Mass Phase P90X Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps Modifications

I had some great feedback on the modifications I made to UBX, so I have decided to post my modifications I have made to Chest, Shoulders & Triceps (from P90X) as well. The set list is below with detailed descriptions below that. Keep in mind that I am aiming for 8-10 repetitions for most exercises in this routine, however some exercises are meant to be higher reps due to their nature, which I have detailed below.

1. Slow-Mo 3-in-1 Pushups
2. In & Out Shoulder Flies
3. Triceps Kickbacks
4. Plange Pushups
5. Pike Presses
6. Stability Ball Triceps Extensions
7. Floor Flies
8. Callahan Press
9. Overhead Triceps Extensions
10. Two-Twitch Speed Pushups
11. Y-Presses
12. 1-Arm Triceps Kickbacks
13. Chest Flies
14. Pour Flies
15. Skull Crushers
16. Decline Dumbbell Chest Press
17. Weighted Circles
18. Throw the Bomb
19. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
20. Slow-Mo Throws
21. Front to Back Triceps Extensions
22. Flat Dumbbell Chest Press
23. Fly, Row, Press
24. Dumbbell Cross Body Blows

Slow-Mo 3-in-1 Pushups - Wearing a weighted vest to intensify, these pushups are performed the same way they are in the DVD. 4 reps each of 3 different types of pushups - wide, standard, and military. Each repetition is very slow, however, with a 4-count during eccentric and 4-count during concentric actions.

In & Out Shoulder Flies - Straight arm shoulder raises here, alternating between front raises and lateral raises, 8 repetitions each. Slight modification here is that I perform each repetition with "thumb's up" hand position rather than palms facing floor to alleviate some shoulder impingement.

Triceps Kickbacks - One foot in front of the other, flat back, bent over. Upper arms are parallel to the ground, hing at the elbow only, keeping the elbows up, 'kicking' resistance back.


Plange Pushups - Same pushups as in the DVD, but with a weighted vest to intensify. Hands are placed further back than standard pushups (about level with nipples) with fingers splaying outwards. At the top of each pushup, the upper back is rounded up.

Pike Presses - Same as DVD, the height the feet are placed determines the intensity of this exercise.

Stability Ball Triceps Extensions - Skull crushers while on a stability ball. Arms start straight up above your body, bend at the elbows to drop weights on either side of your face and above your ears, then extend arms back to starting position.

Floor Flies - Side-to-side pushups, alternating 2 per side for me, weighted vest for added intensity.

Callahan Press - I find the "Scarecrow" move that is used in the DVD can place a lot of strain on the shoulders, especially when attempting to move heavier weights. Instead, I use the Callahan press from UBX

Overhead Triceps Extensions - Weight(s) start above your head with straight arms, upper arms do not move, simply hinge at the elbows and allow the weights to travel behind your head and then extend back upwards.

Two-Twitch Speed Pushups - 4 fast pushups followed by 3 slow pushups and repeat. No added weight here, I just do military-style pushups to work my triceps and shoulders a bit more.

Y-Presses - Overhead shoulder presses while standing, although rather than pressing the weights straight up, they extend outwards like you are doing a "Y" shape (like dancing to the song YMCA).

1-Arm Triceps Kickbacks - The same exact motion as the 2-arm triceps kickbacks, except just working one arm at a time. The other arm/knee are supported on a bench.

Chest Flies - Laying down on a bench, arms start straight up in front of chest, palms facing each other, weights travel out to the sides of your chest while maintaining straight arms. Warning here, this may place extra stress on your elbows and shoulders, so make sure you keep a slight bend to your elbows at all times and start off with a very light weight until you are comfortable with the exercise!

Pour Flies - Same as DVD, lateral, straight arm shoulder flies with an isometric-style "pour" at the top of each rep. One slight modification here is that when I perform the lateral raise, I make sure my thumbs are pointing up and my palms are forward.

Skull Crushers - Laying down on the bench this time, same as the stability ball triceps extensions from before.

Decline Dumbbell Chest Press - Dumbbell chest press with torso at a declined angle on the bench. Just performed 1 set first time through this routine, may make this a "strip set" for weeks 2-4.

Weighted Circles - Same as DVD, arms are held out laterally from the body, I use thumb's up here as well, perform 40 repetitions (10 forwards, 10 backwards, repeat). VERY light resistance here.

Throw the Bomb - 1-arm, overhead triceps extension, while standing. Same as DVD. I find this can place a lot of strain on the shoulder, so I keep this exercise to 10+ repetitions.

Incline Dumbbell Chest Press - Dumbbell chest press with torso at an inclined angle on the bench. Just performed 1 set first time through this routine, may make this a "strip set" for weeks 2-4.

Slow-Mo Throws - Same as DVD, hard to explain the exact movements, just buy the workout! Also very light weights here!

Front to Back Triceps Extensions - 1-arm, overhead triceps extensions, although the weight alternates between dropping in front of, or behind the head.

Flat Dumbbell Chest Press - Flat dumbbell chest press on the bench. Just performed 1 set first time through this routine, may make this a "strip set" for weeks 2-4.

Fly, Row, Press - Combination exercise (same as DVD), perform a bent-arm shoulder fly, then an upright row, transitioning into an overhead shoulder press. Lower the weights through a bicep curl.

Dumbbell Cross Body Blows - Same exercise as in the DVD here. I use the bench to allow greater range in motion - my elbows can dip further on either side of my body.

Mass Phase UBX Modification - Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

I have had many requests from people wanting to know what "changes" I made to UBX. For those of you who aren't familiar, UBX is part of Tony Horton's One on One series. I really enjoy the structure and pacing of the workout, but have made some modifications to it to suit my mass goals.

Keep in mind that this workout is being used as a slightly higher rep-range workout (12-15+ reps). I have included the exercise list below, with descriptions of each exercise.

1. Weighted Pushups
2. Pike Press
3. Forearm Plank Triceps Kickback
4. Weighted Pushups
5. Pike Press
6. Forearm Plank Triceps Kickback

7. Chatarocker Pushups
8. Strip-Set Shoulder Press
9. 1-Arm Bench Dips
10. Chatarocker Pushups
11. Strip-Set Shoulder Press
12. 1-Arm Bench Dips

13. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
14. Callahan Press
15. Side Triceps Extension
16. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
17. Callahan Press
18. Side Triceps Extension

19. Flat Dumbbell Chest Press
20. Seated, Bent Over Circle Fly
21. Skull Crushers
22. Flat Dumbbell Chest Press
23. Seated, Bent Over Circle Fly
24. Skull Crushers

Details

Weighted Pushups - Weighted vest or weighted backpack to intensify the pushups. Adjust resistance/weight in to target your specific repetition range.

Pike Press - Same exercise seen in P90X, basically a handstand pushup. You vary resistance based upon how high in the air your feet are. Again, aim for a foot height that will target your desired repetition range.

Forearm Plank Triceps Kickback - A 3-point plank, balancing on your two feet (toes) and 1 forearm while the other arm is doing triceps kickbacks.

Chatarocker Pushups - These are detailed in Tony's UBX workout. You perform this exercise by starting in plank, lowering yourself while keeping your triceps hugging your torso, then 'slide' your body back to "Sphinx" position, and then reverse the motions. Add resistance like a weighted vest or weighted backback to target your repetition range.

Strip-Set Shoulder Press - Set up 3 sets of decreasing weights for these military shoulder presses. 8 repetitions of each exercise with 15-20 seconds quick break between each set.

1-Arm Bench Dips - Triceps dips while only using one arm at a time.

Incline Dumbbell Chest Press - On my home workout bench I use the 1st setting above 'flat'.

Callahan Press - Also detailed in the UBX workout, hard to explain the full dynamics behind this exercise. This is a shoulder press exercise, but in between repetitions, your elbows do not drop below a 90 degree bend. At the point where your elbows reach the 90 degree angle, you bring your weights together in front of your face as if you are closing a door. If this is confusing to you, then buy the darn workout and you can learn it yourself!


Side Triceps Extension - This is the same version that Tony uses in the workout, although I remove the plank portion of the exercise. I lay on my side on my workout bench with my top arm raised up perpendicular to the bench. The elbow bends and extends working the triceps.

Flat Dumbbell Chest Press - Pretty straight forward...

Seated, Bent Over Circle Fly - Same exercise Tony performs in the UBX workout, although I sit while performing the same action. You raise the weights up by using your rear delts, and then perform 3 circle flyies backwards alternating with 3 circle flies forwards.

Skull Crushers - Laying on my bench, arms extend above your face, bend at the elbows lowering the weights above your face and then extending back upwards. 

Warrior Training

***Things just got even crazier! Click here to see my revised schedule, including training for TOUGH MUDDER!***

Even though I just started week 6 of my 9-week mass-building phase, I am already gearing up for what I plan on doing following my meatheadedness (is that a word?). Part of the fun of being fit and active is being able to focus on your goals. Part of the fun of goals is being able to change them from time to time based on your aspirations or mood at different times of the year.

Last year, I competed in a Warrior Dash run. It was my first time competing in such an event, and I had a blast. I had so much fun, in fact, that I have decided to register and compete again on Saturday July 21st.

I would be lying if I didn't say that I thought the Warrior Dash last year was going to be easy. Come on, I am a guy who stays very active with hockey, P90X, Insanity, Asylum, etc. I figured a silly 5km run would be, well, a walk in the park. I was wrong.

I did fairly well at the event, finishing in around the 30min mark from what I remember, but I wasn't anticipating the amount of hills involved with the course I ran. To be honest, for those of you familiar with "mud-runs" like Warrior Dash, I felt the 'obstacles' were fairly simple and easy, I didn't really have a problem with them at all. But as I mentioned before, there were a lot of hills to run up and down. The event I attended was held at a ski resort, so the entire race wound its way up and down ski hills - steep ones - so I certainly was gassed by the end!

On top of all of that, my training, or lack thereof, could've been better. Now I will not admit to being a great distance runner, but I certainly knew that when I finished that race, that I could have done better.

As I said, I was very active leading up to Warrior Dash last year, but my activity was not really focused on what I was to be competing in. Sure, I was doing some leg work, some upper body work, and even some cardio, but none of that was really becoming specific enough to maximize my results at the race. On top of all of that, I was completely naive in thinking that doing Tony Horton's P90X MC2 One on One: Base & Back the day before the race wasn't going to hinder my results. I have touched on this in the past before as well, speaking about proper recovery.

Any individual who trains for a specific event should know that the recovery time is just as important - if not more important than the training itself. Your training should be aimed at making your physical performance peak at the right time. You can be a very active person, but your body is constantly progressing through different stages of repair and/or known as the "General Adaptation Syndrome". Professional athletes know this, as they attempt to get their physical abilities to peak right at the beginning of their season, and then simply "maintain" their strength and power throughout their sporting season.

The schedule (listed below) will be to focus on a few things. First of all, I will be training in 3 periodized phases. Phase 1 will be designed to create a base-level of fitness while increasing my overall conditioning. Not only that, but Phase 1 will be my step back into serious anaerobic conditioning. I have been enjoying my mass phase, but I am currently focusing on building muscle, so my conditioning has taken a bit of a back seat, so it will be time to start to work off some of the "goo" (see: body fat).

Phase 2 will be building off of Phase 1, building strength while maintaining overall fitness levels. There will naturally be a bit of muscle hypertrohpy at this point, but the main goals will be to increase strength and athleticism.

Finally, Phase 3 will be designed to increase my performance for the event. The idea is to build on the strength gained in Phase 2 and make that strength dynamic and useful. Strong muscles are only as good as what you train them to do, so Phase 3 will be aimed at making them fast and efficient. I will then end off with a few recovery days to rest up and recovery before the event on Saturday July 21st, 2012.

I will be combining P90X2 and Insanity: The Asylum for majority of the schedule but there will be a few routines from Insanity and the One on One series thrown in as well. One thing that may seem very unusual to me at first is the order of the weeks. When I first started out P90X a few years ago, "Day 1" of each week was always on my Monday. I eventually transitioned to Sundays being "Day 1". Now, since I will also be playing summer hockey late on Monday nights, I will be coordinating my schedule so that Tuesdays are my "off" days. That results in my weeks running Wednesdays to Tuesdays.

Phase 1
3 weeks
Wednesday April 25th - Tuesday May 15th 2012

Day 1 - X2 Balance & Power
Day 2 - Asylum Speed & Agility and Relief
Day 3 - Asylum Strength
Day 4 - X2 Core
Day 5 - Insanity Pure Cardio
Day 6 - AM: X2 Total Body and X2 Ab Ripper - PM: Hockey
Day 7 - Off/Recovery

Recovery/Transition Week
1 week
Wednesday May 16th - Tuesday May 22nd 2012

Day 1 - Asylum Back to Core and One on One 20/12 Abs
Day 2 - Insanity Max Recovery
Day 3 - One on One Road Warrior
Day 4 - Yoga
Day 5 - Asylum Overtime and X2 Ab Ripper
Day 6 - AM: Insanity Cardio Recovery - PM: Hockey
Day 7 - Off/Recovery

Phase 2
4 weeks - alternating
Wednesday May 23rd - Tuesday June 19th 2012

Week 1/3
Day 1 - X2 Chest, Back & Balance
Day 2 - Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit
Day 3 - P90X+ Abs/Core Plus and Insanity Cardio Abs
Day 4 - One on One Shoulders & Arms MC2
Day 5 - Yoga and X2 Ab Ripper
Day 6 - AM: X2 Base & Back - PM: Hockey
Day 7 - Off/Recovery

Weeks 2/4
Day 1 - X2 V Sculpt
Day 2 - Asylum Vertical Plyo and Relief
Day 3 - One on One Killer Abs and 20/12 Abs
Day 4 - One on One UBX
Day 5 - Yoga and X2 Ab Ripper
Day 6 - AM: X2 Base & Back - PM: Hockey
Day 7 - Off/Recovery

Recovery/Transition Week
1 week
Wednesday June 20th - Tuesday June 26th 2012

Day 1 - Asylum Back to Core and One on One 20/12 Abs
Day 2 - Insanity Max Recovery
Day 3 - One on One Road Warrior
Day 4 - Yoga
Day 5 - Asylum Overtime and X2 Ab Ripper
Day 6 - AM: Insanity Cardio Recovery - PM: Hockey
Day 7 - Off/Recovery

Phase 3
3 weeks
Wednesday June 27th - Tuesday July 17th 2012

Day 1 - X2 P.A.P. Lower
Day 2 - Asylum Speed & Agility and Relief
Day 3 - X2 P.A.P. Upper
Day 4 - Run Training
Day 5 - Asylum Vertical Plyo and Overtime
Day 6 - AM: Asylum Game Day and Relief - PM: Hockey
Day 7 - Off/Recovery

I will complete the schedule on Tuesday July 17th and then have a few days of stretching/yoga to recover before the race on Saturday July 21st.

Diet

Once I finish up with my mass phase, I will be cutting back from my quite-consistent 4k calories a day to either maintain or slightly reduce my weight from there. Some people may ask, "Why build muscle to then turn around and try and lose weight?" If done properly, the idea behind a mass building phase is to do just that - build muscle. Because of the large amounts of calories consumed to try and increase muscle tissue, it is inevitable that I have gained a few extra non-lean pounds as well.

I then follow that up with some high-intense interval training combined with some resistance training and a correct diet, I will aim to "cut" the fat off of my body so that I lose a bit of weight losing some body fat while attempting to maintain as much muscle as possible.

So for my diet, I will be aiming for a slight calorie reduction and a 40/30/30 plan again. The only difference here is that I will be aiming for about 40% protein rather than carbs.

Summary

I will keep everyone updated on my progress through this intense schedule as well as my results at this year's Warrior Dash, so stay tuned!

Sources:
Photo - http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/bios/warrior.html

The Importance of Recovery

Recovery is an important component to any health and fitness lifestyle. Not only does your body need time to repair, but time 'off' can allow you to mentally re-focus on your goals and build motivation to continually succeed.

In the past, I have written about the details of Periodization. This is a training philosophy that has been used for years to train athletes. The fortunate part about periodzation is that the principles can be applied, with great success, to average 'weekend warriors' and fitness enthusiasts alike.

The idea behind periodization is that your training cycles or phases are broken up into 'chunks' of training - usually in 3-6 week blocks - to cause continual adaptation to the body. The idea behind this is that the body will continue to grow and change to challenges its faced with up until a certain point, where it will eventually "plateau" and no longer adapt to the physical demands that are placed upon it. Lately, periodization has been couple with buzz words like "muscle confusion".

One of the key concepts and practices associated with periodization, however, is recovery. Recovery is crucial to add into any exercise program so that an individual does not continue to push themselves to adapt. Continual adaptation to the body can lead to a reverse effect that can cause either short-term or long-term maladaptations.

Whether you are a professional or amateur athlete, or just a fitness enthusiast at heart, everyone can benefit from some time off. Now, let me be clear in saying that time 'off' does not necessarily mean sitting on your rump and doing nothing. Recovery periods can include physical activity, but generally, you are encouraged to decrease intensity for days of rest.

I believe that every individual should include at least 1 day/week of recovery, as well as at least 1 full week of recovery every 3-6 weeks of training. Often times you will feel the need for some time off anyways if you are pushing yourself hard, as your body will be needing time off to rejuvenate and repair.

Often times, I see individuals who have been training hard, feel the need to skip recovery days, or weeks, as they feel it will cause them to take a 'step back' and lose some of their momentum. This is simply not the case, as the body not only needs time to recover, but also does majority of its 'growing' during down time. I can understand the feeling of momentum and that 'go, go, go' attitude, day in and day out, but please listen to me when I tell you that recovery is vital to your long-term success!

Recovery time is not all that bad, however, as it allows you to take a step back and re-evaluate your situation. Below, I have detailed a list of positive things to remember during recovery time.

Mentally Re-Focus

I personally find when I am in a training phase, I have to mentally focus and be prepared to push myself as hard as I can for every given day. By pushing ourselves to our limits, we truly feel and see remarkable changes.

The problem with this is that by being mentally focused on a specific goal for a set period of time can not only become physically exhausting, by mentally exhausting as well. I find I can push myself harder knowing that I have a day off at the end of each week, or knowing that I have a recovery week coming up that will allow me to take a step back.

Not only that, but once I reach my recovery day or week, I can spend some time to mentally re-focus on my upcoming training block. That down time allows my brain to rest and not worry about getting up every morning to hit the weights or cardio training hard. I can just focus on staying mildly active and enjoy the journey my body is taking to recover so that I can come back stronger than before!

Physically Repair

This, I find, is where many people seem to be confused. Thinking that taking 1 day off, or 1 whole week off, can turn you into a little weakling overnight is just utterly wrong. Often times, when a recovery week is used in between training phases of a properly-structured workout program, some individuals feel that their muscles are just wasting away. This is simply untrue and you should remove this from your brain immediately.

First of all, the recovery time is used for just that, so that your body can physically recover. During recovery, your body is repairing tissue that you tore apart while working out so that you can come back stronger than before.

I see many people, while doing a program like P90X say, "After I took that week off between Phase 1 and Phase 2, I came back feeling weak!" You must remember that a program like P90X is specifically designed to continually challenge you in new ways so that you create a total-body transformation in a short period of time. Because of this, you are supposed to feel weak again after a week off, because the training modalities have changed to shock your body in new ways again (see "muscle confusion" or "periodization" above).

Stretching

A few blog ago, I wrote about a research study I read that indicated how helpful stretching is. I will fully admit that I sometimes neglect to stretch as much as I should after intense workouts. Either I am just too exhausted to put the time in, or I am running short on time, I tend to neglect my stretching when I need it most.

Having said that, I really enjoy recovery days/weeks because I can take my mind off of working my biceps/chest/shoulders/legs/etc. and focus on other things like balance, coordination, and my flexibility. Not only is stretching good for recovery, but it has been shown to increase strength as well!

"Muscle Confusion"

I mentioned this above, but I would like to discuss this a bit further here. I see many individuals at the gyms these days that go to the gym and do the same things day after day after day and never change their routines. If you are comfortable with your current level of fitness, and don't feel bored to death by doing the same things every time, then this will work for you.

On the other hand, if you wish to continually adapt and change, periodization is for you. Now, to separate periodization blocks, you will want to insert a recovery week in between phases to allow the body to fully adapt from one phase before progressing onto another.

Having said all of that, the recovery week itself allows a tiny bit of "muscle confusion" as your body is automatically going to be challenged in new ways.

Summary

Recovery time does not have to be all doom and gloom. For many fitness nuts out there, taking time off feels like they are taking a step back or losing momentum when this is simply not the case. Just remember to enjoy your days off as much as you enjoy your hard working days, as they are all a part of the bigger picture. All of these days combined makes for a healthier, better feeling, injury-resistant, and happier you!

Sources:
Photo - http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/the-truth-about-muscle-recovery-time-short-version/

Are Energy Drinks Really Necessary?

A few weeks ago I wrote about Hydration and Nutritional Fueling. In that blog post, I discussed pre and post workout nutrition and hydration tips. One category that I left out of that post, however, is one of the fastest-growing products on the market right now - energy drinks.

There are many individuals who use these beverages to give them a bit of a "pick me up" to perform at work, during sports, drawn-out 'gaming' sessions, and more! There seems to be a constant need for people to 'perform' at a higher and higher level, often times causing a vicious cycle to continually consume more 'energy' to maintain said energy levels. I believe this may be a product of our current lifestyles. In a world where we are constantly "on the go", or wanting to perform, individuals are constantly trying to push themselves further and further, oftentimes, with temporary solutions.

Truth is, the human body is amazingly efficient at producing energy. We contain an orchestra of signalling pathways and communications amongst our bodily systems to deliver energy when we need it. Different energy systems work in harmony to produce either drawn-out, slow-burning energy sources for periods of sustained energy, to anaerobic power plants to produce fast-acting, powerful energy for short bursts of intense effort. The problem with all of these systems, however, is they require proper fueling - i.e. healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, fats, etc. Most people in today's society are constantly looking for that "quick fix" to give them a burst of energy, so companies, along with their clever marketing, target the population and convince you into thinking that their product is the best.

Truth is, as cliched and silly as it sounds to most, fruit is nature's energy drink! A piece of fruit gives you ample amounts of sugar and nutrients to perform athletically and mentally at a heightened state. Not only that, but fruit - in its purest form - also contains fiber which slows digestion and delivers a much more steady flow of energy.

Beyond that, and what seems to be most starling to signal where society seems to be heading, is that soft drinks like cola used to be the energy drinks. Large amounts of sugar and caffeine deliver an intense surge of energy. Unfortunately, due to the habitual use of these drinks, most folks barely even feel a spike of energy from consuming soft drinks anymore so they need to take that next step to 're-energize'!

I have included a list of ingredients below that detail the common ingredients found in most energy drinks on the market these days and how much they effect, or don't effect your body.

Caffeine

From Wikipedia: Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants. It is most commonly consumed by humans in infusions extracted from the seed of the coffee plant and the leaves of the tea bush, as well as from various foods and drinks containing products derived from the kola nut. Other sources include yerba maté, guarana berries, guayusa, and the yaupon holly. In humans, caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant, temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. It is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug, but, unlike many other psychoactive substances, it is both legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world. Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, enjoy great popularity; in North America, 90% of adults consume caffeine daily.

Like alcohol, caffeine is consumed by many across the globe. Because of that, caffeine is also one of the most widely-studied (scientifically) compounds the world has ever known. To be honest, you will probably hear about a new study that comes out every day that is either for or against the safety of caffeine. Personally, I find caffeine to be like most things, it seems to be fine in moderation. Too much caffeine, and you can start to feel jittery, anxious, unable to sleep, and even paranoid.

There are also many documented cases of caffeine and how beneficial it is to improved athletic and psychological performance. When our bodies are at rest, or performing low-level activity, our primary source of fuel is derived from aerobic means (burn adipose tissue, aka fat). As we intensify our actions, our bodies begin to transition towards more anaerobic sources for energy (carbohydrates). Caffeine has been shown to enhance aerobic metabolism which can aid athletes in performing for longer periods of time due to their increased reliance on aerobic energy.

Glucose

From Wikipedia: Glucose is a ubiquitous fuel in biology. It is used as an energy source in most organisms, from bacteria to humans. Use of glucose may be by either aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, or fermentation. Glucose is the human body's key source of energy, through aerobic respiration, providing approximately 3.75 kilocalories (16 kilojoules) of food energy per gram.

One of the most startling facts for many, is when they calculate how much sugar is actually in a specific beverage. Do yourself a favor and look at the nutritional facts on that next can you are about to chug and do the math. Read the number of grams of sugar, and divide by 5 - that is how many teaspoons of sugar (equivalent) that are in that beverage. One serving of Red Bull (255g can), for example, has 26g of sugar. That is just over 5 heaping teaspoons of sugar!

Your body and brain love sugar, so there are certainly benefits to consuming sugary foods/drinks to help performance. However, there are a few things that should be noted. When you ingest a sudden surge of sugar, like the quantities found in an energy drink, your body goes through a sudden insulin spike, (refer to the GI scale). This turns your body into a sudden sugar-burning machine. We have all heard of the phrase "sugar high", well this is exactly what happens. Your body primarily burns up and tries to use all of that sugar you have just ingested, but therefore stops burning body fat or adipose tissue, which is used for its slow-burning or aerobic needs.

So not only does your body stop burning 'fat', but it also runs out of that sugar quite quickly, causing what is also known as the "sugar crash" afterwards. Energy drinks can therefore be a bit misleading when it comes to their marketing. Sure, they may give you a quick burst of energy from the sugar, but that 'burst' will not last long and you will be forced into craving more sugar pretty soon!

Taurine

From Wikipedia: Taurine, or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is an organic acid widely distributed in animal tissues. It is a major constituent of bile and can be found in the large intestine and accounts for approximately 0.1% of total human body weight. Taurine has many fundamental biological roles such as conjugation of bile acids, antioxidation, osmoregulation, membrane stabilization and modulation of calcium signaling. It is essential for cardiovascular function, and development and function of skeletal muscle, the retina and the central nervous system. Taurine is unusual among biological molecules in being a sulfonic acid, while the vast majority of biologically occurring acids contain the more weakly acidic carboxyl group. While taurine is sometimes called an amino acid, and indeed is an acid containing an amino group, it is not an amino acid in the usual biochemical meaning of the term, which refers to compounds containing both an amino and a carboxyl group.

Despite having a cool-sounding name, the reasons for taurine to exist in energy drinks are questionable. According to what I have read online, taurine is found in the bile of bulls, which is where Red Bull originally got its name. The truth of that matter, however, is that science doesn't really know if taurine has any effect on energy levels within the body, if any, as it may even act as a sedative, which seems to counteract what consumers of Red Bull are actually aiming for.

Also, taurine has not been studied too extensively as part of human consumption, so basically consume at your own risk at this point!

Sodium Citrate, Glucuronolactone, Inositol

I am grouping these three compounds together for a few reasons. All three appear to show some sort of promising scientific-based evidence that they can increase human performance, however, they only seem to work at levels that far exceed anything you would actually find in an energy drink on the market today. Basically, they seem to be present in energy drinks for marketing purposes only, and are trying to "cash-in" on marketing buzz-words to make you feel as though you can run through a brick wall after taking their product.

Keep an eye out for ingredients that sound "fancy", as companies may be trying to make you think their product is more scientifically enhanced than you think. Force yourself to be a conscientious consumer as well, and do some research of your own regarding the ingredients in the beverages and foods you ingest. Do not rely on someone else to say what is safe or not to put in your body as I promise you they do not always have your best interest in mind!

Summary

When it comes down to it, everybody has their own personal opinions and choices they have to make to decide what they wish to put in their bodies. What I will say, however, is that it is entirely possible to live, perform, and compete at a high level of physical and psychological activity based solely on a well-rounded diet consisting of healthy simple sugars (fruit), complex carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. Sleep is also a large factor here, as the more quality sleep your body receives, the better it can heal and repair from the rigors and decay of everyday life to allow you to come back stronger and perform better.

Consistent (intense) exercise also trains your body to become more efficient and productive with its energy sources. By staying active on a day to day basis, you will force your body to become better at what it does, "like a well-oiled machine", and you can remove the need for supplemental energy sources.

You may see professional or amateur athletes using supplemental energy forms for competition, but keep in mind that these athletes are usually competing at the highest-level possible, for long periods of time. If you are a "weekend warrior" or even simply a day to day exerciser, take a serious look at what you are putting in your body, and decide whether some of these ingredients or mystery compounds are right for you.

Also, don't be afraid of experimenting with your lifestyle and removing some of these stimulants for extended periods of time and gauge how you truly feel. I, myself, like to have 1 cup of coffee every morning to help "shake out the cobwebs" and allow me to get into my home gym to workout before my day starts. From time to time, I will take a few weeks off and not have any caffeine at all, acting as a sort of 'cleanse' from my system. I find I can exercise just as well, and then when I return to having my "cup 'o Joe", it helps boost me that much more.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/beverages/7399/2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine
http://www.beachbody.com/product/356.do
http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/effectiveness_of_energy_drinks/printer.php
Photo - http://whatareenergydrinks.net/energy-drink-marketing/

Mass Phase Progress - End of Phase 1

Well, today was my last day of Phase 1 of my Mass Phase. I am now heading into a recovery or transition week consisting of some light cardio workouts as well as some core work and recovery/yoga before I jump into Phase 2 starting on Sunday March 25th.

For those of you coming here looking for progress pictures, I am sorry, I am not posting anything until I am done the entire 9 weeks. This way, I can hopefully have as drastic of a change as possible. I can tell you, however, that I am up about 7 pounds since the beginning, 4 weeks ago, which is just under 2 pounds gained per week.

Although that may seem like a pretty impressive number, I will say that I am expecting to lose a bit of that weight during my recovery/transition week for a couple of reasons. One, when 'shocking' your body with a new workout regimen, you are no doubt going to gain some 'water weight'. This is due to the healing and repairing process the muscles do to build new tissue. Secondly, I have been supplementing with creatine, so there will be even more water retention on top of that. Not to worry however, as my diet has been quite clean, so I feel I am doing quite well packing on some good, lean muscle!

First off, let me detail what I have been up to for the past few weeks. For those of you missed my original post detailing my mass phase plans, you can check them out here. I made a few tweaks along the way, so I can detail a few changes below.

Chest & Back - I really tried to perform as much "progressive overload" as possible. Every week I tried to up my resistance on pushups by 10 lbs. and up my resistance on pullups by 5 lbs. while maintaining reps and form the best I could. Also, the last 2 times I did this routine, the 2nd "round" of bench work, I added drop sets for the decline, incline, and flat chest presses. This just allows that much more muscle fiber recruitment/breakdown to increase the affinity for hypertrophy.

Cardio - My day 2 of each week was used for really light cardio routines. They would be about 35-45 mins in length, and be just enough intensity to get my blood flowing to burn a few calories but also improve circulation and recovery. Too many people will reduce their chance of hypertrophy by doing too much cardio and not taking in enough calories. (See "Diet" below)

Fridays - On Fridays, I have been having to ingest crazy amounts of calories to try and maintain my weight. I am talking well over 4000 calories on those days. This is because not only have I been doing Upper Plus on Friday mornings, but I have been playing hockey on Friday nights as well. Now 4000+ calories is certainly not for everybody. You need to calculate your calories based on your age, sex, activity level, etc. and then add calories on to pack on weight. Again, you can see "Diet" below.

Diet

This is where many people fail in their attempts to gain weight, especially if you are somebody in their late teens or twenties. I know what you are going through, as I have been suffering from the same thing for years. Your metabolism is just so fast that it seems impossible to put on some weight. I definitely have my age on my side now as my metabolism has probably slowed down a little now that I am 27 years old, but I still have to take in some pretty crazy amounts of calories to gain weight.

For the most part, I have been aiming for, and hitting 3500-4000 calories a day - every day. My ratios have been pretty bang-on at 30% fat, 30% protein, 40% carbs. I do not worry about my diet at all on Saturdays because that is my "off" day. On Saturdays, I certainly do not sit down and scarf down bags of Doritos, but I also don't track my numbers as religiously. I allow this for peace of mind and not worrying about 'the numbers'. Now that may come as a surprise to some who think that your diet should reflect your activity level - and it should - but in a mass phase, you want to aim to keep your body fueled, especially on your lighter cardio days or yoga days because your body is still recovering from the heavy resistance the day before. Here is a brief overlook of my diet in the order I consume each in a day. It is pretty vague as I do not eat the same things every day!

Pre-Workout (06:30am)


On resistance days, I drink 250-500mL of chocolate milk 30-60 mins. before my workout. This allows me to 'top-up' my glycogen stores as well as get some protein into the system. I will also generally have a coffee with 1 sugar and a bit of 1% milk.

Post-Workout (8:00am)

Without a doubt, 500mL of chocolate milk immediately following my workout. I mix my creatine in at this point so that the sugar in the chocolate milk helps the uptake. The carbs here help re-supply my muscle glycogen, the protein helps protein synthesis, and the little bit of fat helps me reach my caloric goals for the day.

Breakfast (8:30am)

I generally aim for 2-4 scrambled eggs and 2-4 pieces of low-fat turkey bacon here. A bit of ketchup on the eggs and I am good to go.

Mid-Morning Snack 1 (10:00am)

Banana and protein shake. I have been playing around with a couple different protein shakes these past 4 weeks. Usually in the morning I will have a vanilla-flavored protein shake mixed in 1% milk. This protein that I take has a few more carbs in it, plus, mixing it with milk ups the calories in the shake and adds some more calories.

Mid-Morning Snack 2 (11:00am)

I mix 1/2 a cup of 2%MF (milk fat) cottage cheese with 1/2 a cup low-cal vanilla yogurt and some berries (usually blueberries or raspberries). The yogurt is low in sugar, I add it basically to help me get past the taste of straight-up cottage cheese. I add in some berries for some more flavor as well as the anti-oxidants involved. Here I will also have a big mug of green tea!

Lunch (12:30pm)

This varies from day to day, but I aim to get at least 30 grams of protein through meat or dairy sources with a bit of carbs and lots of carrot sticks. Baby carrots really are my lunch-time staple! Lunch is always my time for a glass of V8 V-Fusion drink. This may sound like I am promoting this thing, but I really do like this at lunch. In 1 glass (250mL), I get 1 full serving of vegetable and 1 full serving of fruit. No fiber, and high and sugar though so I usually just have the 250mL.

Afternoon Snack 1 (2:30pm)

Apple, Fiber 1 granola bar, and an Isoflex protein shake. I like to have a bit of carbs in my stomach before I take the protein shake to help the absorption and uptake. Isoflex protein is actually designed to be quick-absorbing, but I like to make sure regardless! I like Isoflex in the afternoon because it is low-cal, low-carb, and mixes great with water that I can just mix at work, shake it up, and down it!

Afternoon Snack 2 (4-4:30pm)

Back to the cottage cheese/yogurt/berry combo again from before. 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese has 15g of protein in it! I have another big mug of green tea here. Gotta stay hydrated, especially when taking creatine!

Dinner (6-7:00pm)

I have been aiming to be as low-carb as possible during my dinners. I will almost always aim for a piece of meat (2 chicken breasts, 2 pieces of salmon, 1 big piece of tilapia, steak occasionally) with veggies on the side. The veggies usually include steamed broccoli, a garden salad, or some asparagus. I like to throw some cheese in here with the veggies for that extra protein kick. Topped off with about 250-300mL of 1% milk. The odd time I will throw in a bit of carbs to help my workout for the next morning. In those cases, I will have a bit of whole-grain rice or a red potato.

On Fridays, I have been having whole-grain pasta with meat sauce to give me some extra carbs/calories to help me during my hockey game.

Pre-Bedtime Snack (9:00pm)

I go back to the whey vanilla/milk protein shake here. The extra fat in the shake helps to slow digestion so it keeps my muscles fueled longer into the night. I will generally also have a few tablespoons of peanut butter here to help my bedtime sweet tooth and keep my stomach from eating itself before I fall asleep!

So there you go, that is a general look at my progress and diet so far. My diet will be essentially the same heading into phase 2 because it seems to be working for me so far. I will post my final results in about 5 weeks from now so you can all see my final transformation, stay tuned!

Sources:
Photo - http://www.drugfreebodybuilding.com/gaining-muscle-mass.htm

Stretching to Improve Performance

You may have heard of the benefits of stretching and recovery before, but I will throw even more evidence your way. A study done by the Department of Kinesiology at Louisiana State University titled, "A 10-week Stretching Program Increases Strength in the Contralateral Muscle" found a strength increase in untrained individuals simply by stretching their muscles, not using any resistance training.

To test this, 13 untrained individuals participated in a 10-week stretching program while 12 other untrained individuals served as a control group. For the experimental group, the right calf muscle was stretched 4 times for 30 seconds, with a 30-second rest between stretches, 3 d·wk for 10 weeks. Strength, determined via 1 repetition maximum (1RM) unilateral standing toe raise, and range of motion (ROM) were measured pre-post. In the treatment group, the stretched calf muscle had a significant (p < 0.05) 8% increase in ROM, whereas the nonstretched calf muscle had a significant 1% decrease in ROM. The 1 RM of the stretched calf muscle significantly increased 29%, whereas the 1RM of the nonstretched calf muscle significantly increased 11%. In the control group, neither 1RM nor ROM changed for either leg. The results indicate that 10 weeks of stretching only the right calf will significantly increase the strength of both calves. Hence, chronic stretching can also induce a crosstraining effect for strength but not for the ROM. This study also validates earlier findings suggesting that stretching can elicit strength gains in untrained individuals.

What seems to be most surprising (at least to me) is that in this study, the untrained participants did not include any resistance training (that is known) to supplement the 3-day-a-week stretching program that they followed, yet they still experienced significant strength gains. Now, I am sure most individuals would eventually reach a point, especially if they are already currently active, where stretching will no longer elicit any strength gains. This is great proof, however, that stretching does at least aid in strength gains, or to the very minimum, maintain strength from being lost.

The applications explored at the end of this article discusses the advantages to using a stretching program for injured individuals who can therefore either maintain strength in their muscles or potentially even gain strength while being relatively inactive.

I know for myself, at least, I will be aiming to continue stretching as much as possible, especially post workout, as well as including stretch and recovery routines (i.e. yoga) to my weekly workout regimens.

Your Numbers

We live in a society that is completely obsessed with numbers such as; finances, sports, weather, etc. Part of the reason why we, as a society, are so focused on numbers is because of their direct tie to results. Unfortunately, in many cases, people focus too much on certain numbers when it comes to their health and fitness. Below, I have created a list of common numbers related to a healthy lifestyle that I can discuss in further detail so that you can not only learn a thing or two, but also realize that some numbers really aren't all that important to stress over!

Blood Pressure

This is definitely an important number. People with high blood pressure carry higher risks for certain diseases such as heart disease and stroke. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada lists the following guidelines for your systolic and diastolic numbers:

Normal:
Systolic - 120-129
Diastolic - 80-84

High Normal:
Systolic - 130-139
Diastolic - 85-89

High Blood Pressure:
Systolic - 140 and over
Diastolic - 90 and over

The good thing about high blood pressure is that it is (for the most part) entirely possible to lower your numbers with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Heart Rate

One of the biggest misconceptions out there today is the "fat burning zone". It baffles me to know that even to this day, there are still posters and signs plastered in gyms across the world that indicate heart rate zones that target fat burning.

Here is what is really happening. During your every day life and low-level activity, your body is meeting its energy requirements with (mostly) aerobic energy systems by burning adipose (fat). As your heart rate climbs during an intense exercise session, you begin to transition into burning more sugars (muscle glycogen) but still maintain burning adipose. By aiming to keep your heart rate in a specific 'zone' is just short-changing yourself and your workout will be less efficient than if you were to push yourself. So in short, disregard 'heart rate zone' posters and push yourself to work hard!

The heart rate number you should pay attention to is your resting heart rate. You can take this first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. The fitter you become, the lower your resting heart rate will fall, which is good for you in the long run as it means your heart doesn't have to work as hard over a lifetime.

A "normal" resting heart rate should ideally be between 60-80 beats per minute, although you should discuss with your doctor what is right for you as heart rates will vary between people based on age, genetics, and other health conditions. I have heard that during his peak, Lance Armstrong's resting heart rate was between 32 and 34 beats per minute!!!

Weight

Another number that really does not carry a whole lot of meaning. Actually, let me rephrase that. If you are overweight, chances are, you know it. We should all know by now what a respectable weight range is based on your height. Having said that, you should really try and avoid weighing yourself every day as your body will usually fluctuate between a few pounds based on what you ate during the day,  your hydration level, etc.

Also, if you are just starting a new exercise program, and your muscles are even a little bit sore, your weight may actually go up a bit as water retention in your muscles is part of the repair and remodeling process.

Ideally, you should aim to get your weight into a fairly respectable range, keeping in mind that muscle weighs more than fat (relative to size), and then stay in that ballpark. Do not stress over a few pounds difference here and there from day to day or week to week!

Body Mass Index (BMI)

This can be a reliable scale for the average person to slap them in the back of the head and get their butts moving, but it is not reliable for all. This is a simple equation basing your 'ideal' number on an equation using your weight and height.

As soon as the BMI scale attempts to try and class athletes or bodybuilders - that are even slightly muscular - into a category, is where you run into problems. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so as you start to get fit and healthy and pack on some muscle mass,  your BMI is going to cry aloud. Anything over 25 is considered overweight!

Don't kid yourself here, however, don't calculate your number and then try and convince yourself that you are fit when you really aren't!

Body Fat Percentage

I will be the first to admit that I have never tested my own body fat percentage. Why? Because I feel there is no need for such a useless number. I have been a skinny guy (lucky) my whole life, so my body fat probably hasn't changed much over the span of my life. So what's the point? So I can brag to other people? Nah!

Not only that, but majority of body fat tests out there are terribly inaccurate. The only way you could make some of the tests reliable is to test yourself on the same day, after eating the same foods, and drinking the same amount of water, and blah, blah, blah.

There is one advantage to testing your body fat percentage however. If you an individual who needs to lose even a fair bit of weight, this can be a great motivational tool for you to see this number drop. Again, keep in mind that you would need to measure yourself with the same instrument, under as similar circumstance as possible every time, and also remind yourself that there is a possibility of a +/- %5 variation on each test!

Measurements

These numbers can be the most telling. Again, remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so if you are exercising and eating right but your scale hasn't budged, you may still be making progress! I recommend keeping track of your numbers that are relevant to your goals. For example, if you are trying to slim down and lose weight, take measurements of your waistline, hips, legs, and butt before and after many weeks' work to see the change. If, on the other hand, you are looking to put on some muscle, you may want to measure the size of your biceps and chest.

Often times, you may start to notice your clothes are starting to feel looser - or tighter if you are trying to put on some muscle - so you may not even need a tape measure!

Calories

 There is a pretty close link with "calories in, calories out", but it is not an exact science. For the most part, we all need a specific number of calories to maintain, lose, or gain weight, but these numbers fluctuate between people due to genetics, age, metabolisms, activity levels, etc.

You can definitely experience some success by ingesting fewer calories, but the key is making every single one of your calories count. For example, you are far better off eating 200 calories of fruits and vegetables rather than 200 calories of candy. Not only will 200 calories of fruits and vegetables fill you up more, but they contain more useful 'stuff' in them such as vitamins and minerals.

To learn more about calories, you can read one of my past blogs here.


Sources:
http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3484023/
Photo - http://www.anthonyarroyodotcom.com/theabletoncookbook/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Weighing-Scales-1.jpg

Hydration and Nutritional Fueling

I am always amazed at the amount of advertising and promotional work done towards children, teens, and "weekend warriors" in regards to proper hydration and nutrition. As with any health and fitness craze out there, we are constantly bombarded with slogans and creative advertisements to try and get you to buy a specific supplement or sports drink. There is even more emphasis placed on buzz words such as "electrolytes" to try and convince individuals that the product that a company is selling is the one you need to take your performance to the next level.

I am going to try and enlighten some of you here with some definitions and explanations into what exactly is needed when it comes to proper nutrition, hydration, and of course performance 'enhancers'.

Water

Let's start off with the most important - water! Believe it or not, but water affects athletic performance more than any other nutrient. It plays a crucial role in exercise, especially when the body is sweating. Electrolytes and water have a close relationship because they regulate each other and determine the concentrations each one maintains within the body. Dehydration is a serious matter and can cause not only decreases in performance, but also unconsciousness and even death if not treated properly. Sure, we have a thirst mechanism that tells us when we are thirsty to try and maintain proper levels, but when fluid levels drop as quickly as they do during exercise, our thirst mechanism is unreliable.

Adequate water intake for a non-exercising individual is about 2.5-3.5L per day. Once you factor in sweating from exercise, fluid intake can reach as high as 11-15L for individuals sweating for many hours during a day! Below is a quick guideline that you can follow to ensure that you are meeting your hydration needs:

Before an exercise session - 0.5L (16oz), 2 hours before a workout

During exercise - 177-237mL (6-8oz) every 15 minutes.

After exercise - at least 0.5L of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise.

Even with the guidelines above, I still believe that most athletes are fine competing for an hour or two without consuming any beverages - assuming that you are well-hydrated prior to exercise or competition. If you look at ultramarathoners for example, they very rarely hydrate during a race, and certainly do not take in water at the same rate they are sweating it out.

Electrolytes

A buzz word for companies that sell sports drinks, you may be surprised just how easily the average individual can actually maintain healthy electrolyte levels! The electrolytes that play a role in exercise physiology are; sodium (fluid regulation), potassium (muscle contraction), chloride (muscle contraction), and magnesium (muscle contraction). These are the ingredients that are included in any standard sports drink.

Let's first discuss sodium. For extremely intense exercise, an individual may reach a level of around 1.8L of sweat lost within an hour, and that is being generous with the numbers. In that 1.8L of sweat, the concentration of sodium will be anywhere from 0.46-2.3g/L. To do the math for you, that works out to be anywhere from 0.828-4.14g of sodium lost in an hour of intense exercise, and that is based on a very generous 1.8L of sweat loss.

Why is this important? The average person intakes 4-6g of sodium every day. At this rate, the only time an individual would need to 'supplement' with either salty foods or a sports drink would be if they exercised in pretty intense heat for an hour or more.

Let's also look at potassium, as this is really the only other electrolyte lost through sweat. The average diet intakes approximately 2-4g a day, which is already quite adequate in maintaining positive potassium levels. If an individual is more active than not, they can be encouraged to enrich their diet with potassium-rich foods such as citrus fruits, melons, strawberries, tomatoes, bananas, potatoes, meat, and milk.

Keep in mind that the body actually experiences physiological adaptive mechanisms from more training. In other words, the healthier and more active you are, the more diluted your sweat becomes, requiring even less electrolyte replacement!

Pre and Post Exercise Nutrition

The most common recommendation is to eat 3 to 4 hours prior to exercise or competition to ensure sufficient digestion and prevent an upset stomach. I, myself, enjoy eating a carb-rich meal a few hours prior to a competition, but do not feel it is necessary to eat anything prior to my early morning workouts. Since I am exercising first thing in the morning, I will oftentimes consume a carb-rich snack with a bit of protein such as chocolate milk prior to a resistance workout, but find aerobic or intense interval training is best completed on an empty stomach. This is not for everyone, however, as many people simply find that they run out of energy before the end of their workout. In those cases, I recommend something light and carb-rich that will help top-up your glycogen stores such as a half or whole banana.

Following intense exercise or competition, I still stand by the need for nutritional intake within 60-90 minutes. One key thing here though, the exercise must be intense! Also keep in mind that one of the main reasons for post-workout nutrition is to re-fuel your body for your next workout. I like the 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein in a post workout drink or meal. This allows the body to top-up depleted glycogen stores, but also promote muscle fiber growth and repair.

Having said all of that, I find many people vastly overestimate the amount of calories that they actually burn within an hour. For the average person, you are generally looking at anywhere from 400-800 calories burned in an hour of exercise, with numbers reaching the low 1000's on rare occasions. Research has shown that to prevent a decrease in performance from one workout or competition to the next, an individual should not allow their daily caloric deficit to drop below 400 calories per day. So for example, if an individual is looking to lose weight, but they wish to maintain their performance gains, and burn 700 calories in an hour of exercise, then they should consume an additional 300 calories for that day.

Summary

As with any product on the market today, companies will do what they need to do in order for you to consume their product. In many cases, this results in products being marketed towards individuals that do not actually need them. For example, sports drinks are a perfect example of this. They lead you to believe that you need to 'replenish your electrolytes' when in fact, if you lead a healthy lifestyle with a well-rounded diet, you do not need additional supplementation in that regard. In many cases, these various sports drinks offer unneeded calories, especially for individuals looking to lose weight!

When it comes to hydration, the more fit you are, the more well-rounded your diet is, and the more hydrated you stay at times apart from exercise will determine your success. You rarely see serious competitors in endurance events carrying water bottle belts with them. Cyclists will sometimes have a small bottle of water with them, but certainly not intended to replace the amount of fluid loss during competition.

When it comes to sports drinks. You may see a professional athlete enjoying some sugary drink, but that is to help them maintain their anaerobic power for the multiple hour-long game. These beverages really are not needed for the weekend warriors amongst us, despite what companies will have you believe!

I will look into and write a blog in the coming weeks explaining why I feel pre-workout 'energy' drinks are also grouped in this same category of clever marketing. Stay tuned!

Sources:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/workouts-may-not-be-the-best-time-for-a-snack/?ref=health
Baechle, Thomas R. and Earle, Roger W. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning Third Edition
Photo: http://www.unchainedfitness.com/tag/hydration

Training Application

There are many different reasons why people exercise. Generally, for majority of the population, it is to look good, feel good, and lose a few pounds. This has to be the single most popular application in today's society. This is a point generally reached by many who have been sitting on their rumps for too long, shoving crappy foods down their throats...but that is for another discussion.

Majority of the time, people end up failing on their "look good, lose some weight" goal, and quit. But sometimes, you get a small group of people that actually do well. They start to get it. They change their diet, they include rigorous exercise into their regular schedules, and they become, what they lazy ones call, a "fitness nut".

Great! So they lose a few pounds, they feel good about themselves. They might even pack on a bit of muscle tissue and feel strong and in control. But what next? This is where some people begin to fall off the wagon, because they don't really know what to do next. That is why we are here to discuss application. What I mean by this is to now take that body you have overhauled, and apply it.

Sure, you could go on exercising every day, and be perfectly happy with that. However, for most people, they tend to get bored. I highly recommend you now apply yourself to something athletic. Let us remember that throughout human history, sports and games have been a pretty big part of our lives. Before there were big box gyms, weight loss pills, tv, and internet, there were games and sports to participate in that kept people lean and fit.

Again, it is perfectly acceptable to maintain a healthy lifestyle with something that interests you, but if you are one of the lucky few that enjoys 'playing', and want to get better at that thing - whatever it is - then you then need to think about training specificity so that you can properly apply yourself. This tends to be a natural progression for many, as they become fit and now feel confident in seeing what they can do!

Whether you want to sign up for a marathon, a mud run, or be a 'weekend warrior' by competing in basketball, soccer, hockey, or any other sport that you are a fan of, there comes a time when you must apply yourself to that sport and specify your training accordingly.

I have to say, this what separates a general personal trainer from a specific strength and conditioning coach. A personal trainer can be good at motivating people to get in shape, but only a sports trainer or properly certified strength coach can help you target your program to your specific needs.

The inspiration behind this blog comes from a few different videos that I saw on youtube this past week. First off, we have a man by the name of Stefan Holm doing some hurdle training. Take a minute and observe the size of this guy's legs. Do they appear big and strong to you? Not really! However, this man has trained his muscles to be as explosive and powerful as possible, allowing him to jump as high as he does here. He looks like a gazelle!

Sure, with the previous example, as well as the next one, there may be some preexisting talent here, so I am by no means saying that any 'average Joe' can go out and dunk a basketball. The point here is that it is not always the biggest muscles that make the best athlete, it is how you apply your muscles to a specific goal or task.

Next we have Jeremy Evans, who just recently won the 2012 NBA Slam Dunk Competition. Again, this guy is not built like a bodybuilder. Sure, his legs are muscular, but it is his application of these muscles that won him the competition. Below is a video of him training as well as his highlights.

Sources:
Photo: http://www.dieselcrew.com/jump-training-for-explosive-power