Blackdove Nest

Christmas Family Slideshow - 2011

2011-12-19T13:43:00.002+08:00

Recognition and Achievement Awards Display

2011-09-02T13:59:00.004+08:00

This is a continuation of the article on mounting medals and trophies for display.

Not all of the items in the display cabinet shelves are medals, ribbons and trophies. There are many other items in your kids' stuff that are bound to add interest and variety to the display.

A portrait for instance, easily identifies the shelf to its owner. Adding these pieces of items will even out and balance the number of items that are showcased among the shelves so none would appear lackluster.
Read more »

Mounting Medals and Ribbons for Display

2011-09-02T13:41:00.004+08:00

This is a continuation of my article on ideas for an awards display cabinet. This article discusses how you can easily mount medals and ribbon awards on a display board (corkboard).

The mounting pins to be used on the corkboard are 1/2" to 3/4" long. These are shorter than the regularly bought sewing pins. If you already have short pins with the flat heads, then skip the following section. Otherwise, follow the steps below to make your own mounting pins for medals, ribbons and other items.
Read more »

Awards Display Cabinet Ideas

2011-09-02T10:05:00.005+08:00

This is the continuation of the previous article on the display cabinet for medals, awards and trophies.

My first approach to gather ideas was to search the internet for awards cases and cabinets. There were plenty of medal cases that were made of wood. They looked very nice (and expensive!). I've seen a few of these medal cases in some bookstores and even hardware stores. They practically looked like thick picture frames. The frame had the typical glass cover but with recessed back so you can mount medals inside.
Read more »

Display Cabinet for Awards, Medals and Trophies

2011-09-02T09:43:00.015+08:00

For the longest time, I've been contemplating on what to do with the kids' certificates, medals, ribbons, trophies and other awards stashed away somewhere around the house. Fortunately the kids have had their share of recognition from academics, sports and music.

Some of these awards, like the trophies, are displayed on top of bookshelves and dividers. Of course, you know that aside from the dust and cobwebs enveloping them, these awards are no longer that presentable.

So after a few weeks of organizing the kids' stuff, I found a way to showcase their achievements in a display cabinet that I call the "Achievers Corner". Shown below is the culmination of that project.
Read more »

Williams' Exercises for Low Back Pain Relief and Rehab

2011-08-05T16:33:00.018+08:00

As I'm getting older, it looks like injuries are coming aplenty. Just as I was contemplating on undergoing physical therapy for my left shoulder, I hurt my lower back. Unfortunately I'm not exactly sure how I hurt it. The only activity I did recently was to cut grass in our backyard lawn. I do this by sitting on a low stool with a pair of garden grass shears. It's either that or my poor posture at the computer again.

Thankfully, I already know a set of low back exercises called the Williams' Flexion Exercises that alleviates low back pain. So I performed these exercises twice a day for a week. I was pleasantly surprised that the pain was totally gone after a week.

I'm still amazed how this chart of exercises have benefitted me and so I decided to write about these exercises as a mode for lower back pain treatment.
Read more »

Perils of an 8-Hour Desk Job

2011-05-12T07:30:00.002+08:00

Didn't realize that sitting kills.

Read more »

Visita Iglesia 2011 - Laguna Road Tour (Part 2)

2011-04-22T09:02:00.009+08:00

This is a continuation of the Visita Iglesia 2011 - Laguna Road Tour (Part 1)

Right after lunch at The Beatles Place restaurant, the tour group proceeded to walk towards the Pakil Church which was just nearby. The tour bus was nowhere in sight because the bus driver was asked to park away from the church area. As we were walking, I noticed traffic to be at a very slow snail's pace.

The streets were narrow and one thing that exacerbated the traffic was that some cars weren't even moving - because they were parked. Still, the other car drivers seemed to be just patient waiting for their turns to maneuver past these parked cars. Street parking shouldn't have been allowed. With the influx of churchgoers, a reroutting scheme with one-way streets should've been implemented. I'm just so glad I wasn't driving. So yes, that's another thumbs up for packaged tours such as this.
Read more »

Visita Iglesia 2011 - Laguna Road Tour (Part 1)

2011-04-22T08:34:00.012+08:00

After missing a Visita Iglesia trip last year (a friend didn't make it with our reservations), this year's Visita Iglesia turned out a few surprises.

Originally, we were booked for a Batangas Road Trip on a Good Friday. Yup, Batangas again in spite of the fact that we attended the Visita Iglesia Batangas in 2009.
Read more »

Homemade Reverse Flyes or Rear Delts Station

2011-03-03T10:22:00.006+08:00

The Reverse Flyes exercise is one of the shoulder exercises that isolates the rear delts. The exercise can be done on a Reverse Pec Deck machine, with low cable crossovers or with free weights, using dumbbells. As a free weight exercise, it is sometimes called Rear Delts Lateral Raise or Bent Over Dumbbell Raise or a combination of those words.
Read more »

Homemade Bench Press Rack

2011-03-02T22:12:00.007+08:00

Another application of the homemade safety squat racks (click link for instructions) is their use as barbell racks in bench press exercises. The advantage of using these freestanding racks over the commercial bench press racks is that they're able to accommodate barbells of any length - even EZ-curl bars. You just move them closer or farther from each other to adjust to the barbell length.
Read more »

Homemade Dip Station

2011-03-01T09:17:00.014+08:00

Here's a dip station that I have for performing the dip exercise. Basically, the body of this homemade dip station comes from the safety squat racks I built (click the link for instructions).

Dips are good for building overall muscle mass around the tricep, chest and shoulder areas. Even if you're not strong enough to perform full dips, you can begin by just performing the negative phase of the exercise.

The dipping bars are made thicker and more comfortable with these homemade thick grip handles.
Read more »

DIY Anti-Slip Paint for a Stronger Grip

2011-02-15T12:22:00.021+08:00

In a recent project, I assembled a pair of homemade thick bar handles for thick bar weight training. Thick bar training challenges the forearms much more than the regular 1-inch bar. The homemade thick bar grips are mainly made of PVC pipes and, unfortunately, have a smooth outer surface.

The slick surface on the improvised fat bar grips poses a safety risk when the poundages increase. This is unlike the surface of the regular 1-inch thick barbell and dumbbell bars where the knurling provides traction for better gripping capability.
Read more »

Homemade Thick Bar Handles for Barbell and Dumbbells

2011-02-13T11:04:00.053+08:00

Many powerlifters, strongmen and bodybuilders acknowledge the value of thick bar training. Thick bar training challenges the hand and forearm muscles much more significantly than regular bar training.

So, why aren't many weight trainers using them?
Read more »

Digital Camera Bags Review and Comparison

2011-01-30T18:14:00.009+08:00

The point-and-shoot digital camera market has become so competitive nowadays that dealers have packaged camera models with freebies. One of the freebies being handed out today include camera carrying cases or bags. Depending on the camera bag features you're looking for, however, these free camera bags may or may not suit your needs.

Here are three camera bags I have and comparing below. Two of them were actually free when I bought the cameras.
Read more »

Basic Camera Bag Features for the Digicam

2011-01-29T14:38:00.004+08:00

From personal observation, it appears that ladies generally don't use camera bags at all. Most would just insert the digital camera in a side pocket of their carrying bag (or ladies' bag). Others slip the camera unit inside a thin case first before putting in in the bag. Guys, on the other hand, do use camera bags as they typically don't bring other bags. I noticed this in a couple of reunions I attended here and here.

Anyway, if you are looking for a camera case for that new point-and-shoot digital camera of yours, you might want to consider the following features.
Read more »

Tips for Buying a Cheap Camera Bag for the Digicam

2011-01-28T15:52:00.007+08:00

So after making digicam comparisons and finally buying your digital camera, what now? Well, unless your brand new digital camera comes with a freebie camera bag, it's now time to be hunting for that carrying case that will protect your new point-and-shoot digital camera. But then again, if you had a free camera bag that came with the digicam like I did, you may STILL want to look even further.
Read more »

Home Treatment for my Left Shoulder Rehab

2011-01-12T18:00:00.006+08:00

The yearend of 2010 and yearstart of 2011 hasn't been too great for me. The left shoulder has acted up again. I'm not sure how the rotator cuff got reinjured but I'm guessing it was the repeated performance of the pullover exercise. Doing it the first few times didn't bother the rotator cuff, but the once-a-week exercise aggravated the soreness and the pain just progressed slowly.
Read more »

Tips When Buying a Point-and-Shoot Digicam

2011-01-03T19:19:00.001+08:00

Point-and-shoot cameras (PNS) nowadays are becoming much cheaper compared to their price levels around 5 years ago. This is a very competitive niche with camera manufacturers, because unlike the the bigger and more expensive DSLR's, PNS cameras are practical, very affordable and highly popular.
Read more »

Comparing Digital Cameras for Blogging

2011-01-02T22:27:00.009+08:00

With my old Sony digicam now useless, I bought a new digital camera right after the holidays. It's a colored blue Canon PowerShot A495 digital camera. Yup, it's another point-and-shoot camera. It took a bit of time before I decided on this particular brand and make. In the end, it was a toss up between this unit and Sony's CyberShot DSC-S2000.
Read more »

Sony Digital Camera Short Life

2011-01-02T19:31:00.001+08:00

Finally, my old point-and-shoot digital camera died and I'm no longer reviving it. For a hefty repair fee of Php6,250, I'd rather buy a new digital camera. Digital cameras, after all, are becoming even cheaper. You could now buy digital cameras now at a third of their price 5 years ago. And these are popular name brands, by the way.
Read more »

Birthdays Slideshow - 2010

2010-12-07T09:37:00.009+08:00

With Renz's Birthday Celebration over, it's time to compile all the family's birthday celebrations for the year. I've had this idea for some time now.

Here are all of our wacky birthday pictures for 2010 in a slideshow. This year would be the first time that I was able to take pictures of all celebrators (celebrants?) on his/her birthday at their seats in the dinner table.

Even with Tita Gay out to care for my mother-in-law's hip and wrist injury recovery, I'm able to take pictures. Tight spaces are no problems either, thanks to the flexible mini tripod I bought for my old point-and-shoot digital camera.
Read more »

Renz Birthday 2010

2010-12-06T23:01:00.008+08:00

It's Renz's turn for a birthday celebration and his birthday caps the year's birthday celebrations for the family.

I've already thought of compiling each family member's birthday picture at the dining table and turning them into a birthday slideshow. A tradition of taking pictures around the dinner table just evolved this year, so that'll be fun to watch.
Read more »

Make the Christmas Picture Tradition Work

2010-12-06T16:01:00.012+08:00

In a past entry, I discussed how the Christmas Picture tradition came about and later, the inspiration for this unique Christmas tradition. The output slides and slideshows are actually a product of planning, photo-editing and slideshow software skills.

You might consider this tradition a lifelong work that will continue as the years go by. But how will you manage the yearly Christmas event to ensure that you do get quality photos you will be using for the slideshows?
Read more »

Unique Christmas Tradition Inspiration

2010-12-05T18:51:00.007+08:00

In a past entry, I discussed a yearly Christmas tradition that we have as a family. Nearing December, usually at the first Sunday of Advent, I'd take pictures of the kids by the Christmas Tree. I then arrange all the past and present Christmas pictures into a Christmas Collage. Before Christmas, I'd send the collage to friends as Christmas Cards or electronic greeting cards. The collages have since evolved into Christmas Slideshows which I also now post in social networking sites like Facebook.
Read more »

My Morning Rush Top Ten Entry

2010-12-05T11:14:00.014+08:00

Chico and Delamar are probably a couple of the most successful disc jockeys (DJ's) ever to ride the FM Band racetracks. They're currently over at DWFM Monster Radio RX 93.1. They've been in the business for decades. Not that they're old though. But they certainly have a big following especially in their segment called the Morning Rush's Top Ten.

When I was still working, I'd listen to the Morning Rush with Chico and Delamar program virtually everyday. I'd tune it to their radio program as early as 6am. As I drove to work, the program kept my cool whenever there was heavy traffic on the way. Although I'd switch stations to listen to some news on the AM band, I'd try to always catch the Top Ten segment batches. Chico and Delamar would air 5 of the top winning entries every 30 minutes, so there would be a Top Ten every hour.
Read more »

Christmas Slideshow - 2010

2010-11-30T21:12:00.011+08:00

With the 2010 Christmas Picture in, it's time to compile all previous Christmas pictures. In the tradition of our family's "Christmases Past and Present", here are a couple of slideshows for 2010.

The first is a swf (shockwave flash) video uploaded to go2album and the second is a wmv (windows media video) file uploaded to youtube.
Read more »

Christmas Theme - 2010

2010-11-29T16:22:00.004+08:00

Well, it's that time of the year again when the tripod comes out and the camera gets mounted on it for a brief pictorial session with the family. This pictorial will be for this year's Christmas tree picture. The practice started in in a simple Christmas Collage in 2005 and eventually became a tradition I call Christmas Past and Present.
Read more »

Weight Training for Bodybuilding Program

2010-11-27T07:24:00.015+08:00

I've been wanting to post my weight training exercises eversince I restarted my physical fitness program. These exercises revolve around the homemade gym equipment I assembled after I decided to workout at home instead of joining fitness gyms.

My strength training equipment at home consists mainly of free weights (barbell and dumbbell plates). I have a wooden dumbbell amd plates rack to store the free weights and use rubber tiles on the floor to prevent dumbbells from rolling. Many of the exercises utilize a pair of multi-purpose safety squat racks that I built.
Read more »

Digital Camera Flexible Mini Tripod Stand

2010-11-26T07:37:00.012+08:00

This may as well be my gift for myself this Christmas. Yes, I don't spend too much on myself. It's a flexible mini tripod stand that I bought from CDR-King. At Php120 (less than $3) it's the cheapest camera mini tripod I could find that has flexible gripping legs.

I already have a Slik brand camera tripod which I bought decades ago when I went to the US in 1987. I remember getting that camera tripod for a Video8 format Sony video camera (called Camcorder back then). When that video camera broke I replaced it with another camcorder which also broke. The Slik tripod remained and has served me well. But I only use it occassionaly for our yearly Christmas pictures.
Read more »

Sandra's Birthday 2010

2010-11-25T13:35:00.003+08:00

It's that time of the year again when the regular healthy diet gets sidetracked a bit with the kids' birthdays. Last week was Che's birthday and come Dec. 6, it's Renz's turn.

This year, it's Sandra's 14th birthday. We're grateful she has overcome her bout with dengue. Because of her illness and confinement at the hospital, she missed a whole week of school. After her release from the hospital, she had to catch up on lessons as well as school practice for an event. The first quarter periodical exams proved to be a challenge.
Read more »

Motorola Philippines Grand Reunion

2010-11-25T09:47:00.016+08:00

You know you're getting old once you start attending reunions left and right. This is especially so if those who you see at the reunion ARE old. But I didn't let that bother me too much because I feel I'm in my best shape. This is thanks to a regular exercise routine and diet regimen spurred by the need for fitness training.

After the First AMD Grand Reunion I attended several weeks ago, I attended another reunion. This time it's for the company I worked for the longest - Motorola Philippines. This isn't the cellular phone company that many know now. This is the first enterprise that Motorola had in the Philippines and this was in semiconductors assembly.
Read more »

Che's Birthday 2010

2010-11-15T10:32:00.009+08:00

It's time for another break from the regular healthy and fit diet. In other words, it's time to indulge a bit for Che's 18th birthday. Indulgence came from the Ho Chai Lai restaurant platter we picked up on the way to my mother-in-law's house in Makati. My mother-in-law is still recovering from her hip and wrist injury at home. She completed her physical therapy exercises for her legs and her wrist therapy exercises will soon follow. We figured as we celebrate Che's birthday there, we could cheer her up a bit.
Read more »

All Souls Day 2010

2010-11-11T22:22:00.012+08:00

As in the previous years' All Souls Day in 2009 and 2007, I was looking forward for some outdoor exercise with the frisbee at the memorial park. It isn't everyday that all the kids are around in an outdoor setting, so we might as well engage in some healthy activities with plenty of sunshine. I noticed them to be lethargic lately so I suppose some frisbee throwing, catching and heart-pumping running would bring about some energy.
Read more »

All Saints Day 2010

2010-11-11T15:11:00.013+08:00

Unlike last year's All Saints Day, this year's observance didn't have the associated back-breaking exercise of chopping firewood. Last year, we loaded up the van with firewood that we took from Sto. Domingo. I believe it took me a whole week exercising my lats, triceps and other back muscles to level the pile of firewood. And yes, I consider these kind of activities as exercise. Any activity for me that requires physical exertion without resulting injury is exercise and with it comes health and fitness benefits.
Read more »

Shortcut to NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) from Mindanao Avenue

2010-11-11T07:49:00.010+08:00

Every month, my family and I motor to Pampanga to visit my mom and my sister's family. We take the most convenient route for us and that is C5. We try to avoid EDSA because of its horrendous traffic. But then we cannot avoid it entirely because we still had to pass by the Balintawak Cloverleaf to get to the tollgate of the Manila North Tollways.

That was then. Now, with the NLEX-Mindanao Avenue link (promotion flyer in the thumbnail), we could skip EDSA if we want to. At a cost of Php 2.1 billion, the link, also known as Segment 8.1 is 2.7 kilometers long. The full cloverleaf interchange is three times larger in area than that of the Balintawak Cloverleaf.
Read more »

Remove Unwanted Google Adsense Ads

2010-10-29T06:29:00.008+08:00

For many years, this blog has evolved in its content. It essentially started out as a personal journal to document my progress as a recreational swimmer. As is typical with many other blogs, the blog also saw blog entries that covered a wide variety of topics.

Other than swimming, some of the topics that have been covered in the blog entries include Toastmasters, fitness, physical therapy, gardening, home improvement and family life, among others. In the years that I've written those blog entries, I've mostly been satisfied with the Google ads that have appeared on the website.
Read more »

How to Learn Ballroom Dancing

2010-10-27T19:18:00.010+08:00

Do you really need a ballroom dance teacher?
Do you have to enroll in ballroom dance classes for lessons?
Can you learn ballroom dance on your own?
Are ballroom dance instructional or training tapes, video cd's and dvd's effective for learning ballroom dance?

These are some of the most common questions that bewilder a beginning ballroom dancer, especially for the guys.
Read more »

Birthday 2010

2010-10-27T10:39:00.012+08:00

My birthday celebration this year was a day late. This is because the actual date coincided with the Grand Reunion which DH and I attended. The reunion finished at 5pm. By that time, according to DH, there was limited selection of cakes to choose from in bakeshops like Red Ribbon.

The food from Leslie's restaurant was aplenty and we were just full. I was able to get a second serving (no more rice!) just before the buffet table closed at 3pm. Luckily, there were plenty of fruit juices to wash all the food down.
Read more »

New Domain Name for this Blog

2010-10-26T09:56:00.007+08:00

This blog has been in existence since 2006. Some entries, though, appear to have been posted in 2004. And that's a nifty thing about Blogger. Post entries can be ante-dated so they appear to have been posted earlier. The first entry on this blog was ante-dated to the year 2004. That's why some readers have the impression that I've started writing in this blog since 2004.

The name of this blog when it was created was isjaw.blogspot.com. This blog is still accessible by that name. That particular URL is simply redirected to my new domain name which is blackdovenest.com. Blackdovenest.com was created last September 30, 2010.
Read more »

First AMD Philippines Grand Reunion

2010-10-25T17:50:00.014+08:00

Yesterday, DH and I attended the Grand Reunion of former employees of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Philippines. This is the first company we worked for (and DH's last), and I believe that is true for most who attended.

The reunion party registration started at 11 am and the program proper and lunch started at 12 noon. It was held at a posh restaurant south of Metro Manila called Leslie's Restaurant in the Ayala, Alabang area. Close to 300 former AMD colleagues gathered in this first ever Grand Reunion.
Read more »

Ballroom Dancing for Health and Enjoyment

2010-10-23T08:21:00.016+08:00

How many times have you heard this? "The more you enjoy doing something, the more you'd want to do it."

For many who are looking to get fit, the dance floor offers an exhilarating alternative to the drudgery of the gym, and experts say sticking to an exercise regime is EASIER WHEN IT'S NOT A CHORE.

Contrary to local belief of many young ones today, ballroom dancing isn't (and shouldn't) be associated with aging couples just wanting to get a form of exercise. Depending on the step, ballroom dancing can burn anywhere from 250 calories to 400 calories an hour about the same as a brisk half-hour walk on a treadmill. That's good exercise without the risk of accidents on a treadmill, whether serious or hilarious.
Read more »

Hip Pinning Surgery and a Cobra Fixator

2010-10-21T17:12:00.009+08:00

In the first week of this month, my mother-in-law had an unfortunate accident at the market. She's 77 years old, though she's no ordinary old lady. At her age, she's still spritely in her activities and manages to do most household tasks without any problem. She doesn't seem to tire easily compared to most senior citizens. I would say she's the healthiest and strongest 77 year-old woman that I've seen.

The above thumbnail with an x-ray image doesn't belong to her, by the way. But that solid white shape on the right shows an implant that is very much similar to what she now has in her right hip and thigh bone. The implant is an 8-inch titanium piece with a ball (femoral head) on top roughly 4 centimeters in diameter.
Read more »

The Law of the Garbage Truck

2010-10-21T08:38:00.004+08:00

This particular "law" has been making the rounds on the internet for sometime now and it's interesting that I got to read it again yesterday after finding a seemingly nasty comment on my email inbox.

The nasty reaction was on a comment I made after viewing a Filipino folk dance on Youtube. This was about a month ago. My comment on Youtube was a little more of an observation.
Read more »

Recovering from my Wrist Sprain

2010-10-11T22:00:00.006+08:00

This week would be week 4 after my right wrist injury. So far, the wrist pain has subsided significantly. I'm able to twist my right wrist a bit more. The pain occurs only when I turn my right wrist clockwise (as if turning a door knob). Also, as long as I don't push or pull at an odd angle, I've no problems with pushing or pulling heavy weights.

The wrist also no longer gives me pain or discomfort when I sleep. It's been a bit annoying in the first 2 weeks because my sleep would always get interrupted. The ensuing pain wakes me up when my right wrist assumes a cumbersome position or if my body rests on it.
Read more »

Lower Back Injury from the T-Bar Row Exercise

2010-10-09T07:40:00.014+08:00

The T-Bar Row exercise is one of the biggest mass builders for the back. It recruits the big muscles of the lats, traps and the rhomboids. It is a pulling exercise that allows you to lift heavy weight.

Although T-Bar row machines do exist, most bodybuilders who train at home simply use a plain straight barbell. One end is loaded with the barbell plates and the other end is simply stuck or jammed to a corner on the floor.Read more »

Barbell Collars with Quick Release Lock

2010-09-30T13:09:00.008+08:00

The barbell collars that I requested from Chris Sports have finally arrived. It's been a good two weeks before I finally found the time to go back to the store and get them. The last time I was there, I only saw one piece of these quick release barbell collars. It took a while for me to ask the staff about these type of collars because the staff was busy with a customer who had a serious treadmill accident.Read more »

Wrist Sprain from Lifting Weights

2010-09-28T09:42:00.006+08:00

Just when I thought I was gaining good ground on my weight lifting, I sprain the wrist of my right hand. This happened the other week on my leg and shoulder day (Wednesday). Presently, Monday is for Back and Biceps, and Friday is Chest and Triceps, lifting only three times a week.

No, I didn't accidentally fall on my right hand and then twist the wrist. The sprain was due to overexertion on the wrist as I lifted a barbell from a low position to a higher position.Read more »

Filipinos Should Learn How to Swim

2010-09-27T14:39:00.014+08:00

It's been a year since the rains of typhoon Ondoy inundated much of Metro Manila. My second daughter's high school even had to look for another school venue because all the roads towards their school were flooded.

Typhoon Ondoy brought a month's worth of rain in a couple of hours. The metrowide flooding prompted the utility company to shut off power and there were massive blackouts. It took quite a while for the floods to subside and the sun to shine. Laundry piled up and I had to wash the car floor mats due to mud.Read more »

Serious Accident from a Defective Treadmill

2010-09-23T10:49:00.012+08:00

With my interest towards fitness equipment, I constantly browse sports shops in the malls when I get the chance. Invariably it seems, it's the motorized treadmills and exercise machines that take space inside these shops because they're so big. Usually though, I just go past them without much notice.

A couple of weeks ago, while browsing for some quick release barbell collars, I overheard a bit of argument between a lady with her husband and the store manager. The lady was probably in her 50's and her husband was a Caucasian, and I'm assuming an American, at about the same age. The store manager was a young lady in her 30's, I think. Apparently, the couple was there to complain about, supposedly, a defective treadmill that the lady purchased from the store.Read more »

Funny Treadmill Accident

2010-09-23T10:34:00.016+08:00

Without a doubt, this for me is one of the funniest videos ever to be posted on YouTube. It is about a guy who goes about singing and dancing to the tune of a track playing on the background entitled "Turf Talk". Well, somewhere along the video, the guy decides to jump on the running treadmill and goes into spin cycle TWICE!

I've no idea if this was all staged or fake as some YouTube commenters have alleged, but I'm betting that it wasn't. Go watch it below.Read more »

Review of the Balance Stepper for Cardio Workouts

2010-09-22T17:51:00.014+08:00

It has now been over two years since I bought the Balance Stepper. This is the same balance stepper advertised by Tony Little as the "Rock 'n Roll Stepper". I have a post that has the Rock 'n Roll Stepper video.

It's funny, but elsewhere on the net, this same aerobic exercise equipment is being advertised as the "Body Slender". There are plenty of mini-steppers around, but I suppose this one is the one commonly referred to as a Balance Stepper.

Anyway, I feel that after using it for a couple of years, on-and-off (mostly off), it's high time I gave my own review for this fitness equipment.Read more »

Stationary Running without a Treadmill

2010-09-14T10:49:00.006+08:00

Although trail running was my primary form of endurance exercise in college, it was also limited. I only had the chance to hit the trails when I visited my parents' house in the province. This was during weekends or the semestral breaks from the university. And for the rest of the year, I stayed at my aunts' house in the city.Read more »

Recreational Running for Fitness

2010-09-10T14:30:00.007+08:00

Some people call it jogging, while some, the seemingly athletic types, call it running. The running purists call themselves "runners" of course, and have this disdain towards "the joggers".

It's like the term jogging describes the slow manner of locomotion that old folks attempt to revive their sagging stamina. It's either the old folks or the fat folks who're looking for some semblance of exercise. For me, I called it recreational running for fitness. And yes, it's the long slow distance (LSD) type of running.Read more »

Armwrestling - Motivation to Bodybuilding

2010-09-09T11:05:00.005+08:00

During one of those classroom lulls in college, students would joke around and generally just talk about "stuff" which is anything under the sun, really - movies, tv, university life, homework, relationships - anything. There wasn't much to do especially if it's just a one-hour class and the professor had to leave half hour early. That's until one smart guy at the back of the classroom egged his buddy next to him to armwrestle.
Read more »

Secret Weight Training with an Improvised Barbell

2010-09-08T13:42:00.005+08:00

Back in the days when I was still in college, I stayed at my aunts' house during the weekdays. The house was old, but very spacious. I had my own bedroom that was neat and comfortable and it was there where I spent studying. But it wasn't only studying that I did there. Little did my aunts know, that bedroom with the nice and shiny wooden floors also became my secret gym for my improvised weight training exercises.Read more »

Benefits in Using a Sports Towel

2010-09-07T17:24:00.012+08:00

After finding out what sports towels are and their advantages, I wonder why I hadn't discovered them sooner. Maybe sports towel use has been limited to just the athletic types who casually bring them like ordinary gear. I don't know.

When I go to various swimming outings in beaches or resorts, I don't see people using them. What I see people bring are the usual bathroom cotton towels. So you could say that, in spite of their advantages, their widespread use hasn't really caught on.
Read more »

Homemade Deodorant for High Intensity Gym Workouts

2010-08-27T13:26:00.008+08:00

In a recent article, I wrote my top ten reasons for working out at home and one of those reasons is getting away from other gym members' offensive body odor. Of course, you might counter that you can't avoid sweating in the gym, especially if it's hot and humid. But surely, you must have heard of "deodorants".

I recently discovered a recipe for a homemade deodorant. It's a simple DIY (do-it-yourself) thing. And for the past couple of weeks, I've been applying this deodorant. I have to conclude that it's the best deodorant that you can possibly use. Yes, that even includes all you sweaty gym rats out there.Read more »

Buy Used Barbell and Dumbbell Weight Plates Cheap

2010-08-26T15:54:00.009+08:00

By powerlifting standards, I've amassed a modest, if not meager collection of gym weight plates. Not that I'm desperate or looking to add more plates immediately. No, I'm still in the process of my lower back rehabilitation and my current inventory of barbell and dumbbell weight plates is enough, thank you.

I've been lifting weights on and off for the past decade and as one who's been weight training at home, I've worked mostly with barbell and dumbbell weight plates. These gym plates were bought new from sports hobby stores in malls. I was attracted to the nice black shiny new plates and as a beginner back then, who wouldn't want to workout using shiny new equipment?Read more »

Clean and Paint Rusty Old Weight Plates to Look Like New

2010-08-25T10:19:00.009+08:00

When we had our house renovated, we rented a small bungalow at the back of our old house. Since we had limited space, all my dumbbell and barbell weight plates were relegated on the floor in a small corner in the rented house. On top of them were all the other stuff that we boxed in cartons. Because I had to lay off my workouts, I quickly forgot about those dumbbell and barbell weight plates.Read more »

Boxing Hobby for Cardio Fitness and Conditioning

2010-08-24T09:16:00.012+08:00

One of the sports hobbies I dabbled in during my younger days was boxing. No, it wasn't anything serious or competitive. In fact it was just my brother who I sparred with and this was at our front yard. We had a front yard with concrete paving and was large enough for half-court basketball playing. This was in the early 80's, I believe. I was just finishing college and my older brother was already working.
Read more »

Five Reasons for Building your own Gym Equipment

2010-08-23T10:48:00.016+08:00

In a recent article, I wrote my top ten reasons for working out at home. If you're working out for flexibility or cardiovascular conditioning at home, you may not require an array of exercise gear. But for weight or strength training, a modest selection of free weights equipment or maybe weight machines is a must.

Now, there's a variety of ways to do this. You could buy weight training gear used or new. There are certain specifications to keep in mind though. Commercial weight plates and barbell bars, for example, come in two hole sizes - standard and olympic size. Nonetheless, uninterrupted and and progressive workouts require you to have many pairs of weight plates with varying poundages. And for this reason, I suggest you buy weight plates used rather than new.Read more »

Top Ten Reasons for Working Out at Home

2010-08-20T11:45:00.017+08:00

All you home training converts out there have seen the typical commercial gym scene. That, and the pitfalls that go with the gym membership. I used to be a member in a local small fitness gym and noticed that the problems mostly stem from the fact that you workout with other people. In other words, it's usually the crowd that comes with the gym.

Let's face it. The differences in training styles, preferences, beliefs and attitudes simply get in the way. And the more gym members you're not friends with, the more difficult it is to overcome these challenges. So the lesser the crowd, the better for you.Read more »

Musclehead at the Gym

2010-08-19T09:34:00.009+08:00

The Urban Dictionary defines Musclehead as

"A selfish, narcisstic, egotistical person in the gym or fitness center. One who is a bodybuilder or aspiring strength maniac who usually looks at others with disdain unless they need them for a spot. They almost never put their weights away when they're done with their exercise -- sometimes leaving a pile of 45's (45-pound plates) next to the machine or leaving a heavy load of plates remaining on the machine."

If you've been working out in fitness centers or gyms, you would've probably seen one. In the first fitness gym I joined, there certainly was one.Read more »

Joining my First Fitness Gym

2010-08-18T14:24:00.008+08:00

Fresh out of college in the 1980's, I was lucky enough to immediately start working as a Junior Industrial Engineer in a semiconductor company. Since college, living away from my parents' house wasn't new and so I quickly adapted to life in a boarding house. The boarding house was a quick 5-minute jeepney ride to my work place and so that made it convenient.

But even more convenient was the location of the first fitness gym that I joined. The gym, named ProdiGym, was a good walking distance from my boarding house and was in between my workplace and the boarding house.Read more »

A Case of Dengue in the Family

2010-08-17T17:55:00.022+08:00

With the onset of the rainy season, Dengue outbreaks have been reported on the radio several times already. And I believe this year had the most number of reported Dengue cases thus far.

In our own subdivision, defogging operations have already been started. Well, the irony of it is that on the same week of defogging, my youngest daughter Sandra fell ill to Dengue. And yes, it's the first case of Dengue in our family.Read more »

Glass Window Replacement

2010-08-16T10:37:00.006+08:00

A few weeks ago, I blogged about a glass window that broke due to Typhoon Basyang. Well, finally a handyman, Mang Dods, became available and dropped by to fix the window, among other things. He has an ongoing job in Tagaytay working on a vacation house extension. Dods was the foreman during our house construction and has done odd jobs at the apartment like fix the leaky roof.Read more »

Homemade Adjustable Safety Squat Racks Part 5

2010-08-13T09:21:00.014+08:00

In the previous article, I wrote about the construction of the homemade adjustable safety squat racks. In this article, I'll discuss some of the finishing touches you can do.

My homemade squat racks have served me for quite a long time and in that time, they've pretty much held up. I only had to repaint the metal parts once. Of course, functionality and safety prevails over aesthetics so your mileage may vary here.
Read more »

Homemade Adjustable Safety Squat Rack Part 4

2010-08-11T19:44:00.029+08:00

This is a continuation of the previous article where I discussed the parts of the homemade adjustable safety squat rack and their functions. In this article, I'll discuss how each of the parts of the squat rack are constructed and assembled.

Here is the pair of the homemade safety squat racks as seen from the front. It has been adjusted (raised) to a height suitable for me to perform the squat exercise.
Read more »

Homemade Adjustable Safety Squat Racks Part 3

2010-08-10T12:26:00.021+08:00

In a previous article, I discussed the considerations for building the Homemade Adjustable Safety Squat rack or HASS rack.

So can you build safety squat racks that are freestanding to allow different length barbells yet stable enough not to topple over? Yes, you can. The squat racks are all metal and you don't even need welding equipment.

Yup, NO WELDING required.
Read more »

Frightening Barbell Setups

2010-08-09T06:10:00.009+08:00

A serious weightlifter ought to have squats as part of his weight training plan. So when I finished building my weight plates and dumbbells rack, primarily for storage purposes, I embarked on a project to build squat stands.

Improvised Barbell Supports

For this, I turned to the internet for ideas on how to build homemade squat stands. I wasn't particularly looking for gym equipment designs, but rather setups that other folks have implemented to allow them to safely squat at home.

In my internet search, I encountered a couple of improvised barbell setups that truly aroused interest, but in a rather disturbing manner.Read more »

Homemade Adjustable Safety Squat Racks Part 2

2010-08-06T09:47:00.021+08:00

In a previous article, I briefly discussed problems with some homemade squat racks I saw around the internet.

Not to be confused with safety squat racks, squat stands are simply holders for the barbell - generally speaking. Safety squat racks have the self-spotting feature afforded by the horizontal steel safety racks made up of steel rods or "pins" on both sides of the weightlifter. The parts are usually are welded or bolted whole together. Shown below is a commercial squat rack with the horizontal safeties.
Read more »

Homemade Adjustable Squat Safety Rack Part 1

2010-08-05T08:24:00.040+08:00

Many years ago, I was searching for designs or plans that would allow me to build a homemade squat rack. After building myself a couple of wooden squat stands, I was hoping to build safety squat racks for self-spotting weightlifting exercises.

Some of the designs I saw on the internet ranged back then that were successfully implemented were a combination of wood and metal and had the theme of a squat cage. The pillars or posts for the cage were essentially made of 4" x 4" wood and had squat safey pins made of metal rods. That was the basic idea.

Above is an example of a homemade squat cage that is solidly built.
Read more »

Typhoon Basyang Bashed our Window

2010-07-16T14:59:00.005+08:00

Last July 13, Tuesday night, we had one of the worst typhoons to hit us. Rainwise, Typhoon Basyang wasn't by any stretch Milenyo magnitude. But I thought our place was directly hit by the wrath of its winds.
Read more »

Happy Birthday Karen 2010

2010-07-04T07:43:00.006+08:00

Right after the Pizza ~~Pigout~~ Celebration for Father's Day, we celebrated Karen's Birthday later in the evening.

As we were still reeling from pizza overdose, we had a simpler fare that night: spaghetti (c/o Makati), barbecues and cake (Rocky Road again?). Also, Karen received a nice new watch as a present from us - a Ladies Timex Indiglo! Here's the gang with Renz and his "sad dopey face". He wasn't so quick to flash his "hungry alien face" this time.Read more »

Father's Day Celebration and More

2010-07-01T08:19:00.007+08:00

This was really long overdue. And no, it isn't just Father's Day celebration.

I've promised the kids pizza many weeks ago to celebrate their academic successes. But with the enrollment to new schools this year and having Karen settled, we were simply too busy.Read more »

Advanced Father's Day Gift 2010

2010-06-29T11:02:00.006+08:00

Just as I was just getting ready to sleep, face down, with DH massaging my aching back, I felt something shoved into my open right hand. It felt like a small package. As I was about to look, my 8-year old son Renz darted away. The package had a post-it note stuck on it saying "Advanced Happy Father's Day". Of course from the handwriting I knew immediately it was Renz who scribbled it.Read more »

The Famous Orient (D' Original) Buko Pie in Los Banos, Laguna

2010-06-24T08:42:00.007+08:00

Many decades ago, when we went to field trips to Laguna, I've heard of this famous buko pie store. I didn't know its name other than it was called Original. I thought it was a bit funny at that time to have the name "D' Original Buko Pie". Afterall, "D' Original" sounds so 70's! Besides, is it really THE original?

I do remember though that even at that time, there was always some sort of a queue at that store. The roadside store I remember a long time ago seemed a bit rustic. Actually, it seemed to me that the whole place then was very rural. It looked like a small barrio (wow, is the word "barrio" even used nowadays?), with plenty of trees and hardly any establishments or buildings.Read more »

UP Los Banos Boarding House Sendoff

2010-06-23T12:39:00.009+08:00

With Karen's enrollment all completed, it was time to settle her in her boarding house. Yes, this will be her home away from home for the next few months, although technically, she'd still be coming home every weekend.

This is the boarding house where Karen will be staying.

Read more »

Enrollment at UP Diliman 2010

2010-06-23T09:55:00.005+08:00

Early in the morning, DH went to Alabang Medical Center (formerly Muntinlupa Doctors Clinic) to have the additional x-rays for her injury at UP Diliman. The sister of the drunken driver was trying to rush us to give them the amount of medical expenses.

We left at around 8am to hopefully finish the last leg of Che's enrollment in UP Diliman. Little did we expect that the process of shifting course and campus would be so laborious and time-consuming.Read more »

Enrollment at UP Los Banos 2010

2010-06-23T06:07:00.011+08:00

Last June 3, Karen, DH and I went to the University of the Philippines in Los Banos (UP Los Banos or UPLB) for Karen's enrollment. After a long wait during the summer vacation, Karen was finally admitted to the university with the course BS Math and Science Teaching.

Supposedly, the actual date of enrollment for her was June 4. But upon the advise of Tita Flora to avoid the June 4 surge of enrollees, we enrolled Karen a day before. Well, there were still long queues.Read more »

Drunk Driving Accident at UP Diliman

2010-06-22T13:15:00.011+08:00

Last June 2 was Day 3 of the week for Che's transfer and enrollment. She decided to transfer from UP Manila (BA Development Studies) to UP Diliman (BS Materials Engineering). It being a Wednesday, I couldn't use the car to take Che and DH to Diliman.

Later that evening, I received a call from DH that they'd be very late to come home. She apparently figured in a vehicular accident with them as innocent pedestrians.
Read more »

Dumbbell Rack Repair

2010-06-14T09:31:00.011+08:00

When we had our old house demolished and a new one constructed, we rented out a small house near our lot. The house we rented was small and so space for our stuff was very limited.

And with hardly a space to do my home gym workouts, I decided to set aside all the weight training equipment for the time being. That, or at least put them into some good use somehow.

Read more »

Tip to Prevent Dumbbells from Rolling

2010-06-11T14:43:00.005+08:00

Ever had dumbbells or barbells roll away the moment you set them down on the floor? Of course for dumbbells I'm referring to those that use the regular round weight plates.

After several sets of exhausting weight exercises, the last thing you want to do is to chase these runaway dumbbells and bring them back to where you use them. It is not only annoying and time-consuming, these runaway dumbbells and barbells could pose a safety risk to others who might be working out nearby.Read more »

Shortcut to Los Banos, Laguna

2010-06-10T15:20:00.010+08:00

One of the nice things about living (and working) in the South of Metro Manila is access to the hot springs resorts in the Pansol and Los Banos areas of Laguna.

In over two decades of living here in the South, I've gone to many swimming pools and resorts too numerous to count. And in those many instances, we've always taken a shortcut going to Pansol, Laguna. This is assuming of course you're going there via private transportation.Read more »

Map and Directions of the Shortcut to UP Los Banos (UPLB)

2010-06-09T21:15:00.017+08:00

It's been a few times now that we've gone to the University of the Philippines in Los Banos or UPLB for short. The first time was when we decided, on a whim, to visit on a late Sunday aftenoon. It was simply a joy ride to do a little sightseeing inside the campus. We were still awaiting back then for Che's Admission to the University. Here's one of the pictures taken there, right in front of the Maria Makiling statue. This was taken in Feb, 2009.

Read more »

Homemade Parallel Grip Pull Bar

2010-06-01T10:38:00.010+08:00

There are several pulling exercises that for some, a parallel grip would be more beneficial. The parallel grip can be used for variety or when flexibility does not permit the standard overhand grip.

Benefits for the Parallel Grip Pull Bar

With a parallel grip you have the best leverage, as both the elbow flexors and the shoulder extensors are in their most effective line of pull. You will find that this grip has the least amount of stress on your wrists, elbows and shoulders. It is the form of chin-ups where you are most likely to be able to use additional loads.Read more »

Cushioning the Dumbbell Wrist Roller

2010-05-31T19:06:00.005+08:00

In a recent entry, I discussed the Wrist Roller exercise that gave instant relief to my tennis elbow pain. In that entry, I described how a regular spin lock dumbbell bar, some standard weight plates and inexpensive items can easily be assembled as exercise equipment to perform the wrist roller exercise.

Somebody commented that some of the spinlock dumbbell bars have a threaded parts that can be too rough or too sharp for the palms. I had this same experience when I changed my old dumbbell with a longer type so I could have a medium distance grip on the bar.Read more »

Set Up the Situp Bar

2010-05-28T14:52:00.011+08:00

The previous post discussed the considerations for a wooden weight and dumbbell rack. This post discusses in detail the Situp Bar that can be used on the rack.

How to Use the Situp Bar

The A-frame that supports the base board of the dumbbell rack shows the horizontal bar as shown below.

This bar is stable enough to keep your body from rocking if you perform situps on a bench. The combined weight of all the plates weighing down the weight and dumbbell rack is enough counterweight.Read more »

Set Up the Weight Plate Hooks

2010-05-28T11:19:00.010+08:00

The previous post discussed the considerations for a weight and dumbbell rack that's made from wood. This post discusses in detail the Weight Plate Hooks that hold the weight plates.

The hooks that hold the weight plates in place are heavy duty 2" long square hooks that are coated with PVC material. The hooks are actually L-shaped and have a threaded screw portion that's 1" long.
Read more »

How to Build the Curling Bar Stand

2010-05-26T10:56:00.008+08:00

The previous post discussed the considerations for a weight and dumbbell rack that's made from wood. This post discusses in detail how the Curling Bar Stand is made. This is the part of the weight and dumbbell rack that holds the EZ Curl Bar.

Read more »

How to Build the Dumbbell Rack

2010-05-22T19:28:00.013+08:00

The previous post discussed the considerations for a weight and dumbbell rack that's easily assembled with wooden parts. This post discusses in detail, how the Dumbbell Rack component of the structure is constructed.

The picture below shows the dumbbell rack with the plate-loaded dumbbells safely secured.

Read more »

Build a Weights and Dumbbell Rack from Wood

2010-05-22T15:41:00.037+08:00

When I started working out at home, the basic exercise equipment I had in mind were free weights. Free weights can be used in a wide variety of exercises for all body parts. They don't take as much space as other exercise machines that have specialized and limited use.

So I bought a couple of pairs of adjustable dumbbell bars, an EZ curl bar and an ordinary straight bar. I also started accummulating an assortment of weight plates. These aren't the Olympic weight plates but rather the standard weight plates that fit in the standard barbell and dumbbell bars.

Shown below is the weights and dumbbell rack. Behind it are my homemade adjustable safety squat racks, collapsed for storage.

Read more »

Saving on Airconditioning Energy Costs this Summer

2010-05-20T10:44:00.008+08:00

According to PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), "Temperature in Metro Manila hit 37.5 degrees Celsius yesterday, the warmest day recorded in the metropolis since January. The sizzling temperature was recorded at 4 p.m. yesterday at the agency’s facility in Quezon City."

No wonder even my bed on the second floor of our house felt warm to the touch as I laid on it. The afternoon strong breeze that has kept our house cool has been noticeably absent for a week. The past few nights have also been quite warm. The mosquito net solution to ward off the pesky mosquito somehow dissipates the breeze coming from the wall mounted electric fan.Read more »

First Google Adsense Check

2010-05-19T11:48:00.009+08:00

Last Friday, I was pleasantly surprised to receive my first ever check from Google. I had the feeling that the check would arrive soon after I saw the earnings surge way past the minimum threshold amount. I just didn't expect the check to come in about the right time, considering the reputation of the slow postal delivery in this country.

Posing in our terrace with the newly delivered Google check.

Read more »

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-18T18:07:00.008+08:00

Mother's Day this year (May 9) was a bit different. We'd normally just stay at home or maybe eat out at a nearby mall, but for this year, we went swimming at Circle Island Resort in Molino, Bacoor, Cavite. The campaign activities for the May 10 elections have ended and that meant no more annoying heavy traffic. And with the summer heat, we thought it was a nice time to get out and cool off.

I think the kids, especially the girls (or is that ladies, now?), were really into Mother's Day this year. The night before, after DH went to bed and dozed off, the girls all went downstairs excitedly. I thought they were up to something but wasn't sure. I saw them preparing some ingredients and some pans and they said it was a secret. So I just left them and went to bed too.Read more »

Circle Island Resort in Molino Cavite

2010-05-15T19:23:00.016+08:00

In the Sunday of last week (May 9), my family went off to nearby Circle Island resort. Although the resort is in Molino, Cavite, it took us only around 15 to 20 minutes to get there - and we're coming from Muntinlupa City. This is largely thanks to the Daang Reyna and Daag Hari roads that now link San Pedro, Laguna and Muntinlupa City closer to Molino, Cavite.

Read more »

Learning to Bike in Summer

2010-05-14T10:31:00.009+08:00

Two weeks ago, we decided to revive biking lessons for my son, Renz. This was after we agreed that there will be no swim lessons this summer. The nice thing about biking in summer is there are no water puddles on the ground to contend with. Water can make the ground slippery. Falls from the bike, which are inevitable, can become messy with the mud on a wet road.

Renz had previous attempts to learn to ride the bike last year. But these were merely "bike appreciation" sessions. Sure he rode the bike, but it was all through the aid of bicycle training wheels.
Read more »

No Swim Lessons this Year

2010-04-29T16:32:00.007+08:00

But there's no sense not enjoying a day's swim last Saturday at one of our favorite water holes.

After some messy handyman work on fixing PVC door jambs and readjusting kitchen cabinet concealed hinges, the swim was a very much welcomed treat for me. This is especially amidst the sizzling heat of summer.

Read more »

Relayouting the TV and Computer in the Family Room

2010-04-28T20:25:00.005+08:00

After plenty of observation and thinking, I finally relayouted the computer table and TV in the family hall. Presently, there are only a couple of major activities happening in the family hall: TV viewing and computer usage. Computer usage for the kids mean mostly homework and research during school and computer games and social media during vacation.

For me, personally, I still consider this little nook in the family hall as the home office even with this crappy little computer table. Yes, we still share. Afterall, when the kids are in school during the day, I can use the computer for my work.

Originally, the backs of the computer table and the TV were against the wall. So that means the computer user and TV viewers were facing the window. Here is the old layout with the kids milling around the computer table.

Read more »