When I  love something I want to share it. In my last post, I mentioned that I’m doing a summer yoga challenge and I’ve been using an app called Yoga Studio.

Yoga Studio is the best yoga app I’ve found. It is perfect for those of us who are looking for yoga options that don’t involve going to a studio. While going to a studio is ideal it can also be inconvenient or cost prohibitive for some. Or perhaps you already go to a studio but would like another yoga at home option.

Yoga Studio is it!

I’ve been trying a number of different ways to do yoga while traveling. I borrowed a few DVDs  from the library when we were in Breckenridge but didn’t like being stuck in front of my computer. (For those of you who don’t know, I’m the self-proclaimed outdoor workout queen. I take my kettlebells to the beach, to mountain tops, to lakes, anywhere to avoid being stuck inside.) So I started a search the best yoga app and I found it with the Yoga Studio App. It’s like having a yoga studio in your pocket.

Before buying Yoga Studio, I tried a few other free yoga apps that either had a few free workouts and then you had to buy individual or the instruction was unclear or the video play wasn’t smooth. After a few weeks of trying the free apps, I decided to spend a whopping $2.99 for Yoga Studio which has over 16 hours of easy to follow classes plus a whole lot of other cool features. It’s the best yoga app I’ve found.

The best yoga app? Why?

Okay. So let’s take a look at the Yoga Studio features and see why I think it’s the best yoga app I’ve found.

Studio

Your “studio”, the classes you have downloaded, is the home screen of the app. From here you can start a class, change your settings (see below), or sort your classes.

Classes

You can choose studio classes or create your own classes.

Studio Classes

There are 30 ready made studio classes available for download. They can be sorted by ability, focus, or duration. In the screenshot above I have them sorted by focus. The checkmark indicates a class I have downloaded.

Let’s talk about downloading for a second since many of us are mindful about how much space we use on our phones. I have downloaded most of beginner classes which take up 389 MB of space on my phone. That’s not too bad considering I have immediate access to 8 different classes ranging from 15 to 60 minutes in duration.

Custom Classes

You can create your own classes by adding poses and pose blocks from the pose library. After you add a pose you can use their timing or you can adjust how long you want to hold each pose.

Once you create a class you can set the photo, title of the class, and classify your class by ability, focus, and intensity.

I have yet to create my own class other than for the purpose of this review but I can imagine that this would be a fun option for those who are more familiar with yoga sequencing.

Pose Library

Poses is the third main screen. From here you can search or scroll through all the poses, pose blocks, or just see your favorites.

There are 285 poses that can be sorted by type, ability, and focus.

By tapping on a pose you will be given a written description, a list of benefits, modifications for beginners, advanced variations, and how to “be careful”, i.e., you may want to avoid if you have (insert body part) inflammation. You can also “star” poses as favorites on this screen.

There are also 20 ready made pose blocks that you can look at in detail or add to your custom classes.

Schedule

Yoga Studio also gives you option to schedule classes on your phone. I don’t do this but it could be a helpful tool is you are prone to putting off your practice/workout.

Settings

It took me a few days to realize you could customize your settings which are accessed from the studio screen. For the “studio classes” you can choose between the teacher, pose names, or a glass ting for cueing. I prefer the directions of the teacher as I find them helpful and her voice is not at all annoying.

If you choose to make your own custom classes, “my classes”,  you can choose between pose names and a glass ting to indicate pose changes.

While the ready made music isn’t bad at all (I sometimes choose to use it) I was really excited to discover I could make my own playlists from the music on my phone and then select my custom playlist to be played during the classes. You can also control how loud you want the music in relation to the instruction or you can turn off the music all together.

You can also choose to turn on or off the progress bar (shown in the picture above) as well as have the option to swipe the screen to skip poses.

Like kettlebells, I love the convenience of being able to practice whenever I want wherever I want. The other day I found a quiet spot in Yellowstone and did a 15 minute Yoga Studio class. It was bliss!

My only complaint is that I didn’t try Yoga Studio sooner. Seriously.

And just for the record all the reviews I write are always my own opinion. While I sometimes receive items for free (always stuff I really want to try) to review, I purchased Yoga Studio with my own hard earned money, all three dollars of it. It works out to 10 cents a class. If you create your own classes then it’s even less.  I would not have been disappointed to have paid ten times as much. It is the best $2.99 I’ve spent in a long time. You can buy Yoga Studio here.

Do you have any fitness apps that you just love? I’ve tried a few different ones but right now Yoga Studio is my favorite. It’s the best! I’m using it every day.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States.

The post Best Yoga App – Yoga Studio App Review appeared first on Girl Heroes.

So I haven’t got back to a regular workout schedule since we’ve been on the move and to keep myself accountable I’m going to post my weekly workout locations again.

As much as I miss my little gym at the campground in Breckridge, I’m loving the adventure of traveling full time again.

I’m loving working out with a view of the city.

I’m loving working out in the solitude of the mountains.

I’m loving hiking through amazing rock formations.

I’m loving my new Lucy Perfect Booty Pants.

No matter how lean I get my booty (and thighs) is always the last thing to lean out. I can be rocking a six pack (Admittedly it’s been awhile and I’m totally ok with that.) but I’ll still have plenty of junk in the trunk to tame. In other words, I’m always on the lookout for pants that flatter and shape my derrière.

The team at Lucy decided to build off of their “perfect core technology” and apply it to the derrière, hence, the “perfect booty” pants. The pants have built in compression panels that are designed to help you to engage the glutes for a more effective workout. I can’t honestly say that they consciously remind me to engage my glutes more but the strategically placed seams do give my booty a boost!

The Perfect Booty Pants may be all about the booty but they didn’t forget about the tummy. I really love seams on the front of the waist.

While the price of these pants is, admittedly, a bit on the steep side, the quality is outstanding. I’ve worn them in the gym, outside on the ground, around town, and I’ve yet to find one loose thread or pill in the fabric. It’s also worth mentioning that I never dry my nicer workout pants in the dryer. Never say never because one day I spaced it and threw these pants in the dyer on high heat. The pants made it through looking as good as new and without any shrinkage. It’s a good thing because I got the short length (I’m 5′ 3″) and the length fits perfect.

I still may not have a “perfect” (Perfection is relative, right!) booty but the Lucy Perfect Booty Pants do a darn good job of making the most of what I got!

So what are you loving lately? 

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States.

Disclosure: I was provided a pair of Lucy Perfect Booty Pants for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.

The post Loving Life and My Lucy Perfect Booty Pants appeared first on Girl Heroes.

In today’s chemical laden world eating clean sometimes means more than fruits and vegetables.

Over the years, I’ve slowly been replacing plastic with glass and stainless steel.

I started with our water bottles.

Then moved on to food storage containers.

But I have still been using plastic for packing lunches.

Until I tried the MIRA Stainless Steel 3 Container Set.

Mira Stainless Steel reusable containers are made of 18/8 food-grade stainless steel and have non-toxic snap on lids (in fun colors I might add) that are free of BPA, PVC, and lead.

They are a perfect size for lunch or snacks on-the-go.

The larger container is 16 oz, the medium is 8 oz, and the small is 5 oz.

The only downside is that the large is a bit small for this monster sized salad girl.

Each container has a snap on lid and so far I haven’t noticed any leakage.

 The three containers nest inside of each other for space saving storage.

A huge plus since my kitchen is smaller than the average closet.

Mira has generously offered to giveaway one set of stainless steel containers to one Girl Heroes reader.

You have a few ways to win. Just fill out the form below.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway open to US residents 18 and older only.

*If you are on your phone it may take a few moments for the form to load or if you received this post through email you may need to click through to see the form.

Have you made the switch from plastic? What is your favorite lunch or snack to pack?

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States.

Disclosure: I was provided a set of Mira stainless steel containers for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.

The post Eat Cleaner On the Go with Mira Stainless Steel Containers – Giveaway appeared first on Girl Heroes.

I’ve never owned a hydration pack but after a few days on the slopes, I knew there had to be a better way to stay hydrated than continual trips into the lodge for a few sips of water. So I was thrilled to be able to try and now share a CamelBak Review.

CamelBak Review

The Ice Queen CamelBak was designed for winter weather. It’s a ski/snowboard hydration pack designed to keep you hydrated during cold temperatures.

It’s also been perfect for winter hiking.

If I get lost I may become lunch for a mountain lion but at least I won’t have to worry about dehydration.

Unless you count the garden hose (or a straw), I had never drank out of a tube so I was unsure how I would feel about drinking out of Camelbak’s patented Big Bite™ valve. Would it feel weird? Would would I have to suck so hard to get water that I’d pass out? Nope. You just gently bite the tube and sip like a straw. It couldn’t be easier.

To insure all day hydration, the tube from the reservoir to the Big Bite™ valve is insulated  to prevent freezing and (it’s a little hard to see in the picture) if you are going out on a really cold day the tube and valve can be zipped into the  shoulder strap to further prevent freezing.  So unless you are hiking in Antartica you shouldn’t have any freeze ups.

(While I’ haven’t tried it I’m guessing the insulation may help keep water cool in the summer.)

The Ice Queen CamelBak (and the men’s version Snoblast) is designed to carry helmet, goggles, extra layers, lunch, phone, wallet, and keys. When I first pulled it out of the box I was a little skeptical that it could carry all that but I was wrong. As you see in the picture above my helmet fits just fine and there is plenty of room in the bottom of the pack for my other essentials: lunch, wrist guards, gloves, glove liners, hat, and keys.

Although there is room for my helmet, I prefer to clip it to one of the lash points for convenience.

(If there is one downside to this pack it’s the color. The white looks really pretty and feminine especially with the deep purple embroidery against my jacket but it’s a little hard to keep clean. I recommend going with a darker color unless you just love the white.)

The Ice Queen CamelBack harness is specifically designed to fit women. I’ve worn my CamelBack for up to 7 hours on the slopes without any discomfort.

The Antidote™ reservoir is easy to fill and features a 1/4 turn – easy open/close cap.  However, the most import thing to me was that it’s 100% BPA free. The second most important thing to me when looking for a winter hydration pack was finding one that didn’t leak and the CamelBak Ice Queen has lived up to my expectations.

It has also held up during two months of riding. I’ve fallen hard on my back more than I care to admit and the reservoir shows zero signs of wear or leakage. Not only has it been durable I forget it’s there while I’m on the snow. I can feel it on the lift but it’s not uncomfortable by any means. In fact, on the ride up is when I’m most thankful for my CamelBak because that is when I hydrate.

Or sometimes I just sit and take in the view while having a few sips of water.

Like I said, I never owned a hydration pack before and after using the Ice Queen CamelBack for two months, I can sum up my CamelBak review in one sentence.

I’m never going back to carrying water bottles for outdoor adventures.

Not only can water bottles be cumbersome to carry around, I find myself too lazy to pull it out of my backpack. With a CamelBak there is not excuse not to stay hydrated.

As if the convenience factor of being able to stay hydrated while you play isn’t enough, CamelBak also offers a lifetime “Got Your Bak™” guarantee for all reservoirs, backpacks, bottles and accessories. That is customer service I can “bak”.

Anyway…

Do you use a hydration pack? What’s your experience? Anything to add to my CamelBack review?

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

Disclosure: I was provided a Ice Queen CamelBak  for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.

The post Stay Hydrated Ice Queen: A Winter CamelBak Review appeared first on Girl Heroes.

When we decided to spent the winter in the mountains of Colorado I knew I needed some new cold weather gear.

I especially knew I needed some warm winter boots since I’m trying to walk 3,000,000 steps this year.

So I began a search for cute winter boots…errr….I mean the best winter boots.

Because when it’s -7° function trumps fashion.

Then I came across the Teva Jordanelle.

I’ll get to the point.

Best Winter Boots. Ever.

Seriously.

National Geographic included the Teva Jordanelle boots as part of their “Gear of the Year”.

(You can also read the 5 star reviews on Teva)

Having grown up with the puffy moon boots of yesteryear I didn’t know cute winter boots existed.

Much less cute WARM winter boots.

When you are facing near or below freezing temperatures everyday then good gear can make all the difference between being comfortable or miserable.

Over the past month, I have put my Teva Jordanelle boots through the test.

Shovel snow at near 0° weather for over an hour and still have warm dry feet?

Check.

I really did shovel snow one in the dark and below freezing  for over an hour. Not only did my feet stay warm and dry in my Teva Jordanelle boots I got in a great workout. 

Hike up snowy slick terrain and not lose footing?

Check.

I’ve put them to test on The Colorado Trail which is within walking distance of our campground.
How awesome is that!!

Leap like a gazelle more than 10x for photos because you still think you are 12 and not slip once?

Check.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Or one. Weirdo.

The cutest winter boots around?

Check.

You have to decide that for yourself but I love kicking around town in my Teva Jordanelle boots.

Multifunctional?

Check.

The liner slips out to make warm booties for hanging out around the house.

Compact for travel?

Check.

The upper part of the Teva Jordanelle boot folds down making it the size of an ordinary shoe and the Jordanelle is light making it great for travel (and hiking).

Not only have the Teva Jordanelle boots passed my “best winter boot” test but they come in 3 cute colors.

Here is the best part!!!

I loved these boots so much that I asked Teva if they would giveaway a pair to one of you guys and they said YES!

Did you hear that!

Teva has offered to giveaway ONE PAIR of  JORDANELLE boots to a Girl Heroes reader.

I’m stoked!!!

You have a number of ways to win! To enter fill out the form below.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveway open to US and Canadian residents 18 and older only.l

*If you are on your phone it may take a few moments for the form to load or if you received this post through email you may need to click through to see the form.

How are you staying warm this winter? 

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

Disclosure: I was provided a pair of Teva Jordanelle boots  for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.

The post Best Winter Boots Ever: Teva Jordanelle Review (and giveaway!!!) appeared first on Girl Heroes.

The New Year is just around the corner and with that comes a slew of New Year’s Resolutions.

This is year I’m taking a different approach t0 resolutions rather than change a “bad habit” I’ve decided to improve upon an already good habit, walking. I’m setting a goal to walk at least 3, 000,000 steps in 2013! Three million steps may sound like a lot until you break it down and see it’s 10,000 steps on 3oo hundred days of 2013.  Totally doable!

Reaching that goal is going to be simpler with my new Fitbit Zip.

The Zip is a newish gadget from Fitbit. Zip tracks your number of steps, calories burned, distance, and it is a clock. It automatically (after intial set up) and wirelessly syncs to your computer and select smartphones.

Here is what I think after wearing the Fitbit Zip for a over month now.

Fitbit Zip Review

“Yeah yeah!!!”

Secure: My Fitbit Zip stays in place all day long whether clipped to the my waistband, inside my pocket, or on my bra.

Easy to Read: A few taps on the screen scrolls through your stats. If you have a compatible smartphone you can check your stats without even looking at the device.

Motivating: The Fitbit Zip is great for those who want to move more and need a little extra push to get up. (Ahem!)

Screenshot of Fitbit Dashboard

Screenshot of Mobile Fitbit App

No Monthly Subscription Fee:  When you purchase the Zip you gain access to their free (and easy to use) online dashboard and free mobile app which shows your daily and cumulative progress.

Syncs with Other Health Apps: I just recently opened up a MyFitnessPal to account to stay accountable to a friend. (Do I really want that extra glass of wine?) I was excited to find out that MyFitnessPal syncs my meals and activities to my Fitbit account and adjusts my daily net calorie goal based on my activity. Check out the list of Fitbit compatible apps.

The Initial Set Up: The initial set up was easy. You just insert the battery using the battery door tool and set up your free Fitbit account and sync using the USB dongle.

Excellent Customer Service: I had a few questions about synching to my computer (I didn’t realize I needed to keep the dongle in my USB port.) and Fitbit emailed me back quickly with a friendly and helpful response.

Fun!!!: It’s fun to go on a hike and see how much you walked. It’s fun to look at your progress on your Fitbit dashboard. It’s fun to set and reach goals. It’s fun to get an email congratulating you on reaching your goals.

“Hmmm???”

Remember to Add Your Activity:  You have to enter any extra activity other than walking separately to get a more accurate calorie burn. This is especially important if you are tracking your calories. You want to make sure you are eating enough to support your caloric output so your metabolism stays firing so don’t forget to add that extra activity.

Not always lightening fast: Most of the time it syncs quickly but sometimes it takes a minute or two to sync to my computer or phone. Not a big deal but wanted to let you know.

Not rechargeable: Unlike it’s cousin the Fitbit, the Zip is not rechargeable and uses a watch battery. The battery will last 4-6 months. On one hand I would prefer it to be rechargeable. On the other hand, it’s really great to not have an extra cord to deal with or have to remember to charge it.

Questions you may have about my Fitbit Zip Review.

What is the difference between the Fitbit One and the Fitbit Zip?

The Zip is less expensive than the One. The Zip doesn’t track sleep, floors climbed, or have an alarm. You can compare the Fitbit Zip to the Fitbit One side by side here.

How big is the Fitbit Zip?

It’s small but not so small that you worry about losing it. I also don’t have any trouble hiding it when I want to wear it but not see it.

Do you think the calorie burn is accurate?

I have never had my metabolism professionally tested so I can’t comment with certainty on its accuracy. I will say I  think it is a very good estimate. My calories burned on the Zip (as long as I add my extra activities) are comparable to other activity trackers I have used.  As always it’s most important to listen to your body over a device. If you are hungry then eat. If you are exhausted then rest no matter what a device says. I use the Fitbit Zip as it is intended as a motivational tool and it’s AWESOME! Most of my favorite activities are sedentary and the Zip gives me the motivation I need to get up and move more. 

Fitbit Zip Giveaway

Here is the best part of my Fitbit Zip review!! You can win a Fitbit Zip to help you reach your New Year’s goals!!! Fitbit has generously offered to give one Zip away to a Girl Heroes reader.  

You have up to 6 chances to win! To enter fill out the form below. (If you are on your phone it may take a few moments for the form to load.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway open to US residents 18 and older only!

Have you ever used a Fitbit Zip or other activity tracker?  What was your experience? Are you setting any fitness goals for 2013? 

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel full time in RV through the United States!

Disclosure: I was provided a Fitbit Zip  for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.

The post Fitbit Zip Review (and Giveaway!!!!!) appeared first on Girl Heroes.

If I was going to invest in just two pieces of equipment it would be a kettlebell and a foam roller. Thankfully, we have the space for a little more equipment in our RV but if I had to narrow it down to just two a foam roller would be one of them. Recently, I was sent the Rumble Roller to review.

Over the last few years, I’ve come to believe that foam rolling is not optional. It’s sort of like like flossing teeth, I may or may not love it but it’s worth the effort and time. What a a shame to go to the trouble of building stronger muscles and connective tissues and then not take care of it all.

My experience with the Rumble Roller.

Before using the Rumble Roller I was using a conventional smooth roller. It was serving its purpose but it seemed like no matter how much I used it (along with mobility drills) my achey hamstring (I pulled one of my hamstrings when I was doing taekwondo) would not stop acting up. I’ve been using the Rumble Roller for over a month now and, I kid you not, the pain in my my hamstring has all but disappeared. Coincidence? Possibly. All I know is my troublesome hamstring has not been troublesome since I started using the Rumble Roller.

Facts About the Rumble Roller

The Rumble Roller is water proof, latex free, comes in two different sizes and densities. The full size Rumble Roller is  36″ long with 200 bumps. The compact Rumble Roller is 12″ long with 64 bumps. It also comes in two different densities. The blue Rumble Roller is the regular density roller. The black Rumble Roller is 35% percent more dense than the blue Rumble Roller.

Here are some of the questions I had about the Rumble Roller and what I found out by experiencing it myself.

What makes the Rumble Roller different from a traditional roller?

Traditional foam rollers are smooth. The Rumble Roller is covered with flexible bumps or nubs that really dig into, stretch, and manipulate the tissues simliar to the thumbs of a masseuse. Whereas, unless you are very skilled at foam rolling, a smooth roller compresses the tissues rather than stretch it in multiple directions. You can really feel the bumps kneading the tissues.

Does it hurt to use the Rumble Roller?

Using the Rumble Roller is definitely more intense than using a traditional roller but not what I would call “painful”. The first week or so I did experience some discomfort but as I kept at it the discomfort subsided. This tells me that not only is foam rolling effective but my Rumble Roller was getting to tissue that I was missing before. Now it’s just as pleasurable to use (if not more-so) as a traditional foam roller.

Is the Rumble Roller hard to keep clean?

It’s a slightly harder to keep wipe down than a regular roller because of the bumps, but it’s molded with an antimicrobial that stops the growth of bacteria. This is good for personal trainers who might use it with multiple clients.

What size of Rumble Roller should I get?

I was sent both sizes and I prefer the longer one because it’s easier to move around on.  You can see in the pictures the difference in rolling my IT band. There is a lot more space on the full size model. Also with the compact Rumble Roller you have to roll one leg at a time when doing calves, hamstrings, etc. If you are going to use it in one place I’d get the full size.

However, for traveling the compact Rumble Roller is great. It fits right into a normal sized backpack. Currently, I store the larger Rumble Roller on the back of my couch to use in the RV and my smaller one in a backpack to take with me to different workout locations.

Should I get the blue or black Rumble Roller?

From the Rumble Roller site –

“For most people, including professional athletes, the regular density (blue) RumbleRoller is more effective. Its bumps are more flexible and more actively grip and manipulate soft tissue. The bumps on the extra-firm (black) RumbleRoller are considerably stiffer, and give it a “spikier” feel.

The jeopardy of going too firm is that it may be too painful — not too painful to use, but too painful to use correctly. For best results, you want to keep the muscle you’re massaging relaxed and pause long enough on each trigger point to allow it to release.

You may prefer the black RumbleRoller if you’re primarily using it on thicker muscles like glutes or hamstrings, are trying to dig deeply in around the hip capsule, are working on scar tissue from prior surgeries, or are accustom to rolling on PVC pipe. Otherwise, we strongly recommend the blue”

I was sent both and my experience was right in line with their advice. I loved using the black one on my hamstrings, my recovering hamstring in particular. However, I really do think the blue one is the best option for most people.

Alright, so these were the main questions I had before using the Rumble Roller. Rumble Roller has a very thorough FAQ page that will answer any other questions you may have about the Rumble Roller or feel free to ask in the comments and I will do my best to answer.

Do you foam rolle regularly? Have you ever used the Rumble Roller and, if so, what has been your experience?

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Rock’n and Roll’n with the Rumble Roller: A Review appeared first on Girl Heroes.

Building sandcastles isn’t the only way to play with sand.

You’ve just got to think out of the…sand box. I know. Corny joke.

But seriously, I received a new toy to play with review, an Ultimate Sandbag.

And it’s effective.

And it’s fun. I haven’t had this much fun playing with sand since I was eight!

Oh and it gets bonus points for being made in the USA.

Think outside the box.

The birth of the Ultimate Sandbag is a cool lemonade out of lemons story. Josh Henkin, creator of the Ultimate Sandbag, decided to think outside the sand box (I’m sorry) when he was faced with debilitating lower back problems. Rather than giving up, he sought out another way to train. After training with homemade sandbags that he had seen his military friends use in their workouts, his back pain began to go away. The only problem was homemade sandbags were messy and uncomfortable to use and, hence, the Ultimate Sandbag was born.

Why play with sand?

What are the benefits of sandbag training?

Sandbag training is functional fitness. Want to be able to clean your garage without getting hurt? Want to be able to show that Costco sized bag of dog food who’s boss?

Train with a sandbag.

What makes sandbag training unique is the unstable weight. As you move it around the sand shifts causing your body to work harder to stabilize itself under the shifting weight. How does your body adapt to all this shifting weight? You guessed it, by building a stronger core.

In a nutshell, here are the benefits of sandbag training as I see them.

• Functional – Build a strong core with full body workouts. It’s training for real world physical demands like going to Costco.
• Effective – Improve strength, endurance, and flexibility while burning a boatload of calories.
• Portable – Workout anywhere. Forget stinky crowded gyms and head to the park or the privacy of your own living room.
• Cost – Like some of my other favorite workout tools, the sandbag gives you a big bang for your buck. It cost a lot less and is way more effective than say a treadmill.
• Durable – Made with military grade materials and comes with a one year manufacture’s warranty.
• Fun – Bring back the days of playing with sand. Except this time you can throw it without getting in trouble.

My Ultimate Sandbag Review and Experience

I received the Power Package Ultimate Sandbag to review. It includes…

• The outer shell with 6 handles. It has a zipper and velcro closure.
• Two fillers that fold and close with crazy strong velcro.
• A DVD with filling instructions and 6 different workouts.
• A poster showing different exercises
• A booklet filled with instructions, exercise descriptions, and workouts.

Some questions you may have about my experience with the Ultimate Sandbag.

Does the sandbag leak?

Mine hasn’t leaked once. I even used it my mom’s living room and trust me if it leaked I wouldn’t have it in there.

How heavy is it?

It’s depends on what your put into and how much you fill the inner fillers. I started using mine half full until I felt comfortable with the bag. I have since filled the two filler bags to 2/3 capacity and it weighs a little over 30 pounds.

What sort of sand do you use to fill it?

I used child’s play sand from Home Depot to fill the fillers. Child’s play sand is clean and dry.

Does it give a good workout?

Yep, play with sand to lose weight and get in shape. The Ultimate Sandbag feels different than other training tools I own. The shifting sand really does make an otherwise simple move more difficult. I’m particularly fond of using the sandbag for more conditioning based workouts.

I thought you loved kettlebells? How is a sandbag any different?

I do love kettlebells and while a kettlebell does pull on your center of gravity, hence recruiting more muscles to stabilize than a traditional weight like a dumbbell, the weight of a kettlebell doesn’t shift the same way as a sandbag.

Also it’s important to continually challenge your body by mixing things up. This is why I also use heavy ropes, medicine balls, and suspension trainers for my workouts. Sandbags fall right in line with my other functional training tools. It’s been a fun way to continue improving my strength and conditioning while giving my elbows and hands (it’s no secret kettlebells can be hard on the hands) some rest a few days a week. And who doesn’t want to play with sand!

Is the DVD any good?

It’s a simple DVD with clear and concise directions on how to properly use the Ultimate Sandbag. There are 6 workouts on the DVD. Each one starts with individual exercise instructions followed by the workout that you do on your own. You don’t complete the workout along with the instructor on the DVD. It’s not “fancy pantsy” like P90X but it’s solid and helpful. I did each workout on the DVD and have referred back to the instruction more than once.

What size would you recommend?

The people at Ultimate Sandbag recommend women start with the size I received, The Power Package. This size is perfect for my needs as I intend to use it for conditioning based workouts/interval training. If I was going to use it for the sole intention of improving strength I might go with the next size up, the Strength..

Have you worked out with a sandbag? Do you still like to play with sand?!?!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Play with Sand – Ultimate Sandbag Review appeared first on Girl Heroes.

Since hitting the road fulltime in our RV last fall, I’ve managed to keep working out. However, it’s been hard to consistently find a place to do pull ups and over time I “lost” them.  But now I’m prepared to “find” them again with my new free standing portable pull up bar from Trapeze Rigging.

A workout doesn’t feel complete without pullups. I love my kettlebells but if there is one thing kettlebells lack, it’s getting a heavy pull. I’ve tried to get by with row variations and my suspension trainer but there is nothing quite like being able to pull your bodyweight.

The last few months, I’ve been on the lookout for playgrounds but not every campground has a playground and not every playground has a suitable place for pullups. A doorway pullup bar wasn’t an option because we don’t have a suitable door frame and not to mention the damage that door frame pullup bars can cause.

A few weeks ago, I received a  free standing portable pull up bar from Trapeze Rigging. It’s a pullup bar/dip station from a company who makes custom circus equipment. How cool is that!

Trapeze Rigging was started by Trevor Boswell. Trevor spent 30 years traveling the world as a catcher on the flying trapeze! If there is anyone who understands the importance of a strong and safe pullup bar, it will be Trevor.

I’ve been using my portable pull up bar regularly and I love it. Really, truly, love it.

It’s perfect for home gyms, P90X users, in-home personal trainers who bring their own equipment, and travelers like me!

Not only is the  free standing portable pull up bar sturdy, it’s also light (made of high quality aluminum) and easy to assemble.  Here’s the proof.

Easy and Fast Assembly of the Free Standing Portable Pullup Bar

Less than a minute to assemble it even for a mechananically challenged girl like myself. It’s even quicker to disassemble.

Other reasons I love my portable pull up bar.

Not only can you do pullups but the bar can easily be configured for inverted rows or dips by leaving out the top pipe.

Height adjustments can be made in a combination of ways. You can move the pins up and down.

And/or you can position the pull up bar (the horizontal cross bar) over the side pipes with the bar on the bottom.

Or you can flip over the pull up bar for more height.

It’s made in the USA.

The handles allow for a variety of grips.

It’s sturdy. While there is some slight movement of the bar during motion, it feels very solid. Brent was spotting me during this picture. While it’s awesome for pull ups, dips, rows, and hanging ab exercises, it’s not made for wannabe gymnasts.

I also love that some of my fitness heroes use it.  Check out  Mark Sisson using his portable pull up bar  and Steve Maxwell using it in his backyard.

There is also a custom fit carrying bag for easy transport.

Lastly, Nico says it makes a comfy pug bed.

You can’t put a price on the feeling that comes with being able to do a pull up. This first time I did an unassisted pull up I was ecstatic. For most women, being able to perform a dead hang pull up is a big milestone. There is nothing like it and I can’t wait to get my pull up back.

So the next few months, I’m taking on The Pull Up Project. I’m going to be setting up my new free standing portable pull up bar at every campsite with the goal of being able to once again do unassisted pull ups by the end of the year.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

Disclosure: I was provided the free standing portable pull up bar for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own

The post The Pull Up Project and a Free Standing Portable Pullup Bar Review appeared first on Girl Heroes.

I did it. I finally bought the shoes that look like feet.

Vibram Five Fingers

Or sometimes known as frog shoes.

Or just shoes that look like feet.

I’ve been working out barefoot for over three years now. When I can’t workout barefoot,  I wear a thin soled shoe like Converse or my New Balance Minimus which I still love.

In fact, I was planning on buying another pair of New Balance Minimus (they have new gorgeous turquoise ones) when I came across a pair of Vibrams for 40% off at a little sporting goods store in Montpelier, Vermont. Have you ever been Montpelier? What a fantastic little town. It’s quaint, beautiful, has a ton of little resturants and it is the only capital without a McDonalds.

Anyway back to my Vibram Five Finger review. Yeah those shoes that look like feet and sort of creep me out.

Brent has been wearing Vibrams for over a year and he loves them. Personally, I wasn’t keen of the frog feet look but I am keen on being barefoot and saving money so I couldn’t pass up a great deal on a new pair of barefoot shoes.

I’ve been wearing them for about two week now.

The first few days were uncomfortable. I started out wearing them for about 30 minutes at a time not because I needed to get used to being barefoot but because my little toe started to go number after about 10 minutes. My odd little toe (It’s odd because not only can I *wave* it, it looks like it was drawn by a cartoonist.) did not appreciate it. However, my toe is no longer protesting.

The back of the shoe was uncomfortably digging into my heel a little but that also seems to be a matter of breaking in as the irritation lessens each time I wear them. I know I couldn’t have gone with a bigger size as these are snug but my big toe still doesn’t reach the end.

Lastly, they were hard to put on at first. They reminded me of putting on big puffy gloves as a child but they’ve started to form to my feet making them easier to get on. While they aren’t like putting on a pair of flats my feet pretty much slip into them without too much struggle.

What I really love about the Vibram Five Fingers is being able to be “in touch” with the earth. Literally.  Not in some “woo woo” sort of way. I love to feel the rocks on the ground without hurting my feet.

You can’t really feeeeeel the earth in heavy thick soled tennis shoes or hiking boots but my Vibrams make me feel and look like a frog.

I can’t say I would have bought these for myself had they not been on sale. I probably would have bought another pair of Minimus or different barefoot shoe that doesn’t look like feet but I’m getting used to the frog look.  They are also working great for my kettlebell workouts when being barefoot isn’t an option. Overall my Vibram Five Fingers serve their purpose by protecting my feet while allowing my feet connect with the ground and do the job they were designed to do.

But best of all my new shoes that look like feet connect better in a game of footsie with my love.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook (Be sure to click “subscribe” if you want posts to show up in your feed.) Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Shoes that Look Like Feet – Vibram Five Finger Review appeared first on Girl Heroes.