Health

SunHour is perhaps best described as a well-intentioned approach to charity and lifestyle improvement, in the form of social media marketing. Ads seen on Australian television for SunHour urge: Screens off. Life on. The idea being to get children away from the usual television, phone, and computer screens. Along with the sedentary lifestyle that may be associated with such things. Then instead enjoy an hour of physical activity outside in the sunshine. Which seems reasonable. Following things a bit further, with the help of a computer no less, reveals that SunHour is a project by Golden Circle, in conjunction with The Smith Family charity. With Golden Circle stating on the SunHour website: “We will donate a bike to a less fortunate child for every 2,500 SunHours pledged before 30th November or until we reach our goal.” The goal is to reach 1 million SunHours pledged. Interestingly, to pledge a SunHour ...

Seeing how many coins can be stacked on a collarbone, or collarbones – #collarbonechallenge – has been a recent trend on social media within China. The tipping point seemed to have come when Chinese actress Lv Jiarong posted a picture of herself on Weibo, apparently balancing about 80 coins on her collarbones. Image Source: Lv Jiarong, Weibo. Because collarbones are supposedly the new sexy. A bit like ankles were in the past. Images such as the above, have raised concerns by some commentators related to body image and notions of body shaming. As tends to happen on the internet. That if a female has not achieved this latest (and probably faddish) hallmark bodily of perfection as “skinny and sexy” by showing her collarbones, she’s going to be shamed and taunted into poor physical and mental health. The serious concerns are related to females starving themselves to achieve protruding collarbones, and ...

In a move borne of both comic idolatry and borderline comedic obsession, but for the consequences, in a bid to look like his idol, the Hulk, bodybuilder Romario Dos Santos Alves injected his muscles with synthol. Over the course of three years he did this in order to make his himself appear more muscular. The 25-year-old did manage to achieve biceps of 25 inches. However, while not quite turning green, his arms did begin to harden like rock and at one stage doctors thought his arms would need to be amputated. Just as well he wasn’t obsessed with the characters such as the Thing and Jax as well. Luckily for Alves, amputating his arms was avoided, and he has reportedly been clean of synthol for two years now. His tale is one of caution and also of dealing with the addiction and depression related to his pursuit of bodybuilding and injecting synthol ...

Cassey Ho, the Blogilates fitness instructor, recently made a YouTube video (shown below) called The “Perfect” Body, aimed at tackling body image shaming and cyber bullying. In it, and her accompanying blog post, she addresses negative comments she has received, such as: “you shouldn’t give advice when you’re so fat” “trainer?…really? tone up the belly fat and love handles” “Why do all trainers have a 6-pack but not you?” “take your career seriously and lose some weight” “her body is so pudgy. try doing some crunches” “no offense but you have no butt” “you should suck it in more” These are the ineloquent seven mentioned in the video, and are likely but a few of the negative comments received. Cassey requests that the video is shown, where she begins to Photoshop her body to be “perfect” in response to the various comments and idealised notions of beauty. Asking at the end: ...

The Australian Government plans to stop some welfare payments for those parents who do not vaccinate their children. Meaning they are no longer likely to receive any childcare benefit or rebate, nor receive the Family Tax Benefit A end of year supplement. The policy is expected to become effective from 1 January 2016. It is also now to apply to those whom formerly claimed religious exemption from childhood vaccines, such as the Christian Scientists. This apparently closes the exemption loophole which permitted those not vaccinating their children on religious grounds; and the vaccination exemption loophole is being ever tightened elsewhere. For a religion to gain an accepted exemption from childhood vaccinations, the religion’s governing body would need to formally apply and have its objections approved by the Government. Minister for Social Services, Scott Morrison, has stated: “There are no mainstream religions who have such objections registered.” Further noting that the ...

Enter Angelina Since first stepping into the spotlight, Angelina Jolie was been many things to many people. From Hollywood wild child, with her various oddities such as an interest in knives to wearing a vial of blood of her then husband Billy Bob Thornton (a much older man) in a necklace.  Perhaps channelling some of these quirks or even art imitating life, she became a celebrated actress.  Including winning three Golden Globes; and winning an Oscar in 1999 for her portrayal of the sociopathic Lisa Rowe in Girl, Interrupted.  Plus the Tomb Raider movies, although perhaps far from the most respected acting she has done, playing as Lara Croft served to place her truly in the public eye. Seen as incredibly beautiful, she has consistently ranked in FHM’s list of the 100 Sexiest Women each year since 2000 to now; peaking at third place in the year 2005.  Similarly Esquire magazine ...

Enter the Kettlebell In late 2012, there were murmurs, rumours, and some general confusion about what was happening in the world of kettlebells. The kettlebell (or girya in its native Russian tongue) is maybe best described as a cannonball with a handle.  Weird as that may seem, once people begin to understand them a bit better, kettlebells tend to be known more like the all-in-one gym. The reason for this, is that their use favours not only brute strength grinding lifts, but also ballistic and dynamic movements. The off-centre and displaced weight of the kettlebell can force additional activation of muscles for stabilisation (there is also the law of irradiation at work) making an apparently ‘light’ weight feel rather heavy, adding layers of difficulty and nuance.  Largely reflecting the notion that strength is a skill.  (It should also be noted that because of their shape, for some exercises kettlebells are easier to ...

When it comes to lifting weights, the bench press forms one of the big three lifts (along with the squat and deadlift).  Three lifts, that when combined, are believed to be enough to develop impressive overall strength and conditioning. The question of how much that strength and conditioning carries over into into general sports remains a somewhat debated issue.  Yet people will continue to do push ups without considering this question. So when it comes to the bench press, what are your thoughts? Play uthinki Feature Image Credit: jason.lengstorf