Dropping The Ball

The pressure of the daily deadline was removed, and look what happened. Radio silence for nearly 2 weeks. The whole thing went to pot, as my mother would say. That was not the plan. I even intended to post about a week ago when we finally got a glorious snowfall (which then melted within a few days). Of course, other things got in the way and the moment passed. I have been out at sunrise every morning, however, and today was the first visible sun since way back on December 26th! There were a couple of close calls, but no legitimate sun sightings at sunrise time, so here we are.

In an effort to provide something at least a little more substantial than an update post, I'll fill you in on my current recommended reading, The Physics of Fitness, by Doug Brignole. It combines two of my favorite subjects, physics and wellness, so what's not to like? Doug Brignole was a highly decorated bodybuilder, and it turns out he knew his mechanical physics as well. In the first part he goes into great detail of the different types of lever action all the joints of our limbs and core represent, and the effects of direction of force. It provides an excellent reference to rethink exercise selection, particularly in the weight room, but really applicable to any activity. Also, his perspective is primarily to get maximal effort from every exercise, but it also applies to injury prevention in the weight room, and he illustrates this as well. The second part focuses on specific body areas and optimal exercises, so I look forward to picking up some actionable tips to provide to my clients, as well as to improve my own exercise routine. Next stop, Mr. Universe!

This would be a good one to check out if you work out with weights, or if you are rehabbing an injury. Brignole does an excellent job of making the physics accessible along with providing actionable information. Of course, consult with your physician or physical therapist before starting or making changes to your exercise or rehab routine.