workouts

Hed Kandi Beach House

People don’t value what they don’t pay for. For a short time they will
be appreciative of what is being done for them but as time wears on they come to expect it.

This was a lesson that stuck with Jim Hainis as a karate student and which inspired
him to create the H.E.A.R.T. Martial Arts program at Newark, New Jersey’s 1st Avenue Elementary/Middle School.

The concept of the H.E.A.R.T. program is pure genius. The students who participate in the program “earn” martial art lessons by agreeing to volunteer for local and national nonprofit organizations. Jim’s goal for the program is for kids to build their spirit and character as they give from their hearts to help others in need. Once they earn their lessons, the kids take group classes taught by Jim and are empowered to take control of their lives, learn about the world outside of school and give back to their community.

H.E.A.R.T. represents Honor, Equality, Appreciation, Respect, and...

Toby Tanser is my newfound hero.

Runners/racers/marathoners will appreciate this video he made.

If you don’t know who Toby Tanser, I’m about to tell you. He’s basically the raddest elite runner/philanthropist EVER. He started Shoe4Africa in the 90’s to collect used shoes for Africans to run. Since then, his organization has grown, bringing much more than shoes to Africa. He’s now working to build the largest children’s hospital in Africa. Seriously, you’ve gotta set your goals high to achieve great things.

Toby runs, coaches, writes best-selling books, inspires peoples’ lives and on top of all that, rocks a unique athletic style that makes him stand out from all the rest. Gotta love the locks. Did I mention he’s awesome? Nike thinks so. They put his book title on a t-shirt (see below). Wanna buy it? I do.

Get the t-shirt HERE.

It’s about time you read up on Toby Tanser because he's changing our world for the...

Kettlebells are your ticket to a hot body and Lorna Kleidman will show you how. Lorna Kleidman is a two-time kettlebell world champion and pioneer of kettlebell fitness for women. She leads classes and private training sessions in Manhattan and has even authored a guide to her kettlebell workout program called, “Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Women”.

I popped into Lorna’s class to find out how women are shape-shifting to kettlebells. I found myself in good company, with a mix of women who attend class weekly to enhance their muscle tone and maintain a feminine physique. The class works with kettlebells ranging from 5 to 25 pounds and Lorna helped me select a kettlebell based on my fitness level. We stretched, warmed-up, and then engaged in 55 minutes of pure kettlebell exercise. Kettlebell moves include a lot of lifting and swinging motion that’s actually quite fun. C’mon, who doesn’t like to swing?

Initially, the lifting/swinging movement feels...

I was a little kid in a candy store at this year’s ING NYC Marathon EXPO. The Javitts Center was packed with fitness companies introducing new products and services. Hurray for SAMPLES!! I scoped the place out and below you’ll find my 4 favorites which I personally tried out and recommend to enhance your workout.

PowerBar Energy Gel Blasts

These gel filled chews supply fast energy with C2MAX and Vitamin C. They are delicious and come in raspberry and strawberry-banana flavors. Pop a few before working out for an energy kick. www.powerbar.com

Brooks Night Life Visibility Cap

This fitness cap is made with Aireplex fabric which will protect you from sun, wind and rain when you’re exercising outside. It has a moisture transfer lining which will lift sweat away to keep your head dry. It’s also great for night-time runners and cyclers, because of a small flashing light on the back closure that is easily activated. The flashing light will keep...

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