Fitness and Race Culture

This piece was written prior to any recent tensions that have been brewing in New York.

You are only getting a taste of something special to come with this topic that is only a microcosm of other topics to arrive in the future from these grammar fingers on this keyboard.

The relationship: it is like having an injured vertebra or pinched nerve at C6 in your upper cervical spine (= BlackLivesMatter) that affects your ability to raise your shoulder and to produce a fluid movement (= AllLivesMatter).

When someone is racist or conducts racist behavior toward another race, the act insults that person's own race. So, what is the point of racism? In lieu of all of the protests that have occured around the nation in response to Ferguson, MO (Michael Brown) and New York City (Eric Gardner), many people have been confused over the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and saying that #AllLivesMatter. Well, both supporters are correct in their hashtags. But, do not read the hashtag in its literal meaning. In these cases and others, BlackLivesMatter due to the injustices that have occurred throughout history among black lives and authority figures. It is not and should not be a matter of disliking cops. They still do serve and protect. However, the impact of these current cases opens up deeply scarred wounds in the eyes of Black lives. It hurts to see why another black male must be killed over an arrest. All lives do matter. But, it is not putting Black Lives against All Lives. All Lives are the only lives being hashtagged that can stop Black Lives from the injustice. As a nation, we may be tired of seeing a derivative of protests from the 1960's vividly present in the 2010's. As a nation, we should be [proud] that All Lives are standing up for the huge discrepancy in racial tolerance.

Black Lives. All Lives. They are not separate. They are complementary. Hopefully, that can be understood...

OK. To more fitness.

A recent stat from a clip I saw on Netflix had me intrigued: 41.9% of African-American women have never been married. African-American women are the least coupled group in the United States.

While watching the documentary, "Dark Girls", so many emotions come forward. About forty minutes in to the film, one African-American male mentioned something riveting:

"I think sometimes we are afraid to talk about what we really need to talk about. I think what would make the situation better with black men and black women, if they would take the time to have just honest communications."

Personally, I say it starts with how and what is said in the home, in the media, at work, at the salon, at the barbershop, on the bus, on the train or plane, at a party. Stop me because I will list everything. First, and this applies to all races, for anyone of a particular race to mention that their race is not good at a certain skill or behavior because they are that race...is a downfall to that particular race. Yes, all races kick their own butts and drive off it. If someone says....someone said that "white men can't jump." Hey, they even made a movie. But, we know that is untrue - have you seen volleyball? Someone generalized that women cannot play tennis better than a men. Tell that to Billy Jean King. Someone generalized that a black quarterback cannot lead a team. OK, tell that to Doug Williams.

Let me say it with a hashtag: #StopTellingLies #GetOutMore #NotTrue #IKnowSomeone #AnyoneCanBeSkilledIfTheyWantIt
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What is your fitness and race culture number?
Add a "1" for every person in the following couple who you know has an active exercise regimen. If you get between 8 to 10 points, then you have an excellent surrounding of fitness and race culture. If you get between 5 to 7 points, then you have a fair to good surrounding. If you get between 1 to 4 points, then this surrounding needs improvement. Ready? Go!:

African-American/Black: Wife = 1; Husband = 1
American Indian: Wife = 1; Husband = 1            
Asian/Pacific Islander: Wife = 1; Husband = 1       
Caucasian/White: Wife = 1; Husband = 1
Latino: Wife = 1; Husband = 1       

If the couple is bi-racial, then select "1" for only one race that the couple represents. For example, if the wife is African-American (AA), and her spouse is Latino and they both exercise, then select "1" for either AA or Latino.

With heart,
Derek

Derek Arledge, MS, CSCS        www.teempt.com        TEEM Performance Training