New Gift Voucher Artwork for Cardio Trek Archery Lessons

Okay, so many years now I have been using the same design for Cardio Trek's Gift Vouchers with respect to archery lessons.

And it occurred to me recently that perhaps it was time to make a new design.

So here are the old designs. First up the Regular design:

And the Valentines Day version.

I still like the concept of the gift box in the image, but I felt it was time for something new. Plus I wanted to use the same font used for the Cardio Trek logo.

Voila!

Now immediately I know some people are going to prefer the old versions... But whatever. It doesn't matter which version people want to use. What really matters is the Gift Voucher Number when people contact me to book their archery lessons in Toronto.

Want to give a friend, loved one or coworker a gift? Why not archery lessons?! Just contact me via cardiotrek@gmail.com to get started.

Happy Shooting!

6 Tips for Beginner Powerlifters

As part of my ongoing series of posts on the topic of Powerlifting, here are 6 Tips for Beginner Powerlifters.

But first, if you're unfamiliar with Powerlifting please read:

• What is Powerlifting?
• Powerlifting: What is a Good Target Weight? How Many Reps?
  

Powerlifting Tip #1: Bench Press - Squeeze your Scapula/Shoulder Blades

By squeezing your scapula during bench pressing it will help will keep your shoulders on the bench (where they should be) and help to reduce the range of motion. You don't need to squeeze them super hard, just enough to help keep your shoulders on the bench. Keep your shoulders tight throughout the movement and then lock out the elbows at the top of the exercise. This will ensure better form and improved stability. Squeezing the scapula a bit will also engage more of your triceps and help with your overall lift.

Do not squeeze your scapula as hard as possible. That is completely unnecessary and counterproductive.

Powerlifting Tip #2: Squat - Keep Your Chest Up and Facing Forward

You want to keep your chest up and facing forward at the bottom of the movement and throughout the entire lift. By doing this you will prevent your torso from folding when you reach the concentric part of the squat (at the bottom) and reduce the potential for injury and improve your stability, which is especially vital during a heavy squat.

Powerlifting Tip #3: Deadlift - Do Not Bend Your Arms, Think Hooks

Never bend your arms while performing a deadlift. Instead keep your elbows locked and arms straight throughout the movement and think of your arms like fishhooks that don't bend or move. If you try and pull the bar up with your biceps you’ll likely tear a tendon, which will keep you out of the gym for a long time. Just think of your arms as hooks, you are simply using them to hold on to the weight and nothing more. The main muscles that will be used during a deadlift will be your quads, glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors.

Powerlifting Tip #4: Split Up Your Training

You should practice split system training, which means you have to focus on a specific body area and training until you get fatigued. This allows for intensive training, when compared to a full body workout, with ample recovery time before training that section again.

Unlike some weightlifters who might alternate upper body and lower body, you want to be more specific than that. Thus a typical week for a powerlifter could end up looking like this:

• Monday: Back
• Tuesday: Chest
• Wednesday: Shoulders / Traps
• Thursday: Biceps / Triceps
• Friday: Legs
• Saturday and Sunday are rest days.

So for example I am currently doing a simple Weightlifting Routine wherein Mondays and Thursdays are Leg Days and Tuesdays and Fridays are Upper Body. Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday are my rest days. If I wanted to start doing Powerlifting then I would need to make significant changes to my exercise routine.

Powerlifting Tip #5: Don't Over Train

3 to 5 days a week is a good rule of thumb for the maximum number of days per week a Powerlifter should be training. You will have to discover the hard way whether you should be exercising 3, 4 or 5 days per week. But you will know you are Over Training if get any of the following side effects:

• Increased Muscle Soreness due to not enough rest/recovery time.
• Poor sleep.
• Recurring Sports Injuries.
  

Powerlifters generally do not train as much as bodybuilders (who are often exercise addicts) and because they're lifting a lot more they need to pace themselves more and allow for ample rest periods. Part of this is because powerlifting causes strain on their CNS (Central Nervous System) and that needs more time to recover.

Powerlifting Tip #6: Ample Rest Period

This is obviously connected to the previous point above. If you give your body a large enough rest period it will help you to recover more efficiently from an intense session. Allowing for ample muscle recovery time (and CNS recovery) means you will see better results the next time you train. This will result in increased muscle and strength gains.

This also means that you should be wary about certain activities. Eg. If you had an intense session on Friday you should avoid helping a friend to move a piano on Saturday. If you get a sports injury while moving that piano you could set back your training significantly.

Instead on your days of rest you should focus on lighter activities and avoid anything that could put strain on your recovery.

Archery Equipment Guide for Beginners

A bow and an arrow. That's all you need, right?

Well, not exactly. There's a lot more things you need. See my Archery Equipment Checklist. But I don't go into a lot of details on that Checklist, but today I am going to do so. Here's what you really need... and Why!

Traditional Recurve Archery Equipment Guide

Recurve Bow

You want to start with a bow with a fairly low poundage so that you can focus on form first and build strength gradually over time. Generally someone new to archery should start with a 20 to 25 lb bow, depending upon their strength and size. Even people who are very strong should start with a maximum of 25 lbs and then as they progress they can purchase higher poundage limbs or more powerful bows.

This is similar to a person at the gym doing weightlifting: You don't start with the 50 lb dumbbells and start doing bicep curls. You start with the 15s or 20s and work your way up gradually. Someone who starts with a bow that is too powerful will get tired very quickly and their form will suffer as a result, causing a lot of inaccuracy.

Right: Samick Sage Recurve Bow.

There are many different brands and models of Traditional Recurve Bows to choose from. A very popular model is the Samick Sage (which my wife uses), but there are lots to choose from. When buying your first bow however try to get one that is the desired poundage. Don't worry so much about brand and model, poundage is much more important. You can always get a fancy bow later after your skill has improved significantly.

12 Arrows

So... Funny thing. Beginners have a tendency to lose arrows or break arrows quite often. So if you start with 6 arrows, you're probably going to lose/break half of them during the first month. This is why I recommend starting with 12, because if you break/lose 3 of them then you still have 9 left.

You also want to make certain that the arrows you purchase are spined correctly for the bow you are shooting. If they're too stiff then it reduces accuracy, but if they're too weak then it increases the chances of the arrows spontaneously breaking (and possibly hurting the archer).

See my old article: Three Frequently Asked Questions about Archery.

Bowstringer

A fairly simple device used for stringing your bow easily and without damaging the bow. If you string a recurve bow using the leg method (or the knee method) then you void the warranty. So you really want to string it properly using a bowstringer.

If you are getting archery lessons then your instructor can show you how to use a bowstringer properly, otherwise you can also ask someone in an archery store to demonstrate how to use it. Failing that there are also YouTube videos on how to use a bowstringer.

During a student's first archery lesson I often tell a story during the demonstration of how to use a bowstringer. The story is about Ulysses (Odysseus) and his return to Ithaca and how he strung his bow after being gone for 20 years and returning to Ithaca an old man. Or you can watch the 1954 version starring Kirk Douglas.

Archery Glove or Tab or Thumbring

Protects your fingers. Traditionally archers wore leather gloves of various styles to protect their fingers while shooting. If you shoot regularly without protection it will hurt your fingers and damage the nerve endings.

In the image on the right you can see the character Bran (from A Game of Thrones) wearing an archery glove. The glove in question is actually just a Neet Archery Glove that has had the label removed and the image has been tinted so it appears to be darker.

I saw someone about a decade ago shooting with zero protection. He was insisting on "doing it the traditional way", even though people traditionally used some kind of hand protection. His fingers during the summer turned black and blue because of all the damage he did to the nerve endings. We never saw him again after that summer. I am guessing his fingers had to be amputated. So yes, definitely wear protection. Wearing a glove, tab or thumbring is very traditional.

Below: An example of someone using a thumb draw with a thumbring. Thumbrings are usually used by people shooting horsebows (shortbows), but I have also experimented with using them to shoot longbows and flatbows.

Arrow Rest

Most bows (unless you buy a kit) don't come with an arrow rest. My biggest piece of advice on this topic is: DO NOT BUY THE CHEAP PLASTIC ARROW RESTS.

They break very easily.

Instead I recommend getting a steel or fur arrow rest. See my older post Five Styles of Arrow Rests for more on that topic.

For beginners what I generally ask is: Do you want something more traditional or more modern?

If the new archer says traditional I point them at the fur arrow rest (which isn't made of real fur), which you can see to the right.

And if they want something more modern then I point them at either a Flipper style arrow rest or a spring loaded arrow rest. I particularly like the QuikTune by NAP and I use it when teaching beginners because the arrow doesn't fall off easily when they cant the bow to the left. Beginner archers have a habit of canting the bow left and right and then the arrow slides off the arrow rest.

Nock Bead

The nock bead is a tiny brass bead that goes on the bowstring and acts as a guide for wear to nock the arrow on the bowstring, and prevents the arrow from sliding around on the bowstring.

Some archers will even put two nock beads on there, one above the arrow and below it, so it is even less likely to slide around.

Arrowheads

So yeah... Arrows don't usually come with arrowheads. Some do, but not all.

Also there are many different kinds of arrowheads, and they're measured in grains. (There are 7000 grains in 1 lb.)

I generally recommend that beginners start with 125 grain field point arrowheads, and if they want to shoot longer distances they can get 100 grain field points for shooting medium distances (30 to 50 yards) and 75 grain field points for shooting long distances (60 yards or further). You swap out the arrowheads for shooting longer distances so you can save on weight/increase arrow speed, but at medium or close distances you want a heavier arrowhead because it increases accuracy.

If the arrow itself is heavier than normal then you might even want a heavier arrowhead in order to change the FOC balancing point of the arrow. See my old article on the subject: What the eff is FOC Weight?

So yes...

That is everything that you "NEED".

You may have noticed that having an arm guard (arm bracer) or a quiver isn't actually a necessity. Those are really more optional. Below is a list of Optional Archery Equipment or you can browse Optional Archery Equipment for more details.

• Arm guard or Bracer - arguably a necessity for some people, but not everyone needs one.
• A spare bowstring. (In case the first one breaks.)
• Spare Parts for Arrows - spare nocks, spare fletching, fletching glue, spare arrowheads, spare inserts. This is in case you ever need to repair arrows.
• A quiver of some kind - possibly a back quiver, side quiver, hip quiver, ground quiver - or you can just make your own.
• Dampeners - puffy balls that make your bowstring quieter.
• Archery Backpack - to carry your gear in.
• Bow Sock - for storing a longbow or one-piece recurve in.
• 3D Targets - for shooting at fake rabbits and such.
• Portable Archery Targets - for when you don't have anything else to shoot at.
• Stabilizer - a gadget to help prevent people from canting the bow.
• Decorative Limbs Skins - purely for decoration.
• Wrist Strap - so you don't accidentally drop your bow.
• Bow Racks / Bow Stands - for storing your bow when you are not shooting it.
• Strange Arrowheads - Whistling arrowheads, Tibetan howling arrowheads, blunt arrowheads, glass arrowheads, flint, obsidian - there are quite a variety available.
  

 

Below are two examples of some whistling arrowheads.

Becoming an Experienced Archer in 10 Weeks

Is it possible to become an Experienced Archer in just 10 Weeks?

Well, yes, but it depends upon how you define "Experienced".

Experienced doesn't necessarily mean that are good at something. You can be experienced at rowing a canoe, but that doesn't mean you are very good at it.

Using that definition a toddler could be "experienced at archery", but that doesn't mean they're good at it. [Photo on the right is my son Arthur, who is 11 months old in this picture. It is going to be many years before he is an "experienced archer". My older son Richard (currently 5) meanwhile can shoot moving bubbles in the backyard while barely trying.]

But for the purpose of exploring hypotheticals, how do you go from just starting archery as a complete beginner to becoming an experienced archer in just 10 weeks?

Well, it is certainly possible to do it with a lot of practice, but I believe it is easiest when you have an archery instructor. Becoming "good" at archery is many times slower if a person is trying to do it by being self-taught, but you speed the process up significantly by having an instructor who can help you avoid common mistakes that many beginners get stuck on and they don't know what they're doing wrong.

A good book on the subject can also help, but a book cannot spot your errors when you make them and if you don't know what errors you are making then it cannot teach you how to avoid those bad habits while reinforcing good habits.

One of the biggest factors, in my opinion, is how serious the student is about learning archery. A child who is more interested in staring at their phone isn't going to get as much out of 10 archery lessons than a similar child who pays attention and is excited/enthusiastic about learning archery. Same goes with an adult who is similarly addicted to their phone versus an adult who really wants to learn archery. This isn't so much an age issue as it is a maturity issue.

Speaking on behalf of myself and my archery lessons you can learn quite a bit in 10 lessons, however just because I offer 10 lessons doesn't necesssarily mean that you cannot learn more. I have had some students who keep coming back for more lessons. 20? 50? More than that?

It happens. One of my students (Adam) just keeps coming back for more lessons every year. He was a teenager when he started, now he's in his 20s.

Some archers just want to be challenged constantly and they yearn to learn more things as they progress, possibly learning other styles of archery, other techniques, and more obscure topics that aren't covered in my normal block of 10 lessons.

See my Archery Lesson Plan + How many lessons should you do? post on the subject to learn more about the types of things you can learn during 10 weeks of archery lessons.

Powerlifting: What is a Good Target Weight? How Many Reps is Good?

See my previous post titled "What is Powerlifting?" if you're not familiar with this competitive weightlifting sport.

Powerlifting: What is a Good Target Weight?

Let's pretend you're just getting into Powerlifting and you want to do it for fun (and maybe compete if you get really good at it). What should your target weight be when you're first starting out?

How much you are going to be lifting depends on your goals. If you're just start off trying it to see what it is like then you should be conservative and take your time, so you can more easily avoid injuries. If you are planning to be lifting in a competition then you’re going to want to push the boundaries and aim for as much as you can physically (and mentally) achieve.

The Rule of Thumb

You want to work up to a goal. Getting there will vary on the individual depending upon your weight and gender (and to some extent height), so don't immediate assume that you can start at that number. You want to work up to it gradually.

For people not lifting in a competitive capacity you should start by aiming to eventually lift about 1 to 1.5 times your bodyweight, assuming that you are a normal size and not overly skinny or overweight. That doesn't mean you are starting off by lifting those weights. No, that means you should work up to trying to lift those weights.

During a competition a beginner female competitor could be expected to lift 101% of their bodyweight, and a male beginner could be expected to lift 133% of their bodyweight*. This is considered to be a realistic goal for beginners because they're expecting to lift that weight in 3 different exercises: The Squat, the Bench Press and the Deadlift.

* According to one of the authors of "Practical Programming for Strength Training".

How realistic theses goals are can also vary on the exercise being conducted.

For Beginner Men:

• 1.5 times your bodyweight is considered to be a realistic goal for both squatting and deadlifting.
• 1.25 times your bodyweight is considered realistic for bench pressing.

For Beginner Women:

• 1.15 times your bodyweight for squatting and deadlifting.
• 0.9 times your bodyweight for bench pressing.

Obviously more experienced powerlifters will be lifting a lot more than that, but for beginners this is a good target weight to work up to.

Powerlifting: How Many Reps is Good?

You also need to consider how many repetitions of each lift you are doing while training. Higher reps means you will have to reduce the total weight you are lifting, so for powerlifting you generally want to be doing only 1 to 12 reps, but lifting a larger amount.

When preparing for a competition, or trying to build more strength, 1 to 5 repetitions is considered normal.

If the athlete is focusing on technique or is worried about hypertrophy (increasing the size of muscle fibers) then they will do 6 to 12 reps and use a more moderate weight.

Thus if you're a beginner and you need to focus on technique more then you should focus on doing 6 to 12 reps in the beginning so that you can build good form and technique, thereby avoiding sports injuries.

If you enter a competition that is when you can change your reps to a lower number and add a lot more weight.

The Baby Hercules Hypothesis

Within the topic of Family Fitness, I have approached the topic of my sons' health a bit aggressively.

My wife and I have two boys, the firstborn is currently 5 years and the second is 11 months.

During the first year of a child's life it is generally recommended that parents do something called "Tummy Time" with their children.

Tummy Time encourages the baby to learn how to roll over, and also increases their arm and leg muscles. It is part of a baby's normal development.

As a personal trainer/sports trainer I approached this topic by aggressively doing Tummy Time with my first son (Richard), every day, often multiple times per day. And this worked fantastically in my opinion, speeding up his ability to crawl, cruise and eventually walk with confidence.

With my second son (Arthur), I repeated this process, with the difference being that Arthur was about 3 lbs heavier at birth than Richard was and seems to be developing at a faster rate.

At 11 months old he is walking (with aid), taking a few steps by himself, cruising with ease, and can stand independently for minutes at a time. He is also walking up and down stairs (with aid, for safety reasons).

As I write this Arthur is standing in his playpen, unaided, and playing with an old remote control with both hands. We let him have the old remote so that he stops grabbing the other remote controls. He likes pressing the buttons, even though they don't do anything.

Every day, several times per day, I am currently taking Arthur for walks around the house to visit various family members, and I will help him up and down the stairs too during these daily walks. Sometimes I will bundle him up in a snowsuit and take him for a walk outside in the backyard. (I am looking forward to summer time when I can take him for walks more frequently and don't have to worry about snowsuits.)

Arthur is surprisingly strong. I joke to my wife that changing his diaper is akin to trying to change a diaper on Baby Hercules, because if he is not cooperating then he makes it very difficult to change his diaper. Sometimes it takes two people to do it, one to distract him and keep him happy (and possibly grab him if he tries to squirm away), while the other changes the diaper.

Now it is my belief (and I defy anyone to prove me wrong) that a stronger baby is effectively a healthier one, and that if in a dangerous situation a baby who knows how to roll over can roll themselves over on purpose.

But what about a baby who cannot roll over? Well, I think that is inherently dangerous. What if the baby ends up in a situation where they are being smothered and they will suffocate unless they can roll over?

The Potato Baby Conundrum

Meanwhile a relative of mine has a little girl who was born only a few days before Arthur. So they're roughly the same age, but the mother has taken a very different approach to her baby's welfare.

She refers to her daughter as "a potato". She doesn't do Tummy Time. If you put her daughter on her tummy she starts to scream and struggle because she doesn't know how to roll over. The mother does this because she wants her daughter to "remain a potato" for as long as possible, because it is less work to manage her movements and behaviour.

I consider that to be inherently more dangerous, because what if her baby ever ends up in a situation where she is being smothered, is in water, or in some other kind of danger and all she needs to do to save herself is to roll over, sit up, stand up, etc. If the baby cannot do such actions independently then it could die.

Worse, as her baby gets bigger and bigger, the baby is facing an ever increasing uphill battle. As she weighs more her muscles will have to work that much harder just to roll over and accomplish other tasks like sitting up and walking. Her little muscles will, eventually, catch up and grow so that she can do such things, but she will be effectively be physically delayed when compared to other children who got the recommended daily Tummy Time. (And far beyond children like Arthur who got above and beyond that.)

Arthur is bigger and stronger than the baby in question, but his strength and size are partially due to the fact that he gets exercise every day (with his own private certified personal trainer, aka Daddy). As such I have greater confidence that if ever placed in a situation where his life is in danger he is physically strong enough and confident in his ability to stand and walk to escape from danger.

So my recommendation to other parents?

Do Tummy Time every day with your baby. Encourage your baby to roll, crawl, stand and walk. Don't turn your baby into a potato who just sits there all the time. Let your baby be a mini Hercules or Atalanta (Greek girl who was raised by bears).

Will it be harder to change your baby's diaper? Yes. But that is a price worth paying to keep your baby alive and healthy, in my opinion.

Baby Arthur with Kettle Bell

Note - The Kettle Bell in the photo is just plastic and when you rotate the grey section then it makes a clicking sound. It isn't actually heavy.

And for fun, here's another photo of Arthur giving daddy a big smile.

Refresher Course Archery Lessons

Good Morning!

There is no shame in getting a refresher course.

If you haven't done archery in a long time and you are worried you've forgotten a few things, or perhaps you've been doing it regularly, but you feel the need to improve on a few things that you feel you are having difficulty with, well then there's nothing wrong with getting a refresher course.

And judging by the pleasant sunny weather outside, spring is coming early.

So to all my former archery students, welcome back! Come get a refresher course. Refresh your memory and pick up some new archery skills too. Plus I thought it would be nice to see some of my old students from a decade ago.

Happy Shooting!

Sincerely,
Charles M.
CardioTrek.ca

PS. Below is a needlessly cute of my son Arthur that I took this morning after changing his diaper and getting him dressed for the day. I gave him one of Richard's old plastic bows and snapped a photo of Arthur plucking the bowstring.

Health Benefits of Krill Oil

Note: This is not an advertisement. This is a personal anecdote regarding my own usage of Krill Oil for health reasons + bodybuilding reasons. You will notice that there is no link below for buying any products and that I take a generic brand of krill oil.

So my doctor years ago prescribed me fish oil or krill oil because I had high cholesterol. It wasn't really a surprise seeing as I eat fish n chips and hamburgers regularly. I admit I am not the healthiest when it comes to eating. Exercise is more my thing.

I chose the krill oil out of the two options, proceeded to take it daily, and then after about a week I promptly forgot to take it regularly. Sometimes, once in a blue moon proverbially speaking, I remembered to take some more pills, but otherwise the krill oil pills sat on the shelf next to the Tylenol, looking lonely and forgotten.

Years later, in January 2023, I decided to start weightlifting again (and possibly try bodybuilding), and I did some research to see if I could supplement my weightlifting somehow with vitamins.

Hence my January 2023 post titled: 5 Bodybuilding Tips you can do today for $0.

At the bottom of that list is a section that says "MORE TIPS" during which I mention that "Fish Oil or Krill Oil [is] not only good for your brain, health, lowering cholesterol, etc, but also good for building muscle."

And when I researched the topic I realized that krill oil would benefit my weightlifting/bodybuilding goals, so I started taking it again... Daily. And I started keeping it not on a shelf, but on my writing desk close to where I like to exercise.

Thus in the morning while drinking my juice I will take 1300 mg of Tylenol (the arthritis variety that comes in 650 mg caplets because they last 8 hours) and 1000 mg of a generic brand of krill oil (two 500 mg softgels).

And in the past month I have been steadily building muscle, but also losing fat around the middle. Is it because I am exercising more? Taking the pills? Both?

Well today I decided to do some research to see what the health benefits are:

• Improves heart health
• Improves lung health
• Boosts the immune system
• Boosts the endocrine system
• Contains Omega 3 fatty acids, (240 mg for every 1000 mg) which affects brain health and other things.
• Reduces inflammation
• Reduces joint pain, stiffness, rheumatoid arthritis
  
• Reduces the pain and emotional side effects of PMS
• Helps prevent cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke
• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers triglyceride levels
• Decreased risk of colon cancer

So what about muscle growth?

Well, that's difficult to study because muscle growth can often be affected by a number of different factors, but...

"A randomized controlled trial demonstrated that supplementation of 4 g per day of krill oil for 6 months in healthy older adults significantly increased knee extensor strength, grip strength, and skeletal muscle thickness in both men and women."

Krill oil is very popular amongst bodybuilders, with some reporting that they take 3 to 6 grams (3000 to 6000 mg) per day. You will note that I only take 1000 mg, but that is due to my cautious nature about supplements. 3 to 6 grams per day feels... excessive and unnecessary. 1 gram per day is enough for my needs.

Side Effects

May sometimes also cause: 

• Bad breath
• Stomach discomfort
• Gas
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Headache

Honestly, speaking for myself... The pills do taste bad which is why I swallow them with juice, and as a consequence I haven't noticed any issue with bad breath. I also only take them in the morning during breakfast, and in my experience with taking similar pills that cause such symptoms that offsets the chance of diarrhea, nausea and stomach discomfort. So I haven't noticed any such symptoms asides from the bad taste.

DO NOT TAKE KRILL OIL IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO SEAFOOD.

Talk to your doctor before taking krill oil if you are on medications like blood thinners, estrogens, beta-blockers, diuretics, and aspirin.

Dosage

I routinely take 1000 mg because that is the amount recommended on the bottle. However your doctor can recommend a different dosage depending upon your situation. When in doubt just consult your doctor.

Global Warming = More Archery?

The birds are chirping like it is spring outside.

I spoke to my mother yesterday (who lives up north) and she saw a black and orange caterpillar two days ago, a sure sign of spring.

Almost all the snow is melted in my front yard and back yard.

The forecast for today is a high of 8 Celsius (46.4 Fahrenheit). So that isn't exactly warm, but it isn't freezing either.

Supposed to go up to 13 Celsius on Wednesday (and rain), but otherwise it is going to be unseasonably warm and mild for mid February. (Usually we should be expecting a big snowstorm around this time of year.)

Spring is Coming.

We can thank Global Warming, I suppose. I see this as a silver lining. In the future I may be able to teach archery more often in February and November, and perhaps take a few weeks off in July/August to enjoy a vacation when it is too hot.

Which means I can book archery lessons for 2023 for anyone who isn't afraid of a little cold.

Or you can prebook for March, April or May. Whatever weather suits your fancy.

Contact cardiotrek@gmail.com to book your archery lessons in Toronto today!

Archery Lessons for Valentines Day

Looking for something fun to give a loved one for Valentines Day in Toronto?

Why not give them an Archery Lesson for Two?

Or Archery Lessons...

2 Students, Weekdays or Weekends
$100 for 90 minutes; 3 Lessons - $290; 5 Lessons - $470; 10 Lessons - $920.

Contact cardiotrek@gmail.com to get a Gift Voucher Number and have a Happy Valentines Day!

3 Ways to get into Archery

If you have never done archery (or have very little experience) there are essentially three ways to get into the sport.

 #1. Get Archery Lessons

Obviously this is me tooting my own horn, but if you're looking for archery lessons in Toronto then I invite you to contact me to book archery lessons. Archery lessons are the fastest and easiest way to learn the sport, but they are more expensive and thus geared towards people who are more serious about wanting to learn archery in a hurry and want to excel at it.

If you have a friend who does archery they can also try to teach you, but this is often a test of patience on their part as they may not have a lot of experience teaching archery (or anything else). So when getting archery lessons I do recommend hiring someone with a lot of experience teaching archery and know what they're doing.

Speaking for myself: I have been teaching archery since 2009, and I have been doing archery since 1989.

#2. Buy an Archery How To Book

The book I currently recommend is by my colleagues Steve Ruis and Claudia Stevenson: "Precision Archery".

You can try to find the book at your local bookstore, and if they don't have it then you can order it from the store using the ISBN number... Or order it online.

ISBN 9780736046343

And if you want to go a step further you can also get yourself a subscription to Archery Focus Magazine, which gives you access to their back catalogue of magazine PDFs.

Which coincidentally also gives you access to various articles that I wrote for Archery Focus Magazine:

• "Marketing Strategies for Archery Coaches", July 2017.
• "A Lesson in Adaptive Archery", July 2018.
• "Teaching Archery Through Narratives", November 2018.
• "Rinehart Target Balls (and Alternatives)", January 2020.
• "Archery Trick Shooting", September 2020. 
• "Gap Shooting: Aiming for Versatility", November 2021.

 Oh and I am working on my own nonfiction Archery How To Book. So stayed for that to be released.

Note - Reading a book about how to do archery isn't perfect. Ideally you want an archery instructor, but if you don't have one then a book is the next best thing. There are other books on the subject, but "Precision Archery" is the best book currently available in my opinion.

#3. Teach Yourself / Watch YouTube Videos

I have a low opinion on the subject of YouTube videos teaching archery and while there is the potential for someone to learn that way, I firmly believe it is a bit like "the blind leading the blind" because often the people making such videos are beginners themselves.

Or if they are experienced archers they're not necessarily good at teaching it or explaining it properly.

And then there's the YouTube feuds...

For example, there are two specific YouTubers I am thinking of who argue back and forth in their videos about the proper way to do something. Just two men (and their egos) arguing.

Honestly, rather than watch YouTube videos you might be better off just being completely self taught, assuming you cannot find a book on the subject or cannot find an archery instructor.

Being self-taught really comes down to practicing regularly and socializing with other archers, because you will learn so much about the sport by talking to your fellow archers and observing them while they shoot to see what they are doing correctly, but also what they are doing wrong. If you can learn from their mistakes and triumphs it will speed up the process of teaching yourself. (Of course, you would learn even faster if you had an instructor to teach you what to be looking for.)

Conclusions

A combination of options #1 and #2 above is arguably the best you can do. Getting both an instructor and the aforementioned book on the subject, so you get the best of both worlds.

Or options #1 and #2 and buy a whole library of archery books (which is what I have on my bookshelves). In some cases I even have multiple copies of the same book, the result of people gifting me books that I already have copies of.

"Hey, there's an archery book! I should get that for Charles!"

And unfortunately I have copies of almost every archery book in the English language. Plus I am such an archery dork that I write nonfiction (and fiction) on the subject.

And I have 5 different books just on the subject of bowmaking and arrow making.

So yes, if you want to get really good at archery... Just copy everything I've done. Get archery lessons, buy ALL the books (even the bowmaking books), practice multiple days per week, get really good at it, learn multiple styles of archery, become an archery instructor, and of course publish articles on the subject... And start writing a How To Book on archery.

Whatever.

I think the point I am trying to make (again and again) is that you should either get archery lessons or buy a book like "Precision Archery". Or both.

Practice makes perfect. Aim small miss small. Have Some Apple Pie.

What is Powerlifting?

Powerlifting is a Competitive Weightlifting Sport that focuses on three main lifts. Historically these lifts evolved from a variety of strongman lifts known as "Odd Lifts", but later became standardized as the sport of Powerlifting evolved and became standardized to three main lifts:

1. The Squat
2. The Bench Press
3. The Deadlift

Athletes competing in Powerlifting have the goal to lift as much weight as possible during each lift, which themselves are each compound movement requiring multiple muscle groups and are therefore challenging to do. The maximum amount of weight lifted for each of the three lifts is added together giving the athlete their total in points. Whomever scores the overall highest total is the winner of the competition.

Thus an athlete could potentially score 2nd or 3rd in all three categories, but so long as they score more points than the other competitors then they are the winner.

Competitors are divided into groups based upon their gender, weight and height, thus keeping the competition at a level playing field.

The precise rules can also vary on the organization, with the primary difference often being whether competitors must compete while "equipped or raw". Equipped means they are competing while wearing reinforced clothing such as knee wraps, back braces, bench press shirts, and powerlifting singlets, which are made of very thick reinforced polyester or Lycra. They aren't comfortable, but they give the lifters a tiny advantage over people not wearing them. Raw lifters aren't allowed to wear any such clothing or aids.

Ignoring such aids, the athletes need to focus on the quality of their form. Failure to execute the lifts using proper form and technique can result in serious injuries. So pay attention, it is very important that you learn how to do these lifts properly so you can avoid injury.

It is also highly recommended that you do these exercises with a spotter in case you get into trouble.

The Squat

Rack a barbell at the correct height for your stature and load up with the required weight that will provide a challenge, but if you're just starting out try to make the challenge relatively low.

When performing the squat, ensure that the barbell is located high up on the back of your shoulders, but below your neck.  Make sure it’s not resting on your neck because that much weight on your neck/spine could result in a serious injury.

When you un-rack the barbell you want to squat down while keeping your chest up, back straight and face forward until your hamstrings are parallel to the floor.  Do this in a slow and controlled way to avoid injury. You also want to be certain that you reach parallel, which is important in a competition because otherwise you just wasted all of that effort and it won't count unless it is parallel.

When returning to a standing position you want to power up quickly and lock your hips to finish.

The Bench Press

Using a competition bench press, you first rack your bar and load with the required weight.  Place your back on the bench and your eyes directly beneath the bar.

Keep your feet flat on the floor, unrack the bar and keeping it close to you, slowly lower the bar until it reaches your chest.  Then push back up to the top position and rerack your bar.

It sounds easy, but is harder than it looks because it uses multiple muscle groups to complete the motions.

You definitely want a spotter when practicing the Bench Press.

The Deadlift

Start by loading up a barbell which is located on the floor.

Keep the bar close to your feet, bend at the waist and grab the bar with both hands, keeping them shoulder width apart.

With your back straight, chest up and face forward, slowly stand up keeping the bar close to your shins.

Lock your hips (push them forward) as you reach the top of the movement – this is important in a competition because otherwise you won't be considered to have finished the lift.

Note

You don't have to compete to get into Powerlifting. Some people do Powerlifting just as a way to stay fit or gain muscle. Some people also just like the challenge and want to set goals to see how much they can lift.

5 Bodybuilding Tips you can do Today for $0

Let's pretend you want to start bodybuilding or weightlifting today, but you don't have the budget to go buy fancy equipment or get a gym membership.

With a recession looming and rampant inflation, now is a good time to invest in BUYING NOTHING, but instead making use of the muscle between your ears to start weightlifting today without having to spend a penny.

 #1. Bodyweight Exercises

You don't need fancy equipment to do the following exercises:

• Sit-Ups, 8 sets of 12
• Push-Ups, 8 sets of 12
• Squats, 8 sets of 12
  
• Jumping Jacks, 8 sets of 12

Admittedly the jumping jacks will feel more like cardio, but you're still technically lifting your body during the process.

#2. Less is More, sets of 8 to 12 reps

Start with doing 8 sets of 12 repetitions of each exercise you are doing. So 96 total.

Every 3 weeks of doing these exercises you can change the number of sets and repetitions as follows:

• 9 sets of 11
• 10 sets of 10
• 11 sets of 9
• 12 sets of 8
  

So the volume stays roughly the same, but the focus at the beginning is on endurance, while as you progress it becomes more focused on strength. It is assumed that after 3 weeks of doing the same exercise that your endurance should have gone up by now. You should also be a bit bored and looking for a change and wanting more of a challenge.

If you're really desperate for a change you can jump two stages instead of one, or possibly progress to the next stage every 2 weeks instead of 3.

#3. Look around your home for Old Exercise Equipment

Chances are likely you already have some equipment laying around the house, possible yours or your spouse's, or roommate's. Ask if you can use the equipment. Ideally you will be looking for the following items:

• Dumbbells
• Barbells
• Kettlebells
• Chin-Up Bar
• Exercise Mat or Yoga Mat
• Weightlifting Bench
  

With those you can do a variety of weightlifting exercises.

But you can also make do with other items that you find around the house. Don't have any weights? Fill a cloth grocery bag with books and lift that instead. Or a bucket of water. Or a sack of flour. Small children...

#4. Ask Friends and Family for Old Exercise Equipment they don't use any more...

Tell them you made a New Years Resolution to exercise more and are looking for donations of any exercise equipment they don't need or use. IE. Exercise equipment they probably would've thrown away eventually anyway.

Not all the equipment people give you will necessarily be meant for weightlifting or bodybuilding or powerlifting, but you shouldn't turn down anything you can potentially use for exercising. Eg. If someone offers you archery equipment, take it because archery is a great way to build your upper back muscles.

If someone gives you something that you really cannot use try trading it for different exercise equipment via Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace or similar websites.

#5. When Exercising focus on Form and Safety

Do the exercises properly. If you're not sure how to do the exercise properly consult YouTube or various websites on the topic. You don't need to spend $$$ on personal trainers in order to learn how to do an exercise properly.

Do the following:

• Be cautious.
• Don't overdo it.
  
• Learn the correct form.
• Be patient.
• Start small, build gradually.

MORE TIPS!

Eat lots and eat healthy. Don't be afraid to eat too much. It is more important that you eat lots of healthy food so that you have plenty of nutrients and protein to build muscle.

Got vitamins you should be taking? Start taking them daily.

Eat more often to replenish your strength and energy levels.

Avoid junk food.

Rest and recover.

Learn how to do compound lifts/movements properly.

Find a program that fits your needs.

Stick with it!

Only train 3 to 4 days per week.

Alternate leg days and upper body days / different muscle groups so that muscles have more time to recover and grow.

Take scheduled breaks.

Don't be afraid of (healthy) snacks. If you're hungry, eat something!

Practice the mindset of an athlete. Think of yourself as being "in training".

Better to eat too much protein than not enough.

Creatine Monohydrate (found in red meat), but you can also buy supplements. They're not cheap however. I swear the price has doubled in the last 20 years.

Fish Oil or Krill Oil, not only good for your brain, health, lowering cholesterol, etc, but also good for building muscle.

Best Home Gym Investments for Strength Training

Getting a daily workout in during a busy schedule is always a challenge. Between work, school, and family life, finding time to spend in the gym is almost impossible. But, since exercise is the most beneficial thing you can do for your health and is entirely within your control, you know you just have to find a solution.

One solution to this common problem is to work out at home. Creating a home gym is an effective and easy way to exercise daily when you struggle to find time and motivation. By working out at home, you take the extra time and stress of going to the gym out of the equation, saving time and money.

So make exercise easier and more obtainable by creating your own personal home gym. Stock your home gym with the appropriate equipment, and start enjoying a workout in your own home.

The Top 7 Best Home Gym Investments for Strength Training

A home gym is a perfect solution to the issue of not getting enough regular exercise, but it can be challenging to determine what equipment you should buy and which equipment you may not need.

Take a look at the top seven best home gym investments for strength training to help guide you toward creating the perfect home gym that is right for you.

Adjustable Dumbbells

One of the best investments for strength training exercises you can do from home is adjustable dumbbells. Adjustable dumbbells are relatively inexpensive yet so versatile that you can use them to work every muscle group in your body.

Another great thing about adjustable dumbbells is that they don’t take up much space. They are the perfect addition to a home gym with limited space since you won’t need as many different sets of dumbbells to account for the different weights you need. They are easy to use, and storing them is never a problem.

You can easily get a full-body workout with just one set of adjustable dumbbells. You can use the lighter weights for upper body exercises and core workouts and the heavier weights for lower body and back exercises. 

DIY Homemade Dip Station

If you’re really strapped for cash and want something that you can build yourself, try creating a DIY homemade dip station for your home gym. Dips are a great workout for your triceps, shoulders, and back, but they take time to perfect. A homemade dip station would be perfect for gaining strength in your upper body and would fit nicely into a home gym.

To create a homemade dip station, you need wood, pipes, clamps, and screws. The best part of building your own home gym equipment is making it as big or small as needed to fit your space properly. Just be sure you have all of the pipes secured tightly with fitted collars to avoid potential injury from a flimsy pipe fitting.

A homemade dip station is also used for bicep workouts such as high pulls and pull-ups and can also work as a stability bar for performing other exercises that require balance.

Workout Bench

Another simple piece of equipment that is perfect for a home gym is a workout bench. Having a workout bench will make exercises easier to complete and helps keep your posture in good form. They are easy to install and often found in yard sales, garage sales, or various online secondhand retail stores like eBay.

A workout bench is excellent for completing workouts utilizing dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and standard core work. You can use it as a stepping stool for dumbbell step-ups, or if you’re working those glutes, a bench is a great workout tool for hip thrusts and split squats.

If you want to save even more money on your home gym, you can also DIY a workout bench. Use wood blocks, foam, and sweat-resistant fabric for the upholstery to create a workout bench that is perfect for your small space.

This is the perfect solution if you’re unsure if a traditional-sized workout bench would fit into your space since you can make it as big or as small as you’d like.

 

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are perfect for quick, home workouts. They are easy to use, easy to store, and incredibly cheap.

Resistance bands are ideal for strength training those small muscles that tend to be difficult to grow because you’re creating resistance against the muscle. Still, the weight isn’t so heavy that you cannot work the muscle to failure, which is important for muscle growth.

Some other workouts you can complete with resistance bands include donkey kicks for your glutes, fire hydrants for your thighs, and overhead resistance band pull-aparts to grow your shoulder muscles and bicep curls. It’s amazing how many different muscle groups you can exercise simply using a set of bands.

When choosing the perfect resistance bands for your home gym, be sure to find a set that offers a few different resistance levels, and ones that are color coded for the different weights are also convenient.

There are also some with handles and some without. Resistance bands with handles are great for arms and upper body workouts, whereas booty and lower body workouts use bands without handles.

Punching Bag

 

Another great addition to a home gym that adds the opportunity for both cardio and strength training is a punching bag. You don’t often think of a punching bag as gym equipment, but you’d be surprised how many muscles you work when using one. 

 

Punching bags are small in size, so they fit into your home gym easily, are generally non-intrusive, and are easy to install. 

 

You can buy a punching bag at any local sporting goods store or make one yourself. Then, using wood, metal, or steel to hang the bag, you can simply install your own for a super inexpensive DIY version of a punching bag. Just be sure the bag is secure so that when you’re punching away, the bag stays tightly in place. 

 

A punching bag is also a great way to incorporate cardio equipment into your home gym without taking up too much additional space, like an elliptical or a treadmill would require. Building muscle strength may be your initial goal, but cardio is also very important for a well-rounded workout program that will help keep you healthy for many, many years. 

 

Virtual Personal Trainer

 

Another home gym investment that will help you increase your muscle strength while also keeping you motivated to reach your goals is a virtual personal trainer. 

 

A virtual personal trainer will create workouts tailored specifically for you and the goals that you are looking to achieve. Of course, you can have all the gym equipment in the world, but what good does it do you if you aren’t using it correctly?

 

Investing in a virtual trainer will give you a goal-oriented mindset and add more value to the home gym equipment you have already invested in. Personal training in a gym setting is expensive and calls for a trip to the gym every day. In contrast, a virtual personal trainer creates workouts for you virtually that utilize only the equipment you have available to you at home.

 

Having a virtual trainer also helps to hold you accountable for the workouts and adds a bit more of a personal touch to your program. It’s also helpful when you’re unsure whether you’re completing the exercises correctly, and it can help reduce your chances of getting injured while working out.

Kettlebells

 

Finally, when discussing the best home gym investments for strength training, we would be totally crazy not to include kettlebells. Kettlebells, like dumbbells, are easy to store, come in a variety of different weights, and are incredibly versatile. 

 

What’s more, you can use a kettlebell in place of two dumbbells in most cases, which is another reason why they’re great since you don’t need to purchase them in sets. 

 

Kettlebells are also good investments because they have handles that are easy to grip and perfect for people with weak wrists. In some cases, you can purchase them in different colors or styles, so it’s easy to depict which kettlebell is heavier or lighter than the other. 

 

Popular exercises that utilize kettlebells include kettlebell swings, lunge-to-arm presses, and teapot lifts, which are great for working your obliques! 

 

Before You Go

 

Creating your own home gym is the perfect way to invest in not only your home but also your health. You can get an effective workout from the comfort of your own home while still building just as much muscle strength as you do in the gym. 

 

The best home gym investments are things you can easily store to fit into a tight space, are versatile in their use, and can be made at home DIY for even more savings. 

 

So, stock your home gym today with these pieces of equipment for a fun, new way to work out and start seeing those muscle gains.

No Price Hikes due to Inflation at Cardio Trek

 

I have decided to keep my rates the same as they have been since June 2020. So despite the inflation that is going on elsewhere in the Canadian/North American economy, I will be keeping my rates the same.

So for example my Archery Lessons will continue to use the following rates:

1 Student, Weekdays or Weekends
$70 for 90 minutes; 3 Lessons - $200; 5 Lessons - $320; 10 Lessons - $620.

But there is one big change I would like to announce: I will now be accepting couples again. I ceased offering lessons to pairs/couples during 2020, but I will be resuming that in 2023.

The new couples rates are:

2 Students, Weekdays or Weekends
$100 for 90 minutes; 3 Lessons - $290; 5 Lessons - $470; 10 Lessons - $920.

Anyone looking for archery lessons in Toronto, regardless of what style of archery you want to learn, should contact me to learn more: cardiotrek@gmail.com

I teach the following styles of archery:

• Traditional Recurve
• Olympic Recurve
• Longbow/Flatbow
• Horsebow/Shortbow
• Compound Archery

I do not teach crossbows, but I do know someone who does if that's your preference.

Happy Shooting!