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Recently I came across a book that let me know that all my thoughts on how best to lead ones life have already been thought, elucidated, and written down. So much for my originality.

The philosophical school of Stoicism, specifically as espoused by Epictetus, has been in full swing since the time of Christ. The basic tenets, and practices, taught by Epictetus are collected in the Enchiridion, or Handbook. Amongst the many, highly applicable, entries are the following gems-

9. Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to your ability to choose, unless that is your choice. Lameness is a hindrance to the leg, but not to your ability to choose. Say this to yourself with regard to everything that happens, then you will see such obstacles as hindrances to something else, but not to yourself.

34. If you are struck by the appearance of any promised pleasure, guard yourself against being hurried away by it; but let the affair wait your leisure, and procure yourself some delay. Then bring to your mind both points of time: that in which you will enjoy the pleasure, and that in which you will repent and reproach yourself after you have enjoyed it; and set before you, in opposition to these, how you will be glad and applaud yourself if you abstain. And even though it should appear to you a seasonable gratification, take heed that its enticing, and agreeable and attractive force may not subdue you; but set in opposition to this how much better it is to be conscious of having gained so great a victory.

The basic thrust of the philosophy is summed up in the first entry-

Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions.

I read in the words of Epictetus an incredibly liberating way to look at life, and to handle difficulties with efficiency and equanimity. And, a method for improving the things which really matter - our morals, hygiene, and relationships.

Read a cool article today (cool in content, not writing style), by Ori Hofmekler the author of ‘The Warrior Diet‘. He’s a total nut job, and his theories on fitness are… unique. But, he made some good points today (he doesn’t always, IMHO.) The main thrust of the article was that the old adage ‘Everything in moderation’ was a sure fired path to mediocrity. That the folks who inspire us are extremists, and if you want to truly excel on your chosen path, you need to be extreme. He also made the point that there are certain things for which moderation meant none (junk food, transfats, vehicular manslaughter).

In this world of plenty it is often difficult to know what moderation means. And, I have to agree with Ori that you do need to go above-and-beyond moderate if you want to excel in any endeavor. If you have a sport you care about, you need to train to do your best. If fitness is your goal you cannot stop at average (which for America is obese). If you want your next work review to result in a raise, you cannot just put your time in, you need to contribute.

Whatever area in life you choose to pursue, doing it moderately should be left for retirement, and really not even then.

On another note-

I was reading the latest ramblings from Matt Furey. He was (again) defending the idea that bodyweight exercises where as efficacious as weightlifting. In all the reading I have done, from the old, old, old school fitness gurus, to the bleeding edge sports-coach elites, painfully little seems to have been learned in the area of methodology for gaining strength, definition, and endurance. In the area of nutrition, the base line of knowledge is also crawling forward very slowly. What major developments have been made are in the areas of chemical supplementation. Steroids, human growth hormone, mega doses of micro nutrients. We have developed a staggering array of methods for delivering extreme amounts of performance enhancing materials. But, when it comes down to it, the body builders of today are much larger because of chemistry, and not the methodology they have access to.

Legends of strength, speed, endurance, and physical performance have been around with the human race since before history. Way before. And, the folks that founded these legends did not have fancy gym equipment or quasi-legal injectables. They had the environment, their own bodies, hard work, and most important of all, will.

I do not believe that weights, megavitamins, and gyms, should be abandoned (as Furey seems to believe). They all have their place. (Especially megavitamins!) I think the whole debate is silly. Humans can obviously attain high levels of development in most any environment, the only truly necessary ingredient being the will to do so. No matter how much you spend on a fabulous home gym, you won’t get any stronger if your only interaction with the weights is dusting them off once a month.

And that’s my ramble for today.