Ask Joe Weider

Tip of the Week: If it hurts, don't do it.

OK, so you're probably saying to yourself about now, "Gee, Joe, how come I didn't think of that?" Of course I realize how obvious this bit of advice sounds, but sometimes it's important to reiterate the obvious, because it is often that which is right before our noses that we fail to see.

Case in point: Let's say you're an avid runner, putting in 3 to 4 miles, three times a week. Just as you're nearing your personal goal of hitting the six-minute per mile mark, your left knee begins aching. You ice it when you return home, take a couple of aspirin and two days later hit the pavement again. This time, however, instead of aching you feel a twinge and have to stop your run, instead gingerly limping your way back home.

What happened? You pushed when you should have rested. Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, we can undermine our hard work by way of enthusiasm, stubbornness or such an eagle-eye focus on our goals that we miss subtle clues to our health. It could be an exercise that aggravates a shoulder or a stretch that causes pain in the lower back.

When in doubt, follow the doctor's advice in Henny Youngman's classic joke: A patient says to a doctor, "Doctor, it hurts when I do this." The doctor responds, "Then don't do that."

Q: Do you prefer sitting or standing exercises? What I mean is, at my gym I have the option of doing overhead dumbbell presses while seated on a bench or standing in front of the mirror. There is even a curling machine where you sit, but I could also do standing curls. Does it matter? Should I do both? Is one better for my back than the other? Thanks Joe!

Joe: When it comes to gym training, you have many, many options. You can perform exercises seated, standing and even lying down. Such is the diversity provided by today's resistance machines.

There are differences between seated and standing exercises, but it's not across the board. For example, when it comes to dumbbell presses you can generally go heavier doing seated presses than standing.

This is because a seat back provides you stability and a surface on which to push off from. Compare this to standing presses, which require you to stabilize the weight with your back and abdominals. So, the seated version allows you to put greater stress on the shoulders, but doing them standing brings into play other muscle groups.

Try to mix things up to get the best of both worlds.

Q: My 16-year-old son reads your magazines all the time and wants more than anything to be a professional bodybuilder. I have no problem with the exercising and the increase in food he's eating, but I worry about the supplements. He always has a protein bar on him, or is making a protein shake. Also, could he obtain steroids at his high school? Is there any way of knowing if he's taking them? I know these are a lot of questions, but I don't want to be naive.

Joe: It's nice to see that you are so concerned with your son's welfare. I think your concerns are legitimate, although you probably need not worry too much.

As for supplements, make sure the majority of your son's nutrition comes from whole foods. Packing a protein bar in his lunch bag as a snack is OK, but he shouldn't need more than that. A shake in the morning or evening is also OK, but only to supplement his diet, not replace meals.

As for steroids, unfortunately they are reportedly available at schools across the country. The best thing you can do to help ensure that your son doesn't take them is establish open, honest, non-judgmental communications with him about steroids and their dangers.

First, you'll have to educate yourself, which you can do online. The simple fact, though, is that it is illegal in the United States to possess steroids without a prescription, an offense that could send the possessor to jail for up to a year. Best of luck to you and your son.

Joe Weider is acclaimed as "the father of modern bodybuilding" and the founder of the world's leading fitness magazines, including Shape, Muscle and Fitness, Men's Fitness, Fit Pregnancy, Hers, Golf for Seniors and others published worldwide in over 20 languages.To find out more about Joe Weider, write to him and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

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