Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Part VI

We're wrapping up the six-part series on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness this week and one last time I would like to give a big shout-out to The Fitness Nerd for researching this topic so thoroughly.

If you haven't been following the entire series, I hope you'll take the time to revisit the previous postings on DOMS via the following links: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V. It truly is a worthwhile read.


Can I Still Workout With Sore Muscles?

While allowing your muscles time to rest and recover after training is critical, there appears to be very little evidence that workout out when your muscles are still sore will cause additional damage or impede strength or muscle gains.

In fact, many people report anecdotal improvements in symptoms of DOMS after performing additional bouts of exercise in subsequent days. While it's generally advisable to give yourself at least 48 hour rest and recovery time before exercising again, performing lower-intensity exercise with the affected muscles can sometimes lessen stiffness, even 24 hours later.

Research seems to support this.

A 2000 study published in the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that light exercise following bouts of heavier eccentric exercise resulted in better strength recovery, compared to when the exerciser only rested. In this case the light exercise was performed 90 minutes after the initial bout of exercise, so it is different than performing light exercise the next day. However, the results are encouraging and if you are able to perform lower-intensity exercise within 24 - 48 hours of developing symptoms of muscle soreness, you may want to try it.

The Take-Away: Practical Advice for Treating Your DOMS

I've discussed a lot of clinical research and physiology here because it's important to understand that there is no "silver bullet" when it comes to treating and preventing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

Even much of the research is contradictory and, for every study showing something works, you can typically find another study to refute it. And because scientific research is an ongoing process, there are all kinds of interesting therapies and treatments that just haven't been given much attention.

So, if there are no "silver bullets" what's the average exerciser to do? After all, this is supposed to be about providing some practical fitness and training advice that you can take to the gym.

The best approach to preventing and treating DOMS is to take a multi-faceted, holistic-approach. You may want to experiment with including one or more of the following tactics into your training routine to help promote recovery and minimize serious post-exercise muscle soreness. They include:

• Providing yourself with good nutrition pre-and-post workout, including plenty of protein, complex carbs and some healthy fats which all support muscle recovery and growth.
  
  
• Including plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet, which are naturally high in antioxidants. Supplementing with a multi-vitamin, Vitamins E and C and including other sources of antioxidants (e.g., Green Tea) may help.
  
  
• Performing warm-up set prior to your main, higher intensity sets. This is generally a good practice just to prevent muscle pulls and strains, but it may also reduce the severity of DOMS as well.
  
  
• If you do develop DOMS, consider trying an "active rest" approach to recovery by performing light exercise the following day - provided you can do this without too much discomfort.
  
  

• If you feel that you've had a particularly intense training session or run, consider ice baths or immersion of the trained muscles in cold water to aid in healing and reduce inflammation and stiffness. Try to do these for 15 minutes, every 12 hours for the first 24 hours after exercise. Many runners report good results with this approach after particularly grueling runs like marathons.
  
  
• While compression wear is sometimes impractical for certain muscle groups (for example, the chest) there are compression sleeves available that you can use for things like the calves, which are particularly prone to DOMS and can make walking a real pain. Combining this with cold water therapy may be even more effective.
  
  
• If you can, consider skipping the NSAIDs. They don't seem to be particularly effective at reducing the symptoms of DOMS and may actually interfere with muscle recovery and growth. Instead, consider supplementing regularly with fish oil capsules, which have been demonstrated to reduce inflammation and have added benefits for your heart and brain. While I have not found any research that looks directly at whether fish oil is an effective treatment for DOMS, there is plenty of research that shows it can be as effective as NSAIDS in treating inflammation, so you may find that it helps.
  
  
• Consider massage. While massage has not been shown to be particularly effective at reducing longer-duration symptoms of DOMS, many people do find that it provides at least temporary relief from muscle soreness and stiffness, and is pleasant and relaxing.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Coming To A Supermarket Near You

Over the next year you will start to see a new “number” in your grocery stores - the Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI). This new index is being marketed under the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System and was to have launched in three major US supermarket chains this past September, although I have not been able to pinpoint the names of the three chains.

The system, developed over a two-year period by a panel of 12 medical and nutrition experts from leading North American universities and health organizations, uses a proprietary algorithmic formula to score the nutritional value of foods on a scale of one to 100, weighing some 30 different nutrient factors including fiber, Vitamin content, Omega 3 fatty acids, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, sugar, protein quality, energy density, glycemic load, et al.

A higher ONQI score reflects foods with higher nutritional value, offering consumers the opportunity to evaluate products within and across specific food categories -

• Fruits & Vegetables
• Meat & Poultry
• Seafood
• Frozen Vegetables
• Canned Vegetables
• Salty Snacks
• Cereal
• Cookies
• Crackers
• Pasta

So, now shoppers can literally compare apples to oranges, as well as apples to chocolate, apples to potato chips and just about anything else you would care to compare an apple to.

My Two Cents:

I have admit that I am pretty skeptical about the value of this system. Do we really need someone to tell us that Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux Cookies (ONQI score: 2) are not as healthy for us as blueberries (ONQI score: 100)?

As Michael Pollan points out in his stellar book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, if you stick to the perimeter of the supermarket and eat foods that your great grandparents would recognize as food, the better your overall nutrition will likely be.

Clearly, processed foods are not as good as whole foods.

Clearly, we are in the midst of an obesity epidemic.

Historically, in times of recession consumers turn to cheaper food options such as energy-dense foods high in starch, sugar and fat.

This past December, New York’s Governor, David Paterson, proposed an 18% sales tax on sugary beverages such as soda. The estimated $404 million that this tax would generate over the course of a year would go towards funding public health programs, including obesity prevention programs, across New York State.

This to me seems like a step in the right direction. The next obvious step would be to subsidize more healthy foods (fruits and vegetables) so that consumers have a great incentive to buy them.

The real “numbers” consumers need to help motivate them to purchase more healthful foods are the numbers that will impact their wallets.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Part V

This week we will be wrapping up our series on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness by contributor Matt, aka The Fitness Nerd, over at Answer Fitness.

Today's posting focuses on clinically proven methods for preventing DOMS while Thursday's article provides some practical advice from Matt.

You can revisit the previous postings on DOMS via the following links: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV.

Methods For Preventing DOMS That Have Been Clinically Proven to Work

There are several techniques that researchers have found effective at treating the symptoms of DOMS and may lessen the soreness and tightness associated with DOMS. In some cases, the rapid utilization of these techniques after exercise may actually prevent the development of DOMS in the coming days.

Reducing Eccentric Contractions

Exercises that emphasize eccentric contractions (forced reps or many plyometric of static-body-weight exercise) seem to result in more severe muscle soreness. Research indicates that reducing these types of exercises may lessen the chances of developing DOMS.

On the other hand, eccentric movements have also been shown to be more effective at building muscle mass and strength than concentric contractions. In fact, eccentric exercises like forced reps are one of the staples of weight training plateau-breaking routines. So, maybe the temporary soreness is worth the payout. That's something you have to determine for yourself.

Pre-Exercise Warmup

Warming up sufficiently before preforming exercise may be effective at reducing some symptoms of DOMS.

Scientists aren't exactly sure what causes this. A 2004 study by Kazunori Nosaka and Kei Sakamoto, published in the Journal of Athletic Training, found that increasing muscle temperature alone did not produce a measurable difference in post-workout muscle soreness or DOMS. So it appears that the protective characteristics of warm-up are not due to an increase in body or muscle temperature.

A more interesting hypothesis is that performing "warm-up" sets of exercises - which has been long recommended by trainers - creates an environment in the trained muscle that reduces the damage of subsequent sets of exercise in the same muscle group. A separate study by Nosaka, published in the February 2002 journal of Acta Physiologica Scandinavica found that the first set of eccentric exercise that a person performs has a protective effect on subsequent bouts of exercise - and that this "warm-up" wasn't due to central nervous system adaptations (the researchers controlled for this by stimulating the muscle with electricity). Instead, it may be the result of a cellular adaptation caused by the initial bout of exercise.

Practically speaking, this makes a case for warm-up sets prior to performing heavy eccentric exercise, although it's important to understand that most of the research around warm-up is carefully controlled. You may not experience the same effects in an uncontrolled gym environment.

Ice/Cryotherapy: Why Ice Is Nice

There is a fair amount of clinical evidence that cryotherapy, or treatment with cold or ice, can prevent or reduce symptoms of DOMS. I know ice isn't as glamorous as L-Carnitine or Acai Berries - but it appears that it is effective in treating some symptoms of DOMS.

Cold water immersion - think "ice baths" here - are one of the most widely studied techniques for treating DOMS. A 1999 study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that immersing the trained muscle in cold water 15 minutes after completing eccentric exercise, and then following up every 12 hours with a similar 15 minute immersion, reduced muscle stiffness and damage. However, the researchers noted that it didn't seem to improve muscle tenderness or loss of strength. So, while it may help with some symptoms of DOMS, it doesn't appear to treat others.

What about ice massage?

Based on the current research, ice massage does not appear to be effective at reducing the symptoms of DOMS. However, this may simply be a result of the construction of studies around ice massage therapy - especially since cold water immersion seems to have some advantageous effects.

Compression Therapy

Compression therapy also looks like a promising technique for treating DOMS. A 2001 study by the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State found that wearing a compression sleeve for five days after performing eccentric exercise reduced strength loss, swelling, muscle soreness and stiffness.

Mixed Treatments: The Key to Reducing Symptoms of DOMS?

As researchers Declan and Connelly of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Vermont - Burlingame have pointed out in their excellent review of the current research around treatment of DOMS, the most promising area of additional research is around combining multiple therapies together to treat DOMS. For example, they are particularly intrigued with the idea of combining cold therapy with compression therapy, which my have a synergistic effect on DOMS treatment.

Alternative and Experimental Treatments for DOMS

There are a number of other "alternative" or highly-experimental treatments for DOMS that warrant more attention. These include acupuncture, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, and the application of electromagnetic shielding fabric. While a few studies suggest positive results with all three of these methods, with the exception of acupuncture they are treatments that are just not practical for the average gym-goer or athlete who doesn't have access to high-tech equipment.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Planning Your Workouts

We are now three full weeks into the New Year and with 15 workouts under my belt, I wanted to check in with Catapult Fitness Blog readers on my pull-up progress.

As I mentioned in December, my short-term goal is to be able to complete 3 consecutive pull-ups by March 31, 2009. In case you're wondering, I still cannot complete an un-assisted pull-up, but that's OK. This is why we set goals for ourselves and lay out a plan for accomplishing those goals.

At this point in my training I feel as if I'm beginning to hit a plateau. In order to break that plateau I am turning to supersets focusing on antagonistic muscles.

For those of you not familiar with supersets, they are essentially two exercises performed back to back with little or no rest between reps and only a minimal rest between sets.

Supersets typically focus on training agonist and antagonist muscles together. To better understand this concept we simply need to turn to Isaac Newton's Third Law of Motion which states:

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

So, for every muscle or group of muscles that brings about movement of a certain part of the body, there is another muscle or group of muscles which bring about an opposite movement.

For example, when flexing the arm at the elbow during a bicep curl, the bicep is considered the agonist muscle - the muscle doing the work. The triceps is considered the antagonist muscle because the triceps resist the flexing of the arm and works to perform the opposite motion.

Examples of agonist - antagonist supersets include

• Biceps + Triceps
• Chest + Back
• Quadriceps + Hamstrings

Sounds simple enough but being that this is January and every Tom, Harry, and Jane are in the gym trying to stay on top of their New Year's resolutions, getting to use a particular piece of equipment when I need it has become challenging, to say the least.

This is where you really need to have a game plan in order to effectively complete your supersets in a timely fashion. Flexibility in regards to exercise selection is of key importance.

This is where Craig Ballantyne's expertise has helped me tremendously. Craig has developed a list of alternative exercises that I have found extremely useful. Examples include:

Chest (when I can't get on a bench to complete chest presses)

• Push-ups
• Close-grip push-ups
• Off-set push-ups
• Push-ups using a stability ball
• Elevated push-ups
• Decline push-ups

Legs (when I can't get near the squat rack, which is fairly typical these days)

• Deadlifts
• Lying hip extensions
• Bulgarian split squats
• Deep step-ups
• Reaching lunges

Back (My gym needs to get a second cable-row machine, seriously)

• Smith machine inverted rows
• Smith machine under-hand inverted rows
• Smith machine inverted rows holding the ends of a towel hung over the bar

You get the idea.

Don't head into the gym and end up standing around waiting for a piece of equipment. There are dozens of alternative exercises you can use per body-part. Have a plan that includes listing alternate exercises so that you can complete your workout efficiently and effectively.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Part IV

Welcome to Part IV of our series on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness by contributor Matt (aka The Fitness Nerd) over at AnswerFitness.

In Part I of this series Matt (aka The Fitness Nerd) addressed the symptoms of DOMS, while Part II took a close look at what specifically causes DOMS. Part III began to address remedies for DOMS and we'll continue that discussion in today's posting.

Techniques For Reduced DOMS That May Work

There are a couple of treatments for DOMS that appear to be promising, even though the clinical research is mixed. They include:

Vitamins and Antioxidants

The connection between certain vitamins and antioxidants and reductions in the symptoms and severity of DOMS is still being studied. While research is sparse, there are a few clinical studies which have shown vitamin or antioxidant supplementation as a promising treatment for DOMS.

Theoretically, supplementation with antioxidants makes sense: Damage to cells during intense exercise can produce free radicals, which may then cause secondary, additional damage to tissue until those free radicals are neutralized by the body. Vitamins and compounds in certain food that have high antioxidant properties may assist in helping the body blunt free radicals.

In terms of Vitamin C, there are a few well-controlled studies on the effectiveness of Vitamin C supplementation in preventing and treating DOMS.

The most encouraging study was conducted by Kaminski and Boal and it did show that subjects who were treated with 1 gram of Vitamin C three times a day before "induced calf muscle damage" and then continued the supplement regime for seven days, showed reductions in reported soreness ratings from 25 - 44%. However, there appears to be no additional studies either to refute or confirm these results. There were also some methodology limitations to the study.

So, while Vitamin C may be effective at reducing DOMS, the connection has not been well studied.

Vitamin E however has been more extensively researched as a treatment and preventative for DOMS. Even here, the results were mixed. Two studies showed reductions in muscle soreness or reduced chemical markers of cell damage - as well as improved recovery - with Vitamin E supplementation pre-exercise (the Vtiamin E was taken for several days prior to training). Two other studies - one conducted in rats and another in humans - reported no effect of Vitamin E supplementation on reduction in muscle damage or symptoms of DOMS.

The inconsistencies could be the result of mixed human-animal studies as well as differences in mode of exercise and supplementation routines and concentrations. So the jury is still out on this one.

Other food compounds high in antioxidants like Green Tea, White Tea or Black Tea - as well as Goji Berries, Pomegranates, Tart Cherry Juice, Blueberries and Acai - have not been specifically studied as a treatment for DOMS. In theory, they may have similar effect as other antioxidants like Vitamin C or Vitamin E, but research is thin.

Because these foods are generally harmless, and have other beneficial healthy properties, experimenting around with them as a DOMS treatment probably won't hurt.

L-Carnitine, Arnica 30 and Coenzyme-Q

There are additional supplements which have been studied as possible treatments for DOMS.

Again, clinical-results are mixed. There is some evidence that Arnica 30, a homeopathic compound, may have a protective effect in runners, but another study refuted this. L-Carnitine did produce lessened symptoms of DOMS in untrained subjects, but the study size was very small - only 6 subjects. Coenzyme-Q (dietary ubiquinone) showed no effect on antioxidant activity, and actually may have increased cellular damage according to one study.


Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Since inflammation is one of the main physical markers of DOMS, conventional wisdom would say that over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen or even Aspirin should be effective in reducing the symptoms of DOMS.

However, clinical research is decidedly mixed around this, with the preponderance of the evidence showing that NSAIDs are not particularly effective for treating or preventing DOMS.

In fact, a few studies have shown that certain NSAIDs may actually increase cellular damage from eccentric exercise. There are some studies that demonstrate the contrary, but the prevailing attitude toward NSAIDs is that they don't work in treating or preventing DOMS.

Some research also suggests that the use of NSAIDs could result in less lean muscle gain and strength by interfering with protein synthesis. And since that is probably your goal for resistance training in the first place, you might just want to skip the Ibuprofen and "grin and bear it".

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Ask The Trainer

[Note: Submitted questions may be edited for length and clarity]

From Wendy: I would love some exercise tips for someone with degenerative disc disease. There are times my back is ok and other times it severely hampers my exercise regime.

Sydney's Response: Wendy, I'm also living with degenerative disc disease; it's no fun. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to strengthen your back and get regular exercise!

Cardio
Because of your condition it is crucial that your cardio is low-impact cardio. Good forms of cardio for you include swimming, beginner level hiking, recumbent bike and the elliptical machine.

If you swim, strive for at least 30 minutes every day or 45 minutes every other day. Hiking is going to be one of those activities that you need to monitor as walking at an incline can flare up the pain in your back. Choose this activity on pain free days.

The recumbent bike and elliptical are ideal pieces of equipment for your condition. They have nearly no impact when used correctly and both offer diverse programs that can keep you from getting bored.

Strength Exercises and Stretches
I'm going to list a few strength and stretching exercises to get you started. I suggest you Google "back exercises" and try new, low impact exercises a few at a time, to see what works best for you. Obviously, if at any time an exercise causes pain, stop doing it!

There are more than enough exercises out there for you to try. Here are a few of my favorites:

Swiss Ball Back Extension - I recommend 1 to 3 sets; 10 - 15 reps each


Swiss Ball Reverse Extension - I recommend 1 to 3 sets; 10 - 15 reps each



Alternating Superman - This exercise can be performed using a Swiss Ball or could be performed as a floor exercise. I recommend completing 10 reps on each side.



Cat Stretch - I recommend completing 10 reps.



Spine Roll - Roll from the top of your spine to the base of your spine a minimum of 10 times.


Wendy, I hope this helps alleviate some of your discomfort!

Sydney

Sydney Sloan is a Certified Personal Trainer based out of Los Angeles, CA. Sydney holds PT Certifications from ACE, NASM and is a Certified Maddog Spin Instructor. If you're in the Los Angeles area and would like to schedule an appointment wiwth Sydney you can contact her at sydneysloan@sbcglobal.net

Sydney will be answering fitness questions on Catapult Fitness Blog. You can send questions to AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Turbulence Training 6-Month Bodyweight Program: Phase 1

I spent this Sunday morning perusing all 107 pages of Craig Ballantyne's 6-Month Turbulence Training Bodyweight Manual.

As many of you already know, I'm a huge fan of functional, bodyweight exercises and circuits as, combined with high intensity interval training (HIIT), this type of workout simply incinerates bodyfat.

Craig's program, which consists of 6 Phases, is really quite outstanding and he is letting me share Phase 1 of the program with Catapult Fitness Blog readers.

TURBULENCE TRAINING BW PHASE 1 WORKOUTS

• Warm ups are built in to each of the circuits
• Interval training is optional after the workouts
• The first time you do the program, do only one circuit. In subsequent workouts you can complete up to 3 circuits.

Monday:
Circuit Workout A

• Prisoner Squat (15 reps)
• Jumping Jacks (40 reps)
• Plank (45 seconds)
• Stability Ball Leg Curl (15 reps)
• [Incline] Pushup (12 reps)
• Side Plank (20 seconds)
• Sumo Squat (15 reps)
• [Beginner] Inverted Row (8 reps)

Interval Workout A

Tuesday:
Do 30 minutes of a fun activity

Wednesday:
Circuit Workout B

• Step-up (12 reps)
• Siff Squat (20 reps)
• Off-set Pushup (8 reps)
• Split Squat with Front Foot Elevated (10 reps)
• Plank on Ball (20 seconds)
• Reverse Lunge (10 reps)
• [Assisted] Chin-up (8 reps)
• Stability Ball Rollout (10 reps)
• Stick-Up (12 reps)
• Bird Dog (5 reps)

Interval Workout B

Thursday:
Do 30 minutes of a fun activity

Friday:
Circuit Workout C

• Y-Squat (10 reps)
• Close-Grip Pushup (8 reps)
• Cross Crawl (10 reps)
• Stability Ball Hip Extension (12 reps)
• Stability Ball Jackknife (10 reps)
• Mountain Climber (10 reps)
• Wall Squat Hold (60 seconds)
• [Beginner] Inverted Row (12 reps)
• Elevated Pushup (8 reps)

Saturday and Sunday are rest days.

I've received several emails from people asking me how I learned about Craig and the Turbulence Training program. It was actually while listening to one of Jillian Michaels podcasts on KFI that I was first introduced to Craig's program. You can hear a clip of that podcast HERE.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Part III

In Part 1 of this series Matt (aka The Fitness Nerd) addressed the symptoms of DOMS while in Part II Matt took a close look at what specifically causes DOMS.

Matt now tackles possible remedies for DOMS.

Preventing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Techniques for preventing - or at least minimizing - DOMS are controversial. Indeed, some would argue that little bit of muscle soreness isn't something to worry about - especially if it doesn't interfere with your training.

However, since a severe case of DOMS can prevent you from training according to schedule, many people are interested in lessening the severity of post-exercise muscle soreness. There are a number of training techniques and nutritional angles you might experiment with, all with varying degrees of effectiveness and clinical "proof" to back them up.

DOMS Remedies That Have Not Been Proven To Work

First, let's look at the techniques for treating or preventing DOMS that do not have solid clinical research behind them. That doesn't mean they won't work for you, but rather that they haven't been studied in-depth, so their effectiveness is highly subjective.

L-Glutamine
Glutamine is one of the most abundant amino acids in the body and is critical to protein synthesis, digestion, immune function and possibly preventing muscle catabolism by blunting cortisol levels (a hormone that is released when the body is under stress).

While Glutamine is plentiful in the body, because it is so widely utilized, it can also be depleted quickly. Many people report that supplementing with L-Glutamine before their weight training or running - as well as immediately after - can reduce the severity of DOMS.

However, there appears to be no peer-reviewed, published, clinical research to validate these claims. You can try it for yourself and if it works, fine, but otherwise there is not an established correlation between L-Glutamine supplementation and reduced muscle soreness after exercise.

Whey Powder and Macro-Nutrients
Diet may also play a role in the severity of DOMS as a result of intense exercise. However, this has not been extensively studied.

Because of the structural and cellular damage that training can wreck on the muscle, providing sufficient recovery nutrition is critical. Increasing both protein and complex carbohydrates may provide the muscle with the nutrients it needs to repair the damage and grow stronger.

Anecdotally, some people report less severe symptoms of DOMS when they increase protein consumption to a minimum of one gram per pound of lean body mass. This may be one of the reasons that a post-workout whey protein shake has been clinically shown to increase lean body mass.

Hydration
There is also a myth - especially among runners - that DOMS may be exacerbated by low hydration levels.

While proper hydration is important to athletes and runners for a wide-range of reasons, there is no direct correlations (nor any clinical research) to indicate that DOMS is caused by lack of water or prevented by better hydration. So while drinking more water is generally a good idea, don't expect it to keep your muscles from becoming sore after training.

Stretching & Massage
Surprisingly, there is very little evidence to suggest that stretching or post-workout massage can alleviate or prevent DOMS. A 2007 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports found that pre-exercise static stretching had no preventative effect on post-exercise muscle soreness, tenderness or loss of force in eccentric exercise.

In fact, there is no real explanation from stretching advocates as to why muscle stretching - either before, during or after - exercise should relieve DOMS.

Generally, theories around massage and stretching have focused on the ability of these activities to "clear" lactic acid or "toxins" from muscle tissue. However, as we discussed earlier, lactic acid build up has been eliminated as a cause of DOMS. The body does a fine job clearing L-lactate on it's own.

While stretching a sore muscle may help increase mobility - or at least the sense of mobility - it hasn't been shown to actually alleviate DOMS.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

How To Eat Healthy During A Recession

These are happy days for the Happy Meal.

As reported in the Nation's Restaurant News, McDonald's reported upbeat third-quarter results and its highest same-store sales gain in 2008. According to McDonald's CEO, Jim Skinner, "We continue to be recession-resistant."

This is not surprising as in tough economic times when the decision needs to be made on whether to pay the rent or purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, consumers turn to cheaper food options such as energy-dense foods high in starch, sugar and fat.

When dollars are tight, do you purchase wild salmon and fresh spinach or head to McDonald's and grab a McDouble* off the dollar menu?

[* In case you're curious, a McDouble contains 390 calories; 19 g fat; 8 g saturated fat; 1 g trans fat; 33 g carbs; 22 g protein]

Fresh fruits and vegetables are relatively expensive and, as studies indicate, less prevalent in the diets of low income populations. People who can't afford fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and leaner cuts of meats are relegated to eating fast food, and their waistlines and overall health are paying the price.

Like many of you, I have felt the impact of this economic downturn. I have also used this as an opportunity to overhaul my pantry and recession proof my diet.

Focus on affordable, nutrient rich foods such as in-season vegetables, chicken breasts which you can often find in bulk, beans, canned tomatoes, sweet potatoes, skim or low-fat milk and nuts.

Using a slow-cooker I recently made a Chicken, Turkey Sausage and White Bean Chili that is delicious, filling, nutrient rich and costs ~ $3.25 a serving:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb boneless chicken breasts, diced
• 12 ounces low-fat, smoked turkey sausage, diced
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic (minced) - you can substitute garlic powder
• 32 oz Great North Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cup tomatillo salsa
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted, diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
• Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
• Sliced jalapeno pepper (optional)

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, diced chicken and sausage; saute until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Put the beans in a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker; add all of the remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

Serves 6.

Nutrition Per Serving:
330 calories; 7 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 33 g carbs; 35 g protein

Just prior to eating, for extra nutritional value I toss in a handful of fresh spinach that wilts from the heat of the chili.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Coffee: Friend or Foe?

Depending on what camp you’re in, it is not difficult to find research supporting the pros and cons of coffee consumption.

It is important to acknowledge that caffeine is considered to be a drug; specifically a stimulant. While I leave it to the readers of this posting to decide whether or not caffeine consumption should be part of your diet, I do want to point out that pregnant women need to be aware that there is research that associates an increase in the risk of miscarriage with caffeine consumption.

With that out of the way, I’ll disclose that I am a coffee-holic. I will defend my right to drink coffee until the day I am no longer here on Earth. However, if this stuff is eventually going to kill me, I wouldn’t mind knowing so I have been pouring over what seems like an insurmountable amount of research trying to determine if coffee is actually my friend or foe.

For years there have been correlations made between caffeine and cardiovascular disease and in my research I was able to find several older studies that support the hypothesis that caffeine consumption increases the risk of heart disease.

These studies for the most part are focused on “heavy” coffee consumption (which I will define as five or more 8 oz cups per day) and the role caffeinated drinks play in regards to increased blood pressure. When coffee drinkers ceased drinking coffee, they experienced significant reductions in measured blood pressure, thus reducing their risk for a cardiac event.

A little discouraged I dug a little deeper and found research published this past summer in the Annals of Internal Medicine. This study concluded that regular coffee consumption was not associated with an increased mortality rate in either men or women, and may actually be associated with lower cardiovascular mortality.

These findings are supported by research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which suggests that in adults older than 65 without existing high blood pressure, caffeine intake may be associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality.

As stated earlier, it is not difficult to find research to support your side of the argument.

Caffeine and Fat Loss

Consumed ‘wisely’, caffeine can have a positive impact on fat loss.

A recent study documented in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning supports the use of caffeine as an ergogenic aid in untrained to moderately trained individuals.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers reported that weight-trained men who took a supplement containing about 200 mg of caffeine (equivalent to 16 fluid ounces of regular coffee or a 12 fluid ounce cup of Starbucks regular coffee) before working out, increased their one rep max (1RM) on the bench press by about 5 pounds. An earlier study also found that caffeine increased subjects’ 8 RM. In addition, researchers from the University of Georgia found that when subjects consumed caffeine about an hour before intense cycling exercise that was designed to make their thighs sore, they reported significantly less pain than when taking a placebo.

This means that caffeine can increase muscle strength, as well as your ability to endure more reps at the end of a grueling workout. Over the long, this can lead to greater fat loss and increased muscle growth.

My Two Cents

It is likely that an individual’s response to caffeine will vary and the amount of caffeine which improves performance in one individual may result in negative side effects in another.

Clearly, if you are pregnant or prone to hypertension, drinking coffee may be harmful to your health. Similarly, if you have high cholesterol it would be advisable to limit whole egg consumption, and if you suffer from vertigo my recommendation would be not to climb the Statue of Liberty.

The point is, there are a myriad of factors that dictate how something we consume interacts with an individual. We need to stop trying to neatly fit foods into a “good” or “bad” column and instead look at the big picture to determine what is best for ourselves, at a given point in time.

Ultimately, as with just about everything we consume, my take-away is that moderation is key.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Part II

In Part 1 of this series we looked at the symptoms of DOMS. Matt (aka The Fitness Nerd) addresses the causes of DOMS in part II of this series.

Causes of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

The causes of delayed onset muscle soreness aren't entirely understood by doctors and scientists. But there are a couple of theories:

Sore Muscles = Lactic Acid Buildup?

For years, the leading hypotheses was that DOMS was caused by a build up of lactic acid in the muscle during intense, prolonged exercise.

L-lactate is a chemical continuously produced from pyruvate during metabolism and exercise. Under normal circumstances, L-lactate is removed by the body at a rate that exceeds production of it, but intense exertion (like weight training or running) can result in more L-lactate being produced than the body can immediately remove.

This is actually a good thing - since it allows (through a related process that I won't get into here) energy production to be maintained and your body to continue the exercise.

However, until this was widely understood, many people believe that L-lactate caused acidosis in the muscle tissue - in other words, that "burning" sensation you feel during a particularly long or grueling set of squats, sprints or bicep curls. Scientists now believe that muscle burn during exercise is not a product of L-lactate (or the acid form of L-lactate - lactic acid), but rather a result of tissue PH falling when the body switches from aerobic metabolism to anaerobic during activities like weight training.

The other reason scientists have eliminated L-lactate as a cause of DOMS is that L-lactate is cleared fairly quickly from the body once the activity causing the concentrated build-up has ceased (often within 30 - 60 minutes). It's just not present in the tissue long enough to explain muscle soreness that develops 24 - 48 hours after experience.

So, scratch that hypothesis.

Cellular Damage and Microscopic Tears?

The newest theory around what causes DOMS has nothing to do with L-lactate or Lactic Acid. In fact, it's a much simpler explanation: muscle tears.

Now, before you start getting freaked out, understand that what we are really talking about here is tiny, microscopic tears in muscle fibers as a result of performing high-intensity work. We're not talking about a ripped bicep or pulled groin.

One of the things exercise physiologists observed when trying to find an explanation for DOMS was that certain types of exercises caused more server cases of DOMS - specifically exercises or activities that involved eccentric contraction of muscles - activities like downhill running, plyometrics, or lowering a weight very slowly under tension or resistance. This suggested that maybe the type of muscle contraction was important to understanding DOMS.

For some time now, exercise physiologists have known that eccentric muscle contractions (when the muscle "lengthens" during movement) can cause greater damage to muscle tissue than concentric motions (when the muscle "shortens" - for example, during the first part of a bicep curl). And, since DOMS seems to be more severe after exercise that involves a higher-degree of eccentric contractions, they put two-and-two together.

A New Hypotheses for What Causes DOMS

So, here's the new hypothesis for what causes DOMS:

Whenever you put the muscle under more stress than it's use to, tiny, microscopic tears develop in the muscle tissue. In other words, you've literally caused structural "damage" to the muscle and underlying cells. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - since the process of repairing the muscle will typically make it stronger or larger.

There is also cell membrane damage that occurs in the injured tissue, which causes a nasty sounding thing called "necrosis". Necrosis describes the death of cells, in this case due to muscle trauma. When this happens, the body sends in macrophages, which are immuno-cells that clear away the dead cellular material and flush it from the body.

However, this process also sets off an inflammatory process that may create soreness, swelling and tenderness in the muscle tissue. As the body clears the wasted material, inflammation decreases and symptoms subside.

There is also some evidence that fast-twitch muscle fibers are more susceptible to eccentric-contraction muscle damage than slow twitch muscle fibers. The length of the actual muscle during exercise may also determine severity of DOMS. This may explain why the calves are particularly prone to developing DOMS.

Could Gender Play a Role in DOMS?

Interesting enough, there is some evidence that men may be more prone to DOMS than women.

Researchers believe the mechanism for this may be estrogen, which could have a protective effect on muscle and cells, reducing damage. This effect has been observed in both rats given estrogen and then exposed to muscle stress, as well as in humans using oral contraceptives. However, these studies did not look at reported muscle soreness, but rather Creatine Kinase (CK) activity, which may not be a reliable measure of muscle damage.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Precision Nutrition V3 Release Date and Special Offer

On January 20, 2009 Dr. John Berardi is releasing Precision Nutrition Volume 3.

Precision Nutrition is a recipient of Catapult Fitness Blog's NO BULL Seal of Approval. I firmly believe PN to be hands down the best nutrition program available today and it is the program that I personally follow.

If you are looking to change your body composition it all begins with your diet. You cannot out-train a bad diet. Period. If you don't have the body you want, you seriously should consider making the investment in JBs program.

Anyone who pre-orders V3 before the 20th of this month will be able to pick up Precision Nutrition V3 for $97 and receive a host of special offers that you can read about by clicking HERE. On January 21, 2009 the retail price of Precision Nutrition will increase to $147 (US).

I want to point out that Precision Nutrition is not an eBook. When you order Precision Nutrition V3 you will receive a binder that contains all ten PN guides in addition to the Precision Nutrition Gourmet Cookbook Volume 1.

So, ask yourself, are you ready to make the commitment necessary to have the body you want? If the answer is yes, order Precision Nutrition V3 before the 20th of this month and start working towards accomplishing your goals.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

No Time To Exercise?

As reported by ABC News, President Elect Barack Obama doesn't get in quite as much time at the gym as he would like, but he still manages to be fairly consistent. "Most of my workouts have to come before my day starts," he said. "There's always a trade-off between sleep and working out. Usually I get in about 45 minutes, six days a week. I'll lift [weights] one day, do cardio the next. I wish I was getting a 90 minute workout."

If one of the busiest men in the world can manage to get in a workout 6-days per week, what's your excuse for not exercising?

Here is a 20-minute body weight circuit that you can do at home that will rev up your metabolism in no time:

• Body weight squat (10-20 reps)
• Push-up (10-20 reps) - do it on your knees if you must
• Reverse Lunge (10 reps per leg)
• Plank (30 second hold)
• Close-grip Push-up (10-20 reps)
• Side Plank (20 second hold per side)
• Mountain Climber (10 reps per side)

Do this with no rest between exercises. Rest 1 minute at the end of the complete circuit and repeat up to 3 times.

If you are a beginner, do fewer reps and take longer rests.

Train hard; stay strong and no excuses allowed!

Peace.

Susan

Catapult Fitness Blog In Oxygen Magazine

If you are by a newsstand or bookstore this weekend you may want to pick up a copy of Oxygen Magazine's Winter 2009 Fat Loss issue.

Catapult Fitness Blog has received our first offline recognition, being featured in an article entitled 7 Weeks To A Better You! (Page 83).

It is a thrill to be featured in one of the premier women's fitness magazines although my niece quickly brought me down to reality by pointing out that I was not used as the fitness model in the spread.

Now I have a new goal for this upcoming year!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Part I

Happy New Year everyone!

There's no time for any lallygagging here at Catapult Fitness Blog as we all hopefully by now have our 2009 fitness goals in place (read: written out on a piece of paper with an associated plan of action!).

You plan to work out hard this year and rest assured you are going to be sore.

Personally, I like the feeling of post-workout muscle soreness as it makes me feel as if my time working out was well spent. I'm also a firm believer that "change" and "comfort" do not belong in the same sentence when it comes to body composition. If you want to realize change and achieve your dream physique, you are going to feel some level of discomfort along the way.

With that said, you also need to be able to differentiate between normal muscle soreness and injury. This is why I turned to my friend Matt (aka The Fitness Nerd) who has an almost encyclopedic knowledge on the topic of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

Matt has been gracious enough to allow me to re-post his DOMS article on Catapult Fitness Blog. This article will be running as a 6-part series (yes, 6-parts ... I told you Matt was well versed on this subject!) throughout January. I highly recommend you tap in to Matt's mind by visiting his blog at www.AnswerFitness.com.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness - Preventing And Treating

Muscle soreness after exercise can put a real kink in your training. Find out what DOMS is, how to prevent it ans what you can do to ease delayed onset muscle soreness if you get it.

Nearly anyone who works out regularly has experienced sore muscles after exercise. Sometimes you'll feel it later that night, or the next morning ... and in some cases, you may actually think you're out-of-the-woods, only to wake up two days later with stiff, tender muscles that feel as tight as rubber bands.

It's known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (also called, "DOMS"), and it's both loved and reviled by exercise fanatics. Loved, because many people view DOMS as a sign that yesterday's workout was effective, but hated at the same time because in severe cases, DOMS can prevent you from comfortably hitting the gym again.

And in the case of calf muscle soreness - which plagues runners as often as weight lifters - it can literally make going down a flight of stairs in the morning a three minute ordeal.

Symptoms of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

You probably have a case of DOMS is you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Muscle tenderness
• Muscle soreness
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Pain
• Loss of mobility or reduced range of motion
• Muscle tenderness, including when the muscle belly is pressed with the fingers
• Loss of strength
  
• Acute muscle twitches or spasms

The extent or duration of these symptoms may vary from person-to-person and are largely dependent on the amount of resistance - especially eccentric resistance - placed on the muscles during exercise.

There also sees to be a continuum to DOMS - so additional symptoms may appear over a period of time that can last as long as 7 to 10 days. For example, loss of strength in the muscle tends to peak immediately following exercise or within 48 hours, even in the absence of muscle soreness or other overt symptoms of DOMS.

In fact, by the time of the actual onset of muscle soreness, strength will often have returned to previous levels - although in some cases, it may take as long as five days to experience the return of peak muscle strength.

Pain and tenderness may peak 1 - 3 days after exercise, with muscle stiffness and swelling peaking 3 - 4 days after exercise. It's unusual for symptoms of DOMS to persist longer than 7 - 10 days. If they do, you may want to visit your doctor, since you could have a more serious muscle strain or tear.


Signs That You Might NOT Have DOMS: When You Should See The Doctor

DOMS is typically short-lived, and while it may cause some muscle tenderness, stiffness and reductions in mobility, it isn't serious. Generally it never warrants a visit to the doctor.

However, it is important to distinguish between DOMS and more serious strains or pulls to the muscle or connective tissue that won't simply disappear within a few days.

Signs of a more serious muscle or connective tissue strain which may require medical attention include:

• Sharp pain during movement
• Extremely reduced movement or mobility
• Excessive bruising or swelling
• Constant or intermittent throbbing or pulsating pain, even when the muscle is immobile or at rest
• Inability to bear weight

Any or all of these symptoms can indicate a more serious strain to the muscle or connective tissue, including ligaments and tendons.

Typically, with DOMS, you'll experience tightness and soreness in muscles only during activities that cause muscle contraction, stretching or during movement. While you may experience some feeling of "muscle fatigue" with DOMS, the muscle should still be able to bear weight without too much discomfort. If the pain is constant - even at rest - or if it persists for more than 10 days, you should see a doctor.

Train hard; stay strong, Happy New Year World!

Peace.

Susan