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Question

For years I’m listening from everyone that we have to stop masturbation and also limit sex as it let down process of gaining muscle. Also everyone in gym suggests me to completely stop masturbation.

Is there any effect of masturbation and sex on gaining muscle through gym workout?

If there is any effect, then is the effect and quantity of effect is same for masturbation and sex or they are different.(Because I’m more concerned about masturbation here, and not sex).

I read a on link Effect of Sex/Male Orgasm on Athletic Performance on this site about it, but it discusses on effect on Athletic performance, and I’m concerned about effect on muscle gain. Because I’m not athlete, I’m 29 years old weighting 69 kg who is not related with any sport and just want to gain muscle.

Answer accepted (score 23)

Peer reviewed literature on testosterone appears to have inconsistent conclusions, however, the well designed studies all agree that abstinence raises T.

Some studies say that masturbation raises T, and some that abstinence does so. But the well-designed studies all conclude that abstinence raises the baseline amount of T in your body. Well designed studies measure blood T levels for at least ten days after a masturbation event. One frequently cited study only compared T levels a few hours before and after the masturbation event, which lead its authors into an incorrect conclusion.

It is true that there is a brief spike in T during and after sexual activity that lasts a few hours at most, before returning to a baseline level, b. But 5 days after an ejaculation event, blood T levels begin rising, and flatline at about 1.5b on about the 7th day after masturbation (presumably, after any orgasm). They stay at this highly elevated level until you orgasm again.

Long story short: protracted abstinence dramatically raises your T level.

And the best part is, you don’t have to take anyone’s word for it. Just try it for yourself and you won’t doubt it anymore. The effects of that extra testosterone are powerful. I assure you that you won’t be able to mistake the difference. The strength, motivation, clarity, and drive that you feel after protracted abstinence has been noted by men throughout the ages, and all across the globe. To give an extreme example, the Spartiate warrior caste lived in barracks their entire lives, and only had carnal knowledge of their wives when they were able to sneak out (at the risk of formal censure). The warriors of the Maori, the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand, widely famed for their ferocity in battle, engaged in rigorous, extended periods of sexual abstinence in preparation for war.

Sources

Endocrine response to masturbation-induced orgasm in healthy men following a 3-week sexual abstinence.

This current study examined the effect of a 3-week period of sexual abstinence on the neuroendocrine response to masturbation-induced orgasm. Hormonal and cardiovascular parameters were examined in ten healthy adult men during sexual arousal and masturbation-induced orgasm. Blood was drawn continuously and cardiovascular parameters were constantly monitored. This procedure was conducted for each participant twice, both before and after a 3-week period of sexual abstinence. Plasma was subsequently analysed for concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, prolactin, luteinizing hormone and testosterone concentrations. Orgasm increased blood pressure, heart rate, plasma catecholamines and prolactin. These effects were observed both before and after sexual abstinence. In contrast, although plasma testosterone was unaltered by orgasm, higher testosterone concentrations were observed following the period of abstinence. These data demonstrate that acute abstinence does not change the neuroendocrine response to orgasm but does produce elevated levels of testosterone in males.

Orgasmic frequency and plasma testosterone levels in normal human males.

Twenty males participated in a 2-month study examining the relationship between 8 a.m. plasma testosterone levels and orgasmic frequency. Within subjects, higher levels of testosterone are associated with periods of sexual activity. Over subjects, however, the direction of the relationship is reversed. Mean testosterone levels were higher for sexually less active individuals.

A research on the relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men.

The authors found that the fluctuations of testosterone levels from the 2nd to 5th day of abstinence were minimal. On the 7th day of abstinence, however, a clear peak of serum testosterone appeared, reaching 145.7% of the baseline (P<0.01). No regular fluctuation was observed following continuous abstinence after the peak. Ejaculation is the precondition and beginning of the special periodic serum testosterone level variations, which would not occur without ejaculation. The results showed that ejaculation-caused variations were characterized by a peak on the 7th day of abstinence; and that the effective time of anejaculation, is 7 days minimum. These data are the first to document the phenomenon of the periodic change in serum testosterone level; the correlation between ejaculation and periodic change in the serum testosterone level, and the pattern and characteristics of the periodic change.

Answer 2 (score 6)

One of the reason why masturbation is believed to have an effect on muscle gains is because it influences the testosterone levels. Recent research suggest that natural levels of testosterone simply have no effect on muscle gains.

New research from scientists at McMaster University reveals exercise-related testosterone and growth hormone do not play an influential role in building muscle after weightlifting, despite conventional wisdom suggesting otherwise. […]

“A popular mindset for weightlifters is that increased levels of hormones after exercise play a key role in building muscle,” explains Daniel West, lead author of both studies and a graduate student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster. “That is simply not the case.”

In the first study, researchers examined the responses of both male and female participants to intense leg exercise. Despite a 45-fold difference in testosterone increase, men and women were able to make new muscle protein at exactly the same rate.

“Since new muscle proteins eventually add up to muscle growth, this is an important finding,” says West.

“While testosterone is definitely anabolic and promotes muscle growth in men and women at high doses, such as those used during steroid abuse, our findings show that naturally occurring levels of testosterone do not influence the rate of muscle protein synthesis.”

Source

Answer 3 (score 4)

EDIT: Take this answer with a grain of salt. See masonk’s comments below.

Short version: sex and masturbation are no problem for muscle gain.

Long version: several studies have looked at sex, including these:

link 1 – found no relation between sex and maximal exercise performance

link 2 – sex actually stimulates testosterone production

link 3 – found no relation between sex and maximal exercise performance; furthermore, found no diminishing of mental concentration ability after sex

regarding masturbation specifically:

link 4 – levels of testosterone (among other hormones) increased after masturbation, even though they do not increase if you merely think about masturbation

link 5 – similar to previous one

I got this info from a post by Goldie at the AskScooby forum. I’m a member of that forum, and I have had a look at some of these links in the past.

I’d like to add a general advice: don’t trust what you read on the Internet. While some sites usually post reputable information (like NYT, for example), the vast majority of websites post anecdotal evidence; this is especially true regarding fitness and nutrition. When you want to search for information, go to reputable places like PubMed (for anything) or Nutrition Data (for quick nutritional info) and search those sources directly.

Question

It is causing a lot of pain on my SI joint when the hip is out of place, Saturday I went to the Chrio and he popped it back in place, Sunday I noticed a huge improvement in my movement. By the end of the day Sunday, it was back out again. Now it’s Monday and the pain is back, I’m sick of going into the office to get fixed and it only lasts a few days. Is there any technique for a self re-adjustment of the hip?

Answer accepted (score 3)

First off, I’m not a doctor, and you seriously should talk to yours to see if they can come up with a more permanent solution for you. However, depending on how badly out of place it is, you can sometimes put it back by sitting on the floor on your butt with your feet out, legs straight, then spread your legs apart. If it’s badly out, this could fail and you could seriously injure yourself. If it’s bad enough that this doesn’t help, you could also have a friend help you do the Allis Maneuver.

In the Allis Maneuver, lay on your back, legs straight, and your friend should pull against your hip while pressing your pelvis down, rotating your leg up to a 90 degree angle with your back, knee bent at a 90 degree angle, then with a great deal of force pulling your leg up and pressing your pelvis down. This requires a great deal of force, and hurts really bad from what I understand. It is also very dangerous and you could end up (once again) seriously injuring yourself.

There is also the Stimson Maneuver, which would likely require 2 friends’ assistance. I would advise very strongly against using any of the methods I’ve listed, and would urge you to go talk to your doctor. These maneuvers listed here could cause serious, permanent damage to your body.

Answer 2 (score 3)

First off, I’m not a doctor, and you seriously should talk to yours to see if they can come up with a more permanent solution for you. However, depending on how badly out of place it is, you can sometimes put it back by sitting on the floor on your butt with your feet out, legs straight, then spread your legs apart. If it’s badly out, this could fail and you could seriously injure yourself. If it’s bad enough that this doesn’t help, you could also have a friend help you do the Allis Maneuver.

In the Allis Maneuver, lay on your back, legs straight, and your friend should pull against your hip while pressing your pelvis down, rotating your leg up to a 90 degree angle with your back, knee bent at a 90 degree angle, then with a great deal of force pulling your leg up and pressing your pelvis down. This requires a great deal of force, and hurts really bad from what I understand. It is also very dangerous and you could end up (once again) seriously injuring yourself.

There is also the Stimson Maneuver, which would likely require 2 friends’ assistance. I would advise very strongly against using any of the methods I’ve listed, and would urge you to go talk to your doctor. These maneuvers listed here could cause serious, permanent damage to your body.

Answer 3 (score 1)

If you will do some research, you will find that a Doctor of Chiropractic [DC] is highly trained in spinal manipulation - far more than a MD. Self spinal manipulation can be very dangerous and cause serious injuries. If you want to help your spinal condition, learn proper rehab exercises designed specifically for your condition by a DC or PT. Counsult a DC who utilizes spinal imaging and works with other health care specialists to achieve the best correction for your problem.

God Bless, Sam

Question

I have been participating in Zumba lately and I feel more stiff after I do something else rather than Zumba. Is Zumba a good choice to working out or is it more a fun choice if it was Zumba or nothing? What does Zumba do?

Answer accepted (score 15)

A big part of choosing a weight loss regiment is choosing something you are going to continue doing. Zumba appeals to a lot of people because it has a dance aspect, which makes it fun for them. (There is a stigma associated with working out in a “boring old gym.”) If you are going to continue to do Zumba over other workout routines, then definitely stick with it.

As to how effective it is, that really depends on the length and intensity of your workout. There is a lot of movement to it, and if you are actually working hard (and sweating), then you are burning off calories. That means, assuming you watch your diet as well, you will lose weight and achieve muscle tone.

I would suggest that you do a combination of activities (helps mix it up, too).

• Zumba - A few times a week. This is your cardio/weight loss exercise.
• Weight/Strength Training - Do this once or twice a week. Doing this actually helps you burn MORE calories when you’re doing your cardio portion because your muscles require more energy. It’s been shown time and time again that individuals who supplement cardio with weight training maintain a healthier physique and reduced weight.
• Eat Correctly - Do NOT starve yourself or go on any fad diet. Eat properly. Healthy proteins (chicken, fish, etc). Vegetables. Fruits. Don’t come home from a class and gorge on ice cream or you will see no weight loss (and probably the opposite). However, it is good to reward yourself at times (at least a couple times a week) with a small treat.

Keep those three things in mind, and make sure you’re working out at the proper intensity level, and you will see the changes you are looking for.

Answer 2 (score 2)

I do a lot of salsa and other latin dances which Zumba is based on. Mind you I’ll do about 3-4 hours of it a week. And it does burn off a lot of calories.

If you get really good at Zumba with proper weight transfers and balance and can follow the music, then you’ll really enjoy it and the weight will almost fall off on its own. Zumba like any other dancing is all about enjoying yourself. Pushing yourself to do more complicated dance patterns and moves.

The trick is not to set a weight loss goal, it’s to set a dancing achievement goal, that way you’ll get addicted and never stop enjoying. Then maybe go take real Zumba classes to challenge yourself, trade tips, etc. Next thing you know you could become a Zumba instructor. It’s all about the right motivation. You may not want to become an instructor, but still aim for it so you never stop.

Remember, step on toes first, strengthen the core to help with the weight transfers.

Answer 3 (score 2)

I do a lot of salsa and other latin dances which Zumba is based on. Mind you I’ll do about 3-4 hours of it a week. And it does burn off a lot of calories.

If you get really good at Zumba with proper weight transfers and balance and can follow the music, then you’ll really enjoy it and the weight will almost fall off on its own. Zumba like any other dancing is all about enjoying yourself. Pushing yourself to do more complicated dance patterns and moves.

The trick is not to set a weight loss goal, it’s to set a dancing achievement goal, that way you’ll get addicted and never stop enjoying. Then maybe go take real Zumba classes to challenge yourself, trade tips, etc. Next thing you know you could become a Zumba instructor. It’s all about the right motivation. You may not want to become an instructor, but still aim for it so you never stop.

Remember, step on toes first, strengthen the core to help with the weight transfers.

Question

I have recently noticed that in my gym they have two different sizes of barbells. The difference between them is only in length, but not in diameter. the reason why I’m mentioning that is because I was doing some research and found out that standard bars, which usually weigh about 35 pounds, have a smaller diameter, but These shorter bars have the same 2" diameter as the longer bars, so do they also weigh 45 pounds?

Answer accepted (score 14)

Olympic Bars

The IPF (International Powerlifting Federation) and the IWF (International Weightlifting Federation) have set forth standards for what a barbell has to be for use in competition. These standards are largely compatible, so most manufacturers will manufacture for those standards:

• Men’s bar: 20kg (~45lb)
• Women’s bar: 15kg (~35lb)
• Junior’s bar: 10kg (~25lb)

Basically the bar is specified in kg, but it is close enough to the weight I listed in pounds that we use that number when loading the bar with plates in imperial measurements. NOTE: some manufacturers of cheaper Olympic style bars don’t follow the standards, and sell a 35lb bar as a men’s bar. Check your reviews if you are ordering from the major consumer fitness chains.

All three official bars use the same standard sleeve size, meaning the plates are interchangeable for all three bars. The Junior’s bar is a little shorter than the other two.

The main differences between a powerlifting bar and a weightlifting bar are:

• Knurl spacing. The differences are for official snatch grip width vs. official bench press width.
• Bearings vs. bushings in the collars. Both collars spin, but needle bearings allow a better spin so it is easier to use in Olympic weightlifting movements.
• Thickness. The thicker the stiffer, and powerlifters like a bit stiffer than Olympic lifters.

Standard Bars

Standard bars were never meant to be used in competition, so they have much more variances. They are commonly 20lbs, have no spin, and many don’t even have knurling. However, even the weight listed here might not be true for all standard bars.

When in doubt, weigh the bar on a scale.

Answer 2 (score 4)

Never trust a barbell.

The gym owner will swear it’s 45 pounds. It ain’t. Your workout partner will swear he weighed it last year and it’s 25 pounds. It ain’t. There are a lot of different bars, whether Olympic, standard, curl or whatever, and they’re being built to different weights. When it comes to precision, different brands have different standards. A bar being used for Olympic competition in the snatch is going to be a lot closer to its stated weight than a beater bar used in the gym. (It’s manufactured to tighter tolerances.)

The only way to know how much a barbell weighs is to weigh it.

Answer 3 (score 1)

Here’s a link to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbell - describing the various lengths and weights of barbells. Unless you’re in the Olympics or some sanctioned weight/power lifting meet - the barbell’s actual weight could vary slightly based on manufacturer, collars used, etc. The typical olymic bar is 45lbs and standard/universal 20lbs.

Question

This is going to sound like a stupid question. I apologize. But I’ve had it on my mind for a while and it needed to be asked.

My question is: how do you use the shower at the locker room at the gym?

I told you it was stupid.

But really, I’ve had gym memberships for a total of about 5 years during my life (not consecutive). I’ve gone frequently and worked out, but I’ve never used the showers there. Why not? Honestly, I’ve just been too nervous about it. It’s not so much public nudity itself that makes me nervous. It does make me feel weird and a little self conscious to take my clothes off in a room with other people in it, but I don’t think other people really care that much. What does worry me though is the possibility of committing some kind of social faux pas or perhaps even exposing myself to some kind of safety hazard.

Some of the things that have run through my mind as I contemplate taking a shower at the gym:

• Where do I keep my clothes?
• If in a locker, should I wear a towel between the shower and the locker?
• Where do I keep the towel while I’m in the shower? Not every place I’ve been to has somewhere to hang it.
• If there are no private showers, is it normal to shower in a bathing suit or similar attire? My current gym has private shower stalls with curtains, but I’ve been to gyms where the showers were more community style.
• Where do I keep my cell phone/wallet/keys? I can’t really bring them with me into the shower, so I suppose I’d have to keep them in the locker. But is that safe? If someone broke into my locker while I was in the shower, I’d lose everything valuable and I’d have no clothes.
• If I use a shower that strangers have used, are there any possible health repercussions? Do I need to wear sandals to protect against athlete’s foot, for example?
• Is it normal/OK to perform other grooming functions, such as shaving, or brushing your teeth, in a gym locker room?
• Etc

So again, in summary, what is the safest and most socially acceptable way to use a locker room at the gym?

It does surprise me how anxious I feel about this, considering I’m usually pretty laid back about most things. I have been to the hot springs and even bath houses in Japan, when I was there visiting friends. But I felt less anxious about that because I was accompanying people who knew what they were doing, and I just did my best to imitate them. When I go to the gym locker room by myself I feel completely out-of-sorts. I feel like everybody else in the world has read some secret manual about how to deal with this and nobody ever handed me a copy. Please help!

If there’s some cultural ambiguity about social customs, please assume for the purposes of this question that we’re talking about the United States.

Answer accepted (score 19)

Short answer is this: when in doubt, ask management. A longer answer includes some general principles:

• Use your locker to store clothes, and anything you don’t want in the shower with you. Lock your locker and take the key with you (if it’s not a combination lock).
• Wear a towel around your waist going from the locker to the shower. While no-one is likely checking you out, you don’t want to advertise either.
• Hang your towel on the shower stall door or on top of the shower head if there isn’t a towel hook.

As far as community style showers go, it really depends on your comfort level. More than likely in a gym most people in the shower area with you don’t really want to see you. As long as you aren’t looking all around and focusing on getting clean, you won’t cause any breach of etiquette.

As far as clothing in the shower goes, what is the purpose of the shower area in your gym? If it is simply to rinse before and after going to the pool, use a bathing suit. If it is to clean off the sweat from intense training, being in the buff is OK.

As far as health risks are concerned, evaluate the cleanliness of the shower area. Gyms that routinely disinfect the shower areas will be about as safe as your home shower would be. However, if you see evidence of less than stellar upkeep, keep some flip flops on. Use soap and warm water. Anything more falls under safety concerns.

Last, but not least, if showering at home suits you best, do it.

Answer 2 (score 11)

I’ve been in and around the military for 25 years and I’ve used gym showers for more than 30. Despite this, I still have my own questions about the unwritten etiquette of showering in gym locker rooms.

The etiquette differs greatly based on sexual orientation, but the universal rules are these:

Golden Rule: Boners make public showers awkward.

Other Rules:

1. Always shower before and after using the swimming pool or sauna (wet or dry).

2. Always wear a towel when going to and from the showers (and/or the sauna). Some guys may want to see you in the buff, but none are going to tell you. The rest of the guys simply don’t want to see you naked.

3. Wear flip flops or some other form of foot protection to protect you and others from the spread of foot fungus and other unmentionables (see rules 8 and 9).

4. Talking is fine, in or out of the showers. Just don’t talk about sex, women, other men, or anything that is likely to cause arousal. See Golden Rule.

5. Even if someone is putting on a show for you, don’t stare (especially if it arouses you – see Golden Rule).

6. Keep your hands to yourself. Touch only what is yours. Sharing a bottle of shampoo or body wash is okay, but don’t make physical contact with the other person.

7. Don’t tug on your junk, not even a little. Even if it’s cold and drafty in the showers and you are self-conscious about shrinkage. Even though we’re not looking, per se, all guys can all tell when someone has been tugging on it to compensate for cold-air shrinkage. Don’t spend any more time or attention on your junk than is required to wash and rinse it.

8. Don’t masturbate in the shower. Most people don’t want to see you. Even those who do want to see you don’t want to step in your man goo.

9. Don’t pee in the showers. No one wants to smell the acrid smell of your urine. And we don’t want to watch it swirl down the drain with your shampoo suds. And we don’t want to step in it, either.

10. Take all your stuff with you. If you shave in the shower or use the last of your body wash/shampoo, take your trash with you. If you’re one of those peculiar types who wears his undies, jock strap, or gym shorts to the showers, make sure you take your crotch sweat-soaked clothing with you.

11. Dry off as much as possible in the shower and keep your butt facing the wall while you do it. Because very few guys want to sit on the bench and see your naked butt or junk at eye level while you dry yourself off.

12. Don’t pay compliments to others on their bodies or body parts. If a guy has great definition in his pecs, delts, quads, or (especially) glutes, keep it to yourself or mention it outside the locker room. Even as much as I enjoy having someone flirt with me, I don’t want it to come from the guy next to me…in the locker room at the gym. It’s creepy.

If a guy is straight, remember the Golden Rule. If a guy is not straight (gay, bi, curious, etc.), there are caveats to the rules, but only if it is known that the other guy is not straight.

These are the rules I have come up with based on 30 years worth of observations and experience.

Answer 3 (score 4)

Locker rooms are a comfortable space for most men, and a terrifying space for some.

If you are in the latter category, don’t use the locker room or use it but don’t shower.

The good news is as long as you don’t stare it is hard to violate any sacred rules, because there are none.

Having showered in dozens of different locker rooms, layouts vary. Regardless of shower type (stalls or open), the basic procedure is the same.

You put your street gear in the locker and go work out. When you are dine you return to the locker and get naked, stowing your sweaty gym gear in your gym bag/back pack. I have showered in gyms 4 to 7 days a week for more than ten years and owing to work travel I go to lots of gyms. I have seen lots of guys skip the shower but I have never seen one put on a swim suit to shower in.

Once you are stripped, most guys put the towel around their waist as they walk to the shower area. Others kinda just hold it in front of them. Some hold the towel at their side or put it over the shoulder. There is no rule.

Once you get to the shower area, there are usually hooks in an area near the stalls, right outside the communal shower room or sometimes in the shower room on the wall opposite the shower heads. A few places have hooks inside the oversized shower stalls. You just look around and put your towel where others put it.

In the shower there are no special rules except no staring. No staring doesn’t mean you can’t look at people. You should look your shower mates in the eye, however. If it is an open shower you shoul pick am open shower head as far distant from the other users as possible. This gives others space, but it is not an inviolable rule, One guy at my gym for some reason apparently needs to use the same shower head, and if the shower is empty except for me, upon entering he will take the head right next to mine if it is the one he likes. I figured this out at some point and if I see him in the gym and expect our showers will overlap, I go to a head on the otherside of the room.

You can and should bring your own shampoo or body wash. Very few bring in bar soap.

The trip back to the locker is the same as the trip into the showers. If you want, you can shave, etc. Some guys do this in a towel. Some do it in underwear only. Some do it in pants but no shirt. Some do it fully clothed. A few guys like to do it naked. It is a choice.

Question

I am a 17 year old athlete, and am trying to build muscle effectively. I workout maybe 3-4 times a week for an hour with a combination of running, pushups, crunches, lifting and chin ups in varying order. I am working to increase my endurance as well as mass and strength and I often drink whey protein after workouts, but some of my friends drink it pre workout. I wanted to ask the community if it is more effective or efficient to drink it pre or post workout to maximize muscle gain.

Answer accepted (score 9)

Divide your dose. Have some before and some after your workout. Unlike fat and carbohydrates your body can’t store protein. If it doesn’t get absorbed it gets passed through your digestive tract, your liver, your kidneys, etc. This not only wastes protein/ supplements and money it also taxes your machine by forcing it to process something that it can’t use.

Analyse and calculate your protein needs very carefully and try to meet them without going over. Once you’ve calculated what you’ll need divide that up into doses throughout the day. Use more on workout days before and after workouts. Don’t forget to include the protein in the food you consume in your calculations.

Remember more frequent smaller doses are better than infrequent large doses. Why? Because you can’t store the protein!

Answer 2 (score 9)

Divide your dose. Have some before and some after your workout. Unlike fat and carbohydrates your body can’t store protein. If it doesn’t get absorbed it gets passed through your digestive tract, your liver, your kidneys, etc. This not only wastes protein/ supplements and money it also taxes your machine by forcing it to process something that it can’t use.

Analyse and calculate your protein needs very carefully and try to meet them without going over. Once you’ve calculated what you’ll need divide that up into doses throughout the day. Use more on workout days before and after workouts. Don’t forget to include the protein in the food you consume in your calculations.

Remember more frequent smaller doses are better than infrequent large doses. Why? Because you can’t store the protein!

Answer 3 (score 7)

To answer your question specifically: it doesn’t matter. Studies show that the average amount of protein taken in over a given period of time(days, weeks)is what matters far more than getting your whey in before or after. The body does not really become magically more efficient at using protein after a workout. As long as you’re hitting your daily intake spread out amongst reasonable servings(instead of trying to consume 80g of protein all at once)each day you’ll be fine.

Remember the 80/20 rule. 80% of the results actually come from 20% of the things that matter.

The 1 hour post workout window is actually a thinly substantiated myth. If you ACTUALLY want to focus on getting your protein in after a work out then just make sure you get it in at some point in the following 24 hours. I’m not kidding:

http://easacademy.org/research-news/article/enhanced-amino-acid-sensitivity-of-myofibrillar-protein-synthesis-persists-for-up-to-24-h-after-resi

Another good reason dispelling some myths:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_nutrition/the_top_10_post_workout_nutrition_myths

Question

How long after eating should I wait to exercise, or does it not matter? I am mainly talking about cardio, not weightlifting. I am trying to lose weight, not gain it, and in large amounts.

Answer accepted (score 11)

It takes 30 to 40 minutes for food to digest in your stomach and 3 to 4 hours for it to absorb in your intestines. I agree that there is no strict formula for this, since it also depends on what you eat and how you intend to expend that energy.

From my experience if I eat a large meal which is heavy in carbohydrates I see my best performance with a high intensity exercise 6 to 8 hours later. I have also consumed protein shakes within 15 minutes of a weight training circuit and have seen strengthened results. I recommend you experiment and find your own ideal wait length.

Answer 2 (score 7)

If you start exercising and you throw up, you need to wait longer next time.

BTW, you’re probably not trying to “lose weight”, you’re trying to lose fat. In any case, look into weight lifting, it’s quite a bit more effective in terms of results per time spent exercising.

Answer 3 (score 2)

The simple fact of the matter is that after eating your body diverts blood flow to your stomach and intestines to digest and soak up the goodies in your food. If you try to exercise too soon then your body won’t be able to cope with the increased requirement of blood to the muscles as well. Not to mention that the increased internal pressure on the abdomen may cause you to chunder (puke).

How long you should wait is really a subjective question just as with weight loss - where the individual’s biovariables determine the rate at which exercise will have an effect. But about an hour is a typical duration to wait, preferably 2.

Question

I’m in good aerobic shape but never did strength training. Yesterday, I did some basic strength work, using both dumbbells and machines. Nothing too crazy - I started light and built my way up. I feel fine today, with a moderate soreness. But, the one heavy pain I have is that I can’t straighten my arms. I felt this immediately after working out, and it’s only gotten worse. I feel pain on the inside of my arm (opposite my elbow), even if my arm is relaxed, and if I try to straighten it, it gets very intense.

I warmed up and cooled down aerobically, but didn’t do any real stretching.

What causes this? Does it have to do with machines versus dums? What should I do to avoid this next time?

Answer accepted (score 5)

This is most likely DOMS which is normal. Just ice it, do very light stretching, massage the muscles gently and rest. Symptoms should get better and you should be feeling fine in a day or so. I’ve had the same thing and occasionally get a client who gets really bad DOMS that they can’t fully extend their arms. It sucks but it never ever even comes close to being that bad again.

Having said all of that, there is a tiny chance this isn’t DOMS so if your condition gets worse or you start getting severe sharp pain then you might want to consult a health professional.

Answer 2 (score 2)

What I think could have happened is a light pulling of some tendons in the elbow, due to incorrect form of exercising. Had the exact same thing happen to me about 3 weeks ago while doing some shoulder exercises.

Back started hurting right after the workout, got home, slept, woke up, stretched and couldn’t move at all. Then while moving - real intense pain.

Im betting the same thing happened to you.

Solution - rest. Only thing that can help you right now is resting, maybe some ointment to ease the pain, but that is not going to help it heal.

IMO, just rest for a while.

Answer 3 (score -2)

Late to the party, but as per James’s answer, there’s a good chance this is tied to your tendons. You may have some variety of golfer’s elbow. You mention that you were using dumbbells. One of the easy ways to inflame that tendon is putting it under stress while gripping something tightly, especially if you curl your wrist. Which, as you might guess, is pretty much a description of how many people do bicep curls initially, tightly gripping the dumbbell and curling their wrist as they left the weight and put strain on the tendon. I’ve been there before, right down to the arm largely feeling OK, but being unable to straighten my arm. It does pass within a few days. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory and pain medication will make your life more bearable.

Question

At the gym, some of the equipment doesn’t have the weight listed on the individual weight plates, just numbers. For example, the “Hoist Fitness Systems CL2403 seated leg press” just has numbers for each weight plate, from 1 - 21. Here is a diagram of the actual CL2403 weight stack:

So:

• How much weight am I actually lifting when I set the pulley to lift different numbers of weight plates?

• How much does each small round “add on weight” weigh (that I can slide over onto the stack when the weights are at rest)? See at the top right of the weight stack:

  

• Will these answers be consistent across all weight lifting equipment, or does it change from manufacturer to manufacturer?

I have searched online and found lots of pictures of equipment, and lots of equipment for sale, but haven’t been able to find anything at all on the weight bars and their specifications, let alone anything definitive.

For what it’s worth, I primarily use free weights rather than isolation machines. I simply had some upper body muscle soreness the other day and could not trust myself to use anything but lower-body machines that day. I have only a couple of months of consistent gym use under my belt.

Last, you might ask why I want to know? Because I am entering my exercises in a spreadsheet and charting them. I have lost 8 pounds already, without really dieting (besides working to avoid soda and frivolous sweets). Seeing my strength and workouts improve on the chart is motivating. I’d like to enter reasonable values when I do end up using some of the machines.

Answer accepted (score 12)

I found the owners manual. Check out page 36:

The [below] chart shows the actual weight you are lifting when the ratios are applied. To find the actual weight you are lifting you would come down from the ratio being used and across from the number of the weight plate you have pinned.

The top plate weighs just under 41 pounds, and all the other plates weigh 20 pounds, but you have to add 15% due to the mechanical disadvantage inherent in the machine. So effectively, the top plate is 47 pounds and all the others are 23 pounds.

From my experience, most add on plates tend to be quarter steps to the next. For example: Plate 1 (~47lbs) and Plate 2 (~70 lbs) are 23 lbs apart. This means that Add On 1 should take you to roughly 53 lbs, Add On 2 should take you to roughly 59 lbs, Add On 3 should take you to roughly 64 lbs, and then you move up to the next plate (Plate 2 at 70lbs). This of course is based on no solid facts, just deductive reasoning based on prior experiences.

Also some standard weight bars because that is what your title asked for:

• French bar (the zig-zag looking one): approximately 18 lbs
• Olympic bar: approximately 44 lbs

Answer 2 (score 3)

I am sorry to see that you have to use that poor excuse of a machine, because no proper machine manufacturer labels their weights in this way.

• However, I have found on the page below that the whole stack on your machine is 455 pounds. Dividing this by 15 plates, you get about 30 pounds per plate.

• Usually the small weights you can add at the top are around half of what each plate would be.

• As for third question, weights vary manufacturer to manufacturer, even machine to machine. For example, if it’s a leg related machine the plates will usually be 20-40 pounds each (since legs can handle a lot more weight). Machines that you would use for arms usually go up in 10-15 pounds gradations.

Page I found was: http://www.who-sells-it.com/cy/hoist-fitness-2947/hoist-fitness-systems-2005-product-catalog-14814/page-7.html

Answer 3 (score 0)

Some time in the last few months, Hoist standardized its online information about the calculated weight lifted on their various machines, based on the effective weight’s varying by the lifter’s body weight. A search for “Hoist leg press [or whatever] free weight equivalent” should take you to their calculators. If you see a reference decal on their equipment, it assumes body weight of 150 pounds, which is also the default start point for the calculators.

Question

I am a man in my twenties. Although I am 5 feet 6 inches tall, I weigh only 100 pounds. I want to gain weight as soon as possible. How do I gain weight and muscle as fast as possible?

Answer accepted (score 124)

To gain good weight, to bulk, to add muscle, you need to:

1. Stimulate growth by lifting heavy
2. Provide fuel for growth by eating a lot
3. Prioritize your goal by getting your life in order

Most healthy people who do these things gain weight. Mostly muscle.

1. LIFT HEAVY

Tell your body that it needs to get bigger by lifting heavy.

Either buy a barbell and a power rack, or join a gym that has one. Get a copy of Starting Strength (the wiki is a good overview and quick-start guide; the book is a full description of the program, including excellent instructions on the lifts) and start lifting heavy. Compound exercises like squats, chin-ups, deadlifts, and presses will stimulate whole-body growth. Light, easy weights won’t make you bigger or stronger, so while it’s important to stay safe, make sure you’re lifting heavy, challenging weights. Lifting three times per week is probably the best compromise between frequent exercise and ample rest.

2. EAT BIG

Provide your body the raw materials it needs to make you bigger.

Eat a ton of food. Real food is far superior to processed crap, but you’ll need to eat a lot. Your best bets are high-animal-protein items like meat, eggs, milk, and fish, but you should also make sure to eat a huge amount of vegetables, greens, starches such as sweet potatoes and rice, and good fats like pastured butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado.

If you’re ever hungry, you’re not eating enough. When in doubt, eat more. Lots more. Plan your meals. Cook in advance.

3. PRIORITIZE

There are things which get in the way of growing muscle. Decide if getting bigger and stronger is actually your goal. It’s okay if it’s not.

Things which can hamper your getting-bigger-and-stronger goal include:

• Not sleeping enough
• Not sticking to the heavy-lifting-and-big-eating program detailed above
• Endurance exercise or high-intensity conditioning, which could include running, cycling, swimming, long hikes, snowboarding, metcons, sprinting, HIIT, ball sports…
• Being too stressed, working too much, not getting enough sun or social life
• Being a picky eater
• Refusing to acquire necessary equipment

Rest is crucial. Sleep is the primary time for your body to grow. Staying up talking with friends is what makes life enjoyable, but six hours of sleep will keep you from growing. The body also does a lot of growing on days off from lifting, so don’t fill those up with other exercise. Certain types of exercise are more prone preventing muscle gain than others. Running is great–I love sprints!–but it doesn’t help make me bigger.

I want to get bigger and stronger, but sometimes I also want to play Ultimate frisbee or go hiking. When I’m serious about getting bigger, I skip the hiking or keep it short, and I don’t play Ultimate. When I’m okay with progressing slowly, I go ahead and play Ultimate and go on longer hikes, but I realize that they are counterproductive to the sole pursuit of getting bigger and stronger.

The same goes for food. I value food quality. I vastly prefer organic vegetables, local produce, and grass-fed meat and eggs for a variety of economic, ethical, and health reasons. For lunch at work, I need to choose between planning ahead and cooking beforehand, getting a factory-farm-meat sandwich from the deli, or going hungry and stymieing my growth. There are similar choices for vegetarians and people with other food restrictions.

Many people are short on money or space, and wonder if there are alternatives to a barbell and squat rack. The simple fact is that barbells are best for getting bigger and stronger. Other methods like dumbbells or even bodyweight exercises definitely work, but a barbell and squat rack is the simplest and fastest solution. Why? First, it can be loaded in small increments, so you can progressively challenge yourself without big jumps in weight. Second, barbells allow for much heavier loads than anything else. Without proper equipment, progress is slower and less effective.

Understand these choices and make them for yourself.

Answer 2 (score 25)

If you want to gain muscle and strength, then you need to

Eat

Don’t buy into the ‘hardgainer’ non-sense.

Calories In > Calories Expended = Weight Gain

That’s the simplest way I can put it. If you eat like a skinny person, you will gain weight like a skinny person (little to none). Proper nutrition is of course next but a little out of scope for this question. Suffice it to say that 1k-2k calories above what you burn during the day is a good start. To make it easier try drinking 1/2-1 gallon of milk per day and/or a small jar of peanut butter per day. Also, keep the sweet tooth in check.

Lift Heavy

There is a simple plan for lifting to get big: compound exercises, and actually lifting heavy. These are exercises that work multiple muscle groups at one time (think squat, deadlift, press), as opposed to isolation exercises that only concentrate, or isolate, one muscle or muscle group at a time (bicep curls, for example). Isolation exercises have their purpose, but not in this particular application.

When I say lift heavy, I don’t mean go in and hurt yourself. I mean every time you lift, you should add a little more weight than you previously used when you did that workout. This is how you measure your strength progress. You don’t have to try and keep up with the guy who’s been lifting for 10 years.

You can join a gym that has free weights, or if you have the means and space, you can build your own ‘gym’ that has everything you need, and it would only cost about one year’s membership at a typical gym where I am ($360-$600/yr on the low end).

For a practical application and more detail to this approach, there is a book called Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, who talks about this very thing.

Answer 3 (score 15)

Make this website your best friend: http://www.t-nation.com/

Here’s a little checklist I wrote for myself.

BULKING: after figuring out calorie needs bump up the number 600-1,000 calories every single day

• more calories per bite
• add olive oil to everything
• big Ziploc bag fill w/ almonds, cashews, raisin, peanuts, M&Ms, snack throughout the day
• protein shakes in water after every single meal
• shake before bed in ice and water (add whipping cream, PB, egg whites, nuts)
• 2 tbsp of Peanut Butter 2xday
• eat something during training session (Musclemilk)
• decrease cardio
• hypertrophy program, workouts can never last over an hour

Question

“Women weaken legs.” – Mickey from Rocky I

I’ve often heard and have been told from coaches even that one should abstain from any sexual activity, irrespective of whether it is manual or with a partner, before an athletic event.

Is there any physiological reason for this advice or if said advice is being given only so that the male athlete stays mentally focused. Are there effects on testosterone levels that are significant enough to affect athletic performance? Does sex really make your legs weak? Is the effect of sex/orgasms on athletic performance even measurable due to other variables like nutrition, sleep, mood, etc. etc.?

Answer accepted (score 34)

The answer can be found in the “No Sex Before Sports” episode of Manswers. Here is a summary of that video:

The assistant coach of the LA Avengers tells his players to abstain from sex the night before a game because late night sex can take away hours from sleep. Adequate sleep is necessary for good athletic performance.

David Baron, M.D. Physician, says that higher testosterone levels give better coordination, reflexes, and spatial coordination - traits for good athletic performance. He says testosterone levels are NOT affected by sex. David says sex will generally only burn 50 calories and will not wear out an athlete before a game. David quotes Canadian physician Ian Shryder on his report that there was absolutely no effect of sex before a big game.

Answer 2 (score 21)

A theory of abstaining from sexual activity postulates that sexual frustration increases aggression since testosterone would still be in the body instead of expelled due to ejaculation.

A “Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine” article by Samanatha McGlone and Ian McShrier, titled Does Sex the Night Before Competition Decrease Performance? and published in 2000, suggests that sex the night before has no effect on performance.

One example the authors cite from three physiological studies involved 14 married males to test their grip strength after at least six days of abstinence. This study suggests that sex had no effect on the men’s strength or endurance in the test. Another similar study tested “grip strength, balance, lateral movement, reaction time, and aerobic power” on 10 fit and married men with the similar results. The last study cited, Effects of sexual intercourse on maximal aerobic power, oxygen pulse, and double product in male sedentary subjects, also produced similar conclusions.

Since this is a physiological study, performance would degrade if the sexual activity lead to complete exhaustion. At most 250 calories are burned an hour during (aggressive) sex according to Dr. Gabe Mirkin. A study of heart rate, rate-pressure product, and oxygen uptake during four sexual activities shows that the maximum peak of exercise occurs during orgasm but quickly subsides to baseline levels thereafter.

However, that is not to say these studies are absolute. The authors suggest that the effects of aggression on non-physiological variables such as attitude and motivation should have been measured. In addition, there are a number of factors like time of day, stress, fatigue, frequency and duration of sex, diet, sexual partner, and individual sexual responses that are difficult to control in a study.

The article isn’t conclusive, but it also doesn’t dive into mentality at all. In general, sex doesn’t seem to have any significant physiological effects.

Answer 3 (score 6)

From A research on the relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men.

The purpose of this study is to gain understanding of the relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men. The serum testosterone concentrations of 28 volunteers were investigated daily during abstinence periods after ejaculation for two phases. The authors found that the fluctuations of testosterone levels from the 2nd to 5th day of abstinence were minimal. On the 7th day of abstinence, however, a clear peak of serum testosterone appeared, reaching 145.7% of the baseline ( P < 0.01). No regular fluctuation was observed following continuous abstinence after the peak. Ejaculation is the precondition and beginning of the special periodic serum testosterone level variations, which would not occur without ejaculation. The results showed that ejaculation-caused variations were characterized by a peak on the 7th day of abstinence; and that the effective time of an ejaculation is 7 days minimum. These data are the first to document the phenomenon of the periodic change in serum testosterone level; the correlation between ejaculation and periodic change in the serum testosterone level, and the pattern and characteristics of the periodic change.

Although, there is a correlation between ejaculation and testosterone levels, there isn’t conclusive correlation to short-term effects of testosterone with athletic performance.

Question

I was told that I was doing the squats incorrectly because I was lifting the heels. I was told to try and do them without lifting the heels but I can’t lower myself more than a few centimeters. The problem is not pain, I just feel tension in the back of my legs and at the point that the legs connect with the feet, but I don’t feel any pain. The problem is that I just can’t go lower, I feel locked there. I am young (24) and I haven’t been diagnosed with any mobility problem.

There’s video of me trying to squat. As you can see, there is a huge difference between what I can do with/without lifting my heels. I show as well the position in which I need to place my whole body to be able to put the whole foot on the ground.

How do I improve my squat if I can’t keep my heels on the floor? Which exercises would help me the most? I am a gym member, but the instructors there are too busy to help people with particular issues.

UPDATE

First of all, thank you very much for your answers. I really appreciate people spending their own time on helping me. Thank you very much.

I have been reading all your comments and answers, and I decided to upload two more videos.

• Here is me squatting with the help of a table
• Here is me performing the lunge test. I think it’s a lot less than the10 cm that I should be able to do. Here’s the result.

Do you feel discomfort, kind of like stretching between the top part of your feet that goes up by your tibia bones(on both of your legs)? That’s exactly it.

Answer accepted (score 15)

Not being able to do a heels-on-the-ground 3rd world squat is a major mobility problem in my opinion. If I were you, I’d do the following:

• Squat all the time. At least a half-dozen times a day, stop whatever you’re doing and practice your third-world squat. Use a table or door for balance until you can do it without one. Spend some time down there. Tell your body that this is something it has to do well.
• Stretch your calf muscles frequently. I’ve found improvement in my squat mobility with doing these stretches several times a day. It’s dramatic.
• Warm up thoroughly before your lifting workouts. You should have broken a solid sweat and be warm all over before trying to squat with an external load. Make sure to move all the involved joints–ankle, knee, hip–though as much range of motion as possible, several times, to get them ready to improve that range of motion.
• At the end of your lifting workouts, while you’re still warm but stretching won’t interfere with resistance exercise, work on improving the maximum amount of time you can spend in the bottom of a proper squat. Improving my maximum from thirty seconds to six minutes helped my hip mobility enormously.
• In order to develop proprioception (the sense of where your body is), squat with a broomstick. The video shows a Romanian deadlift; do the same thing but squat: hold it against your back while you squat. Work on having it touch at no more and no fewer than three places as you squat: the back of your head, between your shoulderblades, and your sacrum (back of the hips/top of your butt).

I would also spend some money on a private lesson with one of the trainers. Ask them who can help you with your specific goal of achieving a deep squat with heels on the ground.

Answer 2 (score 3)

This is completely a range of motion problem. The tendons and muscle down your calf and into your feet lack necessary range to squat without lifting heels to release pressure. You look like you’re keeping almost exactly a 90 degree angle. There are other exercises you can use to increase range of motion, probably continuing to squat and “force” range can be dangerous, if you’re using weight that is. Instead focus on stretching exercises, and using foam rollers or hard rollers to tenderize the tissue down there. You absolutely CAN increase your range of motion, squats are meant for heels! Your form of the squat is also a bit wrong though. It’s hard to explain in text but to squat properly you’ve got to stick your butt out like you’re going to sit in a chair, you look like you’re trying to sit your butt strait down between your legs. You can find videos on proper squat technique but the point is, you have to play with different squat forms to find where your personal physiology fits. Some bodies need feet farther apart than others, some all the way to sumo squats. Some with toes pointing almost strait forward, and some needing to point outward to varying degrees. You may be able to squat better on your heels by taking a wider stance and pointing your toes out a little more, just be sure to keep your knees above your feet and not collapsing to the inside of your stance.

Once last trick to keep you off your toes: take a book or piece of wood and put the front part of your feet on the book as you squat. This forces you to stay on your heels more. A proper squat form has all the power coming up through the heels. If you find you have to get on your toes to stand up, the form is not correct. Stick your butt out, your chest out, your head up, and squat through your heels. Work on range of motion as a secondary activity. Good luck!

Answer 3 (score 2)

Here’s a link to some ‘possible’ issues with your squat: http://stronglifts.com/7-ways-to-keep-your-heels-on-the-floor-on-squats/

From what I can see in the video, it’s probably a combination of glute activation and hip flexor. My recommendation would be to try goblet squats (http://youtu.be/QrVgpDOLlgM) and kettle bell swings (http://youtu.be/0_XjJjLc7NE) for 2-3 weeks. Each of those weeks try the body weight squats every other day and see if there’s improvement.

Question

Over the last 2 months or so of doing heavy squats (200 lbs - 262 lbs) I’ve frequently had pain in my knees. During the last 2 weeks, it’s been especially persistent and seems to be mostly in my left knee. I’m normally sore after working out, especially in my legs and lower back, but the knee pain seems to persist long after the other pains go away.

What does it feel like? Well, it’s on the front side of the leg, centered just below the knee cap. By “below” I mean “in the direction of my foot”, not “closer to the bone”. It’s hard to describe the sensation exactly. It’s kind of a pulling/burning feeling. It feels somewhat different than muscle soreness elsewhere, but I don’t feel like anything’s grinding or scraping or popping. It’s not a “sharp” pain.

As far as intensity goes, it’s not excruciating. Actually it’s mild enough that I feel that I could ignore it when doing my squats and continue performing my workouts as planned. I’m just not sure that’s a good idea. It is bad enough though that running for more than a minutes or so is a very unpleasant idea.

I do not feel any pain when standing, sitting, or walking. I do feel it whenever I ascend/descend at all. Getting up from a chair, walking up or down a flight of stairs, and of course when doing squats. I also feel it when running.

I’ve tried skipping a couple workouts, and although the pain seems to gradually get better with time, 5-6 days is not enough to get rid of it, and it comes right back when I resume my workouts. I had been more or less ignoring it for the last month or so, but since it’s now preventing me from running, I’m getting more concerned.

I have also tried using a foam roller on the muscles surrounding my knee (but avoiding the knee itself). This seemed to help with some other pains/soreness I’d had, but not with the knee pain.

I’m 95% sure the pain is caused by my squatting. It always gets worse during/after I squat. I squat just below parallel, with a shoulder-width stance and my feet pointing outwards about 15 degrees. I try to keep my knees following that 15 degree direction, pointing in the direction of my feet, when I descend. Historically I’ve done 5 sets of 5 reps, but more recently I’ve been doing 3 sets of 5. I rest about 5 minutes in between sets.

So, should I be concerned about this, if so how should I handle it? Is it likely that I’m doing something wrong? Should I take a couple weeks off from squatting and running? Ignore it and keep going? Deload significantly and work back up so my body adapts more? See a doctor? I know you are (probably) not a doctor and not qualified to give medical advice. I’m just hoping to find out if this (1) ignorable, (2) a concern, but something that can be solved with a period of rest and/or dealoading or (3) a big problem I’ll need professional help with.

Update 2011-09-09

Update: I saw an osteopathic doctor yesterday. He told me my tendons and ligaments were fine. In fact he said “your ligaments look like they’re built to take a lot of punishment!”. He diagnosed patellofemoral pain syndrome AKA “runners knee”. He told me the inside of my knee cap had become rough. He prescribed R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) as well as a twice-daily stretching regimen, and weighted leg extensions 3 times a week. He also suggested I take ibuprofin, especially if I’m doing anything to aggravate my knees. He told me recovery could take 6 weeks or more, but call him if I didn’t see a significant difference by the end of the month.

So at this point I’m going to follow the routine the doctor gave me for the next 6 weeks or so, and avoid squats, deadlifts, and running. I will continue doing the other exercises I’d been doing (bench press, overhead press, rows, and pull-ups). I may also try swimming if I feel like doing cardio (but I’m a terrible swimmer). After I feel I’ve recovered I’ll start squats with about 50% of the weight I was last doing (262 lbs was my peak work weight) and I’ll work my way back up. I’ll have someone check my form then too.

Thanks for the answers. They helped me to realize that this wasn’t something I should ignore, and that my squat form was likely at fault. I’m marking Dave’s answer as “most helpful” for the strong suggestion to see a doctor, which I did. But I also really appreciate Berin Loritsch’s answer for the form tips and the TUBOW suggestion especially.

Answer accepted (score 14)

That sounds like a ligament or tendon issue, which could be serious. I would worry about your squat form: perhaps your knees are tracking forward, or your stance is too narrow, or you’re coming off your heels, or perhaps something else is going on that no one can figure out through the Internet.

Whichever one it is, it doesn’t sound like a muscle problem. It sounds like a joint problem that you need to get looked at by a coach/physical trainer, or doctor. Or both. (The doctor is there to diagnose the issue, but don’t let them convince you to stop squatting or lifting for the rest of your life.) If I were you, I would:

1. Stop squatting for a couple weeks.
2. Go to a coach who knows the squat inside and out, and have them do an extensive form check. (This would entail a significant deload.)

I believe Mark Rippetoe sums it up aptly: “[If] you squat wrong it fucks things up. If you squat correctly, those same fucked-up things will unfuck themselves.” It’s kind of important that you find someone who can tell you what’s wrong and how to do it right so that the corrective process can begin.

Answer 2 (score 6)

Very likely it might be a form of tendinitis caused by some form problems. Someone I know recently had similar symptoms, and posted about their journey here. The thing causing most of his issues was a slight slide forward at the bottom of the squat. He isn’t the only one who experienced this problem, and it is common enough for Rippetoe to write about it.

The solution is twofold:

• Use a TUBOW (Terribly Useful Block Of Wood) in front of your shoes. You should touch your knee to it in the first third of the squat, but do not move the wood while going down.
• Deload to a weight you can do with the TOBOW in place.

Eventually your squats will look like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQlI_ztFk1g

The happy ending to the rehab work that this guy did is that the knee soreness is gone and he’s lifting heavier than before. I recommend fixing the form issue before going any further.

Answer 3 (score 1)

I had an ACL reconstruction on one of my knees 12 years ago. I started a workout routine with squats and deadlifts earlier this year. After about 4 weeks I had similar pain in my ACL knee. I figured out I wasn’t warming up enough. I started doing 5 min of bike when I first walked into the gym and the knee pain disappeared.

Question

Is it healthy or is it damaging to exercise a muscle while it’s still sore from a previous workout?

Answer accepted (score 121)

In general, training while sore is perfectly fine and usually beneficial, subject to a few caveats discussed below. Almost every serious athlete frequently trains while still a bit sore from the previous workout.

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The first thing to understand is supercompensation: a short while after training, your muscles end up a bit stronger. If you train again during this period, your next supercompensation period will be slightly stronger again. Repeat this cycle with proper timing over and over again and you’ll gain strength in the most efficient way possible. Wait too long and the muscle returns back to a “normal” state and strength gains are slowed.

The second thing to understand is that soreness has nothing to do with the effectiveness of your workout. It’s more of a side effect, which is actually not well understood. Depending on your training level and workouts, you may still be sore even when your muscles are in the supercompensation period. If this happens, you just need to put up with it and train sufficiently hard to keep the gains coming.

BTW, this is also a reason why split routines - where you train each muscle once a week - are very inefficient for the vast majority of beginner & intermediate lifters. Your muscles hit the supercompensation period in far less than a week and have started to return to normal by the time you train again. In this respect, fully body routines 2-3 times per week are going to produce strength gains much faster.

Some caveats: if you are sore to the point that it interferes with the workout (ie, you can’t do the motion correctly), then you won’t gain much from exercise and are better off resting. A rule of thumb to determine this is to do a thorough warm-up: if everything loosens up and you feel ok, train on. If you are still stiff and it hurts to move, rest. If you are new to a certain type of exercise, soreness levels will be much higher, so the first few weeks may require skipping more workouts than normal (don’t make it a habit though). Finally, more advanced lifters who are moving a lot of weight will take longer to recover, which will impact things like workout frequency and volume.

Answer 2 (score 3)

Should you workout, my answer is an unequivocal yes, while I do not know the frequency of your workouts or the intensity. I workout each muscle type every 48 hours even if the muscles still ache. I have been doing this for many years and had no issues. Most trainers recommend it.

Working out often is great for building muscle and maintaining a routine is just as important even if you do not feel like you should. Do it.

In the gym this feeling is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), and is caused by muscle tearing brought on by your previous workout session. Its also a sign you had a good exerting workout.

You will not feel DOMS often, once you get used to your workouts or reach a plateau with your routine you will stop feeling the DOMS and its a sign you need to make the routine more challenging.

Answer 3 (score 3)

Should you workout, my answer is an unequivocal yes, while I do not know the frequency of your workouts or the intensity. I workout each muscle type every 48 hours even if the muscles still ache. I have been doing this for many years and had no issues. Most trainers recommend it.

Working out often is great for building muscle and maintaining a routine is just as important even if you do not feel like you should. Do it.

In the gym this feeling is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), and is caused by muscle tearing brought on by your previous workout session. Its also a sign you had a good exerting workout.

You will not feel DOMS often, once you get used to your workouts or reach a plateau with your routine you will stop feeling the DOMS and its a sign you need to make the routine more challenging.

Question

How does bicycling compare to other exercises when it comes to fat loss?

I’m thinking about getting a single speed bike and riding to Uni which is about 10 minutes away by car. There is a nice trail along the highway-ish part that leads all the way to the University.

Answer accepted (score 16)

The main indicator of “fat burning” in different exercises boils down to your rate of calorie burn, and how long you maintain that rate.

Cycling is not a bad way to lose fat by that metric, since as you get trained up you can maintain a reasonable rate of burn for quite a long duration. Cycling burns (depending on the speed/amount of effort) several hundred calories per hour. When I’m out on a long ride I refuel at the rate of 150 or so calories per hour. Assuming that I don’t completely erase that by overeating after a ride I get to keep that deficit for that day.

All this being said, cycling 20-30 minutes per day is likely to make you stronger, but not trim you down super fast.

Edit: Should have been more clear on this, but cycling doesn’t burn more calories per hour than running (or some other exercises). Cycling is, however, lower impact and for some people more enjoyable than running, allowing a greater amount of time in the calorie burning zone.

Answer 2 (score 15)

Before you significantly burn fat, you have to put enough demands on the body’s biochemistry, and cycling is excellent. More of that bodily response below, but first note that cycling slowly (6-11 mph) burns Calories equal to roughly 1/4 of your weight in pounds per mile vs 2/3 your weight walking or running. Of course, less stress on joints, tendons, etc. usually means you can go much farther cycling and at about 3x your walking speed, so cycling has an edge in calorie burning. As you’ll see, it takes less cycling time each time you ride to tell the body it better start getting into shape.

Your muscle cells contain enzymes to rapidly burn sugar or fat for energy. If you’re out of shape the fat-burning enzymes decrease in concentration (the main reason people claim a “slow metabolism”) and the body barely releases fatty acids into the blood stream to be used as energy. Note that studies in the 90’s made famous in Covert Bailey’s fitness books (like the NY Times bestseller “Smart Exercise: Burning Fat, Getting Fit”) and PBS series, as well as a 2010-released Harvard Nurses study show that the rate of fat burning (as the days go by) increases ONLY if each exercise is long enough to elicit a “systemic response” from the body, which essentially says, "Ok, burning sugar isn’t good enough, so I better create more fat-burning enzymes in the muscle cells and also release more fatty acids from the fat cells during and after exercise.

20 minutes of bicycling or swimming is usually enough to generate that response, but it takes 40 minutes of walking. Running takes 15 min and cross country skiing 12 minutes, but all these times, of course, vary with the runner’s current fitness level, the workout intensity, and any personal unusual biological factors. In general, the more muscles used in an activity, the less time is required. Anything LESS than these times generally does little to coax the body to get into shape.

The Harvard Nurses study whose link I provided says that women who walked slowly from 1989-2005 did NOT lose weight and women who biked less than 15 min./day GAINED 4.5 lbs on average. This all fits with Bailey’s research on “systemic response.”

Note that if you’re out of shape and exceed 80% of your recommended max. heart rate [normally 220 beats/minute - your age in years = max beats/min] you begin to burn higher percentages of sugar and less fat. The “sweet spot” for burning fat for most people is 65%-80% the recommended max. heart rate, the “aerobic” zone.

If you go under or exceed that range, you burn more sugar and less fat and, if you’re out of shape, your body replaces the used-up sugar in the muscle cells with mostly bloodstream sugar, not the significant amount of bloodstream fatty-acids (converted to sugar) that fit people do.

Of course even if you exceed the 80% max. heart rate, you’re pushing your body into better fitness and better future burning of fats as long as you exceed the “systemic response” time for your exercise.

Answer 3 (score 5)

Cycling is a good way to burn fat but it’s not going to be as efficient as running. Alesplin is right that it’s all about the amount of calories burned (burning fat is going to depend on you burning more calories than you take in). You can Google “calorie burning chart for exercise” or something similar and see a lot of different results that say a lot of different things (so I take them with a grain of salt) but ultimately I think you’ll notice that in all of them they rate running as a better calorie burner than cycling. Also I can tell you from experience that I have to go out for 1+ hr bike ride to feel the equivalent fatigue that I’d get from a 20 minute run.

Question

As the title says, I would like to know what is the best time to drink water, is it before, during, or after having a meal?

Also suppose the answer was during, what quantity is recommended?

Answer accepted (score 24)

Here’s an excerpt from a blog post I did a while back addressing this question:

The “plug” in the bottom of your stomach is a stoma not a valve. It can be pushed open, so when you drink during a meal the liquid can push the food out of your stomach pouch and down into your intestines. There are two reasons you should care:

This frees up extra room in your stomach pouch so you’ll eat more during that meal. You’ll feel hungry again sooner.

A recommendation that I’ve stumbled across is the 15/30 rule. Don’t drink anything from 15 minutes before a meal until 30 minutes after a meal. This isn’t a license to under-hydrate, just a guideline on when to drink.

Update: The comment thread has indicated a desire for “proof” (pedants! :-) ), so here is some reference information and some reasoning built on top of that in support of the above hypothesis.

First, the amount of fluid in the stomach is positively correlated with the rate of gastric emptying. It so happens that 30 minutes is an approximate inflection point in the gastric emptying of both a solid and liquid meal, per the chart below (same source).

I’ll assert that drinking water will render the net contents of the stomach more fluid, moving the gastric emptying rate from the blue curve towards the red curve.

This seems to confirm the conclusion that avoiding liquid during the meal will help stave off the next bout of hunger because a more solid meal will take longer to empty. The 15 minutes before also seems to fit, as roughly half of liquid consumed 15 minutes beforehand will have been emptied before the meal starts.

If one further considers the dynamics, drinking water immediately before a meal will help fill up the stomach and reduce immediate hunger but will cause that meal to be digested faster, so I hypothesize that you will be hungrier sooner with this approach.

Answer 2 (score 10)

A link from Mayo Clinic. “In fact, drinking water during or after a meal can actually improve digestion.” There are proponents on all sides of this question, and at this point I can’t find enough definitive information that could cause me (or cause anyone to worry about it very much) to drink or not drink during a meal.

I can find no mention of whether to drink water before, during or after meals in 2 references so far. One is Understanding Nutrition, 10th Ed., Whitney/Rolfes a college nutrition text. Nor in the Ace Personal Trainer Manual, 3rd Ed., American Council on Exercise. Both texts suggest the typical daily 8 glasses, but not necessarily as glasses of water, since a considerable amount of one’s daily needs come with food.

There was some research reported in a number of popular news media outlets at the end of 2010 that suggests drinking water before meals can be conducive to losing weight. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/health/16really.html

And according to exrx.net, “There is no magic number in prescribing the amount of water to consume throughout the day. The optimal amount varies according to body size, activity level, enviornmental factors, and diet.”

Anecdotally, I watched my grandparents live well (healthily) into their 90’s drinking either coffee, water, or sweet iced tea with every meal. I actually never even thought about this question, but tend to drink beverages with meals dependent on whether the food is moist or dry and whether I’m thirsty or not.

Answer 3 (score 2)

I’m a fan of Dr. Thomas Levy. I’ve read his books. In short:

If your last food has digested then you may drink as much water as you can, even a second before next meals. Non-veg food takes around 3 hours to digest and vegetarian ones 1-2 hrs, fruits 30-40 minutes etc.

Don’t drink when food is in your stomach as it dilutes the enzymes. Take least amount of water during this time. However sometimes some water is required when you eat dry items.

Question

After (or during) heavy excercise (jogging, working out, etc.) I always start to get very thick, heavy saliva building up in my mouth which I really feel like spitting out. Why does this type of saliva build up, and is it best to spit it out or swallow it (is it kind of waste that your body wants you to spit out, or will spitting it out just dehydrate you more)?

Answer accepted (score 11)

It is because your body is being responsible with the water it has. Saliva is comprised mostly of water and your body uses (loses) a lot of water during exercise. Since you only have so much water available, your body is smart enough to divert water from non-essential functions to handle the functions it is performing. So your body takes water from the digestive system (saliva) to help fuel things like sweat.

Answer 2 (score 4)

Thick saliva forms in your mouth because of evaporation, not because your body shuts off its saliva glands. By taking a quick glance at the makeup of saliva, it’s easy to deduce that when saliva condenses (when water evaporates from it), what remains is mucus. The saliva remaining in your mouth during heavy exercise is thick and slimy because it has a higher concentration of mucus.

The reason much of the water in this saliva has evaporated is because your mouth closes much less frequently during heavy exertion (also leading to less sympathetic stimulation) and you respirate much more frequently – both of these contribute to more rapid evaporation. Standing outside on a cold day will give you an idea of how much water you expel each breath.

Whether or not you spit it out is your choice. Personally, during heavy exertion I only spit if the saliva starts to impede my ability to breathe.

Answer 3 (score 2)

Although spitting is disgusting, it is better to spit out the saliva. As is mentioned above, the saliva is a way for the body to remain constant. (Homeostasis) When you exercise you become very hot because your cells are respiring quicker to produce energy. Sweat is a way for your body to become colder again, this works by water being taken to the surface of your skin then evaporating and taking heat with it. Spit contains a lot of water but also enzymes which would have been used to digest food in the mouth. So it is best, (although a bit disgusting) to spit out the saliva. When exercising you inhale a lot more air at once, this needs to be cleaned before entering your body otherwise you have a risk of infections, therefore, your body produced mucus and saliva to remove the large dust molecules and bacteria. When you exercise your body takes in a lot more air at a quicker pace, so you produce more mucus to help clean it. It is important that you regularly blow your nose/ spit to get rid of the excess and old mucus that is full of bacteria and dust particles from the air. Swallowing your saliva completely goes against the point of your mucus as the dust and bacteria can then enter your body anyway! So make sure that you do not swallow your spit and you blow your nose regularly when exercising. Make sure that you also drink fluid during/after exercise to replace the water levels that have gone. You should be made of about 80% water, so it’s important that you drink water to enable all the processes in the body to work properly. Hope this helps!

Question

When I wake-up (i.e. hear the alarm clock and open my eyes) I experience severe muscle fatigue, that I am hardly able to force myself to move my arms and legs to get-up. I feel like my muscles were extremely weak at that moment, and I also feel pain in them. It feels so bad and weak, that half of the time I am not getting out of bed, and sleep another few hours, although I already had enough sleep, and it doesn’t feel any better after the extra sleep - in fact it feels worse.

When I do finally manage to get out of bed, the muscle fatigue and pain magically goes away after 15-30 minutes, and during the day I feel completely normal, full of energy and fine.

It doesn’t matter if its after a 2-hour nap or a long 8-hour sleep, its the same fatigue. And I am not feeling sleepy, drowsy or anything like that, I just feel my muscles are extremely weak. I am skinny, 60 kg, but slowly gaining weight, in fact I am tracking my food intake and making sure I get at least 2850 kcal each day, so I have enough energy source. And during the day I am not feeling the fatigue or energy-less, its just right after wake-up.

What might be the cause of this?

EDIT: more info:

I measured my blood pressure immediately after wake-up. It was 77/37 mmHg. And that is an average of 10 measurements taken in the 10 minutes after wake-up. That’s somehow low, isn’t it?

Not that my blood pressure normally during the day is too good, it is on average something around: 95/62 mmHg. After riding on bicycle for an hour it is about 103/64 mmHg.

Can that have something to do with my wake-up fatigue? What can I do to get my blood pressure to some normal levels?

Answer accepted (score 2)

*Thank you for posting this. I struggled with the SAME symptoms as you for years.

I recommend that you detox your body of toxins that have accumulated over time. Your body flushes out those toxins through your urine so drink as much water as you can handle. As you cleanse your body you may experience increased fatigue, moodiness, and in extreme cases, flu symptoms. This should only last a few days. One trick I use is to take Epsom Baths. I ALWAYS keep Epson Salt on hand.

Ensuring that those deep body aches will not return requires drinking plenty of water each day, detox friendly foods, stretching out your muscles, and excersize. All of these will also prevent pressure points or those knots in your muscles. Good Luck

• Increase Water Consumption
• Increase Physical Activity
• Stretch Muscles
• Epsom Baths
• Detox-Friendly Diet

visit www.livestrong.com/article/72677-full-body-detox-diet/

Answer 2 (score 2)

*Thank you for posting this. I struggled with the SAME symptoms as you for years.

I recommend that you detox your body of toxins that have accumulated over time. Your body flushes out those toxins through your urine so drink as much water as you can handle. As you cleanse your body you may experience increased fatigue, moodiness, and in extreme cases, flu symptoms. This should only last a few days. One trick I use is to take Epsom Baths. I ALWAYS keep Epson Salt on hand.

Ensuring that those deep body aches will not return requires drinking plenty of water each day, detox friendly foods, stretching out your muscles, and excersize. All of these will also prevent pressure points or those knots in your muscles. Good Luck

• Increase Water Consumption
• Increase Physical Activity
• Stretch Muscles
• Epsom Baths
• Detox-Friendly Diet

visit www.livestrong.com/article/72677-full-body-detox-diet/

Answer 3 (score 2)

*Thank you for posting this. I struggled with the SAME symptoms as you for years.

I recommend that you detox your body of toxins that have accumulated over time. Your body flushes out those toxins through your urine so drink as much water as you can handle. As you cleanse your body you may experience increased fatigue, moodiness, and in extreme cases, flu symptoms. This should only last a few days. One trick I use is to take Epsom Baths. I ALWAYS keep Epson Salt on hand.

Ensuring that those deep body aches will not return requires drinking plenty of water each day, detox friendly foods, stretching out your muscles, and excersize. All of these will also prevent pressure points or those knots in your muscles. Good Luck

• Increase Water Consumption
• Increase Physical Activity
• Stretch Muscles
• Epsom Baths
• Detox-Friendly Diet

visit www.livestrong.com/article/72677-full-body-detox-diet/

Question

I have been working out for ~6 months and have worked my legs once per week throughout this time, on their own day.

My legs, especially my quads, ache to the point of finding it hard to walk, particularly up or down stairs, for between 3-4 days after a leg workout. At first (the initial month or two) I thought to myself this is great because it meant I did good during my workout. Now 6 months on I am starting to think I’m doing something wrong, mainly because of the duration of soreness.

My current legs routine is:

- 4x5  Squats (on the Smith Machine because can't get the balance right for a proper squat).
- 4x10 Incline leg press machine.
- 3x15 Calf extension on leg press machine.
- 3x10 Leg extension
       ^ Superset with 3x10 Leg curl machine.

I’m pretty confident that I am getting adequate recovery time and resources; I get an average of 7 hours sleep per night and have been forcing myself to eat up to 5 times per day.

Some factors that may provide information about why this would be happening:

• As a web developer, I sit at a PC for the majority of the day and don’t move my legs much.
• I don’t make any time to stretch out my legs or anything, not sure if that will impact.
• I don’t do any cardio (bike / treadmill), again not sure if that impacts.

Is this common, and is there a way to reduce the duration or magnitude of soreness?

Answer accepted (score 17)

The bizarre thing about delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is that we still don’t really know what causes it. Though people like to attribute it to lactic acid buildup, that’s probably a misconception. As stated in the article:

Researchers who have examined lactate levels right after exercise found little correlation with the level of muscle soreness felt a few days later.

Referencing Nosaka’s research published in this book, Wikipedia goes on to explain:

Two other hypotheses that have been advanced to explain the soreness, muscle spasms and the presence of lactic acid in the muscle, are now considered unlikely to be correct, since there is evidence to refute them.

Common sense would lead us to believe that the soreness is caused from tissue damage. I think that’s probably the case, and I agree with the article when it says:

Though the precise cause of DOMS is still unknown, most research points to actual muscle cell damage and an elevated release of various metabolites into the tissue surrounding the muscle cells.

I suppose that it may possibly tie back to how muscles work in an anaerobic state, which we explored in one of your previous questions.

As for prevention, I’m sure we’ve all heard numerous remedies. Most of these have turned out to be false, including stretching and warming up. However, as described in this publication, gradually increasing the intensity may mitigate some of the soreness. Since you’ve been working your legs for over six months already, that might not be relevant.

In any case, if we act on the hypothesis that DOMS is caused by tissue damage (which I think we should), and if we can’t reduce that damage by lowering our workout intensity, that leaves us with the option of doing what we can to speed recovery after the damage has occurred.

The answer involves knowing a bit about how the lymphatic system works in the body (in relation to tissue damage). Among other things, your body uses lymph to collect and flush damaged cells. The lymph is transported by one-way vessels throughout your body and eventually drains into the subclavian veins. The important thing to note is that lymph is not pumped like blood through a closed system, but rather “drains” with the aid of muscle contraction, gravity, etc.

So if the lymphatic system is how the body cleans up damaged tissues, and your DOMS are actually caused by tissue damage, recovering from your tissue damage means doing everything you can to help that system perform as well as it can. I’m sure this video, in which Kelly Starrett (KStarr) et. al. describe that very thing in detail has been posted here before. The old belief that rest, ice, compression, elevation (RICE) is the best way to treat this type of damage is wrong. As described in the video, rest and ice actually have a negative effect on lymph’s ability to move around, so does anti-inflammatory medication.

The article that goes along with KStarr’s video offers what I think is the best and most current treatment: movement, compression, elevation (MCE). Movement will keep the lymph pumping, short compression treatments (massage, compression bands, etc) will also help push lymph, and elevation will also aid in moving the lymph. Since I squat three times a week, personally I do full range bosu ball squats (as recommended by KStarr in this video) to clean up soreness and stiffness. If you think about the iterations of contraction and relaxation the muscles have to do to balance in this movement, it seems an ideal way to pump lymph.

Additionally, since lymph is “recycled” blood plasma (which is 90% water) staying hydrated is a good idea. As numerous resources I’ve linked have mentioned, making sure you’re receiving proper nutrition and managing electrolytes will also help.

The linked resources offer a ton of information on the subject matter if you’d like to find out more. What seems to be the consensus is that the best way to treat your DOMS is probably movement, hydration, nutrition, electrolytes, compression treatments, and elevation.

Answer 2 (score 1)

I have been practicing differents sports and I can tell that the key is to strech and keep hydrated before, during, and after your efforts.

As a web developer, I sit at a PC for the majority of the day and don’t move my legs much.

Same for me here

I don’t make any time to stretch out my legs or anything, not sure if that will impact.

Yes it does

I don’t do any cardio (bike / treadmill), again not sure if that impacts.

Yes it does too.

Before the workout, it is important to do a little bit of cardio to warm up, at least 5min. Going straight to high intensity exercices is traumatising for your muscles and tendons, and they will make you pay back for this!

During the effort the rule of thumb is to drink water as often as possible, in small quantities.

After your workout, you should spend at least 15min stretching, keep each streching position about 20sec (calves, quads, hamstring, groin, butt) and pay attention to breath deeply. Then again, drink a lot of water, water is your friend (or drinks such as gatorade, or even better, coconut water!!).

After intense exercice, I sometimes take an aspirin, that works well. And, I know its hard, but on the day after, 15 min of cardio + stretching help too.

Answer 3 (score 1)

I have been practicing differents sports and I can tell that the key is to strech and keep hydrated before, during, and after your efforts.

As a web developer, I sit at a PC for the majority of the day and don’t move my legs much.

Same for me here

I don’t make any time to stretch out my legs or anything, not sure if that will impact.

Yes it does

I don’t do any cardio (bike / treadmill), again not sure if that impacts.

Yes it does too.

Before the workout, it is important to do a little bit of cardio to warm up, at least 5min. Going straight to high intensity exercices is traumatising for your muscles and tendons, and they will make you pay back for this!

During the effort the rule of thumb is to drink water as often as possible, in small quantities.

After your workout, you should spend at least 15min stretching, keep each streching position about 20sec (calves, quads, hamstring, groin, butt) and pay attention to breath deeply. Then again, drink a lot of water, water is your friend (or drinks such as gatorade, or even better, coconut water!!).

After intense exercice, I sometimes take an aspirin, that works well. And, I know its hard, but on the day after, 15 min of cardio + stretching help too.

Question

If I wore them when I’m not exercising, like if I wore them at work (I work in an office), or at home, all day, would it be like a passive form of exercise?

To estimate how much I walk: I guess I walk to the bus stop, probably about 100-200 metres. Get off bus, maybe 100 metres. Then I sit around all day. But maybe go and talk to somebody two or three times - average distance maybe 5-10 metres (?). Go to kitchen or toilet maybe three times (i drink a lot of water), so that’s probably about 50 metres away? Maybe I’ll take the stairs too, that’s 5 floors up and down. Probably its barely half a km in total.

Would wearing ankle weights help me get fitter or will it not be enough to make any sort of difference?

Answer accepted (score 16)

About.com has a nice article about ankle/walking weights. They estimated the following:

Adding weight will allow you to burn more calories per mile, but only about 5-8 calories more per mile for every 10 pounds added. Compare that to walking a quarter of a mile - a 100 pound person burns 15 calories in a quarter mile at an easy pace, while a 200 pound person burns 30 calories. That takes only 5 more minutes and you aren’t increasing your risk of injury.

This is similar to the question about walking up stairs, where I calculated that the additional calories are simply not worth it. This isn’t an excuse to stop taking the stairs, instead you need to realize that walking only a 1000 steps per day simply isn’t enough exercise.

Increasing the workload with even 20% would still only be the equivalent of 1200 steps, while you probably should be targeting 10.000 steps. As you can see you’re almost an order of magnitude behind on the amount of exercise you should be getting and just adding the weights isn’t going to cut it.

So my advice would be to not use weights, but find more ‘excuses’ to walk more during the day.

Answer 2 (score 16)

About.com has a nice article about ankle/walking weights. They estimated the following:

Adding weight will allow you to burn more calories per mile, but only about 5-8 calories more per mile for every 10 pounds added. Compare that to walking a quarter of a mile - a 100 pound person burns 15 calories in a quarter mile at an easy pace, while a 200 pound person burns 30 calories. That takes only 5 more minutes and you aren’t increasing your risk of injury.

This is similar to the question about walking up stairs, where I calculated that the additional calories are simply not worth it. This isn’t an excuse to stop taking the stairs, instead you need to realize that walking only a 1000 steps per day simply isn’t enough exercise.

Increasing the workload with even 20% would still only be the equivalent of 1200 steps, while you probably should be targeting 10.000 steps. As you can see you’re almost an order of magnitude behind on the amount of exercise you should be getting and just adding the weights isn’t going to cut it.

So my advice would be to not use weights, but find more ‘excuses’ to walk more during the day.

Answer 3 (score 4)

Yes. A negative one. You will destroy your knees and hips if you wear ankle weights all day long. Your body was not made to handle excess weight at your extremities for that length of time.

Question

http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2012/05/prilepin-tables-for-bodyweight-strength-isometric-and-eccentric-exercises/

Using this article as my guide, I should repeat the plank for 6 times as I can only hold it for about 6s.

However, should I do 2 or more sessions in one day? Strength is my goal, as I have little core strength.

Answer accepted (score 6)

Perhaps you should consider easier variations of the plank exercise. Place your arms on something higher (say, a chair). This will shift more weight to your feet and help you hold the position for longer.

This will allow you to push yourself to hold the plank longer. Slowly progress to lower surfaces, and when regular plank becomes too easy for you, elevate your feet to make it even harder. Good luck!

Answer 2 (score 6)

Perhaps you should consider easier variations of the plank exercise. Place your arms on something higher (say, a chair). This will shift more weight to your feet and help you hold the position for longer.

This will allow you to push yourself to hold the plank longer. Slowly progress to lower surfaces, and when regular plank becomes too easy for you, elevate your feet to make it even harder. Good luck!

Answer 3 (score 1)

The goal of the plank is to strengthen your core. As a result, the longer you can stay in the position, the stronger your core becomes.

To answer your question, you can perform as many sessions daily as time permit you; however, that shouldn’t be your goal. Your goal should be to progressively increase the duration.

If 6 seconds is all you can currently do, endeavor to increase it. Try holding out for 8 seconds. Increase the duration once you’ve reached that goal.

The beauty of this exercise is that it can be performed almost anywhere :). So, do it as many times as you desire.

Question

The FitBit Activity Tracker (on the website, Android application, and I would presume the iPhone application as well) lets you log various activities so you can track and share them with your friends. You can explicitly log things like running, using a treadmill or elliptical, or other activities that would also cause the device to count steps and miles. The device (and the website) also track your calories burned based on your profile, and when you track activities, it also estimates the calories burned based on the type, duration, and other parameters of the activity.

I’ve been trying to determine how exactly FitBit uses the activity tracker data. Does it convert miles run to steps (meaning wearing my FitBit when tracking a treadmill activity would cause double counting)? Or perhaps is the device smart enough, based on the start time of the activity, to not double count? Or are the things like distance, time, and calories burned in the activity not totaled with your device data?

I’m mainly concerned with the things tracked by the device: steps, flights of stairs, miles, and calories burned. At the end of the day, I’d like at least a reasonable estimate of these things.

I couldn’t find anything in the FitBit FAQs as to what is recommended, nor many discussions on how others deal with this.

Answer accepted (score 10)

Here’s how I do do it (I have a fitbit one).

When I’m doing an activity that I think the fitbit won’t track properly (biking, or a sport), I switch to recording/sleep mode (they’re the same). I only do this so that I can remember how long that activity took.

Then, using the web interface later, I enter the actual activity, time, and duration (using info from my recording mode to have accurate start/stop times).

The activity section of the manual says “All steps and calories recorded by your tracker are overridden for the duration of a manually logged activity by the activity’s entered values. This ensures that your steps are not counted twice as long as the manually logged activity has the correct start time and duration.”

Answer 2 (score 0)

When I first got my fitbit it tracked well on my elliptical and I could see the same miles on my machine as my fit bit and it showed pretty close to active minutes as I went on machine when I got off! Now less than a month of owning it seems it won’t track my minutes or miles when on my elliptical we have tried everything Very disappointed.

Answer 3 (score -1)

I walk 2 - 3 miles on treadmill. Wearing Fitbit it calculates only about half of that. Returned because there is no way I am going to count the steps and input manually on computer. This is very accurate when walking outdoors, but living in the North I need to use treadmill. Not worth it.

Question

In the past 3 months I’ve lost 12.5kg/28 pounds doing it the “right” way: Regular exercise with regular small low-fat meals.

I’m 178cm/5.84 feet and now weigh 73.5kg/162 pounds.

The biggest motivator to have kept this up might sound very silly and “wrong” but it worked: I made a bet with a friend that I could lose 14kg in 14 weeks.

Those 14 weeks end in 4 days, on Wednesday, and I still have 1.5kg to go. At the moment the weight loss obviously goes slower than when I still was carrying a bucket of fat on my body.

I really don’t want to lose the bet on a couple of grams so I’m looking for some kind of unhealthy brute-force attack I can do on my body to drop a lot of weight in the last days.

Some extra info:

• I especially need advice on how much water to drink and at what time. I currently drink a lot of water but I guess I should stop that at some point?
• Remember that just as a boxer, I know the exact time I will be standing on the scale.
• I’m fully aware that this is unhealthy and that I will gain that weight back by Thursday.

Answer accepted (score 29)

Okay…I have the answer. I’m a bodybuilder, so this is the kind of stuff we do…

Do not lift heavy weights for large muscle groups. I will make you swell. Do not do a colon cleanse this close. It can make you hold water.

However much water you drank on Sunday, do the same on Monday. Assuming you drank a gallon or more of water Sunday, Drink half of that on Tuesday before 6pm. After 6pm, only sip as needed totaling less than a pint between 6pm Tuesday and 12pm Wednesday. I’m assuming you’re weighing in at 12pm Wednesday, so adjust accordingly.

Stop eating all carbohydrates immediately, including fruit. Also stop any dairy products. Only eat protein and veggies with no sodium added.
For protein, do not eat egg whites. I suggest ground turkey of ground beef.
For veggies, I suggest asparagus because it is also a natural diuretic.

As for exercise, just sweat as much as possible.
Do not soak in a tub or hot tub. Dry sauna would be fine. On Tuesday and Wednesday, only shower very quickly…in and out.

Answer 2 (score 7)

The most important thin you could do is get up and move around. A lot. Move your legs, don’t let the blood and water pool in your ankles. Heavy exercises that make you sweat a lot such as squats and dead lifts. If you don’t weight lift then get out and run or bike hard. If you have access to a sauna, us it.

As for your diet, cut back on carbs. They are hydrophilic which means they soak up water. And drink lots of water. Contrary to what you might expect, your body wont hold onto water if you’re not dehydrated. Try drinking a half gallon or more of water each day.

Answer 3 (score 5)

My wife and I wanted to lose weight very quickly in 2 days and found a pineapple diet. Simplistically, all we ate pineapples 3 times a day, a large tin, and one banana as a treat. I don’t know how, I don’t know why, but we both lost 10 lbs in 2 days. I am guessing most of it was water, as we spent an inordinate amount of time on the toilet, but it worked.

Other than that, get over to Dhaka and eat off the food stalls in the streets. I lost 47lbs in 2 weeks. Bit drastic, and I couldn’t move for two weeks, through energy loss and the need to be within sight of a toilet 24/7, but it worked…

Question

I hate exercise, I find it excruciatingly boring. But I am overweight and need to lose fat fast. The main reason why I find it boring is because it takes too long and I don’t like doing a a variety of exercises. It seems like you have to run on a treadmill for half an hour to lose the calories you get from eating one apple. And following exercise dvds with it’s myriad of exercises is just painfully annoying.

I want to get my daily exercise session over with as fast as possible while getting the most out of it. So I am looking to do some intense high straining cardio exercises to the point where my heart is beating really fast and I am burning a lot of calories and fat.

The exercises I found so far that does this for me are:

Burpees
Mountain Climbers
Suicide Sprints

I can’t do the latter because I work out in my room and well there is no room for sprints. I like mountain climbers but it doesn’t exhaust me as much as Burpees do so I rather just stick to that as it is the most exhausting.

So I just want to do Burpees. How many do I have to do and how many reps of each and how much rest in between reps in order to burn an insane amount of calories (and then fat) per day?

Details:

Age: 23
Sex: male
Weight: 180lbs
Height: 5'8
Body Type: overweight 

Please don’t hesitate to recomend something super intense.

Answer accepted (score 10)

One work-out routine for high-intensity is “Tabata”, see this search on this site: Search:tabata and this question: What is tabata? How effective is it?

Answering your question, you would do 20 seconds of burpees, rest for 10 seconds and repeat this for e.g. 8 times. That would take you about 4 minutes. The more fit you are, you can add more sets.

However, since you are overweight (BMI ca 27), you should take it easy initially, burpees are very hard if you do them correctly. So:

• Do a medical checkup first since you will have a very high pulse rate doing burpees in a tabata context.
• Do some light warm-up before the burpees, e.g. see this question: Morning stretch
• Work on the technique initially (e.g. don’t do a maximum jump or step backwards instead of jumping)

Whether this will help you to loose fat depends also on diet, see this weight-loss tag

Answer 2 (score 6)

The bottom line is that you need to burn Calories, and have a way of measuring the Calories you are burning. If you have a heart rate monitor that is calibrated to where you are right now, you’ll have a pretty decent indicator of the progress you are making.

That said, the most amount of Calories I’ve burned in one session was about 1,400 Calories over 1.5 hours. The activities involved included heavy lifting with compound lifts, and following it with performing my katas for conditioning. This is not something I can do every day, but I can do it about 3-4 times a week.

I can’t tell you how many burpees you have to do per day. I can tell you that your heart rate has to be up for an extended period of time to burn a lot of Calories.

In general, a pound of fat is ~3500 Calories. If you do not change what you are eating, and you are burning 1,000 Calories a day through exercise, you can lose a pound every 3-4 days. However, to keep it off, you will have to either adjust what you are eating or keep doing the grueling workout from now till eternity.

Answer 3 (score 2)

I did about 500 per day combined with a restricted food intake over some period of time and lost about 25 pounds.

Here is the deal. I went to prison & only had muscle&fitness mags & men’s health to study. This was my formula I discovered that worked four me… 200lbs 6`0=over weight now 173 & nicely baring a cut/tone.

Take your body weight &multiply by 15 = how many calories your body needs/uses to maintain. Okay, pick a goal weight &multiply it w/that same formula. There. You’ve established exactly the very most calorie intake for one day. Now for myself I wanted to shred quicker than most people choose…so I multiplied my goal weight by 12.5 and that’s all I would consume calorie wise in a 8~10 hour day divided into 5 or 6 small meals.

First and foremost CUT OUT the WHITE CARBS I.e potatoes, bread, flour,rice. Think green and protein. Wheat or oatmeal only minimal EARLY in the day. Plus make sure you leave at least 11 hrs total of fasting before,during, and after you sleep. This is when your metabolism resets itself and goes into repair fat burn mode ( so get SLEEP!! Schedule it as you would a work out). Okay people will argue me but I am simply presenting a sure fire routine that worked for me; however, I did 250 burpees right out of bed, no food or water. Fat burn galore that’ll go all day. It’s a fasted HIIT (look up HIIT if your lost) regimen. Okay I did 250 in the morning & 250 at night before my last meal, the workout kills any appetite or late munchies while you train your bod into not eating after a set time at night. For me it was 6pm. Now sometimes if I was not sore I would do 250 too in the afternoon. Now Mens Health says if you run a 10 minute mile which is about 85% max heart rate you’d burn roughly 100 calories.

Now HIIT BURPEES will be in the realm of 400~500 calories at a minimum if you do them right w/adequate seconds of rest to play the interval aspect to your heart rate. I cut up w/ a quickness nicely, it’s remained off & make strip priority to eat as much protein w/ that allowed calorie figure because your body burns so quickly w/ this method that you have got to keep your muscles fed so your body doesn’t turn on burning them….because remember it’s a full body work out, especially w/me because I did various styles of push ups incorporated w/ my burpees; wide, diamond, thrusting off the ground, commandos, what ever change I could think of & it showed itself in my chest,tris,bis, and shoulders.

SO EAT PROTEIN GRADUALLY THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY! And good luck. Have a good day.

Question

When exercising, our bodies take energy from our blood sugar, then uses glycogen as a source for energy, and finally burns fat or muscle when the glycogen is used up.

A nutritionist told me that whether your body will start burning muscles or fat depends on the timing in which the two sources before (blood sugar and glycogen) were burnt. If this process take the proper time, then it will burn fat as desired.

I would like to know how to make sure we will burn fat when working out instead of muscles.

Answer accepted (score 24)

Energy metabolism is not a very well understood system in the sense that while the biochemical reactions are well known, their dynamics is highly variable depending on the individual. I find it disturbing that so many people have their own understanding of how their body work, without any sound reasoning behind it. Below I’ll try to give some background information to the chemistry of it.

The biochemistry behind it is essentially very complicated and is often over-simplified. The truth is, different parts of the body use different sources for energy. A common example is the brain, which can ONLY use glucose as the energy source.

To argue against @camara90100’s post, ATP is NOT an energy source but instead an energy carrier. ATP molecule is carries three phosphate groups as its name suggests. By breaking the these bonds (i.e. ATP -> ADP + P) energy is released which is used in some other reaction in the body. When the body “burns” sugars, or anything else, it uses the energy to synthesize more ATP molecules, or to reverse the original reaction.

Whether or not lactic acid is produced from breaking sugars is dependent on the oxygen supply to the surrounding tissue, if you cannot supply the tissue with enough oxygen a less than optimal reaction will take place where one of the byproducts is lactic acid. Lactic acid build-up in the tissue will ultimately lead to “cramps” as your body is telling you stop what you are doing since your metabolism cannot keep up with the physical activity you put yourself through.

Further more, there is an interplay between simple sugars and complex ones (carbs), as well as between carbs and fat. Excess blood sugar is processed in the liver to produce glycogen which is a long-term-storage of sugars. However glycogen is not the only way to store fuel, evolutionarily we are developed to “store energy” in case food becomes scarce. In that sense it’s important to understand that fat is not a undesired trash molecule, but a perfectly healthy part of the metabolism. I recall reading some article on a critical limit on body fat index and normal brain function, where the authors have discussed individuals with extremely low body fat percentage were performing less than average on intellectual tasks.

Long story short, I don’t believe that you can “guarantee” that you’re burning only fat and no proteins during some training, especially considering that all these reactions I’ve described (and many more) have different rates on different individuals. Individuals with higher metabolic rates will end up breaking down muscle tissue through physical training instead of building muscle mass if they cannot keep up with the food intake. So I suggest you look over your diet so that you do not consume excess amounts of fat or carbs, and plan your training so that it matches with your own metabolic rate.

PS: Sorry for the long post but I hope it helps people get a better grasp of things.

Answer 2 (score 7)

I will do my best to address this question in a practical manner. Namely, I think the best way to burn fat and spare muscle while training is to construct a hypocaloric diet and workout plan with muscle preservation in mind.

Steps I would take:

1. Ensure diet is hypocaloric so that you actually lose weight over time.

2. Continue weight training while dieting. Based on the use it or lose it principle, frequent weight training will help spare existing muscle tissue since it is needed to do work.

3. Consume adequate protein. Many bodybuilding references will suggest >= 1 gram protein/lb lean body mass. Others will suggest more or less but you get the point. Nice to make sure that if proteins are needed, they are available via diet.

4. A moderate caloric deficit will give you a better chance at sparing muscle tissue than a drastic deficit.

5. As a general note, if you are well above your bodyfat setpoint, expect to have better success burning more fat than muscle while training. As you move to lower and lower bodyfat levels, expect to experience more trouble maintaining muscle mass on a diet. A takehome message from this point might be to bulk and cut around your bodyfat setpoint to help avoid muscle loss.

With a good workout routine, adequate protein intake and hypocaloric diet, I would simply measure results over time. Adjust if you find you are losing muscle tissue instead of fat.

It may seem as though I didn’t address question directly. However, based on my experience, for a given training day, the factors above largely determine whether I will experience muscle loss or fat loss. I am not sure I see a good reason to complicate a simple process any further.

Answer 3 (score 2)

Endurance athletes are aware of the increase in protein metablolism. Therefore there is a trend to prefer energy sources to come from foods that contain fat and protein. For example eggs and peanut butter. When I refer to endurance I am talking about no or little sugars consumed through the exercise. For instance if you cannot exercise for more than an hour and a half without requiring sugar and caffeine it would be wise to start training your body not to rely on sugar unless during race day or at an event. A good barometer is if you can’t walk around in your feet for say 2 hours without requiring sugar or good then your endurance fitness is way lower than it should be. The key is to incorporate low intensity exercise for longer periods over an hour. Sorry if this is a bit off topic.

Question

For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard the question “can you touch your toes?” asked by people trying to ascertain another person’s physical fitness. I’ve grown up thinking that being able to touch your toes was a basic ability that every healthy person should have, and that not being able to do it meant that you were in bad shape.

However, I have actually never been able to touch my toes. If I keep my knees locked and bend over I actually can’t get the tips of my fingers much closer than 8 inches to my toes. I’ve been stretching for over a month now in an attempt to remedy this, but aside from a somewhat unpleasant feeling in my lower back and thighs, my efforts haven’t seen much results as of yet. And now I’m starting to ask myself, “why is this even important?”.

Is it possible that what I thought was common knowledge and/or common sense is completely wrong? Are there people that just can’t touch their toes, period, end of story? In short - is it important that I become flexible enough to touch my toes, and if so, why? If this actually is important to my athletic ability and/or physical health, I’ll keep at it. But maybe it isn’t?

Edit 2011-05-31:

I really appreciate the answers so far, they have been quite informative. However, I’m having a hard time marking any one of them as the official “accepted” answer, because I don’t see a direct, definitive answer among them. Ivo Flipse’s comment seems to me to be the most direct answer, but I’d really appreciate if someone could provide an answer (preferably linked to a authoritative source) that specifically mentions:

1. If the majority of healthy, active people can touch their toes
2. How to tell if you have the potential to be able to do this.
3. What sort of activities/situations are helped by having this flexibility, or hindered by not having it? If flexibility prevents injuries, what sort of injuries are likely if one doesn’t have this flexibility?

Thanks again for everyone’s help. If I don’t get a better answer in the next few days, I’ll accept YYY’s answer.

Answer accepted (score 24)

Your flexibility is inversely related to how injury-prone you are. The more flexible you are, the less likely you are to accidentally injure yourself during training. This is true of major injuries, but it is also true of minor injuries that leave you stiff and sore for 3-4 days (when you should be bouncing back after 1 day of rest, ideally).

Flexibility also means that you’re less likely to hurt yourself in a fall or other accident as you age. In terms of intensity of workout to health benefit, flexibility training will give you the biggest payout of almost any exercise out there.

All that said, I’m not sure why you’re having so much trouble limbering up. My suspicion is that you are not performing the stretches properly, or the stretches you are doing aren’t addressing your real issue. A personal trainer would be able to tell you more simply because they can physically look at you and see how your body is working.

Answer 2 (score 16)

The more flexible you are doesnt always mean you are less likely to injure yourself… sometimes being too flexible is a detriment and your strength is lacking. If you are extremely flexible but lack the strength to maintain certain exercises you are equally as prone to injury as someone who is inflexible. The key is determining where your body lacks flexibility and use stretches to help increase that, while at the same time determine where your body is weak and strengthening those muscles. Finding the balance between flexibility and strength is the key.

Being able to touch your toes is one action that is a part of a big picture in your flexibility and addresses specific muscles that are tight which are limiting your range of motion. I would suggest having a trainer assess where you are tight (hamstrings, quads, hips etc.) and use specific stretches to attack those muscles.

1. The majority of strong healthy people dont stretch enough
2. Everyone has the potential to touch their toes, you have to actively work on stetching and strengtheing the specific mucles to allow them to do it.

Answer 3 (score 14)

There are actually quite a few studies that address this question. If you search on google scholar for musculoskeletal fitness and health, you’ll find a lot of good reading.

In a summation of them, there are basically three components to musculoskeletal fitness, which are strength (ability to perform work), endurance (how long you can do said work) and flexibility, which has two components. Dynamic flexibility is resistance to motion, and static flexibility is resistance to movement around a joint.

Where this impacts your health is that if you have limited flexibility, it can impact your daily life (Such as being able to reach the top shelf of a cupboard, the top shelf at a supermarket, things like that), and reduce your mobility to the point where you have trouble standing, walking and other motile activities.

These impacts can either be caused by age related degeneration, disease processes or chronic/acute injury. Regular exercise and to some extent a good stretching program (Such as dynamic before and static after exercise) can alleviate these, and help promote better movement as you age.

The sit and reach test is good because it hits several major muscle groups as well as some skeletal limitations, so it’s a basic “all around” kind of stretch test.

And, what many don’t realize is that while touching your toes is considered good, there may be other considerations such as body morphology (Long legs, short arms, or both) that preclude you touching your toes. In those cases, what should be monitored is the consistency. If you can only get to within 6" of your toes, and then 5 years from now you can only get within 9" of your toes, you are losing mobility and need to figure out why.

So, it’s not so much a predictor of disease or injury, but it is a diagnostic that can be tracked and used as a baseline for future measurements.

If you don’t need to touch your toes, or if you do not participate in a sport where it is required, then there is no real reason to work on it unless it limits you in some fashion.

Some of the things that flexibility can help prevent are injuries at the extreme edges of your range of motion. For example, if you play first base, and need to stretch out for a catch, then your dynamic flexibility needs to be good enough to allow that. Otherwise you will either miss the catch, or potentially injure yourself on the stretch.

My n=1 is that being flexible (other than needing it for martial arts) has saved me injuries when stepping on rocks and rolling ankles running, coming unclipped and stretching in a bike crash, things like this where that extra range of motion prevented muscle tears.

Question

Is it safe to mix protein powders with hot liquids like coffee? I did this once a while back and it turned into a rubbery blob that sat on top of the coffee. I tried to look it up but there wasn’t much available (at the time anyway, 2007). What I found was claims that the protein breaks down and can become toxic. But I read about body builders who bake with protein powders all the time.

Is it safe to mix protein powders with hot liquids? Does it destroy the value of the protein? Does it matter if the powder contains maltodextrin?

Answer accepted (score 15)

If the protein powder is added to hot liquid, it won’t mix and it does release a gas as it cooks. I’ve tried it before in one of those covered shakers with a whisk ball built in. Hot protein mess spewed all over the counter as the cap flew off due to the added pressure.

Now, you can apply the same approach that chefs use to flavor their meringues with chocolate. A meringue is essentially egg white (protein) beaten until it is stiff. The technique is called tempering. Basically you blend in the heated substance (like melted chocolate) a little at a time into the the meringue.

If you want a hot protein drink using coffee (a very delicious combo):

• Mix the protein so that it is liquid at room temperature (only use enough liquid to dissolve the protein)
• Slowly add the coffee to the mixture until the mix is the right balance
• Heat if necessary in the microwave when you are done

An alternative approach is to cool the coffee to room temperature and mix the protein at that time. Heat it back up when you are done.

I personally prefer a chocolate/coffee/protein smoothie which is cold. You can’t really taste the protein in there at all, and it tastes like you are being decadent.

Answer 2 (score 3)

I use fit frappe protein powder. It is specifically made to add to hot water (I add one scoop to my morning coffee, delish). Their FAQ states:

Does heating up Fit Frappé affect the protein?

Proteins are chains of large molecules made up of amino acids in different sequences. Denaturation of protein through such methods like heat, acid, or physical agitation is breaking the bonds between the amino acids. It is the amino acids that provide the nutritional benefits. Breaking the bonds can actually be beneficial because the body can access/use the amino acids much quicker than having the stomach acids digest or denature the protein. For example, after a workout, some consume protein to build back the lean muscle mass lost during the workout. Consuming proteins that have been denatured is beneficial because the body will use/absorb the amino acids quicker.

Answer 3 (score 2)

I asked a chemistry professor who has actually made his own protein powder. He said that the composition of the egg won’t turn into something nasty — it stays the same and to go ahead and put the egg powder into my morning coffee. My only issue now is that the powder cooks in the cup!

Question

I was told push-ups are good for the chest.

I tried some and don’t quite feel it in my chest, the force is on my hands.

How should I do it to focus on the chest?

Answer accepted (score 18)

I tried some and don’t quite effective to the chest, the force are on my hands.

That’s the beauty of push up, we can train various muscles from push ups. I found this video about Chest Workout: Pushups for the Complete Beginner interesting.

How should I do it to focus on the chest?

I would suggest Wide Push ups to focus on our chest.

I took this pic from YAYOG book page 60.

Reference: You Are Your Own Gym. The Bible of BodyWeight Exercises for Men and Women by Mark Lauren.

Answer 2 (score 12)

Here’s a good link with illustrations and videos for doing push ups.

Some simple things to remember:

• wide hand position = working the outer chest/pecs
• close hand position = working the inner chest/pecs.

You can vary intensity by elevating your hands (easier) or elevating your feet (harder). There are many push up variations including:

dive bombers, which are great for arms and shoulders:

ploymetric, for power

and single arm, for the core:

Answer 3 (score 3)

For body weight exercises, the push up or the push up using resistance bands is probably your best bet. Plyometric pushups will help build some explosive power. If, however, you have access to weights, you can do a lot better.

For a beginner, the barbell bench press will help do a lot of good for the chest as well as the arm muscles.

A bit later, dumbbell bench press will give you a better result as you are forced to bring the dumbbells together giving you a greater range of motion.

I’m not going to tell you what proportion you should shoot for on your bench press, because that proportion changes based on your weight. The key is to keep increasing weight as best you can.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say that only working on the chest and not balancing that by working the upper back as well is a recipe for injury. A reverse pushup will balance normal pushups, and rows will balance bench presses.

Question

What are the differences between Calories, calories, and kcals?

Why do we have different terms to describe the same concept?

In what cases is it useful to use one unit of measurement over the other?

Answer accepted (score 24)

One calorie (with a lower case c) is the amount of energy required to heat 1 gram of water by 1°C. A kilocalorie is 1000 calories, and Calorie (with a capital C) and kilocalorie (Kcal) are synonyms. On food labels, nutrition facts are in terms of kilocalories/Calories. (Wikipedia)

Just like with grams vs. kilograms, units are used in a way that the number most readable. Putting nutrition labels in calories would take up quite a bit of extra space. I’m not sure how the Calorie/kilocalorie synonym came about, but I can guess it was for convenience. We use kilocalories much more frequently than calories for every day measurement, and kilocalories is quite a cumbersome word.

Answer 2 (score 4)

It is still confusing, because both terms (with and without the kilo- prefix) covers the same amount, and it is only a capital letter that differentiates beween 1 and 1000.

This would be equal to having Gram (with a capital letter) and kilogram being the same, and gram being 1/1000 of that. I hopy everyone can see how stupid that would be, and this is exactly how stupid the Calorie term is.

There should only be calories and kilocalories. Calories (with a capital letter) does not fit in.

Besides, most food products list the energy contents at kcal and not Cal, which give the same short numbers. You never need to see 70000 instead of 70 even if Calories are dropped.

Answer 3 (score 1)

A kilocalorie is equal to 1000 calories. I discovered this a while back. Although the labels on food packages display energy as calories, the actual metric is supposed to be kilocalories.

So that apple you may have just ate has 70000 calories or 70 kilocalories.

Question

I’m aware that eating protein is important on the day of your weight lifting session. The most important time to eat protein is right after the session. But I’ve never heard advice on when to eat and how much protein to eat on off-days. How quickly does your muscle’s need for protein diminish over time? My guess is that the 1-2 hours right after the weight lifting are crucial. Then the night of sleep uses moderate amounts. Then on the next day (the off day), you need minimal amounts of protein. Is this correct?

Answer accepted (score 39)

Actually, the idea that the most important time to eat protein is right after a training session has not real scientific validity. It’s a great marketing claim used by shake manufacturers to impress upon you the need to buy their convenience powders. Your body does not suddenly start building muscle immediately after a workout. Protein metabolism is a very well studied process and it happens over a period of days after your training. In fact, your body goes through a diurnal cycle that involves period of net anabolic and catabolic activity.

Therefore, the importance of protein is not the timing of after a workout or even on “off days” but rather on average over a period of time. I wouldn’t complicate your nutrition trying to time it specially on on or off days because you don’t really know when the “on day” is for your recovery. So you need a steady stream of quality protein every day, and there is no need to spike it at certain periods. Excess protein in a short period of time simply gets converted to sugars and burned as fats, albeit through a highly inefficient metabolic pathway that has the net effect of slightly raising your metabolism.

Most of the “requirements” for protein are overblown as well. This is a two-part whammy, one from the supplement industry again trying to sell protein and two from the bodybuilding industry where anabolic steroids do in fact increase the body’s capacity to process protein … unfortunately, it just doesn’t work the same way for natural athletes. While it may come as a shocker because all of the “advice” forums tell you that you need 1 - 2 grams your body weight in protein per day, the truth is that Dr. Peter Lemon conducted intensive research on the protein requirements of both sedentary and athletic individuals and found that there is no benefit of added protein above 1.5 - 2.0 grams per KILOGRAM of body weight, or about 0.8 grams per pound. The World Health Organization has also researched this ad nauseum in the effort to find the most inexpensive form of usable protein to fight starvation. Most of the “high protein” and “protein after workout” advice comes from paid endorsements and studies funded by the companies promoting the product.

Answer 2 (score 4)

I’ve been lifting for years. As a 46 year old 135lb female I was just taking in about 80 grams a day roughly. I did one 32 gram shake after my workout and then just ate whatever. I notice a plateau in my gains and getting weak shortly into my lifts so I added quite abit more protein, I’m up to my body weight in grams and it does seem to be helping already and its only been a couple weeks. My lifts are stronger and I’m seeing slightly more definition. Keep in mind too, its what else you are eating- are you getting enough fruits/veggies? Whole grains? The whole diet needs to be good, can’t just gulp down protein supps all day and expect great results. Its worth the effort to pay attention to diet. After all you’re working your butt off in the gym, finish it by truly feeding your body what it needs. Just from my own experience I’m thinking your body weight is grams of protein is essential.

Answer 3 (score 1)

I think as long as you eat three regular meals and actually worry about pushing yourself during PT eater than worrying about how much protein you need to drink you will quickly realize that the body takes care of itself and doesn’t need as much as you think it might to build muscle And be strong. I’m a firm believer that you can naturally eat healthy and attain muscle mass without being swayed by muscle magazines to buy a ton of powder supplements to spew into your system. A little dedication and tenacity will take you a long way.

Question

About an hour ago, I was working out barefoot (yeah, I know… really, really bad idea), accidentally kicked the bench’s base, and ended up with a big toenail that was still attached, but separated from the toe at roughly a 45 degree angle.

After getting over the shock, horror, and somehow managing to neither pass out nor vomit (both of which felt like appealing options at the time), I made it to the bathroom. Eventually, I squirted some Neosporin onto the nail bed, gently pushed it down so that it’s “only” separated at about a 5-10 degree angle (any more, and it started to hurt), and put a loose band-aid over it to kind of hold it down. 10 minutes later, I ended up wrapping the whole foot loosely in gauze, mainly to protect the carpet from blood that was seeping out around the edges when I walked.

So, now, here I am at the computer, about an hour later (I did other searching first), asking, “WTF do I do now”? So far, it hasn’t really started to hurt, but I’m also just sitting here and putting no stress on it whatsoever. Earlier, when I was limping up and down the stairs, it was aching a bit. Obviously, I can’t spend the next N months sitting motionless at my computer desk, and sooner or later I’m going to have to deal with getting that foot into a shoe (I doubt whether anyone will complain if I limp into Walgreens or CVS with a gauze-wrapped shoeless foot, but at the very least I’m going to have to have some kind of footwear when I go to work on Monday).

I’ve identified the following specific immediate issues that need to be dealt with:

1. How hard should I try to keep the toenail flat against the nail bed, as opposed to allowing it to creep up and away from it? The problem I see is that the more firmly I hold it down, the more stress it’s going to put on the area it grows from as I walk and the skin to which the nail is taped squishes, stretches, and generally moves around. On the other hand, it seems like once I’m finally back to wearing a normal shoe on that foot again, taping it firmly in place is probably a lesser evil than allowing it to constantly get pushed around by the shoe itself.

2. I’m definitely open to suggestions for specific products to purchase this afternoon and things to do that will make the next few days and weeks more tolerable. Right now, I’m still kind of in shock & afraid to do much besides sit motionless… at least, until I have some concrete plan for what to do next.

By the way, unless it’s a matter of life, limb, or death, going to the hospital isn’t an option. I have health insurance, but I really don’t want to get hit with $1,000+ in copays and deductibles just so they can tape it down and tell me there’s nothing else they can do.

Answer accepted (score 4)

I have damaged my toenails many times from playing soccer. The good new is, it will stop hurting as much very soon. Ice and advil will help with that. The bad news is, you are going to lose the toenail. I think the key is have this happen in a slow, controlled manner, as the nail naturally falls off, rather than to have it ripped off from its precarious position. My suggestions are as follows:

Cut it down as far as you can every day. This will depend a lot on how much it hurts. Tape or bandage it firmly so it can’t get caught on things. Wear a loose sock and a sandal on that foot.

My guess is that you will be walking normally in a day or two. It may take a couple weeks to fully lose the nail, and a couple months for it to grow back. They first regrow might be mis-shapen or otherwise odd, but it’s nothing to worry about.

Question

I’m on a ketogenic diet and have stopped taking protein shakes (excepting post-workout protein powder with water) because I’ve heard that it may cause an insulin spike. Is it true that protein powder with water will knock you out of ketosis? The one I’m using in particular is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey.

Answer accepted (score 1)

If you consume excess protein on a ketogenic diet, several of the amino acids will be converted to glucose via the gluconeogenic pathway thus knocking you out of ketosis.

Answer 2 (score 2)

If you consume excess protein on a ketogenic diet, several of the amino acids will be converted to glucose via the gluconeogenic pathway thus knocking you out of ketosis.

Answer 3 (score 2)

If you consume excess protein on a ketogenic diet, several of the amino acids will be converted to glucose via the gluconeogenic pathway thus knocking you out of ketosis.

Question

I was wondering, if I were to use the same amount of weight with dumbbells as I would with a barbell while doing a squat, will I get the same benefits as I would using a barbell?

Now I understand that one of the obvious benefits with barbells, is the fact that I can use massive weight, weight that would be extremely difficult to use with dumbbells - but that is why I am asking about the case where I am using the same amount of weight. In other words is there a difference as to whether I have the weight by my side with the dumbbells, or across my shoulders with the barbell?

Answer accepted (score 20)

There is a difference, in that you are changing the load on your core. Squats are not “just a leg exercise” as many people assume that it is. There are several variations of squats, and they each have their place.

If you choose to do dumbbell squats, I highly recommend Goblet Squats. Instead of the weight at your sides, it is in front of you. This accomplishes two things:

• Helps improve your squat form and depth–complete with better carryover to back squats.
• Helps increase the core component of the dumbbell squat.

Another option is to “clean” the dumbbell to your shoulders. That is, use your hip to launch the dumbbell up to your shoulders. That will help keep your core involved as well. This approach has more carryover to front squats (where the bar is across the front of your deltoids in front of your neck).

Answer 2 (score 3)

“i have the weight by my side with the dumbbells, or across my shoulders with the barbell?” You answered your own question, there is a physiological difference in the origin of the weight and therefore a difference in where the force / work is applied to move that weight, specifically the posterior chain.

Answer 3 (score 0)

Center of gravity is far different. The most obvious ramification is that losing it and falling with a dumbbell means you fall over about 3 feet before the weight stops at the floor. Falling over with the barbell behind your head means you stop when your face hits the floor.

I like dumbbell squats especially in the garage when no one is there to save me. I cut a barbell in half and modified it with a grip 90 degrees to the bar for comfort and the added length of a half bar for the weights to clear my knees when going up and down. It is a much safer arrangement.

Full length barbell deadlift style won’t work because knees get in the way when the rump gets down by the floor. In dead lift the rump is high and the shins vertical so the bar clears. Not so with squats, thus the dumbbell solution for safety. The loss is the need to develop balance when the weight is over your neck.

I would rather not do a face plant if I ever pass out. Or get injured from a twisting tilting failure to maintain control. (Never know, illness, age etc.)

Question

My ribs are sore after doing push ups and sit ups. Why?
Are there muscles in between my ribs? Could it be something else other than muscles that is sore, like tendons, etc?

Answer accepted (score 8)

Yes there are muscles between your ribs. They’re called the intercostal muscles, though “soreness in ribs” might also be caused by soreness in your pectoralis minor (which connects to the front of the rib cage) or your serratus anterior (which connect your back to the side of your rib cage). A good hint that it’s muscle soreness instead of connective tissue soreness is that muscle soreness usually feels good to massage, while tendon/ligament/joint soreness does not.

The main use of the intercostal muscles is in opposing the diaphragm in breathing, but they’re used in lots of movements. I get rib soreness after doing planks for a long period, so I suspect that is the main source of the soreness (a pushup being a like plank++).

I would guess that the reason that your intercostal muscles are sore is because they are being used to hold the rib cage rigid, while forces are being transmitted between the serratus, pectoralis minor and rectus abdiminous. Dynamic tension between these muscles (and many others*) lets your back stay flat and rigid while you’re doing planks or pushups, but since a lot of the force is transmitted through the rib cage, your intercostal muscles contract and get stretched as you go through the movements. Like any other muscles after a working/stretching them, they get sore. It’s probably especially noticeable since you do very few exercises which exercise your ribs.

Here’s a video showing the main muscle groups used in pushups, and here’s an animation showing them in action. Hopefully you can see the stresses put on the rib cage.

Pushups are really great exercises precisely because (if done properly) they strengthen so many different muscle groups (even ones you were unaware you had!). This is also one of the problems with Nautilus machines for strength training: by isolating muscles you miss out on strengthening small stabilizing muscles like the intercostal muscles and you can end up with big muscles but not genuine strength (and an increased risk of injury).

I find that stretching my rib cage can help with soreness (though stretching beforehand or immediately after doesn’t do very much). For soreness from pushups, my ribs tend to get more sore on the sides of my body, and a good stretch for that is the side angle pose from yoga.

Finally, it’s interesting that you get rib soreness after situps. I haven’t had that experience, though situps are also complex exercises which use a lot of different muscles groups. Perhaps another answerer can go into that in more detail.

* There are a ridiculously enormous number of muscles in your back and shoulders. Planks are really complicated exercises.

Question

My BMI is 26.8, which means that I am in the overweight category.

When one hits a gym regularly every day, what is the minimum amount of calories that he should burn in order to see a change in his weight over a month’s time? I generally focus on simple exercises like being on the treadmill for around 20mins (150 Cal) and on the cross trainer for 20mins as well.

Is this enough or should I increase my workout?

Answer accepted (score 23)

1 kilo fat equals 7700 kcal or 1 pound fat equals 3500 kcal, so if you keep your diet the same and start working out more: that’s how it takes to lose a kilo.

So assuming your 2 workouts burn 300 kcal together, you need 7700/300 = 25.6 workouts to lose a kilo. That would mean you would have to train nearly every day of the month to lose it… Clearly, that’s not really an optimistic goal to work towards, though on the other hand: it’s easier to keep up since you don’t have to eat less (but not more!) and the result is probably more sustained than with some crash diet.

Off course, increasing the intensity or the duration will chance those numbers, but adding more ‘exercise’ is a more effective way of increasing the amount of calories burned in a day: cycle to work, take the stairs, take a stroll during lunch, etc.

Your other option would be to consume 200 kcal’s less each day, which would also result in a 1 kilo difference. So doing them both, would probably give you quicker results. Funny enough if you add those two, you get the 500 kcal that @Campbell mentioned, so I guess his estimate seems about right.

Answer 2 (score 10)

Bad Metrics

It is vitally important that you not base your workout on BMI.

Please read Slate’s excellent discussion of how BMI came to be used to poorly and NPR’s 10 Reasons why BMI should never, ever, really-don’t-do-it, never be used for one’s self-image or exercise goals.

BMI is not a valid way to measure your fitness or body. It is not useful for that purpose. Using it to measure how much weight you should lose, or how many calories to burn, is a surefire way to disappoint yourself.

Examine.com has a good overview on the validity (and lack thereof) of BMI, which can be summarized thus:

If you are normal weight or overweight according to BMI (18.5-29.9) there is still a chance you are actually obese, and thus is primarily due to low levels of lean mass (muscle, water, and glycogen).

…

Outliers to this dataset, those who have enough lean mass to be classified as obese by BMI but not by body fat percentage, are far and few in society. These persons would normally be highly active athletes or dedicated ‘weekend warriors’, and it is unlikely sedentary persons or those with infrequent exercise habits would be these outliers.

Good Metrics

Instead, measure what you want to improve. Want to look better? Get a camera and a tape measure and track how you look (with consistent clothing, pose and lighting) and measurements of your arms, legs, hips, and waist.

It can also be more productive to set a performance goal. Good goals can be based around time (“run a mile in less than 7 minutes”), weight (“squat with a barbell as heavy as I am”), or simple completion (“finish a 5k”). This will shape your training in a way that makes you more fit, while also restructuring your body.

If you absolutely must have a science-y number to track, the Body Shape Index, which uses BMI but isn’t directly correlated to it, and seems to be a better predictor of one’s risk of death. Keep in mind that while it takes belly fat into account, it still does not keep track of muscle or actual markers of physical health, like mobility, strength, inflammation, diabetic state, or cardiovascular disease.

Body Shape Index= Waist Circumference/[(BMI^(2/3))*(height^(1/2))]

Answer 3 (score 10)

Bad Metrics

It is vitally important that you not base your workout on BMI.

Please read Slate’s excellent discussion of how BMI came to be used to poorly and NPR’s 10 Reasons why BMI should never, ever, really-don’t-do-it, never be used for one’s self-image or exercise goals.

BMI is not a valid way to measure your fitness or body. It is not useful for that purpose. Using it to measure how much weight you should lose, or how many calories to burn, is a surefire way to disappoint yourself.

Examine.com has a good overview on the validity (and lack thereof) of BMI, which can be summarized thus:

If you are normal weight or overweight according to BMI (18.5-29.9) there is still a chance you are actually obese, and thus is primarily due to low levels of lean mass (muscle, water, and glycogen).

…

Outliers to this dataset, those who have enough lean mass to be classified as obese by BMI but not by body fat percentage, are far and few in society. These persons would normally be highly active athletes or dedicated ‘weekend warriors’, and it is unlikely sedentary persons or those with infrequent exercise habits would be these outliers.

Good Metrics

Instead, measure what you want to improve. Want to look better? Get a camera and a tape measure and track how you look (with consistent clothing, pose and lighting) and measurements of your arms, legs, hips, and waist.

It can also be more productive to set a performance goal. Good goals can be based around time (“run a mile in less than 7 minutes”), weight (“squat with a barbell as heavy as I am”), or simple completion (“finish a 5k”). This will shape your training in a way that makes you more fit, while also restructuring your body.

If you absolutely must have a science-y number to track, the Body Shape Index, which uses BMI but isn’t directly correlated to it, and seems to be a better predictor of one’s risk of death. Keep in mind that while it takes belly fat into account, it still does not keep track of muscle or actual markers of physical health, like mobility, strength, inflammation, diabetic state, or cardiovascular disease.

Body Shape Index= Waist Circumference/[(BMI^(2/3))*(height^(1/2))]

Question

What are the differences between open-palm and knuckle push-up forms in terms of benefits, risks, and muscle development?

Open-palm:

Knuckle:

Answer accepted (score 16)

There’s an aspect not covered yet. Knuckle pushups place more stress on the bones of the hand compared to the open palm pushup. Martial artists take advantage of that fact as a way to toughen the bones in the hand so that when they punch something hard, the hand doesn’t break. Essentially, the body responds by increasing calcium deposits at the knuckle and along the phalanges.

As to the muscles involved, there isn’t much of a difference between them. The forearms will be more engaged with the knuckles because it is needed for balance. A similar effect can be had by fingertip pushups. This variation strengthens the muscles in the fingers as well, which is useful to prevent them from getting jammed when playing basketball.

There are two risks with improper use of the knuckle pushup over the open hand:

• If your wrists are weak, you run the risk of losing your balance and spraining your wrist as you fall. It is best not to attempt knuckle pushups if you cannot do open hand pushups.
• If you use knuckle pushups excessively for many years, the calcium deposits will accumulate to a point where the knuckles are quite pronounced. In extreme cases you won’t be able to open your hand all the way, or develop arthritis due to the added stress at the knuckle joint.

All that said, there is no way to declare one of them as superior. Knuckle pushups have their use, as do open hand pushups. There is no reason not to do them both. Just don’t do knuckle pushups every day of your life for the next decade or so. Also explore fingertip pushups as well.

Answer 2 (score 9)

I like to add a summary of my personal experience with open-palm and knuckle push-ups. I have done at least 100 push-ups a day since 1983, even when travelling (in airports and hotels). In 1999 I developed wrist pain and changed to knuckle push-ups, first on hard surfaces (until 2003) and subsequently on a towel or on carpet as a preventive measure for possible knuckle or wrist injuries. Switching from open-palm to knuckle push-ups completely eliminated the wrist pain within about two weeks. Between 2001 and 2006 I did, on average, 155 push-ups a day (alternating daily between 130 and 180, in two sets). I resumed the 100 push-up routine when I developed pain in the both shoulders in 2006. The reduction to 100 a day and keeping my left shoulder (where I had broken the rotator cuff ten year earlier) close to my torso liminated that pain. The knuckle push-ups have not significantly impaired the flexibility of my hands or wrists (as indicated by my work on the computer) and built up significant amounts of callus on the central knuckle of each hand and smaller amounts on the index finger knuckles. Doing push-ups on soft surfaces has reduced the amount of callus during the last few years.

In conclusion, I am glad I switched from open-palm to knuckle push-ups because this permitted me to continue this exercise without pain. I recommend that knuckle push-ups be done on carpets or other soft surfaces rather than on hard surfaces. I would like to hear the experiences of other long-term ‘push-uppers’. I am now 72 years old and started doing daily push-ups at 44 but had done them periodically (a few times a month or less) since about agout 16.

Answer 3 (score 7)

Two benefits of doing push ups off your knuckles:

1. You can extend your range of motion, which in turn puts even more focus on the chest.
2. You avoid unnecessary strain on the wrists.

For these reasons I prefer doing push ups this way. Although extending your range of motion is not always a good thing. If you have shoulder problems, for example, then you could be doing more harm than good. So I’d do what feels right for you.

Another thing to keep in mind is the distance between your hands. Keeping your hands far apart will put more demand on your chest and shoulders while keeping your hands close together will be harder on the triceps.

Question

I am a guy who haven’t been working out(exercising) throughout my life. I live a very sedentary live, mostly at my desk reading books or using my computer. The nature of my field of work requires me to only sit at my desk. As opposed to what many people would think of me, I am not obese but neither am I fit. I am very thin and look somewhat scrawny. I am thinking that this is perhaps too unhealthy for a life. I’ve read a few of the answers on this site and it seems that most of the answers are suited for people who haven’t worked out for years and have started to gather fats and would want to burn it. For me, I am too skinny for any visible fats.

I’m thinking how I should begin to start gaining weight and look less skinny, albeit in a correct and healthy manner; I reckon that an abrupt and incorrect way of starting out this goal will end up more harmful than helpful. So, I’m seeking for some advice on this.

I’m a 26 year old male and weigh 45kg. I feel like I’m very thing. What is a good way to improve my health? Is it a good idea to use power plank exercise machines for someone like myself?

Answer accepted (score 4)

Eat more (healthily – lean meat and vegetables). Then do multi-joint barbell exercises such as squat, deadlift and overhead press. To learn how to perform these exercises with good form, join a gym and take lessons, or at least read Mark Rippetoe’s book Starting Strength. Then follow a program like StrongLifts 5x5, which is simple to learn and follow.

Multi-joint exercises are good because they engage the big muscles and they engage many muscles. Performed with proper form, plenty of rest and under increasing load, this stimulates your body to compensate by increasing the muscle-mass. From there you can either chose to focus on programs and lifts that favor strength, size (body building) or explosive power (olympic lifts).

For additional motivation and inspiration, consider joining a community like Fitocracy, where you can track your progress and exchange notes with fellow lifters.

Answer 2 (score 4)

Eat more (healthily – lean meat and vegetables). Then do multi-joint barbell exercises such as squat, deadlift and overhead press. To learn how to perform these exercises with good form, join a gym and take lessons, or at least read Mark Rippetoe’s book Starting Strength. Then follow a program like StrongLifts 5x5, which is simple to learn and follow.

Multi-joint exercises are good because they engage the big muscles and they engage many muscles. Performed with proper form, plenty of rest and under increasing load, this stimulates your body to compensate by increasing the muscle-mass. From there you can either chose to focus on programs and lifts that favor strength, size (body building) or explosive power (olympic lifts).

For additional motivation and inspiration, consider joining a community like Fitocracy, where you can track your progress and exchange notes with fellow lifters.

Answer 3 (score 1)

Don’t think you have to gain lots of weight to “look less skinny”. While there’s nothing wrong with building muscle and bulking up, joining a gym and lifting weights is something you have to commit to for long-term, otherwise (as in if you start and build some muscle mass, then stop) the muscles you grow will go slack and you won’t look a lot better than you do know. You don’t have to put on lots of weight or grow big muscles to look better. Getting fit in general and toning up will improve your appearance (and make you feel a lot better).

An alternative would be calisthenics (such as pushups, crunches, free squats, etc) and other exercises you can do anywhere with minimal equipment. I wrestled and ran the 400m dash in high school, in addition to doing farm and construction work during the summer, but when I went to Basic Training for the Army, I actually got a little thicker in the shoulders just from all the different kinds of pushups we did, and from the drill sergeants’ best friend, the Overhead Arm Clap (looks just like it sounds).

So I’d suggest 3 or 4 variations of pushups for your chest and shoulders, some crunches, planks and leg lifts for your core strength, free squats for your legs, and running/cycling for aerobic fitness. These can be done in about 20-30 minutes per day. I’d personally recommend the 100 pushup challenge, the 200 sit-ups challenge (I just do crunches), and something like Couch-to-5k (never tried but have heard good things about it) to begin with.

Any form of exercise needs to be committed to and continued long term to be of worth; calisthenics and running just require less equipment and expense.

On a side note, you also don’t have to grow lots of muscle mass to be strong. The guy in our platoon that hit me the hardest of anyone else in pugil sticks was skinny as a rail.

Edit: Me in high school vs. me now The major difference (besides 15 years): not being able to spend 4-6 hours every day working out.

Question

I recently had surgery and have been asked to avoid exercise for atleast 4 weeks. Before surgery I was doing moderate weight lifting and cardio several times a week and consuming 200 grams of protein a day mainly from eggs and shakes. I am still taking the same amount of protein daily but was wondering if it’s going to waste now that I am not exercising at all.

So if one doesn’t work out what happens with the protein? Does the body use just a smaller amount and expell the rest as waste or does it get stored at fat, etc.?

My weight is 180lbs and height is 5.8’

Answer accepted (score 12)

Define waste.

You may or may not gain weight, but there are other considerations at play. Excessive caloric intake will probably cause you to gain weight, plus there are other metabolic considerations from the reduction in exercise that may have an affect as well.

When you have an excessive amount of protein intake, then you start placing a larger burden on the liver (deamination of the proteins) and the kidneys (excretion of the excess ammonia converted to urea), as well as being converted to glucose and ketones in the body.

It can have an affect on blood acidity, which in turn can cause calcium loss as the body tries to normalize blood pH.

If you can’t exercise for a period of time, I would reduce all your macro-nutrients in proportion, then resume your regular diet when you can get back to full activity. There have been a few questions on the site on how to start back after a period off, as your strength and conditioning will fade a bit.

While it is a very general rule of thumb, personal observation and kinesiology classes that I’ve taken suggest that most people are ok with up to 7 days being off and having minimal losses. After that, it will take two days to gain back for every day you were off. Some people have greater losses, some have less, it all depends on your body.

Answer 2 (score 3)

Basically, all things being equal, your body will convert the excess protein into fat, which will be stored in the body.

I would recommend that you reduce your intake while your not exercising to prevent weight gain. Protein is a good, but have less.

Question

How can I build/improve my cardio as quickly and efficiently as possible? I am not interested in weight loss or burning calories, just in allowing me to run for longer amounts of time without taking a break.

I have a treadmill available for this effort.

Edit: I am not training for any particular sport or event, I just want the best results. I would classify my fitness level at “moderate” - I’m not overweight and have lifted weights on and off for 10 years.

A more direct question is: in 20 minutes on a treadmill, is it more effective to jog for 19 minutes, run for 15 minutes or sprint for 10 (where the off-time is spent walking/recovering)?

Answer accepted (score 7)

I would highly recommend looking into Tabata/Interval training to build your cardio quickly (What is tabata? How effective is it?). If there’s a reason for you to build it (are you competing in some sport activity), then I would incorporate that specific activity into the training - in other words, don’t run on a treadmill if you’re looking to improve your swimming.

Answer 2 (score 6)

I have your answer!

Use the amazing new science of exercising in a specific heartrate zone - neither more nor less - for specific results.

For example, http://www.thewalkingsite.com/thr.html

First calculate your MHR (max heart rate) as described.

Next, buy the cheapest heartrate monitor you can buy - order it now. (They only cost a few dollars. They are all exactly the same, so it is utterly pointless buying an expensive one.)

Next, you should exercise at 70% of your MHR. Allow plus or minus say 3 or 4 each way. (So for me, it’s 120. So, I have to keep it between 116 and 124, for example.)

Next, get yourself up to one hour a day but only at exactly that 70% heartrate - no faster (or slower) heartrate.

You will find your improvement is incredibly fast.

At first I was only able to jog 30 minutes a day AND I had to break that up in to three groups of ten with a rest between. Again, very strictly keeping to my 70% rate at all times. (Do not do less than 10 minutes “sections” - force yourself to keep it up for 10 mins.)

Now as little as an incredible two months later, I can very easily jog/run at that 70% level, for two HOURS with no problem, at any time, almost any day. (I run for an hour basically everyday currently.) Plus I’m an old fart. If you carefully and aggressively stick to the 70% level (resist the temptation to go harder) your improvement will be astounding. And you must do at least 30 minutes a day, starting today.

Tip: if presently you find it hard to reach that 70% heartrate, while jogging: try this: find a hill and just “walk quickly” up the hill. (If it’s a steep hill, just climb slowly up the hill.) Watch your heartrate monitor carefully and get your heartrate at exactly that magic 70% level. Of course you could I guess use any of the popular machines, treadmills, etc.

I only learned about this 70% business here on this web site, with thanks to BackInShapeBuddy and the rest. So I hope it helps other readers.

Further thinking: your diet has to be critical. Have you read Protein Power Lifeplan by the Drs Eades. It could change your life - of course, every diet science has people who do and don’t “believe” in it. However it’s dead easy to try or say 3 weeks, and the change in your running energy for very many people is astounding. It’s by no means a “painful” dietary regime, you eat as much as you can stuff in your face, so it’s painless to try and if it works for you, you have a new lease on life.

Answer 3 (score 2)

So more oxidative enzymes means you have a higher capacity for going longer and harder.

And it turns out that an initial study (16) on the effect of HIIT training on oxidative enzymes demonstrated massive increases in skeletal muscle oxidative enzymes in subjects engaging in 7 weeks of intense cycling sprints, in which subjects performed four to ten 30-second maximal cycling sprints followed by 4-minute recovery intervals, on just three days per week.

But what about HIIT vs. aerobic cardio?

Another 6-week training study (5) compared the increase in oxidative enzymes that resulted from either:

1) four to six 30-second maximal effort cycling sprints, followed by 4.5-minute recovery bouts and performed 3 days per week (this is classic HIIT training)…

or…

2) 40–60 minutes of steady cycling at 65% VO2 max (an easy aerobic intensity) 5 days per week.

The levels of oxidative enzymes in the mitochondria among subjects who performed the HIIT program were significantly higher – even though these folks were training at just a fraction of the volume of the aerobic group.

How could this favorable endurance adaptation happen with such short exercise periods?

It turns out that the increased mitochondrial density and oxidative enzyme activity from HIIT is caused by a completely different message-signaling pathways than traditional endurance training.

In this alternative pathway, a “master switch” is activated that promotes the favorable endurance adaption. This master switch is known as PGC-1α (pronounce this as “pee-gee-see-one-alpha” if you want to impress your friends), which stands for “peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-g coactivator-1α”. PGC-1α causes that favorable increase in mitochodnrial density and oxidative enzyme activity, but can be activated by two completely separate signaling pathways – the calcium–calmodulin kinase (CaMK) pathway or the adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) pathway (15).

Continuous, voluminous endurance training seems to activate the master PGC-1α switch via the former pathway, while intense interval training activates it via the latter pathway

Source

Question

At the Gym I use an abdominal machine to do stomach crunches and over time I’ve increased the weight and made steady progress. However I have just started a Taekwondo class and as part of the warm-up we have to do sit-ups, I cannot even do a single sit-up without someone holding my feet. I can lift my upper back of the floor but not the bottom half of my back. For what it’s worth, in case there is a genetic component, neither can my son.

I can do the other exercises including press-ups, I’m surprised I cannot do them at all since I have made progress on the abdominal machine. Will doing them with my feet held strengthen the correct muscles so that over time I can do them unaided, or is there a particular muscle/mechanical issue that will continue to prevent me doing them unaided?

Answer accepted (score 7)

The problem is not that your core muscles are not strong enough to lift your chest up. It looks like you are facing another (bigger problem) : physics.

Actually, it is not weird not to be able to do what you are trying to do. In the position that you are in (supposedly with your feet close to your butt), your center of gravity is located above the waist. So whenever you try to lift up your chest, you will simply more or less roll on your back.

Two ways of solving this :

• Stick you feet under something heavy (furniture, children, wife, whatever is available)

• Simply lift your feet like this

Actually, what you are currently doing will mostly target your upper abs. So you don’t need to go all the way.

Answer 2 (score 2)

It is possible that you’re using your leg muscles to push yourself up in the sit-ups. I know I had that problem at one point. If you’re feeling tension in your legs while doing the sit-ups, there’s a decent change you’re engaging the legs. If so, doing them with your feet held will have more limited use since you’re diluting your effort with your legs. That said, they’re generally still of some use since you have to use your stomach some.

The two ways in which I trained myself into it was a) tapering off the amount of weight on my feet by putting them under progressively smaller chairs (I know… it sounds silly, but it worked by providing me some support, but giving me a warning sign that I was using my legs whenever the chair started tipping up) and b) doing negatives, starting up in the completed position, feet on the floor and unsupported, and trying to lower myself as slowly as possible. Eventually, I got the hang of it.

Answer 3 (score 1)

It is because when you’ve used the machine at the gym you haven’t had to activate the hip flexors, that is the muscle group connecting your legs to pelvis and abdomen. These are activated when you do a classic crunch on the ground and move your upper body all the way up towards your knees.

Really the only way to do crunches without anchoring your feet is to at your own pace try to mentally focus on activating your core and keep your feet down while doing your crunches. Don’t anchor your feet under something else like someone suggested, that way the hip flexors are over exaggerated and a resistance is created from where they can pull, and they’re not tensed and released for every crunch which is what you want if you want to strengthen them.

There is no advice that will work instantly just because you “do the crunch right”, you have to be patient. Over time you will have to strengthen those muscles and you will be able to do crunches without anchoring your feet.

Good luck!

Question

I don’t seem to get sore knees unless i stand still for extended periods of time.

My knees are fine when I skateboard or do exercise though so it made me curious.

EDIT: I skateboard for more than 4 hours and am fine afterwords. I only get the pain when I stand still in one spot. For example, if I stand at the computer for 4 hours in the same position then my knees will be sore.

Answer accepted (score 5)

It could be that you’re standing with bad posture. That is, if you’re standing for long periods of time, you may become tired and let your weight sag inward on your knees. When you’re exercising, you’re obviously moving around so the weight isn’t constantly on your knees. Even if you do certain exercises that put pressure on them (like running), you’re still shifting your weight while you move.

If you are standing with bad posture, and you are constantly supporting your weight with your knees rather than with your leg muscles, you might be damaging the cartilage. Check out this article for details on how to correct that problem.

Answer 2 (score 1)

patellofemoral syndrome is probably what you have! I had the same problem; not being able to sit/stand/kneel for long periods of time (5-10 minsutes tops) without my joints in my knees hurting.

Question

I want to lose weight. Currently my weight is 90 kg. According to my height 5’11" (1.80 m), I should be on 75 kg which I was 2 years before l came to UAE from Pakistan. I have gained weight very quickly in the span of one year and my waist reached 38. I want to go back on my previous size 34.

Today I am going to start running for weight loss, kindly advise me about diet plan which I need to follow strictly.

Answer accepted (score 1)

Eat a balanced diet, avoid high fat, high sugar food. Dont go near chips (cold) or fries (hot), eat fruit between meals, and eat plenty of salad.

Have a sip of water between each mouth full of food.

Do about 30 min of exercise (quick walking or easy cycling) every day, try standing up and walk around every 10 to 15 min if you work at a desk during the day.

Loosing 500g a week is easier to achieve and keep achieving than trying to loose lots of weight quickly.

Answer 2 (score 0)

1. Avoid Light-products. They have sweeteners in them that influence your insulin levels and it has a negative effect on your metabolism.
2. Eat enough Protiëns (especially after sports and for breakfast).
3. Avoid Cola, Chocolate and Chips.
4. Don’t sport too much, like an idiot. It leads to overeating. Sport on a normal basis.
5. Drink water or red wine. Don’t drink calories (white wine, beer, light drinks, soda drinks)

These tips are from the 4-Hour Body a book by Timothy Ferriss. In the book are more tips. For me they worked well.

Answer 3 (score 0)

1. Avoid Light-products. They have sweeteners in them that influence your insulin levels and it has a negative effect on your metabolism.
2. Eat enough Protiëns (especially after sports and for breakfast).
3. Avoid Cola, Chocolate and Chips.
4. Don’t sport too much, like an idiot. It leads to overeating. Sport on a normal basis.
5. Drink water or red wine. Don’t drink calories (white wine, beer, light drinks, soda drinks)

These tips are from the 4-Hour Body a book by Timothy Ferriss. In the book are more tips. For me they worked well.

Question

I’ve been attempting to do a high-protein calorie-restricted diet, while working out with the Stronglifts 5x5 program since early February. My follow-through for the Stronglifts part has been “decent”. I’ve missed about a third of the workouts in total, but have managed to work out 2+ times per week on average. Yesterday I squatted 192 lbs.

I’ve been somewhat less successful with my diet. On average, I’m still eating more calories than I burn, I think. During the last 4 months my weight has increased from about 208 lbs to 216 lbs.

I’m wondering though - how much of that 8 lbs increase might be fat, and how much might be muscle? I’d imagine I must have put some muscle on because of my strength increases, but it’s also easy to imagine that I’ve put on fat, because I haven’t been sticking to my diet. Looking at pictures of me from a few months ago, I feel that maybe I look slimmer…perhaps? It’s hard to be sure. Other people don’t seem to notice a difference. My clothes feel a bit tighter, but I think that maybe adding muscle mass might lead to tighter-fitting clothes too.

In short - how do I know if small weight gains are muscle gains or fat gains?

Answer accepted (score 17)

The most tried and true method of determining if you are gaining fat or muscle is to measure yourself. Even if you don’t have a caliper, you can get a flexible measuring tape anywhere they sell sewing supplies. With one of those, measure the following:

• Waist (at navel)
• Hips (at largest point)
• Chest (at largest point)
• Biceps (at middle)
• Thigh (for women) or neck (for men) (at middle of muscle)

In general, when you are gaining muscle and losing fat, you should see:

• waist getting smaller
• neck/chest/bicep getting larger (might shrink first while you are getting rid of excess fat)

The biggest indicator will be where you collect the most fat. Men tend to collect in their abdomen while women tend to collect in their hips and thighs. That varies based on body type and genetic factors. Botttom line is that you know where that area is.

If the problem area is getting larger you are gaining more fat than muscle. If the problem area is getting smaller, you are gaining more muscle than fat.

As to absolute values, all methods save one or two performed at doctors offices provide estimations based on different factors. The calipers are fairly accurate, if the person doing the measurements is consistent. Even if the absolute value is a bit off, the fact that it is consistent means you can adjust the number as needed. The electro-resistance methods are very dependent on your hydration, distribution of fat, time of day, water retention, etc. There are a couple methods that measure based on your density (i.e. water or air displacement).

Nothing is as easy as checking the tape measure. You may not be able to get a reliable body fat number, but you will be able to tell which direction you are going. I recommend checking about once a month. If you have to do it more often I recommend not measuring more frequently than once a week.

Personally, I have gained about 4 lbs since I initially lost weight, but have gone down a pant size in the process. That tells me I’ve reduced by body fat–I don’t know exactly by how much, but it is down.

Answer 2 (score 1)

Usually when you put on weight, if you’re exercising - particularly lifting - and eating a balanced diet (maybe even restricting your carb intake and increasing your protein and healthy fats) you’ll get a ratio of 1lb = 70% muscle and 30% fat. After reaching your goal of say 10lbs bulk, 7 lbs will be muscle and 3 lbs will be fat. At that point, you want to cut your calorie intake by 750 untill you lose the 3 lbs.

Answer 3 (score 0)

At most gyms they can measure your body fat percentage for you using the 7-Site skin fold test. Have them do a measurement ones every four to 6 weeks to keep track of your progress. Likely you are gaining both muscle mass and fat mass, but unlike other suggested, the fat ‘mass’ isn’t really that important, its the fat ‘percentage’ that counts. If you weigh 100kg at 35% and you gain 5kg of muscle and 2 kg of fat, than you haven’t gotten 2kg fatter, you’d have gotten 0.4% leaner.

Question

I’ve had plantar fasciitis for awhile now. I’m seeing my doc, I wear orthotics and I stretch in the mornings. I do personal training, 2-3 times a week, too. But I really need to start doing more cardio, but it’s hard since I have Plantar fasciitis. I’m not a good swimmer, and I don’t think I will ever be able to run, but my lack of cardio fitness is hampering my personal training (I become winded easily). Does anyone have any ideas for good cardio workouts that aren’t so hard on the feet?

Answer accepted (score 5)

Ironically, no pain, no gain. So any workout you’re bad at generally becomes a great cardio workout. As Carl Foster, a professor from the university of Wisconsin, once said during a presentation:

When you want to work out, don’t go cycling on this:

Instead use this:

The point is, working out isn’t about how fast your bike goes. Its about how fast your heart is racing and your lungs are ventilating. So when you say you’re a poor swimmer, it might actually be a decent workout, since its guaranteed to cost you a lot of energy.

As for a good workout for plantar fasciitis, you could try cycling as this is said to be a great rehabilitation exercise when you have a plantar fasciitis. Other alternatives would be going to the gym or something like rowing.

Just a small note: I do find it strange your plantar fasciitis keeps recurring, even when walking normally. Besides if the orthotics don’t take away the problem, don’t forget to go see the specialist again, because it might not be working the right way.

Answer 2 (score 2)

I found that i needed to rest (take a break from running) for much longer than i wanted. I would quit for about a week or two and the pain went away so i started running again. Days later, it was back. So….give yourself a good long break for the tendon to completely heal. Then, after a few months, slowly start back. Also, stretching and good shoes are essential. I was pain free for years and then did some sprinting in bad shoes and was lazy about stretching and now I’m back to square one. I’ve also had good luck with ice and orthodics.

Answer 3 (score 2)

I found that i needed to rest (take a break from running) for much longer than i wanted. I would quit for about a week or two and the pain went away so i started running again. Days later, it was back. So….give yourself a good long break for the tendon to completely heal. Then, after a few months, slowly start back. Also, stretching and good shoes are essential. I was pain free for years and then did some sprinting in bad shoes and was lazy about stretching and now I’m back to square one. I’ve also had good luck with ice and orthodics.

Question

As the questions says, I was wondering as I want to prepare a whey shake (with milk) and take it with me to drink later. Does it lose effectiveness and it is important to drink it right after mixing it or does it not matter?

Answer accepted (score 8)

For the most part this is speculation based on what I learned as from my college bio classes (which I took recently as a I just graduate as a bioengineer).

Obviously, there are circumstances in which mixing your protein into a shake may cause it to lose effectiveness. For instance, a shake with high bacterial content, such as if you put yogurt or something in it, might cause more rapid protein breakdown. Also, the presence of protein digesting enzymes in your shake would cause it to lose some potencty. How these enzymes would get into your shake, I’m not sure, but they could be present in something you else you mix into your shake. Also, keep in mind that protein powder is already in state where it is quick to degrade. So the degradation time of the protein in the shake is much lower than that of other protein sources.

Accourding to this, the half-life of whey is 3-4 hours after intake and casien is 6-8 hours. So depending on what type of protein you are using, half of it has degraded in 3-4 hours or 6-8 hours WHEN IT IS IN A DIGESTIVE ENVIRONMENT. I don’t know what the half life of your shake would be, but I imagine it would be a lot more than this.

So the protein will definitely degrade, but to what extent, depends on what is in your shake. So avoid the preceding things that could cause loss of potency.

That being said, I think that you won’t lose a lot of potency if you mix in the powder and keep it in the fridge for a few hours. Think of premade shakes… how long do those sit on grocery store shelves? And they are still “effective” are they not?

Answer 2 (score 5)

Years later but for anyone who reads this.

Moesef’s answer is half correct but completely misleading. Why would the breakdown of protein reduce it’s effectiveness? You can buy them pre mixed off the shelf, they’ve been sitting there way longer than a few hours. Any breakdown of the protein will just turn them into amino acids, and like moesef said that isn’t gonna happen much if at all because the enzymes aren’t there for that. So if there’s a tiny bit of protein breakdown it isn’t a problem at all.

Milk going off is a separate issue, and if you’re worried about it then just get some uht milk and bring the whey in a separate bottle unmixed, mix just before use.

Answer 3 (score 0)

While there may be some slight degradation of the protein molecules I wouldn’t expect enough to worry about.

The biggest risk is that the mix will go off. What’s food for you is also food for bacteria and fungi. I would recommend keeping it in the fridge or somewhere cold before you drink.

Basically, a whey protein shake is just milk with extra bits of milk added to it so store it as you would milk.

Question

I joined a gym 2 months ago, and have exercised almost daily.

In the first 2-3 weeks I went to the gym almost daily exercising for about 45 mins (treadmill, weights etc) but I realised this was not sustainable because I was really exhausted. Also the treadmill hurts my knees. So now I’m working out at the gym 6 times a week with one rest day. However, I am not sure if this is the best way to work out, because after about 2 months, I only lost 4 kg. My target is to lose 10kg.

Typically, my gym session is 15 mins on the Crossover machine (http://www.technogym.com/gb/products/cardiovascular-training/ellipticals/excite-+/crossover/3765) on the level 5-6 difficulty (out of 25). This is what I think is the “medium” intensity as I sweat quite a lot. Then after that I either do 20 minutes of weights or 15 minutes on the rowing machine (for 2km).

Is this the right approach to lose weight? Should I do more or less cardio / weight lifting? Also, would increasing the workouts to twice a day be better? (30 minutes for each?) I’m female, in my 20s. Any tips on how to structure my workouts?

Answer accepted (score 23)

The goal here is not weight loss. You can lose weight by chopping an arm off or donating a kidney. What you want is to be healthier, look better, and lose fat. The term for this is body recomposition, that is, changing out body to be composed of more muscle and less fat.

You can’t out-gym a bad diet

“You can’t outrun a bad diet”, the old saying goes, which means that almost no amount of exercise can help someone who eats lots of bad food. As Dr. Yoni Freedhoff puts it:

Exercise is the world’s best drug - it’s just not a weight loss drug.

That said, some few people find success from a total lifestyle change that includes exercise–usually lots of exercise–plus a total change in diet. The specifics on the exercise side don’t seem to matter a whole lot: some people just run, some people just lift weights, some people run and lift. Consistency over time on the exercise is the important part, but again, pinning your hopes on workouts getting rid of body fat is going to be disappointing.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hit the gym, it just means that the gym isn’t what’s going to cause tremendous fat loss. It can still help you with body recomposition and a whole lot more:

My exercise mantra remains the same. Some is good. More is better. Everything counts. And the good news too is that lesser amounts of exercise, while unlikely to have a dramatic impact upon your weight, may well have a dramatic impact upon your health, mood, sleep, and quality of life, all the while preserving your functional independence as you age.

Diet first

The most important exercise for losing fat is to make sure your diet is in order. Most everyone can agree on the fundamentals: minimize or eliminate soda, sugary processed snacks and desserts, highly processed breaded and fried fast food, and so on. Consider that some specific food groups–such as dairy, bread, or carbs–give some people more digestive trouble than others. Pay attention to your body when you eat specific foods and test to see whether you do better trading one food group for another.

Don’t starve yourself and don’t restrict any macronutrient unless you’re sure you know what you’re doing. Your body needs protein, and fat, and if you’re working out it definitely needs carbohydrate. Eat quality foods, lots of vegetables, lots of protein, no junk.

Rest

You’ll also want to make sure to get plenty of sleep and have a manageable amount of stress. Losing fat is a lot harder when you’re stressed or underslept. Getting enough sleep helps with recovery, and goes a long way to preparing a person for more frequent exercise.

Exercise for body recomposition

So, we know that exercise isn’t a weight loss drug, but that it can help build muscle and help us feel better and be able to do more things. How should we then work out?

• Strength train at least a little bit, to increase your metabolism and make you more capable of harder conditioning workouts. Once a week is fine, though two or three will work too. Barbells, kettlebells, and dumbbells are all fine. Start light but focus on adding weight as frequently as you can. Squats, deadlifts, bench and overhead presses, push-ups, body rows, dumbbell/barbell/kettlebell rows, Turkish get-ups, and lunges are all fine exercises.
• At the end of those workouts, or as a separate workouts, do high-intensity conditioning to get in a lot of work. Five to twenty minutes of hard conditioning, two to four times a week is reasonable. This could mean sprints, kettlebell swings, dumbbell clean-and-jerks, burpees, bodyweight intervals, or a whole host of other exercises. CrossFit workouts are usually designed with this model, as are the conditioning portion of the Max Effort Black Box program. The point is to stay at a high intensity for a relatively short period of time, which will burn plenty of calories. Your workout can be something like “as many reps as possible in five minutes”, or “sprint for one minute, then walk for three, then repeat five times”, or “five squats with the dumbbell, then five presses, then run across the room, do ten push-ups, bear-crawl back, and repeat the whole thing as many times as I can in twenty minutes”.
• If you still have energy after that, one or two medium-to-long sessions of running, swimming, or biking are fine. They go in a separate workout. They are less efficient per minute than high-intensity conditioning, but are a straightforward way to get a large volume of work into your weekly schedule.

This will take a tremendous amount of work, but will make you more able to do things.

Answer 2 (score 2)

Lightbulb,

Moses already mentioned about dieting, and Moses is right. I don’t know much about your diet, but I can tell you that the truth about sustainable weight loss has a lot to do with proper eating and little to do with exercising. This works for all normal individuals (no hormonal imbalances).

With this being said, I don’t think you should worry about whether you should lift weights or doing cardio to lose weight. The truth is that if you decide to lift weights, and you burn more calories then you consume, and if you continue to do so, then you will lose weight. You may even get more toned and more muscle definition. Look at the women gymnasts and cheerleaders. They use their own bodyweight as resistance.

On the other end, if you run 2 hours per day, but you consume more calories than you burn, then you will gain weight. This is true with many people in the gym on the treadmills and the ellipticals. It’s really all about calories in and calories out.

It sounds like you are working out at a moderate intensity (sweat a lot), so I won’t change much. Just make sure your diet is good and clean. Here is what I always tell my patients and clients!

Tips and tricks for successful and sustainable weight loss:

Eat healthier foods throughout the day to include meals and snacks. Try to eat every 2-3 hours (including snacks) to keep your metabolism running high, thus resulting in burning more calories.

Consume the least amount of sugar as possible. Foods like milk, juices, sodas and sweet snacks have lots of sugar, which will slow down your metabolism, thus will not be effective for burning calories. Be sure to read the label before purchasing or consuming.

Drink plenty of water so that you will feel full throughout the day (12-16 glasses per day). If you do eat late (after 7 PM), try to eat good calories like vegetables and lean proteins. If not, make sure to exercise extra to burn those calories the same night.

Yes! Exercise, but try resistance training. You do not have to use actual weights, but rather mostly your body weight to get results (look at the gymnasts). Plus, resistance training has been shown to boost your metabolism. Remember the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn throughout the day.

If you start a habit by eating healthier, most likely you will sustain the results because it is so natural to eat, and not so natural to exercise and sweat.

I hope this has been helpful!

Answer 3 (score 2)

Lightbulb,

Moses already mentioned about dieting, and Moses is right. I don’t know much about your diet, but I can tell you that the truth about sustainable weight loss has a lot to do with proper eating and little to do with exercising. This works for all normal individuals (no hormonal imbalances).

With this being said, I don’t think you should worry about whether you should lift weights or doing cardio to lose weight. The truth is that if you decide to lift weights, and you burn more calories then you consume, and if you continue to do so, then you will lose weight. You may even get more toned and more muscle definition. Look at the women gymnasts and cheerleaders. They use their own bodyweight as resistance.

On the other end, if you run 2 hours per day, but you consume more calories than you burn, then you will gain weight. This is true with many people in the gym on the treadmills and the ellipticals. It’s really all about calories in and calories out.

It sounds like you are working out at a moderate intensity (sweat a lot), so I won’t change much. Just make sure your diet is good and clean. Here is what I always tell my patients and clients!

Tips and tricks for successful and sustainable weight loss:

Eat healthier foods throughout the day to include meals and snacks. Try to eat every 2-3 hours (including snacks) to keep your metabolism running high, thus resulting in burning more calories.

Consume the least amount of sugar as possible. Foods like milk, juices, sodas and sweet snacks have lots of sugar, which will slow down your metabolism, thus will not be effective for burning calories. Be sure to read the label before purchasing or consuming.

Drink plenty of water so that you will feel full throughout the day (12-16 glasses per day). If you do eat late (after 7 PM), try to eat good calories like vegetables and lean proteins. If not, make sure to exercise extra to burn those calories the same night.

Yes! Exercise, but try resistance training. You do not have to use actual weights, but rather mostly your body weight to get results (look at the gymnasts). Plus, resistance training has been shown to boost your metabolism. Remember the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn throughout the day.

If you start a habit by eating healthier, most likely you will sustain the results because it is so natural to eat, and not so natural to exercise and sweat.

I hope this has been helpful!

Question

When I weight myself often, I realize that I fluctuate a couple pounds here and there. I can never seem to get an accurate reading that I can compare to another.

Is there a time of day which you are at your “most real” weight? Would you suggest I simply weight myself around the same time each day (morning or right before bed?).

Answer accepted (score 21)

If you weigh yourself after relieving your bowels, your weight will be slightly more accurate as far as what YOU weigh, without as much of what you ate. Weighing yourself at the same time every day is probably best. During a typical day, most people follow a pretty well set routine. We eat at about the same time every day, drink about the same amount of liquids at about the same times. So, as long as you’re weighing in at about the same time every day, fluctuations in your weight will be more accurately depicted.

My personal preference is to weigh myself at night before going to bed, but many people prefer to weight themselves in the morning. In my personal experience (having weighed myself at night and then the following morning) the difference in weight between night and 8 hours of sleep and a bathroom break later is rarely more than a pound.

Additionally, your weight fluctuates up to around 5 pounds a day anyway, due to all kinds of reasons. A person should only consider their weight over a longer period of time, such as a week or even a month to make a truthful analysis of whether they are losing or gaining weight.

Answer 2 (score 9)

Consistency, consistency, consistency. It probably doesn’t matter what time of day you weigh yourself as long as you weigh yourself the same time every day to track progress. You may find that you weigh the least first thing in the morning after relieving yourself. But, to get an accurate trend, over time, make sure to weigh yourself the same time every day.

Answer 3 (score 1)

I weigh myself once a week, first thing Sunday morning after I wake up and urinate. I don’t drink anything until after I have weighed myself. Then I enter the weight.

For me, weighing myself helps me to avoid eating too little, which I’ve tended to do to “make sure” I was losing weight when I avoided the scale in the past. So avoiding the scale is counterproductive for me. Weighing once a week immediately after I get up and go to the bathroom keeps me sane and helps me to monitor the effect of my eating habits.

Question

I’ve got the Vibram KSO currently and it works great, especially for trail running. However, running on cement starts to hurt after a while.

I’m thinking of getting a different kind, but there are several types that look like they could be candidates such as:

• the Bikila

• the KSO Trek

Has anyone had any experience with these? How do I pick the right model?

Answer accepted (score 7)

I don’t know Ivo or Greg but they are so far off base that I would ignore them. Vibram Five fingers are made to run on ANY surface. It has nothing to do with running style, cement, etc.

It forces you to change the way you run to a more natural manner. If you are a heel striker…you will soon quit that. The Bikala is just fine for distance running. Some folks can’t adjust to running barefoot. However, a pediatrist friend of mine who runs in half and full marathons cut a section of Dr. Scholls gel pad and glued it in the shoe for the forefoot when he developed a blister and swears by it. Once your feet toughen up, the cement won’t be an issue.

It took me about a month. I’m a Clydsdale distance runner and wouldn’t switch to a regular shoe for anything.

Answer 2 (score 4)

I know guys using the Bikala for marathons. I use Sprints for training which sometimes means running on cement. I feel they are fine if you change your running style. I’ve switched to running Pose (as best as I can) because of other knee issues, and since there are no hard impacts the lack of any support is not an issue.

I don’t think you would get very far heel striking in Five Fingers though.

Answer 3 (score 3)

In my opinion 100% barefoot is still the way to go. It’s the most natural way as well. The only good reason to run with Vibrams is temperature. Running 100% barefoot is better for your running posture. You start using your hips to absorbe shoques. This implicates that you will not constantely burden your achilles tendon by running on your front foot like you do when you weir the Vibrams or any other minimalistic shoe. The Idea is good but the protection from the rubber sole makes your foot unroll different and that influences your running posture.

I use the Vibrams too. A lot. But I try not to run with them and go as much 100% barefoot as I can. I use the Vibram mostely during PT sessions. If I had to choose from the ones you showed I would take the Bikila’s.

Question

I recently saw a question here about using compression clothing while exercising. I do not have any compression clothing. But if it they are a valid exercise tool to enhance a workout I would like to know so I can consider buying one or not. And if it is just hype then I would like to know so I do not waste time thinking about it.

What are the pros and cons of using compression garments while exercising? And if one is used on the belly should exercises like crunches be avoided?

Answer accepted (score 15)

Typical compression clothing, in my experience, won’t give you much direct performance benefit (running faster, lifting heavier etc).

The reason I wear compression shirts/shorts are mainly for comfort and temperature control. If it’s really cold out, compression heat clothes can help you stay warm and limber. And if it’s really hot, long-sleeve compression cold gear actually helps your sweat evaporate, cooling you off (remember to drink a lot of water in this case).

Also, compression shorts are nice and tight, meaning they won’t ride up and cause chafing on runs or long bike rides.

It also just kind of feels cool to wear them, you feel a bit like a pro athlete wearing super cool gear :)

Basically, unless you’re going to be playing in extreme weather, or if you have some underwear problems, I would say compression clothes are unnecessary.

Answer 2 (score 4)

I believe that compression clothing does serve a purpose, especially over longer distances and more strenuous activities. Runners many times will wear compression calf covers or compression forearm covers. This can help to prevent swelling in the muscles, keep you cooler or warmer depending on the conditions and material, and also protects your skin from elements and environmental dangers.

The previous poster outlined some other benefits, such as keeping your manhood in place, feeling cool like an athlete, and the benefits of high tech sweat removal. These are all secondary to the true benefit which is the prevention of swelling. Talk to any serious distance runner- ultra marathoner would be a good place to start, and they can immediately describe the benefits that I’ve outlined to you.

As far as in your specific situation, unless you are turning into a more rigorous athlete, it doesn’t sound like you should need these. The benefits, while meaningful, are very minor for most us

Answer 3 (score 2)

The noted recovery benefits are said to stem from the fact that the compression prevents an additional load on the muscles comming from vibrations and inertial movements, e.g. when a foot strikes the ground during a run.

Indeed, there’s a feeling of a greater body coherence to it. Probably, it doesn’t make this difference for less dynamic sports and work-outs, where those other noted reasons would prevail.

And performance-wise: in some weight-lifting competitions, compression suits were banned. Guess why.

Question

When I was doing a 5x5 based workout a year or so ago, I had issues when trying to push the weight on the overhead press. Even though the weight felt comfortable in the sense that I could do at least 5 reps with a minimum of a few sets, twice on separate occasions I pulled a muscle in my upper-back/neck which prevented me from working out again for 2-3 days before it healed.

I switched to doing seated press and haven’t had an issue with it until recently. While doing a higher yet still comfortable weight on bench-press, I pulled the same muscle and am baffled as to how it could happen doing such an exercise.

My question is, what am I doing wrong on both exercises that could be putting so much strain in an area that isn’t a main muscle for the workout (especially in the bp case)? And what could I change in my form to help prevent this?

Form description

I had a spotter on both instances, during ohp they didn’t mention anything about my form being wrong, and I followed the head movement described for most ohp forms when lifting the weight up.

For bp, I arch my back and assume typical bp form.

Injury description:

Prevents me from turning my head left or right to the normal maximum degree without straining/pain in the pulled muscle area.

Below I’ve circled where I feel the most strain from the pull.

Answer accepted (score 7)

There can be many reasons for muscle spasms/pulls in the neck area, including (in no particular order):

• Insufficient food: the muscles lack the glycogen stores required and overcompensate
• Insufficient sleep: your nervous system is impacted when you are in a sleep deprived state, and I’ve had most of the neck spasm issues when in this state
• Bad hydration: electrolyte imbalances can cause spurious pain signals or muscle spasms to occur.
• Upper back weakness: the upper back and rear delts aren’t doing their part to contribute to the lift and so you are straining to do the lift
• Bad form: your spotters may not know what to look for or aren’t really paying attention more than to keep the bar from crushing your neck

You may even have a combination of multiple factors going on at the same time. Don’t rule out “Bad Form” unless you have a qualified coach tell you that your form is good. Someone who is spotting is just looking out for safety, not how to get more muscle into the bar.

I’m going to assume that the food, sleep, and hydration are all working good enough for the remainder of the answer, but please make sure they are not the issue.

Pressing Things Overhead

The different variations of pressing things overhead require your upper back to be engaged and transition the weight from in front of your head to directly over your shoulders. In fact, you should be able to draw a straight line from the center of the barbell, through your shoulder blades, and your mid foot. Your lower back should also be in a neutral position.

If you are not ending in this position, chances are the bar is remaining in front of you. Chances are also good that your upper back is not involved in the lift at all.

Bench Pressing Things

Refine your technique, but don’t change it completely. There is a time and place for flat back with feet on the bench, but it is to isolate the arms if they are the weakness.

Arching your back is a good thing, but do make sure of the following things:

• Your shoulders, butt and head need to be in contact with the bench (notice I did not say neck).
• The bar will vary where it hits when in the bottom position, but it should be between the nipple line and the sternum.
• The bar path should end with the bar directly over the shoulders and the shoulders remaining in contact with the bench (do not raise the shoulders). That means the bar will move a bit horizontally. It also means your upper back is involved to assist.

Recommendations

Take a little weight off the bar, and focus on the start and end positions. Also try to activate your upper back to help on these lifts.

• Start with a weight you can perform the movement slowly, and focus on staying in the strongest body position at all stages of the lift.
• Your progression will be to add more speed to the bar before adding weight. Each time you increase weight start over with a slow lift
• Perform dumbbell front raises as an assistance exercise. Start with a weight you can do 3x10 with.

Answer 2 (score 6)

This has happened to me a lot over the years. I found it was caused by tightness of the levator scapulae and middle and upper trapezius and a weak lower trapezius and serratus. All largely sorted through fixing muscular imbalances, using a mixture of self myofascial release and targeted resistance work on the weak areas. Release tension in pec major/minor, improve thoracic spine mobility and do lots of pulling variations and external rotator work. Once you’re looser in your traps and levators, overhead shrugs with a barbell can be a useful exercise. It sounds like a lot, but just doing a little bit every day goes a long, long way.

Answer 3 (score 4)

Their answers hold weight… I’ve noticed the pull or tear when the weight was a little heavy or a lot heavy. Also every time you actually move your head forward or look down to do the weight, it’s possible to strain or tear it. Keep good posture, eyes forward and head straight. Stabilize or don’t use your neck while moving the weight.

Question

Voodoo Floss is a new(?) trend in CrossFit that basically involves, if I understand it correctly, wrapping a muscle group or joint very tightly in a thing called a voodoo band while stretching or performing certain exercises to improve mobility and strength in the wrapped area.

How does this work? What is happening physiologically under a voodoo floss band?

Answer accepted (score 15)

Essentially, what’s happening is that the constriction prevents further inflammation of joints and connective tissue, as well as constricting blood flow for a bit. Once the voodoo floss (or bicycle innertube split open) is removed, the blood flows back in to the area. For joints with large amounts of connective tissue, such as elbows and knees, this allows the blood to flush away some of the excess white blood cells that are further making the inflamed area worse. Beyond this, I would have to do more research.

Used for treating tendinitis:

This doesn’t cure inflammation based injuries like tendinitis, or prevent all forms of it from ever bothering you again. However, it does provide some relief and allow you to continue training. Any time you are suffering from inflammation based problems like tendinitis or bursitis there is something you are doing that is causing the problem. Until you deal with that, you will be forced to repeat the triage over and over. For example, I found with my elbow tendinitis the major reason is that I did a lot of triceps work, but hardly anything for the biceps. I added in high rep curls to my routine, and the tendinitis went away.

There are several types of injuries, and voodoo floss as used in the video I linked to can only address inflammation. If you actually tore a ligament, sprained a joint, etc., you need to see a doctor. Usually rehab involves staying off the injured limb during the healing process, and re-initializing work with low weight high reps to strengthen the connective tissue and get blood flowing through the joint until it is completely healthy again.

Used for Mobility:

The floss isn’t going to make you stronger, but it does change the way the muscles orient themselves when you are doing some types of stretching. What that means is you can intensify the stretch using the voodoo floss. Again, when you take the floss off, you have that rush of blood into the stretched area. The best bet is the rush of blood helps recovery. For a limited time your muscles may be a little larger similar to a bodybuilder pump, but that effect is strictly due to the extra blood post mobility work.

Refuting RICE:

To deal with soft tissue inflammation issues (see tendinitis above), cryotherapy can make things worse by increasing the permeability of the lymph nodes. Essentially, the excess tissue fluids pour into the inflammed area instead of away.

Instead, the recommendation is to use compression, which can be any compression–including neoprene braces or sleeves. Instead of RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), the new recommendation (by the guy who designed the voodoo bands) is MCE:

• Move safely when you can, what you can
• Compress lymphatics and soft tissues (use bands, muscle contraction, clothing, normatec, etc)
• Elevate when you can.

Answer 2 (score 6)

What’s happening physiologically? Your muscles are constricted, and you are reducing blood flow and mobility in the wrapped area. My personal assessment is that it’s a stupid idea, and it’s another gimmick designed to fleece people of hard earned money.

Now, that being said, there are some injuries that need bracing, and there may be a case made for stabilization of a joint, but in those cases I would seek medical advice and get a production brace made specifically for the condition you are trying to correct. Simply winding a large rubber band around an area may or may not help, and may actually hinder healing and support.

Answer 3 (score 2)

There is no magic here. It is simply a neuro-physiological response. Beyond occlusion– what is happening is a forced gliding of the myofascial structures. With conventional smr and manual therapies tissue displacement compromises effectiveness; with voodoo flossing the compression forces tissue adhessions to forcefully slide against each other with minimal tissue displacement. This forced glide not only resolves myofascial dysfunction due to aberrant tissue formation,but also indirectly (or very directly depending of the therapist’s intent) acts as an effective neurodynamic tensioner technique. The increase of ROM is not only driven by inhibition of tonus, but also by increased neural drive. Functional movement assessments and HEP are key to maintaining changes.

Question

When I squat, I tend to squat very deeply. Lately I’ve been noticing that my lower back feels a bit worn out afterwards. It doesn’t hurt - I don’t feel like I’ve injured my back, but it feels like it’s getting more of a workout than perhaps I intended.

Is this indicative of poor form or is this to be expected? I think I’m able to keep a neutral back but it can be hard to tell, especially when pushing towards my limits.

I should point out that I’m still a novice and only squatting a little over 1x body weight. This is for a traditional back barbell squat.

Answer accepted (score 10)

Lower back soreness can be indicative of bad form or it can be indicative of heavy barbell squats. It’s impossible to tell which from just the information that it makes you sore.

This is because heavy squats are not a leg exercise: they are a legs, butt, lower back, and upper back exercise. The lower back is generally the point of failure in maximally loaded barbell back squats, and so often is the most sore.

Answer 2 (score 5)

As commented by others, without seeing a video of your form or knowing a bit more information it is hard to say if you are doing proper form 100%. Even then, sometimes what one person feels is proper form and causes 0 pain, someone else might have a different reaction. I find this true especially with squats.

You might want to pay attention to how straight your back is, the direction of your legs / knees, and how low you go before you might feel the discomfort.

I found an article which elaborates on this:

The simplest way to fix lower back rounding on the Squat is to push your knees out harder on the way up and down. If your knees point forward or in, your lower back will usually round. So Squat with your heels shoulder-width apart, toes out 30° and push your knees to the side as hard as you can.

Next don’t Squat lower than parallel. Many people lack the flexibility to Squat ATG (“ass-to-grass”). If you lack the flexibility to Squat all the way down, until your butt touches your ankles, your lower back will have to compensate by rounding at the bottom. This can result in lower back pain.

Read the full article here

Also give front squats a try. I wouldn’t replace regular squats with them, but alternating might give your lower back a break and let you get more insight on whether it is the muscle that isn’t adapting or your form that is causing the issue.

Answer 3 (score 2)

You should also look at doing some mobility work. There’s a “Limber 11” video by a guy called Joe DeFranco on youtube. i started doing this a few times a week and my back feels much better on leg days.

Question

My impression given what I read on the internet about it was that steroids help your body recover much faster after workout. So for the recovering to work, you still have to damage your body in the gym, right? But I heard people saying that you don’t even have to work out to get the muscles if you’re on roids. Is there any truth in that?

Answer accepted (score 8)

But I heard people saying that you don’t even have to work out to get the muscles if you’re on roids. Is there any truth in that?

Steroids don’t change the basic paradigm of muscle training. Juicing yourself to increase your hormones (effectively) will allow you to carry more muscle than your body would allow otherwise. You will recover faster as well, and can subject your body to more load allowing increased super compensation.

But you need to train, and most heavy steroid users with massive muscles spend a lot of time in the gym.

Beyond increased training capacity the other advantage is that because your recovery is so much better you can be sloppier with your program than a natural athlete. Walking the knife edge of overtraining becomes wider because you can exceed your genetic potential.

Which is all well and good except for those small problems related to your testicles shrinking, baldness, excess estrogen, illegal drug use, injections, and knowing that the only way to maintain more muscle than your genetic capacity is with the continued use of those steroids.

It’s also expensive, mood altering, and I’d be impressed if you could find a single medical professional who would tell you it’s anything other than incredibly short sighted. You’ll have your body for decades: don’t treat it like a child’s chemistry experiment.

Answer 2 (score 8)

But I heard people saying that you don’t even have to work out to get the muscles if you’re on roids. Is there any truth in that?

Steroids don’t change the basic paradigm of muscle training. Juicing yourself to increase your hormones (effectively) will allow you to carry more muscle than your body would allow otherwise. You will recover faster as well, and can subject your body to more load allowing increased super compensation.

But you need to train, and most heavy steroid users with massive muscles spend a lot of time in the gym.

Beyond increased training capacity the other advantage is that because your recovery is so much better you can be sloppier with your program than a natural athlete. Walking the knife edge of overtraining becomes wider because you can exceed your genetic potential.

Which is all well and good except for those small problems related to your testicles shrinking, baldness, excess estrogen, illegal drug use, injections, and knowing that the only way to maintain more muscle than your genetic capacity is with the continued use of those steroids.

It’s also expensive, mood altering, and I’d be impressed if you could find a single medical professional who would tell you it’s anything other than incredibly short sighted. You’ll have your body for decades: don’t treat it like a child’s chemistry experiment.

Answer 3 (score 4)

I don’t have a link because the study was about 25 years ago but Harvard Med did a test study on three groups for 4 months:

A. Steroids + 4 days working out per week (same regimen)

B. Steroids + No workout

C. Placebo + 4 days working out per week (same regimen)

After:

A. 6% gain in muscle mass

B. 4% gain in muscle mass

C. 2% gain in muscle mass

I am not sure if this is as repeatable for later cycles but obviously if people are risking their life to take something there has to be a payoff.

Question

I want to gain around 10 kg in one month, is this possible?

If so, what would be the healthiest way of doing so?

I’m 23 years old and weigh 56 kg with a height of ~6 ft.

Answer accepted (score 5)

I would not suggest gaining that much weight in one month. You are not going to build more than 1 pound of muscle in one month which means you’ll be gaining over 20 pounds in a month.

That is very unhealthy! That type of weight gain will negatively effect your hormone levels…increasing your estrogen level, lowering your testosterone, and slowing your thyroid.

It’s a really bad idea.

Answer 2 (score 2)

On many medical weight-gain programs, eating “doubles” will help weight gain. Meaning basically eating twice what you’d normally eat during a meal. Two sandwiches for lunch, etc. Also, another method to gain weight is to add in some meal replacements as snacks or as a second lunch/dinner/meal. Because the meal replacement has all the components of a meal, adding it to your diet tells your body that you’ve eaten another meal.

Answer 3 (score 2)

On many medical weight-gain programs, eating “doubles” will help weight gain. Meaning basically eating twice what you’d normally eat during a meal. Two sandwiches for lunch, etc. Also, another method to gain weight is to add in some meal replacements as snacks or as a second lunch/dinner/meal. Because the meal replacement has all the components of a meal, adding it to your diet tells your body that you’ve eaten another meal.

Question

I’m a “morbidly obese” guy who recently went from a work-from-home position to a commuting job. Part of my commute includes a half mile walk from the train station to the office building where I am employed.

I have been experiencing a burning sensation that starts at my ankles and works its way up into both lower calf muscle groups as I do this walk. At first I thought it was my body not being acclimated to the change in activity, but it’s been going on for four work-weeks of doing this walk back-and-forth, so it’s approximately a mile walk every day.

I’m curious to know if any fitness experts here have some ideas as to what the cause might be and some suggestions to prevent it.

I know I’m overweight and I probably should get some new shoes, but wondering about other potential causes and maybe some ideas as to how to prevent it through certain warm-ups (preferably able to be done on a packed subway car.)

Answer accepted (score 7)

Make sure you’re getting enough potassium. Sodium and potassium are both critical to fuel your muscles.

The typical diet is rarely deficient in sodium. But it is common to have low potassium levels. In fact, an increase in physical activity will increase your body’s demand for potassium. That could explain the prolonged soreness you’re experiencing.

Answer 2 (score 6)

Peter, there are several possible causes. Because you are morbidly obese and may have medical conditions to consider, this is something to check out with your doctor. You know that often repeated phrase, “before beginning an exercise program, check with your doctor or healthcare practitioner.” Walking one mile a day has significantly increased your exercise level. (Hopefully, your new job comes with health benefits.)

In addition to the possibilities already suggested, your condition may involve circulation, nerves or other musculoskeletal problems. Your doctor will be the best one to help you eliminate or manage the problem.

• If the problem is musculoskeletal, meaning either joint, muscle, tendon or other soft-tissue, a pair of Nordic Walking Poles may help by shifting some of your weight off of your legs onto your arms. Using the poles can be very effective for a number of reasons, but in your case, they would function in a support role. Because you would be walking in an urban setting, you would use the rubber walking tips to cover the pointed tip. If you have muscle tightness or weakness, a therapist could give you some calf stretches (gastroc and soleus) and/or some strengthening exercises such as toe raises, or whatever is appropriate for you.

• If the problem is circulatory, your doctor or therapist can give you a set of exercises for the lower leg to increase circulation such as simple feet and ankle range of motion exercises that you could do sitting in your seat. For example, point your toes up and down, or write out the alphabet in the air as if your big toe is a pen. March in place while sitting by raising one knee and then the other toward your chest as this also helps to increase circulation to the legs.

And yes, do consider a good pair of supportive shoes and maybe even support socks. Also, if possible break up your walk with short sitting rest periods and do a few ankle circles. The good thing is that you have started a walking program that can add to your health and fitness. The bad thing is that you need to take care of the burning sensation before it gets worse and inhibits your progress. Good luck.

Answer 3 (score 2)

This is likely a reaction from lack of oxygen due to shortage of breath. Your cells need oxygen and when they are starved, there is a build up of adenosine triphosphate that can cause a burning sensation. It’s not a bad thing. It essentially means your muscles want more energy and oxygen than you can produce at that time. No damage is done and you recover quickly afterwards.

Because you are obese, this isn’t likely to get better simply by repeating the process again and again. The only things that will help is feeding your body properly at breakfast, say with good amounts of protein, keep yourself hydrated ideally with an electrolyte drink at breakfast. This will help reduce, but don’t eliminate. You really need to drop some pounds to get yourself into a situation where your muscles can properly support you. Not judging, just the reality.

Question

Currently I am taking a multivitamin, fish oil, and I recently added vitamin D supplements (D3 to be specific).

My current routine is take each of the three (along with some unrelated medication in pill form) after I eat breakfast each day.

The addition of the Vitamin D supplement has led me to wonder if taking all of these at the same time of the day is the best idea, or if it would be better to take them separately. For example, my multivitamin already has 400 IU of Vitamin D in it, and then I am adding another 1000 IU in the D3 pill.

Is my body capable of ingesting this much of the vitamin (along with everything else in the multivitamin) at the same time, or will some of it be wasted and end up being excreted? Would it be better to take one at morning and one at night?

Answer accepted (score 22)

You can take all of the listed various vitamins and supplements together. If you’re only going to take them once a day, it is more beneficial to take them with your largest meal of the day, and that hopefully being dinner rather than with breakfast. (Source) (Source)

However, it is better to take smaller amounts with each meal than to take a single large dose once a day if at all possible. This way your body will maintain a more constant and stable supply of it’s needed vitamins and nutrients.

You need to remember that some vitamins are fat-soluble (dissolve in fat) and some vitamins are water-soluble (dissolve in water). If you have a low-fat meal with your multivitamins, you’re going to miss out on all the fat-soluble vitamins and only absorb the water-soluble ones. The reason you’re suggested to take your vitamins at your largest meal if you can’t take them in multiple phases is because your largest meal is the most likely to be well-rounded for more full absorption of the vitamins.

Answer 2 (score 2)

There are subtleties with different supplements. e.g. I take a lot (45 mg) of zinc daily. Taking so much zinc means I have to take copper at a different tine of day since zinc can inhibit absorption of copper. Also zinc can give a stimulant effect, so it is best not taken at night. Horses for courses.

Question

I want to lose weight.
I have signed up to DailyBurn to keep track of my weight with weekly weigh ins.

I was confused over the different diets available (Atkins and Paleo were top runners up), so have decided to start off with just trying to adopt a low-carb diet and see how it impacts my weight.

I see friends 2-3 times a week, and we commonly end up hitting some bars.
(This is fun and I would like to continue this)
I am not a fan of beer, but do like a whiskey and coke.
At the weekend, I switched to using Diet Coke/Coke Zero as it has significantly lower carbs/sugars than regular cola.

However - im sure there must be negative consequences from drinking these diet drinks?
What impact do diet drinks have on a low carb diet?

Answer accepted (score 12)

As the link you provided mentioned, diet drinks are able to remain sweet due to the artificial sweeteners. Those same artificial sweeteners are used in many diet oriented food products as well (check out Walden Farms products). That said, there are differences in how bad the different sweeteners are, or how much we know about their long term effects.

As the answer from Yahoo alluded to, aspartame is one of products we know has bad properties. The more “en vogue” sweeteners like splenda (sucralose) and stevia are “less bad” than aspartame. That doesn’t mean they are great either. I recommend looking at the Mayo Clinic article on artificial sweeteners for an overview.

That said:

• There was a study that said that diet sodas can actually make you fatter–which had to do with psychological factors. This article has an alternative view.
• You mentioned mixing alcohol with your diet soda: Alcohol will affect your diet. It’s best to lay off alcohol while losing weight.

My weight loss center was entirely against diet sodas because they made your body more acidic, and as a result more susceptible to getting sick. I’m not sure if that claim was pseudo science or not, but the Self Nutrition Data site has an inflammatory index which is measuring the same concept. According to the data there, diet coke and diet Pepsi have no impact on the inflammatory index.

Diet drinks, and most sodas, coffee, and tea contain caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic if consumed in large enough quantities. Combined with the sodium content (see next paragraph) you can be thirstier after you drink the soda than before. Many people drink diet sodas in sufficient quantity for it to become a diuretic.

The last potentially bad thing from excess diet sodas is Sodium content. Coke zero seems to have fairly low sodium (30mg / 8oz of product) versus diet coke which has (40mg / 8oz of product). That said. most people drink large amounts of this, with serving sizes ranging between 16-48oz of soda. The sodium content at that point becomes a significant amount to worry about. High sodium levels are linked to hypertension (high blood pressure) as well as water retention.

At the end of the day, Water is still the ultimate diet drink. It helps you process protein better, it won’t leave you dehydrated.

So, someone brought to my attention a study that suggests that artificial sweeteners raise blood sugar more than regular sugar (ref). The proposed mechanism has to do with the artificial sweeteners affecting the microbial gut bacteria. The article was an interesting read, but we can’t exclude the last page which talks about the criticisms of the study. The bottom line is summed up nicely in the article:

“By no means do we believe that, based on the results of this study, we are prepared to make recommendations on the use and dosage of artificial sweeteners,” Segal said.

Elinav did say, though, that their findings have spurred him to stop using artificial sweeteners in his coffee.

He doesn’t use sugar, either. “I think we must stress that by no means are we saying sugary drinks are healthy,” Elinav said. (quoted from article)

Answer 2 (score 6)

There is a lot of misinformation and fear being spread about sodas of all kinds.

Really, drinking diet soda should not have any effect on a low carb diet for most people.

• There are 0 calories diet soda.
• Diet soda is 99.8% water (Can’t link to USDA reference site due to government shutdown)

The main risks from diet soda are

• Tooth enamel decay
• Bone loss

Both of these are due to the phosphoric acid. Not drinking an excessive amount, practicing good dental hygiene and getting sufficient amounts of calcium can alleviate these risks.

There was a study done in Texas, observing people over a period of time that showed that the people who drank soda were more likely to gain weight than the people who did not. These studies were observational only, so they were unable to show cause.
WebMD has more information: Diet Sodas Cause Weight Gain? Not so Fast

Probably the thing you will hear most is health risks associated with aspartame. What essentially happened was that a study done on rats was picked up by the media and reported as aspartame causing cancer in people.

That study was later debunked, and there are no studies linking aspartame as the cause of any harmful health condition, in the amounts served with diet soda. Wikipedia has a good summary on the aspartame controversy.

In short, it’s fine to drink, especially if you live a healthy lifestyle.

Answer 3 (score 0)

Get keto sticks at any pharmacy/grocery store. Vodka and your favorite diet drink will not take you out of ketosis. Wine will take you out of ketosis. So if you want to continue to process your stored carbs( fat) Stay away from wine. Once again, get some ketosis sticks and test yourself throughout the day,perhaps your matabolism is different ( I doubt it) but you will see what effects the process, and what does not. I know I lost 70lbs on a low carb diet. Google “Carbs in wine” and google “carbs in vodka” .

Question

I’m currently working on gaining weight to my body. I just want to know, adding honey to milk will helps for gaining weight or not?

Some said, adding honey with hot milk and cold milk differs from each other and adding natural honey is differ from packaged ones.

My scenario is adding Packed honey with boiled milk. Does it helps gaining weight?

Answer accepted (score 13)

It might help you gain weight, but you would have to drink a lot of it. Not to mention that weight would probably be fat - not muscle.

That said, why Milk and Honey? Drinking 5 bottles of Coke a day will help you gain weight as well - doesn’t mean you should do it or that it’s the correct or smartest thing to do.

Why don’t eat some food - lean beef, with pasta - chicken and rice - lots of vegetables, salads, fatty fish like salmon and trout?

You’re in a position where you have the opportunity to eat lots of nutritious foods which will benefit more then you know but you’ve chosen milk and honey.

Doesn’t make sense to me. Each to their own though I guess.

Answer 2 (score 4)

You need to be careful what type of calories to take “WHEN”. Honey are sugars, fast carbs. If you use fast carb prior to your workout or during your workout, they will feed your muscles, help them to perform better and have a more effective workout that helps you gain muscle mass. If however you take any fast carbs post-workout, most of the excess carbs will help you gain the wrong kind of weight: fat.

The base rule for gaining weight in the most desirable distribution (high muscle-mass gain, low fat-mass gain) is to concentrate your carb intake into the period starting 1.5 hours prior to workout and ending half an hour prior to ending your workout. Concentrate protein intake to the few hours after your workout. Finally, concentrate fat intake in the period starting a few hours after workout and ending a few hours before the increased carb intake.

Basically you should get most of your resting calories from fat, most of your working out calories from fast carbs (lactose and honey are fine, but fructose might also be a good option) and have your protein intake set on 2g/kg body weight. Play around a bit with the amount of carb calories you take in before and during workout. You will want to have excess carbs so you can finish your workout at full throttle, but don’t overshoot by to much or you will be gaining more fat than muscles. Your proteins are for repairing and growing your muscles post-workout and during the night. Finaly given that you wnat most of your resting calories from fat, you need to make sure your insulin levels have recovered from the pre-workout carb induces sugar rush.

Answer 3 (score 1)

Will milk and honey help you gain weight? The simplest answer is no. Unless you are drinking them in large quantities frequently (which wouldn’t be healthy), you wouldn’t gain longterm weight from them.

You should drink those for their nutritious benefits and not as a weight-gaining gimmick. Lowfat milk contains protein and calcium, which can build your body and strengthen your bones. Honey is a natural sugar that has a lot of medicinal and nutritional benefits.

To gain weight, do the same thing a weight-loss person would: Eat lean protein, vegetables, and fruits. Include complex carbohydrates in your diet and some protein shakes (every now and then).

Then, lift weights.(your goal is to gain muscle weight and not fat weight, right?). There are many weightlifting programs online that you can follow (check out Starting Strength and Strong Lifts). Don’t perform much cardio as they are meant for weight-loss, not weight-gain (I would prefer you perform some cardio from time to time because they’re good for your lungs and heart).

This way, you can increase your weight without increasing your fat size; you really don’t want to gain fat weight.

Hope this helps.

Question

Given time, proper training, and the wish to succeed, would anyone be able someday to do a 180 degree split? Or are people out there that for some reason would never be able to do it, no matter how much effort they invest in it?

Answer accepted (score 9)

Tom Kurz says it’s a misconception that most people are physically incapable of training up to a full side split:

There are simple tests that show you that for the great majority of people the structure of joints and the length of ligaments are not the obstacle for doing splits. You can use these test to determine if you have the potential to do front and side splits before you start your stretching program. (Yes, there are people who cannot do side splits because of hip joint deformity called coxa vara.)

Here is the side split test: Stand beside a chair or table and put your leg on it as shown below. Make sure that both your hips and your raised leg are all in one line. Repeat this test with your other leg.

If you think that the length of your muscles and structure of your hips will not let you do side splits, try this test… The leg resting on the chair is in the position it would have in a split

Now, what have you done? You have done “half side splits” with both your legs!

You have proved to yourself that both your hip joints have all the mobility (range of motion) needed for a full side split! You have also proved that the muscles of each of your legs are already long enough for a side split. You know that no muscle or ligament runs from one inner thigh to the other (or, if you don’t know it, you can ask your doctor). So, what keeps you from doing the whole side split with both legs spread sideways at the same time? Your nervous system, that’s what!

Answer 2 (score 0)

I think it is extremely difficult for some people to the point it’s not possible. Personally for me I believe it would be near impossible for me to do the front splits despite being able to do side splits. The curvature of my spine doesn’t allow for the stretches needed to practice and perform the front splits. it depends if your spine is naturally more suited to flexion or extension (the shape of your spine being suited to bend back or forward). if your back isn’t suited for it then it has to bend in the weak position twice as much as normal and depending on the angle of your hips it may not be feasible.

Answer 3 (score 0)

I think it is extremely difficult for some people to the point it’s not possible. Personally for me I believe it would be near impossible for me to do the front splits despite being able to do side splits. The curvature of my spine doesn’t allow for the stretches needed to practice and perform the front splits. it depends if your spine is naturally more suited to flexion or extension (the shape of your spine being suited to bend back or forward). if your back isn’t suited for it then it has to bend in the weak position twice as much as normal and depending on the angle of your hips it may not be feasible.

Question

I’ve heard numerous times that you should not sit down immediately after the exercise when the heart rate is high and you should stand and walk around for a bit. However I don’t remember a convincing explanation as to why this is the case.

Is this true or an urban myth based on some dated research? If true, what exactly happens in a human body that makes it bad?

Answer accepted (score 6)

Well, it’s not outdated to be sure. I’m an Exercise Science major at Ball State U and I hear that you should not sit down immediately after intense exercise. I’m not exactly sure of the mechanism but if I remember right, it is because of the way venous blood returns to the heart. Muscle contraction is a large mover of blood back to the heart by pushing blood past one-way valves located throughout your veins (not arteries). For example, when you finish working out your legs, if you sit down you won’t be using your leg muscles so you won’t be pumping as much blood from your veins back to the heart. If not enough blood gets back to the heart, voila: your blood pressure drops and you can pass out.

If you ever feel like you are about to pass out from anything, cross your legs and squeeze your thighs and butt muscles. It quickly returns blood to your heart, allowing you to maintain blood pressure to the brain. I promise, it works!

Answer 2 (score 5)

The general idea behind the rule of “don’t sit after working out” (and I am not a medical expert - I don’t know how valid this is) is that if you go from an intense workout to just sitting and not moving at all, blood will start to pool in the lower areas of your body. This will later cause muscle pain and extra stress to the body.

In my mind, this at least makes some sense. Just as you should not go from lifting weights to stopping and going home, you should also cool down from an intense cardio workout. Not only will you prevent injury, but you will continue to reap the benefits of the workout for awhile longer. (Stretching after lifting, walking after running, etc.)

Answer 3 (score 3)

I don’t know about blood pooling or all that jibber-jabber.

I do know that if I sit down right after sprints, barbell squats, deadlifts, kettlebell work, or judo, then my back and hamstrings will (without fail) get tight, lose flexibility, and possibly cramp up.

I do not know the method, but I can vouch for the phenomenon.

Question

If I am lifting three times a week, can I have a 24h or 48h fast on the weekend (say, eat last meal on Friday evening and then next have on Saturday or Sunday evening)? Am I going to lose muscle mass because of this or am I safe and I can use this method to reduce my weakly calories intake?

Answer accepted (score 15)

A 24 hour fast is not going to hurt you or magically cause you to lose muscle. In fact, there are several intermittent fasting (IF) approaches that talk about how to balance food, fasting, and lifting. The short list of these are:

• Lean Gains
• Eat Stop Eat
• Warrior Diet

Each of these have slightly different approaches to fasting, eating, and exercise, but the basic principles are the same:

• You have a period of no food (water is OK).
• You have a window of time where you get all your caloric and dietary needs.
• You do your exercise at a time when you can eat afterwards.

The key to successfully pulling this off is to manage your recovery–the rules of which don’t change whether you intend to fast or not. For about 48 hours after you lift, your muscles are sensitive to insulin. This is a good thing, because it takes the carbohydrates you eat post workout and feeds that energy to your muscles first. Of course you still need your protein, fat, etc. to rebuild your muscles while you are resting.

The idea behind the approach is that you continue to gain muscle while burning fat more effectively. The idea is not to give yourself a Caloric deficit. It’s to give you the Calories you need, in a way that helps you stay leaner in the process. There are some people in the lifting forum I use who swear by IF, but I have yet to attempt it myself. The only thing I can say is that these guys lift very respectable weights, so that tells me you can incorporate fasting and weightlifting.

The biggest difference between the above dietary approaches is how long the fast is, and how long the feeding window is. Eat Stop Eat is closer to what you are discribing in your question where you fast on rest days, but feast on workout days. Lean Gains is where you have an 8 hour feeding window, and the other 16 hours are fasted. Bottom line is that it is possible to lift and fast.

Answer 2 (score 4)

I am a powerlifter I started intermittent fasting 10 weeks ago, I fast from lunch to lunch 2 times a week (from monday lunch to tuesday lunch, and thursday lunch to friday lunch) I don’t eat anything, just water black coffee and that’s pretty much it, I still lift on fasting days without a problem, I just lost fat and nothing else. While you ’re on a fasted state your body will generate growth hormones to keep your muscle mass intact. Don’t worry about losing muscle cuz you won’t! Hope that helps, talk to you next time.

Answer 3 (score 4)

I am a powerlifter I started intermittent fasting 10 weeks ago, I fast from lunch to lunch 2 times a week (from monday lunch to tuesday lunch, and thursday lunch to friday lunch) I don’t eat anything, just water black coffee and that’s pretty much it, I still lift on fasting days without a problem, I just lost fat and nothing else. While you ’re on a fasted state your body will generate growth hormones to keep your muscle mass intact. Don’t worry about losing muscle cuz you won’t! Hope that helps, talk to you next time.

Question

My shins (specifically the Tibialis Anterior muscle - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tibialis_anterior_2.png) often tighten up while I’m running.

This has happened my whole life when running longer (e.g. more than a mile or so) distances at slower speeds. I was a sprinter years ago in high school (with no problems), but even then if we’d go for longer jog, the outside of my legs below the knee (left leg in particular) would get very tight. Not extremely painful, but uncomfortable - and at its worst, movement of my ankle was impaired.

I started running again (distance only) about a year and half ago, and it kept happening. I did stretch, but that didn’t help too much, and I read that I should write out the alphabet with my toes before running. I do that every time I run now, and it definitely helps, but my shin still tightens up, but it really varies (sometimes it’s barely noticeable, sometimes much worse).

It’s never been bad enough that I have to stop running, but it isn’t pleasant and I’m slightly worried that I’m altering my form a little and that it could lead to an injury.

Is there anything else I can do?

Answer accepted (score 8)

Good morning. I work as an athletic therapist for the US Army currently and was with the USMC for 4 years prior to that in the same capacity. Anterior tibialis pain/tightening is usually caused by tight calves. As your foot dorsiflexes the calf muscles have to allow that motion to occur. If your calf muscles are tight the anterior tibialis and other dorsiflexors have to work much harder to lift your foot and may feel tight, painful, or inflammed during and sometimes following running. Work on stretching your calfs. There are 2 muscles that must be stretched: gastrocnemius and soleus. This is accomplished by stretching with the knee exteneded and the knee flexed. Hold each stretch for a minimum of 90 seconds and as long as 5 minutes per stretch at least 3 times a day. This helped every Marine and Soldier I have worked with with this issue and there were many. Good luck to you.

Answer 2 (score 2)

I run often, 5 miles at a time. I experience this, especially on my right shin. It tightens up after about 1/2 mile. It’s not painful, but it’s discomforting. Sometimes I can tough it out and run through it, but most of the other times I cannot.

I believe it has a lot to do with water retention. I weigh myself before I work out, and after I’m done, to see the difference. When I’m 2+ lbs. heavier than usual, it can happen. If you gain too much water weight, say 4+ lbs., you may experience this. I notice too, that when I drink coffee in the morning and don’t urinate often, especially before I go running, it occurs. It’s essentially water retention I believe.

Another tip I’d like to add. If you’re going to do distance, say 4 miles total, do a mile first, allow your shin(s) to tighten up, and relax for about 10 minutes. Then finish the remaining 3 miles. You will notice a big difference; most of the tightening up, if not all, should have gone away. I do this whenever I experience these shin cramps.

Answer 3 (score 2)

I run often, 5 miles at a time. I experience this, especially on my right shin. It tightens up after about 1/2 mile. It’s not painful, but it’s discomforting. Sometimes I can tough it out and run through it, but most of the other times I cannot.

I believe it has a lot to do with water retention. I weigh myself before I work out, and after I’m done, to see the difference. When I’m 2+ lbs. heavier than usual, it can happen. If you gain too much water weight, say 4+ lbs., you may experience this. I notice too, that when I drink coffee in the morning and don’t urinate often, especially before I go running, it occurs. It’s essentially water retention I believe.

Another tip I’d like to add. If you’re going to do distance, say 4 miles total, do a mile first, allow your shin(s) to tighten up, and relax for about 10 minutes. Then finish the remaining 3 miles. You will notice a big difference; most of the tightening up, if not all, should have gone away. I do this whenever I experience these shin cramps.

Question

I’m an active and fit person, but whenever I go for a run, afterwards I typically get bad stomach cramps. Anything over 20 minutes or more than 3 miles long is my threshold where I’ll get a stomach ache. My pace tends to be 8-9 minute miles, so it’s not like I’m sprinting.

For example, yesterday I ran 5.5mi in an hour outside, and ate over 3 hours beforehand. Afterwards I was in a lot of pain.

I would guess it’s caused by something in my diet, but I don’t have problems with any other types of physical activities, such as indoor/outdoor soccer, Crossfit, or weight lifting. But then again, those activities are higher intensity and lower duration than my distance runs.

Note: I am not talking about side stitches, which I rarely get and is something different.

Answer accepted (score 3)

Sometimes I will also get pretty intense lower abdominal pain after I run. It feels like menstrual cramps and nausea and lasts about 20-30 minutes with several waves of cramping. In my case, it’s usually when I run too early in the day after not having had enough water so I am dehydrated.

Answer 2 (score 2)

Check out this LIVESTRONG article for some reasons why running might cause you to experience stomach pain. Given that you’re running 3-5 miles at a relatively relaxed pace, here are some reasons that might apply to you:

1. Dehydration/sodium depletion - even though you’re not running that far or fast, if you don’t hydrate properly that could be causing it
2. Reduced blood flow to your intestines - while you run, more blood is flowing to your muscles and less is flowing to your intestines and stomach, which can cause GI problems
3. The “up and down” of running - the motion of running is kind of jarring, given that you’re constantly jumping up and down and hitting the pavement

Obviously to correct for #1 you could drink more water (for dehydration) or intake more sodium (for sodium depletion). I’m not sure what to do about 2 and 3, as they are both givens with running.

Answer 3 (score 2)

Check out this LIVESTRONG article for some reasons why running might cause you to experience stomach pain. Given that you’re running 3-5 miles at a relatively relaxed pace, here are some reasons that might apply to you:

1. Dehydration/sodium depletion - even though you’re not running that far or fast, if you don’t hydrate properly that could be causing it
2. Reduced blood flow to your intestines - while you run, more blood is flowing to your muscles and less is flowing to your intestines and stomach, which can cause GI problems
3. The “up and down” of running - the motion of running is kind of jarring, given that you’re constantly jumping up and down and hitting the pavement

Obviously to correct for #1 you could drink more water (for dehydration) or intake more sodium (for sodium depletion). I’m not sure what to do about 2 and 3, as they are both givens with running.

Question

It measures “very active time” in addition to steps, but I have no idea what that means. Assuming it’s based on "lots of arm movement, does that mean that it’ll pick up jogging, but not a stationary bike? Is there some way to tell it I’m (finally, at long last) working out?

Answer accepted (score 4)

From the Fitbit help pages:

You earn “Very Active Minutes” when you wear your Fitbit while doing cardio workouts and high intensity activities like jogging, running, aerobics, biking, rowing, or anything where you are working up a sweat.

By default, you are given a starting goal of 30 Very Active Minutes a day based on the Center for Disease Control’s recommendation of 20-30 minutes of daily moderate-to-intense activity. You can always change your Very Active Minutes goal to meet your personal needs.

Which doesn’t tell us much, though I suspect it should be able to pick up forward accelerations.

Other help topic mention your concern regarding cycling:

All Fitbit trackers are optimized for walking, running, and general household and lifestyle activities. It will not be as accurate for activities like biking, but will record that your were active if you wear your tracker during a non-walking or running activity. For increased accuracy, go to: http://www.fitbit.com/activities or click the “log activity” icon from your Dashboard to manually log activities like cycling. This will allow for a more accurate estimated calorie burn for workouts like cycling to be included in your daily totals. Our online database of workouts makes it easy to save and access your favorite activities.

and:

All Fitbit trackers are optimized for walking, running, and general household and lifestyle activities. It will not be as accurate for activities like biking, but will record that your were active if you wear your tracker during a non-walking or running activity. For increased accuracy, go to: http://www.fitbit.com/activities or click the “log activity” icon from your Dashboard to manually log activities like cycling. This will allow for a more accurate estimated calorie burn for workouts like cycling to be included in your daily totals. Our online database of workouts makes it easy to save and access your favorite activities.

Here’s more information regarding manual logging.

Given that the Fitbit Flex uses a 3-axial accelerometer, I reckon it starts counting Very Active Minutes as soon as it notices a deviation from patterns of known activities such as normal walking, sitting or lying down/sleep. Especially if you fall into a repetitive pattern, it should be able to reliably determine you’re doing something.

My advice for cycling: put the wristband around your ankles, they might record awkward data, but it’ll surely be very reliable.

Answer 2 (score -1)

So how is weight training not considered active minutes? When I used to log my activities (some training sessions lasting up to 90 minutes at medium-to-high intensity) it counted the time. The latest update is so far from truthful that it shouldn’t be considered indicative of physical activity. I sweat buckets when I train so the logic you provide is deeply flawed.

Question

How do you differentiate between Yoga and Power-Yoga? What are the key differences between them?

How should one maintain intake of food before or after doing yoga? Can both types be done on the same day?

Where on the internet (or from any other offline source) can I learn Power Yoga on my own?

Answer accepted (score 3)

Power Yoga moves more quickly than regular Yoga, and as such gives more cardio output. In regular Yoga, the focus is on holding the post, but the focus in Power Yoga is on the movement.

This article gives a brief summary of the differences between various types of yoga.

If you’re looking for a good online source to learn Power Yoga, check out the series by Bryan Jones. Here is the first video on YouTube - you can find links to the related videos there, and he tells you which video to go to next at the end of each one.

As for food intake, I don’t know specifically about what’s good for yoga, but there are several other questions here about fueling for your workout that might be helpful.

Answer 2 (score 3)

Power Yoga moves more quickly than regular Yoga, and as such gives more cardio output. In regular Yoga, the focus is on holding the post, but the focus in Power Yoga is on the movement.

This article gives a brief summary of the differences between various types of yoga.

If you’re looking for a good online source to learn Power Yoga, check out the series by Bryan Jones. Here is the first video on YouTube - you can find links to the related videos there, and he tells you which video to go to next at the end of each one.

As for food intake, I don’t know specifically about what’s good for yoga, but there are several other questions here about fueling for your workout that might be helpful.

Question

How can I increase bicep width?

I am happy with my bicep peak, but I am having trouble increasing the width of my biceps. My arms look rather big from the side but when you look at them head on they are quite narrow/skinny. I have heard that hammer curls improve width, but I haven’t seen much of an improvement in the last couple of months.

Currently, I work arms once a week (as I do every muscle group) on Tuesdays. My routine usually consists of 3 bicep workouts followed by 3 tricep workouts. I don’t have a set routine because I like to switch it up and hit different workouts each week. I will give a sample workout below, again, this is different each week.

Biceps:
  Warmup: Alternate dbell curls, 8 reps w/ light weight
    Alternate dbell curls,       4 x 8 (to failure)
    Alternate dbell hammercurls, 4 x 8 (to failure)
    Preacher curls,              4 x 8 (to failure)
Triceps:
  Warmup: 15 bench dips
    Rope Pulldowns,   4 x 10 (to failure)
    Skull Crushers,   4 x 8  (to failure)
    Tricep Kickbacks, 4 x 10 (to failure)

Note: When I am doing any excercise I make sure my form is always as good as possible and my reps are generally slow and controlled with an emphasis on negative resistance (i.e. letting the weight down slowly.

All sets are to failure because I am trying to build mass.

Edit: Elaborating on the improvement I have seen in arm growth in general - About 3 months ago my arms measured around 15.5" and have increased to 16+ (They vary, sometimes up to 16.5 without a pump). My arms have been getting bigger, triceps and bicep peak are increasing, but bicep width remains stagnant.

Answer accepted (score 3)

Technically, only genetics can increase your width. In the sense that, though there are exercise that are geared towards stimulating certain fibers in the muscle to increase its size in said area, if your genetic code does not contain the ‘sequence’ for bicep width, then it won’t come as you may hope.

I am of an athletic build and i can curl 50lbs, yet I do believe my biceps are scrawny and my arms are toothpicks. I too am lacking the ‘width’ you desire. So its best to just do the exercises that you know will grow your arms, but you can do little about how your muscles will shape up. These articles may help to provide some more insight into ‘shaping’ muscles vs. Genetic code

http://www.musclebuildingshortcuts.com/mind-strength/the-role-of-genetics-in-muscle-building-and-what-to-do-if-youre-a-hardgainer

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=3750561

Answer 2 (score 1)

I am an Personal trainer for several years in Europe.

Part of it is genes, and part is your workout routine.

Some people have more fast twitch muscle fibers, and some have more slow twitch muscle fibers. These can also vary between the upper and lower body. That said, you can increase your width of your biceps, but it will require much more effort than someone who maybe has better “genes”.

A trick I do with many of my clients, is that if there is a certain body part that needs more work than another, I let them train that muscle 3 times a week.

And, I make an split program for that muscle. What I would call program A, and program B.

For example, with biceps, on program A I would focus of the peak, and on program B on the width.

You need to find the logic in what you are doing. The Biceps ( BI = 2) have two muscle heads, this means that with different angles, you can focus more on one side than the other.

If you lack width, you need to play with the holding width (pardon if my English is not perfect). Most of the time when people say they have an lack of width in their biceps, it is the inner biceps area that is not really devolved. I would then provide you with many exercises with wide grip and normal grip. Wide grip focuses more on the inner biceps, and normal grip on both. Also, a big mistake made by many people is not training the brachialis, which you can activate with a hammer curl for example.

Answer 3 (score 1)

I am an Personal trainer for several years in Europe.

Part of it is genes, and part is your workout routine.

Some people have more fast twitch muscle fibers, and some have more slow twitch muscle fibers. These can also vary between the upper and lower body. That said, you can increase your width of your biceps, but it will require much more effort than someone who maybe has better “genes”.

A trick I do with many of my clients, is that if there is a certain body part that needs more work than another, I let them train that muscle 3 times a week.

And, I make an split program for that muscle. What I would call program A, and program B.

For example, with biceps, on program A I would focus of the peak, and on program B on the width.

You need to find the logic in what you are doing. The Biceps ( BI = 2) have two muscle heads, this means that with different angles, you can focus more on one side than the other.

If you lack width, you need to play with the holding width (pardon if my English is not perfect). Most of the time when people say they have an lack of width in their biceps, it is the inner biceps area that is not really devolved. I would then provide you with many exercises with wide grip and normal grip. Wide grip focuses more on the inner biceps, and normal grip on both. Also, a big mistake made by many people is not training the brachialis, which you can activate with a hammer curl for example.

Question

For whom doesn’t know, EMS definition:

Electrical Muscle Stimulation, also known as neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) or electromyostimulation, is the elicitation of muscle contraction using electric impulses.

Recently I bought one belly EMS belt(like this one) that works very well(it really contracts my abdomen muscles with shocks).

My main objective is to lose weight and reduce my waist circumference. On internet refferences it is kind of obscure(some people says it works and some don’t). So, does anyone have a experience about it? Does this EMS’s equipments really works for what it intended to?

Answer accepted (score 5)

NEMS work to stimulate muscles that are weak and that are not able to attain a full contraction without additional stimulus. Once you can achieve a full active muscle contracttion, as @Ivo says, you want to actively exercise the muscle and add resistance to achieve further strengthening.

The NEMS does produce a muscle contraction, so in that respect, your abdominal muscles are “working” when you wear a unit. If you actively contract along with it, you will get a better contraction. It can remind you to contract your abs. But according to the FDA

While an EMS device may be able to temporarily strengthen, tone or firm a muscle, no EMS devices have been cleared at this time for weight loss, girth reduction, or for obtaining “rock hard” abs.

Also, electrical stimulation units can also be contraindicated for people with pacemakers, metal implants or medical conditions such as cancer.

If your primary goal is to lose weight and reduce your waist circumference, focus on your diet, exercise (cardio with HIIT and resistance training), and avoid prolonged sitting - get up and move frequently. Track your percentage of body fat in addition to your waist circumference to assess your progress.

The following q/a’s should help you with your goals to start losing weight and reducing your waist circumference:

1. What exercises should I perform to reduce fat on a specific area of my body?
2. How can an overweight engineer get back in shape?
3. Optimal exercises for an abdominal workout

Answer 2 (score 3)

Weight loss is a simple formula calories consumes < calories used. I would seriously doubt that these things could generate sufficient muscular contraction to assist in actual weight loss. I’ve used these before and I can honestly say that they may assist creating “muscle tone” in the same way dynamic tension type exercises do, but none of those compare to the calorie burning provided by a combination of both cardiovascular and resistance exercise.

If you consider the amount of force produced by running on a tread mill for one hour (burning only about 200 calories) and the amount of contraction these devices generate you can clearly deduce that they will not be able to significantly help you in losing weight and losing weight is certainly 80% of having a firm, defined abdomen.

Answer 3 (score 1)

The answer is yes, it is possible to reduce the thickness of subcutaneous fat, if the layer is is not too thick. But probably no, to the literal wording of the question, as while the fat mobilization is biochemically observable, it is unlikely to be of a sufficient magnitude that it could be easily observable on the scales.

There is research showing that lipolysis may be increased adjacent to contracting muscle. The study was with voluntary muscle contractions in overnight-fasted adult males, but presumably EMS-induced contractions may work equally well.

Reference: Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. Credit for literature search: Lonnie Lowery, PhD | 02/01/11

Question

I have a Polar heart rate monitor chest strap, and a compatible Android phone on which I can run a number of different apps for recording my heart rate. My primary interest is in how many calories I am burning during any one exercise. I play a variety of sports and run regularly.

What concerns me is that just about every app I’ve tried comes with an option to select a type of exercise, and then it will calculate different calorie burn rates.

Worse, these different calorie burn rates seem to be derived from a lot of assumptions about how much a person would burn doing these activities, not what I’m actually doing. As a test, I’ve tried connecting the heart rate monitor, choosing an activity, like “team sports” or “rock climbing”, and then just standing there without moving. Regardless of the fact that I’m not actually doing anything, each app shows me burning calories fairly aggressively, as if I were engaged in that activity.

What I really want is an objective measure, something that doesn’t try and make guesses based on the type of workout I’m doing, and lets me know what the most likely minimum calorie burn I am doing given my current exertion level, as measured by my heart rate. And, of course, taking in some known measurements about me, such as my height, weight, and age. Maybe GPS and pedometer as well, but whatever measurements it uses, it should be objective and not assumed.

I saw this related question, which leads me to believe that it should be possible to only use heart rate, and yet I can’t find an app for Android that does that.

Is it actually not possible? Is there a reason why these apps are all making up numbers and not just going with the heart rate input?

Answer accepted (score 13)

Yes it is, this is the Formula when you dont know the VO2max (Maximal oxygen consumption)

Male:

((-55.0969 + (0.6309 x HR) + (0.1988 x W) + (0.2017 x A))/4.184) x 60 x T

Female:

((-20.4022 + (0.4472 x HR) - (0.1263 x W) + (0.074 x A))/4.184) x 60 x T

HR = Heart rate (in beats/minute)

W = Weight (in kilograms)

A = Age (in years)

T = Exercise duration time (in hours)

With VO2max known you can calculate the calories burned like this:

Male:

((-95.7735 + (0.634 x HR) + (0.404 x VO2max) + (0.394 x W) + (0.271 x A))/4.184) x 60 x T

Female:

((-59.3954 + (0.45 x HR) + (0.380 x VO2max) + (0.103 x W) + (0.274 x A))/4.184) x 60 x T*

Source: http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.aspx

You have a online Calculater Tool on this Website if you dont want to calculate everything on your own.

On the bottom of the Website you also have some calculations about the Equation for determination of the maximal Heartrate based on age and the equation for Exercise Intensity Conversion from %MHR to %VO2max. But I don’t know what to do with these 2 Formula so i didn’t post them.

Answer 2 (score 6)

Some guys at Stanford did some actual experiments on this :) Got people to do various forms of exercise, such as sitting, running, and cycling. They measured the oxygen and carbon dioxide in breath, strong proxies for the actual underlying metabolic rate; whilst also measuring heart rate using one of five consumer wrist devices. They then ran a whole bunch of statistical analysis. On the team were Trevor Hastie, who is pretty big on stats :)

• An informal write-up is at https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/05/fitness-trackers-accurately-measure-heart-rate-but-not-calories-burned.html
• statistics notebooks are at http://52.9.243.254:8000/user/X1pHXP1Ouf4f/notebooks/Energy%20Analysis.ipynb

Example image from the notebook linked above:

Answer 3 (score 3)

I’m sorry but I don’t see being able to calculate without the vo2 max or at least the persons resting heart rate. I use my bmr + (average heart rate - resting heart rate)*6 and it comes out very close to my calorie burn for the day. The 6 is just a variable that works for my body and could just as easily be a 5 for a overweight female or a 7 for a male athlete. There are flaws to this also but it does not come out with outrageously high numbers like that formula

Question

I’ve had a nerve pinch in my right shoulder for god knows how long. I’m unable to go through the full motion of wide grip pull ups or wide grip cable pulldowns with any moderate weights.

Anyone have any ideas how to resolve this. I’ve tried to some stretching of the shoulders and it seems to help, a bit. Is stretching the way to go and will just take time to resolve? Should I just go see a doctor?

This has always been a issue.

Answer accepted (score 3)

The wide grip requires that your shoulder have full range to abduct and externally rotate. Limitation from tight muscles or from weak scapular stabilizers can cause an impingement at the shoulder joint, so it may or may not be a pinched nerve.

To find out what you actually have and to get a good exercise program to correct it, you should see your doctor (orthopedist) and/or a physical therapist (physio). Any info here will only be general information which might help, but may not address your complete problem.

If your main problem is poor shoulder positioning the following may help:

• Tight Muscles: Muscles that limit this wide grip motion are tight pecs (esp. pec minor) and subscapularis.
• Exercises to Stretch: Pec stretches such as the doorway stretch may help. Try this stretch with the arm at various heights along the door frame to find where in the range your muscle feels tight.
• Exercises to Strengthen and Stretch: The wall pec stretch, stretches the pecs but also contracts the rhomboid and trapezius scapular muscles to help improve the positioning of the shoulder blade. The position of the shoulder blade is important because if it is out of position (as with shoulders that are rounded forward) it can lead to impingement and pain.

If your problem is a pinched nerve, then see your doctor/physical therapist for treatment and an exercise regime to correct the imbalances and to improve your nerve mobility.

Answer 2 (score 1)

If you genuinely believe, or from past experience you know, that this is a pinched nerve, you cannot rely on home care for too long. You need to see a doctor or physio for specific help:

“Generally, there is no permanent damage if a nerve is trapped for a short duration. However, if the trapped nerve is untreated and the pressure continues, the result can be chronic pain and possible permanent nerve damage. Many people will recover from the effects of a pinched nerve within days or weeks with proper rest and conservative treatment. Stopping any activities that can cause or aggravate the nerve compression is essential to a full recovery. In some instances, it may be necessary to wear a brace or splint to immobilize the area, such as in carpal tunnel syndrome.”

That said, ibuprofen and some foods (those high in Omega 3 fatty acids, for instance) are great help in fighting inflamation.

Answer 3 (score 0)

I am currently deaaling with a bad pinched nerve, for a couple of months now. I use massage therapy and a good chiropractor for a pinched nerve. The nerve is either wrapped up in a knot in the muscle or being pinched by bone or cartilage. (This is what I’ve read and what I’ve been told by both my care givers, my massage therapist and chiropractor.) When at home, I get relief by using a tennis ball in a sock, put it between me and a wall and roll it around on the muscle that is knotted up.

Question

Here in India, lot of people doing workout in gym wear LANGOT(Loin Cloth or Drawers or Nappy), e.g.

They say that if they don’t wear it, they will suffer from Hernia. I have joined gym some days ago and everyone in the gym use it and also advice me to use it or I will get hernia. But I don’t think that wearing it will prevent me from hernia. So is there any need to wear that while doing workout in gym?

Answer accepted (score 9)

No, there is no need to wear it. It doesn’t prevent a hernia.

Even one doctor told me once not to wear it, because the testicles are held too close to the body. It is not good because when our body temperature rises, they need to stay away from body. While doing workout our body temperature rises greatly so it’s bad to wear it during workout.

Answer 2 (score 1)

it is important to wear this while exercising. you never know what movement will cause a problem.“Langot” has been used by wrestlers for as long as the sport has been on earth. If you are over weight (even a little) and using your own body weight for training and doing movements like squats, push ups and/or other leg movements, or anything that puts pressure ofyour abdominal muscles, it can trigger Hernia or other issues with your reproductive system.

Doctors will always tell you things to make you not “worry”. They will not be held accountable if something happens. Do you think you can argue with the doctor with “you said it”. ????

So take precaution by wearing langot or buy a supporter from a sports shop.

Be safe. Cheers.

Question

I have a bit of an odd question, whenever I do cardio workouts that get my heart rate up and breathing hard I get phlegm buildup in my throat and my nose starts running. It’s not a huge amount but it’s enough that I wind up spitting and wiping my nose frequently during workouts (the snot sometimes comes out greenish but mostly clear).
This has been happening pretty consistently for as long as I can remember. I regularly run, bike, swim, and do pilates (typically 2 - 3 times a week for each though I’ve been falling off lately with pilates). Pilates is the only exercise that doesn’t cause this because it’s a slower pace more focused on core strength and flexibility so my heart rate doesn’t get very high and I’m never pushed to breathing heavily. It’s also not effected by workout frequency, the times in my life where I’ve been working out less/not at all have not decreased this when I start up again.

Does anyone know what would cause this and what I could do about it?

Answer accepted (score 8)

I have a new enemy and its name is CHEESE

Believe it or not, this is some what common. It frustrated me for quite some time before I found the cause. DAIRY.

I used to have a cup of greek yogurt every day as well as some quantity of milk and ice cream throughout the week. Every single time I would get in the pool, I would be annoyed with phlegm.

Try cutting out or reducing dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt, etc.) for a few days and see if it gets better. It certainly did with me. I still have eggs or egg substitutes almost daily and that does not seem to bother me.

Here is a supporting article from livestrong.com that supports dairy as a cause and accelerator of phlegm is some people.

Also, it may be a intolerance to lectin (which is a component of dairy). But, it may not be dairy that causes your excess mucus. Other sources of lectin are legumes, glutens, and potatoes. More on lectin intolerance can be found here.

Answer 2 (score 2)

This (phlegm) happens to me from allergies. Allergies can be exacerbated or become more noticeable during exercise. Examples from my case: When my allergies are less controlled overall, it will effect every form of working out, but there are also specific triggers. When jogging in the fall or after rain, there is more mold and mildew. When swimming, my already sensitive sinuses are exposed to chlorine and rapid pressure changes. Since you suspect dairy as well, consider visiting an immunologist.

Answer 3 (score 1)

Actually, I think that phlegm production is normal in cardio workouts, the variance being: a) the individual, and b) the amount produced. My girlfriend did a lot of heavy duty cardio routines and she was tormented with tons of phlegm from it, and now that I have started doing them myself, I also have found I have the same problem, while others I know seem to have little problem this this issue. I also found that if I abstain from dairy products the amount of mucus is diminished. It may be, since we are all different physiologically, that our bodies respond in a unique way to exercise. But basically, even with the annoyance of excess mucus production, cardio is well worth the effort.

Question

I have been following the Stronglifts program since February of this year, so I’ve been at it about 6 months. I had tried the program before, but I had been away from it for some time, so I started back at the beginning. I started with just 42 lbs on all my lifts, and added 5 pounds every week for as long as I could, removing 10% of the weight on the next workout if I failed a few times in a row.

The Stronglifts program uses 5 main lifts - squats, bench press, deadlift, overhead press, bent over rows. I’ve often heard that squatting 1.5 times your bodyweight is a good milestone to aim for, and that more-or-less coincides with the strength goals that the Stronglifts creator suggests, so I adopted those goals as my own. My target lift weights are:

• Squats: 270 lbs (5x5)
• Deadlift: 360 lbs (1x5)
• Bench Press: 200 lbs (5x5)
• Barbell Row: 180 lbs (5x5)
• Overhead Press: 120 lbs (5x5)

I started with 42 lbs on all exercises back in February. Here’s where I am now:

• Squats: 257 lbs
• Deadlift: 242 lbs
• Bench Press: 117 lbs
• Barbell Row: 92 lbs
• Overhead Press: 92 lbs

(The reason my lift weights all end in 2 or 7 is because my bar weighs 32 lbs instead of the standard 45 lbs. It’s an olympic-style bar, 7’ long, 2" collars that rotate. Just the weight is off. I didn’t know this when I bought it).

As you can see, my squats have progressed nicely. I’ll be doing 262 lbs next workout, and my initial goal of 270 lbs is very nearly in reach. My overhead press isn’t too bad either, I feel it’s progressed at a similar pace.

In case anyone is curious about why my deadlift weight is less than my squats, it’s due to grip strength. I tried to deadlift 252 lbs and I dropped the bar. It just slipped right out of my hands. Even when using mixed grip. But that’s a question for another time….

What concerns me right now is that my bench press and barbell row weights seem to be progressing much much slower than my other lifts. Even though I’m squatting 95% of my target weight, my bench press is less than 60% of the weight I’m aiming for. And it seems like I plateau constantly. I feel similar about my bent-over rows. I’ve definitely made some progress, but the progress seems extremely slow compared to my squats and overhead press.

I have no idea what the cause of this could be. I’ve tried many times to check my form against videos I’ve seen posted online, and I’ve made some adjustments (wider grip on the bar during bench press, etc), but although adjusting my form did seem to help a bit, the difference was not dramatic.

The Stronglifts program prescribes lifting 3 times per week alternating between a squats/overhead press/deadlift workout and a squats/bench press/rows workout. I admit my follow-through hasn’t been 100%, but I have been working out at least twice per week most weeks.

When I first started, I rested 1 minute between sets. Currently I’m resting about 5 minutes between sets for squats, and 3 minutes for all other lifts.

So, can you tell me please, why is my progress at the bench press and barbell row lifts so much slower than my progress with squats/overhead press? Is this normal? You might need more info from me to answer this question, but I don’t know what else to offer off the top of my head. I will try to be proactive about answering any questions in the comments. Thanks in advance.

Additional Info requested by StupidOne:

Warm ups: I do warm up sets before I do all exercises. Typically I start with about 50 pounds, do one 5-rep set of the exercise. Then I add between 20 and 50 pounds and repeat, until I’ve got the full weight and I’m doing my first “official” set. For example, the last time I did bench presses, I did 1x5 at 52 lbs, then 1x5 at 82 lbs, then 1x5 at 102 lbs, then 5x5 at 117 lbs (my work weight).

Stretching Exercises: None, really. My research has left me unconvinced that they do much good.

Diet: I aim to eat about 200 grams of protein per day, although I sometimes fall short. I often start the day with 2 greek yogurts, and I eat a lot of chicken. Based on historical data, I burn about 3100 calories per day on average. I aim to eat slightly less than that so that I’ll lose body fat, but I often fail. The other day I actually had 4900 calories in one day! Well, I don’t ignore my hunger…. I’d say my average caloric consumption is probably about 3200 calories. I always eat something high protein (greek yogurt, cottage cheese, grilled chicken breast, protein shake, etc) immediately after weight training.

My diet could definitely use some improvement though, as I still eat out way too much and I know that’s hampering my efforts to lose weight (and save money)!

By the way, I currently weigh about 218 lbs, which is about 10 lbs more than I did when I started Stronglifts in February. My goal is to get down to between 180-190 lbs. I’ve got a belly that needs to go.

Rest between sets:

As I said, I rest up to 5 minutes between sets for squats, and about 3 minutes for other exercises. This is based on advice I’ve read on a number of internet sites, such as this question in the Starting Strength Wiki FAQ:

At first you can probably get by with no more than 2-3 minutes between sets. However, once the weights start getting heavier, you may take upward of 5 minutes between sets. Near the end of your training cycle, especially when you are setting PRs (personal records) in the squat, deadlift, and power clean you could be resting upward of 7 minutes

Granted, Starting Strength is a 3x5 program, and I’m doing a 5x5 program. I don’t know for sure if this is good advice, but I think I’ve read similar things other places.

Update 2 - August 20, 2011

As promised, here’s a graph of my workout weights so far. The weights are expressed as a percentage of my goals. Note that my previous statement that my overhead press got to 102 lbs was apparently incorrect. According to my records, the heaviest press I’ve done was 92 lbs.

Full size picture at https://i.stack.imgur.com/nvWqF.png

Answer accepted (score 20)

Given the additional information you’ve posted, it sounds like you are simply hitting a wall. Those are good numbers on the squats and deadlifts, so it’s possible that you’re not recovering (perhaps from too little sleep?), but it doesn’t sound like that’s the case.

I would see if switching to 3x5 instead of 5x5 allows you to progress. When I started with 5x5, the heavy squat sets would totally obliterate the rest of my workout. Removing the last two sets immediately gave me more energy for the upper-body lifts. My deadlift progress was unaffected. (Perhaps the upper body is more susceptible to fatigue caused earlier in the workout?)

Doing the additional volume in a 5x5 program is necessary when at lower weights. As the weight increases, 3x5 is plenty of volume. You sound like you hit a solid plateau consistently though a few deloads, and you’re probably eating enough. Backing off to 3x5 (along with a small deload in the presses and rows) should give you more energy, both during the workout and during recovery days. Good luck.

Answer 2 (score 16)

Keep in mind that the bench and rows are using smaller muscles than the squats and deads. However for the rows to be that far behind the bench tells me you started the bench higher than the program would otherwise specify. In truth your rows should be another 20lbs heavier than your bench.

There are usually two reasons why you can’t make a lift:

• The last workout wasn’t strong enough to induce any change
• You have too much fatigue to get the lift up

Now, StrongLifts is a beginner program, and you are still in your beginner gains. What that means is that just about any exercise will cause you to adapt. The SL program has more than enough volume to get you to rebuild your muscles stronger.

So let’s start looking at recovery and fatigue. I have my theory on what is going on, but I’m going to throw this out there just in case: you need 8 hours of sleep a night. Much of the body’s muscle growing happens while you are sleeping. Natural testosterone peaks at REM sleep and remains at that level until you wake up. Natural human growth hormone peaks at deep sleep and remains at that level for about 1 hour. So let’s look at the other possible culprits:

• You don’t have enough rest between sets. Your presses are usually the first ones to need extra rest.
• Your warmups are sapping energy from your main lifts. In short they are not warmups.

StrongLifts recommends a very certain way of warming up, and Starting Strength is not too different either. I’m going to present the commonalities:

• Start with the empty bar. 2 sets of 5
• Increase in even increments up to 5 times to your work weight.
• Taper off the last two sets, second to last set would be a set of 3 reps, and last set would be 2 reps.

For example, bench press at 117 is really too small to need a whole 5 sets of warmup. In this case the warmup would look like this:

• empty bar 2x5
• 57lbs 1x3
• 82lbs 1x2
• 117lbs 5x5 (or 3x5 if you are on that for this lift)

You can play with the numbers and adjust them a bit, but understand that you start with an empty bar, and taper off at the end. If you don’t taper off, you are taking energy you need for your lifts and using it on your warmups.

You also may need to adjust the time between sets a bit longer on your presses.

Lastly, a good tip with bench press and rows is to do the lifts explosively.

• Your back should be tight
• Your butt in contact with the bench, but a bit of an arch between the shoulders and the butt.
• Bring the bar down controlled (safely) to your chest
• Explode it up all the way. This minimizes fatigue, and sends the right signals to your muscles that you want as many of them involved in the lift as possible.

Also considering where your squats are, it can be that the squats are robbing your energy for the bench press. Switching to 3x5 even though you didn’t stall will make it a whole lot easier to make more progress on your bench press and rows.

Answer 3 (score 2)

I will try to add additional information. Maybe these are not your cases, but it might help someone who has these problems and probably will allow you to think outside the box and will give an interesting direction to your thought. Do not think that everything goes down to reps, counting weight, eating right, etc. When you want to go to the max, you need to dig deeper in understanding how your body operates.

You know that muscle contraction is somehow related to electric field. The more electricity comes through the muscle, the harder it contracts.

1. Our central nervous system is the supplier for that electricity. The signal that comes from it is pretty weak, so that our muscles do not rip themselves apart. Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) uses this fact to increase the power released by muscles. If this procedure helps you increase weights, then you should check whether there are any issues with the nervous system.

2. Ions create electrical difference between inner world of the muscle cell and the surrounding. One of these ions is potassium. Increased stress can result in increased aldosterone production which will wash potassium away from your body (and, by the way, increase sodium). I occasionally discovered that this was my case. I tried to find what caused high blood pressure and hormonal analysis showed I have twice as much as recommended dose of this hormone floating inside my blood. This suddenly explained a lot of seemingly unrelated symptoms: headaches, arrhythmia and … stagnation of the weight on the bar. So, check out your hormones :)

Question

I have smoked on and off since I was 14. I just turned 27 in July. I have smoked a mix of tobacco and other stuff. I averaged about 15 packs a week.

I currently cycle roughly 100 miles a week.

I’ve noticed my lungs getting weezy and bringing up a fair bit of lung butter. I want to quit , it’s not worth my health and I can actively feel that my chest is heavy and constricted the days after I smoke.

How long will it take for my lungs to get back to 100% after I quit? Is there anything I can do to aid the process?

Answer accepted (score 24)

Your lungs may or may not ever recover to 100%, so that’s a bit unreasonable to answer. However, the timeline for recovery is quick for some things, long for others.

Within about 72 hours, pretty much all the nicotine and nicotine metabolites will be cleared from your body. Within about 2 weeks, most of your gum circulation has restored itself, and any addiction cravings you have are psychological, not physical.

Anywhere from 1 month to a year, most of the cilia (small fingerlike projections in your lungs that help move phlegm and other fluids) will have recovered and/or reestablished themselves.

After that, most of the improvements are in the risk factors, extending out up to 20 years after quitting. This includes the risk of smoking related tooth loss, heart attack, strokes, etc. You will always have a slightly higher risk than a non smoker, but way less than someone that continues to smoke.

As far as aiding the process, simply stopping is the biggest thing. Watch your food intake, as smoking raises your metabolic rate, so when you quit, it will drop down and may fluctuate a bit before it stabilizes. Avoid the temptation to replace cigarettes with food, which is also common.

Good luck with the quitting, and welcome to a healthier lifestyle!

Question

I have been wondering this for a while because I can put away a gallon of water in a reasonable amount of time if I just sip it for a while. The weird thing is that I had gastric bypass surgery so I can’t fit all that in my stomach at the same time. So my question’s kind of a three-parter:

1. How does your body absorb water?
2. Where does it absorb water?
3. How long before the water leaves your stomach?

Feel free to disregard the gastric bypass surgery if it makes the third question easier to answer.

Answer accepted (score 4)

The purpose of the stomach is mostly to use acid and enzymes to break the chewed food into a mushy sludge that can be processed in the small intestine. Pretty much all the stomach does is take food in, store it for a while, produce acid and enzymes to make food sludge, and then slowly feed the sludge into your small intestine.

Water (along with most of the food nutrients that you consume) is mostly absorbed by the inner lining of the small intestine. That organ is actually quite large, with a massive inner surface area. The intestine is typically more than 6 meters long, with a diameter of 3-5cm. That means that the small intestine can not only take in a large volume of liquid, it can also absorb the liquid fairly quickly. The water and nutrients absorbed in the small intestines go directly into the bloodstream to be processed and used by the various organs.

In a GI tract that has not been modified by surgery, the food and water can sit in the stomach for 2-3 hours before being completely emptied into the small intestine. In your case, the water may be going almost directly into your small intestine, so long as there is no food to hold the process up. (This depends on the details of your surgery.)

It’s completely reasonable that you are able to consume more water than you might think (given your food intake). Your surgery may have modified your upper GI tract in a way that makes it actually more efficient than it was before at taking in and absorbing water.

Question

I’ve heard it often that the size of muscles, for example biceps, is not related to how strong someone is. Is this true?

See for example this image of Gu Yanli who won the strongest man championship twice:

While a muscular guy, doesn’t seem to compare in size to say, Ronnie Coleman, body building champion:

I have asked other questions about building strength while not getting too big physically with an answer saying it is possible. So, what is the link between muscle size and strength?

Answer accepted (score 15)

Hypertrophy is not the same as strength.

We can train differently to attain different results. Some forms of training build mass, others add strength, others improve endurance. A larger muscle is, all other things being equal, stronger than a smaller one. However, a smaller muscle can be more neurologically efficient and/or dense, and therefore be stronger than a larger muscle.

Rep Ranges

Doing fewer repetitions with heavier weights builds strength most effectively. Doing more repetitions (circa 4 to 12), with weight that is still challenging, builds mass most efficiently. Doing more than 12 repetitions in a single set is generally best for endurance as opposed to strength.

This answer is probably the best resource to review.

See also

• Does muscle mass help or hurt for powerlifting and other strength sports?
• Why is muscle size not proportional to strength?

Answer 2 (score 15)

Hypertrophy is not the same as strength.

We can train differently to attain different results. Some forms of training build mass, others add strength, others improve endurance. A larger muscle is, all other things being equal, stronger than a smaller one. However, a smaller muscle can be more neurologically efficient and/or dense, and therefore be stronger than a larger muscle.

Rep Ranges

Doing fewer repetitions with heavier weights builds strength most effectively. Doing more repetitions (circa 4 to 12), with weight that is still challenging, builds mass most efficiently. Doing more than 12 repetitions in a single set is generally best for endurance as opposed to strength.

This answer is probably the best resource to review.

See also

• Does muscle mass help or hurt for powerlifting and other strength sports?
• Why is muscle size not proportional to strength?

Question

I recently started going to a personal trainer and he noticed that my feet turn out to the sides when I run. He said that I should try to correct this, but I’m not sure how to do it. Is it bad that I run this way? If so, are there exercises or running drills I can do to try to keep my feet straight? I’ve tried to be aware of it when running but forcing my feet to stay straight just feels uncomfortable.

It’s only a slight turn, but definitely noticeable. I’ve been running for several years so I imagine that it will be hard to change my form, but figured I’d ask.

Answer accepted (score 7)

I would recommend getting your form down perfect. Because it’s so repetitive, running is tailor-made to produce long-term, slow-to-appear, tough-to-diagnose pain and injury. Incorrect form might be fine for now, but over time it could cause trouble.

(I can’t vouch for these sources.)

Danny Dreyer:

If your feet turn out to the side as you run, it torques your knee with every foot strike. Your leg isn’t designed to work this way. This action overworks the ligaments and tendons in the knee and eventually leads to pain. He says that the key to fixing this problem is to imagine you’re running on a tightrope, with your feet hitting along a line stretched out on the road directly in front of you.

This guy on a running forum points out that foot turn-out is not just inefficient–it caused him groin pain. It’s of course anecdotal and a prime suspect for the placebo effect, but his solution worked:

So was it hard to fix this, you ask? No, not at all. I just remained conscious of it today and didn’t allow it to turn. When I ran fast or went up hills, I made sure to keep my toe pointing straight ahead and sure enough, no more groin pain. So during my entire run, I felt great and fresh. I was always accelerating and never had one of those moments where I’m shuffling about. My stride remained long and relaxed.

Trainer Blake Robinson says to check for glute tightness:

[I]f your Gluteus Maximus is too tight your feet will turn out to the side as you run causing you to run on the outside of your shoe, also known as duck feet, which in turn increases the strain on the inside of your knees. To check how far your feet turn out as you run find a treadmill that faces a mirror and watch your feet just as the push-off and leave the ground.

It’s possible that your gait is fine, but it definitely can’t hurt to do some diagnostics. I would find a subject matter expert (i.e., a personal trainer who specializes in runners and whose trainees you want to emulate) and take a session with him or her.

Answer 2 (score 2)

Walking/running with splayed feet seems to run in my family (me, my sister, my son). So, I think it has a genetic/anatomical component. If one’s body is just built that way and it doesn’t cause discomfort or pain, then why try to change your body’s natural motion? Trying to change that might cause its own problems.

When I was a kid, I would consciously try to turn my feet straight when I walked. This was in part because of getting slight teasing about walking funny and my parents telling me to try to walk “straight”. It never did change my walk.

As for performance, I’ve never had problems keeping a good sprinting speed. My son, while his issues are not as pronounced, has always been the fastest sprinter on his sports teams.

Just because something is different, don’t assume it’s wrong and in need of correction.

Answer 3 (score 1)

Go to a store that specializes in running. They will have the equipment and expertise to diagnose your stride and suggest improvements.

A lot of people overlook the importance of having a running coach, thinking running is “natural” so they must be doing it correctly. The truth is, many people have less than ideal stride and need to practice foot placement if not use corrective shoes.

Question

Last week I started noticing some pain building in my right hip after my morning runs, culminating on last Wednesday when I could barely walk without severe pain in the afternoon. I took a few days of rest and went to the doctor yesterday, where he told me the most likely cause was trochanteric bursitis.

I’m still ok to run, although I’m supposed to take it easy, and he gave me a list of hip stretches and exercises to help with my hip strength and flexibility.

I’m trying to run the Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back in June, and I’d like to still be able to do that. Is there anything else I can do to keep the pain down (or get rid of it) so as to be able to train effectively for the race?

Answer accepted (score 3)

In case the inflammation/bursitis isn’t very serious, you could still workout, though sufficient rest until its gone would probably be ‘healthier’ and you shouldn’t feel any pain when working out. Because the bursitis occurs due to repetitive strain of the gluteal muscles on the trochanteric bursa you should work on your hip joint strength and stabilty. I’d suggest cutting back on the intensity of your workouts until your pain free and built up sufficient strength, so you won’t be overusing the structures around the bursa. As Physioadvisor.com suggest:

Ignoring symptoms or adopting a ‘no pain, no gain’ attitude is likely to lead to the condition becoming chronic. Immediate, appropriate treatment in patients with trochanteric bursitis is essential to ensure a speedy recovery. Once the bursitis is chronic, healing slows significantly resulting in markedly increased recovery times and an increased likelihood of future recurrence.

Therefore, you should start doing the exercises the doctor gave you on regular basis, preferably several times a day, so you can spread the load. The exercises will help you improve the strength and coordination of the hip, which according to E-Orthopod.com will help reduce friction on the bursa.

Some of the exercises you can perform according to Buzzle.com:

• Iliotibial Band Stretch - Side Leaning: This iliotibial band stretch is nothing but side leaning on a wall. Stand at a foot distance from the surface of the wall, with your injured side near the wall. Lean on the wall by placing your palm on the surface of the wall. Cross your uninjured leg over the other leg and lean gently on the wall. Repeat the same for the other side.
• Leg Raise: Lie down on an exercise mat on your unaffected side. Use your hand to support your head. Now, tighten the muscles of your upper thigh of affected side and raise that leg above the floor. Raise the leg 8 to 10 inches above the floor and ensure that your knees remain straight, while raising the affected leg. Hold the position for few seconds and repeat the exercise. Perform 3 sets with each set having 10 repetitions.
• Iliotibial Band Stretch - Standing: Stand in an upright position. Now, cross your unaffected leg over your injured leg, as in the first iliotibial band stretch. Bend down and touch your toes with your fingers. Hold the position for 30 seconds and get back to the initial position and repeat the exercise for three times.
• Hip Extension: Lie down on an exercise mat on your stomach and place your hands besides your sides. Now place your palms, such that, they touch the exercise mat. Now, slowly raise the affected leg above the floor by tightening your thigh muscles. See that your knees remain straight when you lift the affected leg. Hold the leg in raised position for few seconds and bring it down slowly. Perform 3 sets with each set having 10 repetitions.
• Wall Squat: Stand in an upright position with your face opposite to a wall. Place an exercise ball or basket ball behind your back and lean against the wall. Keep your body straight and squat down slowly to make your thighs parallel to the floor. Hold the position for ten seconds and slide up on the wall. Repeat the steps 10 times, 3 sets. Read more on, bursitis hip exercises and hip pain.

Answer 2 (score 1)

I am a half marathon runner and had this recently, this is what I have done:

1. Ice packs for 10 minutes at a time, a few times a day.
2. Take a good few weeks off running and racing in events.
3. See a good chiropractor (my hips and pelvis were out of alignment) each week for 4 weeks, then once a month till problem is gone completely.
4. You can still exercise to keep up strength and core strength, this is vital for recovery - lower intensity swimming, cycling, yoga and body balance classes, squats with no weights, abdominal work, weights for your upper body etc.
5. Foam roller twice a day for the tibial band covering the bursa to the knee.
6. Drink extracted fruit / vegetable juice a few times a week with a big chunk of fresh ginger in the mix (ginger a good anti-inflammatory)
7. Fish oil capsules and glucosamine capsules also good for injury recovery and joint health.

I don’t take any painkillers, I don’t want cortisone injections and at all costs want to avoid any expensive unnecessary scans.

Rest from running and taking things a little easier is the key as the problem will become much worse if you keep running on it and you will do more damage than its worth. Icing the area is better than any pain killer and results almost instant in reducing inflammation and pain. I now see why top marathon runners do the “ice bath” after a race and heavy training to stop any injury in its tracks. I ended up with a winter bug in the midst of this so it was a good reason to totally rest for 10 days and let the area heal.

Good luck, GP’s and unnecessary scans a waste of time and money unless the problem does not go away with what I suggested. Then other nasties would need to be ruled out.

Answer 3 (score 1)

I am a half marathon runner and had this recently, this is what I have done:

1. Ice packs for 10 minutes at a time, a few times a day.
2. Take a good few weeks off running and racing in events.
3. See a good chiropractor (my hips and pelvis were out of alignment) each week for 4 weeks, then once a month till problem is gone completely.
4. You can still exercise to keep up strength and core strength, this is vital for recovery - lower intensity swimming, cycling, yoga and body balance classes, squats with no weights, abdominal work, weights for your upper body etc.
5. Foam roller twice a day for the tibial band covering the bursa to the knee.
6. Drink extracted fruit / vegetable juice a few times a week with a big chunk of fresh ginger in the mix (ginger a good anti-inflammatory)
7. Fish oil capsules and glucosamine capsules also good for injury recovery and joint health.

I don’t take any painkillers, I don’t want cortisone injections and at all costs want to avoid any expensive unnecessary scans.

Rest from running and taking things a little easier is the key as the problem will become much worse if you keep running on it and you will do more damage than its worth. Icing the area is better than any pain killer and results almost instant in reducing inflammation and pain. I now see why top marathon runners do the “ice bath” after a race and heavy training to stop any injury in its tracks. I ended up with a winter bug in the midst of this so it was a good reason to totally rest for 10 days and let the area heal.

Good luck, GP’s and unnecessary scans a waste of time and money unless the problem does not go away with what I suggested. Then other nasties would need to be ruled out.

Question

Not months of lay off but no more than 10 days takes my muscles, especially of my arms, from looking big and feeling hard to something that doesn’t make me look like I lift serious weight. It stays in good shape and feel for up to a week of not working out but anything more than that and this happens.

Why does this happen?

I don’t lose strength though. I consume enough protein as well.

Is this just my body type or is there any solution for this?

Answer accepted (score 16)

Your body is adapting itself to the lower demands you are placing on it. There are two basic types of adaptation that your body can go through when lifting weights:

• Myofibrillar hypertrophy–this increases the number of protein pairs per muscle cell. In very basic terms, the more protein pairs the more work that muscle cell can do. More myofibrillar hypertrophy translates to increased strength–but not necessarily bulk.
• Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy–this increased the amount of energy support within each muscle cell. In very basic terms, it allows you to lift for longer periods of time. The energy support systems take up more room than protein pairs, and is responsible for the bulk that bodybuilders seek.

When your body is detraining itself due to inactivity for longer periods of time, the first systems to unadapt themselves are the support systems. It holds on to the strength part just in case it is still needed, but the body assumes that the need for that strength will be fewer and farther between. This is why it is always a good idea to either repeat your last training cycle after an extended rest or take a small deload.

In your case, the sarcoplasmic hypertrophy that you attained while working out is starting to become unadapted (less sarcoplasmic fluid in the muscle cells). The myofibrillar hypertrophy takes longer to unadapt (or adapt to lower levels).

Bottom line: the longer you go without training, the more you will lose endurance/size (first) and strength (second). However, because your body knows how it needs to adapt when you start training it again, you will get back to your trained state quicker.

Answer 2 (score 1)

I seem to lose muscle size quickly if not working out for some time. Why does this happen?

I take it that you feel the changes are quicker for you than in comparison with your friends or peers. You asked, “Is this just my body type?”

So the question isn’t limited to general principles. If you are seeing unusual results, it could be stress or lack of good lifestyle habits. Do you get enough sleep? Are you under psychological stress? Is your schedule regular?

Psychological stress (even something as common as being a student in a challenging major) can increase your levels of catabolic hormones.

You also asked, “is there any solution for this?” Yes. Focus on getting lots of rest, managing stress and having a regular schedule. You may see that you don’t lose mass as quickly if your stress goes down and your lifestyle improves.

Answer 3 (score 1)

I seem to lose muscle size quickly if not working out for some time. Why does this happen?

I take it that you feel the changes are quicker for you than in comparison with your friends or peers. You asked, “Is this just my body type?”

So the question isn’t limited to general principles. If you are seeing unusual results, it could be stress or lack of good lifestyle habits. Do you get enough sleep? Are you under psychological stress? Is your schedule regular?

Psychological stress (even something as common as being a student in a challenging major) can increase your levels of catabolic hormones.

You also asked, “is there any solution for this?” Yes. Focus on getting lots of rest, managing stress and having a regular schedule. You may see that you don’t lose mass as quickly if your stress goes down and your lifestyle improves.

Question

I tore my left knee ACL 6 months playing soccer. After the incident I was able to go to a Dr and he told me I need to let the inflammation come down and then get surgery. He said I don’t need to do the surgery to live a healthy life but if I want to play sports with twists and turns (like soccer, basketball, etc) I will need the surgery.

The Dr told me I could run, jog, swim, and do many other things with a missing ACL. And I am doing all those right now. He said before the surgery I should strengthen my leg muscles because it will improve recovery post-surgery.

I do plan on getting the surgery (sometime in the future) but I just want to know if squats and deadlifts are one of those things that its okay to do with a torn ACL? Technically your moving up and down in those exercises, no twists or turns, but is the weight and pressure at all harmful on this part of the leg/locomotion system given a missing ACL?

I just started lifting since the incident and I just want to know. I recently relocated and will be seeing a Dr soon about this but until then…

Answer accepted (score 16)

Squats can be done safely with an injured ACL.

In Effects of technique variations on knee biomechanics during the squat and leg press (also available here for free), the authors found that “no ACL forces were produced for any exercise variation” of the squat or leg press, and that “the lack of ACL forces implies that all exercises [squats and leg presses] may be effective during ACL rehabilitation”.

In Knee biomechanics of the dynamic squat exercise, the authors conclude:

The squat was shown to be an effective exercise to employ during cruciate ligament or patellofemoral rehabilitation. For athletes with healthy knees, performing the parallel squat is recommended over the deep squat, because injury potential to the menisci and cruciate and collateral ligaments may increase with the deep squat. The squat does not compromise knee stability, and can enhance stability if performed correctly.

(By parallel, this means tops of the thighs parallel to the ground.)

The deadlift also.

From A three-dimensional biomechanical analysis of sumo and conventional style deadlifts:

Because the deadlift is considered a closed kinetic chain exercise (23), it can also be employed in knee rehabilitation programs, such as after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Numerous studies have already shown that the squat is an effective exercise during ACL rehabilitation (11,15,20,22,25,26,29). Because the deadlift is performed in a similar manner as the squat, it is hypothesized that the deadlift may provide similar benefits during ACL rehabilitation. The moderate to high hamstring activity that has been reported during the deadlift (28) may help protect the ACL during knee rehabilitation. However, which deadlift style would be most effective in knee rehabilitation has not yet been established.

Leg extensions are not recommended for an injured or recently reconstructed ACL.

(You didn’t ask about leg extensions, but jp2code suggested them, so I’m correcting that here.)

Many studies (for example, Electromyographic Evaluation of Closed and Open Kinetic Chain Knee Rehabilitation Exercises) have shown that open kinetic chain exercises (leg extensions) produce significantly higher shear force at the knee joint. These shear forces result from increased quad tension and can direct too much force through an injured or reconstructed ACL. The authors cite 10 other authors that warn against open kinetic chain exercises after ACL reconstruction. “Because […] shear forces are are increased during leg extensions, it seems prudent to select alternate exercises to strengthen the quadriceps after ACL reconstruction.”

Regarding closed kinetic chain exercises (that includes squats), they say “weight bearing, closed kinetic chain exercises cause less elongation of the ACL than non-weight bearing, open kinetic chain exercises”, and “closed kinetic chain exercises have been found beneficial in ACL rehabilitation programs”.

One doctor’s ACL rehabilitation program goes so far as to say “the leg extension machine should never be used because it will significantly aggravate your PF pain and can cause severe ligament injury” (emphasis theirs).

Later on in recovery, inclusion of leg extensions can assist in regaining quadricep strength and an earlier return to sport (from Closed kinetic chain alone compared to combined open and closed kinetic chain exercises for quadriceps strengthening after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with respect to return to sports: a prospective matched follow-up study), but the authors of that study agree that unrestricted open kinetic chain exercises could put too much strain on the ACL and suggest a wait until 6 weeks and only include them under controlled conditions.

Other references

Here’s a less scholarly reference that gives a good summary of the forces on the ACL during squatting and leg extensions: http://www.lookgreatnaked.com/articles/archive/1003article.htm

Answer 2 (score 6)

Squatting actually helped me recover the normal use of my leg. I tore my ACL 10 years ago and suffered a failed autograft surgery where the surgeon cut out the middle 1/3 of my patella tendon and used that as the acl replacement.

The surgery failed and my knee cap shifted out-of-place because of the cut petella tendon. After 10 years, I was suffering from patellar tendonitis. My involved leg was much weaker and had a drastically reduced range of motion which caused a poor gait and all kinds of foot and hip pain.

The surgeon told me to never squat, but I figured that my leg was so messed up anyway after 10 years I might as well try it. Well, the more I squatted the better the leg got. I started out with light weights for high reps to get the range of motion back. As soon as the range of motion returned, I started ATG front squatting and then slowly adding weight on the back squats.

Now, 3 years later, I just PRed 605 pounds on the back squat and 455 on the front squat. I also deadlift without any problems. I tried olympic cleaning for a couple of months, but that caused my knee to swell. That’s my experience any way: squat and deadlift without an ACL, but don’t do Olympic lifts. Two tips that helped me were:

1. keep all the weight on my heels at all times
2. squat very frequently, every day if possible and at least every other day.

That really seamed to maintain the range of motion and keep the stroke efficient and safe so that when I fail on a set it’s because my hams/glutes are spent and not because I’m shifting my weight oddly to baby my involved leg.

Answer 3 (score 5)

I am an active duty Marine and following an injury and MRI that revealed a completely torn ACL, torn MCL, and bilateral miniscal tear, I was back to working out my leg within roughly 2 months. By the way, I was in Afghanistan 3.5 weeks following the tear. It was a slow process and incremental in nature, but effective. To the root of your question though, yes, you can squat and deadlift. You know your body though and that is key. However, I was doing squats and repping 225lbs within 3-4 months, leg extensions(!), deadlifts, and eventually graduated to box jumps and box over jumps within a year (crossfit) after getting home. I just got surgery Oct 11th and I’ll be damned, I am doing it all over again. There lies the irony… Good Luck.

Question

I used to have a fairly flat stomach but I had a baby 4 months ago by c-section and my lower abdomen is quite saggy. What can I do to lose the extra weight there and get it taut?

Answer accepted (score 17)

Medical Clearance to Exercise

• A C-section requires that you get medical clearance before you begin postpartum exercises. Assuming that you have clearance (and 4 months post would seem likely that you have) here are some considerations in getting your postpartum belly back in shape:

Weight Loss vs Laxity and Weakness

There are actually 2 concerns in fighting the saggy belly.

1. Excess body weight

2. Laxity of muscle, connective tissue and skin from being stretched out.

Losing weight after pregnancy does involve nutrition and exercise just as with any weight loss program (as @Robert has pointed out). However, there are several postpartum specific exercise concerns such as weakness, ligament laxity and postural alignment.

PostPartum Exercise Concerns

• Some ordinary exercises may not be appropriate for you and, in fact, can be counterproductive. For example, routine abdominal exercises like crunches, which target the rectus abdominus, may make the postpartum belly bulge more, not less, especially if they are attempted before restoring the transversus abdominis.
• Another exercise consideration is continued hormonal ligament laxity (looseness) which can last 6 months post delivery requiring you to be protective of your joints during impact type exercises, stretching or resistance training.

Restoring Abdominal Muscle Control

1. First, you’ll want to assess if you have a separation (called diastasis recti) centrally, between the 2 rectus abdominus muscles. This is important because if your separation remains greater than 2 or 2 ½ finger’s width, you need to be more careful to avoid making the separation and your belly bulge worse. You would need to avoid exercises that cause you to strain, twist as with obliques or triangle pose, or stretch the abdomen as with curl ups over a stability ball, otherwise you will just prolong the weakness.

2. Next, focus your efforts on the pelvic floor muscles (Kegel’s exercise) and on the transversus abdominis muscle (TvA), which is the deepest layer of abs (the girdle muscle), before you begin with other obliques or rectus abdominal exercises.

   The transverse abdominus (TvA) is the muscle you use when draw your belly button towards your spine, flattening your stomach, while exhaling. For an in-depth explanation and demo, see Helene Byrne’s videos. (She also has a book with a nice sequence for getting back in shape after pregnancy.)

3. Then engage your transversus abdominus and begin with gentle leg slides while maintaining that core control.

4. Once you can maintain good control of your core with the transverse abdominus while moving your legs lying down, progress towards working your TvA against gravity by pulling your belly button in while on your hands and knees. This video has a nice progression of exercises and includes stabilizing your core with bridging, planks and ball rollouts etc.

Addressing Fat Loss after Pregnancy

You have already been directed to the info that Robert cited so I will just add:

• Fat loss is more important than weight loss, so calculate your body fat percentage. (It is easier than you think.) Then track your body fat percentage and waist circumference progress rather than just your weight loss.

• Diet is a big factor: Track what you eat (and drink). Take the time to eat sitting down with your attention on your food or snack. Choose smaller portions/smaller plates. Eat well-balanced nutritious meals. Eat less packaged foods and less empty calories foods like sodas. Consume less sugars. Hydrate well. Remember that it takes a 3500 calorie deficit to = 1 pound of weight loss. Walking a mile burns ~ 100 calories. It takes a lot more effort to burn off 3500 calories than it does to consume that amount so eat wisely. Think of creating a healthy lifestyle for you and your family rather than a quick fix diet.

• Exercise: Start with simple daily walking and core exercises. Once you have built up some endurance (at least 30 minutes/day) and core control, begin to increase the difficulty of your workouts. Hold off on high impact exercises like running and jumping while your ligaments bounce back.

  Efficient workouts are key when you are a busy mom. Compound muscle or whole body, strength training circuit exercises with high intensity intervals will give you effective fat burning workouts in the least amount of time. You can use bodyweight (like squats, planks, push ups etc), resistance bands, free weights or weight machines for resistance training.

  Use your target heart rate to guide your intensity. If you can join a postpartum exercise class. It is good for the exercise and support.

• Rest - Easier said than done with a new baby, but sleep is also an important factor in losing weight.

Saggy Skin

If you get your abs working properly and burn off the excess fat, you should see the results you want over time. However, some women do have a problem with overly stretched skin and collagen that just doesn’t return to normal. For them, surgery is a corrective option.

If you have any problems with your scar or with trying to reconnect with your muscles, you may want to consult with women’s health physical therapy specialist.

(Full disclosure of references: We carry Helene Byrne’s book in our amazon store. Our site does affiliate with Holly Rigsby’s Fit Yummy Mummy, despite the name, because it is a good program and we like her membership site.)

I hope this helps you get the flat, taut stomach that you want. Good luck!

Question

My both hands are really shakey. Starting in the middle of the workout and ending after five hours.

Why do they shake? What doest it mean? And is it normal?

Answer accepted (score 9)

First, this is not immediate cause for alarm.

It is rather common as far as post-workout complications go, and is not, to my knowledge, an indicator of more serious problems.

Second, the reason for this.

Your skeletal muscles are controlled by motor nerves. Each motor nerve controls a large group of muscle cells. Of importance is that these groups overlap, each muscle cell is capable of receiving commands from more than one motor nerve.

As a large muscle contracts under normal circumstances, the nerves fire off one by one, creating a tight pattern that gives the illusion that the muscle as a whole is moving smoothly.

As fatigue sets in, some motor nerves are knocked out of action. As the muscle cell groups overlap, the muscle can still contract, but since there are now fewer neurons handling the muscle as a whole, the illusion of the contraction being smooth is damaged - the muscle moves in jerks.

Most people notice this most easily in the hands, as this is an area where we are used to having a very fine degree of motor control. Some notice it the most in the largest muscles (such as the quadriceps), as those muscles have a great number of muscle cells compared to the number of neurons to begin with.

Once the nerves are adequately rested, normal motor function resumes.

Third, it may be possible to “cure” this.

People have reported quite a few things that seem to aggravate post-workout trembling, and their direct solutions:

• Dehydration. Solution: Drink more water.
• Lack of electrolytes. Solution: Consume bananas/salt/Gatorade/your favorite replenisher.
• Low blood sugar. Solution: Eat.
• Lack of sleep. Solution: Sleep more.
• Caffeine overconsumption. Solution: Drink less coffee/tea/soda.

Caveat: I am not a doctor. I am an amateur working from my memory of an article that I can’t find any more. If the trembling is causing you discomfort, is chronic, or is verging on being full-on spasms and/or seizures, I suggest you see a doctor.

Question

This guy claims that Olympic powerlifters working in the 1-6 rep range can increase strength without increasing muscle size.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek8.htm

Trained Olympic lifters, for example, were shown over a two-year period to have significant strength increases with barely noticeable increases in muscle mass (Hakkinen et al, 1988). I had a similar experience when I used AST’s Max-OT principals. My strength went up like crazy, but I gained very little size.

Obviously, traditional strength training with low volume and low sets (1-6 reps, 3 or less sets) is not the best approach. Strength training does cause hypertrophy (Hakkinen et al, 1985), but it won’t cause maximum hypertrophy.

What is the scientific explanation for this? Is the inverse true? That is, can a buff guy (with lots of prominent muscle) actually be weak?

Answer accepted (score 26)

Certainly there is a correlation between muscle mass and strength, but there is more to the story. Two reasons why muscle mass and strength may not be completely congruous are:

1. Muscle fiber density
2. Muscle utilization

Density: Your muscles are composed of four different types of fibers (slow-twitch, and three forms of fast-twitch). These fibers have different profiles in terms of force applied and recovery time. Slow twitch fibers, for example, recover quickly but have less force as there are fewer muscle fibers per bundle, compared with the fast-twitch fibers.

Extra water in the form of glycogen can also cause muscles to take up more volume with the same amount of actual muscle. This glycogen can be a ready source of energy for the muscles, but isn’t going to increase their maximum theoretical force for a single heavy lift (per Olympic competition) where endurance through a long set isn’t at issue.

Utilization: The average person is able to utilize 20-30% of their total theoretical muscle strength when trying their hardest. (Ref. Tsatsouline, Power To The People) Top lifters use perhaps 50% of their theoretical strength. Olympic and powerlifting-style training focuses on training the neural pathways to utilize a greater percentage of the available muscle mass. Since muscle fibers contract all internal cells (the all-or-nothing principal), this training is focused on convincing a greater proportion of fiber bundles to contract during a lift.

Can a buff guy be weak?

Well, it depends on your definition of buff. A cut guy can be weak (compared to a strength athlete), because muscle definition is more about having low body fat covering the muscle than it is about having large muscles.

A bodybuilder with decent volume won’t be able to lift as much as a comparable powerlifter because he/she doesn’t train for strength per se. It seems worth noting that Olympic/power lifters also want to minimize their size (except for the heavyweights) because it affects their weight class in competition, so there is an added incentive to train for neural utilization over additional muscle mass.

Answer 2 (score 2)

Low reps with high weights don’t add mass because the duration of the exercise is kept short. As a result it is an anaerobic exercise that utilizes the ATP-CP energy system and never enters the glycolytic energy system. The breakdown of ATP-CP creates the energy and Oxygen isn’t used.

If one rests long enough for this system to recharge (about 3-5 minutes) and then tries another set of low reps, high weight lasting less than 10 seconds in total duration, strength will increase greatly and mass will not.

Decreasing rest and/or increasing work time will cause mass gain as the body works into the glycolitic and/or aerobic energy systems.

Answer 3 (score 1)

A muscle cell is comprised of
- fibers known as myofibrils
- cytoplasm, known as sarcoplasm.

It is the contraction of the myofibrils which generates the force a muscle produces. Therefore the more myofibrils you have, the stronger you will be.

Sarcoplasm is a liquid (mostly water) which can provide nutrients to the myofibrils. One can “bulk up” by increasing the amount of water in the sarcoplasm, which makes the muscle look bigger. This however does not make you stronger. It is therefore possible for strength to not be in proportion to muscle size.

That was the science. Now in order to increase the fluid in the sarcoplasm, making your muscles look bigger, you should do many reps, many sets.

In order to increase the number of myofibrils, you should do less reps and less sets.

There is no best option. It depends if you want to train for strength or for size.

Question

I learn to swim and I have a common swimming pool in my apartment. But we don’t have any trainer and I can’t afford personal trainer. I don’t know swimming but want to learn. Can i learn without any trainer.

if yes then please give me some tips on how to learn. My weight is 100 KG.

Also tell me me what accessories I should buy for swimming.

And can i go to swimming pool anytime or only in morning is better?

Thanks in advance

Answer accepted (score 14)

Safety first, if you want to learn to swim (as an adult), make sure you try it in a swimming pool where you can easily stand up if things go wrong and have supervision around in case of an emergency.

As someone who has learned several children to swim, I’d say its pretty hard to learn it yourself properly. Why? Because you can read the words, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to correct yourself if you do something wrong. But if you really put your mind to it, I do think it can be done.

The usual order of learning to swim goes sort of like this:

• Get used to water, lose the fear of getting your head under water, learn how to hold your breath and breathing out under water. As an adult this step should be easy, but don’t underestimate it. If you want to swim, you need to accept you’re in the water, stop trying to keep as much of your body out of it.

• Learn how to float. This is by far the most important thing to learn if you want to swim. You see, your body is perfectly able to float without you having to anything. They key to this is exhaling deeply, filling your belly with air and relax as much as possible. While its easier to float on your back, since you can keep breathing, new swimmers will often let their butt sink down which will hurts your floating.

  • Start floating on your belly. Basically start at the edge of the pool, pull up your legs and push off. Then try to float in a straight line until your feel the urge to breath and stand up again. Try to have a position like in this image from Swimator Note: you should be floating at the surface, just mimic the posture:

    Keep practicing this until you can float like this for at least 10 seconds without ‘tumbling’ over. An important thing to learn is to put your head into the water, trying to keep your head up, will ‘push’ your back down and ruin your floating position.

  • Next move on to floating on your back (watch your head, seriously!). You simply start in a reversed position compared to floating on your back. Hold the edges of the pool while pulling up your legs, then push off. Try to keep the same position as on your belly, putting your head between the arms and keep it in the water.

    In contrast to floating on your belly, you should practice to maintain this position for a longer period of time. This requires you to breath in and out of a relaxed and controlled fashion. You’ll notice that you start to sink when you breath out or that your buttocks start to sink deeper, so you’ll have to learn how to adept to these situations. Have a look at this ehow video for more information

  • Learn how to move while floating. Once you’ve really nailed the floating, its time to learn how to move while still trying to float. The reason I tell you to push off the side of the pool is because this keeps you moving. Like a bicycle, its easier to maintain your balance if you’re moving than standing still. Likewise, kicking your legs can ‘push’ you upwards a little bit to make floating easier.

  However, remember that you shouldn’t have to move to be able to float! This is important, because you’ll often see poor swimmers kick like crazy, while not moving very far. That’s because the water has a high resistance, if you increase your frontal surface, you’re effectively slowing yourself down. That’s why all swimming movements are cyclic movements and when you make a stroke, you want to use that energy as efficiently as possible: by keeping your body stretched out and simply floating.

  Because it can be quite difficult to learn how to move both your arms and legs at the same time, its often easier to start with the legs first, simply kicking your legs while floating in your back or belly. The first leg movement to learn would be the breaststroke leg movement. As this ehow video shows, you can practice this out of the water. Preferably you have somebody film you or help you guide to learn the motions properly. This may feel silly, but there are countless of ‘self-learned’ swimmers who have a very inefficient kick, who kick without actually pushing themselves forward.

One last word of advice, don’t get overconfident of your swimming skills. Take the time to practice the basic skills first, before moving on to learning strokes. I can guarantee you that better basic skills will do more for your safety while swimming than learning any stroke at all.

Feel free to come back with any followup questions if you have trouble with any of these steps and in the mean time, have a look at several other swimming resources.

Answer 2 (score 4)

As a kid, I took many years of swimming lessons. I discovered that learning how to swim, in the notion of staying afloat, is a mental skill that no one can teach you. Fear of drowning causes you to struggle. Struggling causes you to sink. Therefore, to not drown, you should stop being scared so you don’t struggle. For me, the moment I realized this I instantly transitioned from using the kiddie boogie board to being able to float. It was an instant revelation. It was not a gradual learning process where I could somehow increase my buoyancy. You either drown or float - there is no in between.

If we’re talking about how to swim technically, then yes, you do need an instructor. An instructor will teach you all the styles: breast stroke, back stroke, etc… He will correct your form for maximum speed and efficiency. He will show you how to place your hands and form your body to cut the water cleanly on a dive, for example.

Answer 3 (score 3)

There are two things that I learnt before I got any good at swimming.

The first I learnt in elementary school ages ago and that was to go into the shallow end of the pool, dip down to about chest height and then wrap yourself into fetal position. What that did for me was it thought me that I can float and also to learn to relax in the water. Mind you your head will be under water, but it part of learning to relax and hold your breath.

The second thing I learnt from a friend was the dog paddle. Essentially you swim like a dog. You can easily keep your head above water and the movements are easy to do. From there you can slowly experiment and learn to swim in other styles.

Question

I used to skip in the passed, but always ended up stopping after a week when I could no longer handle the pain in the lower legs, i.e. knees, shins, feet. Looking at these diagrams from Foottrainer.com:

I would say, most of the pains are at or close to the:

• Plantar aponeurosis
• Calcaneal tendon
• Tibialis anterior
• Plus knee pains (which seem to be under the knee caps, at the inner sides of the knees)

Will getting better footwear get rid of the buildup of pain, or do I need to do leg/feet specific stretching/warmups/cooldowns to stop the pain buildup?

In the past, I used to warm my legs up on the stationary bike, but did not do any stretching.

So I don’t know if the pain was because of the footwear, lack of leg/feet specific stretching or a combination of both?

Note: I am not in pain at the moment, the pain starts 1 day after jumping rope, and after that day, if I continue every day or every other day, the pain would continue to increase. It would take over a week of no jumping rope for the pains to subside.

Answer accepted (score 11)

It sounds like you’ve got a few things going on here, and I would suggest seeing a physiotherapist to get a personalized assessment and treatment prescription. What I’ll say here is only a guess, so take it with a grain of salt.

The calf muscles are major players in skipping. When they contract, you foot goes into a plantar-flexed position, helping to power your jump. Most of these muscles attach into the Achilles (a.k.a calcanear) tendon. After skipping, these muscles can become tight, putting tension into the Achilles tendon, which can cause pain and tendonitis.

A tight Achilles tendon, in turn, puts you at high risk for plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis causes pain right around where that plantar aponeurosis label on your diagram points (check out the plantar fasciitis link for more details about symptoms).

Tight lower leg muscles can also cause shin splints, which cause pain in the tibialis anterior area. Shin splints can also be caused by more serious problems like stress fractures in one of the lower leg bones (skipping on concrete could do that), so if the pain persists, it’s worth getting checked out.

The knee pain could be due to a number of things (check out the stuff under the “Medial” header). It could be related to the impact on the concrete floor, or to overpronation (tendency to roll the foot inwards), which is also a risk factor for plantar fasciitis.

Based on all these guesses, I would try the following:

• Stretch your lower leg muscles, making sure to target your gastroc, soleus, and tibialis anterior. See the right column of this ExRx page for a bunch of stretching options.
• Avoid jumping on concrete. Asphalt, turf, or some other padded surface would have more give, so your body wouldn’t have to absorb as much impact.
• See a physiotherapist for a diagnosis and rehab prescription (if overpronation is a factor, they may be able to give you some exercises to correct this).
• Get your gait analyzed, and get appropriate footwear/orthotics. Some shoes correct for stuff like overpronation.

Answer 2 (score 2)

If you could post of video of you jumping rope, that would be ideal. Rope jumping is low impact, depending on the surface and your form. I’m assuming if your knees hurt, you’re not bending your knees at all and if the bottom of your feet hurt, it’s the shoes you’re wearing OR very very stiff tendons. How long are you jumping? Try:

• jumping barefoot
• reduce the time you’re jumping to no more than 5 minutes
• make sure the surface your jumping on is padded (foam/rubber)
• keep your knees bent

Answer 3 (score 0)

I have had the exact pain experience as you have albeit not with skipping but with running. And through this ordeal, I have discovered a solution to this problem through self analysis and trial-n-error which eventually work. I said ‘self’ analysis because various consultation to the doctors did not lead me to the right conclusion although their protocol was perfectly correct. Modern medicine tends not to be poor ‘wholesome’.

Since about 2 years ago, I started having debilitating ankle pain with big swell, redness and pain that is so bad I could not move my feet even while on bed nor stand to go pee. Went to doctors, had my blood checked and found that I have high uric acid which they concluded was causing me to have the gout pain. Put me on medication and the uric acid went down to within the normal range. But I was still having those severe pain.

Self analysis - like said, my pain pattern was exactly like yours. Long story short, I realized that the culprit was the ‘impact’ I experienced when running on hard ground such as tarred roads, terrains etc. The impact hit at my ankles the hardest and not as bad on the knees which did exhibit ‘noises’ and slight pain after runs. BTW, I also trained with skipping for a while and stopped in no time after first experiencing your type of pain. I believe that the ‘springing’ action during skipping puts tremendous strain on the lower leg region [knees and below] by which tendons and ligaments get overworked easily. This also has lots to do with how heavy the body is that those lower leg muscles have to ‘lift’ during the spring action of skipping up.

Doctors - they could not figure out why I still had the pain despite the uric acid being normal and could only referred me to more specialists for MRI etc. I did not want to go that route as they can probably only propose physical therapy and perhaps try surgery.

What I did / am doing - 1. Continue with the uric meds so that there is no high uric acid to cause future damages to joints and bones [this is just for long term avoidance of possible ramification due to high UA] 2. Stopped my running all together and switched to swimming for cardio ever since. Surprised benefit includes - more intense cardio-vascular workout than running. Swimming restricts the breathing [when under water] and this trains the lungs better than the free flow of air while running. It trains and transforms my upper body which gave me bigger triceps, lads and delts. This is the beautiful part - when I missed running, I could run on the treadmills - the ‘floating’ belt provides good absorption of the impact - or use the elliptical machine which removes the feet pounding onto surfaces and I never got the pain returned once.

So that’s my experience on how I resolved this [literally] painful 2 years plus of agony - with non medical intervention. Perhaps you can consider this approach too.

Question

I’m looking to buy a new set of headphones; I don’t care much about audio quality, so I use the same pair of headphones for running and normal use, and prefer the kind of earbuds that slip over the ear (even for normal use).

In considering which kind of headphones to buy this time around, I realized that, although I don’t mind headphone cords in normal usage, I find them extremely frustrating during running and weight-lifting. So, while browsing Amazon’s headphones section, I thought there would be at least some overlap between the Sports & Exercise and Wireless feature categories; turns out there isn’t. After doing some digging, there do seem to be bulky wireless headphones marketed for exercise, but most of their reviews make such headphones seem pretty terrible.

Since getting rid of the cords doesn’t seem feasible at this point, what are the best ways to deal with headphone cords while exercising?

Answer accepted (score 6)

I’m a long time jogger and just hated corded headphones, plus having to constantly replace them because the cable would wear near the plug.

All the reviews of wireless headphones were less than convincing, as you’ve seen.

I did however take the plunge and bought a Motorola S9. I returned it immediately because it was counterfeit. Then I got a real one.

As far as stability and comfort, I couldn’t fault it, but maybe I just had the right shaped head. The problem was losing reception when jogging near a interference source, like overhead wires. Nonetheless, I it rarely affected me where I jogged so the only time I’d go back to wired headphones was when I’d forgot to charge the Motorolas. The Motorolas completely eliminated that enormous frustration I had with wires and buds falling out.

Caveat: I only listen to audiobooks, not music, so can’t comment on their sound reproduction.

Just recently I bought a friend some Plantronics Backbeat GOs, telling her to give me them back if she didn’t like them, knowing wireless is really a hit and miss affair.

She gave them back.

So I now use them along with the Motorolas. Their wireless reception is brilliant, I use them when cleaning the house as I don’t have to carry the phone. I use them when walking the dog as power lines don’t affect them. I use them at the gym. I use them where I may later have to take them off and carry them in a pocket, as the Motorolas are too bulky for pocketing. The Motorolas however do not feel bulky when wearing them.

I don’t use the Plantronics GOs for jogging, they simply are not secure enough to handle the bouncing. Another massive design fault of them is the rubber connecting cord between the buds–high friction rubber catches on the back of your neck when turning your head and can pull the buds out. That could have been so easily eliminated with smooth plastic. Sometimes I wonder if any companies actually use their products. Having the cord across the front instead of the back helps this a lot, but now gets in the way of activities more.

These two devices together would make the perfect device. Maybe the later version of the Motorola, the S10, is much better, but the reviews still seem poor.

A problem with headphones is, because of hygiene, I never found a place that would let me return them if they were no good. One may have better luck in the States, but you may have to just take the gamble, try them, because it seems like people either love them or hate them. Wireless headphones have a long way to come, but are definitely feasible at the moment.

Answer 2 (score 4)

I had a a similar problem. I have a terrible time keeping earbuds in my ear while running/exercising. I tried using an attachment on the earbuds that come with iPods, which allow you to hook them on your ears, but the perspiration would make one or the other stop working before my run ended. I now use the Sennheiser MX85 Sport Series II Twist to Fit Earbuds. They have a design that stays in your ear and they are immune (at least for me) from the perspiration. They also come with a clip for your collar that helps keep the cord from getting in the way. I have used them on fairly long runs (12-15 miles) without hurting my ears and in the gym.

Answer 3 (score 4)

I had a a similar problem. I have a terrible time keeping earbuds in my ear while running/exercising. I tried using an attachment on the earbuds that come with iPods, which allow you to hook them on your ears, but the perspiration would make one or the other stop working before my run ended. I now use the Sennheiser MX85 Sport Series II Twist to Fit Earbuds. They have a design that stays in your ear and they are immune (at least for me) from the perspiration. They also come with a clip for your collar that helps keep the cord from getting in the way. I have used them on fairly long runs (12-15 miles) without hurting my ears and in the gym.

Question

If I am using the correct form while doing a standard deadlift what primary and secondary muscles are being targeted?

Answer accepted (score 28)

“That muscle.”

There’s a classic quote about the power clean, attributed here to Charles Staley, that applies to your question:

“You know when you run down the field, catch the ball and then hit a defender? It works that muscle.”

The deadlift works all the muscles. However, it’s not quite the same as the running-jumping-hitting-the-defender athleticism of the clean, because it’s more about being straightforwardly strong. It could be more accurate to say, “You know when you pick up the other guy, throw him to the ground, and pin him there? That muscle.” The deadlift is about picking things up, or maintaining structure and posture against external forces.

The target muscles of the deadlift are all of them. The secondary muscles of the deadlift are all the rest.

Lower Back and Posterior Chain

That said, though the deadlift involves the grip, arms, shoulders, upper back, lower back, abs, neck, and legs, it particularly makes strong the lower back and the posterior chain. The excellent resource exrx.net puts the deadlift as primarily using both the erector spinae (isometrically) and the gluteus maximus. Second to those muscles in exrx’s run-down are the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, adductor magnus, and traps.

The erector spinae, abdominals, and related muscles are those that lock the trunk in place during the deadlift, keeping the spine safe.

The glutes, hamstrings, and related muscles are referred to as the posterior chain, which is critically important in nearly all sports. These are the muscles that drive hip extension, such as is involved in most basic athletic movements like running, punching, and jumping.

Training the deadlift makes for a solid back, a strong butt and legs, and as a bonus, pretty much everything else gets stronger too. It stands to reason: barring partial-range-of-motion exercises, the barbell deadlift is usually the heaviest lift one can perform. Performed correctly–which is to say, with very heavy weights–the entire body usually ends up supporting more weight than with any other lift.

Which Muscles, Exactly

The book Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Devalier details all the muscles used in the deadlift, in graphical form. Those muscles labelled in bold or shaded in red are used.

A larger, more complete version can be found here.

Answer 2 (score 9)

The deadlift works more muscles than any other lift, but what sets it apart from other lifts is the attention it gives to the back:

The deadlift builds back strength better than any other exercise, bar none. (From Starting Strength, 3rd Edition)

Specifically, the deadlift works the legs (hamstrings, quads), hips (glutes, and supporting muscles), abs, forearms (for grip strength), and back (almost everything… spinal erectors, lats, rhomboids, levator scapulae, trapezius).

Where you will tend to “feel” the lift if you are using correct form is in the hamstrings and lower back. In the set-up, pre-pull position, you will feel a stretch in your hamstrings as your hips are high and your spinal erectors are pulling your back into rigid extension. Your back fights your hamstrings for control of your hips, and your back must win. That means your hamstrings will feel stretched and your back will be in isometric contraction.

Question

I see all types of claims for every supplement and vitamin under the sun.

What are the basic vitamins that one should take when actively working out (cardio and weights) to help stay healthy.

1. multivitamin?
2. Vitamin C ?
3. Other ??

Answer accepted (score 14)

If you eat a balanced diet rich with fruits and vegetables you probably don’t even need a multivitamin or other supplements. Recently there even has been controversy on the safety of multivitamins in general.

I personally take a multi-vitamin, 2-3 mgs of fish oil a day, and 3000-5000iu vitamin D. I occasionally supplement with an electrolytes drink that contains vitamin C such as Emergen-C.

Overall, it will really vary from person to person. I don’t get a lot of sun exposure which is why I take such a high dose of vitamin D, on the other hand, someone who works all day in the sun probably wouldn’t even need to supplement it.

At the end, supplements will never replace real food. A lot of them don’t really do anything, some have a minor effect, but at the end what matters a lot more is your actual lifestyle.

Answer 2 (score 4)

• Zinc - 30mg a day for testosterone replenishing. Zinc is diminished easily through a workout.

• Protein - bodyweight in pounds x 1gram. ex if you weigh 150lbs take 150 grams protein per day. naturally or in supplement form. EVERYDAY, EVEN ON YOUR OFF DAYS.

• Omega 3 - Cardiovascular health

• B Complex Vitamin - Metabolizing fats proteins and carbs

• Magnesium - 400mg for muscle and bone. When combined with B complex (b6) and zinc, it creates ZMA or a natural testosterone booster.

• Vitamin E - 200iu per day for antioxidant health.

Answer 3 (score 3)

There are very few evidence based benefits for taking vitamin supplements other than for diagnosed deficiencies. The one with probable benefits is vitamin D depending on how much you spend time in the sun. I live in Scandinavia so I take 400-800iu per day. In general moderately balanced diet should be enough to get pretty much all the required vitamins.

Question

When I come home from work (as a programmer) I am mentally very tired, and thus not able to concentrate on my exercises fully, yawning at the gym even.

Is it a good idea to take a nap for an hour before I go to the gym, or should I go straight from work while my mind is still working? Or should I drink an energy drink with high caffeïne levels to give me an extra boost at the gym?

I don’t want to go to the gym too late, because then I get back home too late, and am not able to have a proper pause between eating and going to bed.

At the gym, I do a little cardio, but mostly bodybuilding.

Answer accepted (score 4)

I think a short nap might be a good idea if you are very tired. You want to be well-rested when lifting weights in order to be able to fully work your muscles, not to mention alertness and safety. However, I think you’ll want to keep your nap to 20-30 minutes or else you’ll go into a deeper sleep (see When I wake up after a two hour nap I feel like I was hit by a truck.).

I wouldn’t resort to sugary high-caffeine energy drinks for general health purposes and because they can wear off (and may prevent you from sleeping at night if you take them after work).

What might help your energy level is eating a healthy snack with some fiber, protein, and complex carbs an hour or so before you go.

And of course make sure you’re getting enough sleep at night!

Answer 2 (score 1)

Why not go to the gym before work. That is what I have almost always done. I have a high energy level first thing in the morning. It’s not for everyone and requires you go to bed earlier.

Answer 3 (score 0)

Have a rest and go around 7pm? Per workout I have a whey shake 30 mins before gym, another as soon as I’ve finished, followed by food an hour later.

I personally train at about 8pm, eat and then sleep. There will be about an hour between eating and bed, if this is the case I’d have a cup of cottage cheese before bed to help prevent your body going catabolic during sleep.

I tried training early morning before but I found I could not lift the same that early.

Question

I’ve been a long time bodybuilder, but never tried Crossfit. I watched some videos of Crossfit athletes use large plates of the same size as the 45 pound plates I find in bodybuilding gyms. I am wondering if the Crossfit plates are also 45 lbs? From this knowledge, I would like to gauge my comparative strength as a bodybuilder.

Answer accepted (score 11)

The plates in the picture are more than likely 25s. This is a photo from the 2010 CrossFit Games which, according to this thread, used these plates. They are known as “bumper plates” because they can be dropped on the ground. Watch Olympic weight lifting videos and you’ll see them use similar large, colorful plates.

Answer 2 (score 1)

They weigh as much as they weigh. Because they’re bumper plates, the plate diameter remains constant, making it tougher to tell how much is on the bar. Sometimes the plates will be color-coded for how much they weigh, but sometimes they aren’t. They could weigh 45 pounds or one pound or 10 pounds.

Answer 3 (score 0)

The plates in the pictures are competition bumpers from Rogue Fitness.

Women use 15kg bars and Men use 20 kg bars, and again, everything for the Games is supplied by Rogue.

If you want to compare yourself to Games athletes, here are the stats for the top 3 women and men from the 2014 Crossfit Games.

Camille Leblanc Bazinet
Annie Thorisdottir
Julie Foucher

Rich Froning
Matt Fraser
Jason Khalipa

EDIT : Ha! I just now realized this question was asked years ago. My bad.

Question

I have heard a lot about benefits of HIIT; however, nobody seems to address when is the best time for such activities. I got this question when watching “The secret life of your body clock” (BBC Horizon 2009). I intend to do HIIT in the early morning to kick start my metabolism and also to have a boost of endorphins for my day. However, the BBC documentary suggests that the best time for exercise in general is afternoon and it might not be safe to exercise heavily in the morning!

Do you know of any scientific study addressing this issue? If not, what is your personal opinion (i.e. would you do HIIT in the morning)?

Answer accepted (score 7)

If you are training outdoors, when you train is largely dependant on the weather. For example, I’m from Dallas so in the summer I have to weigh lower temperatures and higher humidity in the morning versus higher temperations and lower humidity in the late afternoon/evening. In a more temperate climate, you may not have that issue.

When I run sprints or a quick pace tabata session, normally it’s about an hour from sunset to take advantage of my night-owl tendancies while having some daylight to run it. Plus there is less danger of heat exhaustion at that time.

In regards to morning training, I rowed in college so practices started around 6-7am. Tough to wake up for, but doable.

Answer 2 (score 7)

If you are training outdoors, when you train is largely dependant on the weather. For example, I’m from Dallas so in the summer I have to weigh lower temperatures and higher humidity in the morning versus higher temperations and lower humidity in the late afternoon/evening. In a more temperate climate, you may not have that issue.

When I run sprints or a quick pace tabata session, normally it’s about an hour from sunset to take advantage of my night-owl tendancies while having some daylight to run it. Plus there is less danger of heat exhaustion at that time.

In regards to morning training, I rowed in college so practices started around 6-7am. Tough to wake up for, but doable.

Answer 3 (score 4)

First of all, there is no wrong time in doing HIIT training. But if you want to do it in the morning, you have to mind some important aspects. DON’T do HIIT on a empty stomach in the morning and right after waking up. Let your body wake up for 30 Minutes, and take a Proteinshake or a small breakfast an hour or an half hour before workout. If you don’t eat, and you do HIIT training in morning, your body will get the energy for your workout from your muscles. This will end in up in muscle loss (it won’t be so serious muscle loss but you will loose some muscle mass..). Low intensity Cardio in the morning on a empty stomach won’t have the same negative impact on your muscles as HIIT.

To make it clearer we compare HIIT in the Morning and HIIT in the late night (before going to bed): In the morning: The warm up BEFORE training, and the state of your body and blood pressure after waking up is the most important thing for the results of your workout. At night: The cool down of your body AFTER the workout is the emost important thing for the results of your workout.

My personal experience: Doing Cardio Training in the morning is a very good start in the day. You just have to take enough time so you dont start doing cardio while you are half a sleep. I’m not a morning person so i have a lot of trouble with that.

Question

I am male (23) , i was normal like all the boys in my age group until my 16th year ,One day i felt small pain on my nipples after that i could able to see my size of nipples increasing , And now i have almost 2cm big puffy nipples , the weird thing here is the size of my nipple is temporarily reducing on these occasions

• After bath
• Whenever i feel cold

From last month i am doing push-ups , i can notice change in chest , but no change in nipples

Due to this , I always have to wear any dress in top, i don’t like me , please help me

UPDATE 1 :

• I don’t have man boops , My nipples are puffy
• I don’t have any habits like smoking , drinking , sniff and drugs
• I am a pure vegetarian and i didn’t take any noticeable amount of soy

Which doctor i have to consult for this problem ? a normal physician ? Skin doctor ?

UPDATE 2:

Dear friends, As per your advice , i visited a primary physician , he asked me to consult a general surgeon,,i did that ,Surgeon said to me that almost 10% of people have this problem , It happened to me because of harmone imbalance.There is no cure for this by medicine.

The only way to get rid of this is a cosmetic surgery , which cost around 30,000 INR.

this info will help many others who are all have this problem .And finally i understood that why this question is off topic

Answer accepted (score 2)

Sounds like you have high estrogen/low testosterone. I’m no doctor, but you might consider looking into ways to increase your test levels.

First of all you should see a doctor to determine if you really have low testosterone.

You will get blood work to confirm the findings.

Secondly, if your doctor says you do have low test levels, you may consider finding natural solutions to the issue. But you’re young so there are going to be several options. I would increase your test levels, work out, stay away from soy.

Let us know how it turns out for you.

Answer 2 (score 2)

Sounds like you have high estrogen/low testosterone. I’m no doctor, but you might consider looking into ways to increase your test levels.

First of all you should see a doctor to determine if you really have low testosterone.

You will get blood work to confirm the findings.

Secondly, if your doctor says you do have low test levels, you may consider finding natural solutions to the issue. But you’re young so there are going to be several options. I would increase your test levels, work out, stay away from soy.

Let us know how it turns out for you.

Question

I have started exercising a month ago. I do a two hour workout starting with 20 Min of cardio and then weights. I sweat a lot, and by a lot I mean wetting the floor kind of sweat. I weigh 600-700 grams less after a workout. I keep drinking water during this, a guy from the gym told me that I should mix something like Glucose or anything else to keep the strength up for the whole session. I also feel like I am totally exhausted after the first half hour, Is that a good Idea to do ? cause I think glucose have sugar and sugar is bad. right ?

Answer accepted (score 16)

Not all sugars are the same. Glucose is a monosaccharide, and is easily utilized by nearly all cells of the body for energy. Fructose, also a monosaccharide, is not: it is almost exclusively metabolized by the liver. Excess consumption of fructose causes a variety of problems that would not occur with glucose consumption.

Sucrose (“table sugar” or “cane sugar”) is a disaccharide composed of a glucose and fructose molecule. Similarly, lactose (milk sugar) is a disaccharide. Polysaccharides are long-chain polymers consisting of monosaccharide units–these are found in various complex carbohydrates (e.g., starches and certain dietary fibers such as cellulose).

So, “sugar” and “carbohydrate” are very broad terms. If we say “glucose,” that is a specific molecule whose biochemistry is distinct from other simple sugars. To say “sugar is bad” is a gross oversimplification. If we’re talking about refined sugars that are added to processed foods, then yes, it’s best to avoid these, especially fructose. But not only is glucose unavoidable in our diet, our own bodies synthesize glucose from non-carbohydrate foods, including fat (gluconeogenesis). In fact, this is how our bodies “burn fat.”

The bottom line is that glucose is not harmful. Whether your body needs it during exercise is another question entirely, one that depends on the duration of physical exertion and the energy demands of your activities. If you’re running a marathon, you would be ill-advised to not consume any kind of nutrition during the entire race. If you’re just running a mile or two, your body has plenty of stored energy available to do that. Where that transition occurs also depends on the shape you’re in.

Answer 2 (score 1)

600-700 grams of weight loss isn’t anything to be concerned about; you can easily make it up after the workout. You could go with glucose, though you don’t need to replace calories for that short of a workout.

If you want to replenish more water, I’d recommend something with electrolytes in it. That will allow you to absorb the water more quickly.

Answer 3 (score 0)

As a general rule, avoid sugar (glucose) at all times. Sugar is a bad thing for your health. There are better sources of carbohydrates. If your goal is to cut (loose fat) then the answer is NO. If you are an athlete and your goal is to improve muscle mass or endurance then sugar (and other simple cabs) have some place in your diet. But this last doses not seem to be the case for you.

Question

I am 20 years old and don’t have much room or time for much equipment or a gym membership. When I was in highschool about 10kg ago I had my 6 pack everything but since working I’ve put on that 10kg sitting at a desk all day. I used to be very active while at school (boxing, weights, treadmill and always up and walking) but now I just can’t get it all in.

It has been frustrating me for a while so I went and bought a heavy bag to start training after work. I’ve slowly built up my stamina again (first day I got it I got worn out in 30 seconds - up to about 45 minutes to an hour now). I’ve also started doing some weights (I’m only small at 65kg so I’m using 6kg dumbbells) and a lot of core work (different types of crunches).

The goal is for me primarily is to lose the fat around my waist/gut/lower back that I’ve built up.. I’ve stopped drinking alcohol now which has probably done most of the contributing. I don’t own a treadmill and I’m not much of a runner (I was never able to build up the stamina for running longer than 15-20 minutes). I’ve tried skipping but that also seems to wear me out way too quickly.

Is it possible to get my abs back (and good) with mainly (probably only) the below:

1. As long as I can on the heavy bag (until I literally can’t swing another punch).
2. Crunches / bicycle crunches / reverse crunches.
3. Some high-rep free weights.

Or is boxing not a very good fat-burning exercise when compared to running on the treadmill?

I’ve been using the bag for about an hour every night with another 30-40 minutes on weights and core work for about 2 weeks now and there seems to be a visible difference around my gut - just wondering if there’s something way better than boxing and if this is ridiculously inferior to other stuff I could be doing.

I love smashing into the heavy bag every day after work so if there are ways I can be doing this and achieving really good weight loss / ab work then let me know! Any workouts with free weights or my own body (pushups / crunches) that can maximize the effictiveness of a boxing-bag-centric workout would also be appreciated.

Really appreciate any feedback or advice.

Answer accepted (score 6)

Boxing is great for conditioning, and is probably even better than steady-state cardio (running at the same pace for a set period of time).

If you don’t like running for duration, try intervals. Run hard for 60 seconds, walk for 60 second, repeat 10 times (or more, depending on your ability). Interval training has been shown to be more productive at burning fat, and you can get a killer workout in less time than if you went out to run for miles/hours.

I’d also recommend switching up your core training to include more anti-rotational exercises. Crunches reinforce bad posture, can lead to back injury, and are less effective at building core strength than things like planks and rollouts that force you to hold your core tight and in line.

The best exercise for burning belly fat, though, is the push-away. As in “push away from the table.” Strong abs are pretty easy to get. Visible abs are a different story, and they’re all about nutrition.

Answer 2 (score 1)

boxing for fitness works your whole body, especially your core, if of course you are throwing punches correctly. Start adding kicks to your heavybag routine. You will see results pretty quickly as long as your diet is on point.

Answer 3 (score 1)

boxing for fitness works your whole body, especially your core, if of course you are throwing punches correctly. Start adding kicks to your heavybag routine. You will see results pretty quickly as long as your diet is on point.

Question

I started exercising after a long time and did some exercises of legs (running, squatting, etc). The exercise was not strenous. Just after the session I had to go to a party, so I jumped in my car and drove to the location which was an hour away. When I tried to get out of the car and stand up, I couldn’t. I didn’t feel any strength in my thighs. I summoned all my strength and got out of the car and collapsed back on the ground. Few people helped me get in a room and I lay there overnight. After spending the night wondering whether I had lost my legs, in the morning I was able to stand back.

Now why did this happen? What can I do prevent it from happening again?

Answer accepted (score 14)

Preface: this is anecdotal, and I Am Not A Doctor™

When I first began doing squats, I noticed exactly the same thing. I never had it as bad as you, but I did notice that on my way home from the gym, while walking to the bus, I could barely get the strength to continue walking, and if I tried to run I would almost collapse. The main cause is probably that the quadriceps, the muscle group being worked out by the squat, is so essential for begin able to stand upright. With that muscle almost completely exhausted, simply standing upright is effected via synergists and stabilizers, which are nowhere near as good at keeping you up.

That being said, that level of exhaustion should not last very long. If the problem persists, definitely talk to a doctor, preferably a sports medicine specialist or orthopedics specialist.

Answer 2 (score 4)

Just saw this post, and thought I should contribute. I had the exact same thing happen to me, where I collapsed and couldn’t get up no matter how hard I tried. I ended up getting a blood test done and my CPK levels were sky high and I was immediately yet ignorantly diagnosed with muscular distrophy. A month later i got a biopsy and an EMG and it turned out I had “asymptomatic elevated CPK” where my CPK levels were high for no obvious reason. I still get soreness from time to time and a couple of episodes of extreme pain here and there but that’s about it. I would get my CPK levels checked if I were you.

Answer 3 (score 1)

It could just be muscle exhaustion. FWIW, anecdotally of course, I can remember at least 2 occasions where I did heavy squats and didn’t feel like I’d really pushed my limits, but then later almost fell on my face when I tried to walk up a flight of stairs. My legs felt like they were like noodles, strength-wise. I was able to walk around though, slowly and carefully.

I agree with Eykanal that you should ask a doctor though. The possibility that this could be something more serious isn’t something you want to ignore.

Question

I am on my second day of a low-carb diet. Never done one before, but I really need to lose 15 pounds to be on my ideal weight.

Today I had a great big lunch. (Burger meat with bacon and cheese, tomato slice, lettuce and brocoli). Also at dinner another great meal. (New York Strip, with arugula, lettuce, spinach, and tomato)

I am not sure why, but after both meals, I felt hungry. HUNGRY

Should I be worry?

I found this thread, where some people are saying that artificial sweeteners are the culprit for continues hunger. They say that some people will produce insulin just with artificial sweeteners. IF that is my case, that would defeat the purpose of doing a low-carb diet, right?

Answer accepted (score 9)

The first few days after switching to a low carb diet I felt the most hungry. The main culprit for me at any rate was the fact that my body was still craving carbs and I wasn’t giving it any. Don’t get me wrong, I filled my stomach until I couldn’t add any more food but I was still hungry.

It takes up to four days for your body to burn through all its carb reserve in the blood stream, and after that’s done you’ll feel fine without them. The bottom line is “Just say no” while your body is readjusting itself.

I’m assuming by the list of things you are eating that it is something similar to the Atkins diet (if it’s not that diet). If that’s correct, the goal is to go into ketosis, which requires that you have no more than 40g of carbs per day. During the initial transition your body will be screaming for carbs. Give yourself lettuce to fill the stomach, and drink plenty of water. You will need more water to keep your kidneys happy during the diet. The first 3-4 days are the roughest, and then it gets a lot easier.

This advice is from my own weight loss journey.

Answer 2 (score 4)

Calories!

Simply put, you are not eating enough. There are only about 30 calories in a cup of brocolli, whereas there are about 210 calories in a cup of mashed potatoes. When switching to a low-carb diet, you have to take this in to consideration and make sure you are still getting enough food to sustain yourself.

Answer 3 (score 2)

When it comes to feeling full, there’s no such thing as a single factor, in fact it is not 100% clear, which factors lead to this feeling, although some are known.

To feel full a number of factors must be met, the more the better:

• Stuffing of the stomach (mechanical receptors in the stomach)
• Nutritional values of the food (chemical receptors in liver and colon)
• Releasing of hormones as a result of digestion (Insulin, leptin, …)
• Other chemical factors (blood sugar level)
• Psychological factors (taste, portion size)
• Unknown factors

After switching to a low carb diet it’s the lack of carbohydrates which most likely causes your hunger: The receptors in your colon and liver register lower levels of carbs, also your blood sugar levels doesn’t raise as fast as your body is used to.

As long as all other factors are met (portion size, calories, taste, …) there’s nothing else you can do except waiting a few days for your body to adjust to the low-carb diet. From my personal experice it takes 2-3 days to happen. After that I had to force myself to eat. (Because of the lack of appetite)

Question

Does anyone have any real experience with using FitBit or any other monitor for weight lifting. I’m interested in tracking calories burned without guessing.

Answer accepted (score 5)

Short answer: NO

If you think critically about the activities you perform during weightlifting, and the activities that the fitbit tracks, you’ll understand why. Let’s dig in a little deeper:

• Fitbit tracks steps taken (i.e. pedometer)
• It estimates calories burned probably by the cadence of those steps and the total number taken
• It does not track heart rate. While you can enter that information in the tracker, fitbit does not sell any device that tracks it.

When you are weightlifting, the following is true most of the time:

• You are standing/sitting/laying down in one place as you lift the barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells.
• In some cases you are performing a static hold–which while it takes tremendous effort and burns more calories than at rest–will show up as 0 activity on the fitbit.
• When performing farmer’s walks, suitcase carries, waiter’s walks, fitbit will only record the steps taken–it cannot account for the extra effort required to hold the heavy implements.

The long story short, a pedometer is very ill suited for strength training. You can get a better picture of energy expenditure and calories burned by using a heart rate monitor. While this does have it’s own challenges, particularly when the bar comes in contact with your chest, the information you get from the heart rate monitor is much more useful. You do need it calibrated for your current level of fitness, but even with the rough ballpark estimates it will be much closer than a pedometer.

I wrote about using a heart rate monitor back in 2011 for weight training. While it is useful, I only break it out now when I have target heart rate ranges I’m aiming for during training. For example, if I want to build my aerobic performance while weight training I will try to maintain a heart rate of 120-150 bpm.

Answer 2 (score 1)

For your specific task (calculating burned cals), no matter what fitness band you choose, it’s still a calculation to figure out how many calories you’ve burnt. With any calculation, there’s a level of tolerance and you need to be able to accept the tolerance. If you’re just worried about the number of calories burned, you could calculate it yourself and be pretty close.

With that said, a fitness band is an awesome accessory to help you reach your goals. But what are your expectations? Your question is regarding weight lifting, but your inner question is about calculating calories burned. For weight lifting, you’ll find almost no benefit from the FitBit Flex or Force - but they may be helpful for overall fitness.

Some of the most important metrics (IMHO) are missing in a lot of them - such as temperature and heart rate. Buying a band now instead of later may mean that you’re just going to buy one later as well as you’ll want the features of the newer models.

I won’t try to regurgitate the information in some REALLY good blog posts about the subject, so I’ll link them here:

• LifeScience
• Technology Review
• T3

As mentioned in my comment, I’m extremely excited and waiting for Amigo - probably to the point that I won’t buy one until this comes out or one comes out with these features.

I just wanted to point to the Moov - COMPANY LINK HERE, Amigo, move over! :) The Moov is awesome.

Question

I am just getting into doing cardio and there is one question where I see a lot of conflicting information on the internet. What is better for losing fat and general health (more endurance, etc.)?

• Running 25 minutes 6 days a week
• Running 50 minutes 3 days a week

Don’t get hung up on the actual minutes as I am hoping to build that up higher but the general question still stands.

I know with weights its important to take days off to rest and recover and allow your muscles to grow but wanted to see if there is similar factor here with cardio.

Is there a clear answer on a better way to do cardio training for best results?

Answer accepted (score 10)

For general fitness and endurance, 25 minutes, six days a week would be better. The best advice I’ve ever seen for running is: Run. Run lots. Mostly slow, sometimes fast.

One of the best programs I’ve seen for running comes from a triathlon and cross country coach that I’ve talked with a few times, and it’s 3:2:1. Say your longest run is 30 minutes. You should have 3 runs of 10 minutes, 2 runs of 20 minutes and one run of 30 minutes, with one rest day. The generally accepted way is short, medium, short, medium, short, long, rest day.

This gives you a very solid aerobic base, doesn’t overstress you and allows time for recovery. You can work up in time, although unless you are planning on competing, I wouldn’t see much need to progress past the 20:40:60 minute range.

The nice thing about general cardio fitness is that it’s as simple as getting out there and getting the work in. Almost any plan (such as your 6x25 or 3x50) can work, I usually recommend 3:2:1 as it is simple and extremely effective.

It also works if you are planning a weightlifting regimen, as you can couple the majority of your lifting days with the 3 short runs without being too time compromised.

Edited for ivo’s comment below:

On this plan, you would still have to work up to hour runs, if you aren’t capable of it currently. So if your long run capability is currently 45 minutes, then you would have 3 runs of 15 minutes, 2 runs of 30 minutes and 1 run of 45. Do that for a couple of weeks, then increase your base time by a few minutes, so you’d be doing 17, 34 51 minute runs, and so on until you reach your goal long run time. You take your current long run time, and work backwards for the medium and short runs.

Answer 2 (score 4)

I run 60 min every single day and every time I come back home I feel very well and satisfied of another successful day!

Most of the time I run quite slowly and I speed up at maximum 1-3 times during this hour. It depends on how I feel on the determinate day.

I lost a lot of weight.

Any advice? Just move your body. The more you run the more you lose.

Don’t expect to get slim running once a week.

Don’t expect immediate results. It takes time and I strongly reccomend to repeat this sentence into your minds: TODAY I HAVE TO RUN. I HAVE NO CHOICE. IT’S A MUST! it will help you to move your ass.

Answer 3 (score 2)

I would pick 3 days per week, as it’s more sustainable. You get 2 sets of 1 rest day, and 1 set of 2 rest days. So you can aim to run every second day, and if something comes up preventing it, you can easily just run the next day, and that became your 2 day rest. If you have to take 2 days of on a 6 day per week program, you’ve suddenly knocked yourself down to 5 runs that week, and that can actually get discouraging pretty fast. Being unable to stick to a program as it’s set out often means quitting workouts entirely.

As for the importance of days off, if you’re talking just 20-30 minutes of running, if you’re just getting started you might need to take rest days just for that, but once you get into it, it’s nothing. It’s harder to notice with running than cycling, but that’s really just the time you’d spend to get from point A to point B. You’re not putting any new stresses on your body by running half an hour a day (unless your running technique is bad and causing joint damage, in which case you need to change your technique, as rest days will do diddly). Between 6 days/week and 3 days/week, I wouldn’t say one is particularly better than the other, but if you can maintain one for 6 months straight and the other starts breaking apart after 3 months, clearly the one you could maintain is better because you’re continuing to work the program.

Question

What is the difference? Does it target different muscles?

It seems to me a bit more natural for my shoulders if I change the usual grip (open grip with palms out) and do a natural grip in my shoulder press. It is the “classic” picture I had in mind about that exercise, specially when alternating hands:

(form the blog of Joe Dowdell)

It is a completely subjective appreciation, but this and the Arnold version, seem both easier and less prone to annoying tiny cracking noises, to my computer rounded shoulders (in which I am already working with stretches, and with the presence of reverse dumbbell flies in my workouts, but that is another question)

Remark

This is what I call the “usual” grip (open grip with palms out)

A third option is called Arnold Press, invented by the Governator in his early years, where your palms rotate during the movement, from inwards at the bottom of the movement, to forward at the top:

Answer accepted (score 7)

In general, neutral grip (palms facing each other) presses are much easier on your shoulder. This is true of the dumbbell bench press, pull ups, etc. By easier, I mean less stress on the connective tissue (ligaments and tendons), rotator cuff, as well as being more mechanically advantageous. That means you can load it heavier with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) than the open grip (palms facing forward).

As to which is most advantageous, that depends on what you are after.

• Bodybuilders prefer the palms out grip due to the way it builds the shoulder muscles. They also tend to use the 8-12 rep range, which means the intensity is kept below where it can be a problem.
• If you are trying to help build the strength to put more weight over your head, the palms facing each other approach will be the best bet. That allows you to protect the stabilizing musculature and minimize the stresses in the shoulder joint.

Some forms of competition or strength training involve a lot of overhead work. For example, strong man competitions will have both neutral grip presses and open grip presses. For example, log presses are a neutral grip overhead press while axle clean and press is an open grip overhead press.

As a power lifter, I prefer the neutral grip option for just about all my dumbbell pressing needs. As far as musculature emphasized, there are differences. About as much difference as between pull ups and chin ups (palms facing out vs. palms facing you). 90% of the exercise is the same, but that last 10% can be aesthetics or more shoulder stability.

Another option is to rotate the dumbbell as you press. In the bottom, the dumbbell is in the safer neutral position. At the top, the dumbbell is rotated to the open position. This approach allows you to get the best of both techniques: reduced stress on the shoulder and better aesthetics (as well as strengthening the rotator muscles). If you incorporate this approach, start out with lighter weights and higher reps to get used to the movement better.

Question

This one has been bothering me for quite a while. I’ve heard different opinions on this, ranging from

There is absolutelty nothing to worry about, running is great for you!

to

You definitely shouldn’t be running while overweight.

And since I’m asking this about myself, a few specs: I’m 195cm(6’ 4"), about 124kg(275 pounds), and have been moderately active in the past.

In a nutshell: If I start running now, will it be detrimental to my knees, even if there is only discomfort, not something I would really call pain?

Answer accepted (score 56)

When you’re walking you apply about 1.2 times your body weight to the ground in Newtons (Fz = 1500N in your case). When you start running, this rapidly increases to two times or more. Furthermore, when you’re walking you have bipedal phases, which means your body weight is carried by both legs. But jogging is characterized by going from bipedal to unipedal, so all the force is being applied to the one leg and thus one knee.

You’re perfectly capable of walking, so what you are looking for is a speed at which the forces on your knees are higher than during walking, but not as high as during running.

What’s also important is to reduce the moment arm your bodies center of mass has towards your knee. Because the muscles around your knee have to stabilize the joint, the further you put your foot (and thus knee) away from your center of mass, the larger forces they will exert on your knee.

Now the single most common injury in runners is a jumpers knee or patellofemoral pain syndrome. You can bet that the tendons connected to your patella won’t like the strains when you start to run faster.

So we want two things: lower speeds and shorter steps. Luckily, with shorter steps and the same step frequency, you automagically get… lower speeds! Now how do we know we’re actually doing this?

Well one great way is to listen to your body or in other words: talk to yourself, out loud! If you’re able to talk normally, you’re walking at the right speed. Because as soon as you start speeding up, the words… don’t… come… out… steady… anymore… You get what I mean? I can’t check it with a heart rate monitor, but I’d bet it would be around 60% of your maximal heart rate, which is ideally for burning fat.

If you’re more serious about it, you can get a heart rate monitor yourself and an accelerometer (like a step counter only fancier) and keep track of yourself, but really nothing beats listening to your yourself.

Answer 2 (score 11)

Being overweight in general is bad for your knees. Stressing that and adding the intense of shock of running to the already overweight state is just asking for trouble. The amount you are overweight definitely has some to do with this as well, as 5 extra pounds is obviously going to be less damaging than 50. I would seriously consider starting with a brisk walk instead until you are down to a more manageable weight.

Answer 3 (score 5)

Running long distances as a newbie (even when not overweight) will put stress on your knees. Issues such as correct footwear and running form will affect this. You need to consider what your goals are.

If you’re only considering running to lose weight, then you might want to consider other options (such as focusing on your diet (80% of the battle) and walking to begin with whilst completing bodyweight exercises).

Running long distances needs to be built up gradually.

Question

I have been diagnosticated with an L5-S1 disc protrusion which is less than a herniation. Most of the disc herniations occurs at L5-S1 disc, so I think it is a common problem. It happens a few months ago and now I wants to go back to gym. My medic told me to avoid certain exercises that demands using lower back like squats and deadlift. If I made a mistake I will finish with a disc herniation so I want to go slow and carefully.

I am looking for help to build a routine that helps me to gain muscle while minimize risk of lower back herniation. It seems to me that every movement uses lower back for which I was looking for exercises that may not need a strong effort from this part of the body. I have read about some variants of squats and deadlifts but it seems a little risky for me.

I am 27 years old and weights 75kg. Any suggestion is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: To clarify. I asked to doctors and physical therapists and all of them gives me some vague indications like: “Don’t do squats and deadlift” or “be careful with lift weight if you are not seated” or “stretch every day” but they all agree that it’s ok to go back to gym. It seems to me that if you don’t have an herniation they think it is not important. Unfortunately, no one could give me precise indications of which gym exercises are better for my case. I don’t know who else to ask.

Answer accepted (score 2)

I have the exact same injury in my lower back. I am just unsure if the discs are the same. Anyhow when younger I had to sleep on a very bad bed which started causing me back pains. Later I started deadlifting and that expanded the pains to protrusions. Doctors told me that everything began with the bad mattress.

So number 1 thing for you is to make sure the mattress you are sleeping on is good for your back. The harder the mattress, the better for your back. Also when you sit down on a chair it’s good to have something against your lower back so that it is resting.

That’s what doctors told me and that has worked for me ever since. However they also told me to stop all back exercising otherwise it will lead to disc herniation. I did not do anything for 2 weeks to see how that’s going to go and also I wanted to think things through.

The pain in my lower back would not go away. I figured that the muscles of my lower back would just atrophy if I don’t work them out. That’s bad since your muscles support the bone structure of your body. Hence I started working out again keeping several things in mind.

1. Any more serious pressure on your spine might lead things to herniation. That’s why I replaced weights with rubberbands. I will give you an example why. Imagine biceps curling. I would curl with barbell of 50kgs. My set would be around 40seconds-1minute. During this minute the barbell would remain in my hands and for the whole minute my spine would have to cope with 50 additional kgs. And biceps are one of the smallest muscle groups in the body. I would use much heavier weights on other exercises. When using rubberbands, however, every time I go down, when curling, the bands will release the pressure on my spine. So if I am to go for 10 reps, at the end of every repetition my spine will be completely relieved from any pressure. If interested check bodylastics, I have been using them for around 3 years now and am highly satisfied: http://www.bodylastics.com/

2. Even with rubberbands however the pressure on my spine would still be a lot. That’s why I replaced the position of the bands. For example instead of doing biceps curling having the bands below my feet and pulling them up, towards my shoulders, I would attach the bands above my head and pull them down behind my head. This way the bands’ resistance is pulling my body up instead of pulling it down, putting pressure on the spine.

3. Bands and weights are different. I can’t maintain enough strength just by using bands. That’s why I focused more on body weight exercises, such as back lever and front lever(Disclaimer: both articles are written by me). These really, really strengthened my lower back and increased the size of my back.

4. Sometimes I would feel a discomfort in my lower back, typically at the end of a harder workout. The feeling is as if somebody has pressed me against the floor. So I would just feel my lower back heavier somehow. That’s when I would throw some spinal extensions. There are two exercises one of the best gymnastics’ coaches in my country taught me. Focus on the first exercise, I have linked you directly to it. Some of my friends have similar back problems and would refer to this exercise frequently to release the pressure from their spine. Here’s the link: http://youtu.be/tVokXmC6eJM?t=33s (Disclaimer: This video is mine)

Also never forget to warm your back before a workout. Be careful with the warming up though, anything more aggressive might provoke a hernia. I hope this helped you, if you have any questions please let me know.

Answer 2 (score 2)

I have the exact same injury in my lower back. I am just unsure if the discs are the same. Anyhow when younger I had to sleep on a very bad bed which started causing me back pains. Later I started deadlifting and that expanded the pains to protrusions. Doctors told me that everything began with the bad mattress.

So number 1 thing for you is to make sure the mattress you are sleeping on is good for your back. The harder the mattress, the better for your back. Also when you sit down on a chair it’s good to have something against your lower back so that it is resting.

That’s what doctors told me and that has worked for me ever since. However they also told me to stop all back exercising otherwise it will lead to disc herniation. I did not do anything for 2 weeks to see how that’s going to go and also I wanted to think things through.

The pain in my lower back would not go away. I figured that the muscles of my lower back would just atrophy if I don’t work them out. That’s bad since your muscles support the bone structure of your body. Hence I started working out again keeping several things in mind.

1. Any more serious pressure on your spine might lead things to herniation. That’s why I replaced weights with rubberbands. I will give you an example why. Imagine biceps curling. I would curl with barbell of 50kgs. My set would be around 40seconds-1minute. During this minute the barbell would remain in my hands and for the whole minute my spine would have to cope with 50 additional kgs. And biceps are one of the smallest muscle groups in the body. I would use much heavier weights on other exercises. When using rubberbands, however, every time I go down, when curling, the bands will release the pressure on my spine. So if I am to go for 10 reps, at the end of every repetition my spine will be completely relieved from any pressure. If interested check bodylastics, I have been using them for around 3 years now and am highly satisfied: http://www.bodylastics.com/

2. Even with rubberbands however the pressure on my spine would still be a lot. That’s why I replaced the position of the bands. For example instead of doing biceps curling having the bands below my feet and pulling them up, towards my shoulders, I would attach the bands above my head and pull them down behind my head. This way the bands’ resistance is pulling my body up instead of pulling it down, putting pressure on the spine.

3. Bands and weights are different. I can’t maintain enough strength just by using bands. That’s why I focused more on body weight exercises, such as back lever and front lever(Disclaimer: both articles are written by me). These really, really strengthened my lower back and increased the size of my back.

4. Sometimes I would feel a discomfort in my lower back, typically at the end of a harder workout. The feeling is as if somebody has pressed me against the floor. So I would just feel my lower back heavier somehow. That’s when I would throw some spinal extensions. There are two exercises one of the best gymnastics’ coaches in my country taught me. Focus on the first exercise, I have linked you directly to it. Some of my friends have similar back problems and would refer to this exercise frequently to release the pressure from their spine. Here’s the link: http://youtu.be/tVokXmC6eJM?t=33s (Disclaimer: This video is mine)

Also never forget to warm your back before a workout. Be careful with the warming up though, anything more aggressive might provoke a hernia. I hope this helped you, if you have any questions please let me know.

Answer 3 (score 1)

I agree with the commenters on the question; saying you should be show caution with picking up new exercises with such a serious injury. I will say though, the biggest problem will be over exerting yourself. If you start with basic motions with little/no weight, and work your way up you will be fine. Avoid jerky exercises, and go for full range of motion exercises. An example of a range of motion exercise that avoids jerky motion is sitting on a medicine ball and rotating your torso as far as you can comfortably go.