Muscle Media - Muscle Media For Men Jan/Feb 2019

IT’S THE FIRST ISSUE FOR 2019. KEEP YOUR NEW YEARS’ PROMISES

THE FOUNDATION

GET

F I T N E S S , H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S M A G A Z I N E

HIIT IS HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING GOOD FOR YOU?

FASTING FACT CHECK CHANGE UP YOUR

WORKOUT SPLIT THE SCIENCE OF

TARGET CARDIO TRAINING J A N UA RY / F E B R UA RY 2 0 1 9 M U S C L E M E D I AO N L I N E . CO M

OLD SCHOOL ATTITUDES

03 TURN OVER A NEW LEAF FOR A NEW YEAR 06 BREATH LESS-RECOVER MORE

Hi…! Dr. Tom, here… You got a minute...? Well, here we are again… Another year, and another opportunity to make yourself better than before. I’m sure you’re stoked; anxious to get your “New-Year’s Plan” under way. Do you have the plan, the intention, and the will? If you give an enthusiastic “thumbs-up”, Rock-On…! If not, it may be time to formulate a plan. Unfortunately, if you are like many of my students, friends, and even a few patients, your past results may have been less than stellar. Don’t let that discourage you…!

07 ELASTIC STRENGTH TRAINING For Physical Superiority

09 GET HIIT

Many of the “Letters to the Editor” received over the past year have been asking for more articles about attitude, motivation, and tracking progress. We’re going to give you practical advice and information about the energy and meaning behind traditional “New Years’ Resolutions”. While there are countless articles about the art/science of muscular development, it’s often not enough. The web is flooded with tempting “special-limited-time-offer” plans, “secret” programs, and “how-to” routines. No shortage of information out there (but, buyer beware…!). We wanted to address the energy behind the desire to change. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what routine you have planned, if you’re unable/unwilling to keep it going, it’s just an idle daydream.

One of the most difficult tasks when trying to make changes is to get rid of things the in your Life that are not working. Before you can change them, you need to take some time to accurately identify what they are. Some of them are like “old friends”, and you may be reluctant to let go. Sometimes you need to simply just scrap it and start over. These may include bad habits that are hold-overs from your past. You have simply outgrown them, and they no longer serve you. It may be places you go, or people you know that need some serious attention. Experience with my patients/clients over the years has taught me to “prune wisely”. In previous issues we have talked about the dangers of an “all-or-nothing” mindset. Resist frustration and the temptation to “throw the baby out with the bathwater”.

In this issue, we will discuss a number of topics to help you with changes and making decisions. Our Lives are the products of countless quirky habits. We unconsciously do things repetitively. Some of these habits serve us, others do not. First, be aware of the things you do (Pay Attention!). Once aware and having identified troublesome areas, decide if they are useful or useless. Believe me, you’re worth the investment! Then, you can decide the specific things you want/need to change.

That being said, what do we have in store for you in this issue? Our resident IFBB Pro, Joe, offers advice on New Years’ Resolutions, “Old School” attitude, and working/protecting your low back. Our old friend with the Poliquin Group, Kim offers insights into the science of Elastic Strength Training. His friend & colleague, Eoin (also with the Poliquin Group), explores Target Cardio Training, as well as the science of Sleep Specialization. Our resident entertainment expert, Anne, talks about incorporating more leafy greens on to your training table.

We also have a number of new exercise science contributors to Muscle Media Magazine. Zak talks about the science behind fasting, as well as techniques for proper breathing. Closely related to proper breathing, Brandon explains the form & function of the Transverse Abdominus (TVA) muscle. Mike describes the options associated with adopting a Workout Split. Marilyn also offers workout advice while exploring the benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Finally, Christopher offers some cautions and advice on the importance of proper hydration.

Is High Intensity Interval Training Good for Me?

11 HYDRATION EDITOR IN CHIEF Dr. Tom Fisher PHD, LMHC, CSCS CONTRIBUTORS Anne Fisher Zak Woodward Kim Goss, MS, CSCS Marilyn Davis Christopher Parks Joe Palumbo, IFBB Pro Eoin Lacey Mike Axler, BS Zak Woodward ADVERTISE WITH US Would you like to reach a targeted community intrested in a fitness and healthly lifestyle?

Please contact us for details info@musclemediaonline.com

I hope you enjoy another information-packed issue. As always, I look forward to your “Letters to the Editor”… Keep ‘em coming…! Keep the Fire burning… Stay the Course… Pay Attention…! Cheers…!

-Dr. Tom

13 STRENGTHEN YOUR LOWER BACK

It’s the Core to Your Training

16 KEEPING YOUR NEW YEARS’ PROMISES 26 THE FOUNDATION Old School Attitudes

22 THE SCIENCE OF TARGET CARDIO TRAINING

A ridiculously simple approach to testing and training for athletic endurance

25 WHY SHOULD I CHANGE UP MY WORKOUT SPLIT? 26 BUILDING YOUR SLEEP SPECIALIZATION PROGRAM Practical Advice on How To Get the Z’s You Need!

Do you have a question? Please just ask. We may even publish it in our "Letters-To-The-Editor" section. Sent to: drtom@musclemediaonline.com

How Much Water Should we be Drinking?

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27 FASTING FACT CHECK

How It Works And What It Can Do For You

It’s that time of year again; time for making those New Year’s Resolutions. Whether we have over-indulged during the holidays and need to shed a few of those holiday pounds, just want to get healthier, clean up our diet, or add to our gains in the gym, here’s some great news! There is a “magic bullet” to help you keep all those New Year’s resolutions and goals: leafy greens!

Wait, did you all just roll your eyes? Did I hear a collective “yuck” or “more kale? No way!!”

Well, it’s time to shed some light on why leafy greens are that magic bullet. Let’s talk about how to enjoy them, raw, cooked, hot or cold, in all sorts of creative ways. Don’t let the old stereotype of “rabbit food” prevent you from cashing in on all that leafy greens have to offer.

Leafy greens offer high nutrition density, low calories, amazing flavor, as well as ease and convenience.

4

TURN OVER A

New leaf

Add More Leafy Greens to Your Training Table

By Anne Fisher

FOR THE NEW YEAR

WHICH GREENS ARE BEST?

Anne Fisher is a Certified Specialist of Wine, Consulting Sommelier, a competitive bodybuilder, and author of the soon-to-be-released “Live Party Ready”.

Some of the most common leafy greens are spinach, kale, arugula, Swiss chard, collard greens, and turnip greens. But wait, there’s more! Other options include red or green leaf lettuce, radicchio, watercress, chicory, beet and carrot tops, and parsley.

MUSCLE MEDIA MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019

Nutritional studies have compiled lists of which greens are highest in each specific nutrient.

There are many leafy green options available.

Let’s look at some of them and explain why you should be consuming them. There’s more in the leafy green garden than good old kale.

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How do these greens stack up nutritionally? Here’s what the USDA Nutrient Data Base suggests: HOW TO EAT THEM: You may ask; “How am I supposed to eat more parsley or Swiss chard?” These nutritional powerhouses aren’t difficult to find, consume and enjoy. Here are some easy ways to gain the healthimproving qualities by easily adding leafy greens to your daily training table.

Because various leafy greens are high in many different nutrients, variety is important. Combining greens, eating different greens at different meals or rotating to different greens from time to time, are great ways to glean all the nutritional benefits. For example, a spinach and egg-white omelet for breakfast, a mixed greens smoothie for a pre-workout snack, and sautéed Swiss chard (see below) with dinner makes this is one healthy day!

Large chain grocery stores as well as specialty food shops now carry a wide variety of beautiful, organic greens. Look for mixed greens, super-greens and spring mix. You can find them packaged individually, as well as lose. Farmer’s markets are excellent sources for local and organic produce. “Organic” is important to keep our diets clean and our bodies free of harmful pesticides. These can metabolize into estrogens, certainly not helpful for making those gains in the gym! Try to keep your greens organic whenever possible.

Of course, greens make the basis for many great salads. Add interest by adding beautiful roasted veggies, lean protein and healthy fat. You can fill a plate with baby spinach, arugula and watercress and top it with roasted carrots for a touch of sweetness to offset those spicy greens. Add sautéed shrimp, or grilled salmon, and sliced avocado, wow! Or add quinoa, sliced red peppers, olives and nuts or seeds. The combinations are endless.

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MUSCLE MEDIA MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019

Fiber

Kale, beet greens, turnip and collard greens are loaded with dietary fiber. These are all tougher greens and are best eaten cooked or steamed.

Protein

Kale also weighs in super high in protein, at 4.3 grams per serving. Spinach, chard and parsley come in close behind, with 3 grams per serving.

When using greens in cooking, add them to soups, top baked potatoes, sauté them in water or oil with some garlic and chili as a super-food side dish. Toss them into quinoa, farro, rice dishes, almost any dish. And, don’t forget to turn them into delicious pesto sauce for whole wheat pasta or veggie noodles. Parsley, arugula and carrot tops all make delicious pesto individually, but why not combine them to gain all that extra nutrition? (See below).

SAUTÉED RAINBOW SWISS CHARD SIDE DISH

With so many creative, delicious ways to use leafy greens in your daily food plan, there is simply no reason to miss out on the health benefits that these magic bullets offer. Use leafy greens to help you achieve your New Year’s goals. Here’s to a healthy new year!

CARROT, ARUGULA, & PARSLEY PESTO

Calcium

This mineral, a nutrient for which leafy greens are famous, is critical to muscle contraction. For delivering on calcium, parsley, kale and watercress are excellent sources with 140 to 150 milligrams per serving. Yes, humble parsley! Who knew that parsley was not just a garnish but a super-food? Collard greens are also an excellent source.

Iron

Parsley wins this category too, with 6.2 milligrams per serving, followed by spinach and beet greens, with close to 3 milligrams.

Magnesium

Yet another mineral critical to muscle contraction (read: gains in the gym). Spinach and Swiss chard rank high in this category, as do collard and turnip greens.

Vitamins A, K and C

Although kale and spinach are the real powerhouses here, arugula is another great choice. In addition, arugula is tender, and has a great spicy flavor that really perks up other foods.

This is just a short list of the important vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients that can be found in leafy greens. You just can’t go wrong eating these super-foods.

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

1 or 2 bunches organic rainbow Swiss chard

1 small bunch (about 2 cups) organic carrot greens

Healthy fat such as coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

1 small bag (about 2 cups) organic arugula

Crushed garlic to taste

1 small bunch (about 2 cups) organic parsley (curly or flat)

Crushed red pepper flake to taste (alternatively use hot chili oil for your fat).

1 ½ cups pepitas or cashews

DIRECTIONS Wash and thoroughly dry the chard. Slice the leaves and colorful stems into bite-sized pieces. Heat the healthy fat in a pan until it glimmers and shines. Toss in the chard, the garlic and red pepper flake and sauté stirring constantly until the chard wilts and stems are tender; about four or five minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic! You don’t need to add salt and pepper to this, as Swiss chard has a naturally salty taste and the pepper flakes give it spice.

Healthy fat such as coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ cups parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS Combine all ingredients in a blender. Drizzle oil in while blending until desired consistency (about the same as catsup). Toss with your favorite pasta or veggie noodles.

Enjoy!

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Vitamins, minerals, and other assorted nutrients are the building blocks that can support the foundation of the body to operate more efficiently. Multivitamins can assist everyone due to their wide spectrum of uses and support in the overall functioning of the human body.

INFINITE LABS® MEN’S & WOMEN’S MULTIVITAMINS are specifically formulated to support energy levels, performance and overall good health to assist you with your fitness goals.* INFINITE LABS® MEN’S & WOMEN’S MULTIVITAMINS MAY SUPPORT:

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INFINITELABS.COM AND MANY OTHER FINE RETAILERS

RECOVER MORE

How many times have you been told to “take a deep breath” to relax before a stressful event, a big meeting, a gametying free throw, a big test? Have you ever stopped to think about whether that is actually a good piece of advice? What does your breathing look like when you are stressed out?

Breathing is typically fast, noisy, through the upper chest, through the mouth, and you typically consume a greater volume of air. Compare that to the deep breath you just took to relax. You probably inhaled through your mouth and expanded your upper chest more than your diaphragm.

That breath was likely faster and louder than your normal breath. You probably consumed more air than you would normally. Yet, that breath is supposed to calm us down and help us relax. For years doctors and health professionals have told us to eat less food.

But, it could be even more important to breathe less air.

The mechanism of breathing and gas exchange is commonly misunderstood. Carbon dioxide (CO2), often thought of as just a waste gas, has possibly the greatest role in delivery of oxygen to muscles and cells from the bloodstream. Under normal conditions, and even strenuous exercise, our blood is about 95-99% saturated with oxygen (O2). This means that there is not really room for any more to be added. You can easily test this with a $15 pulse oximeter. The challenge is to get oxygen out of the blood and into the muscles and cells where it can be burned. Oxygen is transported in the bloodstream by hemoglobin contained in red blood cells. CO2 is the key ingredient in getting hemoglobin to release those oxygen molecules for use by the cells. When we breathe heavily, we blow off more CO2. This makes the bonds between oxygen and hemoglobin tighter and more difficult to break, depriving our cells of the oxygen they need to function.

Ironically, breathing heavily actually creates a sense of breathlessness! In addition to assisting the transport of oxygen into the cells, carbon dioxide is also a vasodilator. This means that its presence in the bloodstream causes the smooth muscles in the arteries and veins to relax and open up (as much as 50% wider). This dilation allows greater blood flow and oxygen delivery through the 100,000 miles of blood vessels that circulate the body. If you want to test this, simply take several large, deep breaths and see how you feel. You’ll probably feel light-headed from the lack of oxygen being delivered to the brain.

Now, imagine doing this over and over and over again throughout the day, 23,000 times per day.

By Zak Woodward

BREATHE LESS 8

MUSCLE MEDIA MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019

About the Author: Zak Woodward is pursuing his Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology at the University of Central Florida with the intent of continuing his pursuit of a Masters’ of Science Degree in the field of Kinesiology and Exercise Science.

Over-breathing, almost always associated with mouth-breathing, actually reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to your cells, constricts your airways, and locks you into a sympathetic dominant

(fight-or-flight) state. The most significant way to combat this is to breathe through your nose, all of the time, even during exercise (if you can manage it). More than just two holes in your face, the nose has over 30 different functions, not the least of which is to warm, humidify, and sterilize the air being brought into your lungs. This engages the diaphragm to pull air all the way down into the lower airways. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system and pulls nitric oxide (NO2) into the lungs. The nitric oxide, along with CO2, works to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow. Another unintended benefit of nasal breathing, although it works even better if you are conscious of it, is decreasing the volume of air you breath simply because of the narrower passages of the naval cavity compared to the mouth and throat.

Breathing through your nose and slowing your breathing to the smallest amount you can tolerate actually helps to increase oxygen delivery and blood flow. It helps bring you back into a relaxed, parasympathetic dominant (restand-digest) state.

It is amazing how little attention has been paid to something that we do so many thousands of times per day and can have a profound effect on our physical and mental states. While it may seem counter-intuitive, the benefits of breathing lightly and through the nose cannot be overstated. Breathe less to recover more. Breathe Light to Breathe Right…

REFERENCES The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown, William Morrow Publications, September 15 2015 Shut your Mouth and Change your Life, Patrick McKeown, TEDx Galway (Ireland), May 29 2016 Breathe, Joe DiStefano, TEDx Lugano (Switzerland), April 16 2016

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When strength coaches and personal trainers talk about working with athletes, they often discuss which muscles should be emphasized to increase athletic performance and prevent muscle imbalances that may cause injuries. They also talk about which combination of reps and sets are best for the athlete. They use terms such as relative strength and functional hypertrophy.

Important topics, no question, but one subject that should be addressed in athletic fitness is the development of elastic strength.

Elastic strength is the ability to overcome resistance at high speeds.

It can be compared to the recoil action of a spring. When the body moves at high speeds, elastic energy is stored and released, enabling the limbs to produce more power than can be generated by the muscles alone. Let’s look at how elastic energy can influence jumping ability.

H T G N E TR

S C I T S ELA G N I N I A TR

L A C I S Y H P R O F Y T I R O I R E P U S

By Kim Goss, MS, CSCS Poliquin Group™ Editorial Staff 10

MUSCLE MEDIA MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019

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Put yourself into a quarter squat, pause for four seconds, and then jump. Now let’s try it again without the pause, rapidly bending your knees to a quarter squat and immediately jumping. You’ll find you can jump considerably higher during this type of countermovement jump because the body is using elastic energy to assist your muscles in producing power. Now let’s turn our attention to sprinting, an essential quality for many sports.

Many coaches break down sprinting into three components: stride frequency, stride length, and ground contact time. Stride frequency is how quickly an athlete changes their ground support from one foot to the other. Stride length refers to how much distance is covered with two steps. Stride length is associated with ground contact time, which refers to how long the athlete’s feet remain in contact with the ground.

Except for young athletes, stride frequency is not as trainable as the two other components. Stride length and ground contact time can be improved long after adolescence, which explains why many elite sprinters don’t hit their peak until their 20s or even early 30s. Carl Lewis, for example, broke the world record in the 100 meters at the age of 30, and the following year anchored the Olympic team that broke the world record in the 4x100m.

With that background, let’s break down how Usain Bolt became the greatest sprinter in history.

At the 2008 Olympic Games, Bolt won the 100 meters with a world record of 9.69 seconds. The following year at the World Championships, Bolt finished with another world record, 9.58 seconds.

How? In 2008 he completed the distance in 41.4 steps and in 2009 he did it in 40.92 steps – not much difference, but enough to create a world record that may stand for a very long time. As a comparison, Carl Lewis needed 43 steps to establish his world record of 9.86. If you cover the same distance in fewer steps, all things being equal, you run faster.

One way to increase stride length is to get stronger so you can apply more force into the ground. A study published in 2005 in the Journal of Experimental Biology looked at the physical characteristics of track athletes who excelled in the shorter sprinting events (such as the 100 meters) possessed more muscle mass than those competing in the longer distances. Yes, increased muscle strength will improve your stride length, but you also need to consider the influence of elastic energy.

When your foot lands on the ground during a sprint, the calf muscles stiffen to allow the connective tissues in the calves to act as biological springs that store and release energy. The more energy released, the faster you run. This process also influences ground contact time. Studies on elite sprinters, both male and female, showed that the superior sprinters spent significantly less time on the ground than slower sprinters. Longer ground contact time not only makes you run slower, but taking additional time to complete a step can adversely affect running mechanics.

Much of what we know about elastic energy and elastic strength comes from studying animals.

Studies on red kangaroos have shown that the long tendons of their hind legs can store up to 10 times more the energy than their muscles. Tendons do not need oxygen to function and do not fatigue, thus making them extremely efficient tissues for producing movement in these animals.

Tendon length is a key component of athletic performance. You’ll find that top sprinters have a high insertion point on the calf. Tendon length also influences bodybuilding potential, as a short tendon provides room for a longer muscle belly. Let’s take the example of the popular double biceps pose.

The lower a muscle inserts on the elbow joint, the greater the potential for muscle growth in the biceps. Larry Scott, the first Mr. Olympia, could attribute much of his long full biceps not so much to the Scott curls he popularized, but short tendons.

(As a general guideline, if you flex your biceps to 90 degrees and can barely fit one finger between the muscle belly and the forearm, you have relatively short tendons.)

Getting back to athletic performance, there are many specific exercises and training methods to improve elastic strength. However, it’s also important to avoid exercises and activities that may reduce the elastic qualities of the tissues.

For starters, avoid performing heavy resistance training exercises throughout a partial range of motion, such as powerlifting squats that cut short the descent at parallel. At the very least, supplement parallel squats with variations of lunges and split squats performed so that the knees extend well beyond the toes. Otherwise, and this is a warning presented by Russian sports scientist A. I. Falameyev in 1986, there will be “…a negative influence on joint mobility, muscle and tendon elasticity.”

Another reason connective tissues can lose their elasticity can be traced to the excessive use of athletic tape.

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MUSCLE MEDIA MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2019

ACL and ankle injuries continue to be a major concern in sports, especially with young athletes. A case can be made that excessive use of athletic tape and other forms of bracing may be contributing to the problem by interfering with the functions of the connective tissues. On this point, consider that the start of a football season is when athletes should be their strongest and healthiest. Nevertheless, during the first week of the 2011 NFL season, 13 players suffered Achilles tendon ruptures! Another possible cause is the aggressive use of foam rolling, which may stiffen the fascia and thus reduce the elastic qualities of this type of connective tissue.

Exercises that develop elastic strength include explosive movements such as the Olympic lifts, hex bar and straight bar jumps, and dynamic kettlebell exercises. Also in this category are classic plyometric exercises that create a high eccentric load in dynamic activities. One example is depth jumps, where the athlete steps off a low platform and immediately rebounds. For a detailed explanation of classic plyometrics, the textbook Supertraining

by Dr. Mel Siff and Professor Yuri Verkhoshansky is considered a classic reference.

For maximum effectiveness, dynamic exercises should have a greater eccentric load than concentric.

Attaching bands to barbells is one way to accomplish this overload, and there are also special flywheel-type machines that provide the optimal eccentric load during dynamic exercises.

How to train the muscles is the focus of many strength and conditioning programs, as it should be. But to release the body’s full potential in sport, athletic fitness programs should also address the powerful benefits of elastic strength.

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