I'm very pleased to announce that the Koops Podcast is finally syndicated on Libsyn and iTunes. You can find the podcast at Libsyn at:
koopspodcast.libsyn.com
The podcast can be found in iTunes in the podcast section of the iTunes store.
The home base of koopspodcast.com is still operational, and will continue as per normal.
Below is the latest episode of the podcast - an interview with Ben Longley and Jarrad Dawson, discussing fitness, general training practices, UFC and martial arts, and a whole host of other topics...
Koops' Fitness and Function
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
A New Perspective on Podcasting
Or, rather, my take on the whole podcasting bandwagon.
Check out my podcast at The Koops Podcast. Interviews, conversation, but no rants - pinky promise.
koopspodcast.com
Check out my podcast at The Koops Podcast. Interviews, conversation, but no rants - pinky promise.
koopspodcast.com
Sunday, January 27, 2013
I'm Baaaaaack...
No, I haven't gone anywhere, I've just been so insanely busy that it's not funny. Finishing Education Part II, setting up my business, working fitness through my day-job holidays, being an active father, being a sympathetic and loving husband (!).
More posts are coming, and I will be steering away from the normal previous workout diary-type entries. I'll be discussing a little bit more about techniques, specific exercises, and so on. I know that it's all been done before, but time will tell if there is nothing decent I can add to the already existing encyclopedia of fitness knowledge.
More posts are coming, and I will be steering away from the normal previous workout diary-type entries. I'll be discussing a little bit more about techniques, specific exercises, and so on. I know that it's all been done before, but time will tell if there is nothing decent I can add to the already existing encyclopedia of fitness knowledge.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Workout - Friday 26/10/71
Today is my birthday! I turn 41 years young. As I get older I realise more and more that existence and awareness is all about living in the now, while still being mindful of the future. There is no other secret to life, or living a fulfilling and meaningful one.
The reason why I exercise has nothing to do with an attempt at life extension, or making any kind of reasonable attempt to stave off disease or degeneration - it has everything to do with living in the now, by loving the thing itself, doing it for it's own enjoyable sake. Luckily, there are benefits. I admit, however, to a couple of minor vices, but my mantra of moderation (which applies to excess as well!) keeps a pacific balance, a kind of habitual lifestyle homeostasis.
Birthday Workout
Warm-up
Shoulder/scapula/thoracic activation (face pulls, shoulder rotation with resistance cord).
Dynamic stretching.
Deadlift superset
5 sets
Deadlifts.
Eccentric chin-ups x 6 reps.
Slow push-ups x 6 reps.
Set 1 of deadlifts - 6 reps at 75.5kg.
Set 2 of deadlifts - 6 reps at 95.5kg.
Set 3 of deadlifts - 6 reps at 105.5kg
Set 4 of deadlifts - 6 reps at 115.5kg.
Set 5 of deadlifts - 2 reps at 125.5kg.
Shoulders/back/arms superset
3 sets
Db shoulder press - 6 reps at 15kg dumbells.
Bb bent-over row - 6 reps at 43.5kg.
Trapezius/shoulders/back/core/triceps/legs superset
3 sets
Rolling tricep extension - 6 reps at 17.5kg dumbells.
Farmer's walk - 20 metres at 35kg dumbells.
Warm-down
Foam roller for 5 minutes.
Static stretching for 10 minutes.
Mobilization exercises for 5 minutes.
The reason why I exercise has nothing to do with an attempt at life extension, or making any kind of reasonable attempt to stave off disease or degeneration - it has everything to do with living in the now, by loving the thing itself, doing it for it's own enjoyable sake. Luckily, there are benefits. I admit, however, to a couple of minor vices, but my mantra of moderation (which applies to excess as well!) keeps a pacific balance, a kind of habitual lifestyle homeostasis.
Birthday Workout
Warm-up
Shoulder/scapula/thoracic activation (face pulls, shoulder rotation with resistance cord).
Dynamic stretching.
Deadlift superset
5 sets
Deadlifts.
Eccentric chin-ups x 6 reps.
Slow push-ups x 6 reps.
Set 1 of deadlifts - 6 reps at 75.5kg.
Set 2 of deadlifts - 6 reps at 95.5kg.
Set 3 of deadlifts - 6 reps at 105.5kg
Set 4 of deadlifts - 6 reps at 115.5kg.
Set 5 of deadlifts - 2 reps at 125.5kg.
Shoulders/back/arms superset
3 sets
Db shoulder press - 6 reps at 15kg dumbells.
Bb bent-over row - 6 reps at 43.5kg.
Trapezius/shoulders/back/core/triceps/legs superset
3 sets
Rolling tricep extension - 6 reps at 17.5kg dumbells.
Farmer's walk - 20 metres at 35kg dumbells.
Warm-down
Foam roller for 5 minutes.
Static stretching for 10 minutes.
Mobilization exercises for 5 minutes.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Workout - Tuesday 22/10/12
I had the chance to workout with Mark Boddington today, and as Tuesday is his designated 'bench' day, we hit it in earnest, with some additional tweaking here and there...
Warm-up
15 minute brisk walk to the gym.
Shoulder/thoracic/elbow mobilization.
Face pulls with resistance cord x 20.
Doggy (4 point) position scapula mobilization.
Dynamic stretching.
Chest
Unloaded bar warm-up x 20 reps.
Bb bench press at 55.5kg x 10 reps.
Bb bench press at 80.5 kg - 4 sets at 2 reps. (This load is not far off my current 1RM)
Bb bench press at 55.5kg x 10 reps.
Back
Superset
5 sets
T-bar rows at 60kg x 6 reps.
Slow push-ups x 10 reps.
Legs
1 x powerclean for 6 reps of front squats at 55.5kg.
Powerband
Superset
We alternated between powerband exercises and kettlebell swings with a 16kg kettlebell. The person using the kettlebell would perform reps until the other had finished 5 reps of the designated powerband exercise - between 25-50 swings. This ensured we kept working throughout the exercise!
Sprints.
Lunge sprints.
Animal walk.
Jumps.
Warm-up
15 minute brisk walk to the gym.
Shoulder/thoracic/elbow mobilization.
Face pulls with resistance cord x 20.
Doggy (4 point) position scapula mobilization.
Dynamic stretching.
Chest
Unloaded bar warm-up x 20 reps.
Bb bench press at 55.5kg x 10 reps.
Bb bench press at 80.5 kg - 4 sets at 2 reps. (This load is not far off my current 1RM)
Bb bench press at 55.5kg x 10 reps.
Back
Superset
5 sets
T-bar rows at 60kg x 6 reps.
Slow push-ups x 10 reps.
Legs
1 x powerclean for 6 reps of front squats at 55.5kg.
Powerband
Superset
We alternated between powerband exercises and kettlebell swings with a 16kg kettlebell. The person using the kettlebell would perform reps until the other had finished 5 reps of the designated powerband exercise - between 25-50 swings. This ensured we kept working throughout the exercise!
Sprints.
Lunge sprints.
Animal walk.
Jumps.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Workout - Sunday 21/10/12
Today's workout was about studying technique, especially for deadlift. I have seen some footage of my technique for this movement and I round my thoracic spine in the beginning of the concentric phase. The reason for this is I am allowing my shoulders to fall downwards as a begin my lift, rather than packing both them and my lats in the set-up phase. Doing this not only helps to activate the lats big-time, but it allows you to keep your chest out and forward for the lift, and to maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement. With this emphasis on technique, I dropped off the load to a mere 75.5kg - this is a more manageable weight for study.
Warm-up
Joint mobilization routine.
3 sets of Y-T-W-L with 2 kg db.
Shoulder and chest mobilization/activation with resistance cord.
Chest
Bb bench press warm-up set - 55.5kg.
Bb bench press - 3 sets x 6 reps at 70.5kg.
Legs/back
Deadlift - 3 sets x 6 reps at 75.5kg.
Back/arms
Superset
3 sets
Seated row - x 10 reps at 45kg
Assisted chin-ups x 10 reps at 25kg.
Core
2 sets
Crunches x 20 reps.
Bicycle crunches x 20 reps.
Prone hold for 1 minute.
Warm-down
Foam roller for 10 minutes.
Terrific set-up position. Shoulders are above the centre point, chest forward, head up and hips way back. Using a trap bar is a great idea, too. Smart lady. |
Warm-up
Joint mobilization routine.
3 sets of Y-T-W-L with 2 kg db.
Shoulder and chest mobilization/activation with resistance cord.
Chest
Bb bench press warm-up set - 55.5kg.
Bb bench press - 3 sets x 6 reps at 70.5kg.
Legs/back
Deadlift - 3 sets x 6 reps at 75.5kg.
Back/arms
Superset
3 sets
Seated row - x 10 reps at 45kg
Assisted chin-ups x 10 reps at 25kg.
Core
2 sets
Crunches x 20 reps.
Bicycle crunches x 20 reps.
Prone hold for 1 minute.
Warm-down
Foam roller for 10 minutes.
Workout - Saturday 20/10/12
My son was off playing cricket this morning, the parenting taxi was driven by my wife. I was home looking after my two younger children and we were off to the playground! No other opportunity for a workout today, so an impromptu playground workout was the order of the day. Apart from the two monsters (I mean that most affectionately!), I took with me a skipping rope and resistance cord. Playgrounds are ready-made exercise stations, with a host of great options for strength and conditioning. It's funny, at one stage my daughter and one of her friends were laughing at me as I was doing pistols. Our friend said to me, "You can't do exercises here, it's a playground!" And me, king of the comebacks, replied, "Oh yeah?" But then, not to be outdone by a sassy 5 year old, added, "What are you doing when you play in the playground?" She said, "Playing!" "But what are you doing when you're playing?" And her reply was a happy, "Exercising!"
Warm-up
Skipping for 5 minutes.
Joint mobilization and dynamic stretching.
Playground workout
Superset
3 sets
Shoulder rotations (rotator cuff pulls) with resistance cord x 10 reps per side.
Face pulls (elbows down) x 10 reps.
Face pulls (elbows up) x reps.
Superset
3 sets
Jumps up to beam (box jumps), then squat jumps x 10 reps.
Incline pull-ups x 10 reps.
Decline push-ups - feet suspended on unstable chain ladder - 3 sets x 10 reps.
Pistols - 3 sets x 10 reps per side.
Father's carry (large 2 year old - approx. 14kg - on shoulders) 1 km.
Warm down
Foam roller 15 minutes (heaven!)
Static stretching for 10 minutes.
Not the playground I used, but, as you can see, there are lots of possibilities! |
Warm-up
Skipping for 5 minutes.
Joint mobilization and dynamic stretching.
Playground workout
Superset
3 sets
Shoulder rotations (rotator cuff pulls) with resistance cord x 10 reps per side.
Face pulls (elbows down) x 10 reps.
Face pulls (elbows up) x reps.
Superset
3 sets
Jumps up to beam (box jumps), then squat jumps x 10 reps.
Incline pull-ups x 10 reps.
Decline push-ups - feet suspended on unstable chain ladder - 3 sets x 10 reps.
Pistols - 3 sets x 10 reps per side.
Father's carry (large 2 year old - approx. 14kg - on shoulders) 1 km.
Warm down
Foam roller 15 minutes (heaven!)
Static stretching for 10 minutes.
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