Partie dayz

And Now Kings of Europe!!!

2008-06-04T23:32:00.001+08:00

Double winners. I salute u!!!

Time to celebrate!!!

Magnificent, tremendous, unbelievable

Champions of England

2008-06-04T23:08:00.003+08:00

Congrats lads, Champions of England!!!

Simply amazing!!!

United wins again

2008-04-30T12:33:00.002+08:00

Man Utd 1 - 0 F.C Barcelona. Will it be a Man Utd and Liverpool final?? A dream final for many EPL fans around the world.

Taming the latin snake

2008-04-23T10:43:00.004+08:00

Remember watching TV serials or cartoons and u see 2 small creatures 1 at the left and the other at the right. 1 dressed in red like a devil and the other in white with wings? It represents voices speaking to each other when a person is in decision making mode.

Well, I do not believe there is 2 sides in everyone of us. In fact I believe there are numerous sides in all of us. For a human, 2 sides are really arguably too simple. The human mind is more capable then just good and evil. There are certainly grey areas in all of us and some regions beyond comprehension. Do we laugh because we are happy or because our thoughts are filled with sinister desires? Do we cry because we are experiences sorrows or because we are happy? Do we truely sacrifice ourselves to help or do we do it to attain immortality (recorded in history).

In this case one of the subconcious characteristics takes the form of a reptile...a snake...the latin snake.

An ocean of questions, a lifetime of searching. Just who is the latin snake? Is he good or is he bad? He may be both or he may be neither. But one thing is for sure the latin snake is growing at an alarming rate. So astounding that the presence cannot be ignored for it may devour the master once and for all.Confident, flamboyant, with a pinch of arrogance. That is the characteristics of the latin snake. The lain snake has always been known to coil and srike with precision. Gentle, smooth and some say sexy. But when
provoked it strikes terror at the hearts of its enemies. Now the problem comes when the snake is no longer tame. This snake is vicious. It wans to be the boss. It sees the master as the enemy. It is trying to take over the body tat once taken care of him when it is an infant.

This is my attempt to tame the latin snake. However, if u take away the craftiness, the naughtiness and the cheekiness, it will not be the latin snake. But if u control it and harness its powers then you have truely gain an ally. I must be victorious!!! To win this battle, one must know what is feeding the snake. Why has it gone outta control? Can inner peace be restored? I must subdued the latin snake. Matching its craftiness with my wits. Spar with him with speed that matches its strikes.

" Because at the end of the day when i stand and look myself in the mirror, i stand tall, toe to toe, see myelf eye to eye, judge myself pound per pound. I know i have given my 100%. I have done my best, my very best. If nobody appreciates and sees things my way so be it. They will know they have lost something vaulable. Even if things don't work out well, I will always know I walk away proudly... as a champion...as a winner."

Ben Tay '08

Beauty of the Human Mind

2008-03-06T22:06:00.004+08:00

No claws, no fangs, no extreme jaw power. What made humans climb up the food chain and transformed from the hunted to hunters? what made us evolve and populate the entire planet?

Our beautiful brain. It is complex, strange, yet it fascinates scientists as well as researchers to no end. It is our ability to adapt, learn and improvise that set us apart from other species. Our capability to communicate, our creativity, and the love of discovery are all important factors or contributors in our evolution. But what caused us "modern apes" to become what we are today?

Scientists have long debated long and hard over this matter. One logical explanation is the discovery of fire and easy availabilty of protein. Meat had always been a luxury for prehistoric humans (homo sapiens). However raw meat is not very easily digestable thus homo sapiens needed to chew for hours to break down raw meat into easily digestable pieces. Protein from the meat was pretty difficult to absorb. Furthermore, much time was spent on chewing rather than thinking. The mastery over fire gave homo sapiens a much quicker and safer way to consume meat. Meat cooked over fire was found to be easily consume and protein was absorbed much quicker than before. In addition, food that was cooked was found to be safer not to mention tastier to eat!!!

The structure of prehistoric humans changed during the period when fire was mastered. The jaw line of humans began to shrunk. The skull hoding the human brain also began to expand. The skull of the prehistoric humans started to look like modern hunmans.

Another explanation on the evoultion of the human brain is that red meat wasn't the only source of protein. Humans also consume fish which are rich in DHA as well as protein. With protein being readily available in the wide open sea, humans became smarter and smarter. We started to use tools, our language become more sophisticated. We developed culture and formed groups which eventually transformed into societies.

Time passes, our societies became more sophisticated, our tools became more advanced. We start to hunt instead of being hunted. We developed startegies to hunt. Our tactics improved tremendously. So much so we began controlling our own destinies. By gaining control over our environment. The human race grew strong and begin to flourish.

Fast forward to the 21st century. Our ability to learn is simply remarkable. Our creativity is undeniable. Our artistic capability is unbelievable. The human mind has certainly transformed itself into the master piece it is today. Yet, with modern ammenities and facilities, some people are not achieving as much as their predecessors. People today are getting "soft". They lose interest quickly, throw tamtrums, some are low in self esteem. While some are just plain lazy. Why are such negative traits present in this wonderfully evolved human race?

The answer may lie in medicine. As technology become more advanced, so is health care and medication. Babies with poor attributes or poor physique were rescued and allowed to live. Back in the olden days where medicine wasn't so advanced, these infants will die. In some culture such as Greek mythology, the spartans will inspect the babies and eliminate those who are deemed as weak. Thankfully this practice has now been ceased in the present day. However, due to negative thoughts and behaviour, many great minds have not reached their full potential. Does the performance of the brain gets better when stress is added? Probably. And just probably a bit of stress and pressure is needed to push the human race forward. However, humans are fragile. Too much stress may caused adverse effects such as anxiety disorders and post traumatic stress disorder. Therefore, the beautiful mind must be nutured and pushed to achieve its limit and maximum capacity.

The human mind is our only potent weapon. Use it or lose it. This can be found in active elderly and non active elderly. Non-active elderly usually lose their ability to relate and conribute to society if they continue to stop using their minds or are not actively engage in activities. We have the power to choose! Lets embrace and utilise our wonderful gift. Our beautiful human mind.

Gym Training!!!

2008-02-27T22:29:00.002+08:00

Its been some time since I update my blog. I was thinking of giving it a makeover. U know like a change in template and fonts....Anyway gym training was cool!!!

I think my plateau for the moment is 30kg each side for bench press. That is prob my 1 rep max. The chest workout today is

warm up x 1 set

70% of 1 rep max x 2 set

80% of 1 rep max x 1 set

My chest is bursting. It feels good. Shortly after its shoulder press and biceps

shoulder press x 3 sets

bisceps x 3 sets

Overall Im quite satisfied with today's workout. No injuries or pains. Just good old exercise. Fantastic!!! I will try to make more time for more posts.

Meantime

cheerios!!!

Gym Training

2008-01-05T21:12:00.000+08:00

Gym training today.

Bench Press 4 sets X 10

Military Press 4 sets X 10

Biceps curls 3 sets X 10

Training was not to the max as my body wasn't 100% recovered from previous training sessions. This could be due to the unnatural contractions of my lower back muscles. By and large my lowerback seems ok but ever since the 1st back strain/injury it has not been the same. Explosive lifting without warmout will result in a tingling feeling at the lower back. And I had experienced it many times already. Trust me the feeling is not very comfortable. Warmup does help to reduce fatique at my once injured lower back. However, I was adamant to find out other techniques that can reep the best results. For instance relaxaion techniques such as yoga.

Excessive rest had done wonders in the past but the deadline is drawing near. Yes, V.day 14th Feb 08. I must look my best on that day for my special Masha. Therefore exploring more altenatives to train and protect myself against injuries is crucial.

An experiment today seems very positive. A short swim after gym trainig is in the cards now. It has greatly reduce muscle tension not only to the back but overall muscle relaxaton as well. I will continue to explore ways to train to the max with minimum injuries. Meanwhile I have to rest my aching back... Tiger plaster anybody?

2007-11-19T08:51:00.000+08:00

This is my second attempt at wakeboarding and I must say that it is definitely better than the 1st one. Yup the 1st time I spent almost 90% of the time in the water... Anyway, I managed to get some pictures of the action. Enjoy the photos!!!

Paintball photos

2007-10-24T09:25:00.000+08:00

Hey guys, Sorry for the few photos that I've posted. Here are more pics for your enjoyment.

Things to do!!!

2007-09-28T00:12:00.000+08:00

Army Enlistees??

Time passes swiftly, it has been a while since I last updated my blog. So many updates so many things to do, so many things to try and experience... Life is one hella of a ride. For a start, lets talk about PAINT BALL!!!

Yup Pain or paint, whichever u called it, its really the same actually!!! LOL.

The rules of the game is pretty simple. Shoot down 2 plastic targets before capturing the "ammo box". The 2 targets are actually the prerequisites before u attain the "licence" to grab the box. Bringing the ammo box to your base and your team wins the game!!!

The game is tough, rough and furious. 2 teams, 1 mission. To survive and win.

Blue Team: Daniel, Weilun, Fong, Ray and Darren.

Gold Team: Derrick, Edward, Stanley, Zhi Yuan and me (Ben)

Result??
Gold Team played 3 won 3. What do you expect?? hehehehe
Good Teamwork from Gold Team, Strong support fire from Zhi Yuan and Edward enabling Stanley and Derrick to capture key position (bridge). Heavy fire power from Stanley and Derrick allowed me to shoot down targets and grab the box!!! Wahahaha

o.K enough of bragging here some of the pictures. No action though coz camera man me playng too. Bleah!!!

Long lost brudders??

Mud on my shoe is our soil!!!

Green Blood

Paint in my eye

Tired but happy

Classic Karate Pose but under the belt hit!!!

Peace brudders!!!

Weapons Up!!!

Bike babies

2007-08-31T17:32:00.001+08:00

Hey folks, its been some time since i uploaded photos. here are some photos I had taken recently with my trusty SLR. Bike shots!!! Here goes!!!

Sunset CBR600

Dun touch tat dial!!!

BackSeat

Another sunset shot

Throttle baby!!!

Transformers Bikes?

BlackWhite bike

Huge Tank

Biker frens

Punishing Workout!!!

2007-08-24T22:25:00.001+08:00

What a day!!!

just finished training. And the workout is simply punishing and gruesome...

Squats 4 X 10 (50kg)

Bench Press 4 X 10 (40kg)

bisceps curl 3 X 8 (inner)10kg

bisecps curl 3 X 8 (outer)10kg

Arnold Press 4 X 10 (10kg)

After the workout I can hardly move myself...
I jus slept the whole day... what a shame... Well, I jus have to keep on moving forward. Tomorrow will be a better day!!!

Recent Updates

2007-08-17T17:57:00.000+08:00

Its been some time since I updated my blog. Frens out there must be thinking what happened to me. Fret not, people. I am still pumping weights and enjoying life. Just that I am busy with some things lately...

Busy??? Hmmmm... A very commonly abused word by people from all walks of life. Maybe I am giving excuses for not updating my status and blog to frens and family. Maybe I am just too plain lazy nowadays. Maybe I am losing my focus a little.

BUT Distractors of focus must be balanced at all times. Its not easy. However, I believe with discpline and hardwork. Things will be balanced and organised. Happy go lucky as I may be. I must admit I hate being disorganised. Although my room looks like its been a battle field at the moment hehehehe. This sounds insane or even contradicting, I actually enjoy the moment of madness of being disorganised!!!

These few days had been absoutely crazy. Although I must admit the wild side of me surfaced and had taken the better of me. Its so crazy, lovely and mad at the same time. I am enjoying every minute of it. yet deep inside of me, I know I have to control the wild side of me before I get into trouble.

Perhaps this is the traits of a Sagittarius,

Good Side:
Optimistic and freedom-loving
Jovial and good-humored
Honest and straightforward
Intellectual and philosophical

On the dark side....

Blindly optimistic and careless
Irresponsible and superficial
Tactless and restless

Being born in the year of the horse as well as being a Sagittarius, the above description fits me real well. An adventurous and at times playful side of me do get me into people bad books at times. However, the humour and charm often bails me out. Before I cross into the dark side. Its time to amend the naughty side of me ASAP. However I like being cheeky and naughty at times.... hahahaha.

Eastern philosophies embraces contradictions. "You will not know happiness till you tasted bitterness". "One will not know the meaning of life till he almost loses his". Maybe if I learn to accept one the other will automatically be registered.

Well people, thats my latest update so far. More updates about photography and training will be available soon. Stay healthy and strong always!!!

Body of the Week (5)

2007-07-30T13:32:00.001+08:00

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro. Better known as Cristiano Ronaldo is born on 5th Feb 1985. He played football for Sporting Lisbon before being discovered by Man Utd. And the rest they say is history.

Love him or hate him. His dazzling skills are just sublime and unbelievable. His trademarks stepovers, his cocky backheels and raw pace made him a nightmare for defenders.

On 8th July 2006, he made fellow Man Utd team mate Wayne Rooney sent off in the quarter final match betwwen England and Portugal. After England's elimination Ronaldo was attacked by the English tabloids relentlessly. However instead of moving away to sunny Spain. He endured and excelled in the british game, bagging several awards in the process. The never say die attitude, the confidence and style that he radiates is simply breathtaking.

One of the best body in the world, nicely muscled, lean and powerful. Cristiano Ronaldo's physique is one that is to be admired.

Some photos taken with my SLR

2007-07-30T12:08:00.000+08:00

Watermark pictures

2007-07-23T19:51:00.000+08:00

Some pictures and design i've made!!!

Home

2007-07-23T01:41:00.000+08:00

I am so crazy about this song that i had to paste it in my blog!!!

Home

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
'Cause this was not your dream
But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home

Don't Quit

2007-07-21T11:40:00.000+08:00

I stumbled upon this very motivating piece of poem: Don't Quit. And i really like it a lot. So i posted it to share with everyone!!!

Don't Quit

When things go wrong as they sometimes will
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill.
When funds are low and the debts are high.
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out:

Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you must not QUIT.

Author unknown
Distributed compliments of Brian Tracy

Gym Training

2007-07-21T11:07:00.000+08:00

Gym training was great!!! Finally my back is 101% recovered. The training were as such:

Squats 4 sets X 10 reps

Bench Press 4 sets X 10 reps

Skull crusher 4 sets X 10 reps

and finally

Bicep curls 3 sets X 10 reps

Well, my dear frens. I apologise if the routine is too "punishing", but no pain no gain guys. Keep up the good work!!! Hope to train again next week!!!!

The New United

2007-07-16T23:05:00.001+08:00

Formation 1

Formation 2

The English Transfer Market has been buzzing with activites. Surprisingly money bags chelsea had been quiet throughout this busy and mind blowing transfer activity. Liverpool secured football prodigy Fernando Torres, while Arsenal let Henry leave at the other end. The rest of the premiership clubs had signed most of their players and are gearing to go for the new season.

United acted rather swiftly for this season transfer targets. This certainly raised an eyebrow or two given their usual sit and wait attitude. Owen Hargreaves, Nani, Anderson and Tevez are all new transfers this coming season. The world will be watching on what they can do to aid United to another EPL crown.

Personally, I feel that Tevez and Hargreaves will make a difference or an impact immediately while Nani and Anderson are players for the future. Really can't wait for the new season to start. Another round of good attractive football from United I hope. Till next time. Bye.

Clelebrity look alike

2007-07-13T23:59:00.000+08:00

A very interesting website called www.myheritage.com. It maps your picture and compares with leading celebrities or politicians. Well, I tried it and it ranges from Jet Li to Alex Fergurson!!! I tried it again today and they said I looked like Eminem, oh my god, I am a RAP star.

Now I look like Tiger woods and Jet Li. This software is actually quite easy and fun to use.

http://www.myheritage.com

Believe or not the origins of all humans is a place where we called Africa today. It doesn't matter if you are European, Asian or African, our roots lies in Africa. Although it is still very difficult for many people to believe. Modern humans share the traits of 1 particular primate. Humans travelled the world extensively for greener pastures. Some settled in 1 area while others move on. As time goes by, the world is populated with human beings. All evolving differently from each other because of weather and lifestyle. Like I said BELIEVE OR NOT!!!

New models

2007-07-11T07:31:00.000+08:00

Got a chance to shoot pictures of Weilun and Kelvin. They are quite reluctant at first but after a little coaxing, they fell for it!! WAHAHAHAHA!!!

Race Day

2007-07-08T14:43:00.000+08:00

This story is purely fictional. Any resemblence to anyone is purely coincidental. The story may be made up but the photos are real. Enjoy the story.
Ring Ring....

Ben: "Hello?"

Stanley: "Brother, 你有空吗 (you free)?

Ben: "Ya, wats up?"

Stanley: "Millineum Walk 有一场比赛 (competition) you interested?"

Ben: "比赛? Football?"

Stanley: "是赛车(Car Race). Bring camera."

Duuuuuuuuuuu........

Ben: "Hello? Hello?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------
30 mins later...

Oh man, where is Stanley. He should be here long ago. Suddenly, a tap on my shoulders.

Stanley: "Brother!!! 快快 (quickly), The race gonna start.

Stanley: "And I'm racing"

Ben: "WAAA, brother, 你有 race?"

Stanley: "你就 stay here 帮我拍." (take pictures)

Stanley's ride

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, so many cars, so many people. I took a look at the board and was astounded by the list of drivers.

Name: Takashi
Country: Japan (Tokyo)
Professional exp: 4 Yrs
Occupation: Street Racer turned pro
Car Race NO: 01

Name: Bryan McCarthey
Country: USA (California)
Professional exp: 6 Yrs
Occupation: Mechanic/Rally navigator
Car Race NO: 02

Name: Lee Ming
Country: Taiwan (Taipei)
Professional exp: 3 Yrs
Occupation: Partime Basketball coach/Illegal racer
Car Race NO: 07

Name: James Throttle
Country: U.K (England)
Professional exp: 5 Yrs
Occupation: Street Racer/Businessman
Car Race NO: 04

Name: Kenny Mckinley
Country: Australia
Professional exp: 5 Yrs
Occupation: Mechanic/Street Racer
Car Race NO: 08

Name: Lee Pong Mun
Country: Korea (Pusan)
Professional exp: 3 Yrs
Occupation: Gas attendant/Street Racer
Car Race NO: 03

Name: Stanley Wan
Country: Singapore
Professional exp: -
Occupation: M.E/tofu delivery
Car Race NO: 05

Oh my....What is he thinking, taking on these guys. Half of them are street racers and pros. He is dead meat.

"GENTLEMEN START YOUR ENGINE!!!" Vrrrooooommmm.
A deafening roar and the crowd went wild. 3, 2, 1. GO!!!

The lights turned green, the unmistaken horn sounded. The checkered flag waved. And Takashi's car NO:01 burn rubber and in a flash he was moving to top spot.

Takashi: "Eat dust, you Bakas (idiots)"

Smoke. dust and particles rise into the air, leaving the rest in a state of confusion.

Crash, boom, bang!!!

The scene was chaotic, drivers frantically swerving to prevent any collisions. Those who crashed just stepped on the gas to power their way through. Takashi got a head start. A very good head start indeed.

"Not so fast Takashi, this race has only just begun. Besides I got an old score to settle with you." A cracking voice boomed through the radio. Who is that? A metallic blue car moving at a speed like a silver blue bullet. It's Bryan McCarthey from USA. Wow, what raw speed and power!!!

Oh where is Stanley. Where is the NO:05??? What is that? A green with red stripes car. NO?? It couldn't be.... Its NO:05 catching up to the race leaders. Woo hoo its Stanley.

"What how can it be? Impossible!!!" screamed McCarthey.

"I'm not going to let some nobody beat me!!!" yelled McCarthey. Vrroom!!! He stepped on the accelerator so hard that the pedal might be stuck to the floor for all I know.

Oh God, looks like Stanley is fading further and further. In fact the other cars are catching up. His only chance is to beat them at the bend with skill.

Stanley NO:05 fading away

True enough, when the corners and bends appeared, Stanley began to picked up speed, in fact he was drifting!!! He negotiated the corners like a ballet dancer executing those graceful manouveurs. Its so pleasing on the eye. The fans were mesmerized. "Woooah" the sound of the fans almost echoed that of a packed football stadium. The fans have never seen such precision and passionate driving.

Turning at the first corner

Negotiating the bend

In a few moments, Stanley was up there with Takashi and Bryan McCarthey.

McCarthey: "There is no way you gonna catch me!!! Activate Nitro!!"

"What? Nitro? It is banned in this race" Stanley exclaimed.

"Go home and be a cry baby wahahahahaha!!!!" shouted McCarthey.

McCarthey speeding away from Takashi

At the moment, Takashi and Stanley was neck to neck for 2nd position.

Takashi: "Oh no you are not going to take my place."

"FINAL LAP"

What is Stanley gonna do now? Final lap, can he clinch it. A corner just in front can he piped Takashi for the 2nd spot.

Great defensive driving from Takashi, he make the turn with no space to spare at the inner side. But wait what is Stanley doing? He is trying to overtake Takashi from the outside. How can this be? Before I can gasp, Stanley turned and drifted into position.

"Now!!!" he shouted. With full throttle he sped pass Takashi like a seasoned pro. What the.....How can it be?

Stanley speeding off

Vrooom. NO:04 came from behind and BANG!!! Who is that? Its James Throttle street racer cum business man. "Hey, your car needs some servicing how about repairing it at my shop. I can give you a discount"

Stanley is in trouble time is running out or rather the lap is runnong out. And here is a lunatic trying to talk business while banging up his ass.

"No thanks, I got my own mechanic" replied Stanley cooly.
"Besides, you charge way too high!!!" With that Stanley beat him at the turn and left the business man fuming.

Drifting a few corners and finally catching up with top spot. Stanley was just about to taunt McCarthey when James Throttle caught up and offer another propostion.

"You frequent my shop and I give you free drinks and a discount card" he beamed.

Oh shit, talk about hard customers, this is one hard seller. Stanley rammed McCarthey at the side forcing him to the safety barriers.

"What the hell are you doing?" McCarthey shouted. He sped off with more Nitro at the bend and he crashed into James Throttle ridiculous pink car.

Wham!!!! "Well, at least there will be a customer for you James" laughed Stanley. At the nick of time Stanley crossed the finishing line and was declared champion.

This story is purely fictional. But the photos are real. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Stanley for inviting me down to the race. Thanks again!!!

Pictures, pictures, pictures

2007-07-07T22:51:00.000+08:00

Suntec City garden is a fabulous place to take portraits. But do not go in the afternoon!!! Make it a early morning or evening. Else you will be pespiring like mad or your pictures will get a lot of harsh shadows. Here are some pics that Alex and I had taken. Yes, I know him again? Where else to find someone as "ON" as him???

ET???

Be a man!!!

Nice flowers!!!

Dusty road

Magical Fountain

Nice flowers

Smells good too!!!

Suntec

What r u thinking?

MacDonald yum yum yum

Finished the meal yum yum yum

Traffic at Suntec

I had brought my trusty 400D camera around these few days and there are so many pictures in my hard disk that its gonna blow!!! More photos will be updated on the next entry!!!

HIIT Training is back!!!

2007-07-05T23:06:00.000+08:00

Juz finished HIIT Training today and it felt good!!! The training program today is as follows!!!

Warm up: Cycle to punggol park
Run 1.2 km

HIIT X 4 times

30 sec Sprint
30 sec slow jog

Warm down: 2 km and cycle home

Feel tired but good. Gym training training tomorrow. I juz can't wait.

Squats Accidents

2007-07-05T09:34:00.001+08:00

AND PLEASE NEVER DO THIS!!!

Bench Press Accident

2007-07-05T09:26:00.000+08:00

NEVER DO THIS!!!

Bench Press gone wrong

2007-07-05T09:19:00.000+08:00

NEVER DO THIS!!!

More of Redang (photos which I have forgotten)

2007-07-03T08:19:00.000+08:00

Day break at the Jetty

Sun Rise

Touch down

Jay MTV

Taking photos?

Group photo

Bajaya Resort

Jungle trail

Group photo

Waves

My boat!!!

Nobody playing beach volleyball?

Coconut Trees fall in!!!

Cool day

Redang Day 3

2007-06-30T20:32:00.000+08:00

3rd and final day of the trip. I woke up early to have a last ditch of shooting Redang Island. Then its back on board the black pearl and set sail to the little Jetty.

Nice and cool morning

Tractor trails

Redang Bay sea horse and me

Goodbye redang Island

Chong posing at the tip of the boat

Are we there yet?

"Ahhh Beeeeennn" Oh my God, what's that sound? Its Alex?! What a coincidence. I knew they are going to Redang Island but this is unbelievable.

Hey guys!!!

Tired after the bus journey?

Apparently not!!! They are ready to go!!!

Alex you are destined to be my model!!!

Shopping time!!!

Bargain King!!!

Back at Jetty

Gonna miss this place

Redang Day 2

2007-06-29T11:29:00.000+08:00

2nd day at Redang Bay. Before moving off at 930A.M for another round of snorkeling. I woke up slightly early to squeeze just enough time for a few photos.

Redang Bay

Couple pic

Group pic

Peiling and Qiang

Singing Jay's love songs?

The place where we stay

930 A.M sharp, its time to set sail again. This time instead of the usual speed boat, we board a fishing boat. Slow? Yes, but great view!!!

Group photo

On board the black pearl me hearties!!!

All aboard!!!

Lets go!!!

"Hello KFC? I wan to upsize!!!"

Not so fast!!!

Relax~~~

Where did I put my goggles...

Peace brother!!!

Juz reach shore!!!

Can't wait to get back in the water.

After snorkeling, we had some tea and its straight to photo shooting for me. Here are some scenery shots I've taken.

Nice view

Club house

Fascinating beach

My favourite picture of Redang Bay

Redang Day 1

2007-06-29T00:30:00.000+08:00

Back from Redang Island. Oh Yeah!!! Instead of boring everyone with details of the trip, I'm going to describe the 3 days with photos and short sentences. Thats right, cut the crap and get down to the fun stuff!!!

After 9 hours bus journey, we finally reach the Jetty.

Lovely sun rise!!!

Sun Rise at 0645 hrs

A young photographer at work

Finally set foot on Redang Bay

Qiang and Peiling

Qiang trying the backflip

Group pose.

Rest n Relax!!!

After lunch, we set sail to the coral reefs for snorkeling. The day was cloudy and for a moment I thought it would rain. Fortunately everything went on smoothly and snorkeling was a joy.

Ready for action!!!

Can't wait to take the plunge!!!

Lets do it!!!

Chong teaching swimming!!!

Slowly, take it easy!!!

Gasping for air.

Woohoo!!! No problem!!!

All the tired faces.

After snorkeling, we headback for a short rest and after dinner. It's photo taking time again!!!

In the midst of taking photos. It suddenly poured. Oh my God, I gotta save the camera!!! Nothing to do at night really so slept early that night. Its a blessing in disguise though coz I feel recharged for Day 2!!!

Fruitful day again

2007-06-24T01:57:00.001+08:00

As much as I like taking photographs, I like my pictures to be taken as well. Today is a rather fruitful day as many pictures were taken and weather is quite cooling whew!!!

Fruitful day

2007-06-23T22:41:00.001+08:00

Alright 1 more day to redang!!! Preperation for the trip has been good so far. I bought a circular polariser filter at AP for 175 bucks. Oh that really hurts... Anyway, I need it to get beautiful scenery shots of Redang. In addition, I bought another 2 Gig CF card and of coz something for myself other for my camera, a smells good Nivea sun block. Woo hoo!!! O.K for this trip I have emptied the "star" tank. Yup that's rite, all the hard work that I accumulated will be spent on this trip!!!

A picture of the polariser filter

Anyway I am more interested in taking pictures at Redang. So I took out my polariser and snapped away Wahahahaha!!!!

O.K here is the verdict. The circular polariser has the ability to get rid of unsighty reflections.

Before

After

I know these pics turns some of my fellow work mates off. Wait till you guys see this!!!

Don't tell me he is thinking of buying a multimeter!!!

O.K enough fooling around here are some other pics I had taken.

A photo of my friend alex. This was shot through a glass panel at a book store how about that!!! The power of polariser!!!

Same thing here for this spider-man comic book

A thinking pose

I am very happy my fren Yim decided to lend me his 50mm 1.8/f lens. This lens can be quite useful for producing a good bukkeh(background blur) But for head shots, subjects head then to be a bit rounder thus making them look "fat". After much experimenting I found it work best when taking heads and shoulders or up to waist length for portraits. I have also tried taking still life pics using the lens. I still find sigma 17-70mm f/2.8 to be versatile enough for many occasions. But a zoom lens is a must for me to add in my repertoire of ever expanding camera equipment. Below are some photos...

It's really getting a bit boring using Alex as my model all the time when I tried out my new gear. (I can't really tried out stuff during assignments t00) Guess what? Alex recommended a good fren of his to become our model. I am so grateful she came, any more pictures of Alex and people might think that we are gay. Here are some pics of our model (Name cannot be disclosed for security reasons). Guys, don't even think about it. I will personally "hantam" you if you try to be funny!!! Hi, if you are reading this and wants the photos to be taken down. Just drop me a message in the comment page or chat box ya!

Fantastic Smile

Deep in thought

Cool water!!!

Body of the week (4) Winner

2007-06-23T11:16:00.001+08:00

The Southern Girl

Brooke burns, born in Dallas Texas March 16 1978 is an American actress/fashion model. She is best known for her role in Baywatch and Baywatch Hawaii. You can easily see why...Her smile, tone body and personality just takes over the screen set.

"I'm a Southern girl. I like when they open the door and pull out a chair. I'm really into a man's man"

Brooke Burns was once married to Juliam McMahon, with whom she has a daughter named Madison in 2001. She was engaged with acton star Bruce Willis from 2003 to 2004 but broke off due to trouble keeping up with long distance relationship.

O.K enough of her personal stuff, I'm no nosey parker you know. What is her secret to a healthy and beautiful body. The truth is I can't find her workout regime. What I manage to find is her love for outdoor sports and activities. She loves hiking, swimming, scuba diving and horseback riding. Truely a southern girl indeed. Probably that is the reason for the overwhelming votes of her being the body of the week (4).

Brooke burns was a contender to be a world class ballet dancer before she had an accident that prevented her from executing those elastic and flexible ballet moves. She was also a competitve swimmer before her modelling and acting career took over. Not giving up and being resilient she rise to fame through her stunning athletic beauty and warm personality.

Speaking of personality, Brooke Burns is also a Mentor for PennyLane, a home for children abused. Wow!!! Now how many celebrities actually does this kinda thing anymore.

Below are more pics of the Southern Girl

Thanks for everyone who voted for body of the week (4). This blog page cannot happen without your votes. Your POWER made the difference. Till then LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST!!!

Body of the week (4)

2007-06-19T22:27:00.000+08:00

Back 85% healed

Flu 80% healed

Woah, this page is not about me!!! Its for body of the week. Let us have a lady this time ya? We need someone who is atheletic, trains religiously and eats right. Someone who is extremely motivated and had done some incredible feats.

After some research I had list down 3 nominees. All of them with an incredible body. I bet they work their socks off. Anyway, the nominees are (drum roll):

(1) Alessandra Ambrosio

(2) Christine Dolce

(3) Brooke Burns

FYI, all of them are included in the top 99 women in http://www.askmen.com/

So, who should I choose. Lets make this open. You get to CHOOSE who shall be the body of the week. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Just post your vote in my blog comments or chat box.

Remember the power is yours!!!

Flu Attack!!!

2007-06-14T21:17:00.000+08:00

Ah Choooo!!!! Arrrgggh what's that green slime coming out of my left nostril? Oh gosh, slight fever, sore throat and green slime? FLU ATTACK!!!

Just when my back is recovering and I thought I can continue my training this happens. It's definitely a blow to my training plans. Damm, I have made plans to do periodization training in the gym, I guess training just have to wait.

Training had been pretty inconsistent since my injury. Now flu had hindered my progress as well. Is this a test of my resolve? Is this an obstacle that I have to get through? Is this a test of my perserverance of the life style change?

I can give up, blame fate for that OR I CAN CHOOSE to rest well, eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and drink lots of water to combat the flu virus. I can choose to abandon my training and lifestyle change OR I CAN CHOOSE to persevere and continue the journey of lifestyle change and transformation.

I CAN CHOOSE and I WANT TO. I chose to be positive and look at the bright side of things. Perhaps it is a blessing in disgise as my back is not 100% recovered. Maybe I can take the time to heal completely before training again. The flu attack also made me realised how fragile we huamans are. It also made me realised how lucky I am living in a place where food water and medication are so easily available.

My short term goal now will be recovering and recuperating. Quoting from an old chinese proverb

"Resting now is to ensure you can walk further in your journey"

For now its good night everyone and don't let anything stand in your way towards goal.

Back to Training

2007-06-08T22:47:00.000+08:00

Back pain, one of the worst injuries an athlete or sporting person fears. It is also one the main distractor of FOCUS for me in my quest for better health and fitness. It had been almost 9 days since I last trained intensively andI really missed training a lot. Looking at the bright side of things, resting did give me more motivation to get back into the gym and start pumping again!!!

Although my back pain had slowly subsided for the past few days, I decided not to risk it my eliminating some exercises from my training. Namely sit-ups, squats and lower back exercises

I have also decided to use a belt for a few weeks before my back fully recuperates. I went to the gym this afternoon and I am pleasantly surprised by the small crowd. (Generally there is always too many people at the gym I frequent). Armed with the belt I borrowed from my brother, I did a full chest workout. DAMM IT FELT GOOD!!!!

4 sets x 10 reps Flat Bench Press

4 sets x 10 reps Decline Bench Press

3 sets x 10 reps Incline Bench Press

O.K maybe it's a little crazy but considering the fact that I can barely do exercises for the past week, I feel it is really satisfying to lift weights now. hehehe

I really can't wait for the next workout plan. Curently the 6 week program had just ended. Why? Coz back pain had forced me to change the training methods and schedule. An adhoc plan needs to be drawn out ot meet my needs and requrements. A plan that helps me to train hard but minimise injuries and encourages recovery. Hope to post the plan for next blog.

Goodbye Old Friend

2007-06-02T22:35:00.000+08:00

The bright piercing rays from the floodlights.
The deafening noise that caused opponents to fear.
The place where emotions are set free to roam in the magnificent atmoshere.

You are the stage where characters were forged.

Can you remenber the lives that you have touched.
Even though time had made you fallen apart.
The light breeze brought back memories that are engraved in our hearts.

Is time a friend or foe?
When it decides you have to go.
Filled with painful sorrows for we know time cannot be borrowed
Time cannot be denied neither can it be stopped.
Its time to move on coz we can't stop the clock.

Goodbye old friend

You had brought us smiles, hopes and dreams
Thank You!!!

Corroded wooden bench

Is that a flying saucer? Nope its the cauldron of hope.

My pal Shien beside the massive cauldron.

How it looks like from the inside.

How it looks like from the inside.

My pal Riz getting excited.

I will miss you Kallang Roar......

Whats on the floor?

Nice pose bro!!!

That's me candid shot!!!

Lovely weather.

Sun set.

Shien in poster. hehehe

Taking a breather.

Track n Field.

Back Pain

2007-06-02T01:03:00.001+08:00

2 days back right after HIIT training, I began to feel a little uncomfortable about my back. "Maybe it will get better after a short nap" I said to myself. Guess what, the pain became worse and at times I have to collapse and kneel down to stop the pain. Oh my god this is not good. Pain is a very important pre-warning system for us.

What could go wrong? I eat right sleep right....Oh yeah probably I didn't train right. Flashbacks began flooding my memory banks. Oh yeah, it could be a combination of wrong trainings or a series of wrong training that caused this. Before HIIT day I was doing shoulder presses and I think I cheated on my form in order to lift heavier weights. yeah, that is plain silly!!! At that point of time back seems o.k. But after HIIT training on the following day, the nightmare began. I think I performed HIIT training a little to hastily. Just when the buzzer hit 30 seconds rest mark, I slowed down suddenly to walking pace. I should have continue the momentum and run a few more metres before slowing down. Sudden slow down or halt might had caused excessive pressure on the lower back. Another point, my seating posture is a little crooked when I am at my desk typing or writing. Bad posture can increase the chances of back pain too. All these adds up to a menacing lower back pain.

How do I cure it?? I didn't. I just inject more pain into my arms and chest at the gym today so that I can take my mind off the back strain. Wahahaha!!! Don't fret my back was not utillised today. But still it is a risk...A calculated risk. Anyway, I decided to take 2 full days rest to recover before training again. Hopefully I can recover real quick and start working out again. I can really use some mutant healing power from wolverine now. Owwww.

Body of the week (3)

2007-05-27T23:11:00.001+08:00

Stong, powerful and wild. Yes!!! that is the animal for you. Batista!!! The body of the week!!! Fully developed chest, traps and unbelievable bulging arms. The perfect build of a wrestler. Plus Batista lookes so lean and shredded. The muscles on his body look so mean and defined.

The "animal" Batista real name is David Michael Bautista. Yes, its actually Bautista with an additional "u". I think we will stick with Batista when we address this amazing genetic species. Born on jan 18. His real age is really a mystery. His year of birth was disputed for several years causing many controversies and confusion. His website listed Batista as being born in 1969, while several contradictory news reports, had claimed that he was actually born in 1966. Strange enough, at the stage when Bautista re-signed the contract with WWE in Jan 2005, he stated that he had been working under a fake age and admitted that he was actually born in 1966.

Hmm, if the reports are true so this year is 2007 subtract 1966. That makes him 41 years old. Oh my god, what a body!!! This guy is out of this world!!!

Batista roots are from Filipino and Greek heritage. This American Professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) SmackDown! has numerous tattoos, including a large Mythical Chinese Dragon on his back, a red Kanji lettering on his upper left bisceps which means "Angel" in tribute to his wife Angie, a signature design on his upper right biceps, and a small sun tattoo on his stomach which encircles his belly button. Batista recently added a tattoo on his arm of the flags of the Philippines and Greece merged into one. In my opinon, his tattoos looks good on him. Unlike the Rock's. The Rock's tattoo bascially covered his muscles which makes it real ugly.

O.k so much for small chat. Time to get down to the real business. The Batista training.

Barbell flat bench

Dumbbell shoulder press

Dumbbell lateral raise

Wide Grip Pulldown

Close-grip bench press

Cable Crossover

Alternating dumbbell bicep curls

The exercises were performed in the 8-12 rep range for 2-3 sets each. For u guys who expected much more intense training from this power buff, don't fret. This is just a watered down workout from the big man. According to the forum in www.t-nation.com, this chap saw Batista trained in person. He went up to chat with Batista and found out the animal had to do a show the next day. Probably that is the reason on the scaled down version of workout.

Anyway, here are the list of moves that Batista uses to take down his opponents.

Batista Bomb

Spinebuster

Front powerslam

Muscle buster

Repeated turnbuckle thrusts

Rolling fireman's carry slam

Running clothesline

Short-arm clothesline Spear

Spinning side slam

Suplex powerslam

Alright, that's all folks, stay tune for the next body of the week.

Focus

2007-05-21T20:31:00.001+08:00

Everyone knows that in order to achieve or successfully attain your goal, one needs FOCUS. In a philosophical point of view, the world revolves around the positive and negative, good and bad, ying and yang. In my journey to a better self, lifestyle and health, I've met several obstacles and set backs. These factors puts me off the main road that I am tavelling and I called them "distractors of FOCUS".

In my opinon many people associate FOCUS to a balancing beam. When there are more distractors, your FOCUS goes down. If you decrease the distractors, your FOCUS will increase significantly. This can be written into a formula like this:

FOCUS = 1 / distractors

I agree to this statement to a certain extent however there is a flaw in this equation. for instance, what happens if you do not have a distractor? The number 1 cannot be divided by 0. O.k no distractors may not be possible in the real world. The other question, what happens when you have 1 distractor? and your FOCUS is 100%?? This result does not make sense. I believe there is a better and pragmatic way to look at FOCUS.

In my view this formula cannot be used in the real world for calculations. The reason why distractors cannot be zero is because distractors cannot be eliminated. Hold your horses!!! Before anyone starts lambasting me with "I tot u suppose to be motivational?". Let me explain.

For example: A student studying for his/her exam. The distractors are radio, T.V, computer games, telephone calls, conversations with family, MSN, unexpected events etc. The distractors will always be there. By switching off the T.V and computer games doesn't remove the fact that these are distractors to FOCUS. By ignoring our family, friends and loved ones, doesn't make you more FOCUS because at the end of the day, you lose out much more. What happens when a natural disaster such as earthquake strikes? The student studying for exam have to make adjustments to the situation because the distractor cannot be easily controlled.

Distractors cannot be elimintaed completely but they can be balanced. A working mum cannot neglect the family or forget to feed the baby. If she does, things will fell apart and the situation will become catastrophic. All these distractors factors need to be juggled properly. They need to be balanced. By paying attention to the distractors and controlling it will boost FOCUS to unbelievable heights. The key is not to avoid distractors, the key is to solve them, control them, balance them and intergrate them into our lives. In short, distractors of FOCUS need to be sorted out. After sorting out or balancing the distractors then we can concentrate on FOCUS. Now when we ponder on this question what is FOCUS? Taking time out to reflect had given me a glimpse on this powerful yet simple word can do. There will be no happiness when there is no sorrow. There will be no joy when one cannot feel pain. There will be no victory when there is no defeat. With that as a backdrop, I boldly claim:

FOCUS = Distractors of FOCUS(controlled and managed)

Why??? My question back to doubters. Why Not?? The absence of distractors does not boost FOCUS, in fact it hinders FOCUS to an extent that FOCUS will become a zero. By avoiding or putting off issues and distractors to FOCUS, problems will only increase and escalate. However, when these distractors can be managed in a good, pragmatic and systematic manner, FOCUS will be increased.One will feel more energised and confident about the goal once FOCUS is on track. Progress can then be made. With FOCUS goals and dreams can be achieved.

Keeping this important lesson in mind, I have decided to tackle any issues or obstacles with this method. Hopefully, it can lead to better results and attain my goals!!!

Tactical Assessment of Man Utd EPL winning season

2007-05-18T16:49:00.000+08:00

4-4-2 Attacking formation. Simple yet effective. The basic blocks of United's tittle winning season. After a season or two tinkering with the squad's formation, Sir Alex (Manager of Manchester United) have decided to stick to the tried and tested tactic. The result??? Beaten Multi-million chelsea to the tittle and won both domestic games against Liverpool. What are the success factors that fuelled United to this achievement? What secret tactics or deadly combinations did United did to pull off such a spectacular season? No Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Roy Keane...Just how did they do it?

DEADLY PARTNERSHIPS

There are several partnerships in this formation that can caused havoc to any teams in the world. Many great tacticians mentioned that most matches are decided in the middle of the park (pitch). They could not be any closer.

MIDFIELD: CARRICK & SCHOLES

The absence of Roy Keane really took its toll on United, not only are United expose defensively, they are also left without his leadership qualities. Although Gary Neville stepped up to become captain, the defensive "hole in the middle" was never bridged. Roy Keane was a tough tackler and he can passed the ball really well. Whever he got the ball, there was a calming influence that spreads thorughout the team. keano simply got the ability to control the games. Players like Alan Smith and O'Shea tried but was never successful in filling up the defensive hole.

Tired of trying to find a "New" Roy Keane, Sir Alex decided to bring in Michael Carrick to be deployed as a deep midfielder. Carrick's job is to play the holding role and feed the ball to attacking players. Although Carrick's abilty to pass the ball is easy on the eye, his lack of aggressiveness and ball winning skills quickly expose United's shortcomings.

The problem is overcome by the pairing of Paul Scholes with Carrick. Scholes is never short of aggresiveness. In fact, it is his tackles that usually gets him into trouble (yellow cards). Poor tackler of the ball, Scholes is still considered one of the finest midfield player in his prime. The reason lies in his control and distribution of the ball. An odd partnership emerged between them. Both midfielders would lie deep in midfield, pressuring the opponents to mis-hit or mis-pass the ball. The ball will then be fed into speedy wingers like Ronaldo or Giggs to create a counter attack. The trick is to use team work to dispossess rival teams and conduct rapid raids on the wings against them. Sometimes the pair took turns to attack with one sitting back while the other attack. The odd partnership became so successful that United quickly dominated opponents and topped the league.

WINGS: RONALDO & NEVILLE / GIGGS & EVRA

Speaking about lightning raids on the flanks, how can we leave out the 22-year-old Manchester United winger. Winner of Football Writers' Association award, Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year, Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year, Manchester United fans' and players' player of the year award.

Ronaldo had been instrumental to United's success all season. His partnership with G.Neville had been exceptional so far. In fact, this season, Ronaldo is forming good solid partnerships with almost everyone when attacking!!! Ronaldo's form had been amazing this season, he had carried United and single-handedly won tricky away ties. Another solid partnership at the wings is Giggs and Evra. The veteran winger Giggs had lost some of his pace in recent years but he made up the lack of pace with experience. With Giggs cutting in and moving towards the centre for a better shot at goal, Evra fills in and run downs the left flank to provide crosses from the left wing. On certain occasons, Giggs even acted as a decoy to provide passes to Evra to attack. In some situations, one-twos can be made between them to throw opposition off balance and catch them off-guard. Rapid wing plays have been the trademark for United's play for a long time now. It is often entertaining, exciting and breath taking at times. It is the foundation of attacking football and it can difinitely deliever spectacular results. (i.e 7-1 win against AS Roma).

DEFENCE: VIDIC & FERDINAND

Conceding just 27 goals this season second only to Chelsea, the defence partnership between Vidic and Ferdinand had been outstanding all season. The way they play just complements each other. Rio Ferdinand likes moving forward and turning defence into attack while Vidic is a no nonsense centre back whose bravery cannot be underestimated. Ferdinand lack of desire to scrap for balls is well noted. His preference is stroking the ball at the back and playing it cool sometimes leads to blunders and mistakes. However his control of the ball and distribution to the midfield is very good indeed. Vidic on the other hand covers Ferdinand's absence in defence by tackling and heading for every ball leavin the fancy stuff to Ferdinand.

The pair had been hitting the target during set pieces as well. Vidic's bravery often pays off when he sticks in his head and scores from corners or freekicks. Ferdinand on the other hand can blast them towards goal when the ball lands on his feet. This set piece manouvere is extremely important especially when stubborn teams plays 11 man behind the ball and tries to do a stop-start game. This can be frustrating and one of the best ways to score against such teams is from set plays.

ATTACK: ROONEY & LARSSON/SAHA/SOLSKJAER/SMITH

The forwards for Man Utd had been chopped and changed several times resulting in several different partnerships. This is not due to a rotation policy but a result of career threatening injuries. Saha, Solskjaer and Smith were all victims to injuries. Knowing the plight of the striker crises, the great scot Sir Alex wasted no time to loan Henrik Larsson. The move proved to be clever and shrewd. Larsson brought in wealth of experience and a great sense of professionalism . He is a shining example for the likes of Rooney and Ronaldo who are young and impetuous at times. His arrival curbs the shortage of forwards and most importantly he scores goals as well. Although his arrival to the club is only on a temporary basis, he definitely made his presence felt throughout the team.

The other strikers like Saha and solskjaer proved to be potent too. When fit, these strikers can scored against any club in the world. Not forgetting Alan Smith whose determination just rubbed off the whole team. Smith came back from injury for a year and he looked like he never left the game. Fantastic courage and resilience from him. Many people had feared the worse when Ruud left United for Real Madrid. Who is going to bang in 30 goals per season? Well, no one. The goals were contributed from the entire team. The midfield and defence both contributed positively for the goals and like they said the rest is history. A whopping 83 goals with a 56 goal difference. Wow that is simply unbelievable!!!

HIGH PRESSURE ATTACK

What happens when you don't score through counter attacks and set pieces? United simply attacks wave after wave after wave. The high pressure attacking play by United can be seen from the diagram above. The centre backs pushed up the offside line high creating a high pressure tactic. The high pressure tactic creates less space for their rivals to spread the ball or play their "normal" game as they are constantly under attack. With Vidic as the only one dropping slightly in case of a long ball over the top. Ferdinand is positioned to link defence into attack by passing the ball to the wingbacks or via Carrick (midfielder). Scholes along with Giggs will try a "pop" from outside the box when neccessary. Rooney's pace will be put into good use by shifting him to the left. Rooney will then effectively run down the left wing for a cross or cutting in to use his favourite right foot for a powerful shot thus surprising the opposition. If Rooney chooses to cut in, Giggs will fill in the role left previously by Rooney to act as support, in case Rooney is unable to get into the box. As for Ronaldo, he has the ability and license to roam at either flanks or cut in to provide a lethal finish or win penalties inside the box. This high pressure attacking play is simply bombarding the opposition till they submit. It requires pace and precise passing. The ball control of each player has to be a high standard or else they can lose the ball and succumb to a fast counter attack.

All in all, here is my tactical assessment of Manchester United. I really can't wait for the F.A Cup Final tomorrow. Till then, bye!!!

Gym & HIIT

2007-05-17T00:14:00.000+08:00

Shoulder strain is getting better. Approximately 70% recovered!!! In order to minimise the risks, a decision was made to change the gym training schedule. All shoulder and shoulder related exercises were removed to speed up recovery. The day's training focus on chest, triceps and HIIT. Yes HIIT!!! Well, I did missed HIIT training the day before, therefore I decided to combine HIIT with Gym training today.

No problems encountered so far. Weight training went well, although not as intense as previous sessions because of my injury. HIIT training was great as I finished 5 intervals today. Somehow at the back of my mind, I am yearning for results from HIIT. Results are not very pominent and obvious as weight training. But I gotta be realistic. I think I am getting a bit impatient. Since it is only the second week of HIIT, I have to continue for a few more weeks to start seeing the benefits. While browsing for motivational stories and quotes I came across something interesting. It goes like this.

"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them – everyday begin the task anew."

– Saint Francis de Sales

This lifestyle change really taught me many valuable lessons about discpline, hardwork, attitude. But today it taught me perhaps arguably one of the most important lesson of all patience. Shoulder injuries need a period of time to recover, I must have the patience to wait for the right time to train them again. Furthermore patience is needed for HIIT training. How can I expect tot see results with such a short period of time. By learning how to be patient, I strongly believe it wll help me in my lifestyle change. I also believe that with patience, even the highest mountain can be overcome. O.k enough talking, time to sleep. Body of the Week will be up in the next post!!!

Missed HIIT & Shouder Pains

2007-05-15T07:59:00.000+08:00

Oh my Oh my, Just when I am psyched up for HIIT training, suddenly it poured. Maybe today just wasn't meant to be training day. With much reluctance I made a painful but right decision to rest for a day.

A few days ago, I had altered my training schedule for weights day. Instead of pumping iron on Monday it was changed to Sunday a day earlier than anticipated. The workout was good, good clean lifts and sets to failure. The next day however, I felt some pain in my shoulders and elbows. At first I brush it off as muscle ache. The pain worsen and I think I might have a strain or worse a shoulder injury.

The shoulder is the most movable joint in the body but is very unstable. The shoulder itself is a ball and socket joint. The ball of the shoulder is the head of the humerus. The socket portion of the shoulder is called the glenoid (where arthritis in the shoulder forms).

On top of the ball and socket is a process called the acromion (where bone spurs can form). Next to the acromion is the acromioclavicular joint, also called the AC Joint (this is a common place for shoulder separations). This ball and socket joint allows for the most range of motion out of all the joints in the body.

The cross section diagram of the shoulder looks like this.

This is the first time I am suffering from shoulder injury. Therefore I am not very sure on how to treat it. (It's not like ankle injuries which I do have some experience in it). Hopefully it is just a slight strain. In the mean time perhaps I can read up more on sports related injuries. No not so that I can heal it but how can I prevent it. Oh man, I can't wait to get back into training.

Body of the week (2)

2007-05-10T11:29:00.000+08:00

You must not know about me
You must not know about me
I can have another you by tomorrow
So don't you ever for a second get to thinking you're irreplaceable

Oh Yeah, That is "irreplaceable" from Beyonce. Definitely my No: 1 hit!!! Well, you guess it. Beyonce knowles is body of the week. Arguably the best body in the pop industry, Beyonce look even fitter not to mention sexier after she left pop group destiny child.

An American RnB singer, songwriter, producer, fashion designer and model, surely Beyonce Knowles couldn't have time to workout let alone maintain that killer figure.The truth is she workout all year round, only concentrating on certain parts of the body when it comes to receving awards or performing. I am so fortunate to find some information pertaining to her workout routine. Here are the goodies!!!

THE BEYONCE WORKOUT
"Unless specified, don't count reps; do each move for one minute and hold the last rep for as long as you can."

MINUTE ONE: BASIC CRUNCHES

MINUTE TWO: BICYCLE CRUNCHES
Lie on floor, legs extended at a 45-degree angle. Bring bent left knee toward chest, reaching right elbow toward it. Alternate right and left knees.

MINUTE 3: REST

MINUTE 4: LEFT TWISTS
Lie on back, knees bent, hands behind head, elbows out. With feet on floor, curl up, aiming right shoulder at left knee.

MINUTE 5: RIGHT TWISTS

MINUTE 6: REST

MINUTE 7: PLANKS
Lie facedown. Support your weight on toes and forearms. Keep elbows directly beneath shoulders and body straight.

MINUTE 8: REST

MINUTE 9: PLANKS

MINUTE 10: REST

MINUTES 11 and 12: CAPTAIN'S CHAIR
Do 3 sets of 20 at a gym. Grip handholds and press lower back into pad, letting legs hang. Slowly lift bent knees to chest.

She also does the following:

Every day except Sunday, she does a 4 mile, 40 minute jog. After a warm-up, she increases the treadmill incline to 2 percent and switches the speed from 6.0 mph to 7.5 mph and back every 30 seconds.After the treadmill comes a 20 minute dumbell session.

She also does yoga once per week.

O.K that's all folks. I can't wait to shortlist the next body of the week!!!

HIIT it baby one more time!!!!!!!!

2007-05-09T07:50:00.000+08:00

Gasping for air, wiping the sweat, heart thumping quickly, the process is painful but the ending was sweet. Yup, you are right. That is the power of the HIIT program. After the HIIT program my heart was still jumping like crazy and I had to force myself to eat my protein rich breakfast. Somehow the delicious spread of breakfast did not taste too good when you are feeling a little nausea. Hehehehe. Guess, I just have to get used to it. This program is designed to last for 6 weeks!!!

After this program is over, I decided to take a week off training and spend the time reading up on motivation and inspiration articles. Hey gotta train the brain too you know. It keeps your body mind and soul going. There will be a HIIT program tomorrow but this time I am going to add a little twist. I am going to do HIIT in the swimming pool. Yup, that's right, nope you didn't read it wrongly. IN THE POOL!!! The program will be exactly the same but instead of running, I will be swimming!!! I really can't wait for HIIT day!!!

Glory Glory Man Utd

2007-05-07T10:24:00.000+08:00

Smiles, happiness, hopes and dreams. Isn't this football all about.

Congratulations to Manchester United!!!

2007-05-07T08:54:00.000+08:00

EPL Champions!!!!!!!!

Fantastic achievement this season!!! Great job, well done lads!!!

Training Schedule

2007-05-06T01:10:00.000+08:00

OH YEAH!!! I have just formulated a brief training guide line that will run for the next 6 weeks. It merges HIIT with weight training. Here is a bried outline.

HIIT Beginner's Layout

Minutes 1-4 (Warm-Up)
Jog at about 50% effort

Minute 5 (Workout Interval 1)
Sprint 30 seconds at maximum effort Jog/Walk 30 seconds

Minute 6 (Workout Interval 2)
Sprint 30 seconds at maximum effort
Jog/Walk 30 seconds

Minute 7 (Workout Interval 3)
Sprint 30 seconds at maximum effort
Jog/Walk 30 seconds

Minute 8 (Workout Interval 4)
Sprint 30 seconds at maximum effort
Jog/Walk 30 seconds

Minutes 9-12 (Cool-Down)
Jog at about 50% effort

After every two workout sessions, the number of "workout" intervals will be increased each time, up till about 10 total "workout" intervals. This will allow for a steady progression of fitness levels, and help one realise the full potential and results of interval training.

Here is the weekly ouline schedule.

Mon – weight training 5 x 20 crunches

Tues – HIIT, 5 x 20 crunches

Wed – weight training 5 x 20 crunches

Thurs – HIIT, 5 x 20 crunches

Fri – weight training 5 x 20 crunches

Sat – Alternate Sats HIIT

Sun - Rest

I really can't wait for training to start. Oh my, its getting late, gotta have sufficient sleep!!! More details on weight training will be available on the next post.

Chin-Up Master

2007-05-05T21:54:00.000+08:00

This guy is unbelievable

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

2007-05-05T19:13:00.000+08:00

How do you burn fats and maintain your muscle mass at the highest level? Hmmm...Too much cardio can actually make you lose muscle mass while no cardio means u can't get the nicely chiseled ripped body.

My brother was telling me about the HIIT technique but what is HIIT? I decided to research more on this technique. Guess what? I hit the jackpot!! HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. According to articles from www.bodybuilding.com, HIIT can help you burn fats 9 times more effectively than regular jogging and cardio exercises.

HIIT program involves a short period of time usually less than 15 or 20 minutes. The short duration of the workouts associated with interval training prevents the body from entering the catabolic state that happens during extended steady-rate cardio. This occurs when activities are prolonged and the body starts breaking down muscle tissue to use as fuel. By shortening the length of the training and increasing the intensity, Maintating muscle mass and burning fats is achievable. HIIT is the perfect method for losing fat while retaining muscle mass.

I'm really excited about this and I can't wait to try it out. Since my 8 weeks of initial training had ended, I have decided to write a new training programme. Hopefully I can post my latest training schedule as soon as possible.

Body of the week (1)

2007-05-02T10:30:00.000+08:00

To motivate myself to train hard, I have decided to write an article every 1 0r 2 weeks on professional sports people and celebrities. The article will contain pictures of their amazing physique, a brief look at their lifestyle (hey I'm no nosey parparazzi okay!!! ) and hopefully their training methods.

The first person that caught my eye is this guy Bobby Lashley. Wow what a body!!! This guy is huge.

Currently, Bobby Lashley is from Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). His real name is really Franklin Roberto Lashley. Despite his tremendous body size, he posses agility and speed which is seldom seen in big guys. Hefty chest, broad shoulders and abs as large as biceps!!! His body is simply amazing. And I believe his training methods are simply gruesome to achieve this state of physique.

For those of you who still thinks that wrestling is real, please get a life. Obviously, nobody punches by stamping their foot, or chops the chest shouting "WOOO" like Ric Flair when they fight. The real deals are when they fall from ladders, jump from cages and lands on their backs. The injuries are real but the show is fake. Why do you think they called it World Wrestling Entertainment? However Bobby Lashley does have a bit of skill.

Lashley Lashley attended Missouri Valley College, in which he won three national championships between 1996-98. While somewhere between 1997-1998, Lashley was the NAIA Wrestling Champion. Lashley also practises Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Although I can't get any information about his training schedule or methods, I did find some of his finishing moves. Hehehhe. Come on LETS GET IT ON!!!

Finishing and signature moves!!!

(1) Dominator (Running front powerslam or Inverted front powerslam)

(2) Military press powerslam

(3) Spear

(4) One-armed delayed vertical suplex

(5) Overhead belly to belly suplex

(6) Side release belly to belly suplex

(7) Spinebuster

(8) Exploder suplex

(9) Military press gutbuster

(10) Kneeling torture rack backbreaker drop

I really hope I can be as big as this guy. Well, half of it wouldn't be too bad. Okay, gotta start training!!! Stay tune for more wonderful articles.

Dream Team 2007

2007-04-27T18:14:00.000+08:00

This is my dream team for 2007. I opted for the 4-3-3 attacking formation as I believe this is the ideal formation to play good attractive football. The Dutch were the first to use a pressing 4-3-3 formation pushing players up and making the keeper act as a sweeper, thus branding it TOTAL FOOTBALL. The 4-3-3 formation can be modified into a 4-5-1 formation to contain attacks and revert to 4-3-3 when attacking. It is a pretty formidable formation. This tactic was made famous by Jose Mourinho in the 2005-06 premiership win.

Okay enough on tactics discussion, time to discuss on the Dream Team 2007 players.

DidierDrogba- Established striker. Strong in the air, posses the ability to play as an out and out striker. Powerful physique which can cause problems in any defence.

Ronaldinho- Who can leave this guy out of the picture. The power to change a match with a single flick or long range shot. Fantastic personality. Always play football with a smile. You should enjoy football isn't it. That is how the beautiful game should be played. Dazzling dribbling skills, combined with accurate passing and deadly freekicks makes this man one of the best players on earth.

C.Ronaldo - Blessed with a heavenly muscled body, flashy step overs and fancy tricks that amazes opponents. He is defintely in my team!!! Flamboyant and quick. He is certainly on his way to become one of the best in the world.

Kaka - Good team player with a good eye on goal. Like a typical Brazilian his first touches are good and he is very comfortable with the ball. This player can fit into almost any team and any tactics with his wit and vision. His ability to link play together makes him an indispensible asset.

Gattuso - Not your typical Italian midfielder. He is a tenacious defensive player who will not think twice to charge down attacks. It is probably due to his exposure to Scottish football during his younger days. His iron-willed personality coupled with his desire to win the ball makes him a player you don't want to mess with.

Gerrard - Although I never liked Liverpool but I have to choose him because this guy is quality. Comfortable with going forward as well as defending, he is the person to give you the extra edge. His work rate is also exceptional and he is a boon to any team.

Maldini - His vast experience and his long service in AC Milan speaks volume of his achievements. A wonderful dedicated defender who defends with grit as well as style. He is certainly a pain to all strikers.

Vidic - Possess a good header of the ball. He scored several goals from set pieces and help United win quite a few matches. Courageous, strong and determined, he is the ideal centre back. Vidic also has a good concentration which is really important in big match occasion.

Terry - Iron Man. Received a kick in the head that knocked him unconsious but was up and running for the next match, His robustness and steadiness has impressed me. A no nonsense defender, his absence in the chelsea's line up cost them dearly.

G.Neville - Outspoken and passionate player. David Beckham even named him in his dream team! Often under-rated, many people don't know he got a wicked cross and his tremendous energy is simply unbelievable. He also possess captain quality and credentials.

Cech - What can I say? I have to admit he is the best keeper in europe and arguably the world right now. One has to do something rally special to beat this guy from long range. He is mature and seldom makes mistakes. A wonderful professional.

Subs

Adriano - Consistent goal scorer. Power pack long shots and good pace. Certainly a good replacement for Drogba.

Rooney - He should be in the first team but his temper lets him down. But nevertheless he posess pace, vision and good shooting techniques. A perfect replacement when your attackers are tired.

Essien - This guy is a monster. A body like a spatan (movie 300). He can play in almost any position (except goalie). Versatile player with good attitude.

Vincente - Fantastic winger with a good football brain and has the ability to unlock defences with defence splitting pass. A very useful alternative.

Van der sar - Second choice goalie for me even though he is from Man Utd. Excellent keeper with experience. However, I feel sometimes he makes mistakes which Cech normally wouldn't make. But he is a good keeper too. So he is reserve goalie for me.

Running Home

2007-04-24T21:31:00.000+08:00

Time passed swiftly, in a blink of an eye, 8 weeks of training is almost up and a new training plan will be designed. I could not have done it alone. All the motivation, prompting and encouragement I received have been outstanding!!! In the midst of the 8 week programme, I have tweaked it a little, for adjustments to work and other commitments. One of it includes the Run Home.

The Run Home workout encompasses a 2.2km run, 40 situps and 10 chin ups straight after clocking out from work. After the first try, I find it saves time. The down side is you can get pretty tired working out after 12 hours of shift work. The running route is something like this: (courtesy of www.streetdirectory.com) and thanks to my brother for teaching me there is a jogging route calculator in street directory.

The route marked in red is the start point to the end point. Pls ignore the blue route as it requires super mutant powers to run thorugh walls or fly directly to goal. Anyway, I intend to lengthen the route and increase my pace as time goes by. Overall I am quite happy with this workout design. Adjustments will be made to "spice up" the training or else it will get too routine.

Right now I am awaiting for the 20th star!!! Those of you who have just started reading my blog, I collect a star each time I workout and arrive to work on time. It maybe silly or crazy but I kinda like the discipline now. It keeps me happy!!!

Lucky Draw

2007-04-23T21:46:00.000+08:00

MAN UTD 1 - 1 Middlesbrough

Chelsea 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd

Whew!!! What luck!!! with the opportunity to close the gap but Chelsea just blew it. Credit to Newcastle United though, they showed their tenacity, resilience, grit and determination. Hopefully Man Utd can go all the way and make Jose "the special one" to feel ordinary. Hehehe. I got great respect for Chelsea's boss but he is just too cocky!!! Anyway hope it will be a Liverpool VS Man Utd final. It will be a cracker!!!

Jaded Workout

2007-04-19T21:21:00.000+08:00

I can't believe it!!! What a poor performance at the gym today. The normal workout routines which I can do fairly easily just went haywire!!! I can't complete my bench press exercises and my lats pull down exercises suck. The only okay exercise was the squats but other than that the rest of my exercises just seemed to be rubbish!!!

Instead of feeling all gloomy like rooney who just missed an open chance, I decided to sit down, think and analyse the problem. It doesn't take a rocket genius to figure it out. The answer?? REST.

12 hours of sleep for 3 days. Hmmm........ so if i do my math correctly, it is 4 hours of sleep per day. The outcome is obviously simple. No energy, no strength and no power. Oh well, lesson learned. Rest is really an important aspect of keeping fit and living healthy. You know what is the worst part, My body is aching and I need to wake up at 600 AM tomorrow for work. I am feeling so tired and sleepy now ...YawnZ ZZZZZzzzz

Picture of Me

2007-04-14T22:33:00.000+08:00

Hi folks. As promised. These are pictures of me after 5 weeks of training.

Initially, I was quite apprehensive about it. But what the heck here it goes.

Gambling

2007-04-14T21:34:00.000+08:00

Win Lose or Draw? hmmm........Or should I go for total goals? Or should I go for a 1/2 goal handicap. Football betting, one of the most popular activities among Singaporeans. In fact gambling is one of the most popular activity here. But what makes people part with their hard earned cash........The chance to win more money? The thrill of winning? Or the hope to escape from work?

According to an article in www.psychologytoday.com, people get addicted to gambling just like the way they get addicted to drugs. A chemical called dopamine are released in the brain to give gamblers a boost when they are taking risk. As the risk or stake gets bigger so does the release of dopamine. What is dopamine anyway? In general terms, dopamine is related to the reward system. Dopamine are present when an unexpected reward is present. This maybe the reason why habitual gamblers become compulsive gamblers over time.

I used to wagger on a few football matches but often with undesirable results. Firstly most of the odds are against you. Secondly, in football the unexpected WILL happen thus making it extremely unpredicatable. In the end, I find myself short change of a few hundred bucks. Not that it is a lot of money but it is enough to feed me for a month. Luckily, my threshold is pretty good and I avoided gambling heavily. Only on the occasional lottery ticket. hehehe...... But I took a new gamble. A gamble with life. Mind you not life threatening but nevertheless a gamble with life. I took the gamble to change my life. I wasn't satisfied with how things were going. I felt I could do better. I could do by shedding a few pounds. Change my attitude towards everyday life and working routine. (Believe me it is not easy). I wanted to stand toe to toe and eye to eye, and shout "I HAVE A CHOICE". It sure was hell a lot of work. A lot of courage and determination. But I went for it!!!

Gambling is o.k. (Hey, a new casino is on the way you know). Just as long as it is in control. Not too much that you feel the financial strain. Why not start gambling with a lifestyle change? Nothing to lose right? You got everything to gain!!! Well, by the way, if you have been reading my posts and wonder how much did I really benefit from the lifestyle change, stay tune for a picture of me taken 2 weeks back. Curently, the training programme is at the 7th week. So the picture is actually taken in the 5th week of training. So stay tune hehehe........

The Power To Choose

2007-04-13T16:28:00.000+08:00

Oh man.... I just slack and slept the whole day today. I gotta snap out of it man. There are better things to do than just watching television and sleep. Although, the programmes I watched are usually Sports, animal planet, National Geographic, travel and living.... (Quite educational). Too much television actually made me quite lethargic.

Well. It is a good thing I "choose" to switch off the television and wash up. I do feel a bit energetic now. As i switched on the computer to write this blog, many thoughts and ideas are formed in my head.

The power to choose pops up again and again. I can choose to watch television and sleep again OR I can get up continue my Friday Workout. How bad do I want to change my life? How bad do I want to slim down, keep fit and change my lifestyle? How bad do I want to prove to others who think that I will quit this in less than 2 months? I WANT to change. I WANT to adopt a new set of thinkin. I WANT to be healthy. I WANT to eat right. I WANT to do my best and never give up. I WANT to prove that we are not stuck in an endless cycle of start and stop only to start again. I WANT to make the difference. ROOAARRR!!!

In my opinion it all comes down to one's desire and hunger. I read an article from www.bodybuilding.com about this. It goes something like this. "I think I should diet, I think I should exercise. I should do this........should do that........ All of this doesn't get you anywhere. I want to stay healthy, I want to learn something, I want to change my life is a different proposition all together now. By changing the "shoulds" to "wants" can really have a drastic change in ones' life. "

How true is that? I really feel excited by this information. BUT It’s nothing new. You and I know it. Your neighbours know it, children know it too. Nothing complicated, nothing fancy, not ambiguous or equivocal. It’s really simple. It’s whether we apply it to our lives. Its about carrying out the actions required even for the smallest change or improvements. Its all about "want".

By the time you have finished reading this I will be blasting my biceps and doing squats. Coz

Dedication + Determination = Domination. (Adapted from bodybuilding.com articles)

I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE!!!

Gym Workout

2007-04-12T23:20:00.000+08:00

Arrrgggh my aching triceps. What was I thinking?? This workout surpass all my expectations!!! The muscle ache is so painful that it actually feels good!!! I just love this sensation. Workout A B or C? Nope, its the workout with my fren Wei Lun.

It all started when I thought my training programme was on course in helping me achieve a physique of a Greek God. Boy was I wrong, when I train with this guy. Here are the details of the workout.

Cartoon Picture of Wei Lun

8 reps x 3 sets of Incline Bench Press

8 reps x 3 sets of Reverse Incline Bench Press

8 reps x 3 sets of Normal Bench Press

10 reps x 4 sets of reverse incline situps

8 reps x 3 sets of Close-Grip Pushdowns

It became forced reps (assisted) at the normal bench press. My chest still feels o.k but my triceps are kinda going to explode. I can't believe how strong WL was!!! He was still going on strong!!! Perhaps more focus training is needed on triceps exercise to maxmise the potential.

After blasting my triceps, I decided to read up and find more on this muscle group. According to www.bodybuilding.com, they mentioned if your triceps are lagging behind, it will be better to train them when they are fresh meaning first exercise. The article goes like this:

"In the old days of bodybuilding, they trained triceps on the same day as chest. Actually, many bodybuilders still do this. However, this old-school technique may not be the best way to go if you're looking for optimal triceps size or if your triceps are lagging.

By training tri's after chest to "finish them off," you're not using optimal weight for overloading the triceps, as they've already been partly worked as part of your chest routine. Giving your triceps your full focus by hitting them with heavier weights while they're fresh will improve your results."

Intriguing piece of information. Maybe the next training programme needs to be slightly altered to suit my body type.

MAN UTD Wins Again!!!

2007-04-12T23:18:00.000+08:00

Fantastic Football. Speechless!!!!!!!!

The Power To Choose

2007-04-09T22:15:00.000+08:00

"YOU ALWAYS GOT A CHOICE!!!" The words echoed through my head like a worn out tape recorder.

Ever since I started the lifestyle change which incoperates training and attitude change, these words from my Warrent Officer kept zipping around in my head. Its been close to 4 years since I was officially released from the army. So why am I replaying this thing over and over again?

Maybe he had realised this a long time ago. Maybe its just another army talk. But I can still remember vividly what he had said. "Don't say you got no choice but to join the army. You always have a choice. You can migrate or run away to another country. But the fact that you did nothing means you chose to do nothing and accepted the terms and conditions."

Well come to think of it... We do really have the power to choose. We homo sapiens evolved into modern humans today because we have the uncanny ability to lean, think and ultimately choose. We can either be food for the likes of giant crocodiles, dinosaurs or other predators. OR we can learn to fight, protect ourselves and control our environment.

"It seems to me that people have vast potential. Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence or take the risks. Yet most people don't. They sit in front of the telly and treat life as if it goes on forever."

Philip Adams

Quite true isn't it. The power to choose is simply a phenomenal. I wake up in the morning. It feels like a boring Monday. Well, I can choose to be bored, lethargic, moody........OR I can think positive, be happy, be the best that I can be. Perhaps a little easier said than done. Maybe a sudden change can be a little too much to take. I decided to do this gradually. I mean what are the positives on a Monday morning? Hmmm.......There is the Monday workout to look forward to. What about my frens?! I would be happy to see them. Maybe I can be a bit positive on what I can learn today at work. A liitle differnce goes a long way. After much thinking and reflection, I came up with this line.

"Nobody said it would be easy,
but it will remain difficult unless you try."

Ben Tay' 2007

In the end, whatever happens in our lives are the choices we made. So its your choice.

Goodies Arrived

2007-04-06T15:30:00.000+08:00

Ding Dong!!! Woo hoo!!! Here comes the goodies!!!

Guess what?! I just purchased the long awaited dry cabinet and tripod!!! And its delivered right to my door step. Good old carrefour they never let me down!!! Like I always said you can find anything in carrefour. Overall, I am very satisfied with the products I emphasise again "products" not service... coz they are really value for money. Especially the 50 litres dry cabinet, buy one and you get another small dry box too!!!

Do I deserve to pamper myself or in this case pamper my camera? HELL YEAH!!! I have been working my socks off, training hard, eating right, motivating and inspiring myself to achieve the 20 stars. I must say it is every star well spent. hehehehe.

Oh yeah in addition I purchased 3 books. All of them at knock down prices. $3 each. Can you believe it? Now thats cost savings. Wahahahaha. They are Diamonds Under Presure, Nobby Stiles After The Ball and The Many Coloured Land. Well, got to go, let me enjoy my preccccious......"snarl"

My SLR @ Little India & Plaza Singapura

2007-04-05T23:13:00.000+08:00

The Fit Show

2007-04-04T19:56:00.000+08:00

Oh my god, I have just finished watching episode 49 of "The Fit Show". The show is simply amazing and inspiring. Episode 49 features the awe inspiring Victor Konovalov. in this show he shares his journey from tragedy to success.

What is so special about this muscle man. Well, the fact that he overcome a tragic accident which left him paralyse from the waist down and become a Wheelchairs Nationals bodybuilding champion is an incredible feat. His body is really unbelievable and really puts most men to shame. If you want to feel inspired watch that clip!!!

http://webcast.bodybuilding.com/fitshow/fitshow/episode49/fsi_nutrex.htm

My SLR @ Esplanade

2007-03-29T00:00:00.000+08:00

2 more pics hehehe

My SLR @ Esplanade

2007-03-27T22:07:00.000+08:00

"To the complaint, "There are no people in these photographs," I respond, "There are always two people: the photographer and the viewer."

Ansel Adams (1902 - 1984)

My SLR @ Esplanade

2007-03-25T23:53:00.000+08:00

Some pictures that I have taken...

More to come stay tune!!!

Training Improvements

2007-03-25T23:00:00.000+08:00

Woaaah!!!

Guess what?! I have just completed and recevied my 20th star!!! Whahahaha!!! persistence and hardwork sure paid off. I do feel a little bit lighter and fitter. Ahhhhhh the word "feel". A very intriguing word indeed. Highly subjective in terms of training though.

Why??? Before the age old question, let me ask myself why not?? According to www.dictionary.com the word "feel" is a noun. Feel has no numbers therefore no statistics. It is a particular sensation or impression. It is for one to become conscious of. So what is it gotta do with training??

A major flaw in the training program was discovered after much pondering about this subject. Although records are made for the number of times that I trained as well as the type of training I've gone through, however no records are made to capture the gains of the results. Initially I can press about say about 30 kilograms, now I can press 50 or 60 kiligrams without much of a problem. Since the improvements are not recorded, I cannot really tell how much I have improved.

Of course when this program was mapped out in the beginning, the goal is to build general fitness. And gains not neccesary means heavier weights. Nevertheless, a chart has to be formulated to suit the needs of future training sessions.

As Bruce Lee once said "If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

ROCKY BALBOA

2007-03-17T12:35:00.000+08:00

Hi folks,

Its summer time and new movies are coming in thick and fast. Superb CGI, great graphic, high-tech animation etc....etc.... But do they pack a "punch"? Yeah, thats right "Punch".

I'm refering to the movie ROCKY BALBOA which i had watched 3 times already. It is indeed a beautiful and perfect way to finish up the Rocky story. Not much special effects, no fancy CGI just good old inspirational and motivational boxing movie. The story goes something like this:

Stallone as Rocky decides to comes out of retirement to box. His decision did not go well with a lot of people. This includes the boxing comittee, his friends and even his son is against it. I mean look, can anyone imagine a 60 year old man getting pounded....Rocky defy all odds to get in the ring and fought for 1 last time with the heavy weight champion. The weight lifting training, pounding of frozen meat and running really gave me enough flashbacks to warm my nostalgia.

In my opinon, ROCKY BALBOA is truely a movie for everyone who wants to be inspired, motivated and it defintely helps you buid discpline!!

Here are some memorable quotes from the movie

Rocky: Yo, don't I got some rights?
Boxing Commissioner: What rights do you think you're referring to?
Rocky: Rights, like in that official piece of paper they wrote down the street there?
Boxing Commissioner: That's the Bill of Rights.
Rocky: Yeah, yeah. Bill of Rights. Don't it say something about going after what makes you happy?
Boxing Commissioner: No, that's the pursuit of happiness. But what's your point
Rocky: My point is I'm pursuing something and nobody looks too happy about it.
Boxing Commissioner: But... we're just looking out for your interests.
Rocky: I appreciate that, but maybe you're looking out for your interests just a little bit more. I mean you shouldn't be asking people to come down here and pay the freight on something they paid, it still ain't good enough, I mean you think that's right? I mean maybe you're doing your job but why you gotta stop me from doing mine? Cause if you're willing to go through all the battling you got to go through to get where you want to get, who's got the right to stop you? I mean maybe some of you guys got something you never finished, something you really want to do, something you never said to someone, something... and you're told no, even after you paid your dues? Who's got the right to tell you that, who? Nobody! It's your right to listen to your gut, it ain't nobody's right to say no after you earned the right to be where you want to be and do what you want to do!... You know, the older I get the more things I gotta leave behind, that's life. The only thing I'm asking you guys to leave on the table... is what's right.

Rocky: Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!

Training Schedule

2007-03-12T17:04:00.000+08:00

I find it really difficult to follow the training schedule as plan as there are many twists and turns in everyday life. Firstly, preperation and organising the BBQ at Changi Aloha had been eating into training time. Organising a BBQ for 60 people is tough work. Luckily, I do have some friends to help out. Although much physical work were done in carrying food and running to the supermarkets, I dun really regard it as training. Even though I do feel flat out after after the 3 days of preparation.

Secondly, the transition to night shift really is affecting the training schedule. Right now, my body has to adapt to training after 12 hours of night shift which I find a very demanding and gruelling task. Well, nobody said it was easy. According to the log, the training and lifestyle plan had been running for 3 weeks. 9 (*) stars were collected so far. (When can I collect my 20 stars and exchange for a gift???). It is time like this where a little discpline and a bit of motivation can really make a difference.

With some luck i stumble upon an inspirational speech. This words gave me strength to never give up and keep on moving forward.

" Always remember that no matter how many times people put you down, no matter how hard they kick you, scream at you, point the finger at you and call you a loser, no matter how many times you get knocked down, always make sure you get back up. There is no better respect than self-respect; they can't take that away. You are the one in charge of your own destiny; no one else. They are but an obstacle for better things to come. Keep moving forward and you will get there. Just believe in yourself for 1 darn minute and say, "I can do this, I... can... do... this." Scream these words loud to yourself, then see and feel the difference."
Written in 2007 by R.S.

2 Stars Achieved

2007-03-05T19:39:00.000+08:00

06 59 Am beep beep beep beep beeeeep!!! Whew just in time!!! Clock in 0700 exactly. heh heh!! At least I am not late for work. 1 Star in the bag!! For the benefit of the people who just started reading my blog. I am on a strict lifestyle change program. All positive actions are recorded in the form of stars and 20 stars allows me to exchange for a $100 gift. Anyway, work was pretty hectic but I really looked forward to the exercise workout I had planned.

When I reached home, the first thing I did was to switch on my computer and opened up the training folder. Before I knew it, I am engrossed into Workout Set B. 30 mins later I am done. Arms and shoulders aching, but heck another star in the bag. Thats two now, I think I am on the right track. Ooooo Yeaaaah!!! Pump it baby!!!

Training Schedule

2007-03-04T23:31:00.000+08:00

Everything depends upon execution; having just a vision is no solution."
– Stephen Sondheim

How true it is. No use telling myself about getting back into shape if there is no action. After some internet research mainly from www.bodybuilding.com. I have drawn out the ultimate training schedule for beginners. The decision to start off as a beginner is a painful one, considering the fact that I used to be an athlete before. BUT I can handle the truth. AND the truth is I have not worked out for some time.

The ultimate training schedule: (drum roll)

BEGINNER’S WORKOUT ROUTINE

(1 March 1, 2007 – 30 April, 2007)

SET A (Gym)

Bench Press (CHEST)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps	8 Reps
Barbell Curl (BICEPS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps
French Press (TRICEPS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps
Sit Ups / Crunches (ABS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps	8 Reps
Military Press (SHOULDERS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps
Shrugs (TRAPEZIUS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps

SET B (Home)

Push Ups (CHEST)	12 Reps (Normal)	10 Reps (Wide)	10 Reps (Normal)	8 Reps (Diamond)
Barbell Curl (BICEPS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps
Squats (THIGHS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps
Sit Ups / Crunches (ABS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps	8 Reps
Military Press (SHOULDERS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps
Shrugs (TRAPEZIUS)	12 Reps	10 Reps	10 Reps

SET C (Swim/Run)

Swim	Run
2 laps (100m) warm up	2.4 km Jog
10 laps (500) swim	Skipping 20 mins

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Set A/B	Rest	Set A/B/C	Rest	Set A/C

Now to motivate myself, I have formulated a plan that will kick start this program. This beginner's workout will last for 2 months. After the beginner’s stage, I will review my fitness levels. If they are satisfactory, a new advance plan will be conceptualised. This plan allows me to "look forward" to the next stage. Just like karate grading.

The details… The trick to keep the ball rolling is CONSISTENCY. A psychological method was used to aid this consistency. The positive reinforcement method. Wow, its been a long time since I touched my Psychology text books. Anyway, by using extrinsic means such as rewards, monetary gains or recognition, I attempt to keep the fire burning through a collection of star sequence. For instance, every successful workout, I receive a star (*) for my efforts. After accumulating 20 stars (*), I can use the stars to redeem a $100 gift. So mathematically, 3 workouts per week roughly translate to 12 stars(*) for a month. Ahhh....not if i sprinkle in punctual attendance for work. For every punctual attendance I will award myself a star (*) this definitely makes the game much more interesting. Muahahahah!!!!

I reckon that after a few months, training will become fun. This is because I would have made significant gains in the weight that I lift and the miles that I can run. Therefore I believe extrinsic motivations will slowly become intrinsic motivations. Well, that is just my hypothesis. Hehehehe. Training will become a habit as well as a hobby. Hopefully I can maintain this willpower and change other aspects of my life. Currently I have collected 2 stars (*). There are plenty more to go. No slacking. More pumping!!!

MAN UTD Wins Again!!!

2007-03-03T23:47:00.000+08:00

Manchester United 1 - 0 Liverpool

Fantastic result!!! Although I must admit Liverpool played better most of the time but hey who cares. This win opens up a 12 points lead, which I believe will boost United players psychologically. The most controversial moment came when Scholes lashes out his arm at Alonso. A red card was harshly awarded. For a moment I thought it will be a stalemate. 92' min....Freekick taken by Ronaldo....Reina fumbles and John O'Shea smashes the ball into the net. I was in Esctasy, screaming my lungs out till it hurts. It still does now but everything turns out well.

DELIGHTED is the word. Tonight I definitely will have a good night sleep!!!!

Need to Exercise

2007-03-01T22:05:00.000+08:00

What a New Year. I ate, I ate and I ate..... Sin Sin Sin. I can almost hear Robbie William's song over and over in my head. Shit, I definitely need a change in lifestyle. Ever since I started working 2 weeks rotating night and day shift, I have gain a whopping 5 KG!!

Discipline and commitment will be needed to get back into shape. Although I had been to the gym 3 times already, I still can't feel the fiery passion and determination. Wise man once said "A good plan is worth a thousand men". Nothing could be further from the truth. A training plan needs to be formulated and conceptualised

Well, a journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step. Time to hit the drawing board!!!!

My SLR at River Hong Bao

2007-02-22T21:02:00.000+08:00

River Hong Bao 2007

I had taken some pics during my trip to river hong bao. I am actually quite new to shooting at night. Well, everything has its first time. Here are some pics I had taken with my 400D.

The pictures focus are o.k. However, the quality can be better if they are taken with a tripod. SO.... that will be my next purchase. They are also taken with different brightness to create a different mood. Although I do find the first picture slightly underexposed but somehow the "darkness" of the pic is quite enchanting.

The lighting for the second pic (on top) is quite nice and adequate. The pic is crisp and clear but the building on the far right emits too much light for my liking. By and large I am quite happy with them as they are taken without the help of a tripod. Now, I am really curious about the result of landscape shots when a tripod is used. O.K... waiting for the next pay cheque!!!

Here is another picture of lantern pigs. It was taken with built-in flash. I find taking pictures of light emitting objects quite difficult. Somehow they dun really appear as what u see with your eyes. Perhaps more research is needed in this area. hmmmm........

My SLR

2007-02-20T07:22:00.000+08:00

Some photos taken during CNY. All of them are still life as I am still learning the ropes. Feel free to comment.

Frabegas needs to be punished!!!

2007-02-18T20:11:00.000+08:00

After reading soccernet latest posting. I feel infuriated by that punk's (Frabegas) comments. He totally showed no respect or watsoever for Mark Hughes(Man Utd legend). This is the paragragh extracted from www.soccernet.com.

Hughes explained: '"He came off the pitch and asked me if I had played for Barcelona and when I said that, yes I did, he said something to the effect of `that wasn't Barcelona football, was it ?'"

I feel that some people just dun have any respect for anybody and need to be taught a lesson. I mean Mark Hughes has been there done that. A four-times FA Cup winner and you chide him with such comments. Good grief!! Open your eyes Frab!!!

Come to think of it, Frab isn't the only one that has no respect. I read articles on young boxers disregarded authorities or even retired boxers like Sugar Ray. Footballers thinking hey are so damn rich that they think they own the world. Closer to home, students showing no respect for their teachers and elders. The impetuous of youth!!! It is good to be fearless and stand toe to toe to challenges ahead of u. BUT to get in trouble with the school or worse law, that is pretty stupid.

Lets face it. The ever changing world couple with the ever emerging new technology had made these young lads brash and cocky. Older folks such as our mums, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunties, uncles are mostly somewhat less techno savvy as the youngsters. By not knowing these "high tech" stuff, young people tend to think older folks are stupid or brainless least to speak. Although I am not too old myself, I find this trend very disturbing. So what if they are not good in computers, Xbox, and other gizmos. These older generation had BEEN THERE DONE THAT. Although some may not have but I believe majority do. They can offer their experience and knowledge.

On the other hand it can be quite tiring explaining simple stuff towards them as older folks learning capabilities may take a bit longer. I understand some old folks who had BEEN THERE DONE THAT behaves quite arrogantly too. (Hoarse voice) "Back in my days we do it this way, therefore...." ARRRGGHH........Why can't they listen to our inputs???

In the end it all lies in the ego, willing to learn attitude and respect. If these 3 elements are fulfilled I think both parties can learn and grow . Together we can create a better world for the future.

PES 6>>> Win again!!!

2007-02-18T18:05:00.000+08:00

Another match, another victory. Although he came back with a vengence and fought a great fight, however his efforts just falls short. Hehehehe.

Pro Evolution Socer 6

2007-02-18T17:09:00.000+08:00

After new year visiting, I came home and trash my brother in winning 11 (PES 6)!!! My team England beat brazil 3-0. Beckham was on the form of his life producing 2 fine assists and almost score one on his own.

I really love football. It is a passion. I am really intrigued by the different tactics used in football as well. O.k got to go. Another match awaits!!!

CNY Arrived!!!

2007-02-18T00:31:00.000+08:00

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!!!

Happy Lunar New Year Everbody!!!

2007-02-17T21:53:00.000+08:00

Yo everyone, just a couple hours to Chinese New Year. Welcome the year of the pig!!! I would like to wih everyone

"Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!!!!!!"

I do find horoscope fascinating and strange at the same time. People tend to believe them when their horoscope are telling them positive things. When the information revealed some negative parts, people just say "Take it with a pinch of salt!!"

Call me inquisitive or curious. I do noticed Chinese zodiac and Western astrology reports different information from each other. SO...which one should I believe??? Anyway I am quite lucky as I am born in the year of the horse(Chinese Zodiac) and I am a Sagitarius (Western astrology). Pretty simple as both of them are related to the horse. Hahahaha!!!!

Here is a picture that I designed using photoshop for one of my school projects.

Anyway no matter what animal horoscope we belong to....the bottom line is we are pretty much related to primates. Chimps are our nearest cousin. In fact chimps are 98% human. According to the discovery channel. There was a chimp that walks upright like a human and is 99% human. This discovery did raise a eyebrow or two. So dun monkey around!!!

My SLR

2007-02-16T22:25:00.000+08:00

The camera I am using is none other than the famous 400D. Hehehehe!! I was quite tempted by the Nikon though, coz Nikon D80 got a very nice body and photos taken are just as comparable as the 400D. (BUT) Price prevails and I settle for the 400D. Come to think of it I was quite happy i chose the canon as it has quite a few functions and values$$ that D80 is lacking.

Anyway, I am not going to drawn into the debate of which brand of camera is the best. This only makes things more complicated and confusing, as both brands of cameras are of high quality. Alright already, lets get started!!!!!

It has been 3 weeks since I bought my first SLR camera. So far, I have taken some good pictures and some not so good pictures. :p Well, I started off taking pictures in my home which I find a bit boring. Therefore, I started venturing forward and ended up in the Singapore Science Centre!!!

Here some pics of the Science Centre

These are some of the better photos taken with the 400D. In my opinon I think the results are great!!! You know, I have been receiving some stick over the purchase of this new toy. Some people think I am crazy while others just think I wasted some cold hard cash. The total cost is approximately $2k. Its not cheap. I would be lying if I said " I don't really care wat others think". The truth is whoever that said this sentence is really quite conscious of what others thought about him/her. Deep down inside and sub consciously they really mind what people thought about them. Well, I am no exception. But fighters are always stubborn. The more others say no don't do this, you are not cut out for that, the more I want to try it. Whahahahaha!!!