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ASK THE EXPERT DR. JORDAN METZL
Dr. Jordan Metzl, a Sports Medicine Physician at New York
City’s Hospital for Special Surgery, is a medical doctor by
profession but an “Iron Man” at heart. He lives the life he
preaches by being an athlete himself, competing in 29
marathons and 10 Ironman triathlons, to date.
“I’m a big believer in fitness and health prevention. What I
really like about my sports medicine practice is that I get to
help people be active, which is very gratifying to me,” says Dr. Metzl.
At this year’s Mind, Body & Spirit Session at the ISPA Conference, he
spoke about the importance of building a sound body through
kinetic chain strengthening.
“I believe that the future of medicine is not only treating disease
but in preventing disease. And I believe the spa world is really
helpful in thinking about disease prevention.
DR. JORDAN METZL
1.
You are a big proponent of weight training, even
among kids. Why do you strongly feel the need
for kids and young adults to embrace weight training at
an early age?
I am a huge believer in kinetic chain strengthening for athletes of any age which includes kids starting from age eight all
the way to golf players at age 80. The benefits of strength
training are really helpful for any age group, particularly for
kids because sports have become even more comp etitive. The
thing we look for is high-repetition, lightweight training to
build strength which makes one less prone to injury.
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December 2012
2.
Can you cite reliable
science that supports your stand on early age
weight training?
The American Academy of Pediatrics has a physician statement
in favor of strength training for kids, starting at age eight.
3.
What are some of the most unsafe weight
training practices to avoid?
Lifting too heavy of a weight. Again, the key is high-repetition,
lightweight training. If you can’t lift the weight comfortably 15
times, [that’s a warning sign] that it is unsafe.