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Enjoying a nice late afternoon in the park, writing my manuscript and people-watching.
Enjoying a nice late afternoon in the park, writing my manuscript and people-watching.
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Thursday, September 12, 2013
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And the home gym grows.
It ain't the latest thing or fancy sleek
but now it's mine
'cause I carted it home from the street.
And the home gym grows.
It ain't the latest thing or fancy sleek
but now it's mine
'cause I carted it home from the street.
(click here to see my other home gym equipment)
Thursday, September 5, 2013
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My commitment to every-day fitness continues. This morning I strode to the park and tried out a new exercise drill that I found posted on Twitter. According to the tweet one should execute it as quickly as possible - sounds like crossfit! - but I don't drink that kool-aid. And most certainly wasn't going to race through it on the very first trial...that would simply be setting myself up to fail OR, more likely, fall back on excuses; a thing easy to do when you're by yourself (It was my first try ... I didn't drink enough water beforehand ... should've warmed up more ... blah, blah, blah).
I did the routine without pause and completed it in 14mins -- without wishing, "Man, I wish this was over already!" Not bad. My heart rate was up and some sweat was evident (but, then, I sweat easily). Definitely a good way to break through the morning - if you exercise in the mornings - or as a warm-up for a work-out. Progressive resistance is key to continued improvement so, maybe, in a week or so I'll up the ante (incrementally!) and challenge myself.
I aim to stay as close to this:
My commitment to every-day fitness continues. This morning I strode to the park and tried out a new exercise drill that I found posted on Twitter. According to the tweet one should execute it as quickly as possible - sounds like crossfit! - but I don't drink that kool-aid. And most certainly wasn't going to race through it on the very first trial...that would simply be setting myself up to fail OR, more likely, fall back on excuses; a thing easy to do when you're by yourself (It was my first try ... I didn't drink enough water beforehand ... should've warmed up more ... blah, blah, blah).
I did the routine without pause and completed it in 14mins -- without wishing, "Man, I wish this was over already!" Not bad. My heart rate was up and some sweat was evident (but, then, I sweat easily). Definitely a good way to break through the morning - if you exercise in the mornings - or as a warm-up for a work-out. Progressive resistance is key to continued improvement so, maybe, in a week or so I'll up the ante (incrementally!) and challenge myself.
I aim to stay as close to this:
hard ass
and as FAR away from this:lard ass (click on his stomachs)
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
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I found free weights on the street -- literally. People in Germany are always setting out perfectly useable stuff on the curb for, ostensibly, trash collection. Of course they know passers-by will kindly 'assist' the City with the trash removal. Such a strong sense of civic duty!
As the saying goes: one man's trash is another man's addition to his home gym. Something like that.
I found free weights on the street -- literally. People in Germany are always setting out perfectly useable stuff on the curb for, ostensibly, trash collection. Of course they know passers-by will kindly 'assist' the City with the trash removal. Such a strong sense of civic duty!
As the saying goes: one man's trash is another man's addition to his home gym. Something like that.
(click here to see my bike & other gym equipment)The dumbbells are less than 10lbs each but I make good use of them nevertheless. High series and/or high repetitions does the trick. Anyway, resistance - and good form - are the principals to keep in mind. Plus a daily regiment. I've been training at home for the past six months with no immediate gym membership in sight so these babies come in handy. I tried installing a pre-made pull-up bar but it just didn't fit with the old structure (translation: wide) of my apartment door frames. So I took it back and got a refund. And you know this, man! But with a strong adherence to calisthenics and physical activities I don't have to deal with the nagging excuse of not having a local gym. Don't get me wrong: I like working-out in a hardcore gym but 1) there's a dearth of hardcore gyms and 2) whatever...my physique is still tip-top. Hello!
one man's trash is another man's
addition to his home gym
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
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I have no gym membership. They cost a big chunk of money and the environments are increasingly an extension of social media and social 'networking'. The trend is also growing ever more effeminate; which is to say the atmosphere is, pardon my French, full of pussies...with their antibacterial wipes, iphones, brand new matching 'gym' outfits, and roaming eyes.
When the season changes and the temperature dips then, yeah, I'll hunker down and buy a short-term membership (assuming I'm somewhere cold and snowy). I do miss working out at the gym because I like training with weights and smelling the testosterone in the air...or what used to be testosterone.
In the meantime I train at home with resistance bands, furniture, calisthenics and the outdoors -- and my physique is none too shabby for it! It's doable when one knows what he's doing and can concentrate on doing it.
I have no gym membership. They cost a big chunk of money and the environments are increasingly an extension of social media and social 'networking'. The trend is also growing ever more effeminate; which is to say the atmosphere is, pardon my French, full of pussies...with their antibacterial wipes, iphones, brand new matching 'gym' outfits, and roaming eyes.
When the season changes and the temperature dips then, yeah, I'll hunker down and buy a short-term membership (assuming I'm somewhere cold and snowy). I do miss working out at the gym because I like training with weights and smelling the testosterone in the air...or what used to be testosterone.
In the meantime I train at home with resistance bands, furniture, calisthenics and the outdoors -- and my physique is none too shabby for it! It's doable when one knows what he's doing and can concentrate on doing it.
Training at home; here I am doing push-ups.
I wear a posing strap or bathing suit to
allow for freedom of movement and comfort. There's no
need to wear clothes when you're at home.
Training at the park; here I am mornings using
the soccer goal post to do a variety of exercises like
chin-ups (back, chest, hand grip)
wall-sits/wall squats (quadriceps, core);
I can go for 4mins! if I don't do other
leg drills first e.g., burpees or regular squats
pull-ups (biceps, hand grip).
Of course one wears clothes in public!
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
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Bought a home training apparatus that fits in the door frame, enabling one to train his back, chest, bicep muscles; and when placed on the floor you can train triceps, abdominals, and leveraged push-ups. All this for only 25 euros!
One hitch, though.
The multi-rack doesn't fit in the door frame. Doh! In fact, all the doorways in the apt are too wide! Oh well.... At least I didn't buy it second-hand. The lesson? KEEP THE PURCHASE RECEIPT; because this baby is going back in the box and back to the shop. Hello!
In the meantime I still have my resistance bands.
Bought a home training apparatus that fits in the door frame, enabling one to train his back, chest, bicep muscles; and when placed on the floor you can train triceps, abdominals, and leveraged push-ups. All this for only 25 euros!
One hitch, though.
The multi-rack doesn't fit in the door frame. Doh! In fact, all the doorways in the apt are too wide! Oh well.... At least I didn't buy it second-hand. The lesson? KEEP THE PURCHASE RECEIPT; because this baby is going back in the box and back to the shop. Hello!
In the meantime I still have my resistance bands.
if it doesn't fit, you must give up the shit
Friday, July 26, 2013
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Pools and lakes are nice places to partake
when it's hot outside and you need a break.
I am apprehensive of the public pools here in Berlin. The reason is loud and clear: too many rowdy Turkish boys. Their uncouth antics and selfishness only molest the otherwise tranquility and would, undoubtedly, piss me off, besides. Some people just can't be let out of the house.
At a loss of where to go - and feeling hot, hot, hot - a couple of the hostel's staff recommended I travel down towards Wannsee and get off at 'Schlachtensee' (see is German for lake). "You'll like it," they said. "It's quiet...it's green...it's easy to find." Well, I grew up along the lakes and I do like bodies of natural water.
Why not?
It was no problem remembering the train stop -- because nearly the entire train emptied there. Sometimes following the crowd is helpful. Sure enough, it was pleasant and plenty green and, yes, easy to find. Right out of the train station and - baam! - there you are: at the lake. It was a little hard, though, finding a free spot to lay my towel but that proved to be a minor detail. Plus I got to break out my new bathing suit.
Pools and lakes are nice places to partake
when it's hot outside and you need a break.
I am apprehensive of the public pools here in Berlin. The reason is loud and clear: too many rowdy Turkish boys. Their uncouth antics and selfishness only molest the otherwise tranquility and would, undoubtedly, piss me off, besides. Some people just can't be let out of the house.
apprehensive of the public pools...too many rowdy Turkish boys
Why not?
It was no problem remembering the train stop -- because nearly the entire train emptied there. Sometimes following the crowd is helpful. Sure enough, it was pleasant and plenty green and, yes, easy to find. Right out of the train station and - baam! - there you are: at the lake. It was a little hard, though, finding a free spot to lay my towel but that proved to be a minor detail. Plus I got to break out my new bathing suit.
a quiet read under the trees
a natural repose, so at ease
a thumbs-up for Schlachtensee
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
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The plan was to go to the Memorial Day bodybuilding contest in Venice Beach. As the saying goes, %#@! happens, and there was a change of plans.
Instead of watching muscle men I went and pumped my muscles at the Gold's Gym in Hollywood. It was my first visit to a gym in five - 5 - months!
It's a fairly shiny and fancy place. Nothing bare bones or 'hardcore' about it; oh and since the location is next to West Hollywood it was, well, pretty damn gay too. It becomes fairly noticeable to the avid gym-goer those guys who pump iron for their strength and muscles versus those who work-out to "look good". To be sure, it's a fine difference...sort of like that between playing to win and playing not to lose badly.
Instead of watching muscle men I went and pumped my muscles at the Gold's Gym in Hollywood. It was my first visit to a gym in five - 5 - months!
It's a fairly shiny and fancy place. Nothing bare bones or 'hardcore' about it; oh and since the location is next to West Hollywood it was, well, pretty damn gay too. It becomes fairly noticeable to the avid gym-goer those guys who pump iron for their strength and muscles versus those who work-out to "look good". To be sure, it's a fine difference...sort of like that between playing to win and playing not to lose badly.
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first visit to a gym in 5 months ...and even my shorts match the sign! |
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Hostelling International Santa Monica (H.I.) is what you'd expect of it: professional, organized, clean comfortable and centrally located -- and easy to spot. With its worldwide locations it is a good and safe bet for its members (and others; but non-members are charged $3 per reservation...so if one extends his stay that equals another $3).
One of the nights in the hostel cost $53 -- for a dorm room! Fifty dollars for sleeping in a room with some eight other people for one night is a lot of money. It definitely is not a "hostel" price. Location, location, location is the real estate mantra but if the lease is costing an arm and a leg then maybe a travel hostel has no business being on, say, Rodeo Drive just so they can advertise "convenience to superfluous shopping!" In this respect, Hosteling International is a victim of its own success. I guess providing shared rooms keeps it in the hostel category but, like I said, the price does not.
More, the wifi and breakfast sucked. The wifi connection was spotty and always down. As for the breakfast, I don't wish to be crude about it but with the capital of this organization they seriously need to ditch the '70s era concept of considering free coffee, toast and cereal counts as "free breakfast". That's not an offer. That's an insult. If you toss me a Tic-Tac first thing in the morning, technically that's breakfast too. At $53 I'm looking for bacon. Hello!
Hostelling International Santa Monica (H.I.) is what you'd expect of it: professional, organized, clean comfortable and centrally located -- and easy to spot. With its worldwide locations it is a good and safe bet for its members (and others; but non-members are charged $3 per reservation...so if one extends his stay that equals another $3).
considering coffee, toast and cereal as "free breakfast" is not an offer, it's an insultIt lacks noting in comfort or niceness. Since H.I. is in Santa Monica its draw is a foregone conclusion: you're at the beach, bitch! An easy walk to the iconic Santa Monica Pier with the Ferris Wheel or stroll a stone's throw away to visit the original Muscle Beach where one can check out Crossfit zealots and gymnasts showing off and doing awesome things on the traveling rings. The water looks tempting but is frightfully cold and unbearable without a wet suit. Consider yourself warned. (A bit farther down is Venice where you can see more bodybuilders and circus rejects and surfers.) Also near the hostel is the popular Third Street Promenade, a stretch of retailers and restaurants, including an Apple store, H&M, cinema, Johnny Rocket, etc along - you guessed it - Third Street.
One of the nights in the hostel cost $53 -- for a dorm room! Fifty dollars for sleeping in a room with some eight other people for one night is a lot of money. It definitely is not a "hostel" price. Location, location, location is the real estate mantra but if the lease is costing an arm and a leg then maybe a travel hostel has no business being on, say, Rodeo Drive just so they can advertise "convenience to superfluous shopping!" In this respect, Hosteling International is a victim of its own success. I guess providing shared rooms keeps it in the hostel category but, like I said, the price does not.
More, the wifi and breakfast sucked. The wifi connection was spotty and always down. As for the breakfast, I don't wish to be crude about it but with the capital of this organization they seriously need to ditch the '70s era concept of considering free coffee, toast and cereal counts as "free breakfast". That's not an offer. That's an insult. If you toss me a Tic-Tac first thing in the morning, technically that's breakfast too. At $53 I'm looking for bacon. Hello!
see the Ferris Wheel?
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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I had an intense deep-tissue massage the other day.
There are more massage parlors in Vallarta than you can shake a stick at (and, yes, I said, 'stick'). The only things more plentiful than massages are taco stands -- and Canadians.
The pain in my neck became too much to hope to ignore. Either I took a long break from writing or I ponied up the dough and pay for a professional massage.
I don't prefer masseuses for their small, soft hands. I always get the sense she's afraid to really touch me. On the flip side, most of the masseurs around town might as well be masseuses, if you catch my drift. Hello! So...it was slim pickings for moi. But, to parlay the French just once more, I had bon chance and remembered being handed a flyer to a tiny salon next to Hotel Mercurio.
Just so happened that the masseur who handed me the flyer was on duty. How much? Oh that much. Um, no thank you. The price was really quite amazingly steep. More expensive than what I would be charged in, say, Germany! I politely headed out the door.
The man followed me out and offered a reduced - and more sensible - rate for in-house service since he was getting off work. But I'd already made up my mind. Then he offered a further reduction. Well! What good is a mind if it can't be changed? "When do you get off work?" I asked. "I'm off now." Exxxcellent.
As I waited outside for him I began to think something was amiss. Close to 15 mins later he appeared -- with all his stuff. It seems the boss lady got pissed at losing another customer unembarrassed to decline her expensive rates and fired homeboy on the spot. Damn, talk about clocking out! We took a cab to my apartment, he set up the table and towels and oils, and I received a most professional 60min full-body massage. Ahhhh...wonderful. Instead of losing a casual client, he gained a personal one.
UPDATE: Two days later and already he's working at another parlor
Pedro Velazquez, certified massage therapist
UC-Davis Family Medicine Residency
+52 322.169.7082
I had an intense deep-tissue massage the other day.
There are more massage parlors in Vallarta than you can shake a stick at (and, yes, I said, 'stick'). The only things more plentiful than massages are taco stands -- and Canadians.
The pain in my neck became too much to hope to ignore. Either I took a long break from writing or I ponied up the dough and pay for a professional massage.
I don't prefer masseuses for their small, soft hands. I always get the sense she's afraid to really touch me. On the flip side, most of the masseurs around town might as well be masseuses, if you catch my drift. Hello! So...it was slim pickings for moi. But, to parlay the French just once more, I had bon chance and remembered being handed a flyer to a tiny salon next to Hotel Mercurio.Just so happened that the masseur who handed me the flyer was on duty. How much? Oh that much. Um, no thank you. The price was really quite amazingly steep. More expensive than what I would be charged in, say, Germany! I politely headed out the door.
The man followed me out and offered a reduced - and more sensible - rate for in-house service since he was getting off work. But I'd already made up my mind. Then he offered a further reduction. Well! What good is a mind if it can't be changed? "When do you get off work?" I asked. "I'm off now." Exxxcellent.
As I waited outside for him I began to think something was amiss. Close to 15 mins later he appeared -- with all his stuff. It seems the boss lady got pissed at losing another customer unembarrassed to decline her expensive rates and fired homeboy on the spot. Damn, talk about clocking out! We took a cab to my apartment, he set up the table and towels and oils, and I received a most professional 60min full-body massage. Ahhhh...wonderful. Instead of losing a casual client, he gained a personal one.
UPDATE: Two days later and already he's working at another parlor
Pedro Velazquez, certified massage therapist
UC-Davis Family Medicine Residency
+52 322.169.7082
Sunday, May 5, 2013
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Fed up with constantly acclimating myself to gyms as a result of travel, I decided in February to give bodyweight workouts a serious chance. Not just restricted to stretching and warm-ups and cool-downs but actual intense workouts using my bodyweight and own resistance principally as the meat and potatoes of the routines -- sans pumping iron. Charles Atlas coined it "dynamic tension".
Three months later I'm still at it!
In addition to daily walking, swimming, or going to the park to use the chin-up bars and such, I climb steep stairs and perform fast paced calisthenics.
Of late I've begun training in my, get this, imagination.
I get in a comfortable position in a quiet place and for about thirty minutes relax and go through the muscle motions in my head vividly sensing as much as possible in my imagination. Some may refer to it as meditation but I think of it as, in this case, working-out without physically working-out.
Resistance tubes are a great piece of exercise equipment. It's cheap, durable and effective, and hardly adds any weight to my suitcase.
Fed up with constantly acclimating myself to gyms as a result of travel, I decided in February to give bodyweight workouts a serious chance. Not just restricted to stretching and warm-ups and cool-downs but actual intense workouts using my bodyweight and own resistance principally as the meat and potatoes of the routines -- sans pumping iron. Charles Atlas coined it "dynamic tension".
I like being inside the gym and using free-weights but I also know how to keep in shape without them. And it is nice to be away from the ubiquitous dance beat music, posers (shallow gym goers), annoying gym rats (gym goers with too much idle time) or waiting for a piece of equipment to free up.training in my imagination...working-out without physically working-out
Three months later I'm still at it!
In addition to daily walking, swimming, or going to the park to use the chin-up bars and such, I climb steep stairs and perform fast paced calisthenics.
Of late I've begun training in my, get this, imagination.
I get in a comfortable position in a quiet place and for about thirty minutes relax and go through the muscle motions in my head vividly sensing as much as possible in my imagination. Some may refer to it as meditation but I think of it as, in this case, working-out without physically working-out.
Resistance tubes are a great piece of exercise equipment. It's cheap, durable and effective, and hardly adds any weight to my suitcase.
Can you believe I haven't used weights in months?!
And still eat ice cream? Eat your heart out.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
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Here's a nice nice group pic of the Mean Streets bunch. They're all smiling so this was probably snapped before the daily exercise regiment....
Crossfit Mean Streets
Here's a nice nice group pic of the Mean Streets bunch. They're all smiling so this was probably snapped before the daily exercise regiment....
Crossfit Mean Streets
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
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Parisians certainly do like to jog! The weather has been 90% cold and crappy during my visit yet the Parisians lace up their running shoes and trot out. In fact, this morning while having breakfast I looked up and saw a group of fit men in matching navy blue sweatshirts and red shorts jogging about. Not a one of them wore a skull cap or gloves. I think they were firemen recruits...but since I don't read French I couldn't discern what was written on the back of their shirts. For sure they were all white. Paris has lots of black - and I mean BLACK! - people but none of them feel compelled to run in the cold ass morning in short ass shorts and no head covering. Since there was no rainbow on these joggers' shirts and since it was also unfashionably cold as #%@! I don't think it was another homosexual rights group
Parisians certainly do like to jog! The weather has been 90% cold and crappy during my visit yet the Parisians lace up their running shoes and trot out. In fact, this morning while having breakfast I looked up and saw a group of fit men in matching navy blue sweatshirts and red shorts jogging about. Not a one of them wore a skull cap or gloves. I think they were firemen recruits...but since I don't read French I couldn't discern what was written on the back of their shirts. For sure they were all white. Paris has lots of black - and I mean BLACK! - people but none of them feel compelled to run in the cold ass morning in short ass shorts and no head covering. Since there was no rainbow on these joggers' shirts and since it was also unfashionably cold as #%@! I don't think it was another homosexual rights group
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
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Weeks ago I stood in the sand at Santa Monica Beach with my right hand in a temporary splint. All I could do was watch as everyone else took turns flying from ring to ring or climbing rope or doing handstands on parallel bars. It sucked. One boy told me he once broke his hand and it took three months to heal. He was waiting in line for the rings...so that was sort of encouraging.
Well yesterday I was back down at Santa Monica (original site of Muscle Beach, which is now located in Venice Beach) and took a turn on the rings. It'd only been a month since but, unlike homeboy, my injury, thankfully, required far less than 12 or so weeks to mend! It was fun. I went the whole length without a problem. And before that I climbed to the top of a rope. I was back!
Take my word for it: it sucks not being able to play in the reindeer games.
Weeks ago I stood in the sand at Santa Monica Beach with my right hand in a temporary splint. All I could do was watch as everyone else took turns flying from ring to ring or climbing rope or doing handstands on parallel bars. It sucked. One boy told me he once broke his hand and it took three months to heal. He was waiting in line for the rings...so that was sort of encouraging.
Well yesterday I was back down at Santa Monica (original site of Muscle Beach, which is now located in Venice Beach) and took a turn on the rings. It'd only been a month since but, unlike homeboy, my injury, thankfully, required far less than 12 or so weeks to mend! It was fun. I went the whole length without a problem. And before that I climbed to the top of a rope. I was back!
Take my word for it: it sucks not being able to play in the reindeer games.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
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Last Saturday morning I tried an introductory Crossfit workout at Crossfit Mean Streets in downtown Los Angeles. Loved it (as I knew I would)!
It wasn't easy or fun - in the ha-ha sense - mainly because one is grasping air to breath let alone any extra wind to laugh. By fun I mean it's exciting, fast, challenging, and very, very kick-ass.
When I first happened upon the gym (in Crossfit lingo it's known as a 'box') strolling one uneventful sunny Sunday morning my hand was in a splint owing to a boxer's fracture injury. That was a month ago. Once it was removed a couple of weeks later I went and sat in on a training session, which only stoked me more! I knew I could do the drills - pull-ups, squat-thrusts, rowing machine, etc. - if I joined up but I wasn't foolish enough to think it would be a cinch; BUT I KNEW I COULD DO IT.
Our introductory workout consisted of 500meters row followed by 21 kettlebell swing followed by 6 kettlebell shoulder presses (per arm); repeated three times as quickly as possible. The warm-up was a stretching walk holding a plastic rod over head, 15 squats with plastic rod over head, 15 crunches, 10-15 push-ups. At the end of the hour our instructor, awesome young, Ronnie Teasdale (also the hardcore gym owner) congratulated us and then dropped the bomb: our workout is what the regular attendees do for a warm-up...in under 8 mins. Hello!
I finished it in 12 mins (and breathed as much a gust of relief as I had left in me).
213.245.1612
Last Saturday morning I tried an introductory Crossfit workout at Crossfit Mean Streets in downtown Los Angeles. Loved it (as I knew I would)!
It wasn't easy or fun - in the ha-ha sense - mainly because one is grasping air to breath let alone any extra wind to laugh. By fun I mean it's exciting, fast, challenging, and very, very kick-ass.
 |
| That's my instructor Ronnie in skins |
When I first happened upon the gym (in Crossfit lingo it's known as a 'box') strolling one uneventful sunny Sunday morning my hand was in a splint owing to a boxer's fracture injury. That was a month ago. Once it was removed a couple of weeks later I went and sat in on a training session, which only stoked me more! I knew I could do the drills - pull-ups, squat-thrusts, rowing machine, etc. - if I joined up but I wasn't foolish enough to think it would be a cinch; BUT I KNEW I COULD DO IT.
And I did. The intro routine that Saturday morning (I did not want to leave my warm bed!) made me wish 1) I was back in bed snug and cozy under the blankets and 2) that I was in better shape. Man, was I getting winded! As a longtime athlete, though, I know that all growth requires discomfort..."no pain, no gain" isn't just some smug, meathead mantra. Or to use another cliche: if it were easy.... That's right, you know the rest.
I finished it in 12 mins (and breathed as much a gust of relief as I had left in me).
213.245.1612
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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It wasn't me!
I had long thought bed bugs were a part of nursery rhyme folklore but, noooo, those suckers are real. And vicious! I first experienced a dose of them in NYC when I stayed a week in this hotel on 8th Avenue. Good God! I didn't grow up with them and didn't know what the #@%! to make of the insects...but I soon learned to sleep covered up from neck to toe!!
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