Oct 02

Choosing the Right Kayaking Instructor

Kayak InstructorSo, you’ve decided that you want to learn how to paddle a kayak, but you’re not sure where to start. Should you take lessons, learn from an experienced friend, or wing it on your own?

The answer is that all of these options can work, and have for thousands of paddlers. Learning on your own can be tricky, and you’ll probably make every mistake in the book before you get comfortable, but it certainly is a viable option.

Just make sure you’re in reasonable aerobic condition, have a modest amount of smarts and common sense, and are willing to be patient. A good kayaking instructor, on the other hand, can make the whole process much easier and safer. And it doesn’t have to be a formal instructor from a paddling shop or business.

If you have friends or family who are experienced paddlers, consider asking them for some informal instruction. Just let them know that you’re just starting out, and that you’ll need a lot of patience and understanding for the first few excursions. If you have access to a pool that allows kayaks in the water, this can provide a great way to get some initial training, especially in getting your roll mechanics down.

If you don’t know any experienced paddlers, consider joining a local kayak club in your area. These clubs and organizations can be great resources for all kinds of paddling information, tours, instruction, and networking. You may even find someone in the club who’s a certified instructor or who’s willing to help a newbie get their feet (and all their other parts) wet.

And then, of course, there’s the option of finding a certified kayaking instructor. Ask to see the person’s resume, and any certifications and formal training he or she’s had. And before you whip out your checkbook, ask to see your perspective instructor on the water.

Does he or she seem skilled and confident when handling their kayak? Does their equipment look to be well maintained? Do they explain what they’re doing and why they’re doing it?

Most of all, how does this person come across? Do they appear to be patient and approachable? Do they answer your questions quickly and with confidence? Is this someone who makes you feel comfortable? Without a good rapport, after all, it’s almost impossible to get the most out of any instruction, paddling or otherwise.

In the end, the best approach to learning how to kayak is up to you. If you feel comfortable learning on your own, go for it. Just make sure to take your time and always think safety first. If you decide to go with an instructor, take the time to choose wisely, and get the most for your training dollars.

Sep 25

Want To Lose Fats? Then Exercise Your Entire Body

Do you ever wonder how to shrink the fat on your thighs or reduce the flab on the back of your arms? Ever wake and up and dream about wearing your favorite pants from the glory days of college? Well, short of plastic surgery, there is no way to simply eliminate certain problem areas.

The reality is that slimming your figure is not a simple task. In order to lose weight in one spot, you must be willing to work your entire body. So, the women who want thinner hips and the men who seek to shed the spare tire must attack the body as a whole. You must lift each body part, and to see the best gains I advocate performing more multi-joint exercises such as bench presses, rows, squats and lunges.

These types of exercises challenge the cardiovascular system as well as stimulating the muscles because they require a lot of effort and force the heart to work harder. Another great trick to speed metabolism during lifting workouts is to steadily reduce your rest periods. This is an advanced technique and should be changed according to perceived exertion levels, experience and training goals.

You can perform all the crunches and inner/outer thigh lifts you want, but it takes more to see the desired results. First, you must perform a consistent progressive strength training program that calls for you to work each body part twice per week.

Next, you must engage in a moderate amount of aerobic exercise to aid in boosting metabolism. Finally, you need to follow a sound eating plan (not necessarily a diet). With hard work and consistency, you will begin to see positive changes.

With that said, you can toss away all those exercise tapes or gadgets that promise quick fixes or spot reduction. The best approach is developing a sound nutritional and fitness plan with the intent of making long-term lifestyle changes.

This philosophy, albeit slower and more difficult, will deliver permanent results and prevent you from feeling disappointment with unfulfilled claims from fraudulent fitness marketers today.

See how these fitness tips that could change your figure in just 3 months:

Perform strength training circuits for 30-40 minutes. Consider a circuit as 3 different exercises performed consecutively. Do 3 circuits.

Following the circuit, perform 15-20 minutes of high intensity cardiovascular training (perceived exertion = at least 7 on a scale of 1-10).

Split your routine into 3 days – total body, chest/back/triceps and legs/shoulders/biceps.

Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps for each exercise in the circuit.

Rest no more than 60 seconds between each circuit set, and no more than 2 minutes between each circuit.

Sep 19

Parachute Cord It Is Not Limited for the Skydiving Equipment Only

Parachute CordParachute cord or “paracord” as it is more commonly referred to, can and has been used in a variety of ways. Although its initial design function was in the construction of parachutes.

Regardless of function, design, shape, size, or material used for the canopy the one thing that all parachutes have in common is the use of paracord.

Each line of paracord is made of a continuous filament nylon shroud covering seven high strength inner nylon cords. Each single line of paracord has a tensile strength tested to 550 pounds and is designed to last.


Each single mil-spec strand of parachute cord is tested to 550 pounds and is extremely light weight and flexible, making it the ideal banding for use in parachutes. Imagine a single uncut line of cord tested to 550 pounds, wrapped continuously between your harness and your canopy at 10 or more times for the right side and the same for the left. The issue of whether or not the cords will hold is no longer a question.

For more than just parachutes

Although paracord was designed for use on parachutes, this high strength, inexpensive cord has proven over the years to have a number of other uses. No camping gear would be complete without a length of this highly versatile cord.

Parachute band can be utilized in survival situations for everything from food gathering to building shelter; the inner core can be unwoven and utilized as fishing line. Tired of replacing those easily worn out boot straps? Try using paracord. This banding is designed to resist rot and wear.

With just a little imagination, the multitude of uses one can come up with for this wonderful cord is limitless such as bracelet, necklace, dog’s collar and many more. However, be careful of what you get when you make your purchase.

Commercial market paracord although it is less expensive, is inferior to the military spec paracord. The commercial market cord usually only tests out at around 300 pounds and has a single strand nylon inner core.

Sep 12

Muscle Building Tips for Underweight People (Workout Rules II)

Focus more on the eccentric portion of the exercise.

When you lift a weight, it can be divided into three distinct periods. The positive, the negative and midpoint. The concentric or “positive” motion usually involves the initial push or effort when you begin the rep.

The midpoint is signaled by a short pause before reversing and returning to the starting position. The eccentric or “negative” portion of each lift is characterized by your resistance against then natural pull of the weight.

For example, when doing push-ups, the positive motion is the actual pushing up motion. Once you have pushed all the way up, you hit the midpoint. The negative motion begins when you start to lower yourself back down.


Keep your workout short but intense.

Your goal should be to get in, stimulate your muscles and then get out as quickly as possible. It is not necessary to do large amounts of exercisers per body part trying to target every muscle and hit every “angle”. This should only be a concern of someone with an already developed, mature physique who is trying to improve weak areas.

If you have no pec, don’t concern yourself with trying to target inner, outer, upper, lower or whatever. Just work your chest. You should do no more than 2-3 exercises per body part. That’s it. Doing more than that won’t build more muscle, faster.



Limit your aerobic activity and training

This is mainly because it interferes with the important “non-active” time my body needs for muscle building and recovery. I do understand that people have lives and other activities that they don’t want to give up, so it must be kept to a minimum. It won’t hurt your progress as long as you don’t overdo it. If you find that you are doing more aerobic activity weight training, that’s overdoing it.

I also don’t recommend it because people tend do it for the wrong reasons. Many start aerobic activity because they believe it will help them to lose fat. While that is true, it won’t do so on a high calorie mass diet. To lose fat, you need to be eating fewer calories.

Don’t program hop


I call these people, “program hoppers”. They are very enthusiastic when starting a new program, but they never follow it long enough to actually see any results. They are easily distracted and love to drop whatever they may be doing to follow the latest “hot” workout or exercise.


Yes, there are many different training methods and interesting routines out there, but you can’t do them all at the same time and jumping around won’t allow enough time for any of them to actually be effective for you. Pick one that is focused on your current goal and stick with it. There will be plenty of time to try the others later, but NOT NOW.