Manifesting Results

 Back in the innocent days of weightraining in the 1950s and 1960s, the publishers of the leading magazines on these activities, Bob Hoffman (Strength & Health), and Perry Rader (Iron Man), both advocated 20 repetitions of the breathing squat alternated with 20 repetitions of the breathing pullover as the foundation for any bodybuilding program. The weight suggested was largely irrelevant, as the primary importance was on the proper and deep breathing rhythm — and so bodybuilders (weight trainers), were largely distinguished by this prodigious development of their ribcage — upon which they added everything else. Even the most prolific bench presser of that time, Pat Casey had a very pronounced barrel chest from doing pullovers — rather than the bench press — presumably because the pullovers were done with the primary attention to full range breathing in high repetition sets, while the bench press were usually done for much fewer repetitions — without the attention to breathing but actually holding their breath for the duration of their one rep maximum.

Thus weighlifting and weight training came to be regarded as an anaerobic activity — because it was not empowered by breathing — which makes any activity aerobic (with breathing). Many people who think they are training to muscular failure in this fashion are instead failing because of cardiovascular failure because the weight constricts their breathing — as they not only shorten the range of movement for each subsequent lift, but also shorten the range of their breathing — and the effectiveness of breathing, is dependent on the last half of it, rather than the first half of it — when the air is moving only in and out of the windpipe and upper half of the lungs. The air that remains in the lungs, is called residual air, and blocks the freshest air from reaching the bottom portion of the lungs where the critical exchange of gases occurs.

The important part of breathing, is thus the fullest exhalation of air from the lungs, and not as most people think, that they need to breathe in most deeply or forcefully. You cannot force more air into an already filled lung. The proper understanding and strategy, is to breathe out as thoroughly as possible — so that any air entering into the lungs, has a chance to reach that critical interface where fine lung tissue meets fine blood vessels for that valuable exchange. Faster, harder breathing does not overcome the problem because it merely moves the air in and out of the windpipe and upper lung, while the residual air in the lungs blocks the most efficient exchange.

That is why modern First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation came to realize that mouth to mouth breathing is redundant if one is doing chest compressions — because the chest compressions expel the residual air in the lungs — while blowing more air into an already half-filled lung, doesn’t do much additional good — because when the compression vacates the lungs, when the pressure is released alternatively, the atmospheric pressure of 15 lbs per square inch automatically fills the vacuum created by those compressions.

Unfortunately, that understanding and its resulting benefit, has been largely lost in today’s exercise/bodybuilding hype/jargon of the blind leading the blind — for $500 weekend certificates of expertise as exercise gurus — when all that it was originally intended to “certify,” was that one obtained the First Aid and CPR as a prerequisite to signing up for their exercise certification.

In most of the exercises that are taught, producing this breathlessness is taught as a desirable thing, rather than synchronizing the movement and activity to the breathing, to produce an even greater deficit — rather than increasing the aerobic capacity and ability to persist (endure). And so this kind of premature “failure” is produced, rather than the more productive emphasis on endurance and persistence which produce long term benefits over the short term performance. That former is likely to be much more productive over a lifetime than the one time thrill of going over the cliff — no matter how spectacular.

Unfortunately, that is the kind of orientation most young people have today — of being too eager to jump on the treadmill, and wind themselves as quickly as possible, or simply burning as many calories as possible — as though that was all there is to it. The more valuable questioned unanswered, is what can one be doing productively with that expenditure of time, energy and resources. We all note that the critically important vital activity of life is breathing and circulation — but not in the direction we think of it. It is the exhalation that determines the effectiveness — and not as it is thought, the inhalation, or taking a deep breath in — an already filled lung.

In the same way, we also mistake the overworking of the heart and lungs as the measure of the effectiveness of the other muscles we wish to develop — and their failure as indicators of actual muscle failure. That is the problem with most videos of people purportedly training to muscular failure — when because of excessive weights used, actually cause a constriction of their breathing — or no breathing at all. The proper course and proven remedy, is to do as those old tine bodybuilders did — in taking a light weight and placing primary importance on their breathing and muscle relaxation and contraction only possible with nominal weights over a sustained time. Instead, what we most often see in gyms and other venues, is low rep maximums, with liberal rest times that account for 90% of their gym time — while claiming they are training to muscular failure, while predictably reporting that they experience no muscle soreness in subsequent days.

And thus they have the time, energy and recovery ability to go to the gym five times a week — yet get no results, and wonder why? Obviously, one hasn’t done anything that would alter that fact — because even the grade school pupil will show how one “makes a muscle” — immediately and instantly — and not wait around for a year for the results to manifest.

A New Paradigm for Exercise

 No amount of the wrong thing, will give the results of a proper amount of the right thing.  Many think that just doing anything, will give them the results they desire, when in fact, only the right things will produce the desired results, and if that is not the case, they're doing the wrong things -- and usually, don't realize that.  That explains why some people get results -- while many others make all the effort, but fail to achieve the results that should be forthcoming.  Yet in contemporary life, we blur those distinctions as an end in itself -- with predictably disastrous results -- while thinking we are doing all the right things.  The results speak for themselves.  That would be unfortunate in any sphere of activities and endeavors.

So first, one should devote some time to understand what they are doing -- that is not working, and in that process, arrive at a better understanding of what must work.  That's the way reality is.  It's very predictable as long as one observes certain rules, and not merely as one likes.  What makes things scientific is that predictability of results, and not just in thinking, that any result is as good as any other -- and that is the best we can hope for.

Those widely-divergent experiences and results, are unfortunately representative of the "average" experience -- and one hopes that in doing anything, one does not merely have an average result, but a decidedly exceptional one.  That is true for healthy outcomes as much as it is hoped for in financial ones.  To obtain that average result assumes that one should do nothing -- or continue doing what they have been doing -- even to no good effect.  But those who are not content with the present status quo, are looking to change that, because change makes the impossible possible.

That is inherent in change: the possibility of improvement, as well as getting worse -- but then one realizes that, and seeks to improve their chances for a favorable outcome.  Those who don't care, or who cannot tell the difference, will devolve to worse -- until they do care, or can tell the difference.  That is the process of "bottoming out" -- which is the ultimatum for turning things around -- for those who still can.  Those who continue to plunge further, are on their way out.  Those are the "facts of life" for all forms.  There is no wishing it will be otherwise.

So despite no guarantees of a successful outcome each and every time, we take our chances and do our best -- based upon what everything is telling us -- and not just wishing it were otherwise.  Those are the basic lessons we hope to learn in school -- and those who are the most successful at learning them, go on to improve their lot in life.  These are not closely-guarded secrets but obvious and visible to all.  However, there will always be those who would want to sell you their vision of what is happening over what one's own common senses are telling them -- and that has been a problem for ages, of the ages.

Usually, that is only a temporary lapse, and one eventually recovers to get back on the right track, and that is learning from life -- and not just the schools anymore.  The schools are not infallible -- but teach what is currently popular -- and are required to propagate as the truth.  That changes from year to year, time to time, and many note, that the experts change their minds frequently -- or more accurately, a different set of experts rise, and the old guard falls into disrepute.

Thus depending on the time and circumstances, they may advise abstaining from water, and also drinking as much of it as possible -- as the ultimate truth of the matter, and so one has to determine what is true for themselves -- and any divergence from that strict obedience, is usually well within our ability to handle.  Thus we won't starve to death if we're not force-feeding ourselves every hour, or become too muscular by exercising too much.

The greatest difference is between zero and one -- and not one with any other number.  So the greatest advice one can receive, is just to do a little -- while avoiding the extremes, or as the ancients advised, "Everything in moderation."  Then one proceeds from there -- to better or worse.  That is the process of learning from everything -- and not only what the self-designated and self-proclaimed experts tell us is the truth -- and get everybody to (mindlessly) repeat.  That's how the masses often go astray -- wondering who led them off the cliff.

The problem with exercise is making it hard and difficult so that it eventually eliminates everybody from further participation -- rather than making it so easy and simple, one can continue until their last breath -- as their last exercise.   Before then, one is well-advised to maintain the movement and functioning at the head (neck), hands (wrist), and feet (ankles) -- over the heart, biceps and abdominals as a better gauge for their own health and well-being -- as lifelong measures we largely take for granted -- although everybody notes the obvious and visible deterioration that we accept as normal aging we can do nothing about.  Those are the sites and organs that actually make the most difference.  The hardest thing to see is the obvious.

That is a better indicator of the overall health and well-being of that individual -- more than the biceps, abdominals, and even heart.  That is the easiest exercise one can do -- moving only at the head, hands and feet -- implying that the rest is working.  But not necessarily vice-versa -- obviously.