WOW!!  Swiss Ball Training
        (Give me a Break!!)
                                
    Does anybody think that there are exercises done today that have not been done or thought of over the last 3000 years?  Does it not make sense that the tried and true exercises that we use as our foundation today have been proven time and again over these many generations?  Don't you think that the exercises using the Swiss (exercise) balls that you see in the fitness centers have not already been used in some form or another?  They have!

    I don't buy the explanation given for doing these exercises as being valuable because they recruit more neuro-synaptic pathways and thereby cause more muscle groups to work and thereby allow the trainee to become more strong and fit at a faster rate.  Give me a break!

    Show me one athlete that has spent a great deal of his or her time performing these circus exercises to develop themselves into the champions they are today.  You cannot. The tried and true stretch, strenghening and conditioning exercises are the ones that are still the most effective.

    I am amused at the contiuous attempts of major fitness centers to introduce "new" methods of training to accomplish great results in short periods of time.  Folks! This Does Not Happen!!! 

The hard core truth is that you MUST put in a lot of time and effort to get the desired results.  You must be consistent, persistent and devoted.  Your training must become a life style, not a fad or a fashion statement which disintegrates when the craze is over.

    After spending decades of training in strength and contact sports I can only tell you the way it is.  There is no easy road.  You must develop an attitude of achievment by making your training time fun.  Once that is accomplished, you will never make an excuse for not showing  up to train.  Why?  Because you'd be losing out on the fun.

   Does the Exercise Ball have value.  You bet it does.  It works with advanced athletes to increase balance and focus.  Other benefits include rehabilitation from injuries that require re-strengthening, and re-educating the body's balance and proprioception in specific recovery regions.  It can provide support while improving range of motion in various areas of the body.  These are only some examples. The bottom line is always develop the basics and the fundamentals of movement.  When all of the fluff is gone or not available, you can rely on the fundamentals.
   
Remember my motto....Do Simple Stuff!  Simplicity works every time.

For those not so politcally correct.....Shut up and train!!!

Looks like the government has reversed itself about the dangers of  Ephedra.  Wonder who bought them off.  I'll keep the article up indefinitely.  Please do a google search to find out more information about this substance.

Ephedrine Warning - Good, Bad and Ugly - the FDA says....STAY AWAY....Now it says It's Okay!   What??????

 Ma Huang, Ephedra, and Ephedrine are virtually synonymous.   For thousands of years, the Chinese have used the herb Ma Huang for treatment of ailments such as asthma and upper respiratory infections.  This substance stimulates the heart and also acts as a bronco-dialator.  Some of the interesting by-products include increasing the metabolic rate, which as we know increases our caloric usage. This increase in metabolism tends to mobilize fat stores more efficiently producing more energy.

 It is also known that when combined with small amounts of caffeine, an increase in thermogenic affect occurs.   This means more fat burning potential.   Pretty cool, huh?   Wait, there’s more.  Ephedra moderately increases the muscle fibers’ capability to contract. This, in turn allows lifters and bodybuilders to train with more intensity and with more weight.  This sounds like a power lifter’s and bodybuilder’s dream, huh?  Which of us out there would not want to increase the amount of weights used or to increase our training intensity or both?  With all of this good stuff, there comes a price tag.  We must all ask ourselves this question.  Are the positive effects realized by using ephedra worth the risk of the potential negative side effects? 

 If you have been following the various weight loss crazes over the last decade or so, you will notice that the most popular diet fads have all included ample amounts of ephedra.   It is known that this substance tends to suppress appetite and is a “natural” stimulant.   I emphasize “natural” because the bulk of the companies that use this substance get it from sources that have manufactured it synthetically.   You’ve heard much of the recent advertising on the radio and television with incredible testimonials as to the effectiveness of these and other products.  The most popular “diet pill” company (found in just about any shopping mall you visit) uses this additive in abundance and has had great results for those wishing the quick fix, ill-health method of losing weight.   This all sounds great, right?   Not so fast!

 Suppressing appetite and hunger is unnatural.  We must eat to sustain strong, healthy bodies.  I have always said that you must live a life style of vigorous strength and fitness training, pay attention to good nutritional habits and above all, be wise concerning supplementation.  In short, your goal should include living a healthful life style.  Forget about the quick fix mentality and stay geared up for the long-term process.  What does the long-term process entail?  Staying fit FOR LIFE!  If we are going to be fortunate enough to live into our nineties, I, for one, am certainly going to keep training and staying fit.   The convenient, quick fix mentality often takes folks to the brink of potentially dangerous health supplements.

 Are you aware, for example, that ephedrine is the primary substance used to manufacture meth-amphetamine (speed)?   I don’t claim to be a chemistry expert, so those of you that understand the nuts and bolts of chemistry please be patient with my explanation.   Every chemical compound has a “footprint” by which it can be identified.  The chemical footprint of meth-amphetamine and ephedrine are virtually identical with the exception of one hydrogen atom. (You chemistry buffs can correct me if I am wrong, but I think I am close enough for the sake of this article.)  This means that the adverse side effects of meth-amphetamine and ephedra are very close to the same.

 Ephedrine can produce such adverse reactions as heart attack, stroke, tachycardia (racing hear), paranoid psychosis, depression, convulsions, coma, fever, vomiting, and hypertension.  There are probably more, but you get the idea.  The manic and depressive episodes that accompany “speed” are certainly shared with the use of ephedrine.  I don’t know at this point if mild to moderate usage of this product will give you the benefits without the dangerous side effects.  You can bet, however, that just like everything else in America, we have a tendency to overuse and abuse.

There is a point to be made.  Ephedrine can obviously be used to enhance training sessions (outlawed, by the way, by the Olympic Committee for competing athletes).   It can also be used to take advantage of the thermogenic affects for those concerned about additional fat burning by the body.  But, I think it is wise to consider all of the possible side effects, especially when these effects can prove detrimental to your health.  You be the judge.  Remember, recently, we have seen the possible results of young athletes at all levels suffering from over-heating problems while training.  The body is definitely at a gross disadvantage under these harsh circumstances.  Ultimately, it is your body.  Remember the last part of my healthful lifestyle philosophy….”wise supplementation”.
 
 If there are any questions, you can always reach me via e-mail at drmuscle@drmuscle.com