Gymrat’s Weblog

Ocala Star-Banner reports:

Arthur A. Jones, inventor of the Nautilus exercise equipment and founder of the Jumbolair estate in Anthony, died at about 4:40 a.m. today at his Ocala home. Jones was 80. His son, William, said he died of natural causes.

In 1970, he introduced Nautilus equipment, “the first of its kind marketed to utilize the principle of variable resistance to develop muscles and build strength,” according to MedX.

The article concludes with this quote:

“I hope that Arthur Jones’ contributions in the fields of fitness, sports medicine, exercise physiology and orthopedic rehabilitation will be recognized and appreciated,” said MedX executive Jim Flanagan, who worked with Jones from 1971 to 1996.

For much more on Arthur A. Jones, visit Arthur Jones Exercise, where you can read Arthur Jones’ written works free online, hosted by the Personal Trainer Certification I.A.R.T. Also visit the web site for MedX Corporation, which Arthur Jones created in 1986.

At Dr. Ellington Darden’s High-Intensity Training forum the thread about Arthur Jones’ passing is moving reading.

Nautilus, Inc. recognizes the passing of the founder of Nautilus Equipment:

The Nautilus, Inc. (NYSE: NLS) staff and board sadly acknowledge the passing of Arthur Jones, the inventor of Nautilus® training equipment in 1970 that has served as the standard of strength training equipment for nearly four decades.

“The fitness innovations Mr. Jones brought to market are what first established the Nautilus brand as the gold standard in fitness,” said Bob Falcone, Chairman and CEO of Nautilus, Inc. “We are pleased to carry on his legacy of innovation with a complete line of cardiovascular and strength equipment bearing the Nautilus brand.”

Update: Both New York Times and The Washington Post now has articles about Mr. Jones passing:

Mr. Jones was a rough-and-tumble character who had six wives, a nearly lifelong smoking habit and an affection for exotic animals like rattlesnakes and crocodiles, which he kept at his farm, the younger Mr. Jones said.

He tinkered with exercise equipment for more than 20 years before creating his first Nautilus machine, called the Blue Monster, in the late 1960s. Mr. Jones presented the equipment at a Mr. America contest in California and started Arthur Jones Productions to sell the equipment. The company’s name was later changed to Nautilus, because the cam, or gear, that was crucial to the machine’s success resembled a nautilus.

Technorati Tags: Arthur Jones, Arthur A. Jones, Nautilus, MedX, Bodybuilding, Fitness, Sports Medicine, Exercise, Exercise Physiology

Monica Mollica, née Wieckowski, debuted her revamped web site mowifit.com (now in English) on her birthday, April 14th. Monica has written both heavy and lighter scientific dietary articles for the Swedish bodybuilding magazine where I am employed since the beginning of this millennium. Go check her web site out - she knows her stuff!

ScienceDaily reports of new research from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Exercise is the medicine that ails most problems:

“Reducing the size of abdominal fat cells takes more than cutting calories, according to new research. Early results from a five-year study show that exercise should be added to the equation.”

Other titles of releases from WFUB Medical Center News from 2005/2006 I found interesting:

• Animal Studies Suggest Vegetables May Reduce Hardening of Arteries
• Trans Fat Leads To Weight Gain Even on Same Total Calories, Animal Study Shows
• Small Study Points to Addictive Effects of Frequent Tanning
• Expectations About Pain Can Affect Its Intensity, Research Shows
• Genetics May Affect How Older Adults Respond to Exercise
• Suppressing Growth Hormone in Early Adulthood May Prevent Cancer
• Liver May Be Source of “Good” Cholesterol, Animal Study Suggests
• Deficiency of Growth Hormone and IGF-1 Reduces Cancer and Kidney Disease, but Creates Other Problems

Southwestern Medical Center tells us of news from the molecular genetics front, pertaining to human dysfunctional eating patterns, resulting in obesity:

“Giving up your regular late-night snack may be hard, and not just because it’s a routine. The habit may genetically change an area of the brain to expect the food at that time, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered.”

In a somewhat related news story, Diet Blog writes about research published in the British Journal of Psychology: “Hungry Men Prefer Heavy Women“;

“Researchers at universities must have a lot of spare time on their hands. Recent research shows that men who are hungry (rather than satiated) find heavier women more attractive.

The researchers believe this is due to a ’survival preference’: in times of food shortage - a heavier woman becomes ideal. They also point to physiological factors (blood sugar, hormones) that may affect drives and interests.”

The blog Slashfood also covers the subject…

The always interesting blog Mind Hacks, about neuroscience and psychology, writes about a report published in todays UK newspaper The Independent. From the article:

“Medical experts analysed 20 substances for their addictive qualities, social harm and physical damage. This is the first ranking based upon scientific evidence of harm to both individuals and society. It was devised by government advisers - then ignored by ministers because of its controversial findings.”

What’s different about this report is that it lists both legal and illegal drugs. In rank order of harmfulness Alcohol (5) and Tobacco (9) are placed well before Cannabis (11), Anabolic steroids (16) and Ecstasy (18)…

Overweight teens at risk of developing diabetes can prevent (or atleast delay) its onset if they lift weights regularly according to an USC study:

“Research led by Michael Goran, PhD, professor of preventive medicine in the Keck School of Medicine of USC, showed that overweight Latino teenage boys who lifted weights twice per week for 16 weeks significantly reduced their insulin resistance, a condition in which their bodies don’t respond to insulin and can’t process sugars properly. Insulin resistance is common in obese children and is a precursor of diabetes. The findings were published in the July issue of Medicine and Science of Sports Exercise.”

The debunked myth of not being able to transform fat tissue into muscle, strikes back (with the help of science). Science Blog writes:

“Researchers [...] today announced they have transformed adult stem cells taken from human adipose – or fat tissue – into smooth muscle cells, which help the normal function of a multitude of organs like the intestine, bladder and arteries. The study may help lead to the use of fat stem cells for smooth muscle tissue engineering and repair.”