A Philosophy of Strength and Health

Finally made it home after what seemed like an ETERNITY out on the trusty Cannondale. It was really just over an hour, but it rained as soon as we started and stopped only for Carla to change a flat. Rain and 40 degrees. By the end, we were all soaked. Of course, I forgot most of my dry clothes and shivered all the way home with the heat full-blast in the car. I've been colder, but never this soaked before. I'd like to send out a huge THANKS--really--to Becky, Alane, Carla, Craig, Sara and her husband, Lemon Meringue (cheeky monkey), for keeping an eye on me as I tootled along at the back along Wild Horse Creek and huffed and puffed up the Babler Beast. Yes, Carla--I'm trying to sit up tall, honey. Keep reminding me. I'll get it. I want it. I'll admit I had some fear going down Doberman. Let's practice breaking skills, in the rain, with rain-covered glasses, on great big hills. El Pollo Grande. Becky should ride in Paris-Roubaix. She looked like Georgie today wi...

Found this on a continuing education web site. The name has been disguised. Of course, this merits an entire column at a later date. I find the whole letter / credential thing rather idiotic, but this (respected) physical therapist has taken it to a new level: Zxxxx Q. Blaahh, DPT, MEd, PT, SCS, ATC, LAT, CSCS, ACSM-CET, CCI, SMAC, (REMT) What, no NASM credentials?

I have many friends and colleagues in both the strength and endurance worlds who believe and promote the myth that animal proteins are of superior quality for the athlete. I no longer subscribe to this belief. While animal protein sources might provide us with the complete amino acid profiles that most closely match our own human protein profile needs (actually human flesh would be optimal), plant protein sources can provide us with all the protein we need, WITHOUT ANY OF THE HARMFUL SIDE-EFFECTS. Yes, we CAN get every amino acid we need from plant protein sources--without all of the silly "combining" initially postulated. (Email me tfober@accessus.net if you want those references.) The latest NSCA's online Performance Training Journal contained the following juicy summary (by G. Greg Haff, PhD, CSCS) of a research study on the impact of a beef vs. soy protein-based diet on resistance training performance and lipoprotein profiles in older men: Recently, researchers from ...

Got out for a ride yesterday with some good friends. Stayed warm with my Castelli thermal jacket, despite the damp chill in the air. The bike felt great. A big thanks goes out to Dave and Corky at Ghisallo for the tune up and the installation of my new training wheels: Mavic Cosmic Elites. They cut through the air like butta'. Wow, I can't imagine what REALLY NICE wheels must feel like!

I thought I'd seen it all. Squats on physioballs. Walking lunges for 45 minutes. But, wait...there's more. Today's "Healthy & Fit" section of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch carried syndicated piece from the Washington Post by author John Briley. The article reviews a "10-minute-a-day strength program called "Cave Man Medicine" promoted by a 65 year-old New York sports medicine physician named Dan Hamner. It appears this guy, literally, beats himself--slaps and pounds on his abdominals, thighs, you-name-it--to stimulate isometric contractions (a.k.a the body's self-defense mechanism from blows to the body). The author reports this type of activity is painful, but that the good doctor says injury is unlikely because "most of us have built-in mechanisms against using too much force on ourselves; people on anticoagulants could risk bruising and thus should use light taps." Well, that certainly is common sense. Apparently the good doctor a...

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Well, we have our first snow on the ground and it has been bitterly cold this week. It is always a bit of the shock to the system, but also refreshing to see the powerful changes and forces that occur in nature. I know spring is a only few weeks away. Such events remind me that change is necessary for personal and professional growth. With winter, we see our surroundings in a new light. The leaves are stripped from the trees and an entirely new landscape appears. For personal or professional growth to occur, it is necessary that our beliefs, ideas and relationships be stripped of their coverings so we can examine them from a different, maybe even challenging, viewpoint. During this process some of these old parts of us decrease in importance or die completely; others are renewed and rejuvenated. New ideas, world views and relationships form. Our landscape changes and we grow. Self-reflection is challenging; change is scary. Sometimes the process is as painful as inhaling the bitter col...

The weekly fitness section of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch always has some interesting features. Many don't deal with real health; they deal with cosmetic appearance--"Teeth bleaching addicts can go to far"--and bodybuilding fitness junk. The primary bodybuilding-esque column is a weekly syndicated piece by someone named Nancy Cole. The only credential or information I can find on this person (Google) is that she is a "certified personal trainer from South Florida. If anyone knows more, please fill me in. Today's topic is walking lunges. Now, I'm a fan of walking lunges for a variety of reasons, none of which includes developing "lean, luscious legs and a tight, rounded rump." Although she does briefly mention that this bodyweight exercise requires balance, flexibility and leg strength, it is brief and she does not mention anything about torso control (core strength) or total body coordination. She recommends doing 20 "steps" to start, with...

I had the great fortune of attending a convention of physical education teachers recently. And I really mean that; it was refreshing to see there are PE teachers out there trying to get young people enthused about good physical health, being fit and learning new motor skills. I will have to admit I often lamented PE class in high junior high, even as an athlete. But these people were into physical health and they were TRYING to do better for their students; I really admire that. The booth next to ours had a number of fun t-shirts: Got Sweat, Yes We ARE Dressing Out Today and Fit Happens, etc. The Fit Happens shirt is a cool play on words, but it made me think that when it comes to physical health, fit does NOT just happen. It takes effort and education. It takes sweat. It takes hard work to keep yourself physically healthy and fit. One of the more disappointing exhibits at the convention was some video game that had you stand (or lean on the support post behind you!) and use isometric...

I was listening to NPR's Science Friday yesterday and heard Ira Flatow (the host) make a very interesting comment to the guest author, Lisa Randall, PhD, a physics professor at Harvard. Ira said something like "The picture on your book is very flattering. You can really use this to your advantage." (I'd have to listen to the broadcast again for the exact quote--so please, don't quote me.) She was, needless to say, a bit perplexed by his comment and I think, made uncomfortable. Why is it that men have to comment about a woman's looks, especially when they are attractive, as something she can utilize to validate or promote herself in the marketplace or within a profession? Am I wrong in saying that no man EVER faces such a predicament--either positive or negative? Men are accepted for what they have done, not how they look. Come on! The woman is a Harvard faculty member! This is science, not fashion! It does not matter what she looks like and for someone to sug...

Recently I had the opportunity to meet and interact with many vegan and vegetarian athletes. It was absolutely fascinating to listen to both competitive strength (well, body builders, but that's another blog subject) and endurance athletes discuss their successful use of a vegan dietary regimen. And some of these people were even RAW vegan, which means they choose to not cook any food. Can anyone say fiber? Some speakers at this conference--the first annual Organic Athlete Conference--did a good job of backing up their information with research data. Others provided more of a personal, anecdotal story of their experiences. One of the most interesting topics was that of diet and recovery. Fast, complete recovery from hard training sessions is key if an athlete is to stay healthy and make progress. Athletes are now taught to consume specific types of nutrients during the "optimal window of recovery" with lasts anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes or so after a training bout. Ove...

I'm still recovering from the five-day loss of power at home. You would think we had a hurricane. I've been wanted to say this for years: I am not a personal trainer. Please do not refer to me as such. I hold no "personal trainer" credentials. I don't count reps or hand people dumbbells. I am a physical therapist, licensed in Missouri and Illinois. I hold an undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and graduate degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Washington University. I've acquired the NSCA CSCS (certified strength and conditioning specialist) credential and the USA Weightlifting Club Coach certification, but those are nothing compared to the time and effort spent to get my degrees and licenses. I can rehab your newly-scoped knee and then teach you how to squat properly or do a power jerk. Now, I have many friends who are personal trainers. Some are very good at what they do and know their scope of practice. The publi...

Finally testing the blog waters. I think this is going to be fun. Does anyone know why people are so intimidated by free weights? Or why most of the people in this country think they are exercising by sitting down on some contraption and doing non-functional, single-joint movements? Now if more people could get in this position, we'd have less back and knee pain. Really.