Surround yourself with positive Chi, Ch'i, Qi, Energy...

This post will briefly talk about the health benefits of being surrounded by things you like, and especially in your home or bedroom. In a moment, I'll provide a few links to other blog posts I wrote in the past, that may help give you some ideas or encourage you to add some creative items into your home, that is, if you're interested in stuff like that. 

Anyway, there is a lot of information and studies about the beneficial effects on the body when it comes to bringing positive Chi (also known as Ch'i or Qi or "energy flow") into your living environment. After a long days work that is often filled with negative energy, it is good to come home to a place or a room that you feel at peace with and/or comfortable. There are so many people who practically come home from work or wherever, and walk into an even bigger mess. It is hard to "feel at home" if your house is in disarray, wouldn't you say? There is enough stress in daily life, so why not try to at least decorate a room or the entire house in a way that sort of represents your way of thinking or level of creativity. Hey, if bare walls and plain colors soothe you, then that is fine too. If you live in a house with a lot of people, you may be better off concentrating on your bedroom or recreation room (if you have one), etc. 

Regardless of this subject matter, I'm not going to be getting into all that Feng shui talk or other Chinese philosophy about positive and negative Chi, mainly because this is a fairly simple concept. I don't see anything miraculous or complicated about why it is healthy to surround yourself with things you like. I think all that chatter about "energy flow" and "positive Chi" and "the force of Qi," is what turns this into a bunch of woo-woo babble and ultimately distracts people from the main point. Ha-ha!

Okay, now back to main reason for this post... Below, I'm going to provide 4 links to other blog posts I wrote elsewhere, that may or may not help give you some ideas for adding some positive energy into your home:

Metaphysical Crystals & Healing Stones - on that post, I briefly go over some of the concepts found within the study of metaphysical tools, charmstones, etc. However, even if all that "crystal healing" crap is just a bunch of marketing baloney, that makes no difference. You can find some spectacular crystals and stones from websites that sell this type of stuff. Personally, I don't use it for any magical practices. I simply use it to decorate the house and provide a positive, natural-looking atmosphere. Some of my favorites are the Amethyst crystal clusters, Rose Quartz, and Malachite. 

Looking for Infinity Mirrors? - on that post, I provided a few images of these crazy mirrors along with a shopping link. If you decide to visit the Infinity Mirror post, you'll see how they could easily add some creativity and uniqueness to a person's home or room. Side note: These things are rather expensive, so don't expect to buy infinity mirrors for just a few dollars. 

Himalayan Salt Products, Lamps, Tea Light Candle Holders - is a post about the health benefits of heated Himalayan salt - due to the release of negative ions into your home. Within that blog entry, I provided shopping links and images of some of the products that are currently available. I have several of these in my house, and they help provide a very natural look to your living space; very much worth the money! 

Freshwater Aquariums - A scenic, decorative hobby... - is a blog post about starting a freshwater aquarium. I just sort of threw that link on here, in case it might interest anyone. Once you get used to managing your tank, you may end up buying more. They are truly beautiful to have, and they can bring positive energy into your home by adding a touch of nature to your room, etc. At one time, I had 4 tanks in the house and 3 was in my bedroom. My girlfriend at the time, said my room looked like "aqua world" or something. Ha-ha! However, fish tanks are not for everyone. In fact, for some folks, they will do anything but provide positive Chi and will be a big headache for the ones who are not responsible enough for this particular hobby. Basically, you need to make sure you really want to get into this hobby before diving in and wasting your money. I've seen some people who ended up with a lot of money spent for nothing because they let their tank become a sewer with dead fish - due to neglect and stupidity. Anyway... 

Well, that's all the links for this post. I've used all of those things mentioned above to decorate my home, along with other items such as ancient Egyptian stuff, martial art weaponry, dragons, etc. 

The bottom line: if possible, try to surround yourself with positive energy, Chi, Ch'i, Qi, or however you want to label it (ha-ha!), if at all possible - and especially in your home. Cheers! 

Image Credit: Free to use & share via Pixabay.com

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Buy Motivational Posters for your Workout Room

Yesterday, I did a post entitled "Motivation is the key to any successful regimen!" I started to speak about finding various things you could use to motivate your workouts, but I sort of lost motivation along the way and just started posting humorous images. Ha-ha!

Anyway, today I'm speaking about finding motivational posters for your workout room, that is, if you're lucky enough to have a separate room that is solely used for physical fitness training. This doesn't apply to the ones who use a gym, or have their training equipment spread out throughout the house, etc. But, if you do have a workout room, it might not be a bad idea to buy a few posters that really get your macho, ego-filled, testosteronic engine revved up.

You know, all this poster talk reminds me of when I was a teenager. I had all these hot babes plastered on the wall in the room I would lift weights and, on occasions, it would backfire on me. Instead of looking at them as I was doing the repetitions and sets of exercises while imagining being built and attractive enough for them to want me, I would sometimes just start fantasizing a little too much and would end up leaving the room before even starting and working something else out, then saying, "the hell with it" and cancel the weightlifting session for the day. Ha-ha!

However, for the most part, it is generally a good idea to have some motivational posters in the area that you do your exercises.

Okay, now to the heart of the post. I was browsing through Amazon for some posters. Now they'll list 5 or 6 million posters in their search results, but you can always narrow it down by using more specifics in the search bar. I'll leave that up to you, but I will provide a few images of some of the more attractive posters I found on the first 3 or 4 pages of search results. After that, I'll provide a link that you can use to start your search from here. By the way, if you do go to buy some posters, don't worry about spending much money. I've seen several really good ones for only 2 or 3 dollars, etc.

Click on any image below, to enlarge for a better view:

[I'm sorry, but I had to remove all of the motivational images I originally had on this post, due to the potential violation of Google AdSense TOS agreement.  However, if you follow the Amazon (affiliate) link below, you can find all of 'em again and many more!] 

Shopping Resource: 'Click Here' to Shop for Posters via Amazon!

Image Credit: Free to use & share via Pixabay.com

---End of Blog Post "Buy Motivational Posters for your Workout Room"

Motivation is the key to any successful regimen!

This topic could go on forever, with all the failed and successful regimens that relied, lived or died while being solely based and dependent upon something called "motivation." For starters, we have all heard of the losers who set "New Year's Resolutions" year after year, only to get slightly motivated for a day, week or whatever, as they quickly fall right back into their old habits and wait until the next year to "try it again." Try? What is that? The term 'try' actually sounds quite lame, even when compared to other synonyms such as 'attempt' or 'endeavor'... WTF?

Since this is a health-related post, I'll "try" to keep other non-related issues, politics, and certain circumstances out of it, even though many things in life relate to this subject: "Motivation is the key to any successful regimen!"

Okay, so what's your problem: Are you tired of the same old workout? Do you lack vigor? Are you having trouble staying with anything that might involve a routine or a systematic approach? Do you find it difficult or a task just to get out of bed every day? Are you currently suffering from depression? Do you need to take a pill for every ailment that comes your way? Are you a procrastinator that almost has to be forced against your will just to do anything? Well, if you answered "yes" to any of those questions, you may be suffering from something called "lack of motivation."

Damn, I'm really getting off base here, even though I "tried" to keep it health & fitness related. Anyway, the point is: Finding motivation isn't much different than just waking the hell up and smacking your own self in the face. Simply put: There is no need to search for what motivates you, it is just a matter of going after what you've been too lazy to get. If you need mediums of motivation outside of your own brain, then certain types of music or motivational movies may also help, but regardless, it really is about getting off your ass, just like the picture below demonstrates:

Well, this post may have lost its original motivation to convey the message that motivation is the key to any successful regimen, but it doesn't mean that it has lost its sense of humor...

Below, I'll post a few random images that I gathered from the web, to depict some of the concepts found from the term motivation. Click on any of the images below, to enlarge for a better view. Enjoy...

Well, I hope you enjoyed this pictorial post of motivational concepts. I meant to get into the methods of finding motivation for working out and/or physical fitness training, but I sort of lost motivation along the way and started leaning more towards the relaxed, humorous tact of communication. Cheers!

---End of Post "Motivation is the key to any successful regimen!"

Mental Exercises - Keep the Mind Active as you Age

This blog mainly covers topics about physical fitness and other health-related subjects that pertain to the improvement of physical health, but really, when you "think" about it, mental health is just as important - if not more. To keep the mind active as you age might require more than just a healthy lifestyle, as mental exercises can greatly improve your cognitive functions, help you stay sharp and quick-witted, boost your memory, improve your overall sense of awareness, prevent dementia (mental deterioration), along with other additional health benefits that come with "mind over body" concepts.

Side note: I recently did a blog post over Ginkgo Biloba - which in my opinion, is just a bunch of herbal, marketing baloney with false claims of being able to enhance your brain power. Trust me, exercising your mind via thoughts and mental activity is way better than hoping for some miracle pill to do the work for ya... However, there is some evidence that adding more Omega-3 into your diet may improve your thought processes; the same applies for ginseng supplements, as well. [Edit: I have found out over the years that Sunflower Lecithin is also another excellent supplement for brain health.] 

Speaking of that, my mind has been active a lot lately, but not in a good way. Relationship issues, anger, stress, etc., is not necessarily the healthiest forms of mental exercises, to say the least - but it is "mental activity," nonetheless. That reminds me, I really need to beat the hell out of one of those Body Opponent Heavy Bags to alleviate some pent-up frustrations! 

Anyway, the point is, as the old adage states: "Use it or lose it." Yeah, that saying is often used for people who suffer from erectile dysfunction, but it also applies to the mind and body, as well. 

 Okay, that's enough chatter for now; I think you get the point. I recently did a quick web search and found a few sites that contain brain teasers, mind games, etc. You can do your own search if you wish because there are loads of related websites out there, but before I end this post, I'll provide a couple links below: 

http://www.brainist.com/ (link is no longer active) - contains several mind games, brain tests, memory games, speed reading tests, a short version of an IQ test, trivia, and so on. On that particular site, you'll often have to scroll down to the last half of each page to find the games/tests, since the top half is usually full of adverts. 

https://www.wordgames.com/ - has word games, puzzles, typing games, crosswords, etc. 

For daily tidbits and other word games, go here: www.perpendicularity.org/daily-tidbits-word-games.html (link is no longer active) Cheers!

Update: I also find that playing basic card games (especially when played at a fast pace) on the computer like Solitaire, Free Cell, and Pyramid really help keep those processes within the brain firing on all cylinders. ---End of Update
  ---End of Post "Mental Exercises - Keep the Mind Active as you Age"

Body Opponent Punching Bag - BOB - Dummy

I've recently did a blog post over "picking out the right heavy bag / speed bag stand," but after reading that, some of y'all may realize that you either don't have the room for such a stand or that the area you would like to place it, isn't in good enough condition to withstand the weight and vibrations from hardcore use. Either way or even if you do have the room for the traditional heavy bag stand along with a speed bag setup, you may still be more interested in punching or kicking something else......

Have you ever heard of a dummy known as "BOB," the "Body Opponent heavy Bag?" Just going by looks, these are some nifty little/big bastards, and are great for a more realistic, life-like target to punch, strike and kick into. Speaking of that, this may be the perfect bag for you, when you feel stressed with pent-up frustrations and decide to release the fury on occasions!  Besides, it just sounds kind of cool when somebody tells you what all they do for a workout and you simply reply with, "well, personally, I just go out to my garage and beat the hell out of BOB."  Ha!

Below, I'll provide an image of a typical Body Opponent Punching Bag:

I've recently browsed through a small selection of these types of exercise bags (human torso targets) at Amazon.com, and the product description for the one above, was as follows:
"Work the entire upper body with this realistic heavy bag! Body Opponent Heavy Bags are excellent, realistic and life-like punching bags. Excellent for home, apartment, school, and aerobic boxing. Perfect every punch and kick in your arsenal. Punch to the face, chin, body ... anywhere you'd hit your opponent. Now even more realistic for a variety of techniques. Base fills with approx. 270 lbs. of sand or water for solid and sturdy use. Made of high strength plastisol filled with urethane foam for durability. Adjustable height to accommodate multiple users. Base is rounded for easy roll location."

Personally, I've never tried one of these, but I really enjoyed the water-filled heavy bag I once owned. The pros for these human-shaped dummy Body Opponent Heavy (BOB) Bags seem to be its compact size, life-like appearance, adjustable height, and sturdy base. Now, what I would like to know, is just how much of a beating can this human-like dummy really take? They are fairly pricey, but if they are as good as they say they are, it would be well worth the money. 

Update:  July 4th, 2013 - Well, I waited nearly 2.5 years before I purchased one of these BOB thingies, but I must say it was well worth it!  I currently have it out in the garage, but if we have a bad winter, I may bring it in, since I filled it with water instead of sand.  I wouldn't want it to totally freeze and burst, although 270 lbs. of water will take prolonged temperatures way below freezing, but we'll see.  I also bought some 14 oz. boxing gloves to go with my Century BOB XL with Stand, so I'm finally set!  This thing is really fun to use and is a great workout for not only the upper body, but also for a good cardio workout, as well; cheers!

Side Note:  Some people have mentioned that this particular human-shaped dummy / punching bag moves a bit while they use it (going by some of the reviews I have read).  Well, after using it myself, I can attest to this.  I have done two things to combat such movements, although I will say, like other people have mentioned, the fact that BOB does move around upon heavier impact, adds to the training experience.  Anyway, I have my body opponent heavy bag cornered in, literally.  I have mine in a concrete building/garage/carport, in the far corner.  That way, it can only move so much to the left and right and can't go backwards at all.  The second thing I did, since I had an extra one, is put a weighted vest on it, to add some more weight to it, which helps some.

Additional Update: I revisited this post after a few years from my last update above and just wanted to add that I have owned one of these human-shaped punching dummies for several years now (it is now toward the end of 2021).  It is tough, rugged, and can take a beating.  The last few years I have kept the XL BOB outside in the open and it has still held up, even during the winter! Definitely worth the money, to say the least.  Anyway, in case you're interested, I'll provide a shopping (affiliate) link below:

'Click Here' for a selection of Body Opponent Heavy Bags

Image Credit: Fair Use - Product Image via Amazon.com

---End of Post "Body Opponent Punching Bag - BOB - Dummy"