Only this guy was in his 30s!
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
Walk, walk, walk, then walk some more...
I've been a bit fan of walking for years. Look! Fat Loss Mondays - loose [sic] the fat!
Back then, it was mostly about fat loss, although somehow I knew there was more to it. Health, of course, but that is a nebulous concept at best. I just knew movement was critical.
Today, I'm even more sold on the idea that walking is critical for health.
Traditional cardio is not critical.
Strength training, which I love, is not critical past a certain point. I mean how strong is strong enough? Do I need to lift more than 425lbs? Should I keep going up?
Sprinting? Yes. Be prepared enough to get away from whatever's chasing you.
Here's my hierarchy:
Rest - lots. If you don't have enough rest, don't move on to the next level.
Lift - a little. 2-3 times per week unless you have a strength or skill goal. Lift vigorously, too. There's no need to rest 5 minutes between sets unless you have a specific strength or skill goal.
Rest even more - Rest enough to recover from all of the above. If you don't, don't move on to the next level.
Sprint - a little. Once a week should be fine. I recommend Hill Sprints because they are safer and self-limiting. Don't go to the track and sprint. You'll hurt yourself.*** Trust me.
Walk a lot
Walk a lot. Get in your rest. Lift some weights or do your bodyweight exercises. Rest some more, and sprint if you still have it in you.
Later,
Roland
* good shoes aren't 'walking shoes' from the walking store. Those overbuilt monstrosities do more harm than good, but that's beyond the scope of this post. I'm working with the wife to get you some good shoe and barefoot instructions.
** you have to earn the right to exercise barefoot. It sounds good on paper, but if you've always worn shoes, you're simply not prepared. Like I said in the first asterisk, I'm working with the wife to get you some good shoe and barefoot instructions.
*** the most common injury for recreational sprinters is a hamstring pull or tear. That's you, and you simply are not strong enough to sprint on flat ground. It's also not fun, where hills are. Hill sprints are the key to safe sprinting, so do those.
Monday, April 8, 2013
I don't understand how all this is connected...
I've had people joke that my left shoulder issue is being caused by my right big toe, which was always a possibility; that guy doesn't seem trustworthy...
Last night, though, a new culprit surfaces; a random spot on my right rib cage (this is how good at anatomy I am).
While testing my overhead reach on the left, I get a cramp on the right ribcage. Muscle to be named later. After two minutes of torturous poking into that spot, suddenly my left reach is better and I'm stronger on that side, too.
A miracle? No, although that the cramp appeared, revealing the area that's 'causing' the problem might be.
More to come; more testing and torture, tonight.
Roland
Last night, though, a new culprit surfaces; a random spot on my right rib cage (this is how good at anatomy I am).
While testing my overhead reach on the left, I get a cramp on the right ribcage. Muscle to be named later. After two minutes of torturous poking into that spot, suddenly my left reach is better and I'm stronger on that side, too.
A miracle? No, although that the cramp appeared, revealing the area that's 'causing' the problem might be.
More to come; more testing and torture, tonight.
Roland
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Why mobility first? For most, the question should be 'Why mobility?'
'My mobility first rule doesn't have anything to do with flexibility. It's got everything to do with a rich sensory environment. You can't have a lot of proprioception if you have a frozen shoulder.' – Gray Cook
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Oh Gravity, Thou Art a Heartless Bitch
Today is Sunday, and I'm three days into a new project, and it's all about me. WHICH, is why I chose to write about it on 'little dog lost.' This site has always been, historically, about me, even when it was about getting the girl. Now that I have the girl, I'm going to make it about getting my body aligned.
I almost want to put 'aligned' in quotes, like I just did. Why? What does 'aligned' really mean? How do you get there? How will you (or I (or one)) be better, once aligned? It's too soon to tell, personally, but 'aligned' I will be.
Here's the gist on 'alignment.' I won't use the terms 'theory' or 'hypothesis' because they are someone else's, and I'll never get the right words out of their mouths and type them here correctly. From me, you get 'the gist.'
Gravity points down. Or pulls us that way, at least.
My friend Jason Dolby once illustrated the proper way to hold a heavy weight overhead. He called it bone stacking, and asked us to visualize a straight line from the feet, all the way up the heavy weight overhead. If everything is not in a perfectly straight line, muscles on either side have to either relax or tense up to keep you from toppling over. We do this to some degree all the time; it's part of balancing (aka standing). When we stand, we are not perfectly still, we are constantly swaying, adjusting, and compensating to keep from falling down, toppling, buckling over, or crumpling into a heap.
Even the best aligned do these things, but the more things are 'all lined up' AND straight up and down (as gravity requires), the less work the muscles have to do.
Now, it's not really about letting us do less, per se, but more about letting us use the muscles for the right reason, at the right time, and with the right amounts of force.
Let's look at something less 'temporary' than holding a heavy weight overhead. Let's look at merely holding your head up.
Each.
...and the numbers more than double here in America where we use pounds!
If we are in perfect alignment, we do a pretty good job of balancing our heavy noggins on top of our necks, and the weight doesn't trouble us much. The modern world conspires against us, however. Today's world almost encourages us to crane our necks forward to see our televisions, computer screens, and road signs, while laptops, iPhones, books, and our little yapping lapdogs entice us to look down to see them better. All of these things bring your head out of alignment with the body below, but gravity doesn't take these things lightly. As a result, the muscles on the backside of your body have to do more work to keep your head from falling forward. If you're standing at the time, your whole body has to shift, contort, and twist to keep the weight of your head or the mass of your body) over your feet (i.e., balanced).
...because if it doesn't you fall down.
'The way' is different for everybody, but in general, to compensate for a head forward posture, your body will either stick your pelvis forward or back, and let your back, quads, glutes, and hamstrings do all sorts of stupid things to compensate. ...just to keep your body following the laws of physics. In the end, you end up with some muscles that are locked on all the time and others that actually struggling to relax, just to give you some slack where it's needed. Down the road, the ones that slack off all the time get weak, long, and loose, while the ones that never get a break get short and tight, but never strong, really.
...and this one is no different.
The weaker, longer, and looser one muscle gets, the tighter and shorter the opposing muscle gets, so pretty sure you might actually subconsciously jut your head farther forward to fix the gravity problem you're facing in the opposite direction. Eventually this vicious circle leads to things like the dowager's hump and cervical stenosis. Not pretty... Gravity is serious business, and is nothing to be trifled with.
We're done for today. Take a short break for a fun five minutes with Phoebe and Ross, regarding evolution, crop circles, and gravity!
Have a great day, while looking forward to me forthcoming diatribes on 'fun with kneecaps' and the 'righting reflex!'
I almost want to put 'aligned' in quotes, like I just did. Why? What does 'aligned' really mean? How do you get there? How will you (or I (or one)) be better, once aligned? It's too soon to tell, personally, but 'aligned' I will be.
Here's the gist on 'alignment.' I won't use the terms 'theory' or 'hypothesis' because they are someone else's, and I'll never get the right words out of their mouths and type them here correctly. From me, you get 'the gist.'
The gist of alignment (or 'Alignment as I see it')
Gravity points down. Or pulls us that way, at least.
My friend Jason Dolby once illustrated the proper way to hold a heavy weight overhead. He called it bone stacking, and asked us to visualize a straight line from the feet, all the way up the heavy weight overhead. If everything is not in a perfectly straight line, muscles on either side have to either relax or tense up to keep you from toppling over. We do this to some degree all the time; it's part of balancing (aka standing). When we stand, we are not perfectly still, we are constantly swaying, adjusting, and compensating to keep from falling down, toppling, buckling over, or crumpling into a heap.
Even the best aligned do these things, but the more things are 'all lined up' AND straight up and down (as gravity requires), the less work the muscles have to do.
Now, it's not really about letting us do less, per se, but more about letting us use the muscles for the right reason, at the right time, and with the right amounts of force.
Let's look at something less 'temporary' than holding a heavy weight overhead. Let's look at merely holding your head up.
Most of our heads weigh four to five kilograms!
Each.
...and the numbers more than double here in America where we use pounds!
If we are in perfect alignment, we do a pretty good job of balancing our heavy noggins on top of our necks, and the weight doesn't trouble us much. The modern world conspires against us, however. Today's world almost encourages us to crane our necks forward to see our televisions, computer screens, and road signs, while laptops, iPhones, books, and our little yapping lapdogs entice us to look down to see them better. All of these things bring your head out of alignment with the body below, but gravity doesn't take these things lightly. As a result, the muscles on the backside of your body have to do more work to keep your head from falling forward. If you're standing at the time, your whole body has to shift, contort, and twist to keep the weight of your head or the mass of your body) over your feet (i.e., balanced).
"Oh Gravity, Thou Art a Heartless Bitch" - Sheldon Cooper
Your body finds a way...because if it doesn't you fall down.
'The way' is different for everybody, but in general, to compensate for a head forward posture, your body will either stick your pelvis forward or back, and let your back, quads, glutes, and hamstrings do all sorts of stupid things to compensate. ...just to keep your body following the laws of physics. In the end, you end up with some muscles that are locked on all the time and others that actually struggling to relax, just to give you some slack where it's needed. Down the road, the ones that slack off all the time get weak, long, and loose, while the ones that never get a break get short and tight, but never strong, really.
Every good problem has a vicious circle
...and this one is no different.
The weaker, longer, and looser one muscle gets, the tighter and shorter the opposing muscle gets, so pretty sure you might actually subconsciously jut your head farther forward to fix the gravity problem you're facing in the opposite direction. Eventually this vicious circle leads to things like the dowager's hump and cervical stenosis. Not pretty... Gravity is serious business, and is nothing to be trifled with.
"I don't know, lately I get the feeling that I'm not so much being pulled down as I am being pushed." - Phoebe Buffet on gravity
We're done for today. Take a short break for a fun five minutes with Phoebe and Ross, regarding evolution, crop circles, and gravity!
Have a great day, while looking forward to me forthcoming diatribes on 'fun with kneecaps' and the 'righting reflex!'
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
The Hobbit: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
I must say that I really enjoyed The Hobbit. I saw it in a swank new theater with fancy recliners, waiters, and great coffee. It was in 3D and 'high frame rate,' for what that's worth. This was the first 3D movie that didn't seem artificially 3D (no stupid things floating out at you, etc.). Yay!
First, off, kudos to Peter Lucas for taking the more serious and dark tones of Episodes IV-VI and brightening them up for little kids!
It will be far easier to market the little toys for this one, since these orcs are funny and goofy, and not scary man eating flesh eaters of the earlier trilogy. Evil is evil, but if you can't laugh at it, what have you got? No merchandising!
George Spielberg really took his 'lessons learned' from his previous works on dramatic action serials, such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones, and put them into practice, here! Action, action, action and more action! I was pleased to see The Temple of Doom's crazy tunnel/mine car scene redone, this time using orc tunnels and wooden bridges instead of the more limiting tracks and wheels that Indy had to ride. This time, he got to use modern CGI and 3D effects and hurray. for. that! I'm sure Spielberg couldn't wait for a chance to rehash that type of action!
Having gotten the adults hooked on the concept, via Lord of the Rings, it was time to rope in the kidlets; enter the fun and laughter of belching and other bodily functions, the charming slapstick that can only be found with tubby dwarves and collapsing furniture, and the goofball antics of the trolls, trolls, trolls!
Steven Jackson knows his casting, so it was good to see that he didn't replace actors just to replace actors. In fact, he pulled from the greats of his other movies to wonderful effect! It was especially nice to see Boss Nass of Star Wars Gungan fame working again...
...although I feel that the actor is being somewhat typecast as the leader of a race of underground humanoids living in a secret underground city! But, hey, I have never acted, so who am I to judge the decision to take or reject a role offered by such a legendary movie maker?
Overall, the movie has so many great elements to talk about, from the backstory of The Lord of The Ring's Anakin Baggins (aka THE Hobbit) to the sly hints of the evil that lurks within Darth Sauroman! ...but who will be the other Sith? As we know "always two there are." And who is the necromancer? Is that a hint of Emperor Sauron stretching his non-corporeal legs, or just an early manifestation of some other evil force, lying in wait for a lowly hobbit to wander by? We will have to wait for Episode II, now won't we? The Hobbit: Attack of the Clones, can't come quickly enough!
First, off, kudos to Peter Lucas for taking the more serious and dark tones of Episodes IV-VI and brightening them up for little kids!
It will be far easier to market the little toys for this one, since these orcs are funny and goofy, and not scary man eating flesh eaters of the earlier trilogy. Evil is evil, but if you can't laugh at it, what have you got? No merchandising!
 |
| Gandalf, Lady Galadriel, and Short Round narrowly escape the orcs! |
Steven Jackson knows his casting, so it was good to see that he didn't replace actors just to replace actors. In fact, he pulled from the greats of his other movies to wonderful effect! It was especially nice to see Boss Nass of Star Wars Gungan fame working again...
...although I feel that the actor is being somewhat typecast as the leader of a race of underground humanoids living in a secret underground city! But, hey, I have never acted, so who am I to judge the decision to take or reject a role offered by such a legendary movie maker?
Overall, the movie has so many great elements to talk about, from the backstory of The Lord of The Ring's Anakin Baggins (aka THE Hobbit) to the sly hints of the evil that lurks within Darth Sauroman! ...but who will be the other Sith? As we know "always two there are." And who is the necromancer? Is that a hint of Emperor Sauron stretching his non-corporeal legs, or just an early manifestation of some other evil force, lying in wait for a lowly hobbit to wander by? We will have to wait for Episode II, now won't we? The Hobbit: Attack of the Clones, can't come quickly enough!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Eat Well, Move Well Podcast
In case you're still lingering over here at Little Dog Lost, I wanted to invite you over to TheFitInk.com, where Galya and I have been writing for the past few months.
Recently, we introduced our podcast, which we are calling Eat Well, Move Well. We are up to episode two, so far. I hope you'll head over and take a listen!
Roland
Recently, we introduced our podcast, which we are calling Eat Well, Move Well. We are up to episode two, so far. I hope you'll head over and take a listen!
Roland
Monday, July 30, 2012
TheFitInk
Today, Galya and I announced and "launched" our joint website, which we call TheFitInk.
On August 1st, we are going to give away a 32oz bottle of coconut oil from Tropical Traditions, and the way to get in on this drawing is to head over to TheFitInk.com, and sign up for the newsletter (via the popup or at the bottom of the site). You can also enter by sharing this post on facebook (via the share button).
This morning's post was a great video by Gal, on keeping your body pain free, even when your job (like most of us) involves sitting, sitting, and more sitting. As long as you're heading that way, check it out!
On August 1st, we are going to give away a 32oz bottle of coconut oil from Tropical Traditions, and the way to get in on this drawing is to head over to TheFitInk.com, and sign up for the newsletter (via the popup or at the bottom of the site). You can also enter by sharing this post on facebook (via the share button).
This morning's post was a great video by Gal, on keeping your body pain free, even when your job (like most of us) involves sitting, sitting, and more sitting. As long as you're heading that way, check it out!
 |
| click me |
I hope you'll follow me over to the new site, although I must say I've enjoyed having you all over. You've been excellent guests!
Roland
Friday, July 27, 2012
So, what's going on?
"What are you waiting for?" you might ask.
I've made all sorts of semi or pre-announcements, here and on JPFitness, yet we continue to hold off on actually putting our stuff "out there."Here are the excuses. Here's the backstory!
The book is as done as we (Galya and I) can make it without a little help.
The cover design is beautiful, and we are awaiting some final touches to it before publishing. For a sneak peak, take a look here.
I said we could only go so far without help, and suddenly we got a little extra help. A pre-reader finished the book and had some questions, which led to some suggestions, which convinced me to make a few small changes. It's all good stuff, and in the blessing-in-disguise department, it also gave our cover designer time to revamp a few things, and Galya time to take a break from the book process and go on an internship; learning some amazing stuff! More on that, later...
The book is coming soon, and I think you're going to love it. If you want more info, sign up for the book announcements on the upper right of this site, where it says "Sign up for upcoming news on the new book!"
Galya and I have been looking forward to writing together more and more; after talking about it for years. We have another book in the works, along with many article and blog ideas. This new site isn't just a consolidation of our two sites, but a substantive change in voice (at least for me), which allows us to drop some old blog habits, practices, and inhibitions, leaving behind some of the past. For me, my diary-style blogging history tended to keep me from writing more about nutrition and fitness. My old blog started as a journal, before I knew much about nutrition and fitness, and was merely a place to practice writing.
Galya and I, along with our good friend Sean, worked long and hard to come up with a website that's nice to look at, easy to manage, and flexible for the future. Sean did a great job meeting our requirements, and we are very happy with it (and him).
So why the delay? Well, you want everything to be perfect before you spread the word, but we're not perfect people... I'm something of an irregular guy. I'm happy, for example, to shop in an outlet store, where they feature clothes that are also "irregular." Galya, who's more normal, would have likely been happy to "just start," back when the site was more or less ready. Oh well, now we're both ready.
The Fit Ink Team can be found at TheFitInk.com, starting now, even before the official launch. To get updates, you can subscribe there now, or just watch this blog, Galya's blog, and Facebook for updates. We have some fun things coming, including some giveaways, prizes, and contests.
Well, finally, I decided to do something about it and write myself a program that would meet my current requirements. But, after a few chats with other busy guys and gals, I decided to take it a step further and actually write it down in a way that others could use, too. I've even tested this baby myself, so I know it's working.
Here's the gist of the program:
It's almost ready to go, so keep a lookout for it! Comment, email me, or let me know on facebook if you want the heads up when it's ready, okay?
Welcome to Precision Nutrition, Chris! Congratulations!
I've made all sorts of semi or pre-announcements, here and on JPFitness, yet we continue to hold off on actually putting our stuff "out there."
Man on Top
The book is as done as we (Galya and I) can make it without a little help.
The cover design is beautiful, and we are awaiting some final touches to it before publishing. For a sneak peak, take a look here.
I said we could only go so far without help, and suddenly we got a little extra help. A pre-reader finished the book and had some questions, which led to some suggestions, which convinced me to make a few small changes. It's all good stuff, and in the blessing-in-disguise department, it also gave our cover designer time to revamp a few things, and Galya time to take a break from the book process and go on an internship; learning some amazing stuff! More on that, later...
The book is coming soon, and I think you're going to love it. If you want more info, sign up for the book announcements on the upper right of this site, where it says "Sign up for upcoming news on the new book!"
The Fit Ink
The Fit Ink is a the name of our newest project. TheFitInk isn't just a place on the internet, nor are Galya and I merely, collectively, TheFitInk; I think it's going to be greater than the sum of its parts, plus many more awesome clichés! Gal and I will be writing there, together and individually, and we're really excited about this thing.
Galya and I have been looking forward to writing together more and more; after talking about it for years. We have another book in the works, along with many article and blog ideas. This new site isn't just a consolidation of our two sites, but a substantive change in voice (at least for me), which allows us to drop some old blog habits, practices, and inhibitions, leaving behind some of the past. For me, my diary-style blogging history tended to keep me from writing more about nutrition and fitness. My old blog started as a journal, before I knew much about nutrition and fitness, and was merely a place to practice writing.
Galya and I, along with our good friend Sean, worked long and hard to come up with a website that's nice to look at, easy to manage, and flexible for the future. Sean did a great job meeting our requirements, and we are very happy with it (and him).
So why the delay? Well, you want everything to be perfect before you spread the word, but we're not perfect people... I'm something of an irregular guy. I'm happy, for example, to shop in an outlet store, where they feature clothes that are also "irregular." Galya, who's more normal, would have likely been happy to "just start," back when the site was more or less ready. Oh well, now we're both ready.
The Fit Ink Team can be found at TheFitInk.com, starting now, even before the official launch. To get updates, you can subscribe there now, or just watch this blog, Galya's blog, and Facebook for updates. We have some fun things coming, including some giveaways, prizes, and contests.
The No-Time-To-Workout Workout
The number one reason I hear for not working out, is lack of time. Workouts take too long, the gym is too far away, home gym equipment is too expensive, ugly, or takes up too much room! Hey, I'm no different; when I get busy, I not only don't train, but I feel guilty about it, which spurs my desire to emotionally eat! Not good. Not good.
Well, finally, I decided to do something about it and write myself a program that would meet my current requirements. But, after a few chats with other busy guys and gals, I decided to take it a step further and actually write it down in a way that others could use, too. I've even tested this baby myself, so I know it's working.
Here's the gist of the program:
- Free
- Short and sweet
- 20-30 minutes per session, including warmups!
- Home or gym friendly.
- Photos and descriptions of all the exercises
- Train as little as twice a week, using short full body workouts
- Train in as little as 30 minutes, and get great results
- Requires just one adjustable dumbbell, although if you have a set of dumbbells, that works great!
- Fits your schedule, since you can do these short 20-30 minute workouts from 2 to 5 days per week
- A lunch hour workout is now possible, even with a shower!
It's almost ready to go, so keep a lookout for it! Comment, email me, or let me know on facebook if you want the heads up when it's ready, okay?
Congratulations to a new Precision Nutrition Coach
Congratulations to my good friend Chris Bathke, owner of Elemental Fitness Lab, in Portland, OR! Chris owns an amazing fitness studio, trains people the smart way, spins vintage and modern vinyl for his clients as they train, and as of last Sunday is a certified Precision Nutrition Coach!
Welcome to Precision Nutrition, Chris! Congratulations!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
My new article on Yahoo! Sports: "5 Easy Steps To Start Losing Weight Today"
I have a new article up on Yahoo! Sports, The Post Game called "5 Easy Steps To Start Losing Weight Today"
Have you ever tried a diet and then stopped because it was too hard, you were too hungry, or something came up? Don't feel bad if you have -- it's something that a lot of us have done.Check it out! I hope you like it, and if you do spread the word!
If you're looking for something new to get your fat-loss journey started, try the "minimum effective dose" approach, a well kept secrets of successful weight-loss coaches.
Roland
Friday, June 22, 2012
The Gallery of Unusual Fruit #10 -- Irvine Farmer's Market
And they say Orange County is conservative...
Friday, June 15, 2012
It's National Flip Flop Day!
...and there are very good reasons not to take the bait.
Katy Bowman of Aligned and Well & the Restorative Exercise Institute -- Open Toes, Open Hearts
Kelly Starrett of the Mobility WOD -- Athletes Don’t Wear Flip-Flops
Roland Denzel of this blog -- It's National Flip Flop Day
Better choices are a shoe that's as open as you like, but stays on without forcing you to grip your toes.
Katy Bowman of Aligned and Well & the Restorative Exercise Institute -- Open Toes, Open Hearts
Because a flip-flop upper is so minimal, you have to assist keeping the shoe on by gripping your toes. After awhile this motor pattern leads to shortened toe muscles which can affect balance, foot arch strength and lead to toe contractures and “hammer toes.” If you are gripping to keep your shoe on, this also creates a new, less natural gait pattern.
Kelly Starrett of the Mobility WOD -- Athletes Don’t Wear Flip-Flops
I know where you live it’s ‘Hot’. I know you like to look ‘cute’. But you are destroying your feet mechanics and setting up serious problem for your heel cords and calf. Best defense, no be there. You know I’m right. Take the flip-flop/slipper challenge. See if you can walk/run in your flips without clinching your big toe.
Roland Denzel of this blog -- It's National Flip Flop Day
People walk funny in them and they only think they are lookin' good. You can usually hear them coming from a mile away. Shuffling through Starbucks is no way to go through life, and if you're shuffling now, just see how much you shuffle in a few years. Besides, isn't it a little cold in sbux to be wearing flops?
Better choices are a shoe that's as open as you like, but stays on without forcing you to grip your toes.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
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