fitness
The Ultimate Self Defense
Posted October 16, 2008 9:38 AM
Krav Maga is the ultimate in self defense. I once interviewed a Krav Maga instructor. She was a wisp of a woman weighing no more than 115 lbs soaking wet and probably no taller than five feet five inches. I asked her how on earth it would be possible for her to defend herself against a 220 pound man who put a gun to her head. She very specifically said to me that if he was putting the gun to her head, he was through. I said, "I don't believe you." In a moment straight out of the Matrix I said to Vivian... "Show me." So she brought over another instructor, and sure enough he went about 220 pounds. Within about 5 seconds, she put a series of moves on the guy, that completely disarmed him. As if that wasn't bad enough, she took the gun away and had the weapon pointed at him. She went from victim to having complete control before he could yell, "oh crap!"
They have similar moves to disarm a knife to the throat. Oh, and if a scumbag tries to rape a woman who has been trained in the Israeli art of Krav Maga self defense, he'll be a nutless bag of jelly in two point two seconds. Karate is great. Kung Fu is cool. Boxing has its place in history too, but in the world we live in now, there is something to be said for being deadly with your hands. Krav isn't pretty like martial arts. In fact it's not a martial art at all. Krav Maga literally targets the soft and most vulnerable parts of the body. Hey bad guy, go ahead and try to attack when your intended victim just slammed you in the larynx and the groin.
We're a gifts for men site to be sure, but it's October, and the Dodgers just lost to the Phillies yesterday. So we're fighting mad! Tomorrow I introduce my five year-old girl to Krav Maga. I'll let you know how it goes.
Ultimate Fighter and Guyville
Posted September 19, 2008 12:00 PM
We can't go another day without discussing UFC's Ultimate Fighter, or at least I can't and I control the keyboard today. I got hooked into watching Ultimate Fighter 7 Rampage/Forrest and now UF8 Nogueira/Mir. I was never a huge MMA fan, though I knew who Chuck Liddell was and Tito Ortiz, and a few other big name guys. I'd seen some matches and loved them. I also knew that it was going to dethrone my beloved sport of boxing, and it has. So I tivo'd Ultimate Fighter, and man, after a week, I joined a gym and took a boxing lesson from World Champion boxer and 2000 Olympian, Jose Navarro.
It is interesting how these warriors are so prepared and WILLING to get hit with flying fists, feet and elbows. They are happy to accep broken noses, jaws etc, in order to dish out what they have. So here I am, a slightly pudgy, pretty out of shape guy pushing 40, who hates the idea of ever fighting anyone, and now I'm in the ring tossing 5 punch combinations with a world champ. We're not sparring, let's be clear on that. We're moving and dancing around the ring and I'm throwing punches as hard as I can into his moving mitts. While gasping for breath, chest heaving, but digging for more, addicted to the pop-popping of my thunderous left hand, I realize what I really want to do in there. I want to fight. I want to taste his leather so I can punish him with my leather. I know he'll whoop my ass. I know I'm out of gas, but there's that thing inside of me. It's that guy thing. I get it. You lose something in that ring. It's what the film Fight Club was about. Inside that ring, adrenaline flowing, you lose your fear.
I explained this to my wife and she just shook her head. I knew she wouldn't quite understand, but bless her, she let's me do my thing, be it something she can relate to or not. I think I finally understand how these guys can shake hands, hug, beat the living hell out of each other for 15 minutes and then fall into each others arms hugging and crying as if they're best friends. The fighters love it, the fans love it. I love it. I love you Dana White. You're a damn genius!
Nike - That Ain't Right
Posted August 6, 2008 12:43 PM
Wow! And speaking about legendary gifts for men, just look at the photo to your left. We're a site that blogs about guy gifts, sure, but nobody wants that. The Wall Street Journal Online recently ran an article about heat that Nike was getting about its new billboard ads that were allegedly insensitive to gay men and African-Americans. The ads were to promote a new line of basketball shoes called, Hyperdunk, that were to be a part of Nike's Olympic marketing pitch. Basically the image on the billboards are of two unidentifed basketball players, one dunks on the other ones head, leaving the defender in the, er, crotch region of the dunker. The slogan running over the image..."That Ain't Right." Well, at Guyville, we don't think it's the worst thing we've ever seen, however, we can understand why people might get a little muffed, um, miffed by it too.
Look, Nike, we get that you can't win 'em all, and that you aren't always going to dream up something as brilliant as "Just do it" but I'm not sure how anyone thought this could be a real winner. Speaking of winners, why don't you mosey on down to our Guyville Personalized Gifts for Men superstore, where you can find any and all of your gifts for him needs without being grossed out.
What Guys Should Eat
Posted June 24, 2008 4:47 PM
About two years ago I blogged that my cholesterol was 250. The good cholesterol wasn't good enough to keep my doctor from pushing me hard to go on Lipitor. At only 37 years old there was no way in hell that was going to fly. I told her I'd change. I told her I'd lose weight, I promised the moon and the stars. Basically she nodded and said, "Let me spell it out for you...you're the guy who gains five to ten pounds each year, until you hit about 260 or so when you're fifty one years-old, and then BAM! Lights out. You have a massive coronary, and you don't make it. I see it all day long." Sobering words to be sure. I began a running (some might call it jogging, or yogging) campaign which I'm still on, but I've really been paying attention to my diet of late. I went completely meat (and fish) free for about 3 weeks, but alas, I felt weak, anemic and tired all the time.
I've heard so many great things about a wheat free and gluten free diet, that I've been able to manage it for...(don't laugh), about 4 days now. I'm getting some sage advice from The Guy Diet Blog and I've been treating myself to a lot of organic foods of late. The truth is, that going meat free was so difficult, that this seems tame by comparison. I am really cutting down my red meat intake too. Let's face it, it ain't the greatest for the ole ticker, and I'm also cutting my sugar intake down by about 80%. This guy gift blogger has lots of gifts for men ideas, and a new store that needs constant supervision so I can keep the personalization machine moving on...I don't have time to suffer any "lights out" bouts anytime soon. Until next blog...see you soon.
Stand In Awe At Our World
Posted January 15, 2008 10:16 AM
There are many routes for exercise, but there is none so important as the mind. And the conference that takes place in Monterey, California, the TED talks, is a great place to get in shape. It is an invitation-only event that gathers some of the great minds in science, art, and general life to present their ideas and thoughts to each other. The presentations range from the clever, but not overly spectacular to outright mad-scientist brilliance. The great part about listening to these people is that they do try and make it entertaining. You get to learn about the most amazing things and still enjoy sitting and watching the length and learning from these people.
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Fitness Redefined As Fun
Posted December 3, 2007 9:48 AM
The Wii Fit
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Cycle Slaw
Posted November 27, 2007 9:24 AM
Bicycles. What with so many cars (and even ones not horrible for the environment, wow.) to choose from and everything needing to be happening NOW it seems that people are forgetting the pure and simple windblown pleasure of riding a bike. There are utility bicycles, mountain bicycles, racing bicycles, touring bicycles, cruiser bicycles, and BMX bicycles to name some common types. Also a part of the bicycle kingdom are tandems, recumbents, lowriders, tall bikes, fixed gear, and folding models. Now isn't that so much more fun? Instead of saying you've got a 4-door sedan or a hatchback you get to throw out a name that sounds cool and will probably say something about who you are, or at least what kind of riding you do but that's besides the point.
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Rugball. And No That's Not Sexual
Posted November 12, 2007 9:06 AM
We've covered football, we've covered soccer, we've even covered rugby, but what we haven't covered is Rugball. A combination of all three, somehow, this really is a sport for guys. It involves a grassy area to play, a soccer ball
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Gender Issues
Posted October 25, 2007 9:11 AM
Okay guys maybe a blog will clear things up a little, but honestly I don't think there's any hope. This is of course about the difference between men and women, or the lack thereof really. Us guys have a lot of things we do that women don't, but that seems to be changing. I'm not saying feminism is bad (though sometimes it's really annoying) but men and women ARE different and trying to say otherwise is just nonsense.
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Whales And Hippos Eat Healthier
Posted October 16, 2007 9:08 AM
Fast food restaurants have always been leading the race in fat/cholesterol/calorie based foods with burgers and fries and everything else that can be cooked with grease, but recently the trend has been to focus on breakfast. I'm sure you guys have seen the jack in the box commercials where jack only pays attention to breakfast and not lunch and dinner, but jack has some solid competition now. CKE Restaurants' Hardee's has unveiled their new breakfast, the Country Breakfast Burrito.
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Toughness Means Fitness, Sort Of
Posted October 15, 2007 9:49 AM
All of those far off days of playing outside in the streets and parks definitely added up to make for some rambunctious, and probably tough, little kids, so why not take a page from our younger years? That's right guys it's time to bring back some of the classic games that brought us so much fun and pain. We've composed a list of activities that all have that childhood ring and sting and are possibly guaranteed to whip you into shape.
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What's That Groove?
Posted October 2, 2007 9:06 AM
Prison is not a good place guys. Big Bubba and his other enormous buddies make it that way, not to mention all of the other brutal inmates in for any number of crimes. That's just the US prison system though, what about overseas? We've all heard of the horrible conditions of the prisons in other countries, which may be true, but not in the Philippines. They're program is guaranteed to keep you fit and healthy and disciplined. That's right, they dance.
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As If This Wasn't Easy
Posted September 26, 2007 9:05 AM
All of you guys who have a mark you're trying to reach in your workouts, raise the bar right now. We're not talking about juicing or supplements or even workouts to beef up. No, we're talking about pure fitness. Not to put down those guys that are ripped up like a bear, but what can you do with all those muscles?
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Pure Domino's Anti-Sex Appeal
Posted September 11, 2007 11:45 AM
Doctors, politicians and parents alike all sit around wondering why we keep getting fatter in America. Well I finally think I figured it out, presenting the source of all that is obese...The Oreo Dessert Pizza. Domino's is giving this dessert away whenever you buy a large pizza at menu price; just what people need after a cheese and dough laden meal, another heap of insane calories. So if that sounds even remotely tempting to any of you guys, then make sure you've got the time to work off that tire around your waist.
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Guys Getting Old
Posted May 18, 2007 10:42 AM
Okay, granted, 37 isn't very old. In fact it's pretty young in today's day and age. Three hundred years ago if you made it to 45 you were an old codger. In caveman days if you lived past 20 you were practically a fossil. Forget cancer, imagine trying to outrun a T-Rex on a sprained ankle. You'd be a snack quicker than you could blurt out, "Holy sheep $h!t!" However, being that I have not seen any t-rex's around I've had some nagging things bugging me and recently went to visit my doctor.
Technorati Tags: gifts for men, total gym, men's health
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Men's Fashion - Flab is Fab
Posted February 8, 2007 8:25 PM
Male models wanted - studs need not apply. You heard right, Boffo the beer drinking baboon, there is a new look in men's fashion these days and it's all about normal guys wearing real sizes. You have heard that Milan is looking for girls with some meat on their bones, well the same thing is going for male models. The buff look is so last year and the metrosexual look apparently just confused everyone, so it's all taken a back seat to what's hot today which is normal sized guys. Now, that said, don't think that this year's big birthday gift for yourself is a new career. We proudly point out gifts for men and the gifts for him today aren't pipe dreams. The new 'hot' male model look is still around 6 feet 2 inches and 170 pounds. So unless you wear 32' x 34' Levi's, you might want to still consider keeping your day job.
Technorati Tags: dolce & gabbana, fitness, male models, victoria's secret
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Fun Getting Fit
Posted January 14, 2007 7:46 AM
We're fit when we're young because we play all the time. Basketball, football, baseball, going crazy at the school dance were all part of our everyday lives, so we could eat anything we wanted and never gained an ounce because we burned it all up. We never even had to think about things like fitness, calorie counting and working out. Somewhere between 32 and 36 years-old reality hit like a brick sandwich and our weight ballooned when we were asleep. Most of us try to fit in regular exercise, but between raising children, going to work, and owning a home, something has gotta give. It's going to be our exercise regimen every single time.
Technorati Tags: cool gifts, fitness, guy gifts, nintendo wii, weight loss
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You Know You're A Fat Guy...
Posted January 7, 2007 1:34 PM
You know you're officially a fat guy when...
- you break a sweat putting on a pair of socks.
- you can't seem to groom your tool without first lifting up your tool shed.
- Walking up the two steps getting on and off the escalator completely exhaust you.
- You go over a bump while driving in your car and your man boobs jiggle.
I can go on and on with these. I bring this up because something recently came to my attention after meeting a friend I hadn't seen in about five years. We were having dinner and he said, "Buddy, you look a little different to me. Are you feeling well?" Confused because I felt fine, I said, "I feel great. Why?" He continued with, "Well I see a what looks like a big lump that's under your chin and it just seems enormous to me. Will you please have it checked out?" I took a deep breath and said, unfortunately out loud, "That's my chin, dumb ass." The only thing this poor guy could manage to say was, "Oh, my bad." He wasn't trying to be mean or even make a point. He was shocked at how after a few years I'd put on so much weight.
Technorati Tags: cool gifts, fitness, omron body fat, tanita scale, weight loss
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Are Girls Smarter Than Boys?
Posted November 29, 2006 5:54 PM
Ron Burgundy doesn’t think so – in fact he informed us that "you’re just a woman with a brain a third the size of us…it’s science." While that is hilarious, Anchorman couldn’t have been further off with that one.
Technorati Tags: fitness, Gaiam Balance Ball Chair, guy gifts, men and women, Ron Burgundy
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Double Deluxe Duffle
Posted September 13, 2006 5:16 PM
Guys and duffle bags can be a tricky thing. Every store in the world offers their version of what they think we, as guys would want to have included in the bag. To be fair, they usually get some of the important stuff right like the shoulder strap, the nifty side pockets, and a few other features.
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Gym Etiquette
Posted August 29, 2006 2:10 PM
By Jackson Doyle
It's hard enough to motivate and get to the gym. To do it in the morning, you have to give up sleep, those precious hours, minutes and second of it, to wander off under the deep grey morning sky, to hit the gym. To work out at lunch, it's a race against the clock. Change. Run. One set of curls. Shower. Back to work. Eat at desk. No real relaxed break from the day. Working out at night? It means you're getting home around 8, missing most of your night, leaving you a window of time to consolidate eating, vegging, errands, making any necessary phone calls and hitting the sheets, only to be out by the time your melon indents the pillow.
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Yoga: What It Is and Why It's Good For You
Posted August 29, 2006 2:09 PM
Yoga information by Marisa Lowenstein
Sure, Madonna is a convert and Sting swears by it, but what is it exactly that they're doing? For yoga virgins, thoughts of this 4,000-year-old mind/body fitness regimen usually conjures up scary images of contorted people with their legs behind their heads or of overly new-agey folks in the lotus position chanting "OM" in incense-filled rooms. While both of these scenarios can be part of the practice of yoga, they are not what this highly dynamic, challenging and fulfilling fitness practice is limited to.
Arms
Posted August 29, 2006 2:08 PM
This is what you wanted, right? Arms? Biceps? Guns? Yeah, we know. The sine qua non of the good body, or so "society" wants us to believe. But in this day and age, they don't have to be huge. They have to be right for you. Look at Leo. He's scrawny. Anyway, we hope this message is getting through. We hope you're not judging yourself based on the people you see in magazines, people whose job it is to look like that (and who may or may not have come by it "naturally" if you know what we're talking about). You use your arms a lot. They get a lot of peripheral work out from most of the exercises listed above. But, let's face it; you can get a lot out of strong arms, good-looking arms, mentally and physically. Sometimes it's just good to feel strong. Who's with me?
The theory of balance applies here as well. It's not all biceps. There are triceps, and both aren't a muscle, but a group of muscles that need to work in several ways. And then there are the forearms and the wrists. And, if you read this whole thing, we promise a little trickery at the end, a way you can workout a bit while you're boss is yelling at you, while that old lady with the annoying voice is asking you if 5 shares would be a good idea, while some monkey from the phone company is asking - at 8 in the morning on a Saturday, that bastard - if you'd like to switch over to their service, or while anything else is going on. First things first, though: Appolonia - er, I mean, the arms.
Abs
Posted August 29, 2006 2:06 PM
A flat, hard stomach. Remember in grade school, when kids - maybe you, maybe you're friends, or maybe you were above it all -used to challenge other kids to hit them in the stomach? That might be a primordial instinct. It doesn't go away. So now, when you're older and theoretically no longer in grade school, perhaps you're trying to get rid of a gut or to get the elusive six-pack look. Whatever the reason, as long as we've got fitness magazines and vanity and women, abs will remain central, literally and metaphorically, to a good body. On a more practical level, your stomach muscles support your back and your spine. That is to say that abs are important for more than the beach.
Trainer Q and A - Aerobic and Anaerobic Together
Posted August 29, 2006 1:56 PM
by Phil Zabriskie
Ann Marie Miller, M.A., is the Group Fitness Training Manager for New York Sports Club. Miller, who received a masters degree in applied physiology from Columbia University, is also a competitive United States Cycling Federation (TK) cyclist. At the moment, she's preparing for several races, so she's riding just about every day, running three times a week, and doing two days per week of strength training. Her clients include some pretty hardcore cyclists, as well as a number of people just looking to get in better shape.
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How To Choose A Martial Arts School
Posted August 29, 2006 1:50 PM
by Jon Merz
Working out at the health club is boring you, jogging with your friends makes you want to jog into a deep ditch and that rerun of "Fists of Fury, Touch of Death" has you thinking… what about getting into martial arts? But with so many names and styles, and so much confusion surrounding them, choosing a martial arts school can be frustrating. Guyville's resident Sensai will take you through the whole process start to finish so you'll know just what to expect. In no time, you'll be strapping on a uniform and belt and speaking with bad dubs and subtitles.
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Alternative Workouts
Posted August 29, 2006 1:49 PM
This is just to give a sense of what other people do, people who you might meet one day or already know, people with jobs and careers who consider fitness important enough to make it part of their day. These aren't ideals, just examples, options, maybe inspirations.
Aerobic Exercise
Posted August 29, 2006 1:48 PM
Stand at the door of the gym and gaze over the landscape. There's a whole world out there, a whole realm of possibilities, some of which don't require much equipment. This is Aerobic Land.
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Health Tips
Posted August 29, 2006 1:33 PM
1. Want to conquer your snoring? Lose weight. Eat an earlier dinner. Avoid alcohol and sleeping pills (they relax the tongue and throat pallet).
2. Test your body mass index (BMI). Divide your weight in kilos (2.2 lbs = I kg) by your height in meters squared (39.37 inches = I m). Overweight is anything above 30.
3. Studies show that adults need more Vitamin B 12 (poultry, fish, beef), Vitamin D (eggs, milk, dairy products) and Folate (green leafy vegetables, vitamin- fortified cereal).
4. Know when to say bye to those running shoes. Most running shoes will cushion effectively up to 500 miles, some less. If knee, leg or hip pain surfaces, consider buying new shoes.
5. Effective workout schedule for added strength: Mon- back & biceps. Tues- chest and triceps. Wed- legs. Then start over. 48 hours rest is needed for each muscle group.
6. Fatigue? Make sure you eat right, exercise regularly and adjust your workload. However, if your fatigue leads to weight loss and/or muscle weakness, see your physician.
7. Balding? Use these tips to help slow the process down: 1. Don't overbrush your hair. 2. Keep exposure to chlorinated pools minimal. 3. Wear a hat when out in the sun.
8. When dieting, don't cut out too many calories. Going below 1,200 calories a day will mean loss of essential vitamins and could be damaging to your health.
9. Nine out of every ten men who died of lung cancer in 2000 smoked cigarettes, and three out of every four that got cancer smoked cigarettes. So ditch the butts.
What are the really unhealthy fast foods I should avoid?
Posted August 29, 2006 1:16 PM
Everyone wants to gorge on fast food every once and a while. Sometimes, there is no choice. You'll be on a road trip and these gas stations aren't partnered with Smoothie King or Roughage Hut or International House of Lactose Intolerancy. Let's face it: fast food is part of our earth. Their food is flying out the drive-thru windows, and McDonald's owns more commercial real estate than any other business in the world.
You know you'll have fast food again, and when you do, they'll be multiple byproducts and dyes to choose from. Some ain't so bad, and some is quite terrible. So here's a look into the worst of the worst fast food. Guyville's resident trainer, Ann Marie Miller, says diving into a gluttonous meal every once in a while will do no damage in the long run. Just a quick hint- avoid eating these items late at night or shortly before you go to bed, or the Chin Fairy may bring another one soon…
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BOXING WEIGHT CHART
Posted August 29, 2006 1:10 PM
How do the boxing weight classes break down?
Heavyweight: Unlimited
Cruiserweight: Limit - 190 pounds
Light Heavyweight: Limit - 175 pounds
Super Middleweight: Limit - 168 pounds
Middleweight: Limit - 160 pounds
Junior Middleweight/Super Welterweight: Limit - 154 pounds
Welterweight: Limit - 147 pounds
Junior Welterweight/Super Lightweight: Limit - 140 pounds
Lightweight: Limit - 135 pounds
Junior Lightweight/Super Featherweight: Limit - 130 pounds
Featherweight: Limit - 126 pounds
Junior Featherweight/Super Bantamweight: Limit - 122 pounds
Bantamweight: Limit - 118 pounds
Junior Bantamweight/Super Flyweight: Limit - 115 pounds
Flyweight: Limit - 112 pounds
Junior Flyweight/Light Flyweight: Limit - 108 pounds
Strawweight: Limit - 105 pounds
