The Forum Effect

"Being a good coach is mostly about analyzing the situation and telling the truth about it even when it makes you look like an asshole. The rest is just support." -Mike Kidd, Coach of the Georgia Irondawgs powerlifting team and my mentor

      
       Right from the start, I want to make clear that there are some very intelligent individuals working in and around the fitness industry at the moment. We have a populace interested in science and results, experienced coaches and researchers, and veteran competitors all brought together in the orgy of information that is the internet. But along with these people are some astounding examples of intellectual vacancy. Out of the vast number of people on the web discussing exercise, nutrition, and health, it is overwhelmingly likely that most will be on the underinformed end of the spectrum in any discussion you may find yourself in. That mates rather well with the human tendency toward group-think and together the two breed armies of non-thinking followers refusing flatly to examine either the views of others or their own in enough detail to actually understand. Good thorough information is distilled down to its most basic points and mangled beyond recognition into a simplistic black and white presentation. Anyone suggesting unpopular ideas is ostracized and ridiculed. As a result, people are often scared away before even getting involved. Those who aren't repelled at the outset  often end up drinking the proverbial Kool-Aid of some sect or another or even just keeping their opinions and ideas to themselves. It's the Forum Effect, and it's making you stupid.

       No doubt you are aware of the state of the fitness industry if you are reading this. And it stands to reason that despite this, if you are strong-minded and determined you have found some good information after all. And if so, then perhaps you realize the importance of bringing good information, backed by both science and application, to the attention of those hungry for knowledge but fed the typical junk of the industry's gurus. In this blog I will address popular topics relating to exercise physiology, nutrition, training, and yes, even performance enhancing drugs. The goal isn't to get you to buy my book or go to a seminar or call me a guru. I just want to provide quality information about the topics I deal with often in a professional setting.

       So my goal here is to, in essence, be a coach for performance related research. I will be analyzing the topics that I encounter and will endeavor to simply tell you the truth as completely as current scientific and professional understanding will allow. Do yourself a favor though and think critically. Don't absorb information passively. To quote my long-time coach again, "If you just want to go through the motions, don't bother. This isn't for you." Welcome to the BCSS blog! Not dogma, just information.