Category: Balance

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It’s never too late to start exercising

Older people who have never taken part in sustained exercise programs have the same ability to build muscle mass as highly trained master athletes of a similar age, according to new research at the University of Birmingham.

Published in Frontiers in Physiology, researchers in the University of Birmingham’s School of Sport and Exercise Science compared muscle-building ability in two groups of older men. The first group was classed as ‘master athletes’ — people in their 70s and 80s who are lifelong exercisers and still competing at top levels in their sport. In the second were healthy individuals of a similar age, who had never participated in structured exercise programs.

The researchers had expected that the master athletes would have an increased ability to build muscle due to their superior levels of fitness over a prolonged period of time. In fact, the results showed that both groups had an equal capacity to build muscle in response to exercise.

The study clearly showed that it doesn’t matter if you haven’t been a regular exerciser throughout your life, you can still derive benefit from exercise whenever you start.

More specific guidance on how individuals can improve their muscle strength can be provided by professionals who specialize in strength and conditioning programs for older adults. Also, I always teach my clients activities that they can perform at home to improve their strength endurance, balance, and core as an adjunct to their written training and fitness program which is designed to help them achieve the goals we set together.


https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190830082621.htm

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Increasing Quality Protein Intake Reduces the Effects of Sarcopenia in Older Adults

The loss of lean muscle mass occurring with advancing age is termed sarcopenia. This condition often leads to a concomitant loss of strength, increased frailty and risk of falls and an overall loss of functional independence in older adults..

Muscle protein balance is a dynamic process and is the difference between the body’s ability to make muscle protein versus the rate at which muscle protein breaks down.

It has been observed through clinical studies that older adults are more resistant to the production of muscle mass or what is referred to as resistance to the anabolic response. (the replacement of muscle).  The loss of this equilibrium leads to the loss of muscle mass, and this is a major factor in the development of sarcopenia.

This is part of the aging process.  The good news is that recent studies have investigated interventions to overcome this anabolic resistance.  In particular,

Combining a resistance Training program with increased  Quality Protein intake restored the anabolic (muscle-building response) in older men.  Recent studies have confirmed the same in older women.

.The present evidence strongly suggests that the loss of lean tissue in the elderly is exacerbated by low dietary protein intake.

 As such, protein supplementation may prove to be an effective approach to delay the loss of muscle mass with age and has led to calls for the recommended daily intake of protein to be increased for the older population.

The Conclusion

The present study indicates that a protein intake of 0.75g/ lb of body weight per day has the most beneficial effects in regard to preventing sarcopenia and weakness in conjunction with a total body resistance training program

So, if you weigh 150lb, you should be ingesting 110- 125g of quality protein a day. 100lbs; 70-80g per day.

I always recommend to my older clients that they supplement their diet in the mornings with a ready to drink (RTD) protein such as Boost®  or Ensure® that supplies quality Protein and adequate micronutrients as an effective anti-aging supplement. There are also vegetarian alternatives in this category.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25826683

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21529326

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30036990

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30475969

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Deadlifting for Improved Core Strength

There are two types of barbells used to perform deadlifts; the straight bar and the Hex Bar (or Trap Bar).

I prefer the use of the Hex Bar when Core Training clients. Studies have shown that the design of the Hax Bar increases the resistance forces of the hamstrings in the concentric phase (the lift) and in the eccentric phase (lowering phase) there are greater resistance forces at work on the back musculature. Also the Hex Bar provides a little more stability in relation to sagittal plane motion because the weights are aligned more in the frontal plane (more centered). For many people , this is a safer exercise.

Hex Bar Deadlift

In addition, the hexagonal-barbell deadlift demonstrated significantly greater peak force, peak power, and peak velocity values than those of the straight-barbell deadlift. The enhanced mechanical stimulus obtained with the hexagonal barbell suggests that in general the Hex Barbell Deadlift is a more effective exercise than the Straight Barbell Deadlift. This is an advanced phase 2 exercise that is only undertaken once core stability and strength endurance has been achieved in phase 1 training of a beginner program or older adult program.

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The benefits of Static Stretching

When we talk about stretching, there are a few different types. In this post, I want to talk about Static Stretching. 1.) Static Stretching is used to correct existing muscle imbalances and lengthen overactive or tight muscle tissue. It is the process of taking a muscle to the point of tension and holding that position for 60 seconds. The physiology of this type of stretching is such that once you reach that point of tension (you feel the stretched muscle) there are receptors in the muscle fiber that sends signals (nerve impulses) to your brain and it sends signals back to the muscle telling it to relax and this provides for better lengthening of the muscle.

It can be used before or/and after a workout or any exercise. I stretch my hamstring and back muscles every day and other groups if I feel tightness or discomfort around a joint. Hip stretches in the morning are a great way to get your metabolism up and I feel ready to tackle my day’s challenges. There have been multiple studies showing that individuals with decreased hamstring flexibility performing static stretching on the hamstrings for between 30-60 sec. showed markedly improved hamstring flexibility after 5 weeks over the control group that did not stretch. And we’re talking about an average gain in flexibility of 10%! If you take the time ( 5 minutes of 3 stretches of 30-60 second hold) you will find that you look forward to stretching for the relaxed feeling it provides to those muscle groups that you stretched.

When training my clients, I teach them the proper form for each static stretch and then let them stretch at home so as not to spend to much time on this exercise. The time is better spent on the more functional exercises to address his or her needs with regard to the overall goal of the program.

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Quality over quantity! Interval walking training improves fitness and health in elderly individuals

This recently published study supports the idea that Interval Training (in this case walking) improves overall fitness in the senior population. This is a study out of Japan. The use of a fitness tracker makes this easier to perform more accurately, and walking is also so time-efficient. You can put your shoes on and go outside and you are on your way. Doing this with a training partner improves compliance I find with my clients.

About VO2max

Simply put Vo2max is the amount of oxygen being consumed by a person when they are at their maximal exertion. So I would measure this by having you walk on a treadmill or a track (or the beach!) for a certain period of time and then use standard calculations to determine your VO2max. Practically speaking, I measure your heart rate at rest and then measure it at intervals while you are walking. I cycle and am considered to be in the elite range of VO2max for my age. The more oxygen (fuel) I am able to use, the more intensely I can exert my body. Endurance athletes such as cyclists can have VO2peak in the 80s. What is important is that once we know your maximum heart rate, we can develop a cardio-respiratory (cardio) program that will be safe and progressive. And it will include interval training.

Now back to the study. The doctor performing this study found that her method outperformed the recommendation of the American Heart Association that to achieve peak oxygen capacity 75 minutes per week of high-intensity workouts are needed for improvement. Participants in the study had significant improvements in their aerobic capacity (VO2max), with 50 minutes of Interval Walking Training (IWT) per week. Improvements to their VO2max plateaued above 50 minutes a week.

The bottom line

 The participants achieved a 14% increase in VO2max and a 17% decrease in lifestyle-related disease (LSD) through IWT. This method is highly desirable due to the ease of maintenance. Many participants remained highly motivated and went beyond their prescribed regimen and the beauty of IWT is that it does not require expensive equipment to administer. Next we will talk about the benefits to your cardio-pulmonary system with this type of training.

Shizue Masuki, Mayuko Morikawa, Hiroshi Nose. High-Intensity Walking Time Is a Key Determinant to Increase Physical Fitness and Improve Health Outcomes After Interval Walking Training in Middle-Aged and Older People. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2019

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Reducing Muscle Soreness

If you are a runner, particularly one that trains for long-distance this is a very interesting read for you. Cyclists as well.

Supplementation of Magnesium 500mg/day for 7 days prior to a 10k mostly downhill event reduced muscle soreness. Most of us could use additional Magnesium as getting enough from our diets usually doesn’t cut it.

Getting and Staying Fit

The Study:
One week of magnesium supplementation (500mg/day) lowers IL-6, muscle soreness and increases post-exercise blood glucose in response to downhill running. https://bit.ly/2plUgHv #runners #cycling #sportsnutrition #magnesiumsupplementation

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Corrective Exercise Part 2

Corrective Exercise is a term used to describe a systematic process wherein we identify muscular dysfunctions either around a joint or affecting a joint through what we call ” malalignments”. This is the result of specific muscle imbalances that are identified through assessments like the “Overhead Squat” described in an earlier blog.

The Corrective Exercise Continuum. courtesy of NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine)

The Corrective Exercise Continuum

This process requires the knowledge and then the application of an integrated assessment process.

  • 1.) Identify the Problem(Integrated Assessment)
  • 2.) Solve the Problem (Program Design)
  • 3.) Implement the Solution (Exercise Technique)

The Process involves 4 steps.

  • Muscle Inhibitory Techniques
  • Lengthening Techniques
  • Activation Techniques
  • Integration Techniques

Before implementing the Corrective Exercise Continuum, an integrated assessment procedure needs to be done to determine dysfunctions and then the design of the CE (Corrective Exercise) program. This integrated assessment will help in determining which tissues need to be activated and strengthened through the use of the CE process.

This integrated approach allows me to develop safe programs that consider the functional capacity and unique situations for every person. Contact me

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CORRECTIVE EXERCISE Part 1

So many of us work at a desk for 5-7 hours per day during the workweek. This creates over time Postural Imbalances or Distortions that can lead to muscle pain and tightness. Over 60% of us deal with low back pain on a daily basis due to these types of positions. This prolonged postural position can also lead to knee pain, particularly in the front of the knee joint.

Your gluteals are in a stretched position.(weakness)Your Hamstrings and calve muscles are in a tightened (shortened) position (overactive)

This is where corrective exercise can lead to improving postural control and increased core strength. The corrective exercises involve stretching the tight muscle groups and strengthening the lengthened muscle groups. A program will be designed based on Postural Assessments which are both static (no motion) as well as dynamic (using motion) like a modified squat. This is all about strengthening core musculature and is the initial phase of an overall strengthening program.

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About the Overhead Squat Assessment

The Overhead Squat (OHS) is a primary assessment tool used by NASM Certified Professionals. It is designed to assess dynamic flexibility, core strength, balance, and overall neuromuscular control. There is ample evidence in the scientific literature to support the use of traditional movement assessments. Because it is a multi-planer (2 planes of motion) exercise and multijoint, the professional trainer can observe certain movement patterns that indicate areas of movement impairment and muscular imbalances. These may be the result of alterations in available joint motion, muscle activation, and overall neuromuscular control that can point to elevated injury risks (both in and out of the fitness environment.

Some individuals may not be able to perform this exercise. For them, we can regress and have them perform other assessment exercises to determine their dynamic postural imbalances.

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