Equipmunk

Welcome.

Today's post is a short one: I'm here to talk about workout equipment. The days of the giant gym chains full of treadmills and weight machines are over. Here is why: They are expensive, they are inconvenient and they don't facilitate a good work environment. Their trainers are often untrained amateur wannabe body builders who like to grunt encouraging cliches at their clients. Yet I digress. My point is that nobody needs to pay for a gym membership. I do 90% of my workouts either at home or out of doors. My equipment is 3 kettle bells (25lbs, 35lbs and 50 lbs) and a pull up bar. Total cost? ~$200.

So here is the plan: 1) Find a hill or some stairs. I've used the four flights of stairs in my apartment, stadium stairs at a nearby outdoor auditorium and various other inclines around town.
2)Assess your level of fitness. If you get out of breath walking up the hill, then that is what you will do. Walk up an down the hill/stairs ten times, no rests. If walking feels easy, then either run up and walk back down or find something heavy (kettle bell/s, weight vest, body armor, bag full of rocks, a (your) child, whatever, get creative)  and carry said object with you up and down your chosen summit. If you can crush this ten times without stopping, then you are a stud. Go you.

My personal favorite variation of this workout is to carry my two heavy (35# and 50#) kettle bells up a 100 meter hill near my apartment. I switch hands each time up to avoid burning out on hand's grip. This is called a farmer's carry. Very functional. Think carrying a load of grocery bags. Same thing.

So if you are thinking you need to join a gym to get in shape, think twice. The hill awaits.

Get some.

Jack

PS -  Be aware of how far you take your chosen weighted objects from your point of origin. I have made the mistake of walking nearly a mile with my weight, doing the workout, and then hating life when I have to carry everything back home. Just a consideration.

PPS -  High five to whoever can nail the "equipmunk" reference. Post answers to comments.