Learning Recurve

Everyone remembers their first bow. It’s a special thing, weather you come from a family who can afford a space-aged piece of equipment, or your disinterested parents only get you an antique for your 12^th Christmas. Such was the case I found myself in one blustery Christmas. I had watched my uncles and cousins practice all the time when we visited my grandparents, but I was never allowed to come out and play. So you can imagine my jubilation when I finally was presented with my Bear Whitetail Hunter, which was already over 20 years old at that point.

It wasn’t as flashy or powerful as what my buddies had, but it was mine and I was grateful. I shot that poor old bow for all I was worth. I jumped at every opportunity to take my favorite toy afield. The more I shot the more determined I was to master the craft and make my first kill. Time went on and I had a number of misadventures. It always seemed like I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I abandoned my old, faithful bow for newer models I hoped would increase my chances. Naturally, the better my skill and equipment got, the further away the critters stayed.

Despite my frustrations, mishaps, screw-ups, illusions, impatience, and general silliness I stuck with it. I managed to harvest hogs, rams, and even an alligator. Still, I was hell-bent, obsessed, and determined to kill a whitetail deer. Twenty years of practice, expense, and heartache only seemed to sharpen my resolve. If there’s a trick in the book you can rest assured I tried it. If I were to add up all the money I had spent trying to make this one bow-kill the deer’s meat would be so expensive it would make a pound of the best Kobe beef in the world seem like a box of Steak-ums.

Nevertheless, I kept trying. My last season of hunting in my native Pennsylvania found me in a grove of trees on the border of my family’s farm. I had been seeing a lot of sign and set my climbing stand up in several spots before I found a trail that was well used. There I found a small herd of 6 doe who travelled through the patch rather frequently. The only trouble was there was one doe who was a lot bigger, and a hell of a lot smarter than the rest. Sun to my back, wind to my face, she managed to bust me every time.

On one occasion, my heart hammered away in my chest as I watched the heard come down the trail towards my location. As they approached they all split up to munch on the abundant acorns that had fallen around my stand. I focused on one of the middle size members of the herd and waited for my moment. I waited, doing all I could to contain my breathing, until my intended kill turned her head and began eating again. I was in full predator mode, and totally locked on my target. The moment was right, the position was perfect, and I drew my bow.

That’s when it all happened. In the matter of a few short seconds I heard the loud, sharp snort of a whitetail deer followed by the thumping of hoof on forest floor. Still at full draw, I turned my head to the right to look past my hand. There, in a regal and extremely rigid stance, stood the big doe. While I was so focused on my target she had managed to sneak around behind me and patiently watch for me to move. When I had drawn my bow she snorted, stomped, and scared off the rest of the herd. The moment ended with me standing in my treestand, my bow at full draw, my heart in hyperdrive, and my patience stretched.

Two days later I found myself in very much the same position. Settled in my treestand I had sworn to avenge my damaged pride. After an hour or two I caught a flicker of movement coming down the trail towards me. It was my illusive herd of deer coming from a thicket downhill from where I situated my treestand. The big doe cautiously led the herd up the trail towards me. She had managed to snort and stomp my hopes to death three times that week and I wasn’t going to let it happen again. Though the herd was a distance of 70 plus yards I drew my bow and got in position to make my shot.

I stood diligently and waited. It may have been 30 seconds, or it may have been 30 minutes. I can’t really say for certain. All I knew was the let-off on my bow wasn’t feeling too good after a time. I began to shake more and more as the deer leisurely and cautiously approached me. Finally, the bane of my bowhunting existence stepped within 30 yards of me. It was all my tired arms could do to hold the string back on my Hoyt Turbohawk. I put my pin on the big doe’s boiler room and let the arrow fly.

A fraction of a second later there was a sharp crack of arrow punching through bone, accompanied by the guttural noise of a final, surprised breath rushing out of my victim. But the big doe was still on her feet and running. I watched her dart away, completely perplexed. It wasn’t until several seconds later I looked back to the spot I had shot at. It was then I realized I misjudged the distance the big doe had stood. She had been standing broadside, slightly further than 30 yards from me. My arrow had passed completely underneath her and struck the smallest of the herd, who was coming up the hill in a direct line towards my position.

So, my first whitetail bow kill turned out to be a complete miss. My precious, and lamentably overprices ACC arrow would’ve skipped a hundred yards down through the hollow had it not by a stroke of luck hit squarely above the brisket of the little doe, killing her instantly. Mother nature had begun to open the skies and I soon found myself drenched, but on cloud-nine. It had been 22 long, hard years and I finally had an arrow drenched in the blood of a whitetail. hit squarely above the brisket of the little doe, killing her instantly. Mother Nature had begun to open the skies and I soon found myself drenched, but on cloud-nine. It had been 22 long, hard years and I finally had an arrow drenched in the blood of a whitetail.

Writing this now, years later, I come to the grim realization that after all that work, money, practice, and determination my bow hunting skills really aren’t that good. In point of fact, humanity probably would’ve staved out pretty quick if they had my skill. My first bow kill was a literal, complete miss. But I, like so many others, remained devoted to this day. In point of fact, I’ve gotten worse about my obsession. Through various projects I’ve taken on I began to get curious about the origins of archery. This led me to explore how the whole thing got started.

Fred Bear once said “The history of the bow and arrow is the history of mankind.” In my study I learned there are very few scholars who can really say where the bow and arrow made its appearance on the stage of human development. Most scientists believe it got its beginning sometime about 64,000 years ago. There are several schools of thought about the exact location and manner where the bow and arrow was developed. Most scholars agree the bow and arrow was developed around the end of the Paleolithic period.

What makes the time frame so difficult to nail down is climate. For example, locations in Africa that are primarily desert tend to preserve ancient tools better than other areas with a wetter climate. Therefore, archaeological evidence of what, where, when, why, and how certain tools were used is often lost. What is clear is the invention of the bow and arrow made human-kind a far more lethal predator. This one simple tool enabled us to make our way up the food chain a few more links.

There are a number of theories regarding the actual development of the first bow and arrow. Many believe it was first developed in Africa. There are few scientists who claim to know how ancient peoples developed the bow and arrow. Many of the first arrowheads ever made have been found in African archaeological sites. In a nutshell, someone on the African plains needed a better way to feed the tribe and found a way to utilize two levers as a power source to launch a projectile. This allowed humanity to advance a few links up the food chain.

As these ancient peoples traveled and shared ideas across India and other lands the idea of the bow and arrow spread. Different materials and conditions allowed the original idea to change as it was passed along the miles and years leading to our modern rendition of a bow and arrow. Different tribes and societies suddenly found they could harvest a beast from a distance without spending as many calories. While ancient humans didn’t necessarily think in terms of calories the basic principal of gaining as much return for as little investment as possible undoubtedly drove early humans to perfect this new and improved weapon.

Sadly, Father War also got his hands on the bow and arrow. Further modifications were made for this purpose, allowing the bow and arrow to be as effective in killing humans as it was in killing animals. These modifications came about long before the formation of any organized military in human history. There is archaeological evidence in North America, Africa, and Europe that suggests native peoples had long ago figured out if you situated a two-bladed point on an arrow in a vertical position it would strike the target on the horizontal. This was perfect to allow an arrow to pass between the ribs of a man. Likewise, if you fixed the point on the arrow horizontally it would strike in the vertical position, allowing it to pass through the ribs of an animal. Seems ancient humans weren’t the silly cave people we mistook them for.

How ancient humans made arrows is a topic that can’t be easily discussed. The methods varied from using saplings to scraping wooden shafts to make them straight as possible. Humanity had already been well acquainted with spears by the time the bow and arrow came along, so making a wooden stick fly straight wasn’t an unfamiliar concept. It’s hard to say where the idea to attach feathers to an end of the arrow came from, but it was an incredible achievement as the accuracy of the projectile was dramatically improved.

Even ancient humans knew there was an art to tuning an arrow to get the most effectiveness. Arrow points began as a sharpened piece of stone and eventually became a 2, then 3, then 4 bladed fixture as the centuries progressed. The feathers didn’t change much over the course of the millennia. Pitch from sappy trees was often used to glue the arrows together and sinew from animals was commonly used a thread. As humans learned to build better a bow they learned to wrap the end of the shaft where the string fits into the arrow so the shaft won’t split when the string is released. Later, European versions, used inserts made of bull horn to reinforce the shaft of the arrow so the more powerful bows wouldn’t destroy the arrow.

For many thousands of years the bow itself was a simple stick and string. The shelf, where the arrow is launched from, was actually the archers hand and the bow itself would bend in the middle. This made the bows more challenging to shoot, but no less effective. The actual draw weight of the bow depended on the types of wood available and materials to make a stronger string. Later Europeans built some of the best bows, achieving draw weights up to 120 pounds. It has been speculated Robin Hood’s bow was in the 110 to 120 pound range.

Different advances took place at different times, and in different places in the archery world. At some point, about 3,000 years ago, someone figured out if you added some curvature to the limbs of the bow you could increase the power. Thus, the recurve bow was born. Somebody also figured out you could glue different materials together to make stronger limbs, hence a more powerful bow. From there it was just a matter of time before the two ideas met and created a new and improved instrument. After a time, the shelf was added to standard bow designs, and the modern looking recurve bow was up and running.

There were thousands of years of hit and miss changes made to bows. Many such changes have been lost in obscurity, claimed by different cultures, and generally bastardized to fit the needs of the times. Bows have always been useful tools, but their popularity as a recreational item didn’t become prominent until about sometime in the 1800’s. From there we can see a few times of interest and disinterest among people. In the 1920’s several engineering companies took an interest in producing archery equipment.

This interest is what ultimately led to the development of the machines riser recurve bows and compound bows. However, it was a slow start as marketing these new toys proved to be a slow arduous process. It was sometime after World War II, in Detroit, Michigan, when a little known bow maker discovered he could reinforce the bows limbs with fiberglass to increase the power of the bow. He made and sold his bows out his garage in the time after he lost his job at the Ford Motor Company. This was the God-father of archery, Fred Bear.

At that time there were plenty of bow makers like Fred Bear. But Bear had a unique appraisal of his surroundings. He knew he had a good product and needed to find a way to get the word out. At a point Fred Bear took a cameraman on a hunt. He did the filming for most of the journey until the hunting party came upon the animal. Then Fred Bear would pass the camera back to the cameraman, who in turn would film the kill shot. This became Bear’s practice and the videos he produced helped him show the world how well his bows worked. It was an overnight success and soon people were jumping into the world of bowhunting.

This leads us back to my beloved Bear Whitetail Hunter I got for Christmas so many years ago. This was among the first compound bows that was produced and marketed in mass. The engineers who began making bows powered by compound pulleys and the guys making recurve bows got together and pushed the bow and arrow ahead once again. They laid the foundation for what would develop into a major American industry over the next 80 short years.

64 millennia, countless creative minds, unknown numbers of trials and errors, and infinitive combinations of materials have left the modern novice or prospective archer with an incredible amount of options for their shooting pleasure. Long bows, recurve bows, and vintage compound bows are for sale all over the place. New bow dealers are never far away either. You can spend anywhere from $50 to over $2,000 on your gear. Whatever way you decide to go the time on the range will be soul-cleansing that almost anything else you can do, except for maybe fishing but that’s a topic for another day.

“Nothing clears a troubled mind like shooting a bow.” – Fred Bear

A Thought About Blades

Many have said that dog is man’s best friend. In some cases this may seem true, but there is another contender for a faithful companion to affix to the right leg of man. That contender is none other than a knife. Sure, a knife may not be warm and fuzzy like a dog. It certainly won’t fetch you newspaper, mess on your floor, occupy your kids, or terrorize your cat. But a good knife is the best, most dependable tool anyone can have with them. Throughout human history knives have been there to help us grow and advance. So how can we base so much on such a simple item? Here’s a skinflint look at cutlery.

Let’s begin by considering the details and history surrounding this most simple of tools in a person’s arsenal. Knives are among the most ancient of tools. According to an August, 2015 article in Forbes Magazine knives have evolved alongside of man for over two-million years. This was a natural evolution and there are no one pocket of humanity that can lay claim to the first use of edged tools. Likewise, knives evolved at roughly the same pace in all areas they were utilized, at least they did at first.

The first knives we have examples of were simple stone instruments. The outer edges were flaked away, leaving the stronger core. As time progressed we can see an increased skill being applied to knife making as early man learned to use different materials to make sharper blades. Archaeology has also yielded us different examples of knives with varying handles affixed to them for different uses. We know one of those uses was to fight other people, nut knives have seen far more use in other aspects of human evolution.

While media portrays knives as instruments of war and bloodshed we often see many more circumstances in which a knife would be used to hunt and butcher an animal, cut protein while cooking, fashion materials for clothing and shelter, or fashion still other tools to improve the quality of life. This far reaching spectrum of uses is no doubt why we see as many variations as we do in modern cutlery. So, without farther delay, let’s explore some of these variations. 

Modern knives can be classed in two basic categories. There is the sheath knife and the folding knife. Sheath knives were undoubtable used first, as they would have been the natural predecessor in the evolution. According to Wikipedia the earliest folding knives we are able to identify have been dated as far back as the iron-age. After we identify these two basic configurations I would be able to bore you with literally pages of mind-numbingly boring information about further sub-categories and evolutions. However, I think we can spare the tedious diatribe and you can do further research as you like.

Regarding sheath knives, the sky is the veritable limit. They come in any size and shape you may want. It’s not uncommon to see different knives that are so ornate they couldn’t be effectively used for anything but hanging on the wall. Still other designs are so small and dainty they are only good to carry as a decorative piece. However, it is ultimately up to the user to decide what specific knife fits their unique needs. The hilt, blade, tang, handle and sheath all play a major role in functionality.

A wise man once said to me “It’s easier to do something with a tool that’s too big rather than trying to use a tool that is too small.” After hearing this and taking a moment to pick up the pieces of my self-esteem I realized he was right. So it suffices to say if you want to select a sheath knife it should be something manageable, yet not so small it has limited use. It should be able to handle the work you intend to do without failing at the most inopportune moment. What kind of work could be so hard on a knife? Simply enough, the first time you have to field dress, skin, and butcher a wild hog, with all the mud and grit in their coarse-haired hide, you will see exactly how hard of a life a knife can have.

Your sheath knife should have a sheath that allows it to be drawn smoothly and quickly. The sheath should also be thick enough and well-constructed so as to not allow the point of the knife to penetrate it should you have an accident and fall on your knife. The handle of the knife should be of a design, or made of a material that will stay firmly in your grip for those moments your knife and hand are blood-soaked. The hilt should be broad to keep you hand from sliding past the blade when you’re working in slippery conditions. The tang of your knife isn’t as important for the average person. So long as it is shaped in a way that helps keep your grip stable it’s good enough.

Regarding folding knives, there are a few more limitations. First, they generally aren’t as big, which also makes them lighter and easier to pack. Be sure to get a folding knife that locks so you won’t have a blade come closed on your finger. These are some of the nastiest cuts you’ll ever see. A folding knife with a belt-case is good, but a clip for in your pocket is just as good. One-handed knives are excellent to use so long as the design of the knife works with your hand to allow smooth functioning. Folding knives can be harder to clean so it’s crucial to be very diligent when cleaning your knife after cleaning your kill. Something similar can also be said to the guy who puts a bloody knife back in its sheath.

When you decide on a style of knife you then need to look at what the knife is made of. This is where things get complicated. There’s the old saying that you get what you pay for, which usually holds true. But, there’s another old saying, let the buyer beware. Basically, when it comes to cutlery there is a lot of variables regarding quality and price, and you don’t always get what you paid for. In a perfect world you’d get what you pay for but for our purposes today we are going to assume less is more, or more is less depending on what you get.

Essentially, making steel is a lot like cooking. Different ingredients have different impacts on the profile of the finished product. Add a little of this and you’ll have a super hard blade that may be more difficult to polish. Remove a little of this and add a little of that and you’ll have a blade that can be highly polished, yet won’t perform very well under the harshest of conditions. These subtle additions and subtractions is what knife companies put together to come up with their final products. On one side we have SOG, Ka-Bar, and Ontario as examples of knife makers who use a very durable formula that will create a beast of a knife.

So in a proverbial nutshell, the job of a Metallurgist is to strike a balance of ingredients and procedures in a formula that will have the desired effects on the hardness, toughness, corrosion, weight, strength, and fatigue resistance of a particular alloy. All these aspects of an alloy are relevant when you consider the extreme environments they may be faced with. Some metals corrode in salt water, others become brittle in extreme cold, some change in extreme heat, and still others can suffer fatigue under continued stress. This broad explanation encompasses metal working as a whole but the rules are the same when you scale things down to make a knife or other blade.

For the purpose of making a blade the casting and forging methods are the most commonly employed. Once a formula is determined for a particular application, such as a mass produced series of knives, a quantity of the molten alloy is poured into a mold that may produce several pieces at one time. After the molded blades are set they can be removed from the mold and ran through whatever process the manufacturer wants to put them through. Forging is the process by which a red-hot billet is hammered into a particular shape. We see this when a blacksmith turns an old railroad spike into a sheath knife.

Metallurgists also struggle with three processes to put their alloy through. Annealing is the process of making the metal softer through the application of high heat and allowing it to cool very slowly. This will release stress in the metal by producing a larger grain structure. This essentially means the metal will dent easier when struck. Quenching the metal after heating makes it harder as it secures the molecules in a martensite form, which makes it easier to grind and sand. Tempering relieves stress in the metal which was initially caused by the hardening process. Tempering will make the metal less hard, and will improve its ability to sustain hard impacts without breaking. More care and attention to these components of the production determines how good the final product really is.

In the middle you have companies that produce curios, relics, and collectable knives. These are often mass produced pieces that are not designed to be used for anything except display. You will see the occasional person trying to take to the woods with a replica of Rambo’s survival knife, but it will often fail after seeing some action. These knives are formulated to take a highly polished finish, but often can’t keep an edge or withstand the effects of water, blood, or other trials we often see them shrug off in the movies. While great to collect they are not the best choice for using, no matter how sharp they look.

On the other side of that equation you have Spyderco, Schrade, and Gerber who have formulas which allow for a super-sharp edge. Though these examples can be made sharper, they may not be able to hold that edge as long. Still other companies use slightly different formulas for their specific products. When you buy a knife you want to do some homework and find a product that is an exact match to the work you want to do. From a kitchen knife to a hunting knife or a simple pocket knife, you want something that will take and hold the edge you need. This sounds simple, but you have to remember that dull knives have sent more people to the emergency room than sharp knives.

When shopping for a knife you want something that has a full tang. This means the blade and handle are one solid piece. There are no shortage of knives that are not full tang that have broken directly in the middle when faced with a tough job. Needless to say this can be very dangerous. If a razor sharp kitchen knife suddenly snaps in half while trying to cut a large block of chees there’s no telling where the damage will stop. The same goes for any other knife in any other application. Also, the grips that are attached to that tang should be tight. If you pick up the knife and you hear it rattle when shaken or gripped you simply need to put it down and walk away.

There are also some considerations aside from the purchase of the actual knife. First, you need a good sharpener. The hand-held sharpening steels work well if you know how to use them. Then reality sets in and you can go for any in a variety of sharpeners that have the angle just perfect. Be sure to only draw you knife across these sharpeners in one direction, avoid sawing on the sharpener at all costs. The sharpeners with the hand grip tend to be the best as they are better to keep fingers away from the blade as it is being sharpened. Even when you have a good sharpener, it is still a good idea to cultivate a relationship with someone who is an expert at sharpening a knife so you can have it professionally done on occasion. This is very crucial for your best kitchen knives.

Another thing is the cleaning of your new knife. You can use various oils to prevent rust, but in some circumstances hot soapy water works best for the actual cleaning. Naturally, this isn’t something you can get too specific on as there are so many variations. Best practice is to check what the manufacturer has to say about this. As stated earlier, you don’t want the channel of your folding knife to be filled with festering animal matter that can later be spread to the food you are going to consume. Likewise, you don’t want all that bacteria hanging out in the sheath. On a sidebar, some scholars have speculated many ancient warriors died from infection caused by bacteria in a sword’s sheath that was passed via a small wound. The same is possible for a modern hunter making dinner.

We can’t talk about blades if we didn’t spend a little time talking about broadheads. This is a pretty simple thing, not needing a lot of time. Essentially, all the broadheads on the market work the same. Fixed blade or mechanical have all the same components, it’s more a matter of details and quality. Broadheads can be razor sharp, yet many say they make a rougher hole when not razor sharp. This rougher cut can make for a situation allowing the animal to bleed out quicker, thus giving a quicker kill. However, is sharpening your broadhead is something you prefer to do you will also find a number of sharpeners that will work for both broadheads and regular knives. This saves you from having to buy a special sharpener. Now, with broadheads discussed, we can move on.

So, in putting all this together we come back to the issue of price point. You get what you pay for then a more expensive knife should give you better service over a longer period of time. But this isn’t always the case. Some knives in the $200 range are purely show pieces while others are simply overpriced. Cheaper knives shouldn’t hold out as long or perform nearly as well. However, you can look at Schrade’s Uncle Henry line and see knives that perform and last quite well. Moral of the story, let the buyer beware. You only want to spend your money once so you need to make sure you know what you want, what you need, and what you’re going to do with it so you can make the best purchase possible.

If you want to shell out the Franklins to have that custom-made, bone-handled- Damascus-blade bowie knife then that’s what you’ll need to buy. It will last forever and work just fine. If you’re only interested in parting with $40 to $60 you can have a knife that can do the exact thing. The question is up to you to answer. Or, on the other hand, you can make out just as well with a simple pocket knife. Whatever you want is all that matters, despite what anyone else might tell you. Remember, according to Sweeney Todd your knife is an extension of your arm. Whether you are looking to clean an animal you’ve harvested, cut veggies for dinner, or dispatch an unsuspecting barber shop patron, you’ll need to get the best tool you possible can.  

So it seems dogs can still be man’s best friend. But a well selected and cared for knife can be almost an equal. They’re both fun to take for walks and will always be there for you if you take care of them. After all this it seems the only real advantage to a knife is not having to buy food or clean a cage. Just remember to keep both your best friends clean and well taken care of and they will be part of the memories that will last for a lifetime. Enjoy.

Rolling Some Ideas

If you stop by the SkinFlint Outdoor blogsite you’d expect to read about something outdoorsy. The sad truth to that is there isn’t always the opportunity to be outdoors. This is a painful thought for a person who grew up in a day and age when there were no handheld game systems or extreme electronic devices to entertain the adolescent masses of America. What happened to the time when kids rode their bikes, climbed trees, or played cowboys and Indians? In our new age we have a bunch of youth who spend on average over 40 hours per week staring at some kind of computer screen and someone is bound to be offended if you play cowboys and Indians.

But in writing this article I had to face the sad reality that there are tracts of land and bodies of water which cannot be accessed. We need to accept the idea that some pay to fish lakes and hunting clubs are either not worth the money or just too costly in today’s difficult economic times. So what are we to do? Shall we sit back and allow our kids to go off and use drugs and cause havoc in the streets? (Sadly, I know of a lady who would prefer this over hunting and fishing.) Or perhaps we can come up with an alternative to spend time and help bond with our children.

Recently, having a broken down boat and no access to another means of spending time with my precious little ones, I found myself in a situation in which I needed to come up with something fun to entertain my little angels. I wondered and I pondered, then it dawned on me to take them bowling. For some folks out there this may not be a big deal. For me, it was something I hadn’t done in over a decade and a half. It is an easy way to bond with your kids, and keep them active at the same time. This article will give some notions, facts, and ideas about an indoor sport that can be an alternative to interact with your children when other options are out of the question.

Believe it or not, bowling is a healthy way to have fun with your kids and get some exercise at the same time. Yes, bowling can be decent exercise. It’s not a high end cardio program. Bowling is a form of anaerobic exercise which is close to walking with weights and it will often work muscle groups commonly skipped by average people during their normal workout routine. This fact makes bowling great for you and old. Most people from all ages and fitness levels can participate in an afternoon of bowling. The manner by which bowling stretches and works different muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons will help in overall flexibility and can promote weight loss. Not only that, but physical activity can help improve social skills and overall cognitive ability.

So, we can’t say bowling will solve all your weight loss problems. However, it can keep your family active when there isn’t any access to outdoor recreation. Sure, you can ride a bike at the park for the four thousandth time. But bowling gives something different. Not only does it stretch and work different muscle groups, it also helps your coordination. While a Wii can give you the simulated feel of a bowling alley it doesn’t offer the same level of exercise. Not only that, Wii doesn’t give you a chance to go to a public place and have that experience.

Just as the excitement of that four thousandth lap on your bike, I can’t really come up with a reasonably entertaining way to explain how to bowl. You take the ball, roll it down the aisle, and wait to see how many pins you knock down. Wait for the ball to come back to the rack, and repeat. That’s bowling. It’s almost as exciting as watching paint dry if you try to read about it. You don’t even need to know how to keep score anymore, now that we have a computerized scorekeeper. The simple fact is for most folks it’s about the time together with loved ones rather than the actual sport.

As for the sport itself, the game of bowling has been around for a good long while. The earliest form of bowling can be seen about 3,200 years ago in Egypt, then later in Roman Empire camps.  The balls were made from a number of materials, including leather, porcelain, and plastic. Versions of the game made it to Europe about 400 A.D. It got a foothold there in Germany and spread from there. It kept growing from there and even made it to the White House in the 1940’s when an alley was installed.

The important thing is the profound impacts physical activities, such as bowling, can have on the development and health of our kids. We’re all about our kids. There’s an almost limitless amount of research out there to support the mental and physical health bonuses a kid can get from even one afternoon of enjoyable physical activity. An article published by the World Health Organization stated “Three critical elements of healthy child development: stable, responsive, and nurturing care-giving; safe, supportive, environments; and appropriate nutrition. The brain develops most rapidly in the first few years of a child’s life. Stable, caring, interactive relationships with adults, any way or any place they can be provided, will benefit healthy brain development of young children. Safe, cohesive, child-centered neighborhoods, communities, and villages matter for early child development greatly. High quality early childhood care and education programs can improve children’s chances for success in later life.”

There’s still a ton more information to be had. The World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control, and the National Organization for the Education of Young Children are all valuable resources to learn more. That’s in addition to lots and lots of articles to educate yourself with. Excerpts from a New York Times article stated “Encourage young kids to run, jump, hop and chase after each other or erratically kick balls, and you substantially improve their ability to think. Studies show that children’s scores on math and reading tests improve if they go for a walk beforehand, even if the children are overweight or unfit. Studies have found relations between children’s fitness level and their brain structure, with areas of the brain devoted to thinking and learning being generally larger among kids who are fit. Children whose executive functions are slowed tend to have school problems, while children with well-developed executive functions usually do well.  Get kids to be physically active for the sake of their brains, as well as their health.”

In the end, we should be talking about something outdoorsy. In reality, we as parents, there is a need to bond with our friends and children. The times and economy make it hard for us to really be part of our own families. If you are in a position where you get to eat dinner with your family every night and have funds to go on a small trip every weekend then you can count yourself among the blessed. If you, or someone you know, is among those who simply have no time or money for basic family interaction then there is a need for action.

Smack them (or yourself), trip them (or yourself), talk to them (or yourself), or whatever needs to be done to make that person stop and do something simple. A simple trip to a farm pond or bowling alley, on a Sunday afternoon, can change lives. Take some time and form those bonds, even if you don’t necessarily go outdoors to have an evening out. Give your kids a hug and take them bowling.

Working it Out

Exercise, eat healthy, die anyways. This is the mantra that can be heard so often in American society. The sad state of humanity is evidenced by so many people overweight and out of shape. I confess, I’m not perfect by any means. But, I still like to get outdoors and enjoy myself and I work hard to stay in good enough health to do the things I want to do. Yet we seem to dive deeper and deeper into the commercial, fast-food, processed nutrient world. Dennis Leary once made a joke about cigarettes saying “You could call them tumors and we’d still smoke them.” I would expand on that by saying we could call it pink slime and people would inhale it all day long. Come to think of it, I believe they do.

To advocate for an active lifestyle is something that is at the heart of what SkinFlint Outdoors is all about. A day in the woods can cleanse your soul like nothing else. However, if your day in the woods is overshadowed by a sharp aching in your legs and constant wheezing then you’re probably going to be easily convinced to go back to the house and watch that dreaded television. Thus the cycle continues. The more you stay off your feet the more you’ll fall into a state of physical disrepair. The more you fall into a state of disrepair the more weight you’ll gain. The more weight you gain the more your back and legs will hurt, feeding the burning desire to return to your favorite program.

Anyone who has struggled with weight will tell you there is no shortage of people, products, and programs who want to “help” get your weight under control. In my own effort to see as much of this green Earth as I can before I am planted under it I have tested or studied many of these. I have made efforts to gain weight in the form of muscle and I have put forth a major push to lose weight. On that journey one thing became apparent. The sad truth is most of what is out there is crap. When I say crap, I mean it is crap that is well packaged and marketed so to get hopeful souls to give away their hard earned money. Once you realize there is so much useless or ineffective products out there it becomes important to consider your fitness goals and create your own plan.

First, I am not a certified trainer. I am not a Doctor. I am not a nutritional specialist or medical professional by any stretch of the definitions. I am a simple person who has struggled the same as so many others. I’m not writing from the perspective of a person selling a product or service. I’m simply sharing my experience, that is all. My point is to show some products and ideas to either give a chance or stay away from.

The simple fact of the matter is we as human animals are not designed to carry such an excess of fat on our bodies and if we are to live our lives to the fullest we must make the personal decision to reject the commercialized world that makes us overweight and promises to make us better. Some of the stuff I will write about may have worked for some folks, while other people had absolutely no success. There is no right or wrong here. If you’re willing to take the risk and use a diet pill or spend a ton of cash on a fancy machine then the results will be yours to own. What didn’t work for me may be the holy grail of your weight loss efforts, or vice-versa.

Let’s start with some products. I don’t need to single out everything on the market but I can give some blanket examples to demonstrate how products either work or are simply clever ways to take your money. So, my first tip is to look at the fine print. While working in a gym for a short stint I was commonly assaulted by advertisements for machines that were supposed to be fat-burning miracles. They commonly had some gorgeous model, majestically and gracefully demonstrating how this machine will make you a sexual icon in little to no time. Then there was the fine print at the bottom of the screen. You were probably so wrapped up in bikini-clad bodies and rippling abs you missed the fine print. Shame on you.

But the fine print is what really tells you what the product is about. Whenever you see a product that promises significant weight loss, but is supported through a diet/exercise plan then the machine is nothing special. The price is high, and the potential weight loss are the result of a specific diet, rather than the awesome power of the machine. The company marketing the product overloads your senses with sex, tricks your mind with a desire to change, and takes your money through your hope for results. Those twelve easy payments of $29.99 is simply money you don’t have to spend. The machine was made in China, the diet plan is a basic program anyone can write, and there is no support for you when you need it.

The same can be said for the weight loss pills on the market. There are a very few that work, but a majority of them are pure crap. Some, in point of fact, can be rather dangerous. Again, when you go to a store that sells these pills you may be bombarded by images of models, glistening in sweat and showing their most seductive smile. Then there’s the reality that is on the inside of the bottle. Most of the pills are made of more fillers rather than active ingredients. Some of the active ingredients can wreak havoc on your liver and kidneys.

Still others are super-charged caffeine pills that can be dangerous depending on your physical health status. I was pretty sure I was going to have a heart-attack the first time I tried Hydroxycut. I’ve also seen a number of clients who have had crazy side-effects from using some of the over-the-counter growth hormones. Night-sweats, tremors, rashes, zits, constipation, frequent urination, spasms, blurred vision, and erectile dysfunction are just a few of the wonderful conditions I have had clients explain to me after taking any of these products I’ve outlined. Naturally, you’d never see this information marketed. The folks making money from these sales want you to think you’re going to have that six-pack by the weekend.

Many supplements can be just as hard on your system. There is no shortage of protein powders, Creatine supplements, growth pills, shakes, pre-workouts, post-workouts, or fat-burning powders on the market. It’s easily a multi-billion dollar industry. There are so many and they are in all different stores that choosing one can be a daunting task. To make things more complicated, there are volumes and volumes of information on how to use these supplements that is simply wrong. If I had a nickel for every person I’ve encountered who told me they were replacing a meal with a dose of protein powder I could retire tomorrow, on a tropical island. Not only are these products misused, nobody really takes the time to read the label and tries to understand what they are taking into their bodies. Simply put, many of these products have a lot of ingredients that are really not too good for you.

You could write volumes about the health concerns with supplementation. Creatine, for example, was discovered in 1832 by French chemist, Michel Eugène Chevreul. It is a compound that is mostly stored in skeletal muscle and is made up of three amino acids: L-arginine, glycine and L-methionine. Creatine is largely used by athletes for high intensity training, but it is also being considered for treatment of several other conditions, such as muscular dystrophy, depression, arthritis, and congestive heart failure. Creatine has mild side-affects, such as stomach cramping, nausea, muscle cramping, and diarrhea. However, Creatine use can turn dangerous if you have undiagnosed diabetes or kidney problems. The same can be said for any supplement in the fitness world. It’s important to always talk to your Doctor before starting any supplement regimen.

One other money-leaching service I want to discuss is the mail-order food plans. You’ve seen these on television, no doubt. They show some celebrity who supposedly lost a proverbial ton of weight eating only these pre-packaged meals that are delivered through the mail. They will tell you the food is specially formulated to cause your body to burn calories. This all leads to one question. What the hell is in that food that it causes you to burn calories? What’s the catch? If you google “food that causes your body to burn calories” it doesn’t give you an answer. Therefore, there are two obvious conclusions to this proposition. One, there’s an additive in the food that isn’t natural. Or two, the advertisement is another smoke-and-mirrors ploy to con a skinflint out of their precious dollars.

This turns into another of those moments where you want to read the fine print. You can spend extra money from meals delivered to your door, but if you have to support the meal plan with an exercise regimen then you are simply throwing away dollars. The food is nothing special. That is to say it is nothing more than you could get from your local supermarket, but you gave away extra money to someone because they managed to convince you this was the way to reach those illusive fitness goals. Though I have never been willing to part with any Jacksons to pay for one of these fancy meal-plans, I have read the fine print and am convinced there is a cheaper way to lose weight.

I’ve talked about what doesn’t work, but there is a lot of products out there which are very effective. Shake weights, stretch bands, dumbbells, kettle weights, exercise balls, jump ropes, ab rollers, and high energy exercise videos are all products that be crucial to your efforts to lose weight and het heart-healthy. These products are simple, very effective, and significantly less expensive. Further, they are portable and convenient for the travelling skinflint. A portable piece of exercise gear will allow you to workout consistently, which is one of the most important elements to successful weight loss.

The simple products you can use in place of expensive machines should assist you in elevating your heart rate for a good cardio workout. They should also allow for an adequate workout so to tone muscle. They can be used in combination with a healthy diet plan, the same as the unnecessarily expensive equipment. The diet plan will support the exercise and will help you reach your fitness goals. The important part is to think simple and stick with it.

There still aren’t a huge number of pills that are both effective and trustworthy. If you are determined to take something to help with fat loss you should do a ton of research. When you’ve done your homework you will hopefully see how viscous some of the products on the market are for your system. I had tried some of these mainstream products and didn’t lose an ounce of weight. However, in the pharmacy section of your supermarket you can find a product called CLA. This is a natural product that can help fat-loss without the harsh side-effects of the caffeine laced pills.

We also need to look at the more gentle side of the money-grabbing-weight-loss-scam. Despite one example of a product that works, there isn’t a lot of alternatives that will help someone lose weight safely. Health food stores and online vendors may sell “all-natural” products but they can be as equally ineffective, even if they are safer than their mainstream counterparts. The best bet and practice is to talk to your Doctor and ask what products he or she will recommend to help you in your efforts. Some products to improve circulation and other functions that will make your workout more productive. That being said we can see where the exercise is the benefit from the pill rather than the pill having any actual fat-burning properties.

There’s also an upside to supplements. If you can find one that doesn’t clump in your mixing vessel and doesn’t have any plastic in the powder itself you will be off to a good start. Yes, I said plastic in the powder. You’ll need to do some research to find the best product for you based on your fitness goals. The more important part is to use these products correctly. Protein powders are a supplement, not a replacement. When you use a protein powder as a meal replacement you are in the beginning stages of developing a bad eating habit. This will eventually turn into a series of bad eating habits that will destroy your efforts.

A protein shake between meals, before or after bed, or immediately before or after a workout can be beneficial. A protein shake in place of a meal is setting yourself up for a disaster. In place of making healthy and well portioned food choices you will be starving, which could in turn make you or your body do some fairly out-of-control things. Protein powders can be used in weight gain or loss, despite popular belief. The name of the game is providing fuel for your body. If you can do that without taking in a lot of fat you will have more productive workouts that will burn more calories. Or, you can take in that extra protein to build muscle. It’s all just a matter of doing some research and using the product you chose in the correct manner.

There’s also an upside to food plans. The trick to using a food plan is knowing it doesn’t technically do much for you. There is no magic food that will make the pounds melt away or muscle grow. The food plans making this claim are more of waste of hard earned money. However, some plans do provide a stable platform to help develop healthy eating habits. Pre-packaged meals can engrain important habits, like portion control and balance in your diet.

85% of your weight loss or muscle gains will happen in the kitchen. If you know you’re the kind of person that needs to learn restraint in the kitchen you can lamentably spend the money for meal plans to support you while you gain control of your diet. The catch here is you need to stick to your meal plan. If you go and spend several hundred dollars on Rich Piana’s 5% Meal Plan (www.5PercentNutrition.com) then you need to stick to the plan and support it with a consistent exercise program. If you don’t then you are basically throwing away money, and that doesn’t make most people happy. While I’m not a fan of spending money needlessly, I am a fan of getting results. There is no shame in using whatever reasonable means necessary to support you in your efforts.

If you want to get or stay healthy the main focus will be on the ideas and themes surrounding your efforts. Again, I wish I had a nickel for every client I’ve had who has quoted a big name bodybuilder. Many of the biggest names preach calories, calories, calories. The sad truth is most average, working, people don’t have the time they need to spend in the gym to support a four-thousand to five-thousand calories per day diet. Another point that is overlooked is four-thousand calories of healthy, clean food is a lot of food to eat in a day’s time. Another point is most working skinflints out there can’t treat their body the same way as a bodybuilder or model. Some of the greats, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, would do 3 hours or more cardio per day to chisel their frames. I don’t know about you, but I can’t fit that in my daily routine at this stage in my life.

The point is it’s not realistic to base your diet and exercise program on the tips and tactics of most of the big name people in the fitness industry. Get the kids to school, feed the cat, run to work, do the laundry, cooking dinner, mandatory overtime, pick the kids up from school, mow the lawn, pay the bills, clean the house, and on, and on, and on, prevents the average person from living the lifestyle which allows for perfect physique. That’s not to say it can’t be done, but it has to be done in a reasonable and realistic way. This is the part that’s up to you. Talk to your Doctor, do your homework, assess yours physical health honestly, and build a plan to help you be successful. While I always took it a self-help brain droppings, the reality is the only person stopping you is you.

Once you have that positive mind-set and determination to succeed at any cost you’re ready to start training. A gym membership is far more valuable than any fancy machine seen on television. There are plenty of free apps you can put on your cell phone to help you track your calories and exercise. The internet is full of resources for food options that will be healthy and clean. I often suggest for people to watch Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube channel for a lot of healthy and tasty cooking ideas. Better food will make you happier and more likely to stick with it. If you try to do a bland diet to lose weight you could eventually lose interest and stray from your diet.

One myth that stands in people’s way is its more expensive to eat healthy than it is to eat processed food. This is another trapping of the processed food industry. Start with a comprehensive food cost analysis of your household. Basically, break down the number and you’ll more than likely find you can feed your entire family for the same, if not less, by buying and cooking fresh. A stalk of celery and bag of carrots will set you back about $4 and will stretch a long way when put in sauces and stews with a little meat. You can literally stretch that $4 out to three or four meals. Add meat and maybe a diced potato, rice, or pasta and you can feed a member of your family fresh, healthy food for under $2 per serving. The same portions of pre-made, pre-canned food will set you back as much as $6 or more per portion.

 Decide what foods you like and build from there. Replace mayonnaise with plain yogurt. Make your plain yogurt interesting by mixing in herbs. Use steam to cook your food rather than butter. Avoid soda, and sugar in general. Make a menu for the week to control portions and food cost. Avoid excessive salt, it causes you retain too much water. Flip over the package and read the label. Incorporate leafy greens and calorie negative veggies in your diet. Stay away from cigarettes and recreational drugs. Don’t abuse or use alcohol to excess. Trim the fat from meats, and avoid a lot of oils when you cook. Know your body and avoid carbs and fat as you need to. Take your own food for work to avoid making unhealthy choices at lunch time. Pre-cook and freeze healthy food so you have a healthy options that can be made quickly. There’s literally hundreds of ways to create, improve, control, and support a healthy diet.

I wanted to take a moment and talk about carbs. For years I’ve never had a good answer on what they were and what they do. The sad truth is there is no simple answer. Carbs can be good (vegetables) or bad (donuts). Good carbs provide the body with much needed energy, while bad carbs will often be converted to stored energy (fat) if not burnt off promptly. Add in a case of diabetes and a person can have a true mess on their hands. According to Utah based Dietician, Paige Smathers, carbs are, in a nut-shell “macronutrients, meaning they are one of the three main ways the body obtains energy, or calories.” As with all foods, you need to know your body and moderate how much you consume accordingly. Carbs can be very beneficial if monitored, or they can cause serious problems.

Additionally, the Pritikin Longevity Center put out a checklist for deciding if a carbohydrate is "good" or "bad."

Good carbs are:

• Low or moderate in calories
• High in nutrients
• Devoid of refined sugars and refined grains
• High in naturally occurring fiber
• Low in sodium
• Low in saturated fat
• Very low in, or devoid of, cholesterol and trans fats

Bad carbs are:

• High in calories
• Full of refined sugars, like corn syrup, white sugar, honey and fruit juices
• High in refined grains like white flour
• Low in many nutrients
• Low in fiber
• High in sodium
• Sometimes high in saturated fat
• Sometimes high in cholesterol and trans fats

When you start training and eating healthy you have to be ready to commit. A former gym-goer I knew comes to mind when I speak of this. She went to the gym a few times per week in a three week period, set her treadmill on the shamble speed, didn’t change her diet, complained she didn’t lose any wait, and promptly quit. If you’re going to be successful you need to start, track your progress and increase your efforts progressively, and stick to it for the long run. Three months, nine months, two years, five years, as long as it takes, you have to be determined and religious about your workouts. If you commit to four workouts per week then that’s what you do. This is your body, your life, and your health. Know your limitations, develop your routine, and do whatever you have to so you’re motivated to keep going.

It’s important to remember that most of us aren’t bodybuilders, models, or fitness gurus. If you were there’s a good chance you wouldn’t have read this far. So if you’re not a model then stop trying to train like one. Get serious about your health, figure out what is safe and manageable for a fitness plan, get support where you need it, and don’t quit working until you get to where you want to be. When you get to the fitness level you want to be at then you keep going. There’s so much to be seen and done, which you may never experience if you don’t take care of yourself. Most people who were asked stated daily activates became easier as they progressed in their training. Still other people stated they did things they never thought they could do when they lost weight and got healthy.

In the 1991, Highlander 2 movie, Sean Connery as Juan Ramirez said “Most people have a full measure of life…. And most people just watch it slowly drip away. But if you can summon it all up, at one time, in one place, you can accomplish something glorious.” Who wouldn’t want to be healthier to have a better quality and quantity of life?