First Person to 100 Who Doesn't Look 100

 In recent weeks, there have been several reports of people at the pinnacle of bodybuilding distinction, dying unexpectedly and prematurely from heart failure of some sort --- which totally perplexes those who think that one cannot work the heart too hard or too much -- and that doing so, only makes one "invincible" -- which is apparently and obviously not the case.

As I had realized early on in the initial rush to marathon workouts without end -- the body is actually a precious, limited resource -- and there is nothing in God's universe, that benefits from increasing use, overuse, and outright abuse, that makes it infinitely better -- and observant thinkers have invariably remarked that there seems to be in all things, a point at which one no longer derives a benefit, but then begins to decline, and even dies from "more."  

Then the blame is shifted to something agreed upon to be the cause -- rather than recognizing the obviousness of the simple truth of the matter -- which is that stressing the heart unnecessarily more is not a good strategy for getting maximum longevity from the body, or any other resource.  In this case, "steroids" (drugs) are solely to blame, and not all the other confounders of unwise and adverse behaviors -- even while the overwhelming cause of death is some heart failure.  "How could the heart fail it if was being pushed to the maximum every day?"

That is the nature of things -- it works, until it fails -- and determining that fine line, is the art and science of living -- and not seeing how fast the body (or machine) can go before experiencing that fatal failure.  And so the question all should ask, is not how far and fast they can go before going out in a blaze of glory -- but how one can optimize that spark of life for the longest life possible -- and that is obviously the next frontier and challenge of living in these times -- or any other, for that matter.

Obviously the one still standing, sitting and lying -- at will, at 100, trumps all the young people reaching the pinnacle of their sport at 25, and then dying of a heart attack because of all the bad practices they had adopted to get there.  And it is not as though it is still a path untrodden -- when it has become predictable and endemic to such activities taken to such extremes without regard for any other practical considerations.  Life is a marathon in this sense -- rather than a sprint, or any particular fight to the finish.  Living another day in good health, is the proof of that wisdom and knowledge of life and everything in it, and not simply going out in a spectacular blaze of glory -- and taking as many out with them as possible.

That earns no bonus points in the next world -- or this one, for that matter.  But most take "optimal health" for granted -- as though it is a given -- rather than the goal.  "Optimal" is not "any," or anything one wishes it to be -- but that which proves the exception.  It is the difference between the exceptional and the ordinary -- especially in one's own life, and living.  That is all it has to be -- and that makes the difference.  That is the fine line upon which the balance of life is determined.  This or that, better or worse, and in those many tiny decisions, great lives are made or lost.  Can one tell the difference? -- or is everything one great big blur?

That journey begins not at the end but obviously at the beginning of each moment.  And while such an outlook seems admirable only for the conscientious, that's what it takes to get there -- just as every living thing must decide for itself.  There is no off the shelf product for achieving that end.  It is the summation of everything one does for an entire lifetime -- and that is the reward, as well as the outcome.  Of course, there is still no 100% guarantee of certainty and satisfaction as the marketing says it is -- but one takes their best chances, based on everything they know.

Obviously, what most know to be true isn't getting anyone there already -- or yet -- so what remains to be seen, is what does get one there.  That's simply the truth of the matter -- and not simply doing all the "right" things that produce the "wrong" results and outcomes -- and insisting that is what must be.  No, things turn out differently -- when people do different things -- than what they are told is the only thing that can be done, despite those famously poor outcomes.  That is malpractice of the worst sort -- convincing people they must sabotage themselves in order for that practitioner (adviser) to become rich.

Such advice doesn't work in every aspect of life -- but it is too late to change, and think they must suffer those consequences rather than changing for a more favorable outcome.  The better answer is seldom harder to adopt and implement -- and would invariably make their lives easier and less difficult, but their conditioning is to remain doing what they've done previously no matter how disastrous the results have been -- until they no longer try, and merely resign themselves to a poor fate -- despairing in the usefulness of trying.  New and better information just seems to bounce off of them as though ping pong balls of truth are being slammed into their faces -- no longer inquiring what hit them.

Those are invariably the people who won't make it -- and will have long given up along the way.  When that occurred is a moot point -- because it occurred at so many junctures and turning points untaken.  We all hope never to reach that point of no return.  But we all seem to lose that steadfastness at some point -- that hope that things can still turn around from the runaway train off the cliff.  

How that is achieved is a combination of everything -- and not just one thing -- no matter how prodigious or profligate.  Obviously, everything has to go right -- for a lifetime, or at least 100 years, for one to remain viable and robust at 100.  But those chances improve with an increasing population -- because it only takes one in a billion to get there.  And when that one does, everybody else will know about it -- if they want to.  That is now the world we live in.

One or the Other

  The muscle is designed to do two things: Contract — and relax, and in doing so, produces movement — visibly, and internally.

The heart is the best illustration of this: it functions by reliably contracting and alternately relaxing, and in doing so, produces the necessary pumping effect — which doesn’t happen if that muscle only contracts or only relaxes — in which case, we note that the heart has ceased to function. It is in doing both alternately that it is meaningful and productive — so just to do one or the other is a meaningless question because one gives meaning to the other.

I know many exercise “experts” will tell their classes that they need to do this or that to get their hearts pumping — but the truth of the matter is that the heart is always pumping, and is always the hardest, perennially working muscle — and when that ceases, so will life dependent on that pumping effect — or circulation. Respiration and circulation enables one to sustain themselves in this environment — and is also dependent on the muscular change from fullest expiration (contraction), to fullest relaxation (inspiration). Again, one gives meaning and power to other.

That’s why in any movement and activity, that which produces the greatest variability between these two extremes is life and health enhancing — while the cessation of one over the other, must result in death or disability long before that definitive end. For this reason, many bodybuilders are incapable of sustaining gains and growth because they focus on one or the other — when it is the change of muscular states from one extent (extreme) to the other that is most productive and allows them to retain their viability to the day they die. They tend to lop off the extremes from their movements — even while doing a lot of minimal change movements — characterized by foreshortened movements, such as adding more weight to further reduce their range of movement.

How that is achieved is fairly easy to do — rather than the impossibility that most exercise instruction insists it must be, and so it becomes a more unproductive activity and eventually forcing most to discontinue it as a nonproductive activity — rather than the primary way of enabling and empowering all their daily activities and functioning. Then it would make sense to begin each day in such a way — or suffer the consequences.

Rather than the resistance (workload) being important, it is actually the range of moving the muscle from one extreme to the other to effect the circulatory function — and not the one or the other the teachers instruct. Health is that which is “optimal” — and not merely one thing at the expense of all the others.

It is the range of moving from one extreme to the other itself that causes the contraction and relaxation -- and not the resistance or workload. So it is knowing what positions the bones must be in to effect these different states -- that is obviously achieved when bodybuilders can contract their muscles very forcefully while posing -- or as the yoga people do in adopting certain postures to effect relaxation. Obviously in these situations and circumstances, no resistance is required -- and would actually be a hindrance -- to obtaining the fullest contraction or the fullest relaxation.

It's been known for centuries that one can achieve these prodigious muscular developments before the advent and invention of so-called exercise machines -- which are usually sold by emphasizing the added strain on the heart -- but that is not the deficiency in most people. Most people's problem is that their voluntary muscles are unexercised because they require willful intention to activate -- while the heart is always automatic (autonomic) and does not need to be prodded into doing more or less. It will always do what is required -- without that willful intervention. One similarly does not need to "invent" gravity for that purpose; it will act infallibly.

One need not invent a machine to make water run downhill -- and think oneself a genius in doing so. The lack is getting the water or weight uphill to the preferred location where it will do the most good. So as I witnessed many feats of impressive destruction, one wondered, could any of that energy be used to construct something useful -- and in the case of every life, it would be to optimize the health and well-being of what fails prematurely -- from the lack of use and circulation, because that is the real intent of exercise and activity -- and not merely to waste (burn) as much energy as possible.

Exercise of that sort must fail -- because it misunderstands its purpose in the thinking that sheer destruction and waste, is the objective of any meaningful and productive activity. As such, it is not life-sustaining but becomes increasingly self-destructive behavior -- invariably leading to disabilities and death. The feet, knees and back are prematurely worn out, making even the simplest daily movements prohibitive. Of course the media writers will write about the one in a hundred who managed to overcome that elimination from further participation -- as proof and testimony that such programs work, while ignoring the 99% that prove the obvious rule.

In fact, in many academic circles, what is celebrated as fact, is what has never been observed to be true -- because that would be too obvious, and not require "experts" to explain. Instead, they're usually advising people not to do what would not require instruction but only the awareness of what is happening -- or not. Increasingly, laws are passed to prohibit one from finding out the truth of any matter for themselves. That's what media celebrities think is their job -- to tell everybody else what to think. It doesn't matter if it is true or valid but that we all jump on the same bandwagon -- as what they think is the function and purpose of society.

Everybody on the same page, makes it "true" -- regardless of the self-evident truth. Then it is a matter of how steadfast one can hold their conviction -- until everyone comes to their senses, and sees the simplicity of the matter.