When Nike Was Only The Name Of A Missile

If there is a single hot topic on the minds of Americans, besides how to earn more money, it's Personal Health. Themes such as fitness, nutrition, weight loss, longevity and sex-appeal loom large in the minds consumers of all ages today. We all know who the prime targets are...(if you need a hint, you're probably reading the wrong blog).

Fitness and weight-loss are two of the most commercial themes in the Universe. I still remember what my high school track coach said to me about training. "Don't let it bother you, Billy when people stare at you as if you just robbed a bank. Keep running. It will keep you from getting old," he said.

A couple of guys almost ran me over in CP (do you know where that is? need a hint? think New York City!) a few years back. These dudes were decked out, too. I looked around to see if there was a camera crew trailing behind them, they were so pretty.

Yes, in today's world of consumerism, if you're not wearing something made by Nike or grunting on a Nautilus look-alike, you're probably not taking your fitness seriously enough. You would definitely not get the attention of a well-connected TV camera operator. Meanwhile, the joke can actually be on the mega marketers of exercise accouterments.

Since I don't plan on breaking any records in the next few years, I will continue to do my "situps" (that's an exercise that builds six-packs) and "pushups" (the upper body building regimen that Muhammad Ali used for breaking faces). Not to worry, your face is safe with me.

The point is that walking, jogging, running, situps and pushups can do more to build strength than most people realize. Many of us have forgotten - or never knew - that bigness is not synonymous with strength. If all you want to do is build a larger body, then machines are your ticket. Not so, with basic fitness for a finely tuned anatomy. Working out is not a synonym for catalogs.

We hope this treatise has been enlightening and refreshing, especially for people from my generation. Don't know what generation that is, yet? It's okay. It doesn't mean you're not a nice person.

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