Health, wellness, physical fitness, strength, stamina, endurance, and resilience all find themselves critical to my profession as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. Now though my mom thinks I am special, the Army does not, I am just your average guy in boots without any super powers. In fact I started paying attention to my health and fitness after failing to complete parachute school due to an overuse injury.
Suffering a contusion to my IT Band granted me entry into the “care” of the medical establishment, where I was told to apply ice, and ibuprofen. Ice made it worse but it’s what “the experts” told me to do and I was still unable to run and thus failed Airborne School. Physical Therapy consisted of some static stretching and more NSAIDs, but did introduce me to the foam roller. In pain and unable to run more than a few feet without my knee “locking down” I took charge of my health and started my search for answers.
During my years of searching I learned that NSAIDs prevent your body from healing, ice slows down the tissue repair process, and static stretching prior to exercise reduces your performance. I discovered that doctors learn and know little about food and nutrition but are under immense pressure from many directions to overprescribe medications. Along this journey I have acquired a massive library, written papers, and earned several certifications: CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, CrossFit Movement & Mobility Certification, NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist, NASE Certification, and a Masters in Exercise Science with a focus in Performance enhancement and injury prevention from CALU.
I have coached Soldiers, friends, family, peers, and superiors to better health and fitness. Now I want to share things that I have learned and help you metabolize all the conflicting messages regarding health and fitness.
No comments:
Post a Comment