Vibrams in the Mountains

Lately I've been lucky enough to find time in the mountains with only my Vibram Five Fingers between me and the mountain below. Taking on normal mountain hikes using your feet the way they were designed really changes things. My feet are finally tough enough to handle hours of rough terrain without any of the 'support' my normal shoes were offering me. In the same sense as a cast can be supportive. Though you can expect the same muscle atrophy that results from any cast.

The barefoot culture seems to be enlightened to the notion that our feet really do have a function other than something to fasten a tight fitting highly padded wedge shaped running apparatus to.

A great site I was recently turned on to, birthdayshoes.com, shows all sorts of folks out enjoying their feet and learning how to walk again. They've also posted a picture of me!

Travel Workouts

I recently went on a vacation backed up to the end of a business trip. This meant I was away from my gym for about 12 days. Fortunately, I didn't miss a single workout! My Indian clubs and 1 16kg kettlebell were along for the ride and it was great to workout in cool California mornings outdoors this early in the season.

Swing and snatch Tabata intervals and a clean and press ladder up to 10. Plenty to do on the road. The Indian clubs were lightweight and more than enough exercise for traveling. If I had to do a plane trip instead of a road trip, the Indian clubs would be my first choice with only 4lbs added to the luggage total. With today's strict air guidelines, the kettlebell just doesn't fly.

Indian Clubs

I found these lovely clubs in pictures of old time strongmen and decided to investigate. It appears that these fairly light clubs (only 2lbs each) were used in some sort of a combination flexibility and aerobics class. While many practice them alone at home, it was also popular to practice them in groups!

I have been doing some basic movements with them and while it does not feel tremendously taxing, it created a great deal of soreness in my shoulders and wrists. My wrists will need time to catch up to this type of flexibility and exertion but that does not bar the more 'locked' types of movements. These bend at the elbow when needed but most of the flexibility comes from the shoulder girdle. It seems to me that the shoulder girdle is the most intensely and completely worked area following an Indian club workout. Combined with kettlebells, these are the perfect upper body flexibility compliment.