This is cool in fitness... heart rate monitors

This is cool in fitness...heart rate monitors

     This trend is a new thing in fitness.  Many people are using heart rate monitors in workouts to judge how hard they go.  They usually look similar.  The monitors are usually a strap that goes around your chest at your lower ribs.  They usually are velcro straps with plastic attachments that pick up the heart rate.  The data from the monito streams to a watch or smartphone, so you can watch the data in real time.  The people you usually see using them are people on treadmills and other cardio machines, or people doing circuit workouts that their physical trainers give them.  You dont see people using it with weightlifting, and you usually dont see competitive runners using them.
     I am not a fan of the heart rate monitors.  In my view people should listen to their bodies, and not have to rely on technology.  It might malfunction and make you push too hard or not hard enough.  I think it would be a good thing to use if you have a heart condition and need to keep your heart rate lower.  I have also hear of people getting good results using the to make sure they dont run too hard on easy day, but its doubtful too me.  I prefer to listen too my body, and I think that is the more natural and healthier way to do it.

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My defining brand: H&M

My defining brand: H&M

I'll admit it, I wear way too much H&M.  Sometimes I even wear outfits that are all H&M (except the underwear).  I wear H&M clothes almost every day.  Why you might ask?  First of all, H&M tends to fit pretty slim, which is great for me because I am pretty skinny.  Its also pretty cheap, so I can get a lot of bang for the buck.  Finally, I just like the look of a lot of clothes they have.  Some are way too over the top, but for the most part everything there is great.

My favorite items

I have a lot of great clothes from H&M, here are some of my favorites:

The 1981 crewneck

I cant find any links to buy it online, so it must only be available in stores.  Its cheap(~12 dollars), warm,, and comfortable.  I like to wear it with dark blue jeans and vans/H&M ripoff vans.

(From: this pintrest page)

Basiic gray joggers/sweatpants

Again, cheap, good looking, and comfortable.  I like to wear them with a normal well fitting t shirt and vans.

You can buy them here

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My favorite pair of running shoes: Saucony Mirage 3 Review

My favorite pair of running shoes: Saucony Mirage 3 Review

 

I have about 6 pairs of running shoes, from all different brands including Nike, Brooks, Saucony, and Asics.  Throughout all these different shoes, The Mirage 3's by Saucony are my favorites.  I have the Red, Black, and Neon version and I love them.  You can view them here: Mirage 3

What i like about them

-I like the way they look:  

The black and red contrast nicely with the neon.  They are very bright shoes, which I like.  They still look good after much use too.

-They fit very well:

With other shoes I have had the problem of the laces hurting the top of my foot, but with shoes they fit perfectly.  I also have feet that are a little wide, and these accommodate for that perfectly.

-They are very light and feel speedy: 

The shoes only weigh 8.9 Oz. which is pretty light.  They are also relatively flexible, which makes them feel great.  Its has a 4 mm drop from heel to toe, which is great for mid foot strikers like me. (Info from: Runners World.com)

Dislikes:

NONE!!!!

Who I would recommend the shoes for:

I would recommend this shoe to midfoot strikers who over pronate a little.  Its great for people who want a little bit of support, but still want a lightweight shoe.  I would not recommend this to people who like a stiff sole, or people who underpronate.

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First look song review of: Push it by iSHi

First look review of: Push it by iSHi

This weeks blog post is a review of a new song I just found.  I had never heard it before, so its kind of a first look review.  My music tastes change really quickly, so this is a great way to find new songs to listen too.  I know music is subjective, but these are my opinions about the song.

The song:

I found the song Push It by iSHi by just looking at new releases on spotify.  Its a hip hop song, with a very electronic sounding background.  It was published by PRMD Music.

What i liked about it:

-After the intro, the beat is very catchy and upbeat.
-It seems easy to dance to
-Its well produced
-Good outro

What i disliked about it:

-Its very repetative.  Some people like that, I don't.
-Irritating chorus (Push it Push it Push it)
-The rapper has of an irritating voice, not that bad just a little off.
-Seems like it would get old quickly.

Final thoughts:

Overall I would say it is a good song.  It has a catchy beat, and just sounds good in a way that's hard to describe.  I am not going to add it to my music library, because to me it sounds like a song that would get old after listening to it just a few times.  To me there isn't really anything amazing or unique about this song, its just kind of average.

Who i would recommend it to:

I would recommend it to people that don't get bored quickly of poppy music.  I think fans of electronic music might like it, as well as fans of hip-hop.  To me the rapper sounds kind of like Snoop Dogg, so people who like him might like this song.

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A day in the life of a normal teenager at Benson high

A day in the life of a normal teenager at Benson high

I made this video of an ordinary day in my life, using 1 second clips put together.  Another great example of this video method is this Young girl through war video.  I used Camtasia Studio 8 to edit it, and i think i might add a post of a tutorial of this type of video.

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A Beginners Guide to Blowing Up Capacitors

A Beginners Guide to Blowing Up Capacitors

    For beginners just learning electronics, this is a great fun project to learn about what can happen to capacitors.  This project can be slightly dangerous, but it teaches you what can happen in extreme situations to capacitors.  Its also just a cool project to do.  I did it on my own, and took a video of it:

What You Need:

-Electrolytic Capacitors:   Its best to use a small low uF and low voltage capacitor.  The capacitor I used was .1uF and 10 volts, which worked perfectly.  I would recommend using a capacitor that can take less the 10 volts and less then 1uF.  Other ranges might work too, but it might be harder to do.

-Two leads to connect to the capacitor:  The best leads would be leads with alligator clips, but i used plain old wires.  They work well to, it is just a bit of a pain to connect them to the capacitors if they don't have alligator clips.

These would work great:Alligator Clip Leads

-A Variable Voltage Power supply: The power supply I used could go from low voltage all the way up to 30 volts.  I think you need at least 20 volts to explode a 10v capacitor.  Amperage matters less, but my power supply went from low amps all the way to 2 Amps.  Be careful with amps like this!!

-Safety Glasses: You need safety glasses for this project!!  Bits of plastic go flying and it makes a lot of eye irritating smoke.  It can be a pain to wear safety glasses, but you definitely want to save your eyes!!  Wear them throughout the entire project.

How To Do It

Step 1:  Connect the leads to both sides of the capacitors.  Connect one lead to one lead of the capacitor, and the other lead to the other side of the capacitor.

Step 2:  Connect the leads to the power supply.  First make sure that the power supply is off, then connect the leads to the power supply.  Connect the lead from the negative side of the capacitor(The side with the grey stripe on it) to the negative(Black) port of the power supply.

Step 3:  Put the power supply on 5 volts and low amps.  Then slowly start cranking up the voltage, but don't exceed 50V.  If it doesn't explode at 50V, start cranking up the amps until it does.

Step 4: Watch it explode!!  It should first start crackling or smoking, then  it should explode with a satisfying pop and amount of smoke.  If it doesn't blow up, try switching the capacitor leads around.  If that still doesn't work, get a different capacitor.

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6 Tips for anyone with braces

Tips for Anyone with Braces!

    About 65% of high-schoolers now have had or have braces, so there is a good chance you have them if you are in high-school!  Make sure to use these tips, to maximize your comfort and how well the braces work!!

1.  Use your rubber bands

     This Is probably the hardest thing for me to remember, but use the rubber bands on your braces!!  Your orthodontist will probably give you rubber bands to use with your braces, they are a key part of fixing your bite.  If you don't put them on, it could extend the time you have to wear the braces.  The big of the rubber bands is to pull your teeth forward and back to fix an overbite or under-bite.

2.  Don't use wax if you get braces sores.

     When you first get your braces put on or get them changed slightly, you might get braces sores on the inside of your mouth.  These are caused by the braces rubbing on the inside of your mouth, and it causes a stinging terrible pain.  The orthodontists give you wax to put on the sores to stop the pain, but don't do it!  Short term, the wax will make the pain go away, but it will cause more pain in the future.  If you use the wax, your mouth won't build up callouses, so your mouth will hurt again when the wax goes away.  So don't use the wax, just wait out the pain.

3.  Eating apples, pears or other skinned foods will be uncomfortable.

     Eating fruits is great!  But if you eat pears and apples while you have braces, it can be uncomfortable.  As you eat the fruit, the skin will get stuck in your braces which is annoying and looks weird.  If you eat it at school or work, you could have pear skin in your teeth all day. So either don't eat fruit with skin, or bring a toothbrush to get it out.

4.  Don't eat Taffy, Caramel, or other hard candies.

     They should tell this to you at your orthodontists, but don't eat chewy, sticky, hard candies when you have braces.  If you bite into the taffy, it could break the braces of your teeth, causing you discomfort and extra time wasted because you have to have another appointment to fix it.

5.  Wear a mouth-guard during contact sports.

     If you have braces, you should wear a mouth-guard in most sports, even basketball and soccer.  If you jump up to get a rebound in a game of basketball, you could get hit on your lips or around your mouth.  Two things could then happen: 1. Your cheek skin will be hit onto your braces, which ends up with you having to pick your skin out of your braces and bleeding profusely out of your mouth. 2. The hit could knock part of the braces off of your teeth, causing more inconvenience for you, because you would have to get another appointment.

6.  Brush evenly above and below braces.

Make sure to brush above and below your braces, or else when you get them off the roots of your teeth could be yellow while the tips aren't, or vice versa.  That's not a good look!! So make sure to brush all around your teeth, and floss between your teeth.

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How to lift weights more efficiently and progress faster(For Beginners)

How to lift more efficiently and progress faster(For beginners)

I have been lifting for a few months, though I am still a pretty new I would like to share the stuff that I have learned.  I am on Stronglifts 5x5, and it is going great for me.

1. Start a Beginners linear progression program.

If you are just starting out, you probably don't know the right lifts to do. Follow a program by people who actually know what they are doing! If you make your own program you could waste time, and cause harm to yourself.  Its easy to become unbalanced (Ex: More chest work then back work, which can cause damage to your shoulders).  Programs made by professionals will get you stronger faster.  They will know the right lifts and rep ranges to use.  It will make everything easier for you.  Some great examples for workout plans are:
Starting strength= http://startingstrength.com/
Stronglifts 5x5= http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

2.Focus on form over weight.
Its easy to get caught up in wanting to look stronger and hit your goals, but sacrificing form for weight is terrible.  It can lead to injuries, and it becomes a viscous cycle.  If you sacrifice form one workout, the next workout where you will lift heavier you will also sacrifice your form again because your not strong enough and it will continue for a long time until its even harder to fix.  For example, I have some strong and pretty beefy friends who have been working out for a while, but they half rep their squats.  Don't let your ego cause your body damage!!  Also make sure to start with a low weight when you start a workout plan to make sure you get the form down.

3.Keep a record of your workouts.
If you don't keep a log of the weights and exercises you did in one workout,  you wont know how much weight to use next workout.  If you do Stronglifts, there is an iPhone and android app that keeps track of your weights and tells you what weight to use next time (http://stronglifts.com/apps/).  I also have a notebook that I use to keep track of my accessory lifts.

4.Don't work out too much.
Its easy to think that the more working out you do, the stronger you will get, which is not necessarily true.  Your body needs time to recover, that is when your body builds muscle.  If you can just stick to the plan, you will probably get better quicker because of less injuries and more recovery time.

5.Focus on strength first before hypertrophy.
Start out with a strength program instead of a hypertrophy(Muscle size) program.  To start a hypertrophy workout you need to be able to lift enough weight for it to make an impact.  Start out getting stronger first. Stay in the 3-8 rep range at first to build strength before you progress to the 8-12 rep range.

6.Eat enough!
When you start lifting, you will probably need to eat more calories and protein to help your muscle growth.  If you don't eat enough, you could probably fail at lifts and not get strong as quickly.  Its a great idea to start recording all your food eaten to an app like MyFitnessPal(http://www.myfitnesspal.com/), and don't try to lose weight while lifting.

7.Stop doing crunches!
Abs are one of the only muscles that I do hypertrophy over strength, but not crunches!  Crunches are bad for your back, and they aren't the best workout for building abdominal size and strength.  My six pack is standing out more then it ever has before when I switched to 8-12 heavier weight workouts from crunches.

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