Tactical Gymnastics (TACGYM) is an upcoming fitness program that applies gymnastics-based movement skills within whole body conditioning workouts. At first glance, it appears to be comprised of a blend of bodyweight exercises with acrobatics. TACGYM was designed specifically for people with tactical professions: martial artists, servicemen, and shooters among others, but it’s still relevant for those of us who don’t have tactical needs. TACGYM is ultimately about improving your fitness level and unlocking your ability to flow using unique dynamic bodyweight movement drills.
The following video contains a demonstration of the TACGYM Spartan Challenge Workouts – beginner and intermediate levels. Below the video, you’ll see additional instructions for each workout, including the advanced level variation for those of you who are already well-conditioned and familiar with CST/TACFIT programs.
The goal of these specific TACGYM workouts is to “defeat the beast.” You do that by completing all 30 rounds in 30 minutes (more info below). Check it out…
Thanks to Chris at Conditioning Research for bringing this to my attention. The dangers associated with prolonged sitting is an important subject that we should not overlook. It was discussed here on Physical Living in an article from early 2010: Too Much Sitting = Too Bad For Your Health.
Have a looksie at the morbid infographic…
OK, some of the claims are a little hyped up, and we all know the common flaws associated with research and the reporting thereof, but the fact remains that prolonged sitting has some pretty steep consequences whether they’re accurately quantifiable or not. I mean, come on, calorie burning doesn’t drop to 1 per minute for ALL seated people. There are way too many variables involved to make a definitive statement like that. And really, for every hour that you watch TV, your risk of death increases 11%? 11%! That ought to make a great headline in the news, but I’m guessing they’re drawing an absolute conclusion from some isolated test results.
All of this research can appear bleak and over-whelming, but it isn’t doomsday, and there are ways to deal with the situation. We’re not doomed!
So, how do we solve the problem, or if you like the dramatic shtick, how do you get out of your chair alive?
Well, I completely agree with the notion that the 30 minutes of recommended daily activity is not enough (not even close!), and that it’s best to interrupt sitting sessions with movement of some sort as frequently as possible. Although, what they suggest you do during those breaks aren’t necessarily the solutions I’d recommend… Ahem… I mean, come on, marching in place. Seriously?
OK, here I am “marching in place” to combat the dangers of sitting and lower my chance of dying in the next 15 years by 40%.
Let me know how that works out for you!
All kidding aside, you don’t need to become an anti-sitting space cadet to deal with the sitting predicament, and there are much more enjoyable [AND BETTER] options available (like the ones towards the end of this article). But in the end, it shouldn’t be an issue of WHAT to do, but HOW to do it. We know exactly what needs to be done. We know that sitting on our butts all the time is a major problem, and we know that physical activity is the solution. We’ve known it all along! It doesn’t matter whether that activity is walking, tennis, or water polo. The point is that we need to do it!
Now, this is easier said than done. Sure, there are standing desks and wobble boards, and some people walk on the treadmill while they watch TV, but these are novel solutions that – while helpful – ignore the real problem, which is a disconnection from our true nature. What we really need is to find meaning in how we live our lives – in every little thing we do.
This is what Frank Forencich has been saying for years, and especially in his books Exuberant Animal and Change Your Body, Change The World. He actually just touched on this issue earlier this week with one rule he has for himself: whenever there are stairs, he will take them instead of an elevator or escalator. For Frank and myself, these types of decisions to rebel against the norm are not an issue of burning a few more calories or any other trivial health issue, but it’s an issue of personal identity.
This reminds me of a quote from Bill Bowerman who was a track and field coach at Oregon University and is the founder of Nike shoes. Bowerman was played by Donald Sutherland in the movie Without Limits, where he said to his new team of track and field athletes:
“Men of Oregon, I invite you to become students of your events. Running, one might say, is basically an absurd past-time upon which to be exhausting ourselves. But if you can find meaning, in the kind of running you have to do to stay on this team, chances are you will be able to find meaning in another absurd past-time: life.”
- Bill Bowerman
If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends and tweeps:
P.S. Also, the suggestion to sit at a 135 degree angle is interesting. I’m confident this would indeed result in less strain on the back than a forward or vertical posture. Although, it’ll definitely put more strain on your neck from the exaggerated forward lean, which I see they failed to mention in their alarmingly specific infographic. I’d be interested in seeing more research on the topic of seated posture.
Tactical Gymnastics (TACGYM) is an upcoming fitness program that applies gymnastics-based movement skills for tactical applications. It is scheduled to be released by RMAX International in the next few weeks.
I don’t know much about the program yet, but for those that are familiar with the Circular Strength Training System, it appears to be a BodyFlow-inspired TACFIT program. I started using BodyFlow years ago after reading the book and learning from the DVD’s, which are comprised of over 30 unique movements and several flow chains. Since that time, BodyFlow has evolved into Prasara BodyFlow Yoga (PBY). I know. It’s confusing!
My personal PBY practice has become a restorative module in my overall training program. I will often perform a short session of 10-20 minutes at the end of the day to wind down and relieve some residing muscular tension. PBY is also an outstanding tool for a cool down routine after a strenuous training session or for an active recovery session to release deeper tension every once in awhile. There’s a lot of information about Prasara here on Physical Living. Feel free to search the archives for more info.
The following video was taken during one of my evening Prasara BodyFlow Yoga sessions (the 1st half of the session). Though it has a different purpose from tactical gymnastics, it contains some similar movements to give you an idea of what to expect from the upcoming TACGYM program.
(you’ll just have to watch to see if that’s really a face-plant or not)
Tactical Gymnastics (TACGYM) During a BodyFlow Practice Session
The plank exercise seems like a brain-dead simple pose that anyone can practice without much instruction. This is true, but to refine the plank exercise, one must implement some specific components to ensure optimal performance.
It’s one thing to balance horizontally on all four limbs and see how long you can last without collapsing. It’s quite another to use the plank exercise as a stabilization drill (as it was intended). It’s not about balance, so much as it is about crafting a solid, bodily structure in which you can distribute force production in relation to the ground.
Do you get it yet?
With the plank, there’s a lot more than meets the eye, and simply looking at an example of the plank may not offer the detail necessary to optimize technique. The real problem is that the plank is seldom taught properly at all. Personal trainers seem to expect their clients to just “get it” by modeling what they’ve demonstrated, instead of teaching the specifics. It’s true that almost anyone can imitate the plank position, but in my experience, most people miss a few vital components when performing it.
Done properly, the plank exercise can be extremely taxing, and for veteran plankers, may result in an initial drop in performance upon first starting the new technique. Rest assured, that with practice of the most efficient technique, performance increases will be regular and ongoing. On the flip side, if you’re practicing a less efficient technique, you guarantee a limit on your performance (this is true of any exercise). Good technique is both efficient and effective and results in the greatest overall benefits, and that’s what we’re trying to do in optimizing our performance in the plank exercise – to squeeze as much benefit out of it as possible. We do this by turning the plank into a full body exercise, instead of just a core-strengthening exercise.
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a thorough understanding of how to maximize your performance in the plank exercise.
The Primal Blueprint Cookbook by Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier is a Paleo cookbook – with, you guessed it, over 100 paleo recipes that are loosely based on Sisson’s version of the Paleolithic diet. These recipes are low-carb, grain-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free. There’s no pasta, no bread, no rice, and no beans – no kidding.
My wife and I received this as a gift in late 2010 and have since tried about a dozen recipes. There are things we love about it and things we don’t, and it’s about time I gave this paleo cookbook the review it deserves. Ultimately, this review is meant to help you decide if this cookbook is right for you.
Note: This is a somewhat lengthy review as I’d rather be thorough and cover all of the important information than try to condense this down to 500 words or less. Given that it will be long and detailed (please scan away!), I’ll tell you right up front that my wife and I unanimously agreed to award this 2 out of 5 stars. That may sound like a low rating, and it is, but those two stars might be reason enough to purchase this cookbook if it aligns with your nutritional philosophy. Please don’t disregard this paleo cookbook simply because of the low rating. We’re still happy with it and plan to continue using it in the future.
The Noms Master Speaks
First things first, who am I to be recommending any particular cookbook – especially a paleo cookbook? Well, you should probably know that I am NOT an expert in nutrition. I literally have ZERO credentials. Sure, I aced nutrition 101 in college and have read a lot of books on the subject, but that doesn’t mean diddly, and it certainly doesn’t make me an expert.
Though I am neither a nutritionist or dietitian, I am an expert in something else. I like to call it “eating.” My credibility is based on a lifetime of experience. I’ve literally been doing this my entire life. In fact, I’m even considered a guru in my local community (true story). This review is completely based on that perspective. Please keep that in mind while reading it (this isn’t nutritional advice).
What’s to Love About The Primal Blueprint Cookbook
It was very difficult trying to finalize our overall rating of this book, but it wasn’t hard to determine what would ultimately contribute to awarding it two full stars.
Yummy in Your Tummy
100% Primal Bacon Poppers
The paleo recipes in this cookbook are, in a word, delicious. In 28 words, this book is chock-full of appetizing, delectable, luscious, mouthwatering, savory, scrumptious, tasty, and finally, palatable paleo recipes that are fit for a king and border on divine. Succulent doesn’t do it justice, but it’s close. Exquisite is a fine descriptive word, but it’s a bit girly for my taste (no pun intended).
Seriously, almost everything we have tried (10 out of 12 recipes) have been utterly delicious, and fully-approved by everyone present. This is no small feat either. Usually, when you start using a new cookbook, you try a few recipes, and you get mixed results. The first one could be a clear winner – a “keeper.” But then you try another one, and it’s good, but not great. You probably won’t try it again. Then again, you try a third recipe and it’s awful – a complete dud and you’ll never, ever make it again. It has been our experience that you have to wade through the so-so recipes and the not-even-close-to-so-so recipes in order to find the real winners. That’s not the case with this cookbook. You will be pleasantly surprised with the end results.
Maybe we’ve just tried all the good ones (I doubt it), but if probability is on our side, then the majority of the recipes in the Primal Blueprint Cookbook are keepers. If you ask me, good food is reason enough to purchase a cookbook. That said, there’s probably some more info you’d like to know before you buy. Continue reading The Primal Blueprint Cookbook – Complete Review (2 out of 5 stars)
It’s a beautiful, sunny day here in New Hampshire today. Spring is just around the corner, and my family just got back from an afternoon hike in Fox State Forest. We don’t usually hike in the middle of the week, but it was hard to resist with such beautiful, warm weather and the threat of snow this weekend. I was fairly certain that the snow season was over a few weeks ago, and truth be told, the thought of more is slightly aggravating (in a crazed, cabin fever sort of way). If anyone knows, please remind me why I willingly live so far north! Oh that’s right – everything else besides the long winters.
Anyways, for the last six months or so, our family has gone hiking once a week. It’s hard to believe, but that’s about 25 hiking trips by our estimation. At the rate we’re going, we’ll be hiking about 50 times a year on average. That sounds outlandish and excessive when you tally them all up, but it’s not a huge undertaking week to week. It just takes a little planning and prioritizing.
You see, about six months ago, shortly after my son was born, our family decided to commit to a weekly adventure. We’ve always enjoyed outdoor recreation and wanted to start prioritizing these activities as a family. So, sometime between October and November of 2010 we decided to “get out there” at least once a week – and make this a very high priority. In other words, we go out of our way to get in a little adventure every single week – no matter what. Our trips have ranged from an hour walk at a local park to a 3-day backpacking trip (pictured). Continue reading The 1st Step To Successful Weekly Outdoor Adventures
All of my long-time readers know that I only fully endorse training products that I completely believe in. In an industry where shady marketing and scam products run rampant, it’s of paramount importance that people get clear direction regarding what fitness equipment to invest in. You can count on me to call it like I see it.
Allow me to introduce you to what may change the face of the entire fitness industry. This product has been featured on highly-esteemed and prestigious television shows such as: The Ellen Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Saturday Night Live, The Jay Leno Show, and South Park. It’s been used by the New York Jets, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Stone, Chuck Liddell (pro MMA fighter), and Charles Barkley (pro basketball player) among others.
Only a product that guarantee’s “firm and fabulous arms and shoulders” in just six minutes a day could receive so much attention. That’s right folks! Introducing the one – the only – Shake Weight fitness training equipment…gadget…tool…thingy.
Dwayne Johnson, sometimes known as “THE ROCK” in certain underground sub-cultures has been quoted ON RECORD saying “there’s something inappropriately interesting about the motion… And it’s by your face.”
With such a precise analysis and the resulting spike in sales from celebrity exposure, there’s no question in my mind that someone needed to review this product.
.jpg "John Sifferman")
The Primal Blueprint Cookbook by Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier is a Paleo cookbook – with, you guessed it, over 100 paleo recipes that are loosely based on Sisson’s version of the Paleolithic diet. These recipes are low-carb, grain-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free. There’s no pasta, no bread, no rice, and no beans – no kidding.
It’s a beautiful, sunny day here in New Hampshire today. Spring is just around the corner, and my family just got back from an afternoon hike in Fox State Forest. We don’t usually hike in the middle of the week, but it was hard to resist with such beautiful, warm weather and the threat of snow this weekend. I was fairly certain that the snow season was over a few weeks ago, and truth be told, the thought of more is slightly aggravating (in a crazed, cabin fever sort of way). If anyone knows, please remind me why I willingly live so far north! Oh that’s right – everything else besides the long winters.
