Single-Leg Deadlift (Exercise)

If You Can Do It With Two, Try One. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oiKWA-K6-g

How many of you enjoy doing deadlifts? Hopefully the majority of you and if you don’t, that is okay too, I don’t expect everyone to have the same favorite exercises. I take notice of what kind of viewers flock to my blog/or comment on my post and while I do have beginner exercisers/fitness people – I also have many more advanced athletes as well. I like to think I cater to both but when and if I don’t, I throw in some more advanced exercises that many of them would enjoy and that my beginners can work up to. 

 

Personally, I enjoy deadlifts, but enjoy single leg deadlifts even more, why? because they are more advanced, test your balance and challenge you (not to mention adds variety to your workout). For most people, I would start off using no weight or very little weight, but for those of you who are more intermediate to advanced, you can use heavier weights and really make this workout a challenge. In this video you will notice she is using two dumbbells, but I have done this workout using only one dumbbell in one of my hands, and I have also used a weight plate for when a dumbbell isn’t available and kettlebells work great too!

 

How to perform the single-leg deadlift:

 
  1. Hold the kettlebell, dumbbell or weight plate using one hand, stand on one leg on the same side you are holding the equipment
  2. while the knee is slightly bent, perform a “stiff-legged” deadlift by bending at the hip, extending the free leg behind you for balance
  3. continue lowering the kettlebell/dumbbell/weight plate until you are parallel to the ground then return to the upright position

You may switch feet after doing the amount of repetitions recommended. 

 

What Muscles Am I helping?

  • hamstrings
  • the lower back functions as a stabilizer 
  • glute muscles
  • adductor magnus

The great thing about this exercise is you don’t much equipment, if any at all depending on your fitness level and it can be done anywhere (the gym, outside, inside the house). I have had people tell me they aren’t feeling anything in the muscles when performing this exercise, but if you perform it correctly, trust me you will feel it, especially if you are doing 10-15 reps of it. I would highly recommend that people give this exercise a try and let me know what you think! you can add it to your workout routine, challenge yourself to do it without losing your balance and if you are a beginner, you can hold a chair to help with your balance until you become independent enough to the point without having to use it. Leave comments, share and like this blog post, for more exercises, click here

 

Thanks for reading. 

 

Your Fitness Blogger,

Shay-lon xxoo

 

Happy Birthday To Me! Today Is My Birthday!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7o9xD4hfPo

Hey everyone! I just wanted to say thank you to all those who had a chance to tell me happy birthday earlier today! I made a really short YouTube video before I get ready for my parties. I appreciate all of you and your positive vibes you have sent my way! I am feeling much better. Chances are, I will not get to everyone’s blog and/or comments today, because I will be attending different functions today for my celebration! I will try to go LIVE on my Instagram account or YouNow account so that you all can be apart of my celebration, given that I remember and I don’t get bogged down with other things! I am the BIG TWENTY-FIVE & feeling blessed I am able to still walk this earth on my big day this year! I swear you all have been awesome to me and have been so supportive and patient with me on my good and bad days as a blogger, YouTuber and friend! I wish you all could be here with me to celebrate, but no worries, you will be in my heart and mind 😀 #cheers!

Your Fitness Blogger,

Shay-lon xxoo

P.S Whatever I don’t get to today, I will be on my blog and social media sites tomorrow to reply and email all of you back! Thank you again for being patient and awesome! Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

I Might Be M.I.A for a few days (PMSing)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxqPg7ZsKkU

This YouTube video will explain why you may not see a blog post from me for a couple of days or may not be able to reach me on social media. I will try to log in and check and reply as long as I am feeling up to it, my body is bloated and drained so, be patient with me and sorry for any inconvenience this may cause some of you. 

P.S I did sign up for a YouNow account, so if any of you use that app, you may add me 😀 Happy Monday!

Your Fitness Blogger,

Shay-lon xxoo

Narcissism (Mental Health Post)

Mental Health is just as important as physical health. 

 

It has been awhile since I was able to hit on more mental health topics, considering, I find that many people have mental health conditions that go undiscovered. I have mentioned in prior mental health post that is very important to take care of your mind just as much as it is to take care of your body and for some people it is considered more important but that is neither here or there. My point is in order to take care of yourself, you have to have some kind of balance in your life, one that is destructive toward you or others. 

 

This particular mental health condition is normally a word used closely to the word “selfish”. I am not sure how many people are aware of the mental condition narcissism or even understand it, but in this post, I am going to share some good information to take with you after reading this. I would highly recommend that many of you do your own research afterwards to gain a better understanding of it because I think the more aware we are about something, the less we turn a blind eye to it. Now without offending anyone with this health condition, this is not a post to slam you or make you feel like a piece of shit about who you are or what you do to others, but hopefully will be a wake up call and give you a reason to want to change for the better if possible – like any condition, I don’t expect things to happen overnight. For those of you who might know someone who is narcissistic, then hopefully you will be able to share your thoughts & experiences in the comment section – don’t be afraid to add your own two cents to this post, the more information , the better! 

For beginners what is a narcissist? 

  • A person who has an excessive interest in or admiration for themselves. 
  • It is a “personality disorder”

Based on (DSM)-5 The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: These are things that would possibly classify one as narcissistic: (this was published in 2013)

  • exaggerated sense of self-importance
  • expectations of being recognized as superior being (without achievements that warrant it)
  • exaggerating achievements & talents
  • mind is preoccupied with fantasies such as success, power, brilliance, beauty or having the perfect spouse/partner
  • the belief that you are superior and can only be understood by those who are equally special
  • require constant admiration
  • sense of entitlement
  • expectations of having special favors done for them and unquestioned compliance with one’s expectations
  • Taking advantage of others in order to get what they want
  • Inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others
  • being envious of others and belief that others are envious of you
  • behaving in an arrogant manner

What causes one to have this personality disorder?

  • In all honesty, it is not specifically known, but there are studies saying possible genetics or psychobiology. Speculation says some may believe the mismatching of parent-child relationships. 

This personality disorder is said to be found in more males than females, and is usually spotted in early teens BUT even if a teen has some of these characteristics, it does not ALWAYS mean that they have this disorder (it could be typical of their age and doesn’t guarantee them to grow up with narcissism) – which in my opinion is why sometimes it goes unknown or not correctly spotted.  

Bad things that could come of being narcissistic:

  • Relationship difficulties
  • Problems at work and school – with coworkers
  • Depression
  • Possible drug or alcohol abuse
  • Possible suicidal thoughts or behaviors

Although some of these complications can be for more than one disorder NOT just narcissism. 

Diagnosing the disorder?

  • I am not a therapist, so I am not sure how each of them do this, but from what I have gathered there is usually an exam or some kind of evaluation that can help the therapist recognize this disorder BUT because so many people may have more than one disorder it does make it more difficult to diagnose at times. 

With all of this being said, I read a couple of blogs that discussed this disorder, one being: http://www.willieverbegoodenough.com/resources/what-is-narcissism/ (that also mentions the DSM- 5) it was a good read and short. Maybe it will be something you would be interested in reading, we pretty much shared the same kind of information but their blog has a little bit of a twist to it & she has some sources she shares in her blog post that you can look into for further guidance. Thank you for reading, feel free to share, comment, like and follow. 

 

Your Fitness Blogger,

Shay-lon xxoo

900 followers and counting.. Thank you:D

So..

I made it to my goal of 900 followers (technically yesterday) but, I am in such a good mood over this! Not because it means I have more followers, but it means I met 100 more people this month, I talked to a possible 100 more people, read 100 more blogs, possibly maybe even learned 100 more things from all of you. Having followers is like every bloggers dream, but having followers who later on become friends, become your coffee and conversation partner, or people you can rely on to make your day – that my good sir is hard to come by. It occur to me today that someone had a made a comment on my YouTube channel telling me how they not only like my videos but they like the fact I respond to everyone’s comments – that is their favorite thing about me. Reading that, really made me smile, because I am not sure if you know this, but I make it my mission to ALWAYS respond to people on any of my social media mediums (this is why I am on so many).

You see, I don’t think some of you realize that a response to someone is a million times better than following someone (in my opinion) because when you respond, you are showing you read it, you understood it, and you are interested in speaking with that particular person. When people follow me, I hope they follow me because they enjoy my engagement, I hope they follow me because they are eager to know more and I hope they follow me because they feel comfortable on my page or whatever medium they follow me on. I don’t want someone to follow me and then never talk to me, I want to talk to each of you, and it doesn’t have to be about fitness/health, it can be about your day, your hobbies, your family.. those conversations are meaningful to me.

I strive to make good content, yes. BUT I also strive to make good conversation, to show my interest in your blog or videos, to show interest in your life because I want to engage, I want to know your opinions or thoughts. You’re not just a follower or subscriber, when you talk to me, you have begun a deeper journey, a journey that I hope never ends. xo

Thank you for being there for me, and supporting me! Cheers.

New goal: 1000 followers.

Your Fitness Blogger,

Shay-lon xoxo