3. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS, LITERALLY

– Sara Haley, pre- and postnatal fitness expert

4. SET GOALS

– Nichole Sargent, American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer

5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NAP TIME …

– Sia Cooper, personal trainer and Diary of a Fit Mommy blogger

6. … AND ANY FREE TIME

– Jenna Muller, certified barre3 and Pilates instructor

7. RETHINK YOUR COMMUTE AND DATE NIGHT

“I have learned to take advantage of biking to my dentist appointment instead of taking the subway, or, if the stars align, date night with my husband to a yoga class!”

– Tanya Sripanich Burton, instructor at Lyons Den Power Yoga

The post How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qPkVv6

#How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

0 notes

neilmillerne · 8 years ago

Text

How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

1. MAKE A KID-FRIENDLY WORKOUT AREA

– Griffin

2. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS

– Kristin McGee, celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor and author of “Chair Yoga”

3. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS, LITERALLY

– Sara Haley, pre- and postnatal fitness expert

4. SET GOALS

– Nichole Sargent, American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer

5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NAP TIME …

– Sia Cooper, personal trainer and Diary of a Fit Mommy blogger

6. … AND ANY FREE TIME

– Jenna Muller, certified barre3 and Pilates instructor

7. RETHINK YOUR COMMUTE AND DATE NIGHT

“I have learned to take advantage of biking to my dentist appointment instead of taking the subway, or, if the stars align, date night with my husband to a yoga class!”

– Tanya Sripanich Burton, instructor at Lyons Den Power Yoga

The post How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qPkVv6

#How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

0 notes

albertcaldwellne · 8 years ago

Text

How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

1. MAKE A KID-FRIENDLY WORKOUT AREA

– Griffin

2. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS

– Kristin McGee, celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor and author of “Chair Yoga”

3. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS, LITERALLY

– Sara Haley, pre- and postnatal fitness expert

4. SET GOALS

– Nichole Sargent, American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer

5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NAP TIME …

– Sia Cooper, personal trainer and Diary of a Fit Mommy blogger

6. … AND ANY FREE TIME

– Jenna Muller, certified barre3 and Pilates instructor

7. RETHINK YOUR COMMUTE AND DATE NIGHT

“I have learned to take advantage of biking to my dentist appointment instead of taking the subway, or, if the stars align, date night with my husband to a yoga class!”

– Tanya Sripanich Burton, instructor at Lyons Den Power Yoga

The post How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qPkVv6

#How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

0 notes

johnclapperne · 8 years ago

Text

How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

1. MAKE A KID-FRIENDLY WORKOUT AREA

– Griffin

2. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS

– Kristin McGee, celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor and author of “Chair Yoga”

3. EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS, LITERALLY

– Sara Haley, pre- and postnatal fitness expert

4. SET GOALS

– Nichole Sargent, American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer

5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NAP TIME …

– Sia Cooper, personal trainer and Diary of a Fit Mommy blogger

6. … AND ANY FREE TIME

– Jenna Muller, certified barre3 and Pilates instructor

7. RETHINK YOUR COMMUTE AND DATE NIGHT

“I have learned to take advantage of biking to my dentist appointment instead of taking the subway, or, if the stars align, date night with my husband to a yoga class!”

– Tanya Sripanich Burton, instructor at Lyons Den Power Yoga

The post How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout appeared first on Under Armour.

http://ift.tt/2qPkVv6

#How 7 Mom Trainers Squeeze in a Workout

0 notes

savetopnow · 7 years ago

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2018-03-19 22 FITNESS now

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alitheamateur · 6 years ago

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The Grind-Chapter 7

I woke to the yellow shade of light sneaking through the bedroom window, thankful Ryan was courteous enough to grant me the day off so I’d be able to chase the unfolding action of the days before the fight. A barely conscious grumble paired with a drawn-out stretch woke the sleeping giant snoring into my armpit.

“Rise and shine, champ,” I ran slow fingers over the spread of his back.

Instantaneously, the smothered ring of his cell vibrated somewhere hidden in the wad of covers, and a patted hand smacked thoughtlessly over the bed in little effort to locate it.

“Mac, what’s up, big guy?” Colton paused as his trainer spoke on the other end of the call. He was awake, but nowhere near alert as one eye still squinted and struggled with the bright light of the morning. “I feel good, man. I even squeezed in a good workout before bed last night too….” A boyish smile tossed in my direction, along with a flirtatious pinch to my bare bum. “Heat the sauna, and I’ll be there in an hour. I got the suit in my truck.”

He ended the call, and all too quickly rose to dress his beautifully naked body.

“What suit are you talking about?” I held myself up on my elbows watching him scurry around the room for his clothes.

“I was three pounds above weight yesterday, so gotta spend most of the day smotherin’ it off in the sauna suit. Get dressed, this’ll be good for your article. Cutting weight can get pretty intense.”

I threw on leggings with and oversized sweater for the sake of time, knowing I’d be home to dress more appropriately for the weigh-in later tonight. I foolishly offered him breakfast, tossing my yogurt in the trash to avoid tempting the hungry bear in my kitchen.

“I’ll only stay for bit. Just enough to get a good insight on the hot suit thing. But I don’t want to be in the way today, Colt. I know how important it is to get into the right headspace.” Although I would’ve indeed loved to spend the day at his every beckon call, helping to ensure he woke Sunday morning wearing the title of Middleweight Champion, I knew that wasn’t what he needed from me.

I didn’t think of it as insulting, it was just the man he was. Sure, most nights we’d spent together he showed me glimmers of a silly, love-sick boy. However, I knew truthfully that the vast part of his psychological make-up was compiled with mystery, angst, and a touch of outright danger. So mental preparation for an event as such was best suited alone. But, it was those flickers of brooding fury that aided in my interest in him to begin with.

“Thanks for understandin’, beautiful.”

I waited outside the confines of the small sauna at the gym for nearly half an hour, talking with Mac about what exactly they’d have to put him through to shed those three pounds.

“He’ll have to swallow a few more gallons of water, then we’ll cut off the intake. He’s gonna be spending a lot of time in the pisser this morning, Miss Liv.” His trainer chuckled at the series of events that would take place, but we both understood the draining (quite literally) day Colton had ahead of him.

The sauna door swung open and Colton collapsed onto the cool of the floor, while I moved in panic to look him over, assuring he was still conscious.

“Liv, Liv. I’m fine, ‘ight. Just hot, okay?”

I instantly felt ridiculous for my overreaction, and stood to my feet, crossing my arms tightly around my chest. “Alright. I think that’s my cue to exit. You two have this covered. See you tonight, Colt!”

He didn’t rise from the ground, instead remained sprawled wearily where he’d fallen. “Hey you. I love ya’. See you soon, baby.”

I matched his line and waved to the pile of vast sweating flesh on the floor.

Secluded with my thoughts in the empty apartment was the last place on Gods green earth I needed to be, so I thought it wise to drive around with the sounds of a quiet radio. Lately, even amidst the newest developments in our relationship, I had found myself panged with the wonder of “where would we go from here?” Sure, the frequent time we were spending together had been made up of little work and mostly play, but I couldn’t help but linger over the idea that what we had was a fluke? I mean, if we’re being completely honest, I’m ashamed to say I even dwelt for a moment on the thought that maybe Colton was using me to get help with his glorified “big break.” The article, no matter the result of the events ahead, would spotlight him in a big way. Bad publicity is better than no publicity, ay?

I pounded the steering wheel with an open fist at my sheer absurdity. I knew he wasn’t the man to use anyone for his own selfish gain. There was nothing artificial about him. He was pure in the most tarnished way, and so raw. Real. Why couldn’t I just let myself bask in the high of being in love? Life was too painfully joyous right now to be such a lowly pessimist. The cascading echo of a car horn shook me from my pondering stupor, seeing the red light that halted me, now green. I eased onto the gas before the impatient imbecile behind me blew a gasket, and concluded it was best to head home after all.

Home led to a nap, giving me at least an hour of silence from the cynical whispers that had haunted me all morning. The screen of my cell read 4:33 when I shook myself awake, along with a message from Colton.

Colt: Your boy is down 4 pounds. Heading to the hotel with the guys now. See you soon babe.

Well, there was one lingering worry crossed from the list. He’d made weight. Well, as long as the scales at the official weigh in agreed. Next item on the agenda was to smash Mendez tomorrow night and go about our business. But, that task was in Colt’s hands. My next order of business was making myself presentable for the conference, and prepare any further questions I had for the fighters.

The “grooming” process always had a strange calming affect on me. The steam of the shower, the calculation of outfit choice, the precision of perfecting a subtle wing of eyeliner. Mind you, embracing the grueling duties of womanhood wasn’t something I did extremely often, but when I did, it was something I genuinely enjoyed. Plus, I knew the “business casual” attire would be a titillating distraction for my guy on the podium. He’d made countless suggestive comments when I would meet him after work for dinner adorning a simple fitted suit, that hinted at the highly aroused state the particular style caused him.

Tonight, I’d paired a khaki tailored chino pant with a simple, yet tastefully plunging cashmere sweater tucked in, with round toe, block heels. I wanted the look to still appear somewhat relaxed, so I pinned my hair into a soft ponytail. As I fastened my gold stud earrings in to complete the ensemble, a faint purplish bruise on the swell of my breast caught my attention. I bit my lip remembering the primal encounter with him the night before that had created the mark in question, which left me wanting to kiss him that very second. I settled for the next best available option and chanced trying to reach him on a facetime call. I rested knees crossed on the edge of the couch careful not to wrinkle my outfit, and waited for an answer.

My mouth twitched slightly when he gracefully appeared on the screen.

“There she is.” He didn’t intend for the greeting to be one of a sultry manner, but the man just couldn’t help it, could he? Sex appeal simply secreted out of his very being.

“Hey you! I know you’re busy, but I just wanted to wish you luck! I won’t come at you with any questions that are too difficult tonight.” I winked with my tongue slightly poking from between a wide smile.

“Oh, I appreciate that. Those media suckers can be a pain in the ass sometimes.”

I let that one go, but not without narrowed eyes and a small “hmph” of displeasure. “Meet me back in my room after, baby? It’s 1893.”

I didn’t want to be pushy with him. It wasn’t the time to be developing a pining cling, seeing as he did maybe have a few things of slight importance going on in his life these days.

“If you say so, babe. Oh! By the way, I got a call from your mom today asking how you were since according to her, you’re dodging her calls?” Beth had reached out pre-nap to check in on “her boy”.

I found it nauseatingly endearing that this sweet woman raised one of the most hard-nosed, pensive creatures I’d ever met, yet in her eyes he was some innocent little quiet schoolboy.

“God, that woman,” he groaned, hands rubbed over his lidded eyes, sighing embarrassed.

“Little momma’s boy, aren’t ya’, Ritter. I’ll be sure to add that tidbit of info into my article.” I slipped a finger to my raised chin, tapping thoughtfully as if pondering an evil plot against him.

“Watch it, girl. I’m runnin’ on no food today. Best ya’ don’t poke the big angry cage fighter, yeah?”

I wanted to do way more than poke the big angry cage fighter, unbeknownst to him.

“Is that a threat, sir?” I’m sure my usual porcelain shade had taken upon a pinkish tone right before his very eyes.

He just shook his head left to right, snickering at my mouthy remark. “Wow, someone is feelin’ bold tonight I see. Be sure to bring that sassy mouth with ya’ to my room tonight then, deal?” His thick brows raised in hopeful questioning. “Listen though, sweetheart. I gotta get back to the guys. Thanks for the luck, Livvy!”

He ended our brief chat with that menacing, fluttery wink of his that he should just trademark & get on with it.

I threw a tweed coat over my shoulders and buttoned it over the bareness of my chest, journeying out into the Friday evening breeze.

Downtown was always expected to be a blustering mess on any given weekend, but this March weekend in particular brought out triple the chaos. I didn’t have the time, nor the least bit of patience to hunt for a parking spot in this sea of traffic, so I opted for valet instead, and admired the architectural elegance of the hotel when I wheeled under the awning.

The Omni William Penn Hotel was one of my favorites to look at in the city. A column-like brick design having such a classic grandeur like something from an episode of The Sopranos. It wasn’t modern or sleek like most newly built facilities here, rather it adorned harsh, loud colors and eccentric carpets. I shamelessly flashed my media badge to the security vastly surrounding the conference hall, and two heavy double doors opened to welcome me in. The ornate, high-ceilings enhanced the noise of muddled conversations throughout the smothered, crowded room. I was pleased that the event was drawing such interest throughout Pittsburgh, and judging by the number of bodies in the room, surrounding cities as well.

It seemed I had timed my arrival perfectly, allowing me to locate a seat just 4 rows from the platform. Of course, I chose the side nearest to Colton’s name plate placed on the banquet table lined with chairs. I could at least give myself that much, seeing as proximity in the room would be the only form of closeness we would be able to share with all the eyes in attendance. Sure, there were the handful of trusted confidants whom we had revealed the true nature of what was truly going on with our relationship. Mac, his parents, Andrew from the coffee shop witnessed some slight hand holding here & there, and a few of the guys on his training team at the gym. To the rest of the world, Liv & Colton were no more than writer & subject.

Yes, we may have spent a tremendous amount of time together, but what dedicated journalist didn’t tumble entirely in their work and make it their mission to learn the ins and outs of her topic. To Ryan, the staff at the Pilot, and strangers who spotted us at restaurants rarely, it just seemed as if I was extremely dedicated to my work. I wasn’t blind to the consequences that could come, along with the whispered insults, if my boss and the public got wind that we were sleeping together, and more. As much as I’d like to refer to myself as a thick skinned, I can admit that isn’t a quality I was bestowed with. The idea of my name being worked into lines such as “stops at nothing to climb a little higher on the latter,” or “no wonder she spoke so highly of him in her piece,” made the containments of my stomach climb up my throat. So for now, unfortunately, we had agreed to keep the love light hidden within the confines of family for now. As long as I had him though, I could rest my head easy at night. And I can with confidence say that Colton shared that same satisfaction.

The chattering of the room was silenced now only to the sounds of flashing cameras and the screeching feedback of a powering PA system, when league CEO Pete Multon graced center stage.

“On behalf of everyone at Professional Fighters Federation, I’d like to welcome you all to the official weigh-in for PFF 11. Let’s uh, get this started, shall we? I personally can promise you a great match between these two, and I look forward to seeing it all go down tomorrow night.”

I wondered if my neighboring reporter could hear the near pounding of my heartbeat. “Let’s welcome first, the challenger in this event who is extremely, extremely new to the circuit, but I’ve seen for myself the tremendous talent this kid brings to the table. Mr. Colton Ritter, ladies and gentleman.”

My eyes wondered erratically for a glimpse of him. I saw Mac step into view first, then his sparring partner I think he called Seth, a few other posse members I wasn’t particularly familiar with, and finally him. A plain white t-shirt, navy shorts resembling a sort of swimming trunks with gray stripes, and a baseball cap he’d turned rear-facing. He marched in barefoot with a powerful saunter, his face holding a taunting blank stare. Colton hated the attention. He was a fighter, and that’s precisely all he wanted to do. He held no interest in the added formalities of the job description and wasn’t about to paint on a fake façade that told otherwise.

He pulled out his designated assigned seat, and lowered himself to the table, shaking the hand of Pete as he did so. He dropped his eyes to folded, fidgeting hands he had rested across his middle-section and reclined comfortably back in the folding chair. The hat was a foreign choice of accessory for him from what I’d seen, but the boyish way it sat about him was one I very much enjoyed.

“Alright, now our current Middleweight Champion who most of you are very familiar with, Danny Mendez. C’mon out, Dan.”

The next entrance was nothing short of stomach-turning, over the top in characteristic Mendez fashion. As unprofessional and petty I’m fully aware this sounds, I couldn’t have cared less about the arrogant prick, so I pretty well tuned the next 3 minutes or so out. Danny had swaggered into the room, feeding furiously off the chants from the clan of goons riding his coat tails and the squealing groupies in the back row. I hadn’t taken my eyes of Colton. He lifted his head now, casually surveying the room, and I finally entered his range of sight.

Our eyes locked like a chaining deadbolt, and an almost painful excitement raged in my insides. His tongue swiped slowly over his cunning, half smiling lips and his right brow raised in mischief, he had the audacity to assault me with a lazy wink that I’m certain was intended more for the space between my legs than anything else. I jolted my look to the floor in a desperate attempt to hide the beaming shade of red on my cheeks. You could’ve cooked a full course meal on my heated, embarrassed face. His shoulders slightly shook in laughter at the state he’d instigated.

I had given him far too much control over me, and he had learned every little gear that made my body tick, using it fully to his advantage. But I myself had acquired my own arsenal of Colton Ritter kryptonite in the last months. I could melt that statue into putty if I so desired, and I thought after the weigh-in, I may decide to do just that. But for now, it was time to settle in with work.

I tapped the red recording button on my device and waited for the wave of questioning to swell. Mr. Multon made camp between the two wild animals in case one stroked the ego of the other in the wrong manner and the fight fell underway early. As if he could’ve done a single thing to stop the likes of these two fellows.

“Okay folks, everyone knows how this works. We’ll rotate back & forth between the guys for questions, and they’ll call on which of you to speak. So, let’s start with Danny to my right here.”

We were all familiar with the nature of how these conferences were organized, yet most buffoons just shouted their questions aloud hoping it would fall directly on the ear of their intended. Following my usual approach, I sat to take it all in for a few minutes before chiming in. I suffered through roughly 15 minutes or so of mundane inquisition, then decided I should get in line for a shot at Colton & Danny before time was cut without me stepping up.

I went for Colton first as I knew I wouldn’t have any issue get called on. One forearm rested on the table top, the other hand smooshed to his cheek by a propped elbow, and he thinned his eyes to gaze about to gallery. My hand was raised politely, and he passed over me at least twice, getting off on my heightening annoyance.

“Uhhhhhh, lemme see. Okay, ummmm..you. Ms. Elliott, is it?” He would pay for that later.

“Col-uh, Mr. Ritter, this being your first match of such magnitude, have you found yourself under any added pressure? More so than any of the previous events you’ve been a part of.” I told him I’d go easy earlier, and I meant it. I knew I’d probably buckle under the bright beams of pressure and crack if I was tossed into this den of lions myself, so I can only imagine how my introverted partner was feeling by this point in the evening.

“Hmm…ummm…well yeah, ya’ could say that. I mean, I go into any match with full intent of beatin’ the ass of whoever climbs into that cage with me no matter the prize money that comes along with it. But when there’s a belt on the line, I’d say it does change things a little bit maybe. I still plan on bashin’ the guy in the cage with me, this time the reward will just be a lot sweeter, I guess. Great question, by the way.” He thought the compliment would dig him out of the hole he was in for ignoring me a short moment ago.

I fell back into the padded chair glancing back to him, and mouthed a wordless “thank you.”

Now onto the bigger, more annoying fish I intended to fry this evening. I didn’t calculate getting the attention of Mendez would be too difficult, seeing how he clearly felt very strongly about the opposite sex. I slipped my hand up, slightly elevating out of my chair to ensure I was visible from behind the much taller man in front of me. He chose another individual, so I was forced to wait 2 more rounds before finally being selected to speak.

“Mr. Mendez, this is the first opportunity in nearly a year you’ve had to defend your title. Are you at all concerned that tonight may be the last night you that belt in your possession?” I’m sure he could see that glint of brashness mixed with my smile.

“To be honest, Ms. Olivia,” he’d called me by the name he knew wasn’t accurate from our previous encounter as a rebuttal or my smart-mouthed question. “I’m not worried about this amateur at all. I’m in the best shape of my career, and I just don’t think he’s got anything for me. I plan to make this defeat short & sweet.”

I hoped even more so now that Colton would crush him a million times over and make him eat that snide remark. Thankfully, mine being the last allowed question for the night, Mr. Multon upstretched to take the mic.

“Alright everyone, that’ll be all for questions tonight, so let’s get to what these guys came for, shall we?!” His volume increased into a gravelish scream causing a bellowing explosion of cheers and whistles from the crowd.

Several stage men swarmed to rearrange the set-up, carrying in the scale. Photographers now sprinted to the front seeing as this was what they came for. Their paycheck would most likely depend on them catching the money shots of the events to unfold in the next 48 hours.

“Okay, Colton, step up to the scale.” He followed the mans’ orders, rounding the corner of the table. Colton began undressing, pulling the shirt with one hand over the back of his head, followed with dropping his trunks to the floor. Leaving him covered only now by thin spandex of his compression shorts.

I would assume every lady specimen in attendance painted an imagined picture of what he looked like underneath. Luckily for me, I was the one who knew quite vividly how perfect he indeed looked emerging from the gym shower. Or sleeping soundly under the transparency of my bed sheets. Or sweating profusely under the contents of me bouncing about his groin. I was very much relishing in that fact that he could probably have his pick from the entire span of Pittsburgh, but I was the selection. He chose to be with me. Chose to love me.

Colton squared up with the scale, releasing the entire contents of his lungs before planting both feet on top of it.

“Colton Ritter, official weight 183 pounds.”

He raised his brazenly muscular arms upward into a flex of his bicep, then the room jumped at the sound of his strident, resounding roar. He had put himself through near hell the entire day, starving to make weight, and was clearly pleased with his achievements, deservingly so.

Colt jumped to the floor, beaming, with hands clapping together like smashing bricks. I may have let my excitement get the best of me letting out an extended shriek of pride.

“Okay, okay. Everybody settle down, settle down. Danny c’mon up.” The CEO instructed his #1 to his place on the scales. “181 official weight for Danny Mendez.”

TAGS” @torialeysha @eap1935

#Tom Hardy #tomhardy #tom hardy fanfiction #tomhardyfanfic #tommy conlon #elizabeth olsen #TOMHARDY X OFC THEGRIND

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earthwayma · 6 years ago

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Benefits of Kettlebell Training

The American Council on Exercise (ACE

Kettlebell training is accessible and practical for all. From the elite athlete looking for an edge, to the sedentary person looking to discover fitness for the first time. All can benefit. Read on for the top 10 benefits of Kettlebell training.

" The reason for the surge in kettlebell training is that it gets back to basic training that requires functional, whole body fitness… a great way to get a whole body workout in a relatively short period of time. “

- The American Council on Exercise (ACE)

1. Serious cardio without the boredom of the hamster wheel (treadmill)

2. Functional strength without the monotony of isolated reps

3. Flexibility without long poses

4. Fun and varied, never boring

5. One compact, portable device

6. It’s safe — for any age, shape or size

7. Combines “cardio” and “strength” training

As one of the best kettlebell coaches once said, “life doesn’t respect the difference.” Try sprinting to catch a train while carrying a heavy package or pushing a stroller, did all that “cardio” training you did in “step class” or on the recumbent bike really help that much?

8. The solution for busy people

Busy people want the biggest bang for the buck. Kettlebells can be the solution to trying to squeeze cardio, strength AND flexibility training in an already overbooked schedule. Because of the intensive nature, the workout duration must be kept short. Best of all, they are so small and portable, training can take place in your bedroom.

9. Greater fat loss

Fat gets the ol’ one-two-three punch. First, there is the extremely high metabolic cost of throwing the weight around. Second, it’s a strength training workout creating dense muscle mass, which burns calories from fat stores all day long while increasing your resting metabolism. Finally, combine that with the fat burning effects of human growth hormone that is stimulated by these kinds of whole-body, complex movements. There is no better way to burn fat. This is why sprinters have ripped muscles and marathon runners have a skinny look.

10. Very different from dumbbells and barbells

Anyone who has picked up a kettlebell has felt the difference. The off centered weight of a KB recruits more stabilizer muscles and works the targeted muscles through a wider range of motion. It’s because of the off-center design of the KB. Isolation exercises such as those done with dumbbells and barbells do not hit those stabilizing muscles to the same degree.

It’s challenging,” said Pavel Tsatsouline, a kettlebell trainer and former instructor for the Russian special forces who helped introduce kettlebells to the United States. “It challenges the heart, the muscles, everything. You get a workout quickly. But you have to work. You can’t sit and watch CNN and do kettlebells. It feels very liberating. I think people are tired of sitting around like gerbils on machines.

11. Strengthens every muscle from head-to-toe

Kettlebell training consists of whole-body movement exercises. It’s well-known that compound, whole body movements typical of kettlebell exercises are superior to machines that isolate muscles for improving muscle tone, body composition, and strength. Further, kettlebells strengthen the tendons and ligaments, making the joints tougher and less-susceptible to injury.

12. It’s not bodybuilding

Don’t confuse kettlebells with conventional weight training or bodybuilding. Kettlebell training focuses on (a) movements, not muscles, (b) whole-body, functional training, (c) strength as a function of mobility, and (d) cardio and strength combined.

13. It’s enjoyable

Let’s face it, most exercise is boring. Kettlebell training is quick and enjoyable, which is one of the reasons you’ll stick with it. And, you’re only doing it twice a week—so you don’t have a chance to get bored.

14. Saves money

Gym memberships and personal trainers or quality in-home equipment are usually very expensive. But with a single kettlebell, you can have everything you need to create a healthy, fit and toned body for the rest of your life. They are nearly indestructible and relatively inexpensive.

15. It’s fun!

KB exercises and movements are simple, fun, unique and you can combine it with other exercise modalities. You can make it as fun as you want it to be. No more reason to be in a sweaty gym. Bring your kettlebell to a park and have the workout of your life. Save on gym membership fees and do your training where you love it the most.

16. Build a lean, muscular physique

Men see that coveted wedge shape emerge as the training creates broad shoulders, defines abdominals, builds up their arms and pares down their waists. It’s a lean look, more like Bruce Lee than Arnold.

17. Women won’t bulk up!

Women get the svelte, lean, firm shape that enhances the best of the female body. Think Sarah Connor in The Terminator, or Madonna — but in a fraction of the time those women spent chiseling out their bodies!

18. Easy to learn

Movements are simple and you can start using them right away. No matter how old or out-of-shape you are, everyone can do it and should be doing it.

19. Extremely versatile

KB’s can help you lose weight, build muscle, enhance sport performance or maintain fitness level, as well as improve quality of life as you age. All with one simple tool.

20. Serious cardio

KB training will make you re-think what your max heart rate is! KBl training is perfect for the advantages popular with HIIT (high intensity interval training) as opposed to long-slow cardio. It is the most effective overall fitness regimen available.

There’s a competitive reason behind the appearance of kettlebells at the back doors and tent flaps of military personnel. When Russian and US special Forces started competing against each other after the Soviet Union broke up, the Americans made a disturbing discovery.

Today, half the Secret Service is snatching kettelbells and a set sometimes travels with the president’s detail on Air Force One.

21. Greater cardio benefits

Repetitive KB ballistic drills challenge more muscles — practically the entire body — for a total-body cardiovascular adaptation.

22. Cardio without killing your joints

The ballistic, but non impact nature of KB work is the key. Instead, KB exercises actually strengthen your joints.

23. Simplify your life

You don’t have to think about which exercise requires what size weight. You don’t have to figure out which days you do cardio and which days you do strength training because KBs combine cardio and strength training. You don’t need to worry about upper body and then lower body exercises. It’s all in one. What could be easier? One kettlebell, two times a week, several drills. You have enough to think about with work, children and running a household; let your workout be uncomplicated.

24. In the privacy of your home

You exercise when you want, when you have time. You workout, shower and change in the privacy of your own home. Plus, your entire home gym can be put away in a closet

25. Develop functional strength

Even if you are not an athlete, KB training uses fundamental movement patterns making everyday activities easier and injury less likely. You will stand taller, carry packages easier, climb stairs with less effort and have more energy. Kettlebell training offers the most functional training possible, because the parts of the body must work as a unit.

26. Builds mobility

Stretching practitioners often develop high levels of muscular flexibility, but without developing joint stability or muscular strength. That is a prescription for injury! KB training provides all three: mobility, stability, and strength. A big part of this is the design of a KB with it’s off-centered weight.

27. Never boring

They say if you get bored with KBs, you have no imagination. You can endlessly combine the basic drills to have a different workout each time. It’s amazing how many exercises you can come up with from a simple piece of iron just by changing your grip.

28. Develop core strength

Kettlebells require you to engage the core in almost every lift. KB’s have a reputation for strengthening backs and abs like nothing else before.

29. More cost effective than machines

Don’t worry, guys. You wont’ outgrow them. All you need is one kettlebell. As the weight gets too light you could get a heavier bell, but even better, you can change the way you work with the one you have. Just holding the KB differently makes it harder! You’ll learn to continually increase the challenge to your muscles by manipulating the leverage, weight distribution, timing, etc.

30. Unify your body

The solution to thinking of your body as a collection of “muscle groups” to be “isolated”. Every lift with the kettlebell engages the entire body. The kettlebell movement is never a single joint movement. Every swing, lift, or press engages many joints and muscle groups forcing the body to always work as a unified whole.

31. More coordination

Since the brain knows movements and not “muscles” you become more coordinated with KB use. KB exercises train your body to work as a unit. This is also why athletes look different than bodybuilders.

32. Increase mental focus

You can’t just pick it up and mindlessly muscle it up and throw it around. It’s the thinking persons workout. At each moment the lifter must be focused on the movement. The result is improved coordination and mental focus.

33. Train anywhere

You can train in your bedroom. Or take it to the park. In your backyard or while traveling. You don’t need a lot of space. When you are done stick the kettlebell under your bed or in your closet.

34. It really works!

Everyone from top athletes to soccer moms is joining the kettlebell revolution for one reason: KB training works. If you’re like many others, you have a basement full of machines, equipment and DVDs collecting dust. All things you tried and that didn’t get results, either because they didn’t work or because they didn’t work fast enough to keep you interested. KBs are different. The results keep you going.

35. Simplify your exercise

Just four basic exercises (the swing, clean, press and snatch and their variations in endless combinations) can be used two or three times per week to keep you lean, strong and functional for the rest of your life.

36. Gentle rehabilitation

Those who are older and wiser benefit by healing their pain, gaining strength and energy and functionality of their body that they once lost. Exceptional core strengthening effects and easily modified drills tone and strengthen as mobility is restored. KB training is so simple and flexible that it merges well with physical therapy routines.

37. Cures low back pain

I cured my low back pain with KB’s. Many others have too. The glutes and all the hip muscles are strongly emphasized my KB training. Not only do they get much stronger, they wake up and start participating in your movement. Mechanically, if you’re not firing your glutes when you lift or extend your hip, you are compensating by overusing your lower back muscles. The low back muscles were NOT intended to do the job of your glutes, one of the largest muscles in your body. In other words, your body learns a more correct, much more powerful movement pattern that helps everything you do — and your low back stops complaining (pain).

38. Fix up ‘trashed’ shoulders

Kettlebells are famous for curing bad shoulders, rehabilitating the three things a shoulder needs: mobility, stability, and strength. Just like they cured my bad back, athletes and martial artists with years of punishment to their shoulders are finding a renewed life with KB training. Their shoulders come back better than new.

39. Better posture— the real thing

KB’s strengthen the entire posterior chain that is key not only to athletic performance, but for simply standing up straight and effortlessly.

40. Heal aches and pains

Talk to kettlebellers and you’ll hear stories of shoulder and knee joints getting better, chronic lower back pain disappearing, stiffness relieved, and mobility increased. KB exercises reveal misalignments, compensations and weaknesses in the body and proceed to fix them. As the body returns to the aligned state, musculoskeletal pain is relieved.

41. Strengthens joints

Repetitive ballistic loading of the KB swing and other quick lifts appears to be highly beneficial to your joints. In Supertraining, Dr. Mel Siff states, “Joints subjected to heavy impact are relatively free of osteoarthritis in old age and those subjected to much lower loading experience a greater incidence of osteoarthritis . . .” Strong muscles with weak joints is like having a Ferrari engine in a Volkswagen – it’s just no good!

Stuck in a rut?

“Bust out of it in a big way with a kettlebell workout. This old-school piece of equipment is a throwback to the dawn of strength training; many of you may not be familiar with it. After a brief introduction to its physique -building values, we feel confident you’ll soon give kettlebell-style training a try.” – Joe Weider, Editor of Muscle & Fitness Magazine

42. Develop dynamic resilience

The acceleration/deceleration of moving the KB strengthens the connective tissues (tendons, ligaments, cartilage) and increases mobility, strength and flexibility reducing the possibility of injury. You want tendon and ligament strength along with your muscular strength. The dynamic movements of KB training build more resiliency with less impact than even less dynamic activities like jogging.

43. Better bracing for spinal stability

The RKC system teaches proper bracing of the abdominal cavity. Instead of sucking in your stomach, like some tell you to do to protect your back, you will learn to ‘brace’ your mid-section as if someone was about to punch you in the stomach. This internal pressure created by your breath and abdominal wall supports your back, makes you stronger. Again, your body learns a better movement pattern. In other words, you will naturally move and do things around the house in a way that protects your back and mid-section. This bracing is also why the KB swing is also a good ab or ‘core’ workout.

44. Low tech, back-to-basics

When we went into space, the astronauts realized that they couldn’t write with a pen in no-gravity outer space. NASA spent a million dollars to develop a pen that would write upside down, without gravity. What did the Russians do? They used a pencil.

Likewise, the Russians noticed that those farmers who frequently handled those old agriculture weights were tough as nails. Those kettlebells sure weren’t fancy or high-tech — they just worked. That’s why the old Soviet military and athletics emphasized kettlebells. Scientists didn’t develop them, rather, they are still trying to figure out WHY they work so well.

45. Learn to absorb force more efficiently

For combat athletes and anyone else that likes it tough, the ballistic shock of KBs teaches you how to absorb shock efficiently which is critical for sports such as: wrestling, MMA, football, and Hockey. It is equally important for all of us. Impact happens when we least expect it. Be prepared for life’s little surprises.

46. Develop incredible power

Perform the Olympic explosive lifts like the clean, jerk or snatch if you know how. But you can get almost the same benefits using KBs — with greater safety and simplicity.

47. Builds strength/endurance

Often times it is not how strong you are when you are fresh but how strong you remain once you become winded and have expended a lot of energy that determines the outcome. In a martial arts or fighting context, “enduring strength” is a very important skill. Maximal strength is very important as well, but the well rounded fighter must be prepared to deliver multiple strikes in combinations. This requires tremendous strength/endurance. Kettlebell high repetition snatches, for example, develops a strong work capacity and anaerobic threshold.

48. Develops strength at the extremes of your range of motion

Exercising this way creates the ability to better stabilize your joints, improves flexibility and enhances mobility. Because KB lifts require full-body integration, it is a much better tool for the martial artist than doing high repetition isolation movements with a barbell or dumbbell.

49. Correct imbalances

Kettlebell training will quickly reveal the weaknesses and weak spots of your body. There is no escape! Since most kettlebell exercises are performed with a single limb, you cannot help but get both sides of your body equally functional. This is especially true because of the structure of the kettlebell, an off-center weight.

50. Improve your recovery

Recovery is a critical facet of athletic training, but training to failure once a week is inefficient and results in debilitating soreness. KB drills facilitate active recovery and provide exceptional conditioning.

51. No more cardio

Remember, you will NEVER have to do another day of CARDIO in your life!

Training with dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls (and anything else you can come up with) offer great benefits as well. However, kettlebells are different. They look different. They feel different. The benefits of kettlebell training are a bit different as well.

The many benefits of kettlebell training waiting for anyone ready to use them. For anyone willing to try something different (not new, just different) the implications for developing phenomenal fitness are undeniable. The old-time strongmen knew this. The Soviets swore by them. Their benefits have been proven in research and experience of elite athletes.

Just get started. Results will soon follow and then there will be no turning back. You will be hooked.

Original article posted at http://www.riversidekettlebells.com/2009/03/top-10-benefits-of-kettlebell-training.html

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sayuriart · 7 years ago

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7 Reasons to Consider a Home Gym

Description :

For people who work out regularly, going to the gym can be tedious. The memberships cost money and (let’s face it) sometimes other gym goers can be downright obnoxious. To make you experience at the gym more enjoyable, you may want to consider a home gym.

Of course, it is daunting to make the space and spend the money on equipment, but it could be worth it for the complete control of your workouts. If going to a gym is getting old, you might want to consider the benefits of working out a little closer to home. Here are 7 reasons investing in a home gym will be worth it in the long run.

1. Privacy

If you are someone who feels awkward or uncomfortable working out in front of others, then a home gym is the perfect solution. Just imagine: you can wear whatever you want, grunt as loudly as you want, and use whatever equipment you want without waiting for it. Plus, you never have to worry about being judged by strangers so you may feel more free to try new workouts. You also won’t have to worry about getting unsolicited advice from gym staff, or people who think they’re gym staff. There will never be any worry about embarrassment in the private oasis that is your home gym.

In your home gym, you will be able to watch your TV shows or listen to your music unencumbered by headphones. You won’t have to take anyone else into consideration when picking the volume of your tunes. So turn up the volume and let the music motivate you. You can even use all the chalk you want without being reprimanded.

You may even find yourself working out a little harder since you have no one else looking at you and you don’t even need to think about how you look while working out. Additionally, not having to worry about someone taking your machine will help you feel more relaxed and not on edge about other people swooping in.

Another bonus is that you will never have to think about crowds. Not everyone likes working out surrounded by people and it can be impossible to get the machines you are looking for at peak hours. You can take solace knowing that after work you can go home to a nice empty gym and relieve the stress of a long day, without interruption.

2. Saving Time

Sometimes the prospect of driving to an over-crowded gym with lackluster equipment can be completely demotivating. However, it is much harder to convince yourself to skip your workout when your “commute” to the gym is about one minute.

Depending on how far away your gym is, you probably add about 20-30 minutes to your workout just in travel time. That is time you could spend going a little harder on your workout, or even better, just being at home.

Not only will working out take up less time in general, a home gym allows you to utilize your time more efficiently. In your home gym, it will be so much easier to use the time you have. Only have 20 minutes? You can squeeze in a 20-minute workout since you won’t have to worry about the hassle of traveling to the gym.

Who wants to battle rush hour traffic just to get in a workout after work? It is so much easier to go straight home and know that you can take your time getting there. You will ultimately be able to spend more time with your family since you will be in your home for your workout.

Plus, your workouts will be quicker since you will know that the exact equipment you want will be available when you want it. When you’re working out at a commercial gym, the time spent traveling to and from the gym, putting your stuff in lockers, waiting for equipment, and possibly showering can be equal to time actually spent on the gym floor.

3. Customization

Of course you should always tour a gym before you sign up, but even if you think they have all the equipment you want now, that might not always be the case. As your fitness goals grow and evolve, so will your equipment needs.

If you take training very seriously and tend to work with only extremely heavy weights, you will be hard pressed to find a gym that carries the weights you want. If you are relatively new to working out, the gym often has a lot of equipment you don’t need, but are paying for anyway.

When you create a home gym you can customize it to include exactly the equipment that you want. Plus, you get to decide what the time limits are on the cardio equipment. When first starting your home gym you can buy only the equipment that you will use and then only add to it as needed.

You can also focus exclusively on your interests when designing your home gym. For example, if you like to get your workouts in through dance, most gyms only have dance space available for scheduled classes. So with a home gym, you have the ability to leave some space for a dance floor.

Not only do you customize the equipment available, you also get to customize the space arrangement. You will no longer have to worry about cramped gym floors with no space to put your mats or do your stretches.

Why would you want to fit your workouts to the gym when you can make the gym fit your workouts. You will no longer have to work with what happens to be available; you get to decide what is available to you.

4. Maintenance

If you really think about it, sharing gym equipment has the potential to be pretty gross. Some large-scale gyms have upwards of 3,000 members. Just think about how many people are using the same machines as you in a day and then consider how many of those people aren’t wiping it down afterwards.

A study done by the website Fitrated showed that gym equipment typically has more bacteria than a toilet seat. This study didn’t even take into account the public locker rooms and showers. When you think about how much you are sharing with other people it seems like home gym is better for your health in more ways than one.

At your home gym you have total control over who is using the equipment and how clean it is. You can have some piece of mind knowing that you can work out during flu season without having to worry about catching something that will knock you out for two weeks.

Additionally, you don’t have to worry about strangers misusing your equipment. At the gym you often have to deal with equipment being out of order, missing weights, or just in bad shape because not everyone knows how to take care of the equipment. When it is just you, the equipment will last longer because it isn’t seeing as much use, and you know it is being used and stored properly. It might seem like a hassle to have to serve as the maintenance staff at your home gym, but it’s better than getting sick and dealing with broken equipment.

5. Money

Every commercial gym markets its memberships as affordable, but you still end up spending a significant amount of money on the monthly price of a membership alone. But, if all you are paying is a monthly fee you are lucky. Many gyms are notorious for hidden startup fees, annual fees, random price raising, and cancellation fees.

Considering that the average gym membership costs between $50-$60 per month, you could be spending upwards of $700 a year on monthly membership fees alone. Even if you go to the gym every single day, this is a big expense on your plate.

Building up a home gym requires an initial investment but it will pay itself off in the long run. When you’re building a home gym you’re ideally using a space that you already have, such as a basement or a garage. The biggest expense will be the equipment.

Yes, equipment can get expensive, but you don’t have to go right for the top of the line stuff. You can take your time and search for the best deals you can get so that your home gym fits your budget. You may even start with just a few basic pieces of equipment and then gradually add to your collection as needed.

If you use a personal trainer at your gym, you can even save some of that money by having someone come to your house instead of using the overpriced trainer at the gym. Having someone who comes to you will allow you to find the trainer who is the perfect fit for your budget and your personality.

The initial start-up costs may seem daunting but just think about how nice it will be to not have to hand over your money every month to a gym you don’t want to go to.

6. Convenience

Clearly a home gym is convenient in terms of saving time on the commute and having more efficient workouts, but there are other surprising conveniences that you might not even think about. A great added bonus of having a home gym is that if you have kids, you can get in a workout while they are in the other room. There is no stress about finding a sitter or getting the kids in the car to take them to the kid’s club.

This is absolutely essential for busy moms and dads who have trouble finding time for themselves. It can be hard for parents to stay on top of their health; having a home gym makes it a little bit easier. Plus, it will save money on the cost of the kid’s club or babysitters.

If you happen to have older kids, you can let them use the equipment as well without any extra fees. Therefore, having a home gym turns into a good way to help keep the whole family healthy. If you don’t have kids, you can share your equipment with your significant other or roommates so that no one has to worry about gym memberships.

Additionally, there is the convenience of not having to worry about weather. If you’re someone who likes to workout outside, a rainstorm can ruin your workout plans. If you have a home gym, you can just hop on your treadmill and get your workout in, no matter what the weather is.

You also have the convenience of having your whole house at your disposal. So no need to worry about forgetting your shower shoes or weight lifting gloves. You can just run to the other room and grab them.

7. Enjoyment

If you combine all the aforementioned reasons to consider a home gym, you get an overall more enjoyable and less stressful gym experience. You can train so much better when you don’t have to think about all the things you hate about your big commercial gym that is only interested in your money. It will be much easier to work out if you actually like the environment you are working out in.

Once you are using your home gym all your excuses will be gone and you’ll have nothing left to focus on but your exercise. Before you know it you will start to see results, and your body and mind will thank you.

Conclusion

It is easy to make excuses to skip your work out when you don’t like your work out environment. When you build a home gym you are creating a workout environment that is customized to your exact needs so you will really want to work out. There is nothing better than being in complete control of your fitness.

A home gym eliminates all those extraneous factors that get in the way of your exercise routine. Of course sometimes there are limitations, but you don’t have to think of your home gym as a massive undertaking. It is perfectly okay to start small and then work your way up to the enormous home gym of your dreams.

Overall, cancelling your gym membership and taking your workouts to your home will give you unprecedented freedom to make your fitness experience completely your own. Why try to fit your workouts to someone else’s mold, when you can control for every aspect of your experience to get exactly the right workout for you?

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cazahealthcenter · 7 years ago

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The Ultimate 15-Minute Workout

https://cazahealthcenter.com/beast-the-ultimate-leg-workout/

The Ultimate 15-Minute Workout

Crunched for time? Get fit in a daily energizing, health-boosting workout—no gym required.

Two years ago, Carol Zechman, 43, had a fitness epiphany. She recognized that despite the fact that she didn’t have an hour a day time to spend on sweating (she’s a mom of three who also functions for a healthcare plan in Portland, Maine), she could still easily fit into short workouts.

Daily, she started performing a 15-minute program of cardio and weights created for her by a trainer at her fitness center. Eventually Zechman sleeps better and feels reinvigorated-and the brief workout bouts “provide me stamina to cope with everyday life.”

LESS IS MORE. As Zechman proves, workout doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing at all pursuit. “Exercising for less than 10 minutes can reduce tension and boost energy,” says Dixie Stanforth, M.S., a lecturer in the division of kinesiology at the University of Texas at Austin and a spokesperson for the American Council on Workout.

Recent study backs up her state: A study released in the American Journal of Physiology discovered that 15 to 25 minutes of high-intensity biking just 3 x a week is really as good for your center as 40 to 60 minutes of moderate-strength biking five times weekly.

THE Correct COMBO. To assist you make the majority of a mini workout, we considered Ellen Barrett, creator of the Dvd and blu-ray series The Studio by Ellen Barrett and a yoga exercise and pilates instructor in New Haven, Conn.

She says a perfect 15-minute routine includes 5 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, five minutes of weight training to tone, and five minutes of stretching release a tension. “After a program such as this, you should experience energized and refreshed,” she clarifies.

For Zechman, shorter exercises help her feel grounded and calm. “Personally i think like I have even more control of my life-also when I’m being taken in many directions.”

BEGIN. Barrett offers a variety of options to assist you build an ideal 15-minute routine. You’ll get more from the workout in the event that you look at it as an individual retreat, no obligation. “It’s an chance to feel well balanced and effective,” says Barrett.

STRESS-REDUCING TIP Consider slow, rhythmic breaths throughout a challenging workout: This may teach you to remain calm and concentrated during stressful circumstances, says Stanforth. It worked well for Carol Zechman, who discovers that a few moments of yoga breathing before she provides presentation at the job helps her maintain her composure. “I concentrate on my breath whenever I want help settling down,” she says.

5-Minutes of… CARDIO Start your program by getting your heartrate up-maybe even breaking a sweat. Barrett suggests the actions listed below; perform one or a few, or swap in your favorite cardio workout. For exertion: On a level from 1 to 10 (with 10 becoming the toughest), try to strike around 7 or 8.

►Leap ROPE: Bend your knees slightly and prevent “thumping” by maintaining your abdominal muscles involved and landing lightly on the balls of your foot. Get a constant rhythm heading that you could maintain for the entire five minutes.

►BOUNCE About A TRAMPOLINE: Focus on and Wal-Mart carry reliable workout trampolines. HSN.com and Dick’s SHOE stores offer the model by J.B. Berns, creator of the Urban Rebounding workout.

►DANCE: Placed on some upbeat tunes and boogie about the living room.

►PRACTICE POWER YOGA: Circulation through many poses without pausing among. A mini-workout begins with 5 minutes of cardio. Try jumping rope or strolling, or swap in your preferred heartpumping activity.

►MARCH SET UP: Hold a light (3 pounds or much less) dumbbell in each hands. Pump your hands and lift your feet fully off the ground as high as is usually comfortable. If you would like to proceed outside or possess a treadmill, that you can do some brisk walking rather.

Try to walk four kilometers one hour or faster with your arms bent to 90 degrees, ft rolling through each stride from heel to toe. Agreement your glutes and core.

5-Minutes of… CARDIO Choose exercises just like the kinds suggested here which have an extra balance challenge or yoga inspiration; they’ll engage the muscle tissues in your core (back again and abdomen). Perform each move for 45 seconds, resting for 15 mere seconds between each. You should experience the muscles “squeeze” and warmth up with each repetition.

►LUNGE WITH Hands WEIGHTS: Holding a 3- or 5-pound pounds in each hand, stage your right leg on the subject of four feet before your left leg. Decrease your remaining knee toward the floor while bending your right knee (make certain it generally does not extend past your ideal toes). Return to standing up and alternate hip and legs for 45 seconds.

►TIPTOE PLIÉ: Stand together with your feet 2-3 feet apart and change your toes away about 45 degrees. Keep your arms straight out from your own sides at shoulder height. Increase your heels off the bottom and hold the position, balancing on your own tiptoes, for 45 secs.

►PUSH-UPS AGAINST Wall structure: Stand about two foot away from a wall. Place your palms shoulder-width aside on the wall structure at chest elevation. Keep the body in a directly collection by engaging your primary muscle tissue, and bend your arms to lower your chest toward the wall. Rebel to starting placement and repeat for 45 seconds. For even more of a challenge, add a hands clap between reps.

►Seat POSE FRONT ARM Increase: Stand with your feet approximately three to 6 ins apart, toes pointed forwards, hands down by your sides. Keeping your back directly, bend your knees and decrease your hips as if you were seated in a chair (ensure that your knees don’t exceed your toes).

Extend your arms straight out in front of you at chest height (palms facing down) to counterballance. Feel your bodyweight transfer to your heels. Hold for 15 seconds; repeat 2 times.

►ARM CIRCLES BALANCED USING ONE LEG: Keeping a 3- or 5-pound fat in each hand, stand with your hands extended straight out in your sides as well as your palms facing the ground. Bend your still left knee and lift it about one foot off the ground.

After that bend your elbows somewhat and circle your arms clockwise (trace a circle that’s about how big is a salad plate). After about 20 seconds, switch legs and circle your hands counterclockwise.

5 minutes of… STRETCHES The five poses suggested here all help release tension and increase circulation. Do each for one minute (or alternative other stretches you prefer). Concentrate on your breath and utilize the time to unwind.

►HAMSTRING STRETCH: Stage your right feet forward one or two feet and property on your right heel. Lean forward from the hips until you are feeling a mild stretch in the rear of your right leg (rest the hands on your own left thigh for balance). Hold for 30 seconds then switch legs.

►STANDING KNEE HUG: Operate right and bend and lift your Most Unexceptional knee toward your waistline. Clasp your hands before your right knee and gently pull it toward your upper body. Hold for 30 mere seconds, release, and switch hip and legs.

►CHEST STRETCH: Bring your hands behind your back and, palms facing one another, interlace all ten fingertips. Press the heels of the hands toward each additional. Keeping your elbows straight, lift your arms gradually away from your lower back again until you feel your chest opening. Hold for just one minute.

►DELTOID Stretch out: Extend your correct arm straight out in front of you at chest elevation. Maintaining your right elbow directly, wrap your left hands around your lower ideal arm and gently draw it toward your upper body, producing sure to drop your Most Unexceptional shoulder from your ear. Keep for 30 seconds then change arms.

►STANDING QUAD Extend: Lift your left leg at the rear of you and get your left ankle together with your left hand. Pull your remaining heel gently toward the sofa until you are feeling a stretch before your left thigh. (In case you have trouble keeping your stability, press your right hands against a wall structure or retain the trunk of a seat.) Hold for 30 secs then switch legs.

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