The Relationship Between Training and Hypoglycemia
https://ift.tt/2IdO9LV Three years ago, I had to undergo multiple health screenings to stay on my father’s insurance plan. When the doctor called me back and told me I was hypoglycemic (meaning I have low blood sugar), I was surprised, but when thinking back it totally made sense.
According to Medical News Today, “Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels drop below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). Severe hypoglycemia can be life-threatening if a person does not receive treatment. Treatments focus on returning blood sugar to safe levels.” When I asked my doctor what I needed to do with my new diagnosis, she recommended eating multiple smaller meals throughout the day and eating small, healthy snacks every few hours to maintain my blood sugar levels.
Prior to learning about hypoglycemia, I can remember occasions where I experienced different symptoms that I should have kept track of and notified my doctor of. The worst instance was when I was teaching a ski lesson and had all of the typical indicators: shaky, dizzy, unable to concentrate, trouble focusing my eyes, confusion, moody, and hungry. I pushed through it at the time, thinking I was just “hangry,” finished the lesson, and luckily only had a short drive home. I couldn’t eat fast enough and by the time my sugar levels started to even out, my body spent the rest of the day trying to re-regulate itself and I spent the rest of the evening in bed too exhausted to do anything else.
Over the past three years, I’ve learned what snacks help to keep me full the longest and I almost always have extra food packed just in case. I even keep a stash of jelly beans or (my favorite) Sour Patch Kids in my glove box for emergency situations. If I start to get too low, I know that the fastest way to get back to a healthy balance is with fruit juice—apple, cranberry, and grape are the ones I’ve found to be the best. Other snacks that are good to have on hand are bananas, trail mix, and energy bars like Clif Bars.
Working With Hypoglycemic ClientsI still slip up and find myself without extra carbs occasionally, putting myself in situations that I find to be frustrating and embarrassing. As a personal trainer, I hold myself to a high standard and know what my body is capable of doing. Recently I was biking and didn’t keep track of the last time I ate; I started to feel shaky, dizzy and felt cold and clammy. Instead of being able to complete the ride, I had to wait while one of my friends went to get the car. My body wouldn’t allow me to keep going. I blamed myself, apologized profusely to my friend, and felt my body trying to readjust for the next few days—I really had to keep track of how I was feeling and eat even more frequently than usual to stay in equilibrium.
When training a client living with hypoglycemia, The Personal Trainer Development Center states, moderate-level activities like brisk walking, light jogging, and cycling have a greater potential to lower blood glucose and cause hypoglycemia (depending on how diabetes is treated). Each person’s exercise regime should be modified according to his/her habitual physical activity, physical function, health status, exercise responses, and stated goals.”
Trainers need to respect their scope of practice and not overstep their boundaries. Refrain from advising clients on topics you are not qualified to work with, including (but not limited to) diet, medication, and other underlying health complications or injuries. As a trainer, be sure you’re prepared if your client does experience hypoglycemic episodes—have snacks or juice on hand, know how to spot the symptoms, listen to your client, and ask how they’re feeling throughout the workout.
Fitness via Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/1GxgPEe September 10, 2019 at 10:54AM
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Flexible to Competitive Nutrition
https://ift.tt/2ZRgG3z If it fits our macros.
It’s a common term that's being used as the catchphrase for the new wave of eating. However, this is an old school phenomenon that your average gym patron can easily adhere to. In short, it summarizes the need to ensure protein, carbohydrate, and fat needs are met appropriately without neglecting key nutrients for survival.
In my recent article, the “Tao of Eating” I discuss what nutrition is and how to treat your meals. This is not an excuse to go on a binge of your favorite food and justify it by thinking that it fits your macronutrient requirements. Rather, this is an opportunity to have a reality check on your eating habits. You can also consider utilizing this method toward your competition goals as well.
The Role of a Clean Food SourceThe first requirement in “if it fits your macros" is if it comes from a clean food source. Often, we see our favorite athletes chow on donuts as a cheat meal to hit a carbohydrate goal or watch them grab a box of pizza and have a field day—and we think we can do the same. The key difference, however, is that their training requirements are much higher than yours.
Clean eating is often attributed to raw ingredients. In a fast-food age, we forget how much processing goes into basic food items such as bread or condiments such as ketchup. Therefore, the grocery list and ingredients label should look more like words a fifth grader can pronounce rather than something that requires at least a collegiate level of chemistry to understand. Adherence to clean eating is difficult and the flexibility lies with sources that appeal more to your palate. For example, instead of eating three chicken-based meals per day, alternate by having some fish, bison, or vegan alternatives such as tofu. By doing this, it decreases the incidence of failure.
If your goal is only for maintaining a generally healthy lifestyle, operate on a level that allows you to look to more options such as switching almond butter for peanut butter once in a blue moon. However, if your goal is competition, the fewer ingredients something has, and the more it attributes to a direct macronutrient count, the better. For example, bodybuilders may have a snack of only bison meat or cream of rice with almond butter to hit a protein goal or carbohydrate and fat goal, respectively. You needn’t compete however, in order to meet nutrition goals and this kind of thinking attributes itself greatly to body recomp. Clean eating runs on a spectrum and avoiding processed foods will reap long-term benefits.
The Role of Nutrient TimingThe second requirement is nutrient timing. The great debate exists around protein and not enough attention is paid to carbohydrates and fats. Nutrient timing is often attributed to insulin sensitivity, gastric emptying time, protein sensitivity, and circadian rhythm. In short, when you east depend on your ability to receive nutrients and put them to optimal use. For those on a busy schedule eating smaller, more frequent meals may seem best but isn’t a practical route. Instead, choose an easier to digest meal later in the day while eating your meals with more dense calorie counts earlier in the day.
Obtaining most of your carbohydrates near your workout time seems to be most effective in replenishing glycogen stores and more importantly keeping metabolic homeostasis. The same, however, is not true for protein. Protein speeds up digestion and having a consistent protein load throughout the day with a bigger spike post-workout seems to be the best way to create an anabolic effect.
Eating smaller, more frequent meals improves gastric emptying time and, as a competitor, this proves to be most useful. Competition, however, adds a level of complexity to micronutrients such as sodium, potassium, and calcium levels. Vascularity, hardness/dryness, inflammation, and water retention can all be manipulated (temporarily) by ensuring micronutrients are accounted for.
For more information on flexible nutrition feel free to slide into the DMs @flexx_fairbairn and follow me on my road to World Championships WNBF 2019. Fitness via Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/1hdUh1E September 10, 2019 at 10:11AM
Eddie Hall and Paddy McGuinness Lifted Kettlebells With Their Manhoods
https://ift.tt/2A2BeYu Former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall makes sure to work out every part of his body—and we do mean every part. In a recent YouTube video, Hall and his friend, English comedian Paddy McGuinness, finished their back day by lifting kettlebells with their family jewels. Yeah, you read that right: they lifted with their manhoods. Gentlemen, brace yourself and check out the fun the two have at the 25:00 mark: It looks like the two tie one end of a rope to the kettlebell and the other to their …yeah. They then stand on a platform while hunched over, and attempt to stand upright. No surprise, it looks excruciating. Hall—who, reminder, once deadlifted 1,102 pounds—looked defeated by it. McGuinness “lifted” 4 kg (8.8 pounds), and Hall 6 (13.2 pounds). Look, we don’t think this has to be said, but please don’t do this at home. We’re not sure what possessed these two to do this, or why anyone would ever want to recreate it. Sadly, Hall and McGuinness are far from the first people to try this—and their lifts are not even close to the heaviest. In fact, Kung Fu master Ye Hongwei once dragged a helicopter for 33 feet with his genitals. Perhaps we shouldn’t be shocked, but there’s also a workout program for your penis. No, seriously.
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz September 10, 2019 at 09:57AM
Olympia Weekend Kicks Off with Thursday Press Conference
https://ift.tt/34vvchb The wait is nearly over. Olympia Weekend officially gets underway in Las Vegas on Thursday at noon with the Olympia Press Conference at the Orleans Arena (free to the public). Anticipation is already growing with rumors swirling about a few surprises. Will fans finally get to lay their eyes on Hadi Choopan, the Iranian sensation who recently landed in the United States for the first time? Are the rumors true that this year’s press conference panel will also include a few of the world’s top female bikini & fitness stars? With a new production team in place, there are expectations of a different look and feel to the weekend’s annual kickoff event. Once again, the Press Conference begins on Thursday at Noon inside the Orleans Arena—admission is free! In other Olympia news, this year’s Amateur Olympia in Las Vegas is expected to welcome more competitors than ever before. The 2 day event takes place inside the Orleans Hotel on Wednesday and Thursday with IFBB Pro Cards on the line. Expo Opens Friday Morning at the Las Vegas Convention Center: The 2019 Olympia Fitness & Performance Expo opens its door on Friday with expectations of a major surge in star power. Confirmed appearances include Mark Wahlberg, Mario Lopez, Anderson Silva, Tito Ortiz, along with many of the greatest bodybuilding legends off all-time. The expo is also an opportunity for fans to meet some of the industry’s top fitness influencers, including Michelle Lewin, Cass Martin, Dana Linn Bailey, Mike Rashid and a host of online power players, including appearances by Jay Cutler, the Honorary Olympia Weekend Ambassador. Expo Passes and Arena Finals tickets can be purchased in advance at MrOlympia.com.
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz September 10, 2019 at 08:17AM
5 Reasons to Watch the 2019 Olympia Webcast
https://ift.tt/2A2vL3R Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz September 9, 2019 at 04:39PM
Champion Powerlifter J.L Holdsworth's Tips on How To Revive Your Deadlift
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Courtesy of JL Holdsworth
J.L. Holdsworth (@coach_jl) is a strength coach and world champion powerlifter who’s squatted 905 pounds, benched 775, and deadlifted 804 during competitions. When he issues advice, it’s best to listen. So, when he mentioned on a recent episode of M&F’s podcast, Reps, that people everywhere are teaching and learning the deadlift incorrectly, we took note. Then we followed up to learn more. “Unless you're an elite level powerlifter, the way you’ve been taught [to deadlift] is often just wrong,” says Holdsworth, founder of the Spot Athletics gyms in the Columbus, OH, area. He mentions that physical therapists began applying pain-mitigating rehab strategies to basic barbell lifts, which filtered down to personal trainers and strength coaches. Squatting low, keeping your lats tight, and your chest up can reduce pain if you’ve injured your lower back. “This is in direct opposition to good form,” says Holdsworth. “It might help you to safely pick up a laundry basket, but it’s not how you deadlift. Anatomically, the lats are not built to retract or depress the shoulder blades. They are meant to abduct the arms to the body.” To get it right, he advises to keep your shoulder blades abducted, or rolled forward, and your lats long and tight, reaching down far for the bar. “It’s basic physics,” he says. “If you go chest up, it increases the length you have to pull the bar, and you’re forced to drop your butt lower. This takes away that pure hip hinge, and the hinge is what allows for better mechanics through the lift.” [RELATED1] Holdsworth says that few people made this mistake 15 years ago. Then, more people began visiting physical therapists, and PTs even started to have online presences where they could speak to mass audiences. “A lot these guys were really great at rehab and super well-intentioned, but inexperienced when it came to lifting heavy,” says Holdsworth. As the sports of Powerlifting, CrossFit, and Strongman became increasingly poopular over the years, compound lifts became more prevalent, even among beginners. “The demand for doing these lifts exceeded the supply for qualified teachers,” Holdsworth adds. This even impacted Holdsworth. After herniating a disc in his back in 2004, he enlisted a physical therapist, who gave him those same instructions—shoulder blades together, chest high. “It sounded good and came from smart people, so I switched the way I deadlifted,” he says. Then, during a 2010 workout with powerlifting icons Steve Goggins and Brian Carroll, he was put in his place. “They looked at me like I was crazy and told me I was doing it wrong,” he says. “I think I'm a smart guy, and I still fell for [the improper technique] because it sounded good." Once his form was perfected, everything fell into place—he was able to deadlift more weight more comfortably. How to Deadlift, CorrectlyFollow Holdsworth’s step-by-step instructions for getting it right:
Accessory Work to Help Your DeadliftOnce you’re deadlifting like a champion powerlifter, you can still hit a wall. That’s why Holdsworth recommends the below accessory work to help drive your strength gains:
[RELATED2]
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz September 9, 2019 at 03:35PM
Hadi Choopan Will Be Competing at the 2019 Olympia
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"The Persian Wolf" is in the United States and ready to take the stage.
Shawn Ray discusses the recent news that Vancouver Pro champ Hadi Choopan is in the United States and will be taking the stage in Las Vegas this year.
JW Player ID:
3CzOzpvw
Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz September 9, 2019 at 03:27PM
Alternatives to the Big 3 Lifts
https://ift.tt/2A0Q8hN You can’t go wrong with the back squat, deadlift, and bench press—the classic big three powerlifting movements. Train them regularly and you will gain strength, especially if you’re new to training.
But, not if these movements are causing you grief.
Whether due to lingering chronic injuries or a lack of flexibility, I often see people continuing to squat, deadlift, or bench press even when they’re in pain, or aren’t able to lift with safe mechanics, because they don’t realize there are other options.
If this is you, consider laying off whatever movement is causing you issues and consider other ways to work the same muscles, and even build considerable strength, without straining your body as much as the big three sometimes can.
Alternatives to the Bench Press1. Dumbbell Floor Press
I often have clients with chronic shoulder problems who complain that bench pressing aggravates their shoulder pain. Then they switch to the floor press—which reduces the range of motion and protects their shoulders while still allowing them to build some serious strength and muscular endurance—and suddenly they are pain-free.
2. Barbell Floor Press
If you’re adamant that you still want to use the barbell, try the barbell floor press instead of using DBs. Again, the reduced range of motion and more stable position at the bottom of the movement sometimes makes all the difference for those who struggle during a traditional bench press.
Alternatives to the Deadlift1. Elevated Deadlift
If your problem during a traditional deadlift with a barbell is that your hamstrings are so tight you can’t maintain a neutral spine at the bottom of the lift, lifting your barbell three to five inches off the ground is often all you need to be able to deadlift with better form while getting the benefit of the movement.
2. Back Leg Elevated Single-Leg DB RDLs
Single leg RDLs are great for building posterior chain strength, especially single leg strength, and for and ironing out muscle imbalances—but sometimes poor balance then becomes your limitation.
Elevating your back leg on a box solves the balance limitation and also allows you to load up a little bit heavier than you would with a single leg RDL. Focus on a perfect hinge and a neutral spine as you’re doing these.
Alternatives to the Back Squat1. Goblet Squat to Box
Similar to a front squat (but doesn’t require the flexibility to get into a perfect rack position), the goblet squat allows you to keep a more upright position than the back squat. This makes it a perfect alternative for those who experience back pain during a back squat.
I especially like goblet squats to a box because it ensures a consistent depth and requires you to stand up without using momentum from the stretch reflex you get at the bottom of a traditional squat. This makes box squats a lot harder to lift heavy and safer for those whose joints lack stability.
The goblet squat to a box is also very useful for beginners, as it helps engrain perfect squat mechanics a little easier than the back squat.
2. Weighted Step-Ups
For those lacking hip or ankle mobility to squat to depth, but still want to build strength in their lower bodies, weighted step-ups are an effective way to build quad, hamstring, and glute strength safely without requiring a ton of flexibility.
There are tons of variations of the weighted step-up: farmer carry step-ups, front rack step-ups, barbell back rack step-ups, etc. Play around with what feels the most comfortable to you.
The take home message: Be safe. Don’t risk injuring yourself even more just because you want to lift like a powerlifter. Select movements that are wise for your body.
Fitness via Breaking Muscle https://ift.tt/1GxgPEe September 9, 2019 at 09:08AM
Phil Heath Is Officially Out of the 2019 Olympia
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Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
With the Olympia quickly approaching, there's been seemingly endless discussion about seven-time champ Phil Heath. After his shocking loss last year, it wasn't clear whether or not Heath would take the stage in an effort to reclaim the Sandow in 2019. Now, fans have the definitive answer from the man himself: "The Gift" is sitting the 2019 Olympia out. "I'm thankful to finally announce that I am not competing at this year's 2019 Mr. Olympia contest," Heath told Muscular Development online editor Ron Harris in an interview ahead of the magazine's October issue. "As many people have known me throughout my career to compete at our sport's biggest event, I am sitting this one out as I continue to work on other projects inside and outside of bodybuilding." Heath clarified that he hasn't stopped training, just that he's chosen to skip the Olympia. Check out the full video here: The throne is wide open this year, and many fans wondered if Heath would try to reclaim it. But that's a pretty solid answer, and he seems sure that he's making the right choice. He even took to Instagram shortly after the news broke to reassure fans that he's not done just yet.
If you're not caught up with this year's top competitors in the contest Heath dominated for so many years, check out our top predictions here.
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz September 6, 2019 at 03:54PM
Brandon Curry Pulled A Cable Machine Onto Himself While Training
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Chris Nicoll / M+F Magazine
Earlier this week, Mr. Olympia contender Brandon Curry nearly got crushed by a cable machine during a set of overhead triceps extensions. According to Curry, he was lifting the entire stack and, due to how far away he was standing, pulled the stack too high and forced the machine on top of him. To make matters worse, the machine forced him into a barbell rack, trapping him. Check out the video from Curry’s Instagram below:
Luckily, Curry walked away with minimal damage. “Thank God I walked away uninjured just a bump and scrap,” Curry wrote in the post. “Life is uncertain. Things can be going great one second and not so great the other. God is always in control of it all and what can be seen as bad is often for our good.” At the 2018 Mr. Olympia, Curry established himself as a top contender with a top-five placing. This year, he has a good shot at not just cracking the top three, but even winning the Sandow. And given that Curry lifted so much weight he toppled the cable pulley, it seems as though he’s hitting the gym hard.
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Fitness via Muscle & Fitness https://ift.tt/2zjtGBz September 6, 2019 at 02:22PM |
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