A Philosophy of Strength and Health

It's Saturday October 27, 8 am to 12 noon! Email me for questions and registration info. We'll have some fun and show you the mobility and stability necessary to learn and perform weightlifting movements. This is a hands-on gig, so come dressed to move (if you like) and bring lots of questions. Keep in mind, this particular event isn't about lifting big weights; it is about understanding these total body movements and learning to use your legs! We'll have some great video clips so you can see what the elite athlete looks like, and you will be able to evaluate your own movement patterns with video feedback via Dartfish. Thanks to Dan Thacker of Fusion Fitness and Laurie Miller of CrossFit St. Louis for supporting this event!

When I'm lucky enough to be home for lunch, I try like heck to make a giant salad--bigger than your head--with extra greens the foundation of the meal. Same for dinner. We keep a giant vat of salad (in the salad spinner bowl) in the fridge with the following staples: fresh spinach, other greens, red onion, peas, corn, tomatoes, hearts of palm or artichoke hearts Garnish with 1/2 an avocado, raw pumpkin seeds and freshly ground pepper. Add a dash of Annie's Goddess Dressing or something you've whipped up yourself. I'll also throw in some leftover roasted veggies (eggplant, peppers, b-sprouts), some veggie pot stickers or some shiritaki if available. Sprinkle on some nutritional yeast for a little B-12.

Congratulations to my friend Melanie Roach, who just had a lifetime best performance in an international competition! This 32 y.o. mother of 3 and small business owner has come back from back surgery (herniated disc) 11 months ago to place 12 th /44 in the tough 53 kg weight class at the World Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Now older, wiser and more focused than ever, Melanie is relishing this journey in life and making every choice count. She and Coach John Thrush should be so very proud of this achievement! They are truly class people, with wisdom and perseverance beyond compare. Let me share with you this email Melanie sent to her many friends and fans this morning from Chiang Mai: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I just competed in my 5 th World Championships in Chaing Mai, Thailand It was an incredible experience that I will remember for the rest of my life! Weighing in at 52.75 kilos I posted the ...

For some really fun pictures out on the course, check out John Musselman's gallery here ! How cool to see all parts of the course lined with fans!

David Canada's bike! Even pros have to visit the porta-potty before the race! Toyota-United dudes waving from their motorhome! Discovery finally arrives in the team parking lot. George Hincapie is mobbed outside the Discovery motorhome. This image is just down from the start/finish on Market Street. It was a magical day for anyone who rides a bike and appreciates the sport of cycling. Who'd have dreamed this would be here, just a few years ago? We wished David Canada good luck after he hit the porta potty. Kevin had a nice chat with the Tecos racers from Mexico. Georgie rode right past us to sign in and be interviewed. We took in all of the sites and sounds of the expo at the start and then walked backwards around the 10 mile race course, back down to the Central West End, watching the race from both Lindell and Forest Park Parkway. It was amazing to watch the pack easily reel in a 3 minute break. Can't wait 'til next year!

If you train with a barbell, doing any of the classical movements, I highly recommend weightlifting shoes. You can basically only order them online from distributors, buy them on E-bay, or possibly pick up a pair at a national meet or NSCA or CSCCA national meeting exhibit hall. Bud Charniga , who distributes Adidas shoes in the US, has a nice article (with GREAT pics) on the history of the weightlifting shoe and why they are essential to the sport of weightlifting. You can see what he has available on his website . Other choices are DoWin , Gold Cup and VSAthletics .

Yep, Ms. Millie (a.k.a. Methuselah Anne, 127 years old in human years) and my Adidas Equipment shoes. Millie supervised my little workout yesterday. She wasn't impressed--never is, really. I guess I'll have to leap up onto the kitchen or bathroom counter in one cat-like move or something. Not likely. Her power to bodyweight ratio, as expressed by vertical jumping ability, is as good as ever; even though she's experienced some feline sarcopenia . And her paw-eye coordination is still great.

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If you sit at the mall or the airport for a while, you will observe many different bodies moving about in various ways. All accomplish the same task; some more efficiently and effectively than others. You wonder how some survive. Observe the asymmetries. Observe the postural changes gravity has affected. Keep in mind that many of these people have no idea what they look like when they are moving, nor do they easily perceive their body in space—that their torso is flexed forward, their feet shuffle, their knees hyperextend, one hip drops more than the other with each step, they lean their torso to one side to compensate for weak hip musculature. Good, fundamental movement patterns are not a given for most adults and for many kids. I say most, not all. Many people would benefit from basic instruction in fundamental movements and how the body works most efficiently. It is like learning and practicing your ABC’s in grade school. You learn to print and write cursive. Then you lea...