Well I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far. So what am I doing this weekend? Writing more content for you, my loyal readers of course. As always my goal for updating this blog is to give you some insight and practical strategies to make your workouts more productive. So let’s get started!

I am no different from most people who exercise, in that I like strong muscles and being healthy, but my prime objective and motivator to exercise is to look good. I enjoy seeing my abdominals, the vascularity in my arms, the detail and separation in my thighs, and the feel of pumped, firm musculature. It is a mental rush. I should note that I am not just speaking to bodybuilders but rather to anyone trying to promote an increase in lean muscle mass whether you are trying to improve your body composition , building strong bones or just increasing your overall longevity.The same rules apply to you too, if you are trying to achieve the optimal workout.

My personal obsession has inspired me to experiment with any and all types of muscle building training methods, to discover what works best to optimize development. Today I’d like to focus not so much on what a productive strength training workout looks like, rather on an almost forgotten but crucial element; what it feels like.

How does one know that a workout is optimal? There are several things that must be considered, but something that should not be ignored is the ‘feel’ of the workout. A productive workout (one that is deemed productive from the overall euphoria of a good mind-muscle connection) often is characterized by a skin-tight muscle pump and for the muscles to pump quickly and optimally.

“The Muscle Pump” is the tight, blood-congested feeling in a muscle after it has been intensely trained. Muscle pump is caused by a rapid influx of blood into the muscles to remove fatigue toxins and replace supplies of fuel and oxygen. Anyone with sufficient exercise (bodybuilding experience) is well aware and has experienced unusually good workouts, in that you can ‘feel’ when a workout was productive, that growth will occur from that workout (or is more probable), and always that feeling is accompanied by a very good muscle pump.

This is only reflected in those who are able to achieve or experience a pump, a phenomenon that is uncommon with many neophytes and some female trainees, perhaps because of lack of muscle tissue to allow for the muscles to ‘inflate’ sufficiently in order to sense a ‘pump. Different techniques tend to increase muscle pump better than other techniques or styles of lifting. The degree of muscle pump also seems to vary among individuals, exercise selection and  muscle groups. Beginners have a hard time feeling muscle contractions as they are still adapting to the neurological demands of learning a new skill.

It really comes down to experimentation whereby you need to find the best exercises, workout volume and load that allows the greatest pump. I should note that cycling for 2 hours has given me the best quadricep pump I’ve ever had but it hardly resulted in increased muscle mass since the other important muscle building factors were not present; load and time under tension.

The winning combination in optimizing building lean muscle mass, then, is to produce intense muscular contractions, which require a sufficient load that is controlled throughout the intended range of motion.All the while aiming to achieve an optimum muscle pump for whatever number of sets is required to achieve that “pump effect”. The directive of ‘intense muscular contractions’ is served best by trying to flex the muscle throughout the intended range, as if to squeeze into the movement, rather than merely lifting a weight without intentional flexing or squeezing of the muscle.

Many trainees lift weights, but they rarely forcefully flex the muscle being trained, and there is a difference in quality of control and net effect when the goal is to produce results with as few sets as possible. The squeezing of a muscle is an important point when performing  reps, since it is that squeezing that improves quality of movement and control over the exercise environment.

It’s wonderful that just about everyone from the media to your family doctor are promoting weight training, but you should now have a good idea that it is not enough to just go through the motions of lifting a weight ( although some is better than none) if you want to achieve the optimal workout for increasing lean muscle mass.

Share your thoughts on this post . . . .

Good afternoon everyone, I have to warn you that this post is not going to make you a better person or help you on your path to fitness.  It will, rather, lighten things up a bit as I know I can be a little too serious sometimes…..at least when it comes to my job.

Many of us watch late night T.V and/ or the shopping channel from time to time.  One thing that has always reigned supreme is the late night infomercial.  It’s astounding how many anti-aging, weight loss and fitness novelties there are.  For me, I watch these for entertainment; and that exactly what I want this post to deliver to you.

So without further ado, lets take a look at the latest gizmos for you to waste your money on:

1) iGallop

This one came out a couple of years ago but they are still raking in the bucks from benighted buyers. The electric iGallop claims to target your core muscles by simulating the motion of a horse.  It shapes hips, thighs, and waistlines.  Well, there is no doubt that it stimulates your core muscles (from laughing violently) but there is no way this resembles being on a horse. First I should point out that I’m no horse rider, but my girlfriend who was an accomplished competitive equestrian has a few things to say about the subject….

. . . This machine fails to mimic riding a horse in several ways.  Firstly, riding a horse is not about tensing the muscles or gripping tightly in order to stay on.  Riding a horse is, first and foremost, about balance.  Each part of the rider’s body (hands, arms and legs) must move independently.   The lack of stirrups prevents the “rider” from putting the weight into their stirrups, which is an important component of maintaining that balance.  Secondly, it puts the “rider” into a “chair seat”, sitting back on the butt with the feet in front.  Most self-respecting riders (the English disclipine at least) work very hard to avoid this position. . . . 

 Ok so it isn’t a horse…but can it change your body into a leaner and more muscular one?  Now my intention isn’t to review this product but rather point out its misleading claims.  The fact is that most people could get on this thing and master it, on all of its levels, pretty fast.  Even if you find it challenging you’ll probably find that after you’ve used it a couple of times you now longer “feel the burn”- because you’ve adapted to the stress. Furthermore if you do find this gadget challenging you really need to stop horsing around and get on a real strength program because you are out of shape.  It should be obvious that this activity can easily be replaced with a more natural and enjoyable act that doesn’t involve being alone and it too has varying levels of difficulty, not three ( as this product offers)  but an unlimited number of options that your imagination can construct!

 
Look it’s even fun for your pets.

The cat’s expression echoes my sentiments exactly…..

[pro-player width='375' height='300' type='video']http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWZKjtFUeco[/pro-player]

 2) Shakes weights- for men and women

 Now I’ve seen so many products over the years try replace or perfect the traditional barbell and why do they always fail? Because, used properly, the barbell will always offer the user the most bang for your buck.  The Shake Weight is one of the more suggestive exercise gadgets, and is available for men and women. The weight shakes and the user must hold it steady while the weight jerks.  Now there are so many problems with this that I’m unsure where to start.  I’ll spare you the exercise science lesson and stick to a few notable problems:

Problem 1 : Muscles are mainly built with high loading.  This product uses low loading.

Problem 2 : Low loads + no skill acquisition = little to no strength benefit

Problem 3:  The muscle are loaded unevenly and in some cases in opposition to the muscle’s line of pull = lack of potential to develop the muscle fully

Problem 4 : Offers only 1 type of muscular action; you will need many to develop your body fully.

Problem 5 : You are going to look stupid using them and feel stupid for wasting your money.

Believe me, these are just a handful of problems and I feel that I cannot waste any more time with such an obvious waste of money.  Why is it that these products always have sexual suggestions attached to them?  Because we love sexy things, we are almost hypnotized by images of lean, firm and attractive bodies.

 3. Taizo the robot.

Okay, now I know my job is in jeopardy. In late 2009 researchers from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) unveiled a new humanoid robot designed to lead the elderly in physical exercises.  He is dressed in a velvety space suit and sporting a goofy grin, the 70-centimeter (28-in) tall robot, named “Taizo” has a friendly appearance.  Although Taizo does most of its exercises while sitting in a special chair, it can also stand up to perform some activities.  I don’t think I have to say a thing about this one.  I have many seniors for clients and I can tell you that researchers don’t give them enough credit if they thought this would ever work.  This population needs personal attention more than any other…. enough said

These products and those like them only serve to distract you from what really works.  It doesn’t come from a machine or gadget, it comes from you understanding how to exercise and applying the principles to your own program.  Spend your money wisely and stick to time tested solutions, not quick fix, pie in the sky fantasies.

 If you laughed as much as I did or if you’ve used these products leave a comment and I’ll post some more silly gizmos next time.

Good evening everyone. I hope you’re all doing well on the eve of the Olympic Winter Games. As I write this entry, the Olympic torch just passed by my building and, like moths to a flame, thousands of my fellow Vancouverites are running along with it.  Hopefully I can write something that makes sense with all the celebratory commotion interfering with my senses.

 2010 has rolled in, lugging in last year’s strain of scams and hoaxes.  This year, forecasters anticipate old scams repackaged with new themes and more sophisticated methods.

According to the Better Business Bureau, the lucrative trend for scam artists in 2009 was playing off of people’s emotions.  This year however, experts are predicting a rise in spam and email scams which claim to help you, but fail to deliver.  And with a recovering economy, experts expect the “get rich quick” and other financial relief schemes to linger in 2010.  This includes the overdone lottery scams, phony offers of employment, bogus debt assistance programs and mortgage foreclosure scams.  As we all know, the fitness or, most notably, weight loss industry has been scamming people for generations.  Miracle pills, formulas, routines, gadgets and gizmos all in the name of  a leaner and more muscular body.  Here’s an article that came out last year from a 20/20 investigation on weight loss and diet fraud.

Although not always blantant, most scams may in fact be the result of marketer’s promoting offerings based on misinformation rather than disinformation (misinformation is accidental, where the purveyor of the message is misinformed; disinformation is intentional).  Regardless of the intent, when flawed information and false promises accompany a product offering, consumers will be in a position to waste hope, money, energy, and time.   Allow me to share some fitness truth related to a few “hot” items on the slate for “big sellers” this year.

I’ve rounded down the top 5 Diet scams to beware of in 2010:

1.   Metabolism-boosting/calorie-burning pills:  At the top of the list of diet scams are pills based on herbal ingredients that promise to boost your metabolism and help you burn calories or fat faster.  Some examples of herbal diet pills that have caught the attention of the FDA as being dangerous are ephedra, synephrine and kava.  While they can result in short term weight loss, and even short term accelerated fat loss in individuals committed to eating right and exercising, they alter endocrine production.  Ephedra of course has been “banned” by the FDA so now supplement companies are currently promoting ephedra free products with” natural” labels.  Natural disasters are “natural” too.  So just understand that natural does not necessarily equate to “safe.”

2.  Fat- and carb-blocking pills:  The idea behind these kinds of diet pills is that you take them before you eat and they rush the carbs or fat through your system so they aren’t absorbed by your body.  At best, these compounds may prevent the conversion of a small amount of ingested carbs (glucose) into triglycerides.  To turn this into “eat anything without worry” requires wild exaggeration.  To suggest that it’s OK to eat high fat and high carb foods and cancel their negative impact with a pill is pure fantasy –  a fantasy without a happy ending.

3.   Detox Diets:  Fad diets are never a good idea for long-term health and well-being.  Detox diets are no exception.  There is no scientific proof that detox diets work to help you lose weight over a long period of time.  Typically what happens is that you lose water weight while on a detox diet.  The initial weight loss is encouraging for some dieters and it is a good way to kick start their diet and motivates them to continue to lose weight.  Common complaints from overweight people on a detox diets include: being tired, headaches, nausea, irritability, withdrawal symptoms, hunger, bowel problems, feeling deprived, vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

4.  Weight Loss Pill Free Trial Offers :   Ads offering trials of acai or resveratrol weight loss pills appear on many web sites including some respected national news organizations.  The marketing campaigns often falsely claim endorsements by Oprah, Rachel Ray and Doctor Oz.  Thousands of consumers have complained to BBB that the free trial actually cost them as much as hundreds of dollars, month after month

5.   Fitness Clubs:  Nearly 33 million people are members of some 17,000 health clubs in the U.S. today, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association.  Although many consumers who join health clubs are pleased with their choices, others are not.  They’ve complained to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about high-pressure sales tactics, misrepresentations of facilities and services, broken cancellation and refund clauses, and lost membership fees as a result of spas going out of business.

Before buying a weight loss product, service or system:

• Be wary of overblown claims and buzz words such as: No Diet! No Exercise! . . .  Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days . . . Eat Your Favorite Foods and Still Lose Weight . . . Shrinks Inches Off Your Stomach, Waist, and Hips . . .  Scientists Announce Incredible Discovery! . . . Turn On Your Body’s Fat-Burning Process . . . Automatically Convert Fat to Lean Trim Muscle! . . . New Scientific/Medical Breakthrough . . . and the list goes on . . .
•  Remember spot reduction in your abs or butt is a myth.  You can’t lose fat in a specific part of your body alone.
• Be skeptical of testimonials.  People in commercials are paid for their participation.
•  Beware of “experts” spouting junk science or technical mumbo-jumbo.
•  Before-and-after photos are impressive, but those results are probably not typical and may be photoshopped.
• Look for a footnote hidden somewhere in an ad noting “diet and exercise required.”
• Try before you buy.  Testing a product is the only way to know if it’s right for you.

I’d love for you to share your comments or other diet or fitness scams that have impacted your life,

All the best in health and fitness,

Craig

Good morning, I hope everyone isn’t too busy getting ready for the Olympics to read my blog. Of course not right? Anyway as promised here are some good recommendations for how to conduct safe and effective health and fitness research online

•   Make an appointment with a qualified fitness professional first. Never use the Internet to replace in-person attention. Before you even open your web browser, book an appointment with a qualified local trainer. Just about every personal trainer offers a complementary assessment and or consultation. Use that time to get to know him/her, their credentials and experience. Look for trainers that specializes in the area(s) you are most interested in. If you choose wisely at this step you may not need to execute any of the other recommendations.

•    Try to stick to official websites of reputable health associations . Since the Internet is not regulated, a website that appears to be credible and scientific may still present false, partial, erroneous or incomplete information.

•    Avoid sites with affiliate ads and bannersall over the page. This demonstrates that the site administrator has made a conscious decision to make money from you and therefore may not have your best interests at heart. Of course this isn’t always the case as some webmasters put a lot of effort into their sites and need to cover costs but you should be aware nonetheless.

•    It goes without saying but if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is.How many times have you seen sites or ads online with unbelievable physique transforming photos with promises that you can do the same in 6 weeks….guaranteed. It’s amazing what can be done with photoshop and an unscrupulous fitness professional. While some can change their bodies to astonishing levels in a short period of time, this is the exception and not the rule. If the claims seem plausible then you need to exercise good judgement to weed out the quality sites from the ones aimed at marketing.

•   Use sites that teach you how to eat and exercise rather than tell you what to eat and train. One that demonstrates the science and application of exercise and nutrition. These are few and far between but they do exist. They understand that changing your body into a healthier one is not easy and that you will need to be supported every step of the way.

•   Avoid sites with a gang-like or cult mentality. Although some good information can be found on these sites, the members that have been so brainwashed into buying into a single system that they become very lonely, very fast. Just read some of their forums, god help anyone who would speak out against the “system”. Again it’s gang spirited hatred. Unhealthy and unproductive.  Everybody wants to feel like they belong and it is the truly lost individuals that get sucked in the most. Stand on your own, question everything and learn the basics.

Your success on any health and fitness program is determined by your ability to make informed decisions and use good judgment in your actions. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but learn from them. There are so many people making a profit off your inability to do just that. This industry is on the biggest and most attractive markets for Internet businessman and they have saturated the resources with their garbage. I believe it’s time for people to see the writing on the wall and take control, with appropriate guidance and support to finally achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of.

Please share your thoughts….