Source https://www.theminimalists.com/sound/
By Joshua Fields Millburn · Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Since Ryan & I started The Minimalists eight years ago this week, I’ve recapped my favorite albums at the end of each year. A lot has changed since then, and streaming has now become the norm—which has been both good and bad for new music: good because we have more opportunities to find great music; bad because most songs get lost in the firehose of ephemera.
Considering the current state of the industry, and the overabundance of audio “content” available every week—albums, EPs, singles, and, of course, podcasts and audiobooks—2018 was a surprisingly strong year for new music. Once I sifted through the sluice, I found a collection of gems:
JFM’s Favorite Albums of 2018
What was your favorite? Hit the above link and leave a comment.
Previous Years
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Subscribe to The Minimalists via
email.
The post The Sound of Life appeared first on The Minimalists.
Source https://www.theminimalists.com/sound/
By Joshua Fields Millburn · Follow: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Since Ryan & I started The Minimalists eight years ago this week, I’ve recapped my favorite albums at the end of each year. A lot has changed since then, and streaming has now become the norm—which has been both good and bad for new music: good because we have more opportunities to find great music; bad because most songs get lost in the firehose of ephemera.
Considering the current state of the industry, and the overabundance of audio “content” available every week—albums, EPs, singles, and, of course, podcasts and audiobooks—2018 was a surprisingly strong year for new music. Once I sifted through the sluice, I found a collection of gems:
JFM’s Favorite Albums of 2018
What was your favorite? Hit the above link and leave a comment.
Previous Years
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Subscribe to The Minimalists via
email.
The post The Sound of Life appeared first on The Minimalists.
Source https://www.niashanks.com/how-to-perform-barbell-rows-chin-ups/
Two great exercises that will build a strong, resilient back (and posterior shoulders and biceps) are the barbell row and chin-up. The problem, however, is that these two exercises are frequently performed incorrectly, so trainees don’t reap the greatest benefits possible from the movements.
How to Perform Barbell Rows
Barbell rows are a dying exercise in most gyms. You rarely see anyone performing them anymore, and when you do, it’s often incorrectly. But if you train at home with just a barbell, or you prefer to train with large compound exercises that can be loaded progressively, the barbell row is an excellent addition to your exercise arsenal. (It’s also a good supplemental exercise to help build deadlift strength.)
The following video demonstrates how to perform this exercise correctly, plus a variation that gives your biceps a bit more work. Pay attention to the coaching cues.
As explained in the video, the most important thing when performing a barbell row is establishing, and maintaining, a rigid, neutral spine. This is why I recommend performing each rep from a dead stop, so you can make sure your back is set properly before each rep.
Barbell Row Alternatives
If you don’t have bumper plates or a way to safely elevate regular iron plates, as discussed in the video, use other exercises. Furthermore, if you want to give your low-back a break, there are other exercises that don’t put as much stress on that area.
One arm dumbbell row – this is one of my favorite row variations. Not only is it great for building strength in the back and biceps, but it’s also great for building grip strength. This is especially helpful for women because we have smaller hands than men, so that makes a standard barbell more challenging to hold on to. Building grip strength helps, and this exercise does that.
You can perform the one arm dumbbell row with a knee and same-side hand on a bench, with the other foot on the floor to reduce the demand on the low-back.
Inverted row – this is a great exercise, and it’s a good alternative to barbell rows. But instead of pulling a weighted barbell up to your body, you pull your body up to a bar. This exercise is included in the beginner strength training routine.
Chest supported row – these can be done with a machine (most gyms have one), or on a bench set at a low incline, with a dumbbell in each hand. Because of the “support” from the bench/machine, this movement limits the amount of weight that can be used, but it’s still a great pulling movement, especially if you want to give your low-back a break.
How to Perform Chin-ups
I refer to chin-ups as the upper body equivalent of the squat: it’s a big compound exercise that works a lot of muscle mass and requires you to move your body through space. Chin-ups work your back, biceps, posterior shoulders, and also your abs if you perform them with your legs straight and keep your pelvis in a neutral position.
The following video demonstrates a proper chin-up, and how to use leg drive for assistance.
How to Perform Assisted Chin-ups
For many women, achieving their first bodyweight chin-up seems like an elusive goal. Assisted chin-ups with a resistance band can help you get there, but make sure you do them correctly. Too commonly people butcher this exercise, allowing the band to do most of the work.
In this video I’m performing band assisted pull-ups (palms-down grip = pull-up; palms-up grip = chin-up). Notice how I lower slowly and pause briefly in the bottom position before pulling back up — do not use the band to “bounce” up.
Once you can use a small band and perform sets of five or more reps, use a more advanced variation to get even stronger.
By bending your knees before lowering down, you eliminate some of the assistance from the band, making your muscles do most of the work. If you can bust out a set of five reps taking 3-5 seconds to lower down with a very small band, you should be able to perform an unassisted chin-up.
What About Cable Pull-downs?
Cable pull-downs are a great option to train the vertical pulling movement. In particular, an overweight individual who finds it difficult to perform band assisted chin-ups should start with a pull-down. Likewise, someone who doesn’t have bands or wants to build their confidence with something a bit easier should start with pull-downs.
If you choose to start with pull-downs, get as strong as you can with that exercise in the 5-8 rep range, and then progress to band assisted chin-ups, demonstrated above.
Additional Barbell Exercise Demonstrations You’ll Love
Make sure you’re reaping the greatest benefits possible from your workouts by performing the best exercises correctly, and safely. Use the resources below to learn proper form, avoid the common mistakes (and find out how to correct them in case you’re making them now), and to organize them into a smart training program.
Want even more? Never miss a thing. Join the newsletter below and get the Beautiful Badass Mini Course as a gift.
The post How to Correctly Perform Barbell Rows and Chin-ups appeared first on Nia Shanks.
Source https://www.niashanks.com/how-to-perform-barbell-rows-chin-ups/
Two great exercises that will build a strong, resilient back (and posterior shoulders and biceps) are the barbell row and chin-up. The problem, however, is that these two exercises are frequently performed incorrectly, so trainees don’t reap the greatest benefits possible from the movements.
How to Perform Barbell Rows
Barbell rows are a dying exercise in most gyms. You rarely see anyone performing them anymore, and when you do, it’s often incorrectly. But if you train at home with just a barbell, or you prefer to train with large compound exercises that can be loaded progressively, the barbell row is an excellent addition to your exercise arsenal. (It’s also a good supplemental exercise to help build deadlift strength.)
The following video demonstrates how to perform this exercise correctly, plus a variation that gives your biceps a bit more work. Pay attention to the coaching cues.
As explained in the video, the most important thing when performing a barbell row is establishing, and maintaining, a rigid, neutral spine. This is why I recommend performing each rep from a dead stop, so you can make sure your back is set properly before each rep.
Barbell Row Alternatives
If you don’t have bumper plates or a way to safely elevate regular iron plates, as discussed in the video, use other exercises. Furthermore, if you want to give your low-back a break, there are other exercises that don’t put as much stress on that area.
One arm dumbbell row – this is one of my favorite row variations. Not only is it great for building strength in the back and biceps, but it’s also great for building grip strength. This is especially helpful for women because we have smaller hands than men, so that makes a standard barbell more challenging to hold on to. Building grip strength helps, and this exercise does that.
You can perform the one arm dumbbell row with a knee and same-side hand on a bench, with the other foot on the floor to reduce the demand on the low-back.
Inverted row – this is a great exercise, and it’s a good alternative to barbell rows. But instead of pulling a weighted barbell up to your body, you pull your body up to a bar. This exercise is included in the beginner strength training routine.
Chest supported row – these can be done with a machine (most gyms have one), or on a bench set at a low incline, with a dumbbell in each hand. Because of the “support” from the bench/machine, this movement limits the amount of weight that can be used, but it’s still a great pulling movement, especially if you want to give your low-back a break.
How to Perform Chin-ups
I refer to chin-ups as the upper body equivalent of the squat: it’s a big compound exercise that works a lot of muscle mass and requires you to move your body through space. Chin-ups work your back, biceps, posterior shoulders, and also your abs if you perform them with your legs straight and keep your pelvis in a neutral position.
The following video demonstrates a proper chin-up, and how to use leg drive for assistance.
How to Perform Assisted Chin-ups
For many women, achieving their first bodyweight chin-up seems like an elusive goal. Assisted chin-ups with a resistance band can help you get there, but make sure you do them correctly. Too commonly people butcher this exercise, allowing the band to do most of the work.
In this video I’m performing band assisted pull-ups (palms-down grip = pull-up; palms-up grip = chin-up). Notice how I lower slowly and pause briefly in the bottom position before pulling back up — do not use the band to “bounce” up.
Once you can use a small band and perform sets of five or more reps, use a more advanced variation to get even stronger.
By bending your knees before lowering down, you eliminate some of the assistance from the band, making your muscles do most of the work. If you can bust out a set of five reps taking 3-5 seconds to lower down with a very small band, you should be able to perform an unassisted chin-up.
What About Cable Pull-downs?
Cable pull-downs are a great option to train the vertical pulling movement. In particular, an overweight individual who finds it difficult to perform band assisted chin-ups should start with a pull-down. Likewise, someone who doesn’t have bands or wants to build their confidence with something a bit easier should start with pull-downs.
If you choose to start with pull-downs, get as strong as you can with that exercise in the 5-8 rep range, and then progress to band assisted chin-ups, demonstrated above.
Additional Barbell Exercise Demonstrations You’ll Love
Make sure you’re reaping the greatest benefits possible from your workouts by performing the best exercises correctly, and safely. Use the resources below to learn proper form, avoid the common mistakes (and find out how to correct them in case you’re making them now), and to organize them into a smart training program.
Want even more? Never miss a thing. Join the newsletter below and get the Beautiful Badass Mini Course as a gift.
The post How to Correctly Perform Barbell Rows and Chin-ups appeared first on Nia Shanks.
Source https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2018/12/examining-mitochondrial-dysfunction-in-old-t-cells/
In older mice and humans, the immune system becomes dysfunctional. It is overactive, producing chronic inflammation that leads to harmful cellular behavior throughout the body, but at the same time it is much less capable when it comes to destroying pathogens and errant cells. In today’s open access research, scientists investigate the incapacity of naive T cells in older mice. This population of T cells is necessary for a strong immune response, but their numbers decline due to the involution of the thymus. T cells begin life as thymocytes in the bone marrow, and then migrate to the thymus where they mature into T cells of various types. With advancing age the thymus atrophies, and the active tissue needed for T cell maturation is replaced with fat. The supply of new T cells diminishes, and thus so does the fraction of the overall immune cell population that is made up of naive T cells capable of meeting new threats.
In the research here, it is found that those naive T cells that do remain in old mice are dysfunctional, far less capable than their young counterparts. The mitochondria, the power plants of the cell, are altered and diminished. Many important mechanisms are thus likely compromised, or operating at levels far beneath what is minimally required for adequate cellular function. This mitochondrial malaise is observed in all tissues, but possibly best studied in the context of muscle and brain, both energy-hungry tissues that are greatly affected by a reduced supply of chemical energy store molecules packaged by mitochondria. Clearly similar problems exist in all cells.
Fixing this age-related alteration in mitochondrial structure and function is an interesting challenge. The problem is only peripherally related to the mitochondrial DNA damage of the SENS rejuvenation research program, and appears to be a downstream consequence of some combination of other molecular damage and altered signaling inside and outside cells. There is no clear view of which forms of repair would be most effective, as there is no solid link established between any of the known forms of molecular damage that lie at the root of aging and this general mitochondrial decline. Thus efforts to override specific mitochondrial mechanisms are further ahead as of the moment; providing additional NAD+ to cells, for example, perks up mitochondrial activity. That can be enough to provide incremental benefits to tissue function, as recently demonstrated in a small human trial. There are no doubt other similar possibilities. These are all limited in their upside by the fact that they don’t address the underlying causes; there is a great need for more research and development focused on repair of those underlying causes.
The ‘Graying’ of T Cells
Researchers looked for overall differences between old and young T cells. They isolated T cells from the spleens of young and old mice and noticed that, in general, older mice had fewer T cells. Next, to gauge the cells’ immune fitness, the researchers activated the T cells by mimicking signals normally turned on by pathogens during infection. The older T cells showed diminished activation and overall function in response to these alarm signals. Specifically, they grew more slowly, secreted fewer immune-signaling molecules and died at a much faster rate than young T cells. The researchers also observed that aged T cells had lower metabolism, consumed less oxygen and broke down sugars less efficiently. They also had smaller than normal mitochondria, the cells’ power-generators that keep them alive
To pinpoint the metabolic pathways behind this malfunction, the scientists analyzed all the different proteins in the cells, including those that might be important for coaxing a T cell from dormancy into a fighting state. The team found that the levels of some 150 proteins were lower-than-normal upon activation of the aged T cells, compared with young T cells. About 40 proteins showed higher than normal levels in aged versus young T cells. Many of these proteins have unknown functions, but the researchers found that proteins involved a specific type of metabolism, called one-carbon metabolism, were reduced by nearly 35 percent in aged T cells.
One-carbon metabolism comprises a set of chemical reactions that take place in the cell’s mitochondria and the cell cytosol to produce amino acids and nucleotides, the building blocks of proteins and DNA. This process is critical for cellular replication because it supplies the biologic material for building new cells. The team’s previous work had shown that one-carbon metabolism plays a central role in supplying essential biological building blocks for the growing army of T cells during infection. So, the scientists wondered, could adding the products of this pathway to weakened T cells restore their fitness and function?
To test this hypothesis, the team added two molecules – formate and glycine, the main products of one-carbon metabolism – whose levels were markedly reduced in aged T cells. Indeed, adding the molecules boosted T cell proliferation and reduced cell death to normal levels. The researchers caution that while encouraging, the effects were observed solely in mouse cells in lab dishes rather than in animals and must be confirmed in further experiments.
Defective respiration and one-carbon metabolism contribute to impaired naïve T cell activation in aged mice
T cell-mediated immune responses are compromised in aged individuals, leading to increased morbidity and reduced response to vaccination. While cellular metabolism tightly regulates T cell activation and function, metabolic reprogramming in aged T cells has not been thoroughly studied. Here, we report a systematic analysis of metabolism during young versus aged naïve T cell activation.
We observed a decrease in the number and activation of naïve T cells isolated from aged mice. While young T cells demonstrated robust mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration upon activation, aged T cells generated smaller mitochondria with lower respiratory capacity. Using quantitative proteomics, we defined the aged T cell proteome and discovered a specific deficit in the induction of enzymes of one-carbon metabolism. The activation of aged naïve T cells was enhanced by addition of products of one-carbon metabolism (formate and glycine). These studies define mechanisms of skewed metabolic remodeling in aged T cells and provide evidence that modulation of metabolism has the potential to promote immune function in aged individuals.
Source https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2018/12/examining-mitochondrial-dysfunction-in-old-t-cells/
In older mice and humans, the immune system becomes dysfunctional. It is overactive, producing chronic inflammation that leads to harmful cellular behavior throughout the body, but at the same time it is much less capable when it comes to destroying pathogens and errant cells. In today’s open access research, scientists investigate the incapacity of naive T cells in older mice. This population of T cells is necessary for a strong immune response, but their numbers decline due to the involution of the thymus. T cells begin life as thymocytes in the bone marrow, and then migrate to the thymus where they mature into T cells of various types. With advancing age the thymus atrophies, and the active tissue needed for T cell maturation is replaced with fat. The supply of new T cells diminishes, and thus so does the fraction of the overall immune cell population that is made up of naive T cells capable of meeting new threats.
In the research here, it is found that those naive T cells that do remain in old mice are dysfunctional, far less capable than their young counterparts. The mitochondria, the power plants of the cell, are altered and diminished. Many important mechanisms are thus likely compromised, or operating at levels far beneath what is minimally required for adequate cellular function. This mitochondrial malaise is observed in all tissues, but possibly best studied in the context of muscle and brain, both energy-hungry tissues that are greatly affected by a reduced supply of chemical energy store molecules packaged by mitochondria. Clearly similar problems exist in all cells.
Fixing this age-related alteration in mitochondrial structure and function is an interesting challenge. The problem is only peripherally related to the mitochondrial DNA damage of the SENS rejuvenation research program, and appears to be a downstream consequence of some combination of other molecular damage and altered signaling inside and outside cells. There is no clear view of which forms of repair would be most effective, as there is no solid link established between any of the known forms of molecular damage that lie at the root of aging and this general mitochondrial decline. Thus efforts to override specific mitochondrial mechanisms are further ahead as of the moment; providing additional NAD+ to cells, for example, perks up mitochondrial activity. That can be enough to provide incremental benefits to tissue function, as recently demonstrated in a small human trial. There are no doubt other similar possibilities. These are all limited in their upside by the fact that they don’t address the underlying causes; there is a great need for more research and development focused on repair of those underlying causes.
The ‘Graying’ of T Cells
Researchers looked for overall differences between old and young T cells. They isolated T cells from the spleens of young and old mice and noticed that, in general, older mice had fewer T cells. Next, to gauge the cells’ immune fitness, the researchers activated the T cells by mimicking signals normally turned on by pathogens during infection. The older T cells showed diminished activation and overall function in response to these alarm signals. Specifically, they grew more slowly, secreted fewer immune-signaling molecules and died at a much faster rate than young T cells. The researchers also observed that aged T cells had lower metabolism, consumed less oxygen and broke down sugars less efficiently. They also had smaller than normal mitochondria, the cells’ power-generators that keep them alive
To pinpoint the metabolic pathways behind this malfunction, the scientists analyzed all the different proteins in the cells, including those that might be important for coaxing a T cell from dormancy into a fighting state. The team found that the levels of some 150 proteins were lower-than-normal upon activation of the aged T cells, compared with young T cells. About 40 proteins showed higher than normal levels in aged versus young T cells. Many of these proteins have unknown functions, but the researchers found that proteins involved a specific type of metabolism, called one-carbon metabolism, were reduced by nearly 35 percent in aged T cells.
One-carbon metabolism comprises a set of chemical reactions that take place in the cell’s mitochondria and the cell cytosol to produce amino acids and nucleotides, the building blocks of proteins and DNA. This process is critical for cellular replication because it supplies the biologic material for building new cells. The team’s previous work had shown that one-carbon metabolism plays a central role in supplying essential biological building blocks for the growing army of T cells during infection. So, the scientists wondered, could adding the products of this pathway to weakened T cells restore their fitness and function?
To test this hypothesis, the team added two molecules – formate and glycine, the main products of one-carbon metabolism – whose levels were markedly reduced in aged T cells. Indeed, adding the molecules boosted T cell proliferation and reduced cell death to normal levels. The researchers caution that while encouraging, the effects were observed solely in mouse cells in lab dishes rather than in animals and must be confirmed in further experiments.
Defective respiration and one-carbon metabolism contribute to impaired naïve T cell activation in aged mice
T cell-mediated immune responses are compromised in aged individuals, leading to increased morbidity and reduced response to vaccination. While cellular metabolism tightly regulates T cell activation and function, metabolic reprogramming in aged T cells has not been thoroughly studied. Here, we report a systematic analysis of metabolism during young versus aged naïve T cell activation.
We observed a decrease in the number and activation of naïve T cells isolated from aged mice. While young T cells demonstrated robust mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration upon activation, aged T cells generated smaller mitochondria with lower respiratory capacity. Using quantitative proteomics, we defined the aged T cell proteome and discovered a specific deficit in the induction of enzymes of one-carbon metabolism. The activation of aged naïve T cells was enhanced by addition of products of one-carbon metabolism (formate and glycine). These studies define mechanisms of skewed metabolic remodeling in aged T cells and provide evidence that modulation of metabolism has the potential to promote immune function in aged individuals.
Source https://www.foodpolitics.com/2018/12/weekend-reading-food-animal-ethics/
Christopher Schlottmann and Jeff Sebo. Food, Animals, and the Environment: An Ethical Approach. Routledge, 2018.
The authors are colleagues at NYU. They asked me for a blurb which, after reading this book, I was honored to do. Here’s what I said:
Schlottman and Sebo have produced an utterly superb analysis of the ethics of eating animals, brilliantly distinguished by crystal-clear thinking, accessible writing, and plenty of insight into values and sources of bias. Every eater will have much to learn from this book.
The book goes from theory to practice and takes on all of the tough ethical issues involved in food production, food consumption, and food activism (legal and illegal).
The authors’ approach is impressive:
We designed this book to provide readers with both the critical thinking tools and basic concepts and information necessary to analyze the many challenges and values concerning food, animals, and the environment. This includes explaining how to make clear and consistent arguments, how to assess the relationship between facts and values, how to assess the relationship between theory and practice, and how to think rigorously and systematically about the empirical impacts of food systems and the ethical questions that these impacts raise.
This is exactly what this book does.
Whether or not you choose to eat animal foods (and I do), the environmental, health, and moral issues raised by animal agriculture deserve serious discussion. They get that discussion here.
Source https://www.foodpolitics.com/2018/12/weekend-reading-food-animal-ethics/
Christopher Schlottmann and Jeff Sebo. Food, Animals, and the Environment: An Ethical Approach. Routledge, 2018.
The authors are colleagues at NYU. They asked me for a blurb which, after reading this book, I was honored to do. Here’s what I said:
Schlottman and Sebo have produced an utterly superb analysis of the ethics of eating animals, brilliantly distinguished by crystal-clear thinking, accessible writing, and plenty of insight into values and sources of bias. Every eater will have much to learn from this book.
The book goes from theory to practice and takes on all of the tough ethical issues involved in food production, food consumption, and food activism (legal and illegal).
The authors’ approach is impressive:
We designed this book to provide readers with both the critical thinking tools and basic concepts and information necessary to analyze the many challenges and values concerning food, animals, and the environment. This includes explaining how to make clear and consistent arguments, how to assess the relationship between facts and values, how to assess the relationship between theory and practice, and how to think rigorously and systematically about the empirical impacts of food systems and the ethical questions that these impacts raise.
This is exactly what this book does.
Whether or not you choose to eat animal foods (and I do), the environmental, health, and moral issues raised by animal agriculture deserve serious discussion. They get that discussion here.
