The Positives about Negatives

Want to add variety to your resistance training program, increase results and protect against injury?

Try eccentric (negative) weight training.


Description:
Resistance is applied primarily to your muscles during the lengthening phase of a repetition.  Eccentric muscle movements act a brake against the concentric (shortening / contraction) action to protect joints from damage.

Examples:
With the Back Row, the eccentric movement occurs after pulling the weight to your torso (the concentric phase) while resisting against the weight as your arms straighten back to your starting position.

Walking down hill is also an eccentric action.

Technique:

• Perform the concentric movement in one second and the eccentric movement over 3-5 seconds.

• As you approach the end of the set and start to fatigue, you may need help lifting in the concentric phase.

• To progress, increase the amount of time you spend on the eccentric phase.

Interesting Facts:

• Because eccentric training uses little energy while producing markedly high force, “muscles respond to eccentric training with meaningful changes in strength, size and power,” according researchers.
• Total body eccentric training will burn more fat by increasing your resting metabolic rate 9%, with the highest fat burn occurring during the first two hours.
• Adding periods of eccentric training to your conditioning program helps protect against injury and/or re-injury.
• Most people can use heavier weight with an eccentric exercise.
• Eccentric training is a good post rehabilitation program for lower-body injuries
• Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) often presents as tenderness rather than soreness

Source:   IDEA Fitness Journal, October 2010

Keep in Mind:   When starting eccentric training, regardless of fitness level, I strongly recommend consulting a certified personal trainer for instruction on proper technique! -- Jeanie

Toning Shoes: Do They Actually Tone?

Toning shoes are all the rage in the fitness products industry. They promise extra toning benefits by having unstable soles, forcing your body to constantly work for a balance point.  But do they really deliver?  The answer is no, according to a new study just released by the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

When wearing these sneakers, people report tired and sore muscles; feelings they don't experience with other shoes.

Reebock, Skechers and MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology), citing their own studies, advertise the following benefits:

• Increased muscle activity
• More calories burned
• Toned butts, hamstrings and calves
• Eased joint pain

Questioning the validity of these claims and the studies backing them, ACE put the allegations to the test.  ACE hired a team of exercise scientists from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse (UW), to examine Skechers Shape-Ups, MBT and Reebok EasyTone shoes.

During the UW trials, the team compared the toning shoes to a New Balance running shoe on treadmill tests.

The researchers did not find any statistically significant increases in:

•  Exercise response -- researches monitored oxygen consumption, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion and calories burned
•  Muscle activation --electromyography was used to record muscle activity in the calf, quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks, back and abs

 So what about those people who have sore muscles from wearing the shoes?

As the  researchers pointed out, you may feel sore when first wearing them because you're muscles are working differently.  But this doesn't mean you are toning those muscles.  As your muscles adapt to walking with the shoes, the challenge will disappear.

What about the long term effect on walking gait and balance?  Both will have to be studied in longer-term clinical trials, the researches explained.


Source:  Will Training Shoes Really Give You a Better Body? by John Porcari, Ph.D, John Greany, Ph.D., Stephanie Tepper, M.S., Brian Edmonson, B.S. and Carl Foster, Ph.D., with Mark Andrews, www.acefitness.org

Keep in mind:  This is the first independent clinical study looking at the effectiveness of toning shoes.  For findings to qualify as "scientific facts," they need to be tested in additional clinical studies with matching results.  This is a quality study that provides helpful information. -- Jeanie

Rock Climbing: Great for Aerobic Conditioning

Even for beginners, rock climbing offers similar cardio conditioning benefits as running, swimming and biking.

This is good news for current rock climbers.  For those of us who belong to gyms with rock climbing walls, a growing trend, we have a new exercise to try.

For aerobic conditioning, climbing's most important aspect is the amount of time spent moving on the rock face.

If climbing is your only aerobic exercise, time should total about 150 minutes a week on routes with a vertical displacement equivalent to 500-750m to meet American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for cardiorespiratory fitness.

Otherwise, climbing time can be added to your other aerobic activities to reach the 150-minute goal.

The difficulty of the rock face is not a factor in all of this.

What's important:

• the grade of the wall is climbable at a comfortable speed for the climber 
• rapid movements are avoided that may compromise safety

This means that climbers with little experience or skill can still maintain health and physical fitness.

Source:  J Strength Cond Res 22(2): 359-364, 2008

Keep in Mind:  Don't follow resistance training with a climb.  Your muscles will be spent, and you won't get very far on the wall--I speak from personal experience!

Happy climbing! -- Jeanie

Recipe: Pacific Halibut with Citrus Herb Dressing & Broccolini

This is a Venice Nutrition-friendly recipe with a nice balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fat.  In addition to Pacific halibut, you can use Pacific cod and farmed U.S. tilapia (all are sustainable fish).  I found this recipe in my favorite nutrition newsletter, Nutrition Action Healthletter.
Serves 4.
Cooking time for the fish is based on a 1-1/2-inch-thick filet.

Ingredients:

2 oranges or blood oranges
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves--minced
8 sprigs of dill--minced
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 lb. broccolini or broccoli florets
1 lb. Pacific halibut--cut into four pieces
1 oz.Terra Exotic Vegetable Chips

What is broccolini?  See the post:  Broccolini (April 5, 2010)
 
Directions:

To prepare the citrus herb dressing:

• with a sharp knife, cut about a half-inch slice off each end of both oranges
• slice off strips of the peel, pith and outer membrane, working from top to bottom around the fruit
• over a bowl, cut between the inner membranes to separate out the segments [Comment:  this is too much work for me!  I don't mind having the membrane on my slices, so I skip that part and squeeze the tops and bottoms.  If I need more juice, I'll squeeze a segment.]
• take the cut-off tops and bottoms and squeeze for one Tbs. of juice 
• Whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, parsley, dill sour, cream and salt.  Set aside.

To cook the broccolini and fish:

• In a large, deep skillet, bring the broth to a boil.
• Add the broccolini and cook covered for about 3 minutes, until tender.
• Remove the broccolini and keep warm.
• Reduce heat to low and add the fish.
• Cover and poach for two minutes.
• Gently turn the fish and cook for an additional 1--3 minutes until cooked through.
• Discard the poaching liquid.

To serve:

• Arrange the broccolini and fish on 4 plates.
• Spoon the citrus herb dressing over the fish.
• Garnish with the orange segments and chips.

 Per serving:

• Calories:  230
• Total fat:  5 grams
• Sat. fat:  1.5 grams
• Protein:  26 grams
• Carbohydrates:  23 grams
• Fiber:  6 grams
• Sodium:  280 mg
• Cholesterol:  50mg

Source:  Nutrition Action Health Letter, March 2010, p. 12

Broccolini

Broccolini--what is that?  This was my first reaction when I saw a package in the produce section.

As it turns out, Broccolini is a cross between broccoli (no surprise) and Chinese kale (this was a surprise), both of which appear on lists of Super Foods.

Broccolini's long, thin stalks are not woody, like broccoli and asparagus, and are completely edible.  A 3 oz. serving, about 8 stalks, has 35 calories and offers 130% of a day's worth of vitamin C, 30% of vitamin A, 8% of potassium, 6% of calcium and 4% of iron.

Nutrition Action Healthletter suggests sauteeing broccolini with sliced garlic and a little oil form a bottle of sun-dried tomatoes then topping with some chopped sun-dried tomatoes.  It can also be roasted and steamed.

The vegetable is also known as baby broccoli and asparation.

Source:  Nutrition Action Healtletter, November 2009, p. 16.

Warm-Ups, Cool-Downs and Stretching: Myths v. Facts

True or False: Skipping a warm-up is okay if you want to save time

True or False: Stretching before hopping on your bike is important

True or False: Cool downs are optional



All of these are false!


I see people making these mistakes all the time simply because they are misinformed.

So here is the truth, based on applied scientific research:

• It is imperative to warm up your body before exercise
• Stretching is not the same as warming-up
  
• Stretching cold muscles can cause injury (muscles can be cold even if the temperature is hot)
  
• Static stretching before exercise can inhibit performance and may cause injury
  
• Static stretching is important after your workout
  
• Skipping a cool down is unhealthy
  

Warm-ups 
Warming up before exercise is essential because it prepares your body for work and improves your workout performance by:

• Increasing blood flow to deliver nutrients and oxygen to your muscles
• Enhancing the pliability of your tendons to prevent injury
  
• Boosting the mechanical efficiency of your muscles
  

Warm-ups should include at least 5 to 10 minutes of moderate intensity cardio; you should feel warm before starting your workout, maybe even breaking into a light sweat.

For example: a walk or slow jog outside or on a treadmill. If you are preparing to play a sport, sport-specific drills can follow the warm up.


Cool-downs 
Cool-downs ease your body back to a resting state and: 

• Disperse metabolic waste products from the muscles
  
• Bring heart rate and blood pressure to normal
  
• Lessen the chance of dizziness or fainting due to blood pooling in your extremities
  

Cool-downs should include 5 to 10 minutes of walking or slow jogging, depending on your fitness level and preferences, followed by 5 to 10 minutes of static stretching (see Stretching below).

Stretching 
A recommended stretch after exercise is the static stretch-- a hold with continuous tension on the muscle for 20 to 30 seconds (do not bounce).

• helps muscles relax and ease into position

• improves the range of motion of your joints.

Remember--static stretching should be done at the end of your workout as part of your cool-down!


A couple of other great stretching techniques are dynamic stretching and PNF stretching. If you'd like more information, I suggest reading, Stretching: A Research Retrospective by Len Kravitz, Ph.D., at www.drlenkravitz.com


When you're putting the time and energy into a good workout, make the experience more effective and safe with these tips. Keep yourself healthy! -- Jeanie

  

 

Exercise Technique: Lat Pull-Down (Behind v Front of Neck)

As a personal trainer spending a lot of time in a gym, I often see people performing the lat pull-down behind the neck ("BN") rather than in front of the neck ("FN").

The lat pull-down strengthens both back and chest muscles, but BN risks injuring the shoulder joint.

While many people believe BN recruits more muscle fibers in the latissimus dorsi (the large back muscles extending from the low back to upper-mid back), a recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research refutes this assumption.

It turns out that FN and BN recruit the same amount of latissimus dorsi muscle fibers.  Adding to the good news, FN uses more pectoralis (chest) muscle fibers than BN.

And finally, there is no functional advantage to BN since pulling a load behind the neck doesn't mimic any movement patterns existing in daily activity or sports.  So why do it?

Bottom Line:  Performing lat pull-downs in front of your neck will protect your shoulder joint while providing a great workout for your back and better workout for your chest.

Source:  J Strength Cond Res 23(7):  2033-2038, 2009

Recipe: Chicken Thighs wih Roasted Apples and Garlic

This meal is low fat, nutritious and simple--everything I look for in a recipe.  Also, for us Venice Nutrition fans, it has a great balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fat.  Play with apple varieties and seasoning amounts to match your taste and be sure to remove the chicken skin.  Enjoy!


5 cups chopped peeled Braeburn apples (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Cooking spray
8 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds), skinned
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Chopped parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 475°.

Combine first 5 ingredients. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to coat. Spread apple mixture on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, and arrange on top of the apple mixture.

Bake at 475° for 25 minutes or until chicken is done and apple is tender. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Partially mash apple mixture with a potato masher, and serve with chicken. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 2 thighs and about 2/3 cup apple mixture)

CALORIES 257 (20% from fat); FAT 5.7g (sat 1.4g,mono 1.6g,poly 1.4g); IRON 1.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 107mg; CALCIUM 30mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26.6g; SODIUM 405mg; PROTEIN 25.9g; FIBER 3.5g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2002