By phrits, 2010-07-30 22:22 UTC So long as we’re on the subject of yeast (Part 1, 2), here’s a recipe for a rye bread I made the other day. It was created and named in honor of my sister’s and brother-in-law’s happy acquisition of what will likely become the new family manse.
I’m much more of a cook than I am [...]
By phrits, 2010-07-29 15:00 UTC The bread featured in MWL: Yeast, Pt. 2 came from Mark Ruhlman’s book, Ratio. If you’re excited about the idea of cooking well, he should be on your reading list. And don’t miss his web site, which features astounding photography by Donna Ruhlman.
By phrits, 2010-07-29 15:00 UTC (Part 1) When you make bread, you touch history. San Francisco Sourdough and Philadelphia Pretzels. The Loaves that went with the Fishes. When you mix the grains and the water for dry heat cooking, you touch Neolithic prehistory. When you mix and knead and shape and bake bread, you do something that is uniquely and [...]
By phrits, 2010-07-26 20:44 UTC You may have thought after the FAT TOM post that I had something against microscopic life. Not so. The bad guys are only a relative handful among the thousands of species we run across. Most of them we simply cohabit with in peace, and a few are particularly nice to have around.
No, we’re not going [...]
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WhateverOTD It Can't Hurt
Oh yes it can. One of the best exercises for the office-jockey who wants a tight butt, stronger legs and even some core tightening, is the box jump. I’ve read about this for a while, and so decided to try it on for size.
To do this, you’ll need a weight bench, large, sturdy box, or a tree stump. Something that is about 12-18 inches high, sturdy and immobile. It’s simple: you stand in front of it, and you jump on to it. Form is important, so read how to jump, please
Bend your knees, lean forward just a little, arms at your sides, slightly back. Jump up explosively, throwing your arms up all the way as you jump, landing on both feet. Step down, or jump down for more impact.
Sounds to easy, doesn’t it? Do 3 sets of 10, 3 times a week. After your first set of ten, you’ll feel a little winded. After your third, if you’re doing it right, you’ll be breathing hard.
And the next day, your muscles in your hips, butt, legs and a few other spots will tell you if you got anything out of it. ()
Hammer Time
Try a hammer curl…it will improve your grip, add strength to your forearm, and jars everywhere will quake at the thought that you can now open them at your leisure…
A hammer curl is done with a dumbbell, just like a regular curl…except that you hold your hand in the position as if the handle portion were a hammer. You do as much weight as you can stand, 3 sets of ten, a couple of times a week. For women, this means a better grip, improved lower arm strength, and a more shapely forearm. Don’t waste your money on those shaky things that frankly look kind of obscene to me…just get a regular old dumbbell weight…use control, repetition, and focus.
The results of this one show up pretty quick. go ahead, try it! ()
Running a Tight Ship
Ask most people why they do a work out and they’ll say “physical fitness” (they may phrase it differently, but the meaning is the same). While this is true, the fact is, in most cases they want to tighten up their physique. Most men and women don’t really want to bulk up so much has sculpt lean, shapely limbs and a harder torso. The key element here is “lean”.
To tone and sculpt your limbs and torso, the word to remember is “repetition”! Low weights, high reps. Find a weight for each exercise that feels right, just a little resistance, and do a lot of them. This will give your muscle groups tone, definition, and shapeliness.
It takes time and patience. Don’t rush it…the pay off is worth it. ()
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