Exercise

A leg workout

During this workout, I trained my legs with the following exercises:

  • Front Squats (5-6 sets)
  • Regular Squats (1-2 sets)
  • Leg Extensions (5-6 sets)
  • Hamstring Curls on the exercise ball (both legs and one leg at a time)
  • Leg Presses (4 sets)
  • Donkey Calf Raises (3 sets)
  • Sitting Calf Raises (2 sets)

I also (unexpectedly) reached new maxes on the front squat, the leg extensions, the leg presses and the donkey calf raises and in the video, I talked about how gains come when you don’t expect them to (as long as you put in the work to get your body ready for them). I also talked about how we perceive weight and how we tend to let pre-conceived notions dictate to us how much weight we can or cannot lift. It’s important to approach each set with only the expectation of getting the most benefit out of it. Don’t pre-program yourself for any specific weight, because who knows how much you can truly lift? Why limit yourself?

Hope you enjoyed the video!

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A Guide To A Good Life

Shoes and Foot Health

In this video, I wanted to share my thoughts on the importance of two things:

  1. The proper fit of a shoe, and here I mean its length, width and arch support, and
  2. The habit of walking barefoot one day a week.

When it comes to the fit of a shoe, it’s even more important to watch its width, not just its length. A shoe of the right width for your foot provides proper ankle support as you twist your feet. You may not find it an important criteria for your shoes until you twist your ankles or worse, break them, which happens quite a lot with ill-fitting mountain boots and ski boots.

Adequate arch support is obtained by trying on lots of pairs of shoes and knowing what to look for, or with the aid of inserts, which I do not like, or best of all, by getting measured with a proper mold for bespoke shoes. This involves stepping into a box filled with a special pressure-sensitive foam that conforms to the exact shape of your foot and stays that way, allowing the shoemaker to make a shoe just for you.

I believe it’s important to walk barefoot one day a week, for the following reasons:

  • It provides you with a pleasurable sensory experience to step over varying textured surfaces, relaxing your mind and your body. Try walking barefoot on cobblestone, pebbles from the riverbed, sand, grass, marble or hardwood flooring and you’ll see what I mean.
  • It allows your feet to breathe and stretch out. As much fun as it is to wear great shoes, our feet need to “breathe”, to be free of the confines of a shoe, every once in a while. Your nails will look better after having seen the sun and your bones will re-align, helping you regain your proper gait.
  • Walking over textured surfaces will stimulate pressure points on the soles of your feet, points described by the practice of reflexology. Stimulating these points will allow your body to function better, more freely, with less stress.
  • Having your feet in contact with the ground will initiate a process called earthing, which will release negative electrical tensions in your body, letting you breathe easier and sleep better. It’s the same concept as the grounding wire in your electrical outlet.

Enjoy the video!

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Reviews

IWC Portuguese Rose Gold Chronograph IW371480

I love the design of the Portuguese watches from IWC and this chronograph is exquisite.

  • Model IW371480
  • Swiss-made caliber 79350 automatic movement
  • 40.9mm 18k rose gold case
  • 18k rose gold bezel
  • Silver dial with gold-tone hands and hour markers
  • Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
  • Minute markers around the outer rim
  • Two sub-dials: 60 seconds and 30 minutes
  • Functions include hours and minutes and small seconds at 6 o’clock with stop function
  • Brown alligator leather strap with 18k rose gold deployant clasp
  • Power reserve of 44 hours
  • Water resistant to 3ATM (30m or 100 feet)

Buy it here: Mens IWC Watch Portuguese Rose Gold Chronograph IW371480 or from The Watch Gallery

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Reviews

Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker

I’ve had the original Bose SoundDock for several years and I love it. Also love the Bose customer service. When I called them after I lost a dock adapter, they sent me one for free. This is why I know the new SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker is great: it’s a great product from a great company which takes care of its customers. It comes in three finishes: nylon, leather and special edition.

You’ve got your music on your phone, and you’re ready to play. Enjoy deeper, more powerful sound than you thought possible from a speaker this small. The SoundLink Bluetooth Mobile speaker II works wirelessly with Apple, Android and BlackBerry devices, or your tablet or laptop – and goes wherever you do for music when you want, where you want.

Buy it here: Bose® SoundLink® Bluetooth Mobile Speaker II – Nylon

If you want an even smaller Bluetooth speaker, Bose has the SoundLink Mini.

Enjoy better sound on the go, everywhere you go, with the Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker. It delivers full, natural sound from an ultra-compact speaker that fits in the palm of your hand. The speaker connects wirelessly to your smartphone, tablet or other Bluetooth device. A lithium-ion battery gives you hours of unplugged play time. And the included charging cradle keeps the speaker fully charged while serving as its convenient home base. The SoundLink Mini speaker is engineered with a solid, aluminum housing and skid-proof rubber bottom, so it can stand up to everyday use. Take your music, videos and games places they’ve never been before.

Buy it here: Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker

If you have the original Bose SoundDock, then you can still use it via Bluetooth. All you need is a small Bluetooth adaptor from CableJive, called the dockBoss air.

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Reviews

Edwin Jagger De89bl Safety Razor

An affordable DE razor, the Edwin Jagger De89bl gives a great shave and is a good choice for those just starting to learn to shave the old-fashioned way (which happens to also be the best way). By the way, if you’d like to learn how to use a safety razor, this is a good place to start.

This traditional double edge safety razor is fitted with the latest precision manufactured Edwin Jagger DE razor blade head creating great interest among experienced wet shavers requiring a close and accurate wet shave with finished results comparable to the original straight cut throat razor. The classic closed comb head, expertly engineered caps the highly polished chrome plated solid brass tubular handle with the Edwin Jagger name embossed around the collar. With an Edwin Jagger traditional double edge safety razor you can achieve a very close shave helping to reduce ingrowing hairs. Each DE razor is supplied with 5 Derby safety blades so the razor is shave ready.

Buy it here: Edwin Jagger De89bl Double Edge Safety Razor Chrome Plated

Edwin Jagger De89bl Safety Razor

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