How Important Are Your Genetics - GetFitOver40

In this YouTube video titled "How Important Are Your Genetics" I talk about how your genetics play a big part in your health and fitness journey.

The most important point I want to make in this video is that we are all different and unique and we should not be comparing ourselves to others around us. At least in terms of wishing we had this attribute or that attribute that someone else may have. This kind of thinking will only lead to disappointment because often there may be little we can do to achieve a certain genetic feature that another person is blessed with. You too will have genetic advantages in certain areas and the goal is to work with those advantages and also work even harder on areas that are genetically not our strong points. As long as you are making small positive improvement over time you are doing it right!

Specifically when weight training, some people have a genetic muscle makeup that responds to lifting weights really well, it's almost like they don't even need to try and they get stronger and more muscular, and then others work super hard in the gym but only see very slow progress in their strength and muscle gains. And the way our muscles grow is also determined by our genetics, not just which areas grow faster and larger but also how those muscle shape and attach to the surrounding muscles. There is very little we can do about the shape of our muscles as this is almost exclusively a genetic feature but we can work harder on those areas that are slow to grow to create a more balanced look. This is what body building is all about.

Another big roll in genetics is the placement of our body fat, some people put body fat all on their kegs and but while others put it all on their upper body or even just their belly region. Some people put very little weight on their face and then others seem to gain a lot of weight in their neck and cheek area. The only way to create equality in how body fat is stored would be to reduce it to extremely low levels so that it becomes none relevant but this is very hard to do and not practical for most people as we generally need some body fat on us to be healthy and feel energetic and healthy.

Genetics also determine to a large degree how our bodies will wear over time. Some people even at very young ages can get arthritis and/or even other diseases like diabetes and heart disease that can change drastically their ability to perform even moderate exercises. While some people seem to be healthy and strong even into their elder years.

At the end of the day we are who we are with our individual strengths and weakness. Make the best of what you have and if you want to compare yourself to anyone, compare yourself to the person you where a month ago or a year ago or even 10 years ago. If at the end of the day you are moving forwards and not backwards then you have nothing to complain about!

Age is Just a Number - GetFitOver40

In this YouTube video titled "Age is Just a Number" I talk about how your age really effects your ability to do pretty much anything physical.

Some people look at me and wonder how at 46 I can be in better shape then most people in their 20's? I ask what is stopping me from being in better shape then people half my age, is it my age? And if it is my age how does my age factor in to all of this?

The preset notion is that as we get older our bodies get weaker and more run down, and yes there is some truth in this but why does this happen? Sometimes genetics play a roll and even some very young people can end up with the short end of the stick and receive some disease that effects their health and ultimately effects their physical condition which can put limitations on what they can do in terms of exercise. As we get older the possibilities of sickness, disease and injury are more prevalent than a person much younger. But if we take care of ourselves through health, nutrition, fitness and being kind to our bodies, then we don't open ourselves up to the effects of aging as much.

There are also people in their 50's, 60's, and 70's that are still running marathons or doing power lifting or biking or what ever it is they enjoy doing physically. So yes if your genetics are on your side and you take care of your body then age becomes just a number, not the determining factor in what you should be capable of doing.

On the other side of the coin, a limiting factor may be time, perhaps you work 60 hours per week and come home to family duties at the end of the day that leave you beat tired with no interest in doing anything physical, but then again this has nothing to do with age? Anyone can be in this situation at any point in their lives. Perhaps it again is simply understood that younger people have more free time so they can use that free time to achieve their fitness goals more effectively.

One last point I want to make is the excuse factor. At any age a person can have an injury, physical disability or responsibilities that make achieving their physical goals harder than for others. Perhaps this happens a bit more as we get older. If it is important to you, you will find a way to make it happen, there is always something you can do even if it's not your fist choice, there is always at least a little bit of time in your day that you can commit to health and fitness.

I guess my point here is that age does not determine what you can do, other factors are much more important, and even if age has caught up with you and put limitation on your life, you still have options and choices that include health and fitness. You may be surprised at how you can turn things around just by making some small positive mental commitments to make your health and fitness a priority in your life regardless of age.

EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack Review - Geek Mode Off

I was sent a really cool Power Bank from a company called EC Technology a couple of months ago and finally got around to doing my review for it just now. I am for the most part a bit of a home body as I work from home and only really venture out for workouts and family activates. Most of these event do not require I bring along additional power but I do travel from time to time and having a big ass power bank sure come in handy on these occasion even if it just knowing I have my own power plant lactated in my travel back pack.

My EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack came packaged nicely with a USB charging cable (to charge the power bank) and of course it also came with a manual.

By the way it will take about 12 to as much as 30 hours to fully charge this high capacity power bank from a totally dead state, charging time will depending on the output amperage of the USB power supply you use.

Once fully charged you can expect to recharge the average Smart Phone about 8-10 times , keep in mind larger Smart Phones with higher capacity batteries will use up more of charge from the EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack than smaller Smart Phones will. Electronic devices like earbuds won't even make a dent in it!

Here are some of the Tech Specs for you geeks out there:

• Lithium Ion battery.
• Capacity: 3.7 V/22400 mAH/82.8Wh
• Input is Micro USB Port DC5V/2A (maximum)
• Output #1 is DC5V/1A
• Output #2 is DC5V/2.1A
• Output #3 is DC5V/2.1A
• Dimensions: 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.9 inches (160x80x23mm)
• Weight: 1 pound (462 grams)
• Built-in microchips to ensure safe use and long lifespan.
• 500+ recharge cycles over the life of the battery.
• Also has LED Charge indicators and an LED Flashlight.

Who needs one? 

• Anyone with lots of USB powered gadgets that may not always have access to a wall charger.
• For people who use their technology all day long and the built in batteries do not cut it.
• When traveling and you need that little bit of extra power to make it though the day.
• For literally anyone, sine we all forgot at least once in a while to charge our phones and need to run out of the house with a dead battery, just plug in the EC Technology Power Bank and charge on the go.

Pros & Cons:

• You can change many devices before having to recharge the EC Technology Power Bank but it is a little bit on the heavy side if you want to keep it in a purse.
• It has a built in LED flashlight but it is not all that bright, you will most likely find your smartphone flashlight to be brighter.
• You get three charging USB ports so you can charge three devices art once, no con to this!
• Attractive looking design and well made, again no con to this.
• Lives up to its power rating claims not like many other power banks that can not back up their specifications.
• Very reasonably priced for what you get.

Conclusion:

The reality is you don't always have a wall charger when you are out and about and we all find ourselves in that situation where we run out of battery exactly when we need our technology the most weather that be to make a phone call, take a photo, listen to music or simply because we are board and want to play some solitaire. When this happens and if there is no wall port available then you can either go without your tech or plug it into one of these babies! The EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack may be overkill for the average persons needs but if you are a person who is pretty mobile and need to have your gadgets fully charged and ready to go at all times then you will not be disappointed with the EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack.

Chances are if you have lots of gadgets then you have a  nice big bag to carry all of them around in anyway, so why not throw the EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack in along of the ride too.

Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset Review - Geek Mode Off

I have been reviewing some of the higher end Bluetooth Earbuds lately like the Jabra Sport and the JLAB EPIC Bluetooth Earbuds. But these guys are in the $100 and even more price range which may put them out of the budget for some of us. So when a representative from Axgio contacted me and asked me of test out their Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset, I thought why not, after all they only retail for $20 on Amazon, and what if they’re good?

Before I give my two cents here is a listing of the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset Features and Specifications…

Features:

• Stable, secure and comfortable fit. Over-ear hooks, with three types of silicon ear tips that fit most ears.
• 8 hours of music playtime (8 hours of talk time).
• Stylish appearance and good looks.
• Enhanced Volume allows you to enjoy music at truly loud and clear levels.
• Two pieces of cord clips adjust suitable length for cable management.
• Easy to answer calls, skip tracks and volume up/down, call pick up/end, previous song/next song and pause/play your music without the need to reach for your phone.

Tech Specs:

• AptX for true CD audio quality.
• Bluetooth Version: 4.1+EDR 
• Profile Supported: HSP, HFP, A2DP and AVRCP 
• Battery Capacity: 85mAh 
• Charging time: about 2 hr 
• Charging port: Micro USB 
• Music time: 8hr 
• Talk time: 8hr (have built in mic)
• Net Weight: 17 g / 0.6 oz

What comes in the box?

• Three different sized sets of ear tips.
• Micro USB Charging cable
• Cord Clips
• Manual

So are they any good? I have to say I was super surprised! First off they came to my door almost fully charged so I was able to use them right away. And they sounded really good with lots of volume and bass, mids and highs where clear and smooth.

Once paired with my iPhone 6 plus I was happy to see the familiar BT icon showing the battery level for the headset in my iPhone menu bar and like many other Bluetooth headphones there was that reassuring female voice in my ear letting me know that the headphones where on and connected.

My pair of Axgio Vigour Sports had the largest ear tips on them and I actually found them to seal almost too good since these headphones really pound, not only in terms of audio level but also bass response. I ended up switching the ear buds to the medium sized ones for a slightly looser fit in order to lesson the bass response just a tad.

Audio quality is really very good, as I said, tons of bass but the mids are smooth and the highs are crisp yet not hard on the ears. I found when listening to music with already decent audio levels, I was only able to listen at around half volume or the Axgio Vigour Sports could distort a little bit but even at half volume they are more than loud enough. As you know, some music has a low overall volume level, with the Axgio Vigour Sports I was able to jack up even super quiet music to nice loud listening levels. Even with the deep bass and crazy amounts of volume the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset is able to pump out I was still able to get a good 4-5 workouts in before having to recharge them.

The controls are located on the right ear bar rather than the cord like some other Bluetooth Earbuds, this is actually a good thing in my books because I do not have to hunt around for the remote and I also find that when the remote is located on the cable it can kind of tug the entire cable over to one side making you have to constantly readjust it while working out.

The build quality and finishes seem good but in terms of durability I can not say since I have only been using the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset for a couple of weeks now. That said, at around $20 you can buy 5 pairs of these for the price of 1 unit  in many other similar type Bluetooth Earbuds making them almost disposable. I am kind of kidding here but the reality is that even if I broke or lost a pair, I could get another pair and still spend way less money than I normally would on a more expensive pair of Bluetooth Earbuds.

One area that the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset seems to be lacking on in terms of being a “Sport Headphone” is being listed as sweat proof or moisture resistant. There is literally no mention of this in the manual other than to not get the controls wet. Personally this is not a deal breaker for me since I really don’t plan to use the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset in a monsoon or in the shower. My ears do not perspire so much that I am concerned with rivers of sweat poring into the controls on the headphones. All the ports are covered and the body of the control area is coated in a rubber like material so I am sure a little bit of moisture should be OK. Again if you drop them into a lake or river than just grab your backup $20 pair without even missing a beat.

Pros & Cons:

• Amazingly low price.
• Really loud audio levels.
• Tons of bass
• Controls work really we’ll and are easy to locate.
• Pretty comfortable to wear, did not need to readjust in my ears while working out.
• They actually look pretty cool.
• Three sizes of ear tips should fit most ears.
• Good battery capacity with up to 8 hours of listening and talk time.
• Not water or sweat resistant.
• Can distort at higher audio levels.
• Bass may actually be a bit too loud for some people (use smaller ear tips in this case)
• Does not come with a carry case.

In Conclusion!

What can you lose when you only pay $20 for a pretty decent Bluetooth Headset. I love the freedom of being wireless while working out and with the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset you can do this for about the same price as any mid range off the shelf wired earbuds.

How To Get Ripped Crazy Shredded Abs

When people talk about a person that is in shape, they pretty much always refer to their abs and how Shredded or Ripped they look. The reality is that a person that doesn't even workout but is fortunate enough to be fairly lean or have a low body fat can have shredded Abs. After all, one of the most important factors in having a Ripped and Shredded Six Pack is being able to see the those abs in the first place. Most of us already have a Six Pack, it's just hidden under too many donuts, muffins and that extra helping or two.

Yes we can develop our Abs by training them with things like Sit-ups, Crunches and other Ab exercises but unless we strip away that layer of fat over top of our Abs, then nobody is going to ever get to see them and the hard work you put into your Abdominal exercises is going to improve your core strength but not your beach body.

Some other factors that can effect what kind of Six Pack Abs you have or don't have are your genetics, they do pay a big roll in all of this. Some people no matter how much they train their Abs will only see very slight improvements in the size and shape of their Ab Muscles. All of us have that one muscle group that simply refuses to grow and for some people that area can be their Abdominals. We also all store fat a little bit differently and if you are one of those people that caries their fat all in the mid section, then you will have to diet down to an extremely low body fat in order to get rid of that last bit of stubborn fat around your waist, and this only worsens as we get older.

Excuses aside and no matter what, training your Abs is good for your core and will also help with back related problems as your Abs help support your mid section greatly so yes we all should and need to exercise them!

In my included YouTube video I talk about a lot of the same Ab related info outlined in this written article but I also show you the exercises I use to get my Ripped, Shredded Six Pack Abs: