Exercises for Growth – Blog 3 (Passion)

For my first passion blog, I wanted to learn more about specific exercises that can be done to improve climbing while away from the wall. I want to know what I can do to improve my climbing even when I don’t have access to a wall. In this blog I am going to focus on upper body and arm strength.

Rock climbing is a sport that requires you to use every muscle group in your body. It simultaneously forces you to use balance, endurance, strength, and technique to complete difficult climbs. To increase my upper body strength in a way that is most useful for climbing, these are the exercises that were recommended:

  • Push ups
  • Pull ups
  • Tricep dips

In the context of climbing, push-ups are recommended as a form of training called “antagonist training”. Antagonist training is working muscles that oppose others. Climbers use their biceps most often as they pull themselves up or into the wall, causing tricep muscles to oftentimes be underdeveloped. Doing push ups would increase my arm strength and also even out the development of my arm muscles, which can help prevent injury. Some climbs do involve pushing as well, so training triceps will be helpful no matter what. Push ups are a simple exercise I can do at home and  I would benefit greatly from incorporating them into my daily routine. Tricep dips also fall under the antagonist training category, as they (obviously) train your triceps.

Pull ups require the use of most arm muscles used when climbing. Training pull ups would increase my strength in a way that is more directly related to climbing.

Forearm strength is another very important aspect of climbing. While climbing, you begin to feel very tight in your forearms, something climbers describe as being “pumped”. This tightness can be very uncomfortable after some time and inhibit your ability to climb effectively during a session. Training my forearms on days when I am not climbing will help improve my strength and endurance and allow me to climb better and for longer periods of time.

Two forearm exercises that were recommended were wrist curls and reverse wrist curls. Wrist curls are done by sitting down and placing your forearm on your leg with your wrist hanging off and palm facing up. Then, with a weight in hand, you curl your wrist upwards towards your forearm. Reverse wrist curls are the same, but with the back of your hand facing up. It is important to do both to train all areas of your forearm and ensure that all muscles are getting equal amounts of attention.

Finally, I am going to focus on grip strength. Obviously, using your hands is a crucial part of climbing, and one must have a lot of grip strength to complete long, difficult climbs.

Dead hangs, weight plate pinches, and finger extensions are three exercises I can do to increase my grip strength. All three of these exercises are simple and focus mainly on your hands.

Dead hangs involve hanging from a bar without moving for as long as you can. From the articles I read, it is recommended to hold the dead hang for a full minute to maximize its effectiveness and push your muscles.

Weight plate pinches involve pinching a plate between your thumb and other four fingers and raising it to your chest. You are meant to hold the weight at your chest for as long as you can until you feel your grip start to weaken.

Finger extensions are done with a band wrapped around all five fingers and pushing them outwards as far as you can.

 

 

https://www.trxtraining.com/blogs/news/grip-strength-exercises-for-rock-climbing

https://threerockbooks.com/10-off-wall-exercises-improve-climbing/

https://www.climbstrong.com/education-center/developing-general-grip-strength/

 

 

Extra Credit Blog 2

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there are some significant “civic activities” that have emerged and remained present in society today.  These civic activities include protesting, vaccination, and voting. 2020 was an important time for the Black Lives Matter movement and protests sparked throughout the country. Since then, protests have become all the more common, especially in regards to issues such as abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and the Black Lives Matter movement. Protesting embodies the commonplace of community as it brings together those who are fighting for the same end goal. Vaccination was another civic activity that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although vaccinations have been around for decades, getting vaccinated became something that was expected of people, especially as data continued to show that getting the COVID vaccine was effective at protecting people from getting the virus. Before the pandemic, vaccination was still a topic of debate, but it was not as prominent as it was during the end of 2020 and throughout 2021. People began to feel as if they were serving a specific duty to their country by getting the vaccine, which embodies the commonplaces of health and community. Health is a commonplace as much of society’s focus is on the health of the people and it is part of every aspect of life. In fact, it could be said that this commonplace could also be applied to protests, as many protests regarding women’s reproductive health began amidst the pandemic. The final civic activity that I noticed had arisen during the pandemic was voting. Obviously voting has been around for hundreds of years, but it became especially important during the 2020 election when people’s views were extreme. Much emphasis was being placed on millennials and Gen Z as they had been reported to have lower voter turnouts in past elections. Due to the state of the country and world at this time, it was important that people voted and had opinions about election candidates as the future of their healthcare and economy were extremely different depending on who was elected as president. Increased emphasis on voting as a civic activity also embodies the commonplace of community and voting (ironically). Going to voting centers, registering to vote, and exercising one’s right to vote all fall under this commonplace and help Americans choose their leaders and form their countries policies. All of these civic activities arose during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the fragile state of both the country and the world, as numerous civic issues began to arise at the same time. The country was in a state of unrest when it came to healthcare, women’s rights, and racial equality, so these activities rose to bring people together again and restore some parts of normal life.

The Grand Finale

Today marks the moment that we have all been waiting for. The final reveal of my favorite Rex Orange County song. First, I want to reflect on the past few weeks of analyzing his songs. During this time, I gained a new appreciation for the artistry of his music and was truly able to understand why I love his music so much. I fell more in love with his witty and emotional lyrics. I fell more in love with the jazzy elements that have persisted throughout his entire career. I fell more in love with the small details I used to overlook. I fell more in love with his music than I ever thought I could and developed such a strong connection to the art that he produced. Ultimately, this project ended up to be much more of a “passion” project than I expected, but I’m glad this was the case. Honestly, I do feel some sadness in knowing that this analysis is over, but I am incredibly excited to share my results. In the future, I may consider doing this project with other favorite artists of mine, as it helped me develop a greater appreciation for and familiarity with the songs.

To finish off my analysis of Rex’s discography, I created a bracket with the highest rated songs. This list was composed of the four songs which received ratings of 9/10, as well as my favorites from the songs rates 8/10. I chose 12 songs total and created the bracket, which looks like this.

The first round consisted of the eight 8/10 songs: Waiting Room, 10/10, Always, Know Love, It Gets Better, Happiness, Never Had the Balls, and Keep It Up
The second round consisted of the winners of the first round as well as the four songs rated 9/10: Never Enough, It’s Not the Same Anymore, Television/So Far So Good, and Loving is Easy.
I decided winners simply on initial feelings about the song and pure enjoyment, as I feel like that is the best way to compare songs. These songs also all made it to the bracket because of their high scores in the specific categories I analyzed, so I thought it would be more fun to focus more on vibe than technicalities.
Deciding which songs I liked more was hard at times, but there were some that I chose instinctively. The hardest choice was definitely the final two songs, but I am happy with the choice that I made. Now, for the final reveal.
My favorite Rex song is….
Always!

History of a Public Controversy Brainstorm

While discussing with my group members, we discussed a few topics as potential ideas. Two of these ideas included zoos and prisons.

The zoo idea would be focused mainly on the ethics of zoos in general. This video would focus both on animal sanctuaries and zoos that abuse animals. Examining these two types of zoos would allow us to address the controversy surrounding zoos and the implications of keeping animals in captivity. Our other idea regarding prisons would examine the controversy surrounding the structure of American prisons. Most American prisons focus more on punishment and time behind bars than actual reform, which is what this idea would focus on. I think both ideas would be interesting to explore and am excited to work with my group on this project!

TED Talk Slides

Proper citations to be included in the actual talk and essay.

Texting-While-Walking, Social Life and Haunted Houses: Our Favorite Student Comments of the Week - The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/learning/texting-while-walking-social-life-and-haunted-houses-our-favorite-student-comments-of-the-week.html

Study: 53% of 6-year-olds have cell phones | wkyc.com

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/nation-now/study-53-of-6-year-olds-have-cell-phones/95-21000969

Silly Bandz (2002)

15 Best Nostalgic 2000’s Toys Of All Time

Beyblade (2002)

15 Best Nostalgic 2000’s Toys Of All Time

Razor Scooter (2000)

15 Best Nostalgic 2000’s Toys Of All Time

People mad at each other Stock Photos - Page 1 : Masterfile

https://www.masterfile.com/search/en/people+mad+at+each+other

https://www.masterfile.com/search/en/people+mad+at+each+other

The Beginning of the End: From Pony to Who Cares?

Yet again, Rex’s songs for this week include the type of Flair we are supposed to be analyzing. Today, I finished Rex’s third album, “Pony” and began listening to his most recent album, “Who Cares?”. If you remember back to when I pitched the idea for my passion blog, you may be wondering why I am skipping his live tracks. This is because I feel like, while they are very different from the studio recordings, they are still the same songs, and shouldn’t really be included as a separate entity. Maybe another time I will rank them as their own group and see which live track I enjoy most. But, for now, I’ll move onto what you’ve all been waiting for, because “Who Cares?” about all of my rambling anyway? (see what I did there?)

My favorite song of the week is the last song on “Pony”, called “It’s Not the Same Anymore”. This song is a beautiful combination of intricate instrumentals, powerful lyrics, and pure emotion. The feelings that are provoked when I listen to the song are unlike anything I’ve felt before, and I think everyone needs to appreciate its beauty. The song has a mellow and reflective tone throughout, as Rex reflects on the things he has gone through during his life. This song provides so much comfort to me and encourages me to reflect on how much I’ve grown and changed to become who I am today, earning it a rating of 9/10.

The “worst” song of the week is another “Pony” track. His song “Every Way” tells of the love between him and his (now ex) girlfriend and how she has helped him grow over the past few years of his life. The song is simple and sweet, focusing more on the message it delivers and not intricate details. Either way, this song doesn’t need all of the flashy instrumentals and harmonizing for it to get it’s point across. Would you complain if your partner wrote you a sweet love song? Didn’t think so. While these factors add to the song as a whole, it isn’t as enjoyable for the listener, so I awarded the song with 7/10 points.

Last, but not least, I want to talk about a song from “Who Cares?”, Rex’s most recent album. This song is bright, fun, exciting, and a pretty drastic shift from his more jazzy and emotional style in “Pony” and “Apricot Princess”. This song follows the structure of a typical pop song, but still maintains his more indie style, which I love. He incorporates some jazz elements, such as violins and brass, but keeps it modern with the techno instruments as well. It is a good shift into a new era for him and I am curious to see how his style continues to progress. Overall, this song gets an 8/10 from me.

As always:

Detailed Notes

Spreadsheet

Pony Digest: The Middle Tracks

We’re back at it again this week! This week’s songs include the middle tracks from Pony, and I’m very excited to share my ratings. With a lot of whimsy, upbeat instrumentals, and emotional lyrics, Rex really delivered for this part of the album. As we can all tell, this part of my week is the best, as I get to rave about my favorite artist, so let’s just get started.

Rated at 8/10, “Never Had the Balls” is number one on the roster. This song is filled with a techno tone, gorgeous guitar, and an interesting 80s vibe. The lyrics themselves are also incredibly interesting and entertaining, adding a lot to the song. The dynamics of the instrumentals of this song are also very impressive, as he shifts from a more techno 80s pop style to an orchestral feel at times. Also, to add something interesting and coincidental, Rex alludes to other songs of his within this song, with the background vocals saying “It’s only getting better now for you”. This allusion to his other song “It Gets Better” shows his talent as an artist and adds much more to the song.

The next song of the week is “Stressed Out”, which has always been my least favorite song on the Pony album. Although I do enjoy it, it is a simple song that doesn’t have much excitement. Despite this, the message it sends is very powerful, as it discusses toxic people and those who really just want to see you fail. There are many good aspects of the song, including the layered vocals throughout and unique use of pitch, as well as the bird sounds at the end that blend it seamlessly with the next track on the album (Never Had the Balls). Overall, this song receives a score of 5/10 from me.

The song I am going to leave you with for the week is one of his most famous and well-known, “Pluto Projector” (it’s funny that his songs always line up with the Flair element of the week). This song is arguably one of his most instrumentally advanced, as it ends with a full orchestra, which I’m realizing is part of my kryptonite with his music. The song has a beautiful buildup that makes the orchestral section even more emotion inducing. I would like to note, however, that I have never had the strong emotional connection to this song that many other people have, which is why I ended up giving it a controversial rating of 7/10. I prefer songs of his that I really relate to, and this song has never really been one of them.

As “Always” (see what I did there?), here are the links to the updated spread sheet and my detailed notes:

Detailed Notes

Spreadsheet

The Songs Between Albums and the Introduction to “Pony”

This week, I listened to the four singles released between Rex’s second album (Apricot Princess) and his third album (Pony) as well as the first two songs from this second album. These songs show a strong shift between the melancholic and sad state he was feeling in Apricot Princess and how he is growing as a person over time. Woohoo! This shift helped Rex expand as an artist and diversified his discography, adding jazzier and more uplifting elements to his music. I’m so excited to share these songs with you all, so let’s get right into it!

The song that was the most “okay” I suppose was Loving is Easy. However, when I say “okay”, I mean ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. This is the first Rex Orange County song, and I’m so glad it was, as it truly shows everything that he has to offer as an artist. The fun, seventies-style, instrumentals and the jazz influence throughout the song bring a warm and loving vibe that is unique to his music. It feels as if you are in a movie watching the two main characters fall in love! There is genuinely nothing bad to say about this song, and every time I listen to it I enjoy it even more. The lyrics are fun and youthful, sprinkled with some tasteful cursing (my favorite) to contrast the loving and modest instrumentals. Overall, this song is definitely a must-listen.

The lowest-ranked song of the week is his single Edition. However, it’s important to note that this song, while rated lowest of the week, still received a high rating of 7/10. The techno style and methodical instrumentals throughout the song provide a nice segue from Apricot Princess into the rest of the singles before his next album. The mellow vibes that this song has make it such an easy and enjoyable listen that plays an important role in his discography.

Finally, the honorable mention of the day is Always the second song on his third album, Pony. This song is one that has an even stronger importance in my life today, as it discusses the importance of staying true to oneself and getting support during times of need and change. Coincidentally, some major changes just occurred in my life which I am still trying to make sense of, and this song provided just a tad bit of comfort during this time (it actually sent me into an existential crisis, but I digress).  This song has always had such a profound meaning to me, and I always tend to stumble upon it in my times of need. I would definitely recommend listening to it when you are going through some difficult times and need a reminder that everything will be okay.

As always, here are the links to my updated spreadsheet and detailed notes:

Notes

Spreadsheet

TED Talk and Unit 2 Ideas

As someone who hates change, one of my favorite TED talks is “Why change is so scary – and how to unlock its potential” by Maya Shankar. I have experienced various sudden changes throughout my life, including loss, divorce, breakups, and many more. But I’ve realized that I have defined myself by my hatred of change as if it is something I should carry forever. This talk showed me that maintaining this mindset is holding me back from expanding who I am as a person, finding joy in new experiences and relationships, and ultimately hindering my ability to be truly happy. In her talk, Shankar poses three important questions that we should ask ourselves when we are experiencing change:

How might this change change what you’re capable of?

How might this change change what you value?

How might this change change how you define yourself?

I find these questions to be incredibly thought-provoking, as I have always focused on the negatives that come with change, rather than how change can make me better as I continue to learn and grow. Although I discovered the talk only a few hours ago, it’s message is already helping me deal with the unexpected changes that I am experiencing in my life right now.

Some potential topics that I am considering for my Unit Two projects are:

How the attitude surrounding mental health has changed over time

The change in childhood values and experiences over the years

I plan to brainstorm more topics over the weekend. I think these topics could work since I find that I can observe these changes within my own life and the groups I am in. I plan to learn more about these topics through the resources we discussed in class on Tuesday and will focus on the negative societal implications that these changes bring forth.