It’s that time of year, well, if it stops raining that is.

The shorts get shorter. The tans gets darker. And your ass gets smaller.

Or so you wish.

There's still hope. Trade in your Redbull and Lunesta, it's time to put new meaning to your ups and downs. A little 'extreme' for some, but honestly the Flybar is just a high-tech modern version of your old Pogo Stick and it delivers serious fitness benefits. The design isn't radically different; 'er actually it is. It has a lot more oomph. The 13-pound Flybar 800 can bounce four feet high, while the 20-pound Flybar 1200 can soar as high as five feet.

Flybar is totally safe and it’s way more fun than what the grown-ups are currently doing. It not only burns calories, but the act of rebounding regularly on a pogo stick can also lower circulating cholesterol and triglyceride levels, assist in the rehabilitation of a heart problem, promote tissue repair, improve balance, increase capacity for respiration and improve muscle-to-fat ratio. Did I mention that it can help to keep you young?

Basically, getting your butt in shape can be as easy as child's play.

Everyone wants a slick set of wheels. A spanky little Beemer. A classic Karmann Ghia. A Vespa.

And then there are those of us who’ll settle for something just as cool, yet slightly more cost-sensitive, like Emporio Armani's Skorpion Quadline Roller-Skates. Ditch the Roller Blades pronto because these are the coolest skates around. Basically,the old school rollerskate is getting a modern upgrade. The skates feature an adjustable footplate that fits virtually any type of footwear and "Quadcoil" springs aid in maneuvering and control.

$425. Simple, yet brilliant.

Via:[Selectism]

How did many of the world's top Nascar drivers hone their checkered-flag skills? Fishtailing around go-kart tracks, of course.

And, the recently opened 100,000-square-foot Velocity 17 in New Jersey is righteous proving ground of your pole-position prowess too. It's 2000 foot Grand Prix kart racing track is stocked with hairpin turns, banked corners, chicanes, and lengthy straightways to top out the gas-powered karts at 30 mph -- but when you're swerving inside to block a would-be passer, you'd swear you were hitting triple digits.

Keep in mind: These aren't your grandfather's go-karts (you need a real drivers license to drive the fast ones) and lucky for you, parks just like this one, are opening up throughout the U.S. So, even if you have no ambition to make the pro circuit, let alone the freeway's fast lane, you can finally end the eternal dispute between fathers and son (mothers and daughters): Who is the best driver?

Truth is, you've got a problem. No one should check their reflection as often as you do.

Solution: Might I suggest, you take a look at this Skate Board Mirror. The board length mirror, complete with wheels, offers an alternative to traditionally shaped mirrors (for all you urban athletes) and it could be considered art (allowing you to deny to your friends that you needed another mirror to look into). In fact, skate boards have never been cooler, so this mirror has the ability to add some much needed hipness to your bathroom or hallway regardless of how many times you need to check yourself out. $220.

Via: [Complex.com]

How does progress happen? Through intellect, inspiration, and the courage to be different.

Fumbling for a new song in the saddle is your inspiration, Pearl Izumi is the intellect behind the Vertex MP3 Cycling Shorts, and you (the consumer) who dares to wear these in public... well that my friend is where the courage to be different comes in.

It might seem like overkill, but the built-in Flash MP3 Player and thigh-mounted control strip will help keep you on track while zooming down the road.

A spin around the block never looked so good.
$499. Available only on pearlizumi.com - $100 from each pair sold to benefit the Davis Phinney Foundation.

It's pretty difficult to run in someone else's shoes ... but you can at least compare yourself to someone else.

Have you ever wondered who among the rich and famous have run a marathon and how you stack up to them? Wikipedia has compiled just such a list.

So whether you’re running on empty, running against the wind, or — really running a marathon ... can you out run a celebrity?

Odds are you can ... this list isn't really all that long.

Related: Check out The Katie Holmes Marathon Conspiracy.