Waterbury, along with some of today’s other top trainers, is right that training for performance is the best way to boost one’s athleticism AND aestheticism. Too often you see guys in the gym do about a dozen sets of chest exercises, followed by a few sets of curls and triceps pushdowns, and nothing else. There’s not a squat, deadlift, or even a row to be seen. Ironically, most of them don’t have any appreciable results to show for all their “beach muscle” training, and they give up after a few months. Giving up may be a good thing, ironically, as such an unbalanced approach to training, over the long-term, would probably lead to posture issues and joint pain.

As for the therapeutic methodologies, I think it’s possible to take that approach too far if one is not rehabbing an injury. A perfect example is the trend toward unstable training — like doing exercises standing on a bosu ball. As Eric Cressey has pointed out, most real world sports activities don’t happen on unstable surfaces, and trying to balance on these unstable surfaces is helpful only to those recovering from an ankle injury. For healthy exercises not looking to join the circus, it’s at best wasted effort that won’t make them stronger and, at worst, will get them injured.

for now…..seeing as im only 25….this seems to be just right for me right now…I’m in the second quarter of a 12 week program…….and Im feeling better than I have in a while…

I imagine as I get older…I’ll branch out a little bit more….either due to necessity or just plain boredom……

But atleast I know where to go when its time to move on to other things……

Nice Post A!

But… but but but… every sword has a very specific function. Braveheart’s claymore is useless anywhere but in two-handed, single combat with a lot of elbow room. A sabre is a dueling weapon, designed to get in and out quickly, where speed and finesse count. A katana is designed to draw and kill in a single motion, with the idea that if you take two swings at someone, it’s one too many.

You yourself have championed the idea of training for whatever specific purpose you’re after – frex, when I was firefighting I needed to put on muscle and stop with all the girly aerobics. For hockey I’ve had to work on anaerobic capacity. As a mom, I need quick reflexes and the ability to carry a child in either arm… :D

Anyway, I guess I’m saying that given our various occupations and pursuits, that people need different things depending on their function, right? Like for what I’m doing right now I’m a fine size, but if I wanted to go back and rock climb seriously there’s no question I’d have to cough drop some weight.

Just saying. Seems like each sword’s different, and clearly I’m the butter knife. :p

Mr. Incredible (I hope it’s okay to “out” you, Bob), great point about going too far with therapeutic work, just as (and I may have been overemphasizing lately) it’s possible to go too far with pounding your body into submission every time you go into the gym. Say hi to Helen, Dash, and Violet for me.

Norcal, it’s taken me till now, about 20 years into my exercising career, to take a shine to therapeutic methods, probably because I actually have some of the aches and pains they’re meant to address! In my 20’s, I thought therapeutic stuff was a waste of time. I’m not going to pull a “just you wait, young man!” here; arguably, if you’re a regular exerciser, you just gravitate towards what your body needs at any given time (Now where’s that wheelchair of mine…? I’ve gotta go scream at some kids to stay off my lawn).

Maenad, to unpack my (and CW’s) sword metaphor, you’re right—different swords serve different purposes; I just don’t have much use for a sword/physique that’s built solely to LOOK strong but isn’t. The claymore came to mind as a cool-looking sword that was also highly functional (though, as you note, not in every context). Thanks for educating us about weaponry too! I love that stuff. : )…