Kategorienarchive: Equipment & Tech

equipment-tech

The importance of content marketing for companies is growing – infographic

  von Jens Baltrusch | 9. Januar 2013 - 05:48 |
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http://www.creativeconstruction.de/blog/infografik-content-marketing-statistiken-2012″ >http://www.creativeconstruction.de/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Infografik_short2.2.jpg” title=”Content-Marketing” alt=”Content-Marketing” border=”0″ /> Courtesy of: http://www.creativeconstruction.de/” >CREATIVE CONSTRUCTION HEROES

Infocus Magazine: workout everywhere – with lightweight equipment

  von Jens Baltrusch | 30. Oktober 2012 - 10:07 | , ,
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thumb_jens_baltrusch_infocus_magazine_october_2012

This Article was featured by Infocus Magazine in my monthly column on http://www.infocus-magazine.com/article/JensBaltrusch/; visit Infocus Magazine to get an insight into Floridas film, television and arts industry – and get back to my upcoming November column next week!

Workout everywhere – with lightweight equipment
By Jens Baltrusch

When you are travelling a lot from set to set, you might search for excuses not to workout, such as „I can`t take my dumbbells with me“… Skip this excuse next time, here is a short list of very effective training tools with which you can train everywhere!
 
Skipping Ropes
 
There are various kinds of skipping ropes that differ in terms of material used, their weights and the related swing action. Generali, I train with the simple plastic skipping ropes. They are available at a low price and they are easy to transport and clean. One can make the workout even more challenging by choosing a jump rope made of another material or with small weights attached to the handles.
I would certainly recommend a skipping rope with additional weight for users with advanced skills who want to place an emphasis on arm or shoulder muscles workout. The skipping ropes, which are made of higher quality materials and with ergonomic handles, are more expensive but they are also much easier to work with. Test various ropes and opt for one with which you can jump well. In the end it is the weight of the rope that counts when I travel, and that is unbeatably low with ropes made from simple synthetic materials with no grips.
Take the rope with you in your suitcase, go out and train in the next park. Train in short intervals and switch from rope skipping to push ups, from rope skipping to stabilization or stretching exercises. Be creative and compose your own workouts with all the exercises you know. The intervalls can be demanding or relaxing by changing exercise speed or length of intervals. You should vary the intensity consciously depending on your daily halth condition from easy to hard.
 
Rubber bands
 
Rubber bands are very useful and versatile training tools and they belong in any health-oriented household. I have a whole collection at home and I also recommend you to get a selection of bands. Choose the bands according to the intensity of your training or exercise –very light to very heavy resistance. Exercises with rubber bands are a basis of all of my outdoor workouts as the bands are light-weight and they save space. The color layout for the bands varies between the lowest and highest tension resistance, for which the strengths generally lie between 0.5-10 kg, depending on the manufacturer.
Just like the dumbbells, with the higher resistance bands you can strengthen your muscles effectively. The lower resistance bands are used for therapeutic exercises. With a huge selection of such rubber bands, you can make different training plans for exercise focusing on different parts of your body. These bands may not have a longer shelflife because particularly for outdoor workouts, they undergo faster wear and tear as they are often attached to fixed and rough surfaces. It is quite normal for such wear and tear to happen for low-priced rubber bands and they will wear down soon even if you use the bands in the interiors.
Always make sure to check the tapes for cracks before each workout. A snapped tape must be thrown away directly – keep the torn parts of usable length for exercises that demand little degree of freedom for movement.
 
TRX
 
You are travelling a lot, but did not hear about TRX? It is a great training tool with which you train your whole body effectively. Basically, this is a long strap with two handles at both ends which you fix at the door with a door anchor, at the ceiling or a tree. By using your bodyweight in different positions and with different movements you can vary the training intervals from easy to hard. The TRX is lightweight and fits into a small bag. I just returned from my holiday in Turkey where I trained every day at the beach by fixing the TRX at a palm tree.
 
No Equipment needed for YOGA
 
Just to mention, you do not even need equipment for effective training. Search in internet for some sample Yoga videos and train in your hotel room. There are endless Yoga style and difficulty variations from easy to hard. Yoga is one of the best disciplines to train mind and body at the same time. You train your whole body without equipment, just with your bodyweight.
 
Finally…
 
I always like to mix various training tools and styles. Visit my website www.jensbaltrusch.com or my Facebook group www.facebook.com/Wellness.Magazine to see some sample training videos or take part in an online review of my actual book release «Spa Beach Workout» and get more health related tipps! No excuse not tot rain when you are travelling a lot, because you just need to take the right equipment with you and look for sample training videos in internet. It is easy to stay fit and healthy, no matter where you are!

Springboost Switzerland – a shoe trend stepping up

  von Jens Baltrusch | 20. Juni 2012 - 20:46 |
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dorsi_new

This shoes are something special – I wear a pair of „Springboost“ for some weeks now. Why do I think that this is something special and could help you? The shoes have a healthy construction, which I am excited about, and that is not just a marketing buzz.

Here is how it works: with other shoes you are standing and walking with your heal pointing upwards – with Springboost shoes you are positioned with your heal downwards.

Here is why it matters: besides other effects, the most important are training of your flexibility of achilles, calfes and hamstrings and, at the same time, you improve your posture.

Think about it : one of our todays health problems is the vast occurrence of shortened, strained and weakened muscles. Especially the shortening of the backside (hamstrings, calves and lower back) is caused by seating and not moving for several hours per day.

This has a negative impact on your posture and movement pattern and, in the long run as a result, causes serious back and joint problems. If you get active, move and stretch, it helps the strained muscles to relax get back to normal status. In combination with body posture exercises, e.g. Pilates, functional training or Yoga, you apply an effective strategy against this problem.

I like the idea of Springboost to support a healthy lifestyle. The shoes of Springboost support the lengthening of your whole backside. See the picture below to understand how it works :

with courtesy of Springboost

 

Step by Step you can lay soles with a different angle into the shoes to place more emphasis on stretching (picture below).

with courtesy of Springboost

 

The only thing you have to take care of is that you don`t rush things. If you stretch too much in the beginning, It hurts as if you push too much into a stretching exercise. Imagine the strained muscle and how it works. It needs time to stretch to normal. This is why Springboost offers soles with different angles, so that you can start with the kind of stretch which is suitable for your flexibility in calves, achilles and hamstring area.

When I started to wear the shoes (I tried the model „Iguana“, which is an outdoor shoe),

IGUANA-SPRINGBOOST-OUTDOOR

 

I first needed to get used to the different position and the stretch. I started with sole „1“ to get used to. My muscles in the calf and achilles area were strained a little, because I usally bike and run a lot in addition to my outdoor fitness workouts. I noticed directly that you stand more upright in this shoes.

 

with courtesy of Springboost

 

It is logically if you see the picture obove: the back line of your body gets lengthened when standing with your heel downwards.

I have to say that the shoes are really comfortable and that the sole system really helped me to focus my strained calves in addition to my stretching routine. Another useful aspect is that you do not only stretch when wearing the shoes, but you also activate more muscles and support a natural blood flow. Why is this important? When you activate muscles several times per day, the muscles get less strained and more trained (picture below).

 

with courtesy of Springboost

 

An optimal blood flow, in addition to many other health benefits, is essential to support your metabolism and overal health situation. With a good blood flow your whole body has a better supply of oxygen, nutrients and minerals and, if you break it down to your daily life, you may reduce tiredness and even support weight loss. Small things make the difference!

Keep updated with my wellness magazine when I get more into detail with the next article about «Springboost» !

 

Here is the Link to Springboost Website: http://www.springboost.ch/

T BOW – functional training in a fun way

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  von Jens Baltrusch | 7. April 2012 - 12:57 | ,
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I like to train with tbow as alternative to balance boards. It is interesting, various and allows coordination and strength training as well as stretching exercises. You can combine it e.g. with strength band training and fix the bands at the board. Also it is light and well storable and a good tool for home fitness workouts. Visit the website of the producer: http://www.t-bow.ch/

 

 

 

 

Smartphone Sport Application Test: Smart Distance (Golf)

  von Jens Baltrusch | 8. März 2012 - 17:36 |
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smart disstance 1

I tested today this Android application, which can easily measure the distance from your point of view to a target. It works in no time: You just have to guess the height of your target and hold you phone still. Then you try to bring the two green lines close to the upper and lower side of the target and you will see the distance directly on the screen.

My judgement: On the golf course it still might work (the developer sais it works up to 1 km), but the further your target is, the harder it is to keep a still hand for measurement. I tested it today on few hundred meters on the golf course and it was good for a first guess of the distance, but I do not think that it was really exact (how could it it you hold it in your hands). Anyway I give it a plus and will use it again because I like the ease with which you can handle it – and it is gratis ;-) Here is the application link of Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kr.sira.distance
Or you can get in the Android market on your smartphone

Interval endurance training with a bike

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  von Jens Baltrusch | 8. März 2012 - 13:30 | , ,
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I use my bike regularly for touring, but also for interval training to boost metabolism and heart circulation.

An easy landscape profile is great for leisure and recovery. But did you ever include interval bike rides into your training schedule? It is demanding, but a profitable training variation when you are not used to it. Choose a profile with some hills and speed up  the hill. Or when you drive on flat terrain vary the training speed. Start with few intervals, e.g. 3 times fast 500 m and 3 times slow 500 m alternating, and increase length and difficulty with training level. When you are advanced, you can include 2 times 5-10 intervals (500-1000m).
Include interval training 1-3 times per week into your weekly training and make sure you have an easy training unit or sauna/massage on the next day to recover. Depending on training intensity and fitness level it takes up to 72 hours to fully recover. Make sure you support your body!
Interval training also goes well with any weight loss program, because you lose a lot of calories like this. It is also an important part of any sportive training schedule.

Train hard (sometimes!) – but smart (always)!
;-)

My running shoe combo for this season

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  von Jens Baltrusch | 5. März 2012 - 17:03 | ,
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I run with two pairs of running shoes per saison, one pair for good weather and one for wet weather conditions.

For wet weather i made good experience with Salomon xt series, which was a great choice for last autumm and winter. The shoes are absolutely solid and waterresistant trailrunners. Also in snow or on slippery surfaces you have a better grip than with lots of other running shoes. The feet never get wet!

For warm weather i picked this time Nike Pegasus, which are comfortable and well cushioned. In general I do not prefer a special brand, but by coincidence i had the same brands last season. Earlier, I used shoes from Asics and Adidas with which I also felt very comfortable. I decide a little spontaniously, but also by price, design, functionality and comfort and try to find the best deal then. After all, you have to feel well with your shoes, that`s most important.

Outdoor Fitness – Progressive Strength Band Training

  von Jens Baltrusch | 3. März 2012 - 22:01 | , ,
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I was outdoors today and did a progressive training with strength bands – just with 2-3 strength bands you can train with a resistance up to 20-30 kg and place an effective impulse on your muscles. Make sure you take strength bands with you when you go running next time!