A Philosophy of Strength and Health

My February column in the print edition of SwimBikeRun St. Louis magazine examines the question of machines and free weights. I am not a fan of machine-based resistance training, for many reasons. I have also been lucky to work with and learn from many talented coaches who really know what they are talking about when it comes to resistance training. Vern Gambetta is one of those people. I attended one of his clinics in 1998 and consider him one of the best in the strength and conditioning business. He pulls no punches, tells it like it is, utilizes methods from sport science and rehab science, and (my favorite)whores himself out to nary an equipment company. Vern has a great blog, Functional Path Training , and I recommend it to anyone in the strength and conditioning biz. Nice to see someone with a great reputation taking the time to comment on current topics. Check out Vern's latest post on the machine vs. free weight debate here .

Well, leave it to my friend, the MIT philosophy grad and stud professor, to blog a fascinating piece of news for all endurance athletes and healthy eaters: Peeling bananas from the other end is easier. Just pinch and pull. Monkeys do it all the time. A thumb, opposable or not, makes it very easy. Try it. It's brutally true and beautiful. Ah, the things your mama never told you--and the information that didn't come with that expensive liberal arts education. And...from the Exercise Police "Signs that the Nutrition Apocalypse is Upon Us" department: GlaxoSmithKline will be proposing a new, over-the-counter version of Xenical (binds to lipases in the digestive tract to decrease the absorption of triglycerides). You absorb about 2/3 of the fat you eat. Reported side effects are frequent, loose stools, increased flatulence and greater urgency with old #2. Some researchers have found that the people who lose the most weight on the drug are those that actually consume less d...

We made the mistake of starting Sunday's ride at prime church-gettin'-out time out in the Chesterfield flats. Instead of going out Wild Horse Creek, we road to Old Olive Street to head out to Centaur. Big mistake. Now, there is no good shoulder, but that is not a license to drive recklessly or dangerously when cyclists are on the road with you. Riding single file, we had numerous large SUV vehicles pass us angrily, fast and without much consideration. I was very nervous--more so than ever on my bike--and let a few choice expletives fly. There are several large churches in the area and given the traffic cops posted out Eatherton, it was clear that most of the traffic was from the area religious services letting out. Now, I don't know what religion these people are, but they sure as heck DON'T believe in people riding bikes or sharing the road with another legal vehicle that runs under human power. Right to life!? Do unto others!? Apparently these religious hypocrites are...

Another birthday passes--I'm getting near the big 40. My goal is be in better shape, inside and out, each year. This past year has been incredible. I've changed in so many ways; and the best change has been to a plant-based, whole food lifestyle. I won't use the "d" word, because it is a complete lifestyle and behavior change, not just a temporary adoption of certain foods, or calorie counting or whatever. It is a change in behavior. Conscious choices every day. Every freakin' day. Over time. That's what counts. This really hit me yesterday as I was working out in the basement and listening to The Motley Fool on NPR. There was a discussion of the Google guys and their potential involvement with some big-shot DNA guy. Evidently there are those who think the power of Google combined with knowledge of human genetic code will lead us to the discovery of great new cures for various diseases. Sorry to disappoint the techno-geeks, but super cool technology isn...

Okay, people, let's see the hands. Or the feet! Who's 3 for 3 in the exercise department for 2006? Seriously, I hope everyone is taking stock of their health and making a concerted effort do go their body and mind some good. Personally, I'm working on my inverted strength and balance, but I don't think I'll go this far. And I don't recommend standing on physioballs either. If you can balance on either lower extremity for > 1 minute, you are ahead of the game. Bottom line: Make good choices every day. It pays off in the long run. Who wants to be beholden to the insurance and drug companies?