Complexities

I think this is a beautiful illustration of the complexity of biological processes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A_thaliana_metabolic_network.png

"Metabolic network showing the links between enzymes and metabolites that interact with the Arabidopsis TCA cycle KEGG classification M00009. Enzymes and metabolites are the nodes (red), interactions are the lines. In total, 43 enzymes and 40 metabolites are shown. Created on Cytoscape using data from VirtualPlant 0.9."

Pump sets

Following the logic of Kaatsu training, I suspect that one or two light sets (50% 1RM) following a high intensity set (75-90% 1RM) would have good hypertrophic effects.

True to my non-scientific roots, I looked for evidence to support my hunch (as opposed to evidence to refute it):

http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ijshs/2/0/2_111/_article

...results indicated that performing a single set of exercise at low intensity added after a strength-type regimen caused a significant increase in GH concentration. 

I experimented with this yesterday - a warm-up set, 60 second rest, working set (80% 1RM), 30 second rest, "pump set" (50% 1RM), 30 second rest, "pump set" (50% 1RM)

While the study indicated that a 50% 1RM set after a strength-set worked better than standard strength-type workouts, I am not sure if it works better than hypertrophy-type workouts (multiple sets at > 70% 1RM)

The increase in serum growth hormones seems to taper off quickly from about 5 ng/ml for 20% to 7 for 30% to 7.5 for 50%.  I suspect that 60% 1RM would result in something like 7.6 ng/ml.

Japanese Kaatsu Training

Japanese Kaatsu training ?!

http://drsquat.com/content/kaatsu-training

It seems to work because it restricts blood flow similar to anaerobic intensities.

quotes from http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/100/5/1443

... one issue on which applied exercise physiologists and molecular biologists have agreed: to obtain substantial hypertrophy from a resistance training program, the target muscles must be subjected to substantially increased load. Therefore, the American College of Sports Medicine recommended that, during resistance training, the load should exceed 70% of the one repetition maximum to achieve maximum hypertrophy

...resistance training with shorter rest periods between sets results in greater hypertrophy than the same training program with long rest periods (but the same total mechanical work)

There is no doubt that resistance training with restricted flow would amplify high-energy phosphate depletion and lactic acid production compared with training at the same load with normal flow. In fact, insofar as there is a good correlation between high-energy phosphate depletion and acid production vs. load during resistance exercises (20), the recommendation that hypertrophy requires a load >70% of one repetition maximum might just as well be recast as a recommendation that the training must result in substantial anaerobic metabolism.

from http://drsquat.com/content/kaatsu-training

When the muscle is under tension, blood flow is cut off. Thus, Chris Thibaudeau recommends performing a resistance movement of "never allowing the muscles to relax during the set (always flexing as hard as possible during every inch of every rep) with 50-60% of the maximum performed to failure, led to oxygen levels of 23-24%."
Source: Stimulate More Muscle Growth [http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1641547]

The constant tension on the muscle shutting down blood floow. Once the sete is complete, a blood surges to the muscle.

Another method that will "occlude" blood flow to the muscle is an isometric action. The constant tension of the muscle occludes blood flow. David Barr's "Anabolic Pump Training" goes into this. [http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1555945]

Barr also recommends the iscoemtric action be follow with low high reps with a light load.

"Once all heavy work on a muscle is completed, lighter sets are performed with higher reps. Because the muscle is already stressed by the first part of the workout, it's primed to receive the extra nutritive blood flow that the high reps will induce. "

Undulating Periodization

Based on various articles I've read on http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez, I'm thinking about switching to a program that varies more frequently.  Instead of keeping at a specified intensity for one week, I will change intensity for each workout.  More variation seems to work better.

Sample Protocol for Daily Undulating Periodizatoin (DUP)

M: 3-5 RM loads (90% 1RM); W: 8-10 RM loads (75% 1RM); F: 12-15 RM loads (65% 1RM)

In studies using similar males subjects and training programs, Rhea et al . (2002) reported 

improvements about 28. 78% in undulating group and 14.37% in linear group, while Baker et 

al. (1994) obtained 16.4% in undulating group and 11. 6% in linear group. 

It also seems like I need to switch to a multiple set program (3 sets per exercise) for hypertrophy, but this would take too much time for a full body workout.  What should I do?

One solution it to focus on aerobic power for my legs (2 sets) and hypertrophy for my upper body (3 sets, 30-second rest).  I want my legs to perform well for cycling and xc-skiing while I want my upper body to get bigger.  Therefore I will use a much higher rep range for my legs for two sets per workout and multiple sets in a DUP fashion for my upper body.

Legs:

A high repetition group (High Rep, n = 7) performing 20-28 RM for two sets with 1 min rest

The High Rep group appeared better adapted for submaximal, prolonged contractions, with significant increases after training in aerobic power and time to exhaustion.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12436270?log$=activity

Upper:

For loading, it is recommended that loads corresponding to 1-12 RM be used in periodized fashion with emphasis on the 6-12 RM zone using 1- to 2-min rest periods between sets at a moderate velocity. Higher volume, multiple-set programs are recommended for maximizing hypertrophy.

Bigger is Better

Simple Rules of Thumb for Hypertrophy

1. Progressively increase your mechanical load
     For example follow an 11-week cycle such as this: week 1 - use 70% of your 1 rep max load; week 2 - 75%; 3- 80%; 4- 65%; 5-85%; 6-75%; 7-80%; 8-85%; 9-70%; 10- 90%; take a break

2. Full body workouts 3 times a week

3. One warm-up set followed by one working set for each exercise

4. Use compound exercises

5. Keep total workout time under 1 hour per session

6. Maintain a slow, 4-second pace for the eccentric contractions 

7. Eat a balanced, nutritious diet

***** But, see the American College of Sports Medicine Recommendations and Position Stand

They say:

4-5 days per week for advanced training.

Hypertrophy training

• 1-12 RM in periodized fashion
  • emphasis on the 6-12 RM zone
• 1- to 2-min rest periods between sets
• moderate contraction velocity
• higher volume, multiple-set programs

Examples of Complex Carbs

It is important for your immune system to have enough carbs, but too much blood glucose elevates your insulin levels and leads to fat or diabetes.

So, what are good sources of complex carbohydrates?

Looking at GI (Glycemic Index) tables, the line between sources of carbohydrates and sources of protein or fat are blurred...

If I were to pick one Low GI food to increase in my diet in order to increase my total carb intake, I think it would be parboiled or long-grain rice, but macaroni, whole wheat spaghetti and fettuccine are easy, workable choices too.

CHO

On the basis of the current scientific literature, it may be advisable for athletes who are performing high-volume resistance training to ingest carbohydrate supplements before, during, and immediately after resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Feb;17(1):187-96.

exercise-induced immunosuppression

A very interesting article: http://www.nature.com/icb/journal/v78/n5/full/icb200076a.html

Prolonged exercise and heavy training are associated with depressed immune cell function.

Consuming carbohydrate during prolonged strenuous exercise attenuates rises in stress hormones and appears to limit the degree of exercise-induced immune depression. (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16572599)

An athlete exercising in a carbohydrate-depleted state experiences larger increases in circulating stress hormones and a greater perturbation of several immune function indices. Conversely, consuming carbohydrate during exercise attenuates rises in stress hormones such as cortisol and appears to limit the degree of exercise-induced immunosuppression, at least for non-fatiguing bouts of exercise.

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11897880)

Command and Control Security

Down with command and control economies!

Down with command and control security!

Long live free enterprise security!

Poor economic conditions is to terrorism as poor use of antibiotics is to bacteria.

Is vitamin D used more with resistance training

It seems like intense exercise uses more vitamin D, as well as everything else, since

A)  Chemically, the various forms of vitamin D are secosteroids; i.e., steroids in which one of the bonds in the steroid rings is broken.^[11] 

11^ ^a b c About Vitamin D Including Sections: History, Nutrition, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Diseases. University of California Riverside

B)  It is important for maintenance of calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood

C) Calcium is critical for muscle contraction

BUT, I can't seem to find anything to support this idea... or to contradict it, for that matter.

Fasting and insulin sensitivity

One way of thinking about muscle growth is that you are trying to make your muscles fat. Fat cells store energy - as do muscle cells; however energy from fat cells is for the slow burn while energy from muscle cells is for the quick burn.

In order to get fat muscle cells, you exercise to deplete their reserves anaerobically, then you replenish them. Part of the way in which muscles replenish is to become insulin sensitive and pump glycogen into the muscle cell fluid. Insulin sensitivity can be increased by exercise induced gylcogen depletion.

I was curious - Would fasting before an exhaustive workout increase the supercompensation of glycogen in muscle tissue? What would be the effects on insuline levels, insuline sensitivity, glycogen transport into muslce tissue.

Apparently, it is a bad idea to fast before exercise. Although fasting and exercise both increase insulin sensitivity (versus insulin resistance, or diabetic), fasting will just make you fat.

The data indicate that intermittent fasting and physical training may increase insulin action via different mechanisms because muscle energy stores did not change with the present fasting intervention. (J Appl Physiol 99: 2128-2136, 2005. )

In other words, fasting before exercise and then replenishing does not cause muscle cells to supercompensate (ie get bigger), but it does cause fat cells to supercompensate...

Less than 20 percent

I can't seem to find the source to this quote from http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Toning.html

"Evidence suggests that less than 20 percent of men, and very few women, can develop large muscles, even if they wanted to, regardless of what program they follow."

But, I've found 20 or so instances of plagiarism on other sites...

a book, a cd

http://www.exrx.net/Store/HL/FitProMusculoskeletalAnat.html

Fitness Professional's Guide to Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Human Movement