Cover photo courtesy of @holliemooandmummytoo
Other photo courtesy of @randilynngreene
About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.
As a successful actor, filmmaker, artist, family man, entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Will Smith has been inspiring us all for decades with his life lessons. Here are some of his most powerful words—may they ignite a spark within you.
Here are five ways to help you find your motivation and stay on track with your fitness goals.
"Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts."
With many gym doors still re-opening and re-closing nationwide in the U.S. (amidst spikes in COVID numbers and constantly changing CDC guidelines), Arizona gyms fight back.
World-renowned mental conditioning coach Trevor Moawad gives you the tools to manage and overcome negativity and achieve any goal in your life.
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> > > Stay well.
Brianna Cope is a professional surfer born and raised on the beautiful island of Kauai, Hawaii. Growing up near the ocean, Cope fell in love with the power of its waves and began surfing on a longboard at the age of four.
“I love how free and alive I feel in the ocean. It is such an indescribable feeling to be able to ride a wave, always thinking how special it is that you can only ride that wave once—you will never get the same wave again,” says Cope.
Cope won her first surfing competition when she was just 11 years old, deciding then and there that she wanted to be a professional surfer. Currently, Cope can be spotted competing on the World Surf League qualifying series, traveling across the globe for competitions. Her 2018 documentary “Surfing to Cope” is now available on iTunes.
‘Big Neechi’ is an internationally recognized celebrity, bodybuilder and festival host known for his incredible strength, muscular physique, and for throwing wild parties.
Neechi graduated from Texas State University as somewhat of a campus legend, obtaining a degree in Exercise & Sports Science. His capabilities in the gym came at an early age when he broke his Jr. High School’s bench press record of 315 lb. in the eighth grade! Big Neechi has since won the title of "Combine King" and "Strongest Man".
During college, Big Neechi also earned another reputation for himself after throwing a Project X-style pool party that went viral and ended up on every news outlet in America. Big Neechi has become the #1 event host in Texas, and even hosted Spring Break in South Padre Island.
No matter how wild his lifestyle gets, Big Neechi always prioritizes fitness, maintains a great physique, and displays insane numbers on all his lifts. (He was the 2019 Iron Wars 4 champion after completing a 475-lb. pause-rep bench press!) Weighing only 215 lb., Big Neechi has proven he can keep up with the best of the best.
Greg Lutzka is a professional skateboarder, best known for his technical skills which have landed him countless trophies, gold medals and awards in contests including: X-Games, The Maloof Money Cup, Dew Tours and World Cups. Currently, Lutzka is also the only skater to have ever won the highly respected Tampa Pro an unprecedented three times.
Lutzka’s reputation as one of the hardest working skateboarders in the industry is well-earned. At the age of 18, Greg moved from the Midwest to Southern California, the Action Sports mecca of the world. During the course of his career, Lutzka has been featured in videos for Almost & Darkstar Skateboards, K-Swiss and Oakley Eyewear. He has also cross-branded himself with Harley Davidson and Aqua Hydrate, always representing sponsors to the fullest while also practicing and improving his skateboarding skills daily.
Lutzka has acted in a movie, commercials and music videos. During whatever remaining freetime Lutzka has, he enjoys snowboarding, cycle riding and spending time with family and friends.
> > > Stay well.
Written by travel blogger Tiffany Ammerman
Athletes around the world have become all-too familiar with the struggles of trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise regimen while gyms have been temporarily closed worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sharing our quarantine experiences and struggles with our fitness friends has become a major way for us to connect and stay motivated in a time of social distancing.
We interviewed four FITAID athletes—Kelsey Kiel, Jacob Heppner, Neal Maddox and Jackie Perez—to get their take on how they’ve been not only staying fit but also what key learnings they may be taking away from their time in quarantine so far. Here's what they had to say!
FITAID: Isolation coupled with a massive change in our normal day-to-day life can be tough for everyone. What obstacles have you experienced and overcome during quarantine?
Kelsey Kiel: I think one of the biggest things people (including myself) weren't used to when we started this whole quarantine is the "being alone with yourself" thing. I always thought I was independent (I still think that), but being separated from normal life and interactions, you really have to be okay with sitting with yourself (all the thoughts and feelings that come with that). It was a tough thing for me at first, but I've really embraced FEELING and THINKING and BEING. Which is a bit abstract, but I think it's helped me grow.
Jackie Perez: Quarantine has forced me to really take a look at what I rely on for happiness. Total isolation has shown me that I rely on others and events to make me happy or motivate me. I have overcome this by trying to focus on the things that bring joy to me. The things that if they were taken away, they wouldn't take my joy. I've started doing things I would never stop and take the time to do like read and go on walks or journal. Things that don't require much but truly make me happy.
FITAID: As many of our local CrossFit boxes have been closed, what are some ways that you've been keeping fit during quarantine? What is the most unique thing you've done so far for fitness?
Jackie Perez: I created a Running Club because I found myself very unmotivated to workout. It was a huge success and had over 500 people sign up. I thrive on community so I created one where we all pushed each other and kept each other accountable. Nothing replaces the community vibe of being at the gym, but we must adapt to the current situation instead of letting it control us.
Neal Maddox: I tend to go for bike rides a lot. I put together a home gym so I am able to train still.
FITAID: Staying positive and tuning in to our emotions have been very important lately. How have you been staying present, positive and connected?
Jacob Heppner: For those of you that know me you know I'm already a super positive and connected person! One thing I recently did during the quarantine period was to start Fitness Related Awesome News (FRAN) which shares positive and uplifting news from around the globe in the fitness space!
Kelsey Kiel: I've been doing a lot of self work and reading and writing. It's also been helpful to have people around me (not necessarily physically, haha) who have been there—FaceTiming, phone calling, and connecting that way. My dog also helps me stay positive because he's so dang cute.
FITAID: Describe how you've been focusing on nutritional wellness during this time. What have been some of your favorite healthy dishes you've made during quarantine?
Kelsey Kiel: I track my macros regularly, and I recognized after a few weeks that nutrition and food is something I can control, so it actually helped me feel a sense of normalcy to continue to count and track my macros and eat the normal, healthy and tasty things I normally would.
Jacob Heppner: I've actually spent a lot of time focusing on my nutritional wellness and realized that so many others need that help and need accountability! So I recently started "Functional Eating" which is a nutrition company with a 1-on-1 coach, the same coaches I use for my diet and nutrition for competing at the Games. Our main focus is giving every person that accountability and relationship instead of just a plain ol' diet template that doesn't keep you accountable!
FITAID: What advice do you have for other athletes during quarantine? What have you personally taken away from this experience?
Neal Maddox: Advice I could give is this: get off social media and pick up a book. I have been basically going back to school and gathering as much knowledge as possible. The reason is because I want to come out of this pandemic a better person and great coach for my clients.
Jackie Perez: The best advice I can give is to only focus on what you can control. See opportunity in the situation that will help you grow. It's a great time to get back to the fundamentals and make them bullet proof. We won't have this kind of time to rebuild from square one again so focus on the basics and get really good at them so when things go back to normal, we can continue to build.
This experience has shown me just how important it is to control our thoughts. This can either be the biggest tragedy we have had to deal with or an opportunity for growth in areas of our lives we have ignored because we were too busy.
As Jackie Perez mentioned in her interview, “Nothing replaces the community vibe of being at the gym, but we must adapt to the current situation instead of letting it control us.”
While it can be easy to lament the temporary closing of your local gym, remember that everyone—even professional athletes—are going through the same experience, and with that knowledge we can move forward together towards a positive and healthy future.
All images are the property of respective athlete and FITAID, all rights reserved.
About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.
> > > Stay well.
Written by travel blogger Tiffany Ammerman
Staying motivated to continue on your fitness journey during a shelter in place order can be difficult, especially if you’ve been doing the same body weight exercises in your living room for the past four weeks. Staying active can not only give your immune system a boost but it can also provide an emotional lift during a time when our day-to-day life has changed dramatically.
Having a structured day and a dedicated schedule can help you feel more productive, focused and willing to take on some fitness. Knowing that you have carved out some time in your day for your workout not only gives you a mental and emotional break, but it can also help you to feel reinvigorated for future workout sessions.
There are so many CrossFit boxes, Jiu-Jitsu schools and yoga studios on social media who are offering up their services free of charge to help get people moving. Look up some fun fitness related challenges that’ll get you logging some miles or videoing your daily burpees. Posting your progress on social media so your friends can virtually participate along with you or cheer you on can help you to feel encouraged to continue.
It can be easy to be in the doldrums right now, but if you’re wanting to amp up your motivation, commit to the mindset that you’re going to get moving and get going. Being your own biggest cheerleader right now is so important for mental health. Sometimes just pledging to the process can be enough to make you feel inspired to get moving again. That also includes committing to a realistic and healthy fitness schedule that is right for you.
Whether it’s your dog, your partner or your friend over video chat, having someone else who is relying on you can give you the extra push to get out and get going. It might require a little extra planning and creativity, but working out with a friend can really make you feel connected and inspired to continue your training. Don’t leave them hanging!
If you’re normally into HIIT workouts or prefer a slower paced yoga routine, now is the time to experiment with different types of fitness! It can be easy for our preferred workout to become deeply ingrained in our day to day routine pre-quarantine. Now that our schedule has been shaken up and you might not be feeling the same motivation without your gym buddies, try to use this time to find fun, new hobbies you might not have given yourself the chance to explore previously.
It may seem counterintuitive, but giving yourself some time to rest and recover can give you more motivation for future fitness and less burn out. You’ll feel ready to tackle your next vinyasa flow with vigor and energy! Maintaining rest days or active recovery days can give structure to your workout schedule as well as providing a physical and mental health balance in our lives.
Keep in mind that this isn’t a normal moment in any of our lives and it’s important to be kind to yourself during your training periods in quarantine. This isn’t a time to compare your fitness to others but rather an opportunity to explore, get creative and enjoy your own, personal workout journey. So, find some cool fitness challenges and call your favorite workout buddy over video chat and get moving!
All images courtesy of: @j_straty
About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.
> > > Stay well.
Pictured on podium, left to right: Sara Sigmundsdottir (2nd), Tia-Clair Toomey (1st), Kari Pearce (3rd)
THANKS to everyone who came out and helped make WZA 2020 a success! We're already looking forward to seeing you next year.> > > Live well.
Source: PGA Tour video | April 2019
After being diagnosed with chronic fatigue in 2015, GOLFERAID athlete Scott Stallings changed his lifestyle. With two top-10s and a third-place finish in the 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Stallings is looking to earn his fourth career victory at the Valero Texas Open.
"The only time I really truly felt good is when I worked out. So when I was training and stuff, I felt great. It just kinda became a routine. It wasn't a matter of if and when I was gonna do it, it was just a matter of what time of day."
—Scott Stallings
When you’re working out, having the right playlist changes everything, especially if you have the perfect headphones! Working out with music is a great source for motivation and has been shown to boost performance. Read on to see the benefits of listening to music while exercising, how the right headphones make an impact and which songs to add to your workout playlist to get the beats going and your heart pumping.
Whether you’re just getting in to the workout world or are a pro athlete, adding music to your exercise regimen can be extremely beneficial, from finding motivation and pushing through difficult exercises to getting you in the zone and helping you keep pace. Music helps provide a distraction from pain or difficulty while working out and can help make the experience more fun. Working out to music can boost your performance, and depending on the activity, the best exercise music is between 120-140 BPM. The main benefits of using a playlist for working out are:
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When it comes to your workout, nothing should get in your way. It’s important to find the right headphones for working out that fit your needs. Comfort and functions are main priorities, and of course it doesn’t hurt to have some style thrown in there as well. From wireless headphones that offer rich sound and comfort to true wireless earbuds that keep your gym bag light and allow you to focus on both your music and surroundings, there are plenty of options available.
With an adjustable headband, premium sound, and sweatproof construction, the right wireless sport headphones should do the audio heavy lifting when you’re lifting at the gym. Find a pair or workout headphones that stay put even when you’re hitting the gym hard. When you’re working out, you don’t want to worry about an uncomfortable fit or headphones falling off, so look for an adjustable head strap and memory foam ear cushions.
BackBeat FIT 6100 Wireless Sport Headphones | BackBeat FIT 500 Wireless Sport Headphones
It’s important to find workout earbuds designed to stay in place during even your most rigorous training sessions. When buying wireless workout earbuds, look for a sweatproof and water-resistant design that doesn’t get in your way. Wireless earbuds are compact and stylish options that have the added security of a neck cord. This design is perfect for runners or anyone on the go and are designed to hear your workout playlist with clarity while being aware of other surroundings.
BackBeat FIT 2100 Wireless Sport Earbuds | BackBeat FIT 350 Wireless Sport Earbuds | BackBeat FIT 300 Wireless Sport Earbuds
Don’t let cords hold you back. True wireless earbuds are designed to deliver a freeing and reliable listening experience in and outside the gym. This style is the most compact design with no cords, so invest in earbuds that are equipped with soft, flexible yet super-secure earloops in an ultra-lightweight design that will stay put during your toughest workouts. Bonus points if they are sweat-proof and waterproof to add that extra durability needed in workout earbuds.
BackBeat FIT 3200 True Wireless Sport Earbuds | BackBeat FIT 3150 True Wireless Sport Earbuds | BackBeat FIT 3100 True Wireless Sport Earbuds
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Working out can be made more enjoyable and effective with the right workout playlist and some high-quality sports headphones. Use the playlist above as a baseline to create your best workout playlist and get that BPM going – for both your heart and your music. Not only will you have more fun, but you’ll see your performance improve as well!
© All rights reserved. | Original photography and article from blogs.Poly.com
> > > Live well.
Original article on Wanderlust.com by Mari Krueger | Presented by LIFEAID Beverage Co.
Our bodies need to recover between workouts in order to maximize the benefit. Loaded with nutrients, LIFEAID’s Recovery beverage hits the spot.
We have workouts tailored to our goals. We have meals fine-tuned for maximum nutrition. We know how important sleep is (and sometimes we even log the recommended hours!). But taking time to rest—where is that in our weekly health goals? In a go-go-go world hyper-focused on drive and results, it’s no surprise the importance of rest and recovery can be relegated to the backseat. Yet scheduling recovery days is vital to all aspects of health, both mental and physical. Adequate rest can help increase strength and stamina to take your fitness to the next level.
Rest can be augmented with supplements and recovery aids, like our favorite post-workout beverage, the Recovery drink FITAID from our friends at LIFEAID. It’s got all the amino acids and nutrients that our body craves after the gym, an intense flow, or a heart-pumping hike. But just why should we consider rest and recovery just as important as the workout itself? Read on.
There’s a tendency with fitness to go overboard—since a little makes such a positive difference, then a lot must be even better right? Not quite! Counter-intuitively, too much exercise can actually detract from your fitness goals by causing fatigue and sub-par performance, decreasing immunity and appetite, wrecking natural sleep cycles, and in some cases, affecting hormones and fertility. When our bodies are exposed to the stress of intense exercise or over-training, they become susceptible to exhaustion, stress-fractures, strains, pain—over time, even arthritis.
Muscles need time to repair from one training session before they’re again ready to perform optimally. More than that, bones do, too. Too much intense exercise without recovery causes chronic inflammation that can inhibit new bone growth. And while everyone knows exercising within a couple hours of bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep, pushing your routine too hard for too many days without a rest day can flood your body with stress hormones that make it harder to fall asleep, and adversely affect sleep quality when finally sleeping.
Most experts recommend two and a half hours of moderate cardio exercise each week. That looks like a half-hour of exercise five days a week, or three days a week for longer, more difficult workout sessions. Most muscle groups need at least 48 hours of rest to recover, so alternating leg day and a core workout is the way to go. Age, fitness level, and other health factors are important in determining what’s right for you, and any concerns should be discussed with a doctor.
Sleep, is of course one of the most important aspects of rest. Getting adequate rest regulates growth hormones that are necessary for recovery. Experts recommend eight hours a night. Less than that denies your body the ability to repair all the little damages it sustains in daily workouts. Hydration is also crucial to rebuild the connective tissues, muscles and nerves, along with a balanced, healthful diet. That might include supplements that help your body heal stronger. Turmeric is a well-known natural anti-inflammatory, while magnesium and B-complex vitamins can increase energy and immunity. Cayenne can reduce muscle pain, and vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, can inhibit histamines and increase immune function.
Rest can also include physical activity—yes, really!—just not at the same high intensity of heavy workouts. Rest days should skip heavy lifting and sprints in favor of walking, an easy jog, or gentle yoga—anything that slightly increases heart rate without leaving you breathless. Bonus for choosing rest exercises that hone mental restoration! Spend time stretching, using a foam roller, or soaking in a hot tub—all ways to aid muscle relaxation and repair.
Some people worry that taking a day off may sidetrack their fitness goals, but experts agree that’s not the case. Rest can help the mind refocus and come back to those goals with greater motivation and drive at the next scheduled session. In fact, most people could skip workouts for about two weeks with minimal effects, as long as the time off is spent engaged in moderate activity and health overall. The bottom line? Hit that snooze button guilt-free a couple days a week. Your body will actually thank you.
To assist you with getting better rest, considering trying sleep drinks that can provide you with the vitamins and nutrients your body needs for a full and restful night of recovery.
At LIFEAID, we’re the Functional Beverage Co. that makes vitamins you’ll actually enjoy drinking. Our clean, nutritional products are made with only the good stuff, none of the junk, so you can enjoy a better way to drink that is tailored to fit your healthy, active lifestyle. Located in Santa Cruz, California, LIFEAID is proud to be helping to make the world a healthier place, one can at a time.
> > > Live well.
