This entry is a follow-up to my prior entry entitled, "Frank's Soapbox", and I would encourage you to read that entry first. In that blog, I wrote about steroids, hormones and other drugs used in the livestock industries and their effects on consumers, especially children.
At the gym, I was talking to my good friend who is a pastor of a local church. He has been very involved with children over many years and he brought up a topic that I had not considered before. His observation is that today's youth are much more emotionally unstable than in the past. Without presenting supporting data, I think we can all agree that there has been a dramatic rise in teen suicide in recent years, among other psychological problems. Complex situations such as these are always impossible to blame on a single cause. And counter to my friend's and my proposed cause was an explanation put forth by Malcolm Gladwell, author of "Blink", "Outliers", The Tipping Point" and other books. Mr. Gladwell was the keynote speaker at the IHRSA fitness trade show yesterday, of which Precor was the sole sponsor, and I listened as Mr. Gladwell explained the principle cause of increasingly troubled young people as being isolation brought on by today's technology. He postulates that texting, chatting, and other social media have replaced time spent in the company of adults. He proposes that teen angst has always been present, but now is managed without an adult perspective. This is an interesting and likely contributor.
However, my friend and I suggest that, once again, our youth's neurochemistry is being bombarded with hormones and steroids derived from the meat that they consume. Hey, I've spent countless hours in gyms around the world and I've seen many examples of 'roid rage, which is a fairly common behavioral condition exhibited by anabolic steroid users. It is accepted dogma that increased testosterone (steroids) in one's system increases aggression, risk-taking, anger, discontent and many other deleterious emotions. And these erratic behaviors are manifested in ADULTS who are emotionally and mentally better equipped to handle these dangerous emotions. Just think about what would happen if a teenager took steroids. Furthermore, when an adult knowingly takes steroids, they can explain mood changes, etc., as being a result of their drug intake. When a child experiences steroid-induced mood changes, they think it is an internal problem because they aren't aware that they are on steroids because of the beef, chicken and pork they eat.
Once again, I suggest that our Government is aware of these problems, but are in the hip pockets of livestock lobbyists. I heard a story on the news yesterday, that a state is proposing legislation to outlaw table salt to advance the health crusade. If our Government wants to help Americans live longer and healthier lives, may I implore them to open their eyes and look at the HUGE list of approved livestock growth-enhancing drugs rather than lowly table salt.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Frank's Soapbox
Deviating from my standard topics, I am compelled to write about something that I have felt passionate about for some time...American OBESITY. And to be fair, I need to state that ever-expanding waistlines are no longer the sole claim of Americans as this pandemic spreads globally.
Obviously, when one writes about something as huge, (no pun intended), as global obesity, many causes must be considered. I will only touch on a few of them as I concentrate on DRUGS IN OUR FOOD SUPPLY as my primary focus in this article.
Let's face it, I sell fitness equipment and nothing would make me happier than to tell you that working out is the panacea that the world needs to solve obesity as well as being the total solution for all of the world's problems. And yes, exercise IS a necessary contributor to leanness, heart health, joint health, bone health, positive neurochemistry, and intelligence...(well, maybe not intelligence even though current research shows exercise being a counter-measure to Alzheimer's). Nutrition is another obvious variable in the obesity dilemma. Thousands of books have been written about nutrition and I won't even scratch the surface here, but let's just consider the wildly overly-simplistic statement of, "Eat more than you burn off and you'll gain weight." First, let's consider the "eat more" part of that equation. It's not just a simple measure of how many calories you eat, but what kind of calories they are. I have witnessed extremely impressive weight loss success by some individuals DOUBLING their normal calorie intake without changing their exercise programs. Exercise is only one way to increase the "burn off" variable. By cutting carbohydrate intake to near zero, these individuals eat large quantities of protein and fat, thus driving their bodies into ketosis, changing the chemical process by which they burn calories. The principle "wild card" in the, "Eat more than you burn off and you'll gain weight.", equation is "burn off". The "protein diet" practitioners are completely changing the "burn off" variable in the equation even as they dramatically increase the "eat more" variable. Conversely, the caloric intake of many obese people consists of high carb foods. Breads, starches, fruits, and sugar have always been high carb staples, but now the grocery store aisles offer a growing selection of highly-processed foods manufactured with an ever-increasing amount of corn syrup. (Just look at the ingredients printed on any box, or bag, of food on our grocery store shelves.) Thanks to government subsidies and embedded lobbyists, farmers are paid to produce more corn than is needed prompting new ways to utilize all that corn in our food supply. (This won't be the last time in this article that I blame our current political system which enables lobbyists WAY too much power over our food supply.)
We read many articles and watch many news stories about sedentary, obese Americans who eat super-sized fast food meals while sitting in front of the TV or computer. While I do not disagree that, over the years, Americans have moved in that direction, I think that this explanation misses the principle cause.
I have been to Germany many times over the years and offer the following observations. There is a very good probability that the rare obese person I see in Germany is a visiting American. Why is it that obesity is very low there as compared to here? Sure, as a people, the Germans get outside more to walk and ride their bikes. They also eat more whole foods rather than the overly-processed, corn syrup laden food that we eat. However, they eat three very large meals a day consisting of fatty meats, heavy sauces, pastas, breads, butter, deserts, chocolate and BEER. These are serious meals sure to satisfy any American appetite! So, what gives?
DRUGS! Finally to the crux of my argument. There is no doubt about it! We have a huge mess on our hands! I think that everyone knows that we artificially grow bigger livestock faster than ever before. It's simple economics that getting more meat to market quicker drives profits way up. (I would heartily recommend the full-length documentary movie available on DVD, "Food, Inc.") Spending just 15 minutes on the internet googling livestock steroids and growth hormones, yields a dizzying array of FDA-approved growth-enhancing drugs for America's livestock. (Incidentally, the European Union has confirmed health risks of growth hormones in meat and has BANNED the importation of US beef.) Are we naive enough to think that the long list of steroids and growth enhancers injected and fed to our livestock mysteriously vanish before the meat is consumed? Just one hyper-anabolic steroid, "trenbolone" has a half-life of 260 days. (This means that at 260 days, trenbolone is half as potent as it was initially and at a year and a half, it is 25% as potent, etc.). The government (FDA) is supposed to protect us, isn't it? Does the government work for us or for the lobbyists? We want to trust the government, but increasingly, the words "trust" and "government" are juxtaposed. Hey, I'm a proud conservative, but this huge problem is truly bipartisan with both parties equally to blame. Besides rampant childhood obesity, hasn't everyone asked themselves, "Why are kids so much taller and bigger now than a generation or two ago?" Never mind the fuss made over steroids and growth hormones in sports. I suggest that we ALL are on those drugs! It's been proven for many years that when you give steroids to a weightlifter, he or she will grow dramatically more muscular. But, without exercise, steroids will cause more adipose tissue (fat) growth rather than muscle growth. And it is proven that growth hormone intake in children will make them taller than their genetic predisposition.
And the drug problem doesn't stop there. Consider the many female hormones (estrogens) introduced into our food. American's milk supply contains estrogens given to cows to increase milk yields. Years ago, I remember reading a tiny article buried deep in an issue of USA Today asking the question, "Could hormones in our food supply be causing girls to start their menses earlier and earlier?" The answer is a resounding, "YES!"
We can try to reduce our intake of these drugs by consuming free range meat and organic milk, but we should not have to hide from food approved by our government. These widely used hormones are even in our water! Runoff from livestock feedlots contains excreted hormones as well as pesticides containing these chemicals as well.
I suggest that the health and obesity problem described above may be the deepest, darkest secret of our government. Our government health officials berate us for over-eating and under-exercising and then with a wink and a nod, they fill their coffers with lobbyist's cash as they approve a seemingly endless list of genocidal drugs.
Obviously, when one writes about something as huge, (no pun intended), as global obesity, many causes must be considered. I will only touch on a few of them as I concentrate on DRUGS IN OUR FOOD SUPPLY as my primary focus in this article.
Let's face it, I sell fitness equipment and nothing would make me happier than to tell you that working out is the panacea that the world needs to solve obesity as well as being the total solution for all of the world's problems. And yes, exercise IS a necessary contributor to leanness, heart health, joint health, bone health, positive neurochemistry, and intelligence...(well, maybe not intelligence even though current research shows exercise being a counter-measure to Alzheimer's). Nutrition is another obvious variable in the obesity dilemma. Thousands of books have been written about nutrition and I won't even scratch the surface here, but let's just consider the wildly overly-simplistic statement of, "Eat more than you burn off and you'll gain weight." First, let's consider the "eat more" part of that equation. It's not just a simple measure of how many calories you eat, but what kind of calories they are. I have witnessed extremely impressive weight loss success by some individuals DOUBLING their normal calorie intake without changing their exercise programs. Exercise is only one way to increase the "burn off" variable. By cutting carbohydrate intake to near zero, these individuals eat large quantities of protein and fat, thus driving their bodies into ketosis, changing the chemical process by which they burn calories. The principle "wild card" in the, "Eat more than you burn off and you'll gain weight.", equation is "burn off". The "protein diet" practitioners are completely changing the "burn off" variable in the equation even as they dramatically increase the "eat more" variable. Conversely, the caloric intake of many obese people consists of high carb foods. Breads, starches, fruits, and sugar have always been high carb staples, but now the grocery store aisles offer a growing selection of highly-processed foods manufactured with an ever-increasing amount of corn syrup. (Just look at the ingredients printed on any box, or bag, of food on our grocery store shelves.) Thanks to government subsidies and embedded lobbyists, farmers are paid to produce more corn than is needed prompting new ways to utilize all that corn in our food supply. (This won't be the last time in this article that I blame our current political system which enables lobbyists WAY too much power over our food supply.)
We read many articles and watch many news stories about sedentary, obese Americans who eat super-sized fast food meals while sitting in front of the TV or computer. While I do not disagree that, over the years, Americans have moved in that direction, I think that this explanation misses the principle cause.
I have been to Germany many times over the years and offer the following observations. There is a very good probability that the rare obese person I see in Germany is a visiting American. Why is it that obesity is very low there as compared to here? Sure, as a people, the Germans get outside more to walk and ride their bikes. They also eat more whole foods rather than the overly-processed, corn syrup laden food that we eat. However, they eat three very large meals a day consisting of fatty meats, heavy sauces, pastas, breads, butter, deserts, chocolate and BEER. These are serious meals sure to satisfy any American appetite! So, what gives?
DRUGS! Finally to the crux of my argument. There is no doubt about it! We have a huge mess on our hands! I think that everyone knows that we artificially grow bigger livestock faster than ever before. It's simple economics that getting more meat to market quicker drives profits way up. (I would heartily recommend the full-length documentary movie available on DVD, "Food, Inc.") Spending just 15 minutes on the internet googling livestock steroids and growth hormones, yields a dizzying array of FDA-approved growth-enhancing drugs for America's livestock. (Incidentally, the European Union has confirmed health risks of growth hormones in meat and has BANNED the importation of US beef.) Are we naive enough to think that the long list of steroids and growth enhancers injected and fed to our livestock mysteriously vanish before the meat is consumed? Just one hyper-anabolic steroid, "trenbolone" has a half-life of 260 days. (This means that at 260 days, trenbolone is half as potent as it was initially and at a year and a half, it is 25% as potent, etc.). The government (FDA) is supposed to protect us, isn't it? Does the government work for us or for the lobbyists? We want to trust the government, but increasingly, the words "trust" and "government" are juxtaposed. Hey, I'm a proud conservative, but this huge problem is truly bipartisan with both parties equally to blame. Besides rampant childhood obesity, hasn't everyone asked themselves, "Why are kids so much taller and bigger now than a generation or two ago?" Never mind the fuss made over steroids and growth hormones in sports. I suggest that we ALL are on those drugs! It's been proven for many years that when you give steroids to a weightlifter, he or she will grow dramatically more muscular. But, without exercise, steroids will cause more adipose tissue (fat) growth rather than muscle growth. And it is proven that growth hormone intake in children will make them taller than their genetic predisposition.
And the drug problem doesn't stop there. Consider the many female hormones (estrogens) introduced into our food. American's milk supply contains estrogens given to cows to increase milk yields. Years ago, I remember reading a tiny article buried deep in an issue of USA Today asking the question, "Could hormones in our food supply be causing girls to start their menses earlier and earlier?" The answer is a resounding, "YES!"
We can try to reduce our intake of these drugs by consuming free range meat and organic milk, but we should not have to hide from food approved by our government. These widely used hormones are even in our water! Runoff from livestock feedlots contains excreted hormones as well as pesticides containing these chemicals as well.
I suggest that the health and obesity problem described above may be the deepest, darkest secret of our government. Our government health officials berate us for over-eating and under-exercising and then with a wink and a nod, they fill their coffers with lobbyist's cash as they approve a seemingly endless list of genocidal drugs.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
It's a Wrap!
As 2009 draws to a snowy close here in Arlington, Texas, I wish to wrap up the year and secure it with a bright red bow. I acknowledge that when asked about 2009, most people I talk to almost universally use the word, "challenging". And then many of them elucidate further saying that this is the most polite way for them to label the past year. We may not always see the bright side of things, but as Americans, we feel compelled to see the glass as half full. It may have been a lousy year for many, but we find solace and motivation in cliches like, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger". A couple of my other favorites are, "Sweat hardens into muscle" and "Pain is weakness leaving the body".
In my corner of the world, the Athletic Business Trade Show, which takes place every year during the week following Thanksgiving, is my yardstick to measure both the year past and the year to come. Even though this is a commercial fitness business event, it has been the number one networking venue for US Military fitness professionals for 20+ years. Every year that I have been proudly working with the US Military, which now also exceeds 20 years, I have heard the doomsayers proclaiming that there would be no money available the following year for fitness programming, personnel, or equipment. And please do not misunderstand me as I believe that money will be tight for that individual due to one of many likely circumstances such as the base commander reallocating funds elsewhere on base deemed more important than the fitness center. But I get to weigh that individual's circumstances against the field of 400+ US Military Bases worldwide. And I am here to say that the state of fitness in the US Military is STRONG!
The US Military purchased more fitness equipment in 2009 than ever before. I grant that annual growth has not been linear with 2004 being the second strongest year in fitness equipment sales and with the years between 2004 and 2009 striking a topographical Rocky Mountainesque profile. But, the trendline shows growth nearing 300% over the past 10 years. And yes, I project continung strong growth in the next decade as well. For years, military command has coined phrases like, "Fitness is mission essential" and "Fitness is a force multiplier". These words have now been put into action. Even though fitness in the military has gone through a continuous evolution, the bar is being raised to worldclass heights in terms of facilities, equipment and programming. Each of the services has amazing fitness centers available to our troops, managed by passionate fitness professionals providing engaging programming. Over the years, I have witnessed the physical condition of our troops march in lockstep with the ongoing improvements in military fitness facilities. These are exciting times in the world of military fitness!
As 2010 unfolds, we will see more changes in the military landscape to include topics such as, troop testing protocols and accountability, fitness facilities for downrange applications, bulk buys and equipment standardization, fitness and recreation integration for our wounded warriors, and many more. I intend to address each of these topics, and more, in future blogs. Your help is appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and please ask any questions and make any comments. I want to wish each of you a Happy and Healthy New Year! And I offer a HUGE debt of gratitude to our troops abroad and at home.
In my corner of the world, the Athletic Business Trade Show, which takes place every year during the week following Thanksgiving, is my yardstick to measure both the year past and the year to come. Even though this is a commercial fitness business event, it has been the number one networking venue for US Military fitness professionals for 20+ years. Every year that I have been proudly working with the US Military, which now also exceeds 20 years, I have heard the doomsayers proclaiming that there would be no money available the following year for fitness programming, personnel, or equipment. And please do not misunderstand me as I believe that money will be tight for that individual due to one of many likely circumstances such as the base commander reallocating funds elsewhere on base deemed more important than the fitness center. But I get to weigh that individual's circumstances against the field of 400+ US Military Bases worldwide. And I am here to say that the state of fitness in the US Military is STRONG!
The US Military purchased more fitness equipment in 2009 than ever before. I grant that annual growth has not been linear with 2004 being the second strongest year in fitness equipment sales and with the years between 2004 and 2009 striking a topographical Rocky Mountainesque profile. But, the trendline shows growth nearing 300% over the past 10 years. And yes, I project continung strong growth in the next decade as well. For years, military command has coined phrases like, "Fitness is mission essential" and "Fitness is a force multiplier". These words have now been put into action. Even though fitness in the military has gone through a continuous evolution, the bar is being raised to worldclass heights in terms of facilities, equipment and programming. Each of the services has amazing fitness centers available to our troops, managed by passionate fitness professionals providing engaging programming. Over the years, I have witnessed the physical condition of our troops march in lockstep with the ongoing improvements in military fitness facilities. These are exciting times in the world of military fitness!
As 2010 unfolds, we will see more changes in the military landscape to include topics such as, troop testing protocols and accountability, fitness facilities for downrange applications, bulk buys and equipment standardization, fitness and recreation integration for our wounded warriors, and many more. I intend to address each of these topics, and more, in future blogs. Your help is appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and please ask any questions and make any comments. I want to wish each of you a Happy and Healthy New Year! And I offer a HUGE debt of gratitude to our troops abroad and at home.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Patriotism at Precor
Do you have an American flag waving outside your house?
Is an American flag sticker or magnet proudly displayed on your car?
Do you consider yourself patriotic?
My name is Frank Palmer and I sell Precor fitness equipment to the US Military worldwide. It is the best damn job on Earth! My personal mission statement is posted on my bathroom mirror and it reads, "Everyday, by having the best fitness professionals in the world covering my 6, I try to improve our troops quality of life while they help to protect ours". How many of you have been able to turn one of your passions (fitness for me) into your livelihood? Are you lucky enough to bolster your patriotism while while pursuing your passion and make good money at the same time? I am that lucky and I thank God for my good fortune everyday. Now I am going to tell you a story about some other patriotic people that I am very proud and happy to have met.
Approximately 350 ships comprise the Navy Fleet ranging from amazing Trident submarines to awe-inspiring aircraft carriers. Every cubic inch of space is valuable on even the largest of these floating fortresses and you will find fitness equipment crammed into the most unlikely of places onboard these ships. You see, fitness is deemed "mission essential" by Navy Command and the equipment is used around the clock. The Navy Fleet had been buying our justifiably famous elliptical crosstrainers for inclusion in their onboard fitness programs. These models were built around rather large and robust one-piece steel frames. To get these EFX's to their desired locations, many had to be disassembled, cut into small pieces, and welded back together. The Navy has some of the best welders in the world, but let's face it, this installation procedure was not ideal for boosting sales.
Several years ago I convinced senior management at Precor that an opportunity existed. If we could design an EFX that could be disassembled to fit through a 23" hatch, then we would sell more units. Over 4,000 Navy EFX models later, the program can be deemed a success.
During one of my many visits to Precor Corporate in Seattle a few years ago, the product manager who had helped me realize my Navy EFX dream, had a terrific idea. Why didn't I visit the production team that builds the Navy units? Her idea led me to one of the most rewarding and heartwarming experiences I have ever had while at work.
Precor EFX's are manufactured in "cells", which are simply small teams of people that take a collection of parts and craft them into finished products. The cell that manufactures the Navy EFX model is tooled primarily to produce a different model of EFX. The relatively small number of Navy EFX's needed cannot support a full time cell, so production time is shared. The Navy product manager's idea was for me to visit production, meet the team manufacturing the Navy EFX's, and tell them about their model's application aboard the ships. Well, as it turned out, this team was way ahead of me.
I was introduced to the 30 or so members of the team. They consisted of about 20 Cambodian women who were recent immigrants, with the remaining workers being a mix of other nationalities and genders. I thanked the team for their help in making a personal dream of mine come true and I apologized if the switching back-and-forth between models was disruptive to their production flow. I told them stories of how their Navy EFX's were used and what the lonely and dedicated life onboard ship was like for our sailors. I talked about the young men and women who found health and a temporary escape from their important missions while using the equipment that they had built. And as I said goodbye, I told them that I would like to humbly represent the sailors and thank them for their efforts. The cell's manager took me aside and told me that, without provocation from anyone, the women in the cell had taken it upon themselves to write notes inside the boxes in which these units would be shipped. He told me that they wrote things like, "God bless America" and "We love you! Come home safe", and "Thank you for protecting us".
I have not been this proud or moved in a long, long time.
Thank you for reading my story and...
God Bless America!
Is an American flag sticker or magnet proudly displayed on your car?
Do you consider yourself patriotic?
My name is Frank Palmer and I sell Precor fitness equipment to the US Military worldwide. It is the best damn job on Earth! My personal mission statement is posted on my bathroom mirror and it reads, "Everyday, by having the best fitness professionals in the world covering my 6, I try to improve our troops quality of life while they help to protect ours". How many of you have been able to turn one of your passions (fitness for me) into your livelihood? Are you lucky enough to bolster your patriotism while while pursuing your passion and make good money at the same time? I am that lucky and I thank God for my good fortune everyday. Now I am going to tell you a story about some other patriotic people that I am very proud and happy to have met.
Approximately 350 ships comprise the Navy Fleet ranging from amazing Trident submarines to awe-inspiring aircraft carriers. Every cubic inch of space is valuable on even the largest of these floating fortresses and you will find fitness equipment crammed into the most unlikely of places onboard these ships. You see, fitness is deemed "mission essential" by Navy Command and the equipment is used around the clock. The Navy Fleet had been buying our justifiably famous elliptical crosstrainers for inclusion in their onboard fitness programs. These models were built around rather large and robust one-piece steel frames. To get these EFX's to their desired locations, many had to be disassembled, cut into small pieces, and welded back together. The Navy has some of the best welders in the world, but let's face it, this installation procedure was not ideal for boosting sales.
Several years ago I convinced senior management at Precor that an opportunity existed. If we could design an EFX that could be disassembled to fit through a 23" hatch, then we would sell more units. Over 4,000 Navy EFX models later, the program can be deemed a success.
During one of my many visits to Precor Corporate in Seattle a few years ago, the product manager who had helped me realize my Navy EFX dream, had a terrific idea. Why didn't I visit the production team that builds the Navy units? Her idea led me to one of the most rewarding and heartwarming experiences I have ever had while at work.
Precor EFX's are manufactured in "cells", which are simply small teams of people that take a collection of parts and craft them into finished products. The cell that manufactures the Navy EFX model is tooled primarily to produce a different model of EFX. The relatively small number of Navy EFX's needed cannot support a full time cell, so production time is shared. The Navy product manager's idea was for me to visit production, meet the team manufacturing the Navy EFX's, and tell them about their model's application aboard the ships. Well, as it turned out, this team was way ahead of me.
I was introduced to the 30 or so members of the team. They consisted of about 20 Cambodian women who were recent immigrants, with the remaining workers being a mix of other nationalities and genders. I thanked the team for their help in making a personal dream of mine come true and I apologized if the switching back-and-forth between models was disruptive to their production flow. I told them stories of how their Navy EFX's were used and what the lonely and dedicated life onboard ship was like for our sailors. I talked about the young men and women who found health and a temporary escape from their important missions while using the equipment that they had built. And as I said goodbye, I told them that I would like to humbly represent the sailors and thank them for their efforts. The cell's manager took me aside and told me that, without provocation from anyone, the women in the cell had taken it upon themselves to write notes inside the boxes in which these units would be shipped. He told me that they wrote things like, "God bless America" and "We love you! Come home safe", and "Thank you for protecting us".
I have not been this proud or moved in a long, long time.
Thank you for reading my story and...
God Bless America!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Inaugural Military Fitness Blog
Greetings Blogosphere!
My name is Frank Palmer and this is my first foray into the connected community of bloggers. I have several preliminary objectives in creating this blog:
- Sharing of ideas, stories, needs, desires and all things related to fitness as pertains to the US Military community, both on land and at sea.
- Providing all of the field support that I can personally, as well as with the help of Precor, Inc., where I serve as director of government sales.
- Utilizing this open forum to gather information, learn, expand reach, and assist when possible.
- Determining the viability and direction of this method of communication as it impacts fitness interests and concerns of our Armed Forces at home and abroad.
It has been one of my greatest pleasures in life working with the US Military. I have loved virtually every moment of my 26 years in the commercial fitness industry of which 20 of those years have been invested in the Federal/Military markets. Even though I work with all US Federal customers, the Military represents 90% of my focus due to its huge global scope in addition to the seemingly important role that fitness plays in our Military. In subsequent posts to this blog, I intend to enlist opinions and quotations from anyone in the Military. Most of those that I will contact are employed by the Federal Government as MWR Directors, Sports and Fitness Directors, Recreation Coordinators, and the like. These people have been my friends for many years and possess a wealth of information. Of course, I am looking forward to reading feedback and ideas from anyone wishing to share their opinions. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and please visit often.
My name is Frank Palmer and this is my first foray into the connected community of bloggers. I have several preliminary objectives in creating this blog:
- Sharing of ideas, stories, needs, desires and all things related to fitness as pertains to the US Military community, both on land and at sea.
- Providing all of the field support that I can personally, as well as with the help of Precor, Inc., where I serve as director of government sales.
- Utilizing this open forum to gather information, learn, expand reach, and assist when possible.
- Determining the viability and direction of this method of communication as it impacts fitness interests and concerns of our Armed Forces at home and abroad.
It has been one of my greatest pleasures in life working with the US Military. I have loved virtually every moment of my 26 years in the commercial fitness industry of which 20 of those years have been invested in the Federal/Military markets. Even though I work with all US Federal customers, the Military represents 90% of my focus due to its huge global scope in addition to the seemingly important role that fitness plays in our Military. In subsequent posts to this blog, I intend to enlist opinions and quotations from anyone in the Military. Most of those that I will contact are employed by the Federal Government as MWR Directors, Sports and Fitness Directors, Recreation Coordinators, and the like. These people have been my friends for many years and possess a wealth of information. Of course, I am looking forward to reading feedback and ideas from anyone wishing to share their opinions. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and please visit often.
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