Month: July 2021

Beginning weight training requires that a number of questions be asks. Specifically, we have to ask: “Why?”, “When?”, “What?”, and “How much?”

Why? Why one is initiating weight training program is an important question, but perhaps no the first question we should ask. It is not the first question to ask because, as a beginner, one has to build a similar (strong) foundation before going forward. Once a foundation is established then one can address the question of “why?” more specifically.

The foundation should have the goals of injury prevention and movement patterns in mind. As such technique and “mind-muscle connection” (kinesthetic awareness) are critical. Full range of motion, mobility, and motor control are to be considered.

Only after the foundation is established can we begin to discuss things such as hypertrophy, strength, muscle endurance, and sport specificity. The only goal to the newbie weight lifter should to motor-pattern development.

When? “When?” is a multi-faceted question. I ask my students, “When should someone start resistance training?” I usually get a range of ages. I then point out that the question is about resistance training and not weight training, per se. Resistance training, I instruct them, should begin at birth. In other words, we should start moving the limbs through a full range of motion and against resistance starting at birth. It is natural for a newborn to push against someone touching their foot or limb. This is “resistance training.”

When to start weight training is a different question. Many will guess something like “junior high school” or “high school.” Dr. Michael Yessis, the sports scientist who is most credited with bringing Soviet sports training techniques to the United States, says (and I quite agree) 8-10 years of age. Now, this is not to say that 8- to 10-year-olds should be lifting heavy weight and pushing PRs in the weight room. Rather, they should be practicing the basic movement patterns to begin lifting heavier when they are ready. Remember, technique and basic movement patterns are our initial priority. It is also important that the child have the willingness and the emotional maturity necessary to be focused and intentional with their training. As such, gymnastics and calisthenics should be an important part of early physical education.

After the age of about 12 years, we can now pretty safely say, “Now is the time to start lifting weights.” Don’t believe the answer to this question changes as one ages. Indeed, I would argue that it becomes more important now as we age. I have personally started clients lifting weights as old as 84 years (and it would have been older if the opportunity had presented itself.

How? The question of “How” to begin a weight training program is actually simpler than it is difficult. Remember, as beginners, the focus should be on technique mastery and motor learning. “How?” is often a question of access and preference. I began weight lifting in the early years of Nautilus (i.e., the high-intensity training practices of Arthur Jones, Ellington Darden, et al.). This laid a strong foundation for understand the feel of isolated muscle contraction (what is popularized now as a “mind-muscle connection”) that later transferred well into free-weight exercises. Machines have a place for beginners—especially much older adults for whom balance may be an issue—however, they lack a necessary component of balance and coordination. Free weights are quite versatile and accessible (it is much cheaper to start a home gym with a bench, rack, and Olympic barbell set than with a full Nautilus circuit). Personally, I think there is some benefit of starting with machines and transitioning to free weight, but, overall, the greatest benefit is likely to come from free-weight exercises, as movement is less restrictive.

Exercises should emphasis all the major joints moving through their full range of motion (e.g., shoulder and hip flexion/extension/abduction/adduction, shoulder and hip horizontal abduction/adduction, knee and elbow flexion/extension, spinal stability and mobility, etc.). I suggest the basic 5 variations (squat, deadlift—or hip-hinge, bench, row, and overhead press), as well as specific exercises for the core (stabilizing and dynamic—e.g., rotational/anti-rotational, flexion/anti-flexion, extension/anti-extension, etc.). As a newbie, sticking to the basics is most important. Leave the more complicated and Instagram-worthy exercises to more advanced lifters (or, for that matter, ignore them altogether). Keep it simple.

How much? The question of “how much?” circles us back to the question of “why?”. As a beginner, “practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect” (Vince Lombardi). Light-to-moderate weights should be lifted with proper form for repetitions. Dr. Yessis promote a 1×20 program (one set of 20 repetitions). I think this is one approach, but there are alternatives. Frankly, in the truly newbie state, it is the accumulation of “perfect practice” that is most important. Technique can break down with high repetitions from fatigue or loss of concentration. I believe it is possible to get comparable results from a 5×5 program, a 2×10 program, or most any rep scheme—as long as the technique is practiced with near flawlessness.

As the technique is mastered, we then have to begin to implement the principle of progressive overload. At this point, volume, intensity (weight), repetitions, and sets become important (never, of course, at the expense of technique). Goals become important. We, now have to ask ourselves “Why?”

“How much?” is also nuanced by “What else?” The accumulation of fatigue also has to be considered in how much we do. What else are we doing that is going to impact recoverability? Work. Other training. Non-exercise physical activity. These will all contribute to accumulated fatigue and need to be managed.

“Why?” is nuanced by a more refined “Why?” Hypertrophy is a common goal of weight training. We usually lift weights to build our muscles. However, what kind of hypertrophy is desired? Do we also desire increased strength? Are we seeking myofibrillar hypertrophy, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, or both. Myofibrillar hypertrophy is functional hypertrophy. It brings with it increases in contractile strength. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, however, is more cosmetic hypertrophy. While it generally is associated with some increase in contractile strength, it mostly involves an increase in the volume of the muscles. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is often the primary goal of bodybuilding. It matters little in the sport of bodybuilding how much the athlete can lift. What matters is appearance. Most sports, however, require an element of strength, power, and/or muscle endurance. In some, size and strength are desired (e.g., football). In others, greater strength is desired with less emphasis on size (e.g., wrestling or Olympic weight lifting). Thus, the “why” needs to be factored into the programming. As the programming advances, this often requires more careful periodization (i.e., planned variation over a training period or cycles). At this point, the beginner moves to the more advanced training of the novice, intermediate, and advanced lifters.

The questions associated with more advanced training are of little value until the basic skill of weight training are mastered. This includes the basic movements, of course, but this also includes the essential elements of commitment and consistency.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you’re wasting your life.”—Jackie Robinson

Engage in life. Participate. Be active—Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially.

There are (at least) two trends in sport: those who would claim their right to a participation trophy and those who would claim their right to participate. The latter are the ones who are living the ideals of Jackie Robinson.

Life is not an entitlement. Life is an Opportunity. Life is a Purpose waiting to be fulfilled. Life is a choice to sit in the grandstands and claim “victory” when the athletes win or to join in the contest whether the winner or the loser (or, as in wrestling, the learner).

Don’t be a spectator in life. The reward is not a gravestone (i.e., “participation trophy”). The reward is in the participation—the life lived.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

So, I see a video by a doctor offering to inform me of the “three best proteins” for building muscle…. First, his appearance is why I stress neck and trap training (besides the performance benefits). In a lab coat, it looked highly unlikely that he was a serious weight trainer. Second, he seems to imply that protein alone can build muscle. It is true that protein is essential for muscle hypertrophy; however, without an appropriate stimulus, protein will be used elsewhere structurally (e.g., other cellular structures, enzymes, etc.) or for energy (i.e., expended as or stored as fat). Simply eating more protein will not make you more muscular (though it will have some effect on improved maintenance of muscle tissue).

I didn’t listen to the sales pitch. (This always comes with a cost.) Frankly, I resist when I hear lists of the “Three best…” (or insert number). It is true that some protein sources are better than others, but in reality it comes down to the “best” for the individual based on availability, cost, and preference. Proteins are made up of amino acids. It is important to get the appropriate amount of essential amino acids, which most are unless they are eating a poor plant-based diet or not eating eggs and a variety of quality meats (e.g., chicken, fish, beef, etc. rather than processed meat by-products.

The question, then, is how much protein. I prefer to keep this simple with a target of 1 g per pound of body weight. Slightly more or less, one is still in a healthy, effective range.

Bottom line about building and maintaining muscle: the muscle needs to be stimulated. One need not pursue excessive hypertrophy, but one should seek to achieve or maintain a functional level of muscle that would permit a necessary level of physical performance and help maintain a quality of living. This does not require hours a day in the gym. (It doesn’t necessarily require any time in the gym, though it does require a level of stress on the muscle—some level of “resistance training.) It requires a modest volume of effort. Muscle is either growing (via progressive overload), maintaining, or atrophying (the principle of reversibility—“use it or lose it”). To maintain, a maintenance level of stress needs to be applied (maintenance volume). You have to keep loading the muscle at a level to maintain it, or you will begin to lose muscle mass and strength. (This is why we tend to see significant losses in muscle mass as we age.) To gain muscle mass, you need to exceed a minimum effective volume on a regular basis. You have to stress the muscle to an extent greater than that to which is accustomed. You have to exert effort to grow and maintain muscle! Protein intake is essential, but it is of lesser importance in growing/maintaining muscle without a stimulus.

Muscle has high metabolic and nutritional demands. Thus, the body isn’t going to expend protein sources to maintain it unless it is using it. So, eat adequate protein, but give it a purpose. Use the muscle. Grow the muscle.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

“When you die, die well.”–Dr. Mike Israetel

I watch a video by Dr. Mike Israetel and Renaissance Periodization, a favored source of training and diet information, titled “Size, Strength, and Aging.” Dr. Israetel covers hypertrophy training goals for lifters from 15 to 60+. Frankly, there was nothing new from my perspective, and the video basically reinforces what I have been teaching for years; but I liked the packaging.

Now approaching sixty (in a couple of years), I am focused on how to age my best. While I hope it is more than 40 years away, I like how Dr. Israetel ended the video by saying: “When you die, die well.”

Progress in your 50s, 60s, and beyond is likely to be slow (and, if you were highly trained in your earlier years, there may be some considerable loss of muscle mass and strength), but the emphasis is on being in better shape than the average 30- to 40-year-old. Functionally, this is pretty damn good when you are 70, 80, or older. Personally, my goal is to simply be in progressively better condition than my peers over time. As average function declines with age, simply maintaining a modest level of strength and function advances the comparative fitness level of the aging exerciser.

Starting a weight training program later in life or never having attained one’s genetic potential may permit gains in strength and muscle mass in the later years. For this reason, strength training becomes increasingly important as we age. Never lifted weights before? Whatever your age, now is a good time to start.

Exercise science has tended to emphasize cardiorespiratory (aerobic) exercise as we age. I find this unfortunate. While important as we age, it is more important to shift the emphasis toward muscle strength and muscle hypertrophy. Cardiorespiratory health and fitness can be rather easily maintained with minimal effort as one ages, but the progressive loss of muscle mass that occurs with aging (for the most part, associated with inactivity) leads to a progressive loss of physical performance over time that leads to increasing dysfunction over time. But, if we can maintain the function of even the average 30-year-old well into our 80s and older….

Lifting weights need not be anything elaborate or intensive. I recommend just sticking to the basic 5 (squat, deadlift, bench, row, and overhead press) variations each performed 2-3 times a week in a moderate volume (e.g., 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions). More intensity or volume can be performed depending on goals and training history (I recommend watching Dr. Israetel’s video¹ for a bit more detail), but it most important to just allow for some focus on strength and muscle mass in your exercise programming. Get stronger. Keep strong. Die well.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

¹https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8zcF6Ut7lo

I have heard it often in my career: “I want to get toned.” It is treated seriously in some textbooks. Frankly, I wish the phase would just go away. It is really meaningless. When I hear it I think: “minimal effort.” Basically, the person who says “I want to get toned” . is saying that they want to get lean and shape what (little) muscle they already have. Truthfully, with weight training, there is hypertrophy and strength (and, of course, we can extend this to muscle endurance and power). Weight training should increase muscle size, increase muscle strength, or some combination of both.

Hopefully, when one says they want to “get toned”, they really mean they want to get strong and lose body fat. That is, they are not necessarily looking to grow massive muscle like a body builder. Unfortunately, for most, “toning” means limiting overload and progression and doing the same weights and repetitions schemes (i.e., not increasing volume) over time.

It is important to recognize that there are two types of muscle hypertrophy: myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic. Myofibrillar is associated with the greatest increasing in muscle strength and involves increases in the muscle contractile proteins. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is associated with the greater increases in muscle volume with lesser increases in strength (think bodybuilder v. Olympic lifter). Overall, both are desirable, depending on the goals. Both require effort and proper recovery and nutrition.

Body composition considers both fat and lean tissue. Losing fat alone, while it may improve appearance and have some impact on health, does little to improve physical performance. In fact, losing fat with little regard for maintaining muscle diminishes physical performance over time. Gaining muscle without losing fat is still an improvement in body composition (and is generally accomplished without restricting calories). Over time, the best approach to improving body composition is to cycle periods of massing (increasing muscle mass), maintenance (to stabilize metabolism), and cutting (periods of caloric restriction). It is possible to gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously—we might call this “toning” (but I wouldn’t)—when we are rather untrained (overfat and under-muscled), but as body composition improves, this gets harder.

With regard to training goals, we have choices. We can opt to gain muscle/strength and lose (or not lose) body fat and work hard in the gym, or we can take the easy route of “toning” and go through the motions of training. The latter can be regarded as “exercise” (as it is physical activity for the purpose of improving one’s appearance), but it is not “training” (exercise that is for the purpose of improving one’s performance). Improved performance also has the side-effect of having a more significant impact on one’s health and longevity.

What is the point of exercise if not to improve one’s health and physical performance, as well as appearance? The goal is to be able to do more and do it longer.

Let’s stop using the phase, “toned.” Let start thinking in terms of fitness—improved performance. We don’t have to pursue massive muscles like a bodybuilder (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy) or strength/power like an Olympic weightlifter or powerlifter (myofibrillar hypertrophy), but we should pursue a level of muscle size and strength that will permit us to continue the activities that we love and, perhaps, do more as we age. Bodybuilding, Olympic lifting, and powerlifting require considerable effort. Most—especially those who claim they “just want to get toned”—aren’t willing to put in the effort. A modest effort, however, can pay big dividends.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

I have seen an ad a few times recently offering to let one know the value of their used car. I was drawn less to the offer than to the headline: “How much is my car worth?” Phrased more generically: How much is it worth?

What exactly is “it”? “It” can be anything. “It” can be a car. “It” can be a job…a relationship…a desire…or an opportunity. “How much is it worth?” is a question we should be asking ourselves regularly. It is a question or personal value. The value of a car, for example, can vary greatly based on preferences, availability, etc. Worth can also be a matter of priority. Time, effort, emotion, and, of course, money are valuable. How we spend this are a matter of worth. We have to ask our self frequently: “How much is it worth?” If something is costing us more than it is worth, then we are not spending our time, effort, emotions, and/or money wisely.

Put our “energies” (i.e., time, effort, emotional currency, and money) toward the things that matter most—the things that grow us Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

We make a lot of decisions in our lifetime. Some choices as made out of ignorance. Some choices are made from misinformation. Some are made from good information. Many decisions are made out of stubbornness. Good decisions are made from good data.

I respect everyone’s right to make their own decisions. I expect everyone to accept the consequences of their decisions.

Whatever decisions we have made in the past, the next decision is always the most important. Every next decision is an opportunity to right the course. We can’t fix the past. We can, however, accept our past decisions and their consequences and learn from them.

Good decisions are made from good data. It behooves us to honestly evaluate the available data before making a decision. If data are faulty, limited, or absent, we can’t make informed decisions. Unfortunately, good data are hard to come by when those asking us to make decision only share that which informs their narrative and desired outcome.

Choices are personal—and they should be. Wisdom is better to gold (Proverbs 16:16). Be wise in your decisions.

“Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:4-7, NIV)

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“Yes, life can sometimes feel disjointed, but every place you have been, every hardship, even your worst curses have been subtly raising your soul up rung by rung and leading you forward.”—Naomi Levy

I have been having a recurring theme in my dreams where people, places, time periods, and events are all intertwined. I always wake up and continue in the dream in a semi-conscious state as an observing asking “why am I seeing this?” In every dream, I am introduced to new people and the places/events are always grander yet the same as I remember them.

My life, like many lives, has been a series of chapters with little continuity. I have moved, changed jobs, etc. Social groups have changed in the process. I have many people I call friends who I have not seen in 20, 30, 40, or more years. I sure that I am not unique in this. I could easily list my life as a “table of contents” with a list of “characters” in each chapter.

Recently, particularly thanks to social media, I have found myself reconnecting with these chapters with increasing frequency. For the most part, I have just welcomed it and not given it much thought. Occasionally, I see some interesting connections between these chapters—characters from different chapters having some relationship to others from my past and present. This becoming increasingly more frequent. It is like stepping back from a Monet painting and seeing the object of the creation. It is increasingly evident that the seemingly distinct chapters are not so disconnected after all.

In Einstein and the Rabbi, Rabbi Naomi Levy discusses the forty-two journeys of the Children of Israel during their trek through the desert that are listed at the end of the Book of Numbers. I have often been asked the question (or something similar): “If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?” I have learned that the answer to this question is: “Nothing.” Sure, there are countless times that I have screwed up, hurt someone, been hurt by someone, made bad choices, had difficult times, etc., but each event, each relationship, and each decision has brought me to where I am in this moment.

GOD has grown bigger for me over my lifetime. As I reflect on each “chapter” of my life, I can see how more of GOD’s image has been revealed to me. In reflection, I can see how the Universal One has had a hand in my life—my ongoing growth and the growth of others. I am seeing how each chapter is connected—not only in my story but in all the stories. I am a character in other’s chapters as much as they are characters in mine. While we have, perhaps, not been continuous characters in one’s story, we are nevertheless important characters in the Story.

As I see society around me being increasingly divided, I am given hope by the increasing interconnectedness I am also seeing. I am confident that all is leading to Oneness—that other-centeredness is winning over self-centeredness. I am welcoming characters back into my story because they have never really been absent. They have been a part of my story—of me—all along.

Rabbi Levy ends her chapter, “Perceiving the Forty-Two Journeys of Your Soul,” with the following blessing:

I pray you will learn to view your life as a meaningful story. I pray you will learn to see how even your setbacks are leading you forward.

May you step up to your soul’s mission in every place and may you be blessed to fulfill it. Amen.

It is summer. We are opening up as a country and making up for lost travel time. Vacationing means a disruption of the daily routine—for better or for worse. For the worse, that “strict”, healthy weight management program one is following will likely be affected. Six meals a day on a regular schedule? For get about it (spoken in a Brooklyn accent). Continuing the regular exercise program? Not likely. So, how does one survive vacation?

With regard to diet….

Give yourself some leeway. Relax the strict macro balance—somewhat. As much as possible, eat like you do (or should) on non-training days. Maintain protein intake (~1 g per pound of lean body weight). Choose carbohydrates wisely. Make overall healthy food choices. Try to maintain a hypocaloric or eucaloric caloric balance (aware that you will likely err toward a slight hypercaloric intake).

Enjoy food. If there is great food to be enjoyed, enjoy it—in moderation. Don’t eat crap that you will regret, but if there is a delicious, less-than-diet-friendly food that is unique to your vacation destination or something you really enjoy, partake. Just don’t go overboard. I will be travelling home to Pittsburgh this summer. I am looking forward to Primanti Brothers, Mineo’s and Beto’s pizza (and possible a few others—in my humble opinion, the only good pizzas are in Pittsburgh and New York), and an Eat ‘n Park Smiley cookie. There are likely a few other stops along the vacation trail. I don’t have to go overboard, though. A couple slices. One cookie. Eat light the rest of the day to save for that Primanti’s sandwich with the iconic fries on the sandwich. I can enjoy what I enjoy.

Avoid the hotel Continental breakfasts. It is “free” so take advantage, right. Well, okay, if—and that is a big IF—you can find healthy choices. Most are donuts—which seem like a pleasant idea until you actually eat them and realize how truly unsatisfying they are—and cereals. At best, fill up on available proteins and some fruit. Much better to prepare ahead and travel with your favorite whey protein blend and a shaker bottle. Start the day with a protein shake. Perhaps a “bulletproof” coffee (coffee with butter and coconut oil—MCT oil). The calories are surprisingly better than sugary carbs, and the fat is satiable. You will make it longer in the day before getting hungry.

Maintain a meal frequency. Keep to your planned meal frequency as best as possible with macro-balanced snacks. Remember: protein is the priority, and sugary carbs and junk foods should be avoided. Pack-and-carry what you can. Avoid being at the disposal of Quik-E-Marts and tourist-trap dining. If you have to eat what is available, choose widely—though expect the “healthy” options to be few. Better to eat light and save calories for a meal you can truly enjoy.

Keep hydrated. Hunger pangs can be offset by drinking fluids—ideally water. Drink often—especially if traveling to a hot-humid destination. Avoid sugary drinks (as you already should). Be aware of the calories in the alcohol you drink. Alcohol does not contribute to your macro balance, so limit yourself and, like food, consume for the experience, not for the sake of consumption.

With regard to exercise….

Plan. Unless training is absolutely necessary. Take a planned deload. Let your body use vacation as an opportunity to recovery from accumulated fatigue. If you absolutely must exercise, plan ahead for available training facilities. Remember: hotels are never going to have the facilities of a commercial gym. Expect to train at a maintenance volume, at best.

Stay active. Hopefully, you are planning an active vacation. Walk as much as possible. Use the hotel pool (i.e., swim). Take advantage of opportunities to hike, bike, kayak, etc. Just move! Do things that you might not ordinarily do. See things you normally won’t see. If vacationing is laying poolside or on the beach, realize that you can lay down at home. The sun will move with you. Just move!

Vacation should be restorative—Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Social. Try not to return from vacation feeling like you have to recover from vacation (this includes feeling like you have to “diet” after vacation).

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!!

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”—Viktor E. Frankl

I love the above quote from Viktor Frankl. I hope no one will ever again see the atrocities that deepened his understanding of man’s quest for meaning.

It is the space between in which I find GOD, and where I find our interconnectedness. It is also where I find that which is referred to as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It is also the space that I have to allow for the soul to speak—both my own soul and the soul of others.

Too often, we try to fill the space with our own “noise” or allow it to be filled with the noise of the world. Instead we need to free that space for the presence of GOD, the Spirit, and the soul. As we respond to the world around us, we must pause and allow time to wisely choose our response—or more appropriately, perhaps, to listen for our response. We also need to make time for “productive pause” in our day to allow space for the soul to speak. For, indeed, “in our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!