Archive for exercise research, stretching
Dynamic Stretching Does The Job
You may recall THIS POST from last year where I highlighted a study showing increased energy expenditure and decreased performance during running after static stretching, and expressed a desire to see the effects on these same variables during a run following dynamic stretching. Well, I got my wish.
Exercise Can Beat the Obesity Gene
The recent discovery of the FTO obesity gene revolutionized the way we look at the human body, especially when it comes to weight. But maybe we shouldn’t have let it change our views quite so much…
THIS META-ANALYSIS shows that even if you have the FTO gene that predisposes you to obesity, exercise can reduce the effects of this gene in adults by as much as 30%.
We’re finding more and more that most conditions are the result of an interaction between genes and the environment. That is, the presence of a certain gene is required in order to have the condition, but that gene must still be turned on or off by some environmental factor (e.g., diet or exercise, or lack thereof…) in order for the condition to manifest itself. It appears the same is true of obesity.
While genetics and good nutrition will always be the backbones for healthy levels of body fat, exercise does play a significant role in the development of obesity in adults.
So make like Jeremy Lin and get moving!
Falling Into The Fat Trap
We’re in the second week of January and you’re probably already sick of being bombarded by the media with fad diet plans and news about weight loss.
We know what the dollar-driven advertisers want you to think, but what does the research actually say about these things?
Do We Really Need To Stretch?
Hope everyone had a nice holiday!
Christmas with my family is never dull, to say the least. I have Porky Pig to thank for this year’s entertainment:
It’s no stretch to say that I must have heard that song close to 25 times in the two days I was actually home – yet everyone still got a good laugh at that poor pig’s expense every time. Thankfully, it looks like 2012 will bring some better music: In case you hadn’t heard, Van Halen will be touring with David Lee Roth!
Is it All in Your Mind?
At least two percent of it probably is, according to THIS RECENT ARTICLE in the New York Times discussing a performance study done on deceived cyclists.
More Support For Circuit Training
Circuit training is typically touted as a time-efficient way to improve body composition and general fitness. But because its use of short rest intervals usually requires lighter loading, circuit training has never really been viewed as an optimal way to increase strength – until now.
Effective Exercises: Trap Bar Deadlift
Labor Day Weekend marks the unofficial end of summer. After Monday, all the NARPS (“non-athletic regular people,” according to Columbia’s varsity sports teams) will be back in the gym taking up space, er… I mean equipment! Fortunately, there’s one piece of equipment I know will always be available: The trap bar.
What if Everything You Thought You Knew Was Wrong?
Our industry is famous for blurring the line between fact and opinion, and debating the details of things that simply aren’t yet clear.
Take the spinal flexion debate, for example. Lead researcher in spine biomechanics, Dr. Stuart McGill, showed that repetitive bending of the spine can cause damage to discs. As a result, many of us (including myself) have since eliminated crunches and other abdominal flexion exercises from our programs.
But Bret Contreras and Brad Schoenfeld recently published this great article in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning that calls a few things into question. For example, they make the point that much of Dr. McGill’s research on spinal flexion was done using model pig spines, and therefore limited by the removal of musculature and supporting tissues. And as is consistent with Wolff’s Law, when stress is applied to a living tissue (provided it doesn’t exceed its physiological capacity and is allowed time to recover), the tissue remodels and grows stronger – suggesting that a live human spine may be more resilient to repeated bending cycles than that of a dead pig.
The Number One Reason You Aren’t Getting Results
First off, I want to extend deep condolences to the family and friends of all the victims in this weekend’s horrific massacre in Norway.
What happened can only be described as a tragedy, and you’ll all be kept in our hearts and prayers during this difficult time.
And not that this compares in any way, shape or form but, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s also a tragedy that Kim Kardashian and so many others still buy into the idea of “toning” shoes like Skechers Shape-Ups while evidence abounds to refute their efficacy. But while research has always supported their ineffectiveness, this recent NY Times article highlights findings that suggest it may not be so much due to design as to the fact that the body just adapts incredibly quickly. This is true in all facets of fitness, and the number one reason most people don’t get results.
What Your Spit Says About Your Training
What’s the newest way to gauge exercise intensity and fatigue? Spit in a tube.
In practice, we still use heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) as means to measure exercise intensity and fatigue (except for maybe Dan John, who likes to tap a key on his keyboard as fast as possible for a minute every day and monitor the number of taps to test his level of fatigue). Problem is, these methods are highly subjective and not always reliable.
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