Good Morning friends! I hope everyone had an awesome week. To kick off another week of awesome, this is The WOW! – The Workout of the Week, for the week of 4/15/19. This is “The Guitar Lessons and FIIT Sevens Workout”.
The post this week is going to feature places to find online guitar learning content. It will include a great music series – Mindful Vibes. AAAaand the post is going to include an awesome FIIT workout!
Guitar Content
The guitar is one of my favorite past times. Most of my guitar “skills” (which are limited at best) come from watching Marty Schawtz YouTube Guitar Lessons. Marty Music is probably the best YouTube Channel for lessons I have found. Previously, he did Guitarjamz.com, possibly still does. I started doing these lessons when I first picked up a guitar, 12-ish years ago, and Marty’s content is supreme in my mind.
The First Song I Learned
The first song I wanted to learn to play was Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here”. One of my all-time favorite songs. I remember asking “the google-machine”, “how do you play Wish You Were Here on guitar?”. This google search changed my guitar playing world, as it led me to the world of YouTube guitar lessons.
I went from trying to decipher tabs and music notes by ear, to be able to see a “live” person show you how to play the song.
Game-changer!
** I still cannot get the solo (Wish You Were Here) right though! It’s tough. I can get close but haven’t mastered it, like 12 years later. It’s there, but it’s not quite right.
Just Ask the “Google-Machine”… How Do I Play (insert song name) on Guitar…
By the way, you can ask “the google-machine” how to play just about any mainstream song on guitar and find a video for it. Seriously, try it.
I suspect the same is true for other instruments, like keyboard/piano.
Guthrie Trapp Lessons
I recently found a new lesson series that is really good! Guthrie Trapp’s YouTube channel has really great guitar lesson videos.
Lesson # 1, Fundamentals is pretty good! This Gent has a bunch of free lessons! Check them out!
Study the Song’s Tabs Along With a Video Lesson.
I like to study the tab along with the video. Umltimate-guitar.com is the best site I have found for tabs. I have not thought a song I wanted to learn that was not on this site, with multiple versions of tabs.
This method of combining tabs with a video lesson really helps me understand how to play a song.
If not familiar with tabs, they are like a shorthand version of music notation. Tablature (or Tabs) can be used for many different fretted, stringed instruments. Tabs show finger placement along the fretboard and indicate which strings to play. Tabs basically show you where to put your fingers to play a song.
Music – Without Any Prior Lessons or Training.
Learning tabs could allow a person to play guitar without really even understanding what notes they are playing. I had no clue what I was playing when I started! Tabs allowed me to play and learn music, without having music theory instruction (outside of my two years of half-assed piano lessons are a youth).
At some point, I really need to learn the CAGED System to take my playing to another level. It’s on the future LPSAG list!
I think I might follow another one of my favorite guitar sites for that lesson plan, when I get around to tackling it. JustinGuitar.com and the YouTube Channel are another great place guitar stuff. I have been doing this dude’s video lessons for almost as long as Marty’s. Both awesome teachers. Check out Justin’s lessons to take your playing to the next level!
Benefits of Learning to Play a Musical Instrument
There are many benefits to playing music. It can benefit hand-eye coordination, it gives a creative out-let, and it activates and connects parts of the brain in ways that nothing else can do!
I went deeper on this topic in my post “The Music Workout”. If you want to know more about the benefits of learning and playing music, please check out some of the info on that post.
I think learning to play music helped make my “lazy-brain” into a “active-brain”. I don’t want to say it made me “smarter” but I could make the argument of it’s correlation. If nothing else, learning music gave me confidence to pursue other avenues of learning – like earning my AAS and BAS.
The Music – Mindful Vibes – E1
Featuring chilled out Jazz-Hop music, this series from Mindful Music is great to help find that zone. It’s got soft jazzy tones mixed will cool hip-hop beats. SMOOOTH :).
The Mindful Vibes series on YouTube, from the Mindful Music channel, comes into the Jazz-Hop genre perfectly with some great mixes. There are a bunch of episodes in the Mindful Vibes Series. Great music to find the zone, focus, and chill out with! Please, check out this series, check out the YouTube Channel. Great Tunes!
Sometimes if I am feeling the music, when listening to stuff like this, I will pick up a guitar and try to play along a bit with the beats. It’s a fun way to improvise some music practice!
The Workout
**Remember to always warm up before a workout. I do the dynamic warm-up video from FightTips before every workout. That warm-up is something I do every morning as part of my daily routine.
**Make sure you are healthy enough to exercise. If you are not sure maybe talk to your doctor first. Be safe!
FIIT Intervals – 30X30 x 7
For the workout this week we are doing Four Rounds of 30X30 x 7. I use the android app free interval timer on my phone.
Use FIIT Principles. “Work” at 85% max intensity or perceived exertion for 30 seconds, then “rest” at 65% max intensity for 30 seconds, then repeat. The first two rounds will follow this format.
For round three, it will be max out for 30, full rest for 30.
Round four is holding different yoga poses for about 27 seconds and flowing into another pose for 27ish seconds. When the interval timer beeps that the interval is ending, flow into the next pose.
Each round will be a different type of exercise.
Take a one-minute break between rounds. Have water with you and keep hydrated.
The workout is a total of 32 minutes – 28 minutes of 30×30 intervals, broken up into four rounds, seven minutes per round, with a one-minute break between each round.
Round 1 – Kung Fu – Fast, Then Slow, Then Fast, Then Slow…
With interval timers set to 30X30 x 7 do Free-Style “fast striking” moves, like 1-2 combos, 1-2-3-4 combos, front-kicks, high knees, and other “Kung Fu” moves, for the “work” at 85%, then for the 65% “rest” do slow-mo moves – like Tai Chi, with “dynamic resistance” on. I mix in some front lunges, sumo-walk, and other dynamic movements.
Dynamic Resistance = #FLEX – “Who you trying to flex-on dude??..”. No one bro, this is dynamic resistance and it will make your workouts more effective – Check out DDPY for more about dynamic resistance concepts. — DDPY is awesome too, check that stuff out.
The concept is 30 seconds of faster striking, followed by 30 seconds of “slow-mo moves” with dynamic resistance. Using FIIT principles. Fast then slow, then fast, then slow … you get the idea! 🙂
I am wearing my Meister weight gloves. Use these to add more to the workout! If you don’t have weight gloves, GET SOME. You could sub in hand weights, a could big bolts, soup cans, or something else that weighs about a pound. One pound might not sound like much, but it makes a difference! These Meisters were about $20 on Amzn. The gloves fit great, look good, and add another dimension to the workouts.
Want to increase striking speed and power? These gloves are one way to help accomplish that. At least that’s my untested theory. I think others can be me up here… right guys? 🙂
One Minute Break
Round 2 – 30X30 X 7 FIIT Bike Intervals
For round 2, I am hopping on my spin bike. If you don’t have a bike, use any other cardio. Like jog/run in place or fake jump rope. Keep the FIIT principles working.
30X30 x 7: FIIT – “Work” at 85% max FTP for 30 – seconds, then “rest” at 65% max FTP for 30 seconds. Seven intervals for a seven minute round!
If you are not familiar with FTP, check out The GCN video. GCN is awesome, and their videos pretty much changed my life. Their free content taught me most of what I know about cycling for fitness. When I started their workouts I was over 245lbs. I was about 158lbs yesterday when I got on the scale.
One Minute Break – Drink That H2O. Breathe!
Round 3 – 30X30 X 7 – Resistance Band Work
Next Round, resistance band. For round 3 we are doing seven exercises for 30 seconds with a full 30-second break. During the “break” march in place. I try to get 30 steps for my pace, which should be a nice light recovery.
I am using my Flexible Sports resistance band set, found on amzn for about $20.
The Resistance Band Moves, 30X30 x 7 — Max-out 30, Rest 30 (march in place)
**All these moves require the resistance band to be anchored. I use my spin bike. The set came with a door anchor that works great too.
- Standing bench – I anchor using my bike, you could use a door, or a piece of heavy furniture.
- Pull-backs – the reverse of the standing bench. Standing bench you face away from anchor. Pull-backs you face the anchor.
- Butterflies
- Reverse butterflies — same idea as with pull-backs applies here. With butterflies, you face away from the anchor and reverse butterflies you face towards the anchor.
- *in right-handed fighter stance, both band handles in the right hand* – Big Rights. Big Over-hand right punches, non-stop, 30-seconds.
- *in left stance, bands in left hand* – same thing but left – Big Lefts. BIG over-hand Lefts!
- 1-2 punch combos. NON-STOP: 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2… Punch HARD for 30 seconds!
One Minute Break – Earned it! Drink that water. Breathe!
Round 4 – 30X30 Yoga Poses
Round 4 will be a Power Yoga Flow type routine. I try to keep a flow through this routine, and hold each pose for about 27 seconds, then transition to the next pose and hold the same amount of time. When the timer beeps, flow to the next pose.
- Diamond Cutter flow for 30 – DDPY style
- Transition to forward-fold
- Hand on knees, flat back
- Down dog
- transition to up-dog.
- move into a 30-second push-up – down slow, hover above ground – “chaturanga” type thing – then up slow – for the 30-second move
- transition to up dog
- flow back to down dog
- walk forward and end in a forward fold
- stand and transition to warrior-flows – start with right foot forward into warrior one
- move to warrior two
- switch to left foot forward warrior one
- flow to warrior two
- finish in mountain pose
BREATHE deep breaths the whole time. Use “dynamic resistance”. STRETCH those muscles out!
Make it an awesome week
There you have it folks, The WOW, for the week of 4/15/19. A “YUGE” Thank you to the free content providers! Please check out some free content from the providers I linked. Marty Schwartz especially, everything I know about guitar started there. Show them all some love for what they do! A huge thank you to the readers! You are all awesome! Make it an awesome week!
I think learning and playing music gives me goals and keeps me grounded. It helps deal with stress too. Exercising has the same effect. That’s why I do it!
Maybe Try a free music lesson this week on your favorite video content platform!
Got 32 minutes? Try the FIIT Sevens routine. Or just try one round or two rounds of the workout. Do a round or two in the AM and fit in a round or two in the PM. Or do rounds one and tow on Monday, and three and four on Tuesday, then repeat. Do you have 16 minutes? Two of the minutes are a break, so you only work for 14 minutes. Even one round of 7 minutes of 30X30 intervals can provide a great quick workout if you’re short on time. If you are starting from square one, like I did, take it slow, take small steps toward those goals. #LPSAGs
little puny specifically aligned goals = LPSAGs. The only way I know how to accomplish a big goal. Also SUPER-Effective when used.
Be happy and healthy my friends! Be the hero in your story!
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