Power and longevity

I am going to go out on a limb here and tell you that the stuff you are reading on exercise and longevity is only half true. So to begin we’ll briefly look at what is out there.

But before we do let me say this: I have come to terms with the fact that at this moment in my life I am a runner. I am now training for my second 125 km Canadian Death Race and most of what I do centers around long slow distance endurance training. The very kind of training I tell you NOT to focus on.

Let me explain.

I do not do this stuff for the “physical goodness” of it. I do it for the mental moving meditation, the ability to still do it while my body can still tolerate the abuse and yes, it is abusive.

And this year I am doing it for charity. My website theraceagainstdeath.org should be up in 4 to 6 weeks for those of you who want to get involved.

While I don’t think I am losing years of my life for doing this, I sure don’t expect to live any longer because of it. After all it is called the “Death Race” for a reason!

Now let’s look at what is printed in the lay and other exercise press. Run run run. Runners live longer, runners aren’t injured any more than non-runners -- maybe actually less -- and runners are healthier.

Now I haven’t examined this data all that closely but I suspect that the info comes from very long studies. Normally I would tell you that a 20 year study is very powerful. But if you keep only the people who are still running at the end of a twenty year period you have really selected out a ton of people and left only those genetically gifted for the sport who may indeed already have the genetics for longevity as well!.

And then there is the fact that most of these guys doing the research are distance runners and especially distance cyclists.

I would love to see some power guys get into research in the same fashion.

But you look at the other side of the fence and you’ll find some articles on longevity and power generation. Interestingly enough you’ll see an almost direct correlation of longevity to things like explosive or one-rep leg strength and grip strength as well.

Now if you combine the new information on higher intensity short distance training, including running, with the fact that this leads to power generation, you get two great benefits.

First is longevity.

Second is this kind of strength and power training will make you more accident proof.

And actually there is a third benefit! Fat loss since high intensity training done right is the best way to lose fat.

So from a guy who runs 80 mile races I am still telling you, “Do as I say, not as I do!”

Next year will be the 10th anniversary of the Canadian Death Race. I will be running it but this time in a relay. I plan on doing lots of power training and high intensity cycling for my cardio. By then it will be time to give these feet and legs a break.

One final observation for you athletes out there. You do not need to do only Olympic weight lifting for triple extension (which is one of the key movements to real power!).

Check out the 4th circuit on my Fabulous Fat Burning for Everyone DVD by JC Santana and Rhadi Fergusson. You’ll see real raw power as Rhadi prepares for the Judo nationals!

Dr. Dave

Dr. Dave on money

Before I give you “advice” on money let me tell you my qualifications.

I do not study money, I do not study finance and I know no more about money than the next person. Which, in the current situation makes me as qualified as anyone else who is out there.

Turn on any “news” channel and after the bevy of “reality news” featuring the latest tragedy that this economy has caused somewhere in some remote corner of the globe and you will see people known as pundits screaming at the top of their lungs about why their way is the way to correct the economy.

So everyone has an opinion and everyone knows everything. And you know what they say about opinions: they remind one of a certain body part because every one has one and they stink.

Sorry, I find that hard to believe that any of these so-called experts has any real value to add here except to upset people and glue them to the TV. So I took a different look at things. I looked at them through the eyes of "neuroeconomics” which is how the brain works “on money” as opposed to on drugs or alcohol (or food!).

Turns out that the brain reacts to money issues much the way people who are compulsive gamblers or crack head; addicts.

The other interesting things that were found were that people consistently overestimated the value of their investment and their ability to make good decisions about money.

It was very hard as well for people to divorce themselves from their emotions when it comes to money even though it is a relatively new invention in the grand scheme of humanity.

Even the lead author of the neuroeconomics text who was an editor for Money magazine admitted he lost over a quarter of million dollars in the market because “he knew better than the rest of the world”.

Money seems to represent love, lust, power, security, social status and vanity all wrapped up in one.

Now remember I have the same qualifications as the pundits do, maybe even more: I know nothing about money.

But I do know human behavior.


So here are my predictions about the economy.

It will be volatile, up and down and until it goes up continuously people will freak out every time it dips.

And it’s likely to dip a lot deeper for some time. Then if you’re smart you can make money!

And dip it will; the media will make sure you know this. They will also feed the fear and convince you that this is reality so you need to focus on it. And by focusing on this reality we will all create more of it, I promise you.

When the economy does finally recover everyone will take credit for it, and all the pundits will tell you “I said we needed to do this to turn it around”. No one will ever look back to now to see what they really said.

So my advice: Since I don’t play the market much, again I have all the qualifications to tell you this. Anyone who tells you they are doing much better than the market in returns is either lying or cheating.

So don’t expect your market investments to do any better than the market and for the immediate future that means don’t expect much!

Above all take care of your health. And take care of the ones you love. That is what will matter in the long run.

Take your fish oil!

Doc