The Dialectic of Physical Fitness in a Technological Future
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- The future was yesterday by the time you learned it. At best. With so many answers to how, we are rapidly approaching the need for an answer to why... why is physicality important? What are the forces that advance it scientifically, but also individually and culturally? How do they interplay? What does this mean for the future of humanity?
The audio is separate from the video clips and their associated captions. The video is a timelapse walkthrough my personal journey from very early in my training, to now. It and the captions encapsulate how I began as a lifter and later a coach finding myself at these kinds of questions.
I suggest a separate listen from a watch through the video and captions. This way you can get a better grasp of where I am coming from. Likewise, read the blog where I reference the real-life events that in the last year may have caused either a chilling effect on dialogue between scientific and anecdotal evidence, or as I hope to inspire and to go much further with this content, to bring the dialogue closer for the improvement of each simultaneously because physicality is what preserves our humanity.
This video is paired with this recent blog post:
swoleateveryhe... - กีฬา
I genuinely think that this is a huge part of the reason why stonelifting is making such a wonderful comeback. It couldn't be less scientific or optimal, and there's no AI-based (whatever that means) training app telling you exactly what you need to do. It's 100% trial-and-error, anecdotes and encouragement from other lifters, and it's all about figuring out how *you* can solve the Riddle of S̶t̶e̶e̶l̶ Stone.
Lifting a PR on a lift-specific barbell using perfectly-calibrated competition plates in an air-conditioned gym is great - but it will *never* feel as overwhelmingly joyous and unique as going out into the woods and, for the first time after many failed attempts, finally getting a heavy stone all the way up to your shoulder. And that's even the case with regular stones. Haven't had a chance to lift historical stones yet, but I don't think any kind of lifting could be more grounded and "human" than knowing that, whether it was 20, 50, or 300 years ago, somebody walked up to and tried to lift this unwieldy, awkward, natural object in the exact same way as you are.
Thanks for watching. Your feedback about stone lifting is spot on. I am stoked to see it make a revival. I've not done a ton of it myself, but that is something I am keen to.
First time I attempted a 135lb stone (being able to deadlift 405 easily) I immediately learned "scientifically" lmao that I was a weak little sob
Just commenting cause I like the word Dialectic
I figure if science guys are going to use fancy words, I can do it for humanities. Though I don't like including lingo and try not to as often as possible, as it more often confuses people. This is where science guys can also do better. Many of them use lingo to impress and sound authoritative while not instilling their audience with any genuine understanding of what they are talking about.
The reason the science is starting to get push back is because it operates from a platform of fear or at least the message does. I’m tired of being made to feel like I don’t have a handle on this and that there is something else O should be doing. I just wanna train man. Train hard and let nature take over. Thanks Cody!
This is a valid criticism. Framing something negatively already puts the person in a negative mindset about training to begin with.
Awesome video. Not much else needs to be said that other people haven’t already said.
Can’t wait to read your latest blog on my lunch break. Cheers brother🍺
Thanks for watching. Hope you enjoyed the post.
The GOAT has spoken
Nah. Just a guy who lifts. Much appreciated though.
We are with you.
Thank you! I'm enjoying the gym. I hope you are too.
This is a really awesome take. Thanks Cody!
Thanks for watching!
Good shit!
Thanks for watching!
As much as it is all helpful, intend to find myself overwhelmed and end up in overthinking purgatory with what is most optimal.
You and so many others.
Sure science based approach is great for a novice in providing some general guidelines to follow, but there's a lot more than people give credit to finding what individually works for yourself. Following a cookie cutter, science based approach removes the self discovery aspect and makes everything too sterile. Great video and topic, Cody
This is the problem. Everyone gets into min/maxxing and many never start because they can't be "the best." Dude, don't ever let perfect be the enemy of the good, or in this case, the better.
Fueled*
Here I am thinking I can perfectly edit my own content. Thank you for keeping me accountable.
A pill that cam grant physical perfection isn't coming any time soon, but what you're talking about is the sort of problem that comes with a post scarcity civilization ala Star Trek. What grants us purpose when all our basic needs can actually be taken for granted because the technology is there. I like one of Carl Sagan's quotes, paraphrasing but it goes like this 'if we want some grand purpose, than we should find for ourselves a worthy goal'. There was an episode where a 20th century man wakes up in the Star Trek post scarcity 24th century, and he asked what the challenge was then if there are no riches to earn. Captain Picard said the challenge still is to improve oneself, that's still a thing anyone can do at anytime.
Thanks for watching and for your feedback as well. Though I agree that this is tied to post scarcity, it will be available before then. Those with the means will have this decades, maybe a century or so before the average person. Those people are the people who make policy, apply force, and steer our world; to benefit or detriment is a different matter I am not going to speak to.
Those leaders are going to be facing this issue in their personal lives long before the average person. It is a more pressing question for them. They are faced with this question: "What's the best way to improve?"
To use technology and medicine to achieve a sense of perfection, or to instead challenge ourselves for the sake of the struggle itself, rather than the expected outcomes of a process?
In my opinion, the former is how the world leaders today are bettering themselves. I find this unfortunate. But that's just my opinion.