How Many Repetitions Should You Do for Each Resistance Training Set?

Many hours are spent in heated debate on this topic, but the truth is that the number of reps per set and number of sets per workout are secondary measures.       A close review of the scientific research shows that the weight of evidence does NOT support the idea that different numbers of repetitions have differential effects on muscular strength and endurance.       Furthermore, a review on this subject concluded that “all these studies strongly suggest that within a reasonable range of repetitions, approximately 3 to 20, there does not appear to be a specific number of repetitions that will elicit more favorable gains in muscular strength, power or hypertrophy.”

What does matter then?   It is ALL about reaching momentary muscular failure (meaning that you cannot complete another repetition of an exercise in good form.     If you do not reach muscular failure or come very close the reps and sets will not produce results.     Perfect form is part of this equation because perfect form means keeping tension in the targeted muscle/s throughout the entire repetition and not using momentum.     For example, allowing the weights being lifted to settle on the top of the weight stack means you are unloading the muscle – NOT what we want to do!     Throwing weight using momentum is another way you can deload the muscle.   The key is performing smooth, steady repetitions throughout the range of motion for an exercise with no deloading until you reach momentary muscular failure.   

For beginners one set to failure between 8 – 15 repetitions is plenty for each muscle group.   Over the longer haul repetitive sets because necessary to make progress – but never sacrifice reaching muscular failure and perfect form to do extra sets!

How Eating Sugar at Breakfast Sabotages Weight Loss Efforts

Many people notice that eating breakfast makes them hungrier throughout the day, and this is probably NOT their imagination!   In this case the culprit is likely what they eat.  Specifically, refined carbohydrates, including sugar, can drive hunger particularly if they are consumed with little fat or protein.

A recent study tested this hypothesis with 16 healthy young women between the ages of 18 and 30 who had a stable body weight for the last 3 months.  Anyone with diabetes or on medications that affect appetite was excluded along with people who were allergic to any part of the meals given as part of the study.

Participants fasted for a minimum of 8 hours prior to the study.  In the morning participants came to the laboratory and were given a standardized test meal consisting of passion fruit juice, one cup of coffee, French bread and 5 grams of margarine.   The two drinks had no sugar added and the participants were instructed to sweeten to their preferred taste.

The sugar container given to the participants was weighed both before and after its use by each person to know the amount of sugar each person added to their drinks.   After completing the entire meal participants did not eat or drink anything (except water) until lunchtime.

Lunch was served 3 hours after breakfast and consisted of pasta with tomato sauce, and participants were instructed to eat until they felt satisfied. 

Study Results

The participants were divided into two groups based on the amount of sugar they elected to add to their breakfast.   The high sugar group added about 25 grams of sugar to breakfast while the low sugar group only added 14 grams of sugar. 

  

Both groups were evaluated for their perception of hunger and satiety.     The high sugar group had significantly higher levels of hunger during the three hours after breakfast AND consumed significantly more pasta at lunch!

Take Home Message

Avoid high sugar breakfasts such as standard breakfast cereal, fruit juices (eat fruit don’t drink it!) and consume 15 – 20 grams of protein and a small amount of fat.   Also try to add higher fiber carb choices like berries instead of banana, adding spinach to an omelet, etc.      Examples include an omelet with spinach with berries or a shake with protein, greens, and small amount of MCT oil for fat.

Resistance Training Reduces Heart Fat

A recent study at Copenhagen University Hospital recruited 32 people who were obese and did not exercise.  Participants did either 12 weeks of weight training or cardiovascular exercise – which was cardio on an exercise bike – or no change in activity.

The resistance exercise training in this study was designed as a 45-minute interval type, medium load, high-repetition, time-based training.  Participants performed three to five sets of 10 exercises and the sessions were supervised. 

Each person had an MRI scan taken of their heart before and after the study to look at two types of heart tissue - epicardial fat and pericardial fat.

Epicardial adipose tissue is thought to protect the heart by metabolizing fat and therefore preventing buildup of plaque. 

Less is known about the effect of pericardial fat mass on heart function. But the researchers said it is 'exclusively associated with cardiovascular risk factors, coronary calcification, and incident of coronary heart disease'. 

Study Results

Both forms of exercise resulted in the reduction of epicardial adipose tissue when compared to no exercise - cardio by 32 per cent and weight training by 24 per cent.

But only weight training had an impact on pericardial adipose tissue, which was reduced by 31 per cent compared to no exercise.

Both forms of fat are recognized as causes of heart disease.

The researchers concluded that 'Overall, our results suggest that resistance training may be superior to endurance training as resistance training reduced pericardial adipose tissue and improved fitness and strength, while endurance training only improved fitness’. 

'Nevertheless, both exercise modalities were associated with reduced epicardial adipose tissue, suggesting that people with specific training preferences or requirements can benefit from both training modalities.'

The resistance training program intervention alone was effective in reducing both fat depots of the heart. 

A healthy diet can also reduce epicardial fat by 32 per cent, according to a 2012 study.

Therefore, a combination of exercise and dietary restriction would have the greatest effect on heart fat, the authors said.   

Does Vitamin E Really Cause Cancer?

One of the latest sensational headlines proclaimed that supplemental Vitamin E causes cancer, but to put it mildly this headline is very misleading.

How and When Vitamin E Can Accelerate Cancer Growth

A recent study showed that, in abnormal cells, vitamin E and NAC (n-acteyl-cysteine, another antioxidant) can dampen the p53 DNA damage response, meaning the tumor suppressor gene (p53) does not get activated because there is little oxidation/nitration to stimulte the response. 

It is important to understand that reducing DNA damage in normal healthy cells is a good thing since DNA damage is a cancer initiator. However, cancer cells may use supplemental antioxidants to their advantage because it allows them to continue to override these important checkpoints thereby promoting the survival of these abnormal cells. 

Giving Mice with Cancer 5 to 50 Times The RDA in Vitamin E

​​​​​​​The ability of supplemental antioxidants to promote the survival of cancer cells in mice was demonstrated recently.  Researchers fed mice with lung cancer between 5 and 50 times the RDA of an isolated form of vitamin E and it accelerated the cancer growth. They showed the mechanism of this tumor acceleration was that p53 was not getting activated due to the quenching of reactive oxygen species by the vitamin E. As a consequence, that important tumor suppressor checkpoint did not get activated and cancer cell death was not initiated.

At the same time let’s keep in mind that the same dose of Vitamin E and N-acetyl-cysteine given to normal mice without cancer, did not initiate cancer. In fact, it did the opposite. It reduced DNA damage, a well-known initiator of cancer. This is a perfect demonstration of how the effects of supplemental vitamins are context-dependent and generalizations should not be made.

Vitamin E can prevent DNA damage, which is a good thing if you do not already have cancer since DNA damage is a well-known cancer initiator. However, if you already have cancer DNA damage can activate any functional tumor suppressor genes, which can kill the cancer cell.

This may also serve another lesson: more is not always better.

Endogenous Antioxidants:  Even Our Bodies Produce Them

As per a previous blog post our bodies produce their own endogenous antioxidants (http://workoutanytime.news/pulse/nov2017/november_2017_nutrition_corner-antioxidants_101_article.pdf , and these antioxidants are much more powerful than dietary antioxidants like Vitamin E.

Exogenous Antioxidants aka Dietary Antioxidants

These antioxidants come from foods and supplements.  Vitamin E is one of the many dietary antioxidants and is critical for optimal health. Vitamin E comes from plants, and there are at least 8 different forms (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta), which are present as either tocopherols or tocotrienols.

There are two major forms of vitamin E in the body:

Alpha Tocopherol - found in the largest quantity in the body, and the most potent at stopping reactive oxygen species.

Gamma Tocopherol - second most abundant, and important for inhibiting reactive nitration oxidants. Gamma Tocopherol also inhibits cyclooxygeanse activity (otherwise known as COX), which generates inflammatory chemicals.

Although both alpha and gamma tocopherol prevent the oxidation of lipids (fats), DNA, and proteins -- ONLY gamma tocopherol prevents damaging reactive nitrogen oxidants and affects the COX pathway that creates inflammatory chemicals. 

Moreover, taking high doses (such as 400 IU a day) of alpha tocopherol in isolation actively depletes levels of gamma tocopherol. Because alpha tocopherol is the most abundant in tissues and in plasma, it happens to be the major form that is found in supplements... usually to the exclusion of all else within the Vitamin E family.

The take home message is that if you choose to supplement Vitamin E always take a form with mixed tocopherols including plenty of Gamma Tocopherol.

Selenium and Vitamin E taken Together

A study showed that the men supplementing with the 400 IU/day of alpha-tocopherol alone had an 18% increased risk of prostate cancer; however, this risk was ameliorated when the participants were co-administered the same dose (400 IU) of the alpha-tocopherol along with 200 micrograms of selenium.  The most recent follow-up found that only the men with the lowest selenium levels at baseline were at risk for increased prostate cancer after alpha-tocopherol supplementation [4].

Selenium is required for the function of about 25 different proteins including glutathione peroxidase (one of the big three endogenous antioxidants produced in your body that requires selenium). One of these proteins (selenoprotein P) which require selenium is an enzyme that detoxifies reactive nitrogen oxidants. 

Since protection against reactive nitrogen oxidants is one of the specific functions of gamma tocopherol this might be the mechanism by which selenium can protect against prostate cancer in men that supplemented with a high dose of alpha tocopherol (which depleted their gamma tocopherol).

Studies have also found that higher vitamin E levels are associated with a lower risk for prostate cancer. In a case-controlled study looking at serum levels of alpha, gamma, and selenium and the prostate, it was found that those with the highest levels of serum gamma tocopherol was associated with a five-fold decrease in prostate cancer. 

Summary

Both reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species are being produced inside your cells every single day.  These damaging byproducts of normal metabolism and immune activation wreak havoc on your DNA, proteins, and cell membranes, which lead to diseases of aging such as cancer and neurodegeneration. 

Having the appropriate amount and combination of antioxidants can prevent this damage from occurring in normal cells. However, taking mega doses of vitamin E in the presence of cancer may have negative consequences because it prevents the reactive oxygen species from activating tumor suppressor genes that kill cancer cells.

Selenium and Vitamin E

Selenium has been shown to be protective against cancer, and while alpha tocopherol is important, if you're both deficient in selenium AND depleting your gamma tocopherol levels then the additional inflammation may be just enough to tip you over the edge into a diseased state. 

According to NHANES survey, 60% of the US population does not meet the requirement of minimum levels of alpha tocopherol, which is 22.4 IU/day. 

This is compared to about 6% of the population that does not meet the requirement for selenium. The RDA for selenium is 55 micrograms/day. There are about 25 different proteins that require selenium and this RDA is based on the amount needed to maintain maximal activity of glutathione peroxidase. 

Other data indicates that 55 micrograms per day may not be enough to maintain maximal activity of some other selenium-dependent enzymes. Most people in the US are not meeting their requirements for vitamin E and should probably try to increase their consumption of foods that contain all forms of vitamin E like almonds, pecans, wheat germ, and avocados.

If you do choose to supplement Vitamin E use a supplement that contains all forms of tocopherols including plenty of gamma tocopherol.  Also consider taking an optimal dose (200 micrograms per day) of a preferred form of selenium like the Selenoexcell (if taking a multiple vitamin count the micrograms of selenium contained there – you do not need more than 200 micrograms).     If you want to avoid supplementation Brazil nuts are VERY high in bioavailable selenium – just one to two per day is all you need! 

Click here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgiZufI0oS8 to watch a great, short video on the crucial difference between antioxidant supplementation in healthy cells vs cancer cells!

Can Drinking Cold Water Increase Fat Burning?

Believe it or not the answer appears to be YES!   A recent study looked at this phenomenon and found that after drinking 16 ounces of cold water increased metabolic rate by 30% in both men and in women. 

The increase in metabolic rate was observed within 10 min after finishing the water and reached a maximum 30–40 min after water drinking.   This increased metabolic rate was sustained for more than an hour. 

The researchers estimated that increasing daily water intake by 1.5 liters would increase daily energy expenditure by approximately 47 calories. Over 1 yr, energy expenditure would increase by 17,400 calories which is 5.28 lbs of fat!.

So enjoy that cold water!

Key Movement Variables to Optimize the Benefits of Strength Training

Although the amount of resistance you use and how many repetitions of each exercise you do and how many total sets you perform in a workout are important – there is much more to an effective resistance training program.

It’s not just about what you are lifting – how you are lifting it is equally important.     Here are some of the key movement variables to consider:

What is your movement speed and is it constant or does it change and what are the effects of changes in movement speed or acceleration and deceleration during an exercise?    As a general rule of thumb slower, controlled movements are safer and generate more time under tension for a muscle group.   However the deliberate use of higher velocity movement or explosive movements can be very beneficial if done correctly using good form.

Body Position including placement of feet, position of the torso and hands during an exercise?    Small changes in the position of your hands, feet and body can dramatically change what muscles are used.   For example a squat done with feet and hips externally rotated will result in very different loading than a squat with feet and hips straight or only slightly rotated out.

 Where is the load and line of resistance relation to your body?  When using free weights of any kind (dumbbell, kettlebell, sandbag, etc.) gravity will pull down directly to the ground in a straight line from the load, and depending on the position of your body will determine which muscle/s are being challenged. If using a machine of any type the line of resistance is not always straight up and down because many machines use pulleys which redirect the force of gravity on a weight stack in differing directions.         

What is the position of the resistance/load that you are using?  For example doing a squat with a bar on your back is very different than doing a front squat with a bar in front of your shoulders and completely changes the emphasis of which muscles are producing the movement and the stabilization requirements of the other muscles such as torso muscles.  Holding resistance on one side or the other such as single arm overhead press creates very different loading than using two arms at one time.      Even doing the same exercise with dumbbells versus barbells substantially changes the loading and challenge.

What plane/s of motion are you moving through during each exercise and how does this relate to the activity or sport you are training for?   The bulk of exercises most people think of are done solely in the sagittal plane meaning the movement is forward/backward or up or down.   However the body also moves side to side and rotates not to mention movements that involve all three planes of motion.     For example a squat with an overhead press can be done solely in the sagittal plane – you squat down holding the weight at shoulder height and then at the top press it overhead.    If you take the same movement but rotate the body to one side as you pivot one leg to facilitate the turn you introduce rotational movement which really changes the exercise substantially.

How stable or unstable is the resistance/load you are using?

Using a fixed unmoving object such as a dumbbell, kettlebell or weight ball as resistance is very different than doing the same exercise with a less stable form of handheld resistance such as a sandbag.    Unstable loads dramatically increase the challenge of an exercise requiring substantially lower loads for the same metabolic response.

How stable or unstable is your base of support during an exercise?

Try any exercise on the beach in sand versus a stable surface of any kind and you will immediately get the point here!

Change any one of these variables and you have a whole new exercise not to mention changing more than one at once and/or also changing the amount of load you are using.     In general do NOT change everything at once but you can easily create variation in your program by adjusting more than just your sets, reps, and amount of resistance used!

What Should a Coach Do When They feel Nervous Asking Clients to Pay?

This is a typical issue for many trainers, and here is true story to illustrate the problem (and how to fix it!).    Joe was a young trainer who had a really hard time asking his clients for money.     He had no formal education in health and fitness, but he was very passionate about helping people!  Joe also had a lot of experience, but he felt like a fraud.

Joe got all nervous every time he had to ask a prospect to sign-up or a client to renew their training package.      His internal dialogue went like this:  “Why should this person pay me for this?   How will they feel when they discover that I am making everything up as I go?”

The good news for Joe is that he worked under a Fitness Director who cared about him a lot who also had several decades of experience coaching trainers.     The Fitness Director quickly saw Joe’s problem and knew what he needed to do to fix it.

The real problem was not that Joe had a problem asking for money – the real problem was that Joe had a self-esteem problem himself, and it was killing his business and his personal life!

Feeling inadequate is a common challenge for many trainers.      The good news is that there IS a way to get through this to be the kind of Coach you want to be.    

When you feel like you are not adequate as a trainer it is not because you are bad or unworthy – those feelings are an indication that there is a gap in your knowledge or skills (or both).  

   

Joe’s problem asking for the money was that he did not think he knew how to get great results for his clients!

Joe’s Fitness Director knew this and suggested that Joe do whatever it took to fill the gaps in his knowledge and skills and offered his assistance in Coaching Joe.    

Joe took him up on the offer and they made a plan together to work through this important career and life challenge.    Joe signed up for a NASM certification after their first meeting, and they set-up weekly meetings to review each of Joe’s client’s progress and goals.

Long story short, Joe completed his NASM certification (and several others!) and worked with his Fitness Director.   Joe is now the top trainer at his club.  He never stops learning and growing, and he is actively coaching other trainers who have the same confidence problem he had.   Most importantly Joe has helped hundreds of clients achieve their goals and live the life they were meant to live!

By the way – this story is not just about Joe – for a lot of you reading this it is about YOU! 

Know there is a way out and we are here to help you!    Brandon, Crystal, and I believe in you!   We know you can be great – so acknowledge the gaps in your knowledge and skills and let us help you build your confidence!

Yours in health and fitness – Greg Maurer – Vice President of Fitness – Workout Anytime

The Many Benefits of Stand-up Paddleboarding

Stand-up Paddle Boarding (SUP) is a fun activity that almost anyone can learn, and it is one of the best workouts available!   Stand-up Paddle Boarding is low impact and provides a combination of balance, core, strength, and endurance.     Since you are standing you have to use everything from your feet (wow do you use your feet!) all the way up through your entire shoulder girdle.    Because you are standing your arms never have to go above shoulder height which means that there is much less stress on the rotator cuff muscles than kayaking.    You use your shoulders heavily but your shoulders are stressed in the position where they are naturally most stable and strong so much better than kayaking for those with shoulder and neck issues!

Just standing on a Paddle Board forces you to stabilize your entire body and core, and it is one of the best activities available to develop balance.   Best of all if you do fall you land in the water and getting back on the board is very easy!  

SUP Technique Breakdown

Learning to SUP is easy but mastering the stroke and maximizing your speed takes lot of practice.   The first thing to focus on is NOT pulling the water!   Instead you want to plant the blade in the water and pull yourself and the board up to the paddle blade.   Imagine that you are stabbing the paddle firmly into soft sand then pulling yourself and the board up to the paddle.     If you can clearly visualize the difference here it will go a long way to getting your stroke where it needs to be for optimum speed.   Think about grabbing the water NOT pulling the water by you!

Reach

Once you get a little feel for it start looking at how far you are reaching forward to put your paddle in the water.   You want to reach as far as possible each time you stroke, BUT there is a limit based on your particular anatomy, shoulder strength and balance.    If you reach too far you can over-stress your low back, shoulder or just be off balance which is counter-productive.

Catch

This is where the blade of the paddle enters the water.    Make sure the entire blade enters the water before you begin to pull.   The catch should be as smooth and clean as possible with no splashing.

Pull

Now you are ready to apply power to the paddle.   Use your entire body for this part of the stroke.   It is NOT about using your arms.   Rather your arms merely connect you to the paddle through your hands and you use the rotation of your torso, hips, and shoulders to drive your paddle!  Try to relax your arms as much as possible to perfect this technique. Do not pull too far back as this will actually slow you down.   Once the paddle passes your hips if you keep pull you are actually pulling the paddle up meaning you are pulling the paddle board down and this only slows you down.

Release

After the pull you need to release the paddle from the water.    Like the catch you want this movement to be quick, smooth, and with zero splashing.   Feathering the blade of the paddle creates a smooth release and set-up for the next catch.   You feather by dropping your top shoulder, “breaking your wrist inward”, or a combination of both.  

Recovery

Once you release the paddle you are ready to set-up for the next catch and pull.   Try to relax during this phase – the key to optimum paddle technique is learning to set a rhythm between tension and relaxation and ultimately getting your breathing into a rhythm with the stroke.  The first time you feel this come together it is amazing – really zen!  So stay relaxed and let go of the tension you produced in the catch and pull and smoothly swing the paddle forward to prepare to drive the blade fully into the water for the next pull!

How many calories can you burn Paddle Boarding?

Obviously your actual calorie burn will depend on the intensity of effort you are putting into to paddling along with your height, weight, and the wind and water conditions you are paddling in.     However here are some estimates based on people weighing between 165 and 200lbs :

            Casual Paddle Boarding – 300 – 430 calories per hour

Yoga on Paddle Board – 416 – 540 calories per hour

Touring on a Paddle Board – 615 – 708 calories per hour

Surfing on a Paddle Board – 623 – 735 calories per hour

Racing a Paddle Board – 715 – 1,125 calories per hour

So if you have not taken the plunge yet – google “Stand-up Paddle Board Rental” and find a rental location and give it a whirl.   Rentals including paddle, board, and lifejacket are generally $25 - $35 per hour so get out there and give it a go!   

For a great tutorial on the paddleboard check out this excellent article:  https://www.justpaddleboard.com/sup-technique-for-beginners-getting-started/ 

Ultraprocessed Foods and Weight Gain

A recent National Institute of Health Study showed why Ultraprocessed foods drive weight gain.   The study showed that those eating Ultraprocessed diet ate 459 calories per day more than those eating a diet of unprocessed foods – both groups were allowed to eat as much as they wanted during three meals per day and food intake was closely measured as participants lived in a control setting for the four weeks of the study.

What are Ultraprocessed Foods?

For this study Ultraprocessed foods were defined as foods with ingredients predominantly found in manufacturing such as high fructose corn syrup, flavoring agents and emulsifiers.     Examples of food used in study include Cheerios, Check Boyardee Ravioli, diet lemonade and Hellman’s Mayonnaise.

Researchers found that participants eating the Ultraprocessed diet had increased levels of Ghrelin – a hormone released by the body to trigger hunger.     Researchers believe that Ultraprocessed foods have altered taste and texture making them easier to overeat including being easier to chew and swallow.

In addition, those eating the Ultraprocessed diet had higher levels of fasting glucose and insulin which means increased fat storage and decreased fat utilization.

In another related study on Ultraprocessed foods researchers found that for each 10% increase in Ultraprocessed foods the risk of death rose by 14% even after accounting for confounding factors such as smoking and obesity.

So the take home message is eat whole foods that have not been processed or minimally processed!

The Many Benefits of Safe Sun Exposure

As with a lot of health advice the media tends to be very polarized when it comes to sun exposure.    While Ultraviolet (UV) exposure can cause sunburn which can lead to the development of skin cancer - proper safe, sun exposure is critical for optimal health and wellness.   

In addition proper UV exposure is critical for Vitamin D production which is by far the best way to optimize the many benefits of Vitamin D (See these previous blog posts on how to get safe sun exposure and supplement vitamin D in the winter:  http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-facts-on-safe-sun-exposure-and.html and http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2019/01/how-to-optimize-vitamin-d-levels-in.html )  Also, sunlight delivers more than UV light!

Sunlight exposure has many has many other proven benefits beyond Vitamin D production including:

Sunlight kills bad bacteria on the skin and is proven to improve psoriasis, acne, eczema and fungal infections of the skin.

UVA exposure from the sun causes skin to release stores of nitric oxide which is a potent signaling molecule with many benefits including vasodilation of blood vessels that can lower blood pressure and improve erectile function.     Nitric Oxide is also critical for proper immune function.

UVA and UVB exposure cause endorphin release which is relaxing and produces a strong analgesic effect helping to reduce pain.   Endorphins also act as a potent anti-depressant. 

Sunlight exposure early in the day is critical for proper sleep/wake cycle – sunlight signals received through the yes signal the master timekeeper in the brain, the suprachiasmic nucleus, that it is daytime and this keep time in all the peripheral “clocks” in the body so they function properly.   All cells express genes that keep cellular time and regular gene expression and activity.     For example skin cells exposed to UV light they expressed higher levels of two “clock” genes that control cellular circadian activity.  

Decreased sunlight exposure during daytime negatively affects circadian rhythms and night-time melatonin production so while night-time exposure to light (and blue light in particular) decreases melatonin secretion – daytime exposure (particularly early morning after first waking up) increases it later in the night!

The infrared rays of the sun penetrate the skin deeply producing many benefits including:

Increased Circulation

Helps reduce blood pressure

Helps prevent sunburns – so early morning sun exposure (when there is a high percentage of Infrared and reduced UV) can paradoxically help prevent sunburn later in the day.

Reduces pain and stiffness – this a very real benefit which is why you see animals like cats sit in the sun and stretch!

So enjoy safe sun exposure every day to reap these many benefits.   The key is pre-burn exposure.       Morning sun exposure (prior to 11am is very safe in most locations) and will greatly improve circadian rhythms and sleep while mid-day exposure is key for Vitamin D production.      To learn how to get safe sun exposure read the two previous blog posts mentioned above.