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Ten Reasons Why Runners Should Include Weight Training.

If you like to run and have been struggling to increase your mile pace or need a boost in short sprint speed for the final kick, strength training is the answer.

Athletes in endurance sports such as swimming, cycling, rowing, or skiing cross-country will also benefit from strength training.

The right strength training program will also help you lose fat—lightness is always a benefit for runners—and prevent injury. It will also improve your endurance and can help prevent injuries. Strength training also provides protective health benefits such as better insulin sensitivity and higher antioxidant status, making it essential for all runners.

If you’re already strength training and not seeing results, it may be because you’re not doing the right kind of training—that is, there may be something wrong with your protocol such that you’re not triggering adaptations. Luckily, the research tells us what you need to do whether you run 5Ks, marathons, triathlons, or just run for fun.

Take note of a few things before we get into the ten greatest benefits of strength training:

If you’re running to lose weight, strength training is a must. You’ll see results much faster. Strength training will boost your metabolism and improve your insulin health and blood sugar levels in addition to supporting hormone response for fat burning.

Don’t be scared by the idea of heavy lifting. If you are an elite runner and you do not want to increase body weight by gaining lean mass, don’t worry. You won’t gain muscle mass from lifting. The science behind this is revealed in #4.

Recreational runners probably won’t increase body weight from training either, assuming you do a decent volume of running. With the right weight lifting program, you will lose fat. If you want to gain muscle mass, and “get big,” endurance running is probably not a good choice.

Older individuals benefit just as much as young runners from strength training. Lifting weights has been shown to lessen the gap between young and old in terms of strength and speed endurance.

This article is for runners but will apply to most endurance athletes. In some cases I present research using athletes from sports other than running such as rowers and cyclists. These are general conclusions that can be drawn from these studies and applied to most endurance sports because they are based on physiology.

Top Ten Reasons Runners Should Strength Train

1)    Get Faster
Strength training will make you faster. Whether you are a short distance runner (800 meters to a mile) or a longer distance runner (mile on up), you’ll find your pace increasing when you start strength training. Strength training will increase leg strength and improve your body’s efficiency to use energy and oxygen.

Increasing the body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently is a primary goal of endurance training, and it is measured by VO 2 max, or maximal oxygen uptake. Simply, if you can decrease the amount of oxygen needed to run at a certain speed, you’ll be able to sustain a fast pace for a longer time and likely be able to run faster overall.

A study that tested the effect of a maximal lower body strength training program on elite runners found that they improved running economy by 5 percent. Even more impressive, they increased the amount of time they could run at their maximal aerobic speed by 21.3 percent. The weight training group also did regular endurance running during the eight week training program, and researchers compared their gains in running speed and work capacity with a control group that only performed regular endurance training. The control group showed no improvements indicating that for elite endurance athletes, strength training may be the magic component to allow them to improve.

Similar studies of elite cyclists show similar performance results. In a study using Danish national team cyclists, half of the team performed a strength training program and half the team served as a control group. The maximal strength program resulted in improved performance in both a 5-minute sprint trial and a 45-minute endurance trial. The strength training group went 5 percent further in the short 5-minute time trial and 8 percent further in the 45-minute trial.

Researchers suggest increased coordination, neural drive, and strength gains all play a role in making these endurance athletes faster since none of there’s no evidence of hypertrophy, or an increase in muscle size or body weight.

Take away: Strength training will improve your pace and make you faster overall. A maximal (heavy) strength program for the lower body will produce best results.

2)    Have A Better Final Kick
A heavy lower body strength training program will make you faster because you’ll be able to generate more force when you kick off the ground. Combined with better running economy and the ability to use energy more efficiently, you’ll have a better final kick.

One reason strength training will increase your speed is that you’ll increase your proportion of type IIA muscle fibers that fatigue slowly and are able to produce speed and power. The type II fibers are the “fast-twitch” fibers and sprinters have a large concentration of them because their training triggers the development of these fibers.

Muscle fiber research is still emerging but we know that the type I and II fibers are on a continuum that include at least seven different “types,” of which type I fibers are the most aerobic and least powerful. Type IIX are the most powerful and most quickly exhausted. The interesting thing is that with training, you can shift the proportion of these fibers based on the type of training you are doing. Combining endurance exercise with strength training provides the best stimulus for the muscles and yields the most impressive results for speed and endurance.In the study of Danish national team cyclists, researchers found that the athletes who strength trained increased the proportion of type IIA muscle fibers in the quadriceps from 26 to 35 percent and decreased type IIX fibers from 5 to 0.6 percent, a favorable shift for endurance performance.There’s limited research into muscle fiber shifts in recreational athletes, but studies suggest that strength training will produce more favorable fiber types for speed endurance in non-elite runners as well.  There is some evidence of a small increase in muscle size, particularly type II fibers in recreational runners, but this occurs with a decrease in body fat and has not produced a substantial increase in overall body mass.Take away: Strength training will increase your speed. You’ll have a better final kick with more fast, fatigue-resistant muscle fibers.

3)    Decrease Body Fat
Strength training will help you lose fat. The bulk of energy that is burned in the body comes from your resting metabolic rate, which is a function of the proportion of lean muscle to body fat. Body fat slows that metabolic rate and produces various substances that make you fatter, including aromatase (turns testosterone into estrogen) and adipokines (slow metabolism). Muscle and lean tissue improve metabolism instead of hurting it, meaning to be a better runner (and have a better looking body), you want more muscle and less fat.Experienced and elite runners will know that it is hard to lose fat unless you do large amounts of high-intensity training. People often point out that elite runners are “thin” and have a low body fat percentage. This is true, and they tend to do a very large volume of running at a high intensity. For those of you who are interested in getting lean without increasing your distance or intensity, strength training can help.For instance, in the study of Danish national team cyclists, the strength training group decreased body fat by 2 nearly two percent and had no change in body mass after the 16-week training program. The group that only did their regular endurance training decreased body fat by 0.5 percent. Other studies have elicited more dramatic results.A study of collegiate female soccer and volleyball players found that an intense circuit training strength program produced a decrease in body fat of an average of 5.7 percent, which is substantial for a group of elite athletes. This study was interesting because it based the intensity on heart rate rather than the amount of weight lifted. Participants in the high intensity group maintained heart rate at an average of 151 beats per minute by performing vigorous intervals in between sets. The weight lifted was 50 percent of maximal, and participants performed an average of ten repetitions per exercise. This protocol also produced increases in strength. Speed, running economy, and endurance were not tested.

Take away: Strength training will burn fat and decrease your body fat percentage making you lighter and faster.

4)    Have Better Body Composition
Strength training will enhance your overall body composition. Research shows that if you program properly, you don’t have to gain muscle mass. It’s possible to develop a protocol to get you in shape for endurance exercise and gain muscle with the right nutrition and supplementation, but that is another article for another day.A common concern for competitive endurance athletes is gaining body mass with strength training. Even lean muscle gains have been a concern because elevated muscle mass is thought to be detrimental for optimal endurance sports where muscle forces are generated to support the body mass against gravity. This issue could be debated since gaining strength and muscle mass in the legs will certainly make you faster if your training protocol is for relative strength. But, for simplicity, I will assume that you are doing a large volume of endurance training, which means that the most you can hope to get out of your strength training program is increased speed and endurance with decreased body fat.It’s well established that endurance exercise creates a catabolic environment that degrades muscle and bone and shifts the proportion of muscle fibers to type I. Strength training will counter this muscle degrading process and result in strength gains but the anabolic environment will be blunted. In a review of the effect of maximal strength training in elite endurance athletes, researchers Aagaard and Andersen write that “concurrent training can diminish the muscle hypertrophy that normal occurs with strength training,” but increases in performance and strength are still observed.This is due to the increased proportion of type IIA muscle fibers, but also to an increase in different gene signaling pathways involved in muscle growth and loss, which appear to cancel each other out. Despite no growth in the cross sectional area of muscle, concurrent strength and endurance training increases the ratio of capillaries to muscle fiber area, which improves oxygen delivery and free fatty acid uptake. Greater free fatty acid uptake results in a reduced rate of glycogen breakdown, meaning that endurance athletes are using energy more efficiently, which improves performance.Take away: Strength training is safe for athletes who don’t want to gain muscle mass. The catabolic/anabolic processes “cancel” each other out. Strength training increase fiber type proportion, neuromuscular function, and fuel utilization for better performance. 5)    Prevent Injury
Strength training will help you get rid of nagging injuries or chronic pain and help prevent future injuries. It will also help you correct structural imbalances that increase injury risk and lead to improper motor patterns. For example, the non-dominant side of the body is often weaker, which will throw your stride off, as will problems with your feet such plantar fasciitis or bunions.

Equally, muscle imbalances within each limb can cause problems for runners. For instance, the vastus medialis obliquus is a common weak link in the quad, and weak calves are thought to contribute to shin pain. Include both unilateral and bilateral leg exercises to avoid imbalances and prevent injury. Single-side training has also been shown to improve sprinters’ speed, and endurance athletes can benefit too

A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed how single-leg “pitcher” squat, also called rear-foot elevated squats, produced significant strength gains that rival those made from regular back squats. Including a training cycle of “pitcher” squats placed extra stabilization demands on the neuromuscular system since the athletes’ weight distribution was biased to one side of the body.

Additionally, forward lunges and step-ups are excellent lower body exercises that will help equalize strength and power between the legs and are excellent for runners. Take note that strength training can also decrease chronic pain and minimize aches and joint discomfort from continually pounding the pavement. Heavy strength training triggers protein synthesis in the connective tissues and will also increase bone strength.

Take away: Strength training improves structural balance and can help prevent injury and chronic pain. Feel better when you run!

6)    Strengthen Your Core With Traditional Lifts
Strength training with traditional lifts such as squats, deadlifts, lunges, and chin-ups will increase your core strength. Better core strength will help you avoid back pain and make you faster. Research shows that multi-joint movements are best to train the core musculature and improve the transfer of power from the arms to the legs.

One group of researchers recently found that core strength for running is best trained with squats and Olympic lifts, but if you don’t perform the snatch and clean and jerk, squats, chin-ups, deadlifts, and push-ups will strengthen your core.  Additionally, if the lower back, gluteals, or hamstrings are weak or imbalanced, glute-ham raises and back extensions are ideal.Researchers point to the uselessness of the plank exercise to assess or train the core. The plank (and side planks) is performed in a non-functional static position that is rarely replicated when running or in daily life, making it useless as a primary component of training. Equally, unless abdominal or “core” endurance is required for your sport or daily life, it’s undesirable to devote valuable training time to endurance exercises such as sit-ups.

Take away: The best way to build core strength for runners is to perform traditional lifts. 7)    Increase Antioxidant Levels and Decrease Oxidative Stress
Endurance training has been shown to produce a high level of oxidative stress that can lead to chronic inflammation. Strength training will counter both acute oxidative stress, and help you avoid the long-term debilitating impact of this stress.Scientists and athletic coaches have become concerned about the negative health effects of endurance training because of the daily physical stress that it causes. The inflammatory response to intense endurance training is well documented and some coaches and athletes have attempted to counteract it by taking antioxidants. This is a good strategy since we are inundated by free radicals from our environment and poor dietary choices, but throw strength training into the mix, and you will be much better off.A moderate to heavy strength training program has been shown to increase antioxidant status and counter oxidative stress. In #4 we looked at how strength training can counter the muscle degrading effect of endurance training, and it can minimize the inflammatory response of intense, repeated physical stress. The stress hormone cortisol is the culprit and it damages cells and tissue in the body and accelerates aging. Strength training will offset this, making you healthier, stronger, and faster.Take away: Strength training protects runners from the repeated damage of oxidative stress by raising antioxidant levels. 8)    Better Reproductive Health
There is evidence that reproductive health suffers for both men and women from endurance training. Strength training is one strategy to prevent this. A recent study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that intense endurance exercise provokes low testosterone and diminished sex hormone levels in men, which translates into poor reproductive health and low fertility. Previous studies have found similar impaired fertility in women who perform endurance exercise, a common symptom of which is dysmenorrhea or impaired menstrual cycles.Strength training can help because it will improve hormone levels and counter the oxidative stress from cortisol and related catabolic hormones that cause inflammation and damage to the reproductive organs. Researchers suggest there is a happy medium to reproductive health such that individuals who like to run can improve their endocrine profiles and support fertility and health with strength training. On the flip side, a sedentary lifestyle will also impair fertility, and poor health.Take away: Strength training will improve reproductive health and fertility in men and women who run. 9)    Better Insulin Health
Insulin health refers to how sensitive your cell receptors are to the hormone insulin, which is secreted by the pancreas in response to glucose in the blood stream. Glucose comes from carbohydrates, a large portion of many runners’ diet, making the maintenance of insulin health a high priority for runners.You want to improve your insulin sensitivity because doing so will support a faster metabolism and better energy levels. Insulin health is a component of performance because it is involved with helping your body process energy along with speeding recovery from intense endurance training by aiding in the replenishment of glycogen stores.If your cells are insulin resistant, you will have a slower metabolism, have poor performance, and be at risk of developing diabetes. You will also have greater amounts of oxidative stress, which damages cells, cause inflammation and accelerates aging. As mentioned in #8, oxidative stress is already a problem for runners and endurance athletes, meaning you don’t want to exacerbate the problem by causing more with high levels of insulin.

Strength training is a well known strategy for diabetes prevention and for improving insulin. A recent study in the journal Nature showed how during exercise—any time you perform muscle contractions—the body produces a hormone called irisin that will improve insulin health. With strength training, you intensely and repeatedly contract the muscles producing extreme force, thereby producing even more irisin, which in turn greatly promotes insulin sensitivity.

Take away: Strength training improves insulin health and helps you recover from running by aiding in replenishment of energy stores.

10)    Best Results With Heavy Lifts and Varied Tempo
Perform a strength training program that includes heavy lower body lifts for best results. Runners often make the mistake of performing resistance training programs that are geared toward increasing muscular endurance instead of strength. This will not make you faster.

Naturally, if you are new to strength training, you will need to develop base levels of strength, and a muscular endurance program may be appropriate. It’s necessary to achieve basic strength and flexibility in the hips and ankles so that you can properly do squats and deadlifts with good technique.

Once you’ve got the basics down, you will get the most out of your strength workouts by lifting heavy—above 80 percent of the maximal amount you can lift. The only research studies that haven’t produced gains in running pace and speed are those that used too light of a load or were for too short of a time period—less than eight weeks.

To get the most out of your strength program, perform multi-joint, ground-based lifts such as squats and deadlifts. Step-ups and lunges are also essential. Although, a more advanced technique, lifting with a varied or slow tempo will also provide benefits to runners. Tempo training, or the variation of the amount of time spent on the up and down phase of a lift, is a great way to provide a new and different stimulus to the muscles. If you feel you’ve hit a plateau or want to try something new, consider varying your tempo—it will challenge your weaknesses and make you faster and stronger.

Take away: Runners new to lifting should develop base levels of strength and flexibility. Then, it’s time to lift heavy and vary tempo to turn weaknesses into strengths.

References:
Article courtesy of Charles Poliquins and his excellent research into strength and condition.
Aagaard, P., Andersen J., et al. Effects of Resistance Training on Endurance Capacity and Muscle Fiber Composition in Young Top-Level Cyclists. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. 2011. Published Ahead of Print.Vaamonde, D., Silva-Grigoletto, M., et al. Physically Active Men Show Better Semen Parameters and Hormone Values than Sedentary Men. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2012. Published Ahead of Print.Skoluda, N., Dettenborn, L., et al. Elevated Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Endurance Athletes. Psychoneuroendocrinology. September 2011. Published Ahead of Print.Sunde, A., Storen, O., et al. Maximal Strength Training Improves Cycling Economy in Competitive Cyclists. Journal of strength and Conditioning Research.2010. 24(8), 2157-2165.Phillips, S., Das, E., et al. Resistance and Aerobic Exercise Protects Against Acute Endothelial Impairment Induced by a Single Exposure to Hypertension During Exertion. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2011. 110(4), 1013-1020.Storen, O., Helgerud, J., et al. Maximal Strength Training Improves Running Economy in Distance Runners. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2008. 8(6), 1087-1095.Davis, W., Wood, D., et al. Concurrent Training Enhances Athletes’ Strength, Muscle Endurance, and Other Measures. Journal of strength and Conditioning Research. 2008. 22(5), 1487-1495.Deus, A., Oliveira, C., et al. Metabolic and Cardiac Autonomic Effects of High-Intensity Resistance Training Protocol in Wistar Rats. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. November 2011. Published Ahead of Print.Bostrom, P., Wu, J., et al. A PGC1-Dependent Myokine that Drives Brown-Fat-Like Development of White Fat and Thermogenesis. Nature.January 2012. Published Ahead of Print.Reynolds, Gretchen. Exercise Hormone May Fight Obesity and Diabetes. The New York Times. 11 January 2012.Shinkle, J., Nesser, T., et al. Effect of Core Strength on the Measure of Power in the Extremities. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.January 2012. Published Ahead of Print.Okada, T., Huxel. K., Nesser, T. Relationship Between Core Stability, Functional Movement, and Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. January 2011. 25(1), 252-261.

Wilson, J., Marin, P., et al. Concurrent Training: A Meta Analysis Examining Interference of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. October 2011. Published Ahead of Print.

Baker, Daniel. The Effects of an In-Season of Concurrent training on the Maintenance of Maximal strength and Power in Professional and College-Aged Rugby League Football Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2001. 15(2), 172-177.

Bell, G., Syrotuik, D., et al. Effect of Concurrent Strength and Endurance Training on Skeletal Muscle Properties and Hormone Concentrations. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2000. 81, 418-427.

Aagaard, P., Andersen, J., et al. Effects of Strength Training on endurance Capacity in Top-Level Endurance Athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2010. 20(Suppl 2), 39-47.

Sharrock, C., Cropper, J., Mostad, J., Johnson, M., Malone, T. A Pilot Study of Core Stability and Athletic Performance: Is There a Relationship? International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. June 2011. 6(2), 63-74.

Jones, M., Ambegoankar, J., et al. Effects of Unilateral and Bilateral Lower-Body Heavy Resistance Exercise on Muscle Activity and Testosterone Response. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2012. Published Ahead of Print.

Cakir-Atabek, H., Demir, S., Pinarbassili, R., Bunduz, N. Effects of Different Resistance Training Intensity on Indices of Oxidative Stress. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. September 2010. 24(9), 2491-2498.

 

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April 6, 2012 | Categories: biomechanical, burn fat, personal trainer poole, runners strength training | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

On our Doorstep charity event for Help 4 Heroes

onourdoorstepgood1

Come and check out our FREE fundraiser on March 11th 2012.

Follow this link to our “On Our Doorstep” site for more info.

 

February 7, 2012 | Categories: fundraiser, help for heroes | Tags: , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Time to self evaluate, recap on goals and start making a change.

This year you said to yourself that this “IS” the year you would; make a difference to your health, change your physique, improve your fitness or cleanse your lifestyle.

So now on this Friday afternoon take a good hard look at yourself and self evaluate. Its only the end of January 2012, but already can you truly say that you have given it your all, tried your hardest, made those correct food choices, ran that extra mile, walked from one bus stop earlier, booked a PERSONAL TRAINER, attended a BOOTCAMP, gone through with a DETOX plan…have you done any of the things that will, i promise you, make a difference to who you are.

Can you say, Yes I have ACHIEVED this month?

Well I guess the answer is probably no for some of you, and its a hard pill to swallow but there is no-one else to blame but you. Maybe your lacking in motivation, waiting for next Monday to start your training, don’t know what exercise is best, not sure what food to eat, all of which are fair enough, but come on get off that sofa or from behind that desk and start to take accountability for your health.

Call and book in today, your not going to find the answer at the bottom of your coffee cup or from watching Eastenders.

There are 24hrs in a day, make just 30mins of that your time!

At REBorn we employ staff who completely understand this feeling that you do need a motivator, instructor, coach or support mechanism, that YES you do want to achieve this year, but simply dont know how to.

Well please lets not leave it another month, pick up the phone today and call REBorn on 01202 671783 to book in for your FREE weeks trial in which we will train, coach and guide you towards becoming that person you aspire to.

www.rebornpt.co.uk

REBorn Health Studios, Sandbanks Poole, BH13 7RD

January 27, 2012 | Categories: bootcamp poole, diet, exercise, nutrition, performance, personal trainer poole, Uncategorized, weight loss | Tags: , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

BCAA: Branch Chain Amino Acids, an essential supplement for Life.


The Basics of BCAAs

The BCAAs include leucine, isoleucine, and valine, they support everything from anabolic muscle building to high-intensity endurance training to improving mental function and mood. They are among the nine essential amino acids that the body is unable to make, meaning they must be ingested through food or supplements. BCAAs are found in high-protein foods such as meat and whey protein. As their name suggests, BCAAs have a branched side chain that simplifies the job of converting each amino acid into energy during intense exertion. The more BCAAs that are present in the muscles, the more they will be used for energy, slowing the breakdown of muscles cells and preventing catabolism. At the most basic level, BCAAs trigger protein synthesis, increase energy expenditure and have been shown to improve glucose tolerance (glucose intolerance is a precursor to diabetes).

What’s exciting about this is that BCAAs work even when you aren’t working out, meaning that if you have to take time off, BCAAs will help minimize fat gain and muscle loss from inactivity. Equally, on days when you don’t exercise, BCAAs are just as important as during and post-workout.

1)    BCAAs Enhance Muscle Protein Synthesis: Leucine-Enriched BCAAs Support Muscle Growth And Fat Loss.

A study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that BCAA supplementation can contribute to an anabolic environment in the body. Leucine-enriched BCAAs (a BCAA mixture that is 40 percent leucine) was shown to elevate and prolong protein synthesis after resistance training. There was evidence of a dose-dependent response to BCAAs, meaning that more is better, which is why I suggest taking them before, during, and after training. BCAA supplementation results in maximal protein synthesis because it increases the intracellular availability of amino acids and activates something called the mTORC1 signaling pathway that is essential for muscle building. Take note that aging is associated with an impaired ability to activate mTORC1 signaling and protein synthesis. Are you getting this? In older individuals, this pathway is not activated to the same extent as in younger trainees after training unless leucine-enriched EAAs are ingested! Another great benefit of BCAAs is that if you have to take time off from training due to injury, a need for a break, or lack of time, they will minimize muscle loss and fat gain. A study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that giving BCAAs to rats who had their hind-limbs immobilized for six days helped preserve protein synthesis that regulates cell growth. The BCAAs didn’t completely prevent protein degradation and muscle atrophy in the rats’ hind limbs, but they helped preserve the muscle to a greater extent than a placebo. The BCAA-fed rats also had lower body fat levels following immobilization.


2)    Higher BCAA Levels Correlate With A Lean Body Composition: BCAAs Increase Fat Burning And Keep You Lean.

Research shows that individuals with a higher BCAA intake in their diets have lower rates of obesity, lower body weight, and better body composition. Researchers suggest that leucine increases energy expenditure and improves glucose tolerance. A review in the journal Aging found that BCAAs, and in particular leucine, “appear to have unique obesity-reducing effects” because they decrease food intake and body weight by increasing the gene signaling of that mTOR pathway that I mentioned in #1.The benefits of BCAAs for a lean physique are confirmed with a large study of 4429 subjects in which those with greater amounts of BCAAs in their diets were the slimmest and had significantly less chance of being overweight than those with lower BCAA intake. Researchers think leucine is the magic bullet for a slim body comp, although only in conjunction with the other BCAAs—a leucine-enriched mixture is best.


3)    Greater Strength Gains from Taking Leucine with Training: BCAAs Enhance Strength Gains From Training Because They Allow You To Train Harder And Longer.

A British study showed that taking the leucine actually translates into greater strength in addition to the protein synthesis effects I’ve already mentioned. Previously untrained participants ingested 4 grams of leucine a day in conjunction with a 12-week resistance training program and increased strength by 41 percent. A placebo training group had strength increases of 31 percent after completing the same training program.

4)    BCAAs Result in Lower RPE and Greater Endurance Performance: Take BCAAs To Stay Strong Longer. BCAAs Are Crucial For Strength And Endurance Athletes.

Researchers from Sacred Heart University compared taking a BCAA supplement with consuming a carbohydrate beverage prior to a 90-minute endurance cycling trial at 55 percent of maximal oxygen uptake. The BCAA supplement significantly lowered participants’ rating of perceived exertion during the exercise trial in comparison to a placebo group and the carb-supplement group. Additionally, BCAA supplementation raised blood amino acid levels during exercise, a factor that likely has the effect of reducing muscle damage. Researchers suggest that BCAAs can be added to a carb supplement to help lower RPE and allow for more intense training at the same relative level of exertion. A new study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition produced even more impressive results by adding caffeine to the BCAA drink. Endurance-trained men who received the BCAAs had a 2 percent increase (roughly running an extra 400 metres) in performance during a 2-hour treadmill run over a placebo group. Central fatigue was also lower, which indicates lower RPE during a debilitating endurance trial.

5)    BCAAs Can Decrease Muscle Soreness, Particularly DOMS: Take BCAAs Throughout The Day To Reduce Muscle Soreness From Training.

A University of Birmingham study found that taking BCAAs at strategic points throughout the day will significantly reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) from high-intensity eccentric training. Researchers found a 64 percent decrease in muscle soreness at 72 hours following exercise from BCAAs compared to a placebo. The exercise consisted of 12 sets of 10 eccentric repetitions at 120% of 1RM. If those loading parameters don’t produce insanely nasty levels of muscle soreness, nothing will!A well known Japanese study confirmed that BCAAs decrease DOMS where the exercise consisted of squats for 7 sets of 20 reps with 3 minute rest intervals—my kind of researchers. The subjects were either given a placebo or 100mg/kg of BCAAs (about 9 grams for a 200lb person), with significantly less soreness at 48 and 72 hours after training.

6)    Take BCAAs to Improve Mental Function and Reaction Time: BCAAs Are Essential For Brain Nutrition. Boost Your Brain, Especially When Fatigued, With BCAAs. Quick Timing Athletes (Baseball, Basketball, Hockey) Need BCAAs For Peak Performance.

Reaction time, which is virtually untrainable—you’re either born with it or you aren’t, has been shown to improve if you have higher BCAA blood levels. A new study found that a high-protein diet improves mental function and reaction time. Participants who ate a high-protein diet (3 grams per kg of bodyweight of protein a day) performed significantly better on verbal fluency tests and had faster reaction time than participants who only ate 1.5 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight a day. At the end of the study period, the high-protein group had elevated levels of BCAAs, which researchers suggest are the source of the improvements because BCAAs have been shown to reduce fatigue and heighten brain function after heavy training, highlighting their value in post-workout nutrition.

7)    Improve Mood and Decrease Depression with BCAAs: BCAAs Can Make You Feel Better And Get Rid Of Depression. BCAAs Are Essential For The Elderly.

Taking BCAAs for the brain is especially important as you age. And I bet that if you ask your parents and grandparents, they aren’t taking BCAAs or even eating a high-protein diet (3 g of protein per kg of body weight). Researchers note that for older individuals who sometimes have difficultly eating enough high-quality protein, BCAA supplementation is essential.Supplementing with BCAAs will improve production of the neurotransmitters, boosting cognitive function. BCAAs have been shown to play a role in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA, which will help you generate energy and drive when you need it and calm you when you don’t.Additionally, taking 10 grams of essential amino acids, which include BCAAs, has been shown to improve depressive symptoms and overall physical performance in an elderly population. BCAAs likely increased brain serotonin synthesis, improving mood and decreasing depression. BCAAs were thought to have improved participants’ nutritional status by inducing protein building and increasing insulin sensitivity. Researchers point to the importance of leucine (the supplement used contained 2.5 grams), because it is the most important BCAA for protein building.

8)    Take BCAAs To Protect the Liver and Prevent Liver Disease: BCAAs Protect Liver Health And Prevent Cirrhosis.

Perhaps the most interesting emerging evidence shows that BCAAs will help the liver regenerate after removal of part of the liver. They can also protect the liver from cancer in patients with cirrhosis. Plus, BCAAs improve insulin sensitivity and when improved insulin health is combined with the protective effects in the liver, BCAAs can help prevent fat gain in the liver and avoid non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

9)    BCAAs Prevent Diabetes and Improve Insulin Sensitivity: TAKE BCAAs To Prevent Diabetes And Improve Insulin Health. Stay Young And Lean!

A primary way BCAAs prevent aging and support a lean body composition is by how they improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. High insulin levels cause accelerated aging along with nerve and cell damage, making it essential to control this hormone. Luckily, it’s the one hormone you can manage and BCAAs will help. Researchers are using BCAAs as a treatment for diabetes and there’s ample data that they lead to weight loss.A new study in the journal Diabetologia found that the individuals who were in a weight loss study who lost the most weight had the highest BCAA levels—not surprising based on previous evidence. But there was an even stronger correlation between improvements in insulin sensitivity and BCAA levels than weight loss, indicating that the participants overall health and metabolism had improved.Another study found that rats that were given BCAAs in conjunction with a high-glucose solution, had improved glucose tolerance compared to a placebo group. Glucose tolerance means that once the rats ingested a large amount of glucose and their blood sugar was elevated and insulin was secreted, their bodies managed to process the glucose for energy more effectively than the less tolerant placebo rats.

10)    Live Longer and Improve Your Health with BCAAs: BCAAs Improve Health And Keep You Young!

Recent evidence shows that BCAAs have an anti-aging effect and increase the formation of new mitochondria, which can increase energy production. Giving a BCAA supplement to mice resulted in extended life spans and supported cardiac health.Indirectly, there are other ways that BCAA supplementation can prolong life. As mentioned above, BCAAs promote liver health, and there’s evidence that individuals with chronic liver disease may have better insulin sensitivity with BCAA supplementation. Plus, taking leucine with fish oil and a high protein diet can reduce muscle loss associated with cancer.

How and When to Take BCAAs: You Must Take BCAAs Before – During and After Training!!!!

To order the perfect supplement with the correct dosage click here. AMINO WORK CAPACITY

www.rebornpt.co.uk

 

References:

Information gathered from Charles Poliquin, benefits of BCAA.

January 23, 2012 | Categories: diet, personal trainer poole, rapid weight loss, sports supplements, Uncategorized, weight loss, weight loss supplements | Tags: , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Jurassic Coast Challenge 2012…oh dear what have i got myself into?

For my sins i have entered the Jurassic Coast Challenge this March (2012).

The challenge is a 3 marathon in 3 day event run over the Jurassic coast, it is the mother of all hilly runs. The 2012 course is being run from Studland to Charmouth.

The run is 78.6 miles,  approximately a 26.2 mile marathon each day.

Here is a breakdown of the 3 days.

DAY ONE:
Starts off with a pleasant jog along the beach of Studland Bay, past Old Harry rocks , through Swanage and straight into some tough coastal running along the South West Coast Path. Houns – tout Cliff provides the first real climb of the day followed by more climbing on Tyenham Cap and Worbarrow. The finish of the First day is Lulworth Cove where you will be treated to a sneak preview of the next days ‘warm up’ climb beginning day 2.

DAY TWO:
Sees runners (and walkers…not me I HOPE!) enjoy the delights of Durdle Door with steep ascents and descents. The course starts to level off half way in to Day 2 after Ringstead Bay. Weymouth hosts some path appreciated tarmac underfoot followed by a enjoyable lap of Portland to warm down on before finishing at the Event HQ on the Ferry bridge road between Weymouth and Portland.

DAY THREE:
Starts with a challenging and muddy underfoot course along coastal foot path towards Abbotsbury. Fairly flat ground for the next 10km until Eype’s mouth then the hilly fun starts again as the course approaches Golden Cap. Its then a short jog to the finish point just to the East of Charmouth. Where hopefully i don’t end up crossing the line like this:

 

l will be raising money for Help for Heroes. please click on their logo above and donate as much as you can..

The charity was launched in October 2007 in order to provide direct, practical support to those wounded, sick or injured in the line of duty since 9/11.

All the funds raised to date are either allocated or spent on the direct, practical support of those wounded in the current conflicts.

To date, H4H has funded a variety of projects including the £8m Rehabilitation Complex at Headley Court, a new £3.5m treatment centre for Combat Stress, adaptive adventure training through the Battle Back programme and the creation of a £6m Quick Reaction Fund to support individuals in need.

January 13, 2012 | Categories: bootcamp poole, exercise, fitness, jurassic coast challenge 2012, performance, personal trainer poole, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | Leave A Comment »

Christmas training calender: 19th December 2011, Day 18

Flaming carol singers everywhere….AGGGHH!!!

If i hear ding dong merrily again, I’m going to go crazy…these songs are in my head continuously!!!

Therefore I’ve had to and I’m sorry but today’s session is based on the 12 days of Christmas….cheesy i know but i have to get this out of my system.

Warm up:

5 – 10min: be as dynamic as possible, work through all your joints, moving in as many planes of movement as possible.

i.e multi-directional lunges, some jops (cross between hop and jogging, google it), some press ups, chin ups and ab work.

The 12 Days of Christmas Main session:

1.  Bear Crawl (about 30-40 feet and back)

2.  Inchworms (with push-ups)

3.  Renegade Rows (3 on each side)

4.  Russian Twists (4 per side)

5.  Floppy Burpees

6.  Double Unders (or 18 single jump ropes)

7.  Pullover Sit-ups

8.  Dips

9.  Box Jumps (or 9 step-ups per side as a mod)

10. Walking Lunges (10 per side- optional with weight)

11. Suicide Push-ups (11 total, not per side)

12. Weighted Squat Jumps (weight is optional)

Then…after the 12-Days of Christmas, there is a one mile run to top it off!

Please feel free to sing this out loud when your training today…..it will help cleanse the soul!!!!

oh and by the way……

Boring disclaimer part.

Here at RE:Born we advise everyone before entering a new exercise programme to get a full health assessment and sign off by the GP, reborn also accept no responsibility of anyone suffering from injury, illness or shear stupidity to hurt themselves with these basic exercises)

December 19, 2011 | Categories: burn fat, chocolate, diet, exercise, fitness, health, life, nutrition, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Pure water, as NATURE intented…WHY YOU MUST FILTER YOUR WATER.

WATER WATER EVERYWHERE…..should you drink it, or should you despair?

Well if its regular tap water or most bottled waters then the latter is the option every time.

Today is rest day from training, so i thought it apt to have a chat to you guys about hydration, and yes i know you have heard it probably a thousands times… so here it is for the thousand and first.

You NEED to stay hydrated… Most people are grossly dehydrated, and not only are people grossly dehydrated but also as a general public we are taking in over 40 harmful chemicals everyday from their tap water.

The tap water supplied to us today may have been treated to avoid contamination by certain water-borne organisms, but could also contain a whole host of potentially toxic chemicals as well as chlorine- resistant parasites. In fact, apart from chlorine addition and in some areas, fluoride, drinking water is often treated with other chemicals such as salts of aluminum, and may also contain other heavy-metal deposits.

This does not include the hundreds of tons of drugs that are flushed away every day in our toilets from urine only to re-emerge in our recycled drinking water system. It is estimated that the average glass of London drinking water has already passed through at least 15 other human bodies! Pharmaceutically manufactured drugs such as Prozac and the contraceptive pill are two of the most common organic compounds which may be found in city tap water, the effects of which have already been reported in the press.

Here also is a list of some of the other chemicals found in UK tap waters.

Aluminium Sulphate - Aluminium Sulphate can sometimes be found in tap water.

Heavy Metal Deposits - Small levels of metals such as Mercury, Cadmium and in some areas Arsenic & Lead can sometimes be found in tap water. These are leftover contamination from industrial effluent, leakages, spillages and left over from The Industrial Revolution.

Nitrates - especially in agricultural areas, the high levels of chemical fertilisers used on crops can enter local water supplies.

Herbicides & Pesticides - These are freely sprayed on crops and can leach out of soils into underground water sources.

Chlorine Resistant Parasites – Some Cysts including Cryptosporidium & Giardia can be resistant to the low lever of Chlorine in Tap Water. They can cause diarrhoea and vomiting as in the Cryptosporidium Outbreak in Northampton 2008.

Recycled pharmaceutical drugs - Hundreds of tons of drugs are flushed away every day in our toilets in urine, only to re-emerge in our recycled drinking water system. It is estimated that the average glass of London drinking water has already passed through at least 15 other human bodies! Pharmaceutically manufactured drugs such as Prozac and the contraceptive pill are two of the most common organic compounds found in city tap water.

Hormones – With millions of women on the pill and HRT relieving themselves into water supplies, and little attention paid to filtration of the hormone, recycled tap water has become a very risky.

Plastic bottled water doesn´t help either. Indeed, plastic packaging on all drinks and food stuffs leaches phthalates, which are ´oestrogen mimics´ into the food and drink in varying quantities. Plastics can also leach BisPhenol A, a chemical now banned in certain countries – it comes in bottles, dummies, babies´ feeding bottles and even plastic toys.

Chlorine – Chlorine is found in tap water as a means of water treatment. Chlorine can also react with organic compounds in tap water to produce THMs (trihalomethanes). It can vaporise in hot water to become steam during bathing & showering.

Fluoride. – Sodium Fluoride (Hexafluorosilicic Acid – H2SiF6) is added to tap water in large parts of the UK.


So now that I’ve scared you all, let me highlight a few reason why you should stay hydrated.

Energy: Suboptimal hydration slows the activity of enzymes, including those responsible for producing energy, leading to feelings of fatigue.

Digestion: Our bodies produce an average of 7 liters of digestive juices daily. When we don’t drink enough liquid, our secretions are more limited and the digestive process is inhibited.

Regularity: As partially digested food passes through the colon, the colon absorbs excess liquid and transfers it to the bloodstream so that a stool of normal consistency is formed.

Blood Pressure: When we are chronically dehydrated, our blood becomes thicker and more viscous. Additionally, in response to reduced overall blood volume, the blood vessels contract.

Stomach Health: Under normal circumstances, the stomach secretes a layer of mucus (which is composed of 98 percent water) to prevent its mucus membranes from being destroyed by the highly acidic digestive fluid it produces.

Respiration: The moist mucus membranes in the respiratory region are protective; however, in a state of chronic dehydration, they dry out and become vulnerable to attack from substances that might exist in inhaled air, such as dust and pollen.

Acid-Alkaline Balance: Dehydration causes enzymatic slowdown, interrupting important biochemical transformations, with acidifying results at the cellular level.

Weight Management: Feelings of thirst can be confused with hunger.

Dehydration a sure recipe for muscle tears and dysfunction.

Hydration is paramount to achieving healthy muscle tissue because a dehydrated muscle is like a piece of beef jerky, it has no elasticity and it had lost it’s suppleness and pliability.

Optimal hydration makes us not only feel and perform better, but I believe the muscular challenges we face today would probably not exist if we were optimally hydrated each and every day.

So what must we do?

Well there is only one option i believe, and that is to invest in a reverse osmosis water filter, i believe the best ones on the market are supplied from “THE WATER FILTER MAN“. Not only do these supply you with pure CLEAN drinking water, with the ability to remove chemicals as per the list below, but they also add alkalising salts, therefore giving you an anti-aging, anti-oxidant, oxygenating health drink and giving you body pure, filtered tap water daily.

Please take time to read my blog on alkalising and the importance of balancing your PH levels, to understand more on why this type of water filter is light-years ahead of the rest.

Here is the difference between your water and the water from a reverse osmosis water filter, clearly demonstrating the contaminated water we drink everyday in the uk.

I challenge you to start the day with a big glass of water, from a reverse osmosis filter, yes before your morning coffee and note the differences after 21 days!

BUY one of these filters today!!!!

December 16, 2011 | Categories: alkalise, anti aging, clean water, diet, life, look better, toxic | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Christmas training advent calender: 8th Dec 2011, Day 7

Good afternoon you lot, hope after yesterdays mobility session you’re well rested and raring to go!!!

Today i just need about 30 mins of your time, we’re going to be hitting 3 big movements to work the whole body. It’s going to be hard, but oh so worth it.

5 mins to warm up, 20 mins to go at it like you’ve never trained before and then another 5mins to catch your breath.

So here goes:

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:

25 L shaped Pull­ups


50 Push­ups

20111208-165459.jpg

75 Squats

20111208-165612.jpg

Now…….

Boring disclaimer part.

Here at RE:Born we advise everyone before entering a new exercise programme to get a full health assessment and sign off by the GP, reborn also accept no responsibility of anyone suffering from injury, illness or shear stupidity to hurt themselves with these basic exercises)

December 8, 2011 | Categories: burn fat, cortisol, destress, diet, exercise, fitness, health, life, mens health, performance, weight loss | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Christmas training advent calender: 4th Dec 2011, Day 3

Unleash the animal within.

No not the roast dinner you’ve just munched through, your primal animal….primal movements is where its at.

So lets combine a couple for a great all body workout.

This routine assumes some serious base strength, so here are a couple of easier options to the below circuit.  Substitute a plyo pressups (any pop of the hands off the ground is awesome) for the Aztec. You can do handstand push ups instead of the handstand walking (or wall holds). If you can’t do one arm push ups than you can use a standard press up.

Most important aspect though, is to let go of all inhibitions…be an animal, go on ROAR!, i know you want to.

Warm up: 5 – 10 minutes, taking it easy  (run, skip, stair climb, get in the sauna, move move move!!!)

Main Session:

Rest as little as possible between exercises and rest 30-60 seconds between sets.

A1: Sprint – 3 x 50ft


A2: Aztec Push Up – 3 x 10

A3: Handstand Walk – 3 x 20ft

A4: Burpee – 3 x 10

A5: Headstand – 3 x 30-60sec


A6: Alternating 1-Arm Push Up – 3 x 5-10 each side.

Please post your time below in comments.

Boring disclaimer part.

Here at RE:Born we advise everyone before entering a new exercise programme to get a full health assessment and sign off by the GP, reborn also accept no responsibility of anyone suffering from injury, illness or shear stupidity to hurt themselves with these basic exercises)

December 4, 2011 | Categories: alkalise, burn fat, cortisol, destress, diet, exercise, fitness, growth hormone, health, hormones, life, look better, mens health, metabolism, nutrition, paleolithic, performance, running, testosterone, Uncategorized, weight loss | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »