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May 12, 2017

UNDERSTAND IT OR LOSE YOUR FITNESS GAINS



                    

Not all exercise is created equal (and "I am on my feet all day" does not count an exercise), which is why a construction laborer is at great risk. They are doing heavy labor everyday, fully exposed to the elements, with no time for repair and rejuvenation. Unlike bone crushing physical labor that tears you down, exercise program that build you up are based on the principles of overload, specificity, repetition, rest, and reversibility. 

Overload means that a certain level of stimulus is necessary for adaptation to occur. 

Specificity of training means that a specific stimulus for adaptation results in very specific structural, metabolic, hormonal, and functional changes in targeted elements of your body. Different regimens have varying results on your skeletal, muscular, or cardiovascular systems.

Repetition means just that you have to go through the same motions again and again (but not to the point of damage).

Rest is essential step in the building process and without it, any fitness gains can turn to losses.

Finally, reversibility means that, if you discontinue training, you may lose the benefits you have gained.

Sorry, folks, but once we have come back to that unpleasant truth: use it or lose it, which will expand to "use it right or lose it": Doing any old exercise any old way is likely to do as much harms as good. To get the benefit and to avoid the harm, you have to do it correctly.

Top 7 mistakes done by listening to the RUMOURS


  1. Always stretch before exercise - The bit of truth hidden in this bad idea is that stretching is essential. But the classic (erroneous) idea that became popular in the 1970s is that you have to stretch before your workout to prevent injury. (stretching cold is more likely to cause an injury. The right idea is to slowly work up to a sweat before you stretch. For instance, if you are a runner, start out with a walk, then a slow jog until you warm up. 
  2. Go Hard or Go Home - Allen Iverson has been the toughest athlete in USA and he tried to tough it out anytime, no matter what. The worry then was he had pushed himself too hard, and eventually it caught up with him. His career ended too early. Toughness can look ugly 10 years later - just like North Dallas Forty. You don't want to be so tough that you put yourself on bottles of painkillers or an aluminium walker someday.
  3. Believing on Mirror Muscles - This is for many innocent or misguided male youngsters. Focussing too narrowly on limited objectives can create anatomical imbalances. Millions of guys spend billions of hours doing endless bench presses curls and curls to build up "mirror muscles," the ones they see as they workout in front of those mirrored walls in the weight room. This creates an imbalanced tightness in the front of the shoulders, which is just asking for rotator cuffs problems. Too often unorganised exercise programs are like a movie producer who spends all of his budget on the lead actor but forgets to hire a good supporting cast. Everyone seems concerned about their abdominal muscles, for another example, but not enough people pay attention to the back extensors that work in opposition to those abs. That's how you get the guys with six-pack abs and lower back problems.
  4. Stupid "Harley Effect" - The fixation on mirror muscles, along with being too tough for your own good, combine into what is called "Harley Effect" (At the gym in USA back in 1990s, there guys all have their Harleys parked outside). A lot of such guys with or without Harley, have been pumping iron since they were teenagers. It seems like they spend more of their time in demonstrating their strength, throwing the weights around, rather than building strength through slow, steady, and controlled movement. And they are certainly not looking for the advice. They think, "Coach showed me how to do this back in 8th grade, I now how to do it. I do not need any help." Trouble is, coach may not have known what he was talking about. And we have learned a lot about exercise physiology since 1982. I come across with such people everyday. The pity is that such people has now become trainers in the gym and the most pitty thing people believe in them in India. "Baahubali does not know how to fix the scoliosis." You should never sacrifice proper form for added weight.
  5. Big Dosages - "if a little is good, more is better". Another aspect of "Harley Effect" is that the same Harleys are parked outside the gym almost everyday, with the same guys working the same muscles. Unfortunately, when it comes to muscle growth, more is not better. Muscles always respond to overload, then rest. Too much training can cause muscle breakdown and loss. In general, you should never do the same or similar workout two days in a row. However, walking, stretching,yoga, core workout, and other lower intensity activities can be done safely every day. Still you need to approach qualified and knowledgeable trainer before claiming your self from The Arnold's genetics.
  6. Love or Obsession - Just do what you love to do. Those trainers or your friends guide you like this declare them moron. For example, If you all do is run, you are going to have classic, predictable imbalances like patellofemoral syndrome or runner's knee and also IT Band syndrome.  Swimming, biking, yoga - you can pick any activity, and I can tell you what's great about it, but also the risks it poses and the work it leaves undone. That's why there is no perfect single activity.
  7. Women can gain muscles - "Women need to avoid heavier weights to avoid becoming bulky." This is the advice given by husbands, husbands' friends, jealous woman, illiterate trainers and sometimes a corrupt and incapable doctors. Indians are famous in having such mindsets. The average woman, with her very differences hormonal make up than males, almost never has to worry about becoming "The Incredible HULK", no matter how much she lifts until and unless inject those hormones. A woman has 15 mg/dl to 74 mg/dl of Testosterone (muscle building hormone) and on the other hand a man has 200 mg/dl to 1200 mg/dl of testosterone (TE) in their blood. Hence, minimum 200 mg/dl of TE is required in females. But yes, for females doing weight training can make their muscles visible because of fat loss and toning does not confuse with gaining muscles like men.

"It's better to believe in science rather than believing on those who are like those books which has a good and attractive cover page but the content is risky or dangerous."

May 03, 2017

EXTRA PROTEIN TO BUILD MUSCLE?

                      


Most people who want to bulk up believe that the best way to gain muscle mass is to lift weights(true) and eat a very high protein diet(false). Although, you do want to eat adequate protein, your body does not store excess protein as bulging muscle. The pound of steak just does not convert into bigger biceps. You need extra calories and those calories should come primarily from extra carbohydrates rather than extra protein. Carbohydrates fuel your muscles so they can perform intense muscle building exercise. By overloading the muscle not with protein but with weight lifting and resistance exercise, the muscle fiber increase in size.

The trick to gaining weight is to eat larger than normal portions consistently for 3 meals per day and 1 or 2 snacks. to take in the extra calories needed to gain weight, you should eat frequently throughout the day, if that fits your lifestyle. 

Plan to have food on hand for every eating opportunity, or try these tips; eat an extra snack, such as a bedtime peanut butter sandwich with a glass of milk, and eat higher caloric foods.

Here are some bed-time snacks:


One Banana - A sleep inducing snack as it contains tryptophan and also contain sleep promoting potassium plus a good source of carbohydrates.
Oatmeal Carbohydrates help rid the blood of amino acids that compete with tryptophan, allowing more of the sedative to enter the brain and helps in combating insomnia. Remember, sound sleep helps in better growth.

Cottage cheese It contains casein protein, which releases slowly into the body, warding off hunger. Cottage cheese also offers a steady supply of amino acids through the night, which aid in muscle building and recovery

Low fat milkIt's true a milky drink can help to avoid low blood sugar and stave off hunger-driven tummy rumbles during the night, both of which could interfere with length and quality of sleep.




February 20, 2017

5 BEST TIPS TO IMPROVE METABOLISM



In my previous post I have discussed the general definition of metabolism. It is the only tool to keep your muscle qualitative, less body fat and keep you away from any metabolic disorder. Here are 10 best tips to improve your metabolism:


1. Negative Calorie Food -  Negative calorie food is a bit of a misnomer. There is no food in existence that contains negative calories; every food has some caloric content, however minute it may be. However, certain foods, when eaten, require more energy from your body to digest than the calories that they contain. Negative calorie food offers great nutrition, as well as the possibility of helping you lose weight simply by eating.




2. Highly Nutritious Breakfast -  Many study showed that the young people who neglected to eat breakfast or ate a poor breakfast had a 68 per cent higher incidence of metabolic syndrome as adults, compared with those who had eaten more substantial breakfasts in their youth. Include every nutrient in breakfast in high quality like high quality protein (lean meat)/eggs/protein shakes/low fat milk, Carbohydrates full of dark colored vegetables and fruits also include oatmeal with dried cranberries, Omega - 3 and MCTs in fat portion including peanut butter; Anti-oxidants like green tea, strawberries, or cranberries etc. and after 30 min to the breakfast drink at least 500 ml to 700 ml water. Further, Lunch must be half of your breakfast and dinner shall be 1/4th of your breakfast. (calculated in terms of calories)












3. Water - Researchers in Germany report that water consumption increases the rate at which people burn calories. The impact is modest and the findings are preliminary, but the researchers say their study could have important implications for weight-control programs.


Despite the fact that most diets call for drinking at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day, few studies have been done to determine if the practice actually speeds weight loss. In an effort to answer this question, Michael Boschmann, MD, and colleagues from Berlin's Franz-Volhard Clinical Research Center tracked energy expenditures among seven men and seven women who were healthy and not overweight.
After drinking approximately 17 ounces of water, the subjects' metabolic rates -- or the rate at which calories are burned -- increased by 30% for both men and women. The increases occurred within 10 minutes of water consumption and reached a maximum after about 30 to 40 minutes.
The study also showed that the increase in metabolic rate differed in men and women. In men, burning more fat fueled the increase in metabolism, whereas in women, an increased breakdown of carbohydrates caused the increase in metabolism seen. - WebMD.








4. Resistance Training - Doing weight training in the hypertrophy zone can really improve your metabolism as this zone increases both muscle quality and muscle fiber size (in men only; & very little in females due to different TE level). Additionally, after recovery and repairing of muscle fibre from a single hypertrophy zone workout increases the demand of pumping more blood into the muscle to take away lactate from there. When above both mechanism occur with good coordination, the body's metabolic rate improves. 





5. Avoid Overtraining - Overtraining, to put it simply, is exercising faster or more than your body can recover from in a given time. You see, exercising depletes supplies of various chemicals, such as ATP, in your body. Once you deplete chemicals and food stores, it takes time to refill the supplies and prepare your body for exercise again.
photo credit : http://slideplayer.com/slide/7930867/
Over-training can have a lot of negative consequences for your body. Many of those consequences can make it much harder for you to lose weight and some might even cause you to gain it.
  • Make it impossible for the body to heal small muscular tears as fast as they’re created.
  • Elevate the heart rate while resting.
  • Make you more likely to get infections.
  • Make you more prone to injuries.
  • Cause you to become protein deficient.
  • Release excess stress hormones and cause irritability and/or depression and finally weight gain.
  • Some vice-verse effects like weight gain for weight loss seekers and weight loss for weight seekers.
  • Last but not the least, it activates catabolism more than anabolism and creates a dis-balance in metabolic activities and hence, metabolic disorder.


February 19, 2017

MAKE YOUR WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM EASY




Losing weight is the best way to improve your overall health and that to reduce the chances of acute or chronic diseases. But for most of the people losing weight is real challenge because they try to follow everything they get, as information from other sources, whether valid or not and finally they end up frustration or unhealthy weight loss (which further takes to the same: frustration). 

To make your weight loss program easy, you need to understand your body first (age, gender, activity level, medical condition etc). You should not just start with the method your friend or your neighbour followed. Metabolism is the only factor which matters in your weight loss program and it does change or it is really different according to your age, gender, activity level, medical condition etc.

What is Metabolism?

The term metabolism simply means change or transformation. It relates to various processes within the body that convert food and other substances into energy and other metabolic by products used by the body. It is a necessary function that allows our bodies to use food and other resources to maintain the working parts, repair damage, heal injury and rid the body of toxins. In other words, metabolism is a necessary process, without which living organisms would die.  

Metabolism aids in digestive function as well as absorption of nutrients. It is most affected by nutrition, hydration and physical activity. Each of these items is an imperative aspect of optimum metabolic health. When any one of these is lacking, the metabolic rate decreases. Consequently, weight loss and weight maintenance are directly related to healthy metabolism.

Work done by different organs in Metabolism




As you can see, contribution of brain, liver and muscles scores around 64% of role in metabolism altogether. If these organs are loaded with more but challenging work, metabolism rate and can increase which further can gift you a less body fat and highly active body free from any weight or obesity related diseases/disorders. First, let's discuss about the functions of above three major organs in metabolism one by one.

1. Brain - The brain is one of the most metabolically active organs in the body. Together with the heart, liver, and kidneys, it consumes about 63% of the body’s energy requirements. The heart and kidneys are more metabolically active than the brain, but as the brain is larger, it takes a higher proportion of the body’s energy needs. At rest, it uses approximately 20% to 23% of the body’s total energy requirements, despite accounting for only 2% of the body’s mass. Almost all of that oxygen is used to oxidize glucose to carbon dioxide and water. The brain stores little energy as glycogen and relies almost entirely on circulating glucose for fuel. Once inside neurons, glucose is metabolized by mitochondria in a number of steps to produce cellular energy, or adenosine triphosphate.

2. Liver - The liver is one of the largest organs in the body. It has many important metabolic functions. It converts the nutrients in our diets into substances that the body can use, stores these substances, and supplies cells with them when needed. It also takes up toxic substances and converts them into harmless substances or makes sure they are released from the body.

The liver plays a central role in all metabolic processes in the body. In fat metabolism the liver cells break down fats and produce energy. They also produce about 800 to 1,000 ml of bile per day. This yellow, brownish or olive green liquid is collected in small ducts and then passed on to the main bile duct, which carries the bile to a part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Bile is important for the breakdown and absorption of fats.


In the metabolism of carbohydrates, the liver helps to ensure that the level of sugar in your blood (blood glucose) stays constant. If your blood sugar levels increase, for example after a meal, the liver removes sugar from blood supplied by the portal vein and stores it in the form of glycogen. If someone’s blood sugar levels are too low, the liver breaks down glycogen and releases sugar into the blood. As well as sugar, the liver also stores vitamins and minerals (iron and copper), and releases them into the blood when needed.
The liver also plays an important role in the metabolism of proteins: liver cells change amino acids in foods so that they can be used to produce energy, or make carbohydrates or fats. A toxic substance called ammonia is a by-product of this process. The liver cells convert ammonia to a much less toxic substance called urea, which is released into the blood. Urea is then transported to the kidneys and passes out of the body in urine.
3. Muscles - All physical work done by the human body in every now and then is with the help of muscles. It a band or bundle of fibrous tissue in a human or animal body that has the ability to contract, producing movement in or maintaining the position of parts of the body. Muscles, especially skeletal muscles, rely on its glycogen stores for activities of daily routines (ADLs). During resistance training, there are breaking down of muscle fibres as per sliding filament theory, when these broken muscle fibres are repaired the metabolism rate has to be increased due to the demand of energy required for repairing. During cardiovascular training, the mitochondrial spaces increases which means the storage of glycogen also increases in the muscle cell and are ready to do more work or can make you more active.

Now the simple thing to understand is that all the organs shall work together properly to achieve any healthy goal. If you loading liver only with alcohol, excessive protein, high sugar diet etc. and not focussing on the type workout your muscles need or not loading brain with creative ideas (jammed thought process), the goal of increasing metabolism will never be achieved. Similarly, focussing on exercise only and not on proper diet will increase metabolism at such faster rate that catabolism can dominate anabolism. Catabolism increases stress hormone 'cortisol' in the blood stream. Cortisol for longer duration in the blood stream is not good for overall health. And lastly, brain is the most important organ which makes up your intelligence, wise thoughts, confidence though knowledge and understanding your own body. Sedentary lifestyle destroys each and every healthy aspects from your daily routine and makes you obese, a home of CVD risk factors.

Conclusion - Think smartly, think hard, keep thinking, planning, reading great stories, playing puzzles, understanding and analysing logics, thinking logically etc. helps your brain to work more which has dual benefits, first, you become intelligent and second, your metabolism increases. 

Eat balanced diet, eat everything, eat carbohydrates, eat fats, eat protein, eat vitamins and minerals, drink required amount of water. Keep your liver busy in a healthy way. Taking casein protein before bed is the best way to keep your digestive system (liver is one of its parts) busy all the night.

Last but not the least, exercise smartly, understand what your body exactly demands. Approach a qualified training instructor, don't just start on your own, Exercise is a serious fun science. Cardiovascular exercise(CVE) when combined with resistance training provides best results always. Both of these are complimentary to each other. 

"This is your life, and its ending one minute at a time" - Tyler Durden

Lose weight, not just to look good but to avoid fatal heart diseases and painful joint disorder.


February 15, 2017

MISCONCEPTION ABOUT MUSCLE LOSS




Most of the trainers, who prefer to be so called body builder, are always worry about their muscle loss and avoid cardiovascular exercises plus take lots of protein in every way. Even if their clients look for weight loss goal they convey the same to them - do not do cardio it will lead to muscle loss in the body and further lowers down your body's metabolism and results in fat gain instead of fat loss.

Most of the people starts their weight loss program by Cardio and controlled diet without guidance or with improper guidance (by unqualified trainers). Controlled diet, they simply means NO Fat, NO carbs, but just protein. Same is preached by most of the trainers in India. The science behind this rubbish is avoiding fat in diet will not increase fat and burn fat while doing exercise; also avoiding carbs in diet will decrease extra calories storage in the fat cells, and the most important thing excessive protein will not let the muscle loss takes place. "A little knowledge is always dangerous". 

The Correct Science

Cardiovascular Exercises (CVE) : Such exercise is the strong tool to reduce fat% in the body but the most important thing is how to utilize it. CVE can be done in 4 different zones to provide you different result. These are:

1. Fat Burn Zone - 60% to 70% of heart rate reserve. If your goal is to lose weight, stay in this zone. Your body is fueled by 10% carbohydrates, 5% protein and 85% fat. The actual number of the calories burned per minute are here will be less than in higher zones, but you will be able to maintain longer. This is the best zone to be started in the beginning or for very obese person or very unfit person. Such people will be able to lose fat more with less carbs and moderate protein (1 gm to 1.2 gm per kg of body weight) diet. Fat is vital nutrient in fat loss by taking MUFA or PUFA to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL/VLDL) which in return gives heart to work for longer times.



2. Cardio Zone - 70% to 80% of heart rate reserve. It is also called the Aerobic (not aerobics) Zone. In this zone you will get the greatest health benefits overall. Your heart and lung capacity will increase and your overall fitness will also increase, so you will be able to exercise longer. Your body will get 50% of your calories from fat, 50% from carbohydrates, and protein burn will be minimal. So no muscle loss in this zone. In the previous fat bur zone, you train your heart and lungs for the next level exercise which require endurance, less weight (fat loss), increase mitochondrial space inside the muscle cell (to store more glycogen which is require for work). Once you are good at fat burn zone and ready to get into Aerobic Zone, your CV endurance will increase and subsequently calories will be burned more from the fat storage and again fat loss. In this zone you require more carbs than the previous one but healthy carbs, more fibre more vitamins and minerals including antioxidant. Fat should be again MUFA/PUFA plus little MCT (medium chain triglycerides) from coconut oil or desi ghee from cow's milk. Protein still be required at very moderate rate (1 gm to 1.2 gm per kg of body weight).



3. Extreme or Athletic - 80% to 90% of heart rate reserve. This is also called anaerobic zone. This is a highly intense exercise zone and should be limited to no more than 10-20 minutes. Your body's ability to consume oxygen will increase (VO2 max improves). If you push too hard in this state, your body will start producing lactic acid (which can be used as energy for empty stomach cardio - leads to more fat loss). Your body will burn 85% carbohydrates, 15% fat, and a minimal percentage of protein so no muscle loss again in this zone too. This zone demands high carbohydrates and less fat and protein diet. Demand of vitamins and minerals also increases. HIIT is the best example for this zone.

Benefits - you reach less body fat%, looks great, six packs available, highly active in ADLs (activity of daily livings), fat loss is no more your goal in this zone, it's just the performance matters, confidence much higher due to less cortisol in the blood.

4. Maximum - 90% to 100% of heart rate reserve. You are now pushing your heart to its limit here and should first consult your doctor to check if you can safely exercise in this zone. This zone is mainly for elite athletes like Usian Bolt. If you want to try this zone, first train like him with full dedication, commitment and discipline. This zone performance enhancers supplements and should be under qualified and experienced sports nutritionist only.



Conclusion - Above cardio vascular exercise zones do not promote muscle loss until and unless you are on low carbs or no carbs diet. Protein's work is to helps in repair and growth of the muscles cells and other vital enzymatic activities. Repairment only occurs if there is some breakdown of the cells. Muscle cells mostly broken down during resistance training, which requires high carbs and high protein diet. When you take less carbs for your fat loss goal and do cardio or resistance training, working muscles require energy and no energy(glycogen) is left in the muscle cell, so to fulfill the demand of energy during exercise body starts breaking down the muscle fibres to provide energy on the spot and hence muscle loss occurs. EATING LESS CARBS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MUSCLE LOSS. CVE increase mitochondrial space in the muscle cell so that the body can store more glycogen to provide energy. I suggest to start your weight loss or fitness program with CVE (it will increase the mitochondrial space) followed by resistance training. In the end:

"Respect science and results are there at your door step".

January 29, 2017

ALCOHOL - THE METABOLISM INHIBITOR



Alcohol is absorbed in the stomach and small intestines. Although it is a nutrient that provides 7 calories per gram. It must also be considered an antinutrient because of the way it inhibits the normal metabolism of vitamins, and therefore, the main energy substrates (carbohydrates, protein and fats) if consumed in excess. Most important, alcohol should not be mistaken for an essential nutrient, which it is not. It is a toxic substance that human have a limited capacity to detoxify, and in the process, alcohol leaves other toxic substances in its wake.




A regular high intake of alcohol increases disease risk, including cancers of lives, mouth, throat and esophagus (these latter three cancers are even more likely if combined with smoking) as well as cirrhosis of the liver (a condition where increasing portions of the liver become fibrotic and are no longer able to function). In addition, alcohol can be an irritant to all segments of the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract and, as a result, can cause the malabsorption of nutrients. To make matter worse, alcohol increases the urinary excretion of calcium and magnesium. Magnesium is a cofactor in enzymes transferring phosphate groups, so it is a needed ingredient in energy metabolism. Regular alcohol intake lowers the resorption of magnesium (increasing urinary losses) and also increases magnesium excretion in sweat. The result is an increase in muscle cramps, weakness, and cardiac arrhythmias.



Because liver function is also impaired, alcohol may also interfere with the normal metabolism and storage of nutrients. Further, alcohol increases nutrient requirements so as to repair the damage it creates and to counteract the malabsorption it produces. Chronic alcohol abuse may weaken the heart; alter brain and nerve function; increase blood lipids (triglycerides); result in a fatty, cirrhotic liver that malfunctions; and cause pancreatitis (which can have a major impact on blood glucose control and digestive processes). Besides the increased risk of muscular injury induced by alcohol consumption, there is also evidence that more than one drink per day can have a clear effect on performance by negatively affecting reaction time, coordination, and energy metabolism.

Alcohol dehydrogenase, a liver enzyme, is made by the liver to dehydrogenase the active form of vitamin A (retinol, an alcohol). However, with alcohol (ethanol) consumption, the limited production of alcohol dehydrogenase is shunted to dehydrogenate ethanol, thereby leaving the potentially toxic form of Vitamin A in the alcohol form. The result is an adverse interaction between alcohol and Vitamin A that can further result in liver toxicity and increased cancer risk.

Above is purely a science, but conclusion is very general. See it below.




January 24, 2017

CALF RAISES : CORRECT TECHNIQUE





Calves are also known as "second heart of the body" as these muscles work like pumping the blood back to the heart in an anti gravity direction. If this muscle does not work properly, disorders like spider veins or varicose veins occur and that is really painful.

Exercise for strengthening calves are based on second class lever (i.e. large resistance can be moved by a relatively small force) in the body. Few exercises are standing calf raises, seated calf raises, leg press calves raises (three foot position), donkey calf raises etc, and can be done both bilaterally and unilaterally. But proper technique requires to be followed rather than just pushing upwards with extreme load which can further cause spinal and joint disorders.

Anatomy of Calves Muscle




Calf muscle is made up of two muscles i.e. the gastrocnemius and the soleus, which helps in pulling heels off the ground in the most basic functional movement like walking. The tendon of calves muscles attaches to the heel via achilles tendon and connects to plantar fascia (now known as plantar aponeurosis), The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue (aponeurosis) which supports the arch on the bottom (plantar side) of the foot. It runs from the tuberosity of the calcaneus (heel bone) forward to the heads of the metatarsal bones (the bone between each toe and the bones of the mid-foot).



Poor Technique


While walking or running, when heel is lifted, it is executed by the calves muscles. But in the case of strengthening and conditioning(of) or just exercising the calves, the movement should be executed with proper technique to make the exercise SEE (safe, effective and efficient). I have seen most of the people who do calf raises exercise, they keep their toes outward with unnecessarily heavy resistance and then lift their heels upwards. In such case, the foot supinates and centre of gravity of the resistance moves away from the line of gravity of the working muscles (or line of muscle fibres), this further leads to taxing other muscles to work and changing the joints position in articulation. Such movements can affect the knee and hip joints and ultimately the spinal muscles too according to the muscular chain system of posterior kinetic chain muscles (achilles tendon, calves, hams, gluteals, thoraco-lumbar fascia, lats, and full erector spinae). 

As per postural analysis principles, all the movement defects raises from the position of foot either standing stationery or moving. Doing calf raises with incorrect technique can gift patello-femoral syndrome, excess knee valgus, posterior pelvic tilt, loss of lumbar lordosis and other later chronic muscle imbalances or disorders. Similarly, doing toes-in is another poor technique to do calf raises workout.

Proper Technique

1. Feet forward and parallel to each other.
2. Heels underneath shoulder line.
3. Knees slightly bend. (locking the knees during calf raise can put unnecessary excessive compressive forces which can lead to chronic loss of articular cartilage of the knee joint)
4. Gluteals active or on (by doing this, the resistance from centre of gravity will be distributed into all working muscles )
5. Lower down the heels as your joint or muscle's flexibility allows.
6. While pushing upwards the heels, do it with full force to increase the explosive strength of calves.
7. last but not the least, keep watching your feet position to stay in the proper exercise posture.


CAUTION:  DO NOT FOLLOW the unprofessional guidance you get inside the gym by any gym rats. The only guide is the qualified professionals OR science itself.




January 22, 2017

BODY BUILDING : CLEAR YOUR CONCEPTS Part 2




Dear Readers, hope you enjoyed my previous post and must be waiting for next part. Unfortunately, I got busy with other works. But this post will complete the talks about clearing your concepts of general body building science which could help you in a healthy way. 

The science behind Body Building exercise is very simple i.e. lift heavy and eat more. But what to eat more? And how much you have to lift?  Answers are below:

How much you should lift?
As per fitness experts, there are five different weight training zones with their own different goals. These are Endurance, Strength Endurance, Hypertrophy, Strength and Power (as per intensity level - low to high from left to right). So, we can see the resistance level in hypertrophy is more than Endurance and Strength Endurance and less than Strength and Power. Let's discuss about the hypertrophy training zone with its parameters.

Hypertrophy Training Zone

Intensity - 67% to 85% of 1RM
No. of Sets - 3 to 6
No.of Reps - 6 to 12
Rest Interval - 1 min to 2 min


                                                                                  Pic Courtesy : The Journal of Experimental Biology


Once you know your 1 RM for particular exercise you would be getting accurate results, here I am explaining one of the easiest way to calculate 1 RM by following Brzycki Formula Chart



1 RM calculation formula


e.g. Mr. A has lifted 200 lbs in Bench Press and took 10 reps, so according to the above mentioned formula his 1 RM for Bench Press will be 267 lbs. This 1RM can be used to calculate the required intensity level for Hypertrophy Zone and that further can make your goal achievement easy. Keep updating your 1 RM as it keeps on changing with training.






Now, What to eat more?

Above training zone requires more energy supply to the muscles to fulfil the training parameters. Energy in the form of ATP which you get from glycogen stored inside the muscle cell or manufactured in the mitochondria is needed heavily during weight training sessions. If glycogen stores or mitochondria is insufficient in providing ATP to the working muscles above training parameters can not be fulfilled and ends up with catabolism (opp. to anabolism). Glycogen stores increases with the increase of muscle fibre size, and mitochondria numbers increase with aerobic exercise. In my opinion, or logically, aerobic exercise may be priority based exercise program before starting the hypertrophy, as the former will increase the no. of mitochondria which later can be helpful in manufacturing more ATPs required during weight training sessions. So, eating more healthy carbohydrates to give more glycogen stores to the muscle and additionally helps in lifting heavier weight without taxing other vital cells' ( e.g. brain cells) need which creates more muscle tissue breakdown and lastly more repairing of the brokedown muscle tissue occur resulting in increasing muscle mass.



Protein is limited to 1.6 to 2 gms per kg of body weight depending on the level of training as muscles become more efficient after long training days and can provide more output in less protein intake. A teenager require more protein than any bodybuilder.  Likewise, other nutrients like Fats, Vitamins and minerals are as much important as carbs and protein.


Above method may not compete with steroid users as above is a natural method to bulk up muscles. I can help you with some supplements which are safe to use if used logically and under proper guidance. Supplements like ZMA, CLA, L- ARGININE, L- CARNITINE, CREATINE MONOHYDRATE, GLUTAMINE can be used to keep the fat% low and muscle mass high. Their timings of intake are much more important than any advice. Either people get result or waste their money and time both.


I hope you have understood general Body Building Exercise Science principles, if you have any further query please feel free to ask me on nitinchaudhary58@gmail.com.


Thanks!

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