Ramdom Thoughts, Tips, Supplement, Etc.

  As I was reading through the Fitness RX magazine the other day they had a quite a few pages with random facts, thoughts, studies and much more. I decided that Id share with you the ones I found most interesting or relevant. These are not necessarly my opinions, ideas or any sort of remedy for anything, just tid-bits of info I found interesting. Please do your own research if something in here strikes you as something you may want to do or try.
   

HIIT- High Intensity Interval Training
- Few exercise techniques are more effective at improving fitness rapidly then HIIT. HIIT is a series of high intensity exercise sessions followed by short rest periods. Canadian researchers have found that 6 sessions of HIIT on a stationary bike increase muscle oxidative capacity by almost 50%, muscle glycogen by 20% and cycling endurance capacity by 100%. The subjects made these amazing improvements by exercising only 15 min in 2 weeks. Each workout consisted of 4 to 7 repititions of HIIT( each rep consisted of 30 sec at near max effort) on a stationary bike. Follow up studies showed the the value of HIIT for building aerobic capacity, endurance and fat loss. ( From the strength and conditioning journal, 2013)

CROSS TRAINING
- Cross training stresses whole body, high intensity training using exercises such as dead lifts, cleans, presses, jerks, squats, kettelbell exercises, snaches, plyometrics, sled pulls and weight carrying. Cross trainers learn to handle their body weight by practicing gymnastics, pull ups,dips, rope climbing, push ups, hand stands, pirouettes, flips and splits. They also do aerobics such as running, cycling, rope skipping and rowing, but the emphasis is on intensity and speed.  Cross training programs such as CrossFit, attempt to develop well rounded fitness by including exercises that build cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, and respiratory accuracy. Mike Smith and colleagues from Ohio State University for that 10 weeks of CrossFit based power training triggers substantial improvements in maximal oxygen consumption and body composition in men and women of all fitness levels. Aerobic capacity increases an average of 12%, while fat decreased nearly 20%. ( Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 2013)

MESOTHERAPY  (PLEASE don't do this…I just found it weird!)
-Mesotherapy involves injecting substances under the skin to reduce fat. Lipolytic mesotherapy involves injecting chemicals under the skin that speeds up fat release from fat cells. Ablative mesotherapy destroys fat cells with chemicals that cause inflammation and scaring. Currently, the U.S. FDA does not approve mesotherapy. Side effects include infections that let on an average of 6 months. Mesotherapy is an alternative to liposuction. It does not trigger whole body fat loss but is effective for contouring certain areas. ( Obesity Review, 2013 )

CAFFEINE DECREASES POST EXERCISE SORENESS
- Weight training involves eccentric contractions ( muscle exert force as they lengthen ) often cause delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS is caused my muscle injury and tissue inflammation. Most remedies for DOMS such as stretching, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. Advil), ice and heat have no effect on DOMS. A study from the University of Rhode Island, led by Disa Hatfield found that caffeine (5 mg per kg of bodyweight, average 380mg) increased preacher curl performance and reduces post-exercise soreness. Decreasing the perception of soreness after training might allow athletes to complete more training sessions. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 2013)

ARGININE
-Does not alter hormone, metabolic or cardiorespiratory responses to exercise.
-Arginine is a popular athletic supplement involved in nitric oxide (NO) production, wound healing, blood pressure control and growth hormone release. it is a semi essential amino acid, which means that the body produces it but that its dietary intake is also important for adequate levels. Its effect on NO production is particularly important for endurance capacity and cardiovascular health.  Scott bell and co workers from the University of Alberta in Canada found that L-arginine administration did not alter the hormone or metabolic response to sub maximal exercise in trained cyclists. A sophisticated study by French researchers using chemical tracers showed that most arginine is converted to urea, a substance used to eliminate nitrogen in the urine and control body water in the kidneys. Only a small amount of supplemental arginine ends up as nitric oxide. You lose the vast majority of the ingested arginine as urea in the urine but some is used to make nitric oxide, which promotes blood flow. (International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2013)

Studies show that women feel ugliest on Monday's

Trending for spring fashion- Clothing that revels the back and shoulders. Ladies train them!

BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACIDS (BCAA)
-The branched chain amino acids (BCAA) include lucine, isolucine and valine. These are essential amino acids, which means they must be consumed in the diet. They make up 33% of our skeletal  muscle and turn over rapidly during exercise. They are also essential for muscle protein synthesis. Researchers from Finland speculated that BCAAs are also important regulators of fat metabolism. Increased BCAA use, particularly in fit people. boosts fatty acid use for fuel and spares muscle glycogen. Many athletes take BCAA supplements to promote protein synthesis and recovery from exercise. BCAAs might also promote fat use. (Exercise Sports Science Reviews, 2013)

SLEEP
- Sleep is essential for serious athletes (and everyone else). Hard training and optimal nutrition are essential for anyone trying to build optimal fitness. Rest and recuperation are critical considerations in the training process.Stephen Bird summarized the benefits and methods for getting a good nights sleep: Getting sufficient sleep promotes performance while insufficient sleep promotes illness and decreases performance. Get enough sleep- 7 to 9 hrs a night for the average young athlete. Establish regular sleep habits. Try to get in bed before midnight and make sure you have  a restful sleep environment. Don't be afraid to take a mid day nap, best restricted to 30 min. Recover adequately from training. Overtraining can interfere with sleep patterns. Avoid drinking coffee, smoking  and alcohol at bed time. See your physician if you are having problems getting a restful sleep. Many athletes are prone to sleep apnea, which will interfere with sleep and could kill you. (Strength Conditioning Journal)