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Gulf Weekly
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Enter the world of fantasy
Bahraini author Bader AlSadeqi's new titles, The Wayfall Kidnapping and His Heroic Worth, are set to hit the shelves this month, transporting readers to a fantastic world of dwarves, elves, knights, princesses and more. The 75-page The Wayfall Kidnapping is a villainous caper-crime fantasy novella – the creative talent's first attempt at the sub-genre. 'I wanted to try a story with more villain-centric characters,' the 32-year-old told GulfWeekly, explaining his experience with the style. 'All the stories I write take place in the same fantasy world, but independent of each other, and while all have a focus on action and adventure, their characters are not necessarily all heroic. Writing a caper-crime novella added more fun and flexibility in my storytelling. 'The challenge was coming up with a more straightforward story while maintaining some fun and excitement, especially with the focus on villains as main characters. I felt this was something different, and I found the experience very enjoyable,' he added. A caper story is a type of crime fiction and, unlike straight crime, has elements of humour, adventure or unusual cleverness – the main character often exhibits comical idiosyncrasies and law enforcement individuals are typically incompetent. Wayfall Kidnapping is set in the glittering city of Wayfall. The story explores a daring team of women, each with an unapologetic history involving crime, who are brought together for a job that might catapult them to fame or the darkness of death. The novella is part of Bader's Daedalusian Legends series, which currently comprises seven titles, including the new books. 'Writing these fantasy fictions has been a journey of weaving intricate plots, crafting more or less morally complex characters, and balancing the thrills with the depth of world-building,' said the IT-systems analyst and holder of a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology and Security from NYIT. 'One of the greatest highlights has been watching the story evolve, seeing characters surprise me, twists unfold naturally, and the world take on a life of its own. 'The biggest challenge? Ensuring the mystery remains sharp while keeping the fantasy elements immersive and believable. 'I've been working on these stories for over a month or more, refining every detail to make the adventure as gripping as possible.' Blending action, adventure, and other tropes of traditional heroic fantasy, sword and sorcery, His Heroic Worth is a 54-page short story and tells the tale of Prince Ronvid of Novidraken and Princess Philippa of Corniashire, who have long been betrothed – their union arranged to unite two neighbouring kingdoms. As the day of their long-awaited wedding draws near, the young couple temporarily escapes courtly life for a private retreat. But their idyllic getaway turns into a disaster when a vicious wyvern descends from the skies, abducting Philippa, setting the stage for 'a crucible of devotion, valour and chivalry', one that will truly test Ronvid. Bader has been passionate about fantasy and science fiction ever since he was a young boy, which inspired him to write stories of his own. His books are a testament to his 'wild imagination', which he dreams of sharing with others.
South China Morning Post
29-06-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
6 tips to help prevent gaming-related health problems like ‘gamer's thrombosis'
In video games, all players usually need to do to stay healthy is drink the occasional healing potion or perhaps grab a floating heart. Avoiding zombies and killer aliens helps, too. In real life, maintaining health while gaming is trickier. Luckily, it does not take a secret hack to stay well while playing, experts say – and some of their advice might even help you level up your game. Some aspects of gaming can even be good for you, says Dr Joanne Donoghue, director of clinical research at the New York Institute of Technology's College of Osteopathic Medicine, who has led several studies on professional gamers' health. Some action video games have been shown to improve reaction time and may help with multitasking, she says. And unlike gamers from earlier eras, modern players sitting with their headphones and microphones are ' live and interacting with a lot of people at one time . So there is a social component.' Excessive video game time can be associated with a lack of sleep and poor nutrition. Photo: TNS Dr Jason Nagata, an associate professor of paediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, has studied the effects of screen time, including video games, on children and adolescents. He says digital media is 'not inherently good or bad. There are some risks, but also some benefits.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Easy Workout Trick Boosts Performance, Study Shows—And You Might Already Be Doing It
People usually don't give much thought to sounds at the gym or on a sports court—clanking weights, squeaking shoes, background music. One sound in particular that's common background noise in these scenarios? The grunt. Most gym goers have had to try to tune out someone who insists on unnecessarily grunting with every rep on at least one occasion. But it turns out, grunting during your workouts may have some pretty legit performance benefits. Grunting during explosive has the potential to actually increase power output, according to a new study in Scientific Journal of Sports and Performance. But what's the science behind grunting to boost performance, and can you harness it to optimize your own physical pursuits? Here's what we know. Meet the expert: Alexander Rothstein, CSCS, ACSM-EP, is an exercise physiologist and instructor for the exercise science program at New York Institute of Technology. In the recent study, researchers had martial artists perform a series of explosive moves—think lightning-fast strikes and powerful jumps—once with grunting, once without. As the scientists had expected, when athletes let out a grunt, their power output noticeably spiked. The researchers believe that the sharp, forceful exhale involved in grunting may actually amplify your strength during high-intensity efforts. So yeah, that noise might be doing more than just turning heads at the gym. The study also assessed vertical jump height, however that metric didn't seem to be impacted by grunting. When you're pushing through a heavy lift or explosive move, your body naturally tries to create core stability. A lot of people actually hold their breath to do this, which builds internal pressure but also cuts off airflow. That can lead to faster fatigue and even spike your blood pressure—not exactly ideal mid-rep. Grunting, or more specifically, forcefully exhaling, offers a smarter solution. 'When you forcefully expire, you create abdominal pressure and maintain airflow—it's the best of both worlds,' says exercise physiologist Alexander Rothstein. 'You won't fatigue as quickly, and your core muscles will still be firing and stabilizing like they should.' In other words, that sharp exhale helps you brace your core and generate more power—without the drawbacks of breath-holding. Rothstein says this extra stability may also improve your mind-muscle connection, making your body feel safer and more secure, which can help you produce even more force. The key, though, is the exhale itself—not necessarily the sound effect that comes with it. You don't have to be a black belt to take advantage of this technique. Using a forceful exhale—audible grunt optional—can give your lifts a legit performance (and health) boost, even if you're just trying to crush your Tuesday gym sesh, says Rothstein. 'Any time you're doing something that requires serious core stability or exertion, I'd recommend using that forceful breath,' he says. That includes hitting a one-rep max, powering through the final reps of a tough set, or tackling explosive moves like box jumps or overhead presses. (Skip it during activities meant to promote calm, like yoga, where that intensity can work against you.) Here's the big win: It's not just about raw power. The real benefit for most of us? Better breathing = better performance and better health. 'I'd actually call it a significant health benefit because you're not holding your breath,' Rothstein says. Forcefully exhaling keeps your blood pressure in check, helps you avoid early burnout, and trains you to engage your core muscles properly—no breath-holding shortcuts needed. Now, about the elephant in the weight room: gym noise. It's not the sound that matters, it's the mechanics, says Rothstein. Loud, guttural yells may feel satisfying, but they're not what's giving you the performance edge. 'Focus on a strong, outward push of air—not a shout,' he says. And yes, basic etiquette still stands: 'Don't exhale forcefully into someone's face.' You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
