Resolutions Revisited

This will be a pretty bitter post. And to be honest, I’ve been avoiding it (mostly because I had to finish out the last week and scan the paper) considering some aspects of what I set out to do didn’t go QUITE according to plan. In early December of 2019, I posted Here Comes The New Year… where I outlined my intention to work through a resolution for 2020 that would see me cut down and/or eliminate alcohol, cigars, processed foods and exercise regularly. I tried not to be a pest about it, since most people don’t want/need to hear about someone else’s New year’s resolutions, but this is MY blog and here we are!

I did provide two updates in the posts Getting Ahead Of The Curve and It’s Going Semi-Well, And I May Have Woken Up. That last one is a touch ironic, since I apparently didn’t wake up quite as much as I should have. But before I get into the meat and potatoes of how I felt this went, let’s take a look at the spreadsheet, which I’ll provide below as two separate images:

Page 1
Page 2

Now as you look at this spreadsheet, there are a few things you can notice. The first is that anyone who isn’t blind can obviously see what aspect is my weakness. And I’m quite unhappy about this. Although I’ve had some weeks where I completely abstained from alcohol, the majority of the year sees a red “X” under the “No Alcohol” column. I will admit, and I’ve pointed this out before, that limiting each row to a full week makes things difficult. After all, I can go to Saskatoon for my eyes and have a single beer with my dinner out, and it’ll earn me an “X” even if I abstain for the rest of the week.

What’s funny is that there is only one “X” under the “No Tobacco” column, which was all the way back in March. This is because I decided to treat myself to a cigar right before the world turned to shit and everything started closing because of COVID-19. Since I try not to leave my home for frivolous purposes, the purchasing of cigars hasn’t happened since then. The rest of the columns are self-explanatory, even if most of them are green all the way down.

My water consumption is always within the 3 litre arena, considering all the fluids I take in throughout the day from various sources. I’ve caught myself salting certain foods lately, so I’m admitting that those green check marks aren’t all accurate. And as a wise friend pointed out several months ago, some of the food I’ve consumed is processed even if I haven’t acknowledged it as such (Thanks, Kristen!). The “No Soda” column is likely the one I was the most disciplined with. Workouts are workouts, with some weeks showing as many as 6 workouts and a few that even had none.

All in all, the spreadsheet was top-heavy and tedious to maintain, as I’d forget to fill it some weeks and have to rely on memory in the weeks that followed as to whether I did certain things or not. The end goal wasn’t to completely stop all these things, cold turkey. I like to think that this was more an experiment in order to recognize and document the areas of myself I need to work on. And even though we can blame a certain amount of it on the current state of the world, this only carries you so far.

That’s why this year, there will be no spreadsheet. There will no grandiose blanket declaration of doing one thing or another. All I’m going to try to do better myself. Period. I’ll be cutting out alcohol and excess carbohydrates, working on developing a healthy calorie deficit. Not to be mistaken with starving myself. I’ll eat plenty, but I’ll be reading labels and taking conscious note of how many calories I’m taking in. I’ll re-assert my focus on personal fitness and hope to slim down, even if only a little. ☯

The Diabetic Addiction

I’ve had Type-1 Diabetes for about 38 years at this point (yes, you read that right). And for the most part, everything I need to do is routine and pretty much happens on auto pilot. Need to test blood sugar? No problem. Calibrate the ol’ CGM? Done deal. I can even change up my insulin pump’s infusion set in the middle of the night while still half asleep, if I had to. I generally try to keep that from happening by checking my insulin remainder BEFORE I go to bed for the night and calibrating my CGM right before I go to sleep.

These are reasonable steps, and ones that I KNOW I need to take and SHOULD be taking. But despite having Diabetes for almost four decades, I’m only human. This means that sometimes I still forget things. And as anyone who has had Diabetes for any number of years will tell you, it doesn’t take long to become physically and emotionally exhausted from all the testing, needle pokes and medical appointments that one needs in order to maintain proper health and blood sugar levels. Which unfortunately means that I also occasionally IGNORE things.

Just before the Christmas holiday, I did what I usually do before any holiday or long weekend; I went through all my supplies prescriptions and ensured I would have enough to make it beyond everyone’s amended schedules. Now, I’m not much of a holiday guy and since I’ve spent the majority of my adult life working through most holidays including Christmas, I’m usually miffed at my routine being messed up because certain locations are closed on Christmas. That’s my “bah, humbug” attitude coming out. But I digress…

As I called into my pharmacy with my refill request, they pointed out that I wasn’t due to renew my Guardian sensors (CGM) for at least another week. Now, being the responsible T1D that I am, I explained that I had one sensor installed on my arm and only one extra in the box. Should I suffer a failure, I’d run out pretty damn quickly with no recourse during the holidays. The pharmacy employee on the phone was quick to point out that in the event of an emergency, I could always go to the hospital. Right. Because I want to sit in a waiting room over the holidays for six hours to get one sensor, which the hospital likely doesn’t carry in stock and I’d need a pharmacy, regardless.

The big problem is that everything is on computer, nowadays. Wow, I just made myself sound SUPER old, but it’s true. So the technician I was speaking to was basically telling me she couldn’t renew my sensors because I was calling a week early. Everything else was fine, but it was too early for the sensors. But this system is meant to be used as a guideline to when prescriptions were filled, not as a limiting tool against patients. And since sensors are not a drug or narcotic, there really shouldn’t be a problem. But I picked my battles and calculated that since I was on Day 1 of my current sensor and had one more in the box, I technically had two weeks’ worth of sensor and told the technician I would simply call back in after the Christmas holiday.

Because life rarely cares about one’s plans and because it’s me, this is what ended up happening after Christmas. I reached the end of the first sensor’s lifespan and installed the second one. Within 24 hours, the second sensor (last one of the box) failed and my pump instructed me to replace it. Once that happens, there’s no getting the freshly installed sensor to work. You basically have no choice but to waste it and move on to the next one. It was late evening, too late to make it to the pharmacy. I would have to wait until the next morning.

In the meantime, I installed a spare Freestyle Libre sensor that I still had. But it wasn’t quite the same. The CGM sensor interacts with my pump and makes minor basal corrections throughout the night. This means that if my blood sugars begin to rise, so will my insulin levels and vice versa. It keeps a reasonably tight control, and I’d be lying if I said that I’ve woken up with bad readings on any given morning in quite a long time. The Freestyle Libre however, allows me to continuously test my blood sugar through my phone but does NOT interact with my pump and makes no adjustment to blood sugar.

The result is that I awoke with blood sugar levels in the high teens, which hasn’t happened in quite a long time. I’m not afraid to admit that I felt like shit. I had to skip breakfast because I didn’t want to introduce more carbohydrates into my system before I brought my levels down a bit. So I spent the morning without food, but made my way to the pharmacy to get my sensors. I had a bit of a discussion with the actual pharmacist about the issue, to which he invited me to speak with him directly the next time I was in a similar situation.

It got me to thinking… I’m addicted to my Diabetic equipment. I lived for decades with CGM and an insulin pump but now, one day without a sensor and my house of cards comes crashing down. It’s surprising how spoiled we become when faced with the use of technology. Compared to the imminent death that Diabetics faced prior to the 1920’s, “spoiled” is a pretty appropriate term, all things considered. It’s made me realize that there’s no turning back for me. I’ve settled into a certain standard of care with the technology I use for my Diabetes treatment, and I don’t think I’d ever be able to return to pen injections and testing my blood only once a day. Here’s to hoping I’ll never have to… ☯

Let’s Chew The Fat, Shall We?

Let’s be honest with each other: it’s the New Year and people are looking at resolutions. Statistically speaking, the largest resolution is usually losing weight. I’d be lying if I said that I wouldn’t LOVE to shed a bit of thickness from my abdomen, although fat loss doesn’t usually work this way. True weight loss will eliminate fat from all areas of the body. Despite what you may have read at your supermarket’s checkout stand, there’s no way to focus JUST on the tummy. Sorry, folks.

I’ve long said that in order to actually lose weight, you can’t depend on gimmick diets or fad workouts. The only true way to burn fat and lose weight to experience a calorie deficit. For those who have no idea what this means, a calorie deficit is when you provide your body with fewer calories than it needs in order to support your daily calorie needs. In that situation, your body starts to burn away fat stores as energy to replace the calories it is no longer receiving.

Conversely, if you consume more calories than what you need for your daily needs, the body will store the excess. Sometimes it gets stored as glycogen, but it usually gets stored as fat. This is where we gain weight. Despite the fact that I’ve been stating this for longer than I’ve been blogging, I finally decided to look into it a bit and found a reasonable article on HealthLine.com. It explains exactly what a calorie deficit is, and how to achieve it.

In addition to the article, most sources I’ve researched indicate that eliminating as little as 500 calories a day is effective in helping to lose weight. In addition to a healthy fitness regimen, it can go a long way towards helping you to burn away at those fat stores that seem to piss you off, every time you slip on a dri-fit shirt. 500 calories is actually much easier than it sounds. Taking small steps, including eliminating processed foods, plan your meals and have them be homemade and exercising three to five times a week will do it.

Another important aspect, especially for Diabetics, is to focus on the reduction of carbohydrates as opposed to fats. Although I’m not a fan of such fad diets, the Paleo Diet is a perfect example of this. Such a diet consists of lean meats, fish, nuts as well as healthy oils and fats. They avoid and/or eliminate processed foods, sugars and grains, which eliminates the majority of carbs. The only problem is the Paleo Diet can cause a dangerous levels of fat and protein, resulting in heart and kidney issues. What else would you expect from a diet based on then human diet from 10,000 years ago?

Cut your carbs and overall calories by about 500 calories a day, exercise regularly and consume plenty of water and fiber to help things along, and you should see some of those love handles start to melt away. Like all good things in life, it will take some time so don’t get discouraged if it takes weeks and even months before results start to show. After all, every person is different. It may only take a week for some, or months for others. The trick is to be patient. This is also helpful for Type-1 Diabetes since increased fat can lead to complications and weight loss will help with blood sugar control.

My wife and I have decided that this year’s resolution will be on the improvement of ourselves. No checklists like I had last year, no fancy declarations of quitting this or quitting that. We’re going to exercise regularly, reduce our caloric intake and as much as it kills me to admit it, my wine intake will be GREATLY reduced as alcoholic beverages can have a negative impact on one’s calorie intake. By the end of it all, I hope to be able to squeeze back into those favoured outfits I have stuffed at the back of my drawers… But time will tell. ☯

Time Is Good Only For Passing Time

As a blogger, I make it a point of following and reading other bloggers’ posts. Especially those who fall under the same category as mine, as I have always felt that my personal learning and education never stops. Therefore, it makes sense that I would continue to read whatever words others may put out, in an effort to better myself. I recently read one such post, written by a blogger that I’ve been following for almost two years. I’m generally not one to write a post on the coat tails of someone else’s, but this is such a broad topic that I feel I can safely write my opinion about it without stepping on this person’s toes. And here we are.

If you know me personally or have read most of what I’ve written, one of my biggest pet-peeves is when someone tells me, “It could be worse!” This is basically the verbal equivalent to kicking me in the gonads, and I have a genuine hate for this expression. I’ve heard it all my life, especially within the context of Diabetes. People see how hard I work towards physical fitness, my martial arts prowess and the fact I never let anything hold me back, and they presume that Diabetes is no big deal.

But the reality is that I work damned hard to live with the balance that I do, and Diabetes is nothing to slouch at. Could it be worse? Yes, it could. I could have terminal cancer. I could have been born without eyes. I could have leprosy or any score of illnesses or diseases that are far worse than Diabetes. It doesn’t mean that my journey isn’t difficult and that I should feel “lucky” that things aren’t worse than they are. With this in mind, the second saying that grates on my last nerve almost as bad as the first one, is “Time Heals All Wounds.”

No. No, it does not.

The reality is that the passage of time won’t heal your wounds, either physical or psychological. The only thing that can do that is your direct intervention, often coupled with the intervention of others. On the physical side, breaking a bone or open wounds will require time but will also require proper setting or bandaging to prevent it from healing improperly. On the psychological side, keeping everything bottled up and refusing to talk to anyone about it will cause mental anguish and difficulties too many to list.

Not least of which is the fact that all wounds, physical or otherwise, will leave scars that either remind us of the injury or can be a problem within themselves. It reminds me of the “broken plate” analogy, which sums up one of the main issues within modern society. And to be honest, I can’t find where the actual origin of this analogy comes from, so if you know, please feel free to write it in the comments, but it goes something like this:

“Grab A Plate And Throw It On The Ground.”
– Okay, Done.
“Did It Break?”
– Yes.
“Now Say Sorry To It.”
– Sorry.
“Did It Go Back To The Way It Was Before?”
– No.
“Now Do You Understand?”

The purpose behind this analogy is that even if you feel remorse or regret at your previous actions, apologizing and trying to make it right may not necessarily be enough. In fact, even if you fix the plate, the cracks and scars will remain regardless of how much you apologize. People rarely understand how their words and actions can harm others. And even if they try to make amends, it’s very rarely enough. This is why your direct intervention is necessary in order to heal yourself.

Time may give you the opportunity to mend the wounds and pull the broken pieces back together. Time may allow the metaphorical glue to set, but time will never erase the memory of what’s been said or done. That’s why it’s critically important to take steps to better your own situation to aid in your healing. This may mean eliminating the negative people in your life. Making better life choices or quitting bad habits. Changing your job. The point is, if you sit there and wait for things to mend with time, that mending may never come. ☯

Right Practice, Right Time, Wrong Environment…

Zen Buddhism lends most of its purpose towards finding enlightenment through mediation. That, with a fun mixture of traditional Buddhism mixed with a minty hint of Taoism, but that’s an entirely different post for another day. My point is, for several decades, meditation has been a focal point of my existence. Have I ever met someone who has “attained enlightenment?” No, I have not. In fact, with the exception of my studies of the Gautama Buddha, I’m not necessarily aware of anyone who has ACTUALLY achieved enlightenment through the practice of meditation.

Admittedly, that first paragraph is a bit on the cynical side, as I do genuinely believe that the path to enlightenment resides within myself. One of the only ways to try and find it is through meditation. But for the most part, I’ve used meditation for everything from blocking out pain and fatigue, focusing my mind, improving accuracy during shooting or fighting and lowering my blood pressure and/or heart rate in the hopes of calming myself. Given that I have pleasant soup bowl of ADD, OCD and PTSD buried in my psyche, meditation has been helpful in a number of different ways.

I’ve always been a big proponent of encouraging people to meditate wherever they find a spot to sit and whenever they find a minute. Any meditation is better than no meditation, right? Maybe not… Distraction is one of the biggest obstacles to effective meditation. That’s why it’s always better to try and observe the practice in a quiet atmosphere with nothing but a touch of soft, instrumental music playing. Although one should be able to clear one’s mind and find some way to take a few moments to deepen one’s breathing and meditate, there’s one obstacle that is and inherent distraction and makes meditation difficult at best: having kids.

Pretty much what meditation is like with Nathan in the house!

Children can be a wondrous addition to a household and will undoubtedly add some action and excitement to one’s life. I can definitely admit that Nathan is like a spinning Tasmanian devil from a Looney Toons cartoon on the best of days, and he’s gotten quite good at riling up his one year old brother, Alex. This can make for an extremely difficult environment to meditate in, regardless of how your home is laid out. I often tell Nathan that it’s quiet time, but this only works on a six-year old for so long, and that tactic absolutely does not work on an infant. So, what do you do?

Since the demolishment of my basement, the ability for sound to travel through the floor has more than doubled, meaning someone upstairs will hear everything happening downstairs and vice versa. So despite the lovely floor mats and workout area I’ve installed in my bare basement, I can pretty much hear every peep and bump that goes on above my head. I often try to meditate for at least fifteen minutes after every workout in order to centre myself, lower my heart rate and calm myself. But I’m usually unsuccessful.

So, what can you do? There are a number of options that are available. The first and most obvious, would be to wait until the children are sleeping/out of the house. This was much easier before Nathan’s school shut down due to COVID-19, but having him out of the house for the day while Alex naps would allow for a period of time to meditate. Realistically, sometimes your schedule simply needs to work around your children as opposed to in spite of them.

Another simple alternative is to simply leave the house. Meditating outside is a little difficult during the winter months, but there are other options. Space heaters in the garage will allow you to meditate there, albeit for a short time. There’s also nothing wrong with simply sitting in your vehicle and taking a short period to meditate there. You could even drive to another location and park, so long as you don’t mind people wondering what the hell you’re doing or the occasional officer of the law tapping on your window to inquire if you’re okay.

We surrender a lot and sacrifice everything once we have children. This is simply the reality of adult life. But if meditation is an important practice in your existence, than you should work towards finding ways on order to achieve it, no matter what your home circumstances. Especially if you use it as a tool for balancing your mind and body. Suddenly and indefinitely going without it can alter your mood, temperament and even your body chemistry. ☯

Stand Up Straight When You Read This Blog…

If you grew up in an environment similar to mine, you did so with both parents and grandparents constantly harping on you to “sit up straight,” or “stand up straight.” It was a pain in my ass all through my formative years. But it turns out that even if their reasons for drilling it into me may not have been health-related, there are a number of reasons why proper posture is SUPER important to one’s health and overall well-being.

Having a correct posture can help improve blood flow and by the same token, keep certain blood vessels and nerve groupings healthy. Having BAD posture will eventually tax certain muscle groups and tendons and can lead to unwanted neck, back and limb pain. It’s something we rarely thin about as we go about our day. But if you work in a seated position or even during walking, standing or sitting on the couch binge-watching Game of Thrones, correct posture will help to prevent a number of issues that you may not even be aware that you’re causing.

Incorrect posture usually comes in the form of slouching. When we slouch, a number of things will usually happen over the long term, if one does nothing to correct it. Your shoulders will slump and will become rounded, you’ll tax and stress the muscle groupings that hold it all up, leading to shoulder, neck and back pain. It can also lead to body fatigue and headaches, and a tendency to lean in a given direction, depending on how you slouch and why.

For the most part, aches, pains and headaches can be relieved by a quick visit to your chiropractor for an adjustment. This usually results in a whole bunch of cracking joints, and many people feel less than comfortable with someone twisting their neck and spine. Although the chances of injury from chiropractic treatment is almost non-existent, it’s still an eery feeling. And this is only a temporary measure if one leaves the chiropractor’s office and goes right back to slouching.

Further effects that most usually don’t consider, is that a slouched or incorrect posture will also lead to a prominent pot belly, since your abdominal tissues are all being squeezed together like some sort of unwanted cheeseburger. I’m kidding. Cheeseburgers are always wanted. But seriously, bad posture will also cause respiratory issues, as slouching will put pressure on the lungs and prevent a full intake of breath. It may also lead to difficulty sleeping and a condition referred to as TMJ, or Temporomandibular Joint pain. Nice, eh? All of that, because you didn’t want to listen to your parents when they told you to stand up straight!

Unfortunately, slouching is an existing habit that we all suffer from. The basic reality is that the modern workforce requires the use of a computer for the majority of the things we do. Sitting at a workstation for hours on end greatly contributes to slouching, and very few people follow the recommended habit of getting up, stretching and walking around at least once an hour. Another problem is that the entire world walks around with their nose buried in their smart phones. This causes a lot of unnecessary craning downward of the head, which is some of the worst type of posture one can have. So… The question is, how do we correct this?

According to an article posted by HealthLine.com, some easy ways to correct one’s posture include focusing on standing tall, sitting correctly, moving around once in a while and doing an exercises called the “wall slide,” which is described in the article, child’s pose, shoulder blade squeeze, the plank and the bridge. The article itself has greater detail of course, and it stands to reason that there are further exercises that can help, as well.

Frequent and regular physical fitness will be the greatest help. Performing exercises that help strengthen the stabilizing muscles are important. Further, you need to ensure that you move frequently and avoid staying in one held position for long hours (unless you’re sleeping). More often than not, putting an alarm on your smartphone to remind you to correct your posture or move around every hour can be helpful.

Most sources will mention that one simply needs to make a conscious effort to stand up straighter. If that were the case, our parents wouldn’t have had to bark it at us so much when we were young. But a correct posture will ultimately help correct many of the aches and pains that we all assume are simply a part of adult life. Exercise well, take preventative steps and don’t be afraid to solicit the services of professional massage therapists and chiropractors. ☯

Alright, Let’s Do It All over Again…

Welcome to 2021! Happy New Year and best wishes to all of you, going ahead. I know that the previous year wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. And I swear by the Light, if I’d have had to listen to one more person say “2020 is gonna be my year!” I probably would have vomited a little. I may be a little bitter, since life has been sending me down rough waters long before 2020 settled its talons into all of us, but with COVID-19 taking a firm hold on the world, I haven’t really heard anyone saying that “2021 is gonna be my year!”

Some things that I’d like all my readers to remember as we step into yet another digit on the calendar, is that life and nature do NOT recognize the Gregorian calendar. What this means is that just because we’ve turned a page from ’20 to ’21 doesn’t mean that the fight is over and everything is going back to normal. The coming year will still require all of you to fight hard, make goals and accomplish wonderful things under your own power. The next is that like I always say, life doesn’t care about your plan. Despite whatever goals you set for yourself, be ready to be flexible and change to accommodate whatever gets thrown in your way. While navigating the river’s currents, you’re pretty sure to alter your course if there’s a huge rock in your way (unless you’re an idiot!) and so it should be with life and one’s goals.

Last but not least, let’s all try to eliminate as much suffering in the world as we can. Both within our own lives and within the lives of others. Often, we become so focused on our own pain that we don’t care that our words and actions may affect someone else. At least in my own experience, some of the worst things that have happened to me have come as a result of someone else’s words and actions. And those people likely aren’t even aware of how much suffering they’ve caused.

Despite the time and opportunities lost in 2020, let’s look forward and focus on working towards the things we may accomplish, the experiences we may get to have and the loved ones we still have in our lives, near or far. All other resolutions aside, this year should have you focusing on simply making things better, for yourself and others. When you feel like you’ve been running uphill for so long that your legs are about to give out, remind yourself of the reward that’s waiting at the peak. And the only way you’ll get there is to keep on running. ☯

Not All Weight Is Created Equal…

Have you ever started a fitness regiment or a new diet and noticed that your weight increased, even if only slightly? And have you ever had a friend or family member tell you the same, tired old rhetoric that we’ve been hearing for years? “You’re gaining weight because muscle weighs more than fat…” No. No, it doesn’t. A pound of fat weighs the same as a pound of muscle. That reminds me of the trick question one of my teachers used to ask in one of my many high school physics classes: “What’s heavier? A pound of lead or a pound of feathers?” It would always be surprising (and disappointing) to see how many people automatically jumped to feathers without taking a moment to contemplate the question…

My point is, a weight is a weight is a weight. And this applies especially to fitness, where if you decide on a particular day that you’re going to arm curl 20 pounds, it really doesn’t matter what type of weight you’re using, so long as it weighs 20 pounds. Still with me? Good. But the difference is HOW you intend to use the weight in question and how you’ll incorporate it into your workout. I know some people who use kettlebells to perform hyper-extended push-ups. Sometimes dumbbells, as well. When you start adding such variety and changes, not all weights are created equal. And here’s why.

First of all, I’m not a big fan of spending money. Even when it’s for something geared towards my health & fitness, I get rather pissy when I feel I’m being taken for a ride, financially-speaking. If you’re going to invest in weight equipment, try going second hand. You’ll likely still find decent equipment that will serve your purpose, but it’ll be less costly than buying it brand new. For example, a 20-pound hex dumbbell goes for about $35. Each. That makes for an average of about $1.75/pound, which can get ridiculous when you start wandering into the realm of 40 or 50 pounds.

I’m far from being what anyone would call a “fitness expert,” and I certainly don’t have any acronyms or abbreviations following my name to claim authority on the subject. But this is one of those cases where a bit more expensive MAY (key word) guarantee you a bit more quality. And weight “machines” are fun gadgets, but bear in mind that they’re limited to only one function per station and don’t allow for workout variety. Not to mention it’ll cost you a second mortgage, your firstborn child and likely your soul. But let’s focus on free weights. Here are some of the different ones:

PLATE WEIGHTS

This is the old school shit, right here. A bar of metal with thread at either end, and you slap on some weight plates and cap it with a screw-on fastener. They’re metal, they’re bad ass and they make even the smallest weights look like you’re imitating Schwarzenegger. In fact, the ones you see in the photo are only 15-pound dumbbells. But the size and look of the plates lend a certain, shall we say, psychological feel. The benefit of this type of dumbbell is you can adjust it to whatever weight you choose. The disadvantage is that you HAVE to adjust it to whatever weight you choose. It can be cumbersome and time consuming to change up the weight between sets, unless you have multiple bars to use. But the durability can’t be denied and if one plate becomes damaged or broken, it’s far easier to purchase and replace the one plate than an entire dumbbell.

PVC WEIGHTS

I don’t know what the fuck these are actually called, but you likely know them from seeing them in the corner of your ex-girlfriend’s living room because she’s “decided to make a positive fitness change” in her life. They can be recognized by the bright colours and light weight amounts. The weights themselves are made of cast iron and are usually coated in their tell-tale colour using a PVC derivative. The benefit to this type of dumbbell is that it’s aesthetically pleasing to the eye and can be handy for lighter workouts, especially if you incorporate them in circuits or cardio. The disadvantage is that they rarely come any heavier than 10 to 15 pounds (although I’ve seen exceptions) and can be pretty costly, unless you buy them in some sort of set or kit that includes a batch of them in different denominations. I make light of them (see what I did there?) but the truth is we have some of these in our home and it allows my whole family to perform weight exercises with me and I use the 8-pound ones for various exercises as well.

ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS

Some weights that you find will be made with certain types of plastics, polymers, polypropylene and concrete. Like I said at the beginning, a weight is a weight and the reality is that you can sometimes get these alternative weights at a much lower price than the previously mentioned types. That’s the big advantage. I’ve seen some plastic kettlebells at a local retailer for less than a dollar a pound. If you’re starting out or even if you’re simply trying to limit equipment cost, that’s pretty good. The disadvantage is that what you’re paying won’t give you the long-term durability of some of the other types of weights. If you have plastic weights filled with concrete or sand, you need to recognize that long-term use and/or dropping can lead to these weights splitting open and making a God-awful mess. Especially if you use them for alternative exercise routines, like hyper-extended push-ups and stuff. That’s only one example, of course.

HEX WEIGHTS

Here we go! These are the writer’s favourite, the cadillac of free weights, the best of the best… in this humble martial artist’s opinion! Hex weights are usually made out of one piece of solid cast iron and painted grey or black. The ones you see in the photo are a bit on the fancier side as they feature a chromed grip and black, PVC-coated weights at either end. The benefit to these types of weight is that they’re very near indestructible, can be used for a wide variety of resistance and circuit workouts and rarely need replacing. The disadvantage is that they cost a bloody fortune! If you get the pretty black ones from the photo, you may be easily looking at $2/pound. If you’re buying a pair of 40-pound dumbbells, that’s $160 just for a pair of dumbbells! Despite this, they still stand as my favourites. Their construction makes it impossible for them to roll away from you when you set them down, they can be used for push-ups and various alternative exercises and if you drop them on the floor, you won’t damage them. You may get pissed at yourself for the damage you’ve caused to your floor, but I digress…

At the end of the day, the weights you use will be directly dependent on your budget, preference and exactly HOW you’ll be using the weights. I still stand by my belief that finding the equipment you need second-hand from someone who no longer wants it is a better way to go, but since you’ll be the one using the stuff, you need to make certain that you’re comfortable with it. While we’re discussing comfort, make sure that you purchase weights that you’re comfortable with and can easily lift and move around. Don’t go buying a set of dumbbells that has you trembling as though you’re having a seizure in order to complete one rep. Although it’s good to push the envelope, you need to be able to move and transport your weight easily without compromising or injuring yourself. ☯

Is Traditional Karate Dead?

I’ve been studying karate for over thirty years (yes, I know that I mention that a lot) and the benefits of the martial arts on my health, my Diabetes and my overall mental well-being can’t be over-stated. My reasons for starting karate have changed and/or altered throughout the decades and there have even been periods when I’ve walked away from it for a while, even though no genuine martial artist can ever truly quit; they’ll always maintain it or come back to it in some way, shape or form.

Martial arts hit the big screens in the mid-1950’s, although what they were showing on screen could hardly be called martial arts, in any true sense of the term. In the 1970’s, martial arts blew up the big screen with Enter The Dragon, Bruce Lee’s hit movie where he infiltrates an island tournament held by a monk turned criminal drug lord. Since then, people have been fascinated and infatuated by the presence of martial arts and will often whistle through their teeth if you tell them that you study it.

The 1980’s showed a huge surge of television shows that focused on the martial arts. One of my favourites was The Master, a show about an old ninja master taking on a younger student while they search for his missing daughter. It only aired for one season, but it was timeless (plus, I was 6-years old at the time so it all looked great!). By the time the late 1990’s and early 2000’s rolled around, there was a noticeable lack of interest in the martial arts.

Unless you had already been doing it and were part of a dojo that had enough students and enough steam to host tournaments and events and keep itself going, a lot of schools (especially back in New Brunswick) saw serious lacks in attendance and students. Sensei’s dojo also felt the sting of this phenomenon, with our classes going from several dozen students per class to about a half dozen students before I moved away for work. It was disheartening to see, and it took a certain something away from the ambiance of the class. This has led me to ask the question: Is traditional karate dead?

I remember watching the very first Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993; back when it was actually ABOUT the martial arts and not about pitting two ‘roid heads in biker shorts against one another. I got to enjoy watching a variety of realistic fights, as the original events involved individual martial arts styles, no gloves or protective equipment and most importantly, no rules. It saw matches the likes of a sumo wrestler against a savate fighter, kickboxing against karate and traditional boxing against Jiu Jitsu. It was exciting, it was bloody and it was traditional. Everyone had on their specific gi or uniform and held true to their style.

These days, so-called MMA, or mixed martial arts has taken over, and people have become less and less enthused about traditional forms of fighting such as karate. It seems the growing trend is geared towards trying to discredit traditional martial arts, filming unqualified instructors and turning one’s preference on the more streamlined punch/kick training such as the MMA. People enjoy seeing some of the fancy, high-flying antics shown on the big screen, but very few people are interested in the actual training or disciplined required to learn the actual art.

Styles such as Tae Kwon Do have managed to ease their way through these troubled waters. But in many cases, this is because their style contains such dynamic techniques as to keep the students’ focus and attention, as well as include things like board breaking, flips and intricate spin kicks, which although look nice, hold no practical application in an actually fight unless your opponent has ABSOLUTELY no fighting skills whatsoever. It may look impressive to have someone hold a board and have you spin twice through the air before kicking through it. But explain to me in what world anyone will sit still long enough for you to execute that overly complicated maneuveur?

The MMA’s end goal more closely resembles that of traditional boxing, where two opponents square off and beat the living shit out of each other until one of them submits or gets knocked out. I know I harp on MMA quite a bit in my posts. This is mostly because I’ve seen the decline in its development from a sharing of various martial arts to the barbaric bloodfest they’ve turned it into. MMA’s goal is literally to get the opponent on the ground and keep pounding on them until they tap or pass out. Not exactly something that can be referred to as an “art,” which makes sense since a singular student can’t “mix” martial arts when training.

Now, don’t get me wrong… I’m not focusing on these two sports, I’m simply using them as an example of how society has lost its infatuation with the martial arts. In fact, one of the toughest opponents I’ve ever squared off against was a Tae Kwon Do black belt (looking at you, Jesse!) And there’s no arguing that training in the MMA is a ridiculously tough workout regiment and taxes the body. No question. But the prospect of convincing students to move slowly and smoothly, doing forms for an hour at a time is much more difficult when faced against spin kicks, board breaking and the television glam of MMA.

One of the true problems may also be the fact that the modernization of society has taken away the mystery. Back in Bruce Lee’s day, the martial arts was exotic and mystical; a means of fighting not seen by most people and it was something to be sought out. Modern times and the advent of high-speed internet has taken away that aspect, as everyone has the world’s information at their fingertips. Some of the mystery and mysticism is gone.

Karate is still a highly effective and potent fighting art. I should know, I’ve used it in both personal and professional settings to protect myself and others. And I can speak from experience when I say that it is every karate practitioner’s dream to find a student who will commit to the art so that it may be passed down to the next generation. I was that person for Sensei. His art lives within me and is carried in everything I do. I still hope to find such a student.

Traditional karate may not be dead, but its spark of life is certainly dwindling. In the modern, fast-paced world where everyone expects immediate gratification, spending a decade or longer trying to reach a black belt doesn’t appeal to the younger generation when you can walk into the neighbouring McDojo and get your black belt in two years. You won’t be able to fight worth a damn and God help you, should you ever have to protect yourself or someone else, but good for you! Hopefully someday, the appreciation that traditional martial arts held will come full circle and once again be prominent. ☯

And Touched The Sound, Of Silence…

Ah, Simon & Garfunkel… Part of the endless soundtrack of my youth, the Sound of Silence is a haunting classic with rich lyrics that stir the imagination and move the spirit. And most recently in 2015, a band called Disturbed covered the song and did a fantastic job. Both versions stir a little something in my soul and the song is fantastic. If you haven’t heard either version, I highly recommend you fall down the youTube rabbit hole and watch both. Then, you can judge for yourself. But enough about my musical preferences; let’s get on with the point of today’s post.

Today, I’d like to talk about silence. A beautiful thing, silence. Not many of us get to enjoy it. In fact, modern life almost makes it impossible. Depending on where you live, even if you happen to be childless and live alone, you’ll still hear the residual background noise of the world around you. And sometimes, the static can get to be a bit much. This is one of the purposes behind meditation. Quieting your mind can often be achieved through intense and mindful meditation. But what about being quiet yourself? There are plenty of stereotypes about Buddhism; in fact, I’ve written posts on that very thing. But one of the stereotypes that happen to be true is that some of us choose to take a vow of silence.

Vows of silence are used in many different religions and even by some non-religious affiliates of those religions. The reasons behind it vary, ranging from simply a disciplinary requirement of the particular religious sect, forms of protest and all the way up to helping self-enlightenment and the belief that it potentially brings one closer to God. But for the purposes of today’s post, I’ll focus on what’s familiar, which is the Buddhist aspect.

In Buddhism, taking a vow of silence can certainly represent will-power and self-discipline. But it also serves as a means of being at one with your thoughts, developing a better ability to listen to others (something most people should develop) and making certain that one observes Right Speech, which is part of the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism. A vow of silence helps to ensure that you have the ability to think about what you’ll say before it comes barreling out of your mouth. This prevents you from bringing harm o yourself or others by saying something foul or negative.

Definitely, one of the main reasons one should take a vow of silence is not only to stop talking, but to quiet one’s mind. I’ve spoken about how Zen involves achieving peace and enlightenment through meditation, and this is pretty difficult with a disquieted mind. During a vow of silence, one does not simply stop talking; one needs to be aware and be mindful of one’s thoughts, eliminating the negative and focusing on the positive.

That last aspect can be a challenge, and certainly one of my own, personal obstacles during meditation. Being mindful and in control of one’s thoughts is a difficult thing, requiring years of practice and self-discipline. After all, even though focusing on nothing is still focusing on something, trying to keep the mind clear becomes difficult because the human brain simply isn’t designed NOT to have thoughts coursing through it. A vow of silence can help with that.

Contrary to some sources and popular opinion, a vow of silence doesn’t have to be a life-long thing. Some monks will take a vow of silence for a specified period of time or for specific reasons and then resume speaking. Some will simply stop using verbal communication, although most are of the belief that even written communication is a form of speaking and will avoid writing as well.

Last but not least, silence can lend some physiological benefits to the body. According to an article I found on PsychCentral.com, even just short periods of silence can help lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, decrease stress, promote good hormone regulation and even prevent plaque formation in the arteries. The article goes on to suggest a variety of ways to achieve that silence, including a walk in the woods, meditating, deep breathing (which you’ll do while meditating anyway) and my favourite, which is staying in bed an extra five minutes before getting up for the day. That last one is pointless with two young boys in the house. But I digress…

Some people aren’t big fans of being in silence. Some can even say they have a phobia of silence. Be that as it may, there’s no denying that any period of glorious noiselessness can have a variety of physical and emotional benefits and isn’t simply restricted to the religious side of things. Interested in trying it out? It doesn’t have to be a vow or last for a significant period of time. Choosing one hour every day to simply enjoy some silence can allow for all those benefits as well. Of course, I know a number of people who could definitely benefit from taking a vow and keeping their mouths shut for years. But that would mostly be for the benefit of the rest of the world. ☯