I feel that being alone is something that I don't mind--and in many cases, is something I actively enjoy. This typically invites people to look at me quizzically and say something like "Don't you get lonely?" I DO get lonely (I am a human being after all) but loneliness and aloneness are completely unrelated.
Aloneness is simply the state of being by oneself--it is to be alone. Personally I like being alone--having my own time to do the things that I want to do, talking to myself. I'm not sure where this constant desire to be completely on my own comes from but its a constant desire--and one that I've ALWAYS had.
Loneliness on the other hand is the desire for company--it is not necessarily a function of the amount of people around you (you CAN feel lonely without being alone), but rather stems from the desire to relate to another human being on a personal level.
Even when I am completely alone I like to send a few texts to my little brother and sisters, a quick phone call to my dad, an email to a friend, or a skype chat with my sweetheart--because as much as I love to be by myself--I like being able to reach out to someone who I knows cares about me--and that I care about in return. After all, I am only human right?
Friday, June 15, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Train with Ferocity
Once a long time ago I was asked how one should train.
At the time I was on the spot, as a totally amateur weight-trainer, and quite green so I had no qualifications to answer a question like this. I firmly believe that weightlifting is the one area where you are allowed to strike down someone else's arguments with a simple "but I lift more than you so shut up" (see previous posts).
Back to my original story--I was asked how to train, or more specifically, how one should train their arms. I ended-up mumbling something about performing exercises that train all heads of the biceps and triceps and making sure to perform them on the same day (or some antagonistic bull like that) and in the end I think I actually recommended that he perform Preacher Curls--I know right, ridiculous! I guess that's a good way to show you how green I was...
I have JUST returned to weightlifting after taking a much-needed break. Every once in a while after a stretch of consecutive weight training, it is important to take a week off--even if you don't feel tired yet--even if your weights are continuing to increase. I tend to do this myself after eight to ten weeks of a program. Last week was spent relaxing--catching up on my reading--and refocusing myself so I could really hit the weights HARD upon my return.
The thing is--you NEVER get a second chance--if you dog it on one set, you will never get that set back. There are no do-overs with weightlifting; if you don't attack each set with everything you have, then you may as well stay home--because you're just taking up space.
I live a mile and a half from my gym--and the walk back takes me nearly an hour simply because I'm so spent. On "squat day" I have to drag myself home, legs shaking--and it takes even longer. This is a measure of a good workout in many cases. It SHOULD be hard. It SHOULD be heavy.
In the end there is only one answer to that question, "how should I train?" You should always train with ferocity.
At the time I was on the spot, as a totally amateur weight-trainer, and quite green so I had no qualifications to answer a question like this. I firmly believe that weightlifting is the one area where you are allowed to strike down someone else's arguments with a simple "but I lift more than you so shut up" (see previous posts).
Back to my original story--I was asked how to train, or more specifically, how one should train their arms. I ended-up mumbling something about performing exercises that train all heads of the biceps and triceps and making sure to perform them on the same day (or some antagonistic bull like that) and in the end I think I actually recommended that he perform Preacher Curls--I know right, ridiculous! I guess that's a good way to show you how green I was...
I have JUST returned to weightlifting after taking a much-needed break. Every once in a while after a stretch of consecutive weight training, it is important to take a week off--even if you don't feel tired yet--even if your weights are continuing to increase. I tend to do this myself after eight to ten weeks of a program. Last week was spent relaxing--catching up on my reading--and refocusing myself so I could really hit the weights HARD upon my return.
The thing is--you NEVER get a second chance--if you dog it on one set, you will never get that set back. There are no do-overs with weightlifting; if you don't attack each set with everything you have, then you may as well stay home--because you're just taking up space.
I live a mile and a half from my gym--and the walk back takes me nearly an hour simply because I'm so spent. On "squat day" I have to drag myself home, legs shaking--and it takes even longer. This is a measure of a good workout in many cases. It SHOULD be hard. It SHOULD be heavy.
In the end there is only one answer to that question, "how should I train?" You should always train with ferocity.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Expertice through Experience
Two weeks ago at MIT's gym (second-worst gym I've ever used) I was performing a Twisting Dumbell
Shoulder Press from a Seated position where the seat-back wasn't
perfectly straight--but rather one notch down--maybe at 100 degrees. The committee is still out on what is the standard way of performing the movement--totally vertical is marked with stimulating more fibers of the shoulder while slightly declined allows fuller contraction at lockout and heavier weights.
Noting the fact that my bench wasn't at the 90 degree setting, some guy at the MIT gym approached me and told me that I would hit the shoulder with more intensity if I were to raise the seat back to 90 degrees. He was not being rude--he was simply trying to offer a tip that seemed to work for him.
He was visibly smaller as a whole with less-developed shoulders as a whole--and since he was doing the same thing on the other side of the gym I made note of his weights--30 pounds. Not bad--for a beginner.
What do you do?
I very nicely told him that I was pressing 95 pounds in each hand and I would gladly listen to him when he reaches my level.
This is not rudeness on my part either--he honestly thought he had something to contribute and experience told me that he didn't. The fact that his tip worked for him doesn't mean that he can instruct someone clearly out of his league--and likewise I would never try to correct someone else's bench press or abdominal work--because frankly I'm average on my best day in these areas.
Even if you are certified as a trainer, there will always be some things that you are just plan unqualified to remark upon--if you've been a bodybuilder your whole life, it just makes no sense to instruct someone in powerlifting. I do not run--I hate running with the heat of 1000 suns. You will NEVER see me instructing anyone on cardiovascular work, so don't even ask.
As a result I would like to add a subheading to my "Three Laws of Weightlifting" in the category of etiquette.
a) Thou Shalt not offer tips in an area where you are not an expert THROUGH EXPERIENCE.
So next time someone helpful wants to correct your method, it is safe to just go ahead and ask them how much weight they use--if they're not at your level you can go ahead and ignore them--tell them Ben said so.
Noting the fact that my bench wasn't at the 90 degree setting, some guy at the MIT gym approached me and told me that I would hit the shoulder with more intensity if I were to raise the seat back to 90 degrees. He was not being rude--he was simply trying to offer a tip that seemed to work for him.
He was visibly smaller as a whole with less-developed shoulders as a whole--and since he was doing the same thing on the other side of the gym I made note of his weights--30 pounds. Not bad--for a beginner.
What do you do?
I very nicely told him that I was pressing 95 pounds in each hand and I would gladly listen to him when he reaches my level.
This is not rudeness on my part either--he honestly thought he had something to contribute and experience told me that he didn't. The fact that his tip worked for him doesn't mean that he can instruct someone clearly out of his league--and likewise I would never try to correct someone else's bench press or abdominal work--because frankly I'm average on my best day in these areas.
Even if you are certified as a trainer, there will always be some things that you are just plan unqualified to remark upon--if you've been a bodybuilder your whole life, it just makes no sense to instruct someone in powerlifting. I do not run--I hate running with the heat of 1000 suns. You will NEVER see me instructing anyone on cardiovascular work, so don't even ask.
As a result I would like to add a subheading to my "Three Laws of Weightlifting" in the category of etiquette.
a) Thou Shalt not offer tips in an area where you are not an expert THROUGH EXPERIENCE.
So next time someone helpful wants to correct your method, it is safe to just go ahead and ask them how much weight they use--if they're not at your level you can go ahead and ignore them--tell them Ben said so.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Bad Costume Design, Flash
So E3 is upon us and its time for us all to be extremely cross and disappointed in the videogame industry. I never quite understood hype--it seems to pass up incredibly good games (Kingdoms of Amalur, anyone?) for whatever new Call of Duty or Super Mario title shows its face.The way things work is a new title comes up, it's praised by the media and the fans for months, it comes out. and then everyone tries to convince themselves that it was worth all that spent energy...remember the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword? Rubbish. Remember Gears of War 3? Preteen testosterone caricature nonsense...didn't answer any of the interesting questions the previous titles brought up. That's another story.
This time its a DC Comics fighting game developed by the guys behind that Mortal Kombat reboot of a few years past called Injustice: Gods Among Us. This title dares to ask that question that everyone else has been busy knowing the answer to all these years, "What would happen if superheroes went bad?"
You would think that a DC Comics-themed fighting game would be EXACTLY what I would want, you know, being such a Detective Comics fanboy and whatnot. I am a current subscriber to seven of their monthly comic books and have a countless number of trade paperback collections. I currently have a batman costume in my closet--I may actually end up wearing it by the time this post is done.
The first red flag that came up for me was the costume design for the Flash. What's up with all those shoulder pads and moving pieces? It's like someone started drawing him and then never stopped. With all those hard edges and pockets and pieces sticking-off his frame, you would think that there would be a tremendous amount of drag huh? Especially if he is running faster than light?
There's another thing--why are we even having this discussion anymore? The Flash would win hands down. How do you fight someone who can move and react faster than the speed of light? He can literally dodge lasers! You can't fight someone like that--there is no argument there. Even if you do find a way to even the field (maybe by fighting on an ice rink?) he can vibrate through solid objects--what are you going to do?
In the Justice League of America arc: Tower of Babel, Ras al'Ghul finds a way to take every member of the Justice League out of commission with incredible efficiency--he causes Martian Manhunter to erupt into flames do to small magnesium bugs, makes Aquaman develop a fear of water, blinds the Green Lantern, etc. As it were, this is all from Batman's files--since Bruce Wayne is so paranoid he has developed a contingency plan for every member of the League just in case they go bad some day.
His solution for the Flash was a special bullet designed to attach itself to the spine when it senses the Flash trying to vibrate through it--this bullet causes the Flash to experience seizures at light speed.
My point? Unless the "X" button on the controller is mapped to "Use the Special Vibrating Bullet", No one has a chance against this guy.
NOT excited about this title--going back to play more Kingdoms of Amalur.
This time its a DC Comics fighting game developed by the guys behind that Mortal Kombat reboot of a few years past called Injustice: Gods Among Us. This title dares to ask that question that everyone else has been busy knowing the answer to all these years, "What would happen if superheroes went bad?"
You would think that a DC Comics-themed fighting game would be EXACTLY what I would want, you know, being such a Detective Comics fanboy and whatnot. I am a current subscriber to seven of their monthly comic books and have a countless number of trade paperback collections. I currently have a batman costume in my closet--I may actually end up wearing it by the time this post is done.
There's another thing--why are we even having this discussion anymore? The Flash would win hands down. How do you fight someone who can move and react faster than the speed of light? He can literally dodge lasers! You can't fight someone like that--there is no argument there. Even if you do find a way to even the field (maybe by fighting on an ice rink?) he can vibrate through solid objects--what are you going to do?
In the Justice League of America arc: Tower of Babel, Ras al'Ghul finds a way to take every member of the Justice League out of commission with incredible efficiency--he causes Martian Manhunter to erupt into flames do to small magnesium bugs, makes Aquaman develop a fear of water, blinds the Green Lantern, etc. As it were, this is all from Batman's files--since Bruce Wayne is so paranoid he has developed a contingency plan for every member of the League just in case they go bad some day.
His solution for the Flash was a special bullet designed to attach itself to the spine when it senses the Flash trying to vibrate through it--this bullet causes the Flash to experience seizures at light speed.
My point? Unless the "X" button on the controller is mapped to "Use the Special Vibrating Bullet", No one has a chance against this guy.
NOT excited about this title--going back to play more Kingdoms of Amalur.
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