Back on My Feet Fundraiser Tuesday Night

Back on My Feet (BOMF) is a non-profit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of Philadelphia's homeless population by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem.

It costs approximately $100 to get a new member started in the BOMF program, which goes to buy the individual shoes, socks, a shirt and shorts as well as to help purchase incentives for the mileage goals.

I recently met Wylie Belasik, the organization's training coach and assistant manager of Philadelphia Runner, who was 100% pumped about the programs being offered.

This Tuesday's Muscle Group (12/4), meeting at the Art Museum from 5:30-6:30pm, will be a fundraiser for BOMF. All $10 group fees (plus anything above and beyond that you would like to kick in) will be donated to sponsor a runner in the program. Hopefully we can make it to $100!

Learn more about BOMF at their website: www.backonmyfeet.org.

Set, Reps & Why It's All So Confusing

As a fitness professional, people are constantly asking me, "How many reps? How many sets?" There is more than one answer to these questions, depending on your goals. Yup, this is another long-winded answer. Smile, you're learning something...

Before I even get into it though, I need to make a point I will make throughout the post. No matter how many repetitions you are prescribed, your goal within each set is to reach momentary muscular failure. Even if you feel tired or uncomfortable, your muscle may still be capable of more work for that set. When people are lifting weights, I often hear them say things like:

"Oh, I can feel it!"
"This is hard."
"That's working!"

These are all comments from the brain saying that it would be more comfortable if you stopped doing that exercise. But you're not trying to fatigue your brain; you're trying to fatigue your muscle. When the muscle you are exercising is incapable of completing another repetition, it has truly spoken. When you hear trainers say things like, "Push yourself," or "One more...," they are trying to help you override your brain's messages to give up, because you don't reach your goals if you give up.

Now, on to the science behind sets and reps. To improve muscular strength and endurance, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends one set of exercises for 8-10 large muscle groups performed on 2-3 days/week. Improvements can be seen within a variety of repetition ranges 6-8, 8-10, or 12-15. Strength improvements may be more notable at a lower rep range while endurance gains will result from a higher range.

No matter what repetition range is chosen, the goal of each set is to reach momentary muscular failure - i.e. you couldn't do another rep if you tried.

Blah, blah, blah, right? So here's an example of how this prescription is typically applied, and where it goes wrong. You might be even be familiar with it. A woman joins the gym and gets one free personal training session so she can learn how to use the machines. She tells the trainer she wants to build strength and endurance in her muscles. The trainer shows her how to use 8 different circuit pieces at the gym (leg press, chest press, lat pulldown, etc.) and tells her to do 1 set of 10-12 repetitions for each exercise. In most cases, the trainer sets the initial weight for each exercise lighter than it ultimately should be. Lighter weights enable the client to learn proper form, develop self-efficacy with a new program, and give the connective tissue time to adjust to a new stimulus without injury. So the trainer tells she needs to increase the weights once she is able to complete 12 or 13 repetitions smoothly. This will probably mean she can only complete 9 or 10 repetitions with the new weight, but as her strength improves, she will soon be able to do 11 or 12 with the new weight, and so on. Great. There's nothing wrong with this advice. But here's how it plays out...

The client, knowing very little about momentary muscular failure, and having very little experience in life of working a muscle to absolute fatigue, comes into the gym and goes through the circuit with the initial weights the trainer has set, probably completing sets of 12 across the board. Even that's ok. But 9 times out of 10, this client will come in the second time around and go through the circuit with the same exact weight - which is too light - and perform the same number of repetitions (12) for each exercise. It may seem absurd in light of what I've talked about, but this is what really happens.

What this woman needs to be asking herself at the 12th repetition of every set is, "Could I do one more?" If the answer is yes, the weight needs to be increased. Sometimes, not only could someone do one more with the weight they think is right for them, they could do 8 more or 15 more. A weight that light is not pushing the muscle to reach momentary failure and it will not improve strength and endurance. Period.

ACSM's guidelines speak to enhancing muscular strength and endurance in the general population. The problem with these recommendations is that most people don't actually care too much about muscular strength and endurance - what they desire is muscular hypertrophy, or increased muscle size.

The National Strength and Condition Association puts forth a more detailed compilation of sets/reps to achieve muscular hypertrophy.

Hypertrophy
8-12 reps
4-6 sets
30-90 sec rest btw sets

The sets and reps here are referring to one muscle group. Therefore, if I wanted to increase the size of my quadriceps muscle on the front of my thigh, I might perform 3 sets of lunges and 2 sets of leg extensions, completing 8-12 repetitions of each exercise to momentary muscular failure.

I would have to use this formula for every single muscle group whose size I wanted to improve - chest, back, shoulder, triceps, biceps, abdominals. Obviously, this can't all be done on one day so often times, people will exercise certain muscle groups one day (i.e. legs, shoulders, back) and others on another (i.e. chest, biceps, triceps). There is no quick circuit for muscular hypertrophy. It's a lot of hard work. But whether your goal is a more moderate increase in muscular strength/endurance or a very visible increase in muscle size, the principle of momentary muscular failure has to be applied to every single set.

Fit For What?

Can you look at another person and say whether or not he or she is "fit"? I'm curious if there's anyone out there who can...because I can't.

Recently, at one of my group sessions, I had 3 people who were meeting each other for the first time. At the beginning of the workout, more than one of them said to me, "Wow, Linds. You've got a lot of fit people who come to your workouts!"

Being "fit" or being a person with a high level of fitness has entered our vernacular as a way to describe someone who is lean, thin, built, or shapely, but ignores the question, fit for what?

Why is this a problem? Fitness cannot be measured by how someone looks. Summing up the culturally prevailing ideal body with a word that also implies one's physical ability is misleading. Of the 3 people to whom I referred earlier, all of whom looked "fit" by each other's initial judgments and all of whom do happen to have lean body compositions, one is a fantastic runner but not very flexible, one is quite strong but struggles with cardiovascular endurance, and the other is as bendy as any client I've trained but still new to and building muscular strength and endurance. If we label everyone we see who is trim or muscular as fit, individual differences in fitness categories - cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, power, etc - become obsolete.

I urge you to separate someone's fitness from his/her physical presentation. Categorizing or judging people as fit (or not fit) based on appearances leads us away from respecting individual differences, understanding that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and everyone is a work in process. No one, no matter how lean or thin or muscular, is exempt here.

Being Thankful

I woke up this morning excited to head out for a run on a beautiful 70-degree day. I ran for about 4 minutes before getting a ridiculous stomach cramp that forced me to bring my run to a slow walk. I was pretty pissed off at first...how could this horrible pain be ruining my run?! How dare it. As I walked, I thought about what could be responsible for causing the cramp...hmmm...I wonder...maybe it was the Tanqueray and Tonics I drank last night or the pizza that followed them. (What - were you thinking trainers don't party on the night before Thanksgiving?)

It dawned on me as I kept walking how little respect we have for our own fragility. We put our bodies through a lot of stress - drinking alcohol, lack of sleep, eating processed sugars and excess fats, sitting all day long - on a daily basis and then expect them to cope with all of it flawlessly. No wonder I had a cramp.

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for my health and that of my friends and family. This post sends well wishes to all of us in the hopes that we will continue to be healthy, strong, and cramp-free.

This is a picture of me squatting our Thanksgiving turkey carcass last year, a time when I hadn't yet dropped my picture-taking razor phone in the toilet and I was, apparently, in dire need of a haircut. This year I am thankful for having reconnected with my friend, Keith, who chops my hair regularly, never letting me go too long without a funky fresh cut. I'm also thankful that I never trashed my original Nokia cell phone. It's about as big as a brick, but saved me $300.

Clark Park Muscle Group

Muscle Group will now be meeting at Clark Park on Sunday mornings. We had our first group there yesterday and, though it was a little cold, the general consensus seems to be that it is a great location for a workout. I promise to get a digital camera in the near future and show some of you guys in action!

Where: Clark Park at 43rd and Baltimore. We will meet in the park caddy corner to the Green Line Cafe.

When: Sunday 10:00-11:00am (Time may change week to week. Make sure you are on the distribution list.)

How: Email lindsey.schweiger@gmail.com to sign-up or call 215-350-7307

How much: First workout free! $10/workout thereafter

No More Marathons for Me

Tomorrow morning, participants of the Philadelphia Marathon will trek 26.2 miles across the city, running for anywhere from 2 to 7 hours. My friend, Dan, and I were driving by the Art Museum today observing the tents, bleachers, and rows of port-a-potties, ready to go for tomorrow's event. He asked me if I'd ever run another marathon.

In 2003, I ran the Country Music Marathon in Nashville. As a self-identified runner at the time, I wanted a completed marathon on my resume. I didn't actually WANT to run 26.2 miles. I didn't WANT to wake up at 7 AM as a working college student to step out into the 20-degree-plus-wind-chill freezing cold and take a lonely 20 mile training run. I didn't want to eat "Gu" to replace electrolytes. I didn't want my lower back and hips to ache as I sat in my classes popping ibuprofen. But I wanted to cross the finish line; I wanted my 26.2 medal.

I was so focused on the outcome of my marathon training efforts that I failed to notice something important: I didn't enjoy the exercise in which I was forcing myself to take part. On a daily and weekly basis, the training process was tearing my body and spirit down, but providing very little that felt gratifying.

Don't get me wrong. Crossing the finish line was gratifying. The marathon itself was a fun event and I don't regret running it. If I had it to do over, however, I might have never registered, spared my body and slept in more often!

These days, I try to stick with actitivies that feed my spirit and revitalize my body: an invigorating yoga class to start out my Saturday off...a casual run with a good friend to catch up on life...a walk into the city on a cool fall night to buy a new book...lifting weights in the basement singing along to pop music hits on Q102. Unlike the marathon finish line, gratification now comes on a daily basis from pouring more energy into the enjoyable process and content of my "workouts" and coming to expect less of their outcome.

Resistance Training for the Lower Body

"I'm a runner...that's all I do for my legs."

"I use the Elliptical machine and I can feel it working my legs."

When I recommend lower body resistance training to my clients, I am often met with responses like those listed above. There seems to be a lack of understanding that cardiovascular exercise (i.e. running, Elliptical) and resistance training have very different purposes and effects on the body. This post defines and provides background information on cardiovascular exercise and resistance training. It then explores four important reasons to include lower body resistance exercises in your program.

Cardiovascular endurance exercise, what most gym-goers refer to as simply "cardio," is any strenuous activity requiring the body's large muscle groups for a prolonged period of time. There are many benefits of cardio but the main function is to improve the heart's ability to deliver oxygen to the working muscles and for the muscles to become more efficient at generating energy with that oxygen. The muscular adaptations that occur in response to cardio are to the extent that they help the heart and vascular system deliver and use available oxygen.

Resistance training, what we more commonly think of as weight training, involves using external resistance to improve muscular strength and/or muscular endurance at a particular muscle or group of muscles.

Muscular strength is the ability of a muscle to produce maximal force. To improve muscular strength, one would train using weights that fatigue a muscle in 4-8 repetitions.

Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle to generate a submaximal force over a given period of time or for a given number of repetitions. To improve muscular endurance, one would train using weights that fatigue a muscle in 12-15 repetitions. *Note the difference between muscular and cardiovascular endurance training: Muscular endurance training fatigues a muscle, or group of muscles, in 12-15 repetitions; cardiovascular endurance training allows for thousands of repetitions in a group of muscles.

The benefits of resistance training not associated with cardiovascular exercise include:

- Muscular hypertrophy (aka increase in muscle size): Hypertrophy is usually associated with resistance training in the 8-12 repetition range and employing at least 4 sets for each muscle. Performing only cardiovascular exercise will not lead to an increase in muscle size for the legs. This is important to consider for those looking to improve body composition by increasing overall muscle mass. While muscular hypertrophy in the upper body muscles may be aesthetically appealing, the majority of our lean muscle is concentrated in the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles of the lower body.

- Enhanced strength of connective tissue: As muscles adapt to the stimulus provided by resistance training, so do the connective tissues - tendons, ligaments, and cartilage - around them. Unlike running which tends to aggravate and lead to deterioration of connective tissue in the knee especially, resistance training provides a stimulus to the structures at this joint so they adapt and grow stronger.

- Preventing Osteoporosis: Unlike cardiovascular exercise, resistance training provides enough force to the bones to generate an increase in bone mineral density. Put another way, running and lifting weights for your upper body only will not prevent osteoporosis in the bones of the lower body.

- Increased circulation of anabolic hormones: Anabolic hormones like testosterone (ladies, we have this too) and growth hormone help synthesize muscle tissue from the proteins we eat. Resistance training, unlike cardiovascular exercise, causes a significant increase of anabolic hormones in the bloodstream. This response is even greater when lower body exercises are included. So what? In one Denmark study, scientists measured the arm strength of a group of subjects and then divided them into two groups. One group trained only with arm exercises (A group) while the other trained their arms and legs (AL group). Both groups spent the same amount of time training their arms, but the AL group also performed leg exercises as part of their resistance training program. At the end of the experiment, the A group had increased their arm strength by 9%, while the AL group had improved their arm strength by 37%! By recruiting large muscle groups through resistance training, the AL group stimulated a massive response of anabolic steroids which led to greater gains in their upper bodies.

Winter Workout Attire

I've been getting a lot of questions about what to wear when exercising in cold weather. I called Bryan Mahon, co-owner of Philadelphia Runner (a running gear retail store at 16th and Sansom), and asked for his advice on suiting up in the cold. Without hesitation, he spit off plenty of advice.

The most important thing, Mahon says, is to stay dry. To that end, cotton clothing is the ultimate enemy. He warns that wearing a cotton shirt to exercise is "like having a wet towel on your back."

The solution lies in synthetic attire, which pulls moisture off the skin and releases it into the air. Plenty of companies make synthetic garments and market them under fancy names like Nike's "Dry Fit" or Adidas' "Clima Fit." Don't be too concerned with the brand - just be sure that the clothing is not made from cotton.

Here's a quick crash course on what to wear for each part of the body:

Upper body: Clothing for the upper body is most important as this is where we sweat the most. If you could afford only one piece of clothing, make it a long-sleeved synthetic shirt that hugs your body. This will draw sweat from your skin and allow it to evaporate, keeping you dry. To stay warm, you can layer on top of this shirt - with other synthetic shirts, a jacket, even a cotton long-sleeved shirt. Just be sure that the layer closest to your body is not made from cotton!

Lower body: Pants follow the same cotton-free rules. (Cotton sweat pants are terrible as they will trap moisture.) Spandex, synthetic tights, track pants, etc. are all good options.

Extremeties - Feet/Head/Hands: Less expensive investments, synthetic socks, hats and gloves will allow sweat to escape your feet, head, and fingers, respectively.

To make it easy, put a Philadelphia Runner gift certificate on your holiday gift list. Nothing in the store is made from cotton!

www.philadelphiarunner.com

What to Eat Before and After a Workout

Several people have asked me what and when to eat before and after Muscle Group. It is best to consume a substantial meal 3 to 4 hours before vigorous exercise. This will provide adequate calorie and nutrient intake while allowing enough time to digest the food. While some people seem to have iron stomachs, more of us will experience cramps or stomach discomfort in the event that we have eaten too much too close an intense workout. For those who attend Muscle Group, this would mean eating a late lunch around 1 or 1:30 on those days. The size and content of your lunch will depend on your specific goals and food preferences, but generally speaking, you will want to take in 400-700 calories and include protein, fat, and carbs.

Certain people following this advice may experience hunger or may feel weak/shaky due to low blood sugar before or during the workout. If this is the case, try consuming a high-carbohydrate, low-fat snack anywhere from 30-90 minutes before the workout. (The timing will depend on how quickly your body processes food.) Avoid too much fat here as it will delay stomach emptying. Some ideas are banana w/ yogurt, half bagel w/ peanut butter, or a Luna bar.

After working out, you will want to consume a mixture of carbohydrates and protein. Exercise stimulates our bodies to synthesize proteins and build muscle tissue, but only if amino acids are available in the bloodstream. Similarly, carbohydrate is needed to regenerate muscle glycogen stores after training. Studies have shown that consuming a carb/protein mixture directly after a workout, one hour later, or three hours later, are all equally effective at stimulating protein synthesis (aka muscle-building). Some quicker ideas are milk or yogurt smoothies mixed with fruit, a turkey sandwich, eggs w/toast. If you are preparing dinner post-workout, look to lean meats or fish as a protein source and grains such as pasta, rice or cous cous as your carbohydrate.