Adrenaline Highs are powerful and can be used to boost energy levels / burn calories in an effort to lose weight. But attaining that adrenaline high while exercising can be tricky. So here are 10 ways to possibly attain an adrenaline high by doing something exciting.
Please note that all of the activities listed below are things you can do in Toronto. If it isn't possible to do it in Toronto, I am not listing it.
#1. Axe Throwing
Honestly, this is a really good sport for getting rid of some calories and get rid of some of your aggressive feelings while you are at it too.
In Toronto there are several locations that can help you if you want to try axe throwing:
BATL Axe Throwing | The Home of Axe Throwing
batlgrounds.com
Bad Axe Throwing | Where Axe Throwing Lives
https://badaxethrowing.com
Please note that I have no affiliation with either of these companies. I cannot speak to the quality of their service or safety standards.
#2. Mountain Biking
To do this you will need a mountain bike - preferably a good one, so don't go to any Canadian Tire or a store that doesn't specialize in mountain bikes. Instead go to a store that actually specializes in mountain bikes.
Below is a list of the Top 10 Mountain Bike Stores in Toronto, listed alphabetically:
Broadway Cycle / The Bike Depot
Cyclemotive
Cycle Solutions
D'Ornellas
Dukes Cycle
Gears
Liberty Street Cyclery
Silent Sports
Sporting Life Bikes
Sweet Pete's
#3. Rock Climbing Indoors
With safety harnesses you might not feel that this is too dangerous, but with a healthy fear of heights you will still get a shot of adrenaline. Below is a list of indoor rock climbing gyms in Toronto:
The Rock Oasis
Boulderz Climbing Centre
Joe Rockhead's Indoor Rock Climbing
Toronto Climbing Academy
True North Climbing Inc.
#4. Dancing + Music!
Combine music with dance, and regardless of whether you do this at home or at a dance studio, or at a dance club you can get that extra boost of adrenaline.
#5. LARPing (Live Action Roleplaying)
Okay, hanging out with nerds who fight with sponge swords may sound like over-the-top geek to you, but running around with swords is surprisingly good exercise and really burns a lot of calories in a hurry. There are numerous locations / organizations in the GTA that have LARPing events, usually on weekends. Pick one and get involved.
#6. Archery Tag
Similar to LARPing, Archery Tag offers teenagers and people in their 20s / 30s a chance to run around and shoot their friends with foam tipped arrows. Toronto has multiple locations that offer archery tag. The location I recommend is Battle Sports in North York. See http://battlesports.ca/
#7. Play Zombie Tag
Hire a makeup artist (or a friend who is awesome with makeup) for a day, invite lots of friends to a large park, and then run around and bite your friends. [No actual inviting involved, instead you are supposed to "hug" them without tackling them.]
Toronto also has lots of zombie survivalist groups, the Toronto Zombie Walk, and other events / organizations you can join to meet more people who are interested in zombies.
#8. Parkour and/or Freerunning
Last but not least, Toronto also has various organizations (clubs, schools, etc) devoted to the arts of parkour and freerunning. You can basically just pick one and get into the sport of running, jumping, hurdling over obstacles.
I was hoping to find several locations, but the following was the only one I could find that has its own website.
The Monkeyvault
themonkeyvault.com
Topics
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8 Fun Cardio Exercises to do in July
July is basically the middle of Summer and it is a really good time of year to be doing cardio exercises outdoors. Some of these you can do any time of year, but why not July?!
Thus here are 8 Fun Cardio Exercises that are perfect for the month of July.
#1. Swimming
#2. Snorkeling
#3. Cycling or Mountain Biking
#4. Tennis
#5. Parkour / Freerunning
#6. Dancing
#7. Hiking in the Woods
#8. Canoeing / Kayaking
4 BONUS THINGS TO DO IN JULY
Frisbee Football
Jogging at the Beach
Beach Volleyball
Play Tag with Water Guns
The Pan Am Games in Toronto
The Pan Am Games are coming to Toronto this month and will take place from July 10th to July 26th. The Parapan Am Games will also be in Toronto, August 7th to 15th. The sports involved in the Pan Am Games are as follows:
Archery (70 meter Olympic style archery only, no field archery, no flight archery, no equestrian archery)
Athletics (includes all the track and fields events such as running, hurdles, discus, javelin, shot put, high jump, long jump, etc)
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Beach Volleyball (seriously, beach volleyball is a separate sport from regular volleyball)
BMX (as a separate category from cycling)
Bowling (why is billiards, darts and lawn darts not considered sports if bowling is included?)
Boxing
Canoe / Kayak Slalom
Canoe / Kayak Sprint
Cycling - Road
Cycling - Track
Diving
Equestrian (just horse jumping, no horse racing for some strange reason)
Fencing
Field Hockey (as if we couldn't find an ice rink to have a normal hockey game in Toronto...)
Football (World Football, or as Americans call it "Soccer")
Golf
Gymnastics - Artistic
Gymnastics - Rhythmic
Handball (it is like a cross between hockey and basketball)
Judo
Karate
Modern Pentathlon
Mountain Bike (why isn't that considered to be a cycling event?)
Open Water Swimming
Racquetball
Roller - Figure Skating (wait, wait, wait... figure skating? But no ice hockey???)
Roller - Speed Skating
Rowing
Rugby Sevens
Sailing (small sailboats that are built for speed, in other words a sport only rich people can do, although you could say that about many of the other sports listed here - like horse jumping)
Shooting (rifles, but why not crossbows too? Crossbows at least require more exercise to load.)
Softball (baseball with bigger balls)
Squash
Swimming (for speed that is, including many different styles of swimming)
Synchronized Swimming
Table Tennis
Taekwondo
Tennis (another sport for rich people who have their own tennis courts)
Trampoline
Triathlon
Volleyball
Water Polo (but not normal polo, the kind you play with horses - although admittedly polo is another sport for rich people)
Waterski & Wakeboard
Weightlifting
Wrestling (Olympic style wrestling, not the American version with play-acting and steroids)
I am ever amazed as to how certain "sports" get into these large scale events like the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, etc. I do therefore have some criticisms, on this and other topics.
#1. Some sports just aren't that popular, so why are they included?
Are there really that many people who play handball or water polo? I think not.
#2. Some sports aren't really sports in the normal sense.
eg. Shooting or Bowling, yes, I get it they do require some physical strength to do them - but they're not exactly something you break a sweat doing. Worst case scenario you might get a sore trigger finger or sore bowling fingers. And if shooting and bowling are sports, why not darts, lawn darts, billiards, or the biathlon (shooting and skiing)?
#3. Sometimes it feels like they are just inventing new sports.
Waterski, Wakeboard, Trampoline, Kayak Shalom or Sprint... if these are sports why not also:
Surfing
Windsurfing
Dolphin Riding (no seriously, if we have horse jumping, why not dolphin riding?)
Rock Climbing
Skydiving
Team Paintball
Team Archery Tag
Snorkeling
#4. Some sports are really just aimed at rich people.
Golf, tennis and sailing are three good examples of sports that are mostly only done by rich people. Equestrian horse jumping and any other sport involving horses also falls into this (as would Dolphin Riding...)
#5. What if a Parapan Athlete wants to compete in the normal Pan Am games?
This is an idea that has always made me wonder. For example lets say a man is missing a leg, but wants to be in horse jumping? His single leg might be a minor disadvantage when it comes to riding the horse, but you could also argue that he weighs less and the horse might be able to perform better with a lighter rider.
Same goes with golf. Do you really need two working legs to play golf? I think not.
Shooting rifles? Sure, they just need one good eye and a trigger finger.
Archery? Same deal. No reason why a person in a wheelchair cannot achieve greatness as an archer.
Fencing? A person with one arm only needs one arm to do fencing. In the video below you see a French citizen who is missing part of their arm.
So in conclusion always remember that the sports during the Pan Am Games (and the Olympics and other similar events) are the result of a committee voting on feedback from not the athletes themselves, but from sponsors. Sponsorship money is really what it comes down to.
The same thing goes for the athletes. The necessary time needed to practice a sport, train, eat properly, the cost of coaches and traveling to competitions is often the result of money from sponsors. If sponsors were sponsoring equestrian archery for example, then that would likely be a sport at the Pan Am Games.
In the world of competitive sports, it really all comes back to the issue of sponsors and money.
If you can think of a sport that should be included, leave a comment below.
If you have comments on the issue of money in sports, absolutely leave a comment about that too.
Archery (70 meter Olympic style archery only, no field archery, no flight archery, no equestrian archery)
Athletics (includes all the track and fields events such as running, hurdles, discus, javelin, shot put, high jump, long jump, etc)
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Beach Volleyball (seriously, beach volleyball is a separate sport from regular volleyball)
BMX (as a separate category from cycling)
Bowling (why is billiards, darts and lawn darts not considered sports if bowling is included?)
Boxing
Canoe / Kayak Slalom
Canoe / Kayak Sprint
Cycling - Road
Cycling - Track
Diving
Equestrian (just horse jumping, no horse racing for some strange reason)
Fencing
Field Hockey (as if we couldn't find an ice rink to have a normal hockey game in Toronto...)
Football (World Football, or as Americans call it "Soccer")
Golf
Gymnastics - Artistic
Gymnastics - Rhythmic
Handball (it is like a cross between hockey and basketball)
Judo
Karate
Modern Pentathlon
Mountain Bike (why isn't that considered to be a cycling event?)
Open Water Swimming
Racquetball
Roller - Figure Skating (wait, wait, wait... figure skating? But no ice hockey???)
Roller - Speed Skating
Rowing
Rugby Sevens
Sailing (small sailboats that are built for speed, in other words a sport only rich people can do, although you could say that about many of the other sports listed here - like horse jumping)
Shooting (rifles, but why not crossbows too? Crossbows at least require more exercise to load.)
Softball (baseball with bigger balls)
Squash
Swimming (for speed that is, including many different styles of swimming)
Synchronized Swimming
Table Tennis
Taekwondo
Tennis (another sport for rich people who have their own tennis courts)
Trampoline
Triathlon
Volleyball
Water Polo (but not normal polo, the kind you play with horses - although admittedly polo is another sport for rich people)
Waterski & Wakeboard
Weightlifting
Wrestling (Olympic style wrestling, not the American version with play-acting and steroids)
I am ever amazed as to how certain "sports" get into these large scale events like the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, etc. I do therefore have some criticisms, on this and other topics.
#1. Some sports just aren't that popular, so why are they included?
Are there really that many people who play handball or water polo? I think not.
#2. Some sports aren't really sports in the normal sense.
eg. Shooting or Bowling, yes, I get it they do require some physical strength to do them - but they're not exactly something you break a sweat doing. Worst case scenario you might get a sore trigger finger or sore bowling fingers. And if shooting and bowling are sports, why not darts, lawn darts, billiards, or the biathlon (shooting and skiing)?
#3. Sometimes it feels like they are just inventing new sports.
Waterski, Wakeboard, Trampoline, Kayak Shalom or Sprint... if these are sports why not also:
Surfing
Windsurfing
Dolphin Riding (no seriously, if we have horse jumping, why not dolphin riding?)
Rock Climbing
Skydiving
Team Paintball
Team Archery Tag
Snorkeling
#4. Some sports are really just aimed at rich people.
Golf, tennis and sailing are three good examples of sports that are mostly only done by rich people. Equestrian horse jumping and any other sport involving horses also falls into this (as would Dolphin Riding...)
#5. What if a Parapan Athlete wants to compete in the normal Pan Am games?
This is an idea that has always made me wonder. For example lets say a man is missing a leg, but wants to be in horse jumping? His single leg might be a minor disadvantage when it comes to riding the horse, but you could also argue that he weighs less and the horse might be able to perform better with a lighter rider.
Same goes with golf. Do you really need two working legs to play golf? I think not.
Shooting rifles? Sure, they just need one good eye and a trigger finger.
Archery? Same deal. No reason why a person in a wheelchair cannot achieve greatness as an archer.
Fencing? A person with one arm only needs one arm to do fencing. In the video below you see a French citizen who is missing part of their arm.
So in conclusion always remember that the sports during the Pan Am Games (and the Olympics and other similar events) are the result of a committee voting on feedback from not the athletes themselves, but from sponsors. Sponsorship money is really what it comes down to.
The same thing goes for the athletes. The necessary time needed to practice a sport, train, eat properly, the cost of coaches and traveling to competitions is often the result of money from sponsors. If sponsors were sponsoring equestrian archery for example, then that would likely be a sport at the Pan Am Games.
In the world of competitive sports, it really all comes back to the issue of sponsors and money.
If you can think of a sport that should be included, leave a comment below.
If you have comments on the issue of money in sports, absolutely leave a comment about that too.
Gradual Weight Loss in 1 Year
The photos on the right is of a woman who gradually lost 88 lbs in 1 year through a combination of diet and exercise.
She didn't use any fancy diets or any special exercise program. She simply made an effort to eat healthier, watch her calorie intake, and she exercised more often.
That was it.
88 lbs in 52 weeks.
It is really more a matter of math, determination and knowing it can be done. In other words motivation to stick with the healthy diet and to keep exercising regularly was the primary reason she succeeded. Had she adopted a defeatist attitude of "this is impossible" or "I will never succeed" then she would have failed simply because she had no confidence in her own ability to succeed.
Lets say you have two twins who are identical in every way except the way they think, and these two twins agree to have a marathon race (42.195 km or 26.22 miles).
The first twin thinks "I can do this, all I have to is run slightly faster at the beginning than my twin does and then keep ahead of them the rest of the race."
The second twin thinks "I don't think I can even run 5 km, let alone 42 km. I might as well just quit now. Even if I try I only have a 50% chance of winning anyway, so why bother?"
Obviously the first twin is the one who will likely succeed simply because they have set a positive goal for themselves and have even worked out a strategy for staying ahead. The second twin will likely give up the moment their more positively thinking rival sprints ahead at the beginning.
The correct response to that situation is to set a goal of "I am going to keep pace right beside him the whole race and at the end I am going to sprint and pass him."
Thus knowing you can succeed through perseverance and positive thinking can make a big difference.
I also mentioned math earlier.
88 lbs in 52 weeks means she was losing approx. 1.69 lbs per week. One pound of fat equals 3500 calories, so she needs to burn or reduce 5915 calories in one week. Almost 6000 calories per week.
Or more concisely 845 calories per day.
If she adopts a diet of 1600 calories per day (a reduction of 400 from the 2000+ calories she is normally getting) and then spends 90 minutes per day exercising in an effort to shed an extra 445 calories, yes, it can be done.
Note - She doesn't have to burn a whole 445 calories from 1 exercise. By doing cardio activities she could trigger the Afterburn Effect and end up burning 25% to 100% more calories than normal. eg. If she burns 300 calories by doing High Intensity Interval Training, she might trigger the Afterburn Effect and burn an extra 200 or 300 calories. The Afterburn Effect is triggered whenever a person's blood sugar goes below a certain point and their heart rate is elevated due to intense exercise, thus triggering a fat burning effect that lasts up to 48 hours after the exercise is over.
Thus any person who adopts a more intense exercise routine will burn more calories simply because they are triggering the Afterburn Effect.
The beauty of the Afterburn Effect is that the fat being burned makes the person feel even more energetic, and it is addictive. The heightened level of energy makes the person want to do it again every day and the next thing they know they are exercising religiously every day, chasing that energy high. It is basically a fat burning induced sugar high.
Craving sugar? Go do an intense exercise and note the feeling of excitement and invigoration you feel afterwards. That is the Afterburn Effect burning fat and the feeling it gives you.
Positive thinking combined with positive reinforcement of getting a sugar high off exercising every day can have a dramatic weight loss effect on a person. It can change their life completely.
It can change your life completely too. All you have to do is try, keep trying, and keep doing it. When you see the results you will know it is working.
She didn't use any fancy diets or any special exercise program. She simply made an effort to eat healthier, watch her calorie intake, and she exercised more often.
That was it.
88 lbs in 52 weeks.
It is really more a matter of math, determination and knowing it can be done. In other words motivation to stick with the healthy diet and to keep exercising regularly was the primary reason she succeeded. Had she adopted a defeatist attitude of "this is impossible" or "I will never succeed" then she would have failed simply because she had no confidence in her own ability to succeed.
Lets say you have two twins who are identical in every way except the way they think, and these two twins agree to have a marathon race (42.195 km or 26.22 miles).
The first twin thinks "I can do this, all I have to is run slightly faster at the beginning than my twin does and then keep ahead of them the rest of the race."
The second twin thinks "I don't think I can even run 5 km, let alone 42 km. I might as well just quit now. Even if I try I only have a 50% chance of winning anyway, so why bother?"
Obviously the first twin is the one who will likely succeed simply because they have set a positive goal for themselves and have even worked out a strategy for staying ahead. The second twin will likely give up the moment their more positively thinking rival sprints ahead at the beginning.
The correct response to that situation is to set a goal of "I am going to keep pace right beside him the whole race and at the end I am going to sprint and pass him."
Thus knowing you can succeed through perseverance and positive thinking can make a big difference.
I also mentioned math earlier.
88 lbs in 52 weeks means she was losing approx. 1.69 lbs per week. One pound of fat equals 3500 calories, so she needs to burn or reduce 5915 calories in one week. Almost 6000 calories per week.
Or more concisely 845 calories per day.
If she adopts a diet of 1600 calories per day (a reduction of 400 from the 2000+ calories she is normally getting) and then spends 90 minutes per day exercising in an effort to shed an extra 445 calories, yes, it can be done.
Note - She doesn't have to burn a whole 445 calories from 1 exercise. By doing cardio activities she could trigger the Afterburn Effect and end up burning 25% to 100% more calories than normal. eg. If she burns 300 calories by doing High Intensity Interval Training, she might trigger the Afterburn Effect and burn an extra 200 or 300 calories. The Afterburn Effect is triggered whenever a person's blood sugar goes below a certain point and their heart rate is elevated due to intense exercise, thus triggering a fat burning effect that lasts up to 48 hours after the exercise is over.
Thus any person who adopts a more intense exercise routine will burn more calories simply because they are triggering the Afterburn Effect.
The beauty of the Afterburn Effect is that the fat being burned makes the person feel even more energetic, and it is addictive. The heightened level of energy makes the person want to do it again every day and the next thing they know they are exercising religiously every day, chasing that energy high. It is basically a fat burning induced sugar high.
Craving sugar? Go do an intense exercise and note the feeling of excitement and invigoration you feel afterwards. That is the Afterburn Effect burning fat and the feeling it gives you.
Positive thinking combined with positive reinforcement of getting a sugar high off exercising every day can have a dramatic weight loss effect on a person. It can change their life completely.
It can change your life completely too. All you have to do is try, keep trying, and keep doing it. When you see the results you will know it is working.
Gone Hiking and Fishing - The Niagara Escarpment
From June 26th to 30th I will be away on vacation - hiking, fishing and camping - and will not be answering emails very quickly during that time period.
The location I will be hiking will be along the Niagara Escarpment of Ontario, which has many cliffs, rocky outcroppings, waterfalls and other sights. Below is a map showing waterfalls that dot the landscape along the Niagara Escarpment.
One of my personal favourites to visit is Hilton Falls near Milton, Ontario - not because it is the closest to Toronto, but because you can walk both on top of the falls and also behind the waterfalls. To get to Hilton Falls it is a roughly 20 minute hike through the woods from the parking lot.
Walking along the top of the waterfalls, close to the edge
At the base of the waterfalls
Behind the waterfalls
There are many places within a quick drive from Toronto where people can go to exercise, go hiking, cycling, swimming and many other activities.
Get out there and exercise!
The location I will be hiking will be along the Niagara Escarpment of Ontario, which has many cliffs, rocky outcroppings, waterfalls and other sights. Below is a map showing waterfalls that dot the landscape along the Niagara Escarpment.
One of my personal favourites to visit is Hilton Falls near Milton, Ontario - not because it is the closest to Toronto, but because you can walk both on top of the falls and also behind the waterfalls. To get to Hilton Falls it is a roughly 20 minute hike through the woods from the parking lot.
At the base of the waterfalls
Behind the waterfalls
There are many places within a quick drive from Toronto where people can go to exercise, go hiking, cycling, swimming and many other activities.
Get out there and exercise!
Splitting Arrows + CityTV
Monday, June 22nd 2015
Yesterday I split an arrow while I was shooting at a paper target of a turkey. It was a solid cluster of three arrows so tight they were touching, but unfortunately the middle arrow broke the shaft of the arrow below it and scratched the side of the arrow above it.
Earlier today I did an interview with CityTV for an upcoming spot where I am being honoured with the title "Athlete of the Week".
Following the interview I was doing some personal practice and split another arrow, this time on a moving target (moving bottle in the wind). Unfortunately the cameraman was gone and wasn't there to film the feat. Oh well. Here are some photos.
And lest we not forget Saturday, when I shot 4 arrows into a supertight cluster where they were all touching. I liked that cluster so much I made a video of it.
My apologies for the sound quality, it was windy at the time.
These are just recent feats from Saturday, Sunday and today. Feats which unfortunately means it is time for me to buy more arrows. Just 30 minutes ago I contacted my local supplier and ordered 24 more arrows.
Call it the downside of hitting your own arrows - I have to buy new arrows regularly.
On the 17th (last Wednesday) I split a string down the middle.
Two weeks ago I had a supertight arrow cluster that came out the back of an old target butt that is due to be replaced.
At the end of March I was practicing on a box suspended and blowing in the wind on a snowy day and got the supertight cluster of 3 arrows shown in the video below.
And I could go back further, back to an earlier post when I first Robin Hooded an arrow on a moving target last year and determined that I need a new challenge.
To see more arrow clusters / split arrows read Arrow Clustering at Work, which I wrote in October last year.
Yesterday I split an arrow while I was shooting at a paper target of a turkey. It was a solid cluster of three arrows so tight they were touching, but unfortunately the middle arrow broke the shaft of the arrow below it and scratched the side of the arrow above it.
Below - The bottom arrow in the cluster that broke from being hit by the middle arrow.
Earlier today I did an interview with CityTV for an upcoming spot where I am being honoured with the title "Athlete of the Week".
Following the interview I was doing some personal practice and split another arrow, this time on a moving target (moving bottle in the wind). Unfortunately the cameraman was gone and wasn't there to film the feat. Oh well. Here are some photos.
And lest we not forget Saturday, when I shot 4 arrows into a supertight cluster where they were all touching. I liked that cluster so much I made a video of it.
My apologies for the sound quality, it was windy at the time.
These are just recent feats from Saturday, Sunday and today. Feats which unfortunately means it is time for me to buy more arrows. Just 30 minutes ago I contacted my local supplier and ordered 24 more arrows.
Call it the downside of hitting your own arrows - I have to buy new arrows regularly.
On the 17th (last Wednesday) I split a string down the middle.
Two weeks ago I had a supertight arrow cluster that came out the back of an old target butt that is due to be replaced.
At the end of March I was practicing on a box suspended and blowing in the wind on a snowy day and got the supertight cluster of 3 arrows shown in the video below.
And I could go back further, back to an earlier post when I first Robin Hooded an arrow on a moving target last year and determined that I need a new challenge.
To see more arrow clusters / split arrows read Arrow Clustering at Work, which I wrote in October last year.
Archery Testimonials - June 2015
"Thanks so much, the lessons were so fun you're a great teacher."
- Natalie B.
"Thank you again for the wonderful archery lessons and also for being so accommodating after my husband broke his leg in 2014 and rescheduling us for 2015. It was a huge wait, but he really appreciated the extra time so he could heal properly. [I offered them a choice between a refund or we could reschedule for a much later date.]
Regarding the lessons we found the lecture on proper form very helpful and your insights into what we were doing wrong and how best to fix it made a huge difference. We learned a lot during our lessons.
Good luck to you in the future and we hope to see you again."
- Beth and John N.
"Thank you for the archery lessons you gave us in May. It made a huge difference in our shooting form. Sammy is now competing in high school archery competitions and I am coaching him.
I look forward to reading your archery book when it comes out but in the meantime I am reading that website you recommended."
- Maximilian S. and Sammy S.
Note - The website Maximilian is referring to is "A Blog for Archery Coaches" by Steve Ruis, which I highly recommend for anyone who is coaching archery.
"Thanks again for the archery lessons! We are recommending you to our friends so expect their emails soon."
- Mi Sun K.
- Natalie B.
"Thank you again for the wonderful archery lessons and also for being so accommodating after my husband broke his leg in 2014 and rescheduling us for 2015. It was a huge wait, but he really appreciated the extra time so he could heal properly. [I offered them a choice between a refund or we could reschedule for a much later date.]
Regarding the lessons we found the lecture on proper form very helpful and your insights into what we were doing wrong and how best to fix it made a huge difference. We learned a lot during our lessons.
Good luck to you in the future and we hope to see you again."
- Beth and John N.
"Thank you for the archery lessons you gave us in May. It made a huge difference in our shooting form. Sammy is now competing in high school archery competitions and I am coaching him.
I look forward to reading your archery book when it comes out but in the meantime I am reading that website you recommended."
- Maximilian S. and Sammy S.
Note - The website Maximilian is referring to is "A Blog for Archery Coaches" by Steve Ruis, which I highly recommend for anyone who is coaching archery.
"Thanks again for the archery lessons! We are recommending you to our friends so expect their emails soon."
- Mi Sun K.
10 Weightlifting Tips for Archers - Part Two!
Today I updated an older post titled 10 Weightlifting Tips for Archers and decided it might be time to make a sequel to that post.
So here it is! 10 MORE Weightlifting Tips for Archers!
#1. Proper Weightlifting Shoes, AKA Flats
What you might not know is that the shoe industry makes specific styles of shoes for weightlifters that allow them to build muscle faster when doing specific exercises. Indeed there is a bit of an argument within the weightlifting community as to which is better: Flats or Raised Heels.
Basically all you need to know is that there are pros and cons to both flats and raised heel shoes for weightlifters. All weightlifting shoes (regardless of whether they are flat or raised heel) are designed to have better traction to avoid slippage, a hard sole, and a snug fit. Where the two schools of thought differ is what activities the shoes are being used for:
Raised Heels are better for front squats, back squats, and Olympic style lifts and squats.
Flats are better for deadlifts, barbell rolls, wide stance squats, and basically everything else.
I should note also that for archery purposes, flats are best. If you are curious about why flats are best I recommend reading Steve Ruis' blog post on the topic of Leaning In, during which he rightly bashes crosstrainers (which I despise) and extolls the benefits of wearing flats.
#2. Learn Proper Form
The principle of learning proper form applies in weightlifting just like it does in archery. Whatever exercise you are doing please learn the proper way to safely do that exercise because: A. It builds muscle faster and B. It prevents injuries.
For example lets say you are doing a Back Dumbbell Row (an exercise which targets your rhomoids, deltoids and triceps) you need to be doing it properly.
To do a Back Dumbbell Row start by kneeling down on an exercise ball (or sofa or chair or bench) with the opposing arm holding onto a dumbbell. Slowly bring the dumbbell upwards to your chest keeping your elbow tight as possible into your body. Slowly bring the weight back down to the starting position.
A good starting weight to use for this exercise is 15 lbs.
#3. Learn Many Different Exercises
Don't limit yourself to just 1 to 3 exercises. Research new exercises and learn how to do them properly too. For example learn other versions of exercises that are similar, like the Front Dumbbell Row shown below:
Other exercises archers should try include:
Chin Ups or Reverse Grip Chin Ups
Close Grip Pulldowns
Dumbbell Bent Over Row
Exercise Band Standing Back Row
Lat Pulldown
One Arm Row
Power Clean / Hang Clean
Seated Row
Standing Row
Straight Arm Pulldowns
T-Bar Rows
#4. Invest in Quality Equipment that is Versatile
Just like you do with archery, invest in equipment you can use and keep using because of their versatility. Dumbbells for example are very versatile and can be used for hundreds of different exercises. Exercise balls in contrast are comparatively limited in terms of the number of things they can be used for and arguably are completely unnecessary when a chair, stool, pillow or other device could be substituted. Spend your money wisely on versatile equipment.
Also avoid buying cheap junk that breaks easily. Exercise balls can get punctured, a dumbbell in contrast is very difficult to break.
#5. Even Things Out
Don't just exercise the one body part like Homer Simpson did in that one episode. Work both sides of your body evenly. For archery purposes you might think you can get away with only exercising the one side, but trust me, you actually need both.
#6. Skip Anything Too Good To Be True
If a weightlifting gadget or supplement sounds like it is too good to be true, then it is. Don't waste your time or money on gadgets or supplements making ridiculous claims. The companies selling such products make their livings by selling to gullible suckers. Don't be a sucker.
#7. Supplements Only Help If Used Properly
Whey protein and Creatine supplements will help you to build muscle faster, but only if you are using them properly in the correct proportions for the amount of exercise you are actually getting. If you are only exercising for tiny amounts and then gorging yourself on whey protein, you are not going to get all the benefits you were dreaming of. Eat healthy, use minimal amounts of supplements, don't overdo it.
#8. Safety = Use Common Sense
You know the saying "Common sense is very uncommon." ? Well if it seems like a bad idea, then you probably should NOT do it. A lot of weightlifting accidents happen when people try to lift things that are way beyond their ability to lift and properly control.
The same thing goes in archery, as you should already be aware. Don't try to pull a bow you know you can't handle and hold steady properly.
#9. Get a Spotter
Honestly, having someone watch what you are doing is incredibly important for safety - especially with the heavy weights. If you drop it, cannot handle it, you could potentially hurt yourself or even kill yourself by accident.
#10. Try Bodyweight Exercises like Yoga or Gymnastics
Many different kinds of exercises utilize bodyweight instead of using dumbbells, barbells, etc. Yoga for example is very effective for using your bodyweight to give you the physical challenge of lifting your own body. Gymnastic exercises are also good for building the necessary strength.
So here it is! 10 MORE Weightlifting Tips for Archers!
#1. Proper Weightlifting Shoes, AKA Flats
What you might not know is that the shoe industry makes specific styles of shoes for weightlifters that allow them to build muscle faster when doing specific exercises. Indeed there is a bit of an argument within the weightlifting community as to which is better: Flats or Raised Heels.
Basically all you need to know is that there are pros and cons to both flats and raised heel shoes for weightlifters. All weightlifting shoes (regardless of whether they are flat or raised heel) are designed to have better traction to avoid slippage, a hard sole, and a snug fit. Where the two schools of thought differ is what activities the shoes are being used for:
Raised Heels are better for front squats, back squats, and Olympic style lifts and squats.
Flats are better for deadlifts, barbell rolls, wide stance squats, and basically everything else.
I should note also that for archery purposes, flats are best. If you are curious about why flats are best I recommend reading Steve Ruis' blog post on the topic of Leaning In, during which he rightly bashes crosstrainers (which I despise) and extolls the benefits of wearing flats.
#2. Learn Proper Form
The principle of learning proper form applies in weightlifting just like it does in archery. Whatever exercise you are doing please learn the proper way to safely do that exercise because: A. It builds muscle faster and B. It prevents injuries.
For example lets say you are doing a Back Dumbbell Row (an exercise which targets your rhomoids, deltoids and triceps) you need to be doing it properly.
To do a Back Dumbbell Row start by kneeling down on an exercise ball (or sofa or chair or bench) with the opposing arm holding onto a dumbbell. Slowly bring the dumbbell upwards to your chest keeping your elbow tight as possible into your body. Slowly bring the weight back down to the starting position.
A good starting weight to use for this exercise is 15 lbs.
#3. Learn Many Different Exercises
Don't limit yourself to just 1 to 3 exercises. Research new exercises and learn how to do them properly too. For example learn other versions of exercises that are similar, like the Front Dumbbell Row shown below:
Other exercises archers should try include:
Chin Ups or Reverse Grip Chin Ups
Close Grip Pulldowns
Dumbbell Bent Over Row
Exercise Band Standing Back Row
Lat Pulldown
One Arm Row
Power Clean / Hang Clean
Seated Row
Standing Row
Straight Arm Pulldowns
T-Bar Rows
#4. Invest in Quality Equipment that is Versatile
Just like you do with archery, invest in equipment you can use and keep using because of their versatility. Dumbbells for example are very versatile and can be used for hundreds of different exercises. Exercise balls in contrast are comparatively limited in terms of the number of things they can be used for and arguably are completely unnecessary when a chair, stool, pillow or other device could be substituted. Spend your money wisely on versatile equipment.
Also avoid buying cheap junk that breaks easily. Exercise balls can get punctured, a dumbbell in contrast is very difficult to break.
#5. Even Things Out
Don't just exercise the one body part like Homer Simpson did in that one episode. Work both sides of your body evenly. For archery purposes you might think you can get away with only exercising the one side, but trust me, you actually need both.
#6. Skip Anything Too Good To Be True
If a weightlifting gadget or supplement sounds like it is too good to be true, then it is. Don't waste your time or money on gadgets or supplements making ridiculous claims. The companies selling such products make their livings by selling to gullible suckers. Don't be a sucker.
#7. Supplements Only Help If Used Properly
Whey protein and Creatine supplements will help you to build muscle faster, but only if you are using them properly in the correct proportions for the amount of exercise you are actually getting. If you are only exercising for tiny amounts and then gorging yourself on whey protein, you are not going to get all the benefits you were dreaming of. Eat healthy, use minimal amounts of supplements, don't overdo it.
#8. Safety = Use Common Sense
You know the saying "Common sense is very uncommon." ? Well if it seems like a bad idea, then you probably should NOT do it. A lot of weightlifting accidents happen when people try to lift things that are way beyond their ability to lift and properly control.
The same thing goes in archery, as you should already be aware. Don't try to pull a bow you know you can't handle and hold steady properly.
#9. Get a Spotter
Honestly, having someone watch what you are doing is incredibly important for safety - especially with the heavy weights. If you drop it, cannot handle it, you could potentially hurt yourself or even kill yourself by accident.
#10. Try Bodyweight Exercises like Yoga or Gymnastics
Many different kinds of exercises utilize bodyweight instead of using dumbbells, barbells, etc. Yoga for example is very effective for using your bodyweight to give you the physical challenge of lifting your own body. Gymnastic exercises are also good for building the necessary strength.
Bow Shoulder Fatigue in Archery
If you have been shooting for a long time and start getting tired you will start to experience fatigue in your bow shoulder which will cause inconsistent shots.
When your shoulder gets tired your arrows will start making lines on the target - often perfectly straight diagonal lines like the image below. The shots below were performed by a student on June 2nd and I felt it was such a perfect example of shoulder fatigue that it deserved a photo.
What is happening in the photo above is the person is making almost no mistakes and the only problem they are experiencing is shoulder fatigue - and possibly inconsistent full draw.
This means the way to correct this problem is two fold:
#1. Take a break and relax. Your shoulder needs some time to recuperate.
#2. When shooting try to perfect your full draw so you are using more back muscles on your upper back (rhomboids) and less shoulder muscles (deltoids). Your back muscles should be tense and your bow shoulder should be relatively relaxed. (If you are unclear about the anatomical terms for muscles see Anatomical Terms for Athletes.)
Having stronger shoulder muscles does help, but it is not a cure. Ideally you need to be using your back muscles to be pulling the bow and stronger back muscles will do the most to help steady the bow. Thus if you are encountering this problem regularly you may want to consider regular exercises designed to make your rhomboids stronger (and to a lesser extent, stronger deltoids).
Pushups are a good example of an exercise that will target both your rhomboids and deltoids (and as a bonus, your triceps and pecs).
If you have dumbbells handy you can also do the exercise below to help strengthen the appropriate muscles. Like pushups, the exercise below will also target your rhomboids, deltoids and triceps. Because you are leaning forward it will also target your lower back too (traps).
If you are making no mistakes at all, you are not fatigued, and the wind is not a factor (low and steady wind) then you should be getting super tight clusters of arrows. Or even better, split your own arrow.
Want to perfect your archery form? Sign up for archery lessons in Toronto. Or keep reading my free archery tips.
When your shoulder gets tired your arrows will start making lines on the target - often perfectly straight diagonal lines like the image below. The shots below were performed by a student on June 2nd and I felt it was such a perfect example of shoulder fatigue that it deserved a photo.
What is happening in the photo above is the person is making almost no mistakes and the only problem they are experiencing is shoulder fatigue - and possibly inconsistent full draw.
This means the way to correct this problem is two fold:
#1. Take a break and relax. Your shoulder needs some time to recuperate.
#2. When shooting try to perfect your full draw so you are using more back muscles on your upper back (rhomboids) and less shoulder muscles (deltoids). Your back muscles should be tense and your bow shoulder should be relatively relaxed. (If you are unclear about the anatomical terms for muscles see Anatomical Terms for Athletes.)
Having stronger shoulder muscles does help, but it is not a cure. Ideally you need to be using your back muscles to be pulling the bow and stronger back muscles will do the most to help steady the bow. Thus if you are encountering this problem regularly you may want to consider regular exercises designed to make your rhomboids stronger (and to a lesser extent, stronger deltoids).
Pushups are a good example of an exercise that will target both your rhomboids and deltoids (and as a bonus, your triceps and pecs).
If you have dumbbells handy you can also do the exercise below to help strengthen the appropriate muscles. Like pushups, the exercise below will also target your rhomboids, deltoids and triceps. Because you are leaning forward it will also target your lower back too (traps).
If you are making no mistakes at all, you are not fatigued, and the wind is not a factor (low and steady wind) then you should be getting super tight clusters of arrows. Or even better, split your own arrow.
Want to perfect your archery form? Sign up for archery lessons in Toronto. Or keep reading my free archery tips.
Archery Clusters and Targets
I shot the cluster of arrows below on June 3rd while doing some personal archery practice. The target butt was so soft the arrows were penetrating right out the back of the target butt in a nicely grouped cluster roughly the size of a Canadian quarter.
Evidently I should be shooting at a different location of the target to avoid having my arrows penetrating so deep, but there was a target at that location on the opposite side of the target butt that was "just begging to be shot".
In the background on the 2nd target butt you can see an empty water bottle dangling from a string tied to a broken arrow. If you are familiar with my practice of shooting at moving targets then you may have read my previous post from August 2014 wherein I Robin Hooded (split) an arrow on a moving target. See Robin Hooding a Moving Target.
Hot Tip for Shooting at Moving Targets - Learn how to Gap Shoot.
If you don't know how to gap shoot, sign up for archery lessons in Toronto.
Evidently I should be shooting at a different location of the target to avoid having my arrows penetrating so deep, but there was a target at that location on the opposite side of the target butt that was "just begging to be shot".
In the background on the 2nd target butt you can see an empty water bottle dangling from a string tied to a broken arrow. If you are familiar with my practice of shooting at moving targets then you may have read my previous post from August 2014 wherein I Robin Hooded (split) an arrow on a moving target. See Robin Hooding a Moving Target.
Hot Tip for Shooting at Moving Targets - Learn how to Gap Shoot.
If you don't know how to gap shoot, sign up for archery lessons in Toronto.
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