Friday, August 31, 2012

Chocolate for Your Health: 08/31/2011

Yes, it is true, cocoa is purely magic, and the more that this magical bean is studied the more magical that it has become. Dark chocolate, especially due to its higher concentration of cocoa, is even better for you. Cocoa has been link to slowing down the onset of dementia, Alzheimers, and improving cognitive function. And even more recently linked to improving BMI in adults and reducing stroke risk in males. Don't over do it though, only 1 - 2 ounces is recommended daily; that is the equivalent of 1 or 2 squares a day. Choose wisely too, dark chocolate of 75% or higher is better and more concentrated with cocoa, plus there is less sugar. 





Thursday, August 30, 2012

Macronutrients: 08/30/2012

Macronutrients are probably some of the most important nutrients that you can feed yourself. Why? They give you energy and eating the right ones can actually increase your energy production helping you to go that extra mile. Nutrition is just important as exercise in maintaining a healthy body. A lot of athletes already know this, but did you know that it is important to keep a log of your diet to make sure that you are getting the nutrients that you need. For more information on an athletes diet please read Calculating an Athletes Dietary Needs. In this video Scott Herman breaks it down for us.




Words from Scott Herman:

Macronutrients are very important you you need to keep track of them on a daily basis if you want to hit your fitness goals. Here, we give you a brief rundown of what they are and how to calculate them when trying to put a meal plan together.

If you still need some help, check out the meal plan system on my website. It does all the calculations for you and helps you determine what your daily calorie intake should be as well.


Check it out!: http://scotthermanfitness.com/mealplan.php

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Legs: 08/29/2012

The legs are home to some of the strongest muscles on the body. You rely on them to stand, sit, walk, run, jump, and many other everyday tasks. Why then do so many people forget to work them out and strengthen them? Stop ignoring your legs, and stop looking like a chicken. Strengthen your legs like your life depends on it.


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The Deadlift: 08/28/2012

The deadlift is quite possibly one of the best lifts that you can do for your body. It increases core strength, leg strength, back strength, grip strength, and arm strength. So, yep you guessed it, the deadlift is a total body strength exercise.

deadlift-posture



Just a few pointers when performing the deadlift. 
  1. Make sure that you maintain a slight curve in the lower back
  2. Keep your focus forward
  3. Think of sticking out your butt this will maintain the curve in your lower back
  4. For heavier lifts have an alternate grip (one palm out the other palm in)
  5. Keep your knees over your feet
  6. Feet should be either under your hips or shoulders (too wide a stance can lead to hip, knee, ankle, or foot injury
  7. Hands placement should be just outside the knees
  8. The bar should be just in front of, but not touching the shin when in the bent over position
  9. Keep your shoulders pulled back during the entire exercise
  10. As with all lifting exercises exhale on the concentric contraction (lifting phase) and inhale on the eccentric (returning to start) phase 
For some great ways to modify the deadlift please go to Men's Health

Friday, August 24, 2012

Beginner Kettlebell 7 of 9: 08/24/2012



With good timing installment 7 of 9 of kettlebell training by Mbodystrength.com is here. The intensity is increased in this 7th installment of the beginner kettlebell workout. Unlike the 4th, 5th, and 6th  installments, this session has two 20 minute circuits with a two minute rest in between the two circuits. This session is sure to test your limits. Push as hard as you can throughout the entire 40 min of this workout. Keep your resistance and intensity high during this workout to make this session a resistance / cardio workout, which will enable you to burn more fat. Why? High intensity training has been shown to increase exercise post oxygen consumption (EPOC) in study participants, and this rise in EPOC leads to larger amounts of fat burned after exercise. I hope that you enjoy this series of kettlebell workouts, because they are enjoyable, fun, and definitely a great way to burn the fat and build muscle. This workout series is brought to you by Marcus Martinez from Mbodystrength.com and each week, for the several weeks, I will cover all 9 of his installments for this workout plan as they are made available. Push it and each time you do this workout try to beat your last number of sets. Have fun! Just remember there are only two more to left in this series. 





Exercises / Reps

Circuit 1:
Snatch L/R - 5
Hand Walkout - 5
Jump Lunge L/R - 5
Explosive Pushup - 5

*as many sets in 20 minutes

Rest 2 minutes


Circuit 2:
Dive Bomber - 6
Side Row L/R - 6
Figure 8 to Hold - 10 
Floor Press L/R - 6
                                  
*as many sets in 20 minutes

Video:

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Lookin' Good: 08/23/2012

Not everyone has the goal to be buff.
Not everyone has the goal to be fast.
Not everyone has the goal to be hot.
What ever your goal in life is make sure that exercise is a part of that goal!



Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Creatine Dose: 08/22/2012

Just How Much Creatine is Needed to See Results


Creatine is the most widely used supplement on the market next to protein powders and drinks. Despite its popularity amongst athletes it is not a completely understood supplement. Many people are taking doses that are too large for too long a period and others might simply be wasting their money because they are taking doses that are too low. How much should you take and for how long? Is there such thing as creatine loading? How about a maintenance  phase? If these are some questions that you have then this article might be just for you.

Athletes love to ask questions about creatine and whether it is something that they should use to improve their performance in either their sport, lifting, or to improve their physique. The one thing that is rarely asked is this: how should it be taken? The second question should be: what is an acceptable dose for creatine to be effective? The answers, unfortunately, are not all the simple, but you can most definitely place creatine into loading and maintenance phases to get the most out of your supplement. 




The loading or dosing phase is kind of similar to that of carb loading for a big race, but lasts for a longer period. Instead of one or two days of carb loading for the big race, creatine loading generally lasts for about 5 days 2,4, and in some studies it has lasted up to 7 days 5. It appears though that muscles may reach creatine load maximum in as low as 3 days 5. If this is the case why do most studies have the loading phase last a minimum of 5 days. Good question, and I wish I had the answer. The dose taken during the loading phase has been as low as 13.7 g/d 3, when questioning professional bodybuilders and other athletes about their daily doses during the loading phase, to studies having their subjects supplement with as high as 25 g/d, and even 35 g/d 4,8. As you can see that is a vast difference in dose size. Most studies seem to use 20 g/d with positive results for a period of 5 days 1, 3, 4, 5. This amount seems to be very effective in increasing speed, power, strength, and lean body mass in amateur, collegiate, and elite athletes 1, 5, 6, so loading with creatine above this amount might be just a waste of creatine. I know that there are some people out there that dose based on body weight, so here is a g/kg/d dose that might work for you. It appears that 0.25 - 0.3 g/kg/d works pretty well when using your body weight in kg to determine your dose during the loading phase for creatine supplementation, and amounts up to 0.03 g/kg/d have been shown to be positive for increasing work abilities 1,4. To determine how much you weigh in kg use this formula ____lbs ÷ 2.2 = ____ kg then multiply your desired g/kg dose by your weight in kg (70 kg * 0.3 = 21 g/d). When loading creatine it is best to take in two to three doses throughout the day that will add up to your desired daily dose (ie: 2 x 10 g doses = 20 g)




The maintenance phase can last weeks, months, and even years without long term harm to the kidneys since doses from 2 g to 20 g of creatine can easily be passed through the kidneys and liver during the filtration process, and no study has demonstrated kidney failure during their research 2, 8. It is, however, recommended that doses larger than 5 g/d only last for a brief period of 5 days 2. Most common theory on creatine maintenance is that supplementation between 2 - 5 g/d are best to maintain increased creatine levels with the muscle tissue 4. However, doses as low as 2 - 3 g/d have also shown to improve athletic performance in athletes 3. For those that want to load based off of weight then it is recommended to use 0.03 - 0.075 g/kg: use the same formula above to determine your dose. It must also be noted that the loading phase can be omitted by athletes that do not need to rapidly increase their creatine concentration within their muscles by just starting out with the maintenance phase. Athletes that do skip the loading phase will see similar results within 30 days or more when compared to what athletes see from pushing larger doses in the loading phase within a 5 day period 4. So in essence the loading phase will not be necessary for most athletes that are not in competition mode.

Whatever your decision on creatine is, one thing that is necessary to know is that there are several types of creatine out there. It appears that the easiest form for the body to absorb is creatine monohydrate and this form has been shown to have a 100% absorption rate 4,6. Also, don’t just fall for those ads that state that you will see fast results. There are a lot of misleading ads out there, and even more horrible products. Do your research on each product and read the reviews. Also, ask your friends about the products that they have used, and find out if they liked the results that they got. Rule number one is always to know your product before starting a supplementation protocol. Rule number two: there is really no need outside of the loading phase to supplement with more than 5 g/d, so don’t waste your product just because you are following the label. Knowledge is power, and ignorance can be dangerous when it comes to supplements. What you don’t know can hurt you, so make sure that you know and understand the facts. Until next time, happy lifting and may good health follow you always.




 

References

1. Faraji, H., Arazi, H., Vatani, D. S., & Hakimi, M. (2010). The effects of creatine supplementation on sprint running performance and selected hormonal responses. South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, 32(2), 31- 39.  
2. Francaux, M., & Poortmans, J. R. (2006). Side effects of creatine supplementation in athletes. International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance, 1(4), 311 - 324

3. Gutierrez-Sancho, O., Moncada-Jimenez, J., Salazar-Rojas, W., & Robinson, E. (2006). The effect of creatine supplementation on biochemical, body composition, and performance outcomes in humans: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences, 18(2), 12 - 38

4. Hoffman, J. R. (2010). Creatine and ß-alanine supplementation in strength/power athletes. Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research, 8(1), 19 - 31.

5. Hosseini, S. S., Rostamkhany, H., & Panahi, M. (2011). Effect of plyometric training and creatine supplementation on some fitness factors in athletes. Annals of Biological Research, 2(6), 19 - 31.

6. Lamontagne-Lacasse, M., Nadon, Raymond, & Goulet, E. (2011). Effect of creatine supplementation on jumping performance in elite volleyball players. International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance, 6(4), 525 - 434.

7. Lopez, R. M., Casa, D. J., McDermott, B. P., Ganio, M. S., Armstrong, L. E., & Maresh, C. M. (2009). Does creatine supplementation hinder exercise heat tolerance or hydration status? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Athletic Training, 44(2), 215 - 223.

8. Ostojic, S. M., & Ahmetovic, Z. (2008). Gastrointestinal distress after creatine
 supplementation in athletes: Are side effects dose dependent? Research in Sports Medicine,  
 16(1),15 - 23.        

Thursday, August 16, 2012

When Should You Consume Protein: 08/16/2012


Protein Timing for Muscle Growth, Recovery, and Power:Does it Matter?


There have been a lot of conversations about protein supplementation and its effect on muscle growth and its role in muscle development in athletes and recreational athletes. Some argue that it is important to supplement prior to and immediately post exercise. Whereas, others have argued that it is best to just supplement at anytime during the day. So, does it really matter when you supplement with protein? The answer is yes and no. It is obvious that resistance athletes must consume upwards of 30% - 50% more protein than that of an endurance athlete (Hoffman et al., 2009). Also, there is evidence that exercise, particularly resistance training and lengthy endurance training, can produce a catalytic (breakdown) cycle within the muscular structure during and post exercise (Ivy & Furguson., 2010) and that this catalytic cycle can lead to reductions in force, power, and strength of future workouts. For a positive recovery to occur a shift must be made from a catalytic state to an anabolic state, and this is why it is believed that the optimal window for a post-exrecise meal is within 30 - 60 minutes (Ivy & Ferguson, 2010). Also, intense exercise enhances protein synthesis, as well as, protein degradation; for this reason it is important to have amino acid availability to mediate the balance between degradation and synthesis (Ferguson-Stegall et al., 2011). Athletes that supplement or increase their protein intake have been shown to increase muscular recovery, decrease muscle damage, and also a reduction in force decrements (Hoffman et al., 2009). So when is it considered the best time to supplement? Is there an optimal ratio between carbohydrates (CHO) and protein? What protein source seems to be the best? There is a large amount of evidence out there that supports supplementation of protein by the athlete, but the differences in the results within research  can make determining an ideal protein ingestion window challenging. 







Most studies that have researched the subject of protein supplementation explore timing, protein source, simple protein supplementation, and dosage size in relation to athlete or non-athletes. Previous studies have demonstrated that protein supplementation at or above recommended levels did not improve lean mass, strength or power in strength and power athletes, however, it is unknown what the parameters were for those studies and whether the participants were heavily observed throughout the course of the studies (
Hoffman et al., 2009,). Also, of note is that in one study involving timing where male athletes ages 19 - 23 years in age reported better lean mass gains from protein supplementation when compare to elderly men whom also participated in the same study. Despite these gains it should be noted that there may have been some hormonal differences that lead to the increased gains in the younger athletes (Hoffman et al., 2009,). It was also noted that an increase in the amino acid leucine, found in milk, may have offset those negative muscle gain results in elderly men (Hulmi, Lockwood & Stout., 2010). When comparing  protein supplementation in a previous study, they found that recreational athletes ages 21 - 24 supplementing with 44g of whey protein and 43 g of glucose (1:1 ratio) immediately prior to and post exercise showed the greatest improvement in lean body mass and cross sectional type II muscle fiber size when compared to a similar group that supplemented in the morning and evening (Hoffman et al., 2009). This previous study contradicted the study by Hoffman et al., that found similar results for both the morning and evening group along with the pre & post exercise group when supplementing with 42 g of a proprietary blend of protein (whey and casein). In short both groups showed adequate increases in strength, 1RM, and power, but timing did not make a difference between the statistics between the two groups. This may be because the athletes daily intake of protein was well above the recommended 1.6 - 2.0g/kg, and that the amount of carbohydrates (CHO) in the supplement mixture could have been too low to enhance protein metabolism facilitation (Hoffman et al., 2009) and this might have caused an overload on one singular metabolic pathway (Hulmi, Lockwood & Stout., 2010).  It should be noted that for resistance training the amount of CHO should be between 1.2g and 1.5 g/kg along with 0.4g to 0.6 g/kg of protein at the time of supplementation (Ivy & Ferguson., 2010), and that protein intake should not exceed 2.0 g/kg/d. This is close to a 3:1 CHO:Protein ratio.

Another study looked at comparing the effects of carrying a 25kg backpack on a tread mill for 2 hours while comparing commercially available carbohydrate and whey protein supplements, and whether they aid in the recovery of neuromuscular function post exercise while consumed during exercise (Blacker et al., 2010). In this study Blacker et al, took ten healthy recreational athletic males and broke them into control (placebo), CHO, and protein groups. The subjects performed a muscle testing protocol involving isokinetic flexion and extension contractions of the trunk, knee, and shoulder at two different hertz intervals (20 Hz and 50 Hz), as well as, maximal voluntary isometric contractions with the subject contracting into knee extension (Blacker et al., 2010). These tests were performed prior to exercise, immediately post exercise, 24, 48, and 72 hours post exercise. The results showed that only the protein and CHO groups had a return to strength at 48 hours post exercise (Blacker et al., 2010). This study does not demonstrate the need for protein supplementation to achieve strength or muscle mass gains, however, it does clearly signal the need for increased nutrients while participating in prolonged exercise. Also, the subjects consumed whey protein based beverages. It might also be of importance to note that in a previous study subjects that showed the best development of type I and type II muscle fibers, and demonstrated a positive muscle protein balance consumed 15g of whey protein prior to and post exercise (Hulmi, Lockwood &; Stout., 2010). Also,  several other previous other studies have shown recreational athletes and previously sedentary individuals to demonstrate an increase in muscle mass when whey protein was consumed and that there were minimal differences between male and female subjects. (Hulmi, Lockwood & Stout., 2010).   



Does this mean that chocolate milk might be a great post exercise drink? According to research the answer would be yes. Whey is definitely a great source of protein for the musculoskeletal system, given that you are not lactose intolerant or have whey allergies. There have been several studies that have looked at the consumption of chocolate milk as a recovery supplement, and many studies have found it to be very promising. This subject all on its own could be a completely different article. For instance, one study that looked into the use of chocolate milk in the protein signalling, protein and CHO synthesis and recovery processes had 10 trained (5 men and 5 women) cyclist and triathletes who were physically stressed and broke the subjects into placebo, CHO, and chocolate milk groups(Ferguson-Stout et al., 2011). The athletes in this study performed both 3 doses of a time trial test, a VO2max test, and 3 doses of 1.5 hours of cycling followed by  interval testing for 10 min to exhaustion. Ferguson-Stout et al.,  found that the trained athletes whom consumed a low-fat chocolate milk beverage (1.9 g CHO, 0.6 g PRO, and 0.3 g fat per kg body weight) had a lower test time trial and had an increase in power output when compared to the CHO group. Also, they determined that their finding matched the findings of various other studies that have looked at the benefits of using a protein/CHO recovery drink post exercise (Ferguson-Stout et al., 2011). It is thought that the higher concentrations of leucine and isoleucine may make fat-free chocolate milk an ideal beverage to be consumed immediately post exercise to enhance muscle protein synthesis (Hoffman et al., 2009), also the CHO found in chocolate milk would aid in muscle glycogen restoration.

Research demonstrates the need to consume protein after exercise, but it is best to include CHO within the recovery meal to improve muscle protein synthesis, protein signaling, muscle glycogen restoration and to increase muscular endurance performance (Ferguson-Stout et al., 2011). There is substantial evidence that protein intake immediately prior to and post exercise can improve muscle protein synthesis rate and increase the accretion of muscle protein in resistance athletes looking to add mass and power when compared to similar athletes who delay their post exercise meal (or snack) for a long period of time (Hoffman et al., 2009). It has also been suggested that a CHO:protein supplement be taken immediately post exercise and then again 2 hours after to augment muscle damage, replace muscle glycogen stores, improve or protect immune function, and increase the rate of muscle protein synthesis when compared to  just providing protein or CHO on their own (Ivy & Ferguson, 2009). This statement even further justifies the need to have a post exercise snack or meal that is close to the ratios of 4:1 or 3:1 in CHO:protein. It would also stand to reason from research that whey protein may be more beneficial to an individual looking to add mass and power to their body. Despite the idea of whey being “better” for increasing the size and power of the musculoskeletal system, any protein is be good protein to add mass and permit adequate muscle protein synthesis. The evidence isn’t just for resistance athletes, even endurance athletes can benefit from a good CHO:protein supplement or meal post exercise. So the next time that you exercise don’t feel bad if you think, “What will I eat after this workout?”, and if you are looking to bulk up then go ahead and add in a CHO:protein pre-exercise meal.






References

Blacker, S. D., Williams, N. C., Fallowfield, J. L., Bilzon, J. LJ., & Willems, M., ET. (2010). Carbohydrate vs protein supplementation for recovery of neuromuscular function following prolonged load carriage. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 7:2.

Ferguson-Stout, L., McCleave, E. L., Ding, Z., Doerner III, P. G., Wang, B., Liao, Y-H., Kammer, L., Liu, Y., Hwang, J., & Dessard, B. M. (2011). Postexercise carbohydrate-protein supplementation improves subsequent exercise performance and intracellular signaling for protein synthesis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(5). 1210 - 1224.

Hoffman, J. R., Ratamess, N. A., Tranchina, C. P., Rashti, S. L., Kang, J., & Faigenbau, A. D. (2009). Effects of protein-supplement timing on strength, power, and body-composition changes in resistance-trained men. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 19. 172 - 185.

Hulmi, J. J., Lockwood, C. M., & Stout, J. R. (2010). Effect of protein/essential amino acids and resistance training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: A case for whey protein. Nutrition & Metabolism, 7:51.

Ivy., J. L., & Ferguson, L. F. (2010). Optimizing resistance exercise adaptations through the timing of post-exercise carbohydrate-protein supplementation. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 32(1). 30 - 36.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The Magic of Weights: 08/15/2012

Wanna burn more calories? Try lifting some weights to decrease your fat mass. For every lb of lean mass that you add to your body you can increase your metabolic burn up to 5 kcal. You will also maintain a great daily living activity level by being able to perform simple daily activities simply. So when you exercise, don't forget the weights.


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Little Meditation Helper: 08/14/2012

Meditation has been used by humans for thousands of years to calm and soothe the mind, and to return the human body back to a central point. Meditation requires for some a quiet room without distraction, but for others it requires a place that sounds tranquil. Insight Timer Meditation is an app that comes in both a free version as well as a paid version that is ad free and costs $1.99. This app also has a social aspect to it, and you can link several of your social sites like Facebook and Twitter to your meditation account.

Insight Timer Meditation Timer 

What the developer says about the application:

Imagine the sound of beautiful Tibetan singing bowls, gently and peacefully guiding you through your meditation session. Your attention focused inward with no need to worry about the clock…
Insight Timer gives you this and much more. It's simple enough to get started with just a few taps, yet powerful enough to handle the most sophisticated mediation routines with advanced features such as interval bells, presets and a meditation journal.
With the Insight Connect feature, you can become part of a global meditation community - seeing at a glance people around the world who are meditating with you. Link your Facebook or Twitter account and you and your friends can follow and support one another's practice. You can also make new friends who share your love of meditation.
* * * * * * * * * *

- You'll love our bells! Recorded with high quality digital audio equipment at a famous meditation center, these new bell samples are amazing. Crystal clear with extra long fade outs. They sound great with the built-in speaker, but to get the full effect, try using headphones or external speakers.
- Choose from seven different bells of varying size and metal compositions - from bright and clean to deep and complex with lovely overtones. A wood block sound is also included.
- Bells can be configured to ring at the start, the end, and at specified times during your session. Each bell can be set to ring once, twice or three times. The delay between strikes is configurable from 1 to 20 seconds.
- Powerful logging and statistics features allow you to track your progress over time. Multiple charts, a complete session log and helpful statistics give you a complete picture of how your practice is evolving.
- Presets allow you to save an unlimited number of configurations and assign names to them. If you have multiple meditation routines (such as Morning and Evening), this makes it easy to switch between them without any configuration changes.
- You may set a background image from your own photo album. While the timer is running, your image is shown full screen. Optionally, the time display and controls can be hidden so that they are shown only when the image is tapped.
- Meditation Journal: You may enter notes about each session when the timer ends - a practice that many people find to be helpful and therapeutic. Your journal entries can be exported via an email attachment. Journal access may be password protected to ensure privacy.
- Insight Timer is geared toward meditation, but it also works great for yoga, Reiki, exercise or any other activity that you wish to time.
- Pause and resume your timer session.
- Bells will ring even when the device is locked so you can turn off the screen to save power and eliminate ambient light.
- Optionally vibrate with or instead of bells.


Insight timer can be found at Google Play and at the iTunes App Store

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Burnout: 08/11/2012

Call it plateauing, hitting a wall, or burnout, but it is all the same; it is the feeling that you get when you have taken your body to the limit and nothing you do will keep your body getting stronger, faster, and more powerful.  Burnout happens to all of us, some people get it worse. Usually the cause is doing or performing the same task day after day. This can happen easily with a job that has minimal duties, and it can happen with your workout routine and even your diet. Here are a few tips to help you break that burnout!


  1. Completely revamp your workout exercises: in other words do something completely different that you have either never done before or that might challenge you both mentally and physically
  2. Try working out at a different time of the day, this will keep your metabolism guessing
  3. Add a new exercise or challenge each week there are many groups and trainers that even create great challenge workouts like, Scott Herman, Marcus Martinez, Jeff Cavalier, and Spartan WOD. 
  4. Try working out with a buddy, they can keep you on your toes
  5. Move away from the heavy weights for a week or two and try some functional exercises
  6. Perform functional exercise with high intensity for 20 - 30 minutes
  7. Give Cross fit or Navy Seal training a try
  8. Take a week off. Maybe your burnout isn't burnout after all, but over-training
When all else fails do some research on your own and find what has helped others. This could involve asking a friend, reading some magazine articles, or simply searching the internet. Good luck with breaking your burnout! We have all been there and hopefully most of us have been able to break the rut. 

Friday, August 10, 2012

These are made for running: 08/10/2012

It doesn't matter that you have running shoes if you never wear them for running! Running can burn 600 kcal or more per hour! Wanna six pack, tone-up, lose fat, or simply lose weight? Running can be your friend in the end. Also, cardiovascular endurance might just be what saves you during the Zombie Apocalypse. :)



Thursday, August 9, 2012

Upper Body Warm-Up: 08/09/2012

Scott Herman brings us this great upper body warm-up to prepare ourselves for the any upper body / chest workout. It is still important to warm-up for a lifting protocol, and using similar movements is always a great way to prepare yourself for some lifting. Now keep in mind that this is a warm-up and not a workout. Could you make it a workout? Yes, with some changes you could probably make it your training session for the day. Have fun and enjoy!




Equipment:

Timer (but not necessary)


Sets/Reps:

Do as many as you can in 10 seconds for 2 Circuits


Exercises:

Push-Up In-Out 
Push-Up Back & Forth 
Plyo Lateral Push-Up (Version 1)
Plyo Lateral Push-Up (Version 2) 


Video:



Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Posture, It's Good for You: 08/08/2012

Did you know that the pounds of pressure on your spine increases with every inch in which your head tilts forward. Don't hurt your spine with bad posture. Stand upright and show the world you're proud to pamper your back!



Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Beginner Kettlebell 6 of 9: 08/07/2012


Finally installment 6 of 9 of kettlebell training by Mbodystrength.com is here. The intensity is still getting raised in this 6th installment of the beginner kettlebell workout. Like the 4th and 5th  installments this session has two 15 minute circuits with a two minute rest in between the two circuits. Push as hard as you can throughout the entire 30 min of this workout. Keep your resistance and intensity high during this workout to make this session a resistance / cardio workout, which will enable you to burn more fat. Why? High intensity training has been shown to increase exercise post oxygen consumption (EPOC) in study participants, and this rise in EPOC leads to larger amounts of fat burned after exercise. I hope that you enjoy this series of kettlebell workouts, because they are enjoyable, fun, and definitely a great way to burn the fat and build muscle. This workout series is brought to you by Marcus Martinez from Mbodystrength.com and each week, for the several weeks, I will cover all 9 of his installments for this workout plan as they are made available. Push it and each time you do this workout try to beat your last number of sets. Have fun!




Exercises / Reps / Sets

DENSITY ROUNDS: 2x15 minutes

Circuit 1:

1. Get up L-1
2. Get up R-1
3. Around the Body L-5
4. Around the Body R-5
5. Ballistic Row L-5
6. Ballistic Row R-5


*as many circuits as possible


Rest 2 minutes


Circuit 2:


One arm Swing L-5
One Arm Swing R-5
Suitcase Squat L-5
Suitcase Squat R-5
Sprawl with Jump-5


*as many circuits as possible



Video:



Monday, August 6, 2012

OJ in the Morning: 08/06/2012

Juice in the morning is a great way to get your start with healthy eating. However, be careful, a 10 oz serving of OJ can have as much as 32 g of sugar or more. Still, it is an easy way to get one serving of fruit!!!


Saturday, August 4, 2012

Creatine: How Does it Work?: 08/04/2012


Creatine Supplementation: How does it work?





Creatine is by far the most popular and widely used of all supplements that are geared towards performance enhancement and it is probably one supplement that is used poorly or wrong. If you were to ask people why they took creatine you would most likely hear reasons like: “To become stronger.”, “To gain muscle mass.”, or even, “To look leaner.” You might even hear some reasons that are bound in research such as wanting to run faster, jump higher, or lift more weight. It is relatively true to say that creatine can make one faster, stronger, and even more powerful when producing greater amounts of work such as sprinting, jumping, and performing other intermittent activities that last less than 45 seconds 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 . It has also been discovered in research that creatine can help individuals gain lean muscle mass, increase total muscle mass, and improve lifting power 3, 5. It is also thought that supplementation might also benefit long term energy production at low intensity 3; though this last statement has not been tested in the lab. In this first of a series of articles on creatine we will look into the science behind the benefits of creatine. 





Creatine is most commonly referred to phosphocreatine (Pcr) by most exercise scientists and is found in the skeletal muscles of all living organisms
3. It is a necessary chemical (like carbohydrates, protein, and fats) in energy production for high  intensity exercises that require brief burst of energy that only last a mere 30 seconds or less. Once creatine supplies are used up it can take up to 3 - 4 minutes to resynthesize. Once it is resynthesized it is sent to the muscles via the bloodstream for use in energy production again. Creatine is a nitrogen based compound that is synthesized in the liver with smaller amounts synthesized in the kidneys and pancreas 4. Though Pcr is naturally created within the body, supplementation can increase the amount of creatine stored in the body which can in turn enhance power production in fast twitch muscles allowing athlete to run faster, jump higher, and produce greater power in most athletic activities 5.  




Creatine is broken down in the body with the help of creatine kinase, and it helps in rephosphoralizing adenosine diphosphate (ADP) into the body’s energy source adenosine triphosphate (ATP) 4. To put it simply creatine is second in command when it comes to energy production. First the body looks to stored ATP to jump-start energy production. Stored ATP can run out in as little as 10 seconds and brakes down to become ADP, so soon after the body will look to creatine for energy production. Unfortunately, creatine is broken down nearly as quickly as ATP, this would then explain why sprinters will start to see a performance decrement towards the end of a 100 m sprint 5 or repetitive jumpers would fatigue after about 20 - 30 seconds of high intensity jumping.

Here are a few points of scientific reasoning that is believed to support the notion of creatine supplementation. When you increase the amount of creatine in the body’s system while the body is at rest the body can improve the phosphate transport system for ATP production in necessary mitochondria both during and after activity 5, thus increaing the ability to produce more Pcr naturally at rest. Also, this change in Pcr resynthesization can decrease the acidity levels in muscles by creating better hydrogen buffering 5. This last statements supports why some athletes that supplement are able to run faster longer or jump higher more often with less musclular soreness. However, it doesn’t answer why creatine has been shown to increase muscle mass or increase lean body mass in individuals.




Changes in body mass, including muscle size, for the most part is not certain. It is known though that creatine is a water hungry molecule, so changes in lean mass tissue and body weight may be attributed to water weight gain or proportionately attributed to gain in muscle tissue 2. It has also been found that feeding protein in conjunction with creatine supplementation leads to an increase in protein synthesis by 40%, but creatine appeared to have no effect in body mass changes 2. Since most athletes supplementing with creatine also tend to increase their protein intake it is understandable why some individuals state that creatine helped in their body compositional changes. One thing that is common in research is that changes in lean mass and muscle mass are more common in amateur athletes and non-athletes, so elite athletes may not see the changes that others might notice. It is also thought that creatine’s need for water also increases the risk for heat related illnesses, dehydration, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal distress, however, there is little evidence that supports that there is a major risk to using creatine in supplementation 7, 8.

Whatever your decision on creatine is, one thing that is necessary to know is that there are several types of creatine out there. It appears that the easiest form for the body to absorb is creatine monohydrate and this form has been shown to have a 100% absorption rate 4,6. Also, don’t just fall for those ads that state that you will see fast results. There are a lot of misleading ads out there, and even more horrible products. Do your research on each product and read the reviews. Also, ask your friends about the products that they have used, and find out if they liked the results that they got. Rule number one is always to know your product before starting a supplementation protocol.



References

1. Faraji, H., Arazi, H., Vatani, D. S., & Hakimi, M. (2010). The effects of creatine supplementation on sprint running performance and selected hormonal responses. South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, 32(2), 31- 39.  

2. Francaux, M., & Poortmans, J. R. (2006). Side effects of creatine supplementation in athletes. International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance, 1(4), 311 - 324

3. Gutierrez-Sancho, O., Moncada-Jimenez, J., Salazar-Rojas, W., & Robinson, E. (2006). The effect of creatine supplementation on biochemical, body composition, and performance outcomes in humans: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences, 18(2), 12 - 38

4. Hoffman, J. R. (2010). Creatine and ß-alanine supplementation in strength/power athletes. Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research, 8(1), 19 - 31.

5. Hosseini, S. S., Rostamkhany, H., & Panahi, M. (2011). Effect of plyometric training and creatine supplementation on some fitness factors in athletes. Annals of Biological Research, 2(6), 19 - 31.

6. Lamontagne-Lacasse, M., Nadon, Raymond, & Goulet, E. (2011). Effect of creatine supplementation on jumping performance in elite volleyball players. International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance, 6(4), 525 - 434.

7. Lopez, R. M., Casa, D. J., McDermott, B. P., Ganio, M. S., Armstrong, L. E., & Maresh, C. M. (2009). Does creatine supplementation hinder exercise heat tolerance or hydration status? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Athletic Training, 44(2), 215 - 223.

8. Ostojic, S. M., & Ahmetovic, Z. (2008). Gastrointestinal distress after creatine    supplementation in athletes: Are side effects dose dependent? Research in Sports Medicine, 16(1), 15 - 23.