Obstacle Racing (Brawn)

Obstacle races have become a huge thing lately. They are physically challenging and mentally stimulating. The best part about participating and completing an obstacle race is the confidence and self gratitude it gives you. Participating in even the smallest of these races is a great way to stay in shape or to gauge your level of fitness, as some of them are timed for a competitive aspect.

My goal for next year is to run all three of the races that Spartan Race has to offer, the Sprint, Super, and Beast, in order to earn the Trifecta medal. I have already completed one Tough Mudder and one Warrior Dash. They were fun and challenging. There was a very wide demographic of people that participated and varying exercise levels.

One thing I did to train for such a race was to grab a few very large tires from a local shop for free and I trained with them. I flipped them for training my legs similar to a squat. I stacked them and jumped onto them like box jumps. Along well as some calisthenics and other simple exercises, I ran about a mile, round trip, from my back yard in between sets. This helped to keep my heart rate up, incorporate cardio, and simulate the obstacle experience for as cheap as possible. I would also look at each of the obstacle race sites' WODs (or workout of the day) to mix my routine up and keep it fresh.

I encourage anyone at any fitness level to at least attempt one of these races to obtain that confidence that they give you upon completion. I also encourage you to set ambitious goals for yourself to achieve. I hope to achieve my goal of obtaining the Trifecta medal from Spartan Race and one day being invited to the Ultra Beast race!

Drafting into Nyx (Brainz)

This week I will be discussing how I draft MTG and what to look for while drafting Theros block. Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to draft Theros block with Journey into Nyx yet because I have been busy. I have done some virtual drafts using a free website called Bestiaire. It is a great way to simulate a ton of drafting for free before you go spend money to do the real thing at your local shop.

First thing you should do before drafting is to familiarize yourself with the cards from the sets you will be drafting. This can be easily accomplished via the official Card Image Gallery for a particular set. Another way to familiarize yourself with the cards and how someone else would draft them is to check out the many different set reviews. My favorite set reviewer is Conley Woods. Even thought our strategies or opinions on certain cards may differ, he provides a great review of the cards and how they affect draft. My strategy for drafting in general is the BREAD philosophy. This philosophy/strategy is not perfect but it will provide you with some very helpful guidelines. It stands for Bombs, Removal, Evasion, Aggro, and Duds. That is the order you should usually pick cards from packs.

For the first pack, I generally try to pick really good cards, in my opinion, without stressing too much about color. I still keep color choices in my mind of course. Then for the second and third pack I usually try to stick to the color(s) that I have chosen in the first pack. If I see something very strong that I am able to splash reasonably then I will take that over something more on color. If I see something that is super strong, or a bomb, in an off color and  there is nothing really good in the colors I am drafting then I will "hate draft" that card so I do not see it across the table from me when it is time to play.

There are other, more advanced, strategies that you should at least be aware of and eventually incorporate. These strategies include forcing, which is trying to force your picks into a color. Signaling is also a more advanced strategy which means that if you are getting passed a bunch of black cards then no one is probably in black and it is a good idea to start drafting that color. On the other hand if you start drafting one color and suddenly stop seeing any of that color it is a good idea to switch to a color that is more readily available. Hate drafting is when you take a really good card or bomb that is not in your color to prevent other drafters from including it in their decks. These strategies are more advanced and may be a topic for another post.

I hope to draft this block soon with my friends and in a more competitive environment at my local gaming store. Drafting is mostly about solid commons and creating a synergistic deck that is consistent. I'll leave you with some cards that I would be happy drafting. 

Sit up Straight! (Brawn)

This week's topic is all about posture and healthy snack options. Posture is an essential part of our health. We are usually sitting or standing for the majority of our day. Whether it is at your job, playing in a Magic: the Gathering tournament (or at home), exercising, playing video games, or watching television, having proper posture is needed to prevent future damage.

This article from clevlandclinic.org provides some really great tips on how to sit, stand, and lay with proper posture. They pulled their information from the American ChiropracticAssociation as well as the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. The link to the latter of the two organizations provides some easy exercises you can do to help strengthen the muscles around your spine to assist you in maintaining proper posture. Some basic tips, when sitting, are to keep your shoulders back without sticking your chest out and to keep your feet flat on the floor. Another good tip is to get up and walk around every so often as it is not advisable to sit for extended periods of time. This helps me to reset my posture so that I am not slowly slipping into a slouching posture. Poor posture can lead to many things like arthritis, backaches, and muscular pain. Proper posture can lead to prevention of those aches and pains as well as a confident appearance.

It is sometimes difficult for anyone to resist the urge to just grab a snack from the pantry or grocery store that may not be the best choice for them. I find it hard to resist the temptation of sticking to just one snack. The good news is that there are plenty of healthy snack options and many of them are portable. I feel that healthy snacks are a great way to keep hunger down so you can eat smaller, healthier portions for your main meals. Healthy snacks are also great for work, to keep your stamina and energy up, and other places where you may stay for an extended amount of time like a tournament at your local gaming store. I found this list of many healthy snack options on a blog about reducing dependency on processed foods. Some of my favorite snacks include bananas with peanut butter, or pretty much anything with peanut butter, in moderation of course, cucumbers, and cashews. Some healthy portable snacks that are easy to take wherever you may be for a long period of time are nuts and seeds, as well as whole grain crackers.

Posture is important for everyone to consider because we all sit, stand, and lay. Eating healthier can start with filling your pantry/cupboards or refrigerator with healthy options so you limit your ability to choose the bad things. As with anything in life, moderation is key as well as easing into a new process with confidence and small steps towards your goals.