The Best Pre-Workout Meal

As personal trainers, we get lots of questions about pre- and post-workout meals.  Sports nutrition is a relatively new science, but there has been some interesting studies the last few years.  Dr. Ivy, from the University of Texas, published a must read book: Nutrient Timing.

There are four primary workout goals for consuming a pre-workout meal: (1) limit immune system suppression, (2) minimize muscle damage, (3) conserve glycogen and protein, (4) prepare for faster recovery.

Studies have shown that a pre-workout snack of 3g of carbs for every 1g of protein will help obtain your 4 workout goals.  Depending on your intensity, a good snack would be 25 to 30g of carbohydrates along with 8 to 10g of protein.  Moreover, fast-acting carbohydrates and quick absorbing protein are even better!

Therefore, a scoop of whey protein in fruit juice about 10 to 15 minutes before your workout would be very beneficial.  Don't have fruit juice or whey protein at home?  Another easy, nutritious option is a peanut butter and banana sandwich.  You get just the right amount of carbs and protein to get you through a workout.  What are you waiting for?  Have a great workout!!

Personal Trainer Sued for Woman's Death

It was only a matter of time before a wrongful death lawsuit was brought against a personal trainer.  This case has finally shed a light on the personal training industry. It seems that for years, gyms have been cutting corners and hiring anyone to fill personal training needs at their gyms. Now more than ever, there needs to be some regulation on the personal training industry. It appears that legislation is moving towards more educated, more experienced trainers.  Most gyms do NOT accept online certifications and it's only a matter of time before the government shuts them down too.

In this particular case, the personal trainer in question had no business training anyone!  CBS has reported that he did NOT have a personal trainer certification nor did he have a nutrition certification so he had no business training anyone or giving them nutrition advice; especially, advice on supplements like ephedra.

If you are thinking about becoming a personal trainer or hiring a personal trainer, please check the credentials of the certification.  Only a small percentage of actual trainers today are qualified to give advice on training and nutrition.  After this tragedy, it will not be long before all personal trainers are required to attend a school and pass a statewide board exam.

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/23/eveningnews/main522995.shtml

Is Fat Burning Zone a Myth?

As personal trainers, we get lots of questions about the "fat burning zone"; but, as Fitness Professionals, we need to make sure we are educated before we begin to educate our clients.  One myth that has been floating around for years is the "fat burning zone".  It was once believed that exercising at a lower intensity would burn more fat than exercising at a higher intensity.  This misinterpretation or myth spread after several studies concluded that high intensity exercise relied more on carbohydrates.  For example, walking burns 50% of its calories from fat and 50% from carbohydrates.  Moreover, running would only use 40% of its energy from fat while relying on 60% carbohydrates.

However, a closer look at the studies revealed that while a higher percentage of fat is used for low intensity exercise, there are more total calories and more total fat calories used for high intensity exercise.  This stands to reason as runners are normally less fat than walkers.

Also, exercising at a higher intensity induces a greater rate of "excess postexercise oxygen consumption".  That is, once you are done with your high intensity exercise, your body continues to consume oxygen and burn fat for up to 3 hours after exercise.  Furthermore, exercising at a higher intensity also improves your cardiovascular system.

In summary, while low intensity exercise is a great place to start for beginners, the best way to burn fat, lose weight, and improve your cardiovascular system is to increase the intensity of your exercise when you or your client are able to.  You can start by charting you or your client's exercise intensity and continue to increase intensity throughout your exercise plan.

Source: Gregory L. Welch, "Fat Burning Zone", 1998.

Rotator Cuff Exercises Part 2

Last week, we covered shoulder abduction which targeted the supraspinatus.  This week, we will cover shoulder external (lateral) rotation and shoulder internal (medial) rotation.  These two movements will activate the other 3 rotator cuff muscles: infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis.  Again, the best exercise that will activate these muscles will be using cables or bands (see illustration A).

In order to effectively recruit the correct muscles, the targeted muscle fibers must be aligned against gravity.  One of the more common mistakes at the gym, is the use of dumbbells while standing (see illustration B).  Swinging dumbbells in this manner does NOT effectively work the rotator cuff muscles; in fact, you may notice a different type of sensation in the elbow and shoulder joints.  If all you have is dumbbells, lay on your side (see illustration C) to properly align the muscle fibers against gravity.

After completing a set of lateral rotations for each shoulder, finish the workout by completing a set of internal rotations for each shoulder.  Repeat 2 or 3 times.