Hormesis is a generally underappreciated concept. The body needs a certain degree of stress to push against, in order to grow. Lacking this stimulus, it withers. The same is true of the mind and soul.
Creating a hormetically sterile environment has been the single most destructive unintended consequence of industrial civilization. In ages past, unless he was extremely privileged, the Ellwangers of this world - and most adopt his basic stance, although generally without bothering to intellectualize it - got everything they needed from the rigors of daily life. We are not so fortunate as they, and must do these things intentionally.
As an epilogue, Ellwanger has responded graciously to the strong response he has received (me, Raw Egg Nationalist, and another substacker writing under the name Chivalry Guild who looks quite interesting, who published his response in IM1776), and has agreed to undertake a program of vigorous resistance training in the summer. Perhaps we'll make a man of him yet.
🗨 I must be swift as a coursing river. With all the force of a great typhoon. With all the strength of a raging fire. Mysterious as the dark side of the moo~~n!! 🤩
Raw Egg Nationalist's take Do You Even Read, Bro? (americanmind.org/salvo/do-you-even-read-bro) is much more fun than Chivalry Guild's you linked to (which I find rather bland in comparison with your own and now Grant's 😊).
Can't locate the [reformed?] antagonist's 'gracious response' 😒 Twitter mayhaps?
I especially liked this: "What Adam is trying to do is break the rules. By articulating his preference for sloth and sauce while tearing down a straw man conception of the utility of resistance training, he thinks he can subvert reality. He can’t."
Glad you mentioned John Carter's Just Fucking Lift, Bro. Sent that one to my strength coach.
🗨 The Romanian deadlift, also known as the RDL, is a variation of the conventional deadlift and an exercise used primarily to target the muscles of the hamstrings and glutes 😝
That point about magnanimity is an interesting one. I am going to have think about that more, and how much is attributable to relative vs absolute strength, for instance.
Thanks! It is a difficult question to answer, and upon immediate reflection I think it is some combination of both. The thing is, as long as there isn't a HUGE capability gap between two people, they both pose a risk to one another in a physical altercation. Not that such an altercation would happen, I think there's an evolutionary biology component to this that can't be completely avoided except in ways that don't play out so great. For example, I do think there are plenty of people who have never been hit that don't sense this. This is why I think everyone should also get some real martial arts experience at some point, or at least engage in mutual combat as a child when the risk for serious injury is lowest because the power you can generate when you're little is lowest. I digress, what I'm trying to say is that you probably don't have to be the strongest, you just have to be able to carry yourself like you could do some damage if you were pushed over a line. The massive inequality that exists between people can be narrowed somewhat with training allowing for a plausible narrative of magnanimity to emerge when engaging with civility. From what I understand in cultures where carrying firearms was the norm this was civilizing. I imagine being physically competent as having a similar psychological effect, especially in spaces where firearms and other weapons are legally prohibited.
The importance of stretching is a lot more context dependent. Some lifts such as RDLs have been demonstrated to be superior to static stretching with respect to increasing muscle length, and this finding is probably broadly applicable. Also, as a general rule I think mobility exercises are more useful/important, and there is a resistance training/movement competence component to those as well. Static stretching has very limited utility from my perspective, again, im talking generally, many sports like martial arts and gymnastics where it is essential, but for some it is dispensible. I don't expect this short comment to persuade you, I've given lectures with lots of citations up to an hour long and still not persuaded some. What do you think stretching is most important for? Do you think everyone should stretch? How do you define stretching?
Indeed, I agree with what you said and also find ''dynamic'' stretching more useful. I used to do weight lifting (and it was a lot of fun), but now I'm doing martial arts and there is where I pay from my lack of flexibility...
💬 one of the things with the largest magnitude return on investment is resistance training.
Would it be such a big stretch to surmise that the persistent resistance to resistance training rumbles presactly *because of* its effectiveness in unlocking the overwhelming benefits you so adroitly surveyed? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Could be! Personally, I think it is mostly ego (at least in the Army). Nobody who thinks they're the pinnacle of tactical fitness for being able to run fast for long distances wants to be appropriately characterized as weak for their pitiful deadlift.
🗨 a war is indeed coming… A war to defend the Normal from the Lie. A war for the freedom to remain human. A war that can and will be won only by Men with Chests. ~~NS Lyons
🗨 Peace is no virtue if you, the pacifist, are incapable of war. Peace is a virtue if you, the warrior, decide it isn’t necessary.
Game recognize game
Hormesis is a generally underappreciated concept. The body needs a certain degree of stress to push against, in order to grow. Lacking this stimulus, it withers. The same is true of the mind and soul.
Creating a hormetically sterile environment has been the single most destructive unintended consequence of industrial civilization. In ages past, unless he was extremely privileged, the Ellwangers of this world - and most adopt his basic stance, although generally without bothering to intellectualize it - got everything they needed from the rigors of daily life. We are not so fortunate as they, and must do these things intentionally.
As an epilogue, Ellwanger has responded graciously to the strong response he has received (me, Raw Egg Nationalist, and another substacker writing under the name Chivalry Guild who looks quite interesting, who published his response in IM1776), and has agreed to undertake a program of vigorous resistance training in the summer. Perhaps we'll make a man of him yet.
https://im1776.com/2023/02/17/the-barbell-and-its-discontents/
That is incredibly heartening. I look forward to welcoming Adam into the brotherhood of iron.
Just for fun...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V06DISKajss
🗨 You blew that up Mister Piccolo! – I know. 🤣😂
🗨 I must be swift as a coursing river. With all the force of a great typhoon. With all the strength of a raging fire. Mysterious as the dark side of the moo~~n!! 🤩
''Awesome''
Raw Egg Nationalist's take Do You Even Read, Bro? (americanmind.org/salvo/do-you-even-read-bro) is much more fun than Chivalry Guild's you linked to (which I find rather bland in comparison with your own and now Grant's 😊).
Can't locate the [reformed?] antagonist's 'gracious response' 😒 Twitter mayhaps?
REN's take was characteristically great, I agree. As for CG, it was measured and careful, but contributed additional perspectives I found valuable.
Ellwanger's response is indeed on Twitter:
https://mobile.twitter.com/1HereticalTruth/status/1625260778591858689
Nice analysis Grant.
I especially liked this: "What Adam is trying to do is break the rules. By articulating his preference for sloth and sauce while tearing down a straw man conception of the utility of resistance training, he thinks he can subvert reality. He can’t."
Glad you mentioned John Carter's Just Fucking Lift, Bro. Sent that one to my strength coach.
Based.
Excellent, agree entirely.
🗨 the number of nails being hit on the head in this essay made me feel sorry for nails 😊
I'm trying to imagine saying to God, hey buddy, thanks for the body, I'm just not that into it...
As opposed to maximizing the potential of the body, which is vastly greater than any of us assume...glorifying the creator...
(What's RDL?)
Thanks also for the shout out!
🗨 The Romanian deadlift, also known as the RDL, is a variation of the conventional deadlift and an exercise used primarily to target the muscles of the hamstrings and glutes 😝
That point about magnanimity is an interesting one. I am going to have think about that more, and how much is attributable to relative vs absolute strength, for instance.
Thanks! It is a difficult question to answer, and upon immediate reflection I think it is some combination of both. The thing is, as long as there isn't a HUGE capability gap between two people, they both pose a risk to one another in a physical altercation. Not that such an altercation would happen, I think there's an evolutionary biology component to this that can't be completely avoided except in ways that don't play out so great. For example, I do think there are plenty of people who have never been hit that don't sense this. This is why I think everyone should also get some real martial arts experience at some point, or at least engage in mutual combat as a child when the risk for serious injury is lowest because the power you can generate when you're little is lowest. I digress, what I'm trying to say is that you probably don't have to be the strongest, you just have to be able to carry yourself like you could do some damage if you were pushed over a line. The massive inequality that exists between people can be narrowed somewhat with training allowing for a plausible narrative of magnanimity to emerge when engaging with civility. From what I understand in cultures where carrying firearms was the norm this was civilizing. I imagine being physically competent as having a similar psychological effect, especially in spaces where firearms and other weapons are legally prohibited.
Stretching is important though.
The importance of stretching is a lot more context dependent. Some lifts such as RDLs have been demonstrated to be superior to static stretching with respect to increasing muscle length, and this finding is probably broadly applicable. Also, as a general rule I think mobility exercises are more useful/important, and there is a resistance training/movement competence component to those as well. Static stretching has very limited utility from my perspective, again, im talking generally, many sports like martial arts and gymnastics where it is essential, but for some it is dispensible. I don't expect this short comment to persuade you, I've given lectures with lots of citations up to an hour long and still not persuaded some. What do you think stretching is most important for? Do you think everyone should stretch? How do you define stretching?
Indeed, I agree with what you said and also find ''dynamic'' stretching more useful. I used to do weight lifting (and it was a lot of fun), but now I'm doing martial arts and there is where I pay from my lack of flexibility...
You can hang a piano off some of the connective tissues in your body without deforming them. What is stretching going to do?
That's not true.
Even assuming the first part is not true, what is the answer to the second part?
From my own experience it helps me to maintain and recover range of motion. It also helps to recover from injuries.
💬 one of the things with the largest magnitude return on investment is resistance training.
Would it be such a big stretch to surmise that the persistent resistance to resistance training rumbles presactly *because of* its effectiveness in unlocking the overwhelming benefits you so adroitly surveyed? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Could be! Personally, I think it is mostly ego (at least in the Army). Nobody who thinks they're the pinnacle of tactical fitness for being able to run fast for long distances wants to be appropriately characterized as weak for their pitiful deadlift.
🗨 a war is indeed coming… A war to defend the Normal from the Lie. A war for the freedom to remain human. A war that can and will be won only by Men with Chests. ~~NS Lyons
🗨 Peace is no virtue if you, the pacifist, are incapable of war. Peace is a virtue if you, the warrior, decide it isn’t necessary.