Grand Rapids Personal Trainer TV Show
Ok, so this post should probably be titled “Calvin College TV Show” – but since one of their media production classes (CAS250) asked me to help ‘em with a li’l project this semester, and I was the host of the fitness-themed show – I s’pose it’s just as fair to call it the Grand Rapids Personal Trainer show, too. ;-)
Anyway, over the past couple of months, I developed content for SEVENTEEN 10-minute episodes of a show titled “Beltline Construction” – a double-entendre those familiar with Grand Rapids geography will no doubt understand.
More to the point, below is a brief teaser/highlight reel from the project. I’ll be posting individual episodes at my GRPT site soon and will post some additional “fan page” exclusive content HERE. (“Like” it so you don’t miss a beat)
Have a happy festivus and a “mighty” 2012!
Now on with the show…
[Oh... and a HUGE thanks to my hard-rockin' musician buddy Mark E. Johnson from Pennsville, NJ for allowing us to use the 'training tune' in the show!)
Steroids In Pro Sports: You Know You Want It
Here’s the deal: I think politicians should keep their noses out of professional sports. Isn’t there anything more important they can do to waste their time (and OUR money?)
I also believe the way a responsible adult chooses to “enhance” performance is a personal choice, and if an individual feels the potential for benefit outweighs the potential for risk, well, who the hell am I – or you – to tell him otherwise?
Not that I condone, endorse, recommend, prescribe or otherwise assist in the acquisition or use of any illegal substances – including anabolic-androgenic steroids or growth hormone, but when it comes to professional sports, the fact is, there’s a LOT of money at stake (mmmmm… steak), and you might be surprised (if you’re naive enough) to learn what people are willing to do to get a piece of the action.
While the media/public-at-large typically speak against performance enhancement in the public forum, the reality is that very few people will shell out hundreds – even thousands – of dollars to plant their carcass in a seat at their favorite team’s stadium for 3 hours and pay upwards of $10 for a beer if the players/entertainers are anything less than caricatures of ‘regular’ humans.
If ever-increasing signing bonuses and multi-million dollar contracts are any indicator of the truth, we clearly want our superheros to be larger/faster/stronger than life, whether you’re willing to admit it or not.
Just last week, I was live on WJRW (1340am) discussing this reality (and so much more) with Tim Doctor and Josh Leng.
I can’t say just how long the podcasts will be up and running, but I invite you to listen in as I offend Chicago Bears fans, sports “purists”, ugly women and anybody else who doesn’t feel exactly as I do. So hurry yo’self over to this 2 part interview and let me know your thoughts on the subject…
Globetrotters, Green Bay and the Godfather of Fitness
Having won over 98% of 22,000+ games played over the past 85 years, the Harlem Globetrotters amazingly <wink, wink> scored yet another tally for their win column by defeating the Washington Generals in an ‘exhibition game’ here in Grand Rapids this weekend. Whew!
You can be anything that you can imagine – Meadowlark Lemon, Harlem Globetrotter for 22 seasons
Speaking of wins for the history books, my Green Bay Packers are going to the Superbowl. My prediction for Feb 6: Green Bay 41, Pittsburgh 17. (not to put any pressure on you, Green Bay, but my birthday is Feb 7. It sure would be nice if’n ya’ll would be so kind as to give me just one more win this season, eh?)
Show me a good loser, and I’ll show you a loser. Vince Lombardi (1913-1970)
Last – but certainly not least – perhaps the most respected man in the fitness business, Jack LaLanne, completed the final set of his 96 year workout. While I’d assume he put the dumbbells back in the rack where they belong, I’m quite sure all of us who have been inspired, educated and motivated by Jack’s message and personality over the years would more than happily follow him around the gym, picking up his weights, in the hope that just a little of his mojo would rub off on us in the process.
I tell people I can’t afford to die; it will wreck my image! Jack LaLanne (1914-2011)
Jack, I think it’s safe to say, your image will remain intact for a long, long time.
Jack obviously read the latest Lou Schuler/Alwyn Cosgrove book, New Rules of Lifting for Abs
Trampoline Fitness Will Be The End Of Us All
Does anybody understand there’s so much more to exercise than “calories burned”???
The ‘brains’ behind Trampoline fitness suggest such benefits <ahem> to their “low contact, high intensity workouts” as:
“…burn up to 1,000 calories an hour” and “many of the same toning and cardio effects as jogging, but without the jarring impact on the joints”
So what happens when you step back on terra firma where each and every step you take (whether walking, jogging, running or skipping) puts the “jarring impact” of 3 to 12 times your own bodyweight on your joints. I dunno about you, but I’d rather stick with good ol’ fashioned hard work and the full force of gravity to make my muscles the strongest, most reactive, energy-chomping machines they can be.
And I have no idea how anyone can call an hour of non-stop bouncing a “high intensity workout” while keeping a straight face. A non-stop hour of ANYTHING may make you sweat like a mountain goat in heat (or something to that effect), but it doesn’t make it intense. Although it may be considered challenging, by definition, anything short of a full-out sprint/max effort lift becomes LESS intense the longer you continually perform that activity.
No wonder America is getting fatter by the day. Seems a growing percentage of the population goes out of their way to avoid the exact kind of stress they really need – and these trampolidiots enable that kind of thinking.
Yeah, jumping around may be fun, but if we can’t make a cultural return to real strength training as the basis of “fitness”, it won’t be long until we implode under the weight of our collective gravitational pull.
Grand Rapids Personal Trainer Leading Statewide Fitness Challenge
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information, Contact:
David Roddenberry roddenberry@healthywage.com or (917) 213-2235
“Mighty” Joe Stankowski news@JoeStankowski.com or (616) 827-7479
New York Based HealthyWage™ Enlists Grand Rapids’ Fitness Guru to Help Michigan Lose Weight
Jan 4, 2011 – Need extra motivation to lose weight this year? Modeling the success of the popular TV show, The Biggest Loser, New York based HealthyWage [www.HealthyWage.com] has issued a state-wide fitness challenge to all of Michigan with the help of a local fitness expert, plus some extra special incentive.
In “The Michigan Matchup,” teams of five will compete for the greatest percentage of weight lost from January 8 through April 15, 2011. To join the challenge, participants pay a modest registration fee and weigh in at the beginning and end of the contest at a local health club. The winning teams will receive a total of $18,000 in cash prizes ($10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second, and $3,000 for third). Additionally, individual participants can earn $100 cash if they start with a Body Mass Index (BMI) above 30 and achieve a BMI below 25 after one year.
Grand Rapids’ resident fitness expert, “Mighty Joe” Stankowski, creator of “This Workout Doesn’t Suck” [www.ThisWorkout.com] and a co-author of “The Power of Champions,” was enlisted as The Michigan Matchup’s official spokesperson and will provide contestants advice, support and motivation via weekly Q&A-format telephone conference calls.
“The Michigan Matchup brings the state together in a collective effort to achieve weight-loss and health goals through a fun and lucrative contest,” said HealthyWage co-founder David Roddenberry. “Competing in teams of 5 against family, friends, and co-workers for added encouragement, bragging rights and big cash prizes leverages our social network model proven to help motivate and sustain weight-loss. Academic research shows that obesity has spread through social networks and will likely reverse through social networks.”
Stankowski adds, “Of course it would be great if everyone was motivated by improved health and wellness, but in reality, there’s a tendency to take those things for granted until it’s too late. Fortunately, HealthyWage understands the motivational power of cold, hard cash and they’re putting some serious money on the table to help those who need an extra kick in the backside!”
Over 90 health clubs throughout Michigan have signed on to support contestants and serve as weigh-in locations, including many YMCA’s, Endurance, Bally Total Fitness and MVP Sports Clubs. Registration for the contest is open now through January 8 for all Michigan residents.
Those interested in joining The Michigan Matchup may do so online at www.michiganmatchup.com.
# # #
Your Weight Loss Resolution Sucks (And How To Fix It)
It’s that time of year when a lot of people traditionally “resolve” to lose weight.
Problem is, “losing weight” isn’t an action one can resolve to do; it’s an outcome.
Lifting weights 3 times a week – now THAT’S an action.
Planning your meals a week in advance… THAT’S an action, too.
Drinking water instead of soda… more ACTION. (I’m 3+ months diet coke-free, by the way!)
Resolve to take positive action and there’s a much better chance you’ll get the outcome you want.
***** ***** *****
Last week, I was a guest on the Tim Doctor radio show (WJRW 1340AM right here in Grand Rapids) where we discussed some other common problems people have with their resolutions and training plans. While it’s obviously too late to call in with your questions, you can listen to the podcast at the links below.
[UPDATE - 1/20/11: THE PODCAST IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AT THESE LINKS. IF YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST LISTEN TO IT, CONTACT ME (SEE "HOLLA'" AT TOP OF PAGE) AND I'LL FIND A WAY TO GET IT TO YOU]
We Didn’t Start The Fire
Look, I’m as anti-religion as the next guy, but if you’re gonna start the fire, could you also throw in some super sized ‘value meals’, ThighMasters, 6-pack ab shock-belts… and a copy of anything written by Kevin Trudeau?
Tell me, dear reader, what offends you?
Grand Rapids March for Babies 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT, Patty Osborn
(616) 247-6861
Grand Rapids brings out marchers of all ages
Nearly a thousand registered walkers fight for babies, including Mary Ellen Murphy, Todd Chance and Scrubbs in the Morning; Dr. Leonard Radecki; Mighty Joe Stankowski; and special guest – Maranda, and raise $225,000 to help babies be born healthy.
(Grand Rapids, MI, April 24, 2010) – Local residents joined together in support of the smallest citizens of Grand Rapids—babies—by participating in March for Babies to benefit the March of Dimes. 500 people actually braved the drizzling rain on Saturday and the event was packed with strollers, families and teams. “I am proud that Grand Rapids residents joined together to support the health of all babies,” said Ginger Feldman, March of Dimes Division Director. “The efforts made and money raised by our volunteers this year will help the March of Dimes achieve its goal of $225,000 ensuring that every baby has a healthy start in life that much sooner.”
Special guests at the day’s events included Grand Rapids Division Board Chair, Mike Mraz, March for Babies Chair, Becky Berrevoets from Farmers and Ambassador Family, April & Ryan Hamm,, the 2010 Grand Rapids Ambassador Family. Emcees for the event were Mary Ellen Murphy, Todd Chance and Scrubbs in the Morning. Warm up was provided by Mighty Joe Stankowski and Christina DeVos, 2010 Miss Black Michigan, and a special appearance by Maranda who lead the countdown to start the walk.
‘We’ve seen today how important it is to help our babies,” said 2010 March for Babies Chair Becky Berrevoets from Farmers. “This has been an incredible event, and I’m so proud to be from a community where people can come together for such a great cause. Helping our babies should be a top priority, and we should be excited about what we’ve accomplished here today.”
“It was a memorable and rewarding day for all of us,” said April Hamm, who served as the 2010 Grand Rapids Ambassador Mom. “We held our daughter for the last time on June 2, 2009. She passed away peacefully in my arms surrounded by her daddy, close family, and the doctors and nurses that we came to love. Ashlynn will forever be remembered as an inspiration to many and the most perfect, beautiful daughter that I could have ever asked for. Without the March of Dimes we would not have had 6 ½ amazing months with our daughter.” April was presented with a check for her March for Babies team from Ken Graham.
Money raised from the event funds research, awareness, education and local community grants for programs such as prenatal education programs for doctors and nurses at Holland Community Hospital and the March of Dimes Family Support Specialist Program at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
The most urgent infant health problem in the U.S. today is premature birth. It affects more than half a million babies each year, with the number growing every day. The March of Dimes issued a Report Card on Premature Birth, giving the nation a D and Michigan a D. Babies born too soon are more likely to die or have disabilities. The March of Dimes is committed to reducing this toll by funding research to find the answers to premature birth and providing comfort and information to families who are affected.
2010 national March for Babies sponsors are Kmart, the March of Dimes’ No. 1 corporate supporter, CIGNA, Famous Footwear, Farmers, FedEx and Mission Pharmacal. Statewide March for Babies is sponsored by Farmers, Flagstar Bank, Coca Cola Enterprises and AT & T Yellow Pages. In Grand Rapids, March for Babies is sponsored locally by Mission Sponsor – Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and Spectrum Health; Silver Sponsor – Dematic Corporation; Bronze Sponsor – Farmers Insurance; Start Line Sponsor- Flagstar; Family Fun Sponsor- AT & T Yellowpages; Registration Sponsor – Mill Steel Company; Radio Sponsors – Thunder 94.5 New Country, Hot FM 105.3 and 96.9 WLAV; Print Sponsor- Grand Rapids Business Journal; Food Sponsor- FedEx; Tent Sponsor – B-N-T Tents; Checkpoint Sponsors –FedEx, Independent Bank, Spectrum Health, Kreis Law, and Farmer’s.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.
- XXX -
Slosh Pipe Training Revisited
You may (or may not) remember my July 31st appearance on Grand Rapids Fox 17 where Morning Show host Sarah Brodhead took the slosh-pipe for a ride (or was it the other way around?)
This morning, the pipe returned with a vengeance – this time with its little cousin, the “slosh bell” (the 2′ left-over from a 10′ pipe when I made an 8 footer.) We also discussed a low cost way to help your slosh pipe survive even the coldest of Michigan winters.
Enjoy (and feel free to leave comments about your own slosh-pipe training experience).
Dip and scoop, Sarah.
Dip and scoop.
Beckwith’s Gym (Part 3)
[continued from yesterday]
…one, you can do the ‘country club’ model. Take your operating expenses and simply divide that by the number of powerlifters. I don’t know how many PL-ers are willing to pay $500 a MONTH to train here, but then again, I don’t really understand why golfers sink so much money into smacking a dimpled ball around a park.
Or two, expand your ‘menu’ to include other markets.
Obviously, I was strongly leaning toward the latter.
Out of the first 400-ish postcards I sent out, only a half dozen or so came back as undeliverable (possibly something to do with my chicken-scratch scrawl where a name and address should have gone), nearly a dozen made the plunge to the next step – going to the website and subscribing to an auto responder series. The other 300+ are still on my list of follow-up-to-do, but I’m gonna have to adjust my marketing strategy now that the ‘free gym membership + free personal training’ offer can’t be fulfilled (not at Beckwith’s anyway).
While Beckwith’s DID connect with another gym across town and arrange for their members to ‘transfer’ their memberships over, the fact is, for those living in the more southern range of their local market (towns like Jenison, Wyoming, Grandville, Byron Center or Hudsonville), the commute would now be as much as 30 minutes each way. “Official” backup plan or not, Strength Beyond Fitness (on Plainfield Ave) just wouldn’t meet the needs of every member affected by the sudden closure of Beckwiths.
Hence my promoting of Flex Fitness Center just down 196 in Holland (only half the drive time of Strength Beyond) as an alternate option. As I mentioned in the video back in Part 1, my friend and Flex owner, Shawn Miller, kindly offered to take stranded Beckwith’s members under his wing and honor the remainder of their membership – obviously with the hope they’d continue as paying members down the road – but moreso as an attempt to put a band-aid on the ‘black eye’ that is often cast when the public gets the (perceived or real) shaft from some branch of the fitness-industry-at-large.
To further expand on my video from Part 1, here’s Shawn personally extending his hand to any who may have been left without a place to pump iron…
[to be continued...?]
What Happened to Beckwith’s Gym? – Part 1
Grand Rapids area fitness and powerlifting mecca is no more
Maybe it’s just the natural cycle of life, but sometimes good gyms go out of business. It was a real shame to find out yesterday morning that the weekend rumors about Beckwith’s Gym in Grandville, Michigan were true.
As I pulled into the parking lot at 3040 28th Street SW yesterday morning to meet with one of my personal training clients, I quickly noticed the lights were off and the interior looked eerily vacant for the normally active time of 11am.
Having been around the fit-biz block a few times, I immediately realized that Beckwith’s Gym’s time has come (and mysteriously gone sometime over the weekend).
I only discovered the gym a few months earlier. Always on the lookout for resources that I can direct clients, readers, friends and fans to, I heard talk of this dinosaur-style gym since moving to Grand Rapids a year earlier.
Yet every time I set out in search of the mythical Beckwith’s, I always wound up at their previous location (with an entrance in the back of a retired bowling alley) that always had a “closed” sign on the door. I just assumed it was because it was such an exclusive, powerlifting-niche club, they only had a handful of dedicated members who’d meet there at specific times. I wanted to know the secret handshake to get in – so I checked back every couple of months.
It was finally mid-summer before I thought to track ‘em down via the internet (this may come as a surprise to some of you younguns, but even though I consider myself a bit of a tech-geek, we old-timers sometimes take a bit longer to remember that google knows EVERYTHING).
I emailed one of their trainers who quickly replied that they moved about 3 miles west earlier in the year and they have typical operating hours. Finally – all I had to do was make the 20 minute drive to Grandville and I’d see what all the talk was about.
When I walked in I was greeted by “Pops” – the 73 year old majority owner and one heck of a deadlifter, too! We got to talking and I quickly understood that they were finding their new location (and the low-ball priced area competitors) to be forces they weren’t quite equipped to handle.
Membership at gyms like Beckwith’s are usually in the $40/month range but they found themselves competing against the franchised outfits with healthy marketing budgets and the ability to undercut the “real” gyms with membership as low as $12/month.
“Pops” knee-jerk response in order to stay competitive was to offer an annual membership for just $180 – with NO ‘initiation fee’ and no contractual obligation to renew.
So I asked him what he would offer when the franchises went down to $10/month… Or $5.
Being the lowest price option is rarely the best way to be profitable, but he needed to get people in the door to even have a chance to sell ‘em on the Beckwith’s ideal of training.
Because he was so set on competing strictly on PRICE, I suggested he take the low-ball approach to the max and give membership away for FREE. He looked at me like I just escaped the loonie-bin.
It was at this point I explained what I do. Not wanting him to be the only one ‘risking’ anything by giving away membership to his gym, I even offered to throw in my personal training services for free.
“But how do we make any MONEY?” he understandably asked.
[to be continued...]
Have you purchased a Beckwith’s Gym membership and have nowhere to train? Be sure to watch the following short video…
Slosh Pipe for Core Training
This morning, I made another appearance on Grand Rapids’ Fox 17 Morning Show to discuss a fun li’l training tool known as the slosh pipe (a HUGE thank you to Sarah for leading into the segment with Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” and keeping my ‘guilty pleasure’ on the downlow).
Fox 17 Morning Show host Sarah Brodhead wrestles with the slosh pipe
Since it’s hard to squeeze everything I wanted to say into a 3-5 minute segment, here’s some extra notes to help you get started with slosh pipe training…
WHAT: The “Slosh Pipe” (also known in some circles as ‘the pillar of pain’), an 8′ to 10′ length of (schedule 40) PVC pipe, 4″ or 6″ in diameter; capped at one end, threaded ‘cleanout’ fitting at the other; filled 1/3 to 1/2 with water or RV antifreeze if you live in a cold climate (which Michigan will certainly qualify as in just a few more months)
WHY: Allows for ‘core’ training in an upright and ‘reactive’ environment. Low cost – about $25. Easy to make. Fun (assuming you enjoy pain!). Portable.
WHO: Anyone tired of endless, boring situps/crunches; competitive athletes; thrill-seekers and the exercise-curious.
HOW: Start by simply holding the slosh pipe steady in a horizontal position (the pipe should be horizontal, not you) Total weight is only 30-50lbs or so, but when the liquid is flying back and forth over an 8-10′ long line of travel, it’s like riding a mechanical bull. You’ll use muscles you didn’t know you had to resist and control the slosh pipe.
Once you’re comfortable with the basic hold, try walking, lunging, pressing, etc while working to maintain its horizontal position.
IMPORTANT/ACHTUNG/WARNING/PELIGRO:
This should be fairly obvious, but even though we demonstrated this training implement surrounded by expensive HD cameras, TV monitors, etc, because of the unpredictable nature of this training tool (and your response to its shifting mass), YOU SHOULD ONLY USE A SLOSH PIPE WHERE THERE IS ADEQUATE OPEN SPACE (read: outdoors, far away from windows, cars & people oblivious to their surroundings).
WHAT:
The “Slosh Pipe”: An 8′ to 10′ length of (schedule 40) PVC pipe, 4″ or 6″ in diameter; capped at one end, threaded ‘cleanout’ fitting at the other; filled 1/3 to 1/2 w/water (or RV antifreeze – this IS Michigan, after
all)
WHY:
Allows for ‘core’ training in an upright and ‘reactive’ environment Low cost – about $20 Easy to make Fun (assuming you enjoy pain!) Portable
WHO:
Anyone tired of endless, boring situps/crunches, competitive athletes, thrill-seekers and the exercise-curious.
HOW:
Start by simply holding the slosh pipe steady in a horizontal position (the pipe should be horizontal, not you) Total weight is only 30-50lbs or so, but when the liquid is flying back and forth over an 8-10′ long line of travel, it’s like riding a mechanical bull. You’ll use muscles you didn’t know you had to resist and control the slosh pipe (also known in some circles as ‘the pillar of pain’)
Once you’re comfortable with the basic hold, try walking, lunging, pressing, etc while working to maintain its horizontal position.
IMPORTANT/ACHTUNG/WARNING/PELIGRO:
because of the unpredictable nature of this training tool (and your response to its shifting mass), YOU WILL NEED PLENTY OF OPEN SPACE (read:
outdoors,
far away from windows, cars & people oblivious to their surroundings)
The Solution To Childhood Obesity: Shame?
Ya’ know, the answer seems so obvious after watching this ‘news’ from The Onion.
Kirstie Alley, You’re Invited…
Dear Miss Alley,
In light of your recent weight (re)gain and apparent readiness to do something about it, you are cordially invited to spend an intensive weekend with yours truly in order to learn how to get – and STAY – on the fitness bandwagon once and for all.
Have your people call my people to make arrangements.
(hollywood air kisses)
“Mighty” Joe Stankowski
Creator of This Workout Doesn’t Suck
P.S. This is a genuine offer to help. Please don’t take it lightly.
Powerlifting: Finally an Olympic Sport?
One of the obstacles preventing powerlifting from ever becoming an Olympic sport is the way some federations promote allow the abuse use of assitive supportive gear such as knee wraps, squat suits & bench shirts.
Lifters typically argue their safety/protective qualities while opponents are against the additional, near superhuman weight that such specialized gear allows one to lift over their “raw” poundages. (I once saw a shirt press 350lbs while nobody was wearing it)
I’ve trained and competed with and without supportive gear, so I’m not here to debate whether the use of it is good, bad or ugly, but I do believe that if PL is ever to be taken seriously by outsiders (and for their respective “world records” to have any meaning), the powers-that-be need to agree on a single standard of supportive/protective gear which will be allowed in competition.
If it’s up to me, triple-ply kevlar supersuits will become a thing of the past. I’m casting my vote for the latest technology from Honda (just don’t expect to see me driving one of their toy cars anytime soon)…
Okay, so maybe it looks like the bottom half of CP30, but before you criticize it on style alone, you need to watch the video of this machine in action.
I can’t wait for ‘em to release the top half so maybe I can finally have a respectable bench.
Fitness-News Roundup
Only in England:Pudgiest pets compete in slimming contest
Only in America:Man drops 140lbs in 11 months to join Marines
Deliverance of bad news for this West Virgina town?
Heavy kids need not fear health-conscious vampires
Pregnant and eating for two? Better think twice (especially if you’re a lab-rat)
“I Wanted To See If I Could”
In some ways, I find this story about a man eating a 15lb hamburger absolutely disgusting.
But on the other hand, I have to give Brad Sciullo credit for daring to show his carnivore-pride to such an extreme degree. I don’t know about you, but I think Mr. Sciullo should be given lifetime membership to PETA as part of his prize package.
An Inconvenient Blog Post/Rocking The Vote
Long time fans, friends and fellow conservatives realize how hard it is for me to take anything remotely related to Al Gore seriously, but my buddy Jason White submitted a video from his visit to Club Industry East to be considered for airing on “current” TV.
If for no other reason, you NEED to watch it (click the video link above) for the preview of the “ABpuncher” – guaranteed to make ‘shorter time for bathroom problem” (sic) I don’t expect the ABpuncher to be on the market for very long, but what the heck do I know about this stuff?
While you’re hanging around the ‘current’ site, why don’t you take a few extra seconds to give Jason’s vid an “I Like It” vote so we can watch it again on the tube.
-JS-
Too Frustrated To Come Up With A Quirky Title
Hi Joe,
I read this today. I hope to write on it myself as to the implications of such systematic eradication of physical activity in our children’s lives. I wanted to hear your thoughts because I greatly value your opinion. Thank you Joe.
Bobby F.
Age 25
California
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Bobby,
Thanks for alerting me to the story… As I read this article, my first instinct was to bang my head against a wall (or a fully loaded squat bar).
Now that I’m thinking (only slightly) more clearly, I’ll try to reason out a coherent response…
Should we blame the fear of physical activity on an out of control legal system? It seems like everybody’s looking for an easy payout due to “overwhelming physical and emotional trauma” attributed to childhood injuries (or the POTENTIAL of such injuries).
Or do we blame the liberal wacko movement that says we’re supposed to go out of our way to avoid ANY words/actions/thoughts that might be construed as “offensive”? (has anyone seen Jimmy Carter lately?)
If parents/administrators can’t understand that kids need to be kids, I suspect normal, healthy/active childhood games such as tag, touch football and the like will have to go ‘underground’.
Since dog fights are apparently on the list of things not-to-do, maybe we can start gambling on which kid will win at dodge-ball in an old warehouse. (Michael Vick called, he said he wants to put $400 on a kid called “Johnny Slaughter” in the 3rd round.)
There are any number of clichés/lessons one could learn from playing kids games.
- Life isn’t fair
- Cream always rises to the top
- Lose graciously
- Win with dignity
- If you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig (I don’t know how this one fits in, but I love the saying!)
Back when I was a kid (I could’ve sworn I said I’d never start a sentence with those words), I tore holes in the knees of my pants by playing aggressively on the playground. I had fun playing with my friends. Sometimes I’d lose. Sometimes I’d get bumped, bruised or bloody. But I always got back up.
The more I learned how NOT to lose/fall/etc, the faster my athletic skills developed. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have developed those skills by just reading about ‘em. In fact, we used to play a game called “Keep-away” where it was ONE kid against everybody else. (kind of like football, but there was no goal line, boundary lines or referee)
In fitness, it’s all about the SAID Principle: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands.
If schools refuse to impose any challenges more demanding than tiddlywinks, what the hell are the kids going to adapt TO? And maybe if there was more physical activity on the playground, there wouldn’t be such a problem with teen-pregnancy?
The more I get to know the human race, the less I want to be part of it.
Now who’s ready for a game of full-contact Twister?
I’m Fat (And Personal Trainers Only Want My Money)
Real email. Real response (slightly edited for readability).
I realize it’s not my usual sarcasm-laced, trying-too-hard-to-be-funny post, but you might find it useful.
***** ***** *****
I’m frustrated with my weight but love to work out. I have four kids and I can’t go to a gym but I have a Precor elliptical machine and weights and cable machine in the basement. I just can’t seem to get dialed in on a diet. I hated weight watchers. I have worked with personal trainers in the past and all they wanted was my money!! I got down to 195 and 10% body fat. Now I am fat at 255. So wasn’t sure if you could help!! Have a great day!!
-Mike M.
***** ***** *****
Thanks for your email, Mike.
I’ll quickly try to point you in the right direction and save you a few bucks in the process…
Nutritionally, I can’t say enough good things about Dr. John Berardi(“JB” for short)’s programs. It’s the same system I use with my private coaching clients.
Depending how much you really want to learn about nutrition (and how much you want to spend), there are a few ways to get the information you need…
You can get the whole enchilada for about $100 (plus shipping) at PrecisionNutritionPlan.com.
OR you can get Gourmet Nutrition for $40 (plus shipping). It’s so much more than a simple ‘recipe book’, but this book gets more use than any other in my kitchen…
If you just want to test the waters before shelling out any more cash, JB created a FREE 8-day mini-course. (no shipping charges either!)
All of these options are based on the same set of 10 easy-to-understand nutritional habits.
Like you, I train at home (for a variety of reasons)… I highly recommend my ULTIMATE HOME GYM GUIDE (free pdf download) so you can learn some of my best tips & tricks for saving BIG $$$ on anything you may decide to add to your current setup.
Finally, if you need any help with your training program design/advanced training strategies, I currently have a couple openings for my Platinum-level monthly coaching program. If you’re interested, just drop me a line and we’ll start your application process right away.
-JS-
Bodybuilders: All Show and No Go?
As a one-time competitive powerlifter, bodybuilders can still be a frequent (and oh, so easy) target for me to write about.
But sometimes, even the vanity-driven, hairless and well-oiled ones find a way to do something positive worth mentioning.
This story shows that there may just be some functional/performance carry-over to posing in your underwear.
See? I can give credit where credit’s due.
Long Live The Pub Culture
A popular news story says you can add 14 years to your life if you
“don’t smoke, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and drink alcohol in moderation”
I find it interesting that the study was done in the UK where life expectancy at birth is 79.4 but alcohol & moderation are rarely used in the same sentence. (I assume there must still be a Victorian-era tax law requiring you to pay up if caught using those words together)
One of the researchers said,
“We measured normal behaviors that were entirely feasible within people’s normal, everyday lives.”
Where in the UK did they find enough test subjects that consider “moderate” drinking normal?
Should I assume this report means the Brits can pass world-leading Japan (where the average lifespan is currenlty 82.6 years) and increase their life expectancy to over 93 years by simply eliminating their long standing fondness for a pint?
Even if this is true, here’s a question – especially for my readers in the UK:
Would you be willing to give up your national pastime* in exchange for a trip to the local farmers market if you thought it would give you the chance to live longer?
*Note to my British readers: before you respond, don’t try to tell me drinking isn’t that much a part of your culture - I lived in the East Midlands for several years on the border of Leics and Derbys. My village (not all that dissimilar from countless others I’ve seen) didn’t have as much as a post office, yet there was a pub at each end of the road.
And what about Amy Winehouse?
"Mighty" Joe Stankowski
