results = effort

Lazy.

If you want to be in shape, you have to work at it; but to what extent?  Here is a conversation that I have participated in a number of times over the past few years:

Consumer:  So you’re a fitness trainer

Me: Yes

Consumer: How often do I need to exercise to get in shape?

(What is really being said is:  I want to put as little effort as possible into being proactive in my health)

Me: As often as possible.

Consumer: Can you be more specific

(What is really being asked is: what are you some kind of fitness fanatic?)

Me: An hour a day

(What I am really saying is:  as much time as possible)

Consumer: Wow, that much?

Me: Yes

(What I am really saying is yes)

Consumer:  I don’t think I can manage to workout for an hour per day; what if I workout for an hour three days per week?

Me: Ok, but you won’t get the same results as if you work out every day.  

Consumer:  I thought working out everyday was bad for you.

Me:  Don’t do the same type of workout everyday. 

Consumer:  What do you mean?

Me:  Do weight training one day and some sort of cardio one day, or maybe join an adult recreational sports league.

Consumer:  But I don’t want to bulk up, I just want to get tone; what would that take?

Me:  Workout as often as possible and watch your diet

And the negotiation goes on and on

I hope you get my point.  You will get results equal to the effort. 

Free form versus assisted form

 The latest greatest fad hitting the market is the Vibram Five Fingers and the Nike Free.  If you don’t know what they are come out of your cave and click on the links below before you continue to read. 

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/index.cfm

http://nikerunning.nike.com/nikeos/p/nikeplus/en_US/products/free5?blogSource=en_US

Along with these products comes a new debate; free form versus assisted form. 

The thought behind free form is that your body will adapt to the environment when given the chance.  The runners from Kenya and other parts of the world are used as the primary example as most of them train barefoot and they are really, really strong runners.  Another purported benefit is that you have a more stable base as your toes are not cramped together.  There will be less stress on your ankles, knees, and hips because the free form forces your body into a more natural position.

The thought behind the assisted form is that your body needs stability.  Although we are bilateral, we are not bilaterally symmetrical. There for one side will always be dominate and one side weak.  The support from a good pair of shoes will give you a solid platform and correct any abnormalities.  If you are pigeon toed or duck toes, your knees move in or out, your feet roll one way or another, the proper shoes will correct these issues. 

Because this is my blog and I get to tell you what I think – here goes:

Most people in this country do not know how to exercise in proper form; whether it is running, weight training, etc.  Free form is great if you already know form.  My suggestion is that you use a good pair of shoes for which you have been fitted and learn proper form for whatever activity you chose, then if you want to add some fun and a little bit more of a challenge go free form.  Start slowly and build up. 

I would thing in the next few years there will be a number of studies done that either prove or disprove al of the claims. 

Disclaimer:  I have a pair of the Five Fingers and love them.  I do almost everything in them except run.  I am not a strong runner and I need to really work on my form before switching over. 

For a really great primer on running go to:

http://www.chirunning.com/shop/home.php

To play or not to play

We have spent a lot of time and attention discussing the merits of being active.  No one will disagree that being active is better than being inactive.  (Any couch potatoes out there who disagree?).  So the question becomes “Should we, and if so, when should we, start children on a skill development program?”  The argument is that if a child is more skilled at something than they are more likely to do it and make a habit of it.  So how do we find out what skill or activity at which the child excels physically, cognitively, and emotionally? 

Think of all the different activities out there. How many team sports are there available to children? How many individual sports? How many non-competitive activities? How many activities where the child can just run, and jump, and play….you know, be a kid. 

One way that is fast becoming extinct is for parents to play with their children rather than shuffling them off to the “next activity”.  I am amazed at how many parents drop the kids off somewhere as they do their errands, shopping, etc.  After soccer, it’s off to karate, or baseball, or basketball, the list goes on. 

The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights states that every child has the right to play (Ginsberg, 2007) .When a parent plays with their child, the child develops creativity, imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. Play time helps enhance the academic setting by attending to social and emotional needs. Undirected play allows a child to learn to share, communicate, and resolve conflicts while too much “adult organized” activity causes a loss of creativity, and loss leadership and group skills (Ginsberg, 2007).  Adult directed activity places undue burdens and expectations on many children who may not be able to live up to their parents wishes.  When a parent plays with a child, they can see where the child excels or has no interest or skill without extensive genetic, physical, or cognitive tests.  Simple “playtime” may be the best answer for determining in what activities children should participate.

In a 2009 New York Times article (Parker-Pope, 2009), it is suggested that 15 minutes of recess improved classroom behavior and is as important as the directed academics.  The article goes on to state that the Journal of School Health reported that children involved in physical activity during gym class performed better on tests than their sedentary counterparts.  The solution - let them play and use their imaginations; let them join in on a pick up game of any sport; throw a ball or a Frisbee with them.  Please, just let kids be kids as it will help them academically. 

Ginsberg, K.  (2007)  The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds.  Pediatrics 116(1), 182-191. 

Parker-Pope, T. (2009). The 4 r's? A fourth is crucial, too: Recess. The New York Times, February 24, 2009. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/health/24well.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=recess&st=cse on April 17, 2009.

Cardio – Before or after?

One of the most frequently asked questions I get regarding cardio is whether it should be done prior to or after resistance weight training.  First let me say that I am not a huge fan of doing cardio and weights during the same workout.  It’s too easy to think that since I am going to be doing more, I do not have to exert on the first portion of the workout.  Or, since I have already exerted so much for the first part, I can slack a little on the second. Experience tells me that one or the other will suffer.  I know that not everyone has the time to do this, but I prefer doing cardio and resistance training on separate days so I can put full effort into each; if not separate days, at least a few hours apart.   If you must do both on the same day, do resistance weight training first and then cardio.

Many studies have reported that concurrently performing strength training and endurance training will compromise strength and power (Chromiak & Mulvaney, 1990).  Rhea et al. (2008) studied the effects of plyometric training with concurrent cardiovascular endurance training on collegiate baseball players.  One group performed a combination of plyometrics and endurance while another group performed just plyometrics.  The combined group decreased in speed and power while the single group showed an increase in speed and power.  Nader (2006) suggests that this phenomenon, known as the interference phenomenon, is because certain enzymes that are needed for strength gains are mitigated by endurance training. 

Now for the physiology; the body utilizes three energy systems. The phosphagen system uses adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (CP) as fuel.  The glycolytic system is when glycogen (sugar) from the muscle or glucose (sugar again) from the blood is converted to ATP and used as fuel.  The oxidative system resynthesizes carbohydrates and fat into ATP.  The phosphagen system only supplies energy during short bursts that last for just a few seconds.  The glycolytic system lasts just a few minutes and the oxidative system is used for exercise durations longer than three minutes. 

The three energy systems of the body, phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative, work together and often overlap, however as mentioned, endurance training (aerobic) and strength training (anaerobic) will often elicit incompatible results.  Rhea et al. (2008) propose a fitness continuum that consists of neuromuscular power, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular endurance.  Training for the individual components in the fitness continuum will result in differing physiological outcomes.  It is also thought that the closer the components are in the continuum, the more compatible the training adaptations will be.  Similarly, the further apart the components are in the continuum, the less compatible the adaptations will be. 

In theory, to move into the oxidative system, you need to pass through the phosphagen (ATP-CP) and glycolytic (sugar) systems.  This leaves too little of the proper fuel for resistance weight training.  Where as performing strength exercises first and depleting the first two energy systems, one is ready to move into the oxidative system.  Bottom line, do strength training first and then cardio. 

Chromiak, J. & Mulvaney, D. (1990). A review: The effects of strength and endurance training on strength development.  Journal of Applied Sport Science Research, 4(2), 55-60.

Nader, G. (2006). Current strength and endurance training: From molecules to man. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. DOI: 10.1249/01.mss.0000233795.39282.33. 

Rhea, M., Oliverson, J., Marshall, G., Peterson, M., Kenn, J., Naclerioayllo’n, F. (2008).  Noncompatibiality of power and endurance training among college baseball players.  Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(1), 230-234. 

High or Low Intensity for Cardio?

Have you ever looked at the chart on the cardio equipment that has the different training zones?  You’ll see a range for endurance, one for fat burning, and one for whatever....  Why is it that the fat burning zone requires less intensity than the aerobic capacity training zone?

The number is based on percentage.  In other words, training at a less intense pace, you will burn more fat - percentage wise - than training at a higher intensity.  However, let’s break these numbers down. 

The following is a comparison of energy expenditure between 30-40 Minutes of Low-Intensity vs. High Intensity Exercise

Low intensity:

Calories burned – 200

% Fat calories – 50%

Total Fat Calories-100

% of Carbohydrate calories-50%

Total Carb calories – 100

Calories per minute-6.67

High intensity:

Calories burned – 400

% Fat calories – 30%

Total Fat Calories-120

% of Carbohydrate calories-70%

Total Carb calories – 280

Calories per minute-13.5

Tell me, which numbers would you prefer? 

The American College of Sports Medicine and U.S. Surgeon General suggest that a minimum of 30-60 minutes of moderate activity be performed most days of the week to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (DHHS)

• Adults, 18-64: should avoid inactivity. Some physical activity is better than none, and adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits.

• For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.
• Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, and preferably, it should be spread throughout the week.
• For additional and more extensive health benefits, adults should increase aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
• Additional health benefits are gained by engaging in physical activity beyond this amount.
• Adults should also include muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.

Box Workouts

Over the past few years some of the “box” style fitness systems have become fairly prominent. Each has its own unique style and most are valuable for what they achieve. Unfortunately, most also only address one phase of training and never actually properly prepare the body or transition the body. Injury and plateaus are too often the result of a poorly planned or executed workout program. To keep this posting fairly short I am only going to address strength training.

The first thing to remember is that the body will always try to stay at a certain set point (homeostasis), but the body will adapt to the demands imposed upon it. This is a very simple concept until we think about the different tissues in the body. Not all tissue adapts at the same rate. Muscle adapts faster than connective tissue (due mostly to the lack of nerves and vascularity in tendons, ligaments, etc). Muscles work in one of three ways; isometric contractions stabilize, concentric contractions shorten the muscle while under tension and usually accelerating, and eccentric contractions lengthen the muscle while under tension, usually decelerating. Although injury can occur with any of these movements, many injuries happen while the muscle is lengthening (eccentric contraction) while under tension. The down phase of a squat is a good example – the quads are lengthening while trying to control deceleration and therefore still contracting. Injury can occur very easily if the muscle gets too much stronger than the connective tissue and force or velocity is attempted. If the muscles are stronger than the connective tissue, or the neuromuscular system doesn’t efficiently respond, the connective tissue will tear.

Another aspect of some of the “box” workout programs is that they repeatedly stress the same musculature in the same fashion. For example if one were to perform push ups day after day, results would be obtained in the first few weeks but then push ups would become easy and continued adaptations would cease. As the body becomes accustomed to an activity, the body becomes more efficient and fewer muscle motor units are required – progress stops. To continue to see improvement, the body must have new demands imposed upon it that require increased motor unit recruitment. Increased motor unit recruitment increases the number of muscle fibers that are activated allowing for greater potential growth.

Because tissue adapts when appropriate stimulus is imposed, manipulating exercise variables becomes paramount to achieving greater results. Volume (sets and reps), intensity, velocity, training frequency, planes of motion and exercise selection, as well as coordinated movement patterns all need to be changed every four to six weeks. This type of periodized training leads to greater improvements than non-periodized training as specific combinations illicit specific adaptations.

A safe program that addresses dynamic stabilization, muscular endurance, muscle growth and strength, and then power and velocity in a progressive manner will lead to the greatest adaptations. Stabilization training builds joint support during movement allowing for the practitioner to dynamically accelerate and decelerate in a controlled fashion. Muscular endurance training builds type I muscle fibers that are used for core and joint stabilization – a precursor to building strength and power. Hypertrophy and strength training (type II muscle fibers) will make the muscles bigger and stronger as well as activate the neuromuscular system to adequately overcome and control external and internal forces. Since power is the product of force x velocity it requires increased motor unit recruitment from strength training and neuromuscular efficiency from stabilization training (to adequately produce velocity one must be able to push off of something – usually the ground, see Newton’s Laws of Physics). By utilizing a periodized exercise plan, the body will properly be prepared for each phase of training and progressions can be made in a safe manner that minimizes the potential for injury.

Info taken from:

Clark, M., & Lucett, S. (2010) NASM’s essentials of sports performance training. pp. 257-267; Baltimore Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins.

Balance Training and Performance

Movements that most sports require are performed at a high velocity and with strength; both of which are hard to achieve in an unstable environment. In 2002 Behm, Anderson, and Curnew conducted a study to measure muscle force production and muscle activation in both unstable and stable environments. Unilateral leg extensions and plantar flexion were performed while sitting on either a bench or a ball. Force production from the unstable leg extension were over 70% less than those performed on the bench and force production from unstable plantar flexion was over 20% less. In addition, quadriceps activation under unstable conditions averaged 44.3% less than that under stable conditions and hamstring activity increased by 29.1% under unstable vs. stable conditions.

However, I I think it is important to keep in mind that strength and force are not the only factors when discussing performance ability. One objective of instability training is to promote balance by disturbing the equilibrium of the musculoskeletal system so that there is an increase in neuromuscular capacity and a decrease in action/reaction time (Yaggie & Campbell, 2006).

In one study, tests for time on BOSU, shuttle run, vertical jump, and postural sway were performed prior to and after the four weeks of BOSU training and then again after two weeks off from balance training. Those training on a BOSU exhibited advances in all categories except the vertical jump as. The lack of improvement n the vertical jump may suggest that balance training does not affect power performance (as outlined in the first paragraph).

BOSU training can also increase reaction time by improving proprioception in the musculature of the ankle therefore reducing altered hip and knee kinematics. The result is improved mechanics and reflex loops that control postural sway and balance. It should be noted that that the results are transient and any increase will be diminished after just two weeks off from training.

Balance training is effective for increasing proprioception, dynamic balance, and static postural sway, but for jumping, sprints, and strength, plyometrics appear to produce superior outcomes (Zech et al. 2010). However, adding resistance by incorporating pushing or pulling movements can increase disruptions to the center of gravity. Further progression can be made by integrating the use of single leg exercises, rotational movements around the three axis (anteroposterior, mediolateral, and longitudinal), and movement in all three planes of motion.

Behm, D., Anderson, K., Curnew, R. (2002) Muscle force and activation under stable and unstable conditions. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2002, 16(3), 416–422

Yaggie, J., Campbell, B. (2006) Effects of balance training on selected skills. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20(2), 422-428.

Zech, A., Hubsher, M., Vogt, L., Banzer, W., Hansel, F., Pfeifer, K. (2010) Balance training for neuromuscular control and performance enhancement: A systematic study. Journal of Athletic Training 2010;45(4):392–403