Posts Tagged ‘other health issues’

News Flash! Caveman Diet Good…Your Diet Bad

May 10th, 2008

Swedish scientists have just published a research paper that indicates that eating a diet rich in lean meat, vegetables, berries and nuts is effective in lowering YOUR chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

Keeping in mind that it was only a three week study, and additional long term research will be required, scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that the volunteers reduced body-fat, lowered their blood pressure and slashed levels of a blood-thickening agent (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) known to cause deadly clots.

The results, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, support earlier scientific and real world findings that praise the health benefits of the Paleolithic/Caveman Diet.

The theory behind this way of eating is that prior to the advent of agriculture (10,000 years ago) our ancestors lived only on foods that could be speared or picked from trees and plants.

Some scientists argue the human genome has been unable to keep pace with our advances in agriculture and food preparation. The theory is that the modern human body is not genetically programmed to thrive on our modern diet. Our technology may be modern, but our bodies haven’t fully caught up and chronic ailments like obesity and type 2 diabetes are the result.

To that end, following the Paleolithic/Caveman Diet means no cereals, bread, milk, butter, cheese or sugar but plenty of lean meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and nuts.

To test its effect, the Swedish researchers recruited 20 healthy volunteers and put them on caveman rations for three weeks.

Each patient was assessed for weight, body mass index, blood pressure and cholesterol at the beginning of the experiment.

They were then given a list of stone-age foods they could eat, including fresh or frozen fruit, berries or vegetables, lean meat, unsalted fish, canned tomatoes, lemon or lime juice, spices and coffee or tea without milk or sugar.

Banned foods included beans, salt, peanuts, dairy products, pasta or rice, sausages, alcohol, sugar and fruit juice.

However, they were also allowed up to two potatoes a day and a weekly treat of dried fruit, cured meats and a portion of fatty meat.

After three weeks, the volunteers were tested again.

Among the 14 who successfully completed the diet, the average weight loss was around five pounds. BMI dropped by 0.8. Systolic blood pressure fell by an average of three mmHg. And the levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 dropped by 72 per cent. Other favorable effects were the increase in antioxidants and a healthier potassium-sodium balance. One potential negative was the reduction of calcium. This effect should be addressed in further studies.

Official Scientific Conclusion:

This short-term intervention showed some favourable effects by the diet, but further studies, including control group, are needed. blah,blah,blah

My Conclusion:

Fruit, vegetables, lean meat good. Bagel-Fuls BAD.
If you are interested in changing your diet, I have a pretty easy how-to post here.
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Exercise is Effective for Fibromyalgia Pain Relief

May 10th, 2008

A few years ago, I had the pleasure to work with a very nice lady who was trying desperately to reduce the painful effects of fibromyalgia. She had been suffering for years as a result of this painful and debilitating condition.

Like most chronic pain conditions, the worst thing may not even be the pain itself. It is the effect that the pain has on the rest of your life. In my client’s case, she spent the first year of her daughter’s life in bed. Every day. Unable to care for her newborn child.

When I met her, she was in better shape. Her daughter was older. She participated in her daughter’s life. She had a challenging career. She was happy. But she was still in constant pain.

She came to me after having quite a few bad experiences with different forms of physical and exercise therapy. At the time, I was working at a fitness club. She was initially assigned to work with a young, female trainer. Her choice.

It didn’t go well. The female trainer, who was a good trainer, knew little about fibromyalgia. During their first workout, she treated her client like a normal, PAIN FREE person. Bad move.

A week later, our fibromyalgia lady returned and demanded her money back. She had spent the last week in bed, popping pills and regretting ever coming into our gym.

I don’t know how, but the owner of the club managed to calm her down and have her agree to sit down and talk with me.

At this point, I knew very little about fibromyalgia. I did, however, know how to talk, or rather listen to justifiably angry women. Yes, I am married.

We discussed her condition. I gave her my opinion and told her that I would spend the next few days researching the subject. A few days later, we met and talked again. I discussed my findings and outlined what my plan for her fitness training would include. After about half an hour, we began our workout.

It was very slow at the beginning, but after about 3 months, everything began to change. Her body changed. She was catching up and blowing by some of my pain-free clients. More importantly, her day to day life improved drastically.

For those of you out there who know someone like my former client, please show them the following research paper, along with my story and do what you have to do to get them moving. They will thank you for it. Not right away…right away they might not be too pleased…but eventually..they will thank you.

Group Exercise, Education, and Combination Self-management in Women With Fibromyalgia

A Randomized Trial

Daniel S. Rooks, ScD; Shiva Gautam, PhD; Matthew Romeling, BS; Martha L. Cross, BS; Diana Stratigakis, BA; Brittany Evans, BS; Don L. Goldenberg, MD; Maura D. Iversen, DPT, SD, MPH; Jeffrey N. Katz, MD, MS

Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(20):2192-2200.

Background Self-management has increasingly been recommended as part of standard care for fibromyalgia, a common, poorly understood condition with limited treatment options. Data that assess popular self-management recommendations are scarce. We evaluated and compared the effectiveness of 4 common self-management treatments on function, symptoms, and self-efficacy in women with fibromyalgia.

Methods A total of 207 women with confirmed fibromyalgia were recruited from September 16, 2002, through November 30, 2004, and randomly assigned to 16 weeks of (1) aerobic and flexibility exercise (AE); (2) strength training, aerobic, and flexibility exercise (ST); (3) the Fibromyalgia Self-Help Course (FSHC); or (4) a combination of ST and FSHC (ST-FSHC). The primary outcome was change in physical function from baseline to completion of the intervention. Secondary outcomes included social and emotional function, symptoms, and self-efficacy.

Results Improvements in the mean Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire score in the 4 groups were –12.7 for the ST-FSHC group, –8.2 for the AE group, –6.6 for the ST group, and –0.3 for the FSHC group. The ST-FSHC group demonstrated greater improvement than the FSHC group (mean difference, –12.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], –23.1 to –1.7). The ST-FSHC (mean difference, 13.6; 95% CI, 2.3 to 24.9) and AE (mean difference, 13.1; 95% CI, 1.6 to 25.6) groups had similar improvements in physical function scores on the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Bodily pain scores on the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey improved in the ST-FSHC (14.8), AE (13.2), and ST (5.7) groups. Social function, mental health, fatigue, depression, and self-efficacy also improved. The beneficial effect on physical function of exercise alone and in combination with education persisted at 6 months.

Conclusions Progressive walking, simple strength training movements, and stretching activities improve functional status, key symptoms, and self-efficacy in women with fibromyalgia actively being treated with medication. The benefits of exercise are enhanced when combined with targeted self-management education. Our findings suggest that appropriate exercise and patient education be included in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

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Power Training

May 9th, 2008

In my post, Muscular Strength made simple, I introduced you to some of the theory behind the different types of muscular strength.

But, enough of theory, today I will show you how to maximize your muscular power.

By the end of this post, you will know the ‘whys’ and ‘how-tos’ about getting brutally strong and powerful.

To get you started, I will also give you a ‘tried and true’ program designed to turn you into the strongest, fastest, most powerful version of yourself that you could ever imagine.

I can’t guarantee to turn you into the Incredible Hulk.



But I can sure as heck guarantee that you will be bigger and stronger than the ‘before’ picture.

What is Power?

Simply put, power is the ability to move heavy loads, fast.

To do that, we need to do two things. Build your maximum strength as high as possible and teach your muscles to contract as fast as possible. Simple.

Before We Begin

This program is designed for trainees who:

Make regular visits to their doctor and have been cleared for resistance training. That means you have no medical conditions that could be aggravated by moving large weights very quickly. Serious.

Have established a basic level of physical fitness. This is not a beginner program. I will be writing an article on establishing a basic level of physical fitness in the near future.

Do not have serious muscular imbalances. While this program is designed not to cause muscle imbalances; it is not a rehab program. I will also be writing an article on that topic in the near future.

Are serious about transforming their body. Don’t waste your time if you are not willing to commit yourself fully to this program.

Power = Maximum Strength + Maximum Speed

To develop Power, you need to combine maximum strength with maximum speed.

In a linear periodization model of resistance training, strength and speed training are never performed concurrently. However, my review of the current literature as well as my first hand experience has led me to believe that training both strength and speed at the same time is not just possible; but essential.

With this method, we avoid the de-training effect of switching from one program emphasis to another.

In the linear model, hard fought strength gains begin to dissipate soon after strength training is abandoned for speed training. The same holds true for losses in speed. You are always playing a game of two steps forward and one step back.

Another benefit of concurrent strength/speed training is that since gains in strength/speed are happening incrementally and simultaneously, your increasing speed is not effected by your increasing strength, and vice-versa.

In a linear program, you might focus of 4-8 weeks on your maximum strength. During that time, you might increase your max strength by 10% (X + 10%). Due to lack of stimulation, your speed my drop by 3% (Y-3%). After completing the strength portion of your program, you shift your focus to speed training.

However, not only are your muscles slower, but you are asking them to lift weights 10% heavier than they have lifted.

Now you are two steps forward and two to three steps back.

Train both strength and speed together and they both increase together. Your strength may only increase by 8%, but your speed will also increase by 8%.

Strength + Speed = Power

Maximum Strength Training

In my program, maximum strength is trained twice per week.

During each workout, you will focus on 1 major movement. That movement will be performed in consecutive sets of 3 repetitions until you can no longer perform 3 repetitions. You will continue adding weight to consecutive sets until you reach your 1 Rep Maximum.

After your major movement is completed, you will perform a series of complementary exercises in sets consisting of 5 to 10 repetitions.

Each of the two maximum strength workouts will focus on a different movement.

As well, since this workout is very intense, you WILL perform a thorough warm-up before hitting the serious weights. Not just cardio. Calisthenics, dynamic stretching, overhead squats, snatches, or light weight training is required.

Maximum Speed Training

Like maximum strength training, maximum speed is trained twice per week.

Like max strength day, you will focus on 1 major movement. While it doesn’t have to be the exact same movement as max strength day, it must be in the same family of movements.

Like max strength day, you will be performing sets of 3 reps. However, the number of sets will be predetermined and the weight will be between 50 and 60% of your 1 Rep Maximum on that lift.

For simplicity’s sake, you may want to keep your movements consistent between max strength and max speed day.

Like max strength day, you will be performing a series of complementary exercises after finishing the main movement.

Off Days

Off days should focus on rest and repair of your body. This program will test both your musculature and your nervous system. Stretching, chiropractic, massage, light cardio, restorative yoga, hydrotherapy, etc. is recommended.

Movements

While this program was originally designed for strength athletes, by replacing the traditional power moves with more athletic moves, this program can be modified to suit any sporting or general fitness requirements.

For the purpose of this article, I will provide a wide variety of exercise options; grouped into movement families. I am listing the families and some selected exercises below.

Upper Body

Vertical Push

Major Movement – Military Press, Push Press, Side Press – standing, seated, 1 hand, 2 hand

Supplementary – see corrective exercises

Vertical Pull

Major Movement – Chin-Ups, Pull-Ups

Supplementary – Straight Arm Pulldowns, Pullovers

Horizontal Push

Major Movement – Chest Press – flat bench, incline bench, decline bench, standing cable/bands

Supplementary – Tricep Extensions (Skullcrushers/Tate Press, Close Grip Bench Press, Dips)

Horizontal Pull

Major Movement – Row – Cable, Bent-Over, Standing, Seated, Barbell, Dumbbell, 1 hand, 2 hand

Supplementary – see corrective exercises

Lower Body

Walk / Lunge

Major Movement – Bulgarian Lunge, Step Ups, Static Lunges

Supplementary – Walking Lunges

Squat

Major Movement – Squat – Olympic or Power, Front Squat, Overhead Squat, Box Squat, Deadlift

Supplementary – Hip Thrust – 1 leg or 2, 1 Leg Deadlift, Pull Through, Glute-Ham Raise or here.

Core

Supplementary – Ab Wheel, Ab Flexion – Crunches (various), Leg Raises, etc…, Woodchops, Side Bends, etc…

Corrective / Postural

Corrective exercises depend on your structural imbalances. I plan on doing an article on this topic, but in the mean time, Eric Cressey is a great source of postural / corrective exercises. Here is an article. His site. Mike Robertson is another good source of info. Gray Cook is another.

Equipment

Your body doesn’t know what type of equipment you are working with. All it knows is that you are putting them to work. Equipment is up to you: Bodyweight, rubber bands, bow flex, cast iron weight, barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, bodybars, sandbags, hydraulic machines, cables, etc…

Setting Up Your Workout

Decide where you want to get Superhero Strong.

You need to pick one lower body movement and one upper body movement as your two main movements. I suggest that you look to address your weak points first. If your bench press is strong, but you can only perform 5 chin-ups…get ready to hang from that bar.

Another suggestion I will make concerns muscular balance and the most effective churning of your training program. If your goal for this program is to become the bench press king, then you should stick with the bench press as your focus upper body exercise. If, however, you are looking for a more overall athleticism, think about switching up your focus every 4-6 weeks.

Upper Body – Weeks 1-4 Bench Press, Weeks 5-8 Standing Cable Row, Weeks 9-12 Push Press, Weeks 13-16 Chin-Ups.

Lower Body – Weeks 1-4 Box Squat, Weeks 5-8 Rack Deadlifts, Weeks 9-12 Bulgarian Lunge, Weeks 13-16 Good Mornings.

I hope that I have made this approach to developing maximum strength / maximum speed understandable to everyone out there. Sometimes it is hard when you know that you are speaking to both beginner and experienced athletes.

Sample Program

This program will be designed to maximize muscular balance and promote Superhero Strength in a balanced way. If you have any questions, please comment at the end of this post.

Day 1 – Maximum Strength – Lower Body

Day 2 – Off

Day 3 – Maximum Strength – Upper Body

Day 4 – Off

Day 5 – Maximum Speed – Lower Body

Day 6 – Off

Day 7 – Maximum Speed – Upper Body

Week 1

Day 1 – Maximum Strength – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Supplemental Walking/Lunging exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Ab Wheel – 5 sets of 10-20 reps

Supplemental Core Exercise – 5 sets of 10-20 reps

Day 2 – OFF

Day 3 – Maximum Strength – Upper Body

Warm-up

Standing Cable Chest Press – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Horizontal Push Exercise – 6 sets of 10 reps

Corrective Exercise – Face Pulls – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Corrective Exercise – Push-Up Plus or Chest Press Plus – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Day 4 – OFF

Day 5 – Maximum Speed – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – 10 sets of 3 reps with 50% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Supplemental Lunge/Walk Exercise – 5 sets of 8-12 reps

Corrective Exercise – Hip Thrust, – 3 sets of 20-50 reps

Corrective Exercise – X-Band Walk – 3 sets of 2 min. each

Day 6 – Maximum Speed – Upper Body

Warm-up

Standing Cable Chest Press – 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Horizontal Press Exercise – 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Vertical Push Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Vertical Pull Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 7 – OFF

Week 2

Day 1 – Maximum Strength – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Supplemental Walking/Lunging exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Ab Wheel – 5 sets of 10-20 reps

Supplemental Core Exercise – 3 sets of 15-25 reps

Day 2 – OFF

Day 3 – Maximum Strength – Upper Body

Warm-up

Standing Cable Chest Press – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Horizontal Push Exercise – 6 sets of 10 reps

Corrective Exercise – Face Pulls – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Corrective Exercise – Push-Up Plus or Chest Press Plus – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Day 4 – OFF

Day 5 – Maximum Speed – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – 10 sets of 3 reps with 53% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Supplemental Lunge/Walk Exercise – 5 sets of 8-12 reps

Corrective Exercise – Hip Thrust, – 3 sets of 20-50 reps

Corrective Exercise – X-Band Walk – 3 sets of 2 min. each

Day 6 – Maximum Speed – Upper Body

Warm-up

Standing Cable Chest Press – 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Horizontal Press Exercise – 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Vertical Push Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Vertical Pull Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 7 – OFF

Week 3

Day 1 – Maximum Strength – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Supplemental Walking/Lunging exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Ab Wheel – 5 sets of 10-20 reps

Supplemental Core Exercise – 3 sets of 15-25 reps

Day 2 – OFF

Day 3 – Maximum Strength – Upper Body

Warm-up

Standing Cable Chest Press – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Horizontal Push Exercise – 6 sets of 10 reps

Corrective Exercise – Face Pulls – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Corrective Exercise – Push-Up Plus or Chest Press Plus – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Day 4 – OFF

Day 5 – Maximum Speed – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – 10 sets of 3 reps with 55% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps

Supplemental Lunge/Walk Exercise – 5 sets of 8-12 reps

Corrective Exercise – Hip Thrust, – 3 sets of 20-50 reps

Corrective Exercise – X-Band Walk – 3 sets of 2 min. each

Day 6 – Maximum Speed – Upper Body

Warm-up

Standing Cable Chest Press – 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Horizontal Press Exercise – 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Vertical Push Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Vertical Pull Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 7 – OFF

Week 4

Day 1 – Maximum Strength – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Supplemental Walking/Lunging exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Ab Wheel – 5 sets of 10-20 reps

Supplemental Core Exercise – 5 sets of 10-20 reps

Day 2 – OFF

Day 3 – Maximum Strength – Upper Body

Warm-up

Incline Bench Chest Press – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Horizontal Push Exercise #2 – 6 sets of 10 reps

Corrective Exercise – Face Pulls – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Corrective Exercise – Push-Up Plus or Chest Press Plus – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Day 4 – OFF

Day 5 – Maximum Speed – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – 10 sets of 3 reps with 50% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 6-8 reps

Supplemental Lunge/Walk Exercise – 5 sets of 6-8 reps

Corrective Exercise – Hip Thrust, – 3 sets of 20-50 reps

Corrective Exercise – X-Band Walk – 3 sets of 2 min. each

Day 6 – Maximum Speed – Upper Body

Warm-up

Standing Cable Chest Press – 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Horizontal Press Exercise – 4 sets of 6-8 reps

Vertical Push Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Vertical Pull Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 7 – OFF

Week 5

Day 1 – Maximum Strength – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Supplemental Walking/Lunging exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Ab Wheel – 5 sets of 10-20 reps

Supplemental Core Exercise – 5 sets of 10-20 reps

Day 2 – OFF

Day 3 – Maximum Strength – Upper Body

Warm-up

Incline Bench Chest Press – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Horizontal Push Exercise #2 – 6 sets of 10 reps

Corrective Exercise – Face Pulls – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Corrective Exercise – Push-Up Plus or Chest Press Plus – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Day 4 – OFF

Day 5 – Maximum Speed – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – 10 sets of 3 reps with 53% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 6-8 reps

Supplemental Lunge/Walk Exercise – 5 sets of 6-8 reps

Corrective Exercise – Hip Thrust, – 3 sets of 20-50 reps

Corrective Exercise – X-Band Walk – 3 sets of 2 min. each

Day 6 – Maximum Speed – Upper Body

Warm-up

Standing Cable Chest Press – 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Horizontal Press Exercise – 4 sets of 6-8 reps

Vertical Push Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Vertical Pull Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 7 – OFF

Week 6

Day 1 – Maximum Strength – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Supplemental Walking/Lunging exercise – 3 sets of 8-12 reps, perform the negative slowly

Ab Wheel – 5 sets of 10-20 reps

Supplemental Core Exercise – 3 sets of 15-25 reps

Day 2 – OFF

Day 3 – Maximum Strength – Upper Body

Warm-up

Incline Bench Chest Press – Starting with a light weight, begin performing sets of 3 repetitions, increasing the weight with each successive set. Perform the triples until you can’t. Drop down to sets of single repetitions and continue increasing the weight until you have hit your 1 rep maximum.

Supplemental Horizontal Push Exercise #2 – 6 sets of 10 reps

Corrective Exercise – Face Pulls – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Corrective Exercise – Push-Up Plus or Chest Press Plus – 3 sets of 10 – 20 reps

Day 4 – OFF

Day 5 – Maximum Speed – Lower Body

Warm-up

Squats – 10 sets of 3 reps with 55% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Squat Exercise – 3 sets of 6-8 reps

Supplemental Lunge/Walk Exercise – 5 sets of 6-8 reps

Corrective Exercise – Hip Thrust, – 3 sets of 20-50 reps

Corrective Exercise – X-Band Walk – 3 sets of 2 min. each

Day 6 – Maximum Speed – Upper Body

Warm-up

Standing Cable Chest Press – 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of 1RM – short rest periods – 1 min max.

Supplemental Horizontal Press Exercise – 4 sets of 6-8 reps

Vertical Push Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Vertical Pull Exercise – 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 7 – OFF

Well, I hope I covered everything. If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

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Breaking News! The government thinks you're fat!

May 9th, 2008

Jeremy Sammut of ABC News (Australia) has written an article claiming that government sponsored programs that promote public health don’t work.

While his focus is specific to the Australian experience, his claim that Australia’s government has squandered public funds on advertising campaigns may be applicable to both Europe and North America. The fact is, obesity is on the rise in the ‘developed’ world. Attempts by national or regional governments to promote a healthy lifestyle have been unsuccessful in reversing this trend towards obesity.

Sammut makes a few very interesting observations.

First, he claims that when government assumes the role of health nazi/nanny, it absolves the individual of “their primary responsibility for the unhealthy lifestyle decisions they continue to make”, and as a result, “the lifestyle disease ‘epidemic’ is blamed on a lack of government-funded entitlement to preventive primary care”.

This takes us to the second point; “the limits of government authority over individual behaviour, and the importance of personal qualities in regulating it – why nearly 40 years of health promotion has coincided with ascending rates of lifestyle disease”.

And if we are going to allow government to assume authority over our behavior, we have to question the motivations behind this program.

Quite often, “advocates of more spending on lifestyle disease prevention often draw false parallels with the success of the campaign against tobacco smoking”. This argument is specious in that smoking bans and the ’sin’ taxes applied on tobacco products are examples of public health regulation, not health promotion.

You would think that applying this model to public exercise and nutrition would be near impossible. Smokers were a minority group and their behavior was found to be less than enchanting by a large portion of the population. Simply put, the majority ganged up on them and enacted laws that made smoking a financial and logistical pain in the butt.

How would government apply this strategy when the majority of the population does not exercise, eats junk food and has no intention of changing?

They would start with the children. Apply a little parental guilt. Ban junk food from school (already happening). Slap a sin tax on ‘junk food’. Expand that tax to include bacon, eggs, cheese, filet mignon, etc…

Wow! Big Brother wants to tax my bacon & eggs.

While that is unlikely (I hope) to happen, Sammut’s argument is that the health promotion programs advocated for by certain lobby groups, prepared by marketing companies and approved by governments have not been successful.

In Canada, advocates of the ParticipACTION program (historical info) have considered it a success due to it’s longevity and the fact that “two years after the agency had ceased to operate in 2001, almost 80% of Canadians still recognized the ParticipACTION logo and message”.

No mention of it’s positive impact on the health of Canadians. Wasn’t that the point of the program?

Nope, cheesy commercials that you can’t get out of your head. Like this ,this, this, and check out this spoof. Classic fromage.

My Two Cents

As much as I appreciate the light that Dr. Sammut has shined on this subject, I was a little disappointed by his conclusion.

“It is therefore timely to review the evidence. Because when the assumptions are questioned and the evidence examined with a clear eye, what is revealed is that there is actually slim support for the belief that preventive public health policies – be they ‘community-wide’ or ‘high-intensity’ lifestyle interventions – have in the past brought obesity and lifestyle disease under control, or that they are likely to in the future”.

Review the evidence?

Do nothing?

While I agree that most if not all governments have a great talent for throwing great big bags of money at problems that they have no hope of solving, does that mean that as a society we are doomed to accept gluttony and sloth as our birthright?

Here are two possible solutions.

In the U.K., doctors are able to write prescriptions for exercise.

Personally, while I believe that this plan is flawed due to the fact that when the government is looking to spend public dollars, there will always be bureaucrats and service providers ready and willing to overcharge and under-deliver. However, to be fair, I should mention that this program has not been in operation long enough to show whether it is successful or not.

Another possibility would be to offer tax refunds to those individuals that can prove that they are pursuing a healthy lifestyle. Instead of demonizing the couch potatoes amongst us, reward the energizer bunnies.

What do you think?

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NYC Food Police: Keeping New Yawkers safe from the evil Big Mac

May 8th, 2008

Newsweek reports that as of this past Monday, New York City’s health department began ticketing restaurants that haven’t complied with the new law requiring them to post calorie counts on their menus.

By the end of Monday, five restaurants had been ticketed. The perpetrators: Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonalds, Popeye’s, Sbarro and TGIFridays.

Lucky for them that the citations were little more than warnings. They carried no fines, because a federal judge had said the city could not impose fines until mid-July. When imposed, the fines will range from $200 to $2,000.

And what about those rebels that refuse to go along with this by-law? While the New York State Restaurant Association has taken the city of New York to court over this issue, the restaurateurs themselves seem to be falling into line.

And just to make sure they do, the form that the city gave to the offending restaurants carried the warning that the health department “expects that the conditions will be addressed promptly.” The form cautioned that “any recurrence of these conditions could result in further action being taken.”

Maybe they should call in McDonaldland’s former Chief of Police, Big Mac.

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To diet or not to diet

May 5th, 2008

The debate rages on:

In one corner, we have the current champion: The Atkins/South Beach/Abs/Fat Smash/ You on a Diet KID.

In the other corner, we have the challenger: Healthy Lifestyle

And the winner is…..

With sales of $58 billion in 2007, the diet industry kicks butt. Healthy Lifestyle butt.

But maybe 2008 is a comeback year for Healthy Lifestyle.

Here is some more research showing that a health focused lifestyle is the better way to a trim waistline.

The focus of this study was the effect that stress had upon the health of obese women in New Zealand.

They found that obese women can improve their health and prevent further weight gain by ditching their diets and learning to deal with stress.

The study encouraged women to break free of chronic dieting and make lifestyle changes, including listening to their feelings of hunger and fullness rather than focusing on weight loss.

Following a group of 225 women, the research showed that the women who lost weight by dieting often regained the weight they lost, and more, within five years.

The researchers found that “the most successful intervention involved providing intensive training in relaxation techniques while equipping the women to recognize and avoid stress-related triggers for eating.’’

“Many overweight women had a fearful and guilt-ridden relationship with food, and their eating was often emotionally triggered”.

Additionally, the research showed that this lifestyle approach resulted in “significant improvement in reducing psychological symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, and medical symptoms including headaches, fatigue and lowered blood pressure”

The study can be found in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

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Nutrition, Environment and Epigenetics

May 5th, 2008

Genetics is Not Destiny.

I truly believe that. I have to believe that.

As a kid, I was always ‘husky’.

Through research, discipline and hard work, I was able to transform my body from fat to fit.

During the past 19 years, I have given my knowledge and perhaps more importantly, my confidence in that knowledge to the people that came to me and asked me to help them re-shape their bodies.

While most of them already knew what they had to do to become physically fit; they just couldn’t do it.

But they had seen their friends / my clients sculpt lean, strong, fit bodies out of the over-sized lumps of clay that they had previously called home.

So they came to me for the secret. Even after I told them there was no secret, and even after I had helped them transform their own bodies, most of them believed that I was responsible for their transformations.

Years of being fat and out of shape had become normal for them. They were fat. Even when they had lost the weight, there was still this little voice in the back of their heads telling them that this was just temporary. If they stopped working with me, they would re-gain their original shape.

It was their genetics.

How wrong they may have been.

Ever since Darwin’s Survival of the Fittest theory of evolution became accepted as truth, genetics and in particular our DNA has shaped the progress of human biology.

Science searched for a genetic answer to every human ailment. It even spawned a genetic ‘gold rush’ called the Human Genome Project.

But recently, that absolute faith in genetics as fate has been shaken. So

Epigenetics.

Epigenetics looks at the impact our environment has upon our genetic coding.

How is it that one identical twin can develop cancer while the other twin does not?

Was the life-long smoking habit of one of the identical twins responsible for their diagnosis of cancer? Did the healthy lifestyle of the second twin prevent their potential diagnosis of cancer?

While the science is still new, I think down deep, we all know that how we live our lives has a strong impact on our health.

Where we live. Our friendships, or lack thereof. The air we breathe. The water we drink. The amount and type of exercise we perform. The food we eat.

Nature v.s. Nurture.

Bruce Lipton is currently the biggest ‘name’ in Epigenetics. The following two video clips serve as an introduction to Lipton and the science behind Epigenetics.

Like most scientific endeavours, epigentics seems to result in more questions being raised rather than answering the ones that we already have.

For those interested, I will report back with new & interesting research into this field of science and how it applies to health & nutrition.

Remember, genetics is not destiny.

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Disease Prevention with an Exercise Prescription

May 1st, 2008

In the U.K., doctors are writing exercise prescriptions for their patients.

While it is not an entirely new practice over there, it would be revolutionary on this side of the pond.

Imagine this; instead of billions upon billions of dollars being spent on treating disease, we spent a fraction of that money on preventing disease.

In 2000, the total cost of obesity in the United States was estimated to be $117 billion. About $61 billion was for direct medical costs, and $56 billion was for indirect costs.

That number is likely to increase as the Percentage of Adults Who Report Being Obese, increases year after year.

A study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US has recently estimated that each physically-active person saves the health care system over $300 annually relative to an inactive person.

With the current U.S. population at 303,980,933, that would work out to a potential savings of $91,194,279,900

In Canada:

  • A study done in 1995 for the Ontario Government called The Relationship between Physical Fitness and the Cost of Health Care, estimated that OHIP medical claim costs could be reduced by $31 million a year if all Ontario adults (aged 20-69) had at least an average level of fitness.
  • Based on CDC study mentioned above, the 63% of Canadians who are still inactive cost the health system $5.7B more than if they were active.
  • In the Economic Burden of Illness in Canada, Health Canada reports that the total direct cost (drugs, physicians, hospitals, research) of illness in 1993 was $44 billion out of an overall cost for health care in Canada of $70 billion.Moreover, the indirect costs such as time lost due to long-term and short-term disabilities, and the present value of future productivity lost due to premature mortality and illness in Canada represents an estimated economic value of $129 billion — nearly 21% of the GDP. Reducing the number of inactive Canadians by a further 10% would result in an additional saving of $5 billion.

So what do we do?

In a Cost-Benefit Analysis of Physical Activity Using Bike/Pedestrian Trails, it was found that every $1 investment (construction, maintenance, equipment and travel) in exercise trails led to $2.94 in direct medical benefit.

A 2004 paper, published the in American Journal of Preventive Medicine has a variety of intervention strategies.

But at the end of the day, all government can do is try to coax us, bribe us or threaten us into adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Ultimately, it is up to the individual to make the conscious decision. Is the benefit of living an active and healthy life worth the cost?

Is it?

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Book Prize for the 100 Mile Diet

April 28th, 2008

On April 21, I wrote a review of the 100 Mile Diet.

In today’s Vancouver Sun, Rebecca Wigod reports that The 100 Mile Diet has won a British Columbia book prize. The book won the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize and was also a finalist for the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize.

Congratulations to the authors, J.B. MacKinnon and Alisa Smith.

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Newsflash! – Junk food advertising is misleading!!!

April 18th, 2008

The BBC has reported that 83% of U.K. consumers “believed irresponsible marketing was making it harder to encourage children to eat well”.

The survey was conducted by Which?, the U.K.’s largest independent consumer organization.

The survey also found that “most of the 2,000 questioned want the government to do more to control the marketing of unhealthy food to children”.

Currently, the Brits have banned television commercials promoting junk food programmes aimed at children under 16.

Supporters of this survey are now calling for complete ban on junk food advertising on ALL programmes aired before 9 p.m. Additionally, they are requesting the government impose rules addressing junk food advertising on the internet and on packaging.

The ‘icing on the cake’ argument was offered by Clare Corbett, a food campaigner at Which?.

Corbett said “With childhood obesity and diet-related health problems on the increase, the government must take serious action and soon.”

To summarize:

  • Junk food is bad
  • Advertisers brainwash children into wanting junk food
  • Children pester their parents
  • Parents feed their children junk food
  • Children get fat eating junk food while watching television ads about junk food
  • The U.K.’s largest consumer protection group asks parents if the government should be doing more to keep their children safe from obesity
  • Parents overwhelmingly agree, demanding that the government solve childhood obesity by removing the offending advertisements.
  • Advertisers produce another survey indicating that “76% of UK adults believe that introducing a 9pm watershed on food advertising would not reduce the level of childhood obesity”.
  • The government is left to decide if banning all junk food ads on t.v. before 9 p.m. will win them the next election.

Your daily dose of reality

  • Junk food is bad
  • We are genetically disposed to prefer sweet, salty, greasy, calorie dense foods. We crave these things as a mechanism of survival. Genetics. Millions of years.
  • Advertisers know this. Food manufacturers know this. They sell us what we want. If we don’t want it, we won’t buy it. If we don’t buy it, they won’t sell it.
  • Every parent knows that feeding your children junk food while sitting them in front of the t.v. is guaranteed to make them fat.

What to do, what to do

  • Parents set the example for their children.
  • Stop buying junk food. Not just for your children, you too.
  • Stop watching t.v. Get outside and exercise. If it’s too cold, read a book.
  • Stop expecting the government to do everything for you.

The rant endeth.

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