Sunday, March 24, 2024

Workout Saga of a Pinoy Home Blogger in Summer


Summer is the time to start being fit and healthy. That was the thought that crossed my mind in high school when I decided to start my simple calisthenics. I started with stretching, running and pull-ups. 


But fitness and health choose no particular time to be started. Start anytime. START NOW! Back in high school (first year) I had already been training in karate as a brown belt, mentored by my blackbelt friend, Angie, who was a member of the Philippine Karate Association. He supervised me until I earned my blackbelt in fourth year high school. We sparred and he checked my kata forms. 

I later figured that calisthenics were not enough to build a strong body and mind for karate. I started pull-ups and running. Later, I added push-ups and some weight training. With workout perseverance, I got an athletic fit that formed a nice, lean V-shape body that expanded my sides, resembling an angry cobra when flexed---or even when at rest. It was why I was given the alias "Cobra" when I joined Tau Gamma Phi in FEU as a solo batch.

In college, my workout project was to do 50 push-ups and 70 squats. When I did them in 4 sets, I did 200 push-ups a day and more than 400 squats a day. It was awesome, developing in me a strong determination, patience, will and confidence, besides toning my muscles, giving me stamina and muscle strength. Much later, these no-gym, no-equipment floor workouts gave me an incredible edge when I started with serious weight training at the home gym of my childhood friend, Arturo, or Thor, as I fondly call him. I developed muscles of a novice bodybuilder.

But that was short-lived. Life became a lot more busy when I married and had sons, and much later the busyness resulted to some strange illnesses that took away my strength physically and mentally. My doc said I was suffering from depression and anxiety. I had (and have) a very happy marriage and family life, with some usual small problems, of course, but nothing that would warrant a severe depressive emotion. 

We all have bouts of depression and anxiety--even Jesus had them and the Psalmist--not to mention Job, but I could not figure out how my depression could trigger strange illnesses. All my medical tests had normal results, so even my doc was puzzled. She wanted to give me a small dosage of valium, but I didn't take it. I told the illnesses to get out!

You know what I did take? Long, continuous talk sessions with Jesus in quiet moments. I had these moments before the illness came, but this time I had them more intensely, probably as intense as Jacob's when he wrestled with God and didn't let go until God's angel touched his hip to give him a limp, and which changed his name to Israel. 

I also had a name change, and more resolve to get out of the stupid situation and fight depression and anxiety that weren't supposed to be there. I was angry. 

From being bed-ridden, I got out of the box and started working out again---starting with walking around our housePinoy to walking briskly around the yard, and then in the street, and then around the block. This period took months. After a year or two or so, I was back in business. Thank GOD, no more depression and anxiety related illness. From 3 push-ups a day, I progressed steadily to 30 and then 50 push-ups per set. And gradually, I returned to my weight training plus Filipino martial arts. I am able to lift weights again. I have normal complete blood test results, no maintenance meds, and normal vital signs. Normal everything at 64. Praise the LORD JESUS CHRIST!!!



The thing is to determine to start being fit and healthy NOW. It's never too late. I have my simple secrets to my kind of fitness that I share in my free e-book found below. The secrets won't turn your body into a Mr. Universe physique, but fit enough for your age, especially if you are my age. Mix the secrets with bible faith, prayer and a healthy diet (low carbs with intermittent fasting now and then) and you're on your way to a fitness just right for you. 

You can do the workouts right inside your housePinoy. No need for gym equipment or membership, though which are also good if you want them. And don't forget to check with your medical doctor before you start anything. If he gives you a go signal with these fitness secrets, congratulations. But I'm sure your doc will approve at least 2 to 3 workout secrets in my e-book, especially brisk walking.

HEALTH FOR PINOYS AT HOME

Though I appreciate a donation, this powerful e-book is yours with or without donation. Just email me at nonjoiners@gmail.com (NONJoiner is my blog) and ask for the FREE E-book, "MY SIMPLE SECRETS TO FITNESS." You get an email back in about 2 seconds or less with a download link to the e-book. The email also contains my GCash number in case you want to make a donation, P100 or whatever amount you have in mind (it will help my church ministry). But with or without donation, the 80-plus page e-book is yours for FREE.

Monday, March 18, 2024

Pinoy Homes Have Invisible Gyms


Because they're invisible they're very rarely used. Almost never, in fact. But count on it, most Pinoy homes have built-in invisible gyms. Exactly why there's no reason, whatsoever, to be unfit, unhealthy, rusty or sickly if you're a Pinoy living in the Philippines.

Property Setbacks 

They're required by housing laws as space allowances around a dwelling structure. Properties should have setbacks (perimeter free spaces) to keep houses at a safe distance from each other. Secondly, to attain some privacy, so neighbors can be kept from hearing or seeing each other. But setbacks are more than that. They're private pathways for brisk walking or jogging. 

Understandably, property trends today seldom allow for circling around the yards because of firewalls attached to the property lines. But still, almost all lots have small backyards for laundry which can be used for skipping rope and squatting workouts. A parallel bar can easily be attached to the side wall or installed separately as a stand-alone structure. 

Door Jamb Pull Ups

What I often used when I was in college was the top portion of a doorjamb, either the door in my room or at the main entrance to the house. The top jamb had about an inch of ledge jutting out on which I clawed my fingers and lifted myself for the pull-ups. It was tough but it strengthened my arms and fingers. I was able to do 10 reps.

Later, since our backyard was dotted with full-grown guava trees, I chose two sturdy branches to hold on with both hands and pulled my body weight up several times. Or, I looked for two very thick "Y" branches of the same height and put over them a one-and-half inch round steel bar or lead pipe from which I did my pull-ups.

Chairs

Dining chairs or solo sofa chairs are not just for sitting down. They're effective push-up stools for doing deeper dives that exert more muscle effort for the arms, shoulders and chest. Simply place each hand on a chair and rest both feet on another as you assume a push-up position. You're now in an elevated push-up pose. Lower your body as deep as possible and then push yourself up. 

You can also use a chair to rest both feet as you do push-ups with your hands on the ground or floor. This enables you to push about 80 percent of your body weight up against the gravity. 

Floor

You can do countless exercises on the floor, like body weight lifting (push-ups and squats), jogging in place, lounges and stretching, dancing, shadow boxing, sit-ups (on mats), tip-toes, among other things. As a teenager, I cleaned the floor manually using a cloth with floor wax on it, spreading the same evenly on the floor, and making it shiny by stepping on a coconut husk and rubbing that against the wax-treated floor. That was a super aero workout that kept me fit and trim and my metabolism actively burning. Strengthened my lungs too.

Stairs

If you're blessed to have a second floor, you should thank God for it because it's ideal for an aero workout good for cardiovascular and lung health. Simply go up and down several times a day. You may do it slowly or rapidly, taking two to three flights at a time. If you need to go slow, then leisurely climb up and down, resting now and then as needed. Either way, it's a great and very easy way to workout the heart and lungs.

Water Service Interruption

It's a common feature of summer in Metro Manila---water supply interruption. It can be a terrible nuisance, but with a positive outlook it's also a workout treat if you fetch water in big buckets in both hands. Like I did for years as a teenager. Each summer was marked with at least a month of zero water supply. So I fetched water from the backyard deep well and brought them in buckets to the kitchen and bathrooms. I did this several times a day, every day. It was a good workout.

Gardening

The kind of gardening I did as a teenager was backbreaking. I lifted logs to clear areas, cut some with a hatchet (we used firewood to for grilling fish), I dug into the earth using a heavy steel bar and opted to water plants, not with a hose, but by carrying buckets of water around the yards (we had plants all over our front, side and backyards). If you want a good workout, stop using water hose. 

I literally got myself an athletic fit and a bit ripped in high school and college by using our invisible gym at home. "Fitness equipment" is available all around every Pinoy home just waiting to be discovered and used. 

HEALTH FOR THE PINOY SOUL 

Though I appreciate a donation, this powerful e-book is yours with or without donation. Just email me at nonjoiners@gmail.com (NONJoiner is my blog) and ask for the FREE E-book, "MY SIMPLE SECRETS TO FITNESS." You get an email back in about 2 seconds or less with a download link to the e-book. The email also contains my GCash number in case you want to make a donation, P50 or P100 or whatever amount you have in mind (it will help my church ministry). But with or without donation, the 100-page e-book is yours for FREE.

Borrow as Many Jars to Fulfill Your Dreams

Every Pinoy has an ambitious dream, like helping less fortunate countrymen--not by just giving them jobs but enabling them to reach their dr...