Fit

The Power Clean, Best Weight Lifting Exercise for Cyclists

The Power Clean Lift is perhaps the best kept secret among elite cyclists. As a competitive cyclist one needs to have exceptional power output. The mid-thigh power clean lift variation is the most effective exercise for force and strength development. (Comfort, P, Allen, M, and Graham-Smith, P, 2010).

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The Power Clean, Best Weight Lifting Exercise for Cyclists

The Power Clean Lift is perhaps the best kept secret among elite cyclists. As a competitive cyclist one needs to have exceptional power output. The mid-thigh power clean lift variation is the most effective exercise for force and strength development. (Comfort, P, Allen, M, and Graham-Smith, P, 2010).

 

Consider making your recovery drink with whey protein powder over casein powder or soy powder as research indicates that it has a greater thermogenic effect.

Recovery Shake Recipe

1 Scoop Whey Protein Powder
1/2 Cup Frozen Wild Blueberries
1 Banana
1/2 Cup Filtered Water

Mix with a blender or hand wand, drink and enjoy.

Lifting Weights and Women: Myth About Bulk

 

Most women wonder about bulk and lifting weights. The story behind acquiring muscle bulk is negligible and really without merit. Unless one indulges in body enhancing drugs women will not gain massive muscles only sleeker stronger bodies.

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! Unless one happens to manufacture high levels of the testosterone hormone, then, one will not get the massive muscles one associates with weight lifting.

 

! And, as one ages, hormones decline significantly, muscles will actually begin to atrophy. This medical phenomenon is referred to as sarcopenia.

 

! Feeling bigger is often associated with greater nerve stimulus.

 

! Moreover, an increase in lean muscle mass burns more calories and increases metabolism.

 

! A consistent resistance training program will lower one’s body fat mass and increase one’s lean muscle mass.

 

! One will look thinner.

 

! One will be stronger

 

Studies have shown that one can maintain and increase their strength through resistance training.

 ***

"To achieve optimal gains in muscle size and strength, women must train at a relatively high resistance for 6-12 repetitions during two to three workouts each week." Hunter, G. (2002). Women and Resistance Training [Electronic Version]. A quarterly publication of the American College of Sports Medicine, Fall 2002. 12-13.

 

 

How Much Sugar is in Your Diet?

Sugar is added to our foods to enhance taste and texture but at what cost? The primary result of taking in too much sugar is becoming overweight without ingesting essential vitamins and minerals.

The formula is shocking to say the least in that too much sugar leads to diseases linked to malnutrition and obesity.

Health issues such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease can be linked to ingestion of high levels of sugar in that over time our bodies are adversely affected to lower vitamin and mineral amounts that are necessary for healthy processes. Moreover, if we take in too many calories our bodies put on excess weight. 'Empty' calories are calories that provide our bodies with no real nutritional values.

The shocking truth behind sugars is the amount we actually ingest on a given day without realizing the mind bending levels.

Truth, one can of pop has approximately 10 added teaspoons of sugar; one glass of unsweetened orange juice has 6 teaspoons of sugar, chocolate milk has 7 teaspoons of added sugar, Raisin Bran Crunch cereal has 4 teaspoons of sugar per serving, and a Nutri-Grain bar has 4 teaspoons of sugar. 

There are two variables to consider when becoming aware of sugar content. There is natural sugar such as lactose in milk and fructose in fruit; and there is added sugar which happens during the processing and preparation of food. While it is important to consider both the most important criteria for making healthy choices is the 'added' sugar in foods.

The USDA recommends:

1600 calorie diet, includes children and aging females - 12 grams or 3 teaspoons of sugar per day

1800 calorie diet, teenage girls and women - 20 grams or 5 teaspoons per day

2000 calorie diet, teenage boys, active women, and sedentary men - 32 grams or 8 teaspoons per day

2200 calories diet, active teenage boys, recreational athletes, active men - 36 grams or 9 teaspoons per day

In conclusion, too much of a good thing no longer has it's benefits and produces long lasting harm. Sugar is a health hazard to be avoided and the first step towards healthier living is recognizing how much you ingest. Read food labels. Learn to make better choices. Here are some helpful tips: 4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar and 8 grams of sugar is equal to 2 teaspoons of sugar.

An example of what you may be eating looks like this:

Honey Maid low fat cinnamon grahams look like a pretty healthy snack, but, wait a minute; 2 crackers contain 11 grams of sugar. Most people should only eat 12-20 grams of sugar. This snack is alright if you only eat 2 crackers and maintain a low sugar diet the rest of the day. 

DEl Monte Diced Peaches in light syrup looks like a pretty healthy snack, but, wait a minute; 1 cup contains 16 grams of sugar. You are still in the margin of an alright snack as long as you don't eat anything else high in sugar content.

The shocking truth behind sugar suggests that if we read the labels and choose wisely we can still enjoy the taste of sugar without overdoing it. However, if you don't pay attention to sugar content of foods you will blow it. Imagine having  a bowl of cereal (9 grams-23 grams) in the morning then for lunch, a cookie(10 grams-20 grams) and a super coffee drink (17 grams- 49 grams); you have just blown your sugar allowance.

 

 

Top Core Exercises with Greatest Results

 

Core strengthening is a key component to a successful training regime.

Which exercises will do the job in the least amount of time and actually show results quite quickly?

The following studies suggest which modalities create the highest electromyographic action in the upper and lower rectus abdominus indicative to achieving the best results.

The Top 5 include:

 1. The Power Wheel: including the pike, knee-up, and roll-out (Escamilla RF, Babb R, Jew P, Kelleher P, Burnham T, Busch J, D'Anna K, Mowbray R, imammura RT, 2006).

 2. Hanging Knee-Up Straps (Escamilla RF, Babb R, Jew P, Kelleher P, Burnham T, Busch J, D'Anna K, Mowbray R, imammura RT, 2006).

 3. Reverse Crunch Incline 30 Degrees (Escamilla RF, Babb R, Jew P, Kelleher P, Burnham T, Busch J, D'Anna K, Mowbray R, imammura RT, 2006).

 4. Swiss Ball Exercises (Willardson JM, 2007).

 5. Abdominal Draw-In with Ankle Dorsi-Flexion (Chon C, Chang KY, You JS, 2010).

 In conclusion, the listed abdominal and core exercises are the most effective modalities for increasing core strength and endurance.

 

 

 

The Truth Behind Carbo Loading

Everyone participating in an endurance event wants to start feeling mentally positive, energetic, and strong. By having a nutrition game plan down prior to the pre-event dinner you will be reinforcing one of the most important elements of training, carbo loading. Carbohydrates are an endurance athletes best fuel source. Studies have shown that after 90 minutes of continuous cardio effort muscle glycogen stores are essential to your performance.

By eating a healthy diet full of complex carbohydrates such as grains, fruit, and vegetables routinely your body will store about 2,000 calories of glycogen in your muscles and liver. (Eberle, 2007). Carbo loading becomes essential in boosting storage supplies for the first two hours of your event. Proper loading is acquired on a daily basis and the closer you get to the event the more important your diet will become for performance.  Start your run fully loaded as proper nutrition can improve your endurance by 3%.

How does an endurance participant correctly carbo-load? The best way is to make sure your body has all the carbohydrate supplies necessary for fuel by increasing your complex carbohydrate intake three to four days prior to your event. Note that this is also the time of your taper so you will not be burning as many calories.

The point is not to eat excessive calories but to eat better carbohydrates with every meal. Sometimes increasing the carbo load also means gaining a few pounds before the event. Carbohydrate diets promote water retention or higher volumes of water mass within your muscular cells. Often, the weight gain is temporary water weight as opposed to fat weight.

Foods that are great additions to your diet prior to your event might include:

Low fat dairy products, 1/2 cup of pudding has 30 grams of CHO and only 161 calories

Legumes,  1 cup of pinto beans has 44 grams of CHO and only 235 calories

Dried fruit, 10 small pieces has approximately 55 grams of CHO and only 60 calories

Vegetables, 1 sweet potato has 28 grams of CHO and only 118 calories

Grains, I cup of brown rice has 45 grams of CHO and only 226 calories (always opt for brown rice over white rice as the glycemic loads are vastly different)

Grains, 1 cup of whole wheat spaghetti noodles has 40 grams of CHO and only 197 calories (always opt for whole wheat pasta over white pasta as the glycemic values are vastly different)

In conclusion carbo loading will make a big difference on your event performance. "While the typical athlete has about 80 to 120 mmol glycogen/kg muscle, a carbo loaded athlete can have about 200 mmol." (Clark, N., The Athlete's Kitchen, 2006).

That does not mean eat all your carbo calories the night before your event but rather increase your healthy carbohydrates two to three days in advance.

For more information pick-up the book Endurance Sports Nutrition by Suzanne Girard Eberle.

 

Double Runs Can Maximize Your Weekly Mileage

Double runs can maximize your weekly miles without the injury if you incorporate the new routine appropriately. The primary reason a runner might consider a double run is to efficiently improve the quality of their weekly mileage without injury. Many marathoners and ultra distance runners need to increase the mileage by implementing a medium or another long run into their weekly program.

The long run of the week for marathoners is required in order to maximize a physiological response to running for long distances.  The body needs to learn how to properly fuel the muscular mechanisms, how to mentally overcome the discomfort of extended times of running, and to increase aerobic responses to stress over time. If you are not seeing the results from one long run a week perhaps doubling up on a run occasionally could benefit your performance, mileage volume, and time.

The double run is simply a run in the morning and a run six to eight hours later. The first run will be at an easy pace in a heart rate zone of two and not longer than forty five minutes.  The afternoon or evening run will encourage tempo intervals in a heart rate zone of three to four with equal recovery times and not last longer than forty five minutes. 

Incorporating a double run should not be done if a solid base mileage and consistent running has not been achieved. Many elite runners will perform double runs to enhance their overall performance and increase their weekly mileage without injury. Rather than just adding medium runs into the mix for mileage volume try a double run.

 

 

Training with Power Cranks Can Improve Your Running Form, Strength, and Pace

 

The Sisterhood

The Sisterhood.

Dynamic Stretching Increases Performance for Runners

Static stretching is no longer recommended for runners. Many studies have been performed by exercise physiologists and sports medicine experts and the conclusion seems to be there is no harmful effect from static stretching but performance seems to be enhanced specifically for runners with dynamic stretching.

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