❁ following back similar ❁
Hey Theodore Roosevelt, remember that time someone tried to assassinate you, but you just laughed and proceeded to give a 90-minute long speech with the bullet lodged in your lung, where it remained for the rest of your life? Or when you tore up your leg after being thrown into piranha-infested waters while exploring uncharted Brazil? Or all those times you broke your ribs from falling off horses while doing badass jumps? Or when you destroyed the sight in your left eye in a White House boxing match? Or that time you killed a cougar in a knife fight (seriously)? And how the only way death could finally get to you was in your sleep, in the early morning on January 6th in 1919. Here’s to TR as the infinite inspiration for pure, condensed badassery.
Theodore Roosevelt, October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919
“Death had to take him sleeping, for if Roosevelt had been awake there would have been a fight.”
Original Badass.
All of our presidents combined can’t add up to how much of a badass he was.
TR Appreciation Post ‘12
Not to mention he was an attractive mother fucker.
Fire rainbows are the rarest of all naturally occurring atmospheric phenomena. For a fire rainbow to occur, cirrus clouds must be 20,000 feet in the air with the precise amount of ice crystals, and the sun must hit the clouds at 58 degrees.
Full Body
1. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift: This deadlift variety is sure to please the hamstrings (or punish them). Standing with feet hip-width apart, toes facing forward, and dumbbells at your side, shift the hips back and slightly bend the knees as you lower the dumbbells toward the floor (keep them angled on the outside of your legs). Maintain a neutral spine while lowering the weight just until you feel a good stretch in the hamstrings. Come back up to standing, making sure to contract those glutes and hamstrings on the way up. That’s one!
2. Dumbbell single-leg Romanian deadlift:This one is tougher than it looks, but worth the effort. Starting with feet hip-width apart and dumbbells at your side, place your weight on one foot, and slightly bend at the knee. Lean forward, lifting the opposite foot straight back. As you come forward, move the dumbbells from your side directly over your planted foot. Return to standing position by lowering your back leg as you come up.The dumbbells should return to the sides of your thighs.
3. Dumbbell hang clean and press:Don’t take this one to the Laundromat! Get down in squat position and track a dumbbell on each side outside of your ankles with palms facing your feet. With vertical shins and a neutral spine, move upward to a standing position while pulling the dumbbells up. Next, forcefully drive the dumbbells up toward the shoulders using the hips and legs. As you come in for the catch, slightly squat to bring the weight to your shoulders with a neutral grip (palms facing the body). Explode the weight off your shoulders overhead. Lower the weight back down.
4. Dumbbell high pull: Time to get up on those toes! Assume an athletic stance with feet shoulder-width art and knees slightly bent. Place the weight straight out in front of your knees with palms facing in, maintaining a neutral spine with the chest up. Keeping the arms straight, explode upward, fully extending the hips, knees, and ankles while shrugging the shoulders up. Next, pull the dumbbells up toward the top of your chest close to your body, keeping the elbows slightly higher than the wrists.
5. Single-arm dumbbell snatch:Minds out of the gutter, people! In a wide-squat stance, hold the dumbbell in your right hand in front of the knees. Drive the weight up, keeping it close to the body, and thrust it up with your hips. When the weight reaches chest height, fully extend the legs. Then squat back down so your body is underneath the weight. Drive the weight up overhead into full lockout position. This should be one quick movement. Think explosively!
6. Russian dumbbell swing:The playground’s got nothing on these. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in both hands out in front of you. Hike the dumbbell back between your legs, then thrust your hips forward to move the dumbbell up and out to about shoulder height. Though it is called a swing, this exercises is all on the hips and glutes.
Legs and Glutes7. Dumbbell front squat:Take some pressure off that back. Start this one with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells on your shoulders with a neutral grip and elbows up. Next, hinge back, keeping the back straight like you’re sitting on an imaginary bench (come on, work with us here!). Lower the body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor (or deeper, without losing a tight back). Complete the move by driving through the hips as you come back up to standing position.
8. Dumbbell pistol squat:This exercise isn’t for the faint of heart (so beginners, try it sans dumbbells first). Stand with feet hip-width apart holding a dumbbell sideways in both hands. Extend the left leg out in front of you and squat down on the right leg, moving the dumbbell straight out. Go all the way down (and we mean all the way down!) until your butt touches your ankle. Return to start position and repeat for reps on both sides.
9. Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat:Squat so much you nearly split your pants.Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Prop your left foot onto a bench and plant your right foot on the floor into a wide split stance. Lunge straight down, keeping your front leg linear and your spine rigid. Come down until your knee hovers above the floor, and then push back up to starting position and repeat for reps on both sides.
10. Dumbbell side lunge:Feeling a little sideways? Standing with feet shoulder-width apart and a pair of dumbbells at your side, take a big step to the side with your left foot, pushing your hips back and lowering your body into a deep lunge position. As you come down, move the dumbbells straight down to the floor so that your chest comes over your left knee. Return to starting position and repeat for reps on both sides.
11. Dumbbell step up/reverse lunge combo:Put a little pep in your step up.Stand 6 inches from a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Place your entire left foot onto the bench as you step up.Drive through the heel on the elevated leg, bringing the right leg up to hip height. Lower back down to start position, and step back with your left foot into a deep lunge. (Be sure to track your right knee over your ankle at a 90-degree angle.) Repeat for reps on both sides.
12. Dumbbell 45-degree hyperextension: The motto here: Relax the back, recruit the glutes. From starting position, lean over with hips flexed as far as they will go. Grab a dumbbell and position it under your chin so it looks like a bowtie. Relax all of the back muscles and pull up with the glutes. Come up to slightly hyperextension and return to start position.
Chest and Back13. Dumbbell floor press:Who said presses need a bench?Lie on your back with feet flat on the floor and a dumbbell in each hand. Position the dumbbells at your shoulders with elbows rested on the floor. Push straight up bringing the dumbbells directly overhead. Return to starting position.
14. Alternating dumbbell bench press:A challenging twist on the classic, lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the dumbbells on the outside of your shoulders and alternately press the right dumbbell up overhead and back down, then the left. This exercise also forces you to engage the core for stability — bonus!
15. Dumbbell pull over: Expand your wings by working the serratus muscles. Get in a tabletop position with shoulders planted on a bench and feet on the floor. Next, hold a dumbbell by one end with both hands straight overhead, engaging the glutes and back muscles. Lower the weight in an arch behind your head until you feel a good stretch. Bring the dumbbell back to starting position.
16. Prone trap dumbbell raise: Guaranteed to unleash the beast,stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend forward at the hips so your body is positioned just above parallel, holding dumbbells in both hands, with palm facing in. Raise the dumbbells straight out up to shoulder height and lower back down to starting position. Repeat for reps on both sides.
17. Dumbbell chest supported row:Ready to dive on in? Lie face down on an incline benchsupporting your weight on your toes. Holding a pair of dumbbells straight down in front of you so they are parallel to the floor, pull the weight up toward your chest, getting a nice squeeze in your upper back muscles. Lower the weight back down and continue the stroke.
Shoulder and Arms18. Bent over dumbbell flys:Don’t swat these away.Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend forward at the hips so the torso is at parallel to the ground, holding a pair of dumbbells straight down with palms facing in. Next, with elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells out the side so that the elbows extend above the shoulders. Return to starting position.
19. Dumbbell upright row:These will lead you back to shore. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and place a pair of dumbbells straight down in front of you. With palms facing your body, pull the weight straight up the front of your body to the top of your chest, keeping the elbows slightly above the shoulders.
20. Dumbbell shoulder-to-shoulder press:Ready for this tricky move?Hold a dumbbell flat in your right hand, resting it on the top of your shoulder. Next, grasp the top of the dumbbell with your left hand and press it straight up overhead, bringing it down to your left shoulder. Repeat back and forth for reps with quick motions (or until you taste the rainbow).
21. Prone rear delt raise:Delta, delta, we can help ya!Lie face down on an incline bench supporting your weight on your toes. Stick a pair of dumbbells straight out in front of you with palms facing in. Raise the dumbbells out the side and back, bending your arms slightly as they come up.
22. Incline lateral raise: Sit side-saddled on an incline bench with your left side resting on the bench. With a dumbbell in your right hand down at your right side, raise it straight up overhead above shoulder height. Return to starting position and repeat for reps on both sides (cake).
23. Dumbbell spider curls:An exercise good enough for Peter Parker will certainly put a little bulge in those biceps. Lie face down on an incline bench supporting your weight on your toes. Hold a pair of dumbbells straight out in front of you with palms facing out. Curl the weight up to full contraction without rocking back and forth. (Isolation, baby!) Return the weight to starting position. Want to change it up a bit? Alternate left and right for single-arm spider curls.
24. Dumbbell incline biceps curls:Get an extra squeeze in. Sitting on a 45-degree angled incline bench with a dumbbell at each side (palms facing your thighs), curl both dumbbells up at the same time to full contraction. Avoid swinging the weight up for momentum (definitely not as easy as it sounds!).
25. Dumbbell skull crushers: The exercise name says it all, so be sure to follow closely: Lie face up on a bench with feet planted on the floor and your back pressed down. With a dumbbell in each hand, raise the arms straight up (palms facing each other). Then, bending only at the elbows, lower the weight down to your ears, finishing in 90-degree angle. Return to starting position.
Core26. Renegade rows:James Dean probably did these in his sleep. Assume the push-up position with feet about shoulder-width apart and dumbbells placed in each hand, positioned below the chest. Next, pull the right dumbbell toward the oblique muscles, keeping it close to the torso. Lower the dumbbell back down and repeat on your left side. Continue for reps on each side in an alternating fashion.
27. Dumbbell Russian twist: This is no vodka spritzer recipe. Sit on a gym mat with a dumbbell in each hand. Holding the dumbbells out in front of you, bring them down to your right side, only moving your arms. (Twisting at the spine is a big no-no!) Bring them all the way to the left, keeping your spine rigid. Repeat for reps.
28. Dumbbell windmills: Ready to feel the air up there? Stand with feet slightly wider than your shoulders and press a dumbbell overhead on your right side. Rotate the feet to the left side a bit. Now, lean the torso forward while holding the weight straight overhead until your bottom hand touches the floor. Concentrate your gaze on the weight to stay balanced. Return to start position and repeat for reps.
29. Dumbbell wood chop: Paul Bunyan knew a thing or two about these.Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell out in front of you. Squat down, rotating right to bring the dumbbell down to your right foot. Bring the dumbbell back up, keeping you arms out in front of you. Rotate into left lunge with your arms going overhead to the left side. Repeat for reps.
30. Dumbbell overhead side bend:Get a good stretch in. Hold a dumbbell overhead with both hands. Without twisting your upper body, bend toward your right side until you feel a good stretch on your left side. Return to start position and repeat for reps on both sides (and consider yourself spent!).
- Workout Programs
Vitogo - What good is a personal trainer that doesn’t fit in a gym bag? Customized workout programs guide users through exercises with tips and videos. Whether the goal is losing weight, building muscle, or increasing endurance, Vitogo’s got it covered. Available on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
CardioTrainer - Follow the yellow brick road — or just use the GPS on this app, which lets users track just about every detail of their workout. The product comes with a pedometer and workout playlists and provides instant feedback through voice notifications. But don’t forget about fun: Compete against other exercisers in a game called “Move Your Bot.” Available for free on Android.
JEFIT - Sometimes the hardest part of a workout is just getting to the gym, and JEFIT understands that. Beginners are welcome to try this app that lets users create a workout schedule, track their progress, and search for new exercises. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Android.
Fitness Builder - This app’s users build muscle as they build personal workouts. Browse a huge selection of instructional workout videos, and get all the tools necessary to achieve fitness goals: a live personal trainer, fitness calculators, progress reports, and more. The app also helps therapy professionals create customized plans for clients. Available on the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Android. (The first month’s subscription is free.)
Nike BOOM - Pump up a workout using this app that creates the perfect exercise routine with upbeat music and audio motivation from coaches. Users can also opt to raise money for cancer research through Livestrong, publicizing their progress to social media connections. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
StrongLifts 5×5 - Released December 2011, StrongLifts guides users through a strength training workout, with instructions on exercises to try and how much weight to lift. The app compares users’ exercise performance to earlier workouts and sends motivational messages when they meet their goals. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
Nike Training Club - Shake it like Sharapova with Nike’s personal training app for women. Users enter their current fitness levels and find exercises that help them reach their goals. And fitness gets fancy when users try workouts from celebrities, professional athletes, and trainers. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
Sportaneous - A softball team of one doesn’t quite cut it. Sportaneous users can log on to find local pickup games happening right now. The service is currently available in New York City, San Diego, and Philadelphia, with plans to expand soon. Available for free on the iPhone.
iFightBack - Get knocked down and get back up again with this self-defense training app. Users browse videos that teach them how to defend themselves in common situations like getting stuck in an elevator with an attacker. All segments feature the founder of the Self Defense Training System, used worldwide. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
- Workout Trackers
Fitocracy - It’s (almost) all fun and games with the Fitocracy app. Users track their workouts, earn points for exercising, and compete against other members of the Fitocracy community. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
MyFitnessPal - This hugely popular product (a Wired Magazine Editors’ favorite Lifestyle App) lets users track their daily activity and food intake. Nutritional info’s available for almost any food, from filet mignon to PB&J. The app even comes with a bar code scanner, so users can find out that cereal’s not so nutritious before they buy it. Get support from friends with similar health goals and track each other’s progress. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Blackberry, Android, and Windows.
GymPact - A thin belly is one thing — a thin wallet’s another. Gympact users earn money when they check in at the gym from their smartphones. If they skip a session on the elliptical, they lose the money they paid to sign up. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
Workout Trainer - Don’t take it from the guy next to you on the treadmill — this app from Skimble gives users exercise advice from personal trainers. Get photo, video, and audio instruction while working out, whether the focus is yogaor weightlifting. And let pals know what those muscles are up to by sharing workouts on social media. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Android.
GymBuddy - Everybody needs a gym buddy. Log workouts and track progress toward fitness goals by recording exercise schedules, workout results, body weight, and BMI. Available on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
Fleetly Fitness - Rocky or the average Joe, almost anyone can benefit from the tools included in Fleetly Fitness. Users get detailed instructions for exercises that match their specific fitness level and goals, and then track their progress with training logs and charts. Join challenges with friends to see who can get fit fastest! Available on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
Alpine Replay - Take the slopes by storm with this app that records all the details of a skiing workout. Users track their speed, distance, vertical, and calorie burn, and see how they’ve improved over the course of the season. Compare stats with friends to see whose skiing skills reign supreme. Available for free on the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Android.
Follow these tips to brighten your morning!
- Stretch. It’s a wonderful way to loosen your joints and increase flexibility. It will also get rid of any knots in your muscles from sleeping! You can try yoga or meditation, too.
- Take a shower. Showers wake you up and will leave you feeling fresh and ready for the day!
- Make your bed. You’ll be less likely to get back in and it will make you feel productive!
- Eat a healthy breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day, so give your body the calories and nutrients it needs!
- Turn on some music. It’ll leave you feeling happy, relaxed, and ready for the day!
- Wear something cute. You’ll be feeling confident and comfortable all day long! To save time, prepare your outfit the night before.
- Read an inspirational quote. Find one that motivates you!
- Wake up early. Give yourself plenty of time to get ready in the morning. If you’re less rushed, you’ll be in a better mood for the rest of the day.
- Drink a tall glass of water. It’ll get you hydrated and feeling good!
- Make a list of things you want to accomplish. Reward yourself at the end of the day if you complete all of your tasks. A list will help keep you focused and satisfied when you can check everything off!
