# Human movement professionals



## hermanchauw (May 12, 2010)

Are there any other forum members here who are any of the following: kinesiologist, sport scientist, sport physiologist, rehab therapist, physical therapist, athletes, sport coaches, strength & conditioning coaches etc.?

Just wanna connect with others of the same conviction. Share your struggles to lead a godly life in this perverse generation in your profession.

Amongst the small reformed community here in Singapore, i don't know any other human movement enthusiasts or professionals.

I meet numerous Christians who work on the sundays, because gyms operate on sundays and their off day is on a weekday. But i have never met another movement professional who choose not working on the Sabbath day except me. My church mates always remind me not to be tempted to give in to peer pressure. Honour God and He will honour you.

Also meet numerous coaches who are from evolutionist backgrounds and their dietary/training recommendations use a backdrop of evolution. Not saying that these recommendations are bad in themselves but the reasons for these recommendations ought to be found in Scriptures and not in spite of the Scriptures.

Regards.


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## SemperEruditio (May 12, 2010)

hermanchauw said:


> Also meet numerous coaches who are from evolutionist backgrounds and their dietary/training recommendations use a backdrop of evolution. Not saying that these recommendations are bad in themselves but the reasons for these recommendations ought to be found in Scriptures and not in spite of the Scriptures.


 
I have to know...where do I find the scriptural foundation for choosing the Atkins vs Perrine vs South Beach vs.....or which training modality is best suited for a MMA fighter vs a soldier vs an Olympic weightlifter...?


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## Tim (May 12, 2010)

Pleased to meet you Herman. I am Tim, a Canadian PhD student in sport and exercise science at the University of Cape Town. I don't research, do schoolwork, or compete in sports on the Lord's Day. If I ever coach track and field again, it would need to be at a Christian university that doesn't train or compete on the Sabbath. 

I don't believe that science or the Bible supports evolution (i.e., the increase in complexity due to random chance). Many of my colleagues think that man's ability to run and perform physical exercise comes from evolutionary changes realized on the savannahs of Africa. I do not.

There are also problems with feminism in sport. That is, modern thinking is that women should have the same relationship to sports that men do. But we need to remember that sport originated as a game of war. That is why it was limited to men only. Women should keep physically active and healthy, to be sure, but it is important to take care that sport does not lead to immodesty (i.e., competition clothing) or degrade one's _gentle and quiet spirit_. Certainly, men in sport have their own problems too. I am not picking on women.

Those are just some of the difficult issues I have considered as a human movement professional. You are not alone.

---------- Post added at 07:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:39 AM ----------

By the way, I am well aware of Singapore's contribution to sport science. In fact, we may have had a visiting researcher last year from Singapore. I'll have to check.


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## jayce475 (May 12, 2010)

hermanchauw said:


> Are there any other forum members here who are any of the following: kinesiologist, sport scientist, sport physiologist, rehab therapist, physical therapist, athletes, sport coaches, strength & conditioning coaches etc.?
> 
> Just wanna connect with others of the same conviction. Share your struggles to lead a godly life in this perverse generation in your profession.
> 
> ...


 
Hi hi fellow Singaporean! I'm not a physio, but I know quite a few HMS, sports scientists and physios. One of them is from my church in Singapore and he's currently in Perth pursuing his PHD in sports science. He opened up a swimming centre with a few other people and always ensured that Sundays are not compromised. However, eventually he left due to the business relationship being an unequally yoked one. I've had many a discussions with him about whether pursuing sports science is biblical. It's filled with many secular ideas, but so are most other secular fields. Anyway, is it actually possible to find training recommendations in scriptures? Do broad principles that can be applied to sports training count?


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## hermanchauw (May 12, 2010)

SemperEruditio said:


> hermanchauw said:
> 
> 
> > Also meet numerous coaches who are from evolutionist backgrounds and their dietary/training recommendations use a backdrop of evolution. Not saying that these recommendations are bad in themselves but the reasons for these recommendations ought to be found in Scriptures and not in spite of the Scriptures.
> ...


I am not into sports per se but human movement, so i'll take it from human movement point of view.

For example, why do you train? For health or or vanity?

Why do we need physical training anyway? We (me, in Singapore) are not in agricultural economies, neither are we warriors. Why do we need physical performance higher than what our otherwise sedentary lives requires? Do we need to maintain a certain level of physical activity to maintain optimal health? How much is enough? How much is obsession?

What are the kind of physical feats or tasks that were the average ancient people could do daily or regularly but we (not necessarily you or me but the average modern human) find unbelievable (ie too difficult)?


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## buggy (May 12, 2010)

hermanchauw said:


> I am not into sports per se but human movement, so i'll take it from human movement point of view.
> 
> For example, why do you train? For health or or vanity?
> 
> ...


 
I mainly train for health; being overweight has always been my problem since youth. I was actively involved in sports until an injury took me out last year; now I am trying to regain my fitness. Vanity? Not so much... 

Obviously, physically fit people is more resistant to disease and injuries. I believe that the reason why society today is struck with so much illness is due to three reasons:
- Gluttony. With agricultural techniques becoming more refined, we enjoy much more food supplies than ever. This, coupled with finely processed food which allows more fats to enter the body (due to less digestion work done), makes people fatter and more suspectible to illnesses.
- The abundance of modernized transport. 
- Busyness in life. The stress of modern-day society has caused people to have little or no time for exercise - and in fact some even use food to relieve their stress. 

We should maintain optimal health because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Being this, we should not spoil it by over-eating, binge drinking, or addiction to various substances (this includes tobacco).


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## hermanchauw (May 12, 2010)

buggy said:


> I mainly train for health; being overweight has always been my problem since youth. I was actively involved in sports until an injury took me out last year; now I am trying to regain my fitness. Vanity? Not so much...


If you need a rehab therapist cum movement coach cum strength & conditioning coach, you can hire me. Herman Chauw: Your Personal Trainer


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## SemperEruditio (May 12, 2010)

hermanchauw said:


> SemperEruditio said:
> 
> 
> > hermanchauw said:
> ...


 
Yes but you stated, 
_the reasons for these recommendations ought to be found in Scriptures and not in spite of the Scriptures._​
I'm asking where are the recommendations for how much or how little human movement we should or should not do? Paul talks about not running aimlessly and not boxing the air but running for the prize. 

Now don't get me wrong, because I think bringing a Biblical worldview into every area of life is what we are supposed to do. I think that perhaps it is how you worded your statement that is a bit problematic for me.


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## hermanchauw (May 22, 2010)

Not recommendations in the Bible but examples, like:

Prov 31:17
She girdeth her loins with strength

1 Sam 17:34-35
And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

Psalm 144:1
Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

And many more references to manual labour, military, walking long distances etc.

I believe the civilian people in biblical times do not train physically, and do not need to, their activities of daily living (ADLs) are already very manual. Just like the last generation, where life is largely agricultural. Seldom are people obese, or have "lifestyle diseases" like stroke, heart disease etc.

Unlike today. Because of our more sedentary life, we need to substitute the physical activity through training to keep our health.

So to put it in a nutshell, it is either physical activity or training. Since we have less physical activity, we use training to add physical activity to our lives. So the examples in the Bible are physical activities not training. Of course the Bible won't tell you how much or how little human movement we should do. But the kind of physical activities they can do should give us an idea of what the human body ought to be able to achieve.


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