Sparta in Illinois...The Spartan Race

Sparta in Illinois...The Spartan Race

The Spartan Sprint and Super race brought the legendary Sparta to Illinois. Well it wasn't like the movie 300, but it did bring forth many super athletes from our great state to compete in this extraordinarily difficult obstacle race. The Spartan Super (which was the one we had our contributing writer Dylan compete in) consisted of 8 miles and between 20-30 obstacles. This race, unlike others such as the Gladiator, requires strength, agility and speed to make it through.

So which types of obstacles did the Spartan Super race offer their victims, oops, meant challengers? There was a javelin throw (yes I was surprised there weren't any casualities), swimming across puddles, lifting boulders and carrying them, rope climbs from water, crazy monkey bars and much more. " The Spartan had a good variety of challenges" Dylan stated. Also if you couldn't complete a challenge, unlike the real Spartans where you literally would be killed, here you had to complete 30 burpees. Our writer, Dylan, had 2 failures so he endured 60 burpees. His nemesis, the javelin throw and the rope climbing out of water.

Other than the unique obstacle races and the burpee penalty, there is a team work social aspect to these races. People help strangers out, creating a fun atmosphere that is non competitive except for against yourself. Out of a rating from 1-10, 10 being the absolute best score for a race, our writer rated the Spartan Super at a 8. He recommends this race to anyone who wants a challenge. It is a unique challenge and great for versatile athletes since the terrain is all over the place.

So interested in competing in the next Spartan race? Check them out here, they have many upcoming races but you must hurry now, since space IS limited!!!

Thank you to contributing writer Dylan Diesing for taking on this challenge for us!!!

The Daily Om: The Benefits of Meditation

The Daily Om: The Benefits of Meditation

The act of mediation dates back thousands of years and is still practiced today in various forms. Some of the more commonly known forms of meditation include Tai Chi, Qi Gong, yoga, as well as guided and mantra. Further, it is commonly agreed upon that long-term meditative practice fosters such benefits as reduced stress, improved mood, as well as improved cardiovascular health. It is also suggested that people with greater meditation experience have better emotional intelligence as well as less perceived stress and negative mental health (Chu, Li Chuan).

However, you don’t have to become a yogi in order to achieve better health. In fact, performing a few simple exercises throughout the day can lead to improved mood, memory, and everyday functioning; as well as reduce fatigue, depression, and confusion.

To unleash your inner yogi, start with these brief exercises to practice and experience mindfulness:

Deep breathing. Deep breathing techniques are as it sounds. Focus your attention on your breath, consciously slowly inhaling and exhaling. The process will force you to slow down and empty your thoughts, if only for a minute or two.

Body scanning. When performing a body scan, concentrate on how each portion of your body feels, working your way down from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes. The practice reveals where tension exists in the body and then allows you to fully relax.

Mantra. Mantra meditation requires you to repeat a particular word or phrase you find calming. By focusing all of your attention on the words, the mind is able to release itself of the worries and anxiety it may feel, and as a result, allow the rest of the body to unwind.

Focus on love & gratitude. If you have a tendency to sweat the small stuff, perhaps focusing on love and gratitude may put you at ease. By concentrating on the larger things in life, such as friends, family, your home, your job, your dog – whatever you love and are thankful for, your mind is then allowed to reconsider what is really important rather than getting wound up over what would otherwise be seen as inconsequential.

Regardless of what type of meditative practice you try, first seek out a quiet setting where you can be comfortable. Once you have pinpointed your location relax your breathing and focus all of your attention on your practice.  Simply repeating these exercises 3-4 times per week can help you reap the benefits that yogis, Qi Gong, and Tai Chi practitioners have experienced for thousands of years.

Staying fit with the Spartan Race & Men's Health Urbanathlon

Staying fit with the Spartan Race & Men's Health Urbanathlon

This cold weather that has started blasting us today is encouraging everyone to stay inside, right? Wrong. This fall there are 2 major obstacle courses that will drive you to the max point of fitness or madness (which you prefer).So wanna stay fit this Fall/Winter? Well check out these two 2 extreme obstacle courses!

Spartan, the name alone makes you think of the movie 300 and all those warriors in top notch physique. Similar to those warriors, the Spartan race has established a reputation in races as a difficult and insane obstacle course for athletes that want a challenge. The Spartan Race even has 3 different races now; the Spartan Sprint (3+ miles with 15 obstacles), the Spartan Super (8+ miles with 20 obstacles) and now the Spartan Beast (12+ miles with over 25 obstacles). So now every type of athlete can find a race for them! Here in Chicago, we have both the Spartan Sprint making an appearance on September 28 and the Spartan Super coming on September 27. Both will take place at the Cliff's Off-Road Park (2725 E 2625th Rd, Marseilles IL 61341). It is ONLY 2 weeks away so make sure to register today!!!!!!!!

Men’s Health is returning this year with their 9th annual Urbanathlon series.  The Urbanathlon challenges competitors to set new personal standards for what it means to be fit and healthy (sorry chicas it's a man's event). It is the ultimate test for men in endurance, strength, mobility and pure toughness. There are 2 courses, the New sprint distance or the classic distance. The Classic distance is between 10-12 miles and has 14 obstacles while the Sprint distance is 3-5 miles and has 7 obstacles. The choice is up to the guy! Also, the fun doesn't end at the end of the race. Post race, there is a Urbanathlon Festival, complete with DJ sets, food and drinks and tons of stuff from our sponsors to demo, sample, and take home. This grueling event takes place for Chicago on October 18 at Solider Field (awesome) so make sure to register today!!!!

So let's get off the couch today and sign up for one of these two obstacle courses and let's get our fit on!