AmpedTraining Blog
2008 April 10 | Comments Off
By Matt
5 April 2008
An Open Letter to all members of the International Olympic Committee and all members of the World Anti-Doping Association:
I am greatly saddened by the recent news regarding the Greek weightlifting team and the positive drug tests from some of their number. This egregious violation is simply the latest in a long stream of constant dishonesty from the coaches and athletes of the world.
I want to commend the IOC and WADA for their efforts in screening out these unethical participants, those that choose to gain an unfair advantage over their competition.
However, I cannot help but feel that there is simply not enough being done to combat this problem. And make no mistake, this is a serious problem indeed!
I realize that there is no medical evidence linking the usage of anabolic steroids to health problems, but one can never be too sure. It’s certainly better to err on the side of caution. The efforts of anti-doping are first and foremost to protect the health of our athletes.
Competition at the highest levels should be about pure human performance. Drugs simply aren’t natural, and unfortunately they have been so prevalent in our sporting events that we no longer have an effective yardstick for what an unassisted human is capable of! Why, Olympic records have only improved marginally in the last three decades. A less enlightened man might ask why, when drugs are obviously slipping past drug screens on a regular basis, that these records aren’t falling left and right, but I know the real truth.
The efforts of the WADA are simply proving too much for athletes that wish to cheat. Our athletes, our sporting competitions, and most importantly, our children that idolize our athletes are all being protected.
I understand that I’m preaching to the choir, to use the old colloquialism. But these facts simply drive home the point. As imperative as it is to get drug usage under control, I’m sure you will all agree with me that the conclusion is obvious.
Despite all of these Herculean labors to prevent cheating, some of our athletes nevertheless choose to abuse illicit anabolic substances. For the sake of our sports, and our children, we must be willing to take further steps.
Ladies and gentlemen of the IOC and WADA, I am calling for the suspension of the Olympic Games, in totality, until this problem can be resolved on a permanent basis.
There simply can be no alternative. The Games provide our athletes with the incentive and the opportunity to cheat. The temptation of the Olympic Gold is simply too much to bear, a burden that no man (or woman) should be asked to carry.
My solution is simple, elegant. You remove the source of the temptation at the same time you remove its need.
Certainly you cannot help but agree with this solution. It is the only way to assure the people of the world that our athletes are safe from temptation, that our children remain untainted.
Considering the truly epic danger that anabolic steroids pose to all the people of the Earth, a danger that I know you understand, you must find yourselves in 100% agreement.
I will be waiting for your announcement, and the joyous celebration that will certainly ensue.
Sincerely,
Matthew Perryman
United States of America
2008 April 5 | Comments Off
By Matt
In copyright law, there’s a concept known as “Fair Use”. The US Copyright Act (which can be found online at www.copyright.gov) states “purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright”. There are also other mitigating factors that are examined on a case by case basis.
So, using material for “reasonable purposes” is not against the law. What I’m doing here, criticizing and satirizing other copyrighted materials found on the Internet, is not a violation of copyright law. It falls under Fair Use.
Those of us that put ourselves out there as “experts” on the subject matter have an interesting dilemma. On the one hand, we benefit immensely from the free exchange of ideas. Most everything I know on exercise science has come from talking shop with people like me — guys and gals that enjoy the topic and like to hash it out. Not unlike any other hobby, really.
Free exchange of ideas is a good thing. But you knew there was a point to this rant, so here it is. There’s people out there, other like-minded experts, that have problems crediting their source materials.
Don’t get me wrong — this isn’t always intentional. In the fitness industry, it can be hard, sometimes impossible, to credit the source of any given statement. A lot of it is research based, or can be easily attributed to the coach that said it, but some of it is just basic lore that stretches back to God knows when.
The statement “standing on the shoulders of giants” couldn’t be more true in this field. At best I’m a journalist, taking the work that the real pioneers have done and putting it together.
No, that’s not what I’m bitching about either. What I’m talking about is the guys that have bought into their own celebrity. Guys that have let the ego and the e-fame rule them.
I’m not gonna name names, not publicly, although I really should. But, in many ways that’d be too easy. I’d be giving free publicity. I’m not gonna do that. Not yet, anyway.
I will, however, give two case studies. Consider these hypotheticals. You know, “hypotheticals”.
Case Study #1 – An online “fitness consultant” that works with physique-type competitors. Highly secretive, creating a mass appeal for his programs. In reality, most of them are taken directly from www.t-nation.com, but there’s no ethical problem in charging clients for this “service”.
This guy seems to change his mind on a regular basis. One minute he knows what’s up, then gets debated to a stand-still….and the new ideas end up in his programs the next month. They even end up in his articles.
It’s pretty obvious the material isn’t his, as he applies it very poorly and with no real thought put in.
This wouldn’t be so bad, except there’s no credit given, let alone any residuals paid for the use of those ideas. No, that’d mean he’d have to deflate his head and not get all the attention. Not gonna happen. This is the kind of quality we’re dealing with.
Case Study #2 – Well-known fitness celebrity. Similar to the guy above, but much more widely known. Writes a recent book, copying verbatim from the subject matter of another coach. Book is an instant hit; material taken from the other coach is uncredited. It’s presented with a different name, but the concept and use of this particular material, a protocol you might say, is identical.
You can make up your own mind on the ethics and whatever morality you feel is involved here.
Yes, there’s an element of open source that goes on in Internet posting. Blatant theft, however, is absolutely ridiculous. Apparently these individuals have no problem with this kind of “borrowing”, but I certainly do.
Personally, I see no problem in using the material of others. But if you’re going to blatantly rip it off, then use it to make profits, well….
Karma, she’s a bad bus driver.
2008 February 6 | Comments Off
By Matt
….then please stop talking.
Stop giving advice.
Most of all, acting like you’re suddenly God’s gift to exercise form just because you passed a piss-easy certification.
Just because this seems to be such a common phenomenon, not just online but in the gym too, I thought I’d go over some ground rules for when you should talk.
When to Shut the Hell Up
- You just passed the ACE exam. Or the ACSM-CPT. Even the CSCS for that matter. Congratulations: you passed a written exam with no hands-on component or real-life experience dealing with anyone. Yes, it gives you some form of “credibility” and allows you to get liability insurance. That’s about all it does. You are not an expert, stop acting like one.
- You did well in a bodybuilding show/figure contest/powerlifting meet/figure skating. Congratulations: it takes a lot of effort, dedication, and sacrifice to do well in sports. That doesn’t mean you know a damn thing about how to take somebody else there, let alone to a different goal.
- You just graduated from college with a BS in exercise science. Congratulations: going to college takes a lot of effort, dedication, and sacrifice. You’ve now got an expensive piece of paper from a program that very likely didn’t teach you a damn thing relevant about getting someone in shape. This goes double for you if you’re still in school. Saying “I’m taking classes” or “my professor said” doesn’t mean dick.
- You’re the favored protege of a Guru, and he gave you a job. Congratulations: the Guru thinks you might offer something to make him more money. Might want to make sure that your Guru actually knows what he’s talking about first, though. Hanging around quacks, scammers and other assorted scumbags is rarely healthy for your training ability, and nobody that matters cares about your hero worship.
2008 February 1 | Comments Off
By Matt
Are you serious about getting in shape? Are you serious about training your clients, or coaching your team?
Awesome.
What about the people that are Not Serious?
Apparently, that is what happens when you don’t feel the need to shell out $49.99 (for the next 10 minutes!) for every latest Guru scam-tactic.
The logic here is that any trainer or coach worth his or her salt would be head over heels about learning new things.
This is true.
What is not true is the belief that the new breed of Marketing Coaches and their apologists (i.e., gullible victims) hold which is, effectively summed up, “if you don’t buy my re-hash of information you already know, then you’re a loser”.
Notice the key part there: Re-hash. I can’t say I’ve seen a truly new or revolutionary product out in quite some time. Useful, informative, well-written stuff? Absolutely. Lots of goodies out there.
But to insult my intelligence by telling me that I can’t know what I’m doing or be effective without it?
PRO-TIP: Just because I don’t feel the need to spend money on whatever overpriced product you’ve put out and hyped up in order to continue your get rich scheme, that doesn’t imply that I’m not serious about learning or improving myself.
In fact, I’m willing to make a little bet. Next guy that uses this line in regards to anyone’s book or DVD or whatever else can come and do an interview on Hater Nation.
Now, don’t get all excited. By interview, I don’t mean the cutesy little back-scratching, product-pushing interviews that you do with your buddies in return for the same. I’m going to ask real questions.
To those that know me, this is no idle threat. I put the “screw” in scrutiny.
If you can convince me that your product is actually worth its salt, and that I actually need your information when compared to the information and resources I already have, then I’ll shell out the cash to purchase it.
If not, well…needless to say, I don’t expect many takers. But hey, you can’t spell “learn” without “pissed off”.*
* Note to my not-so-smart readers: This is a “joke”.
2007 July 10 | Comments Off
By Matt
You know I’ve been thinking about it, and it seems that the pioneering concepts of Internet marketing used by the fitness industry represents the wave of the future.
C’mon, it was inevitable, you know it. With that in mind, I have a new product I’d like everyone to have a look at.
The Maximum Guru Hater Pros Manual
I am so going to hell.
2007 June 28 | Comments Off
By Matt
Mood: Emo 
Man, the Internet sure does piss me off. I can’t believe all those jerks that spend all their time talking about me on the internets.
That’s why you chumps can’t hang, because what you don’t get is that I rule, and you suck. How could you ever possibly argue with me?
I write on the INTERNET, genius!
I put this site up as a forum for my opinions, and a place for me to throw a tantrum like a whiny little girl if you talk bad about me, so how can I be wrong?
So here’s what’s up. All you punks that spend time talking bad about me, you know what? I’m gonna make my own website. Then I’m gonna throw a tantrum, cause you said mean things.
I should be able to handle criticism? I’ve been working in this field for 20 years, and it doesn’t matter that I can’t teach the basics of a proper power clean, you respect me!
Why?
Fuck you, that’s why.
So all you haters just waste your time hating. You should go get lives, like me. I’m gonna go train all my badass athletes, and you just sit here and blog and hate on me for being so awesome.
Now I’m going to go blog more.
Haters.
