Running Shoes – What to Know Before you Buy

When buying a running shoe, it is important to look for functionality first. Too often we fall into the trap of purchasing based upon who has the latest and greatest advertisements. That would be Nike. While they make a quality product, it is not right for all foot types. There are three main types of shoes; Cushioning, Stability, and Motion Control. Choosing the right shoe depends upon one’s gait and pronation.

Gait- The way a person moves. That is, the positioning of his/her body as they walk or run. Some descriptive words include pigeon-toed, hunchbacked, wobbly, etc.
Pronation- The movement of a foot as it hits the ground. Incorrect pronation can lead to several types of injuries, from shin splints to back and knee problems. Even if one’s foot is slightly mis-aligned this can be multiplied over several miles to create overuse injuries. The correct pair of running shoes will support the foot through its correct motion. There are three main types of pronation, all of which begin with a heel strike.

• Neutral/Normal – In neutral pronation, the heel of the foot comes down and then the foot rolls slightly outward, then inward and then finishes with an outward push-off. Runners with normal pronation can use almost any running shoe as they don’t need much pronation correction. They would most benefit from shoes in the Cushioning category, many of which Nike makes. The only shoe this runner should stay away from is a strict Motion Control shoe as this would affect their already correct motion.
• Over-Pronation – In over-pronation, the heel of the foot comes down and then the foot rolls slightly outward, then inwards where it remains until toe-off.  Over-pronators tend to have a low to medium arch. The best shoe is a Stability shoe which will prevent the foot from rolling too far inward. This shoe will have more arch support than a Cushioned shoe and is more rigid on the inner portion of the midsole. Severe over-pronators should look into a Motion Control shoe which features even more support than the stability models.
• Supination – In supination, the heel of the foot comes down and then rolls slightly outward. Instead of rolling inwards, the foot remains on its outside edge. This results in part from a high, stiff arch. This shoe, should be even softer/more cushioned than a neutral trainer so as to encourage foot roll.

Beyond Pronation, one needs to look at their weight to determine how much support is necessary. A heavier person with only a slight over-pronation problem still may need a Motion Control shoe to support the extra weight.

Running Warehouse has further reading.

Magazine Titles and What They Really Mean

Following is a list of magazine titles and what they are really trying to say:

• Maxim – Because Gamepro was taken
• Us Magazine – Not you
• Sports Illustrated – By white men, about black men
• Golf – Not a sport
• GQ – Unattainable lifestyle
• Cat Fancy – Needs therapy
• Popular Science – Unpopular Nerd was taken
• Men’s Fitness – You’re a virgin
• Playboy – You’re willing to admit to being a virgin
• Money – We write because we enjoy it, not because we need the…
• Ski – Coke
• Field & Stream – We’re completely irrelevant, yet we managed to elect the last president

Any more? Let me know in the comments.

3 Ys to Success

In my exposure to the field of health and well-being, I have seen numerous fad diets, miracle pills, and exercise regimens that all purport to do the same thing; enhance your physical and mental health. While some of them are bunk, some do touch on certain key concepts. Ultimately, in order to make a lifestyle change or to maintain an already positive lifestyle, one must follow the three Ys to Success; Consistency, Recovery, and Intensity.

The three Ys model can be applied to almost any situation, be it work, play, health or love.

Consistency: The most important Y, consistency tells us right away that there are no shortcuts to success, no losing 10 pounds in one week. Consistency is about being committed to something, whether that is an idea, a task, or a career.

To sculpt a body of work, literally, one must show up to the gym at least 4 times a week. Those weekend warriors who come to the gym Saturday and Sunday are doing nothing except slowing their decline… and paying for a membership. Furthermore, showing up to the gym 6 times one week and 2 times the next will not yield positive results. Although the total number of gym days is the same, the more evenly and CONSISTENTLY spaced intervals will prevent breakdown and yield better results.

In the workplace, just get to the office. Your performance will happen, but the first step is to always be in attendance. Employers want to see that you’re there and “committed”.

The attendance factor goes even further in academics. If you’re in college, most professors reward effort. The professor sees that you’re in class every session and thinks you’re willing and motivated to learn. By showing up you’re listening to the material so half your studying is done. When preparing for exams, you will be experiencing the material for the second time.

Taxes to Fund War on Terror?

Sen. Joseph Leiberman has proposed a “war on terrorism tax“. Asking citizens to support a war effort that is filled with impeachable offenses 1, 2, 3 is one thing; asking them to directly fund it is arrogant and rude. How far will neo-cons reach before the public puts a halt to their increasingly brazen policies.

“I think we have to start thinking about a war on terrorism tax,” the independent Connecticut lawmaker said. “I mean people keep saying we’re not asking a sacrifice of anybody but our military in this war and some civilians who are working on it.”

Would this tax money be used to secure the U.S. or hijacked to further U.S. interests in Israel.

The Foreign Ministry convened a group of external experts, including former Israeli ambassadors to the U.S. Zalman Shoval and David Ivri, a few weeks ago to discuss some of the issues related to bilateral relations. The participants agreed that the Bush administration has been one of the friendliest to Israel and that there is an advantage to making agreements with U.S. President George W. Bush before he is replaced by someone else.

 And what if the “surge” fails? Policymakers are already preparing for this inevitability.

The profoundly pessimistic thinking that permeates the senior military and the intelligence community, however, is forbidden in the sanitized atmosphere of mind-cure boosterism that surrounds Bush. “He’s tried this two times — it’s failed twice,” Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said on Jan. 24 about the “surge” tactic. “I asked him at the White House, ‘Mr. President, why do you think this time it’s going to work?’ And he said, ‘Because I told them it had to.’”

Lots of questions folks. The most important one being, when do we stand up and take this country back?

That’s why these devious bastards who have taken over our country are getting away with it! They love it when the lemmings out there can’t remember one sentence in their own Constitution or Declaration of Independence. They love it that the vast majority of numb-nuts don’t know that their leaders are breaking every law in the books to steal everything that isn’t theirs.

Maybe instead of focusing on the failure in Iraq and Afghanistan, we should begin new “surges” in Iran, Libya, and Syria. America, fuck yeah!!