Thursday, September 18, 2025
ESSAY - CHESTERTON ON GETTING OUT OF SAVAGERY
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| Gilbert Keith Chesterton |
It often takes time to get from point A to point B in a lot of things.
One problem I often see in the world is that many people expect something equivalent to the Star Trek transporter when making choices and, especially, when introducing change.
An introduced change in choices and actions often only produces subsequent marginal, or incremental changes, often nearly invisible, in results or outcomes.
However, often these marginal or incremental steps are also cumulative, and, over time, produce something much larger and more lasting than can initially be seen.
In fact, many of these outcomes, at first, can only be imagined, and, the purpose of motivation is to keep us seeing that ultimate, visible outcome. Simply glancing off in the distance once and saying, "Yep, going there...", is usually not enough. We have to keep respotting the goal and reminding ourselves of the purpose of the effort.
Yes, what we do today, even if savages, genuinely or metaphorically, may not move us far from savagery, but, it can move us closer to civilization, or salvation, or, at least... something better than we are now.
So, perhaps, as some say, it IS NOT the destination that's as important as the journey.
We have to travel together. Let's travel as friends.
Labels: Donovan Baldwin. motivation, Gilbert Keith Chesterton, New York
Monday, September 15, 2025
ARTICLE: IS IT BETTER TO DO ISOMETRIC EXERCISES BEFORE OR AFTER RESISTANCE OR STRENGTH TRAINING?
The decision of whether to perform isometric exercises before or after resistance training depends on your specific goals. There are benefits to both approaches.
Doing Isometrics Before Resistance Training
Using isometric holds as part of your warm-up can be beneficial for:
Muscle Activation: Isometric exercises can "wake up" the nervous system and prime your muscles for the dynamic movements to come.
1 This can improve the mind-muscle connection and lead to better performance during your main lifts.Strengthening Sticking Points: If you have a specific point in a lift where you consistently fail (a "sticking point"), performing an isometric hold at that joint angle before your working sets can help you build strength and stability precisely where you need it most.
Injury Prevention: By focusing on stability and control without movement, you can warm up the muscles that help stabilize your joints, potentially reducing the risk of injury.
2 This is particularly useful for people with existing joint issues or those recovering from an injury.3
Doing Isometrics After Resistance Training
Incorporating isometric holds at the end of your workout can be effective for:
Increasing Time Under Tension: Holding a static position after your dynamic reps can push the muscle to fatigue, promoting muscle growth (hypertrophy).
4 This is a great way to add intensity to your workout without increasing the weight.Pre-Exhausting Muscles: You can use an isometric hold to pre-fatigue a muscle group before a dynamic exercise.
5 For example, doing a wall sit before a set of squats can force your legs to work harder during the squats, leading to greater muscle activation.Improving Muscular Endurance: Holding a position for an extended period, such as a plank or wall sit, trains your muscles to sustain force over time, which directly improves muscular endurance.
6 Joint and Tendon Health: Isometric contractions can be beneficial for strengthening tendons and improving joint health without the impact and stress of dynamic movements.
7 This can be a smart way to work on a specific area without causing further irritation.
Summary
There is no single "right" answer. The ideal time to perform isometric exercises is highly dependent on your goals for that specific workout.
For strength and performance: Consider using high-intensity, short-duration isometrics before your main lifts to improve neuromuscular activation and overcome sticking points.
For muscle growth (hypertrophy) and endurance: Use longer-duration isometric holds at the end of your workout to increase time under tension and exhaust the muscles.
You can also integrate them within your resistance training sets, for example, by adding a pause at a key point in a squat or bench press.
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Labels: dynamic exercises, injury prevention, isometric exercises, muscle activation, muscle growth, resistance training, strength training
