However, you will never know if those are even an issue if you don’t first put in an actual effort. Chances are if you stick to the basics, you’re going to see improvement.

The basic mechanics of weight loss are simple—calories in need to be less than calories out. You have to eat less than you expend. Yes, the foods you eat, metabolic output, hormone status, stress, digestion, and genetics all play a role as well.

However, you will never know if those are even an issue if you don’t first put in an actual effort. Chances are if you stick to the basics, you’re going to see improvement.

The problem with successful health change lies not in how but, rather, in the execution. If you show up every day and put in the work, you’re going to get results. Unfortunately, the discipline, commitment, and consistency needed to make these simple changes are often lacking.

You may be thinking it would be nice to make a change and become a healthier version of yourself (good for you). Still, if you’re not willing to put in the work, there is absolutely nothing anyone else can do to help you—no matter how much money you spend or how many different plans you try.

What can you do to make the commitment to yourself and muster up the discipline necessary to accomplish your goals? I’m glad you asked.

Level-Up Your Accountability

Take a hard look in the mirror and decide if that person looking back at you is doing everything in his/her power to show up every single day.

Are you taking care of business consistently? Are you holding yourself accountable to do what you know you need to do? Or, are you sleeping in, half-assin’ your workouts, and eating crap that doesn’t even qualify as food?

You are a grown-up:

• You have to choose to make the next right decision.
• You have to decide to fuel your body with whole, nutritious foods.
• You have to decide to move your body instead of sitting on your ass.
• You have to decide to make the changes now that will give you a long, healthy, and independent life.

It’s 100% up to you, not your coach, not your spouse, not your doctor. You. People can give you the tools you need to succeed, but it’s up to you to implement them.

Are you doing all you can to become the best version of yourself?

Time Is a Resource, Not an Excuse

“I don’t have time.” How many times have you said it? Be honest with yourself. For what do you not have time? Do you not have time for social media? Doubtful.

Do you not have time for TV? Again, doubtful. Yet, when it comes to having time to eat well and stay active, all of a sudden, there’s a lapse in the time continuum, and there’s not an extra second to be found.

It’s never about having time. It’s about making time and making your health and your life a priority. I guarantee you’re going to find time to eat something (otherwise, you’d be starving, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation). Why not make it nutritious?

As far as movement is concerned, nowhere is it written that you have to perform every task known to the man seated. Get up and move. It’s incredible how much you can accomplish by standing and walking—that alone will make a huge difference in most people’s lives.

Workouts don’t have to be lengthy to be effective. You just have to make the time. You have to make it a priority.

What I’m getting at here is everyone is busy. Everyone has the same 24 hours in the day. It is up to every one of us to determine how we are going to spend that time.

If you’re committed to living a healthy lifestyle, those things that feed that lifestyle will be at the top of your list. You will find the time to do what needs to be done. Period.

Check Your Discipline

Lastly, I’d like to discuss discipline, specifically self-discipline. The discipline you hold over yourself to do the right thing even when it sucks.

Successful change doesn’t take magic; it takes discipline.

• The discipline necessary to get to bed at a decent time so your body can get the rest and recovery it needs to live another epic day.
• The discipline necessary to get your ass out of the chair, throw some weights around, or go for a walk, even when you don’t feel like it.
• The discipline to choose the lean protein and veggies over the greasy, cheesy pizza because you know that choice will leave you feeling good.
• The discipline to say no to something that doesn’t help move you toward your goals, and the discipline to do the things that will.

If you don’t have the discipline, you’re going to have a rough time making those difficult choices.

Ultimately, it comes down to you and the choices you make every day. You can choose to remain where you are, or you can choose to change. The power lies within you, your honesty with yourself, your priorities, and your discipline.

In the words of the wise little green man, “Do or do not, there is no try.”

It’s time to take responsibility for yourself and make it happen. You choose.

The post Ultimately, It’s You and Simple Discipline appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

When it comes to cardiovascular health, weight loss, or overall health improvements, cardio seems to always get the spotlight. I get it, it is good for you and, for the most part, everyone can do it in some form or another; however, I also believe strength training is significantly undervalued in terms of health and wellness. Allow me to elaborate.

The Importance of Heart Health

Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise is often part of the prescription for those with high blood pressure or for individuals looking to improve overall cardiovascular health. In fact, for people who would benefit from lowering their blood pressure or cholesterol, the American Heart Association recommends 40 minutes of aerobic exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity three to four times a week.¹

Nowhere is the recommendation is strength training mentioned. Why? Apparently, it’s not considered a necessity for heart health. I don’t know about you, but my heart definitely feels it when I lift. So, to me, strength training should most definitely be part of a healthy heart regimen.

Turns out, I’m not alone. In the most recent issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers found that resistance training promoted a greater nocturnal fall in blood pressure among hypertensive elderly subjects compared with subjects who completed interval aerobic training.² This is important because an appropriate fall in blood pressure at night is associated with reduced cardiovascular risk.

Another study concluded that strength training in older adults decreased levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL (good cholesterol) levels.³ Your cardiovascular system could definitely benefit from those results.

Increase Your Metabolic Health

Individuals suffering from symptoms of metabolic syndrome would also benefit from resistance training, particularly those living with Type 2 diabetes. A study found that 16 weeks of strength training resulted in increased muscle quality and hypertrophy and also improved whole body insulin sensitivity and reductions in inflammation.⁷

Another study published in the Journal of Diabetes came to a similar conclusion. Researchers looked at the effects a 12-week resistance training program had on older women and found that the training reduced the risk of metabolic syndrome while promoting improvements in inflammatory markers, regardless of dietary intervention.⁸

Weight Training Is Good for Weight Loss

Weight loss is really where resistance training gets kicked to the curb. Cardio is touted as being the golden ticket to a lean body, however I must disagree. While cardio has its place in fat reduction, strength training may be a more sustainable, long-term option.

Resistance training not only prevents the loss of lean body mass (which is known to occur naturally as we age, with extended bouts of cardio, as well as dietary restriction), but it also increases levels of lean muscle. As a result of greater muscle protein turnover, increasing lean body mass results in an increase in resting metabolic rate (RMR).⁹ This conservative increase in RMR could seriously add up if you maintained a strength program over the course of your lifetime.

Increase Your Longevity

Lastly, lifting may also help extend your life expectancy, not to mention improve your quality of life over those extra years. A 2016 study⁴ found that those adults 65 years and older who participated in the American College of Sports Medicine-recommended twice weekly strength training sessions had 46% lower odds of all-cause mortality than those who did not.⁵

Another 2016 study, this one published in The American Journal of Medicine, looked at over 3,500 participants made up of men over the age of 55 and women over the age of 65 and found that “all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the fourth quartile of muscle mass index compared with the first quartile.”⁶ In other words, those older adults with more muscle mass had a much smaller risk of dying.

Get to That Squat Rack

As you can see, the squat rack should not be ignored in a solid health and fitness program. If you’re not already, make it a point to lift something heavy a couple times a week, your body, health and mind will thank you.

References:

1. “American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults.” Accessed June 27, 2018.

2. Bertani, Rodrigo F., Giulliard O. Campos, Diego M. Perseguin, José M.t. Bonardi, Eduardo Ferriolli, Julio C. Moriguti, and Nereida K.c. Lima. “Resistance Exercise Training Is More Effective than Interval Aerobic Training in Reducing Blood Pressure During Sleep in Hypertensive Elderly Patients.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 32, no. 7 (2018): 2085-090.

3. Martins, Raul A., Manuel T. Veríssimo, Manuel J Coelho E Silva, Sean P. Cumming, and Ana M. Teixeira. “Effects of Aerobic and Strength-based Training on Metabolic Health Indicators in Older Adults.” Lipids in Health and Disease 9, no. 1 (2010): 76. doi:10.1186/1476-511x-9-76.

4. Kraschnewski, Jennifer L., Christopher N. Sciamanna, Jennifer M. Poger, Liza S. Rovniak, Erik B. Lehman, Amanda B. Cooper, Noel H. Ballentine, and Joseph T. Ciccolo. “Is Strength Training Associated with Mortality Benefits? A 15 Year Cohort Study of US Older Adults.” Preventive Medicine 87 (2016): 121-27. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.02.038.

5. Pollock, Michael L., Glenn A. Gaesser, Janus D. Butcher, Jean-Pierre Després, Rod K. Dishman, Barry A. Franklin, and Carol Ewing Garber. “ACSM Position Stand.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 30, no. 6 (1998): 975-91. doi:10.1249/00005768-199806000-00032.

6. Srikanthan, Preethi, and Arun S. Karlamangla. “Muscle Mass Index As a Predictor of Longevity in Older Adults.” The American Journal of Medicine 127, no. 6 (2014): 547-53. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.02.007.

7. Brooks, Naomi, Jennifer E. Layne, Patricia L. Gordon, Ronenn Roubenoff, Miriam E. Nelson, and Carmen Castaneda-Sceppa. “Strength Training Improves Muscle Quality and Insulin Sensitivity in Hispanic Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes.” International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2007, 19-27. doi:10.7150/ijms.4.19.

8. Tomeleri, Crisieli M., Mariana F. Souza, Roberto C. Burini, Cláudia R. Cavaglieri, Alex S. Ribeiro, Melissa Antunes, João P. Nunes, Danielle Venturini, Décio S. Barbosa, Luís B. Sardinha, and Edilson S. Cyrino. “Resistance Training Reduces Metabolic Syndrome and Inflammatory Markers in Older Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Diabetes 10, no. 4 (2017): 328-37. doi:10.1111/1753-0407.12614.

9. Evans, W. J. “Protein Nutrition and Resistance Exercise.” Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology 26, no. 6 (2001).

The post Why Does Cardio Get All the Credit? appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

While there are many contributing factors to obesity, lack of physical activity is a biggie. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day.² As a mom to three young kids and a health enhancement teacher to over 100, I can tell you first-hand this is not enough. Kids need to move their little bodies, a lot! Despite this, there are many kids failing to get even the minimum amount. Only 21.6% of 6 to 19-year-old children and adolescents in the United States are physically active for 60 minutes, five days per week.³

Considering the effects obesity has on these little bodies and the fact that approximately 80% of overweight children become overweight adults, ⁴ something needs to be done. Yes, this is a multifaceted problem that won’t have an overnight solution; however, things need to change, now.

I think one of the most important steps we can take is to start kids on the right path as early as possible. Getting kids in the habit of moving rather than maintaining a sedentary existence is a good starting point. But what’s the most effective way to do so?

Facts to Ponder

A very recent study compared three different types of recess time for preschool children. One consisted of free play where the kids could do as they pleased; the second was structured and involved a fitness instructor leading the children through different activities; the third, the control, gave the kids access to age-appropriate books, computer games, and learning activities.

Accelerometers were used to measure activity levels of the children during the three different types of recess. As you’d expect, the kids were significantly less active during the control recess. There was no significant difference found in activity levels between the free play or structured recess. However, after the recess period, researchers discovered something of interest.

For starters, kids who participated in the control recess completed significantly less physical activity throughout the rest of the school day. Secondly, when the children were engaged in structured play during recess, they were significantly less active after recess compared to both the free play and control groups.

Researchers deduced that children who were highly active during free play exhibited a significant reduction in physical activity during structured play and visa versa—kids who were not as active during free play significantly increased their activity level during structured play.

What Does This All Mean?

To me, it means kids are similar to adults — we all have our preferences and personalities. While some like to run wild and do whatever comes to them on a whim, others are more reserved with their bodies and actions. Their brains and bodies may not intertwine in a way that makes spontaneous movement possible or even fun for that matter. These kids need to be instructed on what to do and how to do it.

I see this all the time in my classes. I do quite a bit of structured activity in order to teach the kids specific skills but I mix in free play every few classes. During free time, the majority of the kids are going wild, but there’s always a select few who don’t really know what to do with themselves. In contrast, these quiet ones thrive when they’re instructed on exactly what to do.

Whether you work with kids professionally as a teacher or coach or you simply have a couple little humans running around your house, it’s our responsibility to show them how to incorporate, enjoy, and crave movement. Get to know your kids. Find out how they prefer to engage in physical activity and cater to that need. It will be better for everyone involved if we can get our kids moving and reverse this childhood obesity trend we’re dealing with. It might be a small start, but it’s a start.

References:

1. “The State of Childhood Obesity“, Iowa State Obesity Data, Rates and Trends – The State of Obesity. Accessed June 22, 2018.

2. “Healthy Schools“, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. June 28, 2017. Accessed June 22, 2018.

3. “Healthy Schools“, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. April 09, 2018. Accessed June 22, 2018.

4. Burdette, Hillary L., Robert C. Whitaker, and Stephen R. Daniels. “Parental Report of Outdoor Playtime as a Measure of Physical Activity in Preschool-aged Children“, Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 158, no. 4 (2004): 353. doi:10.1001/archpedi.158.4.353.

5. Frank, Megan L., Anna Flynn, Gregory S. Farnell, and Jacob E. Barkley. “The Differences in Physical Activity Levels in Preschool Children during Free Play Recess and Structured Play Recess“, Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness 16, no. 1 (2018): 37-42. doi:10.1016/j.jesf.2018.03.001.

The post Childhood Fitness: Start Them Young appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Let me tell you, this is where the hard work really begins, sister. Even if you lifted all throughout your pregnancy, those muscles that used to be your abs are shot. They have been stretched and abused beyond recognition.

You’re sitting at home, holding that adorable little bundle of joy, and so glad the hard part is over. Then you look down at that big squishy blob that used to be your stomach and wonder, “What in the hell am I going to do about that?!”

Let me tell you, this is where the hard work really begins, sister. Even if you lifted all throughout your pregnancy, those muscles that used to be your abs are shot. They have been stretched and abused beyond recognition.

The first sign of complete lack of core strength comes when your back starts to ache after holding your little eight pounds worth of baby for just a few minutes. Because your abdominal muscles are giving you no support, your back is working overtime trying to keep your torso upright. Not to mention, you’ve got that extra what-seems-like fifty pounds of milk-engorged boob pulling you forward.

How Pregnancy Affects the Core

When you think of the core, chances are you think of the abs. However, the core actually consists of all the muscles that encompass your midsection, including your back and hips. As you have probably already experienced, pregnancy wreaks havoc on these areas. Between the stretched and weakened abdominal muscles, the shortened and overworked back muscles, and the slightly unstable hips that seem to have gotten a bit wider, there’s a good chance you’ll find that your old ten-rep-max now feels like a personal record attempt.

This doesn’t necessarily mean your strength is gone, but rather that the all-important ability to create the intra-abdominal pressure necessary to stiffen and keep your torso erect is no longer possible. As a result, you’re folding over faster than a dollar bill in a stripper’s G-string. Now is the time to get back to basics and work on rebuilding your core before you get busy trying to hit those heavy lifts.

Diastasis Recti

First, you need to assess yourself for diastasis recti. This occurs when the connective tissue between your abdominal muscles thins, causing your muscles to separate. This is a common pregnancy condition, but some women may have a more severe case.

To check for diastasis recti, simply lie on your back, contract your abdominal muscles and press gently into your abdomen above and below your navel. If you can feel a soft spot or gap between the muscles, then you do have a separation. One to two finger-widths is normal and should close on its own. If your gap is wider than three finger-widths, it may not be a bad idea to contact a physical therapist to ensure proper closing of the gap.

Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD)

There is one other fun side effect of pregnancy that some women have the joy of experiencing called symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD). Yes, it is as painful as the name sounds. When you suffer from SPD, the ligaments that are supposed to keep your pelvis aligned become lax. This leads to instability in the pelvic joint, allowing it to move in ways it was never intended to move.

SPD is not only painful, but it also puts a damper on workouts during and after pregnancy. In my experience, any unilateral lower-body movement was off the table. Split squats, lunges, step ups, pistol squats, and lateral jumps would leave me wriggling on the floor in agony and, depending on the severity of pain, sometimes in a pool of urine. I’m just kidding on that one, but it did hurt like hell.

It Doesn’t Stop: Postpartum Pelvic Pain

Why am I telling you all this? After my second pregnancy, I was having a difficult time getting rid of the pelvic pain. Even running hurt. I visited my physical therapist (PT) for what I thought was a separate issue – I couldn’t keep water off my knees. It turned out my hips were all jacked up, which was causing mayhem throughout the rest of my lower body. My PT went straight for pelvic tilts, belly breathing, and abdominal bracing. The resultant stronger muscles picked up the slack of my shirking ligaments, ending my discomfort, improving the integrity of my pelvis, and laying a solid foundation for heavy lifts.

These following exercises target the transverse abdominals as well as the pelvic floor muscles, which are the keystone for a strong core. These exercises are low-key enough that you can begin doing them soon after delivery. If you had a c-section, you’ll want to give yourself more time to heal to prevent opening the incision or further damaging the tissues.

To get on the right track, include pelvic tilts, belly breathing, and abdominal bracing in your daily routine as soon after birth as you comfortably can. Add arm and leg movements to the bracing to prepare your abdomen for more intense movements.

The 6 Core Exercises New Moms Need

Okay, now onto the core of the matter, pun intended. Isometric abdominal exercises will be your bread and butter for the first couple of months after the little darling arrives. These exercises are the most effective way to target the bulk of the abdomen while improving strength throughout your entire midsection.

The American College of Sports Medicine used electromyography (EMG) to determine which abdominal exercises most effectively activated the rectus abdominis and obliques. Researchers found the yoga boat, yoga dolphin plank on a ball, and the yoga side plank to be at the top of the list. Incorporate two to three sets of each of these exercises, holding each one for at least thirty seconds working your way up to one to two minutes, into your workout routine.

1. Belly Breathing

Belly breathing simply involves allowing your stomach to expand and contract as much as possible while you actively inhale and exhale as deeply as possible.

2. Abdominal Bracing

Begin by lying face-up on the floor. Brace your abdomen by contracting your entire abdomen as if you were preparing to get hit in the stomach. This is your starting position. From here, perform different movements such as raising one or both arms overhead or extending your legs while keeping your back flat against the floor.

3. Pelvic Tilt

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor or propped on a ball. Brace your abdomen and tilt your pelvis back by pressing your lower back into the floor. Hold this position for five seconds then repeat.

4. Yoga Boat

Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Brace your abdomen, slightly lean your torso back while lifting your feet off the floor. Lift until your shins are parallel with the floor, your back is straight and your hips are flexed to ninety degrees. Extend your arms forward to a comfortable position to help maintain your balance. Hold here for at least thirty seconds.

5. Dolphin Plank

Place your elbows on the top of a stability ball and extended your legs out behind. Brace your abdomen and hips, straighten your back and hold the position for at least thirty seconds. This exercise is basically just a standard plank but you’re adding in the instability of the ball.

6. Side Plank

Lie on your side with your elbow under your shoulder. Stack your hips and feet, stabilize your core, and lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line. Hold here for at least thirty seconds. Repeat on the other side. Add ten to twenty leg lifts (shown in the video below) to the side plank to further improve hip strength and stability.

Can’t I Just Do Deadlifts?

Is all of this really necessary? Well, technically, you could rely solely on the lifts themselves to get you back into fighting shape, but I guarantee it will be a long haul and you’ll be lifting a lot lighter for a lot longer.

Don’t get me wrong, lifts, especially front squats, are excellent for building core strength. However, when you’re forced to lift light due to the inability to stiffen up your torso and stay erect properly, you’re not going to get a lot accomplished. It’s still a good idea to start light and work your way up, but by adding in additional core work, you’ll start hitting your pregnancy and pre-pregnancy numbers a lot faster.

Note: Please let me clarify, this routine is not going to spot reduce that baby pudge. We all know spot reduction is a crock and the only way to get visible abs again is through diet, regular intense exercise, and time. The basis of this program is to help restore the core strength lost during pregnancy that you can start hitting those heavy lifts sooner after pregnancy and feel like a bad-ass momma again.

References:

1. Olson, Michelle, Ph.D., FACSM, C.S.C.S. “The “Anatomy” of Investigating Abdominal Exercises,” ACSM’S Health and Fitness Journal Vol 17 (2014): 9-14
2. Anthony, Lenita. Pre- and Post-Natal Fitness: A Guide For Fitness Professionals from the American Council on Exercise. California: Healthy Learning, 2002.

The post 6 Exercises For Rebuilding Your Core After Pregnancy appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Simply stated, hormones are chemical messengers produced and released by the endocrine glands and transported throughout the body via the bloodstream. Hormones have an unimaginable number of responsibilities in the body, but this conversation is going to focus on their roles in building muscle mass.

By planning your workouts intelligently, you can naturally manipulate your endocrine system to get an optimal hormone response, getting the results you’re after without having to stray to the dark side of fitness.

The Key Players

Hormones are heavily involved in the building up and breaking down of proteins during and after a bout of resistance training. Catabolic hormones, like cortisol, attempt to break down proteins to support certain aspects of muscle metabolism. On the other hand, anabolic hormones including testosterone and growth hormone help blunt the effects of the catabolic hormones and are partly responsible for the production, or synthesis, of proteins resulting in stronger, larger muscles.

• Testosterone is the primary anabolic hormone that interacts with skeletal muscle and is responsible for producing the male sex characteristics. Testosterone stimulates muscle growth and increases protein synthesis.
• Growth hormone plays a number of roles in the muscular adaptations to resistance training. The most important of these include enhanced uptake of amino acids at the cellular level and protein synthesis in muscle tissue resulting in muscle growth.
• Cortisol breaks down the in-demand amino acids your muscles need and converts them into carbohydrates to be used for energy. It also helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels, conserve glucose, and promote the use of fat. Chronically high levels of cortisol can result in overtraining; however, acute spikes in the hormone after a workout may be a necessary part of the muscle remodeling process.

Basics of Muscle Development

Muscle development involves the disturbance and damage of fibers, an inflammatory response, hormonal interactions, and ultimately the building of new proteins. This resulting protein synthesis spawns two types of proteins: contractile and non-contractile.

• Contractile proteins, actin and myosin, are the actual proteins responsible for muscular contractions.
• Non-contractile proteins do not play a role in the movement of the muscle, but instead add to the structural integrity of the muscle tissue.

The extent to which both types of proteins are generated, determines the level of muscle growth you’ll experience.

The goal with training is to increase protein synthesis and decrease protein breakdown. This can be accomplished with a solid diet, adequate rest, and capitalizing on your naturally occurring hormones. The acute hormonal secretions that occur during and after your workout provide your body with information regarding the physiological stressors your body is undergoing. Your body then takes that information and responds to the exercise stress accordingly.

5 Ways to Capitalize on Your Training Efforts

The breadth of hormonal response to resistance training depends on the amount of tissue stimulated and the amount of tissue remodeling and repair necessary to return to a homeostatic balance. There are several factors to take into consideration to successfully manipulate your hormonal response to exercise.

1. Exercise Selection

When deciding on which exercises to add to your routine, go for quality over quantity. Choose exercises that target the greatest amount of muscle mass, such as deadlifts, squats, power cleans, and presses. The more of a muscle recruited for an exercise, the greater the potential of remodeling for the entire muscle. Because only the muscle fibers that are activated during your workout are capable of adaptation, it’s important to vary your exercise technique. For example, alter your squat stance every few workouts or adjust the angle of your bench press.

2. Order of Exercises

Your workout should begin with large compound exercises like the ones listed above, and then finish with exercises that target the smaller muscle groups. Working the larger muscles before the smaller ones creates higher levels of circulating testosterone and growth hormone, resulting in a more agreeable muscle-building environment. Basically, by saving your triceps extensions and biceps curls until the end of your workout, you’re surfing on the hormone surge induced by the squats and deadlifts you performed earlier in the workout.

3. Weight

If you want your endocrine system to respond favorably to your workout, then you’ve got to lift heavy. Avoid going lighter than 85% of your one-repetition maximum, and aim to stay in the 85-95% range. For example, if your max deadlift is 300 pounds, you should be moving 255 to 285 with each rep. The forces generated from working with heavy weights activate high-threshold motor-units not generally stimulated by lighter weights or other types of exercise. By pushing your body to its limits, you’re increasing your potential for an exceptional hormonal response and muscle adaptation.

Note: There is an exception for women. In a classic study, published in the “Journal of Applied Physiology,” researchers found that a moderate-resistance, around 75%, produced significant increases in GH compared to no increase observed with a heavier resistance protocol.

4. Volume

The volume of work performed during each session is another important consideration. Moderate to high volumes of exercise have shown to be the most effective in producing optimum hormonal responses. Since you’re working with heavy loads, the number of repetitions you can perform are limited. Therefore, the high volumes necessary are achieved with multiple sets or multiple exercises. The Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology published a study that found a three-set protocol produced significantly higher levels of circulating anabolic hormones compared to a routine that used only one set of each exercise.

5. Rest Periods

The final factor to consider is the length of rest periods between sets, and the lines here can get a little blurry. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared a heavy resistance exercise protocol using sixty-, ninety- and 120-second rest periods. Researchers found growth hormone levels were 64% higher during the sixty-second rest period compared to the 120-second rest period. Testosterone levels, on the other hand, were 76% and 65% higher at the ninety- and 120-second mark, respectively, than at sixty seconds. Your best bet may be to keep it on the centerline and shoot for rest periods between sixty and ninety seconds to get both testosterone and growth hormone concentrations to optimum levels.

The Take-Home

In order to take full advantage of your natural-given performance enhancers, go big or go home. Shoot for big muscle exercises with heavy weights, high volume, and short rest periods.

And while you’re kicking ass in the gym, don’t forget to take care of yourself the other 23 hours of the day. Eat well, avoid alcohol to a reasonable extent (it’s a known testosterone assassin), and take advantage of rest days to give your body a chance to use that hormone surge you worked so hard for. And because the highest levels of growth hormone are achieved while you sleep, remember to get plenty of shut-eye.

More Like This:

• Hormones 101: 8 Articles for Athletes
• What You Need to Know About Hormone Testing: Which Test to Get and Why
• How Sleep Deprivation Fries Your Hormones, Your Immune System, and Your Brain
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

References:

1. Kraemer, et al. “Changes in hormonal concentrations following different heavy resistance exercise protocols in women,” Journal of Applied Physiology. 75(2):594-604. 1993.

2. Gotshalk, et al. “Hormonal responses of multiset versus single-set heavy-resistance exercise protocols,” Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology. 22(3):244-55. 1997.

3. Rahimi, et al. “Effects of very short rest periods on hormonal responses to resistance exercise in men,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 24(7):1851-9. 2010.

4. Baechle, Thomas R., and Roger W. Earle. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2008. Print.

Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Shutterstock.

Photo 3 by By jasonandkehly, via Wikimedia Commons.

The post Looking for Gains? Manipulate Your Training for Hormone Optimization appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Stronger bones, connective tissue, and muscles will help you withstand the rigors of endurance training.

The Evidence

In classic studies performed by R.C. Hickson and colleagues, a group of moderately trained runners and cyclists participated in a combination of endurance and strength training for ten weeks. Researchers observed a 13% improvement in treadmill running and an 11% improvement in ergometer biking; both performed to exhaustion at maximal work rates. They also noted a 20% increase in cycling to exhaustion working at 80% of VO2max.

“The final and most obvious tissue that benefits from strength training and reduces risk of injury is muscle itself.”

A more recent study, published in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, investigated the effects of maximal strength training on a group of well-trained distance runners for eight weeks who were simultaneously completing their regular endurance training. Researchers found that the strength training group showed significant improvements in one repetition max testing (33.2%), rate of force development (26%), running economy (5%), and maximal aerobic speed (21.3%) compared to no changes in the control group.

These are just a couple examples of the many studies showing notable improvements in distance running performance after the completion of a strength-training program. The majority of the studies I’ve come across have yielded impressive findings.

How Exactly Does Strength Training Improve Performance?

Heavy strength training is known to increase stiffness in the musculotendinous unit. In fact, The Journal of Physiology published a study that reported an 18% increase in tendon stiffness in subjects who performed an eight-week resistance-training program. The increased stiffness results in a heightened ability to store elastic energy during eccentric actions, thereby increasing concentric muscle force.

Another study, published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, found increased muscle stiffness resulted in increased running economy. Researchers believed this to be due to the fact that stiffer muscles and tendons transfer energy more efficiently, reducing levels of muscle activation and energy expenditure.

“The Journal of Physiology published a study that reported an 18% increase in tendon stiffness in subjects who performed an eight-week resistance-training program.”

Another possible explanation for performance improvements is that strength training seems to create an anaerobic reserve of sorts. A study published in the American Journal of Physiology reported twelve weeks of strength training completed concurrently with endurance training resulted in greater muscle phosphocreatine and glycogen content, and lower lactate concentrations at the end of a thirty-minute cycle compared to endurance training alone.

Another study published by the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports found that strength-training cyclists displayed reduced heart rate and blood lactate concentrations during the final hour of a 185-minute cycling test, as well as improved average power production during a sprint in the final five minutes, compared to cyclists who relied solely on endurance training. While these studies were performed on cyclists, who’s to say runners couldn’t experience the same improvements?

Strength training has been shown to reduce heart rate and blood lactate concentrations in cyclists.

Stay in the Game

If setting a new personal record isn’t enough to get you into the weight room, consider that strength training can also reduce your risk of injury. All the wear and tear you put on your body increases your potential of getting sidelined at some point in your career. Regular strength training has been shown to increase bone mineral density, lessening your chance of stress fracture.

Tendons, ligaments, and fascia have also displayed a positive response to resistance training. The Journal of Anatomy published a study that found chronic loading leads to both increased collagen turnover and some degree of net collagen synthesis. Another study, performed on mice, suggested increased collagen fibril diameter, a greater number of covalent cross-links, and an increased number and density of collagen fibrils may contribute to increases in size and strength in tendons.

The final and most obvious tissue that benefits from strength training and reduces risk of injury is muscle itself. Strengthening the muscles that surround your working joints will improve the integrity of the juncture, minimize any unnecessary stress on the supporting tissues, and reduce imbalances. The combination of stronger bones, connective tissue, and muscles, results in a more durable body better suited to withstand the rigors of endurance training.

What’s Stopping You?

If you’ve avoided weights like the plague for fear of morphing into The Hulk, your worries have been for naught. Runners typically have an ectomorph body type, and individuals with this type of build naturally lack the tendency to gain muscle. This is not to say you won’t build muscle – the idea is that you want to – but you’ll have a more difficult time than someone with a different body type.

“A study published in the American Journal of Physiology reported twelve weeks of strength training completed concurrently with endurance training resulted in greater muscle phosphocreatine and glycogen content, and lower lactate concentrations at the end of a thirty-minute cycle compared to endurance training alone.”

In fact, many endurance athletes lack an important trait necessary to gain copious amounts of muscle – a suitable environment. Unlike plants, it takes more than a little sunshine and water to get muscles to grow. Muscle growth requires a tremendous amount of work in the gym and dedication in the kitchen. Generally speaking, you would need to eat an additional 250 to 500 calories per day in order to gain weight. While this bump in caloric intake is totally doable, chances are recovery from your endurance training is already putting the majority of what you eat to good use, leaving insufficient nutrition for excessive muscle growth to occur.

To be honest, increase in muscle size simply does not seem to be an issue for endurance athletes who add strength training to their existing routine. Although several of the studies discussed above did record measurable increases in strength, none reported significant increases in the cross sectional area of the trained muscles. So you’re likely to get stronger, without getting “bulkier.”

Runners typically have an ectomorph body type, so chances are you’re not going to turn into the Hulk.

Training Considerations

If you decide to take the plunge and boost your endurance training with a few weekly strength-training sessions, make sure you’re smart about it. Wasting time and energy on unnecessary exercises and programming will only hurt rather than help. Choose exercises that transfer directly to running.

Since your legs do most of the work, lower-body work will be the primary focus. Lunges, side lunges, squat variations (front, back, overhead), and toe-heel raises would be appropriate. Consider expanding your program during the off-season for more total-body strengthening, but while you’re in-season, it’s wise to keep things simple.

“One possibility is to schedule your strength training on the two days a week you perform your lower-intensity endurance training. For example, lift weights in the morning and then complete a low-intensity run in the afternoon or evening.”

Perform your strength workout two times per week concurrently with your endurance training, giving yourself at least two days of recovery between strength sessions. Choose two to three exercises per session – for example, forward lunge, front squat, and heel raises. Perform three to five sets of each exercise using a 3 to 10RM, and you’re done. Your strength workouts should be short and sweet, leaving ample time for endurance training.

The lower rep scheme suggested above, means you’ll be working with some relatively heavy weights. While some improvement can be achieved with lighter weights and higher reps, heavier lifts will yield superior results. A recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reported greater levels of change in running economy, countermovement jump height, velocity at VO2max, and 3km time trial performance in subjects who completed a twelve-week strength-training program using more than 70% 1RM compared to those who trained with less than 40% 1RM.

One of the most difficult issues to work out will be how to incorporate resistance training into your existing endurance program without overtraining. One possibility is to schedule your strength training on the two days a week you perform your lower-intensity endurance training. For example, lift weights in the morning and then complete a low-intensity run in the afternoon or evening.

Play around with your programming until you find what works right for you. Ideally, you want the best of both worlds while still getting sufficient recovery.

Since your legs do most of the work, lower-body work will be the primary focus.

The Take-Home

The results are in – with the majority of the research showing that endurance athletes can indeed boost performance with the implementing of a strength program. You know what the science has to say. Now the ball is in your court.

If you’re totally content with your current training and are strictly endurance for life, then keep at it. But if you’re not completely satisfied with your performance and just can’t put your finger on what’s missing, it may be time to pick up a weight.

Try it for a few months, and if you find you’re not feeling stronger and turning in better times, then go back to your old ways. But I bet if you give strength training a chance, you just might surprise yourself.

More Like This:

• Why Runners Need Strength Training (And How to Get Started)
• The 5 Best Plyometric Exercises for Runners
• Weight Training Basics for Runners
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

References:

1. Hickson RC. “Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance.” European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology 45:255-263, 1980.

2. Hickson RC, Dvorak BA, Gorostiaga EM, Kurowski TT, and Foster C. “Potential for strength and endurance training to amplify endurance performance.” Journal of Applied Physiology (1985) 65:2285-9220, 1988.

3. Aagaard P, Andersen JL, Bennekou M, Larsson B, Olesen JL, Crameri R, Magnusson SP, and Kjaer M. “Effects of resistance training on endurance capacity and muscle fiber composition in young top-level cyclists.” Scandanavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 21:298-307, 2011.

4. Kubo, K., H Kanehisa, and T. Fukunaga. “Effects of resistance and stretching training programs on the viscoelastic properties of human tendon structures in vivo.” The Journal of Physiology 538:219-226, 2002.

5. Dumke CL, Pfaffenroth CM, McBride JM, McCauley GO. “Relationship Between Muscle Strength, Power and Stiffness and Running Economy in Trained Male Runners.” International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 5:249-261, 2010.

6. Goreham C, Green HJ, Ball-Burnett M, and Ranney D. “High-resistance training and muscle metabolism during prolonged exercise.” American Journal of Physiology 276: 489-496, 1999.

7. Rønnestad BR, Hansen EA, and Raastad T. “Strength training improves 5-min all-out performance following 185 min of cycling.” Scandanavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 21:250-259, 2011.

8. Kjaar M, Magnusson P, Krogsgaard M, Boysen Møller J, Olesen J, Heinemeier K, Hansen M, Haraldsson B, Koskinen S, Esmarck B, and Langberg H. “Extracellular matrix adaptation of tendon and skeletal muscle to exercise.” The Journal of Anatomy 208(4): 445–450, 2006.

9. Minchna H, and G. Hantmann. “Adaptation of tendon collagen to exercise.” International Orthopaedics 13(3):161-5, 1989.

10. Støren O, Helgerud J, Støa EM, and Hoff J. “Maximal strength training improves running economy in distance runners. “ Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 40:1087-1092, 2008.

11. Hoff J, Helgerud J, and Wisløff U. “Maximal strength training improves work economy in trained female cross-country skiers.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 31:870-877, 1999.

12. Sedona S, Marin PJ, Cuadrado G, and Redondo JC. “Concurrent training in elite male runners: The influence of strength versus muscular endurance training on performance outcomes.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 27:2433-2443, 2013.

13. Bazler CD, Abbott HA, Bellon CR, Taber CB, Stone MH. “Strength Training for Endurance Athletes: Theory to Practice.” Strength and Conditioning Journal 37 (2): 1-12, 2015.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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This article is for those of you guilty of upper body neglect. You hit the gym, get in some squats, maybe some leg presses, lunges, and kill the core. If you consider curls and kick-backs an upper body workout, then you’ve got a thing or two to learn.

While these “exercises” have their uses, I’m talking about legit upper-body work – presses, rows, hang cleans, jerks, and snatches are more along the lines of what I’m thinking. If you don’t think hot arms and respect in the gym are worth the effort it takes to build an upper body, here are a few more reasons for all ladies to consider taking your upper-body training to the next level.

Keep Up With the Boys

Guys always seem to have a leg up on us. They can eat whatever they want, get ripped without trying, and look hot with gray hair.

When it comes to strength, they also have us beat. In terms of absolute strength, ladies generally have about two-thirds the strength of men. When you break it down and factor in body weight, the lower-body strength of women is comparable to men, but we still find ourselves lacking in the upper-body department.

“In terms of absolute strength, ladies generally have about two-thirds the strength of men.”

A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology contributed this discrepancy in strength to the fact that men have bigger muscle fibers than women.

Taxing your upper body with moderate to heavy loads will invoke muscle hypertrophy and help balance out this strength gap between genders.

You may never be able to bench 300 pounds, but getting under some heavy weight would definitely help level the playing field.

Tastefully Flaunt Your Attributes

We all know that one of the benefits of lifting heavy is to look good naked.

Unfortunately, in most developed countries, it’s frowned upon to walk around au naturel. Okay, so you’ve got some smokin’ glutes but, once again, you can’t walk around with your cheeks hanging out, at least not in everyday life.

Thankfully, society is completely all right with a woman showing some upper-body skin. Take advantage and display those traps, delts, pecs, lats, bis, and tris in all their splendid glory – and you don’t even have to worry about looking skanky.

Without having your lady bits hanging out, you can tactfully let the world know that you work your ass off in the gym and you’re proud of the house you’ve built.

Be a Bad-Ass Old Lady

In the Framingham Disability Study, researchers found that 40% of women between 55-64 years old, 45% of women between 65-74, and 65% of women between 75-84 were unable to lift ten pounds. I repeat – ten pounds!

As we get older, we tend to get weaker. That’s just how nature works. After the age of thirty, sarcopenia rears its ugly head and we begin to lose that hard-earned muscle mass. As the size of our muscles decrease, so do our strength capabilities.

“The good news is you don’t have to sit idly by while you’re stripped down to skin and bones.”

The good news is you don’t have to sit idly by while you’re stripped down to skin and bones. Start lifting early and stay with it to maintain those curves and strength you’ve worked so hard to get.

Do you want to be the old gal who doesn’t have enough strength to pick up her cat or the bad-ass grandma who routinely kicks her grand-kids’ butts at flag football?

Survive a Zombie-Apocalypse or Other Crazy Scenarios

Prepare yourself just in case someday shit goes down and you have to depend on your physical strength to save yourself.

Say, for example, there are a couple zombies running you down. Let’s pretend they’re fast zombies and they’re right on your tail. All of a sudden, you come to a wall and you have to pull yourself up and over it or have your brains eaten. Could you do it?

And if you’re an outdoorsy girl, there’s always that chance you may have to wrestle a bear, mountain lion, or Sasquatch to the death. You’re probably thinking, “Yeah, like anything like that is ever going to happen!”

So for argument’s sake, take a real-life scenario where some jack-wagon decides he wants to mug you or hurt you – that extra upper-body strength would come in pretty handy to kick his ass.

Make a Man Obsolete

Well, maybe not entirely obsolete, but at least so far as not needing one to take care of you.

We often are forced to take advantage of the men in our lives for their brute strength. Their big strong bodies are superb for moving heavy boxes and rearranging furniture.

But what if you didn’t need a guy to help you move or haul your heavy stuff? Sure, it may make him feel slightly inadequate, but think of the freedom and independence you’d have if you could take care of life’s hassles all by your little ol’ self.

“I’m not saying you should strive to look like Arnold’s twin sister or anything, but making those shoulders just a tad broader wouldn’t hurt anything.”

Balance Out the Physique

We women generally tend to have a bit more meat in our lower body than we do in the top, so adding some big lifts to your upper body and gaining mass there can help balance out your entire physique.

Another perk of adding mass to your upper half is that all-important increase in metabolism.

We all know that the more muscle we have, the higher our resting metabolic rate. Over time, this bump in caloric burn can lead to a leaner, hotter version of you with muscles up top and down below.

Are You Convinced?

Have you heard enough to jump on the bandwagon? I’m not saying you should strive to look like Arnold’s twin sister or anything, but making those shoulders just a tad broader wouldn’t hurt anything.

If your gym gals still aren’t feeling it, ask a guy to spot you while you rep out the poundage. You never know, down the road he may just be asking you for a spot or to help him move his couch.

Read more on women’s strength training:

• 9 Reasons Muscle is Good (and You Should Get Some)
• Women Are Not Small Men: Essential Info for Female Athletes
• The Role of Testosterone for the Female Athlete
• What’s New On Breaking Muscle Today

References:

1. Jett, A., and L. Branch. “The Framingham Disability Study: II. Physiological Disability Among the Aging.” American Journal of Public Health. 1981; 71:1211-1216.

2. Lauback, L. “Comparative Muscle Strength of Men and Women: A Review of the Literature.” Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine. 1976; 47:534-542.

3. Holloway, J. “A Summary Chart: Age Related Changes in Women and Men and Their Possible Improvement With Training.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 1998; 12:126-128.

4. Miller AE, MacDougall JD, Tarnopolsky MA, Sale DG. “Gender Differences in Strength and Muscle Fiber Characteristics.” European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology. 1993; 66(3):254-62.

Photos 1 & 2 courtesy of Jose Huerta Photography.

Photos 3 & 4 courtesy of Shutterstock.

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I read an article a while ago, where a professional athlete was interviewed about his workouts and recovery. This athlete commented that there is absolutely no excuse for anyone not to get at least eight hours of sleep every night. I thought to myself, “This guy obviously does not have kids.”

He then went on to say, every night he would lay down in his perfectly darkened, temperature-controlled room, put in his ear plugs and fall into a splendid sleep, while his saint (I added that part) of a wife would deal with the kids. Well, that’s just super, but what about the rest of us who don’t have the luxury to throw our spouses to the wolves while we enjoy blissful z’s?!

Real Life

With three young kids in our house, a full night’s sleep is a rare luxury. Even when all the kids stay asleep, I find myself waking in expectation of someone crying about a drink of water, dropped binkie, or dirty diaper. Aside from buying some high-tech ear plugs or hiring a night-time nanny (which has crossed my mind), how are we average parents supposed to hit it hard in the gym when we’re so sleep deprived we can barely remember what workout we did two days ago?

“Even when all the kids stay asleep, I find myself waking in expectation of someone crying about a drink of water, dropped binkie, or dirty diaper.”

I have been pondering this predicament for some time now. Especially once I realized I couldn’t come close to hitting the same intensity I was doing BC (before children) without feeling like I got run over by a freight train. Yes, I’m being slightly dramatic, but you all know where I’m coming from. In search of an answer, I dove into the research and did a little experimenting. What I have come up with will probably not get you to peak performance, but it should help keep you from feeling old, tired, and sore every day.

Sleep 101

First, let’s do some minor exploration into sleep, in which there are four stages:

• Stages one and two occur when you’re transitioning from wakefulness to a light sleep. I’m guessing this is where I spend most of my sleeping time.
• Stages three and four are where the good stuff happens, deep and REM sleep.

During deep sleep, your muscles relax, blood supply to your muscles increases, hormones are released, and tissue growth and repair occur. REM sleep, which occurs about every ninety minutes after falling asleep, is vital for the restoration of neural functions. If sleep is disrupted before deep and REM sleep occur, the entire process starts over again.

So, if you live in a house with a nursing baby, or just young kids in general, there’s a good chance you’ve spent at least one night in the last week where not once have you reached the third and fourth stages of sleep. Not only does sleep disturbance keep you from feeling rested in the morning, but the National Sleep Foundation notes that sleep deprivation may increase levels of cortisol and decrease glycogen production, which can significantly hinder your recovery efforts.

Nutrition

Everyone knows nutrition is imperative when you’re working for results, but when you’re failing on the sleep requirements, that makes nutrition much more crucial. Not only should you be choosing fresh, nutrient-dense foods, but you also need to make sure your protein intake is up to snuff.

In a recent issue of the Strength and Conditioning Journal, the timing of post-exercise protein ingestion was discussed. While some experts believe there is a golden window of opportunity after a workout to ingest protein, others believe the amount of protein you ingest within a 24-hour period is actually the key. Unfortunately, the jury is still out on which tactic is most effective, and different studies have found both methods to be beneficial.

So, why not cover all your bases? Unlike how much sleep you get, what you put in your mouth is completely under your control. Play it safe – eat or drink some sort of protein prior to training, so that you already have amino acids present in your blood stream when your muscles begin to break down. Post-workout, go ahead and hit that window of opportunity, just in case it actually does exist.

“Play it safe – eat or drink some sort of protein prior to training, so that you already have amino acids present in your blood stream when your muscles begin to break down.”

Please note, I’m not suggesting you slam a protein shake before and after your workout. If you use shakes, drink one either before or after. Whichever side of the workout you don’t take it, choose a different protein source, preferably real food. I like cheese sticks before a workout. They’re easy to pack, and give you a minor carb and protein boost without making you want to hurl mid-workout.

Throughout the rest of your day, incorporate wholesome meals and snacks with adequate protein, fat, carbs, calories, nutrients and antioxidants, and don’t forget to hydrate. While good nutrition can’t make up for lost sleep, the combination of bad sleep and bad nutrition is certainly not going to help you.

Rest

No one really likes recovery days, but in the grand scheme of things, they are one of the most important aspects to a successful training program. Our bodies are constantly under stress, which can be broken down into three categories: physical stressors, psychological stressors and emotional stressors.

Obviously, our workouts are the primary source of the physical stressors, but packing and caring for kids could also fall into this category. I know for a fact, packing a squirming, thirty-pound two-year-old and a twenty-pound baby in a car seat from the car into the doctor’s office is more of a workout than a couple sets of cleans.

“Nothing screws with your psyche more than being awakened from slumber, yet again, to offer the loving acts of a parent when all you really want to do is scream.”

Jobs, kids, and life fill out the psychological and emotional stressors. I think sleep deprivation could also fit here. Nothing screws with your psyche more than being awakened from slumber, yet again, to offer the loving acts of a parent when all you really want to do is scream.

Since we’ve got these stressors coming in from all angles all the time, we have to give our bodies the time to rest and reset. During the recovery period, we aim to normalize cellular processes and enzymatic functions, while giving the body a chance to return to homeostatic equilibrium. We’ve also got to have the opportunity to restore and replenish energy sources.

So, what’s the best way to go about this? Passive recovery is one option in which you actually rest, take the day off, kick your feet up and spend a day on the couch – oh wait, you have kids. Never mind.

In all seriousness though, passive recovery is one way to give your body a break. The other, and maybe more favorable, alternative is active recovery in which you engage in low-intensity exercise or a lower workload than normal. Active recovery facilitates blood flow to the recovering muscles, removing metabolites and flushing the tissues with oxygen and nutrient-rich blood.

The number of rest days you need per week is dependent upon your own personal recovery abilities. Play around with it to determine the programming that best enhances your performance. Back BC, I used to be able to go two to three days at a time and then take a rest day. Fast-forward to three kids later, and now I lift every other day with the occasional two-day break when my joints and muscles still aren’t up for another heavy lifting day.

Keep It Simple

To sum it all up, I failed to find the Holy Grail of recovery. It’s basically stuff we already know. The key to succeeding in the gym while raising kids comes down to optimizing recovery when your quantity and quality of sleep are limited.

So here’s to stealing as much sleep as humanly possible, fueling your body with only the best, and giving yourself a much-needed break every now and again.

You Might Also Like:

• Parents Who Move More Have Kids Who Move More
• Parenting an Athlete: It’s a Razor’s Edge
• 8 Keys to Back-to-School Fitness Success
• What’s New on Breaking Muscle Today

References:

1. National Sleep Foundation: “What Happens When you Sleep?”

2. National Sleep Foundation: “Sleep, Athletic Performance, and Recovery”

3. Jeffreys, I. “A Multidimensional Approach to Enhancing Recovery,” Strength and Conditioning Journal. October 2005. 

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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