| In 1937, Dr. Peter Karpovich of Springfield College in | | | | your muscles. Lifting weights does not interfere with |
| Massachusetts published a ground breaking paper | | | | brain function; it improves coordination in events that |
| showing that lifting weights helped men improve their | | | | require strength, such as playing sports, working as a |
| coordination. At the time, his paper was ridiculed by | | | | carpenter, opening a stuck door or beating a drum. |
| most athletes in professional sports. Many of the | | | | Strength training makes you faster. Muscles are made |
| most famous baseball players before World War II | | | | up of slow and fast twitch fibers. The slow-twitch, |
| laughed at him because they were rich, famous and | | | | red fibers are used primarily for endurance, for |
| the best and most adored athletes in the world, and | | | | running long distances or performing continuous work. |
| they didn't lift weights. They were afraid that lifting | | | | The fast twitch, white fibers are used primarily for |
| weights would cause them to develop such large | | | | strength and speed. The same fast-twitch fibers that |
| muscles that they wouldn't be able to control them | | | | are strengthened by weight-lifting are used for |
| and they would lose the fine coordination necessary | | | | speed, so the stronger your muscle is, the faster |
| to hit and throw a baseball. They announced that | | | | you can move it.Lifting weights will improve your |
| lifting weights would make a ball player | | | | performance in every sport that requires power. It |
| "musclebound".Today violin players and watchmakers, | | | | can help you to run faster, jump higher, throw |
| who require extraordinary coordination and dexterity, | | | | further and lift heavier. High jumpers do squats with |
| well beyond that needed to hit a baseball, lift weights | | | | heavy weights on their shoulders. Javelin throwers |
| because they know that there is no such condition | | | | must strengthen their arms and legs, and sprinters |
| as "musclebound". Today's baseball players all lift | | | | work to strengthen their legs.Dr. Gabe Mirkin has |
| weights and they are so much stronger and better | | | | been a radio talk show host for 25 years and |
| athletes, that the best baseball players in the world | | | | practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is |
| before 1940 couldn't possibly even make today's | | | | board certified in four specialties, including sports |
| baseball teams because they weren't strong | | | | medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness |
| enough.Training for strength improves coordination. | | | | and health reports at weekly newsletter on fitness, |
| Your brain is a master switchboard that coordinates | | | | health, and nutrition. |