Archive for November, 2009

Healthy essentials.

Brian November 22nd, 2009

The new year is approaching fast, so why not get on the right track with a solid supplement program. I have covered food intake before, so now I will cover supplement basics that anyone can benefit from. In addition to a sound diet including whole grains, lean protein sources, and a lot of color, make sure you supplement with some of the things listed below. As always, check with your physician first to make sure your selections are right for you.

Fish Oils/Flax Oil:

Most American diets are rich in Omega-6 fatty acids and deficient in Omega-3′s. To be in optimal health you need to even out this ratio and supplementing with fish oils is the easiest way to do it. Intake can range from 1-3 grams/day, but make sure you look for mercury and lead free. Twinlab and Udo’s brand are some of the best on the market.

Multi-vitamin/multi-mineral:

I don’t know very many people who eat enough fruits and vegetables, so this is a cheap, easy way to cover all your bases. This is not a substitute for a good diet, but it can be your best friend when it comes to health. Optimum nutrition makes a great multi for men and women. Check around the internet to make sure the multi you choose uses vitamin and mineral forms which a readily available to the body. An example is calcium carbonate, which is used in many multis because it is cheap. However, this form is not very usable by the human body.

L-Glutamine:

This is great for anyone training hard during cold and flu season. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in muscle and is used as fuel during exercise. The most important function of glutamine is as a fuel for lymphocytes, which protect us from illness. This can be taken as pills or powder. Dymatize makes a great glutamine product.

Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM:

These are all used in the production of components for connective tissue. People with arthritis from injury or age benefit the most from these products. Younger people may not see much benefit from these products.

Glutathione:

Glutathione is found in every cell of the body so it is in the distinct position of being a powerful anti-oxidant. There is much research on its effects on cancer and anti-aging. N-acetyl cysteine is a precursor to glutathione and some prefer to increase glutathione levels in this manner because the oral absorption of pure glutathione is questionable.

In Health,

Brian

Dangerous Exercises?

Brian November 13th, 2009

The majority of training exercises are not inherently dangerous, but rather the manner in which they are performed that makes them dangerous. You have most likely heard personal trainers, physicians, and researchers state that an exercise is dangerous and should be avoided. This usually stems from a lack of knowledge, or an aversion to potential liability from an injury.

Some of the more maligned exercises are deep (full) squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and dips. Now, done incorrectly these exercises can cause serious injury to the the muscle and joints involved. Done properly, however, they are some of the most effective exercises in the gym.

I have listed below some precautions that should be taken into account when performing these movements.

Full Squats:

Dangers:

  • Injuries to the low back and ligaments of the knee from descending too deep or too rapidly.
Benefits:
  • More recruitment of vastus medialis oblique (tear drop muscle on the inner part of the thigh) which aids in knee stability
  • More recruitment of gluteus maximus
  • More recruitment of hamstring muscle
** These benefits are actually what make the movement safe. Due to increased muscle activation the joints involved become more stable. Proper form involves keeping the head and chest up, back arched tightly, and sitting back using the hips to lower the weight.
Deadlifts:
Dangers:
  • Injury to the upper and lower back from rounding the spine
Benefits:
  • One of the best overall strength exercises
  • Increases low back and abdominal strength
  • Hamstrings are used as a powerful hip extensors, which is the action used in sprinting; strong hamstrings also aid in knee stability and injury prevention
** This may be the best exercise for overall strength and size development (some say it is the squat or power clean). People who have been injured performing deadlifts were probably not performing them correctly. Proper form involves starting in a semi-squat position, with a flat back, and starting the pull with the glutes, lower back and hamstrings. Your hips and shoulders should rise at the same rate.
Overhead press:
Dangers:
  • Low back injury
  • Impingement of the shoulder joint
Benefits:
  • Best overall developer of the three deltoid muscles
  • Develops the upper back musculature, specifically the traps and serratus anterior
  • Works the abdominals and low back as stabilizers
** Some people may find that they simply cannot perform this exercise without pain due to the architecture of their shoulder joint. This exercise, along with deadlifts, and chin-ups will create complete upper back development.
Dips
Dangers:
  • Stress to the anterior portion of the shoulder joint
  • Upper back injury from lack of strength in stabilizers
Benefits:
  • Called the upper body “squat” it is the best developer of the triceps and pecs
  • Works the upper back muscles
  • Can be done with a tricep focus or chest focus depending on grip and angle of lean
** This movement cause pain in the anterior portion of shoulder for some people. Start with a end position elbow angle of <90 degrees and assess your tolerance.
In Strength,
Brian

Eat this, not that!

Brian November 4th, 2009

The British Court declared a very popular chip snack ” not real potato chips because they are only 42% potatoes.”  See what “healthy foods” have more calories than a big mac!

This series first started appearing in Muscle and Fitness and now they have whole books on the subject. These are definitely worth the time and money as they contain some great nutritional information about foods we eat every day. Check out the link below or just google the name and choose the first link.

http://bookstore.everydayhealth.com/eatthisnotthat.aspx?promo=5F6EF05A-A7FD-4CA5-ADC4-C55F632DDF77&CoachPromo=59FF4904-2E0C-4427-ACCB-A42D7C623621&gclid=CLm-qe6K8p0CFcZM5QodUmPhxg

In Strength,

Brian