Reebok RealFlex Run SE Review

I purchased these shoes because they were on sale. I didn’t really know what to expect with these shoes at all. I was surprised but not in a good way. These are the Reebok RealFlex Run SE. First off these shoes are really bright. There’s nothing wrong with a pop of color but I don’t like flashy things so that was an immediate turn off. The shoes are light and minimal, so if you like that sort of feeling these may be for you. I felt like I could feel everything in these. There isn’t a lot of ankle support, the insert is really flimsy and I could feel the “grippers” on the bottom of the shoe. I only used these shoes for a few sessions of circuit training. I wouldn’t even dare to take these out for a run. The shoes also run big. I don’t know what the original price of these were, but I got them on sale for $30. - Pacer

Nike Lunar Glide 4 Review

I decided to get these shoes because they were on sale. These are the Nike Lunar Glide 4. When the Glide 5 version launched, these went on sale. After doing a little research I found that there weren’t any big updates between the 4th and 5th version. These shoes took me a little longer to get used to. I was still getting hot spots after a couple of runs. After finally breaking them in, they felt better. I’ve only used them on shorter runs and on Sunday’s while doing circuit training. I don’t think that these shoes would hold up to the pounding I would put them through. A CheFit teammate also has these shoes and he alternates them as his daily running shoe. He likes them a lot. I am a heavier guy so I tend to push the support & cushioning of my shoes more. Four miles would be my limit in these. For our circuit training these are great. They are light enough to feel agile in them and contain enough support for plyometric exercises. These shoes do take a little longer to break in and still feel a little stiff. There aren’t any real ridges on the bottom of the shoe so I feel like I tend to slide if the ground is slick. Aesthetically the upper looks and feels cool, but the bottom Lunarlon material doesn’t look good. Original price: $110 - $120 I’ve put about 100 miles on these shoes. - Pacer

Brooks Glycerin 10 Review

I bought this model of Brooks because I having a trouble with the toes on my right foot. The Glycerin model is the top of the line Brooks shoe. I’ve tried their Trance model as well, but they hurt both of my feet. This is the Brooks Glycerin 10. With that being said, I’m in love with this shoe. I use the Glycerin for my daily runner. I do have the Adrenaline GTS which I use if I’m going to be upping my pace. I also have the Cadence but reserve that strictly for speed work. Using a lighter shoe as my daily running shoe had me a little bit worried. They aren’t that heavy to where you’re going to need some time to adjust. I laced these shoes up and didn’t feel like I would have a problem. I’m able to add a little speed with no issues. There’s enough cushion and support that as you fatigue and your form suffers, these shoes will help with your foot landing. Usually I go no more than 250 miles in any shoe because I tend to wear them out quickly. I can usually feel pain in my knees and calves when this starts to occur. I’ve gone over 360 miles and I’ve just reached the point to where I need a new pair. My new pair of shoes will be the Brooks Glycerin 11. There are a few negatives with this shoe however. At the tip of the toe you can see the shiny rubber flairs downward into the sole of the shoe. At that point where the rubber and shoe cloth meets, the cloth frayed pretty quickly. There’s a second layer of cloth there so you don’t have a gaping hole all the way through. The price might be a little on the high end at $150. - Pacer

TuneBand Review

One of my favorite running accessories is the Tune Band for the iPhone. I think I’ve gone through about 6 or 7 of them. Not because of the quality but for other circumstances (ex. phone upgrade, lost them, dog chewed it). The part that goes around your phone is rubber and band is primarily Velcro with a little elastic. I use it whenever I run which is four to five times a week. The one thing that I don’t like is as the band gets older, the plastic loop gets loose and as you’re running it will twist. This is apparent in the second picture. So when it’s on your arm you will feel it loosen up as you’re working out, but with a simple adjustment it will work fine. I’ve used the plastic cover arm cases, but I sweat so much that the plastic would fog and it has ruined 2 phones of mine due to the moisture staying in the case and getting into the open parts of your phone. I haven’t had any problems like that with this. I highly recommend this product for anyone looking for a new phone armband. - Pacer

Adidas Compression Sleeve Review

There isn’t much that I can say about these Adidas Compression Calf Sleeces. First off the quality was terrible, the sleeves didn’t compress at all, and they were a complete waste of money. I wore them once and after a wash I pulled this out of the washer. I thought at had gotten caught on to something and shredded it, but as you can see the other one was also starting to fall apart. This could be a one experience, but I didn’t enjoy wearing these at all. - Pacer

Hill Workout

Equipment Used: A grassy hill at a steep incline Optional: Gloves Optional: Ankle weights Optional: Weight vest Optional: Rubber Bands / Resistance Band Loops

Tip: This workout can be done anywhere but the incline helps provide additional difficulty.

Hill Workout

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Wide Walking Lunges (Zig Zag Lunges) Backwards Run Side Squats (up & down) Incline Sit Ups (half) Squat Jumps (Frog Jumps) Decline Burpees (base) Suicides (half/full) Incline Walkout Push-Ups (base)

Hill Workout

This workout was created to take advantage of the natural resistance created by exercising against an incline. Although we are working out using a hill, this circuit could be done on flat ground (no excuses!). The hill just makes it tougher. Your bodyweight is sufficient enough to use for this workout but if you want an additional challenge, I recommend using some form of added weight. A set of K Bands, comfortable ankle weights or a weighted vest can really ramp up the intensity. The workout is primarily legs and cardio but it does touch on abs & upper body a bit. Be sure to stretch appropriately. The exercises are meant to vary in how you use the hill. Every exercise should start at the "base" (bottom) of the incline. The exercises marked "base" are just done at the bottom of the hill. For the Walkouts, you want to "walk" up the incline of the hill. The burpees should be done facing away from the hill & kicking your feet back onto the incline surface of the hill. When doing the sit-ups, face the incline & walk halfway up. Take a seat & start performing reps. Be careful when performing these exercises. They are very common bodyweight movements but it will be slightly more tricky to execute these on a raised & uneven surface. Take your time with them the first set. For the other exercises, perform the instructed exercise while moving up the hill towards the top. Once at the top, lightly jog back down to the base. If the length of the incline is fairly short, you may want to perform several trips to the top to complete a set. If the incline is really long and/or steep, one trip to the top (or even halfway up) may be sufficient enough to call a set. Use your best judgement & don't cheat yourself! The side squats should be done one side leading on the way up & the other on the way down. Alternate which side takes the incline. If the incline is long enough, perform suicides by putting the return points at both halfway & all the way up the incline. For shorter hills, just run to the top multiple times to complete the set. All these exercises have been used in previous workouts but we have video examples linked below to refresh your memory. Take time to review them and practice your form before hitting the workout. Good luck!

Examples

Wide Walking Lunges: Click For Video Example Backwards Run: Click For Video Example Side Squats: Click For Video Example Incline Sit Ups: Click For Video Example Squat Jumps: Click For Video Example Decline Burpees: Click For Video Example Suicides: Click For Video Example Incline Walkout Push-Ups: Click For Video Example

DIRECTIONS Lake Pflugerville Park 18216 Weiss Lane Pflugerville, TX 78660 Find your way to Weiss Ln and approach the park from either the north or south. On the map picture below, the red pinpoint marks the location of the main entrance area. There is a driveway w/ a sign stating "Lake Pflugerville Park".

FROM NORTH AUSTIN Toll Road Take Texas 45 Toll East Take the Kelly Ln/Farm to Market 685/TX-130 exit Stay straight and merge onto Kelly Ln Turn right onto Weiss Ln About 1 mile up the road, look right for the Lake Pflugerville Park entry ***There is a sign for it, shortly before the lake. No Toll Roads Get onto I-35 & Wells Branch Pkwy Exit the highway & travel east Turn right at E Pflugerville Pkwy, travel about 5 miles Turn left onto Weiss Ln About 2 miles up the road, look left for the Lake Pflugerville Park entry ***There is a sign for it, shortly after you pass the lake. Get onto I-35 & go to Grand Avenue Pkwy Exit the highway & travel east about 3 miles Turn left onto Dessau Rd Take a right onto E Pecan St / Pflugerville East Rd Turn left onto Weiss Ln About 2 miles up the road, look left for the Lake Pflugerville Park entry ***There is a sign for it, shortly after you pass the lake.

FROM SOUTH AUSTIN Toll Road Take Texas 45 Toll North Exit Pecan St / Pflugerville Take a right into E Pecan St / Pflugerville East Rd Turn left onto Weiss Ln About 2 miles up the road, look left for the Lake Pflugerville Park entry ***There is a sign for it, shortly after you pass the lake. No Toll Roads Head North on I-35 Take exit 243 toward Braker Ln Turn left onto Dessau Rd Turn right onto Farm to Market 734 E/E Parmer Ln Turn left onto Cameron Rd (Harris Branch Pkwy) After the road curve, turn left to stay on Cameron Rd Stay left to continue onto E Pecan St/Pflugerville East Rd Turn right onto Weiss Ln About 2 miles up the road, look left for the Lake Pflugerville Park entry ***There is a sign for it, shortly after you pass the lake.

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Resisted Running 1

Resisted Running 1

Exercises like resisted sprints & sled pulls/pushes help you develop power which can increase your ability to accelerate. Resistance leg work recruits more hip muscles which allows you to be able to put more power to the ground. Dragging resistance while running also tends to promote arm action which is good for your technique. Correct arm action can improve stride & leg movement, all which help you dust your opponent.

We've recently incorporated a Sklz Power Sled, a few parachutes & a harnessed tire to our circuits. The Sled takes standard 2" weighted plates & has an adjustable front handle which can be used to either push or pull the sled. This helps build dynamic power in the lower body. The tire is just an old passenger car tire (free from any tire shop) with a hole drilled into it. A rope is passed through and knotted at the end to hold it into place. The other end of the rope is tied to a generic waist belt. So you just strap up and take off running! We try to perform backwards & lateral runs in addition to standard forward runnning. The parachutes strap to your waist in a similar fashion. They only provide resistance if you are sprinting forward however.

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