Sorry I haven't posted in so long, it's been a crazy few months. I got mono back in May, put me out of comission for 8 weeks, which really upset me. The 2 months off was actually very needed, I was pretty beat up. But not training depresses me, so I didn't do anything related to training the entire time. Plus I get married on June 30, and had to move my wife up here to Omaha from Austin, TX where she graduated college. So I haven't had much time to post lately, but now things have settled down.
Anyway, I'm sure you couldn't give a rat's ass about my personal life, so I'll update my training since returning from mono. I've been going at it for about 4 weeks, started with just a few bodyweight sessions and some light running just to get some physical activity and start getting some work capacity back. When I started lifting again of course I started really light, simply adding weight every session, staying fresh. I trained 3 times a week, squatted twice a week and pulled once a week, with some upper body stuff after the main lifts. This week I'm switching to a micro-periodization set-up, looking something like this:
Monday
Squat - 5x5 (same weight)
Leg assistance work (leg press, belt squat, split squat, etc.) - 3-4 sets
Abs and Grip
Wednesday
Press (incline or overhead) - 3x5 (keeping volume low on pressing for my shoulder)
Upper Back Row Variation (BB, Power, or DB) - 5x5
Triceps - 3 sets (or possibly pull-ups)
Arms and Neck
Thursday
Conditioning/Cross Training (mountain biking, racquetball, sprints, etc.)
Friday
Squat - 1x5 (work up to one heavy set) or Deadlift - 3x5
Lower Back/Post Chain assistance (RDL, GHR, back ext, etc.) - 3-4 sets
Middle Back Row (cable, T-bar, or shrug) - 3-4 sets
Abs and Grip
It looks detailed, but this is really a rough shell, I don't plan that much. The stuff towards the end of each session changes a lot based on what I feel like or what I need, as long I keep consistent on the core lifts I don't sweat the small stuff. I'll keep doing this as long as I can keep going up in weight each week and feel like I have a decent amount of strength again. Once that happens, I'm going to start a linear periodization program with high reps, trying to put on majore size this winter.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Friday, May 4, 2007
Random Thoughts about Whatever
1) If possible, it will always be better to perform an exercise from a standing position rather than a sitting position. More muscle recruited, less strain on the back, it's a win-win.
2) One of the greatest things you can do for your overall development is to get out of the gym for some of your training. I'm as hardheaded as any gymrat out there, I love the iron, but unless you compete in a barbell sport (powerlifting, olympic lifting), realize that weight training is a tool, not the entire tool box. I recently read an article in which CJ Murphy made a distinction between traditional exercises and non-traditional exercises. Traditional exercises are basically anything you can do in any gym with barbells or dumbbells. Non-traditional exercises are things like atlas stones, tire flipping, farmer's walks, log presses, keg tosses, basically any type of 'strongman' exercise. While getting a hold of the equipment is tough for some, it would behoove you greatly to find some type of way to occassionaly strength train with objects other than plain ol' weights. This will hit muscles in completely ways than barbells and dumbbells, boosting your overall physical development. Not to mention it's really fun and different, and if you're not having fun you're not doing it right.
3) If you're not getting results in the weight room, the odds say you're not going heavy enough, you're doing too much volume, and/or you need a week off.
4) This country would be better off if: processed foods didn't exist; fast-food restaurants didn't exist; soda didn't exist; everybody got at least 1 hour of physical activity every day; nobody watched more than 1 hour of TV a day; kids were not allowed to use computers outside of an educational setting until they graduated high school; 1 hour of recess was strictly enforced through elementary school; P.E. classes were required every semester of middle school and high school, and grades were based on physical improvement, not just showing up; reality TV didn't exist; people realized celebrities are regular people (who's job is to pretend to be something they're not) and stopped giving two shits about their personal life or opinions, and got a life of their own; everybody realized that skin color doesn't mean shit; there was no republican or democratic party, just one elected president and one group of elected officials, no party affiliations, just one group, maybe something would actually get done.
5) You have a slow metabolism because you're fat, not the other way around.
6) If you can't gain weight, you aren't eating enough. Period.
7) Ever notice how it's the guys with the simplest, most basic training that are the biggest and strongest. Funny how that works, isn't it?
8) Just like training, there's no need to make nutrition more complicated than it needs to be. Use common sense and read 'Advanced Nutrition' by Jim Wendler, it's really that simple:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/advanced_nutrition.htm
9) A little cardiovascular work is not going to kill you or make your muscle shrivel up into nothing. If it's nice outside, get out there and ride your bike, play some pick-up football, go for a jog (or walk), go to a park and do some body weight training, etc. Don't go crazy, I'm not talking about running marathons here, but a little extra exercise outside the gym is going to help recovery, boost your work capacity, make you a healthier person, and increase your appetite allowing you to eat more, all of which will actually help you add muscle. Not to mention it's fun, who wants to bust their ass in the gym 4 times a week just to sit on their ass every other second of the day?
10) You couldn't pay me any amount of money to work in a cubicle. I'd take minimum wage at an outside job where I get to move around over 6 figures behind a desk any day. And when I retire, I'm moving to a place where clocks have no numbers, it never goes below 60 degrees, and it's not even necessary to own a pair of closed-toe shoes or long pants.
2) One of the greatest things you can do for your overall development is to get out of the gym for some of your training. I'm as hardheaded as any gymrat out there, I love the iron, but unless you compete in a barbell sport (powerlifting, olympic lifting), realize that weight training is a tool, not the entire tool box. I recently read an article in which CJ Murphy made a distinction between traditional exercises and non-traditional exercises. Traditional exercises are basically anything you can do in any gym with barbells or dumbbells. Non-traditional exercises are things like atlas stones, tire flipping, farmer's walks, log presses, keg tosses, basically any type of 'strongman' exercise. While getting a hold of the equipment is tough for some, it would behoove you greatly to find some type of way to occassionaly strength train with objects other than plain ol' weights. This will hit muscles in completely ways than barbells and dumbbells, boosting your overall physical development. Not to mention it's really fun and different, and if you're not having fun you're not doing it right.
3) If you're not getting results in the weight room, the odds say you're not going heavy enough, you're doing too much volume, and/or you need a week off.
4) This country would be better off if: processed foods didn't exist; fast-food restaurants didn't exist; soda didn't exist; everybody got at least 1 hour of physical activity every day; nobody watched more than 1 hour of TV a day; kids were not allowed to use computers outside of an educational setting until they graduated high school; 1 hour of recess was strictly enforced through elementary school; P.E. classes were required every semester of middle school and high school, and grades were based on physical improvement, not just showing up; reality TV didn't exist; people realized celebrities are regular people (who's job is to pretend to be something they're not) and stopped giving two shits about their personal life or opinions, and got a life of their own; everybody realized that skin color doesn't mean shit; there was no republican or democratic party, just one elected president and one group of elected officials, no party affiliations, just one group, maybe something would actually get done.
5) You have a slow metabolism because you're fat, not the other way around.
6) If you can't gain weight, you aren't eating enough. Period.
7) Ever notice how it's the guys with the simplest, most basic training that are the biggest and strongest. Funny how that works, isn't it?
8) Just like training, there's no need to make nutrition more complicated than it needs to be. Use common sense and read 'Advanced Nutrition' by Jim Wendler, it's really that simple:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/advanced_nutrition.htm
9) A little cardiovascular work is not going to kill you or make your muscle shrivel up into nothing. If it's nice outside, get out there and ride your bike, play some pick-up football, go for a jog (or walk), go to a park and do some body weight training, etc. Don't go crazy, I'm not talking about running marathons here, but a little extra exercise outside the gym is going to help recovery, boost your work capacity, make you a healthier person, and increase your appetite allowing you to eat more, all of which will actually help you add muscle. Not to mention it's fun, who wants to bust their ass in the gym 4 times a week just to sit on their ass every other second of the day?
10) You couldn't pay me any amount of money to work in a cubicle. I'd take minimum wage at an outside job where I get to move around over 6 figures behind a desk any day. And when I retire, I'm moving to a place where clocks have no numbers, it never goes below 60 degrees, and it's not even necessary to own a pair of closed-toe shoes or long pants.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Paralysis by Analysis
"Everybody wants to major in minor shit." - Dave Tate
This is one of my favorite quotes pertaining to training. Most people get way too hung up on details, forgetting the basics. And it's the basics that give you the results. If there is such a thing as a golden rule in training, I believe it's that '80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts.' Overthinking is one of the most common and detrimental problems to any training program. I've have been a victim of this, especially in the last several months. I used to plan all my training in an excel spreadsheet, I would plan everything down to the 'T,' from exercises to sets and reps to rest periods, and I would change it constantly based on new stuff I read or just thinking something else might work better. I would spend more time farting around with trying to create the perfect program than I spent in the gym. I would constantly change things, I had no consistency, it was way to complicated, and not surprisingly I didn't get great results. I still made some progress because when I hit the gym I trained hard and was serious, but not because I had a great program, which is something I'll talk about later. Eventually I got sick of it and realized I was over-analyzing everything to death, I was majoring in minor shit. So finally I deleted the excel file, and decided to not plan a thing about my training except for a very basic shell of how my training week should look based on what I want to accomplish. Now I feel better about my training and lifting is fun again, instead of seeming like a homework assignment.
Now, I'm not saying that you should 'wing it' for all of your training, you should have some type of plan and maybe even a training program to follow. But don't waste time with details, in training or in planning. Should I do a 4x6 or a 6x4? Would 2 sets or 3 sets be better? Should I rest for 60 or 90 seconds between assistance exercises? Should I use a 5418 or a 7316 tempo? How many reps are optimal on ab exercises? Are pyramids or straight sets better? What % of 1RM is should I be able do for a set of 8? These are all details. To an certain extent, what you do is relatively unimportant, how you do it is what matters. A lifter who busts his ass and works hard in the gym using a less than ideal program will always outperform the 'perfect program guy' who lifts with about as much enthusiasm as a sloth. You don't need a perfect program (which doesn't exist anyway), you need a serious atmosphere and a serious attitude, the rest is details. Now, attacking concentration curls with all you've got ain't gonna do much either. You need to be doing the right things, the basics.
In this age of the internet, we have access to a seemlingly endless supply of information pertaining to training and diet. This is a good thing as well as a bad thing. It's a good thing because it's easy to find info on what were looking for, it's a bad thing because there's so much that it overwhelms people. There is a ton of contradictory information out there and it can be very hard to figure out what's reliable. The really sad part is that this prevents a lot of people from doing anything. They find something they want to do and the next day they hear about how that sucks and they should try something else. Then the next day it's something else. Eventually they get frustrated and confused and end up doing nothing, which is the worst thing you can do. This is a classic case of paralysis by analysis. In the book The New Rules of Lifting (which I highly recommend by the way), Lou Schuler's first rule is simply 'do something.' Something is better than nothing. It may very well not be the best thing you could be doing for your goals, but if the alternative is nothing, it's better. The second rule in the book is 'do something you like.' If you don't like it, you won't stick to it. So if someone recomends you do something you hate, say thanks for the advice and move on, it may be great advice, but if you don't enjoy what you're doing you won't stick to it.
So after following those two rules, when you decide to start looking for further details on ways to approach your goals, focus on what is common to all of this information, not on what is different. This is where you'll find the basics. The basic exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows, pull-ups, power cleans, etc. The basic principles like progressive overload, lifting heavy, using primarily free weights, taking time off every now and then, etc. The basic diet principles like eat lean protien, fruits and vegetables, starches, and healthy fats, avoid junk food, etc. This is where you find what works because this is what's common to all this info (hopefully it is anyway, if it's not, find a new source), this is what makes these approaches successful, not the differences, those are the details.
The last thing I want to touch on is a couple things that get bashed frequently, so much so that a lot of people avoid them all together, when first off all they aren't the evil that a lot of folks make them out to be, and secondly, like I said earlier, if the alternative is nothing, something is better.
1) Static stretching. Yes, done right before lifting static stretching can weaken a muscle, but done after training or other times when the muscle is warm static stretching is great. It helps recovery, it's easy to do, and it makes you more flexible, and just about everyone out there needs more flexibility. A big craze right now is 'dynamic mobility,' which I'm all for this type of work, we should be mobile, and this is a great form of injury protection, correcting postural problems, activating weakened muscles, and stretching tight muscles. But this is of course more complicated than static stretching, there's a ton of different ways to do these drills, different people need to emphasize different tyes of mobility work, and there are many ways to implement it into a training program, and this again leads to paralysis by analysis, and a lot of people choose to do nothing. Static stretching is something everyone knows how to do and it simply takes 5 minutes to stretch the entire body after each training session, easy and effective.
2) Steady state cardio. There's a big push right now against steady state or long duration 'cardio.' It is inferior to higher intensity work when it comes to fat loss, and extended bouts of cardio can easily burn up muscle, but nowadays it's easy think that jogging is actually bad for you. Again, this goes back to the 'do something' rule. If you like to jog long distances and don't like interval training, then jog long distances. Also, if you're not ready for interval training, don't sweat it, 'do something' until you are ready. Is there any point in someone who is 40% bodyfat comtemplating the best way to lose fat, no, just 'DO SOMETHING.' I've seen high intensity interval training recommended to people who look like they're about 100 pounds overweight. One high intensity session will beat them up beyond belief, they'll get discouraged and break rule one, they'll do nothing. There is nothing wrong with walking or jogging.
So quit wasting your time looking for the 'perfect program' that doesn't exist, do the basics and do them well. 'Simplify, Simplify' as Thoreau might say.
This is one of my favorite quotes pertaining to training. Most people get way too hung up on details, forgetting the basics. And it's the basics that give you the results. If there is such a thing as a golden rule in training, I believe it's that '80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts.' Overthinking is one of the most common and detrimental problems to any training program. I've have been a victim of this, especially in the last several months. I used to plan all my training in an excel spreadsheet, I would plan everything down to the 'T,' from exercises to sets and reps to rest periods, and I would change it constantly based on new stuff I read or just thinking something else might work better. I would spend more time farting around with trying to create the perfect program than I spent in the gym. I would constantly change things, I had no consistency, it was way to complicated, and not surprisingly I didn't get great results. I still made some progress because when I hit the gym I trained hard and was serious, but not because I had a great program, which is something I'll talk about later. Eventually I got sick of it and realized I was over-analyzing everything to death, I was majoring in minor shit. So finally I deleted the excel file, and decided to not plan a thing about my training except for a very basic shell of how my training week should look based on what I want to accomplish. Now I feel better about my training and lifting is fun again, instead of seeming like a homework assignment.
Now, I'm not saying that you should 'wing it' for all of your training, you should have some type of plan and maybe even a training program to follow. But don't waste time with details, in training or in planning. Should I do a 4x6 or a 6x4? Would 2 sets or 3 sets be better? Should I rest for 60 or 90 seconds between assistance exercises? Should I use a 5418 or a 7316 tempo? How many reps are optimal on ab exercises? Are pyramids or straight sets better? What % of 1RM is should I be able do for a set of 8? These are all details. To an certain extent, what you do is relatively unimportant, how you do it is what matters. A lifter who busts his ass and works hard in the gym using a less than ideal program will always outperform the 'perfect program guy' who lifts with about as much enthusiasm as a sloth. You don't need a perfect program (which doesn't exist anyway), you need a serious atmosphere and a serious attitude, the rest is details. Now, attacking concentration curls with all you've got ain't gonna do much either. You need to be doing the right things, the basics.
In this age of the internet, we have access to a seemlingly endless supply of information pertaining to training and diet. This is a good thing as well as a bad thing. It's a good thing because it's easy to find info on what were looking for, it's a bad thing because there's so much that it overwhelms people. There is a ton of contradictory information out there and it can be very hard to figure out what's reliable. The really sad part is that this prevents a lot of people from doing anything. They find something they want to do and the next day they hear about how that sucks and they should try something else. Then the next day it's something else. Eventually they get frustrated and confused and end up doing nothing, which is the worst thing you can do. This is a classic case of paralysis by analysis. In the book The New Rules of Lifting (which I highly recommend by the way), Lou Schuler's first rule is simply 'do something.' Something is better than nothing. It may very well not be the best thing you could be doing for your goals, but if the alternative is nothing, it's better. The second rule in the book is 'do something you like.' If you don't like it, you won't stick to it. So if someone recomends you do something you hate, say thanks for the advice and move on, it may be great advice, but if you don't enjoy what you're doing you won't stick to it.
So after following those two rules, when you decide to start looking for further details on ways to approach your goals, focus on what is common to all of this information, not on what is different. This is where you'll find the basics. The basic exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows, pull-ups, power cleans, etc. The basic principles like progressive overload, lifting heavy, using primarily free weights, taking time off every now and then, etc. The basic diet principles like eat lean protien, fruits and vegetables, starches, and healthy fats, avoid junk food, etc. This is where you find what works because this is what's common to all this info (hopefully it is anyway, if it's not, find a new source), this is what makes these approaches successful, not the differences, those are the details.
The last thing I want to touch on is a couple things that get bashed frequently, so much so that a lot of people avoid them all together, when first off all they aren't the evil that a lot of folks make them out to be, and secondly, like I said earlier, if the alternative is nothing, something is better.
1) Static stretching. Yes, done right before lifting static stretching can weaken a muscle, but done after training or other times when the muscle is warm static stretching is great. It helps recovery, it's easy to do, and it makes you more flexible, and just about everyone out there needs more flexibility. A big craze right now is 'dynamic mobility,' which I'm all for this type of work, we should be mobile, and this is a great form of injury protection, correcting postural problems, activating weakened muscles, and stretching tight muscles. But this is of course more complicated than static stretching, there's a ton of different ways to do these drills, different people need to emphasize different tyes of mobility work, and there are many ways to implement it into a training program, and this again leads to paralysis by analysis, and a lot of people choose to do nothing. Static stretching is something everyone knows how to do and it simply takes 5 minutes to stretch the entire body after each training session, easy and effective.
2) Steady state cardio. There's a big push right now against steady state or long duration 'cardio.' It is inferior to higher intensity work when it comes to fat loss, and extended bouts of cardio can easily burn up muscle, but nowadays it's easy think that jogging is actually bad for you. Again, this goes back to the 'do something' rule. If you like to jog long distances and don't like interval training, then jog long distances. Also, if you're not ready for interval training, don't sweat it, 'do something' until you are ready. Is there any point in someone who is 40% bodyfat comtemplating the best way to lose fat, no, just 'DO SOMETHING.' I've seen high intensity interval training recommended to people who look like they're about 100 pounds overweight. One high intensity session will beat them up beyond belief, they'll get discouraged and break rule one, they'll do nothing. There is nothing wrong with walking or jogging.
So quit wasting your time looking for the 'perfect program' that doesn't exist, do the basics and do them well. 'Simplify, Simplify' as Thoreau might say.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
What's wrong with your gym - a rant!
I had to train a little later today than usual, about 7PM, the gym was a lot more crowded and I saw a lot more stupid shit than I usually see. It was the typical gym rush hour, overweight people walking on treadmills at a pace where they barely break a sweat (and it was 70 degrees and sunny outside today!), women lifting the lightest weights possible for 17,000 reps hoping to firm their thighs, and of course a bunch of idiot young guys pumping their guns for each other and grab-assing like it's Club Med (a little homo-erotic if you ask me). It was funny and pissed me off at the same time, I actually had to alter my plan trying to avoid these people so I could train, not a big deal though, I don't plan much in advance with as far as details go. Anyway, the whole time I was just thinking how I couldn't wait until I had my home gym so I could train without distractions and about how great it's going to be when I own my own public gym. So inspired by today's sights, I've got to do some ranting.
DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for what I am about to say, some of it will definitely be exaggerations, but I've got a lot of adrenaline right now and I'm just sick of the shit I see every day at any public gym.
THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN ANY GYM AT ANY TIME:
1. Mirrors - get over yourself, start focusing on your training and not your biceps pump, learn to perform the exercises without the crutch of a mirror. This would also eliminate the all to common problem of overdeveloped 'mirror muscles.'
2. Dumbbells lighter than 5lbs or dumbbells of any color besides steel or black.
3. Women (or men) in open-toed or high heeled shoes, yes I actually saw this today.
4. Curls - especially when 4 morons who's arms probably don't total 20 inches if you added them together are using the cable stacks and preacher benches to perform them, all the while joking and playing like little girls about who's doing more. Dorks.
5. Smith Machines - you can hold me responsible for this one
6. All machines - aside from pulleys (cables)
7. Any music besides heavy metal, hard rock, or hard rap.
8. TV's
9. Smoothie bars, flourescent lights, neon signs, bar pads, gloves, tanning beds, etc. This is a gym. It is place to train in a serious matter that requires a serious atmosphere. If you're looking for a cushy experience, try the salon up the street you little pansy.
10. Cell phones. Last but certainly not least. Unless you're an emergency doctor on call or your wife is expecting, don't bring it into the gym. Even then, leave it at the front desk and have them page you if you get a call. Otherwise, if you can't put down your damn phone for an hour a day to train, then obviously training isn't that important to you, maybe you should take up checkers.
THINGS THAT SHOULD BE IN EVERY GYM. EVERY SINGLE GYM:
1. Power Racks and deadlift/olympic lift platforms. Plenty of them.
2. Olympic Bars and steel plates. Full size rubber kilo plates for oly lifts only are fine
3. Glute-Ham Raises and reverse hypers
4. Chalk
5. Pull-up bars
6. Open space - just because you have an extra square inch of space doesn't mean you have to jam some piece of equipment there, open space is a great, versatile asset of a gym.
7. Loud Music
8. 'Odd' objects - like strongman equipment; sleds, sandbags, tires, sledgehammers, thick ropes for pulling and climbing, farmer's walk handles, stones, whatever. Just have some options besides barbells and dumbbells for variety and development of all musculature.
These lists are far from all-encompassing, just what comes to mind. Until next time, train hard, don't be a sissy, lift heavy, get your ass off that machine, and step away from the preacher curl and man up to the squat rack.
DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for what I am about to say, some of it will definitely be exaggerations, but I've got a lot of adrenaline right now and I'm just sick of the shit I see every day at any public gym.
THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN ANY GYM AT ANY TIME:
1. Mirrors - get over yourself, start focusing on your training and not your biceps pump, learn to perform the exercises without the crutch of a mirror. This would also eliminate the all to common problem of overdeveloped 'mirror muscles.'
2. Dumbbells lighter than 5lbs or dumbbells of any color besides steel or black.
3. Women (or men) in open-toed or high heeled shoes, yes I actually saw this today.
4. Curls - especially when 4 morons who's arms probably don't total 20 inches if you added them together are using the cable stacks and preacher benches to perform them, all the while joking and playing like little girls about who's doing more. Dorks.
5. Smith Machines - you can hold me responsible for this one
6. All machines - aside from pulleys (cables)
7. Any music besides heavy metal, hard rock, or hard rap.
8. TV's
9. Smoothie bars, flourescent lights, neon signs, bar pads, gloves, tanning beds, etc. This is a gym. It is place to train in a serious matter that requires a serious atmosphere. If you're looking for a cushy experience, try the salon up the street you little pansy.
10. Cell phones. Last but certainly not least. Unless you're an emergency doctor on call or your wife is expecting, don't bring it into the gym. Even then, leave it at the front desk and have them page you if you get a call. Otherwise, if you can't put down your damn phone for an hour a day to train, then obviously training isn't that important to you, maybe you should take up checkers.
THINGS THAT SHOULD BE IN EVERY GYM. EVERY SINGLE GYM:
1. Power Racks and deadlift/olympic lift platforms. Plenty of them.
2. Olympic Bars and steel plates. Full size rubber kilo plates for oly lifts only are fine
3. Glute-Ham Raises and reverse hypers
4. Chalk
5. Pull-up bars
6. Open space - just because you have an extra square inch of space doesn't mean you have to jam some piece of equipment there, open space is a great, versatile asset of a gym.
7. Loud Music
8. 'Odd' objects - like strongman equipment; sleds, sandbags, tires, sledgehammers, thick ropes for pulling and climbing, farmer's walk handles, stones, whatever. Just have some options besides barbells and dumbbells for variety and development of all musculature.
These lists are far from all-encompassing, just what comes to mind. Until next time, train hard, don't be a sissy, lift heavy, get your ass off that machine, and step away from the preacher curl and man up to the squat rack.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Off Topic - Movies
For some reason I thought about those lists of movies than every (fill in the blank with some demographic) should see, and started thinking about movies than everyone who claims to be a man should see. This list is far from all-encompassing, but I feel these movies are necessary viewing for anyone who wishes to enter manhood.
Top Ten Movies Every Guy Should See
1. Gladiator (duh!)
2. Braveheart (what is loving your country?)
3. Saving Private Ryan (war is not pretty, thank a vet)
4. We Were Soldiers (this is how a leader should lead)
5. Enemy at the Gates (just an awesome movie)
6. Predator (man vs. beast)
7. 300 (this is how a king should rule)
8. Rocky I-IV (and ONLY those 4)
9. Snatch (funny, creative movie, I love Guy Ritchie's movies)
10. Animal House (a man must have a sense of humor as well)
Honorable Mention:
Rudy
Black Hawk Down
The Departed
Any Given Sunday
Rambo: First Blood
The Punisher (I just love the image and idea of the punisher, what a badass character, no fucking pansy tights for this guy)
Pumping Iron (I don't like bodybuilding either, but if you lift weights you have to see this, Arnold is the man)
Top Ten Movies Every Guy Should See
1. Gladiator (duh!)
2. Braveheart (what is loving your country?)
3. Saving Private Ryan (war is not pretty, thank a vet)
4. We Were Soldiers (this is how a leader should lead)
5. Enemy at the Gates (just an awesome movie)
6. Predator (man vs. beast)
7. 300 (this is how a king should rule)
8. Rocky I-IV (and ONLY those 4)
9. Snatch (funny, creative movie, I love Guy Ritchie's movies)
10. Animal House (a man must have a sense of humor as well)
Honorable Mention:
Rudy
Black Hawk Down
The Departed
Any Given Sunday
Rambo: First Blood
The Punisher (I just love the image and idea of the punisher, what a badass character, no fucking pansy tights for this guy)
Pumping Iron (I don't like bodybuilding either, but if you lift weights you have to see this, Arnold is the man)
Monday, April 23, 2007
What is 'healthy?'
In a world of fat free cookies, 'natural' soda, low-carb fried chicken, whole wheat donuts, and trans-fat free Hershey's syrup, how is one to know what foods are good for them? Are these new found dietary miracles all they're cracked up to be? Can we really have our cake and eat it too? Well, the answer is no! These types of foods are nothing but junk wrapped in a clever advertising scheme. These products are usually advertised this way to take advantage of the current trendy fad diet or distract you from what the food really is with a 'healthy sounding' (for lack of a better term) claim. What the 'natural' soda company doesn't tell you about is that their product is 100% high fructose corn syrup, a 100% un-natural sugar. And Krispy Kreme must've forgot to mention that their whole wheat donut is still covered in a sugary glaze guaranteed to jack your insulin into the stratosphere.
Personally, I think this is despicable and irresponsible behavior on the behalf of these food manufacturers, but I'll get into that in a second. The American public should have enough knowledge and common sense on nutrition to realize this, but the sad part is they don't. Everyone is looking for the easy way out, the quick fix. People don't want to hear eat your fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, and nuts, and treat yourself everyone now and then. They want to hear a way they can eat whatever they want and still get the results, and this simply doesn't exist. There are no shortcuts for healthy eating, certainly not horrible foods disguised in a healthy wrapper. All it takes is a little common sense, willpower, and a willingness to be honest with yourself about what you really know is a good food to eat. Deep down you know you shouldn't be polishing off that bucket of fried chicken because you're on a low carb diet, but hey, it's low carb and that's what the diet says. You know this isn't good for you, you know you shouldn't be doing it, but rather than face up to that fact, you'd rather take the easy way out and exercise no common sense or good judgement, and simply blame the diet plan or genetics for your failure. Stop lying to yourself. Stop following fad diets or listening to diet soda commercials. You know cookies are bad and fruit is good, so drop the reduced fat oreo and pick up an apple.
Now, on to the food manufacturers. In case you've been living under a rock, I'll let you know this country has a major obesity epidemic going on right now. Yet at the same time the 'fitness' industry is booming and people are spending more and more money and time on weight loss products and diet foods. Doesn't this seem backward? Well, I think one of the main problems is simply information overload. Just like with weight training, with the advent of the internet, people has access to massive amounts of new information every day, obviously much of this info is contradicted everywhere else. People begin a diet plan, and two days later they read about how that diet sucks and this one is better. Then the next day they see a commercial for an even better diet and begin that one. This is a vicious cycle. They become so overwhelmed and confused about what they should be eating that they just quit and eat the way they have been for years. And food companies slapping healthy labels or advertisements on horrible junk food is not helping the situation. I usually don't believe in government intervention in things like this, and I certainly don't think any foods should be banned or anything like that, people should have the right to do what they wish with their bodies. However, I believe that anything that comes in a box, carton, wrapper, or squeeze tube should not be allowed to be marketed as having any health value whatsoever. Basically, if it's not a fresh vegetable, fruit, meat (not bbq ribs!), eggs, dairy, nuts, etc., it shouldn't have a claim of being health food. This means no more 'low fat' labels on sugar cereals or 'high in calcium' labels on frozen waffles. That's not to say that no packaged foods have any health value, there are plenty of good foods in packages, but when you start picking and choosing, where does it stop? There must be a definite line drawn. Yes, it shouldn't have to come to this, but the fact is this country just keeps getting fatter, health care bills are skyrocketing, and diabetes is rising big time. Faulty advertising is certainly not the only culprit, but it sure isn't helping the problem.
Personally, I think this is despicable and irresponsible behavior on the behalf of these food manufacturers, but I'll get into that in a second. The American public should have enough knowledge and common sense on nutrition to realize this, but the sad part is they don't. Everyone is looking for the easy way out, the quick fix. People don't want to hear eat your fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, and nuts, and treat yourself everyone now and then. They want to hear a way they can eat whatever they want and still get the results, and this simply doesn't exist. There are no shortcuts for healthy eating, certainly not horrible foods disguised in a healthy wrapper. All it takes is a little common sense, willpower, and a willingness to be honest with yourself about what you really know is a good food to eat. Deep down you know you shouldn't be polishing off that bucket of fried chicken because you're on a low carb diet, but hey, it's low carb and that's what the diet says. You know this isn't good for you, you know you shouldn't be doing it, but rather than face up to that fact, you'd rather take the easy way out and exercise no common sense or good judgement, and simply blame the diet plan or genetics for your failure. Stop lying to yourself. Stop following fad diets or listening to diet soda commercials. You know cookies are bad and fruit is good, so drop the reduced fat oreo and pick up an apple.
Now, on to the food manufacturers. In case you've been living under a rock, I'll let you know this country has a major obesity epidemic going on right now. Yet at the same time the 'fitness' industry is booming and people are spending more and more money and time on weight loss products and diet foods. Doesn't this seem backward? Well, I think one of the main problems is simply information overload. Just like with weight training, with the advent of the internet, people has access to massive amounts of new information every day, obviously much of this info is contradicted everywhere else. People begin a diet plan, and two days later they read about how that diet sucks and this one is better. Then the next day they see a commercial for an even better diet and begin that one. This is a vicious cycle. They become so overwhelmed and confused about what they should be eating that they just quit and eat the way they have been for years. And food companies slapping healthy labels or advertisements on horrible junk food is not helping the situation. I usually don't believe in government intervention in things like this, and I certainly don't think any foods should be banned or anything like that, people should have the right to do what they wish with their bodies. However, I believe that anything that comes in a box, carton, wrapper, or squeeze tube should not be allowed to be marketed as having any health value whatsoever. Basically, if it's not a fresh vegetable, fruit, meat (not bbq ribs!), eggs, dairy, nuts, etc., it shouldn't have a claim of being health food. This means no more 'low fat' labels on sugar cereals or 'high in calcium' labels on frozen waffles. That's not to say that no packaged foods have any health value, there are plenty of good foods in packages, but when you start picking and choosing, where does it stop? There must be a definite line drawn. Yes, it shouldn't have to come to this, but the fact is this country just keeps getting fatter, health care bills are skyrocketing, and diabetes is rising big time. Faulty advertising is certainly not the only culprit, but it sure isn't helping the problem.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Quote of the Year (no, Century) from Muscle and Fiction Magazine
"Because it removes the need to balance the bar, the smith machine is a perfect place for beginners to learn to squat."
Flipping through this month's fitness mags for a good laugh, I saw M&F had an article on the squat, so I picked it up and flipped through this article. I got to that statement and my mind went catatonic as I tried to let the stupidity seep in. There are so many things wrong with that statement I don't know where to begin. First of all, anything done on a smith machine cannot and should not be called a squat. Secondly, doing anything with a smith machine besides hanging your coat on it is ill-advised. For those that don't know, a smith machine is a counter-weighted barbell (sorry guys, it doesn't weigh 45lbs, closer to 15) that slides along a vertical track in a straight line, and not always straight up and down, most smith machines are tilted slightly. This creates the same problem every every machine creates - it puts the movement into a pre-determined, locked plane of motion. This has two major flaws. First it takes the stabilization/balance element out of the equation, which severely limits overall muscle recruitment and under develops critical stabilizer muscles which can lead to injury. The locked movement path will also put the lifter's limbs and joints in a less than ideal biomechanical relationship, forcing them to move against resistance in an unnatural position, a recipe for disaster. No matter how much you adjust the little pins in the seats and pads, it will never be the proper position and path for you. Everyone has different height and limb proportions, and a machine can never accommodate this. The only way to ensure a natural and safe position and movement pattern is to use free weights, where you can move the weight in a 3 dimensional plane where it needs to be, instead of a machine forcing your joints and limbs into positions they don't need to be. Using free weights also gives you the advantage of fully recruiting all the proper musculature of the body, hitting those stabilizer muscles that machines can't touch.
So back to the original statement, the best way for a beginner to learn to squat is to SQUAT!!
Not to mention the fact that nobody gives a crap about how much anybody has ever lifted in a smith machine, or any machine for that matter. Man-up and get under a barbell. I can't say it any better than this:
from the corner of the gym where the big men train,
laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack
Flipping through this month's fitness mags for a good laugh, I saw M&F had an article on the squat, so I picked it up and flipped through this article. I got to that statement and my mind went catatonic as I tried to let the stupidity seep in. There are so many things wrong with that statement I don't know where to begin. First of all, anything done on a smith machine cannot and should not be called a squat. Secondly, doing anything with a smith machine besides hanging your coat on it is ill-advised. For those that don't know, a smith machine is a counter-weighted barbell (sorry guys, it doesn't weigh 45lbs, closer to 15) that slides along a vertical track in a straight line, and not always straight up and down, most smith machines are tilted slightly. This creates the same problem every every machine creates - it puts the movement into a pre-determined, locked plane of motion. This has two major flaws. First it takes the stabilization/balance element out of the equation, which severely limits overall muscle recruitment and under develops critical stabilizer muscles which can lead to injury. The locked movement path will also put the lifter's limbs and joints in a less than ideal biomechanical relationship, forcing them to move against resistance in an unnatural position, a recipe for disaster. No matter how much you adjust the little pins in the seats and pads, it will never be the proper position and path for you. Everyone has different height and limb proportions, and a machine can never accommodate this. The only way to ensure a natural and safe position and movement pattern is to use free weights, where you can move the weight in a 3 dimensional plane where it needs to be, instead of a machine forcing your joints and limbs into positions they don't need to be. Using free weights also gives you the advantage of fully recruiting all the proper musculature of the body, hitting those stabilizer muscles that machines can't touch.
So back to the original statement, the best way for a beginner to learn to squat is to SQUAT!!
Not to mention the fact that nobody gives a crap about how much anybody has ever lifted in a smith machine, or any machine for that matter. Man-up and get under a barbell. I can't say it any better than this:
Down this road, in a gym far away,
a young man was heard to say,
"no matter what i do, my legs won't grow"
he tried leg extensions, leg curls, and leg presses , too
trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do.
from the corner of the gym where the big men train,
through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain
where the noise is made with big forty fives,
a deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees.
a very big man with legs like trees.
laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack
chalking his hands and monstrous back,
said, "boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten,
the trouble with you is you ain't been SQUATTIN'.
-Dale Clark
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