The LFP Equation

Working in a gym allows me the opportunity to observe varied approaches to traditional exercises.  I have learned a few positive techniques along the way and reaffirmed how much of my approach is functionally correct.  In the upcoming columns, I will address several that have come under scrutiny.  Some aspects of what I believe may challenge conventional wisdom.  I hope to persuade using logic, explaining why certain modifications will enhance the results.

 The Three Amigos

Let’s start with the muscle complex known as the deltoids.  Many people know the name but you would be surprised how many are hard pressed to point them out on their body.  This is a 3 muscle grouping: front (anterior), middle (medial) and rear (posterior).  They encapsulate the shoulder.  As part of educating your client, ask them to point out the deltoids.  Then ask them how many muscle groups make up same.  Every so often, ask the same two questions until they have it down cold.

As stated earlier, you will see all manner of techniques being performed on the deltoids.  There are three basic lifts, the front raise, lateral raise and prone raise, all single joint movements, with the individual pivoting through their shoulder capsule.  I will focus on these three using dumbbells.  Realize you are requiring one muscle to do the vast majority of work, even though all three are in the mix.  [You can see these lifts on YouTube: type in > BBSG LFP]

The Techniques

• The elbow should have a slight bend, held isometrically. One key is to not lock out the elbow since locking out increases stress on the joint and reduces control of the weight.  A simple way to confirm this is to do a lateral raise with the elbow bent and, at the top of the lift, purposely lock out your elbow.  Your body will tell you “it doesn’t feel right”.
• Proper breathing: Exhale when you are going up against gravity, the lift.  Inhale when you lower the dumbbell.  Your breathing will dictate your movement, a basic premise on resistance exercises in general.
• Do not lift the weight above parallel. Elevating the shoulder capsule any higher can increase the impingement factor, i.e. stress.  In my opinion, there is no advantage to going higher.
• Control the weight: This is the most critical observation.  Slinging the weight with acceleration is problematic.  You are putting all the tension on a single joint.  Would you do a bicep curl as fast as you could?  You wouldn’t because you would feel uncomfortable pressure in the elbow.
• Control the weight: Come to a full stop at the top of the lift.  I call them ‘snapshots’.  If you can’t stop the momentum of the dumbbell, you have too much weight.  You are no longer in charge.  The dumbbell is.  The only reason a person can do a lateral raise with 25 or 30 pound dumbbells is because of momentum.  If you asked your client to lift that weight and then, stop it at the top, he or she probably couldn’t.
• Control the weight: The eccentric move is as important as the concentric move.  If you can’t command the return of the dumbbell, you are setting yourself up for problems down the road.  Why?  The concentric move emphasizes a little more toward the muscles.  The eccentric move tends to lean more in the direction of the tendons.  Without controlling both up and down, you are setting up an imbalance in the muscle/tendon complex.
• Place this exercise at the end of the workout. Why?

(1) If you perform the LFPs in the beginning, you will have pre-fatigued the deltoids.  Now, when you follow with an upper body multi-joint exercise, the number of repetitions will be reduced.  Try doing a couple of sets of front raises, then see how it impacts the number of pushups which can be generated.  Remember, to change a client’s body composition, multi-joint/multi-muscle resistance moves are far and away superior to single joint efforts.

(2) Doing the multi-joint first warms up the deltoids.  They will be better prepared.  Doing a single joint when the muscle fibers are cold is more stressful.

My Philosophy

Single joint actions are not designed for heavy lifting.  Their purpose is to bring more definition.  In some circles they are called ‘vanity lifts’.  They are also not functional.  You would never bring in your groceries using a lateral raise or lift your garbage using a front raise.

I believe you will get better definition because the muscle has to stop the weight, isometrically hold it in position for a moment in time, then direct its return.  I could call it a ‘compression factor’.  Seems to me the muscle has the potential to become more compact.

This ‘compression factor’ carries over to other lifting moves.  Control is a key. I also incorporate this with upright rows, seated rows, bent over rows, pull ups, lat pulldowns and triceps press downs.  Lifting for a number instead of focusing on technique is setting you up for a potential setback, particularly when applied to us baby boomers.  Never look like you at war with the weights.

 Your Audience

One of the concerns with the seniors is they don’t want to get hurt.  It is a major reason for their reluctance to start working out in the first place.  Being in command from start to finish does several things.

• They will have better focus
• They will feel they are in more control
• They will be more aware of which muscles are doing the work
• The chance for injury is reduced, particularly when it comes to the over 50 crowd

Keep in mind you are constantly establishing a level of trust.  Your client does exactly what you tell them to do each and every workout because of the belief they have in you.  As a result, you want that confidence to grow so your business will grow as well.

Good Luck and Good Health!

Rick Almand

Rick@YourFitnessAfter50.net

ACE and AFAA Certified

BabyBoomersSurvivalGuide.net

1st Dan 2^nd Stripe Tae Kwon Do

Getting older is inevitable.  The years come with a predictable regularity that can never be altered.  I’ll be older tomorrow than I am today.  But acting old, now that’s optional.  Your attitude goes a long way toward defining at what age people will perceive you.  For those of us on the other side of 70, sometimes it can seem like the best is behind us.

On the flip side, there are certain advantages to having reached this milestone.  I look upon those life lessons as earned credits so we can appreciate the coming years even more.

70 and Counting

You woke up today and realized “I’ve made it this far!”  Be grateful you are still standing.  Try and remember when you were in your 30s, thinking 70 was forever and a day away.  Well, here we are.

I’m sure you can look back on a situation or two (or three), had you zigged instead of zagged, the path you would have set yourself on would be entirely different today.  Breathe a sigh of relief knowing you’re not having to deal with what could have been.

You Can See It Coming

You have a far better chance of knowing what’s right from what’s wrong.  We’ve all made good, even great decisions as well as bad (and really bad) decisions.  I will tell you the bad ones taught me far more than the good ones.  Those poor choices tend to stick in your craw, inspiring you to not to do a repeat.

The great thing about being 70 is, by this time in your life, you’ve been hit with about any surprise life is capable of throwing at you. You’ve felt the joy and satisfaction as well as the heartaches and headaches. You now are in a much better position to fully comprehend the consequences which will result from whatever actions you take going forward.

Down on the Farm 

In the 40s, 50s and 60s, home cooked meals were the order of the day.  There was no concern about processed foods, pesticides, fast foods or GMOs (although I have a good friend who passionately defends GMOs as a positive – do your own research).  No diet drinks existed, so no aspartame, which is an extremely bad actor.  Our worst ‘enemy’ was sugar laden Kool-Aid.

I can argue our pre 20 year old bodies, the formative years biologically, developed more healthily without today’s negative influences.  We were eating organic before organic was cool.

You Can’t Prove a Thing

Today’s culture embraces Facebook, periscope, selfies and twitter.  Hourly reports of one’s activities, whether they are noteworthy or mundane are recorded ad nauseam.  Pictures of vacations, parties, hikes, food preparation and doing goofy stuff are downloaded by the 10s of millions every hour.  We baby boomers are not only fascinated by the ease with which a person can record their lives instantaneously but are acutely aware of the potential long term challenges  purposely being laid out by you future parents and job seekers.

Be very aware!  Potential employers are routinely reviewing your electronic history.  And think about when your kids become tech savvy.  Be prepared to explain all (yes all) of those embarrassing moments, comments and pronouncements you had so proudly deposited in the cloud back in your youth.  From my perspective, I am happy to report, no matter what you might have heard happened in ’74….or ’76….or even ’77 for that matter, you can’t prove a darn thing!

The Way It Was

The new millennium has brought with it technologies, making the ‘Buck Rodgers of the 25^th Century’ comic strip seen almost laughable.  Today’s generation has a hard time envisioning getting up to change the tv channel or needing a slide rule to do rough calculations.  When I went to college the calculators were chained to the counter because they cost hundreds of dollars.  (No, I don’t know how to use an abacus!)

What about having only 3 stations to watch or maybe 4 if you could pick up the elusive UHF channel (aluminum foil optional).  Bonus information:  I was reminded broadcasting stopped after midnight, replaced by a test pattern and regular programing didn’t resume until 7AM.  My generation has a true appreciation of all the modern conveniences which have evolved in the past several decades.                                      

Always on the Move

My entertainment environment growing up was, relative to today, very limited.  Our fun required, for the most part, some kind of physical interaction – climbing trees, baseball, building forts, kickball (baseball style) or damming up the local creek.  We would play outside til the sun went down.  School recess (twice a day) consisted of tag, dodgeball and Red Rover (which I understand are now outlawed in some schools for their negative influence – give me a break!).

The real significance was our generation had zero issues with type 2 diabetes or obesity.  Just as it could be argued our nutrition gave us a head start in life health wise, so do did our activity level set us up better physically as we entered our 20s.

 Simpler Things in Life

Having grown up in a quieter, gentler time when life was not so fast paced, my generation can draw on that period when the present day gets hectic.  While I have a Facebook, I admit I haven’t eyeballed it in quite a while.  Responding to a text in less than 30 seconds is not a priority.  Back in the day, the only way you communicated when you were away from home would be to search for a pay phone.  And when is the last time you actually wrote a thank you and sent it snail mail?

We allow ourselves to constantly be in a hurry.  I too have gotten caught up in life’s frenetic tempo from time to time.  Fortunately, I can harken back to my childhood and know what it feels like to just relax.  It’s a gift.  For those of you who remember the Twilight Zone episode ‘Kick the Can’, there is definitely something to say for the simpler things in life.

Glad to be a Baby Boomer

From time to time I remind my clients being ‘experienced’ has this or that advantage.  And the vast majority agree we’re glad we grew up when we did.  Use this perspective to point out to your older clients they possess definite positives.  It’s another form of encouragement in their journey to regain their health.  Plus, you will learn things along the way as well.

Good Luck and Good Health!

Rick Almand

Rick@YourFitnessafter50.net

ACE and AFAA Certified

BabyBoomersSurvivalGuide.net

1st Dan 2^nd Stripe Tae Kwon Do

The Missing Link (part 2)

All movement is contraction based.  Certain muscles have to tighten up every time you exert yourself.  The more effort, the more contraction.  Over time, if all your muscle/tendon complex does is contract, logic dictates they will get tighter and have a tendency to shorten.  If you don’t have a way to dial out this added stress on the body, long term, your odds for difficulties heighten.

By introducing from the beginning the fundamentals for ROM (range of motion), you start the client off with the right mindset.  After only one or two workouts, they will begin to embrace the concept ROM is essential to the whole rational of working out.  Within a month, stretching will become a way of life, to be applied to commonplace activities as well.  I get asked on a regular basis by those I train “Why doesn’t everyone stretch?” (see part 1).

Benefits Galore

Anything innovative needs to be analyzed thoroughly.  Let’s look at the 11 positives originating from ROM:

• Reduces Stress / Feels Good
• Reduces/Eliminates Soreness
• Increases Blood Flow to Muscles
• Increases Neuromuscular Coordination
• May Decrease Joint Degenerative Progression
• Takes the Muscles out of Unnatural Tension
• Decreases Risk of Injury
• Improves Posture Awareness
• Helps Improve both Definition, Growth in Muscles and Overall Strength
• Decreases Lower Back Pain
• Enhances Enjoyment of Work and Play

Some Details

While all eleven are important, you don’t want to overload the client with too much information.  Let me focus on two of these benefits to help you be more comfortable promoting ROM to all your members.  Again, a reminder: My primary methodology is lifting weights with ROM blended throughout. You will adapt from my columns what you recognize as being useful to your own distinct training regimen.

[Side bar: I learned early on most of the individuals we encounter don’t truly understand even the fundamentals about physical fitness, basic knowledge we trainers sometimes take for granted.  Keep the information simple (KISS) and repeat it during the course of the training.  From time to time I will give a pop quiz about various subjects we have talked about.  Example: Name 2 of the 4 muscle groups emphasized when doing a pushup.]

Reduces Stress/Feels Good

My process is to first describe the function of the exercise and the muscles being engaged.  We then start with lighter weights to let them get use to the movements.  You are allowing that person to adapt to the proper techniques (breathing, posture, correct movement pattern) without being distracted by a challenging resistance.  I emphasis the first several workouts will be focused on technique, not ‘pushing the envelope’.

Incorporated in each exercise (push up, seated row, squats, etc) are short stretches in between sets and an extended stretch upon completion.  What ROM does is give the member a chance to settle in and be aware of the muscles being used.  As early as the initial session, they will actually sense the unnatural tension being released from their body.

As pointed out in my ‘A Different Perspective’ column, untrained seniors, ones who have been away from exercising for, in some cases, decades need to slowly be reintroduced to working out.  The basic problem is the muscle/tendon complex needs to be reeducated.  The neurological pathways need to be reactivated.  It can take several workouts to get their body to function as a coordinated unit.  This is another educational point to be made to the patron and is particularly helpful when you get a baby boomer whose desire is to ‘go for the gold’ in his or her very first session, mistakenly thinking he or she can do what they did 10 or 20 years ago.

Reduces Soreness

There is an ongoing debate on what causes soreness.  No, I don’t have the answer as to its origin/s.  What I would first like to bring into the discussion is what my definition of soreness is.  ‘Soreness’ is when, the next day, your routine is distracted by how you feel.  You specifically are uncomfortable.  Did taking the stairs suddenly become a struggle?

What I can assure you is, when ROM is presented in the correct manner, that person, while being aware they worked out, is not distracted physically as they go through their day.  Even when they move up the fitness ladder to higher and higher resistance targets, they know, by adding the stretching protocol, any undue discomfort that day or the next will be at the very least minimized, and in most cases, eliminated.

Boots on the Ground

I introduced range of motion (ROM) into my training the very first day I became certified.  That’s when my learning curve truly began to mature.  The customers’ feedback shaped my approach.  One aspect came to the forefront right away, that being all the stretches had to be comfortable from the get go.  Those baby boomers are, in virtually every case, stiff to begin with, so the stances you put them in should be relaxing from the very first, not stances taking time to master.

The golden rule for all stretches is to ‘always be comfortable’ (ABC).  You are trying to dial out the tightness just introduced to a particular set of muscles.  If you are attempting to force a flexibility move, you are not relaxing mentally, so how do you expect to relax physically?  Another important key is to visualize the muscles relaxing.  ‘Put your mind on the muscle’ is a mantra we hear for lifting, but it also applies to ROM.  If you think you are relaxing, you will.

Also, remind your client to be aware of their breathing.  Any yoga instructor worth their salt tells their class to relax into their breathing while holding a pose.  The combination of mentally ‘seeing’ the muscle fibers letting go blended with centering on the inhale and exhale allows the individual to truly loosen up.  They get into ‘the zone’.  You will find they are surprised the workouts they signed up for are not all go, go, go!  Giving them a time to reset their focus is golden.

Final Thoughts

This column was lengthier than anticipated, so additional details into the techniques of stretching will be introduced in future columns.  For today, my primary goal is to pique your interest to introduce stretching into your training.  I truly believe your business will find its way to that next level.  To underscore this theme with my clients, at the conclusion of every one of my workouts, I remind them to “get something to eat, hydrate and, when you feel it, stretch it”.

Good Luck and Good Health!

Rick Almand