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Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Fact or Fiction: Lactate Causes Muscle Soreness

By: AJ Jagim

In this edition of "Fact or Fiction" we explore the topic of lactate and whether or not it is responsible for muscle soreness. Before we answer that question, let's first briefly cover lactate and what exactly we are dealing with. 

Lactate is a by-product of anaerobic metabolism or more specifically a metabolite of carbohydrate oxidation (burning carbs for energy).  At rest and lower levels of exercise intensity, we produce minimal levels of lactate as the rate of carbohydrate metabolism is relatively low. In addition, we are able to "clear" a lot of the lactate that we are producing by sending it out of the muscle cell and into the bloodstream where various other tissues and organs can actually use it as a fuel source.  As exercise intensity increase, our rate of lactate production also increases and our ability to clear lactate begins to become overwhelmed.  As a result, lactate levels within the muscle and blood begin to rise.  So, getting back to our original question of does lactate result in muscle soreness? The quick answer is: Not really. Let me explain why.  We actually produce lactic acid as a by-product of metabolism. In an aquesous environment, such as inside a muscle cell, it dissociates into lactate and a hydrogen ion (H+). Lactate can be used as a fuel source, used to make sugar which can also be used as fuel, and serves as a powerful stimulator for muscle growth. However, those H+ may begin to accumulate if high-intensity exercise is continued.


As that happens, it reduces the pH inside the muscle which is then perceived as that: "OMG, my legs are on fire" phenomenon during sustained muscle contraction.  When our muscle cells are exposed to an acidic environment they do not like to function properly.  Specifically the enzymes and contractile proteins responsible for movement do not work well in an acidic environment which means power output is diminished and fatigue is likely to set in. So moral of the story, don't blame lactate for acute muscle soreness and pain, blame the H+. Also, if we looked at the delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) effect that a lot of people may have heard of or encountered first hand; this is the soreness that presents itself about 24-48 hours AFTER an intense workout.  This soreness is not caused by lactate "trapped in the muscle" or any either myth you may have heard of.  This delayed muscle soreness is more a result of microscopic tears within the muscle cell in which some cells are damaged and even killed off resulting in an inflammatory response within your muscle(s).  Your nerve endings within the cells respond to this increase in localized swelling and various cell contents exiting the cell as pain.  There are active recovery strategies that can be utilized to improve or reduce sensations of pain but they help to facilitate the healing process not necessarily clear lactate out of the cell.  So again, lactate is not to blame for everything pain and soreness related that stems from exercise and simply serves as a metabolite from high-intensity exercise and can even be used as a substrate for fuel!


Sunday, September 25, 2016

Mobility Monday: Weird Hamstring Pain and Basic Neurodynamics


Hamstring injuries are one of the most frustrating ones out there and if you don't have an actual hamstring injury there are so many people that have just generalized pain that can inhibit so many things.  If you are a high paced athlete or competitor and your hamstring doesn't feel quite right it can be the end of it for you.  Here are are some ideas to help clear that out and get things moving better.


Things It Helps:
-Hamstring Pain
-Low Back Pain
-General Posterior Chain Soreness


Friday, September 23, 2016

Friday Food: Healthier Brown Sugar Meatloaf

By: Joel Luedke

Not being a meat loaf guy myself for a long time I have finally worked myself over that hump and jumped in on it.  For anyone trying to look at their macros and up their protein this is a great option for you and allows you usually more multiple meals to help you out in your week without having to cook each day.  Check this one out.

Ingredients:
-3 tbsp packed brown sugar
-1/2 cup ketchup
-1 1/2 pounds lean grounded beef
-3/4 cup low-fat (1%) milk
-2 eggs
-1 1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp ground black pepper
-1 small onion, chopped
-1/4 tsp ground ginger
-3/4/cup whole wheat bread crumbs
-1/4 cup chopped parsley

The Game Plan:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
-Press brown sugar in the bottom of prepared loaf pan and spread ketchup over sugar
-Mix ground beef, milk, eggs, salt, ground pepper, onion, ginger, bread crumbs, and parsley thoroughly in a mixing bowl.  Shape into a loaf and place on top of ketchup.
-Bake in preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour.  An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

"The Best Predictor of Injury is Previous Injury"

By: Joel Luedke


The phrase "the best predictor of potential injury is a previous injury to that area" is fairly undisputed and for good reason.  If you injury an ankle there is damage that will never quite get back to how it was originally. Your body has an amazing capability to heal itself and adapt to the things we put it through and the injuries we suffer but try as it might there will still be some damage that isn't quite perfect.


That being said and making this a very depressing start to this post does the above phrase have to be true?  Lets address if from two angles when it comes to injury.

Our first angle is general prevention (which we are big fans of).  This doesn't have to be an expensive prevention program that someone is touting to you as the only thing that will save you from spraining ankles or tearing an ACL. We believe in simple movement screening to look for areas that could cause you problems before they occur and then you are able to address them and retest your progress (Article: The Argument for Screening).  This is going to be the simplest way to address issues that are potential predictors for injury.

Going right along with screening to look for potential issues is training with a comprehensive training program.  While there are more options to choose from when it comes to training and we can't go over them all we believe you need one that addresses both your muscular strength and power but also your movement and mobility.  Piling on slabs of muscle but not giving your joints the ability to move when the muscles are contracted is a recipe for disaster.  Simply being the biggest and the strongest isn't going to cut it if you are training and competing at a high level or you are just working to maximize your own potential.  Everything needs to be addressed in your training.

The second angle is how you approach your rehab and training if an injury were to occur.  It isn't uncommon for people who suffer ACL tears to come back and feel stronger than ever in their injured leg.  This is also common for people who have chronic shin splints or someone who has sprained their ankle.  You may be wondering how this is possible as I explained above how the body isn't able to completely revert back to its original self post-injury.  Here is the break down.

If you are able to after injury get in with an athletic trainer, chiropractor (who knows rehab), physical therapist or a strength and conditioning professional that understands the injury process you are going to be able to address areas of deficiency you never knew you had.  This is why people coming back from injury feel better and stronger post-injury than they did before.  The reason is the focus on little areas that aren't often covered in training programs.  Things like balance and proprioception work are huge in the rehab process but often overlooked on the front end of the training process.  Doing work in these areas and some targeted strengthening specifically to that joint allow for a stronger comeback.

Bottom Line: Injury isn't a death sentence and you can come back stronger and I don't believe that injury has to be the best predictor of future injury if it is addressed well on the front end (training) and on the back end during your rehab process.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Mobility Monday: The Simple Five Way Shoulder

By: Joel Luedke

Shoulder pain is one of the top 5 locations for pain when it comes to the body (lower back being number 1).  If you can get some range of motion back in your shoulder you will be amazed at how much pain you can reduce and how much function you can restore. If you ever have shoulder pain or you know you have rounded forward shoulder posture you need to check these out.

Things It Helps:
-Tight Shoulders
-Rounded Shoulder Posture


Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Study Spotlight: Is a High Protein Diet Bad for You?

By: Andrew Jagim

The topic of a high(er)-protein diet is one that is near and dear to my heart as I recommend it to pretty much everyone, regardless of their goals, and I myself have also subscribed to this dietary strategy for a LONG time.  There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to a high protein diet.  A lot of health professionals will tell you that lots of protein can damage your kidneys, or excess protein is just converted to fat or you can only absorb 20 grams of protein per serving....blah blah blah. 
A lot of these misconceptions are predicated on old or poorly designed research that simply is not true. A recently published study dug into this topic and laid to rest some of the aforementioned misconceptions.

What did they do?
Researchers designed the first randomized cross-over design clinical trial examining the effects of a high protein diet on indices of health and body composition in a trained population.  They had twelve healthy resistance-trained men complete a 16 week dietary intervention.  During an eight-week period subjects were randomly assigned to first consume a high protein diet of >3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Just to put this in perspective, the RDA is 0.8 g/kg/day for general population (which I think is low but that's beside the point) and the International Society of Sports Nutrition (who published the article) recommends 1.4-2.0 g/kg/day for active individuals in their Position Stand on protein. So the experimental value of 3 g/kg/d is quite high.  Following the 8-week treatment period (high or normal), subjects then followed a "normal" protein diet (or high depending on which treatment they completed first) which consisted of 2.5 g/kg/day (still quite a bit higher than the RDA value) which was their regular protein intake. Each subject was assessed as baseline and after each 8-week treatment period for changes in body composition and markers of clinical health (i.e. lipids, kidney function etc).

What did they find?
The high protein diet group ended up consuming significantly greater amounts of protein (3.3 vs. 2.6) which is to be expected.

The high protein group also consumed significantly more calories as a result of the increased protein intake but similar amounts of carbohydrates and fat.  No changes in body composition or markers of health in either group were observed.  There were no clinically relevant side-effects (i.e. changes in blood lipids, glucose, kidney function etc.) regarding the higher protein intake.

Take Home Message:
So, what can we take away from this study? Despite what a lot of people may think, a high protein diet, and in this particular case it was really a matter of a high vs. a really high protein diet, does not appear to negatively affect one's health. A high protein diet does not seem to cause kidney damage or liver failure. Granted this was only a 16 week intervention which is far from a 30 year high protein diet but from this study we can conclude that shorter duration high protein diets are in fact safe. Also, the assumption that excess protein will just turn into fat does not seem to hold true as there were no significant differences in body composition following the different diets. Although, at the same time, you could argue that more isn't necessarily better when it comes to increasing protein intake for the goal of increasing muscle mass. Specifically, going from 2.6 to 3.3 g/kg/d does not translate to greater increases in lean muscle mass. I think going from 0.8 g/kg/d up to 2.6 would make a substantial difference but there appears to be a threshold somewhere around the 2.0-3.5 g/kg/d range.  So, save your protein money if you are already hitting the 2.6-3.3 g/kg/d range as more might not mean better.

Click Here for Article

Monday, September 12, 2016

How Athletics Changed Me & My Coach Style-Corissa Conard

BY: Corissa A Conard
Certified Personal Trainer
B.S. – Exercise & Sports Science, Nutrition
  
Every dedicated collegiate athlete knows the feeling of that last competition or competitive season – it’s
the moment they’ve worked so hard for, the time where the athlete proves to themselves, their teammates, and coaches, what they can truly do.  It’s why athletes do what they do; it is the peak of their performance throughout those four, or sometimes even five and longer, hard years of work.  It’s the countless days of unrest due to practices and school work.  Friday nights spent resting up for the big competition instead of going out with friends.  Hours spent in the Athletic Training Room (with Joel) to pre-rehab, post-rehab, or even both.  And let’s not forget the massive nerves that built up right before the competition.


So why did do you do it? A question I have been asked far too often given the above statement.  I always said, “If you’re good at it, why not see where it can take you?” It’s the mystery of that last competition that keeps you going back to practice every day.  It’s the comradery of your teammates and the friendships that develop for the love of the same game.  You all want to see where you can get at the end of it all, and you can count on each other for the support of that same goal.  

So, it sounds like you made it big?  I had been a long-distance runner, competing in Track & Field and Cross Country for the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, with aspirations and expectations that were beyond exciting.  Race times were decreasing and the advancement to Nationals in 2012 created a mindset of enhanced discipline and sacrifice.  Although, it’s probably not to the extent anyone would find appealing.

So sure, I was thriving in the sports world – performances had boomed from my first to second year, and I had even been published in a newspaper article back home.  But the problem was I wasn’t thriving in other areas of my life.  Diet and exercise became mentally overwhelming and had started to consume every part of my day. On the outside, some saw this as dedication; always fitting in that extra mile or weight room session (which was usually deemed “optional”) and frowning upon anything other than fruits and veggies. But I was starving for perfection; sacrificing calories and disciplining myself on the track/gym/etc. to do so – a whole different and less attractive view of the characteristics one would think of as being beneficial.  Now, I could go on about the details of this journey, but for the sake of the length and focus of this article, the journey beyond the athletic career is much more important to highlight as it envelopes how I train now – personally and professionally. It’s probably not what Joel had in mind when he suggested the topic, but the past is definitely the biggest influencer of my current goals in Personal Training, and future goals in Dietetics.  Because after Nationals in 2012, I hit a wall emotionally and physically and was unfit to compete at the level I aspired to do.  Psychological and physical therapy followed – two therapies no one is very fond of –but aside from all the negative experiences, there are no regrets as they truly made me a better person and well-rounded professional. 

Professional Development from Athletics
From your experiences, what do you think is important for trainers and trainees?
After hip surgery, physical therapy was a very humbling and educational experience.  Being able to run fifty miles in one week, to barely being able to get off the couch, I realized how important function and moderation was.  That is why today, I stress the importance of functionality first, as well as balancing exercise modes, intensity, frequency; nutrition; rest; and daily life. Functionality can mean many things, and can be taken care of in multiple ways.  For instance, improper lifting techniques can fire the wrong muscles leading to weak targeted muscles involved in the sport or activity.  Those targeted muscles could be crucial to injury prevention and proper movement of the kinetic chain, especially if the motions are repetitive. Functionality could also mean balancing work-out days with rest and recovery days, and truly listening to your body.  Athletes: This is when listening to the coaches is crucial.  When they say to take it “easy” on this drill, run, etc.; take it easy!  There are no champions in practice, especially on easy days.  Easy days are meant to help your body recover from a previous workout or setting it up so that you’re able to perform optimally on the next workout. If you have experience with athletics, telling an athlete to take it easy is definitely easier said than done. 


Here are some easy methods/tips I use for myself and my client in order to ensure that the proper exercise regime throughout the week is being achieved:
·       Categorize exercise modes as easy, moderate, or hard and avoid doing them on two consecutive days.  For example, Vinaysa yoga could be used as an easy exercise mode, whereas sprinting/running could be used as a hard exercise mode. Spread them out.
·       Ask yourself, “on a scale of 1-10, how hard was that?” and make sure to vary that number throughout the week.  Use an RPE (rate of perceived exertion) scale and plot your numbers on a graph. If the points are going up and down, good job!  Keep in mind, that the same exercise mode may get easier with time, so re-evaluate every so often.
·       Always take an active recovery day.  Active recovery means to move around, but move easily.  It can involve things in the same activity level as gardening, walking the dog, or participating in a hatha yoga class.  Invest in a foam roller (or find a baseball lying around) and spend a good half hour or more releasing those deep knots and keeping up on flexibility of the muscles surrounding the joints.  I definitely look to Total Athletic Therapy’s website and blog posts for Mobility Monday Movements – super helpful and professional knowledge right at your fingertips!
·       Active recovery also means using those days to have fun, relax, and enjoy good company. We live in a fast-paced, stressful environment so having a cocktail or two, eating dessert before dinner, or taking a nap in the middle of the day is okay.  Getting stronger, losing weight or any other type of training goal can be achieved without an ‘all-or-nothing’ mentality.  Remember that recovering the mind is just as important as recovering the body.
·       Recognize that everyone is different.  Not every one person will improve at the same rate, recover at the same rate, and/or prefer the same exercise regime. What one considers an easy exercise mode may be hard for another, and that is okay.  Accept those differences because without them, how would we know what to improve upon?

For those of you who are more sports-specific, especially at a high level, there is much more to take into account as it comes down to much more of a science.  The above rules are typically more for general fitness gurus or youngsters with aspirations to improve in their sport, as that’s who I mostly work with now.  Sports fanatics shouldn’t shy away from these basic concepts either, however.

One final note: Optimal sports performance and daily performance in general is a great goal to shoot for, but doing so in a way that is healthy.  If it hinders your relationships, school or job focus, and health, then it’s time to re-evaluate.

Check back in a few weeks for Part 2 of this article examining behaviors/characteristics and other tell-tale signs that you, or your athlete, may have an unhealthy relationship with athletics.

Corissa A Conard
Certified Personal Trainer

B.S. – Exercise & Sports Science, Nutrition

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Mobility Monday: Your Inside Pelvis Bits

By: Joel Luedke

Pelvic muscle (both external and pelvic floor) are extremely important to make sure you maintain mobility in.  If you neglect these areas you can cause yourself more problems than just tight muscles (if you'd like us to go more into it we can just send us a message) and that is good for no one.  Check out how to fix all those muscles up in this video.

Things It Helps:
-Tight Hips
-Low Back Pain
-'Pinching' in Your Hip

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Friday Food: Provencal Deviled Eggs

By: Joel Luedke

This doesn't fall under our 'typical' Friday Food but it does look really good and you can surprise everyone at your next party.  Still highly packed with protein but also plenty of other great things to help assist with your health.  Check it out.

Ingredients List:
-1 tbsp chopped dried sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
-12 hard-cooked large eggs, shelled
-1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
-1 tbsp chopped pitted kalamata olives
-2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
-2 tsp chopped capers
-1/2 tsp dried herbs de Provence
-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

The Game Plan:
-Combine boiling water and tomatoes in a bowl.  Cover; let stand 30 minutes or until tender.  Drain and set aside.
-Cut eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks.  Place 8 yolks in a medium bowl; reserve remaining 4 yolks for another use.  Add tomatoes, mayonnaise, and next 7 ingredients (through pepper); stir well. Spoon 1 1/2 tsp egg mixture into each egg white half.  Sprinkle with additional chopped parsley, if desired.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Study Spotlight: Stress and Weight Gain

By: Joel Luedke


Stress is a part of everyday life and it can have its good parts and its bad parts.  There is a lot of research out there looking at stress and weight gain and this one takes that a little bit more into consideration and it looks to control for everything that isn't stress related.

What They Did:
This group of researchers looked at multiple factors that can be associated with stress and potentially weight gain.  They observed these factors from 1995 to 2004 in over 1350 men and women.  They also did what they could to control other factors that could lead to weight gain and focus solely on the factors related to stress to see how that can affect weight gain.

What They Found:
What they found in this study is that men with high baseline BMI's weight gain was associated with increase levels of psychosocial stress related to job demands, lack of skill discretion, lack of decision making authority and a difficulty in getting your bills being paid.  Among women with high BMI's, weight gain was associated with job demands, perceived constraints in life, strains in relations with family and a hard time paying bills.

What It All Means:
I don't think it comes as much of a surprise for anyone that stress can lead to weight gain, it has been fairly well documented.  What I think that is surprising about this study is that they controlled for factors that weren't stress related to really show how much stress can play a factor in someone's weight gain.  There can be lots of frustration when it comes to weight loss and I think this study highlights just another area and frustration that comes with weight loss.

Even if you have the perfect set up of diet and exercise but stress is crushing you at work and at home  you may not see the results that you are wanting or expecting.  This goes beyond 'stress eating' and getting after the quick fat and sugar.  It really can mess with you even with good diet and exercise and it has to be a factor that you try and control as much as possible.  We will do a follow up post on some ideas to relieve stress and help control your levels in the near future.

Check out Clinically Pressed's Weight Loss 101 Program for a no BS way on how to get your weight and diet where you want it to be.

Link: Psychosocial Stress and Changes in Weight Among US Adults

Monday, September 5, 2016

Mobility Monday: Tight IT Band and Flexor Wad Fix

By: Joel Luedke


Tightness in your IT bands can be one of the most painful chronic injuries you can possibly have.  The hard part about it is that it can manifest either at the knee, all the way up the quad or right at your hip.  In this one we take a look at how to help not only relieve the pain at the site but also to get mobile enough to try and prevent it from happening.


Things It Helps Fix:
-IT Band 'Tightness'
-Hip Tightness
-'Snapping Hip Syndrome'


Thursday, September 1, 2016

Friday Food: Traditional Hummus

By: Joel Luedke

Hummus is a great addition to any meal but it is also the perfect snack to combine with any vegetable that you choose.  Great source of fiber and other health benefits and you can combine up to fill you up but not break down your diet.


Ingredients List:
-2 (15.5 oz) cans no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
-2 garlic cloves, crushed
-1/2 cup water
-1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
-3/4 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp black pepper

The How To:
-Place beans and garlic in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until chopped.  Add 1/2 cup water and remaining ingredients; pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
-Add other ingredients from list to paste as needed.

For more variations of hummus check out Myrecipes.com