Strength and Conditioning NYC

05/12/2023

https://mshealthandfitness.com/2023/enja-schen

09/05/2022

Recently, there have been several studies published on strength benefits when exercising at longer muscle lengths, adding inter-set stretching and even on strength increases while passively stretching, which is exciting because existing literature is scarce. It will be interesting to see if research continues to swing in the same direction when more studies are conducted.

Elbow Joint Angles in Elbow Flexor Unilateral Resistance Exercise Training Determine Its Effects on Muscle Strength and Thickness of Trained and Non-trained Arms
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.734509/full

Loaded inter-set stretch may selectively enhance muscular adaptations of the plantar flexors
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0273451

Influence of Long-Lasting Static Stretching on Maximal Strength, Muscle Thickness and Flexibility
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.878955/full

07/21/2022

The answer is......

FALSE

The MEDEX‑OP Randomised Controlled Trial compares the effects of high-intensity resistance and impact training (HiRIT - Onero protocol) to low-intensity, Pilates-based exercise (LiPBE - Buff Bones) on proximal femur geometry.

Results: HiRIT improved proximal femur strength, while LiPBE exercise was largely ineffective. Findings also suggest reduced hip fracture risk in response to HiRIT.

High-Intensity Exercise and Geometric Indices of Hip Bone Strength in Postmenopausal Women on or off Bone Medication: The MEDEX-OP Randomised Controlled Trial
Trial registration number ACTRN12617001511325.

07/08/2022

This!

Although it can be easy to think that strength training can provide a form of cardio if you're looking at heart rate (HR) alone, it's important to understand that's not how it works

To understand why, we have to look at the differences between what's happening under the hood when we do both types of training

First, it's important to recognize the whole point of doing "cardio" is to build our cardiovascular system. This system is central to aerobic metabolism and fitness because its job is to pump oxygen throughout the body

When we do traditional cardiovascular exercises like running, cycling, rowing, etc., our heart rates go up as intensity increases because we're asking our cardiovascular system to deliver more oxgen to all the working muscles and supporting tissues

In this case, we see a very linear relationship with how much oxygen is being pumped throughout the body and our HR

In other words, a higher HR means our cardiovascular system is working to deliver more oxygen

This challenge to the cardiovascular system is the stress that causes it to adapt and become better at pumping more blood and oxygen, i.e. why our aerobic fitness improves

When we're lifting heavy weights, on the other hand, we're working on the anaerobic end of the spectrum

Because of the high resistance, there is compression of blood vessels within the working muscles. This leads to much higher blood pressures, up to 345/245 mmHg when squatting, along with higher levels of hormones like adrenaline to support force production.

Because of these reasons and more, the connection between your HR and the amount of oxgyen your cardiovascular system is pumping (VO2) is no longer the same

Research has shown VO2 can be as little as 50% of what would be seen during cadiovascular exercise at the same HR

That's why it's misleading to use HR alone during anaerobic exercises as a gauge for whether or not you're "doing cardio"

So while strength training does have many benefits and is important, that doesn't mean it's a substitute for good old-fashioned cardio

➡ Learn more at 8Weeksout - link in bio

06/15/2022

06/15/2022

We talk a lot about osteoporosis at The Bone Clinic so most of you know what that is and why exercise is so important to prevent fracture. The muscle equivalent is sarcopenia and is just as problematic in old age. Weak leg muscles means more falls. Falls mean fractures. A cool new paper was just published describing why exercise helps prevent sarcopenia, including this great infographic. For the science nuts among you, here is the link to the full paper also. https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-021-02737-1

05/15/2022

When you teach movement, people inherently ask for help regarding chronic discomfort or pain.

Over the years I studied as much as I possibly could, but still wasn't able to help every client, which was utterly frustrating.

Then I encountered Postural Restoration.

With the PRI framework, table tests provide an understanding of someone's postural pattern.
Cengiz has had R anterior hip pain in various positions for years. His hip IR was very limited, which is very informative, interestingly particularly on the R side, which is unusual and thus reveals even more information.

We decided to do a test-retest. He identified 2 movements that always cause the pain and did 3 interventions targeting posterior expansion, R IR & adduction and R posterior hip capsule stretching. Retest results are in the 4th slide.

Thank you .stclair.fitness, and

05/14/2022

Knee health: Reverse Nordics 3x10

In Pilates we only do 3 reps with support and work the lengthening aspect: The Thigh Stretch. Unless you thigh-stretch into Kneeling Mermaid on the Wunda Chair 😉

04/21/2022

Another country, another gym

03/28/2022

When using a Smith machine with an angled bar path like the one I use here, it's important to think about the mechanics of an exercise to determine body orientation.
In a Bench Press, for example, the bar path is slightly diagonal, from the chest to over the face. In order to replicate that angle, it makes sense to face the back of the machine rather than the front. For Squats the opposite counts, the bar path is slightly back and down, so the front should be faced.

1) Rear Lunges and Single Romanian Deadlifts are two of the few exercises for which the Smith machine is beneficial because there is no balance component, so you can add greater loads.

2) For hipthrusts, the benefit is in the easy setup - no rolling a barbell over your legs and hoisting yourself up into the right position on a bench. One or 2 plates may have to be used under the feet to make up for limited bar depth.

3) And here's a favorite: Bench throws, because power exercises for the upper body are limited compared to lowerbody ones. Obviously not possible with a barbell.

03/16/2022

My 80 year old client K.B. demonstrating that age doesn't matter and conditions improve if you train consistently and progressively. Today her bloodwork returned with excellent values, her spinal BMD is that of an 18 year old and her 2 hip replacements don't bother her anymore. She power-walks and we do power and strength workouts together - here a quick glimpse:

- Medball Thrusters
- Airdyne power intervals

- Plank Pull Through (with Yoga block!, 15lbs x 10 reps)

- Hip Thrusts (40lb bag, x15)
- Step Ups (15lbs)
- Getting Up from the Floor

- Alt. Floor Presses (2x20 / x8)
- Lat Pulls (50lbs x 10)
- Alt. Overhead Presses (10x10lbs)

- LNL: PRI breathing techniques - she likes it for her singing, I get a couple of principles worked on ;)

03/13/2022

Sometimes the fastest way for me to get a workout in is to go to the Planet Fitness around the corner.
The biggest drawback of big box gyms is that they have Smith machines instead of power racks. Some industry leaders, such as Bret Contreras, embrace the Smith machine pretty much for every lift, even for squats. I don't like anything fixed-path for squats, as that mechanism tends to jam my femurs back, tipping my pelvis forward somewhere at midrange, which is something I work hard on NOT having happen anyway.

I use the Smith machine for 5 exercises and I actually love it for 1 of them ( #4):
1.) Deadlifts
2.) Rear Lunges and SLRDLS
3.) Hip Thrusts
4.) Bench Throws

When it comes Deadlifts it's important to check the depth of the bottom position of the bar. At Planet Fitness it sits too high, so I elevate my feet on plates to best mimick the height and R.O.M. of a barbell on plates (swipe left).