Exercise & weight loss part 4 Resistance exercises

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1 Exercise & weight loss part 4 Resistance exercises Dr James Tang, MBA, BDS, LDS RCS General Dental Practitioner, Level 3 Personal Trainer (REP registration no R ), Sports Nutritionist & Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist, with special interest in postural dysfunction and lower back problems It has already been discussed that the most effective way of burning fat is resistance exercises. As a general rule, for the purpose of performing these exercises with an objective to lose weight and improve core stability so as to reduce back pain, using free weights is better than using machines, as this engages more of your core and stabilisation musculatures. Core satiability and back pain will be discussed further in my next series of articles. Body weight exercises are also advisable e.g. body weight squat, squat jumps, press-up, chin up etc. Before starting any exercise programme, you must set yourself a realistic and achievable goal. This is important so that you can monitor and review your own progress. Your personal trainer will no doubt help you in establishing this using the SMART principal. S = Specific the goal must be clear and concise. E.g. I want to lose 10kg in weight M = Measurable there must be a way of clearly comparing start and finish points such as your BMI index, weight, waist measurement etc. A = Achievable for example: if the goals are too hard to achieve or the timescale is too long, motivation will be lost. E.g. It is unrealistic and unsustainable if you attempt to lose more than half a kilogram in a week. R = Realistic the specific objective must be attainable within the set timeframe. T = Time-framed an exact, agreed amount of time must be set to focus efforts. Warm-up Similar to a cardio-vascular session as discussed previously. Apart from increasing your heart rate, warming up prepares you psychologically for the exercise session but most importantly, it mobilises your joints, thus allowing more synovial fluids to be released into your joints, lubricating them in preparation for the activities to follow. This can be followed with dynamic stretches (static stretches should not be performed before resistance training as this can impair your performance please see length/tension relationship of muscles in my previous articles) and performing a number of contractions using a lighter weight than prescribed for each resistance exercise in the programme. Repetitions definition. You need to establish the number of repetitions to be performed for example, if you decide to perform 10 repetitions, you need to find a weight that you can lift successfully 10 times but unable to lift the 11 th time (i.e. failure at 11 th time). If you are able to perform more than 10 repetitions, the weight is too light for you and you need to increase it. Conversely, if you are unable to perform the prescribed 10 repetitions, you need to reduce the weight in order that you can carry out 10 but no more. This is a trial and error method.

2 So, how do you decide upon which the repatriation range? It depends on what you wish to achieve. Common goals for resistance training include improvement in muscular endurance, size (hypertrophy), strength and power. RM Strength Power Hypertrophy Endurance The resistance exercise continuum - Increasing darkness of colour correspond to increased adaptation for the relevant goal at the repetition maximum. RM = Repetition Maximum The above guide shows the intensity required to elicit specific gains. In simple terms, strength gains heavy load with low repetitions you are training your Type IIb fibres which acquire their energy through anaerobic glycolysis. On the other end of the spectrum training for muscular endurance lighter loads with higher number of repetitions (12-25). You are training your Type 1 and Type IIa fibres which acquire their energy through aerobic glycolysis. You are genetically programmed to having a certain percentage of each muscle fibre type. Those who are born with larger amounts of Type 2b fibres are able to gain muscle size easier (e.g. for those with mesomorph body shape) and those with more slow twitch Type 1 fibres are more suited to endurance activities, such as marathons (e.g. for those with ectomorph body shape) The amount of weight (intensity) to be used can be based on a percentage of the individual s 1RM. 1RM is the maximum amount of weight that can be lifted once with good form. E.g. 6RM is the maximum amount of weight that can be lifted six times An effective resistance training programme should reflect your need. The table below outlines how to apply specific training principles for different training objectives: Training Goal Strength Hypertrophy Muscular Endurance Intensity High Moderate Low Load as % of 1RM >85% 67-85% <67% Repetitions Rest time between sets 3-5 minutes 1-2 minutes seconds Sets per exercise Frequency per muscle group 1-2x per week 1-2x per week 2-3x per week Adapted from Baechle & Earle (2000)

3 Strength And Power Hypertrophy Muscular Endurance Basic progression pyramid. Beginners to resistance should aim to build a base foundation of muscular endurance and begin with just two sessions per week. Intermediate to advanced user may have specific training goals that demand greater frequency of training and the application of more advanced training systems (e.g. drop sets, super sets, pyramid sets etc) with goals for muscular hypertrophy, strength and power. These types of training should only be embarked upon once a solid foundation of technique, posture, basic cardiovascular fitness and flexibility has been built. There is scope for intensity progression within each of the above three training objectives. For example, if a client wants to focus predominantly on muscular endurance, the guideline of repetitions per set can be subdivided into smaller repetition ranges. Successive training phases (e.g. every fortnight) might progress from 18-20, 15-18, repetitions per set, with small increments of increase in resistance (or weight) at each phase. Intensity increases but repetitions performed still remain within the range for muscular endurance. Alternatively, you can amend other variables instead increasing the movement complexity from phase to phase while working with the same endurance repetition range. For instance, slowing down the speed of execution of movements will increase the intensity of the move as your muscles will be under tension for a longer period. To achieve the desired results it is important to focus on three inter-related elements of training Training methods Recovery - Muscle can only get stronger and bigger by stimulating it through hard exercise, helping it to recover with high performance nutrition and giving it rest. The more intense you are, the more rest you need. Nutrition (sports nutrition has been covered in my previous articles)

4 Training methods Recovery Pros and cons of different types of resistance training Advantages Machines Easier to learn and instruct. Weight selected does not need to be calculated. Weight settings can be changed easily. Free weights Can be performed outside gym. Less expensive. More engagement of synergist and fixator muscles in a functional and isotonic way. Disadvantages Fixed plane of motion which is not functional (i.e. reflect actions in real life) Limited range of motion. Negate the use of core stabilisers. Lack of synergist and fixator muscle engagement. More expensive than fixed weight. More technique sensitive and more instructions required. The concept of Balance/reciprocal Training and the type of muscle contraction Agonist (Prime Mover) - the muscle(s) that provides the major force to complete the movement. In the bicep curl which produces flexion at the elbow, the biceps muscle is the agonist. Concentric contraction: Any contraction where the muscle shortens under load or tension is known as a concentric contraction. For example, in a bicep curl, the biceps contract concentrically (shorten) against gravity during the upward phase of the curl movement. Antagonist - the muscle(s) that oppose the agonist. During elbow flexion where the bicep is the agonist, the triceps are the antagonists which typically relax so as not to impede the agonist. Eccentric contraction: Muscles not only shorten but can also lengthen under load or tension. An eccentric contraction refers to any contraction where the muscle

5 lengthens under load or tension. In the bicep curl, the antagonist muscles the triceps - will contract eccentrically (lengthen) in the upward phase of the movement. Synergist - Fixator: the muscle(s) that stabilises the origin of the agonist and the joint that the origin spans in order to help the agonist function most effectively. In the bicep curl this would be the rotator cuff muscles. The majority of fixator muscles are found working around the hip and shoulder joints. Isometric contraction: Muscles don t actually need to move (shorten or lengthen) at all to contract or develop tension. An isometric contraction refers to any contraction of muscles where little or no movement occurs. During the bicep curl, the shoulder muscles are the fixator which helps to stabilise the shoulder joint. Agonist and antagonist should be trained in the same session to avoid muscular imbalance. For instance, when you train your chest (pectorals) and shoulders (deltoids), you need to train the antagonist the latissimus dorsi as well. When you train the quadraceips, you need to exercise the antagonists the hamstring group of muscles. When you train your biceps, you need to train your triceps. Excessive training of the chest, for instance, and ignoring the back (latassimus dorsi and the trapezes) leads to excessive shortening of the pectorals and weak back predisposing to hyperkyphosis this postural deviation can lead to back problems. As a general rule: Carry out compound exercises (exercises that involve multiple muscle groups e.g. squats, deadlifts) before isolated exercises e.g. bicep curls. Work on larger muscle groups (such as quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings) before smaller muscle groups (biceps and triceps). An example of full body resistance exercises which adopts the above principles Legs - Quadriceps Group Dead Lift Squat (body weight, jump squat or with bar) Leg extension Leg Press Chest Pectorals Press-up Chest Bench Press (bar or dumbbells) Pec Fly (cable or dumbbells) Chest Machine Legs Hamstring Leg curl Lunge Back - Trapezius & Latissimus Dorsi Seated Row Reverse row with Smith Machine or TRX Single Arm Row

6 Shoulder Deltoid Shoulder press with dumbell Military Press Upright row Lateral Raise Front Raise Various shoulder machines Bicep Dumbell Bar EZ Bar Cable Machine Back - Trapezius & Latissimus Dorsi Lat Pull-down Chin up (assisted or bodyweight) Isolated Trapezius pull down Triceps Tricep overhead extension Tricep rope pull-down Cable machine Tricep kickback Skull Crusher There are many different exercises that you can carry out for each of the above groups of muscles and some of the examples are given above. Please be aware that these are only examples and are not an exhaustive list of exercises. For all the above exercise, you must brace your core (active your transversus abdominis) and keep you back straight in order that your spine is protected. The need for progression Conclusion The deconditioned novice has a large adaptation potential because they are starting from a point far below their genetic limit. For these individuals, almost any programme will work for an untrained individual, as they have a great adaptation potential and are unfamiliar with any exercise stimulus. They therefore tend to make rapid progress once exposed to the exercise stimulus. The rate of gain experienced usually begins to slow down within a few weeks and new stimulus needs to be introduced. The same about progression applies to almost everyone who participates in resistance training. Approximately every four to eight weeks the personal trainer should look to modify the programme variables to generate a new exercise stimulus for you. If the workload of a training programme is not progressed, the individual will not continue to adapt. Instead, once the body has adapted to the current workload, it will not attempt to adapt any further. Workload must be periodically changed once the body has become accustomed to the previous workout. Please remember that after every training session, you need to cool down as well as carrying out static stretches that have been discussed in the previous articles. As you can appreciate, the theories behind resistance training are complex and sometimes contradictory. It is obviously beyond the scope of this article to go into details of every aspects of this type of training. For the purpose of weight loss, only a simplistic overview of training involving weights has been discussed here. If you have medical conditions such as

7 cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic disease, as well as other conditions that might be aggravated by exercises (e.g. arthritis), please seek medical approval prior to undertaking a programme of exercises. It is imperative that you consult a personal trainer who will devise the most appropriate diet plan and exercise programme for you, based on the FITT principal, according to your SMART goals. FITT is the acronym with: F = frequency (how frequent do you participate in each particular exercise) I = intensity (the weight you use, the repetitions and the number of sets) T = time (rest time between each set & between sessions) T = type of exercises (type of equipment used, free weights, machines, kettle bells, bodyweight etc) As you can already see, there are so many interacting variables that can affect the results of your training. Other examples of variables such as: Movement speed - the pace of weight lifting can significantly affect the effectiveness of the workout e.g. pushing against gravity in a fast pace is a lot easier than performing the same action slowly in a controlled movement because your muscles will be under tension for a lot longer with the second approach. Stable to unstable exercise positions important when you train for core stability. This will be discussed in greater details in another article. You can see that it is impossible to devise a generalised programme that suits everyone and the objective of this article is simply to give you an overview of this type of training. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch info@healthaddiction.co.uk

& Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist, with special interest in postural dysfunction and lower back problems, GDP

Resistance Training Dr James Tang, CES, MBA, BDS, LDS RCS NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist, Level 3 Personal Trainer (REP registration no R1045463), Sports Nutritionist & Level 3 Sports Massage Therapist,