Under Armour

Under Armour makes great compression clothing for working out. My exercise equipment is in my basement, which gets cold in the winter and is a bit chilly in the summer with my whole house air conditioner turned on. In the winter, I wear Under Armour's ColdGear line. I wear a mock turtleneck and leggings. They are great for wearing outside when I am shoveling snow off the driveway or using the snowblower.

In warmer weather, I have always worn compression shorts by HIND for the longest time. I started wearing them when they were not cool for guys to wear them. In warmer weather, I have never worn compression wear for my upper body. I bought Reebok's Play Dry compression T Shirts from Kohls a few weeks ago because they were 40 percent off, and with an additional 15 percent off coupon, the final price was way cheaper than Under Armour. The Play Dry compression T Shirt feels great. The compression feeling puts me in a better state of mind to work out. It is tight against my chest, biceps, and abs. I feel more pumped up. I highly recommend wearing compression clothing for both the upper and lower body.

Weekly Review - 5/14/2006

Last week I worked out 4 days and mowed the lawn one day. I wrist is about 66 percent recovered. I still do not have my completed range of motion yet. I am happy about the number of workouts I completed. However, I did not get enough sleep during the week, so I was physically exhausted by the end of the week. One thing about working out is I can worry just a tiny tad less about my diet.

Weekly Review - 5/7/2006

I completed two cardio sessions and mowed the lawn once. No weight lifting. I was still a little reluctant to lift weights.

Yesterday, I started flexing and bending my wrist to get it back in shape. Here are a couple of my wrist exercises:
1. I hold my fingers clenched like a fist, then flex my fingers to open my hand. I do this both palm down and palm up.
2. Vertical wrist bends – I bend my wrist down and up vertically. I do this palm down.
3. Horizontal wrist bends – I bend my wrist left and right, I do this palm down.

I decided to lift weights for my upper body today. It has been over six weeks. I decided to work on my triceps because it seemed like it would be the least stressful to my wrist. It is a start. I will see how I feel later in the next few days.

Slots for Mario

Hey, I just found a website where you can sign a petition in support of the Isle of Capri plan. Click here. I usually do not get too involved with politics (yes, this is a political issue), but I felt that I should post this. The Isle of Capri plan will not use taxpayer dollars. It is the best plan. Plan B proposed by Governer Eddie R is a joke. Let's keep the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh!

Weekly Review - 4/30/2006

I completed three cardio sessions and mowed the lawn once. Even though my activity level has decreased, I did not reduce my overall caloric intake, so my midsection is not looking slim and trim. I lifted weights (quadriceps and hamstrings) on Monday for the first time in over four weeks.

My wrist is getting better, but not fully recovered yet. I do not have my full range of motion yet. I have not tried any specific exercises for the wrist yet. I am able to grip a pen and write without discomfort now. This is a big improvement. I can not turn a screwdriver or other twisting motions with my wrist yet.

Time to go to bed.

You Searched for CRUNCHES and Landed Here

My Sitemeter counter http://www.sitemeter.com/ reveals that the number one keyword search that brings people to visit my blog is CRUNCHES. Obviously you are looking for advice on trimming your waistline. As a public service to you lurkers who are looking for advice, I will start posting tips on working out and living a healthy lifestyle.

What are my qualifications? I am not a personal trainer. I do not have 6 pack abs. I am just a normal guy who happens to be a fitness enthusiast who has consistently maintained a workout routine for the past 17 years.

So how good are my abs? I would say that I have a 4 pack. I have never been able to attain the 6 pack that most guys dream about. My abs are very solid. If you poked at my stomach like the Pillsbury Doughboy, you would say, “Wow, your stomach is very firm”

My number one piece of advice on abs is: You can not spot reduce. You must follow PittLeo’s 4 I’s:

Insomnia-sleep/rest
Intake-diet/food
Iron-weights
Inhale-aerobics

What the hell are PittLeo’s 4 I’s? My 4 I’s are similar to Kurt Angle’s 3 I’s, only better. Please see my previous post here.

Ladder Match Anyone?

Not really, fooled you. At work today, I spent time going up and down a ladder running cat 5 cable. I did ride my exercise bike and my Nordic Track after work, but my legs were a little tired from the ladder runs.

Route 8 Accident - Homicide Charges Filed

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported that homicide charges were filed against the driver of the truck hauling a wood chipper that became unattached and slammed into a van killing a father and two of his three triplet children, see the story here.

The driver did at least four things wrong which contributed to this tragedy:
1) He was taking stolen prescription painkillers (percocet) that day.
2) He drank beer the day of the accident.
3) Investigators estimate that he was speeding at 67 - 73 mph in a 45 mph zone.
4) He admitted not checking the trailer connection, locking pin, and the safety chains.

Dude, you were just plain stupid, irresponsible, and careless! Three people died because of your actions.

Weekly Review – 4/23/2006

Last week was not a productive week. I was feeling down because of the uncertainty about my wrist injury. I did not do any lifting at all for the third week in a row. I mowed the lawn twice and had one aerobic session.

For lack of a better term, my midsection feels bloated this week. I attribute this to my lack of weight lifting and aerobic exercise the past three weeks. Plus when I was less active, I did not decrease my caloric intake.

My plan for this week is still no lifting until the weekend. I will try to increase the number of cardio sessions this week. I will also try to avoid eating complex carbohydrates before going to bed. I will just eat yogurt.

I have found that after an extended break from working out, the amount of time to get back in shape is roughly the same amount of time as my break. This is week four, so it should take me roughly four weeks to get back in shape.

DeQuervain's Tendinitis

DeQuervain's Tendinitis

I saw a hand surgeon today, and the diagnosis is DeQuervain's Tendinitis. What the hell is it? Well, here is a description from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/brochure/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=52&topcategory=Hand

DeQuervain's stenosing tenosynovitis is an irritation and swelling of the sheath or tunnel which surrounds the thumb tendons as they pass from the wrist to the thumb. Pain when grasping or pinching and tenderness over the tunnel are the most common symptoms. Sometimes a lump or thickening can be felt in this area. If the hand is made into a fist with the thumb "tucked in" and bent towards the little finger, the pain gets worse (Finkelstein test). Tendonitis may be caused by overuse and also can be seen in association with pregnancy or inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid disease. If treated early, many cases improve with short periods of rest in a splint, followed by stretching exercises designed to get the tendons gliding. Injection with steroids and/or taking anti-inflammatory medications. More severe cases or those that do not respond to other treatment may require surgery. Modification of the activities which caused the symptoms initially also may be required.

I received a cortisone shot in my wrist this morning. The Dr. said the wrist should start feeling better mid week or the end of this week. What a relief! I am on the road to recovery.

Kurt Angle 3 I's

Kurt Angle, WWE Superstar, Olympic Gold Medalist, and Pittsburgh native, attributes his success to practicing the 3 I’s:

Intelligence, Integrity, and Intensity

I have come up with my own 3 I’s, but to out do Kurt Angle, I have 4 I’s:

Insomnia-sleep/rest
Intake-diet/food
Iron-weights
Inhale-aerobics

Let me go into detail about each I:

Insomnia – The amount of sleep I get every day plays a role in how tired I am to complete my workouts. I am a night owl. I like to stay up, watch David Letterman and Craig Ferguson, surf the Internet, play a video game, etc before I go to bed. After work, I take a nap, and then workout. Sometimes I nap too much and sometimes I am still sleepy after my nap, so I skip working out. I can only work out 2 days in a row, then I take one day off. If I work out 3 days in a row, my body gets too tired. Sleep/rest is essential to let my body recuperate from the stress of working out.

Intake – I watch what I eat. I eat lean, healthy foods: oatmeal, chicken, fish, vegetables, yogurt, and very little red meat. However, I do like to cheat. I like Subway, but I also love their cookies. I have to decrease my intake if I am not working out.

Iron – muscle is more efficient at burning calories than fat. I seem to have problems exercising each body part at least once a week.

Inhale – cardio/aerobics is essential to burning fat. I have not been able to work up to an amount of cardio that I could really benefit from.

For me, it has been difficult to maintain all 4 I’s at the same time. Usually, I can maintain 3 of the I’s, but I always miss out on the 4 th I.

Kurt Angle may have 3 I’s, but I have 4 I’s. You SUC# !

Why I Workout

I am on a self imposed “Out of Commission” status until I can get a diagnosis on my right wrist. I have scheduled an appointment with a hand surgeon for next Monday. When I get into a slump where I do not want to workout, I remind myself why I need to workout. Here are my reasons:

1. Self discipline, structure – when my life seems out of control, working out gives me discipline and provides structure when I need it.

2. Stress reducer – Working out helps me relieve stress. I take out my frustrations on myself my building and shaping my body.

3. Endorphins – Working out is supposed to release endorphins, your body’s natural high.

4. Knee rehab – I had a meniscus tear in my left knee about 10 years ago. A self induced overuse injury from working out was the likely cause. I had arthroscopic surgery to fix it. The knee feels unstable if I do not exercise it regulary.

5. Exercise induced asthma prevention – I discovered that I have exercise induced asthma, so I need to do cardio on a regular basis.

6. Goal setting – Working out lets me set goals for my physical fitness level.

7. Mental stimulation – I have found out that mind seems to focus better when I am working out regularly.

Today, I worked my abs and did cardio on my exercise bike. Later.

Weekly Review - 4/16/2006

I only completed two aerobic sessions and mowed the lawn one day. I have taken a break from lifting to see if it helps with my right wrist. I am depressed and unmotivated because of my injury.

I received the results of the x-ray on Monday and no fracture. I was kind of surprised, I thought for sure I was exhibiting all of the symptoms of a scaphoid fracture. I am both relieved and disappointed at the same time. Relieved that I do not have a fracture. Disappointed because my problem has not been diagnosed yet.

The range of motion in my right wrist is very limited compared to my left wrist. Something is still wrong. I have not decided yet which hand surgeon I will call to schedule an appointment. The sooner I make the appointment, the less I will worry about the unknown.

Scaphoid Fracture - Unofficial

Unofficially, I believe I have a scaphoid or wrist fracture. I have not received the official results of the x-rays yet, but everything I have read leads me to believe this. It usually happens when you fall and try to brace the fall with your hands. At first, I could not remember when I fell down. I then realized that I had fallen on 3-8-2006. I was walking on an uneven, unpaved parking lot. I lost my balance, fell forward, and used my hands to brace the fall.

If the fracture is minor, I will just need a cast for two to three months. If the fracture is really bad, I will also need surgery to have a pin placed in my wrist. Recovery is long because the blood flow to this area of the hand is not ideal. I hope I just need a cast with no surgery. Due to the length of time my wrist will be in a cast, I will probably need physical therapy later to re-strength the muscles in my hand and wrist.

It is hard to accept that my wrist is fractured. I thought this only happened to older people with weak bones. I guess my body is no longer as young as it used to be.

This really puts a dent in my workouts. How I am going to keep my upper body in shape? I will be able to keep my legs in shape and concentrate on my cardio. I can not believe this, another setback. Damn!

Wrist Woes

I saw my family doctor yesterday about the pain in my right wrist. She was not able to come up with a definite diagnosis. I was asked if I had injured my wrist somehow. The only thing I could think of is that I may have tweaked the wrist while weight lifting. I was told to use a wrist brace for a week, take Advil every 6-8 hours, and to get an X-ray. If the pain does not go away after a week, I should go and see a hand surgeon.

I went to UPMC Passavant today and got an X-ray on my wrist. No results yet. This is the first time I have been to UPMC Passavant. I moved back to the Burgh four years ago to the North Hills after leaving 14 years ago from the South Hills. I was born in St. Clair Hospital, so it is the only hospital I am used to visiting. This was my first visit to UPMC Passavant, so I was not quite sure what to expect. Anyway, here is my souvenir wristband. There is my birthday. Mark it down so you can send me a birthday card. Later.

Cookie Monster

Homemade Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! Tasty! My mother made these over Easter Weekend. On the one hand, they are delicious. On the other hand, it really does not help me keep in shape. There goes the diet. The cookies do have oatmeal in them, so they do have some health benefits.

Route 8 Accident Reconstruction

Route 8 was closed after work today so officials could reconstruct the accident that took place last week. Everyone wants to know what happened. Filing charges against anyone or company will not bring back the father and his two children. Hopefully, it will bring about change so an accident like this will not happen again.

Weekly Review for 4/9/2006

Last week was not my best week as far as quantity of workouts completed. I did not even log anything for last week. I believe I completed one real workout with weights. My first lawn mowing of the year does count as a workout. It took me 1 hour and 45 minutes to mow my lawn. The front yard is level, but the back yard is hilly. I have a self propelled mower which helps, but it is heavy. On the flipside, one thing I am not good at is getting enough rest between workouts. I had plenty of rest last week. I essentially took last weekend off from working out to spend with my mother and two brothers. I made an appointment to see my family doctor on Thursday about my carpal tunnel problems. I am predicting I may need to get an x-ray or an MRI done on my right hand. I am hoping for a positive diagnosis which puts me on the road to recovery. I have switched all of the mice at my home and work PC's to the left side of the keyboard to see if this will help. I will be a lefty for a while.

Easter Traditions

One of my family's Easter traditions is to color Easter eggs. My younger brother, myself, and my older brother are all over 40 years old, but we still color Easter eggs. Here is a pic.

Another Easter tradition we have is to visit the cemetary on Easter Sunday to place flowers on my grandmother's grave. We also place flowers on the grave of my older sister that I never knew. My mother never talks about her. I am curious, but I respect my mother's privacy. My sister was her first child, and she only lived one year (according to the gravestone). We have done this for as long as I can remember.

In February 1988, my father passed away from colon cancer. Since 1988, we have also placed flowers at my father's grave.

Spring is Here

A couple of things tell me that Spring has finally arrived:

1. My daffodils are in bloom.
2. The cherry blossom tree in my yard has bloomed. It does not compare to Washington, DC, but it is my little festival.
3. I mowed my lawn for the first time this year.

Later Bloggers.