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Archive for the ‘Sweat Spots’ Category
Is the Olympic Spirit in You?
The Olympic Games are finally here! Athletes from around the world are gearing up to square off in the largest, most prestigious arena there is. Every four years we overload our senses with competition, drama, victory, defeat, agony, injury, joy, and pride. We root for our favorite nations and athletes, and watch our favorite sports, and sometimes discover new ones. In the U.S. we go crazy with the medal count, as if our strength as a nation was based upon the number of golds we earned that day. Most everyone I know loves the Olympics. I worry that too many of us have lost the connection to what the Olympic Games stand for however. It is a custom in our society to take a beloved holiday or event, and commercialize it to the point that its positive message is morphed into a subliminal force that drives you to rush out and buy swoosh-laden shoes or the right brand of electrolytes. We can’t let that happen to the Olympic Games. And beyond that, we shouldn’t just dust off our Olympian Ideals every four years. We should hail these exceptional athletes and support them every step of the way. We should constantly admire their determination and intense desire to achieve excellence. We should practice fair play and peace among each other, as individuals and nations, every second of every day, not just during an “Olympic Year”. The Olympics can serve as our reminder to do these things, but not if we fall for the commercial trappings thrust upon us by the “Proud Sponsors”. I implore you to feel the Olympic Spirit, keep it with you, remember that feeling. Let it spur you to strive for the best physical shape you can be in. Let that feeling motivate you to view our world as one global community all working together towards peace, harmony, and achievement.
Tags: nation, olympic games, olympic spirit, olympics, opening ceremonies, opening ceremony, peace, sports
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San Vicente Stairs
When you arrive at the top of the San Vicente Stairs you will be welcomed by a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the rolling Santa Monica hills. It’s a nice walk down, but the first step you take up these stairs will make you curse the day you heard about this spot. You’ll feel a nice burn just walking up these things. There are actually two sets of stairs that make it up the hill. One is concrete, windy, and narrow. The other is wooden, wide, and straight. Both get pretty crowded. I recommend getting there early. It’s not too bad for walking, but if you run up like I did, you’ll be forced to wait every now and then for a passing lane to open up. It was great to see so many people using the stairs. I was impressed to see a kid there working out on his own - A 14-year old center forward for his soccer team. Now that’s inspiring to see a kid taking some time out of his summer to get in shape. So check it out. Try to beat my time up the wooden stairs – 55 seconds! (That was with some gridlock mind you)
How to get there: Take San Vicente Blvd towards the ocean. Go north on 4th Street. It’s just a block to the top of the stairs. Park anywhere and go check out this Sweat Spot.
Tags: cardio, climbing, exercise, fitness, hiking, landmark, los angeles, running, san vicente, santa monica, sprinting, stairs, walking, workout
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The Hollywood Sign
Talk about iconic! This uber-landmark is quite a site to behold. I love the trail up to the Hollywood Sign. It is an easy to moderate hike that you can walk, run, or bike up. On a clear day the views are spectacular. The trails goes all the way up above the sign, so you can actually see out over the sign from behind it. When you go to the Hollywood Sign, try to get an early start to beat the heat. And one more thing, be careful where you step – it doubles as a horse trail – do I need to explain any further?
Where to Park: Take N. Beachwood Drive from Franklin Avenue, just off the 101 freeway. Follow the road all the way to the end where you will find a dirt parking lot. This is the starting point for the Hollyridge Trail which leads up to the sign. Have fun!
Before heading up the trail I decided to get in a few warmup exercises.
Tags: biking, exercise, fitness, hiking, hollyridge trail, hollywood, hollywood sign, horse trail, landmark, legendary, mountain, running, walking, workout
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The Dune
The first time I visited Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach, CA my jaw dropped to the floor. I said “We’re running up that!?”. It’s crazy steep! Basically, you walk up it and your legs start burning after 3 steps. The soft sand means you slide back one step for every two you take. But guess what! You’ll want to go back. It’s a great workout. You can walk all the way up the massive dune, jog up, sprint up (good luck!), or if you don’t like sand between your toes you can take the shaded stairway next to it. It is common to see elite athletes and some pros workout there also. And for a good time, go up the dune, then run down at full speed. It’s pretty fun. You’ll see.
Here’s a tip: If you take your shoes off to run on the sand, WEAR SOCKS! During the day the sand is blistering hot. Believe me, the skin will just start to slough off when it gets burned. Please, just take my word for it. To avoid the heat you can go in the early morning or late evening. Still wear your socks though – before the sun comes up that sand is FREEZING! Or maybe my feet just have Goldilocks Syndrome. Oh well, enjoy this bit of the Sahara right here in California.
Where to Park: From the 405 freeway you will go west on Rosecrans Ave. Turn left to go south on Bell Ave for about 100 yards. There is usually plenty of free parking.
Tags: cardio, desert, exercise, fitness, manhattan beach, running, sahara, sand dune park, sprinting, workout
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Muscle Beach
Muscle Beach is located in the heart of Venice, CA. It’s a full-on outdoor gym where there are usually several musclebound exhibitionists on-hand at any given time during the day. There are often some pretty cool bodybuilding/hardbody competitions during the summer. For a small fee you can get a day pass or buy a membership, but I prefer to workout on the free equipment directly adjacent, towards the water. In the “Sandbox” there is an assortment of bars, beams, rings, and ropes, along with an area for boxing bags (heavy and speed) next to it. This is my favorite spot in Venice to soak up some sun and break a sweat. Then you can take a dip in the ocean to cool off. The best place to park is on 18th Street. It’s a little street where spots tend to open up frequently and you don’t have to feed a hungry, hungry parking meter or pay $12 bucks for one of the bargain (Ha!) beach lots. If you like to see and/or be seen, Muscle Beach is your Mecca.
Download Muscle Beach Workout Video
Tags: bodybuilding, competition, exercise, fitness, gym, lifting, muscle beach, outdoor, personal training, venice, venice beach, weights, workout
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