Rule #1: Avoid “white” carbohydrates

Avoid any carbohydrate that is — or can be — white. The following foods are thus prohibited, except for within 1.5 hours of finishing a resistance-training workout of at least 20 minutes in length: bread, rice, cereal, potatoes, pasta, and fried food with breading. If you avoid eating anything white, you’ll be safe.

Rule #2: Eat the same few meals over and over again

The most successful dieters, regardless of whether their goal is muscle gain or fat loss, eat the same few meals over and over again. Mix and match, constructing each meal with one from each of the three following groups:

Proteins:
Egg whites with one whole egg for flavor
Chicken breast or thigh
Grass-fed organic beef
Pork

Legumes:
Lentils
Black beans
Pinto beans

Vegetables:
Spinach
Asparagus
Peas
Mixed vegetables

Eat as much as you like of the above food items. Just remember: keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them. Almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes. Surprisingly, I have found Mexican food, swapping out rice for vegetables, to be one of the cuisines most conducive to the “slow carb” diet.

Most people who go on “low” carbohydrate diets complain of low energy and quit, not because such diets can’t work, but because they consume insufficient calories. A 1/2 cup of rice is 300 calories, whereas a 1/2 cup of spinach is 15 calories! Vegetables are not calorically dense, so it is critical that you add legumes for caloric load.

Some athletes eat 6-8x per day to break up caloric load and avoid fat gain. I think this is ridiculously inconvenient. I eat 4x per day:

10am – breakfast
1pm – lunch
5pm – smaller second lunch
7:30-9pm – sports training
10pm – dinner
12am – glass of wine and Discovery Channel before bed

Here are some of my meals that recur again and again:

Scrambled Eggology pourable egg whites with one whole egg, black beans, and microwaved mixed vegetables

Grass-fed organic beef, pinto beans, mixed vegetables, and extra guacamole (Mexican restaurant)

Grass-fed organic beef (from Trader Joe’s), lentils, and mixed vegetables

Post-workout pizza with extra chicken, cilantro, pineapple, garlic, sundried tomotoes, bell peppers, and red onions

Rule #3: Don’t drink calories

Drink massive quantities of water and as much unsweetened iced tea, tea, diet sodas, coffee (without white cream), or other no-calorie/low-calorie beverages as you like. Do not drink milk, normal soft drinks, or fruit juice. I’m a wine fanatic and have at least one glass of wine each evening, which I believe actually aids sports recovery and fat-loss. Recent research into resveratrol supports this.

Rule #4: Take one day off per week

I recommend Saturdays as your “Dieters Gone Wild” day. I am allowed to eat whatever I want on Saturdays, and I go out of my way to eat ice cream, Snickers, Take 5, and all of my other vices in excess. I make myself a little sick and don’t want to look at any of it for the rest of the week. Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction. That’s right: eating pure crap can help you lose fat. Welcome to Utopia.

Read more…..

Huey’s Slow-Carb Scrambled Egg Breakfast
“A terrifically fast and simple breakfast that will keep you going until noon.” —Huey Davies, www.litelifestyle.com
INGREDIENTS:
½ can of black beans
2 medium eggs
2 Tbsp of medium chunky salsa
½ Haas avocado
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the black beans in a pan and set to low heat.
2. Break the two eggs in a bowl, add a splash of water, and beat them with a fork.
3. Heat a frying pan on medium heat with some vegetable oil.
4. When the pan is ready, cook the eggs until there is no liquid visible.
5. Pour the scrambled eggs and black beans onto a plate. Add the two Tbsp of salsa to
the eggs, and the half of avocado. Enjoy!
ACTIVE COOKING TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME (START TO FINISH): 7 minutes
SERVINGS: 1

WWW.FOURHOURBODY.COM

Stretching and Flexibility – Types of Stretching

by Brad Appleton

<brad@bradapp.net>
http://www.bradapp.net/

Types of Stretching

• How to Stretch: (next chapter)
• Flexibility: (previous chapter)

Just as there are different types of flexibility, there are also different types of stretching. Stretches are either dynamic (meaning they involve motion) or static (meaning they involve no motion). Dynamic stretches affect dynamic flexibility and static stretches affect static flexibility (and dynamic flexibility to some degree).

The different types of stretching are:

1. ballistic stretching
2. dynamic stretching
3. active stretching
4. passive (or relaxed) stretching
5. static stretching
6. isometric stretching
7. PNF stretching

• Ballistic Stretching
• Dynamic Stretching
• Active Stretching
• Passive Stretching
• Static Stretching
• Isometric Stretching
• PNF Stretching

Ballistic Stretching

• Dynamic Stretching: (next section)
• Types of Stretching: (beginning of chapter)

Ballistic stretching uses the momentum of a moving body or a limb in an attempt to force it beyond its normal range of motion. This is stretching, or “warming up”, by bouncing into (or out of) a stretched position, using the stretched muscles as a spring which pulls you out of the stretched position. (e.g. bouncing down repeatedly to touch your toes.) This type of stretching is not considered useful and can lead to injury. It does not allow your muscles to adjust to, and relax in, the stretched position. It may instead cause them to tighten up by repeatedly activating the stretch reflex (see section The Stretch Reflex).

Dynamic Stretching

• Active Stretching: (next section)
• Ballistic Stretching: (previous section)
• Types of Stretching: (beginning of chapter)

Dynamic stretching, according to Kurz, “involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both.” Do not confuse dynamic stretching with ballistic stretching! Dynamic stretching consists of controlled leg and arm swings that take you (gently!) to the limits of your range of motion. Ballistic stretches involve trying to force a part of the body beyond its range of motion. In dynamic stretches, there are no bounces or “jerky” movements. An example of dynamic stretching would be slow, controlled leg swings, arm swings, or torso twists.

Dynamic stretching improves dynamic flexibility and is quite useful as part of your warm-up for an active or aerobic workout (such as a dance or martial-arts class). See section Warming Up.

According to Kurz, dynamic stretching exercises should be performed in sets of 8-12 repetitions. Be sure to stop when and if you feel tired. Tired muscles have less elasticity which decreases the range of motion used in your movements. Continuing to exercise when you are tired serves only to reset the nervous control of your muscle length at the reduced range of motion used in the exercise (and will cause a loss of flexibility). Once you attain a maximal range of motion for a joint in any direction you should stop doing that movement during that workout. Tired and overworked muscles won’t attain a full range of motion and the muscle’s kinesthetic memory will remember the repeated shorted range of motion, which you will then have to overcome before you can make further progress.

Active Stretching

• Passive Stretching: (next section)
• Dynamic Stretching: (previous section)
• Types of Stretching: (beginning of chapter)

Active stretching is also referred to as static-active stretching. An active stretch is one where you assume a position and then hold it there with no assistance other than using the strength of your agonist muscles (see section Cooperating Muscle Groups). For example, bringing your leg up high and then holding it there without anything (other than your leg muscles themselves) to keep the leg in that extended position. The tension of the agonists in an active stretch helps to relax the muscles being stretched (the antagonists) by reciprocal inhibition (see section Reciprocal Inhibition).

Active stretching increases active flexibility and strengthens the agonistic muscles. Active stretches are usually quite difficult to hold and maintain for more than 10 seconds and rarely need to be held any longer than 15 seconds.

Many of the movements (or stretches) found in various forms of yoga are active stretches.

Passive Stretching

• Static Stretching: (next section)
• Active Stretching: (previous section)
• Types of Stretching: (beginning of chapter)

Passive stretching is also referred to as relaxed stretching, and as static-passive stretching. A passive stretch is one where you assume a position and hold it with some other part of your body, or with the assistance of a partner or some other apparatus. For example, bringing your leg up high and then holding it there with your hand. The splits is an example of a passive stretch (in this case the floor is the “apparatus” that you use to maintain your extended position).

Slow, relaxed stretching is useful in relieving spasms in muscles that are healing after an injury. Obviously, you should check with your doctor first to see if it is okay to attempt to stretch the injured muscles (see section Pain and Discomfort).

Relaxed stretching is also very good for “cooling down” after a workout and helps reduce post-workout muscle fatigue, and soreness. See section Cooling Down.

Static Stretching

• Isometric Stretching: (next section)
• Passive Stretching: (previous section)
• Types of Stretching: (beginning of chapter)

Many people use the term “passive stretching” and “static stretching” interchangeably. However, there are a number of people who make a distinction between the two. According to M. Alter, Static stretching consists of stretching a muscle (or group of muscles) to its farthest point and then maintaining or holding that position, whereas Passive stretching consists of a relaxed person who is relaxed (passive) while some external force (either a person or an apparatus) brings the joint through its range of motion.

Notice that the definition of passive stretching given in the previous section encompasses both of the above definitions. Throughout this document, when the term static stretching or passive stretching is used, its intended meaning is the definition of passive stretching as described in the previous section. You should be aware of these alternative meanings, however, when looking at other references on stretching.

Isometric Stretching

• PNF Stretching: (next section)
• Static Stretching: (previous section)
• Types of Stretching: (beginning of chapter)

Isometric stretching is a type of static stretching (meaning it does not use motion) which involves the resistance of muscle groups through isometric contractions (tensing) of the stretched muscles (see section Types of Muscle Contractions). The use of isometric stretching is one of the fastest ways to develop increased static-passive flexibility and is much more effective than either passive stretching or active stretching alone. Isometric stretches also help to develop strength in the “tensed” muscles (which helps to develop static-active flexibility), and seems to decrease the amount of pain usually associated with stretching.

The most common ways to provide the needed resistance for an isometric stretch are to apply resistance manually to one’s own limbs, to have a partner apply the resistance, or to use an apparatus such as a wall (or the floor) to provide resistance.

An example of manual resistance would be holding onto the ball of your foot to keep it from flexing while you are using the muscles of your calf to try and straighten your instep so that the toes are pointed.

An example of using a partner to provide resistance would be having a partner hold your leg up high (and keep it there) while you attempt to force your leg back down to the ground.

An example of using the wall to provide resistance would be the well known “push-the-wall” calf-stretch where you are actively attempting to move the wall (even though you know you can’t).

Isometric stretching is not recommended for children and adolescents whose bones are still growing. These people are usually already flexible enough that the strong stretches produced by the isometric contraction have a much higher risk of damaging tendons and connective tissue. Kurz strongly recommends preceding any isometric stretch of a muscle with dynamic strength training for the muscle to be stretched. A full session of isometric stretching makes a lot of demands on the muscles being stretched and should not be performed more than once per day for a given group of muscles (ideally, no more than once every 36 hours).

The proper way to perform an isometric stretch is as follows:

1. Assume the position of a passive stretch for the desired muscle.
2. Next, tense the stretched muscle for 7-15 seconds (resisting against some force that will not move, like the floor or a partner).
3. Finally, relax the muscle for at least 20 seconds.

Some people seem to recommend holding the isometric contraction for longer than 15 seconds, but according to SynerStretch (the videotape), research has shown that this is not necessary. So you might as well make your stretching routine less time consuming.

• How Isometric Stretching Works

How Isometric Stretching Works

• Isometric Stretching: (beginning of section)

Recall from our previous discussion (see section How Muscles Contract) that there is no such thing as a partially contracted muscle fiber: when a muscle is contracted, some of the fibers contract and some remain at rest (more fibers are recruited as the load on the muscle increases). Similarly, when a muscle is stretched, some of the fibers are elongated and some remain at rest (see section What Happens When You Stretch). During an isometric contraction, some of the resting fibers are being pulled upon from both ends by the muscles that are contracting. The result is that some of those resting fibers stretch!

Normally, the handful of fibers that stretch during an isometric contraction are not very significant. The true effectiveness of the isometric contraction occurs when a muscle that is already in a stretched position is subjected to an isometric contraction. In this case, some of the muscle fibers are already stretched before the contraction, and, if held long enough, the initial passive stretch overcomes the stretch reflex (see section The Stretch Reflex) and triggers the lengthening reaction (see section The Lengthening Reaction), inhibiting the stretched fibers from contracting. At this point, according to SynerStretch, when you isometrically contracted, some resting fibers would contract and some resting fibers would stretch. Furthermore, many of the fibers already stretching may be prevented from contracting by the inverse myotatic reflex (the lengthening reaction) and would stretch even more. When the isometric contraction is completed, the contracting fibers return to their resting length but the stretched fibers would remember their stretched length and (for a period of time) retain the ability to elongate past their previous limit. This enables the entire muscle to stretch beyonds its initial maximum and results in increased flexibility.

The reason that the stretched fibers develop and retain the ability to stretch beyond their normal limit during an isometric stretch has to do with the muscle spindles (see section Proprioceptors): The signal which tells the muscle to contract voluntarily, also tells the muscle spindle’s (intrafusal) muscle fibers to shorten, increasing sensitivity of the stretch reflex. This mechanism normally maintains the sensitivity of the muscle spindle as the muscle shortens during contraction. This allows the muscle spindles to habituate (become accustomed) to an even further-lengthened position.

PNF Stretching

• Isometric Stretching: (previous section)
• Types of Stretching: (beginning of chapter)

PNF stretching is currently the fastest and most effective way known to increase static-passive flexibility. PNF is an acronym for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. It is not really a type of stretching but is a technique of combining passive stretching (see section Passive Stretching) and isometric stretching (see section Isometric Stretching) in order to achieve maximum static flexibility. Actually, the term PNF stretching is itself a misnomer. PNF was initially developed as a method of rehabilitating stroke victims. PNF refers to any of several post-isometric relaxation stretching techniques in which a muscle group is passively stretched, then contracts isometrically against resistance while in the stretched position, and then is passively stretched again through the resulting increased range of motion. PNF stretching usually employs the use of a partner to provide resistance against the isometric contraction and then later to passively take the joint through its increased range of motion. It may be performed, however, without a partner, although it is usually more effective with a partner’s assistance.

Most PNF stretching techniques employ isometric agonist contraction/relaxation where the stretched muscles are contracted isometrically and then relaxed. Some PNF techniques also employ isometric antagonist contraction where the antagonists of the stretched muscles are contracted. In all cases, it is important to note that the stretched muscle should be rested (and relaxed) for at least 20 seconds before performing another PNF technique. The most common PNF stretching techniques are:

the hold-relax

This technique is also called the contract-relax. After assuming an initial passive stretch, the muscle being stretched is isometrically contracted for 7-15 seconds, after which the muscle is briefly relaxed for 2-3 seconds, and then immediately subjected to a passive stretch which stretches the muscle even further than the initial passive stretch. This final passive stretch is held for 10-15 seconds. The muscle is then relaxed for 20 seconds before performing another PNF technique.

the hold-relax-contract

This technique is also called the contract-relax-contract, and the contract-relax-antagonist-contract (or CRAC). It involves performing two isometric contractions: first of the agonists, then, of the antagonists. The first part is similar to the hold-relax where, after assuming an initial passive stretch, the stretched muscle is isometrically contracted for 7-15 seconds. Then the muscle is relaxed while its antagonist immediately performs an isometric contraction that is held for 7-15 seconds. The muscles are then relaxed for 20 seconds before performing another PNF technique.

the hold-relax-swing

This technique (and a similar technique called the hold-relax-bounce) actually involves the use of dynamic or ballistic stretches in conjunction with static and isometric stretches. It is very risky, and is successfully used only by the most advanced of athletes and dancers that have managed to achieve a high level of control over their muscle stretch reflex (see section The Stretch Reflex). It is similar to the hold-relax technique except that a dynamic or ballistic stretch is employed in place of the final passive stretch.

Notice that in the hold-relax-contract, there is no final passive stretch. It is replaced by the antagonist-contraction which, via reciprocal inhibition (see section Reciprocal Inhibition), serves to relax and further stretch the muscle that was subjected to the initial passive stretch. Because there is no final passive stretch, this PNF technique is considered one of the safest PNF techniques to perform (it is less likely to result in torn muscle tissue). Some people like to make the technique even more intense by adding the final passive stretch after the second isometric contraction. Although this can result in greater flexibility gains, it also increases the likelihood of injury.

Even more risky are dynamic and ballistic PNF stretching techniques like the hold-relax-swing, and the hold-relax-bounce. If you are not a professional athlete or dancer, you probably have no business attempting either of these techniques (the likelihood of injury is just too great). Even professionals should not attempt these techniques without the guidance of a professional coach or training advisor. These two techniques have the greatest potential for rapid flexibility gains, but only when performed by people who have a sufficiently high level of control of the stretch reflex in the muscles that are being stretched.

Like isometric stretching (see section Isometric Stretching), PNF stretching is also not recommended for children and people whose bones are still growing (for the same reasons. Also like isometric stretching, PNF stretching helps strengthen the muscles that are contracted and therefore is good for increasing active flexibility as well as passive flexibility. Furthermore, as with isometric stretching, PNF stretching is very strenuous and should be performed for a given muscle group no more than once per day (ideally, no more than once per 36 hour period).

The initial recommended procedure for PNF stretching is to perform the desired PNF technique 3-5 times for a given muscle group (resting 20 seconds between each repetition). However, HFLTA cites a 1987 study whose results suggest that performing 3-5 repetitions of a PNF technique for a given muscle group is not necessarily any more effective than performing the technique only once. As a result, in order to decrease the amount of time taken up by your stretching routine (without decreasing its effectiveness), HFLTA recommends performing only one PNF technique per muscle group stretched in a given stretching session.

• How PNF Stretching Works

How PNF Stretching Works

• PNF Stretching: (beginning of section)

Remember that during an isometric stretch, when the muscle performing the isometric contraction is relaxed, it retains its ability to stretch beyond its initial maximum length (see section How Isometric Stretching Works). Well, PNF tries to take immediate advantage of this increased range of motion by immediately subjecting the contracted muscle to a passive stretch.

The isometric contraction of the stretched muscle accomplishes several things:

1. As explained previously (see section How Isometric Stretching Works), it helps to train the stretch receptors of the muscle spindle to immediately accommodate a greater muscle length.
2. The intense muscle contraction, and the fact that it is maintained for a period of time, serves to fatigue many of the fast-twitch fibers of the contracting muscles (see section Fast and Slow Muscle Fibers). This makes it harder for the fatigued muscle fibers to contract in resistance to a subsequent stretch (see section The Stretch Reflex).
3. The tension generated by the contraction activates the golgi tendon organ (see section Proprioceptors), which inhibits contraction of the muscle via the lengthening reaction (see section The Lengthening Reaction). Voluntary contraction during a stretch increases tension on the muscle, activating the golgi tendon organs more than the stretch alone. So, when the voluntary contraction is stopped, the muscle is even more inhibited from contracting against a subsequent stretch.

PNF stretching techniques take advantage of the sudden “vulnerability” of the muscle and its increased range of motion by using the period of time immediately following the isometric contraction to train the stretch receptors to get used to this new, increased, range of muscle length. This is what the final passive (or in some cases, dynamic) stretch accomplishes.

Go to the previous, next chapter.

Read more…..

Weight loss due to increased metabolic inefficiency

The implication of the first and second laws of thermodynamics is that reduced efficiency has precisely the same result as reduced caloric intake. One conceptually simple means of reducing efficiency involves the process of uncoupling in mitochondria. ATP is produced in a variety of cellular locations. Glycolysis produces a net of two ATP’s per molecule of glucose, in the cell cytoplasm. On the other hand, we recall that 36 additional molecules of ATP are produced from glucose as a result of the mitochondrial TCA cycle and electron transport. A critical part of the process involves the development of a hydrogen ion gradient across the mitochondrial membrane. This concentration gradient provides the energy that is converted into ATP as hydrogen ions pass down the gradient through the ATP synthase particle, entirely analogous to the energy in a high-pressure gas in a cylinder with a movable piston. (The expansion of the gas is like diffusion down a gradient: It does work against the piston). In the mitochondrion the energy of moving down the gradient is captured in ATP, the medium of exchange for the performance of work within cells. This capture of energy, referred to as coupling the energy to the formation of ATP, is the essential process permitting work to be done by living systems.

There are known endogenous and pharmacologic agents, which result in uncoupling the formation of ATP from the dissipation of the gradient. Uncouplers such as 2, 4-dinitrophenol bypass ATP synthase and cause hydrogen ion gradient dissipation without ATP formation that can result in organ dysfunction causing death. More modest degrees of uncoupling may be caused by the class of endogenous compounds we know as uncoupling proteins (UCP’s). Three different isoforms, UCP1, UCP2 and UCP3 have been identified thus far in mammalian tissues. While the overall and relative physiologic importance of these proteins remains incompletely understood in human tissues, UCP1 has been shown in mice [8] to result in modest degrees of uncoupling in brown fat. Elevation of fatty acid concentration has been associated with induction of UCP3 and even with pathologic reductions of myocardial efficiency in rat heart [9]. For purposes of illustration, then, we may consider that there may be physiologic triggers that result in oxidative uncoupling, reducing the overall efficiency of glucose metabolism. For example if efficiency is reduced from 40% to 35%, the result will be the production of only 34 moles of ATP instead of the usual 38. While this represents a mechanism better demonstrated in rats than humans, our subject would require more glucose to make 95 moles of ATP. Now 2.9 moles of glucose would be required to produce 95 moles ATP. Our subject would either eat more and stay at the same weight (Figure 1D) or would eat 2.5 moles of glucose, the same amount as previously, but would produce less ATP. By eating only 2.5 moles of glucose our subject’s metabolism would enlist oxidation of body stores to make up the additional ATP needed for homeostasis. This would result in weight loss exactly as it did for reduced caloric intake. (Figure 1D).

The essence of the second law of thermodynamics is that it guarantees inefficiency in all metabolic processes. However, variation of efficiency is not excluded. In fact, the laws of thermodynamics are silent on the existence of variable efficiency. If efficiency can vary (as in the example of oxidative uncoupling) then “a calorie is a calorie” is no longer a true statement. The role of uncoupling proteins in humans, as indicated, is as yet incompletely defined [10]. However, thermodynamic principles permit variable efficiency, and its existence must be determined empirically.

Read more…..

Static Stretching Exercises

Research work by McNair (2000) [1] and Knudson (2001) [2] suggests that the use of static stretches are more appropriate for the cool down. By contrast, dynamic stretches – slow controlled movements through the full range of motion – are the most appropriate exercises for the warm up.

The Exercises

The following are examples of general static stretching exercises that could form part of the cool down program at the end of a training session when stretches are held for 10 seconds or to improve the mobility and range of movement when stretches are held for 30 seconds. In all exercises breathe easily whilst performing them.

Chest Stretch Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent Hold your arms out to the side parallel with the ground and the palms of the hand facing forward Stretch the arms back as far as possible You should feel the stretch across your chest

Biceps Stretch Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent Hold your arms out to the side parallel with the ground and the palms of the hand facing forward Rotate the hands so the palms face to the rear Stretch the arms back as far as possible You should feel the stretch across your chest and in the biceps

Upper Back Stretch Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent Interlock your fingers and push your hands as far away from your chest as possible, allowing your upper back to relax You should feel the stretch between your shoulder blades

Shoulder Stretch Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent Place your right arm, parallel with the ground across the front of your chest Bend the left arm up and use the left forearm to ease the right arm closer to you chest You will feel the stretch in the shoulder Repeat with the other arm

Shoulder and Triceps Stretch Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent Place both hands above your head and then slide both of your hands down the middle of your spine You will feel the stretch in the shoulders and the triceps

Side Bends

• Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands resting on the hips
• Bend slowly to one side, come back to the vertical position and then bend to the other side
• Do not lean forwards or backwards

Abdominal and lower back muscles

Lie face down on the ground in a prone position Lift your body off the ground so that you are supported only by your forearms and toes. The elbows should be on the ground and should be almost directly below your shoulders. Your forearms and hands should be resting on the ground, pointed straight ahead, toes and feet should be shoulder width apart and your head in line with your spine Contract your gluteus (bum) muscles gently. Hold for ten seconds
Lift your right arm off the ground, straighten it and point it straight ahead, holding it in the air for 10 seconds Return to the starting position
Repeat with the left arm Return to starting position
Lift your right leg off the ground and hold it there for ten seconds (keep back straight). Return to starting position
Repeat with left leg Return to starting position
lift your right arm and left leg simultaneously and hold them in position for ten seconds Return to starting position
Lift your left arm and right leg simultaneously and hold them in position for ten seconds Return to the starting position

Hamstring Stretch Sit on the ground with both legs straight out in front of you Bend the left leg and place the sole of the left foot alongside the knee of the right leg Allow the left leg to lie relaxed on the ground Bend forward keeping the back straight You will feel the stretch in the hamstring of the right leg Repeat with the other leg

Calf Stretch Stand tall with one leg in front of the other, hands flat and at shoulder height against a wall. Ease your back leg further away from the wall, keeping it straight and press the heel firmly into the floor Keep your hips facing the wall and the rear leg and spine in a straight line You will feel the stretch in the calf of the rear leg Repeat with the other leg

Hip and Thigh Stretch Stand tall with your feet approximately two shoulder widths apart Turn the feet and face to the right Bend the right leg so that the right thigh is parallel with the ground and the right lower leg is vertical Gradually lower the body Keep your back straight and use the arms to balance You will feel the stretch along the front of the left thigh and along the hamstrings of the right leg Repeat by turning and facing to the left

Adductor Stretch Stand tall with your feet approximately two shoulder widths apart Bend the right leg and lower the body Keep you back straight and use the arms to balance You will feel the stretch in the left leg adductor Repeat with the left leg

Groin Stretch Sit with tall posture Ease both of your feet up towards your body and place the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to come up and out to the side Resting your hands on your lower legs or ankles and ease both knees towards the ground You will feel the stretch along the inside of your thighs and groin

Front of Trunk Stretch Lie face down on the floor, fully outstretched Bring your hands to the sides of your shoulders and ease your chest off the floor, keeping your hips firmly pressed into the ground You will feel the stretch in the front of the trunk

Iliotibial Band Stretch Sitting tall with legs stretched out in front of you Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the ground to the left side of the left knee Turn your shoulders so that you are facing to the right Using your left arm against your right knee to help ease you further round Use your right arm on the floor for support You will feel the stretch along the length of the spine and in the muscles around the right hip

Quadriceps Stretch Lie face down on the floor, resting your fore-head on your right hand Press your hips firmly into the floor and bring your left foot up towards your buttocks Take hold of the left ankle with the left hand and ease the foot closer to you buttocks Repeat with the right leg You will feel the stretch along the front of the thigh

Referenced Material

1. MCNAIR, P.J. et al. (2000) Stretching at the ankle joint: viscoelastic responses to holds and continuous passive motion. Medicine & Science in Sport and Exercise, 33 (3), p. 354-358
2. KNUDSON, D et al. (2001) Acute Effects of Stretching Are Not Evident in the Kinematics of the Vertical Jump, Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 15(1), p. 98-101

Page Reference

The reference for this page is:

• MACKENZIE, B. (1998) Static Stretching Exercises [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/stretch.htm [Accessed 4/12/2011]

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Hot & Cold Contrast Baths

In many instances, no matter how small the injury, tissues will have either been stretched or an impact received causing blood vessels to be torn or damaged. The extent of bleeding will depend on the vascularity of the tissues involved, and may be increased if injured during exercise. Blood will flow out until the vessels are restricted (vasoconstriction), so preventing further blood leaking into the tissues. It is important to stop bleeding into tissues as the blood will act as an irritant, increase inflammation, and must be cleared from the tissues before the healing process can properly commence.

Cells starved of nourishment from the blood due to injury will soon die. These dying cells stimulate the release of histamine causing the blood vessels to dilate, thereby bringing increased blood supply and extra nutrients to help repair and rebuild the damaged tissues. During this phase of increased but slower and more viscous blood supply, the capillary walls become much more permeable and quantities of protein and inflammatory substances are pushed into the area causing swelling. Various reactions continue at a rapid rate, all contributing to the healing process.

Use of contrast baths

All that you require is two bowls of water, one iced and the other as hot as you can bear, and a few towels. Alternatively, you can purchase specially made hot and cold packs but you must remember to protect the skin when you use these packs. The use of contrast baths is as follows:

• Dip the injured limb into one bowl for a few seconds
• Remove the limb from the bowl and dab it dry
• Dip the limb into the other bowl for a few seconds
• Remove the limb from the bowl and dab it dry

Repeat this process for about ten minutes until you see the skin change colour. The whole process can be repeated three or four times a day.

Contra indications of using contrast baths

• Check a person’s general sensitivity to ice – some people find the application of cold immediately painful
• Always check skin sensitivity before applying ice – if a person cannot feel touch before applying ice then this may indicate other problems such as nerve impingement. In such instances, ice would only serve to mask this and complicate the problem.
• Do not apply cold to someone with high blood pressure, as vasoconstriction will increase the pressure within the vessels.
• Do not use contrast baths with someone who has circulatory problems
• Do not use contrast baths if the skin is sore or broken in the injured area

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Lean Gains

My name is Martin Berkhan, nutritional counselor, fitness magazine writer and creator of Leangains.
Leangains is a unique approach to strength training and nutrition. The diet involves intermittent
fasting and strength training in order to reduce fat mass and increase muscle mass. This is performed
by switching between phases of overfeeding and underfeeding, as well as carefully manipulating the
macronutrient ratio of the diet.
When Caleb first asked me to write a special report about my approach to intermittent fasting, I
hesitated. The concept is so radically different to most diet approaches out there that I thought it
would be too much of a challenge to change your perception about nutrition in just a few pages.
Especially since you might have heard the very things I’m going to attack just a few minutes ago.
Let me cut straight to the chase. I’m going to give you a brief rundown on my approach, clear a few
issues, and then go back to my approach at the end again. I’m also going to assume that you want
the Cliff Notes version for now. If I manage to pique your interest, you can then check out the free
information and resources on my site (www.leangains.com) to find out more. At my site you will also
find tons of real world testimonials and before-after pictures from regular people that have used this
unconventional approach with great success, along with my own documentation of my body
transformation from fat kid to 200 lbs and 6% body fat.

Read more…..

The “Bulgarian Twist”

Every so often, you bump into an idea that you immediately dismiss. “Absolute idiocy,” you say. Then, a few years later, you come across it again. “That old foolishness,” then dismiss it again. The third, fourth and fifth time you hear it, you try to run screaming again. Finally, though, it hits you when you are ready. After trying the idea, you ask yourself: “Why didn’t I do this before?”

When I first the idea of squatting first in a workout was presented to me, I immediately thought: “overtraining.” The Bulgarian lifters had been experimenting with this “squat first” mentality. In fact, Anton Nikolov, the magnificent 198 lifter, only did squats followed by pulls THREE days a week! The other days were “play days.” Of course, I dismissed it.

A few years later, Spassov toured the United States arguing that the Bulgarians got the information from reading about Bob Bednarski’s programs. I cracked open my archives and found that same insight:squat first, then do your O lifts. To bulk up and build up his Clean and Jerk , Bednarski had decided to focus on squatting first.

When Bob Bednarski got his first “Lifter of the Year” award after he doing so well at the 1966 World Championships, Strength and Health Magazine published his workouts. Several brilliant training ideas seem to leap from Bednarski’s programs:

• He squats first! (Okay, no surprise) He focuses his energies on his weak point and the lift that will fix it.
• He focused on “one lift a day ,” one of the lost “gems” of 1960′s training.
• He continued to use isometric training, the most potent strength builder in history. For more, information, read from the master, Bill March. For an excellent biography on March, go to: the Bill March biography.
• His 1966 program devoted one day to nothing but Power Cleans, one of the greatest strength building exercises.
  So, after years of refusing to listen, I adopted the “Bulgarian Twist:” Squatting first in a workout. My clean and jerk personal record shot through the roof!

  Now, as a Masters Geezer Lifter, I have had to adapt some basic parts of my workout. By sharing information with friends on the Internet, Coach Dave Turner, and Coach Dick Smith, I adapted this workout from one of my standard training programs.

  My Bulgarian Twist looks like this:

The Bulgarian Twist Program

It is simply this:

Day One: (Perhaps Monday)

Start with a little Warm Up

• Deadstop Front Squats: Up to a heavy (or max single)
• Power Clean & Press: One power clean and eight presses.

3 sets of 8 with one minute rest between sets. If there is a single key to the program, it is the one minute rest period. By strictly monitoring the rest period, and obviously keeping track of the weight, one can track progress.

• Power Curls: 3 sets of 8 with one minute rest between sets. Using a curl grip, slide the weight to just above the knees and “curl-clean” the bar. Let it come down under control. Again, get all eight reps in, don’t change the weights, and monitor the rest period.

Some kind of ab work. We used side bends, but any kind of crunch is fine, too. Today, I might recommend One Arm Lifts.
Go Home and Recover

Day Two: (a day or so later, perhaps Wednesday)

Start with a little Warm Up

• Power Clean and Front Squats. One power clean and eight front squats.

Once again, 3 sets of 8 with one minute rest. Stay “tall” in the front squats and keep your elbows high. We usually use this as more of a warm up for the next exercise.

• Overhead Squats: 3 sets of 8 with one minute rest. Using the wide snatch grip, lock the elbows with the weight overhead and squat down. Athletes who do this exercise well not only develop flexibility, balance and leg strength, but an incredibly strong lower back. Also, this exercise builds what we used to call “Dad strength.” Growing up, a lot of us used to lift weights all the time but still could not torque a wrench or open a jar like dad, who never did any lifting. Overhead squats make you very strong.

Again, finish with some kind of ab work.
Go Home and Recover

Day Three ( perhaps Friday or Saturday)

Start with a little Warm Up

• Deadstop Front Squats: Up to a heavy single (or max)
• Snatch Pulls: 3 sets of 8 with one minute rest. With a wide snatch grip, stand up and hold the bar at crotch level. Dip the bar to the knees and snatch pull the bar to the forehead!
  Continue for 8 reps. You will be surprised how quickly this exercise can get into your blood. If you want big traps and explosion, this is the king.
• Clean grip Pulls: 3 sets of 8 with one minute rest. With a clean grip, stand up and dip the bar to your knees. Then, explode up driving the bar, in one basic movement to the chin.

Ab work if you wish.

Go Home and Recover

On the three sets of eight, try to add weight when you can, but use the third set as your basis for adding weight, not the first. You will discover that the culmination of sets one and two really effect the third set. Really try to push the maxs on the deadstop front squats.

This is an excellent program for turning your recoveries from cleans around. Legendary Coach Dick Smith notes that front squats train recovery from snatches and cleans and back squats support the pull. By focusing on speed and reps in the other lifts, the athletes can use the “Bulgarian Twist” to develop some strong recovery strength without taxing the whole system.

Try this for a few weeks, then test yourself!

 

Two methods of Estimating Maximum Heart Rate

1. 220 – Age = Maximum Heart Rate
Example:   40 year old          220 – 40 = 180 beats per minute (bpm) Max Heart Rate

2. 217 – (.85 x Age) = Maximum Heart Rate
Example:    40 year old         217 – (.85 x 40) = 217 – 34 = 183 bpm Max Heart Rate

While the first method is the easiest to use the second method by Miller,et al is more accurate.  The 220 – Age appears to overestimate Max Heart Rate for those under 45 and underestimates it for people over 45 years of age.

Calculator for the Miller et al Method

What Should My Heart Rate be When I Workout?

If you are a beginner, after warming up you should keep your heart rate at 70% to 75% of it Maximum for at least 20 minutes.  For example, a 42 year old woman has a maximum heart rate of around 180 bpm (217 – (.85 x 43) = 180 bpm) to figure out her 70% target heart rate you take 180 x .7 = 126 bpm.  When she is training on the circuit or using the treadmills in the Chabot Fitness Center she should try to keep her heart rate between 126 bpm (70%) and 135 bpm (75%).  This is what is know as a heart rate training zone.

Figure out what your Heart Rate is for the following percentages.  70%, 75%,80% and 85%.

Beginners should try to keep their pulse between 70 to 75%.  So multiply your maximum heart rate by .7  and then by .75 and you have your target training zone.

Veterans (people who have been exercising for 3 months or more) should alternate their training days.

Easy days are exercising at 70-75% of max heart rate  and moderate to hard days are where the pulse is kept between 80 to 85% of max heart rate.  Never put two moderate or hard days back to back.  In fact you might make better progress by sandwiching in  two easy days before each moderate workout.

Your Target Heart Rate is Related to Your Ability to Process Oxygen

The American College of Sports Medicine states the the optimal intensity for improving aerobic fitness occurs between 60 to 80% of maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max). The percentage of VO2 max and the percentage of Maximum Heart Rate do not line up straight across.  According to the American College of Sports Medicine exercise at 60% of VO2 max corresponds with a heart rate that is 75% of maximum and exercise at 80% of VO2 max corresponds with 88% of maximum heart rate.
The key is to figure out what your training heart rate is for 60% to 80% of VO2 max.  Easy days you exercise at 60 to 65% of VO2 max (75% of Max Heart Rate).  Moderate Days you exercise at 75 to 80% V02 Max (85 to 88% of Max Heart Rate).

On the days when you exercise at the higher intensity GO SHORTER in time.  On the easy days go LONGER!

 

Heart Monitor Training by Brian MacKenzie

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