Kendall Giles » exercise http://www.kendallgiles.com Writing, reviews, and living an epic life Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:05:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Mushrooms on the mulch pile and galumphing through the Internet http://www.kendallgiles.com/2011/04/mushrooms-on-mulch-pile-and-galumphing-through-the-internet/ http://www.kendallgiles.com/2011/04/mushrooms-on-mulch-pile-and-galumphing-through-the-internet/#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:59:42 +0000 Kendall http://www.kendallgiles.com/?p=1242

Above is a picture I took yesterday of a little cluster of mushrooms I discovered on a pile of mulch in our yard.

Below are a few Internet links from the last couple of weeks. Highlights include why creative people are eccentric, six exercise machines to avoid, word of a new Sherlock Holmes story on the way, and the power of the Dark Side.

“Legal” disclaimers at the bottom of emails are useless and . . . → Read More: Mushrooms on the mulch pile and galumphing through the Internet]]> mushrooms on mulch pile

Above is a picture I took yesterday of a little cluster of mushrooms I discovered on a pile of mulch in our yard.

Below are a few Internet links from the last couple of weeks. Highlights include why creative people are eccentric, six exercise machines to avoid, word of a new Sherlock Holmes story on the way, and the power of the Dark Side.

“Legal” disclaimers at the bottom of emails are useless and annoying

Six exercise machines you must avoid

A new Sherlock Holmes story is on the way

[ VIDEO ] Little girl unexpectedly vows to join the Dark Side at new Star Wars show in Disneyland [seems like Disneyland was caught off guard--who knew someone would want to join the Dark Side? I say: smart kid]

Why creative people are eccentric

Are you a dictator of a third-world country who wants a PhD from a prestigious Western university? Here’s how to get such a PhD

The return of Michael Moorcock’s ‘New Worlds’ Magazine

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]]> http://www.kendallgiles.com/2011/04/mushrooms-on-mulch-pile-and-galumphing-through-the-internet/feed/ 0 Review: the best protein powder: whey protein from trueprotein http://www.kendallgiles.com/2010/12/review-the-best-protein-powder-whey-protein-from-trueprotein/ http://www.kendallgiles.com/2010/12/review-the-best-protein-powder-whey-protein-from-trueprotein/#comments Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:47:04 +0000 Kendall http://www.kendallgiles.com/?p=1074

Those who exercise regularly know how difficult it is to eat enough high-quality protein. As for how much protein you are supposed to eat per day, the rule of thumb is one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Speaking from experience, this can be a hard target, especially if you are on the go a lot.

Also, we are surrounded by fast food joints and pre-packaged junk food options – our society . . . → Read More: Review: the best protein powder: whey protein from trueprotein]]>

Those who exercise regularly know how difficult it is to eat enough high-quality protein. As for how much protein you are supposed to eat per day, the rule of thumb is one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Speaking from experience, this can be a hard target, especially if you are on the go a lot.

Also, we are surrounded by fast food joints and pre-packaged junk food options – our society is structured against healthy eating choices!

As for getting enough protein, I’ve tried lots of protein powders and mixes over the years, and the best I’ve found so far is Whey Protein Concentrate from trueprotein.com.

What is great about this protein powder is that you can buy it without the added artificial sweeteners, flavors, additives, and other chemicals found in many other protein powders. Unlike the protein powders that clump up, this one mixes well, even with water. The flavor tastes like a very bland milk, so it is great to drink by itself or serve as a perfect base if you want to add in fruit, juice, or other ingredients.

One 30 gram serving of this whey protein powder contains 24 grams of protein, 120 total calories, and 23 calories from fat.

I also like that this powder originates in the USA – no need to worry about melamine or other contaminants in protein powders from other countries.

Finally, when buying protein powder from trueprotein.com, you do have the option of adding flavors, sweeteners, vitamins, etc. *if you want to*. This company also offers many other protein powder and supplement options, like egg protein, soy protein, hydrolized proteins, rice proteins, carbohydrate formulas and drink mixes, vitamins, blends, and much more – in fact they have one of the largest selections of raw supplement powders in the industry.

I’ve been very happy with the products this company sells and I like being able to rely on a company I can trust.

Feel free to use discount code KLG109 for 5% off your order from trueprotein.com!







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]]> http://www.kendallgiles.com/2010/12/review-the-best-protein-powder-whey-protein-from-trueprotein/feed/ 0 Workout haiku, with kettlebells http://www.kendallgiles.com/2010/09/workout-haiku-with-kettlebells/ http://www.kendallgiles.com/2010/09/workout-haiku-with-kettlebells/#comments Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:56:06 +0000 Kendall http://www.kendallgiles.com/?p=879 Workout Haiku by Kendall Giles

Exercise is freedom, Distilled into a bludgeon, An azure kettlebell.

Related Posts: Review: Manduka PRO 85-inch yoga and pilates mat Totally Awesome Gift Guide 2011 Mushrooms on the mulch pile and galumphing through the Internet Review: the best protein powder: whey protein from trueprotein Great Gift Ideas 2010 ]]> Workout Haiku
by Kendall Giles

Exercise is freedom,
Distilled into a bludgeon,
An azure kettlebell.

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]]> http://www.kendallgiles.com/2010/09/workout-haiku-with-kettlebells/feed/ 0 Preview of new documentary: “Bartitsu: the Lost Martial Art of Sherlock Holmes” http://www.kendallgiles.com/2009/12/preview-of-new-documentary-bartitsu-the-lost-martial-art-of-sherlock-holmes/ http://www.kendallgiles.com/2009/12/preview-of-new-documentary-bartitsu-the-lost-martial-art-of-sherlock-holmes/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:04:42 +0000 Kendall http://www.kendallgiles.com/?p=436 Here’s a preview of an upcoming documentary on Bartitsu, the art highlighted by Sherlock Holmes and one of the first mixed martial arts:

This documentary is sponsored by Tony Wolf and the Bartitsu Society, and includes lots of great footage, including the earliest footage of jujutsu.

Bartitsu was one of the first martial arts to combine Asian and Western fighting styles (70 years before Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do) and predated modern MMA fighting . . . → Read More: Preview of new documentary: “Bartitsu: the Lost Martial Art of Sherlock Holmes”]]> Here’s a preview of an upcoming documentary on Bartitsu, the art highlighted by Sherlock Holmes and one of the first mixed martial arts:

This documentary is sponsored by Tony Wolf and the Bartitsu Society, and includes lots of great footage, including the earliest footage of jujutsu.

Bartitsu was one of the first martial arts to combine Asian and Western fighting styles (70 years before Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do) and predated modern MMA fighting by about 100 years. This art also provided self-defense skills to the Suffragette movement.

The art is currently undergoing a revival, and work is being made towards collecting funds for a memorial for E.W. Barton-Wright, the art’s founder.

200912302157.jpg

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]]> http://www.kendallgiles.com/2009/12/preview-of-new-documentary-bartitsu-the-lost-martial-art-of-sherlock-holmes/feed/ 0 Review: Manduka PRO 85-inch yoga and pilates mat http://www.kendallgiles.com/2009/12/review-manduka-pro-85-inch-yoga-and-pilates-mat/ http://www.kendallgiles.com/2009/12/review-manduka-pro-85-inch-yoga-and-pilates-mat/#comments Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:10:22 +0000 Kendall http://www.kendallgiles.com/?p=420

A good exercise mat seems hard to find.

I wanted an exercise mat that was relatively portable and that would provide a stable exercise surface when exercising in various indoor locations, such as on wood flooring, carpet, or tile. Sometimes I do just body-weight exercises, sometimes I work with the TRX, and most often I use the kettlebell, but I do these exercises in various locations while on travel.

Based on lots of positive . . . → Read More: Review: Manduka PRO 85-inch yoga and pilates mat]]> 200912281745.jpg

A good exercise mat seems hard to find.

I wanted an exercise mat that was relatively portable and that would provide a stable exercise surface when exercising in various indoor locations, such as on wood flooring, carpet, or tile. Sometimes I do just body-weight exercises, sometimes I work with the TRX, and most often I use the kettlebell, but I do these exercises in various locations while on travel.

Based on lots of positive reviews, I thought I would try the Manduka BlackMatPRO 85-Inch Yoga and Pilates Mat, which some refer to as the Rolls-Royce of exercise mats. However, from my experiences with the mat, I’ve found that it certainly has the Rolls-Royce price, but unfortunately has more of a GM performance.

PRO:
* this mat easily rolls up and is portable
* this mat is not too heavy to carry around
* the length of the mat allows for coverage in a variety of exercises/poses

CON:
* the mat gets slippery when wet (as when sweating), which can be dangerous
* the mat is a little too narrow for my taste. For example, my hands are off the mat when doing a pushup, unless I use a narrow hand placement

Also, though this mat is marketed as a yoga mat and so probably is not expected to be able to withstand more rigorous use, one day I accidentally dropped a kettlebell onto the mat and the bottom edge of the kettlebell actually cut a hole through the mat. I mention this in case anyone is thinking of using the mat in a more general exercise setting.

So this mat seems fine as long as you stick with basic body-weight exercises only, and, as some reviewers have suggested, you use a towel or something to help prevent you from slipping if you exercise enough to work up a sweat. But for the price I was expecting a little more.

Manduka BlackMatPRO 85-Inch Yoga and Pilates Mat, available from Amazon

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]]> http://www.kendallgiles.com/2009/12/review-manduka-pro-85-inch-yoga-and-pilates-mat/feed/ 3 Exercise while on travel: chin-up / pull-up bar http://www.kendallgiles.com/2008/04/exercise-while-on-travel-chin-up-pull-up-bar/ http://www.kendallgiles.com/2008/04/exercise-while-on-travel-chin-up-pull-up-bar/#comments Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:29:41 +0000 Kendall http://kendallgiles.4orion.com/?p=143 For some time now, I have been on frequent travel.

. . . → Read More: Exercise while on travel: chin-up / pull-up bar]]>

For some time now I have been on frequent travel. You know what this means – quick meals from the drive-through window, not enough “good for you” foods and drinks, exposure to lots of other people on the run and sometimes sick with a cold or flu, lack of a good night’s sleep, and a difficulty in getting enough exercise. While pushups are great, and can be done anywhere, I also wanted a little something more than a pushup or situp.

I thought about bringing around some kettlebells, but those aren’t very portable, and I didn’t want them flying around the car in case there was an accident. But after looking around for a bit, I took a chance on an inexpensive and portable chin-up / pull-up bar, called the Creative Fitness Door Gym.

After a quick assembly, I was actually quite impressed. It rests on the frame of a door – no nails or screws or glue needed – it takes about one second to remove it from the door, leaving no marks. Yet it is very sturdy and allows for as many chin-ups as you could ever possibly want to do. With it you can do pull-ups using multiple grips – with your palms facing away from you, palms facing towards you, and palms facing each other. Moreover, the bar also can be placed on the floor, allowing you to do deep pushups. When I am done and have to hit the road, I throw it in the back of the car.

Note that the image on Amazon does not do the product justice – here it is on a door frame:

chinup bar

Creative Fitness Door Gym
$30.77 (September 2011)
Available from Amazon

Also, in case you want to see a few more pullup / chinup bar options, here are five additional chinup bars you might want to investigate. Compared to the one I reviewed above, many of these have extensions that allow for wider and/or more varied grips. The Creative Fitness Door Gym above works well for me, because I did not need the wider grip–the Creative pullup bar is wide enough for me.

Finally, you might also want a good pullup routine to go with your new chinup bar, so here are a few routines to get you going. Personally, I enjoy the Fighter Pullup by Pavel.

I hope you enjoyed this post. If so, please consider shopping for yourself using this link to Amazon.com. Thanks!

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