Excerpt from The Stack e-zine
If you've been training for a while, you'll reach a point when adding more resistance to certain movements just isn't going to happen.
You might just be dealing with the natural challenge of plateaus, or your body may be telling you that adding more weight simply isn't a good idea at that time. It's important to listen to your body during these periods, and you can respond in one of two ways. You can be stubborn and try to add resistance anyway, which many times will lead to burnout and/or injury. Or you can be smart and utilize progressions that still increase the challenge of your training but do not increase the weight load.
When adding more weight is your only method and measurement of progression, your progression will inevitably come to a screeching halt at some point. You will also miss out on equally (or even greater) strength and hypertrophy adaptations that come when implementing other methods of progression to an exercise. Below are strategies that smart trainees can utilize to progress their training when adding more weight just isn't an option. After using them, you'll likely find you're bigger, stronger and in less pain than before.
1). Pump Up the Volume: To grow stronger and build more muscle, the body (including the muscles, tendons and nervous system) must experience an overall greater workload over time. Although adding more weight is the most simple and common way to do this, you can also adjust the volume, or the amount of your training in some way. Here we are talking about increasing your reps and/or sets to drive adaptation. Simple, right? Yes, it is.
You can simply perform more reps per set at the same resistance (10 reps of 25 pounds versus 8 reps of 25 pounds), or you can tack on an extra set or two of the same movement at the same resistance (4 sets of squats for 10 reps at 75 versus 3 sets of 10 at 75). But an even more powerful way to increase your volume is to utilize intensity-boosting methods that result in more volume. These methods include rest pauses, drop sets and partial range of motion reps.
a). Rest/Pause: You can utilize the Rest Pause technique following the last scheduled set of an exercise. When you reach that final set, perform the target number of reps as you would with a normal set (let's say it was 6 reps in this case). After completing your 6th rep, rack the weight and rest for 15-20 seconds. Immediately following that brief rest, perform as many clean reps as possible using the same resistance. For most people, this is usually 2-5 reps. After those additional reps, you can even take another 15- to 20-second break and see if you can then squeeze out a few more reps. This is known as a double rest pause. Rest pauses allow you to increase your volume and workload without a big additional time commitment.
b). Drop Sets: Drop sets are a variation of rest pause sets. During the final scheduled set of an exercise, complete the target number of reps and rack the weight. Now you are going to reduce the resistance used by 10-20% before completing another set of as many good reps as possible. Again, you can do this twice for a double drop set. An example might look like this: Last set of front squats = 75 pounds for 6 reps Drop set 1 = 65 pounds for as many good reps as possible Drop set 2 = 55 pounds for as many good reps as possible.
c). Partial Range of Motion Reps: When you can no longer move a resistance through a full range of motion, you can still add to your workload by completing partial range of motion reps (also known as "partials.")
No, this isn't "cheating"—it's simply performing more work than you otherwise would have.
There are two ways you can use partials. The first is to complete the target number of reps with a certain load and then immediately complete as many good partial reps as possible. The other method is a form of a rest pause where you would complete the target number of reps and then rack the weight, rest for 15-20 seconds, and then complete as many good partials as possible.
Unless you have a spotter to help keep you safe, you want to perform your partial reps in the strongest range of movement during a given exercise. Let's use the front squat as an example again. You would complete the target number of reps through a full range of motion. When it's time for your partials, you would complete as many reps as possible through just the top half segment of the squat (so you'd only get about half as deep as you would on a normal rep). You could do the same for the bench press, using the top half of the range of motion for the partials.
2). Alter Your Tempo for More Time Under Tension: Going Slower or Faster Provide Different Challenges
a). Slow Down for More Time Under Tension: Intentionally slowing the eccentric (muscle lengthening) and/or concentric (muscle shortening) component of a movement creates an overall greater time under tension (muscular contraction).
This greater time under tension creates a metabolic environment that is conducive to muscle growth and adaptation. When a movement is taken from roughly 3-5 seconds of total contraction time to 6-10-plus seconds of total contraction time, there is a blood flow exclusion effect that creates a hormonal cascade. This helps trigger greater hypertrophic adaptations. Translation: bigger and better gains.
Throw in strategic isometric pauses during the most challenging segment of the movement and you are now enhancing your strength endurance as well as explosive strength at that specific point in the movement. Gaining strength and confidence in the hardest part of the movement will invariably allow you to move more weight throughout the entire movement when you go back to regular tempo / non-pause reps.
Along with this, the fact that you will be utilizing the same (or less) resistance when compared to regular tempo reps means the joints and working musculature experience less overall force and stress. Less stress allows the tissues to recover and stay healthy for the long term.
Utilize slower tempo and isometric work with your primary compound movements for a four- to six-week block to see significant improvement. Perform a movement with a 3- to 5-second eccentric phase (lengthening) and a 3- to 5-second concentric (shortening) phase. Or you can perform a movement with a 2- to 5-second pause at the most difficult point of the movement (think the bottom of a squat or bench press, or at the top of a chin-up or row).
If you really want to up the intensity, perform a slower tempo movement and an isometric pause at the toughest part of said movement. You will really hate life when training with this method, but the strength and size it can bring about will more than make up for it.
b). Work Faster to Boost Density: The opposite strategy. decreasing your rest time or challenging yourself to complete more work in less time is another method of smart progression. Known as EDT (escalated density training), this technique simply means you are doing more work in a given period of time than you were before.
This can happen in two ways. First, you can either complete the same amount of work in a shorter duration (4 sets in 6 minutes versus 4 sets in 7 minutes, for example). Second, you can increase the work completed in the same duration of time (5 sets in 7 minutes versus 4 sets in 7 minutes, for example).
Less recovery time per given amount of work creates greater systemic stress on the body. This stimulus creates an environment for the body to respond by releasing hormones conducive to growth and adaptation, namely growth hormone.
Monday, February 26, 2018
Friday, February 16, 2018
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
6 Reasons You’ve Hit A Fat Loss Plateau
by Alisa Hrustic for Men’s Health
Losing weight is a battle: And like any good fight, you don’t always come out on top. At first, you were dominating, dropping weight every time you stepped on the scale. Then, the numbers began to slow, and now they’re completely stagnant. You’ve hit the dreaded weight loss plateau. It’s a bummer when your fat loss slows, but hitting a weight loss plateau is completely normal. “The leaner you get, the harder it gets to lose those last few pounds,” says Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., owner of CORE in Brookline, Massachusetts.
As you continue losing weight, your metabolism starts to slow down, so you either need to eat fewer calories or burn more calories to see continued weight loss. But still, your current weight doesn’t have to be your ending weight. You just need to start approaching your fat loss plan a bit differently if you want to see results. Here, six reasons you’ve stopped losing weight—and what you can do to get back on track.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #1: You Don’t Portion Out Your Food
A lot of people devalue the importance of portion sizes, says Gentilcore. You might think eyeballing the amount of food you eat isn’t doing much harm, but it can make a big difference when you’re trying to shed those last few pounds.
If you’ve stopped seeing results, you need to pay attention to portion control. First, familiarize yourself with what you should actually be eating. For instance, a serving of beef is 3 ounces (about the size of a deck of cards) and a serving of potato salad is half a cup (about the size of half a tennis ball). Then, measure it out, Gentilcore says. After you get used to what that amount looks like, you can go back to eyeballing your portions. Here are 12 easy ways to estimate servings sizes if you need a place to start.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #2: You Treat Yourself Too Often
What’s the harm of one brownie after a hard workout, right? Well, that kind of mindset can stunt your weight loss, says John Raglin, Ph.D. an exercise researcher at Indiana University Bloomington’s School of Public Health. “You could run an extra five miles, but it’s really easy to reward yourself with more than 500 calories,” he says. “The reward usually far exceeds the extra calories you expended.”
These excess calories stack up: If you eat a 500-calorie treat several times a week, that could be an extra day’s worth of calories each week, or more than 6,000 calories per month. And that can make a big difference if you can’t seem to move the scale, says Raglin.
Instead of binging on a sundae because you “earned it,” choose smaller portions of treats you really love, suggests Raglin, like a really decadent piece of dark chocolate or a small portion of a high-quality brownie.
Here’s one rule to go by: Only 10 percent (or less) of your daily calories should come from junk food, says Men’s Health nutrition advisor, Alan Aragon. If you feel like you’re not seeing results, try to stick to a lower percent in this range if a craving hits—so if you’re an active person eating 1,800 calories a day, that treat should only be around 180 calories.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #3: You Think You’re More Active Than You Really Are
When you start working out more, you might experience something called “compensatory inactivity,” says Raglin. That means you might be exercising more, but moving less throughout your day.
Many people fall into this habit of “keeping score.” You bust your butt during your morning sweat session. Then when you get home, you plop down on the couch for the rest of the day to binge watch your favorite Netflix show because you feel like you’ve already done enough for the day.
That’s a mistake: If you’re serious about keeping up with your weight loss, falling into this habit of not moving after exercising can really hold you back, says Raglin. “Don’t miss out on opportunities to walk or be active or take the stairs,” he says. “It’s a small difference, but you’re keeping your metabolism up.”
What’s more, incorporating more movement throughout your day can keep you motivated, says Raglin. Make an effort to be active whenever you can—take your dog for a walk, kick around a soccer ball with your kids, or give yourself a daily step count target. The pounds will keep coming off, he says.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #4: You Don’t Fuel Up Right
Sticking to a higher intensity routine boosts your appetite, says Raglin. You might end up feeling ravenous post-workout, causing you to overeat and gain all of those calories back instantly.
Play the preventive game: If you’re hungry going into your workout, chances are good you’ll be starving afterward. In that case, consider having a pre-workout snack to manage your hunger, says Raglin. You don’t want something too heavy or rich, which can make you feel uncomfortably full. Instead, shoot for an apple for quicker energy, a portion of lean meat such as turkey or chicken, and/or a handful of almonds to hold your hunger over. Or, you always can use protein bars.
If you work out before work or after leaving the office, you will need to eat afterwards. Just make sure you’re doing it right: If you have some time to kill before your usual dinner time, make yourself a protein shake or have a small snack so you’re not tempted to overeat at dinner, says Raglin.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #5: You’re Not Consistent In YOUR WORKOUTS
Consistency matters when you’re trying to lose that last bit of weight, says Gentilcore. In fact, skipping just one workout can increase your odds of missing another one by 61 percent, according to British research.
Also, consistency matters in your routine, too. Despite what you may hear, novelty doesn’t necessarily equal progress, says Gentilcore. For a fat loss program to work, you have to stick to a routine long enough so you can really master it.
“The squat, deadlift, and bench press are staples for a reason,” he says. “People don’t give themselves enough time to learn and master these moves.”
The sooner you become proficient at an exercise, the better you get at it. That means you can add more weight to it, helping you gain and retain muscle—which helps you burn more calories throughout the day and fend off fat. But if boring really bothers you, add new stuff to the last 10 minutes of your usual routine as a finisher, suggests Gentilcore.
Then, usually after about 4 to 6 weeks, you can think about switching your exercises up, says Gentilcore. Once you’ve mastered your staples, you can seek out some more challenging variations, like switching up the classic flat bench press with the incline or close-grip bench press.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #6: You Don’t Recover Properly
You’re not going to maintain or continue your weight loss if you’re too sore to keep up with your workout plan out for the rest of the week. Not taking your recovery period seriously can cause you to plateau, says Gentilcore. When you pump iron, you’re literally breaking down your body by causing micro tears in your muscle tissues, so you need give it time to rebuild that muscle before you get back into it.
“People don’t understand that going home and eating well, going to sleep, and drinking enough water is going to allow your body to recover so you can go back to the gym so you can do it again,” he says.
When you’re first starting out, training three days a week seems to be a happy medium for most people, says Gentilcore. But if you really want results, Gentilcore says it doesn’t hurt to work out 6 days a week, just make sure you’re alternating muscle groups, he says. If Monday is your chest day, work your legs Tuesday to give your upper body time to recover.
Losing weight is a battle: And like any good fight, you don’t always come out on top. At first, you were dominating, dropping weight every time you stepped on the scale. Then, the numbers began to slow, and now they’re completely stagnant. You’ve hit the dreaded weight loss plateau. It’s a bummer when your fat loss slows, but hitting a weight loss plateau is completely normal. “The leaner you get, the harder it gets to lose those last few pounds,” says Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., owner of CORE in Brookline, Massachusetts.
As you continue losing weight, your metabolism starts to slow down, so you either need to eat fewer calories or burn more calories to see continued weight loss. But still, your current weight doesn’t have to be your ending weight. You just need to start approaching your fat loss plan a bit differently if you want to see results. Here, six reasons you’ve stopped losing weight—and what you can do to get back on track.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #1: You Don’t Portion Out Your Food
A lot of people devalue the importance of portion sizes, says Gentilcore. You might think eyeballing the amount of food you eat isn’t doing much harm, but it can make a big difference when you’re trying to shed those last few pounds.
If you’ve stopped seeing results, you need to pay attention to portion control. First, familiarize yourself with what you should actually be eating. For instance, a serving of beef is 3 ounces (about the size of a deck of cards) and a serving of potato salad is half a cup (about the size of half a tennis ball). Then, measure it out, Gentilcore says. After you get used to what that amount looks like, you can go back to eyeballing your portions. Here are 12 easy ways to estimate servings sizes if you need a place to start.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #2: You Treat Yourself Too Often
What’s the harm of one brownie after a hard workout, right? Well, that kind of mindset can stunt your weight loss, says John Raglin, Ph.D. an exercise researcher at Indiana University Bloomington’s School of Public Health. “You could run an extra five miles, but it’s really easy to reward yourself with more than 500 calories,” he says. “The reward usually far exceeds the extra calories you expended.”
These excess calories stack up: If you eat a 500-calorie treat several times a week, that could be an extra day’s worth of calories each week, or more than 6,000 calories per month. And that can make a big difference if you can’t seem to move the scale, says Raglin.
Instead of binging on a sundae because you “earned it,” choose smaller portions of treats you really love, suggests Raglin, like a really decadent piece of dark chocolate or a small portion of a high-quality brownie.
Here’s one rule to go by: Only 10 percent (or less) of your daily calories should come from junk food, says Men’s Health nutrition advisor, Alan Aragon. If you feel like you’re not seeing results, try to stick to a lower percent in this range if a craving hits—so if you’re an active person eating 1,800 calories a day, that treat should only be around 180 calories.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #3: You Think You’re More Active Than You Really Are
When you start working out more, you might experience something called “compensatory inactivity,” says Raglin. That means you might be exercising more, but moving less throughout your day.
Many people fall into this habit of “keeping score.” You bust your butt during your morning sweat session. Then when you get home, you plop down on the couch for the rest of the day to binge watch your favorite Netflix show because you feel like you’ve already done enough for the day.
That’s a mistake: If you’re serious about keeping up with your weight loss, falling into this habit of not moving after exercising can really hold you back, says Raglin. “Don’t miss out on opportunities to walk or be active or take the stairs,” he says. “It’s a small difference, but you’re keeping your metabolism up.”
What’s more, incorporating more movement throughout your day can keep you motivated, says Raglin. Make an effort to be active whenever you can—take your dog for a walk, kick around a soccer ball with your kids, or give yourself a daily step count target. The pounds will keep coming off, he says.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #4: You Don’t Fuel Up Right
Sticking to a higher intensity routine boosts your appetite, says Raglin. You might end up feeling ravenous post-workout, causing you to overeat and gain all of those calories back instantly.
Play the preventive game: If you’re hungry going into your workout, chances are good you’ll be starving afterward. In that case, consider having a pre-workout snack to manage your hunger, says Raglin. You don’t want something too heavy or rich, which can make you feel uncomfortably full. Instead, shoot for an apple for quicker energy, a portion of lean meat such as turkey or chicken, and/or a handful of almonds to hold your hunger over. Or, you always can use protein bars.
If you work out before work or after leaving the office, you will need to eat afterwards. Just make sure you’re doing it right: If you have some time to kill before your usual dinner time, make yourself a protein shake or have a small snack so you’re not tempted to overeat at dinner, says Raglin.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #5: You’re Not Consistent In YOUR WORKOUTS
Consistency matters when you’re trying to lose that last bit of weight, says Gentilcore. In fact, skipping just one workout can increase your odds of missing another one by 61 percent, according to British research.
Also, consistency matters in your routine, too. Despite what you may hear, novelty doesn’t necessarily equal progress, says Gentilcore. For a fat loss program to work, you have to stick to a routine long enough so you can really master it.
“The squat, deadlift, and bench press are staples for a reason,” he says. “People don’t give themselves enough time to learn and master these moves.”
The sooner you become proficient at an exercise, the better you get at it. That means you can add more weight to it, helping you gain and retain muscle—which helps you burn more calories throughout the day and fend off fat. But if boring really bothers you, add new stuff to the last 10 minutes of your usual routine as a finisher, suggests Gentilcore.
Then, usually after about 4 to 6 weeks, you can think about switching your exercises up, says Gentilcore. Once you’ve mastered your staples, you can seek out some more challenging variations, like switching up the classic flat bench press with the incline or close-grip bench press.
Weight Loss Plateau Cause #6: You Don’t Recover Properly
You’re not going to maintain or continue your weight loss if you’re too sore to keep up with your workout plan out for the rest of the week. Not taking your recovery period seriously can cause you to plateau, says Gentilcore. When you pump iron, you’re literally breaking down your body by causing micro tears in your muscle tissues, so you need give it time to rebuild that muscle before you get back into it.
“People don’t understand that going home and eating well, going to sleep, and drinking enough water is going to allow your body to recover so you can go back to the gym so you can do it again,” he says.
When you’re first starting out, training three days a week seems to be a happy medium for most people, says Gentilcore. But if you really want results, Gentilcore says it doesn’t hurt to work out 6 days a week, just make sure you’re alternating muscle groups, he says. If Monday is your chest day, work your legs Tuesday to give your upper body time to recover.
Monday, February 12, 2018
How to Find Your Motivation
by
I regularly post assorted articles on fitness and related subjects. Part of this is to inform others about these subjects, because they are good education, but often because they are also what I need to keep myself going. I'm just an average guy and I sometimes need a push in the right direction just like everyone else. This is one of those kind of articles.
Enjoy.
How to Find Your Motivation
I regularly post assorted articles on fitness and related subjects. Part of this is to inform others about these subjects, because they are good education, but often because they are also what I need to keep myself going. I'm just an average guy and I sometimes need a push in the right direction just like everyone else. This is one of those kind of articles.
Enjoy.
How to Find Your Motivation
Wednesday, February 07, 2018
Virtual Violence
A REVIEW BY TERENCE HINES
Video games, especially so-called “violent” games, are the latest in a long string of new entertainment media to be accused of “ruining the youth of America.” Video games as the cause of all sorts of societal ills have been preceded by dime novels, comic books, violent TV shows, and movies and songs with sexy or racy lyrics. In 2002, Gerard Jones published Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-Believe Violence (Basic Books), the first book, as far as I know, to critically examine the hysteria over alleged effects of make-believe violence in the media on children. It focused on all media, not just video games, and concluded that such media posed no threat.
Since Jones’ 2002 book, video games, especially violent video games (hereinafter VVGs), have been the focus of worry that VVGs lead to adolescent violence, even school shootings (think Columbine), and are as addictive and dangerous as drugs. Markey and Ferguson show in their new book Moral Combat that not only are video games, even the violent first-person shooter games, innocent of the charges made against them, video games can and do have positive influences on their players. The authors begin with a brief history of video games and other supposedly harmful media. For example, psychiatrist Fredric Wertham, a crusader against comic books, believed that comics caused juvenile delinquency and that Batman and Robin encouraged homosexuality. His 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent (Rinehart) was an important part of the crusade against comics. It turns out that Wertham “overstated and potentially even fabricated much of his data” (p. 32) that he used to castigate comics.
Markey and Ferguson argue, correctly in my view, that the crusade against video games is a moral panic akin to that seen in the panic over ritual satanic child abuse. Throughout the book they make the interesting point that the crusade is led by those who have little familiarity with the video games they attack, the gamers involved, or the gaming culture that has grown up around the games. They note that the researchers who do research aimed at showing the games’ deleterious effects are largely older individuals who have little knowledge of the gamers or contact with the gamers. […]
Monday, February 05, 2018
4 Truths Your Feet Can Reveal About Your Squat Form
by Sebastian Gonzales, DC, NSCA-CSCS
For being the part of the body that makes it possible to do just about anything, feet don't get a lot of respect—especially in the gym. They can be full of foot fungus, they're smelly, and sometimes they're downright ugly. But when you want to make sure you're squatting with good form, your bare feet can be the stars of the show.
To the trained eye, foot movement reveals a lot about squatting form. Proper foot positioning decreases knee stress, properly aligns the hips, and promotes spinal health. In contrast, sloppy foot contact will alter the path, decrease your strength and effectiveness, and increase your risk of non-traumatic lifting injuries.
It's hard to watch your own feet as you lift. Instead, have a friend videotape your feet as you perform the movement or lift under the watchful gaze of a movement professional. Start by squatting with no resistance. If no faults are evident, add some weight and see if a foot fault reveals itself. Don't keep adding weight to try to force a fault; you just might be one of those lucky people who don't have any! To be sure, check to see if any one of these four things is happening as you squat.
Foot Fault 1: Are Your Heels Coming Unglued? Heels lifting up during a squat is an indication that your body—and the weight—is moving forward. You want to be as stable as possible during a squat and when the heel creeps up, you instantly become less steady. Ideally, the weight should be aligned above your hips and ankles and steady over your entire foot. When weight shifts outside of this downward vertical line, the injury risk to your knees, hips and lower back skyrockets. To be clear, experiencing pain when you lift is not "part of the experience." It is always an indicator of poor form.
One quick way to remedy this fault is to "tripod" each foot by establishing three contact points on the
ground: the heel, the ball of the foot, and the outer ball of the foot.
Spread your toes and glue these three points onto the floor to create a solid foundation from which to lift. If you don't consistently establish this solid contact, then you may become prone to: medial meniscal pain (inner knee), hip impingement (front of hip/groin), and lower back pain.
These conditions are brought up all the time in weightlifting forums by lifters who aren't sure where their pain is coming from. Although many lifters don't consider these "injuries," because of the lack of trauma, they are exactly that. These injuries come, not from trauma, but over time from poor form. They are extremely preventable and usually correctable, once you establish proper foot contact.
Foot Fault 2: Are Your Toes Blowin' in the Wind? When your toes come unglued, we have the opposite problem. If the toes are not planted firmly on the floor, it can cause you to sit too far back into your heels. This will result in an overworked posterior chain.
That's right: You can over-train your posterior chain if you're crushing it day in, day out—especially if you're doing lots of these exercises:
1). Back squats (heel dominance) 2). Romanian deadlifts (heel dominance). 3). Reverse hyperextensions 4). Barbell hip thrusts 5). Supermans
To remedy the lifted toe fault, use the tripod technique described above, and practice towel toe curls to strengthen your feet.
Foot Fault 3: Are Your Arches Collapsing? The collapse of the arches (your foot rolls inward) will allow the knees to cave. Poor knee position is a result of poor function or position of the joints above or below the knee. In this case, the culprit is the foot and ankle complex. There are a couple of ways to tell if someone's arches are collapsing:
Look at the outer foot. Does it lose contact with the ground? Look at the inner foot. Does the arch lose height to any degree?
Try this right now: sit down and tripod your foot. Force the knee to cave inward and see if you can feel your foot-contact pressures change.
If you can, try one of these adaptations:
1). Make sure your foot is fully tripoded.
2). Spread your toes as wide as possible while gripping the floor.
3). Push your foot down into the floor with more pressure.
When you correct arch collapse, you can also remedy upstream issues, including: knee cave, hip internal rotation, and leg drive dominance.
Foot Fault 4: Are You Amplifying Your Arches? The three foot faults we've already discussed are the result of a lack of intention while executing the movement. Raising the arches (your foot rolls outward), on the other hand, can be a conscious overcorrection and a learned behavior. More than one lifter has been coached to squat with the "push the knees out" verbal cue to correct knee cave. The coaching intention is good, but the end result is a movement pattern that doesn't allow for proper staking of the knee.
For being the part of the body that makes it possible to do just about anything, feet don't get a lot of respect—especially in the gym. They can be full of foot fungus, they're smelly, and sometimes they're downright ugly. But when you want to make sure you're squatting with good form, your bare feet can be the stars of the show.
To the trained eye, foot movement reveals a lot about squatting form. Proper foot positioning decreases knee stress, properly aligns the hips, and promotes spinal health. In contrast, sloppy foot contact will alter the path, decrease your strength and effectiveness, and increase your risk of non-traumatic lifting injuries.
It's hard to watch your own feet as you lift. Instead, have a friend videotape your feet as you perform the movement or lift under the watchful gaze of a movement professional. Start by squatting with no resistance. If no faults are evident, add some weight and see if a foot fault reveals itself. Don't keep adding weight to try to force a fault; you just might be one of those lucky people who don't have any! To be sure, check to see if any one of these four things is happening as you squat.
Foot Fault 1: Are Your Heels Coming Unglued? Heels lifting up during a squat is an indication that your body—and the weight—is moving forward. You want to be as stable as possible during a squat and when the heel creeps up, you instantly become less steady. Ideally, the weight should be aligned above your hips and ankles and steady over your entire foot. When weight shifts outside of this downward vertical line, the injury risk to your knees, hips and lower back skyrockets. To be clear, experiencing pain when you lift is not "part of the experience." It is always an indicator of poor form.
One quick way to remedy this fault is to "tripod" each foot by establishing three contact points on the
ground: the heel, the ball of the foot, and the outer ball of the foot.Spread your toes and glue these three points onto the floor to create a solid foundation from which to lift. If you don't consistently establish this solid contact, then you may become prone to: medial meniscal pain (inner knee), hip impingement (front of hip/groin), and lower back pain.
These conditions are brought up all the time in weightlifting forums by lifters who aren't sure where their pain is coming from. Although many lifters don't consider these "injuries," because of the lack of trauma, they are exactly that. These injuries come, not from trauma, but over time from poor form. They are extremely preventable and usually correctable, once you establish proper foot contact.
Foot Fault 2: Are Your Toes Blowin' in the Wind? When your toes come unglued, we have the opposite problem. If the toes are not planted firmly on the floor, it can cause you to sit too far back into your heels. This will result in an overworked posterior chain.
That's right: You can over-train your posterior chain if you're crushing it day in, day out—especially if you're doing lots of these exercises:
1). Back squats (heel dominance) 2). Romanian deadlifts (heel dominance). 3). Reverse hyperextensions 4). Barbell hip thrusts 5). Supermans
To remedy the lifted toe fault, use the tripod technique described above, and practice towel toe curls to strengthen your feet.
Foot Fault 3: Are Your Arches Collapsing? The collapse of the arches (your foot rolls inward) will allow the knees to cave. Poor knee position is a result of poor function or position of the joints above or below the knee. In this case, the culprit is the foot and ankle complex. There are a couple of ways to tell if someone's arches are collapsing:
Look at the outer foot. Does it lose contact with the ground? Look at the inner foot. Does the arch lose height to any degree?
Try this right now: sit down and tripod your foot. Force the knee to cave inward and see if you can feel your foot-contact pressures change.
If you can, try one of these adaptations:
1). Make sure your foot is fully tripoded.
2). Spread your toes as wide as possible while gripping the floor.
3). Push your foot down into the floor with more pressure.
When you correct arch collapse, you can also remedy upstream issues, including: knee cave, hip internal rotation, and leg drive dominance.
Foot Fault 4: Are You Amplifying Your Arches? The three foot faults we've already discussed are the result of a lack of intention while executing the movement. Raising the arches (your foot rolls outward), on the other hand, can be a conscious overcorrection and a learned behavior. More than one lifter has been coached to squat with the "push the knees out" verbal cue to correct knee cave. The coaching intention is good, but the end result is a movement pattern that doesn't allow for proper staking of the knee.
Top 8 Minerals for Staying Healthy, Strong, & Fit
by Emily Bailey for NSAM
You may be familiar with sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium regarding needs for hydration, but these nutrients are also related to many other physiologic processes in the body. Nutrients—including micronutrients, major nutrients and trace minerals—all play an important role in promoting total-body wellness. And staying healthy, strong and fit improves overall quality of life, decreases stress and enhances athletic performance.
Many athletes are looking for a competitive edge regarding fitness and performance. While research does not conclusively show an ergogenic effect for specific nutrients, being deficient in any of them may hinder performance and potentially decrease overall health. Also of interest: It is debated in the research whether people with active lifestyles have increased needs for micronutrients. Intensity, duration, frequency and overall energy requirements also determine the needs of macro- and micronutrients. More research is needed to determine a conclusive answer on increased needs.
Though micronutrients, major nutrients and trace minerals do not directly boost energy or allow improved athletic performance, they do unlock the properties of our macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrate), which are necessary for all of our body’s physiological processes. You’ll see several specific examples in the chart that follows.
Incorporating a variety of whole, unprocessed foods will enable you to consume the major and trace minerals needed to allow your body to function at its best. These include the top 8 major and trace minerals: potassium, sodium & chloride (considered together), calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, selenium, and chromium. If you are unable to consume a variety of foods, supplementation may be needed using a certified product. This list, which includes food suggestions and serving sizes, can help you ensure that your diet has a healthy mix of these top 8 nutrients.
1). Potassium (major mineral): AI for adults: 4.7g (that’s 4,700 mg, the highest need of all the minerals listed here).
Functions: Build proteins and muscle, Carbohydrate utilization, Control electrical activity of the heart, Control acid-base balance, Electrolyte balance.
Food Sources: 1 medium baked potato with skin (926 mg), 1 medium banana (422 mg), 1 medium orange (237 mg), ½ C spinach (420 mg), 1 oz sunflower seeds (241 mg).
2). Sodium/Chloride (major mineral): For healthy adults: RDA sodium: 2,300 mg, AI chloride: 2.3 g/day. For adults with high blood pressure: Upper limit for sodium: 1,500 mg.
Functions: Blood pressure, Blood volume, Muscle contractions, Transmission of nerve impulses, Electrolyte balance, Digestive juices in the stomach.
Food Sources: 1 t salt (2,300 mg), Cured meats (read labels), Naturally occurring in: 1 C milk (107 mg), 1 C beets (106 mg), 1 stalk celery (32 mg).
3). Calcium (major mineral): RDA for adults: 1,000-1,300 mg/day. Female needs are at the upper end of this range. Needs are not increased for active individuals except in hot or humid climates.
Functions: Building bones and teeth, Blood clotting, Muscle contractions, Transmission of nerve impulses, Activation of hormones and enzymes, Sustaining normal heart rate, Electrolyte balance.
Food Sources: 8 oz milk (300 mg), 6 oz yogurt (300 mg), ½ C cooked turnip greens (100 mg), ¼ C almonds (100 mg), Medium sweet potato (50 mg).
4). Magnesium (major mineral): RDA for adults: 310-420 mg, Male needs are at the upper end of this range.
Functions: Several metabolic functions required for exercise, Macronutrient synthesis, Neuromuscular coordination, Transmission of nerve impulses, Regulating heart beat, Immune system support, Electrolyte balance.
Food Sources: 1 C brown rice (86 mg), ½ C spinach (78 mg), 23 almonds (77 mg), ½ C lima beans (63 mg), 21 hazelnuts (45 mg), 8 oz milk (34 mg).
5). Iron (trace mineral): RDA for adults: 8-18 mg. Pre-menopausal female needs are at the upper end of this range.
Functions: Hemoglobin synthesis (anemia prevention), Transfer oxygen from lungs to tissues and muscles, Cardiovascular performance, Metabolism, Cellular function.
Food Sources: Heme sources are most absorbable from meat, seafood and poultry. Plants and fortified foods are non-heme sources.3 oz oysters (8 mg)3 oz beef (1.6 mg)1 C white beans (8 mg)½ C lentils (3 mg)½ C spinach (3 mg).
6). Zinc (trace mineral): RDA for adults: 8-11 mg.
Functions: Immune system support, Cell division, Cell growth, Wound healing, Carbohydrate breakdown.
Food Sources: 6 medium cooked oysters (27-50 mg), 3 oz pork (1.9-3.5 mg), ½ C baked beans (0.9-2.9 mg), 1 oz cashews (1.6 mg).
7). Selenium (trace mineral): RDA for adults: 55 mcg (that’s micrograms, not mg-milligrams).
Functions: Making antioxidant enzymes to prevent cell damage and improve recovery, Thyroid hormone metabolism.
Food Sources: 6 Brazil nuts (543 mcg), 3 oz tuna (92 mcg), 3 oz shrimp (42 mcg), 3 oz chicken (25 mcg), ¼ C sunflower seed kernels (18.6 mcg).
8). Chromium (trace mineral): AI for adults: 20-35 mcg.
Functions: Carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism, Fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis, Insulin action, Glucose metabolism.
Food Sources: ½ C broccoli (11 mcg), 3 oz ham (10.4 mcg), 1 English muffin (3.6 mcg), 8 oz grape juice (7.5 mcg).
References:
1). Rosenbloom, C. A. & Coleman, E.J. (Eds.) 2012. Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals (5th ed.). Chicago: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
2). USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), National Agricultural Library. Accessed Dec 12, 2016. https://fnic.nal.usda.gov/food-composition/vitamins-and-minerals
3). NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information). Accessed Dec 12, 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
You may be familiar with sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium regarding needs for hydration, but these nutrients are also related to many other physiologic processes in the body. Nutrients—including micronutrients, major nutrients and trace minerals—all play an important role in promoting total-body wellness. And staying healthy, strong and fit improves overall quality of life, decreases stress and enhances athletic performance.
Many athletes are looking for a competitive edge regarding fitness and performance. While research does not conclusively show an ergogenic effect for specific nutrients, being deficient in any of them may hinder performance and potentially decrease overall health. Also of interest: It is debated in the research whether people with active lifestyles have increased needs for micronutrients. Intensity, duration, frequency and overall energy requirements also determine the needs of macro- and micronutrients. More research is needed to determine a conclusive answer on increased needs.
Though micronutrients, major nutrients and trace minerals do not directly boost energy or allow improved athletic performance, they do unlock the properties of our macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrate), which are necessary for all of our body’s physiological processes. You’ll see several specific examples in the chart that follows.
Incorporating a variety of whole, unprocessed foods will enable you to consume the major and trace minerals needed to allow your body to function at its best. These include the top 8 major and trace minerals: potassium, sodium & chloride (considered together), calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, selenium, and chromium. If you are unable to consume a variety of foods, supplementation may be needed using a certified product. This list, which includes food suggestions and serving sizes, can help you ensure that your diet has a healthy mix of these top 8 nutrients.
1). Potassium (major mineral): AI for adults: 4.7g (that’s 4,700 mg, the highest need of all the minerals listed here).
Functions: Build proteins and muscle, Carbohydrate utilization, Control electrical activity of the heart, Control acid-base balance, Electrolyte balance.
Food Sources: 1 medium baked potato with skin (926 mg), 1 medium banana (422 mg), 1 medium orange (237 mg), ½ C spinach (420 mg), 1 oz sunflower seeds (241 mg).
2). Sodium/Chloride (major mineral): For healthy adults: RDA sodium: 2,300 mg, AI chloride: 2.3 g/day. For adults with high blood pressure: Upper limit for sodium: 1,500 mg.
Functions: Blood pressure, Blood volume, Muscle contractions, Transmission of nerve impulses, Electrolyte balance, Digestive juices in the stomach.
Food Sources: 1 t salt (2,300 mg), Cured meats (read labels), Naturally occurring in: 1 C milk (107 mg), 1 C beets (106 mg), 1 stalk celery (32 mg).
3). Calcium (major mineral): RDA for adults: 1,000-1,300 mg/day. Female needs are at the upper end of this range. Needs are not increased for active individuals except in hot or humid climates.
Functions: Building bones and teeth, Blood clotting, Muscle contractions, Transmission of nerve impulses, Activation of hormones and enzymes, Sustaining normal heart rate, Electrolyte balance.
Food Sources: 8 oz milk (300 mg), 6 oz yogurt (300 mg), ½ C cooked turnip greens (100 mg), ¼ C almonds (100 mg), Medium sweet potato (50 mg).
4). Magnesium (major mineral): RDA for adults: 310-420 mg, Male needs are at the upper end of this range.
Functions: Several metabolic functions required for exercise, Macronutrient synthesis, Neuromuscular coordination, Transmission of nerve impulses, Regulating heart beat, Immune system support, Electrolyte balance.
Food Sources: 1 C brown rice (86 mg), ½ C spinach (78 mg), 23 almonds (77 mg), ½ C lima beans (63 mg), 21 hazelnuts (45 mg), 8 oz milk (34 mg).
5). Iron (trace mineral): RDA for adults: 8-18 mg. Pre-menopausal female needs are at the upper end of this range.
Functions: Hemoglobin synthesis (anemia prevention), Transfer oxygen from lungs to tissues and muscles, Cardiovascular performance, Metabolism, Cellular function.
Food Sources: Heme sources are most absorbable from meat, seafood and poultry. Plants and fortified foods are non-heme sources.3 oz oysters (8 mg)3 oz beef (1.6 mg)1 C white beans (8 mg)½ C lentils (3 mg)½ C spinach (3 mg).
6). Zinc (trace mineral): RDA for adults: 8-11 mg.
Functions: Immune system support, Cell division, Cell growth, Wound healing, Carbohydrate breakdown.
Food Sources: 6 medium cooked oysters (27-50 mg), 3 oz pork (1.9-3.5 mg), ½ C baked beans (0.9-2.9 mg), 1 oz cashews (1.6 mg).
7). Selenium (trace mineral): RDA for adults: 55 mcg (that’s micrograms, not mg-milligrams).
Functions: Making antioxidant enzymes to prevent cell damage and improve recovery, Thyroid hormone metabolism.
Food Sources: 6 Brazil nuts (543 mcg), 3 oz tuna (92 mcg), 3 oz shrimp (42 mcg), 3 oz chicken (25 mcg), ¼ C sunflower seed kernels (18.6 mcg).
8). Chromium (trace mineral): AI for adults: 20-35 mcg.
Functions: Carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism, Fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis, Insulin action, Glucose metabolism.
Food Sources: ½ C broccoli (11 mcg), 3 oz ham (10.4 mcg), 1 English muffin (3.6 mcg), 8 oz grape juice (7.5 mcg).
References:
1). Rosenbloom, C. A. & Coleman, E.J. (Eds.) 2012. Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals (5th ed.). Chicago: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
2). USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), National Agricultural Library. Accessed Dec 12, 2016. https://fnic.nal.usda.gov/food-composition/vitamins-and-minerals
3). NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information). Accessed Dec 12, 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
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