The May edition of Research Updates for Personal Trainers has just been posted. This month, we look at the association between diary consumption and fat loss in females, whether eating bread makes you fat, optimal loads for hypertrophy, how protein and EAAs are need to stimulate the synthesis of muscle protein, periodization models, gluteal and thigh fat and treating high triglycerides.
The April edition of Research Updates for Personal Trainers has just been posted. In this instalment, we look at shoulder muscle function during common stability exercises, knee joint forces and muscular activity during common lower limb exercises and muscle function during the squat. Vitamin D Guidelines03/05/2012 Current guidelines for Vitamin D evaluation, treatment and prevention of D deficiency were published last year by leading Vitamin D expert, Professor Michael Holick and colleagues. This paper is critical reading for those involved in treating Vitamin D deficiency and optimizing D levels for health and well being. Take homes: * The ideal test to evaluate Vitamin D status is the level of serum circulating 25-hydroxyvitaminD [25(OH)D]; * Vitamin D deficiency is defined as a 25(OH)D below 50 nmol/L; * Vitamin D insufficiency is defined as a 25(OH)D of 51–74 nmol/L; * Vitamin D sufficiency is defined as a 25(OH)D of 75–250 nmol/L; * Vitamin D toxicity begins at 25(OH)D levels >375 to 500 nmol/L; * It is suggested that adults aged 19–50 yr require at least 600 IU/d of vitamin D to maximize bone health and muscle function. However, to raise the blood level of 25(OH)D consistently above 75 nmol/L may require at least 1500–2000 IU/d of vitamin D. * It is suggested that all adults aged 50–70 and 70+ yr require at least 600 and 800 IU/d, respectively, of vitamin D. However, to raise the blood level of 25(OH)D above 75 nmol/L may require at least 1500–2000IU/d of supplemental vitamin D; * It is suggested that all adults who are vitamin D deficient be treated with 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 once a week for 8 wk or its equivalent of 6000 IU of vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 daily to achieve a blood level of 25(OH)D above 75 nmol/L, followed by maintenance therapy of 1500–2000 IU/d; * In obese patients, patients with malabsorption syndromes, and patients on medications affecting vitamin D metabolism, it is suggested that a higher dose (two to three times higher; at least 6000–10,000 IU/d) of vitamin D to treat vitamin D deficiency to maintain a 25(OH)D level above 75 nmol/L, followed by maintenance therapy of 3000–6000IU/d. Source: Evaluation, Treatment, and Prevention of Vitamin D Deficiency: an Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. Holick MF, Binkley NC, Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Gordon CM, Hanley DA, Heaney RP, Murad MH, Weaver CM. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Jun 6 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21646368 A One Month Program for Fat Loss03/05/2012 In anticipation of next Friday's talk on Fat Loss, here is a week's program for fat loss that is to be performed for a month. MONDAY Session 1: Easy Cardio Session 5 minute walk warm-up 20-30 minutes jogging at 145-150 beats per minute 5 minute walk cool-down Session 2: Strength Session A1. Sumo deadlifts on podium, 4 x 10, rest 10 seconds A2. Bench press, 4 x 10, rest 60 seconds B1. Back barbell lunge, 4 x 15, rest 10 seconds B2. Standing DB press with rotation, 4 x 15, rest 60 seconds C1. Heels elevated DB squats, 4 x 25, rest 10 seconds C2. 55-degree incline DB press, 4 x 25, rest 60 seconds TUESDAY 5 minute warm-up 30 minutes at 150-155 beats per minute on one mode (like bike) 30 minutes at same HR on a different mode (like running) 5 minute cool-down WEDNESDAY Session 1 30 minute brisk walk Session 2: Interval session 10 minute walk to jog warm-up 2 x 400m, walk rest 3 minutes 2 x 600m, walk rest 2.5 minutes 2 x 800m, walk rest 2 minutes 2 x 1000m, walk rest 90 seconds 10 minute walk cool-down THURSDAY 5 minute easy warm-up 60 minutes easy cardio on self selected mode or several modes (row, cycle, run etc). HR at 145-155 bpm 5 minute cool-down FRIDAY Strength Session A1. Back squat, 4 x 10, rest 10 seconds A2. Wide parallel grip pulldowns to throat, 4 x 10, rest 60 seconds B1. Romanian deadlifts, 4 x 15, rest 10 seconds B2. Leg press, 4 x 15, rest 60 seconds C1. Front step ups, 4 x 25, rest 10 seconds C2. Seated row, close grip, 4 x 25, rest 60 seconds WEEKEND Saturday 2 hours either together or in 2 blocks, any mode, 145-155 beats Sunday 60 minute walk Three Great Textbooks on Endocrinology25/03/2012 The study of hormones has become increasingly popular in the personal training world this past few years. It is of enormous benefit to the personal trainer to have a good working knowledge of the impact fitness training, nutrition and lifestyle has on the endocrine system. Since there is a tremendous amount of dubious information out there on hormones and health/fitness/site-specific fat reduction, these three textbooks are recommended as a starting place for the personal trainer to be more critical and better informed about the many ill-conceived ideas that abound in our industry. Happy reading. Here is a two-day strength workout that is designed to be performed in peak times at a busy gym. The method is based on a variation of 'extended sets', where you perform the most difficult variation of an exercise, then after rest and using the same weight, perform an mechanically easier (stronger) version of the lift, then after more rest, a third and even easier version is performed. You will only need one barbell and one set of dumbbells with an adjustable bench for the first day and a barbell and lat pulldown machine with a wide bar for the second day. Ideally, you use the same weight for all the variations of the same exercise, so the rep recommendation of 8 is the goal - you may do more or less. DAY ONE A1. Snatch grip deadlifts, 4x8, 30X0, rest 10 seconds A2. Standing dumbbell press, 4x8, 30X0, rest 10 seconds A3. Deadlifts, 4x8, 30X0, rest 10 seconds A4. Incline dumbbell press, 4x8, rest 10 seconds A5. Romanian deadlifts, 4x8, 30X0, rest 10 seconds A6. Lying dumbbell press, 4x8, rest 3 minutes DAY TWO A1. Front squats, heels elevated, using 11/4 method, 4x8, 30X0, rest 10 seconds A2. Wide pronated grip pulldowns , 4x8, 30X0, rest 10 seconds A3. Front squats, 4x8, 30X0, rest 10 seconds A4. Medium pronated grippulldowns , 4x8, rest 10 seconds A5. Back squats, 4x8, 30X0, rest 10 seconds A6. Medium underhand grip pulldowns, 4x8, rest 3 minutes It's a massive edition of Research Updates this month: Soy and breast cancer risk, red meat consumption and mortality, sequencing strength and aerobic training in the same session, concurrent strength and endurance training for athletes, interval training in health and disease, the dangers of BPA on health, why massage is good for performance and a few of the books I've enjoyed reading this month. Enjoy. Do Calories Matter?04/03/2012 To the personal trainer (and our clients), nutrition can be the most confusing aspect of our jobs. As we have all realized, if you exercise but don’t pay attention to the foods that are eaten, then the changes in body composition leave everyone disappointed. But this is where it gets confusing: do we count calories or not? Do we count grams of carbohydrate of not? Hardly a week goes by where I don’t hear from a client “I need to lose an extra 2kg, so I am cutting out carbohydrates”. I rarely hear “I’m reducing my caloric intake lower than my expenditure”. Even my butcher said to me a short time ago, that calories didn’t mater as long as I cut grains out of my diet (I had asked him to trim the excess fat off my oyster blade). But do calories count? Can I eat all I like as long as I control my insulin levels? Is it the carbohydrates in our diets making us fat? All these questions are answered in the new book by professors Nestle and Nesheim, Why Calories Count. Are all calories created equal? Are some diets more effective than others? Why do some gain (and lose) weight more easily than others? These are some of the questions that the authors tackle. The book is extremely well researched, immensely readable and makes a must-read for personal trainers. Who should read this book? Those who: a) Don't think calories count; b) Calories are not created equal; c) Want to lose weight; d) Are afraid of calories coming from carbohydrate; e) Want to know more about the complexity of weight loss. More on the dangers of BPA15/02/2012 I have posted a few research papers over the last year on the growing data that is accumulating on the chemical BPA, which is found in some plastics and toilet papers, tin linings, and cash register receipts . Here are links to a summary of a new study just published and the actual paper, demonstrating that even small amounts of BPA tell your body that you're eating more than you really are, which results in almost double the amount of insulin released. As usual, fresh is best. Actual Paper: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0031109 Summary in Huff Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/bpa-chemical-hormone-obesity-diabetes_n_1276996.html?ref=green Research Updates for Personal Trainers10/02/2012 The first edition of Research Updates has just been posted. Studies on fat burners, fat loss aids, diets to lower lipids, fat loss diets and strength training methods to improve power have been reviewed. I hope you enjoy. | 
ABOUT TONY Tony is the director of the Boutagy Fitness Institute and has recently completed a PhD in sports science at Charles Darwin University. He is also an Adjunct Associate at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Previously, Tony has been a lecturer at the Australian Fitness Network, the Australian Institute of Fitness, the Australian Catholic University, NetFit New Zealand, New Zealand Weightlifting & is currently on the editorial board for The University of the Sunshine Coast's Fitness Research program, a member of the Australian Institute of Fitness Personal Training Advisory Panel and sits on an expert task force panel for Fitness Australia. Having written strength workouts for athletes in 24 different sports, Tony is actively involved in strength & conditioning and providing educational seminars & resources for personal trainers. Tony was the recipient of the 2004 Australian Fitness Industry’s Author of the Year Award and is a certified ART provider for the entire body and long nerve tract. He is a member of the American Society of Nutrition (ASN), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the National Lipid Association (NLA), the American Nutraceutical Association (ANA) and The National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA). In his spare time, Tony enjoys cooking (mainly Thai), playing guitar (mainly classical) and reading (mainly ancient history). ArchivesMay 2012 Categories |
RSS Feed