Exercise science degree info check

[iamsmuts]

If you query someone on what they like to do for exercise, what effect does the response elicit?

In an R&D facility, the answer of running (or biking or other long-distance cardio) is usually greeted in a positive manner.

In the same facility, the answer of "lifting weights" (or trying to explain powerlifting/weight training) is usually greeted at best with apathy.

In other words, running makes people skinny and lithe, and conformal to modern ideals*. Weight training does not. Maybe things are changing?

Recall:

http://www.psmag.com/health-and-beha...al-class-85221

I'm a pretty skinny guy, but I'm pretty sure that I look like a freak to my peers.

[DeriHughes]

I regard the last 30-40 meters of a max effort 400 or 800 meter as the worst possible physical experience short of severe trauma, burns, or torture.

You've clearly never packed down in the front row of a rugby scrum for 5-6 resets in a row, with your lungs burning, defending your line and a one point lead at the end of a huge game. It's like carrying a barbell loaded to your 1RM squat on your back for the last 30 metres of a max effort 800, whilst someone punches you repeatedly in the face.

I don't play rugby any more.

[Cody]

You've clearly never packed down in the front row of a rugby scrum for 5-6 resets in a row, with your lungs burning, defending your line and a one point lead at the end of a huge game. It's like carrying a barbell loaded to your 1RM squat on your back for the last 30 metres of a max effort 800, whilst someone punches you repeatedly in the face.

I don't play rugby any more.

That sounds awesome...

All it's missing is sharks with laser beams.

[MBasic]

That sounds awesome...

All it's missing is sharks with laser beams.

. . how about sharks w/ sawed off shotguns being thrown by gorillas WITH some laser beams.
(best I could do)

[Fiddler]

So I'm in 3rd year exercise science and I thought I might make a thread where I could question some of the content that opposes the starting strength model.

1. Human's are designed for sustained moderate intensity exercise (walking jogging etc.) because our bipedal gait is suited for endurance. The lecturer than used the Kalahari bushmen's persistence hunt as an example of why endurance is best from an evolutionary view (video below).

I'm not sure how to refute the argument of endurance is best when put into an evolutionary context. Can anyone clarify?

Human Mammal, Human Hunter - Attenborough - Life of Mammals - BBC - YouTube

2. As far as the heart goes we are told eccentric hypertrophy (an endurance adaptation) is healthy but concentric hypertrophy (a strength adaptation) can be dangerous (diagram below). Is this true? Would it explain why I had a max heart rate (207) above my age predicted one (199).

http://bachperformance.com/wp-conten...5/02/heart.png

Thank you.

I think that using the Bushmen as an example is trying to take the far end of the bell curve as a norm, and it's a bit blind even then. If I recall my Physical Anthropology courses correctly, and judging by muscular insertions on bones, paleolithic man was generally hellish strong compared to modern, "civilized" people. Going back even a couple of centuries, for everyone except for the wealthy, life was physically immensely more demanding than it is now. Stamina was important, and people didn't carry near as much body fat, but everything was manual or animal-assisted at best, and it just took a lot of muscular strength, day in and day out, to get through life. Look at Roman and Greek statues. You don't see any marathoners there. Physical strength and development were highly prized. I think those statues are pretty accurate models of excellent physiques of the day, and you don't get that way being weak.

Warriors, of course, needed strength and stamina: Two good ways to win were by being stronger and quicker than your opponent, and able to outlast him as well, but the stamina wasn't much use without strength and quickness.

Even in modern times, growing up half country, half suburban, I was always impressed by how strong my farm kid friends were, even though I was a decent high school wrestler, and strong for my size.

I think in almost any culture before the last century, a balance of strength and stamina were essential for survival, with strength being essential and the foundation of stamina.

It would be interesting to check out the pound-for-pound strength of even the Bushmen used as an example. I wouldn't be surprised to see that they were far stronger than modern norms.

At any rate,I agree with above posts that the human race wasn't "designed" for anything but adaptability, with a strong selection bias for strength with stamina up until very modern times.

[iamsmuts]

[CJ Gotcher]

So true.

[lewabbit]

As a man who's ran a marathon, several half marathons and a few triathlons in my 20's I must say I find grinding out a set of 5x5 squats at 195kg in my late 30's much, much easier. 5x5 is 2 minutes of extreme focus over the course of an hour. A marathon is 3 hours of complete, non stop misery.

Thank you. That is what i was saying as well.