Fitness Through the Ages I: 'Dem Caveman Gains

With the first part in this 'Fitness Through the Ages' series, it would be obvious that we begin from the beginning of human kind. Good ol' Caveman, with his primitive means of obtaining food, required indomitable levels of fitness.  To get food, to gain sustenance, to provide for his family and community, Caveman would go hunt for days.  His survival depended on it.  How fit you were, determined how well you could obtain food to live another day.  Caveman gains,in essence.   

Life was far from sedentary

To stalk, to track, and then to have the stamina to kill, required a practiced level of accuracy, endurance, speed, and control in a state of fatigue. It was not just for the obtaining of food that early man needed to be fit.  Caveman was largely nomadic, moving where food was plentiful.  High endurance would have been essential to pick up and relocate, however far it was needed, to gain access to plentiful sources of fruits, vegetables, and wild game.  

When being FAT was considered being FIT

Its from this high need for energy to go look for food that having a fat storing capability was developed.  When food was hard to find, you could still get energy from fat that would be carried with you.  It'd keep you warm in the winter when food would be harder to find, allowing you to be 'fit', to survive in the conditions you were exposed to.  

Stalingrad the Movie: A Review

Explosions, fire, airplanes on fire with explosions, World War II army uniforms, and a calm, collective pianist.  Its like a Call of Duty commercial.  IN 3D!

Just like the first post on this blog was on Stalingrad, so to is its first movie review.  Stalingrad (2013) is a Russian production that just oozes with over-the-top action with a great story, and the nostalgia of Russian history.  A fictional tale of the battle of Stalingrad (hint: check back on the first post, )  this movie loosely bases itself on the story of Pavlov's House.  

A small group of Russian defenders are ordered to hold off a lone city apartment building to make way for the successful Russian retaliation against the Nazi-German army who has managed to engulf the city with heavy air-support and vicious tank armour.  This is the backdrop for a, you guessed it, all-demographic-encompassing, love story.  War, love, its like peanut butter and jelly folks!  

Still shooting while on fire:  The Phoenix Force is strong in this one

The over-dramatic action scenes play a huge role in the epic-ness of this movie but this reviewer is not complaining.  The Battle of Stalingrad, was...well, a battle.  A very insanely bloody one at that, with almost 2 million people killed and an entire city turned into a smoldering, demolition site.  However this battle would also spark a turn for the better for Russia, snow-balling into the eventual march of the Red Army into Hitler's HQ, Berlin.  

It is definitely worth seeing.  Sit back and enjoy!

Build Huge Guns, Fight Cancer

"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it" - Plato (427-347 BC)

We all know that eating right and exercising are very important parts of life.  So important, that we should never stop doing them.  Your health can become at risk because of it.  But, it’s still hard to come across the idea that exercise can be and in fact is medicine in itself, especially against deadly illnesses like cancer.

Yes, cancer.

Exercise plays a crucial role in combating cancer. 

You’re probably thinking, “That’s really far-fetched.”  How can exercise compare to frightening radiation and chemotherapy? 

Actually not just exercise but specifically strength raining plays a huge role in fighting cancer. 

Helps in recovery from medical cancer treatments

Strength training can preserve the structural integrity of the body, leading to a better quality of life during heavy treatment.  A 2013 study by Hanson, Sheaff, Sood, Ma, Francis, Goldberg, and Hurley exemplifies this point.  A group of prostate cancer patients went through a very hard form of therapy called androgen deprivation (ADT).  Basically this therapy killed off all of their testosterone producing receptors to try and prevent the further growth of the cancer.  Usually this treatment leaves people feeling completely exhausted and depleted.  At the same time they went through a rigorous strength trianing program for twelve weeks. 

What were the findings?

Astoundingly, even with the almost-complete absence of testosterone, patients were still able to gain:

•           a 38% decrease in fatigue perception,
•           110% increase in muscular endurance, and a
•           20% increase in functional performance at the end of the study period with strength training. 

Yup, you read that right.  

Even without most of their testosterone, these men were able to see increases in performance and fatigue management, with the use of regular strength training. 

Think about this study the next time you shame a gym meat-head.  Shame on you!

Can reduce your chances of seeing cancer grow into something dangerous

A key benefit with strength is how well it can stimulate our immune system, along with improving lean body mass (the kind without fat). 

Why are these things important to fighting cancer? 

Well, we know that a better immune system will obviously mean a better means of fighting things such as free radicals and many foreign substances that can negatively alter cell replication, leading to the onset of cancer. 

But how is lean body mass important? 

It’s a cancer predictor.

A 2009 Swedish study on muscular strength and fat tissue was done in order to find if these factors were predictors of adulthood cancer mortality in men.  It was found that, ‘Higher levels of muscular strength are associated with lower cancer mortality risk in men....’ Through this ability to enable the body to better combat cancerous cells, strength training aids the body in the fight against this deadly disease.

Psychological benefits

You mental strength takes a huge toll when you face huge adversity.

They say that the body can only go as far as the mind wills it.  Even if your body can push further, if your mind quits, than so too will your body. 

It’s the same thing with fighting a hard-hitting disease like cancer. 

That’s why the way that strength training can improve the outlook of cancer patients is crucial to understand.  

In a study by Ohira, Schmitz, Ahmed, and Yee the effects of weight training on quality of life in recent breast cancer survivors showed that over a period of six months twice-a-week, regular, and vigorous, resistance training, the 86 cancer survivors in the study experienced an increased quality of life through improvements in body composition and strength.  Patients felt that the resistance training improved their self-confidence strength, speed, endurance, body-aches, appearance, and sleep quality.  Comments on progress from some patients included:

“I can open jars by myself now,”

“I feel confident to move heavier things around the house,”

“I have more energy than I have ever had,”

“I am trying new activities.”

They felt emancipated from their illness. 

These cancer survivors felt mentally empowered because they had become physically more powerful.  Their improvement in quality of life was as a result of progress made in strength training. 

So next time you think about skipping out on your strength training, realize that it plays a greater role in your overall health than you thought.  It’s not just about building ‘huge guns’ and an awesome physique (insert ‘suns out, guns out’ quote).  Rather its benefits play a more holistic role in improved physical performance and combating major illnesses.   

___________________________

Resources:

Hanson, E. D., A. K. Sheaff, S. Sood, L. Ma, J. D. Francis, A. P. Goldberg, and B. F. Hurley. "Strength Training Induces Muscle Hypertrophy and Functional Gains in Black Prostate Cancer Patients Despite Androgen Deprivation Therapy." The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 68.4 (2013): 490-98. Web.

Ohira, T,, K. H. Schmitz, R. L. Ahmed, and D. Yee. "Effects of Weight Training on Quality of Life in Recent Breast Cancer Survivors: The Weight Training for Breast Cancer Survivors (WTBS) Study." Cancer 9th ser. 1013.106 (2006): 2076-083. PubMed. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. 

Ruiz, J. R., X. Sui, F. Lobelo, D.-C. Lee, J. R. Morrow, A. W. Jackson, J. R. Hebert, C. E. Matthews, M. Sjostrom, and S. N. Blair. "Muscular Strength and Adiposity as Predictors of Adulthood Cancer Mortality in Men." Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 18.5 (2009): 1468-476. Web. 

Genghis Khan Misunderstood Part III

The face of women's suffrage 

In Parts I and II we talked about Genghis Khan's appreciation for education and his tolerable side to religion.  Now, in the third segment of the Genghis Khan series we will look at the oft quoted trait of conquerors:

Their maltreatment of women.  

After all, when we think of conquering, we hear the phrase 'raping and pillaging' quite often.  It has been often associated with the violent disruption of peace in towns and cities when rule changes occur, especially during sieges, where the very city is at battle with the invader.  

Genghis Khan and his Mongols were no different in this matter.  It would be too far-fetched of a statement to say that his conquests did not involve rape.  It was prominent to say the least. However it might come at a surprise that this defiler of women was also a prominent figure in improving women's rights amongst his own expanding nation. 

Intentional?  

Unintentional?  

That's debatable.  

In large part, many of his reforms led to greater overall unity in the empire and, it is safe to say, that that was his overall goal in the raising of women's rights.  But it does not deter from the fact that his reign did indeed bring on an elevation in the right's of women from a much depreciable position.  

Ended Women-Stealing


He instituted an end to the capturing of women between tribes as was the case before Genghis bound them together in one nation.  Such conflicts had led to major tribal warfare that kept the Mongol tribes in strife amongst one another.  Moreover he made it unlawful to force a woman into marriage.  These policies although made to quell calamity and maintain order in his empire, also led the Mongol woman to ascend in status.  

No more fear of getting kidnapped

Gave Women Active Roles in Mongol Society

Many Mongol women were entrusted with administrating conquered territories and even fighting alongside men.  Ultimately it was the ability of khatuns, or Queens, to take roles of leadership as the head of the Mongols during a time of great instability in the Mongol empire that was a true measure of the reforms Genghis Khan made.  Many of Genghis' daughter-in-laws and granddaughter-in-laws took the place of head of the empire after Ogedai Khan (Genghis Khan's successor) had died with no fit male heir ready to take his place, however for a short time.  

One of the few queens of the Mongols

In a time where the empire was ready to break apart and civil war struck in its place, these Mongol women played a role in stabilizing the growing empire when its head had been cut off. These events may very well have not transpired had Genghis Khan not made the reforms he had done.  In fact, it might be said that the empire would not have even formed, as one of the key blueprints of the empirical status of the Mongol's was through Genghis Khan's ending of treating women as commodities.    

For Further Reading:

Weatherford, J. McIver.  The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire.  New York: Crown, 2010. Print. 

Fitness Through the Ages

Gentlemanly strength

Dost thou even hoist? 

Through the millennia that man has existed on Earth, fitness has always been an important aspect of life.  It is how well you can survive, and we all want to survive right?  Let us marvel, through the time machine that is history, and see the advancements in fitness, or rather, the decline in fitness that we see from the first men and women to the gradually more sedentary lifestyles that we have grown into today.

Group Fitness of Olde

From the first signs of survival of Primitive Man, to the agricultural revolution, early Indian and Chinese society, to the pantheon of fitness that was the Greeks, we'll see the evolution of fitness of human kind.  The importance of fitness of warring nations like Rome, we'll see the systematic implementation and standardization of fitness for men and women.  We'll see that even with the apparent death of civilized society during the Dark Ages that fitness reigned as essential and that it brought forth a continued evolution of itself through the heights of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.  

We'll see the impact on fitness that industrialization had, as societies began to decline in the standard of fitness necessary for survival, slowly but surely. Throughout the American Civil War, the World Wars, all the way to the 21st Century, we'll see the change in fitness, and grasp an understanding on how far we have come as the human race in the level of fitness required for survival.  

Join me on this journey as we embark on a quest of discovery of health and fitness throughout the history of the human race.  

Genghis Khan Misunderstood Part II

Another aspect of Genghis Khan that shows more than what it is, is his stance on religion.  He was heralded by the West with the benevolent title of, "Scourge of God" for his apparent threat of extermination of Christianity with his empire's growth.  However there is again more to this than meets the eye.  

Allegiance to Genghis was all that mattered to the great Mongol leader

Genghis Khan had Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and many other religious groups representative under his banner.  All were welcome to practise their conviction without refute so long as they pledged faithfully, allegiance to the Great Khan.  Genghis when a step further by exempting religious leaders from many civic duties such as paying taxes in order to focus on their roles as religious leaders within the empire.  

He placed no likeness on one religion nor did he show contempt to any religious doctrine.  He preached openness as it would expand his empire, bringing people who were persecuted in far off lands towards his own,  strengthening his own numbers.  Such a policy was a complete success as it spread unity within his empire.  It was with this openness to religion that Genghis was granted the title of "Protector of Religions" by his peoples.  

In the next segment, we'll take a more holistic look at Genghis Khan's infamous womanising reputation.  Is it true that 1 in 10 people today are related to him?  Till next time!

References

Weatherford, J. McIver. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World.  
New York: Crown, 2004.  Print.  

Genghis Khan Misunderstood Part I

When we envision individuals like Genghis Khan we see villains and for the most part, our history depicts them as such.  If you think about this man, first thoughts of, conqueror, pillager, ransacker, rampant womaniser, and an enemy of religion come to mind.  However there is so much more to him than meets the eye.  Most of these points are biased as they were written by those he conquered and is a testament to the level of success he had as an expander of his empire.   

A major point of contention of Genghis Khan's pillager attitude is the notion that he hated education.  For instance, there is a common belief that Khan razed libraries and that he would have nothing to do with books and the like.  This can possibly be interpreted as a hatred for learning and education but you have to realize that there was a method to the seeming madness.  Genghis Khan was illiterate, what would he do with books?  What would he do with books on subjects of benefit (warfare, economics, law), when he had the forerunners of those subjects under his control.  After conquering lands, he would institute the best skilled workers and serviceman into his fold of governance with rapprochement.  

He only asked for allegiance to him.  In this way, he promoted learning, albeit in a more practical and applied sense.  It is for this policy on free-learning that he had people from surrounding nations flock to his empire, for a chance to practise, without restriction, their craft.  You had experts come in from as far as England.  In fact, this policy of openness was so engrained in the Mongol art of empire-building that generations after Genghis, Marco Polo would go on from Italy to become a governor of one of the Mongol provinces.  That's something isn't it?  Stay tuned as I bring to light another misconception of Genghis Khan:  his position on religion.  

References:

Weatherford, J. McIver. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. New York: Crown, 2004. Print.

Teddy Roosevelt: The Definition of 'Beast Mode'

The Cowboy President

Theodore Roosevelt, more commonly known as "Teddy" is by far one of the most well-accounted and idolized figure in American history.  A man's man, Teddy Roosevelt epitomized masculinity and leadership.  In fact, in an election speech in October of 1912, Roosevelt was shot in the chest by a would-be assassin.  When the smoke cleared and the crowd was calmed by the presidential candidate, all the man had to say was, "It takes more than that to kill a bull-moose," revealing his bloodstained shirt and continuing on his speech which lasted close to an hour.  

His wound was not fatal, as the bullet passed through his thick coat, steel eye-glass case, and the thick notes of his speech.  But let's not look over what he just did.  The man was shot, the assassin aiming for his chest, blood soaking his clothes, and he still went on to complete his speech.  He makes Chuck Norris look like Goldilocks.  

This incident, and the way Rooseelt carried himself in it, is but one of several incidences that showcased this man's bravado, courage, and inner strength.  He would go on to become the 26th Presidents of the United States of America and founding the Progressive Party he lived the life of a cowboy and is always remembered as a Bull-Moose.  

One Generation to the next

It seems as if one generation wants to constantly do battle with the next.  There is a constant struggle to prove one mindset over the other, the older seeing themselves as more superior to the younger.  Each is dogged with the conundrum of why the other acts the way they act or do the way they do, seemingly absurd to each other.  

This goes beyond the classes of understanding that exist between the sexes, the social classes, and the ethnic/cultures.  This generational divide is a boundary between world-views of one of the largest groups of human beings, discriminated on a temporal basis.  It’s not like sexism and racism whereby we move in progress to understand one another and quell discrimination over time.  You literally have only a defined period of time to understand two unique groups of people before the elder one dies out and is replaced by the previous subordinate one, the cycle continuing.  

The Generation Gap

This lack of understanding seems so prevalent that people describe it as just a way of life.  "You’ll grow out of most of it and become like the predecessors." This isn't exactly the case, as each generation retains the core qualities that characterize it, regardless of where they are in their lives.  The Baby Boomers have their thing, the Xers, Yers and Zers all have unique characteristics to them.  And when two generations confront one another, there is always a clash of not being able to understand where one comes from.

Do you feel a great divide with people of the other generation?  

Attaining Ascension

The past few posts have had a historical flavour to them and its so hard not to, for me.  I love combining the recorded achievements of people before our time.  Its just has this odd surreal feeling.  Today however, I want to shed light on something without going too much into detail of its history.  

It is time to surpass current abilities.  It is time to take the next step forward towards reaching your full potential.  It is time to ascend to the next plateau.  Months of planning, networking, execution, re-evaluation, and dedication lead up to this moment. You’ve drilled every cue, placed yourself amongst mentors to stoke your ambition, and emulated the accomplishment hundreds of times in your mind.  Now do it.  Ascend to the next level.  Such a task has tested you through and throughout.   Now more than ever, on the brink of a new plateau, will you be tested like never before.  This baptism will see you come anew as a warrior of your craft.  Seek it with certainty, seek it with vigour, and see ascension come into your grasp. 

Like Goku, you have to push yourself into that realm where you truly test your mettle and push the ceiling of your potential

 It is during these times, when on the brink of attaining the next level that we must call on something else that we have not physically or mentally been prepared to do.  It is that something that resides deep within us.  It is our hunger to attain the goal.  It is the blazing phoenix that is our passion, raw and untamed, never fully let out in its totality. Such an entity tends to manifest itself in the successful overcoming of doubt along the journey.  On the contrary, it allows itself to be known only in mild spurts only to dissipate before given a chance for the person to understand where such reserves of energy came from.  It is such a thing that must actively be drawn upon to attain that next standard.  Whether it is a major academic examination, a career changing job interview, a high-level athletic endeavour, or a monumental step in bridging or advancing a personal relationship, that beast that is desire is needed.

Raw, untamed, passion

You cannot call upon it, like you do the will to keep going on each day.  It is something that comes from immense drive and dedication but also from at times, breaking away from the subconscious barriers we place upon ourselves.  The identifying and breaking of said barriers are how we attain true ascension.  The trouble is that you cannot identify such obstacles until you are put in situations where you are pushed to your breaking point.  You need to be pushed beyond past boundaries.  To there, yonder!  At times such breaking of barriers calls for relinquishing personal restraints because in fact, many barriers placed before us are self-made.  These barriers are to a larger extent under your control because they are internalized.  They cannot be strategized around in the same way as obstacles placed by others in your path.  They are to be dissolved from within.  Let it go. Let go of your personal self afflictions.   

We place these barriers upon ourselves for many reasons.  Self-doubt, self-sabotage, a feeling of not being good enough, and a fear for what others will think, are just some of the seemingly reasonable rationalities that we use to explain our cowardice.  Largely however, these barriers are placed to prevent something powerful, primal, and otherwise untameable, from bursting out.  That passion is viewed as self-destructive.  Maybe it is.  In the grand scheme of things, to let this beast that is our passion out to its full extent may prevent actual work to be done.  It may prevent us from making progress on the grind that is the journey to attaining our goal.  But, what does one do when faced with that obstacle that eclipses all others.  Such an obstacle cannot be outmanoeuvred through planning or aide from others.  Such obstacles can only be overcome through the desire of the individual to be victorious, or die trying.

   

Attain that new plateau

Alas, the justification in those times of futility is to reinforce those self-constraints.  However, there are certain circumstances where that primal beast needs to be let loose to give that extra "Oomph" to attain the seemingly unattainable.  Sometimes, it is our primal essence, in all its rawness that is necessary for us to ascend.  So there is nothing else we can do except, let it all go. 

Indomitable will

You have to go to that place where you are afraid to go.  You have to go to that mental state that has all-or-nothing as its mandate.  You have to go to that place where you are set on accomplishing the task at hand without fear of death.  Why?  Because that raw passion, that fire you have for what you do drives your life.  It makes life worth living and without it what desire is there to live?  Life without passion is one of desolation. Such seemingly unconquerable obstacles are direct threats to the preservation of that passion and thus your reason for living.  There is no other way but to do or die, to ascend or be expended. 

  

The experience of ascension is not an easy task by any means.  As one approaches this seeming barrier of the possible, one will be shaken on all planes of their foundation.  Mentally, physically, spiritually, the very pillars of these structures of your being will be shaken with the fear of falling apart, of dying.  The reality that you might die from this experience, and not necessarily in the literal sense, can be construed by this experience of testing your limits to reach the next plateau.  But when you do achieve it, when you push through the apparent barriers of your being, and you bask in the new realm of the possible, you think back and wonder, “How much farther could I have gone?  How much more could I have withstood?  How much more am I capable of?”  Thus the hunger for the next plateau is renewed, the journey ready to be re-embarked upon, to reach a new definition of possible.

 

 It is that point where the task becomes more important to you than anything, not even your life.  Do not care of what others think, about the physical hardship, or anything irrelevant for that matter.  Stay focused on ascending.  It is that desperation which allows us to grow over the most sought after achievements and most noble of feats, and to become that version of ourselves that, initially, were too frightened to become.