Tuesday, June 17, 2008

"Why Everyone is an Athlete" by John Wood

OK fellas, I just got back from my mother's 70th birthday party my siblings and I had for her this past weekend in Charlotte, NC. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hook up with my buddy Ray, from www.pushupboard.com, whose company is based in North Carolina, but I was able to see a familiar face in Atlanta.

While staying with my brother in Atlanta, I was able to catch up with my buddy Matt Sloane, the CNN producer who actually conducted my interview. He gave my wife and I a great tour of the CNN's main headquarters in Atlanta. It was great seeing the set for many of my favorite news shows and to see some of anchors and news reporters I see everyday.

In a post later on this week, I'm going to post pictures and give you guys a full account of my weekend, but for today, I wanted to re-post an email that John Wood sent out to all those who subscribe to his Old Time Strongman blog. John has many other websites that I frequently visit, and I highly recommend that you check them out too, especially the first one below:

http://www.bodyweightbasics.com
http://www.FunctionalHandStrength.com
http://www.trapbartraining.com
http://www.oldtimestrongman.com

In the following post, John discusses a quote from old time strongman Al Treloar from 1904!! That's right, over 100 years ago, guys knew the importance of training and exercising for not only athletic competition, but for overall wellness and good health! When I write that I want to have the body of an athlete, that's exactly what I mean--I'm striving for the body of an athlete in the sport of life, as John notes below. Enjoy:

* * *
"Why Everyone is an Athlete" by John Wood

There are many good reasons to train - some obvious and
some not quite so obvious.

I recently ran across something written by Al Treloar
(the subject of a recent blog post) way back in 1904, which makes
a lot of sense to me.

Check it out:

"Next to a clear conscience, a strong body is the most
desirable thing in life and the latter assures the former.
Physical exercise brings bodily improvement and
therefore better health with all that that implies.

Pain is the greatest affliction of human life and good health
which nearly all can get but exercise means freedom from
pain.

The study and habit of exercise calls attention also to the
general laws of health, and create an ambition and desire
for bodily perfection, thus hastening the desired result.

Another aspect of the results of exercise that will appeal
to busy people is the greatly increases capacity for work
produced.

The business man or mental worker who gains a strong
and healthy physical make-up will not only endure more
hours of work but will be able to accomplish vastly more
and better work in the same time than before.

Not only are one's chances of high success increased by
fine bodily vigor, but from the examples one is
almost led to believe that a well-trained and vigorous
body is necessary to the best success."

You'll see a lot of training info written for athletes of one
sort or another, (football, baseball, wrestling etc) but the
fact of the matter is that everyone is an athlete in
the "sport" of life.

The lesson here should be clear:

Whether catching touchdown passes, or doing yardwork,
physical training will help you do it better...

Train hard,
John Wood

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I came across your blog thru CNN and I am glad to find you. I recently started working out. I would not be considered overweight but I was unhappy with me. It's been 5 wks and I have actually gained a pound! I go to the gym and do cardio and weight classes 6 days a week. My diet is good--low fat and less than 1800 cals. Any advice would be helpful...but please don't say,"muscle weighs more than fat" (everyone tells me this and i hear blaa blaa blaa.)I'm 5'3" and 127lbs and 31 years old and have had two children.

Dan said...

I won't come right out and say the 'muscle weighs more than fat' line to you but did you measure yourself before starting? Do your clothes feel looser? Weight fluctuates and although you may not have lost scale weight you may have lost fat. And we don't always lose fat from the places on our body that we want.

Just my thoughts though. I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to say.

Matt said...

Strictly using a scale is not a good indication of fat gain/loss. As Dan mentioned...measurements and clothes are also very good indicators of body change. Testing your body fat percentage should be done at least bi-weekly.

You didn't really mention any of your goals either...so it's going to be hard to see what you are going for. Fat loss...muscle gain...maintain weight? Read through Muata's blogs extensively...although they are predominately for men the concepts still apply. In fact, some of the most respected pundits on women's training say for women to get in superior shape they must train like a man. :-)

Muata said...

I couldn't agree with Dan and Matt more TriciaJ. You really have to define what your overall goals are, and no muscle doesn't weigh more than fat! LOL! It's funny because I use to say this non-sense. Listen, while muscle may be denser than fat, one pound is one pound.

Also, you may want to check out www.beyondlowcarb.net for more precise help from women who know their stuff. Thanks for your comment.