DUSCHBAGS

[i_like_sun]

So,

 

I was in 24 Hour Fitness the other day doing the damn thing, when all of a sudden I overheard this Personal Trainer lady giving her newest and most cutting edge health/fitness shpeel to a new client of hers.

 

I made mental notes of what she was saying. A few of her lines went like this:

 

1) "......the [new research] is saying that high protein diets are bad for you because they tax your kidneys too much"

 

-WTF???? Lady, learn how to read. The "newest" research, as you say, shows that higher protein diets are good for ALL athletes.

 

2) "running is super bad for you because the knees [WERN'T DESIGNED] for high impact"

 

-WRONG. You are living in the stone age, and, you are retarded.

 

3) "lifting with light weights, and focusing on high reps and muscle burning is better because it stimulates more [muscle synthesis]"

 

-Also, WRONG. Every exercise science PhD I've ever heard says athletes should train at all resistances and speeds. No one answer is correct. Also, what the hell is "muscle synthesis"??? There are proper terms you know

 

4) "Creatine is bad, because is causes muscle cramps and can lead to steroid use."

 

-WRONG. Research has NOT shown creating supplementation to independently cause muscle cramps. Being stupid and not drinking enough water, taking too much caffeine, and glycogen depletion have however. No comment on the steroid part... I'm too ticked off....

 

5) "Humans are suppose to be vegetarian." "Meat causes cardiovascular problems".

 

-MMMkay...... Meat is also the culprit when talking about higher testosterone levels (which are important for cardiovascular health). Its also been identified as "causing" drastic improvements in immune function. Yes, meat is bad.

 

 

All this time I was pleasantly spinning away on my elliptical machine, tuning in with disgust as she injected her knowledge / dogma into this innocent young chubby person (sorry if I sound like an asshole). At the end of all this I went up to her and asked about personal training at 24 Hour Fitness, and inquired about her credentials.

 

"Oh, I'm ACE certified, and have an AA degree from Edmonds Community College".

 

I held back (a lot) and just told her to check her references before she starts sending out the fountain of knowledge again. Then I left, feeling like I had just had a frontal lobotomy.

 

Anyway, I typed this up because I feel that it is really, really important that interested people be careful of who they listen to as "authorities in the field".

 

24 Hour Fitness INC. can go to hell as far as I'm concerned. Hiring idiots like this to represent their "Fitness Team" ranks them as complete corporate assholes in my mind. It gives the rest of us who are actually concerned with human performance a bad name.

 

END.

[Moses!]

I was in 24 Hour Fitness the other day

 

I like you. You're funny!

[layton]

Yo! It doesn't matter what she said cuz no one like that is gonna listen anyway. All her client needed to do was anything different than she was doing before.

 

p.s. exercise science has the WORST studies of just about any field out there.

[catbirdseat]

It's a really good thing that we humans are such an adaptable species. We seem to thrive on high protein/low carb diets as well as high carb/low protein diets. We seem to tolerate high reps as well as low reps. I am sure we will survive every fad that comes along.

[kevbone]

24 Hour Fitness INC. can go to hell

 

 

Yet you go there. Funny!

[TrogdortheBurninator]

"Oh, I'm ACE certified, and have an AA degree from Edmonds Community College".

 

What are your credentials again?

[counterfeitfake]

the knees [WERN'T DESIGNED] for high impact

 

That is true from what I understand. Why do you think people's knees get wrecked with such frequency?

 

Anyway, this is a pretty awesome rant. You sure know better. Maybe you should buy an iPod.

[TRbetaFlash]

Actually Eric, research suggests that running enhances the knees' ability to adapt to higher impact motion. Like most other things, if you practice it, your body will start to change in order to mitigate any potential injury. I'm not an expert to the point where I could drill that point way down, but I've studied this for years being involved in competitive running.

 

The reason we hear about people having 'wrecked knees' is typically not a result of running itself, which is a natural musculoskeletal movement. Instead, you mostly hear of destroyed knees from that one guy who used to be a rad skier. Or perhaps you heard about it from that woman that was a professional twister player? Almost all the people we hear about with whack knees are suffering from an ailment they got elsewhere.

 

The last few actually did hurt their knees running, and that was likely due to bad form, lack of stretching, or overexertion.

 

oh and - tittle spaeling fayl.

[hafilax]

If she was talking to someone who is obese and wants to shed some unhealthy weight than that is all good advice although the reasoning might be a little off.

 

Sounds like you should go to cross-fit.

[layton]

24 hour fitness is actually a pretty good gym as long as you don't hire a trainer or go to a crowded one.

[i_like_sun]

Actually Eric, research suggests that running enhances the knees' ability to adapt to higher impact motion. Like most other things, if you practice it, your body will start to change in order to mitigate any potential injury. I'm not an expert to the point where I could drill that point way down, but I've studied this for years being involved in competitive running.

 

The reason we hear about people having 'wrecked knees' is typically not a result of running itself, which is a natural musculoskeletal movement. Instead, you mostly hear of destroyed knees from that one guy who used to be a rad skier. Or perhaps you heard about it from that woman that was a professional twister player? Almost all the people we hear about with whack knees are suffering from an ailment they got elsewhere.

 

The last few actually did hurt their knees running, and that was likely due to bad form, lack of stretching, or overexertion.

 

oh and - tittle spaeling fayl.

 

 

YAAY!! Finally someone said it right!!

[i_like_sun]

"Oh, I'm ACE certified, and have an AA degree from Edmonds Community College".

 

What are your credentials again?

 

 

Oh, I'm just a professional masturbater. As most graduate students in exercise science are....

[ryanb]

What is an elliptical?

 

Does having a highly trained elliptical help one climb harder?

Edited September 3, 2008 by ryanb

[hafilax]

If running isn't bad for your knees why were you even on an elliptical?

[i_like_sun]

HAHA I just knew you assholes would ask that question. Jerks.

 

If you must know, I like to warm up on the elliptical before doing any powerlifting or heavy leg stuff. Running before those exercises seems to fatigue me just enough that I can't lift as intensely. Plus, I did a bunch of work for Precor last spring, so I'm attempting to support their machines....

 

You sprayers

[MarkMcJizzy]

Personnel trainers at places like Gold's, 24 hours, LA Fitness, etc etc, are normally flaky and in the start of their careers. Personal Training is a huge refuge for ill-educated people

[kevino]

Actually Eric, research suggests that running enhances the knees' ability to adapt to higher impact motion. Like most other things, if you practice it, your body will start to change in order to mitigate any potential injury. I'm not an expert to the point where I could drill that point way down, but I've studied this for years being involved in competitive running.

 

The reason we hear about people having 'wrecked knees' is typically not a result of running itself, which is a natural musculoskeletal movement. Instead, you mostly hear of destroyed knees from that one guy who used to be a rad skier. Or perhaps you heard about it from that woman that was a professional twister player? Almost all the people we hear about with whack knees are suffering from an ailment they got elsewhere.

 

The last few actually did hurt their knees running, and that was likely due to bad form, lack of stretching, or overexertion.

 

oh and - tittle spaeling fayl.

 

so thats what happened to me!

 

So since you guys know knees soooooooo well please tell me why my tibial tuberosity is inflammed?

 

No its not osgood schlaughters. No its not patella tendonitis. And yes I have good cartidlidge and no bone fx or weaknesses.

 

PT exercises only do good for about 4-6 months before the injury comes back and yes, I continued doing them.

[i_like_sun]

I know, its ridiculous. I've got some thoughts on re-naming the profession to "exercise assistants". Because thats all they are. The people who've gone through school and gotten real certifications are the one's who should be called "Personal Trainers". And the educated people should be payed a lot more!

 

For example, I know a guy in Bellingham who has a master's degree in exercise physiology, has the highest certs through the ACSM and NSCA, and has 25 years of experience coaching and TRAINING top athletes in numerous settings. He calls himself an athletic trainer, and will only hire personal trainers to work under him who have at least a bachelor's degree in a health related field, and who have demonstrated functional knowledge. From my observations he really knows what he's doing.

 

To me, its down right offensive that health clubs can hire some wanker with no education, put him/her through a 2 week "certification process" and then call them an "expert personal trainer". Its more like "expert asshole" who thinks he/she is god.... 24 hour fitness does this by putting applicants through their APEX course, at which time "PT's" are basically just taught everything they need to know about selling memberships and supplements - not how to actually help their clients through science based exercise science foundations.

 

Kay, done.

[G-spotter]

Dude your rant sounds just like the kid who just took the Mounties course whining that they saw a climber at Bruce's Boulder say it was OK to anchor from a sliding-X. "Don't THESE IDIOTS KNOW they could DIE doing that?"

[TrogdortheBurninator]

"Oh, I'm ACE certified, and have an AA degree from Edmonds Community College".

 

What are your credentials again?

 

 

Oh, I'm just a professional masturbater. As most graduate students in exercise science are....

 

Guess I just assumed somebody with "credentials" wouldn't spend so much time seeking exercise and PT advice from a climbing forum.

[i_like_sun]

Actually Eric, research suggests that running enhances the knees' ability to adapt to higher impact motion. Like most other things, if you practice it, your body will start to change in order to mitigate any potential injury. I'm not an expert to the point where I could drill that point way down, but I've studied this for years being involved in competitive running.

 

The reason we hear about people having 'wrecked knees' is typically not a result of running itself, which is a natural musculoskeletal movement. Instead, you mostly hear of destroyed knees from that one guy who used to be a rad skier. Or perhaps you heard about it from that woman that was a professional twister player? Almost all the people we hear about with whack knees are suffering from an ailment they got elsewhere.

 

The last few actually did hurt their knees running, and that was likely due to bad form, lack of stretching, or overexertion.

 

oh and - tittle spaeling fayl.

 

so thats what happened to me!

 

So since you guys know knees soooooooo well please tell me why my tibial tuberosity is inflammed?

 

No its not osgood schlaughters. No its not patella tendonitis. And yes I have good cartidlidge and no bone fx or weaknesses.

 

PT exercises only do good for about 4-6 months before the injury comes back and yes, I continued doing them.

 

 

What about your feet? Have you ever seen a physical therapist who's examined your gait? Perhaps you are a candidate for custom orthotics?

 

An inflamed tibial tuberosity can be caused by malalignment in the lower extremity (jacked biomechanics). Your problem could be coming from overly pronating or supination feet, muscle weekness in your hip extensors / external rotators, or perhaps even a muscular imbalance between your knee extensors and flexors. Its hard to say without actually looking at you and analyzing how you move. Even subtle discrepancies in biomechanics can be dangerous to tissues. This is why most injuries happen when athletes are fatigued and their muscle activation times change, even by just a tiny bit.

 

I do know for sure that calcaneal tuberosity (achilles insertion) pain is usually caused by lateral forces on the tendon. It would make sense then that chronic lateral forces on the quadriceps tendon could cause insertion (tuberosity) pain.

 

Basically, you have to remember that everybody's movement patterns are unique, and so we can't say "oh, this exercise is evil...". Running on its own is probably not the only culprit to your pain. Its more likely a bigger issue with your movement patterns.

 

Dr. Layton probably has some good ideas on this...

[eldiente]

Yeah I used to recall working out at a 24 hour gym. Every time I'd check in some guy with big arms would tell me how scrawny I was and if I'd train with him I'd get "bigger" I always had a good laugh. But overall I liked the 24 hour gym I went to, they had everything, pool, sauna, racket ball etc. If you've got to go to a mega gym you may as well go to one that has fun toys to workout on. As for the agro/ignorant trainers. What you gonna do, they get paid to tell people what they want to hear. They are their to make money so getting an un-biased and/or informed opinion is probably not going to happen. As with most workout "programs" everyone seems to have an agenda and a secret sauce that they think works best. I'd like to find a trainer who advocates drinking more beer for better fitness.

[kevino]

I like sun:

 

Sounds a lot like what a past friend/physical therapist told me. I have had my feet looked at and have no supination or pronation. And I have had my gait analyzed, the only "deformity" was that my hip dropped at certain points in my stride. Which of course, are due to muscle imbalances, and as you said, when the muscles get fatigued my biomechanics go to shit. However, after taking seven months off from running, I returned to running maybe 3-5 days a week between 20-60 minutes, way less than my normal 50-60 mpw, and the pain returned within one or two weeks...Which is when I went a saw another doctor and ruled everything out and agreed, my tibial tuberosity is def. inflammed, but what exactly is causing it...he was unsure. And said the usual, well do your PT exercises and don't run as much.

 

I've since stopped running for my college and only run 2-4 days a week when I feel like it and when there is no pain. The pain can return during periods of long walking downhill (ie descending from a mtn climb), but not always.

[John Frieh]

If you must know, I like to warm up on the elliptical before doing any powerlifting or heavy leg stuff. Running before those exercises seems to fatigue me just enough that I can't lift as intensely. Plus, I did a bunch of work for Precor last spring, so I'm attempting to support their machines...

 

god made machines to keep the wankers off the barbells

[layton]

 

Dr. Layton probably has some good ideas on this...

 

Yes but then I'd have to read this thread vs. skimming it and making witty comments. fuck that I'm going bouldering in LCC