I tend to care about things that I can use to improve my health, make me stronger, and ultimately better prepare me for the future. If you’re in the same boat, then I’m going to share a concept with you that may challenge some of the things you know about training, stress, and adaptation. I’m also going to show you how brain-dead easy it is to start using this in your lifestyle. But you’ll have to pay attention or you might not “get” it.
I believe it was Nietzsche who said, “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger,” and the more we are learning about the human body, the more correct he has become with time.
You see, there’s this little phenomenon known as hormesis.
Say wha?
You know… Hormesis.
OK, I had never heard of the term either – at least not until a few months ago.
According to Mark Mattson, whom, if I’m reading this correctly, is a neuroscientist, “In the fields of biology and medicine hormesis is defined as an adaptive response of cells and organisms to a moderate (usually intermittent) stress. Examples include ischemic preconditioning, exercise, dietary energy restriction and exposures to low doses of certain phytochemicals.”
In case the PhD lingo fogged up your brain for a second there, here’s another definition from Stephan Guyenet that is a bit simpler: “Hormesis is the process by which a mild or acute stressor increases resistance to other, more intense or chronic stressors.” (source here)
So, you see, at least two people agree with Nietzsche, including a doctor, which obviously makes Friedrich uber-correct on this issue and way ahead of his time (Surely, nobody thought that about him!).
But back on point, let’s get a little more specific with this explanation from Todd Becker: “Hormesis is a biological phenomenon whereby a beneficial effect (improved health, stress tolerance, growth or longevity) results from exposure to low doses of an agent that is otherwise toxic or lethal when given at higher doses. The philosophy of Hormetism… is based upon harnessing this biological phenomenon in a deliberate and systematic way in order to increase strength and resilience.” (source here)
NOW we’re starting to make some sense – thanks Todd! Exercise is a perfect example of hormesis. You stress the body just enough to elicit a positive adaptation. Vaccinations are another example as is taking a cold shower. There are tons of examples out there!
Todd goes on to say, “Hormetism puts forward the thesis that progressive hormesis is a general phenomenon that applies to virtually any stressor. Following the principles of intensity, constraint, oscillation, and gradualism… it should be possible to increase strength and tolerance with respect to a wide, virtually unlimited range of challenges and stressors.”
In other words, given the right dose, stress is extremely good for us in many ways. Are you starting to see the far-reaching implications this could have? Yeah, me too, but you’ll want to keep a few things in mind before you load a thousands pounds on the barbell or sign up for the special forces. So, let’s keep going! Continue reading How to Leverage Stress to Max Out in Life
Thanks to Chris at Conditioning Research for bringing this to my attention. The dangers associated with prolonged sitting is an important subject that we should not overlook. It was discussed here on Physical Living in an article from early 2010: Too Much Sitting = Too Bad For Your Health.
Natural movement has become a trendy topic these days with the rapidly rising awareness of parkour, freerunning, primal fitness, barefooting, and most recently, MovNat, which teaches the “natural movement training system.” Just the phrase itself, natural movement, begs an explanation. What is natural movement, and more importantly, are some movements more natural than others? If we can postulate that certain human movements are natural, then logically, some other movements must be unnatural. This creates problems in the fitness and natural movement communities because one group will argue that their movements are natural, and the other groups will disagree. This article will explore the middle ground that all parties mutually agree upon. By the end, you will have a working definition of natural movement and you’ll also understand the irony that natural movement doesn’t come naturally.
What is Natural Movement?
It might not be practical, but it's still natural!
There is no single accepted definition for natural movement because everyone has a different perspective about what the term natural implies. Some people argue that natural movement is only possible in a natural environment (think woodlands or tundra). Others argue that natural movement is possible in any environment that humans inhabit. Still others claim that natural movement must meet specific criteria before it is deemed “natural” (such as serving a practical purpose, for instance – if it’s not practical, it can’t be natural, after all – right?). By now, you can see the many disparities that arise out of the vagueness of the phrase natural movement.
We know that the term natural is defined as “of, relating to, or concerning nature.” A simpler definition is “in accordance with nature.” Therefore, natural movement is any movement that is in accordance with nature. As humans, we are of nature. Therefore, the movement capacities we have are natural. So, it’s logical to claim that any possible human movement is a natural movement.
This is most obvious with movements such as walking, running, and lifting. But within the spectrum of possible human movement, we must include such practices as acrobatics, athletics, martial art, dance, and even physical activities like contortionism and yoga, which may seem quite unnatural from some viewpoints. By this broad definition, waving to a friend, saluting your superior, doing the splits, and embracing a loved one are all natural movements. Continue reading Natural Movement Doesn’t Come Naturally: You Weren’t Born Perfect
Harvard professor, Daniel Lieberman, has ditched his expensive running shoes and started running barefoot. His research shows that barefoot runners, who tend to land on their forefoot, generate less impact shock to their body than runners wearing shoes who land heel first. This makes barefoot running comfortable and could minimize running-related injuries.
Note: This is part 2 of The Problem With Research series. Part 1 is here.
The truth is more important than the facts. Frank Lloyd Wright
FACTS.
They’re everywhere. You can find facts in a book, in a magazine, or on the World Wide Web. You can find people talking about facts on the news, in a political convention, or at a health professional conference. You can find facts almost everywhere you go because our culture bombards us with facts supporting this and facts supporting that. Facts are literally being fired off in every direction just like free throws in one of Shaq’s basketball games.
Here’s a brain-crasher: facts aren’t always true. In fact, some facts are false… deceptive… even lies. Other times facts are an illusion of the truth, but have been skewed into half-truths (this means that they’re not true!). There are a great many things that differentiate the truth from the facts.
Facts can be interpreted many different ways. Truth is known.
Facts can be used as evidence to support an opinion. Truth supersedes opinions.
Facts can be used out of context to create the illusion of truth. Truth is absolute.
The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is. Winston Churchill
I’d like to say that I’m bringing you a nice, refreshing article about how we as a physically-cultured society are moving forward to greater heights in health and fitness. I wish that I could say we’ve made excellent progress to raise awareness, provide assistance, and solve common problems that are facing those who have trouble adopting a physically-focused lifestyle. I wish that I could tell you things are getting better. Unfortunately, I would be lying through my teeth. Even if my molars, canines, and incisors were sealed shut with quick-drying, rubber cement, the lies would burst out of my nostrils (How’s that for graphic imagery? Don’t answer that.).
I’m sorry to report to you that we are making a TON of progress – rapid progress – towards a doomsday end of physical exuberance and youthful vitality. Even with the onslaught of information that is available about living a life of abundant health and vitality, we are still managing to deteriorate faster than the pothole-laden, frostheave-strewn New England roads in the dead of our snowy and occasionally frigid winter. Where do all those property taxes go anyways?
It’s the sad truth. Even though we know that we know that we KNOW that we shouldn’t remain sedentary for the better part of the day, we still are. At least that’s what I’ve been reading lately. Statistics are statistics, and they can lie, but we’re certainly moving in that direction – the sedentary direction, that is. Come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time I heard something refreshing in the news about health and fitness. Continue reading Too Much Sitting = Too Bad For Your Health
Disclaimer:While I wouldn’t call this a rant post (nobody likes a rant), I will stand very adamantly against a prevailing idea. It may seem like I utterly hate what’s happening, which is mostly accurate. However, I do feel that context is important when discussing matters such as these. So, in no way am I against the technological miracles that are being invented these days. I think most technology can be used for good things. But as is often the case, technology is misapplied into making life a little easier and killing us a little faster. And I would bet big money (if I had it) that this new technology will be marketed with the purpose of making profits, rather than helping serve true needs.
Watch this… you don’t need to see the whole video to get the idea.
Honda’s Walking Assistance Device Prototype
So, Honda has seen it fit to invent a walking assistance device (WAD). Splendid! After all, walking is such a strenuous activity. And we wouldn’t want to fatigue our leg muscles or injure our joints, would we?
This is just one more step towards my lifelong dream – to invent a HOVER-PAD for personal transportation. I’m already at work with the Honda research and development department, drafting first-run schematics and big-money marketing plans. After all, we wouldn’t want to overstress our hearts by walking – even with walking assistance devices, which can be so demanding on the delicate human frame. One day, billions of people will be grateful that I invented this Hover-Pad that now allows people only to move from laying down in their bed to standing up on the pad. They’ll never experience fatigue again!
But now that I’m thinking about it… all that standing has got to make people feel awfully tired. I know my legs get a little shaky after a few hours. Ah, I know what I’ll do. The HOVER-SEAT will be born! And if it reclines, it could double as a bed! Time to get a patent for that… (anybody seen Wall-E ???)
You see, there’s this little phenomenon known as hormesis.
