NOAC Newsletter

How Strict Should
Your Exercise Form Be?
By Lee Hayward

When it comes to weight training, there are generally two schools of thought when it comes to exercise form. First, you have the typical personal trainer “fitness experts” who say that you should perform all lifts with light to moderate weight and use very slow and controlled movements. Then you have the power and strength athletes who like to use more explosive movements, looser training form, and heavier weights. Which one is right, and which one should you use in your training?

Well, like many things, when it comes to working out, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. It all depends on the individual, the training situation, the level of training, and the fitness goals. Obviously, beginners and people who are new to the gym need to learn how to perform the exercises with proper form using light weights. At this stage, they just need to take baby steps, get used to the whole working out process, and learn how it feels to work their muscles with weight training.

However, as you get stronger and start lifting heavier weights in your workouts with the progressive overload principle, you’ll find that your technique will have to change. The technique needed to bench press 100 lbs is completely different from the technique needed to bench press 400 lbs or more. As you get stronger, different muscles come into play. You need to pay much more attention to body positioning, set up, muscle contraction during the lift, and mental preparation.

If you have the opportunity to watch advanced lifters train, you’ll notice that more often then not, they aren’t going to use an exaggerated, slow and controlled type of exercise form. In fact, lifting in a slow and controlled manner isn’t really natural. It doesn’t carry over into real world strength, and it isn’t how our muscles are meant to work.

I realize what I’m saying here is going to piss some people off. There are those die hard “fitness experts” out there who insist that slow and controlled is the only way and that if you use any speed or momentum in your lifting you’re cheating and you’re going to hurt yourself. However, the fact is our bodies are designed for fast and explosive movements.

Real world strength
Before we move on, let’s look at some activities from real world examples such as running, jumping, and throwing, all of which require speed, momentum, and explosiveness. To prove my point, just stand up right now and try to jump as high as you can but do it in a slow and controlled fashion. You won’t even be able to lift off the ground. Have you ever seen a baseball player swing a bat in a slow and controlled manner? Heck no! He’ll use momentum, speed, and explosiveness in order to swing the bat and hit the ball as far as possible. How about a boxer trying to throw a punch in a slow and controlled fashion? He certainly won’t have much knock out power.

For a few examples outside of sports, think of trying to pull start a lawn mower or kick start a dirt bike. You have to do both very fast and explosive or else the engine won’t get enough RPMs to turn over and start. The bottom line is that real world stuff requires strength, speed, explosiveness, and even momentum. So why are so many people dead set against training this way in the gym?

I know some folks (usually young ego driven guys who are full of piss and vinegar) like to go overboard and use too much weight with absolutely crappy form. You can see examples of this when barbell curls become reverse grip power cleans and bench presses become a team effort push/pull exercise as the lifter drops the bar to his chest and his trusty spotter deadlifts it back up. But there is that gray zone in the middle of the two extremes where you’re training on the edge, pushing it hard, and also keeping relatively good exercise form at the same time. To see some examples of this type of training, visit YouTube and watch the Elite Fitness training videos as well as videos of the top bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Branch Warren, and Johnny Jackson, just to name a few.

In these workout videos, you’ll clearly see that the guys are powering up big weights and they’re using a bit of “body English” to handle such poundages, but the form is still pretty good. Even through they aren’t lifting “slow and controlled,” they’re certainly placing maximum workload on the targeted muscle groups. This type of training will stimulate muscle growth in ways that endless slow and controlled repetitions with the pink dumbbells will never achieve.

Even in the great Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding, he refers to this as “power reps.” Joe Weider calls it the “cheating principle.” Basically, it’s just using a bit of ‘umph’ in your movements in order to handle maximum workloads.

Power reps for more muscle and strength
The use of any weight training technique will depend on the level of the trainee. So to keep it simple, I’m going to cover all levels from beginner to advanced and outline how you can incorporate “power reps” into your own workouts.

Beginners (less than a year of training): As I mentioned earlier, beginners should focus on simply learning proper exercise form. The easiest way to do this is to use light to moderate weights and really focus on feeling the muscles flexing and contracting with each rep. The best way to do this, especially at the beginner stage, is to use slow and controlled form all the time.

Intermediates (more than a year of training): As you progress with your training, you will most certainly notice the natural tendency to use more force and momentum to try and complete your reps as the weights get heavier. This is something you want to pay careful attention to. Used in the right way, this can help you work the muscles harder. Used in the wrong way, it will take stress off the targeted muscles.

My advice here is to start with a weight that allows you to maintain strict control for at least 6–8 reps. (Note: This is for most of your assistant and supplemental exercises.) If you want to use a bit of “body English” to power out a few more reps, that’s fine. This will allow you to perform a few extra reps that you normally wouldn’t have otherwise been able to do if you were “too strict” with your form.

Advanced (several years of progressive training): Truly advanced lifters already know what works best for their bodies by the time they make it to this level of training. After all, that’s what it means to be advanced. However, for the purpose of this article, I’ll outline some “power rep” guidelines here.

At the advanced stage, you’ll have developed your own unique exercise groove from years of lifting. You’ll instinctively know if a little swing here or a little leg drive there will provide more muscle stimulation and deliver the maximum workload to the muscles. You’ll also know if you are overdoing it and using too much momentum.

Some common things that advanced lifters do to handle maximum poundages include:

· Bench press: A slight bounce off the chest at the bottom will help rebound the weight up. Also, don’t fully lock out the elbows at the top. This tends to allow for more weight and/or more reps to be lifted and also provides maximum muscle stimulation.

· Squats: A slight rebound out of the bottom (if doing full, high bar squats) will help you get the weight back up. Again, sometimes advanced lifters won’t fully lock out the knees at the top but will keep going, almost like a piston type of up and down motion.

· Standing presses: A slight leg drive will help move maximum poundages while actually cushioning the impact from the exercise. This absorbs some of the stress from the spine down through your legs.

· Bent-over rows: Like with the standing press, a bit of leg drive will allow for heavier weights and can help move more weight and/or more reps.

· Curls: A little swing at the start and even a slight back arch at the halfway mark can help get past the sticking point in the middle of the exercise.

· Lateral raises: A little leg drive at the start and a slight swing in the middle will help you get more weight up. Also, holding the dumbbells in the front versus to the sides will help you lift more weight.

· Lat pull-downs: Arching your back will help you move more weight and actually help you fully contract your lats. Trying to keep your back totally flat when doing any pull-down or rowing exercise actually prevents you from getting a peak contraction in the back muscles.

These are some common exercises that work well for “power reps.” However, your own discretion is advised. This isn’t a free for all to go out and use crappy form on all your exercises. It’s just another tool in your tool box that can help you take your strength and muscular development to a higher level.

If you’re going to incorporate “power reps” into your training, you should save them for the final all out work sets. Start off your warm-up sets using perfect controlled form. Then, as you work up to your top weight for a particular exercise, you can give it that extra push to maximize the weights lifted and the stimulation placed on the muscles.

Nutrition for Optimal Performance
By Matt R. Wennin

Nutrition can play a key role in one’s ability to lift and recover. In a perfect world, athletes would eat real food in balanced amounts of carbs, proteins, and fats about every 2–3 hours. We would also eat the proper foods before and after training to give fuel for the workout and fuel for the recovery after the strenuous exercise.

But this is the real world. The real world barely leaves us enough time to train let alone eat properly. This is where supplements come into play. Supplements allow us as training athletes to achieve the proper amount of calories from the proper types of nutrients in an efficient and time sparing way. They also make sure that our immune system, recovery, and general health stay in top shape.

We can start by analyzing protein—what it’s for and how much is needed. Most people think about this nutrient the most. Athletes often think about protein with a “more is better” attitude, but this is simply not true. It has been proven in literature that the body can only utilize 2 grams per kilogram of body weight by nitrogen balance analysis. This means that a 200-lb man only needs and can only utilize 200 or so grams of protein per day. However, the real key is timing.

Protein doesn’t get utilized well in large quantities. It must be evenly dispersed throughout the day in about 30-gram intervals. More protein than that in one sitting and it’s wasted. Why is it wasted you ask? Well most of the protein is ingested in the small intestine. The small intestine only has so many protein binder sites available at one time. If those sites are already being used, the extra protein is carried off to the large intestine and expelled. So this is where your protein intake must be constant throughout the day in small quantities. It has been shown that higher levels of protein don’t create more muscle mass or help in keeping a positive nitrogen balance when compared to normal protein intake. Therefore, don’t waste your money on more protein—just an optimal amount.

Next up is carbohydrates. Carbs may be the most important nutrient and include PCr and glycogen. Glycogen controls insulin and is actually called the protein saving nutrient. The body will always go to carbohydrates before fats and proteins for energy after the PCr system has been depleted. Not enough carbs in the diet before, after, and sometimes during activity and the body will go to protein for alternative fuels. This means no gains in the present and muscle breakdown long term. That’s also why you don’t see any high level strength athletes on the Adkins diet. No carbs means no strength and no speed. If you want to be a skinny fat man, then by all means get rid of carbs in your diet. If you want muscle, then keep reading.

Carbs must also be taken throughout the day. Did you know that your brain runs on 70 percent carbs? Did you also know that your brain and spinal cord are primarily responsible for fast twitch muscle action? Carbs are very similar to protein in that they are best utilized throughout the day rather than in large quantities. But remember—there are many types of carbs. This is why the glycemic index and timing of carbohydrates is so important.

High glycemic carbs are best utilized both pre- and post-workout while low glycemic carbs are best taken throughout the day for steady insulin levels. That is why recovery and pre-workout supplements have so many simple sugars. This brings blood sugar levels back to normal after a workout has drained them. But the real key is steady blood sugar throughout the day through your low glycemic carbs. Read up on the glycemic index for more information.

Last but certainly not least is fats. Fats are essential for muscle protection, proper cell function, and recovery. Fats come in all forms from omega fatty acids to plant fats and animal fats. All are important. Ninety-nine percent of Americans get plenty of the worst kind of fat in their diet, but most don’t get enough omega 3 or omega 6 fatty acids or plant fats. The way our food is prepared in restaurants and even at home usually allows us to get plenty of saturated or bad fats. This means that meal replacement powders or bars should have the right kind of fats in their makeup for a full spectrum of nutrients. Fish oil tablets are also a great way to achieve these omega fatty acids.

Remember that nutrient timing is a crucial part of absorption as well as utilization. Taking multivitamins, fish oil, and other vitamins at the same time every day helps to utilize the supplement much better. This way a certain mineral isn’t overloaded and discarded. These macronutrients protect cell membranes and protect against protein degradation. That’s why vitamin and mineral supplementation is important. Many of us not only train hard but work demanding jobs that don’t always allow us to eat properly without supplementation. These proper nutrients as well as their timing allow the body to repair, grow, and maintain muscle and stabilize energy for demanding workouts. If you want to reach the top, training isn’t enough. You must make an effort both in and out of the gym.

I’m always asked what kind of supplements I take, so here they are. I take creatine from At Large Nutrition, 1–3 grams per day of fish oil capsules, an amino acid tablet, ETS recovery tabs from At Large Nutrition, and a multivitamin. These choices have allowed me to not get sick nearly as much through hard training. They also keep soreness to a minimum and allow me to push a little harder.

Updates

Overflow Parking Available
Overflow parking is available Monday-Thursday 4:30pm
to 9:30pm in the Central Parking Lot at the corner of
N Rampart and Conti. MUST HAVE VALID MEMBER STICKER and punch in member number to park here during overflow.

Social Running Club
The NOAC is trying to start a social running club. We would run through the quarter and convene in the bar for a social gathering at the conclusion of the run! Please email mwalters@neworleansathleticclub.com if interested.

Personal Workouts
Personal Trainers now have openings to help you ramp up your personal workouts! Please see the front desk for contact information.

Turkey Day Race
The N.O.A.C. is respecting its tradition by sponsoring the Turkey Day Race. For more information, you may visit the website @ www.turkeydayrace.com.

A Better Way
to Achieve Fat Loss
By Nia Shanks

After years of training myself and clients, I’ve discovered a better way to lose fat. Forget what you think you know about losing fat and pay attention. The best way to lose fat is to train for performance.

I know that sounds too simple, but that’s the point—it should be. Too many people make fat loss complicated by worrying about how many calories they burned while spending a mind-numbing 30 minutes on the elliptical. They worry about what percentage was from fat and how high their heart rate was. It’s time to simplify things and get great fat loss results in less time and in a more motivating way. It’s time to get excited about training and get some of the best results possible.

Training for performance for the sake of fat loss is applicable to men and women alike. In fact, there aren’t huge differences in how men and women should train in general, but that’s another article.

Acquiring fat loss through performance became very clear to me a couple of years ago. I was constantly training for fat loss and did every fat loss workout you can imagine. I did supersets, circuits, short rest periods, no rest periods, and anything else you can imagine. Most of my workouts consisted of circuits with high rep sets.

Here’s a quick example of a daily workout:

1) Barbell push press

2) Dumbbell row

3) Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

4) Zercher squat

I did those exercises with only 45 seconds rest in between for five sets of 12 repetitions each. For those of you who have done those exercises with intensity, you know how hard it is and how demanding it can be on you mentally and physically. I usually did three total body sessions per week like the ones listed above.

Needless to say, I got severely burned out and decided to make a change. I desperately needed motivation to get into the gym. So I started getting serious about increasing my strength. By having a positive goal (getting stronger), I actually began to get excited about training! My goal was driven by a positive motivator (strength) instead of a negative motivator (losing fat because I didn’t like how I looked). That is one of the main reasons this path was so successful for myself and my clients. We had a new mindset together.

Every time I went to the gym, I had a goal of lifting more weight or doing more reps than I had previously done. Instead of total body circuits with very low rest periods, I started training with upper/lower splits, and I trained four days per week.

Here’s an example of two workouts:

Lower body day

1) Sumo deadlift (main lift)—worked up to heavy triples

2) Romanian deadlift, 3 sets of 6–8 reps

3) Dumbbell reverse lunges, 3 sets of 8

4) Reverse crunches, 3 X 10–15

Upper body day

1) Bench press (main lift)—worked up to heavy triples

2a) Decline push-up, 3 sets with high reps

2b) Dumbbell row, 4 sets of 10 reps

3a) EZ bar skull crusher, 3 sets of 8–10 reps

3b) Face pulls, 4 sets of 10 reps

Each time I repeated a workout, I increased the weight. This allowed me to increase my performance and therefore get stronger.

As you can see, it’s a big change from what I typically did. Instead of only resting 30–45 seconds, I rested an average of 90–120 seconds between sets. Not only was this training fun, but it left me feeling refreshed and strong instead of exhausted and crawling out of the gym. Plus, it was great being able to focus on one main lift and go all out. The other exercises were simply there to provide balance to the training and help increase my main lifts. One more great benefit to focusing on one main lift each session—it was so motivating to set new personal records every week! If that doesn’t keep you motivated, I don’t know what will.

That training eventually led me to finally compete in my first push/pull meet this past April. I set the national record for my division in the Southern Powerlifting Federation with a 300-lb deadlift and 145-lb bench press at a body weight of 122 pounds.

My quest for strength has not only allowed me to build a strong, healthy, functional body, but I have never looked better aesthetically than I do right now. The most amazing part of this new journey was that I actually ended up losing fat without even trying.

Training for strength has numerous benefits—looking good is just a great side effect. By simply averting my attention from “training for fat loss” to “training for performance,” I had finally achieved the fat loss goals I desired and in a much more enjoyable and positive way. I actually looked forward to going to the gym.

So if you want to burn off some extra fat, keep this in mind—focus on training for performance (by getting stronger, faster, jumping higher, and more). Then supplement your training with some form of conditioning (“cardio”).

You can do many different methods and use numerous tools for conditioning. Some examples include Strongman lifts with a lighter weight (i.e. tire flips, farmer’s carries), sled drags, Prowler pushes, body weight circuits, jumping rope, and even just brisk walking (this is especially great when you use a weight vest). You can do these after your training or on off days. Keep things simple. Train to improve your performance, and you’ll be rewarded with a stronger, healthier, more functional, and leaner body. It’s time to achieve fat loss in a new way.