Almost every day I come across something and think “wow…I should really write about that”, but then I realize that there isn’t quite enough material to write a whole blog post.  Below is a collection of random thoughts and things I’ve encountered over the past couple of weeks.

1.  The 3D Activity Monitor

A few years ago it became popular to pick up a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps per day for overall health.  Well, the folks at Philips respironics have taken it one step further.  While the normal pedometer typically only records movement in one plane, the ACTICAL physical activity measurement system allows you to measure movement in all the planes. 

Basically, it is a 3D accelerometer and it can be used to track any form of activity with all sorts of really cool features and is available as a watch.

They even have an animal model!   Pet monkey been gaining a little around the midsection lately?  You can track his activity and make sure he hasn’t been slacking on his cardio program.

Here’s the Actical Link.

 2.  Damn Brita Filters

I’m all for filtering my water, but I’ve given up the fridge filter because I don’t like the potential effects of my water sitting in a plastic container for any length of time.  Xenoestrogens are just not something I enjoy.

So I switched to a tap filter, but I think these were only created as a cruel joke to people who are in a hurry.  Why is this thing so bloody slow?!?  We can put people on the moon, but we can seem to filter water in less than 5 minutes!!!

3. Max Heart Rate Equation is a Farce

You’re probably familiar with the 220-age formula for calculating your max heart rate.  You probably learned it in middle school.  Unfortunately, there is absolutely no reason to assume this formula is accurate at all.  If you want to read the suprising story about how the equation came to be you can download the PDF HERE.

In fact, a study in 2007  suggested that this equation is actually more accurate:

Max Heart Rate = 206.9 – (0.67 x age)

(Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007 May; 39(5):822-9)

However, if you’re endurance trained, you need another equation:

Male athletes – MHR = 202 – (0.55 x age)

Female athletes – MHR = 216 – (1.09 x age)

(Int J Sports Med 2007 ; 24)

Does it really make a difference?  I don’t know because I rarely measure this stuff anyway, but it’s nice to know that what we’re being taught is carefully screened for scientific accuracy.  I’d bet that most fitness certification manuals are still using the original formula.

4.  Stop Hammering Your Finger

Recently I was talking to a friend who was a runner.  He didn’t necessarily love running, but it helped him to stay in good cardiovascular shape and drop body fat.  Unfortunately, the cumulative trauma of running was causing ankle and knee pain.  The good news is that with a little time off from running and a few trips to the chiropractor the pain was completely gone.  However, after returning to running, the pain returned so I suggested that he do something dramatic…STOP RUNNING. 

At this point there was a lot of resistance, but he didn’t really love running so I couldn’t figure it out.  After some careful thought, I realized that he didn’t want to keep running because of enjoyment, but because of his failure to realize that there was another way.  He was afraid to stop running because he didn’t want to gain weight and this is the way he has always done it.

To me, this is like a guy who is trying to build a deck by nailing boards down in an unusual manner.  He would hold the nail still by placing his thumb on top of the nail and then pounding it with the hammer until the nail went in.  After a few strikes the thumb would be bleeding and painful yet the nail would be in the deck so he would continue on.

In this case, it is obvious that this guy should just take his thumb off the top of the nail because that would be an equally effective way to get the nail in the deck without hurting his finger.

If you’re suffering from any aches and pains while you are training consider that you might just be smashing yourself on the finger.  Don’t do an exercise just because something you heard or read said it is the only way.  With the number of alternative exercises out there, I can almost guarantee there is another.