The most recent statistics would suggest that nearly 2 billion adults worldwide are overweight. 500 million adults worldwide are estimated to be obese. When children are added into the statistics, we see obesity rates start to top 40% of the world’s current population. Extrapolating from this data, it has been projected that by the year 2025, over 40% of all adults will be obese.

The global obesity epidemic is one of the greatest public health challenges faced in the 21st century. Morbidity and mortality rates are rising significantly with no end in sight. The ready availability of high-calorie food combined with sedentary lifestyles has become a potent recipe for a health crisis. Individuals that are overweight and obese face serious health consequences including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, musculoskeletal disorders, and some cancers. If this trend continues, there may come a tipping point where twentieth century gains in life expectancy could be reversed.

Strategies for the Obesity Epidemic

The medical options for treating obesity are limited, costly, and carry significant risks. Gastric bypass is one effective surgical treatment, with post-operative follow-ups showing as much as a 92% reduction in diabetes deaths, 60% reduction in cancer deaths, 56% reduction in coronary artery disease deaths, and 40% reduction in other obesity-related deaths. However, gastric bypass surgery carries a mortality rate of 0.5%.^1,2

Lifestyle modification strategies (diet and exercise) currently form the main treatments for obesity. However, results are generally disappointing, and the majority of people who attempt this strategy regain any lost weight within 5 years.³

Effective treatments to combat and eventually prevent the growing obesity epidemic are contingent upon developing a better understanding of the processes that regulate body weight. There is an apparent disruption within the hormonal and biochemical pathways of overweight and obese individuals. There also appears to be a disconnect between various brain regions that regulate both appetite and reward behaviors. Recently, there has been a tremendous interest in, and focus on, the connections between the gut hormones that are secreted after eating and these same brain regions. Also of interest has been how exercise may accentuate the effect of these hormones and their role in satiety before, during and after strenuous activity.

Effective treatments to combat obesity will require a better understanding of appetite. [Photo credit: Sandra Cohen-Rose | CC BY 2.0]

Gut Hormones and Weight Management

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the body’s largest endocrine organ. The chemicals produced and secreted by the GI tract play substantive roles in satiety, energy intake, and energy output. The most-examined hormone in this area is peptide tyrosine tyrosine (aka pancreatic peptide, or PYY). PYY is a short (36-amino acid) peptide released by cells in the ileum and colon in response to eating. PYY is also produced by a small group of neurons in the brainstem. These particular neurons can be found in the medulla oblongata, home to the vagus nerve, which is also involved in feelings of satiety after eating.

PYY’s primary role is to reduce appetite, the psychological component to eating. It also plays a very important role in the regulation of energy balance in the body. Higher levels of PYY lead to a reduced calorie intake, provide a buffer against diet-induced obesity, reduce appetite (the psychological side of eating), and aid in weight loss. Conversely, low levels of PYY lead to feelings of hunger and enhanced cravings, while simultaneously predisposing a person to retain fatty tissue. Functional brain imaging techniques have also shown that elevated levels of PYY affect brain regions—the hypothalamus and brainstem—involved in reward processing.² Specifically, if levels of PYY are high, these brain centers show increased activity, suggesting the brain feels satisfied or rewarded, and thus cravings are reduced.

How PYY Works

PYY works by slowing the emptying process of your stomach and intestines. Therefore, it increases efficiency of digestion and nutrient absorption after a meal. PYY also increases water and electrolyte absorption in the colon. The combination of these actions leads to feelings of fullness that last longer. PYY may also suppress pancreatic secretion, which in turn will reduce insulin levels in the blood. This also reduces appetite and controls calorie consumption. Additionally, a reduced level of insulin will prevent, or at least limit, fat storage.

PYY is released by the stomach in a nutrient-dependent manner. Concentrations of PYY are influenced by the amount of calories consumed, the macronutrient composition of a given meal, and by the consistency of the food consumed. PYY levels increase after food consumption and decrease during periods of fasting. After eating, PYY levels rise within 15 minutes, and reach a steady peak level within approximately 90 minutes.

The consumption of a protein-rich meal has a significant effect on PYY levels. This serves to further reinforce the notion that consuming a higher protein diet can be beneficial to weight loss. After consuming a meal higher in protein, PYY concentrations are typically elevated resulting in greater feelings of satiety. Equally important is that high-protein meals cause a secondary and delayed release of PYY, which will prolong feelings of fullness after eating. This is why high-protein diets have been recommended to help certain individuals reduce hunger while promoting weight loss. Elevated PYY levels also appear to prompt individuals to reduce their consumption of higher fat foods.^1,2

PYY and Energy Consumption

While PYY clearly plays an important role in energy consumption, less attention has been paid to that function. There is increasing evidence that PYY has beneficial effects on metabolism, energy expenditure, and substrate partitioning as a fuel source, as well as for storage purposes. Higher PYY concentrations increase basal metabolism, increase fat breakdown and improve insulin sensitivity.

Low PYY hormone concentrations have been associated with higher BMI levels and waist circumferences. Both of these metrics are positively correlated with increased morbidity and mortality rates. Low levels of PYY hormone have also been correlated with a lower resting metabolism. Resting metabolism accounts for the greatest proportion of daily energy expenditure, and plays a huge role in regulating body weight as well as body composition.

Recently, the research community has looked into the role of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and its effects on food intake. It has been demonstrated that 12 weeks of HIIT leads to increased levels of PYY hormone, which in turn causes individuals to consume less calories than those performing low-intensity cardio.⁴ It appears that PYY hormone production is elevated, and appetite is depressed, by higher intensity exercise. This could prove to have major implications when looking for appropriate treatments for overweight and obese individuals.

New Strategies for the Obesity Epidemic

The global obesity epidemic has escalated the need to discover new strategies to counteract it. Traditional lifestyle modification alone—light to moderate activity coupled with dietary adjustments—has proven relatively ineffective in modern, Western society. This is largely due to the abundance of high-calorie, low-cost food, coupled with a predominantly sedentary lifestyle. The development of bariatric surgical techniques over the past decade is a major breakthrough in treatment for the very obese, but it is not without drawbacks. It carries risk, cannot be tailored easily to individual needs, and does not address the needs of hundreds of millions of people who do not meet the requirements for the procedure, yet who remain at significant risk.

Exercise is available to everyone, whether in a health club or at home. Intensity of exercise may be a key element to unlocking the benefits of PYY. Although potentially controversial, it may be necessary to get overweight and obese individuals to start participating in exercise regimens like CrossFit and HIIT. The intensity associated with these routines can be leveraged to capture benefits that more than compensate for the inherent risks found in any exercise routine.

Your crash diet won’t help you:

The Only Diet That Works

References:

1. Batterham, Rachel L., and Stephen R. Bloom. “The gut hormone peptide YY regulates appetite.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 994, no. 1 (2003): 162-168.

2. De Silva, Akila, and Stephen R. Bloom. “Gut hormones and appetite control: a focus on PYY and GLP-1 as therapeutic targets in obesity.” Gut and Liver 6, no. 1 (2012): 10-20.

3. Anderson, James W., Elizabeth C. Konz, Robert C. Frederich, and Constance L. Wood. “Long-term weight-loss maintenance: a meta-analysis of US studies.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 74, no. 5 (2001): 579-584.

4. Prado, Wagner Luiz, Mara Cristina Lofrano-Prado, Lila Missae Oyama, Michelle Cardel, Priscyla Praxedes Gomes, M. L. Andrade, C. R. Freitas, Prabhakaran Balagopal, and James O. Hill. “Effect of a 12-Week Low vs. High Intensity Aerobic Exercise Training on Appetite-Regulating Hormones in Obese Adolescents: A Randomized Exercise Intervention Study.” Pediatric Exercise Science 27, no. 4 (2015): 510-7.

The post Obesity, Appetite, and the PYY Hormone appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

However, DOMS is also a mild form of a much more serious condition known as rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdo, for short, is the breakdown of muscle fibers to the extent that cellular contents are released into the blood stream. Of specific concern is the release of the protein myoglobin into the bloodstream, as it is harmful to the kidneys and can cause permanent damage or even death in extreme cases.

There can be many causes of rhabdomyolysis.¹ Risk factors include:

• Alcoholism
• Crush injuries
• Drug use
• Genetic muscle disease
• Heat stroke
• Ischemia or necrosis of the muscle (lack of oxygen to or death of the tissue)
• Low phosphate levels
• Seizures
• Severe exercise exertion (marathon running or strength training)
• Shaking chills
• Trauma

For fitness enthusiasts, it is the severe exercise exertion that is the most common concern. If you are doing drugs or drinking alcohol while working out, you may have another problem all together. CrossFit is often maligned as such an intense program that it regularly causes rhabdo. In reality, any exercise routine that is misapplied can cause this condition.

What Causes Rhabdomyolysis in Workouts?

Rhabdo is often caused by high repetition, lighter load workouts. This is one of the reasons CrossFit workouts often get targeted as the cause. However, rhabdo has also been found in physical therapy settings when patients do high volume exercises like calf raises. On the other hand, lifting heavier loads for fewer repetitions, as in a traditional strength training program, does not usually result in rhabdo. Using such heavy loads often forces a lifter to stop before severe muscle breakdown can occur. For example: 5 sets of 5 squats at a heavy load is not a workout that carries a high risk of causing rhabdo. Whereas, performing 1 set of 100 squats as quickly as possible with a light load would carry a more substantial risk. In the end, all workouts run the risk of causing this condition, but some are more prone to it than others.

Just as there is no specific workout that necessarily causes rhabdo, there are no specific exercises that always cause rhabdo. Some movements do carry a slightly higher risk than others when performed by new athletes or when performed to excess. These are usually movements with a demanding and extended eccentric, or negative, component.

Most exercises have two parts: an eccentric phase and a concentric phase. Eccentric means that muscles are stretched under load. As you lower into the bottom of a squat, you are performing the eccentric portion of the squat. Your hamstrings and glutes are lengthening while under load. Concentric means that muscles contract under load. As you drive out of the bottom of the squat, you are performing the concentric portion. After being stretched, your hamstrings and glutes are now contracting under the same load.

Stretching muscles under load for a high volume of repetitions can cause the muscle breakdown that triggers rhabdo. Jumping pull-ups, glute-ham developer (GHD) sit-ups, and weighted walking lunges are a few examples of exercises with a significant and extended eccentric component. The fact remains that these are all excellent exercises, and they will contribute to building a strong and healthy body. Just be cautious and do not jump into doing hundreds of them right away.

Exercises with a significant eccentric component carry a higher risk of rhabdo. [Photo credit: J Perez Imagery]

Who Typically Develops Rhabdomyolysis?

Not many people at all. Rhabdo is a very rare condition. But while it may be highly unlikely, if it does happen, the consequences can be severe.

It is often the experienced athlete that is most susceptible to rhabdo. This happens for one of two potential reasons. If an experienced athlete has been away from exercise for a while, they will often come back assuming they can pick up where they left off. This all too often is not the case. The sudden and rapid exposure to high intensity workouts is a perfect recipe for rhabdo.

The second issue experienced exercisers encounter is that they often have the capacity, both mentally and physically, to take on too much volume, intensity or both. The old adage that too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing certainly applies here. New exercisers tend to self-regulate, due to their lack of exposure to the signs and symptoms of exercise. When they develop a high heart rate, heavy breathing, or profuse sweating, novice athletes will often slow down or stop. More advanced athletes will recognize these signs and even embrace them as an indication of a good workout.

How to Prevent Rhabdomyolysis

Gradually build up volume and intensity in your workouts, especially after a long break from exercise. Your first workout after a break in training should get your heart rate up and allow you to do some work, but it should not be completely exhausting. You should leave the gym feeling better than when you arrived.

There is a time and a place for workouts that push your limits. Your first day back after vacation is not that time and place.

Increase intensity gradually over time. Even if you have been on a regular exercise schedule, increasing the intensity too suddenly can be dangerous. This does not mean that you should not work out at a relatively high intensity. However, you do not have go at 100% every workout. Try cycling the intensity so that some days you give 75-80%, some days you give 90%, and others you give 100%. Your body will let you know when and how far you can push, but you must pay attention to when it says to pull back a little.

Put weight on the bar. Do not fear lifting heavier weight, as strength training does not typically result in rhabdo. Rhabdo comes from performing too many reps at a light to medium load.

Always listen to your coach. Your coach is there to guide your training. When you attack your training with reckless abandon, your coach is there to prevent you from going too far. However, your coach cannot ultimately force you to stop. You are the one in control, but you need to trust your coach and recognize that his or her advice is meant to ensure the best possible outcome. Your coach will often tell you what you do not want to hear. If you listen, you will benefit in the end.

Make sure you are forthcoming with your coach and provide them with any pertinent information. Your coach does not spend 24/7 in your company, so you need to fill them in constantly. Always be honest with your coach about how you feel that day. You should expect to receive thoughtful counsel in return.

Hydrate before, during, and after your workout. If you are adequately hydrated before your workout, then you probably do not have to drink too much water during shorter sessions. If you are not well hydrated prior to the start of your workout, then you should indeed drink water often during your workout. If your workout is on the longer side, make sure you get some water during strategic rest breaks. And after the workout is over, drink significant amounts of water. One technique to weigh yourself before and after longer workouts, and replenish fluids based upon any weight loss resulting from your training session.

Always listen to your body. If it says stop, don’t ignore that. [Photo credit: J Perez Imagery]

Rhabdo Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment

Even if you everything right, sometimes circumstances can conspire against you. That is why it is so important that you know the warning signs, symptoms, and what to do if you think you have rhabdo.

The signs and symptoms of rhabdomyolysis² include:

• Abnormal dark urine color (think Coca-Cola)
• Decreased urine production
• General weakness
• Excessive muscle stiffness or aching
• Muscle tenderness
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Seizures
• Weight gain

If you think you have developed rhabdomyolysis, start drinking copious amounts of water and go to an emergency room immediately. In extreme cases, rhabdo can lead to kidney failure (renal failure), and can therefore be fatal. It is very simple: If you have any of the signs or symptoms, then you must seek medical attention immediately. If you think you may have rhabdo based on muscle soreness, stiffness or aching, do not continue to work out. It is possible to develop rhabdo and continue to work out under the notion of simply being sore before a proper diagnosis has been made. Try and avoid stretching the affected area, as this can make the release of myoglobin into the blood stream even worse.

Assuming you immediately seek proper medical attention, you are almost guaranteed a full recovery. You will likely be kept in the hospital for a few days. During that time, you can expect to receive large amounts of intravenous fluids that will help your kidneys flush out the toxins from your blood. After you get released, you will need to take a little break from working out. Once you have been cleared to resume exercising, you will have to gradually ease yourself back into things. You will need to start off very light and at a low intensity. If you are sufficiently patient, you will be able to get to full intensity before too long.

Is It Safer to Just Stay Home?

This would be a reasonable conclusion to draw from reading this article, but you can rest assured it is not the better option. We all fully recognize the abundant health benefits to be gleaned from exercise. However, everything comes with a risk. Can you get hit by a car crossing the street? Sure you can. If you are cautious, use a crosswalk and look both ways before crossing, you will certainly minimize the risk, but it will always be there.

The same is true with exercise. Yes, you can get hurt when you exercise, and yes, you can develop rhabdomyolysis if you are not careful. If you take the proper precautions and follow the guidance provided by your coaches and instructors, then you should be confident that the risks involved with exercise will be minimal. After all, the only activity that is devoid of the risk of injury is being a couch potato, and that is certainly not a good option at all! There is no need to be scared of rhabdo. Instead, you and your coaches can collaborate on a daily basis to design a program that is safe while simultaneously helping you achieve your fitness goals.

Coaching Strategies to Lower Rhabdo Risk

Always emphasize mechanics, consistency, then intensity. This gradual build up with an emphasis on quality technique will ensure longer term success and avoid injuries. While often regarded as a sort of short cut to fitness, intensity should be the last variable added to the equation. An athlete must first demonstrate a solid foundation with the movements on a consistent basis.

Always be sure to recognize and appreciate the movements that have a higher rate of rhabdomyolysis incidence. This is especially important for exercises that have a significant eccentric component to them. Be mindful of the total volume that is programmed with these exercises and introduce them slowly to newer athletes.

Scale workouts for athletes appropriately. Every exercise has an option that is easier and one that is potentially harder. Make sure there are options for all athletes, so that they have an appropriate starting point and a challenging goal to shoot for as well.

Educate clients on the symptoms of rhabdomyolysis and when it is appropriate to seek medical attention. Arming them with this information will help them to better understand the rationale behind scaling workouts. It will also assure them that you have their best interest in mind.

Rhabdo Doesn’t Have to Happen

If you are new to exercise, returning from an extended layoff, or looking to increase the intensity of your current program, consult your physician before starting this new routine. Then do your homework and seek out a coach or gym with a good reputation and knowledgeable, experienced staff. Make sure you are provided with some sort of introductory workout routine that will identify strengths, but more importantly weaknesses. Make sure you address weaker areas and progress slowly toward more advanced levels. Lastly, listen and pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you feel tired, take a day and rest. That is often more important than the workout.

Working out until you’re injured is never a good thing:

Why Pukie the Clown Isn’t Funny

References:

1. Khan, F. Y. “Rhabdomyolysis: a review of the literature.” Neth J Med 67, no. 9 (2009): 272-83.

2. Torres, Patrick A., John A. Helmstetter, Adam M. Kaye, and Alan David Kaye. “Rhabdomyolysis: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.” The Ochsner Journal 15, no. 1 (2015): 58-69.

The post All About Rhabdo appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

That being said, there are numerous examples of effective exercise programs. If we borrow bits and pieces from several different programs we can combine them into fairly comprehensive solution.

Finding the perfect workout routine and training schedule is the fitness equivalent of finding the Holy Grail. Such a phenomenon does not exist. No two individuals are the same and therefore cannot expect to derive the same results from the same routine.

That being said, there are numerous examples of effective exercise programs. If we borrow bits and pieces from several different programs we can combine them into fairly comprehensive solution.

Start with Goals

Designing a well-rounded strength and conditioning routine must start with specific and clearly stated goals.

Such goals can include performance-based metrics achieved through sport-specific conditioning, or fitness-based metrics achieved through general physical preparation. These goals are ultimately based upon each athlete’s individual wants and needs.

Prior to starting a new fitness or training regimen, an initial consultation should be performed. This complements goal-setting by providing an opportunity to establish professional credibility on the part of the coach, determine athlete-coach compatibility, and develop rapport and trust with the client.

These factors lay the foundation for open communication between coach and athlete, and increase the likelihood of success with the program that is ultimately mapped out.

During this initial consultation, prior training history should be reviewed, constraints and limitations should be discussed, and health history should be assessed.

A Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) is necessary to ensure that medical clearance has been attained prior to starting a new exercise routine. Finally, a fitness screening of some sort should be performed so that the athlete’s aptitude, capacity, and tolerance for exercise can be determined.

Successful goal-setting should be specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely. A clear statement of the intended outcome and the motivation for this outcome must be provided.

This will help determine whether the goal is in fact realistic and timely.

It is up to each individual to determine how they will measure progress toward their goal. Some may wish to measure body composition changes based upon body fat percentages, while others may use the fit of a certain article of clothing.

While setting goals, it can also be appropriate to discuss potential obstacles and pitfalls. Developing a strategy ahead of time to deal with these inevitabilities will minimize disruption when and if they occur. It is also a good idea at this point to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of both the coach and the athlete.

Any given program or routine should be followed for at least four months in order to properly determine its efficacy. [Photo credit: J Perez Imagery]

Break Down the Warm Up

The term “warm up” refers to preparatory exercises performed prior to the workout, and a proper one is an essential component of any workout. The key purposes of the warm up are:

• Increase muscle temperature for more forceful contractions and quicker relaxations.
• Increase blood temperature to working muscles, allowing more oxygen to be delivered to working muscles.
• Increase range of motion around joints.

Performing a dynamic warm up prior to physical activity will likely improve performance and may provide increased resistance to muscle injury.

Stretching often plays a major role here, but it is important to note that stretching in a dynamic warm up is not the same as flexibility training (e.g., static stretching). Let’s refine those terms:

• Flexibility refers to the range of motion at a specific joint or series of joints, and is typically assessed in non-weight bearing situations.
• Dynamic stretching refers to performing movements specific to a sport or movement pattern. Within the context of dynamic stretching are the terms mobility and movement preparation.
• Mobility refers to an individual’s ability to achieve a posture or position, is more global in nature, and emphasizes multi-joint movements and stabilization.
• Movement preparation is an even broader term used to describe all of the various methods used to improve mobility during a warm up.

The timing and elements of a warm up can and should vary depending on the type and length of the ensuing workout session.

If the planned workout is on the shorter but extremely intense side, then the warm up should be longer and more extensive to allow the body to be adequately prepared.

If the workout is longer and less intense, then the warm up may be on the shorter side, as the first few minutes of the workout session will serve as a natural extension of the warm up.

A dynamic warm up routine typically includes at least 3-5 minutes of cardiovascular activity, starting at a low intensity and progressing to a moderate intensity (i.e., to the point of developing a light sweat).

This cardiovascular warm up is followed by a minimum of 5-15 minutes of movement preparation that progresses from general exercises to ones that are more specific to the ensuing exercise session.

Each movement is performed for either a certain distance (e.g. 25m) or a certain number of repetitions.

At this point, some individuals may also include some form self-myofascial release techniques (e.g. foam rolling or lacrosse ball therapy) to relieve adhesions and knots in muscles.

Although often included in the warm up, flexibility training (static stretching and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, aka PNF) may in fact reduce force production which in turn can negatively affect performance measures.

Flexibility training should therefore be reserved for a separate focused workout session.

Create a Challenging Program

Over the course of a given program, the workouts are the stimuli that cause the desired physiological adaptations (e.g. getting stronger, improving body composition, increasing aerobic capacity).

There are a few essential characteristics to the workout program:

• Specificity (individuality): This relates to the goals and needs of the athlete. Specificity is achieved by targeting certain muscle groups, energy systems, speed of movement, movement patterns, or muscle action types.
• Overload: In order to prompt physiological changes, the induced training stress must exceed the training stress experienced during the previous workout. This is accomplished by increasing the load, sets, reps, or by decreasing the rest periods.
• Progression: This is the systematic modification of a training program over time. In addition to exercise intensity, progression also refers to changes in frequency and difficulty of exercise selection, such as advancement from low-skill to high-skill exercises.
• Variation: Variety in exercise selection and training variables must be carefully planned.

There is much debate about what should be included in the workout session to meet the criteria laid out here. Traditional strength and conditioning programs would tend to favor standard periodization protocols.

Periodization refers to the systematic planning of athletic or physical training. The aim is to reach the best possible performance in the most important competition of the year.

This is achieved through the progressive cycling of various aspects of a training program during specific periods or phases.

Periodization can include an annual plan (macrocycle), a monthly plan (mesocycle) and a weekly plan (microcycle). Conditioning programs will often use periodization to break up the training program into the offseason, preseason, in-season, and the postseason.

It is suggested that by breaking the plan up into different phases, an athlete can focus on different goals, avoid fatigue and injury, and maximize performance outcomes.

Periodization certainly works well for sports-specific or performance-specific programs. However, such a strict regimen may not work very well for someone looking for general physical preparation.

At the other end of the programming spectrum you find protocols like that of CrossFit. CrossFit defines its programming as emphasizing constantly varied, functional movements done at a high intensity. However, this does not mean that CrossFit’s programming lacks specific rationale.

In fact, CrossFit strives to put forth a regimen that allows for all the variance imaginable, while still addressing all of the elements necessary for comprehensive fitness.

The CrossFit strength and conditioning template allows for enough variation that it is mathematically possible to never repeat a single CrossFit workout in a lifetime.

At the same time, this template strives to offer enough structure to ensure adequate development of one’s fitness. It is an attempt to find the perfect blend of structure and flexibility in programming, incorporating textbook theories with real world application. Some might refer to this as an anytime, anywhere type fitness.

The flexibility of CrossFit programming allows the movements and workouts to be inherently scalable. This allows for specificity, overload and progression to all be addressed simultaneously.

Workouts are modified and adjusted to meet the individual goals and needs of the athlete.

Specific muscle groups, movement patterns and muscle actions can be emphasized to target a particular weakness. The training stress can be manipulated to provide the appropriate stimulus, and in turn ensure that progress is always being made.

The Importance of the Cool Down

What you do after your workout is just as important as what you do during it.

After any workout, your muscles are fatigued and have begun breaking down. The window of time immediately after your workout is essential, if not critical, to recovery. This period is often referred to as the cool down phase and should emphasize some key elements:

• Light cardio: There’s a reason the treadmill has a “cool down” setting. When you are exercising at an effort of, say, 8 out of 10, your body needs help getting back down to one out of 10. Simply stopping after intense exercise can cause blood pooling, a drop in blood pressure and even dizziness. Try a light jog, walk, or a bike ride for 3-5 minutes after your workout has ended. If you are monitoring your heart rate, try to get it back down into the range of between 100 and 120 beats per minute.
• Stretch: After strength training or cardio, your muscles are warmed up so they are more elastic and pliable. This can allow for greater benefits from flexibility work. Although stretching has not been found to decrease injuries, it has been correlated with a decrease in Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This is the muscle soreness that typically sets in within 24-36 hours after intense training. Stretching maintains circulation in key areas which can prevent blood from pooling in certain muscle groups after your workout. This can be the perfect time to perform the recommended 5-10 minutes of daily flexibility training.
• Hydrate: Every time you move, you expend water from your body. After an intense workout, you need to replenish water supplies. Proper post workout hydration helps decrease muscle soreness and increase strength and flexibility. In order to determine how much liquid you need after exercise, weigh yourself before your workout, then weigh yourself when you have finished. The weight you lost in between is strictly water weight. To replenish, you need to drink that weight in liquids, plus an additional 25-50% to make up for what you will eventually loose in urine.
• Grab a protein shake: No matter what time of day you work out, you should drink a protein shake after. This is arguably most important within the first 15-30 minutes immediately following the conclusion of your workout. This is when your body’s metabolic window is optimized. A shake will put carbohydrates and protein back into your muscles so they can rebuild and get stronger. A good recipe is about four grams of carbohydrates for every one gram of protein. Perhaps the best available protein shake is a 16-ounce glass of chocolate milk.

Pin Down the Training Schedule

One of the most common questions surrounding exercise is what sort of training schedule is optimal.

Athletes often want to know how many days per week they should work out, and how often to take a rest day. The answer to this question is a key aspect in creating the proper routine. What makes it a little tricky is the fact that there are a number of ways it can go.

The amount of potential workout schedules, splits, and plans to choose from is enough to make your head explode. However, these can be narrowed down by factoring in a few key workout schedule requirements.

The workout schedule must fit the athlete’s desired training frequency and weekly schedule. How many days they can actually manage to work out per week.

Is it 3 times? 4 times? More? Less? Are there specific days they can work out on and specific days they absolutely cannot? Do they need to take the weekends off, or are the weekends the days you need to train on?

The workout schedule must also fit the athlete’s training preferences and needs. At the same time, the athlete should make sure they are actually enjoying what they are doing and make sure the smaller details suit them and their goal.

Once the proper schedule has been determined, the various acute details can be plugged in. These are variables such as exercise selection, sets, reps, volume, energy systems, and rest periods.

CrossFit emphasizes two formulas for programming, three days on, one day off; or five days on, two days off. With this protocol established, CrossFit then employs three modalities across all its training: metabolic conditioning, gymnastics (body weight exercises), and weightlifting (Olympic and powerlifting).

The specific exercises are chosen based upon functionality, neuroendocrine response, and impact on the body.

Traditional bodybuilding programs often follow a weekly pattern of two days on, one day off, two days on, and two days off. Such programs emphasize a specific part of the body from day to day, like the popular chest and triceps on Mondays, and back and biceps on Tuesdays.

This works well for many people and only necessitates making it to the gym four days in given week.

One advantage of such a routine is that if a day is missed, it can easily be made up on one of the three planned off days. Bodybuilding programs are aimed at building muscle, so the emphasis is more on weight training with cardiovascular training being done on an as-needed basis.

The cardio portion of such routines is often long and slow (e.g. walking on a treadmill), and is often scheduled separate from the weight training component.

Sports-specific training programs frequently require training six or seven days per week. These programs often include strength work three to five days per week, skill work related to the sport two to three days per week, and cardiovascular conditioning relevant to the sport on three to six days per week.

Sports-specific programs are typically the most involved, but they are often pursued by athletes that can afford to entertain such intensive scheduling demands.

Patience Is Key

In the end, there is no guarantee that any one program will prove to be the perfect solution. Often it takes trial and error to find out what works for you and what does not.

To determine this, patience is essential. Any given program or routine should be followed for at least four months in order to properly determine its efficacy. Once that has been determined, then appropriate changes, if necessary, can be made.

Find training to fit your schedule and goals:

Low-Key Strategies for Skill Building

Training ideas for coaches:

Move Well First: A New Path for Coaching Fitness

The post The Anatomy of a Training Program appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

But before we can accept this answer we must first ask another question: How is fitness defined?

If we limit the definition of fitness to one area, are we really defining it? [Photo credit: Cara Kobernik]

What Defines Fitness?

The popular press has had a tendency to focus on endurance athletes when attempting to define fitness. It is likely that individuals with a high degree of aerobic capacity would be considered fit. But was six-time Ironman Triathlon World Champion Mark Allen truly “the fittest man on earth?” What title should we bestow on an Olympic gold medal decathlete such as Dan O’Brien? Both of these athletes possess tremendous amounts of aerobic capacity, but it would be safe to assume that O’Brien would fair better on tests of strength and power. After all, a decathlete must sprint, jump, and throw as well as run. There is no easy answer in comparisons like this, which demonstrates the limits of this definition.

The fitness community isn’t much help, either. If one scours the publications of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), they will be left wanting for help. Neither of these institutions, both of which are looked to as industry standard-bearers, even attempt a working definition of fitness.

What elements should the definition of fitness include? Common sense would list things like strength, speed, power, and coordination. Let’s say you can bench press 400lb, squat 500lb, and deadlift three times your body weight. Does this mean you are fit? What if you can run a sub-seven-minute mile, do 200 sit ups without pause, and execute 100 perfect hand-release push ups. Are you fit?

CrossFit’s Fitness Standards

CrossFit may be considered contrarian in their view points, but they remain the only organization who has attempted to put forth a comprehensive definition of fitness. Their definition is broken down into four standards that at least warrant consideration.

General Physical Skills

In order to be considered fit, CrossFit asserts that an individual must demonstrate competency in the following areas:

1. Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance — the ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
2. Stamina — the ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3. Strength — the ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
4. Flexibility — the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power — the ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed — the ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination — the ability to combine several distinct movement pat- terns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility — the ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9. Balance — the ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy — the ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.

Measurable Wellness

In order to be considered fit, an individual must demonstrate that they are otherwise healthy. Health is represented as a continuum ranging from sickness to wellness, which can be quantified by values for things such as blood lipid profiles, body composition, blood pressure, bone density as well as cognitive health. If an individual is “fit” they will have achieved a sort of super wellness.

Life Fitness

In order to be considered fit, an individual must demonstrate “life fitness.” That means they should be prepared to perform well in all situations, including the unknown and the unknowable. Combat, survival, and sports are the ultimate tests of this sort of general physical preparation. Real-world fitness doesn’t involve traditional sets, reps and periodization schemes because life is not that predictable. That unpredictability means that traditional fitness routines are of limited value in meansuring actual, functional fitness.

Energy Systems

In order to be considered fit, an individual must demonstrate sufficient development of all three metabolic pathways: phosphocreatine, glycolytic and aerobic.

• The phosphocreatine (PCr or ATP-PC) pathway is the predominant energy system in activities lasting less then 10 seconds. This includes very explosive and short duration exercises such as 10m sprints, 1-rep maximum lifts, jumping, and throwing.
• The glycolytic pathway is the predominant energy system for activities lasting between 30 seconds and 2-3 minutes. This includes exercises such as 400m and 800m sprints and higher-volume weightlifting.
• The aerobic pathway is the predominant energy system for activities lasting 5 minutes or longer. This includes longer distance running, biking, swimming, and rowing.

Focusing on the development of one system at the expense of the other two will necessarily limit your overall fitness potential.

The Purpose of CrossFit’s Definition

The first objective of this definition of fitness is to be broad, general and inclusive. Specialization, while appropriate for some athletes, often leaves one unprepared for the rigors of combat, survival, sports, and life in general. There is very little in the realm of fitness that would not ultimately fall under the umbrella of this definition.

The second objective of this definition is to show that measurements of wellness—blood pressure, body fat, blood lipid profiles, bone density and muscle mass—can be placed on a curve between sickness and wellness. If fitness is approached the right way, these markers can be improved, and one can avoid many of the ailments created by the modern lifestyle.

The third objective of this definition focuses on breadth and depth of performance. This is ultimately quantified by incorporating the elements of time, power, and energy systems utilized. By focusing on average power output (work divided by time), fitness can be objectively measured. The goal is to develop each energy system using interval-based metabolic conditioning. This allows an individual to maximize their aerobic and anaerobic pathways without sacrifice.

How Can You Become Fit?

Now that we have a potential working definition of fitness, it would seem logical to explore how one can achieve this. According to CrossFit, the goal is to shape athletes that are equal parts gymnast, Olympic weightlifter, and multi-modal sprinter. In order to accomplish this, we must implement a strength and conditioning program that combines high-intensity interval training with a solid foundation in body weight exercises and a proficiency in both Olympic and power lifting. Of course, nutrition is essential to this process as well, and individuals are encouraged to follow either a paleo-style or zone-style diet to maximize the benefits of their training regimen.

The definition of fitness provided by CrossFit is universally scalable, applicable, and irreducible. It is intended to help the young and old, the underweight and overweight, the healthy and the sick. Although there will be differing manifestations, the needs and goals of all individuals will differ by degree, not kind. A competitive athlete or a healthy senior, a bodybuilder or a competitive weightlifter, all want basically the same things.

This definition of fitness, much like CrossFit, may seem contrarian if not controversial. But it does provide us a starting point for dissecting what has otherwise been an elusive term. Only time will tell if it becomes the accepted as the working definition or whether it gets replaced by something better still. For now, it will have to do.

Any training system is only as good as its application:

The Only Variable That Matters

The post Revisiting CrossFit’s Definition of Fitness appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

If any aspect of your fitness regimen involves raw, unadulterated speed, power, and strength, you should consider incorporating the Olympic lifts or their derivatives into your current routine. Before getting started, let’s review some of the potential challenges you may encounter and bad habits you want to avoid in an effort to get a good head start. From there, we will develop a plan for success.

Olympic weightlifting has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years [Photo courtesy Jorge Huerta Photography]

Start With a Good Coach

Many sectors of the fitness industry, specifically CrossFit and sports performance training, have begun to embrace Olympic weightlifting as part of their programming. This has spawned thousands of instructional videos online. Unless you are a highly skilled and experienced athlete, you simply cannot learn how to perform these movements correctly simply by watching these videos. Even the most accomplished athletes work under the watchful eye and instruction of coaches.

Do yourself a huge favor and hire an Olympic weightlifting coach. Nothing will ever replace the benefits of working with an experienced coach or trainer. Here are a few pointers to help winnow down the candidates.

• Record: The easiest way to evaluate a coach is to research his or her competitive record.
• Feedback: Talk to some of the athletes this coach has worked with and find out about their experiences.
• Credentials: There is no licensing of weightlifting coaches in the United States. However, USA Weightlifting does have a certifying body, and you can check to see if they hold any sort of accreditation.
• Education: A degree in exercise science or some related field is important. A Bachelors or Masters degree in biology, biomechanics, physiology, or anatomy would assure a good formal foundation for a coach’s knowledge base.
• Certifications: Look into a coach’s professional credentials. The CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) is considered one of the premier training certifications for performance-based conditioning. Other credentials that carry a good deal of respect are the National Academy of Sports Medicine PES (Performance Enhancement Specialist) and the ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist.

Get the Gear

Olympic Weightlifting Shoes

Once you have a good coach, you need to get the correct equipment. Shoes are perhaps your most important purchase. Olympic weightlifting shoes are not just any ordinary shoe. There is a purpose for their unusual design and appearance.

• Hard, flat sole: The soles used to be made of wood, but companies today often use a hard plastic sole. The reason for these hard, flat soles is to get as much force off the ground as you can. The soles of regular shoes are slightly squishy and will result in as much as 10 percent loss of power off of the ground.
• Elevated heel: The elevated heel is the game changer when it comes to specialized shoes. Have you even noticed how much easier it is to squat with a raised heel? That’s because the elevated heel allows you to get a fuller range of motion and consequently a deeper squat. People who have tight ankles and hips will see a huge improvement in their ability to squat while wearing Olympic weightlifting shoes. If you don’t believe it, put 5lb plates underneath your heels to mimic a lifted heel, and notice the difference in your position.
• Straps: Straps give your foot a snug fit feeling and keep them from slipping around inside your shoes. You want your feet in a secure and stable positions while performing Olympic lifts and squats.

You can find shoes from brands like Reebok, Adidas, Nike, Do-Win, Risto, and Inov8, and others. Unfortunately, you won’t find these shoes in your local Foot Locker, so it may take a few online purchases before you find the right fit. Purchase them a half size smaller than your running sneakers.

Olympic Weightlifting Bar

Another purchase to consider is an olympic barbell. These bars can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to as much as $1,000. There are two key aspects to these specialized bars:

• Bar diameter: Olympic competition bars are 25mm in diameter for women and 28mm for men. These diameters have two effects. First, they allow most people to properly perform a hook grip, which is discussed below. Second, the thinner steel is able to produce a “whip.” The whip allows an advanced lifter to use the bar as a spring by taking advantage of the fact that the bar bends under the load and acceleration of the lift and then springs back to its original shape.
• Knurling: The best knurling texture for Olympic lifting is a fine knurl that is not sharp. This is accomplished by closer spacing and deeper cuts than what you would see on a bar from your local sporting goods store. Knurling like this takes precision equipment and is time-consuming to create, which is one of the things that makes bars like this so special.

Fortunately, the growing demand for these bars has brought the price down quite a bit. Today you can find a bar in the $300-$700 range from companies like Rogue Fitness and Again Faster.

Training Accessories

As you search for the right shoes and barbell, you will be tempted to purchase a host of different training accessories. Generally speaking, you can save your money, but if you do decide to make these purchases, here are a few considerations.

• Knee/elbow sleeves: You do not have to purchase elbow and knee sleeves. Although compression gear can provide comfort and warmth, there is no guarantee they will provide additional protection. They certainly will not make you move better.
• Wrist wraps: Wrist wraps might provide a little extra support against strains, especially under heavier loads. However, you would be better served to work on your mobility. Properly mobilizing your wrists, elbows, and shoulders provide a better defense against strains and lead to long-term success.
• Chalk and tape: If the facility you are training in does not provide these consider finding a new facility. If you really like facility despite such a glaring omission, then go ahead and purchase these two items. You will use them virtually every training session and they are cheap.

Good shoes and a proper bar are necessary. All the other accessories are optional. [Photo courtesy Dan Sullivan]

Develop Your Fitness Foundation

Now that you have decided to incorporate Olympic weightlifting into your routine, it’s time to start training. It would be naive to assume you can simply walk into a gym and start performing cleans, jerks, and snatches. To focus on such specific and technical movements, you must first develop the broadest fitness foundation possible. Here are the key areas to include in your training:

Squats

The squat trains your basic ability to raise and lower your center of mass. It is a motion essential to all of life’s pursuits. The real-world application, the expression of posterior chain strength and flexibility, and the need for spinal stabilization during execution create an incredibly functional and intense movement.

Squats increase bone density and train the core muscles to eliminate unwanted movement. They allow for large loads to be moved quickly, which is essential for strength and power gains. Finally, the squat prompts a strong neuroendocrine response that releases hormones essential to growth, strength, and metabolism.

Core

Your core is comprised of all the muscles between your hips and shoulders. Some of these muscles, such as the rectus abdominus and hip flexors are fairly familiar, but not everyone has heard of their transverse abdominus or their erector spinae muscles. Each of these muscles deserve proper attention and training. A strong core leads to increased movement efficiency, better body control, and coordination.

Most muscles within the core are designed to eliminate unwanted movement. If you only train these muscles to perform flexion, then they will be unable to handle the stresses of movements like the overhead squat, which requires tremendous midline stabilization. When performing core-to-extremity movements, the muscles of the core must fire in a controlled and coordinated fashion. This is developed through proper mobility and stability training.

Hook Grip

The hook grip is a method of holding a barbell by gripping the thumb between the barbell and the remaining fingers. The hook grip can be tricky initially, especially for individuals with smaller hands, and even more so for individuals whose hands are thick. However, there is a reason every weightlifter in the world uses the hook grip: when you are accelerating a barbell in the Olympic lifts, you cannot maintain your grip without it.

To set your grip, push the webbing between your thumb and index finger into the bar as deep as possible, and then wrap the thumb and fingers. Do not just pinch your thumb between your fingers and the bar. Instead, wrap your thumb around the bar, then grab your thumb with your first two fingers and pull it farther around the bar. There is some stretching that needs to occur before the hook grip feels secure. The best way to accomplish this is to use the hook grip every time you pull a bar, even during heavy deadlifts. Taping your thumbs is another option that can create a little additional friction on the bar to make your grip feel more comfortable.

Grip Strength

To improve your grip strength, start by manipulating thick barbells – tire axles, fat bars, or even wrap a thick towel around a traditional barbell. Use this thicker bar once every other week for deadlifts. Aim for 10-20 reps in the beginning, but work your way up to your one-rep max as your grip strength develops.

Farmer’s walks also improve grip strength. Grab two dumbbells or kettlebells of decent weight and carry them for at least 100 meters. When that gets too easy, load up two barbells and carry them the same way. Next, try pinching weight plates between your fingers. If you are stuck in an office during the day, buy a pair of hand grippers. Make sure the pair you get has enough resistance that five repetitions at a time is initially challenging. Finally, work your extensor muscles by wrapping a rubber band around your fingers and spreading your fingers as wide as possible.

Jump

If you want to become as explosive, you must train explosively. Too often people focus on the technical lifts and get bogged down with progressions that have a steeper learning curve. These progressions are important to learn, but your time initially can be better spent working on something more basic and effective. 

Jumps are directly applicable in most sports, and are an awesome display of relative strength, power, and raw athleticism. Once coordination, landing mechanics, and jumping technique are sufficient, add both height and weight to your jumps. Box jumps are preferable for two reasons. First, landing on a higher surface as opposed to the ground eliminates the added stress of gravity, so you can train harder with less risk of injury. Second, it is easier to measure progress when comparing heights. You can also add weight to make the jumps more challenging by holding dumbbells or using a weighted vest.

The hook grip allows you to move heavy loads explosively without flying off the bar. [Photo courtesy Dan Sullivan]

Recovery Is Part of Your Training

Recovery is a huge topic, but it is worth mentioning a few key elements:

• You are what you eat: Lean protein will support muscle growth and repair. Fruits and vegetables will provide antioxidants to protect against cellular damage and reduce inflammation.
• Drink: Stay hydrated. Drink at least half an ounce of water per pound of body weight per day and even more on hot and humid days.
• Sleep: Your body regulates the hormones that affect how your muscles adapt to training during your sleep cycle. Depriving yourself of the recommended eight hours of shut eye is a sure-fire way to strip yourself of some much needed recovery.
• Cool Down: When your workout is complete, walk around a little bit or jump on the rower to keep circulating blood and nutrients through the body. Then do some light stretching. Your muscles will feel less stiff and sore afterward.

Much More to Learn

This guide is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Olympic weightlifting, but it will get you started on the path toward developing explosive power and newfound fitness. Keep it simple, listen to your coach, and don’t overthink your lifts. You’ll probably find the lifts a little uncomfortable at first, but the magic happens when you leave your comfort zone.

Can’t I just learn weightlifting at my local CrossFit gym? Not really:

What Separates a CrossFit Coach From a Weightlifting Coach?

The post The Olympic Weightlifting Primer appeared first on Breaking Muscle.