Tag: exercise
September 29, 2022

How to become a more efficient runner and athlete

Being a Personal trainer, runner, and soon to be Sports Performance Specialist, aerobic endurance training in the form of running is a topic that is of great interest to me. And I am not alone. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association’s 2020 report, about 50 million Americans or 15 percent of the US population participate in some form of running or jogging (Galic, 2022). That being written, it is vitally important to know the pros and cons of Aerobic training for runners and non-runners alike if I am to serve professionally and effectively. 

Today in the US the most popular race is the 5K (3.1mi) and the second most popular race is the half marathon. The average time for the 5K is 34 minutes for men and 40 minutes for women. To place in the top 1% of 5k racers in America you would have to finish faster than 18:24 (Galic, 2022). These statistics are helpful because they let us know how we stack up to our peers who I shall call Joe’s, as well as the Pros who are undoubtedly are part of the 1% who can run 3.1 miles in 18:24 or even less. Let’s examine endurance training to find out how we can improve and maybe one day end up in the top 1% of endurance runners. 

In a recent study conducted by Prieto-Gonzalez et al., it was proven that concurrent training consisting of running-specific strength training and endurance training was superior to running-specific strength training and endurance training alone. 30-40 male endurance runners were tested anthropometrically for body mass, body mass index, body fat percentage and lean mass. Performance related variables included countermovement jumps, 1RM squats, running economy at 12 and 14km/hr, VO2 max, and anaerobic threshold. The men who participated in strength related and endurance training concurrently outperformed the strength only and endurance only groups (2022). 

In another study conducted by the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, similar results were found to be true for a group of 16 moderately conditioned endurance runners. “Combining a 6-week resistance-training program with endurance training significantly improves 5-km time trial performance. Removing strength training results in some loss of those performance improvements” (Karsten et al., 2016).

If you are interested in not only taking your running efficiency to a higher level by increasing VO2 max and mitochondrial involvement, but also becoming a better overall athlete in the process, it would behoove you to add strength training to your program design. Strength training combined with endurance training improves many more sports performance factors than those related to running alone. 

References

Galic, 2022, LiveStrong.com, https://www.livestrong.com/article/13730338-running-statistics/ 

Prieto-Gonzalez, P., Sedlacek, J., (2022). Effects of Running-Specific Strength Training, Endurance Training, and Concurrent Training on Recreational Endurance Athletes’ Performance and Selected Anthropometric Parameters, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 19 (17). 

Karsten, B., Stevens, L., Colpus, M., Larumbe-Zabala, E., Naclerio, F., (2016). The Effects of Sport-Specific Strength and Conditioning Training on Critical Velocity, Anaerobic Running Distance, and 5-KM Race Performance. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2016, 11, 80-85. https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/11/1/article-p80.xml 

Preston Ray No Comments , , , , ,
August 31, 2022

The Benefits of Breathing Intelligently During Cardio and Strength Training

Renowned sports performance coach, Mike Boyle, a leader in the fitness industry, got a little ticked off during one of his podcasts when viewers repeatedly posted messages saying his athletes didn’t know how to breathe correctly. 

He replied by saying, “Thank God I have never had an athlete stop breathing on me.” (Vranich and Sabin, 2020).  As snarky as this may sound, it wasn’t startling, considering Boyle is one of the most highly regarded sports performance coaches in the country, if not the world. 

Well, this day would prove to be a step forward in the delivery of the new question that has slowly been circulating through the fitness industry since then. Do athletes, gym-goers, and even the clients of personal trainers know how to breathe correctly during resistance training or cardiorespiratory activity?

Before learning to breathe properly, it is important to understand that “the process of breathing has been warped by chronic stress, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, overheated homes, and lack of fitness.” (McKeown, 2015). The way to correct this behavior is to examine the two most important factors there are when it comes to breathing correctly–1) Location of Movement (LOM) and 2) Range of Motion (ROM). 

LOM should be at the middle of the body where the diaphragm is located, and the lungs are biggest. ROM measures abdominothoracic respiratory flexibility (the ability to push the belly out and pull it in) (Vrancih and Sabin, 2020). Simply put, take a deep breath into your ribs via the belly button and allow oxygen to circumferentially expand the front, back and sides of your body. Your shoulders should not rise, nor chest puff out. This is diaphragmatic breathing, and it allows the body to increase oxygen uptake. 

Now that we know the why, how, and where of breathing intelligently, let’s apply what we have learned to two of the most functional movements performed by athletes– squat and deadlift. These movements make many people anxious because they fear injuring their lower back. And rightfully so, as both exercises place a lot of pressure on the lumbar spine. 

The way to avoid this is by learning to brace your spine using the Valsalva maneuver. The late, great Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell who could easily squat and deadlift over 700 lb. after the age of 50 explains the Valsalva maneuver as follows: “Expand your abdomen by taking a deep breath through the diaphragm, pulling as much air as possible into your abdomen. Finish your inhale, then hold your breath and your brace throughout the lowering phase of the lift.” (Vranich and Sabin, 2020). 

*(For a deadlift, hold your breath and your brace throughout the raising or standing phase of the lift). 

Breathing for cardiorespiratory efficiency is the opposite of a Valsalva maneuver in the sense that you don’t want to hold your breath or brace your midsection. The key here is to allow your diaphragm, the major muscle of respiration (breathing) to contract and pull air in and relax and push air out. Santos-Lonhurst (2018). 

Having a flexible midsection capable of expansion and contraction is the key. In fact, you can measure how well you expand and contract by measuring your waist with a trunk full of air and then subtracting the size of your waist once you have expelled it all. 

The difference should be at least 2 inches for those whose waist is in the twenties and 3 inches for those whose waist is in the thirties, says Dr. Belisa Vranich, author of Breathing for Warriors. She goes on to say that once you have achieved this range of motion in the trunk you will become more efficient in cardiorespiratory activities because you will be able to do the same amount of work in fewer breaths (2020). 

Contrary to the popular belief of many, including an occasional sports professional, breathing is not something we should take for granted. It is the precursor to functional training activities and is often the deciding factor in most sports when the game is on the line. 

Breathing intelligently is within our reach and should be a goal of every living being. Especially those who are physically active and want to improve their athleticism. So like those listeners on Coach Boyle’s podcast who called him out on his client’s breathing, I am calling you out on yours. Learn how to breathe more intelligently today. 

References

Vranich, Dr. Belisa, Sabin, Brian (2020). Breathing for Warriors: Master Your Breath to Unlock       More Strength, Greater Endurance, Sharper Precision, Faster Recovery, and an Unshakable Inner Game. St. Martin’s Publishing Group. 

McKeown, Patrick (2015). The Oxygen Advantage: The Simple , Scientifically Proven Breathing Technique That Will Revolutionise Your Health and Fitness. William Morrow. 

Santos-Longhurst, Adrienne (2018). Diaphragm Overview. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/diaphragm. 

Preston Ray No Comments ,
August 9, 2022

 The Benefits of Resistance Training on Older Americans

In 2019 ACL.gov reported that the number of Americans 65 and over was 54 million or 16% of the American population. Census.gov reports that in 2050, 17% of the population or 1.9 billion of the 9.4 billion people in the world will be 65 and over. That being written, it is becoming increasingly important that we find ways to help this segment of the population live better lives so they can not only survive but thrive. And considering most of the leading causes of death for this population–- heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, strokes and even accidents–, can all be prevented or slowed down by exercising regularly (Eure, 2022), we must state more specifically that we are referring to strength resistance training. Fragala, et al., concludes the following:. 

Muscle “use” in the form of exercise resistance training has been consistently shown as a feasible and effective means of counteracting muscle weakness and physical frailty, attenuating age-related intramuscular adipose infiltration, improving physical performance, increasing muscle fiber area, improving muscle quality, bone density, metabolic health and insulin sensitivity, management of chronic health conditions, quality of life, psychological well-being, extended independent living, and reduced risks for falls and fractures in older adults. (pp. 3-4).

Strength gains from resistance training don’t happen overnight, but they do occur faster in individuals who have not engaged in weight training previously and whose programs involve large muscle groups, heavy weights, and multiple sets. Initial strength gains usually come as the result of improved neuromuscular coordination and can be observed in as little as three to four weeks (Dintiman, 2020). And while many persons aged 65 and older may not believe they can lift “heavy” weights, it is important to realize that individualization is key. Heavy is different for everyone because everyone’s 1RM or 1 rep max will be different.  A 1 rep maximum is the most you personally can lift in any given exercise. And lifting this amount of weight is not necessary for muscle development. It is only helpful in determining what amount of weight you as an individual should be using to increase the size of the muscle(s). When the objective is to increase maximum strength by stimulating muscle hypertrophy, 70-80 percent of the 1RM should be lifted five to eight times or until failure, and volume should be increased (Dintiman, 2020). 

In addition to strength training for improved muscle mass and to stave off disease, it is important to factor in functional resistance training. Functional resistance training is most useful for activities of daily living and varies slightly from ordinary resistance training as the movements are designed to mimic everyday life movements which become more challenging as we age. Fragala, et al., (2019) further asserts that the age-related decline in physical function can only be partly explained by the loss of muscle mass or muscle strength. And that other essential motor control aspects also influence an older adult’s functional performance of ADL (Fragala, et al., 2019).

Strength training at any age can be a challenge, and people of all ages generally have some skepticism or fear of strength training, especially if they have never exercised in this manner. Many are led to believe that age is a limiting factor when it comes to resistance training and is to be avoided.  However, when it comes to suitability, seniors 65 years of age and older are just as capable as the rest of us. Aging does not appear to enhance or reduce the ability of the musculoskeletal system to adapt to resistance exercise (Haff & Triplett, 2016), nor has it been proven unsafe for frail older adults and individuals with disease (Fragala, et al., 2019).   

Resistance strength training has too many health benefits to offer to be dismissed. And with it being safe at any age, it would behoove us all, including those 65 years of age and over to begin a strength training program immediately. Don’t just survive, thrive!

References

2020 Profile of Older Americans. (2020). acl.gov. https://acl.gov/aging-and-disablity-in-america

Roberts, A. W. and Ugunwole, (Oct 2018). The Population 65 Years and Older in the United States, 2016. Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2018/acs/acs-38.html

Eure, Mariann (2022). Very Well Health. Top Causes of Death Among Adults Over 65 https://www.verywellhealth.com/top-causes-of-death-among-adults-over-65-2967470

Dintiman, G.B. (2020). Nase Essentials of next-generation sports speed training. Healthy Learning. 

Haff, G .G. and Triplett (2016). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. Human Kinetics.

Fragala, M.S., Cadore, E.L., Dorgo, S., Izquierdo, M., Kraemer, W.J., Peterson, M.D., Ryan, E.D. (2019). Resistance Training for Older Adults. Position Statement from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. https://www.nsca.com/contentassets/2a4112fb355a4a48853bbafbe070fb8e/resistance_training_for_older_adults__position.1.pdf 

Preston Ray No Comments , , , , , ,
April 14, 2022

Tips to Lower Your Body Fat Percentage

If you remember from my last newsletter, I said I would expand in the future on body composition parameters like lean muscle mass, fat mass and how much water your body contains. Well, I recently did a DEXA scan and felt compelled to go down the road of body fat percentage today.

I’m not going into great detail about my personal body fat percentage. But I will divulge that I was in the normal range for my age. In fact, I was in the top percentile. However, I would still feel better if I dropped about 3 percent. So I decided to make this fun and give you three smoking gun tips to do the same if it happens to tickle your fancy.

1. Stop eating late at night.

Do you know what one of THE biggest contributors to weight gain and ill health is? You guessed it, eating late at night. I know, calories in vs calories out, right? As long as you burn more calories every day then you consume, you will lose weight… Sorry, but it’s not that simple.

When you eat late at night, you disturb your Circadian Rhythm. This simply means that your body and all of its organs function differently at different times of the day. Your pancreas does not like to work late at night. When you ask it to release insulin after say, 7 pm, it throws a fit. It doesn’t want to be disturbed and it has a harder time stabilizing blood sugar levels.

Couple that with the fact that your metabolism naturally slows down at night and you have a recipe for weight gain. In turn, your body goes into fat-storage mode, regardless of how clean the food is.

Plus, you prevent your body’s natural mechanisms from taking place, like recovering from hard workouts. The result of that is from human growth hormone (HGH) going down.

Simply put, eating late causes your hormones to be out of whack, which creates a favorable environment for weight gain. The best-case scenario is to finish no later than 7 pm, but the earlier, the better.

2. Fit additional activity into your day.

Any additional movement you get into your daily life will pay big dividends when it comes to cutting your body fat percentage down by a few points. Take a power walk at lunchtime, get up 10 minutes early and do some bodyweight drills or join a recreational sport league in your town.

Just find something you like to do and add it to your calendar. Even 5-to-10-minute bouts of activity sprinkled in through the day will help you lean out faster.

3. Don’t follow a fad diet.

There is no shortage of fad diet plans to follow out there. If you decide to give up all forms of carbs and follow the caveman diet, for example, you run the risk of falling off the wagon because it’s so restrictive and not sustainable over the long-haul.

Even if you did shave 3% body fat off your body, you run the risk of gaining it all back with interest the day you decide you’re craving a slice of pizza and give in. Your diet should be sustainable and balanced with quality sources of protein, carbs and fat.

If you want to do anything at all, simply eliminate liquid calories. That, in conjunction with more daily activity alone will send your body fat spiraling downward.

Take-home Message

In reality, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel or get super extreme to lose a few pounds and get back on track. As long as you stick with basic principles and display even the slightest bit of discipline, you can easily trim a few percentage points of fat off your body.

Preston Ray No Comments , , ,
February 9, 2022

Rapid Diets, Weight Loss and Exercise

According to the CDC, 42.8% of adults aged 40 to 59 are obese. Most Americans agree that diet and exercise are the best ways to lose weight. But statistics show that people who choose a rapid diet plan put half the weight back on after 1 year of having lost the pounds they desired.

And after 3 years, the most rapid dieters are back to their original weight. So why is weight loss so difficult in the first place? The answer is, it’s anti-biological. Simply put, if you lose too much weight you will die. To keep this from happening, the body does six things.

  1. EATING HABITS.
    The body recognizes your eating habits and tries to get you to maintain them.
  2. SENSORY ENHANCEMENT.
    As soon as you begin to eat less, the smell and taste of food is enhanced to convince you to eat more.
  3. DECREASED METABOLIC RATE.
    Your hypothalamus will signal the body to decrease your basal metabolic rate, which reduces your caloric expenditure.
  4. FOOD OBSESSION
    Your mind/body becomes obsessed w/ food. You think about it more and may even dream about it.
  5. EATING-INDUCED EATING
    The more you eat, the more you want to eat.
  6. YOU BECOME DEPRESSED
    After 3 months of dieting, 30% of dieters become depressed.

And don’t forget to exercise! Humans and animals with the lowest body fat percentages move more often than their counterparts. Whether it’s strength training with a professional trainer or dancing at home in your basement, daily movement is a must.

Lastly, weigh yourself daily. Self-weighing has been proven to help those who do diet and exercise daily self-correct before unwanted weight piles on. And, don’t be alarmed if the scale fluctuates a little each day. Look for significant changes monthly, not daily.

Preston Ray No Comments , ,
February 2, 2022

Exercise Efficiently

Far too often, we look to supplements, energy drinks or energy bars to help make us perform more efficiently. The main idea behind these items is that they promising some sort of increase in size, strength or energy. But really, the main thing they increase is profits.

Don’t be fooled! The best way to improve performance and efficiency is to simply exercise on a continual basis. This is often referred to as frequency of training. Here are a few reasons why this is the case.

  1. The greater the exercise, the greater the replenishment. Eating after exercise replenishes your glycogen (stored carbohydrates) to levels that were higher than when you began.

    When athletes “blood dope,” they are in essence trying to illegally do what they can do legally by simply exercising and refueling immediately afterwards. The more glycogen stored in your liver and muscles, the longer you can train. The quickest, safest and easiest solution is to eat healthy whole foods and avoid the pricy supplements.
  2. Water and carbs are the best substances you can put in your body before, during and after exercise. We’ve already discussed why to do it after you exercise. Now let’s look at before and during.

    Before is important because most exercise lasts between 10 and 90 minutes. It is duringthis time that your body uses carbs to provide your muscles with energy. The type of exercise intensity exhibited here uses the anaerobic lactic acid system of the body. For that reason, it is best to include carbohydrates in your diet to fuel your workouts.
  3. The actions of the muscles and of cellular metabolism both occur in an aqueous solution. That means the importance of water can’t be emphasized enough. If you’re going to lift weights, run or do any sort of exercise including walking, you’re going to need water.

    The daily requirement varies from source to source, but you definitely want to drink at least 16 oz before, during AND after your workouts. Plus, as a rule of thumb, for every pound of weight you lose through sweat, you should have an additional 16 oz. It also doesn’t matter if it’s bottled. Tap water is just as good.
Preston Ray No Comments , , ,
August 12, 2019

Five Truths For Losing Weight

Want to know my honest opinion? Going through the process of losing weight SUCKS! I believe it is one of the hardest things you can do in your lifetime, and most people are not prepared for the challenge. It’s not because you lack information — it’s because you are waiting for someone to tell you how to do it. But you already know.

Just think about all the diet and exercise books that come out each year; each promises you a new solution to weight loss. I’m not saying these books have nothing to offer, but most of us already know the answer to the problem: eat healthier and move your body!

I don’t mean to be dismissive of how hard it is to lose weight. I speak from experience — weight loss is the number one reason I entered the health and wellness industry nine years ago. I have lost 50 pounds twice in my life, first in 1995, then in 2005. Currently, as a model for Scout SF, it is still challenging for me to maintain.

Losing weight is more instinctual than scientific, and you already know what to do. But here are my top five truths to follow to lose weight and keep it off. I truly believe that if you follow these recommendations you too will be successful. Take one day at a time, and they will turn into weeks, then months. Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint.

 

#1: Documentation

We’re not counting calories so much as we are creating awareness. It is laborious and takes brutal honesty, but it is highly effective. And, you must do it for at least a week. Not just the things that are healthy, but everything you put in your mouth.

 

#2: Abstinence

Avoid alcoholic beverages like the plague. Secondly, eliminate foods high in sugar. Lastly, no fast food. Notice I didn’t tell you what to eat. I believe most of us already know and just won’t comply. Trust your instincts. You already know what’s healthy and what’s not.

 

#3: Exercise 

See a personal trainer. Don’t trust your instincts in this area. Professionals know best!

 

#4: Mindset

 Please be aware that weight loss is EXTREMELY demanding with plenty of ebbs and flows along the way. What is your WHY? And how much does losing weight REALLY mean to you? If you aren’t mentally tough, and aren’t willing to become mentally tough, you will fail.

 

#5: Rest

7-8 hours per night. Period. No shortcuts here.

 

My core belief around weight loss is that anyone can do it.

Yes, I truly believe anyone can lose weight and get the body they desire. Will it be challenging? Of course. Will you want to quit? More than likely. Can it be done? Absolutely! If you believe in yourself — and COMPLY!

 

 

 

 

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