Music Review Unsigned Magazine, September 2011: My interview with Swords

Check out the new issue of MRU Magazine and my interview with Swords on pages 10-13.

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“Strength training is the best way to improve ‘every aspect of fitness’, say experts”

My feature about the health benefits of high intensity, circuit-style weight training, and why many fitness professionals view running and aerobics as comparatively dangerous and less productive activities.

‘I’ve had shin splints - it feels like being hit with a hammer,’ a runner tells me with the sort of distressed look that instantly convinces me to avoid shin splints at all costs.

The man had just entered a running shop in Dublin, and was quick to offer his input during a conversation about injuries.

‘I couldn’t walk when I had them, never mind run,’ he replies when I ask him if the shin splints only bothered him while training.

An isolated case, perhaps, but many of today’s exercise professionals say that running is dangerous and should be replaced with low-impact forms of exercise to prevent potential damage to the feet, knees, hips and back.

As proof of their recommendations, these experts are quick to highlight the numerous running, jogging and post-Christmas exercise enthusiasts that are only too familiar with medical terms such as ‘patellar tendinosis’ and ‘iliopsoas tendonitis’.

This combined with the statistic that 65% of all runners annually are forced to stop running to seek treatment for overuse injuries, might understandably lead the average person to conclude that activities like running and aerobics are little more than a dangerous waste of time.

But who are these people that claim to be able to get their clients in shape – both muscularly and aerobically – while avoiding such ailments?  And how do they do it?

Florida-based personal trainer Drew Baye sees no reason for anyone to suffer any type of injury in the quest to improve their health.

‘Every aspect of fitness, including cardiovascular conditioning and body composition, can be improved more safely using low-impact forms of strength training,’ states Baye categorically.

‘Strength training, when performed in a slow and controlled fashion . . . has a very low risk of injury.

‘If exercises are performed in a circuit fashion with little rest in between, it will improve the cardiovascular system as well or better than typical endurance activities . . . and if exercises are performed through a full range of motion, flexibility will also be improved.’

Using weight training to improve cardiovascular health might sound like hearsay, but this effect was clearly established over three decades ago.

A 1975 study at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, took 18 varsity American Football players and trained them three times per week for eight weeks, using between 8 and 15 resistance exercises in a ‘circuit style’ – moving quickly from one exercise to the next in an average of under 30 minutes per workout.

The results of ‘Project Total Conditioning’ were impressive to say the least.

Apart from increasing their strength by an average of 58% over the control group, the players also improved their times in the two-mile run over four times as much as the control – a clear indication of the powerful effect that the strength training had on the trainees’ cardiovascular fitness.

However, for seemingly inexplicable reasons, the results of the study continue to be largely ignored by the scientific community to this day.

The late Arthur Jones is the creator of the Nautilus® and MedX® exercise machine ranges, and the person that many consider to be the father of ‘High Intensity Training’ – the type of circuit weight training that was performed during Project Total Conditioning.

Jones oversaw the experiments conducted at West Point in 1975 and years later relayed the story of how the test results were received by Dr Kenneth Cooper – the person who in 1968 invented ‘Aerobics’ and who is arguably the most ardent supporter of running one is likely to find.

Jones recalled: ‘Dr Cooper sent two of his associates to West Point for the purpose of conducting an extensive battery of tests in order to evaluate the cardiovascular results of the exercises that our subjects were performing.’

‘But then, afterwards, Cooper was so surprised by the results that he not only refused to believe them but even refused to read them.

Jones continued: ‘We had, in fact, produced far better results in six weeks than Cooper could have produced in six years, or even six decades; results so outstanding, by Cooper’s standards, that he considered them impossible.’

Another reason for this type of training not gaining acceptance could simply be that it requires an undeniably high degree of effort – a level of effort that human nature generally inclines us to avoid, and a level of effort that many fitness professionals even say is unnecessary.

This, however, is the exact opposite of what the high intensity strength-training community recommends for achieving the best possible results.

‘It takes hard training to build stronger muscles and, unfortunately, the fitness industry long ago sold us on the concept that exercise should be “fun” and leave you feeling “refreshed”,’ says John Little, owner of the Nautilus North Fitness Centre in Ontario, Canada.

Dr Doug McGuff is an emergency room physician and owner of the Ultimate Exercise personal training studio in South Carolina.

Dr McGuff is a proponent of ‘SuperSlow®’ weight training, in which strength exercises are performed in a fast circuit, but at a very slow ‘10/10’ speed – meaning that trainees take 10 seconds to lift a weight and a further 10 seconds to lower it.

This lifting speed, McGuff explains, makes the exercises hard and productive, but as good as eliminates any chance of a trainee injuring themselves.

Of course, for many people who simply enjoy running and do not want to give up their favourite sport, there is plenty of good advice available for those keen to avoid the most serious problems.

Colm Ennis took up running under two years ago but is already a veteran of four marathons in Dublin, Barcelona and New York.

Ennis stated: ‘Having the correct footwear, I think, has helped enormously.  Believe it or not, even how you lace the trainers can affect how you run.’

Rory Flynn from specialist running shop Runways in Dublin provided some helpful tips for avoiding injuries.

‘The most common injuries are “overuse” injuries,’ says Flynn.  ‘It’s the “zero to hero” mentality; too much, too soon.’

‘A very common problem that people encounter is their “total weekly mileage”,’ he continued.  ‘You’re not meant to increase your total weekly mileage by more than 1% per week.’

Flynn also identified muscular imbalances as a common cause of injuries in novice runners.

‘They don’t regard running as being a sport so they don’t go and learn the rules before they “go off and play”, as it were.

‘It’s one thing running four or five miles so that you can get fit to play football, but it’s a different ballgame if you’re training for a marathon.’

In addition, simple technique errors are closely linked to injuries such as patellofemoral pain syndrome and shin splints.

The answer, according to Flynn, is for beginners to join a running club.

‘A lot of people don’t make use of all the running clubs that are around,’ he says.  ‘If they did join a club they’d be doing more technique work, speed work, things like that.

‘[Also] strength is a huge thing - I do Yoga every Wednesday.  It’s the core stuff that if they were in a club they would be able to resolve very, very easily.’

"Cyclists continue to ignore law"

My story about Dublin cyclists that run red traffic lights; written in broadsheet style.

Dublin’s cyclists are continuing the dangerous practice of ignoring traffic lights despite the tireless efforts of Gardaí and road safety campaigners.

The widespread practice of cyclists running red lights and endangering the capital’s motorists and pedestrians has been the target of numerous road safety initiatives in recent times – although with little noticeable impact.

While it is clear that the authorities are making a significant effort in tacking this problem, the latest available statistics reveal that the message is not hitting home.

The Central Statistics Office reveals that more cyclists were charged with the “Dangerous riding of a pedal cycle” in the first six months of 2009 than in the whole of 2007 and 2008.

Dublin City Council has continuously attempted to tackle this issue through its BIKE START training programme, which teaches safe cycling principles to both school children and adults.

“The requirement to observe road traffic law is core to the Dublin City Council’s BIKE START training programme,” said a Dublin City Council spokesperson.

“This message is repeated throughout the BIKE START programme and is reinforced by trainers during practical modules.  Dublin City Council’s cycling website repeats this message and specifically states ‘red lights mean stop for cyclists as well’.”

The council spokesperson also pointed out that this message is repeated on the official “Dublin Bikes” website, which promotes the city’s bicycle rental scheme.

The website clearly states that the “rules of the road apply to all road users”, and reminds members to “respect road signs and signals (red lights, one-way streets, stop sign, etc)”.

The Road Safety Authority has also targeted this matter in its safety campaigns.

Brian Farrell, RSA Communications Manager said: “The RSA launched a new campaign aimed at vulnerable road users, i.e. pedestrians and cyclists.

“Specifically, new 30-second radio adverts were produced aimed at pedestrians, cyclists and car drivers . . . in particular the cyclist radio edit focuses on the issue of running a red light.

“We have plans to run the campaign again this year and following discussions with An Garda Siochána it will be timed to happen in conjunction with Garda enforcement activity.”

Sergeant Gerry Curley at the Garda Press Office explained that: “All members of An Garda Síochána are tasked with enforcing the criminal law, including the provision of the Road Traffic Acts in respect of cyclists.”

Sergeant Curley went on to highlight that “dedicated Traffic Corps Units . . . also run specific enforcement operations targeting pedal cycle misbehaviour.”

“Where breaches of the Road Traffic legislation are detected, members of An Garda Síochána may use their discretion and deal with the incident by way of advice or caution rather than by way of initiating criminal proceedings.”

“In addition, educational talks are regularly given . . . on issues of road safety and road traffic legislation, including legislation governing pedal cyclists to encourage greater compliance by bicycle users.”

A cyclist in P&K Cycles on Patrick Street gave his frank assessment of why cyclists choose to ignore traffic lights, but also acknowledged the obvious dangers.

“People are just in a rush these days, you know; time is money.”

Pointing out of the shop window at a traffic light he continues: “If you sat at that light in rush hour, I reckon 70% of cyclists would do it.  I do it myself but I’d never do it at a t-junction.

“People ride on the pavements all the time, too.  Lethal - I’d never do that.”

If a man writes a book, let him set down only what he knows. I have guesses enough of my own. – JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE

This has got to be the best but most ignored advice ever.

Read about the polymathic Herr Goethe on Wikipedia. Amazing man.

Music Review Unsigned Magazine, August 2011: My interview with Gary Wade of Artful Renegade

Check out the new issue of MRU Magazine and my interview with Gary on pages 20-21.

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