The Lindy Effect, Barbells and Good Old Fashioned Strength and Conditioning
Have you ever heard of the Lindy effect? It’s a strange concept to grasp, but basically it goes something like this; the longer something has been around, the longer it’s going to be around.
From Wikipedia:
The Lindy effect (also known as Lindy's Law) is a theorized phenomenon by which the future life expectancy of some non-perishable things, like a technology or an idea, is proportional to their current age. Thus, the Lindy effect proposes the longer a period something has survived to exist or be used in the present, the longer its remaining life expectancy. Longevity implies a resistance to change, obsolescence or competition and greater odds of continued existence into the future.
I have two Strength & Health magazines from the 1930’s. You may have seen them, they’re hanging in the bathroom at the gym. While there are some silly headlines like “Cigarettes, do they give you a lift?” There’s equal headlines that hold up to what we know today. “Facts in Progressive Training,” reads like an intro to a strength and conditioning textbook. My favorite part, however, lies on the back cover. It’s an advertisement from York Barbell Company (still around today).
The advertisement claims: The strongest men, the best built men of EVERY nation are barbell and dumbbell built. Underneath the headline it reads, “The barbell and dumbbell system of training by graduated, progressive methods are the accepted methods of building real strength and muscle, the world over.
That advertisement was published in 1935. Since then, at least, we’ve known that the strength and conditioning principles work. Barbells and dumbbells, when following a progressive, thoughtful program will make you strong, promote healthy muscle growth and stave off injuries. Why is it then, each and every year we create another thing or method or piece of equipment to get us fit?
Consider for a second that fitness fad is a common phrase we’ve all heard. There’s always a new and novel idea around how to get fit, and my point is that stuff is often more about entertainment than real, long-term beneficial training for your health. Why do we keep trying to reinvent the wheel? To keep our minds engaged and hope that we can distract ourselves all the way to achieving our goals.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there is no shortcut. The sooner we realize there isn’t an easy way or that the next flashy thing isn’t better than an old rusty barbell and a few hours in the gym each week, the healthier, more fit and happier we’ll all be. Real strength training has stood the test of time, and when considering the Lindy effect, it’s obvious it’ll continue to be around far longer than any fitness fads.
Justin Miner
@justinminergain
