WARNING: the object you are sitting on is harmful to your health

Daniel Cornish explains that sedentary behaviour is now recognised as an independent risk factor for heart disease As Exercise Physiologists, we pride ourselves in our understanding of how and why exercise is the best medicine for our human bodies. Every man and his dog knows the recommendations for exercise: ’30 minutes moderate intensity, most if not all days of the week’ for general health, and to reduce the risk of chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, cancer etc. However, is a 30-minute walk really enough, to ensure you live a long, quality-filled life? A 2010 study Read more

The Dark Knight Rises and Stumbles

The final installment of director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy arrives with a cavalcade of audience hype and studio marketing. Despite being a big fan of the previous two films in the trilogy, I managed to approach this film with only moderate expectations – the trailer didn’t grab me the way the trailer for The Dark Knight did. I was also wary because third films in successful franchises don’t have a great track record (Spiderman 3 being a notable example). The good news is that The Dark Knight Rises is a solidly entertaining film. The bad news is that – for me at least – it is the weakest film in the trilogy. Taking Read more

A surprisingly healthy brew

“Gee I could go a frothy! – It’s refreshing, satisfying, relaxing, and great for my body!” This statement is actually quite valid (if consumed in moderation!) For many years red wine has been known to be the “healthy” option of alcoholic beverage, being rich in anti-oxidants, which are heart friendly. Notably resveratrol, as this helps keeps your arteries clear of plaque, reducing likelihood of heart disease. These antioxidants are also quite beneficial for kidney, lung and brain health! Now as researchers continue to look into the health benefits of certain alcoholic drinks, beer has come shining through to be the next Read more

Fluid for thought

‘The only sports drink backed by over 40 years of scientific research’ reads the label of one of the highest selling sports drinks on the planet. Convincing enough to make you reach for a drink? Exercise Physiologists and Sports Dietitians have been recommending for years, that our recreational and elite athletes drink ‘ahead of thirst’ at 500-1000ml/hr, as we may already be 2% ‘dehydrated’ before we become thirsty. This dehydration could increase core temperature, impairing performance and increasing the risk of heat illness. Furthermore, we as health professionals have been guided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the American Read more
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The Dark Knight Rises and Stumbles

The final installment of director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy arrives with a cavalcade of audience hype and studio marketing. Despite being a big fan of the previous two films in the trilogy, I managed to approach this film with only moderate expectations – the trailer didn’t grab me the way the trailer for The Dark Knight did. I was also wary because third films in successful franchises don’t have a great track record (Spiderman 3 being a notable example). The good news is that The Dark Knight Rises is a solidly entertaining film. The bad news is that – for me at least – it is the weakest film in the trilogy.

Taking place eight years after The Dark Knight, this film sees Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) living as a recluse in his mansion. He has hung up the Bat-suit after taking the blame for the death of Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart); Batman is considered an outlaw. He is still mourning the death of his love, Rachel Dawes (played by Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Dark Knight).

The Dark Knight Rises sees Wayne emerge from retirement to face the new villain Bane, a fierce mercenary who wreaks anarchy in Gotham. Bane is played by the great Tom Hardy (Bronson, Inception), although his performance is hampered by a metal contraption that covers his mouth. In V for Vendetta, Hugo Weaving managed to bring an incredible personality to his faceless performance. Here, Hardy provides an intimidating physical presence, but ultimately feels like an uber-thug with an oddly disembodied voice. Read more

Posted on July 29, 2012 by the_postponer in Entertainment, Featured Leave a comment

WARNING: the object you are sitting on is harmful to your health

Daniel Cornish explains that sedentary behaviour is now recognised as an independent risk factor for heart disease

As Exercise Physiologists, we pride ourselves in our understanding of how and why exercise is the best medicine for our human bodies. Every man and his dog knows the recommendations for exercise: ’30 minutes moderate intensity, most if not all days of the week’ for general health, and to reduce the risk of chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, cancer etc. However, is a 30-minute walk really enough, to ensure you live a long, quality-filled life?

Read more

Posted on July 29, 2012 by the_postponer in Featured, Life Leave a comment

Fluid for thought

‘The only sports drink backed by over 40 years of scientific research’ reads the label of one of the highest selling sports drinks on the planet. Convincing enough to make you reach for a drink?

Exercise Physiologists and Sports Dietitians have been recommending for years, that our recreational and elite athletes drink ‘ahead of thirst’ at 500-1000ml/hr, as we may already be 2% ‘dehydrated’ before we become thirsty. This dehydration could increase core temperature, impairing performance and increasing the risk of heat illness. Furthermore, we as health professionals have been guided by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (who in 1987 recommended fluid ingestion at a high rate to prevent heat illness, and in 1996 recommended that athletes should “consume the maximal amount that can be tolerated” to prevent loss of body weight during exercise).

Read more

Posted on May 1, 2012 by the_postponer in Featured, Life Leave a comment

The Avengers

Writer/direcor Joss Whedon’s first film was a modest affair – the 2005 sci-fiSerenity, based on his cancelled 2002 TV series Firefly. It had a relatively low-budget for a studio action film (around $40 million) and only made its money back years later through home video sales. For his second feature film, Whedon took on a mighty challenge: a $220 million blockbuster that had to satisfy casual viewers and hardcore fanboys & fangirls alike. In that regard, I think he has succeeded. But is it a great film in its own right? Read more

Posted on April 26, 2012 by the_postponer in Entertainment, Featured Leave a comment

Stretch it out

Stretching is the most over-looked, and misunderstood aspect in most people’s training; be it for leisure, personal goals or a fixed athletic regime

Why stretch?

There have been tons of studies conducted on the benefits of stretching, and these show a mixture of results.  Some demonstrate that stretching is beneficial, while others say stretching is pointless.

Physiologically, regular stretching will increase your flexibility and decrease muscle stiffness by allowing your joints to move through their intended range of motion. In some (not all) cases, regular stretching will reduce the risk of injury by allowing muscles to have more ‘give’. Of course, this is dependent on the muscle, the sport or activity being played, and the general condition of the person. Read more

Posted on March 31, 2012 by the_postponer in Life 2 Comments

A surprisingly healthy brew

“Gee I could go a frothy! – It’s refreshing, satisfying, relaxing, and great for my body!” This statement is actually quite valid (if consumed in moderation!)


For many years red wine has been known to be the “healthy” option of alcoholic beverage, being rich in anti-oxidants, which are heart friendly. Notably resveratrol, as this helps keeps your arteries clear of plaque, reducing likelihood of heart disease. These antioxidants are also quite beneficial for kidney, lung and brain health!

Now as researchers continue to look into the health benefits of certain alcoholic drinks, beer has come shining through to be the next best thing. Here are the benefits: Read more

Posted on June 15, 2012 by the_postponer in Featured, Life Leave a comment

American Reunion

American Pie came out in 1999 and quickly became the defining sex-comedy for those of us who were too young to have seen Porky’s. It had memorable characters, lines of dialogue that infiltrated the lexicon (the film popularised the term ‘milf’), and several moments that became instantly iconic. It also had Shannon Elizabeth topless (in a scene that probably wore out the most pause buttons around the world since Basic Instinct landed in 1992). Read more

Posted on April 10, 2012 by the_postponer in Entertainment Leave a comment

Comedy Profile: Tim Key

As we enter the last leg of this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Tim Key filled out our Comedy Profile questionnaire giving some insight into how he moulded his act and his approach to writing his material:

About Me

1. When, how and why did you get started in comedy?

I finished university and had nothing much else to offer. My degree was in Russian. It became a straight choice between Comedian or Spy and I’m quite bad at hiding and seducing lady-spies to steal microfiches.

2. Did you always know this is where you wanted to end up, or did you have other plans when you were younger?

I had no idea this would happen until it did. I did the odd play at university but was pretty resigned to occasionally wondering what it would be like to be an actor. Then it happened. Which is good. Read more

Posted on April 13, 2012 by the_postponer in Entertainment, Featured Leave a comment

Kill-fest 2012: The Hunger Games & The Raid

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is the latest attempt to translate a popular young adult novel to the silver screen, although any expectations of another Twilight-style romance will be quickly dashed once the film starts. The tone is bleak and, for much of the running-time, filled with dread. In this world, the heroine has concerns that are much more important than choosing between male suitors. Read more

Posted on March 26, 2012 by the_postponer in Entertainment Leave a comment

Comedy Profile: Alex Horne

We’ve had the pleasure of contacting UK comedians Tim Fitzhigham and Alex Horne, who are performing at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Alex gives us an insight into himself and his act, sharing some wisdom and some laughs:

About Me

1. What got you started in comedy? Did your childhood have anything to do with it or was it a result of a ‘productive’ adolescence?

I wish I had a good answer for this. It would make this bit of the interview a lot more interesting. As it is, it just sort of happened. I thought I was going to be a journalist; I fancied giving stand up a go; I tried it; I liked it; I kept trying it; I got paid; I stopped trying to be a journalist. In fact, for the purposes of this piece let’s make it more interesting: THE TRUTH IS MY PARENTS FORCED ME INTO IT. Read more

Posted on April 3, 2012 by the_postponer in Entertainment, Featured Leave a comment
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