Sports

Feb 02 2014

B-Boy at the Edgewood Murals

This stunning high definition shows break dancing in ultra slow motion. It was shot with a Phantom HD and a set of Superspeed Zeiss Primes. And the images displayed are truly stunning. B-boy moves that seem to defy gravity at full speed are even more amazing in slow motion, and as you watch you half-expect the dancer to drop to the floor at any moment. The video was shot before a beautiful mural at Edgewood Murals in Washington DC in the United States. The dancer is local b-boy and instructor Geoff Chang, also known as Toys Are Us. The great sound track to the video is provided by DJ Shadow and the song is “Building Steam with a Grain of Salt.”

+ Who: Geoff Chang, or Toyz Are Us, is a b-boy and instructor. He works at Words Beats and Life Academy in Washington, DC. The academy was founded with a mission to transform lives and communities through the presentation and teaching of hip-hop culture. They offer free classes to young people in the elements of hip-hop: DJing, beat production, b-boying, emceeing, and graffiti. Plus they also teach photography, street art, spoken word and chess. Toyz Are Us is one of the most known and respected b-boys in the Untied States. He has been b-boying since 2000 and represents the Lionz of Zion crew. He uses old school techniques with a new school twist. He has won numerous competitions, including Hip Hop Addict 2011 and Break The Floor 2012.
+ Where: In the summer of 2009, five artists (Decoy, Pose 2, Joshua Mays, Quest Skinner and Chor Boogie) combined efforts on the largest mural in Washington DC. Called “From Edgewood to the Edge of the World,” it began as a wall 280 feet long and 15 feet high. It doubled in size with a project called The Edgewood Mural Jam, as over 65 artists combined to pain the adjacent wall. The mural is located in the parking lot of the Rhode Island Avenue Shopping Center.
+ What: oyz Are Us enters with a couple of flips in front of a stunning section of the Edgewood Mural. At around (0:30) the shot shifts to the b-boy dancing on top of a piece of paper before the same section of mural. The video continues with his dance routine, with some hand work at (0:50), and an overhead shot at (1:00) all in slow-motion. At (1:40) there is a closeup of his pivot hand on the ground and then at (2:00) a closeup of his face straining with the effort of the moves. (2:25) is an overhead shot of some spins. (2:45) a more close in shot of some back spins, showing the strain on Toyz’s face. We move back at (3:10) briefly, and then back in for a long sequence shoulder spins. He pops up at (4:20) and at (4:35) he poses in front of the mural. Then, credits (4:56).

Jan 30 2014

What happens when you cross gymnastics and basketball?

This video from Inspiri Productions features world-class European gymnasts performing creative and elaborate routines before a live audience. Male and female gymnasts mix traditional gymnastics disciplines such as floor, bars, and vault together with rhythmic disciplines and even basketball dunking and dance. Strength, balance, speed and yes, even drama, combine to produce an incredibly entertaining show. This beautiful high-definition video, shot with Canon and GoPro cameras, is mixed with the up-beat and appropriate Cash Cash song “Kiss the Sky.” It’s a fast-paced and action-packed three minute video that will have you on the edge of your seat and clapping your hands.

+ Who: Inspiri Productions is a public relations, photo and video studio company that produces simply spectacular videos. They have produced several viral videos and even been featured on Good Morning America in the United States. Their Youtube videos, primarily sports related, have hundreds of thousands of views. This video features world class gymnasts from Germany, Russia, Ukraine, France, Belgium and Hungary. Many of the gymnasts featured have performed for Cirque du Soleil, and some of them were world champions in their gymnastic discipline. The amazing basketball dunks in this video were performed by the Hungarian stunt team Lords of Gravity. Lords of Gravity perform all over Europe.
+ Where: This video was shot in Germany and France in December of 2013 before live studio audiences. The gymnasts performed in an open, indoor arena with the space necessary to perform their amazing routines. They used typical gymnastics equipment such as bars, mats and trampolines as well as basketball goals. The entertaining show has been performed all over the region to the delight of those lucky enough to see it live. For the rest of us, we luckily have this wonderfully shot high definition video.
+ What: The video beings with two female gymnasts on the uneven bars. At (0:08) we go to a male gymnast doing a tumbling routine. Then (0:12), a female gymnast dressed as a referee performs on the trampoline. It transitions quickly between two male gymnasts on a see-saw (0:18) into a dunk from a trampoline (0:19). Then there is another tumbling routing (0:20) and two male gymnasts performing a floor routine with giant hoops (0:23). Several women gymnasts perform a rhythmic floor routine (0:28) and then several male gymnasts perform an acrobatic floor routine (0:30). The Lords of Gravity take the floor at (0:35) for basketball dunks. The female trampoliner returns at (0:42) and at (0:48) we return to the see-saw team. A dancer hits the floor at (0:50) and then we return for several more acrobatic and tumbling routines. At (1:03) we see a new dancer, doing a break-inspired routine. More of the see-saw team, the Lords of Gravity and tumbling follow in quick succession. At (1:16) a male gymnast works the parallel bars. Immediately after we see more of the giant hoops and then more tumbling at (1:21). The Lords of Gravity perform more elaborate dunking at (1:25). Hoops, rhythmic floor routine, dancing, dunking, trampolining, team floor work and team tumbling follows. The video is rounded out by more of the same. The performers get face time and at (2:23) and then take bows.

Jan 30 2014

The GoPro Bomb Squad: The World’s Most Exciting Job

Extreme Sportsmen Marshall Miller, Neil Amonson, Jesse Hall and JT Holmes are the GoPro Bomb Squad. They are daredevils who have made their love of extreme sports into a full time job. This video has many heart-racing scenes from the GoPro cameras the guys carry. They jump off buildings and from helicopters and airplanes, and they plummet off the side of sheer rock faces. As you watch you feel as if you are right there with them as some of the world’s most beautiful scenery flies by. The twists and turns, from the point of view of the jumpers themselves, will have your heart in your throat and your stomach turned inside out even as you watch from the comfort of your computer chair.

+ Who: This is a video from Barcroft Media, an international media company based in London, England. They specialize in “the amazing side of life.” They deliver and market extreme content to clients all over the world. The video was directed and shot by the GoPro Bomb Squad themselves, a team of four friends. They formed the Bomb Squad in 2008 after securing sponsorship from GoPro. They were able to turn their hobby into their careers. Now they travel the world and showcase their skills and guts in paragliding, speed flying, wingsuit cloud surfing, base jumping and skydiving. The GoPro Bomb Squad are Marshall Miller, Neil Amonson, Jesse Hall and JT Holmes.
+ Where: This video was shot in various locations. The video makers don’t outline exactly where the team is performing their exciting stunts, but they range from the top of a building in a city to remote and more exotic locales. They hang from helicopters and jump out of planes over sparse, desert terrain and beautiful, mountainous locations.
+ What: The video gets started with the team hiding out in a bathroom and they quickly move to the roof of a building (0:18) and jump off, landing in a parking lot nearby. Then they dangle from the skids of a helicopter (0:30) and jump off. The team is introduced at (0:41). They ascend in a helicopter at (1:00) for further jumps wearing wingsuits. At (1:20) we see several breathtaking jumps off of cliffs. (1:39) shows a jump off of a very tall tower and (1:48) is a jump from a rock towards a street and body of water below. At (1:54) we see a jump from a plane and at (1:59) a helicopter jump and the landing.

Dec 17 2013

SCUBA Diving in Egypt’s Red Sea

A beautifully shot high-definition video of a group SCUBA diving in the Red Sea in Egypt. Dazzling scenery includes the plants and animals of the sea and a gorgeous ship wreck. Sharks and other colorful and exotic sea creatures swim among the coral in the amazing blue waters. A breathtaking video of a truly breathtaking dive experience. The video uploader and diver, eastanubis, says that what he remembers most about the dive is the amazing visibility. The visibility and the abundance of sea life, as well as the right equipment for shooting underwater in high definition, made for a great video.

I personally went scuba diving in several countries including Mexico and Thailand, and I must say the best and most accessible reefs I’ve ever come across were those in the Red Sea near Hurghada.

+ Who: This video of SCUBA diving in the Red Sea is one of 16 videos currently hosted on the youtube channel of user “eastanubis”. He appears to be a relatively unknown youtube user, with only 126 followers of his fantastic underwater videos. On his channel page he describes himself as a lover of SCUBA who wishes he could get out into the water more often. In this video he is accompanied by two friends. This video is the highlight of his page, and has over 20,000 views. Most of his videos are between 3000 and 4000 views. His underwater dive videos are from all over the world, from Egypt to Thailand and Malaysia and beyond.
+ Where: This video was made in Egypt’s Red Sea and filming was done in six locations in the sea: Big Brother, Small Brother, Daedelus, Numida Wreck, Gola Abu Ramada and El Mina Wreck. The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. It is nearly 1,400 miles long and has an average depth of approximately 1600 feet. It is a popular dive spot and noted for it’s marine life and corals.
+ What: In this video three divers descend (0:15) into the Red Sea to explore the rich and abundant marine life below the surface. The sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean and is the northernmost tropical sea in the world. It is home to an amazing variety of life, from large hammerhead sharks (0:50) to tiny fish (1:25). The divers explore the corals and sea floor (1:25) and swim among two beautiful and haunting wrecks (3:00 and 3:20). The stark gray of the wrecks contrasts with the vibrant colors of the sea life (4:29). As they go, they shoot high definition video using a Sony HDR 550 in a Light and Motion Bluefin 550 housing with Magic Filter, a Fathom 90 wide angle lens and two Sola 1200 video lights also from L&M. Music by Yanni accompanies the footage of the underwater scenery and the divers as they enjoy this fantastic dive and marvel at the sights of the sea.

Dec 14 2013

Calisthenics Tournament 2012 by Barstarzz

This amazing video features the Calisthenics Tournament 2012 organized by Barstarzz. The control some of these guys have over their body is awe-inspiring. If this video doesn’t make you want to get up and get in shape, nothing will.

+ Who: This video was made by a group of International Calisthenics experts who go by the name Barstarzz. Their mission is to “Inspire the World to Workout” through their Fun and Simple, Creative Calisthenics techniques. The feats are preformed by many nameless individuals involved with the Barstarzz team located throughout the world. With offerings of instruction in Modeling, Fitness, and Nutrition in locations around the world. These group of athletes have dedicated themselves to spreading their love of fitness, and getting people excited about being healthy.
+ Where: The video was filmed in Moscow, Russia. It was filmed during a Calisthenics Tournament that went on in the Summer of 2012. It showcases the Barstarzz team, an International group of athletes. The Barstarzz team members are spread out throughout the world. Their central locations are Moscow, Russia and New York City, New York. They offer instructional training in each of these locations for a fee.
+ What: This video displays insane feats of human strength. The Barstarzz Team incorporates gymnastics, weight lifting, and dance into an incredible Freestyle workout. The way they control their body’s shows off extreme strength and dedication. These individuals show mastery in many aspects of physical fitness, all while keeping a simple and fun feel to the workout

Dec 11 2013

Base jumping off Kuala Lumpur Tower in Malaysia

This video is awesome. It features Fred Fugen & JP Teffaud Base jumping off Kuala Lumpur Tower at the Menara Kuala Lumpur 2012 Event. This tower stands at 1,379 feet. Base jumping is a fairly new sport that didn’t really develop its own identity until the mid 80’s, known for its high fatality rates. Don’t try this one at home, kids. Though unless you live in the Kuala Lumpur Tower, that might be hard to do anyway.

+ Who: Turbolenza FollowtheFlow was the user name of the person who uploaded the video on youtube.com. Fred Fugen & JP Teffaud are starring in the video. They are base jumpers attending a base jumping event in Malaysia.
+ Where: This video was made in Malaysia. Most of it was filmed on and around the Kuala Lumpur tower. It is where the base jump took place. Kuala Lumpur is the most populated city in Malaysia and has many sky-scrappers. It is for this reason that it is one of the better cities for base jumping in the world. The tower itself Stands at 1,379 feet.
+ What: There are two professional base jumpers attending a base jump event in Malaysia. (0:01) Fred & Jp are both opening the video with a base jump right from the start. (1:48) they jump again. (2;20) another awesome jump. (3:00) They are on their way to the next jump. (3;34) They jump again. (4:00) They jump again. (4:20) They jump together. (4:47) They jump again.(5:30) They step take it to the next level and swing from the building from a rope. (6:20) Atop each other shoulders they jump from the building again. (7:00) They jump again holding hands.(7:25) They pretend to throw their friend off the building.

Dec 11 2013

Parkour at Fantastic Gymnastics

It’s great to see these parkour enthusiasts found a safe environment to practice and learn in order to hone their skills before taking them to the streets. This video is a bit more artistic than the usual run-of-the-mill showcase reel, and the end-result looks great. Some of the moves are incredibly creative and I think I’ll try some of them next time I visit the gym.

+ Who: This video is compiled by Parkour Tour (a channel on YouTube) and contains multiple freerunners’ stunts. Guy Mercier is featured in this video however at the end of the video, there is a list of thanks to the following people (names or aliases): The Shelby Family, Tyler Harder, Joshua Rideout, Jorell Linsangen, Sonny Keyton, Micky Wall, Fantastic Gymnastics, Blackmill, Chris Poh, Janis Feye, Yann Bissonnette, Shai James Zachery Maller, Aniez, Marco Santana, Christian Lemay, Joachim Schilinger, Brian Prince, Sami Rauf, Mark R. Okita, Matthew Watkins, Sean Rogers, Cassio Casagrande, Christopher Buck, Georgi Georgiev, Kevin A. Chang, David El Achkar, Sam Binkin, Tommy Cooke, Paul Darnell, Kenneth McKnight, Micky Wall & Modus.
+ Where: The video was filmed at the home based studio of Fantastic Gymnastics. Which when you watch the video you will hear Guy Mercier, the owner, mention is located in Winnipeg. I wouldn’t mind spending some time training at this gym, it seems very well equipped.
+ What: The video shows a compilation of parkour tricks performed by students in practice on multiple mat protected surfaces. These tricks show many common moves as well as some advanced moves the students are learning. Many of the students are performing flips off walls, rolling landings, standing flips as well as utilizing gymnastic equipment! About 1 min in we are given a short explanation of the history of Fantastic Gymnastics by the owner Guy Mercier. He explains how good it has been for his studio and the students whom come from previous parkour background. At 2:50 is a very cool maneuver performed on the parallel bars.

Oct 23 2013

Superhuman calisthenics

Various athletes doing planches, one-armed pull-ups, muscle ups, human flags, hand stands, high bar work, parallel bars and performing other feats of strength and balance in this video titled “Calisthenics 2012 Best Moments”. It’s actually a mix of parkour, gymnastics and general tricking. Impressive nonetheless.

Oct 23 2013

Summer Workout Battle 2013

Some Russians doing planches, one-armed pull-ups, breakdance moves, muscle ups and performing other feats of strength and balance in Moscow for the Summer Workout Battle 2013.

Oct 22 2013

Glycogen depletion gymnastics & weights training schedule

Considering I’ve basically been doing the same routine for nearly three years now I figure it’s time to switch things up a little. I’m already starting a new nutritional plan to try and trigger glycogen depletion and super-compensation on a weekly basis and I need a revised training schedule to match. My plan is to do two hours of gymnastics from Monday to Wednesday while not eating any carbs. Thursday I’d start doing one hour of gymnastics followed by an hour of strength training as I switch to a high-carb diet. Saturday since there is no gymnastics class in the morning I’ll go to a park to practice parkour and follow that up with an hour in the gym as well. Sundays I rest and ear whatever I feel like to reward myself for a week of dieting and training. I feel having a cheat day or at least a cheat meal is essential in any diet in order to stay motivated and avoid cravings.

Split training schedule

Monday: With plenty of stored glycogen I should get the most physically demanding and explosive exercises done first. For me, that means pommel horse and floor, equating to back, shoulders and legs.
Tuesday: This is the first day of reduced glycogen stores. The first hour of class we usually focus on stretching so that leaves two half hours to practice tumbling track and parallel bars, equating to legs and shoulders again, but less intensely.
Wednesday: Glycogen should be pretty much depleted by now so I’ll focus on high bar and trampoline. High bar mainly works abs, arms and upper back. Trampoline mainly works legs but supposedly it’s one of the only ways to exercise every significant muscle in the body at once. However, it’s not as intense, which is why I usually switch to trampoline when I feel I don’t have a lot of energy or strength.
Thursday: This is the first day that glycogen will be replenished, which means the muscles trained today will likely get the most benefit from the rush of carbs. As such, it’s recommendable to try and train the entire body. During gymnastics this means still rings and some floor work, mainly focusing on vertical jumps. Since I’m only spending an hour to an hour and a half doing gymnastics, these two combined with some stretching should be enough. At the gym I focus on my upper back and shoulders, since the latter is what I feel I need to improve on most.
Friday: My goal during gymnastics on Fridays is learning something new or work on a movement I haven’t mastered earlier this week. In the gym I’ll do my favorite workout: chest and arms.
Saturday: Since there isn’t any gymnastics class on Saturdays, I visit a nearby park where they have some parallel bars, high bars and trees that can be used to warm-up and practice some parkour. Afterwards I hit the gym to work legs and lower back.
Sunday: Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest.

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