Clearing Up Cardio Confusion

by Krista Schaus, March 11th, 2010.

It doesn’t matter what country I am in or what type of client or athlete I am working with — they WILL ask about cardio.

• “How much cardio should I be doing?”
• “When’s the best time to do my cardio?”
• “I want to get leaner — should I do more cardio or more weights?”
• “I hate cardio. Do I need to do hours and hours to achieve my goals?”
• “I am up to 2 hours of cardio a day – where do I go from here?”

I don’t think there’s actual confusion about cardio. Rather, I believe cardio is simply being misused.

Most people are pretty clear about what they are doing and why, but they are using cardio inappropriately.

I was a police officer for over a decade. I often spoke to school groups about use/misuse and abuse of alcohol or drugs.

It dawned on me recently that there’s a strong similarity between the inappropriate use of drugs and alcohol within that population, and the inappropriate use of cardio within the fitness population. It is rampant, and it is based on ignorance and fear.

When I say ignorant, don’t take that the wrong way – do not confuse ignorance with stupidity. Ignorant simply means  being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed in a certain area. My goal is to inform you how to use cardio properly.

No more cardio cluelessness!

Here’s a big question for starters:

What do we mean by “cardio”?

When you ask questions about “cardio”, you need to be more specific. The industry as a whole, particularly print media (fitness magazines), needs to start talking about “cardio” appropriately and using common language.

“Cardio” is short for “cardiovascular”, which refers to the lungs and heart, and their associated systems.

I assume when someone asks about “cardio”, they are referring to longer, steady state, low to moderate intensity sessions of a repetitive movement. This can be easily done on any “cardio” machine such as an upright bike, rowing machine, elliptical trainer or Stairmaster but can also be done with no equipment, such as walking or jogging (depending on the individual’s level of conditioning).

For most folks, then, “cardio” means something like “go outside and run for a while to get your heart rate up”. That’s not wrong, but it’s not as accurate as it could be.

Energy systems – the key to understanding “cardio”‘s effects

Busting out some anaerobic intervals. (I won't say the towel hat is the magic secret to fat loss, but it doesn't hurt!)

All cardio, however, is not created equal. In order to understand why, and how cardio types can differ, you have to have a basic understanding of the body’s three energy systems:

1. Anaerobic a-lactic
2. Anaerobic lactic
3. Aerobic

The main difference between energy systems is the duration and intensity of the exercise and the type of energy source the body uses to fuel the activity.

What many people describe as “cardio” — long-duration, relatively lower intensity movement — works the third system, the aerobic energy system.

Now, there’s a place for this in training, especially if you’re an endurance athlete, or looking for some active recovery — or even just a nice way to unwind with a pleasant jog outside in the fresh air.

But despite what the “aerobics” craze of the 1980s told us, aerobic activity is not necessarily always the best choice for fat loss, athletic performance, or body recomposition.

I prefer anaerobic exercise (the first two energy systems) for myself and for my clients. I am all about results, function and balance. I also like to make the most effective and efficient use of one’s training time.

Aerobic exercise can play a role in accomplishing physique and/or fitness goals, but it must be used properly.

Using cardio for good

 

First let’s look at 3 ways to use cardio, or anything for that matter:

1. USE – Users understand the role of cardio, and incorporate it appropriately within the overall training curriculum or program.
2. MISUSE – There is where ignorance comes into play. Users don’t know or understand why they’re using cardio, and thus use it inappropriately and improperly.
3. ABUSE – Here, we get into the domain of self-sabotaging behaviour. Users know and understand the role of cardio. They know and understand — and have experienced — the consequences of improper use. Yet the individual continues to abuse cardio. There are deep rooted emotional issues along with disordered thinking and behaviours involved here. This person may need guidance and assistance beyond a performance coach or personal trainer. This is an addiction where logic, knowledge and experience are ignored. (To see whether you fall into this group, scroll down for our handy checklist.)
   

Using cardio appropriately: an example

I prefer to work with those who are using cardio appropriately and I can help them use it in different or better ways.

An example of this is someone who previously started their cardio progression 16 weeks before their “peak” date such as a wedding day or a physique contest.

I would look at things like their natural carb tolerance, metabolism and other individualization tools such as blood type and Biosignature profile and may suggest that they wait until 6 to 9 weeks out to start their cardio progression.

Or I may recommend they switch from an upright bike and treadmill to an road bike and outdoor walk. They are using “cardio” properly, but I help them use it better or differently in order to continue to get results, or get more optimal results.

Misusing cardio: an example

Of course, people come to me for advice, so I don’t reject clients simply because they aren’t getting things quite right immediately! After all, they’ve been told by mass media sources that they should be cardio junkies.

I also enjoy working with those who are misusing “cardio”, because often they respond by saying, “I had no idea! I just thought to get leaner I should do more and more cardio! This will save me time and I will look and feel even better.”

They have no hang ups or unhealthy attachments to cardio, and they’re quite compliant with my recommendations once they have been better educated about the role of cardio, where it fits within the energy systems, and how they can use it effectively.

An example would be someone who is doing three days a week of 30 minute resistance training sessions (weight) and five 40-minute cardio sessions a week.

I flip that and have them do five 40-minute strength training sessions a week and follow each of those with 12 minutes of either steady state or interval training (anaerobic) “cardio” sessions.

This results in much less total “cardio” time, plus more metabolism and hormone boosting strength training – thus, better results in less time!

Abusing cardio: two examples

If you're spending hours and hours here every week, you may have a problem.

Here are two examples of cardio abuse. I think they exemplify some of the ways in which people can develop unhealthy attachments to cardio, and keep abusing it despite knowledge and evidence about the consequences.

A very tall, thin and lean female client was doing 60 minutes of steady state cardio at 40% of her heart rate almost every day, even though her goal was to look more toned, lean and muscular. In fact, she was an ultramarathon runner who raced every 3 weeks on average! In her case, she misused cardio because she was trying to lose weight.

She also consumed far too few calories to support this activity — about 1500 on an average day — and her carbohydrate intake was very low. It’s amazing to me that her body still functioned after all this abuse!

Ironically, she didn’t even lose weight.

Neither the choice of activity, the duration, nor the intensity were appropriate for her goal, but she had a very hard time giving it up — even despite all the data and information showing would be more appropriate and why. She still could and would not give up nor change her running duration nor frequency.

In another case, a lean and underweight male client wanted to gain weight and muscle, yet he would not give up running and cardio kickboxing sessions.

He refused to change, even though he was a kinesiology student who understood various training modalities, muscle fibres and energy systems (and that his current exercise regime was not specific to his goals)!

Thus, again, despite knowledge, understanding, and evidence, cardio abusers — like addicts — persist.

What does cardio change look like?

 

Here is an actual Biosignature profile comparison of a client who was initially misusing cardio.

The first report shows her starting stats as a cardio misuser.

The second report shows the progress she made after 1 month of implementing a system that uses cardio optimally. In her case, that was a mere 6 to 12 minutes (!)  of postworkout cardio after each of her five weekly strength training sessions.

	Start	After 1 month	Difference
Weight	120 lb	116 lb	-4 lb
Body fat %	12.1%	9.1%	-3%
Lean mass	105	105	0
BMI	21.5	21.1	-0.4
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)	0.9	0.8	-0.1

Here’s a graph showing the change in her skinfolds. Note that she lost 13 mm from her total skinfolds!

 

Not only did she lose fat, she improved all of her hormone correlations – increases in androgens, improved thyroid function, and carbohydrate tolerance.

Her face filled out. Long cardio sessions can give the face a gaunt appearance. (Ladies, pay attention. If you’re grinding out the cardio hours to look good, you may be achieving exactly the opposite!)

All in one month.

How’d she do it? Simple. She cut her cardio from one to two hours of “cardio” weekly to less than one hour total time of aerobic and anaerobic combined.

Again: Less time, better results. Sweet!

Krista’s optimal cardio use system

 

OK, you’re prepared to toss the hours of hamstering on the treadmill. Great! How do you go about implementing this?

1. Decide on your goal.

What are you really trying to do with this cardio?

Lose fat? Stay lean? Improve athletic performance?

If you aren’t an endurance athlete, then you probably don’t need those long-duration, low-intensity sessions.

2. Start with a schedule.

Once you have your goals, figure out a schedule to accomplish them.

Give yourself enough time to healthily accomplish the goal, but not too long that you lose motivation and peak too soon. Twelve to sixteen weeks is optimal.

Pick a target date and mark it on the calendar. Then work backwards to figure out your workout plan.

3. Eliminate ALL cardio

The first phase of your plan should involve little or NO cardio.

Oh yeah, I can hear the squeals of fear. “What?! I have been going two hours a day! If I take it all out, I will get fat!”, you say.

Then so be it. You must let your body reset. Whatever body you get from going cardio-free is reality.

The body will strive to achieve balance one way or another. By being proactive, you can have control over it rather than it controlling you.

If continue to do more and more cardio — longer sessions, more often — you will either experience a crash (hormonal, metabolic, emotional and/or situational) or you will sustain an illness or injury.

The body always gets what it needs. The sooner we understand this, the sooner we’ll be a balanced and healthy society.

Whether through hormonal collapse, injury, or your choice, the NO CARDIO rule will become reality. This way, YOU choose it and YOU manage it.

Proper cardio progressions will be more effective by first taking cardio out. You must create an environment within the body to use cardio successfully. And you don’t do that by hammering away at cardio until your body crumbles. Give it a break.

4. Weight training FIRST

The most important part of any workout plan is to create a stimulus for your muscles. Lift weights. Weight training impacts hormones and metabolism positively and also builds strength, structure and function that you can use for many years into the future.

Decide first how many days a week you are going to do resistance training.

Apply the “opposite rule” here (in other words, the opposite of what you were doing before that didn’t work). For example, if you are training every day, twice a day, then start your 12 to 16 week peaking plan with 4 or 5 days a week and increase from there. If you are only lifting weights two or three days a week, double your efforts.

5. Anaerobic work second

Now plug in your anaerobic or interval progression. Start with 1 interval training session a week starting at 12 minutes each session, working up to three sessions weekly for 20 to 30 minutes.

The duration of your interval can be anywhere from 15 to 45 seconds and your rest is relative to the intensity and duration of your interval.

Sample intervals:

• 15 seconds HIGH intensity work such as burpees or 100 m sprints at the track – 1:00 REST – Repeat until your total time is completed.
• 30 seconds MODERATE-HIGH intensity upright bike spurts – 1:30 REST – Repeat until your total time is completed.
• 45 seconds MODERATE-HIGH tire flipping or elliptical spurts – 2:00 to 3:00 REST – Repeat until your total time is completed.
  

Sample anaerobic “interval” progression

 

Ideally do these after upper body strength training sessions OR at a separate time from strength training. As the weeks progress, is it better to move them away from your strength training sessions and replace the post workout interval work with post workout “cardio” (see progressions for “cardio” next).

Here’s a 16-week sample progression.

Phase #	Activity type / Frequency	Duration
1 – Weeks 1 to 3	NONE	N/A
2 – Weeks 4 to 7	Bike sprints – 30 seconds work / 90 seconds rest 1-2 x weekly	Week 4 – 6 sets Week 5 – 7 sets Week 6 – 8 sets Week 7 – 9 sets
3 – Weeks 8 to 11	Tire flipping – 45 seconds work / 2:00 rest 2x weekly	Week 8 – 5 sets Week 9 – 6 sets Week 10 – 7 sets Week 11 – 8 sets
4A – Weeks 12 to 13	Track sprints – 100 m sprint / walk around rest of track for rest Tabata drills – 20 seconds work / 10 seconds rest – Repeat 8 times 3x weekly	Week 12 – 10 sets Week 13 – 12 sets
4B – Weeks 14 to 16		Week 14 – 1 cycle of Tabatas Week 15 – 2 cycles Tabatas Week 16 Peak week – REST – may only do intervals 1x a week

The progression above is just an example using various modalities and variables. You may also pick one form of anaerobic activity and plan in progressions each week by increasing intensity, frequency and volume and/ or reducing rest between sets.

6. Now… finally… it’s time for “cardio”

Now we’ve taken care of the components that get optimal results — the strength training and anaerobic work. Only after that’s happened should you add a “cardio” component.

In fact, some people may not need any cardio, as they are metabolic furnaces — genetically gifted machines who respond very well to strength training and anaerobic work.

However, those who have had issues with their weight much of their life, and would not define themselves as genetically blessed or fortunate, will benefit from the additional cardio piece. But remember, it is progressive and part of the entire plan.

Sample aerobic “cardio” progression:

 

Phase #	Activity type / Frequency	Duration
1 – Weeks 1 to 3	NONE	N/A
2 – Weeks 4 to 7	Treadmill walk 5 degree incline, 3.3 to 4.1 speed – enough intensity to elicit mouth breathing but still able to carry on a conversation 3 times weekly – after highest intensity strength training sessions	Week 4 – 6-10 minutes Week 5 – 8-12 minutes Week 6 – 10-15 minutes Week 7 – 12-20 minutes
3 – Weeks 8 to 11	Different “cardio” modality each session After each strength training session	Week 8 – 12-20 minutes Week 9 – 15-22 minutes Week 10 –17-25 minutes Week 11 – 20-30 minutes
4A – Weeks 12 to 13	After each strength training session 5-6 x weekly, upon waking after taking in AM supplements	Week 12 – 22-30 minutes Week 13 – 24-32 minutes
4B – Weeks 14 to 16		Week 14 – 25-35 minutes Week 15 – 30-40 minutes Week 16 Peak week – reduce “cardio” time and increase recovery methods such as massage, Epsom salt baths, and yoga.

7. Assess and re-assess — follow the evidence

Throughout this period, follow the evidence. Take regular measurements of body composition, athletic performance and health to keep track of how this works for you.

Are YOU a cardio abuser?

 

If you answer “yes” to three or more of these, then consider yourself a potential cardio abuser. See above for “cardio rehab” ideas.

• Do you try to negate a bad food choice or less than stellar nutritional day with extra steady state cardio session to “even out” the calories?
• Is the duration of the session more important to you than intensity (e.g., you’ll choose 50 minutes lower intensity over 20 minutes of intervals)?
• If time is short, do you scratch off resistance training before cardio sessions?
• If you want to drop some weight, is your first choice a 10 km or half marathon event?
• If a coach gives you a goal-specific program, are you quick to ask “where’s the cardio?” or “when will we be adding in cardio?”
• Do you track and record “calories burned per session” on a stationary piece of equipment?
• Do you feel fat or out of control when you go a day or more without a cardio session?
• Do you find your cardio time inching up and up… are you putting in more than an hour a day trying to lose weight or make progress?
• Do you find yourself progressing to longer endurance events — eventually hoping that events such as ultramarathons will help you lose fat? Do half-marathons seem like not enough and a full marathon just getting warmed up?
• Do you keep using cardio well beyond when it stops being useful or productive — for example doing cardio many times weekly for months and even years with little or no change in stimulus?
• Does the thought of dropping cardio make you feel distressed, fearful, and/or anxious?
• Have you even refused to stop doing it after a trainer or health professional expressed concern about what effects so much cardio may have on you?
• Have you had blood test results that suggest you’re under significant physical stress (e.g. depressed sex hormones, disrupted thyroid, very high or very low cortisol, etc.)?
• Are you afraid or reluctant to do resistance training, or increase the intensity or frequency of resistance training, in case you “get too big” or “bulk up” — even though endless cardio sessions haven’t helped you accomplish your goal (of reduced weight, body fat and/or girth measures)?
  

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 Above all, ask yourself:
 

• Why am I doing this?
• Am I using cardio properly?
• Is what I am doing truly helping me reach my goals (as demonstrated objectively by evidence such as body fat tests or tape measurements)?
• Was I misusing cardio simply because I did not have enough information?
• Or do I have an unhealthy attachment to cardio that I need to examine more deeply?

If you fall into the last groups — cardio misusers and abusers — there’s good news. High intensity training is a highly effective way to bust through mental barriers as well. In fact, I like to refer to them as barrier-busting workouts.

The time and effort you put into high intensity anaerobic training sessions will not only help you break through physical plateaus, but mental ones also.

Stop abusing and start using and progress your “cardio” protocols properly and you will find yourself making real progress with your physique and your overall health.

Celebrating Achievemement - Ayesha

Hi there bloggsters,

It's been too long between updates from me so please accept my apologies for making you wait so long for more inspiration and helpful tips on staying healthy, keeping the weight off and looking & feeling great.  I've got some great information for you so I hope I can appease you all with some quality insights.

Let's kick things off with some inspiration in the form of Ayesha.  This human dynamo hasn't been training with me for as long as many of you, but has won my respect very quickly with her amazing attitude and work ethic.  Check out this 3.5 minute video of Ayesha in action at the gym that tells her story.  Enjoy.

Impressive stuff hey?  Did you see her boxing at the end.  She has only just started but is improving rapidly and loving it.  I have many clients who love keeping fit and want to reduce body fat and have found focus pad boxing a great fun way to do it.  Many people think of boxing as an aggressive sport and may not recognise its potential as a fun and safe form of cardio training.  Trust me.  It is.  You won't believe what it does to your heart rate when you are hitting the pads as fast as you can.  It's also a great way to improve your balance, reflexes and  self-confidence.  This is because I teach proper boxing technique.  So in addition to all the benefits I've already mentioned, you also learn the skill of self-defence. A skill I hope you'll never need to use but may very well save you one day.

Boxing is a little like golf.  It's near impossible to perfect and will remain an ongoing challenge no matter how long you pursue it.  It forces you to concentrate and coordinate your body and mind in ways you may never have encountered before.  Anyone can do it no matter what your age.  I have clients in their 50s and 60s doing it (check out my earlier blog entry of Wendy if you need proof).  Sometimes it'll make you want to scream with frustration, but then on other days you'll put together a complex 16 punch combination and you'll feel bulletproof.  Regardless, you'll burn an astronomical amount of calories in the process.  I've been practicing this skill for nearly 2 years and it still humbles me.  Check out this video clip of my training partner Megan and I putting together some advanced combinations that we've been working on with the help of our great coach Dave.  We work hard, but as you'll see we have a great time doing it.

If your training needs a bit of a shake up and this looks like something you'd like to try, get in touch and I'll arrange a complementary 15 min introductory session for you.

Mobile: 0411951661

Email:  freetobeyou@optusnet.com.au

Rotation - Seated SB w/ Tubing or Cable

Try this exercise to improve your swing. This will develop rotational/twisting strength which will help actions like swinging an axe, bat, racquet or even closing a heavy door with one arm whilst carrying bags of shopping in the other.

 

Difficulty Level :	Beginner
Muscles :	Abdominals Obliques Core
Modality :	Strength
Equipment :	Stability Ball (SB) Band/Tubing
Progressions :	1 Leg
Benefits : Twisting core strength.
Pre-Requisites : Must have no current complaints of pain in the spine prior to loading rotation.
Preparation : Sit "tall" in neutral spine. Perform "active sitting" by lightly contracting the glutes.
Movement : Rotate as far as active range of motion allows (do not compensate by arching or rounding the back). Generate all movement from the trunk.

All About Spinal Health

Article by Ryan Andrews of Precision Nutrition

March 14th, 2011.

What’s the #1 reason people visit the family doc?  The common cold.

What’s the #2 reason?  Lower back pain.

80% of adults report lower back pain at some point in their lives and 10-15% of all sports-related injuries involve the spine. Low back pain accounts for more lost person hours than any other type of occupational injury and is the most frequent cause of activity limitation in those under age 45.
Thus, it’s important to understand what the spine is, what it does, and — most importantly — how we can keep it healthy.

What is the spine?

 

Along with opposable thumbs that we can use to work the TV remotes we invented, one of the things that distinguishes us from many other animals is our spine. The spine provides structural support for our bodies, protection for our central nerves, and facilitates locomotion (aka movement).

The spine is made up of 24 semi-rigid presacral vertebrae (seven cervical, twelve thoracic, five lumbar) separated by discs. Five sacral vertebrae fuse to make up the sacrum, which helps transfer upper body weight to the pelvis through the sacroiliac joint. The coccyx (tailbone) makes up the bottom of the vertebral column.

 The natural curves of the spine

Intervertebral discs hold vertebrae together, act as shock absorbers, and allow dynamic spinal movement. These discs measure around one centimetre in height and consist of a gooey center (nucleus pulposus) surrounded by connective tissue (annulus fibrosis). (Think of an Oreo with the disc as the filling and the vertebrae as the hard cookies.)


Bony projections come together along your mid-back to form the spinous process, which you can feel and see.

The cervical spinous process

Ligaments run along the spine and provide stability, helping the spine protect nerves extending from brain to body.

Spinal muscles and their roles

 

Several muscle groups attach to the spine or play a critical role in spinal health. Problems with these muscles can cause back pain. (For more on how this works, see the next section.)

1. Iliopsoas (psoas + iliacus) complex

 

These lie deep within the abdomen and hip, connecting the lumbar vertebrae and the iliac crest to the top of the femur. They’re major movers during bent knee leg raises and sit ups.
Aggravated with: Lots of sitting/driving, lots of kicking (martial arts or soccer), long bike rides in bent position, and sleeping in the fetal position.

 

2. Paraspinals

 

These are like the spine’s “suspenders” and help to control rotation, extension and bending. This group includes the erector spinae and multifidus along the spine.

Aggravated with: Sudden spinal overload, repetitive movement with poor technique, hunched posture, tight abdominal muscles, and lots of sitting.

 

3. Rectus abdominis

 

This sheet of muscle is your “washboard abs”. It runs between the lowest ribs and top of the pubic bone, and helps stabilize the torso. Excessive training of the rectus abdominis (at the expense of posterior chain muscles) can diminish the ability to carry weight overhead (think jerks, snatches, overhead presses) and lead to lower back injury. So: fewer crunches, more swings.
Aggravated with: Too many crunches (especially without posterior chain training), over-exercising, excess abdominal fat, reliance on weight training belts.

 

4. Gluteus group: maximus/medius/minimus

 

Aka the booty, these are the muscles that help bring your thigh behind you (think: donkey kicks), rotate it, and bring it to the side.

Aggravated with: Prolonged sitting, sleeping in fetal position with knees pulled up, sitting on your wallet, standing for long periods on one leg, sleeping on your back with feet splayed under the weight of a heavy blanket.

 

5. Piriformis

 

This small muscle lies deep within the glutes and connects the thigh to the pelvis near the sacrum. It rotates the thigh outward and swings the leg to the side when the thigh is flexed.
Aggravated with: Distance running (repetitive overuse in general), prolonged contraction (such as driving a car), sitting with one foot underneath you, walking with duck feet (toes out), sitting too much.

 

6. Quadratus lumborum

 

The “QL” lies deep in the side of the torso around the kidneys. It helps to bend, rotate, and straighten the torso from bent position. It also helps with exhalation (coughing, etc.), which many folks discover when they strain the QL and then live in fear of sneezing.

Aggravated with: Structural imbalances (one leg longer, uneven pelvis, etc.), habitual leaning to one side, slouching, always sleeping on one side.

 

7. Hamstrings

 

These big leg muscles run along the back of the thighs, attaching at the hip and the knee. They bend and stabilize the knee.
Aggravated with: Pressure from chairs, prolonged sitting, bed rest, overload (e.g. lots of sprints when a trainee isn’t used to sprinting).

 

8. Soleus

 

This deep calf muscle assists with walking, jumping, and pointing the toes. When irritated, pain can radiate to the sacrum.

Aggravated with: High heeled shoes, rigid/tight shoes, bedding that weighs down toes, standing still for extended periods, prolonged driving, sitting on chair that is too high (so the feet don’t touch the floor).

What can lead to spinal problems?

 

Usually, spinal problems are multifactorial. Predisposing factors include:

• Poor mobility in surrounding muscles
• Bad biomchanics
• Poor posture
• Weakness of supporting musculature
• Muscle imbalances
• Sedentary lifestyle, sitting, and immobility

 

Poor mobility in surrounding muscles

 

The pelvis is the foundation for the spine. Decreased mobility in the hips, hamstrings, ankles, and thoracic spine can lead to overcompensation at the lumbar spine and excessive pelvic tilt. This problem is particularly common in women — in part because of higher heels, but also because the connective tissues of an average woman’s spine are usually looser than the average man’s.

Bad biomechanics

 

Back pain only gets worse with poor biomechanics.
Most spine injuries that occur during training are muscle strains or ligament sprains, usually due to improper loading and technique. A common error is lumbar flexion during movements like good mornings, situps, deadlifts, and rows. Excessive lumbar extension is also dangerous and can lead to vertebral fracture (e.g., finishing a heavy deadlift).

The safest position for the lumbar spine is a neutral position — a natural but not exaggerated S-curve (double check the spine image at the top of this article for reference). You can find a neutral spine by flexing your lumbar spine, then extending it and trying to find the midpoint between the two, or by standing tall and taking a deep breath. Use a mirror to check.

Nice neutral spine

My disc just herniated looking at this picture (too much spinal flexion)

It’s important to get good at the movements you regularly do. If you’re always lunging and twisting for martial arts or your plumbing job, get good at lunging and twisting. Don’t just go home at night and do situps hoping to preserve your back.

 

Poor posture

 

If your posture sucks, your back sucks.





Poor posture means higher levels of shear stress on the spine. When posture is appropriate (proud chest, natural lumbar curve, tight core, retracted shoulder blades, etc.) – then we’re able to handle higher amounts of compressive force. Oh, a big gut and high heeled shoes can negatively influence posture. Try to avoid one or both as much as possible.

Weakness

 

Many people assume that strong abs help them bend and twist. This is true, in part, but most often the core’s role is stability rather than movement — in other words, preventing motion rather than initiating it. Too much flexion or extension at the lumbar spine, usually caused by weak core muscles, can lead to injury. It’s also biomechanically weaker. You can throw a lot farther or punch a lot harder when your hips and shoulders are involved than when you’re just twisting at the waist.
Reliance on weight lifting belts can lead to torso stiffness and weakness.

Imbalances

 

Folks with chronic back pain often neglect the posterior chain (i.e. the muscles that run along the rear of the body from neck to ankles). This is especially true for gym rats who do too much bench pressing and not enough pulling or hip extension. This keeps back problems in full force (plus said gym rats end up looking like light bulbs).
Single leg exercises help develop the lower body and immediately challenge the lower back and hips, building stability and function. We tend to be weak and imbalanced on extension movements because we do them less.

Not moving

 

Doctors used to recommend bed rest for back pain. Now they usually recommend movement. And, as you can see from the list of muscle problems above, “too much sitting” factors into a host of back problems.

When we sit or lie around all day, intervertebral discs absorb fluid and become tighter, allowing less range of motion and promoting injury. Introduce yourself to regular movement (warm ups, yoga, and dynamic joint mobility, along with walking and swimming).

Other common problems

 

“Spondylo”s

 

A collection of spinal dysfunctions known as the “spondys” can result from spinal fracture, overtraining, and/or over-extension/twisting of the spine. They’re common, for instance, in gymnasts and yogis who repeatedly bend backwards. They can also occur acutely in high-impact sports such as rugby.

• Spondylitis is an inflammation of the vertebrae.
• Spondylosis is osteoarthritic narrowing of the vertebral space.
• Spondylolysis is a fracture, usually a stress fracture, of the pars interarticularis. It can lead to a spondylolisthesis.
• Spondylolisthesis, which can occur after a spondylolysis, is the forward slippage of one vertebrae on another. Think of a stack of books in which one book is pushed forward.

Excessive flexion, extension and rotation are bad news for anyone with spondylo-situations. Work on building mobility of the hip flexors, hamstrings and ITB.

Prolapsed disc

 

This occurs when intervertebral disc material bulges from its normal confines. Minor tears to the outside of discs can lead to inner disc leakage.
The key is to never let the problem start. Translation: build core stability.

 

Treating and preventing spinal dysfunction

 

Get moving

 

As mentioned above, movement is good, and inactivity can cause/exacerbate back pain.

• Resistance training helps build strength and endurance in the supporting musculature, and help activate weaker or inhibited areas.
• Mobility training helps improve active flexibility in tight areas.
• The intervertebral discs lack blood vessels. The only way they can absorb nutrients is through spinal movement. If you want to deprive your discs of nourishment, lie down and sit around a lot.

But before you randomly start lifting, running, twisting and jumping, think WWDMD (What Would Dr. McGill Do)? Spine biomechanicist Dr. Stuart McGill encourages the following approach when it comes to exercise design:

1. Do necessary corrective exercises
2. Groove appropriate movement patterns
3. Build full body joint mobility/stability
4. Increase core endurance (rather than maximal strength)
5. Build full body strength
6. Develop speed, power, and agility

How many people do you know that start at #1?

Spines & squatting

 

Squatting with poor mechanics will result in injury.
Squatting with added weight puts compressive forces on the spine. Why don’t we see more spinal blowouts at the gym? Luckily, our spine can adapt to compressive tolerance. But our spines need time to adapt. Take your time and allow this adaptation. To assist the process, build up your paraspinal muscles with exercises involving spinal extension and stabilization.

Double check squat form:

• Take a wider stance (at least shoulder width – if not wider)
• Use natural foot positioning (similar to other athletic movements)
• Keep heels in contact with the floor
• Gaze forward or slightly up
• Maintain lordotic curve in lower back — don’t round
• If back squats don’t work, try front, zercher and goblet squats
• Focus on hip extension — drive from the glutes and hips.

Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) can help to stabilize the spine during squats. Momentarily stopping the breath and stiffening the abs to make the spine go rigid (think of what you do when you sneeze, or when you know someone is about to punch you in the gut — if you make a little “ungh” sound, you’re probably doing it right) will generate IAP.

Stabilizing the cervical spine

 

Neck muscles work isometrically to stabilize the cervical spine. A stable cervical spine is critical for contact sports. Thus, folks with greater musculature in the neck and shoulders have a better chance of withstanding cervical impact.

Forcing the cervical spine into excessive flexion or extension with resistance can lead to breakdown of joints and discs.

To build the cervical spine, try incorporating the following exercises. Hold for 10 seconds each, and do 1-5 sets:

1. Isometric neck flexion (forwards)
2. Isometric neck extension (backwards)
3. Isometric lateral neck flexion (right and left)
4. Isometric neck rotation (right and left)

 

Mobility warmup

 

Here are some sample mobility drills that can keep the spine mobile yet stable in all the right places.
Cat/cow spinal warm up




Foam roll the thoracic region (from 1:30 to 2:10 in video)




Thoracic mobilization



T push up



Stretch hip flexors

Reverse bridge with back on Swiss ball (for intermediate and advanced folks, begin alternating legs “marching”)



Squat to stand with reach

 

Finishing with spinal health movements

To promote spinal health, add some of the following to the end of your workout

 

McGill curl-up

Stir the pot



Side bridge



Bird dog (move the leg and arm laterally to make it harder)



Pallof presses



TRX back saver (from 0:58 to 1:40 in video)



To promote spinal health, try the following between workouts.
Instead of bending at the lumbar spine to pick something up from the ground, try the golfers pick up (unilateral deadlift):
Instead of squatting to get down on the floor, try going into a lunge and keeping your spine neutral.

 

Mix in some yoga

 

Yoga may help improve posture through development of extensor muscles and thoracic mobility. Vinyasa yoga is likely the best option for back health due to its dynamic nature. Try to focus on a neutral spine when statically stretching.

Balance

 

Standing on an unstable surface (like a balance board) recruits stabilization musculature.
While on this surface, assume a position of slight knee and hip bend while contracting the lower torso muscles. Then flex your arms in an alternating fashion while maintaining position. Try this for 1 minute, 2-5 times through. If this doesn’t help your spine, at least you’ll now be known as the balancing flailing loser in your neighbourhood.

Source: Kolber MJ & Beekhuizen K. Lumbar stabilization: An evidence-based approach for the athlete with low back pain. Strength Cond J 2007;29:26-37.

Summary and recommendations

 

Spinal health comes from a complex interplay of mobility in some areas and stability-strength-endurance in others. Many muscle groups are related to spinal health — ensure that you aren’t prioritizing the “beach muscles” (aka chest and abs) over the more important structural supporters like spinal extensors and glutes/hips/hamstrings.

Sitting is bad news for your spine. Get up and move. If you’re always sitting around, take time to get up, walk, bike, and stretch. Do what feels good and listen to your body.

Extra credit

 

• Between ages 7 and 17 years, the spine can increase in length by about 26%.
• Only performing “aerobic” workouts doesn’t seem to build spinal stabilization.
• Tightness in the ITB and piriformis can limit pelvic movement.
• Spinal compression is high during situps.
• Lumbar flexibility tends to increase throughout the day.
• Lateral deviation of the spine is known as scoliosis (when viewed from the front/back).

Further resources

Dr. Stuart McGill and BackFitPro
Exercises for low back pain
Core values – Preventing back pain

References

Schoenfeld BJ. Squatting kinematics and kinetics and their application to exercise performance. J Strength Cond Res 2010;24:3497-3506.
Lee J, Brook S, Daniel C. Back Pain – the facts. 2009. Oxford University Press.
Manire JT, et al. Diurnal variation of hamstring and lumbar flexibility. J Strength Cond Res 2010;24:1464-1471.
Kell RT & Asmundson GJG. A comparison of two forms of periodized exercise rehabilitation programs in the management of chronic nonspecific low-back pain. J Strength Cond Res 2009;23:513-523.
Sauer S & Biancalana M. Trigger point therapy for low back pain. 2010. New Harbinger Publications.
Kolber MJ & Fiebert IM. Addressing flexibility of the rectus femoris in the athlete with low back pain. Strength Cond J 2005;27:66-73.
Howley ET & Franks BD. Health Fitness Instructor’s Handbook. 4^th Ed. 2003. Human Kinetics.

When is the Best Time of Day to Eat?

Article by Amelia Burton of www.ameliaburton.com
13 November 2011

Do you have ‘Portion Distortion’?

Many people eat more than half of their daily calories after 4pm. I liken it to the movie ‘Gremlins.’ During the day, you’re hunger is like a cute little Mogwai, easy to tame and keep under control. But once the sun starts to set, boom – out comes your inner Gremlin and Whoosh, you’ve inhaled over half your daily calories and looking for more. 

The hormone Ghrelin, is your inner Gremlin

Our hunger hormone has the name Ghrelin (Coincidence – I think not!). It’s what stimulates your appetite, giving you the rumbly tummy before a meal, and it tends to be very time based. It’s almost like an internal clock that says ‘Well you ate at this time yesterday, so it must be time to eat again!’ It’s also a greedy little bugger, and the more you feed it the more it wants. In fact if you feed it high fat, calorie dense meals, it actually craves more.

If you skip breakfast – be warned!

This is a vicious cycle to fall into, as most people who skip breakfast eat more later in the day. Late afternoon is when your metabolism starts slowing down for the day. When you wake up you’re not hungry because you’re full from the night before, so you skip breakfast and the cycle starts all over again. You’re trapped in your own horror movie renamed ‘Ghrelins!’ A good way to break the cycle is to force yourself to have breakfast, even a light fruit salad and make sure you’ve finished eating for the day by 8pm. This WILL help you break the cycle.

How to break the cycle

To get started, focus on your three main meals and eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. You can only have two snacks during the day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. And try to avoid staying up too late, as when the midnight munchies come around, we can’t resist as our willpower is at its weakest when we’re tired.

Here’s a good dietary schedule to stick to:

Breakfast – 8am
Snack – 11am
Lunch – 1:30pm
Snack (high protein) – 4:30pm
Dinner – before 8pm

Use a food diary to keep track of what you eat and make sure you keep high salt and high fat foods to a minimum to help ward off cravings. Get your portions right with salads, soups and healthy snacks.

Soups

Soups are a great option for portion controlled lunches and dinners. One big cooking effort creates multiple servings, making it cost effective and perfect for when you’re busy. Soups are nutritious and delicious and it has actually been proven that they keep you fuller for longer. Most soups are low in calories so having a piece of bread is fine if you’re maintaining your current weight. However, if you’re trying to lose weight, bread is not recommended.

Stick to broth varieties like minestrone soup and lentil soup, and if you’re having pumpkin soup, make sure it hasn’t been loaded with cream.

TIP: Keep satchels of miso soup on hand for a quick and easy snack.

Salads

When putting a salad together, stick to two heavy ingredients. A heavy ingredient is meat, cheese, avocado, nuts or oil. That way, you won’t be weighing your salad down with foods that are high in calories.

Great ingredients for salads:

• Capsicums are high in vitamin C and you can roast them in the oven.
• Legumes to make you feel fuller and increase your protein count.
• Chickpeas, lentils and tuna in tins so you can always have them handy.
• Seaweed and baby spinach for their high iron count.
• Chia Seeds are high in Omega 3 and a great antioxidant.
• Quinoa for high iron, protein and fiber.

Don’t be afraid to combine ingredients like this delicious beetroot and chickpea salad recipe.

TIP: Mix ¼ lemon, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and some cracked pepper into small bowl and drizzle over your salad for extra zing.

Snacks

• Carrot sticks or capsicum dipped in hummus.
• Celery sticks filled with low fat ricotta or cottage cheese, sprinkled with Goji berries or currents.
• 1/3 cup of low-fat yogurt with fruit and nutmeg.
• Roasted chickpeas (Chic Nuts) or fava beans.
• Fresh fruit and nuts.
• Tins of tuna mixed with lemon and cracked pepper, spread on rice cakes or whole wheat crackers.
• Protein shake using 1 scoop of protein powder, ½ cup of milk (almond, soy or rice) frozen raspberries and nutmeg or cinnamon.
• 1/3 cup of low fat yogurt, half a banana, berries and a sprinkling of nutmeg.
• Strawberries or any fruit dipped in Greek style unsweetened yogurt.
• Jarra hot chocolate in water . Mmmm – filling and yummy.

TIP: When buying fresh juice, go by my motto – two root and 1 fruit! I.e. choose 2 roots (such as beetroot or carrot) and 1 fruit (fruit has more fructose).