Research Rant; Maryland Personal Trainer

One of my biggest pet peeves is when a study is claimed to "prove" something.

As a personal trainer and simply as someone who is involved in the fitness industry, every time there is a new health-related research headline in the news, I am the first one to hear about it. The conversation usually goes something like this:

Person: "Did you see the new study that proved vitamins ruin your workout?"

Me: The only thing that it proved was that you don't know what you are talking about.. It is possible that large amounts anti-oxidants could interfere with the natural inflammation process, but we would need to see a lot more research before jumping to any conclusions.

When looking at research, people like to read the introduction and the results while skipping over the methods, which is often the most important part. Just take the study above. Subjects took 1 gram of vitamin C daily. Who takes 1 gram of vitamin C a day anyway? Most multi-vitamins only weigh 1 gram as it is.


But I digress. The more important thing here is the fact that studies do NOT prove anything! Things really do not get "proved" at all, especially when it issues pertaining to the human body. The human body is just too complex for absolutes.

Researchers perform studies which become evidence, a piece of the puzzle if you will. The best a scientific hypothesis can hope for is that when once enough pieces of evidence (or studies) are stacked up, it will become generally accepted. Take creatine for example. It is generally accepted that creatine supplementation increases maximum power and strength. However, there's no "proof" that it does so because everything does not work for everyone in the same way and there are plenty of research studies which were unable to show that creatine had any effect on strength and power.

I think the media is mostly to blame for perpetuating this phenomenon. Popular news services love to say a study "proved" something, like when it was proven that puppies' behavior is dependent upon the alignment of planets.

Upset with the current alignment of planets, no doubt.

I am not trying to downplay the importance of research by any means. Sometimes single studies do make landmark discoveries. Take the Boeing Back Pain study for example, where a few thousand employees were analyzed to determine back pain risks. The researchers found that people who did not like their jobs were more likely to have back pain... a lot more likely. This study greatly advanced our understanding of chronic pain - popularizing the notion that chronic pain issues go beyond anatomical cause and effect and in the end the brain puts all the pieces together to decide what hurts and what does not. What this study did not do was "prove that people who hate their jobs will have back pain".

Conclusion

Always take studies with a grain of salt - make sure you know the whole story before jumping to any conclusions. At the end of the day, one study never proves anything - it takes a lot of work from a lot of researches to make definitive conclusions about health and performance!

Exercise Spotlight - The Trap Bar Deadlift

The Trap Bar Deadlift is one of the best exercises around for strength and athletic development. This lift hits the hamstrings, quads, erectors and upper back. It is also great for grip strength and trap size (which is correlated with instant respect). Here is a short and sweet video demonstrating proper form for the trap bar deadlift:

If you need something to listen to on the way to work, this site also puts out regular fitness podcasts which are quite good.

I'll add that the most common mistake experienced lifters make when doing the trap bar deadlift is making the trap bar deadlift into a regular deadlift. It is typical to see more experienced lifters straighten the knees out early in the lift, effectively starting the movement with knee extension and finishing with hip extension. In a proper trap bar deadlift, the knees and hips should move fluidly and lock out at the same time.

Also, as with any deadlift, neutral spine is priority number one.

Reasons for using the Trap Bar Deadlift:

1. It works both the quads and posterior chain:

This one is a no brainer. A traditional deadlift involves little quad involvement, whereas the quads are a prime mover in the trap bar deadlift. This makes a true trap bar deadlift a "more athletic" pattern than a traditional deadlift because in both real life and on the field, the brain will select whatever motor pattern is most effective at completing the desired movement. Nearly all of the time, this results in the cooperation of joints rather than the isolation of joints in movement.

2. Less compressive spinal and shearing force

The trap bar deadlift is also a great movement because it significantly reduces the high levels of compressive and shear force imposed upon the lumbar spine during traditional deadlifts. Many lifters who have lumbar issues with deadlifting are able to trap bar deadlift pain free. Here's why:


In a simplified look at deadlifting mechanics, the longer the horizontal distance between the fulcrum (the point of rotation, in this case the pelvis/SI/L4&5 area) and where the force is being applied (in this case the bar), the more shearing force and compressive force endured by the lumbar spine.

In a traditional deadlift the moment arm is quite large, as shown in the picture below:



In a trap bar deadlift, the bar is beside the feet, which shortens the moment arm by bringing the hands closer to the hips. However, with a trap bar deadlift, the knees are able to travel forward more since the bar is not in the way, and the hips are able to slide much closer to the bar.

While not the greatest picture in the world, it should demonstrate how allowing the knees to flex more decreases the moment arm and ultimate reduces the amount of shearing and compressive force experienced by the spine.

Conclusion

I should note that I am by no means opposed to the traditional deadlift, especially if your anthropometry favors it. However, if you are not doing the trap bar deadlift, try it out. It is a great way to blast the legs and improve strength total body strength while minimizing spinal load.

The Best Protein Bars; Maryland Personal Trainer

In an ideal world, we would all eat healthy whole foods for every meal. However, we do not live an ideal world and sometimes life gets in the way. The fact is, at some point in your diet something is going to side track you. It might be your stressful job, your demanding kids, or even both! Having a backup meal is necessary to help you stay on track. In my experience as a trainer, the most successful dieters are the most flexible dieters.

One of the easiest back up meals is a protein bar. However, in defiance of the basic laws of economics, there are literally hundreds of competing brands of protein bars. I think so many supplement companies are able to exist is because the consumer is not aware of what is a quality bar. The easiest way to check out the quality of a protein bar is to check out its ingredients list. There are 3 main things to consider:

Type of Protein:

When it comes to protein, there are three major types - concentrates, isolates, and hydrolysates. Concentrates are lower quality; they are not as pure, have more tag along carbohydrates and fat, and are cheaper to produce. Isolates are a higher quality protein (usually 90%+ protein), resulting in less extra carbs and fat in the protein powder. Hydrolysates are usually the most pure (and expensive proteins). They are also the most quickly digested.

Soy, Whey, Milk (a combination of casein and whey), and Casein are the most popular types of protein used in protein bars. Soy concentrate is by far the cheapest protein around, and I would make an effort to avoid it at all costs. If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, soy isolate is a lot higher quality. Everyone else should look for whey, casein, or milk proteins.

Fiber

Any meal replacement needs some fiber! Make sure the protein bar you get has a few grams of fiber in it. Try to get 1g fiber for at least for every 100 calories.

Avoid Trans-fat and HFCS

While this may seem like a no-brainer, many protein bars contain some form of hydrogenated fat, high fructose corn syrup, or both. While trace amounts will not kill you, watch out for either of these items ranking high on the ingredients list.

My Recommendations:

My favorite bars on the market right now are the VPX Zero Impact line (pictured above). I like the Chocolate peanut butter. The taste is nothing to write home about, but with milk protein isolate topping the protein list, almond butter topping the fat list, 6 grams of fiber and 410 calories, this beefy bar is my go-to meal replacement. Vitamin Shoppe in Bel Air, MD had a sale on these not too long ago for 24$ a box. Otherwise, search around the internet for a good deal.

If 410 calories for a bar is bit too much for your current caloric needs, I like the Metabolic Drive Protein Bars by Biotest as well. There are a bit cheaper cost-wise going for 12 bars for 19$ (free shipping) and have 240 calories a serving.

If neither of these work for you, you can always try your hand at making your own protein bars. My business partner Danny posted a recipe up recently for home-made pumpkin protein bars (you can find the recipe here). Lots of fiber and protein, and they taste good to boot!

Looks weird, tastes good!

A Healthy Sweetener Alternative - Cocoa Powder; Maryland Personal Trainer

As a personal trainer, I'm often asked for healthy ways to sweeten foods. While I am no chef, one of my favorite things to add to my post workout smoothie is a bit of cocoa powder.

Cocoa powder has been studied a lot over the last decade. Recent research has shown that consumption of cocoa powder can reduce blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, and improve the capacity of blood vessels to dilate (1, 2, 3). Additionally, cocoa powder makes things taste like chocolate (no research needed)!


When buying cocoa powder, there are two options - raw and processed. Thanks to the increasing popularity of organic foods, the health-conscious consumer might leap for the raw cocoa. However, I do not think that this is a good idea for most people. Not everything is for humans to eat raw (like really bitter plants, which cocoa is), so your best bet when picking a cocoa powder is an organic but processed powder. Anecdotal evidence suggests raw cocoa powder results in some digestion problems for quite a few people.

However, processing can reduce the amount of compounds known as flavanols in cocoa powder. These compounds are associated with many of the positive benefits of cocoa. Food companies such as Mars have been working on new processing techniques for cocoa powder which do not remove or damage the flavanols. The Mars product line is not complete currently, but Acticoa claims to have a powder with a high flavanol content. Normally I would be quite skeptical of a "brand new processing technology that improves the healthiness of a food", but the early research has shown one of these high-tech cocoa powders to effectively lower blood pressure (2). However, I am sure these products are very expensive, for now I am okay with normal organic cocoa powder.

Since right after a hard workout is the best time to get some fast digesting carbohydrates and protein, I like to add sweetened cocoa powder to a shake of fruit, oatmeal, and whey protein. Sweetened cocoa powder (as long as it is not sweetened with high fructose corn syrup) is fine right after a workout (within 45 minutes or so) since a post-workout insulin spike is not a bad thing. Cocoa powder also has a very strong taste; usually a tablespoon of cocoa is enough for a 20 oz smoothie. Like all things, cocoa is best in moderation; flavanols may reduce blood pressure, but eating 20 candy bars will certainly raise it. With that said, next time you need a little bit more flavor in a smoothie, reach for some cocoa powder!


In other news, the Harford County Personal Training website should be up very soon!


References

1. Grassi D., et al. (2008). Blood pressure is reduced and insulin sensitivity increased in glucose-intolerant, hypertensive subjects after 15 days of consuming high-polyphenol dark chocolate. Journal of Nutrition, 138(9): 1671-6.

2. Cienfuegos-Jovellanos E, Quiñones Mdel M, Muguerza B, Moulay L, Miguel M, & Aleixandre A. (2009). Antihypertensive effect of a polyphenol-rich cocoa powder industrially processed to preserve the original flavonoids of the cocoa beans. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 57(14): 6156-62.

3. McCarty, M.F., Barroso-Aranda J., & Contreras, F. Potential complementarity of high-flavnol cocoa powder and spirulina for health protection. Medical Hypothesis, epublished ahead of print.

Tempo for Dummies; Harford County Personal Trainer

A lifting tempo refers to the speed of lifting a given load. Tempo can be used to increase the effectiveness and difficulty of many exercises. Unfortunately, most trainees ignore tempo or always use the same tempo. If you are currently not using tempo in your training, read on to find out how even a beginner can incorporate tempo into his or her training today for improved results!

Some Definitions

Before you get started on the rest of the article, we will have to get some definitions out of the way. Concentric contraction occurs when muscle contraction is paired with muscle shortening. This is the actual lifting of a weight against gravity. Eccentric contraction occurs when muscle contraction is paired with muscle lengthening. When lowering a weight, a muscle working eccentrically. Isometric contraction occurs when a muscle is contracting but there is no movement. This happens briefly (or longer if intentional) with every repetition when the weight changes directions. Every time you do a single repetition, all three types of muscle movement are involved.

Tempo Notation

The most common notation (how you write out tempo on a piece of paper) is a "A/B/C/D" format. "A" refers to the amount of time (in seconds) spent on the eccentric portion of the lift (lowering the weight), "B" refers to the amount of time spent paused at the bottom of the lift, "C" refers to the amount of time spent on the concentric portion of the lift (raising the weight against gravity), and "D" refers to the amount of time spent paused at the top. If an "X" in place of a number, it means "as fast as possible".

An example:

Pull-up - 3/0/X/1 tempo

To execute a pull-up with 3/0/X/1 tempo, you would lower yourself over a 3 second duration(the 3), have no pause at the bottom (the 0), explode to the top (X), and pause for 1 second at the top of the pull-up (the 1).

If you have read my training log at all, you may have noticed this notation next to several exercises.

Uses for Tempo

There are literally endless ways to use tempo in training. Since most muscle damage occurs during the eccentric portion of the lift, many bodybuilders routinely slow down the eccentric portion of the lift to increase muscle damage in hopes of spurring on more muscle growth (1). Additionally, time under tension (which is considered by some as an important variable in building muscle) can be increased by slowing down both concentric and eccentric portions of the lift. Furthermore, pauses can be used during repetitions to work through sticking points on certain lifts.

How to use Tempo in your Program

All this may sound pretty complicated, but it does not have to be! There are several ways which you can immediately use tempo in your workouts today.

1. Tempo can be used as a means of progression

By adding tempo to a lift, the difficulty of movement can be increased without the need for additional weight. This is great for people who are working out at home with limited equipment or people recovering from injury that can not tolerate excess loads. Here is an example:

Push-up

Even for relatively casual trainee, or a more serious female trainee, doing a push-up gets easy pretty quickly. However, the push-up is great for increasing shoulder stability and is an excellent way to work the pecs, triceps, and anterior deltoids. On top of that, when done properly, push-ups result in little strain on the shoulder. One way to make the movement more difficult is to add weight and bands. However, this is not always convenient or possible with a lack of a training partner. Additionally, some shoulders may not tolerate the increased load. Fortunately, the difficulty of a push-up can be increased without equipment by adding tempo.

If you can do 10 good push-ups, try using a 3/1/X/0 tempo. This would involve taking 3 seconds on the way down, a brief pause at the bottom (with the chest barely off the ground), exploding to the top, and repeating without rest. From week to week, rather than increasing the amount of reps, the length of the pause can be increased. A 5 second pause for 10-20 reps will be challenging for even the most fit individuals, especially if done towards the end of a workout. This can be a great way to get some blood flowing to the muscles after some sets of heavy pressing.


2. Tempo can be used to learn new lifts

Doing a bodyweight chin-up can be a daunting task for many female (or male) trainees. Accentuated eccentrics can be used to help speed up this learning process. Start by jumping up or getting assisted to the top of a chin-up bar. Now, lower yourself as slowly as possible to the bottom. Jump back up to the top and do this for several reps.

From workout to workout, add a rep to each set. Eventually, you can drop the reps down and increase the eccentric duration. For example:

Workout 1: 10 sets x 3, 2 second eccentric
Workout 2: 10 sets x 4, 2 second eccentric
Workout 3: 10 sets x 5, 2 second eccentric
Workout 4: 10 sets x 3, 3 second eccentric

Progress like this for 4-8 weeks. If done properly with enough frequency (at least twice per week), a normal chin-up should result (depending on base strength levels and bodyweight). This can also be used for learning to do a "guy" push-up, a pull-up, or any other challenging body-weight exercise.

3. Tempo can be used to enhance functional and prehabilitative exercises

This is one of my favorite uses for tempo. The term prehabilitative exercise is used to describe typical physical therapy exercises applied before injury takes place. After all, why wait to get injured to strengthen important stabilizers or mobilize stiff joints?

Functional exercise was originally intended to describe exercise with carryover to real life or sporting activities. Lately, the term "functional" has been applied to just about everything under the sun, despite lack of carryover. In this instance, I am referring to the former definition.

Many muscles typically targeted by rehabilitative exercise do not take into account the way the muscle functions in the gym or in every day activities. For example, the lower portion of the erector spinae musculature is not used to extend the back but rather to prevent the lumbar vertebrae from shearing forward (literally falling towards the ground when bending over) (2). For many lifts and every day activities, this generally involves isometric contraction, or very small concentric and eccentric contractions of the lumbar erector group. Additionally, high levels of endurance of the low back musculature has been shown to decrease injury risk, where differing levels of strength has not (3). In other words, people with high low back endurance were less likely to experience back pain and injury, but the raw strength of low back muscles has not been linked to injury prevention.

Therefore, an exercise using the lumbar erectors can be more functional (or have more carryover) if performed with a slow tempo.

So as an example, with the back extension, if you normally grab a weight and do a lot of fast reps, try leaving the weight behind, and adding a 2/0/2/0 tempo. Once you increase the repetitions to 15, slow the tempo down and drop the number of repetitions. At a point, you can even add in pauses at the top and bottom. So one month you might do 2/0/2/0, the next month 4/0/2/0, then 4/1/2/0, and finally 4/2/3/1.

The same thing can be done for the upper body. The external rotation is one of the most commonly prescribed exercises for shoulder pain. The infraspinatus and teres minor muscles, which are targeted by this exercise, often do not contract rapidly during gym lifts. For example, during the bench press, one of their main functions is to prevent the head of the humerus from over-rotating, as contraction of the pecs and lats results in internal rotation. Strengthening the external rotators of the humerus with varying tempos can increase their capacity to act as stabilizers, resulting in more force production during lifts which require these muscles to act as stabilizers (like the bench press).


*Side note: Using tempo for assistance exercise is not always ideal. For example, in a baseball pitcher, the external rotators must eccentrically contract at high speeds to slow down the pitching arm once the ball has been released. For this population, it is not be appropriate to always do upper body assistance work with a slow tempo.


Conclusion

By incorporating tempo into a training plan, a trainee can increase the intensity of exercise an exercise without adding weight, increase the variety of stimuli the body is exposed to, increase the functionality of certain exercises, and learn new exercises that were previously out of reach. With all these potential benefits, what are you waiting for?



References

1. Miles, M.P & Clarkson, P.M. (1994). Exercise-induced muscle pain, soreness, and cramps. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 34(3): 203-16.

2. McGill, S.M., & Norman, R.W. (1987) Effects of an anatomically detailed erector spinae model on L4/L5 disc compression and shear. Journal of Biomechanics, 20(6): 591.

3. Biering-Sorensen, F. (1984). Physical measurements as risk indicators for low-back trouble over a one-year period. Spine, 9: 106-119.