Jimmy Moore Interviews Fred Hahn

[Mitra]

Fred Hahn was co-author with the Dr Eades of an exercise book called Slow Burn. Jimmy Moore has just interviewed him: Hahn: Long-Term Aerobic Training Causes Premature Aging And Damage To The Heart (http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/2008/02/hahn-long-term-aerobic-training-causes.html)

I challenge anyone to tell me what aerobics can do for a person health-wise that properly performed strength training cannot that a physician considers important upon a thorough physical exam. Even Dr. Cooper, the father of aerobics, now advocates strength training as the focus of an adult person’s exercise program. Jimmy, I could go on and on for pages and pages, on this issue. A good book to read on this issue is Making Waves by Roger Lewin, the story of Irving Dardik, MD.

I always like to read reasons why I don't need to do aerobics ;). More seriously, I found it interesting when Hahn described how he started out in Physical Therapy work (as an assistant, not a therapist) and found how important (and neglected) strengthening was for injured and elderly people. So many of the exercise writers seem primarily concerned with "getting ripped" and looking like an anatomy book muscle diagram :eek:. I liked reading that Hahn's background included people who needed to exercise to be able to function well!

[Cinnamon Blue]

Read this interview last week and was sufficiently intrigued to order the book. I have trouble doing aerobics, etc. due to injuries (honest!) so would like to see whether Hahn's approach will work for me as I have found that strengthening my muscles helps to lessen the pain of those injuries.

I enjoyed this quote:
One day a PT pulled me aside after putting a senior woman through an intense (for her) set of Slow Burn leg presses and said “What are you trying to do – make that old woman as strong as Arnold Schwarzenegger?” I paused for a second and answered “Yes, yes I am.”
:D

[Mitra]

I have the book, and I've done the home version for a few months a couple of times. I liked it, and did feel improvements in upper body strength, and see better muscle definition in my arms. It also gave me a bit of a buzz. But I had back problems one time and stopped, and then had a spell of just feeling too under the weather to deal with that intensity of work, but I'm thinking about giving it another go. Probably just once a week and I'll stick with yoga the other days.

[Relief]

I've had the book for years now and love the program. I HATE cardio!!!

I restarted recently it at home with free weights. and don't just use the exercises in the book ( example: I do REAL squats with weight) but do all of them slow burn style.

Janet--the reason I mention it: I am dealing with some SERIOUS low back issues--sciatica etc. and the weight training is REALLY REALLY helping. nothing else has made any difference. ( including yoga--ouch--chiropractic and acupuncture) It is very interesting because none of the exercises I do cause ANY pain in the area involved, but I DO feel the muscles later--DOMS type stiffness--- but the acute pain is starting to improve markedly.

[Mitra]

Deborah, I have done SB through some LB issues, but the problem I have currently is sacroiliac, which is primarily a ligament problem. Strengthening the surrounding back and ab muscles helps to a degree, but muscles can't really take over the function of ligaments. Sciatica is normally related to a problem in the lumbar area, where there's more scope for muscular work. The kind of yoga I do is very personalised, so what I do is much about strength than flexibility, so I really only felt a lot of benefit from SB in the upper body area, because I don't generally include much of that in my yoga. The way I do yoga involves movements done very slowly and repetitively, like SB, just using body weight and form to get the work, and not going to failure (although sometimes it can feel close!).

I am intending to start SB again, but it didn't help my back last time as far as I could tell - except that I hope the hormonal effects might help with healing and strengthening the ligaments, but it's quite indirect and long term.

[tapper47]

i just started using Slow Burn with the DVDs I ordered from Hahn's website.

Wonderful! Only 11 exercises but by the next day I feel it. Not sore, just a feeling of having done something.

At 61, with back problems, this is truly a godsend. My back already feels stronger, without that nagging feeling that it's about to go out again.

I look forward to working out with this. Right now I am doing it twice a week because I don't use heavy weights. As my strength improves I will increase the weights so that I can get to complete failure.

Just a note, I sprinkle commas here and there whether needed or not.

[Cinnamon Blue]

tapper, appreciate the info on the DVDs. Thinking of ordering them after I've had a look at the book. Do they help in getting the right movement, form, etc.?

[tapper47]

Yes, Cinnamon. The DVDs show each exercise and how it should be performed.

He really reiterates the importance of the timing of each movement. There is also a timer on the DVD. I can't believe how there is no soreness. Just a feeling of having worked out.

This week I'm going to up the weights. I can still feel the workout from last Thursday but, in such a good way. Basically he tells us that our real muscle growth happens after we exercise not during the exercise. So each day your muscles are growing until the next workout.

Worth every dime.

[Cinnamon Blue]

Thanks tapper, it's sounds like the DVDs are a 'must' buy to do this right. But if it works I don't mind the expense.. :o

[tapper47]

Go for it, Cinnamon.