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August 24, 2020

LUMBERTON The chairs of the two major political parties in Robeson County are encouraging voters to cast their ballots via absentee voting this election cycle, however, one believes past events open the process to error.

The State Board of Elections has predicted a significant increase in voting by absentee ballot because of health and safety concerns posed by COVID-19. The Board recently released information reflecting the expected increase.

County election boards in North Carolina received absentee ballot requests from 9,953 Democrats, 9,643 Republicans and 7,223 unaffiliated voters by Aug. 23, 2016, according to the state Board. The Board has received requests from 156,960 Democratic, 44,867 Republican and 93,275 unaffiliated voters as of Aug. 18 for the 2020 general election on Nov. 3.

Anyone who cannot vote at a polling site on Election Day should request an absentee ballot and certainly mail it in, said Phillip Stephens, Robeson County Republican Party chairman.

We hope it wouldnt delay results, but obviously that may be the reality, Stephens said.

Past events have cast a shadow of uncertainty when it comes to voting by absentee ballots, he said.

[A]s evidenced by the 9th Congressional race affair in Bladen County, it was absentee ballot irregularities that forced a special election, Stephens said.

During the 2018 race, Mark Harris, a Baptist minister, got the most votes, but an investigation soon began into allegations revolving around McCrae Dowless, who was hired for Harris campaign in Bladen County. Witnesses told state election officials that Dowless gathered hundreds of absentee ballots from Bladen County voters with the help of his assistants. Dowless workers testified at a state Board hearing that they were directed to collect blank or incomplete ballots, forge signatures on them and even fill in votes for candidates.

Still, Stephens believes votes cast by absentee ballots are more secure than votes cast by mail when it comes to voter identification.

Unlike absentee voting, there are fewer safeguards, Stephens said. Proof of residency, signature verification and registration verification are a few of the safeguards that are lowered when ballots are mailed at random.

Whereas requested absentees at least have some measure of integrity protection. Duplicate registrations, inaccurate voter rolls, ballot harvesting and lost ballots are always problematic when random mailings occur.

Robeson County Democratic Party Chairperson Pearlean Revels said she has complete confidence in the absentee ballot process and views it as the better option when considering the uncertainty posed by COVID-19.

I support it very highly, Revels said. The coronavirus has gotten people a little uneasy about getting out.

Absentee has been around for ages. Right now, I dont understand what the issues are, unless its about the post office.

She has confidence in the county Board of Elections office and believes that this years election will be carried out the way it needs to be carried out, Revels said.

Robeson County BOE Director Tina Bledsoe has said the office has hired additional staff and bought letter folding equipment to reduce the time needed to send ballots by mail.

Despite the pandemic, both parties have resumed get-out-the-vote drives.

I think Republicans and Democrats have both been creative in get-out-the-vote efforts this year, Stephens said. I know weve used vital media, like Zoom meetings and such, quite a bit.

Revels said the Democratic Party has held several get-out-the-vote drives, not only registering voters but encouraging them to vote using the absentee ballot process. One group has been out in Fairmont daily, she said.

We do talk to people and emphasize the absentee voting, Revels said. We will help them and assist them. The most important thing is to make sure you get out and vote.

The state Elections Board recently released guidelines for students at colleges and universities who choose to vote by mail during the pandemic, and are directing them to request that their ballots be sent to an address where they know they will receive it.

We want to ensure all eligible voters have the information they need to successfully cast their ballot in this important election during these unique times, said Karen Brinson Bell, state Board executive director.

Further guidelines for students include:

If you are temporarily living away or displaced from the residence where you are registered to vote and you intend to return later, then you are not considered to have lost your place of residence. It can remain your residential address for voting.

If you are registered to vote at your campus address and have not requested an absentee ballot, you may request a ballot and have it sent to an address of your choosing. This is the best option for students who are registered to vote at their campus address and know they will be leaving their campus address for the remainder of the semester.

If you are registered to vote at your campus address and unsure if you are leaving campus, please wait until you know your housing situation before requesting a ballot.

Students who have already requested a ballot but must leave campus because of COVID-19 or for any other reason may submit a new request to have their ballot sent to a different address. The first request will not be fulfilled. Students or others who submit a new form can make a note on the new form, such as Updated or Changed to alert county elections workers that it is an updated request. They can also email or contact their county board office to ensure the ballot is sent to the updated address.

However, if you have abandoned your place of residence and intend to stay at your new address indefinitely, then you should register at your new residential address.

If you will be away from your residential or mailing address, be sure to include the address where you want your ballot to be sent on your absentee ballot request. If you have moved within your county, you may use the request form to update your residential address and/or mailing address.

An online absentee ballot request portal will be available on the State Board of Elections website, NCSBE.gov, by Sept. 1, according to the state Board. This will allow all registered voters to request a ballot online. Beginning Sept. 4, county boards of election will begin to send ballots to voters who request them.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Oct. 27. However, election officials strongly encourage voters to request a ballot before then to ensure absentee ballot return deadlines can be met.

As always, all voters may vote in person during the early voting period, October 15-31, or on Election Day, which is Nov. 3.

Read more here:
People exercise their faith on streets of Fairmont - The Robesonian

Sports enthusiasts of all ages are set to be blown away. 360 Shooter is a new multi-sport training tool that allows players to practice and play MULTIPLE SPORTS, including but not limited to basketball, football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, frisbee, hockey, and more. The father-son duo is currently running an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for their enthusiastic project.

Coach Don Loperena, current high school student Reid Narciso, and Randy Narciso (Reids father) are on a mission to help youths, athletes, coaches, and families improve their overall health and exercise programs by playing and practicing multiple sports on their new 360 Shooter goal. 360 Shooter is a new goal that doesnt have a backboard, offers a 360-degree playing area, and supports multiple sports including but not limited to basketball, baseball, football, lacrosse, hockey, and soccer. Until things get back to normal, 360 Shooter can help everyone be more active and play more sports, reducing the stress levels for everyone, said Coach Don Loperena, Co-Founder of 360 Shooter. We want all students and athletes to get outside and play. We launched our Indiegogo campaign on 8/24, in loving memory of Kobe Bryant.

Childrens lives have been turned upside down by the novel Coronavirus that started in March 2020. With school campuses being closed, playdates being canceled, and youth sports and recreation activities halted, childrens routines are anything but routine. Students are being forced to spend hours and hours online via remote learning, with limited time spent outside. This is impacting the mental and emotional state of our youths. 360 Shooter looks to encourage sports play by allowing youths and athletes the ability to practice and play MULTIPLE SPORTS, including but not limited to basketball, football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, frisbee, hockey, and more.

The coach and father-son duo came together in March 2020, right when the home lockdown restrictions were enforced. Coach Don has coached Reid in several basketball camps and clinics and worked with Randy in other entrepreneurial projects. Reid, an avid basketball player, was getting tired of staying indoors. Reid simply wanted to practice his shooting in preparation for the upcoming high school basketball season, where Reid plays basketball for Notre Dame High School. All of the sporting goods stores were closed and online shipping times were over 4 weeks, said Reid Narciso. I asked my dad to buy a new goal, but instead of buying a portable goal, we designed the initial prototype of 360 Shooter. I calculated all of the angles and lengths of the poles since I was taking Geometry at the time. I never thought I would ever use the Pythagorean Theorem in real life, but I used it multiple times to get exact measurements of the 360 Shooter.

The 360 Shooter team originally planned to submit an application to Shark Tank but decided against that option as they would have to give up significant equity in the company. Instead, they launched an Indiegogo campaign on 8/24, in memory of Kobe Bryant. With your support and backing, we believe we can reach our Indiegogo campaign goal and bring the 360 Shooter to market, said Randy Narciso. If we hit our campaign goal of $150,000, we will donate a percentage of our profits to the MambaONThree fund, which was established in honor and support of the seven other victims involved in the tragedy that occurred on January 26, 2020.

The 360 Shooter is built on a triangular steel base that holds 3 x aluminum telescoping poles in place. A basketball rim is mounted on top of the poles, allowing a user to adjust the rim height from 7 feet to 10 feet. One unique feature of the product is the industrial-strength clamping system that keeps the rim stable and sturdy. It only takes a few minutes for a user to set up the 360 Shooter and another few minutes to break it down and pack it in the trunk of a car. My school needs 5 of these units. We can not only play basketball but with the flexible net options, but also play multiple sports including whiffle ball, frisbee, hockey, lacrosse, and other sports, said Don Loperena. Storage is a huge issue for PE teachers. We can bring multiple units out and set them up so easily. When we are done, we can break them down and store them in a compact area.

360 Shooter can transform gyms and facilities by simply adding multiple units for students and athletes to enjoy. More goals, equals more shots, equals more repetitions, equals more productivity. With 360 Shooter, you can play hoops and other sports anywhere you go. You can setup the goal and nets on any surface, whether it be indoors on the hardwood or outdoors on concrete, asphalt, grass, artificial grass, sand, and dirt. The 360 Shooter is perfect for family fun, get-togethers, camping trips, parties, picnics, and beach trips.

For more information on the product, the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, and to pre-order, be sure to visithttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/360-shooter-nothin-but-net#/ and https://www.360shooter.net.

Read the original:
360 Shooter Launches in US on Indiegogo to Bring the World's First Adjustable, Collapsible, & Portable Goal for Multi-Sport Play - The Open News

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently unveiled a Better Health campaign to combat obesity. The announcement was prompted by Johnsons bout with COVID-19, which included a stint in intensive care in April. Johnson is convinced that his reported Body Mass Index of 36 (30 is considered obese) was responsible for the severity of his infection and is now on a mission to slim down the United Kingdom.

Johnsons proposed interventions include banning junk food advertising before 9 P.M. to reduce the likelihood that children would be exposed to such ads, preventing stores from selling unhealthy snacks at entrances and checkouts, barring buy one get one free promotions on unhealthy foods, and requiring restaurants with over 250 employees to post calorie counts. Other measures include encouraging doctors to prescribe cycling (Johnsons favored mode of transportation) and facilitating access to weight-loss programs.

Critics of Johnsons anti-obesity measures rightly charge that they are incomplete because they focus on personal responsibility rather than attacking the root causes of obesitypoverty and inequality. Others have pointed out in the past that calorie counts in restaurants have negligible effects on consumer behavior.

As a researcher and educator on the history and politics of obesity, I would also caution that Johnson and lawmakers from other countries who might follow in his footsteps should tread carefully. Weight is a delicate issue, and mishandling wars on fat or obesity could impair, rather than improve, the physical and mental health of people with obesity.

This is not to say we should ignore links between obesity and COVID-19. There is mounting evidence that, obesity is the most significant risk factor in serious cases of COVID-19, possibly second only to age. Studies of populations in China, Italy, the United States, France and Britain have shown that people with obesity may double their risk of being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19, and that relationships between weight and COVID-19 are particularly pronounced among younger people and men.

Forty-two percent of American adults are classified as obese.

There are a number of explanations as to why obesity can aggravate COVID-19 infections. Scientists have found that COVID-19 often enters the body through an enzyme called ACE2, and that people with fat tissue have more ACE2 receptors and are therefore more susceptible to infection and higher viral loads.

Once infected with COVID-19, some doctors have proposed that because fat tissue compresses the diaphragm and lungs, those with obesity experience greater difficulty breathing. Another popular theory is that obesity may interfere with the proper functioning of immune cells and trigger an excessive immune response called a cytokine storm, resulting in potentially life-threatening inflammation and organ failure. Some researchers have also suggested that irregular levels of hormones associated with obesity, like glucose-regulating adiponectin and weight-regulating leptin, compromise immune responses to the virus.

As researchers continue to investigate links between obesity and COVID-19, countries and public health organizations would be well advised to devote renewed attention to obesity. In doing so, public health initiatives must learn from the mistakes of previous campaigns that stigmatized people with obesity as lazy, weak-willed and gluttons for junk food.

In 2012, both Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Georgia largest pediatric health care system) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota launched controversial ad campaigns that critics have justly characterized as fat shaming. One Georgia poster featured four overweight children, with captions such as, Big bones didnt make me this way. Big meals did. Meanwhile, the Minnesota ads targeted parents. One of its commercials featured a large man at a fast food outlet carrying a tray of burgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings and sugary beverages. As the man blithely walked toward his booth, he overheard his overweight son in competition with another boy over whose father could eat the most. He suddenly felt ashamed.

I fear that these types of misguided ads and anti-obesity campaigns might resurface in the COVID-19 era, and that the pandemic will provide added ammunition to the notion that people with obesity are social and medical scourges. Overweight children may be subjected to more bullying by peers if there are internet ads, commercials, posters and billboards stigmatizing people with obesity and their alleged diet and exercise habits.

Among adults, anonymous commentators of news stories about COVID-19 are already posting that peoples fates are the result of poor lifestyle habits, a claim reminiscent of the 1980s and early 1990s when anti-gay voices maintained that people died of AIDS because of the homosexual lifestyle. Furthermore, stigmatizing people for their weight would be inimical to the current reckoning with racial injustice, as African American women and Latino children are the most disproportionately affected by obesity in the United States.

To those who insist that blunt messaging is necessary to underscore the gravity of obesity just as sensationalistic anti-tobacco ads were needed to drive home the dangers of smoking, public health research has shown that not only is stigma ineffective, it can induce people with obesity to gain rather than shed, pounds.

Studies have found that both children and adults subjected to weight-based bullying or discrimination are more likely to seek solace in binge-eating, to develop eating disorders and to be discouraged from exercise due to anxieties about their bodies being on display. Stigmatizing people for their weight could also impair mental health and create added stress, which could result in elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increased heart rate, blood pressure, and weight.

To avoid these consequences, campaigns to reduce obesity should focus on the positive aspects of maintaining healthy diet and exercise habits. And because lower-income Americans and racial minorities are more likely to live in neighborhoods with comparatively fewer supermarkets and green spaces, public policy interventions should also ensure access to affordable healthy foods and spaces that facilitate exercise and recreation. Such interventions align with the consensus among obesity experts that weight is the function of the interaction between genes and the environment.

Finally, it is imperative that anti-obesity initiatives also include an educational component in which the public and even health care providers are informed about the effects of weight bias. Rebecca M. Puhl and Chelsea A. Heuer, leaders in this area of research, point to studies revealing that health professionals sometimes regard patients with obesity as lazy, lacking in self-discipline, dishonest, unintelligent, annoying, and noncompliant with treatment, and that medical appointments with heavier patients are shorter than those with thinner patients.

Patients with obesity perceive these slights, reporting that health care providers do not take them seriously, erroneously assume that their weight is responsible for all their ailments, and condescend to them about losing weight. Hospital gowns, examination tables and medical equipment that are not designed for larger bodies exacerbate the embarrassment and indignities they experience. As a result, patients with obesity may forgo subsequent medical care, including lifesaving cancer screenings.

On the surface, at least, Boris Johnson seems to have come to appreciate the importance of approaching obesity with more compassion. In 2004, he wrote a newspaper column headlined Face It: Its All Your Own Fat Fault. Now, he reassures the British public that his anti-obesity program is not meant to be excessively bossy or nannying, adding: We want this one to be really sympathetic to people, to understand the difficulties that people face with their weight, and just to be helpful.

See the original post:
Another Misguided 'War' on Obesity - Scientific American

Whether 2020 is bringing out your minimalist side or your wildest fashion instincts, we're all in thisand our face maskstogether. Here are the biggest fits of the week coming to you from remote beaches, city rooftops, and, of course, the NBA bubble.

Leon Bridges

Bridges's smooth voice and workwear stylings are the only way to start this week.

Mark Ronson

Ronson and this DB dinner suit almost makes us excited for another season of staying in.

Blondey McCoy

Important transmission from across the pond: It's almost barn-coat season.

G-Eazy

A simple but excellent fall fit. (Notice the animal-print companion on the rack.)

Rhuigi Villasenor

A perfect outfit for the last days of summer: oversized everything, a gold watch, and a backwards cap.

Jeremy O. Harris

A matching shorts set and a blanket fashioned into a cape looks as tremendous as it feels.

Diddy

This entire crew has enviable style, but special honors go to Diddy for being front and center in those tie-dye shorts.

Kyle Kuzma

We just want to dive into everything The Elder Statesman makes, including this Will Gaynorillustrated set.

P. J. Tucker

NBA teammates always wear one another's merchand Jordan x Dior.

Megan Rapinoe

The Loewe T-shirt. The Jordans. The rich-lady accessories. Megan Rapinoe is a legend in more ways than one.

Originally Appeared on GQ

Continue reading here:
The 10 Biggest Fits of the Week - Yahoo Lifestyle

LIVINGSTON, NJ The Livingston Public School District is following in the footsteps of several of its Essex County neighbors and starting the school year remotely amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a recent letter to the community, Superintendent Matthew Block elaborated on why officials have decided to opt for all-virtual instruction when students return to class on Sept. 8.

See the district's full reopen plan here.

One of the big reasons for the delayed return to classrooms involves an irreplaceable resource, Block said: the district's teachers.

His full statement follows below.

"Beginning with the release of The Road Back this past June, we have planned for every aspect of the reopening of schools. Guidance has shifted throughout the summer, most recently through a new executive order issued by Gov. Phil Murphy this past Wednesday, and new safety and health guidance from the Department of Health, which was released this past Thursday.

"On July 24, the Department of Education set out supplemental guidelines for school districts requiring that an all-virtual option for learning be offered for all students. This revised guidance underscored the need to consider the personal circumstances of each member of our school community, understanding that certain individuals may have increased risk factors and personal circumstances that would cause them to choose not to return to school for in-person schooling. The Road Back also guides school districts to work with staff members whose return to in-person learning may be similarly impacted. We have learned over the summer that a number of staff members throughout the district have health and family related issues that would enhance their risk and impede their ability to return to school in person. As of today, nearly 150 of our educators have indicated that they may need to take a leave of absence if we return to in-person learning. We have used a thorough process to sort through these requests, and our school physician has reviewed each submitted medical document.

"Last Wednesday, the governor issued an executive order allowing districts to open the school year remotely if there are specific concerns that would negatively impact the opening of school facilities. Since that order was released, multiple neighboring districts have announced that they will open the school year with remote learning. This trend has led to an increase in the number of our staff who are requesting child care leaves, which they are entitled to under federal law. A number of our staff members live in these surrounding communities.

"The educators who have indicated they cannot return in person have years of experience, valuable content expertise, and knowledge of our curriculum and programs. In the current education job market, we simply cannot replace them. Livingston has developed its outstanding reputation based on the quality of the educational program that is provided for students. The people who are on the front line of that work are our teachers. In order to fulfill our mission, and provide our students with the best education possible, we need to engage our educators with our students. In addition to providing instruction, teachers contribute to supervision and safety in our schools. As a result, the potential loss of so many of our staff members presents both educational and safety challenges.

"In line with the governor's executive order, we believe that we would not be able to deliver our educational program effectively, or provide proper supervision and social distancing for our students with so many of our staff members not able to be present in our schools. It is simply not possible to overcome our significant staffing issues in time for the opening of the school year.

"Therefore, we will be submitting a plan to the county superintendent specifying that the Livingston Public Schools will be starting the school year with full remote learning on Sept. 8. We will remain in a full remote format until we are able to effectively engage our teachers and establish a setting that allows for in-person learning for students. Our 'full-remote' learning plan will be posted to our website tomorrow and can be reviewed by members of our community. I will be briefly highlighting the plan in a few minutes. Please know that our fullremote learning plan has been reworked over this summer and outlines a revised and reimagined remote learning experience. The structure of our day will include a set schedule and increased synchronous interaction between students and teachers. By beginning the year virtually, we put the health and safety of our staff, students, and families as a top priority, and keep our talented educators connected with our students. It allows us to phase in to an even greater extent.

"We will work to bring our students back to our school facilities as soon as we feel we can do so safely with appropriate staffing for each grade level. It is our hope that, before the end of September, we can undergo this process beginning with some of our special education programs and our youngest elementary school grade levels. We ultimately want to bring all grade levels back for in-person learning. Based on our current circumstances, this will be most challenging at the secondary level.

"For all grades, we will make every effort to provide virtual and in-person extracurricular activities and orientation programs to connect our students with their schools and teachers. Our principals are currently looking for ways to bring groups of students to our school facilities to connect with staff, pick up materials, visit their schools, and socially connect with their peers. We will also focus our energy over the coming weeks on making the remote learning experience the best that it can be for our students and families, including targeted training for our staff.

"We know that this pandemic has created an extremely difficult time for many in our community. We also understand that beginning the school year in an all-remote format will present some additional challenges to parents and families. We will continue to work with the West Essex YMCA and the JCC of Metrowest to help families find opportunities for childcare for those parents who must return to work.

"When I arrived in Livingston a little over a year ago, I quickly discovered that this is a community that highly values education and provides our schools with tremendous support. The challenges of the past year have reinforced that, with strong partnerships between our schools and families, there is nothing we cannot overcome. Our team is anxious to face this most recent challenge, and to exceed expectations of remote learning to deliver the best educational experience possible for our students. We all want to have our students back in school, and we will continue working to get them back, but September 8th is quickly approaching and we need to move forward.

"We cannot allow the present situation to undermine the strong connection between schools and families that has defined the success of the Livingston Public Schools for so many years. While this has been a long and exhausting crisis already, it will end, and we will be back together in our school facilities at some point in the future. Through this adversity, we must overcome the difficulties this struggle presents and work to strengthen our collective efforts to educate and support Livingston's children during this difficult time.

"We remain committed to our important work to help all learn, create, contribute, and grow in the healthiest and safest way possible."

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Don't forget to visit the Patch Livingston Facebook page. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.

Link:
Livingston Schools Cant Replace Teachers, Will Go Remote-Only - Livingston, NJ Patch

I was having lunch a couple of summers ago with noted double threat Helen Wan, novelist/lawyer, and as I complained about writers block and misrepresented my world-class procrastination, she recommended a book calledDaily Rituals. I picked up a copy soon after and promptly put off reading it in keeping with my usual, shiftless style.

This book is a fascinating look at the artistic process, detailing a breakdown of the quirks, habits, and methods of some of historys greatest minds. My big takeaway was how very different the working styles were amongst these renowned figures in reaching success. Some were night owls, while others were morning people; some worked in short spurts, while others hammered away over tortuous marathon sessions; some abused their bodies, while others had more healthy leanings.

It was refreshing to soak up this different strokes for different folksperspective because it validated what Ive noticed in the weight room. In the world of fitness, theres not one singular recipe for success that works for everyone. What is a highly successful approach for one person may be completely inappropriate for another person. There are time-honored methods and scientific data that support various practices, but there isnt a one size fits all.

When I was cutting my teeth as a weightlifter, the best in the world were the Bulgarians and Russians. Both programs were like factories, pumping out world champion after world champion.

The Russian way was precise, methodical, program design where you knew several weeks in advance exactly how much you were supposed to lift on any given day. The Bulgarian way was to basically max out every workout, which then determined your various training loads for that particular day.

The Russian model is attractive because people like structure and to have every little thing spelled out for them. And though a workout may be simple to read or understand, it takes a lot of discipline to do what youre supposed to do, regardless of how you feel that day or lifes other diversions that can compromise a training session. The Bulgarian model is sensible in that if youre having a good day you lift more, and if youre having an off day you lift less. Theres not really a clear winner when both programs produce champions.

And while technical program design can be studied and analyzed until the end of time, there are a hundred other choices and variables that are going to have an impact on your exercise experience.

Some people enjoy exercising at five oclock in the morning (not me), while others are better off working out later in the day. Some people like training alone, and others like working out with a training partner. I liked having a training partner who happened to be stronger than me. He was a few weight classes heavier, and I was never gonna catch him, but it was good to have something to chase. Other alpha-types feel the need to be stronger or better than their workout partners. Some athletes respond well to castigation, and others need nurturing; some training partners need to be the Skipper, and others need to be the Gilligan.

We like to emulate our sports heroes and celebrities in hopes of enjoying their measure of success, but its never as simple as that. The short explanation is that I can do everything that Tom Brady does in his offseason training, and Bob Kraft isnt calling me anytime soon, or Bruce Arians for that matter. Celebrities on infomercials are often disingenuous hucksters who overstate the benefits of whatever theyre pitching while disregarding the other factors that explain their coveted look. Some athletes training programs are only possible to tolerate with the help of drugs.

Of course, every Little Leaguer would love to get his hands on Mike Trouts workout plan, but whats advisable for a 29-year-old may be completely inappropriate for a 15-year-old. Not to mention that a workout written for someone who plays 162 games should look a lot different than one for a 20-game season. Rather than steal his blueprints, young athletes should aspire to be more like him. Hes fast, so they should work on speed; hes strong, so they should work on strength, etc. Try to emulate, but dont just blindly copy.

This is why sweeping generalizations as applied to fitness drives me crazy. Swimming is not a good form of exercise for people who dont know how to swim, and drowning is even worse. Rock climbing is not a good exercise choice for those of us who are scared of heights. Swimming is a perfect fit for some people, just as biking is for others. Training at the crack of dawn works well for some people, but late afternoon has always been my sweet spot. Never say never, and never say always.

From the ironic fitness outcomes, stranger than fiction files, as well as dont try this at home, is the story of Jeff the bartender. I ran into Jeff after not having seen him for quite some time, and he nimbly identified himself to spare my embarrassment when he realized that I didnt recognize him. He had lost a lot of weight and he looked far different from the last time I had seen him. When I asked about his metamorphosis, he revealed his path to success as being a broken leg.

Infirmity was his salvation.

As an able-bodied bartender, he hustled throughout his long shifts and played in three different softball leagues. But he also boozed it up and smoked acres of weed. And then came the late-night pizzas and all else that comes with a living on the razors-edge lifestyle of a pleasure-seeking mixologist in the wee small hours. Being bedridden served him well, not because he did any of the right stuff, but because he unwittingly avoided most of the wrong stuff. I wouldnt recommend orthopedic injury as a treatment plan for weight control, but I suppose if the shoe fits

Voltaire worked in bed, and Hemingway preferred to write while standing; we should embrace the idea of discovering what works best for us as unique individuals.

Certified strength and conditioning coach Norman Meltzer, the owner/operator of MW Strength and Conditioning in New Bedford, was known during his competitive weight-lifting career as the Muscless Wonder for his lean, mean physique lacking in the traditional bulk associated with strength training. Meltzers experience and knowledge has helped pro, college and high school athletes and teams and even regular people improve their strength and performance.

Schvitzn with Norm

By Norm Meltzer

Read more from the original source:
Sometimes Yin but Other Times Yang - Wanderer

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is an insanely efficient way to build muscle, improve conditioning, and score a killer total-body workout in no time flat. And good news: You may already be doing some of the following movesthe five best HIIT exercises of all timeas part of your current training program.

Its just that youre probably not doing them the right way. What do we mean by that? Many HIIT newbies mistake the first I in HIIT with an E: endurance.They quickly do bodyweight moves until form falls apart, then rest for a few seconds before going back at itwith quickly deteriorating levels of intensity and technique.

Yes, exercising this way will burn calories, but it wont effectively build power, increase muscle, or work your body all that differently in the long run, explains Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., strength coach and owner of CORE training studio outside Boston.

Compare that to true intensity, which isnt just about going hard. Its about going so hard that you tap into anaerobic metabolism and put your size-yielding, fast-twitch muscle fibers to good use.

Physiologically, neither has much staying power. (This is why exercise intensity always predicts duration.) After about 30 seconds, sometimes less, you hit fatigue and have to fully rest. That rest is what allows you to hit every interval with everything youve got. As a result, you get the most out of them and manage more results logging fewer minutes of actual work.

The quality of the motion and technique is more important than duration, says Gentilcore, who explains that when he programs HIIT workouts for his clients, he focuses on performing maximal efforts for as little as three to five reps.

Speaking of technique, its worth mentioning that the most intense exercises are also the most advanced. After all, to get the entire bodys musculature working and producing high power outputs, you have to coordinate an extensive array of movements and technical cues. You also have to move very challenging loads.

Both require a solid foundation of both strength and exercise form proficiency. For that reason, its important for HIIT beginners to progress to these moves by first honing their fundamental exercises, including deadlifts, squats, lunges, and overhead presses.

Ready to get going? To help you dial up the intensity of your workouts, here are five of the best HIIT exercises of all time. Consider adding one or more to your existing workouts, soon after your warmup and activation drills, or put them all together for a fierce total-body routine.

Why it works: This explosive exercise works the glutesyour bodys biggest muscle groupto their max while also engaging the lats, back, shoulders, and quads.

How to do it:

Pro Tip: At the top of the movement, the base of the kettlebell should face the wall in front of you. If the base of the kettlebell starts to raise or point toward the ceiling, go heavier!

Do 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps, resting 90 to 120 seconds between sets.

Why it works: At some point, youve likely performed jump squats, which are great for training lower-body strength and powerwhile sending your heart rate through the roof. This version, performed with dumbbells or kettlebells, generates even higher outputs and empties the tank in shockingly few reps.

How to do it:

Pro Tip: Rather than descending right into the next rep, stand up, pause, take a breath, and reset for the next squat with a focus on rep quality.

Do 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps, resting 90 to 120 seconds between sets.

Why it works:This total-body movement generates some of the highest levels of power output possible. Its foundational to the jerk, snatch, and any move that starts from a racked position.

How to do it:

Pro Tip: Grip strength is likely to be a limiting factor with dumbbells and kettlebells, meaning barbells will allow you to use higher weights and complete higher amounts of work with each rep.

Do 4 to 6 sets of 3 to 6 reps, resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets.

Why it works:A variation on the clean, this HIIT exercise involves even more total-body muscle by integrating an overhead pressing component.

How to do it:

Pro Tip: Your shoulder strength and mobility are limiting factors here. Only perform this exercise if you have healthy shoulders, and always use a lighter weight than you do with cleans.

Do 4 to 6 sets of 3 to 6 reps, resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets.

Why it works:This may look exclusively like an upper-body exerciseand make no mistake, your shoulders and triceps thank youbut it actually fries your glutes and core too.

How to do it:

Pro Tip: If youre really short on time, try performing a clean to push press. Just know that you can clean more weight than you can push press.

Do 3 to 5 sets of 6 to 8 reps, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

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The 5 Best HIIT Exercises of All Time - Men's Journal

JACKSON TWP. This spring and summer have been unusual in a number of ways. The string of 90-degree temperature days throughout the end of June and July were a bit out of the norm. The drought conditions of late July and early August are different. But the most unusual part of this spring and summer has been the stay at home order and all of the summer events being canceled because of the pandemic.

While the kids have gotten outside to ride bikes, walk and play with friends, many adults are working from home, doing curbside shopping and generally not getting out and being as active as normal.

While it is easy to just spend every day in front of a computer or watching television or maybe doing some gardening a couple times a week, many experts say it is healthier for all ages to get active and stay active. It is important for physical and as well as mental health.

"There are three areas of focus when thinking of staying active; circulation of blood, improving muscle flexibility and strength and a persons well-being and mental health," said Lisa Fox, a physical therapist at Mercy Medical Center in Jackson Township

For circulation, Fox said that staying active helps keep the heart healthy, helps with breathing and boosts the immune system which can help fight or prevent illnesses and viruses. Moving or exercising can improve circulation which circulates the antibodies and the white blood cells.

"It is always best to get evaluated or get a checkup from your primary doctor before beginning any exercise program. People with previous injuries or with arthritis need to make sure they are safe to exercise. Here at Mercy Medical, we can customize a plan of care for stretching and strengthening based on the persons age and their current activity level," Fox said.

Activities like walking or exercise also eases stress because it by releases endorphins as well as relieving anxiety. Fox said that stress increases muscle tension in the neck or lower back regions.

"As a physical therapist, we can do a soft tissue massage or dry needling to help relieve the results of stress," Fox said.

She added that staying active during the pandemic, especially if it continues through the fall and winter months, is even more important during something like a stay at home order.

"Staying active with exercise of walking or biking effects breathing, circulation and keeping the heart healthy. It increases heart rate and the depth of respiratory rate. While all those things may not prevent getting something like COVID, it would make one healthier and might help fight the illness or make the recovery faster and easier. Strong heart, strong lungs and better mental health can help fight any disease," Fox said.

She offered some ways to stay active at home including a walking program either on a local trail or in one of the local parks or on a treadmill at home. She also suggested something even simpler like setting a timer and walking around ones home every day for a set amount of time. Fox also suggested doing daily general stretching at home or start doing yoga.

Stark County has many parks and walking trails throughout the area. Stark Parks has many options for people to get outside and get active.

"Keeping your body active and moving can be done with a variety of your own activities and experiences at Stark Parks," said Lisa Alderfer, educational programmer-recreation at Stark Parks. "From hiking, running, and biking trails to fishing and boating, to a Mindfulness Walk.

Alderfer added a list of other benefits such as increased energy, improved cardiovascular health and blood pressure, relieves insomnia, weight loss and control, and the ability to make spending time together with safe distancing possible.

Executive director of the Paul and Carol David YMCA in Jackson Township Bandon Bussey added that doing activities at the YMCA is a good way to stay active during all times of the year.

"The YMCA addresses three components including mental, spiritual and physical," said Bussey. "While in the pandemic, the stress of the uncertainty is unhealthy and coming to the YMCA for swimming, cycling or other activities can get people away from that stress for at least the length of the exercise."

He added that getting involved with a regular exercise routine can help release serotonins and trigger ones brain for positive thoughts.

"We have programs for all ages including low impact swimming, Silver Sneaker programming and we offer a personal trainer to evaluate and help develop programs for individuals," Bussey said.

He offered three things to keep in mind when starting an exercise program:

Set goals and understand what you want out of it and how to go about accomplishing those goals.

Just get started and get into a routine as quickly as possible.

Use the buddy system and find a friend to exercise with and to keep each other accountable.

The American Heart Association is gearing up for its annual heart walk in mid-October. While the event this year will be virtual, its still a great way to get involved with a good cause and to get moving. The event is used to promote staying healthy and keeping ones heart healthy. For more details, visit Stark Heart Walk on Facebook.

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Staying active is always important but especially during the pandemic - Suburbanite

YORK COUNTY, S.C. During COVID-19, its no secret staying healthy is key.

But for some folks, vitamin-rich foods and physical activity arent easily accessible.

To help at-risk populations, SC DHEC is offering a free nutrition education program called SNAP Education.

The SNAP Education is a free nutritional program for eligible families to make healthy food choices within a limited food budget.

It allows income-based groups in rural areas who face food insecurities to choose a more physically healthy lifestyle thats consistent with current USDA dietary guidelines.

SNAP-ED is currently offered in 21 different counties to children, adults and seniors.

In York County, the initiative is involved with the York County Eat Smart, Move More Coalition.

In Rock Hill, SNAP-ED is also offering adult nutrition education programs to the Highland Park Senior Center. Its also completed a program at Finley Road Elementary.

SNAP-ED has been around for at least 13 years.

During pre-Covid days, SNAP-ED leaders could be found in schools, community centers, churches and even senior centers offering nutrition education classes on healthy meals at home, shopping sensibly, meal planning, portion sizes along with cooking demonstrations and taste testings.

Now, with COVID-19, SNAP-ED has gone virtual, moving its curriculum and classes online via Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

You can also receive weekly text messages that include a healthy recipe, eating tips, like lower sodium or less sugar, physical activity ideas and links to outside resources.

Just text the information on your screen to get signed up.

SNAP-ED is funded through USDA grants annually. This year, the program in South Carolina received more than 3.7 million. Next year, its estimating a similar number.

Jessica Morrison, a SNAP-ED nutrition education specialist coordinator, supervises 4 different specialists and helps them coordinate the various classes. She also teaches classes to adults and seniors.

A nutrition leader, Morrison says the most rewarding part of her job is making a difference and seeing real changes among folks she says become like family.

Theyll tell us their blood pressured has been lowered. Or that their diabetes is well under control or that theyve lost weight, or even the best part that I think is that they feel happy, they feel healthy, they feel good and that they can do more. They can keep up with their children or keep up with their grandchildren, said Jessica Morrison, SNAP-Ed NES Coordinator. That is the best things that I miss hearing and that make this program a success. I can remember about a time when I was teaching an after school program, and I walked in, I think it was the third or fourth lesson and one of the little kids, actually it was several of them, they ran up to me and they gave me a hug and they were like Mrs. Jessica, Mrs. Jessica, Im eating a whole grain and it was, just melted my heart. So, we do miss that so much but moving virtually, we are trying to find creative ways to make it more interactive.

To see if youre eligible, visit DSS.com.

To learn more about the program, go to scdhec dot gov and type nutrition education program or snap education in the search box.

You can also send an email to SNAP-Ed@dhec.sc.gov or call 1-866-369-9333.

In the video above, CN2s Sarah Obeid breaks down what you can find in your SNAP backpack.

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SC DHEC's Snap-Ed Initiative To Help At-Risk Communities Get The Nutrients, Physical Exercise They Need - CN2 News

Sick of clean eating, perfect gym outfits, and chiseled abs? A Swole Woman is here to help you be healthy, enjoy carbs, and get jacked.

Hey Casey. Thanks for writing this column, it has helped me get into powerlifting, which in turn has helped change my relationship with exercise. Yay!

I started lifting a couple of years ago and roped my husband into being my gym partner. We did the math and realized it made sense to get a squat rack for our basement rather than paying for two gym memberships.

Now we have a pretty cool newborn, and I was cleared to exercise a few weeks ago. Theres also, you may have heard, a pandemic, so my little family is stuck indoors and trying to do childcare plus work plus staying sane.

We are feeling pretty lucky to be healthy and also to have access to a fancy set-up for lifting. As the main food source, Ive found it very difficult to string together enough time to get in a full workout. Back in my halcyon gym days I was going three times a week and doing at least three compound lifts (e.g squats, bench, deadlifts), which took at least an hour or more.

So my question is: how do I put together a powerlifting routine every day for 20ish minutes? I like the idea of handing the baby off, banging out some squats, and calling it a day, I am just having trouble figuring out how to do that while still making progress. I imagine some kind of upper/lower body split, but any attempt at googling that leads to VERY intense six day programs and I am not about that life. I just want to figure out how to do enough so that I feel strong and get some endorphins in the process. Claudia

I love to go through a major life transition, such as starting a new job or going back to school, and treat it as a fresh start for all aspects of my life, to start doing everything perfectly. While this is an impulse I think we all have, it could not be more backwards: If you are trying to make a big change, trying to do everything all at once will only set you up for sort-of failure at everything. Big-change time is when you should feel okay scaling other stuff back, and figure out how to add it in in a sustainable way down the line. This especially applies to working out, as its important for our health but doesnt have a natural fit in most peoples lives or schedules.

I think I would let go of the idea of making big progress, for now. With some patience you might be able to get pretty close to where you were before, which is probably pretty strong.

But dont put too much pressure on yourself, because youre busy with a ding-dang baby!!! Or, for others who are reading this who are not busy with babies: Youre busy with school, youre busy with your new job, youre busy with your divorce. A time of great stress, whether its good stress or bad stress, is not the time to set the expectation that youre not only going to survive but also set a PR while youre doing it. I forbid it; let this particular kind of self torture go.

I know this is hard because the idea of letting something as laden with cultural baggage as a baby or even work govern our lives to the degree that we have to give up things we are passionate about can make us feel trapped. Ive been known tohow to put this in a way that is gentle to myselfsignificantly disrupt, undermine, or annihilate more structured elements of my life at very inconvenient times simply because I felt they impinged on my general sense of agency.

Id do this when I could have instead recognized that feeling for what it was and tried to find a more harmonious solution in the long term, instead of trying to do everything at once or neglecting important demands in favor of doing something because I want to do it or accepting that the situation Im in is me experiencing the effects of my choices, and there will be opportunity to make more and different choices in the future.

This is not to say dont work out and also blame yourself for your choice to have a baby. You always deserve me time and to balance that with everyone elses demands on you. But I dont want to confuse that with it being ok to have priorities in the short term that temporarily interfere with your ability to juggle all the plates.

Mark Zuckerbergs sister takes a slightly more aggressive line here with her pick three rule: Work. Sleep. Family. Friends. Fitness. Pick Three. But I often see this rule separated from Zuckerbergs follow-up clarification: I can pick a different three tomorrow, and a different three the following day. But today, I can only pick three. As long as I wind up picking everything over the long run, then Im balancing my imbalance.

Taking 20 minutes to work out every day is enough to keep you in good health. It almost certainly wont be enough to return to the point of making strength progress. And thats okay!

Do you have a question about working out, eating, health, or why you shouldn't be afraid of lifting heavy weights? Send it to swole.woman@vice.com and follow@swolewomanon Instagram.

An option it doesnt seem like youve considered, but could really work for you given that youre working out at home, is allowing yourself long breaks during your workout. I dont think there is incredible established science about how long you can sort of interrupt a physical activity section and not experience any negative effects, but I know Ive been interrupted before for 20 minutes or half an hour during lifting and then gone back to it.

I think one reason we dont automatically think of this is that we have a lot of superstition related to working out in general about maintaining a certain heart rate (sometimes in order to stay in a mythical fat-burning zone), but frankly, this is not worth worrying about when it comes to lifting. If you were doing steady-state cardio, things might be different, but lifting is already filled with breaks anyway in the form of rests between sets.

Usually I think we try to keep these rests as short as possible, but thats mainly for expedience and maybe a little for not getting too cold and stiff. But if youre moving around doing something else because something came up when you finished your last set that you had to take care of, that is less of an issue.

I wouldnt recommend this if youre going for a max attempt on a deadlift. But if youre just taking a break between your squat sets and your bench sets, I think youd be more than fine; maybe just quickly warm up again if you feel like youve cooled off.

This may amount to really making an evening of a gym session, and maybe you just cant afford to dedicate all the time even if its broken up. But if the specific issue youre having is continuous time, I think its worth giving non-continuous time a try, if all you need is substantial breaks here and there to take care things.

If you really, truly cant get more than 20 minutes at a time and can ONLY get 20 minutes, that can happen sometimes when your life is undergoing a lot of changes, and it might be a while until your routine settles down to the point you feel like you can get working out back into the mix. This can happen with any big change, These are not the times to be super hard on yourself about hitting all the marks of peak health optimization; while working out should, on average, be a part of your life, its not going to kill you to not do it for a few months while you get more important things in order.

Now for more brass tacks: The way you phrase your question makes me think of Jim Wendlers Im Not Doing Jack Shit version of his 5/3/1 program (he affiliates with Nazis sometimes, but made a good program). To quote from his book:

This is my favorite. I dont recommend it, but its useful for non-beginners who have limited time to train. The Im Not Doing Jack Shit program entails walking into the weight room, doing the big lift for the day (bench, squat, military or deadlift), and then walking out Ive made this deal with myself many times before Ive trained: If I do X weight for X amount of reps, Im leaving.

The idea here is that when life gets in the way, mentally, physically, emotionally, you can strip down a heavy-lifting program to the bare bones and still get to do the big compound lifts, get in your reps and kind of stay where youre at, progress-wise, but also not feel tied to an involved program that can stretch out for hours. This could be done whether you have heavy weights at home or not. Wendler goes on to say that this is not any kind of permanent solution, but if its to your preference and fits your limitations, its an option:

The disadvantages here are obviously the lack of both volume and balance, but it can work for a while. If I had very little time to train, Id do this. Sometimes, when youre struggling to find time to train, you think you cant make progress. With this type of training, you will.

Really, what youre doing here is cutting all accessories. I will say when Ive done this, its an option I personally really like, because I like the feeling of heavy lifting. In the same amount of time, I could instead do, lets say, sets of 12 body-weight step-ups per leg for 3 sets (72 reps, for those keeping track) in an at-home workout, no heavy weights necessary. Thats an option for everyone who has 20 minutes and only 20 minutes. But I have discovered in recent months that that format of working out makes me very annoyed and angry. If you did one big lift each day__squat one day, bench one day, deadlift one day, pull-ups another day, overhead press another day__you could probably get that in in 20 minutes.

The next option is one of the six-day-a-week programs you mention, which are usually formatted as push-pull-legs (pushing exercises like squatting or benching one day; pulling exercises like deadlifts or rows the next day; leg exercises like Romanian deadlifts the next day; repeat for 4-6 days per week). You are right that these programs are usually a lot of volume, or a lot of sets and reps. I think in the scenario youre presenting, I would try cutting one of these programs down to a couple of the main compound movements (squat, bench, deadlift, rows, pull-ups, overhead press) each day, so like, squat/bench on push day, pull-ups/rows on pull day, deadlift/squat accessory on leg day.

A nice thing about only having 20 minutes is its almost impossible for you to overcomplicate this. Keep in mind that lifting programs are deliberately designed to help balance the development of your overall fitness (well, the good ones, at least), so I wouldnt fuck around too long with going off the beaten path of that structure. But a few months should be more than fine, and allow you to start trying to bend toward carving out more time for this part of your life.

The other option is to just do whatever high-volume stuff you feel like; sets of 6-15 reps, as many as you can reasonably squeeze in without hurting yourself, whether you want to bench and then just do some curls, or deadlift and then do some glute bridges. I take no responsibility for the results of this approach, good or bad, but it could also be a nice time to let go of really aggressive structure and follow your heart, heavy-lifting-wise, and let your me time really be me time.

Disclaimer: Casey Johnston is not a doctor, nutritionist, dietitian, personal trainer, physiotherapist, psychotherapist, doctor, or lawyer; she is simply someone who done a lot of, and read a lot about, lifting weights.

You can read past Ask A Swole Woman columns atThe Hairpinand atSELFand followA Swole Womanon Instagram. Got a question for her? Emailswole.woman@vice.com.

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How to Fit in a Real Workout When You Have Only 20 Minutes - VICE

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