Remember last week when we were at 44 active cases in Vic?!? Well we’re at 123 now! ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE. Triple. Well that escalated very quickly. See all the blue below, that’s all VIC new cases compared to the rest of the country on a day by day basis for the last week.
Here’s the source of transmission. I’m surprised by the amount of new cases that list overseas as the source. Is it just me or doesn’t a travel ban mean no one gets in and out?
How are we doing compared to the other states?
On a macro level, the world added more than 300,000 active cases, and we’re now at 3,802,232. Another ~30,000 people having the game over sign, bring the total death to 469,389. Just keep in mind that the big rise of new cases in Vic is not even a blip on the overall graph for the country.
The bad news is that we’re back to 5 people home visits. Outdoors is back down to 10 people. However gyms and cinemas are now allowed to reopen with a 20 people limit.
Since I’m talking about Dan, here’s some politician in Aus as represented by a simpson character. I thought Adem Somyurak was particularly funny.
Also from today in VIC you can order a drink at the pub without ordering a meal.
From my perspective it’s pretty pointless to make plans for when things are back to how they used to be. When someone starts off a sentence with “when we back in the office…” your reaction should be just smile and nod.
Still hoping a contact tracing app will save you? Even the government knew it’s not reliable. It’s just struggling to meet expectations everywhere. But don’t rely on the government when they can’t even update software to save themselves from cyber attack. The wars are no longer fought on the ground in the digital space. To be technology inept in the future is the equivalent of being illiterate in the past.
These images provide a good glimpse into what the second wave looks like in Beijing. Even the students have masks on during class. (audio is in french)
Even the middle east is fighting a second wave.
NZ are no longer at zero anymore, currently at 7 active cases.
I found this article on COVID-19 interest.
Markets and Economics
I found this useful if you want to understand the Fourth turning that we are currently in, but don’t have time to read the book. If you are trying to make sense of the world and the change that we are going through. Then this is how I look at the world.
Conversation with Venture capitalist Bill Tai was very interesting. It is a similar version of where I see the world heading. And it may be uniquely a technologist view of where the world will end up.
When the RBA considered asking property data to be hidden, it’s a telling sign of the fragility of the financial system here in Aus with the property bubble. Samsonite the suitcase makers have asked their lenders if they can go out and raise money using last year’s EBITDA. Of course the lenders will agree otherwise they will be left holding the bags. Literally. So the lesson is to take a close look at any data that may be manipulated or distorted in someway. Another one to look out for is how banks are valuing property loans on their books
Not much new insight can be gained from the charts this week.
Other Stuff.
Since gyms are supposed to re-open today, try to avoid hurting yourself if you haven’t been doing any exercise in months. I’m often appalled at the skinny guy who comes to do an hour of biceps curls, or the beginner who does half squats, or the personal trainer who gets the people he’s training to do random stuff. So I will share with you the email I usually send to friends who I’ve trained at the gym for the first time. I’m not sure if the program works without someone to go with you the first few times to provide guidance, so take it with a grain of salt and find your own strength coach.
We go to the gym to train for strength, the aim is to lift HEAVY. Strength is something that helps in every aspect of life. It allows you to be more focused and have more energy. Some people who think they want to be skinnier and do heaps of cardio and are left unsatisfied is because what they really want is to be stronger.
The program is Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. The book is here if you are interested in the mechanics and how the muscles should move to avoid injury. As you see from the below video, it’s not just guys that train in strength.
Barbell Squat – 2 warm up set. 3 working set. 5 reps each https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhoikoUEI8U
Reminder: PUT THE SAFETY BARS SO YOU DON’T GET CRUSHED. Go parallel or below.
Barbell Deadlift – 2 warm up set, 1 working set. 5 reps each
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToXDFLXL1uo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XowKMitOVNc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwQQZCi6OHA
Reminder: Bar cuts middle of foot, bend over to grab bar without bending knees, shins to bar, chest up, and stand up.
Bench press – 2 warm up set, 3 working set. 8 rep each
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy1lWckjQMw
Reminder: DO NOT collar the bar. And no death grip. Can do with dumbbell if the squat rack is not free.
Overhead press – 2 warm up set. 3 working set. 8 rep each https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMAiNQJ6FPc
Reminder: Can do with dumbbell while seated on bench if squat rack is not free.
Bent over row – 2 warm up set, 3 working set. 8 reps each
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0uhDZ06hrQ
Reminder: Can do with dumbbell while seated on bench if squat rack is not free.
Power Clean – 3 sets. 5 reps each
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdJM8bnrkjY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ggG1M2gGes
Reminder: It will be just the bar at the start.
Close grip pull up – 3 sets, 8 rep each.
Reminder: No warm up needed. Use assist machine if you can’t do it yet.
Dips – 3 sets, 8 rep each.
Reminder: No warm up needed. Use assist machine if you can’t do it yet.
Workout A
Squat
Bench press
Deadlift
Row
Pull up
Workout B
Squat
Row
Power Clean
Overhead press
Dips
Order is not that important, keep in mind you want to do the big movements earlier as you will be more tired towards the end of work out and won’t be able to lift as much.
One day gym, one day rest. Alternating between workout A and workout B. Min 3 days per week. Try to increase weight each week slowly while maintaining perfect form. Working set should be 80% hard, as in you should feel tired after the set, but can rest a few mins to recover. Aim is to eventually be able to do 8 reps of unassisted pull up, and to increase the weight of the dead lift. Don’t think about it, stick to that. If you lose the habit just jump back on the train and go again. No Cardio on gym day. If you want to do cardio do it on your off days, or do it after the weight session. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing at the gym, do your workout and leave. Should take 45mins – 1 hour. Get a small exercise book to note down how much weight and what you did each gym session. Get some headphones and a good audible book, or good podcast to listen to.
Note that you will be sore, it’s normal, it’s your muscles rebuilding itself, cold showers might help. Eventually your body adapts and you won’t be as sore the days after gym sessions.
Here is a calculator on how much macronutrient to eat, and how many calories to aim for.
App to use to track is myfitnesspal. The aim is to hit the macronutrients number without going over the amount of calories. Eat what you want as long as you can measure it.
Anyway thanks for reading and if you ever wondered what came first, the chicken or the egg, well mystery solved.