A Manifesto of Better Living Through Exercise,
Nutrition, and Applied Knowledge
by
GRT Fitness and Wellness, LLC
Tom Matt
Sandy Matt
Regie Rieder
Patty Oehmke
Mickey Hadick
Copyright © 2011 by GRT Fitness and Wellness, LLC
All rights reserved.
This book is the original work of GRT Fitness and Wellness, LLC, a Michigan-based company. References to the work of others are cited in the text itself, as appropriate. No part of this book may be used by others without the express, written consent of GRT Fitness and Wellness, LLC, unless the work is being reviewed, and then it may be excerpted if notification is given.
You are welcome to share this book with others if it is shared in its entirety, full attribution is given to GRT Fitness and Wellness, LLC, and it is distributed for free.
Some of the photos in this book were purchased from iStockPhoto.com; others are in the public domain; and some were also provided through the courtesy of Mark Peckham of MaximumFocusPhotography.com.
Contact tom@grtfitness.com, regie@grtfitness.com, or mickey@grtfitness.com for any questions about this book.
Title Page
Chapter 1. Call To Action
Chapter 2. Health Consequences
Chapter 3. The NASM Way
Chapter 4. Basic Exercise Science
Chapter 5. Human Movement Science
Chapter 6. Flexibility
Chapter 7. Cardio Respiratory Exercise and Training
Chapter 8. Core Training Concepts
Chapter 9. Balance Training
Chapter 10. Reactive Training
Chapter 11. Speed, Agility and Quickness
Chapter 12. Resistance Training
Chapter 13. Nutrition and Supplementation
Chapter 14. Carbohydrates
Chapter 15. Fats (Lipids)
Chapter 16. Guaranteed Tips for Eating and Exercise
Chapter 1. Call To Action
GRT Fitness and Wellness was built on the principles of helping others lead a healthier, happier, more meaningful quality of life through exercise and nutrition. We provide outreach; group activities, exercise training and nutritional- weight management counseling. We serve the public through community service, advising and mentoring, personal coaching, video blogs and E-books. This E-book is one such example of our services. Our intention is to help as many people as possible at the lowest cost and highest value an individual can obtain. It is critical for our society to move forward that we, as citizens of the United States, must help each other. That is our mission.
"There is no drug in current or prospective use that holds as much promise for sustained health as a lifetime program of physical exercise."
Journal of the American Medical Association in 1982
That statement appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1982. Since then, it has been proven true again and again, reportedly that 12% of all deaths, 250,000, according to the CDC, (Center for Disease Control), may be attributed directly or indirectly to lack of regular physical activity. With reportedly only one in four Americans getting enough exercise to be considered to be physically active, the Midwest, (and Michigan in particular), leads the overweight epidemic nationally by region, second only to the South Central region of the U.S. (http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html#State)
Midwesterners have always looked out for their neighbors. It is part of our regional culture. Likewise, it is the purpose of this book to help us become informed and strong, to learn from each other, and to share knowledge. It is time for rebirth and time to show the country that we can lead the change of understanding in our health and wellness, that our example can be developed and then replicated to serve the rest of our country, leading us into the remainder of this century. Let us learn together as we share stories of adaptation, improvement and growth. It is our desire with this e-book, as Midwesterners, to change the negative health statistics, and to deliver information and education that helps our brothers and sisters improve their health and well-being.
The time has arrived to shake off the rust belt mentality, a mentality that has hung around our necks like a concrete albatross, and to show our nation that we are going to contribute to solving our health care epidemic. We are going to reverse the trend and lead by example, improving the national statistics. We are blessed to be Midwesterners, the backbone of this fine country. We have a moral fabric that makes us different, and unites us as a region.
Our four seasons help shape who we are. The seasons make the people of the Midwest resilient. The fall brings crisp autumn air as it ushers in the football season, and gathers young people together at our fine institutions of higher education. The winter forces us to adapt and grow closer to family and friends. The spring is a time of rebirth, when the frozen ground gives way to new growth and warm March breezes. And the summer brings heat, our outdoor activities, the cookouts and the time at our lakes.
The Midwest is known for its lakes and rivers. The clear, plentiful water, something that other parts of the country can only dream of, gives us ample chances to drink and play. Outdoor activities draw tourists from all over the world to enjoy our abundant natural resources. The opportunity for hunting, golfing, skiing and boating, have been top notch for decades. The people of the Midwest, with their strong work ethic and family values, supported the manufacturing that invited them to this part of the country in the early 20th century. These are just a few of our positive attributes.
It must be noted that the Midwest is known for almost as many negative attributes. Unfortunately, Midwesterners tend to spend a lot of our winter indoors, away from the cold, hibernating. Unlike mammals that use their stores of fat to survive the winter, our time indoors leads to poor eating habits a lack of physical activity. We gain, rather than lose, those stores. The attraction of television and comfort indoors leads to a slow gain of weight that is not related to surviving the winter, but is merely in spite of the winter. In fact, it puts our very survival in question by putting us at risk for coronary disease and diabetes.
The heritage of our ancestors associates rich eating and heavy drinking with wealth and success. Combined with the calorie laden recipes of ethnic foods, waist lines increase. Indoor socialization and alcohol consumption tend to increase during the colder times of the year. Tailgating at football games becomes an excuse for gross over-consumption. Light deprivation and depression can set in and lead to poor behavioral choices, so it is time to stand up, be accountable, and change. We must teach our children by leading a healthier lifestyle and maintaining that positive outlook. We must utilize our Midwestern work ethic to overcome our problems and lead by example.
Team GRT consists of fitness professionals who have studied academically the impact of a healthy lifestyle. We represent various levels of academic preparedness, including Bachelors, Masters and PhD degrees. We value the educational experience which led us to pursue additional education and certification as a personal trainers, nutritional and wellness and weight management counselors and exercise physiologists. We search for the best programs, articles and books to augment and enhance our knowledge. The knowledge that we have obtained has given us the tools to achieve the goals that we want to achieve, namely, to reach as many people in the world through our website and in person gain to share our understanding of fitness and wellness. The mission statement of NASM is:
"Empowering individuals to live a healthy life"
It is our mission with this E-book to share the knowledge. Millions of people need to, and want to, improve the status of their own personal health. However through many different reasons, our nation continues to battle a war of obesity, and statistics prove that we are losing the battle. In the United States, the obesity rate is approaching 35%, our young people (those ages 2-20) are steadily becoming a much heavier demographic (30% obesity), contributing to healthcare issues, long term illness and disease.
Chapter 2. Health Consequences
Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as "overweight" (a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher) and "obesity" (a BMI of 30 or higher), the risks for the following conditions also increases:
* Coronary heart disease
* Type 2 diabetes
* Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
* Hypertension (high blood pressure)
* Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
* Stroke
* Liver and Gallbladder disease
* Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
* Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
* Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)
It is not just a battle of obesity that drives this book. There are many reasons why people who are actually very thin or skinny (for lack of a better term), are in need of understanding that they, too, can be at risk for many issues. Overly thin persons could in fact be in danger of such maladies as osteoporosis, eating disorders, high cholesterol, and rheumatoid arthritis. The right percentage of body fat can actually increase ones’ cell structure, energy levels, hormonal fluctuations, and sleeping patterns.
Because a person is thin does not mean that they are healthy and or in shape. It can mean that there are potentially hidden issues and does not excuse one from trying to maintain a balanced lifestyle.
The following are just some of the health issues of being underweight.
* Weak immune system
If you're underweight, you're probably not taking in enough nutrients. This affects your body's immune system, making it more likely that you'll catch a cold, flu, or whatever else is going around.
* Low muscle mass
Particularly when being underweight is caused by illness or deliberate food restriction, people who are thin are likely to have a low muscle mass. In teenagers in particular, who are still growing, being underweight can mean that muscles don't develop well.
* Hair loss
Being underweight affects your hair - often meaning that you lose hair from your head. You may also end up growing body hair in odd places (especially if you're female) if you're too thin. Your hair, just like your body, needs to be nourished by adequate food intake.
* Osteoporosis
Also known as "brittle bones", osteoporosis makes fractures much more likely. This can be an especial danger if you're underweight because you do a lot of sport and don't take in enough energy. Women who have passed the menopause are at especial risk of osteoporosis.
* Anemia
Anemia occurs when the body cannot transport enough oxygen around in red blood cells. It's often caused by iron deficiencies - not uncommon in women, especially those who are dieting or restricting food intake. Anemia can make you feel exhausted and can cause heart palpitations and dizziness or fainting.
* Menstrual irregularities
If you're female, your periods can become irregular or stop altogether (known as amenorrhea) when you're underweight. This is because your body thinks you're starving - if you're not taking in enough food to stay at a healthy weight, your body definitely doesn't want to be giving what little energy you have to a baby.
* Pregnancy complications (or unable to get pregnant)
Even if your periods don't stop, you'll have trouble conceiving if you're underweight. And it can be extremely dangerous for the growing embryo if the mother is too thin
Constant awareness and making an effort to maintain a balanced lifestyle is the key to consistently good health. That consistency can lead to a better quality of life. Enjoying the fruits of our plentiful lifestyle can be accomplished by adhering to a few lifestyle habits. This e-book should be viewed as a reference manual and a guide to make the education and knowledge needed to first understand many concepts related to fitness and wellness. It also will define terms, concepts and dispel the myth that at certain ages being out of shape or overweight is inevitable and cannot be changed. We are here to help deliver the message, a message that it is never too early or too late to change your life and start living the way you were meant to live.
The concepts that will be discussed and broken down are as follows:
The NASM model for exercise and training
Basic exercise science and its components
Human movement science/motor control
Flexibility and its concepts
Cardio respiratory exercise and training
Core-training concepts
Balance training concepts
Reactive training and exercise concepts
Speed agility and quickness (SAQ) training
Resistance Training
Nutrition and supplementation
Sample exercise programs and eating plans
Chapter 3. The NASM Way
The NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) model for personal training encompasses many forms of training and is represented by an approach to integration of many components. Those components include flexibility training, balance training, cardio-respiratory training, core training, quickness training, speed and reactive training and resistance or weight bearing training. This concept is termed the "Optimum Performance Training (OPT)." This program is a fantastic model which can progress any individual from any level of fitness. It is also a simple approach that combats the negative influences of our technologically driven society.
In the 21st century we as a society are plagued by poor posture and improper sitting, which can result in low back pain, upper neck, shoulder and leg pain. The bodies’ integration with its environment and the stresses that are put on it weigh heavily in the determination of these maladies so common in office driven work environments. It has been estimated that work related injuries are comprised of 40% strains and pain, and that 60% involve low back issues. It is very apparent that this type of work loss, estimated at upwards of over $100 billion dollars annually, is a critical issue confronting our nation’s production capabilities. Therefore the needs for exercise related programs, to help offset this trend are very important if we as a nation are to remain competitive in the global economy.
Unfortunately there are many statistics that contend that we as a society are not engaging in physical activity, over 50% of our populations do not engage in any type of substantial movement necessary to offset our sedentary work style. And if those who do attempt to improve their personal fitness, do so with the inherent risk of improper form and posture, which in itself can cause injury. So what is a person who desires to get in better physical condition to do?
The OPT model designed by NASM is a fundamental program that is designed to educate and help people who are at any level of fitness. But it is especially helpful to those deconditioned individuals who are just beginning the road back to a healthy life. The OPT model is based on three primary principles and those are, stabilization, strength and power. It is a plan that holds the individuals best interest at heart, and frankly one of the primary reasons for the trainers at GRT Fitness and Wellness must be certified in the NASM Certified Personal Training (CPT) program. There are many diploma mill personal training certifications. There are also many non-certified "coaches", who profess to understand the intricacies of human exercise and fitness, anatomy and physiology. Do not be fooled, the NASM model was recommended to me personally by a colleague who holds a PhD in exercise physiology, and is a very stringent program and the best in the country, not some fly by night paper mill.
It has been documented that sedentary individuals, without the correct instruction from a certified trainer, could easily put themselves at risk of excessive overload, where there is documentation of a 50-90% injury rate. Personally I have spoken with clients who are either in the orthopedic surgery health care providers and or physical therapists who claim that certain popular, overly advertised, exercise videos are so intense that 60% of their patients and injuries of all types are results from these videos and the poor consideration for the stabilization of persons musculature, those who are attempting to use these videos.
The mindset of exercise participants, especially those who are just beginning their new routine should be based on functional capacity. The clinical definition is defined as "the stabilization phase is to increase muscular endurance and stability while developing optimal communication between one’s nervous system and muscular system (neuromuscular efficiency)." In other words making sure your brain understands what the muscles are attempting to do so you don’t wind up injured. It is at this point that a person can move forward with their exercise and training routines into the more advanced strength and power phases of the OPT model. Later in this book we will develop a very basic exercise routine to get a person started in the correct direction.
Training Time: This subject can be interpreted as the amount of time that you spend in the gym and the time of day that you choose to workout. It is a scientific fact that the body will react to the forces that are placed on it no matter what time of day you choose to workout. Your body doesn’t know if your performing squats and dead-lifts at 8:00 AM or 5:30 PM, what’s important is that you’re consistent about getting your workouts in on the days you plan and also that you are working hard during the time you’re at the gym. Obviously, one hour a day, 3-5 times per week would be fantastic but we understand that with the busy schedules that millions of Americans are facing today we just don’t have that much free time to work-out. If you have 30 minutes, great, work as hard as you can during those 30 minutes and your body will begin to change. The same goes for any other time examples you can provide, work as hard as you can during your allotted workout times and focus on getting stronger and more efficient during your workouts.
Chapter 4. Basic Exercise Science
The structure of the human body allows for the comprehensive movement of any type of movement. A fundamental understanding of the synergies that comprise the act of movement is known as knowledge of the kinetic chain.
The kinetic chain is comprised of the muscular system, the skeletal system and the nervous system, and without an integrative functioning model, poor motor functions (movement) will occur. It is for this reason that a basic fundamental understanding of movement is important, that poor posture and or technique, a weak link between any of the three components of the kinetic chain can cause a break down and potential injury.The muscular system provides the body with the ability to move the bones in the body through neural activation, and is connected to the bones by organs known as tendons. It is through this ability of the connective tissue (tendons) that efficient movement can occur. Muscles provide the body with a variety of functions that allow for the manipulation of forces placed on the body, and can produce movement or slow down movement.
All muscles in the body are categorized as four types. Agonists, synergists, stabilizers and antagonists; agonists are classified as prime movers, synergists are assisting muscles to the agonists, stabilizers support the entire functioning movement team and antagonists are the opposing muscles to the prime mover, and help in the retraction of a muscles movement. The skeletal system is the frame for which our body is constructed; it is the component of our bodies that determine our size and shape. Therefore it is very important to understand that the growth, development, and functional capabilities of or structure (skeletal system) is greatly affected by our posture, activities (or lack of), and our eating habits (nutritional consumption).
The bodies’ skeletal system is comprised of junctions, or joints, where movement can occur. It is these joints that are extremely critical to functional movement. Without adequate and consistent joint movement, posture and movement is affected. Inefficient joint movement can lead to pain and injury; therefore great care should be understood as a person attempts new and unfamiliar exercise movements. This leads us back to the OPT beginning phase of exercise, stabilization, for it is through consistent and applied fundamental movement that stabilization will occur.
There are several different types of joints, and joint motion is defined as arthrokinematics. The three types of movements associated with joints are, roll, slide and spin. The classification of joints is the following, synovial joints which account for approximately 80% of the joints in the body, and non-synovial joints which do not have a fluid cavity and exhibit little or no movement.
The third component of the bodies’ kinetic chain is the nervous system, the information super highway of the body. The nervous system takes all sensory information and sends that information to the brain via the integrative function and the brain responds to that information as motor function.
For this book it really is functional to understand the two main topics of our bodies’ superhighway, the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is comprised of the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system are the nerves that branch out from the spinal cord to the bodies organs. This system is responsible for information gathering about our internal and external environments, processes information and then responds to that stimulus, resulting in integrative, sensory and motor responses. It is through the integration of all three of these components, (muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems), that efficient movement can occur. A breakdown in any of the three kinetic chain components will result in inefficient movement, which as stated earlier can lead to potential injury. It is advised that a basic understanding of our bodies’ kinetic chain be understood, and how important each element is to functional movement.
Never too Late: if I had a dollar for every time I heard someone make the excuse of "I’m too old" or "if only I was younger", I could travel the world with my wife and daughter on everyone else’s expense. It truly doesn’t matter how old you are or if you’ve never worked out a day in your life. It’s never too late to begin a workout program and make some positive changes to help improve your health and fitness. The human body is a miraculous thing that regenerates trillions of cells every day, so essentially it’s in our DNA to begin anew daily and start turning around our ability to live a healthier life. Making small changes such as drinking more water, eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day, moving more, and developing healthy habits are the incremental steps that lead to big life changes and RESULTS in the long run. Any program asking you to change everything today or cut out a whole portion of a food nutrient is flat out WRONG or BIASED, and will not help you develop long term healthy habits that can be sustained for a lifetime. Let’s be honest here, if you want sustained success and longevity with being fit, you must develop the right habits over time that can propel your mind, body, and spirit to total wellness. Don’t allow yourself to make these excuses about your life, exercise, and nutrition programs. Today is the best day to start as it leads to a brighter and more optimistic sunrise tomorrow morning.
Chapter 5. Human Movement Science
Now that we have a very general idea in regard to our bodies kinetic chain, we move forward and begin to address and understand the movement of our body. It is truly important to have a general feel for the integration of our three components of the kinetic chain, (skeletal, muscular and nervous systems), when you begin your exercise plan. Becoming educated as far as your own anatomy will help in achieving the goal of optimum movement, our goal.
Biomechanics is the study that uses the principles of physics to study for internal and external forces interact within your body. Think of movement as a circular path as it relates to your movement and efficiencies. The path will include your internal environment, external environment, summation of this information, information sent through the central nervous system and eventually your brain. If any breakdown occurs in this pattern the effectiveness of your movement will be inhibited, posture could be affected as well as form, leading to inefficiencies and potential injury.Muscle actions are described as follows:
Eccentric- a muscle exerting less force than is being placed on it, think of a dumbbell arm curl, the eccentric motion is the downward motion of your arm.
Concentric-a muscle exerting more force than is being placed on it, again use the dumbbell analogy, the portion of the arm curl where the weight is being brought up, or flexed.
Isometric- the middle state, where force is even or equal to the tension being put on it, equal to the force of the lengthened the muscle
In our training philosophy the isometric state is the action that would be engaged primarily for the growth of stability. Our belief in core training as being the beginning of any program design should always be thought of moving forward with your plan. There are three planes of motion, sagittal plane (right and left sides), the transverse plane (upper and lower halves), and the frontal plane (front and backside). All muscles function in all three planes and utilize the three muscle actions, (eccentric, concentric and isometric). The more of an education that an individual can have and understand as it relates to these functions the better you will be prepared to garner specific exercises and their correct and proper form.
Beginning to understand the functions and functional movement patterns leads us to the next phases of motor behavior. These are muscle synergies, proprioception and sensory motor integration. Muscle synergies allow the simplification of movement through movement patterns, and proper exercise technique. As you become in better condition these synergies will aid in the flow and fluidness of your routines, adding a dimension of confidence and fun that will enable a person to become more active.
Proprioception is the cumulative sensory input to the central nervous system from mechanoreceptors that sense position and limb movements. In other words, proprioception is your sixth sense, that inner feeling of balance, the ability to stand on an unstable surface and not lose your balance. It is therefore one of the most important motor control attributes, and in our training regimen, and we work on this motor skill extensively. Sensorimotor integration is the cooperation of your nervous system and muscular system in gathering and processing information, interpretation of stimuli and the execution of movement. It is the team work between your brain and its super highway conduits (nerves) and your muscular system to be able to react and move in the correct manner, depending on the environment.
Synergistic cooperation, this is the key to improving your physical well being, and is a learned behavior. It is our opinion that anyone at any age can improve their synergies in their bodies, it is never too late and you are never too old. It just takes practice, and patience, with knowledge of how and why things work the way they do. Just remember too never give up.
Supersets for Supergains: Supersets are achieved when you pair one exercise immediately following another exercise without rest or relaxation. By utilizing supersets we can not only save time during our workouts and keep our Heart Rate higher, but we can also experience gains in strength that are higher than the traditional one muscle group at a time format. The GRT team uses Supersets (or "Trifectas and Quads" as we have coined them) to jump start our workouts and blast our heart rate during strength training sessions. Supersets are great for those individuals who may not have an extended training time but want to get in as much work as possible during their visits. It also is fantastic at increasing your total caloric burn during the workout and helps the participant get more exercises and possible sets in their typical time frame. Utilize supersets in your next workout and monitor how you feel during and after your workouts to examine its effect.
Chapter 6. Flexibility
"The normal extensibility of all soft tissue that allow the full range of motion of a joint"
The concept of flexibility is another of the key components to an executable exercise program. It is comprised of many terms and concepts, some of which will be discussed and defined.
Neuromuscular efficiency-this is the ability of the nervous system to properly recruit the muscles, (remember, agonist, synergists, antagonists, and stabilizers), efficiently and correctly to produce and or reduce force. It is once again the communication within your body to move correctly, with the least amount of effort. Through adequate practice and training your neuromuscular efficiency can be improved and built upon, compensating for sedentary life style habits.
Dynamic range of motion works together with your nervous system and the soft tissue in order to control your range of motion.
Relative flexibility-Is the tendency of the body to seek the path of least resistance during movement. Your body is always trying to do the most energy efficient motion, and if a postural or physical distortion is present muscle imbalances can occur and affect the entire kinetic chain.
Muscle imbalance’s-Defined as the alteration of a muscle length surrounding a joint, muscle imbalances can be caused by a variety of reasons including postural stress, emotional stress, and repetitive movement, which can lead to overcompensation or under compensation again leading to motor skill issues and kinetic chain problems.
Muscular imbalances can have several issues occur including, altered joint motion (arthrokinetic dysfunction), altered force couple relationships (synergistic dominance), and altered length-tension relationships (altered reciprocal inhibition). These can eventually lead to altered neuromuscular control, tissue fatigue and finally cumulative injuries.Flexibility training is a key to all training regimens, and is used for a variety of reasons which include-
Correcting muscle imbalances
Decreasing excessive tension of muscles
Improving the extensibility of muscle/tendon junction
Improving neuromuscular efficiency
Increasing joint range of motion
Relieving joint stresses
Maintaining normal correct functional length of muscles
Flexibility like all training should follow a logical sequence and systematic approach. The progression is known as the flexibility continuum in which there are three phases-
Corrective flexibility-Which is designed to improve muscle imbalances and altered joint movement through static stretching
Active flexibility-Which is designed to improve the extensibility (stretching ability) of soft tissue and increase neuromuscular efficiency by utilizing reciprocal inhibition and active isolated stretching
Functional flexibility- Which is the integrated, multiplanar soft tissue extensibility through a full range of motion. Also known as "dynamic stretching" or self myofascial release
It has been our experience and our recommendation to do a dynamic warm-up of at least ten minutes at the beginning of your training session, followed by a combination of dynamic stretching and static stretching, for at least five minutes. This allows for your body to warmup and increases the blood flow to your soft tissues and then applies a short stretching session followed by the full workout. It has been also suggested that a stretching session be held post workout as a cool down for several minutes.
Flexibility is a portion of your exercise program that should never be ignored. It is truly paramount in working with the body to help heal and rejuvenate your muscles and tendons before, during, and after workouts. Through the multiple phases of flexibility we can improve our range of motion for our everyday activities and alleviate muscle imbalances that tend to develop from training and the movements that transpire as we move through our daily activities. As a personal trainer we have experienced on a daily basis the problems that can occur because of a lack of flexibility. As our activity level decreases through age, people do not commit to improving their flexibility which severely hurts their ability to exercise and retain an active lifestyle. Improving your flexibility can do wonders for your energy level and soreness from day to day. We recommend to all of our clients to do some form of flexibility training daily and in some cases multiple times a day. Taking the initiative to learn some new stretching techniques or yoga poses can not only improve your flexibility but add a fresh new component to your exercise program that keeps you interested and engaged.
Group Training: do you currently train with a partner? Some research currently suggests that people who train in groups or with a partner can boost their pain tolerance and push themselves much harder than when training alone. Throughout my experience training I can see a direct correlation between much harder workouts in terms of intensity and higher weights when I work out with a training partner consistently. The trick here is consistency, as having a training partner who knows your pain threshold and is aware of your abilities can help you push farther and harder in spots where you may choose to relax or give in when training by yourself. We at GRT can attest that our bodies and programs have improved dramatically since we began training together! Friendly competition is definitely a contributor as we always are trying to lift a little more weight than the other person or get a few more reps than he did last set. Having a partner or group setting to work out in can also promote personal accountability as it forces us to own up to our skipped sessions and be responsible to other people when we don’t fulfill our end of the bargain. We are convinced that small group workouts are soon to be the trend in the health and fitness world as people are encouraged by the individuals in their group, motivated by other people and their success, and accountable when we get lazy or happen to fall off the wagon. If you don’t currently have a partner or have never worked out with someone, try joining a local group fitness class to experience what these groups have to offer.
Chapter 7. Cardio Respiratory Exercise and Training
Cardio respiratory (cardio for short), is training that involves and puts stress on the cardio respiratory system. Our cardio system is comprised of our heart, blood and blood vessels, and the respiratory system is our lungs and ability to deliver oxygen to our blood. It is the training of these two bodily systems that can comprise a major component of fitness and exercise training. Maximizing this type of training can deliver outstanding results, and can also result in tremendous efficiencies, incredibly important in our very busy lives.
So what is so important about cardio training? The answer is simply that ALL exercise, regardless of the time spent or the intensity of such exercise uses the cardio respiratory systems. Cardio exercise has traditionally been viewed as requiring certain pieces of equipment, for example a treadmill, stationary bike or a stair climber. In this case your cardio training actually becomes a separate component of an integrated exercise program, and this component can be optimally utilized as a warm-up, cool-down, and the workout itself. Let’s briefly talk about these three components.
The warm-up or general warm-up consists of movements of your body that are not necessarily related to the ensuing program, and is used to loosen up muscles and joints and raise your core body temperature. A specific warm-up would entail an activity that closely mimics the exercise or actual activity you are going to be participating in, for example playing catch before a softball game. The benefits of a warm-up also include increased blood flow, which increases oxygen exchange capacity, and gets the body in a state of general readiness for participants. The warm-up may provide a level of protection from injury and should be taken seriously.
Personally we try to do a warm-up session before any training session, depending on our time, normally no more than twenty five minutes and no less than five minutes, and then incorporate a stretching session. NASM suggests that the cardio respiratory portion of a warm-up should last up to ten minutes at a low to moderate intensity.
The cool-down will provide you with a smooth transition from exercise mode to normal activity mode. Really, in essence, the cool down is exactly opposite of the warm up, and time should be set aside to accomplish this portion of your workout, many times it is overlooked. A cool down has many health related benefits which include-
Improved flexibility
Minimizes muscle soreness
Possibly avoids dizziness and or feinting
Removes waste by-products by your circulatory system
Enables the cardio respiratory system to adjust to the lowered demand
Provides a emotional balance and reduction in exercise induced stress
Flexibility is also an important component to be used in the cool-down. Because one of the goals of a cool-down is to relax muscles and bring them back to their original resting length after a workout, corrective stretching (self-myofascial release and static stretching) would be the appropriate form of stretching during a cool-down.
Cardiorespiratory training as your workout carries many benefits, but it should be clearly understood that there are differing levels of activity that are required for health reasons and fitness increases. It has been documented that significant improvements in fitness levels may be low in some routines; however they can have a profound improvement in your health. An example of this could be a sedentary person starting a walking routine of ten minutes a day may not see a significant cosmetic change but would reap tremendous health improvements. No exercise routine should be discredited because of an external appearance change or lack thereof. Benefits of cardiorespiratory activities or exercise are as follows-
Increases-
Immunity
Insulin sensitivity
Sense of well being
Flexibility
Work and athletic performance
Blood lipid profile
Glucose tolerance
Decreases-
Daily fatigue
Anxiety
Depression
Obesity
Osteoporosis
Coronary artery disease (CAD)
Cancer
Non-insulin dependent diabetes
Hypertension
When you decide to start any type of exercise, especially cardiorespiratory, NASM has established a set of guidelines to allow for the development and safe implementation of your program. These guidelines are described as the F.I.T.T.E. factors. FITTE is an acronym for, frequency, intensity, time, type, and enjoyment.
Frequency-refers to the number of training sessions in a period
Intensity- refers to the demand of the activity you are performing
Time-refers to the amount of time engaged in your program
Type-refers to the mode you are engaged in, what type of movement and can be virtually any activity
Enjoyment- refers to the amount of pleasure derived from your activity and is probably THE MOST IMPORTANT of all factors
There is another myth of cardio respiratory exercise that must be understood and taken into account, that myth is the "fat burning zone." It is generally assumed that body fat reduction can only result in long periods of drudgery on a piece of cardio equipment (or hours in an aerobic class), this is in fact not true. Extended periods of time will not cut it as far as fat loss is concerned, and frankly there is evidence that supports that extended periods of time, without any interval increase and or decrease, could potentially result in a hormone called Cortisol, and this is not good for fat loss.
Body fat reduction can only take place when more energy is being consumed than food (calories). This is called the "Law of Thermodynamics. One way to help the law of thermodynamics is EPOC (excess post oxygen consumption), which is an elevated metabolic state post exercise. Think of it as your caloric afterburner that is fueled by exercise. Some research has indicated that the higher the intensity of your workout, higher oxygen consumption, contributes to the magnitude of your EPOC. Personally we have clocked our own EPOC and caloric burn with our personal heart rate monitors, and for us the higher or more intense the workouts the longer we continue to add up the calorie count.
Grow Without Weights: If you are just starting a workout regimen, Plyometrics, body weight exercises, and balance/stability exercises can be just as effective as lifting weights. If you currently aren’t utilizing an exercise program you can begin to condition the body and see strength and weight loss results when incorporating some Plyometrics, push-ups, sit-ups, back extensions, planks, and BOSU Ball exercises into your workouts. These exercises will prepare your body and nervous system while teaching the proper form to enhance the body’s ability to begin a weight training program and avoid potential injury. Free weights and machines introduce momentum which can seriously injure anyone who does not have the proper fundamental foundation. Thus, starting with traditional body weight exercises for an 8-12 week program will help you get started along your fitness continuum while also getting results and decreasing the possibility of injury down the road.
Chapter 8. Core Training Concepts
When discussing the core and its training concepts and components it is my belief that this part of your training regimen is probably the most important. I am not trying to say that the other components we talk about are not important, not in the least, it is just in my professional opinion and my personal experience that without adequate core strength your training will be hindered and you will not be as efficient with you time. That and if you are in fact looking for a cosmetic improvement, and there is nothing wrong with that, core training, done correctly, will increase your chances for that "in shape" look. Let’s begin the core discussion with a quick definition of the musculature, and the importance of proper training of stabilization areas of the core and why it is so important in regard to low back pain.
The core has been defined as the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex, and the thoracic and cervical spine. The bodies’ center of gravity, the core is where fundamentally all movement begins, and is a critical component to your bodies’ kinetic chain and efficient movement. There are 29 muscles in the core and are systematically divided into two categories, the stabilization system and the movement system. I like to use the analogy of the great tree, without a solid trunk the great tree, (like your body), stand the chance of being toppled over by wind, or attacked by outside sources and indefensible. Your body is exactly the same way. Without the synergistic work between the stabilizers and the movement system, the body will not respond well to stress and stands a good chance to become injured.
Many people have the strength to function in their everyday life, maintain functionality in movements required day to day. The problem exists in the deep lumbo –pelvic-hip stabilizer area. The bodies’ core has to be working correctly, with maximum efficiencies, to effectively utilize the strength, power and the neuromuscular endurance of your core’ prime movers, (the movement system).
If for example your stabilization core musculature is weak, but the movement system is strong, (a very common problem), this leads to poor internal communication within your kinetic chain, which in turn can cause inefficient movements and or compensation problems and synergistic dominance(the wrong muscles firing to make you move correctly). A weak core can then lead to pattern overload injuries and the predominant back pain. It is estimated that 80% of all back pain is the result of poor core strength due to stabilization muscle endurance. The performance of traditional abdominal and low back exercises (sit-ups, and back extensions for example), without the proper stabilization muscles could lead to muscle overload and injury.
In essence exercising to lose a layer of body fat in the abdominal area, without strengthening your stabilizers will possibly be ineffective but could cause an overuse injury, taking you out of your new exercise enthusiasm.
Later in this book we will describe and outline core exercises that will help guide you through the starting stages of regaining your fitness, and of course we have many demonstrations on the GRT website.
Don’t let your workouts become routine: For the best results, change up the specifics of your program periodically to avoid boredom and most importantly plateaus from your developing physique. By changing the load and variety of exercises, we recruit different muscle fibers that may be getting left out during your other training sessions. Stagnant and boring workouts can wipe out motivation in a heartbeat so when we try new exercises or increase/decrease weights and reps our bodies are forced to adapt physically and we stay intrigued mentally. Trying new exercises and varying rep ranges keeps our body guessing, which promotes continuous muscle growth and development. Who on earth wants to perform the same exercises day in and day out? I enjoy the gym much more than the average person but would personally get bored very quickly if I didn’t change portions of my work-out on a daily basis. This approach is applicable for both beginners and experienced gym goers, which makes it a great way to beat those plateaus and continue to develop your program.
Chapter 9. Balance Training
Balance training and the adaptation to unstable surfaces is another of the key components to living a healthy life. Whether on a gymnasium floor, BOSU ball, the beach or climbing a rocky mountain path, maintaining balance is the key to all functional movement. It is for this reason that a person’s balance cannot be thought of as an isolated part to their movement, it is an integrated proprioceptive, neuromuscular variable that is critical to maintaining a healthy and meaningful life.
Balance is not a static state and does not work in isolation. The maintenance of postural equilibrium is an integrated dynamic state requiring muscle to work synergistically with the sensory organs, joints and skeletal structures. In other words balance helps keep the kinetic chain in order.
The benefits of balance have been shown to be influential in the improvement of "dynamic joint stabilization", which is the ability of the kinetic chain to stabilize a joint during motion. It also helps the body in connection with the "multi sensory exposure to elements", for example walking on a slippery surface, such as ice or snow, or a soft surface such as walking in sand, both elements require neuromuscular adaptation and balance.
Muscle imbalances must be addressed to alleviate potential issues for example synergistic dominance (the wrong muscle assisting in a movement), or prime movers (key muscle groups) to fire slowly and or not at all.
Balance training is important to resolve these muscle imbalances, and thankfully there are many very simple exercises that can quickly make the body more in tune with its conditions and prevent potential falls, slips, or injuries. Later in the book we will illustrate several of our favorite balance training tools and movements.
Never Skip Breakfast: breakfast is the most important meal of the day for building and maintaining muscle. The longer that a person waits before eating in the morning, the longer your metabolism remains in a fasting mode. This practice makes it much more likely that your body will begin to break down your muscle tissue and use it for fuel. By eating as soon as we wake up in the morning we break that fasting mode and introduce new fuel for your metabolism to begin breaking down. Getting that metabolism going in the morning is crucial for allowing your body to speed up the breakdown of fuel and nutrients and help people start to achieve those weight loss goals. One of the biggest factors in obesity today is skipping breakfast consistently. Many fitness professionals today espouse "Eating like a King in the morning and a Pauper at night" which essentially describes incorporating your biggest meals consisting of the highest ratio’s of carbohydrates in the morning while tapering off your food intake throughout the day. Utilizing those higher glycemic carbs before noon and incorporating complex carbs and protein in the evening can decrease the likelihood of food being stored as fat and not burned during rest.
Chapter 10. Reactive Training
The last of the components necessary in improving stability in the NASM model is reactive training. It is important to understand that reactive training is only attempted by those individuals with the adequate core strength and flexibility, and should not be utilized by anyone who is just beginning their exercise program.
Reactive training is defined as quick, powerful movement involving an eccentric contraction, followed by an explosive concentric contraction. This is accomplished by the use of plyometric exercise, for example box jumps or quick foot movement explosive jumping.
Reactive training provides the ability to train specific skill enhancements and movements in a biomechanically correct fundamental manner. The ultimate goal of reactive training is to increase the reaction time of the muscles being trained, or the specific sport skills related to an event.
Chapter 11. Speed, Agility and Quickness
Speed agility and quickness (SAQ) is very similar to reactive training and the same precautions should be adhered too.
Speed- Is the ability to move your body in one direction as fast as possible
Agility- Is the ability to accelerate, decelerate, stabilize and change your direction quickly, all while maintaining the correct form and posture
Quickness-Is the ability to react and change body positions with maximum rate of force production, in all planes of motion, from all body positions, during functional activities
Speed, agility and quickness can add intensity, complexity, cardiorespiratory demand and stress to your workout. I would advise any client to consider some type of SAQ exercise as an augmentation to their routine, however only after the client has demonstrated the core strength and flexibility that would take the potential injury factor out of play.
Chapter 12. Resistance Training
Resistance training, my favorite of all the components of training, considered by many the "workout" portion of your exercise is the greatest. The body will react to the stresses that are place on it, this phenomenon is labeled the "general adaptation syndrome." What is meant by that in laymen’s terms is that in essence lifting weight, utilizing bands, or exercising with the aid of a machine (for example Nautilus), will cause muscle change and growth. Your body adapts to the weight and improves, becomes stronger, and leaner. Whether a goal is cosmetic in nature or health –or performance related, resistance training has been shown to have many desirable effects such as-
Physiologic
Improved cardiovascular efficiencies
Increased metabolic efficiencies
Increased bone mass
Increased lean body tissue
Decreased body fat
Improvements in blood chemistries
Performance
Increased stamina
Increased strength and power
Improvement in tissue densities
There are many components to the resistance training definitions, since we will be delivering a sample strength training workout later in this book, and everyone’s training is varied depending on many factors I plan on keeping this portion of the explanations short and concise, covering only the key terms and not overwhelming you with information.
Strength-The ability of your neuromuscular system to produce inner tension to adapt to an external stimuli
Muscular endurance- Maintaining a lower level of power and control and maintain that force
Strength endurance- The ability of your body to repeatedly produce high levels of power for an extended time
Hypertrophy-Growth of muscle tissue in response to training
Maximal strength- The ultimate maximum that you can lift, or pull; one rep maximum
Power- Your production of the greatest amount of force in the smallest amount of time
There are many styles of resistance training systems, most of which have been adapted over the years from power lifters, and body builders. Weight training was not always known as a common exercise technique therefore some of the ambiguity surrounding is understandable. It is helpful to know some of the training systems and their definitions-
Single set-performing one set of each movement or exercise
Pyramid training- increasing or decreasing weight with each set
Superset training- performing two exercises or movements in consecutive fashion with no rest between movements
Multiple set training- performing the same movement or exercise sets consecutively
Circuit style training-performing a series of exercises or lifting movements, one after another, with just minimal rest
Split routine-doing different training or lifting movements for specific body parts on separate days
The primary modality used by the GRT team is a hybrid style which includes, circuit training, superset training and split routines. As you will see later in the text we will build routines based on our experiences as we test movements. Any of our movements will be thoroughly tested by team GRT, and depending on your goal, strength growth, body building, fat loss, or just getting in a better place with your fitness level, there will be something for everyone in our programs.
Resistance training is a complex training component that understandably can be intimidating to many gym goers. However, if you are not performing a resistance training segment in your exercise routine you are doing your body a severe disservice. Resistance training is crucial in helping us build and retain muscle mass which is the single most efficient fat burning portion of our body. We must incorporate some form of resistance training into our workouts to help us build the muscle we want to give us a leaner look but also to increase the efficiency of our metabolism while at rest. As we increase the amount of muscle on our body we increase our ability to burn calories while at rest by changing our metabolism through activities like bodyweight exercises, free weight training, and high intensity interval training. Thus our sustained metabolism after completing our workout remains burning at much higher rate than before. As personal trainers in the Health and Fitness profession it’s our job to help educate everyone on not only the benefits of weight training but also to design programs and formats that help cut through the confusion and anxiety our clients have.
Chapter 13. Nutrition and Supplementation
Education as far as your exercise and training is a critical and somewhat complex issue. Everyone wants instantaneous results, has no time and is confused by all of the different ways and type of exercise. What is good for me may not be an ideal plan for you, which adds to the dilemma. To add more information at this point may seem somewhat overwhelming, and we understand, believe me we have been there, done that as far as eating poorly and not getting enough time in the gym, (just look at the bio pictures on the GRT website, ouch!), so to keep this in a somewhat concise format lets deal with nutrition on a surface level, macro nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), their proposed ratios as far as consumption and definitions.
Nutrition is defined as the sum of working processes by which a plant, animal or human being takes in food substances. Therefore the proper nutrition strategy has the ability to hasten the results from the stimulus of exercise, (a good thing), improve health and athletic performance,(another good thing), reduce risk of illness and disease, (even a better thing), increase energy levels and alter body composition, ( the best thing). It has been estimated that 80% of weight loss is due to your nutrition level, and the quality of food you eat, 20% is the level of exercise.
So as stated earlier in the text the law of thermo dynamics really is true, eat fewer calories, and burn more calories, lose weight. It really does get that simple.
Protein- Protein primarily builds and repairs body and tissue. In addition, protein assists in the synthesizing of hormones, peptides and enzymes, plus it can be used for energy in diets which there is a lack of carbohydrates. Proteins are made up of about 20 essential and nonessential amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. Proteins must be broken into amino acids before your body can utilize their benefits.
One gram of protein yields 4 calories. Protein, requirements can be affected by anaerobic and aerobic exercise, total energy intake, caloric intake and carbohydrate intake. The recommend Dietary Allowance for protein is 0.8g/kg per day or 15-30% of your total caloric intake. This amount may vary among athletes, with the intake levels rising to 1.0-2.0 g/kg daily. Supplemental protein, (whey or hemp) may be useful in the following-
To replace whole-food proteins for weight loss
To quickly restore amino acids into your blood before and after weight training
For body builders, wrestlers, or other weight conscience athletes preparing for a competition
In situations when whole food source proteins are not available
During our show preparation protein was extremely beneficial as a recovery tool after training. A combination of whey and hemp protein formulas with a mixture of carbohydrates, L-Glutamine, and water were the basis of post workout shakes. A much more detailed and complete reference to our show prep will be in our body building journal books.
Chapter 14. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are compounds containing oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon and in a general definition are classified as simple sugars, complex starches, and fiber. The scientific definition is as follows:
"A carbohydrate is an organic compound with the empirical formula Cm(H2O)n, that is, consists only of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, with the last two in the 2:1 atom ratio. Carbohydrates can be viewed as hydrates of carbon, hence their name. Structurally however, it is more accurate to view them as polyhydroxy aldehydes and ketones. The term is most common in biochemistry, where it is a synonym of saccharide.
The carbohydrates (saccharides) are divided into four chemical groupings: monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. In general, the monosaccharides and disaccharides, which are smaller (lower molecular weight) carbohydrates, are commonly referred to as sugars.[1] The word saccharide comes from the Greek word σάκχαρον (sákkharon), meaning "sugar". While the scientific nomenclature of carbohydrates is complex, the names of the monosaccharides and disaccharides very often end in the suffix -ose. For example, blood sugar is the monosaccharide glucose, table sugar is the disaccharide sucrose, and milk sugar is the disaccharide lactose.
Carbohydrates perform numerous roles in living things. Polysaccharides serve for the storage of energy (e.g., starch and glycogen) and as structural components (e.g., cellulose in plants and chitin in arthropods). The 5-carbon monosaccharide ribose is an important component of coenzymes (e.g., ATP, FAD, and NAD) and the backbone of the genetic molecule known as RNA. The related deoxyribose is a component of DNA. Saccharides and their derivatives include many other important biomolecules that play key roles in the immune system, fertilization, preventing pathogenesis, blood clotting, and development.[2]
In food science and in many informal contexts, the term carbohydrate often means any food that is particularly rich in starch (such as cereals, bread and pasta) or sugar (such as candy, jams and desserts)." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate
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