Introduction

Welcome to CriticalFitness, a blog dedicated to sorting the wheat from the chaff in health and exercise.

An obvious question is, Why clutter the Internet with yet another site on fitness? What I aim to do here is unclutter it some - as the name says, by taking a critical view of various teachings and findings. The means to that end is reading, experience, and occasionally dumb luck. I will also link to sites that appear sound to me, so you can take in more than one opinion. And I'm open to your comments, questions, suggestions, and criticisms. That's what inquiry is all about: weighing the options and weighing in.

Here is a sample of topics to be treated here:

• Why gym class probably sucked
• What to do with your gut: suck it in, or what?
• How to map out a training program for yourself
• How working out can help your IQ a little
  

As you can see, some of the topics are the usual fare, while some are not as expected. That's because I want to fill a niche, not just recycle the same old stuff. Technical advice can vary, both in principle and details. I'll give you my take and explain myself, so you can then decide. I find that while many concepts are agreed upon, there is a lot of disagreement about how they're applied. And there are little questions that aren't always addressed, but they give athletes some headaches.

Who am I to set up shop as dispenser of health wisdom? Let me tell you who I am and what I bring to the topic. I'm a doctoral candidate in philosophy, finishing up in Leuven, Belgium. My training has given me a fair share of analytical skill, something badly needed in a world glutted with information. Hopefully my work here can apply that skill to a field that needs it.

As for what sorts of exercise I'm interested in, my preferences include combat sports and martial arts. (Yes Virginia, there is a difference between them.) So that will generally mean I'll devote more time to strength and power training, anaerobic endurance, and flexibility. What receives less time, then, is aerobic endurance.

Now that something about who I am, it's time for who I am not. Let me be up front by saying that I am not a personal trainer: I have no interest in the job, and am frankly suspicious of it. Considering the amount of disinformation about exercise and the oodles of money that ride on keeping you cowed, there's little reason for me to want to join the ranks. There are many fine trainers out there, but there are just as many who are believe the junk they've learned from the industry; worse yet, there are even more who just want your money. And it's not always easy to tell who's who - that's where I make an effort, to make some sense out of things.

I'm also not a sports scientist, though I have great respect for the profession. Physiology is an enormously complex field, and conducting good research in sports science is a frustrating affair. So any significant findings ought to be cause for celebration.

Before I forget, the disclaimer. While I take responsibility for giving you the safest, most effective information possible, I do not be take responsibility for any injuries sustained by your use of that information. If you have any doubts about anything in a post, run it by an expert - like a doctor or sport scientist. It is my job to give good reading, it is your job to know your limits. And it's everyone's job to judge for themselves.

In other words, use your head when you use your body. I'm not a guru, don't treat me like one.

So sit back and relax - for now. I hope you enjoy the posts here, and I hope they help your own training.