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3 Popular Health Myths Debunked

2011-11-21T00:06:00.000-08:00

"We occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of us pick ourselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened." -Winston Churchill

Let me make something straight and clear for all of you: Most things heard on the news is falsely reported, a lie, or somehow misconstrued. This is done for a reason and this includes information reported on obesity, nutrition, vaccination, health, public safety, environment, and your elected officials. Thomas Jefferson once wrote that the ads on a newspaper are more accurate and truthful than the news itself. He could not have been any more correct.

Debunking myths has increasingly become a challenge for health, fitness, and functional medicine professionals because the public only listens to what's popular instead of listening to what is right. The reason for this is because popular media outlets and conventional doctors repeatedly bombard individuals with misinformation by wrongfully manipulating facts from anecdotal evidence, articles, and research studies (usually heavily funded by corporations to meet their agendas).

Here's an example: If somebody says the red light is blue enough times, a million people will begin to believe the red light is actually blue. But a million people believing in something wrong does not make it right. It merely adds more fuel to the fire for us trying to undo all the maddening misinformation and lies.

Having to deal with individuals in the health and human performance realm on a daily basis, it is inconceivable the number of times I need to challenge people to stop taking things for face value and to actually read the facts. This means putting down your Fox News, CNN, Yahoo, government press-releases, and pharmaceutical-funded research studies which are an absolute disgrace to our intelligence.

For a government allowing pizza to fall under the 'vegetable category' for grade-school lunches, I hardly think anything they say is fully accurate. Government is constantly trying to defy logic by suppressing certain studies in order to pass certain foods already deemed poisonous in many European nations such as aspartame; a well known toxic poison that causes brain tumors based on several evidence-based research studies (see aspartame). Now we find ourselves scratching our heads on how far the government will go in trying to defy logic and truth with the latest 'pizza is a vegetable' campaigns. But that aside, I'd like to address 3 maddening myths which need ample attention due to a myriad of misinformation and media lies that have grown like a wild fire: Low Fat Diets, Sunscreens, and Vegans.

1. LOW FAT: I don't know how many times I've had to write or talk about this, but chances are we have not addressed this hard enough. The basic facts remain: Saturated fat is good for you. High fat diets are good for you. This includes animal lard, all coconut products (coconut pulp, milk, oil), and avocados. High cholesterol is not the reason for heart disease. Inflammation from sugar and grain is. In other words, don't shoot the messenger because it's the toxic by-products, fillers, adulterated fats, and synthesized genetically-modified grains the cow eats that's causing a heart attack, not the actual fat. This is why eating organic grass-fed meat is important when it comes to animal protein.

We already know more hospital patients being admitted for heart disease actually have LOW cholesterol while those who don't have heart disease have high cholesterol. Inflammation of the heart (via sugar/grain consumption) raises inflammation markers causing heart disease. Do understand that 96% of animal meat in this country is from traditional grain-fed meats that contain these genetically-modified corns, grains, petroleum, and synthesized toxic fillers. Once again, don't shoot the messenger because the problem is what's being fed to the animal and not the animal fat. If the animal eats clean then you're clean. If the animal eats dirty, then you're dirty.

Here you can see studies that show sugar is the culprit for heart disease. Furthermore, you can clearly see in clinical studies that higher cholesterol levels actually mean longer life span. Conversely, you can see published studies showing higher mortality rates for those with lower cholesterol levels. These are not opinions left for manipulation, but rather cold hard facts for people to open, read, and think about.

It is no wonder that renowned nutritionist Dr. Jonny Bowden and expert cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra incessantly write on the benefits of high cholesterol and the need for fat in healthy diets. You can view their latest posting here on the need for new cholesterol guidelines because the old message of low cholesterol is clearly false, broken, and absolutely inaccurate. And if you really have trouble believing the facts, I challenge you to take a look at the history of heart disease yourself from 1825 to present. This is quite a shocking timeline which clearly shows heart disease is a result of too much inflammation from adulterated toxins, grains, and sugars - not pure animal fat.

And to put the cherry on top of all this, here's a clip from the 'Fat Head' documentary I highly recommend:

2. SUNSCREEN: The second myth is the use of sunscreen. I personally don't use any sunscreen and don't advocate the use of such toxic poison. The sun is 100% absolutely helpful in cancer prevention and not something that would CAUSE cancer. Dr. Joseph Mercola recently published an article chronicling the misinformation about the cause of melanoma - and it's definitely NOT the sun.

The fact is, the lack of sun increases chance of skin cancer while more sun, because of its vitamin D benefits helps fight cancer. The British Journal of Dermatology has already concluded that sun is NOT the main culprit of melanoma. Instead, sun is being used as a scapegoat for cause of cancer. Call it ignorance? Call it lack of education? Call it a profit motive since disease is business these days? Call it what you want, but don't call the sun a cancer-causer. If you've got skin issues, check your vitamin D3 levels because they should be in the 50-100 range. If these levels are low due to poor nutrition and lack of sunlight, your cancer risk increases (in addition to a plethora of other diseases including osteoporosis).

Author, nutritionist, and health coach Mark Sisson recently wrote an article about the importance of sunlight as a cancer fighter and bone health promoter. Sometimes I watch parents lather up their children in loads of unnecessary sunscreen and I cringe with complete utter madness. People need to be more educated on the facts and stop beating the old drum of lies and misinformation.

Here is a clip from Dr. Joseph Mercola on the topic of Vitamin D and sun:

3. VEGAN DIETS: Biochemistry, anthropology, human physiology, and scientific research has shown us the need to consume animal proteins. After all, we have proof our evolutionary cousins ate meat.

-First, if we only eat plant based foods, we will be deficient in all our B vitamins and numerous minerals.

-Second, the very important amino acids taurine, carnitine, and carnosine cannot be found in plants.

-Third, even if you spend time outdoors WITHOUT sunscreen, your vitamin D levels will still not be optimal - increasing your risk for heart disease, cancer, and bone density denigration.

-Fourth, no matter how many types of plants you mix and match, you're still not getting the proper amino acid profile and bio-availability. And missing these amino acids are harmful because amino acids are what our body uses in a detoxification process called conjugation. We make antibodies to support our immune system, we create hormones from proteins, and we make neurotransmitters that allow us think and make better decisions instead of bonehead ones. This is why depression and suicide is more common among vegans; due to the lack of animal fat and amino acid profiles. Indeed, studies have shown that low-fat = higher suicide rate and this is just one of a handful of studies as there is much more evidence on this.

-Fifth, the high consumption of legumes and grains in vegan diets act as anti-nutrients that steal minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and iron, all in which are important for energy production and other co-factors for hundreds of chemical reactions within our bodies.

-Sixth, anthropology has already shown us the human jaw is structured to that of a carnivore (such as a wolf). Simply observing the tooth structure, jaw formation, and digestive process proves we are and should be capable of chewing and tearing meat...not plant. Our single-stomach digestive system is set up so that we can break down lots of amino acids, not a multi-stomach system such as that of a herbivore hippo whose digestive system includes multiple-stomachs that carefully break down the complex structures of plants (carbohydrates) in turning them into essential amino acids. While our single-stomach system can break down complex structures, it is not designed to be the primary function. When you overload your digestive system, you risk malnutrition due to inability to absorb leading to sickness and disease. There is nothing simpler than amino acids and that is what our stomach is designed to handle. All one needs to do is open a human biology and human physiology book to see how.

-Seventh, the reason people who suddenly go on a vegan diet and experience weight loss and better skin is because they voided themselves of the toxic chemicals, synthesized adulterated oils, fillers, petroleum, GMOs, corn, and grain from inferior industrial animal proteins. Remember, approximately 96% of animal protein is NOT grass-fed. Therefore, if you simply void yourself of this very poor quality cancer-causing meat, it is inevitable your health will initially prosper. However, a vegan diet is not sustainable as the body can and will break down due to the lack of detoxification processes, the lack of muscle building/protein synthesis (atrophy), and the lack of nutrients. Once again, this shows the importance of eating only grass-fed organic meats and not traditional industry raised meats from farms that feed their cattle junk.

-Eight, the fact that vegans actually make food to look, taste, and feel like real meat is evidence enough that humans want, need, and should be eating real grass-fed meat. A vegan cooking up a fake-steak made of soy is like a thirsty man drinking vodka because it looks like water. It is completely asinine and only proves what science has shown us all along. Veganism is nothing more than a hyped up myth that has fashioned itself into being a type of trendy statement than a real health and wellness movement. The fact that more vegans are living shorter than their omnivore counterparts shows the vegan movement is based less on education of scientific truth, but promotion of misunderstood propaganda.

I leave you with two very important videos to share with friends and family because I like the scientific rationale, the message, and the questions being probed that challenge the mind. Please take a look at both:

7 Weight Loss Tips That Don't Require 'Secrets'

2011-11-01T13:57:00.001-07:00

It seems more often than not we are exposed to articles in popular media that somehow allude to the misconception that one needs to know 'secrets' to weight loss. Simple fact is that there are no secrets. You'll be happy to know there are several tweaks one can make that will allow reduction of bodyfat. These have been proven to us time and time again through scientific research and will come as no surprise to the more astute fitness professional. In fact, much of the material covered below will be regurgitated, recycled material already discussed a thousand times. For those of us just climbing out from under a rock, here is a refresher on how to shed some weight and drop off that bodyfat:

1. GET SLEEP: If you cannot get 7.5 to 9 hours of restful uninterrupted sleep each night, I simply cannot help you. You will not lose weight with even the best training program, the best nutrition, and the best trainer in the world. Sleep is the number one most important element in weight loss - and if you cannot manage to fix this I cannot help you. Trying to fix weight loss without proper sleep patterns is like trying to fix an automobile without an engine. Both are not possible. It is no surprise that clinical trials published in The American Journal of Epidemiology prove to us that reduced sleep increases weight in women (Patel, 2006). Getting good sleep requires eliminating grains since it promotes insomnia, going to bed at the same early time each night, not eating late at night, stretching before bedtime, dimming the bedroom, minimizing electrical fields around your bedroom by shutting off phones/TVs/computers/ipads/WiFi, and taking supplementation including lysine, arginine, theanine, 5-HTP, valerian, melatonin, and magnesium glycinate. A comprehensive list by Coach Charles Poliquin on improving sleep can be found here.

2. DON'T SKIP MEALS: Thanks to Coach Eric Falstrault of BodHiFit, I learned that sumo wrestlers eat only two very large meals a day to gain as much weight as possible. Therefore, does it make sense to skip breakfast each morning thinking that a single cup of coffee is going to make you drop weight? It is quite the opposite, actually. If you skip breakfast and simply opt for a cup of coffee each morning, you'll not only see your energy levels drain, but you'll also see a skyrocketing weight on the scale. Breakfast requires you to wake up early and cook up some essential fats and proteins (e.g. eggs with avocado or turkey bacon with greens, mushrooms and coconut oil). Remember, coffee is okay in the morning, but ONLY if it is with a meal and ONLY if it is before a workout. The worst thing you can do to your bodyfat is drinking coffee after a workout otherwise you're asking for more weight gain if you do so. If you refuse to believe me, you'll be happy to hear that the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition already published a comprehensive study showing weight gain in girls who skip breakfast (Zakrzewski, 2011).

3. DRINK WATER: Hydration is the greatest determinant of strength. A drop of 1.5% in water levels in the body means a drop of up to 10% of your maximal strength. And that's just the beginning. Dr. Simon Thornton of France already published an article in Physiology & Behavior that treatment of hypertension, obesity, diabetes and cancer can actually be cured with water (Thornton, 2010). Most people simply do not drink enough water thus causing dysfunction of the thirst regulatory mechanism that can harm kidney function, cardiovascular function, and of course negatively affect overall strength and weight management. A general formula to use for water consumption per day goes as follows: 0.6 to 0.7 ounces per pound of bodyweight. For example: 120 ounces of water (that's 15 glasses) for a 200 pound man.

4. ELIMINATE GRAINS: All grains raise blood sugar levels quickly the same way plain table sugar does and therefore you'll need to eliminate all grains. Yes, sprouted grains tend to do less damage, but in the end damage is damage whether it's from a shotgun or a smaller 9mm handgun. If you're trying to lose weight, eating grains - all bread, pasta, cereal, granola, tortilla, corn, peanuts, soy, and anything else processed - will not only make you put on unwanted weight, but it will cause disease and make you sick. The problem with grains is that most people do not know they are allergic to it. Although the National Health Institute (NHI) estimates that gluten allergies affect only one percent of Americans, this number is highly underestimated since most allergies are undetected. An allergy to gluten is called Celiac Disease for which the sufferer will have serious digestive damage from eating foods containing gluten, which can cause a wide variety of other health problems including, but not limited to weakness, anemia, malnutrition, osteoarthritis, bone disorders, stomach cancer, and abdominal bloating. You can also be allergic to grain and not have Celiac Disease, therefore, removing all grains from the diet would be a great idea for optimal weight and healthy digestive system. The New England Journal of Medicine published a study by Thomas Larsen, Ph.D and colleagues demonstrating that an increase in protein and decrease in gluten can help maintain weight-loss more significantly than compared to groups who did not increase protein and reduce gluten (Larsen, 2010). In the same journal, a clinical study by Dr. Katz and colleagues also showed that gluten increases cortisol levels which in turn suppresses the immune response leading to adrenal exhaustion manifesting in the form of fatigue, depression, and insomnia (Katz, 1976). All of this will cause you to add weight quicker than a speeding train, therefore it is very important if your goal is to drop pounds that you eliminate all grains including breads, soy, corn, peanuts, pasta, cereals, flour, and anything in between. Instead, consume fibrous vegetables and leafy greens as your main source of carbohydrates: Kale, broccoli, mushrooms, cucumber, spinach, watercress, radish, dill, etc. and sometimes sweet potatoes or yams.

5. EAT FAT: Over the last 30 years, fat consumption has decreased from 42% to 34%, yet weight has increased overall (Allred , 1995). If you're still thinking low-fat is good for preventing heart disease and lowering your weight, you're unfortunately living in ancient times and still probably think the Earth is flat. Diets high in fat will not only improve your heart health, but reduce your bodyfat. Research by Dr. Nicklas published in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows diets higher in fat are healthier for heart and body composition management (Nicklas, 1995). CNN has also thankfully jumped on the latest research and published numerous stories about the benefits of higher-fat consumption in relation to heart disease because more hospital patients being admitted for heart-disease actually have lower cholesterol levels while the healthy folks have higher cholesterol! But not all fats are created equal. Step 1, you'll need to eliminate all hydrogenated fats, corn/soy/peanut/safflower/canola oil, and adulterated fats from traditional grain-fed meats. Step 2, you'll need to consume healthy fats by way of lard, duck fat, grass-fed meats, avocado, egg yolk, and coconut oils. Coconut milk is also a great substitute for dairy milk (prone to sensitivities, too highly processed), almond milk (prone to sensitivities), or soy milk (highly toxic, increases cancer risk). Mark Sisson of Mark's Daily Apple introduces some great ways to cook healthy animals fats in your diet here. There must also be an emphasis on consuming fish/Krill oil supplementation on a daily basis since these supplements and anti-inflammatory and promote weight loss (Wall, 2010). A recent study published in Biomedical Pharmacology showed women who consume fish oil maintained better body composition than subjects who did not (Bourre, 2007). You can read more on how fish oils helps weight loss here.

6. LIFT HEAVY WEIGHTS: Heavy strength training is critical for diabetes prevention and is an excellent way to improve insulin sensitivity to promote lean body composition. Once again, please stop feeding the stereotype that lifting heavy weights will make you bulky. If you feel lifting heavy is making you bulky, you're not lifting correctly, not sleeping well, and not stretching enough - which ought to be doing 3-5 times per week to recover the muscles. The evidence is unanimously very strong: Resistance training not only improves insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake, but it helps burn more fat, supports heart health, and lowers depression (Bollinger, 2011). For best insulin sensitivity response and fat burning you'll need to train with a large volume and high intensity using multiple joint muscle groups because a greater metabolic demand uses up more muscle glycogen which in turn helps shed unwanted weight (Black, 2010). The best way is to set up a program to exercise with heavy weights and ample stretching about 3-5 times per week using major muscles groups. Therefore, lay off your slow treadmill walk and light grandpa-like stroll because that won't help. One of my favorite clips of a woman lifting heavy correctly is this mother, who recently had 2 C-sections, performing a difficult multi-joint Turkish Getup exercise using a 53 pound kettlebell; and she definitely does not fit the profile of being bulky. If you're a capable human who isn't bed-ridden in a hospital, you ought to be lifting heavy weights and stop complaining. For those extremely overweight, try performing intense, short interval bouts such as pushing a heavy sled or walking fast up an incline hill for 45 seconds with a 1-3 minute rest period between. Otherwise, get to the gym and start lifting heavy weights for weight loss. As always, don't forget to STRETCH everyday!

7. SUPPLEMENT W/ THESE 12 ESSENTIALS: There are 12 supplements I deem helpful for bodyfat reduction, controlling sugar cravings, reducing inflammatory markers, improving digestion, and giving you a restful sleep. I've already discussed the importance of fish oil (item 5 above), but there's more. You can read more about supplementation from my previous blog with references here, as there are numerous supplements we all need to be consuming including fish oils, digestive enzymes/HCL, B-complex vitamins, alpha lipoic acid, conjugated linoleic acid, fenugreek extract, and astaxanthin. Additionally, there are five other supplements I'd like to spend time discussing - cinnamon, curcumin, magnesium, L-Carnitine, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) - since studies have shown these can also help support bodyfat reduction.

*Cinnamon: A 2006 study by Mang and colleagues has proven to us that cinnamon helps reduce plasma glucose levels for individuals with high blood sugar (Mang, 2006). In short, cinnamon is something that can help you in your battle for weight loss. Because no adverse effects were reported in any of the cinnamon studies, you can generously use cinnamon and make it a sugar and creamer replacement for your morning coffee.

*Curcumin: This is a wonder herb I use in both capsule format and as an herb to cook with all my meats. Numerous published studies from leading institutions including Rutgers University Department of Chemical Biology have published successful studies demonstrating curcumin as a powerful anti-cancer fighting agent because of its anti-inflammatory properties (Tu, 2011). Curcumin also helps you recover faster since it lowers cortisol - especially important if you're having difficulty losing weight since chances are your cortisol is high, your sugar intake is high, and your sleep is poor due to anxiety and stress. For this reason, curcumin is very important for both weight loss and those engaged in intense weight training that requires recovery.

*Magnesium: Magnesium is also an important factor in weight loss since it has a direct role in insulin sensitivity (He, 2006). Moreover, most people are highly deficient in magnesium because they think they are getting it from foods or their poor quality multi-vitamin supplement which usually contains inferior forms of magnesium with low bio-availability; which simply doesn't get absorbed. Most manufactures make magnesium in 'oxide' form and studies have proven this to be ineffective (Lindberg, 1990). Instead, opt for taking 400-600mg of 'magnesium glycinate' before bedtime which will help with insulin resistance, lower blood sugar, weight loss, recovery and relaxation of muscles, in addition to giving you a restful night's sleep.

*L-Carnitine: L-Carnitine is a binding of two amino acids, which taking will help burn fat and build muscle. It also binds to androgen receptors so it's fantastic for all the guys out there. Scientists have already know that L-carnitine plays a major role in lipid oxidation and a recent study proved that 2 grams of L-Carnitine helps reduce up to 55% of muscle glycogen (Wall, 2011). L-Carnitine is a powerful fat-burning enzyme that should be taken before and after exercise.

*BCAA: Lastly, don't shy away from branched-chain amino acids. A famous study published in the Journal of Nutrition already proves consuming loads of BCAA lowers obesity prevalence in middle-aged adults (Qin, 2010). This is because BCAAs support muscle protein synthesis which in turn correlates to a better testosterone to cortisol ratio that helps obtain optimal body composition. In addition, BCAAs can help reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS - the name for the soreness you get after a workout) based on studies from Japan (Shimomura, 2010). And you'd also be surprised to know that BCAAs help improve mental function and improve life span (Jakobsen, 2011). Take 3 to 12 grams of BCAA on an empty stomach throughout the day including before, during, and after exercise in capsule form.

*FINAL RECAP: As mentioned, there are numerous supplements - in addition to the above - you can take to support weight loss, curb sugar cravings, improve sleep, and reduce inflammation. Here is a complete recap of all 12 supplements I recommend:

-Fish oil → anti-inflammatory, recovery, cardiovascular health
-Digestive enzymes/HCL → if you're overweight, your stomach isn't working
-B-vitamin complex → mood, energy, cognition, weight loss
-Alpha lipoic acid → antioxidant for weight loss, reducing blood sugar
-Conjugated linoleic acid → helps metabolism, reduces fat, supports lean muscle
-Fenugreek extract → curbs sugar craving, supports glucose metabolism
-Astaxanthin → powerful antioxidant for weight loss
-Cinnamon → reduces blood glucose, for weight loss
-Curcumin → reduces inflammation, great for recovery
-Magnesium → sleep, muscle relaxation, insulin resistance
-L-carnitine → androgen receptor binder, amazing fat-burning enzyme, cardiovascular health
-BCAA → protein synthesis to build lean muscle, soreness recovery, improved mental health

Arin Gragossian | Arin Training
www.ArinTraining.com

References

Patel, S., Malhortra, A., White, D., Gottlieb, D., Hu, F. (2006). Association between reduced sleep and weight gain in women. American Journal of Epidemiology. 164, 947-954.

Zakrzewski, JK., Stevenson EJ., Tolfrey K. (2011). Effect of breakfast glycemic index on metabolic responses during rest and exercise in overweight and non-overweight adolescent girls. Eur J Clin Nutr. Oct 5.

Thornton, SN. (2010). Thirst and hydration: physiology and consequences of dysfunction. Physiol Behav. Apr 26;100(1):15-21.

Larsen TM., Dalskov S., Van Baak, M., et al. (2010). Diets with high or low protein content and glycemic index for weight-loss maintenance. N Engl J Med. 363:2102-13.

Katz, A., Falchuk, Z., Strober, W., Shwachman, H. (1976). Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy. Inhibition of Cortisol of the Effect of Gluten Protein in Vitro. New England Journal of Medicine. 295(3), 131-135.

Allred, JB.(1995). Too much of a good thing: an overemphasis on eating low-fat foods may be contributing to the alarming increase in overweight among US adults. J Am Diet Assoc. 95:417–418.

Nicklas, TA (1995). Dietary studies of children: the Bogalusa Heart Study experience. J Am Diet Assoc. 95:1127–1133.

Wall, R., Ross, R., Fitzgerald, G., Stanton, C. (2010). Fatty acids from fish: the anti-inflammatory potential of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Nutrition Review. 68(5), 280-289.

Bourre, J. Dietary omega-3 fatty acids for women. (2007). Biomedical Pharmacology. 61(2), 105-112.

Bollinger, L., LaFontaine, T. (2011). Exercise and Insulin Resistance. Strength and Conditioning Journal. July 1. Published Ahead of Print.

Black, L., Swan, P., Alvar, B. (2010). Effects of intensity and volume on insulin sensitivity during acute bouts of resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning. 2010. 24(4), 1109-1116.

Mang B., Wolters M., Schmitt B., Kelb K., Lichtinghagen R., Stichtenoth DO., Hahn A. (2006). Effects of a cinnamon extract on plasma glucose, HbA, and serum lipids in diabetes mellitus type 2. Eur J Clin Invest. May;36(5):340-4.

Tu SP., Jin H., Shi JD., Zhu LM., Suo Y., Lu G., Liu B., Wang T., Yang CS. (2011). Curcumin induces the differentiation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and inhibits their interaction with cancer cells and related tumor growth. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). Oct 26.

He K., Liu K., Daviglus ML., et al. (2006). Magnesium intake and incidence of metabolic syndrome among young adults. Circulation. Apr 4;113(13):1675-82

Lindberg, J. et al. (1990). Magnesium bioavailability from magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide. J Am Coll Nutr. 9:48-55.

Wall, B., Stephens, F., Constantin-Teodosiu, D., Marmuthu, K., Macdonald, I., Greenhaff, P. (2011). Chronic oral ingestion of l-carnitine and carbohydrate increases muscle carnitine content and alters muscle fuel metabolism during exercise in humans. The Journal of Physiology. 589, 963-973.

Qin, L., Xun, P., Bujnowski, D., Daviglus, M., Van Horn, L., Stamler, J., He, K. (2010). Higher branched-chain amino acid intake is associated with a lower prevalence of being overweight or obese in middle-aged east asian and western adults. The Journal of Nutrition. 141(2), 249-254.

Shimomura, Y., Inaguma, A., Watanabe, S., Yamamoto, Y., Muramatsu, Y., Bajotto, G., Sato, J., Shimomura, N., Kobayashi, H., Mawatari, K. (2010). Branched-chain amino acid supplementation before squat exercise and delayed-onset muscle soreness. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 20(3), 236-244.

Jakobsen, L., Kondrup, J., Zellner, M., Tetens, I., Roth, E. (2011). Effect of a high protein meat diet on muscle and cognitive functions: a randomized controlled dietary intervention trial in healthy men. Clinical Nutrition. 30(3), 303-311.

Our Understanding Is Correlative To Our Perception

2011-10-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

French abstract artist Robert Delaunay once said, "Our understanding is correlative to our perception." If this is true - which it is - we are in deep trouble because we often say and do based on our understanding of what we perceive as valid and true.

Most of the mistakes in our actions and thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic. Everything we do on a daily basis is a consciously made decision based on a conglomerate of thought stemming from our own individual perception of what is logical. French philosopher René Descartes is often quoted as saying, "Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power." What we eat, how we choose to exercise or not, the way we recognize time and our timely obligations are all formulated actions based on our understanding of the world. And this is exactly where the problem lies.

Perception is not reality. What we see as logical is not always necessarily the truth. Case in point: Our government's handling of your health and wellbeing and your doctor's advice when it comes to cancer, heart disease, and other major health concerns that are deemed highly profitable by pharmaceutical companies in this country. Dr. Jack Kevorkian - who I've admired as a very prominent and courageous physician - once infamously said, "Although illness is profound, a transfer of money should never be involved. But medicine's a business today and
so is illness."

Recently, we've been bombarded by blatant lies which distort our perception of logic - all in an effort to prioritize access of powerful corporations, pharmaceuticals, and politicians to benefit their own agenda. You can see here how skewed and faulty research - often highly funded by large corporations to benefit their own cause - are being shoved in the public's throat to distort perception of reality. This practice is insulting our intelligence and is both maddening and disingenuous; exposing us to faulty logical perceptions about our health.

Let's take a step back to illustrate this point. Below are two interesting tests that give you an idea of shadow color perception and hazard perception. Perform each test yourself and see how you score.

First, take a look at the first image with the two boxes. What color are the boxes? Now, take your thumb or fingers and place them in the center of the image exactly where the two boxes meet along the middle crease - essentially covering the entire crease-fold between the two boxes. Are these boxes now the same color or still different? If you did this correctly, you'd notice the boxes are different colors without thumb placement and same color when the middle crease-fold is covered.

Secondly, take a look at the video underneath the image and follow the directions in the video. It only takes 1-minute and will give you an idea of your hazard perception.

What's the point of all this? In visual perception, a color is never seen as it really is physically. It is well documented in all scientific research that color does not exist and that our brains fill in the holes to allow continuation of thought. This means our world isn't always the way we think it necessarily is. It is only the way it is because of the construct of our mind; hence why color does not exist. Our brains are wired in ways that limits seeing outside details, but rather geared to focus on the immediate task at hand. And equally important is our inability to catch the obvious just as the video above. How many of you missed the moon-walking bear in the middle of the screen? This is why multitasking is a bad idea because it promotes stress, confusion, and mistakes. You can get a detailed explanation of brain perception here at Discovery alongside another interesting visual test.

The take-away from all this is that we ought to learn less what the media, authorities, and popular magazines tell us and contemplate more on what is right versus wrong by questioning what we perceive as logical.

For example, just because the news said taking too much vitamins will kill you does not mean the news is right. Just because doctors place "High Cholesterol" charts in front of you to scare you doesn't mean fat is bad for you. Just because you see a Cheerios commercial stating whole grains are good for the heart doesn't mean it is. In fact, everything is quite the opposite of what you've perceived as logical: Too much vitamins seldom kill anyone. The high-cholesterol myth has already been debunked because higher cholesterol makes you live longer as it has little to do with heart disease (remember, it's grain/sugar that causes this inflammation that triggers heart disease). And we all know how dangerous consuming grains can be to the body - including all whole wheat, bread, corn, soy, and cereal. Question what is actually making you sick and not what you've traditionally been told is making you sick.

Perception in our world is highly distorted. As somebody who offers professional services in health and wellbeing, it is my duty to warn and educate individuals the importance of understanding your self duties to achieve fitness, your obligations to exercise and eat right, and most importantly to have a clear mental approach that allows you to weed out faulty distorted information endorsed by media and government. It is very important to approach things with an open mind by challenging everything popular. After all, Oscar Wilde once said, "Everything popular is wrong."

In my field as a health professional, I see individuals who (1) continuously fail to understand the importance of eliminating grain/soy from diet because the ignorant media always tells otherwise, (2) individuals who continue to beat a dead-horse by repeating false information doctors have given them on cholesterol/heart disease even though it is sugar and grain that causes heart disease and weight gain not fat, (3) and individuals who continuously fail to understand the importance of an active lifestyle by thinking a mere 1-2 session per week of exercise with a trainer will transform their bodies into Superman.

I challenge you to wake up and question things around you. To stop fooling yourself in making excuses and to be proactive in your wellbeing. Is what you're doing making you healthy? Are the FDA and CDC guidelines really looking after your wellbeing? Are you constantly making excuses about not having time to exercise? Do you still think 1-2 sessions inconsistently each week is going to make you fit?

I challenge you eat right based on what is right and not what the media or your government says is right. Approach life knowing what you are seeing is not necessarily reality, but rather a perception based on thought. If the colors we are seeing as demonstrated in the above tests are not what perceive them to be, one must beg the question, "How real is the world around us and the information we're fed?"

Arin Gragossian | Arin Training
www.ArinTraining.com

All About Supplementation: Blue Pill or Red Pill?

2011-07-26T23:52:00.000-07:00

In our ongoing quest for wellbeing we often ask ourselves are supplements necessary? Effective? Harmless? Should I take the blue pill or red pill? The short answer is yes, yes, and yes. No I'm not talking about The Matrix or Vitamin Water - although it is a great example of what's wrong with this industry and what not to do. I'm talking about essential vitamins and minerals to support your body in order to live healthy.

Indeed, the supplement industry has done its share of gimmicky sales tactics to sell. Many of the products you buy will be useless (e.g. Vitamin Water) and harmless for that matter; in other words it will either do nothing for you or give you a belly with that added sugar. Many are simply hype with very little research to back them up. But there are a few categories of supplements with legit manufactures that have scientific evidence-based proof that will help you. These are usually the basics from your vitamins to minerals to essential fatty acids to essential amino acids - all the things found in your food, but you'll need additional support through the pill.

Before diving into the benefits of supplementation, we must look to the other side. The evil side: Big pharma prescription drugs. By no means is this something I advocate. There is very little room for use - although there are rare exceptions for certain individuals - and very little benefit from a wellbeing perspective. If you've missed this shocking chart, I suggest taking a close look at some sobering statistics from big pharma companies (Falstrault, 2011).

Prescription pharmaceuticals only hide symptoms rather than treat the larger, underlying problem. For example Viagra is a PDE5 inhibitor, a drug used to block the degradative action of phosphodiesterase type 5 on cyclic GMP in the smooth muscle cells lining the blood vessels supplying the the penis (PubMed Health, 2008). This is clearly just a band-aid cover-up drug for a larger underlying problem your body is signaling you such as heart disease, diabetes, poor adrenal function, and/or inflammation. Fixing your diet such as eliminating grains/processed foods and supporting your metabolic and detoxification pathways through vitamins, minerals, essential fats, essential amino acids, and antioxidants will set you right. Dr. Mercola does a phenomenal job at explaining why most prescription drugs are harmful to your health.

With the evil giant behind us, let's focus on what can and will help you fight disease and perform better at the gym. Without a doubt eating right, drinking plenty of water (no, Vitamin Water does not count), getting enough sleep/recovery, avoiding stress, and exercising appropriately are always the first lines of defense towards oxidation of cells. But living in a post-industrial generation of chronic stress, pollutants, sedentary lifestyle, and poor nutritional habits puts a dent in these efforts. For this reason, supplementation comes into play. Again, we're not talking Vitamin Water, Hydroxycut, or any other gimmick crap on the market. We're talking essential nutrients the body requires.

Thousands of years ago Paleolithic man did not require supplements. Today, we all definitely do. Despite eating well, resting well, and exercising correctly - which most people don't in the first place - supplementation must play an integral part in your diet in order to allow all systems of the body to operate correctly. There are 5 reasons for this:

1. Paleolithic man did not have chronic stress. The only stress he had was what to eat and how fast to sprint in order to get away from the attacking bear. We have chronic stress everyday. In the car. At work. At the airport. It is everywhere and it is here to stay.

2. Foods don't have nutrients anymore. Many of our historically healthy sources of dietary antioxidants have all but disappeared or altered by today’s aggressive factory farming techniques that deplete nutrients from foods. Dr. Robert A. Rakowski has noted that it takes 17 elements to make a healthy plant, but today’s common fertilizers contain only three. So whether we eat these plants or eat animals that have been eating these plants, it’s highly doubtful that these foods contain the nutrient levels listed on the nutrition charts (Poliquin, 2010). In essence, no matter how well you eat, you're still lacking vital nutrients in the amounts required for the body to carry out function and defense.

3. Paleo man ate dirt. You on the other hand don't eat any dirt and wash everything, which is fine, but you're also losing good bacteria. As Mark Sisson of Primal Blueprint notes, Paleo man thousands of years ago ate, "Friendly bacteria that actually helped him better digest food and ward off infections" (Sisson, 2008). This is where probiotics come into play since our bodies - no matter how well you eat - will require healthy gut bacteria.

4. We are highly inflamed. The ratio of pro-inflammatory Omega 6 to anti-inflammatory Omega 3 was close to 1:1. Unfortunately, most of us with a typical American diet today get too much adulterated Omega 6 and too little Omega 3. This unhealthy ratio promotes a constant state of chronic inflammation.

5. Most people are terrible at managing their health. Most people simply do NOT eat well, exercise enough, recover/sleep well, or have friendly gut bacteria in their body to ward off infection. Even if natural foods did have the stated nutritional content as historically designed to have - which it doesn't - people simply don't eat well. I'd guess that 8 out of 10 people eat crap everyday and exercise little to none. Most people eat bread and rice (bad), cereal (bad), processed dried fruit for snack (bad), dairy (bad), and industrial raised grain-fed beef (bad) instead of grass-fed beef (good). Then they go to the gym to perform 60 minutes of aerobic cardio (bad) instead of 20 minute intervals (good), 15 minutes of machine-based ab-crunch workout (bad) instead of lifting weights like a real human should (good), and head to Starbucks for an inorganic coffee (bad) that inflames and raises their cortisol level after workout (bad) and blocks all ability to synthesize protein (bad); not to mention poor sleep and recovery at the end of the day (bad). Does this sound like you?

When clients approach me for health and fitness consultations, supplementation is something that must be addressed, taught, and understood. Contrary to popular belief, there is a myriad of evidence supporting the role supplementation (remember, I'm talking about vitamins/minerals/essential-fats/amino-acids/anti-oxidants). As a starting point, I often like to refer people to this clip when needing to address nutrition and supplementation. They do an amazing job at explaining the importance of food, supplement, and reason current food processing methods produce low nutrient densities (Colquhoun, 2009).

This is a picture of my supplementation protocol. It varies each month and is different from individual to individual therefore do not replicate unless properly assessed and consulted. After assessing my needs through required labs, questionnaires, and personal needs, I've grouped my supplementation in the following categories; although it is common to modify certain supplements on a monthly basis by adding and subtracting various ones to the program:

1. Vitamins

*B-Complex (Active Form)
*B-12 (Methylcobalamin or Cyanocobalamin)
*E-Complex (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta)
*Vitamin D3
*Vitamin C (Calcium Ascorbate or Ascorbic Acid)

Why?
Vitamins C combats the peroxidation of lipids, which has been linked to degeneration and the aging process and has been shown to support biosynthesis of corticosteroids and adrenal gland nutrition (Patak, 2004). Vitamin B-12 is essential for the proper production of blood platelets and red and white blood cells and for the metabolism of nutrients necessary for cell growth (Nowak, 2005). Vitamin E is an essential free radical scavenger, but be sure you get in natural complex-form not single synthesized form since those can increase prostate cancer risk. Vitamin D3 is a no-brainer because it is a cancer-fighting hormone. Most individuals are low in vitamin D due to lack of sun, sunblock overuse, and poor grain-based/inorganic meat diet.

2. Minerals

*Magnesium (Glycinate, Citrate, Ororate, or Taurate)
*Zinc (Glycinate, Arginate, or Picolinate)
*Selenium (Se-methylselenocysteine or L-selenomethionine; get with Vitamin E)

Why?
Magnesium is required by the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesizing protein in mitochondria. Magnesium is required for the active transport of ions like potassium and calcium across cell membranes. Through its role in ion transport systems, magnesium affects the conduction of nerve impulses, muscle contractions, and normal heart rhythm (Song, 2005). Zinc is crucial because of the biochemical processes in which has been found to be necessary include enzyme activity, carbohydrate metabolism and protein synthesis (Zhou, 2005). Selenium is an important trace mineral that supports the heart; and as research suggests is an optimum antioxidant for immune protection, protecting the heart from virus.

3. Essential Fats

*EPA/DHA Omega-3 Krill Oil
*GLA Omega-6 Borage Oil
*Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Why?
As mentioned, Omega-3 is crucial for heart health and anti-inflammation. Balancing out the ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 is important. It is also important to note that Omega-6 is not bad. It is simply best to avoid the adulterated omega-6 (which is found in grains and in industrial grain-fed meats NOT grass-fed meats) and opt for omega-6 via borage oil. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is used mainly because I consume loads of whey protein. Dairy-based whey protein has a particular growth factor known as betacellulin that may contribute to the development of certain cancers such as prostate, colorectal and breast. CLA - which is found in the fat portion of milk - counteracts the effect of betacellulin (Poliquin, 2011).

4. Digestion/Probiotics

*Pancreatic Enzymes
*Hydrochloric Acid w/ Pepsin
*Digestive Aid (Combo of Bile, HCL, and Enzymes)
*Probiotics (8-14 Strains / 10-40 Billion)

Why?
Pancreatic Enzymes help support the pancreas and help digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates (Milla, 1994). Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) is necessary to maintain the optimum acidity (pH 1-3) for pepsin function and helps in digestion of fats and proteins (Kelly, 1997). Probiotics come in a wide variety of types, mainly categorized as 'Lactobacilli' or 'Bifidobacteria.' Lactobacilli can help with intruding bacteria that can cause ulcers such as h-pylori, helps with sugar breakdown/lactose intolerance, useful in nutrient absorption, and helps with acid levels that can reduce various pathogens and yeast. Bifidobacteria is found much lower in the stomach - mainly in the large intestines - protecting from bacteria and yeast. This is a toxic fighter and can be helpful in fighting cancer. Bifidobacteria are the probiotics that are responsible for bowel movements and is also the good bacteria found in babies intestines. It is recommended you thoroughly research the exact type(s) of probiotic strains needed for your condition or find a good general probiotic containing approximately 8 strains of 10-20 billion organisms for health maintenance. The older you are and the less clean your diet, the more potent formula - such as a 14-strain/40-billion - you'll require. Here's a fairly good, easy-to-read guide to probiotics.

5. Amino Acids/Sleep

*Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA)
*L-Carnitine (Tartrate or Acetyl)
*L-Glutamine
*L-Taurine
*L-Arginine (get with B Vitamins)
*5-HTP
*Melatonin (get with L-Theanine)

Why?
BCAA use is of utmost importance no matter who you are. The benefits are well documented in clinical studies ranging from improving strength, endurance, lowering muscle soreness, improving insulin sensitivity, raising testosterone, lowering fat, and improving protein synthesis/muscle gain (Poliquin, 2009). Charles Poliquin does a good job explaining it here with evidence-based references that are well documented in clinical trials. L-Glutamine is yet another vital amino-acid. As one of the most abundant of the amino acids which play a role in muscle recovery, L-Glutamine plays a key role in the metabolism, structure, and function of the entire gastrointestinal tract, and its extensive immune system. It is the preferred respiratory fuel for cells called enterocytes and colonocytes (Li, 1994). L-Carnitine is essential because it binds to androgen receptors in the cells. It is also used for energy metabolism in the mitochondria. L-Taurine is another crucial amino acid because of its role in heart function and protection against free radical damage to cells. L-Arginine, similar to L-Taurine, is also used to maintain or improve heart function because of its role in synthesis of nitric oxide to improve blood flow, keeping homocysteine levels (inflammation) in check, and providing synthesis of proteins and production of creatine phosphate - which is fantastic as a growth hormone response formula especially if taken on an empty stomach before bedtime.

6. Other Antioxidants

*Astaxanthin
*Glutathione (Reduced)
*Ubiquinol CoQ10
*R-Lipoic Acid
*Curcumin

Why?
Glutathione in reduced form is something I think everyone must take. This is because the level of glutathione in the liver is critically linked to the liver's ability to detoxify. The higher the glutathione content, the greater the liver's capacity to detoxify harmful chemicals. Typically, when we are exposed to chemicals which can damage the liver, the concentration of glutathione in the liver is substantially reduced. This reduction in glutathione renders liver cells susceptible to damage (Cascinu, 1995). Ubiquinol CoQ10 is an important energy co-factor. Individuals with low energy should get this checked and begin supplementing with CoQ10. CoQ10 is directly linked to supporting and maintaining proper heart function. R-Lipoic Acid is needed to produce energy. It is a unique antioxidant which helps deactivate a wide array of cell-damaging free radicals in many bodily systems (Packer, 1998). Lastly, Curcumin is one of my personal all-time favorite food-based supplements I like to take because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Curcumin is essentially turmeric (yellow spice used in Indian food) and can be used to cook with. Dr. Mercola has written extensively on evidence-based research supporting curcumin as a cancer fighter.

Remember, before jumping online to purchase all the listed supplements, you'll need to get your nutrition assessed. Taking supplements requires research and lab work to specify the exact type of nutrients your body needs. What's true for me doesn't always hold true for you. I urge you to get some lab tests done to see what you're deficient in terms of amino acids, minerals, inflammatory markers, energy co-factors, and yeast. I also urge you to perform a self-test of hydrochloric acid levels to see how much you require. Some simple blood-work for Vitamin D3 levels is also recommended. All this can be done with a functional medicine practitioner. If you need help finding one, please contact me and I'll be glad to refer you to a local office. For information on a basic supplement protocol, including adrenal profile, HCl-test, Zinc-tally test, Niacin-test, and a nutritional assessment, I can personally help you. Don't hesitate to ask if you need help starting a program.

Arin Gragossian | Arin Training
www.ArinTraining.com

References

Cascinu S, Cordella L, Del Ferro E, et al. Neuroprotective effect of reduced glutathione on cisplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. J Clin Oncol. 1995; 13:26-32.

Colquhoun, J (Director). (2009). Food Matters [DVD]. Available from http://www.youtube.com/user/ArinPT?feature=mhee#p/f/9/RwZY1jaw2EM

Falstrault, E. (2011, July 21). The statistics about pharmaceutical companies [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.bodhifitonline.com/blog/2011/07/21/the-statistics-about-pharmaceutical-companies/

Kelly GS. Hydrochloric Acid: Physiological Functions and Clinical Implications. Alternative Medicine Review. 2;2;1997.

Li J, Langkamp-Henken B, Suzuki K, Stahlgren LH. Glutamine prevents parenteral nutrition-induced increases in intestinal permeability. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1994 Jul-Aug;18(4):289-90.

Milla CE, Wielinski CL, Warwick WJ. High-strength pancreatic enzymes. Lancet 1994;343:599.

Nowak M, Swietochowska E, Wielkoszynski T, Marek B, Kos-Kudla B, Szapska B, Kajdaniuk D, Glogowska-Szelag J, Sieminska L, Ostrowska Z, Koziol H, Klimek J. Homocysteine, vitamin B12, and folic acid in age-related macular degeneration. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2005 Nov-Dec;15(6):764-7.

Packer L. alpha-Lipoic acid: a metabolic antioxidant which regulates NF-kappa B signal transduction and protects against oxidative injury. Drug Metab Rev. 1998;30(2):245-275.

Patak P, Willenberg HS, Bornstein SR. Vitamin C is an important cofactor for both adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla. Endocr Res. 2004 Nov;30(4):871-5.

Poliquin, C. (2011). Why supplementing cla with your whey protein is a great idea [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/193/Tip-20-Why-supplementing-CLA-with-your-whey-protein-is-a-great-idea.aspx

Poliquin, C. (2010). How i replenish magnesium levels [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/255/How_I_Replenish_Magnesium_Levels.aspx

Poliquin, C. (2009). The benefits of BCAAs: 10 quick tips and detailed research [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/654/The_Benefits_of_BCAAs_10_Quick_Tips_and_Detailed_R.aspx

Sildenafil. (2008). Pubmed health. Retrieved July 27, 2011, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001046/

Sisson, M. (2008, November 26). Grok didn't take supplements so why should i [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-to-primal-supplementation/

Song Y, Manson JE, Cook NR, Albert CM, Buring JE, Liu S. Dietary magnesium intake and risk of cardiovascular disease among women. Am J Cardiol. 2005 Oct 15;96(8):1135-41. Epub 2005 Aug 29.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2003. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 16. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp.

Zhou W, Park S, Liu G, Miller DP, Wang LI, Pothier L, Wain JC, Lynch TJ, Giovannucci E, Christiani DC. Dietary iron, zinc, and calcium and the risk of lung cancer. Epidemiology. 2005 Nov;16(6):772-9.

Less Is More: Stop Trying To Be Functionally Creative

2011-07-13T00:30:00.000-07:00

In the previous post, I discussed the essentials of myofascial release (and some stretching) as it relates to our autonomic nervous system. With this post, I'd like to discuss a few issues I'm having with strength training and strength training professionals as it relates to the weight room.

First off, do understand the simple fact that less is more. The more refined the car, the better it looks. The more minimal and clean the interior design of a room, the better it looks. As in everything in life, we are asked to keep things simple to avoid confusion and problem.

Would you take a pimped-out 1998 Honda Civic with Jesus Christ statuettes all over the dashboard, 20-inch chrome wheels that cost more than the car itself, and a giant exhaust pipe that screams more attention than a blonde naked women crossing the street? Or would you rather take a more subtle approach with something more refined without all the nonsense fancy customization? I'd assume you'd take the latter.

In the fitness industry, the problem is two-fold:

1. I'm getting the sense some people are completely out of touch with the fundamentals of lifting. Out of touch with sound bio-mechanics. Out of touch with simplicity and simply getting the job done without all the hype and gimmick. For some reason, a handful of fitness professionals all over the country opt for the most "bang for your buck" exercises that have been created off the top of their head without any reason or rhyme. And for some reason, clients believe the more exercise combinations they can perform in 45 minutes, the better off they'll be. This vicious cycle repeats itself over and over again - with trainers creating baffling exercise combinations grouped up in a 45-minute time slot and clients reinforcing this notion by pretending to love it and asking for more without seeing any real results in the weight room by way of either (1) body-composition or (2) performance-gains.

Devil's Advocate: I guess I can play devil's advocate and say exactly what's been argued about this topic - the exercises are functional.

Functional! Standing on a Bosu Ball with weights flying around your head is functional? Tossing kettlebells around and rotating out of control is functional? Kipping squats off the floor is functional? Blasting off in awkward transverse positions using the new TRX Rip-Trainer is functional? Jumping from the floor to the ceiling upside down is functional? Okay I'm kidding, but you get my drift. With jokes aside, I'd say those things are more an insurance and safety liability than anything labeled "creative."

2. Secondly, too often than not clients and prospective clients approach me with questions about new gadgets, videos, and fitness toys they've seen or heard about. Shake Weight. TRX Rip-Trainer. Body By Jake. P90X. Kettle-Worx. Etc. My answer is unanimously the same, simple answer: "No."

To accomplish heath and fitness gains, you have to do 5 simple things:

1- Release overactive/tight areas using myofascial techniques.
2- Lengthen overactive/tight areas using simple stretching methods.
3- Strengthen weak and under-active muscles with simple strength training patterns on all planes of motion using vertical pulls (think pull-ups), horizontal pulls (think bent rows), horizontal pushes (think bench press), vertical pushes (think shoulder press), knee-dominant leg work (think squats), and hip-dominant leg work (think deadlifting).
4- Increase overall performance grains (and/or weight loss) by manipulating rep/set/tempo on the above strength patterns while incorporating intervals sprints or metabolic work that increase cardiovascular capacity.
5- Cut out your processed foods and grains and opt for something with fresh meats and veggies WITH proper supplementation.

No secrets, no hype, no gimmick, no fitness toys that look like sex toys, no advertising, no bullshit. A simple roll, stretch, and weight-lift alongside sound nutrition gets the job done quite well if you're honest with yourself.

People are spending millions of dollars per year wasting money on useless fitness gadgets, videos, and toys that never work. Even worse, we are collectively becoming fatter and fatter. Most have lost touch with reality and the idea that less is more. Most have been too engulfed in the idea that something must look good in order to work well. Are all the useless, countless types of intricate abdominal crunches really slimming down your belly? Or do you think you'll need to lay off the carbohydrates and begin squatting using correct form and load?

I often find myself spending approximately 70 minutes addressing a workout of just squats and pull-ups! That's it! Two exercise variations in 70 minutes! And guess what? This individual just accomplished more, sweated more, and learned more than the individual who performed 16 different exercises in an hour.

Don't get me wrong. I use fitness gadgets such as the original TRX, resistance bands, Cook Bands, and abdominal-wheels. But they all have their place and brief time to address custom needs (e.g. Cook Band for deadlift progression, mini-bands for abduction, or ab-wheel for advanced core work - I use many things!). Nonetheless, quality is more important than quantity and less is definitely more.

If you really have to sell me a product or explain to me in more than 1 sentence on why it is important - I can tell you first hand that what you're trying to sell me is complete hogwash.

Just as you don't have to be a genius to know that vegetables are good for you and processed foods are bad, you don't need an hour-long infomercial on the importance of the simple methods explained above. You don't need an ad campaign to promote why you're the greatest of all trainers if you actually get the job done. Results and hard work come with dedication, consistency, patience, and simplicity. Once you complicate things, you lose focus of what it is you're trying to accomplish.

Now lay off your sex-toy looking fitness gadgets, put down your Tony Horton love-tape, and throw away your box of processed cereal in exchange for some vitamins, a foam roller, and a barbell. You'll accomplish more with just those items than you would with ALL of the fitness toys sold on TV or the internet combined. Stop trying to be functionally creative and start thinking of what's needed to get the job done in a subtle, simple way. Sit-ups and ridiculous Bosu jumps out. Hard working deep squats and barbell bent rows in.

Arin Gragossian | Arin Training
www.ArinTraining.com

Back To Basics: Why You Must Self-Release

2011-07-09T01:15:00.000-07:00

After a long absence from blogging, I think it would be appropriate to come back with some basic information that for the most of us is merely a redundant brain-refresher, but for some of us completely new.

As health and human performance professionals, we've known for years the importance of self myofascial-release. We've seen numerous studies, anecdotal evidence, and practical application of such a simple concept: Roll the tight areas of your muscles to release trigger points which help inhibit overactive muscles that allow better range of motion and better ability to lift in the weight room.

But what's missing is we may take for granted all the science behind it and more importantly, take for granted the importance of such a simple pre-exercise (or even bedtime) routine. At the very least, I'll speak for myself. You see, in June 2011, I suffered a grade-I tear of my pectoralis major (chest muscle). I received approximately 2 weeks of therapy by a wonderful practitioner Peter Ngo of Peter Knows Therapy (www.PeterKnowsTherapy.com). In no time, I was back up and in normal range of motion with some manual therapy, self myofascial-release, self static stretching, and simple rest.

But that's not the point of my tale. The point is that this injury could have easily been prevented had I regularly kept releasing and stretching my muscles before my workout. The chest is after all a common tight and over active spot for most people including myself; especially those who have upper crossed syndrome due to a lot of sitting, typing, driving, and 'push' workouts. This is not to say I don't self-release or stretch. In fact, I do it everyday. However, for this particular week, I had been bracing for time and feeling quite overzealous for an upcoming vacation that I simply omitted stretching and used all my time to lift weights. Bad idea. A simple self myofascial-release (followed by stretching) would have gone a long way.

In a published study presented in the Journal of Sports Rehabilitation, Curran and colleagues used both a multilevel rigid roller and a bio-foam roller to determine if self myofascial-release did any justice. Their study concluded that the significantly higher pressure and isolated contact area with the multilevel rigid roller suggested a potential higher benefit in self myofascial-release (Curran, 2008).

In a 1993 published study by Sucher documenting four patients with carpal tunnel syndrome who underwent myofascial-release and self-stretching, the results were plain and simple. Patients who were given a myofascial-release and stretching protocol improved clinically (Sucher, 1993). The nerve conduction studies showed concomitant reduction in distal latencies or increase in motor response amplitudes. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated that the anteroposterior and transverse dimensions of the carpal canal significantly increased after treatment (1993).

And finally, in a randomized controlled clinical trial published in February of 2011 on patients with chronic heel-pain, Renan-Ordine and colleagues concluded that there is strong evidence that manual therapies (such as self myofascial release) to a self-stretching protocol resulted in superior outcomes as compared to a self-stretching program alone in the treatment of patients with plantar heel pain (Renan-Ordine, 2011).

So what is myofascial-release exactly and why is it important?

Myofascial-release is simply a fancy word that means slowly putting pressure on tender areas of your body to release tension. You can use a multitude of tools - from foam rollers to tennis balls - but for general purposes we'll stick to foam rolling. Self myofascial-release is used primarily for three reasons:

1. To alleviate or release active or latent trigger points - which are areas in the muscle tissue which are tender due to over activity which cause local pain in and around the area.

2. Influence the autonomic nervous system - which is the component of the nervous system responsible for controlling the heart, blood vessels, and other visceral organs as well as responsible for releasing hormones responsible for energy metabolism and cardiovascular functions (think back to your biology: parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, 'fight or flight' mechanism).

3. To reduce tissue viscosity, decrease global muscle tonus, and smooth out muscle cells in the fascia. In essence, it helps your muscles relax and make your daily movement patterns more fluid without potential compensation due to over-activity on one end and inactivity on the other reciprocal end.

How does all this work? Self myofascial-release involves external pressure using a foam roller (or tennis ball, manual therapy, etc). This external pressure, which performed slowly over a period of 30-120 seconds per muscle area, stimulates various receptors located throughout the muscle fascia - a membrane deep under the skin. There are three different types of receptors that are being stimulated during this rolling: The Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO), the Interstitial Receptors (IR), and the Ruffini Endings (RE). Once these receptors are excited with the heavy external pressure you produce, they create an inhibitory or relaxation response which in turn make the otherwise over-active muscle loosen up, relax, and allow lengthening. This is now the perfect time to begin stretching that muscle since it has now been excited by the receptors. This is why rolling (first) goes hand in hand with stretching (second).

The practical application of this can be used in various examples. Women, for example, generally love wearing high-heels. Writing about the detriments of high-heels is of a completely different subject, but the facts will remain: High-heels will make the gastrocnemius and soleus (muscles of the calf) short, contracted, and very tight. In other words, it may feel knotted and tender to the touch. Using a foam roller to perform a slow, controlled self myofascial-release technique on these tight muscles will allow them to release tension and inhibit some of the over-activity it's been producing. You can then couple this inhibition of the tight, over-active muscle with some calf lengthening stretching to really improve the function of your calf. Generally speaking approximately 30-60 seconds is enough if you have low-pain tolerance on a given tender area. Otherwise, 90-120 seconds is preferable if you have a high-pain tolerance on a given tender area and can handle some pain. As you practice self myofascial-release, you will find less and less tender areas while improving pain tolerance.

If all this still doesn't make any sense, just think of it this way: Self rolling and stretching everyday is important. It is nearly as important as eating, sleeping, and breathing since your muscles play a direct role in your ability to move and function correctly.

Arin Gragossian | Arin Training
www.ArinTraining.com

References

Curran, PF., Fiore, RD., Crisco, JJ. (2008). A comparison of the pressure exerted on soft tissue by 2 myofascial rollers. J Sport Rehabil. Nov;17(4):432-42.

Sucher, BM. (1993). Myofascial manipulative release of carpal tunnel syndrome: documentation with magnetic resonance imaging. J Am Osteopath Assoc. Dec;93(12):1273-8.

Renan-Ordine, R., Alburquerque-Sendín, F., de Souza, DP., Cleland, JA., Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C. (2011). Effectiveness of myofascial trigger point manual therapy combined with a self-stretching protocol for the management of plantar heel pain: a randomized controlled trial. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. Feb;41(2):43-50.

Why I Don't Endorse Steady Jogging: A Review

2010-08-03T23:26:00.000-07:00

PART 1: THE SCIENCE

In health and human performance, we often examine the various biomarkers and other indicators to gauge the different effects of physical exercise. The human body is capable of performing at incredible levels. It is our responsibility to examine these levels of performance to grasp a better understanding of how the human body is changing in an effort to better prescribe and program exercise protocols. One such problem, as documented in various studies, is the effect of long-term steady-state aerobic endurance training – such as marathon running – on human adrenal function. By reviewing the effects of such training, we can further investigate the problems associated with and potentially program a more suitable method of training for individuals involved in health and human performance.

A review of several studies, which included studies involving marathon runners, cross-country skiers, and cyclists, conclude that steady-state endurance training places additional adrenal stress on the human body with consequences varying from elevated levels of cortisol to decreases in testosterone and growth hormone. These studies also explain why endurance training, as opposed to interval training, led to atrophy of muscle mass. Too often unfortunately, we find fitness and performance professionals using endurance training for the wrong reasons. Upon review of these studies, the fitness professional may find it more appropriate to program a non steady-state mode of aerobic training to eliminate the potential harms for clients seeking both weight-loss and muscle mass.

The first study looked at was female long-distance runners. With the increasing participation of females in strenuous long-distance endurance exercises, Dale and colleagues sought to compare the weekly stress from endurance running in relation to hormonal patterns (Dale, 1981). Thirty-seven women, with a range of 19 to 43 years of age, were classified in three distinct categories: runners (steady-state running up to 65 km per week and have completed runs of up to 42 km per event), joggers (running between 8 km to 50 km per week, but never participated in activities longer than 10 km), and the control group (no formal endurance running, but did participate in weekly recreational jogging activity). The measuring procedure included a questionnaire and a complete protocol including skinfold measurements, submaximal exercise stress test on treadmill, and blood samples for multiple serum chemical analysis and serum hormone determinations.

Dale concluded that a significant alteration in menstrual regularity was evident among both runners and joggers compared to the control group, with the highest irregularity from the running group (Dale, 1981). This irregularity is evidence of a heightened hormonal stress due to endurance running. Another significant finding was that although limb skinfold thickness for the distance runners were significantly less, torso skinfold differences for all three groups did not significantly reduce (Dale, 1981). A few years later a more thorough body-fat study in joggers was presented in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. In this study, no significant body-fat loss was observed upon examination of 1.6 km, 3.2 km, and 4.8 km steady-state joggers (Toriola, 1984). We can conclude from Dale’s study that hormone irregularity, altered body fat percentages limited to limbs and not the torso, as well as changes in adrenal hormonal function may represent a natural response to the physical stress from chronic endurance running and jogging.

A more recent study by Hew-Butler also reinforces these earlier studies. Using seven runners, the study compared the effects of 10-minute high-intensity running, 60-minute steady-state running, and 6-hour endurance running on participants with each test 6 months apart. Significant post-race values were noted for endurance and steady-state runners compared to the high-intensity group (Hew Butler, 2008). These values included concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol, corticosterone, and deoxycortisol. Hew-Butler surmises that prolonged endurance running elicits a statistically significant endocrine response not replicated in the 10 minute high-intensity group and 60-minute steady-state group (Hew-Butler, 2008). In addition to the endocrine response, a significant muscle breakdown can be observed in the endurance runners and steady-state runners compared to the high-intensity runners. These metabolic factors, which include substrate loss and muscular atrophy, can help explain the significant weight loss over total exercise time (Hew-Butler, 2008).

In a 1994 study by Ponjee and colleagues regarding androgen turnover rates during endurance running, Ponjee notes that cortisol, a well-documented stress-related hormone, “Increases in response to maximal and submaximal exercise as well as to anxiety or severe illness” (Ponje, 1994). In this study, serum cortisol levels in participants at least doubled after the endurance running event.

The studies of high cortisol rates for individuals participating in steady-state endurance activities such as running are abundant in the field. Examining 15 marathon runners with no previous medical disorders for prior 6 months, Haq and colleagues devised a study to collect blood and saliva samples of runners to see changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets associated with marathon running. The result of the study demonstrated that long-term endurance exercise influenced the T-cell subsets (lymphocytes) and produced stress-dependent leukocytosis, which was correlated with increased serum cortisol levels (Haq, 1993). Nielsen, who conducted a similar more recent study published in the American College of Sports Medicine, reinforced Haq’s findings and concluded that prolonged exercise helps explain why many athletes may be more prone to infectious disease (Nielsen, 2004).

These studies are not limited to runners. Väänänen et al. conducted a study to explore the hormonal responses to 100 km cross-country skiing during 2 days of performance. Blood samples were obtained before and after skiing, and after 1 week’s recovery, to determine the concentrations of testosterone and cortisol for the endurance skiers. The study showed testosterone level reduced by over 20% after both days and cortisol increased 2.2- and 2.6-fold after the endurance training event (Väänänen, 2004). Väänänen concludes that participants in the 2 days’ prolonged skiing exercise went through a period of heavy physical stress (2004) and long-distance endurance events provoke a hormonal overreaching as evidenced in the decreases in testosterone and increases in serum cortisol. An earlier study in 2000 published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine also concluded that long-term steady-state distance training was inversely related to testosterone levels in 40-55 year old male runners (MacKelvie, 2000).

Steering away from skiers, marathon runners and into a more practical study comparing 30-minutes of continuous steady-state versus 5-minutes long intervals, Venables and colleagues attempted to measure and analyze the effects of steady-state running on metabolism and insulin sensitivity for obese subjects. Because obesity is associated with insulin resistance which can lead to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, many studies have sought to examine the relationship steady-state cardiovascular exercise plays in response to insulin sensitivity. The study concluded that a continuous steady-state exercise protocol that educes high rates of fat oxidation increases the contribution of fat to substrate oxidation during exercise and may significantly increase insulin sensitivity compared to an interval training protocol (Venables, 2008).

Earlier studies are in direct contrast to these findings. Previous studies have shown that steady-state exercise of relatively low intensity has no change in insulin sensitivity in both healthy and obese groups. Sears et al. researched the effects of 6 months of low-intensity training (walking 4–5 days per week for 30 min per session at approximately 60% HRmax) followed by 6 months of high-intensity exercise training (cycling, treadmill walking, or jogging 3–4 days per week for 30 min per session at 80–90% HRmax) in healthy older individuals. The study concluded that that high-intensity training was more beneficial in terms of increased insulin sensitivity as compared to steady-state low intensity training (Sears, 1984).

These studies show the effects of steady-state, long-term endurance training on the human adrenal function. Adrenal burnout, hormonal overreaching, or oxidative stress, among other terms, are attributes commonly used in relation to individuals participating in chronic steady-state endurance exercises. These studies should serve as a resource to program reasonable protocols with most desirable benefits for trainers and coaches in health and human performance in addition to serving as an educational starting point for individuals and clients interesting in performing steady-state endurance exercises.

PART 2: YOU ARE HUMAN. ACT LIKE ONE

Practically speaking, humans were never meant to run long distances for a long period of time. It is not in our genes. Biologically, we were not intended to have that capacity. We were intended to have a brain to make tools and to make decisions on where to hide and hunt. We used our brains to develop tools to hunt animals and just enough anaerobic capacity to sprint and outrun them if in danger. However, as humans we cannot outrun an accelerating cheetah over a large plain field, but can probably sprint to find a good hiding place. Even the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, would not be able to keep up with a cheetah after about 20 seconds of running if they went head to head.

If this doesn't make any sense, then just take a look at yourself. Do you walk/run upright or do you walk/run on your hands and knees/feet? I rest my case.

Do understand that as humans, our running technique is complete garbage compared to other animals. Human bipedalism (on two feet only) in running is energetically expensive relative to quadrupedal running such as cheetahs and other animals on all-fours (Heinrich, 2001). The reason we are upright instead of counterpart species is because we need our hands to be free to work in conjunction with the brain. Brain tells us what to do and we take action. Think of a hunter with a bow and arrow who has a bear in front of him. Would he try to outrun the bear (good luck) or will he simply use his brain to hunt or hide from the bear?

Our bipedalistic upright stance is extremely energetically costly and is not intended to be used for long periods of time. Does a human need to learn how to run? Of course. Running efficiency involves neuromuscular mechanical coordination that is only acquired through years of training. Have you ever seen a new runner or a de-conditioned individual attempt to run? It is a horrendous scene with a major injury waiting to happen. An aerobically-based animal, meanwhile, does not need years of running training as it is inherently present.

This is why as humans, we are not runners. We should not act like something we are not. You do not see an elephant trying to jump nor do you see a pig trying to fly.

PART 3: PRACTICAL APPLICATION

It is well documented from the studies above as well as those by scientist and researcher Bernd Heinrich that the cost of aerobic running fitness is loss of muscular strength no matter what angle you look at (Heinrich, 2001). In addition, I've already discussed and presented studies that prove chronic long-term steady-state aerobics causes a myriad of health problems such as hormonal inconsistencies (missed cycles for females), decreased growth hormone, and decreased testosterone (which may lead to depression as some studies suggest) all due to a poorly functioning adrenal glad that is pumping out way too much cortisol for the body to handle.

I ask you this: Why in the world would I want to take my client through such horror? As a professional fitness consultant, personal trainer, and strength coach, prescribing aerobic-based steady-state cardiovascular exercises for clients with weight-loss and muscle-building goals would be categorized as negligence, improper design, and sheer stupidity.

Individual's bodies do not look better through long-term steady-state training. Take a look at a marathon runner versus a sprinter. Most individuals would point to the sprinter as someone they'd prefer to look like or deem "healthier" looking in contrast to a marathon runner. Of course this is a generalized, opinionated statement, but I'm confident this is how most feel should you engage in a sample survey.

With constant aerobics, you are harming your client and you are improving the chances of losing muscle mass, losing proper adrenal function, injuring knees from prolonged stress on tendons due to constant repetitive pattern, being "sickly" looking (this is just an opinionated observation), and improving your chances of client not coming back to you because of your negligence in proper program design.

At Arin Training, I attribute my success to properly coaching individuals in (1) diet and nutrition, (2) educating individuals about their limitations/weaknesses while addressing these limitations/weaknesses, (3) prescribing both strength training and metabolic interval training for body composition. Results have been very encouraging as I've personally helped individuals lose upwards 55 pounds without doing a single bout of steady-state aerobic training. Some of the males are easily performing 15 pullups on the back end of their strength workout while some of the females are performing full pushups with correct form, knees off the floor.

This is how I gauge practical success and this is exactly how a client walking through the door wants to feel. They want to lose weight, do pullups, do pushups, and feel really good! And guess what? They never performed steady-aerobics, they've added lean muscle, are injury free, and don't look like a starving marathon runner whose hormones are completely out of whack and arms are as thin as a toothpick. That my friend, is practicality at its finest.

Arin Gragossian | Arin Training
www.ArinTraining.com

PART 4: MIKE BOYLE'S EXPLANATION ON DEATH OF AEROBICS

Mike Boyle, a former competitive power-lifter who has been in the industry for over 35 years and is a well-respected individual in health and human performance, explains why he never uses aerobic-based training (such as jogging) for any athlete or client seeking weight loss or performance. Simply put, "It is a waste of time because we've been lied to." See for yourself below.

References

Boyle, M. Mike Boyle's Functional Strength Coach [Video]. (2007). Retrieved August 3, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7roMQVqUFM&feature=player_embedded

Dale, E., Alexander, C., Gerlach, D., & Martin, D. (1981). Hormone profiles of women long distance runners. In, Poortmans, J. and G. Niset (eds.), Biochemistry of exercise IV-B, Baltimore, University Park Press.

Haq, A., Al-Hussein, K., Lee, J., & Al-Sedairy, S. (1993). Changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets associated with marathon running. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 25(2), 186-190.

Hew-Butler, T. (2008). Acute changes in endocrine and fluid balance markers during high intensity, steady-state, and prolonged endurance running: Unexpected increases in oxytocin and brain natriuretic peptide during exercise. European Journal of Endocrinology, 159(6), 729-737.

Heinrich, B. (2001). Why We Run. Harper Collins. New York.

Hew-Butler, T., Noakes, T. D., & Soldin, S. J, et al. (2010). Acute changes in arginine vasopressin, sweat, urine and serum sodium concentrations in exercising humans: does a coordinated homeostatic relationship exist? British Journal of Sports Medicine.

MacKelvie, K. J., Taunton, J. E., & McKay, H. A, et al. (2000). Bone mineral density and serum testosterone in chronically trained, high mileage 40 -55 year old male runners. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 34, 273-278.

Nielsen, H., Hagberg, I., & Lyberg, T. (2004). Marathon running leads to partial exhaustion of ROS-generating capacity in leukocytes. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 36(1), 68-73.

Ponjee, G., DeRooy, H., & Vader, H. (1994). Androgen turnover during marathon running. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 26(10), 1274-1277.

Seals DR, Hagberg JM, Hurley BF, Ehsani AA, Holloszy JO. (1984). Effects of endurance training on glucose tolerance and plasma lipid levels in older men and women. JAMA. 252:645–649.

Toriola, A. L. (1984). Influence of 12-week jogging on body fat and serum lipids. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 18, 13-17.

Väänänen, I., Vasankari, T., Mäntysaari, M., & Vihko, V. (2004). Hormonal responses to 100 km cross-country skiing during 2 days. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 44(3), 309-314.

Venables, M., & Jeukendrup, A. (2008). Endurance training and obesity: effect on substrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(3), 495-502.

Arin Gragossian | Arin Training
www.ArinTraining.com

Sexy Bodies, Blitzing Biceps, & P90X: Debunking Myths Of Popular Workouts

2009-12-21T00:32:00.000-08:00

Every exercise program - whether with a trainer or on your own is designed for one thing: To keep you healthy and moving your best. And healthy is undoubtedly the key word. It is only when some of these popular exercise programs begin to compensate your health due to their potential design flaws that need further attention and dialog to raise awareness.

As a personal fitness trainer and strength coach, one of the most common questions continuously asked is: "Does P90X work?" Because of this, I'm going to dedicate a detailed blog about P90X and other popular "bubble gum" magazine workout programs designed for the masses.

THE FLAWED MAGAZINE WORKOUTS

You've seen them in the checkout aisle. You've had a friend recommend it to you. You've probably even bought them yourself out of curiosity. Popular magazines - and let's not call names here - constantly bombard the masses with something like "How To Bomb Blitz Your Biceps For The Ladies In 4 Weeks" or "How To Flatten Your Belly & Pump Your Butt For The Beach In 10 Days." Then they add a cute little picture of some Photoshop-altered celebrity or anabolic steroid using model.

Number one, weight loss or gain this quick is harmful to the body and will trigger other more serious health concerns. These claims are readily rebuked by anyone who’s tried to lose five, ten, or twenty pounds. Contrary to these magazines, it’s definitely not in a pill and it definitely doesn't work in just one, two, or three weeks. In fact, the first several weeks of strength gain for a beginner is more likely due to active neurons exciting the recruitment of more muscle spindles than it is to actual hypertrophy (essentially more neural adaptation than actual mass/size). In short, any new fitness program should be a lifestyle change that must continue indefinitely throughout your life and not just the span of a personal training package or in this case a popular magazine article that tells you to workout for 10 days to get ready for the beach.

Number two, there is a major design flaw in most of these magazine workout programs. Most these programs neglect multi-joint movements (squats, lunges, cleans) and focus on fatiguing very small single-joint muscles such as the biceps or triceps. These are the "beach beauty" muscles which don't need a lot of work unless you are a professional bodybuilder in competition. A good workout program should incorporate all muscles of the body in all planes of motion: Vertical and horizontal pushes, pulls, and rotations for all capable joints. By performing a solid round of pullups, pushups, squats, deadlifts, and snatches - you would have already exercised the biceps and triceps muscles since these are synergists (help to assist) to the larger acting muscles - the agonists. Then if you really want, you can add just 1 or 2 of the "beach beauty" muscles on your own at the end of the workout such as a few sets of simple biceps curls. Remember guys, there is NO REASON for you to perform 5 different types of biceps exercises one after another for an entire hour. Believe me, I see this all the time.

Your body needs harmony. Think of it this way: Every time you push a weight away from your body in one exercise (e.g. chest bench press), you'll need to pull a weight towards your body to harmonize in another exercise (e.g. seated or bent back row) unless something is weaker than the other - which in most cases it is the back not the chest. So, if you push a weight away using your internal rotators 100 times, you'll need to pull a weight towards you using your external rotators 100 times. If you have an imbalance, then you'll need to perform a few more or a few less.

I was just looking at a magazine a few days ago and it said something in the lines of 'FOOTBALL-LIKE BODY IN JUST 30 DAYS.' Of course, this article had little to do with football nor did the author have anything to do with football training since football training requires loads of agility and speed drills with strength work on the hips and knees. It was simply an article aimed to rip up a man's chest and shoulders so that it can turn a women's head. It had absolutely no functional value and broke many rules in proper program design. Upon careful review, this program had a total of 7 "push" movements using nothing by the internal rotators of the shoulder (e.g. bench press, incline press, chest fly, shoulder press), 3 "leg" movements (e.g. squat, single-leg squat), and just 2 "pull" movements (e.g. back row and high pull). And even one of the two "pull" movements wasn't really a "pull" since the HIGH-PULL exercise is actually working your internal rotators which are the same chest/shoulder movements that you've done 7 times in this program already!

Why is this insane? Consider this: Most people in general, sit too much, drive too much, and are hunched on the computer too much. This makes your chest muscles tight and the last thing you need are more "push" movements since these muscles are already in a tight concentric state throughout the day. What you probably need are good firing of the postural muscles of the back - movements that use the external rotators of the shoulder and strengthen the overly eccentric back musculature that is a result of this excessive sitting, typing, and driving (e.g. exercises such as the reverse fly and various rows should be used to improve/strengthen your back).

Now I ask you this: How in the heck is that workout program - which promotes doing 8 push exercises and only 1 pull - beneficial to your health and movement wellbeing? Remember health and movement wellbeing are the most important goals to any workout program. Thus far, none of the popular workouts in these magazines for masses satisfy these instrumental concepts and most should not really be taken into serious consideration.

P90X: DOES IT REALLY WORK?

Here is my answer: Take anybody who is previously sedentary and apply any movement to this person for a consistent period of time and you will see this person progress somewhat. That said, progress in exercise (e.g. getting ripped) is not synonymous with being healthy. As a curious trainer, I purchased P90X in 2007 to study and attempt the workouts for approximately one month. I reviewed the program and concluded that there were many flaws, although it wasn't as guilty as the magazines since they did put SOME emphasis on multi-joint functional movements like pullups, lunges, some trunk rotations, and squats.

P90X is so obsessed with the concept of getting you ripped that it compensates health and wellbeing by having the user do some outrageous exercise patterns, incorrect Plyometrics techniques, an excessively long time dedicated to abdominal crunches, and ridiculous emphasis on "step-aerobic" type cardio that goes for an undesirably long time several times per week. The ads show cute little histograms and other charts labeled "Muscle Confusion" which attempt to teach the user that your muscles need to be "confused" - alluding that what they came up with is something new and ground breaking.

First off, for a program that uses scientific-looking graphs and charts on their infomercials, the term "muscle confusion" isn't even a scientifically valid word. What they probably mean to say is that their program is supposed to prevent the plateauing effect that accompanies strength training programs (e.g. fatigue, loss of performance gains, stagnation). What they fail to let you know is that there is a remedy for this plateauing effect - something we've all known for the past 55 years called Periodization. Periodization is scientifically tried and true. It has been used since the 1960s thanks to Leo Matveyev, a Russian physiologist and involves manipulation of volume, intensity, and rest periods in various transition phases - which if applied correctly - would successfully prevent a plateauing effect and keep the body functioning 100% without chronic fatigue and performance stagnation. P90X seems to avoid all rules of Periodization (both linear and non-linear) and simply has you do a ton of different - yet similar movement patterns - in one workout. For example, in one workout you literally perform about 5 or 6 different types of pushups. What's the benefit in that?

Because P90X is all about getting you ripped in their 90-day allotted time, the main goal for this program is to literally burn you out. Burning the most amount of calories is of more concern than the actual technique of the exercises. For example, some of the jumping patterns in the Plyometrics workout section has some awkward looking jumps which may injure the joints if one has not successfully completed a proper hypertrophy/conditioning exercise protocol to ready the hips, knees, and ankles. Plyometrics are explosive power movements that must be performed correctly, otherwise, the risk of injury is too high. In P90X's defense however, they do offer a disclaimer sheet in their exercise booklet and do notify you about the exercises and the reasoning behind it.

Furthermore, just as the examples given in the magazine section, P90X is also guilty of having you perform too many "beach beauty" muscle workouts such as biceps curls and abdominal crunches. In fact, an entire workout is dedicated to nothing but your abdominals. Instead of wasting your time with these protocols, all you need are a few sound core workouts that address all the musculature of the core and not just the rectus abdominis (e.g. The Six Pack).

Latest research is slowly showing us that excessive lumbar flexion (crunches) puts an increased strain on these structures, which can lead to injury. Abdominal work should not be isolated. It should incorporate the entire trunk and be more of a stability exercise which protects the spine - not uses it for excessive flexion. Performing 10 minutes or various sets of planks, side bridges, stability ball work, wheel roll outs, and perhaps hanging leg raises is all you really need to both engage the core and protect the spine. It can be incorporated into your multi-joint workout of deadlifts, cleans, lunges, and rows and shouldn't be a separate 60 minutes of redundant abdominal work. I've had clients achieve a so called "Six Pack" through proper nutritional habits, a sound strength program that addresses all the parts/planes of the body, and cardiovascular training. In fact, we did NOT do any crunches at all!

Based on my experience with P90X and my experience as trainer and strength coach, I can conclude that in my opinion P90X may not be for everybody and may need further education by the user to fully decide if this is something to follow for 90 day or more. Remember, chronic and neural fatigue is a lot more dangerous than any kind of peripheral fatigue (e.g. lactic acid buildup) since the latter can be fixed through conditioning/training and the former is something much more serious that can cause adverse health reactions. With P90X, it appears through my understanding that with the combination of their prescribed diet and exercise, you are staging yourself to becoming overly exhausted and malnourished - not to mention they try to push you to purchase their shakes and powders which aren't necessary if you follow a natural whole food program of carbs, proteins, and fats based on what your body needs not what the diet tells you.

The programs for P90X, in my opinion, may need to be altered or substituted with other exercises and intensities to better follow the principles of Periodization and better follow a sound pattern of progression, technique, and adaptation. Simply burning out the body with 100 different kinds of movements and hours of crunches & plyometrics without proper form may not get the job done in a healthy way.

P90X NUTRITION: I have dismissed everything about the nutritional aspect of P90X, but frankly, there is not much to talk about. Let's just say that for a program that heavily relies on counting calories, it can already be dismissed as complete hogwash. Remember, calories are just arbitrary numbers the don't take into nutritional values and differences in macro-nutrients. Not all calories are created the same. We have things such as sugar, protein, and fats. They are all different. Is 100 calories of spinach and 100 calories of M&M candy the same thing? According to P90X diet, both are the same since both are 100 calories. And how much credence would you put in a program that allows you to eat McDonalds, Jack In The Box, Pizza Hut, and KFC? I don't think this needs any more explanation. Clearly the people who have created P90X are completely incompetent when it comes to understanding the nutritional values of food and are completely dismissing harmful toxins and preservatives that cause cancer and other disease in the foods made by fast-food corporations and frozen-dinner companies (preservatives such as BHT, MSG, and toxins such as food colorings, and artificial sugars such as aspartame and sucralose).

Arin Gragossian | Arin Training
www.ArinTraining.com