Six Strategies to Preserve Long Term Muscle Growth

 

The loss of muscle mass that happens with aging, sarcopenia, is not good news. First of all it represents a significant risk factor for falls and fractures in elderly people, and moreover, as the muscle mass decreases, so does strength, physical performance, mobility and in the most advanced cases independence.

Nutrition and lifestyle have a critical impact on muscle mass, and can be tailored to sustain muscle health and performance in the long term.

First of all, adequate amounts of high-quality protein are important for optimal stimulation of muscle protein synthesis.

There is some evidence that the synthesis of new muscle in response of protein intake may be blunted in older people, particularly at low intakes, and when protein is consumed together with carbohydrate, which suggests that protein intake may, therefore, need to be increased with age to protect from sarcopenic muscle loss. However, as the production of digestive juices may decrease with age, it is also important to check that the protein eaten are being properly digested and absorbed.

Recommended protein intakes may, need to be raised in older people. One study proposes an intake of 1.0-1.2g of protein per kg of body weight per day as optimal for skeletal muscle health in elderly people (the normal RDA for protein is 0.8 g/kg). This would be equivalent to two eggs, 30g of hard cheese and 200g of cooked fish, for a person weighing around 65kg.

When increasing the amount of protein in a diet is important to provide adequate intake of alkalizing foods such as fruits and vegetables, as chronic ingestion of acid-producing diets (such as those rich in protein) may adversely impact bone health as well as have a negative impact on muscle performance.

Several studies also demonstrate the role of vitamin D in the development and preservation of muscle. It is important therefore to ensure adequate exposure to the sun. As the ability to produce vitamin D from sun exposure may decrease with age, vitamin D supplementation may be also considered.

There is increasing interest in the role of oxidative stress as a causative factor for sarcopenia. In older age, an accumulation of free radicals may lead to oxidative damage and contribute to losses of muscle mass and strength. It is therefore important to ensure an adequate intake of antioxidant nutrients such as selenium, carotenoids, vitamin E, flavonoids, and other plant polyphenols. A diet rich in fresh, colorful vegetables and fruit is a basic requirement, and supplementation should be also considered.

As sarcopenia is increasingly recognised as an inflammatory state, an anti-inflammatory diet may be of importance in relation to preservation of muscle health. In particular, long chain ω 3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (found especially in oily fish) may be of particular value as they not only have the potential to be potent anti-inflammatory agents, but may also contribute to the preservation of muscle function by directly stimulating muscle protein synthesis.

A low intake of vitamin B12 and folic acid may also impair muscle function through their action on homocysteine. A diet containing fish and leafy green, and supplementation (especially for those patients on medications that cause B12 depletion, such as antacids and hormone replacement therapy), is therefore recommended.

Resistance exercise training has been shown to be effective in increasing muscle strength and improving physical function in older adults. Whilst consumption of a high protein meal has been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis in older adults by 50%, combining a high protein meal with resistance exercise may increase synthesis >100%.

All these nutritional considerations are not only important for the silver haired amongst us. Optimizing diet and nutrition throughout life may be key to preventing sarcopenia and promoting physical capability in older age – it is never too early to look after your muscles.

Why Do We Overeat, and How Can We Stop?

Today's featured video is a lecture by obesity researcher and neurobiologist Dr. Stephan Guyenet.1 In it, he discusses some helpful and practical tips about the neurobiological underpinnings of our eating habits that can help you better understand why you gain weight.

He starts off by noting that the obesity epidemic closely parallels an increase in daily calorie consumption in the US. Compared to 1960, Americans eat an average of 363 calories more per day today. But why do Americans eat so much more now compared to previous decades?

Guyenet goes on to review some of the alterations to the US food system that promote overeating, stating that the human "brain's hardware may not be up to the task of constructively navigating the modern food environment."

Research does show that what you eat can make a big difference in how muchyou eat. As noted by Christy Matta in a previous article:2

"One study,3 for example, found that obese subjects ate 81 percent more total calories after eating two meals of instant oatmeal than they did after eating two meals with the same calories in the form of a vegetable omelet and fruit."

In a nutshell, research shows that calories gleaned from bread, refined sugars, and processed foods promote overeating, whereas calories from whole vegetables, protein, and fiber decrease hunger.

While Guyenet reviews the role of your brain in all of this, other researchers have clearly demonstrated how your body's metabolism is altered by the foods you eat—as well as the impact of synthetic and toxic chemicals.

Not All Calories Have the Identical Effect

The dogmatic belief that "a calorie is a calorie" has done much to contribute to the ever-worsening health of the Western world. It's one of the first things dieticians learn in school, and it's completely false.

Calories are not created equal, and as just mentioned, the source of the calories makes all the difference in the world. Groundbreaking research by Dr. Robert Lustig shows that calories from fructose are of particular concern.

According to Dr. Lustig, fructose is "isocaloric but not isometabolic." What this means is that identical calorie counts from fructose or glucose, fructose and protein, or fructose and fat, will cause entirely different metabolic effects.

However, Dr. Guyenet counters that although this is true at high levels, most of the human studies have found little difference in the effects of sugar versus starch at more normal levels of consumption, as long as excess calories are not consumed.

The reason for the difference in metabolic effects is  largely because different nutrients provoke different hormonal responses, and those hormonal responses determine how much fat your body will accumulate and hold on to.

This is why the idea that you can lose weight by counting calories simply doesn't work. After fructose, other sugars and grains are among the most excessively consumed foods that promotes weight gain and chronic disease.

Another dogmatic belief that simply isn't true is the idea that obesity is the end result of eating too much and exercising too little; i.e. consuming more calories than you're expending.

Here, research by the likes of Dr. Richard Johnson clearly demonstrates that this too is a complete fallacy. Like Dr. Lustig, Dr. Johnson places most of the blame on excessive fructose consumption, and his book The Fat Switch shatters the myth that obesity is the result of eating too many calories and not exercising enough.

Here again Dr. Guyenet disagrees. He believes that developing obesity is impossible without consuming more calories than are expended. If the energy content of your body is increasing, that means ‘energy in’ has to be increasing, and/or ‘energy out’ has to be decreasing.   It’s just that many things influence how much is coming in vs. out, for example what type of food you eat.

Although this may be technically correct the wild card here that is frequently overlooked is your body’s ability to burn fat as its primary fuel. Due to insulin and leptin resistance, most people have impaired enzymes to burn fat which lends credence to Dr. Lustig’s and Johnson’s assertions.

The Science of Obesity

While the first law of thermodynamics does apply to humans, in order to actually gain a significant amount of weight, Dr. Johnson’s research shows that you have to do two things:

1. Block your sensation of fullness, and
2. Impair your body's ability to burn fat by downregulating the enzymes responsible for metabolizing fat.

What this means is that in order for you to become severely overweight you must first become leptin resistant. Leptin is a hormone that helps you regulate your appetite. When your leptin levels rise, it signals your body that you’re full, so you’ll stop eating. Refined sugar (in particular fructose) is exceptionally effective at causing leptin resistance in animals, and it’s also very effective at blocking the burning of fat...

Guyenet also disagrees with this concept. He believes the most effective way to cause leptin resistance in rodents is a refined high-fat diet. Please note that these are not the healthy fats I advocate like coconut oil, avocados, butter and olive oil, but highly processed and refined industrialized soy, corn and canola oils.

He also discusses the impact of leptin sensitivity loss in the featured lecture. He notes that once your brain has lost its sensitivity to leptin, it will perceive the situation as normal, and will therefore defend that fat mass.

Another interesting tidbit is that if you’re insulin resistant and obese, it doesn’t take much fructose to activate the processes that will keep you fat. Some of Dr. Johnson’s most recent research shows that the more high-fructose corn syrup you eat, the more you absorb and the more you metabolize it. Thus, eating fruits may be more of an issue if you are insulin resistant, whereas fruit intake is likely safer or even beneficial if you are lean and healthy. This helps explain the paradox of how some very fit people can eat a lot of fruit—which is rich in natural fructose—without gaining any weight.

Toxic Foods and Bad Habits Hamper Proper Metabolic Function

Over the past 60 years or so, a confluence of dramatically altered foods combined with reduced physical exertion and increased exposure to toxic chemicals have created what amounts to a perfect storm. The extensive use of sugar—primarily in the form of high fructose corn syrup, which is added to virtually all processed foods—is at the heart of it all. But one also cannot underestimate the impact of chemistry, and the creation of truly addictive foods.

If you think about it, it’s quite revealing that, in contrast to third-world countries, the poorest people in the US have the highestobesity rates. This seeming contradiction is, I believe, a clear indication that the problem stems from the diet itself. Something in the cheapest and most readily available foods is creating metabolic havoc, and indeed that’s what studies are finding.

Research into the addictive nature of processed foods reveals that food companies have perfected the art of creating addictive foods4 through the masterful use of salt, fat, sugar, and a wide variety of proprietary flavorings—most of which are far from natural. As a general rule, "food" equals "live nutrients." Nutrients, in turn, feed your cells, optimize your health, and sustain life. Obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and heart attacks are all diseases associated with a processed food diet – a CLEAR indication that it does not provide the appropriate nutrition for your body.

How to Regain Your Lean Body

So if you are carrying more body fat than your ideal, what's the answer? I believe there are two primary dietary recommendations that, if widely implemented, could help you regain your lean body and reverse our current obesity trend. This kind of diet will naturally shift your body from burning sugar to burning fat as its primary fuel, which will automatically help you shed excess weight, and counteract disease processes associated with a processed, high-sugar diet:

1. Avoid, sugar, refined fructose, grains, and processed foods
2. Eat a healthful diet of whole foods, ideally organic, and replace the grain carbs with:
• Large amounts of vegetables
• Low-to-moderate amount of high-quality protein (think organically raised, pastured animals). As a general guideline, I recommend limiting your protein to about one gram of protein per kilogram of lean body mass, or one-half gram of protein per pound of lean body weight. (If your body fat mass is 20 percent, your lean mass is 80 percent of your total body weight)
• As much high-quality healthful fat as you want (saturated and monounsaturated). For optimal health, most people need upwards of 50-85 percentof their daily calories in the form of fat
While this may sound excessive, consider that, in terms of volume, the largest portion of your plate would bevegetables, since they contain so few calories. Fat, on the other hand, tends to be very high in calories. For example, just one tablespoon of coconut oil is about 130 calories—all of it from healthful fat. Good sources of fat include coconut and coconut oil, avocados, butter, nuts, and animal fats. Also take a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fat, such as krill oil

The Case for Intermittent Fasting

Another strategy that works really well in combination with this kind of diet is intermittent fasting. In fact, intermittent fasting, or “scheduled eating,” is one of the most powerful interventions I know of to shed excess weight, as it effectively jump starts your body to burn fat instead of sugar as its primary fuel. There are many different variations of intermittent fasting, but my personal recommendation is to fast every day until you reach your ideal body fat.

You do this by scheduling your eating into a narrow window of time each day. For example, you could restrict your eating to the hours of 11am and 7pm. Essentially, you’re just skipping breakfast and making lunch your first meal of the day instead. This equates to a daily fasting of 16 hours—twice the minimum required to deplete your glycogen stores and start shifting into fat burning mode.

By increasing insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial energy efficiency, fasting helps slow down disease processes typically associated with insulin resistance—which includes metabolic syndrome. Fasting also benefits your body by reducing oxidative stress, and inducing a cellular stress response (similar to that induced by exercise) in which your cells up-regulate the expression of genes that increase their capacity to cope with stress and resist damage.

Intermittent fasting also has the near-magical side effect of eliminating sugar and junk food cravings. While most people will successfully switch over to burning fat after several weeks of intermittent fasting, it may take up to several months for those that are seriously insulin/leptin resistant. Their body needs to learn how to turn on the fat-burning enzymes that allow it to effectively use fat as its primary fuel. So don’t get discouraged. Just keep at it. Once you’ve become fat adapted and are of a normal weight, without high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol, you really only need to do scheduled eating occasionally.  As long as you maintain your ideal body weight, you can go back to eating three meals a day if you want to.

Quit 'Dieting' and Start Living Healthily

If you want to shed excess weight and protect your health, my most urgent recommendation is to replace processed foods with homemade meals, made from whole, ideally organic, ingredients. Remember to replace the grain carbs with vegetables, small amounts of high quality protein, and plenty of healthful fats. For step by step instructions and guidance, please see my optimized nutrition plan.

Weight Training And Flexibility

 Being Strong Doesn’t Mean Being Inflexible.

Weight training can significantly increase your flexibility or severely diminish it depending on how you train. Unfortunately, most non lifters associate weight training with a lack of flexibility as one of the most common terms used to describe an individual who works out regularly with weights is ‘musclebound’. It’s a term that conjures up images of a robot like man or woman whose very muscles prevent them from doing even the most mundane of tasks without some degree of difficulty. Most of us have personally seen the caricatures fitting this description and the widespread abuse of anabolic steroids and other growth enhancing drugs by both professional and recreational lifters has gone a long way in reinforcing this stereotype in our collective consciousness as they are indeed out there and hard to ignore after you’ve seen them. However, like many stereotypes the image is based on the actions of the few, as most people who regularly engage in a weight training program will tend to be more flexible than the average untrained individual. In fact, a properly devised weight training program will always increase flexibility- even if no additional stretching is ever done.[1] It’s a hard concept for many to grasp, but the truth is that anyone who is inflexible or has bad posture in spite of lifting weights regularly is usually not training correctly. In this article we take a look at how flexibility can be reduced because of improper weight training protocols and or the use of performance enhancing drugs and we will also explore what you need to consider so that your own flexibility is not compromised by your weight training activities. Thanks as always for reading and do be sure to share this article with anyone who might find it to be of use.

Understanding Flexibility- More Is Not Necessarily Better

Dancers and other athletes often require a degree of flexibility beyond the normal range of the joint.

Flexibility itself is not as clear cut as some would have us believe. The idea that more is better is part of a rather modern penchant for attempting to enhance flexibility as much as possible- a pursuit that isn’t necessarily healthy nor natural as you should never try to increase flexibility beyond the normal range of the joint.[1] Doing so stretches connective tissue beyond their normal state- weakening the joint in the process and making it far more susceptible to injury. [1] Certain athletes and dancers are required to increase their flexibility beyond the normal range in order to perform what are very much extraordinary movements that the human body would not normally permit without specialized training. This degree of flexibility does come at a price and they usually are smart enough to perform strengthening exercises in those extreme ranges of motion to try to help protect the joint as much as possible in a compromised position.

We tend to think of muscle stiffness as being inherently detrimental, but there is a natural and supple level of tension that needs to be maintained for maximal strength and athletic performance. Our muscles are very much like rubber bands as they all pull to effect a contraction (some erroneously equate certain muscle groups as the ones that pull with others being the ones that push- but all muscles pull to effect movement of a load- they never push). Like a rubber band, if they are overly stretched and then subjected to a load- they are less likely to be able to pull the load and far more likely to tear because their overly stretched state makes them more susceptible to injury. The strongest rubber bands, however, like the strongest muscles, have a degree of stiffness that allows them to pull more load than one that is more ‘stretched out’ and thus a lesser likelihood of tearing under heavy loads. From a biomechanical point of view, if the natural stiffness in a muscle is reduced past a certain point, there will be a consequent reduction of potential force transmission between the muscle and skeletal system- which in turn will make the muscles weaker and reduce the amount of load that particular muscle is able to bear.[2]

Stretching Vs Weight Training- Do You Need Both To Be Flexible?

Flexibility is an important component of physical fitness.[3] However, like any component of fitness, optimum health comes from some degree of balance and flexibility is no different. The old idea that increasing flexibility will promote better athletic performance and reduce the incidence of injury[4,5] has been a notion long promoted by coaches and authoritative organizations alike, but in spite of a widespread acceptance of this theory, it has not stood up to the scrutiny of scientific review as an overwhelming body of research has continually failed to find any correlation between stretching and reduction of injury or increases in performance.[6,7,8,9] On the contrary, the practice of stretching before a workout has been shown to decrease maximal muscular force generation, reduce vertical jump performance, decrease running speeds and limit muscular strength endurance (that is the number of repetitions you can lift a specified weight).[3,4,5,6,7,9,20,23,24,25,26,27,31, acute] Reasons for these reductions in performance are not fully understood and theories range from possible reduction of blood flow to the muscle, to a reduction in the removal of metabolic waste products produced during exercise, to a possible alteration in muscle calcium levels- all of which can increase muscular fatigue and reduce contractual force. [12,2,36] More research is indeed needed in this field but it does cast a shadow on stretching as a universally required addition to a training program.

As much as many would like to believe- the act of stretching a muscle does not increase its overall strength. Some would swear that it does from personal experience- but the reality is that any increases in strength as a result of static stretching are simply a matter of increased neuromuscular coordination- which means that you learn to use your muscles better simply because you are using them more often. However, it doesn’t create truly significant increases in strength nor would it in anyone in reasonable shape to begin with. For muscles to get significantly stronger there must be some degree of progressive muscular overload (See my article How Muscles Get Bigger & Stronger) and this won’t occur with stretching exercises as there is no resistance save comparatively weak isometric contractions to hold bodyweight (which is almost always the same.) Thus in order to truly strengthen the muscles around a joint there must be some inclusion of resistance exercise.

Weight Training As A Form Of Stretching

As we mentioned earlier, all muscles pull to effect contraction. That said, the very act of executing any weight training exercise through a full range of motion at the joint is in and of itself a stretch. Stretching is not an action confined to realms outside of proper weight lifting as it is the very act of stretching the muscle during the eccentric or lowering phase of a weight training exercise that creates the most intramuscular damage and consequently stimulates growth and strength increases. To train a muscle is to stretch it and while static stretching can be detrimental to the joint if overdone, properly executed weight training exercises can not only bring about an increase in flexibility, but can also increase the strength and stability of the joint as a whole. Not to mention the added benefit of building lean muscle mass in the process- which is always welcome both cosmetically and physiologically. That being said, static stretching does have its use for those unable to move through full ranges of motion and as an exceptional aid to physical and mental relaxation- as the legions of yoga practitioners can attest. The point is that it can be overdone in the same way weight training can be overdone.

How Improper Weight Training Can Impair Flexibility And Affect Posture

If performed incorrectly even an exercise as simple as a barbell curl can negatively affect your flexibility.

As great as weight training can be to help increase flexibility- like anything else if done incorrectly it can be detrimental. The key is balance but most recreational trainers delve into their weight training seeking increases in strength and muscle mass or simply because they like the way they feel after a hard workout. Increasing flexibility is seldom a goal and their programs are not usually designed to with flexibility in mind- (notable exceptions being Olympic lifters who require tremendous agility and flexibility to be able to perform their lifts and for whom increasing flexibility is seen as an integral aspect of their training programs.) Impairing flexibility as a result of improper weight training is unfortunately far easier than most would think. For example, the biceps barbell curl- one of the most ubiquitous weight training exercises done by just about everyone walking over to the weight section of the gym can have its downsides in terms of impairing flexibility. Barbell curls are usually started with some degree of elbow flexion instead of having the elbow completely straight. It’s a perfectly natural way to perform the exercise as when your arm is completely straight the angle of pull by the biceps is considerably reduced- thus it’s much harder to start the exercise from that position, especially when heavy weights are in use. As your forearm gets closer to the horizontal position, the angle of pull changes and the biceps muscles can contract strongly, so it feels almost instinctive to start from that position. However, although it makes it easier to heavier weights with slightly bent arms, the biceps and the muscles of the elbow joint will not be fully stretched.

Now in order to attain maximum biceps development and strength, you need to work the muscles at their strongest points at some point to allow for maximal overload- but you shouldn’t train that way all the time. If the biceps muscles are only worked through their strongest range of motion, the consequent increases in muscle mass will result in a shortening of the muscle and the connective tissue as it adapts to contract through a smaller range of motion. This shortening of the muscles of the elbow joint creates the classic ‘bent arm action figure’ look you see in many individuals who train with weights. This is not by any means an inevitable consequence of weight training but a common example of what happens when you stick to the same routine and same method of executing an exercise without regards for how it will affect overall balance and flexibility over time. One simple way to avoid this problem with the biceps is to perform biceps curls in segments- upper range and lower ranges- and to vary your routine constantly with exercises that work the muscles from as many angles as possible while resisting the temptation to reduce range of motion at all times to work in that ‘comfort zone’ where the muscles are strongest. Sounds like a simple remedy, but as humans we tend to gravitate towards what we do best- and it’s hard even for seasoned trainers at times to resist the urge to keep executing exercises in a manner where they can lift as much weight as possible. Which is all the more reason why workouts should be planned with a long term approach to achieving your overall goals while minimizing any potential loss of flexibility or postural integrity. Having a plan that takes flexibility into consideration makes you more likely to do supplementary exercises that will ensure movement of the joint through a full range of motion- which in turn will increases flexibility.

Posture Problems From Weight Training

Another common way that improper weight training can adversely affect posture and flexibility is the disproportionate use of exercises for the front of the body. Different cultures have different body parts that are treasured and associated with being in good shape. Back home in the islands it was all about having good legs and calves, while here in the United States the focus is on having a big chest and huge arms. We have already discussed how incorrect arm training can reduce flexibility but the problem can be even more profound when training the ever popular pectoral muscles is prioritized above all others. Most male recreational lifters train their chest and arms more than any other muscles- sometimes several times a week with hardly a thought to the opposing muscles of the upper back region- (which are not anywhere near as showy as the pectorals.) As a result, repetitive heavy chest exercises such as bench presses and flyes without an equal amount of work on the muscles of the upper back leads to a shortening of the muscles and connective tissue on the front side of the body. Those shortened muscles will inevitably pull the shoulder girdle forward and down if this imbalanced way of training is continued over time. Thus creating the classic sloping shoulders forward slouched musclebound look seen in many avid gym goers, bodybuilders (although the ones without an eye towards balanced overall muscle development never get very far), football players and other athletes whose activities revolve primarily around the use of the chest and frontal muscles of the body.

Bad Posture From Incorrect Abdominal Training

Slouching can also occur from incorrect abdominal training over time with some pretty standard exercises. Crunches are often perceived as a must for abdominal training and many gym goers do hundreds of crunches several times a week in the (mainly futile) hopes of attaining the much sought after six pack (which comes more from your diet than anything else- read my article Six Pack Abs- It’s Not What You Do- It’s What You Eat.) The problem with crunch type exercises is that you only work through a small range of 20 to 45 degrees depending on your strength and flexibility levels. It is also usually executed as an even shorter range movement- as most people don’t bring their head all the way back to the floor at the end of each repetition or return to the beginning position to fully stretch the abdominal muscles in rope or machine crunches. Range of motion tends to be reduced even more when intensity levels increase or when resistance is used as a smaller movement allows you to do more repetitions. Over time however, the muscles and connective tissue can shorten from working in this limited range. This shortening leads to an extra downward pulling force on the ribcage- which consequently pulls the chest and head forward creating a slouching look that is very bad for overall posture. Very often I have seen individuals with well-balanced anterior and posterior muscles yet have a bit of a forward slouch nonetheless and quite often excessive use of exercises that shorten the abdominal muscles are part of the problem. To counter such effects the answer isn’t to never do crunch type movements- but instead to vary the execution by doing them occasionally through a full range and by including other exercises that do stretch and work the abdominal muscles through a full range of motion such as hanging leg raises (See my article here on Why Hanging Leg Raises Are The Best Abdominal Exercise).

The Problem With The Pump 
Another not so overt cause of bad posture and inflexibility associated with weight training is what is commonly referred to as ‘the pump.’ After an intense workout, there is some degree of residual muscle tightness from the increase in blood flow and because the nerves in the muscle worked continue to fire to such a degree that the muscle to does not relax completely. Anyone who has experienced a high intensity workout can attest to this feeling and for many, this feeling is the one of the main reasons why they train in the first place. That being said, it can have some negative consequences for those who train more often than they should. Although it doesn’t last indefinitely, the residual tension in the muscles after a hard workout keep the muscles in a slightly shortened state- (which is why you feel like a GI Joe action figure after a hard set.) For those who train almost every day in the quest to keep that ‘pumped’ and tense feeling, the continually shortened state can lead to a decrease in flexibility and the action figure look can become permanent. It’s one more reason to consider training less as the idea of being tense all the time doesn’t necessarily equate to increased muscle growth. (See my article on Why Training Less Helps Muscles Grow here.)

Anabolic Steroid Use and Flexibility Issues

Use of anabolic steroids can also negatively affect flexibility and overall posture.

Users of anabolic steroids and other growth enhancing drugs reportedly experience residual post exercise muscle tightness to a degree that is far more pronounced than in natural athletes and the sensation lasts far longer as well. Factors that put users at a higher risk for concurrent decreases in flexibility over time. Steroid use can also contribute to flexibility and posture issues as each muscle responds differently to growth stimulating drugs based on individual and genetically predetermined muscle cell densities and hormonal receptors. Simply put, if you have a genetic predisposition towards having a huge chest but a smaller upper back muscles, drug use could exacerbate disproportional strength and development and overpower the opposing muscles to create a slumped forward look more so than would have possibly occurred under natural conditions. There is a huge misconception that people who take growth enhancing drugs like steroids will develop proportionally if they just train correctly, but there are thousands of misshapen physiques (both male and female) that bear witness to the fact that this is not the case. If it was that simple, then everyone taking drugs and training more or less correctly would be able to compete successfully at the highest levels physique competitions with beautiful and harmoniously developed bodies and this simply isn’t the case. You can’t control how each muscle will individually respond with unnatural pharmaceutical intervention and it can creates muscle imbalances and postural problems that even the most extensive stretching programs cannot rectify. (An issue that conveniently never gets mentioned in the muscle magazines and websites that glorify drug use- but if you ever saw the difficulty the very men and women in the magazines have in being able to do something as simple as try to wash the back of their necks you would most certainly think twice about steroid use being glamorous in any way.)

That said, you can indeed increase your flexibility with weight training if you are aware of the very factors that can inhibit it. Here are some steps to consider at all times if you want to ensure maximum flexibility while training with weights:

Step 1.
Include Exercises That Describe A Full Range Motion In The Joint

Barbell curls usually start from a partial position with the elbows slightly bent- but for maximum flexibility you need to also perform a full range of motion movement at the joint.

Always include exercises in your weight training routine that describe a full range of motion in the joint. Partial range movements are exceptionally effective at increasing strength and muscle mass as they work the muscle through its strongest range (See my article here on Partial Rep Training), and should indeed be part of your training regime- but they should not be all that you do. You also need to perform full range movements if you do not wish to risk some flexibility impairment over time. For example, if you do partial range ¼ or ½ squats it might be a good idea to supplement them with full range plyometric vertical jumps or sissy squats. Basically any exercise that would describe a full range of motion in a safe manner at the knee joint. ‘Shortening type exercises’ like leg curls should be supplemented with ‘stretching type’ exercises like stiff leg deadlifts or good mornings, and biceps curls should be supplemented with seated incline dumbbell curls as they provide a far stronger stretch at the shoulder insertion and allow for full extension at the bottom of the movement.

Step 2.
Work each muscle group equally.

Improper weight training leads to an unbalanced physique

We all have favorite bodyparts or ones that we would like to see improve more than others- but the onus behind any weight training program should always be on muscle balance even if you are trying to specialize in a particular lift or activity. In so doing not only will you increase flexibility over time but you will also build a more harmonious physique-one with good posture and pleasingly overall muscular development. It helps also to take a page out of bodybuilding philosophy and think of the body as a whole- not a collection of parts- with the goal being to not have any one muscle group standing out- but rather a perfectly sculpted ideal where each muscle seems to flow into the other. Bodybuilding today may not be as popular as it was in years past, but the principles apply to everyone who weight trains nonetheless.

Step 3.
Vary Your Routine!

For optimal flexibility and a pleasing physique you must vary your routine.

Just as everyone tends to have favorite body parts to train we also tend to have favorite exercises as well. It is natural for us to gravitate towards the exercises we excel at – but an over reliance on the same weight training movements over and over will inevitably bring about muscular imbalances as muscles need to be worked from as many possible angles as possible though full ranges of movements to ensure not only optimum flexibility but complete overall development. That said, it’s critical to resist the comfort of doing the same exercises that you are good at over and over. Most gym goers do no more than 30 or 40 different exercises over the course a year- which is a huge mistake not just in terms of flexibility limitations but also in terms of attaining maximum strength and muscle development. Keep in mind that muscle growth and strength increases are responses to unaccustomed stimulation (see my article on How Muscles Get Bigger and Stronger) so a routine with the same exercises will be one that the body grows accustomed to over time. Thus creating a plateau of sorts as in terms of gains.
During my apprenticeship period as a personal trainer I was required to be able to demonstrate and explain in detail no less than 40 different exercises per muscle group- extensive training to say the least but a methodology that stays with me to this day. I personally never do the same workout twice, (and the same goes for my clients) as my exercise selections, combinations and ways of performing them will vary with every training session as muscle confusion is a key part of getting the most out of high intensity training and also to ensuring all round joint flexibility, stability, postural improvement and harmonious muscular development. There are literally thousands of weight training exercises and it’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with all of them at some point if you really want to get the most out of your training and improve your flexibility as much as possible in the process.

Step 4.
Train To Be Able To Do The Exercises You Have Difficulty With

If you are unable to execute a full range of motion movement on a particular exercise you need to work towards being able to do it in good form by using supplementary exercises

This precept is one of the foundations of proper weight training as you need to be able to achieve and maintain a full range of motion in all of your joints and execution of the basic compound movements will ensure just that. As long as there is no underlying injury or condition where it is clinically recommended that you limit your range of motion, you should always strive to be able to perform the basic compound movements fully. For example, if you have difficulty performing a full squat correctly because of problems with your form, don’t abandon them for easier exercises that require less in the way of flexibility and overall muscle strength to execute. Instead recognize that a lack of flexibility and strength in the joints are signs that you need to work on correcting the problem with supplementary exercises. With a squat, for example, the key to a proper form is the ability to keep your heels planted on the floor at all times so your knees travel a natural path over your feet. This does require some degree of flexibility in the Achilles tendons and hamstring muscle groups and to develop that flexibility (if you don’t naturally have it) you would need to do exercises such as good mornings and full range of motion calf raises to strengthen those muscles and tendons while also stretching them. Such flexibility will not manifest itself overnight- but if you stick with it you will see improvements in your form over time and the increased potential range will mean added muscle development as well.

Step 5.
Learn Anatomy.

Without an understanding of anatomy, you will never be able to achieve maximal flexibility nor will you know which exercises to choose for optimal results.

Without an in-depth understanding of how our muscles work, it is impossible to select exercises that work them maximally and or stretch them fully to ensure overall flexibility. Take for example the hamstring muscle group- perhaps the most often muscle group injured by athletes who stretch and train them regularly. Exercises like lying and standing leg curls are often used to develop the hamstrings muscles, but as popular and convenient as these exercises may be- an understanding of the biomechanics behind them reveals that they cannot and do not work the hamstring muscles fully. Thus leaving them more prone to injury and limitations in flexibility if you only do machine work. In performing a hamstring curl (which most professionals would term a knee curl as it’s a far more accurate description), the emphasis is on the lower hamstring area, particularly the short head of the biceps femoris muscle which brings the lower limb in towards the knee. The upper hamstring muscles are not developed maximally from this movement as they are responsible for hip joint extension and contract relatively weakly to stabilize the lower hamstrings during a knee curl. The lower hamstring muscles such as the biceps femoris do not cross the hip joint and so to work the upper hamstrings directly and effectively you need to do exercises like deadlifts, stiff leg deadlifts and good mornings where there is movement at the hip joint. Failure to take this into account will also limit flexibility as those exercises are key to stretching the hamstring muscles for maximum flexibility without weakening them.

It might sound a bit involved but unless you understand the workings of every muscle you train it is difficult if not impossible to know which exercises to choose for overall development and flexibility. Going over scholarly books and journals on physiology (not magazines as they are designed more for entertainment than education) may sound boring, but the increased overall results from better exercise selection certainly will not be! Do remember that every correctly performed weight training exercise is a stretch that allows the muscle to be worked in a manner that will increase flexibility and stability at the joint over time as long as you don’t overdo it and train smart!

Kevin Richardson is an award winning health and fitness writer, natural bodybuilding champion and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training. His training company in New York City is the 2 time winner of the Best of Manhattan Awards for 2013 & 2012. Learn more about his diet and training services here.
References
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3. Pollock ML, Gaesser GA, Butcher JD, Despres JP, Dishman RK, Franklin BA, Garber CE. ACSM position stand on the recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and flexibility in healthy adults. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 1998.
4. Shellock FG, Prentice WE. Warming up and stretching for improved physical performance and prevention of sports related injuries. Sports Med. 1985.
5. Smith, C.A. The warm-up procedure: To stretch or not to stretch. A brief review. J. Orthop. Sports Phys. Ther. 1990.
6. Gleim GW, McHugh MP. Flexibility and its effects on sports injury and performance. Sports Med.. 1997
7. Herbert RD, Gabriel M. Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: Systematic review. BMJ 2002.
8. Knudosn D. Stretching during warm-up: Do we have enough evidence? JOPERD 1999
9. Welson SM, Hill RH. The efficacy of stretching for prevention of exercise-related injury: A systematic review of the literature. Manage. Ther. 2003.
10. Avela J, Kyrolainen H, Komi PV. Altered reflex sensitivity after repeated and prolonged passive muscle stretching. J. Appl. Physiol. 1999.
11. Behm DG, Button DC, Butt JC. Factors affecting force loss with prolonged stretching. Can. J. Appl. Physiol. 2001.
12.. Church JB, Wiggins MS, Moore FM, Crist R. Effect of warm-up and flexibility treatments on vertical jump performance. J. Strength Cond. Res. 2001.
13. Cornwell A, Nelson AG, Heise GD, Sidaway B. The acute effects of passive muscle stretching on vertical jump performance. J. Hum. Movement Stud. 2001.
14. Evetovich TK, Nauman NJ, Conley DS, Todd JB. Effect of static stretching of the biceps brachii on torque, electromyography, and mechanomyography during concentric isokinetic muscle actions. J. Strength Cond. 2003.
15. Fowles JR, Sale DG, MacDougall JD. Reduced strength after passive stretch of the human plantar flexors. J.Appl. Physiol. 2000.
16. Kokkonen J, Nelson AG, Cornwell A. Acute muscle stretching inhibits maximal strength performance. Res. Q. Exerc. Sport 1998
17. McNeal JR, Sands WA. Acute static stretching reduces lower extremity power in trained children. Pediatr. Exerc.Sci. 2003.
18. Neleson AG, Allen JD, Cornwell A, Kokkonen J. Inhibition of maximal voluntary isometric torque production by acute stretching is joint-angle specific. Res. Q. Exerc. Sport 2001.
19. Nelson AG, Driscoll NM, Landin DK, Young MA, Schexnayder IC. Acute effects of passive muscle stretching on sprint performance. J. Sports Sci. In press. 
20. Neslon AG, Guillory IK, Cornwell A, Kokkonen J. Inhibition of maximal voluntary isokinetic torque production following stretching is velocity specific. J. Strength Cond. Res. 2001.
21. Nelson AG, Kokkonen, AND J. KOKKONEN. Acute ballistic muscle stretching inhibits maximal strength performance. Res. Q. Exerc. Sport 2001.
22. Siatras T, Papadopoulous G, Mameletzi V, Gerodimos V, Kellis S. Static and dynamic acute stretching effect on gymnasts’ speed in vaulting. Pediatr. Exerc. Sci. 2003

Painkillers can Kill More than Pain

 "Until recently, acetaminophen (also known as APAP) was considered to be a fairly harmless painkiller. After all, it’s found in commonly used over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol, as well as stronger prescription medications like Vicodin and Oxycodone. Acetaminophen has been sold in modest quantities all across the world, and has been used to treat everything from mild headaches to more severe forms of pain. But is it really a good idea to ingest this drug? In 2011 an FDA advisory panel asked drug manufacturers to consider lowering the suggested dose and maximum daily dose of acetaminophen. The FDA then announced in January 2012 that they would be requiring drug manufacturers to limit the strength of acetaminophen to no more than 325 milligrams (mg) in each acetaminophen-containing tablet or capsule. In addition, these drugs must include warnings on the labels about the potential risk of severe liver injury. What fueled this change? As it turns out, acetaminophen overdose is one of the leading contributors to liver failure. Many patients who use acetaminophen inadvertently overdose on the drug. Acetaminophen is one of those drugs that requires an ever-increasing dosage to achieve the same effect. When it’s available OTC makes it easy for people to add more of the drug to their bodies, and to exceed the recommended dosage. For many aches and pains, there’s usually a more natural solution that can be applied instead of popping a chemical-based pill. Chiropractic care, for example, offers a natural remedy for headaches. The philosophy behind this method of treatment is that many unpleasant symptoms find their origin in a malfunctioning central nervous system. If your hypothetical symptom manifested itself in the form of a headache, a chiropractor wouldn’t simply prescribe you a pain-reliever and send you on your merry way; said chiropractor could assume there might be a bone out of place that was interfering with your central nervous system, blocking it from optimal performance. X-rays would probably be done to locate the source of the problem; then the chiropractor would attempt to realign whatever was out of place. The end goal, of course, would be to return your central nervous system to optimal performance, thereby eliminating the nagging symptoms that were causing your pain! By contrast, if you were at a traditional doctor’s office, you might be subjected to blood work, CT scans, and numerous other tests costing tens of thousands of dollars. In the end, you may be prescribed a chemical with a list of side effects that were worse that your original ailment. This doesn’t help anyone at all. The great thing about alternative medicine is there are all sorts of natural remedies that can help to reduce discomfort. Chiropractic care is only ONE of many forms of healing available. There’s also acupuncture, natural herbs, and non-chemical practices for reducing emotional stress (a common source of headaches). For thousands of years, our ancestors used many of these natural options and were often able to avoid the nasty side effects we see today with many chemical drugs. Of course, modern medicine certainly has its place in the world. It can literally be a life-saver. But it should not be the only option to consider when facing a health ailment - and it certainly, in many cases, may not be the best option. The next time you feel pain, don’t just cover up the problem and hope it goes away. Find a real solution by addressing the CAUSE of the pain. You’ll feel much better for it. Beyond popping pills, what remedies have you used to address the cause of your pains? Sources: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm239894.htmhttp://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/informationbydrugclass/ucm165107.htmhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41057171/ns/health-pain_center/t/fda-sets-limits-pain-reliever-vicodin/#.T4dI4ZrC6II"

Lycopene’s Contribution to Prostate Health

As men age, prostate health increasingly becomes a concern, and given the statistics, this increased focus comes as no surprise. According to the Centers for Disease Control, prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among men in the U.S., while benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) affects up to 50% of men in their fifties and 90% of men in their eighties. Although termed “benign,” any excessive growth that can interfere with optimal functioning of the prostate in reproductive and urinary health should not necessarily be considered normal, despite how common the condition is.

A number of nutrients and extracts have come to the forefront when it comes to prostate health support. Beyond these heavy-hitters that have long been known to be beneficial in this area—like zinc, saw palmetto, and stinging nettle—another important player is the carotenoid lycopene. Lycopene is the phytochemical responsible for the red and pink pigments in foods like tomatoes, red grapefruit, guava, and watermelon. Multiple studies have demonstrated that lycopene is most bioavailable when consumed in a cooked, concentrated form - such as tomato paste or sauce - as opposed to raw tomatoes or fruit.

Serum and tissue lycopene concentrations have been shown to be lower in men with more advanced prostate cancer than those with less aggressive levels of the disease. There are several biochemical mechanisms behind lycopene’s presumed role in prostate health, including its strong antioxidant capacity, its influence on apoptosis, and its mediation of intercellular communication.

Lycopene is one of the most potent antioxidants among the carotenoids, with an oxygen radical quenching capacity greater than that of its better known cousin, beta-carotene. Reducing the oxidative burden on prostate cells could be one of the factors responsible for lycopene’s potential to slow the progression of prostate cancer. Lycopene has also been shown to induce Phase II detoxification enzymes, which one researcher suggests may “contribute to improved DNA integrity and thus reduced prostate cancer initiation.”

In vitro studies suggest that lycopene may influence the cell cycle, possibly inducing apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. The studies that show potential in this area have been small in scope, but are promising nonetheless. After study subjects consumed tomato sauce products, prostate tumor cells were evaluated prior to and after prostatectomy, and favorable changes were reflected in the intervention groups compared to the controls (lower PSA, increased apoptotic markers).

Regarding intercellular communication, lycopene has been shown to upregulate gene expression for the Connexin 43 protein, a critical part of the intercellular gap junctions that allow for the passing of signaling molecules between cells. As one author puts it, “Carotenoids have been shown to increase gap junctional communication between premalignant initiated cells and their normal counterparts, and in support of the growth-control hypothesis this action is correlated with decreases in proliferation of communicating cells.”

Lycopene can be an important addition to a protocol supporting prostate health. Its function as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, and facilitator of cell-to-cell communication suggests it may influence healthy cell function and reduce abnormal proliferation.