Reading a recent tweet from Inigo Mujika about who he was having dinner with before the Eat To Win Conference in Paris this week got me thinking about who are the best people to read in sports nutrition.

Pubmed searches for the following sports scientists should be performed regularly to stay on top of the ever growing literature in sports nutrition. By the time books are published, the information is typically out dated by around a year. Which is fine for text books, coaching manuals etc but not good if you’re looking for the most up to date information in sports nutrition, hence reading the primary literature is the only way to be right on top of the latest information.

Here are the key players to search for and who are also speaking at the Eat To Win Conference http://static.ow.ly/docs/Nutrition%20conference%20INSEP_qwi.pdf:

Sports Nutrition: Louise Burke
Sports Science: John Hawley
Protein: Kevin Tipton
Carbohydrate: Asker Jeukendrup
Immune Function: David Nieman
Sports Supplements: Ronald Maughan
Team & Endurance Sports: Inigo Mujika

I hope you have enjoyed the hypertrophy workouts that have been posted this year. Here is the final instalment, which should take you to Christmas or even the new year. Its yet another way you can use the 6/12/25 idea. Enjoy.

DAY ONE
A1. Incline dumbbell press, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
A2. Incline barbell press, 4x6, 40X0, rest 90 seconds
B. Bench press, 4x12+12+12 (drop set), rest 120 seconds
C. Bench press, 1x25, 1010, rest 60 seconds
D1. Chin ups, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
D2. Close grip lat pulldowns, 4x6, 40X0, rest 90 seconds
E. Seated row to waist with rope, 4x12+12+12 (drop set), rest 120 seconds
F. Seated row to waist with rope, 1x25, 1010, rest 60 seconds

DAY TWO
A1. Front squat, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
A2. Back barbell lunge, 4x6, 20X0, rest 90 seconds
B. Leg press, 4x12+12+12 (drop set), rest 120 seconds
C. Leg press, 1x25, 1010, rest 60 seconds
D1. Lying leg curls, feet inward, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
D2. Lying leg curl, feet neutral & plantar flexed, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
D3. Lying leg curls, feet out, 11/4 method, 4x6, 30X0, rest 120 seconds
E1. Romanian deadlift, 4x12, 30X0, rest 10 seconds
E2. Standing good morning, 4x12, 30X0, rest 90 seconds
F. Romanian deadlift, 1x25, 1010, rest 60 seconds

DAY THREE 
A1. Seated dumbbell curl, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
A2. Standing barbell curls, 4x6, 40X0, rest 90 seconds
B. Incline hammer curls, 4x12+12+12 (drop set), rest 120 seconds
C. Incline hammer curls, 1x25, 1010, rest 60 seconds
D1. Decline close-grip bench press, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
D2. Decline barbell extensions, 4x6, 40X0, rest 90 seconds
E. Incline bench triceps pushdown, 4x12+12+12 (drop set), rest 120 seconds
F. Incline bench triceps pushdown, 1x25, 1010, rest 60 seconds

The acute program variables that are constantly changed over the long-term when writing strength/hypertrophy workouts to ensure progress and avoid stagnation are the exercise selection, exercise sequence, sets, reps, peed of movement, rest between sets and frequency of training days. Most of the variables are changed to some degree every new program. One variable, however, rarely changes; and that is exercise sequence. Both years of experience and scientific research have demonstrated that strength/hypertrophy workouts should typically begin with those movements which recruit the most muscle mass (ie. the largest muscle group(s), multi joint exercises) and progress to the smaller muscle, single-joint exercises.

This rule should be followed virtually all of the time. But occasionally, reverse sequenced programs for hypertrophy can be used for variety. Here is an example:

DAY ONE:
A. Forearm flexion with EZ bar, 3x12+12+12 (drop set), 1010 tempo, rest 90 seconds
B1. Incline dumbbell curl, 4x8, 3110 tempo, rest 10 seconds
B2. Close underhand grip pulldowns, 4x12, 3010 tempo, rest 90 seconds
C1. Prone dumbbell reverse fly, 4x8, 3110 tempo, rest 10 seconds 
C2. Medium pronated grip seated row, 4x12, 3010 tempo, rest 90 seconds
D1. Decline low cable pullovers, 4x8, 3110 tempo, rest 10 seconds 
D2. Semi-supinated grip pulldowns, 4x12, 3010 tempo, rest 90 seconds

DAY TWO
A. Standing calf raise, 3x12+12+12 (drop set), 1010 tempo, rest 90 seconds
B1. Lying leg curls, 4x8, 3110 tempo, rest 10 seconds
B2. Romanian deadlifts, 4x12, 3010 tempo, rest 90 seconds
C1. Leg extensions, 4x8, 3110 tempo, rest 10 seconds
C2. Leg press, 4x12, 3010 tempo, rest 90 seconds
D1. Back extensions, 4x8, 3110 tempo, rest 10 seconds
D2. Bent knee deadlifts, 4x12, 3010 tempo, rest 90 seconds

DAY THREE
A. Forearm extension with EZ bar, 3x12+12+12 (drop set), 1010 tempo, rest 90 seconds
B1. Decline dumbbell extensions, 4x8, 3110 tempo, rest 10 seconds
B2. Decline close-grip bench press, 4x12, 3010 tempo, rest 90 seconds
C1. Seated lateral raise, 4x8, 3110 tempo, rest 10 seconds 
C2. Seated dumbbell overhead press, 4x12, 3010 tempo, rest 90 seconds
D1. Low cable incline bench flyes, 4x8, 3110 tempo, rest 10seconds
D2. Incline barbell press, 4x12, 3010 tempo, rest 90 seconds

What I like most about Dr Rosemary Stanton is that she writes sensible books on nutrition. In an age where people are more confused than ever about what to eat, where personal trainers primary education is internet sites, blogs and short courses run by educators who have no qualifications in nutrition, Dr Stanton is a breath of fresh air to the the pseudo-science, nonsense and ever restricting lists of 'what not to eat because it will kill you' approach to food that is so pervasive in our industry. She has a simple evidence-based, environmentally sustainable and health oriented approach to nutrition. 

More and more I see trainers recommending high red meat diets to clients; diets that are low carbohydrate, no soy, no gluten, no diary, no grain, no legume. These diets then go hand-in-hand with a bag of supplements that will apparently cure every health condition and solve every weight management problem. 

Where are these ideas coming from? Are trainers reading through piles of diverse peer reviewed papers to inform and update their information on what to recommend to clients? 

Dr Stanton's The Choice Guide to Food summarises an enormous amount of published research and represents the majority position held by real experts in nutrition and public health. This is a must read for personal trainers. The chapters on red meat, whole grains, legumes and diary gives the whole picture: positives and negatives and should clear up the confusion we trainers have about what to eat and recommend to clients.

Another reason why this book is required reading for Australian personal trainers is that the author is Australian. I can recall being embarrassed several times when I was corrected by experts when making statements about nutrition that I thought was true, only to find out that it was only true in America because Australian laws, regulations or farming practices were sometimes not the same as the US! The majority of my education in the past was from educators from the USA and I have learned over and over that does not necessarily translate to what goes on in Australia. Choose Australian Made applies not only to food but also to health experts too!

Several years ago, legendary strength coach Charles Poliquin popularised a version of a triset called 6/12/25. With this method, you would pick 3 exercises for the same muscle and perform a set of 6 to failure, rest 10 seconds and perform a different exercise for the same muscle at 12RM, rest 10 seconds again and then perform a final set of 25 reps on yet another different exercise for the same muscle group. Several kinds of these triset have been used with success over the last couple of decades. I have seen 6/12/20 and 8/15/20 used by other authors before I actually read about 6/12/25. What makes them unusual is the ascending rep scheme used over the 3 exercises, rather than the reps being held constant. The varying rep zones allow for different activation of muscle fibre pools to be activated and exhausted.

There are several different ways that ascending rep protocols can be used, some target muscle hypertrophy, others would be used for fat loss. Here are several ways ascending reps can be used, based 6/12/25 as the model.

Classic Triset - Hypertrophy
A1. Podium deadlifts, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
A2. Dumbbell lunges, 4x12, 20X0, rest 10 seconds
A3. Heels elevated dumbbell squat, 4x25, 20X0, rest 3 minutes

Ascending Reps Every Set Triset - Hypertrophy
A1. Incline dumbbell press
A2. Lying dumbbell press with rotation
A3. Bench press
Set 1 performed at 6RM for all 3 exercises. Set is performed at 12RM and set 3 at 25RM.

Ascending Rep Giant Set - Fat Loss
A1. Podium sumo deadlifts, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
A2. Incline dumbbell press, 4x6, 40X0, rest 10 seconds
A3. Back squats, 4x12, 30X0, rest 10 seconds
A4. Close grip pulldowns, 4x12, 30X0, rest 10 seconds
A5. Dumbbell deadlifts, 4x25, 20X0, rest 10 seconds
A6. Bench press, 4x25, 20X0, rest 3 minutes.

Ascending Reps Every Set Circuit - Fat Loss
A1. Back squat
A2. Bench press
A3. Romanian deadlift
A4. Underhand grip pulldowns.

B1. Leg press
B2. Standing dumbbell press
B3. Back extensions
B4. Seated row, close grip

Here we have 2 circuits of 4 exercises each. Perform the A-group at 6RM with a 40X0 tempo, resting 60 seconds between all exercises. When you perform set 2 of the A's, drop the weight and perform 12 reps on a 30X0 tempo, resting 60 seconds between lifts. Set 3 will be performed at 25 RM on a 20X0 tempo, again resting 60 seconds. Once all 3 sets are done, move on to the B-group and do the same 6/12/25 rep scheme over the 3 sets.

As the end of the year fast approaches, today I have been reflecting upon the most common questions I am asked by personal trainers. Without doubt, questions on nutrition are the most commonly asked. Personal trainers, I think, struggle with this area the most because our primary education is not in the nutritional sciences - it's in exercise. So, because our grounding in the basics of nutrition is generally poor and our information predominately comes from 5 day courses, internet sites and blogs and popular books, there is little wonder why we are so confused with what to recommend to our clients and athletes in terms of what to eat or what supplement to take.

Here are a few guidelines to think about:

1. Does the author or educator have a PhD (or a research masters in nutrition) from a real, accredited university in nutrition? A medical doctor is not a nutritionist. Degrees from non-accredited universities also don't count. The reason why Dr Mark C. Houston is so well respected is because he is a medical doctor who went back to university to earn a M.Sc in nutrition.

2. Do you read peer reviewed research conducted on humans with real endpoints tested with a control/placebo group? Do you read epidemiological studies? Do you read review studies? I had dinner recently with a professor of chemistry from Australia's most prestigious university who told me she reads over 100 peer reviewd papers a week! Reading popular books is good - but it can also be very confucing unless you have a solid foundation in nutrition to understand the differing opinions with the merits and problems with their arguments.

3. All claims made for the benefits of supplements or supplement doses MUST have scientific literature evaluating their proposed use with the dose, population group, placebo control, sufficient subject numbers with hard performance or clinical endpoints. Everytime a supplement or supplement dose is recommended, good hard science must be provided. If you don't know how to evaluate scientific research yourself, book someone's time who does to explain it to you - but don't try, recommend or sell supplements until you know how it works, the published research on it and its potential off-target side effects, toxicity and interactions with medications. We are not insured as personal trainers to be "functional medical practitionars".

4. Look for sensible, well credentialed nutritionists to guide you. If you recommend low carbohydrate diets to clients who are training hard an hour  or more a day or who are athletes, you may want to rethink that nugget of advice. If you advise clients or athletes to swallow multiple supplements a day and have never read a research paper on humans with a placebo control group with good research design, you may want to rethink those pearls of wisdom. For general nutrition, explore the works or Dr Rosemary Stanton (new book The Choice Guide to Food), Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, Dr Joanna McMillan and food writer Michael Pollan. For sports nutrition and supplementation, immerse yourself in the work of Dr Louise Burke, Professor Asker Jeukendrup, Professor Inigo Mujika and Professor Stuart Phillips.

It is fine to be a critical thinker, to ask "how do you know that" and "what is the science behind that" is a must for all personal trainers. We have a tendency to be easily led by gurus in our industry. It is time to up our critical thinking skills to serve our clients better.

Here are the links to the papers that were referenced in the fat loss & hypertrophy course on Sunday 13th. The Melanson paper is a free full text, but the Knab paper is only the abstract (but you get idea: 45 minutes of vigorous exercise expends an additional 35% calories beyond the training session).

Melanson EL, MacLean PS, Hill JO. Exercise improves fat metabolism in muscle but does not increase 24-h fat oxidation. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2009 Apr;37(2):93-101.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2885974/pdf/nihms-211189.pdf

Knab AM et al. A 45-Minute Vigorous Exercise Bout Increases Metabolic Rate for 14 Hours. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Feb 8.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21311363

As 2011 comes to an end, here are my picks for the books I've enjoyed the most this year.

Nutrition: Jennie Brand-Miller's The low GI Handbook and Bharat Aggarwal's Healing Spices.
Strength Training: Marco Cardinale's Strength & Conditioning and Nicholas Ratamess' ACSM's Foundation of Strength Training and Conditioning.
Sports Nutrition: Asker Jeukendrup's Sports Nutrition: From Lab to Kitchen.
Sports Conditioning: Inigo Mujika's World Book of Swimming.
Exercise Physiology: William Kraemer's Exercise Physiology.
Soft Tissue Therapy and Anatomy: Leon Chaitow's Clinical Application's of Neuromuscular Techniques.
Functional Medicine: Already poste here: http://www.tonyboutagy.com/1/post/2011/08/great-new-book-on-digestive-health.html 
I'm sure I have missed some, and as I remember them, I will add them to the post.
Happy reading.

A mistake commonly made by people putting together their training programs for fat loss and endurance sports is including too many hard training days in a week. As a basic rule, two principles should be followed for the non-elite: hard and easy days of training should be alternated and endurance training should be 'polarized', that is, easy days spent training around the 70-80% HRmax zone and hard days spent doing interval work above 91% HRmax. If too many hard sessions are performed in one week, excessive fatigue, lowered immune function, loss of motivation and injuries are sure to follow.

Here is a sample training week following the two golden rules for fat loss. Note how sustainable this style of training is. It is still very hard, as goal-specific training should and must be, but it's not only manageable, its may even be enjoyable!

DAY ONE:
Strength Session (HARD)
A1. Deadlifts, 5x12, 30X0, rest 60 seconds
A2. Lying dumbbell press, 5x12, 30X0, rest 60 seconds
A3. Back squat, 5x12, 30X0, rest 60 seconds
A4. Seated row, pronated grip to chest, 5x12, rest 60 seconds
A5. Dumbbell lunges, 5x12, rest 3 minutes

DAY TWO
Aerobic Session (EASY)
7 minute walk
45 minutes at 70-80% HRmax (you can also use your age subtracted from 180 plus 5, should be around 140-155 bpm)
7 minute walk

DAY THREE
Aerobic Interval Session (HARD)
10 minute walk
5 minute progressively increased jog
4x600m at best pace (above 91% HRmax), rest 2 minutes
4x1000m at best pace (above 91% HRmax), rest 90 seconds 
15 minute walk

DAY FOUR