Cascading Knowledge

[rocko]

In Physiology, the word cascade is defined as “a response in which a series of inactive molecules convert to active forms until a product is formed.” Well the following list that I have complied I propose to be a knowledge cascade. This cascade is begun by a thirst or desire to improve ones body. However as we all know there is a gigantic leap between that initial desire and an end product that satisfies the initial desire. I often find that the most difficult part of a journey is not determining where you want to be or from where you are starting, but rather the path you must follow to get there. What I have proposed below is a road map to help guide each of us from the desire to the finished product. I know it is not perfect and that changes must be made, and that is why I have put it to this board, so as we can work together to establish a game plan to help each of us is the pursuit of our goals.

Initially I would just like to establish a general order in which broad topics should be understood and the best order to learn them. For example, I put Chemistry first because I think that understanding the most basic unit in our world is the most important first step. Many of you may agree or disagree, so please re-arrange the list as you see fit. After we have settled on an approximate order of general topics to be covered, I would then like to get into what within some of these topics each of you thinks is vitally important to know.

We would all love to have the extensive knowledge of some of the members of this board, but many of us don’t know how to get there. I hope that together we can work on developing a basic “course outline of study”.


A Cascade of Knowledge

Chemistry
Molecular Biology
Cellular Biology
Endocrinology
Neurology
Cardiovascular Physiology
Human Physiology
Muscle Physiology
Anatomy
Physiology of Exercise Training
Physiology of Fitness Appraisal
Nutrition
Supplements

 

[Crowler]

Hi Rocko welcome to the board.

For us stupid people by any chance do you have the English version of that post? or at least something a lay person can understand.

 

[xcelbeyond]

Welcome to the board rocko!

Sounds like you've laid out a nice plan for some sort of degree. You don't mention what "the end goal" is?!?!

When there is a strong desire to learn, you will learn everything that's applicable. Unfortunately, a degree is nothing more than a piece of paper (that does prove one's ability to persist and complete something). I've yet to see where a degree has made one wealthy, just gets then "in the door" as far as a job goes. Knowledge is acquired by the "will" to want something.

xcel

 

[Queefer]

Do I get extra credit for this assignment?

 

[rocko]

I like the comments gentlemen - yes it very closely resembles a course outline much like you received in school. The only difference here is, unlike school, I think that the reason for all the work is much more clear. Each of us want to become the best that they can be, be the strongest, biggest, leanest, what ever. As well, each of us has different oppinions of what "the best" is, what for you is "the perfect me". On this board as many others there is a wide range of knowledge. There is the person who will do a cycle becasue it's what's everone else does, and there is a person who will set up a cycle that fits perfectly with their bodies chemistry adding all the necessary ancilarys, consuming the right types of nutrients and making adjustment as they go along due to indicators. Be it noticable changes or values obtained from blood work or other testing. What I'm getting at is there is a wide range of knowledge out there. I'm sure each of us would love to have the knowledge to be the latter, but most of us are closer to the former. I think a major cause for this is the fact that if you look at all of the information out there, it is mind boggiling, text books and research articles and so on, an impossible amount of information for anyone person to take it, even if they dedicated their life to it. What I would like to do is to set up a basic outline of topics and the order that they should be learned it to help guide each of us to becoming "the perfect me" Everyone will have a different interest in this outline. The beginner will need to learn some exercise physiology, some anatomy, and some nutrition. The person who want's to make a career out of training professionals is going to need to know each step intimatley. Either way, if we work together to establish a game plan or outline, the infinite information out there no longer seems insurmountable, but rather we now have a series of acheivable goals that will help lead us to the ultimate goal of "creating the perfect me"

 

[Queefer]

I'll take that as a "yes".

 

[crackerjack414]

my comments on the class's ive taken

A Cascade of Knowledge

Chemistry been here liked it the intro courses have little to add to body building but u start to learn about rules that can realy help if u make you your own gear
Molecular Biology
Cellular Biology
Endocrinology loved this class with a passion actuely the field iam going into

Neurology
Cardiovascular Physiology interting but a bit on the boring side
Human Physiology how things work a genreal overview it was fun
Muscle Physiology u guys can call me a dork muscle contraction and hypertrophy is facinating
Anatomy the cadaver was alot of fun learned alot not realy much benefit for body building imo
Physiology of Exercise Training
Physiology of Fitness Appraisal
Nutrition the intro class's are a complete waste of time a while down the road they can become interesting
Supplements [/B][/QUOTE]

 

[MikeS]

Ive always had a much simplier version of this that I preach to newbies who want it all now (which means 98% of them).

-Learn training-kinesology
-Learn eating requirements-nutrition
-Learn supplementation-advanced nutrition
-Learn supplementation-chemistry (drugs)

Of course most want to skip straight to the last step.

These other 'cascades' are very good, but mine is for the not so advanced!

 

[rocko]

Mike, thankyou for your input, I like the way that you have organized things, definately more simple then the plan that I have laid out. Your plan seems like a much better starting point.
The whole purpose of this original thread was to get some input at to what topics within each of these fields are to be considered essestial. The areas that should be focused on. For example, in training emphasis should be placed on learning the proper form for the compound movents and which mucles those movements are working. For nutrition, how does your body handle each of the macro nutrients and could progress into what the more commone micronutrients functions are. Interms of the supplements, what process or substances in the body they are meant to enhance or prevent and this would lead into the chemicals. Each of the points that come togther will help a person go about learning about nutrition rather then just being told "learn nutrition". People go to university and do masters etc not to learn a whole bunch of material, but rather to learn how to learn.

 

[homonunculus]

Novel Topic

Rocko,

Essentially, we are interested in muscle biology here. 1 topic that includes / mandates knowledge of each of the topics you list. Since there are plenty of examples of undergraduate and graduate programs (Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Sport Science, etc.) that require training in these areas, the question that begs to be answered is:

What pieces of information are relevant to the bodybuilder? In an ideal world of intellectual curiosity, we would want to know as much as possible, but in actuality, I doubt that, for instance, most bodybuiders are extremely interested in the anatomy of the brain and skull, exercise testing / fitness apraisal in cardiac rehabilitation, roles of astrocytes, importance of 3'UTR's in regulating mRNA translation, yadda, yadda, yadda.

These topics could include:
Muscular adaptation to resistance training
Nutritional requirements during resistance training
Endocrinology of the reproductive system
Muscle biology and physiology
Adipose biology
Pharmacological manipulation of skeletal muscle and adipose mass.
Renal endocrinology and endocrinology of hydration
Research methodology in nutrition and exercise science

You get the idea. The point I'm making is that bodybuilding knowledge is drawn from many sources (see your list!), but the global topics that describe most academic courses do not focus on bodybuilding, in particular. Even graduate level exercise science or nutrition courses rarely are so narrowly focused, unless it is a seminar class with variable topics that just happens to be focused on bodybuilding.

More than a list of topics, I would like to see a members' list of essential reading:
What books, articles, etc. should every bodybuilder have read?...


-Randy

 

[Skip]

You don't mention what "the end goal" is?!?!

The 'end goal' is unattainable is my opinion. Never-the-less, I am on this same mission - to understand the relationship of all processes in the human body to the point that I can control or manipulate all of these processes for whatever affect I am looking for.

Skip

 

[rocko]

Randy, you brought out a point that is critical but that I neglected to mention - What are the topics within each of these areas of study that are either essential our would enhance once ability to body build?
Lets try and cut though all the information out there that doesn't serve us in out purpose and try to identify what should be focused in on during our studies.