Of all the lousy things that can happen, this has to be one of the worst. Imagine...You've just completed the most successful bulking cycle of your life, adding twenty pounds of mass; you're on top of the world. Now, all you have to do is train properly and eat plentifully in order to solidify your gains. With your knowledge of diet and training, it should be a snap. Then everything hits the fan...
Your girlfriend is so proud of you for making such great gains and transforming your physique that she can't keep her hands off of you. The day before, she had shared a soda with a friend who had just come from the gym. That friend had taken a sip from the water fountain at the gym and accidentally touched her lips to the spout. Ten minutes earlier, that skanky "human sweat gland" guy who spends five hours on the elliptical cross trainer each day had just made out with that same water fountain. That morning, he had kissed his wife goodbye before leaving for his job at the DMV. That wife is the teacher of a kindergarten class. Incidentally, that class happened to be riddled with the flu, and some kid had blown chunks all over her nice new blouse the day before. Sure she cleaned it up, but she still wound up with the flu. Thanks to this incredibly unlikely downward spiral, you are now home sick from work, pitying yourself as you watch the same episode of Sportscenter eight times in a row. All the while, you're thinking about how you would much rather be deadlifting like a madman and showing off your gains at the gym!
Unfortunately, you cannot go back in time to prevent yourself from coming down with the flu. Although it may be beneficial to look back and figure out if there was anything you could have done to strengthen your immune system (avoiding overtraining, paying attention to post-workout nutrition, taking certain supplements, getting plenty of sleep, etc.), you need to focus on the task at hand: beating the flu! You see, bodybuilders, powerlifters, and other athletes have to take into account how sickness affects performance and physical appearance, whereas normal folks just worry about "getting rid of their sniffles."
Before we get to the specifics, though, I should mention that the term "flu" that we so often use is short for influenza. Influenza (also known as Grippe or Grip) is really only one of several common kinds of viral respiratory infections. Also including on this list are the common cold (upper respiratory infection or acute coryza), pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheobronchitis, and viral pneumonia (1). Regardless of the clear differences in the nuts and bolts of each infection, they are generally all lumped together and called the flu by the general public. While this oversimplification is erroneous, the human immune system must be strong to prevent and in many cases overcome any type of infection. And, if you're anything like me, you detest the idea of getting loaded up on medications, sugary cough syrups, and lozenges just because your nose is running faster than a sprinter with a rocket up his butt. All that being said, let's get to work on finding a universal approach to maintaining your gains and getting back to optimal health as soon as possible.
Diet
Proper diet seems like a no-brainer, right? One would think so, but I'm constantly amazed at how people vehemently adhere to this primitive urge that tells them to stuff themselves full of crap foods just because they feel like crap! These crap foods are usually "comfort" foods: Mom's cookies, white toast with cinnamon, sugar, and butter, hot chocolate, a whole gallon of ice cream?. These foods may have made you feel better as a kid when they were used to take your mind off the "boo-boo" on your knee, but they'll only make thing worse when you are a sick adult. They might make you feel all warm and toasty on the inside, but they'll quickly make you soft and fluffy on the outside if you overindulge.
So what should you eat and what should you avoid? For starters, remember that total calories are of foremost importance. Don't fall into the trap of dropping calories too low out of fear of gaining fat while "on the shelf." Instead, it's important to assume the mindset of maintaining the status quo physique-wise while bringing the immune system up to par. If you gain a little fat, don't sweat it. Remember, it's a lot easier to shed a little fat than it is to regain a few pounds of lost muscle. In reaching your daily caloric goal, as usual, spread your intake out over six smaller meals. Maintenance caloric intake is highly variable, so rather than multiplying your body weight by a certain number to find your target, base your intake on slightly below (100-150 calories) what you would take in on a normal rest day. This decrease should account for the extra time spent on the couch or in bed.
Specific macronutrient recommendations are also of little value in this instance due to individual variations in terms of carb tolerance. As such, adhere to your typical macronutrient ratios with the only exception being a slight reduction in carb intake to compensate for the diminutive calorie reduction and reduced training effect. Furthermore, make sure that you keep protein high (1-1.5g/lb lean body mass) in order to remain in positive nitrogen balance and stop muscle protein catabolism in its tracks. From all our cutting cycles, we're all well aware that protein needs increase during times of stress, and sickness is certainly one of those times. In a study of critically ill children in hypermetabolic and catabolic states, researchers found that a higher protein intake was associated with positive nitrogen balance, whereas a low intake (with total calories held constant) led to a continued state of negative nitrogen balance and muscle protein catabolism (2). A big steak probably won't sound too appealing when you're sick, though, so low carb protein powders (such as Xtreme Ultra Peptide), cottage cheese, omelets, and other "easy to get down" protein sources might turn out to be your best friends.
Next, only consume low-glycemic carbs. When you're sick, your body isn't primed for sucking up simple sugars like it is when you've just completed a training session. So, the typical bodybuilding "no-no" foods should be even more off-limits than usual. Your best bet is to focus carb intake early in the day when muscle cells are most receptive to storing glycogen.
Keep fats (especially healthy fats) up as well - possibly at the expense of carbohydrates. In the aforementioned study of critically ill children, fat was used preferentially for oxidation. Meanwhile, a high carbohydrate intake was associated with lipogenesis (fat formation) and decreased fat oxidation (2). Thirty percent of total calories is a good figure in order to support endogenous testosterone and overall energy levels (as fat is the primary source of energy at rest). Your body will be forming plenty of new immune cells as you fight off sickness, and fatty acids constitute an important component of each new cell membrane. Therefore, in order to give the body the best raw materials available, make sure that you're getting plenty of omega-3 fatty acids.
However, don't fall into the trap of overdoing the omega-3s or fat in general; very high fat diets are associated with impaired lymphocyte (one of the five kinds of leukocytes, or white blood cells) function (3). Furthermore, while fish oil has proven effective in enhancing immune function in certain clinical situations (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis) and in animals, studies of healthy humans are yet to yield consistently favorable results to substantiate the claim that omega-3s enhance immunity (4). As such, there does not appear to be any greater benefit (at least not yet) to increasing omega-3 PUFA intake during times of sickness. Simply stick to your normal intake levels, relying on healthy sources such as fish oil and flaxseed oil for your supplemental fat intake.
The last dietary concern that warrants mention is water intake. You might think that because you aren't training, you don't need to worry much about pushing the H2O- big mistake. The body loses a significant amount of fluids each day independent of training. We're constantly losing water as we dissipate heat through our skin and in our breathing without even knowing it. Factor in increased mucus production, the sweating that may be associated with a fever, the fact that your body is constantly constructing new cells (especially during sickness), not to mention your higher protein intake, and you can begin to realize the importance of really emphasizing water intake. Shoot for at least one gallon (preferably more) of water daily.
All these considerations in mind, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Precision Nutrition from Dr. John Berardi. His information is fantastic, highly effective, and presented in a user-friendly format.
Supplementation
First and foremost, be sure to get a flu shot each fall. The optimal time to do so is mid-September through November, as it takes at least a week for the shot to really kick into protective-mode. If you need proof that the influenza vaccine is worth the fee (if you even have to pay for it), look no further than a study conducted on a Brazilian airline company's employees. As I'm sure you can imagine, flight attendants and those in related roles are a population segment that is extremely susceptible to the flu due to their interactions with so many customers (often in confined spaces). Prior to flu season, each of 813 employees received either an influenza vaccination or a placebo. Seven months later, the employees who had received the vaccines showed 39.5% fewer episodes of flu-like illness than the placebo. Additionally, the vaccine group was absent from work due to sickness 26% less often than the placebo group (5). From a weight-training standpoint, that 26% corresponds to a lot of missed training sessions. In addition to the flu shot and your regular multivitamin, you should definitely include the following:
Vitamin C
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is the first immune-booster that comes to mind. A vital component of every cell in the human body, ascorbic acid is perhaps most notably found in high concentrations in leukocytes (white blood cells). The leukocytes are constantly being produced in the bone marrow as safeguards against bad stuff like cottage cheese gone sour, reruns of those obnoxious Subway commercials with Jared, curling in the squat rack, and, oh yeah, infections. During infection, in order to prevent oxidative damage, the vitamin C within the leukocytes is used up faster than a post-training shaker bottle full of Relentless (4)! Thus, it should come as no surprise that reduced leukocyte vitamin C levels are associated with less than optimal immune function. (6) In the worst vitamin C deficit scenario, scurvy, the immune response is entirely inadequate (and sometimes nonexistent) in each of the many components of the immune system. In fact, overall vitamin C status is often measured via an assessment of levels in the leukocytes (4).
In terms of preventative supplementation, a true consensus has not yet been met regarding the efficacy of vitamin C in reducing the occurrence of common colds. Several respected studies have found that Vitamin C supplementation is of little value in preventing the common cold (7), whereas others have reported decreased incidences of reported common cold infection among individuals who received large doses of a vitamin C supplement (8,9). However, other studies have verified the assertions that supplementation with vitamin C improves several aspects of the human immune response, effecting positive changes in proliferation and/or function of in three of the five types of leukocytes: lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes (10-16).
Adequate vitamin C status is often defined as "a circulating pool of 1500mg" (7). Due to the fact that water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C are not stored by the body as well as fat-soluble vitamins, ascorbic acid must be continuously replenished through diet and supplementation. Doses of up to 10g per day have been used in numerous studies without serious toxicity symptoms. The side effects of such high consumption may include diarrhea and, in serious cases, kidney stones or urate crystals (due to increased uric acid release in the urine). Antonio and Stout state that these risks have "been greatly overstated" (7). Based on the available literature, I recommend 2-2.5g of supplemental vitamin C daily during normal training conditions and 4-5g daily during flu-like symptoms and times increased of training stress. Also, be sure to spread your intake throughout the day in 500mg doses. Dosages of 500mg are proven to increase cellular ascorbic acid absorption by up to 40%, whereas dosages greater do not increase this absorption (17).
Vitamin E
Perhaps as important as vitamin C is Vitamin E, which works synergistically with selenium in tissues to reduce lipid membrane damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS) during infections (4). Vitamin E has proven effective in improving various parameters of the immune function, including enhanced lymphocyte production, improved antibody response to vaccine, reduced pulmonary viral titers (a measure of virus prevalence in respiratory infections), and "preventing an influenza-mediated decrease in food intake and weight loss" (18-20). No decrease in food intake? Maybe that steak won't sound so bad after all!
All that being said, even the slightest deficiency in vitamin E can easily compromise one's immune response. And, the current RDA of 30 IU is barely adequate in preventing deficiency in sedentary, normally healthy individuals, let alone in athletes, the elderly, and the sick and diseased. Granted, one may derive a considerable amount of vitamin E from diet alone, but in order to receive sufficient vitamin E to attain an enhanced immune benefit, one must supplement in excess of the RDA (especially on low-fat diets). Vitamin E is recognized as one of the least toxic vitamins, although one may experience some minor symptoms (nausea, diarrhea, muscle weakness) with very high dosages (7,21). As such, 800-1200 IU throughout the year (regardless of whether you're sick or healthy) is an optimal approach.
Glutamine
Glutamine is well known as the most abundant amino acid in the human body (including both the plasma and tissue pool). In fact, the intramuscular free amino acid pool is more than 60% glutamine, and the glutamine in skeletal muscle accounts for about 90% of the body's total glutamine pool. Although over 40% of the body's glutamine is devoted to fueling the GI tract, this amino acid also plays a role in the functioning of many other parts of the body, including the liver, brain, muscles (duh!), hair follicles, kidneys, and - you guessed it - the immune system (7,22-24). Adequate levels of glutamine are necessary to ensure optimal proliferation and function of lymphocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils (25,26).
Traditionally, because the body can synthesize glutamine endogenously (mostly in the muscle tissue), it has been classified as a nonessential amino acid. However, this classification is made under the assumption that the body is not enduring a stressful physiologic trauma such as sickness (23). Many researchers have now begun to classify glutamine as a conditionally essential amino acid during times of sickness, infection, and malnutrition. Because glutamine is a crucial substrate for a variety of metabolic processes, it is only logical that the body requires increased amounts of the amino acid during infection in order to "bolster" the immune system while maintaining normal physiological functioning (24,26).
Unfortunately, as you can see in many cancer patients, the body's response to infection, injury, and stress is protein catabolism. Initially, plasma glutamine levels are depleted. Next, in order to sustain its metabolic processes and replenish plasma glutamine levels, the body takes glutamine from skeletal muscle. Normally, this isn't a problem, as skeletal muscle glutamine synthesis matches glutamine release. However, during times of stress, there is a problem: numerous organs, including the liver and bowel, show marked increases in glutamine uptake during infection. These increases, in combination with the needs of the immune system, GI tract, and the regular metabolic processes, cause glutamine release from skeletal muscle to exceed glutamine synthesis. In fact, skeletal muscle glutamine release may double during infection (23,27). In summary, during infection:
1. Glutamine use increases
2. Glutamine supply decreases
3. A concentration gradient across the muscle cell membrane cannot be reached (23)
4. Your beloved quad sweep becomes fuel for your GI tract and, essentially, your body's lunch.
Think about it for a second: when you're sick, is your body going to care more about ensuring appropriate internal organ functioning or maintaining sleeve-splitting biceps? Luckily, numerous studies have proven that exogenous glutamine can help to: maintain positive nitrogen balance (and glutamine levels in skeletal muscle), increase plasma glutamine levels, prevent decreases in ribosomal concentrations, improve muscle protein synthesis rates, and enhance immune function (through such mechanisms as encouraged lymphocyte proliferation) (7, 28-32). Also, let's not forget that glutamine?s "immunoenhancing" effects make it an effective year-round, recovery-promoting supplement (albeit in smaller doses) for hard training athletes who are more susceptible to infection, especially during and shortly after periods of intensive training (7,33,34). Glutamine supplementation is also associated with increased plasma GH concentration, which may also assist in immunity (7,35). During illness, shoot for 0.35-0.4g glutamine per kg body weight, and spread your intake out throughout the day in 3-5g doses. Based on the published clinical studies and for absorbability reasons, I recommend glutamine peptides. L-glutamine (free form), however, tastes better, generally costs less, and will also yield favorable results. Personally, I'll stick with peptides, but it's your call; just make sure to get it in you in some form!
Zinc
Although most people primarily associate zinc with growth and development, this trace mineral also plays a crucial role in proper immune function. A deficiency of zinc relates to diminished immune response, including low T- and B-cell (the two broad categories of lymphocytes) counts in bone marrow due to decreased proliferation, and reduced antibody production (just to name a few). In some mice, only thirty days of inadequate zinc intake caused an 80% reduction in immune capacity. As such, it should come as no surprise that zinc deficiencies are prevalent in numerous immune system-stressing chronic illnesses, including HIV, renal disease, and alcoholism (4,36).
While the complications of zinc deficiency are well established, studies on the benefits of zinc supplementation in enhancing immune function have yielded mixed, but mostly favorable results. Numerous studies have found that zinc supplementation initiated upon the onset of a cold or upper respiratory tract infection decreases the sickness' duration and severity (7,37-39). In a study of twenty burn victims, fewer pulmonary infection rates and shorter hospital stays were observed in patients who received a trace mineral supplement that included zinc (40). Meanwhile, zinc supplementation in long distance runners prevented the typical increase in reactive oxidative species normally seen with endurance activity (41).
In terms of preventative supplementation, researchers found that of 609 school children that were given either a zinc supplement or a placebo, those who supplemented with zinc had 45% fewer acute lower respiratory infections over the 120-day study (42). If you take nothing else from all these studies, at least walk away from this article cognizant of how important sufficient intake is, especially for athletes (who are more likely to be deficient than the general population). While high-dose supplementation can actually lead to immunosuppression, moderate supplementation throughout the year with slightly increased dosages beginning at the onset of flu- or cold-like symptoms is an effective and safe supplementation approach (7). During sickness, take at least 25mg zinc (but not more than 100mg) per day. An optimal approach would be to get this supplemental intake in the form of a ZMA supplement, as it will enable you to meet your zinc needs while increasing anabolic hormone levels, improving recovery, and promoting deep, restful sleep.
Miscellaneous: the other stuff
Here are a few other supplements that are often thrown into the immunity discussion, but will probably not be worthwhile additions to your immune effort:
Vitamin A (preformed vitamin A is known as beta-carotene): Although vitamin A is of unquestionable importance to proper immune functioning, there is no definitive evidence to suggest that supplemental vitamin A offers additional benefits over normal dietary intake, especially in those with already adequate status. Excessive vitamin A intakes have been associated with suppression of T- and B-cell function, thus causing a greater susceptibility to infection. Toxicity can also become an issue with higher intakes. Vitamin A deficiency is very uncommon in wealthier nations. As such, if you feel that you need to get more beta-carotene than you diet alone provides, make sure to select a multivitamin with at least 5000 micrograms (4,7).
Echinacea: Although a few studies have emerged that show slightly (and relatively insignificantly) shorter respiratory tract infection durations in patients treated with echinacea, most have demonstrated that the herbal product has little or no effect on preventing and treating sickness. This uncertainty is complicated by the fact that there are nine species of the plant, different parts (leaves, stem, roots, flowers) of the plant can be used, and different forms are available (e.g. powder, liquid extract, capsule). Essentially, even if echinacea was definitively proven effective, an argument would still exist over which species, form, and delivery produces the best results. At this point, there is not enough evidence to recommend echinacea as a worthy supplement (7,43-45).
Arginine: This nonessential amino acid has shown promise in improving immune response and wound healing via improved lymphocyte production in individuals with compromised health status. Other studies, however, have shown that arginine supplementation is of no benefit in attempting to enhance the immune response, especially in healthy individuals (7). Given that some clinical trials use upwards of 20g L-arginine per day (mostly without appreciable immunity-related results), forty capsules per day seems like far too risky an investment even if you enjoy being a human guinea pig. Then again, even if you do decide to give arginine a try, be careful; excessive intakes can actually blunt the immune response (46).
Lifestyle/Training
An adequate amount of sleep during sickness is of the utmost importance. The old "8-hours at night" recommendation still holds true...as a minimum. You should also be shooting for a nap or two during the day. It seems like a no-brainer to say that you shouldn't be training when you're sick, but I'm constantly amazed at how many people still go the gym in spite of their wheezing, sore throats, and aches. Before you stumble off the couch and over to your local gym, ask yourself if your body could really recover from a heavy training session if it hasn't even recovered from the flu. The answer should be a resounding "NO!" If it isn't, maybe it will help to think about how your decision to go train will impact others; you'll probably make half the people in the gym sick just like the "human sweat gland" did to you. Stay home, if not for your own sake, then for the sake of everyone else who enjoys his or her health and visits to the gym. Get over the flu and then get back to the gym!
Conclusion
There you have it: a comprehensive approach to getting back to the gym as soon as possible. To recap:
1. No comfort foods
2. Maintenance calories (factoring in reduced activity level)
3. Normal protein intake
4. Slightly reduced carb intake, consisting of low GI carbs only
5. Normal healthy fat intake
6. Regular Multivitamin
7. 4-5g vitamin C in 500mg doses throughout the day
8. 800-1200 IU vitamin E in 400 IU doses throughout the day
9. 0.35-0.4g glutamine peptides/kg body weight in 3-5g doses throughout the day
10. ZMA supplement (or zinc equivalent providing 25-100mg/day)
11. No training until symptoms are gone
12. R&R
It might not sound as appetizing or heart-warming as a bowl of chicken soup, but it beats Nyquil...
References
1. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section13/chapter162/162b.htm; 1995 accessed Sept 2002.
2. Coss-Bu JA et al. Energy metabolism, nitrogen balance, and substrate utilization in critically ill children. Am J Clin Nutr 2001 Nov;74(5):664-9.
3. Calder PC et al. Fatty acids and lymphocyte functions. Br J Nutr 2002 Jan;87 Suppl 1:S31-48.
4. Field C. et al. Nutrients and their role in host resistance to infection. J Leukoc Biol 2002 Jan;71(1):16-32.
5. Mixeu MA et al. Impact of influenza vaccination on civilian aircrew illness and absenteeism. Aviat Space Environ Med 2002 Sep;73(9):876-80
6. Schwager, J. et al. Modulation of interleukin production by ascorbic acid. Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 1998 Jun 30;64(1):45-57.
7. Antonio, J., & Stout, J. Sports Supplements. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2001.
8. Hemila, H. Vitamin C and common cold incidence: a review of studies with subjects under heavy physical stress. Int J Sports Med 1996 Jul;17(5):379-83.
9. Hemila, H. Vitamin C and acute respiratory infections. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 1999 Sep;3(9):756-61.
10. Kennes, B. et al. Effect of vitamin C supplements on cell-mediated immunity in old people. Gerontology 1983;29(5):305-10.
11. Penn, ND. et al. The effect of dietary supplementation with vitamins A, C and E on cell-mediated immune function in elderly long-stay patients: a randomized controlled trial. Age Ageing 1991 May;20(3):169-74.
12. Shilotri PG, & Bhat KS. Effect of mega doses of vitamin C on bactericidal ativity [sic] of leukocytes. Am J Clin Nutr 1977 Jul;30(7):1077-81
13. de la Fuente, M. et al. Immune function in aged women is improved by ingestion of vitamins C and E. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 1998 Apr;76(4):373-80.
14. Patrone, F. et al. Effects of ascorbic acid on neutrophil function. Studies on normal and chronic granulomatous disease neutrophils. Acta Vitaminol Enzymol 1982;4(1-2):163-8.
15. Prinz, W. The effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on some parameters of the human immunological defense system. Int J Vit Nutr Res 1977; 47:248-57.
16. Woollard, KJ. et al. Effects of oral vitamin C on monocyte: endothelial cell adhesion in healthy subjects. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2002 Jun 28;294(5):1161-8.
17. Voldani, A. et al. New evidence for antioxidant properties of vitamin C. Cancer Detect Prev. 2000;24(6):508-23.
18. Meydani, SN et al. Vitamin E supplementation enhances cell-mediated immunity in healthy elderly subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990 Sep;52(3):557-63.
19. Meydani, SN et al. Vitamin E supplementation and in vivo immune response in healthy elderly subjects. A randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 1997 May 7; 277(17):1380-6.
20. Han, SN et al. Effect of long-term dietary antioxidant supplementation on influenza virus infection. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2000 Oct;55(10):B496-503.
21. Beharka A. et al. Vitamin E status and immune function. Methods Enzymol 1997;282:247-63
22. Yeh, SL et al. Effects of glutamine-supplemented total parenteral nutrition on cytokine production and T cell population in septic rats. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2001 Sep-Oct;25(5):269-74.
23. van Acker, BA et al. Glutamine: the pivot of our nitrogen economy? JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1999 Sep-Oct;23(5 Suppl):S45-8. Review.
24. Newsholme, P. Why is L-glutamine metabolism important to cells of the immune system in health, postinjury, surgery or infection? J Nutr. 2001 Sep;131(9 Suppl):2515S-22S; discussion 2523S-4S. Review.
25. Saito, H. et al. Glutamine as an immunoenhancing nutrient. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1999 Sep-Oct;23(5 Suppl):S59-61. Review.
26. Ziegler, TR. Glutamine supplementation in cancer patients receiving bone marrow transplantation and high dose chemotherapy.
J Nutr. 2001 Sep;131(9 Suppl):2578S-84S; discussion 2590S. Review.
27. Karinch AM. et al. Glutamine metabolism in sepsis and infection. J Nutr 2001 Sep;131(9 Suppl):2535S-8S; discussion 2550S-1S.
28. Wilmore, DW. The effect of glutamine supplementation in patients following elective surgery and accidental injury. J Nutr. 2001 Sep;131(9 Suppl):2543S-9S; discussion 2550S-1S. Review.
29. Boelens PG. et al. Glutamine alimentation in catabolic state. J Nutr. 2001 Sep;131(9 Suppl):2569S-77S; discussion 2590S. Review.
30. Yoshida, S. et al. Effects of glutamine supplements and radiochemotherapy on systemic immune and gut barrier function in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. Ann Surg. 1998 Apr;227(4):485-91.
31. Valencia, E. et al. Impact of oral L-glutamine on glutathione, glutamine, and glutamate blood levels in volunteers. Nutrition. 2002 May;18(5):367-70.
32. Yoshida, S. et al. Glutamine supplementation in cancer patients. Nutrition. 2001 Sep;17(9):766-8.
33. Castell LM., & Newsholme EA. The effects of oral glutamine supplementation on athletes after prolonged, exhaustive exercise. Nutrition 1997 Jul-Aug;13(7-8): 738-42.
34. Rosene, MF. et al. Glutamine supplementation may maintain nitrogen balance in wrestlers during a weight reduction program. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999;31(5): S123.
35. Welbourne, TC. Increased plasma bicarbonate and growth hormone after an oral glutamine load. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 May;61(5):1058-61.
36. Fraker, PJ. et al. The dynamic link between the integrity of the immune system and zinc status. J Nutr 2000 May;130(5S Suppl):1399S-406S.
37. Prasad AS. et al. Duration of symptoms and plasma cytokine levels in patients with the common cold treated with zinc acetate. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2000 Aug 15;133(4):245-52.
38. Al-Nakib, W. et al. Prophylaxis and treatment of rhinovirus colds with zinc gluconate lozenges. J Antimicrob Chemother. 1987 Dec;20(6):893-901.
39. Mossad, SB. et al. Zinc gluconate lozenges for treating the common cold. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Ann Intern Med. 1996 Jul 15;125(2):81-8.
40. Berger MM. et al. Trace element supplementation modulates pulmonary infection rates after major burns: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Aug;68(2):365-71.
41. Singh A. et al. Exercise-induced changes in immune function: effects of zinc supplementation. J Appl Physiol 1994 Jun;76(6):2298-303.
42. Sazawal S. et al. Zinc supplementation reduces the incidence of acute lower respiratory infections in infants and preschool children: a double-blind, controlled trial. Pediatrics. 1998 Jul;102(1 Pt 1):1-5.
43. Gunning, K. Echinacea in the treatment and prevention of upper respiratory tract infections. West J Med. 1999 Sep;171(3):198-200.
44. Brinkeborn RM. et al. Echinaforce and other Echinacea fresh plant preparations in the treatment of the common cold. A randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Phytomedicine. 1999 Mar;6(1):1-6.
45. Grimm, W, & Muller, HH. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of fluid extract of Echinacea purpurea on the incidence and severity of colds and respiratory infections. Am J Med. 1999 Feb;106(2):138-43.
46. Wiebke EA. et al. Effects of L-arginine supplementation on human lymphocyte proliferation in response to nonspecific and alloantigenic stimulation. J Surg Res 1997 Jun;70(1):89-94.
You probably noticed that the newsletter is a day late this week. I have been absolutely swamped with the goings-on at Cressey Performance on top of heading to a big baseball seminar in Houston this weekend (fly out Thursday night). Fortunately, though, this full schedule provided me with the idea for this newsletter.
With the chaos of the past week, I didn't have time to do my normal cooking and food prep for the week on Sunday night. So, Tuesday morning (had already had a normal breakfast), with about twenty minutes left before I needed to head out to work, I looked in the fridge in hopes of pulling together a few meals from a stir fry or casserole. Nothing was there.
As a result, I just wound up grabbing a half-empty tub of cottage cheese and added a tablespoon of psyllium husk powder for fiber. Later in the day, I'd add some Superfood and a scoop of low-carb Metabolic Drive, and had that concoction with a handful of almonds from the stash in the top drawer of the desk in my office. Another meal was a Metabolic Drive bar, and a third was simply a shake with Superfood and some Flameout (fish oil) and almonds. Obviously, it wasn't an ideal daytime meal plan - and it certainly wasn't an aesthetically-pleasing culinary masterpiece like you'd see in John Berardi's Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook, but it got me through the 8-10 hours.
I had a shake with my evening training session, and then came home to cook up a legitimate, whole food meal.
This certainly wasn't optimal, but it was a nutritional "out" for me: it got calories in, kept my energy levels up, and did so without blowing my diet with unhealthy convenience foods. Having good food easily accessible to me is huge when things get busy; I'll roll with mixed nuts, protein powders, protein bars (homemade and Biotest ones), Superfood, and beef jerky. We're also lucky to have a cafeteria in our building, and a good take-out place with awesome salads just about three miles down the road. So, in my eyes, there is never a reason for me to eat garbage - even if I haven't had time to cook up good stuff for myself.
Obviously, this can be applied to diet, but it also has applications in other facets of your healthy lifestyle.
From a training logistics standpoint, what happens if you walk in to your gym to squat, and find that the only squat rack is occupied and there is a long line waiting to use it. Do you stand in line, or do you go to trap bar deadlifts (option A) or walking dumbbell lunges (option B)?
Also along the training lines, but with more of injury perspective, what do you do if your shoulder starts acting up when you go to barbell bench press? Do you try to push through it, skip it altogether, or move to neutral grip dumbbell bench presses (option A) or a push-up variation (option B)? (As an aside, I just wrote an article covering these situations; check it out HERE)
How about professionally? If you're a trainer or a strength coach, if something stumped you, who do you contact? Have you built a good network of health care professionals with both general expertise and specializations? Case in point, one of my current clients started up with me in December of 2006, and he came to me with a C5-C6 disc hernation that had left him with numbness in the tip of his middle finger for the previous ten years - and none of the neurologists and physical therapists he'd seen could do anything about it. I introduced him to John Pallof, PT, COMT, and John had complete feeling back in his finger within two sessions from a combination of manual therapy and neural flossing.
Nowadays, John sees every neck issue that comes to Cressey Performance. Likewise, Dr. Bill Morgan sees all our significant wrist and elbow issues - and the list goes on and on. So, it's not just about having a network; it's about having a network of great people, some of whom specialize in certain areas. I had dinner with Dave Tate a while back, and I recall him saying that he was less concerned with knowing everything and more concerned with knowing who to call to find out everything. Dave was right on the money.
What about easily accessible resources? What books, DVDs, journals, and newsletters do you consult on a regular basis to stay on top of things and research new issues that cross your path? Improving your own abilities is just as important as expanding your network. If you haven't seen it already, a while back, I compiled a Recommended Resources page outlining my recommendations for both free websites and products you can use to stay ahead of the game.
At risk of sounding overconfident, I think that the Building the Efficient Athlete DVD set is something that every trainer and strength coach should watch, as it covers everything from functional anatomy, to static and dynamic assessments, to troubleshooting common resistance training technique mistakes.
Food for thought - and hopefully a little something for everyone.
It was a hectic day, and I just (finally) got internet access at our new place, so I'm going to be brief and use today for a few quick notes:
1. Congratulations to Cressey Performance athletes Derek Lowe (Lincoln-Sudbury) and John McKenna (Algonquin). Derek verbally committed to the William & Mary baseball program, and John did the same for the University of Massachusetts. Congratulations, guys; we're proud of you!
2. I just got an email from Patrick Gagnon about the second annual Vinkofest, which will take place in Montreal September 27-28. I spoke at the event last year, and Pat did a great job organizing it. While I won't be in attendance this year, I'd definitely encourage any of you who can make it to get out and check this event out. They have some great speakers, including John Berardi, Christian Thibaudeau, and Dave Barr. For more information, check out MuscleDriveThru.com.
1. It's going to be a quick one today, as we're getting ready to leave for Cassandra Forsythe's wedding in Vermont. For the record, this will likely be the last time she's referred to as Cassandra Forsythe; she'll be Forsythe-Pribanic by the end of the weekend!
2. One more reason to not use the abductor machine: OUCH!
3. Researchers have found that participation in a football game leads to a HEIGHT loss of almost one centimeter - likely due to compressive forces. Just imagine what happens when you put 500 pounds on your back and go for a squatting session! I haven't seen any acute research in this regard, but there is evidence to show that retired weightlifters have reduced disc heights when compared with controls who didn't lift. I'd be willing to bet that they also have fewer broken hips, can carry their own groceries, and pick up way more hotties in the convalescent home, so I'll take functional capacity over a perfect MRI anyday.
4. Good points on the negative effects of flip-flops, but I don't buy the argument that barefoot training is just as bad. The only reason it's "bad" is that you can't put orthotics on a bare foot...
5. My girlfriend cooked up some protein bars from John Berardi's Gourmet Nutrition cookbook; awesome stuff! It's the summer in the Northeast, so there are a lot of blueberries on-hand; they're a great addition to the apple cinnamon bars, if you haven't tried them already.
6. Tony Gentilcore started a training log over at T-Nation that describes a lot of the madness at Cressey Performance in our training group. It's worth checking out - at the very least, to make sure that you make fun of Tony.
7. I mentioned it in my newsletter the other day, but if you are a fitness professional and haven't signed up for Ryan Lee's Bootcamp, I'd highly recommend you check it out.
8. Atta boy, Sam! Talk about clutch - and they had an 11-10 extra innings walk-off win last night. Good luck this weekend, Sudbury Legion.
I've got to run - but not before leaving you with a bit of nostalgic weekend motivation from the greatest motivator of all time!
Q: I really enjoyed your “What I Learned in 2007” article, especially where you touched on keeping a clean diet in spite of all your travels. Do you have any more tips?
A: I do, but rather than reinvent the wheel, I might as well refer you to a great article by Dr. John M. Berardi, CSCS, creator of the Precision Nutrition system. This is reprinted with his permission:
Eating on the Road: Nutritional Travel Strategies
More and more the biggest challenge my clients face is sticking to their nutritional plan while on the road. Therefore in this article, I’ve compiled a list of my top 10 favorite strategies for maintaining your nutritional discipline when traveling.
Strategy #1 — Location, Location, Location
If you’re planning to take to the road for sport or for business, your first item of business is this—ensure that everything you need is in close proximity to where you’ll be working or playing. Location is key.
So let’s say you’re going to a week long conference at the Indiana Convention Centre and RCA Dome. Well first, get on the internet and find all the hotels nearest the Convention Centre. Next, give these hotels a call to find out where the nearest grocery stores, restaurants and gyms are located. Pick the hotel with the best combination of nearby resources. This way, even if you don’t get a rental car, you can easily walk or cab to your fitness and nutritional havens.
Skip this strategy and you’re giving yourself big excuses to skip workouts, miss meals, and make poor food selections while on the road.
Strategy #2 — The Penthouse Suite?
While you don’t necessarily have to stay at a 5 star hotel or choose the penthouse suite, one great strategy for you road warriors is to choose a hotel chain that offers rooms/suites with kitchens or kitchenettes. If you know a nice kitchen set-up is waiting for you, you won’t have much difficulty sticking to your meal plan.
Just have your cabbie drop you at the grocery store on your way from the airport. Once you get to your hotel room you can rest assured that you’ll be able to eat as well as when you’re at home.
If you’re looking for a good hotel chain, Marriott Residence Inns are a nice
choice. You can find other hotels that meet your needs as well. I recommend Marriott because my clients have always had great experiences with them.
Now, if you absolutely can’t find or afford a hotel that has a kitchen or kitchenette, make sure that your hotel room has, at the very least, a refrigerator (most do). As long as you’ve got a refrigerator, you can stock your hotel room with good snacks. My athletes and I pick up fresh fruits and vegetables, bottled water, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, regular cheese, natural peanut butter, whole grain breads and mixed nuts on our way into town and snack on these during our weeks on the road.
Strategy #3 — Can You Ship Egg Whites Next Day?
Here’s a great strategy I picked up former client and current good friend, Austin. This guy is a bona fide road warrior himself and has a ton of great strategies for eating on the road. Instead of going shopping when he gets to town, Austin actually ships his food and supplements via UPS or Fed Ex.
He gets a medium sized cold shipping box, loads it up with ice, protein powders, fruits and veggies, mixed nuts, legumes, meat, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, cooking pans, utensils, shaker bottles and non-stick cooking spray and ships it to his hotel before leaving home.
By doing this, Austin doesn’t need to worry about where grocery stores and restaurants are located. As soon as he arrives in town, he’s good to go—nutritionally, at least. All he needs to find is a gym and he’s set. Again, although the shipping option may seem a bit pricey, you’ll end up saving money on restaurants and the price may work out in the end.
Strategy #4 — The Big Cooler
Here’s another strategy I picked up from my buddy Austin that helps ya’ transport both luggage and groceries simultaneously for shorter trips that might last only a day or two.
Pick up a big cooler with an extendible handle and wheels (much like the wheeled luggage so popular nowadays), put a little partition down the middle, and you’ve got a ready made combined cooler/suitcase that can act as a carry-on. Put your cottage cheese on one side and your drawers on the other!
Strategy #5 — What’s On The Menu?
If you decide to have others prepare your meals for you when on the road, make sure you use Strategy #1 above to find out where the restaurants nearest your hotel are located. Next, visit them on the web for downloadable menus. If they don’t have downloadable menus, call them and ask them to send a menu over to your hotel for when you arrive.
By having the restaurant menus, you’ll know exactly what types of food you can have access to at all times. Also, when dining with a group, you’ll be able to suggest places that conform to your nutritional requirements.
Strategy #6 — You Don’t Have To Order From The Menu
Here’s a hot tip that most people fail to realize. Most restaurants can easily provide a meal custom to your specifications even if it’s not on the menu. So don’t become a slave to the menu offerings. Ordering a specific number from the menu is almost always a recipe for disaster unless the menu is designed for "healthy eating" or whatever the restaurant is calling it. Most normal dishes have too much fat and too many processed carbohydrates for most body-conscious individuals.
Instead of ordering an item directly from the menu, either ask for an item that you like prepared without the sauces or high carbohydrate portions or simply ask for a portion of protein and a few servings of vegetables and fruit on the side. Remember, you’re paying top dollar for your meal and you’re about to tip your waitress. So don’t feel bad asking them to meet your needs, uh, nutritionally, that is.
Strategy #7 —Protein and Energy Supplements
Using some combination of the strategies above, you should be able to ensure that good meal options are always around the corner. But sometimes when you’re on the road it’s impossible to slip back to your room or to get to a restaurant.
For times like this, you’ll need to consider a few supplement options.
Typically, when at home I only use 1-2 scoops of protein powder per day, but when on the road, I may use up to 6 scoops if necessary. Protein choices are both hard to come by and more expensive than other options. So increasing your dietary energy with protein powders is a good fall-back option.
Strategy #8 — Powdered Veggies
Normally, at home, I get about 10 servings of fruits and veggies per day. But when I’m on the road that amount is usually reduced to somewhere around 2-4 servings unless I’m very conscious of my intake. A great way to make up for this reduction in my micronutrient intake is to use a powdered vegetable supplement such as Greens+.
If I’m on the road, these products help make up for the deficit I may be experiencing. An added bonus is that I seem to better digest my protein supplements when adding some powdered veggies to my protein shakes.
Strategy #9 — Homemade Bars
If you’re not into drinking numerous protein shakes per day, another great option is to bring some homemade snacks with you. In fact, homemade protein/energy bars are a fantastic alternative to the mostly crappy, store bought, sugar laden, artificial ingredient containin’, protein bars.
Strategy #10 — Sleep Pills
Jet lag, time zone changes, unfamiliar sleeping environments, poor nutrition, altered exercise habits, and the stress associated with big business meetings or competitions can all really impair your ability to get adequate rest when on the road.
Following the previous nine steps will help you take care of your nutritional intake. Making sure not to skip workouts will also help. So will the addition of a ZMA supplement. While research hasn’t provided direct evidence to support a relationship between zinc and/or magnesium status and sleep quality, most ZMA users find dramatically improved sleep quality when taking this supplement. Three capsules before bed should do the trick.
If you’re going to be successful in maintaining a good nutritional plan, no matter what the circumstances, you’re going to have to plan for the unplanned and display adaptability to all circumstances. The guidelines included in this article should help get you thinking about how to become a successful road warrior.
For more great training and nutrition wisdom, check out our complete system, Precision Nutrition. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed. And what's more, your online access allows you to talk exercise and nutrition 24/7 with thousands of fellow members and the Precision Nutrition coaches.
One of the biggest perks of being in this business is that I get a lot of free stuff sent to me. I’m not going to lie: a lot of it is absolute garbage that is so bad that I can’t read or view the whole thing. I look at some fitness gimmicks and can’t help but think “why?” I’ve actually got an entire section on my bookshelf of stuff I’ve received that’s just flat-out bad.
Why do I even mention this to you? Well, for one, so that you’ll know that if something gets a thumbs-up in my newsletter or blog, it’s legit. Second, and more importantly, I’ve grown to see patterns – and one such pattern is that everything that John Berardi has sent me is pretty much gold. The newly introduced Gourmet Nutrition Cookbook 2.0 is no exception.
I was impressed not only with the presentation of the book (well organized and easy to read), but obviously the content itself. There is an excellent and diverse selection of recipes, and they’ve been met with open arms and salivating mouths from our athletes.
One of my pitchers was in the office when it arrived, and I he asked if he could see it. That night, he made some of the bars and said that they came out great. Young athletes are a great measure of how good a nutrition product is; they’re impressionable, yet very stubborn. If something isn’t good, they’ll call BS or just ignore it altogether. Only two nutrition products have gotten my guys going; this one and the nutrition component of Jason Ferruggia’s Muscle Gaining Secrets.
Given that Thanksgiving is upon us, I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you for your support in reading this newsletter and my articles, books, and blogs; attending seminars at which I present; and investing in my products.
To be honest, not a day goes by that I'm not awestruck and completely humbled that people actually care what I have to say. I'm still a small town Maine guy at heart, so I'm not sure that I'll ever get used to it. Everyday, though, I do, however, relish the fact that I get to do what I love and help people in the process - and I thank you for making that possible with your support.
Best wishes to you and your families this holiday season.
Gourmet Nutrition: Three Years Later
Tonight, I mixed up some peanut butter fudge protein bars from Gourmet Nutrition- and came to a somewhat surprising realization in the process. John Berardi sent me the following note Thanksgiving morning in 2004:
"Hey Cressey,
"I just finished a new ebook called Gourmet Nutrition and I wanted you to have one of the first copies. Let me know what you think.
"Enjoy!"
In the two hours that followed, I browsed through the e-book; it was really good.
And here I am, still making the recipes almost three years to the day later. I'd say that's a good useful life for a product - and I don't plan to stop using it anytime soon!
What's even better is that John is now including this great e-book in the Precision Nutrition package. For more information, check them out at PrecisionNutrition.com.
New Article and Blogs
I had a new article published at EliteFTS last Friday; be sure to check out Healing the Hips.
Thanks to some laptop problems, several writing projects, ordinary training schedules, and the holiday, we'll wrap this one up - but will be back next week with plenty of content.
Happy Thanksgiving,
EC
I wanted to start this newsletter off with a thank you to everyone who came out last weekend for the John Berardi seminar here in Boston. Dr. Berardi put on a great show, and the feedback has been fantastic. If you ever have the chance to see JB speak, don’t hesitate to jump at the opportunity.
Naked Nutrition
A few months ago, Mike Roussell sent me the preliminary version of his new project, The Naked Nutrition Guide. Mike went out of his way to contact several industry notables to go over this manual with a critical eye, and this feedback – combined with Mike’s outstanding knowledge of nutritional sciences – resulted in a fantastic finished product. There are bonus training programs from Alwyn Cosgrove, Nate Green, and Jimmy Smith. Check it out for yourself:
The Naked Nutrition Guide
Female Fitness
Last week, Erik Ledin of Lean Bodies Consulting published Part I of an interview he did with me on female training. Check it out:
EL: First off, thanks for agreeing to the interview. We've known each other for a number of years now. I used to always refer to you as the "Anatomy Guy." You then became know for being "The Shoulder Guy" and have since garnered another title, "The Mobility Guy." Who is Eric Cressey?
EC: Good question. As you implied, it's the nature of this industry to try to pigeonhole guys into certain professional "diagnoses." Personally, even though I specialize in athletic performance enhancement and corrective exercise, I pride myself on being pretty well-versed in a variety of areas - endocrinology, endurance training, body recomposition, nutrition, supplementation, recovery/regeneration, and a host of other facets of our industry. To some degree, I think it's a good thing to be a bit all over the place in this "biz," as it helps you to see the relationships among a host of different factors. Ultimately, I'd like to be considered a guy who is equal parts athlete, coach, and scholar/researcher.
All that said, for the more "traditional answer," readers can check out my bio.
EL: What are the three most underrated and underused exercises? Does it differ across gender?
EC: Well, I'm not sure that the basics - squats, deadlifts, various presses, pull-ups, and rows - can ever be considered overrated or overappreciated in both a male and female population.
Still, I think that single-leg exercises are tremendously beneficial, but are ignored by far too many trainers and lifters. Variations of lunges, step-ups, split squats, and single-leg RDLs play key roles in injury prevention and development of a great lower body.
Specific to females, we know that we need a ton of posterior chain work and correctly performed single-leg work to counteract several biomechanical and physiological differences. Namely, we're talking about quad dominance/posterior chain weakness and an increased Q-angle. Increasing glute and hamstrings strength and optimizing frontal plane stability is crucial for resisting knock-knee tendencies and preventing ACL tears. If more women could do glute-ham raises, the world would be a much better place!
EL: What common issues do you see with female trainees in terms of muscular or postural imbalances that may predispose them to some kind of injury if not corrected? How would you suggest they be corrected or prevented?
EC:
1. A lack of overall lower body strength, specifically in the glutes and hamstrings; these shortcomings resolve when you get in more deadlifts, glute-ham raises, box squats, single-leg movements, etc.
2. Poor soft-tissue quality all over; this can be corrected with plenty of foam rolling and lacrosse/tennis ball work.
3. Poor core stability (as much as I hate that word); the best solution is to can all the "turn your lumbar spine into a pretzel" movements and focus on pure stability at the lower back while mobilizing the hips and thoracic spine.
4. General weakness in the upper body, specifically with respect to the postural muscles of the upper back; we'd see much fewer shoulder problems in females if they would just do a LOT more rowing.
EL: You've mentioned to me in the past the issues with the ever popular Nike Shox training shoe as well as high heels in women. What's are the potential problems?
EC: When you elevate the heels chronically - via certain sneakers, high-heels, or any other footwear - you lose range of motion in dorsiflexion (think toe-to-shin range of motion). When you lack mobility at a joint, your body tries to compensate by looking anywhere it can to find range of motion. In the case of restricted ankle mobility, you turn the foot outward and internally rotate your lower and upper legs to make up for the deficit. This occurs as torque is "converted" through subtalar joint pronation.
As the leg rotates inward (think of the upper leg swiveling in your hip joint socket), you lose range of motion in external rotation at your hip. This is one of several reasons why females have a tendency to let their knees fall inward when they squat, lunge, deadlift, etc. And, it can relate to anterior/lateral knee pain (think of the term patellofemoral pain ... you've got restriction on things pulling on the patella, and on the things controlling the femur ... it's no wonder that they're out of whack relative to one another). And, by tightening up at the ankle and the hip, you've taken a joint (knee) that should be stable (it's just a hinge) and made it mobile/unstable. You can also get problems at the hip and lower back because ...
Just as losing range of motion at the ankle messes with how your leg is aligned, losing range of motion at your hip - both in external rotation and hip extension - leads to extra range of motion at your lumbar spine (lower back). We want our lower back to be completely stable so that it can transfer force from our lower body to our upper body and vice versa; if you have a lot of range of motion at your lower back, you don't transfer force effectively, and the vertebrae themselves can get irritated. This can lead to bone problems (think stress fractures in gymnasts), nerve issues (vertebrae impinge on discs/nerve roots), or muscular troubles (basic strains).
So, the take-home message is that crappy ankle mobility - as caused by high-top shoes, excessive ankle taping, poor footwear (heel lifts) - can cause any of a number of problems further up the kinetic chain. Sure, we see plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinosis, and shin splints, but that's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what can happen.
How do we fix the problems? First, get out of the bad footwear and pick up a shoe that puts you closer in contact with the ground. Second, go barefoot more often (we do it for all our dynamic flexibility warm-ups and about 50% of the volume of our lifting sessions). Third, incorporate specific ankle (and hip) mobility drills - as featured in our Magnificent Mobility DVD.
Oh, I should mention that elevating the heels in women is also problematic simply because it shifts the weight so far forward. If we're dealing with a population that needs to increase recruitment of the glutes and hamstrings, why are we throwing more stress on the quads?
Stay tuned for Part II - available in our next newsletter.
Have a great week, everyone!
EC
You can’t do anything really creative with your 22nd newsletter; it really isn’t an eventful occasion at all. As such, we might as well get right to the good stuff!
Good Stuff from the Good Doctor Berardi
Last week, John Berardi sent me a heads-up on a great new program he’s offering to everybody for FREE. Just this morning, I finished reviewing it myself, and I have to say, it’s another great offering from one of the industry’s brightest experts. This course piggybacks on John’s highly successful Precision Nutrition package. You’ve got nothing to lose; sign up for the 8-day Body Transformation with Precision Nutrition email course today and check out what JB has to offer. In the meantime, here's today's reader mail Q&A.
Q&A
Q: What’s your take on frequency of static stretching? Is it "the more, the better"? More or less, how many days per week would be a good idea?
A: In a nutshell...
1) I'm not as huge an advocate of stretching as I used to be, but I still think people need to do it – especially those who sit at computers all day.
2) Activation work and dynamic flexibility drills are ten times as valuable as static stretching. I’d rather do 6-8 mobilizations than a 12-15 second static stretch.
3) More people need to pay attention to soft-tissue work. Many times, muscles will just feel tight because they’re so knotted up. It's not just about soft tissue length anymore; it's about quality, too. You can check out my article The Joint Health Checklist for details.
4) My clients do 2-3 static stretches pre-training at the very most (only chronically overactive muscles), and the rest are at other times of the day. We’ll include some static stretching of non-working musculature during training in between sets just to improve training economy.
5) Stretching daily has helped a lot of my clients improve faster, but I think that they've come along almost just as well with pure activation and mobilization work (we do both).
Q: I've been getting a bit of pain in the front of my hips when squatting. I'm not sure whether it's the hips flexors or something else. Squats with a stance around shoulder width are fine, as are any hip flexor exercises that work my legs in line with my body.
It's only when I squat with a slightly wider stance or do overhead squats that my hips are bothered. It's only when I do leg raises with my legs apart, making a “Y” shape with my body, that I really feel the irritated muscle working. Although these do seem to help it rather than cause it pain.
Do you have any idea what this could be? Or, tips on how to strengthen the area to avoid it? Thanks for any insight you can offer.
A: Femoral anterior glide syndrome is a classic problem in people with poor lumbo-pelvic function (overactive hamstrings and lumbar erectors coupled with weak glutes). The hamstrings don’t exert any direct control over the femur during hip extension; their distal attachments are all below the knee. So, as you extend the hip, there is no direct control over the head of the femur, and it can slide forward, irritating the anterior joint capsule. This will give a feeling of tightness and irritation, but stretching the area will actually irritate it even more.
The secret is to eliminate problematic exercises for the short-term, and in the meantime, focus on glute activation drills. The gluteus maximus exerts a posterior pull on the femoral head during hip extension, so if it’s firing to counteract that anterior glide caused by the humerus, you’re golden. We outline several excellent drills in our Magnificent Mobility DVD; when handled correctly, you should see almost complete reduction of symptoms within a week.
Lastly, make sure that you're popping your hips through and CONSCIOUSLY activating your butt on all squats, deadlifts, good mornings, pull-throughs, etc. Incorporate some single-leg work as well. For now, though, keep your stance in for a few weeks, stay away from box squatting, and get some foam rolling done on your adductors, quads, hip flexors, ITB/TFL, and piriformis.
Q: Many members have complained about the thought of getting rid of the Smith Machine in our gym and replacing it with a power rack. If you wouldn't mind giving me some ammo (arguments) to shoot them down , I’d really appreciate it.
A:
1. The Smith Machine offers less transfer to the real-world than free weight exercises.
2. Depending on the movement, the shearing forces on the knees and lumbar spine are increased by the fixed line of motion.
3. The lifter conforms to the machine, and not vice versa. Human motion is dependent on subtle adjustments to joint angle positioning; the body will always want to compensate in the most advantageous position possible. Fix the feet and fix the bar, and the only ways to get this compensation are inappropriate knee tracking and, more dangerously, loss of the neutral spine position.
4. Smith machines are generally more expensive. I suspect that you could get a regular coat rack for about $2K cheaper – and it would take up less space.
Admittedly, I did put together an entire article on things that you actually CAN do with the Smith machine, but the truth is that you could just as easily do them on a fixed barbell in a power rack.
