Thursday’s P.E. Drill Thrill: SandBell Relay Games

February 1st, 2012
 -  -  -  -  -  -  Thursday's PE Drill Thrill

Welcome back to Thursday’s K-12 P.E. Drill Thrill! This week, we’re bringing you two fun and interactive SandBell relay games.

The following relay games require a group of three to four students to complete a task that begins on one line and finishes on a parallel line 15-30 yards away. Students stand side-by-side or in a single line. The first student in line completes the task and then quickly moves to the end of the line. Subsequently, as each student completes the task, they too, move to the end of the line until the entire group has transitioned to the second line.

Game #1: Fire Brigade

Set-up: Divide students into groups of three or four; give each group two hula-hoops and three to four SandBells.

Directions:

  1. Place one hula-hoop on one line, and the second across on the other line.
  2. Put the SandBells in one hoop (this hoop is the firehouse). Students are firefighters.
  3. On signal, each group lines up facing the hoop with the SandBells.
  4. The first person in line hands one SandBell overhead to the teammate behind and immediately moves to the end of the line.
  5. The next person repeats this process and so on.
  6. When the group arrives at the second hula hoop, place the SandBell inside the hoop, sprint back to firehouse, retrieve another SandBell and repeat.
  7. Play until all SandBells are removed from firehouse and placed inside the second hula-hoop.  Side Slam variation: students stand side-by side.  Instead of passing the SandBell overhead, instruct students to slam the SandBell at the feet of the next person.

Game #2: Coal Mine

Set-Up: Divide students into groups of three or four, and give each student one SandBell.

Directions:

  1. First, have students stand side-by-side. Then, have them get into a push-up position and make a bridge. Each student has their SandBell on the groups by their hands.
  2. The first person in line pushes their SandBell through the “coal mine,” i.e. crawls on their stomach under the other students.
  3. When the student exits the coal mine, they quickly assume the bridge position.
  4. Repeat until a certain distance is covered, or until each student has traveled three times.

Try these out in your next P.E. class and let us know what you think. Your move!

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5 smoothie ingredients to boost flavor and nutritional value

February 1st, 2012
 -  -  -  -  -  Diet Detective - Monday Morning Scoop

Need a nutritional powerhouse of a meal that’s quick to make, easy to take on the go and not lacking in flavor? Then whip out that blender and keep on reading to see what ingredients you need to include when preparing the perfect smoothie.

Image compliments of www.paleodietfoodlist.net

Smoothie’s are an excellent way to pack in tons of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, carbs, etc. in a fast and easy meal. But, they’re are also an easy way to take in too much sugar and unnecessary calories if you don’t watch what you’re adding. You’d be surprised, the natural sugar from fruit, yogurt and milk actually provides enough sweetness to not require additional sugar–artificial or not.

There are tons of recipes out there, fruit smoothies, green smoothies, protein packed smoothies, weight-loss smoothies, your head could spin off reading them. Find some fruits, vegetables and ingredients that you like and experiment with different flavors. Be sure to watch how much milk or yogurt you’re adding, or how much of any ingredient for that matter, just because it’s liquid and blended, doesn’t mean you’ve zapped the calories, fat and sugar.

To help make your smoothie ingredient search easier, we’ve provided you with five foods that will boost the nutritional value and flavor.

  1. Almond butter- Rich in monounsaturated fats that help reduce cholesterol levels, can help maintain blood sugar levels and is high in protein and fiber. A tasty smoothie additive, when used in moderation, almond butter also adds a rich and sweet flavor.
  2. Cinnamon- One of the highest antioxidant rich spices in the world, cinnamon adds a great boost of flavor, and studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can help lower LDL cholesterol levels.
  3. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze- A great milk alternative at nearly half the calories of skim milk. This almond and coconut milk blend is lactose, soy and gluten free and has 50 percent more calcium than regular milk!
  4. Raspberries- High in ellagic acid, which can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and also adds a natural sweetness to boost flavor! Raspberry seed oil has a natural sun protection factor and contains high levels of Vitamin C and quercetin.
  5. Flax seeds- Great for adding a rich, nutty flavor, these seeds are high in alpha linolenic acid (an omega-3 fat), which is shown to have anti-inflammatory benefits, protect bone health, prevent and control high blood pressure and is rich in beneficial fiber. Just sprinkle on top of your smoothie, blend and enjoy!

Give these ingredients a try, and don’t forget to experiment and add your own spices, fruits, vegetables, seeds and flavors! To help get started on your recipe building, click here, to check out some great recipes from Eating Well.

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K-12 P.E. Drill Thrill: SandBell grid station games

January 19th, 2012
 -  -  -  -  -  -  Thursday's PE Drill Thrill

Welcome back to Thursday’s K-12 P.E. Drill Thrill! This week, we’re bringing you two great SandBell grid station games!

Grids are small activity areas, about 10’ x 10,’ and can be used for small sided games, or as stations. Typically, 4 to 6 students are assigned to each grid. The size of the grid and number of student s per grid will vary with the size of the instructional area available, and the number of students per class.

Game #1: Give and Go

Set-Up:  Divide students into groups of four and give each group one SandBell.

Directions:

  1. The student that starts with the SandBell must establish a pivot foot and cannot move.
  2. The other students move randomly around the grid space.
  3. Student with the SandBell can only pass to a player that is moving to an open space.
  4. How many passes can each group make in 30 seconds, 60 seconds? Repeat game until each student plays the pivoting role. 

Game #2: Grid Pass Tag

Set-Up: Divide students into groups of four, and give each group one SandBell.

Directions:

  1. One student is the “hound,” all others are the “foxes.”
  2. The hound attempts to escape the tag of the foxes.
  3. The foxes pass the SandBell to one another and must tag the hound with the SandBell in two hands.
  4. The fox with the SandBell cannot move, i.e. must establish a pivot and is not allowed to run.
  5. Foxes without the SandBell should move into a position near enough to the hound to receive a pass.
  6. The key is for the foxes to pass quickly and move as soon as they pass the SandBell, i.e give and go!

Give these a try during you’re next P.E. class and let us know what you think!

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Hyperwear training for rock climbers

January 16th, 2012
 -  -  -  -  -  -  Monday Morning Muscle

Looking to strengthen muscles and increase stamina when scaling a mountain, inside or out? Amp up the intensity of climbing and cross training with Hyperwear training gear so you can increase gripping ability, full-body strength and flexibility.

Generally, a typical route at a comp takes four minutes or so—are you able to static-hang for that long? Most likely, no. Increasing a climber’s grip and forearm strength is the best way to improve climbing ability at any level. The SandBell® and SteelBell® are the most efficient and effective training tools to increase forearm, grip and shoulder strength, as well as for total body conditioning.

Constructed from stretchy, durable neoprene bags and filled with sand or steel shot, the active movement of sand and steel challenge grip ability and work multiple arm and grip muscles. Exercises that require the user to grip into the bag will engage, work and strengthen gripping and arm muscles, as well as challenge the muscle groups activated during regular exercise execution.

For an intense grip, forearm and core challenge take the Sand or SteelBell and stand in an athletic position, grip the outside of the bell with both hands, extend arms to shoulder height and move the bell in quick, shorts bursts left and right. Climbers can also improve dead point and smoothness with Sand and SteelBell exercises. To strengthen shoulders and grip muscles, replace dumbbells with SandBells when doing any type of arm raise or shoulder press. Gripping into the meat of the SandBell engages hand and grip muscles that are not activated with traditional dumbbells or kettlebells.

Weight vest training in the Hyper Vest® PRO gives climbers the ability to add resistance during any type of training or exercise, whether in the gym or during real-time practice. The patented control design of the weight vest secures weights snugly to the core, and eliminates uncomfortable rubbing, slipping and shifting. Whether upside down, right side up, in the gym or on the mountain, the Hyper Vest PRO is the perfect resistance training weight vest to increase strength, cardio stamina and climbing agility.

For climbers, substantial upper body strength is also essential. When cross-training, take pull-ups to another level by wearing the Hyper Vest PRO. Adding weighted resistance increases the complexity and muscle requirements of every exercise; enabling you to get the most out of each movement. What’s more, climbers need strong obliques to control twisting and body tension. To work the internal and external obliques, wear the weight vest during hanging side crunches and twists to challenge and strengthen muscles even more.

“The vest is fantastic for climbers — absolutely brilliant!”- Pamela Shanti Pack, member of the Sierra Salve, awarded the Golden Piton Award in 2009 by Climbing Magazine, and featured climber in Reel Rock

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Betting on weight loss, are the odds in your favor?

January 12th, 2012
 -  -  -  -  -  -  -  Monday Morning Scoop

I’m sure most people wouldn’t be surprised to hear that the majority of New Year’s resolutions end unsuccessfully. Now, don’t let that deter you from making them in the first place, but this year you might consider adding an element of accountability to that resolution.

In the Blisstree.com article, “Bet You Can: Three Options for Wagering On Weight-Loss,” Elizabeth Nolan Brown discusses three ways to add some motivation and liability to your weight loss goals or resolutions.

Image courtesy of Vancitybuzz.com

Brown recommends joining an online competition, making a financial deal with yourself or making a bet with a friend. Websites like WeightLossWars.com, Stickk and Heathlywage.com are online options for helping you to stay on track, and to really keep up with your weight loss goals.

You set yourself for better chance of successfully shedding some pounds when you not only sacrifice those tasty treats, but also some pocket change or credibility with a friend.

For some short term options to help push you through a stagnant, plateau period, consider buying a new workout outfit that will make you exited to wear and sport at the gym. Also, adding a new fitness product to switch up your workouts might be the key to motivating you to push harder and get the most out your time in the weight room.

Not to toot our own horn (but TOOT TOOT), the SandBell is an unbeatable option when it comes to versatile, safe, dynamic and fun workout equipment. Even better, not only can the SandBell be used in any workout setting, but sign up for Hyper Training Lab weekly emails, and you’ll never run out of new and challenging exercise ideas.

So, push onward with your weight loss goals and make 2012 the year to finally resolve your resolutions!

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Hyperwear CEO to run Bandera 50k

January 6th, 2012
 -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  Denver Fredenburg - running

Ultra marthons: ultra-intense, ultra-long and ultra-awesome…to some people that is. One of those being Hyperwear CEO, Denver Fredenburg, an ultra-endurance mad man having run six ultra marathons, one being his first 100 miler last summer.

Tomorrow, January 7th, Fredenburg will be running in his seventh ultra, the Bandera 50k. Notorious for its climbing hills, the Bandera Ultra describes itself as being “a trail run of rugged and brutal beauty where everything cuts, stings or bites.” Ready to sign up yet?

These races aren’t suited for your average runner or gym-goer. For a taste of what it takes to train for one of these, take a look at what Fredenburg has to say about his training regimen:

I have found that in training for ultras, in addition to trading sleep for training runs on almost a daily basis, all you have to do is prepare for more pain than you have ever felt and more mental anguish than you thought possible….after that, it is easy.

But don’t let that deter you! What ultras take away from your sanity, they make up for in an incredible sense of personal achievement and self-fulfillment. And let’s face it, once you’ve trained, raced and survived an ultra marathon, is there really anything you can’t conquer??

To top everything off, Fredenburg has given himself a leg up on the competition by training in the Hyper Vest PRO weight vest and cross-training with SandBells and SteelBells.

And with that, good luck tomorrow and cheers to you Denver, we’re all rooting for you and know you’ll leave everyone eating your dust!

PS: For those wondering what Denver has in store after Bandera, he’ll begin training for his second 100 miler, the Rocky Raccoon, on February 4th. So, stay tuned for more of Denver’s race and training updates in the weeks to come!

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Monday Morning Scoop: You are what your parents ate

January 2nd, 2012
 -  -  -  -  -  Monday Morning Scoop

You are what you eat. Well, apparently now you’re also what your parents fed to you as a child. A recent study reveals that our parents diet and fitness influences during childhood are much stronger than one might think.

Photograph courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

According to Heather Brown, Newcastle University researcher, in the article, “Our attitude to food and fitness ‘is fixed at 10 years old,” our preferences towards diet and exercise are practically set in stone by the time we’re 10 years old.

“Parents are important role models. If they have an unhealthy lifestyle then their children are more likely to emulate their behaviour and continue these unhealthy habits into adulthood,” says Dr. Brown.

We need to give kids more credit. They pick up on much more than we realize, and from a very young age.

Parents need to take into consideration the consequences of their actions. They may be preaching “eat your fruits and vegetable to grow big and strong,” but when those words are accompanied by inhaling a double cheeseburger, the lesson isn’t as meaningful.

Make a healthy diet and exercise routine a family matter. I think it’s safe to say almost everyone–parents, kids, singles, teens–could do a better job of eating clean and exercising consistently. Let’s turn over a new SandBell in 2012 and make it a year to turn bad habits into good ones, and to honestly live by the healthy guidelines we talk about and strive to maintain.

And with that, cheers to the New Year!

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J vs. C Fitness Faceoff: Best places to workout in Austin

December 29th, 2011
 -  -  -  -  -  J vs. C Fitness Faceoff

Happy holidays and welcome back! In this week’s Fitness Faceoff, Jordan and Chris share their opinions on the best places to workout in Austin. Read below to see what the two have to say about where they prefer to get their fitness on.

Q: What is your favorite place to exercise in Austin, and why?
C: The Greenbelt. No place in Austin is as beautiful. The challenging terrain makes for an awesome mountain bike/ trail run experience. I’ve been mountain biking the greenbelt for 5 years and I’m still discovering new trails. When it rains enough you can go swimming at Campbell’s hole or Twin Falls. I lived on spyglass for 3 years and spent almost every spare moment I had down there. The greenbelt is the gem of the Austin parks department. Nothing can top it.
J: I’ll admit, the Greenbelt is a great place to exercise. But obviously I have to disagree with you. The Town Lake running trail is definitely my go to spot. It’s the perfect area to run and get away from the city streets, and it just happens to be perfectly positioned almost in the midst of the city. The trees, water and scenery are beautiful and it’s always alive with people, not to mention it’s a fabulous place to people watch. In my opinion, the routes never get old and hey, you never know you might see Matthew McConaughey out for a quick jog.
Q: What makes your favorite place better than others?
C: It’s better because of the varied terrain. There are so many trails it’s easy to get lost if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you’re a pro it makes for endless opportunties to explore and find new challenging terrain. The only downside is during the summer, if there is water you get mobs of teenagers that go down there to drink and party. They leave litter everywhere. It makes me sad.
J: Town Lake is the trail for everyone. Whether you’re looking to go three miles, or 11, there’s a trail for you. It’s shady and offers some relief from the heat in the summer, the changing leaves make it beautiful in the fall and not much can beat a good trail run in the winter. It’s an all inclusive trail that’s perfect year round, a beautiful escape from the city and the best place to run off some steam and stress.
Looks like Jordan and Chris have weighed in on two equally great places to workout in Austin. What do YOU think? Is Town Lake better, or the Greenbelt, or perhaps there’s another place in Austin you prefer to workout, we want to know!
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J vs. C Fitness Faceoff: Best SandBell exercise

December 23rd, 2011
 -  -  -  -  -  -  J vs. C Fitness Faceoff

With Christmas just around the corner, your friends at Hyperwear thought it would be especially fitting to introduce a new weekly blog segment—J vs. C Fitness Faceoff. Each week Jordan and Chris will dive into various fitness topics to bring you a well-rounded point-of-view on everything from exercise technique to health and diet, you name it, we’ll argue about it!

Q: What is your favorite SandBell exercise—how do you perform it, what muscles does it primarily activate, etc?

J: Hands down, the SandBell Hamstring Kicks. Very few exercises activate your hamstrings like this one does. You have no idea how bad your hamstrings, glutes and random muscles/tendons in your ankles and shins can burn until you’ve tried this exercise.

C: The SandBell Burpee SLAM. Nothing is as much of a full body exercise as the Burpee SLAM. It incorporates everything—arms, legs, core—into a single, challenging movement. Doing as many as you can in one minute will burn you out quicker than any other exercise, period.

J: Alright, I’m with you on the Burpee SLAM as an intense total body exercise, but Hamstring Kicks are DEFINITELY harder. The acute burning sensation concentrated in one area, for what feels like hours, is undoubtedly more body-punishment than the Burpee SLAM, sorry I’m not sorry!

Q: What makes this exercise trump all the others?

C: It’s a total body exercise that combines a simple and effective push up with a difficult SandBell SLAM. The full-body benefits of the Burpee SLAM trump all other exercises—I don’t care what you say.

J: The only “trumping” quality you have over the Hamstring Kicks, is that the Burpee SLAMS are a total body workout. Get down and give me some Hamstring Kicks for 60 seconds and I guarantee you’ll recall that last statement.

C: Jordan, the hamstring kicks are great for the lower body, I’ll give you that. But I’m a guy, so honestly I’m not that concerned with how my butt looks.

J: Hahah, ok ok touché. But seriously, (no pun intended) the longest I’ve ever been able to do the Hamstrings Kicks for is a little over a minute, and I’m crying after that minute. You could do Burpee SLAMS for 15 minutes and still get back up for more.

C: I don’t know what kind of SLAMs you’re doing, but with a 20 lb. SandBell you’re juiced after two minutes max.

Looks like the only way this argument is going to be solved, is in the gym. Think you’re tougher or more fit than Jordan and/or Chris? Try out these exercises during your next workout and let us know which exercise really trumps all!

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K-12 P.E. Drill Thrill: SandBell cardio games

December 22nd, 2011
 -  -  -  -  -  -  -  Thursday's PE Drill Thrill

Welcome back to Thursday’s K-12 P.E. Drill Thrill! This week, we’re bringing you two cardio based SandBell games, along with a video demonstration.

Game #1: Chest Thrust Line Sprint

Set-Up: Divide students into two lines, 8 to 10 feet apart from each other, and give each line a SandBell.

Directions:

  1. The first student in each line takes the SandBell and throws it as far down the court/field as they can.
  2. Student runs out to the SandBell, tags the Bell, then runs to the back of their line.
  3. The next student in line runs to the SandBell, picks it up and throws it as far as they can, runs to the SandBell, tags it, and then runs to the back of their line.
  4. Repeat until each student has gone.
  5. First line to get all their students through wins!

CLICK HERE to view the video demonstration!

Game #2: Not Me!

Set-Up: Divide students into groups of four, designate each group a general area to stay in around the gym and give each group one SandBell.

Directions:

  1. When the music starts, teammates in each group of four passes the SandBell from person to person.
  2. When the music stops, the student with the SandBell is “it” and attempts to tag one of their other teammates.
  3. Begin playing the music again after 20 to 30 seconds.
  4. Run through the game until each student has been “it” at least once.
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