Category: Fitness & Well Being

Soaking Your Cares Away…

I’ve found myself in a situation this week where I’m traveling away from my family for medical purposes AND work. By virtue of this, I’ve been sleeping in a hotel bed for three nights now, and I’ll be here tonight as well, heading back towards my home on Thursday. The main issue with this travel is that while I’m gone, the work continues to accumulate. And since I am unfortunately carrying a work phone, I keep getting it all. This is part of the job and part of my specific position but the challenge is trying to check and/or respond to some of these work inquiries when you’re driving, or in the ophthalmologist’s chair, or heaven forbid, sleeping in a bit due to travel fatigue. That’s why, when one is traveling, it’s critically important to find some ways to relax and unwind once the day is done; especially to help reduce the stress and anxiety of being away from home. Enter: the hot tub!

Hot tubs are great and if you’ve ever stayed in a hotel where you’ve partaken of the facility’s swimming pool, there has no doubt been a hot tub (or three, as is the case in my current hotel) tucked away in a corner. If you’re really lucky, the hotel has a steam room and/or a dry heat sauna but for this post, we’ll focus on the hot tub. Most people know the comfort and enjoyment that can come from dropping yourself into the hot, swirling waters of a hot tub. But few people actually recognize the various benefits of soaking in a hot tub, including stress reduction, increased blood flow and heart health and potential better sleep. If you’re tired and sore from physical exertion, work-wise or training, a hot tub can also provide some pain relief for those taxed muscles. Let’s look into some of these benefits a bit further…

Not me, by the way…

According to an article posted on one of my favorite health websites, HealthLine.com, entitled “7 Benefits of Soaking in a Hot Tub,,” the benefits listed kind of touch on some of the ones I outlined above, including stress relief, muscle relaxation, improved sleep, overall pain relief, heart health, improved insulin sensitivity and calorie burning. Evidently, all of these are significantly important to me, so I try and take advantage of a hot tub when I have access to it. But some of the ones on this list sit a bit closer to home for me, and those are the ones I would like to focus on. Starting with muscle and pain relief. While the two are largely one and the same, the relief can be different. For myself, my right shoulder has been buggered for a number of years, a combination of being a southpaw, even if karate is intended to be ambidextrous and being dominantly right-handed.

Most of my joints and muscles have reached a point where they ache after a long day, another combination of age and decades of full contact martial arts. So being able to drop into a nice, hot, swirling tub of bubbly water is an incredible relief for someone in my position. The article outlines that a soak in a hot tub will relax and release tension from muscles, also making easier to avoid injury if you do so prior to a workout. It goes on to say that, “If you have arthritis, the heat and massaging action of a hot tub may help ease the stiffness and inflammation that cause pain,” and “Water supports your body and takes weight off joints, which helps improve flexibility and range of motion. A warm bath might also provide some of these benefits.”

Also not me…

The one that fascinates me a bit, is the better insulin resistance. This is obviously directly pertinent to me, given that I’m Type-1 Diabetic. The article states, “Another study from 2019 suggests that regular thermal therapy using hot baths or saunas may improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in a population with marked insulin resistance. This could mean that using a hot tub may be beneficial for managing diabetes.” If this is true, I would imagine that this benefit is mostly for those who have a consistent access to a hot tub on a regular basis. The couple of standalone sessions I’m enjoying at the moment wouldn’t necessarily apply. But even solo sessions will provide SOME of the benefit. And lastly (for me) is the fact that soaking in a hot tub can raise your heart rate and lower your blood pressure, which are important things for someone managing Diabetes.

The article outlines far more detail than I am here, so have a click on the hyperlink above and give the article a read. It’s fairly short but provides some good insight into the benefits of a hot tub. So, what about the negative effects? I’m a guy who believes that all life is a balance of good and bad, so if soaking in a hot tub has all these potential benefits, there must be some negative effects too, right? That would seem to make a bit of sense, in the grand scheme of things… Well, the article does wrap up with outlining who should avoid hot tubs. This includes but is not limited to, people who are pregnant, people with heart disease, anyone with open sores, cuts or rashes (or any bandaged injuries), if you have blood pressure issues or happen to have a urinary tract infection.

Still not me…

For myself, I face some definite challenges in the use of a hot tub. Because I wear an insulin pump, I need to suspend delivery and leave the pump on a side table, close enough that it holds connection with my CGM without losing its mind. Because I’m going without a basal feed, I run the risk of my blood sugars climbing while I soak. My CGM, which is tethered to my abdomen and can’t be removed, is a different story. While covered in a very large, very effective adhesive, excessive heat can melt away the glue and cause the adhesive to lift, essentially taking the CGM with it. Add that to the fact that exposing your CGM, or any of your pump parts, to excessive heat for any prolonged period of time may cause them to fail o lose signal. There can also be some effects on your blood sugars, despite the pump being disconnected.

The thing to remember when enjoying the hot tub, is to stay hydrated. While soaking, you’re not just quite hot but you’re also sweating, which you may not notice since you’re submerged in water. But all of this can lead to dehydration. Limit your time in the hot tub to no more than fifteen to twenty minutes, if it’s quite hot (near the maximum heat setting). For myself, I usually aim to relax for about thirty minutes, to make it worth getting wet with clothes on. I always carry a spare adhesive patch, in case the one I’m wearing peels off. Last but certainly not least, be sure to wash off when you’re done. Take a warm (not cold) shower and wash off the chemicals from the hot tub using warm water and soap. If you’re at the public pool, you should avoid going straight from the hot tub to the main pool, as the drop in temperature could cause your blood pressure to spike.

Hot tubs are a definite source of enjoyment and can have a lot of benefits, when used responsibly. Because of the whole blood pressure and dehydration thing, you want to avoid consuming alcohol while soaking in the hot tub. This ain’t a 90’s sitcom; you can make yourself sick that way and lose some of the better benefits of the hot tub. Otherwise, short sessions, regularly if you have access, and remember to stay hydrated. Ultimately, since so many treatments for my many ailments require pills or medications, I love anything that can relieve some pain or ailments without them. So I’m pro-hot tub all the way. Hopefully, all o you can have the opportunity to benefit from it, as well. Food for thought… ☯️

The Way Of The Jumping Idiot…

I haven’t written a post in a couple of weeks now, and I thought I should get off my ass and do something about. By virtue of this, I wanted to touch on something that I saw over the weekend as I was watching something on a streaming service that relates to the martial arts. As I’ve written in the past, much of what we see in shows and movies are exaggerated or unrealistic, which makes sense, right? I mean, it’s a show! It’s meant to entertain, not be realistic. But there are some things that are quasi-factual, even in fictional environments. Whilst some shows that feature karate may be unrealistic with their approach in how many times someone can get kicked or struck and keep on fighting, a lot of the training and methodology can be somewhat realistic. But in the real world, there are styles and training methods that are a bit over the top and seem unrealistic and useless in a fight. And that’s where some of the confusion comes in.

One good example of this is Tae Kwon Do. For those of you who may not know, Tae Kwon Do is a Korean style of empty hand fighting that focuses on the use of the feet as its primary attack method. Known for its flowery, complicated kicks, you’ll often see demonstration of practitioners who are kicking and breaking boards that are held quite high above the average adult’s head. Developed about 80 years ago, Tae Kwon Do was created using basics from karate and Chinese martial arts, although like every other style, there are likely those who practice it that would have slightly different origins for it. In looking at Tae Kwon Do, one needs to ask oneself, what is the value or the purpose of flying through the air and kicking a board that’s ten feet up from the ground? Any traditional martial artist would likely agree that t3here would be little or no application for this technique in an actual fight, right? And just remember that we’re not discussing athletic prowess here; we’re strictly discussing practicality of the technique.

This is only one example of this phenomenon. Another good one would be Brazilian Capoeira, which blends a combination of dance, acrobatics and kicking techniques. While it looks impressive on its face, the waste of time and energy in the constant movement tends to boggle my mind. This obviously makes sense when one considers that I’ve spent the majority of my life studying a small circle style of karate that focuses on direct strikes and conservation of movement. I’ve been trained to understand that if the opponent is not within reach of my foot or fist, there’s little point in striking or attempting to. There are instances where I’ll cross small distances but certainly nothing extreme like other styles. Shotokan, for example, will almost cross half the dojo in executing a technique. All of this made me extremely judgmental when I was younger, where a loyalty to my style mixed with youthful ignorance caused me to judge these styles as opposed to studying and understanding them to get clarity. Luckily, that veil lifted years ago and I understand the concept and origins of these other styles much better now, and can accept them in the form that they are studied. While I may not favor Tae Kwon Do as a self-defense style, I’ve fought against some practitioners and I sure wouldn’t want to fight one in the street.

The point to this post, and it won’t necessarily be a long one, is that different styles will have different methods of training and for different reasons. Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, different styles will get you there in different ways. For myself, my focus has always been defending myself and others, maintain my health and fitness AND helping to control my blood sugars and Diabetes. Effectively in that order. I don’t need to spin through the air or have both my feet leave the ground in order to do that. One also needs to recognize the inherent risk that comes with training and practicing this way. When you spin kick in such a way that both feet leave the ground, you leave yourself extremely vulnerable. If that kick doesn’t land or they manage to strike you while you’re airborne, the level of damage can be catastrophic. Even high kicks, where the practitioner is kicking to the head or something of the like, is very risky and opens up the inner thigh and groin areas to potential attacks that are otherwise un-blockable while you’re doing the splints in mid-air.

Everyone’s style and perspective are different. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve stayed away from judging other styles based on what they’re doing and how they demonstrate their training. But I’ve also grown to assess and analyze fighting styles to determine what I believe would be most effective. From the athletic prowess side of things, many of these styles are quite challenging and will help you develop and get in shape. From a practicality standpoint, they may not be so great at mainstream self-defense. That being said, ever try getting kicked in the head by a Tae Kwon Do practitioner’s spinning kick? That shit fuckin’ hurts! I don’t recommend it. As I’ve often written in the past, it becomes critical that when looking for a dojo to train with, you take your time, watch what they do, how they do it and hold it up against what it is you’re trying to do. Looking to commit yourself to something and just train for the exercise? Most of this likely won’t matter. But if you’re training for a specific reason, the details matter. And martial arts can never take a cookie cutter approach. What works for one may not work for another. Food for thought… ☯️

Not All Supplements Are “Creatine” Equal…

Okay, maybe that isn’t my best pun, but I do my best. For most of my life, there’s been a fair amount of hype behind creatine. In my twenties, I had plenty of buddies who took creatine powder to try and bulk up, gain muscle mass or in the case of the one friend, just gain mass in general. But what is this stuff and really just how efficient is it? In most cases, supplements generally take months to start having a positive and/or measurable effect on the body or one’s metabolism. Mostly because supplements often have a “loading phase,” where your body requires a period of time to start processing and using whatever supplement you’re on. This is why most health practitioners (at least in my experience) will tell you that you not only have to be consistent with your supplements, but you need to keep taking them to see long term benefits. But let’s focus on the creatine, shall we?

To be honest, with the years flowing past me like some uncontrolled, torrent of aging (yes, I’m bitter), I’ve become very aware that my energy levels and motivation to get off the couch and keep moving is starting to disappear. Although the mind is willing, finding the motivation and energy after a nine to ten hour work day to go home and hammer out an hour of sweat-inducing exercise is not only difficult; in most cases, the lack of motivation wins and we end up binge-watching old episodes of Frasier rather than working out. It’s not a good thing. Especially when you consider that it isn’t about getting buff or becoming a star athlete. It never was, but even less so now. In reality, it’s about maintaining one’s health and constitution well enough to make it to old age and still be able to function independently.

Because of this, I’ve explored a lot of different options for myself in recent years, in an effort to make sure that Type-1 Diabetes doesn’t gain leverage on me AND so that when I reach my seventies, I can still walk, function and take of myself without being relegated to a chair. Seeing both my parents confined to chairs may have had a bit of an effect on this approach. But it’s no secret that I’ve tried a number of things that just haven’t worked for me. And that’s perfectly normal, since what works for one person may not be as effective for another. For example, I’ve tried pre-workout on a few occasions. Doesn’t do a thing for me. Of course, I pound back a fair (but healthy) level of caffeine, so this should be all that entirely surprising. But it just lends itself to the fact that not all supplements provide benefits to all people. That where creatine came in. For months, I’ve been seeing adverts in my online feeds about creatine gummies. Given that I already have a powder-based shake every morning for my protein and my fiber, I was jazzed about the concept of adding another powder to it. Eventually, it stops being a shake and starts creeping into pudding territory.‘

But the gummy aspects fascinated me. So, I started to look into it. According to an article posted by the Cleveland Clinic, “Creatine is a natural source of energy that helps your skeletal muscles flex (contract). It helps create a steady supply of energy in your muscles so they can keep working, especially while you’re exercising.” The article goes on to explain that half of your body’s creatine supply comes from dietary sources, such as red meat, fish and milk. The other half is created naturally by one’s own body. Supplementing with creatine is often done because someone works out a lot or isn’t getting enough creatine through their mainstream diet. Like almost every supplement I’ve ever come across, the article warns of little information about how safe creatine may be if you have Diabetes. While I can confess that I’ve seen this type of warning on almost every supplement, over-the-counter painkiller and product in any pharmacy, this is a good reminder to consult with your doctor or health care practitioner if you’re unsure, or even just to confirm that it’s okay for you to take.

Many of the benefits identified in the article linked above include improvement of some brain function, speedier muscle recovery, increased anabolic hormones for muscle growth and tissue repair, as well as increased muscle hydration. And as we all know, hydration is an important part of not only fitness but your overall health. There are plenty of pros listed for creatine, mostly geared towards one’s muscle mass and development and hydration. But there can be some negatives, as well. The most prominent I’m seeing is potential bloating and/or weight gain due to water retention. Creatine works by pushing hydration into your muscle tissue, so you’ll likely retain much more of your water than you did, pre-supplement.

There are certainly plenty of benefits to creatine supplementation listed on verifiable sites. Another online article by HealthLine entitled “10 Health and Performance Benefits of Creatine” has a pretty comprehensive list, for those of you who want to have a read. The one that stands out for me is the one that suggests creatine “may lower blood sugar levels and fight diabetes.” That peaks my interest. But as with all supplements, it’s important to be patient and be cautious. Do your own research, consult your health care provider and determine what’s best for you. No supplement will automatically turn you into Superman overnight, so remember that you may need to partake of your supplements for some time before seeing any measurable effects. And even WITH the supplements, you may not see the effects unless you put in the work.

For myself personally, I did find some creatine gummies at my local supplements market. I’ve only been on it for a day or two and am still in the “loading” phase, but I’m anxious to see what kind of result it will provide once combined with some exercise. I’m not expecting miracles, of course but at my age, anything I can do to increase my energy levels, maintain my health and leave a prettier corpse behind is okay in my books. I reserve sharing what brand of creatine and where I got it. Maybe in a few months, I’ll share what some of my personal results and findings were. But in the meantime, as you all should, I’ll keep focusing on my blood sugars, my fitness and staying hydrated. Food for thought… ☯️

“One More Round…”

The title is an excerpt from Rocky V, where the main character, tired and beaten down by a younger opponent, stands up one more time and asks him for “one more round.” Widely panned by audiences and critics alike, I never really understood all the hate Rocky V received and in some cases, still receives. While I agree that it wasn’t the greatest out of the series of movies, it still had a reasonable storyline and some decent fight scenes. What struck the biggest chord for me in watching this movie, was how Rocky and his family basically came full circle; having gained riches through being a world boxing heavyweight champion to losing everything and moving back to the rough streets of Philadelphia where he got his beginnings. It’s an important life lesson and certainly one that wasn’t lost on me in my youth.

What’s even more extreme, is Rocky Balboa, a stand-alone movie released in 2006 that sees an aged Rocky living a life without his beloved Adrian and running a small bistro. Because of the rising unpopularity of the current reigning champ, an exhibition fight is set up between the champ and Rocky himself, bringing him out of retirement for one final foray in the ring. What’s a bit difficult in watching this movie is recognizing an aged Rocky, in his 60’s, going to town training like he did in the original Rocky movies. For old dogs like myself, it’s reminiscent of the old training montages you’d see in the original Rocky films; solid training music, working out, sweating, putting in a maximum effort to put on the best show for the crowd. It’s definitely motivational albeit a tad unrealistic. It reminds me of the recent fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Although the fight in Rocky Balboa showed significantly more substance and heart than the Tyson vs. Paul fight did.

The point to all of this and where I’m going with this post, is that much like the alpha lion stepping back from the pride so a new alpha can take the lead, there comes a time when one begins to realize that the fight is over. That the long hours of hard training and combining martial arts into one’s daily routines for maximum training and efficiency have started to pass. And eventually, one needs to recognize that there can’t always be “just one more fight.” Eventually, one needs to recognize that the last fight really was just that; the last. That’s probably the biggest and most difficult obstacle for a martial artist to face; realizing that one’s karate journey isn’t at an end but needs to significantly change to accommodate the needs of the practitioner. This recognition doesn’t come easily and is often only learned through hardship and injury.

My experience came rather painfully and roughly about three years ago. Granted, at the time, I weighed nearly 30 pounds more than I do now, and my gut definitely played a role in my speed and ability to execute techniques. I had joined a local karate dojo in the hopes of training in the dojo environment and connect with some like-minded practitioners. And with this particular dojo, I found just that. It’s without a doubt the only dojo that I found that managed to show as much interest in my style as I had in theirs. I was treated like a student as opposed to an invitee, and the instructors had as many questions for me as I had for them. It was almost symbiotic, from the karate standpoint, and I grew to enjoy training. But i did notice that it was difficult for me to keep up. Given that we were at the tail end of the COVID pandemic, it was also very difficult to breathe, since all the practitioners were required to wear face masks WHILE training. But I was getting a strong sweat going, working out and learning some new forms. I was in glory. Until I wasn’t.

I definitely started to notice that recovery time took a lot longer. I was tired and slept more during my down time and I started having difficulty finding the motivation to attend the dojo. I kept going, because I’ve been trained never to quit or give up. But I’d be lying if I said things got EASIER, the way they usually would or should. Rather, they started to get harder and more exhausting. As a result, I allowed my anger at the situation to fuel my motivation and keep pushing me harder. The penultimate event that changed my way of thinking came on a Sunday, of all things, on a day when we usually didn’t have classes. We had a weekend seminar, with several high-ranking instructors visiting the dojo to put on the seminar and provide instruction. Starting on the Saturday, it was a wonderful event. Everyone worked out hard, broke a solid sweat and enjoyed themselves. On the Sunday, we started the morning out with another workout and some instruction. Then, came the sparring…

As part of an instructional exercise, the lead instructor had two students face off within a ring. They would spar until the instructor either called one of them out, or one of the two managed to land a strike, which would eliminate the one who got struck. Then, a fresh opponent jumped in. In order to understand why this activity was a bit of an issue for someone like me, you need to understand my mindset. In my head, all the knowledge is still there. The techniques, training and muscle memory are all just as intact as the first year I trained in a dojo. As a result, and much like the aged dog growling in the corner, I’m often of the opinion that I can still respond and move just as fast as I used to. I would be proven quite wrong. I was called into the ring and sparred against my first opponent. Got him out. Second opponent, out. Third opponent? Fuckin’ out… I was on fire and became overconfident, feeling I still “had it” and couldn’t be topped. Then, one of my counterparts (in rank and experience) stepped into the ring next and everything went to shit.

While engaged in a rather spirited exchange back and forth, I overconfidently threw a left-hand hook punch that should have landed. However, my opponent ducked, redirected the hook punch and responded with a very well-placed uppercut punch straight into the lift side of my rib cage. An explosion of lightning burst from behind my eyes and my left side seized from immediate pain. Mercifully, the match was called and I stepped out, since the technique landed against me. I managed to maintain my composure long enough to walk to the edge of the circle and kneel on the floor. Once my body rested downward, the pain became aggravated, since the weight of my body was now adding stress to the injury. I realized at that point that something was very, very wrong. A doctor’s visit and some x-rays later, and I had three fractured ribs. I was on pain killers for quite some time after that.

The experience taught me several important lessons for the future. Not least of which included that the time had come for me to start slowing down and recognizing that fighting someone the same way I did twenty years ago wasn’t likely. And that in any fighting art, overconfidence and vanity can get you injured, or worse. It took several weeks and many pain-filled sleepless nights for the ribs to mend and the muscle wall to heal. After that, I made the conscious decision to continue my training in the privacy of my home. Part realization, part embarrassment, my karate journey has been a solitary one, ever since. This doesn’t mean I won’t still train with others. It simply means that I’m not trying to pretend I’m still a 23-year old black belt who is still in his prime. And that’s the important key to all this. I’ll never stop training. Martial arts is a life-long journey. But the way I started that journey can’t be the same way it ends. I’m getting older. My body is changing. And some of the amazing things I could do with karate decades ago are not the same things I can do now. And we all get there. Realizing is just one important aspect of the journey. An important piece of the puzzle. Food for thought… ☯️

Off Warranty, And Lacking Replacement Parts…

I’m sure many of you can relate… It’s early morning. Your soft alarm goes off and you groggily click it off. You yawn and stretch and roll slightly, feeling creaks and pops in your joints that you don’t recall being there before. You make your way out of bed and slowly walk to the shower, noticing the chill on the morning soaking through to your bones. Once under the shower head, you let the warm water revive some articulation and relieve some of the aches from the previous day. You slowly trudge through your morning routine with the same amount of speed as a sloth trying to climb a tree. Sound somewhat familiar?

I often look back fondly at my twenties and remember the almost surreal ability I had to train for absolute hours on end, sweating and core temp skyrocketing… Performing line after line of full contact shadow boxing up the length of the dojo, doing dozens of katas, one after another, staying on my knuckles for 20 minutes at a time or in a horse stance for half an hour without missing a beat… This was usually followed by grabbing a shower and hitting the town, either for a game of pool with friends or a quiet coffee and soup at the local coffee shop while making my way through the latest book in the “Wheel of Time” series. The speed, reflexes and ability to recover I maintained was almost supernatural, despite being Type-1 Diabetic AND despite my blood sugars never being quite as well balanced as they are today. By the light, times have changed…

In the past couple of years, I’ve come to acknowledge a couple of hard truths; that I can’t maintain fitness to the level I did twenty years ago, which should go without saying, and, it takes me far, far longer to recover. While the stubborn part of me would love to knuckle down and say “Hell no, we won’t go,” and keep pushing just as hard as I always have, that’s just not a fair reality for me anymore. I recognize that I’m saying this while simultaneously remembering that Sensei is in his 70’s and easily puts me to shame, in the physical activity department. But I digress… The point is, I’ve grown older and as we grow older, the body’s ability to heal and recover effectively begins to diminish. This is why adults will often complain about the cracks and pops they never noticed there before. None of this has been quite as obvious as it has been for me, over the past few months.

AT some point earlier in the year, and I can’t recall exactly when, I started to notice a twinge in my right shoulder. It was subtle, at first. A bit of difficulty scrubbing my back using that hand, or a slight pain when I would reach a high cupboard. I chalked it up to having slept wrong or just tired muscles. MOST workouts were reasonable uninterrupted as a result. But over the course of a couple of months, the pain worsened and mobility in my right arm depended, to the point where I actually ordered a shoulder brace for some of those more extreme workouts. As an aside, the shoulder brace I found was one designed specifically with sports and martial arts in mind. It’s made by a company called Anaconda Fightwear, and their stuff is pretty good. If you’re interested in a braces for almost any of your joints, you can check out their website here. My shoulder brace has been a life saver, especially when I’m performing a lot of the circle blocks or techniques that I need through karate.

Once I recognized the need for external support just to do the things I’d been doing for decades, I started to contemplate the usual; appointment with the chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist, etc. Anything more extreme or medical would come as a second step. But as is often the case in adult life, time passed and busy schedules dominated and I didn’t get to the chiropractor until about three months ago. Now, chiropractic medicine gets a bad rap from a lot of people. Some of this is born out of fear of having one’s joints (especially the neck) cracked. Some of it is because of one-offs where someone with something pre-existing may have had it aggravated by a chiropractic adjustment. Whatever the case, I’ve yet to have a chiropractor’s visit where I don’t feel better afterwards. The first time I went to the chiropractor was back in 2010. The relief that flowed through me after my adjustment almost brought me to tears. But once I again, I digress…

My point is, my shoulder was examined and it was determined that I may have weakened muscles in the shoulder that are limiting my mobility. Not an uncommon thing for a decades-long martial artist who is getting up there in age. Although not yet what one might consider a senior, my body’s ability to heal is less than it was, even a few years ago, so here we are. The solution? A set of simple body movement exercises to try and build back some strength in the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder. That lasted all of a couple of weeks. Towards the end, the exercises themselves became too painful and I needed to find an alternative. Going back to the chiropractor a few weeks ago, a deeper, more extensive examination of my shoulder was done. It was determined that I had a condition called “frozen shoulder.”

So, what the hell is frozen shoulder? Well, according to an article by the Mayo Clinic, whose web link I’ve conveniently lost, frozen shoulder, also called “adhesive capsulitis,” is a condition where the connective muscles and tissues in the shoulder thicken and tighten around the shoulder joint, causing limited range of motion and pain. While it’s not exceptionally rare, people over 40 and who have certain conditions like, oh, say, DIABETES, are at higher risk. Great. Thanks, T1D! One more issue on the checklist. The treatment is pretty simple; movement. yes, you read that right. Range-of-motion exercises, working the shoulder and on occasion, some pain-numbing medications injected into the joints. But, it does take years for it to completely recover. The article goes on. To explain that it’s unusual for frozen shoulder to come back to the same shoulder, so I guess THAT’S good.

Why do they call it “frozen shoulder?” As described in the article from Mayo, which I managed to find here, it hits in three stages:

  • Freezing stage. Any movement of the shoulder causes pain, and the shoulder’s ability to move becomes limited. This stage lasts from 2 to 9 months.
  • Frozen stage. Pain might lessen during this stage. However, the shoulder becomes stiffer. Using it becomes more difficult. This stage lasts from 4 to 12 months.
  • Thawing stage. The shoulder’s ability to move begins to improve. This stage lasts from 5 to 24 months.

When looked at from this perspective, it paints a long, bleak picture of recovery. While this falls under the category of “this could be worse,” y’all know just how much I love hearing THAT. If you do the math on this, I’m looking at nearly four years to recover, bearing in mind that everyone is different. The good news is that I appear to have passed the freezing stage. After that initial chiropractor visit and the subsequent working of the joint and the pain it accompanied, I head a couple of weeks of limited mobility in the shoulder and neck that saw me walking around like a fucking robot. You don’t realize just how much you need the supportive muscles in your neck until you can’t use them. Sitting, lying down and even rolling over in your sleep becomes an extremely painful prospect. And when every movement during the night jolts you awake in pain, your rest goes to shit, so your recovery is lengthened even further. But i seem to have a fair mobility back in most areas, with only a bit of limited mobility in the shoulder with very little pain. Looks like I’m at the frozen stage. Yay.

Growing older is a part of life. There’s no getting away from it or getting out of it. That’s why it is so critically important to maintain one’s physical fitness, nutrition and getting proper rest. That will go a long way towards ensuring that you can ride off into the sunset with some reasonable constitution left, as opposed to a lump of scarred, immobile old man crankiness. I mean, let’s be honest, I’m still ticking that very last box with the crankiness but that’s a whole different thing. Next week, I’ll be starting a form of vibrational shock therapy that will help to break up any potential scar tissue and potentially help with the healing process. While I’m looking forward to it, as one would expect, I’m not a fan of the whole “shock” aspect. But I’m sure it’ll be fine. Stay tuned for updates as this treatment progresses. In the meantime, I take solace in the fact that even while having had Type-1 Diabetes for 43 years at this point, my organs are in great health, my blood sugars are phenomenal and even my eye injections have been spaced out to fourteen weeks. Not too shabby. I’d say I’m doing quite well. ☯️

Routines Good, Habits Bad…

People live their daily lives based on their habits and routines. One may be inclined to wonder “what’s the difference?” Well, there are some integral differences that can drive whether what you’re doing is helpful to yourself or not. A habit is loosely defiined as something you do without thought. For example, picking your nose or chewing your nails would be a habit. Making a point to work out for thirty minutes every day after work would be a routine. I’m using pretty one-sided examples to illustrate my point. But ultimately, habits don’t generally become part of one’s routine, although if you perform your routines with enough focus and intention, they will eventually become habit. This can be the difference between bad habits and good.

Something Sensei had explained to me over the summer during my last visit resonated and stuck with me. In his 70’s, Sensei still very much reflects the man I always knew him to be. He wakes in the morning and engages in routines that promote his continued health and ability to remain independent and moving. This includes proper nutrition, fitness and exercising, including but not limited to cycling, house work and of course, consistent karate training. He’s never really lapsed in that department and he is still at a stage where he would be effective against opponents several decades his junior. He can do this because he uses discipline and intent to ensure he maintains his routines, and while they may have become habit, they’re not without effort. After all, the human body, much like water, tends to take the path of least resistance.

Habits can be bad because they often bring you to a slump in your daily routine. AND they can be much harder to stop, once you have them. Routines are the opposite. They take effort and sheer force of will to start and maintain, but once they become habit, they can still be difficult to maintain, since they require effort. Habits usually do not. Some simple examples. Every Tuesday and Thursday when work finishes, you and a few of your work colleagues tend to hit up a local pub for a couple of pints. You end up eating some bar food, maybe some wings or fries, followed by making your way home. Since you’re full and carbo-loaded, you’ll likely slump down on the couch and binge-watch a few episodes of your favorite show then make your way to bed for a quasi-deep, alcohol-assisted sleep. This is an easy habit, easy to get into and with little or no excuse on the person’s behalf to prevent of refuse to participate.

Now, let’s look at a routine. Let’s say you decide to take it upon yourself to wake up an hour earlier on a given morning and go running. You work up a good sweat, get a few miles in and get your heart pumping first thing in the morning. You get home, cold but sweaty, and work your way through your list of pre-work items, including but not limited to showering, dressing and packing a lunch for the day. You leave the house and hit the ground running. You feel energized, motivated and decide that this will be the new routine. Then, your day ends. You get home from work, struggle through your evening meal, maybe take care of the dishes, spend a bit of time with the spouse and kids before falling into a deep, exhausted sleep. While you may have initially hoped to make the routine of that morning a standing one, the following morning has you feeling groggy, tired, cold and wanting nothing more than to stay in bed for the added hour where it’s warm, comfortable and you don’t have to do anything. You decide that since you went running yesterday, you can likely take a “break day,” and hit it hard the following morning. You skip the routine you intentionally began. It’s all downhill from here.

The discipline and effort that’s required to maintain any good routine doesn’t come easily. And since the human body prefers to take it slow and easy, it’s much, much easier to skip things and just relax than it is to stick with any measurable routine. The thing about routines, is that even once you’ve gotten into it enough to make it a habit, it only takes once or twice to skip it, omit it from your day or decide not to do it, for it to break the routine and have to start all over. And the irony is that the same amount of discipline and effort will be required to start it up again, even if you’ve been there before. Which sucks. This is why you want to ensure you maintain those routines and avoid skipping days, negating your routines and allowing apathy to seep in are detrimental to one’s overall health. Like being able to get up in the morning and hit the ground running? Enjoy having reasonable energy levels and flexibility? Being able to continue doing all the things you enjoy doing, even in old age? Then you need to stick to your routines. Break your bad habits but foster your healthy routines. As Sensei has often told me, only you can manage your health. Food for thought… ☯️

You Only Did Thirty Minutes…?

Look, working out is hard. It is. Even if you’re one of those freaks who absolutely LOVES their 5 a.m. run through the neighborhood, the effort and discipline required to haul your sleepy ass out of bed and make it out the door into the morning chill is usually more than what the average person can put up with. And I should know; I absolutely LOVE karate, but finding the time, will and balanced blood sugars to get through a couple of hours, twice a week, in order to stay consistent is tough. That’s why one sometimes needs to take baby steps. Habitually, and for the most part, my wife and I are quite adept at carrying out brief, 30-minute workout circuits together. While it might not sound like a lot, for the purposes of a workout, 30 minutes allows us to get our cardiovascular efforts in, break a significant sweat together and gain that tell-tale ache in our muscles of a job well done. This begs the question; are we doing enough?

According to an article by the Mayo Clinic, the average person should aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a weekor 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. This total can be spread out into smaller chunks throughout the week. So, we’re talking about a workout that gets your heart pumping. The article goes on to say that you should “Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. One set of each exercise is enough for health and fitness benefits. Use a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.” Further, it specifies that “As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.” Okay, perfect! This means that the 30-minutes allows us circuit workouts that my wife and I hammer out together on the weekends meet the mark and is all we need, right? Well, maybe not…

If you’re carrying on your fitness activities with the end goal of losing weight , keeping the weight off or achieving specific fitness goals, this minimalist approach may not be adequate. And sitting for prolonged periods of time can be horrendous on your overall fitness and goals. This should be pretty intuitive but you’d be surprised, and I’m guilty of this myself, how much time people spend on their ass, either working, binging television or in their leisure activities. I lose count of how much time I spend sitting when I’m out to coffee with friends or binge-watching new episodes of Grey’s Anatomy with my wife. Not so great for fitness goals and can actually aggravate or undo some of the fitness achievements you’ve reached. But that isn’t the goal of today’s post. Today’s post is about length and frequency of working out. So, let’s get to the important question: Are my current 30-minute workouts worth it?

The short answer is yes. As most leading health practitioners and fitness experts will tell you, any activity is better than no activity. Another obstacle/hurdle, at least for me, is the fact that as I get older, the energy levels and ability to maintain the same level of fitness as I did even just five years ago, has altered significantly. Sensei would likely cuff me on the back of the head if he reads this, considering that in his seventies, he is very much the image of fitness. More so than someone at my age or younger. Frankly, he puts most people to shame. That being said, ensuring I reach that couple of hours’ total throughout the week CAN be challenging. My body’s propensity for letting the blood sugar drop about twenty minutes before I get home certainly doesn’t help matters. This leads to more evenings than not, where I find myself wolfing down food when I get home as opposed to taking the half hour needed to burn some calories and get a sweat on. The struggle is real…

At the end of the day, all of this starts with you. Unlike most people, I don’t subscribe to the thought that one needs to be motivated in order to workout. That is a whole lot of nonsensical bullshit, right there! You need to be disciplined. Period. Start. Do something. Only do ten minutes of running in your backyard? Good for you. Twenty minutes of doing some weight reps? Fantastic. An hour of wrestling and rolling around on the floor with your kids? Even better. Develop and maintain the discipline to do SOMETHING. Once that discipline is in place, the motivation will follow. It can’t happen in the other direction. That’s an important detail, and most people fail to understand this. For me, going back to the days of 2-hour karate workouts several times a week are likely dead and gone. Type-1 Diabetes and my overall age and health just won’t allow it any longer. If I tried, I likely wouldn’t have the energy and ability to deal with, you know… work, kids, life… But I can guarantee that I’m going to keep pushing workouts and exercise. As often as I can, for as long as I can. They’ll have to pull my cold, dead corpse away from the mats because my health is important, as it supports everything else. So, take care of yours, as well. Unless you’re healthy and capable, you’ll find yourself unable to do any of the other things in life that may be important. Food for thought… ☯️

The Spouse Is In The House, So Grab Your Boxing Gloves…

There’s a saying that I’ve often heard, although it changes with particular situations, that couples who [BLANK] together, stay together. And no, that blank is not a typo. It changes with the given situation. In this case, my thought is that couples who work out together, stay together. While that isn’t the only driving force behind staying together (obviously), there’s nothing more satisfying than getting a solid work out in with your spouse. The awesomeness of working up a sweat, getting healthy and getting that post-work out tired feeling together is something that can bring couples closer to each other and allow them to share something they wouldn’t otherwise; their overall health and fitness. For me, the decades have proved difficult in trying to have anyone I’ve been involved with, work out with me. In previous years, that was an obvious obstacle as my fitness time was usually limited to inside a dojo. But even in situations where I had someone I was dating or involved with joining the dojo, it usually didn’t work out well.

Even once I found myself outside the dojo and involved with someone, training in karate with a non-karate practitioner has some inherent problems. They won’t know the techniques. They won’t know the forms. If you hope to get a full workout, you’ll be going too fast and doing too much for any rational beginner to follow along. It can make it tough. And if you stop or slow down long enough to explain, you essentially burn through your workout time teaching instead of training. It can be frustrating and difficult for both parties, to be sure. But if you can be lucky enough to have a spouse or partner who is willing to work out with you, there’s lots that you can do to enjoy the experience together. If you insist on doing a karate workout, you’ll can limit it to kicking and punching drills, squats, jumping jacks, balance exercises… Lots of things that the two of you can do that won’t have to involve teaching some specifics to your respective exercise mate. Other possibilities are riding bicycles together, going for a job, doing weight sets… Or maybe, just maybe, you can expand your horizons and go to a class and learn something TOGETHER.

For me, I’m lucky in that my wife and I will often exercise together. While I don’t teach her mainstream karate, we often share 30 minutes of weight workouts. I have some wonderful circuits that I’ve saved on my iPad that I can bring up that focuses specific muscle groupings. Once my wife and I have hammered through one of these, we’re usually ready for snacks and/or a nap. A few times now, we’ve shared some time on the punching bag, favoring a circuit that allows us to take turns. While one is on the bag, the other uses a jump rope or sits in a horse stance. Wonderful burn and great exercise. And one of the best results of using this methodology, is the hour you spend working out is no longer an hour away from your spouse. Instead, it’s an hour you share with them. Where you get healthier and work out together. Not only enriching and healthy, it helps to bond you and bring you closer. Sounds like a definite win-win to me.

So find your niche. Discover what works for you and your spouse or partner that will allow the two of you to focus on health, increased energy, better sleep patterns, together. The result will also be shared experiences and laughs along the way that money can’t buy. And that bonding is important. Especially in a relationship that;s intended to be for life. Food for thought… ☯️

Get Back On The Horse…

So, I wanted to touch base on one of the most disliked (generally) but yet effective tools in training within karate circles; the horse stance. I think it’s important to bear in mind that like all other aspects of karate and the martial arts, different styles and schools may execute techniques and movements in different ways. By virtue of this and as I write this post, it’s important to view my opinion through the lens that these perspectives are those of my home dojo and reflective of Uechi Ryu Okinawa karate. Some of this may not relate to other styles, they may do it differently or, if you’re a martial artist yourself, may have been trained differently. I want to be clear that the specifics of this post are not intended to say any other method is ineffective or improper. It simply isn’t my way. ‘Nuff said. Let’s get on with it, shall we?

If you’ve trained in traditional karate, you’ve likely experienced it before. Class has been carrying on for over an hour. You’re soaked in sweat and your gi has practically turned transparent from your sweat. Every muscle, joint and even your bones ache and all you want to do is break away so you can gulp down some much-needed water. The, Sensei calls out: “HORSE STANCE!” You obediently drop into the familiar position that is in some ways comfortable due to its familiarity while simultaneously spelling your ability to walk’s doom. You predict, quite accurately, that you may be unable to lift yourself off the bed tomorrow morning. That’s if you don’t collapse from the horse stance now. Sensei sets an egg timer; you know the one… the turn-dial timer that clicks at every second as it counts down? You remain static, listening to every click and praying for the next one to be the last, until finally, the bell rings. This never meant we could stop, however. Stopping was not permitted until Sensei said so. But when he finally did, the relief in one’s legs ALMOST overshadowed their exhaustion.

Me, in a horse stance in Okinawa in 2001. How young and thin I was…

What seemed like a form of torture to the casual observer was a typical part of training for most of us. And we took full advantage of the training benefits that the horse stance provided. So, let’s start with the basics. What the fuck is a horse stance? Although done slightly different in some schools, if you look at the above photo of me, you’ll note that the big toes, feet and knees are pointed outwards at roughly a 45 degree angle from the front of the body. The torso is dropped down into what could almost be called a crouch but while spreading the feet so that the thighs are perpendicular to the shins but parallel to the floor. This position is held for whatever purpose the practitioner is using it for. In most cases, it’s used primarily for training and form. But in some limited capacity, it can also be used to help execute techniques in specific circumstances during an actual physical confrontation. Imagine, your opponent has fallen to the ground and the only way to retain contact with him is by crouching down into a horse stance. It provides overall balance, stability and reach to lower positions. As you can see from the photo, you can execute techniques from different angles while in a horse stance.

Let’s get to the meet and potatoes, though. Why in the hell would we put ourselves through the scenario I described above for a stance that is only rarely used in actual fighting? Well, on the one side, most aspects of form wouldn’t necessarily ever be used in a real fight. Form is intended to provide foundation, develop technique, speed and precision before using it in a real-time application. But the deep and wide position of the horse stance strengthens almost all the aspects of the lower body, legs, hips, thighs and butt. Believe or not, your butt muscles play an integral role in the proper execution of your kicks, your balance and your stance. Remember that, next time you consider skipping your lunges during resistance training. Horse stance is an isometric exercise, which means you hold the position without moving by engaging the muscles in those areas. The maintained tension contributes to the overall strength and growth.

A bit older and thicker but that horse stance still rocks!

Besides building up the muscle strength in the lower body, the horse stance will also help to build up your endurance. It’ll also work towards improving your mobility and range of hip movement; an important aspect when training in an art that includes leg movements and kicks. This helps to increase your flexibility and make deeper, prolonged position possible and more comfortable without injuring yourself. Your balance and stability will increase over time and believe it or not, your core gets significantly engaged, considering you need to keep your torso and upper body straight and stable while in the horse stance. There are probably far more physical benefits than I have listed here, but those are the basic ones that I can think of, for the purposes of this post.

While most of this covers what horse stance can do for the body, it should also be recognized that it can do quite a bit for the psychological and mental aspects, as well. Let’s not forget that karate is as much a mental discipline as physical. The concept of fighting through the pain, pushing through and finding one’s limits are very real aspects of traditional karate. Executing a proper horse stance and holding it allows a practitioner to build resilience, mental discipline and build up one’s tolerance to physical discomfort. These are wall important aspects to developing as a martial artist. As it was once said, discispline is not the enemy of enthusiasm. So while it would be easy to dismiss or omit the horse stance from one’s workout, I highly recommend against it. After all, reading this post should illustrate that every movement, every technique and every aspect of one’s martial art has purpose, and provides far more than what the casual observer likely realizes. Food for thought… ☯️

I Have Superpowers…

No, I’m not faster than a speeding bullet. I can’t leap tall buildings in a single bound and I’m not mightier than a locomotive. I’m not referring to the imaginary superpower, although that would be really fuckin’ cool. I always thought the power of flight would be the best power, since I could eat to work every morning without paying for gas or sitting on public transit. But I digress… No, the super power I’m referring to, is one that we all have and we can all take advantage of. The big problem is that in general, without limiting ourselves by certain exceptions, no one tends to recognize or take advantage of those super powers. I’m talking about your body’s own inherent abilities.

The human body is a genuinely amazing thing. For the most part, the human body is able to heal and/or regenerate almost all the tissues within itself, with the obvious exception of teeth. Bear in mind, there’s a huge difference between “healing” and “regenerating.” For example, the liver is one of the only organs that can positively regrow, even if a significant portion of it has been removed. Bones will also knit themselves back together, often stronger than their previous state, when broken. The majority of the tissues in one’s body will heal themselves back together their original state, or what’s known as “cell replacement.” Depending on how they heal, this can be pretty extreme. For example, I’ve read that the lining of our stomachs and intestines are almost constantly replaced by fresh cells; a necessary system of the body to counteract the corrosive nature of our digestive acids, or the uterine lining in a woman’s body, which regenerates completely from one month to another.

This plays a major role in how we live. For the most part, the healthier we live, the better the chances we have of proper healing and recovery. For example, despite being one of the organs that can regenerate, the liver will fail and die off if one consumes and abuses of alcohol. Certain nutrient or mineral deficiencies will prevent bones from knitting and can even make them brittle. It’s important to note that nutritional, lifestyle habits and even how we sleep can affect our body’s overall ability to heal and regenerate itself. Age also plays an important factor, of course, with one’s body’s ability to heal properly decreases with time and age. But in terms of lifestyle and fitness, I can provide a first-hand example…

In November of 2023, I received a Type-1 Diabetic’s worst news from my endocrinologist. My blood work showed that my kidneys were struggling and I was in the early stages of kidney failure. That would be scary for anybody but having lived for 43 years with a condition that I knew would eventually knock one of my organs out of play (besides the pancreas, of course). It’s a reality I was always aware of but never really paid any mind, since I tend to work out pretty well and monitor my blood sugars pretty closely. I remember walking out of my doctor’s office that day with a fairly strong sense that I had been handed a death sentence. Recognizing that I had a family and very much left to do with my life, I did what I always do when death foolishly knocks at my door; I fought back. I started by asking what could be done to heal the issue. This is an important aspect to proper health. People these days are obsessed with “treating” symptoms but never really look at the overlying cause that’s brought them to their current state.

My doctor suggested that losing a bit of weight would help. My initial thought was “fuck you, too.” Although always on the husky side, I’ve never been obese or even what one would call fat. Although I snack and eat like the best of the ‘em, I’ve never been a horrific eater and always monitor my carb intake carefully. This is where he introduced me to Ozempic and suggested I start taking it. I was pretty leery of it, due to the negative spin the media had put out. But I reluctantly started on it. In tandem with the drug, I also drastically altered my diet. No, I didn’t jump on to some stupid fad or gimmicky diet and I didn’t download an app. I simply took common sense steps that doctors and nutritionists have been barking for decades. I started avoiding battered foods in favor of fresh, lean proteins. I got in the habit of pan-searing fresh fish instead of getting battered, frozen fish. Steak and chicken were prepared fresh, as well. Healthy grains in small doses, fruits and even soup, which I’ve always considered a nemesis of mine. I had soup forced on me a lot during my childhood and as an adult, I always stood that a liquid couldn’t be a meal. I’ve allowed myself to provide me wrong.

Sleep habits were altered. I go to bed effectively the same time every night, with the only exceptions being if I’m traveling and it can’t be helped. I started taking steps to ensure proper, uninterrupted sleep, which has been challenging in and of itself, due to PTSD. But once I got to a certain point, I can now get at least six to seven hours of sleep WITHOUT any of the initial aids I was taking to get that sleep. Most mornings, I wake up prior to my alarm. Working out has been a consistent challenge in recent years. Fatigue and lack of motivation can be some of the biggest obstacles to proper health. I changed up my routine where, instead of trying to work out for a couple of hours, several times a week, I work out for thirty minutes, every day. There are days where I miss, of course. But losing one 30-minute workout is much easier to recover from, than going a full week without working out at all.

In conjunction with the Ozempic, this led to about 30 pounds of weight loss, which is almost double what most semaglutide users can expect. Instead of sitting back and letting the medication treat something, I jumped on and helped it do its job. Given this weight loss, a few magical things started to happen. My blood sugars became increasingly easy to control. My blood pressure dropped and stayed down, meaning I had less headaches. My sleep quality increased significantly but last and not least was the biggest aspect of all; my kidneys had recovered and I was no longer in early stages of failure. The sense of relief and satisfaction at having taken my health in had the way I did was phenomenal. Now, I’m not suggesting that someone who IS in kidney failure can recover their organs. I’m not friggin’ Wolverine, after all. I was lucky enough to have caught this at a stage where the damage could be reversed.

The lesson here is that most people have vices that are unhealthy and do damage that isn’t seen in the here and now. It isn’t until a red light pops up that we decide to stop and take a good, hard look at our habits. Some people never get the opportunity. But making some of these small changes to one’s habits can be life-prolonging, if not life-saving. So, we all have a super power. We have the ability within ourselves to heal our bodies and maintain our health. We simply need to embrace that power and work towards making life healthier and easier for ourselves. Food for thought. ☯️