Words of Wisdom from O-Sensei

“Iron is full of impurities that weaken it; through forging, it becomes steel and is transformed into a razor-sharp sword. Human beings develop in the same fashion.”

-Morihei Ueshiba

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Genetics or Practice?

CBS Sunday Morning -- probably not a TV program you watch, but I happened to have it on when a story presented about Testing an Athelete's Genes to Training http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/testing-an-athletes-genes-to-aid-training/  

The story talked about whether Kenyans were genetically advantaged to winning marathons.  Because of the hot, dry climate at high altitudes, some Kenyans have developed long legs and a thin torso--perfect for running marathons.  However, Kenyans that win marathons get government sponsorship.  This provides an economic incentive for runners to practice running marathons.  Top athletes run 100+ miles per week.

The situation begged the investigation:  which is a greater predictor of athletic performance, genetics or practice?  A professor of Kineseology in Canada was interviewed who said that genetics had little to do with athletic performance.  Yes, it was practice more than any other factor.  To test that theory, they had the country's top softball pitcher pitch against some major league baseball hitters.  The baseball hitters could not even get a foul ball!  Reason?  They had practiced, practiced, practiced against a different style of pitching.  Through practice, the baseball hitters had wired their brain to adapt to fast pitch baseball.  No genetics were involved, just practice.  Rather interesting.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Club News

. . .

Aikido Club Details

Days, Times, and Location: Aikido Club sessions are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. We meet in PE 221 on UVU campus.

Club Dues: As a club at UVU, we are actually required to collect dues. We currently collect $20 per semester in club dues per person. Many dojos outside of UVU run about $40 per month, so this really is a great opportunity to learn Aikido at a great price! Club dues go right into the club fund where they can then be used for equipment for club and other club expenses.

Equipment: Bring a T-Shirt and athletic style pants, such as sweat pants. Those that have a gi are welcome to wear that. We recommend that you not wear shorts.

Testing: As Sensei is an Aikido Association of America certified instructor, he is able to conduct belt promotion tests. This is an awesome opportunity to progress further into Aikido. AAA fees apply (Ex. 7th kyu test fee is $25).

If you have any other questions about the club, please click the "contact me" button found on the right side of this page and send us a message.

Note to those who are not UVU students: The UVU Clubs organization states that we are able to accept non-UVU students into the club. However, at least 75% of our club membership MUST be UVU students. If you would like to join the UVU Aikido Club, prior approval must be obtained from Sensei.