Stuff We Like – Volume 2

Prowler

If we ever had to choose just one piece of equipment to use for a workout, it would be the prowler. This thing will kick your butt and will kick it quick. There are many ways to torture yourself or your clients with the Prowler including pushing it, pulling it, and rowing it.

You can go light and use it as a warm-up tool. This might include something like:

1. Pull walking forward – 20 yards
2. Pull walking backward – 20 yards
3. Pull the side step to the right – 20 yards
4. Pull the side step to the left – 20 yards
5. Push – 40 yards

You can add weight or push it up a hill for conditioning. This might include something like:

1. Push forward – 40 yards
2. Rest 30 seconds
3. Pull backward – 40 yards
4. Rest 30 seconds

Repeat 5-10 times

If you’re particularly sadistic, you can add it to a circuit with other fun toys. This might include something like:

1. Tire flip – 10 flips (5 down, 5 back)
2. Prowler push – 40 yards (20 down, 20 back)
3. Keg clean and jerk – 10 times
4. Farmers walk – 40 yards (20 down, 20 back)
5. Sledge-hammer swings – 15 per side

Rest and repeat 2-4 times. Keep track of your times and try to improve each workout. You could also add in kettlebells, dumbbells, sandbags, lunges, pushups, jumping jacks, etc. You’re only limited by your equipment and your imagination.

Soft tissue therapy

Soft tissue therapies include techniques like Trigger Point, Myofascial Release, Active Release Technique (ART), Graston, and massage. These therapies offer tremendous benefits including:

• Improved soft tissue quality through the reduction of scar tissue and adhesions
• Improved flexibility, mobility, and range-of-motion
• Enhanced recovery due to increased blood flow and lymphatic drainage
• Reduced risk of injury
• Reduced pain from acute, chronic, and overuse injuries

Each therapy offers unique benefits over the others, and they differ greatly in price, duration, and accessibility. Myofascial Release can be done with a foam roller, a hard ball, or something like The Stick. There are also several tools for self-massage, including one of the greatest inventions of all time: the Theracane. For the other techniques, you will have to find a licensed practitioner in your area.

Green bags

Eating healthy means eating more whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. One major caveat of these foods, however, is that they spoil (you’ve probably found a bag of rotten lettuce or some moldy strawberries in your refrigerator once or twice). By slowing the release of ethylene gas (which accelerates the ripening process), absorbing ammonia and carbon dioxide, and controlling moisture and humidity, green bags significantly extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. And unlike most other gimmicky, as-seen-on-TV products, they work and they work very well.