Open Heart Surgery, Aortic Aneurysm, Needing Inspiration, Take A Look At Heartosaurus

  Hi folks, I thought that it was about time I gave my friend Benjamin Carey a plug for his site, and his excellent book. If you are dealing with a health challenge, and you are scared to exercise, just take a look at what he and his surgeon did together. He tells the story in his book, 'Barefoot in November.' It is truly inspiring, having provided me with considerable encouragement! It is surprising what ... Read more

Video Demonstration Of A Simple Pain Reduction Technique For Arthritis In Your Fingers

Hi folks, In a previous blog post I described minor arthritis in the fingers of my left hand, which is probably just one of the maladies that comes with aging. Such minor health issues can be an annoyance, whether you are training for better health or undertaking a challenging training program for competition. My cycling buddy, Rory, has almost exactly the same issue, with swollen joints in several fingers. This ... Read more

Is The Ironman Safe? FitOldDog Says, “Yes, If You Do It Right.” What Do The Experts Say?

Hi folks, We live in a truly hostile environment, and we want to feel safe. The air we breathe is held on by gravity, and one good near miss by a large meteor could suck it all away. The solid ground isn't solid after all (ever been through a small earthquake?), and the so-called solid bit is floating on molten rock (not friendly stuff for organisms made largely of water). We are surrounded by and full of other ... Read more

Shoulder Blade Movement And Meet My Coach

Hi folks, Every time I turn around someone is telling me to loosen up my shoulder blades, which are pretty stiff. I must admit that they were essentially 'stuck to my back.' Several years of massage, Gyrotonic, Pilates, Feldenkrais, and recently Continuum, have improved them a great deal. I now include thoughts about my shoulder blade motion into my training and dancing, to good effect. I made a short movie today, ... Read more

A Continuum Dance Lesson Video For FitOldDog By Rebecca

  Hi folks, As a component of my approach to exercise for better health and Ironman training, I have incorporated dance lessons using Continuum. Today I enjoyed my lesson so much that I wanted to share it with you in the form of a video prepared by my teacher, Rebecca, of Evolving Therapies, Chapel Hill, NC. This approach is fascinating, much more difficult than it looks and it takes a strong core, ... Read more

11 Tips On Exercise For Better Health From FitOldDog

  Hi folks, With over 200 posts under my blogging belt, I thought it might be useful to my readers if I went through and pulled out pieces of key exercise advice, with links to the respective posts. Then I thought, "but I love prime numbers, remember that great book about the Reimann Hypothesis that I referred to ages ago, Prime Obsession?" So I decided to select 11 training tips, instead. Here they ... Read more

My Trip To The Dermatologist As A Pathologist Ironman Athlete

Hi folks, I've seen cancer in many guises during my scientific career of over 40 years, including material from domestic animals and research studies, and clinically as it took loved ones from my life. I know this beast pretty well, so when I go for a health screen I wonder - is it my turn? My recent visit to my dermatologist, Dr. Robin Thompson of Chapel Hill Dermatology, was no exception. I was aware from ... Read more

How An Aging Scientist Athlete Deals With Arthritis Pain

Hi folks, Our bodies are like an old car. We accumulate physical damage as we age, but we don't let that stop us. It is just part of the game of life. One thing that happens is arthritis in joints that have undergone surgery, in my case my knees, and body parts that are frequently exposed to minor traumas. My major area of arthritis pain is limited to three joints of my left hand. They will ache or even ... Read more

Disclaimer: As a veterinarian, I do not provide medical advice for human animals. If you undertake or modify an exercise program, consult your medical advisors before doing so. Undertaking activities pursued by the author does not mean that he endorses your undertaking such activities, which is clearly your decision and responsibility. Be careful and sensible, please.