Search Results
Uncategorized
April 14, 2013
For those in the New York City area, I will be giving a 3-hour seminar next month on Advanced Programming for Muscle Hypertrophy. The seminar is being held at the American Academy of Personal Training, located in the meat-packing district of Manhattan, as part of their continuing education series. Here is the session description.
Muscle development is of primary interest to those who partake in resistance training. But developing muscle size, as opposed to strength or endurance, involves its own unique set of considerations. This AAPT course elucidates the science behind optimizing muscular hypertrophy, exploring how factors such as exercise modality, training to failure, speed of movement and recovery affect muscle growth. You will learn the significance of metabolic stress in relation to protein synthesis, as well as gain a trove of valuable techniques in manipulating intensity, sets, repetitions, and rest intervals. Sample routines will be provided in the context of a periodized approach to help you with perfecting program design for muscle hypertrophy.
The seminar will take an evidence-based approach, going in-depth into how to combine science and art in creating optimal hypertrophy training programs. Below is the link to register. Hope to see you there!
Advanced Programming for Muscle Hypertrophy
Brad
Nutrition
December 8, 2013
This is a guest post from the good folks at Examine.com, who do a great job providing objective research-based info on pretty much all areas of nutrition and supplementation. It’s an important topic that all-too-often is misunderstood by the general public. Thanks to Sol Orwell and his team for explaining the concept in an easy-to-understand manner and exploring its practical applications. For those interested in the technical aspects, I would recommend you read the paper by Thomas et al. A Mathematical Model of Weight Change with Adaptation.
Calories in versus calories out is one of the fundamental ‘laws’ of nutrition. Though it upholds both the law of thermodynamics and the conservation of mass, the calories in versus calories out theory doesn’t hold up when applied to the human body. If anything, it is a guiding statement based on a law.
When looking at a true closed system (humans don’t count), any possible conversions of energy can be predicted down to a single joule, with nearly 100% accuracy. This is because our equations for energy transfers in closed systems are very good.
When looking at an open system, like the human body, we also have a set of equations we can rely on. Unfortunately, they’re not quite as good as their closed-system counterparts. As an example, lets look at the most commonly used equation to determine caloric expenditure and your basal metabolic rate.
The Harris-Benedict formula for men:
88.362 + (13.397 x bodyweight in kg) + (4.799 x height in cm) – (5.677 x age in years)
The Harris-Benedict formula for women:
447.593 + (9.247 x bodyweight in kg) + (3.098 x height in cm) – (4.330 x age in years)
Don’t forget to multiply by the ‘activity’ factors. Use 1.2 if you are sedentary, 1.375 for light exercise, 1.55 for moderate, 1.725 for heavy, and 1.9 for intense exercise.
The above calculations are pretty good, since the parameters being measured (gender, weight, height, age, and activity level) account for a lot of variation in the metabolic rate between individuals.
Still, it’s not an absolute rule. There are many other factors that influence the metabolic rate that are not included in the Harris-Benedict equation. These include:
• Adipokine status, including leptin, adiponectin, and resistin.
• Thyroid hormone status
• Steroid hormone status, including estrogens and androgens, as well as DHEA.
• Mitochondrial efficiency and ‘uncoupling’, also known as thermogenesis.
The formula doesn’t include these factors because it is impractical to expect people filling out a BMR equation to know their mitochondrial efficiency.
Moreover, the activity levels are vague. What feels ‘intense’ to one person could be ‘moderate’ to another. A misinterpretation of activity levels for someone with a 2000kcal intake could result in a difference of up to 700kcal.
Calories in, as a concept, is fundamentally hard to predict. Differences in food absorption, whether due to genetics, nutrient co-ingestion or even the shape of the chyme in your stomach are hard to account for. The differences in nutrient partitioning after absorption, or whether the nutrients go to muscle, glycogen or fat are even harder to predict.
Don’t forget that calorie counts are not absolute. Though a food label may list “70kcal” as the caloric value for one serving size, a more accurate description is “70kcal, give or take a 5% margin of error.”
Does this mean I shouldn’t worry about calories?
No, no, and no. Despite the above complications, calories do matter in concept, and having even a rough grasp on caloric intake is invaluable. The only change that needs to happen is how you view your caloric intake.
Instead of deciding to eat 2,357 calories a day to maintain weight, eat “a little above 2,000 calories.” Rather than deciding to cut 500 calories from your daily diet to lose a pound of fat per week, aim to eat approximately 500 less calories per day, and track how your body responds.
At any point during the day, you should be able to accurately estimate your caloric intake, as well as how many calories you have left to eat that day. Instead of expecting a perfect caloric count, aim for +/- 200 calories of the true value.
A relaxed but consistent style of nutrient tracking means you’ll be hitting your goals and stressing less about it. Best of all, you’ll never feel constricted because your favorite food would put you over your limit by 50 calories. Just remember: being relaxed doesn’t mean you’re not determined.
Written by Kurtis Frank and Dr. Spencer Nadolsky. Both are directors at Examine.com, an independent and un-biased organization that focuses on evidence for supplementation and nutrition.
Uncategorized
April 17, 2012
The 2012 NSCA Personal Trainer Conference was held in Las Vegas at the beautiful M Resort (and it really is a magnificent hotel!). I had the pleasure of speaking there–my seventh time presenting at the event– and, everything considered, this was the best of them all. My topic was “Facts and Fallacies of Fitness.” It’s a subject that I’ve spoken on before, but the topics I covered were all new. I had good-sized crowds for both lectures (at the PT conference, you present the same lecture twice–once in the morning and once in the evening) and the response was excellent. NSCA trainers are at the top of the food chain, so it’s always great presenting to a knowledgeable, inspired audience.
What made the conference so special, though, was both the quality of the other presenters and getting to hang out and chat fitness with many of them. In particular, I spent a lot of time with my two good friends, uber trainer Bret Contreras and uber nutritionist Alan Aragon. Both of these guys are super smart and super humble. What’s more, they’re as passionate about fitness as me, and that’s really saying something! Most memorable was going to dinner (the M resort has an awesome buffet!) with the two of them and spending 3+ hours discussing and debating aspects of exercise and nutrition. We got so wrapped up in discussion that at 10:30 pm, the waiter told us the restaurant had closed–an hour-and-a-half ago! Below is a pic from that epic evening. That’s me on the left, Bret in the middle, and Alan on the right.
There were so many excellent presenters that it was impossible to see every session I would have liked (the presentations are structured so that four speakers are presenting at any given time slot). Here is a rundown of the sessions I did get a chance to see:
Alan Aragon: Alan presented on nutrient timing. This guy is the real deal! I’ve known Alan for quite a while now and no one–I mean *no one*–has a better grasp of nutritional research and its application to real life situations. Ask Alan a question on a nutrition topic and he’ll rattle off answer supported by research with the name of the author and year of the study faster than you can bat an eyelash. In his presentation, Alan discussed various misconceptions about nutrient timing and also touched on the issue of meal frequency. Bottom line from Alan’s perspective is that the importance of nutrient timing exists on a continuum. If you are a recreational athlete or someone who simply wants to add a little muscle, the importance of timing will be negligible; if you are a bodybuilder or strength athlete, there will be added importance; and if you are an athlete that needs to compete multiple times in the same day, the strategy is crucial.
Brent Alvar: Dr. Alvar presented on the dose-response relationship of exercise. Doc just happens to be the chair of my doctoral dissertation committee and one of the most knowledgeable guys in the field on strength training adaptations. His presentation focused on the importance of higher volumes of training in promoting increases in strength and hypertrophy–the single set approach, which certainly can produce gains, simply is not sufficient if maximal results are desired. Dr. Alvar also delved into the importance of periodization, stating that different periodization models can be appropriate depending on the goals and abilities of the individual. He advocated a non-linear (i.e. undulating) approach for those who need a combination of strength and muscular endurance (i.e. military personnel, firefighters, etc) whereby you perform a three-day-a-week routine, lifting heavy on Monday, moderate on the Weds, and light on Friday.
Morey Kolber: Morey is not only a close friend, but he also is one of the world’s leading researchers on shoulder joint injury and rehabilitation. Morey discssed an evidence-based approach to working with clients who have had shoulder injuries in a post-rehab environment. He discussed the importance of avoiding exercises such as behind-the-neck presses and behind-the-neck lat pulldowns in this population due to the increased stresses on the joint. He also showed video demonstrations of various stretches that can be performed to improve functional results. Terrific, practical info!
Marie Spano: Marie is a super-knowledgeable Registered Dietician who isn’t afraid to refute typical American Dietic Association dogma. Her presentation focused on the importance of total caloric intake in weight control. She used practical info to make her points, including overviewing the Twinkie Diet that helped nutrition professor Mark Haub lost 27 pounds in just ten weeks eating pretty much nothing but junk food–just to prove that the first law of thermodynamics applies to weight loss. Proof positive! She also discussed application of different nutritional strategies to optimize results, stating that a low-carb approach can work well for those who are insulin resistant.
Len Kravitz: No, this isn’t the singer/guitarist. Rather, Dr. Len Kravitz is perhaps the most dynamic fitness presenter I’ve seen. The guy is such a total pro and his Powerpoint slides are amazing. I study his techniques and try to adopt many of his attributes into my own style. If I’ve grown as a speaker over the past few years, I have Dr. Kravitz to thank. Here, he presented on high-intensity interval training (HIIT). In case you don’t know, HIIT involves alternating between high-intensity cardio intervals and low-intensity cardio intervals. As usual, Dr. Kravitz had tons of video examples of different HIIT strategies and how they can be applied based on the needs of the individual. Most interesting was his chart at the end of the presentation where he compared HIIT to traditional ‘steady-state’ cardio. He noted that all things considered, HIIT has the edge when you consider the totality of the adaptations promoted by each respective approach. Bottom line: If you can do HIIT, it’s probably going to be the most beneficial way to achieve cardiovascular benefits.
Again, this was just an awesome conference. Great people, great presentations, great times. My only regret was that I didn’t have more time to see some of the other terrific presentations. Next up: The NSCA National Conference this July in Providence, Rhode Island. I’ll be presenting a pre-con on training for maximal muscle growth as well as a main session on metabolic resistance training. Can’t wait!
Stay Fit!
Brad
Interview
February 10, 2011
Joe Dowdell is a rarity in the fitness field. He’s owner of an elite gym, a fitness author, and a contributor to numerous magazines and websites. Certainly impressive credentials. But what sets Joe apart from the vast majority of trainers out there is that he’s a student of exercise science who takes an evidence-based approach to training. The results of his efforts more than attest to this fact — just check out the myriad testimonials from those who have trained with him, including many celebrities and athletes. Bottom line: the guy knows his stuff!
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to interview Joe about his training philosophy and various other aspects of his career. I’m sure you’ll find his views of interest.
BJS: Tell us a little about your gym, Peak Performance. What makes it unique?
JD: First of all, thank you for wanting to interview me for your Blog. Originally, I started Peak Performance in a 2,000 square foot training loft in Gramercy Park back in 1997. After about 3 and ½ years, my business started to outgrow the size of that location so I began to look for a bigger space. During those years at the Gramercy location, my knowledge base as both a trainer and a business owner grew as well so I wanted a space that would accommodate both.
So in 2002, I decided to relocate my business into my dream space. I had found a beautiful (although pretty much raw), sun drenched, 10,000 square foot loft in the Chelsea-Flat Iron area. It was a big move—and definitely a risky one—for me at the time because my actual business wasn’t really large enough to sustain a space that size. But, I loved the space and I felt that it would give me the ability to equip it with the all the necessary tools so that we could accommodate any type of client from the general public to an elite athlete.
In the beginning, like most business, I experienced growing pains, and lots of stress, but I just kept plugging away. And now, with the support of an amazing management team and staff, I have something that I’m really proud of. Peak is like a trainer’s paradise. We have just about every training tool that you can imagine, ranging from Kettlebells, sandbags, dragging sleds and Prowlers to Keiser Power Racks, AT/VO2 Testing equipment and a Woodway Force Treadmill.
BJS: How do you do to keep up with continuing education?
JD: : I love to learn. My Dad instilled in me at an early age that no one can ever take your education away from you. So, once I decided to get involved in the fitness industry, I made it a point to learn as much information about exercise science as I could, from as many people and resources as I could. I’ve traveled all over the place to learn and I still do to this day. In fact, I already have numerous seminars that I will be attending on my 2011 calendar.
This year is going to be a bit different for me in that I’ve also decided that I’m going to start teaching myself. I’ve developed a Program Design Seminar and I’m currently putting the finishing touches on an Energy System Training seminar. In addition to these two seminars, I’m almost finished compiling an entire educational manual for my training staff that is broken down into about 14 different modules, ranging from client intake and assessment to recovery and regeneration. I’ve pulled information from everywhere in order to put this manual together and it will be a mixture of theory and practical application of the various topics. I’m also toying with the idea of turning this entire project into a mini-mentorship program to be held at Peak for small groups of trainers.
BJS: One of your areas of expertise is program design. What do feel is the most important component of program design?
JD: I love designing training programs especially if it’s for an elite level athlete. When designing programs for athletes, I have to manipulate so many factors that it’s very mentally stimulating for me as a coach. The single biggest factor in designing a successful training program is defining what the primary goal of the client or athlete is. Once you know that, you can start to look at all of the other factors such as how much time do we have; what’s their current starting point; what limitations do we have to factor in (i.e., past injuries, current injuries, time restraints, etc.): what other kinds of training are they going to be doing; how many days a week are they willing to commit to training; how’s their nutritional habits; how’s their stress levels; how’s their sleep; etc. If you don’t consider all of these things in designing a training program for your client or athlete, than you are not doing your job as effectively as you can and in essence you are designing training program with a blindfold on.
BJS: Couldn’t agree more. Following up on this topic, what would you say is the biggest mistake that trainers make when designing routines for clients?
JD: There are several mistakes that many trainers make in designing training routines:
• The first mistake is they don’t progress their clients properly. If a client can’t perform an exercise, than you need to regress the movement pattern to something that they can perform successfully. On the other hand, if something is too easy, than you need to make it more challenging. But, you should only micro-progress them to the point where it elicits a favorable training response (i.e., positive adaptation) without over-stressing them.
• The second mistake is that they don’t vary their client’s training programs strategically. It makes no sense to vary your clients training programs just for the sake of creating variety. Make sure that there is a thought process to your decisions.
• Another big mistake many trainers make is that they will often allow their clients to sacrifice the quality of movement for the quantity of movement. In particular, this happens a lot when trainers are conducting metabolic resistance training programs because they are so focused on the amount of work (i.e., the number of reps that their client can get done in 30 or 45 seconds) that they forget to monitor the quality of those reps. Make sure your clients develop good, fundamental movement patterns before challenging them with things like high speeds of movement or introducing circus-like exercises. And, with the latter, make sure there’s a really good reason to be putting your client in that position (i.e., risk vs. reward &/or is it necessary to get them to their goal).
• Don’t just have your clients train for strength endurance. Make sure you improve other strength qualities in your clients as well. Even if their goal is fat loss, you should still incorporate some periodic phases of higher intensity strength training or even some power endurance training.
• Finally, many trainers develop an emotional attachment to a particular training tool or to a particular style of training. The only emotional attachment that you should have as a trainer is to your client’s goal. Period!!!
BJS: What’s your view on periodization? Do you incorporate it into your training programs?
JD: I always use some sort of periodization with all of my clients even with my general population clients. Typically, I will alternate between blocks of accumulation and blocks of intensification. Depending on the client or athlete’s goal, current ability &/or training experience will help dictate the length of time of each block and the intensity of the block. In addition, I always have one main training priority in each training block, but I will also have a secondary priority and sometimes a third one, which may just be something like as additional flexibility work.
The main priority is always going to come early on in the training session and the secondary priority will follow it. Additionally, if a client or athlete comes in and they slept really poorly the night before or were out late getting drunk (it happens) or they haven’t eaten anything in several hours, I will modify that day’s training session. But typically, I have a program that we follow and I log every workout. I believe it really important to keep accurate training logs for all of your clients/athletes.
BJS: I know you train a lot of mixed martial arts competitors. What factors go into program design for these athletes?
JD: MMA athletes are probably the most fun to train. I’ve worked with a variety of athletes from many different sports and these guys are just a breed apart. Their work ethic is awesome. Designing training programs for them is very challenging because their needs are extremely diversified. An MMA fighter requires a mixture of different strength qualities, such as strength endurance (i.e., dynamic, static and explosive), maximal strength, strength-speed (i.e. explosive strength) and speed-strength (i.e., reactive strength and starting strength). They also need to be well conditioned.
For them, in addition to evaluating their movement and structural balance, I will also consult with their other coaches; watch video tape of their past fights as well as video of an upcoming opponent (if applicable) before creating a training program for them. The key is to strengthen their weaknesses while continuing to improve upon their strengths.
Contrary to what many MMA strength coaches think, fighters do need to develop their Aerobic system, and in particular, the power of their Aerobic system. They also need to increase the power (and to a certain extent the capacity) of their Anaerobic Alactic system. You can always see the fighters that fail to develop the power of their Aerobic system because they are the ones that gas out before the end of a round or don’t come out fresh at the beginning of the next round. Anyway, I could spend hours talking about how to properly train MMA athletes.
BJS: You have a new book out, Ultimate You. What was the impetus for writing it? What do you hope that readers will take from it?
JD: : Basically, I teamed up with Dr. Brooke Kalanick (a naturopathic physician and a very smart cookie) to write the Ultimate You. I was so tired of seeing so many poorly written books on fat loss, both from a nutritional and training perspective, especially for women. I have seen so many women (and some men) over the years spin their wheels trying to get lean. There is so much misinformation out there on how to get lean and most of it is unfortunately directed at women. The reality is that a lot of this misinformation is driven by the media’s fascination with celebrities and those who train them. Don’t get me wrong, there are celebrity trainers that are very knowledgeable and do create real changes in their clients, but the reality is that the majority of them do not. I know this last statement might upset some people, but it’s my honest opinion and I think it’s important for people to know the truth. Furthermore, women love trends and they love to buy into them. If they just followed the truth, instead of the latest fitness trend, they would achieve the body they want in a less time.
I’ve trained tons of celebrities over the course of my career and the one’s that got in the best, trained hard and ate well. None of them trained 6 hours a day like I’ve heard some celebrity trainers attest to. In fact, if a celebrity or any client for that matter (unless they are an endurance athlete) is able to train for more than an hour, than they probably aren’t training with enough intensity or they are spending way too much time talking during the session. Secondly, if any trainer tells a female client that they should never lift more than 15 lbs. or that they should only use 3 lb. dumbbells because otherwise they will get bulky, they are a moron. The shape of your muscles is pre-determined by your genetics. You either have long muscle bellies and short tendons or short muscle bellies with long tendons. Finally, a lean muscle is simply one with less fat covering it.
Ok, now that I got that off my chest, we wrote the Ultimate You to dispel a lot of the misinformation that liters the bookshelves of Barnes & Noble and give people the real scientific information that they need to know in order to achieve real, sustainable fat loss. We cover everything from nutrition to training to the underlying mechanisms, such as hormonal imbalances, that could be inhibiting an individual’s fat loss efforts.
Finally, I’d like to say thank you again for giving me this opportunity. I have a lot of respect for your work and when I read your review paper on Hypertrophy in the NSCA Journal, I was blown away. I’d really love to have you down to my facility to talk about the topic to my trainers as I think they would love it.
BJS: I’d be happy to Joe. Many thanks for taking the time!
You can read more about Joe at his website: Joe Dowdell
You can read more about Joe’s gym at: Peak Performance Gym
You can read more about Joes’ book, Ultimate You at : Ultimate You
Nutrition
November 6, 2010
No question about it, protein is the most important macronutrient in your diet. But many people are confused as to how much protein they really need to consume. Here’s the lowdown…
If you go by the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) espoused by the Department of Agriculture, protein intake should equate to a little less than 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. The RDA, however, has a major flaw in its design: it bases protein requirements on the average couch potato. While this is fine if you want to be an average couch potato, it has little relevance if you are a hard training fitness enthusiast. In truth, those who aspire to optimize body composition require significantly more protein than what is prescribed in the RDA.
For active individuals, especially those involved in strength training regimens, studies have consistently shown optimal intake to be about 1.6 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight (roughly double the RDA). The reasons are twofold: First, during exercise, amino acids are oxidized for fuel at an accelerated rate. Depending on the intensity and duration of training, these amino acids can supply up to 10 percent of the body’s energy needs. What’s more, the stresses associated with physical activity cause an increased breakdown of body proteins, leaving the body in a catabolic state. The only way to reverse these effects and promote an anabolic environment is by consuming additional dietary protein, over and above RDA guidelines. Abide by the RDA and you’ll surely be in a negative nitrogen balance (i.e. your body is breaking down proteins at a greater rate than it’s synthesizing them).
A protein-rich diet also confers specific metabolic benefits. For one, a large percentage of calories from protein are burned off in the digestion process—a phenomenon called the thermic effect of food (TEF). Of all the macronutrients, protein has the highest thermic effect, burning off approximately 25 percent of the calories consumed. In comparison, only about 8 percent of the calories from carbs are burned off in digestion; the thermic effect of dietary fat is minimal. When the TEF is factored into a mixed meal, higher intakes of protein can as much as double post-prandial thermogenesis (i.e. the number of calories burned after eating), leaving fewer calories available to be stored as fat.
Further, protein tends to curb appetite. During its digestion, protein potentiates the secretion of a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK), which acts to suppress the body’s hunger mechanisms. These satiety-inducing effects are pronounced, lasting several hours after a meal. And when appetite isn’t driven by hunger, food choices can more easily be made based on rationale rather than impulse. This is why studies have consistently shown that when people are left to make their own nutritional decisions (called an ad libitum diet), those who consume high amounts of protein take in significantly fewer calories than those who don’t.
A higher protein intake is especially important when you are restricting calories (i.e. the goal is weight loss). During stringent dieting, there is a tendency for your body to break down protein stores into glucose (through a process called gluconeogenesis) so that the brain and other tissues have adequate fuel. Since skeletal muscle is not necessary for sustenance (as opposed to the internal organs and other protein-based tissues), it is the primary bodily tissue to be cannibalized. The only way to counteract this occurrence is by consuming extra protein. Keeping protein intake high helps to preserve lean tissue, preventing the negative consequences of muscle wasting.
Taking all factors into account, my general recommendation is to consume approximately one gram of protein per pound of ideal bodyweight (i.e. the weight you aspire to being when you are at your leanest). This provides a margin of safety, ensuring you never fall into negative nitrogen balance. And in case you’re worried about negative health effects, rest easy. As long as you have healthy kidney function, research has debunked the claims that higher protein diets will put you on dialysis. For more info, read my article High Protein Diets: Myths, Half-truths and Outright Lies.
Stay Fit!
Brad
Supplementation
October 1, 2009
If you listen to some health practitioners, you’d think that caffeine is an evil drug that contributes to a long list of diseases. Don’t believe it!
Much of the
anti-caffeine bias is predicated on a few isolated research studies from many years ago, which suggested that caffeine consumption increased the risk of cancer. However, upon closer examination, these studies were found to have serious flaws in their design. Some were plagued by errors in statistical analysis while others used enormous quantities of caffeine—far beyond what the normal individual consumes. Sure, if you feed a rat the equivalent of 50 cups of coffee a day it can have a deleterious effect on health. But, this means little to the average person.
When all the available research data is taken into account, there’s really no evidence that modest caffeine consumption causes any detriments to overall well being. In fact, some studies have actually found a negative correlation between caffeine and certain forms of cancer! Perhaps this is due to the fact that coffee – the primary source of most people’s caffeine intake – is replete in antioxidants. Better yet, recent research indicates that coffee consumption can help to reduce cardiovascular events in those with diabetes and improve autonomic function.
For those who exercise, moderate caffeine consumption can actually help to expedite the loss of body fat. It exerts its effects by acting on the sympathetic nervous system to increase catecholamine (i.e. epinephrine and norepinephrine) production. Catecholamines facilitate the release of free fatty acids from fat cells, allowing fat to be utilized for short-term energy. By consuming caffeine before a workout, you can heighten this fat-burning effect while simultaneously improving exercise performance.
Now this isn’t to say you should load up on caffeinated beverages. Caffeine is a stimulant and, at high doses, can cause a host of unwanted side effects such as hypertension, nervousness, insomnia and gastrointestinal distress. But assuming consumption is limited to about 300 milligrams a day – which amounts to approximately two cups of brewed coffee – it poses no known health risks in otherwise healthy individuals (although it can be contraindicated in certain medical conditions and during pregnancy – check with your physician if there’s any concern). Just make sure to go easy on the cream and sugar though as they can easily offset the caffeine-induced increase in metabolic rate and have a negative impact on fat storage. As an alternative, consider using skim milk and artificial sweeteners as flavor enhancers.
For those who want a terrific alternative to coffee, consider herbal green tea. In addition to containing caffeine, green tea also has compounds called catechins that serve to further increase metabolism. Catechins inhibit an enzyme called catechol-O-methyl-transferase, which is responsible for degrading noradrenaline, a potent hormone that promotes the oxidation of body fat. In combination, caffeine and catechins act synergistically to enhance resting energy expenditure beyond what is achieved by caffeine alone. Considering that it also has an even greater amount of antioxidants than coffee, green tea is a terrific beverage for keeping your body in peak condition. There is even evidence that, because of its concentration of flavonoids, it helps to increase bone density and stave off cardiovascular disease. Does this sound like an evil drug?
Stay Fit!
Brad
Bookmark this on Delicious
Exercise
February 24, 2008
As a trainer, not a day goes by where I don’t speak to yet another woman who’s frustrated with her exercise routine. She’ll invariably tell me she’s been training for years without seeing noticeable improvement in her physique. Or she’ll say she did okay at the beginning but suddenly hit a training plateau. Sound familiar?
What derails a woman’s ability to get into shape? After nearly two decades as a trainer, I’ve isolated five workout mistakes as the primary culprits. If you’re not happy with your results and perhaps are thinking of throwing in the towel, take a pause and see if any of the following mistakes apply to your situation. Remember, you can do a lot of things right, but it takes doing only one thing wrong to impair your progress…
Mistake #1: Performing cardio over weight training!
Women tend to gravitate toward cardiovascular exercises like aerobics. They often avoid weight training because they think they’re going to get too bulky or perhaps figure they shouldn’t add muscle until getting down to their ideal body weight.
Reality check: Aerobics do almost nothing to improve muscle tone. Only by lifting weights will you actually firm up your muscles and get that hard body you desire. What’s more, strength training is actually the best activity not only for losing weight, but also for maintaining your ideal body weight over time. Sure, cardio will burn more calories during the activity itself, but lifting weights does something cardio can’t: it improves your body’s ability to burn fat round the clock. Understand that muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body. Add five pounds of lean muscle – which any woman can do within several months – and you’ll burn as much as an extra 1,500 calories a week…even while channel-surfing for your favorite TV show!
Mistake #2: Using weights that are too light!
While men tend to lift for ego and go ultra-heavy, all-too-often women go in the opposite direction. Walk into any gym and you’ll see a woman lifting a two-pound weight while reading a magazine or talking on her cell phone. Sadly, she doesn’t realize this is just exercising in futility.
Fact is, in order to tone up you need to challenge your muscles beyond their present capacity. This is exercise 101—the general adaptation syndrome. Take home message: make sure the last few reps are difficult to complete. If you’re not struggling at the end of your set, the weight is too light! And trust me ladies, you won’t end up looking like a she-male by pushing your body a little. It’s simply not going to happen.
Mistake #3. Not having a game plan!
Training is all about strategy. Too many times, I see women walk into a gym not knowing what they want to do that day. So they end up doing a little of this and a little of that, but really not getting a whole lot out of their efforts. It’s like trying to writing a novel without having a plot in mind—you end up with an aimless journey that ultimately goes nowhere.
The important thing is to decide what you want to do before you start your workout, and then follow through on that game plan each time you train. Map out the muscles you want to work and the exercises that you intend to perform. Better yet, write down your routine in an exercise log and take it with you to the gym. Guaranteed it will keep you more focused throughout your session.
Mistake #4: Training too frequently!
Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize: when you lift weights, you’re not developing your muscles, you’re breaking them down. That’s right, each time you workout, tiny microtears form in your muscles as a result of the training process. Once you finish lifting, your body needs rest to recuperate. This is when development takes place. Your body anticipates you’re going to shock it at some point by lifting those obscene weights and reacts by getting stronger and harder.
It should therefore be apparent that training places a major stress on the body. Not only does it tax the muscles themselves but it also taxes your entire neuromuscular system while you’re training. If you train too much, you’ll short circuit the recuperation process and can actually become overtrained where results come to a complete halt. To avoid this malady, allow 48 hours rest in between weight-training sessions. This is the approximate time course of protein synthesis—the mechanism by which your muscles are repaired. Also limit intense cardiovascular activity (such as running or interval training) to no more than five days a week with two full days off.
Mistake #5: Expecting to see immediate results!
Unfortunately, exercise isn’t an instant gratification process. Results happen over time. If you expect to see change in a few days or a week or two, you’re setting yourself up for frustration and destined to end up demotivated.
What can you reasonably expect? If you exercise properly, you’ll begin to see changes in the body in about four weeks. After about 8 to 12 weeks you’ll see fairly significant changes. Keep it up for four to six months and you’ll really start turning heads. The key is to maintain perspective and follow through over time. You will see results if you have the right routine and remain dedicated.
Train hard and stay fit!
Brad
TAGS: workout mistakes, training plateau, exercise mistakes, exercise plateau, workout plateau, tone up, shape up
Entries (RSS)
