stumptuous.com: all the news that's fit to blog http://www.stumptuous.com/stumptuousblog.php (c) 2006 Krista Scott-Dixon A Queensland primary school has been asked to consider doing a backflip after banning cartwheels and handstand. Cali Buschgens, 10, was reportedly reprimanded after she was cartwheeling at her school, Belgian Gardens State School in Townsville, ABC reported. The school has banned unsupervised "handstands, cartwheels and other gymnastic movements" during breaks. More... http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1077 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:39:35 EDT You may have wondered why things have been a little quiet lately on Stumptuous. That's 'cause I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my new food magazine, Spezzatino. What's Spezzatino, you ask? Why, it's a fun, fascinating food magazine and a way to help alleviate hunger by contributing to the Healthy Food Bank. (You'll have to check out the first issue to find out what Spezzatino is... :)) If you're into food and want to help out, check out how to get involved! I'm looking for contributors (writing and food photography) to volunteer for upcoming issues as well. Email me at krista@healthyfoodbank.com and let's talk! http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1076 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:29:18 EDT Big hugs and fist bumps to my client L who turned 50 this week. L took on the challenge of being fitter and healthier in the last year, and is thrilled to be entering her 50s as a newly minted runner and powerlifter. She's made amazing progress and I'm sure by the time 51 rolls around she'll be nearly a ninja. Here's the cake her family made for her, which I just had to share. It's a barbell!! http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1075 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:52:41 EDT The organizer of the Aug 16th Woodstock strong(wo)man contest I advertised a while back has kindly sent me the contest results. Congratulations to first place finisher Samantha Turcotte, who put in the following stellar performance: Farmers' walk, 150' course, 121 lbs per hand: 33.03 seconds Log press, 75 lb log: 15 reps Carry and drag: 40.97 seconds 400 lb tire flip: 55' 10" Big high fives to the other eight women who competed as well -- great to see such a super turnout and display of hardcoreitude. http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1074 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:06:52 EDT One great example of the importance of finding a sport to fit your body type is the majestic gold medal discus thrower Stephanie Brown Trafton, who is 6'4" and 225 lbs. Although somewhat taller than the average discus thrower, clearly those long limbs go a long way! Ironically, Trafton was originally inspired by the tiny Mary Lou Retton, but just kept on growing -- ending up just a wee big too big (ok, a lot too big, and by the standards of Chinese sport administration, about 15 years too old) for gymnastics. Rock on, Amazon! NYT coverage Trafton's blog http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1073 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:57:06 EDT For fans of Melanie Roach, a couple of articles. Lifter profile Melanie's story http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1072 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:48:18 EDT One thing people often fail to appreciate is that different bodies are specialized for different activities. Sure, you can do a sport for which your body isn't ideally suited (I like running, which is supposedly verboten for wide-hipped girls, although come to think of it I did loathe ballet), but you may also find that you thrive in sports that match your body type. This graphic from the NYT also shows that a variety of body types can be "fit". (Looks like I'm destined for track cycling.) More... http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1071 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:44:47 EDT Get ready for your world to be rocked: Exercise, alone, without dietary modifications, doesn't make much difference to body composition. That's right, people. If you want to add muscle and/or lose fat, you need to get off the Doritos even if you're getting on the Stairmaster regularly. With exercise alone, you'll get fitter, you'll get stronger, you'll get faster... but if you don't improve your nutrition, you will not get leaner or more muscular. Straight data dope from Precision Nutrition. Love exercise is not enough! http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1070 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:04:27 EDT From the always-hilarious Failblog. http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1069 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:22:20 EDT The very badass Canajun Maryse Turcotte. CBC has some great material on Olympic weightlifting, with some very nice snaps of female lifters, and an animated Weightlifting Sport Explainer here. (Although, uhh, guys, your animation title: "Weightlifting: The Sport of Strongmen"?? C'mon.) And an amazing feat here -- a photo taken in mid-lift that doesn't make the lifter look as though either their brain or their bowels are about to explode. http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1068 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:18:54 EDT An epic story of forbidden love. And choking. http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1067 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:18:24 EDT *singing* Lady Madonna... see how they ruuunn. (I can't believe nobody made that joke already!) Even the strongest athletes collapse to the ground upon completion of this race. Those are the ones who finish. Some are left vomiting on the side of the road or stricken by injury. To become an Ironman you must swim 2.4 miles, quickly switch gears and bike for 112 miles and finish off with a 26.2-mile marathon run. Only the finest athletes of excellent mental and physical condition could even complete a course of this magnitude. So what does an Ironman look like? How about a 76-year-old Catholic nun? Spokane resident Sister Madonna Buder has competed in 37 marathons, 300 triathlons and 31 Ironman Triathlons, all after the age of 50. Her journey to that point is quite a story. Buder was introduced to running at the age of 48. A priest spoke to her praising the power of exercise. He described running as a "panacea with the power to cure depression [and] harmonize the mind, body and soul." Buder, full of inspiration, put on some hand-me-down shorts and went out to find the runner's high. More http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1066 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:18:37 EDT From the always-informative Dr. Mike: "Saturated fats have no double bonds. They are immune to free radical attack. They are immune to heat damage. You can cook with them, you can hit them with a hammer, you can throw them on the floor and jump up and down on them. And they stay the same. Saturated fats are stable fats." More... http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1065 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:44:30 EDT Athletes and people who exercise not only have better bods - they have better brains too, a host of studies have now firmly established. A review of studies published earlier this month, in fact, found that a balanced diet and regular exercise can protect the brain and ward off mental disorders. More... Sadly, one subset of athletes was not found to benefit: Adolescentus moronicus, as demonstrated by video evidence http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1064 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:10:12 EDT Genes that control percentage of body fat are also responsible for circulating levels of testosterone in men, research published in a recent edition of Clinical Endocrinology shows. Previous studies have shown a well-established relationship between testosterone and body fat composition. For example, men with low testosterone levels are characterised by a high body fat percentage. However, despite this well documented link, the causal factors behind this relationship have remained unknown. In this study, the authors show the set of genes that control testosterone levels also control body fat, providing for the first time an underlying causal link to explain this relationship. More... http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1063 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:05:44 EDT Woman "Sling-Shot" from Machine at Gym It's so wrong to laff... and yet I do. Sure, you may squeeze out a little wiffle during a tough squat set, but at least it won't launch you across the room. http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1062 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:47:06 EDT Two personal accounts of weight training with MS: Powerlifter Paul Stagg's story on StrengthMill.com Lena's blog, where she writes, "I strongly believe that my recovery from progressive MS (this isn’t the usual outcome) has been possible because regular exercise has resulted in a rewiring of my neural circuitry. I had an MRI recently which showed that there has been no change in terms of the existing lesions. The fact that the lesions still exist while my mobility has improved indicates that I no longer use the damaged wiring. It is my firm belief that my experience is not a miracle or unique and that many people currently living with MS can benefit in the same way by participating in a weight training program." http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1061 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:09:26 EDT A bikini-clad 10-year-old girl has appeared in a bodybuilding competition in Melbourne, sparking concern from health experts and family groups. Maughan Wellham was given her own category because she was so young. Organisers have said they will consider regular events for 10-year-olds. "She looked fantastic. She even flexed her abs and the crowds went wild over it," event organiser Tony Lanciano said. "I've never seen anything like that." More... http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1060 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:56:45 EDT Ah, Beijing, where men are men and women are… women until proven otherwise. As reported in the New York Times, “Organizers of the Beijing Olympics have set up a sex-determination laboratory to evaluate ‘suspect’ female athletes.” According to the Times, “only athletes whose gender has been questioned will be tested in Beijing.” This approach betrays fuzzy-headed thinking of – well, of Olympic proportions. More... http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1059 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:41:32 EDT A little gem from coach Steve Maxwell, caught red-handed while texting and goofing off. Folks, you trust personal trainers with your bodies. There aren't many responsibilities more serious than this. So choose wisely! http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1058 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:36:19 EDT Congratulations to reader Juanita G for her first pull-up! She writes: "Just wanted to share this swell news with your fine self--as of yesterday I DID IT, and strangely enough, after more than a month on the bench due to some injuries. I think I giggled for a solid minute after doing 3 more!" Welcome to the club, Juanita. http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1057 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:28:48 EDT Baoying Xue, 62, swings on the parallel bars while loosening up for his regular morning exercise at Ritan Park in Beijing, China. The old farts are getting uppity again, thinking they can, like, do stuff instead of just going and sitting in the La-Z-Boy and bitching about gallbladders. Experience Life mag features Three 50-plus Athletes Who Can Kick Your Butt, including 82 year old TKD champ (below). http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1056 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 07:07:14 EDT Gospel aerobics blends spirituality and sport, adulation and adductors, praise and press-ups. It takes an arduous workout out of the gym and lifts it to a higher plane. More... and where to find it in your area. Can't make it to church? Check out the video! Interestingly the practice of "muscular Christianity" has a long history. I eagerly await Squatting For Jesus. http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1055 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 07:02:53 EDT Great post on Male Pattern Fitness about the subtle and not-so-subtle putdowns that female athletes must endure. In this case, it's sniping about Dara Torres' body disguised as a call for moderation in fitness. It presents women's bodies as either-or propositions: either you look like a ninja or a nice granny. It ignores the fact that we can both at different times in our lives, or several other options altogether. There is NO one model for fitness. Form follows function -- Torres needs to be in top form to beat her competition. As in any other profession, elite performance demands total commitment. Most of us will be somewhere between "not terrible" and "half decent", and that's perfectly fine, but there's no reason not to strive for "awful damn good". And by the way, where are all the articles going on about how the male triathletes are too ripped? The male weightlifters too muscular? The male sprinters' asses are too perky? As the MPF author, Andrew Heffernan, writes, I'm going to take it a step further: I'm going to go ahead and defend ANYONE who wants to take up a sizable physical challenge, and tell those naysayers who tsk and whisper and scold to pipe down. If a friend wants to learn a new language, or take up pottery, or learn to sing opera, or get a CPA, NO ONE criticizes her. But if she decides she wants to do the Ironman, or compete in a bodybuilding contest, or win her division at a power lifting meet, all we hear are cries of "unhealthy," "extreme" and, most especially, "Well I wouldn't want to look like that." For the people who say, or mutter, or even THINK these things, I have four words: Sow. Wer. Gra. Ypes. I would also argue that most folks have no freaking idea what true extreme is. True extreme is not training four days a week. True extreme is the Sahara Race. True extreme is the Peking Opera. Chase excellence or just okayness, or everything in between, at different times in your life. Sometimes, a little "extreme" is pretty awesome. http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1054 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:47:04 EDT Stronglifts.com presents the 10 Best Squats of All Time. #10 is by Becca Swanson, who knocked off well over 800 lbs. Now you all have goals to work towards, ladies! http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/blogentry.php?entryid=1053 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:13:04 EDT