Bill DeSimone?

[imnotbncre8ive]

So in my random ventures across this barren wasteland called the Interwebz, I have stumbled across things both alien and unsettling. In particular, a fitness/trainer(?) named Bill DeSimone and his brainchild 'Moment Arm Exercise'. There's a youtube clip of him explaining his ideas here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JipFOs17kg0). I didn't watch or listen carefully.

Here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G8E_LJCPMM) is a youtube clip of a guy who incorporates some 'principles' of MomentArmExercise in his workout. My impression from clips and related blog posts is that his training involves Nautilus machines... Time Under Load... a lot of biomechanics talk and theoretical discussion about ranges of motion... very little mention of barbells... training to muscle failure. Frankly, I'm a bit confused by all this. But the mental alarms were triggered as soon as I saw the machines. Have I finally come face-to-face with the HIT crowd?

Here's a blog post by DeSimone:
"...the issue isn’t whether you should squat with a belt, it’s whether you should squat with a barbell. The architecture of the spine, both bone and muscle, are pretty clearly suited to support a descending load as you move towards the head. The lumber are the thickest and least mobile vertabrae, to support the entire upper body; the thoracic, as you point out, are more mobile, and get smaller as they approach the neck; and the cervical are smallest. Some of the erector spinae group connect lumbar to head, but much of it connects further up the spine to the head. It’s basically a pyramid, and nobody puts a tabletop on a pyramid and expects it to work. Putting a barbell on one’s shoulders is about as counter “functional” as it gets, and downright dangerous at heavy loads."

Here's an interview with DeSimone conducted by some dating/relationship blogger who I stumbled upon:
http://www.thedreamlounge.net/2009/11/05/interview-with-bill-de-simone-author-of-moment-arm-exercise/

[sergeant_81]

Beware the HIT Jedis. They were seduced by the dark side of the force...and once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. :)

[gzt]

Yes, they are very into HIT there.

[Dastardly]

Im surprised his video has no comments.

I watched a bit, he seems to be criticising traditional freeweight movements as they put body parts in vulnerable weak positions. From the images he showed (look at that deadlift lol) this would probably be true.

But the whole point of effective movements like the squat, deadlift & pull up is that they absolutely utilise natural articulation of the limbs, generally in there strongest planes of movement.

[blowdpanis]

Haha, Gary should post about his experience/wasted years with HIT.

[imnotbncre8ive]

...he seems to be criticising traditional freeweight movements as they put body parts in vulnerable weak positions. From the images he showed (look at that deadlift lol) this would probably be true.

But the whole point of effective movements like the squat, deadlift & pull up is that they absolutely utilise natural articulation of the limbs, generally in there strongest planes of movement.

If this is the case, then his entire method is predicated on a straw man argument. Bastardized versions of the basic lifts are labeled as unsafe, and 'better alternatives' are proposed.

[marklloyd]

DiSimone uses free weights for many exercises. While he's likely an HIT guy, his specialty is unrelated to recommend sets rep times ,etc. A further look into his ideas may provide some points of agreement for otherwise divided factions

[Carnivroar]

This is like that book Body by Science which has you working out for like 10 minutes a week to get big and strong.