i began running ATC All Comers meets in the mid seventies. My first Peachtree Road Race was 1977. i remember running down Peachtree Street at age 9. People were freaking out at the "little kid" in the race. Many folks took pictures of me that day. There were 5,000 folks in the race. Over 100 went to the hospital. i remember nearly getting nailed by a wheelchair racer around the 2.5 mile mark. i also remember a guy in white shorts having a bathroom accident. At the finish line, i made the cut off for a tee shirt. You see, in the old days, not everyone got a shirt. If you didn't crack 50 minutes, NO SHIRT. Well, i beat the "Tee Shirt clock", but they had already run out of small shirts at the finish. Apparently they were not accustomed to little runners. It wasn't until October that the tee shirt arrived in the mail. i must have asked my folks every day if it had come yet. Needless to say, i still have the shirt... and 34 more to go with it.
In the last three and a half decades, i have run a lot of miles. Running has been the centerpiece of my life. The earth has spun over 16 thousand times in my visit here and i have run across it for some distance most times. Many of the strongest relationships i have made are with those i have run with. Many of my fondest memories are of running and racing.
Boot Camp has giving me the opportunity the share the benefits of this gift with others. i am grateful every day to have a group dedicated to the discipline.
The MLK Day 5K is an event i dreamed up in our second year of Boot Camp. I observed that traffic is dead on that day. The streets are never quieter. We get a larger crowd that day because everyone is in town and has nothing to do. Well, i figure why don't we invite a thousand people to join us? i might inspire a kid to try running.
Two weeks ago i spent $225 to get the race course USATF certified. This 3.1 mile loop is now a Peachtree Road Race Qualifier.
Organizing a Road Race takes time and money. We are running out of time and are searching for sponsors. More importantly... we need folks to REGISTER FOR THE RACE.
http://www.mlkday5k.com/ - you can find the registration information on our link!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE MLK DAY 5K
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Fitness Pays
After 365 days of crazy 8s IN A ROW, Michael Owens ran 19:54 for 5k, over 3 minutes improvement from last year.
Thursday Jenna led Crazy 8s on our field.
Friday we did a Track Workout. 8 X 400 with line dancing recovery. The ladies liked it. It was silly.
Monday we ran a standard Church run with one miracle mile at the end. It rained at the very end.
Betting that money is more persuasive than words, more employers vow to use financial rewards and penalties to prod their workers to fitness in 2012.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Scott R. Galvin, for USA TODAY
A survey finds that more companies are using health rewards programs to encourage physical fitness.
In the past two years, many employers already have adopted financial incentives to encourage people to lose weight, join a fitness program or get a physical exam, according to a survey last month by the National Business Group on Health.
"There was a long time when employers felt this was a personal issue," said Helen Darling, president of the organization, "but in the last five years, the dramatically increasing health care costs because of obesity have changed their minds."
Employers have seen serious problems related to obesity, she said, including higher rates of depression, absenteeism, low productivity and more medical claims. An overweight employee costs employers $5,000 more a year in health costs than a healthy-weight individual.
The survey of 335 employers found that the share of companies that used financial rewards in health management programs increased to 54% in 2011 from 36% in 2009. In 2012, about 80% of companies plan to offer financial rewards.
The survey also revealed that the percentage using penalties, such as for smoking, more than doubled — from 8% in 2009 to 19% in 2011. Nearly 40% of the companies surveyed plan to use penalties next year.
The shift comes ahead of a provision in the Affordable Care Act that allows employers to spend 30% of employees' health insurance premiums — or up to 50% with the Department of Health and Human Services' approval — on wellness incentives starting in 2014.
Some employers say behavior-influencing incentives are showing results.
At Health Care Service Corp., a health benefits company made up of four Blue Cross and Blue Shield programs and Dearborn National, medical claim costs fell more than $1 million in a year, according to Lauren Plungas, spokeswoman for HCSC.
With incentives such as cheap gym memberships and "prizes" for hitting goals, HCSC's fitness program has 5,000 members. Those employees have saved HCSC an average of $17 a month in medical costs, while those not enrolled have raised its health costs by 5%.
Debbi Brooks, divisional vice president of the wellness program at HCSC, said some of the changes have been too substantial to be coincidental.
Employees who work out one to two times a week have 8% lower medical costs than those who don't work out; those who work out two to three times a week have 28% lower medical costs; and those who work out more than three times a week have 44% lower medical costs.
"It's good business to have a healthy population," Brooks said. "It really is the right thing to do."
To get results, HCSC set a company goal for employees to lose 20 tons of weight and tied it to March 2012's performance bonus. Co-pays are waived for those who get an annual wellness exam — and they earn $100.
Thursday Jenna led Crazy 8s on our field.
Friday we did a Track Workout. 8 X 400 with line dancing recovery. The ladies liked it. It was silly.
Monday we ran a standard Church run with one miracle mile at the end. It rained at the very end.
Betting that money is more persuasive than words, more employers vow to use financial rewards and penalties to prod their workers to fitness in 2012.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Scott R. Galvin, for USA TODAY
A survey finds that more companies are using health rewards programs to encourage physical fitness.
In the past two years, many employers already have adopted financial incentives to encourage people to lose weight, join a fitness program or get a physical exam, according to a survey last month by the National Business Group on Health.
"There was a long time when employers felt this was a personal issue," said Helen Darling, president of the organization, "but in the last five years, the dramatically increasing health care costs because of obesity have changed their minds."
Employers have seen serious problems related to obesity, she said, including higher rates of depression, absenteeism, low productivity and more medical claims. An overweight employee costs employers $5,000 more a year in health costs than a healthy-weight individual.
The survey of 335 employers found that the share of companies that used financial rewards in health management programs increased to 54% in 2011 from 36% in 2009. In 2012, about 80% of companies plan to offer financial rewards.
The survey also revealed that the percentage using penalties, such as for smoking, more than doubled — from 8% in 2009 to 19% in 2011. Nearly 40% of the companies surveyed plan to use penalties next year.
The shift comes ahead of a provision in the Affordable Care Act that allows employers to spend 30% of employees' health insurance premiums — or up to 50% with the Department of Health and Human Services' approval — on wellness incentives starting in 2014.
Some employers say behavior-influencing incentives are showing results.
At Health Care Service Corp., a health benefits company made up of four Blue Cross and Blue Shield programs and Dearborn National, medical claim costs fell more than $1 million in a year, according to Lauren Plungas, spokeswoman for HCSC.
With incentives such as cheap gym memberships and "prizes" for hitting goals, HCSC's fitness program has 5,000 members. Those employees have saved HCSC an average of $17 a month in medical costs, while those not enrolled have raised its health costs by 5%.
Debbi Brooks, divisional vice president of the wellness program at HCSC, said some of the changes have been too substantial to be coincidental.
Employees who work out one to two times a week have 8% lower medical costs than those who don't work out; those who work out two to three times a week have 28% lower medical costs; and those who work out more than three times a week have 44% lower medical costs.
"It's good business to have a healthy population," Brooks said. "It really is the right thing to do."
To get results, HCSC set a company goal for employees to lose 20 tons of weight and tied it to March 2012's performance bonus. Co-pays are waived for those who get an annual wellness exam — and they earn $100.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Happy Turkey Day
Good luck to Roxanna, Stacey, and Elizabeth in the half marathon tomorrow.
Michael Owens ran the Chas. S.C. Turkey Day 5K last year in 23:15 and got 413th place. The next day, Friday, he was introduced to "Crazy 8s" on the field at The Citadel. The following day, Saturday, he was re-introduced to "Crazy 8s" on the field at The Citadel. For the next 363 days IN A ROW he...
...did CRAZY 8s on the field at The Citadel. Tomorrow we will get the result.
Michael Owens ran the Chas. S.C. Turkey Day 5K last year in 23:15 and got 413th place. The next day, Friday, he was introduced to "Crazy 8s" on the field at The Citadel. The following day, Saturday, he was re-introduced to "Crazy 8s" on the field at The Citadel. For the next 363 days IN A ROW he...
...did CRAZY 8s on the field at The Citadel. Tomorrow we will get the result.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Flash Mob
555- We did Jazzercize at two locations on Peachtree St. The 1st location was across from Mellow Mushroom around 26th Street. The second was on the grass at the High Museum. We ran to the High and back with just the two stops. It was a tough hour.
830 - Church Run
Many of our regulars are on their way out of town. Many more have folks coming into town. If you have guest that are game, bring them. If you are going into work late tomorrow, sleep in and attend Princess Boot Camp at 830AM at PRUMC.
We have seen more improvement in fitness this year than in any other year we have been together. It has been amazing. Body shapes have been tightening up. Personal records have been set. Folks are getting thin, fast and fit.
Gary 22
Kathleen 22
Prancey 22
Susie C 22
Elizabeth 21
Jodi 21
Laurie 21
Stacey 21
Susie Mac 21
Glamour 20
Mary D. 20
Caroline 19
Cindy 19
Jenny 19
Kaffee 19
Lisa 19
Maggie 19
Barb 18
Harriott 18
John G. 18
Kristen 18
Brittany 17
Charles 17
Ellie 17
Tiffany 17
Jimmy F 16
John O'Neill 16
Michael 16
Michael S. 16
Roxanna 16
Christine 15
Irene 15
Mary 15
Mary Blythe 15
Allison 14
Fred 14
Leslie 14
Matthew 14
Todd 14
Caroline Mc 13
Frank 13
Holly 13
Jennifer 13
John S 13
Paige 13
Katie 12
Kristin 12
Margaret 12
Liz 11
Alwyn 10
Carolyn 10
Sally 10
Carina 9
Pam 9
Sabrina 9
Lisa M. 7
Cindy Neal 6
Rachel 6
Dolly 5
Eileen 5
830 - Church Run
Many of our regulars are on their way out of town. Many more have folks coming into town. If you have guest that are game, bring them. If you are going into work late tomorrow, sleep in and attend Princess Boot Camp at 830AM at PRUMC.
We have seen more improvement in fitness this year than in any other year we have been together. It has been amazing. Body shapes have been tightening up. Personal records have been set. Folks are getting thin, fast and fit.
Gary 22
Kathleen 22
Prancey 22
Susie C 22
Elizabeth 21
Jodi 21
Laurie 21
Stacey 21
Susie Mac 21
Glamour 20
Mary D. 20
Caroline 19
Cindy 19
Jenny 19
Kaffee 19
Lisa 19
Maggie 19
Barb 18
Harriott 18
John G. 18
Kristen 18
Brittany 17
Charles 17
Ellie 17
Tiffany 17
Jimmy F 16
John O'Neill 16
Michael 16
Michael S. 16
Roxanna 16
Christine 15
Irene 15
Mary 15
Mary Blythe 15
Allison 14
Fred 14
Leslie 14
Matthew 14
Todd 14
Caroline Mc 13
Frank 13
Holly 13
Jennifer 13
John S 13
Paige 13
Katie 12
Kristin 12
Margaret 12
Liz 11
Alwyn 10
Carolyn 10
Sally 10
Carina 9
Pam 9
Sabrina 9
Lisa M. 7
Cindy Neal 6
Rachel 6
Dolly 5
Eileen 5
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thanks
We are grateful for the Creator that gives us each day, another opportunity to connect with our fellows in this thing called Boot Camp. We are grateful to PRUMC Sports & Recreation for allowing the community to assemble every morning in our underwear, and socialize with our neighbors while exercising. Thanks to Eretus Rivers for donating the land in 1917 for a two-grade schoolhouse that E Rivers PTA gives us to meet, greet and hit the street. We are thankful to the motorist that resist the temptation to commit vehicular homicide as they miserably charge past in a rage every morning to a job they hate, bitterly scoffing at the throngs of delightfully cheerful people enriching their lives through running. But most of all, we are thankful to the most beautiful people in the world. The Participants of Peachtree Road Boot Camp. The finest Men and Women to ever run and exercise on the earth. Every person that shows up every day contributes to betterment of each of us and to the group as a whole. Thanks, and keep showing up.
Gary 21
Kathleen 21
Prancey 21
Susie C 21
Glamour 20
Jodi 20
Laurie 20
Mary D. 20
Stacey 20
Susie Mac 20
Caroline 19
Jenny 19
Cindy 18
Harriott 18
Kaffee 18
Lisa 18
Maggie 18
Barb 17
John G. 17
Kristen 17
Tiffany 17
Brittany 16
Charles 16
Ellie 16
Roxanna 16
Christine 15
Elizabeth 15
Irene 15
Jimmy F 15
John O'Neill 15
Mary Blythe 15
Michael 15
Michael S. 15
Mary 14
Matthew 14
Todd 14
Allison 13
Fred 13
Leslie 13
Paige 13
Caroline Mc 12
Frank 12
Holly 12
Jennifer 12
John S 12
Katie 12
Kristin 11
Liz 11
Margaret 11
Alwyn 10
Sally 10
Carina 9
Carolyn 9
Pam 9
Sabrina 8
Lisa M. 6
Cindy Neal 5
Eileen 5
Alison 4
Dolly 4
Anne 3
Gary 21
Kathleen 21
Prancey 21
Susie C 21
Glamour 20
Jodi 20
Laurie 20
Mary D. 20
Stacey 20
Susie Mac 20
Caroline 19
Jenny 19
Cindy 18
Harriott 18
Kaffee 18
Lisa 18
Maggie 18
Barb 17
John G. 17
Kristen 17
Tiffany 17
Brittany 16
Charles 16
Ellie 16
Roxanna 16
Christine 15
Elizabeth 15
Irene 15
Jimmy F 15
John O'Neill 15
Mary Blythe 15
Michael 15
Michael S. 15
Mary 14
Matthew 14
Todd 14
Allison 13
Fred 13
Leslie 13
Paige 13
Caroline Mc 12
Frank 12
Holly 12
Jennifer 12
John S 12
Katie 12
Kristin 11
Liz 11
Margaret 11
Alwyn 10
Sally 10
Carina 9
Carolyn 9
Pam 9
Sabrina 8
Lisa M. 6
Cindy Neal 5
Eileen 5
Alison 4
Dolly 4
Anne 3
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Beltline
Triple Nickel and PBC did The Beltline this morning.
Speaking of the belt line, The average American expands his/her belt line during the Holidays. Packing on 10 pounds is easy. Pumpkin pie with whip cream, enough alcohol to make you forget how much you dislike your family, CHOCOLATE this, that and the other in every form, cookies everywhere, ham, turkey/gravy, seconds, thirds... It add up.
We are going to work out over the holidays. Thursday (Thanksgiving) & Friday next week are OPEN workouts. Invite whoever you want. Children are welcome. Dogs can come. Bring the folks from out of town.
Gary 19
Glamour 19
Kathleen 19
Prancey 19
Susie C 19
Caroline 18
Jodi 18
Laurie 18
Stacey 18
Susie Mac 18
Harriott 17
Jenny 17
Mary D. 17
Cindy 16
Kaffee 16
Lisa 16
Maggie 16
Tiffany 16
Barb 15
Brittany 15
John G. 15
Kristen 15
Charles 14
Christine 14
Ellie 14
Irene 14
Jimmy F 14
John O'Neill 14
Mary 14
Mary Blythe 14
Michael S. 14
Roxanna 14
Elizabeth 13
Michael 13
Allison 12
Leslie 12
Matthew 12
Todd 12
Caroline Mc 11
Fred 11
Jennifer 11
John S 11
Katie 11
Liz 11
Paige 11
Alwyn 10
Frank 10
Holly 10
Kristin 10
Margaret 9
Sally 9
Carina 8
Carolyn 8
Pam 8
Lisa M. 6
Sabrina 6
Eileen 5
Alison 4
Cindy Neal 4
Anne 3
Dave D 3
Dolly 3
Kara 2
Rachel 2
Speaking of the belt line, The average American expands his/her belt line during the Holidays. Packing on 10 pounds is easy. Pumpkin pie with whip cream, enough alcohol to make you forget how much you dislike your family, CHOCOLATE this, that and the other in every form, cookies everywhere, ham, turkey/gravy, seconds, thirds... It add up.
We are going to work out over the holidays. Thursday (Thanksgiving) & Friday next week are OPEN workouts. Invite whoever you want. Children are welcome. Dogs can come. Bring the folks from out of town.
Gary 19
Glamour 19
Kathleen 19
Prancey 19
Susie C 19
Caroline 18
Jodi 18
Laurie 18
Stacey 18
Susie Mac 18
Harriott 17
Jenny 17
Mary D. 17
Cindy 16
Kaffee 16
Lisa 16
Maggie 16
Tiffany 16
Barb 15
Brittany 15
John G. 15
Kristen 15
Charles 14
Christine 14
Ellie 14
Irene 14
Jimmy F 14
John O'Neill 14
Mary 14
Mary Blythe 14
Michael S. 14
Roxanna 14
Elizabeth 13
Michael 13
Allison 12
Leslie 12
Matthew 12
Todd 12
Caroline Mc 11
Fred 11
Jennifer 11
John S 11
Katie 11
Liz 11
Paige 11
Alwyn 10
Frank 10
Holly 10
Kristin 10
Margaret 9
Sally 9
Carina 8
Carolyn 8
Pam 8
Lisa M. 6
Sabrina 6
Eileen 5
Alison 4
Cindy Neal 4
Anne 3
Dave D 3
Dolly 3
Kara 2
Rachel 2
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Days 17 and 18
We had 30 people show up and run in the rain this morning. Folks are pretty serious about being in shape.
Yesterday we ran down and back on the field and did Jazzercize to the sound of Chick Rock.
We are averaging almost 40 people at Triple Nickel and almost 10 at Princess. It is amazing to step back and look at this group as a whole. We are in great shape. This group is no joke.
The forecast is for cold. Working out in the rain and the cold sucks. Being a lazy, slow, fat, wack job slack bag sucks worse. We got it figured out.
Stacey 18
Prancey 18
Kathleen 18
Glamour 18
Gary 18
Susie Mac 17
Susie C 17
Laurie 17
Jodi 17
Caroline 17
Mary D. 16
Maggie 16
Jenny 16
Harriott 16
Lisa 15
Kaffee 15
Cindy 15
Tiffany 14
Roxanna 14
Michael S. 14
Kristen 14
John G. 14
Christine 14
Brittany 14
Barb 14
Mary Blythe 13
Mary 13
John O'Neill 13
Jimmy F 13
Irene 13
Ellie 13
Charles 13
Michael 12
Leslie 12
Elizabeth 12
Todd 11
Paige 11
Matthew 11
Liz 11
Allison 11
Kristin 10
Katie 10
John S 10
Jennifer 10
Holly 10
Fred 10
Caroline Mc 10
Alwyn 10
Sally 9
Frank 9
Pam 8
Margaret 8
Carolyn 8
Carina 8
Lisa M. 6
Sabrina 5
Eileen 5
Alison 4
Dolly 3
Dave D 3
Cindy Neal 3
Anne 3
Rachel 2
Kara 2
Yesterday we ran down and back on the field and did Jazzercize to the sound of Chick Rock.
We are averaging almost 40 people at Triple Nickel and almost 10 at Princess. It is amazing to step back and look at this group as a whole. We are in great shape. This group is no joke.
The forecast is for cold. Working out in the rain and the cold sucks. Being a lazy, slow, fat, wack job slack bag sucks worse. We got it figured out.
Stacey 18
Prancey 18
Kathleen 18
Glamour 18
Gary 18
Susie Mac 17
Susie C 17
Laurie 17
Jodi 17
Caroline 17
Mary D. 16
Maggie 16
Jenny 16
Harriott 16
Lisa 15
Kaffee 15
Cindy 15
Tiffany 14
Roxanna 14
Michael S. 14
Kristen 14
John G. 14
Christine 14
Brittany 14
Barb 14
Mary Blythe 13
Mary 13
John O'Neill 13
Jimmy F 13
Irene 13
Ellie 13
Charles 13
Michael 12
Leslie 12
Elizabeth 12
Todd 11
Paige 11
Matthew 11
Liz 11
Allison 11
Kristin 10
Katie 10
John S 10
Jennifer 10
Holly 10
Fred 10
Caroline Mc 10
Alwyn 10
Sally 9
Frank 9
Pam 8
Margaret 8
Carolyn 8
Carina 8
Lisa M. 6
Sabrina 5
Eileen 5
Alison 4
Dolly 3
Dave D 3
Cindy Neal 3
Anne 3
Rachel 2
Kara 2
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Day 17 of 30
The fall is a magical time when the leaves change colors and fall off the trees. Its pretty simple. That is why they call it fall.
Running in the fall gives us an opportunity to witness the splendor and glory of this phenomenon out with nature. This is of coarse different from looking through a window. The game runners play in the fall is simple. When out running, we try to catch a leaf before it touches the ground. This game starts as a child. For those of us who still run outdoors, we can continue to play this game. The trick is to not change directions, not speed up or slow down, and to not reach for it. The idea is to run naturally with our eyes pointed slightly upward. The point is to identify a leaf that will float directly toward our path. Without breaking stride or altering our running motion, calmly snatch it from the air.
Try it. Its tough.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Day 15 & 16
Friday 11/11, Triple Nickel did 1,111 repetitions of various core exercises. That is a dog gone bunch of exercise. They managed to run 4 miles in the process. No group in Atlanta does more in an hour.
Princess did Chastain: 6.5 hilly miles, 700 reps
Monday 11/14, a large platoon took to the streets. We did Garden Hills with 700 reps of various exercise. As typical on Monday, the chatter was high. In case you missed it, we were shushed by a neighbor. Whatever.
PBC did a Church Run today. We had 9 beautiful ladies stopping traffic.
The http://www.mlkday5k.com/ is certified as a Peachtree Road Race Qualifier.
John S broke his personal record in the marathon by 12 minutes and qualified for the Boston Marathon. He said he didn't run as many miles in training, yet bettered his time. We can all share in his accomplishment.
The average day at Boot Camp is 3.5 miles, 700 repetitions. From a calorie burn stand point, we burn 700-1000 in an hour. Most of us would have to run 6 or 7 miles if we wanted to burn that much without the exercise. The exercise not only allows us to burn more with less miles, it also makes us stronger and more flexible (lean). The added strength makes us more efficient and able to run faster for longer periods of time. US Olympians know this. They do the same exercises we do.
Gary 16
Glamour 16
Kathleen 16
Laurie 16
Prancey 16
Stacey 16
Caroline 15
Jodi 15
Susie C 15
Susie Mac 15
Harriott 14
Jenny 14
John G. 14
Maggie 14
Mary D. 14
Brittany 13
Christine 13
Kaffee 13
Lisa 13
Michael S. 13
Tiffany 13
Barb 12
Cindy 12
Ellie 12
Irene 12
John O'Neill 12
Kristen 12
Mary Blythe 12
Roxanna 12
Allison 11
Charles 11
Jimmy F 11
Leslie 11
Liz 11
Mary 11
Matthew 11
Alwyn 10
Caroline Mc 10
Elizabeth 10
Jennifer 10
Kristin 10
Michael 10
Todd 10
Fred 9
John S 9
Katie 9
Paige 9
Frank 8
Holly 8
Pam 8
Sally 8
Carolyn 7
Carina 6
Lisa M. 6
Margaret 6
Eileen 5
Alison 4
Sabrina 4
Anne 3
Cindy Neal 3
Dave D 3
Dolly 3
Kara 2
Rachel 1
Princess did Chastain: 6.5 hilly miles, 700 reps
Monday 11/14, a large platoon took to the streets. We did Garden Hills with 700 reps of various exercise. As typical on Monday, the chatter was high. In case you missed it, we were shushed by a neighbor. Whatever.
PBC did a Church Run today. We had 9 beautiful ladies stopping traffic.
John S broke his personal record in the marathon by 12 minutes and qualified for the Boston Marathon. He said he didn't run as many miles in training, yet bettered his time. We can all share in his accomplishment.
The average day at Boot Camp is 3.5 miles, 700 repetitions. From a calorie burn stand point, we burn 700-1000 in an hour. Most of us would have to run 6 or 7 miles if we wanted to burn that much without the exercise. The exercise not only allows us to burn more with less miles, it also makes us stronger and more flexible (lean). The added strength makes us more efficient and able to run faster for longer periods of time. US Olympians know this. They do the same exercises we do.
Gary 16
Glamour 16
Kathleen 16
Laurie 16
Prancey 16
Stacey 16
Caroline 15
Jodi 15
Susie C 15
Susie Mac 15
Harriott 14
Jenny 14
John G. 14
Maggie 14
Mary D. 14
Brittany 13
Christine 13
Kaffee 13
Lisa 13
Michael S. 13
Tiffany 13
Barb 12
Cindy 12
Ellie 12
Irene 12
John O'Neill 12
Kristen 12
Mary Blythe 12
Roxanna 12
Allison 11
Charles 11
Jimmy F 11
Leslie 11
Liz 11
Mary 11
Matthew 11
Alwyn 10
Caroline Mc 10
Elizabeth 10
Jennifer 10
Kristin 10
Michael 10
Todd 10
Fred 9
John S 9
Katie 9
Paige 9
Frank 8
Holly 8
Pam 8
Sally 8
Carolyn 7
Carina 6
Lisa M. 6
Margaret 6
Eileen 5
Alison 4
Sabrina 4
Anne 3
Cindy Neal 3
Dave D 3
Dolly 3
Kara 2
Rachel 1
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Fitness infinity
The History of Fitness
Lance C. Dalleck, M.S. and Len Kravitz, Ph.D.
Primitive man and fitness (pre-10,000 B.C)
Primitive nomadic lifestyles required the continual task of hunting and gathering food for survival . Tribes commonly went on one- or two- day hunting journeys for food and water. Regular physical activity apart from that necessary for hunting and gathering was also a principal component of life. Following successful hunting and gathering excursions, celebration events included trips of six to 20 miles to neighboring tribes to visit friends and family, where dancing and cultural games could often last several hours. This Paleolithic pattern of subsistence pursuit and celebration, demanding a high level of fitness and consisting of various forms of physical activity, defined human life.
Ancient civilizations - China and India (2500-250 B.C.) In China, the philosophical teachings of Confucius encouraged participation in regular physical activity. It was recognized that physical inactivity was associated with certain diseases (referred to as organ malfunctions and internal stoppages, which sound similar to heart disease and diabetes) were preventable with regular exercise for fitness. Consequently, Cong Fu gymnastics was developed to keep the body in good, working condition. Cong Fu exercise programs consisted of various stances and movements, characterized by separate foot positions and imitations of different animal fighting styles. In addition to Cong Fu gymnastics, other forms of physical activity existed throughout ancient China including archery, badminton, dancing, fencing, and wrestling.
In India, individual pursuit of fitness was discouraged as the religious beliefs of Buddhism and Hinduism emphasized spirituality and tended to neglect development of the body. Consequently, the importance of fitness within society in general was relatively low. However, an exercise program similar to Chinese Cong Fu gymnastics developed, while still conforming to religious beliefs, known as Yoga. Though its exact origin has yet to be identified, Yoga has existed for at least the past 5000 years. Translated, Yoga means union, and refers to one of the classic systems of Hindu philosophy that strives to bring together and personally develop the body, mind, and spirit. Yoga was originally developed by Hindu priests who lived frugal lifestyles characterized by discipline and meditation. Through observing and mimicking the movement and patterns of animals, priests hoped to achieve the same balance with nature that animals seemed to possess. This aspect of Yoga, known as Hatha Yoga, is the form with which Westerners are most familiar and is defined by a series of exercises in physical posture and breathing patterns. Bedsides balance with nature, ancient Indian philosophers recognized health benefits of Yoga including proper organ functioning and whole well-being. These health benefits have also been acknowledged in the modern-day United States, with an estimated 12 million individuals regularly participating in Yoga.
The Near East (4000-250 B.C.) Early political and military leaders within the civilizations of Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, Palestine, Persia, and Syria, realizing the importance of fitness to the efficiency and performance of military forces, encouraged fitness throughout society. Perhaps the best example of a civilization utilizing fitness for political and military purposes is the Persian Empire. Persian leaders demanded strict physical fitness from its people, which was accomplished through the implementation of rigid training programs. At the age of six, boys became property of the Empire and underwent training which included hunting, marching, riding, and javelin throwing. Fitness training to improve strength and stamina was not intended for health benefits, but rather to create more able soldiers to help expand the Empire. The Persian Empire during its height, with its policy and emphasis on high fitness, eventually encompassed all of the Near East. However, emphasis on fitness levels throughout the Persian civilization decreased as affluence and corruption entangled political and military leaders. The downfall and collapse of the Persian Empire occurred at a time when society could largely be characterized by an overall lack of fitness.
Ancient Greek Civilization (2500-200 B.C.) Athens - Perhaps no other civilization has held fitness in such high regard as ancient Greece. The idealism of physical perfection was one that embodied ancient Greek civilization. The appreciation for beauty of the body and importance of health and fitness throughout society is one that is unparalleled in history. The Greeks believed development of the body was equally as important as development of the mind. Physical well-being was necessary for mental well-being, with the need for a strong, healthy body to harbor a sound mind. Many founding medical practitioners facilitated the growth of fitness throughout ancient Greece, including the likes of Herodicus, Hippocrates, and Galen. Gymnastics, along with music, was considered to be the most important classroom topic. A common saying in ancient Greek times was "exercise for the body and music for the soul ". Gymnastics took place in palaestras, which were sites of physical education for young boys. The palaestra consisted of an indoor facility for gymnastics, in addition to an outdoor area for running, jumping, and wrestling. When adulthood was reached, typically between the ages of 14 and 16, the site for fitness training switched from palaestras to gymnasiums. Exercise in the palaestra and gymnasium was supervised by the paidotribe, who is similar to the modern fitness trainer. This idealistic fitness situation existed most strongly within Athens, which has been characterized as a democratic society most similar to the United States.
The Spartans of Northern Greece valued fitness even more than the Athenians. However, the heightened interest in fitness within Spartan culture was primarily for military purposes. During this era, Greek states were frequently at war with each other. Fighting skills were highly correlated with physical fitness levels, making it imperative for individuals to maintain high fitness levels. Spartan society required males to enter special fitness programs at the age of six. From this point until adulthood, the government was responsible for the child’s upbringing and training. This upbringing consisted of rigorous training programs that ensured all boys would grow into highly fit adult soldiers. Females were also required to maintain good physical condition for the purpose of being able to have strong offspring who could serve the state. The military-dominated culture of Sparta resulted in one of the most physically fit societies in the history of mankind.
Roman Civilization (200 B.C.-476 A.D.) The Roman Empire was the antithesis of the ancient Greek civilization with the overall physical fitness condition of the Roman civilization highest during its time of conquest and expansion. During this period, all Roman citizens between the ages of 17 and 60 were eligible for the military draft. Therefore, it was imperative for all citizens to maintain good physical condition and be prepared for service. Military training consisted of activities such as running, marching, jumping, and discus and javelin throwing (10). This lifestyle resulted in strong, fit people who conquered nearly all of the Western World. However, the fitness levels of the general Roman population declined as individuals became enamored with wealth and entertainment, such as the gladiator battles. Materialistic acquisition and excess became higher priorities than physical condition. The lavish lifestyle and physical decay eventually took its toll as the Roman civilization fell to the physically superior Barbarian tribes from Northern Europe.
The Dark (476-1000) and Middle Ages (900-1400) The crumbling of the Roman Empire, which was conquered by Barbarians from Northern Europe, symbolized the beginning of a millennium of intellectual standstill. However, these occurrences were beneficial with respect to fitness. The lavish lifestyles of the Romans had resulted in the complete deterioration of the society's fitness level. The barbaric tribes from Northern Europe possessed similar characteristics to primitive people. Their lifestyle consisted of hunting and gathering food, and tending to cattle (12). Physical activity and fitness were prerequisites for survival. Therefore, despite the cultural setbacks that occurred with the fall of the Roman Empire, fitness experienced a revival during the Dark and Middle Ages.
The Renaissance (1400-1600) Following the Dark and Middle Ages, the rebirth of cultural learning from the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations gave rise to the Renaissance. Accompanying this time period was a renewed interest in the human body. Once again, the ancient Greek ideals, which glorified the human body, gained widespread acceptance. Many individuals, including Martin Luther (religious leader), John Locke (philosopher), Vittorino da Feltra, John Comenius, and Richard Mulcaster (physical educators) maintained that high fitness levels enhanced intellectual learning. Civilizations that recognized the importance of fitness needed an avenue to convey this knowledge to their people. Therefore, fitness and physical education share a common bond. Physical education became the tool used to spread the value and benefits of fitness throughout society. School programs, primarily in ancient Greece, had previously recognized the necessity for curriculums involving physical education. The renewed appreciation for human life, which evolved during the Renaissance, created an environment which was ready for the widespread development of physical education throughout Europe.
National Period in Europe (1700-1850) Continental Europe underwent numerous cultural changes following the Renaissance. Fitness remained important and continued to follow trends initiated during the Renaissance. Physical education programs expanded within emerging nations of Europe. Intense feelings for nationalism and independence created the atmosphere for the first modern fitness movement, which came in the form of gymnastics programs. Gymnastics enjoyed immense popularity during this era, becoming especially prevalent in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Great Britain.
Germany- The growth of gymnastics in Germany can be primarily attributed to the work of two physical educators: Johann Guts Muths and Friedrich Jahn. Guts Muths is generally referred to as the "Grandfather of German Gymnastics." He invented numerous exercise programs and the equipment upon which they were performed. His lifetime works and achievements are found in two books - Gymnastics for the Young and Games. Friedrich Jahn earned the title of "Father of German Gymnastics" for his long-lived work. It was early during Jahn's lifetime that Napoleon conquered much of Europe, including Germany. With its downfall to France, Germany was subsequently divided into separate states. Jahn's passion for German nationalism and independence became the driving force behind his creation of gymnastic programs. He believed future susceptibility to foreign invasion could be prevented through physical development of the German people. Shortly thereafter, exercise facilities that housed apparatuses designed for running, jumping, balancing, climbing, and vaulting called Turnvereins developed throughout Germany.
Sweden - Per Henrik Ling developed and introduced his own gymnastics program to Sweden which consisted of three different areas: 1) educational gymnastics, 2) military gymnastics, and 3) medical gymnastics. Ling, who had a strong medical background, recognized that exercise was necessary for all persons. He maintained that exercise programs should be devised based on individual differences. Ling also believed physical educators must possess knowledge of the effects of exercise on the human body. Ling used science and physiology to better understand the importance of fitness.
Denmark - Frank Nachtegall, who initially started teaching out of his home, introduced and helped popularize gymnastic programs throughout Denmark. He was especially concerned with development of gymnastic programs within school systems. Childhood interest in physical activity sparked Nachtegall’s fascination with fitness. Eventually he taught in a private facility, which was devoted entirely to physical training and later became director of a program designed to prepare future fitness instructors called Training Teachers of Gymnastics.
England - Within Great Britain, medical student Archibald Maclaren spread the word on the benefits of fitness and regular exercise. Marclaren, like Per Henrik Ling of Sweden, was fascinated in the scientific components of fitness. His lifetime works in these areas are recorded in National Systems of Bodily Exercise and Training in Theory and Practice. Marclaren made several observations based on his work, which are remarkably similar to present-day exercise recommendations. Firstly, Marclaren believed the cure for weariness and stress was physical action. Secondly, he noted recreational exercise found in games and sport was not sufficient for attaining adequate fitness levels. Finally, Marclaren realized both growing boys and girls required regular physical exercise. In agreement with Ling, Marclaren also recognized the need for individual variation in fitness training programs. Furthermore, he documented the importance of progression of exercise.
America – Colonial Period (1700-1776) Hardships of colonial life ensured that regular physical activity continued to be a lifestyle priority, however during this period no organized exercise or fitness programs existed. Colonial America remained an undeveloped country characterized by much unexplored land and wilderness. Lifestyles during this era consisted largely of plowing the land for crops, hunting for food, and herding cattle (16). This lifestyle provided sufficient levels of physical activity with no additional need or demand for exercise to maintain fitness levels.
United States - National Period (1776 to 1860) Fitness in the United States during the National Period was influenced by European cultures. Immigrants brought many aspects of their heritage to the United States, including German and Swedish gymnastics. Constant threats to independence and nationalism from foreign invasion were dynamics prevalent in Europe and not the United States. German and Swedish gymnastic programs failed to attain the same levels of popularity as in Europe. However, early leaders in the United States were conscious of the need for exercise and fitness. Benjamin Franklin recommended regular physical activity, including running, swimming, and basic forms of resistance training for health purposes. President Thomas Jefferson acknowledged the necessity for fitness, although maybe to a somewhat extreme measure: “Not less than two hours a day should be devoted to exercise, and the weather shall be little regarded. If the body is feeble, the mind will not be strong" .
Early Physical Education in the United States- Within Europe, schools had been an important medium for spreading the need for fitness to society through physical education programs. However, in the United States, the educational process focused primarily on intellectual matters. Schools concentrated on teaching traditional subjects including reading, writing, and arithmetic. Physical education remained missing from the public education system for the better part of the nineteenth century.
United States – post-Civil War (1865-1900) One of the most important events with respect to modern fitness in the United States was the Industrial Revolution, which resulted in widespread cultural changes throughout the country. Advancement in industrial and mechanical technologies replaced labor-intensive jobs. Rural life changed to an urban lifestyle. The new city life generally required less movement and work compared to rural life, consequently decreasing levels of physical activity. At the turn of the century, the most common causes of death were from influenza, polio, rubella, and other infectious diseases. Risk of disease and mortality from infectious diseases were alleviated with the discovery of Penicillin. The cost of industrialization and urbanization became glaringly apparent starting in the 1950s and 1960s. An epidemic of hypokinetic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Type II diabetes, never before prevalent, began to be recognized as the leading causes of disease and death. The lifestyle improvements brought in part by the Industrial Revolution had apparently come with an unwanted and alarming cost to health. An interesting argument developed during the post-Civil War period that still exists today. Many physical education instructors believed firmly in the value of incorporating exercise programs that would improve health-related fitness. However, sports were also gaining popularity in the United States during this era. Consequently, the majority of physical education programs focused on sports and games. The debate between health-related fitness and skill-related fitness physical education programs continues to exist.
The 20th century symbolized the beginning of a new era of fitness leaders: the Presidents of the United States. Theodore Roosevelt, perhaps the most physically fit President to occupy the oval office, also led the nation into the new century. He recognized the importance of exercise and physical activity, and had the power to encourage the citizens of America to be physically active. President Roosevelt held an infatuation for fitness similar to the ideology of ancient Greece. His desire for physical fitness evolved out of his childhood battle with asthma, which he overcame with a rigorous exercise program.
World War I - In Europe, the First World War started in August of 1914, with the entrance of the United States occurring three years later in 1917. With the United States' entry into the battle, hundreds of thousands of military personnel were drafted and trained for combat. After the war was fought and won, statistics were released from the draft with disturbing data regarding fitness levels. It was found that one out of every three drafted individuals was unfit for combat and many of those drafted were highly unfit prior to military training. Government legislation was passed that ordered the improvement of physical education programs within the public schools. However, the heightened interest and concern for low fitness levels would be short-lived as the United States entered the 1920s and the Depression.
The Roaring Twenties and Great Depression -Heightened interest in fitness dissipated throughout the decade. A pattern that had been familiar throughout history is that after a war is fought and won, the tendency is for society to relax, enjoy life, and exercise less. The Roaring Twenties earned the label for a reason, as society lived more frivolously than at any other time in history. Priorities centered on eating, drinking, partying, and other forms of entertainment.
In October of 1929, the stock market crashed, signaling the beginning of what would be a decade of economic depression. The economy failed to recover until the United States entered World War II in 1941. Along with many other aspects of life, fitness levels declined during the Depression. The gains that physical education programs made through the passage of legislation following the WW I were short-lived. Funding for these programs became limited and eventually was exhausted as emphasis in the poor economy was forced to shift elsewhere.
World War II - Throughout world history, military conflicts have had major impacts on the state of fitness. The Second World War and its aftermath in the United States would be no different. Essentially, the modern fitness movement evolved out of the influence of World War II and subsequent development of the Cold War. The United States entered World War II with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. With the declaration of war came the necessity to draft military personnel. However, as more men were drafted, it became embarrassingly clear that many of them were not fit for combat. When the war was over, it was reported that nearly half of all draftees needed to be rejected or were given non-combat positions. These disturbing statistics helped gain the attention of the country with regards to the importance of fitness.
1950s - United States - The Cold War, Baby Boomer era was marked by the development of an important factor influencing the modern fitness movement known as the "Minimum Muscular Fitness Tests in Children" by Kraus-Hirschland. This study utilized the Kraus-Weber tests to measure muscular strength and flexibility in the trunk and leg muscles. It was reported that close to 60 percent of American children failed at least one of the tests. In comparison, only nine percent of children from European countries failed one of the tests. During the Cold War, these startling numbers launched political leaders into action to promote health and fitness. When results of the Kraus-Hirschland studies were reported to President Eisenhower by Senators James Kelly and James Duff, he responded by holding a White House Conference in June of 1956. Out of these meetings came two important results: 1) the formation of the President's Council on Youth Fitness and 2) the appointment of the President's Citizens Advisory Committee on the Fitness of American Youth. This was an important first step in helping to gain the nation’s attention concerning her fitness levels.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) was formed in 1954, and has proved to be one of the premier organizations in the promotion of health and fitness to American society and worldwide. Throughout its history, ACSM has established position stands on various exercise-related issues based on scientific research.
1960s - United States - President John F. Kennedy was a major proponent of fitness and its health-related benefits to the American people. He furthered the development of the Presidents Council on Youth Fitness, appointing Bud Wilkinson as head of the council. The name was also changed to the President's Council on Physical Fitness. Kennedy spoke openly about the need for American citizens to improve their fitness levels, including writing an article in Sports Illustrated entitled "The Soft American." He said, "We are under-exercised as a nation; we look instead of play; we ride instead of walk". Kennedy prompted the federal government to become more involved in national fitness promotion and started youth pilot fitness programs. Kennedy's commitment to fitness can best be summarized when he said, "Physical fitness is the basis for all other forms of excellence."
Dr. Ken H. Cooper, widely recognized as "The Father of the Modern Fitness Movement", is generally credited with encouraging more individuals to exercise than any other individual in history. Cooper advocated a philosophy that shifted away from disease treatment to one of disease prevention. "It is easier to maintain good health through proper exercise, diet, and emotional balance than it is to regain it once it is lost" he said. Early in his career, Cooper stressed the necessity for providing epidemiological data to support the benefits of regular exercise and health. Data from thousands of individuals became the foundation for his aerobic concepts. Aerobics, released in 1968, sent a powerful message to the American people - to prevent the development of chronic diseases, exercise regularly and maintain high fitness levels throughout life. Dr. Cooper’s message, programs and ideas established the model from which fitness has proliferated up to modern time.
Lessons From History -The history of fitness portrays some fascinating themes that relate closely to the 21st century. One commonality is the strong association of military and political might with physical fitness throughout mankind’s advancement. In many ways, this shows how impacting our world leaders can be on health and fitness. The mind-body concept has had a tenuous development. At times, some cultures prescribed spirituality at the expense of the body where as others, such as Greek society, upheld the ideal a sound mind can only be found in a healthy body. Another interesting development from history is the concept of exercise for the body and music for the soul. Present day fitness programs have evolved this concept harmoniously, with music being a distinctive component to the exercise experience.
It appears that as societies become too enamored with wealth, prosperity and self-entertatinment that fitness levels drop. In addition, as technology has advanced with man, the levels of physical fitness have decreased. History offers little insight how to prevent or turnaround these recourses. Thus, this is a resolution we are challenged with in today’s society. Perhaps utilizing all of the extensive research completed on health and fitness in combination with the creative minds now in the fitness industry, we now can solve this part of the fitness puzzle.
Gary 14
Glamour 14
Kathleen 14
Laurie 14
Prancey 14
Stacey 14
Susie C 14
Caroline 13
Jodi 13
Susie Mac 13
Harriott 12
Jenny 12
John G. 12
Kaffee 12
Lisa 12
Maggie 12
Mary D. 12
Barb 11
Brittany 11
Charles 11
Christine 11
Ellie 11
Jimmy F 11
John O'Neill 11
Mary 11
Mary Blythe 11
Michael S. 11
Tiffany 11
Allison 10
Caroline Mc 10
Cindy 10
Irene 10
Jennifer 10
Kristen 10
Leslie 10
Liz 10
Roxanna 10
Fred 9
Kristin 9
Matthew 9
Michael 9
Alwyn 8
Elizabeth 8
Holly 8
John S 8
Katie 8
Frank 7
Paige 7
Pam 7
Todd 7
Lisa M. 6
Sally 6
Carina 5
Carolyn 5
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Margaret 5
Alison 4
Anne 3
Dave D 3
Dolly 3
Sabrina 3
Cindy Neal 2
Kara 2
Rachel 1
Lance C. Dalleck, M.S. and Len Kravitz, Ph.D.
Primitive man and fitness (pre-10,000 B.C)
Primitive nomadic lifestyles required the continual task of hunting and gathering food for survival . Tribes commonly went on one- or two- day hunting journeys for food and water. Regular physical activity apart from that necessary for hunting and gathering was also a principal component of life. Following successful hunting and gathering excursions, celebration events included trips of six to 20 miles to neighboring tribes to visit friends and family, where dancing and cultural games could often last several hours. This Paleolithic pattern of subsistence pursuit and celebration, demanding a high level of fitness and consisting of various forms of physical activity, defined human life.
Ancient civilizations - China and India (2500-250 B.C.) In China, the philosophical teachings of Confucius encouraged participation in regular physical activity. It was recognized that physical inactivity was associated with certain diseases (referred to as organ malfunctions and internal stoppages, which sound similar to heart disease and diabetes) were preventable with regular exercise for fitness. Consequently, Cong Fu gymnastics was developed to keep the body in good, working condition. Cong Fu exercise programs consisted of various stances and movements, characterized by separate foot positions and imitations of different animal fighting styles. In addition to Cong Fu gymnastics, other forms of physical activity existed throughout ancient China including archery, badminton, dancing, fencing, and wrestling.
In India, individual pursuit of fitness was discouraged as the religious beliefs of Buddhism and Hinduism emphasized spirituality and tended to neglect development of the body. Consequently, the importance of fitness within society in general was relatively low. However, an exercise program similar to Chinese Cong Fu gymnastics developed, while still conforming to religious beliefs, known as Yoga. Though its exact origin has yet to be identified, Yoga has existed for at least the past 5000 years. Translated, Yoga means union, and refers to one of the classic systems of Hindu philosophy that strives to bring together and personally develop the body, mind, and spirit. Yoga was originally developed by Hindu priests who lived frugal lifestyles characterized by discipline and meditation. Through observing and mimicking the movement and patterns of animals, priests hoped to achieve the same balance with nature that animals seemed to possess. This aspect of Yoga, known as Hatha Yoga, is the form with which Westerners are most familiar and is defined by a series of exercises in physical posture and breathing patterns. Bedsides balance with nature, ancient Indian philosophers recognized health benefits of Yoga including proper organ functioning and whole well-being. These health benefits have also been acknowledged in the modern-day United States, with an estimated 12 million individuals regularly participating in Yoga.
The Near East (4000-250 B.C.) Early political and military leaders within the civilizations of Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, Palestine, Persia, and Syria, realizing the importance of fitness to the efficiency and performance of military forces, encouraged fitness throughout society. Perhaps the best example of a civilization utilizing fitness for political and military purposes is the Persian Empire. Persian leaders demanded strict physical fitness from its people, which was accomplished through the implementation of rigid training programs. At the age of six, boys became property of the Empire and underwent training which included hunting, marching, riding, and javelin throwing. Fitness training to improve strength and stamina was not intended for health benefits, but rather to create more able soldiers to help expand the Empire. The Persian Empire during its height, with its policy and emphasis on high fitness, eventually encompassed all of the Near East. However, emphasis on fitness levels throughout the Persian civilization decreased as affluence and corruption entangled political and military leaders. The downfall and collapse of the Persian Empire occurred at a time when society could largely be characterized by an overall lack of fitness.
Ancient Greek Civilization (2500-200 B.C.) Athens - Perhaps no other civilization has held fitness in such high regard as ancient Greece. The idealism of physical perfection was one that embodied ancient Greek civilization. The appreciation for beauty of the body and importance of health and fitness throughout society is one that is unparalleled in history. The Greeks believed development of the body was equally as important as development of the mind. Physical well-being was necessary for mental well-being, with the need for a strong, healthy body to harbor a sound mind. Many founding medical practitioners facilitated the growth of fitness throughout ancient Greece, including the likes of Herodicus, Hippocrates, and Galen. Gymnastics, along with music, was considered to be the most important classroom topic. A common saying in ancient Greek times was "exercise for the body and music for the soul ". Gymnastics took place in palaestras, which were sites of physical education for young boys. The palaestra consisted of an indoor facility for gymnastics, in addition to an outdoor area for running, jumping, and wrestling. When adulthood was reached, typically between the ages of 14 and 16, the site for fitness training switched from palaestras to gymnasiums. Exercise in the palaestra and gymnasium was supervised by the paidotribe, who is similar to the modern fitness trainer. This idealistic fitness situation existed most strongly within Athens, which has been characterized as a democratic society most similar to the United States.
The Spartans of Northern Greece valued fitness even more than the Athenians. However, the heightened interest in fitness within Spartan culture was primarily for military purposes. During this era, Greek states were frequently at war with each other. Fighting skills were highly correlated with physical fitness levels, making it imperative for individuals to maintain high fitness levels. Spartan society required males to enter special fitness programs at the age of six. From this point until adulthood, the government was responsible for the child’s upbringing and training. This upbringing consisted of rigorous training programs that ensured all boys would grow into highly fit adult soldiers. Females were also required to maintain good physical condition for the purpose of being able to have strong offspring who could serve the state. The military-dominated culture of Sparta resulted in one of the most physically fit societies in the history of mankind.
Roman Civilization (200 B.C.-476 A.D.) The Roman Empire was the antithesis of the ancient Greek civilization with the overall physical fitness condition of the Roman civilization highest during its time of conquest and expansion. During this period, all Roman citizens between the ages of 17 and 60 were eligible for the military draft. Therefore, it was imperative for all citizens to maintain good physical condition and be prepared for service. Military training consisted of activities such as running, marching, jumping, and discus and javelin throwing (10). This lifestyle resulted in strong, fit people who conquered nearly all of the Western World. However, the fitness levels of the general Roman population declined as individuals became enamored with wealth and entertainment, such as the gladiator battles. Materialistic acquisition and excess became higher priorities than physical condition. The lavish lifestyle and physical decay eventually took its toll as the Roman civilization fell to the physically superior Barbarian tribes from Northern Europe.
The Dark (476-1000) and Middle Ages (900-1400) The crumbling of the Roman Empire, which was conquered by Barbarians from Northern Europe, symbolized the beginning of a millennium of intellectual standstill. However, these occurrences were beneficial with respect to fitness. The lavish lifestyles of the Romans had resulted in the complete deterioration of the society's fitness level. The barbaric tribes from Northern Europe possessed similar characteristics to primitive people. Their lifestyle consisted of hunting and gathering food, and tending to cattle (12). Physical activity and fitness were prerequisites for survival. Therefore, despite the cultural setbacks that occurred with the fall of the Roman Empire, fitness experienced a revival during the Dark and Middle Ages.
The Renaissance (1400-1600) Following the Dark and Middle Ages, the rebirth of cultural learning from the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations gave rise to the Renaissance. Accompanying this time period was a renewed interest in the human body. Once again, the ancient Greek ideals, which glorified the human body, gained widespread acceptance. Many individuals, including Martin Luther (religious leader), John Locke (philosopher), Vittorino da Feltra, John Comenius, and Richard Mulcaster (physical educators) maintained that high fitness levels enhanced intellectual learning. Civilizations that recognized the importance of fitness needed an avenue to convey this knowledge to their people. Therefore, fitness and physical education share a common bond. Physical education became the tool used to spread the value and benefits of fitness throughout society. School programs, primarily in ancient Greece, had previously recognized the necessity for curriculums involving physical education. The renewed appreciation for human life, which evolved during the Renaissance, created an environment which was ready for the widespread development of physical education throughout Europe.
National Period in Europe (1700-1850) Continental Europe underwent numerous cultural changes following the Renaissance. Fitness remained important and continued to follow trends initiated during the Renaissance. Physical education programs expanded within emerging nations of Europe. Intense feelings for nationalism and independence created the atmosphere for the first modern fitness movement, which came in the form of gymnastics programs. Gymnastics enjoyed immense popularity during this era, becoming especially prevalent in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Great Britain.
Germany- The growth of gymnastics in Germany can be primarily attributed to the work of two physical educators: Johann Guts Muths and Friedrich Jahn. Guts Muths is generally referred to as the "Grandfather of German Gymnastics." He invented numerous exercise programs and the equipment upon which they were performed. His lifetime works and achievements are found in two books - Gymnastics for the Young and Games. Friedrich Jahn earned the title of "Father of German Gymnastics" for his long-lived work. It was early during Jahn's lifetime that Napoleon conquered much of Europe, including Germany. With its downfall to France, Germany was subsequently divided into separate states. Jahn's passion for German nationalism and independence became the driving force behind his creation of gymnastic programs. He believed future susceptibility to foreign invasion could be prevented through physical development of the German people. Shortly thereafter, exercise facilities that housed apparatuses designed for running, jumping, balancing, climbing, and vaulting called Turnvereins developed throughout Germany.
Sweden - Per Henrik Ling developed and introduced his own gymnastics program to Sweden which consisted of three different areas: 1) educational gymnastics, 2) military gymnastics, and 3) medical gymnastics. Ling, who had a strong medical background, recognized that exercise was necessary for all persons. He maintained that exercise programs should be devised based on individual differences. Ling also believed physical educators must possess knowledge of the effects of exercise on the human body. Ling used science and physiology to better understand the importance of fitness.
Denmark - Frank Nachtegall, who initially started teaching out of his home, introduced and helped popularize gymnastic programs throughout Denmark. He was especially concerned with development of gymnastic programs within school systems. Childhood interest in physical activity sparked Nachtegall’s fascination with fitness. Eventually he taught in a private facility, which was devoted entirely to physical training and later became director of a program designed to prepare future fitness instructors called Training Teachers of Gymnastics.
England - Within Great Britain, medical student Archibald Maclaren spread the word on the benefits of fitness and regular exercise. Marclaren, like Per Henrik Ling of Sweden, was fascinated in the scientific components of fitness. His lifetime works in these areas are recorded in National Systems of Bodily Exercise and Training in Theory and Practice. Marclaren made several observations based on his work, which are remarkably similar to present-day exercise recommendations. Firstly, Marclaren believed the cure for weariness and stress was physical action. Secondly, he noted recreational exercise found in games and sport was not sufficient for attaining adequate fitness levels. Finally, Marclaren realized both growing boys and girls required regular physical exercise. In agreement with Ling, Marclaren also recognized the need for individual variation in fitness training programs. Furthermore, he documented the importance of progression of exercise.
America – Colonial Period (1700-1776) Hardships of colonial life ensured that regular physical activity continued to be a lifestyle priority, however during this period no organized exercise or fitness programs existed. Colonial America remained an undeveloped country characterized by much unexplored land and wilderness. Lifestyles during this era consisted largely of plowing the land for crops, hunting for food, and herding cattle (16). This lifestyle provided sufficient levels of physical activity with no additional need or demand for exercise to maintain fitness levels.
United States - National Period (1776 to 1860) Fitness in the United States during the National Period was influenced by European cultures. Immigrants brought many aspects of their heritage to the United States, including German and Swedish gymnastics. Constant threats to independence and nationalism from foreign invasion were dynamics prevalent in Europe and not the United States. German and Swedish gymnastic programs failed to attain the same levels of popularity as in Europe. However, early leaders in the United States were conscious of the need for exercise and fitness. Benjamin Franklin recommended regular physical activity, including running, swimming, and basic forms of resistance training for health purposes. President Thomas Jefferson acknowledged the necessity for fitness, although maybe to a somewhat extreme measure: “Not less than two hours a day should be devoted to exercise, and the weather shall be little regarded. If the body is feeble, the mind will not be strong" .
Early Physical Education in the United States- Within Europe, schools had been an important medium for spreading the need for fitness to society through physical education programs. However, in the United States, the educational process focused primarily on intellectual matters. Schools concentrated on teaching traditional subjects including reading, writing, and arithmetic. Physical education remained missing from the public education system for the better part of the nineteenth century.
United States – post-Civil War (1865-1900) One of the most important events with respect to modern fitness in the United States was the Industrial Revolution, which resulted in widespread cultural changes throughout the country. Advancement in industrial and mechanical technologies replaced labor-intensive jobs. Rural life changed to an urban lifestyle. The new city life generally required less movement and work compared to rural life, consequently decreasing levels of physical activity. At the turn of the century, the most common causes of death were from influenza, polio, rubella, and other infectious diseases. Risk of disease and mortality from infectious diseases were alleviated with the discovery of Penicillin. The cost of industrialization and urbanization became glaringly apparent starting in the 1950s and 1960s. An epidemic of hypokinetic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Type II diabetes, never before prevalent, began to be recognized as the leading causes of disease and death. The lifestyle improvements brought in part by the Industrial Revolution had apparently come with an unwanted and alarming cost to health. An interesting argument developed during the post-Civil War period that still exists today. Many physical education instructors believed firmly in the value of incorporating exercise programs that would improve health-related fitness. However, sports were also gaining popularity in the United States during this era. Consequently, the majority of physical education programs focused on sports and games. The debate between health-related fitness and skill-related fitness physical education programs continues to exist.
The 20th century symbolized the beginning of a new era of fitness leaders: the Presidents of the United States. Theodore Roosevelt, perhaps the most physically fit President to occupy the oval office, also led the nation into the new century. He recognized the importance of exercise and physical activity, and had the power to encourage the citizens of America to be physically active. President Roosevelt held an infatuation for fitness similar to the ideology of ancient Greece. His desire for physical fitness evolved out of his childhood battle with asthma, which he overcame with a rigorous exercise program.
World War I - In Europe, the First World War started in August of 1914, with the entrance of the United States occurring three years later in 1917. With the United States' entry into the battle, hundreds of thousands of military personnel were drafted and trained for combat. After the war was fought and won, statistics were released from the draft with disturbing data regarding fitness levels. It was found that one out of every three drafted individuals was unfit for combat and many of those drafted were highly unfit prior to military training. Government legislation was passed that ordered the improvement of physical education programs within the public schools. However, the heightened interest and concern for low fitness levels would be short-lived as the United States entered the 1920s and the Depression.
The Roaring Twenties and Great Depression -Heightened interest in fitness dissipated throughout the decade. A pattern that had been familiar throughout history is that after a war is fought and won, the tendency is for society to relax, enjoy life, and exercise less. The Roaring Twenties earned the label for a reason, as society lived more frivolously than at any other time in history. Priorities centered on eating, drinking, partying, and other forms of entertainment.
In October of 1929, the stock market crashed, signaling the beginning of what would be a decade of economic depression. The economy failed to recover until the United States entered World War II in 1941. Along with many other aspects of life, fitness levels declined during the Depression. The gains that physical education programs made through the passage of legislation following the WW I were short-lived. Funding for these programs became limited and eventually was exhausted as emphasis in the poor economy was forced to shift elsewhere.
World War II - Throughout world history, military conflicts have had major impacts on the state of fitness. The Second World War and its aftermath in the United States would be no different. Essentially, the modern fitness movement evolved out of the influence of World War II and subsequent development of the Cold War. The United States entered World War II with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. With the declaration of war came the necessity to draft military personnel. However, as more men were drafted, it became embarrassingly clear that many of them were not fit for combat. When the war was over, it was reported that nearly half of all draftees needed to be rejected or were given non-combat positions. These disturbing statistics helped gain the attention of the country with regards to the importance of fitness.
1950s - United States - The Cold War, Baby Boomer era was marked by the development of an important factor influencing the modern fitness movement known as the "Minimum Muscular Fitness Tests in Children" by Kraus-Hirschland. This study utilized the Kraus-Weber tests to measure muscular strength and flexibility in the trunk and leg muscles. It was reported that close to 60 percent of American children failed at least one of the tests. In comparison, only nine percent of children from European countries failed one of the tests. During the Cold War, these startling numbers launched political leaders into action to promote health and fitness. When results of the Kraus-Hirschland studies were reported to President Eisenhower by Senators James Kelly and James Duff, he responded by holding a White House Conference in June of 1956. Out of these meetings came two important results: 1) the formation of the President's Council on Youth Fitness and 2) the appointment of the President's Citizens Advisory Committee on the Fitness of American Youth. This was an important first step in helping to gain the nation’s attention concerning her fitness levels.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) was formed in 1954, and has proved to be one of the premier organizations in the promotion of health and fitness to American society and worldwide. Throughout its history, ACSM has established position stands on various exercise-related issues based on scientific research.
1960s - United States - President John F. Kennedy was a major proponent of fitness and its health-related benefits to the American people. He furthered the development of the Presidents Council on Youth Fitness, appointing Bud Wilkinson as head of the council. The name was also changed to the President's Council on Physical Fitness. Kennedy spoke openly about the need for American citizens to improve their fitness levels, including writing an article in Sports Illustrated entitled "The Soft American." He said, "We are under-exercised as a nation; we look instead of play; we ride instead of walk". Kennedy prompted the federal government to become more involved in national fitness promotion and started youth pilot fitness programs. Kennedy's commitment to fitness can best be summarized when he said, "Physical fitness is the basis for all other forms of excellence."
Dr. Ken H. Cooper, widely recognized as "The Father of the Modern Fitness Movement", is generally credited with encouraging more individuals to exercise than any other individual in history. Cooper advocated a philosophy that shifted away from disease treatment to one of disease prevention. "It is easier to maintain good health through proper exercise, diet, and emotional balance than it is to regain it once it is lost" he said. Early in his career, Cooper stressed the necessity for providing epidemiological data to support the benefits of regular exercise and health. Data from thousands of individuals became the foundation for his aerobic concepts. Aerobics, released in 1968, sent a powerful message to the American people - to prevent the development of chronic diseases, exercise regularly and maintain high fitness levels throughout life. Dr. Cooper’s message, programs and ideas established the model from which fitness has proliferated up to modern time.
Lessons From History -The history of fitness portrays some fascinating themes that relate closely to the 21st century. One commonality is the strong association of military and political might with physical fitness throughout mankind’s advancement. In many ways, this shows how impacting our world leaders can be on health and fitness. The mind-body concept has had a tenuous development. At times, some cultures prescribed spirituality at the expense of the body where as others, such as Greek society, upheld the ideal a sound mind can only be found in a healthy body. Another interesting development from history is the concept of exercise for the body and music for the soul. Present day fitness programs have evolved this concept harmoniously, with music being a distinctive component to the exercise experience.
It appears that as societies become too enamored with wealth, prosperity and self-entertatinment that fitness levels drop. In addition, as technology has advanced with man, the levels of physical fitness have decreased. History offers little insight how to prevent or turnaround these recourses. Thus, this is a resolution we are challenged with in today’s society. Perhaps utilizing all of the extensive research completed on health and fitness in combination with the creative minds now in the fitness industry, we now can solve this part of the fitness puzzle.
Gary 14
Glamour 14
Kathleen 14
Laurie 14
Prancey 14
Stacey 14
Susie C 14
Caroline 13
Jodi 13
Susie Mac 13
Harriott 12
Jenny 12
John G. 12
Kaffee 12
Lisa 12
Maggie 12
Mary D. 12
Barb 11
Brittany 11
Charles 11
Christine 11
Ellie 11
Jimmy F 11
John O'Neill 11
Mary 11
Mary Blythe 11
Michael S. 11
Tiffany 11
Allison 10
Caroline Mc 10
Cindy 10
Irene 10
Jennifer 10
Kristen 10
Leslie 10
Liz 10
Roxanna 10
Fred 9
Kristin 9
Matthew 9
Michael 9
Alwyn 8
Elizabeth 8
Holly 8
John S 8
Katie 8
Frank 7
Paige 7
Pam 7
Todd 7
Lisa M. 6
Sally 6
Carina 5
Carolyn 5
Eileen 5
Margaret 5
Alison 4
Anne 3
Dave D 3
Dolly 3
Sabrina 3
Cindy Neal 2
Kara 2
Rachel 1
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Diagonals
We went old school today. Kathleen (one of two remaining from the "Owens 12"), informed us she was gracing the field at Triple Nickel this morning. She requested Diagonals for her glorious return. Jenna was available to work this morning, so her wish was granted. More than a few of the Boot Camp faithful were happy that Crazy 8s were out.
Last week was a tougher week with two harder days back to back. This week will be a bit easier. That being said, we are seeing some break through workouts.
Break through workouts are a phenomenon that occurs as a result of daily exercise. Many times, there will be no warning that the break through is coming. Typically, it happens when we least expect it.
Daily exercise is a grind. The alarm goes off, the feet hit the floor. Get dressed, walk out the door, drive. Get out, hello, warm up and bam, we are in the workout. It becomes groundhog day.
But one day, we are in the workout. All of the sudden, something has changed. We feel....GOOD. Our legs are springy. We don't fall to pieces at the end of the workout. Our exercises look better. We are.....FASTER.
This is how we do it. We work out every day and we get in shape. It is a beautiful thing.
Gary 13
Glamour 13
Kathleen 13
Laurie 13
Prancey 13
Stacey 13
Susie C 13
Caroline 12
Jodi 12
Lisa 12
Susie Mac 12
Harriott 11
Jenny 11
Jimmy F 11
John G. 11
Maggie 11
Mary 11
Mary D. 11
Allison 10
Barb 10
Brittany 10
Charles 10
Christine 10
Ellie 10
Jennifer 10
John O'Neill 10
Kaffee 10
Mary Blythe 10
Michael S. 10
Tiffany 10
Caroline Mc 9
Cindy 9
Irene 9
Kristen 9
Kristin 9
Leslie 9
Liz 9
Matthew 9
Michael 9
Roxanna 9
Alwyn 8
Fred 8
Holly 8
John S 8
Katie 8
Elizabeth 7
Frank 7
Lisa M. 6
Paige 6
Sally 6
Todd 6
Carina 5
Carolyn 5
Eileen 5
Pam 5
Alison 4
Margaret 4
Anne 3
Dave D 3
Dolly 3
Sabrina 3
Cindy Neal 2
Kara 2
Rachel 1
Last week was a tougher week with two harder days back to back. This week will be a bit easier. That being said, we are seeing some break through workouts.
Break through workouts are a phenomenon that occurs as a result of daily exercise. Many times, there will be no warning that the break through is coming. Typically, it happens when we least expect it.
Daily exercise is a grind. The alarm goes off, the feet hit the floor. Get dressed, walk out the door, drive. Get out, hello, warm up and bam, we are in the workout. It becomes groundhog day.
But one day, we are in the workout. All of the sudden, something has changed. We feel....GOOD. Our legs are springy. We don't fall to pieces at the end of the workout. Our exercises look better. We are.....FASTER.
This is how we do it. We work out every day and we get in shape. It is a beautiful thing.
Gary 13
Glamour 13
Kathleen 13
Laurie 13
Prancey 13
Stacey 13
Susie C 13
Caroline 12
Jodi 12
Lisa 12
Susie Mac 12
Harriott 11
Jenny 11
Jimmy F 11
John G. 11
Maggie 11
Mary 11
Mary D. 11
Allison 10
Barb 10
Brittany 10
Charles 10
Christine 10
Ellie 10
Jennifer 10
John O'Neill 10
Kaffee 10
Mary Blythe 10
Michael S. 10
Tiffany 10
Caroline Mc 9
Cindy 9
Irene 9
Kristen 9
Kristin 9
Leslie 9
Liz 9
Matthew 9
Michael 9
Roxanna 9
Alwyn 8
Fred 8
Holly 8
John S 8
Katie 8
Elizabeth 7
Frank 7
Lisa M. 6
Paige 6
Sally 6
Todd 6
Carina 5
Carolyn 5
Eileen 5
Pam 5
Alison 4
Margaret 4
Anne 3
Dave D 3
Dolly 3
Sabrina 3
Cindy Neal 2
Kara 2
Rachel 1
Monday, November 7, 2011
Ist and Last paragraphs from this weekend NY Times article
By CHRISTOPHER McDOUGALL
Published: November 2, 2011
It’s what Alberto Salazar, for a while the world’s dominant marathoner and now the coach of some of America’s top distance runners, describes in mythical-questing terms as the “one best way” — not the fastest, necessarily, but the best: an injury-proof, evolution-tested way to place one foot on the ground and pick it up before the other comes down. Left, right, repeat; that’s all running really is, a movement so natural that babies learn it the first time they rise to their feet. Yet sometime between childhood and adulthood — and between the dawn of our species and today — most of us lose the knack.
We were once the greatest endurance runners on earth. We didn’t have fangs, claws, strength or speed, but the springiness of our legs and our unrivaled ability to cool our bodies by sweating rather than panting enabled humans to chase prey until it dropped from heat exhaustion. Some speculate that collaboration on such hunts led to language, then shared technology. Running arguably made us the masters of the world.
So how did one of our greatest strengths become such a liability? “The data suggests up to 79 percent of all runners are injured every year,” says Stephen Messier, the director of the J. B. Snow Biomechanics Laboratory at Wake Forest University. “What’s more, those figures have been consistent since the 1970s.” Messier is currently 11 months into a study for the U.S. Army and estimates that 40 percent of his 200 subjects will be hurt within a year. “It’s become a serious public health crisis.”
Nothing seems able to check it: not cross-training, not stretching, not $400 custom-molded orthotics, not even softer surfaces. And those special running shoes everyone thinks he needs? In 40 years, no study has ever shown that they do anything to reduce injuries. On the contrary, the U.S. Army’s Public Health Command concluded in a report in 2010, drawing on three large-scale studies of thousands of military personnel, that using shoes tailored to individual foot shapes had “little influence on injuries.”
Two years ago, in my book, “Born to Run,” I suggested we don’t need smarter shoes; we need smarter feet. I’d gone into Mexico’s Copper Canyon to learn from the Tarahumara Indians, who tackle 100-mile races well into their geriatric years. I was a broken-down, middle-aged, ex-runner when I arrived. Nine months later, I was transformed. After getting rid of my cushioned shoes and adopting the Tarahumaras’ whisper-soft stride, I was able to join them for a 50-mile race through the canyons. I haven’t lost a day of running to injury since.
“Barefoot-style” shoes are now a $1.7 billion industry. But simply putting something different on your feet doesn’t make you a gliding Tarahumara. The “one best way” isn’t about footwear. It’s about form. Learn to run gently, and you can wear anything. Fail to do so, and no shoe — or lack of shoe — will make a difference.
Steve Magness, a sports scientist who works with top Olympic prospects at Nike’s elite “Oregon Project.” He was hired by Alberto Salazar to create, essentially, a squad of anti-Salazars. Despite his domination of the marathon in the ’80s, Salazar was plagued with knee and hamstring problems. He was also a heel-striker, which he has described as “having a tire with a nail in it.” Magness’s brief is to find ways to teach Nike runners to run barefoot-style and puncture-proof their legs.
“From what you’re telling me, it sounds promising,” Magness told me. “I’d love to see it in action.”
Mark Cucuzzella was just as eager. “All right,” he said in the middle of our run. “Let’s get a look at this.” I snapped a twig and dropped the halves on the ground about eight inches apart to form targets for my landings. The 100-Up consists of two parts. For the “Minor,” you stand with both feet on the targets and your arms cocked in running position. “Now raise one knee to the height of the hip,” George writes, “bring the foot back and down again to its original position, touching the line lightly with the ball of the foot, and repeat with the other leg.”
That’s all there is to it. But it’s not so easy to hit your marks 100 times in a row while maintaining balance and proper knee height. Once you can, it’s on to the Major: “The body must be balanced on the ball of the foot, the heels being clear of the ground and the head and body being tilted very slightly forward. . . . Now, spring from the toe, bringing the knee to the level of the hip. . . . Repeat with the other leg and continue raising and lowering the legs alternately. This action is exactly that of running.”
Cucuzzella didn’t like it as a teaching method — he loved it. “It makes so much physiological and anatomical sense,” he said. “The key to injury-free running is balance, elasticity, stability in midstance and cadence. You’ve got all four right there.”
Published: November 2, 2011
It’s what Alberto Salazar, for a while the world’s dominant marathoner and now the coach of some of America’s top distance runners, describes in mythical-questing terms as the “one best way” — not the fastest, necessarily, but the best: an injury-proof, evolution-tested way to place one foot on the ground and pick it up before the other comes down. Left, right, repeat; that’s all running really is, a movement so natural that babies learn it the first time they rise to their feet. Yet sometime between childhood and adulthood — and between the dawn of our species and today — most of us lose the knack.
We were once the greatest endurance runners on earth. We didn’t have fangs, claws, strength or speed, but the springiness of our legs and our unrivaled ability to cool our bodies by sweating rather than panting enabled humans to chase prey until it dropped from heat exhaustion. Some speculate that collaboration on such hunts led to language, then shared technology. Running arguably made us the masters of the world.
So how did one of our greatest strengths become such a liability? “The data suggests up to 79 percent of all runners are injured every year,” says Stephen Messier, the director of the J. B. Snow Biomechanics Laboratory at Wake Forest University. “What’s more, those figures have been consistent since the 1970s.” Messier is currently 11 months into a study for the U.S. Army and estimates that 40 percent of his 200 subjects will be hurt within a year. “It’s become a serious public health crisis.”
Nothing seems able to check it: not cross-training, not stretching, not $400 custom-molded orthotics, not even softer surfaces. And those special running shoes everyone thinks he needs? In 40 years, no study has ever shown that they do anything to reduce injuries. On the contrary, the U.S. Army’s Public Health Command concluded in a report in 2010, drawing on three large-scale studies of thousands of military personnel, that using shoes tailored to individual foot shapes had “little influence on injuries.”
Two years ago, in my book, “Born to Run,” I suggested we don’t need smarter shoes; we need smarter feet. I’d gone into Mexico’s Copper Canyon to learn from the Tarahumara Indians, who tackle 100-mile races well into their geriatric years. I was a broken-down, middle-aged, ex-runner when I arrived. Nine months later, I was transformed. After getting rid of my cushioned shoes and adopting the Tarahumaras’ whisper-soft stride, I was able to join them for a 50-mile race through the canyons. I haven’t lost a day of running to injury since.
“Barefoot-style” shoes are now a $1.7 billion industry. But simply putting something different on your feet doesn’t make you a gliding Tarahumara. The “one best way” isn’t about footwear. It’s about form. Learn to run gently, and you can wear anything. Fail to do so, and no shoe — or lack of shoe — will make a difference.
Steve Magness, a sports scientist who works with top Olympic prospects at Nike’s elite “Oregon Project.” He was hired by Alberto Salazar to create, essentially, a squad of anti-Salazars. Despite his domination of the marathon in the ’80s, Salazar was plagued with knee and hamstring problems. He was also a heel-striker, which he has described as “having a tire with a nail in it.” Magness’s brief is to find ways to teach Nike runners to run barefoot-style and puncture-proof their legs.
“From what you’re telling me, it sounds promising,” Magness told me. “I’d love to see it in action.”
Mark Cucuzzella was just as eager. “All right,” he said in the middle of our run. “Let’s get a look at this.” I snapped a twig and dropped the halves on the ground about eight inches apart to form targets for my landings. The 100-Up consists of two parts. For the “Minor,” you stand with both feet on the targets and your arms cocked in running position. “Now raise one knee to the height of the hip,” George writes, “bring the foot back and down again to its original position, touching the line lightly with the ball of the foot, and repeat with the other leg.”
That’s all there is to it. But it’s not so easy to hit your marks 100 times in a row while maintaining balance and proper knee height. Once you can, it’s on to the Major: “The body must be balanced on the ball of the foot, the heels being clear of the ground and the head and body being tilted very slightly forward. . . . Now, spring from the toe, bringing the knee to the level of the hip. . . . Repeat with the other leg and continue raising and lowering the legs alternately. This action is exactly that of running.”
Cucuzzella didn’t like it as a teaching method — he loved it. “It makes so much physiological and anatomical sense,” he said. “The key to injury-free running is balance, elasticity, stability in midstance and cadence. You’ve got all four right there.”
Friday, November 4, 2011
Friday Fun Day
Well written Police Report last year:
Orville Smith, a store manager for Best Buy in Augusta , Georgia , told police he observed a male customer, later identified as Tyrone Jackson of Augusta , on surveillance cameras putting a laptop computer under his jacket... When confronted the man became irate, knocked down an employee, drew a knife and ran for the door.
Outside on the sidewalk were four Marines collecting toys for the "Toys for Tots" program. Smith said the Marines stopped the man, but he stabbed one of the Marines, Cpl. Phillip Duggan, in the back; the injury did not appear to be severe.
After Police and an ambulance arrived at the scene Cpl. Duggan was transported for treatment.
The subject was also transported to the local hospital with two broken arms, a broken ankle, a broken leg, several missing teeth, possible broken ribs, multiple contusions, assorted lacerations, a broken nose and a broken jaw...injuries he sustained when he slipped and fell off of the curb after stabbing the Marine.
Email recieved today by Boot Camp:
Hello,
Not sure if this has been brought to your attention or not, but I've experienced some unsafe practices by your morning instructor (tall blonde guy) during their runs down Peachtree and Collier. At least 4 different times I have had to stop dead in my tracks because he was running on the street, not paying attention to traffic at all or abiding the rules of the road. All those times there was plenty of room on the sidewalk for him.
I am a personal trainer, so am obviously supportive of bootcamps and anything that keeps people moving. But it is unacceptable when you have the leader of a group making unsafe choices on the street.
Thank you for your time,
Xxx Xxxxx
Orville Smith, a store manager for Best Buy in Augusta , Georgia , told police he observed a male customer, later identified as Tyrone Jackson of Augusta , on surveillance cameras putting a laptop computer under his jacket... When confronted the man became irate, knocked down an employee, drew a knife and ran for the door.
Outside on the sidewalk were four Marines collecting toys for the "Toys for Tots" program. Smith said the Marines stopped the man, but he stabbed one of the Marines, Cpl. Phillip Duggan, in the back; the injury did not appear to be severe.
After Police and an ambulance arrived at the scene Cpl. Duggan was transported for treatment.
The subject was also transported to the local hospital with two broken arms, a broken ankle, a broken leg, several missing teeth, possible broken ribs, multiple contusions, assorted lacerations, a broken nose and a broken jaw...injuries he sustained when he slipped and fell off of the curb after stabbing the Marine.
Email recieved today by Boot Camp:
Hello,
Not sure if this has been brought to your attention or not, but I've experienced some unsafe practices by your morning instructor (tall blonde guy) during their runs down Peachtree and Collier. At least 4 different times I have had to stop dead in my tracks because he was running on the street, not paying attention to traffic at all or abiding the rules of the road. All those times there was plenty of room on the sidewalk for him.
I am a personal trainer, so am obviously supportive of bootcamps and anything that keeps people moving. But it is unacceptable when you have the leader of a group making unsafe choices on the street.
Thank you for your time,
Xxx Xxxxx
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Garden Hills
Tuesdays Track workout followed by Wednesdays Crazy 8s must have been over the top. We were missing over a dozen folks this morning. We absolutely promise to take it easy tomorrow. We did the same today. New folks to the program may be thinking: "what, are these people crazy?" Yea, we are. We pack more miles and exercise into an hour than any group training in Atlanta. We try to have fun while we are doing it. At the same time, we are serious about getting in shape. In order to do so, we have to push it once or twice a week. The rest of the week are usually easy or medium workouts that focus on exercise.
Peak fitness comes from daily exercise. We have experimented with daily exercise many times over the years. We have had a few folks run their fastest times of the year during streaks that last over 100 days. We know of a 40 year old with over 300 days who could run a Personal Record soon.
The key to preserving the streak is EASY DAYS.
8 left with perfect attendance
Ellie 9
Gary 9
Kathleen 9
Laurie 9
Michael 9
Prancey 9
Stacey 9
Susie C 9
Caroline 8
Charles 8
Glamour 8
Jenny 8
Jodi 8
Kristen 8
Lisa 8
Maggie 8
Mary 8
Mary D. 8
Michael S. 8
Susie Mac 8
Allison 7
Barb 7
Brittany 7
Frank 7
Harriott 7
Irene 7
Jennifer 7
Jimmy F 7
John O'Neill 7
Kaffee 7
Leslie 7
Liz 7
Mary Blythe 7
Caroline Mc 6
Christine 6
John G. 6
Katie 6
Kristin 6
Matthew 6
Paige 6
Roxanna 6
Tiffany 6
Alwyn 5
Cindy 5
Fred 5
John S 5
Lisa M. 5
Todd 5
Alison 4
Carina 4
Holly 4
Margaret 4
Pam 4
Anne 3
Carolyn 3
Dolly 3
Elizabeth 3
Sabrina 3
Sally 3
Cindy Neal 2
Dave D 2
Eileen 2
Kara 2
Rachel 1
Peak fitness comes from daily exercise. We have experimented with daily exercise many times over the years. We have had a few folks run their fastest times of the year during streaks that last over 100 days. We know of a 40 year old with over 300 days who could run a Personal Record soon.
The key to preserving the streak is EASY DAYS.
8 left with perfect attendance
Ellie 9
Gary 9
Kathleen 9
Laurie 9
Michael 9
Prancey 9
Stacey 9
Susie C 9
Caroline 8
Charles 8
Glamour 8
Jenny 8
Jodi 8
Kristen 8
Lisa 8
Maggie 8
Mary 8
Mary D. 8
Michael S. 8
Susie Mac 8
Allison 7
Barb 7
Brittany 7
Frank 7
Harriott 7
Irene 7
Jennifer 7
Jimmy F 7
John O'Neill 7
Kaffee 7
Leslie 7
Liz 7
Mary Blythe 7
Caroline Mc 6
Christine 6
John G. 6
Katie 6
Kristin 6
Matthew 6
Paige 6
Roxanna 6
Tiffany 6
Alwyn 5
Cindy 5
Fred 5
John S 5
Lisa M. 5
Todd 5
Alison 4
Carina 4
Holly 4
Margaret 4
Pam 4
Anne 3
Carolyn 3
Dolly 3
Elizabeth 3
Sabrina 3
Sally 3
Cindy Neal 2
Dave D 2
Eileen 2
Kara 2
Rachel 1
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Crazy 8s
We write about it all the time. We hear it all the time. "The only reason I'm running is if someone is chasing me." What is running? It is the most basic form of hunting for the bipods a.k.a. "humans."
Crazy 8s, done correctly, allow the bipods to play hunter and hunted. The positioning of the pack allows the hunters the freedom to survey the landscape in search of prey. They can then pounce on the weaker animals and eat them for breakfast. The hunted get an opportunity to out run the hunters for a short distance before taking cover and waiting for another opportunity to flee.
What is really cool is to watch the process by which the hunted become the hunter. It doesn't happen over night.
Each morning on the African savannah, a Lion wakes up.
The Lion knows that to eat, it must be faster than the slowest Zebra.
At the same time, a Zebra wakes up.
The Zebra knows that to survive, it must be faster than the fastest Lion.
The moral is ………
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Lion or Zebra.
When the sun comes up, you better start running.
This quote is adapted from Thomas Friedman’s book “The World is Flat … A Brief History of the 21st Century”.
Crazy 8s on the 8th day of Boot Camp... 13 folks have made 8 workouts in 8 weekdays.
Caroline 8
Ellie 8
Gary 8
Jodi 8
Kathleen 8
Laurie 8
Lisa 8
Mary 8
Michael 8
Michael S. 8
Prancey 8
Stacey 8
Susie C 8
Charles 7
Glamour 7
Harriott 7
Jennifer 7
Jenny 7
Kaffee 7
Leslie 7
Maggie 7
Mary D. 7
Susie Mac 7
Allison 6
Barb 6
Brittany 6
Caroline Mc 6
Christine 6
Frank 6
Irene 6
Jimmy F 6
John G. 6
John O'Neill 6
Kristen 6
Kristin 6
Liz 6
Mary Blythe 6
Matthew 6
Alwyn 5
Cindy 5
John S 5
Katie 5
Lisa M. 5
Paige 5
Roxanna 5
Tiffany 5
Alison 4
Carina 4
Fred 4
Todd 4
Anne 3
Carolyn 3
Dolly 3
Elizabeth 3
Holly 3
Margaret 3
Pam 3
Sabrina 3
Sally 3
Eileen 2
Kara 2
Cindy Neal 1
Dave D 1
Rachel 1
Crazy 8s, done correctly, allow the bipods to play hunter and hunted. The positioning of the pack allows the hunters the freedom to survey the landscape in search of prey. They can then pounce on the weaker animals and eat them for breakfast. The hunted get an opportunity to out run the hunters for a short distance before taking cover and waiting for another opportunity to flee.
What is really cool is to watch the process by which the hunted become the hunter. It doesn't happen over night.
Each morning on the African savannah, a Lion wakes up.
The Lion knows that to eat, it must be faster than the slowest Zebra.
At the same time, a Zebra wakes up.
The Zebra knows that to survive, it must be faster than the fastest Lion.
The moral is ………
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Lion or Zebra.
When the sun comes up, you better start running.
This quote is adapted from Thomas Friedman’s book “The World is Flat … A Brief History of the 21st Century”.
Crazy 8s on the 8th day of Boot Camp... 13 folks have made 8 workouts in 8 weekdays.
Caroline 8
Ellie 8
Gary 8
Jodi 8
Kathleen 8
Laurie 8
Lisa 8
Mary 8
Michael 8
Michael S. 8
Prancey 8
Stacey 8
Susie C 8
Charles 7
Glamour 7
Harriott 7
Jennifer 7
Jenny 7
Kaffee 7
Leslie 7
Maggie 7
Mary D. 7
Susie Mac 7
Allison 6
Barb 6
Brittany 6
Caroline Mc 6
Christine 6
Frank 6
Irene 6
Jimmy F 6
John G. 6
John O'Neill 6
Kristen 6
Kristin 6
Liz 6
Mary Blythe 6
Matthew 6
Alwyn 5
Cindy 5
John S 5
Katie 5
Lisa M. 5
Paige 5
Roxanna 5
Tiffany 5
Alison 4
Carina 4
Fred 4
Todd 4
Anne 3
Carolyn 3
Dolly 3
Elizabeth 3
Holly 3
Margaret 3
Pam 3
Sabrina 3
Sally 3
Eileen 2
Kara 2
Cindy Neal 1
Dave D 1
Rachel 1
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Track
We attempted to light up the straight aways this morning with candles. Although the candles have burned out, the fast legs blazed up the track. We ran strides on the straight aways and jogged the turns this morning. Most of the workouts we do involve changing gears. We start off slow and go faster. Then we slow down and speed up again. Coach Squires of The Greater Boston Track Club calls these "Miracle Miles."
Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish, is a form of interval training which puts stress on the whole aerobic energy system due to the continuous nature of the exercise. The difference between this type of training and continuous training is that the intensity or speed of the exercise varies, meaning that aerobic and anaerobic systems can be put under stress. It differs from traditional interval training in that it is unstructured; intensity and/or speed can be varied whenever the athlete wishes. Most fartlek sessions last a minimum of 45 minutes and can vary from aerobic walking to anaerobic sprinting. Fartlek training is generally associated with running, but can include almost any kind of exercise.
In between runs, we exercised our arms, shoulders & backs on the basketball court while listening Madonna.
Caroline 7
Ellie 7
Gary 7
Jodi 7
Kaffee 7
Kathleen 7
Laurie 7
Lisa 7
Michael 7
Michael S. 7
Prancey 7
Stacey 7
Susie C 7
Brittany 6
Charles 6
Glamour 6
Harriott 6
Jennifer 6
Jenny 6
Jimmy F 6
John G. 6
John O'Neill 6
Leslie 6
Liz 6
Maggie 6
Mary 6
Mary D. 6
Susie Mac 6
Allison 5
Barb 5
Christine 5
Frank 5
Irene 5
John S 5
Katie 5
Kristen 5
Kristin 5
Mary Blythe 5
Matthew 5
Alison 4
Alwyn 4
Caroline Mc 4
Cindy 4
Lisa M. 4
Paige 4
Roxanna 4
Tiffany 4
Todd 4
Anne 3
Carina 3
Carolyn 3
Dolly 3
Fred 3
Holly 3
Sabrina 3
Sally 3
Elizabeth 2
Eileen 2
Kara 2
Margaret 2
Pam 2
Rachel 1
Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish, is a form of interval training which puts stress on the whole aerobic energy system due to the continuous nature of the exercise. The difference between this type of training and continuous training is that the intensity or speed of the exercise varies, meaning that aerobic and anaerobic systems can be put under stress. It differs from traditional interval training in that it is unstructured; intensity and/or speed can be varied whenever the athlete wishes. Most fartlek sessions last a minimum of 45 minutes and can vary from aerobic walking to anaerobic sprinting. Fartlek training is generally associated with running, but can include almost any kind of exercise.
In between runs, we exercised our arms, shoulders & backs on the basketball court while listening Madonna.
Caroline 7
Ellie 7
Gary 7
Jodi 7
Kaffee 7
Kathleen 7
Laurie 7
Lisa 7
Michael 7
Michael S. 7
Prancey 7
Stacey 7
Susie C 7
Brittany 6
Charles 6
Glamour 6
Harriott 6
Jennifer 6
Jenny 6
Jimmy F 6
John G. 6
John O'Neill 6
Leslie 6
Liz 6
Maggie 6
Mary 6
Mary D. 6
Susie Mac 6
Allison 5
Barb 5
Christine 5
Frank 5
Irene 5
John S 5
Katie 5
Kristen 5
Kristin 5
Mary Blythe 5
Matthew 5
Alison 4
Alwyn 4
Caroline Mc 4
Cindy 4
Lisa M. 4
Paige 4
Roxanna 4
Tiffany 4
Todd 4
Anne 3
Carina 3
Carolyn 3
Dolly 3
Fred 3
Holly 3
Sabrina 3
Sally 3
Elizabeth 2
Eileen 2
Kara 2
Margaret 2
Pam 2
Rachel 1
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