Keep an open mind
I was online reading yesterday and somehow came across a link that led me to a site that was bad mouthing someone else who’s website, books, and info I enjoy reading. I often try to practice some of the advice I read from this person. I decided to read why this other person referred to him as a “quack”. The person doing the badmouthing was a doctor, obviously highly educated and successful in his own right. He was basically saying that since what this other person was saying was not scientifically proven with methods he believed in, and that this person wasn’t a licensed doctor of western medicine, than what he was saying couldn’t possibly be considered valid or true. So, if something isn’t medically proven or researched than it essentially couldn’t be correct, useful, or even exist. Give me a break! There are a billion “things” out there that “exist’ in some way that have not been proven by science or maybe can’t be proven but it doesn’t mean “it” doesn’t exist or can be useful. What it probably means is that “we” aren’t smart enough to prove it exists. I’m not against western medicine by any means. Trust me, if I get cancer, I’m going to an Oncologist, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to throw all my other options out the window. I would still research homeopathic remedies, address my nutrition, stress, etc. I love the idea of complimentary medicine. OK, I’m going off on a tangent here, let me get back on track. What annoyed me wasn’t the fact that this doctor disagreed or had a different point of view, but it was the way he went about it, as if he was omnipotent, what he knew was the only correct option. Very narrow minded if you ask me. This annoys me to no end and I come across stuff like this all the time. One expert says this, the other expert says that, and their way is the only way. What or who are we to believe?
People seem to have the need to associate themselves with one belief, or one method and tend to distance or separate themselves from some other possibly very effective alternatives. Why is this?
In the health and exercise field, there are many “experts”, especially now with the internet at everyones fingertips. The reason why I’m writing about this is because even though everyone is so smart, none of them seem smart enough to realize that there is no one perfect type or correct way to exercise all the time, or no one perfect supplement, or no one perfect form of medicine. Everyday I’ll go online and do some reading and sure enough there is some new “expert” ranting about his new miracle exercise program and how useless or ineffective everyone else’s methods are. I believe in trying to keep an open mind when it comes to my health. Most everything will be effective at some point, but nothing will be effective all the time. You will adapt and need to change something.
I change the way I exercise all the time. What seems like a ineffective method at one point will come in very handy at some other point. I will go a year w/out using a certain piece of equipment or exercise and then suddenly realize that it would be a good option for my current routine or situation. I will try certain programs that I wouldn’t have thought were useful in the past. I may hear someone speak at a seminar, and not really be sure if I agree with what they are saying, but it doesn’t mean I completely disregard their info and experiences. At some point I may realize their info, method, or program will be applicable and useful. There are currently many different arguments in the field of exercise; working out your whole body in one session versus splitting up your body into parts and working separate parts on separate days, or the idea of using certain tempos while you perform a rep, some say it’s useful, some say it’s useless. Other topics up for discussion involve exercising the core directly or indirectly, aerobic versus interval, isolating muscles versus using whole body movement, supplements or no supplements, yoga or pilates, etc. The list goes on and on and on……and each proponent has had success with their method which is why they believe in it. Unfortunately some will get on “that train” and all of a sudden they “know” what is the “most” effective program for “everyone” all the time….yeah, until it stops working.
Basically what I’m getting at is not to pigeon hole yourself into one belief, or someone else’s belief, or one activity, or one way of doing something, espeicially when it comes to your health. If you enjoy doing something that is fine, but it’s effectiveness will diminish as some point and you will have to make a change. This is why you’ll ocassionally hear me rant about those people who come in and get on the treadmill and walk nowhere for an hour, month after month, year after year. Does this mean I do not think anyone should use the treadmill? No, like I said everything can be useful or needed at some point. Just keep all your options and your mind open all the time. There are many smart people out their with their own conclusions but it doesn’t mean that you have to pick one over the other. We all have different experiences and different result from the same things. What works for you right now might not work in 6 months and you will have to make a change and find something else that works until it doesn’t work anymore and so on. Remember, ”The most constant thing is change!”