Author Archives: SNI

Conventional Sprints or Resisted Sprints?

By: Eric and Chris Martinez

What does a body well? Walking, treadmills, jogging, or perhaps sprints! Just ask Usain Bolt and the answer will be crystal clear. What kind of sprints you may ask? Well, we will keep it simple and refer to two specific types, conventional sprints and resisted sprints, better known as “sled drags” in this case. Very similar to Santa Clause dragging his sled around full of presents during Christmas time. All kidding aside, if you do not know what a “sled drag” is, in a nutshell it’s a device used for training purposes where you put resistance (weights) on it and pull it. And yes, these two types of sprint methods can be used as a HIIT protocol, we already anticipated that question. But, in this article we will not be discussing these sprint variations for HIIT purposes. Instead we will be discussing the effects of conventional sprints and resisted sprints training to see which one is better for acceleration, athletic performance, and just overall better gains.

You may be thinking well why sprints and not a different type of training method to determine this? Well, since team sport athletes rarely have time to reach top speeds during play, the ability to accelerate quickly during a sprint is more important than maximal velocity. Researchers have found that assisted sprint training can help to develop stride frequency, while resisted sprint training may help increase recruitment of fast-twitch fibers, aka build more muscle. In a study done by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, West et al. determined the effects of resisted sprint training on acceleration in professional rugby players. Better yet, they wanted to compare the effects of a program comprised of both weighted sled towing and speed training with a program comprising just speed training.

So what did the researchers do you ask? They recruited 20 male rugby players and designed the combined sled and speed training programs. The (SLED) group did 3 x 20 m sled drags with 12.6% body mass in addition to 2 series of 3 x 20 m sprints with 2 minutes rest in between. The (SPEED) group did 3 x 20 m sprints and another 2 series of 3 x 20 m sprints with 2 minutes rest in between. In addition, the researchers tested the subjects over 10m and 30m sprints before and after the intervention. In addition to the sprint training, all of the subjects also took part in 3 resistance-training sessions, 3 conditioning sessions, and 3 skills sessions. So what happened was the researchers found that the (SLED) protocol improved both 10m and 30m sprint times by significantly more than the (SPEED) protocol.

10m sprint times:

Over the 6-week intervention period (with 2 workouts per week), the (SPEED) protocol improved 10m-sprint time by 1.16%. However, the (SLED) protocol improved by

Approximately twice as much or 2.35%. This is quite a significant difference when comparing the two protocols.

30m sprint times:

Similarly, the (SPEED) protocol improved 30m-sprint time by 0.96%. However, the (SLED) protocol improved by nearly three times as much, or 2.65%. Incredible how much different the protocols were in this one.

What did the researchers conclude from this study? They concluded that both (SLED) and (SPEED) programs can improve acceleration over 10m and 30m sprints. They also concluded that the (SLED) program, involving a combination of sled drags with sprint training led to greater overall gains. With that said, hopefully we can all agree depending on what our goals are that sled drags are the better option overall for athletic performance. Not to mention, are probably better for overall hypertrophy (muscle building) purposes. If you are just more of a conventional sprint type of person. In a study done by Wilson et al. Sprints caused more muscle retention because when you’re doing LISS (say fast paced walking) you’re not activating muscles the same way as if you were lifting weights. So when you sprint you have hip flexion, knee extension, and these are all similar to weightlifting movements. Also, sprints are another way to overload the muscle. Just compare a sprinters body composition to a marathon runners… more muscle mass!

Wrapping this up

If you are new to sled drags or resisted sprints, you are probably wondering where in the world do I get a sled? Well, you can’t depend on Santa delivering it, but there are many different online sites to purchase them, or you can get creative and make your own. We have seen some very crafty inventions for resisted sprints. The take home message for this article is to get out of your comfort zone and try a new method of sprints, especially if you are looking to take your body composition to the next level. You have all the data you need above to prove why they are such a beneficial and effective training tool. We must warn you though, if it’s your first time doing a sled drag or resisted sprints, you will feel the punishment the next morning. But, just like any other form of training, it takes physical and neural adaptation, so don’t give up quite so fast just because you are in pain and your CNS feels shot out. You can always use the analogy we used earlier, would you rather have a marathon runner’s body composition or a sprinter’s body composition? We rest our case!

BTW, check out our cool vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOSdYqMDVSI&list=UUKzDBrzmkkvpC5zJIoMU0yA&index=4&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5TUYTo73AQ&feature=plcp

References:

(1) West, Cunningham, Bracken, Bevan, Crewther, Cook and Kilduff, Effects of resisted sprint training on acceleration in professional rugby union players, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

(2) Wilson, et al. Concurrent Training: A Meta Analysis Examining Interference of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise. University of Tampa, FL. J Strength Conditioning.

BIOs

Eric & Chris Martinez

Founders, Dynamic Duo Training

www.dynamicduotraining.com

Eric and Chris Martinez are identical twin brothers that are nationally known as the Dynamic Duo, nutrition and training coaches, fitness and nutrition writers, fitness models, and founders of Dynamic Duo Training- an up and coming world class website that provides customized training protocols, customized nutrition plans, motivational coaching, educational programs, and a carved path to live a dynamic lifestyle. Both are CISSN (certified sports nutritionists via the ISSN).

Interview – Omega-3 Fatty Acid Expert Doug Bibus PhD

SNI: Folks talk constantly about having the proper ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. What is the ‘ideal’ ratio (if it exists) and why?

Dr. Bibus: This is a common but very good question. With the excessive consumption of omega 6 largely as soybean oil in the standard American diet, current dietary ratios of omega 6 to omega 3 are from 10 to 20:1. Large amounts of omega 6 in the face of smaller amounts of omega 3, reduce our bodies own metabolism omega 3, facilitating omega 3 deficiency. See attached figure from Holman circa 1964 (Slide #3 in PPT). Ideally if we can reduce our dietary ratio to 1:1 by limiting intake of omega 6 and/or increasing omega 3 we can get significant conversion of omega 3. I typically state the ‘ideal’ dietary omega 6 to omega 3 ratio to be less than 5 to 1. Below a 5 to 1 ratio we begin to see decent conversion of omega 3 and our blood levels of omega 3 increase to more healthy levels. Dr Bill Lands has made food selection simple for determining your omega 3 balance. You can find his Omega 3-6 Balance Score program at www.FastLearner.org.

SNI: Of the omega 3 fats, what are the similarities and differences vis a vis their benefits between EPA and DHA? Also, what’s the scoop on DPA?

Dr. Bibus: All long chain omega 3 like EPA, DPA and DHA have anti-inflammatory characteristics. EPA however tends to be touted more as the anti-inflammatory omega 3 as it is converted into series 3 eicosanoids or hormone like compounds that have much lower inflammatory potentials than those derived from omega 6. DHA is typically found in membranes or the bags that surround our cells. DHA is thought to be a major player in how our cells communicate through membrane interactions of expression of genes or our DNA. DHA is also important for glucose uptake in muscle as insulin sentivity of muscle is predicted by muscle content of DHA. Our eyes, brain and liver have fairly high levels of DHA. DHA makes up the majority of the fatty acids in he retina and about 20% in brain. DPA is the exciting ‘new’ omega 3 fatty acid. DPA has always been ‘around’ but research is increasingly recognizing its significance. It is structural similar to DHA with just 1 less double bond. We tend to store twice the amount of DPA in our blood than EPA and about half as much DPA as DHA. While DPA is found only in small amounts in our diet, unless you are eating Menhaden or taking sources of menhaden oil, its significant presence in the blood comments on it potential for health. Several studies have reported blood levels of DPA to be as predictive or more predictive of cardiovascular risk than EPA and DHA yet this nutrient is often ignored when we talk about omega 3. DPA is in fact often referred to as “other” omega 3 on supplement labels. There is an increasing awareness around DPA and its health benefits so look for new products touting DPA in your nutrition stores soon.

SNI: I have an acquaintance who takes 10 grams of fish oil daily. Can you take ‘too much?’ And if so, what are the side effects? What is the ‘ideal’ dose of fish oil per day?

Dr. Bibus: I often take 10 grams per day which represents about 10% of my normal daily fat intake. Can you take too much…from a practical standpoint no. Arctic populations living on marine based diets consume on average 100-200 grams of marine based fat per day from fish, seal and whale blubber. These populations have very low levels of heart disease but do have a tendency to bleed longer. Bleeding is NOT a problem for people taking fish oil supplements. The FDA conservatively states that up to 3g or 3000mg of EPA and DHA are safe to consume each day. For standard fish oil this is about 10grams per day. There are no real side effects to fish oil consumption. If you are taking medications to prevent clotting or have a clotting disorder you should talk to your physician about fish oil before you start taking it. There is no federal recommendation for how much long chain omega 3 (EPA, DPA and DHA) should be in our daily diet. I advocate consuming 2000mg or 2g of EPA, DPA and DHA combined per day. This is about 7 – 1gram capsules of standard fish oil or 2-3 grams of concentrated fish oil. Why 2000mg? This is the amount required to raise our blood values of omega 3 to around 50% omega 3 in HUFA (highly unsaturated fatty acids) which is correlated with a 50% reduction in the incidence of death.

SNI: Many middle-aged men take both aspirin and fish oil. Inasmuch as both increase clotting time, should these two be taken concurrently?

Dr. Bibus: Taking aspirin and fish oil both reduce clotting time which is a GOOD thing. In America, our high omega 6 diet causes us to clot too much. Salicylates or aspirin has many health benefits outside of reducing clotting. Regular aspirin consumption has been also reported to reduce cancer risk. If you have a clotting disorder you should consult with your doctor before starting any fish oil regimen.

SNI: Why do some fish oil products taste so ‘fishy’ and smell like a wharf in San Francisco while others seem to be less stinky?

Dr. Bibus: The fishy smell from fish comes from certain nitrogen containing compounds (tertiary amines) and also from oxidized omega 3. There are many different types of oxidized fatty acids often called aldehydes. One type in particular can be smelled by our nose at relative small concentrations, helping our noses determine good from bad fish oils. That fishy smell comes from break down or degradation products of fish oil. Good clean fish oil will have a very slight to no fishy aroma. Fish oil processing helps clean up fish oil and proper storage and handling if fish oil, once made, are critical for keeping an oil healthy and oxidtaively stable. A general rule of thumb is that if an oil smells bad it is bad and should be avoided. Oxidized fatty acids are not healthy for u to consume. Happily most oil producers today do a good job at produce stable oils. There are still a few bad actors but luckily your nose can show you the way!

SNI: What new projects do you have on the horizon? Tell the SNI audience please.

Dr. Bibus: I am really excited to see a number of new products focused on athletic performance in the omega 3 area. Also a number of DPA enriched omega 3 products will soon be entering the market place. A company called Omega Protein has learned how to enrich DPA and are now selling omega 3 oils with up to 10% DPA. There are also a host of omega 3 delivery systems that are out there now. Emulsions are particularly interesting to me as they offer omega 3 in a form that is readily absorbed. A number of fish oils are now concentrated which helps reduce the overall pill count to achieve 2-3 g per day intakes of long chain omega 3.

About Dr. Bibus – Dr. Doug Bibus received his BS from Mankato State University and earned his MS in nutrition and Ph.D in nutritional biochemistry from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Bibus is a community faculty member at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing and a researcher in the area of fatty acid biochemistry and nutrition. Dr. Bibus is considered as one of the top omega 3 experts in the world, a distinction that stems from his work at the academic lab (Professor Ralph T. Holman) that invented the omega 3 terminology as well as discovered the metabolism and definitive essentiality of omega 3. Dr Bibus’s research interests include the role of essential fatty acids in human and animal nutrition, the role of omega 3 fatty acids in attenuating the inflammatory response, the application of fatty acids in the treatment of disease and the impact of oxidative stress on performance animals and humans. Dr. Bibus is a member of The American Oil Chemists’ Society, The American Chemical Society, The Society for Critical Care Medicine and The International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids. He has been a two-time winner of the American Chemical Society’s Award in Analytical Chemistry. Dr. Bibus is a foundation board member for AOCS and chairman of the health and nutrition division and award committee.

Chocolate For Fat Loss?

By Jack Galloway CISSN. Typically, it sort of comes as a given that to get a leaner body, we have to cut things out of our diet, right. Higher calorie, lower nutrient foods that aren’t friendly to fat burning. All sorts of bad stuff that we gotta avoid: ice cream, fries, cookies, chocolate … WAIT! Hold up a second there on that last one.

Chocolate is not unhealthy per se, and I would be very reluctant to group it together with junk food or rule it out from a healthy nutrition plan and lifestyle. Whilst probably not qualifying as a general ‘diet’ food, chocolate in and of itself is very healthy and, when included in your diet correctly can even help attain a leaner body.

Firstly, something important that needs to be said:

A Huge Reason Why People Fail In Getting Leaner, Fitter And End Up Cheating On Their Diet Is The Constant State Of Deprivation They Put Themselves In!

If you never allow yourself any hint of the foods you miss and enjoy eating on occasion, you’re bound to fall off the wagon at some point down the road and will probably enter into a splurge at a barbecue/party/holiday which may be hard to recover from… Either that or you’ll continue being miserable, and what kind of an existence is that?
That’s a pretty bleak picture, don’t you think. But one that can be avoided altogether.
Many people, especially women crave a bit of chocolate now and again. This isn’t necessarily the worst thing by a long shot.

The fact of the matter is the health benefits of cocoa are extensive – and despite the controversy, you would be hard pressed to find an expert who fundamentally disagrees with this.

Here are just some associated benefits:

Lower blood pressure
Increased insulin sensitivity – thus an improved tolerance to carbohydrates.
High antioxidant activity of the flavonoids.
Positive effect on mood
Appetite control
Improved blood flow – increased vasodilation of blood vessels
Improved cholesterol levels

Dark Chocolate Is A Brilliant Source Of Healthy Fats, Crucial For Maintaining A Healthy Hormone Balance And Therefore For Fat Loss And Lean Muscle.

Furthermore, it contains a large amount of flavonoids and is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2 and E.
And now for perhaps the coolest thing …Research has shown that enzymatic activity in the stomach actually increases due to the presence of the flavonoids and polyphenols present in cocoa, which will support the breakdown of fat and carbohydrates and help your body composition efforts.

Excellent! A healthier body means a leaner body. And chocolate certainly has its place therefore.

But Is There A Catch? Of Course!

Up to this point, my use of the word ‘chocolate’ has covered ONLY dark chocolate – leaving the inflammatory, unhealthy milk and white chocolates out in the cold to rot (as they should)!
This is where our main problem lies. White and milk chocolates are just not the same thing as true dark chocolate. In terms of nutritional value, health benefits and what they do for your body-fat levels, the two are like night and day. For example, whilst dark chocolate has been shown to have a positive effect on blood pressure, the huge negative effect of sugar far outweighs the any subtle benefit from the polyphenols in cocoa. The choice between the two is simply a choice between diabetes and insulin health, high blood pressure and optimal cholesterol levels … Essentially – a choice between high body fat and low body fat.

The two primary reasons for this are the MILK and SUGAR content that account as the majority of the ingredients in your average chocolate bar, many products containing as little as 30% cocoa.

Milk largely negates the benefit, hindering the absorption of important antioxidants present, particularly a particularly healthy compound: epicatechin.

To add fuel to the fire, this problem is worsened by the fact that the addition of sugar essentially leaves us with a concoction of crap, nothing of which I believe should even dignify with the undeserved title ‘chocolate’

When Looking For Chocolate, The Higher The Cocoa Content, The Better. When looking for chocolate, the lower the content of milk, sugar (and other processed junk), the better. ‘Normal’ chocolate that people typically buy in the average shop or confectionary area of your local supermarket generally has a monumentally high level of added sugar and milk, with a low cocoa content. Even some dark chocolates are only 50% cocoa. In any such bar of chocolate, probably marketed as healthy, half of the ingredients are utterly useless to our bodies – empty calories that cause fat storage, inflammation and muscle catabolism. Anything less than 70% cocoa mass – you’re going to want to avoid. If possible, shoot for an 80% + product.

Most grocery stores/supermarkets sell real chocolate. In the UK, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, M&S all seem to have a selection, but if you’re finding it hard to find any decent chocolate, just pop down to your local whole foods shop. Although I cannot speak directly for the USA and other parts of the world, I know for a fact you’ll be presented with this healthier option in most large grocery stores. You’ve got numerous brands to choose from. My favourite, however, has to be Green and Black’s 85% Dark Chocolate. Absolutely gorgeous.

I usually have a square or two with my pre-workout meal (a strategic time to eat it due to the fact dark chocolate has been down to increase blood flow) or later in the evening after dinner/before bed. Don’t be scared to do this. You will not get fatter. The addition of these healthy fats, such as oleic and stearic acid, to your diet could actually help you get leaner provided you’re training and general lifestyle are intact. I can certainly vouch for this. Stearic acid is especially powerful: a saturated fat that actively improves HDL levels (good cholesterol levels).

As with anything, however, moderation is key.
So don’t now go off and devour a whole bar of 85% Green and Black’s and go around telling everyone ‘A personal trainer called Jack Galloway told me I could do this and still lose weight’.
Firstly, that looks bad on me!

And secondly, that makes you look bad!
You see it doesn’t quite work like that … Remember that even a healthy bar of dark chocolate still contains over 50 grams of fat and 600 calories per 100 grams of chocolate (which really isn’t that much when you think of the quantities of food we eat in a given meal).
CAUTION: if you’re the kind of person who finds self-control hard when eating small portions of high calorie foods e.g. nuts / chocolate, I would advise against exposing yourself to the dark chocolate temptation too often – or else you’re just looking for trouble.

But if, like myself, you are a chocolate lover and want to find a way to integrate it into your diet whilst keeping a low percentage of body-fat, here are a couple of cool things you may want to try.

Add 1-2 tbsp’s of cocoa powder to a protein shake to increase the flavour and micronutrient density

Here’s a good one:

1-2 scoops good quality chocolate whey protein
1-2 tbsp’s cocoa powder
Pinch of cinnamon
1 banana
Half a cup of blueberries
Half a cup of ice
Cup of water / raw milk
Blend! Enjoy!

Heat a plate. When hot, place a small amount of dark chocolate on the plate and wait for it to melt. Grab a cup of strawberries to dip into the melted chocolate. And there you have it. A really decadent and really healthy snack, full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Great to have as a desert after a higher protein, lower carb/fat main meal.

Anyway, that’s all for now, people!

Stay lean but have fun!

For more information about the author, go to: http://jackgallowayfitness.com/about/

References

Francois-Pierre J. Martin, Serge Rezzi, Emma Peré-Trepat, Beate Kamlage, Sebastiano Collino, Edgar Leibold, Jürgen Kastler, Dietrich Rein, Laurent B. Fay and Sunil Kochhar, (2009) ‘Metabolic Effects of Dark Chocolate Consumption on Energy, Gut Microbiota, and Stress-Related Metabolism in Free-Living Subjects’, Journal of Proteome Research, 8(12), pp 5568–5579Grassi D, Necozione S, Lippi C, Croce G, Valeri L, Pasqualetti P, Desideri G, Blumberg JB, Ferri C., (2005) ‘Cocoa reduces blood pressure and insulin resistance and improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in hypertensives’, Hypertension, 46(2): 398-405

Hunter, J. Edward; Zhang, Jun; Kris-Etherton, Penny M. (January 2010). “Cardiovascular disease risk of dietary stearic acid compared with trans, other saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids: a systematic review”. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition (American Society for Nutrition) 91 (1): 46–63

Schroeter, H., Roberta R. Holt, R., Timothy J. Orozco, T., Schmitz, H., & Keen, C. (2003) ‘Nutrition: Milk and absorption of dietary flavanols’, Nature 426, 787-788

Shiina, Y., Funabashi, N., Lee, K., Murayama, T., Nakamura, K., Wakatsuki, Y., Daimon, M., & Komuro, I. (2009). ‘Acute effect of oral flavonoid-rich dark chocolate intake on coronary circulation, as compared with non-flavonoid white chocolate, by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography in healthy adults’ International Journal of Cardiology, 131 (3), 424-429

Interview – Ralf Jäger PhD FISSN

SNI: We know that regular creatine supplementation enhances body composition and exercise performance. What are some of the other benefits of creatine supplementation?

Dr. Jäger: Creatine makes you stronger, faster and smarter. Yes, it does more than help build muscles and improve exercise performance. New science shows that it also boosts brainpower. It helps you stay physically strong and mentally sharp at all stages of your life. Creatine crosses the blood-brain barrier and creatine supplementation has been shown to increase brain creatine concentrations by approx. 9%. Consequently, creatine has been shown to improve cognitive performance that is temporarily impaired due to sleep deprivation or permanently impaired due to aging. Even short-term creatine supplementation benefits brain function, as 8g of creatine monohydrate for 5 days prevented mental fatigue in a serial calculation task.

Creatine has marked neuroprotective effects and is being investigated in clinical trials of Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease. Every day we are learning more about the non-energetic mechanism-of-action of creatine, such as the increase in the sodium pump activity. From our understanding of the sodium pump and its relevance to disease, creatine supplementation might be beneficial for neurological disorders, pulmonary conditions, diabetes and metabolic disorders, cardiovascular health or fetal development. Creatine has been shown to be effective in animal models of asthma and to increase longevity of animals. In addition, creatine seems to make certain drugs more efficient. The addition of creatine to an antidepressant resulted in more rapid and efficacious responses in women with major depressive disorders. If you break your arm or a leg, make sure to grab your creatine on the way to the hospital. Cast immobilization results in muscle disuse atrophy, the loss of muscle mass. Creatine supplementation has been shown to help maintain lean body mass, strength, and endurance during immobilization.

SNI: Would you recommend creatine supplementation for endurance athletes?

Dr. Jäger: The answer is yes. Creatine supplementation can improve the quality of endurance athletes’ workouts and improvements in workout quality leads to improvements in competitive performance. In addition, creatine supplementation may reduce muscle damage and inflammation during endurance exercise and thereby facilitate recovery. Runners who took creatine for five days before running a 30km race exhibited less muscle soreness and inflammation afterwards compared to runners who took a placebo. But there is still that nagging problem of weight gain. Sometimes, it’s beneficial, since athletes want to go into the race before the big race with additional weight; however, most of the time, it’s not. Endurance athletes want to be lean and don’t want to carry any additional weight around. Try to increase your creatine stores with lower doses over a little bit more time, since that has been shown to minimize the weight gain.

SNI: What are the benefits (if any) in using forms of creatine other than monohydrate?

Dr. Jäger: Newer forms of creatine have been marketed with alleged better bioavailability, efficacy and/or safety profiles than creatine monohydrate. However, there is little to no evidence that any of those newer forms are safer or more effective than creatine monohydrate. I personally use 100-percent pure creatine monohydrate powder and will continue to do so until I can find a research article in a peer-reviewed journal showing physiologically meaningful improvements in a head-to-head comparison over creatine monohydrate. As for now, save money and buy creatine monohydrate powder and mix it with fruit juice. The sugar in the juice raises insulin levels, which helps increase creatine uptake into the muscle. You need about 70 grams of simple sugars for every five grams of creatine, that’s approx. 22 fl oz of orange juice.

Creatine monohydrate might be hard to dissolve in cold water and if there is residue at the bottom of your glass after you drink it, try a different brand, or look for products with increased solubility, a creatine salt like creatine citrate for example. The acidity of the citric acid increases the solubility of the creatine in water. You want the creatine to end up in your muscles, not to stay in the glass. I would take it easy on the esophagus and would stay ways from strong acids, maybe look for a buffered effervescent product. Why anyone would use a creatine product that has its ingredients listed in a proprietary blend is beside me. Not listing the amounts of actives is even more reason to stay away from the product. Know what you are putting in your body. Say no to proprietary blends and products that do not specify the amount of creatine.

SNI: Does creatine supplementation have ANY negative side effects?

Dr. Jäger: Common side effects include gains in strength and improved brain function, which sometimes can lead to feeling overconfident. Besides that, creatine is one of the most researched supplements out there. If there were any major adverse side effects, after more than 20 years of research and widespread use, we should have seen them by now. One thing is almost certain, if you take creatine, you will gain weight. The initial weight gain of about 1 to 2 kilogram during the first week of supplementation is water; however, hit the gym and subsequent gains are muscle mass due the heavier workload you can handle and the increase in muscle protein synthesis. Anecdotal claims link creatine to an increase in the incidence of muscle cramps or muscle pulls, gastrointestinal distress, dehydration, or kidney and liver damage. However, there are no controlled studies demonstrating such adverse effects. Does an athlete taking creatine cramp or pull a muscle once in a while? Absolutely yes, but research has shown that your chances of experiencing any of those symptoms are not greater, and potentially even lower in comparison to athletes not supplementing with creatine. When taken within the recommended usage guidelines, creatine monohydrate supplementation appears to be safe; however, we know little to nothing about the safety of chemically modified forms of creatine.

SNI: What are your thoughts on ‘cycling’ on/off creatine and on ‘loading of creatine?’

Dr. Jäger: Athletes want to see results fast. Load your muscles with creatine by consuming 5 grams of creatine three to five times per day for five days followed by a daily maintenance dose of 2 to 5 g. Similar increases in muscle creatine can be achieved by using 3 g per day for 28 days. Without a maintenance dose, creatine levels return to baseline after 3 to 4 weeks. The more the better? Not true for creatine. The body has a ceiling on the amount of creatine that it will store in skeletal muscles. Muscle creatine levels will stay elevated as long as you consume the maintenance dose. There is no scientific reason to cycle creatine. Creatine levels drop slowly, so if your wallet needs a break, take a week or two off and then go back on it again.

BIO – Dr. Ralf Jäger is co-founding partner of Increnovo LLC, a global independent consulting firm, based in Milwaukee, WI. A postdoctoral scholar in bio-organic chemistry at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Calif., Dr. Jäger originally earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Bonn in Germany. He began his professional career as a head of a laboratory for SKW/Degussa, the leading supplier of creatine products. He is an award-winning speaker and has authored numerous scientific papers on sports nutrition and brain, joint, heart, and gut health, for both peer-reviewed scientific journals and industry publications/mainstream media. He is a certified sports nutritionist (CISSN) and fellow of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (FISSN), and is a member of the editorial board of the leading peer-reviewed Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN). In recent years, he has consulted with professional sports teams, elite athletes and Olympians in various athletic disciplines.

Every Lean Mean Veggie Machine Needs Their Protein

By Amme Hazari MS and Mike Ormsbee PhD CSCS CISSN.

Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand, there’s no doubt about that. Everybody wants the fit body composition where even your reflection makes you do a “double take”, and casting directors are calling begging you to appear on the next season of Jersey Shore. Ok maybe this doesn’t apply to everybody, but the point is, regardless of your motives, most people share the common goal of desiring that perfect body. Here are some helpful first steps towards that goal.

Whether you are endurance training (swimming, running, cycling etc.) or resistance training (weight lifting), both require greater protein intake. We will focus on vegetarians who are aiming to achieve hypertrophy (an increase in size of the muscle fibers) using resistance training and protein intake, both of which are crucial. If you are eating healthy and exercising, you will begin to see the benefits in no time. The vegetarian cuisine may cause more of a challenge in obtaining that ideal lean body mass, not because there isn’t substantial protein to be found, but because most foods are ‘incomplete’ protein sources compared to animal products.

What are the experts saying?

According to the RDA requirements, you should consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, if you are exercising more protein intake may be required, otherwise your body may risk not obtaining the nutrients required to maintain a positive protein balance. It may be necessary to take 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight in order to prevent muscle degradation during a resistance training program. Of course the amount varies depending on your goal.

Getting from Bruce Banner to the Hulk

Want to see faster gains? Then make sure you consume protein 30-45 minutes prior to exercise, so that your body is simultaneously tearing and synthesizing muscle fibers during the workout. Whey protein, which is vegetarian friendly, taken before exercise has shown the same anabolic affects as after exercise (5). Other studies even showed that consuming the essential amino acids and carbohydrates mutually before exercise actually had a greater effect on protein synthesis than after exercise (4)

In order to gain muscle hypertrophy, it is critical to consume protein after resistance training as well. Studies show the increased benefits of immediate protein intake versus prolonged intake (2+ hours) after your workout (2). Immediate ingestion shows a higher net protein synthesis which promotes hypertrophy and increases strength. This is because exercise increases blood flow, which therefore increases the transport rate of amino acids. Your blood flow is the highest right after exercising, which produces a “window of opportunity” which lasts about 30-45 minutes. By taking advantage of this opening, you can achieve a significant increase in net protein turnover. This answers the when, but now we must address how much protein intake is optimal.

For non-vegetarians, it does not require much thought in putting a diet together, as meat is a rich source of protein. For vegetarians, on the other hand, finding good sources of protein presents more of an obstacle but can be quickly and efficiently achieved. It has been shown 20 grams of protein is sufficient for maximal protein synthesis (1), which can be easily satisfied by a protein shake and comes in many flavors. For those with a sweet tooth, there are even dessert flavored shakes that when mixed with milk an additional protein is provided. And don’t feel limited to taking them only pre or post workout; why not take a shake for breakfast or figure a way to incorporate them throughout your daily meals. This way it can be a low calorie meal to feed the hunger and a great way to increase daily protein intake.

O Protein, Protein, Wherefore Art Thou Protein

Some of the highest concentrations of protein can be found in tofu, veggie dogs/burgers, whole grains, lentils, and various types of beans, especially soy beans. Nuts, almonds, peanut butter are also good protein-packed snacks. If you are lactose-tolerant then milk, yogurt and cheese are valuable sources too. There are also smaller doses in common staple foods such as rice, vegetables and bread. These which are complementary protein and the root of many vegetarian meals and when combined form complete proteins.

Quinoa, considered to be a whole grain, has an exceptional amount of protein. It is one of the very few sources to be a “complete” protein. In just one cooked cup you will find a whopping 18 grams of protein containing all the essential amino acids (3). Kidney beans are another great source. In just one cup of kidney bean you will find 13.4 grams of protein (3).

Try getting creative with your protein sources, as many can be incorporated into delicious cultural dishes. For example, tofu is not everyone’s favorite, but only half a cup contains over 10 grams of protein (3).Mixing tofu into a stir-fry can be a savory option for a meal. As a “veggie machine” myself, I absolutely love vegetarian burgers and hot dogs, and it is definitely worth a try. These foods effectively provide 10-16 grams of protein. On top of that, they are relatively quick and easy to prepare.

Let the journey begin to your goal of rocking that sexy outfit one day. Find a strength training regimen tailored to fit your needs, and remember to consume adequate protein both pre and post workout. Try to incorporate more protein into your daily meals and snacks. Following these simple rules will have you feeling stronger, more motivated and confident. Get your protein on!

References

1. DR M, Daniel R. Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. Am.J.Clin.Nutr. 89 (1) 161, 2009.

2. Esmarck, B., Andersen, J. L., Olsen, S., Richter, E. A., Mizuno, M. and Kjær, M. Timing of postexercise protein intake is important for muscle hypertrophy with resistance training in elderly humans. The Journal of Physiology, 535 301–311, 2001.

3. Hackett, J. (n.d). How to get protein on a vegetarian diet. About.com. Retrieved October 24, 2011, from http://vegetarian.about.com/od/healthnutrition/tp/protein.htm.

4. Tipton, K, Rasmussen, B, Miller, S, Wolf, S, OwenStovall, S, Petrini, B, Wolfe, R. Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. Am.J.Physio: Endocrinology and Metabolism 281 (2) E197-E206, 2001.

5. Tipton, K, Elliott, T, Cree, M, Aarsland, A, Sandford, A, Wolfe, R. Stimulation of net muscle protein synthesis by whey protein ingestion before and after exercise. Am.J. Physio: Endocrinology and Metabolism 292 (1) E71-E76, 2007.

Are You Activating Your Glutes Properly?!

By Eric Martinez CSCS. When the phrase “Glute Activation” stumbles upon us, what does it exactly mean? Well, before I start rambling on please do me a favor and sit up straight and have your booties nice and relaxed. Glute Activation is another way of saying warming up your buns or stretching the muscles in your buns. The famous muscle “Gluteus Maximus,” oh where would our bodies be without this beautiful muscle, aka our butt? Well, our glutes only pretty much help and act as stabilizers for our legs and torso, that’s pretty damn important if you really stop and think about it. The butt, which most of us treat like a vestigial bleacher cushion, isn’t just the main engine of the lower body; it’s also the steering wheel. Underneath and around the gluteus maximus is a critical network of smaller muscles: the gluteus medius (top), the gluteus minimus (lower) and a group of thinner muscles known as the deep six. Together, they surround the femur and pelvis like a rubber-band ball. And, ladies and gents when we activate these muscles properly and put them to work in the weight room, my oh my what a beauty it can become along with numerous reaping benefits to your health, daily training routine, and overall eye candy.

(Check out ‘Monster Walks’ for activating the Glutes!).

I hope everyone is still sitting up straight with their booties relaxed. So, how do we activate this star studded muscle? Well, this is where the two exercises “Monster Walks” and “Sumo Walks” are introduced. You might be thinking, huh? What the hell are those? These two exercises are commonly employed in Strength and Conditioning and will become more popular as time goes on. There was a study done in the Journal of Clinical Biomechanics by Cambridge et al, Sidorkewicz, Ikeda, and McGill 2012 on the effects of resistance band placement on gluteal activation during two common exercises. The researchers wanted to understand the effect of resistance bands on muscle activation profiles during two rehabilitation exercises, called “Monster Walks” and “Sumo Walks.” These exercises involve walking in semi-squat postures in order to involve the gluteal muscles and the tensor fascia latae (TFL). So, they recruited 9 male subjects and had them perform both these exercises to see what area gave more glute activation with three different band placements: above the knee, ankles, and forefeet.

The researcher’s findings were very similar for both the “Sumo Walks” and “Monster Walks”. By decreasing band height, the activation of Gluteus Medius (top) and Tensor Fascia Latae (TFL) were found to increase progressively. The increase from the knee to ankle for the Gluteus Medius didn’t reach much significance. The Gluteus Maximus activation was low and only increased significantly when the resistance bands were moved to the forefoot. Which is very interesting because our first instinct when trying to activate our glute muscles would not be to put resistance bands on our feet? So, what did the researchers conclude in their study? They concluded that band placements that were more distal (further from the center of the body) caused the gluteal muscles to be highly more activated than any other placement. We now know that when performing these two exercises prior to a training session that by using band placement at the forefeet will lead to greater gluteal activation, without increasing involvement of the TFL.

Time to wrap up this glute activation talk ladies and gentlemen. I can’t tell you how many people I see walk into the gym and go straight to the squat rack or straight to deadlifting without any kind of warm up or gluteal activation exercises. It is mind boggling and to this day I still can’t understand why people do it. It’s is imperative that we take 15-20 minutes to properly warm our bodies up and activate our glute muscles, remember they are the steering wheel to your lower body and they deserve to be activated. Keeping this muscle healthy, strong, active, and full ROM (range of motion) is key for a successful training protocol overall, not just for your lower body, but for your upper body and for the long run most importantly. The last thing you want to do is sustain an injury in one of your glute muscles, just the thought of it sounds painful. The society we live in today is dominated by a sedentary lifestyle and although many people are active, at the end of the day you are probably sitting on your tush for 8 hours a day to pay the bills. So, take the time to try some Monster or Sumo walks and get your glutes activated and ready for battle. Remember, you always want that booty looking better going than coming.

References:

(1) Cambridge ED, Sidorkewicz N, Ikeda DM, McGill SM, Progressive hip rehabilitation: The effects of resistance band placement on gluteal activation during two common exercises, Clinical Biomechanics 2012

“No Excuses, Only Solutions”

BIO

We are Chris and Eric Martinez, the “Dynamic Duo” of Dynamic Duo Training. We are identical twins, born and raised in Santa Rosa, CA. We are Certified Personal Trainers through AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America) and CISSN (Certified International Society of Sports Nutrition). Fitness has always been central to our lives. We have pursued a love of sports since the fourth grade, with basketball and soccer being our focal sports. In high school, we faced the loss of our father, and it made a huge impact on us. We feel it was a trial that strengthened us, but it also formed our belief that nothing is more important than health for living a long, happy and fulfilling life. Since that time, having an optimally functioning body has been a priority in our lives, which we have pursued through our study and practice of fitness and nutrition. It is a passion we wish to share with others, which is why we started Dynamic Duo Training. Go to: http://www.dynamicduotraining.com/aboutUs.htm

Battling Ropes!

by Ryan Mallett USAW; FMS. As a fitness professional, it’s imperative to stay educated and up to date with information; techniques and new equipment and its applications. Like in any industry, you will typically see something packaged as ‘new’, but has really been around for some time, leading you to believe the wheel has been reinvented. You may have seen various studio type gyms; boot camps even NFL teams and professional MMA fighters, using large ropes being swung or whipped to varying degrees of success by their users, with “trainers” looking on and cheering for them to work harder or faster. Such ropes can be easily mis-used but were they used correctly, could really step up your fitness game. No, those aren’t ‘boat ropes’ buddy…they’re Battling Ropes!

What are these Battling Ropes, and aside from looking really cool to use, what can they do for you? Well, if you want to know the real scoop on something, you go right to the source, and that’s just what I did. I had the honor of talking to Mr. John Brookfield (world record holding strong man known as ‘Mr. Hands’), inventor and pioneer of The Battling Ropes System, and got the low down on this amazing piece of equipment.

As a world record holder athlete, John was searching for something that could help to build and sustain power, but over time. It had dawned on him that hurricanes generate unyielding power in waves, and he determined that ‘waves’ can be produced with ropes. The Battling Ropes System was born. Within the entire system, there are seven concepts of the non-momentum style training, each system stemming from the ‘velocity + strength and speed together’ ideology. Although each system uses different applications of the Battling Ropes, simply looking for a great workout from using any of John’s systems will help you to achieve stress relief; better concentration and coordination in motor function; enhanced focus and motivation; increased muscular endurance & sustained work capacity by helping to push out lactic acid. It’s safe; anyone can do it and it’s visually motivating as well. Having used them at the Bridgewater Sports Arena here in Central NJ where I train myself, as well as varying populations of clients, people will stop to watch me make the waves and want to give it a try. The Battling Ropes come in one and a half, to two inch thick manila, or polyester styles which you can use indoor, or outside. The thicker the rope, the heavier it’ll be and the more your grip will be challenged.

John didn’t stop there though in offering up as much information as possible about the impressive Battling Ropes System. He put me in touch with Dr. Mike Martino who is the NSCA SE Regional Coordinator and Associate Professor of Exercise Science at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, GA. Dr. Martino had pointed out that in studies done at his schools labs using baseball players (pitchers more specifically), “the group [using the Battling Ropes System] had less of a drop off in pitching velocity than the traditionally trained group (running etc.). Arm power also went up significantly via arm cranking.” The relatively low impact of the BRS clearly supports effective caloric expenditure and Dr. Martino says; “It’s easy to cause CNS (central nervous system) fatigue when people use the BRS correctly, but especially when they use it incorrectly and use too heavy of a rope. If someone can’t maintain a certain frequency for 60-120 seconds straight with perfect mechanics, than the actual rope mass is too great for them. Muscular, as well as anaerobic endurance are improved tremendously when the system(s) are used correctly. Neuromuscular endurance can be improved also, which it should be noted, is different than muscular endurance.”

For the ‘average Joe’ wanting to get into amazing shape, or even the most seasoned athlete looking to break through plateaus, anyone can gain tremendous benefit from The Battling Ropes System. For more information on The Battling Ropes; any other of John’s great products or DVD’s, visit his website; www.battlingropes.com. For personal training, consultations and programs, you can contact me at ryanmallett@hotmail.com. Special thanks to Mr. Brookfield and Dr. Mike Martino for lending their time to talk about this great training tool.

Omega 3 Fats and Traumatic Brain Injury

By Jennifer Broder RD LD/N CISSN CSSD and Anastasia Kyriakopoulos.

Omega 3 fats have been getting much attention over the years for the lengthy list of proven and theorized benefits. Most attention is derived from the benefit and protective effects of cardiovascular, cognitive function, and ocular health (1) (2). In athletic performance, it has been recently shown to decrease muscle fatigue and soreness (3) (4). There is another possible role of omega 3 fatty acids that has been on the minds of National Football League: The possible use of Omega 3 Fatty acids in concussion management and rehabilitation protocol.

Concussion management has also evolved rapidly over the past 10 years primarily based in the neuroscience research. Researchers are noting a significant correlation between Omega 3’s DHA and the treatment for TBI (traumatic brain injury) and concussions. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) makes up 97% of the human brains fatty acid content (5). In fact the brain will hang on to its DHA while other organs are depleted possibly as a survival mechanism. This is worth noting as we explore the theories proposed for EPA and DHA’s role in treatment of traumatic brain injuries, hence concussions.

We know there are a cascade of events that take place upon impact and continuing afterwards. If not dealt with, reported or even recognized (very common as one does not always lose consciousness with a concussion) this can compromise the brains integrity greatly. In an event of a concussion axonal injury can occur. The axons in the brain provide a bridge for signals to be received from cell to cell. When injured a cascade of events such as increase in free radicals, damage to cell membranes and synapses, increased levels of glutamate and intracellular calcium occurs leading to further degradation of the brains function. DHA is the precursor to Neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1) which maintains homeostasis and suppresses oxidative stress after injury (5). It is theorized that DHA can play a role in stopping or reducing this cascade of events by decreasing axonal injury, acting as an antioxidant and aiding in cell energy and repair. In fact, NPD1 may aid in altering gene expression from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory. One may then consider the nutritional epigenetic impact that daily EPA DHA consumption and supplementation can have on gene expression therefore promoting an anti inflammatory protective response following a concussion or TBI.

One important study done on 40 adult male rats who received 30 days of supplementation of DHA in the form of algae immediately post brain injury had a significant reduction in axonal injury (5). Another study done with the same injury model with fish oil rich in both EPA and DHA revealed a similar outcome as there was also a reduction in the number of injured axons (5). Lastly, a study was done to test the effects of DHA supplementation prior to injury. The rats were supplemented with DHA 30 days prior to injury, resulting in higher levels of DHA in the brain as well as a reduction in axonal injury (5). We can also conclude from the cardiovascular, cognitive, and ocular health research that there is a great likely hood of EPA & DHA supplementation can promotes an anti inflammatory effect, optimize antioxidant activity and aid in cell homeostasis(6)(7). This then may be the nutritional tool that can be applied in concussion management.

So the question is why are we not enforcing every contact sport to have EPA DHA supplements and consume vast quantities of fish on the sidelines with their Gatorade? Well, the research is promising but there are still more questions and concrete guidelines to be established. We know EPA and DHA play these roles in treatment and prevention in concussions and TBI but the exact mechanisms, genetic differences, and individual threshold of injury are still not completely understood. Furthermore, there is still no consensus on the optimal dosages and even food intake recommendation across the health and supplement industry.

So, we as healthcare practitioners are faced with the question. Food or Supplementation to achieve possible prevention or treatment of concussions and TBI? Hmmmmm…..what to do? Our thoughts are food AND supplementation for prevention and treatment. “The FDA has ruled that intakes of up to 3 g/d of marine omega-3 fatty acids are GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) for inclusion in the diet” (10). Increasing consumption of healthy fatty fishes should be our recommendations at least 3-4x week. Realistically, most people do not consume these sources on a daily basis; supplementation of EPA and DHA daily can be our patient’s back up plan. We do believe consistency of supplementation is key to reaching adequate levels of EPA and DHA in the body while consuming foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

For supplementation practices, one must consider the type of fish oil, the molecular form, and the manufacturing practices and standards to provide athletes safe, effective, and quality products. We have found in practice that Omega 3 supplements are best in concentrated dosages for increased compliance, the triglyceride (TG) form is far superior to the synthetic ethyl ester (EE) form because of the increased absorption and assimilation, and lastly all companies are not alike and thorough research of companies testing and protocols should be evaluated closely.

For optimal food recommendations, always remember Essential Fatty acids are “Yes!” essential because we humans have the inability to synthesize them in the body. Therefore; we must obtain them in our diet from animal and plant species that can synthesize such fats (8). It is important to note the plant sources rich in ALA are only at a ~15% conversion rate to the much needed family of eicosanoids; EPA & DHA which are the anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anti-arrhythmic, and vasodilators(8)(9).

The current ratio of the typical Western diet is 20:1 containing more of the Omega 6s that are pro-inflammatory and less of the beneficial omega 3 fatty acids of EPA and DHA(8). The healthy ratio of EPA and DHA recommended by the Institute of Medicine is 7:1 (8). To optimize our American diets we must increase food rich in omega 3 fatty acids and off set this poor ratio. Fatty fish like wild caught salmon, herring, and sardines are excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Below are some of the richer sources of EPA and DHA (9). Note the quantity needed to reach therapeutic dosages by food alone.

Fish	Grams of EPA and DHA per 3oz serving edible portion	Amount Required in Ounces to Provide ~1 gram of EPA/DHA per day
Catfish, wild	0.2 g	15 oz
Cod, Atlantic	0.24 g	12.5 oz
Tuna, light in water	0.26 g	12 oz
Flounder/Sole	0.42g	7oz
Tuna, white in water	0.73 g	4 oz
Mackerel	0.34-1.57 g	2-8.5 oz
Salmon, Atlantic, wild	0.9-1.56 g	2-3.5 oz
Sardines	0.98-1.70 g	2-3 oz
Herring, Pacific	1.81 g	1.5 oz

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Supplementation	EPA and DHA per capsule or Liquid dosage	Amount Needed in Capsules or in Ounces to Provide ~3 gram of EPA/DHA per day
Nordic Naturals- ProOmega D Xtra	3g per 1 tsp	1 tsp
Original Nutritionals –Functional O3	1.375g per 1 tsp	3 tsp
Nordic Naturals- Ultimate Omega	0.60 per soft gel capsule	5 capsules
Orthomolecular-OrthoMega	0.72g per soft gel capsule	5 capsules

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Therapeutic Amounts in the ranges of 2000mg and above daily are possibly beneficial for prevention to off set the ratio of Omega 6:3 in our “SAD” American diet and to possibly treat our sports and recreation related concussions in our children and adults. The research so far has shown us the possibility that one day Omega 3 fatty Acids; specifically EPA & DHA could be incorporated into concussion protocol. We do believe that the consistent consumption of these ESSENTIAL Omega 3 Fatty Acids throughout the lifecycle could be the most important in the possible prevention and management of concussions & TBI. More studies are needed to unfold the true potential of these crucial fatty acids and appropriate individual dosages. We definitely suggest athletes to consume more omega 3 rich foods BUT optimal dosing via supplementation is needed to meet the therapeutic demands of prevention and treatment. In conclusion, the maintenance of a balanced diet rich in Omega 3s and/or supplementation is ESSENTIAL for OPTIMAL HEALTH and WELLNESS!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Jennifer Broder RD LD/N CISSN CSSD is the Medical Nutrition Director of www.themedicalnutritioncenter.com . The Medical Nutrition Center is the 1^st science based functional nutrition practice focused on health & lifestyle changes to prevent, treat, or reduce your health risks for a lifetime. Jennifer has been well known as www.askthenutritionist.com for the past 16+ years. She specializes in evidenced-based research and promotion of nutritional science focused on disease prevention and management, eating disorders, bariatric surgery, weight management, wellness, & sports nutrition.

Anastasia Kyriakopoulos is a University of Florida graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition. She is currently completing her Dietetic Internship Program through Sodexo at The Medical Nutrition Center in Tampa, FL. Her areas of interest are weight management and sports nutrition.

References

Wu A, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F., “Docosahexanoic Acid Dietary Supplementation Enhances the Effects of Exercise on Synaptic Plasticity and Congnition.” Neuroscience 2008; 155(3):751-9.
Chytrova G, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F., “Exercise Contributes to the Effects of DHA Dietary Supplementation by Acting on Membrane-Related Synaptic Systems.” Brain Research 2009.
Jouris K, McDaniel J, Weiss E., “The Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on the Inflammatory Response to Eccentric Strength Exercise.” Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2011; 10: 432-438.
SpectraCell Laboratories “Nutritional Considerations of Sports Medicine”. 2011. www.spectracell.com
Bailes J, Mills J., “Docosahexanoic Acid Reduces Traumatic Axonal Injury in a Rodent Head Injury Model.” Journal of Nuerotrauma. 2010; 27:1617-1626.
Guilliams T., “The Use of Fish Oil Supplements in Clinical Practice: A Review”. Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association. 2005; 8(1).
Gomez-Pinilla F, Ying Z., “Differential Effects of Exercise and Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid on Molecular Systems Associated with Control of Allostasis in the Hypothalamus and Hippocampus.” Neuroscience 2010; 168(1): 130-7.
Antonio J, Kalman D, Stout J, Greenwood M, Willoughby D, Haff G., Essentials of Sports Nutrition and Supplements. 2008;268-270.
Kris-Etherton P, William H, Appel L., “Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Disease.” Journal of The American Heart Association. 2002; 106:2747-2757.

Interview with Patrick Jacobs PhD

SNI: Summarize the data briefly regarding the NO or Nitric Oxide category of products. Does it assist with skeletal muscle hypertrophy?

Dr. Jacobs: About 20 years ago, Nitric Oxide (NO) was identified as the factor responsible for increased blood flow to skeletal muscle during exercise. Since then, there have been tremendous efforts to find means to influence NO synthesis for exercise benefits. Increased blood flow should provide increased nutrient supply with improved removal of waste products during and following stressful exercise. These enhancements would presumably increase training capacity and produce increased rates of strength gain or hypertrophy.

The ‘pump’ sought by bodybuilders is primarily an extreme NO-induced swelling of the capillary bed within a muscle in response to intense exercise efforts. Researchers are currently investigating the role of the ‘pump’ as a means to increase internal positive pressure thereby signaling increased protein synthesis and greater rate of hypertrophy.

Today, the NO stimulators make up one of the largest categories of food supplements behind protein powders, energy-weight loss products, and creatine. Unfortunately, many of the current commercial NO products are based more on advertising hype and less on a scientific basis.

SNI: Arginine is a commonly found amino acid in many supplements. Can it enhance blood flow to skeletal muscles?

Dr. Jacobs: Arginine is the primary ‘active’ ingredient of most NO products. This is based on the well established role of arginine as the precursor of NO. That is, arginine is broken down to make NO. Unfortunately, increasing the amount of a precursor does not necessarily lead to increased synthesis. Delivering more and more concrete blocks to a work site does not speed up the completion of a home as the work process is limited by other factors (workers, mortar). The limiting factor in the synthesis of NO is not the precursor, arginine, but rather the specific enzyme that controls the breakdown of arginine, Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS).

Advertising claims for arginine based NO products usually reference clinical studies in which high amounts of arginine were injected intravenously producing increased NO production. However, many studies have demonstrated that it is impossible to ingest that amount of arginine (30g) orally as most persons have significant gastric distress with over 7 grams by mouth. This is true regardless of the current fad version of arginine being touted as the next big thing (e.g. arginine AKG, arginine ethyl ester, arginine gobblegook). One further issue to consider is that pre-workout arginine ingestion has been shown to significantly lessen the beneficial GH response to intense exercise.

While arginine supplementation is not a particularly effective means to enhance NO levels, it is possible to influence the production of NO via increased NOS (remember, it’s the rate limiting enzyme) with oral nutritional supplementation. This is actually, to some degree, the basis of common versions of nutrient timing. The most common powerful factor to augment the production of NOS is insulin. Thus, ingestion of high glycemic carbohydrates produces release of insulin into the blood stream which in turn augments production of NOS. The increased enzymatic activity increases the breakdown of arginine and then production of NO which in turn signals relaxation of arterioles for increased blood flow. This is why uptake of creatine or carnitine is greater when taken with sugar. Insulin sensitivity determines the degree to which tissues respond to insulin with over half of Americans today displaying decreased sensitivity, so this approach today appears limited in application.

A number of nutritional supplements also augment the production of NOS including grape seed extract, pine bark extract, and glycine propionyl l-carnitine (GPLC).

SNI: GPLC – what’s the latest data on this supplement? Does it have ergogenic effects?

Dr. Jacobs: GPLC is a supplement based on a naturally occurring acyl-carnitine. The total carnitine pool is made up of free carnitine and acyl-carnitines, the two most common being acetyl l-carnitine and propionyl l-carnitine. Carnitine is involved in two important metabolic functions: 1) shuttling of free fatty acids into the inner mitochondria where they can be burned for energy, and 2) serving as an anaerobic buffer during intense exercise. However, oral intake has not been shown to effectively increase tissue concentrations thereby limiting effectiveness as a supplement.

The acyl-carnitines present unique characteristics from free carnitine. Acetyl l-carnitine has a very high affinity for nervous tissue and has been shown beneficial in a number of clinical and athletic settings. Propionyl l-carnitine has a very high affinity for skeletal and cardiac muscle tissue and is used as a pharmaceutical agent for persons with cardiac damage and peripheral vascular disease. A variation, glycine propionyl l-carnitine (GPLC) is available as a commercial food supplement ingredient.

Controlled research studies have indicated the high muscular affinity of GPLC is related to its ability to significantly increase NO levels under stress situations, such as intense exercise. My studies illustrated that a single dose increases high intensity exercise work capacity with limited recovery periods. These laboratory tests involved five very intense 10 second cycling sprints with only one minute recovery between sprints. With a single dose of 4.5 gr, there was significantly greater power output and work capacity with significantly lower production of lactate. These results would suggest increased work capacity with many resistance training programs which has been supported by numerous field examinations. Interestingly, our studies also indicated that this same dosage (4.5 g/d) and a lower dose of 3.0 g/d actually produced reductions in power output in the same cycling tests after 30 days of supplementation (worse than baseline placebo). Study participants reported very intense swelling of their thighs (supported by girth measures) that actually limited cycling performance. Another study group receiving 1.5 g/d for the 30 day period displayed improved cycling performance. Thus, it is possible to get too much of a good thing sometimes and it is important to dose GPLC in regards to your specific purposes.

SNI: What’s the most idiotic thing you ever heard regarding dietary supplements?

Dr. Jacobs: Regularly we hear that dietary supplements are not necessary if we eat a ‘good, balanced diet’. For years, I have asked students, “How many of you ate your 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables yesterday?” While these students were exercise science majors and presumably promote a healthy lifestyle, less than 10% were able to respond in the affirmative. Thus, we can assume that for most of us, dietary supplements should be considered as a main nutritional staple.

SNI: For diabetics, is there a supplement cocktail that you would recommend?

Dr. Jacobs: After some thirty years of using high glycemic carbohydrates as part of my nutrient timing strategy, I was diagnosed as a type II diabetic. After following the clinical recommendations provided me for over a year, it became evident why we are losing the battle on diabetes.

The primary characteristic of diabetes is, of course, problems with the digestion and assimilation of carbohydrates, particularly high glycemic carbohydrates. Most Americans ingest a great deal of refined carbohydrates which do provide an energy source as well as making us feel good. However, remember that sugar levels stimulate the pancreas to release insulin and higher levels of blood sugar make the pancreas work harder. Over time the pancreas may wear out and body tissues may become less responsive to insulin. Reduced insulin response limits NO production and the ability of relax the arterioles which become brittle thereby increasing blood pressures (hypertension). Insulin is also known to reduce the activity of the important enzyme responsible for breakdown of fat cells for weight loss.

Effective management of diabetes must be based on very controlled intake of carbohydrates. As Dr. Antonio often states: There are essential amino acids, essential fatty acids but carbohydrates are not essential. Thus, carbohydrates are not as indispensible as generally considered. The two primary functions provided by carbohydrates are as an energy source and as a means to induce vasodilation for increase blood flow. Both of these functions must be provided by alternative strategies if one can be reasonably expected to succeed with a low carbohydrate lifestyle.

First, appropriate fatty acids must be provided as an alternative energy source to carbohydrates. Given that fatty acids can effectively provide long lasting but low intensity energy, what about the need for high intensity energy? There are numerous dietary supplements that provide support for high intensity exercise including creatine, beta alanine, GPLC, etc.

Reduced circulatory function is commonly associated with diabetes. Common dietary supplements known to support healthy circulation included GPLC, alpha lipoic acid, and Vitamin E.

Finally, someone that reads this might respond that these supplements look a lot like what an aspiring athlete might use to enhance their performance. Yeah, this is because the person with diabetes needs to exercise similarly to an aspiring athlete. Exercise is not an occasional complement to your life but rather should be an integral component.

BIO

Dr. Patrick Jacobs is the Director/Owner of Superior Performance, a private contract organization. He holds a PhD from the University of Miami in Exercise Physiology and has achieved Fellow status with the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Jacobs has had dozens of peer-reviewed manuscripts published in respected exercise science and rehabilitation journals and has made hundreds of scientific presentations and lectures across five continents. Dr. Jacobs holds patents on several novel forms of exercise equipment. Dr. Jacobs’ background spans both clinical research and practical field application of scientifically based nutritional and exercise programs. His work has examined the benefits of dietary supplements and exercise conditioning in populations ranging from the most elite champion athletes to those persons with chronic disease or disability. While functioning as a strength and conditioning coach at major US universities, he coordinated the physical conditioning programs multiple national championship football and baseball teams. Dr. Jacobs has also coached elite champions in sports ranging from powerlifting (World record holders) to Indy car racing (Indy 500 winner). He has also assisted with the physiological testing, education, and supervision of many Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Dr. Jacobs’ diverse research interests have included such topics as specific effects of variations of strength and endurance training, nutritional supplements such as creatine monohydrate and carnitines, cooling vests, functional electrical stimulation, bodyweight supported treadmill training, physiological stresses of auto racing, whole body vibration, and exercise in persons with spinal cord injuries.

Interview – Kristy Lee Wilson – Cirque du Soleil

SNI: As a former champion gymnast and Cirque du Soleil performer, what do you miss most about competing/performing?

Kristy: Wow what do I miss most? Definitely not the injuries and embarrassing stacks that’s for sure!! I’d have to stay being on stage and the close friendships that develop amongst your teammates and even other athletes is what I miss the most. It’s a special bond you share with people you train with and who know what you have been through to get to that competition or performance stage. And believe it or not I also miss the nerves, the pressure of having to hit your routines. Cirque was much tougher than sport for me as you had to be right on every night. In training you can mess up and that’s ok, you try fix it next time. But on that performance stage, if you mess up you kind of want to disappear through the stage and become invisible!

SNI: Training and performing in the Cirque is quite physically demanding; if you had to do it ‘all over again,’ what would you change about your diet, training or supplementation? (versus what you were taught as a youngster).

Kristy: I was not taught well as a youngster so I would change EVERYTHING!!! As a youngster I was taught to be a beautiful gymnast was to be skinny, and to be skinny it meant not eating. It’s no surprise my gymnastics career ended before it should have due to injuries. A malnourished athlete is not going to stay competitive for very long. I think the most important things I’d change are to 1) Listen to my body and not try to be superwoman and push through injuries and pain. Obviously this only makes them worse and makes recovery longer. 2) Fuel my body with good nutrition on a regular basis and not go days without eating or drinking a single thing. And 3) Supplement!! I believe high quality supplementation is absolutely essential for all athletes. We cannot get all the nutrients we need from foods alone. When I started using supplements on a regular basis it was amazing the difference I felt in my body. I felt more energized, could workout longer and harder, and was also recovering MUCH faster than without supplements.

SNI: How do you currently stay in shape?

Kristy: Well right now I am training for some fitness competitions so I lift 5 days a week , do cardio 2-3 three times a week, and then also practice my fitness skills. I love to be active and stay in shape. I took a little break recently but am back in the gym now and training hard. It’s my drug!!

SNI: Ok, give us some ‘dirt’ on the Cirque:-) What is the ‘craziest’ thing you’ve seen go on back stage or during training? I imagine Cirque performers are maniacal bunch:)

Kristy: Oh boy, where to even start!! Cirque performers are definitely a special bunch that’s for sure. There are so many things that have happened back stage, during training, and even on stage during shows!! People fall off the stage (I’m guilty of that one), They mess around back stage and scare the crap out of each other. Sometimes people forget cues or forget parts of their costumes. I remember one show I accidently put 2 legs in one leg of my costume. That was interesting and entertained everyone on stage! There’s usually something silly that goes on every day. I mean it is the circus after all. Cirque people are NOT normal ☺

SNI: Tell the audience what supplements you take and what are your favorite healthy foods?

Kristy: I actually really love USANA supplements. I take their HealthPak, Procosa, BiOmega, CoQuinone 30 and use their Nutrimeal for shakes. They also have an amazing energy drink that I am totally addicted to – Rev3. It’s awesome. If you like energy drinks, you seriously have to try this one. Then I also take Glutamine, BCAA’s and Creatine. My favorite healthy foods would have to be egg whites, sweet potatoes, any fruit, and I’m a huge fan of veggies too. Don’t like asparagus though. And I don’t care what anyone says but my all time healthy food is ice cream! It can be healthy if I convince myself it’s healthy right?!

SNI: What are your future plans? Anything you want to promote?

Kristy: I actually just became a best-selling author! I contributed to The Definitive Guide to Youth Strength, Conditioning and Performance which was published by Celebrity Press and won an Editor’s Choice award for it. So I’d really love to do more writing in the future. I’ve always really wanted to make fitness DVD’s so that is going to be something else I’d like to look into doing soon too. Maybe move out west for a change also!

SNI’s Bonus question: If you could be a Superhero, who would it be and why?

Kristy: Ooh this is a FUN question!! Wow. Well in my dreams I have all these super powers! I can jump and fly and I can even turn myself invisible. I’m serious. It’s so cool!! So maybe a mix of Invisible Woman and Storm (from X-Men). I already have both these powers in my dreams. I can make myself invisible and whoever is touching me I can make them invisible too, and it’s so fun to be able to sneak up on the bad guys and give them what they deserve. It’s easy cause they can’t see me coming so I can play with them and make them nervous and then BAM! And Storm is cool because she can fly at high speeds and I’d love to be able to fly!! I can in my dreams – it’s awesome. An easy way to get away from the bad guys because you know you can never run fast in a dream. My alternative is to fly and be invisible at the same time. I can defeat anyone with those two powers!!

About Kristy

Kristy Lee Wilson is a former champion gymnast, and Cirque du Soleil performer based in Orlando, FL. Originally from Australia, Kristy has been an elite athlete for over 20 years, and has been wowing crowds performing with the world renowned Cirque du Soleil for the past 9 years. While still performing nightly with Cirque du Soleil, Kristy is now also making her mark in the fitness industry as a highly sought after Fitness Professional and Fitness Model.

Kristy has over 10 years experience as a nationally recognized gymnastics and trampoline coach. She has coached many State and National Champions and was named the State Tumbling Coach of Queensland in 2000. Kristy holds numerous health and fitness certifications by some of the most respected fitness organizations in the world, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA). For the past 9 years, Kristy has been wowing crowds performing with the world renowned Cirque du Soleilin the Orlando based production ‘La Nouba‘. She uses her own personal experiences and knowledge, both as a champion athlete and from what she has learned from being trained by top coaches and fitness professionals in the world, to help those who come in contact with her. Kristy recently became the new face of the ‘Gym in a Bag’ and is representing Flexsolate as a spokesperson and athlete. She has been published in magazines including ‘Today and Tonight’ and ‘Fitness Forum Magazine’, and has been featured on numerous health and fitness websites. Kristy is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the ‘Excellence Through Exercise Foundation’. A foundation dedicated to helping fight Childhood Obesity. Also a Fitness Model, she has graced the cover of ‘Today and Tonight Magazine’, been featured in calendars, and has also been featured on top fitness websites such as ‘FitOrbit’, ‘World Physique’, ‘Fitness Star Network’, and the ‘Real Spot’. Through her customized personal training programs, exercise plans and nutritional advice, Kristy will keep you focused and motivated on your way to success! If you are READY to make the commitment and achieve your personal fitness goals, contact Kristy at kristyleefitness@me.com

6 HIIT Cardio Workouts

By Chris Martinez CISSN and Eric Martinez CISSN.

These days cardio machines are everyone’s choice of conditioning. Why? Probably because you hardly break a sweat, feel no pain, and you’re able to read the latest Gossip Magazine or text message while you’re at it. Yet as much as we do advocate using cardio machines, the correct way that is, there are other effective conditioning workouts out there. We wanted to present to you 5 HIIT cardio workouts that will be fun, exhausting, true test of mental toughness, get you off the cardio machines, and most importantly beneficial to your health and body compositional changes.

Before we pop the bottles of champagne, we want to educate you on some of the energy systems that are going to be used during these workouts. There are three energy systems that you will use.

The first being the high energy phosphate system which provides energy for muscles in the initial 1 to 15 seconds of high intensity activity (1). ATP (quick burst of energy) will be activated during this system, which is great because that’s what causes the body to make metabolic changes.

The second being the Anaerobic Glycolytic System (aka the Lactic Acid energy system) which the body relies primarily on anaerobic metabolism for the energy required to perform intensive exercise of greater than 12-15 seconds and less than 3 minutes duration (2). This system will be another way to overload your muscles, as you will be firing those muscle fibers so fast, you are going to recruit the fast twitch fibers and evidently you’re going to cause muscle damage (a good thing).

The third system being the Aerobic Oxidative System (aka the Oxygen system) which consists primarily of exercises that are performed at an intensity lower than that of the anaerobic threshold (3). Meaning that you will not get any lactic acid (burning sensation) production when you’re in this system and it will be mainly a brisk to fast pace walk or light jogs to keep your heart rate elevated.

So as you can see with all three of the energy systems above, they will all be used in these 5 workouts. Alright, enough with all this science mumbo jumbo, let’s HIIT it!

Car pushes

Yes! You heard us…Car pushes! If you have never tried car pushes then you are missing out on one of the best HIIT cardio workouts around. This is one of the best ways to improve cardio conditioning, leg drive and power, some upper body pressing power and build a great physique. We’ve found that our squats and leg pressing power have improved since doing these because of the overload the car puts on your legs and you have to use a tremendous amount of lower body strength, as well as upper body strength to move the car. Car pushing is very underrated for strength training and power in our opinion. The cool thing about car pushing is that there are literally hundreds of yards of empty space around somewhere near you, so all you have to do is put it in neutral, drop your head down, arms straight, get low and push with all you’ve got for 10-30 seconds. Now depending on if you’re a newbie or advanced trainee, choose the car you push wisely. If you weigh 100 pounds you probably don’t want to push a Hummer. If you’re 200 plus, you probably don’t want to push a slug bug. You get the point!

The protocol- 10 minute brisk walk or slow paced jog for warm up, 4 intervals of 10-30 second all out pushes and 3-4 minute brisk walk in between intervals, then 10 minute brisk walk to cool down.

Sled Drags

We’re sure some of you are saying what the hell are sled drags? Sled drags are very effective for the athlete, power lifter, or down-right bad ass that wants to get in tip top shape. Dragging a weighted sled by using a harness tied to your waist allows you to activate the core to work harder as well as your glutes and hams. The harness also forces you to keep a straight, stiff spine throughout the exercise, regardless of how tired you get. Rounding the back at anytime will immediately look and feel very awkward, giving instant feedback to straighten out or stop and rest. The great thing about sled dragging is it can have a carryover effect to many things, such as: Football, athletes learning how to explode when moving. Powerlifting, sled dragging strengthens your posterior chain and that can help with deadlifting. Track and field, overloading your waist and sprinting with weights can lead to more explosive movements when you train without them. If you aren’t sled dragging, then you are missing out on superior strength gains and conditioning. If you decide to sled drag, a good rule of thumb is “you’ve got too much weight when you’re walking like you’re drunk.”-Louie Simmons

The Protocol- 10 minute brisk walk or slow paced jog for warm up, 5 intervals of 10-30 seconds all out sled dragging and 2-3 minute brisk walk in between intervals, then 10 minutes brisk walk to cool down.

Heavy Rope Training-

Heavy rope training was originally developed for specific combat sports such as football and Mixed Martial Arts; it is now becoming very popular for conditioning work and HIIT cardio. If you’re looking for a new twist to your fitness routine or if you’re one of those that complain about other HIIT cardio workouts being too demanding on your legs the day after a leg session, then this is what you’re looking for. Along with increasing your strength, power, and endurance, the constant motion of rope battling will give you a hell of a workout. Some common movements include waves, slams, throws, spirals, and whips. All involve swinging your arms up and down (or side to side) for timed intervals. With each of these exercises, you want to create a solid base by planting your feet in a shoulder width stance and stabilizing your core, think of an athletic stance. You’ll quickly discover that these exercises engage not just your arms and shoulders, but your whole body.

The Protocol- 5 minute moderate jump rope for warm up, 3-5 sets of 10-30 second intervals (waves, slams, throws, spirals, whips) and 45-60 seconds of rest in between intervals, then 5 minutes of moderate jump rope to cool down.

Kettlebell Swings

Believe it or not but kettlebells are starting to be increasingly popular. Specifically kettlebell swings have become a great HIIT cardio workout to activate your glutes and hamstrings. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found as the movement progressed from the bottom of the swing to the top of the swing, back muscle activation peaked first at around 50% of MVC (maximal voluntary contraction), followed by abdominal/oblique activation at around 20-30% of MVC, followed by gluteal muscle activation at around 75% of MVC (4). As you can see kettlebell swings stimulate your glutes, strengthen your back muscles, engage your core muscles and help strengthen the hip and knees. Muscle activation ramps up during a half-second interval in the concentric phase (top of the swing) and then transitions to almost complete relaxation during much of the eccentric phase (coming down with the swing) (5). So every time you are swinging that kettlebell you are firing muscle fibers and this could lead to overall muscle growth. If you’ve never tried kettlebells for HIIT then your booty and hamies are in for a long day! Make sure to be wise when you choose the weight, you aren’t going for a 1 rep max, pick a comfortable weight that you can swing and use good form to really activate all the muscles.

The Protocol- 5 minute moderate jump rope for warm up or 10 minute brisk walk/jog, 5 sets of 10-30 second intervals (all out swings) and 45-60 seconds of rest in between intervals, then 5 minutes of moderate jump rope or 10 minute brisk walk/jog to cool down.

Sprints

Last but not least how can we leave out good old sprints that have been tried and true for the longest time. Just look at sprinters legs compared to a long distance runners legs. Obviously the sprinter has more muscle mass on their legs because they’re activating fast twitch muscle fibers and creating muscle damage which leads to muscle growth. If you don’t believe us, go do sprints and you’ll see how sore you are the next day, it’ll feel almost the same as if you did an intense leg workout and that’s because you activated and broke down those muscle fibers. A recent study by Metcalfe et al. shows if you perform what Metcalfe and colleagues call the “minimal amount of exercise for improving metabolic health” a 3x per week 10min exercise regimen with no more than two (yes, I said it only 2 times!) all-out sprints, everything you’ve got, you will make changes to your metabolic rate (6). This 6 week exercise program was compared to the results of a 10 month intervention program in subjects who exercised 3x a week for 40min (steady state). Metcalfe’s study goes to show that it’s a more efficient way to burn fat by doing 3x per week for 10 min with only 2 all out sprint intervals because the steady state endurance study was not only four times more time-consuming, but it also failed to improve the glucose tolerance test and produced no improvements in insulin sensitivity.

The Protocol- 10 minute brisk walk, 5 sets of 10-30 second intervals (all out, everything you’ve got) and 1-4 minutes of rest in between intervals, then 10 minute brisk walk to cool down.

Bonus Workout

Here’s a HIIT workout you can do after your boss was on your ass all day or if you have one of those days when you feel a big weight on your shoulders…Hit the heavy bag! Hitting a punching bag is a great upper body workout and tailors well for those that have lower body injuries or limitations. One recommendation we will make is to not do a heavy upper body workout following this workout or the day after. Make sure to have an off day or lower body day. Your shoulders and arms will feel like you got in a bar fight with Mike Tyson after this workout.

The Protocol- 10 jump rope for warm up, 5 rounds of 10-30 second all out, everything you’ve got, beating the crap out of that bag and 2-4 minutes of jump roping in between rounds, then 10 minute brisk walk to cool down.

Wrapping it up

Now don’t get all bent out of shape after this, but you must understand the pros and cons of doing HIIT cardio workouts. They should be used as a tool and not be overused. We wouldn’t recommend more than 3-4 HIIT cardio workouts a week and we would definitely not do them after a high intensity leg workout day. Also, you’re probably wondering why we keep saying 10-30 seconds of intervals and that’s because everyone’s AT (anaerobic threshold) is different. You have to build your tolerance and get conditioned for these types of workouts and the more you do it and push yourselves, the more your AT will improve. With that in mind, we are all different and respond differently to certain things. So experiment yourself and see what you like best and what works best for you. If you want to go by time or yards do whatever feels best for you. Start with 10 second intervals and see if you can eventually get to 30 seconds. Just don’t overdo it or take that risk of injuring yourself. Now that you have these 5 workouts in your gym bag of tricks… go HIIT it!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Eric and Chris Martinez are identical twin brothers that are known as the Dynamic Duo. They are CISSN certified for nutrition consulting and AFFA certified for personal training, fitness and nutrition writers for SimplyShredded.com, BroScience.com, MachineMuscle.com & DirectlyFitness.com, fitness models, and founders of Dynamic Duo Training- an up and coming world class website that provides customized training protocols, customized nutrition plans, motivational coaching, educational programs, and a carved path to live a dynamic lifestyle

References:

(1) Hultman E, Bergstrom J, Anderson NM. Breakdown and resynthesis of phosphorylcreatine and adenosine triphosphate in connection with muscular work in man. Scand J Clin lab Invest. 1967.

(2) Wilmore JH, Costill DL (eds). Physiology of sport and exercise 3^rd edition. : Human Kinetics

(3) Wells GD, Selvadurai H, Tein I. Bioenergetic provision of energy for muscular activity. Paediatric Respitory reviews. 2009.

(4) McGill, SM. Marshall, LW. Kettlebell swing, snatch, and bottoms-up carry: back and hip muscle activation, motion, and low back loads. J strength Cond Res. 2012. Jan 26

(5) Contreras, Brett

(6) Metcalfe et al. Towards the minimal amount of exercise for improving metabolic health: beneficial effects of reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training. European J applied Physio. 2011.

Sport Drinks: Wash your mouth out (or not)?

By Nancy Angelopoulou. Three to four years ago, exercise scientists said that they have stumbled on an amazing discovery for endurance athletes. Specifically, athletes could improve their performance in intense bouts of exercise, lasting an hour or so, if they just rinse their mouths with a carbohydrate solution, without even swallowing it. From then, more and more research is being conducted on this topic to find out how and when exactly this amazing technique works!

But let’s put things on a row…It is already known that the consumption of sports drinks during prolonged exercise (> 1 hour) improves athletic performance (1,2). Specifically, these drinks replace the energy and fluids lost during exercise by providing a ready fuel for the working muscles. Several studies, however, have also reported that ingestion of carbohydrates before and during exercise of a relative short (~1h) and intense nature (>75%VO_2max) leads to performance improvements (3,4,5). Moreover, benefits to performance have been reported in both cycling (3,4) and running (5). It has been suggested that a higher glucose oxidation rate caused by carbohydrate ingestion and that explains the improvement. However, Jeukendrup and colleagues (3) argued that this is not the case in high intensity exercise, as it was estimated that only 5-15g of exogenous carbohydrate are used during the first hour of exercise. This relatively small contribution to the total carbohydrate oxidation rate was thought too small to affect performance. Despite the lack of a clear metabolic rationale, both carbohydrates and fluids have been reported to enhance time trial performance independently (7). Below and his colleagues (1995) have already proved that providing both fluid and carbohydrate improved cycling time trial performance by approximately 6% compared to placebo. Additionally, the beneficial effect of fluid and carbohydrate ingestion during this type of exercise was reported to be additive. Although improvements from fluids were attributed to maintaining a higher cardiac output and attenuating the increases in core temperature and heart rate, carbohydrates did not find to influence neither core temperature nor heart rate. Furthermore, there were not found any significant effects of carbohydrate ingestion on blood glucose concentrations or carbohydrate oxidation rates. Thus, there was no clear metabolic explanation for the performance improvement by carbohydrates.

This unexplained phenomenon of a clear metabolic benefit when subjects ingest carbohydrate during short duration and intense exercise has led authors to hypothesize that carbohydrate may influence “central” or “non-metabolic” pathways during exercise. To investigate this potential central effect of carbohydrate on performance, authors have focused on the provision of glucose or fluid to the peripheral circulation by asking their subjects to simply mouth rinse the carbohydrate solution instead of ingesting it, during 1 hour running or cycling under laboratory conditions. These drinks according to researchers were well known commercial drinks (Lucozade, Gatorade, etc.) or non-flavored drinks (maltodextrin). Despite some differences in: the taste of drinks, the protocols used and the different type of exercise tested, the results were very positive, showing that having simply carbohydrates in the mouth, athletes managed to improve their performance as much as 3% (8,9). Moreover, one of the studies used functional magnetic resonance imaging to find out which regions of the brain are affected when rinsing these drinks during exercise. Researchers from this study demonstrated that the positive effects of carbohydrate mouth rinsing probably occurred due to receptors in the mouth that modulate central brain pathways associated with motivation (Figure 1). This consecutively impacts on the self-selection of exercise intensities during time trial performance. However, it is important to mention that the concentrations of glucose and maltodextrin solution used in these MRI studies have been more concentrated (18%) than the solutions used in studies that have shown a performance improvement (6-6.4%). Even so, these studies provide a significant insight into the brain response to the presence of carbohydrate in the mouth.

However, a recent study at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands (10) reported that performance benefits associated with carbohydrate mouth rinsing are not apparent following the consumption of a pre-exercise meal. What happened, they asked, if athletes ate breakfast before rinsing with carbohydrates; because no athlete under normal circumstances would stay “hungry” before participating in important events. Moreover, the positive effects of mouth rinsing sport drinks failed also to show evidence from a recent study conducted in Harokopio University (11), led by Dr. Arnaoutis & Dr. Kavouras. The researchers examined the role of «mouth rinse» in dehydrated athletes. The results demonstrated that ingestion of even a small amount of water increased exercise time in dehydrated subjects possibly through activation of pharyngeal receptors.

What’s more two more studies were published in 2011 demonstrating that mouth rinsing carbohydrate solutions do not affect maximum strength or strength endurance performance (12,13).

Generally, carbohydrate “mouth rinse” as a technique is still in early stage. In conclusion, a few studies have investigated the effects of carbohydrate mouth rinsing on endurance performance. Most of these studies have concluded that mouth rinsing with carbohydrate solutions during exercise of approximately 1 hour can have a beneficial effect when subjects are fasted. Moreover, no studies have reported any adverse effects on performance.

To date, for any athlete who is considering to try the above technique, keep in mind these tips below, which are based on the latest research summary:

1) Mouth rinsing sports drinks can improve the performance of one hour or less duration endurance exercise even when athletes do not swallow them.

2) If you are about to use this technique, you must follow it every 10 minutes.

3) The concentration of the drinks that have proved so far that they act positively are of 6% .

4) If you have eaten your meal 1-2 hours before your race, the technique of «mouth rinse» might not have the desired and expected effects.

5) Of course, spitting out a carb rinse won’t satisfy hunger, so endurance athletes are probably better off getting the added nutrition from eating or drinking during a race.

6) Carbohydrate mouth rinse is not beneficial for maximal sprint performance.

7) If you’re already dehydrated even before you start your race, consuming even small amounts of water during exercise is more beneficial than just rinsing it.

8) No eating, no wrappers, no muscle cramps, just gargle and spit!

About the Author: Nancy Angelopoulou, MSc

Nancy obtained her BSc on Nutritional and Dietetics sciences from Harokopio University of Athens. Last year she completed her Masters of Science in Sports and Exercise Nutrition from Leeds Metropolitan University, where her research focused on investigating the effect of varying concentrations of carbohydrate beverages during endurance exercise. She has been involved in competitive sports throughout her entire life, including 12 years of professional Swimming. Currently Nancy lives and works in United Kingdom as a fitness and nutrition advisor as well as a nutritional supplement advisor at the UK’s biggest online sports Nutrition Company “Powerbody.co.uk”. Moreover, she will soon be a registered Sport nutritionist and plans on focusing her efforts on nutritional support and training of obese people, the nutritional needs of athletes and generally the promotion of physical and mental performance through diet and exercise. She has been influenced by scientists such as Alan Aragon, Robert Sapolsky, Jamie Hale and Asker Jeukendrup.

Personal blog: www.featyourbody.wordpress.com

Contact: n.angelopoulou@gmail.com

References

1) Coyle, E.F. and Montain, S.J. (1992a). Benefits of fluid replacement with carbohydrate during exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 24:324–S330

2) Tsintzas, K., Williams, C. (1998). Human muscle glycogen metabolism during exercise: effect of carbohydrate supplementation. Sports Med., 25:7-23

3) Jeukendrup, A., Brouns, F., Wagenmakers, M., Saris, W. (1997). Carbohydrate-electrolyte feedings improve 1h time-trial cycling performance. Int Journ of Sports Med., 18:125-129

4) Anantaraman, R., Carmines, A., Gaesser, G., Weltman, A. (1995). Effects of carbohydrate supplementation on performance during 1 hour of high-intensity exercise. Int J Sports Med. 16:461-465.

5) Neufer, P., Costill, D., Flynn, M. et al. (1987). Improvements in exercise performance: effects of carbohydrate feedings and diet. J Appl Physiol., 62:983-988

6) Rollo, I., Williams, C. (2009). Influence of ingesting a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution before and during 1-h running performance test. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metabol., 19:645-658

7) Below, P., Mora-Rodriguez, R., Gonzalez-Alonso, J. et al. (1995). Fluid and carbohydrate ingestion independently improve performance during 1h of intense exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc., 27:200-210

8) Chambers, E., Bridge, M., Jones, D. (2009). Carbohydrate sensing in the human mouth: effects on exercise performance and brain activity. J Physiol., 578:1779-1794

9) Pottier, A., Bouckaert, J., Gilis, W. Et al. (2010). Mouth rinse but not ingestion of a carbohydrate solution improves 1-h cycle time trial performance. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 20:105-111

10) Beelen, M., Berghuis, J., Bonaparte, B., et al. (2009). Carbohydrate mouth rinsing in the fed state does not enhance time trial performance. Int J Sports Exerc Metab., 19:400-409

11) Arnaoutis G. et al. (2011). Water ingestion improves performance compared with mouth rinse in dehydrated subjects.

12) Chong et al. (2011). Effect of a carbohydrate mouth rinse on maximal sprint performance in competitive male cyclists.

13) Painelliet al. (2011). The effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse on maximal strength and strength endurance.

(1) Hultman E, Bergstrom J, Anderson NM. Breakdown and resynthesis of phosphorylcreatine and adenosine triphosphate in connection with muscular work in man. Scand J Clin lab Invest. 1967.

(2) Wilmore JH, Costill DL (eds). Physiology of sport and exercise 3rd edition. : Human Kinetics

(3) Wells GD, Selvadurai H, Tein I. Bioenergetic provision of energy for muscular activity. Paediatric Respitory reviews. 2009.

(4) McGill, SM. Marshall, LW. Kettlebell swing, snatch, and bottoms-up carry: back and hip muscle activation, motion, and low back loads. J strength Cond Res. 2012. Jan 26

(5) Contreras, Brett

(6) Metcalfe et al. Towards the minimal amount of exercise for improving metabolic health: beneficial effects of reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training. European J applied Physio. 2011.

(2) Wilmore JH, Costill DL (eds). Physiology of sport and exercise 3^rd edition. : Human Kinetics