Log Rolling

[Sloth the Enduring]

I had my first log rolling class today. It looked almost exactly like this video, except I'm a middle aged dude and not a young woman.

Things I learned today:

It is really hard to balance on top of a rolling log. The people at my Y who've done well have experience slacklining.

It took some fitness, I figure I did dozens of 3 second sprints before falling in the water.

You aren't actually running, you are moving your feet straight up and down really fast. I'd guess people who done a lot of DDR would do well.

You look across the log not at your feet. If you've done snowboarding or skateboarding you look over your left shoulder since that is what you are used to. The last time I was on a skateboard (25 years ago) I was a goofy footer, so I stood on the left side of the log and looked over my right shoulder. The woman in class who did the best was a snowboarder.

My best run was maybe 5 seconds, it took 8 to get on the leader board (high score so far is 1:10). Getting on the board is my goal for next week. I tended to stay in the center of the log, so it changed direction. When it stopped the log momentarily paused and I stopped running, so I fell off when it started again. Gotta break that habit.

Edit: The balls of my feet really hurt now and my gimpy ilio-tibio band is screaming at me.

Logrolling is not a Fitocracy exercise. I logged it as swimming, because I spent most of my time in the water.

My instructor is in this next video, she's a former world champion. She's the one on the right.

What happened to the fun fitness forum?

[Sloth the Enduring]

Does any one have any good ideas for training balance? Preferably something besides doing squats on a stability ball.

[161803398874989]

http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2010/07/a-breakdown-of-balance-training/

[Hermione Gainser]

Holy crap! Log rolling?! That's so awesome! I didn't know people did that as a form of fitness. it has to be rough.

[Sloth the Enduring]

Thanks 1618... I'll take a look through that link.

Laura, it's a hoot. As far as fitness goes, the instructor looked very fit and strong. I think that once you know what you're doing, it's a lot like running at your anaerobic threshhold with a huge load of balance thrown in.

There's a logrolling competition in Minneapolis in August. I have no idea if I can be ready by then - it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks - but I sure want to try.

[RDOwens]

That looks like fun! I imagine I wouldn't last long, but I think that would be a gas to try. I'll have to keep my eyes out if there is anything like that around. I never even considered that was an option. Thanks for opening my eyes. And good luck with your training.

[Sloth the Enduring]

I made it on the leaderboard with a 9 s. run (best in class today). Woot woot. Not good enough to compete, but a step in the right direction. Next week I want to hit 30 s., the high score is 1:35 right now. I'm okay as long as I don't think, as soon as I get a good run going, I start to think about what I'm doing and fall off.

This week I learned that good posture is bad for logrolling. Your center of balance is centered and lowered and you're better able to react if you slouch forward and stick your butt out. The last few months learning to stand up like a man were wasted. Also keep your hips square to the log and your arms in front of and behind you, not out to the side.

I think my poor mobility, as well as my poor sense of balance, is hampering me. I'm too tight to react quickly and correctly. One more thing to work on.

[Hermione Gainser]

This is so fun to read about! I really might have to look into a class... even if I just try it once!

Great job on the leaderboard, btw!!! I can't imagine even staying up for 2 seconds!

[Sco]

Love the shots of them running across the logs too. That looks awesome! And congrats on your leaderboard time!

As for improving balance, I have some random ideas based on personal experience. There are some little things you can do to help get your body more used to stabilizing itself. I'm thinking things like consciously balancing on one leg for a short (then perhaps longer) period of time - when you brush your teeth or whenever you find yourself standing around the house/wherever. That was a trick my yoga instructor used to tell us when half the people in class were falling over during one-legged poses (like the tree position - don't know how familiar you are with yoga, but that's one of them). Probably wouldn't hurt to look into doing some of those one-legged yoga poses either. Or you could try things like walking along the edges of sidewalks on the curbs without stepping off (preferably on less busy streets ). Just random little things to try.

And the more you do them, the longer you'll be able to stay balanced on one leg or the longer you can stay on the edge without stepping off the line. It's kind of like a game. Personally, I just try to balance on whatever I come across because I find it amusing, but that's me.

Hope that helps a little, even if to just spark some ideas. Also, you say this contest is in Minneapolis?

[Sloth the Enduring]

Thanks SCO, a couple of people have sent me this link balance-training/ and I've been trying to do rail balancing whenever I see a curb or something. One-legged poses are a good idea, I'll start doing that too. I'm on my feet all day, it should be easy to mix in.

There's a contest on Lake Calhoun in the end of August, I'll add details when I find them again. There is also one in Stillwater in early August and somewhere else nearby in July. Northern Wisconsin has a few too.

If you are interested, I'm taking classes at the Midtown Y, The Jewish Community Center in St. Luios Park also offers classes, and one of the Ys near Stilllwater does too. It's really a lot of fun. Sorry Laura, I couldn't find a class in Georgia for you.

[Sco]

That's a great link! Balancing on rails and curbs definitely help. Slacklining is also really fun if you ever have the opportunity. Good luck!

And yeah, I'd like to look through the details/links when you find them. Thanks for the info!