These two movements develop explosive pushing power and core strength. They also offer the  society enhancing benefit of quickly defusing feelings of homicidal rage. I often day dream about enjoying this  combo while engaging in more frustrating endeavors (usually involving a phone or computer).

What you need: a good sized medicine ball and something to bang it in to (a heavy punching bag, a solid wall or a partner who can catch).

Step 1: After a warm-up including loosening up your upper body, hit the ground for a challenging set of push-ups. Do enough to feel the tingle and get a little grunty, but not so many that you can’t get up.Step 2: Stand up and grab your medicine ball with one foot slightly in front of the other and knees soft. Think boxing stance. You are now ready to release the rage! To do a chest pass put one palm on each side of the ball and hold it against your chest at the nipple line. Arms should be bent and nearly parallel to the floor. To execute the pass extend your arms and thrust the ball forward in an explosive pushing motion. Focus on using your chest muscles, but make sure you keep your core/abdominals drawn in and tight and ground your legs into floor.Beginners: Do 10 modified push-ups (on your knees) followed by 15 chest passes. Rest one minute and repeat (for a total of two sets).Intermediates: Do 20 modified push-ups or 10 regular (on toes) followed by 20 – 25 chests passes. Do crunches for a minute and then repeat (for a total of two sets).Advanced: Do 20 – 25 push-ups followed by 30 passes (or 30 seconds of passing). Do crunches for a minute and repeat twice (for a total of three sets). Add a minute of jump roping between each set if you really want to sweat.Now get busy my little rage puppies and let me know what you think. 

A barn raisin’ is not a shriveled treat found on the floor of a barn, but what communities used to do when one of their members need a warm place to stash their cows and oats. Building a barn is always a big job, but in the pre-power tools days of the 18th and 19th century the process was especially daunting. Even for strong country boys and girls barn raising was not a solo sport and several burly pairs of arms were needed to raise much of anything.

Back in the day all able bodied community members were required to participate in barn raisings and those who did not suffered community banishment and all around shunning. The process usually took at least a couple of days and nobody was paid. But it wasn’t all grunting and asking Cousin Edgar to pass the bucket of nails, because a barn razing also provided rare social opportunities for far flung community members to get together, feast and have a good ole’ time (I like to imagine there were fiddles involved).

Helping someone move is the modern day equivalent of barn raising. Which begs the question why would most of us rather hide ourselves in a box all day then help someone move? Why does the modern world leave people to raise their own sad, little lonely barns or hire some sweaty stranger to help?

What are we working out for anyway if not to build strong bodies capable of bounding up steps even when weighed down by heavy boxes of books? What’s the point of lifting a barbell if you can’t (or won’t) lift a couch? Unless you have a physical job, helping someone move is one of the few chances we get in our modern world to put our lovely muscles to productive use. Thought of in a slightly more historical perspective moving is an opportunity to use our skills and muscles, get together with friends and build community spirit. And don’t forget the beer and food enhanced celebration when the final box has been unloaded!

So don’t miss out on the next opportunity to help a friend, flex your stuff and dine on free beer and pizza. Just remember, lift with your legs, not your back and ask for help with the heavy or slippery stuff.

*Mennonite and Amish communities still practice community barn raising. Cool.