CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing Program Design Strength Training

One of My Favorite Core Exercises: The Lying Overhead Pullover

It’s a shit-show of a week on my end this week.

For starters I’m involved with a pretty cool product – The Trainers Toolbox – that’s set to be released next week that’s going to set the fitness industry on fire. I won’t give away too much here, but suffice it to say it’s going to help a lot of fitness professionals.1

Second, we’ve had a cranky toddler on our hands all week this week (wake-up call of 4:30 this morning as a matter of fact), so, basically, FML.

Hence I haven’t had much time to write for my own site this week. Thankfully I have some awesome contributors – like Dr. Nicholas Licameli – who are more than willing to send me articles out of the blue and make me want to buy them a steak dinner.

Enjoy.

Copyright: valeriylebedev / 123RF Stock Photo

 

There are some things that you just don’t hear everyday”

-“Who keeps eating all of the kale!?!?”

-“Of course I understand why my cable bill is $37.97 more this month than it has been in the past 15 months.”

-“I hope I get placed in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff…please, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff…”

-“Let’s talk about Fight Club.”

-“A strong core? No thanks, not interested.”

There seems to be a slight stigma surrounding training the abs and core while lying down because, as some say, there are “better” and more “functional” ways to train.

While this may have some truth to it, I don’t mind training the abs and core on the ground. Whether or not something is “functional” really depends on the individual and his/her goals (is a standard plank really “functional?”).

In order to have functional carryover to the task at hand, the training must be specific to the activity (more on this below).

This means that “functional” will be different for everyone.

If you’re a weight lifter or powerlifter, “functional” core strengthening may include tempo reps, pause reps with postural bracing, breathing drills under sub-maximal loads, etc.

If you’re a baseball player (check out Mike Reinold and Eric Cressey, if you haven’t done so already), “functional” core strengthening may include plyometric twists, anti-rotation movements, quick accelerations and directional changes, etc. The point here is that “functional” is different for everyone and if the goal is simply to progressively load and train the abdominals, don’t fear the floor.

Today I’d like to share with you an exercise that I call the lying overhead pullover (LOP) (see the video link at the end of this article). I think I invented this exercise, however Chuck Norris and Total Gym do have a variation of it in their manual and let’s be honest, I do not want to get on the bad side of a man who once challenged Lance Armstrong to a “Who has more testicles” contest and won by five.

Other than the Total Gym variation, I have not seen it anywhere else.

How To Do It

Before we dive into how to perform the LOP, let’s have a quick review on what it means to “brace the core:”

“From the top down, we have the diaphragm, from the bottom up we have the pelvic floor, and around the sides we have the deep abdominals that surround the midsection like a corset. To engage the diaphragm, take a breath in through the nose and brace. To engage the pelvic floor, pull up as if holding in gas or urine. To engage the deep abdominals, tighten up the midsection as if putting on a tight belt after Thanksgiving dinner or walking into a cold pool as the water drifts up to your navel.”

It is imperative that you understand how to perform a pelvic tilt and properly brace the core…the entire exercise depends on it.

For more on this, check out my videos right here and here (these are from the archives, so bear with me…but the content is still relevant!).

To perform the LOP, lie on your back in front of a low cable station or a low anchored resistance band. Bend the knees and perform a posterior pelvic tilt by pressing the small of your back down into the floor. Reach overhead and grab the rope or band. Maintaining the pelvic tilt, bracing the core, and keeping the arms straight, pull the rope down toward your knees.

Squeeze the abs for a count, and slowly return to the start position.

Progressions and Regressions

As with any exercise worth writing about, it must have the ability to be modified to better meet individual needs such as level of experience, pain, personal preference, etc. It may seem intuitive that decreasing or increasing the resistance would make this exercise easier or harder to perform, however how changing the range of motion affects the difficulty of the exercise may be less intuitive.

The LOP is an anti-extension exercise, which means it challenges primarily the anterior abdominals to resist spinal extension.

During this exercise, the spine and pelvis collectively become a fulcrum and our arms and legs become levers. The lever arm and extension moment increase simply by stretching out a leg or stretching the arms overhead. As the lever arm increases, it becomes more challenging to prevent the spine from arching off the ground into extension.

By maintaining that pelvic tilt, we are resisting extension.

Looking for a nasty little extended set to take past failure?

Start with the most difficult position and regress in a stepwise fashion to easier versions as muscle failure is reached, again and again.

Another simple way to alter the range of motion would be to add a small crunch to the mix.

This would allow us to not only resist extension, but also overcome it with slight flexion. Be sure to crunch up almost into a 45-degree diagonal as opposed to down toward the feet or straight up toward the ceiling. This will ensure proper tension and alignment with the line of pull and resistance curve of the exercise.

Why I Like the LOP

There is one very important function of the abs that is often overlooked, and that is resisting movement. Sure, everyone knows that the abs flex, side bend, and rotate/twist the spine, but besides causing movement, the abs collectively function to resist movement and stabilize the spinal column.

The LOP challenges that function nicely.

Another reason why I like it is that the LOP trains lumbo-pelvic stability during upper and lower extremity movement.

Why is that important?

In order to perform pretty much any sport, exercise, or functional task, the spine has to provide a stable base for the extremities to move about, otherwise it would be like vertical jumping on sand or firing a bazooka off of a kayak (why you’d have a bazooka on a kayak is beyond me…).

I am not saying that performing the LOP will directly increase power output and safety during running, cutting, kicking, punching, squatting, overhead pressing, etc.

Nope. Sorry, but the principle of specificity still reigns supreme.

If you want to improve your 40 time, better get sprinting! If you want to improve power output when kicking a soccer ball, better get out on that field and kick! If you want to improve your squat, better read this article and of course…squat!

What I am saying is that the LOP is a great way to feel, get accustomed to, and train spinal stability with extremity movement, which is foundational to all of those previously mentioned tasks.

And That’s That (LOP in Action)

So be sure to give the lying overhead pullover a shot. Depending on how it is done, the LOP can be used as a top down ab movement, a bottom up ab movement, or a core stability movement. Feel free to experiment and find what works best for you and your goals.

Enjoy!

 

About the Author

Nicholas M. Licameli, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy / Pro Natural Bodybuilder

Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives in hopes to leave this place better because he was here. Bodybuilding and physical therapy just act as mediums for carrying out that cause. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility.   Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey.

Youtube: HERE

Instagram: HERE

Facebook: HERE

 

Categoriespsychology

Be Like Water: The Importance of Being Flexible Without Losing Sight of Your Goal or Your Identity

I had every intention of starting off the new year with some witty, yet informative prose. One my goals for 2019 is to get back on track with more consistent writing.

Lets do this….

As it happens, my kid got Hand, Foot, & Mouth last week and of course, promptly passed it on to me. I got hammered with a fever over the weekend, and currently my feet feel like I’m walking over hot coals and my hands look like they had sex with a cucumber.

I mean, they’re not green or anything (that would be weird), but they do have bumps all over them which is super attractive.

Nonetheless, sick kid + sick Dad = not in the mood to write about undulated periodization, scapular humeral rhythm, or, I don’t know, favorite crayon colors.

Huge thanks to TG.com regular contributor, Dr. Nicholas Licameli, for pinch writing for me today.

Copyright: somchaij / 123RF Stock Photo

Be Like Water

I admire water.

It’s truly an amazing substance for many reasons. It can heal, it can hurt. It can clean, it can contaminate. It can cause frostbite, it can cause a burn. It can flood your basement or it can fill the family swimming pool. It can bring life and it can take life…

What I admire most about water is its ability to change without losing or compromising its true identity. Water can change shape, size, temperature, and even alter its own state of matter, depending on the environment it finds itself in at a particular time.

It is able to change without compromising what it is at its core: water.

“Don’t get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” – Bruce Lee

One may say that water is “flexible.”

The famous Bruce Lee quote above speaks to the importance of being like water and having the ability to conform to whatever container we find ourselves in at a particular moment in time. I’m no martial arts expert by any stretch of the imagination, but this is how Bruce Lee went about his training, fighting, and life.

He was fluid, shapeless, adaptable…he was like water.

It is important to understand that this does not mean we should change who we are depending on the external environment or the group of people we happen to be with.

NEVER BE SOMEONE YOU’RE NOT, JUST TO “FIT IN!”

Stay true to who you are at your core, but be flexible and adaptable. If water is poured into a Gatorade bottle, it does not change itself into Gatorade and try to be something that it’s not. No, not water. Water manages to conform to the unique curves of the bottle, while staying true to itself and remaining, well, water!

Fitness and nutrition often times involve overcoming adversity in order to stick to a plan or routine.

Those plans are often challenged by things like unexpected overtime coverage at work, a sudden leak in the basement, a family illness, a surprise snowstorm that hits and requires shoveling, holidays, the gym opens four hours late because the 17 year old juice bar barista is hungover and overslept…the list goes on.

Are these things going to cause you stress? Or, do you find a way to be fluid and work around them? It is at these times that we need to be like water.

via GIPHY

Here’s an example.

You go to the gym with the following plan in your mind: Start with the barbell bench press (must be Monday, Bro), followed by the barbell squat, then some cable curls, and finish up with abs and cardio.

You enter the gym, Eye of The Tiger and Linkin Park blasting through your headphones, ready to raise some hell when all of a sudden…the bench is taken by a group of high school kids taking selfies, someone is curling in the squat rack, and the cable station is taken by that old guy who walks around the locker room completely naked (my eyes can’t unsee some things…).

Now what?

The whole plan is ruined!

Is this going to derail you, kill your momentum and enthusiasm, and throw your whole workout for a loop? Or, do you conform to the container you happened to be poured into? As previously mentioned, do not change the core. Keep the goal the goal and keep the plan the plan, just adapt it.

An example of excessive flexibility and changing at the core would be completely changing the body parts trained or bailing on the entire workout. Properly adapting and being like water could involve substituting the barbell bench press for a dumbbell bench press or Smith machine squats for barbell squats, or dumbbell curls for cable curls.

via GIPHY

If you always have an apple at breakfast, but your wife ate the last one without you knowing, is your whole day going to be thrown off kilter? Or will you be able to conform to the current container you find yourself in and have something with similar macronutrients such as an orange, a pear, or some oatmeal instead?

Note From TG: Means for a divorce if you ask me.

Life isn’t perfect.

Life isn’t consistent.

Since the beginning of life on this planet, adaptability has been an evolutionary staple.

Adapt or die, as the saying goes.

Sometimes you have this plan, this perfect step-by-step plan, but the present circumstances do not allow it to be carried out as planned. In these instances, you must be like water, adapt, and work around what the world gives you. Again, that does not mean you should change the entire plan or change who you are depending on the external environment. Always keep the goal the goal, the plan the plan, and stay true to who you are. You can’t control everything so if you find yourself being poured from a perfectly symmetrical drinking glass into an abnormally shaped bottle, stay focused, roll with the punches, be fluid, be flexible, and be like water.

About the Author

Nicholas M. Licameli, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy / Pro Natural Bodybuilder

Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives. Bodybuilding and physical therapy just act as mediums for carrying out that cause. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility.   Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey.

Youtube: HERE

Instagram: HERE

Facebook: HERE

CategoriesExercise Technique

It’s Not What You Do, It’s How You Do It: A Better Plank

Copyright: undrey / 123RF Stock Photo

 

I know, I know.

Planks. Not the most exciting topic in the world.

I may as well post something on photosynthesis trends of oak trees in the Northeast, gas prices, or, I don’t know, what my kid had for breakfast this morning.

Everybody performs planks. And 90% of those people perform them incorrectly.

Today’s guest post by TG.com regular, Dr. Nicholas Licameli, sheds light on how to make your planks more effective.

HINT: It has zero to do with performing them for longer durations.

It’s Not What You Do, It’s How You Do It: A Better Plank

The plank.

We know it, we love it, and we know the benefits. However there is a simple way to make it more effective that you can implement immediately. It doesn’t involve any additional equipment and takes less than a second to do.

This simple modification will help not only those who are new to the exercise, but also those seasoned planking veterans.

Take a look at the following two pictures.

Can you spot the difference?

It’s subtle, almost undetectable.

Here’s some more information: The plank on the top can be held for 3 minutes or more, while the plank on the bottom can only be held for 15-20 seconds max.

The plank on the top is engaging only a fraction of the core and abdominal musculature, whereas the plank on the bottom is recruiting nearly every muscle in the body, including the core and abdominals.

Form looks good in both: No sagging or lifting of the lower back and pelvis, serratus anterior is engaged for scapular stability, and the head, neck, and entire spine are in neutral. So what makes the bottom plank more effective than the top?

Let’s find out.

No, Wait, Don’t Go…the Plank IS a Big Deal

The plank is one of the best exercises for improving total body strength as well as the health of your spine. In order to perform the plank correctly and effectively, pay close attention to the position of the lower back and pelvis as well as the direction of the force being applied through the floor.

When in the plank position, imagine what would happen if all friction on the floor disappeared, almost as if doing a plank on ice. Which direction would your elbows and feet slide? Most likely, they would slide out from under you: your arms would shoot forward, your feet would shoot backward, and your face would be imprinted on the dirty gym mat that you sprayed with a dirty plastic bottle filled with an ambiguous pale blue liquid.

via GIPHY

Note From TG: No reason for this GIF other than to 1) I couldn’t find a video of someone falling during a plank and 2) it’s freakin hilarious. Sorry for the brief hijack Nicholas.

That is precisely the problem with the top picture.

You’ll notice that my toes are digging into the floor and isometrically pushing away, while my arms are isometrically pressing forward toward my head.

Biomechanically, I am isometrically pressing into shoulder flexion, ankle plantar flexion, hip extension, and spinal extension. While this may be a good way to hit the deltoids and calves (not really), it is not doing much for the core and abdominals.

Why?

Because the core, and more specifically the anterior core (the muscles on the front side), is responsible for spinal flexion and anti-extension. In order to maximally engage those muscles, you must train those movements.

This can be achieved by forcefully, and isometrically, pulling your arms and feet together. Now imagine doing it on ice. What would happen? Our arms and feet would slide toward each other and we’d assume a pike-like position with spinal flexion and anti-extension, which is just what we want.

And Bingo was his name-o…

Why Is This So Common?

Our bodies do not want to be wasteful, so they will do their best to use the least amount of energy necessary to complete a task, unless we tell it otherwise.

With the plank, sometimes due to our body’s natural compensations and other times due to conscious effort, we tend to get into the “position of least resistance,” usually for the sake of increasing the amount of time we can spend in the plank position.

In other words, we make the plank as passive as possible to increase its duration.

Some even wear their plank time like a badge of honor!

Hearing, “How long can you hold a plank?” is slowly becoming almost as common in gyms and health clubs as, “How much do ya bench, bro?”

That’s why it is important to remember the goal.

Unless you are a competitive planker and are scored by how long you can hold a plank, the goal of the exercise is not to increase its duration, but rather to train the core!

Doing planks is kind of like making a homemade dinner, cleaning the dishes, or having sex.

Just doing the activity doesn’t mean it will be good.

The effectiveness of the plank, as well as a homemade meal, the dishes, and sex, depends on the execution.

Don’t treat the plank like a marathon…treat it like a sprint.

Instead of thinking, “How long can I hold a plank for?” think, “How short can I hold a plank for?”

The idea being: The harder the contraction, the shorter the duration. The harder you contract and brace your core, the shorter the plank will be.

Tired of long sets of planks? Start squeezing!

Tips For A Better Plank

1. Squeeze your glutes and contract your abs (rectus abdominis AND transverse abdominis), which will pull your pelvis into a slight posterior pelvic tilt (think slightly rounding your back).

2. In order to contract your abs, you want to engage both your rectus abdominis (six-pack muscle) and transverse abdominis (deep stabilizer muscle, much like a corset). To contract the rectus abdominis, imagine bringing the ribs and front of the pelvis together. To contract the transverse abdominis, imagine the feeling when cold water reaches your navel when walking into a pool.

3. Keep your head and neck in a straight line. DO NOT LOOK UP. Your tailbone, mid back, and head should all be in line with each other (see picture below).

4. Isometrically pull your elbows and feet together. This is the key. Imagine doing a plank on ice or on a slippery hardwood floor with socks and a towel under your arms, as seen below.

5. Once you assume the proper position, maximally contract every muscle from your toes to your fingers, but DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH.

6. Imagine giving a big hug with your shoulder blades. Keep the shoulder blades protracted (pressed forward) and be sure they stay snug around the ribcage. This will help engage serratus anterior, which is an extremely important muscle for the health of your shoulders. It is also quite aesthetically pleasing when well developed.

7. When coming off of a plank, slowly lower your knees to the floor. DO NOT let your hips/pelvis drop to the floor.

Don’t rely on the traction of the floor to maintain the plank position, rely on your core.

Would you rather get to muscle fatigue after planking for 10 seconds or 3 minutes? Clearly, ain’t nobody got time for no 3-minute, ineffective planks. Try this modification out and I guarantee your planks will become instantly more effective and you will look at the plank in a new light and learn to love it.

For a video demonstration and explanation of everything I just wrote, be sure to check out my video right here:

 

About the Author

Nicholas M. Licameli, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy / Pro Natural Bodybuilder

Every single thing he does, Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives. Bodybuilding and physical therapy just act as mediums for carrying out that cause. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility.  Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAWFe5BmaJ_WFAh2aqsOg8g

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicklicameli/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.michael.58

CategoriesProgram Design Rehab/Prehab

All About Recovery

I always like to say the progress you make in the gym are the direct result of how well you allow yourself to recover.

As counterintuitive as it sounds you break muscle down in the gym, and it’s the time away from deadlifts, squats, and daily WODs that your body recovers and bounces back stronger than before.

Today’s guest post from TG.com regular, Dr. Nicholas Licameli, expounds on some of the best (and simplest) ways you can get a little more recovery in your life.

It’s not as easy as telling someone to “go to bed.”

Enjoy.

Copyright: lzflzf / 123RF Stock Photo

My Top Recovery Tips

As soon as a training session ends, the goal should be to start the recovery process.

In order for us to consistently make improvements in our bodies and our training, we need exercise that overloads our current tolerance AND adequate recovery. In other words, we need to challenge, break down, and fatigue our muscles as well as recover from that challenge, break down, and fatigue.

There are many ways to look at fatigue. One common breakdown is peripheral fatigue and central fatigue. Peripheral fatigue is simply the physical stress, break down, and depletion of glycogen that muscles experience during training. This decreases strength, power, and performance and causes muscle soreness.

Central fatigue is a bit different.

Without going too in depth (that’s for another article), I introduce the autonomic nervous system, made up of the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) nervous systems. The SNS controls our stress response, or “fight or flight.”

SNS controls our bodies when we come face to face with a grizzly bear. We’re going to sweat and our heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate will increase. During this state, we are essentially mentally and physically breaking down our bodies.   The PNS controls the recovery response, or “rest, digest, and recover.” During this state, our blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rates all decrease.

It is in this state that we mentally and physically rebuild and recover.

Interestingly enough, the brain’s mechanism for learning works similarly to the mechanism by which muscles grow and become stronger.

Muscles do not grow in the gym.

Training causes muscles to be broken down. It is during recovery and sleep that muscles make adaptive changes.

Similarly, we do not learn while we attend a lecture.

via GIPHY

The lecture is like a training session because we do not make adaptive and lasting breakthroughs while in class. Our brains make new connections and truly absorb new knowledge during the rest, digest, and recover phase, which occurs after the lecture and usually during sleep.

I Sleep Every Night, Isn’t That Enough?

Not quite.

Imagine this sample day:

Alarm goes off (for the 5th time…thanks a lot snooze button) and you jump out of bed feeling like you’re running late. You go into the bathroom, get washed, get dressed, sprint down the stairs, grab some coffee and a quick to-go bite to eat, and you get into your car.

Some traffic, nasty drivers, and frantic lane changes later, you make it to the office a few minutes late. With no time to prepare, you dive right into your daily work duties.

After a stressful day at work (and getting yelled at by your boss for being late) and four cups of coffee, you rush to get home to pick up the kids from school. The commute home is no better than the morning, but you manage to get there on time. You make it home, give the kids a snack[/efn_note]As if I know anything about childcare. Sorry parents, this article is written by a young man without children…yet.2 and head out to the gym.

After taking a pre workout with enough caffeine to give heart palpitations to a Clydesdale horse, you manage to get psyched up for your workout. After a great workout, you jump in the car newly energized and ready to make dinner for the family and help the kids with homework. After collapsing on your bed and staring blankly at your Instagram feed until you can’t keep your eyes open, you manage to somehow fall asleep.

What’s the point of this example?

This is an entire day spent in a sympathetic state!

Remember, the sympathetic system is the fight, flight, and physical breakdown system. There is no time allotted to the parasympathetic system: rest, digest, and recover.

Things like stress, caffeine, and training are all highly sympathetic.

Here’s the good news!

A day like this can be easily changed for the good. All it takes is a few minutes of actively disconnecting from the grind. My favorite (and in my opinion, the simplest) way to accomplish this is simply breathing.

That’s right. Good ol’ breathing.

Inhale deeply and exhaling slowly. Let your shoulders drop down on the exhale. Redirect your mind away from the day-to-day and focus on your breathing (more on this below).

via GIPHY

In my office, we set an egg timer for one hour. When the timer goes off, everyone stops and takes a deep breath. It takes maybe 6 seconds and has had a significant impact on staff and patients alike. No egg timer? Every time you slip away for a bathroom break, try making it a point to take a deep breath. It may even be a good idea to bring along loved ones. What could be a better way to end the day than a couples breathing session in bed?

Actually, don’t answer that.

Note From TG: BOM, CHICKA BOM BOM

It seems logical that a proper recovery plan would target both types of fatigue. The following is a list of some recovery techniques that research has shown may be effective.

The techniques will target both types of fatigue and keep you on your way to achieving and surpassing your goals. Before we go on, it is important to note that no recovery technique, including the ones below, will be effective without proper sleep and nutrition. Getting your Z’s and eating properly to fuel and refuel our bodies are most important.

That being said, let’s get to it!

In an already packed schedule, it is not feasible to think you will be able to set aside time to do each technique, so I’ve numbered them from 1 (most important) to 4 (least important), in my opinion of course.

My opinion is based on the current research, effectiveness, convenience, and anecdotal experience both personally and professionally. It should be noted that although there is some research supporting the use of these techniques, many of the mechanisms and overall effectiveness still warrant further study.

For more information about specific parameters and references (and if you want to feel really insignificant about yourself and the quality of your own content), be sure to check out Chris Beardsley’s work at strengthandconditioningresearch.com right here.

1. Deep Breathing and Meditation

What Is It?

Using deep, controlled breathing and meditation to induce a state of physical and mental relaxation.

What Does It Do?

Deep breathing and meditation increases parasympathetic nervous system activity (rest, digest, recover) and decreases sympathetic nervous system activity (fight or flight).

How to Do It?

Choose a relaxing environment (an empty room, out in nature, etc.) and position yourself in a comfortable position (I prefer lying on my back with a pillow under my head and a pillow under my knees). Breathe in deeply through your nose and imagine the breath filling up and expanding your abdomen and lower back.

Hold for a few seconds and then exhale through your mouth in a controlled manner (don’t just blow the air out). With each exhale, imagine your body melting into the floor. Keep your mind focused on your breathing. “Is this an ‘in’ breath or an ‘out’ breath?” is the only thinking that should be happening.

If you hear a car horn and your attention goes to the car, redirect your mind back to your breathing. If your mind drifts to that report you have to write at work today, redirect your mind to your breathing. Some types of meditation actually involve allowing those intrusive thoughts in, and accepting their presence. If they are of significance, take moment to write them down.

If they are insignificant (be honest with yourself), push them away and redirect your mind to your breathing. Meditation takes practice, but as you train your brain to control intrusive thoughts and focus on the moment, you’ll see drastic changes in your recovery as well as your life.

2. Active Recovery

What Is It?

Active Recovery involves performing light resistance training or cardio either immediately following a workout or between workouts.

What Does It Do?

May reduce muscle soreness, limit strength losses, and even improve mood.

How to Do It?

Perform active recovery by using a light load (30% of 1 rep max) for about 20-50 reps for less than 60 minutes or using an active cool down such as a stationary bike for roughly 15 minutes.

Note From TG: Check out my Bloop, Bloop, Bloop Workout HERE which touches on the same idea a Nicholas describes and gives you some ideas on what to do.

3. Foam Rolling

(For an in depth look at foam rolling, be sure to check out my previous article here and my podcast here, which are much more comprehensive than what is described in this article.)

What Is It?

Foam rolling involves lying on a roller and using gravity to apply pressure to a muscle. The roller is pressed into the muscle belly and the user rolls up and down the length of the target muscle.

 

What Does It Do?

Like deep breathing and meditation, foam rolling can tap into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, digest, recover) and reduce sympathetic nervous system activity (fight or flight) by inducing a global short-term decrease in muscle tone.

Muscle tone is the continuous passive contraction of a muscle controlled subconsciously by the brain. In other words, it’s a muscle’s resistance to passive stretch.

Tone is created by a constant subconscious message from the brain telling a muscle to contract. Many times the sensation of muscle “tightness” has more to do with tone and less to do with actual muscle length.

How to Do It?

1. View video above.

2. Or, if you learn better by reading:

Start off with a slow, steady roll covering the entire muscle group, scanning the area for tender spots. Think of scanning the area as a blind person would scan a new environment. Once you find a tender spot, pause and hold on that spot until a release is felt and the tenderness lessens. Add some deep breathing while holding on the tender spot to further assist in the release. Follow this up with another slow, steady roll over the entire muscle, just like how you started. It is true that foam rolling should be a bit painful, but too much pain will cause an increase in muscle tone, which, as previously mentioned, is exactly the opposite of what we want to do. More pain is not better.

Better quality is better.

4. Water Immersion

What Is It?

Water immersion is the use of ice baths or hot tubs.

What Does It Do?

May reduce muscle soreness and limit losses in performance.

How to Do It?

Use cold-water immersion (8-15°C/46°F-59°F) for 5-15 minutes or alternate 1-4 minute bouts of cold and hot water (38°C-42°C/100°F-108°F). Be sure to be submerged to shoulder height.

Where to Start?

A great place to start is with (1) deep breathing and meditation.

Start small.

Try devoting a few minutes each day to disconnecting and breathing. Work up to longer durations as you start to get the hang of it.

This will help in all aspects of life.

Once you’ve successfully made it a habit to disconnect and breathe for a few minutes each day, try adding in some (2) active recovery days.

After you have a solid daily breathing and meditation routine and you’ve managed to add in some active recovery to your week, consider using a foam roller combined with deep breathing for a few minutes after training and maybe even before bed. Once you have all these in place, feel free to give (4) water immersion a shot if you have the time and resources.

Use these techniques, along with proper sleep and nutrition, and you will soon reap the physical and mental benefits of proper recovery!

About the Author

Nicholas M. Licameli

Doctor of Physical Therapy / Pro Natural Bodybuilder

Youtube: HERE

Instagram: HERE

Facebook: HERE

Every single thing he does, Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives. Bodybuilding and physical therapy serve as ways to carry out that cause. Nick graduated summa cum laude from Ramapo College of New Jersey with his bachelor’s degree in biology, furthered his education by completing his doctoral degree in physical therapy from Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences (previously the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) at the age of 24, and has earned professional status in natural bodybuilding. His knowledge of sport and exercise biomechanics, movement quality, and the practical application of research combined with personal experience in bodybuilding and nutrition allows him to help people in truly unique ways. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility.   Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey.

CategoriesMotivational

Everything In Moderation Makes You Mediocre At Everything

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of TG.com regular, Dr. Nicholas Licameli. 

Nick normally writes about stuff like how not to eff up your shoulders during a bench press or how to address your low back pain when you sit in front of a desk all day.

Today, however, he’s throwing us a curveball and discussing a topic that’s a little more nuanced, albeit something that we can all appreciate: the “grind” and the work-life-training “tightrope.”

I think you’ll enjoy it. I did.

Copyright: nomadsoul1 / 123RF Stock Photo

 

One of my least favorite sayings is, “everything in moderation.”

Everything in moderation makes you mediocre at everything.

Everything in moderation makes you mediocre at everything.

But we must realize a truth that is self-evident, undeniable, and timeless: saying yes to one thing is saying no to another.

Whether you’re Betty White, Barry White, or White Goodman, we are all given the same number of minutes each day.

Life, then, is a constant series of choices and decisions as to how we spend our time. There is no arguing that dedicating time to each of our roles is essential. However, everything in moderation makes you mediocre at everything. Instead of creating balance, which is usually the reasoning behind taking everything in moderation, it creates mediocrity.

Some of my roles, in no particular order, are bodybuilder, husband, son, brother, friend, and medical professional. I would venture a guess that majority of those reading can relate, at least somewhat, to these roles.

At the core, they are sport, family, friend, and profession.

When walking across a tight rope, one does not stay perfectly straight for the duration of the walk. While still maintaining balance, the walker is able to lean this way and that way with each step. Similarly, a plane does not remain on a straight path for the duration of its flight. The pilot makes adjustments up, down, left, and right depending on weather, air traffic, etc., but it manages to stay the course and eventually reach its destination.

Life is sort of a balancing act, leaning this way and that way, with each step. Think about your life. There will be times along your journey when you’ll have to grind in certain areas.

Sometimes that’s going to be sport. Other times it will be family. Other times it will be your profession. Sometimes you will have to dive 100% into one role in order to accomplish something great.

So yes, you may be sacrificing, but you’re just leaning, not falling.

Side note: When I say, “grind,” what I mean is a temporary grind. The grind occurs due to special or unusual circumstances. If you’re always grinding, you need to find a way to improve efficiency and effectiveness because at the end of the day, there are always people who are better than you, busier than you, and have accomplished more than you who have never missed a training session, a birthday party, or a day of work. So remember that next time you feel yourself grinding.

Ask yourself, “Is this grind necessary or are there things I can do to better organize my day?”

If you’re training for a bodybuilding competition, you’re going to have to grind. Training, nutrition, sleep, and more will all take you away from other areas of your life in one way or another. For that time, you will be leaning toward bodybuilding on your tight rope, understanding that saying yes to bodybuilding is saying no to other roles.

Death in the family? Special birthday party? Holiday or family tradition coming up? Get ready to lean toward family on your tightrope, understanding that saying yes to family is saying no to other roles.

If there’s a big project coming up at work that you are passionate about, you’re going to have to grind, understanding that saying yes to work is saying no to other roles.

How Do We Make It All Work?

Here’s the key to making this work: while leaning on the tight rope and grinding in one area of your life, be sure to truly be present and give it your all.

There is a very good chance that other people will not “get it.”

They won’t understand why you’re so passionate about bodybuilding or that family tradition or that silly project at work.

That’s fine.

Being truly present in each moment will help lessen negative kickback from different aspects of your life. Thinking about training or work while you’re spending planned time with family won’t help training or work and will hinder family time. It doesn’t make sense to choose to grind at work but fog your brain with guilt that you are not with your family.

Similarly, it doesn’t make sense to miss a birthday party to finish that work project if you’re not going to be fully present and committed to it in that moment. You’re essentially becoming a mediocre professional and mediocre family member.

You are limiting your productivity at work and wasting quality family time. When you choose to grind, proceed with confidence and understand that those other areas of life will have their time, it’s just not now.

1. For example, if you have to sacrifice family for work or for training, it’s going to be OK as long as the time that you do give your family is 100% undivided attention, presence, and love.

2. When you sacrifice from work, it’s going to be OK as long as you’ve given work your 100% time and effort when it was work’s turn.

3. If you can’t stay late for that meeting because your son has a baseball game, it will be OK because you’ve grinded for work during work’s time and have made it clear to everyone at the office the type of person you are.

4. If you have to sacrifice training/nutrition to give time to your family or work, it’s OK so long as committed and productive work has been put toward training during its time.

Being 100% committed and present to a role during its allotted time will lessen the sting when the time comes to grind in a different role. While grinding in a particular role, think of making deposits of trust.

Stephen Covey uses the metaphor of an “emotional bank account,” which describes the amount of trust that has been built up in a relationship1. For the purposes of this article, we can call it a “role bank account.”

While leaning on the tight rope, pennies are deposited into each role’s account if and only if you are 100% present and committed to it. Being partially present or dividing your attention results in no deposits at best and a withdrawal at worst. Debt will never be accumulated while grinding in a certain role so long as you’ve been making genuine and consistent deposits in each role.

What Are Some Deposits?

For a bodybuilder, deposits may be meal prepping ahead of time, hitting macros while at a social event, keeping perfect form during the last set of deadlifts as fatigue sets in, or getting a full 8-9 hours of quality sleep.

As a member of a family or as a professional, deposits can be as simple as saying a kind word, going out of your way to offer a compliment, going above and beyond the job description, being honest and truthful, doing a favor without expectation of something in return, being present, listening with the intent to understand rather than be understood, showing deep empathy, saying, “I love you,” apologizing sincerely, and much more.

By making these deposits, we are able to grind in certain areas of our lives without feeling guilty or hurting people and/or roles we love.

Go build up those accounts!

Don’t Fall

Keep in mind that if you lean too much on a tight rope, you will fall.

If you lean too much to one side for too long and neglect the principles of physics, you will fall and once you fall, no amount of counter balance will help. If you excessively withdraw trust, you will accumulate debt.

Understand, however, that it’s okay to grind every once in a while. You are not a bad person. You are a person who aspires to be great, not in one role, but in all roles. You are a person who understands that at times it is necessary to sacrifice and grind in order to achieve and exceed high reaching goals and dreams.

Take what I say with a grain of salt. I don’t know everything. I could be completely wrong. I may look back on this (maybe when I have children some day!) and feel differently.

However, right now, I truly feel that everything in moderation makes you mediocre at everything. The occasional grind, together with confidence and steady deposits into our various accounts, will allow you to achieve balanced greatness in all of your roles. Don’t settle for mediocre.

Go get ‘em!

 

About the Author

Nicholas M. Licameli

Doctor of Physical Therapy / Pro Natural Bodybuilder

Youtube: HERE

Instagram: HERE

Facebook: HERE

Every single thing he does, Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives. Bodybuilding and physical therapy serve as ways to carry out that cause. Nick graduated summa cum laude from Ramapo College of New Jersey with his bachelor’s degree in biology, furthered his education by completing his doctoral degree in physical therapy from Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences (previously the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) at the age of 24, and has earned professional status in natural bodybuilding. His knowledge of sport and exercise biomechanics, movement quality, and the practical application of research combined with personal experience in bodybuilding and nutrition allows him to help people in truly unique ways. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility.   Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey.

CategoriesProgram Design Rehab/Prehab Strength Training Uncategorized

My Top Shoulder Training Tips Part II

If you missed Part I of Dr. Licameli’s guest post, you can check it out HERE. Now, you could read today’s post and get the gist of what was said yesterday, but you run the risk of missing out on some nitty-gritty details.

Kinda like watching Blade Runner 2049.

You could watch it without watching the original, but you’re missing out on some important context.

Copyright: xmee / 123RF Stock Photo

 

*** This is the part where’d you know what points 1-4 were all about.

5) Don’t Push Through Pain…Not All The Time, Anyway

There is good pizza and there is bad pizza. There is good pain and there is bad pain. Differentiating the difference is of utmost importance when training the shoulders.

We’re not talking about delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which is felt 1-2 days after training.

We’re talking about pain during training.

What follows are some guidelines to help you navigate your way through pain.

KEEP IN MIND, THESE ARE GENERAL GUIDELINES. IF YOU HAVE PAIN, BE SURE TO SEE A QUALIFIED HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONER!

I stress finding a qualified healthcare practitioner. A qualified healthcare practitioner will explain all of this, in addition to providing several options to keep you training while recovering from injury.

Let’s face it…not all physical therapists have spent much time under a bar. Some have spent time at the bar or even at barre class, but many have no experience or expertise in weight lifting or bodybuilding. You deserve your goals to be taken seriously. You deserve more than things like, “stop squatting for 4 weeks” and standing internal and external rotation with a band to “strengthen” the rotator cuff…or is it rotator cup…no, it’s rotary cuff…rotary club!

That’s it.

Characteristics of good pain:

-How Does It Feel?: Muscle burn; usually symmetrical right to left.

-Onset: Gradually increases as the set progresses.

-When Does It Stop?: At the completion of a set.

Characteristics of bad pain:

-How Does It Feel?: Sharp, numb, tingling; intensity may be asymmetrical right to left.

-Onset: Quickly; may be felt after only the first few reps

-When Does It Stop?: Days, weeks, months…; stays well after the set is completed, however may also end at the completion of a set.

If you find yourself experiencing bad pain, it may not be the end of the world. Bruce Lee also said, “Be like water.”

Water has the flexibility to take the shape of whatever container it is placed in, while still maintaining its identity…water.

In a similar way, our training can be modified without losing its identity or effectiveness. Try to modify your training. Sharp pain when pressing overhead with a barbell? Try a landmine press. Unable to perform a reverse flye? Try a face pull. Keeping the same exercises and modifying training volume may also do the trick.

 

6) Don’t Overdo It With The Classic “Rehabilitation” And “Injury Prevention” Exercises. There Are Hidden Benefits In Some Classic Movements.

It is no one’s fault but our own that, as a profession, physical therapy has a certain reputation when it comes to injury and injury prevention. The misconception is that in order to reduce pain or prevent injury, a hefty dose of classic “rehabilitation” exercises need to be added into an already packed training regimen.

For me, and many out there like me, gone are the days of separating “therapeutic exercise” from “regular training.” Say goodbye to blocking off a half hour pre and post workout to foam roll and perform straight leg raises and clamshells. If you look closely, you can find what you need for healthy shoulders right there in your existing training routine. Here are some examples:

Face Pull: Trains scapular retraction and external rotation. Great for scapular stability, rotator cuff strengthening, and balancing out internal vs. external rotation.

Farmer Carry/Overhead Carry: Excellent way to train postural, scapular, and global rotator cuff stability, not to mention full body/core strength.

 

Plank on Ball with Protraction and/or the Ab Wheel: Great way to dynamically train serratus anterior, core stability, and scapular stability.

 

Plank with Band Around Wrists with Protraction: Great way to train external rotation as well as dynamically train serratus anterior, core stability, and scapular stability

Landmine Press: With proper scapular movement (more on this to come), this is an excellent exercise to dynamically strengthen serratus anterior and improve scapular neuromuscular control.

 

Pull-up/Pull-down: With proper scapular depression at the initiation of the pull, this is a fantastic exercise to target the lower traps, which play a key role in scapulohumeral mechanics. Full range of motion and a long eccentric will also help lengthen the lats, which can limit shoulder mobility.

 

Squats/Deadlifts: Train “shoulder packing” position. A proper warm-up prior to these lifts will also include thoracic mobility work.

Seek out experts like Tony Gentilcore (obviously), Andrew Millett, John Rusin, Jeff Cavaliere, Quinn Henoc, Mike Reinold, Mike Robertson, Eric Cressey, Dean Somerset, Zach Long, Joel Seedman, Ryan DeBell, Teddy Willsey, and many more.

But if you have pain, GO SEE A QUALIFIED HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONER FIRST!

7) Symmetry…Don’t Forget External Rotation and Thoracic Mobility

As previously mentioned, weightlifters tend to be very “internal rotation dominant,” and for good reason.

Let’s look at the muscles that internally rotate the shoulder.

Just to name a few: pec major, lats, subscapularis, teres major, front deltoid.

Let’s take a look at the muscles that externally rotate the shoulder: infraspinatus, rear deltoid, teres minor.

The muscles that internally rotate the shoulder are of greater number and greater size (the pecs and lats are two of the strongest muscles of the upper body). The external rotators are less in number and much smaller. Give those external rotators a fighting chance to create some balance! Don’t neglect them!

It’s important to note that just performing an equal amount of presses and rows/pull-downs will not improve shoulder rotation symmetry because, as previously mentioned, both the pecs and the lats internally rotate the shoulder. So even though pull-downs and rows are “back” exercises, they still train the lats and therefore still train internal rotation.

Some of my favorite exercises to train external rotation are face pulls, W raises/pulls, reverse flyes with external rotation bias, wall slides with a band, and planks with a band around the wrists.

 

Adequate thoracic mobility is crucial to optimal shoulder function. If the scapulae are the foundation of the shoulder, the thoracic spine is the ground on which the foundation is built.

Thoracic mobility should be included in almost every warm-up, regardless of the body part being trained. One of my favorite thoracic mobility exercises is a kneeling protraction sit-back into a lat stretch with deep breathing. Be sure to check out this video of a sample lower body warm-up routine that includes this exercise.

 

8) Don’t Pin Down The Scapulae

It happens all the time.

An idea comes out and soon gets morphed into an extreme.

“Dynamic stretching may be better than static stretching pre-workout” turns into, “Don’t ever do static stretching because it’s a waste of time.”

“Foam rolling may help improve short-term soft tissue restriction and range of motion” turns into “I have to foam roll for 30 min when I wake up as well as pre workout, post workout, and before bed in order to break up adhesions and prevent injury.”

The idea of “shoulders down and back” seems to have experienced a similar course. Yes, keeping the shoulders in a retracted and depressed position with a properly extended thoracic spine will place the muscles, nerves, and joints in a structurally advantageous position as well as open up the subacromial space by about 30%. It also allows for unrestricted overhead shoulder range of motion.

However, the scapulae must move, and they must move correctly. The scapula is the base and foundation of the shoulder and dysfunction can most certainly lead to injury.

Note From TG: Check out THIS article I wrote a while back touching on the same topic; in this case how it relates to performing a DB Row correctly.

Generally, the scapula remains relatively stationary during the first 30 degrees of shoulder abduction (lifting the arm out to the side as in a lateral raise), with the movement coming primarily from the glenohumeral joint. As abduction continues past 30 degrees, the scapula begins to move and the glenohumeral joint and scapulothoracic joints move in about a 2:1 ratio.

This means that at 120 degrees of abduction, the glenohumeral joint has contributed about 80 degrees and the scapula has contributed about 40 degrees. If the scapula remains pinned “down and back,” range of motion will be restricted and the glenohumeral joint will be forced to overcompensate. This dysfunction will likely limit performance and increase risk of injury.

In addition to upward rotation, the scapula also needs to protract (glide forward) during both overhead and pulling movements. Serratus anterior is one of the main muscles responsible for protraction as well as for adhering the concave surface of the scapula to the convex surface of the ribcage. Pinning the scapulae down and back is not what we need…we need controlled, scapular motion.

I’m Done

If at least one person benefits from these tips, I have done my job. My hope is that you will keep these tips in mind and reap the benefits of strong, healthy shoulders. You’re putting the work in, now let’s capitalize on it.

About the Author

Nicholas M. Licameli

Doctor of Physical Therapy / Pro Natural Bodybuilder

Youtube: HERE

Instagram: HERE

Facebook: HERE

Every single thing he does, Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives. Bodybuilding and physical therapy serve as ways to carry out that cause. Nick graduated summa cum laude from Ramapo College of New Jersey with his bachelor’s degree in biology, furthered his education by completing his doctoral degree in physical therapy from Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences (previously the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) at the age of 24, and has earned professional status in natural bodybuilding. His knowledge of sport and exercise biomechanics, movement quality, and the practical application of research combined with personal experience in bodybuilding and nutrition allows him to help people in truly unique ways. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility.   Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey.

Categoriescoaching Exercise Technique

Plan On Lifting or Squatting Something Heavy? Check Your Neck

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of frequent contributor, Dr. Nicholas Licameli. He covers a topic that’s sometimes controversial:

Neck position when lifting heavy things.

Some people play close attention to it (as they should), while others play it off as “no big deal” and point towards really strong people who seemingly have never had any issues with their neck(s).

“See! They do it.”

Yeah, well, you’re not them. And most other people aren’t either.3

Copyright: olegdudko / 123RF Stock Photo

Plan On Lifting or Squatting Something Heavy? Check Your Neck

One of the most common issues I see in the deadlift and squat (and plank, push-up, bent over row, etc.) even in experienced lifters, is forgetting to “set” the head and neck.

  • Feet gripping floor with 3 points of contact? Check.
  • Pelvic floor engaged? Check. Transverse abdominis braced? Check. Diaphragm engaged? Check.
  • Shoulders and scapulae tucked down and back, squeezing the armpits? Check.
  • Neck straight and chin tucked?…

The hip hinge is the foundation to all movements that involve bending over or squatting. A proper hip hinge starts at the hips (naturally) with your spine in a neutral position.

But “spine in neutral position” does not just refer to the lower back. It includes the often-neglected cervical spine, too.

Too often I see the head and neck extended in an otherwise perfect hip hinge (see image below). I lie awake at night wondering why we lose so many good men out there (playing for the Yankees?4) to poor mechanics and why this mistake is so common…here’s what I came up with.

The extended position of the cervical spine can be very dangerous.

It is akin to having a hard arch in the lower back (the facet joints and neural tissues become compressed) except that the joints, muscles, nerves, and other structures of the neck are smaller and more delicate.

Add the maximal contraction of pretty much every muscle, as seen when performing a deadlift or squat, and it is clear to see why this can be dangerous.

So why do so many of us assume this faulty position?

Part of the reason is because our heads always want to be looking upright. Our brains subconsciously want to position our heads so that we are looking at the horizon.

We all know that the end goal is to stand up straight. We feel as if “looking where we’re going,” will help us get there. In order to maintain proper cervical positioning, we have to fight our subconscious, which is never easy.

[Another reason could be that we want to catch ourselves in that perfect lighting for that perfect selfie…]

But I think a big reason why extending the head and neck is so common is because it creates a shortened lever arm, which improves the biomechanical efficiency of the lift.

Let me explain.

When you bend forward in a proper hip hinge, the hip becomes a fulcrum. As a result, a lever is formed from the hip to the top of the head. The longer the lever arm, the harder the load is to move.

Think of the difference between picking up a dumbbell out to the side of your body (as in a lateral raise) versus tucked into your side (as in a shrug).

When lifting out to the side, the shoulder joint is the fulcrum, the lever arm is the arm, and the load is in the hand at the end of the lever.

Lifting with your arm straight out to the side produces a longer lever arm than lifting close to the body, which makes the load more difficult to lift. This is the same reason why many coaches cue lifters to keep the load as close to your shins as possible during a deadlift. The further the load is from the fulcrum (your hip), the harder it is to lift.

What does it all mean Basil?5

It means that extending the head and neck during a deadlift may be the body’s subconscious attempt to improve the biomechanical efficiency of the lift. It essentially shortens the lever arm by about a “head’s length.” (see images below).

             Shortened lever arm by about a “head’s length

To ensure proper positioning, tuck the chin and align the neck with the rest of your spine before lifting the load (see image below).

So next time you deadlift, yes, make sure your hip hinge is on point (and you get that perfect lighting for that selfie), but don’t forget about your vitally important and often neglected head and neck.

Resist the urge to look up!

Your discs, joints, muscles, and nerves will thank you.

Video Explanation

 

About the Author

Every single thing he does, Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives. Bodybuilding and physical therapy serve as ways to carry out that cause. His knowledge of sport and exercise biomechanics, movement quality, and the practical application of research combined with personal experience in bodybuilding and nutrition allows him to help people in truly unique ways. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility.   Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey.

Youtube:

Instagram:

Facebook: 

Categoriesmuscle growth

Blood Flow Restriction Training: Real Deal or Are We Wrapped Up in the Latest Trend?

I’m still in Florida enjoying my vacation (and eating copious amounts of carrot cake). Actually, after reading this article myself and looking at all the jackedness, I’m kinda grossed out by how much carrot cake I’ve been ingesting.

Nevertheless, if you’ve ever been curious as to whether or not there’s any validity to blood flow restriction training and whether it’s something that’s a good fit for you today’s guest post by Dr. Nicholas Licameli will help answer those questions.

Enjoy.

Copyright: lyashenko / 123RF Stock Photo

 

NOTE: Be sure to check with a healthcare practitioner before using blood flow restriction, especially those with cardiac or circulatory pathologies.

For a more in depth look at this topic as well as explanations and details of the studies referenced, be sure to check out my podcast HERE.

Blood Flow Restriction Training: Real Deal or Are We Wrapped Up in the Latest Fad?

In order to fully understand the theory behind BFR, it’s important to quickly review how blood flows through the body. This quick review of the circulatory system also appears in my article on compression garments, which can be found right here.

 

“The system is a cycle with the heart at the core.

Oxygenated blood enters the heart and is pumped (with great force) into the arteries. The arteries carry oxygen rich blood to all the tissues of the body, including muscle.

For simplicity, let’s use the biceps as an example.

As the arteries approach the muscle, they become thinner and thinner until they become so thin that the nutrients and oxygen diffuse across its walls and into the tissue. These super thin blood vessels are called capillaries.

After the blood “drops off” its oxygen and nutrients, it is picked up by more capillaries, which feed into larger blood vessels called veins. The veins passively carry the deoxygenated blood back to the heart. Once back at the heart, the deoxygenated blood gets sent to the lungs to get re-oxygenated, sent back to the heart, and is pumped back into the arteries to start the cycle all over again.

So the force from the initial pump from the heart is enough to send the blood from the heart, through the arteries, through the capillaries, into the veins, and back to the heart all while fighting gravity, plaque build up, etc. (pretty amazing huh?).

So it is easy to see that the velocity of blood flow is MUCH greater in the arteries than it is in the veins. Think of pushing a toy car across the floor. The initial push (the heartbeat) gives the car a decent amount of velocity, however as the car travels further and further away, its velocity lessens.”

What Is Blood Flow Restriction Training?

The goal of BFR training, or occlusion training, is to maintain arterial inflow of blood while occluding venous return during exercise: We want to get that nutrient, hormone, and oxygen-rich blood to the muscle, while delaying its escape.

This is accomplished by the application of a blood pressure cuff, knee wrap, or anything that can be tightly secured around the most proximal (closest to the midline of the body) part of a limb. If we use the arm muscles as an example, the wrap would be tightly secured around the upper arm, as close to the shoulder as possible, causing the blood to pool in the arms.

It is thought to have a positive effect on hypertrophy while using much lighter loads than conventional weight training.

How is it possible to restrict venous return without restricting arterial flow?

Let’s think back to our circulatory system review.

The blood in arteries has a much higher velocity and propulsion force than the veins, so in order to occlude arterial blood flow, a much higher pressure is needed. It is easier and requires less pressure to restrict blood flow in the veins because at that point, the flow of blood is not as forceful. Think of in the movies when someone gets an injury and the blood is squirting and pulsing out. The movie is depicting an arterial injury because of the high velocity of blood.

If a vein were injured, the blood would just ooze out.

 

Note From TG: I added this scene from Kill Bill because 1) why not? and 2) it repeatedly shows “arterial injuries” Nick referred to above. Also, 3) it’s badass.

How Does It Work?

The exact mechanism by which BFR works is unclear, however, the most likely and agreed upon theory has to do with greater metabolic stress.

Muscles release growth factors and metabolic by-products, such as lactic acid, into the bloodstream as a result of resistance training. These growth factors and metabolic by-products are washed away with normal blood flow. By restricting venous return and allowing the blood to pool, these growth factors and metabolic by-products remain in the muscle for a longer period of time and therefore have more time to interact with corresponding receptors in muscle tissue.

The accumulation of metabolic by-products, such as lactic, increases intramuscular acidity and may promote hypertrophy as well as the release of growth hormone (although acute increases in growth hormone have not been shown to significantly impact hypertrophy, it is still worth noting).

The increase in acidity and the buildup of lactic acid are responsible for “the burn” that we all know and love.

Even though we love the feeling, our bodies do not.

Our bodies fight tooth and nail to increase oxygen flow to the area in order to decrease the acidity and restore homeostasis. It does this by increasing respiration (increased breathing rate) and increasing arterial/oxygen-rich blood flow (vasodilation…the pump), but it can only fight for so long.

When the body is no longer able to manipulate breathing and blood flow enough to balance the acidity of our tissues, we enter an anaerobic (“no oxygen”) state. As we keep working through the burn, the acidity continues to increase until we reach muscle failure. Type II muscle fibers are recruited during this anaerobic state, which is important because they have the most potential for growth.

Blood flow restriction increases the amount of deoxygenated blood in the area, which helps facilitate the creation of an anaerobic environment. The result? We reach an anaerobic environment faster and for a longer duration.

How Do We Do It? How Tight? What Set & Rep Ranges? How Often?

As mentioned above, apply the wrap at the most proximal area of your arms and legs. It is difficult to establish an optimal tightness of application due to individual factors such as limb circumference, body fat level, skin thickness, etc. Studies seem to agree on is a simple rating of 7/10 self-rated tightness.

Photo Credit: John Rusin

Perform 3-5 sets to failure with 20-50% of 1 rep max with the muscle occluded the entire time. Rest periods should be 30-60 seconds between sets. After the final set, remove the wraps and restore blood flow to the muscle.

As far as how often BFR should be used, it is my personal opinion that BFR should be used like any other intensity technique that aims to increase metabolic stress, such as rest pause, drop sets, etc.

Is BFR Better Than Just Lifting Weights? I Mean, People Have Been Lifting Heavy Things and Getting Bigger and Stronger for Centuries…

Keep in mind that research only points us in the right direction for further study and isn’t meant to be the end-all be-all.

Research gives us trends and averages, however we each are n=1.

That being said…

Research shows that BFR training may be more effective for hypertrophy than conventional hypertrophy training with matched loads and just as effective as conventional training with unmatched loads.

This means that BFR causes the same amount of hypertrophy as conventional training while using significantly lighter loads. BFR training has been shown to enhance hypertrophy with weights of about 20-30% of 1 rep max, which is significantly lighter than what is typically required for conventional training.

When comparing BFR training to conventional strength training, research has shown BFR and conventional training to have a similar effect on strength with unmatched loads. This means that lifting lighter loads with BFR can increase strength just as much as conventional training with heavy loads.

When loads were matched (both groups lifting the same weight), BFR was shown to improve strength to a greater degree than conventional training.

That being said, there are studies that show BFR to be inferior to conventional heavy training to improve strength. Research supports that, when it comes to strength, specificity of training is key.

What’s the take home regarding strength? As the saying goes, “If you want to lift heavy things, you have to lift heavy things.”

BFR has also shown some promising results in physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Research has shown that subjects experienced increased serum growth hormone, thigh muscle size, and 1 rep max isometric strength just by walking on a treadmill with BFR applied to the legs.

Research also shows that when BFR was applied to the legs following ACL reconstruction surgery, subjects experienced more strength retention and less atrophy when compared to a control.   Strength retention and less atrophy were also observed using BFR following a period of ankle immobilization and a non-weight bearing protocol.

It seems BFR may be quite an effective tool with a wide variety of implications. Variables such as power, speed, endurance, etc. still require further investigation at this time.

Is It Safe?

Be sure to check with a qualified 6healthcare practitioner before adding BFR to your training toolbox.

Contraindications to blood flow restriction training include a history of deep-vein thrombosis, pregnancy, varicose veins, high blood pressure and cardiac disease.

Excessive pressure and prolonged ischemia (decreased blood flow) can lead to necrosis of tissues (cell death). Even though the BFR guidelines outlined in this article do not use excessive pressure and are not being applied for long periods, caution should always be taken.

Stop use immediately and consult a qualified healthcare practitioner if you experience severe pain, dizziness, nausea, or numbness/tingling.

Keep in mind that every time you enter the gym, you are taking a risk. If not respected or properly executed, anything can be harmful. Even with perfect form, injury is a risk.

What’s the Take Home?

  • With BFR, the goal is to induce fatigue, blood pooling, and muscle burning quicker and withless weight/work.
  • Wrap at the most proximal area of your arms and legs (under your shoulder and high on your inner thigh) with a 7/10 self-rated tightness.
  • Perform 3-5 sets to muscular failure using 20-50% of your 1 rep max with the muscle occluded the entire time.
  • Rest periods should be 30-60 seconds between sets.
  • After the final set remove the wraps and restore blood flow to the muscle.
  • While BFR has been shown to enhance hypertrophy and strength, it seems to have more of a positive impact on hypertrophy than strength. For strength, it may be more beneficial to stick to traditional heavy training.
  • BFR seems to be safe, however a qualified1 healthcare practitioner should be consulted prior to implementing BFR.

Don’t forget… For a more in depth look at this topic as well as explanations and specifics of the studies referenced, be sure to check out my podcast right here. 

About the Author

Dr. Nicholas M. Licameli, PT, DPT

NGA Pro Bodybuilder/Doctor of Physical Therapy

Every single thing he does, Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives. Bodybuilding and physical therapy serve as ways to carry out that cause. His knowledge of sport and exercise biomechanics, movement quality, and the practical application of research combined with personal experience in bodybuilding and nutrition allows him to help people in truly unique ways. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility.  Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey.

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References

In addition to the references listed below, please be sure to check out the work of Jeremy Loenneke on BFR as well as StrengthandConditioningResearch.com.

Abe T, Kearns C, and Sato Y. (2006) Muscle size and strength are increased following walk training with restricted venous blood flow from the leg muscle, Kaatsu-walk training. J Appl Physiol 100: 1460–1466.

Boucourt, B., Bouhaddi, M., Mourot, L., Tordi, N., & Ménétrier, A. (2014). Changes in tissue oxygen saturation with calf compression sleeves-before, during and after a cycling exercise. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness. 55(12):1497-501

Egerton, T., Beardsley, C. Blood Flow Restriction Training. Strength and Conditioning Research. Retrieved on 7/21/16 from https://www.strengthandconditioningresearch.com/blood-flow-restriction-training-bfr

Kubota, A., Sakuraba, K., Sawaki, K., Sumide, T. & Tumara, Y. (2008). Prevention of disuse muscular weakness by restriction of blood flow. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 40(3), 529-34. [

Loenneke JP and Pujol TJ. (2009). The Use of Occlusion Training to Produce Muscle Hypertrophy. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 31(3): 77-84.

Menetrier, A., Mourot, L., Bouhaddi, M., Regnard, J., & Tordi, N. (2011). Compression sleeves increase tissue oxygen saturation but not running performance. Int J Sports Med, 32(11), 864-868.

Takarada Y, Takazawa H, and Ishii N. (2000). Application of vascular occlusion diminish disuse atrophy of knee extensor muscles. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32: 2035–2039.