“Many people talk about training ‘the core’ as if it is some ancillary supplement to your ‘meat and potatoes’ training. Those of us who understand anatomy of functional movement recognize that everything is core. Moving large loads, long distances quickly requires multi- joint, proximal to distal motor recruitment patterns. Power generated from the center is translated outward to produce movement. It is called our kinetic chain, and the stronger your chain, the greater your ability to create power. I like to use this comparison to illustrate this. Picture a tennis racket. You swing the racket and force is translated through the handle, up a light and rigid graphite shaft and finally accelerates the head with a big whoosh! Now picture that same swing except the shaft of the racket is made of a wet sponge and not rigid graphite. Did you loose the whoosh? You betcha! Do you think the ball you hit was gonna go very far?…Hell no! Why?…Because all the force you created was absorbed and not translated. So what’s the point? The core is not something..it is everything with regard to your training and ability to perform athletically. During this series of lectures I will discuss ways to turn your core into that light rigid shaft.”

Please pardon the harsh language, but I need to say this plainly and strongly.

EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT CHOLESTEROL IS BULL$HIT

Here’s a little crash course on cholesterol and heart disease. We know that most of the time atherosclerosis and heart disease patients usually have elevated levels of cholesterol in their blood. We also know that many of these patients have deposits of the goopy fatty stuff crusting on the insides of their blood vessels. These things are correlated, which means they are usually found together. That part is true. The conclusion that was made was that the dietary fat and serum cholesterol levels of these patients was the direct cause of the hardening of the blood vessels, the clogs and the heart attacks. That part is suspect, and the topic of this article.

That is certainly a possibility, but there are other ways to perceive this correlation. One popular theory is that other forces acting on your blood vessels cause damage and thinning. Different theories attribute this damage to anything from pH levels, to a lack of vitamin-C in the diet, to any number of other dietary and lifestyle factors. When this damage occurs in the artery walls your body directs cholesterol to the site and clumps it up to harden and support and patch the thin or damaged areas. This is only supposed to be a temporary fix, and if the conditions that caused the damage continue then the “patches” will continue to accumulate until they form serious clogs and cause heart attack or a stroke, among other things.

Assuming that the presence of a large amount of cholesterol in the blood is a cause is kind of like assuming that because you always see firemen at burning buildings that they must have set the fires. That’s not to say that high cholesterol is something to ignore. It can be a warning sign of some condition that has caused the need for those artery “patches” I mentioned. Then again it also can mean nothing at all. Some people have what is known as “familial hypercholesterolemia.” That’s just a fancy way of saying that they are genetically programmed to have high levels of blood cholesterol. Many people with this genetic predisposition lead happy and healthy lives without ever developing heart disease.

But let’s take one more look at that original theory about the dietary fat and cholesterol clogging up the arteries and being the cause of the problem. Ask any plumber and they will tell you that this doesn’t make sense. We can all agree that in the body it’s the largest blood vessels that run directly in and out of the heart that get all this clogging and hardening action. In terms of clogged plumbing, the smaller blood vessels would be the biggest problems first. They would clog up badly and way before the larger arteries were even a noticeable problem yet. But that isn’t what the findings show. The findings suggest that the clogging is directed and targeted in those large blood vessels, and if that’s the case, then the body is doing it itself, as suggested above. That would make the clogging not a cause, but a symptom of a larger problem.

I don’t mean to leave this topic on a down note, but make sure that you are assessing other risk factors when evaluating high cholesterol. Watch out for other factors that can create a problem such as a family history of heart disease, poor diet, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, high stress, etc. Be smart and work with a physician before making any decisions.

For more information (and a LOT of it) you can read more at THINCS (The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics). It’s members include scientists from all over the world, including several nobel laureates. Some of them may disagree on what does cause heart disease, but they all agree that cholesterol does not.

When I first heard about THE CHINA STUDY, and then later thumbed through the copy my girlfriend brought home from the library, I was immediately both interested and skeptical. As a fitness professional I am always interested in new food research, but I am also immediately skeptical of any conclusions until I see the data for myself. When the book first landed in my lap I opened to a random spot somewhere in the middle and found examples of bad scientific method straight away without even trying.

What struck me about Campbell’s conclusions from those first few pages was that he was disregarding way too many variables in his quest to support his points. He would describe the specific population, and ailment in a given section of the study and lay out some interesting numbers and then proceed to make astounding  leaps of logic that left me shaking my head, and saying “tsk tsk tsk.”

I don’t have the time or inclination to write a point-by-point breakdown of all the flaws in The China Study, but thankfully  RAW FOOD SOS does just that for us. What I love about her arguments is she backs them up with the actual numbers that Campbell used, she just approaches them with a sharper intellect. And did I mention the author, Denise minger, is a raw-foodie herself?

And before anyone gets angry with me (or Ms. Minger for that matter) for attacking The China Study, understand that we both already eat a heavily plant-based diet ourselves. I myself avoid dairy almost entirely, and eat meat products only a few times a week. Before finding the omnivorous equilibrium I have now I spent five years as a vegetarian, and then another five years eating large amounts of animal products. I won’t speak further for the author, but I have discovered that with regard to eating, like with most things in life, the middle of the road is the best way to go.

I want to be clear that there are elements of the book I appreciated as well. He does lay out several things that most people don’t know and should. He also does draw some compelling conclusions here and there. But, in the name of good science, and good analysis, I cannot let the book stand as gospel as so many people do. It has issues, and most of those issues stem from a misleading representation of the statistics, and Ms. Minger’s website does a good job of illustrating these issues in a clear and concise manner.

Those of my readers that know me well also know that I have struggled with sleep disorder my entire life. Among my earliest memories of life are tantrums thrown in the wee small hours of the night because I couldn’t fall asleep, and my six-year-old brain couldn’t understand why. I spent most of my high school and college years averaging anywhere from 3 to 12 hours per night. My sleep habits were erratic, and sloppy and I suffered a great many stressful nights of tossing and turning because of it.

in 2007 I discovered a great book called POWER SLEEP. In it I found several great strategies that help, and explanations as to why they will help, in case you’re curious about that too. It’s based on two generations of sleep research, and it covers a wide-variety of issues, from sleep-deprived new parents, to office workers getting drowsy at their desks. Nearly everyone can find something of value in this book.

The simplest and most helpful tip I can share with you right now is this: make it dark. The space you sleep in needs to be as close to pitch black as possible. No LCD display alarm clock, no streetlights streaming in. Complete. Total. Darkness. This goes back to our evolutionary roots. Sleep habits in mammals, including our own, likely developed in the first land mammals who burrowed into the earth, or slept in dark caves. Keep in mind that predating electric lighting, finding complete darkenss to sleep in was never a problem. Now you’ve got to rid your bedroom of all light, and the easiest way is some dark, heavy curtains.
Today I found a great article on MARK’S DAILY APPLE all about the impact of SLEEP POSTURE. He posits, and I agree, that your sleep posture has a greater impact on your quality of sleep than even does your bedding and mattress. Afterall, why else are you tossing and turning? You’re trying to find that “sweet spot,” that lying posture that lets you fully relax and drift off. He gives you a specific way of lying down that can help you find it. Check it out.

2010 VERMONT DEATH RACE

I have been an advocate of barefoot running and minimalist footwear for running for nearly a year now. After I began suffering from IT BAND SYNDROME I bought my first pair of VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS early last fall, and now I’m running again, injury free. Lately I’ve been looking at the new VIBRAM BIKILA and the SOFTSTAR RUNAMOC for running, and I’m also really digging the VIVOBAREFOOT for everyday wear.

I stumbled across this great article called YOU WALK WRONG all about how wrapping our feet in padding and “support” tends to prevent the 200,000 nerve endings in your feet from doing their job. It’s a very long article, but if you are someone who walks a fair amount on a daily basis (as most of us are) then it’s worth the time. The diagram below is taken from the article, and illustrates exactly what I’m talking about in practice.

I recently came across a website dedicated to “primal living” written by a man named Mark Sisson, and I’m hooked. It’s called MARK’S DAILY APPLE and I’ve added a permanent link to the right. It’s a great site, with day after day of new and interesting articles. Under his ABOUT ME section he discusses his personal health philosophies as the following:

“In a nutshell:
- fresh, organic, unprocessed food – no junk!
- daily activity – whether it’s the gym or a walk along the beach, it all counts
- plenty of quality sleep
- plenty of water, no soda or sweetened drinks
- antioxidants galore – the key to limiting stress
- a good fish-oil supplement
- lots of essential fats, reckless amounts of vegetables, and clean protein
- time for fun – don’t take anything too seriously – ethical behavior – because what goes around comes around
- taking responsibility for yourself and your life – openness to new things and ideas”

I’ve highlighted the two that I don’t really agree with. Those are both two things that you have likely heard from several different sources, but guess what: there is no real science to back that up. Those ideas have been disseminated by so many media outlets (magazines, infomercials, tv news, websites, etc) that we no longer question it, but where’s the evidence? I’ve never seen any. He has his own line of nutritional supplements which science has shown do next to nothing for you, so that tells you his incentive to advocate them.

But what I really like about this guy’s website is he is all about questioning everything. On that same “About Me” page he says just that. He gently jokes that you shouldn’t even always take his word for it. Ask questions, find out for yourself, and take your health into your own hands. YES! I love it!

Towards the end of a great article about a new SHAMPOO-LESS MOVEMENT he shares the following nugget of wisdom:  “Our bodies, left to their own devices, really can take care of themselves.” YES! You don’t need expensive supplements, or freaky-crazy detox diets. Just make good choices to give your body the tools it needs, and you’ll be fine.

He brings all kinds of interesting information to you, like THIS REVIEW OF A BOOK CALLED THE VEGETARIAN MYTH

MEN’S HEALTH offers a lengthy, but INTERESTING ARTICLE on many frequently asked sex questions.

What I like most about this article is it’s not your typical sex article fare. It’s not mindless, shallow titillation. It gives you actual biological answers to these questions.

Like WHY DO YOU LOVE PORN?

WHY IS A FOOT MASSAGE FOREPLAY?

WHY DO BEAUTIES MAKE YOU STUPID?

If you’ve never heard of Tabatas you are missing out. Here’s a crash course.

A fitness research scientist by the name of Izumi Tabata did extensive research in work-to-rest ratios and which ones produced the greatest changes in VO2 max in test subjects.

What he came up with is now known simply as a Tabata. The concept is easy, but the workout itself is not.

For 20 seconds you do as many reps of the activity as you possibly can, and then you rest for 10 seconds. You do this for only 4 minutes, and then you are done. You can do this with just about anything. Push-ups, box jumps, you can even do a Tabata run on a treadmill. In the case of the treadmill though, make sure you pick a speed and an incline that are at or near your limit for 20 seconds. What I mean is, by the end of that 20 seconds you should feel like you need that 10 second break.

Previously on this website I have recommended CROSSFIT as a great source for challenging, and interesting workouts. The classic CrossFit “Tabata This” workout consists of the following:

Tabata Rowing machine
Tabata Squat
Tabata Pullup
Tabata Pushup
Tabata Sit-up

There is a 1 minute rest between each. Stick to that time signature! Don’t cheat and take longer rests. Your smallest set for each movement is your score for that movement. For example, if you start out on your squats with 20 reps your first 20 seconds, but then by the final squat set you’re all the way down to 3, then 3 is your score. When you’ve completed all five Tabatas, then total up all your scores for each to get your total score. The rowing machine is scored by calories on the computer.

If you don’t have access to a rower, you can substitute in kettlebell swings, or dumbbell swings.

CLICK HERE FOR A SWING DEMO VIDEO.