DOES CROSSFIT REALLY WORK?

Considering its recent popularity -- there are currently more than 10 million self-described CrossFitters -- it's worth asking if CrossFit is really all it's cracked up to be. And according to a small new study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), your WOD really is working. A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's exercise physiology program monitored 16 healthy and fit volunteers as they burpee'd and thrusted their way through two separate CrossFit workouts, Donkey Kong and Fran. The men burned nearly 21 calories a minute while women burned just over 12. Each routine took varying amounts of time to complete, however, all the participants maintained an elevated heart rate throughout the entire workout and reached about 80 percent of their VO2max, satisfying fitness industry guidelines for improving cardiovascular endurance, according to ACE.

The benefits of CrossFit and other high-intensity interval workouts are especially intriguing to many busy people, since they accomplish a lot in a short period of time. But "high-intensity" is the key phrase: These workouts are not for everyone. Not only is CrossFit's intensity "off the charts," Porcari said, but the sport of fitness also encourages competition, which could push some athletes to injury -- or worse. Tales abound of "Uncle Rhabdo", an unofficial mascot of CrossFit, afflicted with rhabdomyolysis, an all-jokes-aside, potentially-fatal breakdown of muscle that could strike CrossFitters who don't respect their limits. To reap the benefits of CrossFit injury-free, first-timers should look for a gym, called a box, with a caring and invested coaching staff where they can try out some introductory workouts. But with the right nod to safety, the research supports going totally beast mode.

The Hot Men of ARROW!

  Want to know where to tune in to see hot men this fall? Go no further than the CW's "Arrow."


The CW knows who its audience is.
When Supernatural first came out, I distinctly recall it being billed as "Buffy for boys," but it became obvious pretty early on that the show was actually "Buffy WITH boys" and that the audience was very interested in seeing said boys in varying stages of undress. And to Supernatural's credit, they found that perfect blend of giving the audience what they wanted while simultaneously making fun of them a little for wanting it in the first place.
Well, Arrow is entering the first stages of giving the audience what they want with this offering -- four shirtless photos of the male actors who will be featured in Arrow's second season, debuting Oct. 7. And if you are part of that audience, you may now feast your eyes on the goods, because, damn, people on television sure are very, very attractive.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and shed some bitter tears all over my chubby, old-man blubber.

I LIKE TO TOUCH MYSELF...WANNA SEE

I’d like to talk to you about…MASTURBATION
A look at masturbation by RIC DENTON
Yes, I said it. One of those words that is germane to all humans, yet one that few humans like to talk about because most dislike admitting that they enjoy it, let alone that they do it. Well…I don’t know if I’m being unfair, but it certainly seems to be the case that the subject makes many people shrink with uber-shyness. Is it because we fear that others will immediately get a mental image of us bopping if we say we do it? Maybe. I understand. It’s (typically) a private thing.

  See, I want us to all be comfortable here, to be able to talk about the FACT that we masturbate without shame. Meaning, I want us to talk about it without shame, and I want us to do it without shame. Why? Because it feels good. It’s just that simple. And because it’s good for us physically and chemically. And because it feels good. And because it’s a sign of a healthy psycho-sexual self-identity. And because it feels good.

So, you may have noticed above that I mention the good feelings part a few times. There’s no accident there. I believe that we humans have been directed to avoid things that feel good to us by far too many moral decrees out there and I, for one, am here to tell you that you can ignore—even push off a bridge (ok, not really)—anyone who tells you that masturbation is a “bad” thing. They just aren’t doing it right, clearly.

Now, I’m not here to tell you how to do it. I think that most people reading this article know their own style of getting themselves off by now, or are exploring new ways as time moves forward. AND GOOD FOR YOU!

What I am here to talk about, and to blow to smithereens, is the idea—the stigma—that masturbation is a sad thing, something that is reserved for those who do not, or cannot, get sex on the regular. And don’t even tell me that mentality doesn’t exist out there because I know it does. I actually had someone say to me, “Well, I don’t masturbate, and why would I, because I can have actual sex with another person, and as long as I can do that, I see no need to masturbate.”

Really, dude? Bullshit.

 

   You mean to tell me that the other person you supposedly get to fuck whenever you are horny satisfies ALL of your fantasies? Wow. Ok then. If that is the case, then you are truly lucky because you found a fucking unicorn in human form. And, if that really is the case and it works, then go on with your excellent, nearly-impossible-to-comprehend sex life.

But, for the rest of us, who are very multi-layered and, in my opinion, need different things depending on the day: there’s porn.

GAH! THAT OTHER WORD!

     Yes, people, we like porn. Let us just say it. WE. LIKE. PORN! And some of us even love it because—WOW!—all the different flavors you can access out there! And what did we learn from

studying Sigmund Freud? Huh? Twat was that? I cunt hear you... Oh, yeah! The brain is the most powerful sex organ in the human body. When you stimulate it properly, all kinds of magical things happen, and then you get to play with the magic and BAM! Sparkles and fireworks and whatever else your end-result looks like.

Yes. What I am advocating and pushing here is the concept that self-love really is the best love because it is our first love. You know what Ru-Paul says every week: “If you can’t love yourself, how the HELL you gone love somebody else?” And she’s right, on more than just the emotional level. It’s simple, really. When you have learned how to show yourself the level of self-respect and kindness that is self-love, you innately come to understand how to treat others. Likewise, when you learn how to touch yourself and have explored all the ways you think feel good to you, then you can interact with others sexually to do those awesome things to them (Ever play with vibrators? Holy SHIT!), or you can ask them to do things to you that you like on your own, and it’ll take you to a whole new level of letting go. Seriously. Think of masturbation as on-the-job training for when the rubber hits the ass. Or vagina. Or whatever it’s hitting.

     All of this being said, I think we all know when and when not to have conversations about such an intimate topic. This is not water-cooler conversation at the office, unless you have some special relationships with a co-worker. Or three. But who’s counting?

Again, this is a dialogue I’m opening up for you so that if you are one of those people who are squeamish about the subject, you can, hopefully, begin to relax and truly enjoy intimacy with your laptop on any given night (or weekend afternoon), and not feel bad about the fact that you’re not in a sexual relationship right now with another person. Be in one with yourself, and learn what makes you truly hot, then pay that forward.

    Before I go, I’ll address the weird questions of those who are in relationships already and are struggling with porn issues: “But if I am dating/fucking someone, why do I still want to watch porn?” OR “Why does he/she want to watch porn? What am I there for!”

Well I’ll tell you: You’re there for when the time is right for BOTH of you to have sex. Are you always in the mood at the same time? Does it always feel like you’re in sync and that you’re truly in the moment and connecting? No. It does not. And that is the reason that YOU like to watch porn when your partner isn’t around or isn’t in the mood. People are on different sexy-time cycles, and it’s perfectly ok to admit that you need a virtual surrogate if your partner isn’t ready or available. Ok? Ok. 

    The obvious red flag is, of course, that if you or your partner is always choosing to watch porn or masturbate as a preference to having direct physical intimacy…it’s time for counseling, to open the relationship up (because I don’t believe in prolonged monogamy, but that’s a whole different post to come), or to just let go of each other and move on. Every relationship has a shelf life. Every one of them, no matter how hot the sex might seem when it happens.

  So. You do you like nobody else can do you, and I promise you will learn a thing or two, and I believe you will be able to relax and have better sex because of it.

Beyond Ru-Paul’s advice, I think Madonna summed it up best: “It’s human nature.”

 Go with it.

Follow Ric Denton at Facebook.com/RicDenton

What Makes You Wet And A Mess?

TNY SEX EXPERT: RIC DENTON

I want to talk to you boys and girls about what I feel is a lost art: Sensuality.  It may seem obvious that it’s not really lost, per se, but I do think that many, many people don’t like putting the extra effort into exploring all the ways you can make someone else’s body feel good before you get to the fucking and (hopefully) make them feel fanfuckingtastic.  You can call this foreplay if you want, because it is, but it may not necessarily fit the standard ideas of foreplay which I think most people envision as a blowjob for guys, and some tongue-on-clit action for gals, or a finger inserted here or there to warm up the hole for the grand act. You can (and SHOULD!) include those in your love making, but before you even get there, here are some of my favorite things to do to a body. I don’t consider these things extra work or boring at all, cause when you’re hot for someone, you’re going love giving your playmate pleasure with any of these.  Some basic questions to consider are… 

Do you like being slowly and methodically massaged all over? Yes, you do. That means others do, too. And don’t feel bad about lingering on super-hot spots. You’re making sexy time. Everything  is fair game (unless someone is bruised somewhere and it just plain hurts to touch).

Do you like to be kissed or even licked in random spots that you never really think of as being kissable or lickable? I KNOW, right! Others will, too.  Now, I’m REALLY fucking ticklish, and I know how awkward it can be when someone’s trying to be all sexy and they touch the wrong spot and you knee their face in auto-protest. But it CAN be overcome. Know how? You take their head in your hand and you guide it like a big, seeing, smelling, tongue-wielding masturbation device. With your hands connected to your partner, you’ll feel more in control and less apt to be wigged out when those teeth brush your inner thigh or those whiskers graze over your belly button.

Do you like sex with food? Like, with syrups and jellies and fruits? ‘Cause if you do, then you’ve got get your fingers (clean, please) sticky with the good stuff and put them in your partner’s mouth, and on their body, on their naughty bits—or on yours—and have fun cleaning each other up.  I realize you might not be able to get into this sort of thing with everyone, ‘cause some people may just not like it, but just try it. If you enjoy the way your partner looks and feels already, why not amp it up by making them the embodiment of some of your favorite flavors? Talk about devouring someone…whoa baby.

Do you like to make out? Again, this may seem obvious, but I’ve met men (yes, I’m gay) who just cannot get into kissing worth a goddamn. I don’t understand it. The human mouth was designed for pleasure as well as a vehicle for sustenance and, by god, it just needs to be crammed up against another one for long, wet, sloppy sessions as often as possible. To be honest, kissing is something that’ll make my dick hard faster than someone sucking on it, but again, that’ll depend of if I’ve got a good kisser to work with. My advice: KISS A LOT. If you don’t think you’re a good kisser, practice. A LOT. ‘Cause I mean, the things you can do with your fingers while your face is smashed against someone else’s…do I really have to explain all that?  No.  I know you get me there.

Do you know how to talk sexy to boot-kockin’ buddy? What I mean is, while you’re making out, and you’ve got a finger or two massaging that delicate flower, or you’re tugging on that growing tube-steak, work your way around to your ear of choice and, in that purring voice unique to you, tell them what you’re gonna do to them. Tell them how you’re gonna own it. Make them tell you what they want, and then do it.

As I said, these are just a FEW of my favorite things. Also, I realize that not every play session will require detailed sensuality.  Sometimes, you just want to get right to the fucking and sucking, or the jerking, or the fingering, or whatever works, and get off because you’ve got things to do.  But, when you just really don’t have anything else to do, I think you owe it to yourself to see just how skilled you are.  You will get some amazing returns on your investment.  Trust me.

Ric

You can follow Ric on Facebook

Facebook.com/Ric Denton

You can also listen to Ric discuss Sex and all kinds of stuff on his internet talk show.

 http://www.ricandbseriouslystraight.com/

If The Shoe Fits….

Your guide to Summer Running Shoes.

TNY RUNNING EXPERT: KIMBERLY SMITH

*Disclaimer* I’m not an expert. Good thing is, I don’t have to be an expert. In the running world, EVERYONE else is an expert; and most believe that, whatever is on their feet, should also be on yours. Everyone has an opinion.

  From barefoot or minimalist, to arch support, to Brooks, Mizunos, Vibrams, or Newtons, the shoe selection at a typical running shop can be overwhelming. When you start throwing out terms like “heel drop”, and it’s enough to make your head spin. First things first, you need to find someone who truly IS an expert and have them watch you run. It can be a bit nerve wrecking to feel like your form, and foot strike is being judged, but the truth is, this person is trained to   watch what your body is doing and help you find a shoe.

   For example….my feet, awful; my arches are beyond fallen. My foot rolls into the inside and turns out like a ballerina. Without the proper shoe, I suffer (and I mean SUFFER) with Plantar Fasciitis to the point where walking hurts. I tried many shoes before finding the right one. For me, it’s the Brooks Adrenaline line (http://www.brooksrunning.com/Adrenaline-GTS-13/120123,default,pd.html), in a size and a half bigger than I normally wear. If you do not have screwy feet, you might want to look into the minimalist options. This is where heel drop comes into play.

    In “barefoot running” heel drop is zero. Simply put, your toe and heel are on the same plane. Of course they are…you’re barefoot. If running sans shoes isn’t your style, but you still want the feel of the barefoot runner, then you should look for a shoe with the least amount of heel drop. The popular, if funny looking, Vibrams 5 Fingers are a true Zero Drop shoe. They will give you the closest feeling to running barefoot, short of taking off your shoes and going for a run. If that doesn’t work for you, there are many options in the 0-10mm drop range. The smaller that heel drop number, the closer your heel is to being on the same plane as your toes. When this happens, it forces you to stop jarring your heels into the ground and adopt a more friendly mid-foot strike. Think knees up. Instead of making your stride long, your knees should come up, keeping your feet under you. Most people start out running as a heel striker. When your heel hits the ground/trail/pavement/track first, all that energy travels right up your leg, essentially putting the brakes on your stride. Imagine with every step, you are actually stopping your momentum. Add to that, the potential for injuries such as ITBS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliotibial_band_syndrome), Plantar Fasciitis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantar_fasciitis), shin splints (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints), back and knee pain…..wait? Why do I run again?

   You want a supportive shoe that promotes good form? Check into Newtons  (http://www.newtonrunning.com/).  These colorful shoes with the funny little pegs on the bottom are designed to encourage your foot to land more “toe first”. However, at nearly $200 a pair, and coming with a learning curve (these cannot be your primary running shoe when you first switch to them), they can be a big leap for a new runner. Full disclosure, I tried a pair of Newtons last year, and although I wanted to love them, after my first 5 mile race, my legs hurt worse than they had after my first half marathon. I simply couldn’t afford a second pair of running shoes to wean into the Newtons, so after 2mths of trying, I took them back to the running shop and exchanged them for my beloved Brooks. If you aren’t in the middle of marathon training, and have the time to wean yourself into them, they can be great shoes.

    But that’s the thing about being a shoe expert. The only person you need to be an expert for, is

yourself. Do you research, find a trusted local running store with educated employees who aren’t just trying to sell you the latest and greatest gadget, and find the shoe that works for you. People were running long before the days of “heel drop”, “Chi Running”, and fancy watches, and they will be running long after many of these fads run their course (pardon the pun). The most important thing is to find what is comfortable and what works for you…not the brightest, fanciest, most expensive thing you can find.


 FOLLOW KIMBERLY ON FACEBOOK
   Facebook.com/Kimberly Smith Fitness
    http://betterfly.com/pro/fitnesswithkimberly

She done stole yo urse!

Spring Hibiscus Cocktail...That's right, Hibiscus.

Fantastic Spring cocktail- Starbucks Hibiscus Berry with Cranberry Vodka. Add fresh Blackberries. Drink it up and have a great Spring. Now...to find the perfect BIG Spring hat.

Wednesday High Brow

HAPPY HUMP DAY EVERYONE!

Nokia Lumia 920 : When NERDS and SEX collide!

Like a kid pushing his way through the Sears catalog just before Christmas, I could not have been more excited fro the arrival of the new Windows 8 Phone. I had been a lucky beta tester with Windows 8 on my laptop during the Spring on 2012. I love it from top to bottom. I am a sucker fro something completely new. When I had read that Windows planned to turn the computing world on it's head, I thought it was a risk to big to take. Apple was on this amazing rise and the boys over at Google were plotting to take over the world. What on Earth could come from Redmond? And then, Windows 8 happened. Microsoft was not asking us to relearn the computer...they were telling us we had no choice. Very exciting. After spending the better part of 2012 using Windows 8 beta, I must say...I was totally sold. Live Tiles. New UI. Beautiful colors. Sure, I had to learn some new things but it was totally worth it. Then when I heard that this same UI was coming to market in the form of a smartphone-I was in sheer HEAVEN! I had glanced over Nokia's Windows 7 phone. It was a beauty. However, I never had the chance to physically touch one. The Nokia Lumia 920 would be the showpiece of Microsoft's first serious foray into the smartphone business. Had the Iphone finally met it's match? As a recovering Iphone user, I give a resounding YES! The Nokia Lumia 920 is a solid phone. Heavy to hold and premium all the way. It fits nicely in my pocket and in one hand. The new OS does take some getting used to. While the Nokia comes with a tutorial to download, I found it much more enticing to explore this phone blindly. New gestures must be learned. Live Tiles now replace the need to constantly open apps for the latest content. The Live Tiles are customizable to the size of your liking. Never before have you been able to design your home screen. Unlike the Iphone and Android powered phones, apps no longer just sit on your screen. They actually come alive. The Nokia Lumia 920 is constantly updating itself and each dedicated Live Tile will keep you in the know all day long. News, weather, FaceBook, Twitter, and so much more,constantly update themselves right before your eyes. It could easily be said that the Nokia Lumia 920 is the first fully integrated FaceBook phone. FaceBook seems to be integrated into almost every facet of the OS. I find myself updating Facebook and reading people's posts without actually ever opening my FaceBook app. It's impressive and the Iphone and Androids can't do that. BING is also tied effortlessly into the OS. There is a dedicated virtual search button on the phone that will take you straight to BING. There you can type, speak, or play music and wait for BING to respond. It's very effective and almost makes you forget about Google. The Nokia has a brilliant virtual keyboard that not only corrects yours spelling but it predicts what you are saying. I have found this to be very useful when in a hurry. There is also a Talk to Text feature that is very good. The Nokia Lumia 920 is in a league all to itself because Nokia has dedicated many of it's own apps to this OS. For those of you who are familiar with SPOTIFY, there is NOKIA MUSIC. It does the same thing as SPOTIFY and more...for free. It will allow you to download the music that you have searched for playback when not connected to the internet. NOKIA DRIVE delivers, for free, turn by turn navigation that is also available without WiFi. NOKIA CITY LENS offers augmented reality at it's best. Launch the app and hold the phone up to the street you are on and see a list of businesses appear on your screen. Pretty cool app for finding new a fun places to eat and drink. There are many more really cool Nokia apps that can only be acquired if you have this Nokia. It's a huge selling point over the other Windows 8 Phone from HTC. Perhaps the most anticipated feature of the New Nokia Lumia 920 is the 8 megapixel Carl Zeiss Camera. I love taking pictures. However, I am not a very good photographer. This camera changes all of that. Major reviews of this camera has stated that it's the best camera on any smartphone available currently. I have taken pictures in the dark and they show up like daytime. It's magnificent. And now Nokia has released a camera app called, BLINK. It complements the camera by taking several bursts of pictures so you can choose the best image. I'm sure I have left out many features of this phone as there are just so many of them. I will continue to update this post as I continue to use my Nokia Lumia 920. I would like to state that I have owned 4 Iphones, 1 Android powered device, and 1 WebOS phone. I have had a lot of experience with different OS's and I like to think of myself as being qualified to write a fair review. If you would like to know more please don't hesitate to comment with your questions about this phone and I will be glad to answer. Also note that I still have my Iphone and randomly compare activities between the two devices. THE BOTTOM LINE: Nokia and Microsoft have delivered the first true smartphone. Let the OS wars begin.

Slap it on my face.

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have sat at home on a weekend with my hair hidden under a baseball cap and a thick clay mask slathered all over my face. Sometimes it was in vein and other times it was just a practice in silliness. Most of the masks that I have used came from the drug store aisle and always promised me a tighter feel. My motto is: The tighter,the better. So as a guy who takes grooming very seriously, I treated myself to a clay mask that was designed just for guys. Anthony Logistics Warm Clay Mask. Let me just tell you...it was Heaven. I have never used a mask that was red so I had to get used to the odd color. It was almost as though I had coated my face with a terracotta pot. So with my face now covered from forehead to chin, I could feel the burn. Yes, I said burn. Not an acid peel burn but a nice slow burn. It was as if it was slowly making love to my skin. Once the heat settled in the tightening began. Let me tell you, this mask is tight. You want to be careful about making expressions because the mask will crack and puppies will probably die because of it. All kidding aside, the mask is unlike any i have ever tried before. It is a little hotter than warm and you can feel it degrease your oily skin. I left it on for about 10 minutes and then rinsed it off using a warm face cloth. Afterwards, my face had a nice glow to it. There was no shine and I had the peace of mind that this was achieved without the use of harsh chemicals. I'm not sure how often guys want to sit at home and wear a face mask but I'm telling you if you have an extra 10 minutes...DO THIS ONE. I woke up this morning and my skin still felt really good. I can easily see myself to committing to this regimen twice a week in the future. ANTHONY LOGISTICS DEEP PORE CLEANSING CLAY

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Wednesday High Brow.

Coming Soon...

The perfect cup of tea.

NERD is the new sexy...

You can't walk down the street without noticing the latest trend for men is glasses...BIG GLASSES. Whether you blame the "hipster" movement or our eyesight is really failing us, large eyewear seems here to stay. I have to admit that I have fallen victim to this trend and ordered my first pair of "Warby Parkers" last fall. Wearing glasses adds a sense of confidence but ever more importantly they add a level of sex appeal. Who is the guy behind the frames? The trend seems to be large and thick frames that demand all attention from other features of the face. I love mine because they create a distraction from my forehead. I think as we become more accepting of ourselves we become free to express ourselves in the simplest ways. Where once the kid with the glasses was the quite and meek type, that guy that just past you with his very thick frames...is the most confident person you have experienced all day.

So...what do you think?