A New Beginning

How long does it take to get things done?  I’ve been asking myself that for the last few months as my job here in Singapore wears me down.. Long hours, heat and humidity plays havoc on your ability to get the small stuff done..  And the workouts on target.

Currently I’m finishing a new look for the blog where we will concentrate on giving you ideas and programs for the dedicated gym junkie.. No fluff and no crap!

I’d like to introduce a new member of our team Alicia Neasmith.

Alicia is a Freelance Personal Trainer & Lifestyle Coach located in Montreal, Quebec specializing in nutrition & body transformation on a mission to motivate & energize her clients to live a happy & healthy lifestyle.

She is the youngest Professional Swimsuit Model & Fitness Model in the history of the World Natural Sports Organization and competes in Fitness, Swimsuit & Figure competitions all around the world in different federations with numerous titles under her belt. She one her first title at the age of 18 at her very first competition and turned pro right away.

Alicia is also a BodyParts Model & Body Double in a renowned agency in Los Angeles California specializing in body doubling in film, leg, abs, butt, & back modeling.

http://www.bodypartsmodels.com/home.html. She also does stunt work in local movies in Montreal.

Alicia hosts Bootcamp Group Classes all over Montreal with the goal of giving back to the community where all proceeds for each event are donated to charity every summer.

She is alsothe Spokesmodel for a sports supplement line based out of Canada called Revolution Nutrition: www.revolution-nutrition.com.

Alicia practices what she preaches & lives the fitness lifestyle day in & day out.

She has been a competitive athlete her whole life; was a national & provincial record holder swimmer for Canada for many years as well as an elite level soccer player before making the transition to becoming a personal trainer & competing in fitness competitions.

Needless to say we are excited to have Alicia on board and look forward to her prose and advice.

You can fan her on facebook here

Cheers

Anthony

Required reading old-school training

The Following is an article from 2004. An excellent read for those of us into a fitness lifestyle. http://www.westonaprice.org/men/splendidspecimens.html

With the resurgence of old-school training this article gives us a good insight into nutrition and training philosophies of a previous generation.  Seems a lot of these ideas are back in vogue..

Give it a read..

Done for you meal plans (Easy Dieting)

We all know that achieving that beach ready “cut” look is hard to achieve. Having
used Empowered Nutrition meal plans in the past I’ve found that their plans are
easy to use and highly effective.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking they need a SPECIAL
PLAN designed to meet their individual needs and that is a MISTAKE,
at first.

Eventually you can incorporate some more advanced nutrition
techniques but if you’re not flaunting a ripped six-pack, right
now, or exuberating all-day energy, you are probably swimming in
water too deep.

===================
You’ve Been Lied To
===================

We’ve both been conditioned to believe that you need a nutrition
plan different than everyone else. You’re right, partly!

You’ve been told to worry about calories, macronutrient rations and
other advanced details in the beginning, which in my opinion is
wasted energy.

Focusing on these details is like working on your finishing sprint
in the marathon when you’re not even in shape to run 1 mile yet.

The best meal plan is based on BALANCE and VARIETY which is exactly
catered to your physiological make up. You can’t get more
personalized than that!

==========
The TRUTH:
==========

At the start, EVERYONE’S nutritional quest should begin at the SAME
starting line.

Plainly put: You Need A SIMPLE Nutritional Plan You
Can Implement IMMEDIATELY, COMPLETE With The CORRECT,
Foundational Nutritional Principles.

That’s why I want you to download Vince DelMonte’s “Done-For-You”
Fat Loss Meal Plans available at  http://www.empowerednutritionmealplans.com/

It’s critical that you put your meal plan into action TODAY – not
tomorrow, not next week or next month.

I love these plans because they are SO EASY to implement your very
next meal and continue until you have developed the habits
necessary to see results so that you stay motivated and finally
perfect your body and health.

===================================
The Best Part Of Your Own Meal Plan
===================================

There are no rules to follow, complex formulas, expensive
supplements, ridiculous macronutrient ratios that you need to
concern yourself with.

Everything is already DONE-FOR-YOU!

Don’t get me wrong, once you get to being a few percent away from
“camera-ready” and “contest-ready” shape, you’re going to have to
incorporate some more advanced tricks but for now, it’s best you
accept the 3-phase meal plans as the best place to start.

Get your complete set of 30 unique 84-day fat loss meal plans TODAY

http://www.empowerednutritionmealplans.com/

Serious Strength

Just a quick video to show what serious functional strength means. This guys “Kicks It”.

Tabata Training: The Ultimate Tabata Training Guide

Tabata Training.. Fat loss included.
(or 4 minutes of hell)

I first got interested in tabata while training my teenage hockey player son. I was looking for some intense conditioning protocols that would somehow mimic intense hockey shift followed by a short period of rest. I stumbled upon Tabata.  After a few session of Tabata I knew I was on to something not only for hockey conditioning but also a way for me to burn off fat and show those muscles I’ve been developing all these years. Yes I’ve done interval training and steady state cardio to expose the six pack.. But .. I’ve found something that in 4 minutes kicks my butt.. Tradition HIIT (High Intensity Training) describes a protocol of work to rest ration of 1 :3 or 1:4 . Therein lies the difference in Tabata which prescribes a 2:1 work to rest ration.. Prepare to have you ass kicked! Let’s explore Tabata training protocols and how it can benefit athletes .. whether you want to just show off your six pack or are training in the off season for hockey, football, rugby, etc. etc.

Background

The Tabata Protocol is named after Dr. Izumi Tabata. He is a former researcher at Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sports. Tabata is an interval training method developed by the head coach of the Japanese speed-skating team. (It is termed a protocol because Tabata and his team took the speed-skating coach’s workout and studied it to quantify how effective it really was.) The Tabata workout consists of six to seven 20-second full-speed sprints interspersed with rest periods of 10 seconds.

In Tabata’s study, the researchers found that skaters who used the routine five days a week for six weeks improved their maximum aerobic capacity (a measure of your body’s ability to consume oxygen) by 14%. Even more impressive is that the training also improved anaerobic capacity (which measures your ability to sprint and/or maintain a high pace for an extended period) by 28%. So the Tabata Protocol is the rare workout that benefits both endurance athletes and sprinters. By comparison, a study of traditional aerobic training (running at 70% of aerobic capacity for 60 minutes) for the same number of weeks showed an improvement in aerobic capacity of only 9.5% and no effect on anaerobic capacity. Wow now those are results. Here’s a pubmed link for find out more about the study.

What is Tabata Training Exactly

• A tabata training  interval is 20 seconds of intense work followed by 10 seconds recovery
• Eight intervals are completed
• Total of 4 minutes.. recover 3 minutes then repeat if needed (If you can take the pain)

The 20 seconds of work can be anything from body weight squats, treadmill, bench press, hitting a heavy bag (I like that one) or a circuit. Whatever you want,  as long as the intensity is a 9 or 10 on a scale of 1 to 10.  Here are a couple of examples of what I mean:

Tabata and Fat Loss
We’ve all be led to believe that steady state aerobics is the way to go to melt away  bodyfat.. You know the routine. 30 minutes on the treadmill or bike or stairstepper watching the calorie counter on our favorite display panel. Yuk there has to be a better way.  Traditional thinking is that the source of calories in steady state aerobics is from fat rather than carbs. When Tabata intervals are practiced, research shows that the percentage of fuel from carbs is increased, while the amount of fat utilized is greater than that burned during low intensity exercise. Dr. Tabata’s research found that short-term intense interval training is highly effective in lowering the ratio of lean body mass to fat without wasting muscle .  Additionally, Tabada has been shown to burn fat tissue more effectively than low-intensity exercise:  up to 50% more efficiently! In other words, Tabata increases your metabolism and keeps it elevated for some time after your workout ends.  The bottom line is Tabata burns a greater number of total calories than low intensity training, and more calories burned equals more fat loss.

Department of Physiology and Biomechanics, National Institute of Fitness and Sports, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. This study consists of two training experiments using a mechanically braked cycle ergometer. First, the effect of 6 wk of moderate-intensity endurance training (intensity: 70% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), 60 min.d-1, 5 d.wk-1) on the anaerobic capacity (the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit) and VO2max was evaluated. After the training, the anaerobic capacity did not increase significantly (P > 0.10), while VO2max increased from 53 +/- 5 ml.kg-1 min-1 to 58 +/- 3 ml.kg-1.min-1 (P < 0.01) (mean +/- SD). Second, to quantify the effect of high-intensity intermittent training on energy release, seven subjects performed an intermittent training exercise 5 d.wk-1 for 6 wk. The exhaustive intermittent training consisted of seven to eight sets of 20-s exercise at an intensity of about 170% of VO2max with a 10-s rest between each bout. After the training period, VO2max increased by 7 ml.kg-1.min-1, while the anaerobic capacity increased by 28%. In conclusion, this study showed that moderate-intensity aerobic training that improves the maximal aerobic power does not change anaerobic capacity and that adequate high-intensity intermittent training may improve both anaerobic and aerobic energy supplying systems significantly, probably through imposing intensive stimuli on both systems.

A few online programs use interval training as the basis of their systems. I highly recommend Turbulance Training as a way to loose body fat quickly. Sample Tabata Routines Thrusters .. 20 Sec (As many as you can) 10 Seconds rest repeat 7 more times. So here is the rule.. It’s very simple.. Pick a weight or exercise that you feel comfortable with and  tabatacize your butt off! Do tabata once or twice a week to compliment your aerobics and you’ll see an improvement in both your aerobic and anaerobic capacity.. How’s that for a reason to do tabata’s.

Front Squats (probably the best tabata exercise)

To get back to my hockey playing son for a sec..  I have him do slideboard with variety of weights or throwing a medicine ball.. I’ve found that it’s good for his stride power also.. In case you don’t know what a slideboard is.. here is a video..

Good Luck and remember to have fun!

Myths Under The Microscope Part 2: False Hopes for Fasted Cardio

Myths Under The Microscope Part 2: False Hopes for Fasted Cardio

By Alan Aragon  ©

False Hopes

The bandwagon is lead by blind horses

Many trainees pigeonhole weight training as an activity exclusively for building muscle, and cardio exclusively for burning fat. On the contrary, weight training can yield very similar results to cardio of similar intensity when 24-hr energy expenditure and macronutrient oxidation is measured [1]. The obvious advantage of weight training is the higher potential for lean mass and strength gains. In the bodybuilding context, cardio should be viewed as merely an adjunctive training mode to further energy expenditure and cross-complement the adaptations specific to weight training. As far as cardio being absolutely necessary for cardiovascular health, well, that depends upon the overall volume and magnitude of your weight training – another topic for another time.

Chaos theory strikes again

On the surface, it seems logical to separate carbs from cardio if you want a maximal degree of fat oxidation to occur during training. But, there’s the underlying mistake – focusing on stored fuel usage during training instead of focusing on optimally partitioning exogenous fuel for maximal lipolytic effect around the clock. Put another way, it’s a better objective to coincide your carb intake with your day’s thermic peaks, where insulin sensitivity & lean tissue reception to carbs is highest. For some reason, this logic is not easily accepted, nor understood. As we know, human physiology doesn’t always cooperate with logic or popular opinion, so let’s scrutinize the science behind the claims.

Let The Research Speak

Carbohydrate ingestion during low-intensity exercise reduces fat oxidation

As far as 3 decades back, Ahlborg’s team observed that carb ingestion during low-intensity exercise (25-45% VO2 max) reduced fat oxidation compared to fasted levels [2]. More recently, De Glisezinski’s team observed similar results in trained men at 50% VO2 max [3]. Efforts to determine the mechanism behind this phenomenon have been made. Coyle’s team observed that at 50% VO2 max, carbohydrate availability can directly regulate fat oxidation by coordinating hyperinsulinemia to inhibit long-chain fatty acid transport into mitochondria [4].

Carbohydrate’s effect on fat oxidation during moderate-intensity exercise depends on conditioning level
Civitarese’s team found glucose ingestion during exercise to blunt lipolysis via decreasing the gene expression involved in fat oxidation in untrained men [5]. Wallis’ team saw suppressed fat oxidation in moderately trained men & women when glucose was ingested during exercise [6].

In contrast to the above trials on beginning and intermediate trainees, Coyle’s team repeatedly showed that carb ingestion during moderate-intensity (65-75% VO2 max) does not reduce fat oxidation during the first 120 min of exercise in trained men [7,8]. Interestingly, the intensity margin proximal to where fat oxidation is highest was unaffected by carb ingestion, and remained so for the first 2 hours of exercise.

Horowitz’ team examined the effect of a during-training solution of high-glycemic carbs on moderately trained men undergoing either low intensity exercise (25% VO2 max) or high-moderate intensity (68% VO2 max) [9]. Similar results to Coyle’s work were seen. Subjects completed a 2-hr cycling bout, and ingested the carb solution at 30, 60, and 90 minutes in. In the low-intensity treatment, fat oxidation was not reduced below fasted-state control group’s levels until 80-90 min of exercise. In the 68% group, no difference in fat oxidation was seen whether subjects were fasted or fed throughout the trial.

Further supporting the evidence in favor of fed cardio in trained men, Febbraio’s team investigated the effects of carb ingestion pre & during training in easily one of the best-designed trials on this topic [10]. Subjects exercised for 2 hrs at an intensity level of 63% VO2 max, which is now known as the point of maximal fat oxidation during exercise. Result? Pre & during-training carbs increased performance – and there was no difference in total fat oxidation between the fasted and fed subjects. Despite the elevated insulin levels in the carb-fueled groups, there was no difference in fat availability or fat utilization.

Summing Up the Research Findings

• At low intensities (25-50% VO2 max), carbs during exercise reduce fat oxidation compared to fasted trainees.

• At moderate intensities (63-68% VO2 max) carbs during exercise may reduce fat oxidation in untrained subjects, but do not reduce fat oxidation in trained subjects for at least the first 80-120 minutes of exercise.
• Carbohydrate during exercise spares liver glycogen, which is among the most critical factors for anticatabolism during hypocaloric & other conditions of metabolic stress. This protective hepatic effect is absent in fasted cardio.
• At the established intensity level of peak fat oxidation (~63% VO2 max), carbohydrate increases performance without any suppression of fat oxidation in trained subjects.

References

1. Melanson EL, et al. Resistance and aerobic exercise have similar effects on 24-h nutrient oxidation.. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002 Nov;34(11):1793-800.
2. Ahlborg, G., and P. Felig. Influence of glucose ingestion on fuel-hormone response during prolonged exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 1976;41:683-688.
3. De Glisezinski I, et al. Effect of carbohydrate ingestion on adipose tissue lipolysis during long-lasting exercise in trained men. J Appl Physiol. 1998 May;84(5):1627-32.
4. Coyle EF, et al. Fatty acid oxidation is directly regulated by carbohydrate metabolism during exercise. Am J Physiol. 1997 Aug;273(2 Pt 1):E268-75.
5. Civitarese AE, et al. Glucose ingestion during exercise blunts exercise-induced gene expression of skeletal muscle fat oxidative genes. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Dec;289(6):E1023-9.
6. Wallis GA, et al. Metabolic response to carbohydrate ingestion during exercise in males and females. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Apr;290(4):E708-15.
7. Coyle, et al. Muscle glycogen utilization during prolonged strenuous exercise when fed carbohydrate. J. Appl. Physiol. 1986;6:165-172.
8. Coyle, et al.. Carbohydrates during prolonged strenuous exercise can delay fatigue. J. Appl. Physiol. 59: 429-433, 1983.
9. Horowitz JF, et al. Substrate metabolism when subjects are fed carbohydrate during exercise. Am J Physiol. 1999 May;276(5 Pt 1):E828-35.
10. Febbraio MA, et al. Effects of carbohydrate ingestion before and during exercise on glucose kinetics and exercise performance. J Appl Physiol. 2000 Dec;89(6):2220-6.

Visit alanaragon.com for more informative articles

Fraud in the supplement industry

Interesting video about fraud in the supplement industry.  A clip from the movie Bigger Faster Stronger available at  www.biggerstrongerfastermovie.com A good reason to stick to the large brand names

Check out this interesting article from Sports Illustrated.
http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1155395/1/index.htm

Let us know what you think!

Fish Oil: Just The Facts

Fish Oil: Just The Facts • By Alan Aragon •

The Dawn of Fat Phobia

If you have a few years under your belt, then you can still remember what I call the “Fat-Free 80′s.” Think back to a time when dietary fat was the enemy. Ah, yes… A time when fat-free products lined the outer shelves of the supermarket. A time when it was not a bad thing to get a box of Entemann’s cinnamon rolls, as long as they were the FAT-FREE cinnamon rolls. Health Valley made some positively disgusting fat-free cookies, along with a host of other fat-free products that tasted like sugary cardboard. And we can’t forget the 75% sugar weight gainer products, those were priceless. 1,000, 2000, 4,000 calories per serving, and all you had to do was mix about a cup of powder into your favourite drink. No worries though, these gainers were virtually fat-free! What we were led to believe was that fat-free products equated to fat-free physiques. Unfortunately, that was far from the truth.

During the 1980′s, a disturbing climb in national obesity rates occurred, and steadily kept its course. Large behavioral trend studies such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES II & III), the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and the Calorie Control Council Report (CCCR) collectively showed a 31% increase in overweight prevalence from 1976-1991. The punch line? This increase in weight was accompanied by an 11% decrease in percentage of calories from fat (from 41.0% to 36.6%). The most recent report by the BRFSS shows a further decrease in fat intake to 33%, accompanied by an increase in obesity from 11.6% to 22.1%. This is a 90.5% increase in US obesity from 1990-2002[1]. It’s obvious that dietary fat is not the evil culprit in the expansion of the population’s waistline.

A Brief Evolution of Our Knowledge of Fats

As indicated by the fat-free product boom a couple of decades back, there indeed was the widespread belief that ALL fats were a substance to be minimized, or avoided altogether. But with the forward march of research, we came to understand that different fats had different effects on health. Since it’s human nature to think in black and white terms, the great divide initially fell between saturated (SFA) and mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA & PUFA). SFA were thought to be the root of all evil, conjuring images of arterial plaque and eventual heart failure, while unsaturated fat was regarded as a universally angelic substance. This turned out to be a gross oversimplification of reality.

The intricacies and widely varying sources and subtypes of SFA is another article altogether, but suffice it to say that it’s not that simple to pigeonhole them as unhealthy. SFA are not created equal. They have markedly variable physiological effects from the detrimental all the way to the beneficial. Given this, it depends on which ones you want throw onto the theoretical chopping block. Stearic acid, an SFA abundant in meat & milk fat, has been consistently observed to actually reduce blood platelet aggregation [2]. This is a good thing. In contrast, trans fats (found in high concentrations in commercially baked goods as well as processed & fried foods)  have been observed to negatively impact blood lipids by not only lowering HDL, but increasing LDL as well [3].
Ironically, experimental research exists on healthy humans showing the least fat was oxidized on the MUFA fat dietary treatment, and the most fat oxidized on a trans fat diet [4]. This result echoes what’s been seen in rats as well. It appears that the tighter the control of the study, the less “superior” unsaturated fats turn out to be for any presumed effect on body composition compared to SFA. Throw in the fact that a reducing SFA intake and increasing the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids in the diet reduces testosterone levels [5], and then you have yet another wrinkle in the mix to concern yourself with

Then you have medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT), which are SFAs that exhibit physiological behavior that’s closer to carbohydrate than fat. MCT has been hyped to death by those who sell it. But the point is that they are a type of SFA that may potentially have minor benefits on body composition. I personally wouldn’t spend a dime on them, but they nevertheless illustrate the fact that SFAs are a complex and highly varied group of compounds in terms of physiological effect. As always, the effects of each type of fat undoubtedly vary with the population in question, as well as individual response.

Finally, with the black and white fallacy of saturated versus unsaturated fats out of the way, we can now shift the focus on fish oils, which happen to be a rich source of a particular class of fatty acids under intense study, the omega 3′s.

Enter The Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for normal growth and development, but are noted specifically for their powerful influence over multiple physiological processes. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), one of the two essential fatty acids (EFA) that the body cannot biosynthesize and must get from the diet, is an omega-3. EFA are precursors to a class of biologically significant compounds called eicosanoids, which include prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and thromboxanes. Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) can be derived from fish oil, and to a lesser degree, flaxseed oil. Consumption of EPA and DHA has an appreciable number of positive health effects, including decreases in blood platelet aggregation, lowered blood pressure, enhancement of smooth muscle function, decreased inflammation, alleviation of dyslipidema, and treatment of mood disorders [6-9]. There’s even emerging evidence pointing to the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids on bone health [10].

Archaeological research postulates that humans were  biologically designed to thrive on a diet whose ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was approximately 1:1, and unlikely greater than 4:1. Today, consumption of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids is estimated at roughly 25:1 [11]. This is due in part to a predominance of omega-6 oils available commercially in our food supply (corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, refined packaged grain products & pastries) and a relative minority of omega-3 sources (fatty marine fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and flaxseed oil, walnuts, & small amounts in canola oil). Industrial production of omega-6-rich animal feeds has also resulted in animal tissues (livestock, eggs, and cultured fish) rich in omega-6 and poor in omega-3 fatty acids. This disproportionately high intake of omega 6′s biases our physiology towards thrombosis, hyperlipidemia, and vasoconstriction. The reverse of those effects occurs simply by increasing the proportion of omega-3′s.

Fish Oil as a Fat Loss Supplement?

So far, the resume of fish oil’s health effects is very extensive. But can it add fat loss to the list as well? The buzz in the supplement industry would certainly want consumers to believe so. But as always, the answer can only begin to reveal itself in the research. Human studies examining the effect of fish oil supplementation on body composition are scarce, but that makes it easy to pick them apart.

A decade ago, Couet and colleagues investigated the effect of replacing 6g of visible dietary fat with 6g of fish oil in healthy adults over a 3-week period, done 12 weeks after a 3-week control diet period [12]. Bodyfat mass and respiratory quotient decreased in the fish oil phase. It’s important to note that the flaws in this study’s design are grave enough to almost completely invalidate it. Extremely small sample size (6 subjects total), short trial period (3 weeks), and a complete absence of randomization or treatment balance (opening the distinct possibility for seasonal variation, among other errors) are the main fatal knocks that render this data nearly useless.

In contrast, 2 more recent studies conducted within the past 3 years looking at weight-loss diets supplemented with omega-3′s have not observed any significant effects on body composition beyond what was caused by dietary restriction alone [13,14]. But it’s never that simple, since things may differ according to the population and protocol. In contrast to the previous two trials, Kunesova’s team examined the effects of omega-3 supplementation on severely obese female inpatients undergoing a 3-week very low calorie (525 kcal) in-patient weight reduction treatment [15]. Calories were controlled to accommodate the supplemental omega-3, which was 2.8g/day. Result? The omega-3 supplemented group lost 1.5 kg bodyweight, and 2.2 cm more off the waist than the control group.

How about more relevant populations? As of this writing, there are only three trials in existence examining the effect of omega-3 supplementation combined with a structured aerobic exercise program on body composition. Let’s dig in. In 1989, Warner and colleagues looked at the effect of walking or jogging 3 days/week for 45-50 minutes at 75-80% maximal heart rate in hyperlipidemic subjects randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: fish oil + exercise, fish oil alone, corn oil, or control [16]. Body fat was reduced only in the fish oil + exercise group. These data are severely limited by the absence of an exercise-only control group, leaving a huge question mark open regarding the relative contribution of exercise to the bottom line result. A year later, Brilla and Landerholm conducted a well-designed study on healthy, previously sedentary men [17]. This trial did contain an exercise-only control group, and no effect of fish oil on body fat was observed.

In the most recent fish oil + exercise study to date, Hill’s team examined the effect of fish oil supplementation (6g) on overweight hypertensive/hyperlipidemic subjects (24 men and 41 women) over a 12 week period [18]. Exercise was 3 days/week walking at 75% predicted maximal heart rate for 45 minutes. Body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Predictably, fish oil supplementation improved blood lipids and arterial vasodilation. As for body composition, fish oil by itself didn’t cause any bodyfat reduction from baseline levels, whereas the sunflower oil control gained bodyfat , but to an insignificant degree. However, fish oil + exercise caused a 1.1% greater bodyfat reduction compared to the sunflower oil + exercise control (1.2% reduction versus a 0.1% reduction in the sunflower oil group). If you re-read those body composition results, they’re nothing to get too excited over, especially considering the small amount of fat lost in the 12 week duration.

The Dark Side of Over-doing Fish Oil Supplementation

Yes, Luke, there is always a dark side. In the world of unchecked marketing hype, fish oil has definitely gotten the “more is better” stamp. The problem is, EPA and DHA have a well-documented ability to suppress the body’s immune response. Although not as consistent as the immune effects, data also exist on the ability of EPA and DHA to increase bleeding time and oxidation. Let’s take a look at a couple of the published peer-reviewed research that no one in the fitness industry talks about.

Thies and colleagues examined the 12-week effect of various fatty acid supplement mixes on healthy subjects [19]. Various blends of placebo oil and oils rich in ALA, GLA, AA, DHA, or EPA (720mg) + DHA (280mg) were compared. Total fat intake from the 9-capsule dose was 4 g/d. The EPA/DHA treatment was the only one that had a negative effect on immunity, significantly decreasing natural killer cell activity by 48%. This effect was reversed after 4 weeks of ceasing intake of the supplement.

Rees and colleagues investigated the effects of various amounts of EPA on immune markers in young and older men [20]. In a 12-week study, EPA was incorporated into plasma and mononuclear cell phospholipids. Supplemental EPA in amounts of 1.35, 2.7, and 4.05g/day caused a dose-dependent decrease in neutrophil respiratory burst, indicating the suppression of a cellular defense against immunity threats. This effect was seen in the older, but not the younger men. Based on these and the previous data, if you’re not a spring chicken, and immunity is an issue, you might not want to go hog-wild on the fish oil dosing.

Suggested Use & Take-Home Tips

The cardio-protective benefits of increasing the dietary proportion of omega-3 fatty acids is seen consistently in trials involving various populations and protocols. Fish oil is one of the few supplements that actually have a substantial body of scientific evidence backing it up. However, it’s easy to think in terms of pills instead of food. Those who love fish (and have the time or resources to prepare or order it) can simply increase or maintain their intake of fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, lake trout, herring, albacore tuna, and sardines.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least two servings of fish per week for the general population. Think of a palm-sized piece as a serving. For those with high triacylglycerol levels, a supplemental 2-4g of combined EPA/DHA is their suggested therapeutic dose. However, note that the AHA cautions against supplementing more than 3g outside of a physician’s care [21]. I recommend maxing out your whole food options first before going the supplemental route. There’s always more complete and synergistic nutrition contained within whole foods. For those who can’t or won’t eat fish, there’s always fish oil capsules, which thankfully are inexpensive, and more convenient than getting your omega-3′s through fish.

The amount of EPA/DHA per capsule may vary with the brand. Capsules can contain anywhere from 250-500mg. Most healthy folks don’t need more than 3-6 capsules per day to meet or exceed the amounts that show benefits. There are no definitive conclusions about optimal proportion of EPA:DHA, so to error on the side of safety, I recommend finding roughly an even mix. It’s common and perfectly acceptable for products to contain slightly more EPA than DHA. If at all possible, make sure your supplement is verified by the USP (United States Pharmacopoeia) for the peace of mind that you’re getting what the label is claiming. I would also error on the side of safety and keep them refrigerated. As a side note, there’s a widespread belief that ALA from flaxseed is worthless for increasing EPA/DHA since the conversion is inefficient. However, Harper’s team recently saw 3g ALA/day (from 5.2g flaxseed oil) raise plasma EPA levels by 60% at the end of a 12-week trial [22].

Looking at the body of evidence as a whole, fish oil (or increased fish consumption) has great potential for improving cardiovascular health. But for reducing body fat, the effects are minor to nonexistent. Let’s not forget that fish oil isn’t some magical negative-calorie food. It still contains 9 calories per gram, and no matter how much of those calories are used in its processing within the body, it’s still a net gain in calories after consumption. To sum everything up, fish oil has health benefits, as well as potential risks. It’s certainly not a matter of more-is-better. It might have minor fat loss effects in the obese and overweight population, but their fat loss effect in general is far from conclusively established. Get a variety of fats in your diet, and get them from whole foods whenever possible. Fish oil is merely one of many agents that can contribute to optimal health within the context of well-balanced nutrition. Keep it in perspective, and keep your eye on the facts.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. 1990-2002 trends data, nationwide. http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/Trends/trendchart.asp?qkey=10010&state=US.
2. Thijssen MA, et al. Stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids have comparable effects on markers of thrombotic tendency in healthy human subjects. J Nutr. 2005 Dec;135(12):2805-11.
3. Mozaffarian, et al. Trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. N. Engl. J. Med. 2006;354: 1601-1613.
4. Lovejoy JC, et al. Effects of diets enriched in saturated (palmitic), monounsaturated (oleic), or trans (elaidic) fatty acids on insulin sensitivity and substrate oxidation in healthy adults. Diabetes Care. 2002 Aug;25(8):1283-8.
5. Haalaininen E, et al. Diet and serum sex hormones in healthy men.
   J Steroid Biochem. 1984 Jan;20(1):459-64.
6. Schwalfenberg G. Omega-3 fatty acids: their beneficial role in cardiovascular health.
   Can Fam Physician. 2006 Jun;52:734-40.
7. Psota TL, et al. Dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and cardiovascular risk.
   Am J Cardiol. 2006 Aug 21;98(4A):3i-18i.
8. Ismail HM. The role of omega-3 fatty acids in cardiac protection: an overview.
   Front Biosci. 2005 May 1;10:1079-88.
9. Parker G, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids and mood disorders.
   Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Jun;163(6):969-78. Review. Erratum in: Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Oct;163(10):1842.
10. Griel AE, et al. An increase in dietary n-3 fatty acids decreases a marker of bone resorption in humans. Nutr J. 2007 Jan 16;6:2.
11. Simopolous AP. Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. J Am Coll Nutr. 2002 Dec;21(6):495-505.
12. Couet C, et al. Effect of dietary fish oil on body fat mass and basal fat oxidation in healthy adults. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1997 Aug;21(8):637-43.
13. Fontani G, Corradeschi F, Felici A, et al. Blood profiles, body fat and mood state in healthy subjects on different diets supplemented with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Eur J Clin Invest 2005;35:499-507.
14. Krebs JD, et al. Additive benefits of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and weight-loss in the management of cardiovascular disease risk in overweight hyperinsulinaemic women. Int J Obes (Lond). 2006 Oct;30(10):1535-44.
15. Kunesova , et al. The influence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and very low calorie diet during a short-term weight reducing regimen on weight loss and serum fatty acid composition in severely obese women. Physiol Res. 2006;55(1):63-72
16. Warner JG, et al. Combined effects of aerobic exercise and omega-3 fatty acids in hyperlipidemic persons. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1989;21:498-505.
17. Brilla LR, Landerholm TE. Effect of fish oil supplementation and exercise on serum lipids and aerobic fitness. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1990;30:173-80.
18. Hill AM, et al. Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors.
    Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May;85(5):1267-74.
19. Thies F, et al. Dietary supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid, but not with other longchain n-3 or n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, decreases natural killer cell activity in healthy subjects aged >55 y. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Mar;73(3):539-48.
20. Rees D, et al. Dose-related effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on innate immune function in healthy humans: a comparison of young and older men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb;83(2):187-8.
21. American Heart Association. New guidelines focus on fish, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids. 2002. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3006624.
22. Harper CR, et al. Flaxseed oil increases the plasma concentrations of cardioprotective (n-3) fatty acids in humans. J Nutr. 2006 Jan;136(1):83-7.Thanks to Alan Aragon www.alanaragon.com  worth checking out!

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Deadlift

Deadlift

The deadlift exercise was outlined in the leg section as an exercise
for the muscles of the posterior thigh. However, as there are a
couple of important differences of accentuation between the deadlift
movement application for the hamstrings and the dead-lift
movement application for the lower back, the dead-lift will be reintroduced
with emphasis paid to the considerations for the lower
back.

The deadlift exercise represents the “granddaddy” movement of
lower back exercises. On the surface the movement appears to be a
simple one to perform. However, there are a number of crucial considerations
to take into account in order to provide for the proper
execution of this exercise. It is advised that the beginning weighttraining
enthusiast gain a thorough understanding of the rudiments
of correct movement methodology in order to provide for safe, efficient
utilization of this highly-beneficial, but potentially dangerous
exercise. It should be noted that this seemingly simple exercise (what
could be easier than bending down and picking up a bar and then
straightening up?) is responsible for many serious injuries.

Three Major Differences in Movement Application
Use the Floor As Opposed To a Raised Platform
The raised platform provides additional stretch as the ROM of
the movement application is increased. However, the benefit of addi-
tional stretching distance (increased ROM) is experienced in the
strings and does not provide additional growth and development benefit
for the lower back. However, the additional distance of the movement
application as provided for by the raised platform can induce great
stress upon the lower back. Raised platforms should be used if the trainee
experiences the problem of having the plates touch the floor before
the eccentric phase of the movement can be completed. Only a slightlyraised
platform should be used in order to provide a built-in bench mark
of how far the weight should be lowered. If a higher platform is used
the trainee should not extend all the way down to the floor as stretching
too far exerts tremendous pressure on the lower lumbar region which
could easily cause serious injury.

Apply Knee-Flexion
The dead-lift exercise for the lower back should be applied with a
bent-knee posture. The stiff-legged version of the dead-lift exercise is
applied when the hamstrings are being accentuated. If a stiff-legged approach
is taken with the lower back deadlift application two serious ramifications
may result:
- It forces a greater stretching of the thoracolumbar fascia which is not
flexible and could easily be injured.
- It creates a much poorer mechanical advantage for the lower
lumbar region which results in a
significant increase in the amount of torque that is directed to
the vertebrae in the lumbar region.

Neural-impulsing Directed to the Lower Back
The movement application is performed with strong neural-impulsing
being directed to the area of the lower back as opposed to being
directed to the hamstrings. Remember the concentration
should be directed to the desired area that will be worked in order to reduce injury risk and to enhance
growth and development potential.

Summary of Correct Exercise Execution
- Assume the correct preparatory posture by placing the feet at just slightly wider than shoulder
width distance.
- Utilizing hip and knee flexion bend over at the waist and grasp the barbell in a just-slightly- wider-
than-shoulder width pronated grip. You will want to make certain to have the bar placed close
to the shins. If the barbell is positioned too far in front of the body there is a risk of straining the
lower lumbar region during the initiation of the lift.
- Initiate the concentric contraction phase of the movement by slowly extending the upper torso
to a vertical position. You will want to make certain to maintain slight knee and hip flexion in
order to alleviate the risk of straining the lower back. As well you will want to make sure to keep
the hips low and the head high in order to provide for the most mechanically correct posture for
the lift.
- Complete the concentric contraction phase of the movement by extending to a vertical posture.
You will want to avoid extending past the vertical point as over-extending creates a jamming of
the facet-joints and could injure the highly-vulnerable disks in the lower lumbar region. Remember
to avoid any vigorous thrusting of the bar and to draw the weight up the front of the thighs.
- Maintaining hip and knee flexion slowly begin the eccentric contraction phase of the lift. You
will want to keep the head up in order to maintain a flat and rigid posture of the back. Dropping
the head will encourage a resulting rounding of the back posture which could create stress upon
the lower lumbar region.
- Slowly complete the eccentric contraction phase of the lift by extending downward and pausing
at the completion of the descent before initiating the concentric contraction.

Keys to the Lift
- Utilize sensible weight selection as the tendency with this exercise is to use too much weight.
- Utilize smooth, highly-controlled movement applications. No herky-jerky movements with this
one.
- Keep the head up and. the hips down in effort to maintain the desirable flat, rigid posture of the
back.
- Place the barbell close to the shins and draw the weight up the front of the thighs.
- Do not hyperextend at the completion of the concentric contraction phase of the movement.
- Slowly lower the weight utilizing strong neural-impulsing throughout the eccentric contraction
phase of the movement.
- Remember to maintain slight knee and hip flexion in order to alleviate potential strain on the
lower back.
- Direct strong neural-impulsing into the lower back and not into the hamstrings on this particular
movement application.

Here are  a couple of videos that will help you with form.  The next series will have better sound so turn your speakers up.

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