Stretch Armstrong: Active vs. Passive Flexibility

Are you flexible? Maybe you can do the full splits, forwards AND backwards, ooooh! Impressive. 

Here's a question: Can you stand and raise your leg past hip height?

No? Well then, my friend, you are a great example of why passive flexibility doesn't mean much in real life functionality. 

Passive flexibility is what most people see as "flexible." Doing the splits, touching your toes from a standing position, reaching overhead in a laying position, etc, are all examples of passive flexibility. These are great if you are mush, or if you want to look elongated in a photo....while you're resting. The thing is, if you can lay down with your hands overhead, but you can't do that from a standing or squatting position, that shoulder "flexibility" will do you jack shit, other than being able to reach the TV remote a little easier (in which case, get off your lazy ass and go outside to play!!). 

Active flexibility (aka, "mobility") is something I prefer much more than passive flexibility. As an ex-competitor in Taekwondo, I was always jealous of the guys on my team who couldn't touch their toes or do the splits (both of which I could do with ease), but could kick your head before you even knew what happened. I always had trouble with getting my leg up there with being able to apply any force. Stretch all you want, you're not going to really improve your kick that much. 

I see this from a lot of newbies at our gym, too: They can fully extend their arms while doing crocodile breathing, but can't do a shoulder press or handstand worth jack, let alone a proper wall slide or overhead squat (by the way, if any of these movements are foreign to you, I invite you to come to a class). 

The thing is, flexibility without stability is pretty much worthless, if you're talking about being able to move. It's like being a limp noodle. With the help of someone else (or even gravity), you can be in any position, but you can't do it by yourself. Where do you need the stability to establish the mobility? My bet is your core. This doesn't mean doing a thousand situps. In fact, I hate sit ups. Please don't do them. Also, your core doesn't just compromise of your "abs." There's a whole lot more to it (like your spine stabilizers). 

Also, your prime movers need to be able to move. Ever watch someone bend over, and their back rounds? Yea, you actually probably do, too (have someone take a picture of you from the side while you pick up your keys off the floor). Do you hinge from your back, or from your hips? If you're hinging from your back, I'm suspecting a sleep butt (look up "glute amnesia"...I know muscles don't have feelings, but it's a good way to understand kind of what's going on). 

Now for the tricky part: which prime mover goes with which limb/joint mobility? I've seen people increase their shoulder mobility by increasing their thoracic stability. I've also seen people increase their hip mobility (ex: squat) by increasing their shoulder stability. I've even seen people increase their back flexibility by increasing their hip stability! 

How do you know where in your core you lack the stability, or which prime movers you need to get working again? Well, it depends on you. I can't tell you on a blog, sorry. You are not the same as everyone else. You are an individual, and deserve to be treated as such.

Rest: How much, when, and what type?

Rest. It’s a term many serious athletes come to hate. Training gets addicting for many athletes, but too much training will take a toll on even the most healthiest of bodies. Everyone needs rest, no matter the level of the athlete. Rest is crucial for recovery, as exercise/training actually damages the body (in both good and bad ways, depending on how you train). Without enough rest, your body will keep trying to heal without enough resources, kind of like pouring water into a cup with a hole on the bottom of the cup. How much rest is enough, too much, or too little? That will depend on each person. 

Age. A younger body will need much less rest than an older one. This one’s pretty common sense to most people, but it is something that still needs to be mentioned, even though it’s the elephant in the room that nobody wants to come to terms with. Somewhere in your 20’s, you might start to feel your recovery time change. And then again in your 30’s, etc. Listen to your body, and give it ample time to recover. Don't compare yourself to someone older or younger than you when it comes to training or rest. Or anything, really. Age really is but a number, but generalizing, it can actually say quite a bit about a person.

Gender. Gender is not an excuse for anything, but lower amounts of testosterone will actually affect recovery time. If your workouts involve building muscle, you will be increasing your testosterone level automatically (women, it has a natural cap, so you don’t have to worry about getting to the bodybuilder look). 

Injury. If you are recovering from an injury, a simple general rule of thumb is to wait an extra 1/4 of the time it took to recover to 100% before you start training again. Example: If it feels better in less than a week, wait an extra day after it feels 100%. If it takes 4 months, wait an extra month. Many chronic injuries (injuries exceeding 6 months in duration) are actually minor injuries that were extended because of improper recovery time. 

Diet. If you are eating a diet of foods your body has a hard time processing (junk, allergic/intolerance foods, artificial anythings), you will have a slower recovery time. If you are not drinking enough water, you will have a slower recovery time. If you have circulation problems (like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, varicose veins, etc), your body will have to work much harder to distribute the nutrients it needs to recover. If you are taking supplements, those can either hinder or help your recovery. Typically, supplements that help with your actual workout will slow your recovery. 

General condition. If you haven’t worked out in a while, it’ll take you much longer to recover from a workout than when you’re already in shape. Either way, don’t let muscle soreness get in the way of your training, but if you start to feel any signs of overtraining, you should rest.

How your body responds to certain stimulus. Some bodies are designed for the slow twitch stuff, like long distance running or 90 minute jumprope sessions. Others are more designed explosive plyometrics like striking or burpees. Have you ever ran for 60 minutes and been unable to walk for the next day, while someone else was completely fine after doing the same? Our muscles are programmed to be able to handle more of one type of training than another, and it will differ among athletes. Yes, this is something that can be trained, but there is already a predisposition to what your muscles can handle. 

Type of workout. If you are used to that type of workout, your body will take much less time to recover. If it is something that requires you to use different muscles than you normally do, or just do something in a different way (aka, “mixing it up”), it may take you longer to recover. 

Frequency of workout. With a weekly regimin of 2-4 evenly spaced workouts, extra rest is probably not needed, as there should be enough time between workouts for the body to recover. However, for more serious athletes training 2-3 times per day, actual rest days should be planned into the week.

How long you have been training consistently in your life. If you are new to the world of physical activity and competitive sports training, yet find yourself addicted to the mats, you’ll have a little more difficulty recovering than someone who’s already been in the game for longer, even if they’ve never trained that sport before. 

Types of rest:

Active rest. This can range anything from a light version of what your normal training is (maybe a 1-4 out of 10 on the physical exertion scale), to stretching/yoga, an easy hike, or just playing outdoors with the kids. You should really be giving the muscles you normally work a break, but while still doing something active. This will prevent things from stiffening up, but still be providing the body with some sort of physical activity to aid in circulation, hence speeding up recovery (blood circulation is how the body delivers all the good stuff to the cells to repair them). 

Passive rest. This is where you actually do nothing. Like sleep. Watching TV doesn’t count, because it’s actually wasting your time (your body burns more calories from sleeping than it does while watching TV, since your body is actually working hard at repairing itself while you sleep, but not when you watch TV). Naps are great, especially if you are doing two-a-days (or more). Some people need a mere 6 hours a night. Others need 12. Some need naps, some don't. Whatever it is, be consistent, and your body will know what to expect and do a better job of recovering. 

So how do you determine the amount of rest suitable for you? Trial and error. Since each person’s situation is different, and each body will react differently (even to the same stimuli), try to go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time. Do this for a month straight, and see what happens. You might need to add a nap during the day, or cut out an hour of sleep in the morning. Once you get into the habit of proper rest, your body will recover more effectively, and you'll feel much more refreshed every day. 

Perceived vs Genuine Caring

Today, I definitely witnessed the difference between perceived caring vs genuine caring. 

Let me begin with a clarification: 
Perceived caring is when lots of positive things are said, promises made, and much interest is shown in a public manner. It is when someone asks about the [topic to be cared about], and says he/she is excited about it, or voices complaints. It is when people feel entitled to free or discounted things, and aren't afraid to ask for more. Perceived caring is when, after all these things are said, nothing is done. When shit hits the fan, they are not there. When support is needed, they are nowhere to be found, except perhaps peering around the corner, seeing how things are going. Perceived caring is a bunch of talk. 

Genuine caring, however, doesn't show itself as anything necessarily vocalized. There might be some positive feedback, or even constructive criticism. Many times, genuine caring doesn't even present itself clearly until shit hits the fan. That's when those who genuinely care will show up, have your back, and give as much as they can, no questions asked. They never ask for anything, and oftentimes reject bonuses offered. These are the people who will stand by your side. 

Today made me so unbelievably happy because I witnessed, on a national working day Saturday (to make up for a Friday holiday, weird, I know)(also during the Holidays), over a third of our members rock up and do whatever was needed to get the job done, even if it was just for a short time. To help the team. To help the family. Because they actually and genuinely cared. We had even more voice regrets of having to work, otherwise they'd help as well. We even had one send his girlfriend (who was super happy to help) in lieu of him, as he had to work! I am so grateful that these types of people make up a large part of my life. Words cannot express how I feel after the display of caring that occurred today. 

Cutting Weight for Competitions

Without fail, every time a martial arts tournament is around the corner, at least a few people ask me what the best way to cut weight or what to day pre/day of competition. I always give the same answer: "You're too late." 

Waiting until the last 2 weeks to figure out how to cut several kilos, or how your body reacts to which foods after you've been depleting it of energy sources, or how your performance will be affected by weight cut methods and day of food....is stupid. This should be something that's experimented with several weeks in advanced. It takes discipline, time, and writing things down to figure this kind of stuff out. And then there's the whole competition day jitters and how to handle that adrenaline. Not to mention what to eat post-competition, so that your body doesn't freak out and re-gain ALL of the weight you just took 3 weeks to cut, back in the first day or two (not even exaggerating)! 

So how do you do it? Sorry, that's not for this post (you'd have to ask me in person for this one). This post is for what I think of cutting weight specifically for sports competition purposes. 

Frankly, I think it's stupid. I've competed in probably close to 70 martial arts competitions, all which required me to be in a certain weight division. (For those who don't know why people cut weight for these things, it's so that you're the biggest person in your division, so you have a weight/size advantage). I've had to cut anywhere from 2 lbs to 16 lbs, and found out that my body retains water like a champ. I've spent the same 2 hours in a sauna with a sweat suit and albolene smeared all over me and would only lose half a pound, .7 at most. In comparison, I've seen people lose 10 pounds in that same 2 hours. Ridiculous. And anytime I'm cutting weight, or watching my diet so I don't gain back to my healthy weight, my body feels like crap, I get cranky, and all I can think about is food. Training is no longer fun, and everything I do ends up being for the upcoming competition. Comp day, I typically felt tired, and didn't have sufficient energy during my fights. Sounds like a shit deal, right? So why did I do it? My coach told me it was a mental game, and that's what needed to be done to win. So did everyone else. So I did it. 

As an adult, I've competed a multitude of times. And I've only cut weight twice. I refuse to do it anymore. I know the affects it has on my body, my mind, and my life, and I refuse to let it into my life again. Not even 2 pounds. If/when I compete again, it'll be at the weight I walk at. I feel stronger, I enjoy training, I'm happier, I feel better during the competitions (so if I lose, it was because of skill, not lack of energy...side note, it's supposed to be a competition of skill at a martial art, not a competition of how well you can cut weight), and my body likes it so much more, because I'm not creating that intense stress of "starve yourself, but train like you're going to fight for your life....and then when you're depleted of your body's energy supply, actually fight for your life...a few times...in the same day...and then binge on everything delicious." Yea, you gain all the weight back. And it's all fat and water. And you probably lost a good amount of muscle during that cut. 

I'm sure you've heard about how yo-yo dieting is the best way to gain fat? Well, cutting weight for competitions is exactly that. And guess what, it gets harder and harder to lose that weight every time. And when you've decided to be done cutting weight, your brain doesn't know that, and will have a hell of a time getting to a healthy set point for your weight and body composition.

The way that I think about it now is that sports and competitions are my hobby. They're for fun. I don't make any money off of it. But if I let it get to the point where it negatively affects my ability to do the rest of the things in my life (like my job or my family), then it's time for a reassessment. 

Unless someone's paying me (a significant amount of money) to fight at a weight that's not my current weight, I won't do it. Even then, I still might not. I've learned the importance of making my body happy, and not confusing the hell out of it by depriving it and then putting it in a gluttonous state several times a year. Give me my food back, give me my sanity back, give me my life back. Training is fun again, and life is good :)

*note: During my last time cutting weight, I finally got smart about it and developed a 2-week pre-competition nutritional/training program that my body actually likes, and can be used to cut some decent weight without any of the bad affect of traditional weight cutting, so if you want that, you can ask me for it. 

Shoes that fit aren't just for Cinderella stories

I love using things until they die. Sometimes I use them even after they've lost all ability for their original purpose, like using old bath towels for bath/kitchen mats. I do enjoy scouring the second-hand Facebook page to see if I can snag any items I need at a primo price, as well as appreciate the second-hand buy/sell/trading community for decreasing rubbish in their respective areas. I'm also quite keen on the fact that I can get deals like a lightly used, fully-functioning toaster oven for $6usd just because someone else is moving and doesn't feel like taking their toaster. 

There are a few things I won't buy used, though: mattresses/bedding, undergarments, personal hygiene/anything used in the bathroom, and shoes. For the purposes of this blog, I will focus only on the shoes. 

Shoes should be fitted to your feet. YOUR feet. Not anyone else's. Your feet are the foundation for the rest of your body. So I guess you could compare it to housing: you wouldn't use the same foundation for different houses, and you wouldn't use a pre-existing foundation meant for another house for your own. Or even dental retainers. If you've ever been so lucky to have had the pleasure of wearing these things, you'll know the feeling you get in your entire head and neck when you find your old retainer and see if it still fits. 

Think about how different your feet are compared to your friend/spouse/parents/siblings'. Maybe you have Morton's Toe, where the second toe is the longest. Maybe you have wider feet. Or a lower arch. Or narrower heels. Squeezing your feet into something that doesn't fit is definitely not a good idea. Anyone who's bought shoes for looks rather than comfort knows that first handedly. The inside of your shoe should make your feet all nice 'n snuggly, but without any pressure squeezing it. There should be wiggle room in pretty much all directions for your toes, including sideways. Your heel should be comfortably cradled, but not braced. And please, please, please....toss the arch support. If you have a higher arch or fallen arch, please see a professional about how to correct it so that your feet regain their strength to support that arch correctly, versus using a brace for every piece of footwear you own for the rest of your life! Just like the rest of your muscles in your body, your feet can learn/re-learn things and get stronger!

Now think about how you walk. Maybe you haven't thought of that before. Some people supinate (walk more on the outside edges of their feet). Some people pronate (walk more on the big toe). Some people drag their heels, some people stomp with their heels. All of these are reasons why your shoe will wear differently on the outside (and the inside) than someone else with the exact same shoe. Ever watch "Big Bang Theory"? Sheldon's butt is already grooved into his seat on the couch, because that's "his spot." That's how your shoes are. And when you wear someone else's shoe, it's like sitting in someone else's "spot." Feels weird, but you can get used to it eventually. But the thing about getting used to it and grooving over someone else's groove is that the old groove is still there. Your groove just adds to it. So there's no support where you need it. Just a big hole where both you and the other guy can both fit. 

The reason why cars need to get their tires rotated is to prevent the type of biased wear of being on one part of the car, much like our shoes, being on one foot of our body. But we can't really rotate our left shoe with our right. So we need to get new shoes. And if we use shoes that someone else has already grooved their Morton's Toe or bunions into, then we lose all the support that they already used up. Like popping bubbles on bubble wrap. You can't re-fill those popped bubbles. Just get a new sheet.

Now, you may just make the argument of "hey, what if I just get new inserts?" My response to that is to look on the bottom of that shoe. Does it show any signs of wear and tear? If the answer to that is even minutely "yes," then it's kind of like driving with your wheels out of alignment. And if you don't get them aligned (aka, get new shoes that fit your habits of walking), then you will hurt your body by trying to adapt to those misaligned shoes. 

Shoes are supposed to last about 6ish months (if you wear them regularly). If you see wear on the bottom to where you don't see the treads anymore (more car/tire analogies!), then you need new ones. It's like not rotating your tires. Whatever bad habits you have for walking will be exacerbated and worsened by the wear. 

One last scenario: If you have recently corrected/changed your way of walking, or the shape of your arches, etc, you also need to get new shoes. Otherwise you're just going to be fighting your shoes to maintain your old ways...and your shoes will probably win. It'd kind of be like fixing the alignment, but not getting your tires rotated since pre-alignment.

Second-hand clothing is fine, but treat yourself when it comes to shoes. Go for comfort first, not for looks. Make sure they fit to your feet well. Let your toes have the capability of wiggling around and not getting bound into shoe-shaped feet. Make your shoes fit your feet, not the other way around. Your feet are the foundation to your body. If your feet are not healthy, the rest of you will be paying for it, too. 

I realize I didn't talk about the thickness/hardness of the soles....that's an entirely different topic. I covered some of it in my earlier blogpost about the Vibram FiveFingers, but it's more about transitioning into minimalist shoes rather than the actual topic of thickness/hardness of the soles. 

Anyway, even though your feet are on the bottom of your human totem pole, realize that they are what keeps you standing. If they hurt, I guarantee more of you will hurt. Treat those things with care. Chinese foot-binding is out of practice for a reason, as well as wearing another kid's retainers. Get your own. Make sure they fit. Your feet (and hips, and back, and neck) will thank you.

The Tacos of Life

We made tacos for dinner tonight. Yes, they were delicious, and yes, we had way too many. 

Anytime I make tacos (or dumplings or burritos or peking duck or anything you have to wrap things in a wrapper), I am reminded of a few rather valuable life lessons, which, at this time, I will of course draw parallels to tacos. 


1: The tortilla

The tortilla is the base of the whole shebang. As in life, there are many ways to build your base. You can get the cookie-cutter (ie, store-bought) versions, which are simple, convenient, and the same as everyone else. They get the job done, they taste alright, and you wouldn't know any better if you hadn't had anything different. Depending on the brand, they might be cheap or expensive, but in the end, you still don't know exactly how that shit was made. They look good at the end (like on a resume, persay) because everyone knows the various brands of tortillas out there. 

The thing with the tortilla, I've found, is that store-bought isn't your only option. You can make your own. I thought it was harder to make before my brother pointed out to me that they're super simple to make. So we made them from scratch. Super simple. We had to make them a few different times to get the taste, texture, and shape that we wanted, but once we got the hang of it, we were in tortilla heaven! 

Mirrored in life, anything you do in life needs a base. You can get the ready-made stuff that most people get, or you can make your own. The thing is, you need to have tasted store-bought and hand-made ones to know what fits your tastebuds better. Can't just do it blindly. 

Also, I should mention that when I moved to California, I learned that hard shell tacos are not a real thing in Mexico. Neither are burritos. They're an American creation based off of Mexican foods. They're the fortune cookie of Mexican foods. But, the thing is, despite their false authenticity, they are still quite popular. So, just because it's not authentic, doesn't mean that a new creation won't succeed. 


2) The meat

True tacos will not use ground meat, but instead, some sort of slow-cooked type of meat. My first time having a real taco, I went back to the restaurant (we had take-out) and asked them if they had mixed up our order. My original notion of a taco was whatever Taco Bell was serving (yay Michigan!). When I opened my little styrofoam container and saw two tiny tortillas (doubled up) with chunks of chicken leg pulled off the bone, and some guacamole with actual avocados, I was quite confused. The guy at the counter confirmed that I ordered 2 tacos, and that's what he gave me, and I drove away with a puzzled look. Until I at them. Holy deliciousness! The meat inside was super tender and flavorful! It didn't taste anything like TBell, and I was quite happy it didn't. The meat was probably the most noticable thing that stayed in my memory. 

Many places will actually use ground meat, though. Also delicious, but not anywhere near as delicious as a well-cooked hunk of meat. I realized that ground meat is more popular because it's cheaper, faster, and more convenient. Ground meat will take only a few minutes to season and cook, and you can have them in pre-weighed bundles of crumbly goodness. Sometimes this is what you need. But then again, you should probably check the source of your ground meat, because it's pretty easy to sneak some other stuff in there. 

Mirrored to life, meat is the food in your life. It's necessary to live (ever had a meatless taco? Yea, it's no longer a taco), and the quality actually matters. Though sometimes, the quick stuff does suffice, nothing beats the good stuff. 


3: The toppings

For veggies, I like my tacos simple: some cabbage or lettuce, tomatoes, onions, maybe some parsley. I like a little bit of everything, but not too much, and not too little. It's easier to put too little on the taco, as the meat gets a bit overpowering (yea, I said it). Rule of thumb for the veggies, though, is that they need to be fresh. The fresher, the better. This also goes for veggies in life. The guac is a whole other story....but for now, I'll say 'yes' to the guac. Finally, cheese....yes, please. But not cheddar. I like my cheeses mild.

I think toppings would be kind of like the random information you learn in life. You should learn a bit about everything. Not too much, not too little. Too much, and it takes up too much of your time that you should be spending on other, more important things. Too little, and you are ignorant and have no clue what is going on around you. It's ok to omit a couple things here and there based on personal preference, but at least entertain the idea for a second (taste it) to make sure you really have no interest in it.

4: Cramming it all in there

After assembling your taco, you're ready to fold it and eat it. This is when you've found out if you've gotten too greedy. Can your tortilla hold all the toppings without it spilling? Can your life hold all that you've decided to cram in there without you freaking out? Or is it too empty? Maybe you could use some more meat...or veggies...or guac. Or is it just perfect? 

5: Taste/Mouth Feel

Time to eat (live)! Are you enjoying this taco creation? Is the meat too salty? Do you need less cheese? Is the tortilla kinda dry? This is when you get to evaluate your taco. And by taco, I mean your life. The great thing about tacos is that they're small (like a week or a month, maybe even a year of your life), and you need multiples of them to fill you up. So just because you fucked up this one taco that you're chewing on right now, doesn't mean you have to make the rest of your tacos the same way. You have the option of playing with #1-4 until you get the perfect #5 for you :) Also, just because your neighbor/friend makes their tacos with tabasco doesn't mean that you have to, too. I'm more of a Sriracha/Gochujang person myself. 


On that note, go make yourself some tacos (or peking duck or empanadas or whatever), and have some fun! :D

A Better Question to Ask Yourself...

Everyone seems to ask questions pertaining to "what....?" Like "What should I wear?" "What sport should I try next?" "What should I eat?" I find that this just accomplishes a short-term space-filling band-aid of a solution. 

Instead, I like the question "why?" or "what is the purpose of....?" as a better reason to do things. For example, let's say you've just completed a workout. You want to eat. Many people ask me what they should eat. My first question back to them is "what is your goal?" Once I find out why they're doing things, it's much easier for me to give them an appropriate answer. It's kind of like if someone were to walk up to you, asking for directions, but not tell you where they're going. Of course, you could tell them to go the north route to location A, or you could tell them to go the southern route to location B. You could even tell them to take the scenic route and drive in circles and end up exactly back where they started. None of those answers will be helpful unless you know where they are going. 

Another example: Someone asks if eating apples are good for you. Well, what's your goal?  Are you allergic to apples? How many apples are we talking about? How often are you thinking about eating these apples? What size are these apples? Etc...

Yet another example: "Is running (or X sport) good for you?" What is your purpose for doing this sport? Do you enjoy it? Do you have any pains during or after participating in the sport? Do you have any contraindications for this sport? How often and what are the durations you are doing this sport? Etc...

So many questions to ask in order to answer one "simple" question.

I used to hate running. I had to do it, though, because my taekwondo coach made us. After I broke my back, I couldn't train taekwondo anymore. Running became one of the few things I could do at that time. I learned to like it. I ended up doing it because I enjoyed it. Now I don't do it because I don't enjoy it anymore. Simple as that. But if someone were to ask me what I thought of running, my answer won't be a "good" or "bad." It would be something more in the lines of "it depends."

Every once in a while, I like to do a check up of myself, and ask myself why I do the things I'm doing. My answers may vary from day to day, or from year to year. My answers may also vary from other people's answers for doing the exact same things. But whatever my answer is at that time, it will be the driving force for my actions. My reasons will carve my path. Everyone has a different history/background that will shape their various purposes in life. Even if we're all doing the same thing, many of us have different reasons for doing so. It's easy to get caught up in the mainstream reasons (read: trendy/popular), but if your beliefs and reasons are different, then stay true to yourself. You'll accomplish what you, not others, wanted, and you won't feel like a sell out or having short-changed yourself.