Things I don't agree with

I see alot of weird things in the gym when training or training others. Some are people just uneducated and not knowing the correct movement whilst others are taken straight out of a fitness magazine but not done with great technique.

However there are a few things I see that I don't think anyone should be doing as they will result in an injury.

Tyre Flipping - Now I know there is a big trend these days for strongman type training, however most people when performing these type of movements just result in loading their spine during severe flexion. This is a sure way to get a sore back. I don't think the exercise is even needed to improve power and explosiveness when you can do safer alternatives such as Olympic lifts and med ball work.

Smith Machine Squats - These are just terrible. It is the same as a leg press. Whats the point? You are basically just lifting the bar up and down in one plane of motion. It has no functional benefit whatsoever and will result in an injury of the knees or lower back depending on the position you place yourself under the bar. Actually the smith machine should not be used for anything except putting the bar in the highest setting and doing pull ups from it.

Crunches - why oh why do so many people believe you need to do hundreds of crunches to get a six pack. You are putting your spine in severe flexion with every crunch. Here's a better way to get a six pack, sort out your diet and add some high intensity sprints at the end of your strength sessions.

I could go on all day but you get the gist. Think before placing something in your workout. What are the benefits and what are the risks involved.

Bench Day

Well it is Monday again and guess what - every guy in the gym today did bench press. I am not exaggerating nearly everyone I seen was performing bench at some point. Add to that the incline press, the shoulder presses and general lack of pulling movements, then no wonder most of these guys are hunched forward and have poor posture. Of course they sit at their desks all day working it is a clear recipe for disaster.

Now I have to confess I also worked up to a max effort bench press today, however I also included chest supported rows, rear delt flyes and face pulls. I am constantly at my desk these days writing up papers and thus have to pay extra attention to my posture.

Remember we could all do with including more pulling exercises into our routines in order to help improve our posture and decrease the risk of injury.

Update

Ok so I have been pretty bad with updating the blog as late. Last week I spent a week in Italy following Northern Ireland in the football World Cup qualifiers. Great time but Italy is not what I expected. Maybe need to go back in the summer.

Anyway enough of all that. Was at a seminar yesterday by Dr Tim Foster from Nottingham University. His talk was "Food structure and its effect on bioaccessibility for
optimised bioavailability of micro- and macro-nutrients”. I have to say I was not sure how this was going to go, however some of the information he discussed was very interesting. He discussed how food companies manipulate the food structure to achieve different aims. For example how they actually put fat molecules into certain foods that actually slow the release of energy and make you feel full longer. They do this without actually adding any increase in calories from the fat macronutrient. There is definatly alot of scope for future research in this area especially with regards to helping people lose weight, help make more effective sports supplements and even increase delivery of drugs to patients with disease or muscle wasting.

Check out some of his work in Pubmed. I will be updating more often just got to keep on top of things.

Supplementation During Exercise

We all look for the best ways to improve body composition, whether that be increased muscle mass or losing body fat. An increase in muscle mass is one of the best ways to improve body shape and one strived for each day by millions of men around the world each day. Nutritional strategies before and after training are well documented to help build muscle through increased protein synthesis. However recent evidence is pointing towards extra benefits when food is supplemented during exercise.

A new study from the American Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism investigated the effects of two supplements and their effects on protein balance during resistance training. One group consumed a carbohydrate supplement whilst the others consumed a mixed carbohydrate and protein supplement.

They found that the mixed supplement was the only to provide a positive protein balance, therefore allowing muscle to be built. This is very interesting especially when you see many men and women consuming their carbohydrate only sports drinks during a training session. The negative protein balance associated with carbohydrate only supplementation may hinder the gains the individual is looking to achieve.

The interesting thing about this study was that both groups were in a fed state prior to training. Thus implying that a mixed protein and carbohydrate supplement may provide additional increases in protein synthesis even when a pre training supplement is consumed.

For people interested in adding muscle to their bodies a supplement regime of pre, during and post workout may be the most effective strategy.

For more information : Beelen M, et al. Protein coingestion stimulates muscle protein synthesis during resistance-type exercise. american Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism: 295(1):E70-7, 2008.

Its so cold

A little bit of snow and the country comes to a standstill. I can't understand why snow manages to cause so many problems. Our schools have shut, we have been asked not to drive on the roads unless essential, we had no train services and even the centre of London was shut down yesterday with the underground closed and the main airports runways out of action. You just have to look at mainland Europe and the US to see that in every other country snow does not seem to cause the same hassle.

Anyway rant over. It was good to see plenty of people out exercising and not letting this so called disaster get in their way of achieving their individual goals. Powerbase (Uni Gym) was packed as usual and I seen plenty of people our running and cycling. Remember no excuses.