A Long Wait for an Olympic Weight Lifter

   A Canadian weight lifter got an early Christmas present but only after a long wait. (Pun intended)
 Christine Girard finished third for a bronze medal at the London Olympics in 2012. Blood samples were tested again using evolved procedures and the gold and silver medalists from Kazakhstan and Russia were found to be positive for steroids. The subsequent qualifications retroactively moved Christine Girard up into the gold medal position.
   This was not Christine's first such experience. At the 2008 Bejing Olympics she finished fourth. Another retroactive drug disqualification belatedly bumped her up to the 3rd place bronze medal position.
   Blood and urine samples collected from competitors at major championships are tested and then frozen and stored. Samples are then retested years later using more advanced technology.

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Bronze medal in this competition. 

This is not the first time that this has happened to Canadian Olympians. In the 2002 winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, cross country skier Beckie Scott won Canada's first ever Olympic

 medal in that sport by snatching a bronze for 3rd place. Both athletes ahead of her failed follow up doping tests. Beckie was eventually moved up to a silver medal and then a gold medal position almost 2 and 1/2 years later.
Shot putter Dylan Armstrong finished 4th at the 2008 Beijing summer games. He was upgraded to a bronze in 2013 after another former east block country member was caught positive on a enhanced doping test at a later date. 

"Better late than never!" some may say. Justice sometimes proceeds at its own place. However besides having to wait for the truth to prevail there are other disadvantages to getting your just rewards retroactively.

• The athlete is denied the actual moment of glory. Receiving the accolades at the time of victory in front of a cheering crowd always trumps a conciliatory victory ceremony later on.
• The fair playing competitor may lose out on funding from the national sports association and//or sponsorship money. These are usually performance based. 
• The cheated competitor will usually recoup the national sports association funding but until justice prevails they are out of pocket. This is often needed funding for training and living expenses. 
• The aggrieved athlete can lose out on endorsement deals. Many sports are only in the limelight during the Olympic period. If the athlete does not strike when the iron is hot these deals are history.  Re-allocated success after the fact rarely brings about the same financial opportunity.

   Nevertheless, congratulations and kudos are in order for Christine Girard. She is the only Canadian woman Olympic medalist in the sport of weight lifting.

   In 2018 Beckie Scott resigned as a member of WADA , the World Anti Doping Agency. She disagreed with the WADA decision to reinstate the Russian Doping Agency after a ban for covering up a Russian state sponsored doping program. I would say that Beckie has good reason for her stance.

Gold medal this time.

   Weight lifters have have always been subjects of both my admiration and envy. As a former middle distance runner, I am probably composed of roughly 50% fast twitch muscle fiber and 50% slow twitch muscle fiber. World class weight lifters are fast twitch fiber phenomenons! They have superhuman explosive muscle power as well as expert technique and coordination. Alas, it also makes it a sport in which the use of performance enhancing drugs such as steroids would give an advantageous boost. Sports that are rife with such doping also have enhanced qualification standards as a result of skewed statistics. That makes it difficult for 'natty' (natural) athletes to even qualify for world championships or Olympics.
   Coincidentally, I was just about to post this blog when I came across a timely news flash. Five weight lifters from former Soviet states tested positive for steroids in retests from the 2012 London Olympics.Two of these doping positives were with gold medal winners. More early Christmas presents for weight lifters who had to wait!

Keep Fit over the Christmas Holidays

Little Bobby Strong

 Links

www.fitnwell.com

www.rabbitview.com

   

Humor, Fitness Training, and a Politically Correct World

 We live in a new era. Political correctness has run amok!   Suddenly huge multitudes of the populace are ready to be offended and cry that they are a victim. Even seemingly harmless jokes can explode on social media and lead to contrite apologies and shattered careers. Unless this trend implodes I can foresee a day in which there will be no more stand up comics. Every joke is making fun of someone or some thing! To query "Why did the chicken cross the road?" may be demeaning to poultry and will likely offend someone who does not eat chicken. In such an explosive climate I decided to revise an old blog on Fitness Trainers and humor.

It is often said that humor is a good thing to have in the workplace. Having a laugh can take the edge off of the tension. A lighthearted workplace can actually be an enjoyable place to work. A joyless workplace can be uninviting!  I have worked in places where my coworkers were always dead serious. I have worked in other places where joking around was common. I much prefer the latter environment. However, in the fitness business as in every workplace, the wrong type of humor at the wrong time can be a lit dynamite stick of grief. It could even get you fired! If you have your own Fitness Training business such trouble can harm your reputation and in the worst scenario can invite a harassment complaint.
   Working out can can be hard! Muscle fatigue and anaerobic intensity can cause brief discomfort. Some clients may be uptight about working out or they may feel uncomfortable around fit people. I want to make the workout experience enjoyable for my clients even if the workout is tough.  Enjoyment heightens the commitment.  However it is important to develop a knack for reading your client. Keep in mind the following points:

• Some people just don't have a sense of humor. They may feel that you are not a serious person if you joke around. They may even get annoyed. 
• Fitness trainers often deal with people that have poor body image and other issues. Something said in jest may unintentionally offend them.
•  Your client may not be used to your beer league hockey or rugby fest tradition of locker room irreverence. They may find it shocking and revolting.
• Someone nearby may overhear something that you say to your client. They may object.
• Beware of that rare person looking to make an example of someone by complaining. Don't put yourself in a position to be their target!

   I am not saying that a Fitness Trainer can't joke around.  I am saying know your client well! 

One of my long time clients was of a biblical religion historically older than mine. I would get him to the anaerobic pain threshold on the exercise bike. The usual quip was that I would lower the intensity if he converted. I knew this client well! With someone else such a joke could well have been a career breaker. It also depends upon the environment. What flies in a hard core musclehead weight room setting could well lead to big time trouble in a more civilized exercise environment.

   Humor that offends may be labelled as 'inappropriate'. The problem is that some people are very easily offended. Minimize your chances of getting into trouble with such people. Unless you know your client well, avoid the following:

• Sexual humor.  Heed the Rolling Stones lyrics "Don't play with me, cause you're playing with fire!"  This path can get you burnt!
• Religious jokes. (Remember, I knew my long time client very well)
• Racial jokes. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! Archie Bunker is dead!
• Family members. Yours or your client's are off limits for jokes. 
• Politics. This topic can turn ugly quickly. I once lost a potential wealthy client by ribbing him the day after a federal election that went badly for his ideological voting choice.
• Jokes relating to your client's weight or shape. You are there to help them remedy that,  not poke fun at them.

   If you happen to slip up and say something that offends,.....apologize immediately!

Don't let it fester. Hope and pray that the client puts it in the past.
   In the blogging world, I can always proof read and double check my words before I press the publish icon. In the real world, once you open your mouth the words are out there. If someone catches you with a cell phone camera there can be no chance of denial! There is no second chance.  After that, there is only damage control!

   You want your client to keep coming to you for training. You also want them to tell their friends about you and help market you. You want the sessions to be an enjoyable experience rather than a physical torture session. Be smart. Always be ready to smile but if in doubt back off on the jokes!

   Now for a Canadian style- beer league hockey locker room joke. A baby seal walks into a club......
As for  the age old question'Why did the chicken cross the road?'  It was because the Snap Fitness went under so he went over to join Planet Fitness!

"Did you hear the one about !?**# ?"
If in doubt about the appropriateness of the humor, don't use it. 

Until next time,.......keep fit! 

Little Bobby Strong!


 Links

www.fitnwell.com

www.rabbitview.com

What Ever Happened to Nautilus?

    Last week I stumbled across a YouTube video that showed the abandoned former Nautilus fitness equipment headquarters in central Florida. The warehouse where the equipment was fabricated was deserted and crumbling. The office buildings were in a similar run down condition . The property that had once been the roaming grounds of imported exotic animals had reverted to a natural jungle like state. Nautilus had been a trendsetter in the world of exercise equipment. Its founder, Arthur Jones, had been a square peg in the round hole that was the fitness industry. What happened?

• Arthur Jones was a bodybuilder, renaissance man, world traveler and inventor. 
• In 1970, after years of experimentation, Jones patented the first Nautilus weight lifting machine. 
• Instead of using a traditional pulley system, this machine used a cam that resembled the shell of a sea mollusk known as the Nautilus - hence the name.
• The cam used variable resistance that 'reputedly' mimicked the natural strength curve of a muscle powered joint action.
• Nautilus machines became the lifting mode of choice at many fitness clubs which were multiplying rapidly during the 1970's and 1980's.
• Nautilus even went into franchising with Nautilus fitness clubs appearing in cities throughout North America. My hometown of Ottawa, Canada had 2 such clubs with a 3rd one across the river on the Quebec side.
• Nautilus also branched over into manufacturing treadmills and stationary bikes.
• As the fitness industry exploded the Nautilus brand became famous.
• The Miami Dolphins of the NFL became the first athletes other than bodybuilders to endorse Nautilus training. Their home base installed a collection of Nautilus machines for the players to work out with.
• Ellington Darden, a PhD in exercise science wrote numerous books espousing the Nautilus brand and the sometimes debatable Nautilus training concepts.

A Nautilus biceps curl machine. Interestingly, instead of starting from
waist level, the elbows re already raised in shoulder flexion.

How do the Nautilus machines and training concepts match up with current exercise knowledge?

• The cam system may not have been as beneficial as advertised.  Supposedly the resistance is supposed to feel greater when the the muscle is in its strongest position mechanically and feel less at the muscle's weakest position. The natural strength curve of each person may differ depending on the person's size and bone length. Is a machine also capable of improving the natural muscular movement of lifting with a free weight? Unlikely.
• Many of the Nautilus Machines isolate a single muscular group.  For those desiring hypertrophy or increased muscle size such as bodybuilders, isolation work may be desirable. For sports performance or functional movement, isolation weight training especially with machines has less transference.  For those activities it is best to train movements rather than individual muscles.  The Miami Dolphins would likely have been better served with dynamic free weightexercises and plyometrics.
• Resistance training machines, not just Nautilus, are taking the exerciser through a single plane of motion. Human movement is usually multi-planar.   
• Nautilus claimed that its machines were safer than free weights or body weight resistance exercises. In the short term, this is true. In the long term training muscles rather than movements may lead to imbalances, causing muscular  compensations and eventually resulting in dysfunction and injury.  
• Nautilus training methods revolved around high intensity training (HIT) or more specifically training using only 1 set until momentary muscular failure occurred which was usually from 8 to 12 repetitions (up to 20 reps for lower body muscles). This method can increase muscle size but most scientific literature supports better results with multiple sets with  3 sets being a sensible target.
• Nautilus advocates claim that HIT methods on a Nautilus machine are superior to free weights or other machines. Some top bodybuilders including some Mr. Olympia winners are touted as having followed the Nautilus regime. The reality is that these bodybuilders often performed 2 or 3 progressively heavier warm-up sets before doing the main set of repetitions to failure. That sounds to me like a version of multiple set training.
• The Nautilus method also emphasizes eccentric or negative contractions in which the muscles resist gravity ans the weight is being lowered. The usual sequence is a 2 count for raising the weight and a 4 count or more for lowering the weight. Advanced Nautilus training can use all eccentric training for some workouts. Eccentric contractions can certainly increase muscle size but sometimes the muscle needs more recovery time afterwards.
• Nautilus principles emphasize the importance of recovery time - 48 hours or more between intense workouts. This is a sound truism because muscles grow during rest and recovery.

   There was a period of time when I did extensive training on Nautilus machines. I would either finish a hard running session or wrestling practice depending on what stage of my weekend warrior career that I was in. I was usually so physically trashed by then that training for one set to failure on Nautilus fit my needs. Had I trained multiple sets I risked over training. I also didn't want to spend time changing barbell plates. As a result, my physique was quite buffed but there was less functional carry over affect to the sports that I was doing than would have been optimal. However, I enjoyed working out on Nautilus and at the time I was a convert. Besides, by this point I my life I knew that was not going to make any Olympic teams as a late bloomer!

The Nautilus Hip and Back machine. This was one of the first resistance training machines
 that actually targeted the often neglected gluteus maximus muscles of the rear end.

   One apparatus  that was actually ahead of its time was the Nautilus hip and back machine. This machine attempted to integrate the gluteus maximus muscles of the butt into a compound lower body movement. Many resistance exercises neglect the glute max as a prime mover in hip extension and  over strengthen the hip flexor and hamstring muscles. It was an awkward machine to use for some people but give Nautilus credit for trying.   
  
   You don't hear very much about Nautilus lately. What happened to them?

• Arthur Jones sold Nautilus in 1986.    
• The present day Nautilus is in Vancouver, Washington. They also own Bowflex and Stairmaster.
• The Nautilus line now markets home equipment more than the larger fitness center resistance training machines.  
• Arthur's son Gary Jones owns Hammer Strength. 
• The club where I work out has replaced its aging Nautilus machines with Hammer Strength machines. The family tradition survives.
• There are few large fitness centers that have actual Nautilus machines any more.
• There are still clubs using the Nautilus name but they are primarily smaller fitness studios rather than large fitness centers.

The convenience of training on Nautilus machines attracted many people that would not have begun working out otherwise. For that reason alone the name Nautilus should hold an honored place of honor in fitness history!

Until next time,  Keep Fit   
Little Bobby Strong    

  Links

www.fitnwell.com

www.rabbitview.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancarle/?ppe=1

                                          

Cross Training

   There was a time when athletes were often multi - sport competitors. High school athletes might play football in the fall, basketball in the winter and do track and field in the spring. Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky used to enjoy the change from hockey to baseball in the spring. Hockey's Golden Jet, Bobby Hull was a high school fullback in football before the junior hockey season started up. In essence  this was what is now known as cross training!
  A more recent trend has seen school age athletes forsake the multi-sport experience for specialization in a single sport. This is usually done with the prodding of coaches and parents. Kids in hockey often play all fall, winter and spring and have hockey camps and summer league hockey in what used to be an off-season. This can often lead to mental fatigue, physical injury and a high drop out rate with an age demographic that already has issues with sedentary versus active lifestyles.

   Cross Training is defined as the participation in other sports or exercise activities to supplement the primary sport. Cross training can be multifarious.

• The running boom of the 1970's led to numerous runners suffering injuries from overuse or repetitive strain. Many took up swimming or bicycling to keep fit until they recovered.
• This link between endurance running, cycling and swimming indirectly gave some innovator the idea to create the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii.
• A shorter version of the Ironman has become the Olympic sport of Triathlon.
• Cross country skiing is another supplemental activity often done by endurance runners. It is actually a more complete full body workout than running due to the intense pushing off with the ski poles.
• Speed skating and bicycling seems to have a great carry over effect. Our most decorated Canadian Olympian, Clara Hughes scored medals in speed skating and cycling.
• Sprint cyclists seem to transition well to sprint speed skating (and vice versa) and endurance skaters tend to adapt well to endurance cycling. 
• Cycling is a linear movement in a sagittal  plane whereas speed skating has a great deal of lateral movement in a transverse plane. The commonality is in the energy systems used.
• Even weight training for a particular sport  can be considered a form of cross training.
• Cross training is not be confused with CrossFit which is form of high intensity resistance training that has evolved into a sport of its own. However CrossFit can be used by athletes in other sports as a form of cross training.
• Another unique cross training trend has seen speed/power athletes such as track and field sprinters take up Bobsledding in the winter.
• MMA /UFC fighter George St. Pierre used to incorporate a day of gymnastics workouts into his training cycle.

   An interesting cross training success story occurred with an athlete from my hometown of Ottawa, Canada. Mike Woods was a high school distance running sensation. He ran on a scholarship at the University of Michigan. However, severe recurring injuries ended his track career. Mike had always been a recreational bicyclist. To fill the void of not running he began cycling and realized that his exceptional aerobic endurance had a great carry over effect. Mike got serious about the sport and;

1. Competed in the Olympics in endurance cycling

2. Won a stage at the Vuelta a Espana as a pro cyclist.

3. Scored a 3rd place Bronze medal at the World Cycling Championships in the road race.

The Tour de France is next on his dance card.

   What are the best ways to incorporate cross training into a fitness program?

• Choose an activity that you enjoy. That way there is less chance of mental burn out.
• Select an activity that uses the same energy systems (e.g. aerobic, anaerobic or alactic) but different movements. The energy systems recover quickly. The muscles recover more slowly.
• An exception to the rule would be to replace running with aqua-running (running in water with a flotation vest). The movements are similar but the lack of ground impact in the water spares the body from physical trauma.
• Perform the cross training on separate days to the primary sport or during the off season.
• Sometimes the best cross training is rest! Even with cross training, more is not always better!

   Now here is an example of cross training that was less than successful.During an early mid life crisis I decided to rekindle my amateur wrestling career which had ended in high school. I wrestled 4 days a week and played hockey with my work cronies on Wednesdays. Both sports use mostly the alactic and anaerobic energy systems. My misguided was theory that the carry over training effect would make me an unstoppable powerhouse on the ice.The sobering reality was that:

1. Hockey is stops, starts, short bursts of skating, and easy skating between bursts. Amateur wrestling is isometric grappling, sudden, dynamic reactions and almost constant muscle tension of one muscular system or another.
2. It is hard to play hockey when every part of the body feels like it has been pulverized with a hammer.
3. My hockey playing coworkers in those non contact hockey games were not adverse to accidentally making contact against my already pain sensitive physicality.

   Despite my less than successful exception, cross training can be a useful tool to help avoid repetitive strain injuries, and physical or mental fatigue due to single sport over training. Like in the case of the runner turned cyclist, you may even discover your true calling.

Until next time,  Keep Fit!

Little Bobby Strong

Links

www.fitnwell.com

www.rabbitview.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancarle/?ppe=1

   

Bodybuilder Gone Bad - The Letter Bomber

   Last week two ex USA presidents, a presidential candidate, high profile Democrats, Democrat supporters such as actors and philanthropists were targeted with letter bombs .Fortunately, none of the letter bombs exploded. On Friday police arrested a 56 year old Florida man named Cesar Sayoc.
   According to the Associated Press "Cesar Sayoc is an amateur bodybuilder, and a former male stripper, a loner with a long arrest record who showed little interest in politics." Apparently, the recent interest in politics was not that of an enthusiastic voter or democracy participant.
   He also played college soccer but did not graduate. More recently he was a D.J. at a strip club, a pizza delivery driver, and a waste truck driver.

Alleged letter bomber, male stripper and amateur bodybuilder Cesar Sayoc.

   Sayoc has a long arrest record. He even did probation for making a bomb threat. His recent online presence showed that he hosted a simmering rage towards opponents of his political views. Conversely, many co-workers describe him as someone who always liked to joke around and was easy to get along with. Others describe him as someone with anger control issues.

With guns like those, why resort to letter bombs?

   Being fit and working out vigorously can be a great tonic for mental health. However, in extreme cases of anger, rage or depression, advanced and more specific aid may be required. A healthy body works best with a healthy mind and a healthy spirit. If either of the 3 are out of kilter, dysfunction can occur.

   Fitness Trainers with clients that exhibit such behavior should develop a sense of when the situation is beyond their scope of practice. In such cases-always refer the client to a medical or health specialist!

   In this case there was likely no Fitness Trainer involved. Many bodybuilders train themselves and seek advice only from other gym rats or muscle heads. 

   There will be more to come in the future news on this bodybuilder gone bad!

Until Next Time,  Keep Fit

Little Bobby Strong

Links

www.fitnwell.com

www.rabbitview.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancarle/?ppe=1

   

Bear Naked in the Wild

   Back in the 1990's, I used to go to an amateur wrestling camp in Jasper, Alberta to upgrade my coaching certifications. Jasper is a resort town on the eastern edge of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.During free time I would either go for a run or a mountain bike ride through the many picturesque trails. It seemed like every year my adrenaline surged into an extra gear because of a near bear encounter. They are described as follows:

1. I was running back to town at the tail end of a 90 minute run. It was getting near dusk. I saw what looked to be the rear end of a black Labrador Retriever dog about 50 meters ahead. Whoops! It was no black lab. It was a black bear that had not yet noticed me. I found an extra gear of speed as I reversed direction. The bear was blocking my path home. I bush-wacked through a swamp to the Yellowhead Highway and staggered home, fearful, soaking wet, and muddy.
2. Another time I was on a different trail on a mountain bike. A black bear and I came face-to-face about 10 feet apart. The bear ran off one way and I turned and cycled off the other way.
3. This time I was on a mountain bike and a black bear cub ran across my path. Where there is a cub, there is usually a quick-to-anger mother nearby!  This time I just hit top gear and kept going straight ahead hoping that the mother was not in that direction. Fortunately I guessed right!

   My latest bear sighting happened two weeks ago in the hills of Gatineau Park just north of Ottawa, Canada. Once again I saw what I thought was 1 black Lab dog, then 2 more black Lab dogs. Except that they were bear cubs. Then in the shade nearby was the watchful mamma bear. This was a picnic area/parking lot area that was close to some housing subdivisions. I was far enough away to be safe and and too far to get a decent cell phone picture.. I warned some hikers about the bears.
On the return from my bike bride, the bears were gone. There was a warning sign posted by the parking area.

This is how my cellphone picture could have looked. In my case, the cubs
were more spread out and the mamma bear was watching them closely.

This brings us to the pertinent question. What do you do if you encounter  a bear (or bears) in the wilderness or semi-wilderness. The expert consensus is that if the bear has not noticed you then you backtrack calmly and quietly.
If the bear is aware of your presence the following recommendations are suggested:

• Survey the Scene:  Are there cubs nearby? Is there an escape route? 
• Don't Run:    I know, that is easier said than done. Bears can outrun a human on flat ground or running downhill. If you are a fit person, the instinct would be to use your asset which is your mobility. If you are on a bike and have enough distance you may have a chance if there is a downhill nearby. However experts advise against this.
• Retreat Slowly if Possible: Slowly back away. Create space. Don't ditch the back back if you have one. In the worst case, it may provide some protection.
• Climb a Tree: If you are in a wooded area look for a tree to climb. Bears can climb better than you but the hope is that once you are off of the ground they may no longer perceive you as a threat.
• What if the Bear Runs at You?:  Bears sometimes bluff with a fake charge before launching a real attack. That is your cue to keep backing away. I don't think you will need much convincing for that.
• Carry Pepper Spray: If you can spray the bear at close range in the face the bear may give up the charge.This should be a last resort used for a real attack that is not a bluff charge. 
• Play Dead: Some experts feel that if you are submissive and non threatening, the bear will back off. Personally, I doubt that I could pull that off without intense shaking. This should be a last resort. Lie face down or in a fetal position with the hands covering your head.
• As a Final Last Resort - Fight Back: If the attack is defensive and not predatory, fighting back may cause a black bear to back off. You would want to strike for vulnerable areas such as the eyes, throat or groin. Attempting a Greco Roman wrestling suplex throw is not a wise move. 
• Seek Help Afterwards: Once you think the bear is gone, get out of there.
• What if Its a Grizzly Bear or Polar Bear: The same rules apply but your chances of surviving are less. These bears are more likely to see humans (or Peoplekind as our Prime Minister calls them) as dinner. If you encounter a Polar Bear there is unlikely to be a good climbing tree nearby. 
• Pray: Never forget this survival skill.
• Safety in Numbers: Travel off of the main tracks only with a companion or better still, a group of companions.
• Carry a Cell Phone in the Wild: The purpose of getting out on the trails is to escape the electronic trap. However, it would be wise to carry a cell phone for emergencies whether bear related or other.

In summary, don't get caught bear naked in the wild.

Until Next Time,   Keep Fit

Little Bobby Strong

Links
www.fitnwell.com

www.rabbitview.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancarle/?ppe=1

Can a More Active Population Save Our Planet from Doom?

...........(I dusted off and revised an old blog given its relevance to our current world situation)........

There is an ongoing debate over whether or not we are detrimentally affecting the world's atmospheric environment.

There are climate change believers and climate change deniers!  In my previous existence prior to my Fitness Training career, I had a university degree in Geography and worked in the Environmental field.
I am a believer and have difficulty understanding deniers. I actually find the climate change debate between believers and deniers rather futile. It seems counter productive!
   It is irrefutable that industry and cars can produce gaseous waste. Too much waste can pollute! No matter how far to the political right that you are, how can you argue that? Trying to reduce gaseous emissions can only be a good thing.
   My environmental days happened in the Canadian west. That's oil country! I totally understand the importance of energy extraction as the engine that fuels that economy. I like to try to see the middle ground and look at ways that the fossil fuel business can help fund the growth of alternative energy sources that may have less environmental impact.
   Unfortunately those at the left and right extremes see everything in black and white. This stunts the search for real, practical answers!
   Fortunately, Alberta has a premier who seems to think like me. Use the revenue from oil production to fund the move to alternative, greener forms of power. 

   What does this have to do with Fitness Training! According to the 2012 book "The End of Growth" by Jeff Rubin, one of the most successful countries at reducing emissions has been Denmark. They have many wind farms but most of their energy still comes from coal. Coal is a significant source of pollution and emission.
   So how does Denmark do it? They have made oil prices costly.
When this happens there are possible effects:

• People may drive less. 
• They may tend to live closer to where they work. 
• They take public transit more often.
• They run, bike, walk, skate, or ski more to get around instead of taking a car.

This could have longer term consequences:

• Urban sprawl with it's low density, sidewalk-lacking, automobile dependent environment may become less of a choice for short sighted urban managers and land speculators.
• People may become more active.
• People may decide to park their personal cars and seek other modes of mass transport or join car-sharing clubs.
• Emissions may actually drop.

   Hamlet said "Something is rotten in Denmark!" Well it smells less rotten now. Other countries may follow the Dane's example out of necessity.

A walk or bike ride to work might be healthier

   As people become more active because of fuel costs, they may decide to take the next step and seek the services of a Fitness Trainer. Conversely, energy costs may force them to become more money conscious and curtail non-essential spending.
There is also the issue with luring the youth of today away from their electronic gadgets and back to the playing fields/courts and the great outdoors.
Will it be Boom or Bust for future Fitness Trainers? I'm betting on the Boom!

Fresher air and fitter days could lay ahead!

Until next time,...keep fit!



Little Bobby Strong
Links
www.fitnwell.com

www.rabbitview.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancarle/?ppe=1

Reference
Rubin, Jeff  The End of Growth (2012) Random House Canada

   

Online Gaming Tutors for Kids! Is This for Real????

    I saw this news feature on T.V. recently that almost floored me, but it really should come as no surprise.
 Parents are now hiring online gaming tutors for children! Yes, you heard me correctly. (From my observations, most children are already experts at this). Furthermore, parents -mostly Dads- are also hiring such tutors for themselves in order to spend more quality time with their children! Why take them for a hike or throw a ball around when you can sit on the couch and bond while blasting online zombies or hostile alien spacecraft? This is a sign of the times and the likely wave of the future.


 The training starts early! They are ready for the online gaming tutor.


 This matter leads me to a few personal observations:

• The fees for online gaming tutors range from $25.00 and up. Ironically, that is the same price range for hiring most Fitness Trainers which might be a better use of the money for purposes of health and physical well being.
• I have acquaintances with outdoor swimming pools. They often have to coax their kids to go go out for a swim even on a scorching hot day. Why jump into a pool of unknown temperature when they can play with their electronic gadgets on a sofa in an air conditioned room?
• Organized sports for youth are still booming. Unorganized sports, also known as physical play, are an endangered species. 
• School boards in a certain district banned soccer balls from school playgrounds because some unlucky pupil got hit in the head. You can't totally blame the school officials. Insurance and liability issues often become a factor.
• We used to play a schoolyard game of chase in the winter known as 'British Bulldog'. The person that was 'it' would attempt to tackle those that he pursued. The snow cushioned the tackle.
• I do not remember any serious injuries. You learned to relax when getting tackled.
• We had a kid at school named' D. W.' who was an overweight 250 pounds. Occasionally someone would get winded if tackled by D. W. 
• Even though D. W. was overweight he was active and was actually a capable athlete in any sport requiring some strength or power. 
• School physical education classes are also an endangered species. Most schools are phasing them out for more computer related learning.
• The fitness club where I work out has a kid zone where there are gaming exercise machines. The participants must run or cycle to create the energy source to power the machines, These machines sit idle. 
• Meanwhile the regular sedentary video machines located in the lobby are surrounded by kids. or else they use their own hand held devices.
• Go by any elementary school in the late afternoon and there is a line up of parents in cars waiting to drive their children home. Heaven forbid they should fall prey to the hordes of evil child abductors while getting exercise by walking home. 
• There are exceptions to this anti-activity epidemic. Skateboarders seem to rebel against the sedentary system in significant numbers. Likewise with snowboarders. All is not lost -yet!

   Twenty years from now, there may be an exponentially greater demand for Fitness Trainers. However, first they will have to market their product and make it more appealing that what the online gaming tutors are selling. Good luck with that. L.O.L.

You have to admit - the gaming tutors produce gaming scholars!

Until next time,  Keep Fit

Little Bobby Strong
 
 Links
www.fitnwell.com

www.rabbitview.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancarle/?ppe=1