Strength training information-Strength training articles

Dedicated to those who care enough about their good health to actually do something positive on a daily basis to improve it.

You may use these strength training articles which, unless otherwise noted, were written by Danny M. O’Dell on your web site or in your newsletter subject to the following requirements which must be added to avoid copyright infringement:

By Danny M. O’Dell, MA. CSCS*D,
Explosivelyfit Strength Training

Please send an electronic copy of the article, along
with the date used to Contact Danny

The strength training articles written by other professional strength coaches express their individual opinion and do not necessarily reflect the training methods or philosophy of the Explosivelyfit Strength Training Gym. They are presented here for your thoughtful consideration.

Warm ups that consist of static stretching prior to the power and explosive sports are contraindicated because they are detrimental to the outcome.

Sets and reps

Each one of the following schedules is based upon an accurate and correctly performed one rep maximum.

Your strength gains will result from lifting at and above the 80% of your one rep max.

Do not lift alone while attempting maximum weights, always have a spotter and lift within your capabilities.

Follow the 2 x 2 rule of progression. In other words if on the last set you can do two extra reps then do so. On your next exercise day try to repeat the last set by again doing the extra two reps. If successful then add five to ten pounds (for the upper body) or ten to twenty pounds (for the lower body) of additional weight for your next attempt at the series of sets and reps.

Strength:
80-85% 5 x 5 means 80-85% of your one rep max performed for five sets of five reps.

6 x 6, 5 x 5, 4 x 4, 3 x 3, 2 x 2 do one of these each time over five sessions, continually add weight as the repetitions decrease.

At one time or another everyone who exercises encounters a sticking point or as it is sometimes referred to, a plateau. How you handle these set backs will determine your eventual success or failure in achieving your fitness goals.

Some people just give up if they don’t see immediate results, others keep plugging away in the hope that it will eventually workout. The smart ones identify the problem early on and take corrective measures to short circuit the damaging effects of the stalemate.

The solution to the problem is to look at your logbook and figure out when the sticking point started. After this then it’s up to you to make the necessary changes in the program so you can get back on track again. Strength coaches (shameless plug here) pay very close attention to their trainees and forestall these problems before they become critical issues.

In the case of the self directed individual this becomes more of a problem because in many instances their fix is to do more. And more times than not it’s generally more of the same.

Looking at it logically, if your current program got you into the stalemate in the first place does it really make sense to do more of it? It doesn’t, does it?

However there are several alternative corrective actions that can be taken to alleviate the problem. Possible modifications include some of the following:

If you’re a runner this means getting on a boring stationary bike and riding hard. Skipping rope is a good alternative. It will still keep your cardiovascular capabilities high. The treadmill would be out as it’s basically the same as running.

A strength athlete will have options such as changes in the repetitions, sets, exercises, times, and total time under the bar amongst a host of other potential adjustments in the program.

The idea is to pick out an exercise that will continue to give you the results you want for the mode of exercise you enjoy. Change means change, not more of the same.

Keep going. Don’t give up on your health because of a little set back in your training.

The favourite line of attack of weight loss programs and experts (now there's an oxymoron - weight loss expert) is that you should watch what you eat. This is followed with a list of what you can eat and a list of what is taboo. The latter list comprises of whatever is popular hatred at the time - carbohydrate foods, fatty foods, white foods, processed foods. More recently, there is research suggesting that how you eat is having a significant effect on your weight, with rapid eating being associated with overweight.

Slow down, eat less
Over 3000 adults were asked whether they ate until they were full (chockers) and whether they ate quickly (speed-eaters), or if they did both.

There was a strong association between how the subjects ate and the chance of them being overweight. The authors of the research were reluctant to say the level of risk, but it appears that the chockers group and the speed-eaters group were one and half to twice as likely to be overweight. If they were both a chockers and speed-eater then they were around three times more likely to be overweight, with the odds being slightly higher in women.

This research supported previous research in the area that linked rapid eating to fullness to portliness. One limitation of any research is basing your results on a survey. When you ask people about their eating habits, they are likely to lie, giving answers closer to the socially accepted norm. Even if this was the case here and less people admitted to being a chocker or a speed-eater than in reality, then the results even more strongly hint that eating quickly until you are full is not great for the waistline.

Hara hachi bu
It's Japanese. The best translation is "eat until your stomach is 80% full". Try it. It is not easy in a society that offers more food than you need, encourages you to try a bit of everything on offer and expects you to eat until you need to loosen your belt for comfort. With practice, hara hachi bu will make you feel better, sleep better, think better, and may provide the added bonus of weight loss. Hara hachi bu is critical if you attend a conference, or any time you are offered "free food", as over-eating makes you less inclined to stay alert.

What does it all mean?
Making you focus solely on what you eat sounds like an easy solution, yet so many of our long-standing eating habits could be having a greater influence on how much we eat. If you eat until you are full, or even overfull, you are likely to eat more that you need. If you eat quickly, you do not allow time for the satiating hormones to signal your brain that enough is enough. If you are a "plate cleaner", or eat for psychological comfort, then you are adding more factors to the over-eating equation. That's why we hand out diet books and diet plans: it's dogmatic and so much easier than discussing our relationship with food.

Posture, just the word brings to mind standing at attention with your head up, shoulders back and chest out. In reality it is more than this.

Body posture is both dynamic and at the same time a static action. In fact balance and posture are closely intertwined and in many cases are the same.

Posture affects not only how tall you will grow and how well your internal organs function but your activity and sports performance as well.

Briefly stated, posture can cause positive or negative alterations in the structure of your bones. Problems with your posture cause muscle imbalances, flexibility issues and damage to your joints if continued long term. The results of these changes are back, shoulder and neck pain, all of which, if caused by poor posture, can be alleviated with a conscious awareness of maintaining good posture.

Early on in a person’s life when the body is still developing is the ideal time to establish good posture habits. Doing so allows the body to build a strong useful platform for daily activities and participation in sports.

Good posture means your internal organs have room to grow and be healthy. Improper alignment in the structures of your body puts undue stress on the rest of it causing chronic strain which translates into chronic pain. Some study results have associated chronic pain as being a contributing factor to arthritis later in life.

The spinal column is the supporting base for your entire body and as such needs to be strong and powerful to endure the stresses placed on it throughout the day and for the remainder of your life.

The spine should be solid and flexible (within normal range of motion) while at the same time maintaining the four natural curves at all times. Strengthening the spinal column and the muscles that attach to it will help keep your posture correct and you feeling good about yourself.

Exercising with arthritis may seem like it’s an oxymoron statement but it’s not. One of the ways to manage arthritis is by being active. The key to staying active is to exercise but first you have to identify and then use an appropriate level of stress during these sessions.

Resistance training is often used to strengthen the muscles around each joint. The intensity of the exercises as well as the volume and recovery times between sessions may have to be modified and adjusted for the trainee depending on their level of pain.

Ultimately it is up to the individual to weigh the risk and rewards of their activity level and the life they want to lead. You can do one of two things; live it in pain or work on making it feel better. If you decide to do the latter here are five points to consider when making your training decisions.

Being faithful to your exercise and health programs is an admirable trait. But what happens when it starts interfering with your life and more importantly to the lives of those who love you? I’ll tell you. It’s time to reappraise the situation and make some necessary changes.

Most hardcore fitness enthusiasts exercise come hell or high water, no matter what they will find a way to get their exercise session in every day. I know a person who has not missed one single day in over twenty years.

Every day this person did something positive for their health and fitness; even while recovering from major joint surgery. They have pushed to get better by regaining their range of motion and doing isometrics to build the muscle strength back to its pre-surgery status.

Has this dedication caused conflicts in their life? I suspect so. Let’s look at how you can avoid these same issues.

I call minimally doing something positive for yourself putting a check on the calendar for that day. The check on the calendar simply means you did something on this particular day to help improve your health in some small way. It doesn’t mean you went all out on the exercises; just that you did a little bit.

Suppose you were scheduled to max out on one of your lifts or run a faster than normal mile but your wife or child became ill and had to be cared for. No one in their right mind would consider taking time off to exercise as planned if a loved one needed their help. You are no different.

Abandon your schedule and help them out. There will be breaks in the day when you can get out the skip rope and hit it hard. Do as many pushups and sit ups as you can in one or more minutes. Do something for yourself, but not at their expense, during the time you’ve got before they need you again.

If you aren’t in good mental and physical shape it’s going to be much harder caring for someone else.

Sometimes it really is better to stop the head long pursuit of strength and high level physical fitness and smell the roses for a brief minute or two before hitting it again. Just don’t take to long…

Manipulations of frequency, intensity and volume are the basics of correct exercise program detail. However, just how much is enough when it comes to intensity and volume?

A recent meta-analysis* of 140 other research studies covering 1433 participants may have some answers to the question. The studies looked at “strength measurements before and after strength interventions were reviewed”.

Training experience of the participants-this was broken down into trained and untrained with no differences between female and male being status being noted

The only difference to affect the prescription curve was the training status of the participants. Those who were untrained trained with an intensity of 60% of their one rep max three days a week with four sets of eight to twelve reps.

The trained athletes based their intensity off an 80% calculation of their one rep max. They too performed four sets of eight to twelve reps but did it only TWO times per week instead of three like the untrained individuals.

In summary then the keys to continued strength gains lie in progressing to higher volumes and intensities. Of course, we all knew this to be the case. The difference now is scientific facts are replicable. Anecdotal information is not. Therefore, program variations to accommodate these changes must be made in a scientifically sound manner.

*Meta-in composition, among with, after, later, often implies change, beyond
*Analysis-resolving or separating a whole into its elements or component parts: a statement of the results of this process.

Strength and Conditionings Journal Vol 25, Number 4 pages 72-73 by Roetert, E. P. PhD. FACSM

Examine your prior lifting records-you are keeping a log book aren’t you? See what and how you have been lifting for the most recent six months. I will bet it is nearly the same every week isn’t it? Now is the time to change your program.

Before delving into these various strength types let us look at a brief definition from the fine book by Thomas Kurz Science of sports training. He states that “the maximal strength of a muscle, or a muscle group in a given movement, equals the highest external resistance and athlete can overcome or hold with full voluntary mobilization of” the neuromuscular system.

Vladimir M. Zatsiorsky writes in Science and practice of strength training “strength, or muscular strength, is the ability to generate maximum maximorum external force Fmm.” Remember that force is an interaction of two bodies and that these forces are divided into two possible groups, internal and external.

Internal forces are the forces acting within the human body on another part of the human body such as “bone on bone and tendon to bone”. External forces are those forces that interact on the body from the outside; an example would be the weight of a barbell.

In layman’s terms this simply means how many muscle fibers can you voluntarily recruit to exert the counteracting force on the resistance be it lifting up, holding stationary or lowering under control. And in most instances and especially in this paper we are concerned with the external forces.

Science of sports training, Kurz, T. Stadion Press 2001
Science and practice of strength training, Zatsiorsky, V. M. Human Kinetics, 1995
Ibid

This may come as a surprise to some but it takes a concerted effort to improve your health. It won’t come out of a bottle or from riding a bike or some other device that makes it easy. Getting fit will take work on your part.

Here are a few recommendations for you to follow on your journey to becoming more physically fit.

Notice the word try did not appear anywhere in the foregoing article. There’s a reason for this conscious omission; try is simply an excuse for failure! You aren’t committed if you are just trying.

Some experimentation and research is being conducted with a multiple training program containing concentric and isometric contractions. The set and rep schedule consists of one set of four to six repetitions at various workloads beginning with thirty percent of one rep max. It continues by working up with percentage stages of sixty and finally one hundred percent one rep max.

Isometric and concentric muscle actions were combined in the three percentage brackets. Reps and rest periods were established between the thirty and sixty percent isometric holds at six reps and six five-second isometric contractions followed by six ten second rest periods.

The next application was with a load equal to thirty and sixty percent of one rep max with four maximal effort holds at five seconds each. These were followed by ten-second rest periods between each hold.

The results indicated that an exercise protocol employing concentric training with a thirty percent muscle isometric contraction was effective in increasing the force maximum when done over a twelve-week period. It is unknown at this time if isometric or concentric contractions are more effective. The combination of the two seems to work.

Self-talk, describes random or purposeful thoughts running silently through your mind or said out loud. These are thoughts that determine what you are and what you will be. They provide an unconscious guide or filter for all of your day to day interactions with those around you.

Negative self-talk focuses on failure. It is the fear of failure and mistakes that have or could possibly occur in your life. Do you ever hear yourself saying or thinking “I can’t do this, I am so uncoordinated, I will never learn this”? If so, it is a set up for failure.

Once you hear these damaging thoughts, STOP and replace them with a positive self-message. It is important to be able to recognize these self-defeating thoughts and immediately replace them with a positive message.
“I can do this, I am becoming more coordinated at this, and I am learning more about this.”

Positive self-talk focuses on the mental state necessary to successfully complete a task, not on how you can’t do the task! Probably at some point in your life your parents told you that anything was possible. Positive self talk is another method, amongst many, that can help make your dreams and goals become a reality.

It will be a relearning process but the long-term results are certainly a potential benefit of that conscious effort.

High blood pressure has been called “the silent killer”, and for good reason. People with high blood pressure normally do not even realize they have it. There are no outward signs until a stroke, coronary artery disease, or kidney failure suddenly show up in a life-threatening event.

Blood pressure is the resistance the heart faces as it attempts to pump blood through the body. The top number (systolic) is the amount of resistance the heart has to overcome in order to push the blood throughout the body during a contraction. The bottom number (diastolic) is resistance in the system while the heart is at rest. Any number combination greater than 140/90 is considered high blood pressure. This condition needs a doctor’s attention. Many people have high blood pressure and don’t even know it. Do you know what yours is? If not get it checked and find out, it just may save your life.

Many studies over the past ten years have found that a properly designed exercise program can, in some cases, lower the blood pressure numbers as much as 10-20 mm hg. (From Exercise Physiology page 805-810)

Aerobics conducted at a moderate rate of 50-70% of your target heart rate for 30-45 minutes daily on a treadmill, bicycle, stair stepper or any other type of sustained activity seems to be the ticket to better heart health. The 30-45 minutes of daily activity does not have to be all at once but can be split into several sessions during the day. Even ten-minute sessions, several times a day, may produce noticeable changes in your numbers. Of course this is in conjunction with a modification of your diet to a more healthy life style of eating patterns.

An accurate way to figure your target heart rate is to use the Karvonen method. (The Percentage of Maximum Heart Rate, calculation can be off by as much as 10 beats per minute, but it is normally the one used on the large chart found on many gym walls).

To calculate your target heart rate, follow this formula: (from the second edition of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning by T.R.Baechle and R.W Earle page 500):

1. Age-predicted maximum heart rate (APMHR)=220-age.
2. Heart rate reserve (HRR)=APMHR-resting heart rate (RHR). Take this before you arise in the morning.
3. Target heart rate (THR)= (HRR x Exercise intensity) + RHR

Exercising in a single-dimension fashion day after day is not an effective way to train. What good is it to be able to run for thirty minutes but not be able to carry in the groceries after shopping? Are you able to lift a ton of weight in the weight room but not able to climb the stairs without being out of breath. Can you turn your head to either side in a full range of motion? Do you compensate and make adjustments in your body position to do so?

Simply put; single dimension training excludes two of the three main ingredients of fitness while placing undue emphasis on the one remaining portion. A well-balanced strength program will incorporate all three parts, in varying degrees, throughout the training cycle.

If you are single dimension exercising, now is the time to consider a non-linear undulating alternative aptly named the fitness triad.

The fitness triad is a well thought out strength and conditioning program. It combines various percentages of the aerobic, anaerobic and flexibility components into a schedule that progresses logically toward a specific predetermined goal. The three pieces synergistically enhance each major portion of fitness if properly laid out before hand.

Here is a brief schedule example for you to look over and try. It will get you out of the normal groove and spur your physical fitness growth. Practice the ‘Wave’ method of exercise in all the suggestions that follow. This method does not repeat the same pattern on the next workout day.

Make changes in the exercise order, the repetitions, the rest durations or the load imposed every workout period. You should see and feel results in about three weeks.

Strength training

The bedrock of physical fitness is strength and power achieved through resistance training methods. A starting out schedule consisting of eight to ten basic exercises will set the tone for the program. Do them faithfully three to four times a week for three to five sets and watch your strength grow.

The repetitions for these exercises are in the 8-10 range. Repetitions for the abdominals are at 10-25, with weight held on the forehead. Rest between sets for 30-45 seconds then start again on the next set.

The total time spent in the weight room should not exceed 30-45 minutes following this routine, or any routine for that matter. Execute the lifts in a techniquely correct manner on all exercises but work quickly as well. Do full range of motion on all exercises. Follow the ‘two by two rule’ for load increases.

The warm up should be dynamic WITHOUT performing static stretches as these types of stretches ‘dumb the body’, ‘relax the joints’ (which in turn opens the body to injury) and makes the nervous system slower-exactly the opposite of what is needed on the playing field.

End each resistance and cardiovascular session with a cool down period. During the cool down, perform the stretching that is so necessary to maintain flexibility.

Stretching follows the strength and cardiovascular sessions. Make use of the cool down to begin your stretching routine for each major muscle area recently worked. Stretch for 10-15 minutes after each strength workout. Include the external rotator cuff stretches after each strength session.

Cardio work is important because without a strong heart muscle the rest is about useless. Again, wave your workouts in a logical fashion by following the example.

Based on the above figures you will be engaged in some type of activity on the low end for about 36 minutes a day. The high end works out to a little over 60 minutes per day.

There is no one that cannot take this small amount of time out of his or her day to be more physically fit!

It is well established that exercise benefits us in many areas such as increased self confidence, improvements in our moods, and longer healthier lives. Simply being able to do what you want to do physically and mentally may be made easier by engaging in a long term pattern of running, weight training, stretching/balance, and recreational sporting exertions.

During spring time the runners start hitting the road, especially those who are getting ready to run Bloomsday here in Spokane, Washington. While running is an admirable endeavor, it is not enough to keep your body in top physical condition. Our body needs physical and mental stimulation which is only achievable through the use of a variety of methods.

Cyclic exercise, similar to running, stresses the cardiovascular abilities thereby increasing the capacity to engage in lengthy activities through enhanced oxygen transfer to the working muscles. However, exercising in this manner will not increase the lean muscle mass composition of our body. In order to do that resistance training is necessary.

Bone density responds directly to increases in intensities of load and site specifically to the greater pressures required to move the load. Adaptations take place within the structures of the bone that make it more resistant to the imposed loads and thus stronger.

Women in particular need this load bearing weight on their long bones, the spine and hips to stave off and help prevent osteopenia and osteoporosis from occurring. Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease that progressively decreases the bone density which in time leaves them weakened and vulnerable to fracture.

Getting stronger helps in other ways too. The strength to recover from a slip may prevent a bone damaging fall. Postural muscles that are strengthened through weight training inevitably lead to improved posture and a reduced potential of lower back problems. Even though strength training is high on the list of maintaining a strong fit body other pieces of the equation are important too. For instance being flexible enough to tie your shoes or even scratch your back is an important part of living a full and healthy lifestyle.

Work the joints normal range of motion each day by following a stretching program. But be cautioned that static stretching performed before a strength training session has been found to lower the power output by as much as 8%. If you are a sprinter, thrower or recreational handball or tennis player stay away from these at the start of your activity. The proper place for a static stretch is at the end of the workout when the muscles are warm and receptive to change. Doing so before hand, is an invitation to injury.

Find a good stretching book; read up on the proper way to stretch and start applying these to your exercise program. Brad Walker’s Stretching Handbook or Bob Andersons Stretching are two of the premier ones on the market and each one has stood the test of time. Even though flexibility is important it is not the end of the line. Maintaining your balance becomes harder as we age.

Prevention begins with daily practice. Standing on one foot or with heel to toe for multiple seconds at a time (60-120) will help stave off this decline in balance. Leaning toward the floor on one leg with arms to the side or rear will change the center of gravity and will change the feel of the exercise. In each instance it is important to have the ability to catch yourself on something solid to prevent a dangerous fall from happening in the event you do lose your balance while doing these.

Of course there are many other ways to practice balance training but this article is not being written to list them all. Suffice it to say balance is a critical part of living a healthy life.

Bodily balance. A physical state or sense of being able to maintain bodily equilibrium

The Benefits of Slow Lifting by Adrian Birkby CSCS MPT

Fast reps, slow reps, moderate reps, what’s the deal? Explosive lifting for explosive athletes? Slow lifting for bodybuilders? Is faster better than slower? There is certainly more about explosive training or power training in training literature these days than slow training. Olympic lifts are being prescribed for all sorts of sports, as are plyometrics, is slow training a thing of the past?

First of all let us define slow: slow refers to a velocity which permits uniform, consistent movement without abrupt jerking or stopping. It’s interesting to note, that studies have shown at the cellular level that muscle fibers contract in the same manner regardless of speed. Hence for a given exercise if a weight is lifted fast or slowly the same muscle fibers are recruited. Slow training has various benefits, these include:

Of course the benefits of slow training rely on it being utilized within reason. Using a very long cadence e.g. 10/10 would put a usual hypertrophy set of 8 reps well into the aerobic zone with a rather lengthy TUT of 2 minutes, 40 seconds! To ensure a similar rate of movement in the different muscle groups it is necessary to divide exercises into different categories based on their range of motion distance. For example:

So in summary, if you want to dramatically increase your time under tension with the same weight, enhance recovery and reduce the likelihood of injury give slow training a try. And if that doesn’t appeal to you, for the sake of variation in your routine to avoid plateaus, try it anyway!

The effects of a high intensity work out far out weight the effects of a longer less intense workout. The muscles have to be overloaded in order to adapt. The harder the work out the better it is for power and strength adaptation purposes.

A properly overloaded muscle, performing in a correctly executed exercise will show greater electrical activity. For example the Pectoralis Major shows the most electromyographical (EMG) activity during a decline dumbbell bench press. This is in turn is followed by a decline barbell bench press, Push up between benches, flat dumbbell bench press, flat bench press with a bar bell and finally a dumbbell fly.

So, if you were considering forcing adaptation of the Pectoralis muscles then the main exercise would be the decline dumbbell bench press as it indicates the most electrical activity under exercise conditions.

An advanced high volume routine good for three to five weeks. Day one and day two exercises are followed by a rest day and then a repeat. The number following each exercise is the estimated time to finish the reps and sets. Work up in sets and reps. Work to Rest periods are 1:2.

360’s held for thirty to forty five seconds each with no sag or rise in any position

The greater the work capacity of the lifter the more they will lift. One of the time proven ways to add strength is by doing more workouts per week. Each of these extra sessions last from twenty to thirty minutes. The focus of these extra workouts must be on building up the muscles that are used for the lifts or the sports activity.

In the bench press these extra workouts should be directly aimed at strengthening the triceps, deltoids, latissimus dorsi, the upper back and the abdominal muscles. In the squat and dead lift the muscles to target are the hamstrings, glutes, lower, upper and middle back and abs.

These special sessions are scheduled from thirty minutes up to several hours after the main core exercises are maxed out and finished. In these instances simply come back into the gym and hit it again with the selected exercises. All of these extra workouts raise the work capacity of the athlete and make the muscles adapt to the new load stresses.

Make these sessions efficient by rotating the exercises around as soon as you feel they are no longer providing a boost to your lifting or sport. In almost every case these exercises should be changed at least every two weeks. Staying with the same ones for more than three weeks will be counter productive. Your body will quickly adapt and no longer respond to the repetitions, sets or the movement itself.

A sub goal of these extra sessions is restoration; it is absolutely essential to growth. Without restoration and recuperation the strength training progress will eventually plateau. And we all know that plateaus bring injury, staleness and a lack of forward progress to the lifter.

To become stronger, an athlete has to continually push the envelop of function and this envelop is their training comfort zone.

Our nation is gradually becoming, if not already number one, the fattest in the world. Now I don’t know about you, but I would prefer to be noted for something other than being the fattest of anything. Let us be tops in brains, innovations, technology but not to be the most obese in the world. How did this sad state of affairs happen? Here’s the answer: We stopped exercising as adults and worse yet as kids.

Most active adults recognize and accept the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. We realize it helps keep our cardiovascular system functioning in an effective manner and that strength training enables us to carry out our daily living more efficiently. But what about our children-why should they exercise? After all aren’t a lot of them already out on the playgrounds or running in the fields or woods of our communities. The short answer is a big fat no. Notice I said a big FAT no.

Exercise for a child affects their entire body, just as it does ours as an adult. The brain, the bones, and muscles; everything benefits from exercise. Aerobic exercise increases the capillaries supplying blood to the brain. Additionally a fit cardio respiratory system reduces the chances of coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and varicose veins.

Learning new skills increases the synaptic connections between the brain cells, which leads to greater athleticism.

Regular exercise even contributes to a reduced level of systematic stress, which is essential to better health and fitness-but in order to enjoy these multiple levels of benefit you have to exercise. This is a universal truth for both children and adults.

As the child grows so does their exercise requirement grow. The preschool years are ones of learning gross movement skills such as balancing, climbing, hopping, jumping, running, and skipping-you would be surprised at the number of young teens that cannot skip, and throwing. Encouragement of these activities by example and instruction leads to the child being able to progress up the ladder of movement skills. Lacking these skills by the age of four or five makes it difficult for the child to ‘catch up with their peers’ and may even cause them to stop doing these and other physical activities altogether. These kids need play time or if you want to call it such-practice time around adults modeling correct patterns, adults who care about the child’s development and knows how, when and what skills to teach. There is a natural progression of acquiring these skills and during these times, the child is MOST SUSCEPTIBLE to learning how to do them correctly. Make use of these short times in their lives to take advantage of this natural phenomenon. Keep in mind however that not everyone will develop at the same rate or even in the same areas as others may.

Some children are able to develop motor patterns quickly and easily, others are not in the same boat. In certain cases, a child may display great strength or a natural ability to run long distances by utilizing their great endurance capabilities and in others, a seemingly tremendous amount of coordinational attributes at a young age. The point being not everyone can be a star in everything or in some cases anything.

Basic training principles for a child consist of accentuation of their positive abilities. Designing a program of exercises they like to do will help make them happier during the sessions, thus making them more receptive to exposure to other exercise skills.

If time permits then hit the qualities that are lagging behind, keep it fun to maintain their enthusiasm for exercise and desire to try new skills in the process.

Let them grow, teach them at the appropriate ages and let them have fun. It does not always have to be what we as adults think is functional, remember they are kids, not little adults.

You may be asking yourself “what is this high heart rate strength training all about”? The short answer is combination cardio at 70-80% maximum heart rate (MHR) and strength training at 70-80% 1repetition max (RM).

This type of training is the foundation of general physical preparation for all who strive to be the best at their sport.

In order to perform this demanding type of exercise regimen you must already be in excellent condition as it is not appropriate for the inexperienced to do. Excellent condition by my definition is as follows:

1. You have been exercising consistently over the past year
2. You have an established and known regular resting heart rate (RHR).
3. You are currently performing no less than 30 to 45 minutes of cardio every other day at 70-80% MHR for your age and sex as determined by the formula of your choice - see appendix A
4. You understand the “perceived exertion rate” scale of 1 to 10 (Borg Scale). Where one is perceived as being the lightest easiest and ten is the hardest most difficult and nearly impossible to do
5. You have an established specific repetition maximums in the following eight exercises:

a. Military press
b. Chin ups (maximum number performed at one time with no rests between each one) OR Pull downs
c. Bench press
d. Barbell row-three reps
e. Squat
f. Sit ups (maximum number performed at one time with no rests between each one)
g. Back extensions (maximum number performed in one minute at one time with no rests between each one) OR maximum performed with a weight held to the chest in one minute without rest between repetitions

Once your have fulfilled the above criteria then the program can begin.

Let's start with an introduction into the training regimen. This “starter routine” will be performed for the first two weeks to make certain you are up to the stress and the activity pace.

It is recommended that you consult with your doctor before performing any new exercise routine or program.

Pay very close attention to how you feel because it is easy to become faint unless you are in excellent condition. If you feel queasy or light headed, then lie down so that your feet are above your heart and slowly drink some fluid e.g. water or a high glycemic drink.

Warm up before exercising. Skipping rope provides an excellent general warm up. Once the general warm up is completed and before beginning a specific exercise perform several movements that mimic the exercise before adding external weight.

Do the following exercises two to three times per session for two weeks, two times a week. Keep track of your heart rate throughout the session. After each rope-skipping episode begin the next set of exercises when your pulse reaches the 70% MHR. Do not let it drop below 70% MHR.

1. Skip rope for one minute at a steady pace
2. 360’s (bridges) one at each position for 15 seconds with perfect form for one minute
3. Skip rope for one minute at a steady pace

Note: Warm up your shoulders and arms with the shoulder series of moves as described here before moving on to the pushups:

4. Do each one of the following 15-20 times. Start with bodyweight only and work up from there. Some advanced elite athletes use up to twenty kilograms for these exercises.
1. Wide clockwise circles with outstretched arms
2. Wide counter clockwise circles with outstretched arms.
3. Arms straight to the sides with palms facing the body moving out front and back up over head without bending them
4. Arms bent at 90° and then extended rapidly to the front and back to the 90° starting position
5. One minute of push-ups

Note: Warm up your lower body with a set of 15-25 front to rear and side to side wide leg swings followed by good mornings and one set of 15-25 bodyweight only squats before beginning with the weighted squats that follow.

6. One minute of squats at 40% 1RM
7. Skip rope for one minute.
8. One minute full range of motion sit-ups with hands on the chest

Note: Warm up the chest and upper arms with an additional series of shoulder warm ups but this time do only ten each of the series before beginning the bench press and barbell rows.

9. Bench press one minute at 40% 1RM
10. Barbell row one minute at 40% 1RM
11. Skip rope for one minute
12. Back extensions for one minute
13. Skip rope for two minutes

The cool down provides your body the opportunity to return to a near normal state. The static stretches make use of the muscles warmth and lower viscosity of the tissues. There are six rules of stretching as recommended by the stretching authority Brad Walker of Australia.

1. Warm up prior to stretching
2. Stretch before and after exercise
3. Stretch all of the major muscle groups and their opposing muscle groups.
4. Stretch gently and slowly, in other words do not be bouncing to gain that extra little bit. It just may be too much and you could end up injured
5. Stretch only to the point of tension, these are not meant to be painful
6. Breathe slowly and easily

Do static stretches of your choice for the following areas until your heart rate is once again nearly normal, i.e. your regular pulse rate while out of bed in your daily routine. There are a myriad of stretches that are equally effective at the end of your HHRST session, just pick out the ones you enjoy doing during this relaxing point of the exercise session.

The intensity of the strength exercises rises to 50% 1RM with the heart rate staying at 70% MHR. In these next two weeks the strength movements will be bundled together in pairs before moving onto the cardio portion.

1. Skip rope for two minutes
2. Sit ups for one minute at a steady pace
3. 360’s (bridges) for six repetitions, holding at each of the four positions for 5 seconds
4. Skip rope for two minutes
5. Squats for one minute with 50% 1RM at a steady pace-use a metronome set to thirty beats per minute or more
6. Calf raises for one minute with an external load equal to your body weight
7. Skip rope for two minutes
8. Sit ups for one minute
9. Warm up your shoulders with the same series as in weeks one and two
10. Military presses at 50% 1RM for one minute.
11. Pull downs at 60% of your body weight for one minute.
12. Skip rope for two minutes
13. Back extensions for one minute
14. Bench presses at 60% 1RM for one minute
15. Triceps extensions for one minute at a perceived exertion rate of 6-7
16. Skip rope for two minutes
17. Sit ups for two minutes

Cool down and let your body return to near normal again. As you cool down perform static stretches for the following areas:

The intensity of the strength exercises rises to 70% 1RM with the heart rate moving to 80% MHR. In these next two weeks, the strength movements will be separated before moving onto the cardio portion.

1. The warm up is five minutes of skipping rope followed by 25 sit ups, 25 good mornings, 25 body weight squats and 15-25 push ups modified or regular
2. Squats at 70% 1RM for thirty seconds
3. Check your pulse
4. Skip rope for three minutes
5. Leg raises for one minute. We use the hanging leg raises here
6. Shoulder and chest warm up - see above shoulder series in weeks one and two
7. Bench presses at 70% 1RM for thirty seconds
8. Skip rope for two minutes
9. Barbell rows-maintain your solid back arch
10. Skip rope for three minutes
11. Military presses at 70% 1RM for thirty seconds
12. Skip rope for two minutes
13. Chin-ups or pull downs. If doing the pull downs then use a weight that is 70% of your body weight for one minute
14. Skip rope for five minutes

1. Hamstrings, lower back and quads
2. Chest and upper back
3. Shoulders and arms

You now have an outstanding six-week fat burning training schedule that will assuredly raise your cardiovascular capabilities as well as increasing your strength levels in the major muscle groups.

Once you have completed the six weeks training schedule it is time to take a few days active rest and let your body fully recover. Find an activity you thoroughly enjoy and just have fun as your neuromuscular systems recuperate. After this self-imposed break is over it will be time to get back into the gym.

Once back into the HHRST mode start out at 70% MHR and strength for the first week of just two sessions. The following week make sure to raise the intensity up to 75% cardio and strength for the three times you will work out.

Alternate the intensity levels between the twice a week and three times a week sessions. At the same time you are alternating, you will also be raising and lowering the percentages each week until you are working out at between 80% and 85% in both categories.

The most commonly method to determine your MHR is to subtract your age from 220. However, this can be off as much as 10% of the true figure. Once you have determined your MHR multiply this answer by 60-80% and you will have your exercise target heart range.

1. Determine your MHR with 220 minus your age
2. MHR minus your resting heart rate (RHR) equals your heart rate reserve (HRR)
3. Multiply your HRR by the percentage of exercise intensity, add your RHR to this figure and you will have your target heart rate (THR) for training session

1. 207 minus 70% of your age will yield your maximum heart rate (MHR)
2. MHR minus your RHR equals your HRR
3. HRH multiplied by 70% plus your RHR will result in your THR for your exercise period

The Tanaka formula is especially good for the older person. This formula has a correlation of 0.81 and a standard error of about 6.0% indicating a good degree of accuracy and reliability.

Every athlete, regardless of his or her skill level, will go through a grieving process after incurring an injury-without exception. In 1969, Kubler-Ross first outlined the stages of grief a person goes through when facing a serious or career ending injury, death or serious disease prognosis.

A coach has to be aware of the four stages of managing grief: denial, anger, depression and acceptance in order to help their athlete through them.

At the beginning, the athlete cannot believe the injury is severe or that it will impact their ability to continue with the sport. They may still believe in the myth that no pain means no gain. If so, they have been living under a rock for quite some time. Pain is an indicator that something has gone wrong and needs immediate attention. The realization that the pain is stopping them from participating leads to the next stage.

Denial quickly turns to anger as the reality of the situation settles in and the athlete is forced by the circumstances to alter or even stop their participation in the sport. Recovery is often not an easy path and the athlete becomes frustrated and more irritated with the pace of the rehabilitation process. At this point, the coach is in an ideal position to be a sounding board for the athlete’s exasperation, and help ease their aggressiveness toward the athletic trainers who are trying to get them back in shape. Realizing the athlete is angry at their loss of ability to perform, their loss of power over what has happened to them and the current situation they now find themselves in are important points to keep in mind while dealing with the individual.

Self worth becomes an issue at this point in the process and depression sets in due to the reality of the situation now being fully realized. The athlete begins to feel as though he or she has no physical or emotional control. The team continues onward without them, which leaves a void in their and this leads to feelings of isolation, further self-doubt and lowering of their self-esteem. Hope for a successful outcome becomes cloudy and they may not see any good coming from the rehabilitation process.

You as the coach will have the most difficult time during this stage as the athlete may stop going to rehab, to team practices or even talking to you. You must continue talking to them by providing encouragement. Explain to them the progress they have made and keep them engaged in their recovery. Once they have completed the journey through this stage, they enter the final one-acceptance. And recovery begins in earnest.

Acceptance of the full enormity of the circumstances they find themselves in begins the physical and emotional healing process. Once this stage is entered a quiet and in cases not so quiet attitude change is notices and the real work towards full recovery begins.

Not one of the four stages of grief will be lit up with flashing lights and banners waving in the air. They are gradual movements into and through each one. There may even be periodic lapses back and forth into previous stages. So expect these setbacks. In many cases, they are only temporary. However, if extremes in mood are continuous and seem to remain locked into one part of the process it is incumbent upon you as their coach to recommend they seek additional psychological assistance in managing the problem.

In each instance recognition of the particular stage of grief is a key factor in providing assistance toward the full recovery of their athletic prowess. Effective communication by the coach, providing education as to what is happening to their body, support for the effort being made to recover, cooperatively set goals and interesting program design help ensure positive progress is made after the injury takes place.

So how do you go about this important task? Here are a few suggestions to follow. Bear in mind this is NOT primer on counseling, simply suggestions that may provide you with a little extra information to help get over the rough spots. In most cases, we are not trained mental health counselors or athletic trainers so act with common sense and do not go beyond your educational training specialty.

Communication skills are vital throughout the rehabilitation process and being a good and active listener will aid you and your athlete tremendously. Actively engaging in the conversation by rephrasing their uncertainties about the future, their worries, and goals into your own words demonstrates you are interested in their concerns. A clearer understanding of their situation takes place by the active listening methods.

Maintaining good eye contact is a simple part of good communications and should be used whenever speaking to someone, regardless of the situation. Providing an environment that is conducive to communications by ensuring privacy, low noise and no interruptions is essential. Place the phone on the answering service, turn your computer to energy save mode, and put a note on the door announcing that you are not to be interrupted.

Once in an environment that supports open communication, use good judgment in what you say to the injured athlete. Being timely, i.e. are they ready to receive the information about the injury, can be of importance depending on their state of mind. That is where knowledge of the stages of grief enters into the picture.

Communication includes both oral and written information and instructions for the management of the rehabilitation procedures. Encouragement for their efforts indicates your attentiveness and concern for their well-being and successful return to the sport.

Setting goals with the athlete is also important in the recovery process as it gives them a buy in to the program. They now have control over their future and a mutual understanding of the importance of these how these goals fit into the large scheme of the training. You and the athlete should have the same goals, if not you will have to reach a consensus on them in order to proceed or failure will result. Monitoring of the goals and recording progress at each stage of the training is a roadmap that can be referred to as the journey continues. Each objective reached along the way is positive reinforcement that the program is working as designed and that progress is being made by the athlete.

Support throughout the entire rehabilitation period comes from a variety of sources, family, friends, teammates, church, athlete training partners and you, their coach. Positive comments about the progress and the recovery help the athlete reach their goals faster.

Finally designing an interesting but challenging program is in the best interest of the athlete. If it’s boring, no matter how good it may be, compliance will surely be lacking. This is where the athlete and you have to be together on what is best for their safe return. Every person has exercises they really like to do-find these or variations of them and include them into the training schedule. Alter the sets and reps on an irregular basis and encourage, no, demand that a daily workout log be kept.

Follow these suggestions and it won’t be long before you have a healthy athlete back on the field again.

Every lift has specific technique requirements that must be taught and then absorbed by the athlete Each lifter will have one or more defects in their form as they learn how to do the movement correctly. Generally, these errors show up in the initial stages of the learning process and it is the coach’s job to identify and correct these errors early on so they don’t become ingrained in the neuromuscular system.

Mistakes in execution, as can be expected, frequently occur in the first few attempts to learn the exercise. These form mistakes can be broken down into five categories:

It is impossible to eliminate all mistakes from happening during the learning process! It is NOT impossible to coach an athlete through them.

As a coach or a lifter, one must be aware of the technical aspects of the strength sport and remember that the goal is to eliminate major flaws that drag down the effectiveness of the lifting process. It is not productive to be constantly dwelling on minor errors, as this will have a negative effect on the lifter, especially if they are an introvert. It boils down to these points:

The coach’s ultimate goal is to teach and perfect those habits and techniques that most likely will bring success on the platform.

Technical mistakes can be broken down into five main areas, each with their own separate sub mistakes.

Beginning with the typical mistakes, the coach will notice that nearly every one of the new practioners of the skill make the same errors of execution. And as the coach, you might just as well be prepared to deal with it on an ongoing basis with each new group of athletes who come through the door. On the other side of the coin is the atypical mistake. These are ones that rarely show up but when they do, it is usually because of the unusual physical features of the athlete such as their build or perhaps it’s due to certain strength imbalances in their muscular makeup. Testing for muscle imbalances is an art in itself. See appendix A for brief and incomplete general guidelines of muscle testing.

A local defect is a link in the chain of movement that is not correct but it has no substantial influence on the rest of the movement.

A chain defect WILL cause disruption in all of the remaining portions of the movement. As an example, a close examination of the squat will reveal the first move must be with the hips and not the knees. If the knees bend first before the hips begin their backward journey, the body will not be able to correct itself and the lift will not be technically right. Eliminate chain defects immediately or the problem will remain and cause more difficulties further into the training cycle.

Unfixed mistakes are ones that are not yet habits. These mistakes usually show up in the first stages of training, yet they are fixable, if attended to early in the learning process.

Fixed mistakes are just what they sound like; they are a habit, they are fixed into the movement patterns and can be difficult to remove from the automatic neuromuscular responses. In some cases, it may be better to just learn another similar but new pattern rather than trying to teach and have them Unlearn an already established movement sequence.

Mistakes that occur ONLY during competition are for good reason called competitive mistakes. In this situation, the athlete will do well in the premeet workouts but when the time to shine comes around, they will make costly mistakes. This due to a variety of reasons amongst which are interference from an opposing player, stress of the particular competition and deviation from the normal technique.

Noncompetitive mistakes happen in the gym and on the practice playing field during the training workouts. If the athlete makes mistakes under these circumstances, they are sure to repeat them in a stressful game situation.

If the athlete makes a mistake despite having been carefully taught the correct technique it can be because of these factors:

Coach related mistakes are coaching mistakes. A circular definition to be sure but one that holds true. These mistakes fall into the realms of:

Always remember this as you instruct your new trainees:” The first attempt at technique is very important. It will stay in an athlete’s memory for a long time. Make sure that you do your best in choosing and arranging exercises so as to make the FIRST TRY A SUCCESS.”

Muscle testing must be differentiated from a restriction in the range of motion (ROM) around the joint. If the muscle cannot make the full ROM due to weakness it may be the muscle is simple too weak to make the full movement. Or, perhaps the motion is restricted because of the ‘shortness of the muscles, capsule or ligamentous structures’. In order to arrive at a conclusion the joint has to be passively moved through the ROM to determine if any such restriction exists. If none is present then it may be concluded the muscle is weak.

Testing single joint muscles must also separate the muscle weakness from a tendon insufficiency. Other considerations that have to be taken into account are relaxed and unstable joints. If the joint is unstable it will normally hurt when moved through the ROM.

Children and Sports Training, Drabik, J. Stadion Press 1996

Children and Sports Training, Drabik. J. Stadion Press 1996

Muscles, testing, and function. Kendall, F.P. McCreary, E.K. Provance, P. G. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins Publishing 2005

Athletes who are working out in a hot environment subject their bodies to the higher extremes of temperature. This is especially true during the hot summer months with the high humidity readings some of our regions experience. Most, if not all, of the strength professionals keep a careful eye on these men and women by limiting the time spent in the sun. The length of exposure is normally dependent upon the location and time of year.

The body temperature mechanism regulates the body’s ability to generate and shed excess heat. It is normally quite effective at doing its job. However being confined in some athletic uniforms may severely and negatively limit this heat regulating effort.

The normal person has an axillary, under the armpit, temperature of around 98.6 degrees (37 Celsius) with some variation around this common number. This number is lower than that provided by a rectal or eat probe, usually by about a full degree. The individual’s normal temperature information should be known to the members of the coaching staff in case it is necessary to provide the medics with useful data about the stress levels being experienced by that person.

Having a person suffering from a heat induced injury is negligence and should not happen. There are measures that can be taken to prevent this event from occurring. Due to the possibility of a heat induced episode the coach needs to have a plan of action ready to be implemented if one does occur. In short, you had better be ready to manage it and keep it from getting worse.

An elevated core temperature increases the risk of a serious incident. The faster the person’s temperature is brought under control the better off that individual will be.

Studies conducted by researchers at three prominent American universities identified several effective methods of lowering the core temperature of athletes exercising in a heated environment. The subjects exercised in a heated room until they each began to experience heat strain. None were exposed to life threatening heat stroke even though their core temperatures were at

“Each person experienced peak rectal temperatures of 101. 8° Fahrenheit (38.8 ±0.1 °Celsius). Torso immersion produced a significantly (p<0.05) greater rate of decline in rectal temperature (0.25±0.10°C/min) than the hands and feet immersion technique (0.16±0.05°C/min) and the sit in the shade technique (0.11±0.04°C/min).

After only 10 minutes of cooling, the differences among cooling techniques were evident. Similar trends were observed for mean heart rate readings, albeit not significant (p>0.05). It was concluded that rectal temperatures can be reduced rapidly through the use of a cool water torso-immersion technique.”

Pay attention to the time in the heat and humidity and be ready to assist if and when necessary with a possible life saving cooling response.

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Volume 4, Issue 2, June 2001, Pages 160-167

Anthony J Clapp1, Phillip A. Bishop2, Ian Muir2 and John L Walker3
1Department of HPER, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
2Human Performance Studies, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
3Department of HPER, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA

The problem

Nearly every newspaper or magazine on the stands has an article about the obesity problem in today’s modern society. In case you are not aware of the dangers of being over weight here are just a few of the conditions that can have a major impact on your quality of life and on your lifespan. Obesity increases your chance of developing heart disease, hypertension, type two diabetes, cancer, arthritis, asthma, and sleep disorders.

Losing weight can oftentimes help prevent these diseases from occurring. As you begin your self-examination, two potential areas of concern rise to the top of the list: ‘Fat location’ and ‘Fat surplus’. Fat storage locations in the body are a leading predictor of things to come.

The where

An ‘apple shaped’ (android obesity) body style carries the weight around the waist and will present more health risks than will be a ‘Pear shaped’ (gynoid obesity) or one who carries the weight around their hips. Most overweight males carry their weight around their stomachs. This is not good, but there are ways to tell where you are carrying a predominant amount of your fat in case you haven’t noticed yourself in the mirror. “There is a positive correlation between the abdominal fat content and the waist circumference measurement”. All of the fat clings like glue to your organs; it just hangs around in there doing nothing but harm.

The why

Recent research has found that stress actually changes your nervous and hormonal systems around so they encourage fat accumulation around the waist. This type of fat is dangerous and can lead to an increase in your chances of developing hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.

The October issue of Obesity Research featured a report by Swedish scientists, which found changes occurred in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal connections. This intricate system regulates the part of the brain that controls metabolism through the adrenal gland. They also found that men with accumulations of fat in the stomach had nervous system changes that help to keep the bodily functions in balance. These researchers believe that these brain and neuroendocrine changes happen due to a life of chronic stress.

The how

One method of determining where you store your body fat is to use the waist to hip ratio formula. Take a measuring tape from your sewing room or sewing kit and measure the circumference of your hips at the widest part of your buttocks. Write this number down and then measure at the smallest circumference of your waist, just above your navel. As you measure your waist, don’t suck your stomach in, as this will give a false reading. Letting it all hang out is the best stance here.

Divide the hip number into the waist number to determine the ratio. If the number is one or above you are at an increased risk of one or more of the diseases previously listed.

The how much

A body mass indicator (BMI) is not the same as a body fat indicator. The BMI indicates weight compared to height and is not valid for most athletes or those who are above average in muscle density. The BMI will give guidelines to a person who is underweight, normal, overweight or obese. Being overweight is asking for trouble down the line so this must be controlled before your health begins to fail.

The common formula for BMI determination (in inches and pounds) is
BMI= (current weight expressed in pounds ÷ height expressed in inches X height in inches) X 703.

For example, a male weighing 215 pounds and standing 5’11” would use the equation numbers of BMI= (215 ÷ 71 X 71) X 703 = 29.98

The BMI gives a good indication of the amount of body fat on your body. This relationship varies depending on your age and gender. Most women will carry a higher percentage of body fat than most men will for the same BMI score. As we age, the muscle tends to atrophy due in part to a lack of use, which causes excess body fat accumulation. This does not mean if you stop exercising ‘the muscle turns to fat’ as physiologically this is an impossibility for two distinct cells to morph into different cells i.e. a muscle cell will not turn into a fat cell.

The solution

So what do you do about this turn of events in your life? The short answer is to begin to exercise, but only after speaking to your doctor about your plans. Second, find ways to reduce the stress in your life. Next, a gentle but structured exercise program is the safest way to losing your stomach fat.

If you are short of time and cannot go to the gym for a full session then do three to four ten-minute bursts of cardio throughout your waking hours on your aerobic day. On alternate days of the week do eight to ten different resistance exercises. These too can be split into shorter periods of activity spread over the course of your day.

Two days of resistance training and two days of cardio will be a good starting point towards better health. Gradually build up the intensity of your exercise sessions because intensity burns fat, not gently jogging or lifting light weights for a few sets. Get your heart rate up, breathe heavy and hard (within your target zone of course), and push the muscles into areas they have not seen in a while. In short, put something into it in order to get something out of it-like the fat in your stomach!

Try this routine out for a month and see how much better you feel at the end of thirty days.

On the cardio days do some walking, ride your bike, or even some light jogging. Remember, that when you first begin you do not have to keep up with every hot shot in the gym or on the running course. If you forget to gradually work up to it, your body will remind you of the folly of your actions the next afternoon.

Essentials of Personal Training, Baechle, T. R. and Earle, R. W. Human Kinetics 2004

Waist to hip ratio calculator: http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/waist_hip.asp

Inertia is defined loosely as the resistance to acceleration or any change in velocity divided by the change in time. This basic premise of movement is best summarized by Newton’s second law where he states that force equals mass times acceleration. Nearly every body in motion will involve either acceleration or deceleration of some sort.

Imagine tossing a ball to your child or riding a bicycle. Each activity has components of acceleration and deceleration. Since they both have a static starting point and an ending point they experience the effects of inertial resistance. It is this resistance that makes these actions healthful to the body.

Muscles, including the heart, have to be systematically overloaded in order become stronger. This is known as the adaptation phase. This is an important strength training principle. Referring back to the ball toss or the bicycle ride for a moment think of how inertia works in each case. The ball accelerates as it’s thrown away from the body. Inertia keeps the ball going on its flight until the accelerative portion is completed, at which time the ball begins to drop until it finally stops all movement.

The same is true for the bicycle rider; pressure on the pedals propels the bike forward. If this pressure stops, the bike eventually quits rolling down the road.

Strength training with free weights often involves inertia and can result in either a good or bad benefit depending on the situation. The good happens when the bar is accelerated past the sticking point or as Prof. Verkhoshansky calls it a minimax. However if the bar stops before the repetition is completed then the negative affects of inertia have taken place and the weight can not be lifted.

One of the many ways that are used to increase strength is to break up the eccentric to concentric contraction. In the bench press this is takes place while doing floor presses. In the squat the same disruption occurs when doing bench squats.

In both of these strength training exercises the eccentric contraction and the resultant stretch shortening cycle strength increasing effect of the eccentric motion is removed from the lift. This lifter imposed removal of the physiological reactions within the muscle tissue forces the muscle to become stronger when beginning the concentric phase of the lift.

Your muscles and nervous system work much more efficiently when warmed up. The warm up consists of two phases: general and movement specific. The general warm up raises your heart rate and pulse above normal. The specific phase moves into the early stages of the exercise movement patterns.

The latest low back research by Stuart McGill, PhD lists three main exercises for developing an injury resistant lower back: curl up, side bridges and leg and arm extensions.

The muscles activated in these exercises are the quadratus lumborum, transverse abdominis and the abdominal obliques.

The muscles activated in these exercises are the back extensors including the longissimus, the Iliocostalis and the multifidii.

The lower back extensors need to be well developed, first by increasing endurance and then through strengthening exercises. Endurance is increased by holding the pose for seven to eight seconds and then adding more repetitions.

Performing these three core stability exercises on a daily basis may help prevent low back pain and possibly stave off injury in the process.

I train youths regularly, so I though I would give you some good information on what is needed and how to approach strength training at a young age. Most kids are involved in sports. This means that they are required to have a good conditioning base in order to be successful at their sport(s). The right amount of cardiovascular training and a strength training program is the key to proper conditioning. The training program should emphasize on a strong strength base. I find out that some kids are just not strong enough for their own body weight. An agility test will easily determine the overall strength of the young athlete and it will help determine what is needed in order for this young athlete to improve his/her strength level.

What does that mean? As an example, let’s take a young hockey player. The bulk of his/her workout session should be spent on exercises emphasizing on strength and speed. Improved strength and speed will greatly improve agility. We are not looking at a “muscular physique”, we are training for a “Strong Physique”. They need to be trained for acceleration and deceleration and over all strength. If they are not trained to improve those sports skills, they could get injured.

Here are some of the exercises that should be prioritizes. Deep squats for leg strength. Deep squats will strengthen all the leg muscles and also the back and abdominal muscles to name a few. Cleans, power cleans, snatches and power snatches (Olympic weightlifting). Those will condition the young athlete for acceleration, deceleration and speed. Did you know that Olympic weightlifting will improve your cardiovascular fitness! The standing shoulder press will emphasize on the upper body strength like stronger back, stronger abdominal, stronger shoulders and stronger arms.

In order to build great overall strength, one should focus on the deep squats. Why? The deeper one squats, the stronger the knees, back and the abdominal muscles will become. The young athlete should focus on deep squatting with his/her bodyweight. Doing squats this way not only improve knee and abdominal strength, it will prepare it is concerned it should be applied in a way that it remains beneficial and efficient.

Trade the stationery bike for the more productive and beneficial skipping rope. Here were are looking at improving cardio for a sport that requires frequent stops and change of direction… you must train yourself for that and the bike does not do that. This approach to sports performance can also be applied to teens and adults with great success. Season’s Greetings to all of you.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released updated activity guidelines. According to these latest recommendations adults should be engaging in moderate intensity levels of activity a minimum of two and a half hours per week. This isn't much when it comes down to it since it’s only thirty minutes a day for five days or a bit over twenty minutes every day for a week.

Sadly enough HHS considers general gardening as a moderate intensity activity. Another suggestion HHS made is to be vigorous for 75 minutes each week. They suggest jogging, aerobic dancing or skipping rope as options to consider. This implies health is yours in only fifteen minutes a day five days a week. How much softer can we get?

This idea of doing a little bit is pablum for the lazy and is minimally helpful in restoring our physical fitness. It is hogwash and yet this nonsense continues to be put forth by various entities.

With health care costs rising and the continuing epidemic of obesity rapidly overtaking the medical community’s ability to handle it dumbing down the information we need to become healthier is not in our nation’s best interests. There are no shortcuts to health and certainly it will take much more than a mere twenty minutes a day of moderate intensity activity to become fit.

How much longer will it take before people stop trying to find shortcuts and reach the conclusion that before noticeable benefits occur from exercise their heart rate has to be in their target range? After the heart rate is in this target range then it has to be maintained at this rate for at least twenty to thirty minutes a day before real changes in health takes place? This is only a part of the fitness equation.

Strength training has to be there as well. It doesn't matter if you can jog a mile if you can't carry the groceries up the stairs of your home to put them away. You’ve got to be strong in all areas of fitness.

HHS does give good advice when they say kids between the ages of 6-17 should get in at least an hour or more each day. This included the recommendation that strength training be a part of the day’s activity. It did not include keyboarding or playing video games.

This is an extremely controversial issue. Single set vs. multiple set argument has been around for along time. The majority of people have been performing multiple sets for as long as anyone can remember. So are the majority right?

Let’s see what the evidence says:
In a review of strength training literature by Carpinelli and Otto (1998) [1], it was reported that 33 out of 35 strength training studies (all published in peer reviewed scientific journals), showed no significant differences in increases in muscular strength or growth between groups training with a single set and groups training with multiple sets. The participants in the different studies varied: male, female, experienced and inexperienced. The number of sets in the multiple sets groups varied from 2 to 15! This is hard evidence in favour of single sets. Why do the vast majority of textbooks, magazines and even training institutes prescribe multiple sets? Potential reasons are:

In a paper by Kraemer (1997) [2] reporting on a number of experiments comparing multiple and single sets. Two of these experiments that showed multiple sets to be superior were clearly biasly designed. The two groups single set and multiple set did not perform the same exercises. In fact the multiple set group performed twice as many compound exercises as the single set group. They also performed more individual exercises over all. Volume aside the multiple set group a superior workout to the single set group, is it any wonder multiple sets appeared to be better?
Back to the more is better philosophy. If one set is good then two sets is better right?

One of the most ignored principles in strength training today is the principle of diminishing returns. It states that “a prescription of exercise strain that exceeds the minimum necessary to produce (a potentially) optimum response is both superfluous and contraindicated in accordance to the best interests of the individual” [3]. Basically if you exercise too much you won’t gain the optimum benefits. Given that Carpinelli and Otto demonstrated that performing more than a single set is not required, then in accordance with the principle of diminishing returns performing more than a single set could jeopardise optimum gains. Imagine if you do 10 reps of 100lb in the bench press for a single set, collectively your joints handle 1000lb. If you perform 3 sets of 10 reps then your joints will handle 3 times the physiological stress, in this case 3000lbs. Why put your body through the excess wear and tear if it is unnecessary? Short term there may be no side effects but long term it will lead to increased risk of injury, especially repetitive strain injury.

In this case, less is more. One of the primary reasons peoples results plateau in the gym is because they aren’t leaving enough time to recover form the previous workout. If less volume is performed (i.e. single sets rather than multiple sets), the body recovers quicker as less ATP (adenosine triphosphate – basically fuel for the muscles) has to be replenished, and the muscle can rebuild itself quicker. It took me a year to desensitize myself to training high volume, now I have, I’ll never go back, I have poor genetics when it comes to trainability but I’m gaining more doing less!

References:

Muscle soreness is a frequent discomfort for those who begin a new fitness program. It can also occur when one applies greater focus, energy and intensity to a current exercise program. Even well-trained athletes who embark on a new activity might experience discomfort.

I do not believe that soreness is a necessary marker for progress. The old saying “no pain no gain” is simply wrong. It is not necessary to “feel the burn”. It is not helpful to feel so uncomfortable that you cannot move. Soreness is often caused by tears in muscle fibers, muscle spasms or perhaps even over stretching. Soreness is a result of weakening. It is often a signal asking you to take notice and rest, allowing your body to recover from the challenges that you have asked it to accomplish. It is more beneficial to avoid as much of this discomfort as possible.

If you want to get results in a relatively short period of time, muscular soreness defeats the purpose. When your body hurts, it will not produce the gains that you are looking for.

If your objective is to get results, train smart. To prevent soreness, it is necessary to gradually increase the amount of weight and monitor proper form and technique very closely by doing the proper number of repetitions. Remember that you are working out to improve and strengthen your body and your health. It should be a life style not a quick fix.

A great way to approach the new season of goal setting and exercise is to work at the level that feels comfortable and keeps you feeling strong and motivated. Eat healthy food before and after your work out to help your muscles become strong and recover. Be sure to get the appropriate amount of sleep each night. Your body benefits from nutritious food and proper rest and will respond well to this approach.

If you are experiencing soreness and discomfort on a regular basis you may want to ask a trainer to assist you in setting realistic goals that will leave you feeling happy and healthy. Go to the gym and enjoy your workout. Control that muscular soreness and feel fantastic about your efforts.

Daniel Pare, N.C.C.P., C.S.O., C.S.P.S., C.S.T.S.
Strength and conditioning coach
St. Thomas Ontario, Canada
519-633-0771
email; stsa1258@aol.com

or get a hold of me through Danny O’Dell’s Explosivelyfit Strength Training News.

Let’s look at what I consider a misleading issue, the one that promises muscular bodies to kids and teenagers as soon as they put their hands on a barbell/dumbbells or get a gym membership, the one that promises them that they are going to get muscular and look like the guys posing for muscle magazines/internet/televised bodybuilding contest/other trainees and trainers in gyms and of course find a teenager who does not want to have big arms and chest!

Why is this happening? You are vulnerable to the media, publications, friends and peer pressure. They now exactly what to tell you and show you to get you interested in something that is just not there. If it is too good to be true, guess what… it probably is.

I am not saying not to get involved in an exercise program. I am just saying is that you should focus on the basics. You will not develop big muscles when you are young. It will take place around 18 – 20 years of age. Let me remind you that building muscle mass before that age is just not realistic at all. It is just too early. What you need to focus on is learning how to train. The kind of approach you should focus on should be on challenging multiple joint exercises, which are meant to teach you how to move.

You are involved in sports! That is exactly the kind of approach you should be focusing on. You are in a growing phase. Spend your time on a strength training program, which is going to target the strengthening of your tendons (joins muscles to bones). By spending too much time trying to become muscular, your tendons cannot get stronger.

Strengthening the tendons takes years. If you are 10 years of age, that is what your training program should be focusing on exclusively. Not trying to become bigger! If you are not able or let’s say that you have difficulty doing exercises like squats and deadlift, you should be learning to do them first. You must be able to squat (your hips all the way down to the floor) for 10 reps before you should be using a barbell (we are looking at a Junior Olympic barbell they weight 10 lbs). You must learn proper form and technique. It is my observations that after 5 repetitions the form deteriorates, so why would you do sets in excess of 10 reps? Most young people in gyms are being given workout programs, which focus on 3 exercises per muscle groups for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, what is this based on and what is the reasoning behind this approach?

Someone reads an article in a muscle magazine and that is it! Here is my word of advice to you people, do your homework. Find an experienced trainer/strength coach and ask questions. An experienced strength coach will see right away what needs to be done, so you are being led appropriately. An experienced strength coach will teach you proper form and technique and will not focus on trying to “bulk you up”!

I personally suggest Olympic weightlifting for the conditioning of young athletes. By learning the proper technique of the Olympic lifts (the snatch and the clean and jerk), you are going to be working out toward improving your athletic skills instead of trying to increase your muscular mass!

An exercise program for a young athlete should be based on his/her age and gender, how athletic are they? How flexible are they? Are they able to move according to their sport? This last one may sound very funny, but believe me, it is a reality and the list goes on. It would be very beneficial for you, as a young athlete to learn lifts like the snatch and the clean and jerk. I am a strong believer that these two lifts and their assistance exercises are the key to your conditioning.

There are no quick fixes people. You must work at it constantly in order to get better. Find a knowledgeable strength coach and learn about Olympic weightlifting. Work on strengthening your body, not trying to get muscular and remember that “Muscles can Wait”.

Daniel Pare, N.C.C.P., C.S.O., C.S.P.S., C.S.T.S.
Strength and conditioning coach St. Thomas Ontario Canada.

If you have any questions regarding the content of the article feel free to get a hold of me by contacting Danny O’Dell or email me at stsa1258@aol.com.

Now available:
-5 Reps to Weight Loss and general conditioning.
-The Butt Factor. The chart. Naturally strengthening your core musculature.

Health Requires Energy
By Daniel Pare N.C.C.P., C.S.O., C.S.P.S., C.S.T.S.
Strength and Conditioning Coach

Good day to all! Energy is what we are made of. Energy is what we function with. In order to reflect energy and vitality, four elements need to be utilized.

How are we going to apply these principles? Breathing is a task we must consciously work so that eventually we will breathe deeply and properly. Become a nose breather. Breathing with your nose will permit you to be capable of catching your breath much faster after a run/jog and so many more benefits. Just take a minute or two daily and take 5 to 10 deep nose inhaling breaths. You want the air to fill your belly up, not your chest. That will not be easy, but persevere and you will reap the benefits in a relatively short time.

As far as the second element of eating, it can be a challenge when there are so many, many choices. Be diligent with your food selections and seek balance and energy giving foods. Choose from the different food groups and incorporate lots of color and variety in your meals. Here is a good indicator, make sure that what you eat gives you energy within 30 to 45 minutes after you ate it. And now to the exercise of squatting:

We are meant to squat, we are meant to kneel etc… but we seem to our best to bypass the use of our legs (squatting). If any of us could get up in the morning and do 10 reps of free squats we would start to feel better. You see, squatting challenges the heart tremendously because it involves your own bodyweight. Because of a small discomfort, we believe that it is bad for us to squat. Don’t worry. It is not that bad and it does our body and over all health tremendous good.

As far as sleeping is concerned, this is going to be a pretty tough one I think, because of so many factors that provide a constant distraction to this rejuvenating activity. The act of sleeping deeply and soundly will take determination and much practice. Proper breathing, better eating habits, squatting and sleeping peacefully will result in more energy. Apply this B.E.S.S.® Principle to the best of your abilities and feel the results.

Daniel Pare N.C.C.P., C.S.O., C.S.P.S., C.S.T.S.
Strength and Conditioning Coach
St. Thomas Ontario Canada

Now available:
-5 reps to weight loss and general conditioning
-The Butt Factor, the chart. How to naturally strengthen your core musculature.

Designing a program for an athlete that is specific to a sport is the desire of many coaches. By specific we mean one that closely, if not exactly, mimics the sports actions and movement patterns. The velocity, duration of actions, joint angles, rate of force development, force production, power output within the constraints of the sports action and energy systems, to name just a few pertinent key factors that are involved in the sport need to be taken into consideration while planning a ‘sport specific program’.

Not all coaches will have access to expensive and highly technical equipment needed to identify and then mimic these key points. However we all have the capability of determining the muscles used for these sports movements.

Finding out which muscles are involved in the sport and then designing a program that uses these same muscles in the same manner is a major planning focus. In many cases coaches design a program that does not involve the muscle groups that predominate in the movements of the sport. Muscle activity patterns in training, to be effective must be the same as in the sport itself. If not then the training is not specific and in fact may be a waste of the athlete’s time and energy.

There are at least four common methods in use today that help determine the muscles that need the emphasis in training. Some are relatively simple in nature but effective none the less.

Palpating the muscles and finding those that become tense indicates they are involved in the movement and need to be trained. This is common sense because a muscle that is working, i.e. the agonist will have a heightened amount of tonus to it and feel tighter than that of its antagonist.

Conclusive evidence of muscle involvement is that of intentionally inducing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, commonly called DOMS. This is the gradual (sometimes not so gradual) onset of pain and soreness that frequently occurs 24-48 hours after an unaccustomed episode of exercise has taken place.

Using this method the coach intentionally overloads the athlete during the first work out with new drills or skill and technique work activities. The next day and the day beyond quickly identify the working muscles – because they are the sore ones. To be fair to the athlete the coach must explain the why and expected outcome of this atypical training session. And then identify some recovery methods that can be used to ease the pain in these muscles. This can be an excruciating experience for those who have never experienced this phenomenon before and it could lead to some dropouts.

Biomechanical analysis of the torque produced in the joints during the activity is accurate but expensive and requires specially trained attendants to accomplish. It is a complex method and one that in most cases is not at all practical for use in the normal setting.

The final method and one that is extremely accurate is through the use of an electromyography set up. This machine registers muscle electric activity. It is a superior way of identifying and recording the muscles and muscle activity that are actually engaged in producing the movement observed. But again, as in the biomechanical analysis, the equipment is spendy and specialized technical personnel are required to gather accurate and reliable results. However, if the money and technicians are available this is the most accurate manner of finding out which muscles are involved in the sporting endeavor.

A sport specific training plan depends on identifying the precise actions involved in the sport. The muscles in this complex of movement patterns are then targeted as the ones that need to be enhanced through physical strength and conditioning. Testing before and after performances will let the coach know if the program is working or not.

Stay strong mentally and physically, and remain passionately committed to your hearts chosen path. Danny M. O'Dell, MA. CSCS*D

Providing medical advice is not the intent or purpose of this site. We assume no liability for the information contained in these pages if it is taken as medical advice. Always consult with your primary health care provider before beginning any new exercise program.


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