The Best Exercises in Life are Free.

If you thought that getting in shape meant joining a gym, then you would be dead wrong. In fact, some of the best  exercises for our body do not require any fancy gym equipment. Our body is all that we need.

As I progress towards increasingly more difficult exercises, I find that the best and the toughest exercises are the ones where you use your body for generating explosive power & strength.

Here are some of my favorite exercises that do not require any fancy equipment.

1. Walk/Jog/Run: All you need is a pair of good shoes and you are good to go. It does not matter where you run or what time you run. As long as you   can make the time to do it, it can be done.

Make it Harder: Incorporate Interval running into your workout. Interval running is a great way to boost your metabolism and finish your workout in a shorter time.

2. Push-Ups: The push-up, is most likely, the single most comprehensive workout for your upper body. The push-up works the chest muscles, the back, and the triceps. It is no wonder, that the U.S. Army uses it as a key indicator of physical fitness of its personnel.

Here's a video demonstrating the correct way to do a push-up.

Make it Harder: Mix it up with these different versions of the push-up
   1. Walk-Out Push-Ups.
   2. Medicine Ball Push-Ups.
   3. One Arm Push-Ups.
   4. Clapping Push-Ups.

3. Squats: If the Push-Up is the king of the upper body exercise, then the Squat has to be the king of the lower-body exercise. Squats can be done in any place where you can stand.

Here's a video demonstrating the correct way to do squats.

Make it Harder: Just like the push-ups, you can do squats in a variety of ways.
   1. Frog Squats.
   2. Weighted Squats.
   3. One-Legged Squats (The most difficult).

4. Sit-ups: The Sit-ups take care of the mid-section of your body. The Abs. Sit-ups is probably one of the most misunderstood exercise. Many people think that by doing a lot of sit-ups, they will get ripped abs in a few weeks. Nothing could be further from the truth. You build abs by losing the fat around your mid-section through diet and cardio workouts. Sit-ups will only assist in the process of getting ripped abs by building muscles around the core. But sit-ups on their own cannot give you ripped abs.

The Sit-ups is the second exercise of the U.S. Army physical fitness test (the first being the push-up and the third being the 2 mile run).

Here's a video demonstrating how to do the full military Sit-up.

Make it Harder: Just like the previous 2 exercises, you can do the sit-up in a variety of ways.

1. 8-Minute Abs: This 8-minute abs workout shows 9 different variations of the sit-ups. If you can do the full 8-minute workout, you are in great shape.

5. Jump Rope: Skipping rope is a great way to burn massive amount of calories in a short amount of time. Most people will have a hard time doing 1 minute of continuous jump rope.

Here's a video demonstrating jump ropes.

Make it Harder: You can mix up jump ropes with intervals and double-unders.

1. Interval Jump Ropes: Do this 10-minute workout that changes from walking in place to jumping ropes for every 30 seconds.
2. Double-Unders: This exercise features heavily in the Crossfit Workout. I think I have a long way to go before I can do a double-under.

6. Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups: Both are very similar exercises and all you need to do this exercise is a pull-up bar. You can find pull-up bars in any sports shops that you can easily attach to a door-way. Chin-ups target your biceps, while the pull-ups target your back and triceps.

Here's a video demonstrating how to do pull-ups.
This video demonstrates correct chin-ups.

Make it Harder: You really can't make the pull-ups any harder as they are already very hard to do. There is a variation of one-hand pull-up but if you can do that, you don't really need to read this blog.

Incorporate these exercises in your daily routine and you won't have any excuse for not staying in shape.

Avoiding Common Running Injuries.

Running is a high-impact activity, so it is inevitable that we will suffer from some form of injury during or after running. Since injuries cannot be completely avoided, all we can do is understand what is in store for us when we start running seriously - and take precautions to lower the risk of injuries.

Not all injuries are bad though. For example, every time we run, our bones suffer micro-injuries due to the impact of our body hitting the hard ground (similar to how our muscles get micro-injuries when we lift heavy weights).

But these micro-injuries are good for us because it causes our body to counter the effect of the injuries by healing the bones and making them stronger. This results in higher bone density and eventually helps us overcome the effect of Osteoporosis.

What we should try to avoid is major injuries that can cause disruptions in our daily activities. The following are some of the injuries that I have gone through - and something that I could have easily avoided if I had read this article first.

1. Blisters: Blisters can be painful and will force you to take a break from running.

How to avoid Blisters? Blisters can be avoided by wearing proper footwear. The usual cause of blisters is wearing shoes that are too tight or too loose. Shoe is the most important item in your running inventory so make sure you choose the right footwear. You also need to break-in new shoes till your feet are adjusted to the new shoe. If you buy new shoes, don't wear them for your next long-distance run. Instead, wear them for walks or short runs till the shoe becomes comfortable.

2. Muscle Cramps: If you start running for the first time, or re-start your running activities after a long break, this is something you are bound to encounter in the early stages of your running. It is your body protesting against the sudden onslaught.


How to avoid Muscle Cramps? Muscle cramps can be avoided by doing proper warm-up and cool-down. Warm-up should be brisk walk or light jogging while cool-down should be stretching exercises.

3. Knee Joint Injuries:  Knee joint injuries happen due to over-training. Each of us have a injury threshold. Once you reach the threshold, joint injuries are inevitable. Trick is to find your threshold and make sure you don't cross it.

How to avoid Knee joint injuries? Don't be the Hare. Be the Tortoise. You need to take it easy in the beginning and increase the distance and pace very very slowly till your body gets adjusted to running. Going overboard is the usual reason for knee joint injuries. When I first re-started my running, I was so excited that I could run 5K, I would try and see if I could push myself to 10K. That was not the correct approach (and something I learned the hard and painful way). We need to increase our distance in small increments. Also, listen to your body. When you feel tired or feel any pain, don't run through the pain. Stop and rest. We are not competing for the Olympics. The objective is to get into shape. Of course, if you are actually competing for Olympics, this blog is not for you.

4. Black Toenail: Black toenail injury is related to long-distance running (more than 10K) and usually happens if you increase your running distance unexpectedly. For example, if you are used to running 5K and suddenly decide to run half-marathon, you have an excellent chance of getting a black toenail.

How to avoid the Black Toenail? The solution is similar to the knee joint injury. Increase your distance gradually. This excellent article describes the black-toenail injury in detail and recommends solutions in case you do end up with one.

5. Nipple Chafing: Yeah. When I first read about nipple chafing, I did not believe it either till it happened to me. Nipple chafing usually does not happen to women since they use sports bras. However, for men, it can happen - especially during long distance runs. The constant movement of the shirt (especially if the shirt is loose) against the nipple results in chafing and is very painful. The problem is that you don't realize the injury until the next day, when it is too late to do anything about it except to nurse the injury.

How to avoid nipple chafing? Wearing proper running shirt (preferably the newer "technical" shirts) will solve the problem. Whenever I plan my half-marathon runs, I take a much simpler preventive route and put band-aids over both my nipples (don't laugh). You can also get specialized nipple guards, but I don't think they are available here in Kuwait.

So there you have it. Run sensibly and avoid these injuries.

The Ultimate Post-Workout Drink.

Several weeks back, I wrote about "The Chocolate Milk Diet" and how it was both a great pre-workout and post-workout recovery drink - delivering a healthy dose of protein and quick-absorbing carbs to help with the workout and also to recover from a hard workout.

While chocolate milk is a great pre-workout drink, you may want to add some extra proteins in your post-workout recovery drink. Adding a scoop of Whey protein powder to your chocolate milk will result in a potent combo. The extra proteins from the protein powder help the muscles in long-term recovery, while the quick carbs from the chocolate drink help in short term recovery.

I mix 1 scoop of Whey protein powder to 1 packet of chocolate milk (250ml) and vigorously shake the whole thing with ice. The blended drink is both deliciously tasty and very healthy. The nutritional data for this drink is shown below:

Item	Calories	Fat(g)	Carbs(g)	Protein(g)
Protein Powder	120	1.0	2.0	25.0
Choco Milk 250ml	158	2.5	26.1	8.1
**TOTALS**	278	3.5	28.1	33.1

The great thing about protein powders these days is that they come in so many flavors. Once you get tired of one flavor, you can just jump to the next flavor as the protein content in all the flavors is almost identical.

Keeping an Exercise Log.

Exercise data recorded in an EXCEL spreadsheet.

When I do any running, my Nike+ system automatically logs all the details of the run (distance covered, pace, calories burned etc.), and uploads all the data neatly into the Nike+ website. The website allows me to analyze the total distance run, my progress, my target goals etc.

But running is not the only exercise I do. I do almost an equal amount of resistance workout. The problem is there is no system to record the progress made in the resistance workout. Our gym does have specialized equipment for resistance workout that is linked to an unique key given to each subscriber. You insert the key into the machine and start your workout such as chest extension, leg raises etc. The machine records the workout on the key, which can then be reviewed on a separate computer. I did not subscribe to the service because I prefer doing free-weights (dumb-bells, squats etc.) instead of using assisted machines.

This means that if you are serious about sticking to a scheduled workout and ensuring that you progress increasingly to heavier weights, you need to keep a log. Many dedicated members in my gym carry a small notebook in which they record their activities. The notebook is also a great way to plan out your workout so that you do a specific set of exercises and then compare the actual results to what you had planned at the beginning of the day.

Initially, I tried carrying a small notebook and a pencil but found it annoying to write down the activity after each exercise. I then tried recording the workout details on my iPhone using a spreadsheet application that I downloaded from the iTunes app store. Even that seemed to get in my way so I finally opted to log all the details in an EXCEL spreadsheet on my laptop immediately after I reached home. I found this the most convenient method since the workout details are still fresh in my mind. It does not matter how you log your data as long as you do it.

Putting all the exercise data in an EXCEL spreadsheet allows me to easily analyze my progress and plan for improvements in my weight-lifting capabilities.

Convert exercise data in a graph.

Use the built-in functionality of EXCEL to graph your exercise data into a visual representation of your daily progress, and plan for your next increase in weight. For example, once I find that I can do 12 reps of a given exercise, I then increase the weight by a factor of 5-10 pounds. I usually find that once I increase the weight, I can do around 6-8 reps with the increase weight. I will continue trying to reach 12 reps over the next 2-3 weeks, and once I hit 12, I again raise the weight.

Logging your exercise data is both a good way of keeping track of what you have done - and a great motivation to do better.

Dressed to Run.

In my previous article, I stressed the importance of shoes in running. While the shoe may be the most important item in your running inventory, it should not be the only one. There are couple of other items that you should pay particular attention in order to have a fun and enjoyable run.

1. Shirt: The shirt play an important role in determining whether your run will be comfortable or not. If you wear cotton shirt, it will get drenched with your sweat which essentially means you are running with wet clothes. Running with sweat-drenched clothes makes you cold and miserable and the sticky clothes makes you feel like ending your run as soon as possible.

What you need is a t-shirt/shirt that is designed for running. These shirts are made from special fabric that pulls moisture from your body - keeping your cool and dry during your run. Also the fabric is light, which makes them less bulky. You will find running t-shirts in sports shops. Though they are expensive, they are worth the investment.

2. Shorts: Wear comfortable shorts. The material of the shorts is not so important because you don't sweat in the lower part of your body. As long as you are comfortable in the shorts, you should be fine.

3. Socks: The sock complements the shoe by adding an extra layer of protection between the hard surface and your body. Always go for thick cotton socks that are made for running.

4. Music: This is especially important if you are running on a treadmill. It helps to manage the monotony of the running so that you focus on the music instead of the run. Compile a playlist with upbeat music with a tempo that matches the tempo of your run.
Playing music while running is advisable only if you are running on a treadmill. Outdoor running with music on can result in dangerous situations since you cannot hear what is going on around you.

5. Sports Bra: For ladies, make sure you wear a proper sports bra.

6. Sports Drink: If you plan to run for less than 30 minutes, you can sip on a bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated during the run. However, if you plan to run longer than that, it is important that you have a sports drink such as Gatorade to replenish not only the fluids that your body loses, but also essential salts. When I run for 1 hour, I can finish a 600ml bottle of Gatorade - taking a sip every 5 minutes.

That's about it. Enjoy your run.

Can Running cure Asthma?

My inhaler in case of asthma attack.

The answer to the question "Can Running Cure Asthma?"
The Short answer is "No".
Long Answer: See Below.

Asthma (meaning gasp) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that results in airflow obstructions resulting in wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.

I suffer from asthma from childhood and I am told that I gravitated between life and death on a number of occasions when I was a baby. As is common with asthma, it sort of disappeared during my youth and I completely forgot about it. That is..until I came to Kuwait. The extreme climate and the desert dust acted as a "trigger" for my asthma and I started getting the asthma attacks. At first, it was just continuous coughing or wheezing twice a year  (when the weather changed from summer to winter and vice-versa). I used to manage it with strong antibiotics and inhalers. However, the disease progressed and the asthma attacks changed from coughing to life-threating attacks where I could not breathe for an extended period of time.

I remember a few occasions when I got the attack while at home, and my wife and children watched in horror and helplessness as I stopped breathing, desperately gulping for air. I started carrying the inhaler everywhere I went and my wife made sure that it was always in my pocket before I left the house.

Asthma, as a disease, cannot be cured. Once you have it, you will carry it with you to the grave. All we can do is understand the trigger points (i.e. what causes the asthma?) and then try to manage it. Different individuals have different trigger points. Mine is dust and cold.

I had resigned myself to a life of inhalers, and uncontrollable coughing through the remainder of my life. That is..until I started running.

Asthma was not on my radar when I started my fitness journey. I started running and resistance workouts because I wanted to get in shape. However, after a few months into workouts, I realized that I was not getting any asthma attacks. I also realized that I could drink cold water or iced drinks and not end up gulping for air.

What exactly happened?

According to research, increased physical activity such as running causes your body to pump more oxygen into your body. This causes the congested air-ways to expand effectively making it easier to breathe and reducing the impact of asthma when the triggers such as dust and cold travel through your body.

It is now 2 years since I last had my asthma attack. I am aware that I am not cured of it - and it will always be there. I am also aware that as long as I keep running and doing other fitness activities, I will be able to get control of my life and not be at the mercy of this disease wondering when and where it will strike - and whether that strike will be fatal or not.

This does not mean asthma patients should put on their shoes and start running. Asthma attacks can occur after physical activity, so whatever activity you decide to do (whether running or resistance training), you should approach it cautiously and slowly to build your strength and stamina. In the initial stages, you may face difficulty as the physical activity itself will act as an attack-trigger. However, by slowly building on your stamina, you will ensure that your airways expand and the asthma attacks should gradually subside. Again, your doctor will advice you on your specific condition and whether physical activity is suitable for your condition or not.

So in summary, the question I should have asked was not whether running can cure asthma, but rather:

"Can you manage asthma with running and other physical activity?"
The empathic answer to that is: "YES"!!

The "Surviving Ramadan" Breakfast.

Canon firing to indicate end of fasting.

Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting. During this period, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. Many Islamic countries go one extra step by imposing this as a law and prohibiting anyone (Muslim or otherwise) from eating or drinking in public during the day. This can play havoc with anyone who is on a carefully controlled diet.

Once nice thing about the month of Ramadan is the shorter working hours. While the usual working time is 9 hours, most people (including myself) work for only 6 hours during this period. So in reality, we (non-Muslims) need to manage the fasting for about 6 hours only.

Protein-heavy breakfast with eggs, lean meat & Milk

If there is one thing I have learned during my research on diet and nutrition, it is that eating proteins keeps you feeling satiated longer since proteins take longer time to break-down.

Keeping this fact in mind, my Ramadan-month breakfast is basically a protein-heavy breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, lean meats (chicken or turkey), cheese and milk along with some carbs.

Here's the nutritional data of my ideal breakfast that will keep the hunger pangs away for 6 to 7 hours.

Item	Calories	Fat(g)	Carbs(g)	Protein(g)
1 Scrambled Eggs	100	7.4	1	6.8
Whole Wheat Bread	138	1.8	23.2	7.2
Low-Fat Milk	122	4.8	11.4	8.1
1 Kiri Cheese Cube 18g	58	5.6	0.3	1.4
3 Turkey Slices	60	0	3	10.5
1 Apple	72	0	19.1	0.4
**TOTALS**	550	19.6	58	34.4

I sometimes drop the apple and replace it with an extra scrambled egg (2 scrambled eggs for breakfast). This will drop the carbs, and increase the proteins. However, the calories remain almost the same.

With this breakfast, I can complete my days work without feeling irritable or anxious for my next food fix.