I don't think lifting weights has that much do with your stroke. I work out almost everyday and I still have my shot, in fact its getting better. I saw chris webber doing 50lb curls with both arms like 15 minutes before the game. I think if Yao worked out everyday and shot everyday he'd be in good shape
All of you squids denouncing the genetics angle of physiology out-of-hand need to yank off the PC blinders and use some logic. If you ever darken the doorway of a public library, pick up a book called Taboo by Jon Entine, which covers , in explicit detail, the facts about both East and West African genotypes and how they serve endurance, and speed and explosiveness, respectively. It's not junk science, but it is decidedly un-PC. The PC people say the only reason blacks excel at sports is a matter of will and motivation, a determination to rise up out of poverty- a most Nietzschian way to look at it. Somebody explain to me Kobe Bryant's excellence, or Grant Hill. Both come from very well-off backgrounds, so where's the motivation? OK, so they're the kids of professional athletes- but how come the Barrys are never mentioned in the same breath? Could Brent or Jon even hold the jocks of Grant and Kobe? We know the answer to that question. Look beyond what you believe is the "right" thing to say or think, and look at the reality around you. Look at the percentages of black population in the US society on the whole, then look at the percentage in professional sports. There's a good place to start. See a pattern yet?
So what's your point, payaso...that blacks are physically superior to others genetically...anything else?
That is my answer. I hate it when people refuse to state the obvious and feel they have to descend to ad hominem attacks on someone who speaks the unvarnished truth. Tell me if there's ever been a caucasian, asian or amerindian equivalent to Shaq in the physique category, or to Kobe in the explosive skills category. If someone wants to point an isolated example or two to me, the point still is that they are isolated examples, and very much an exception to the rule. All you PC types, go on and fit me with a white sheet and hood if you want- it's about what I expect, given the reaction to the poster who said that no one who's not of the African genotype is going to be able to develop that type of physique.
How do you define the ability of shooting jumpers accurately? Why do Euro players shoot them better? Does it have anything to do with genetics? What about swimming? Maybe the right answer is that for some sports, black atheletes do better, for others, caucausian, then for others, asian atheletes.
I'm asian and i'll whoop up on anyone that wants to challenge me to Table Tennis. I'll even dominate in Kung Foo
payaso, I agree with most of what you say. But you have to realize that a lot people take "offense" because they aren't being included in the elite category. Call it self-hate or self-pride. The bad thing about genetic studies is when someone, some country or some government tries to use those genetics studies to oppress others. Or worse, use genetics to create the "ultimate human" in order to fight wars (that's the future). The PC crowd never wants to state the obvious in fear that they will appear to be saying, "I'm better than you..." That's why scientific research is much more open-minded about it. It just that if the information that the researchers find, might get in the wrong hands (ambitious leaders) it can be used in bad ways. On the other side... Don't forget the advanced training that American has on its side. If genetics alone was the determining factor, then why isn't Africa the juggernaut of world athletes? American training has a lot to do with that. What happen if more and more Chinese athletes come to American to get that training? Give them time. Same with German, or Spanish or Russian. Advances in technology, sports medicine and training have a lot to do with our elite black athletes.
Heh heh... This reminds me of the misconceptions people had of Alaska when I lived there for 3 years. Friends and family would say, "So, what is it like living in an igloo?" or "seen any polar bears?" or "are the eskimos friendly?" Most would be surprised to know that Anchorage Alaska has 5 malls (full size), A Borders, Comp-USA, Banes and Noble, Sears, Home Depot, a basketball/hockey arena, two military bases, a Hobby sized airport, and 250,000 people. Some people think of Shanghai as a village made up of a fishing community, dilapidated huts and rice fields as far as the eye can see. Nope. As the pictures show. Another China city that is incredible is Hong Kong. Huge growth over the last few decades!
Payaso, athletic differences among the races isn't as exaggerated as you may think. working out is a big factor too. for example, when I go play ball, I've seen Asian people (myself included) beating black people off the dribble, white guys who can dunk, etc. another factor is diet - energy rich foods probably help your explosiveness and muscle mass. Yao should go to mcdonalds or eat pasta and hit the gym before he plays skins again.
Black people have more dense bones and muscle, which I believe is beneficial as far as strength and quickness is concerned. It is also why black people are generally poor swimmers-they aren't near as bouyant, being that they have denser bodies.
