If You Have a Problem, Don't Do Something Else

  It seems simple and obvious -- that if there is a problem, one should prioritize the solving of that -- rather than going on to do something else, because if not addressed as the priority, it will negatively impact everything else one does -- even rendering them incapable of doing anything else.

That fundamental response to life should form the core of all one's learning and knowledge -- and not that everything is equally worth knowing and doing -- because in the end, everything will come out the same.  Of primary importance is the proper sequence of what and how things are done.  That is what we have formalized as the protocols of what must be done -- even if they are reformulized from time to time.  But until then, that was the best we knew then -- until we knew better.  That is how human progress and evolution happens.

That is the basis of knowledge -- and not that we began with perfect knowledge that has eroded with time and experience.  In this regard, the understanding of circulation is still in its infancy -- but it underlies life as its essential necessity.  When circulation ceases, all life processes it supports ceases -- and so does life for that individual because circulation is the means with which that individual interacts and is fed by its environment -- from air, water, atmospheric pressure, toxicity, enhancements, and of course, all those around them -- as the transactions and exchanges of daily living.

Most of us take all that for granted -- unless we are suddenly deprived of that constant supply -- but far more likely is the many ways we voluntarily isolate and cut oneself off from that supply -- in our life choices and daily habits.  Far and away the most common in contemporary lives, is how we immobilize ourselves in our daily (constant) activities -- which we frequently describe as the sedentary life -- but if we dive more deeply into the fundamental problem, it is not so much the sitting that is bad, but the lack of movement and articulation at the neck, wrists and ankles that are critical to the understanding of circulation problems -- particularly at the head, hands and feet, and their subsequent functioning.

Thus when I had occasion to interact with lifeless people to see if I could help restore movement and thus liveliness in them -- unlike the physical therapists who had much more demanding requirements of them -- I simply wanted to know if they could move anything at all, or were responsive in the least (and not the most demanding) ways.  That is the juncture at which one determines whether further efforts can be meaningful and productive, or whether nothing makes a difference anymore -- despite how loudly one can turn up the volume on these demands.

A favorite activity of the inactive, is to stare at a television all day -- requiring not even eye movement -- much less head movement, and naturally, without that movement, the muscles and other tissues atrophy -- because it is dependent upon that circulation, which is minimal because there is no change of state in the muscles of that area.  They always remain flaccid, and because of that, there is no flow -- which is greatly effected by muscular contractions as the underlying recommendation for exercise.  But it is not enough just to make the heart work harder and faster that enhances the circulation, as it is that specific voluntary muscles and their contraction determine the effectiveness of the work of the heart.

That is self-evidently why people who only work the heart muscle harder and faster to the exclusion of all else, don't develop the muscular propensity of those who realize that the most important function and work of every muscle is to mimic the heart in this pumping action -- rather than the lifting of weights, running, jumping, throwing and hitting, so that in the design of the ultimate exercise program, that would be far and away of primary importance and consideration.  This is particularly important in developing fitness maintenance for space programs, or other extraordinary conditions in which the conventional and traditional thinking on such matters are ineffective and fail utterly.

The important "work" performed is not the lifting of weights, or the running of miles, but the effectiveness of optimally circulating the blood and other fluids to sustain optimal health within the body.  Every other consideration becomes moot.  That is where conventional and traditional thinking on exercise fails entirely -- in this absence of resistance -- in the conventional way we are used to thinking about it.  But obviously, life can continue and be maintained inside of the body -- where there is still "resistance," but that inertia is caused by the lack of flow, and what produces it, is the contraction of the voluntary muscles of the body.

But with 600-800 muscles in the body, where would one begin (prioritize)?  Logically, it would be to prioritize the most important organs of the body -- which is the hands, feet and head -- which most take for granted as being adequately and automatically provided for.  However, they generally have to ignore or deny the deterioration in the functioning of those quintessentially human organs as the first signs that something is less than optimal in the functioning of that body.  It is just assumed that that is where the deterioration might begin -- as the well-established pattern of what we call "aging."  But rather than nothing can be done about it, the primary improvement of such areas should be the first we think of to optimize the circulation, development and even growth (improvement) throughout life -- rather than being an afterthought, and inessential.

In more primitive times, it was more obvious as the most essential -- and not simply the ornamental and cosmetic.  But the interesting thing is that if functioning and development precedes from that primary importance, the rest of the bodily structures are supportive of that development -- as the well-proportioned physiques of the past -- rather than the arbitrary development one sees today as the fashionable ideal -- that with time and age, becomes increasingly irrelevant, and even preposterous.

The small organ of the heart cannot force blood through the capillaries (fine blood vessels) -- if it is already full.  But muscular contractions at the extremities, will forcefully propel blood and fluids out of tissues in the direction it has to go -- back towards the center of the body.  That is the vascular part of the cardio(vascular) part of the equation that is just as essential to give meaning to the circulation.  To measure only the heart as the effectiveness of the circulation, is tantamount to placing the thermostat in the furnace -- and not at the farthest reaches one hopes to provide heat to.  But rather than devising a measuring device to observe that, one can simply observe the range of motion that is expressed at the axes of movement at the wrist, ankles, and neck -- and the resulting contraction and relaxation of those muscles immediately manifested.   

That is, one doesn't have to wait a year or even six months to witness -- but is apparent in every individual no matter what shape they think they are in -- and also apparent, to those otherwise considered "fit," but deficient in those specific developments -- and functioning.  Just making the heart work harder and faster is not going to solve the problem.  They have to specifically optimize the flow to where it is deficient and deteriorating, otherwise, the surgeon could just operate on ANY organ, and wonder why it does not solve the problem -- even though the operation was a success.  Life does not "average out" that way -- so that anything is as good as any other thing.  One should be sure they are measuring the right things -- and not just what is easiest and most convenient to measure -- or most profitable.

Manifesting Results

 Back in the innocent days of weightraining in the 1950s and 1960s, the publishers of the leading magazines on these activities, Bob Hoffman (Strength & Health), and Perry Rader (Iron Man), both advocated 20 repetitions of the breathing squat alternated with 20 repetitions of the breathing pullover as the foundation for any bodybuilding program. The weight suggested was largely irrelevant, as the primary importance was on the proper and deep breathing rhythm — and so bodybuilders (weight trainers), were largely distinguished by this prodigious development of their ribcage — upon which they added everything else. Even the most prolific bench presser of that time, Pat Casey had a very pronounced barrel chest from doing pullovers — rather than the bench press — presumably because the pullovers were done with the primary attention to full range breathing in high repetition sets, while the bench press were usually done for much fewer repetitions — without the attention to breathing but actually holding their breath for the duration of their one rep maximum.

Thus weighlifting and weight training came to be regarded as an anaerobic activity — because it was not empowered by breathing — which makes any activity aerobic (with breathing). Many people who think they are training to muscular failure in this fashion are instead failing because of cardiovascular failure because the weight constricts their breathing — as they not only shorten the range of movement for each subsequent lift, but also shorten the range of their breathing — and the effectiveness of breathing, is dependent on the last half of it, rather than the first half of it — when the air is moving only in and out of the windpipe and upper half of the lungs. The air that remains in the lungs, is called residual air, and blocks the freshest air from reaching the bottom portion of the lungs where the critical exchange of gases occurs.

The important part of breathing, is thus the fullest exhalation of air from the lungs, and not as most people think, that they need to breathe in most deeply or forcefully. You cannot force more air into an already filled lung. The proper understanding and strategy, is to breathe out as thoroughly as possible — so that any air entering into the lungs, has a chance to reach that critical interface where fine lung tissue meets fine blood vessels for that valuable exchange. Faster, harder breathing does not overcome the problem because it merely moves the air in and out of the windpipe and upper lung, while the residual air in the lungs blocks the most efficient exchange.

That is why modern First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation came to realize that mouth to mouth breathing is redundant if one is doing chest compressions — because the chest compressions expel the residual air in the lungs — while blowing more air into an already half-filled lung, doesn’t do much additional good — because when the compression vacates the lungs, when the pressure is released alternatively, the atmospheric pressure of 15 lbs per square inch automatically fills the vacuum created by those compressions.

Unfortunately, that understanding and its resulting benefit, has been largely lost in today’s exercise/bodybuilding hype/jargon of the blind leading the blind — for $500 weekend certificates of expertise as exercise gurus — when all that it was originally intended to “certify,” was that one obtained the First Aid and CPR as a prerequisite to signing up for their exercise certification.

In most of the exercises that are taught, producing this breathlessness is taught as a desirable thing, rather than synchronizing the movement and activity to the breathing, to produce an even greater deficit — rather than increasing the aerobic capacity and ability to persist (endure). And so this kind of premature “failure” is produced, rather than the more productive emphasis on endurance and persistence which produce long term benefits over the short term performance. That former is likely to be much more productive over a lifetime than the one time thrill of going over the cliff — no matter how spectacular.

Unfortunately, that is the kind of orientation most young people have today — of being too eager to jump on the treadmill, and wind themselves as quickly as possible, or simply burning as many calories as possible — as though that was all there is to it. The more valuable questioned unanswered, is what can one be doing productively with that expenditure of time, energy and resources. We all note that the critically important vital activity of life is breathing and circulation — but not in the direction we think of it. It is the exhalation that determines the effectiveness — and not as it is thought, the inhalation, or taking a deep breath in — an already filled lung.

In the same way, we also mistake the overworking of the heart and lungs as the measure of the effectiveness of the other muscles we wish to develop — and their failure as indicators of actual muscle failure. That is the problem with most videos of people purportedly training to muscular failure — when because of excessive weights used, actually cause a constriction of their breathing — or no breathing at all. The proper course and proven remedy, is to do as those old tine bodybuilders did — in taking a light weight and placing primary importance on their breathing and muscle relaxation and contraction only possible with nominal weights over a sustained time. Instead, what we most often see in gyms and other venues, is low rep maximums, with liberal rest times that account for 90% of their gym time — while claiming they are training to muscular failure, while predictably reporting that they experience no muscle soreness in subsequent days.

And thus they have the time, energy and recovery ability to go to the gym five times a week — yet get no results, and wonder why? Obviously, one hasn’t done anything that would alter that fact — because even the grade school pupil will show how one “makes a muscle” — immediately and instantly — and not wait around for a year for the results to manifest.

Doing the Most Good -- Where it Most Matters

 Optimizing the circulatory effect is how the body keeps itself healthy and functioning — by getting rid of the metabolic waste products first — to produce space for the new nutrients. That’s why those who exercise produce better health and beyond that, enables prodigious growth. That should be the rudimentary understanding of life processes.

We recognize that in the ABCs of First Aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). If there is no circulation of the vital fluids, then that person will imminently die — and the first to go will be the brain — because it is critically dependent on the flow of oxygen to the brain — which is effected by pressure differences caused by the contraction (compression) of the chest and lungs. Then when that pressure is released the space (vacuum) created will allow the higher atmospheric pressure to enter — and those are the conditions all life forms have evolved in. That is the greater environment and context of life — that no theory, gimmick, nutritional supplement, exercise apparatus can overrule.

In speaking of “exercise” as being the fabled elixir of health and life, what is frequently overlooked is this importance of the circulation (flow) to the brain (head), hands and feet — resulting in those organs and areas being the first to go — in most aging and deteriorating people. Those are the obvious and most visible “markers” of the underlying health and vitality of any individual — whether there is range of movement at the axis of the joints at those furthest extremities — because they really imply the rest.

Whether throwing or hitting a baseball, tennis ball, basketball, etc., most people fail to note that the turning of the wrist determines the success of the outcome. Likewise, the success at running, jumping, climbing, etc., is determined by the range of movement at the ankle — and not the knee, hips, or heart. Those are more obvious, but much less noticed and apparent to most is that the head movement is critical to the functioning of all the head senses — requiring one to turn their head to place their eyes, ears and nose in the proper position to optimize their functioning and usefulness. That is how a person knows what is going on around them — and not from the information they get from screens and books — not requiring them to turn their heads for that information.

Thus the neck muscles famously atrophy for lack of that engagement and functioning — which affects its circulatory effectiveness — because that specific contraction of the neck muscles as seen in the most prolific performers, can no longer be taken for granted — but must be given the highest priority when it is understood how movement at that joint, directly determines the flow. Thus, no matter how much attention is given to maintaining and developing the biceps and the abdominal muscles, or even the heart (which is an autonomic function), the most critical organs of the human body will be the first to atrophy and deteriorate from this misplaced attention and effort — even diverting those resources away from where they would do the most good.

And thus we have the familiar pattern of aging and atrophying and the neck, hands and feet in most older people — even as they work their larger muscles more — at the hip and shoulder girdle, and sometimes not even that in the case of most cardio machines that require nothing from an upper body movement. It is then pure heart action — which is automatic and appropriate to whatever the voluntary muscles require — and doesn’t need this exclusive attention. The failure to move is occurring at the furthest extremities — which is the problem, and no amount of doing the wrong thing, will rectify or improve. It will in fact, make the imbalance and disproportion worse.

That is precisely the problem of older bodybuilders in competition. Most invariably have atrophied lower legs, lower arms, and pencil (dental floss) necks — which would not happen if they only developed their lower legs (calf), lower arms (forearms), and neck muscles because that development requires the development of all the muscles proximal to the center of the body — but doesn’t happen if the range of movement doesn’t extend beyond the movement at the shoulders or hips. Why a person would want to do that is the reason exercise becomes less effective as one ages — when properly conceived, it should be doing them the most good — where it most matters.

A New Paradigm for Exercise

  No amount of the wrong thing, will give the results of a proper amount of the right thing.  Many think that just doing anything, will give them the results they desire, when in fact, only the right things will produce the desired results, and if that is not the case, they're doing the wrong things -- and usually, don't realize that.  That explains why some people get results -- while many others make all the effort, but fail to achieve the results that should be forthcoming.  Yet in contemporary life, we blur those distinctions as an end in itself -- with predictably disastrous results -- while thinking we are doing all the right things.  The results speak for themselves.  That would be unfortunate in any sphere of activities and endeavors.

So first, one should devote some time to understand what they are doing -- that is not working, and in that process, arrive at a better understanding of what must work.  That's the way reality is.  It's very predictable as long as one observes certain rules, and not merely as one likes.  What makes things scientific is that predictability of results, and not just in thinking, that any result is as good as any other -- and that is the best we can hope for.

Those widely-divergent experiences and results, are unfortunately representative of the "average" experience -- and one hopes that in doing anything, one does not merely have an average result, but a decidedly exceptional one.  That is true for healthy outcomes as much as it is hoped for in financial ones.  To obtain that average result assumes that one should do nothing -- or continue doing what they have been doing -- even to no good effect.  But those who are not content with the present status quo, are looking to change that, because change makes the impossible possible.

That is inherent in change: the possibility of improvement, as well as getting worse -- but then one realizes that, and seeks to improve their chances for a favorable outcome.  Those who don't care, or who cannot tell the difference, will devolve to worse -- until they do care, or can tell the difference.  That is the process of "bottoming out" -- which is the ultimatum for turning things around -- for those who still can.  Those who continue to plunge further, are on their way out.  Those are the "facts of life" for all forms.  There is no wishing it will be otherwise.

So despite no guarantees of a successful outcome each and every time, we take our chances and do our best -- based upon what everything is telling us -- and not just wishing it were otherwise.  Those are the basic lessons we hope to learn in school -- and those who are the most successful at learning them, go on to improve their lot in life.  These are not closely-guarded secrets but obvious and visible to all.  However, there will always be those who would want to sell you their vision of what is happening over what one's own common senses are telling them -- and that has been a problem for ages, of the ages.

Usually, that is only a temporary lapse, and one eventually recovers to get back on the right track, and that is learning from life -- and not just the schools anymore.  The schools are not infallible -- but teach what is currently popular -- and are required to propagate as the truth.  That changes from year to year, time to time, and many note, that the experts change their minds frequently -- or more accurately, a different set of experts rise, and the old guard falls into disrepute.

Thus depending on the time and circumstances, they may advise abstaining from water, and also drinking as much of it as possible -- as the ultimate truth of the matter, and so one has to determine what is true for themselves -- and any divergence from that strict obedience, is usually well within our ability to handle.  Thus we won't starve to death if we're not force-feeding ourselves every hour, or become too muscular by exercising too much.

The greatest difference is between zero and one -- and not one with any other number.  So the greatest advice one can receive, is just to do a little -- while avoiding the extremes, or as the ancients advised, "Everything in moderation."  Then one proceeds from there -- to better or worse.  That is the process of learning from everything -- and not only what the self-designated and self-proclaimed experts tell us is the truth -- and get everybody to (mindlessly) repeat.  That's how the masses often go astray -- wondering who led them off the cliff.

The problem with exercise is making it hard and difficult so that it eventually eliminates everybody from further participation -- rather than making it so easy and simple, one can continue until their last breath -- as their last exercise.   Before then, one is well-advised to maintain the movement and functioning at the head (neck), hands (wrist), and feet (ankles) -- over the heart, biceps and abdominals as a better gauge for their own health and well-being -- as lifelong measures we largely take for granted -- although everybody notes the obvious and visible deterioration that we accept as normal aging we can do nothing about.  Those are the sites and organs that actually make the most difference.  The hardest thing to see is the obvious.

That is a better indicator of the overall health and well-being of that individual -- more than the biceps, abdominals, and even heart.  That is the easiest exercise one can do -- moving only at the head, hands and feet -- implying that the rest is working.  But not necessarily vice-versa -- obviously.