Supplements are bad but Cults are ok? The Super Bowl won't run an ad from GNC,but will run one by Scientology.

Well here is an interesting example of modern morality.Which doesn't look particularly moral.

Super Bowl LI ( 51 ) will be played February 5,2017.The game is huge of course,but so are the ads.
It's a big deal to get an ad to run during the broadcast.It's going to be seen by a lot of eyes,and talked about.
So the NFL has to choose which ads to run.Some ads get rejected.
Here's where it gets interesting this year.
The supplement store General Nutrition Centers, or GNC submitted an ad.It wasn't accepted.
Because GNC carries a few products that contain substances banned by the NFL.DHEA,and Synephrine being two.
The NFL even bars players from endorsing GNC.
So GNC spent all that money just to see their ad rejected.Here's a story from Fortune.
The ad itself is uncontroversial.Slick pretty pictures of diverse people doing impressive things.
Fast cut.Little context.But ok.

It's called GNC;the courage to change.

Why are these legal supplements even banned? DHEA is not a popular prohormone with young males.See the research.Is Synephrine actually dangerous? Decide for yourself.
But honestly the chances that any player in the NFL is using them is slim.
There have been incidences in the past of athletes,including football players,suffering severe reactions to some substances in supplements.Ephedra would be a prime example.So the concern is not unreasonable.But I think it's going overboard to ban this ad.The overwhelming majority of their vitamins,and supplements are legal,and not banned.

Here's the big stink for the NFL.It smells like weed.
The drug testing policies are notoriously easy to beat.
Deadspin from 2015
The Boston Globe from 2015
They do test more often for PEDS.But who would be surprised if players were beating those too.
The league has an understandable interest in protecting player's heath.That's a legitimate issue.
I'm sure we'll all glad they care.
Shame they didn't care a little more about chronic head trauma.CTE in the NFL is a tragic subject.
Just ask Dr Bennet Omalu.
You may be able to view the whole documentary League of Denial depending what country you're from.It's a great documentary.
So here's a crucial truth about muscular hulking men going on rampages.It's not all 'roid rage' folks.
Beating a man's brains in for years will scramble his cognition permanently.And the deterioration can be fatal.

So the NFL dropped the ball on the critical issue of concussions.But now they're virtue posturing about a few supplements.
Well,at least their intentions are good.

Oops.Maybe a little slip in judgment here.They are approving a commercial by the Church of Scientology!
A creepy,mind fucking cult that bleeds people dry of money while promising to clear them of space cootie infections.
It will ruin a person's mind too.It just takes longer.
But they call themselves a 'religion'.So they must be holy? Or more like wholly full of shit.
And the Scientologists have some weird ideas about supplements too.They give people high doses of vitamins,and make them sweat.It's called the purification rundown.
It's pure quackery,and very dangerous.
This organization unquestionably actively hurts people.It does.On purpose too.
The NFL will run their vapid commercial..because.....?
I don't know.I really don't.
I guess Roger Goodell hasn't read "Going Clear" yet.( or seen the film )

Sigh.
Just pointing out the weirdness.I understand the desire to appear moral,and on the right side of things.It's got to have some kind of good intention with it.To genuinely make the world a better place.
Don't promote things that hurt people.Right?
At least inform them,and let them choose their own course.
Why does it go so wonky so often?
Let's keep working on that.

And stay away from Scientologists offering 'personality tests'.
Go work out.

Captain Dopemerica?

Here's a little humor from Cracked.(which is btw prone to some adult humor )

Just wait until the Russians hear about this!

Bench Press Safety

Recently there was a news story about a young man who died in a bench pressing accident.Kyle Thompson,age 22 of Ankeny, Iowa died in the gym bench pressing 315lbs with a spotter.He wanted to get in great shape,and join the police force to be a K9 handler.
These kinds of accidents are very rare.The article states;

 A 2010 study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found deaths from weightlifting are rare. The center reported that from 1990 to 2007, almost 1 million Americans were treated in emergency rooms for weight-training injuries. Less than 2% resulted in long-term hospitalization. Researchers estimated there were 114 deaths caused by weight-training injuries nationwide during that 18-year period.

But you sure don't want to become one of those statistics.I imagine someone's mom in the kitchen making potato salad,and there's a knock at the door.It's the police come to tell her her kid just got rushed to the hospital after dropping a barbell on their chest.
I doubt this poor hapless young man's family will ever fully recover from losing their son like this.

The fact is it is dangerous to have a weight over your throat,and chest.There's only so much impact the human skeleton can take.Hundreds of pounds falling in a split second is going to crush you.
There's a video on YouTube of a Russian power lifter attempting a bench press when his grip slipped,and he dropped the weight.His chest was horribly impacted.He died later.
He had spotters.They didn't help.
( I'm not going to include the video in this post.Look it up if you want.But be warned.it's grim.There were three spotters.One at the head stepped away.Right side stepped back.Left stayed.I can't tell for certain if he was using a full grip.It looks like he was.I think his left wrist gave out.)

There are three main issues to bench press safety.
1.The weight you can lift - Don't get arrogant,and stupid.Even if you don't die,or break a bone, you
   could rip a pectoralis.You'll end up with a hideous bruise,and a gap in your chest.
   Use common sense.Increase your weights responsibly.
2.Your Grip - DON'T use a suicide grip! They call it that for a damn good reason.You need a full
    grip with thumbs wrapped around the bar.(This grip is also called a thumbless grip,or a false grip.)
3.A safety rack - This is the big one.If you think humans can catch a bar falling on you;you have
    more faith in human infallibility than I do.Don't bet your life on it!
    All heavy barbell bench presses should be done in a power rack.The safety bars will stop
    the barbell.
    If you can't lift it,lower it.Guarantied safe if used correctly.
    There are also bench press benches that have safety supports.
    My opinion is a proper rack is superior.But most of the bench press benches are probably
    well made

This is a Power Rack.It is your friend.

Barbell Bench Press in a rack.Your chest can't be crushed.

These are also called Squat Racks.Any respectable weightlifting gym will have several.I'm sure there can be traffic jams in gyms to use the racks.That's a real issue.
But if you are going to do heavy benching you deserve a safe way to do it.
You don't want grief counselors in a gym.

If you have a home gym, a power rack should be the cornerstone of your set-up.I have a power rack with a pulley system made by BodySolid.I bought it from Fitness Factory many years ago.Good as the day I got it except for a few dings to the paint job.With the adjustable bench,I'm set for all lifts.Squats are safe.Benches are safe.

There are techniques for dealing with a failed bench without safety supports.A few common sense tips if you are lifting on a regular bench.
1.Don't lift more than you can lift for a few reps,and don't let it down if you aren't confident of
   another rep.
2.Don't collar your bars.-You can dump the plates off one side,then the other if needed.
3.Keep your elbows tight,and lower the bar to your sternum.Don't lower to the upper chest,or throat.
4.If you can't finish another rep,lock your elbows in and get the bar onto your hips.You
   can then roll it down,and sit up.( you could still suffer serious injury )

There are a number of good videos on YouTube showing a lot of these issues.It always helps to actually see things in action to get a grasp of the movements.

Here's weightlifter,and gym owner Mark Rippetoe laying down the law for you.

Omar Isuf on how to bench heavy without a spotter.

Johnny Candito showing the roll,and plate dump saves.

Power Lifter Bryce Lewis on his father's accident.He dropped the weight on his throat while using a false grip,and survived.

Mark Rippetoe again with advice on spotters,and safety in lifting technique.

Part two.

The Bench Press is a great fundamental exercise if used correctly.Take care,and you will live to be an old creaky weightlifter like Mark.
( Yes I did once fail a lift on a bench when I was younger.I locked my elbows in,and lowed it to my hips.I lived.Just scared.I never told my mother I failed a lift either! )
Happy benching.

Keep track of your Medications and Supplements.

Everyone should keep track of the medications,and supplements they take.I don't just mean having a general idea what you're taking either.Knowing precisely what you're taking is important to your well being.
Many people who have health problems and are taking multiple medications will keep a card in their wallet/billfold listing their drugs and dosages.That's a very important resource if something happens and they can't speak for themselves.
If you're taking any medications that treat any serious condition you should do this.And do make sure your parents,and grandparents do it too.What would happen if an elderly relative couldn't speak for themselves? Would you know what drugs they were taking,and the dosages? What happens if someone forgets to bring their prescriptions with them on a trip?
Better safe than sorry when it comes to knowing what drugs someone needs.

Keep a card in your wallet,or billfold listing the precise name of the drug,and the dosage.
List prescriptions,over the counter medications,and supplements.
Something like this;

Furosemide 20mgs ( daily )
Diazepam 5mgs ( occasionally )
Ibuprofin 200mgs ( when needed for pain )
Loratadine 10mgs ( daily )
Melatonin 3mgs ( nightly )

Let your doctor review it to see that it's correct.Keep it up to date.
You can also note any medical problems,or allergies.
If you have any severe allergies those should be on a medic alert bracelet.


We see stories in the media about drugs,and supplements and possible interactions.This would be another reason to have a list of everything you're taking,and show it to your doctor.
I know some doctors aren't very well informed about supplements.You may be concerned they'll have an alarmist viewpoint.That's possible.But they may also catch something that could be harmful.
It would be better to be honest in any case.

When it comes to strength athletes in particular,some people may be taking drugs that are illegal,or in a gray area.This could be a difficult issue with health care providers.
I can only say I hope you can find someone who will treat you with respect,and have your best interests in mind.You should never be treated with contempt,and hostility.But you do need to be honest,and knowledgeable about your health.You need to monitor the effects of what you chose to do.You shouldn't be hiding this vital information from health care providers.
The fact is they may have to show you test results that reveal you are at risk of harm.I encourage you to take that seriously.You can't afford a cavalier attitude toward your health.

I think everyone would benefit from keeping track of their day-to-day drugs,and supplements as well.
They have a number of sites that offer calorie,and exercise trackers.You can enter foods to see the nutrient information,and calories.It surprises me they don't have a section for medications,and supplements.They do usually have a diary feature.You could easily use that to note what you're taking.If you're using a service like My Fitness Pal,you can note what you take when you enter your foods.Make a note of the time of day,the supplement,and amount.It can be very useful in reviewing how things have been effecting you.Did a supplement cause you a problem?
But I would encourage you to make sure you have the entries set to private.

Of course you can also write things down in a notebook.Nothing simpler than paper,and pen.

Here's a gratuitous image of brightly colored pills.

Breaking PRs vs breaking your face.Strength and older people.

Recently I came across news about two older people and what had been going on in their lives.
I'm not at their age yet.But I'm far enough past youth to respect the challenges they're facing.
The first article was by athletic trainer Charles Staley called "How I got in my best shape at age 55."
The second piece of information I saw was about Dr Harriet Hall.She had suffered a serious fall.

 Charles Staley is a long time athlete who has participated in martial arts,track events,and weight lifting.He admits he was never a gifted athlete.He felt like he came up short compared to many others.He also admitted that he could have worked harder,and smarter.
But the exciting part about his story is that he never gave up on his love for improving himself,and decided to increase his commitment.He was eating a lousy diet,and said he didn't look the part of a fitness trainer.Basically a flabby old guy who people listened to because they respected his reputation as an intelligent coach.He could have coasted along and settled for things as they were.
He decided to make the effort to improve his diet,and lost 23 pounds.He also managed to break weightlifting personal records.
That's a person who's not giving up on what he can do.He can't stop the years passing.But he doesn't have to slip dearly near senility.

Harriet Hall is known as the SkepDoc.She's a Medical Doctor,and a retired United States Air Force Colonel.She's dedicated to exposing quackery,and nonsense in the medical field.
This is a very intelligent,and well informed individual.
I've read her work for years,and respected her insight on skeptical issues regarding medicine.
She's a regular contributor to the website Science Based Medicine.
I stopped by the site,and found that she had suffered an accident while on vacation in Australia with her husband.Here's what she posted about a month ago.

Harriet_Hall Moderator • 25 days ago

More info:
I was on a bus tour from Alice Springs to Uluru. We had stopped to walk up into a canyon in 103 degree heat and on the way back I lost my footing on treacherous uneven rocky terrain, kept going faster and couldn't stop, fell on outstretched arms, hitting face and head. List of injuries: broken right wrist, small brain bleed, jaw broken on both sides, maxillary fractures involving both maxillary sinuses and one orbital floor, two broken teeth, lacerations to temple, lower lip and chin, multiple bruises and nicks. It took 3 1/2 hours for the maxillofacial surgeons in Adelaide to put Humpty Dumpty together again with multiple plates and screws as well as braces and rubber bands to coax my teeth back into alignment. And they repaired my lip by cutting out a small wedge. I got excellent care and two rides with Royal Australian Flying Doctors. Recovering well, but still considerable pain and can only eat puréed food. Just got out of hospital after a week, am in motel. Will fly to Sydney in two days, then Eran Segev has kindly offered to drive us to Newcastle where we will stay with a friend of Kirk's he hasn't seen since college. Then, hopefully back to USA a couple of days later.
Thanks to everyone for the good wishes.

That's a hell of a scary fall for a 71 year old woman.It's the kind of accident that can have life changing consequences.It could have been the nasty end of a meaningful life.It could have killed her.
It's accidents like this that people fear for their parents,or someday,themselves.

It reminded me of the accident tennis writer Bud Collins suffered in 2012.

Bud Collins website entry

He had had serious health problems before.But this was the event that pushed him into a state that he never really recovered from.He spent so long in bed after the fall that it exacerbated his heart problems.
He died in 2016 at the age of 86.That's about ten years better than the average age of death for an American man.
He had been a tennis player himself.He remained active,and traveled into his later years.But if he could have avoided that fall,his final years would surely have been easier.
I really liked this wonderful funny old guy.It made me sad to see him go through this.

I don't blame Harriet Hall,or Bud Collins.I don't know if their accidents could have been avoided.
But I think it's possible that a stronger person could have avoided it.Maybe you'd have a chance to stop yourself from going ass over teakettle.I do believe having more muscle,especially in your legs,could make a difference.There's also the effect of training on the Central Nervous System,and reflexes.

The conclusion is simple.No matter how difficult,and intimidating it may seem to older people they should engage in resistance training.
Older people should be concerned about becoming feeble,and do the only thing that can actively prevent it.
It's the difference between an independent life,and a hospital bed,a rehabilitation facility,an old folks home.It's the difference between active life,and death.

I have to believe that weight training could only help.Even a few dumbbells sitting around.Dumbbell squats,presses,rows.Whatever can be done.So even if your Mom thinks it's crazy,give her some of those colorful dumbbells.
And if someone has enough guts;join a gym.Learn to lift.What do you have to lose but your weakness?

Take responsibility for yourself before it's too late,and out of your hands.

And don't trip over a dumbbell like a pathetic klutz,and smash into the rack.
Re-rack your weights meatheads!

T-Nation and Biotest;Macho bottles of blueberry powder.

T-Nation is a bodybuilding,and strength training site that's run by a supplement company called Biotest.
To give the best example of the kind of supplements they sell,let's talk about indigo 3G.It contains a substance called Cyanidin 3-Glucoside.This substance is being looked at for it's possible effects on health,and body composition.Yes,it's interesting.
But what is it really? It's a dark pigment in fruit.Blueberries,raspberries,blackberries etc..
And you can buy a bottle of it for 65 bucks from Biotest.
If you're thinking that sounds like bullshit,I agree.They were even marketing it in their pretty little blue bottles in fancy plastic boxes for a time.
They always claim to be on the cutting edge of supplementation,and nutrition.They come off like a bunch of snake oil salesmen.
I don't think all supplements are crap.But some of them are.Over hyped,overpriced,and under supported by evidence.Biotest is a perfect case.Don't be fooled.
The best way to take supplements is to know about the actual substance you're taking.Not proprietary blends with hidden amounts of ingredients.There can be sensible combinations of ingredients.There can be issues of absorption.But you should always be able to tell exactly what you're taking,and how much.
You can take blueberry extract itself for a fraction of the cost of their bottles of cool blue.
Just run a search on Amazon and you can find a bottle of capsules from Life Extension for about fifteen dollars.

Now the issues with the site.It's bad ass jet black with yellow print.Eye stabbing annoyance.Simple lists of articles,and not in order of date.They rerun a lot of old material.Constant hawking of their products by placing links to the store in the articles themselves.How does that not bias articles? It has to.
And the bully swagger macho.Testosterone Magazine.He-Man Woman Haters.( Our Gang reference to little boys who rejected girls joining their club ).
Tuff Guys!
Gosh it's so impressive.
Here's a very manly article from Chris Shugart asking if you're tough enough,or just a big sissy?
That's right,the big strong man is disappointed in you for not being tough enough.And he'll call you a sissy,or say you're leading to the pussification of America.
Oh.Here we go again.It's the Chris and Dani Shugart show.Dumb runs in the family.
These kinds of people are NOT good for bodybuilding.They're off putting to the vast majority of people in society.They're like a bad stereotype of the obnoxious lunkhead.Why do that?
Do you think people will come to you for fitness advice when you act like that?

I think T-Nation works like this.Pander to the insecure boy,or boy man,who looks for muscle building advice.Tell him you've got the secrets of no nonsense manliness right here in a bottle for him.Tell him how to be a real tough guy.Sneer at the girls, sissies,and the fat people.
Sell him your shit.

The sad thing is they're driving smarter people away from some damn fine articles written by real experienced bodybuilders,and power lifters.First class strength coaches.
Those articles are worth wading through the childishness to read.They pay the real experts to provide some valuable content.You just have to separate the wheat from the chaff.
I can't attest to the value of every article by every coach.But worth consideration.Most of these guys have their own sites too.So once you find someone's information interesting you can check them out.TC Luoma's articles,often about nutrition,can be informative too.He smears on the vulgar jokes,but he's trying to keep up with the latest food news.
T-Nation also has a YouTube channel that runs lifting,and exercise demonstrations.Sound material.

The site is playing hard to the manly point of view.There goes much of the fitness audience.
But they clearly don't have the intention,or the ability to compete with the mainstream big leagues of the industry.
But on the other hand,the truly "dangerously hardcore' to use their tired slogan are probably mostly elsewhere.On some steroid board discussing stacks.
I've got to warn them this crap isn't going to play for long.Not in a world where a Texas college football coach might actually lose his job because his players go on rape sprees.Sweet Jesus where ever could they have gotten such unacceptable attitudes towards women?
It's seeping in from somewhere somehow.

I was following T-Nations twitter,But it's click bait and the stupid sissy,pussy references wore on me.It's not worth following.Too much ick.
I will look in on the site on occasion.But I'm finding better sources.
I've never bought anything from Biotest,and I never will.I don't know who owns it.But it wouldn't surprise me if it goes belly up.Unless of course they can keep their insecure boys blowing money on their magic manly potions.

Book Review:The Weider Book of Bodybuilding for Women by Betty and Joe Weider.

Cover with model Shelly Gruwell

The cover of 'The Weider Book of Bodybuilding for Women' from 1981 by Betty and Joe Weider.
This is one of the early books I got when I was a teen starting out in weight training.
Bodybuilding for women was just becoming popular,or even known,for that matter in the late seventies-early eighties period.This book was published by the Weider company that also put out a number of popular magazines like Muscle & Fitness.They were the company in bodybuilding and fitness at the time.Betty Brosmer Weider was the wife of the head of the company Joe Weider.
She was a pinup girl,and model.She was actually an early pioneer in the modern women's fitness movement.So she may have actually written some of the material.But I'll bet Joe,and some copy people wrote it too.
It's very basic.It's written for the new audience of young women who were just starting out in weight training.It's trying to be reassuring to the 'ladies' that weights won't make you masculine,or intimidating.
It features black and white pictures of women in leotards using a lot of Nautilus equipment.Nautilus made all kinds of exercise machines that just look unnecessarily complicated.Rube Goldberg contraptions for exercise that are basically huge expensive machines to do what you can easily do with barbells,and dumbbells.Fashionably constructed out of shiny chrome,and fake tan leather.They went out of business as a gym manufacturer years ago.But they still own a number of home brands like Bowflex,and Schwinn Fitness.
I think most things were made out of chrome in the seventies.

I think the first time I became aware of the existence of bodybuilding was probably seeing the movie 'Pumping Iron'.I must have seen it on HBO.Because I'm certain I didn't see it in a theater.
I was inherently intrigued by the act of humans forcing their muscles to grow.I was really amazed,and pleased to see that other girls,and women felt the same way.So I bought a number of the early women's bodybuilding books.
I would have to say this is one of the poorer books on the subject.There's no sense of the revolutionary spirit of women lifting weights,and becoming strong.It's very safe,and corporate.I doubt I got that much out of it.The fact is lifting weights is lifting weights.Form is form.So while I can appreciate the fact they were trying to give women something to relate to you don't need cutesy little fitness girls to learn how to lift.I read the articles in Muscle and Fitness and they had good picture spreads of male bodybuilders.They did start including real female bodybuilders too.
I did belong to a gym when I was teen(My mother joined and took me along ).But they didn't have that much equipment.Certainly not all those crazy Nautilus contraptions.But it was all a bunch of chrome!
So maybe this book was a little encouragement.But it's very dated and would only be of interest to a collector of early women's bodybuilding books.Or if you're a leotard fetishist.

Multi station weight machine

Women working out on a multi station weight machine.Running shorts,and running shoes.This looks like the kind of set up they'd have in a YWCA gym.
I hope somebody let that poor girl down.

Barbell lunge

Ladies in leotards doing lunges with light weights.

Nautilus glute machine

Goofy Nautilus back,and butt machine.Looks rather....questionable!
"Help! Let me out.I promise I'll be a good girl."
I wonder if one of these is gathering dust somewhere?

Wrist curls anyone?

Here we have a buxom model performing wrist curls.Enjoy.

There's also a chapter at the end of the book on competitive women's bodybuilding which was in it's infancy.Mainly pictures of the current star of the scene Rachel McLish.A very safe,and soft image indeed.

So this book is a minor note in the history of women's weight training.But an interesting glimpse into the mood of the time.
And so much chrome.