The Training Support Column MkII

[tim290280]

Actually I'm glad you played Devil's Advocate: allowed me to expand on the points nicely!

I posted an article by Stuart McGill (the lead researcher on spinal health no less) where he basically derided belts, except for max attempts. I follow the reasoning to be along these lines: You train your lifting and strengthen you mid section beltless. Then using this strength the belt becomes a tool by which you can push against to increase the IAP and thus over-reach (max out). Doing this regularly essentially overtrains you and increases the likelyhood of injury, or stagnates the support structures (mid section) relative to the other structures involved.

Also because he was referring to powerlifters, the belt is another tool that needs to be incorporated with their other support aids used in competition. If you have your knees wrapped, squat suit on (etc) and no belt you have reinforced other important areas but not the mid section.

So basically the belt only works when you are increasing your mid section strength through training, otherwise it can create a weak point around the belt.

Oh and this is without going into the risk of hernias.

 

[Glex]

I mean, I guess the leading doctor on spinal health might know why...

Couldn't remember his name, although I was looking for a few of his articles after you recommended him for my back pain so I should've just gone back to my log

I guess I just think it's odd that Dr. McGill assumes your midsection strength is going to go up proportionally with strength in other areas of your body all the time.

And what about hernias? Wouldn't that be an argument for a belt?

 

[tim290280]

The strength in the mid section should improve as it is the central support structure, so it has to to keep the body stable.

As for the hernias, it depends what type. genetic/predisposed underlying weaknesses will 'always' lead to a hernia regardless. But weak abdominal structure can result from increasing IAP beyond what the abdominal wall can mitigate. I myself as a child had this happen to me from poor health and raised IAP from coughing (diaphram exerting more pressure than my abdominal wall could stand).

 

[Glex]

So you'd just advocate proper breathing during an exercise, then?

 

[tim290280]

Things I learnt today:

Vastus medialis has been widely reported to be responsible for extending the leg the last 10%, however this commonly held claim has no basis, indeed there is a reasonable body of evidence to the contrary. The vasti instead appear to act largely in a co-ordinated manner throughout the control of knee extension.

Much has been made of the ability of the Vastus Medialis to translate the patella medially, however since approximately 70% of the contractile fibres attach directly to the common extensor tendon (which then inserts centrally to the superior patella) the functional ability to achieve this goal may be overstated, and is likely dwarfed by the bony congruence of the patella in the trochlea notch. Some authorities maintain there is a separate aspect to the Vastus Medialis muscle - the "Vastus Medialis Obliquus" or more commonly the "VMO" which is reported to have a more oblique or horizontal orientation to the bulk of the remainder of the muscle thereby disposing it to be better able to 'pull' the patella medially. Unfortunately careful inspection of many cadavers reveals that the fibres of the Vastus Medialis are largely parallel and there is no significant separate aspect of the contractile fibres fitting this description which would suggest it is time to lay this clinical myth to rest.

So basically calling it the VMO is incorrect and it should be the "VM".

 

[tim290280]

Top Tip #5

You're not as strong as you think you are. Get Stronger!

Many people think they are strong for three reasons: they are, they use a short or incorrect ROM, or they are fooling themselves. The first category is usually only attained by those that compete in lifting events.

It is easier to lift in a short range of motion. It easy to fool yourself into believing that you are stronger than you really are. Go the full ROM, it's what your body was meant to do!!

Two lifters lifting the same weight are not necessarily equally strong. If one lifter is 10kg (22lb) lighter then they have a higher strength to bodyweight ratio. So just because you lift more than those around you don't go thinking you are strong, you may just be a big fish in a little pond.

So stop fooling yourself and work at getting stronger. Train with people that are stronger/bigger than you.

 

[philosopher]

^^good tip tim as always. Many gyms got ego lifters, lifting weights with incorrect form or spotters who are helping more than they should just to show how 'strong' they are. Get over it and stop ego lifting. Better use 10kg and get a full rom with correct form than 100kg with 2 spotters and bad form.

 

[Maxmonzter]

hey tim i was wondering if doing calf raises with high reps but no weight will i add some size from doing that or is that´s just a myth?

 

[jornT]

hey tim i was wondering if doing calf raises with high reps but no weight will i add some size from doing that or is that´s just a myth?

In the Netherlands we call this walking. And you''ll never do as many reps as shopping girls, do you want their calves?

 

[Maxmonzter]

it was not a serious question, more like a thought

 

[jornT]

it was not a serious question, more like a thought

Don't feel bad about asking questions Max.

 

[tim290280]

My calves were at their biggest when I was working on the farm. I would lift weights in the evening, jump rope to warmup, and during the day I was continually walking around carrying stuff, or walking across ploughed ground.

But this is essentially sub-maximal volume work, not a few sets once or twice a week.

 

[tim290280]

The Effect of a Carbohydrate and Protein Supplement on Resistance Exercise Performance, Hormonal Response, and Muscle Damage
Jacob J. Baty, Hyonson Hwang, Zhenping Ding, Jeffrey R. Bernard, Bei Wang, Bongan Kwon, and John L. Ivy

ABSTRACT

J. Strength Cond. Res. 21(2): 321–329. 2007.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether resistance exercise performance and postexercise muscle damage were altered when consuming a carbohydrate and protein beverage (CHO-PRO; 6.2% and 1.5% concentrations). Thirty-four male subjects (age: 21.5 ± 1.7 years; height: 177.3 ± 1.1 cm; weight: 77.2 ± 2.2 kg) completed 3 sets of 8 repetitions at their 8 repetition maximum to volitional fatigue. The exercise order consisted of the high pull, leg curl, standing overhead press, leg extension, lat pull-down, leg press, and bench press. In a double-blind, posttest-only control group design, subjects consumed 355 ml of either CHO-PRO or placebo (electrolyte and artificial sweetener beverage) 30 minutes prior to exercise, 177 ml immediately prior to exercise, 177 ml halfway through the exercise bout, and 355 ml immediately following the exercise bout. There were no significant differences between groups relative to exercise performance. Cortisol was significantly elevated in the placebo group compared to the CHO-PRO group at 24 hours postexercise. Insulin was significantly elevated immediately pre-exercise, after the fourth lift, immediately postexercise, 1 hour, and 6 hours postexercise in CHO-PRO compared to the placebo group. Myoglobin levels in the placebo group approached significance halfway through the exercise bout and at 1 hour postexercise (p = 0.06 and 0.07, respectively) and were significantly elevated at 6 hours postexercise compared to the CHO-PRO group. Creatine kinase levels were significantly elevated in the placebo group at 24 hours postexercise compared to the CHO-PRO group. The CHO-PRO supplement did not improve performance during a resistance exercise bout, but appeared to reduce muscle damage, as evidenced by the responses of both myoglobin and creatine kinase. These results suggest the use of a CHO-PRO supplement during resistance training to reduce muscle damage and soreness.

Gee, REALLY?

 

[tim290280]

The Effect of Five Weeks of Tribulus terrestris Supplementation on Muscle Strength and Body Composition During Preseason Training in Elite Rugby League Players
Shane Rogerson, Christopher J. Riches, Robert P. Weatherby, Rudi A. Meir, and Sonya M. Marshall-Gradisnik

ABSTRACT

J. Strength Cond. Res. 21(2):348–353. 2007.

Tribulus terrestris is an herbal nutritional supplement that is promoted to produce large gains in strength and lean muscle mass in 5–28 days (15, 18). Although some manufacturers claim T. terrestris will not lead to a positive drug test, others have suggested that T. terrestris may increase the urinary testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio, which may place athletes at risk of a positive drug test. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of T. terrestris on strength, fat free mass, and the urinary T/E ratio during 5 weeks of preseason training in elite rugby league players. Twenty-two Australian elite male rugby league players (mean ± SD; age = 19.8 ± 2.9 years; weight = 88.0 ± 9.5 kg) were match-paired and randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to either a T. terrestris (n = 11) or placebo (n = 11) group. All subjects performed structured heavy resistance training as part of the club's preseason preparations. A T. terrestris extract (450 mg·d−1) or placebo capsules were consumed once daily for 5 weeks. Muscular strength, body composition, and the urinary T/E ratio were monitored prior to and after supplementation. After 5 weeks of training, strength and fat free mass increased significantly without any between-group differences. No between-group differences were noted in the urinary T/E ratio. It was concluded that T. terrestris did not produce the large gains in strength or lean muscle mass that many manufacturers claim can be experienced within 5–28 days. Furthermore, T. terrestris did not alter the urinary T/E ratio and would not place an athlete at risk of testing positive based on the World Anti-Doping Agency's urinary T/E ratio limit of 4:1.

So basically don't waste your money!

 

[Hypocrisy86]

Tim does magnesium creatine chelate work?
or how about . HMB?

 

[philosopher]

So basically don't waste your money!

Jep, said it many time before. Tribulus is a waste of money indeed.

 

[tim290280]

Tim does magnesium creatine chelate work?
or how about . HMB?

How about you look it up instead of me. I don't even pretend to care much about supplements.

 

[tim290280]

Top Tip #6

Pound for pound is a true measure!

There is a reason for weight divisions in boxing, weightlifting, and powerlifting. You have to be able to compare apples with apples. If you want to compare yourself with how strong you were before you gained mass, then you have to break it down by %bodyweight.

If you have gained weight you should be stronger, as you have more muscle (don't you!!!). But if you have gained 5kg (11lb) and only put 2kg (4.4lb) on your lifts then you have to ask what the hell you have been doing.

Get bigger and stronger, but make sure you actually got stronger.

 

[knight_rider]

^^^^good post......dude when i was complaining before, its was about a gross misuse of the argument...check my log

 

[Ironslave]

Tim, just a note, I'd advise against using the JSCR too much as a source, its much much less respectable than other journals. I read a lot of it with a grain of salt.