Written by Team MD
12 March 2015

15NN036-NOTEBOOK

Training Notebook

6 Workout Nuggets

 

 

1) The Muscle Pump Promotes Hypertrophy

 Muscles grow in response to the time they are under tension. Recent studies on muscle protein synthesis showed that training close to failure maximizes the rate of muscle hypertrophy. Brad Schoenfeld and Bret Contreras from Lehman College in New York City speculated that the muscle pump (reactive hyperemia) triggers cellular irritation, which initiates pathways that promote protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy. Sustained muscle tension caused by high-rep training stimulates the mTOR pathway that results in protein synthesis. If they are correct, the pump does more than make your muscles grow temporarily larger. (Strength and Conditioning Journal, 36 (3): 22-25, 2014)

 

2) Glute-Ham Raise and Romanian Deadlift Best Hamstring Exercises

 The hamstrings are made up of three muscles on the back of the thigh that flex the knee and extend the hip. Injuries to these muscles are extremely common and can end sports careers. The leg curl, involving knee flexion, is the most common and popular hamstring exercise. However, hamstrings are more heavily used as hip extensors in sport. Also, hamstring injuries commonly occur during hip extension. A study from the University of Memphis, led by Brian Schilling and Matt McAllister, showed that the glute-ham raise and Romanian deadlift were the best exercises for activating the hamstring muscles. These exercises are relatively uncommon, but essential for building hamstring strength and power and preventing injury. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 28: 1573-1580, 2014)

 

3) Nordic Hamstring Exercise: The Poor Man’s Glute-Ham Machine

 The hamstring muscles are critical for powerful hip extension used during sprinting, jumping, squatting and Olympic lifts. Hamstring injuries are common in sports and are extremely difficult to rehabilitate. This month, we reported a study showing that the glute-ham raise is the most effective hamstring exercise. Unfortunately, most gyms don’t have a glute-ham machine and few people know about the exercise. The Nordic hamstring exercise is a cheap but effective alternative. This exercise is simple but intimidating: kneel on the ground with your body in an upright position. Have a spotter hold your ankles. Slowly lower your erect torso toward the ground, and break your fall with your hands. Pull your torso back to the starting position using your hamstring muscles. (The New York Times, June 8, 2014)

 

4) High-Volume Training to Fatigue Does Not Increase Muscle Activation

 Many popular boot camp and cross-training methods employ high repetitions to exhaustion. One theory is that with fatigue, the nervous system will activate additional motor units and muscle fibers to allow continued exercise. Researchers from the University of Western Sydney in Australia, led by Paul Marshall and Harrison Finn, found that test subjects performing eight sets of Bulgarian split squats showed no increase in muscle activation after achieving a fatigue plateau. Athletes must weigh the benefits of exhaustive training with no additional muscle activation with the risk of injury imposed by deteriorating technique, triggered by fatigue. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 28: 1226-1234, 2014)

 

5) Low-Oxygen Weight Training Increases Muscle Endurance

 Weight training in a chamber with reduced oxygen at a simulated altitude of 10,000 feet increased muscle blood supply and vascular endothelial growth factor (stimulates blood vessel growth) more than weight training at sea level— according to a study from the Japan Institute of Sports Sciences in Tokyo. ( Which may partly explain why Phil Heath, resident of the mile high Denver is current Mr. Olympia). Test subjects weight-trained for eight weeks either at sea level or in a chamber with 14.4 percent oxygen (the percentage of oxygen at sea level is 20.93). Gains in strength and muscle mass were equal between the groups, but the high-altitude group made greater gains in muscle endurance and muscle blood flow. Strength training in a low-oxygen chamber might have significant health benefits, particularly in older adults. (Physiological Reports, 2(6), 2014, e12033)

 

6) The Role of Kettlebells in Strength and Conditioning

A kettlebell is a large iron ball connected to a handle. On the surface, kettlebells don’t look much different than standard dumbbells. They have a handle connected to a weight just like dumbbells and they come in a variety of sizes, but that’s where the similarity ends. The kettlebell weight is located at the end of the handle instead of on either side of it. Also, the design of the kettlebell allows you to do high-speed ballistic exercises with a pendulum-like action. Many kettlebell exercises, such as swings, snatches and cleans, require high-speed eccentric muscle contractions, which produce surprisingly high muscle forces. Chris Beardsley and Bret Contreras, in a review of literature, concluded that we need more information to assess the usefulness of kettlebell training in athletics. Kettlebells improve sprint speed and prevent injury, but we don't fully understand the set and rep structure of kettlebell training. (Strength and Conditioning Journal, 36 (3): 64-70, 2014)

 

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