This and That

Just a few random thoughts:

1. There are currently two large-scale studies investigating the effectiveness of stretching. The investigators hope to evaluate how a standard stretching routine will influence performance, injury rates, and how the study participants feel from stretching.

With just a casual and quick review of the article, a number of major flaws stood out to me: both studies appear to be so general that it's hard to believe that any significant findings and real-world, usable data could possibly come out of it. This is because both programs chose to use a general stretching program for all study participants, regardless, it would seem, of the actual presentation or individual needs of the participants. A more useful approach, for example, might be in using a stretching routine that involves the hip flexors used by participants that present with an anterior pelvic tilting, or with limitations in hip extension, such as this research paper published in the Journal of Physical Therapy.

The stretching protocols, by nature of the study methods, are also performed without supervision by the researchers and therefore cannot guarantee that the protocol was even performed properly by any and all participants, also casting a significant amount of doubt on the validity of the information collected (which is also self-reported, and therefore also subject to scrutiny and questionable reliability.) This is a also a glaring weakness of the study design.

The studies may have been a good idea on paper, but their obvious weaknesses would appear to make them almost useless. Good research is the cornerstone of our decision making and practice choices as coaches, therapists, and health professionals. But bad research is just, well, bad.

2. I hear people talk about exercises that focus on the "upper abs" or that some exercise targets the "lower abs", but why no love for the middle abs? I mean, if everyone's after a six-pack, there's 2 abs in the middle that need work too, right?

Of course, if that sounds dumb to you, talking about separating the rectus abdominus into upper and lower "parts" should sound pretty silly, too.

3. You like me! You really like me!

4. Expert Village sucks.

5. Tomorrow is the first day of classes, but this time will be a little different. It's my last semester of grad school! It's hard to believe that it's been nearly three years since I started. Time really does fly sometimes...so don't forget to stop and appreciate your journey, no matter how focused you might be on the destination.

-Jonathan