Athletic enhancement or cheating?

Hi Guys, There's an interesting article in today's Washington Post online titled "Is It time For a Flex Plan: Techno-Athletes Change the Definition of Natural." It raises interesting questions about taking maximum advantage of new knowledge, chemicals, etc. to enhance genetic endowments and whether or not such things as ocular implants are more "natural" or "acceptable" than steroids and other chemical strength and speed boosters. Here's the url (I think). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/31/AR2007073101997_pf.html All this makes me wonder where that leaves eyeglasses, arch supports and Viagra?

Like the article said, gene doping is going to be the next huge topic. what's going to happen when we start engineering humans? what's going to be called fair then? it was obvious in body building that you can't compete with the guys on steriods. so they had to have a natural catagory. still very impressive guys and gals but in no way can they compete with the mass monsters of today. these guys even have guts that are big! all in the quest for more mass. as for the other sports i agree with the article it will have to be taken up, as now, on a case by case process. we are a society of technology. you're damn right it's going to be used in sports.....carbonblob

Hey CB, This article's still got me pondering . . . I agree--technology is going to be used in sports, just like everywhere else. What I don't like about the way things are now is that the guys who try to follow the rules get screwed by the sophisticated cheaters. Nor do I like "nannyism," trying to protect us from ourselves (whatever that means). If it's worth someone to use steroids or whatever, it's none of my business until the steroids cause them to hurt the rest of us. Athletes have always pushed the limits and taken risks to enhance prowess and performance. It seems to me that issue is openness and fairness. Whatever goes on needs to be out in the open to keep competition as fair as possible: enforce the rules or change them. As far as "natural" goes, I say the term is almost meaningless. Just about everything humans do involves altering nature: moving rivers, controlling livestock breeding, wearing shoes, medications, WLS! Heck, if I were all natural I'd be on my way to 900lbs or in an early grave!

Your question seems to hint at the effects of aging.  Maybe there will ge some genetic engineering in the future that will decrease some of the effects of aging.  But, we're still going to die sometime of something.  It would be nice not to have any physical problems.  From my experience, I'd say it would be even nicer not to have any mental problems.  I have them both.

I know how you feel. I didn't mean to confine my question just to the effects of aging (I've been wearing glasses since 5th grade), but to the fact that humans have used technology and "artificial" enhancements to try to improve our lot and live longer since we started using tools, agriculture, clothes, canes and walking sticks, and who knows what all. I for one am glad I live in an age of better medical and psychological help than my ancestors had. That said, I think you're right about mental and physical problems. I don't think we'll really get rid of either completely. But I can see how my life at 61 benefits from technological advances that I wish my grandparents had had. Intriguing stuff, eh?

For me, WLS was the alteration. I couldn't do any of the stuff I'm doing now, even in my 20's - I'd start gaining weight and that would make it too painful/ tiring for me to want to continue. I certainly wouldn't be able to continue sprinting if I were gaining weight in spite of it and because of my low body fat, every muscle pokes through. So it's not only a physical alteration, it allows for psychological advantage. Almost like getting something back for every ounce of effort that you put in. It's quite an alteration - the best, I'm convinced!

Dave

Hi Dave, Ditto your post--WLS is a godsend. Even as a boy (and I was only husky or chubby compared to today's  obese kids) I could not run well or far like my friends. As I grew up and gained more and more weight, many things truly were beyond my physical and eventually psychological ability. All along, never-fat people insisted that I could do those things if I really wanted to. Well I thought I did really want to. And WLS proved I was right. It altered not just my body but my psyche and now I am doing what I've wanted to since I was that fat boy: lifting weights, walking (a little faster every so often), eating good food, and enjoying hope. Glad you pointed out the psychological advantage we altered guys have been given.

Doug,

I have to be careful now, not to pick on the people around me who can't get as excited about exercise. The surgery is better than any steroid could possibly be. The psychological advantage is there, but sometimes I think there was a change in body chemistry. I used to feel really bad after I ate a lot of the time, maybe from all of the blood going to that huge stomach, maybe from "insulin hangover" or from some other chemical reaction.

Anyone else feel a lack of food hangover?

Dave

Dave, We know how exercise induces a high, but I think you're right that there is more to the psychological boost you describe. I'm convinced that our--at least my--body chemistry is different. Probably from the absence of "insulin hangovers" and possibly from other hormonal changes (ghrelin reduction, boost in testoreone from fat loss and muscle building, who knows what else). Whatever is going on, I like it--and lack of food hangovers is one of those unexpected benefits of WLS.

Dave I am in the same boat I look at my meals as fuel for my workouts. I am lifting more and am bigger than any point in my life i am 40. I was always very strong but now it feels like its a step up from when I was this same wieghtr before. I can bench press more now then any time in my life even when I was a 100 lbs more wieght then I am now. Even my mile times are better then ever and I am  X  army and was a boxer for 6 years . I started sparing a few weeks ago after 14 years and it feels great .