Tyler Duckworth's Blog

One Word - NASTIA

2008-12-29T17:18:00.000-08:00

Core Techniques

2008-11-06T07:01:00.001-08:00

Some of the most exciting exercises out there, are the ones you don't even need a gym to do! With that being said, I'd like to introduce some Core Training Techniques to strengthen your core and allow yourself that six-pack you've always dreamed of. We'll start out with some simple planks and iso-metric holds, and build our way to more complicated movements and positions.

A great place to start is with the "High Plank". In this position, remember to keep your elbows and shoulders and wrists in alignment. A gentle but consistent slope will be created in this position. Remember, at no point in this position should their be an "droopy" areas, that is to suggest that any area in the lumbar region of your back that isn't completely engaged will put incredible pressure on your lower back, and this is NOT a good thing. Keep it straight, as if a ball could easily roll from your shoulder down to your ankle. Keep your shoulders relaxed and not elevated. Hold this position for at least 60 seconds. If you find yourself shaking, that means the stability in your core could use some work! Don't worry, we're all in the same boat! Shake it Baby, Shake!

Pushing your hips directly up, the next position after the high plank is the old yoga stalwart, Downward Dog. This is a great way to loosen up your shoulders while stretching out your lower back. In this position you'll also notice the lengthening of your hamstrings and calves. Take time to push your left and right heel into the mat or floor to really take advantage of this stretch.

Bringing your hips back towards the floor, keep your upper torso upright, using your shoulders and triceps to stabilize this hold. This position, known as the cobra, will allow for a fantastic stretch all throughout your abdominal region, as well as your lower back. Be deliberate and controlled in your movement back towards the mat.

From Cobra, slowly push your body back, dropping your knees to the mat and allowing for strong stretch throughout your lower back. This will also allow for your shoulders to take a break and relax. Let go of all tension and focus on bringing your focus back to breath control.

Tufts Swimming Stretch

2008-11-05T08:33:00.000-08:00

The first stretch in our series is the Butterfly position. In this position I would like you to remember to keep your back completely neutral, lengthening your spine, while pushing your knees towards the mat, opening up your hip-flexors. Feel free to anchor your hands around your ankles to help create tension and stability.

After rolling back and forth a good 10 times, shoot your legs forward, creating a 90 degree angle with your body. Keep your back in the neutral position and hold your arms directly above your head, aligning all the joints (wrist, elbow, shoulder). Hold this position for 60 seconds. Notice the tension this position places on your hamstrings. Keep your feet in a flexed position to maximize the stretch for your lower extremities.

Immediately after the butterfly position, you will need to bring your legs up to the Tuck position. Here, remember to round your shoulders and back (especially your lats). Try not to elevate your shoulders, keeping your upper shoulder complex loose. This position is important in opening up your shoulders, lats, triceps, traps and rhomboids. A necessity for swimmers looking to add to their flexibility.

Adding on to the tuck position, you will now begin to roll back and forth keeping your core completely engaged and tight. Remember to keep your back rounded and mitigate all movement through displacing tension in your core.

After rolling back and forth 10 times, shoot your legs forward and hold your arms directly over your head aligning your wrist with your elbow and shoulder. This position will create a 90 angle. Hold this position for 60 seconds. Notice the stretch throughout your hamstring and calves. Remember to keep the spine in a neutral position, as upright as possible!

From this 90 degree angle, bring your arms forward, falling into a front pike stretch. Our goal here is to touch the top of your toes and bring them towards your forehead. Don't necessarily yank them forwards, rather allow the lengthening of your hamstring and spine in this position. Do not lock your knees, instead keep a soft tension throughout the entire length of your legs.

In the last position of this stretch series, straddle your legs out. Focus on trying to extend your legs as wide as possible opening up your hamstrings and calves. If possible, extend your arms as wide as possible, with the goal of actually reaching both feet with your hands. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds.

On the Way - Beijing 2008

2008-08-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

The Journey Begins

I figured that my twenties would turn out slightly different than my present situation. Don't get me wrong, after spending thirteen hours dismantling wheat thins slowly in my mouth, in an attempt to feed the boredom of the plane ride, I could definitely think of a worse situation. I could be spending the summer selling boxes of Wheat Thins at the local cornerstore, or even worse, working at the local factory that actually bakes and distributes the Wheat Thins. On second thought, this is a pretty sweet gig.

This whole mess started about twenty-one hours ago. Having slept nary a wink the night before, due mainly to indigestion, my nervousness about my trip began to settle in and ultimately, enough was enough. Gas is one problem, flying across the world is QUITE another. I threw my covers off my bed with a dramatic, and surprisingly high-pitched grunt.

I mistakenly thought that a good education would afford me certain luxuries in life, mainly the ability to go to movies and chic bars with other professional ivy educated friends, maybe a weekend at the Vineyard from time to time each summer and my god, at least "Business Class" accommodations on all domestic and international flights.

My reluctance to go into finance or any other profession after college, suitable to support such a pipe dream, had reared its ugly head as I approached the ticket counter at Boston's Logan Airport. At 5:00 am in the morning. The ticket agent seemed chipper as I told her proudly,

"Yes, I'll be flying from Boston to Beijing today... I mean tomorrow, well, I mean, today AND tomorrow... you know what... you get it don't you...?!"

She wryly smiled at me. Embarrassed and clearly under caffeinated, I headed towards the closest eatery to grab a diet coke to wake up the senses. After making it through security, I burned a good hour thumbing through the essentials, as I like to call 'em, you know, PEOPLE, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY and of course, HELLO!.

The trip to O'Hare from Boston was actually painless, if one was able to ignore the orphanage of screaming children three rows ahead of me. Failed Planned Parenthood policies aside, I was preparing for BEIJING 20008 and no amount of crying or crackers were going to ruin my trip.

As the mass of people began to cluster around the gate in Chicago, preparing for the non-stop flight across the world to Beijing, I noticed something very odd. People were lining up in order without being pushy or crass. People were even making eye-contact with each other and, gasp, SMILING!

Within five minutes of walking into the gate, I had made friends with the Mother of one of the U.S. Springboard divers, a sprinter from Barbados and caught the eye of a hunky German weightlifter. All bound for Beijing, there was a palpable energy at that gate, which was quite different than at C22 across the corridor where blurry-eyed passengers were lining up to fly to Sarasota with the lifelessness of a Soviet gulag prisoner. Ahhhh, things were QUITE different on this end of the isle.

Were were all going to Beijing, we were all going to THE OLYMPICS.....

I've taken long flights before, all filled with their own set of anxieties. When I flew to Sao Paolo, I sat white-knuckled the entire time over the Andes, replaying images from that TERRIBLE cannibal movie, "ALIVE" about the Chilean rugby team. Once we had finally passed over the Amazon, and my bottle of Xanax empty, I was able to relax and enjoy the colorful farmland of Brazil. Even the flight from Heathrow to LAX wasn't that bad. Though, on that flight, the movie projector was broken, giving us two options each more grisly than that other... Syndicated episodes of "Everyone Loves Raymond" or "BRATZ: The Movie!"

No, see, this was MY Olympic flight, and I just knew it would be amazing. The funny thing about traveling abroad is the sense of community and closeness you inevitably feel when you come across someone that knows someone you know. The proverbial game of "seven-degrees" is basically a way for nervous travelers to ignore the fact that they are currently suspended 10,000 feet above the Arctic in a steal megalith flying at the speed of sound. Not scary at all!

I sat next to a kindly couple from Chicago, who, it turns out, have a son who swam for Williams College, a rival of my alma mater, Tufts University. We talked race strategy, advantages of Division III vs. Division I, and whether or not it is a requirement for liberal arts students to chronically wear ugly "CROC" shoes around New England.

Synchronicity truly became evident when we realized that we were both friends, once removed, from former Entertainment Tonight anchor, Leeza Gibbons. This, my friends, is what we call and the Chinese both call.... DESTINY

Approaching Beijing on the flight plan map seen on the projector, I suddenly realized just how damn BIG Siberia truly is; not just on a map either. I liken it to driving the Florida panhandle. Once you pass from Georgia into Florida, eager road tripping "Spring Breakers" usually break into song upon realizing they've FINALLY reached Florida. Around nine hours later, and sill no closer to Ft. Lauderdale, they slowly realize how beguiling that popular Mercator Projection map from elementary school can be. Siberia is the same way, only colder and less interesting to look at out the window.

Besides some icy mountains in the distance and the expansive taiga forests, there seems to be little else out there other than a couple communist ghosts and some run down Soviet irrigation systems...

Tomorrow the adventure continues with more stories from the road!!!

Khorkina2.0

2008-03-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

I would say something snarky, however, I totally have been caught doing this by family members and roommates before, so, rock it out boy! Lovely flexibility for a big dude. Gotta admit.

Priceless....

2008-02-22T21:49:00.001-08:00

बक्तुं बेबी

2008-01-10T21:41:00.000-08:00

Decided to do a somewhat serious blog, as I think I came across something really cool. I'm finally able to articulate my theory. Here it goes...based on something I came across today.

The Baktun, is an important unit of measurement, like a "year" or a "month" in the Mayan Long Form Calendar. The Baktun stands for 144,000 days.

2012 marks the end of the Baktun. No big deal, right?

Ever heard of the "144,000"? The twelve tribes of Israel who will enter the kingdom of heaven upon armageddon. Its a verse in the Book of Revelations Well, the Mormons and Jehovah's witnesses take this quite literally, and believe only 144,000 will inherit god's kingdom and go to heaven.

Revelation 7:3-8
" saying: "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until after we have sealed the servants of God on their foreheads." And I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed,
12,000 from the tribe of Reuben,
12,000 from the tribe of Gad,
12,000 from the tribe of Asher,
12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali,
12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,
12,000 from the tribe of Simeon,
12,000 from the tribe of Levi,
12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,
12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun,
12,000 from the tribe of Joseph,
12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.
"
Revelation 14:1
" Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. "
Revelation 14:3-5
" And they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. For it is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

What if there is a symbolic link between 144,000 and armageddon and the Mayan Calendar. Get it?! I'm trying to see if anyone has come across this "coincidence" before.

Moreover, this supports my theory that a lost civilization left remnants of an ancient knowledge throughout pockets of surviving humanity (lake Titicaca region, Nile-Egypt, Sumeria, Sub-Continental India and China) and that that lost knowledge has survived as religious myth and legend.

Why else are these crazy christians obsessed with the number 144,000, if not for the fact that its actually hidden knowledge of the end of this precessional cycle, and possibly humanity!

हन्कोक्कियन ठोरी

2007-12-19T07:52:00.000-08:00

Much has been made, in my immediate group of friends, about my obsession with an event that took place around 13,000 years ago. I'm not going to get into it too much right now, as I'd like to simply present some evidence that SOMETHING happened.

As for the title of this blog post, well, I can't say much other than my blogger site seems to be off a bit. It translates everything into Thai. Why? don't know, but enjoy it while it lasts I guess.

It was meant to read, "Hancockian Theory", after Graham Hancock, a journalist/historian who I follow quite closely. He's dedicated to investigating whether or not there is evidence of a lost civilization, pre-dating dynastic Egypt.

However, that is beyond the scope of this blog post. In the meantime, enjoy this salacious bit of Mammoth-sized Gossip!

Mammoth Mystery

Dec. 18, 2007 -- About 34,000 years ago, a herd of mammoths found themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time. Analysis of seven tusks, purchased from a Canadian fossils vendor, show the ancient beasts were blasted by an exploding meteor.
"The only reasonable explanation is that a meteor exploded somewhere near where these animals were standing," Richard Firestone, a nuclear analytical chemist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory said at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco.
Scientists aren't sure if the animals died from their wounds, although the populations of several ice-age beasts decreased dramatically at about the same time of the suspected meteor strike. At least one creature, a bison, did survive, as its skull shows bone grew in after a fragment embedded, Firestone said.
"It was certainly a bad day," he said.
An amateur scientist, Allen West, got the idea to look at fossils for meteorite fragments in an attempt to find evidence of what wiped out the Clovis people of North America, as well as several large mammals, about 13,000 years ago.
After sifting through thousands of tusks at a Phoenix, Ariz., fossil show, he found one with a burnt hole in it and tested it with a magnet, as many meteors contain iron.
The magnet stuck. West bought the tusk for $200 and asked to look through the company's warehouse, which contained another 15,000 fossils. He found more evidence of micrometeorite impacts in a batch of tusks from eastern Siberia.
Some of the tusks had hundreds of tiny holes, made by burning fragments of the exploded meteor. The punctures all face the same direction, consistent with a blast from the sky.

More Digital Love

2007-12-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

So, thought I'd give you some Khorkina, since you guys have been so good to me. But not any old "khorkina" footage. I'm gonna give you the GOOD stuff. We're talking beam routines, stuck dismounts, you name it. Enjoy! Don't say I never gave you anything

A little Zamo, because hey, when life hands you lemons, you make Zamolodchikova.

One more, just for fun...

Putin's Pride - #5 - The Great Khorkina

2007-12-03T19:13:00.000-08:00

With Putin's recent "Victory" I thought I'd treat you guys out there with some gems from the ol' Soviet Union. That is to say, that, hey, sham elections aside, (oh, he's going there) these are some GREAT floor routines, all performed by our favorite former soviet gymnasts.

On a more serious note, I was told by a friend, who shall remain nameless for the time being, but is actually the Godfather to Khorkina's child. Basically, he's the Godfather of gymnastics really. Think about it. You can't be anyone- unless it involves Sveta...I digress.

So, as the story goes, The Goddess: Khorkina is thinking about running for office. Hmmmm. How'd you like Sveta serving in YOUR legislative Duma? Huh! So, only time will tell. However, if history is any consolaton, we know that Khorkina usually gets what she wants. Watch out Vladimir. She's hungry for POWER! (much like her tumbling in this piece- ZINGGGGGGGGA!)

# 6 Yelena Produnova - Sydney Olympics

2007-11-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

My god, or rather, Slava Bogu. This girl can tumble. Probably the fiercest floor exercise you'll find by a woman, EVER, her ability to tumble ungodly passes actually came out of a wrist injury. A fact proudly broadcast endlessly thanks to Al and Elfi.

And, at the end of day, the eybrow is pretty cool

Russkaya Spire

2007-11-06T06:19:00.000-08:00

Russian spy plane to be re-purposed as cellphone tower

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation

We've already seen balloons used to provide cellphone service, but it looks like the Russians could soon be putting that setup to shame, with one of its Myasishchev M-55 spy planes now reportedly set to be demoed as a makeshift cellphone tower early next year. That'll apparently happen in Malaysia over the course of February and March, but it seems like that could just be the beginning, with one "unnamed Western firm" said to be in discussions with the aircraft's manufacturer about the possibility of resuming production of the planes specifically for this purpose. Among other things, that would allow the plane to used to provide cellphone service in disaster areas, with its 17,000 meter altitude and 5,000 kilometer range allowing it to cover a wide range on the ground with relative ease.

Its the Patriots yelling FOUL PLAY this time around...

2007-11-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

NFL Experts Blog

Patriots complain about crowd noise

The NFL is looking into allegations that the Indianapolis Colts piped in noise during the game Sunday between the Colts and the Patriots. The charge comes after Patriots President Jonathan Kraft became the latest NFL team executive to accuse the Colts of the distracting tactic that is against the rules.
"We're aware of it and we're looking into it," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday. "It may just be the TV feed from CBS, but we're checking it out."
Observers at the game said there seemed to be a "skip" in the sound during the game Sunday, which the Patriots won 24-20. That might confirm the long-held suspicion among many people in the NFL that the Colts play loud crowd noise to help distract opponents when the other team is on offense.
"We're aware of the accusations, but there has never been anything to substantiate it," Aiello said.
Kraft approached NFL Vice President of Security Milt Ahlerich after Kraft and his parents, Patriots owners Bob and Myra Kraft, left the Patriots locker room after the game.
Kraft was angry as he told Ahlerich the league needed to look into the allegation. Ahlerich is the same person who confiscated a videotape made by the Patriots during a game against the New York Jets in Week 2 that led to the Spygate controversy.
In addition, New England quarterback Tom Brady also commented on how loud it was in the RCA Dome.
"I don't know how you measure levels of being deaf, but we couldn't hear anything out there," Brady said.
This is the latest in a string of incidents between the teams that have fueled the growing Colts-Pats rivalry. In the past, Colts General Manager Bill Polian has vehemently argued that the Patriots have bent the rules in terms of use of replay challenges and the pass interference rule.

Higher Ground

2007-11-04T12:21:00.000-08:00

Since ESPN usually devotes much of its Sunday programming to it, I thought I'd jump on the proverbial bandwagon. That being said, let's talk Jazz Dance. This is a fun little morsel that I found on youtube. Nothing too spectacular beside an interesting observation at 1:07 in the piece. Look to the right side of the screen. You'll notice something pretty sweet.

Yeah, Big Girls Can Dance Too! I'm pumped that they put Big Girl in formation for this performance. All throughout high school, people would kind of scoff at Dance Teams that allowed a fat girl on the team. And I was always of the mindset that, you know what, if you can get your legs in the air to the right count, you deserve to be on the line. And, I'll give it to her, Momma deserved her spot on this line. Check out that precision. The choreography was fun, light, a but lacking in substance, but again, that's what makes this piece fun.

All That Jazz

2007-11-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

Immortalized by the Blazettes in 2006 with their silver-medal winning performance to the tune of the same name, this little showstopper is ready to take her place with the Elite Jazz dancers from B'ville. Incredible turns and technique. We need to get this girl into figure skating.

My favorite part being at the beginning, with the first "Cha!" in the music, she delivers an awesome signature jazz-hand swipe. I'm gonna steal that the next time I'm dancing at the club....CHA!

#7 - Anastasia Ulrich & Leah Knoblerova

2007-10-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

If the world were perfect, this floor routine would obviously be at the top of the list, however, due to lack of difficulty, I had to put them in their appropriate place. However, the ease with which they move through their choreography is simply breathtaking. No, seriously!

2007-10-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

FACT: After retiring in 1996, Lavinia was paid more than $40,000 to appear in gym porn in Japan. No, seriously. Apparently, all she did was a couple vaults topless, but really now...
Makes you think what you can buy with an Olympic medal, especially in Eastern Europe.

# 8 - Lavinia Milosivici - 1992 Olympic Games

2007-10-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

2007-10-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

Cata lives!

2007-10-26T06:53:00.000-07:00

Though, I will say in all fairness, Catalina does have one of my favorite ending poses, EVER! Emmanuelle and I, both gym freaks can often be seen in a similar fashion on a Saturday night...

#9 Catalina Ponor - 2004 Olympic Games

2007-10-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

Just kidding. Its Catalina guys. I wouldn't really do that to you.

#10 Daniela Silivas - 1988 Olympic Games

2007-10-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

Bad Hair - Good Gymnastics!
Questionable choreography, her ability to truly sell the beat is admirable. Plus, let's be honest, it was '88, that was the music at the time, and considering that she lived in a Communist Romania, not bad.

...

2007-10-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

My ineptitude rarely surprises me, however- today, has been, well...affirming, and in a rather brutally honest way. Oh god that sounds dramatic. Basically what I"m trying to say is that I don't really understand how to make the design or interface of my website work. I want to create a GROUNDBREAKING new blog series focusing on floor exercises that changed the world. Cheeky, but fun, it was supposed to be an irreverent look at some of the greatest floor exercises in history, and rate them, as, with everything in life, nothing is anything without organizational social heirarchies. So, without further adieu, I'll try and make them ascend in countdown order. Nevermind, it makes sense in my mind, you just sit back, and enjoy the ride...down memory lane...(yeah, I'm gonna be cliche and go there...) (feigns an emoticon icon grin while re-reading paragraph and realizes the ironic truth mentioned in sentance one)

Floor Excercises that changed the world

2007-10-18T18:37:00.001-07:00

Shades of Blue

2007-10-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when life gets me down, all I need to do is remind myself that Romania's Steliana Nistor is the current AA-Silver Medalist. And...that makes me laugh. A lot!

I mean really, she has all the pizazz of a bridge-troll. Or, it looks as if one choreographed that routine.