Subject: marijuana and break force running

Submitted By: Michael Pettini, Alabama

First I would like to say that I am very pleased with the results I get using the workout and eating program. I have a couple questions. My main question is how does marijuana effect the program, other than the obvious case of reduced lung capacity due to smoking. Will it in anyway interfere with either program if I am faithful to them? Also, I only smoke marijuana, cigarettes are a no-no.

Next, with break force running, to someone who has never done it before what would be the best plan of action with starting it? Would it be better to start at longer distances and lower intensity, and working up to shorter distances more intensity? Would, bfr coupled with jump squats, and maybe calf raise and weighted sprints, or sprints with a parachute on, be a decent way to increase speed, and agility?

Two fundamental principles apply to your first question. That a substance is natural does not imply non-toxicity or absence of adverse effects. Secondly, the effects of non-man-made "drugs" elude easy characterization. Marijuana contains cannabinoids, the active chemical component. The precise effects of any herb vary with pattern of usage and individualized factors. For example, although its history of consumption dates back thousands of years and much has been written about ginseng, there seems to be no consensus on what this herb actually does or whether it is healthful or detrimental at recommended dosage levels. Marijuana by increasing appetite can make weight loss more challenging, though this effect tends to diminish over time. Research suggests cannabinoids, particularly  tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), have medicinal properties in connection with certain ailments. The therapeutic value may neutralized by the means of delivery, however, where smoking is involved.

Brake force running aims to build quickness. This attribute can be defined as a function of stopping and starting distances. For example, a car that requires less distance to attain maximum speed is quicker than one that requires more distance to reach the same speed. What happens on a football field or basketball court amounts to many short-distance races and sudden changes in direction. Stopping force or deceleration, as much as acceleration, contributes to quickness. This also is when most noncontact injuries occur. You can implement this technique by progressively reducing sprint stopping distance. Coasting leisurely  to a stop when running sprints develops only the accelerative phase of quickness. Draw a line on the ground beyond the finish line. Move that line in gradually to enforce more rapid deceleration. Notice that the effort to halt forward movement more abruptly invariably means lowering your hips toward the ground. The lower a runner's center of gravity, the greater his capacity for rapid speed/directional change. This advantage explains why so many NFL rushing leaders have been of comparatively modest stature.