Rumor has it that a number of you Rockheads out there are a little unsure of how to perform some basic exercises. With this in mind, good ol’ Scratch is here to help you navigate the finer points of fitness. Today, we’re gonna start off with a classic and often misused exercise – the Push-Up. A number of people don’t know the proper procedure for how to do a basic Push-Up. If you do know how to do a Push-Up, then maybe this can act as a little tune-up reminder to keep you on the right track. So let’s take a look at how this thing is done!

Perfect Push-Up Instructions

• Step 1: Get down in the starting position. This means placing the hands approximately shoulder length apart with your feet together (or up to 12 inches apart) and your body in a straight line.
• Step 2: While you lower yourself to the floor, inhale slowly. Stop your descent as your elbows reach a 90-degree bend (your upper arms should be about parallel to the ground). Make sure to keep your body from touching the floor.
• Step 3: Exhale slowly and push yourself away from the floor. Make sure to keep from locking your elbows and don’t bend your back.
• Step 4: Repeat for several sets!

The written instructions aren’t cuttin’ it for ya? Check out this video that shows you how to do a standard military Push-Up.

If the full on Push-Up is a little too intense for you, especially if you’re just starting off in your exercise routine, then you can always try the modified Push-Up. To do this, simply follow these simple steps:

Modified Push-Up Instructions

• Step 1: Place your hands and knees on the floor. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-length apart. Keep your glutes and abs tight with your back in a diagonal straight line with your head and neck. You can lift your feet off the floor.
• Step 2: As before, inhale as you lower yourself on the floor and stop as your elbows reach the 90-degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor.
• Step 3: Exhale as you push yourself away from the floor. Make sure not to bend your back or lock your elbows.
• Step 4: Repeat for several sets!

Once again, if you need a more visual aid, check out this video for extra tips and instructions!

Stay tuned, Rockheads for more upcoming exercise instructions and advanced Push-Up techniques!

As the golfin’ enthusiasts over at Reddit.com put it, this week “seems like the first real tournament of the year.” We’ve got the Farmers Insurance Open starting today and going through Sunday, January 29th to keep us Rock Heads occupied. So let’s take a look at the players we have to look forward to seeing out on the links!

Phil Mickelson’s World Golf Hall of Fame career includes 39 PGA Tour victories – an impressive record that puts him in a tie with Tom Watson and Cary Middlecoff for the ninth best player of all time. As PGATour.com reports, Mickelson “certainly expects to win. If not, I don’t want to say that it’s a failure, but it certainly wouldn’t be what I’m looking for or expect.” For Mickelson, confidence certainly seems to be key, but how will he stack up against competition like Bubba Watson and Brian Davis. Currently, Bubba is ranked highest in scoring average, driving accuracy, and driving distance with Davis holding an impressive putting record. Check out the tournament Thursday through Sunday from 3:00pm to 6:30pm on CBS.

The Farmers Insurance Open isn’t the only tournament to get us fans glued to our TVs. The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship features big names like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and World #1 Luke Donald. Woods’ first round of the 2012 season saw him post a 2-under at 70 – just three shots behind co-clubhouse leaders Rory, Robert Karlsson and Gareth Maybin. According to USA Today, “Woods played bogey-free golf that produced few momentous shots and two birdies. He missed several birdie chances, including a 6-footer on his ninth, the 18th hole.” Woods admitted he wasn’t playing his best: “I had a hard time reading the greens out there. The greens were pretty grainy and I just had a hard time getting a feel for it. Toward the end I hit some pretty good putts, but overall I got fooled a lot on my reads.”

While Rory put up better numbers overall than Woods, his playing was far less consistent. Good shots balanced out the bad ones, but overall his game was very erratic. He made three birdies in his first four holes, but then managed to bogey the next four. The three birdies on the back nine balanced out him back out, though.

How about it Rock Heads – the golf season is finally starting to heat up! (Now if only the weather would follow along, right?) This caveman can’t wait to see how the early 2012 season ends up playing out. Got your own predictions for the upcoming tournaments? Leave ‘em in the comment section!

The rules of golf are changing and adapting from the bottom up – literally! These days golf shoes are seeing a total overhaul with what is considered acceptable on the course. These changes aren’t necessarily in the way you’d expect given the typical stodgy atmosphere of a golf clubhouse. Golf shoes are becoming more stylish, savvier, and more comfortable. Both Callaway and Nike have gone to great lengths to improve the footwear of the links. Callaway’s RAZR footwear is top of the line, “incorporating advanced technologies inside and outside the shoe, designed to enhance comfort and improve performance.” With the kind of innovations that Callaway offers with this new shoe, it’s easy to see why the company is so proud of its product.

“The RAZR utilizes a temperature management system from Outlast as well as X40 molded insoles from OrthoLite and a Callaway comfortech gel tongue,” Kent Richard, director of marketing for footwear, eyewear and golf balls at Callaway Golf, says proudly.

The inside isn’t the only part of this shoe that’s receiving a makeover. With the RAZR shoes, Callaway introduces a proprietary spike design called “PINS,” short for Performance Insert System. PINS, developed from the creators of SoftSpikes, decreases spike pressure on a player’s foot. This simple decrease actually increases traction, stability, and comfort for the player.

Nike is also jumping on the cool Golf footwear bandwagon with its amazing Nike Dunk NG shoe. Yep, you read that right – the Nike Dunk. Nike is planning to showcase the Dunk with PGA Tour star Anthony Kim and the LPGA Tour sensation Michelle Wie. Wie and Kim are rumored to lace up their Dunks in early 2012. The Nike Dunk golf shoe offers a casual and customizable spin on the typical golf shoe. Colors like royal blue, bright pink, and funky orange are now an option for players (as are patterns like black and white checkered). While the Nike Dunk isn’t the first casual shoe on the marketplace, it is far and away the most iconic and unexpected look for out on the links. All of the comfort of your favorite pair of Nikes with the traction you need out on the green. Seems like a match made in sporting heaven. Perhaps Nike is trying to aim at the younger, fledgling golfing demographic with this latest venture. Either way, this caveman can’t wait to strap on a pair!

So what do you think of the new move for golf shoes? Cool spin on an old classic or a ham-fisted attempt to fix what isn’t broken? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!

Hey there RockHeads! So as I was driving Flinstones Style to work at dear ol’ Rock Bottom Fitness, NPR came on the air with their list of the best workout songs. Their list is fairly comprehensive (about 225+ songs worth of extensive). While there are some quality tunes on their list – and I highly recommend you check it out – I dunno about you fellas, but this caveman’s not likely to last on the treadmill for 16 hours straight. With that in mind, here’s Scratch’s own hour-long workout mix guaranteed to get your blood pumpin’ and your body moving!

1. Dilaudid – The Mountain Goats
2. Hysteria – Muse
3. Jonathon Fisk – Spoon
4. Reptilia – The Strokes
5. Bloodbeat – Patrick Wolf
6. Ain’t No Easy Way – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
7. Brainstorm – Arctic Monkeys
8. Let the Poison Spill from Your Throat – The Faint
9. Panther Dash – The Go! Team
10. Conquest – The White Stripes
11. PDA – Interpol
12. Ghost – Neutral Milk Hotel
13. Away Frm U – Oberhofer
14. The Distance – Cake
15. I Want You So Hard – Eagles of Death Metal
16. Die By the Drop – The Dead Weather
17. Worm Tamer – Grinderman
18. In My Head – Queens of the Stone Age
19. Screamin’ Eagle – Desert Sessions
20. Y Control – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Treat your ears (and your body) right by popping in your favorite workout mix and hitting the sidewalk or the gym. Got a favorite workout tune of your own? Leave it in the comment section!

Ever since this caveman chomped into his first mastodon steak, I realized the importance of protein in your diet. Protein is necessary for the building and repair of body tissues, it produces enzymes and hormones, it regulates body processes (like transporting nutrients and making muscles contract), and it prevents you from becoming easily fatigued by producing stamina and energy.

So what foods contain protein? Obviously meats like chicken, fish, pork, etc. have a lot of protein. But let’s say that you’re a vegetarian (or as I used to call ‘em, “herbivores”). How can you get your protein without eating meat? Foods like eggs and dairy also contain a lot of protein. If you’re a vegan, try eating foods like beans, soy, nuts, and whey are very high in protein so be sure to include more of ‘em in your diet!

Okay, now that you know where to go to find protein, the question is how much protein do you need? The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) states that you should consume approximately .8 grams of protein for every 1 kilogram of body weight. So:

1. Weight in pounds divided by 2.2 = weight in kg
2. Weight in kg x 0.8-1.8 gm/kg = protein gm

Use a lower number if you are in good health and are sedentary. Use a higher number (between 1 and 1.8) if you are under stress, pregnant, recovering from an illness, or you’re involved in a consistent and intense workout routine.

That equation had this caveman scratchin’ his head, so let’s see it with an example. Let’s say a 154 lb male is a regular exerciser and lifts weights and is trying to figure out how much protein he needs each day.

154 lbs/2.2 = 70kg
70kg x 1.5 = 105 gm protein/day

Now that you have a crash-course in protein and your body, the next question is – what exactly is a protein supplement? Protein supplements act in addition to your diet to help you reach your nutritional goals. Supplements are available in fluid, powder, and solid food formulations. There are also different types of protein supplements available on the market:

1. Whey Protein – the most commonly used type of protein which is derived from Milk and absorbed quickly into the body
2. Soy Protein – contains all essential amino acids and is a great alternative protein for vegetarians
3. Egg White Protein – recognized by bodybuilders and nutritionists as the superior choice for protein supplements

So who should use protein supplements? Supplements are for people who need extra protein because their daily requirements aren’t met with their regular diets. This can apply to anyone from body builders to people who don’t eat well (live on junk food) to vegetarians and vegans.

Protein also gives you great workout and weight loss benefits. Protein plays an important role in muscle recovery and workout rebound. Extra protein means that you’ll have extra recovery and you’ll rebound extra quickly! Protein also helps with weight loss. Because protein foods are very thermogenic (meaning it takes more energy to digest protein) the human body has to work about 30% harder to digest protein foods than it does to digest carbohydrates and sugars. A diet high in protein will help boost your metabolism and aid in your fat loss.

So now that you know the benefits of protein and protein supplements, think about whether or not you could use a little extra protein in your diet and check out our supplement section over at Rock Bottom Fitness!

This week, Bill Clinton will be hosting this week’s PGA tour event. Among Clinton’s many achievements, he is also an accomplished golfer with a handicap in the mid-teens. According to GolfDigest.com, Clinton hopes that his participation in the PGA will raise awareness for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation – a program aimed at decreasing childhood obesity. He may even play a couple of days, though he admits that his best golfing year was over a decade ago. “My best year as a golfer was 2001,” Clinton said. “I got down to a legitimate 10; the only time I was ever a 10. And I was hitting the ball forever. The next year I went to 34 countries. Next year I finished writing my book. Next year I had my heart surgery. It’s been one thing after another. But I still love to play.”

Bill Clinton isn’t the only recent President to make an appearance out on the links. President Barack Obama is the 15th of the past 18 American presidents who has played golf. He doesn’t play often, but the courses of Hawaii happen to be among the President’s favorites. So, let’s take a look at the top 15 golfing presidents according to GolfDigest:

1. John F. Kennedy – Despite chronic back pain, averaged 80
2. Dwight D. Eisenhower – Had a green outside of the Oval Office
3. Gerald R. Ford – Clumsy, but was a legitimate 80s-shooter
4. Franklin D. Roosevelt – At 39, polio robbed him of a powerful golf swing.
5. George H. W. Bush – Once got his handicap down to 11.
6. George W. Bush – Outgoing prez is a capable 15-handicapper.
7. Bill Clinton – Can break 90, especially using his “Billigans.”
8. Barack Obama – The lefty plays more hoops than golf.
9. Ronald Reagan – Didn’t play often or well (best was low 90s).
10. Warren G. Harding – Struggled to break 95.
11. William Howard Taft – As hapless a golfer as he was a chief executive.
12. Woodrow Wilson – Played more than Ike but almost never broke 100.
13. Richard M. Nixon – He shot 79 once and quit the game.
14. Lyndon B. Johnson – Played with senators to secure votes for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
15. Calvin Coolidge – When he vacated the White House, he left his clubs behind.

So there you have it RockHeads! How do you stack up against some of our greatest golfing Presidents? Leave your stats in the comment section below!

As he told the San Francisco Chronicle, when Johnson Wagner took to the links this past weekend in Honolulu for the Sony Open golf tournament, he was expecting some good-natured ribbing for the moustache he grew over the holidays. He was right. “I probably got ‘Magnum P.I.’ in Maui a hundred times,” Wagner said. “And I had never really watched the show. So I Googled images of Tom Selleck and took it as a compliment. Tom Selleck is a stud.”

Taking into consideration his hard work in the offseason and his confidence, Wagner also expected to win early this year. Right again there, Johnson. Over the weekend, Wagner played bogey-free over the final 12 holes and closed with a 3-under 67 on Sunday to win the Sony Open. This victory represents only his third PGA Tour title.

Another personal victory for Wagner – this most recent victory earned him an invitation to the Masters. This time, he says, he’ll be able to enjoy it. The only other time he played Augusta National was in 2008 after winning the week before at the Houston Open.

Thanks to his victory over the weekend, Wagner also gets to book a return to the Hawaiian course next year for a two-week working vacation that starts with the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua.

“I’ve worked very hard this offseason, and it’s just really nice to see it pay off so early,” Wagner said. Among Wagner’s other goals for the year are to get into the top 50 and get into more majors. “These will take more work,” he confessed.

So how ’bout it, Rockheads. What are your golfing goals for the New Year? Leave your resolutions in the comment section!

Shin splints got you down? Can’t quite drag yourself out into the cold for an early morning jog? Not a fan of running in the rain?

If this applies to you, but you still need to get your cardio exercise, then perhaps it’s time to think about alternate forms of exercise other than running. While running may technically be the most convenient (“all you need is a street and a pair of good shoes!”) as the above questions can attest, sometimes running just isn’t the best option. Personally, this caveman didn’t even go outside to check the mail during the Ice Age, much less go for a quick morning jog. It’s no secret that cardio exercise is one of the best ways to burn off those extra calories and keep yourself heart-healthy. So let’s take a look at another great and effective cardio exercise that won’t force you outdoors and into the cold in the early morning hours – Rowing.

As trainers from the United States Sports Academy can attest, rowing is an excellent exercise if you’re looking to achieve maximum physical fitness. Don’t have a convenient lake or river nearby? No worries – rowing machines are practically better than the real thing. These machines can help to build and tone muscles, strengthen cardiovascular function, and increase overall stamina. Rowing is also a great way to lose weight. If you’re rowing fairly vigorously, you can burn up to 125 calories in 15 minutes. This works out to about 500 calories per hour. Dieters who row for only an hour a day typically lose as much as a pound per week just thanks their time on the rowing machine!

Indoor rowing is also a wonderful endurance exercise. If you can’t keep up with your running regime thanks to joint aches and pains, rowing is perfect for you. The low impact nature of a rowing machine doesn’t place any stress on the back or joints. Keeping the rowing machine tension on low levels will let rowers maintain a high speed with little resistance and reach a perfect aerobic state (aerobic exercises are particularly important in promoting lung, heart, and circulatory health).

Does going to the gym make you feel a bit lopsided, like if you spent too long on your arms and not enough on your legs or torso? This isn’t a problem with rowing because it uses all of the muscles of the body and trains them all evenly. With each and every stroke, rowers work the legs, hips, and glutes. They also use upper body muscles that strengthen the back, shoulders, and arms. Your core abdominals are also engaged while rowing. If you need to put a little more strain on your muscles, adjust the resistance to build them up even faster.

Even if you don’t have that much room in your house or apartment, rowing machines these days come in compact sizes. Some models even fold up and can be easily stored under beds or in closets. By having equipment at home, you can save a ton of money by avoiding exorbitant gym membership fees and the gas prices of actually going to the gym and back. A nice, quiet rowing machine can even be placed in front of the TV so that you can watch a movie while you watch the pounds melt off your body!

Hope this helps you think about your cardio regiment and, for those Rockheads who haven’t tried rowing before, hopefully you’ll be inspired to try something new!

With his contract running up, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem had to decide whether he planned to hang up his cleats or dust ‘em off one more time and continue his long march of leadership. “As long as our team here is comfortable with my leadership, then I will most likely be open to staying,” he said. “But those are big ifs.”

As ESPN said in their article on the subject, apparently those “ifs” weren’t all that big after all.

The PGA Tour announced this week that Finchem’s contract – which would have expired at the end of the year – has been renewed for another four years. The new contract will take him through the year 2016 and into his 65th birthday. If he completes this term, he will have held the position for 22 years. This caveman has been around since the Neogene Period but I’ve gotta tell you, 22 years at the same position is a long time!

While Finchem may be only the third commissioner in the tour’s history, the PGA Tour has prospered under his authority. From total purses hovering around $56 during his first year to around $290 million today, it’s clear that the Tour has benefited from Finchem’s unique brand of leadership. Critics argue that much of Finchem’s effectiveness is a product of timing; Tiger Woods came along just a few short years after he took the job. With Woods as a powerhouse player, attracting sponsorships and opportunities to the sport of golf was perhaps easier for Finchem than previous commissioners.

That being said, Finchem didn’t falter during the tough economic turns of recent years. Despite the fees associated with sponsoring golf, Finchem still managed to keep the Tour schedule full of sponsored events. With every title sponsor that leaves, Finchem has always been able to find another to help cover the cost. He even managed to solve the problem of television contract negotiations: “Despite fears that tough television contract negotiations were on tap, Finchem announced this past fall (well before this year’s expiration) that a deal had been renewed through 2021.” Not only did he solve this issue before he knew whether or not his contract would be renewed, but he also ensured that the next commissioner to take over in 2016 is guaranteed an entire term of not having to deal with this concern. You’re a class man, Mr. Finchem.

Thanks to his economic prowess, Finchem has turned the PGA Tour into a billion-dollar-plus business.

That being said, there are some complaints about how Finchem has commanded the Tour. According to ESPN, “He’s been too soft on slow play, unwavering in not announcing player discipline, perhaps too firm with sponsors who were looking to catch a break during a horrible economy.”

Perhaps Steve Flesch, a member of the Player Advisory Council, put it best when he was asked about the difficulties of the Commissioner position: “The bottom line is you’re not going to make everybody happy. What’s good for Tiger Woods isn’t necessarily good for the guy who is 125th on the money list. The gripes that players have are mostly selfish.”

So what are the big tasks and challenges coming up for Finchem in his upcoming term? First off, he has to work to renew the FedEx Cup deal that brings in a whopping $35 million. The contract is expiring in 2012 and it is unclear whether or not it will be extended. Hopefully Finchem’s latest term will also be his greatest.

So how ’bout it, Rockheads? Let’s say you get to play Commissioner for a day. What would you do differently? Leave your ideas in the comment section!

I don’t know about you, but after this caveman gets off work, the last thing I feel like doing is going for a quick jog or lifting weights at the gym. A full day at the office is draining enough. But when you actually think about your time spent at the office, most likely you have a few breaks throughout the day. Chances are once you finish an assignment you reward yourself with a little break. Perhaps instead of clicking over to YouTube and watching a few funny cat videos, you can try one of these 15 exercises that you can do right in your office. Not only will you feel better about how you spent your break, but studies also show that a jolt of exercise will actually improve your focus and energy levels throughout the rest of your day!

Hands and Arms:
• The Arm Pump: Pump both of your arms over your head for 30 seconds.
• The Triceps Dip: Put your arms behind your back and rest them on your chair. Then, slowly raise and lower yourself on your chair. This will really work out your triceps.
• Water Bottle Weights: Using a water bottle as a weight will increase the difficulty of your workout. With water bottle weights, you can do front raises, overhead presses, and bicep curls.
• Elevated Pushups: Lean on a sturdy piece of furniture (you knew that desk must be good for something) and slowly push your body off of it. Think of this as a standing pushup.
• Flapping Wings: Stretch your arms up and back as far as they can go. Bring your arms back forward until they meet and stretch your arms out in front of you. Repeat!

Torso:
• The Gluteal Squeeze: Tense up your glutes (your butt) and hold it for a ten count. Repeat!
• Neck Rotations: This is a great one for people who carry tension in their necks. Drop your chin and roll your neck. Then raise your chin up and bend your neck to each side. A great way to stretch and relax.
• Curls: Cross your arms over your chest and sit up with your back straight. Then tense your abdominal muscles and curl your shoulders towards your hips. Hold this for a few seconds and repeat. Think of it like a seated sit-up.
• Abdominal Stretch: Sit on the edge of your chair and stretch your arms out. While keeping your back straight, pull your abdominal muscles in towards you. Repeat and relax!
• Wall Sits: Wall Sits are great for your core and your thighs! To do a proper wall sit, rest your back against a wall and move your feet away from the wall. Bend your knees until they are in a right angle position with your back still pressed up against the wall. Hold this position for as long as you can. Feel the burn!

Feet and Legs:
• Take the Stairs: If your office has stairs, you should take them every time. This works out your calves and thighs, not to mention burns more calories than the elevator. If you’re feeling ambitions, take them two at a time. Often, stairs are the only real walking opportunities that office workers get each day, so take advantage of them!
• Calf Raises: Stand in front of a desk or a piece of furniture that you can use to hold your balance. Raise your heels off the floor and slowly lower them. This is a great way to eliminate some of the stress that builds up in your legs.
• Toe Raises: While you’re seated at your desk, lift your toes while keeping your heels firmly on the ground. This is a great stretch for your shins.
• Leg Extensions: While sitting in your chair, extend your leg until it is level with your hip. Hold it there as long as you can and then relax it down. Then switch legs!

Just writin’ this article gave this caveman an endorphin high! With these tips and exercise suggestions, there’s no reason why a day at the office has to mean a day without fitness.