P90X

I first saw this exercise program on a Youtube video. I wasn't even searching for an exercise program at that time, just looking at other random stuff when the person in the video mentioned that he was doing his P90X workout. Having no idea what it was, I googled, as I always do.
What came after was finding a gem of an exercise program. It's so good that I have introduced it to friends and relatives and invested quite a bit of money in it. Okay, it's about 400 bucks, but for me, that's big money.

For the uninitiated, P90X is a full-body, all round exercise program, and it is big in the States, reportedly having millions of enthusiasts and supporters.
There are many things I like about this program. Firstly, it really is an all-round program. It targets upper body strength from shoulders, back, and chest to the core muscles from the nipples to the knee, and carries on working the legs from the quadriceps, hamstrings and the calves. Basically everything.
Not only that, integral to the program are also cardio exercises such as Kenpo, plyometrics, and most importantly, Yoga and a stretch routine. These exercises makes all the difference in getting some real pump, unlike vain gym junkies who only want to look good, this part of the program brings you real health and fitness when used together with the resistance training. The yoga and stretch routine have really helped with my flexibility and are what I turn to every time the modern life throws me a bad back and some serious aches.
It takes care of every part of my fitness and health that I no longer need any other fitness program. In addition to that, there is a nutritional guide for people who wish to eat better, because there's a saying that goes 'You can't out-train a bad diet.'
Today, I write this not to advertise this program; it doesn't need more advertising. I write this to share how wonderful it is and also how I modify it and what I thought of it after doing it for a while. So that whoever sees it can learn from my experience and get down to doing it, because it's good.
In all its goodness, however, I find this program requiring some modifications to suit my personal use. Firstly, it's a 90-day program of about 90 minutes each day. This is the first thing I hear people lament about every time I introduce to them to it. It's true. It's hard to squeeze out 90 minutes a day when you lead a crazy work life here in Singapore. I work from 630 to 630 every Monday to Friday. After that it's dinner. Considering that I have to wait a while after eating to work out, I usually work out almost at 10 and finish off just nice for bed, or I do it before dinner and end up having dinner at almost 9, which is not suggested either. Despite Tony Horton, the creator, always chanting 'Keep pushing play, just turn up' or 'Do your best, forget the rest,' sometimes it's just not possible, not on a daily basis at least.
In addition, despite the science saying that you get more energised after working out, doing it every day was just too hard. I had tried completing this exercise program three times; I had never moved past the first month. By the first month I was so knackered, I couldn't bring myself to switch on my laptop.
So what did I do? Instead of a 90-day workout, I made it into a 180-day workout, choosing to push play every other day. Sometimes I would fall sick or have other engagements like girlfriend or boys' night out or family dinner and I would skip a few days but I would always get back to it. I am currently at Week 11 out of 13 weeks and it's been more than 180 days but I am really looking forward to saying 'I did it!'

Compared to some other exercise programs, P90X requires some equipment, but it's not crazily equipment heavy. A pull-up bar is essential. I got one of those door-mounted bars and it works. It is essential because the majority of the back-building exercises are done on the bar. At the beginning of the program I could pull about four and I continued trying but I realised that I wasn't going anywhere. So I did some research and found that I could set a higher number, in my case 15, and used chair-assisted methods to pull myself up and overtime it increased, instead of just pulling what I can, which yielded little improvement.

Other than the bar, weights are also very important. In the video, there are always modifications for people who want to use bands. I bought a set of bands in the beginning because I thought that bands would give me sufficient resistance and are useful without having to shell out a lot of money. Not only that, they are easily kept and take up next to no space. However, after more than half of the program done, I felt that the bands are just not giving me the workout and pump I wanted and could get from this program. I looked around for some real weights and were still slightly hesitant because I live in a tiny little space and really have no space for a rack of dumbbells. Furthermore, I really didn't know which weight range to buy because I had no idea how much could I could lift. More googling later, I decided on a set of adjustable Bowflex 552 weights. These take up the same space as a pair of normal dumbbells but could go from 5lbs to 52.5 lbs. Cheaper adjustable weights are available but I also needed the ease and speed of change required by P90X and these still make a better choice. They became the most expensive piece of equipment I had to buy.

P90X also helped me discovered yoga. I had thought yoga was slow and methodic and though it required me to put myself through some awkward positions, it wasn't hard. Boy, was I wrong. The first time I did the yoga, my heart was racing and I sweated a ton like I was running a marathon. Having not worked on my flexibility for the longest time, I also had troubles holding some of the positions. Originally I only bought the mat and tried using books and other stuff to support myself. It was defeatingly difficult and I gave up the stubbornness and forked out a little more and got myself a cheap little block. That made all the difference.
I also don't like the Kenpo X routine. For me, that is the only routine that I have a problem with. Yes, it makes the heart pump, but the moves in the routine feels nothing like martial arts. Because I do Taekwondo and have interests in Wing Chun, I substitute it with my martial arts practice instead.

Arsenal

Today I witnessed another abysmal result from Arsenal.

In today's footballing world, Arsenal and Arsene Wenger's philosophy stand out like a sore thumb. Yet it is refreshing at the same time. No big-money-bought victories and financial prudence and youth development remain an integral part of the management and success of the club.

However, Arsenal is not playing like Arsenal, at least not at the moment. Yes, they still pass the ball around. But nobody pulls the trigger. A typical Arsenal game goes like this - pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, lose the ball. Repeat indefinitely. It's like the players don't dare to shoot for fear of some grave repercussion. I could almost hear the thoughts in their heads - Oh my, I have the ball, better pass to the next person quickly.

From a fan's point of view, I have some suggestions.

1) Arsene, please field the players who deserve a run.

Theo Walcott has been the livewire of recent games. He deserves a first team position. Even if you can't play him at his demanded centre striker role. I am sure the first team position would do well to persuade him to sign the new contract. He is at his peak. If he still gets treated like a fringe player, I don't blame the lad for wanting out. A footballer's shelf-life is too short. It will be only downhill from here.

Chamakh's goals at Reading during the League Cup proves that he has the skills and ability to score goals. Since his arrival, he has only played so many games and frankly, at a time when the rest of the strikers are not working, why not give him a run. His style of play is also that of a target man and a out and out fox-in-the-box, something we seem to lack at this moment.

Arshavin, someone once so integral to your attack has also been frozen. I don't support forever using old guards, so some other red-shirted teams. It stifles the young ones and prevents them from having a chance to have a go and blossom. But he still has some juice and he should be used more often. I enjoyed seeing his runs at defenders.

2) Arsene, please drop players if they are not performing at the moment. You have no lack of quality players.

Good job on dropping Gervinho. He was ineffective and selfish.

Ramsay is no doubt a good player, and young too. But he is average in our team and has not been pulling the strings in midfield like he should. There is no reason why he should be ahead of everybody else all the time.

3) Please work on your defence during set piece. I cannot even begin to count how many goals we have let in from set pieces. Every time the opponents get a free kick or corner, my heart skips a beat.

We are not the biggest, but we are by far not the smallest squad in the league. There should be no reason why we are losing out on every single header, every where on the field.

4) Yes, passing football is beautiful. There's nothing more entertaining than a team who can string their passes together and keep possession, then open up the opposing defence to draw the blood. But that is not the case at the moment. See second paragraph.

I am sure the players have enough shooting practice during training. Please get them to shoot. At least there's a chance of scoring when the trigger is pulled. Current there's nothing. You won't score if you don't try.

5) Please knock some sense into Giroud. He is a good player, I have no doubt, but he is just not playing to his strength. He is easily Arsenal's biggest and strongest player on the field but he is playing as if he is Santi Cazorla or Theo Walcott, like a player with lean physique and a small build, and he is running around like a headless chicken. I admire his work rate and his willingness to chase after the ball, but he should really be using his strength to take on and hold off defenders.

Today, during the Fulham game, I finally saw ONE single glimpse of him getting it right. He received the ball, turned, took on his marker, and simply shrugged the defender off even though he was being tugged and pulled. Then he unleashed a screamer. Although it didn't go in, it wasn't far and it really showed how defenders are useless against him when he plays it right.

Arsenal is a top team and I am proud to have supported for over half my life and since I started watching football. But last week when I watched them against Manchester United, it felt like watching a Championship side take on a Premier League team. We can do beter.

Metal teeth no more

I've had braces since Apr 2009.

My teeth weren't in a bad shape but I was well into my first job since graduation and I was earning a steady income.

So after basic needs were met, I guessed it was time for some vanity.

The three and a half years of life with braces was uneventful. Luckily for me, I had only one of the usual problems, stuck food, and none of the others: ulcers; pain.

I took out my braces last month and it's from the pan into the pot. I now have retainers for a year. It's even more troublesome than the braces.

Most important lesson I have learnt though, is that brushing does shit for your teeth. I've never flossed in my life. Once or twice I did but it was never part of my oral hygiene routine.

However, because of the retainers I have started flossing. And boy was I appalled to find the amount of food still stuck between my teeth after a bout of decent brushing. I even bought those expensive electronic toothbrushes.

So anyone out there, if you do not floss, I suggest you start now. It really is no hassle after you get used to it, but you will be disgusted by what stays in your mouth after brushing.