The Many Benefits of Saunas

Saunas have been around for a long time and used properly can provide very real health benefits.  Like exercise heat is a stressor and has a strong effect on many body systems.   The key to obtaining the benefits is to understand that properly applied stress stimulates a positive adaptive response to the stressor.    Often referred to as “hyperthermic conditioning” applying heat through saunas on a regular basis causes adaptations that make it easier for your body to function when your body temperature is elevated.    

The adaptations include increased plasma volume and blood flow to your heart and muscles (which helps increase athletic endurance) along with increased muscle mass due to greater levels of heat-shock proteins and growth hormone.  

For example, in a recent study, participants who did a 30 minute sauna sessions two times a week for three weeks increased their ability to exercise prior to exhaustion by 30 percent!

Other proven physiological adaptations include:

Lower heart rate

Lower core temperature during workouts

Increased red blood cell count

Increased oxygen transport to muscles

Sauna’s Effects on Growth Hormone Release

Growth hormone has many beneficial effects including deceased body fat, increased lean mass, improved energy levels, improved skin texture, thickness and elasticity and better overall quality of life.  

Growth hormone levels decline quickly after age 30 is in part what drives the aging process so maintaining growth hormone levels is very important during aging.   Growth hormone is available through injection, but it is very expensive and has the potential to cause harm long-term.    More importantly there are natural ways to boost the body’s secretion of growth hormone including the use of Saunas!  In fact, studies have shown that sauna use can increase growth hormone up to 16 times base levels.

Other ways to naturally boost growth hormone include the proper use of high intensity exercise (HIIT) and intermittent fasting (these should NOT be done all at the same time!).     Saunas and HIIT also increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is quite literally like miracle grow for the brain!

BDNF’s activity in your muscles and brain is likely a major way that workouts have such beneficial impacts on the brain.   Saunas also increase other beneficial brain chemicals including norepinephrine, prolactin and endorphins.

Saunas and Heat Shock Proteins

Not surprisingly sauna use boosts heat shock proteins (HSPs).   HSPs help counteract harmful stimulus including but not limited to heat.  HSPs help prevent and repair damaged proteins.   One of the ways that HSPs prevent damage is by directly eliminating free radicals and boosting the bodies primary anti-oxidant glutathione.

Through these mechanisms HSPs increase muscle growth independent of growth hormone effects by reducing muscle breakdown.    HSPs persist for up to 48 hours after a sauna.

Saunas and Insulin Sensitivity

Saunas have also been proven to increase insulin sensitivity which is critical for metabolic health, along with prevention and improvement of adult onset diabetes.

Saunas and Detoxification

Saunas like exercise increase sweating and dramatically increase metabolic rate.   Sweating helps clean pores, expels toxins and kills viruses and bacteria that cannot survive in temperatures above 98.6 degrees F.

There have been studies showing the value of sweating to increase the excretion of toxic heavy metals. 

Saunas and Pain Reduction

Saunas have shown tremendous benefit for those suffering from Fibromyalgia and Lyme Disease by reducing pain and discomfort.   Similar benefits have been shown with arthritis.

Different Types of Saunas

There are several types of saunas including those with wet and dry heat.   A wet sauna heats the air with water and heat and produces steam.   Dry saunas do not increase humidity.   Both heat your body by increasing the air temperature and heating your body from the outside.

Another distinct type of sauna is an infrared sauna which works by projecting infrared rays into your body and heating it from the inside out.

You get hotter, faster and deeper in your tissue than with a traditional dry sauna, but the room does not get as hot.

Which one you choose depend on how you can tolerate heat and if you prefer the lower temperature of an infrared sauna.

There is more and more science supporting the benefits of infrared saunas.

Safe Sauna Use

It is critical to drink plenty of water before, during and after sauna use and excessive use can cause heat stroke.   Do NOT drink alcohol or use any sauna when drinking alcohol.

Sauna use is contraindicated for any pregnant female and for both sexes if trying to induce pregnancy.   Increased temperature can severely damage a developing fetus and decreases sperm count and motility.

Keep in mind that saunas are supposed to relax you NOT be a teeth-gritting experience!   Start with short exposures and gradually build time.  If you start to feel dizzy at all – time to get out!

Secrets to Effective Glute Training

The gluteus maximus aka the “Glutes” is one of the most important muscles in the body both for function and aesthetics, yet there are a lot of misconceptions about how to best target, shape, and strengthen this muscle.

The most popular go to exercises trainers and coaches use for glute training are squats, deadlifts and lunges.   These are fantastic exercises, but contrary to popular opinion they are NOT the most effective for strengthening and toning the glutes.    Now the word “tone” is really a colloquialism and frowned upon by trainers and coaches, but for most of us to “tone” means to bring out the definition which really comes down to reducing bodyfat levels which is another subject.    However, changing the underlying size and shape of the glutes can really improve appearance for the better!

To understand why squats, lunges and deadlifts are not, by themselves, the best way to train the glutes we have to take a look at the main movement produced by the glutes which is hip extension.   Different Hip extension movements and exercises will produce different levels of glute activation at different places in the range of motion associated with emphasis on different parts of the glutes based on differing load vectors.

Load vector refers to the direction of the line of resistance relative to the body during a movement.   Changing load vectors during the same movement can completely change how muscles are loaded!   For example, let’s take a look at what happens when we change the load vector during flexion and extension of the elbow while holding a dumbbell in the hand.

If we take the arm and elbow straight over head and flex and extend the arm the working muscle is the triceps which concentrically shortens to lift the hand with the dumbbell up and eccentrically lengthens to lower the dumbbell down while keeping the elbow above the head.

Now if we keep the arm down by our side and flex and extend our elbow the working muscle is biceps which concentrically shortens to lift the dumbbell up and eccentrically lengthens to lower it down!  So understanding the load vector for any exercise is VERY important and especially relevant for glute training!

For glute training there are two main load vectors:

Axial – where the direction of resistance comes from top to bottom or vice versa.  Examples of exercises using this load vector are squats, lunges, deadlifts and jumps.   These exercises and movements are usually performed in the standing position.   Vertical jumping is one of the key activities that require maximum strength and power in this load vector.

Anteroposterior – where the direction of resistance comes from front to back or vice versa.    Examples of exercises using this load vector are supine (lying on back) hip lifts/extensions; quadruped (on hands and knees) hip lifts; and cable pull-throughs. These exercises and movements are usually performed in the supine (on back), prone (on stomach) or quadruped position with the exception of the cable pull-through.   Sprinting is one of the key activities that requires maximum strength and power in this load vector.

Exercises in each load vector generate peak glute activation in a different position within the range of motion and thereby emphasize development of different parts of the overall glute muscle.

In squats and lunges peak glute activation happens in the bottom of the movement when the glutes are in their maximally extended/stretched position!   So the bottom of the glute is the focus during these movements.

The greatest peak glute activity in a deadlift occurs in the mid-range position so emphasizes the middle of the glute.    While the greatest peak glute activity in a hip thrust occurs at the end of movement in hyperextension or fully contracted position so emphasizes the top of the glute!

To maximize glute development, strength and power you need to train in all three load vectors and do exercises that target all three areas of the glutes.   You can be strong in one load vector and area and NOT in others.   For example, if you only squat and lunge you will be strong in the bottom glute where the glute is maximally stretched but not so strong at the mid-rage and end range positions!

The reason that squats and lunges create more soreness than hip thrusts and other anteroposterior vector exercises is that there is more eccentric loading in the movements with an emphasis on loading in the fully stretched position.    For example, at the bottom of a heavy lunge there is an emphasis on eccentric deceleration followed by concentric shortening that leads to high levels of delayed-onset muscular soreness (DOMS).

This is why squats and lunges produce the most soreness out of all the hip extension exercises in addition to the fact that the hamstrings are shortened in the bottom position of both exercises which decreases hamstring involvement and forces the glutes to do the work.

Balanced Glute Workout to Optimize Glute Development

Use a mix of glute exercises to target all areas of the glutes and sprinkle in hip abduction exercises along with hip external rotation exercises to hit the glutes from all angles to get the best results!

Work on Hip Flexor lengthening to maximize glute activation.   The hip flexors are the antagonistic muscle to the glutes which means that if they are tight you literally cannot get maximum glute activation!    In addition, since we spend too much time sitting they are chronically shortened in most of us.   So stretch them often and particularly BEFORE your glute workouts to allow for optimum glute activation.

Sample Glute Routine

Warm-up with bodyweight lunges, side lunges, hip hinges, etc followed by stretching the hip flexors.

Do Supine Hip Lifts/Glute Bridges 3 sets of 10 with a five second hold at the top of the movement focusing on squeezing the glutes maximally at the top!

Progressions:

Add load by holding a dumbbell or plate across the hips or using a thick loop band hooked around the bottom of the feet and your hips!

Also do single leg hip lifts/glute bridges

Or try putting your feet (heels) on one bench with shoulders across another bench facing up to maximize range of motion in the hip life!   Obviously you can also add load to this variation to increase intensity – but do not do so by sacrificing form – keep back neutral and do NOT use momentum and really squeeze at the top of the movement while drawing in your navel to keep from stressing the low back and keep all the work on the glutes!

Do Quadruped Hip Extension Exercises

From hands and knees lift single leg (keep it straight) and opposite arm WITHOUT moving core and squeezing glute at the top for a count of 5.   Do 3 sets of 10.

Progressions/Variations:

Add load by using an ankle weight

Do the same movement but with knee flexed – again do not move the low back and draw in navel to keep all the emphasis on the glutes.

Do Hip Abduction Exercises – 3 sets of 10.

Seated band abduction – sit on a bench with knees and hips at 90 degree angle with thick elastic band around the top of the shins. Lift feet slightly off floor and pull knees out to the side against the band pausing in the fully contracted position for 5 seconds.  Do NOT arch the back and keep the navel drawn in to stabilize the core and keep all the work on the glute medius.

Or Standing abduction using band or cable – use band or cable attached to lower leg of the outside leg right above the ankle.   Keep hips in alignment, do not arch back and hold on with inside hand to support.  Do not allow either hip to rotate – tendency is to let the outside hip rotate out which places the load vector such that you are working the hip flexors and NOT the glutes!  Pause in the fully contracted position for 5 seconds.

Continue to do squats, lunges and deadlifts but add in these exercises to build total glute strength, shape and power.

Glute Power Training

Once you have built a base using the glute routine above you are ready for glute power training which is all about Sprinting and Jumping to hit both axial and horizontal hip extension in power movements!

Do one sprint and one jump workout per week.

Sprint Workout

It is critical to be thoroughly warmed up prior to glute power movements!   Once you complete the warm-up start with four 100 meter sprints done at 80%.     Overtime progress to work your way up to two sprints at 90% of your max speed and then eventually do some true max sprints.

Vertical Jump Workout

As with the sprint workout warm-up thoroughly.    Then do a series of vertical jumps having some vertical target to shoot for.   Stand back from wall or other vertical target so you can take one – three steps then drop down quickly into the squat with arms by sides and explode upwards from the squat throwing arms over head to achieve maximum height.    Do 3 – 5 reps per set for 3 sets.

To progress you can add load by wearing a weight vest (start with 5% of bodyweight and gradually build up to no more than 10% of bodyweight.

The Cable Pull-Through – The Best Exercise You Probably Aren’t Doing!

Cable Pull-Throughs may be the best exercise you aren’t doing!   They share a lot in common with the Kettlebell Swing, but they are much easier to learn and can really help to groove the hip hinge pattern.   The pull-through is fantastic for building posterior chain strength and directly carries over to the field of play by teaching you how to use your glutes and hamstrings to produce hip extension for running and jumping.   Specifically, it teaches you to separate your low back from your hips during the hip hinge pattern.    Many people use their low back to produce movement which sets them up for injury!   The pull-through also provides full-range loading with no dead spots in the movement which teaches you to maintain full-body tension throughout the entire range of motion for hip extension and flexion.

The pull-through is also an excellent choice for people with low back issues because it places much less load on the spine yet provides the benefits of a deadlift or other hip hinge movements like the kettlebell swing.  Last but not least the pull-through can help as a corrective exercise for people who consistently fall into the pattern of being hamstring dominant in classic glute exercise like supine bridges.  When doing bridges aka hip lifts many people will have hamstring cramps because they are not effectively activating their glutes so consequently compensate by oversuing their hamstrings.    For these folks cable pull throughs can often completely fix the problem by teaching them to use their glutes more and hamstrings less for hip extension!

How to do a Cable Pull-Through

 Set an adjustable cable in a low position – not necessarily the lowest position because you want the line of pull to be more horizontal than vertical which is one of the big advantages of using a cable over a free weight! Keep in mind standing hip extension is more of a horizontal movement than a vertical one.

1. Attached a tricep rope to the end of the cable so you can grasp both ends of the rope.
2. For this movement you will face away from the cable with a slightly wide stance and think about pushing the knees out from the center. You are going to reach down and back through your legs and grasp both ends of the rope.
3. This is NOT a squat movement – so sit back like you are trying to touch a wall behind you with your butt. Keep pushing back until your hands are past your knees.
4. Keep your spine straight the whole time! This means maintaining the natural arch of the low back and not allowing your upper back to round – you will really feel the stretch in the hamstrings if you are doing it correctly!
5. Your head should follow the hip hinge with chin-tucked slightly throughout – you do NOT want to hyperextend the neck!
6. At the top of the movement concentrate on squeezing the glutes at the top without locking the knees.
7. A good starting point is 3 – 4 sets of 8 – 15 reps and this is NOT about moving as much weight as you can or trying to rack the stack! Be mindful during the movement and make sure the back stays flat, neck does not hyperextend, and you feel those glutes firing!

For a great visual watch this video teaching the movement by Tony Gentilcore:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZFRe50WzpM

What Cholesterol Tests and Numbers should you be concerned with?

There is much confusion about cholesterol both in the public and medical communities.    One of the key issues causing confusion is that there are in fact many different types of cholesterol and associated co-factors that relate to your risk of cardiovascular disease.    Most physicians tell patients that there is “good” and “bad” cholesterol with LDL being “bad” and HDL being “good”.

First understand that when we talk about LDL and HDL cholesterol we are really talking about different carriers of cholesterol.      LDL stands for Low Density Lipoprotein, and HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein.  For decades, we have been told a simple story about the relationship between LDL cholesterol and heart disease.   This story has affected everything from the food we eat to the drugs we take to the test results we track. This oversimplified view of cholesterol — that all LDL is the same and that all LDL is bad — has enabled the adoption of an accompanying oversimplified dietary belief, that all saturated-fat consumption raises your risk of heart disease.  Neither are true!

The fact is there are 7 different types of LDL cholesterol that can be split into two categories:   Large Buoyant – which is NOT unhealthy and Small Dense which is a problem.   A diet high in saturated fat actually tends to increase the amount of the large buoyant LDL, while a low-fat diet high in carbohydrates increases the small dense LDL. Many people work to reduce saturated fat and replace these calories with an increase in carbohydrates which for some can shift their LDL profile from safe to problematic.

The overwhelming majority of LDL tests done do not distinguish between large and small LDL particles. This is a huge issue because knowing the exact mix of Large Buoyant Vs Small Dense LDL can make all the difference between living to a ripe old age or dropping dead at your desk!   The good news is that there are tests that do differentiate that are insurance approved that can tell you and your Doctor the whole story!

For example the VAP test:  http://atherotech.com/healthcare-providers/vap-lipid-panel/   This test is approved by virtually all insurance carriers and done by all the major labs so easy enough to get.    This test also includes testing levels of Lp(a) which is a major hereditary risk factor.   High levels of Lp(a) basically make things very sticky and even with normal levels of cholesterol can cause serious artery blockages sometimes at a very young age.   It also measures triglycerides which are another blood fat.

The other test to discuss with your physician is homocysteine.   Homocysteine is an amino acid and breakdown product of protein metabolism that, when present in high concentrations, has been linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Elevated homocysteine levels are thought to contribute to plaque formation by damaging arterial walls. High levels may also act on blood platelets and increase the risks of clot formation.    There is a rare disorder of homocysteine metabolism that causes very high levels of homocysteine to accumulate and people with this disorder are at extremely high risk for heart disease even at a very young age.    The good news is that this is simple to treat with B-Vitamins.   It is important to note that this test is often not covered by insurance and problems with homocysteine are rare.

Long story short the VAP test (and possibly a homocysteine test) can give you and your physician a much more precise look at your risk.   The great news is that if there are issues found there are highly effective treatments.   In addition, these treatments can and should be customized based on your test results rather than a one size fits all approach.   Different medications and dietary approaches are indicated based on the specifics of these test results.   There are many physicians who do use this test and treat specifically rather than using one approach or one drug to treat every patient.

The Facts on Safe Sun Exposure and Vitamin D

If you are confused about whether exposure to the sun is good or bad or somewhere in the middle – you are not alone!   There is a ton of conflicting advice and information being given on Sun Exposure.   On the one side we are being told to completely avoid all sun exposure and wear heavy duty sun screens at all time and on the other being told that sun exposure is vital and good for us.

As always the real answer is somewhere in the middle and it is critical to evaluate the validity of information you receive based on the source and if they have a commercial stake in the information they give you.   For example it is not at all surprising that sun screen manufacturers are pro sun screen and push the concept that everyone should wear it all the time to insure they do not get skin cancer, but we know they have a vested commercial interest so should use some judgment evaluating information from these sources.    And yes there is information suggesting that many sunscreens contain chemicals that can be harmful to your health.   It is important to use sunscreens that do not contain toxic ingredients and do block both UVA and UVB rays.    For a great guide check out this article by Dr. Mercola:  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/06/04/ewg-sunscreen-guide.aspx

The fact is that this issue is not so simple as “authorities” would have you believe.  For example in this research article (Avoidance of sun exposure as a risk factor for major causes of death: a competing risk analysis of the Melanoma in Southern Sweden Cohort) that studied all-cause mortality in 29,518 Swedish Woman the conclusion was that avoiding the sun can actually be as dangerous as smoking when it comes to cancer risk and overall mortality risks. Woman who avoided the sun had a much shorter life expectancy than those who got the most sun.   This really challenges the conventional wisdom on sun exposure.   It is also important to state that it is all about dose and your personal genetics meaning that the amount of sun you are exposed to and your personal genetics are very relevant here!

Improving Vitamin D Status is a Key Benefit of Proper Sun Exposure

Sun exposure increases the body’s production of Vitamin D and does so in a way that is quantitatively and qualitatively different and superior to supplemental Vitamin D.    When the body produces Vitamin D from sun exposure it simply will never produce too much Vitamin D and this is not the case with supplementation.    In addition, there are other benefits to safe sun exposure in addition to Vitamin D production.   Proper sun exposure can and does help treat several skin conditions such as psoriasis, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, and scleroderma.   In addition, sun exposure protects against and suppresses the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, helps relieve fibromyalgia pain, helps treat seasonal affective disorder, enhances mood and energy by stimulating the release of endorphins, and helps synchronize biorhythms and melatonin production.

The Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have reported an association between vitamin D and overall mortality risk from all causes, including cancer.   However supplementation studies have been all over the map in terms of showing a positive relationship between boosting Vitamin D status and incidence or mitigation of disease.    Since we know for sure that the human body was designed with the specific capability of producing Vitamin D from sun exposure and we know that Vitamin D levels are crucial for optimizing health it seems quite likely that production of Vitamin D through sun exposure is the ideal if it can be done safely.

There is a lot of positive research on Vitamin D and cancer prevention and treatment, heart disease prevention and treatment, etc..which shows that optimizing Vitamin D is a good prevention strategy.

Vitamin D affects almost every cell in your body, which is one of the reason’s it affects so many different disease states.

Vitamin D from Sun Exposure and Health

There have been many studies done on average vitamin D levels and the vast majority of them have found that at least half of the U.S. population has inadequate levels.

Vitamin D is not really a vitamin – rather it is a steroid hormone that your body is designed to create through sun exposure, not from your diet. While some foods do contain vitamin D it is nearly impossible to get all the vitamin D you need from dietary sources alone.

The U.S. Surgeon General American Academy of Dermatology recommend complete and total sun avoidance in order to prevent skin cancer, and there is no question that overexposure to sun can and does cause skin cancer at some level.    However sun avoidance has been shown to increase your risk of death from all causes substantially so this recommendation does not make the most sense.

Optimizing Vitamin D through Safe Sun Exposure

By following sensible sun exposure rules, including making sure you do not get burned, you can maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of skin damage that could lead to skin cancer. Overexposure, not completeky avoiding the sun, is the real issue for increasing your risk for skin cancer.  At the same time, optimizing vitamin D through regular sun exposure can decrease your risk of many forms of cancers that are far more common than Melanoma which is the deadliest form of skin cancer.

So how much sun exposure is enough?

The answer depends on your skin type, time of year, time of day, and where you are located!  The closer you are to the equator the less time you need in the sun because the sun is stronger and more UVB rays hit your skin (UVB is the key to Vitamin D).     Depending on your location time of year can be very important.   For example in the Northeastern US you cannot get enough sunlight exposure during winter to make sufficient amounts of Vitamin D for optimal health (one of the reasons people tend to get sick more in the winter).  Time of day is also important.  Ideally mid-day sun provides the highest level of UVB light BUT you also need much less sun exposure and it is much easier to burn!

As mentioned above your skin type is also important!  There are technically 5 skin types as it relates to sun exposure times: Type I – White; very fair; red or blond hair; blue eyes; freckles Type II – White; fair; red or blond hair; blue, hazel, or green eyes Type III – Cream white; fair; with any eye or hair color; very common Type IV – Brown; typical Mediterranean Caucasian skin Type V – Dark Brown; mid-eastern skin types Type VI – Black

If you are skin type 1 to III, you will produce vitamin D more quickly than if you have skin type IV to VI.      A simple rule is to obtain half the sun exposure it takes your skin to turn pink (NOT BURN).     This will tend to optimize benefits without risks.   The more skin you can expose the better!   Once you have been in the sun this long you should cover up – actually covering up is ideal versus using sunscreen.    So wearing hat shirt and pants made out of a light but UV blocking material is ideal if you are going to be outside longer than half the time it would take for your skin to turn pink.

According to the National Institutes of Health, between five and 30 minutes of sun exposure to your unprotected face, arms, legs or back between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. two to three times every week is enough for your body to produce all of the Vitamin D it needs. So for extremely fair people during peak summer or live close to the equator just 5 minutes of mid-day sun is all it takes, but for a person with dark skin who lives farther from the equator it is probably more like 30 minutes.    Now the key is NOT to burn so start with less time and gradually increase it!

What type of wearable device is best for the the serious exerciser?

Different wearables track different measurements.    The more serious exerciser often does many different movements including running, cycling, pushing, pulling, swinging, throwing, jumping, squating, lunging, lifting, balancing and stabilizing.    Trying to use a single wearable to provide accurate and relevant feedback on all these movements is almost impossible.   However all of them create a physiological challenge to the body so you can measure the effects of all these acitivities by measuring your physiological response to these challenges through your heart rate response!

There are two key types of heart rate monitors:   wrist-worn and chest stap and they function very differently.   Wrist monitors use a flashing light that tracks blood flow and uses an algorithm to estimate heart rate.     They are really only accurate for activities like cycling, walking, or running.     With activities that involve clenching of the fist or non-rhythmic arm movement wrist monitors are not at all accurate.

The second type of heart rate monitor involves the use of a chest strap with built in electrodes that measure the electrical wave of depolirization that occurs to tell your heart to beat along with a transmitter that can store and/or send the signal to a cell phone, watch or other device which displays your heart rate in real time.     These types of monitors are highly accurate under virtually all exercise conditions and in fact use the same technology as an electrocardiogram used by physicians everywhere to monitor your heart rate and health of the heart in general.

So for the more serious gym goer wrist worn monitors are not a great choice and the way to go is with a high quality chest strap type monitor.   There are many excellent choices including Wahoo Fitness, Polar, Garmin, MyZone and several others.

What about step counters?

If all you want to do is track walking these are not a bad choice but they are completely inneffective at tracking any other type of exercise because they usually track movement of the arm or leg.   So for many movements such as push-ups or pullups they are useless.      They also tend to lump many movements with very different levels of difficulty into the same category.    For example they do not differentiate between doing a squat versus doing a squat jump or squatting with 200lbs vs a bodyweight squat.

What about devices that track your pace or speed?

These are great for cyclists or runners but for most in gym workouts these are not relevant measures that provide any useful information.

How about cadence or power tracking?

Cadence and power are great metrics for cyclists to track and build programming around but for just about any other activity they are not relevant!

So for all the following reasons a chest strap heart rate monitor is the best overall wearable for more serious exercisers.

For gym based systems such as Fitmetrix that use a group heart rate display while in the gym:

They facilitate goal setting and focus

The on screen display helps to keep you motivated and allows you to compare yourself to others.

They provide a social platform

Perhaps most importantly these types of systems provide a point system that allows you to monitor exercise effort and compare to others in a way that allows highly fit and less fit people to be able to compete and compare their individual efforts.

Fitmetrix allows the use of chest strap or armband monitors as appropriate for individual users and their goals.

So if you are a more serious exerciser remember that wrist trackers like Fitbit are not set-up to provide you the feedback you need during all types of movements. By using a chest strap monitor you can get relavant feedback and data through all activies from cycling and rock climbing to kettlebells and ballroom dance!  By providing the ability to measure and track your physiological response to virtually any type of exercise you can track your progress overtime!

The Exercise and Blood Pressure Benefits of Beets!

One of the key tenets of exercise physiology recently got turned on its head.     For years exercise physiology students were taught that improving oxygen delivery to muscles was one of the keys to improved athletic performance and work capacity.

It was established that oxygen delivery to muscles could be improved through several different processes such as increased lung capacity allowing lungs to take in larger quantities of air and oxygen; the heart becoming stronger allowing it to pump more blood to the muscles which carries oxygen; or increasing the amount of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood which allows the blood to carry more oxygen to the muscles.   But It had been assumed that the fundamental amount of energy a human can create using a given amount of oxygen remained constant so all improvements came from the ability to deliver more oxygen to the muscles.

A 2009 study shattered this assumption!    The study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19661447 ) looked at 8 men who were given  either 2 cups of beet root juice or 2 cups of black currant drink as a placebo for 6 consecutive days and completed a series of moderate-intensity and severe-intensity exercise tests on the last 3 days.   Something amazing happened:   the men taking the beet root juice showed the ability to do the same amount of work with 19% less oxygen consumption and their time-to-exhaustion was extended by 15.7% compared to the placebo group!   Before this study there was no known substance that could increase energy creation based on a given amount of oxygen delivery!   To see a great video describing this study click here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSaCZD9DsS0

Since this time many studies have confirmed the positive impact beet juice can have on human physiology, and several companies have developed beet products based on beets grown to maximize their content of Nitrates which are responsible for most of the benefits!    Nitrate aids your body in producing more Nitric Oxide which helps to open your blood vessels prior to and during exercise.   This allows you to get more energy from a given amount of oxygen so your muscles feel stronger for longer and your time to exhaustion increases!  This can allow you to train harder for a longer period of time!

There are other substances such as the amino acid arginine that can increase nitric oxide levels but this requires a complex process.  However Nitric Oxide can be formed from dietary nitrate in a much simpler process that does not require any co-factors like Nitric Oxide creation from arginine.

Beetroot Health Benefits

Beetroot is an excellent source of iron and folate, both of which are key nutrients for everyone but particularly woman!

Helps lower blood pressure

Contain betaine, which has been shown to have significant anti-cancer properties and is effective in inhibiting the formation of cancer cells and in particular colon and stomach cancer.

Helps relieve constipation

Helps detoxify the liver

How do I get the benefits?

If you like beets eating them can provide the same benefits as beet juice and cooking them does not reduce the benefits either!   If you want the maximum benefits there are now several companies making beet root powders that mix easily with water or juice, and several of these companies use specially grown beets that have extremely high and consistent levels of Nitrate.     There are several companies including “Beet Elite” https://neogenissport.com/ that produce powders available in black cherry flavor for those who do not like the taste of beets.   You can also mix the powder into a smoothie with frozen berries.  It is best to ingest it an hour before exercise.

Increasing Workout Density for Better Results

Workout Density refers to how much total work you do in a given workout, and there are several different strategies to increasing workout density.   Tracking and progressing density is one of the key ways to insure you continue to make progress in your workouts.   In addition most of us are time crunched and the more we can get done in shorter period of time the more likely it is that we will get our workouts in.

One of the ways to increase density in our workouts is to use super-sets where we pair two exercises that work non-competing muscle groups.    For example doing a super-set with a set of chest presses combined with a set of leg curls allows you to pack more work sets while still allowing muscle recovery.    If your focus is strength you still want to allow a short break between the two different exercises in the super-set but as soon as your breathing slows down (30 seconds or less) you are good to go to the next set.

Another technique is to create combinations of complimentary exercises such as a dumbbell or barbell clean immediately followed by a front squat.   Other examples include:

Dumbbell thruster where you squat with dumbbells at shoulders and then overhead press the dumbbells at the top and repeat.

Dumbbell lunge to dumbbell single arm shoulder press

Renegade row where you do a push-up holding dumbbells and do a single arm dumbbell row in the top of the push-up position.

Dumbbell bench press followed immediately by dumbbell pullover

The key is making sure the two exercises you are combining flow together well.

Another technique is using complexes of exercises.    Complexes are different from combinations because in this case you complete a set of a given number of repetitions of a given exercise before moving on to the next one.  A complex can consist of two– five exercises such as this one:

Dumbbell Snatch – 5 reps

Dumbbell Rows – 5 reps

Dumbbell Lunges – 5 reps each leg

Dumbbell Straight Leg Deadlift – 5 reps

Push-ups – 5 – 10 reps

Then you take a brief rest and repeat the complex for a set number of times.

Another excellent strategy is to use Post-Activation Potentiation or PAP for short.     PAP involves pairing a heavy strength exercise (like a squat) with a high velocity power exercise (like a jump) which results in a more forceful muscular contraction during the power movement.   The key is to use a relatively high level of resistance in the first movement WITHOUT going to fatigue such as doing 5 repetitions in the squat using a 10RM weight followed by jumps.   The idea is to prime the pump - not fatigue the targeted muscle groups!

There are two keys to effective PAP training:

First, make sure the heavy initial exercise mimics the power movement.   So doing a heavy bench press followed by a jump is not going to work!

Second, during the initial heavy exercise it is important to try to move the weight quickly during the concentric phase of the exercise.   As long as you attempt to move the weight explosively – even if it does not move fast – you are increasing your rate of force development which is the key.    

PAP is not for beginners and it is important to maintain perfect form during each exercise, but assuming you are ready for PAP it can dramatically improve your strength and power.

Some the best PAP complexes include:

Pairing a squat with a jump – can be a back squat, dumbbell squat or hex bar squat – key is that it is relatively heavy.

Bench Press paired with a plyo push-up or weighted ball thrown.

Sled push followed by a Sprint.

The Incredible Benefits of Regular Exercise

"If exercise could be packed in a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the world" - Robert N. Butler, M.D. - Former Director, National Institute on Aging.  That is a pretty bold claim, but as we will see below it is true.

We all have experienced having a “good” day versus a “bad” day and it all starts with your attitude.     Exercise immediately affects your attitude towards yourself, your day and everyone you meet in an extremely positive way!  Exercise directly and measurably affects your brain chemistry, and has been shown in several studies to be more effective than anti-depressant medication in treating depression.     

Proven Benefits of Exercise and Consequences of Inactivity

Exercise is very helpful for preventing and treating anxiety.

Exercise boosts brainpower, ability to learn and memory and helps create new brain cells by increasing levels of brain derived neurotropic factor.

Exercise helps prevent age related cognitive decline by boosting chemicals that support and prevent the degeneration of the hippocampus.

Exercise boosts productivity - studies show that workers who take time for exercise on a regular basis are more productive and have more energy than their more sedentary peers.

Exercise can help control addiction by boosting release of dopamine, the reward chemical.

Exercise reduces stress response and increases your ability to relax.

Lack of activity is the single most significant modifiable risk factor for all causes of disease!   

According to the CDC “more Americans are at risk of heart disease through physical inactivity than through high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or smoking.”

6 out of 10 Americans are at risk for heart disease because they do not get enough physical activity!

Exercise reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes and can help reverse the condition if you have it.

Exercise strengthens your muscles and bones and is very important for preventing osteoporosis.

Proper exercise can help prevent falls which are a leading cause of injury and death in seniors.

In the Harvard Alumni Study the data showed that exercisers between the ages of 35 – 79 increased their longevity by .7 years for each increment of 500 calories per week in leisure-time activity they performed.

Exercise is proven to improve sleep both in terms of making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.

Exercise is proven to help prevent and treat impotence in men, and lack of sexual desire in men and woman.

Exercise is one of the only ways proven to increase HDL (Good) cholesterol.

Exercise can help to lower blood pressure.

Exercise helps control the symptoms and pain of arthritis and helps reduce the need for pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication.

Exercise improves many cases of low back pain.

Regular exercisers automatically do a better job of matching calorie intake to calorie output – meaning they tend to naturally not overeat.

The fitter you become the easier exercise gets so unlike diets the results of exercise improve over time!

Although diet without exercise can result in significant weight loss – ALL diets become less effective over time as the body always adjusts resting metabolic rate down in response to any and all forms of calorie restriction so without the addition of exercise all diets ultimately fail!

So get started today and remember doing something is way better than doing nothing!   Just a short walk is a start and if you can make it a habit it will start to make a difference in how you feel which can help provide the motivation to do more exercise.    Exercise has proven to be a keystone habit meaning many people who start exercising find it much easier to make positive changes in other aspects of their lifestyle as well!

The Incredible Benefits of Regular Exercise

"If exercise could be packed in a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the world" - Robert N. Butler, M.D. - Former Director, National Institute on Aging.  That is a pretty bold claim, but as we will see below it is true.

We all have experienced having a “good” day versus a “bad” day and it all starts with your attitude.     Exercise immediately affects your attitude towards yourself, your day and everyone you meet in an extremely positive way!  Exercise directly and measurably affects your brain chemistry, and has been shown in several studies to be more effective than anti-depressant medication in treating depression.     

Proven Benefits of Exercise and Consequences of Inactivity

Exercise is very helpful for preventing and treating anxiety.

Exercise boosts brainpower, ability to learn and memory and helps create new brain cells by               increasing levels of brain derived neurotropic factor.

Exercise helps prevent age related cognitive decline by boosting chemicals that support and               prevent the degeneration of the hippocampus.

Exercise boosts productivity - studies show that workers who take time for exercise on a                     regular basis are more productive and have more energy than their more sedentary peers.

Exercise can help control addiction by boosting release of dopamine, the reward chemical.

Exercise reduces stress response and increases your ability to relax.

Lack of activity is the single most significant modifiable risk factor for all causes of                     disease!

According to the CDC “more Americans are at risk of heart disease through physical inactivity than through high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or smoking.”

6 out of 10 Americans are at risk for heart disease because they do not get enough physical activity!

Exercise reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes and can help reverse the condition if you have it.

Exercise strengthens your muscles and bones and is very important for preventing osteoporosis.

Proper exercise can help prevent falls which are a leading cause of injury and death in seniors.

In the Harvard Alumni Study the data showed that exercisers between the ages of 35 – 79 increased their longevity by .7 years for each increment of 500 calories per week in leisure-time activity they performed.

Exercise is proven to improve sleep both in terms of making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.

Exercise is proven to help prevent and treat impotence in men, and lack of sexual desire in men and woman.

Exercise is one of the only ways proven to increase HDL (Good) cholesterol.

Exercise can help to lower blood pressure.

Exercise helps control the symptoms and pain of arthritis and helps reduce the need for pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication.

Exercise improves many cases of low back pain.

Regular exercisers automatically do a better job of matching calorie intake to calorie output – meaning they tend to naturally not overeat.

The fitter you become the easier exercise gets so unlike diets the results of exercise improve over time!

Although diet without exercise can result in significant weight loss – ALL diets become less effective over time as the body always adjusts resting metabolic rate down in response to any and all forms of calorie restriction so without the addition of exercise all diets ultimately fail!

So get started today and remember doing something is way better than doing nothing!   Just a short walk is a start and if you can make it a habit it will start to make a difference in how you feel which can help provide the motivation to do more exercise.    Exercise has proven to be a keystone habit meaning many people who start exercising find it much easier to make positive changes in other aspects of their lifestyle as well!