Re: [Leica] Back Pain & Bags

[Steven Alexander <alexpix@worldnet.att.net>]

on 6/28/01 1:11 AM, Ted Grant at tedgrant@home.com wrote:

> Tina wrote:
>>>> The absolutely best back pain advice is to prevent it.  Go to the
>> local Y and do back and abdomen strengthening exercises on the weight
> 
> That is the best advice anyone has posted. And comes from the experience of
> a working photojournalist accustomed to carrying a bunch of gear compared to
> an M and a couple of lenses as many of our contemporaries do.
> 
> In my case, at 72, I can't slough around eating jelly donuts and being a
> couch potato while still shooting 12 hour days on a fairly regular bases.
> 
> I power walk every morning at 6 a.m, rain, shine or whatever. No matter
> where I am! If one isn't reasonably fit, I don't mean one of those body

Above two responses are very correct , as expected, good health will aid in
making good photos.  In 1973(?) I had back surgery and since then have
traveled and shot around the world both as a professional motion-picture
cameraman and still photographer.  Without following a program to keep my
body in fair shape I could not have. Strength, flexibility, endurance are
the only ways to fight back pain, not some special bag and you gain these
life qualities through spending extra time following an exercise program.
Another benefit is that the strength training will improve your ability to
handhold at a slower speed.


Happy snaps,
Steven Alexander