Thursday, February 5, 2015

Experts? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Experts!



Socrates argued that when you wanted to learn something you went to an expert. If you wanted to become a boxer, you went to a trainer. If you wanted to become healthy, you went to a doctor. He was sold on experts. Of course, one thing he didn’t come up against is the plethora of experts we have to deal with today. If I want to become a better running, I can go to the local running gear store. The people who work there are experts. I can subscribe to several magazines. There are dozens of websites. I can even hire a coach. You don’t have to read the magazines and websites very long to realize that there’s a basic problem with all that expertise: everyone disagrees with each other. One tells you that zero rise shoes that mimic bare feet is best to avoid knee injuries; then someone else writes about a study that showed an increase in foot injuries with zero rise shoes. The advice is out there; the experts are speaking. And is a cacophony of nonsense. 

Now, that doesn’t mean you should be ignorant. Read, listen, talk to the experts—then decide for yourself. You are the best expert for you own body. Test the newest trend. See what works for you. Zero rise tightens my hamstrings until I can’t walk; a friend gets shooting pains in his knees from anything but Mismo five fingers. 

Listen to the experts; but trust yourself.

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