Cameron Scholtz's Blog

Bottle Cap Bender

2008-04-12T17:39:00Z

Holycow! It's been months since I posted anything. Working fulltime while simultaneously trying to get straight A's in school eats up a lot of time. Well I have been wanting to post a video of my bottle cap bender. Simply bend the bottle cap in half, label side in. Impress your friends with your feat of strength. And win bar bets. Yiieee!

View Video
Format: wmv
Duration: 00:1:03

Do not try this when your hands are wet. Also, if you use the cap off a fresh bottle, make sure it is thoroughly dry. Enjoy!

ps. Cyber says "hi".

OK I Admit It, I Like Phoenix

2007-07-27T23:21:00Z

I sort of had a chip on my shoulder when I moved here in 2004. I was not about stay! Screw that. Phoenix sucks, it has no character, or decent restaurants. It is hot, lots of traffic...waah waah waah! Well I have finally relaxed and learned to appreciate the blessings in my life, many of which have occurred -- you guessed it -- since I have lived here.

I wanted to do an "I Luv Phoenix" blog post because this city has been growing on me. Yes I admit it, I like it here. Sure there are the potential negatives I just listed. But I look at places like Atlanta Denver, San Diego and Orlando and in many respects they are not any better off. Besides a lot of those other cities have additional negatives like foul weather (crazy humidity) and natural disasters. Playing tennis or basketball with my friends does not go in and out of season here. We can play all year long.

Most importantly though, the older I get the more I feel like home is wherever my loved ones are. Honestly, as long as I am in the same area as my family (or my spouse when I am married) -- that is home. And most of my family is here. Are there cleaner, cheaper, greener cities than Phoenix? Of course there are. But even my favorite city Portland, OR, is missing one thing. Family. At the end of the day, what else really matters other than my health and sharing my life with people I care about?

Anyhoo, not trying to be sappy. Back to my post. So on the days I workout my back I have been finishing up at Granada Park where I try to do 50 chin-ups. I have been wanting to take my camera we with because it is so beautiful where I live. Today I remembered to bring it. Nice views eh? I think so. After my 38 chin-ups (I was tired today) I started taking photos.

The area around Granada Park is raw, unlandscaped desert. It is really neat. I like the smell of the rocks when it is hot out. Almost smells like they are cooking. If you live here you probably know what I mean. The area around the park is a revitalization area. The Phoenix Parks Department planted the little plants you see in the foreground. I take a bottle of water with me when I go to do chin-ups and as I am walking back out to my truck I use whatever water is left in my bottle to give a couple of the smaller bushes a drink.

MET-Rx Big 100 Protein Bar Review

2007-07-05T04:07:00Z

My Opinion: The MET-Rx Big 100 Meal Replacement Bar was difficult to swallow.

I am reviewing the MET-RX Big 100 Peanut Butter Cookie Dough protein bar in hopes that you will read my opinion in time to save your taste buds from a real pounding. This is by far the worst tasting protein bar I have ever half eaten. I will eat most anything if I know it is healthy -- and I was hungry this evening when it was time for my before-bedtime snack, but I literally could not finish this ill flavored foam biscuit. There was no hint of peanut butter or cookie dough. I think the MET-Rx marketing department must have made that up as an afterthought. And at close to $3.00 at Frys Marketplace, these bars must carry a tidy profit margin.

View Video
Format: wmv
Duration: 00:03:36

For a good tasting protein bar that does have a hint of real peanut butter try the Cliff Builders Peanut Butter bar. I cut one of these in half and with a glass of milk it is my favorite after dinner snack. If you are thinking about having one of these in the morning, consider my recipe for a healthy breakfast protein shake instead.

Get Results from Diet and Exercise

2007-06-19T22:16:00Z

One of my 3.5 readers recently wrote me:

Lately I've had a hard time with food and working out. I feel like I'm doing well with both, but getting no results... so obviously I haven't really kicked in my metabolism with what I'm doing. I need to figure it out. At the gym last night they told me I've been going there 2 years.

It is frustrating when we do not get results from our diet and exercise, especially if we are eating well and working out regularly. If I had an effective answer for "how do I keep on keeping on when I don't see any results?" I could sell 100,000 books this year. (That is on my to-do list, stay tuned, yiieee!). I do, however, have a possible answer as to why you have not seen any results.

Want guaranteed results from your diet AND exercise efforts? Set a goal, keep a fitness journal and consistently take tiny steps over time. You will see results. Look it is so elementary I even made it into a pseudo mathematical formula!

G + J + S^t = R

Write Down Your Goal

First let me print something in bold because this is the most important paragraph I will write today.

You must write down your fitness goal. You must keep a fitness journal to record what you eat, your workout details, your weight and relevant body measurements.^± You must eat well AND exercise. You must do this consistently for 2-3 years.

If you do exactly as I recommend you are guaranteed to lose weight and increase your level of physical fitness. Having trouble with a goal? Try this one:

I will lose five pounds by November 31, 2007.^* Write it down and keep it somewhere you will see it every day.

Depending upon how much you weigh, five pounds might not seem like much. You might want to lose 25 pounds. Stick with me here. For one thing, this is not a race. And remember I am talking about permanent changes. In other words this is five pounds gone – forever! Moreover, goals can be adjusted. If you lose the five pounds by August then you will simply increase the original goal or create a new one. Just be sure you have truly hit the goal. If you weigh in five pounds lighter on August 1^st, stick with your original goal. At the end of August if you are still down at least five pounds then you have a 30 day track record and it is safe to celebrate and set a new goal.

Our bodies make permanent changes slowly. I experience this now as I am trying to build new muscle. In January of this year I set the following goal: I will increase the size of my arms from 13 7/8” to 14 /4”, without gaining any body fat, by November 31, 2007. My fitness journal has been invaluable in tracking my progress and making adjustments to my habits when necessary.

Keep a Fitness Journal

What is a fitness journal? It is a snapshot of your body on any given day. Start it today. Do not worry about recording every little detail or even using it every day. Getting fit is work but we do not want to scare ourselves off. Remember what I said about trying to do everything overnight. Don’t. Do not rush, ease into your journal.

Star with a tiny step. Journal your weight once per week. Next tiny step. Each workout day, journal what you did. This can be as simple as: June 19: Walked 1 mile. If you get a cold, make a note of that. If you happen to have blood pressure, cholesterol or other test results, journal them. Just write stuff down. There is no wrong way to do this as long as you are building a picture of your fitness level over time. The fitness journal is about YOU. If you do not find yourself interesting enough to keep track of then we have bigger problems.

Upon reviewing my fitness journal I determined that my arms had not grown for quite a few months. I also saw that my protein intake was marginal at best so that I was not giving my body the help it needed to grow new muscle. My first tiny step was to eat one extra low fat, protein-rich meal per day in order to start bringing in more of the nutrients my body would need to build new muscle. This extra meal quickly became a habit and then I readjusted my split system workout so that one day, at least once per week, I focused my training on arms.

I have followed this routine without fail all year. You know me, I work hard. And when I say that I work hard, lifting weights is only part of “the work”. Grocery shopping for specific foods, preparing meals, making time for meals, getting eight hours of sleep each night and planning new exercise routines are all part of the work. I must to give them priority in my life.

Anyhoo, 2007 is half over. What have achieved so far with all of this effort? Well, since January I have added 1/4" to my biceps, without gaining or losing weight. I have also been able to increase the intensity and duration of my workouts. If I make these same types of gains in the next six months I will be quite happy.

Tiny Steps

In our culture of instant gratification, tiny steps are often dismissed. When it comes getting more fit, either you believe the infomercials or you believe in hard work. If you believe in hard work, keep reading.

Since we change slowly it works better to consistently take tiny steps as we work to transform ourselves. A tiny step is easy to see and record. A tiny gives us a measurable victory. A tiny step gives our body and mind time to adjust and form new healthy habits. Most importantly, multiple tiny changes add up to big changes!

Be honest about the fitness changes you want to make. Write these goals down. Do they sound big? If your fitness goals are big then you must not try to accomplish them overnight. My rule of thumb is anything less than a year is overnight. Look at a two-to-five year time frame for big fitness goals.

What is a tiny step? Good question. If our goal is lose five pounds by November then our first tiny step might be to

Inspiration Happens

One other thing. Be on the lookout for inspiration. We all want to be inspired and know that we are not alone. Some people are further down a path we would like to take.

When I saw Carrot Top last year I was blown away by what he has done with his body. I immediately put Carrot Top's photo in my office. I did not do this because I want to be Carrot Top or have a body just like his. Comparing myself to someone else is not healthy. Nope, I put Carrot Top’s photo on my wall simply because I was inspired knowing he did the work and saw the results. His photo helps to serve as a constant reminder that if I do the work, over time, I will see results.

Moral of the Story

Do not try to make a bazillion changes at once. If you are going to the gym and not seeing results then recalibrate, set a new goal, proceed with tiny changes.

Recalibrate: Weigh and measure before starting work on your new goal. Going forward, weigh yourself not more than once per week if are trying to lose weight. You can measure yourself at every workout if your goal is to build muscle.

Set a Goal: Set a new goal or examine your existing goal and adjust it if necessary. Then, WRITE IT DOWN. I, Cameron Scholtz, will weigh ___lbs on December 31, 2007. You must write down your goal on paper and it must be placed in a location(s) where you will see it every day. For extra help give a copy to your best friend or whomever in your life gives you support.

Tiny Steps: Make tiny changes to help you toward that goal. Here are some ideas for your first tiny step.

Walk one extra day per week.
Extend your aerobic workout by 10 minutes or increase your weight resistance training by 1-2 additional exercises.
Every morning or night before, prepare a healthy snack for 3pm -- and eat it at 3pm.

You will get better and better every day. On June 19, 2008 you will look back through your fitness journal and a big smile will grow across your face as you realize just how much change you have made.

± I also occasionally use a digital camera for a visual record. If you want to do this great. But it is not a substitute for a fitness journal. The journal is a must.

* If your goal is muscle size, endurance or something other than weight loss then set it accordingly. Err on the side of being to easy. After you get the hang of writing down your goals and keeping a journal you can begin to set tougher goals. Tiny steps.

JL421 Badonkadonk Land Cruiser Tank

2007-06-14T03:35:00Z

Hurry and buy your JL421 Badonkadonk Land Cruiser/Tank by NAO Design. Per Amazon's web site this evening, "only 2 left in stock--order soon".

The only thing funnier than a "personal tank" the size of a Cooper Mini, and resembling Jabba the Hutt's Sail Barge, is the fact that you can pick one up for mere $20,000 over at Amazon. Yep just add this puppy to your shopping cart along with some -- uhhh, along with some...seedless grapes? Exsqueeze me!

I know what you are thinking as you reach for your credit card. You want to know what other Badonkadonk owners are saying. May I direct your attention to the 148 (and growing) customer reviews.^± Most of them positive.

I'll admit it. Shopping for a personal tank can be a bit daunting. Many times in the past I've purchased overpriced, so-called "battle tanks", then driven them into battle only to be wrecked in ten minutes... -- Thomas Dunham, Maryland

As to the interior comfort, it leaves a lot to be desired. Since the hull has few windows or vents, you have to run the A/C a lot and this cuts down on the mileage quite a bit. -- Joanna Daneman, Deleware

The JL421 does not offer an onboard FLIR option, and only room for 2 MK-41 VLS Surface to Air missile platforms...Also, if attaching the optional 60MM cannon, you'll need to buy a 3rd party reinforcement kit ($1249.99), or risk damaging the luggage rack. -- D. Williamson, Texas

I was just at Amazon and they are no longer recommending grapes and bananas with a Badonkadonk. Still, it was a good guess in my case. I like grapes. I'm pro grape. Grape friendly, that's me. Oh! Now I'm craving grapes. Yiieee!

± Not to mention the reviews on third party sites like MethodShop.com, Edmunds, TheForce.net and MAKE Magazine.

I Want a DECT 6.0 Cordless Telephone

2007-06-10T17:53:00Z

I decided that I might need a new cordless phone system so I used my Consumer Reports online subscription^± to look at which cordless phones were rated best. I also read through reviews at Amazon and other web sites. It was quickly obvious to me that if I wanted a cordless phone it was going to have DECT 6.0 technology. DECT is a cordless standard that is fully digital and operates in the the 1.9GHz frequency. DECT works in many countries throughout the world including the US, all of Europe, and most of Asia, Australia and South America.

You might be asking, is DECT 6.0 better than 5.8Ghz? Well after my research that is the conclusion I reached. A DECT 6.0 phone system will outperform 5.8Ghz in terms of increased clarity, greater range and enhanced security.

Which DECT phone do I like? I think I have settled on the Panasonic KX-TG1033S. This is one of the new DECT 6.0 phones on the market. What is DECT 6.0 you ask?

Learn Quick Facts about DECT 6.0

DECT = "Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications".
Better than 2.4Ghz. Wireless routers use 2.4 Ghz so most cordless phones in the 2.4 range (and even some 5.8Ghz) will cause interference. DECT 6.0 phones use 1.9Ghz which eliminates any signal crossing.
More Secure. Cordless phones do not have secure encryption. Any naughty hobbyist or ID thief can easily hack into your cordless calls. DECT 6.0 digital encryption is not as easy to hack so it helps to keep your calls private!
Voice Quality. DECT 6.0 digital encryption not only makes your calls safer, it makes them clearer. I am not sure if you will hear a pin drop but the reviews I have read all rave about call quality and zero interference from other wireless devices.
Expandability. Pair up to six handsets in a DECT system and conference up to three units on internal calls.
Decreased Power Consumption. DECT phones use 30% less power than a 5.8Ghz phone.

Anyhoo my Internet research led this under the weather, home-bound shopper to the Panasonic. Siemens also makes what appears to be a nice unit, the Gigaset S450, but at $100 for the first unit and $80 for each subsequent handset it is just waaay too expensive, color screen or not. Nope, I think I will wait until the price goes down on the Panasonic or until Amazon offers it with free shipping. Beach Camera has the KX-TG1033S with free shipping but I like to keep my accounts in as few places as possible. Besides it's not like I am huge phone user and I have a corded phone for when I feel like I want more privacy. For now my trusty seven-year-old Panasonic KX-TG2550 keeps on dialing...

± Kind of a waste after the first couple days I had it. For one thing there really is not a whole lot of information on their site. Either that or maybe it is just a quick read for me. While I appreciate Consumer Reports trying to be impartial, there is just no way they can provide an expert opinion on every product and service out there. Their reviews of some categories (speakers and bicycles for example) are a bit silly. And finally, information is only as good as it is current and, though some of their online reviews are updated, many other are two or more years old.

Get Out of Jail, Go Directly Home, Do Not Pass Skybar

2007-06-07T13:43:00Z

I promised myself that I would never publicly acknowledge the fact that I pay attention to news regarding Paris Hilton. OK I am outing myself, dernit! Hope everyone is happy. Yes, I am a loser; I occasionally visit dlisted.com. I can't help it. Dang.

Anyhoo in this case it's hard to miss this morning's news that Paris was released from jail due to an "unspecified medical problem". She had been behind bars just three days. WTF (what the flip)?

Hmmm, I wonder... If I were busted for DUI, and subsequently drove my car without a license -- and got busted for that, and then violated my probation which resulted in me being sentenced to jail time... I wonder if I could get myself sent home because I had a tummy ache?

Paris is now under house arrest for 40 days. Yes! Way to go Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. That'll learn her. I am pretty sure it went down something like this:

Paris: Like, I couldn't even finish my baloney sandwich last night and I'm sorta PMS-ing and everything. I don't feel so hot.

LCSD: OK well -- well uh...you're in big trouble missy! Have your driver take your butt home to your mansion. Your personal chef is gonna be busy because I want you to stay there for the next 40 days. Sit by the pool and think about what you've done. Bad dog.

Earn Your Treadmill

2007-05-30T01:16:00Z

I have a rule of thumb regarding fitness purchases. Live your goal, then invest. I try not to indulge in new equipment, fancy memberships or expensive supplements unless I first earn them with a proven track record of commitment. Once I am living my goal, then I can purchase upgrades, better tools and improved resources that will help me further my pursuits.

For example, when I moved back to Phoenix I started to notice how out of shape I was. During high school and college I fancied myself to be some kind of fitness nut. I ran and lifted weights several times per week for many years after high school. Unfortunately, sometime after my career took off, exercise went out the window. Being back in Phoenix with its warmer temperatures and outdoor activities caused a (sun)light to go off in my head. It was not long before I had the urge to buy an Olympic bench press and reclaim my previous body. But I put that purchase on hold. I decided instead to earn my bench press.

I think my not running out to buy new equipment had everything to do with the fact that I was in sorry physical shape. I could barely do 20 push-ups, let alone lift real weight. It probably seems counter intuitive that I would put off buying a weight set if I was so unfit. After all, what is a bench press used for? Lifting weights, in order to get into shape. Yet, in my heart, if I was completely honest with myself...the truth was that I could not guarantee what my motivation would be next month -- or next year. I wanted to start working out for the long term but I had no idea if I would stick with it. All I could do is live each day as if I was a fitness nut. I did the following four things.

Set body weight and arm size goals with a nine-month target date.^±
Started working out immediately using a prison workout routine (very effective and ultimately affordable).
Began slowly changing my diet to include more fresh organic foods and less junk and processed foods.
Postponed buying a bench press for at least nine-months (longer if I did not achieve my fitness goals on time).

I would need to go back through my workout journal to list specifics here but suffices to say that six months later I was not working out regularly -- surprise surprise! I was in only slightly better shape than when I had begun. I had not lived my goal day in and day out. I had not established a routine that was different than six months prior. It is highly unlikely that having a new bench press would have provided me with more motivation.

The fancy gym membership, the custom mountain bike, the fitted golf clubs, the state-of-the-art treadmill -- none of these are likely to give us the motivation to live our goals. They will give us more enjoyment and better results as we live our goals.

Anyhoo, the writing was on the wall in my journal. I was six months into my stated deadline with very little progress to show. With three months remaining I had no chance of achieving the fitness goals I had laid out for myself. Missed goals meant I would not be purchasing new fitness equipment.

On the positive side I had made some progress with changing my diet. I was drinking less soda pop and buying more organic foods. My interest getting fit had not waned. I picked myself up and took another step forward (figurative speaking). I extended my original weight and arm size goals by three months. This gave me a renewed energy in my little self-project.

I refocused my efforts on me -- my healthier body -- that was the real prize I sought. Sure it would be great to own some real exercise equipment but developing a healthy body was the reason I wanted to do this work. I was not going to buy exercise equipment in order to be fit. I was going to be fit and then invest in a bench press that would help me make further progress.

What happened after that? The photo shows it. I made my body measurement goals in month 11. (I actually had not been as far off my original goal as I had thought.) After that I ordered my bench press. It is interesting to note that because I was already living a fit lifestyle I was able to make a more informed purchase about the equipment that would best serve me. I have been using my bench press regularly now for almost two years.

± Ideally I would have also measured other parts of my body such as chest, waist and legs. Also, body fat percentage is a good indicator to track. Ask your local gym or familiy doctor if they can measure this for you.

Prison Workout: Sit-Ups

2007-05-28T23:45:00Z

Prison Workout - Sit-Ups

Sit-Ups are the quintessential abdominal exercise. Doing a few sets in the morning or evening is fast and relatively painless :) Ab muscles heal quickly so you can work them almost every day or at the end of each prison workout. However, do not to rely on sit-ups alone. Keep your abdominal muscles guessing by including a mixture of crunches, reverse crunches and bicycle crunches as part of your ab routines.

Disclaimer: While ab exercises can help you build up your stomach muscles, they burn very little (if any) fat. Too much fat over the tummy region will hide the washboard stomach you are creating. Eating a healthy diet and taking frequent aerobic exercise (such as walking, biking or swimming) can help reveal this "six pack" effect.

View Video
Format: wmv
Duration: 00:01:07

How to Do Sit-Ups
Lie on the ground with your knees bent. Place your hands loosely at the sides or fold your arms across your chest. Raise your torso off the ground and up to your knees with a gentle rounding of your back. Hold for a brief moment at the top and then slowly lower yourself back down. I try to keep tension in my abs during the entire movement. Beginners, you may find it helpful to extend your arms out as your rise.

What Does it Work?
Sit-ups work the rectus abdominis a.k.a. your abs. To a lesser degree this exercise also involves the external obliques and the hip flexors (quadriceps, rectus femoris and tensor fascia lata). To put more emphasis on the obliques, twist your torso to one side as your rise.

Tip: For goodness sake do not purchase any of the ab craptrations that are hawked on TV infomercials. Donate the $$ I just saved you to the Boys an Girls Clubs of America. The only piece of equipment you need to do sit-ups is a floor.

Variations
I prefer to anchor my feet. Guys you may find this particularly helpful. Also, if you have access to a slant bench try sit-ups on an incline (feet higher) for an intense burn.

Prison Workout: Reverse Chin-Ups

2007-05-28T23:40:00Z

Prison Workout - Reverse Chin-Ups

Reverse chin-ups are optional (my opinion). Their supinated hand position does not allow for as wide a grip as standard chin-ups. A wider grip on standard chin-ups is better for widening the lats. I also do not care for the the extent to which reverse chin-ups involve the biceps. However, involving the biceps does seem to make the exercise easier so you may want to include some of these in your prison workout if you are unable to do more than a few chin-ups.

View Video
Format: wmv
Duration: 00:01:01

How to Do Reverse Chin-Ups
Hang from an overhead bar with a supinated grip ( palms facing toward you), shoulder width apart. As you slowly pull yourself up, leaning your head back slightly and raise your chest toward your hands. Bring your chest as close to your hands as possible. Hold for brief moment at the top then slowly lower yourself back down.

What Does it Work?
Reverse chin-ups work the latissimus dorsi and teres major. The biceps brachii and brachialis are also worked.

Tip: Because the biceps are worked to a significant extent this exercise can be included as part of an arm routine.

Prison Workout: "Hitch Curls" a.k.a. One-Arm Wrist Curls

2007-05-24T03:43:00Z

Prison Workout - "Hitch Curls" a.k.a. One-Arm Wrist Curls

Love these! Funny thing, my wrists can really hurt when I am typing and mousing but I can do wrist curls with no pain whatsoever. This is a must do exercise for any skill level, no matter what shape you are in. We can all use some extra strength in our wrists. One-arm wrist curls can be done anywhere with virtually any object so there is no excuse to not include them in your prison workout.

Useless Trivia
After moving back to Phoenix, and long before purchasing fitness equipment I did prison workouts exclusively and my U-Haul trailer hitch was my dumbbell of choice. I will always think of one-arm wrist curls as "Hitch Curls". Good times, good times. I know, I'm a dork. There I said it.

View Video
Format: wmv
Duration: 00:00:42

How to Do One-Arm Wrist Curls
Grasp an object (in the video I am using a trailer hitch). Place your upper forearm on a TV tray, or better yet, rest it on your thigh. Your wrist and lower forearm should extend out over the edge. Slowly lower your wrist as far as you are able. At the bottom open your grip and let the object roll down your fingers. Inhale then roll the object back into your hand and then raise your wrist back up. Concentrate on using your wrist, not your biceps. Work one wrist at a time.

What Does it Work?
One-arm wrist curls work the forearm muscles. From the inside arm out these are the extensor carpi radius brevis, extensor digitorum, extensor digiti minimi and extensor carpi ulnaris. The extensor carpi radialis longus is also used.

Prison Workout: Behind-the-Back Triceps Dips

2007-05-23T03:43:00Z

Prison Workout - Behind-the-Back Triceps Dips

My triceps respond really well to behind-the-back dips. This exercise never fails to get my arm muscles pumped. I usually do four or five sets to exhaustion. To include these in your prison workout all you need are two stable platforms of approximately equal height. (This exercise is sometimes referred to as Bench Dips or Reverse Push-Ups.)

View Video
Format: wmv
Duration: 00:00:54

How to Do Behind-the-Back Triceps Dips
Use a shoulder width grip on the edge of a desk or chair behind you. Place your feet on another chair or some platform in front of you. Your legs should be straight out. Inhale then bend your elbows and slowly lower your torso down as far as you can go. Push yourself back up and exhale at the end of the movement. If you lock your arms at the top of the movement this will focus the effort on your upper triceps. If you come back up just short of locking out your arms this emphasizes the lower triceps.

What Does it Work?
Behind-the-back triceps dips work the triceps and pectorl as well as the anterior deltoid. Simply put, adding a few sets of these puppies to your routine will help you build density in your arms.

Tips: Place a weight across your legs to increase resistance.

Prison Workout: "Couch Crunches"

2007-05-22T03:30:00Z

Prison Workout - "Couch Crunches"

OK these are really just the standard abdominal crunches we have all seen or done (once upon a time) in gym class. I often use my couch instead of a bench, hence the name "couch crunches". If you want to include these in your prison workout (and your cell does not have a couch) rest your feet on the edge of your bed, a chair...almost any raised base. Or be hardcore and just hold your thighs vertical in the air!

I also have some good news for anyone reading this. Guess what? You already have a six pack. This is a little secret that the infomercials do not want you to know about. You already have a six pack, and no amount of crunches is going to slim your tummy. Read that last sentence again.

OK, so why crunches? What crunches will do is build up and define your abs. In order to see your handy work though you will need to burn off enough of the fat covering that covers them. And for that you will want to do aerobic exercises (I recommend walking 6-7 days per week) and eat fewer calories that you burn. It takes a lot of work to truly achieve a visible healthy six pack.^±

View Video
Format: wmv
Duration: 00:00:42

How to Do Couch Crunches
Place your hands loosely behind your ears or cross your arms in front of you. To help prevent neck strain do not lock your hands behind your head. Curl your shoulders and torso off the ground up toward your knees. At the top of the movement hold for a moment to squeeze your abdominal muscles hard to achieve maximum contraction. Slowly lower yourself back down.

Do not try to lift your back completely off the floor. Just curl it forward. Do this exercise slowly!

What Does it Work?
Crunches work the rectus abdominis a.k.a. your "six pack" (soon to be more defined). Crunches target the upper abs.

Tip: If you twist your torso as you rise this will work your obliques, the muscles at the side of your abs.

Variations
Varying the height of your feet will put emphasis on different areas of your abs. Abdominal muscles can take a of exercise so it is a good idea to mix things up in order to keep these muscles guessing.

± Abs are one of the top culprits when it comes to feeling down about our bodies. Do not compare yourself to anyone. Do not get so fixated on looking like some model or celebrity that you throw common sense out the window. A naturally healthy body does not necessarily have visibly defined six pack abs.

Name That Solo #002

2007-05-18T15:30:00Z

It is time for the second installment of Name That Solo. Home gamers play along. Listen to this guitar solo and then name the band. For bonus points name the song as well.

Hint: The singer of this band drove a cement truck before their 1986 debut album went multi platinum. They garnered critical acclaim for their musical prowess and no nonsense brand of rock n roll. In an age of hair metal, this band had a no frills presence. No hair spray or fog machines. They were simply blue jeans and t-shirts, guitars and amps.

Bonus Hint: This will totally give it away, but I left the singer's voice in the end of the clip because the verse brings back memories, like when I watched them play live while floating on a raft at Big Surf. Yep, they don't make 'em like that anymore. That show was flippin' sweet!

And I know it's true
I got a bad attitude
But I'm down on my luck
*** tell me what's your excuse

Power chords are my drug of choice. Yiieee!

Useless Trivia: For some reason hearing this band always reminds me of my friend Rob. Maybe that is because when we were in in college he had just begun playing guitar -- and he had a hard time putting it down. We would go over to pick up Rob on Friday night and he would be playing a song from Ratt or Dokken...or maybe this band.

Us: Are you ready Rob?
Rob: Ya...wait -- check this out! (insert solo here).
Us: Nice. Uh dude we're leaving.
Rob:
Us: We're starting the car...

Listen to the solo

Who is the band and what is the song? View the answer

Prison Workout: One-Arm Rows

2007-05-18T01:30:00Z

Prison Workout - One-Arm Rows

I'll be honest, I rarely do these. I have difficulty getting a good pump. I prefer to do bent-over barbell rows but they do not lend themselves as well to a prison workout. One-arm rows though cannot be ignored. By using one arm you can lift the weight higher and get a fuller range of motion and better contraction of your latissimus dorsi.

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Format: wmv
Duration: 00:00:47

How to do One-Arm Rows
Work one arm at a time. Grasp a water jug in one hand. Kneel on a bench with your opposite knee and use your free hand for support. To begin, let your arm hang down for maximum range of motion. Take a breath and raise the weight up high next to your side. Focus on using your back muscles to do the work, not your arm. Toward the top of the movement twist your torso slightly toward the weight. Breathe out at the top of the movement. Let the weight down under control.

What Does they Work?
One-Arm Rows mainly use the latissimus dorsi, teres major and posterior deltoid. This exercise also works the trapezius at the top of the movement.

Tip: Focus on using your back to life the weight, not your arm. Toward the top twist your torso slightly toward the weight side. This should give you a better contraction.