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Tenure

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I'm interested in getting some first handed knowledge in Physical Education am looking for a good course on the subject - does anyone have any recommendations? I have neither the time nor the inclination for a specialist training that, say, a professional nutritionist would require. Just enough practical knowledge that I can use in my own life, as well as to keep me informed so I know what's real advice and what isn't - core principles, ideas, facts and generalisations that I can apply to more specific situations, that's what I'm looking for.

My goal is to be able to set my own dieting and exercise regimen and to be able to assess new exercise techniques, nutritional supplements and the like as it should arise throughout my life, so I can make an informed and objective judgement.

Does anyone here have such a knowledge and would they be able to suggest where I can learn as such? Does anyone have any good pointers as to how I may find a good course, maybe an evening class, an online course or some books?

Cheers.

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I used to frequent the site, and it is a good place to get basic knowledge (food, supplements), but don't take your advice from it if you get into the more complex parts of it because a lot of the information becomes unclear and argued about a lot (whether you should eat carbs before sleeping for example) The site is definitely the place to start though. Also, check out www.athletes.com for some really good fitness articles and exercises.

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The first thing I think you should do is read everything on this site:

http://www.arthurjonesexercise.com/

Start with Nautilus bulltetins #1 and #2, then go for whatever you find interesting. I can also recomend Arthur Jones autobiografy "And God Laughs...".

What Arthur Jones did was to apply reason and logic to the field of exercise, and he did so with a straighforward no-nonsense kind of attitude. While I think he was wrong about many things he did look at the fundamentals, the principcles, and constantly improved his knowledge and understanding of exercise. He is the voice of reason in an industry built on bullshit.

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Visit Crossfit

The aforementioned bodybuilding.com is a good place too. Might not be the ideal starting place but I'd definitely check it out in the event you stick with it. Most of the others looked like crap IMO. Any website strictly geared towards running, called beachbody or ends in .gov is very suspect at best.

This is interesting. It's run by an Ayn Rand fan, too!

Alfa- I didn't spend too much time snoopin' around through the Arthur Jones site once he knocked barbells. Can you tell me why he isn't an advocate of employing barbells/Olympic lifts?

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Well this may not be exactly what you are after but I strongly reccomend getting involved in martial arts. The people you'll surround yourself with are knowledgeable, friendly and positive. You'd be surprised at the collection of information in a group like that.

Forgot:

I can second everything said above. I went with a friend a few times and really enjoyed it. While mixed martial arts is not my thing (any climbers here?), they may very well be the most fit people on the planet. Very knowledgable, friendly and positive. Can't say enough good things about the majority of people involved in MMA.

And congradulations on the progress Luther. Come challegenge yourself with us now :P Go pick up a stopwatch and barbell and start WODs. You'll bust through the 10% wall you're stuck at now in a matter of a few months. Leave Metzer and the pop stuff behind.

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Alfa- I didn't spend too much time snoopin' around through the Arthur Jones site once he knocked barbells. Can you tell me why he isn't an advocate of employing barbells/Olympic lifts?

Seems like you made a snap judgement instead of doing what you should do, check your premises regarding barbells and olympic lifts. For a more in depth view you should read what he wrote on the subject, but here you can hear him talk briefly on the subject:

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I'm on such a slow computer right now! The YouTube will take hours- is there a link to a specific thread in one of his forums or his books you could show me? Thanks.

Have a look at Nautilus Bulletin #2 chapter 9: "Barbells: Pro and Con". I can't read pdf's on my computer right now so I can't be more specific than that at the moment.

In the YouTube video he mentions that explosive lifts will destroy the skeleton and that Nautilus machines are barbells. Because, what both barbells and machines do is produce resistance to movement. Nautilus machines are just improved, logical, barbells.

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Have a look at Nautilus Bulletin #2 chapter 9: "Barbells: Pro and Con". I can't read pdf's on my computer right now so I can't be more specific than that at the moment.

In the YouTube video he mentions that explosive lifts will destroy the skeleton and that Nautilus machines are barbells. Because, what both barbells and machines do is produce resistance to movement. Nautilus machines are just improved, logical, barbells.

I'll buy the argument 100% that Nautilus machines are safer for those who are learning or incompetent. It is simply untrue that by doing a snatch or clean properly you will destroy your skeleton. I know people (myself included) who are living proof that his claim is incorrect.

I would also agree that machines isolate individual muscles better. If you are looking for a beach body, I could see where utilizing a machine would be best.

However, fitness is not solely comprised of people aiming for big chests. Some people who exercise want to perform better on the job or athletic field and in order to do that, you need to engage in explosive lifts and other movements that can not be done on a machine. You need to incorporate movements that require balance and coordination which are things that machines will restrict- if not outright prohibit. Doing a pullup versus a lat machine or a jerk versus a shoulder press machine are a few examples.

That I think is the chief argument for barbells and free weights in general. Recruiting more muscles and requiring fast-twitch muscle fibers is more efficiently done with free weights versus safety for weekend warriors and greater muscle hypertrophy allowing more pump for muscle growth on machines. Fair enough I think. Maybe it depends on people's goals. Functionality versus beach body.

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I'll buy the argument 100% that Nautilus machines are safer for those who are learning or incompetent. It is simply untrue that by doing a snatch or clean properly you will destroy your skeleton. I know people (myself included) who are living proof that his claim is incorrect.

I would also agree that machines isolate individual muscles better. If you are looking for a beach body, I could see where utilizing a machine would be best.

However, fitness is not solely comprised of people aiming for big chests. Some people who exercise want to perform better on the job or athletic field and in order to do that, you need to engage in explosive lifts and other movements that can not be done on a machine. You need to incorporate movements that require balance and coordination which are things that machines will restrict- if not outright prohibit. Doing a pullup versus a lat machine or a jerk versus a shoulder press machine are a few examples.

That I think is the chief argument for barbells and free weights in general. Recruiting more muscles and requiring fast-twitch muscle fibers is more efficiently done with free weights versus safety for weekend warriors and greater muscle hypertrophy allowing more pump for muscle growth on machines. Fair enough I think. Maybe it depends on people's goals. Functionality versus beach body.

There are many boxers who are fine, but it's still not healthy practice to get your head beaten on a regular basis. Explosive movements, epsecialy movements with high skill requirements, are dangerous. A lot of people break themselves doing such things, and for no good reason.

Machines take away from the skill requirements and work the individual muscles more effectively. Skill(like balance and coordination) is specific and does not transfer well into other movements, but strength does. And since machines do make you stronger, they can build functional bodies.

Explosive free weights movements do not reqruit more muscles fibres. They only do so if you look at a specific repetition in a specific(limited) part of the ROM. To reqruit the most muscle fibres all you need to do is work the muscle to failure. And here a Nautlus machine will help you by providing variable resistance that follows the muscles force production. This is what makes the machines improved barbells, because the resistance they provide is superior to barbells.

---

Just for the record though, I personally train mostly with barbells, because that's what they have at the gym where I train. And I have made some great changes to my body with the help of barbells, so I have nothing bad to say about the proper use of a barbell. I'm just saying good machines are a logical improvement of the same concept.

With that said though, I think this is a liiiitle bit off-topic. :)

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There are many boxers who are fine, but it's still not healthy practice to get your head beaten on a regular basis. Explosive movements, epsecialy movements with high skill requirements, are dangerous. A lot of people break themselves doing such things, and for no good reason.

I think that's true if you aren't training properly. My Si-Fu trained in Western 'Wing Chun' before moving to Eastern 'Wing Tsun'. In the Western school, apparently when you punch - what I would call an 'explosive' movement - you aren't taught how to punch safely. Safely for yourself, that is. He ended up injuring himself badly in his elbow and the damage would have been irreversible if he had continued. When he switched to Eastern Wing Tsun, the emphasis on rotating your elbow properly proved effective in allowing him to punch with greater speed and impact, but with no damag (to himself that is - I've been on the receiving end of his punch...).

Back to the topic at hand, I now have a wealth of information here, which it's going to take me a while to sift through (I imagine I'm going to end up reading a lot of 'Arthur Jones was full of shit' debates) but it looks fun. Cheers. :)

Edited by Tenure
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