James Piper, Author

Friday, March 26, 2010 ... a cautious move back to exercising ... " You could blow a gasket." Those were the precise words a cardiologist said to me a week ago. My BP was somewhere around 190 over 110. Far too high to be exercising and hence I stopped. It didn't matter a GP told me the exact opposite a week earlier. "All the cardio you want, it's good for you." Based on the GP's advice, I continued to exercise. There's a certain irony in exercising to be healthy and risking instant death in the process from a heart attack or aneurysm. At the moment, I'd like to avoid those thoughts. In the past week I've been on BP meds. First 25 mg of atenolol each day and now 50 mg. I've been reading my BP and HR at intervals and my BP has come down. I've had readings of 140/80 in the last couple of days. That's the target. As a result, it seemed safe to get back to the gym and I did. I wasn't pushing myself, was...

Friday, March 19, 2010 ... Well, welcome to middle age ... I felt the cuff tighten around my bicep. My forearm turned red--it reminded me of beets. Pressure radiated in my hand and I thought it would rupture. Damn it hurt. This wasn't normal. I watched with curiosity to see if it would explode, as if it weren't attached to me, as if it were a YouTube video, but without warning, the cuff loosened, the air released and my arm returned to the white I was used to seeing as the blood flowed normally. A second later the machine I was attached to started to beep and squawk and flash bright red around a number over 200. It kept squawking and chirping until a nurse came in and hit a button labelled 'alarm off'. "Your blood pressure is high," she said. Her gaze fixed on the monitor. "No shit," I thought to myself. Sarcasm might have made me feel a touch better, but it wasn't going to help the situation. "And glad to see you c...

Monday, June 29, 2009 ... reached a new level ... I n the last three plus years, I've been disciplined and organized about my exercise, about trips to the gym. I've seen results in weight loss, toner muscles, endurance etc. Today I discovered another result: a lower at rest heart rate--in the low sixties. I was surprised and proud. In the past it was in the seventies to low eighties. To me that's a sign of fitness, but I should also test my recovery time. I would like to know what it is these days. I suspect it's a low number as well. Because I've seen such results and can't improve on them, I realized today I don't need to push as hard as I've been doing. There's going to be days of rest each week and instead of 9 rotations, I only did 6 today. Six is plenty. As usual I'll have to rework my routine to fit in a five day a week routine instead of six or seven days. Posted 2009/06/29 at 19h37ET in Exercise.

Thursday, June 18, 2009 ... cardio only for a change ... A month ago today's workout would have been typical. Come to the gym and do 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. I changed it by adding in stretching and stomach crunches then bicep curls then chest presses. After 25 straight days of exercising my body said take it easier (my mind as well). As a result, it was cardio only. Tomorrow I expect to take the day off. Probably. Either that or Sunday. We shall see. Posted 2009/06/18 at 20h51ET in Exercise.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009 ... rushed for time ... I had a board meeting in the late afternoon and it seemed as if I wouldn't get to the gym at all; however, I realized I could squeeze in some weights or cardio and I decided on weights. I thought I could do 9 sets, but I had to stop after 6 even with the rushing. It was still a workout. Today was 24 days in a row. Not bad, but I think I'm going to take Friday off. I'm at 89.5KG on consecutive days and it would be good to rest my body. I've averaged 6.3 days a week in 2009. My long-term average is 6.02. I can afford to take a few days off and still be above six. Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 40 reps x 6 sets with 3KG medicine ball (Right/Left/Centre). Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 9kg x 20 reps x 6 sets. Chest Press on Swiss Ball: 9kg x 30 reps x 6 sets. No Leg Lunges. No Squats Lots of stretching. Posted 2009/06/17 at 18h45ET in Exercise.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 ... a cardio day with weights ... I 've said it before but my exercise routine changes and evolves as I learn new things, discover news things or simply get too used to a particular weight amount. Today it was about consciously doing stomach crunches in three different motions instead of simply back and forth through the middle. The first set is to the right to work the obliques. The second set is to the middle to work the abdominals. The third set is to the left to work the obliques. When I say "work" I mean a more concentration of effort on those muscles. All those muscles are working during a stomach, just some more than others. We'll see how that goes. I'm finding it too easy to do stomach crunches and I'm wondering what is next. I keep doing more reps but there comes a point where you can't do anymore reps. We shall see. In talking with someone at the gym today I was told I was to eat protein with every mea...

Monday, June 15, 2009 ... Never stop learning and adjusting my workout ... I 've been doing so many stomach crunches with a 3KG medicine ball (9 sets with 40 reps) day after day that it has become too easy. I think I have to do 50 reps or as many as needed to "feel the burn." I also realized I was concentrating on my abdominals and ignored my obliques. The former run down the middle, the later on each side. You have to do a different motion to get a full workout of the obliques. I've adjusted. Today was a full weights day (i.e., heavier weights). For time reasons, to save time, I didn't do any leg lunges or leg squats. I'm not sure how many times I should do these exercises each week. Once or twice, max three times a week. Bench Press: 14kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Inclined Bench Press: 14kg x 20 reps x 3 sets. Tricep Presses on Swiss Ball: 18kg x 20 reps x 3 sets. Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 40 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. 3...

Thursday, June 11, 2009 ... eighteen days in a row ... M y exercise routine continues to change based on new information. For example on Monday, after seven days in a row of leg lunges and leg squats, I woke up to an aching pain in the top of my knees. Nothing painful, just enough to let me know they were there. A few bends of my leg and the ache was gone. I think I know what is happening and it's nothing too serious. Age is creeping up and knees tend to take a punishment over the years. There is nothing wrong with my form, it's simply too much use. As a result I decided to stop doing leg lunges and squats. That was Monday and Tuesday. I should have got back to it yesterday since it was a none cardio day but only realized it afterwards. Today was a cardio day, 30 minutes on the elliptical machine so it didn't make any sense to me to do any today. Tomorrow I will. In the future I won't do 630 reps of leg squats during one week, especially not every s...

Thursday, June 4, 2009 ... solid workout and the results are coming ... I n the last couple of weeks I have increased the intensity and length of my workouts. I'm pushing myself to get trimming, leaner and toned. I'm seeing results. I hit a new low with my weight 90.5 KG. That was no fluke. The fat is disappearing. The tire around my waist is less noticeable. I have visions of it disappearing. It's possible given what I've been doing and the results I've seen. Today was a long, solid workout. 30 minutes of cardio followed by weights. I thought about only doing 6 sets instead of 9 but did 9. I want to keep my promise on doing it everyday this week. It's part of my plan to see results. Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 40 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 9kg x 20 reps x 9 sets. Leg Lunges: 10 reps x 9 sets - Left/Right Squats: 10 reps x 9 sets. Posted 2009/06/04 at 21h01ET in Exercise.

Thursday, June 4, 2009 The Natural. Feature film. (1984, 134 mins) IMDB ... a little too Hollywood and sweet for my liking ... A young boy growing up on a farm shows he has a strong throwing arm and can hit the ball. He's a natural baseball talent. As a young man he gets a tryout with Chicago Cubs and begins the journey to the big leagues. Before he leaves, he makes love to his sweetheart. On the train trip he meets a newspaper sports reporter and Babe Ruth. During a pit stop, a challenge is set. Strike out Ruth with three pitches. He does. The legend has begun except there's a major bump in the road. He meets a sexy woman on the train. At a hotel later, he goes to her room where she shots him with a handgun. What the!?! Flashforward sixteen years. Our hero gets a tryout with a struggling NY major league team. He's 36 years old and has virtually no baseball experience. That's an odd story. It just doesn't happen. The manager and te...

Wednesday, June 3, 2009 ... weights day--tweaking it ... I keep tweaking my weights routine. I was on a 6 rotation workout with two types of bench presses every other rotation. Now it's 9 rotations with the two bench presses and a tricep press. The other tweak has been to increase the resistance, increase the weight load. I was too used to the weights I had been doing. Bench Press: 14kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Inclined Bench Press: 14kg x 20 reps x 3 sets. Tricep Presses on Swiss Ball: 18kg x 20 reps x 3 sets. (Changed weight/reps). Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 40 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 9kg x 20 reps x 9 sets. Leg Lunges: 10 reps x 9 sets - Left/Right Squats: 10 reps x 9 sets. That is one solid workout. Posted 2009/06/03 at 20h05ET in Exercise.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009 ... cardio and weights--longer workout than I expected ... I was only going to do cardio followed by stomach crunches and bicep curls and even then only 6 sets. That turned into 9 sets and I did leg lunges and leg squats. I'm going to try it all week and see if I notice any difference. 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. A solid workout on it. Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 40 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 9kg x 20 reps x 9 sets. Leg Lunges: 10 reps x 9 sets - Left/Right Squats: 10 reps x 9 sets. Posted 2009/06/02 at 20h50ET in Exercise.

Monday, June 1, 2009 ... weights day and longer than I expected ... I planned to do weights today and I did. I also wanted to increase the weights on some exercises that were getting too easy. Increase the weight and reduce the reps. I'm hoping this will result in a better workout--better results. We shall see. Bench Press: 14kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Inclined Bench Press: 14kg x 20 reps x 3 sets (Changed weights/reps). Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 40 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 9kg x 20 reps x 9 sets (Changed weights/reps). Tricep Presses on Swiss Ball: 14kg x 25 reps x 3 sets. Leg Lunges: 10 reps x 9 sets - Left/Right Squats: 10 reps x 9 sets. Posted 2009/06/01 at 21h11ET in Exercise.

Sunday, May 31, 2009 ... a modified workout ... S ince Monday is a weights day, I couldn't do weights today and I didn't feel like going swimming or twirling away on some cardio machine, but I wanted to do something and decided on a minimum of stomach crunches and bicep curls. When I got home I realized I had done these same two exercises everyday this week. That's a first. Is it making a difference? I think so but it's hard to tell. I just keep at it knowing there is improvement even it's not immediately noticeable. Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 40 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 7kg x 25 reps x 9 sets Posted 2009/05/31 at 20h58ET in Exercise.

Saturday, May 30, 2009 ... cardio and some weights ... T his is the sort of workout I like. A solid 30 minutes on the elliptical machine followed by some weights and stretching. Lots of sweat and no difficulty doing it. Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 40 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 7kg x 25 reps x 9 sets Posted 2009/05/30 at 20h58ET in Exercise.

Friday, May 29, 2009 ... a full weights workout ... S ince it was Friday, a part of me wanted to leave early, but I realized there was no point. I might as well put in a long workout and did. I also decided to increase the number of reps I do for stomach crunches. It was becoming too easy. Same for the bench press. Bench Press: 14kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Inclined Bench Press: 11kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 40 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 7kg x 25 reps x 9 sets No Tricep Presses. Leg Lunges: 10 reps x 9 sets - Left/Right Squats: 10 reps x 9 sets. Posted 2009/05/29 at 19h59ET in Exercise.

Thursday, May 28, 2009 ... cardio and some weights ... I t feels great to be able to do a full 30 minutes of cardio and that's what I did today. I followed it up with bicep curls and stomach crunches and stretching. Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 30 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 7kg x 25 reps x 9 sets Posted 2009/05/28 at 19h06ET in Exercise.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 ... a full weights day ... I love the fact I can do a full weights workout and not be bothered and troubled with breathing problems. The allergy symptoms are pretty much gone. Lateral Back 27 kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Vertical Back 27 kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 30 reps x 9 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 7kg x 25 reps x 9 sets Tricep Presses on bench: 14kg x 25 reps x 3 sets. Leg Lunges: 10 reps x 6 sets - Left/Right Squats: 10 reps x 6 sets. Posted 2009/05/27 at 20h54ET in Exercise.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009 ... cardio day with stomach crunches ... T hank you, thank you, thank you. I was able to do a full thirty minutes on the elliptical machine without feeling I was going to die from a lack of oxygen. Relief from the allergies. I haven't reached total relief, but it's a big, big improvement. I had time and followed-up my cardio with stomach crunches and bicep curls. Since I don't use heavy weights, it's possible to do them everyday. Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 30 reps x 6 sets with 3KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls on Swiss Ball: 7kg x 25 reps x 6 sets Posted 2009/05/26 at 19h43ET in Exercise.

Monday, May 25, 2009 ... full weights workout ... S omehow I managed to miss getting to the gym four of the previous eight days. There's two Sundays in there where I decided to take a day off to rest. There was a Holiday Monday where I managed to miss getting to the gym and on the last Wednesday I had a board meeting to attend and prep for and didn't get in to the gym before hand and it was too late and too nice an evening to go in the evening afterwards. That's four days in total. I have done that since last summer when I was injured and could barely walk. My long-term average is still over six days a week and my average for 2009 is well over that average. I still get in a lot more exercise than most people. Since it was a Monday, that means a weights day so I can get three weights days in during the week. No holding back today and no problems breathing. The allergy symptoms have eased away--thankfully. As I walked around before going to the gym I f...