I wanted to give you a glimpse of the tools I use for training at home.
These days I'm focused on functional, effective, consistent training. The above collection of tools allows me to maintain a base level to build on.
Items:
I love this thing. Functional and versatile, this 36 pound "primal-bell" from Onnit also doubles as one of my favourite pieces of art. For a good introduction on kettlebell use, I would check out Pavel Tsatsouline.
My go-to Kettlebell workout:
(timed)
- 5 slow Turkish get-up
- 100 kettlebell swings
- 50 pushups
- 50 front squats
- 20 snatches each arm
- 20 clean and presses each arm
Key for use on the thoracic spine, especially if you're at a desk for longer periods. For a good introduction on mobility and self-maintenance, check out Kelly Starrett's course on Creative Live.
I put this together out of rollerblade wheels, and it substitutes well as a more dense roller for use on the calf muscles.
Lacrosse Ball
Look into self-myofascial release. The lacrosse ball is used for targeting of specific areas, especially "trigger points" on the back or glutes. Apply pressure on the ball until you find one of these trigger points and stay with that sensation for a good 30 seconds. Another great use is for release of tissue around the chest. If you're finding that rounded shoulder hunched over feel from sitting at a screen all day, don't neglect the front side of the body. Also great for rolling out the bottom of your feet.
Great for joint compression, this band is used to wrap and isolate joints while taking them through full range of motion. This helps restore sliding surface function of the underlying tissues. Something to experiment with.
Parallel Bars
These bars are useful for body-weight training, giving the hands some clearance off of the ground. My goal with these is to be able to perform a press to handstand.
Useful for either warming up your muscles or getting in a little deeper to release some of the fascia.
Resistance Band
This is a great warm up tool, especially for the shoulders.
Wooden Stick
Find an old broom handle or something roughly the size of a barbell. It's a great way to "grease the groove" of movements you are practicing, especially olympic lifts. An overhead squat with one of these is a good diagnostic tool to see which tight areas of your system need work.
This falls under the experimental category. Over the past year I've made breath-work a large focus via Wim Hof. I see this altitude training mask as a way to better understand breathing mechanics, a way to strengthen the diaphragm muscles. It encourages efficient breathing, and forces correct breathing patterns. Ideally used for warm up. I also like to do an intense exercise and put it on immediately after to signal my system to slow down and breathe properly.
For a great routine to activate your muscles prior to training, check out this example from Dr. Peter Attia. For ideas on training, check out the daily training posted on XPT.