ENTRAINER LE «NOYAU» DU DOS

Je ne aime pas le mot «noyau». Cependant, dans le monde du fitness, le terme «noyau» ou « coeur » est souvent mal utilisé et mal compris.

Votre «noyau» n'est pas seulement la couverture du magazine Men's Health avec le model de couverture montrant son 6-pack avec lequel vous pouvez laver vos vêtements dessus. Allez dans une salle de fitness et vous trouverez des gens travaillant apparemment leur « noyau » en effectuant des répétitions sans fin sur une multitude de machines dans l'effort pour atteindre le 6-pack. Allez dans une salle de fitness et vous verrez que la plupart des personnes sont encore gras, malgré l'entraînement de leur «noyau».

Vous trouverez des personnes effectuant des variations de soulevé de terre, des variations de squats, des squats sur une seule jambe, et ces gens ont un bon physique

Tout le monde regarde votre face arrière, du dos au talon. Devinez quoi? C'est votre «noyau» aussi.

Je suis d'accord avec l'entraîneur et kinésithérapeute Gray Cook quand il dit que les gens doivent donner plus d'attention à "la formation des muscle de notre face arrières" (ex: fessiers, hanches).

Nous sommes des créatures basé sur les hanches. Le moteur, la base sont les hanches. Tout, de la force, de la puissance, toutes cette énergie est transférée en passant par les hanches. Le moteur de votre voiture fait la même chose; elle donne de la puissance à votre voiture. Votre section médiane (abdos) peut être considéré comme l'arbre de transmission ou la boîte de vitesse du « noyau ». Vous n'êtes pas censé plier ou tordre l'arbre de transmission de votre voiture. Alors pourquoi cela semble être la meilleure façon de former notre base, notre « noyau »? Pourquoi avons-nous négliger totalement le moteur?

En fin de compte, la formation de la base de votre dos mènera à une meilleure performance. Apprenez à utiliser vos hanches et fessiers, et vous serez capable de gérer plus de poids. Plus vous gérez de poids, plus vous brûlez de calories. Plus vous brûlez de calories, plus vous brûlez de graisse dans une période donnée de 24 heures (en supposant que votre régime alimentaire est sain). Eh bien: travaillez votre section médiane (et ayez un bon dos, de belle fesse et de belle jambes ferme. Ouais mon pote !).

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TRAINING THE CORE OF YOUR BACK

I don't like the word “core.” Unless of course, your name happens to end with “core,” then it’s completely awesome. However in the fitness world, the term “core” is often misused and misunderstood.

Your “core” is not just the front of Mens Health magazine, with the cover model sporting a six pack that you could wash your clothes on. Walk into any gym and you will find many trainees seemingly working their core by performing endless repetitions of crunches or any other multitude of machines in an effort to attain said six pack. Walk into any gym and you will find that most trainees are still fat, despite training their “core.”

You will find trainees performing deadlift variations, pull-throughs, glute-ham raises, supine bridges, squat variations, lots of single leg work, and people look good.

Everyone looks at rear ends. Guess what? That’s your “core” too.

I agree with physical therapist/strength coach Gray Cook when he says that people need to pay more attention to “training the backside of the core” (ie: glutes, hips).

We should be hip based creatures. The motor of the core are the hips . Everything from force, power, to strength is transferred through the hips. The motor of your car does the same thing; gives your car horsepower. Your mid-section (abs) can be seen as the transmission or drive shaft of the core. You’re not supposed to bend or twist the drive shaft/transmission of your car. So why do we seem to think that that is the best way to train our core? Why do we totally neglect the motor ?

In the end, training the core of your back will lead to better PERFORMANCE. Learn to use your hips and glutes, and you will be able to handle more weight in the gym. You handle more weight, you burn more calories. You burn more calories, you burn more fat in any given 24 hour period (assuming your diet is dialed in). Well: lean, firm mid section (and a nice rear end to boot. Yeah buddy). No crunches involved.

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FATIGUE MASQUES TOUJOURS LA VRAIE PERFORMENCE

Vladimir Zatsiorsky (un homme qui est plus intelligent que moi et vous) a résumé la théorie de la fatigue au fitness (ou la théorie des deux facteurs) en déclarant, "L'effet immédiat après un entraînement est considéré comme une combinaison de (a) gain de performance par l'entraînement et (b) la fatigue. La somme du positif et du négatif détermine le résultat final. "

La fatigue masque toujours votre "vrai" niveau de forme physique. Beaucoup d'athlètes font l'erreur de constamment pousser/tirer chaque semaine, en ajoutant de plus en plus de poids. Ceci est un fait, les performances chutent et beaucoup de frustration s'ensuit.

Imaginez ceci: Si je vous demandais (juste après avoir fait votre dernière série de développer coucher jusqu'à l'échec), d'aller faire un marathon ? Pensez-vous que vous pourriez revenir après une course de 26 km et encore faire 4 séries de développer coucher incliné (c'est le jour des pecs) ? Oooh, non.

En général, apprendre exactement comment fluctuent votre volume d'entraînement sur une base hebdomadaire, sera un long chemin pour aider à prévenir la fatigue. Je peux en témoigner. Il y a environ un mois, j'étais vraiment fatigué, je ne voyais pas mes progrès et une partie de mon entourage racontais que j'avais pris de la masse et l'autre que j'avais maigri. Je me sentais vraiment mal, fatigué, et faible.

Malheureusement, j'ai continué à marteler. Un dimanche soir, j'ai décidé de faire une pause d'une semaine. J'avais fait des siestes tout le week-end, ce qui n'était pas normal. Je suis revenu la semaine suivante et j'ai battu mon record personnel au soulevé de terre.

Ne vous attendez pas à établir des records personnels chaque semaine, et si vous faites partie des nombreux qui pensent que pour faire des progrès, vous devez constamment ajouter de plus en plus de volume chaque semaine, alors vous vous tirez une balle dans le pied. Encore une fois, la fatigue masque toujours votre forme physique. Gardez votre ego à la porte et apprenez à évoluer à votre propre rythme et faite une pause en en cas de besoin, c'est normal (vacance).

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FATIGUE ALWAYS MASKS TRUE “FITNESS”

Vladimir Zatsiorsky (a man who is smarter than me and you) summarized the fitness-fatigue theory (or two factor theory) by stating, “The immediate effect after a workout is considered a combination of (a) fitness gain prompted by the workout and (b) fatigue. The summation of positive and negative changes determines the final outcome.”

Fatigue always mask your “true” fitness level. Many trainees make the mistake of constantly pounding away each and every week, adding more and more volume. It's a fact, performance drops and a whole lot of frustration ensues.

Imagine this: If I were to ask you find your one rep max on the bench press and then told you to go out and run a marathon, do you think you could come back after running 26 miles and still lift that same weight? Oooh, no.

In general, just learning how to fluctuate your training volume on a weekly basis will go a long way to help prevent fatigue from deterring your progress in the future. I can attest to this. About a year and a half ago I was going through a “funk” and not making much progress in the gym. I just felt really rundown, tired, and weak.

Unfortunately, I continued to pound away each week. I decided to back-off for a week (deload) and low and behold, I came back the following week and broke my deadlift's personal record.

You can’t expect to set personal records each and every week, and if you’re one of the many who feel that in order to make progress you need to constantly add more and more volume each and every week, then you’re really shooting yourself in the foot. Again, fatigue always mask fitness. Keep your ego at the door and learn to back-off when needed.

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TRAVAILLEZ-VOUS VOTRE JAMBE ?

C'est probablement l'élément le plus important que les gens oublient ou ils sont tout simplement trop paresseux pour le mettre dans leurs programmes. Travail jambe par jambe uniquement (juste pensez-y) sert à plusieurs choses. Cela aide à corriger les faiblesses ou les déséquilibres qui peuvent exister entre un membre ou l'autre (dans ce cas, une jambe est plus forte ou plus faible que l'autre). Ceci fait aussi un superbe travail pour améliorer la force globale en forçant les adducteurs/abducteurs des hanche pour stabiliser le corps (à savoir le fémur). Travailler jambe par jambe permet d'améliorer la coordination et l'équilibre, ce que beaucoup de personnes (à part athlètes) n'ont radicalement pas.

Je le vois presque tous les jours. Les enfants qui sont assis en face de la télévision toute la journée à jouer aux des jeux vidéo ou les personnes qui ont des emplois sédentaires devant l'ordinateur qui ne peuvent pas effectuer une fente inversé simple, sans tomber sur toute les répétitions.

En fin de compte, le travail une jambe individuellement donne des résultats ÉNORME aux sports. Combien de sports pouvez-vous compter où l'utilisation des jambes ne sont pas nécessaire ? Et non, l'alimentation sportive n'est pas un sport. De plus, s'il y a quelque chose qui aiderait à prévenir la majorité des problèmes de genou, c'est le travail de jambe individuelle. Donc, faites-vous une faveur et commencer à l'intégrer dans votre programmation. Votre genou vous remerciera.

Le genou de la jambe dominante: l'entraîne est essentiellement des variations squat sur une jambe (fentes, step-ups, des squats sur une jambe (pistolet)

Statique, sans support: composé de mouvements de jambes simples effectuées sur une jambe sans mouvement vers l'avant ou vers l'arrière (celles-ci seraient vos vrais squats sur une jambe). L'objectif de l'exercice est de ne pas toucher le sol.

Statique, avec support : Toujours pas de mouvement vers l'avant ou vers l'arrière, mais maintenant il y a une support de travail ( le sol ou sur un banc), ce sont les squats split ou les squats split bulgares,

Dynamique: Fentes en marchant, steps-ups (comme si on montait des escaliers).

La hanche de la jambe dominante: implique plus les ischio-jambiers et fessiers. Soulevé de terre roumain sur une jambes, Fentes inversé.

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DO YOUR SINGLE LEG WORK

This is probably the most important component that people forget about or are just too lazy to incorporate into their programs. Single leg work (think lunges) serves several purposes. It helps to fix any weaknesses or imbalances that may exist between one limb or the other (in this case, one leg being stronger or weaker than the other). They also do a superb job at improving overall strength by forcing the hip adductors/abductors to fire and stabilize the body (namely the femur) while the body is breaking the frontal plane, which is especially beneficial for many athletes. This is also the reasoning as to why single leg work helps to improve coordination and balance, which many people (athletes aside) drastically lack.

I see it almost everyday. Kids who sit in front of the television all day playing video games or older adults who have sedentary jobs in front of the computer, can’t perform a simple reverse lunge without falling over every other repetition.

In the end, single leg work has a HUGE carryover to sports. How many sports can you think of that take place entirely on two feet? And no, competitive eating is not a sport. Additionally if there is anything that will help prevent the majority of knee problems that occur, single leg work may be it. So do yourself a favor and start incorporating them into your programming. Your knee will thank you.

Knee Dominant Single Leg Training: basically entails any squat variation on one leg (lunges, step-ups, split squats, Bulgarians, one-legged squats (pistols)

Static, Un-supported: consist of single leg movements done on one leg with no movement forward or backward (these would be your true one-legged squats). The non working extremity is not allowed to touch the ground.

Static, Supported: still no movement forward or backward, but now the non working extremity is supported (by the ground or a bench). These would entail your split squats or Bulgarian split squats.

Dynamic: Walking Lunges, step-ups

Hip Dominant Single Leg Training: involves more of the hamstrings and glutes. One-legged Romanian Deadlifts, Reverse Lunges. etc.

Unfortunately, I can’t include videos of all movements listed above. If you have any more questions, feel free to e-mail me and I can send you some links/videos.

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THIS ISN’T SOCIAL HOUR

It stands to reason that I have seen a lot of dumb things throughout this years 2014. I would go so far to say that a see something on a daily basis that makes me scratch my head and think to myself, “why?” I’d also go so far to say that my hands should be licensed as lethal weapons by the government, but I digress.

One of my biggest “pet peeves” is when I see a trainer and client or two friends talking to one another DURING a set. I am not referring to a trainer offering coaching cues or correcting form during a set; I am referring to the two actually having a conversation about what they watched on tv last night or how delectable “x” restaurant was to eat at last weekend. 

I’ll keep this brief. If you’re able to hold an entire conversation while you’re performing an exercise (either with a trainer or while training with a friend), then you’re not even close to working hard enough or with any intensity what-so-ever. On a side note, I’ll take a wild guess and assume that you probably haven’t made much progress in the gym in the past few months either (maybe even years).

I am not opposed to building a repoire with my friends and chatting it up with them. On the contrary, many of my friends would say I am the most charming and hilarious person they have ever met….true story. But lets not forget that training time is training time (not social hour). I am all for chatting about how stupid Miley Cyrus is, but during an actual set is NOT that time.

General rule of thumb. If you’re able to talk during a set….add some weight to the bar or increase the intensity on the treadmill. It will be good for you.

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DIETARY PROTEIN AND YOUR KIDNEYS

If I hear one more registered dietician or physician mention that diets high(er) in protein are dangerous, I am going to go postal. First lets make of a list of things that ARE dangerous:

1. Putting your finger in an electrical socket

2. Swimming in a pool full of sharks.

3. Responding “yes” whenever your significant other asks you, “does this make me look fat?”

4. Watching a Ben Affleck movie

Those are dangerous. Diets high in protein are NOT dangerous, as many fitness professionals would have you believe. Many claim that high protein diets will strain or damage the kidneys. Thing is, there has NEVER been one scientific study that has shown that diets high(er) in protein (in this case, upwards of 1 gram per lb of body weight) harm the kidneys in any way in HEALTHY individuals. I’m more likely to date Angelina Jolie than you are in finding a study which says high protein diets cause damage in the kidneys. READ: not going to happen.

And while there are “some” studies which do in fact say that high protein diets cause renal (kidney) dysfunction…..they were done on people who already had some sort of renal disease in the first place. Well duh!!!!

The term “higher” refers to a diet that has people (athletes or active individuals) consuming more than the general populations’ average intake of approximately 15% of energy from protein, e.g., as much as 30%-35%, which is within an Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR). The RDA states that 0.8 grams per kg of bodyweight per day is acceptable for all healthy individuals. However, what people fail to realize is that the RDA’s recommendations are directed to those people who do nothing but sit on their butt all day. 0.8 grams per kg of body weight is what the RDA recommends to stay alive. It’s just enough to stave of deficiency. That’s great, but that amount doesn’t come close to meeting the needs and requirements of athletes and/or those people who consistently workout.

Athletes, as well as those people who lead an active lifestyle consistently eat diets that are higher in protein compared to what the RDA recommends. Bodybuilders from way back in the 1950’s and 60’s ate higher protein diets (upwards of 300-500 grams PER DAY) and to my knowledge, there has never been a epidemic of kidney disease in these populations; even to this day. NOTE: I am NOT suggesting that you need to ingest 300-500 grams of protein per day, just trying to make a point.

Of relevance to “active” individuals and those in clinical practice is the fact that higher protein diets have quite consistently been shown to result in greater weight loss, greater fat loss, and preservation of lean mass as compared with “lower” protein diets. A framework for understanding dietary protein intake within the context of weight loss and athletic performance is laid out throughout TONS of literature and is beyond the scope of this blog entry.

All in all, high protein diets DO NOT harm or cause any undue strain on the kidneys. And if I wasn’t convincing enough,

In a review titled, “Dietary protein intake and renal function,” published in Nutrition and Metabolism, September 2005, Martin et al concluded, and I quote:

“While protein restriction may be appropriate for treatment of EXISTING renal disease, we find no significant evidence for a detrimental effect of high protein intakes on kidney function in healthy persons after centuries of a high protein Western diet.”

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EXCUSES ?!?

Excuses. I hear them all the time.  I am often amused when I overhear someone making excuses as to why they aren’t getting the results they had hoped for. Sorry folks, but going to the gym to walk on the treadmill for 60 minutes, three times per week, while watching Oprah isn’t going to cut it. Nor is restricting calories to Ethiopian levels (yeah, cause it’s the fruit that’s making you fat). In case you didn’t pick up on it, I was being sarcastic….;o) Consider this a dose of what I like to call “tough love.” Everyone needs it from time to time.

Excuse #1: “I don’t have time to eat breakfast in the morning.”

Riiiigggghhhhttttt. It takes no more than TWO minutes to warm-up a bowl of oatmeal. I defy anyone to prove to me that they don’t have two minutes to prepare SOMETHING in the morning. And while the idea of eating a bowl of oatmeal sounds about as appetizing as a bowl of broussel sprouts to some; throw in a few blueberries or an apple with some cinnomon and maybe a touch of chocolate flavored protein powder, and you have a very scrumptious meal.

Food for thought: There is a plethora of data out there which shows that people who eat breakfat regularily tend to be MUCH leaner than those who don’t. Additionally, eating breakfast has been shown to decrease cortisol (a hormone which tells your body to store fat) levels to a vast degree. All in all, your mother was right…. breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. Make it a priority. Get up earlier and quit making excuses.

Excuse #2: “I don’t have time to train/workout during the week.”

Oh really? But I bet you can tell me who won American Idol or what happened in the season finale of Lost, right? It’s funny how people never have time to train, but have all the time in the world to watch their favorite television shows. To prove my point.

The National Human Activity Survey (n=8000): subjects watched on average 19.8 hours of television per week.

American Time Use Survey (n=58,000): subjects watched on average 21 hours of television per week.

Anyone who tells me that they don’t have time to train/exercise at least five hours per week is totally lying to me.

STOP WATCHING SO MUCH DARN TV, and do more exercise. Watch what happens. Quit making excuses.

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STARBUCKS=LIQUID MCDONALDS

This is usually the very first thing my friend tend to “tweak” when I start fitness. It's rather better to EAT  calories than drink them; especially when dieting. I see in an article when you drink drink two of those fully-loaded lattes from Starbucks every… ..single… ..day, you  ingeste 500+ calories per day from those alone.

If you’re one of those people who’s always had a difficult time losing weight/ fat, try getting rid of all calorie containing beverages from your diet. This includes, soda (diet soda is acceptable in moderation), fruit juice (nothing but concentrated sugar, deficient in the good stuff… fiber), lattes (heavy cream, sugar, etc), and GASP… alcohol.

I actually had a really great conversation with a colleague of mine about the effects of alcohol on fat oxidation (body’s ability to burn off fat) not too long ago. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any significant studies dealing with the topic, but my educated guess is that alcohol slows it down significantly.

Alcohol is basically a poison to the body and when you pound down six drinks (if not more for some people), the liver has to work diligently to process and excrete the alcohol from the body. And since alcohol has to go through the liver to be metabolized, it’s impossible for the body to burn fat during this time. So for those who have a tendency to drink a few times per week, you’re really shooting yourself in the foot in the long run. Not to mention you can only use the “beer goggle” excuse for so long.

I know many of you are thinking to yourself, “what about all those people who claim that drinking a glass or two of wine per night actually improves health?” A person who drinks a glass of wine or beer with dinner normally sits down and drinks it over 30 minutes or so. They relax and unwind. Rarely does someone POUND a glass of wine. So is it the wine consumption that makes them healthier, or the fact that they actually sit down and RELAX and enjoy it every night ?

The same could be said for dark beer. Dark beer tends to be similar to wine in the sense that people generally don’t “chug” it. Also, it’s been shown that the flavonoids found in dark beer have the same characteristics as red wine in that it’s very high in antioxidants and helps to reduce the risk of blood clots. Again, is it the dark beer that offers the benefits, or the fact that people sit down to relax and enjoy it ?

If I had to choose, I would prefer that people limit themselves to a drink (maybe two) a few nights per week rather than binging on the weekends in a club or bar. And I would also prefer that people drink more water and green tea.

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