Much Ado about Hip Mobility

Since I've made a post about shoulder restrictions, I've received a few requests about how to loosen up stubborn hips.

This is my dad, unintentionally showing off his
perfect bottom position and impressive ankle
dorsiflexion.

One thing I'd like to mention, which has been noted in previous posts, is that some people are just genetically and anatomically better suited for squats. Let's take my father, for example. My dad, who does not exercise, and has no notable sports background has a picture perfect squat. He has never mobilized a day in his life, and no one taught him proper squatting mechanics. In fact, I was stunned to watch him squat down to reset our Internet modem with absolute ease. Others will take weeks or months of mobility/motor control drills to execute a partial squat. If you're interested, Dr. Stuart McGill has an excellent video discussing this concept. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do to change one's acetabulum or femurs.

Don't be discouraged! There's hope for you yet. What we can do, instead, is put someone who may be...inept at squatting into a position that optimizes his or her anatomy. We can play around with foot position, stance, and different squat styles to see what is best suited towards their anthropometry (limb length/proportions). I always recommend that those who are struggling with their squat mechanics work with a qualified coach/movement practitioner to improve. If that is not an option for you, then you should spend some time playing around on your own trying different set-ups.  Record yourself when possible. Remember that your squat will not necessarily look the same as mine.

Once you've settled on your ideal stance and foot position, now we must consider the role of motor control (yay for unintentional rhyming) in the squat. As you can imagine, there are many possible compensatory patterns that one might display throughout the movement. From knee valgus/varus, to shooting the hips back too far, to letting the chest drop, I've seen it all; this is when attention and mindfulness become especially important. Again, it will be invaluable to have a coach review your mechanics in these cases. With just a few simple cues, most errors are immediately fixable, and then you may continue to practice these on your own and engrain the proper sequencing in your head.

One exercise that I typically use with my clients who are learning to squat is the pole squat drill: this allows the person to understand how their weight should be distributed, and helps them achieve a lower bottom position almost immediately. I would also introduce them to the quadruped rock, which mirrors the sequencing in a squat and warms up the hips. These movements are best suited in the beginning of a session.

For clients who still have difficulty squatting after those drills, the goblet squat should become your friend. It is generally easier for individuals to assume a better position in a goblet squat. Holding weight in front of the body forces you to maintain a more vertical torso and achieve better depth. I always prescribe these (typically with a pause at the bottom) before moving clients on to barbell variations.

While many people spend an endless amount of time trying to stretch the hell out of their hip flexors, I find that those efforts are often wasted. Instead, implementing movements such as the goblet squat with a tempo (slow negative and 1-2 second pause) will allow you to kill two birds with one stone. Similarly, tempo single-legged exercises will do wonders for opening the hips. Bulgarian split squats necessitate a decent amount of hip flexibility, so it may be beneficial to start with a traditional lunge, again with a slow eccentric phase.

Finally, at the end of the session, the happy baby pose is ideal. Not only does this provide a nice stretch, but it's actually quite relaxing. You can also use this time to practice your diaphragmatic breathing. Focus on pushing your belly against your thighs as you inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth, and repeat. 1-2 minutes should be more than enough.

In the long run, an arsenal of hip flexor stretches isn't going to address the source of the problem. Teach yourself proper squat patterns, train your lower body with an eccentric emphasis, and show your hips some love. If you're diligent in your efforts, you'll be dropping it low on and off the dance floor in no time.

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A Case Against Box Squats

The box squat is ubiquitous in both high level strength and conditioning facilities and Globo gyms. While a lot of coaches and trainers tout the box squat as being beneficial for "explosiveness" and overall strength, I am here to dispute its efficacy, and highlight some of their potential drawbacks.

I am guessing that some of you are already prepared to jump on me for questioning a movement that is so widely utilized, but before you do so, give this article a read. If you still vehemently disagree with my claims, then I'm always happy to hear other opinions.

One of the biggest underlying detriments to using the box squat, in my opinion, is the lack of "biomechanical transferability" to a traditional back squat (specifically high bar); by this, I mean that the movement is quite different in terms of joint angles. One cue you will often hear in the box squat is something to the effect of "push your butt back." Now, this may also be applicable to a powerlifting low bar squatting style, but it is contraindicated on a high bar, Olympic style squat. You'll notice that in this diagram, that the low bar back squatter (on the left) sits his hips back farther, and his shins are closer to vertical, whereas the high bar squatter on the right sits more upright, and the knees track in front of the toes.

The cue "sit back" leads to the athlete maintaining a shin that is almost completely vertical and ends up in a position that would not otherwise be sustainable. Try to do a high bar or low bar squat by pushing your hips back to an extreme degree like some coaches advocate on the box squat–you will likely fall over, because that is not the natural way to descend the hips. Take a look at this guy in the photo. Squatting this way sans box would be very difficult.

Aside from the altered mechanics of the box squat, this movement often decreases the standard range of motion. The only time I would ever prescribe box squats for a client is if he or she were having difficulty achieving or gaging depth on the movement. In this case, a box or a medicine ball can give the client a target or a standardization for depth. Over time, one should progress to a lower box, and eventually eliminate it altogether. If you're comfortable with the movement, then you should always aim to maximize your range of motion with great technique, rather than decrease it.

Similarly, a lot of people tend to get lazy on the box. By this, I mean that the lifter will fully relax and disengage in the middle of the movement. This is not only disadvantageous (as it would never happen in a normal back squat), but it is also dangerous. Now, the lifter has to recreate tension as they stand. There is a tremendous risk of back injury for this reason. If you do choose to use box squats in your training, you should simply tap the box and then quickly rebound, rather than sitting completely.

While some strength coaches praise the box squat for its ability to develop explosiveness out of the hole, I prefer two other squatting variants: paused squats and jumping barbell squats. Both of these movements are, in my experience, far superior. The paused back squat allows the lifter to achieve full depth and build concentric speed, and the jumping barbell squat teaches that rebounding, plyometric power that is desirable in most sports. I prefer to keep repetitions per set lower (<6-8) for both movements, because the lifter can focus on perfect technique. For the paused squats, it is ideal to use a weight that will be challenging, but will not slow down your ascent. For example, if you're grinding to stand up with the weight, you've gone too heavy. Speed trumps weight here. Weight should be between 20-30% of back squat 1 repetition maximum for the jumping barbell squats. Heavier weights won't allow for a quick rebound.

Overall, while some prefer to program the box squat, I think it is limited in its practical application for most people. Not only does it reinforce improper mechanics, but it also could result in injury. Try different squatting variations to stimulate the same effect.



Works Cited:

1. Swinton, Paul A., Ray Lloyd, Justin W. L. Keogh, Ioannis Agouris, and Arthur D. Stewart. "A Biomechanical Comparison of the Traditional Squat, Powerlifting Squat, and Box Squat." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 26.7 (2012): 1805-816. Web.

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Top Exercise Questions, Answered

Come Ask The Trainer: Top Exercise Questions, answered

I was lately requested by means of a writer to answer a slew of famous questions concerning health, nutrients, and private education. the questions ranged from "is it safe for pregnant ladies to workout? " to "is it better to carry out cardio before or after lifting weights or ought to
Cardio be performed over a totally one of a kind day? " to "what ought to a private teacher think about when operating with each person patron? ".

My answers are based upon exercising science and collective enjoy of different fitness and health experts. due to space, I without a doubt dedicated to aspects of my answers, in case you need similarly clarification and feature your own questions, please do now not hesitate in contacting me.

Is it authentic that a few sporting events produce consequences quicker than others? if indeed,
Which sports offer the satisfactory and worst "returns on investment"?

Amazing question! first, you have to ask yourself "what outcomes you're seeking out? " I normally tell my customers "you're making an investment your money month-to-month dues and duration into this adventure. what do you believe you studied are the only goals? ".

As soon as you know objectives, we are able to begin the method of elimination of what sporting events now not do! secondly, after your goals, a right health evaluation need to be finished. yet again, in case you are making an investment your time and money then let's take it a step forward and locate a few baseline of your contemporary fitness.

As an instance, body fats to lean muscle tissues ratio, muscle-skeletal asymmetries ( hip hike, right shoulder inside rotates extensively extra than left), cardiovascular evaluation, list beyond accidents and so on. following that is established and financing your present life-style (sedentary, active), you can get started to pick out sporting events a good way to maximize a while.

An extra instance, if it's far weight reduction then you definitely need to paintings greater muscle groups per motion, we call this compound sporting events e. g. squat to bicep curl to overhead shoulder press. specializing in a single muscle organization consisting of abs, muscle groups mainly inside the first 90 days will not yield the identical calorie expenditure as when you perform compound movements.
Remaining but no longer least, I relatively endorse gaining knowledge of the way to move/exercise in maximum anatomical planes. the more a part of the population paintings reflect muscular tissues trains in a linear pattern e.g lunges, squats, breasts. in case you introduce movements in all planes of motion which includes a part to side, rotational sports, hip dominant workout, solitary leg physical activities, up, down, left, proper, forward, flip again and round. the frame might be the usage of greater muscle mass than any nautilus machines.

Worst "return on investment" nautilus machines first-class "return" body weight, unfastened weight, aggregate educate with kettle alarms and many others.... machines may enhance a software but it ought to never substitute loose form training.

Sure, loose shape training calls for extra time to analyze accurate shape however combined with appropriate intensity, relaxation, and nourishment, your investment will produce outcomes!

Can it's a good concept for a person to workout in the event that they have a chilly?

I without a doubt do now not recommend working out with a chilly. I agree with that the energy you utilize to exercise might be high-quality utilized by your immunity technique to combat the freezing. you may be extending your cold with the aid of sporting on to work out. the the rest, hydration and proper interest of your bloodless will permit your system to retrieve accidents and hitting a plateau are much more likely to occur if you exercising underneath the climate. use discretion and common sense.

If your cold stays with you for over per week and you simply had been running out then hook up the dots and stop exercise! stick to on foot, stretching or foam going for walks until you sense better.

Is it a long way better to perform cardio before or right after lifting weights or need to
Cardio be done on a very exceptional day?

There are many critiques on what comes first. I apologize in advance due to the fact I used to be going to repeat what I stated earlier.... it will depend upon ambitions and current health stage. 99% percentage of my customers will do cardio after their exercise the 1% is my mature/senior purchasers seventy-five, 80, ninety+ yrs antique. aerobic increases your important temperature and does not without a doubt prepare the muscle organization/joints for the exercise earlier.

However, "dynamic warmups" which final five-10 minutes will maximize your potential, a few blessings: enhance your center temperature, lengthen muscular tissues, stimulate the anxious device, assist in growing your mobility/stability, boom blood circulation, boosts mind/body connection,personal damage prevention and prepares the body for the exercising ahead.

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Eagles Team

If you are an Eagles fan, you have to be hurting right now. Not only are they off to a 1-3 start, after winning their first game 33-27 against the Redskins, nevertheless they just seem to be making mistakes. With the rate that they are heading, they are going wrap up at 4-12, precisely the same dismal performance as that were there last season.

Earliest, even though the Phila. Eagles fired head mentor Andy Reid after 13 seasons at the end of 2012 - along with the rest of the coaching staff other than for Duce Staley and Ted Williams - the wholesale change out won't seem to be making a great deal of difference. You have to wonder the length of time new mind coach Chip Kelly is going to stay around, and whether he will even make it to the end of the entire year kelly is an unproven quantity in the NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, although he did an admirable job at Or transforming a mediocre university program into what it is today. Whether he's hard enough to make it in the NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE  difficult to say - but he has a reputation for cheerleader, which just might not exactly minimize it.

The next thing is the Eagles' defense this coming year. As was recently mentioned by Paul Domowitch, NFL columnist with the Philadelphia Daily Reports, the Eagles are now on track to give up more yards than any other team in NFL history. We thought that record would stand some time when the Team set it last season - giving up 7042 yards - but if the Eagles keep the same pace, they'll give up 106 yards more. Not only that, the Eagles are even more serious when opponents go to the air. The Team set a record by providing up 4875 transferring yards in 2012, while the Eagles are likely to give up 5432 if they help keep on heading the way they are right now. This shows up in the Eagles' first down statistics - they are on speed to give up 448this year shattering the Baltimore Colts' record of 406 which includes stood for thirty-two years.

The offense appears to be getting over the line as well, and the trend appears to be getting worse. The first two games of the season actually went well, with the Eagles recording an impressive ratio of 6th. 67 points per 90 yards. Now, that has dropped to three. 88 in the last two games, even though they are still piling on the yardage. They just can't get anything together in financial debt zone - in their latest 52-20 loss resistant to the Broncos, they only |have scored 2 touchdowns on 5 trips inside the 20. Brent Celek's play probably summed it up - his drop on third down in the red zone meant the Silver eagles had to settle for an area goal. The moment you consider that Peyton Manning was in the other camp, that kind of performance just basically going to accumulate the points that are needed.

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Fitness Training Plan

Just how many pounds do you want to lose? Five, ten, fifty200?

You may be able to lose five pounds by starting to eat breakfast time every day, but it will take more than that to achieve the significant goals. Your hefty goals are achievable, though! They are going to take some work and then you’re going to desire a plan, but it is worth it. Since the saying goes "failing to plan is intending to fail". If you are unsuccessful to plan, don't expect to meet aims, but if you have an excellent fitness training plan, the chance of succeeding will be greater.

Let's look at three elements of a fitness plan that you are want to have: the what, when, and when.

The what
Diet plan. Yes, the inevitable diet lecture. Nothing will influence your overall health more than your diet. You are able to lift dumbbells all day long and not lose a pound if your daily diet doesn't enable you. I would recommend implementing three simple tips, from there you can evaluate if there is a more specific diet plan that you want to follow.

1. drinking water before each time you eat. Whenever we feel starving, many times actually just thirsty. Water to drink before each time you eat (one or two glasses) is able to help you discern when you are actually hungry and in case you are hungry, water can sometimes help as an appetite suppressant.

2. Tend not to eat after 8 pm. During the night your body is delaying down. It is aiming to "take it easy" and get ready for understructure. If you keep padding it with food, your body is going to have to work more during the night to digest the food that you eating.

3. Revolutionary substitution. For anyone who is trying to meet weight loss goals, unhealthy foods is your enemy. Replacing your unhealthy food with healthy food choices can make a huge big difference in your eating behaviors. Since junk food is your enemy, you need to see it as an enemy and treat it like an opponent. Getting junk food away of your property and replacing it with fruits and veggies, healthy crackers, and so forth. will go a long way. Minus a certain food in your house, there is also a much smaller chance of you eating it.

Exercise. Exercising can occasionally seem to be intimidating, but it will not have to be. You no longer need to be Arnold Schwarzenegger or bench press a vehicle, start small. Begin somewhere. That may mean taking a 5-minute walk around your house every morning before work. That could mean doing 5 push-ups and sit-ups before you go to the foundation. You don't have to have a gym regular membership and $200 athletic shoes to be able to exercise. Chose a beginning point, even if it may seem to be minor and go after that.

Rest Studies show that those who do not get a significant amount recovery, gain weight compared to those who sleep more. When your person is tired it can be harder to regulate your urge for food. Eating late at nighttime, through the middle of the evening, and eating junk food is capable of ruining your entire weight reduction plan.

How often
A few may suggest that if you're pursuing the diet you can have a "splurge day". While I see the point, I think it would beneficial to keep away from "splurging" and keep your diet going 24/7/365. Your goal is not merely to lose weight, it is to live a proper lifestyle,  so as to maintain the weight loss and live a healthier life. "Splurging" helps keep you familiar with how good that trash food tastes and, {if you have a habit to sugar, it could keep your habit alive.

Therefore how often should you stick to your needs diet? All the time. That doesn't mean your diet must be super rigid or vegan, but make an effort to have a "lifestyle change" attitude, not simply a "diet change" mindset. If unhealthy foods are the enemy of your goals, it would be smart to keep away from its day-to-day.

When deciding how often you should exercise, consider your schedule and basic your exercise routine around that. We only have so many hours in a day and keeping your priorities in line is important. If your weekends are often free, it could be smart to schedule workouts on Saturday, Sunday, and then one day through the week. If your time is limited and you could only workout a couple of times a week, then do that. Only ensure you start somewhere. Certainly, one of the most frequent reasons people no longer finishes their endeavors is basically because they fail to even start them. Start moving on the right course and do something.

The moment
Deciding what moments of the time you will exercise are actually more critical you think. Is actually safe to express that if you are not in a position of being steady with a specific period}, it will be difficult to be regular in applying your overall plan. The exercise routine could be scheduled for different times on different days, but sticking with what you have planned as much as possible is critical to your long-term discipline and success.

Don't wait, create your fitness training plan today! I really hope you were encouraged to get started on moving towards your health goals.

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Olympic Triathlete Stuart Hayes visits the GSK Human Performance Lab

The World Triathlon season kicked off in Auckland (5-6 April), New Zealand and will culminate later on this year in Edmonton, Canada. Olympic triathlete Stuart Hayes will be hoping for a good season following his successful race in the 2012 London Games, where he participated in a support role for the eventual gold medallist, Alistair Brownlee.

The standard triathlon involves a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride and a 10km run. It is an extremely challenging endurance event where competitors must be strong across all three disciplines in order to be successful. As well as being a competent runner, cyclist and swimmer; a good triathlete also needs the mental strength to keep their body on the limit.

To aid his preparations this season, Stuart Hayes is working with the GSK Human Performance Lab (GSK HPL). GSK HPL scientists work in a world-class facility to help their elite partners break through the limits of human performance by combining cutting-edge technology and scientific expertise.

In his visits to the facility, Stuart completed a number of assessments, including a power maintenance test, where a cycling ergometer gauged his performance level across this leg of the triathlon. During this test, scientists adjusted Stuart's intensity levels and regularly tested his blood lactate levels and analyzed his expired gas. This helped GSK HPL scientists understand how Stuart's body reacted to differing intensity levels and how close he was to maintaining a power output which was agreed prior to his visit. From these tests, a tailored, sustainable power output program was developed, which Stuart can follow in the cycling leg of his races.

Cognition tests were also carried out to assess his ability to perform fine motor skills (important in the transition phases in the race) when fatigued. The time spent changing from one discipline to the other, including changing attire or equipment, is extremely important. Understanding how his fatigue affects cognitive performance enabled GSK HPL scientists to make cognitive training recommendations to help Stuart minimize transition time during races.

Stuart was really positive about the value that these tests added to his overall race strategy and said: "It's fantastic to come here, use the great equipment and learn from the expert science team how to take my performance to the next level and achieve those minimum gains which will make all the difference when I compete"

Stuart has been able to adjust his training strategies as a result of the insights provided by GSK HPL scientists. Hopefully the changes he has been able to make to his training and strategy will pay dividends this season in competitive races.

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Smart Exercise Swaps

As you start your workout routines, one thing that you need to make sure you're doing is making the most of your time and effort in the fitness center. Though sadly, many people remain spending much too much time carrying out exercises that simply will not have them the best 'bang' for his or her time invested. 

This is merely to lead to high levels of disappointment permanently as they'll gradually commence seeing that their commitment just isn't paying down which will eventually lead them to fall quickly the bandwagon totally. 

That is why it's essential that you find out about which will be the smartest exercises to be using in your workout and then replace all the not-so-smart ones with these instead. 


So let's begin and review a few key exercise swaps that you ought to be making so you don't get trapped in improvement plateau. 

Swap Lateral Raises For Shoulder Press 

The first exercise swap to make is to remove the later raises you're performing in your plan and do a set or two of shoulder presses instead. Shoulder presses will target all the heads of the shoulder muscles, but then in addition to that, also target the triceps and biceps as well. 

Plus, doing shoulder presses will help to create the illusion of a slimmer waist as well if you can add a bit of added muscle size and definition, so that's another clear benefit to look forward to. 

Swap Hip Raises For Lunges 

Moving on, hip raises are one move that many women get into the habit of doing thinking it's going to firm their backside. But, it's only going to disappoint. 

Hip raises really don't work enough total muscle fibers to do you justice and will just be a waste of time in the gym. Instead, try lunges. 

Lunges are far more superior because not only will they work the same muscles you were intending with those hip raises – the glutes, but they'll also work the hamstrings, quads, as well as the core. 

Doing this exercise really means a win-win scenario for you. You'll get a high degree of results in a very short time period. 

Swap Bicep Curls For Chin-Ups 

Going back to your upper body, if you want to create arms that garner a second look, consider swapping out your bicep curls and doing chin-ups instead. 

Chin-ups are very often overlooked because most people simply don't consider them as they're too focused on weight oriented exercises, but these are one of the most effective exercises that you can use. 

Chin-ups will target the biceps as well as the lat muscles, helping you build your strongest back ever. When performing chin-ups, to add extra intensity to the movement, consider taking a brief pause at the top of the exercise for a second or two. 

This will increase the total time under tension and make sure that you fatigue the muscle to a maximum state. 

Swap Crunches For Prone Ball Roll Ins 

Looking at your abdominal workout, if you're often spending time doing crunches in the gym, you may want to reconsider. While you might ‘feel the burn' from doing these, at the end of the day, they're doing very little to bring you good results. 

Instead, consider doing the prone ball roll in. This exercise is great because not only will it place the abs under a great deal of tension, but it's also going to work the hip flexors as well as the shoulders and arms. 

It really is a full body movement, so you'll likely feel it almost everywhere as you execute it. To get best results while doing this movement, make sure that you keep your abs squeezed the entire time and the hips elevated when you move into the stretched position. 

Also be sure that you never rush through the exercise, but rather move the ball inwards and outwards in as smooth and controlled manner as possible. 

Swap Leg Extensions For Step-Ups 

Another good swap that you should be considering making is to swap out the leg extensions that you might be performing with some step-ups instead. 

While leg extensions can be good for zeroing in on your quad muscles if this is the primary muscle group that you want to target, they aren't going to be as effective as step-ups. 

Step-ups, like lunges, are going to work the glutes, quads, hamstrings, as well as the core, so you'll get a full lower body workout while you do them. 

This means you'll burn more calories total throughout the entire workout session, while also boosting your strength levels to a higher extent as well. 

So there you have some of the key exercises that you should consider dropping from your workout program and which you should consider adding instead. 

It's important that you do keep in mind that the foundation of your workout program should always be focused around compound lifts. If you do this, then you'll naturally be turning to movements that do offer more ‘bang for your buck'. The more muscle fibers you can work at once, the greater the calorie

burn you'll see from the session and the more strength gains you'll get as well. 

At the end of the day, this is also what will create the greatest metabolic response for you, which will mean greater fat loss over the 24 hour period, moving you one step closer to creating that lean, yet muscular body you're after. 

Some isolation exercises can definitely be added from time to time if you really want to enhance the definition in just a single muscle group or bring up a lagging body part, but for the most part, these exercises should be minimized and limited to just a few sets at the end of the workout. 

If you do that, you will be headed for success. 

About Shannon Clark

Shannon Clark has a degree in Exercise Science and is an AFLCA certified personal trainer. Her insights are regularly published on bodybuilding, askmen and FitRated.com. FitRated is a leading fitness equipment review site offering insights on equipment, workout plans and weight loss strategies. Check out the latest review of the Bowflex Max Trainer.

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Top Apps to keep a Healthy Lifestyle

Whether it's having to wait weeks for an appointment or having to sit in the surgery waiting for someone to miss their allotted time, sometimes it's just not practical or feasible to see you GP when you feel ill. This is especially true when you're away from home either working or on holiday.


Apps are a great way to manage your lifestyle especially because our lives can be so hectic that we forget to recognize that our bodies need consideration. A mobile phone is something close to hand and with the right app installed it can be a great asset to help us with some of our health challenges. Also, information can also be hard to find and an app is a great way to find the right information in one place.

The following are some great apps that would likely suit people at all ages and with different lifestyles.

Medical databases
Saga has a Health app for the over the 50s which could be very useful in such a situation. It is absolutely free to download from the Apple App store, includes easy-to-use factsheets on as many as 800 medical conditions and health topics, with information sourced directly from the NHS Choices website. Using the app, you can access a database of hospitals. In addition, the app allows you to search for over 1000 specialists by both locations and by field of expertise. Using GPS, the app will even provide directions to your chosen hospital.

Symptoms trackers
The Saga Health app is great for researching a wide variety of illnesses; however, if you're looking for more specific information, Symple is another fantastic app that you can find within the Apple App store. If you suffer from headaches or shoulder pain that seems to come from nowhere, Symple helps you to track the times when you experience the symptoms, which in turn allows you to decipher any triggers and other patterns that might be causing or contributing to the pain. The Symple app allows users to track up to 20 symptoms at a single time, as well as allowing you to make daily notes and take photos, keep track of your exercise routine, medications and other health-related factors.

Keeping healthy
Both these apps work fantastically if you are feeling under the weather, but what app is best for maintaining that healthy lifestyle so you don't get ill? A look in the Apple App store when searching for "Healthy Living" shows that among the most popular health-related apps is Pact - Cash for Living Healthy, which billed on the store as ‘the most effective way to actually keep your healthy resolutions this year', which is novel in the sense that it allows those who keep up with healthy living to earn cash for doing so. Where does the cash come from? It's paid by members who don't keep up with the pact.

Record your sleep patterns and patter
Finally, one app that isn't directly health related, but deserves an honorable mention is the cool new app 'Sleep Talk Recorder'. According to a study conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 50% of children and 5% of adults have a tendency to talk in their sleep. If you're one of them, there's a way to find out which old girlfriend you are referring to in your sleep with Sleep Talk Recorder. The app is easy to use, and saves your sleep-time recordings, placing them on a timeline for easy access and playback. There really is no replacement for your real GP, but that doesn't mean anyone enjoys seeing them. However If you get any or all of these apps in your life who knows, you may keep healthy enough to stay away from them for a good long while.

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Will Creatine Help You?

Creatine is, without a doubt, one of the most popular supplements touted by bros on the market today (at least that one can legally use). Bodybuilders and other athletes use it to improve work capacity and increase size. In fact, Froiland et. al. found that about 37% of NCAA athletes take creatine. Before you start scooping heaps of creatine into your protein shakes, however, it's important to know how it works, and also what it does and doesn't do.

There are seven different types of creatine supplements: creatine monohydrate (the most popular form), tri-creatine malate, micronized creatine, liquid creatine, conjugated creatine, buffered creatine, and ethyl ester. For the purposes of brevity of this article, though, I will only discuss creatine monohydrate supplementation.

Naturally produced in your liver, pancreas, and kidneys, creatine is transported to your muscles through the bloodstream. Creatine is also sourced from meat and fish, or, obviously, supplementation. Along with a compound known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), phosphocreatine is the primary energy source for all anaerobic activity (shorter activities that don't require much oxygen).

With creatine supplementation, you have more ATP-PC stores, and, thus, you're able to improve your work capacity! Creatine is effectively giving you that extra "boost" in your workout, so if you were only able to perform 4 repetitions on your bench press at a given weight, using creatine supplements, you'll ideally be able to do 6 or more repetitions. In summary, creatine isn't a miracle supplement that you take and wake up looking like Arnold and lifting like Mark Henry, but, rather, it's aiding you in getting more work done than you would've been able to do otherwise. An increased work capacity allows you to increase volume (repetitions) at a designated intensity (weight), which can result in an increase in muscle mass and strength as a byproduct.

What does the research show?

For one, Rawson et. al. noted that weightlifting performance and muscle hypertrophy increased considerably in subjects using creatine:

Although there is considerable variability in the increase in muscle strength and weightlifting performance in subjects ingesting creatine during resistance training, subjects ingesting creatine experience on average an 8% greater increase in muscle strength (20 vs. 12%) and a 14% greater increase in weightlifting performance (26 vs. 12%). Additionally, untrained subjects experienced a larger increase in muscle strength following creatine supplementation plus resistance training than trained subjects (31 vs. 14%).

They both reviewed 22 different studies on the supplement, and those were there collective conclusions. The review also considered possible gender disparities, and didn't find a substantial difference in response between men and women:

One group has reported that men and women experience similar improvements in exercise performance following creatine supplementation (51), but that women show a lesser increase in lean body mass (32) and no reduction in protein breakdown (34) following creatine supplementation compared with men.

In another study, Becque and his colleagues tested 23 male subjects with one or more years of training experience. The experimental group ingested 5 g of creatine, while the control group ingested a placebo drink with sucrose. One of the most interesting findings of the study was that "body mass was significantly greater for [the creatine group] than [the] placebo [group] at pretest and post-test." The experimental group also noted a larger increase in arm flexor (biceps brachii) strength than did the control group.

Similarly, Volek tested 19 resistance-trained men over the course of 12 weeks. Towards the end of the study (weeks 5-8), the experimental (creatine) group performed more volume in the bench press than their control counterparts did. There were no noticeable differences in squat volume. The 1 repetition maximums for all subjects, but more significantly in the creatine supplemented subjects on both the squat and the bench press. The creatine subjects saw a larger increase in lean muscle mass, as well (5.8 kg versus 1.3 kg in the placebo group).



With those things in mind, here are a few final points:

• For optimal digestion of a creatine monohydrate powder, mix it with fruit juice, as it has been shown to increase absorption. 
• The use of loading phases are often disputed. It is unlikely that it is necessary. So long as you're getting around 3-5 grams per day, you should still reap the massive benefits of creatine monohydrate.
• Timing doesn't seem to matter much, either. Studies have found benefits to both pre and post-workout consumption. Unfortunately, no study to date has compared the efficacy of pre and post-workout creatine intake.
• Studies have indicated that creatine may cause gastrointestinal distress in some, so that's an important side effect to consider.
• Despite myths indicating the contrary, creatine has not been linked to liver or kidney problems in the short term or the long term.

If you want to do some more reading into these studies, I've listed them in the works cited below. Overall, the majority of the literature seems to lean in favor of creatine for both hypertrophy and for strength gains. In fact, it's tough to find studies that contradict those findings.

With supplements, it's always a good idea to experiment and see what works best for you. I've tried a number of different products on the market, and I'm constantly making adjustments accordingly. Creatine monohydrate just may be the missing link in your training plateau!

Works Cited:

1. Becque, M. Daniel, John D. Lochmann, and Donald R. Melrose. "Effects of Oral Creatine Supplementation on Muscular Strength and Body Composition." Physical Fitness and Performance (2000): 654-58. Web.
2. Froiland, Kathryn, Wanda Koszewski, Joshua Hingst, and Lisa Kopecky. "Nutritional Supplement Use among College Athletes and Their Sources of Information." International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 14.1 (2004): 104-20. Web.
3. Ostojic, Sergej, and Zlatko Ahmetovic. "Gastrointestinal Distress After Creatine Supplementation in Athletes: Are Side Effects Dose Dependent?" GSPM Res. in Sports Med. Research in Sports Medicine 16.1 (2008): 15-22. Web.
4. Poortmans, Jaques R., and Marc Francaux. "Adverse Effects of Creatine Supplementation." Sports Medicine 30.3 (2000): 155-70. Web.
5. Rawson, Eric S., and Jeff S. Volek. "Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Weightlifting Performance." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2003): 822-31. Web.
6. Volek, Jeff S., et al. "Performance and Muscle Fiber Adaptations to Creatine Supplementation and Heavy Resistance Training." Medicine and science in sports and exercise 31 (1999): 1147-1156.

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How to Train Your Weaker Side

Approximately 90% of the world is right handed. Those people are writing, brushing their hair/teeth, throwing, reaching, and grabbing almost exclusively with their right hands for their entire lives. With this unilateral dominance in dexterity comes deficits between the halves of the body. Obviously, the use of one hand thousands of times per year results in a stronger right side.

Da Vinci's Vitruvian man is symmetry goals...

As ambidexterity or cross-dominance is quite rare (only ~1% of the world population), we will inevitably end up with a strong side and a slightly weaker side. This is even more apparent in sports that require repetitive movement with unilateral sports (baseball, tennis, rowing, etc.). Over thousands of practice hours, the athlete is going to develop exceptional strength on their dominant side, while their opposite side gets minimal attention. Exaggerated asymmetry can, at times, result in some postural issues down the line.

This brings me to answer a question that I receive often: how does one target the lagging side of the body? Do you start to only train the weaker side? Do you do more reps on the weaker side?

First, I want to explain the potential downfalls to significant imbalances from side-to-side.

Bell et. al. tested the influence of muscular symmetry on power and force development. They used a force plate to measure any incongruities in force generated between sides of 167 Division 1 athletes. While all of the athletes obviously had asymmetry to a degree, those with "greater than 10% power asymmetry resulted in decreased jump height of nine centimeters (approximately 3.5 inches) and was associated with large effect size when compared to the other groups." Furthermore, they hypothesized that "the normative data in this study ... reveals that a small number of Division I athletes are considered 'high risk of injury' using an arbitrary cut off level of 15% asymmetry." Not only do athletes with more asymmetry lose out on potential gains in power development, but they also have an elevated risk of injury.

There are other interesting benefits to training your weaker side. One study done on soccer players sought to improve motor control of the non-dominant leg. "Three soccer performance tests were carried out, using either leg ... Two standardised foot-tapping tests were performed, using the preferred and the non-preferred leg consecutively, indoors in a separate testing room with only the test administrator present." They found that

"[enhanced] training, which uses the non-dominant leg, improves soccer-specific skills in the test where the subjects use this leg, a finding that stands in contrast to the results of a control group ... That the training group also showed statistically significant improvements over the control group when using the dominant (right) leg was in line with the second hypothesis. The results show an improvement in performance when using the dominant leg after a period of emphasising training of the non-dominant leg."

In effect, the experimental group noticed an improvement in performance markers on both the dominant and the non-dominant sides. Even though the program was intended to train only the non-preferred leg, researchers saw a reasonable transfer of increased efficiency in the preferred leg, as well.

Okay, so now that I've belabored the idea that it's important to work towards a more symmetrical build, it's high time I explain how to achieve that.

When you use barbells, your body will immediately rely on the stronger side to move the weight. Dumbbells should become your new best friends. With dumbbells, there is no cheating. You will notice right away how much your stronger side compensates for the weaker side.

Generally, I recommend starting with your weaker side first, and taking note of just how much of a difference you feel. You don't need to try to do heavier weights or even more repetitions on your weaker side, but the goal is simply increased awareness and equal training. Dumbbell presses, bench press, rows, single leg deadlifts, single leg hip thrusters, Bulgarian split squats, lunges, lateral lunges, step-ups, leg curls, biceps curls, frontal/lateral raises, farmer carries, waiter carries, Turkish get-ups, and so on, are just a few movements that will bring some attention to your lagging half. Try to implement 1-2 of these exercises into every training session.

Additionally, you can perform some isometric contractions with your weaker side prior to exercise. I like to get my left glute firing by going into a single leg bridge, with a 3-5 second pause for about 10 repetitions. You can try some side planks for your obliques/shoulders as well. This will "wake up" your motor control center and remind the brain to use those muscles.

As an anecdote, I've started trying to use my left hand to do other activities, like brush my teeth and hair, just to give it some more use. It's strange, initially, how foreign your opposite side can feel!

Of course, it's perfectly normal to have one slightly stronger side. It is impossible to be completely balanced, as even our anatomy isn't perfectly symmetrical (the spleen sits in the upper left side of your abdomen, while your liver sits on the right side). Athletes with sport-specific strength disparities will have even more of a delta from one side to the other. There are also injuries or other structural factors that could cause asymmetry (scoliosis, uneven limb length, etc.). It is important, however, to minimize those imbalances that are correctable and try to focus on your weaker half in training.


Works Cited:

1. Bell, David R., Jennifer Sanfilippo L., Neil Binkley, and Bryan Heiderscheit C. "Lean Mass Asymmetry Influences Force and Power Asymmetry During Jumping in Collegiate Athletes." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 28.4 (2014): 884-91. Web.
2. Haaland, E., and J. Hoff. "Non-dominant Leg Training Improves the Bilateral Motor Performance of Soccer Players." Scand J Med Sci Sports Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 13.3 (2003): 179-84. Web.

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Is there Such a Thing as "Too Much" Mobility?

If you Google "mobility," you can find pages upon pages of articles about how to improve your mobility at any given joint. Thoracic mobility, shoulder mobility, ankle mobility, and the like are central themes on fitness blogs all over the internet (mine included). As a trainer, it satisfies me to see so many lifters and colleagues prioritizing the improvement in range of motion. Too much of a good thing can become detrimental, though. Having excessive mobility can be just as injurious as being tight and immobile.

These arrows above represent the stability-mobility continuum. Those who have tissue restrictions have a ton of stability, which those with a plethora of mobility lack. Some individuals, like gymnasts and dancers, fall into the class of "hypermobility." Essentially, they have ligament and tendon laxity, which means that their range of motion exceeds what is common or necessary for most people. This is more common in females than in males, but can be present in both genders.

Genetics and anatomy are going to be the two biggest indicators of where one falls on this continuum. There are, however, ways to improve this. Obviously, despite being born with tight shoulders, it's still possible to loosen up your tissues and become more supple. Conversely, those with joint laxity can do more in the way of strengthening stabilizing muscles in order to become more stable.

In some ways, stretching for someone who is hypermobile could be akin to an athlete with a stress fracture going for a 15 mile run. We want our muscles to flex and extend seamlessly, but hyperextension can be dangerous. Strength coach Eric Cressey notes, "Instead [of stretching them], these individuals need to work on building stability within the ROM they already have with quality strength training."

As an example, let's use the shoulder joint. The shoulders are already the most mobile joint, as they can move through a full 360°. With these great movement demands come tremendous risk, though. While the shoulders are very mobile, they're also one of the most frequently injured areas. A hypermobile client might have an overhead position that resembles that of the woman in the photo on the right. Not only is her lumbar spine in hyperextension, but her shoulder flexion goes well behind her center of mass. Certainly, this position is not ideal for supporting load, as it puts the shoulder girdle under tremendous stress. Now, if this client were to stretch her shoulders before a session, she's just going to further force herself into a precarious position, and she increases her risk of injury. 

We never want to enforce excess movement in a joint. Each sport and activity places different demands on the joints and tissues, so the goal is to establish enough range of motion for your given sport. No more, no less. A baseball pitcher requires more external rotation at the elbow than the average person needs. Swimmers need flexible shoulders to move freely through the water. Ultimately, you have to find the optimal amount of mobility that will allow you to achieve the necessary positions of what you do. In my case, I was blessed with natural flexibility, so I spend very little time doing accessory mobility work. 

There's no need to spend time forcing an end range that you don't need, and it may even be counterproductive. Choose your mobility work wisely, picking exercises that apply to the areas with which you need the most help. The movement requirements of an athlete of one sport aren't going to be the same for another. Some sports benefit from decreased mobility, while others require extreme bendiness: find the optimal area for you on the stability-mobility continuum!

Works Cited:

1. Hootman, Jennifer M, Randall Dick, and Julie Agel. “Epidemiology of Collegiate Injuries for 15 Sports: Summary and Recommendations for Injury Prevention Initiatives.” Journal of Athletic Training 42.2 (2007): 311–319. Print.

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How to Get Your First Pull-up

When I was a kid, I would dread fitness testing in gym class testing every year. One test in particular test made me most nervous: the pull-up test. Each time around, I'd think, "this is gonna be the year I do my first pull-up!" I would hang from the pull-up bar and try with every ounce of might I had, but I could barely get my elbows to bend.

It wasn't until college, after working out out consistently, that I was able to do my first pull-up or two. The task that had eluded me for over 20 years suddenly became easier, and now I would consider pull-ups to be one of my strongest movements.

If you're one of those people who's frustrated with your pull-up progress, you've clicked on the right article!

As with any movement, we always have to think about what's happening in the core first. I often see a lot of people who are tight in the upper body during the movement, but the core and lower body are flimsy like Gumby. Maintaining a "hollow body position," as seen in the photo of Carl Paoli on the right, is crucial to getting a stronger pull. Why? It is ideal to keep as much tension in the body as possible for big lifts and calisthenic movements. This rigidity ultimately gives us more control and allows us to generate more force. In a back squat, for instance, if your torso is loose, the bar will likely roll up onto your neck resulting in a potentially dangerous scenario. Keeping the upper back tight is equally as important as getting a good leg drive out of the hole. Note Carl's neck position and lumbar position in particular. On the left, his ribs are drawn in towards his hips with a neutral gaze, activating the rectus abdominis, while on the left, he's hyperextended in both the cervical and lumbar spine. In short, more tension = more muscles recruited.

The hardest part of the pull-up, for many people I've worked with, is the initiation of the lats. What I mean by this is that the first 2-3 inches of movement are generally the biggest struggle. "In the upper-back the pull-up movement is focused around downward rotation and depression of the scapulae, as well as the upward rotation and elevation of the scapulae," notes Tom Bumgardner, CSCS in his Pull-up Manifesto. To dissect the anatomical jargon here, take a look at the diagram below. This image briefly explains scapular movement. Now, applying this to the pull-up, the scapulae start in an upwardly rotated and elevated position. As you pull your chin towards the bar, they have to downwardly rotate and depress. If you don't understand how to properly move your shoulder blades, scapular pull-ups are a great exercise to help you better grasp this concept. I usually have my clients do 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions.

From there, I will normally progress someone to the inverted row. This exercise mirrors the pull-up, but isn't nearly as demanding in that you're supporting less of your bodyweight. You should try these for 3 sets of as many repetitions as possible, and hold for one second at the top of the movement. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together as your chest touches the bar or rings. I'm not a huge fan of banded or machine-assisted pull-ups, as they forbid you from activating the gluteal and core musculature that is incredibly important in building pulling strength. The inverted row allows you to modify the movement while still learning to maintain tension in the trunk.

In any movement, there are three phases: the concentric (contracting) phase, the isometric (holding) phase, and the eccentric (lengthening) phase. Your body can support about 1.75x more weight eccentrically than concentrically. In this case, this means that strengthening the lowering phase of the pull-up will have an immense impact on the concentric phase! Try doing 3-4 sets of 4-6 repetitions. Jump to the top of the pull-up bar with the help of a box, then lower yourself down as slowly as possible.

The chin-up (supinated grip) is easier to master, as it is more biceps dominant, whereas the pull-up (pronated grip) is more lat dominant. Strengthening the chin-up, however, will undoubtedly help you progress to a more proficient pull-up. Once you've mastered the aforementioned progressions, try doing some chin-ups. As with the inverted rows, go to failure for a few sets.

Now, the last thing missing in the pull-up equation, sometimes, is frequency! If you really want to be a pull-up guru, you're gonna have to work on them more than once per week. Buy a cheap pull-up bar for your bedroom, and work on them every other day. The more often you do them, the better you'll get!

Works Cited:

1. Bumgardner, Todd. The Pull-up Manifesto. N.p.: n.p., 2012. Beyond Strength Performance, LLC. Web. 11 Aug. 2016.
2. Starrett, Kelly, and Glen Cordoza. Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance. Las Vegas: Victory Belt Pub., 2013. Print.

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Stop Stretching Your Hamstrings

If I had to pinpoint one "tight area" about which many people complain most, it's the hamstrings. I'll often find gym-goers using multiple methods to stretch those stubborn muscles: asking a partner to push them deeper into a stretch, or yanking on their legs with bands. Yet, somehow, despite their forceful, repeated efforts, the hamstrings seldom seem to sustain lasting changes in flexibility or range of motion.

Stop and think before you yank your hamstrings into oblivion.

I've mentioned in previous posts that I'm not much of an advocate for static stretching. Today I want to explain why the hamstrings, in particular, do not warrant stretching, and what you can do, instead, to create a more lasting increase in hamstring flexibility.

The hamstrings are a very important muscle group for athletic performance. They are two joint muscles, meaning they both flex the knees and extend the hips. While strong, these muscles have a tendency towards facilitation (overworking). When a muscle gets tight, that typically means it's working hard for another muscle that's inhibited, or not firing properly. In the case of the hamstrings, we're usually looking at gluteus maximus/medius dysfunction and/or core dysfunction. In short, if your hamstrings are chronically tight, you have to check the muscles upstream in the kinetic chain and see how they're firing (or not).

In this video, Dr. Kathy Dooley demonstrates how one can alleviate tension in the hamstrings just by getting the core to fire properly. This is one such exercise that you can utilize before a heavy squat or deadlift session just to encourage proper core activation. You'll notice that doing this exercise regularly will have a dramatic impact on your hamstring flexibility. It has been more immediately effective with my clients than the traditional stretching methods, as this exercise attacks the source of instability and weakness, rather than trying to treat the symptoms.

This Bushman puts Kim Kardashian to shame.

The "core," or, in this particular case, the rectus abdominis, is an antagonist of the hamstrings. What this means is that as the hamstrings lengthen/relax, the rectus abdominis flexes the lumbar (lower back). For example, in a forward bend, in which we are standing and reaching over to touch the ground, our knees are extended, lengthening the hamstrings. The trunk is in flexion, assisting the hands in reaching towards the floor. If we do not have adequate strength in the rectus abdominis, the hamstrings won't be able to relax enough to let you get lower. In short, strengthening a muscle's antagonist can work wonders in releasing it from tension.

Similarly, weakness in the gluteus medius/gluteus maximus can result in tight hamstrings. Both the glutes and the hamstrings work synergistically as hip extensors. You've probably heard of the term "glute amnesia" before, which connotes butt muscles that don't activate properly. The cause of this is too much time spent in hip flexion (read: sitting), and not enough time running, jumping, and lifting! Now, if your glutes don't show up to the (hip extension) party, then someone has to take over their job. You've guessed it: the hamstrings are now responsible for the majority of your hip extension! No wonder they're in a perpetual state of tension–they're holding onto your hips for dear life.

What are the best ways to tackle these movement dysfunctions? Here are some of my favorite exercises:

1. GHD hip extension
2. Barbell hip thrusters
3. Single leg RDLs
4. Single leg squats on box
5. Bird dogs
6. Deadbugs

So while stretching the hamstrings may give you some immediate relief, you have to analyze why they're getting tight. If you continue to repeat the same process and it just isn't working, it's time to find a new plan of attack. Work those glutes and strengthen that core, and you may just free yourself of your constant need to stretch your hammies.


Works Cited:

2. Dionne, Cassie. "Stretching Your Hamstrings Isn't Always Best." Breaking Muscle. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2016.
3. Dooley, Kathy. "Dooley Noted: Core Instability Hiding as Tight Hamstrings." YouTube. YouTube, 04 May 2013. Web. 19 July 2016.
4. Nickelston, Perry. "Top 10 Muscle Imbalances and What To Do About Them #1." Stop Chasing Pain. N.p., 2 May 2016. Web. 11 July 2016.
5. Yessis, Michael. "Stretching The Hamstrings." YouTube. YouTube, 25 July 2011. Web. 12 July 2016.

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Why Does Your XYZ Hurt? (Your Pain Explained)

Often times, pain in the body is associated with injury or illness of the patient. Pain is not, however, as straight forward as it may seem. There are quite a few misconceptions about what pain means, or what causes pain itself. Here are a couple facts about pain:

I want to start off by saying, just because you’re in pain, does not necessarily mean you’re injured or ill. Pain can be your body’s way of telling you that a dysfunctional pattern needs to stop. When you overuse a muscle, it’s gonna say, "hey, give me a break." As Lorimer Moseley puts it, "100% of the time, pain is a construct of the brain." Basically, this means that it is the brain sending messages of pain, not the muscles. A lot of people seek out temporary cures like cortisone shots, NSAIDs, ice baths, etc., when what they really need is some corrective exercise. This will stop the pain response in the long term by treating muscular imbalances, rather than temporarily treating the symptoms.

Mirror therapy tricks your brain to believe that the
missing limb is still attached to your body.

• Similarly, you can feel pain on a limb that's not even yours. Yes, you read that correctly. Take, for example, the case of phantom limb pain. Patients often report feeling shooting pains in an appendage that was removed years ago. A technique called "mirror therapy" has been very effective in treating this phenomenon: "a procedure utilizing the visual recreation of movement of a lost limb by moving the intact limb in front of a mirror, has been shown to be effective in reducing [phantom limb pain]. However, the neural correlates of this effect are not known." While the exact science of phantom limb pain and its treatment is still widely a mystery, this just goes to show that pain is multifactorial and complex.

Conversely, if you’re injured, you might not necessarily experience pain. Not every torn ligament, disc herniation, etc. is symptomatic. There are people with disk herniations who experience 0 pain, and they're able to continue on with their daily activities: "On MRI examination of the lumbar spine, many people without back pain have disk bulges or protrusions... Given the high prevalence of these findings and of back pain, the discovery by MRI of bulges or protrusions in people with low back pain may frequently be coincidental," noted a study executed by Jensen et. al.

Your body remembers previous traumas, and “pain” pathways form in your brain. So, if you suffered from an injury a few years ago, you may experience pain in that same area without having re-injured it. Let's say, for example, you fell while you were ice skating and sprained your wrist two years ago. Now, your brain forms a negative association with ice skating. You may notice your symptoms reappearing every time you go back to the rink, even though you've long since healed.

Emotions can influence your symptoms. We can physically manifest stress in certain areas of the body. If something in your body is bothering you more than usual, consider other environmental stressors that could be contributing to the pain. Did you lose your job? Are you fighting with a friend? Neuroscientist Dr. V.S. Ramachandran puts it succinctly: "Pain is an opinion on the organism’s state of heath rather than a mere reflexive response to injury … Pain is an illusion.” This can mean that if you're upset about something, or you've convinced yourself into thinking there's something wrong, then your brain will respond accordingly by sending a pain response to the area.

Treating the pain symptoms (i.e. taking NSAIDs, icing, etc.) does not necessarily treat the cause of the problem. These will work as short-term solutions. See a doctor, physical therapist, or a chiropractor to figure out the source of the pain before you try to treat it on your own.
There are a million different factors that contribute to pain. Here are a few listed by Dr. Kathy Dooley:

1. Environment
2. Memory programming of pain (i.e., cerebral programming)
3. Systemic inflammation
4. Pain receptor irritation
5. Heightened awareness, due to neurotransmitter activity/inactivity (i.e., drug exposure, depression)
6. Circulatory issues (i.e., blood stasis)
7. Fatigue and energy deficiency
8. Improper hydration/dehydration
9. Psycho-social components (i.e., your back hurts because you hate your job)

The moral of this article is thus: don’t just lump “pain” into one category. Pain does not necessarily mean something is horribly wrong, but you do need to look at why the pain is occurring in the first place, if you want to eliminate it in the long term. Be your own detective.


Works Cited:

1. Brinjikji, W., P. H. Luetmer, B. Comstock, B. W. Bresnahan, L. E. Chen, R. A. Deyo, S. Halabi, J. A. Turner, A. L. Avins, K. James, J. T. Wald, D. F. Kallmes, and J. G. Jarvik. "Systematic Literature Review of Imaging Features of Spinal Degeneration in Asymptomatic Populations." American Journal of Neuroradiology 36.4 (2014): 811-16. Web.
2. Doidge, Norman. The Brain's Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity. 1st ed. N.p.: Viking, 2015. Print.
3. Doidge, Norman. The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science. New York: Viking, 2007. Print.
4. Foell, J., R. Bekrater-Bodmann, M. Diers, and H. Flor. "Mirror Therapy for Phantom Limb Pain: Brain Changes and the Role of Body Representation." EJP European Journal of Pain 18.5 (2013): 729-39. Web.
5. Jensen, Maureen C., Michael N. Brant-Zawadzki, Nancy Obuchowski, Michael T. Modic, Dennis Malkasian, and Jeffrey S. Ross. "Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People without Back Pain." New England Journal of Medicine N Engl J Med 331.2 (1994): 69-73. Web.
6. Moseley, Lorimer. "TEDxAdelaide - Why Things Hurt." TEDx. YouTube, 21 Nov. 2011. Web. 10 May 2016.

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The "Lactic Acid" Myth

After a tough workout, I will hear people brag, "Oh man, that lactic acid is killing me! I'm so sore!" I want to use this post to dispel the myth that lactic acid is what causes DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Yes, you read that correctly. The age old belief that lactic acid was the cursed substance that leaves you hobbling up the stairs after your crazy leg day is actually false.

How did this inaccuracy come to be? Gina Kolata, journalist from the New York times writes:

"Its origins lie in a study by a Nobel laureate, Otto Meyerhof, who in the early years of the 20th century cut a frog in half and put its bottom half in a jar. The frog's muscles had no circulation — no source of oxygen or energy. Dr. Myerhoff gave the frog's leg electric shocks to make the muscles contract, but after a few twitches, the muscles stopped moving. Then, when Dr. Myerhoff examined the muscles, he discovered that they were bathed in lactic acid. A theory was born. Lack of oxygen to muscles leads to lactic acid, leads to fatigue."

Scientists actually believe that lactic acid is not even present in humans. While the blood does become more acidic during exercise, the acidity is not enough to create lactic acid, but rather, lactate is created.

While some industry professionals use the words 'lactate' and 'lactic acid' interchangeably, there is a slight difference between the two substances. "The formation of lactate from pyruvate is catalyzed by the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase. Sometimes, mistakenly, the end result of this reaction is said to be the formation of lactic acid. However, at physiological pH (i.e. near 7), the lactic acid molecule cannot exist. Instead, it’s anion lactate- + H+ (a hydrogen proton) are the results of the lactate dehydrogenase reaction," according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Essentials of Strength and Conditioning. For true lactic acid to exist, the blood pH would need to drop below a 4.

Lactate is, however, a fuel for the muscles. An athlete's lactate threshold is the point at which his or her body produces lactate faster than it is cleared. Lactate is not a waste product, nor is it something to avoid, despite the fact that "lactic acid" (lactate) gets a bad rap.

It's not lactic acid's fault!

Although the cause of muscular soreness is still not entirely understood by science today, the residing theory is that soreness is really the result of micro-tears of the muscles after exercise. When you do a new exercise, or you increase the intensity (weight) and/or volume (repetitions) of a movement, your tissues suffer from micro-traumas. Lactate is rushed to the muscles to clear away the damage, but it is the muscular damage that causes the pain, not the lactate itself!

So the next time you hear someone curse lactic acid for their temporary post-workout induced paralysis of the legs, you can spit a little bit of science at them, and explain to them what's actually causing their soreness.


Works Cited:

1. Baechle, Thomas R., and Roger W. Earle. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2008. Print.
2. Brooks, George, and Rhonda Patrick. "Lactate As Brain Fuel with Dr. George Brooks." YouTube. N.p., 02 Dec. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
3. Hutchinson, Alex. Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?: Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise. New York: HarperCollins, 2011. Print.

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