DIY-Tire Drag/Sled to Build Strength

 Hello, my friends.  Thanks for checking in.    

Today, I decided to share an inexpensive project that will aid in developing strength for everyday cyclists, CrossFitters, athletes, or general fitness.  I built this tire drag/sled and spent less than $30 for all of it.  You heard me right, $30.

I called my local Discount Tire Co and asked if I could rummage through their old tires and they obliged allowing me to take whatever tire I desired at no cost.  These tires end up going to a scrap yard to be repurposed and the tire company usually has to pay a fee for the disposal.  I found this All-Terrain tire and selected it purely for its bulk.  You can choose any tire that suits your gym or need.  The remaining parts were purchased at my local hardware store.  The tow strap was the most expensive item ($20.00).  I used a rubber handled hitch pin, but I've seen drawer pulls, carabiners, large fish-eye bolts and several others used as the anchoring point for the tow strap.

I used a drill bit with the same diameter as the hitch pin to make the hole in the tire and made the hole close to the middle of the tire tread.  Make sure you keep a firm grip on the drill.  Drilling through the rubber is the easy part and it gets a bit more difficult when the bit makes contact with the steel belt.  Once you get through the steel, try to clean out the hole of any excess debris.

Insert the hitch pin as shown below.  This pin is a bit longer than desired, but I used it for the handle that will not bind up the tow strap, which you will see shortly.  To make sure the pin stays in place, I used two over sized washers before inserting the lynch pin.



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Next, run the tow strap through the handle so you have the straps of equal length to use for dragging or pulling.  These straps come with sewn loops at the ends so you can also run the strap through the loop as shown on the right picture and now you have the ability to hand over hand pulls.  I've used the empty tire as a warm up and then added weight to increase the intensity.

There you have it, my friends an easy an inexpensive piece of strength building equipment for your home gym.  Now let's see how long it takes the neighbors to stop calling me the weird guy with tire strapped to him. Have fun making this for yourself and shoot me a comment or an email if you have any other questions.

Until the next time, 

Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard 

MB&B

Back in the Saddle--Have my work cut out for me.

Hey my friends and welcome back!  There has been a lot going on at the MB&B home, with moving to a new state, getting settled in a new home and environment and it has thrown my entire workout schedule out the window.  Have you ever been in a spot where there is so much upheaval in your normal schedule that you no longer have a solid foundation or recollection of what that looks like?  That's where I am right now.

In the not so distant past I was going to bed early (early for me, anyway) and getting up to start the day off with a 5AM workout at my CrossFit box or getting on my bike trainer and putting in some miles to prep for the weekend for a Friday or Saturday morning ride with friends and family.  It wasn't a tight schedule, but a schedule nonetheless.

My home CrossFit Box

My internal clock has been completely out of whack and getting up early has been a challenge as I have been staying up later than usual to spend more time relaxing after the kids are put to bed.  The last several weeks, working out later in the evening has been the only way I have been able to fit in time at the home gym and riding my bike took a toss out the window until a few weeks ago.  It never fails that after watching some pro cycling, I get excited to get out on the road and explore.  Mind you, I am in no way close to the level of fitness of a semi-pro cyclist, but a person can dream...and work toward being a better version of themselves.

I must confess, for several months, I have been hesitant to get out on the road in this new town.  The roads are unfamiliar and rarely have a shoulder and I am unsure of the driving habits of the local motorists.  After working up the nerve and scouting out several roads, I decided that I would venture out and explore.  I did my usual bike safety check and made sure I had my emergency information handy (driver's license, insurance card, credit card, cash, Road ID) and informed my wife of the route I was taking and struck out on the open road.  I must say that once I got rolling, the exhilaration of being on the bike came flooding back and it was fun once again.

False flat heading into the climb

To read my last post about how I drove the fun out of my cycling, click here.

Top of the one of the "hills".

For several years, I have been riding super flat terrain at or near sea level and now the elevation is slightly higher, which isn't a big deal, but the terrain is full of rollers and some are far steeper that I have ever had to ride.  One particular climb started as a false flat and gradually became a segment of several hundred feet of 5% to 8% grade incline, which as a flat lander could have been the base of the Rockies.  Thankfully, the lessons I learned from my Cyclo90 training workouts and the heavy emphasis of squats, walking lunges and explosive movements learned in CrossFit aided in keeping my head clear of my objective and gave me the leg strength to keep turning the pedals over, even though it still was a very rough climb and I know I wasn't in shape enough to climb the hills as efficiently as I would like.    I definitely exposed a weakness and have my work cut out for me.   Exposing a weakness, acknowledging its existence and making it your focus to overcome it will lead to far greater success and gains than ignoring it or rarely addressing it.  That's the trick folks, if you want to call it a trick.  It's self awareness and realizing that you're not perfect.  Becoming a better version of yourself is not just for improving in a sport or level of fitness, but can be used in every aspect of your life that will increase your wheelhouse of abilities.  I hope this was helpful and mostly entertaining.  Stay tuned for more cycling progress as I work toward rounding out my weaknesses.

Until the next time,

Keep your mind sharp,

 body fit, and pedal hard 

MB&B

Time off the bike...reveals new passion

Well, where shall I begin...  I've been out of pocket for quite a long time and although most of you probably weren't sending out a search party to find me, I'm sure some may have been wondering where I've been and what's been going on in my neck of the woods.  My family and I have relocated to a new state for work, prepped a home for sale, located and moved into a new home all while trying to keep sane with so many things changing.

First and foremost, thanks for checking out the blog where I have made an effort to make things fun, educational (sort of), and entertaining.  Up until mid to late November, I had been spending lots and lots and lots of time focused on the bike.  I was engrossed in it, couldn't get enough of it and was always on it whenever I had a free moment right up until the excitement dropped off like going over a cliff.  

It was my own fault for putting in so much time on the trainer, focused solely on being faster, stronger, leaner on the bike that I rode the fun right out of it.  Have you been there? Become so short sighted on one thing that you lost or forgot the whole reason you were doing it in the first place?  That was me.  I wasn't sick of the bike, but I just didn't have the passion to saddle up and pedal with energy and excitement, so I stepped away from it altogether.

Some weeks passed by where I was looking and trying different things to ignite that spark that I found when I first got on my road bike.  I started running more, lifting weights, pilates, yoga, etc. in search for that magical sensation until I finally gave in to something that was taboo, unknown, and from the articles I read, potentially dangerous.  CROSSFIT.  

At the invitation of some friends that own and operate a crossfit gym affiliate, Crossfit PRx, I decided to give it a try and to my relief and amazement, it was not what I thought it was and at the same time it was more than I thought it was.  In my mind, I pictured arrogant meatheads lifting an insane amount of weight and judging those that couldn't match their strength, similar to my past experiences in a gym.  This was something completely different.  The group of men and women that suffered through daily workouts in this "box", as its called, were down to earth, friendly, supportive, and highly encouraging.  The first week was physically brutal.  I considered myself to be fairly fit, but quickly realized I was not as well rounded as I assumed. 

My body was sore everyday from the previous workout and just when the soreness was passing, another workout would make my muscles scream even more.  The workouts consisted of a warm up that prepares the targeted muscle group, followed by a routine that further fatigues that muscle group, and finished up by a WOD (Workout Of the Day) which is usually timed or set up as a high paced circuit that usually thrashes my body.  By definition, Crossfit optimizes fitness through constantly varied functional movements  performed at relatively high intensity and I definitely did not personify any portion of that!  As the weeks went by, I quickly realized the only person I need to compete with is myself.  Can I do better than I did a moment ago, a day ago, a week ago?  Can I push harder, do one more rep, make my mind tougher and think past the pain?  It was this mentality and the encouragement of my fellow athletes, which goes hand in hand with crossfit, that I was able to build more confidence in my abilities and see past my prior limitations.

Even though I was moving slowly due to muscle soreness and I could fall asleep in a matter of seconds the moment I stopped moving, I kept thinking about what challenges we were going to face the next day.  I could feel that burning sensation in my core...other than muscle soreness.  I started to feel that fire inside ignite and like a phoenix from the ashes, a new passion revealed itself because I was able to get out of my own way, try something new and truly allow myself to be humbled by what can be accomplished by stepping out of the comfort zone.

As for the bike, I haven't given up on it.  We will meet again soon and venture out on some new terrain.  It's still a passion I love and will continue to make time for, but my plans now are to incorporate my two fitness passions together that will not only make me a stronger cyclist, but a stronger overall athlete.  My specialty, will not be specialized.



This was my first Workout:

Be mindful that you do the following at your own risk and to listen to your body to reduce the chance for injury.

Warm up: 5 Sets
5 Barbell Squats (dumbbell or bands can be used)-push hips back, keep chest and chin up

Workout 1: 3 Sets
20 Wall Balls
10 Squat Cleans-(modify with a Catch Squat)
10 Dumbbell Snatches

WOD
Pistol Squat (one legged squat, left leg then right leg)-1 minute 
Rest-1 minute
Burpee-1 minute
Rest-1 minute
Jumprope-1 minute

Until the next time, 

Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard

MB&B

Happy Belated Father's Day

Hello My Friends, 

I'd like to wish a very happy belated Father's Day!  I've been out of the pocket traveling for work the last few days and came home this evening to find a late Father's Day gift waiting for me from my wife and kids.  

I've wanted these bodylastics resistance bands for quite some time.  What I really like about these bands is that the weight/resistance for each band is stamped on the carabiner clips and it has a design system that prevents the bands from snapping.  The band has a braided inner cord that prevents the bands from being extended beyond its point of elasticity.  I'm really looking forward to trying these out and incorporating them into my workout routine.

I first discovered these bands while perusing Mike McErlane's Workout 101.  His instructive workout videos show proper technique and alternatives to performing specific exercises while explaining what muscle groups are being worked and how to maximize muscular growth.  I encourage you all to check out his videos and see for yourself, especially if you're looking for specific exercises to incorporate into your workout routine.  

Send me your comments below or tweet me @mindbodybike.

You can also follow Mike McErlane on twitter @McErlane and Bodylastics @bodylastics.

Until the next time, 

Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard

MB&B

Life on the Run--It happens to us all!

Good Day My Friends,

The last several weeks have been extremely hectic with work and life in general.  I have therefore spent very little time in the saddle putting in some quality miles.  When life happens, and I can't get time on the bike, I still continue to look for ways to keep moving and motivated.  Fortunately, there is a wellness program at work and we have access to a gym, so I have been utilizing the facility during my lunch hour.  I've been spending time on the treadmill while also working on strength and flexibility.    



What I looked like running!!



When I first started my fitness journey several years ago, I turned to running (or my version of running, which was more like a bubba-run or a big-boy run) that wasn't a pretty sight and in reality was a fast uncoordinated walk with several bumbling hops to feel like a run.  I gradually got better, dropped some weight and became more efficient, if only slightly.  Since then, I have improved and being on the bike has aided in developing the endurance and strength to keep pushing myself. 

Here's a quick "run" down of "Old Me" VS. "New Me" based on averages over several years:

"Old Me"--257 lbs (when I started running)

Fastest 1 Mile--14'31"
Fastest 5K------47'52"
Avg Pace-------17'16"/mile

"New Me"--212 lbs
Fastest 1 Mile--8'02"
Fastest 5K------28'24"
Avg Pace-------10'24"/mile

Summary
Fastest 1 Mile--55.34% improvement / 6' 29" shaved off
Fastest 5K------59.33% improvement / 19' 28" shaved off
Avg Pace-------60.23% improvement / 6' 52" shaved off


In addition to my time on the treadmill, incorporating strength training and flexibility exercises into the routine keeps me in good form on the bike and reduces muscle tightness and strains.  In the search to keep things fresh and to prevent my mind and body from growing accustomed to the same workout routine, I continually look for ways to make training more engaging.  I was looking for alternative exercises to build upper body strength and read this article on LiveStrong. com.  I have tried a few of these exercises and have found them challenging.  I urge you to try these pushup variations to challenge yourself.

Martin Rooney is the founder of Training for Warriors, trained athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA and several Division I colleges, and has lectured for the American College of Sports Medicine and many other professional strength and conditioning organizations. He created the Pushup Warrior app, which features 120 pushup variations and 80 workouts. He has also written seven books, including “Warrior Cardio,” which is now available on Amazon.

  After trying these variations of the pushup out, send me your comments below or follow me on twitter @mindbodybike and we can work together to become stronger, healthier athletes.

 Until the next time,

Keep your mind sharp, body fit and Pedal Hard

MB&B

Foundation Training with Dr. Eric Goodman and Peter Park

Foundation Training

I recently received the book, Foundation, by Dr. Eric Goodman and Peter Park, that I have yet to complete reading.  What I have learned thus far is that in order to be a stronger athlete, your foundation, which include your abs, obliques, back, glutes, and hamstrings, must receive equal training time.  I am fortunate to have practiced a few of these exercises before reading this book as I suffered a lower back injury some years ago (nothing that required surgery) and have looked for ways to alleviate and strengthen my back.

***Note: At the time of my injury, I was 15-25 pounds heavier, so weight is a HUGE factor(no pun intended...well maybe) in increasing your risk for back issues***     

Building a stronger mid-section, you are able to generate more power for your specified sport or fitness goals as well as reduce fatigue in those support areas for endurance events.  By understanding a little anatomy and physiology, Goodman and Park teach you how to strengthen and build a solid mid-section that will also alleviate lower back pain that many of us suffer as a result of sedentary lives, poor posture, or as a result of injury.  

The following video clips will provide a few methods to strengthen your foundation, beginning with an exercise called the "Founder".  I hope you enjoy the videos and find them useful as you incorporate these exercises in your fitness training.


Please post your comments below or follow me on twitter @mindbodybike.

Until the next time,

Keep your mind sharp, body fit, and pedal hard

MB&B