As she has for eight years, this search season,听听headed听into the woods of Yellowstone National Park to look for the place Santa Fe art dealer听Forrest Fenn hid a bronze chest full of gold and jewels over a decade ago. The thing is, by most accounts, the treasure is gone.

鈥淲e had such a trust with each other that we could talk about anything,鈥� Meachum said of her friend, . But for as much time she spent with him, and as much as she knows about the eccentric Fenn, she doesn鈥檛 know the place he loved so much that it was where he hid his famous stash. While her chances at fame and fortune are gone, the opportunity to learn more about her late friend keeps Meachum venturing into the woods.

On June 6, 2020, Fenn announced his famed chest had been found听by 鈥渁 guy from out east,鈥� who solved a poem in his memoir, Thrill of the Chase, full of clues to locate it. Most media outlets declared the million-dollar hunt over. A 听from听people who claimed that they were the rightful owners of the treasures followed. Facing the possibility he鈥檇 be outed in court, the听real finder, Jack Stuef, a 32-year-old med student from Michigan, opted to come forward via an 国产吃瓜黑料听article, though he would not reveal the exact location where he dug up the chest鈥攐nly that it was retrieved in Wyoming. With no treasure to find and the winner finally revealed, the vast majority of people once interested in the decade-long story simply stopped caring. What’s a treasure hunt without its treasure?

But a core group of devoted hunters kept searching for the spot the treasure was once buried. Whether driven by a personal connection to Fenn, a desire for closure, or the pure excitement of trying to decipher the poem and explore the woods with their friends, for many searchers, Stuef鈥檚 refusal to say where and how he found the chest means the hunt continues.

And the听internet sleuths dig deep. Fenn , , and are still flooded with solves based on emails Stuef sent about search techniques that worked for him. On Reddit, one hunter of more than 300 email conversations between searchers and Stuef, which grows every day. Another online sleuth built an algorithm that searched the most popular Fenn-based YouTube shows to see if anyone named 鈥淛ack鈥� had been mentioned before Stuef鈥檚 name was revealed to the public. Using this method, he discovered Stuef had called into and emailed the YouTube show 鈥淎 Gypsy鈥檚 Kiss鈥� under the pseudonym Jack from Philadelphia, which provided even more material to comb through.

Mike and Kristy Cowling, a married couple who run two Fenn-themed YouTube shows and (THOR), a popular Fenn message board, say traffic is higher than it鈥檚 ever been. When asked whether the solution was worth more than the chest full of gold, Mike Cowling said, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 say it鈥檚 more valuable, but I know there are searchers who would pay just as much for the solution.鈥�

While some stick to internet clues, others believe boots-on-the-ground searching is a necessary part of finding the spot. and in subsequent emails, Stuef explained that Fenn鈥檚 original blaze (the final clue marker meant to alert searches that they had found the exact location) had been damaged by a sudden, natural event, which made it hard for him to recognize. Plus, he mentioned, someone created a fake blaze to throw off searchers around 1,000 feet away from the real one.

Clues like these led Meachum and her search partner, a 38-year-old software engineer named Justin Posey, on their annual trip to northwest Wyoming. As they follow trails and wander through the woods, they look for three tangible signs of the treasure鈥檚 former location: Fenn鈥檚 blaze, a fake blaze, and a divot. But the pair has one special advantage on their side. After reading about ore dogs that helped miners sniff out zinc, copper, and nickel, Posey got an idea. He trained his dog, Tucker, to smell out bronze in search of the treasure. And now, as they search for a divot instead of a chest, he鈥檚 relying on Tucker to sniff the soil for any lingering scent.

The abrupt ending to the treasure hunt, and the fact that it came just before Fenn鈥檚 death, has led听some to believe that their time would be better spent investigating Stuef鈥檚 story than where Fenn hid the treasure. Following a crowdsourced professional investigation into whether Stuef鈥檚听chest photos were digitally manipulated, Kristy Cowling published a poll on THOR asking if Stuef was the finder. Nearly 30 percent of respondents answered 鈥渘o鈥� or that Stuef was a 鈥減roxy.鈥�

One of the most popular conspiracy theories is that Stuef found the treasure on private property, somewhere tourists aren鈥檛 allowed to go, or in Yellowstone National Park, and can鈥檛 admit it lest he open himself up to听legal questions around who the treasure really belongs to.

The other theory that鈥檚 gained the most traction is that Fenn sensed his life was coming to an end, but he didn鈥檛 want to burden his family with the hunt, which had stirred up听lawsuits, fatal accidents, and even a . So, goes the theory, Fenn opted to end the hunt by hiring Stuef,听a former journalist with bylines in Buzzfeed, New York Magazine, and The Onion, and tipping him off to the treasure鈥檚 location.

In March 2021, Greg Alan, an inventor and Fenn YouTuber who runs the YouTube channel 鈥淭reasure Seekers, Brutal Truth,鈥� conducted an in-person investigation to discover whether the Santa Fe office Stuef and Fenn said they鈥檇 met in was in fact a legitimate office in Santa Fe. Some people believe the photos of Stuef and Fenn were either Photoshopped听or took place in Wyoming. A week later, Alan appeared on the Cowlings鈥� YouTube show, 鈥淔orrest Fenn Treasure Found,鈥澨齮o outline his discoveries. , which confirmed that the Santa Fe office was a real office, quickly racked up 14,000 views.

Others, like David Woodard, a former law enforcement officer who creates videos under the name 鈥溾�� believe Stuef鈥檚 refusal to explain how he solved the poem stems from not having solved the poem. Woodard believes he followed and discovered Fenn鈥檚 blaze in New Mexico, but says he feared the professional ramifications if he was arrested for digging it up on public land. He believes Stuef was told the solve by people Woodard confided in about his own discovery, dug up the chest, and has been lying about it ever since.

As might be expected after years of examining a single poem for hidden messages, many conspiracies are based on a thorough investigation of the available texts. For example, Stuef鈥檚 email address to searchers, 鈥渏ack85319834@gmail.com鈥� anagrams to 鈥淛ack hid cache鈥� using a basic A=1, B=2 code. Or that Fenn congratulated 鈥渢he finder,鈥� but never explicitly congratulated Stuef before he died. The nitpickiest of the nay-sayers will point to Fenn鈥檚 statement on dalneitzel.com, a now-closed Fenn-themed blog, that read 鈥渢he finder understands how important some closure is for many searchers, so today [July 22] he agreed that we should reveal that the treasure was found in Wyoming.鈥� The statement, they say, reads that Fenn said he and Stuef agreed to say it was in Wyoming, not that it actually was.

Online conspiracies like Pizzagate and QAnon have gone from message boards to armed men storming pizza shops and government buildings, so there鈥檚 a very real fear a searcher might go too far. Kristy Cowling said she鈥檚 had to take down personal information about Stuef and his family from her website. She views her YouTube channel and message board as a method to keep searchers and conspiracy theorists in places that are more positive and closely monitored and moderated than others. Still, she said Stuef told her that he鈥檇 have to look over his shoulder for the rest of his life.

Knowing the treasure hunting community well, she agrees 鈥渉e absolutely will.鈥�

If Stuef won鈥檛 reveal where he found the treasure, will the hunt听ever end? Kristy Cowling believes at least ten people鈥攍awyers and family members鈥攌now the location, so it will come out eventually. But whether motivated by new clues, a personal relationship with Fenn, or the community itself, the searchers who still care aren鈥檛 likely to stop looking anytime soon.

鈥淭here are people who have devoted the last ten years of their lives to this thing,鈥� Mike Cowling said, 鈥渁nd they鈥檙e not going to just let it go.鈥�

The post The People Still Searching for Forrest Fenn鈥檚 Treasure appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

There鈥檚 a lot to love about sliders. The versatile disc-shaped exercise tools that you place under your hands or feet during bodyweight moves听add dynamic movement to your strength workout. This increases core engagement and amps up the difficulty of basic exercises like planks听by activating more muscles at once.

Sliders are small, portable, and work well on a number of surfaces, including wood, carpet, and linoleum,听making them an easy addition to your at-home gym or travel workout kit. Plus, they鈥檙e affordable, at about $8听.

Below, , a Boulder, Colorado鈥揵ased strength and conditioning specialist, running coach, and elite marathoner, shares a six-move slider workout for outdoor athletes. She incorporates sliders into her workouts about once a week听and designed the below routine to activate the glutes and core, two major muscle groups that are critical for everything from hiking to swimming. The routine also targets the hamstrings, inner thighs, and shoulders and听incorporates some stability work. Do this workout before or after your main workout as supplemental strength training, or try it听on its own听for a standalone burst of strength work.

The Workout

You鈥檒l break the following six moves into three sets of two exercises. Perform each set three times, resting as much as you need between each round to maintain听good form. After three rounds, rest for two minutes before moving on to the next set.

Set 1: 20 single-leg reverse lunges (10 each side),听10 body saws

Set 2: 20 single-leg squats听(10 each side),听10 pikes

Set 3: 10 double-leg eccentric hamstring bridges, 20 mountain climbers

The Moves

Single-Leg Reverse Lunge

What it does: Instead of stepping your leg back into a lunge, you slide it, which allows you to better focus on engaging the standing glute. The slow-fast tempo鈥攜ou lower into the lunge with control, then explode back up鈥攂uilds both strength and power in your lower half.

How to do it: Stand up tall with your feet hip-distance apart and your hands clasped in front of your chest. Place one foot听on the slider. This is the starting position. Over the course of two to three seconds, push the slider backward and bend your knee to lower into a lunge. Make sure your standing leg doesn鈥檛 cave inward: keep your hips, knees, and ankles all in one line. Pause when your leg forms a 90-degree angle. Squeeze your standing glute and quickly reverse the movement to return to the starting position鈥攖his should take about a second. This is one rep. Make it harder by holding a or 听at your chest.

Volume: 10 reps, then switch sides and repeat

Body Saw

What it does: Works the stabilizer muscles in the core and shoulders by adding dynamic movement to a plank.

How to do it: Lower into a forearm plank with your feet on the sliders. Your chest, hips, and ankles should be in one long, straight line. Engage your glutes and brace your core. Staying in plank position, shift your body weight as far forward as you can over the course of two seconds, bending deeper into the elbows and moving forward through the shoulders. Pause, then slowly shift your body weight听back as far as you can over the course of two seconds. That鈥檚 one rep. Make sure your hips stay elevated as you shift back and forth. Increase the challenge by slowing the tempo.

Volume: 10 reps

Single-Leg Lateral Squat听

What it does: Targets the gluteus medius鈥攁 small, important stabilizer toward听the side of your butt鈥攂y emphasizing controlled yet explosive lateral movements.

How to do it: Stand up tall with your feet hip-distance apart and your hands clasped in front of your chest. Place one foot听atop the slider. Bend your standing knee鈥攖he leg that is not听on the slider鈥攁nd drop your hips back into a squat as you keep your other leg straight and slide it out sideways. Squat down slowly over the course of two to three seconds, lowering as far as you can without letting the heel of the standing foot leave the ground. Pause at the bottom of the squat. Squeeze your standing glute to quickly reverse the movement over the course of one second. That鈥檚 one rep.

Volume: 10 reps on听each side

Pike

What it does: Engages deep midsection muscles by requiring the core to drive the entire movement.

How to do it: Get into a forearm plank position with your feet on the sliders and chest, hips, and ankles in one long, straight line. Squeeze your glutes and brace your core. This is the starting position. Keeping your legs straight, slowly raise your hips as high as you can over the course of two seconds,听using听your core to bring your feet toward听your hands.听Pause, then slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position over the course of two seconds. When you come back to the starting position, make sure your hips stay in line with your chest and ankles. Up the challenge听by placing both feet on the same slider.

Volume: 10 reps

Double-Leg Eccentric Hamstring Bridge

What it does: Strengthens the hamstrings. This eccentric move鈥攎eaning the muscle is lengthening under load鈥攊s especially important for anyone who hikes or runs downhill,听since it mimics the way the hamstrings engage during听downward movement.

How to do it: Lie听on your back with your knees bent and your听feet about hip-width distance apart and flat on the ground about six to eight inches from your hips. Let your arms rest at your sides. Place a slider under each foot so that the center of the slider is under your heel. This is the starting position. Press through your heels to lift your hips until they are in a straight line with your quads. From here, slowly straighten your legs over the course of six to eight听seconds,听so that you wind up with your heels on the ground, legs fully extended, and pelvis still lifted off the ground. Keep your hips as high as possible. Once your legs are fully straight, lower your hips to the ground. That鈥檚 one rep. Make it harder by lifting both arms straight up.

Volume: 10 reps

Mountain Climber

What it does: Strengthens the shoulders and builds core stability and strength.

How to do it: Get into a high plank position with your feet on the sliders and your chest, hips, and ankles in one long, straight line. Squeeze your glutes and brace your core. This is the starting position. Keeping your upper body still and your core engaged, quickly slide one knee straight up toward听your chest and back out. Repeat with the other knee. That鈥檚 one rep. To target your obliques鈥攖he muscles on the sides of your stomach鈥攕lide your knee into your chest diagonally.

Volume: 20 reps

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Lightweight, affordable, and compact, resistance bands make it easy for almost anyone to get a full-body workout at home. That鈥檚 why they鈥檙e a staple for Seth Keena-Levin, an alpinist and coach with the training platform . You can work in any plane of motion and make precise tension adjustments, so they鈥檙e great for mimicking the demands of outdoor activities. To boost performance and prevent injury, Keena-Levin suggests running through this beginner-friendly workout two or three times a week. Cycle through the entire sequence three to five times, with a one- to two-minute rest between each circuit. You will need a mini band (small, with a flat profile) and a heavy-duty band (longer and thicker).

Lateral Leg Extension

Why: Works the glutes, which promotes knee stability and prevents common overuse injuries.

How: Loop a mini band around your legs just below the knees. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, with light tension on the band. Kick one leg back diagonally as high as you can in a slow and controlled motion, keeping your knee extended and your ankle and toes flexed. To add intensity, move the band to your ankles. Perform 10 to 15 reps with each leg.

Alternating Y鈥檚

Why: Develops scapular (shoulder bone) stability, which helps prevent shoulder and elbow injuries.

How: With your feet shoulder width apart, gently engage your glutes and core, and pull your shoulders back and down. Grasp one end of a heavy-duty band in your right hand and bend at the elbow to bring it to your right hip. Hold the other end in your left hand and raise your arm up and out to the side, until your biceps is by your ear. Complete 10 to 15 reps, then repeat with the right arm.

Door Openers

Why: Develops grip strength and wrist and shoulder stability.

How: With your arms by your sides and your elbows at 90 degrees, hold one end of a mini or heavy-duty band in each hand, palms down. With light tension in the band, turn your palms up, then down. After 8 to 12 reps, flip your grip and perform the same motion in the opposite direction. This will work your muscles both eccentrically and concentrically.

Forward Lunge with Knee Drive

Why: Targets your posterior chain and hip flexors, and mimics sustained uphill movement.

How: Secure a heavy-duty band to the leg of a couch and loop it around your hips. Maintain a forward lean through your upper body and step your right leg forward into a lunge, knee bent 90 degrees. While straightening your right leg to a standing position, kick your left knee up toward your chest. Step your left leg back to return to a lunge before returning to the starting stance. Do 15 to 20 reps per leg.

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For a decade, Forrest Fenn had lived as creator, promoter, steward, and defender of perhaps the most extraordinary treasure hunt America had ever known. He lived to see its conclusion. And then, barely three months after the hunt he had brought into the world had ended, Fenn was gone.

On the morning of September 7, 2020, Fenn was found unconscious in his study, having fallen, according to the police report. He was taken to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, then released to the care of his family, who returned him to his home. There , never having regained consciousness. The first responders who arrived on the scene that morning were initially responding to a cardiac-arrest call, indicating Fenn may have had a heart attack that precipitated his fall.

His funeral arrangements were private, and searchers were kept at arm鈥檚 length. The family did eventually post a message on Fenn鈥檚 website, thanking the search community: 鈥淭o the many searchers who joined us in the thrill of the chase over the last decade, your stories, emails, and tales of the hunt sparked joy in his life and we are forever grateful for your enthusiasm.鈥澨�

The author Doug Preston hadn鈥檛 been able to be there for Fenn鈥檚 90th听birthday in late August鈥攄ue to COVID-19, the Fenn family held a car parade for friends to drive by and say hello鈥攂ut Preston had called soon after听and found his friend well.

鈥淲hatever happened to him happened to him pretty quickly. I spoke to him ten days after his birthday, maybe a week,鈥� Preston said. 鈥淗e sounded great. He didn鈥檛 sound like he was in any kind of decline at all. Now, there may have been something going on that I didn鈥檛 know about. But his mind was there. He was cheerful. His vigor was still there, in terms of his intellectual capabilities. I did not notice any decline.鈥�

Preston said he could sense a sadness in his friend鈥攁 melancholy that the treasure hunt that had defined the final stage of his life had ended.

鈥淗e just seemed disappointed that the treasure had been found. A little bit disappointed.鈥�

After Fenn鈥檚 death, an outpouring of sadness, grief, and love came from the searcher community, with tributes to Fenn on all the prominent blogs and message boards. Many searchers told stories of their interactions with Fenn, or of what the hunt had meant to them, or just publicly thanked Fenn for what he had brought into their lives.

The hunt was over, and now its architect was gone. The anonymous finder was nowhere to be found, and while that left many鈥攎yself included鈥攚ith countless questions, I thought perhaps this might bring the story of this treasure hunt to a close, at last.

I should have known better.

On September 23, just over two weeks after Fenn died, on the website Medium, a self-publishing platform that allows users to distribute essays and other written works anonymously if they choose. Titled 鈥淎 Remembrance of Forrest Fenn,鈥� it was written by The Finder,听who described himself thusly: 鈥淭he author is the finder and owner of the Forrest Fenn treasure.鈥�

In 3,000 well-crafted words, the finder penned an ode to Fenn, who听he described as his friend.

鈥淚 am the person who found Forrest鈥檚 famed treasure,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淭he moment it happened was not the triumphant Hollywood ending some surely envisioned; it just felt like I had just survived something and was fortunate to come out the other end.鈥�

In his essay, the finder revealed a great deal about the circumstances under which he had found the treasure鈥攂ut crucially, he would not divulge exactly where he had located it, and said he did not plan to. He was also careful not to let any details about his own identity slip, indicating only that he was a millennial and had student loans to pay off. Beyond that, he was an enigma.

After finishing the essay, I no longer had any doubt that there was a finder.

Much else, though, remained unresolved. The finder had teased so many things in his essay, left me and everyone else wanting more. He鈥檇 said he鈥檇 answer more questions at some point, but I didn鈥檛 particularly want to wait, or leave what he answered up to him alone.

So I contacted him.

Medium doesn鈥檛 generally allow readers to contact the author of a piece directly, which is one reason it鈥檚 good for anonymous posting. It does allow users to post public comments on a piece, and more than 100 people quickly had, most of them supportive, some of them skeptical, a few of them angry and aggressive. But I wasn鈥檛 going to just post my email in the comments where anyone could read it; that left me no guarantee that the person I might end up in contact with would be the finder.

I had one trick up my sleeve, though. There鈥檚 a little-known way to send a direct message to the author of a Medium piece: You have to flag a section of text, indicating that it contains an error or a typo. That notifies the author of the piece that something needs to be corrected in his or her work. The system doesn鈥檛 give you a lot of space, just enough to describe the problem. So I flagged a section of the essay, barely squeezed in who I was and how to contact me via email, and hoped for the best. I had no guarantee that the finder would look at the message, or that he would understand exactly why he should get in touch. But it was worth a shot.

Less than a day later, an email popped into my inbox. It was from an address whose name referred to Fenn鈥檚 treasure. The finder had replied.

He鈥檇 heard of my project, he said, and he might be willing to talk to me. But he insisted that we鈥檇 have to keep things off the record for now. And so began a month of back-and-forth correspondence, sometimes several emails a day, culminating in my revealing his identity to the world in an 国产吃瓜黑料 article in early December 2020, identifying him as Jack Stuef, a 32-year-old medical student from Michigan.

Having written the 国产吃瓜黑料 article, my inbox was suddenly flooded with searchers claiming this or that about Stuef or that his solve was fraudulent, and asking me to prove it or use my knowledge to validate their own competing solves. I still had no idea where the treasure was, and I truly didn鈥檛 want to know, but that didn鈥檛 stop searchers from claiming that I was somehow involved in some of these conspiracies. I know we live in a post-truth world now, but even as conspiracies around the 2020 election dominated life outside the hunt, the level of disbelief I encountered within the chase still shocked me. Should I have been so surprised? Conspiracy theories have plagued this hunt from the start. I鈥檇 fallen for them myself.

Still, even if there were some details I couldn鈥檛 quite square, I remained sure that Stuef was the finder, and that no grand conspiracy was at play here. How could I be so certain? Part of it was confidence in the facts we all did know. Part of it was, as had said in his fateful, final sermon, understanding that at a certain point听鈥渨e have to trust.鈥� And part of it was that I had experienced something the other searchers had not. A few months earlier, I had flown to Santa Fe one last time听and opened Forrest Fenn鈥檚 treasure chest myself.

I tightened my mask as I stepped off the plane, out onto the tarmac at Santa Fe Regional Airport听and into the cool听air. This trip had come together quickly, out of nowhere, really. One day, back when I still didn鈥檛 know who the finder was, he鈥檇 sent me a particularly unexpected email, offering something I hadn鈥檛 really asked for听but had absolutely craved.

鈥淗ey,鈥� it read. 鈥淒o you want to come see the treasure?鈥�

I pounced on the offer and got to Santa Fe as fast as I could, thrilled at the chance to be so close to something I鈥檇 dreamt about for so long.

As I left my hotel the morning after flying in and made my way toward the finder鈥檚 lawyer鈥檚 offices, the streets of Santa Fe were barren, devoid of the traffic that normally choked Cerrillos Road. It was October, usually one of the busiest times of the year in Santa Fe. In normal years, October brings , featuring hundreds of hot-air balloons and a carnival atmosphere, and enthusiasts come from around the world to experience it. My trips to see Fenn and the other searchers in 2017 and 2018 had overlapped with the festival, and so I can attest both that it鈥檚 great, and that it jams Albuquerque and Santa Fe with tourists.

Not this year, I thought as I cruised down the near empty road, my face mask sitting on the console between the two front seats. But it wasn鈥檛 just the pandemic that made Santa Fe feel strangely empty. For me, Fenn鈥檚 absence loomed larger than the lack of tourists听or people driving to work.

This was the first time since learning of this hunt that I had come to Santa Fe for a reason other than to see Fenn; I still had much I wanted to ask him, and now I鈥檇 never get the chance. It was impossible not to think of him as I drove along, passing a restaurant in the Santa Fe Railyard where we鈥檇 had lunch, going by the turnoff to get to his gallery. The reality was that I couldn鈥檛 imagine Santa Fe without him. For better or worse, he and the city he called home had become synonymous in my mind.

It had been a month now since his death. His wife, Peggy, had herself passed the week before I arrived, living just four weeks beyond her husband. Peggy and Forrest Fenn had been married almost 67听years.

How would Fenn be remembered? He had been so concerned that his father had left no mark, that Marvin Fenn had no imprint on history until his son brought him back via his words and books. Forrest Fenn clearly would not suffer that same fate. His treasure hunt had made a greater impact than Fenn could have ever imagined. Still, his passing so soon after the end of the hunt鈥攁 hunt that I believe he鈥檇 hoped would outlive him鈥攄id end the story of Fenn鈥檚 life in the eyes of the outside world. His chapter in history was interesting, compelling, complicated, flawed. A moment in time, an amazing tale. But now over. Fenn had wanted to live on through his treasure hunt, through his chest. With the chest found, I don鈥檛 know if he鈥檒l truly do that.

The chest. Now that I was mere minutes away from actually holding it in my hands, I was brimming with anticipation, feeling that little tremble that comes from adrenaline coursing through my body. Was just seeing it as good as finding the treasure? Well, no, you鈥檙e a couple million dollars poorer, but in some ways, I don鈥檛 know, maybe it was better. A chance to experience and understand this treasure, without the burden of having to own it. At least that鈥檚 what I was telling myself.

What did I really know about it? It was small, deceptively so. Prominent searcher Cynthia Meachum had built a replica and placed it out in the wilderness to underscore how near impossible it would be to identify the chest at distance if you didn鈥檛 know precisely where it was. It was ten by ten by five inches, and that鈥檚 just not very big. And it was heavy. The chest itself weighed 20听pounds, the contents weighed 22听pounds, and Fenn had needed his famed two trips to get it all to his spot.

There had been a few attempts at chronicling what was in it鈥攕ome of the best work done by Cynthia鈥檚 pal Matt DeMoss. DeMoss鈥檚 efforts had been aided by the release of both sets of conference-room pictures, which I now understood had been taken at the finder鈥檚 lawyer鈥檚 office, the one I was about to visit. Nobody except for Fenn and the finder, however, had been able to really go through the chest, pull everything out, and document the contents鈥攗ntil now. The actual chest, I knew, was the bronze Romanesque lockbox, dating from roughly 1150, with carvings along its sides and top depicting the Castle of Love,听 where maidens sit atop the castle, and knights at the base try to scale it and reach them. It was not locked, but it did include a key, and it was latched with a gargoyle of some sort. There was some type of wood, perhaps oak, serving as a lining.

Based on what he believed to be in the chest, DeMoss had compared each item to similar examples currently on sale听and guessed the low-end sale value of all the items inside at $555,487, with the high-end sale value at $1,327,450. Even if we split the difference, chances are it would sell for more than that, because these items are part of the Fenn Treasure, a factor DeMoss said he did not incorporate into his analysis.

Included in his estimates were the 265 gold coins of varying types, the gold nuggets and dust, the golden frogs, the golden mirrors, the gold nose rings, the gold necklace鈥攇old, gold, gold. There was the ancient Tairona/Sinu necklace, the Chinese carved jade faces, the turquoise bracelet that Fenn had wanted to buy back, and Fenn鈥檚 20,000-word听autobiography, in addition to a few other, smaller items of note. Then there were the 鈥渆meralds, rubies, diamonds鈥� that were often mentioned as being in the chest. Were those merely included in what was perhaps the chest鈥檚 most impressive single item, the golden dragon bracelet, which itself contained hundreds of precious stones? Or were there additional jewels to be found beyond that? Nobody knew, except for Fenn, the finder, and whoever had been there when the chest was examined. There could still be curiosities waiting, surprises to be found, answers to be had. Now I was going to be privy to them.

I鈥檇 agreed to a few conditions when the finder had offered to let me view the chest. First, we鈥檇 agreed that I would pay his attorneys鈥� hourly rates for their time, such that my seeing the chest wouldn鈥檛 actually cost the finder money鈥攑retty standard journalistic practice. He鈥檇 also stipulated that he didn鈥檛 want me to identify his attorneys鈥攖here were three representing him, two men and a woman鈥攊n any meaningful way, so that they couldn鈥檛 be tracked down by overaggressive searchers. I agreed. And then one more: the finder wanted to make sure I didn鈥檛 open the vial containing Fenn鈥檚 autobiography, which remained sealed, and that if I could read any of what was inside through the glass, I wouldn鈥檛 relay any of that information. I agreed to that听as well.

The conditions weren鈥檛 onerous, and I was eager to make this happen. As far as I knew, examining the chest was not a privilege that had been extended to anyone else鈥攁nd in that, it was not lost on me that I was getting to do something that others might not like. I hadn鈥檛 searched for a few years now, and even if it hadn鈥檛 been found, I hadn鈥檛 planned on searching again. But still, there were people far more deserving than I who would have killed to see what I was about to see. Even if the finder managed to give the chest some sort of public exhibition at some point, I assumed no one would get to go through it, touch it, experience it the way I was about to. As I parked the car, I could feel a certain weight to what I was about to do, a responsibility to do it all right, whatever that meant. That, and maybe a few pangs of guilt, for getting to enjoy what other, better searchers couldn鈥檛.

I parked near the offices, put on my mask, and walked along the sunny, empty streets toward the front door. There were COVID-related signs posted about not entering without an appointment. I was pretty sure I had one of those鈥攖hough even at that late moment, there was still the tiniest sliver of doubt in my mind. At the time, I still didn鈥檛 know who the finder really was, and hence had flown out here on a tiny plane on the offer of someone whose name I didn鈥檛 know, based on a cold-call email and little more than that. I was pretty sure, as close to certain as I could be, that this was the finder and that everything was legit, but until I was actually opening that chest myself, nothing was truly guaranteed.

So it was heartening when I swung open the large, heavy door, went into what seemed to be an impressive professional suite of law offices, gave my name at the front desk, and waited only moments before the finder鈥檚 attorney came out and introduced herself.

鈥淲e鈥檒l just go right in here,鈥� she said, pointing to a set of doors leading into a conference room, 鈥渁nd then we鈥檒l bring the chest right in.鈥�

That simple, huh?

I pushed open the doors and entered a reasonably sized room with an oblong wooden conference table covered by glass. It was instantly familiar from the two sets of pictures posted to validate the find.

鈥淚s this where you showed Fenn the chest?鈥� I asked.

鈥淚t is,鈥� she replied. 鈥淗e sat right there.鈥� She indicated听a chair at one end of the table. 鈥淵ou can sit right where he sat if you want.鈥�

I wasn鈥檛 sure if that was a little too fanboyish. But it seemed like a good place to sit anyway, so I threw my backpack down near where she鈥檇 gestured. This was perhaps the only time on the hunt when I was absolutely, definitely, unquestionably following in Fenn鈥檚 footsteps, instead of puttering around in the wilderness two states away from where he鈥檇 left his treasure. Here听I was really and truly doing just what he had done, only a few months before, when he鈥檇 gone through this chest for the first time in a decade.

From the moment I鈥檇 entered this chase, the chest had been the goal. In some ways, it was a MacGuffin, like the Maltese Falcon听or the Death Star plans鈥攊t was what this chase was about, yes, but it wasn鈥檛 really what this chase was about, y鈥檏now? Still, it mattered. Up until this moment, the chest had been purely theoretical to me. I鈥檇 never expected to find it, so I wasn鈥檛 one of those searchers who had already spent the money in it ten times over. For me听it was more about figuring out the clues, getting the answer.

Yet now that I was going to be laying eyes on it, touching it, it moved from the realm of the theoretical to the actual in a hurry.

That understanding fundamentally altered my entire view of the chase. It meant that despite whatever else he鈥檇 done, Fenn had been telling the truth about this box and what was in it: that he had hidden it somewhere out there, and the finder really and truly had obtained it听and was now letting me see and touch it. That most basic set of facts was real, and that gave me a sense of certainty about this chase, of a kind I had never really had until now. Did that improve Fenn鈥檚 standing a bit in my mind? It was a complicated question. To this point, I鈥檇 managed somewhat to separate the man from the hunt, even though it was hard to do. And knowing that he was telling the truth did mean something for the man, somewhat. It didn鈥檛 mean he was without failings, his chase without its problems. But he had done this, just the way he鈥檇 said he had. And that, in my mind, counted for something.

I started to ask if they needed me to sign anything before we began, as I stretched on the latex gloves that I鈥檇 brought for the examination. Then, just like that, the conference-room door opened and a man walked in bearing a bronze box, ten by ten by five, worn and weathered and perfect. He hurried quickly over to my side of the table as I, in true surprise, stammered something out about not expecting it all to be quite so easy.

He chuckled in reply as he walked up and casually handed me Forrest Fenn鈥檚 treasure chest.

Excerpted from ,听by Daniel Barbarisi. Copyright 漏 2021 by Daniel Barbarisi. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

The post I Got to See Forrest Fenn鈥檚 Treasure with My Own Eyes appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 fire a cannon from a canoe,鈥� said the late Canadian strength coach and author Charles Poliquin. In other words, it doesn鈥檛 matter how strong you are if you don鈥檛 have a solid base to produce and transfer power. Stability must precede force production, he explained, and that stability comes from the core.

Core musculature is much more than the abs, it鈥檚 everything around the torso, front and back, superficial and deep. That includes the transverse abdominis, one of the deepest abdominal muscles, which wraps around the lower torso like a girdle.听The TA stabilizes the hips and the spine, and creates a sturdy foundation to transfer force between the lower and the upper body. Strengthening it will make you more resilient to injury and can alleviate听. But it can be hard to train.

鈥淭he transverse abdominis is not an easy muscle for most people to fire because it鈥檚 so deep and it doesn鈥檛 move anything,鈥� says听, climber,听coach, and author of听Training for the Uphill Athlete. With exercises like crunches, it鈥檚 easy to see the six-pack at work and feel the burn, which might be part of the appeal. But the transverse abdominis is an anti-movement muscle鈥攚hen you flex it, it keeps the core rigid so it doesn鈥檛 bend or twist. Which is why听the humble plank, an isometric hold, is the single most effective training exercise for it.

This versatile, do-anywhere, bodyweight move听is endlessly modifiable. The below list of variations, organized from听easiest to most difficult,听is far from exhaustive, but these will offer听you plenty of options to challenge yourself with over the years.

The Plank Variations

Choose a few plank variations with different target muscles to mix into your strength or core routines. Aim for two to three sets of 30-second to one-minute holds (per side, when applicable). Once you can hold a plank variation for more than a minute with good form, either progress to a more difficult variation or add resistance with a weight vest. Try them on a flat palm (easier) or a fist (harder because it demands more wrist stability).

Focus on form and a straight spinal position. Stop as soon as your form breaks (your hips sag, tilt, or raise, for example) since you鈥檒l begin compensating with other muscle groups,听increasing the risk of injury. Body position is often hard to sense, so plank in front of a mirror or with a friend who can watch to make sure you鈥檙e in line.

Modified Forearm Plank (Knee Plank)

What it does: Engages the same muscle groups as a full forearm plank (below), but with a shorter lever length, which decreases the difficulty. This is a great starting place if you鈥檙e coming back from an injury or extended time away from physical activity.

How to do it: Start on all fours. Place your forearms parallel to each other on the floor, with your elbows directly below your shoulders. Gently walk back your knees until your torso and upper legs form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Engage your core and your glutes to hold this position. Keep your neck in line with your spine, and your hips level and square鈥攏o arching, sagging, or tilting.

Forearm Plank

What it does: Builds strength and stability in core muscles, including the back and deep layers like the transverse abdominis, through an isometric hold.

How to do it: Kneel and place your forearms shoulder-width apart on the floor, with your elbows below your shoulders. Extend both legs directly behind you with your feet together and your toes tucked under so that your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head. Keep your core engaged, your back flat (no听sagging, arching, or tilting the hips), and your head up so that your neck is in line with your spine. Hold this position.

Front Plank

What it does: This variation is similar to the forearm plank, but requires more shoulder, arm, and wrist stability, especially if you do it on your fists instead of your palms. It鈥檚 also a great launching point for more challenging variations.

How to do it: Place your hands听directly below your shoulders听on the floor,听with your arms straight. Extend both legs directly behind you with your feet together and your toes tucked under so that your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head. Keep your core engaged, back flat, hips level, and neck in line with your spine. Hold this position.

Side Plank (Low)

What it does: Strengthens the core with an emphasis on听the obliques.

How to do it: Start on your side with your bottom forearm on the floor and elbow bent to 90 degrees, directly below your shoulder. Straighten your legs and either stack or stagger your feet heel to toe (staggering will make it easier to balance). Then lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head. Raise your free arm vertically toward the ceiling. Hold this position, then repeat on the other side.

Side Plank (High)

What it does: Strengthens the core with an emphasis on听the obliques. This builds more shoulder, arm, and wrist strength than the low version.

How to do it: Start on your side with your arm straight and your hand directly below your shoulder. Straighten your legs and either stack or stagger your feet heel to toe. Then lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head. Raise your free arm vertically toward the ceiling. Hold this position, then repeat on the other side.

To make it harder and also increase shoulder activation, hold a dumbbell in your upper hand. Slowly bring the weight down to touch the floor next to your supporting hand, raise it again, and repeat.

Glute Side Plank

What it does: Primarily targets the obliques and the听gluteus medius (a stabilizer muscle at the back of the hip).

How to do it: Start in a low side plank position on your forearm (described above), but with your bottom knee bent to 90 degrees (this generates better glute activation on both sides). Engage your core and lift your hips so that your torso forms a straight line. Keep your hips level and square. Then raise your upper leg as high as you can. Keep the upper leg straight and imagine driving your bottom knee into the floor. Hold this position, then repeat on the other side.

Copenhagen Plank

What it does: Targets the same muscle groups as a side plank (above) while firing up the hip adductors (inner thigh).

How to do it: Lie on your side with your upper foot elevated on a bench, chair, or coffee table. Your lower foot should float freely below without touching or weighting anything. If the bench is short, place your forearm on the floor, with your elbow directly below your shoulder. If the bench is tall, place your hand on the floor below your shoulder and keep your supporting arm straight. The idea here is to choose the arm position that will keep your body as close to horizontal as possible. Then lift your hips to enter a side plank. Your body should form a straight line from your feet through your hips and up to your shoulders. Hold this position, then repeat on the other side.

This one is easy to overdo, which can stress the hip adductors. If it feels too difficult, you can make it easier by positioning the bench farther up your leg, closer to your torso, which reduces the leverage. Modify as necessary.

Clockwork Plank

What it does: By removing one point of ground contact, this variation challenges core stability and increases the difficulty of听a standard front plant. It鈥檚 also an easier progression to longer-duration three-point planks.

How to do it: Start in a front plank (described above), with your arms straight and your hands directly below your shoulders. Place your feet one to two feet apart. Maintain a rigid body position from your head to your heels. Then raise one arm straight in front of you, without rotating your shoulders or hips, and hold for five to ten seconds. Return to all fours, then lift the other arm for five to ten seconds, followed by a leg, then the other leg, and so on. Continue alternating between all four limbs, holding each in the air for five to ten seconds, for the duration of the plank variation.

Three-Point Plank (Leg Raise)

What it does: Increases the difficulty of the clockwork plank, which alternates between limbs.

How to do it: Start in a front plank with your feet one to two feet apart. Maintain a rigid body position from your head to your heels. Then raise one leg as high as you can without rotating your shoulders or hips. Hold this position for the duration of the plank, then repeat with the other leg raised.

Side-Kick Plank

What it does: When you swing your raised leg out to the side, it acts as a lever that wants to rotate your hips, so your core must work harder for asymmetrical anti-rotational stability.

How to do it: Perform a three-point plank with a raised leg, as described above, but swing one leg out to the side as far as you can (keep it straight and parallel to the floor), for the duration of the plank. Repeat on the other side.

Three-Point Plank (Arm Raise)

What it does: Increases the difficulty of听the clockwork plank variation, which alternates between limbs. Most will find the three-point plank with an arm raised more difficult than a leg raised, since it places more stress on the supporting arm.

How to do it: Start in a front plank with your feet one to two feet apart. Maintain a rigid body position from your head to your heels. Then raise one arm straight in front of you, without rotating your shoulders or hips. Hold this position, then repeat with the other arm raised.

Two-Point Plank

What it does: Strengthens the entire core, and trains anti-rotational stability and cross-body coordination.

How to do it: Start in a front plank with your feet one to two feet apart. Maintain a rigid body position from your head to your heels. Then raise your opposite arm and leg simultaneously, as high as you can without rotating your shoulders or hips. Keep your core and glutes engaged to avoid hip sag. Hold this position, then repeat with the other arm and leg raised.

Make it harder by bending your supporting arm into a half push-up.

Knee-to-Elbow Plank

What it does: Introduces a little core flexion and extension into a two-point plank, while training cross-body coordination and control.

How to do it: Start in a two-point plank, as described above. Once you鈥檙e stable with good form, slowly draw in your raised leg and raised arm to gently tap your knee with your elbow beneath your chest. Reverse the movement back to a two-point plank position. Repeat continuously for the duration of the plank variation, then do it again with the opposite arm and leg raised. Focus on form and slow, controlled movement.

Swimmer Plank

What it does: Increases the stability demand and difficulty of a two-point plank, while training focus and coordination.

How to do it: Start in a two-point plank, as described above. Once you鈥檙e stable with good form, slowly draw your raised knee up to the elbow of your supporting arm while you simultaneously bring your raised arm down along your side (keep it straight). Slowly reverse the movement back to a two-point plank position. Repeat continuously for the duration of the plank variation, then do it again with the opposite arm and leg raised. Focus on form and slow and controlled movement.

Iron-Cross Plank

What it does: Trains long lines of lateral tension through the arms as well as compressive chest strength.

How to do it: Start in a front plank then slowly walk out your hands to the sides into an iron cross-like position until your body hovers just above the floor, or as far as you can with good form. Hold this position. Maintain a rigid body position from your head to your heels.

Mega Plank

What it does: Trains full-body strength and stability through long lines of tension, from the toes to the fingertips, in an extended body position鈥攐ne of the most important core exercises for rock climbers.

How to do it: Start in a front plank, then slowly walk out your hands in front of you until your body hovers just above the floor, or as far as you can go with good form. Maintain a rigid body position from your head to your heels for this plank variation.

Follow Along

For an in-depth look at some of these movements, and to learn how to incorporate them into a circuit of your own, check out the video below.

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Muscular power鈥攖he product of force and velocity鈥攊s one of the most important fitness qualities, but it鈥檚听often misunderstood and neglected, explains , a human-performance specialist for Red Bull (and ski racer听Lindsey Vonn鈥檚 personal trainer up until her retirement).听Developing muscular power听is more nuanced than regular听strength training, but that doesn鈥檛 mean you should leave it out of your routine.听If you鈥檙e not already training upper-body power, don鈥檛 sell yourself short. Round out your routine with these moves, recommended by Bunt.听

How to Train Power

There鈥檚 a spectrum between force and velocity: on one end, there鈥檚 pure force, like isometric exercises where speed is negligible, such as听a front plank听or one-rep max lifts; on the other end, there鈥檚 pure speed, movements听like听sprinting or jumping. 鈥淲hen we train power, the goal is to generate as much force as possible in the least amount of time,鈥� Bunt听says.

The crux is to fine-tune the balance between these two components to optimize power. To make it even more complicated, different exercise methods and听, calculated as a percentage of an individual鈥檚 one-repetition maximum (1RM), target different areas along the force-velocity curve. (For a more thorough explanation of this concept, check out this earlier story.)

For everyday athletes, however, there鈥檚 no need to get bogged down with the details, Bunt says. 鈥淭he absolute most important part of this training is the intent to move with maximal effort and as quickly as possible,鈥� he says. Think of power training more like cooking,听rather than an exact science. Aim for the right measurements, but rest assured, if you鈥檙e a little off on this or that, as long as you have all the ingredients and put in the effort, you鈥檙e going to see results.听

The Workout听

Bunt splits power training into two main categories: force-bias exercises (more resistance, slower) and velocity-bias exercises (less resistance, faster). The best way to program power work is to split these into separate training sessions that are听two to four days apart from one another, he says, but it鈥檚 also reasonable to combine both categories in a single session, with reduced volume (eliminate one set from each exercise, and choose only one force-bias exercise per session, which should be done last). Either way, aim to target power two to three days per week.

You鈥檒l want to become听familiar with the concept of your 1RM, or the greatest amount of weight you can lift in a specific move. For example, if the heaviest medicine ball you can use for a single rotational throw is 30 pounds, and Bunt recommends you use between 10 and 60 percent of your 1RM, that means you鈥檒l want to opt for somewhere between 3听and 18 pounds.

Perform these moves at the beginning of your workout session, right after the warmup. 鈥淵ou want to be as fresh as possible,鈥� says Bunt, 鈥渂ecause if you have any fatigue, you鈥檙e not going to be able to produce the highest power you can, and therefore won鈥檛 stimulate the adaptations to push your potential.鈥�

The rep ranges are low so you can keep the quality as high as possible. Rest for as long as you need to fully recover between sets. 鈥淭he second you start performing submaximal reps, you鈥檙e not developing power,鈥� says Bunt. 鈥淭he key is to perform these moves with maximal quality and intention.鈥�

Tools You鈥檒l Need:听

• Box or bench
• Pull-up bar
• Resistance band
• Medicine ball

The Moves

Plyo Push-Up Progression (Velocity-Bias Power)

What it does: Trains velocity-bias power in the chest, triceps, shoulders, and back muscles, while engaging the core for stability.

How to do it: Start with the first exercise in the progression below. Even though this听might feel easy from a strength-building perspective, the purpose is to train velocity-bias power, and for that, you need to move as fast as possible while maintaining good form. If the resistance is too high, you鈥檒l swing toward strength-bias power, which we鈥檒l target later on. Progress to the next level once you can complete all four sets with a consistent pace and good form.

Incline Plyo Push-Up (Easiest): Assume a听standard push-up position, with your hands on an elevated surface, such as a plyo box or a bench (the higher, the easier). Start with your arms straight, your hands below your shoulders, and your body in a rigid plank from heels to head. Then bend your elbows, keeping them tight along your sides听to rapidly lower yourself until your chest is about an inch or two from the bench. Immediately push up听with explosive effort听to fully extend your arms and launch your hands off the bench. Land with soft elbows, and drop directly into the next rep. Maintain a consistent pace and a rigid plank throughout the movement.

Plyo Push-Up (Harder): Perform the exercise as described above, but with your hands and feet at the same level on the floor. Clap at the apex of the push-up for an added challenge.

In-Out Plyo Push-Up (Most Difficult): Begin in a standard push-up position on the floor, with your hands shoulder width apart and your feet together, or no more than 12 inches apart. Bend your elbows to rapidly lower until your chest is about an inch or two from the floor, then explosively push up to launch your hands and your feet off the floor. In the air, move your hands and听feet out to the sides (around 6听to 12 inches), landing with soft elbows in this winder stance. Immediately drop into the next rep, push back up, and in the air return to the narrower position. Continue alternating between the standard and wide positions each rep. Maintain a consistent pace and a rigid plank throughout the movement.

Load: Bodyweight.

Volume: Two to four sets of five to six reps. Rest for a minute or two between sets.

What it does: Develops rotational velocity-bias power in the core, with emphasis on the听oblique muscles.

How to do it: Hold a medicine ball with both hands, and stand perpendicular to a wall, between three and six feet away (the closer you are, the easier). Enter an athletic stance, extend your arms in front of you at chest height, then rapidly rotate your torso to throw the ball into the wall. Catch it on the rebound, reverse the movement, and repeat. Complete all reps on one side, then switch to the other.

Load: 10 to 60 percent of your 1RM.

Volume: Two to four sets of five to six reps on听each side. Rest for a minute or two between sets.

What it does: Trains forward-flexion velocity-bias power in the core, with emphasis on the abs.

How to do it: Lie on your back on the floor in a standard sit-up position, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Have a partner stand a short distance from your feet to catch the ball. If you don鈥檛 have a partner, you can bounce the ball off a wall, but be prepared for a quick rebound. Hold the medicine ball in both hands, and extend your arms overhead so that the ball rests on the floor above your head. Then sit up quickly and throw the ball to your partner, keeping听your arms overhead. Your partner should immediately return the ball. Catch it, reverse the movement, and repeat. Once you get the hang of it, have your partner toss the ball off-center to either side to train lateral core stability.听

Load: 10 to 60 percent of your 1RM.

Volume: Two to four sets of five to six reps. Rest for a minute or two between sets.

Assisted Pull-Up (Velocity-Bias Power)

What it does: Trains velocity-bias power in the upper body, primarily targeting the lats and the biceps, as well as the forearms, shoulders, upper back, and core.

How to do it: 听a resistance band to the center of a pull-up bar, and place a knee or foot in the bottom loop to take some of the load off your arms. Grip the pull-up bar with your hands shoulder width apart, palms facing away. Hang with straight arms and engaged shoulders. Then, as fast as you can,听pull up until your chin is over your hands. Pause for a second, then slowly lower back to straight arms. Repeat. Keep your core and shoulders engaged and your body still throughout the movement (i.e., no swinging or kipping to cheat).

Load: 10 to 60 percent of your 1RM. When calculating your 1RM for pull-ups, remember to include your bodyweight as well as any additional load. (So if a 150-pound woman鈥檚听1RM for a pull-up is her bodyweight plus a 50-pound plate, the ideal weight range for this exercise would be between 20 and 120 pounds, meaning she should still opt to use a resistance band to alleviate the load.)听Choose the appropriate type听of resistance band for assistance, and even double up听if necessary. Progress the exercise by switching to lighter bands.

Volume: Two to four sets of five to eight reps. Rest for a minute or two between sets.

Pull-Up or Weighted Pull-Up (Force-Bias Power)

What it does: Trains force-bias power in the upper body, primarily targeting the lats and the biceps, as well as the forearms, shoulders, upper back, and core.

How to do it: Grip the pull-up bar with your hands shoulder width apart, palms facing away. Hang with straight arms and engaged shoulders. Then, as fast as you can,听pull up until your chin is over your hands. Pause for a second, then slowly lower back to straight arms. Repeat. Keep your core and shoulders engaged听and your body still throughout the movement (no swinging or kipping to cheat).

Load: 50 to 70 percent of your 1RM. Wear a weighted vest or a loaded backpack, or hang weights off a climbing harness to achieve the appropriate level of resistance. Progress the exercise by increasing the load.

Volume: Two to four sets of two to six reps. Rest for a minute or two between sets.

Box-Drop Plyo Push-Up (Force-Bias Power)

What it does: Trains force-bias power in the chest, triceps, shoulders, back, and core. The elevated hand position increases the eccentric force when you drop into a push-up.

How to do it: Place two Pilates steps, four-to-eight-inch plyo boxes, or stacks of textbooks on the floor slightly wider than your shoulder width. Start in a听standard push-up position, as described above, with your hands on the steps or boxes. Then drop into a push-up on the floor between the boxes, with your elbows tight along your sides. Rapidly lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then immediately and explosively push up,听landing your hands on the boxes, back in the starting position. Repeat.听

Load: Start with bodyweight. If that feels too easy, wear a weighted vest.听

Volume: Two to four sets of five to six reps. Rest for a minute or two between sets.

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Climbers know how to pull hard鈥攁nd that鈥檚 about it. Except for mantle moves, rock climbing rarely utilizes the big pushing muscles of the upper body, such as the triceps, the pectoralis major (the chest), the serratus anterior (your sides, under the armpit), the anterior deltoid (the front of the shoulder), and the upper trapezius (the upper back). Over time听this can lead to a significant muscular imbalance, an increased risk of听overuse injuries, and limitations in听overall performance.

鈥淎 good [muscular] balance definitely helps you to be more efficient and powerful in your climbing,鈥� says听, a climber, former gymnast, and the author of听. Pushing exercises to compliment pulling strength, however, are often missing from climbers鈥� training routines.

The parallettes, a miniature version of the parallel bars gymnasts use, are an excellent tool for opposition training. Parallettes also eliminate wrist extension, required for some floor moves, making them听a good option for anyone with tight forearms. Plus, the bars are.

While听parallettes are most beneficial for climbers and bodyweight practitioners, Low says,听they鈥檙e still a worthy听training tool for anyone who wants to develop upper-body and core strength, stability, and proprioception (a sense of where your body is and how it moves through space). He recommends these three movement progressions on the parallettes.

The Workout

Do these moves once or twice per听week when you鈥檙e climbing frequently,听and two to three times per week during the off-season to build strength. Beginners should aim for a total of six sets (two sets of three exercises听each, or three sets of two exercises of your choice), while more advanced athletes can add additional sets to progress. The parallettes are mainly limited to pushing-type movements, so mix in these moves with other听pulling,听core, or听leg exercises to create a well-rounded, full-body workout.

Start with the first move in each progression, and increase听the number of reps before moving to the next. If you have trouble fully bridging the gap, do as many reps as you can with the harder progression, even if that鈥檚 just one or two, then revert to the previous progression to finish out the set听if needed. 鈥淭his will add a bit more volume, to get a stimulus on your body to make that adaptation,鈥� Low explains.

鈥淭he devil is in the details,鈥� he adds. 鈥淚f you get stuck with exercises for a week or three and can鈥檛 progress, you might need to either decrease the load, to allow your body to recover from fatigue, or you may need to potentially change up your programming鈥攜our sets and reps听or rest times鈥攊n order to start progressing again.鈥�

The Moves

鈥淟earn the bail techniques first before going crazy with the handstands,鈥� says Low. Find a safe place鈥攁 padded gym floor, soft carpeting, or grass is ideal鈥攁nd use a spotter if you can. Practice without the parallettes at first. Kick up into听a handstand, then try forward rolls (tucking your chin to your chest) and sideways cartwheels to safely exit. When you鈥檙e comfortable with those techniques on the floor, add in the parallettes and keep practicing until you have your escape routes dialed.

Handstand Push-Up Progression

What it does: Strengthens the entire shoulder, the triceps, and the trapezius muscles in the upper back, along with the core. 鈥淐limbing and pulling primarily use听the lower and mid traps, but not a lot of the upper traps. This movement helps hit that zone and adds balance to the scapular muscles,鈥� says Low. It also trains stability, balance, and proprioception.

How to do it: Don鈥檛 worry鈥攜ou don鈥檛 need to be able to do a handstand to start this progression! But as you work up to the handstand push-up on the parallettes, start听practicing your handstand听on the floor, too. Consistency is key.

Pike Push-Up: Place the parallettes shoulder width apart or slightly wider, and grab the centers of the bars. Enter听a听downward-facing-dog yoga position, with your toes on the floor, your legs straight, and your hips high so that your body forms a slight听A-frame. Then bend听your elbows to lower your head between your hands. Go as far as you can comfortably while maintaining good form. Push back up for one repetition, and repeat. Keep your back flat throughout the movement. Elevate your feet on a box or a chair (for a more pronounced A-frame)听to make it harder.

L-Handstand Push-Up with Wall: Place the parallettes a leg鈥檚 length away from a wall, and start by standing with your back to the wall. Grab the bars, and walk your feet up the wall until your legs are roughly parallel to the floor and your torso is vertical. From this position, complete the push-ups听as described above. As you get stronger and more comfortable in the inversion, gradually place your feet higher on the wall.

Handstand Push-Up with Wall: Next, place the parallettes against the wall. Stand facing the wall, bend to grab the bars, then kick up into a handstand so that your body is straight, vertical, and upside down. Place your heels against the wall for support. Do between five and twelve push-ups.听When you鈥檙e done, slowly lower your feet to the floor. Gradually try to use the wall less and less for support, until you鈥檙e comfortable enough to move away from the wall.

Handstand Push-Up: Place the parallettes shoulder width apart or slightly wider, and grab the centers of the bars. Kick up into a handstand, find a central balance point, with your hips stacked over your shoulders, and slowly bring your legs together until they鈥檙e both straight, overhead, and pointing toward the sky. Once settled, perform the push-ups with the greatest range of motion your shoulders can handle.

Volume: Two to three sets of five to twelve reps. Rest for three minutes between sets.

Pseudo-Planche Push-Ups

What it does: 鈥淭his pushing movement helps to activate pretty much every single opposition muscle for climbing,鈥� including the triceps and muscles in听the chest, back, and听core, says Low.听It also helps people work toward , which is a benchmark bodyweight move.听

How to do it: Place the parallettes shoulder width apart, and grab the centers of the bars. Put your toes up on a chair or a bench, and start in a听standard push-up position, with your arms straight and your body in a rigid plank, parallel to the floor. Then enter a forward-lean position, so that your hands are directly under your hips, or as close as you can get them while maintaining good form. (If that鈥檚 too difficult, start听with your hands below your shoulders, and gradually progress into a forward-lean position with your hands below your hips). From here, perform push-ups, with your elbows tracking backwards and tight to the body. Move slowly and in control.

Volume: Two to three sets of five to twelve reps. Rest for three minutes between sets.

L-Sit-to-Handstand (Press Handstand) Progression

What it does: Strengthens the entire body, especially the core, hip flexors, shoulders, and back, and trains body control and awareness.

How to do it:

L-Sit: Crouch between the parallettes, and start with a normal grip on the bars and straight arms. Press down on the bars, and push your shoulders away from your听ears to lift your legs off the floor, then pull them into your chest. Slowly extend your legs until they are straight and parallel to the floor听or higher. Hold this position for eight to ten seconds, or as long as possible.

If the full L-sit is too challenging, try extending only one leg at a time, or keep them both bent as you build up strength.

Frog Stand (Crane Pose): Start with your hands on the bars, and bring your feet up behind your hands. Press your knees against your upper arms, then lean forward to shift your weight onto your arms until your feet lift. Find your balance, and lift your hips as high as you can. Hold this position for eight to ten seconds, or as long as possible. Keep your hips high, your wrists straight, and your bodyweight centered over your hands. Slowly rock back into a squat to get out of the stand.

Frog Stand to L-Sit: Enter the frog stand听described above, and bring your knees together and off your arms. Then slowly (over five seconds if you can manage it), rotate your body and extend your legs into an L-sit. Hold the L-sit for another second or two. Then bring your feet to the floor, step back up into the frog stand, and repeat. This works the eccentric (lowering) phase of the movement, which is an efficient way to build strength. Move slowly and in control.

Frog Stand to Handstand: Enter the frog stand, then raise your legs overhead into a handstand. Stack your hips over your shoulders, find a central balance point, and slowly bring your legs together until they鈥檙e both straight and vertical. Hold this position for eight to ten seconds,听or as long as possible. Then slowly lower your feet to the floor to work the eccentric phase.

L-Sit to Frog Stand: Start in an L-sit, as described above. Then pull your knees into your chest, and lean forward to bring your knees up onto the backs of your upper arms. Keep your shoulders and knees high so you can get into the frog stand. This move works the concentric (lifting)听phase of the movement, which is more difficult than the reverse.

L-Sit to Handstand: Now it鈥檚 time to put it all together. Start in an L-sit, pull your knees into your chest as you lean forward, then raise your legs to stack your hips over your shoulders. Find a central balance point, and slowly bring your legs together until they鈥檙e both straight, overhead, and pointing toward the sky in a handstand. Slowly reverse the movement back to an L-sit, and repeat.

Volume: Two to three sets of five to twelve reps (or eight-to-ten-second holds, where applicable). Rest for three minutes between sets.

The post Want to Get Strong? Train Like a Gymnast. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It took two months of correspondence听before the man who found Forrest Fenn鈥檚 treasure told听me his name.

We鈥檇 been emailing since September, and I honestly didn鈥檛 expect to ever know who he really was. I was fine with that; as a fellow treasure hunter, I completely understood his desire for anonymity.

Since 2017, I had been pursuing Fenn鈥檚 treasure, too, becoming a kinda-sorta searcher in order to tell the story of Fenn鈥檚 hunt in my upcoming book , to be published by Knopf in June. I鈥檇 been in the trenches, read Fenn鈥檚 over and over, ended up in places I probably shouldn鈥檛 have been, and gone to places where other people died trying to find it.

A decade ago, Fenn hid his treasure chest, containing gold and other valuables estimated to be worth at least a million dollars, somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. Not long after, he published a memoir called , which included a mysterious 24-line poem that, if solved, would lead searchers to the treasure. Fenn had suggested that the loot was secreted away at the place where he had envisioned lying down to die, back when he鈥檇 believed a 1988 cancer diagnosis was terminal. Since the hunt began in 2010, many thousands of searchers had gone out in pursuit鈥斺�攁nd the chase became an international story.

So many people had invested and sacrificed so much in pursuit of Fenn鈥檚 treasure that it was possible the finder would face threats, be they legal or physical, from people who resented them or wished them ill.

And that was exactly what was beginning to play out.

This past June, Fenn announced that the treasure had been found by a man from 鈥渂ack east鈥� who wanted to remain anonymous鈥攅ven, once we were in contact, to me. So despite exchanging dozens of emails with the finder, and discussing the details of the chest and what locating it meant to him, I never pressed him about who he was, and he never volunteered.

Last week, he told me the situation had changed. Fenn had been targeted by lawsuits both before and after the chest was found, by hunters claiming that the treasure was rightfully theirs. One of the lawsuits, filed immediately after Fenn announced the hunt was over, also targets the unknown finder as a defendant, claiming that he had stolen the plaintiff鈥檚 solve and used it to find the chest. That litigation had advanced to a procedural stage during which the finder expected his name would likely come out in court. So while he remained guarded about his solve and the location where he discovered the treasure, he now didn鈥檛 mind telling me who he really was.

And that鈥檚 when I learned that a 32-year-old Michigan native and medical student was the person who had finally solved Fenn鈥檚 poem. His name is Jack Stuef.

Stuef first heard about Fenn鈥檚 chase on Twitter in early 2018, and couldn鈥檛 believe it had escaped his notice for eight whole years. He was instantly hooked.

鈥淚鈥檝e probably thought about it for at least a couple hours a day, every day, since I learned about it,鈥� Stuef says. 鈥淓very day.鈥�

The treasure hunt immediately brought him back to his youth, when he was obsessed with a 2002 TV series called , which allowed viewers to try and solve a real-life mystery that carried a million-dollar prize. Stuef also got caught up in a book by magician David Blaine, , which combined autobiography with a treasure hunt and offered a $100,000 prize.

Over time, those teenage dreams of adventure receded, and Stuef went on to attend Georgetown University, where he served as editor in chief of the , a campus humor magazine. He graduated in December 2009 and began a career as a writer, both in humor鈥攈e worked for the Onion鈥攁nd in more traditional media. He became embroiled in a few controversies early in his career, both at Wonkette, which he left after he made what Poynter describes as and while freelancing for Buzzfeed, which after an article Stuef wrote incorrectly painted a popular internet cartoonist as a hard-line Republican. He left the media business soon after.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think those were giant incidents,鈥� Stuef says. 鈥淚 regret them, but I don鈥檛 think about them very often. It was a long time ago now.鈥�

He soon entered a postbaccalaureate program, and then enrolled in medical school. But he disliked most everything about medicine beyond treating patients, he says, and something else captured his attention: Fenn鈥檚 chase. He was soon reading the hunter blogs to learn the basics, and he bought Fenn鈥檚 memoir, The Thrill of the Chase, before diving into as much primary source material as he could find. His method was to devour every Fenn interview, doing anything he could to hear and absorb his words directly, in an effort to better understand the man鈥檚 personality and motivations.

As the hunt took up more and more of his time, Stuef mostly kept the extent of his pursuit hidden from friends and family. He didn鈥檛 think they would understand.

鈥淚 think I got a little embarrassed by how obsessed I was with it,鈥� Stuef says. 鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 find it, I would look kind of like an idiot. And maybe I didn鈥檛 want to admit to myself what a hold it had on me.鈥�

Two years later, he had achieved what so many other searchers could not, finding and claiming Fenn鈥檚 treasure. (Stuef鈥檚 status as the finder was independently verified with the Fenn family.)听He retrieved the chest on Saturday, June 6, 2020, in Wyoming, and began the long drive down to Santa Fe to deliver it to Fenn that same day. That evening, news of the find was already beginning to come out, as Fenn believed it must. 鈥溾�榃e should let [searchers] know as soon as you have it,鈥欌�� Stuef says Fenn told him.

鈥淗is thought was that, as soon as it鈥檚 out of place, we need to let people know,鈥� Stuef says. 鈥淧eople have died. There could be issues.鈥�

Stuef asked Fenn, though, that he be allowed to remain anonymous, and they both seemed to agree that the location of the find should be kept secret.

But controversy quickly swirled, as many hunters, unsatisfied with the lack of disclosure, decided this meant that 鈥攖hat Fenn had never really hidden the treasure, or that he had unilaterally ended the hunt without a real finder. The backlash took Fenn by surprise, according to those around him. To address it, several weeks after the find, he released photos of the chest and of himself going through it after Stuef delivered it to Santa Fe, which provided enough confirmation for some. In July, Fenn suggested to Stuef that they also reveal the state where the treasure was found, in order to give further closure to some hunters. Stuef agreed.

Beyond that, though, he remained silent, and might have stayed that way for some time.

And then Forrest Fenn died.

On September 23, two weeks after Fenn passed away in his home at age 90, a post surfaced on Medium, a platform that allows users to self-publish essays and other writing, anonymously if they choose. Called 鈥�,鈥� it carried the byline 鈥淭he Finder,鈥� along with a bio that declared: 鈥淭he author is the finder and owner of the Forrest Fenn Treasure.鈥�

In 3,000 well-crafted words, the finder penned an ode to Fenn, who he described as his friend, even though he鈥檇 only known him briefly.

鈥淚 am the person who found Forrest鈥檚 famed treasure,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淭he moment听it happened was not the triumphant Hollywood ending some surely envisioned; it just felt like I had just survived something and was fortunate to come out the other end.鈥�

In his essay, the finder revealed a great deal about the circumstances under which he had discovered the treasure鈥攂ut, crucially, he would not divulge exactly where he had located it, and said he didn鈥檛 plan to. He was also careful not to let any details about his own identity slip, indicating only that he was a millennial and had student loans to pay off. Beyond that, he was an enigma.

He explained that in 2018 he had figured out the location where the longtime Santa Fe art dealer and former fighter pilot wished to die, and then spent a combined 25 days over the next two years searching the general area until he finally located the treasure. He said that, to find the solution, he鈥檇 carefully listened to things Fenn had said in interviews, finding a few crucial crumbs.

鈥淸Fenn] never made more than a couple of subtle slip-ups in front of all the dogged reporters who came to his house, and even those apparently haven鈥檛 been caught by anyone besides me,鈥� the finder wrote.

He included pictures of the chest, some of them taken in the wilderness shortly after the treasure was found, others taken at what was assumed to be a lawyer鈥檚 office, showing Fenn examining the chest.

Still, there were doubters. Many searchers refused to believe that the Medium post was written by the true finder, and suggested it was fraudulent鈥攑erhaps written by Fenn鈥檚 grandson, Shiloh Old, or by his professional writer pal, , or even by Fenn himself before his death, intended to be released posthumously.

But I didn鈥檛 think any of that.听In fact, after finishing the essay, I was pretty certain it was all real. And although the finder wrote that he would eventually answer more questions, the journalist in me didn鈥檛 particularly want to wait, or to leave what he answered up to him alone.

So I reached out.

Medium doesn鈥檛 generally allow readers to directly contact the author of a piece, which is one reason it鈥檚 good for anonymous posting. It does allow users to post public comments, and more than 100 people quickly did that, most of them supportive, some skeptical, a few angry and aggressive. But I wasn鈥檛 going to just post my email address in the comments, where anyone could read it. Doing that left me no guarantee that the person I might end up in contact with would be the finder.

I had one trick up my sleeve, though. There鈥檚 a little-known way to send a direct message to the author of a Medium story: you flag a section of text, indicating that it contains an error or typo. This notifies the author that something needs to be corrected. The system doesn鈥檛 give you a lot of space, just enough to describe the problem. So I flagged a section, barely squeezed in who I was and my email address, and hoped for the best. I had no assurances that the finder would look at the message, or that he would understand exactly why he should get in touch. But it was worth a shot.

Less than a day later, an email popped into my in-box. The finder had replied. He鈥檇 heard of my book project, he said, and he might be willing to talk to me.

And so began months of back-and-forth, sometimes involving several emails a day. It didn鈥檛 really matter that I didn鈥檛 know who the finder was for most of that time. I hung on every detail, every minor revelation he offered up about the treasure that had occupied me for so long.

Last week, after a lull in our ongoing conversation, the finder emailed again, explaining that one of the court cases surrounding the find had taken an unexpected turn, and his name was likely to come out as part of the process. So he told me who he was, and gave me permission to tell the world.

The case that prompted him to step from behind the curtain was brought by a Chicago real estate attorney named Barbara Andersen, who of the treasure had located it by hacking her texts and emails and stealing her solve. She believed the treasure was in New Mexico.

Stuef says he never met nor heard of Andersen before the suit; he denies her charges and says the treasure was nowhere near New Mexico. That has not stopped a New Mexico federal court judge from allowing the suit to proceed. Last week, Stuef learned that, as a result of Fenn鈥檚 death, the subpoena against Fenn would be transferred to his heirs and estate, which is in possession of Stuef鈥檚 information. This should allow Andersen to refile her suit, naming Stuef as a defendant.

Stuef had expected that finding the chest would bring some level of blowback, that his possession of an item desired by so many makes him a target.

鈥淚 thought that whoever found the chest would be absolutely hated, because it ends everyone鈥檚 dream,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something of a burden. I realize I put an end to something that meant so much to so many people.鈥�

But even if he anticipated challenges to his find, being a subject of a lawsuit has been an unsettling experience.

鈥淚 always thought that, based on people suing Forrest in the past, it was something that could happen,鈥� Stuef says.

This treasure hunt has never been easy on its participants; Fenn and his family experienced a great deal of harassment from searchers who went too far during the years the hunt was active鈥攅verything from stalking to threats to . This is why Stuef hoped to remain anonymous, and why, even now, with his name known, he won鈥檛 disclose where he鈥檚 living.

Many searchers I鈥檝e talked to appreciate his desire for anonymity, and I understand it as well. But one thing many searchers have a harder time grasping is Stuef鈥檚 decision to withhold where he found the treasure, even though the chest has since been removed.

People have died looking for the chest. Others have gone bankrupt. Many more have spent countless hours in search of it, and they want some degree of resolution. On our various excursions out West, my search partner and I both found ourselves a little too obsessed at points, and it took its toll. There are real human costs to this search, and knowing the final location could offer the desired sense of closure so many are now seeking.

Stuef says he鈥檚 sympathetic to those feelings.

鈥淭his is the most difficult question to answer, because I know there鈥檚 so many people who just want to know. They worked on this for a long time. And they just want to be handed the answer. I totally understand that. But doing that, I think, is a death sentence to this special place.鈥�

Stuef fears that Fenn鈥檚 spot, if revealed, will become a pilgrimage site for Fenn devotees.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not an appropriate place to become a tourist destination. It has huge meaning to Forrest, and I don鈥檛 want to see it destroyed,鈥� Stuef says. 鈥淎nd as much as I tried not to develop an attachment to the place, eventually I did, as well. I had whole days out there looking, and I would take a nap in the afternoon every day, as I said on Medium, under the pine trees. It was very peaceful for me.鈥�

Stuef is trying to find a balance between the various entities, because he feels responsible to all of them. To the search community and its desire to know the whole truth; to himself and his sense of what is right; to nature and this peaceful spot, which he does not want to see ruined; and to Fenn. Ultimately, Stuef believes he鈥檚 being consistent with what Fenn wanted when he was alive, and honoring his legacy.

鈥淗e didn鈥檛 want to see it turned into a tourist attraction,鈥� Stuef says of the treasure site. 鈥淲e thought it was not appropriate for that to happen. He was willing to go to great lengths, very great lengths, to avoid ever having to tell the location.鈥�

Because of his stand, talking to Stuef can be maddening at times. For my book, I鈥檝e interviewed him about his solve, discussed the process he used to come up with it, and chronicled the various searches he went on as he sought the exact spot, learning fascinating tidbits in the process. For example, he鈥檚 told me that one reason it took him two years to retrieve the treasure, even after figuring out the general area in 2018, was that the 鈥渂laze鈥濃�擣enn鈥檚 all-important final clue, found out in the wilderness,听intended to let a searcher know they鈥檙e in the exact right spot鈥攈ad been damaged. He doesn鈥檛 mind being open with all of that. And yet there are still things he holds back or talks around, in order to make sure, even now, that no one can figure out the precise location.

Still, listening to Stuef talk about it, he makes it seem so attainable, so simple: that the key was really just understanding Forrest Fenn. Stuef hunted solo, never discussed his search with others, stayed away from the blogs after his initial looks at them, and tried hard not to get caught up in any groupthink. He did his utmost just to focus on Fenn鈥檚 words and primary sources, and understand those as best he could.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to ruin this treasure hunt by saying it was made for an English major, but it鈥檚 based on a close read of a text,鈥� Stuef says. 鈥淚 mean, that鈥檚 what it is. It鈥檚 having the correct interpretation of a poem. I understood him by reading his words, and listening to him talk over and over and over and over again. And seeking out anything I could get my hands on that told me who he was.鈥�

When asked if figuring out the puzzles required the use of anagrams, or GPS coordinates, or sophisticated codes of any sort, Stuef was clear in his response.

鈥淣o,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 want to say that people are stupid for thinking those things were valid, or that they were being irrational. I think Forrest designed this to be fun, and whatever people got out of it, that gave them fun, I think, to me, is rational. And they were doing it right, in that way.鈥�

The solution, Stuef says, is tied far more to understanding Fenn鈥檚 emotions, and to a close examination of the poem itself, than to puzzle-solving skills. Fenn simply didn鈥檛 care about those kinds of things. He was more interested in adventure, legacy, history, narrative.

鈥淭here was no reason to think that those things would be something he was interested in, or had any experience in,鈥� Stuef says. 鈥淚 mean, he was coming to this not from the perspective of being a huge fan of puzzles or a puzzle master. He was not a fan of armchair treasure hunts. His point of reference was pirates! His purpose was not to create a great puzzle and show everyone how smart and slick he was. His purpose was this weird idea to entomb himself. And to create a historic legend. None of that supports armchair solutions. And he was open about that.鈥�

So far, ownership of the chest has not made Stuef a rich man. He has not sold it yet, has not even had it appraised, but the expected windfall has allowed him to quit worrying about repaying his student loans for medical school. With that in mind, he has decided to leave the profession before becoming a practicing doctor, and may move into equities investing next.

鈥淚 was kind of in this sunk-cost-fallacy dead end with that, where I didn鈥檛 want to quit, because I didn鈥檛 know what else to do,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know how to pay off my loans if I didn鈥檛 become a doctor. [The chest] was kind of my lifeline.鈥�

Once the time is right, he still plans to sell the chest. When he does, he will try to honor a 鈥渇inal wish鈥� of Fenn鈥檚: to have the chest end up in a specific place where searchers can view it, though he declined to say exactly where.

鈥淏efore he died, he was going to try to help me with getting a certain party to buy it,鈥� Stuef says. 鈥淎nd I think his hope was that it would be able to be displayed. 鈥� And so that鈥檚 my first step. After that, I think I would probably try and sell to the public.鈥�

If it gets that far, he鈥檚 unsure whether it would be best to sell it as a complete package, or to break it up, allowing individual searchers to own a piece of Fenn鈥檚 treasure.

鈥淚鈥檇 guess we kind of try and test the market in some way to see what it would sell for all together, because there鈥檚 a good chance it鈥檚 worth more all together, as the Fenn treasure,鈥� Stuef says. 鈥淏ut, you know, it鈥檚 possible. There are a lot of searchers out there who would want maybe one item in there, they couldn鈥檛 afford the whole thing, but it would mean a lot to them to have one item. So it is still possible to break out.鈥�

With the chest located, one part of the treasure hunt is finished now鈥攖he chase, the part that obsessed all of us and pushed us to places we maybe shouldn鈥檛 have been. But the story has not ended. So many people have a stake in this hunt, it means so much to so many, that the tale didn鈥檛, and doesn鈥檛, end with a man finding a treasure chest.

That, in so many ways, is just opening up the box.

The post The Man Who Found Forrest Fenn’s Treasure appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Of all of the sacrifices we鈥檝e听made for this pandemic, not running races this year feels pretty insignificant. If you鈥檙e听like me, though, and find that your fitness falls dramatically off the rails when river levels drop and there鈥檚 no snow in the mountains, subbing in a virtual challenge for a marathon can be a good way to make sure your legs are ready for ski season. I took part in one this summer, and it not only kept me in shape听but was also damn. My advice? Wait until in-person races resume to chase that PR. This year has been hard enough鈥攕low down and have a good time with your event.听Here are some general tips and gear suggestions to help you make the most out of yours.

Pick the Right Objective

Choose something difficult but manageable, with听the potential to change up the way you approach听your runs. I decided听to take on the as a two-person team with my 国产吃瓜黑料 editor,听Will Taylor. The goal was to run 100,000 vertical feet over the course of ten weeks, which meant we were both committed to climbing 50,000 feet. Five thousand vertical feet of running per week each felt like enough of a challenge to keep us committed but not so much that we were overwhelmed. And measuring runs by elevation gain rather than miles or speed changed the way we looked at听our local trails.

I suggest doing a virtual team-based challenge because it makes the otherwise solitary task fun and communal. It also helps with motivation. My partner is a good friend of mine鈥攂ut he鈥檚 also my boss. The mixture of camaraderie and fear of letting him down kept me on track.

Track It

Monitoring your progress with any GPS device is critical for virtual races. While your smartphone and Strava will definitely do the trick, it鈥檚听very nice to have a reliable watch that can give you real-time updates during your runs. Nearly all of these types of watches can be set up to automatically post to听a site听like Strava, so you can keep track of your progress. I鈥檝e tested half a dozen GPS watches, and my current favorite is the ($500),听because it鈥檚 easy to use and has a low-profile fit. It鈥檚 the smallest GPS watch I鈥檝e tested that has all the metrics I need鈥攊ncluding听heart rate, route help, and speed鈥攚ith a modest bezel size that I didn鈥檛 mind wearing all day. (Other watches were so big that I鈥檇 wear them during a run and take them off immediately听after because they were so clunky.) The Forerunner 745鈥檚 battery life is too short for my longest adventures, but for most daily runs and anything under four hours, it served me well.

Eat the Good Stuff

Due to my problematic stomach, I鈥檓 extremely conservative with the calories I consume during races, out of fear of public displays of gastric distress. By their nature, virtual races mean encountering very few people, which meant I could be听a little looser with my typically strict calorie plan. I suggest you lean toward听foods that feel like a treat rather than a performance enhancer, because you don鈥檛 have to push yourself as hard for a virtual goal,听and you might as well enjoy yourself. I fell in love with on my long runs this summer. They were so delicious, in fact, that my family consumed them as a dessert, too. I鈥檇 fall apart if they were all I was planning to eat while redlining through a marathon, but they were such a pleasure during my biggest climbs throughout my summer challenge. I even ate pizza during some runs.

Go Big on Hydration听

I usually preach prudence about how much water to carry while running: it can be annoying to run with听more than you need. But a听virtual challenge is the rare time that I鈥檇 suggest going big鈥攂ring a handheld bottle if you normally bring nothing, and a vest if you were planning on a handheld. The lack of aid stations means personal-hydration accountability is crucial. I fell in love with the ($90) after lugging it 5,829 feet鈥攖wice鈥攖o the top of my local ski resort, Oregon鈥檚 Mount听Ashland, to play catch-up during our challenge. The highly adjustable chest strap allowed me to dial in the fit to a point where the vest went largely unnoticed, it听carried plenty of liquids, and the stash pocket in the far back kept my phone off my sweaty body.

Wear Comfortable Shoes

I鈥檝e been a proponent of maximal extra-cushioned running shoes for years. There鈥檚 no better time than now to give yourself the gift of additional听support then when running against digital opponents during a pandemic. Again, save the PRs for in-person races, and go big on comfort. Don鈥檛 worry, no one鈥檚 looking. It鈥檚 pretty tough to beat Hoka in this arena. I still use and love the ($130) as my go-to trail runner. I鈥檝e also听put a few miles on the 听($145, pictured), and while I don鈥檛 have the same relationship with it as I听do with the ATR5, I鈥檓 really happy with this shoe鈥檚听balance of cushioning and trail performance.

Lube Up

Don鈥檛 skimp on lubrication just because no one can see your bloody nipples at the nonexistent finish line. Be kind to yourself and really slather up before those long efforts. For price point and efficacy, my personal preference is ($10).

Wear the Flair

A highlight of my virtual challenge happened when I came upon听an older runner on his own鈥攈e was participating in the 鈥攚ho was decked out in all of his race flair, including a past year鈥檚 event听shirt and bouncy alien antennae. It was one part听鈥淲e鈥檙e in this together鈥� and one part听鈥淪crew you, COVID, I鈥檓 still going to have my race-day fun.鈥� It completely amped me up to run. Since I don鈥檛 own antennae, and am too much of a pragmatist for regular costume wearing, I rocked this ($35) from Patagonia, along with my new-dad mustache, to remind myself not to take myself or my endeavor听too seriously.

Bring Your Mask

It鈥檚 easy to forget that we鈥檙e in the midst of a global pandemic when chasing virtual dreams on uncrowded trails, but don鈥檛 forget to bring a mask to make encounters with others safer. In adherence with my local regulations, I don鈥檛 wear one unless I鈥檓 crossing paths with someone, but I always have it on me and ready to go. My mask of choice is听frankly whatever鈥檚 clean when I head听out the door, but I do really like the fit and packability of ($12).

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Between the pandemic, wildfires, and听a presidential election cycle, collective stress levels are at an all-time high. Gentle听practices that give your nervous system a chance to reset are more important than ever.

Childlike movements such as听rocking, rolling, and crawling can help ease stress, explains Dani Almeyda, a personal trainer who teaches restorative movement to clients and trainers at the听 in North Carolina. The developmental movement patterns we learn听as babies help us build the strength and coordination to walk and run. Now听they can help disengage the sympathetic nervous system, commonly known as fight-or-flight mode, and bring the body into a parasympathetic state, or rest-and-digest mode, Almeyda explains.听They can also relieve tension, get your joints moving smoothly, and offer moderate strengthening.

This restorative routine from Almeyda and Tim Anderson, a personal trainer and cofounder of the Original Strength Institute, can be done anytime, anywhere. Run through it whenever you feel like you need to press reset: the first thing in the morning, after a workout, or during a midafternoon slump. Roll out a yoga mat or blanket, or find a carpeted area to comfortably rotate听through the exercises. Begin by focusing on your breath, and gradually cycle through the movements to wake up your muscles and joints without stressing your nervous system.

The Moves

Crocodile Breath

What it does:听Slow, deep breaths lower your heart rate and blood pressure and deliver more oxygen throughout the body, all of which help听听into a parasympathetic state.

How to do it: Lie flat on your belly, and let your forehead rest on your hands. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, which opens your airway and allows you to bring more air into your lungs, Almeyda explains. Take a deep breath in through your nose, inhaling听on a five-count to fill your belly (not your chest) with as much air as possible. Then听relax and breathe out through your nose on a five-count.

Volume: Continue breathing in and out of your nose for two minutes.

Head Nod and Rotation

What it does: Helps听release tension in the neck and shoulders.

How to do it: While still lying on your belly, prop yourself up on your forearms so they鈥檙e straight out in front of you. Keeping your shoulders relaxed and your chest forward, slowly look up to the ceiling, letting your head follow your gaze. Then听slowly move your gaze down to the floor and try to look at your belly button. Lift your head back to center, and gently look over one shoulder, then the other. That鈥檚 one rep. Stay relaxed, and continue breathing deeply in and out of your nose, filling your belly with air.

Volume: Do ten full rounds of head nods and rotations.

Egg Rolls

What they听do: Physical contact is good for our brains and bodies. Hugging, for instance,听is associated with a rise in oxytocin, a hormone that . These听movements mimic听that sensation, no buddy required. The gentle motion听of swaying back and forth is also a self-soothing technique (think: rocking a baby).

How to do them: Lie on your back and pull your knees into your chest, tucking yourself into a ball. Grab hold of your knees, and gently look to one shoulder. As you turn your head, allow your body to roll over to that side, like an egg. Once you鈥檙e lying on your side, keep rotating gently through your neck and upper back, looking down and past the shoulder touching the ground, getting an even deeper stretch. Only rotate as far as is comfortable, and make听sure to breathe deeply. Then听slowly look to the other shoulder, and allow your body to roll in the opposite direction. Keep your body tucked in tight.

Volume: Continue rolling for one minute.

Quadruped Rocks

What they听do: These repetitive, gentle movements and deep breaths relax the nervous system. 鈥淎lso, they听feel听great and help听keep key joints鈥攍ike your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles鈥攎oving,鈥� Almeyda says.

How to do them: Get down on your hands and knees,听with your feet flexed; your shoulders should be stacked over your hands and your hips over your knees. Keep your chest听and head up, allowing your spine to settle into a slight curve. Slowly听rock your hips back toward your heels until you feel a gentle stretch in your ankles. Then听rock forward as far as you feel comfortable. Line up your movements with steady breaths.

Volume: Rock back and forth for one to two minutes.

Hand-Knee Crawling

What it听does: Since most of us haven鈥檛 crawled in years, this may be a little challenging at first. Coordinating the movement of your opposing limbs really wakes up the brain,听Almeyda explains.听Hand-knee crawling also gently engages your hips and shoulders, which tend to get stiff from sitting for long periods of time.

How to do it:听Like the previous move, begin on the floor on all fours, so your shoulders align with your hands and your hips align with your knees. Keeping your chest forward and head up, initiate the movement by stepping your opposite hand and knee forward. Allow your spine to curve naturally. Continue alternating sides, making sure to look straight ahead the entire time.

Volume: Keep crawling for one to two minutes.

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