Study Tips: How to survive Physics

Physics is one of those classes that people either avoid (those in the liberal arts majors) or begrudgingly take because they have to (engineering majors). Physics is an interesting subject that basically gives you insight into how things move, and how things like electricity, magnetism, gravity, thermodynamics, etc., work. But, the concepts can be bogged down in a lot of math and the problems are often harder than the underlying concepts. There are, in most college curricula at least two versions of physics and sometimes three. There is always an algebra-based physics class that you can take after taking algebra and/or precalculus (which someone in a non-engineering track can take if they want) and a calculus-based course (which is what anyone who wants an actual physics or engineering degree has to take). Some colleges also offer a course that is titled something like Physics for Presidents, Physics for Poets, or something catchy like that, which basically introduces the concepts but has little to no math in it at all. The dirty little secret for those who have to take calculus-based physics is that there is actually very little calculus used. That, of course, depends on your teacher, but most of the time, calculus is used to derive the equations, but then you just use algebra to solve 90% of the problems. So, what teachers usually do is assign the harder problems in calculus-based physics and assign the easier problems in algebra-based physics. Occasionally, you do have to use calculus on some homework problems, and I think I had one exam problem between the two semesters of calculus-based physics that required using the cross-product from Multivariable Calculus, but everything else just used algebra or trig. So, here are some tips to make it through. 

First, if you are a freshman if your college offers it, take a physics for poets type class. One that is for liberal arts majors, that has no math, that will introduce you to the concepts in physics. That will help you wrap your head around what you will be learning. If your school does not have such as course, UC Berkley has a course that you can find on YouTube here: 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaLOVNqqD-2Ep5N9os9jWMSkxK_TLki9h

Second, when you are in algebra and trig, do some of the word problems. I know that when you are in math class, word problems are the bane of your existence and you dread the thought of them showing up on an exam. But, many of the word problems at that level are just very easy chemistry, physics, or engineering problems. And, if you are going to take those higher-level classes, every single homework and exam problem is going to be a word problem, so the more comfortable you are with them the easier they will be. I am not saying do every word problem since you are only going to have so much time to devote to homework, but do one or two from each problem set to get your feet wet.

Third, if you can afford to do so, take algebra-based physics before you take calculus-based physics. This will get you a huge leg up in calculus-based physics because you will be used to doing problems and you can figure out what concepts are hard for you and get a lot of practice.

Fourth, find a good supplement, especially if you cannot follow what your teacher is saying. My physics teacher was a nice guy but was not always great at conveying what he knew to everyone else. Also, he expected you to learn the concepts from the book, and then he would show a bunch of example problems. So, he rarely ever gave a good introduction to the concepts. All of this made the class harder than it should have been. I used Jason Gibson's Physics Tutor DVD sets (some of which I have reviewed on this site), but also used Khan Academy and just some general YouTube videos. There are also some good book-based supplements like Homework Helper's Physics and Schaum's 3000 physics problems book (which are under the study aids tab). 

Fifth, work on as many problems as you have time for. The only way to get good at physics problems is by doing them. Obviously, do your assigned homework, but do as many different types of problems as you can. I would make up my own mock exams with different problem types from the concepts that could be on an exam.

Sixth, if you can get old exams. I had a friend that took physics with the same teacher I had the year before I took it, and I got all of his old exams. This helped me see what kinds of questions my professor tested on, and what I could expect. The professor did reuse a couple of the same questions, but for the most part, I did have different questions on every exam, but I was rarely ever surprised by anything.

Seventh, make notes in your book if you can have open-book tests. Most teachers allow you to have at least a cheat sheet or your book. I would make notes in the margins of my book for things to watch out for on different types of questions or things to remind myself of, and basically annotated my book with to help me remember things or reword concepts so I understood them. One to note, in homework problems, you will often be solving for one or two things, but on exams, (especially in calculus-based physics) teachers will give you problems that will require you to solve for six or seven different things. And, often, each thing that you solve for is then used in the next part of the problem. And sometimes one part of the problem will require you to solve for something that is not asked for, and you have to figure out to solve that first, and then use that to solve for what you are asked for. For example, there are a bunch of different equations of motion that have variables like time, initial velocity, acceleration, and the like, as variables. Many times you will need to solve for time in order to be able to calculate something like initial velocity (using a different equation), then use that to solve for final velocity. But, you will not be told you have to solve for time, so you just have to know that. So, practicing compound problems is essential, and why it is always a good idea to get sample exam questions if you can. 

Eighth, try to get together with a study group. Sometimes you will know things that other people in the class do not, and other times someone else will understand something better than you. If you get together with three or four people to study, it will save you time and a lot of frustration when you are stuck on something. 

And finally, keep your algebra and trigonometry skills up. Being good at algebra will not guarantee you ace physics, but if you are not good at algebra, you absolutely will not do well in physics. You will also need to be comfortable with trig concepts as you will be using triangles and angles constantly in physics problems. If you get bogged down with the math, you will take way too long to work through the problems. Most teachers will let math mistakes slide since they are not teaching a math class, but if you cannot manipulate equations well, you will lose needless points. Tied in with that, always solve the equations symbolically first, and then plug in the numbers at the last step. Basically, the equations will have a ton of variables in them. You will be given some of the information and then have to solve for something variable in the equation. Figure out what you need to solve for first, then manipulate the equation so that you have the variable you want to solve for equal to all the other stuff, then plug in the numbers for the other stuff and find the number you need. That will reduce the number of math mistakes you make and show the teacher you understand the process. Then, if you plug something into your calculator wrong you only lose half a point as opposed to losing 3 or 4 points.

Physics is a foundational class that you will have to take to get into any engineering classes, and engineering classes are mostly just applied physics classes themselves. They take one chapter from physics, turn that into an entire semester, and make the problems harder. So the better you understand physics, the easier your life will be. At some point, I plan on putting up my physics notes as well as working a bunch of homework and exam problems, and putting them on the site. So, keep an eye on that tab in the future. I am not sure when I will get to that because I do want to go through the math material first just to get my math skills back up, but I will get to physics as soon as I can.

Knee or leg pain during plyometrics? It is probably the shoes

Hey everyone, I just wanted to do a quick post because I see all the time on the team beachbody message boards about people doing Insanity and experiencing a lot of knee and leg pain. If it goes beyond just muscle soreness in your legs, one of the main causes or contributors may be your shoes. A lot of people use running shoes for plyo because by nature they absorb impact, but they are actually not good. You need a shoe with good ankle and arch support, that also provides a lot of stability. It should also be able to absorb some shock. Running shoes generally do not have the support needed for the jumping and landing. A good pair of cross trainers is preferred. Depending on your situation you may also need to talk to your doctor about the possibility of orthotics. A good pair of shoes will make a world of difference.

When is the best time to start?

Most people who are into fitness and working out will say the best time to start is now. Or there is no perfect or best time to start working out, so start today. I am not one who subscribes to that theory. The best time to begin a workout program is after you find your "why". For some people the why will be to get back in the kind of shape they were as a teenager. For others it will be to get in shape for the first time. Some just want to look good naked. Still others find the why because they cannot fit into any of their clothes or their doctors have told them they have to lose weight now or risk a premature death. Everyone's reason will be different, but you are far more likely to stick with a healthy lifestyle if you find a why first.

Once you determine that why, it is not quite as simple as start today. You can go into any gym in the country and see a bunch of people working out aimlessly with no purpose, and who you can tell really have no idea what they are doing. There are a lot of people that just go through the motions, and are ultimately wasting their time and money. While it is true that any workout is better than none, and that everyone's goal are different, how many people have you seen at the gym who do the same thing over and over and make no progress. Are you or have you been one of those people. Even if you do not want to get ripped abs or look like a fitness model, you should have a goal to progress in your workouts. And lets face it, doing the same thing over and over again is boring, and will lead to plateaus.

The concept of muscle confusion has been around for a long time. It has just been called switching your workouts up every few weeks. But the science behind it is real. Our bodies are always trying to adapt to what we are doing. And when working out, adaptation means stalling out. Which in turn leads to a lot of people quitting because they think that they cannot do it. As I have said in prior postings, the best workout for you is the one that you stick to. Research the programs, whether it is a beachbody program or something else. Beachbody has a variety of different programs from beginner to very advanced. Take advantage of the coaches' knowledge. Most of us have done multiple programs and can tell you the differences and will help you decide which is best for you. If you would like me to coach you, you can click here. If you just want me to coach you there is a free option. There is also a paid membership to team beachbody that gives you a variety of tools to help you, and gives you a 10% discount on the workout programs and any of the supplements. I am here to help you regardless of whether you get a paid membership or not. Once you find your why, and the right program, then start the day you get it in the mail. Don't wait, don't let it sit. Once you find your why and your DVDs are in hand, then the perfect time to start is that second!

P90X Kenpo too easy? Here are some options

For those of you doing P90x, one thing that I hear a lot is that the Kenpo program is easy, sometimes too easy. Again this will be one of those things that will depend in large part how fit you are. If you are really out of shape when you start, it will be a hard program. As you get more fit however (especially if you have done martial arts before) it will probably not give you much of a workout.

Anyone who has been in some form of martial arts (especially one with a lot of kicking like taekwondo) knows that to really get a good cardio workout you have to incorporate your hips into the kicks which requires pivoting properly. However in a workout DVD is it very hard to demonstrate how to pivot, and as anyone who has done it knows, if you do not pivot properly you are going to mess up your knee and/or ankle, and I am sure they did the moves the way they did to minimize the risk of that. Lets face it, no workout program is going to go over well if people are injuring their knees. So, what options do you have? You could, if you have another program like Insanity, or Chalean extreme, swap it out for one of the cardio based workouts from there. You could, if you wanted to even do the plyo-x workout in place of Kenpo, which would help prepare you for a program like Insanity. The other option is you can just do the moves in Kenpo-X faster. Ignore the pace that is set by the counter and just do as many reps as you can. For example, when I do the workout, during the front kicks (ball kicks) I do 30-40 reps in the same time that they do the 25 reps. Same thing with the punches.

 Like anything you have to make the workouts work for you. Modification of the workouts do not have to just modify down to a less intense version. If you need to increase your intensity or swap something out for another workout, do it. As always if you have any questions or comments feel free and I will respond as quickly as I can.

The Importance of Yoga

If you open a book on fitness, kinesiology (which is the study of human movement), personal training etc, most of them will stress the importance of flexibility to health and fitness. Many describe it as a puzzle where strength, cardiovascular health and flexibility all fit together. Most people think of yoga as just increasing your flexibility, where in reality it will help with all three. Anyone who has done the P90x yoga DVD knows that it is a big time strength workout because you are holding your body in the various positions for anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute. You are doing a lot of push ups in the beginning and as Tony Horton puts it you are "in a tiny little space and sweating like hell." When you first start the program you will probably be huffing and puffing through the first 50 min or so as well. My first exposure to yoga was about 8 years ago in a yoga studio. A couple of my coworkers wanted to try out a class at the new yoga place that opened up in town and we all took the beginner class. I immediately loved it. Some of the poses I found to be easy, and others were very hard for me, but it is about doing as much as you can, and improving over time. Then I started getting some other yoga DVDs that I would use on my own as opposed to spending $80 for a 6 week class. When I started P90x I found its yoga workout to be very challenging. As I said yesterday (and really the main complaint you will hear about it) is that it is very long. If you do the entire thing it clocks in at a little over an hour and a half. I think your first time through the program it is good to do the workout in its entirety. As you get into a second and third time around though you can cheat a little bit with it. There are times I swap yoga out with x-stretch or the recharge workout from Chalean Extreme (which is about 25 min or so of yoga) or one of my shorter yoga DVDs. Other times I will do P90X's yoga workout but I will only do the first part of it. It just depends on how I am feeling that day. The bottom line. Work it into the program. Don't skip it, but make it work for you. Namaste!