Nice Skinsuit, Buddy! Tips on Training for an Ironman

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jim Hodgson.

A quick delve into the history of Ironman is enough to inspire in anyone either awe or craven nerdy-ness. This is due to the fact that perhaps the manliest endurance contest in the world shares a name with a cartoon character. Please note that this guide will not help you become Ironman. That would be ridiculous.

What it intends to do instead is help you become an Ironman. This too is ridiculous, but also possible… if you have the sack for it.

I have left out anything that I was able to learn from training schedules and triathlon forums and included instead what I consider to be the most important and yet obscure things I learned in the process of completing my first full distance Ironman race. This is the stuff that I needed to know at the beginning, but was only able to discover when I was in the thick of it.
Mental Toughness

I was standing in line for the start of my first ever real triathlon, a sprint distance race in August of 2008. My triathlon skinsuit was making a garish and comical display of my gut and love handles as I listened to the other guys in my swim wave talk. They were all talking about Ironman, much in the way that a middle school student makes predictions about post-doctoral study.

“I never want to do it. It’s just too long, those people are crazy” one gentleman said, and there was general agreement.

I remember that I was thinking even then, still thirty minutes away from jumping into the water on my first tiny little sprint distance race, that I was going to go all the way to Ironman.

Seven months later, on the course at my first ever full marathon, I was pretty well cooked around the sixteen or seventeen mile mark, and a guy ran by screaming at the top of his lungs, urging everyone onward.

“Keep going! It’s all mental!” he was shouting. There were some doubtful groans from my fellow marathoners.

“Hmm,” I thought. “Is this buffoon correct? Is it all mental?”

I took a quick stock of my various howling ankle joints and leg muscles, and I considered it. Later, both legs cramping solid with ten miles to go on my Ironman run, in danger of being yanked off the course, I had time to reflect even more upon this question. I have spent a great deal of time considering it since then as well, and here is my opinion.

Is it all mental? No. You must train your body to withstand the distance, absolutely.

Having said that, people’s mental image of themselves becomes very apparent when you train with them. If you run with the same 20 people every Thursday, let’s say, soon you will notice that some people are faster than others. My experience was that the distribution of people is pretty much the same each week. Most people are content to stay at a certain level indefinitely.

Each runner is seemingly thinking to himself, “Well, I am faster than Craig, but that George guy is better than me.” At the end of the run each week they will almost always end up between Craig and George.

You must not fall into this mental trap because it will cause you to stagnate. George may very well be faster than you today, but he’d better be on the track all week if he wants to be faster next week, let alone the week after that.

You must think of yourself before you even begin as an Ironman finisher. This is, in my opinion, the most important thing you can do to help yourself.

So, yes — It is absolutely all mental.
A Word about Training

I advise everyone who is an Ironman hopeful to join a triathlon club. I joined the Peachtree Tri Club and met a lot of great people who are now friends. The club and its members provided invaluable advice and camaraderie as well as clinics and training schedules. It also provided a place for me to swim and some instruction on my swim stroke.

This was important to me because I had the approximate natural swimming ability of an adolescent male bison. Now, at least, I swim more like a trained aquatic bison.

If you live in an area without such a club and intend to train solely on your own, I highly recommend that you consider traveling regularly to be around other people with the same goals as you.
Getting All Triathletic About It… Should I Buy a Carbon Bike?

Triathletes love gadgets. There is a myriad of products designed specifically for triathlon, from bikes to skin lubricants to teardrop shaped helmets to shoes with only one wide velcro strap closure. My advice to you is to steer clear of anything you don’t know for a fact that you need. Otherwise you end up wasting brain energy and financial resources on superfluous knickknackery when the only thing that really matters is your engine.

I never bought a wetsuit, for instance. I rented one for the one race I did that was wetsuit legal. It cost $50 to rent. I wore it during my race and sent it back. Simple as that. There are similar services for bike wheels that are a bargain in my opinion.

Beginners ask me sometimes if I think it’s dorky to do their first triathlon on a mountain bike. I think it’s far dorkier to be slow on a super expensive carbon bike and carbon wheels. You will see a lot of people being slow on very expensive bikes. Laugh inwardly at them, because you know that this is a mental game, not a fashion show.

Having said that, I am a free market capitalist at heart. If you want to buy a nice bike, then by all means do something to help the economy and drop that coin. Just know going in that you are buying a thing because you want the thing. Don’t justify it as something you need to finish.

To quote Ronnie Coleman, arguably the greatest bodybuilder who ever lived, “Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder; don’t nobody wanna lift this heavy-ass weight.”
Wrap it up, B!

I used to weigh 320lbs. I used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day. I have lost over 100lbs and given up smoking and regular drinking. I went from no triathlon experience whatsoever through all the popular distances there are in just over a year, from sprint to Ironman, and I am by no means a thin or svelte man even today. I am proud of myself, but my accomplishments are but a wisp of smoke compared to the sea of people who have overcome a dizzying array of illnesses, amputations and sensory deprivation to complete Ironman races.

When I’m trying to put in my mileage and its raining and I am wet and cold I think about how lucky I am to be alive. I think about my mother’s passing due to cancer and how I want her to be remembered by someone who is worth being remembered by. I think about my little niece and the example a man should set for a child. Sometimes I think about girls who have broken my heart.

Ultimately, the physical effort of endurance racing and the mental toughness it requires has embodied for me the single most elusive and important thing that a man needs, in my estimation — a challenge.

No matter how fast I am today, there are always more miles to ride. I can always go harder and be better. There are always people whose mental game I can learn from.

And that, as far as I know, is happiness.

Odd Object Training Primer

Odd object training is nothing new, but it has once again started to regain popularity. Odd object training was once done out of necessity. People did not have the means to procure state of the art training equipment, or it just wasn’t invented yet. Instead of having fancy gym machines, these people would find or make heavy objects and lift them! The result from this training was outstanding!

Over the years, the fitness industry has turned out a great deal of quality fitness equipment…and a lot of crap as well. It is time to take a look at some of the old school methods and see how we can blend them with some of the quality equipment that has been created. I prefer using odd objects in conjunction with my other strength equipment in order to compensate for one of the pitfalls of odd object training – muscular imbalances.

Odd objects can’t always be perfectly balanced. Take a log for instance. If one side is slightly larger in diameter, that end will be heavier. If you lift with that same log, in the same pattern, week after week, then some imbalances may occur. However, the benefits can be maximized if you intelligently use these objects.
Odd Objects & Where To Get Them

In this introduction to odd objects, I will focus primarily on the ones that are easy to get. No need to get fancy with this style of training. The simplicity of odd object training is what draws a lot of people to it.

I will cover a few of the odd objects that I have used with success. For each, I will give instructions on how to find the equipment as well as a few sample exercises. Again, these are just a few of the objects we use. The odd objects possible are only limited by your creativity!

1. Stones and Rocks. These objects are provided for you by good ol’ mother nature. Go out and find a few different sized stones. I have one for pinch-gripping and another few for heavier lifting. Atlas stones are a little more complicated. The easiest way is to buy a stone mold and use that.

2. Kegs. You can go to your local beer distributors and pick up a keg for the price of deposit. Perform a YouTube search for how to open the keg (it provides a better tutorial than I can type out). Once you open the keg, you can fill it with either water or another heavy object (sand, pea gravel, etc). Water provides instability and weight, while the others will provide just weight.

3. Sandbags. There are many places online to buy thick bags to use; however, I have found these expensive. I purchased three military duffle bags on ebay for around $15 and filled them with random objects – pea gravel, individual bags of sand, old clothes, and anything else I could get my hands on.

4. Rope. Thick rope is one of my favorite training tools. You can purchase either manila or nylon weave. Your local hardware store probably will not carry rope thick enough. I have purchased mine off of ebay, McMaster Carr, and from people selling used rope down by the waterfronts.

5. Tires. Tires are versatile and durable, which makes them great choices as odd objects. Additionally, they are often free! Large tires for flipping can be picked up at a tractor or truck tire shop. Small tires can be picked up used from any garage. These places have to pay to dispose of the tires, so they are usually willing to get rid of them for free as it actually saves them money.

Putting the Objects to Use

The only thing standing between you and some amazing training is a little creativity. Think of regular gym exercises that you can perform with these objects, but now with added grip, stability, and other benefits. I am a proponent of performing a regular primary lift (dead lift, squat, bench, overhead press, or variation thereof). With the exception of atlas stones and tire flipping, most odd object training should be reserved for supplemental exercises. The main reason is that gym weights are easily loaded, measured, and progressed.

The best thing I can do is display some pictures of how we have used odd objects. Your objects may very well be different from ours (larger, smaller, different shapes, etc), so these pictures and descriptions will give you an idea of some movement possibilities.

Stones

Pinch Gripping

Pinch Swings

Pinch Grip Farmers Walk – Shown with Stone + 35 lb Hex Head DB

Obviously Atlas Stones can be used for loading or shouldering. However if you do not have an Atlas Stone, a keg can be a decent replacement. Smaller stones can also be used to add grips to things like curls, rows, presses, etc. Again, use your imagination with these objects. That’s half the fun!

Kegs

Clean and Press

Shoulder Loading

Setting Up a Keg “Atlas Stone” Style Lift

Keg Throwing

Overhead Iso Lunges

Kegs and sandbags are incredibly versatile. I could list at least 100 exercises for each, but again, follow my above rule of first thinking of gym exercises, then applying the object. Remember Zoolander’s walk-off rules? Old school rules – duplicate then elaborate. Same concept applies here, but less pretty.

Sandbags

Sandbags, like kegs, can be used for a huge array of exercises. I prefer to “grab cloth” when sandbag training. This means, instead of using the handles for grip, I grab the cloth of the bag as if I was grabbing someone by the shirt. This makes it tougher on the grip. Here are some suggested exercises:
Sandbag Pull Through Setup

Sandbag Pull Through Finish

Shouldered Sandbag Squat

Front Hold Sandbag Step-up

Rope
Rope is a unique training tool. I like to use it for everything from rope battling to added grip on pull-ups. It is worth it to have a few different sizes and lengths in your repertoire. It is best to not get the rope wet, as it frays and not to leave it out in the sun.
Rope Mountain Climbers

Rope Battling (other end attached to tree)

Thick Rope Supine Rows

Tires

Tires come in all shapes and sizes, so these exercises are just suggestions. They are unique since you can do everything from beat them with a sledgehammer to throw them for explosive training.
Rotational Tire Throws

Tire Flips

And only if you are crazy….Tire Hercules Holds (two tires, same size)

    Conclusion

Odd object training will bring a boost to your supplemental exercises. They are creative, enjoyable and EFFECTIVE! I would recommend these for anyone from athletes (especially athletes) to people looking to spice up their programs. Tires, kegs, stones, ropes, and sandbags can all be successfully incorporated into your training protocols. Now get training!

Joe Hashey is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. He is a former D1AA college football player and is giving away 3 BONUSES for joining the FREE Synergy Newsletter! Joe can be reached through his popular strength training blog – www.Synergy-Athletics.com.

Guide to Thick Rope Training

In a previous article, Odd Object Training Primer, I mentioned that people can work out with just a length of thick rope. Rope training is nothing new but has been gaining popularity over the last few years. We have been using thick ropes for nearly two years with great benefits. If you had a bad experience with climbing the rope in middle school, maybe it’s time to revisit this classic fitness tool.
Benefits of Thick Rope Training

During most thick rope exercises, the muscles in the hands and forearms are engaged to a great extent, which is an area where many men lack sufficient strength. At Synergy Athletics, we use ropes during the accessory portion of our workouts. That means we perform our regular primary exercises (typically compound barbell lifts) and then incorporate the ropes into the program.

In addition to stronger hands and forearms, ropes can be used for a variety of climbing and pulling exercises to increase relative body strength. These movements are both fun and effective for general physical preparedness, specifically in younger athletes.
Where to Get Thick Rope

Unfortunately you won’t be able to run down to Home Depot and pick up the rope that I am talking about. Their rope is just too light and small in diameter. Depending on your abilities, you will want to purchase a rope that is between 1 ¼ to 3 inches in diameter and 40 to 60 feet in length. We have ropes that range from 1 ¼ in to 4 inch in diameter, but I personally prefer 2 inch rope. The 4 inch rarely makes it off the shelf.

Many websites sell thick rope; however, the most inexpensive ones I have come across are on Ebay and McMaster Carr. Just search for what you want on those sites, and it will save you money.
Four Effective Thick Rope Exercises

1. Supine Rows. Throw the rope over a fixed object. In the gym we use a power rack, at home a tree branch. Lie down on your back, reach up and grab the row, then pull your hands to your chest. The advanced variation involves elevating your feet.

2. Pull-Ups. Just throw the rope over a fixed object like with the supine row set up. Reach up, grab a hold and begin your pull-ups. You will be able to do far fewer with the rope than on a regular bar because of the added grip strength required. Do these FIRST then finish with regular pull-ups so you still train your back muscles, and your grip isn’t the weak link.

3. Hand Over Hand Rows. Attach the rope to a weighted object (outdoors). This object is usually a sled, but you could use anything that is heavy. Walk the rope out to the end then row the object all the way to you. Repeat for multiple sets.

4. Rope Battling. Up until this point, all the exercises have been pulling movements. Rope battling is for conditioning. Anchor your rope around a fixed object so the rope folds in half and you have both ends in your hands.

The easy instructions – whip it around for time.

Details – make waves in the rope. You can make big waves, small waves, or alternating waves. Then take both and try to make circles in the rope (grappler tosses). Complete this for a timed set.

Sample rope battling workout – apply the Tabata protocol to your movements. With high intensity, whip the rope around for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat for 8 consecutive sets of 20 on and 10 off.

These are just a few ways you can benefit from using ropes. Check out this rope training video with a few more ideas!
Pick up a length of rope and start incorporating it into your training ASAP!

Beginner’s Guide to Plyometrics

I’m always looking for ways to mix up my workouts in order to avoid the monotony of lifting weights and spinning my wheels on the elliptical machine. In my quest to diversify my fitness routine, I often turn to my high school football days for inspiration.

One of the routines my teammates and I underwent during summer conditioning was a series of exercises first developed by Soviet countries during the Cold War. Called plyometrics, these exercises were designed to increase speed, power, and explosiveness. After every plyometric workout I felt like battery acid was pumping through my veins. But the exercises worked. My teammates and I developed the speed and power we needed to explode off the line of scrimmage and dominate the other team.

While I no longer snap footballs, I figure I can still benefit from plyometric exercises and have started doing them once again. If you’re like me and looking for something to add to your fitness routine, today I provide a short primer on plyometrics and a simple routine to help get you started.
What Are Plyometrics?

Unlike typical strength training exercises that involve long, slow movements designed to increase muscular strength and mass, plyometric exercises involve quick, explosive movements designed to increase speed and power.

A plyometric exercise consists of three phases. The first is a rapid muscle lengthening movement called the eccentric phase. Second comes a short resting period called the amortization phase. Finally, the athlete engages in an explosive muscle shortening movement called the concentric phase. The athlete repeats this three part cycle as quickly as he can.

The goal of plyometric exercises is to decrease the amount of time in-between the eccentric and concentric movements. By reducing the time in-between these two movements, a man can become faster and more powerful.
A Brief History of Plyometrics

Plyometrics were developed by Soviet Bloc scientists during the Cold War. The leading researcher of plyometric training was a Russian scientist named Yuri Verkhoshansky. Dr. Verkhoshansky developed a system of exercises called “Jump Training” that used repetitive jumping in order to increase the speed and explosiveness of Russian track and field athletes. He published the results of his studies on this new form of training in 1964.

During the 1960s and 70s, Soviet Bloc countries dominated the Olympics thanks in part to Dr. Verkhoshansky’s exercises. Seeing that the Americans were getting their asses handed to them by the Commies, American track and field coach Fred Wilt started to investigate how they were training. He saw that the Soviets were doing a bunch of crazy jumps from boxes and skipping around like school children. Wilt took some notes, went back to America, slapped the moniker “plyometrics” on these new exercises, and started implementing them with his athletes.

Since then, sports teams across the U.S. and the world have incorporated plyometrics into their training regimens to help their athletes become faster and more explosive.
The Benefits of Plyometrics

Plyometrics improve the functions of muscles, tendons, and nerves so that you can run faster, jump higher, and hit harder. In short, plyometric exercises can help you improve your pick-up basketball game or prepare your body for when you have to save your own life.

Benefits to muscles. Physical power is the ability to convert strength into speed as quickly as possible. In order to increase your power, you need to increase and strengthen the muscle fibers that are responsible for converting strength into speed. These fibers are often referred to as fast-twitch fibers. Plyometric movements can strengthen and even increase the number of fast-twitch fibers in your muscles. The stronger the fast-twitch fiber, the faster the muscle contraction.

Benefits to tendons. In order to increase the power and speed of muscular movements, you need to increase the strength of your tendons. Moreover, stronger tendons mean fewer injuries. Many men I know have had to undergo surgery because they tore a tendon while playing soccer or basketball. They might have been able to avoid these injuries had they only worked on increasing strength and elasticity in their tendons. Plyometrics strengthen your tendons and boost their elasticity by placing stress on them in a controlled setting.

Benefits to nervous system. A final component in increasing power and speed is your nervous system. Every time you contract your muscles, a signal is sent from your brain to your muscles via your neuromuscular system. The more efficiently your neuromuscular system can transmit this signal, the faster you can contract and relax your muscles, which in turn increases your athletic speed and power. Plyometrics boosts this efficiency.
Plyometrics for Beginners

There are dozens of different types of plyometric exercises. In fact, you can find books filled with hundreds of pages of them. I couldn’t possibly include them all here in one post, so I’ve narrowed the list down to the ones a beginner could easily try. But before we get to the exercises, let’s discuss some general guidelines to keep in mind as you get started.

Safety First. Plyometrics are by their nature intense. You’ll be putting a lot of load on your joints and tendons. If you haven’t worked out in awhile, I recommend holding off on adding plyometric exercises to your routine until you’ve built up your strength and flexibility with regular cardio, weight training, and stretching.

When you first start off, take it slow and focus on performing the exercises in a controlled manner. You should always warm up with some light jogging and stretching before you begin. Allow adequate resting time between plyometric workouts. I usually only do two plyo days a week: one on Tuesday and another on Saturday.

Sets, reps, and rest. Perform all of the exercises listed below. With each exercise, I like to perform 3 sets of 12 reps with 1 minute rest in-between sets. In-between exercises I rest for 3 minutes.
Exercises

Squat Jumps. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Squat down and jump as high as possible. Upon landing, squat and immediately jump up again.

Lateral Jumps. Stand next to a cone or another object that you can jump over. Jump sideways to the opposite side of the cone. Upon landing, immediately jump to the other side. Remember to make the jumps as quickly as possible.

Power Skipping. Remember skipping as a kid? Well, you’re going to do it again, but this time you’ll put a bit more oomph into it. Perform a regular skip, but jump and lift your knee as high as you can. Just like this guy:
Tuck Jumps. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Explode and jump as high as you can. As you rise, pull your knees into your chest. On the way down, straighten your legs and land softly on the balls of your feet. As soon as your feet touch the ground, perform another tuck jump.
Alternate Leg Bounding. Bounding is sort of like running, except your steps are longer and higher. Drive off your right foot and bring your left knee up. Try to stay in the air as long as possible. Land on your left foot and repeat with the right foot.
Box Jumps. Stand in front of a box or other suitable platform (like a park bench). Try to find a box that’s at least 18″ off the ground. As you get stronger, increase the height. Jump onto the box and immediately back down to the same position. Immediately repeat. Perform the jumps as quickly as possible.

Vertical Depth Jump. Start off by standing on top of a box or other platform. Hop off the box and land on both your feet. As soon as your feet hit the ground, jump as high as you can. Get back on the box and repeat.

Plyometric Push-up. Assume a normal push-up position. Lower yourself to the floor. With explosive force, push off the floor with enough force that your hands leave the floor. Repeat.

Boxing Basics-Part I: How to Wrap Your Hands

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Chad Howse who will be doing a series of posts for AoM on the basics of boxing. Thanks Chad!

Boxing has been around for thousands of years in some form or another. Whether it was the Ancient Greeks or Romans or the Brits and later the rest of the world competing under the Queensbury Rules – which are still used today – the sport has remained one of the purest forms of competition a man can experience.

It doesn’t get much more competitive than two guys standing face to face in a “fair stand up boxing match”1 where the winner is determined either by a judge’s decision, a referee stoppage or a knockout. It’s called the sweet science because it combines the strategy of a game of chess with the physicality that can only be found when two supremely conditioned athletes go head-to-head in battle.

It’s just you in the ring. What you’ve done to get there in the way of training and learning accompanies you, but other than that it’s just you vs. your opponent, and whoever’s better, more prepared, smarter and more disciplined usually ends up winning.

In boxing, like in any sport, it’s important to learn the fundamentals. Much like you learn to do a lay-up before you learn to shoot 3-pointers, learning a proper stance before you learn to punch is a necessary progression. Over the next few weeks I’ll be taking you through a video series that goes over the basics of boxing.

We’ll cover it all from wrapping hands to throwing a left hook. The first video is dedicated to wrapping hands. After the video I’ve included a few tips to keep in mind when wrapping your hands, including why you want to be doing this in the first place.
Why should I wrap my hands?

Your fists are your weapons in boxing, and if you have a broken weapon you’re not going to be too successful in a fight. Wrapping your hands will protect both your wrists and hands from injury.
Tips

1. Buy wraps with some elasticity. Hand wraps come in two forms: those with no elasticity and others that stretch a bit. I recommend the latter. When you go out and buy a pair, test them out and make sure they have some give.

2. Spread your hand out when you’re applying the wraps. If you keep your fingers closed and apply the wrap firmly, you can lose circulation to your hands. Spread out your fingers and make your hand as big as possible; keep this up throughout your application of the hand wraps.

3. Try and keep your wraps wrinkle free when applying them. You want a smooth look to your hand wraps when they’ve been applied. Hand wraps are basically a cast for your hand and having wrinkles in a cast can cut off circulation when your hand is in the glove and it can feel uncomfortable.

4. The point of wrapping your hands is to protect them, but to also secure your wrist. Ensure that your wrist is straight when wrapping your hands. Having a bend in your wrist will defeat the purpose of applying them. Wrists can get bent or sprained pretty easily, especially in sparring where you might be using gloves of a lesser quality than you would be in a fight, so make sure to protect yourself by keeping your wrists straight when applying the wraps.

Do you have any questions or tips about how to wrap your hands? Share your comments with us.

Boxing Basics-Part II: Stance+Footwork

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Chad Howse who is doing a series of posts for AoM on the basics of boxing. Thanks Chad!

In this installment of the “Boxing Basics” series I’m going to cover proper stance as well as a bit of footwork. There are a couple things you want to accomplish in your stance. One, you want to be ready to react, which means having your knees bent in an athletic stance with the weight on the balls of your feet, and two, you want to protect yourself.

Take a look at the tips after the video for some extra info.

Note: The video primarily shows an orthodox stance. If you’re left handed (southpaw) follow the same tips but do the opposite of what’s done in an orthodox stance.
Tips

1. Feet a bit wider than shoulder width

If your feet are too wide you might have more balance, but you’ll also lose some power on the dominant hand. Take a look at the stances of a guy like Rocky Marciano versus the stance of a guy like Floyd Mayweather Jr. Marciano was going after the knockout in every fight and had his feet about shoulder width apart, while Mayweather Jr. has a wider stance for balance and movement because of his “score points first and not get hit” mentality.

Also, don’t keep your feet in a straight line; this will take away from your power. Have your feet facing the same direction with your back foot slightly to the side.

2. Make a small target

I say have your back foot slightly out to the side, but don’t go overboard. Notice how you can’t see my whole chest-you want to avoid being square to your opponent, providing as little a target as possible. The less he can see, the less he’s going to be able to hit, which also means keeping your hands up as well.

3. Chin down

You’ll hear it a lot in fights; the announcer will say something like: “He’s throwing punches with his chin in the air,” or, “He got hit right on the button.” So why is this? Well, just above your jaw bone there’s a bony ridge on either side of your head that protects a bunch of nerves. A punch landing on the front of the chin drives the jaw bone into those nerves, causing disorientation and loss of co-ordination that can result in a knockout. So keep your chin down and your hands up.

4. Be in a position to react and throw back

Keep your knees bent with the weight on the balls of your feet. You also want to take small steps; making larger movements with your feet will result in one foot being off the ground for too long. If you’re hit while in the middle of a step, you’ll be off balance and not in the position to slip, or plant and throw a punch back.

5. Elbows in

As much as you want to protect your chin and head, you also want to protect your body and throw straight punches. Keeping your elbows in tight to your body will allow you to get them in a position to block punches to the torso as well as help keep your punches straight.

Do you have any other tips for proper stance and footwork? Share them with us in the comments section.

Boxing Basics-Part III: Defense

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Chad Howse who is doing a series of posts for AoM on the basics of boxing. Check out Part I and Part II.

In a sport where the objective is to hurt your opponent more than he hurts you, defense is a pretty important thing, which is why we’ll be covering how to defend yourself from getting hit before we go over punching.

The first thing that should be understood about defense is that it is more or less done to serve another purpose. You’re not blocking just for the sake of not getting hit, but blocking to get in a position to return an effective punch that will hurt your opponent or lead to a punch that’ll land flush.

There are two methods to do this:

1. You can block or parry the punch.

2. You can slip the punch.

In the following video I’ll be showing you examples of how to defend against each punch, either by blocking or slipping. Following the video will be a number of tips. It’s a big topic to cover in one article, so feel free to add any other tips in the comments section.
Tips

Mix it up

Don’t rely on just blocking or just slipping. Just like on offense, keep your opponent guessing as to what you’re going to do next. If you block five punches in a row, your opponent might think he’s going to at least make some kind of contact and load up; slipping the next punch he throws might get him off balance and out of position, which you’ll take advantage of.

Stay tight

You’ll hear announcers say, “This guy has some tight defense.” This means having your elbows in tight to the midsection, hands high and protecting your chin, which is down and also being protected by your shoulders. There isn’t a lot of open space to land anything.

Be on balance

Again, the point of avoiding a punch is to get yourself in position to throw an effective punch in return. To do this you have to stay on balance, on the balls of your feet and avoid doing huge, out of control movements. Keep your movement (both upper and lower body) small, quick, and under control.

Don’t give anything away

Boxing is like a lot of other sports in this way, but let’s use basketball as an example. If a guy comes down and hits two straight three’s, the next time down the court he might throw up a shot fake to get his opponent in the air so he can either draw a foul or gain a clear path to the basket. Boxing is the same; a guy’s jab might be on point, and he might hit with two or three in a row that land, but then he’ll throw out a faint (a fake) to get his opponent opened up and then come around with a hook.

Read your opponent

If your hands are fast enough to parry his jab, wait for him to throw it before showing the parry (block). If your hands are a lot slower than his, keep your hands up and rely on smaller, more subtle movements to block his punches. If he throws out a faint and you commit, it’s a lot easier to recover if you’re under control than if you aren’t.

Make him miss, by a little bit

You don’t need your opponent to miss you by a foot or two; you just need him to miss you. Actually, you just want him not to hit you flush and direct. If he just grazes the side of your head, great! He didn’t do any damage, and it won’t be counted as a point.

So, just like in blocking and in your footwork, stay under control with small movements.

Eyes on the target

I should have gone over this in the first article, but you want to be looking at your opponent’s upper chest. By doing this you’re able to see his hands, shoulders, and head. Some guys throw little hints out before they punch. For example they might raise their left shoulder before throwing a jab, or they may move their dominant shoulder forward before throwing a cross (right shoulder on an orthodox fighter, left on a southpaw).

Even when you’re blocking and slipping, keep your eyes at his upper chest and be ready to throw back. Slip and block in a way that allows you to see your opponent at all times. Boxing’s all about angles, and if your opponent throws punches in bunches, gets you to cover up and lose sight of where he is, he can change his angle and get you out of position, which isn’t good.

It’s always the punch you don’t see coming that knocks you out. Keep that in mind.

23 Bodyweight Ring and Strap Exercises

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Joe Hashey, CSCS.

Every lifter must first be able to control their bodyweight before they progress onto weighted movements. Even after months or years of training, there are always bodyweight exercises in our program. Rings and straps are a great way to increase difficulty for the advanced lifters, while helping them gain a command over their own bodyweight.
History of Ring Training

Ring training was developed during the early 1800s in Germany. The original “rings” looked more like triangles than circles. As you will see in the video near the end of this article, we use both the circle and the triangle variations.

Free hanging rings first appeared during the Olympics in 1924 where gymnastics continued to innovate new movements. Vince Vaughan was seen training on the rings in the 2003 movie Old School. The only importance of Old School is that my athletes all want to attempt the iron cross and yell “still holding!”
Bodyweight Exercises Are for the Weak?

I had an experienced gym “guru” come up to me while I was performing ring dips and say, “You are strong, so why are you wasting your time on bodyweight exercises? Those are for the weak people that can’t lift the iron!”

I invited him to try a set of ring dips and despite his high degree of strength, he mustered up only one…barely. The rings were shaking all over the place, and he didn’t have the relative body strength to control the movements. To the point, fitness is a mixture of different abilities, and control over your own weight is near the top of the list.
Benefits

Rings and straps have a great deal of mobility. As the lifter presses against the rings, they will often vibrate or move and stabilizing this movement creates a higher degree of muscle recruitment. We use them often during the accessory lift portion of our training protocols.

Additionally, both are portable, affordable to make at home, and easy to set up. Most importantly, rings and straps are versatile. We use them for a variety of exercises, unlike many gym machines that serve only one function. In the video below, you will see 23 different exercises we perform with hanging straps and rings, but we also use them on sleds and other apparatuses.

Big Three Ring/Strap Exercises

You won’t see many people using rings like gymnasts – that requires learning a whole new sport. However, these training tools can be implemented with exercises that you regularly perform.

Ring Dip. The primary muscles targeted during the dip are chest, shoulders, and triceps. As mentioned earlier, ring dips provide an entirely different training effect than bar dips. Ring dips will require a great deal of upper body strength and stability.

Ring Push Up. The muscles targeted during the push-up are similar to the dip – chest, shoulders, and triceps. However, due to the movement of the rings, a greater amount of core strength will be required.

Scarecrows. Looks easy, but scarecrows will target your rear delts and the muscles surrounding the scapula like few exercises can. The movement is performed by holding the straps in front of your chin while in the standing position. Pull the straps apart until your arms are straight to the side, parallel to the ground. To make the movement more difficult, simply slide your feet forward.

Conclusion

Rings and straps are an effective addition to any training tool box. Athletes have used rings for nearly two centuries. Both training tools have sculpted some of the strongest men (in terms of relative body strength) in Olympic history.

Boxing Basics Part V-Punching: Hook+Uppercut

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Chad Howse who is doing a series of posts for AoM on the basics of boxing.

As I mentioned in a previous article, it’s always the punch you don’t see coming that results in a knockout. And the hook and the uppercut are two punches that, if thrown effectively, can catch your opponent off guard.

I’ll start off by outlining a couple of rules:

    Don’t throw a lead uppercut. That is, don’t throw an uppercut unless it is preceded by another punch.
    Don’t “show” your hook unless you’re using it to set up another punch. A hook is best thrown when your opponent doesn’t see it coming, mainly following a cross or an uppercut.
    Throw both punches with bad intentions.

I’ll get into the specifics in the following video, then list some tips at the end of the article.

Feel free to add more tips in the comments section, there were some great ones in the last article.
Tips:

Put your body into it

Every punch starts from the ground up, but this is especially true with the hook and the uppercut. Your hips are the most important aspect of each punch as your arm doesn’t extend like it does when you’re throwing a cross or a jab.

Let your hips lead the punch, with your shoulder and arm following.

Protect yourself when throwing the punch

When guys throw a hook, a lot of the time they throw their chin out there as well, giving their opponent a nice big target. Keep your opposite hand up and your chin down throughout the duration of the punch.

I mentioned that it’s always the punch that isn’t seen or expected that results in a knockout, well, when you’re throwing a punch the last thing you’re expecting is to get hit with a solid one, so keep that in mind.

Punches in bunches

Ideally, throw either punch at the end of a combination or flurry, or at least after throwing another punch.

A good combination to set up an uppercut: throw a jab, cross, hook then finish with a solid uppercut.

To set up a powerful hook: throw it after throwing a cross. You can even throw one off of a jab which is usually unexpected.

Understand your opponent

To land a hard punch in the right spot you don’t want your opponent to be expecting it, but you also don’t want them to be guarding that spot.

If you’re throwing a left hook, you don’t want his right hand up at the side of his head. To get it out of the way, throw a jab, cross or uppercut which will get his mind off the middle of his body, opening up the sides.

If you’re throwing an uppercut, precede it with a hook to get his guard on the side, opening up the middle of his body, making him vulnerable to an uppercut.

Focus on speed and accuracy, not power

You hear it in baseball a lot: “He struck out swinging for the fences.”

Well it’s no different with boxing. Loading up on your punches is like having a “tell” in poker: it gives your opponent a head start to defend or land something of his own.

Focus on speed; power is something that shouldn’t be forced. If it is, you risk premature fatigue, and missing your target.

Boxing Basics Part VI: Punching Combinations

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Chad Howse who is doing a series of posts for AoM on the basics of boxing.

So we’ve gone over the various punches and how to defend those punches; now it’s time to get into some combinations.

A single punch by itself is pretty much useless. You need a jab to set up a cross, or a cross to set up a hook, or a hook to set up an uppercut and so on. If you’re just throwing one shot punches your opponent will see each punch coming, adjust, and land a flurry in return.
Tips

Using the jab to measure distance

On the double jab + cross, throw out two fast and powerful jabs as you’re coming closer to your opponent. The jabs will do two things: allow you to measure distance to set up your cross and keep your opponent’s guard busy.

He’ll be concentrating on how to defend the two quick jabs. The cross will come from a different angle and will hit him a lot harder than the jabs. Step in with that lead foot to get more distance on your cross as well.

Make the last punch count

I’ve heard guys say that they throw each and every punch at 100%. And I guess to each their own, but that’s an easy way to fatigue early, especially if some of those punches miss or are blocked.

By throwing a few “lighter” punches out there, you won’t be expending as much energy, and your opponent might also loosen up a bit which will open him up for the punch that you throw at 100%, with bad intensions.

On the jab + cross + hook combination, you can throw a quick jab, hard cross and hard hook, then finish the combo up with a few jabs; it’s entirely up to you. But make sure you’re mixing things up in tempo, speed, and power.

Don’t be repetitive

Don’t have a pattern to what you’re doing. Don’t always throw a double jab then cross; mix it up by throwing 1,2 or 3 jabs and then finishing with a cross. Mix things up when you’re in there sparring.

The easiest way to knock someone out is to know what they’re going to do next. I knocked a guy out because he kept on throwing the same combination: 2 jabs + cross + hook. I parried the two jabs, rolled with the cross, then fired a cross back before he could get the hook in there. I’ve also been hit pretty hard because I was punching with a pattern, not fun!

Don’t have a pattern to what you’re doing, instead……

Work with what he gives you

You shouldn’t just be throwing mindless combinations at your opponent, or even at a heavy bag for that matter.

See what your opponent gives you in the way of openings and exploit them. If he keeps his right hand down and he’s an orthodox fighter, set up a combination that ends in a hook. Get him thinking about other areas of his body, then land a hard punch to his weakest point.

If your opponent keeps his hands really high, go to work on his body. It hurts more getting hit with a solid body punch in the right spot than it does getting hit in the head.

With the heavy bag you have to play make believe. Pretend there are openings, pretend there are punches coming at you as well. If you’re just throwing the same punches repeatedly at a heavy bag you won’t get as good a workout, and you’re not going to be improving.

Never Let the Sun Catch You Sleeping: Why and How to Become an Early Riser

    Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. - Benjamin Franklin

As a boy, waking up early was something I associated with being a man. I figured once you became a man, it was a rule that you had to wake up before sunrise. My dad would be up at 5:30 drinking his coffee and reading the paper. During hunting season, he was often out the door at 5AM to patrol for hunters. When we visited my grandpa in New Mexico, I remember the scent of coffee wafting into the guest room at pitch-black o’clock and the sound of the screen door shutting as my grandpa headed out to take care of the chores on his small ranch.

It seemed like all the men around me as a boy never let the sun catch them in bed. They were men of action who had things to do and people to see. They couldn’t dilly dally under the covers.

Now, I’ll admit that I love sleep. A lot. But I know I’ve wasted hours of my life that I can’t get back because I kept hitting the snooze button on my alarm. I’ve made an effort these past few years to wake up early so I can accomplish more during the day and complete the goals I’ve set out for myself so I can become a better man.

Below I share a few of things I’ve learned during my quest to become an early riser.

Great Men Who Were Early Risers

If you read the biographies of history’s greatest men, you’ll find that most were early risers. They used each morning to write, read, ponder, and plan for their day.

    Statesman Daniel Webster would use his extra time in the morning to answer twenty to thirty of the letters he received from constituents and other politicians.
    Benjamin Franklin would wake every day at 5AM and would use the time to wash, dress, and plan his day’s work.
    Theodore Roosevelt would rise before dawn so he could get an early start on living his day strenuously.
    Ernest Hemingway felt he did his best writing in the morning. “There is no one to disturb you and it is cool or cold and you come to your work and warm as you write.” He’d get started at 6AM and write non-stop until noon.
    Philosopher Immanuel Kant would wake up at 5AM and have a cup of tea. After his tea, he’d smoke his pipe and meditate.
    Thomas Jefferson felt “it [was] of great importance to use every moment of every day to its fullest,” so he was up before the sun each day. He’d use the time to record the weather, a habit which he kept up his entire life. After recording the temperature and air pressure, Jefferson would start a fire in his study. He’d sit by it with his feet in cold water and mediate about the day’s activities or any scientific hypothesis or political theories he was working on.
    Benito Juarez, Mexico’s first full-blooded indigenous national to serve as president, woke up before dawn to study. His strict habit of daily thinking and studying gave him the insight and wisdom he needed to restore democracy to Mexico.

I could keep going with this list, but I think you get the idea.
Benefits of Waking Up Early

Increased productivity. The world is a much quieter place at 6AM in the morning. The kiddos are probably still asleep and businesses haven’t opened yet. You can use this time to get a head start on the day. Plan out your day, work on your side business, catch up on emails, exercise, or take care of those annoying administrative things that tend to get overlooked during the workday.

A lot of people ask me how I managed to run AoM while going to law school, working a part-time job, writing a book, etc. Much of it came down to pure hustle and lots of help from Kate. But my success with the blog also came from waking up early and spending the first few hours of the day working on AoM. I was able to get all my writing done in the morning so I could spend the rest of the day concentrating on my studies. Now that I have a full-time job, I continue to wake up at about 5:30AM and write blog posts for the Art of Manliness before starting in on my day job.

Increased creativity. Many writers and artists find they’re the most creative first thing in the morning. It’s when your mind is fresh. I’ve learned to organize my days so that I work on tasks that require the greatest creativity – like writing - at the very beginning of the day. I’ll write late at night if I have to, but I’ve found I usually spew out crap that I have to re-write the next morning.

Decreased stress. This can happen two ways. One, you get more done during the day with your extra time, thereby freeing your mind of psychological clutter. The other way waking up early can decrease stress is if you use the early hours to meditate and think. Many of the great early risers from history didn’t use their extra time in the morning for toil and labor, but rather for quiet contemplation. You could use the time to flesh out your thoughts in a personal journal. If you’re a spiritual person, you could use the time for prayer and scripture study. Studies have shown that these activities, done on a consistent basis, can reduce stress and increase alertness.

Increased fitness. If you’re tired of your gut, but don’t have time for a workout during the day, or find that your motivation to go to the gym evaporates after work, set the alarm clock an hour earlier and exercise first thing in the morning. An early morning workout will leave you feeling full of vim and vigor and ready to take on the rest of the day. And it’s a truly satisfying feeling to know you’ve already gotten it out of the way.
How to Become an Early Riser

    The sun has not caught me in bed in fifty years.  ~Thomas Jefferson

Go to bed earlier. Your body needs adequate sleep in order to function on all four cylinders. There’s no point in waking up an hour earlier if you’re dragging physically and mentally the rest of the day. If you’re waking up an hour earlier, go to bed an hour earlier. If your body is used to staying up late so you can watch Jimmy Kimmel, go to bed even if you’re not tired. Read until you start to feel sleepy. You need to train your mind and body to adjust to your new sleeping schedule.

Start off small. If you’ve been waking up at 7:45AM every morning for your entire adult life, don’t start off your new early riser schedule by getting up at 4:30AM. That’s way too drastic of a change, and your body is bound to rebel. Start small. If you have a goal of waking up at 5AM, slowly work to it by waking up just 15 minutes earlier than you usually do. Stick to this schedule for a few days until your body adjusts and then cut back another 15 minutes. Continue with the cycle until you’re waking up at 5AM. It might take longer than you want, but you’re more likely to stick with the new routine by easing into it gradually.

Keep your alarm clock far away from your bed. If you can touch your alarm clock from the comfort of your bed, you’ll probably just keeping hitting the snooze button. Put your alarm far enough away that you have to get out of bed to turn it off. Once you’re up, stay up.

Have a routine established. If you don’t have something to do in the mornings with the extra time you have from waking up early, you’ll find yourself stumbling back to bed out of boredom. Establish a morning routine that you start as soon as you wake up. It could be as simple as starting the coffee pot and splashing cold water on your face. If you’re looking for something manlier, begin your day by wrestling a bear and bathing in snow. You just need some action that serves as a trigger to your body and mind that it’s officially time to wake up.

Invigorate with cold water. If you’re groggy in the morning, there’s nothing like cold water to shock the system into feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Try shaving with cold water, or, if you’re feeling really brave, take a James Bond Shower as soon as you get out of bed.

Make a good breakfast. Perhaps I’m a simple man, but I find it’s easier to get out of bed when you’re looking forward to eating some delicious grub.

Discipline, discipline, discipline. Cultivating the habit of waking up early is like forging any other habit. It takes discipline and commitment. You just have do it.
What If I’m a Night Owl?

    “Put no trust in the benefits to accrue from early rising, as set forth by the infatuated Franklin …” – Mark Twain

Some people aren’t made for waking up early, and that’s okay. It’s not a character flaw or a sign of laziness; your sleep cycles are just geared for staying up late and sleeping in. In fact, if you’re a night owl you’re in pretty good company. Winston Churchill would often burn the (past) midnight oil until 4AM and wouldn’t wake up until noon. Despite his sleeping schedule, he managed to guide Britain through WWII. A recent study even shows that late risers earn more and are smarter than early birds, so go figure.

If staying up late and sleeping in works for you, great! Keep doing it. But I know for most people who work a 9-5 schedule, sleeping in until 10AM just isn’t a possibility. If you want  extra time to be productive, try making the switch to waking up a bit earlier.

AoM Challenge: For the next month, try waking up an hour earlier than you usually do. I’d love to hear what you’re doing with your extra time in the morning, so shoot me an email and give me a report.

Two Wheels to Freedom-Part II: Gearing Up for a Bike Tour

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Bryan Schatz.

Leaving off from the previous post on the nature of bike-touring and what to expect, the following is a basic overview of equipment and things to consider in order to prepare for a bike-tour. Invariably, the particulars of each tour will vary depending on your particular style. As outlined previously, dirt bag travel is quite different from the more comfortable variety. That being said, there are a few basic aspects that should be understood by all would be adventurers when preparing for an extended trip aboard your trusty, two-wheeled machine…

Terrain, Climate, and Duration

The components and equipment you ultimately purchase will depend on the type of trip you are going to take. The most significant factors of any trip are the terrain and climate of your chosen destination, as well as the duration for which you expect to be riding.

Say, for example, you will be pedaling on dirt roads, rock and root-laden single tracks, or deep in the backcountry; your needs will be quite different from the road cyclist. You will want knobby tires, forks with shocks, resilient components and perhaps most importantly-hauling-equipment with sufficient capacity and durability to carry a high volume of food and water to sustain you while exploring (or getting lost in) remote regions of the world.

In general, choose components that are simple to work on, durable, and designed specifically for your manner of travel.

Road cyclists have a lesser need for high-volume saddle bags, with frequent grocery stores in towns and cities being the providers of sustenance and therefore reducing the need to stock up as much.

Bicycle Components

Frame: Your frame needs to fit, and it should be made of steel. Being more rigid than aluminum, steel is less likely to crack, and if it does, you are more likely to find someone who can weld steel rather than aluminum. Road cyclists may want to look into frames such as the SURLY’s Long Haul Trucker, while backcountry travelers should choose a strong mountain bike frame.

Forks: Strong, steel forks for the road or coil-spring suspension forks for the backcountry.

Seats: Just looking at a seat after awhile on the road makes your ass scream in misery. Get a good seat. Brooks seats have an excellent reputation; however, they require hundreds of miles to be broken in. Ideally, break your seat in before leaving so that when you are on the road all day, you’ve already dealt with the worst of the punishment.

Handlebars: Make sure they are at a comfortable height and if possible, get some that offer multiple positions such as H-bars, or you can attach L-shaped bar ends.

Pedal Cages/Clipless (Cleat) Pedals: Pedals that are not at least equipped with cages should be avoided. Cleat pedals (preferred) and pedal cages allow for pulling up, around, and down, therefore using your muscles in a well-rounded way while also applying far more power and control. Simply having pedals without cages means you can only push down, which with daily repetition becomes overly exerting on isolated muscles, not very efficient, and will put you on the fast track to injury.

Gears: Unless you want to get injured like me, have functioning gears. The number is up to you but having at least eight is advisable. On a trip through New Zealand, my girlfriend and I rode 1,000 miles on bikes with eight gears, and it worked just fine.

Replacements and Tools

Allen Wrenches: I’m lucky in that most of the components on my bike can be adjusted with one of three Allen wrenches: a 4mm, 5mm, or 6mm. Make sure you bring all that you will potentially need.

Crescent wrenches: A 15mm crescent wrench is perhaps the most common size necessary for bikes. Having a 15mm and one adjustable wrench will generally be sufficient unless your components have unusual sizes.

Also bring a patch kit, a pump, tire irons, two spare tubes and one spare tire. You’ll need them for those times when the bike lane is nothing more than a pit of glass anxiously slashing at your tires, or when the singletrack is littered with sharp rocks. Other essentials include chain lube and a chain tool, as rain and dirt can ruin them without proper maintenance. A few spare spokes and a spoke wrench should also be brought.

Hauling Equipment

Bike Racks: Bike racks come in several forms. The first (as seen in the picture) are the more common models made by companies such as Blackburn and Tubus, and then there are Xtracycles. I’ve never used an Xtracycle, but they receive rave reviews from long-haul riders who require the extra carrying capacity that the Xtracycle provides. They come with a high price tag though, so you may want to look into a used one that is still in good shape.

Trailers: I’ve heard arguments for and against B.O.B trailers, though having the nickname “Beast of Burden,” doesn’t necessarily sound like something I’d want to be involved with. Some of their trailers are designed to attach to your rear axle and trail behind you. It seems like it would be nice to have that weight off of your rear wheel, but I wouldn’t know.

Saddle Bags: Pretty simple here, make sure they are waterproof and can adequately carry all of your things. Mine have waterproof covers that surprisingly work very well.

Handlebar Bag: A handlebar bag is great for carrying cameras and small snacks to munch on while you’re riding. Most of them also have a clear lining at the top where you can insert a map of your route for the day.

Food and Water

Cooking Equipment: This is all a matter of preference. If you are planning on camping most of the time, bring at least a backpacking stove that uses white gas, a knife, and a spork. Useful accessories that tend to make life on the road a bit more enjoyable include roll-up plastic cutting boards and plastic coffee cups. Coffee or tea is key on those frigid early mornings.

Water Storage: Avoid water bottles and use water bladders instead, such as CamelBaks or a Platypus. Some companies—such as MSR’s Dromedary Bag– make water bladders that actually attach to your bike. They have a high capacity and are sturdy as hell according to the guys over at Riding the Spine. Bring some sort of water purification as well, especially if you will be taking alternative routes. SteriPENs have worked well for me, but they need batteries that aren’t always easy to find internationally, which means you’ll be carrying them.

Sleeping Gear

Tents: Your tent should be lightweight, easy to set up, and as waterproof as possible. It is pretty rare to get a tent that is actually waterproof; heavy rains have an evil way of pushing through most tents.

Sleeping pads: Depending on how comfortable you want to be, a simple foam pad is often sufficient, cheap, and lightweight. While the comfort provided by a ThermaRest may be worth the cost, also be wary of the fact that inflatable sleeping pads can and will be punctured unless you are tremendously careful with them.

Sleeping bags: If you know for a fact that you will be exposed to little rain, then opt for a down bag. They are light, comfortable and very warm. That being said, they retain almost no heat when wet, so most likely a synthetic bag will be the way to go in any region with the possibility of heavy rain.

Beyond these basic guidelines, the rest you will learn while on the open road, making adjustments as you learn what works for you and what does not. In general, keep the weight load down, stay hydrated and well-fed, be willing to suffer, and enjoy every moment of it.

You’ll know you’ve been riding too long when…

…you’re in the best shape of your life, can ride for eight hours straight day-in and day-out, yet a simple 3-mile jog will leave you sore for days. The muscles used in cycling are different from those you use for running, and you will be amazed at how hard hiking and running is after a long time in the saddle.

…cars make you feel as if you are riding in rocket ships with break-neck speeds and built with a claustrophobic construction.

…your ass resembles a steel cushion of hardened calluses yet is still tender to the mildest glance.

…you are capable of doing all sorts of things with one hand, from opening cliff bar wrappers to rearranging the contents of your handlebar bag for accessibility purposes.

…you can’t stand being inside, ever. Air-conditioned and stuffy rooms make you nauseous and sleeping inside feels like imprisonment.