Addressing Illogical Movement Fear: Part 71

Listen, there’s no shortage of unique characters walking around Venice. Just last week, a gentleman came in to tell me about the Three Peaks only ascended by humanity through Chinese martial arts. He studied Kung Fu and while it neither looked like it nor was it likely true, this gentleman was confident that training in the gym wasn’t appropriate when we’re older. 

“What is this?!” is the first thing he said. 

Pointing at the gym demanding clarity, I kind of wish his first words was something, “Hey, there,” but here we are. While I should have probably skipped the conversation while he showed me the power of “tendon speed” as his whipped poorly thrown Kung Fu strikes around (but not on) my body, I decided to participate a bit. 

His question wanted a simple answer, but in reality it’s a big question. We’re teaching movement at DEUCE and that’s about the extent of it. The problem with this answer is that it doesn’t meet a closed minded, pessimistic view of movement’s needs. Frankly, he’s right, there are a lot of things that aren’t appropriate for certain populations. Except, our view of movement isn’t dogmatic like that. 

If he’s saying that old people shouldn’t squat (for example), what is he saying? They shouldn’t do the gym related choreography of squatting? Is it squatting with implements and weights that people can’t squat that they shouldn’t squat? That sentence seems to take care of itself, doesn’t it?

Should they not sit at home or in restaurants? 

What are we saying when we say people shouldn’t train in certain ways? Another gentleman I talked to this week was confident he shouldn’t do any one rep maxes. To clarify, should we not do one rep maxes that we can’t do? That seems to be resolved in the question, as well. Should we not do one rep maxes that aren’t in proper posture and position? Well, yea, that’s not what we’re saying either. 

To quote Coach Glassman, our needs differ by degree, not kind. The fear injected into gym culture is so strong that many of people’s greatest objections dissolve when you ask just one more clarifying question. 

Hire a coach. Carry on.