The holiday countdown begins and now's the perfect time to stay trim with Skimble and TRX.  Create a home gym this winter with a TRX Suspension Training Pro Pack. TRX Suspension Training leverages your own bodyweight to build power, balance, core strength and flexibility for people of all fitness levels.  Each day in Dec 2010 that you track at least one activity or workout on Skimble, you earn one contest entry. At the end of the month, winners are randomly chosen from these entries. Each winner receives a a TRX Pro Pack + Door Anchor, MSRP 199.95 USD. Details here.

If you don't know about TRX, read about Ariana V's first TRX experience as she visits the San Francisco-based TRX Trainer Center and creates her own home gym:

I had never heard of TRX nor did I know that the TRX training center existed in the easily accessible neighborhood of Russian Hill in San Francisco. On Friday, my boyfriend Sameer and I arrived to meet Nicole, who helped us get set up in the center and introduced us to the trainer, Charles. Charles provided us with a 10-15 minutes overview of the class and quickly taught us how to use the suspension training system. This short introduction proved to be very helpful once the other students were there and the class began.

We spoke with Charles and Nicole for a few minutes before the class started, discussing how they came into the TRX family. Charles let us know that he had been hoping to become a personal trainer and came upon TRX. After doing some classes, he became hooked early on.  He sought out the founder of Fitness Anywhere, which led him to his current place in the company. Nicole let us know that she began with the company way back in 2007, when there was only a staff of 7. The TRX family now includes a training facility in Russian Hill and offices downtown. They are also looking for space for another training facility. Randy, the founder, started the program with him and his dog out of his own house. Randy has a background in the Navy, where he gained the kind of physical discipline that drove him to create TRX.

TRX is a fitness training program that uses suspension training. The class that I took was TRX Circuit Training, which incorporates the suspension training with cardio to provide a full-body workout. The class was amazing. I thought that it was a very different way to think of exercise than I am used to – the integration of core strengthening on a platform that I never used before and a cardio workout really helped me feel (and know!) that I got an amazing workout. This is proven by how sore my body was for the next three days!

The suspension ropes are easy to pick up. I think that if I took just a couple more classes, I could get a way better hang of them so that I feel more comfortable with how to use them and how they are supposed to feel. On the other hand, they were not at all difficult to use and the fact that it was my first class did not prohibit my workout in any way.

My favorite thing about TRX is that it really provided a full-body workout. When I say that I was sore, I mean that literally it felt like every muscle in my body was sore. I felt like I had worked out every muscle and had a great cardio session too. It kept me sweating the whole time and that's how I like my workouts.

I also really liked the trainer. Charles (pictured above left) provided us with all the help that we needed without making us feel like goofs since we didn’t really know what we were getting into. The class was a mix of regular students and people who hadn’t done it before and that was completely fine since everyone can do the exercises at their own pace.

Back at home, the TRX home system allows you to suspend the ropes from a doorway so you can do anything that you could in class. It's completely portable and great for travellers who want to stay in shape wherever they go...here's a photo of Skimble's Maria L completing the 40/40 TRX Challenge on the rooftop of the Lombardi Sports store in San Francisco:

It really does make a great holiday present for yourself or a loved one!  Be sure to snag 15% off + Free Shipping till 12/16 on TRX systems today!

How did you stay fit this fall? Last month, Skimble members did a variety of things to stay active as the temps dropped. Congrats to 10 Skimble members who are living life to the fullest...they can now fuel it naturally with a Bear Naked Survival Pack filled with all-natural granola treats! Props to you guys for completing all sorts of sports activities:

Micaiah F may be under water in his profile pic but recently ventured inland for some rock climbing and hiking in Yosemite National Park.

 

Patrick C just kept hiking!

Jihee L practiced yoga and did some jogging in Washington, DC. 

Glenn H went cycling around town and tracked them all using his Android phone.

Rusty M did completed some of his own audio workouts and regularly completed the Military Mayhem Circuit.

Scott C went running around south bay and even participated in Santa To the Sea.

As the winter season kicks in, do something new. Hit the slopes, go for a brisk jog, warm up in a yoga studio, try out snoeshoeing, or setup your own home gym with a TRX suspension training system.  As always, don't forget to fuel it naturally with Bear Naked's 100% pure & natural granola treats!

The month of November is the time to get Bear Naked with Skimble.  Be active and be one of the lucky winners to get a Survival Pack filled with your favorite Bear Naked granola products.  So get out there.  Run, dance and play tennis because at the end of the month, active Skimblers will be the proud owners of an amazing survival pack packed with natural goodness. 

Be Natural with Bear Naked - 100% Pure & Natural Granola!

• Made with REAL whole grain oats, luscious fruit and hearty nuts
• All natural ingredients you know, love and can actually pronounce
• NO Artificial Flavors, NO Cholesterol, NO Hydrogenated Oils, NO High Fructose Corn Syrup, NO Preservatives, Og Trans Fat
• Vegetarian friendly
• Kosher certified
• Enjoy it with yogurt, fresh fruit or just Bear Naked

You play hard so we partnered with KT Tape, a sports medicine company that makes innovative athletic tape.

We had a great time stress testing KT Tape and now we'd like to award our Top Skimblers of September their choice of KT Tape (available in a variety of sweet colors!).  Here's a little bit about last month's winners, and what they're doing to stay fit:

Sean N loves gym cardio, weights and here he is after a swet hike up Half Dome in Yosemite:

Robbie R does gym cardio, hiking, and weights as part of his regular schedule.

Jeff D enjoys hiking, doing backpacking trails and weightlifting.

Mark L is into martial arts, specifically Jiu-Jitsu, as well as, weightlifting, and rock climbing.

Neriman C tones up with aerobics and yoga.

Dennis M just keeps running...regularly 4-10 miles per day!

Aysan C skimbles her hiking, does weights, yoga, gym cardio, and pilates.

Brett M consistenly weightlifts and is training for the NorCal Tough Mudder - good luck!

Nick N goes cycling, and does weights.

Pamela G enjoys running mostly everyday for 1 hour.

Raul G likes to go running and it's certainly paying off!

Dennis F dances tango and lifts weights.

Jordan K lifts weights, goes walking, and hiking.

Ian M bikes, lifts weights, does yoga, rock climbs and runs.

Paul G lifts weights, does gym cardio- treadmill up in Canada.

Tantek Ç is into bouldering, yoga & pilates...if you're lucky, you'll spot him buildering SF!

Abigail M regularly enjoys soul-stretching yoga and climbs from time-to-time.

Thomas B has been doing some bad-*ss rock climbing these days. 

Jessica J climbs rocks and bikes, does yoga and cardio...and even slacklines!

Christopher W enjoys the rock wall

Justina Y represents with a bit of yoga, rock climbing and kayaking.

Joe C goes on long urban hikes and weightlifts too.

Scott N plays ultimate frisbee, does cardio gym, and enjoys swimming.

Biggi F get creatives with gym cardio, cycling, treadmill, weightlifting, and hiking.

Mike L kicks butt with martial arts, Krav Maga, Tae-Kwon-Do, goes running, lifts weights, and does yoga.

Winners will soon receive an email with instructions on how to redeem their prize pack!  Thanks and be sure to check out the latest contest prize on Skimble.  Keep-up the good work and don’t forget to skimble it! 

If you want more info about KT Tape, check out our review and hear what Olympic champ Kerri Walsh has to say:

I think I’ve mentioned this ridiculously wonderful product to you before, but I must mention it again because it’s literally saving my body! I’ve had some foot issues and swelling problems with various body parts, and it’s been KT tape to the rescue every time. Feet, shoulder, back, knee — you name the body part and it’s been aided by the tape.

Skimble's August Contest: win a Back-to-School Prize Pack including a Mountain Hardwear Enterprise Backpack, Evolv Sports Climbing or Hiking Shoe gift certificate and a Skimble T-shirt + other goodies, valued at over $250 USD.  The prize pack is perfect for all your projects, whether they be in the classroom, on top a mountain or clinging onto a boulder!

Here's a little review:

Mountain Hardwear Enterprise Backpack:

Take this pack with you on your day hikes and urban walks to school or the office.  Consistently a best seller, this year the Enterprise has been upgraded with CoolWave Suspension for even better performance.  Equipped with all the essentials pockets, we give it an A+ for the attention to detail with the super soft pocket to store delicate electronics and the fully padded hydration / laptop sleeve!  Choose from five hot colors including Black and Jungle:

Evolv Sports Climbing or Hiking Shoes:

What's not to like about the most "vegan-friendly" synthetic climbing shoes around with TRAX Rubber performance soles?  Maria loves to wear the Talon G2's for her most overhanging sends including Tonsai Playboy (5.12a) in Tonsai, Krabi, Thailand and the Evo for slightly more vertical sends like Threadfin (5.12b/c) at the Tsunami Wall in Red Rock Canyon State Park, near Las Vegas, NV.

Gabe digs the Optimus Primes (the Chris Sharma shoe), which is ideal for the wider foot and aggressive sport climber!  He's also excited to try the Predator G2 in the coming month.  What if you're new to climbing?  For an all-around shoe, go for the Pontas for guys and the Electra VTR for girls.  And if you're vertically challenged, slip into the Escapist hiking shoe and hit the trails.

Skimble Shop Tees:

For your inner outdoor shopaholic, the Skimble Shop helps you look stylish and buff in American Apparel t-shirts with flex printing.  You can wash these tees over and over and they'll continue to look and fit great.

How to win in August?

Just be active and track your adventures on Skimble.  Let's take a look at some active Skimblers:

• Into tennis and running? Follow Kenzo H because he's still undefeated and could use a little competition.
• Julia H's hand jestures make you want to bust a move during your yoga and aerobics session.
• Take a look at Scott N's running trails...see if you can run them as fast as he can.
• A fist bump goes out to John T for Crossfit training in Pasadena...Skimble's new Crossfit Champ, perhaps?
• Watch out for Raul G who may have clocked more hours in the gym than Arnold Schwarzenegger did in his prime.

Sports records are being broken left and right.  Usain Bolt stunned the world with his 9.58 second 100 meter dash and John Isner was left wondering when his 138 game fifth set at Wimbledon would ever end.  This summer track and share your own record-breaking achievements with Skimble!

High fives go out to Hannah B & Ken S who've both won a custom Avery Tennis Racket valued at $179.99 USD.  Whether you're a pure beginner, a weekend warrior or the social doubles player, an Avery Tennis racket will improve your serve, ground strokes and volleys.

Founder Tom Avery is a really sweet guy, he's over 70 years old and has over 35 years of tennis coaching experience...let him guide you with the racket of your choice:

• Avery M3 Control Mid +
• Avery M3 Power Mid +
• Avery M5 Oversize

Check out the Avery tennis racket reviews here.

Special thanks to our sponsor:

Stay tuned for more info about this month's Contest Prize Pack announcement...

We love the FIFA World Cup 2010 Official Theme Song and the latest hold-your-breath wins by USA and England today!

In case you missed it this morning, watch these and other replays on ESPN3.

	United States	1	:	0	Algeria					-	Highlights
	Slovenia	0	:	1	England					-	Highlights

For men, we have the Ravine Short Sleeve Shirt and Wildlands Shorts.  Here's Gabe looking good in his Mountain Hardwear gear as he prepares for his next great adventure: 

And the gear for the women is just as cool including the Loess Tank Top and High Step Judo Crops. 

As you can tell, all of us at Skimble are huge fans of Mountain Hardwear's gear and athletes.  Here's Mike Libecki and Maria at a Lombardi Sports event last month in San Francisco:

Be active to win big (in more ways than one)!  This month, Skimble will be giving away Skimble Action Packs including your choice of Skimble t-shirt and a $50 Gift Card from REI or MEC:

What do you have to do to get the goods?  Just be active with Skimble.  Each day in February that you track at least one activity on Skimble, you earn one contest entry.  At the end of the month, winners are randomly chosen from these entries.  That's pretty much it so get on it and be active!

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Need some motivation?  Invite your friends and follow some people who got their 'action' on last month!  Congrats to the Skimble Leaders of January 2010:

• Sebastien V is an advanced ashtanga yoga instructor with a pretty impressive video on his profile...just saying.
• Matt Y is an all arounder who likes running, biking, rock climbing, yoga, and gym fitness.
• Tony M swims like a dolphin but prefers ninja-fighting pandas (refer to profile pic)!
• Inuk S - In oder Aus in Switzerland: pilates & aerobics indoors, biking & hockey outdoors.
• Sean N is enjoying his personal-best triathlon w/ his favorite activities: hiking, cardio and yoga.
• Cedric M keeps fit in the city by playing basketball and lifting weights.
• Dan C tracks his urban and adventure hikes all around Taipei, Taiwan.
• Katie J spends her time learning yoga and hiking around New Mexico.
• Gian F is a trooper road bike riding long distances on cold mornings in Florida.
• Chris B achieved his personal best while mountain biking pretty damn hard.