A Response to the Physician and Sports Medicine Article by Ebben and Jensen:

"Strength Training for Women - Debunking Myths that Block Opportunity"

Volume 26 #5, May, 1998
By Roger Schwab

Richard H. Strauss, MD
Editor-in-Chief
The Physician and Sportsmedicine
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Dear Dr. Strauss,

This letter is a response to the article, "Strength Training for Women--Debunking Myths That Block Opportunity" in Volume 26 Number 5, May 1998.

Opinions expressed by Mr. Ebben and Dr. Jensen are far more appropriate for readers of Muscle and Fitness, Flex and other numerous "muscle magazines" where, in my opinion, any useful information was depleted years ago and has since been reduced to hype, possible consumer fraud, and a philosophy of "muscle at any cost." There is no argument that proper strength training for women is essential to realize full physical potential. However, the actual program and exercises endorsed by the authors reiterates the nonsense espoused by a growing segment of the so-called exercise science community. The benefits (if any) of ballistic, "quick lifts," which "lifts" even if they did stimulate functional improvement (which they do not) are far outweighed by the potential orthopaedic cost. Such "sport-specific" exercise that the authors covet which, "closely mimic the biomechanics and velocity of the sport," are dangerous (regardless of so-called "technique") and fly directly in the face of medically sound exercise yet alone common sense. If force produced exceeds structural integrity, injury will occur. Athletes seeking to realize their athletic potential would be wise to spend the majority of allotted time perfecting their skills. Added benefits will result by safely and sensibly strengthening the muscular structures of the body involved in the particular sport. While the sport skills should be practiced specifically, the exercises performed to strengthen the muscles should be dictated by the function of those muscles. All exercises should be performed slowly and smoothly, without jerking the weight which subjects the muscles and connective tissues to high levels of impact forces. Fast movements do not produce fast athletes, instead fast movements produce injured athletes. The core of a properly performed and supervised strength training program for every athlete and everyone must be medically sound focusing on full range exercises working the major muscular structures in a high intensity (progressive) low force manner, not with the emphasis on "free weight exercises including footbased lower body exercises such as the lunge and walking lunge," combined with Olympic style "quick lifts" such as the clean and jerk and snatch, which exercises have relevance only to Olympic weightlifters who compete in these lifts. Of course, it should not be the tool--free weights or machines--in question here as both are quite capable of stimulating results, but rather the proper use of the tool. In many instances a properly built machine correctly used will stimulate a response as well or better than a barbell (insofar as full range strength of a muscle) in a safer medically sound manner.

If the article, "Strength Training for Women--Debunking Myths That Block Opportunity, " was peer-reviewed by members of the staff of The Physician and Sportsmedicine before publishing, then the hopes of establishing meaningful, medically sound strength training in the athletic community, the school systems, physical therapy clinics, and hospital rehabilitation programs have been dealt a severe blow. If a segment of the sports medicine community joins forces and sinks to the depths of the base instincts and ideas of the segment of the exercise science community represented here by Mr. Ebben and Dr. Jensen, common sense in the field will be shut down as sports related injuries fueled by misunderstanding and ignorance continue to flourish. Shame on you!

Cordially,

Roger Schwab
Director
Main Line Medical Exercise