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NHTownCrier.com July 2024 13

position to full contraction, followed by a one second injuries with jarring activities allowed me to make the
pause to minimize momentum, concluded by a four decision to begin bicycling and my body thanked me.
second return to the starting position is considered *Little or no attention given to recovery and
“proper” form. Completing a prescribed number of supercompensation: Exercise does nothing to
repetitions in sloppy form will yield minimal results “produce” growth and improvement, it only turns the
and it’s dangerous. “improvement switch” on. Although it may be difficult
*Running an enormous amount of miles on an to understand, it’s true. Only recovery allows muscles
unforgiving surface: running is highly addictive and connective tissue to grow thicker and stronger. The
because it causes our body to produce very high levels word for this is “supercompensation.”
of beta endorphins, appropriately called “runners *Comparing yourself with others is the single most
high.” Mistakenly believing that more is better can detrimental behavior, when considering physical
cause joint damage, musculoskeletal strains and a improvement. No one shares your genetic makeup and
Fitness for Life number of over use injuries. Running on roads and potential. We all know of people who can eat everything
sidewalks compounds the problem immensely. Most and not gain a pound and those poor folks who smell
submitted by James LaFountain, All American Fitness Center runners refuse to run on a cushioning track because food and gain weight.
When asked what mode of exercise is best? My canned they find it boring. Three miles, performed on three *Believing everything in popular bodybuilding
answer, “the one you can do for the rest of your life.” In non consecutive days a week seems like a safe bet. weightlifting magazines: as a teenager I read
my early years, I wish I had asked myself that question. *A disregard for what type of exercise would best fit every muscle and weight lifting magazine available.
Some of my mistakes are still surfacing with others 55 my body type: those who are moderately overweight Unfortunately, much of what was written was untrue.
years later and they include: and engage in jarring cardio increase their risk of The magazine heroes claimed to do an enormous
*Heavy weights used with poor form: Any weight sustaining overuse injuries. It’s a mistake to use cardio number of sets per muscle group. As I look back, I
“thrown” through a range of motion is dangerous. as a weight loss tool. It’s a painfully slow process without remember the ads that appeared on the next page,
Taking two seconds to move a weight from its starting paying attention to your diet. Sustaining overuse “feeling tired, not getting the results you want? Time
to muscle up with ______Super Protein.” With a
CO L O ZZI’ S its miraculous benefits.
COLOZZI’S
picture of a star bodybuilder/weight lifter promoting
*A false belief in “spot reduction”: after reading
about the six pack abs of one of the muscle magazine’s
Cards ~ Gifts for Every Occasion~ Collectibles stars, I set out to do 2,000 sit-ups, with the mistaken
belief that it would chisel my midsection. What I got
was a blister on my buttocks. Cardiovascular exercise
is the only exercise that burns a significant amount
of calories. Although an “exercise only” approach is
ridiculously slow, what gets burned is primarily stored
body fat. A moderately low calorie diet combined with
regular exercise is the most prudent choice.
*Quick fix” nutritional programs: although catchy
ads will get your attention by painting a pretty picture,
fast scale weight loss is temporary and unsustainable,
over the long haul. Highly restrictive diets tend to use
lean muscle as an energy substrate, which is never a
good idea.
Most scale weight loss is water, because when less food
is ingested, water is no longer necessary to metabolize
less nutrients. Our body simply releases unneeded
water.
As mentioned earlier, these mistakes are as prevalent
now as when I made them five decades ago. Hopefully,
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