Get Stronger with Fit Tips

How to Measure Progress (and Some Perspective)

“Anything worth doing is worth measuring.”  This is a paraphrase from Arthur Jones, the late founder of Nautilus Sports Medical Industries and MedX Corporation.  And it is a perfect lead in to this post: How does one measure progress from a strength-training program?  Consider the following 2 approaches:

3 Research-Based Mental Health Benefits of Strength Training

When we discuss the many benefits of strength training, we commonly focus on the physiological benefits: Increased muscle strength, enhanced resting metabolic rate, improved bone mineral density and reduced resting blood pressure to name just a few.  The aforementioned benefits are augmented by the equally important psychological benefits associated with strength training.  The oft heard and almost clichéd expression, “My workout just makes me feel better” actually has significant scientific credibility.  An ever-growing body of research points to three mental health benefits of strength training.  Researcher Wayne Westcott Ph.D. recently authored an article examining the mental health benefits of strength training.  I have included selected quotes below.  This is fascinating:

How Often Should I Workout?

An effective fitness program revolves around understanding the “dose-response relationship” of exercise. When contemplating an exercise program, we often focus on, “what should I do?”  We must also consider: How often?  For how long?  How hard?  The “dose-response relationship” delineates: What is the proper dose of exercise (the frequency, duration, and intensity) that will elicit the desired response (improved body composition, cardio-respiratory fitness, muscle strength, etc.)?  Analogous to the prescription of a drug, too small of a dose, and no effect is produced.  Likewise, too large of a dose results in toxicity.  Zeroing in on the appropriate dose-response relationship is a paramount pursuit of the exercise scientist.

One of My Favorite Treadmill Hill Workouts: "The Take-Off"

The Ever Controversial "How Many Sets?"

In the strength training and the fitness world, you are viewed as a bit of an outcast if you recommend the performance of only one set per strength training exercise.  Over the past 14 years, I have had clients, coaches, physical therapists, physicians, bodybuilders, athletes, and a myriad of fitness professionals tell me that in order to reap the maximum benefit from strength training, you need to perform multiple sets of an exercise.  Indeed, the default recommendation seems to be: Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.  Interestingly, the research does not support this long held axiom.   Two scientific journal articles published over the last two years address this very topic.  The authors of both articles, Dr. Ralph Carpinell from Adelphi University and James Fisher from the United Kingdom, performed a critical examination of a recent meta-analysis (a meta-analysis is a statistical tool that allows a researcher to pool multiple studies together to look for a collective conclusion) published in a popular strength and conditioning journal.  In their separate publications, Carpinelli and Fisher examined each study that was included in this particular meta-analysis.  Both researchers concluded that the studies included in the meta-analysis did NOT support the assumption that multiple sets are superior to single sets.  

Interview with IHRSA

Luke was recently interviewed by IHRSA about his upcoming presentation at the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association in March on Visionary Leadership. See if the full interview here IHRSA Interview

4 Things You Need to Know About Metabolic Rate

1. The variability in your Resting Metabolic Rate or “Basal Metabolic Rate” (the number of calories required to support normal bodily functions; this is the number of calories you expend each day when you aren’t physically active or exercising) is attributed solely to the amount of muscle tissue that you possess.  The decline in your metabolic rate that occurs as you age is not due to chronological aging or menopause; it is due to a wasting away (atrophy) of muscle.  If you strength train and regain or retain your muscle tissue, your metabolic rate will be restored.
2. Cardio-respiratory exercise does NOT increase your metabolic rate (as is commonly assumed).  In fact, metabolic rate decreases for a few hours after a bout of “cardio.”  
3. Strength training has a positive, acute effect on metabolic rate.  When you strength train, your metabolic rate is elevated between 7-11% for the next 3 days.  This effect exists for beginners or experienced exercisers alike.  
4. Strength training has a positive, chronic effect on metabolic rate.  When we add muscle tissue to any part of our body, we burn more calories constantly to support that new muscle.

My Favorite New Year's Resolution (A New Twist on My Favorite Concept)

It is that time of year when people start contemplating the changes or resolutions that they want to make in their lives.  Inevitably, some iteration of "getting in shape" falls at the top of the list for most people.  I am going to side step this cliché for a moment.  I'm convinced that the most compelling New Year's Resolution, a resolution that is relevant to nearly everyone, goes something like this: Work on Yourself.  You can call this Improve Yourself or my personal favorite, Sharpen the Saw.  Whatever the vernacular, the message is the same.  Before we can become more effective and contribute more meaningfully in our relationships, in the organizations we work in, in our families, in our communities, and in the other roles we play, we must first take care of and in fact, improve ourselves.  Speaking of the habit of "Sharpening the Saw," Dr. Stephen Covey states, "This is the single most powerful investment we can ever make in life - Investment in ourselves, in the only instrument we have with which to deal with life and contribute.  We are the instruments of our own performance, and to be effective, we need to recognize the importance of taking time regularly to sharpen the saw."

The Three Most Prevalent Abdominal Training Myths

1. Myth: Training the "core" or the abdominals will help develop an attractive, "6-pack" appearance.  The research is very clear that training the abs, regardless of the choice of exercise, volume of exercise, or frequency of exercise, does not reduce abdominal fat, reduce waist circumference, or improve abdominal appearance. Period. Simply, the "rectus abdominis," the muscle under our abdominal fat, becomes stronger and potentially slightly larger in response to training; but the fat that covers this muscle remains unchanged.
2. Myth: Training the abs or "core" is important for athletic performance.  Indeed, it is the most prevalent of training myths, "The 'core' is where it all starts for an athlete."  Authors of a brand new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal, Sports Medicine examined the role of "core" training on athletic performance and general fitness.  The conclusion?  "Our findings indicate that trunk muscle strength plays only a minor role for physical fitness and athletic performance in trained individuals... Trunk muscle strength was associated with only limited gains in physical fitness and athletic performance measures when compared with no or only regular training."
3. Myth: You can selectively train the Upper and Lower Abs.  Based on electromyographic (EMG) activity recorded during the performance of various abdominal exercises (e.g. crunches, reverse curls, leg lifts), it appears to be impossible to differentially recruit the "upper" or "lower" abdominal muscles.  You may feel a particular abdominal exercise more or less in your upper or lower abs; but regardless of where you feel it, the entire abdominal sheath is receiving equal stimulation.

How Often Should I Workout?

An effective fitness program revolves around understanding the “dose-response relationship” of exercise.  When contemplating an exercise program, we often focus on, “what should I do?”  We must also consider: How often?  For how long?  How hard?  The “dose-response relationship” delineates: What is the proper dose of exercise (the frequency, duration, and intensity) that will elicit the desired response (improved body composition, cardio-respiratory fitness, muscle strength, etc.)?  Analogous to the prescription of a drug, too small of a dose, and no effect is produced.  Likewise, too large of a dose results in toxicity.  Zeroing in on the appropriate dose-response relationship is a paramount pursuit of the exercise scientist.