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Strength Training for Endurance Athletes

The link below is an interview I did a few months ago for John Kuhlman regarding endurance athletes (or anyone who is a recreational jogger, biker, etc) and their reluctance to include more strength training into their programming. Lets face it, you’re more likely to find the Abominable Snowman making snow angels in your backyard than you are finding an endurance athlete in the gym lifting weights.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people fail to grasp the notion that resistance training CAN and WILL improve their times. Given the fact that the Boston area has a fairly large “endurance” population, I hope that many of you click on the interview below and learn a thing or two.

Strength Training for Endurance Athletes

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Girl Power

Meet Audrey. Audrey is a wife and loving mother, and due to client/trainer confidentiality, I cannot reveal her age (Read: I’d have better odds winning a fight against a rabid black bear than I would surviving the wrath of revealing her age). Like many women, Audrey wants to get into shape. Unlike most women, Audrey is doing so by busting her butt in the gym. She isn’t spending 45 minutes on the treadmill everyday, she isn’t using pink dumbbells for 20 reps, and she isn’t scared to sweat.

Audrey Sled Push

A Few Random Notes:

1. That’s six plates on the sled. Sure, the turf makes it a bit easier, but it’s impressive nonetheless. Well, it’s more impressive than the fact that you read the entire issue of OK Magazine while on the elliptical machine. Newsflash: Lindsay Lohan likes her alcohol. Turn the page.

2. Once the set was complete, Audrey looked at the camera and yelled “PROTECT THIS HOUSE!” Alright, she didn’t do that. But it would have been cool if she did.

The lesson here? You need to TRAIN ladies, not “workout” to get the results you want.

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The Truth About Steak

Fat (specifically saturated fat) has long been the evil step sister of the dietary world. Thankfully we have people like Jeff Volek (author of the TNT Diet) to help dispel many of these common myths.

Lets take a gander at some not so well known facts concerning saturated fat:

1. Replacing carbohydrates with saturated fats-or any type of fat-results in decreased triglycerides levels, an independent risk factor for heart disease

2. Replacing carbohydrates with saturated fat-or again, any type of fat-results in increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels. In fact, saturated fat raises HDL even more than unsaturated fat.

3. Saturated fat increases the size of LDL (bad cholesterol) particles, which are less atherogenic.

4. Not all saturated fats raise cholesterol. For instance, stearic acid, a type of saturated fatty acid found in meats-has a neutral effect on LDL cholesterol.

And speaking of all of those delicious furry animals you can eat, lets take a closer look at the fatty acid content of steak and how it impacts your heart health.

Fatty Acid Content of Sirloin Steak

Monounsaturated Fat: 49%

Oleic Acid: 45% (+)

Palmitic Acid (+)

Saturated Fat: 47%

Palmitic Acid: 27% (+)

Stearic Acid: 16% (0)

Myristic Acid: 3% (-)

Lauric Acid: 1% (+)

Polyunsaturated Fat: 4%

Linoleic Acid: 4% (+)

Key:

+ = Positive effect on cholesterol

– = negative effect on cholesterol

0 = no effect on cholesterol

As you can see, steak isn’t quite the artery clogger everyone claims it is. Matter of fact, Volek goes so far as to say that including more saturated fat (while reducing processed carbohydrates/sugar) into your diet will help REDUCE your risk of heart disease. How you like dem apples?