Should I Lift Heavy or Light?

As professional trainers, that's one of the questions I've heard at the gyms many times.  The answer (like most answers) is "IT DEPENDS"!!!  Experts tend to group resistance training goals into 3 groups: endurance, hypertrophy, and strength.

Endurance training is for beginners and for the experienced lifters who would rather "tone" than get bigger or stronger.  Choose a weight that you can lift 15 to 20 times.  This type of workout stimulates an increase in aerobic enzymes and mitochondrial density which improves endurance.

On the other hand, hypertrophy training is for those experienced lifters that would like to add size.  Choose a weight that you can lift 8 to 12 times.  This will stimulate an increase in size of the muscle fiber with added contractile proteins like actin and myosin.

Furthermore, strength goals are for those who would like to get stronger without necessarily getting bigger.  Experienced lifters should choose a heavy weight they can only lift 1 to 5 times.  This will enhance greater, more efficient, neural response while lifting heavy weights.

In conclusion, recent studies have shown that emphasizing one protocol but utilizing all 3 will elicit the best results for muscular fitness.  Happy Lifting!!!

The Caveman Diet

The Caveman diet, also known as the Paleolithic Diet and the Stone Age Diet, is increasing in popularity.  The theory of this diet has to do with toxins; or the avoidance of toxins to be exact.  The main principle is the elimination of GBP (grains, beans, and potatoes) from your diet.  Before they are cooked, these 3 foods are highly toxic and should NOT be eaten.  The Paleo theorists believe that cooking these foods destroys many of the toxins BUT not all of them.

The theory continues that long ago, before there was the invention of fire (thus the name), people did not consume grains, beans, and potatoes because they were filled with toxins.  Since the invention of fire, people have introduced more and more foods into our diet.  Opponents of the diet would say that our body eliminates the toxins that are not destroyed by cooking.

Gimmick or truth?  We don't know for sure but it is a very interesting theory.  I'm sure people lose weight on this diet because it eliminates GBP plus several other "toxic" foods.  The question is....are we really reducing toxins and is it a healthier weight loss than other diets?  It definitely warrants further investigation.