Wednesday, March 23, 2016

$70 million reasons why not to buy Nike shoes

Shock horror, glamor puss, Maria Sharapova caught cheating - or was it just stretching the biological envelope, or an administrative oversight. Maybe if she'd stuck with beetroot juice she'd be home free.

But Sharapova has been cheating for a long time. Every time she hits a ball in a match and screams at the top of her voice, that's cheating. It's designed to put her opponents off their game.

The irony of it all is that it takes WADA to pick her up for cheating not tennis authorities and tournament directors - or television networks.

When Sharapova is playing I don't watch. I can't bear the screaming. When any of the women players scream I switch off.

I don't know why her opponents don't complain, or stop playing. There is no place for grunting and screaming in sport. It's cheating.

I heard it said she doesn't scream during practice. If that's the case she's a fraud.

Then I find out she's on a $70m contract with Nike.

This is the company that has shoes made in third world countries for a few bucks and sells them for $200. They take us for mugs.

Well not me. I buy the same shoes that come out of the same factory, cost a few bucks to make and sell for $40 or less. They look the same, feel the same and last as long. Like $200 shoes they all wear through at the toes and the heels and they all end up being worn while I'm gardening.

Here's where some of the money goes. (Statistics based on yearly contracts and not verified.)

Michael Jordan        $60m
Lebron James          $30m
Kevin Durant          $28m
Cristiano Ronaldo   $21m
Tiger Woods           $20m
Kobe Bryant           $15m
Roger Federer         $12m
Neymar Jr               $9.5m
Rafael Nadal           $10m
Rory Mcllroy          $10m
Maria Sharapova    $8.5m

The list is as long as your arm.

All you have to keep in mind is that every time you buy a pair of sand shoes costing more than a pair of brogues you know you're being taken for a ride.

In the meantime stay tuned, highly tuned, put on your shorts and sandshoes and start exercising.

Regards and best wishes

John Miller



Monday, March 14, 2016

USA 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines

I've just been looking at the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Summary.

Here's what they say:

'Most health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking. Additional benefits occur with more physical activity.'

It's information that's as about as useful as a hip pocket on a singlet.

What's 'moderate'?  Most people believe that moderate exercise is ambling around the block - dawdling, loafing.

The report says the guidelines are 'science-based', but any exercise prescription that lacks frequency, duration and a dosage that includes heart rate suggestions ain't based on good science.

In the medical industry you don't leave it to the patient to decide what the dosage is going to be. Apparently when it comes to the sandshoe industry it doesn't matter.

Well it does matter. most people don't know what physical exertion is. it's why they don't reap the benefits of a good aerobic fitness training program.

You can get the Aerabyte aerobic exercise prescription on this link:

http://www.aerabyte.com

And what about this:

'Both aerobic (endurance) and muscle-strengthening (resistance) physical activity are beneficial.'

The dills who drew up this policy forgot to include flexibility - lack of which is the major cause of joint and muscle pain.

Plus, with respect to a strength training program they didn't prescribe a dosage - times a week, sets, repetitions, weights ... Or number of pressups, situps and squats. No wonder the metabolic, musculo-skeletal and psychological health of the Western World is getting worse.

Here are some standards to aim at - and exceed.

http://www.millerhealth.com.au/fit-for-work/index.html

In the mean time stay tuned, highly tuned with a decent aerobic fitness, strength and flexibility training program.


Regards and best wishes

John Miller