Men ONLY please...

[Atalan]

50 push ups in a row - 32 was best I've done.

10 pull ups in a row - Hah. I can barely do 5 negatives.

Bench press his body weight 10 times - Haven't tried, very likely not.

Press 75% of his body weight overhead 5 times - Haven't tried, with no training of overhead press, no.

Deadlift 1.5 times his body weight 5 times - Doubtful.

Squat his body weight 10 times - Haven't tried, doubtful.

Run a 5k in under 24 minutes. - No.

Hike for many hours with a 30-pound backpack - Haven't done anything with a pack (only daytrips). It would be hell, but I think I could.

Touch his toes - Just did, and easily.

I have one, and can have the rest for goals. Sounds good.

[Fryinbox]

50 push ups in a row - 32 was best I've done.

10 pull ups in a row - Hah. I can barely do 5 negatives.

Bench press his body weight 10 times - Haven't tried, very likely not.

Press 75% of his body weight overhead 5 times - Haven't tried, with no training of overhead press, no.

Deadlift 1.5 times his body weight 5 times - Doubtful.

Squat his body weight 10 times - Haven't tried, doubtful.

Run a 5k in under 24 minutes. - No.

Hike for many hours with a 30-pound backpack - Haven't done anything with a pack (only daytrips). It would be hell, but I think I could.

Touch his toes - Just did, and easily.

I have one, and can have the rest for goals. Sounds good.

Pretty sure you're describing me there sir. Ha!

Sans the touching my toes. Uffda.

[Mb82]

50 push ups in a row - Easy

10 pull ups in a row - 6 Standard 8-10 parallel grip

Bench press his body weight 10 times - I can see 5 times not 10.

Press 75% of his body weight overhead 5 times - need to work on this

Deadlift 1.5 times his body weight 5 times - Not sure, probably though.

Squat his body weight 10 times - Should be able to.

Run a 5k in under 24 minutes. - Not right now, but then again I am not a runner, give me 20K on a bike over 5K of running.

Hike for many hours with a 30-pound backpack - No problem at all do it fairly often.

Touch his toes - I can tough my kneecaps, does that count?

I am not a weights guy so I am not 100% sure what I can do with weights. Need to go to the gym and max out just to see. I just want someone there to make sure my form is good when I do it.

[Woodsrider]

Go away for a week and have to read 6 pages!

Athletic: I think this should be more an activity level description than a body type. I know a few 'athletic' girls and guys that don't really look very 'athletic'. That doesn't mean they sit on their ass all day, they just probably eat sh1tty food and don't concentrate on being stronger or leaner 'looking'.

Wife in Victoria Secrets: Sometimes my pants get tight when my wife holds up stuff in front of her or tries on skimpy clothes '/drool face'. I'm glad they have that bench to sit on.

[notanartmajor]

50 push ups in a row - Nope, maybe 30? I don't do pushups much.

10 pull ups in a row - Oh heavens no.

Bench press his body weight 10 times - Probably 2 times.

Press 75% of his body weight overhead 5 times - Again, maybe 2

Deadlift 1.5 times his body weight 5 times - No problem there.

Squat his body weight 10 times - I could do this all day.

Run a 5k in under 24 minutes. - Not much of a runnist, so no.

Hike for many hours with a 30-pound backpack - Don't see why not.

Touch his toes - Yeah

[Guest Snake McClain]

^lol @ "Glad they have that bench to sit on". hahah classic.

So let's talk about stretching. i'm sure it's been addressed in other threads but i am not reading those other threads and i am reading this one. I'm in desperate need of a for real solid legit stretch routine. maybe soemthing to do after work out or first thing in the morning (which might be a bad idea???) What are your thoughts? I want to try yoga really bad but it's an issue of finding the right time of day. you guys have any experience in this?

[The Tin Man]

^lol @ "Glad they have that bench to sit on". hahah classic.

So let's talk about stretching. i'm sure it's been addressed in other threads but i am not reading those other threads and i am reading this one. I'm in desperate need of a for real solid legit stretch routine. maybe soemthing to do after work out or first thing in the morning (which might be a bad idea???) What are your thoughts? I want to try yoga really bad but it's an issue of finding the right time of day. you guys have any experience in this?

Is there any area in particular you'd like to target? Some stretching when you wake up is good to wake you up, but don't expect to be at your max flexibility then.

Also, obligatory mention of Mobility WOD. Start at the beginning and you have a full year of daily mobility exercises.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

I only stretch once I'm warmed up, so no stretching in the morning for me. I just stretch at the end of the workout and I know various stretches for different body parts and just target the muscles I used. I do need to start doing them after weight lifting though, always forget to and always sore the next day.

[Guest Snake McClain]

mostly for my legs. my upper body flexibility is pretty good. but i can't do the splits which i'd like to do. i can't really stretch really far in my legs. i can't touch my toes.

WOD is a cool thing but i can't keep up on it. i just have way too much going on to take the time to find it learn it and do it. no home pc.

[Waldo]

For the morning Yoga sun salutations are perfect. It is a short sequence that is pretty easy to remember, it hits a lot of the basics (except splits type stretches). You go through it faster than static stretching and it has dynamic stretching elements. Obviously it isn't something to do hard, it is a light stretching sequence that gets the blood flowing. First drop down I'm about 3" from my toes. By the end of my last pass I can touch my toes (I usually do 2 passes through it). In the evening when I stretch after working out I can put my fingers flat on the floor and touch the floor with my thumbs, but I can't touch it with my palm yet. Doing the sun salutations each day has made a ton of difference in this sort of flexibility for me, a month ago before I started doing them I could barely touch my toes after my workout at night.

(This is about as good looking as the sequence gets, she is very bendy and smooth. The p90x Yoga X version is exactly the same except it adds an optional pushup between the upward dog (or cobra if done on your knees, the foot transition at that point is tricky) and downward dog. In the mornings I step forward and back instead of jumping, just not awake enough yet for that. When doing Yoga X I do the jumps.)

The other thing with the touching your toes type stretch, being fat is a significant hinderance to it, if your gut is in the way it will limit how far down you can get, as a major portion of that flexibility is in the back (not just the posterior chain in the legs).

[The Tin Man]

50 push ups in a row - Probably

10 pull ups in a row - 6 max

Bench press his body weight 10 times - no problem

Press 75% of his body weight overhead 5 times - no problem

Deadlift 1.5 times his body weight 5 times - not yet, but it's in sight

Squat his body weight 10 times - yep

Run a 5k in under 24 minutes. - in my dreams. 3 years ago the best I got was 30:30....

Hike for many hours with a 30-pound backpack - probably. Biggest issue would probably be my ankles.

Touch his toes - no problem

Wildross, doing everything he can to put the young'uns in their place.

[Guest Snake McClain]

For the morning Yoga sun salutations are perfect. It is a short sequence that is pretty easy to remember, it hits a lot of the basics (except splits type stretches). You go through it faster than static stretching and it has dynamic stretching elements. Obviously it isn't something to do hard, it is a light stretching sequence that gets the blood flowing. First drop down I'm about 3" from my toes. By the end of my last pass I can touch my toes (I usually do 2 passes through it). In the evening when I stretch after working out I can put my fingers flat on the floor and touch the floor with my thumbs, but I can't touch it with my palm yet. Doing the sun salutations each day has made a ton of difference in this sort of flexibility for me, a month ago before I started doing them I could barely touch my toes after my workout at night.

(This is about as good looking as the sequence gets, she is very bendy and smooth. The p90x Yoga X version is exactly the same except it adds an optional pushup between the upward dog (or cobra if done on your knees, the foot transition at that point is tricky) and downward dog. In the mornings I step forward and back instead of jumping, just not awake enough yet for that. When doing Yoga X I do the jumps.)

The other thing with the touching your toes type stretch, being fat is a significant hinderance to it, if your gut is in the way it will limit how far down you can get, as a major portion of that flexibility is in the back (not just the posterior chain in the legs).

rock on!

[BarefootDawsy]

mostly for my legs. my upper body flexibility is pretty good. but i can't do the splits which i'd like to do. i can't really stretch really far in my legs. i can't touch my toes.

WOD is a cool thing but i can't keep up on it. i just have way too much going on to take the time to find it learn it and do it. no home pc.

Hey Bruce, here's an excellent how-to on doing the splits by a well-known martial arts guy:

Looks like you need an extra person to help for some of it, but still worth a shot! Let me know if it works for you...

[The Tin Man]

Hey Bruce, here's an excellent how-to on doing the splits by a well-known martial arts guy:

Looks like you need an extra person to help for some of it, but still worth a shot! Let me know if it works for you...

Seems legit.

[Anivair]

Heh, these will be the standards I'll try to aim for, especially touching my toes, my entire life and I've never been able to do it! Anyone have any tips on that?

Work it every day. Sit and reach for 4 minutes a day minimum. That's all. Get a rope or towel to use as a support till you can reach your toes.

[gerbilOFdoom]

mostly for my legs. my upper body flexibility is pretty good. but i can't do the splits which i'd like to do. i can't really stretch really far in my legs. i can't touch my toes.

What I do for this after warming up for a workout and after the workout:

Stand with feet together, reach down for the toes, should stretch behind your knees. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Move your right leg over the left so that the outside edges of your feet are touching, instead of the inside as before, stretch for the same time as before. Next, switch feet so the left leg is over the right, same time for the stretch. Repeat.

Spread your legs past shoulder width, about 1/3 of the way from your maximum "spreads" position. Right down the right side until you feel the stretch, hold for 10-15 seconds and do the same on the other side. Next, keeping your rear in the same place, walk your hands out until you feel the stretch and hold for the usual time. Walk your hands back behind your legs and hold with the stretch. After this, using your hands to hold yourself steady, move your legs into your maximum spreads position, easing into the stretch.

Sit down on the floor for the butterfly stretch. This is described in the link below, but once you can get past pulling your feet in close to your body, put pressure on your knees with your elbows to stretch your inner thighs (necessary for spreads).

Next up, remain seated and put one leg straight out. Place the other leg so that the bottom of your foot is on the middle of your inner thigh. Reach for your toes with both hands. Repeat for the other side.

Now for the splits! Surprisingly, your hips are the biggest barrier here (along with being able to stretch past your toes, which would be the underside of your knee). Do the hip stretch on this page: http://www.runningplanet.com/training/static-flexibility-stretches.html. I like to keep my rear knee off the ground though, it gives me more of a stretch. You should be feeling the stretch in your hips, of course.

From the runner's position, push your front leg out and try to slide as far into the splits as you can, steadying yourself with your hands. Easiest to do this with only socks on your feet on a carpeted floor.

How useful are these stretches for your legs? Well, they're what I use and I can nearly kick myself in the face.

[Guest Snake McClain]

What I do for this after warming up for a workout and after the workout:

Stand with feet together, reach down for the toes, should stretch behind your knees. Hold for 10-15 seconds. Move your right leg over the left so that the outside edges of your feet are touching, instead of the inside as before, stretch for the same time as before. Next, switch feet so the left leg is over the right, same time for the stretch. Repeat.

Spread your legs past shoulder width, about 1/3 of the way from your maximum "spreads" position. Right down the right side until you feel the stretch, hold for 10-15 seconds and do the same on the other side. Next, keeping your rear in the same place, walk your hands out until you feel the stretch and hold for the usual time. Walk your hands back behind your legs and hold with the stretch. After this, using your hands to hold yourself steady, move your legs into your maximum spreads position, easing into the stretch.

Sit down on the floor for the butterfly stretch. This is described in the link below, but once you can get past pulling your feet in close to your body, put pressure on your knees with your elbows to stretch your inner thighs (necessary for spreads).

Next up, remain seated and put one leg straight out. Place the other leg so that the bottom of your foot is on the middle of your inner thigh. Reach for your toes with both hands. Repeat for the other side.

Now for the splits! Surprisingly, your hips are the biggest barrier here (along with being able to stretch past your toes, which would be the underside of your knee). Do the hip stretch on this page: http://www.runningplanet.com/training/static-flexibility-stretches.html. I like to keep my rear knee off the ground though, it gives me more of a stretch. You should be feeling the stretch in your hips, of course.

From the runner's position, push your front leg out and try to slide as far into the splits as you can, steadying yourself with your hands. Easiest to do this with only socks on your feet on a carpeted floor.

How useful are these stretches for your legs? Well, they're what I use and I can nearly kick myself in the face.

some of this i do to a degree but i can see these little extras you have would be way more beneficial than just what i have done. i am using this. definitely. this is great. hopefully i can get into yoga but for now this and the things others have posted will be fantastic.

[Red1263]

... and I can nearly kick myself in the face.

Sounds like you've tried that before O_o...

[gerbilOFdoom]

Sounds like you've tried that before O_o...

Eh, I was sparring and getting pushed back. I did an axe kick do push him back a step and quite nearly put my knee in my face at the top of the kick. For visualization, an axe kick is holding the leg straight, lifting straight forward/up and then dropping the heel down. It's more of a psychological attack, but it will still hurt if contact is made.

ASCII art! This is how it should be:

|     |        | /   |       ||\    |---     |/    |---    |\| \   |        |     |       | \

This is what I looked like at the top:

|||||

Instead of:

| /|/|

[Red1263]

You can do an Axe Kick!? You're officially jumped up some on my Cool People Chart. I'd kill to be able to do that.

[gerbilOFdoom]

You can do an Axe Kick!? You're officially jumped up some on my Cool People Chart. I'd kill to be able to do that.

Don't worry too much about not being able to pull it off. Martial arts is all about usefulness. If you can't do an axe kick, don't incorporate the axe kick into your style and no harm is done. But if you REALLY want to do one, just do the stretches I listed above daily and you'll get there. Just be wary of taking breaks, you'll lose a lot of progress if you stop stretching for even a week. And make sure you're warmed up before stretching! At least 20 pushups, 20 situps, 20 jumping jacks and a city block jog, or the equivalent.

[Anivair]

I won't lie, axe kick is one of my favorites, but it's useful less often than you might think. It takes some time to set up and you really need the overhead space.

[ETFnerd]

... but it will still hurt if contact is made.

i've broken collarbones and knocked more than a dozen people out with an axe kick. like you said, you have to set it up right... usually you have to get your opponent backing up from another technique, and I don't bring the leg up in front of me, that's too obvious. while the opponent is concentrating on evading a different technique, usually my left hook or jab, I raise my back (right) leg up to the right side peripherally out of his field of vision and drop it on him from the side at a 45 degree angle either on this head or shoulder. he never sees it coming, and usually they don't get back up if i connect it.

kim do is mainly an extreme forms competitor, but here he is knocking a guy out doing his front flip axe kick... the front flip axe was pioneered by billy blanks of taebo fame when he was a top competitor in the karate tournament circuit in the 1980's... he used to catch everybody with it...

[ETFnerd]

jess robeson runs blitzkick.com and is a member of my weekly sparring club... she put together a tournament kick compilation from the new england open in 2008...

[Guest Snake McClain]

back when i was in karate i did axe kicks all the time. I loved it. I'm going to try and implement it into wrestling. definitely my standing side kick as it was a bone crusher.