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How to Help Your Tween or Teen Find Balance in an Overscheduled World
As we know, most tweens and teens are overscheduled with juggling activities, sports, homework, jobs and more. On top of this, their social lives become a lot more important, and with the addition of social media, the lure of constantly comparing themselves to others becomes omnipresent.
We often wonder how to set our kids up for success, while also letting them be, well, kids? We spoke with Jonathan Wolf, owner and founder of YouTime Coaching for advice on how to best support our kids during a time when they are pulled in multiple directions.
Q: How can parents try to avoid overscheduling their kids from the get-go?
A: For starters, parents need to be equipped with some sort of baseline skillset for how to gauge their child's response to being over-scheduled and more importantly overwhelmed. Some children express themselves more overtly (yelling/screaming, crying, actively avoiding...etc), while others can be more overt and disguise these feelings.
Either way, parents need to frequently revisit the concept of "getting to know your kid" because although parenting never stops, the role does change quite frequently.
To avoid over-scheduling your child, take into consideration three aspects of their day-day life:
First, what are the items that your child "needs to be doing"? These are responsibilities that are somewhat consistent week to week and are viewed as the essential or basic items needed in their life. They would be similar to a parent paying their mortgage or car payment (going to school, doing homework, doing their chores...etc).
Second, what are the items that your child "should be doing"? This is where some subjectivity comes into play, but includes items such as chores, extracurricular activities, getting a job, social life, exercise and many others. This is the first category where the child and parent may have some disagreement. In order for there to be a disagreement, there needs to be communication and that is the take home message here. Talk to your children about why they "should be doing" specific activities and see if they agree, disagree, or just maybe they have different preferences that meet the same need.
Third, what are the items that your child "wants to be doing"? These items may include playing video games, going out with friends or watching TV. Some of the activities in these areas can either be used as an earned privilege, a reward for something, and/or used as a break in-between the "needs to be doing" items. Sit down with your child and find out what they want to be doing with their free time and don't simply fill it for them.
Q: What are ways parents/kids can avoid FOMO (fear of missing out)?
A: The short answer...
Don't avoid it and limit social media.
The long answer...
I believe avoiding it IS the problem. Adolescence is a time where your children are no longer striving to get their parents approval but more so the approval of their friends. It is a constant battle of finding your "in group." With those two developmental factors in place, your kids are naturally going to compare their lives to those of friends. The initial comparison is not necessarily the problem, but running away with that story line and the negative mental scripts that follow is what can make the real impact on your child.
As a parent, FOMO is not something to avoid or a problem that can be fixed. It is instead, a conflict that needs to be managed. Kids have the opportunity to benefit from learning how to deal with feelings such as jealously, worry/fear, desire, and sadness (all potentially stemming from the original FOMO).
SPOILER ALERT: Your kid will not see it that way, so keep in mind that this is a parent's perspective. The fear of missing out has been around for a very long time but what we are talking about here has more to do with FOMO on steroids caused by social media. Kids are constantly flicking through somebody else's highlight real, which is typically very different than that person's day-day life.
Use these opportunities as a conversation starter or at a minimum take inventory of how your kid responds to FOMO and what emotions come up for them. In addition to this, limit their social media exposure as early on as possible.
Q: What are strategies for juggling homework along with having a social life?
A: Many parents focus on how to manage time outside of school for things such as homework and social life, while I believe that we need to also focus on the time inside school. Many kids have some sort of study hall or free blocks that are going under-utilized during the school day. The kids we work with that utilize these times to do homework/study typically come home with significantly less work to do, or even no work at all. If this is an option to make some progress in, it may just be your kid's golden ticket.
If your kid does not have daily/weekly study halls and free blocks, then here are a few piece of advice.
Usually, the first hour of coming home from school can be the hardest. Use about 30 minutes for your kid to transition back home instead of jumping right into homework. I mean, if you got home from an 8-hour day at the office, would it be appealing to jump right into more work? I think not. Identify different "approved activities" that your kid can utilize during this transition time and be clear about when homework starts. This will give them time to potentially play video games with friends, go on Snapchat, or socialize in some other way.
Yes, your kid needs a social life but your kid's "fear" of NOT having one is very frequently catastrophized. Their perceived social value is constantly in flux and if they do not go to a party, hang out with particular individuals, or join the group text than they may lose friendships. In many situations, this is not true, but the feeling is real and that needs to be validated.
Encourage distraction free zones and smaller time chunks (30-40 minutes on and 10 minutes off) to complete homework more efficiently. If they can stay on top of this, allow them more freedom as a privilege on the weekends.
Thanks to Jonathan Wolf for his great advice. If you have anything to add, we'd love to hear more about it in the comments!
Jonathan Wolf attended the University of Rhode Island to obtain a degree in Kinesiology and Psychology before coming to Boston to earn his Master's Degree in Counseling and Sport Psychology from Boston University. In addition to his work with YouTime Coaching, Jonathan serves as a consultant for a private psychiatric facility in Boston where he runs life coaching based groups, and is currently developing a life coaching and happiness based app. Visit his website to learn more.
PLEASE NOTE: The writers of this article are not medical professionals. The information in this column is not intended and should not be construed as providing medical or psychological advice, but rather to offer readers information and provide a perspective to better understand the lives of themselves and their children. Articles on this website may be opinion based. The articles are not intended to provide an alternative to professional treatment or to replace the services of a physician, psychiatrist, psychotherapist or other licensed medical professional. If you do have health or safety concerns, please get in touch with a healthcare professional.


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Wednesday, October 22, 2014
"The Blue Room": A stylish French mystery that reverses the "omniscient observer" role
"The Blue Room" ("La chambre bleue"), by Mathieu Amalric, purports to be a spoof of 1940's mystery film making. Shot in dogme and the old "1.33:1" aspect ratio, but garish in boudoir colors, and with a film noir music score Gregoire Hetzel (with melodramatic use of a Bach-Busoni Chaconne on the piano) it seems a bit manipulative and fluffy, if brief at 76 minutes.
Julien Gahyde (Amalric himself) and Esther Despierre (Stephanie Cleau) carry on a passionate love affair in a "blue room" in a resort near the coast. But that is a flashback, as both are in the French courts system, being interrogated and going to trial. The movie plays a trick in not telling the viewer what they're in trouble over at first, a rather inverted reverse of the (literary agent's) omniscient observer problem, where the reader or viewer often knows things the protagonist characters don't (because in much fiction, one character has to "discover" what another lead character knows, as in my own novel). That is, here, the characters know more than the viewer; usually, the viewer knows more than any one character.
It becomes pretty obvious, though. Each of the couple's legal spouses have shown up dead. That's the trouble. We get a graphic description of how Nicolas died of digitalis poisoning. Are the couple in cahoots, or did Julien fall for a "femme fatale" and is he going to go down for what he didn't do? So perhaps on my comment on "observation": maybe Julien doesn't know as much as he should. But he's the storyteller, right?
The official site is here (IFC and Sundance Selects). I saw the film at the West End in Washington before a surprising weekday crowd, in the smallest auditorium.
Wikipedia attribution link for picture of Lourdes, which I visited in 2001.
Posted by Bill Boushka at 7:10 AM
Labels: courtroom drama, dogme, foreign language, IFC, indie comedy, mystery, Sundance
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Totem Retreat
The sweeping north facing verandah and the light filtering through the trees are a perfect setting for a long evening in a home away from home, with friends on that verandah and bottomless glasses of wine. Oozing with eclectic style and romance this beauty was snapped up by Kate and Dave Arbuthnot nearly ten years ago, from Trademe.
"The bones of the original house were great but the add-ons were rotten, in fact the day we moved in I fell through the floor!" says Kate. In the early days of the renovation, "the builders were working and the whole back wing of the house collapsed into the garden. By the time I arrived home that afternoon they'd bulldozed it into two massive piles and set fire to it. I thought, there was no way this is ever going to turn out okay! But it did."
If these walls could talk they may be able to fill in the missing pieces of the homestead's history. "The original plans were lost in a council office flood. It was rumoured that someone put all the house plans in plastic rubbish sacks to be moved but they accidentally got thrown away," Kate says. "We do know that it was the original homestead in the area built from rough-sawn Kauri off the land and owned by the Goodfellow family and later the Irwin family." (If anyone can expand on this particular house's history please share it with us at Junction Magazine, so we can to on.)
As a stylist, Kate's knack for hunting out pieces and bringing them together is enviable. For four years Kate was the proud founder and owner of 'Fossick', in Matakana Village, a collection of interiors and vintage treasures. With a natural eye for spotting the convertible, she buys whatever she falls in love with at second hand shops but the best often comes from the side of the road. "I figure out how I'm going to make them work... sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. I also drag a lot of nature home with me, old bits of wood, big branches, collections of feathers, birds nests, and they all get displayed."
The wallpaper she chose for one room was produced by Anthropologie, who sent a team of designers to New Zealand for an inspirational recce. The result: a magical bushscape with kangaroos, woodpeckers and badgers!
In an effort to simplify their life with three kids, they recently moved from their beloved valley into a 70m2 bach on the water at Snells Beach. It's a full 180 degree flip. It does however mean that their Totem Retreat, in Whangaripo Valley, is on Air BnB and soon to have its own website.
It may seem remote but it is located on one of the most beautiful roads you'll drive. Along Whangaripo Valley Road and into Pakiri Road, all the way from Wellsford to Pakiri Beach is stunning. Then there are the locals! Every year a group of local girls, including Kate, throw together 'The Whangaripo Wild Food Festival'. People come from far and wide for the day, with the most incredible wild and foraged food: seafood, rabbit and pukeko stews, swan wontons, snail paella, deep-fried crickets, wild turkey terrine, smoked eel, kawakawa shortbread and nasturtium ice-cream. There are kids roaring around, dogs weaving in and out of legs, beer flowing, tug-o-war and wife carrying contests. "It's all just word of mouth and it's wonderful madness," says Kate.
"I think it gives people, especially families, from the city somewhere to escape to for a relaxed, country experience. We put the bell tent up in the camping paddock in summer so kids can get a chance to sleep under the stars and roast marshmallows too."


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In this 7 Simple Steps to People Development we'll look at the different ways the development of your staff can be achieved, as it doesn't always mean costly training courses and lots of time away from the business.
How important is people development to you? If we want to grow and retain our talent then we have to be prepared to invest in our people: otherwise known as people development. This makes them feel valued, helps to improve our current talent rather than forcing us to outsource or hire more staff, and can give employees focus and help them with their overall career aspirations. Development needs will inevitably come from your regular 1 to 1 meetings, so it is important to keep having these at least once a quarter, to guide your people to be their best selves.
However, people development does not necessarily have to mean what you think it does.
Please fill out the form below to receive a link to your manager's guide.


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Pilates for Runners
Are you training for a running event or do you run to stay fit and active?
From competitive athletes to the occasional jogger, Pilates can help give that competitive edge, reduce the risk of injury and leave you feeling strong, tall, fit and fabulous!
Pilates is a series of mind-body exercises that uses dynamic movements to stretch, strengthen and balance the entire body, proving it to be an excellent choice for core conditioning for any athlete.
Like Pilates, running uses your body as an interconnected machine, with every muscle group working together. Injuries occur when a particular muscle group is weak or is not in sync with the others, causing the rest of the machine to make compensations elsewhere. It takes more than strong legs and lungs to be a good runner. Having a strong center is essential for balance, flexibility, breathing and endurance.
At Fluid Motion Maui, we have several Mat-based and Equipment-based classes that are great for improving your posture, balance and symmetry to help you become a better runner and stay injury free.


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There are n number of attributes which can tell a lot about your personality; the lines of your face, shape of your face, position of moles or your favorite color. Even how they facially express themselves is also a factor. Apart from these many, one more way with which we can decode personality type is how one keeps their hair. Hair is one of the most delicate issue for women, how we make it a big deal about going to haircuts or how we vent we start losing some. Mostly because, subconsciously we know that our hair is representational. It speaks a ton about how you actually are. Haircut largely affects your face appeal, it can make your face look taller or even help bring out best features of your face.
Here we have made a list of different hair styles and the personality trait that it signifies.
Simple minded personality- Your haircut says that you are very simple hearted. The love to occasionally bring out their crazy, usually the are carefree and have a lot of fun. On the inside, you can be mean sometimes, just as the crisp of your haircut. Just be aware when to be nice and when to be crazy and wild. You often find yourself asking for help when subjected to a problem. But, all in all you believe in simplicity and are usually very humble and kind. You are smart enough to put your own need on top of everyone else's. You are too earthly and believe in the beauty of simple things like rain or coffee. All you need to have is a balance in your life. Just think about yourself a little more often.
Laid back personality – The people who have layered hairstyle ten do have a balance in their life. They are very concerned about the little details in their lives, since they crave stability.
They are known to do the work the easiest way possible, which is not always good. Your easy going attitude can stop you from getting some of the luxuries. You are innovative & imaginative, even though you prefer taking shortcuts. You are a master in leaving things unfinished, due to your laid-back attitude. You are an nature lover, the whole of your life- lover in general.
Spicy Personality – The people who have such haircut are said to be outspoken, spirited and very different with varied interests. Their creativity usually ends up in something very different each time. They have a flamboyance in them which always sets them apart. They also can be very clumsy but they prefer doing their job all by themselves. They are very lively and mushy and like to be inspired by people around them.
Straight forward personality – These people tend to be crisp and like to keep things to the point. They don't believe in sugar coating or beating around the bush. They are also very corrective towards people or some of them can even be grammar Nazi, so next time when you are around someone with straight hairstyle, try not to make much mistakes. They say what they mean and mean what they say, cutting straight to the chase. For them nothing is not achievable, they are pro-active. But they can be too high headed sometimes and would want to be treated as a royalty. You are very picky for the people around you and the ones you would want to care for.
Over the top personality- They are the people who would want to keep everything happy and they are very optimistic. They are big hearted but never fail to seek attention. They are outgoing and have a very loud energy and are blessed with super communication skills. Their confidence is well portrayed in their work and even in their attire. But they do not recognize the fact that not everyone can match your zeal.
Care Free personality – These people do not have much to care about and are usually very free spirited. They are the smart ones in the family who can solve any problem at hand. You are a huge supporter of peace, but can be perceived as a little flamboyant. You like pleasing others and putting their needs ahead of your own. They have a hard time focusing on one thing and usually do not spend much time alone.
Secretive personality – Your personality is as entangled as the long locks of your hair, holding secrets that nobody can know. You can be a little control freak at times and would work with things efficiently if you are familiar with them. Not everybody knows the real you. You like your issues to be drawn to yourself. This is why you find it hard to let people in and know the real you. You like it when you have the power to yourself and are usually gentle in nature.
Perfectionist personality – You need to have control to yourself so that you can make everything perfect. You want things to be done in accordance to you, this keeps you calm. You want your loved ones to follow the same rules as you which makes you expect and demand from them. This is your definition of a relationship. You try to portray your stronger self but have a hard time accepting rejection and failure. You tend to have lots of friends.


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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you take insurance?
For many reasons, I DO NOT accept insurance. You may see me listed on an insurance panel's website because I used to work for a company that required me to be on insurance panels, but visits to my private practice are NOT covered by insurance. I apologize for any inconvenience--I have been working on being removed from those directories, but it is taking a little while. You can try to file for out-of-network benefits if your insurance plan offers that option. I cannot guarantee reimbursement, of course.
Don't be discouraged--with my sliding scale options, sessions are often the same or even at times less than they might be if you used your insurance, especially if you have a high deductible and high specialist copays. You can try filing for reimbursement for me as an out-of-network provider with your insurance company if they offer coverage for that, and I can provide you the paperwork that you then submit to your insurance. Do be aware that you'll have to pay for your sessions up front, and it may take a lot of time and effort to get reimbursed. Many plans don't have out-of-network coverage, so check carefully. If you really need insurance to pay for your sessions, you would probably be better off seeing a therapist who is in-network with your insurance.
Also, if you use your insurance, you will have to be given a diagnosis and it will likely become part of your record with the insurance companies, along with other personal information, and it could be considered a pre-existing condition in the future. Insurance companies dictate how many sessions you are allowed and how often you can go to therapy, and at times they will refuse to cover therapy sessions at all. By not accepting insurance, I can keep your information more private and spend more time focusing on you rather than on phone calls and paperwork, allowing me to offer lower rates to you and all my clients.
What about Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA)?
I happily accept FSA and HSA cards or can provide you the itemized receipts for you to file for reimbursement.
My sliding scale works on an honor system. Two people with the exact same income may have very different expenses, so I don't have any charts or formulas to determine your session rate. I don't require any proof of income. You get to decide what is sustainable for you--you are putting your trust in me by opening up to me about your problems, and I put my trust in you that you will pay what you are honestly able to afford. If your rate needs to change in future as your income changes, that can happen. The typical rate for a doctoral-level psychologist in Austin with my level of experience starts around $150 per session. After your first session (flat rate $125), we discuss what rate will work for you for your future sessions. My sliding scale starts at $85 and goes up to $225 for 45-minute individual therapy sessions. Those who can pay a little more help out those who need the lower end of the scale, and it balances out.
If my rates are still out of your budget, there are other options that might be a better fit. You can find a list of affordable counseling resources in Austin here, and Open Path is a national resource.
How long do i need to be in therapy?
This varies for everyone and depends on the intensity and complexity of what you are working with. When we meet, we'll talk about your goals and the best ways to work towards them. My aim is to help my clients reach the point where they no longer need therapy as often or at all because they have gained the tools they need. Even after our main work together ends, you still have the option to schedule booster sessions if needed.
how often would we meet?
Again, this also varies from person to person. If we're just starting out, once a week is ideal, especially if we're dealing with intense feelings and memories. That frequency of sessions can get things rolling and give you as much support as possible. Meeting every other week is an option for less intense issues and can work especially well for people who like to do homework between sessions or who have done a lot of therapy in the past. As therapy progresses, it is possible to space sessions out even more to once every 3 or 4 weeks in order to give you more time to practice what you've learned.
How old do I have to be to see you?
I see clients age 18 and older. Occasionally I might be able to work with a 17 year old. Contact me if you have questions about this.
Can you prescribe me medications?
I'm sorry, but nope! I have a doctorate in clinical psychology, but I am NOT a medical doctor. For things like medical advice, prescriptions, medication evaluations, or hospital admissions, you need to see a licensed medical provider like an M.D. or D.O., or a nurse practitioner who has the ability to prescribe.
Do you do couples or family therapy?
No, I don't. I work best with individuals, so I stick with that. There are many gifted couples and family therapists out there if that's what you need. You can try searching Therapy Den, the Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, or Psychology Today to find one to fit your situation.
Do you do psychological testing?
Although I am trained to do many types of psychological testing, I am currently only offering therapy and evaluations for letters to support access to gender-affirmng services. You can try searching Therapy Den or Psychology Today to find a psychologist who offers testing services.


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Jeffrey | Poker Articles, Poker Bankroll Building
Submitted by Maurice Lefort, this article belongs to the Poker Bankroll Building series.
Note from the editor: By tradition poker players are categorized according to which animal they resemble the most in the animal kingdom. In this article Maurice describes the poker bestiary or compendium of beasts if you will.
If you are a poker shark you already know what this article is about. If you are a poker fish, you do not. But in poker, are there only fish and sharks? No, there are many kinds of animals. But do not get me wrong, this is not a zoo.
Poker players love to depict their opponents as animals, depending on how they play. A donkey designates a very bad player, or as they say online, a "donk". Nobody likes to be called a donkey, this is not very nice. But you can use many other terms.
Phil Hellmuth in his book "Play Poker like the Pros" introduces a poker bestiary with five poker animals. The Mouse is the careful and tight player, otherwise called "rock" or "nit". If the mouse becomes aggressive, get out of the way unless you have a monster. The Lion is the solid player using a tight-aggressive style. He plays straightforward poker for the most part and rarely bluffs.
Next in Phil's list is the Jackal. This is the maniac player who will wreak havoc any fine balance which existed at the table before his arrival. You will need a strong stomach to sustain his wild plays and crazy bluffs. Then we have the Elephant. It is usually referred to as a calling station. He plays like if one of his fingers were glued to the call button. Avoid bluffing an elephant, as he does not know how to fold.
Finally Phil Hellmuth characterizes the Eagle as one of the best one hundred players in the entire world. The eagle has better position and better vision than any other animal and extremely sharp skills.
Online Poker Fish & Sharks
Phil used only land and air animals to describe poker players. What about the sea? The sea has already produced many renowned poker animals, the most famous of which are the fish and the shark. Interestingly, fish and shark have opposite meanings even though a shark is a fish in the animal kingdom. But the shark is such a special kind of fish that it is a category in itself.
By definition, a poker fish is a poker player with below average skills. This includes both novice players who need to learn the ropes and some players who have played for a long time. Some players just want to play for fun and do not desire to improve their skills.
On the other hand, the poker shark feeds off all kinds of fish like its counterpart the shark in the ocean. This fish has survived and evolved in the poker ocean for a long time, becoming a shark. Remember that all sharks were fish first. As you guessed, the definition of a poker shark is a top poker player who is normally the best player at the table.
Your goal as a poker player is to become a shark. You will become a shark by playing plenty of online poker, reading books & articles, using poker software tools to help your decisions & analysis and thinking a lot about the game. It takes a tremendous effort to become a poker shark, but once you get there you will enjoy the feast.
Learn to follow the Online Poker Fish
The biggest fish are whales. Interestingly in the animal kingdom a whale is not a fish but a mammal, but the poker bestiary has its own rules.
Anyway what matters here is that there are sometimes huge fish, which means that they play very very poorly. They lose their chips very fast. These fish are tunas, but if they are really huge, they are called whales. Whales are sometimes encountered at low or mid stakes no limit Texas hold'em online games. For instance, there are many whales at PlayersOnly.
By whale, I mean a player which sees more than 75% of flops in a full ring game and who can call sizable bets. This simple definition guarantees that this player will lose his money very fast.
There is no need to be a hero at the poker table if your goal is to make money. Hence you should aim at playing with weaker players. There exists software tools specifically designed to help you locate these online whales.
Smart Buddy is the ultimate software as far as poker fish finder tools are concerned. Create buddy lists that you enter into the Smart Buddy software and you will be alerted each time one of the fish in your list comes playing online.
This universal software conveniently monitors players from over 100 online poker rooms and opens the table where the fish is sitting if you click to join. You do not even need to open the online poker room software. Just one single Smart Buddy window will monitor all the online poker rooms for you.
You could be posting your articles on the Poker Bankroll Blog. Read all about it here.
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2 Comments to The Poker Bestiary
December 26, 2008
I want to be an eagle but in reality I'm probably still a lion/part time Jackal.
Mark's last blog post..Caribbean Poker Classic 2008; cash game nightmare
December 29, 2008
Patience Mark, let's all aim to be a shark one day =)
Custom Poker Tables's last blog post..RFID-enabled Custom Poker Tables
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FNHS (FNHS) Class of 1969 Alumni List
Help us Update the FNHS 1969 Class List by adding any names missing from the list below:
Registered Alumni
1969 Class List
- Kyle Andrews
- Gwen Ashford
- Steve Ball
- Patrick Barrett
- Malia Weston Boaz
- Frank Flint Northern Campbell
- Karen Campbell
- Jan Carole
- Leora Crum
- Deborah Curtain
- Annette De Caussin
- Mike Duckworth
- Sadie Evans
- Dave Frost
- Dave Frosy
- Teresa Gerber
- Janiro Hawkins
- Leora Hood
- Duane Johnson
- David Jurk
- Jeri Mccall
- Robert Mcgee
- Corrie Millet
- Mary Moore
- Nick Chanda Snead Nastasi
- Harold Pagnier
- Mary Pollard
- Brenda Polzin
- David Richardson
- Carla Roper
- Edna Rosemann
- Diana Salomon
- Richard Shipyor
- Walter Sinko
- Chanda Snead
- Patricia Nichols Stocker
- Rick Sturgis
- Richard Sturgis
- Dan Teare
- Brenda Tew
- Linda Ligons Thomas
- Frankie Thompson
- Denise Vaughn
- Catherine Vaughn
- Sharon Walker
- Doug Wallace
- Rudy Ward
- Mark Wheeker
- Mark Wheeler
- David Lynn Whiren
- James Yakabic
Know FNHS Class of 1969 graduates that are NOT on this List? Help us Update the 1969 Class List by adding missing names.
The top movie in theaters during 1969 was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, grossing over $102,308,900 in its lifetime. The most popular television series for 1969 was Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In
Hit Songs From 1969
Time Is TightBooker T and The MG's
Proud MaryCreedence Clearwater Revival
More Today Than YesterdaySpiral Starecase
OneThree Dog Night
Do Your ThingWatts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
Mother Popcorn (Part I)James Brown
Love (Can Make You Happy)Mercy
In The GhettoElvis Presley
Too Busy Thinking About My BabyMarvin Gaye
Suspicious MindsElvis Presley
Hit Movies From 1969
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The US State of Arkansas wanted to execute eight death row inmates before the end of April, before their stock of midazolam, one of the drugs used in the lethal injections, expired.
At the very least it appeared a callous plan. Certainly it's controversial.
But amid public opposition to the death penalty, including protests in the state capital Little Rock, lawyers have now obtained stays for four of those executions, according to news.com.au.
The State, unwavering, wants to press ahead with the others.
But Arkansas suffered two more setbacks overnight in its unprecedented bid to carry out eight executions this month.
The state's highest court granted a reprieve to an inmate scheduled to die on Thursday, and a county court said the state can't use one of its lethal injection drugs in any executions.
But one group of people that the courts haven't been thinking about are the wardens who have to carry out the killings.
The jailers burdened with this horrific task say the executions take their toll on them too. And they want them to stop.
'I don't think it ever goes away'
Former Florida State Prison warden Ron McAndrew and Former Arkansas death row chief Patrick Crain both went into their jobs supporting the death penalty. Both now oppose it.
Putting a prisoner to death "stays with you for a long time," says Ron McAndrew.
The former warden of Florida State Prison told AFP his own mental health had begun to deteriorate by the time he left his position in 1998 after taking part in eight executions.
McAndrew is particularly concerned about the psychological wellbeing of the handful of officials who would be involved if Arkansas were to proceed with the rapid-fire executions.
"We wanted the governor (of Arkansas) to understand that he's sitting in his office very comfortable. And these men are going to be partaking in a killing of another human being," McAndrew told AFP.
McAndrew doesn't use the word "execution". He considers it a euphemism.
"These officers, they get to know these inmates," he said.
"Twenty-four hours a day they work with these inmates. They feed them. They take them to get their showers, they take them for exercise. They stand in front of their cells and they talk to them when they feel lonely," McAndrew said.
"Suddenly it's the same officer who's taking them to another room to kill them."
"The experience is something that will stay with you for a long time; I don't think it ever goes away."
Patrick Crain worked for the Arkansas Department of Corrections from 2003 to 2007 and was head of the Varner unit's death row. He's shocked at the "crazy way" the executions were planned to be carried out, he told The Intercept.
He wonders how the "good people" (wardens) he worked with at Varner will cope.
"What are they going to tell their kids? 'Hi Johnny, I executed seven people?' he said.
"They're going to carry it around inside for the rest of their lives."
Crain's pro-death penalty stance changed, he said when "we came close to killing an innocent man" - a death-row inmate whose was released on the back of new DNA evidence.
Who are the executioners?
Arkansas prison authorities have refused to divulge the makeup of their execution team, fiercely protecting the identities of those involved.
"I can say that they are well-trained and qualified to carry out their respective responsibilities," said Solomon Graves, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Correction.
They're not experts, says Crain: they are a group of volunteers trained shortly before an execution takes place.
McAndrew, who took part in the deaths of eight convicts - three in Florida, and five in Texas as training - says that the executions in Arkansas will undoubtedly be carried out by the same five people.
"You can't change the team," he said.
"The officers that will carry out the executions, they have practised the executions several hundred times. They do it over and over and over again."
An officer volunteers to play the part of an inmate, McAndrew said.
"They take him from the cell, they put them on the gurney, they strap him down, they put them on the IVs," or intravenous lines.
Risk of error
Arkansas's original packed schedule would place added pressure on the execution team, increasing the risk of error, critics say. And no one wants to see a repeat of the agony Clayton Lockett suffered during his botched execution in Oklahoma in 2014.
The rapid schedule will put an extraordinary burden on the men and women required by the state to carry out this most solemn act, and it will increase the risk of mistakes in the execution chamber - which could haunt them for the rest of their lives," Allen Ault, Georgia's former commissioner of corrections who has overseen five executions, wrote in Time magazine in march.
"For me and many of my former colleagues in other corrections agencies, our role in executions led to a deep sense of guilt, sleepless nights and permanent emotional damage.
"Every person knows that taking a human life is one of our culture's most serious offences. It exacts severe mental trauma - even when done under the auspices of state law.
"I don't remember their names, but I still see their faces in my nightmares."
A group of former officials from all over the US, including McAndrew and Ault, wrote to Governor Hutchinson urging him not to impose such a burden on prison staff.
"Even under less demanding circumstances, carrying out an execution can take a severe toll on corrections officers' wellbeing," the letter said.
Arkansas's original plan to execute eight men in 10 days this month would have set a rate never seen since the United States resumed the death penalty in 1977.


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High-intensity intermittent "5–10–15" running reduces body fat, and increases lean body mass, bone mineral density, and performance in untrained subjects
The present study examined the effect of intense intermittent running with 5 s sprints on body composition, fitness level, and performance in untrained subjects aged 36–53 years. For 7 weeks, the subjects carried out 3 days a week 5–10–15 training consisting of 3–9 blocks of 4 repetitions of 15, 10, and 5 s low-, moderate-, and high-speed running, respectively. Body fat mass was 4.3% lower (P < 0.01), and lean body mass and bone mineral density was 1.1 and 0.9% higher (P < 0.01), respectively, after compared to before the intervention period (INT). The plasma bone turnover markers osteocalcin increased (P < 0.01) by 147%, and procollagen-type I N propeptide and carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks increased (P < 0.05) by 84 and 76%, respectively. Furthermore, the training improved performance in 1500 m (P < 0.001), 3 km (P < 0.001), Yo–Yo intermittent endurance test (P < 0.01), and incremental treadmill running (P < 0.001) by 8.1, 9.9, 17.2, and 23.9%, respectively. Furthermore, blood lactate after running at 85% of maximal aerobic speed was lower (P < 0.01) after compared to before the INT. Thus, 7 weeks of 5–10–15 training resulted in significant health beneficial changes and better performance in untrained subject.
KeywordsBone markers Body composition High-intensity training Pulmonary oxygen uptake
Bone mineral content
Bone mineral density
Carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks
Intervention period
Maximal aerobic speed
Procollagen-type I N propeptide
Oxygen uptake
- VO2 max
Maximal oxygen uptake
- Yo–Yo IE1
Yo–Yo intermittent endurance test level 1
Regular physical activity improves cardiovascular health profile and performance of untrained individuals, and is associated with changes in body composition, such as lowering of body fat mass and in some instances increase in bone formation, which may reduce prevalence of osteoporosis in later life (LeMura et al. 2000; Scharhag-Rosenberger et al. 2009; Mohr et al. 2007; Krustrup et al. 2010; Nybo et al. 2010). However, the effect of the physical activity depends on the duration, intensity, and frequency of the training sessions. Lack of time is often used as an argument when people fail to accomplish the training programs. Therefore, it is interesting, that exercise at near maximal or maximal intensities effort seems to be effective to create muscle and cardiorespiratory adaptations causing better work capacity in both untrained and trained individuals after just a short period of training (Burgomaster et al. 2005; Gibala et al. 2006; Mohr et al. 2007; Iaia et al. 2008; Gunnarsson and Bangsbo 2012; Gliemann et al. 2014; Skovgaard et al. 2014; Vorup et al. 2016). Thus, as little as six sessions with four to six 30-s all-out intervals, over a 2-week period has been shown to increase maximal citrate synthase activity and endurance capacity in untrained individuals (Burgomaster et al. 2005; Gibala et al. 2006). Even in already trained runners, a 4-week period with training consisting of 30-s maximal bouts improved short-term performance and maintained long-term performance, despite a ~ 65% reduction in training volume compared to before study start (Iaia et al. 2008). Furthermore, reducing training volume 25–50%, and conducting both aerobic high-intensity training, and training consisting of 30-s sprints in a 6–9-week period also improved long-term performance in well-trained subjects (Bangsbo et al. 2009; Skovgaard et al. 2014; Vorup et al. 2016). In addition, training using only 10-s sprints in the 10–20–30 training concept has shown remarkable improvement in maximum oxygen consumption and performance as well as health profile of both untrained and trained subjects, even with a markedly reduced volume of training (Gunnarsson and Bangsbo 2012; Gliemann et al. 2014). In the 10–20–30 training concept, heart rate was above 90% of maximal heart rate for more than 11 min of the 20-min training session. It is, however, unclear whether untrained individuals can benefit from repeated sprints of just 5-s duration, separated by active recovery in between sprints as introduced in the 5–10–15 training concept consisting of 15, 10, and 5 s of low-, moderate-, and high-speed running, respectively.
In untrained subjects, regular aerobic training can lead to reduced body fat (Krauss et al. 2002; Pedersen and Saltin 2006; Nybo et al. 2010; Krustrup et al. 2010). However, the amount of training and intensity seems to be of importance for fat loss and alteration in body composition (Kraus et al. 2002; Nybo et al. 2010; Rosenkilde et al. 2012; Trapp et al. 2008). Taken intensity into consideration, Nybo et al. (2010) compared the effect of intense interval running and prolonged running and found that fat mass was only lowered after prolonged running. In contrast, Trapp et al. (2008) found a decreased fat mass after repeated sprint training but not prolonged cycling, even though the energy expenditure during the 15 weeks of training was equal. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether 5–10–15 training can lead to reduced body fat mass.
Throughout life, it seems to be important to have a frequent load of high impact training to reach the highest possible peak bone mass, and to avoid loss of bone mass, later in life. Mechanical loading when performing exercise is an important stimulus for increase in bone mineral content, bone mineral density, and bone turnover markers (Drinkwater 1994; Heinonen et al. 1995; Helge et al. 2014). Thus, running at moderate speed and even interval running with intensities corresponding to VO2 max do not provide sufficient stimuli for enhancing bone mass (Nybo et al. 2010). Weight-bearing activities will lead to a high osteogenic impact that can prevent the risk of develop osteoporosis in later life (Bass et al. 1998). Nevertheless, it appears necessary to have high impact from ground reaction forces, and bone adaptations are higher, when breakings, accelerations, and turnings are part of the training (Robling et al. 2002; Kohrt et al. 2009), e.g., sprinting, where the thigh muscles are heavily activated and the bone tissue is exposed to high strain rate on the longitudinal bone axis (Simonsen et al. 1985). It has recently been shown that team sport has a positive effect on bone mineral density in pre- and post-menopausal women as well as elderly men (Seidelin et al. 2017; Helge et al. 2014). These activities are associated with short periods of accelerations, sprinting, breakings, turns, and rapid change in running direction. Thus, it is hypothesized that the 5–10–15 running with the short accelerations, sprinting, and breakings during the 5-s intervals will have a positive effect on bone mineral density.
Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the effect of training with 5-s sprints followed by low- and moderate-intensity running (5–10–15 concept) on VO2 max, bone mineral density, bone turnover markers, and body composition. In addition, various running tests were included to obtain a broad spectrum measure of the effect of the training on performance. It was hypothesized that despite the short sprints and low training volume, VO2 max, performance, and bone turnover would improve, and body fat would decrease in untrained subjects during 7 weeks of training.
Eleven untrained subjects (7 women and 4 men) with an average age (ranged 36–53 years), body mass, and VO2 max of 42.7 ± 1.5 year, 78.4 ± 4.4 kg, and 38.3 ± 1.6 ml/kg/min, respectively, participated in the study. To be included in the study, the adults should be nonsmokers, not having done regular training for the last 2 years and performing less than 2 h of physical activity per week, and not having a VO2 max above 40 and 45 ml/min/kg for women and men, respectively. During the intervention period, the subjects did not change their daily activities but participated in the 5–10–15 training. The physical characteristics and VO2 max of the subjects who completed the intervention are presented in Table 1. During the INT, one woman left the study due to injury, a woman withdrew due to disease in the family, and another woman was not included in the data due to injury and, therefore, low compliance to training.
Characteristics of subjects
Subjects (n = 11)
Age, year
42.7 ± 1.5
Height, cm
175.1 ± 2.4
Body mass, kg
78.4 ± 4.4
VO2 max, ml/min/kg
37.1 ± 1.4
All participants were fully informed of experimental procedures and any discomforts associated with participating in the study before signing a written informed consent. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg communities and conformed to the code of the Ethics of the World Medical Association (Declarations of Helsinki) and the Title 45, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Part 46, Protection of Human Subjects, Revised November 13, 2001 (Revised June 23, 2005, effective June 23, 2005).
Experimental design
In a 7-week intervention period (INT), the subjects conducted 5–10–15 training (see Training) three times per week. Three weeks prior to the start of the study start subjects, underwent the following familiarization tests to avoid a learning effect when repeating the test after the INT: (1) a treadmill test to determine VO2 max; the velocity which elicited VO2 max (maximal aerobic speed, MAS); and time to exhaustion, (2) a 1500-m run, (3) the Yo–Yo Intermittent Endurance test level 1 (Yo–Yo IE1). Before the start and immediately after the end of INT, the aforementioned tests were replicated and a 3-km run was added to the test battery. In addition, on a separate day before and after the INT, subjects reported to the laboratory after an overnight fast to a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan and a fasting blood sample.
Training was conducted during spring and early summer in a park area on a smooth path of pebble and gravel. Every training session consisted of a standardized 15-min warm-up, including pair exercises and running drills (heel kicks, knee lifts, and side hops) followed by two 100-m runs with acceleration. After the warm-up, subjects did repeated 2-min periods of 5–10–15 running interspersed by 1 min of rest. In the first week, subjects performed three 2-min periods. The total number of 2-min periods increased by 1 every week until subjects completed nine running periods in the final week of the INT. Each 2-min period of 5–10–15 running consisted of 4 consecutive 30-s intervals divided into 15, 10, and 5 s at a running speed corresponding to ~ 30, ~ 50, and ~ 85% of highest maximal speed during training as determined with 5-Hz GPS. In between the 2-min periods, the subjects had a passive recovery for 1 min. The GPS units were placed into the manufacturer-designed harness, which was worn during training. After GPS recording during training, the data were downloaded and analyzed using proprietary software (Sprint, Catapult Sports, Canberra, Australia). Subjects ran for 29 and 15% of the running time with a speed above 85 and 100%, respectively, of the velocity that elicited maximal aerobic speed, respectively. The subjects completed 2.3 ± 0.12 training session per week during INT. The training distance was measured with a 5-Hz GPS system at a minimum of two occasions for each subject within the first 2 weeks of training and the last 2 weeks of training. The average volume of the 5–10–15 running of each subject increased from 2160 ± 115 m/week in the first week to 6479 ± 345 m/week in the final week (warm-up not included) of INT. Subjects were wearing heart rate monitors at least at two training sessions during INT. Heart rate response was related to the calculated maximal heart rate (220—age beats per min) or individual peak heart rate obtained during training.
Performance measurements
Before and within the first 14 days following the 7-week intervention period, the subjects completed testing with no more than 4 days between the tests. Prior to testing, the subjects refrained from severe physical activity for at least 48 h. The warm-up before conducting the Yo–Yo IE1, 1500-m, and 3-km run consisted of 15 min with low-to-moderate speed running including running drills (heel kicks, knee lifts, and side hops), dynamic stretches and mobilizing exercises. Before each test, the subjects was told to complete the 1500-m and 3-km test as fast as possible and continue as far as possible in the Yo–Yo IE1 test. The subjects had no information about their individual performance before completion of the last test in the study.
1500-m and 3-km
The 1500-m and 3-km run was carried out on a GPS measured 1.5-km course. The subjects did not wear watches during the tests and were not aware about running time. The time to complete the 1500 m and 3 km was used as the test result.
Yo–Yo intermittent endurance test level 1
On a separate occasion, the subjects completed the Yo–Yo IE1 test consisting of repeated 20-m shuttle runs, back and forth between the starting line and finish line marked by cones, at a progressively increased running speed dictated by audio bleeps from a pre-recorded source. Between each shuttle, the subjects had a 5-s rest period of slow jogging or walking around a cone placed 2.5 m from the starting line. The test result was recorded as the distance covered at the point when subjects have failed twice to reach the finishing line in between the bleep. All testing sessions were performed indoor on 2 × 20-m running lanes marked by cones (Bangsbo 1994).
Submaximal and incremental test
A familiarization test was carried out as an incremental test to exhaustion. The subjects started at a velocity of 5–8 km/h based on individual exercise history. The speed was gradually increased until volitional exhaustion. MAS was determined as the speed, which elicited VO2 max during the familiarization test. The test was performed on a motorized treadmill under standard laboratory conditions. On a second occasion, the subjects completed a submaximal treadmill running test followed by an incremental test to exhaustion. The subjects arrived at the laboratory, and before start of the test, the subjects had a catheter (18 gauge, 32 mm) inserted in an antecubital vein. The test consisted of two 5-min runs corresponding to 70% of MAS (8.0 ± 0.6 km/h) and 85% of MAS (10.1 ± 0.5 km/h), separated by a 2-min rest period. Submaximal running speeds were estimated from the determination of MAS obtained during the familiarization test. Two subjects walked at 5 km/h, instead of running, as 70% of MAS for these subjects was below 7 km/h. Two minutes after the cessation of the second submaximal bout, subjects carried out an incremental test starting with 1 min at a speed of 85% of maximal aerobic speed. Hereafter, running speed increased by 0.5 km/h every minute until volitional exhaustion. The time to exhaustion was measured from the beginning of the incremental test and until volitional exhaustion, and the time used as the test result. Pulmonary VO2 was measured throughout the exercise periods by a breath-by-breath gas analyzing system (Oxycon Pro, Viasys Healthcare, Hoechberg, Germany), which was calibrated before each test. VO2 max was determined as the highest value achieved over a 30-s period. To meet the criteria for achievement of VO2 max at least two of the following three criteria should be achieved: (1) plateau in VO2 despite a further increase in speed; (2) a respiratory exchange ratio (RER) > 1.10 and (3) lactate concentration above 10 mmol/l after completing the incremental test to exhaustion. To determine blood lactate concentration during the submaximal and incremental test, blood samples were collected before the first bout, 1 min after each submaximal running bout as well as 30, 90, and 180 s after exhaustion using 2-ml heparinized syringes. Blood was analyzed for lactate concentration using an ABL 800 Flex (Radiometer, Copenhagen, Denmark) immediately after testing.
DEXA scan and resting blood samples
Subjects reported to the laboratory between 6 and 9 a.m. on a separate day after an overnight fast. Body composition was assessed from whole-body DEXA scanning (Prodigy Bone Densitometer System; GE Lunar, Madison, WI) with measurements of lean body mass, total fat mass, regional fat mass, bone mineral content (BMC), and bone mineral density (BMD) according to standard procedures. It has previously been reported that the precision error of the DEXA scanner is between 0.6 and 1.8% (Shepherd et al. 2006). Fasting blood was taken from the antecubital vein and collected to determine the concentration of bone turnover markers. A total of 1.5 mL of blood collected from a non-heparinized syringe was diluted in 30 mL EDTA and centrifuged for 2 min, after which the plasma was pipetted and frozen at − 80 °C until analyzed for bone markers. Serum/plasma Carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX) was measured using the IDS-iSYS CTX (CrossLaps®) assay (Immunodiagnostic Systems, plc, Tyne and Wear, UK). Serum/plasma procollagen-type I N propeptide (P1NP) was measured using the IDS-iSYS intact P1NP assay (Immunodiagnostic Systems). Finally, serum/plasma osteocalcin was measured using the N-Mid Osteocalcin assay (Immuodiagnostic Systems). All assays were carried out on a dedicated automated analyzer, iSYS (Immunodiagnostic Systems) according to the manufacturer's instructions. All three assays are chemiluminescence immunoassays.
All analysis were done with serum/plasma as the sample material. For each assay, the sample aliquots were kept frozen at − 80 °C until the day of analysis. None of the samples had previously been thawed, and all analysis were performed immediately after thawing the samples. All samples were analyzed using one single batch of each assay. Assay performance was verified using the manufacturers' control specimens. The intermediary precisions expressed as coefficients of variation for CTX were 5.3% (at CTX concentration 213 ng/L), 3.4% (869 ng/L), and 3.5% (2113 ng/L) for iSYS. For P1NP, the intermediary precisions were 5.4% (18.96 µg/L), 6.5% (48.48 µg/L), and 6.1% (122.10 µg/L) for iSYS. Finally, for osteocalcin, the intermediary precisions were 3.0% (8.73 µg/L), 3.6% (27.6 µg/L), and 3.5% (68.7 µg/L). The reference values for Osteocalcin are 10.4–45.6 µg/L; P1NP are 27.7–127.6 µg/L. Furthermore, reference values for CTX are 0.115–0.748 µg/L for men and 0.112–0.738 µg/L in premenopausal women and 0.142–1.351 µg/L in post-menopausal women.
Changes in performance (1500-m, 3-km, and Yo–Yo IE1), pulmonary VO2, fasting blood bone markers (Osteocalcin, CTX, and P1NP), and blood lactate were evaluated using a two-way analysis of variance for repeated measurement with a linear mixed model approach which was applied to the data using a the lme4 packages. Corresponding t tests and adjusted P values were calculated using the package multcomp. Measurements at the end of the intervention were used as dependent variables and measurements at baseline were the independent variables. A significance level of P < 0.05 was chosen. Data are presented as means ± standard error (SE). The R (R Core Team) statistic tool was used in all statistical analyses. To evaluate correlation (Pearson correlation) between training volume and changes in performance, pulmonary VO2, body composition, bone mineral density, blood bone turnover markers, and blood lactate, a Chi-squared distribution test was used.
Heart rate during training
Mean heart rate during a training session was 84 ± 1.2% of maximal heart rate (warm-up not included) and heart rate was above 90% of maximal heart rate for 23% of the session (Fig. 1).
Body composition
The total body weight was unchanged, but lean body mass was 1.1% higher (P < 0.05) after compared to before INT (52.6 ± 3.0 kg vs. 52.0 ± 3.1 kg; Table 2). Body fat, expressed as percentage of total body mass, was lower (P < 0.001) after compared to before INT (33.3 ± 2.3 vs. 34.8 ± 2.3%). Furthermore, android and gynoid fat mass was lower (P < 0.01) after compared to before the INT (40.3 ± 1.9 vs. 42.1 ± 1.9% and 39.9 ± 2.8 vs. 41.3 ± 2.8%; Table 2).
Weight, lean body mass, fat mass, android, and gynoid fat mass before (Pre) and after (Post) a 7-week period with 5–10–15 training
Weight, kg
78.6 ± 4.6
77.8 ± 4.4
Fat mass%
34.8 ± 2.3
33.3 ± 2.3**
Lean body mass, kg
52.0 ± 3.1
52.6 ± 3.0**
Android fat, %
42.1 ± 1.9
40.3 ± 1.9**
Gynoid fat, %
41.3 ± 2.8
39.9 ± 2.8**
Bone mineral content, bone mineral density, and bone turnover markers
Whole-body BMD was higher (P < 0.01) after compared to before INT (1.276 ± 0.03 vs. 1.265 ± 0.03 g/cm2; Fig. 2a), with no changes in whole-body BMC (Fig. 2b). The level of osteocalcin was threefold higher (P < 0.01) after compared to before INT (27.1 ± 3.5 vs. 11.0 ± 3.5 µg/L), CTX and P1NP were 76 and 84% higher (P < 0.05) after compared to before INT (500 ± 60 vs. 290 ± 90 ng/L and 77.7 ± 9.0 vs. 42.3 ± 11.0 µg/L), respectively (Fig. 3).
The time to complete the 1500-m running test was reduced (P < 0,001) by 9.9% after compared to before INT (7.64 ± 0.4 vs. 8.48 ± 0.6 min; Fig. 4a), and 3-km running test was 8.1% shorter (P < 0.001) after compared to before INT (16.77 ± 1.0 vs. 18.25 ± 1.0 min; Fig. 4B). Distance covered in the Yo–Yo IE1 test was increased (P < 0.01) by 17.2% (1482 ± 202 vs. 1264 ± 174 m; Fig. 4c). The time to exhaustion during the incremental treadmill test was 23.9% longer (P < 0.001) after compared to before INT (7.20 ± 0.4 vs. 5.81 ± 0.2 min; Fig. 5a), and the maximal aerobic speed was increased (P < 0.001) by 6.4% (12.9 ± 0.6 vs. 12.1 ± 0.05 km/h; Fig. 5b).
Maximum oxygen uptake
VO2 max was 5% non-significant higher (P = 0.127) after compared to before INT (40.7 ± 1.7 vs. 38.3 ± 1.6 ml/kg/min).
Blood lactate during treadmill running
The blood lactate concentration after 85% of maximal aerobic speed was 21.1% lower (P < 0.01) after compared to before the INT (3.9 ± 0.4 vs. 5.0 ± 0.4 mmol/l) with no other differences in blood lactate during the test (Table 3).
Blood lactate at rest, after two submaximal running bouts at 70 and 85% of MAS, and after exhaustive treadmill running before (Pre) and after (Post) a 7-week period with 5–10–15 training period
Running speed
8.0 km/h
10.1 km/h
1 min
3 min
Lactate concentration, mmol/l
1.1 ± 0.1
2.7 ± 0.2
5.0 ± 0.4
10.5 ± 0.8
10.6 ± 0.8
10.8 ± 0.8
1.1 ± 0.2
2.4 ± 0.3
3.9 ± 0.4**
11.3 ± 1.1
11.2 ± 1.0
10.9 ± 1.0
The main findings of the present study were that 7 weeks of 5–10–15-training increased bone mineral density and plasma bone turnover markers, as well as improved 1500-m and 3-km running performance. In addition, the 5–10–15-training lowered total fat mass and increased lean body mass. There was no relationship between training volume and change in any of the variables measured.
The 7 weeks of 5–10–15 training lead to higher bone mineral density and elevated the plasma levels of the bone formation markers osteocalcin, CTX, and P1NP, indicating an increased bone formation with the intervention period. This is a promising result concerning the osteogenic effect on bone health of 5–10–15-training. Similarly, after a 4-month period with football training in 65–75-year-old men, levels of plasma osteocalcin and P1NP increased by 45 and 41%, respectively, and after another 8 months of training, CTX was elevated by 43% (Helge et al. 2014). In another study, plasma osteocalcin, P1NP, and CTX increased by 37, 52, and 42%, respectively, when premenopausal women were conducting football training three times a week for 15 weeks (Mohr et al. 2015). Nevertheless, it is remarkable that bone mineral density and plasma bone turnover markers in the present study were elevated considering the activity only averaging 12 min per session and with the subjects performing only 16 training sessions. The improvements in bone health may be due to the intense parts of the training rather than the volume per se. Thus, training volume was only between 2 and 7 km/week, which is significant lower than in other studies (Krustrup et al. 2009; Nybo et al. 2010; Helge et al. 2014). The running speed during the 5–10–15 training was higher than MAS in 14% of the time (1 min and 40 s per session) and led to frequent accelerations and breakings with high mechanical loads causing strain and compression on the bones of the lower limbs (Zamparo et al. 2016). This may have stimulated bone development, since it has been shown that high strain rate and ground reaction forces in varied directions on the longitudinal axis stimulated bone formation (Kohrt et al. 2009; Burr 1997; Robling et al. 2002; Simonsen et al. 1985). Furthermore, physical activity needs to contain weight-bearing elements, be rapidly applied, and being dynamic to have an impact on bone formation (Helge et al. 2014; Heidemann et al. 2013; Mohr et al. 2015). It was probably the sprinting part of the 5–10–15 training that caused the bone changes, since studies using running with moderate intensity did not find alterations in bone formation (Krustrup et al. 2009; Helge et al. 2014). Furthermore, no change was observed in bone mass after 12 weeks of neither interval running nor prolonged running with moderate intensity (80% of maximal heart rate) for 1 h 2.5 times a week (Nybo et al. 2010). Altogether, the present findings demonstrate that 5–10–15-interval running promoted an increase in bone mineral density despite only a short period of training, indicating that the osteogenic response to high ground reaction forces is crucial for bone formation.
The 7-week period with 5–10–15 interval training had significant impact on lean body mass in the untrained subjects. In accordance, soccer training conducted as small-sided games for untrained women 1.8 times a week for 16 weeks and for untrained men 2.3 times a week for 12 weeks resulted in increased lean body mass (Krustrup et al. 2009). On the other hand, running 2.5 times a week at an average intensity corresponding to 82% of maximum heart rate did not change lean body mass (Krustrup et al. 2009). Similarly, a study with untrained men conducting 12 weeks of interval running, consisting of five 2-min intervals at an intensity slightly below MAS, twice a week, did not change lean body mass (Nybo et al. 2010). Apparently, the 5-s sprinting in the 5–10–15 training does lead to elevated muscle mass in untrained men and women. In addition, the 5–10–15 training reduced the fat mass and regional fat mass in the adults, despite the training volume being only ~ 3 km per training session. In accordance with the present findings, it has been shown that a training intervention using repeated 8-s sprints for a 15-week period elicited a 2.5-kg decrease in total body fat, whereas moderate-intensity training failed to reduce fat mass in untrained women (Trapp et al. 2008). Similarly, Nybo et al. (2010) found that in untrained men fat mass was unchanged after 12 weeks of interval running with speeds below MAS, indicating that the high speeds are important for the loss of fat mass when doing interval training.
The subjects had a non-significant 5% increase in VO2 max during the intervention period. Similarly, Gunnarsson & Bangsbo (2012) found a 4% higher VO2 max in recreational runners with 10–20–30 training three times a week for 7 weeks, even though the training volume was lowered by as much as 54% during the training period compared to before study start. In the present study and the study by Gunnarsson and Bangsbo (2012), heart rate was above 90% of maximum heart rate for ~ 25% and ~ 40% of the training time, respectively. Thus, these types of intermittent exercises appear to have a significant impact on the heart, which likely has contributed to the higher VO2 max, although not significant in the present study, which may be due to the limited number of subjects. In general, the amount of high-intense training seems important for change in the maximal oxygen uptake. In trained runners, Helgerud et al. (2007) found that 4 × 4 min high-intense training (heart rate > 90% of maximum heart rate) three times per week for 8 weeks improved VO2 max, whereas moderate-intensity training did not. The higher VO2 max does not seem to be due to the 5-s sprinting periods per se, since maximal intensity exercise for 6 s separated by a long recovery (1 min) did not improve VO2 max in untrained subjects (Mohr et al. 2007). Likewise, no change in VO2 max was observed in moderately to well-trained runners when performing near maximal running for 30 s followed by 3-min recovery periods (Iaia et al. 2008; Bangsbo et al. 2009; Skovgaard et al. 2014).
The subjects had an 8 and 10% improvement in the 3-km and 1500-m run, respectively. Similarly, Gunnarsson and Bangsbo (2012) observed that 10–20–30 training of trained subjects for 7 weeks resulted in a 6 and 4% better performance on 1500-m and 5-km, respectively. Since the time to exhaustion at the incremental treadmill test was improved without a significant change in VO2 max, it could be speculated that the anaerobic capacity was elevated with the training intervention, which may have contributed to the better performance in the 1500-m and 3-km runs as well as in the Yo–Yo IE1. In addition, blood lactate was lowered after the submaximal running after compare to before INT, which indicate an improved endurance capacity, as the lactate threshold occurs at a higher percentage of VO2 max (Coyle et al. 1988; Joyner and Coyle 2008).
In summary, a 7-week period of 5–10–15 training of untrained adults improved performance, increased bone mineral density, and plasma bone turnover markers as well as lean body mass and reduced fat mass.
Considering the great impact the 5–10–15 training had on performance and body composition, and that it can be carried out in less than 20 min per session, it is an attractive form of training. Other advantages are that the training can be performed in groups of people with different running experience and physical capacity.
The authors would like to acknowledge the subjects for their participation. We would like to thank Jens Jung Nielsen and Jon Egelund for their excellent technical assistance.
Author contributions
TR: study design, recruitment of subjects, testing of subjects, data analysis, and manuscript. JT: study design, recruitment of subjects, testing of subjects, data analysis, and manuscript. NRJ: data analysis and manuscript. JB: fund raising, study design, and manuscript.
The study was supported by Nordea-fonden.
Compliance with ethical standards
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical approval
All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and in the 1964 Helsinki declarations and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Copyright information
Open AccessThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.


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When he started his current run on Justice League, writer Christopher Priest said that he'd be approaching DC's first-tier team book as a workplace drama. The legendary comics writer says that, no surprise, the Dark Knight would be a hero who'd give headaches to the human resources department.
Two Justice League teams face off in Justice League #40. Image: David Yardin (DC Comics)
Illustrated by Pete Woods with Chris Sotomayor on colours and Willie Schu on letters, this week's Justice League #40 continues a storyline that finds the public turning on the League. Things had previously started going south when a sleep-deprived Batman made bad calls on a mission that led to a loss of life, followed by a deranged super-fan who began to give the team grief to "make them better". As internal tensions rose, Batman named Cyborg League chairman.
The preview pages of Justice League #40 show the main League and the Justice League of America teaming up to stop a train wreck that's released toxic gas in an urban center. The infighting gets even worse when the two Leagues' different approaches clash.
DC will be featuring the Justice League franchise with an upcoming winter event flowing out of consequences of Dark Nights: Metal, and it looks as though Priest's time with the League will soon be over. But he was kind enough to answer questions about his time on the series, with a hint of finality that makes this feel like an exit interview. Justice League #40 is out today.
You've talked about your run on Justice League as a workplace drama. Which characters see their League membership as a day job or a side hustle?
Christopher Priest: Oh, that's a good question. I believe all the Leaguers see the group as an important commitment, but the nature of this franchise concept has been that it is a group of individuals who come from very different circumstances and whose heroic commitments have been borne of very different circumstances. Exploring those differences and resonances is what makes the group so interesting.
Who deserves a raise? Or a bigger office? Which League member is an HR nightmare?
Priest: Well, Batman would obviously be the nightmare. He tends to set his own hours and create his own procedures, often in ways subversive to the group bylaws and traditions. Aquaman likely deserves the raise because he's maybe the least flashy of the group. He's a classic, long-lived DC stalwart and is frequently omitted from the mainstream of thought regarding DC's "Big Gun" heroes. That's why I had [Green Lantern] Simon [Baz] omit him when he was whining about the "major" and "minor" Leagues.
What makes Cyborg most qualified to be the new League chairman now?
Priest: I believe Vic was qualified all along, but he has it worse than even Aquaman. He's so overshadowed by the big guns and, honestly, not a whole lot has been done with him since they New 52'ed him into the League. But, in Rebirth, he's a founding member. I personally see him (with the likely exception of Jessica Cruz's Green Lantern) as the League's youngest member (although your mileage may vary). Pete Woods certainly draws him that way.
I see Cyborg as the smartest kid in class, quietly sitting at the back of the room. The quintessential team player: Generous, patient, thoughtful. He knows more, and is more capable, than even he knows. I believe that's why Bats chose him - on its face it may seem that he made the choice to spite the group, but spite is not in Batman's character.
Are there instances where a character's function on the team runs counter to their personality?
Priest: Wow. Another good question - you've stumped the band. The obvious place to start is Superman. If I gave Superman too much rhythm, he'd overshadow the entire group. If his function is to be the backbone of the team, he would, I imagine, tend to restrain himself a little - reign himself in a bit - because he knows he himself does not know everything, does not have all the answers. But the rest of the team has so much respect for him they'd follow if he chose to lead. If Supes said, "No, Cyborg is not ready," the team would agree - including Cyborg - because Supes really is just that respected.
So, fighting my fanboy glee at finally getting my hands on him, I've deliberately been a little standoffish with Superman, keeping him largely off-centre because he's such a huge presence.
As a character, I see Wonder Woman as a study in contradictions between the philosophy of peace and the realities of having to defend the innocent. "Since I've been here," she said in issue #35, looking at her fists, "all I've used are these." Were my JL run to continue open-ended, I'd have explored those contradictions. She needs the comradeship, she wants to help, but the League can and often is a huge detour away from who she is and what her true mission should be.
And, once again, Aquaman, whose life and commitments mirror those of the Black Panther. I feel like I understand him best, while I've possibly not served him very well or frankly been as supportive of Dan Abnett's amazing writing as I should have been. Unfortunately, I was not aware about a lot of the collective DC continuity and, like Panther, I think Aquaman's League commitment runs counter to the larger moral imperatives of his responsibilities. I'd have explored those contradictions, too.
Your whole run has focused on the tension of public accountability for the League. How do you manage to stretch that core idea without the worry of breaking the conventions of the whole superhero genre?
Priest: (laughs) I just assume everyone will ignore me. I am always, no kidding, always surprised to discover anyone anywhere is paying attention to something I've written or said. I hung out with Tom King and Scott Snyder at Kansas City's Planet Comicon, and those guys could not possibly have been more generous and gracious considering I really am kicking them both in the shins with this JL run.
My overall approach to the superhero genre is reality-based. It started when I was a kid, reading Denny O'Neil's run on Superman. Denny never wanted to write Superman but got dragooned into it by legendary DC Editor Julius Schwartz, whom I had the distinct pleasure of getting to know. Denny's approach to Superman was to take a hard look at the mythos and apply realistic, "real-world" circumstances, which evolved the franchise from the Silver Age of Cary Bates and Elliot S. Maggin (comics I cherish to this day) and set Superman on a course ultimately realised by John Byrne's epic Man of Steel and Dan Jurgens' seminal, definitive run which included Death of Superman.
As a professional, I had the amazing experience of applying that "real world" test to Green Lantern; Denny insisted I read Carl Sagans' Cosmos and apply more principles of "real" science to that franchise in the pages of Action Comics Weekly and, ultimately, the Emerald Dawn Green Lantern reboot. I took that realism approach to a further extreme in my prose novel, Green Lantern: Sleepers Book Three. Writing a novel gave me a greatly expanded palette with which to explore Hal's humanism and how it was being challenged, and potentially lost, by this galaxy-spanning fraternity. The novel also features the League and somewhat mirrors my current JL run in tone.
Now, not everybody likes their superheroes depicted in that light. I accept that not everybody will like my Justice League, which is why God created my friend Steve Orlando (Justice League of America), which holds up the tradition of the larger-than-life challenges to the team.
Which character surprised you most when it came time to sit down and figure them out?
Priest: Jessica. I just love her. I want to write a Jessica Cruz solo series. I can't explain it. It's not even the character so much as Pete Woods' interpretation of her. The character literally talks to me. And she's funny and fascinating; a Wonder Woman in the making, a young woman on a journey unburdened by decades of continuity. And she's hopeful in ways I no longer am, so she cheers me up. She is a blast to write; I wish I had more time to write her.
I want to extend much appreciation to Phillipe Briones, Ian Churchill and Marco Santucci for lending their talent and major investment to this series, and great appreciation to Pete Woods who I want to adopt like a puppy. Amazing work, guys!


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If you're planning on using reference codes to track your donations (and we think you should), read our guide here.
Finding Your Form Later
To find your form, go to the "Contribution Forms" tab in your Dashboard and click on its name to open the form menu, or click the "Edit" button to the right of your form's name to open the form editor right away.