IOL Strength and Conditioning

One of the fundamental rules of weight training is to always use a full range of motion. What’s not so simple is figuring out what constitutes a “full range of motion.” It is not necessarily going as far as you can go; it’s as far as you can go in good form, with adequate strength and stability in the joints.

It isn’t unusual to discuss the maximum safe range of motion for some exercises. For example, most would agree you don’t want to squat lower than the range where you can keep a flat back. You don’t hear much talk about the safe range for the bench press. One exception is this article from Paul Chek. In the article, Chek details how it may be better to stop the bar a few inches short of the chest. If you look, you’ll find a lot of evidence to substantiate this.

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I’ve been more interested in my nutritional needs and wants than most, but unless the FDA or whoever does this, makes it plainer or easier to decipher than they do now, the nutrition disclosures on foods are not going to help educate the public enough to make a dent in their bad choice habits. And unless some concrete standard is established and widely circulated people will still have difficulty making more informed decisions. It can be done, but only if people will take time to look closely at the nutritional disclosures and understand the same. Sounds hopeless, eh?

Take a look at this MedPage article and see what you think.

I know life isn’t all about me and you know life isn’t all about you, but it’s a tough concept for most folks to accept. Truth is (it’s so obvious), you and I take care of ourselves so we are more able to take care of those around us. We are extraordinarily generous and considerate people, like a breed of our own. We lift weights that we may lighten the load for our neighbors. We eat healthy foods that we may care for the ill when they grow faint. We seek longevity because someone must attend the aging and failing in their time of need. We sleep, rest and relax with peace-loving diligence that we may serve others tirelessly. We, through our consistent exercise, develop discipline, patience and compassion, needed character qualities when called upon by God and man to mitigate strife and negotiate peace.

Alas, there are envious and narrow-minded beings across our precious planet who are unaware of personal responsibility and self-respect and accuse us of vanity and self-centeredness. Of us they say we are obsessed. We must understand their suffering, forgive them and try to reach them through our noble purpose, stature and behavior. We must work with them, for them and because of them, as we are all so vitally connected. When our gracious attempts to draw them to the right way of living and thinking fail, and ignoring them is unfair, immoral and impossible, do not fret. Fretting is one of the devil’s secret weapons.

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