Precipitation

Today, Jarmo sent in some suggestions for lava workouts during adverse weather, replete with black and white muscles from the previous century. I quote:

"It's raining. Lava workout of the day:

Jetpacks: 4 sets, 25 reps or until failure. Use jetpack chair or hang from a bar if you're a real baller. Raise legs, keep knees from bending as much as possible. Do this hard up, slow down and try not to blow your brain. This exercise will increase your core strength, allow you to better momentum in leg-swinging movements, and increase your cerebral fortitude.

Wide grip chins: 3 sets, 10-15 reps or until failure. Grip

wide, overhand. Pull up and try to touch your nipples to the bar, if you're a dude. Doing these will strengthen your back, biceps, forearms, and hands, which are all vital for hanging, climbing, and doing pretty much anything in lava.

Pullovers: 3 sets, 10 reps or until failure. Read the directions in the picture (right). These increase the size of your thorax. Additionally, they will give you better range of motion in your shoulders to prevent injury, and will help climbing and hanging movements.

Wrist curls: 3 sets, 10 reps or until failure, 80% of your body weight. Stand with barbell held behind your back, hanging at waist level. Curl up, hold momentarily, and ease down for 1 repetition. Open your hands as you lower the bar and let the bar roll slightly down your fingers. This will increase your grip strength and forearm size, both of which are vital for many climbs and long hangs.

Dumbell flys: 3 sets, 10 reps or until failure. Read the directions in the picture. This exercise focuses on the chest, which is important when bear-hugging objects, climbing underneath structures, or doing orangutan maneuvers.

Conversely, one could also always go and play lava in the rain. Or eat Chinese food, pizza, potato chips, and play video games. On a related note, Dan and I tried for the first time a workout Jarmo had suggested earlier in the year. I'll post photos from that and explanation tomorrow.

For now check out this sweet playground we found at the end of Birch Hollow in Ann Arbor. It was like an acid trip spiderweb, and full of new possibilities, including a dunkstick onto that netting, a move which, incidentally, turns out to be harder than Link makes it look in the games. So that is that for now. Hope everyone is climbing safelyish and not burning too many singe holes in their shoes/eyes/brains. Tomorrow I will post Jarmo's other workout challenge and a new move of the day.