Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Dealing with (a wretched) Cold
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You've heard about "fighting a cold" - well it is possible. From a strong offense (including the right way to wash hands and upping vitamin D rather than C), to killing it before it takes hold, to getting into it, once it hits - just caring for of all things, nasal hairs, to help clear it out.
Going on the Offensive:
Hand Washing. The best defense is a good offense, and one of the best offenses is washing one's hands, and learning what that means. Not a fast pass under the tap and a shake, but washing 'em (cdc even has a video) There are actually five steps to hand washing: get the water going, get soap in hands, put hands together and rub the palms; then get the backs of the hands, then between the fingers and thumbs, then finger tips. It takes 20secs (singing happy birthday to yourself twice) to get a good hand washing done (try not to touch the facets or door handles in a public can after you've just washed your hands). And if you're curious, for repeated scrubbings, washing hands was shown to be better than using gels, but gels are better than a kick in the head in a pinch, and CDC is recommending the gels in hospitals.
Anecdotally a bunch of us last year committed to improving our hand washing practice, and watched the incidence of colds in our lives decrease. This ain't scientific but it does jive with what we know about cold bugs staying on surfaces for hours after contact with a carrier. It's cheap, it's easy, and seemingly effective.
Also, um, don't pick your nose. That's where the virus works. Touch a germy surface, go for the nose, well you get the picture.
Vitamin D and Vitamin C are both purported to help, but not as a superdose thing. In other words, the idea is to make sure you're getting enough vitamin D and vit C in your diet throughout the year, and in particular in cold season, rather than trying to superdose during a cold. But the really cool thing is that research is showing that C may be a fave, the money (and research) is supporting Vitamin D - something where we are chronically deficient
Indeed, more recent research shows what your mom or grandmom has known for generations: that codliver oil (or loading up on vitamin D) is what keeps away the winter sniffles. While some folks are happy with time release 1000mg of Vit C during cold season in particular, the Vit D question has really been interesting, with recent work suggesting that we need to hit 4000IU's a day - that's about 100 times higher than the current RDA. Other sources range from 2000-10,000, but whatever the number, it's substantially higher than current RDA
Likewise, is zoning down on stress is a great way to barricade against colds taking hold. Seriously, we all over motor our anxiety from time to time, and especially around a cold inflicted setting, that's a great way to improve access for germs. No time to get zen? You can induce meditative states with audio beats technology.
If Cold Symptoms Show Up.
Chelated Zinc. Timing here is everything.
If right at the moment you feel the ghost of a symptom, and you ingest 50mg of chelated zinc (you can get this from places like H&B in the UK or CVS in the States), you can kill off the effects of the cold - doesn't mean the cold doesn't pass through you, but the symptoms are neutralized or greatly reduced. You have to hit it *right* at the start - if the symptoms take hold it's too late. Also, you know if the strain of cold you have is going to be kilt if you feel symptoms lessen in about 30-60 mins after taking the zinc. If they don't lessen, well, hang on for a bumpy ride.
Again, anecdotally i can attest to chelated zinc working this past year to suppress the effects and fight off the efforts of at least 3 colds. The one i'm recovering from now - the worst i think i've had - was not a strain susceptible to zinc. oh man, talk about awful. I'm trying to look on the positive side as below about why it's ok to get the snot kicked out of one by a cold once in awhile.
In the mean time: be careful not to mix vitamin c and zinc. It's wild seeing lozenges that blend zinc and c: in lozenges they cancel each other's effects out at the local level (ie, in a lozenge, or for instance, sucking a zinc lozenge and then drinking OJ. Not optimal).
If a cold Takes Hold: hunker down when it gets bad
It's a false frickin' economy for someone to go to work or school when they are feeling like crap or oozing and coughing. I'm not talking about feeling a little stuffy or having a slight cough. I'm talking the full on symptoms where you're no use to yourself or anyone else.
I know folks who say they *have* to go to work even if they have a cold. That's awful. Where i work, there are few positions i can imagine being so irreplaceable that someone can't afford to miss a day. It's tough if it's for a killer meeting, but even there, some folks might say well life is about relationships that are on going rather than moments that are fleeting.
But philosophy aside, there are real benefits for YOU (and your colleagues) in staying HOME (or wherever) once those symptoms really kick in while you recuperate. First of all, colds are draining on your system: they are going after a lot of cells and that takes energy, so your resources are down. So on those couple of really crapy days, why not stay down and support your body to be able to focus its energy on repair rather than a bunch of other energy using activities?
Also, why spread infection? Spreading colds costs the economy Billions.
It's a myth that we're ONLY contagious before the symptoms happen. In fact, best science has it we're likely contagious one to three days BEFORE symptoms manifest and MOST CONTAGIOUS when symptoms are at their worst (2-4 days into it). So stay home! take care of yourself, get healthy faster.
If you've Got it, Have it
Avoid Taking Decongestants, etc. According to some sources, if you've got a cold (or flu) let it do it's thing: let your nose run, your lungs cough, your fever rise (within reason) - take an aceteminophin if needed, but otherwise let the symptoms go through you *while getting plenty of rest* Why? this is the natural way for your body to purge weak cells that would otherwise take much longer to get kicked out. A cold could be a good thing. Love your cold.
Neti Pots. Now, just because you're not taking a decongestant doesn't mean you want to be horking mucus all day. Something you can do for yourself that's quite natural, ancient and soothing is to use a neti pot for a nasal wash. Effectively, you pour a saline solution up one nostril and the saline comes out the other. Great to have a good blow so that clear stuff doesn't fester and go yellow up in the sinuses. Gross i know, but there it is.
The intriguing thing is, is that Neti Pots have been used for daily nasal douching for centuries apparently, and like other cool things, there's good science for doing so. Apparently our nasal hairs can get freaked out in a cold, pushing mucous in the wrong direction. A nasal wash helps get them circulating the right way again. As a sign of just how far this technology has moved into the main stream, in the US, CVS sells plastic neti pots with pre packaged sodium blends for saline douching.
Yup, love yourself, love your cold. And love your co-workers: stay home, get well. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Going on the Offensive:
Hand Washing. The best defense is a good offense, and one of the best offenses is washing one's hands, and learning what that means. Not a fast pass under the tap and a shake, but washing 'em (cdc even has a video) There are actually five steps to hand washing: get the water going, get soap in hands, put hands together and rub the palms; then get the backs of the hands, then between the fingers and thumbs, then finger tips. It takes 20secs (singing happy birthday to yourself twice) to get a good hand washing done (try not to touch the facets or door handles in a public can after you've just washed your hands). And if you're curious, for repeated scrubbings, washing hands was shown to be better than using gels, but gels are better than a kick in the head in a pinch, and CDC is recommending the gels in hospitals.
Anecdotally a bunch of us last year committed to improving our hand washing practice, and watched the incidence of colds in our lives decrease. This ain't scientific but it does jive with what we know about cold bugs staying on surfaces for hours after contact with a carrier. It's cheap, it's easy, and seemingly effective.
Also, um, don't pick your nose. That's where the virus works. Touch a germy surface, go for the nose, well you get the picture.
Vitamin D and Vitamin C are both purported to help, but not as a superdose thing. In other words, the idea is to make sure you're getting enough vitamin D and vit C in your diet throughout the year, and in particular in cold season, rather than trying to superdose during a cold. But the really cool thing is that research is showing that C may be a fave, the money (and research) is supporting Vitamin D - something where we are chronically deficient
Indeed, more recent research shows what your mom or grandmom has known for generations: that codliver oil (or loading up on vitamin D) is what keeps away the winter sniffles. While some folks are happy with time release 1000mg of Vit C during cold season in particular, the Vit D question has really been interesting, with recent work suggesting that we need to hit 4000IU's a day - that's about 100 times higher than the current RDA. Other sources range from 2000-10,000, but whatever the number, it's substantially higher than current RDA
Likewise, is zoning down on stress is a great way to barricade against colds taking hold. Seriously, we all over motor our anxiety from time to time, and especially around a cold inflicted setting, that's a great way to improve access for germs. No time to get zen? You can induce meditative states with audio beats technology.
If Cold Symptoms Show Up.
Chelated Zinc. Timing here is everything.
If right at the moment you feel the ghost of a symptom, and you ingest 50mg of chelated zinc (you can get this from places like H&B in the UK or CVS in the States), you can kill off the effects of the cold - doesn't mean the cold doesn't pass through you, but the symptoms are neutralized or greatly reduced. You have to hit it *right* at the start - if the symptoms take hold it's too late. Also, you know if the strain of cold you have is going to be kilt if you feel symptoms lessen in about 30-60 mins after taking the zinc. If they don't lessen, well, hang on for a bumpy ride.
Again, anecdotally i can attest to chelated zinc working this past year to suppress the effects and fight off the efforts of at least 3 colds. The one i'm recovering from now - the worst i think i've had - was not a strain susceptible to zinc. oh man, talk about awful. I'm trying to look on the positive side as below about why it's ok to get the snot kicked out of one by a cold once in awhile.
In the mean time: be careful not to mix vitamin c and zinc. It's wild seeing lozenges that blend zinc and c: in lozenges they cancel each other's effects out at the local level (ie, in a lozenge, or for instance, sucking a zinc lozenge and then drinking OJ. Not optimal).
If a cold Takes Hold: hunker down when it gets bad
It's a false frickin' economy for someone to go to work or school when they are feeling like crap or oozing and coughing. I'm not talking about feeling a little stuffy or having a slight cough. I'm talking the full on symptoms where you're no use to yourself or anyone else.
I know folks who say they *have* to go to work even if they have a cold. That's awful. Where i work, there are few positions i can imagine being so irreplaceable that someone can't afford to miss a day. It's tough if it's for a killer meeting, but even there, some folks might say well life is about relationships that are on going rather than moments that are fleeting.
But philosophy aside, there are real benefits for YOU (and your colleagues) in staying HOME (or wherever) once those symptoms really kick in while you recuperate. First of all, colds are draining on your system: they are going after a lot of cells and that takes energy, so your resources are down. So on those couple of really crapy days, why not stay down and support your body to be able to focus its energy on repair rather than a bunch of other energy using activities?
Also, why spread infection? Spreading colds costs the economy Billions.
It's a myth that we're ONLY contagious before the symptoms happen. In fact, best science has it we're likely contagious one to three days BEFORE symptoms manifest and MOST CONTAGIOUS when symptoms are at their worst (2-4 days into it). So stay home! take care of yourself, get healthy faster.
If you've Got it, Have it
Avoid Taking Decongestants, etc. According to some sources, if you've got a cold (or flu) let it do it's thing: let your nose run, your lungs cough, your fever rise (within reason) - take an aceteminophin if needed, but otherwise let the symptoms go through you *while getting plenty of rest* Why? this is the natural way for your body to purge weak cells that would otherwise take much longer to get kicked out. A cold could be a good thing. Love your cold.
Neti Pots. Now, just because you're not taking a decongestant doesn't mean you want to be horking mucus all day. Something you can do for yourself that's quite natural, ancient and soothing is to use a neti pot for a nasal wash. Effectively, you pour a saline solution up one nostril and the saline comes out the other. Great to have a good blow so that clear stuff doesn't fester and go yellow up in the sinuses. Gross i know, but there it is.
The intriguing thing is, is that Neti Pots have been used for daily nasal douching for centuries apparently, and like other cool things, there's good science for doing so. Apparently our nasal hairs can get freaked out in a cold, pushing mucous in the wrong direction. A nasal wash helps get them circulating the right way again. As a sign of just how far this technology has moved into the main stream, in the US, CVS sells plastic neti pots with pre packaged sodium blends for saline douching.
Yup, love yourself, love your cold. And love your co-workers: stay home, get well. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
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Monday, March 30, 2009
Creatine, Beta Alanine, Citrulline malate, and more b2d
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Hi folks who read b2d.
Please forgive the delay in a new article. This is a placeholder just to say what i'm working on at the moment in the midst of a sea of deadlines in the real world, and that is, to look at research on what may become known as a super trio for strength work. The first is Creatine, an established supplement for strength work. The second is beta-alanine, something that a couple of years ago was being propped as "the new creatine." In this regard people weren't suggesting that BA was the same as creatine, but that it was looking to establish as consistent a testing record to help support strength work. That's the biggie: consistent, strong research results. Citruline Malate is both the newer and older kid on the supplement block, but again, the research suggests there's something interesting going on here.
Of the three, creatine has been the most studied and citruline malate the least - part of the issue with citruline malate apparently has been the cost of producing it. It's still not cheap, but it's apparently substantially cheaper than when excercise scientists were first looking at it. If you look at pubmed, for instance, you'll see the last human study is 2002, and the latest study, 2009, is in rats. So why's it worth looking at? because of who's been talking it up.
The goal of the article will be to look at the differences in each of these supplements - a bit about why they do what they (seemingly) do, and why they may just be such an awesome and safe combination not only to enhance strength work, but just to be good for us.
Fast take away: creatine really is a useful supplement for power lifting work. Beta-Alanine, seems to let one work harder longer for HIIT type work, and more hypertrophic set work; CM *seems* to be promising for general fatigue reduction in aerobic exercise. This last point is a big deal because it seems to suggest that it is keeping phosphocreatine/ATP levels up so that that energy source can be used longer before fatiguing. I'm really curious about that one.
Oh, a quickie on BA - i've been using it lately in my own HIIT work, and maybe it's psychosomatic or maybe it's that i've just gotten stronger, but i can hit higher levels for longer it seems when i've been doing BA. That's totally anecdotal folks, but i'm fascinated.
So, it will take a little while for me to get this article together for y'all due to work commitments but wanted to let you know what's on the stack.
Also, in a related note to techno that helps recovery - awhile ago i reviewed centerpointe's holosync recordings for getting brainwaves into slower sleep-related wave patterns. Well, i've recently been investigating some other approaches for well being, including some stuff around the notion of "letting go" of a feeling. It's called the Sedona Method, and the free cd actually lays out the approach. Letting go and drawing in and allowing one'self to have and other urfie flurfy terms end up being pretty grounded in rationale way-clearing to get at the actual work we might want to do towards a goal.
Will come back to that when i have more direct experience of the protocol, but in the mean time, two things to consider that i'm getting from this. First, feelings are just feelings, and they can be dropped. How does that sound to you? Say you're angry, and a voice says "could you imagine not being angry? when? how about now?"
Rather shocking, eh?
And another one: if you do say to yourself "i allow myself to be happily successful" - what feelings come up around that? doubt? fear? pride? are they related to issues around security? approval?
The idea it seems (i'm still investigating) is that, so called "positive thinking" doesn't do enough to acknowledge the stuff that comes up around such "positive thoughts" that may be blocking us from our own success. i wonder how this might operate around things like my quest to press the 24 - or to pistol it (ha!. no really. that's a toughie for me mentally). Lots of folks say "you have to believe to be able to achieve" right? But the thing here is, letting go of that desire. So "i allow myself to get to pistoling a 24" just to say "and can you let go of that?"
Now that letting go of the goal to achieve the goal seems contrary to what most of us work on whether in strength goals or any other goals, so i'm curious to see where this approach may lead. Hmm.
Oh and one more thing: if i can (they don't know it yet), i'd like to get Mikey T and Georgie Fear talking about Vitamin D here. You literally read that here first, but here's why i'd like to talk with them: they've both talked about vitamins, they're both smart folks doing their PhD's in related areas, and Vit D (and vitamins generally) are a topic of concern - especially in the context where folks feel they get their Daily Requirements from real food (Georgie, Mike, if you're reading this, i will email)
Anyway friends of b2d thanks for reading, and lots on tap.
best,
mc
(who has pressed a 20kg kb all of four times total now. i mean that's it. ever - not in a row, but the latest was two days in a row :)) Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Please forgive the delay in a new article. This is a placeholder just to say what i'm working on at the moment in the midst of a sea of deadlines in the real world, and that is, to look at research on what may become known as a super trio for strength work. The first is Creatine, an established supplement for strength work. The second is beta-alanine, something that a couple of years ago was being propped as "the new creatine." In this regard people weren't suggesting that BA was the same as creatine, but that it was looking to establish as consistent a testing record to help support strength work. That's the biggie: consistent, strong research results. Citruline Malate is both the newer and older kid on the supplement block, but again, the research suggests there's something interesting going on here.
Of the three, creatine has been the most studied and citruline malate the least - part of the issue with citruline malate apparently has been the cost of producing it. It's still not cheap, but it's apparently substantially cheaper than when excercise scientists were first looking at it. If you look at pubmed, for instance, you'll see the last human study is 2002, and the latest study, 2009, is in rats. So why's it worth looking at? because of who's been talking it up.
The goal of the article will be to look at the differences in each of these supplements - a bit about why they do what they (seemingly) do, and why they may just be such an awesome and safe combination not only to enhance strength work, but just to be good for us.
Fast take away: creatine really is a useful supplement for power lifting work. Beta-Alanine, seems to let one work harder longer for HIIT type work, and more hypertrophic set work; CM *seems* to be promising for general fatigue reduction in aerobic exercise. This last point is a big deal because it seems to suggest that it is keeping phosphocreatine/ATP levels up so that that energy source can be used longer before fatiguing. I'm really curious about that one.
Oh, a quickie on BA - i've been using it lately in my own HIIT work, and maybe it's psychosomatic or maybe it's that i've just gotten stronger, but i can hit higher levels for longer it seems when i've been doing BA. That's totally anecdotal folks, but i'm fascinated.
So, it will take a little while for me to get this article together for y'all due to work commitments but wanted to let you know what's on the stack.
Also, in a related note to techno that helps recovery - awhile ago i reviewed centerpointe's holosync recordings for getting brainwaves into slower sleep-related wave patterns. Well, i've recently been investigating some other approaches for well being, including some stuff around the notion of "letting go" of a feeling. It's called the Sedona Method, and the free cd actually lays out the approach. Letting go and drawing in and allowing one'self to have and other urfie flurfy terms end up being pretty grounded in rationale way-clearing to get at the actual work we might want to do towards a goal.
Will come back to that when i have more direct experience of the protocol, but in the mean time, two things to consider that i'm getting from this. First, feelings are just feelings, and they can be dropped. How does that sound to you? Say you're angry, and a voice says "could you imagine not being angry? when? how about now?"
Rather shocking, eh?
And another one: if you do say to yourself "i allow myself to be happily successful" - what feelings come up around that? doubt? fear? pride? are they related to issues around security? approval?
The idea it seems (i'm still investigating) is that, so called "positive thinking" doesn't do enough to acknowledge the stuff that comes up around such "positive thoughts" that may be blocking us from our own success. i wonder how this might operate around things like my quest to press the 24 - or to pistol it (ha!. no really. that's a toughie for me mentally). Lots of folks say "you have to believe to be able to achieve" right? But the thing here is, letting go of that desire. So "i allow myself to get to pistoling a 24" just to say "and can you let go of that?"
Now that letting go of the goal to achieve the goal seems contrary to what most of us work on whether in strength goals or any other goals, so i'm curious to see where this approach may lead. Hmm.
Oh and one more thing: if i can (they don't know it yet), i'd like to get Mikey T and Georgie Fear talking about Vitamin D here. You literally read that here first, but here's why i'd like to talk with them: they've both talked about vitamins, they're both smart folks doing their PhD's in related areas, and Vit D (and vitamins generally) are a topic of concern - especially in the context where folks feel they get their Daily Requirements from real food (Georgie, Mike, if you're reading this, i will email)
Anyway friends of b2d thanks for reading, and lots on tap.
best,
mc
(who has pressed a 20kg kb all of four times total now. i mean that's it. ever - not in a row, but the latest was two days in a row :)) Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Vibram FiveFingers Weather and Airport Update: keep your VFF's ON!
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Ok, so on this ides of March (vale, Ceaser) yet another post about vibram fivefingers (previous one here), but what the heck. This is two surprises: airports and freezing cold streets.
COLD WEATHER - just add sox.
Much to my surprise, i've found that even in -1C, the Flows are great outside on pavement when paired with a pair of injinji sox. These were the temperatures i found myself experiencing in Indiana this past week when the temperatures dropped from 21C to below freezing. That my vff footwear still protected my toes from frost bite made me very happy.
One thing that is a bit of a challenge is the polar opposite of that kinda dry cold: up in Canada, the weather went from -20C (very dry veeeerrry cold) to +1. Slush resulted. Puddles with every ice melting step. This is not fun for flows - the toes will get wet as the gunk comes up over one's tootsies.
Take away: bare feet can do around 4C well; colder, just put your sox on in the flows and as long as it's dry, well you've just extended the wear life of free feet.
AIRPORT SECURITY
I've recently gone through 10 security checks in one week. Each time i had my vibrams on. Not once was i asked to take off the flows. Indeed, most security staff commented on how great they looked and how comfy. They took them to be sox, and i did not dissuade them. Maybe it helped that i had a pair of sneakers in the bucket (was carrying these around for the -15 weather).
Anyway, VFF's are fabulous for being on a plane - you just feel more stretched out and loose and comfy. best ever. way better than just sox. And now, here's one more EXCELLENT reason to wear them for travel.
I need cards with VFF links on 'em the number of times people in airports ask about 'em (by the way Vibram doesn't pay me a cent for promoting their foot ware; it's just the right thing to do).
So, go ahead, if you travel much, you'll be glad you have one less thing to manage after stripping down, pulling out a lap top, pulling out your liquids and all the rest. Keep your VFF's on (the flows do look the most sock like).
best
mc Tweet Follow @begin2dig
COLD WEATHER - just add sox.
Much to my surprise, i've found that even in -1C, the Flows are great outside on pavement when paired with a pair of injinji sox. These were the temperatures i found myself experiencing in Indiana this past week when the temperatures dropped from 21C to below freezing. That my vff footwear still protected my toes from frost bite made me very happy.
One thing that is a bit of a challenge is the polar opposite of that kinda dry cold: up in Canada, the weather went from -20C (very dry veeeerrry cold) to +1. Slush resulted. Puddles with every ice melting step. This is not fun for flows - the toes will get wet as the gunk comes up over one's tootsies.
Take away: bare feet can do around 4C well; colder, just put your sox on in the flows and as long as it's dry, well you've just extended the wear life of free feet.
AIRPORT SECURITY
I've recently gone through 10 security checks in one week. Each time i had my vibrams on. Not once was i asked to take off the flows. Indeed, most security staff commented on how great they looked and how comfy. They took them to be sox, and i did not dissuade them. Maybe it helped that i had a pair of sneakers in the bucket (was carrying these around for the -15 weather).Anyway, VFF's are fabulous for being on a plane - you just feel more stretched out and loose and comfy. best ever. way better than just sox. And now, here's one more EXCELLENT reason to wear them for travel.
I need cards with VFF links on 'em the number of times people in airports ask about 'em (by the way Vibram doesn't pay me a cent for promoting their foot ware; it's just the right thing to do).
So, go ahead, if you travel much, you'll be glad you have one less thing to manage after stripping down, pulling out a lap top, pulling out your liquids and all the rest. Keep your VFF's on (the flows do look the most sock like).
best
mc Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Vibram FiveFingers - Review 5 months on - New Body?
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After five months of wearing vibram's fivefingers (vff) footwear pretty steadily anywheres indoors over the winter, and now again finally outdoors, a few things have happened: my gait has improved (i credit z health drills with free footing footwear like the vff's), but in particular
i don't like wearing shoes anymore - even sneakers. They feel - funny. And what's weirder still - heavy.
Since i wrote about how to fit vff's , it's been cold and wintery, or cold, wet and wintery, and i've been wearing the vff's mainly at the office and at home - not outside. And they've been great. They've been particularly super in long haul airline flights - so nice to wiggle toes, get a bit more comfortable and be able to go for an aisle stroll to stretch. I've been glad of the Injinji toe socks as liners for these to keep the feet a treat warmer, but the main thing is, these shoes induce positive change not just at the feet, but in overall being-in-the-bodiness. This enhancement/awareness may be in part because my feet are now connecting more with the world more of the time. That perhaps enhances or better enables the proprioceptors in my feet to say where they are in space. Also, because the foot is more free to move, a more natural and appropriate gate is coming back. It's a treat to ditch the orthotics. Why is wearing thin soled foot wear with toe pockets such a big deal?
Proprioceptioning the World through Sole(s)
One of the issues with shoes is that they separate us from the environment. Now most of us would see this as a good thing. For those who like their kodiaks or other steel-toed work boots for office attire, we fear something could drop on one's foot - a block of photocopier paper perhaps - and that would smart. And outside, there are hazards on our streets, we feel. Broken glass must be everywhere. We want to protect ourselves from that. That's what a thick sole provides. Or because these concrete roads and walks are SO unnatural, we want shoes with extra cushioning to protect ourselves from these surfaces. Similarly, standing on our feet all day, surely we want the best cushioning?
Everything affects everything?
The costs of each of these foot binding strategies is two fold: awareness and gait. If we wear padding we don't have to be so aware of moving around objects that might bump into us. If we don't have to watch where we put our feet and can be casual about our stepping - in fact step poorly because there are no consequences to our feet, does this lack of movement subtlety or envirnoment awareness start to impact the rest of our bodies?
Take gait: problems with gait in running - such as over pronation - are often addressed by orthotics - and artificial support placed in the shoe - rather than on thinking about the whole movement and improving the gait itself - as if gait can't change. Gait is not just something that happens in the foot. It's a whole body movement. If something is hinky in the foot, it will work its way up the chain through the rest of the body's connections with stride and each step we take. Orthotics (by way of example) also only focus on the foot as both the site of the problem and the solution. But what if the problem starts in the shoulders or the lower back and just manifests in the foot that seems to over pronate? So what does this have to do with thin soled shoes?
When our feet are in inflexible, well padded sneakers, say, we actually have less awareness of our gate - we are protected from it - that awful heal strike is counteracted in some respects by the Super Cushion, for instance.
What happens when we take off our shoes and run barefoot - outside. Most folks i've chatted with would not even contemplate going shoesless on sidewalks - never mind the oceans of rusty nails and broken glass, it's "the impact" of course that is feared.
And yet there are growing numbers of barefooting runners. Are they built differently than the rest of us?
Running Outside on Pavement without the Cushion
Here's where i've really noticed the change that z health and vff's hath wrought. I used to run alot of x-country. Now i occasionally run to work or home. When i first wore the VFF's and had my first run experience in them, ya it was a little funny - couldn't do the heel down at all without jarring myself silly - had to run up on the balls of my toes. But from what i read about gait and stride, that's not entirely "natural" either not to have the heal come into play.
Then the winter really kicked in and it became too cold to wear the VFF's to work. In the past few days, it's become warm enough a 7C to wear 'em again. And so i ran home - including a big down hill pounder that should really test heal work. And it was easy. Simple. Dare i say natural. Was not thinking about stride.
So intriguingly, at least to me, after walking around daily in VFF's *indoors* my stride is such that it's now easy to run outdoors. On pavement. In as near to barefeet as one's likely to get with some kind of foot covering.
Now i've been doing z drills to work on the over pronation that i have in my asymmetrical stride, and i'm looking forward to getting the improvement checked in a few months, but in the interim, i know that having barefoot like footwear has made it possible for me to be more aware of my stride - to feel the whole foot move. That awareness is both challenging to achieve in shoes, and then challenging to apply in shoes, since shoes are typically too ridgid to respond to the whole foot move.
Consequences are that the issues with my back are also finding greater relief.
So in the end, here's what i'm thinking: i had a z health assessment that helped me find appropriate drills to address my gait issues; i practice these drills. But i also practice walking. It's something most of us do every day, everytime we stand up to move to somewhere else. Where i work it's a long building. So walking from one end of the building to the other (90 secs) is a lot of steps. That's good practice. With the VFF's i can be far more aware of my feet - feel what they're doing across each joint. IT's very cool. Really. I feel like i am more in my body, more aware and just feel better as a result.
The down side - if it is a down side - is that i just reached a point the other day where i couldn't stand wearing my winter shoes anymore. They just felt heavy and it felt like my feet were all trussed up, and i just said ok that's enough. Lucky for me, i guess, the weather has turned sufficiently in the centigrade to allow me to wear a pair of VFF Flows. It felt quite daring the other day wearing them in the real world - onto the train platfrom, onto the train, walking around an unfamiliar city. But it was great. It was really great. My feet did not feel weighted down or tied it. It may be difficult to believe that one's feet *could* feel so encumbered by cross country goretex runners (what my winter "boots" are), but that's how it's been feeling.
I'm not quite sure what i'm going to do about some time i have to spend this coming week where it's currently -20C. Suck it up and wear the shoes, i guess, until Vivo gets its boot sizing worked out, and be glad it's only for brief jaunts.
Fashionistas
There have been a number of places where people have said "those look really comfortable - wish i could wear them, but i'd never get away with it where i work"- I wonder if that's true. If one could wear black pumps, why not black vibrams? or black crepe soled shoes, why not black vibrams?
Not that one has to wear VFF's - there are it seems a variety of thin soled shoes that many folks in the z community and other free-feet-is-best spaces suggest. My past 5 month experience has been with VFF's - i've enjoyed how light and easy they are to shove in my pack to get to work or take on a trip. I also like how my feet have adapted to learning how to be multi-jointed instruments again.
So, if you're contemplating freeing your feet, only half a year-ish on, at least in my experience, it's been entirely worth it. Recommended highly.
Related Posts
i don't like wearing shoes anymore - even sneakers. They feel - funny. And what's weirder still - heavy.
Since i wrote about how to fit vff's , it's been cold and wintery, or cold, wet and wintery, and i've been wearing the vff's mainly at the office and at home - not outside. And they've been great. They've been particularly super in long haul airline flights - so nice to wiggle toes, get a bit more comfortable and be able to go for an aisle stroll to stretch. I've been glad of the Injinji toe socks as liners for these to keep the feet a treat warmer, but the main thing is, these shoes induce positive change not just at the feet, but in overall being-in-the-bodiness. This enhancement/awareness may be in part because my feet are now connecting more with the world more of the time. That perhaps enhances or better enables the proprioceptors in my feet to say where they are in space. Also, because the foot is more free to move, a more natural and appropriate gate is coming back. It's a treat to ditch the orthotics. Why is wearing thin soled foot wear with toe pockets such a big deal?Proprioceptioning the World through Sole(s)
One of the issues with shoes is that they separate us from the environment. Now most of us would see this as a good thing. For those who like their kodiaks or other steel-toed work boots for office attire, we fear something could drop on one's foot - a block of photocopier paper perhaps - and that would smart. And outside, there are hazards on our streets, we feel. Broken glass must be everywhere. We want to protect ourselves from that. That's what a thick sole provides. Or because these concrete roads and walks are SO unnatural, we want shoes with extra cushioning to protect ourselves from these surfaces. Similarly, standing on our feet all day, surely we want the best cushioning?
Everything affects everything?
The costs of each of these foot binding strategies is two fold: awareness and gait. If we wear padding we don't have to be so aware of moving around objects that might bump into us. If we don't have to watch where we put our feet and can be casual about our stepping - in fact step poorly because there are no consequences to our feet, does this lack of movement subtlety or envirnoment awareness start to impact the rest of our bodies?
Take gait: problems with gait in running - such as over pronation - are often addressed by orthotics - and artificial support placed in the shoe - rather than on thinking about the whole movement and improving the gait itself - as if gait can't change. Gait is not just something that happens in the foot. It's a whole body movement. If something is hinky in the foot, it will work its way up the chain through the rest of the body's connections with stride and each step we take. Orthotics (by way of example) also only focus on the foot as both the site of the problem and the solution. But what if the problem starts in the shoulders or the lower back and just manifests in the foot that seems to over pronate? So what does this have to do with thin soled shoes?
When our feet are in inflexible, well padded sneakers, say, we actually have less awareness of our gate - we are protected from it - that awful heal strike is counteracted in some respects by the Super Cushion, for instance.
What happens when we take off our shoes and run barefoot - outside. Most folks i've chatted with would not even contemplate going shoesless on sidewalks - never mind the oceans of rusty nails and broken glass, it's "the impact" of course that is feared.
And yet there are growing numbers of barefooting runners. Are they built differently than the rest of us?
Running Outside on Pavement without the Cushion
Here's where i've really noticed the change that z health and vff's hath wrought. I used to run alot of x-country. Now i occasionally run to work or home. When i first wore the VFF's and had my first run experience in them, ya it was a little funny - couldn't do the heel down at all without jarring myself silly - had to run up on the balls of my toes. But from what i read about gait and stride, that's not entirely "natural" either not to have the heal come into play.
Then the winter really kicked in and it became too cold to wear the VFF's to work. In the past few days, it's become warm enough a 7C to wear 'em again. And so i ran home - including a big down hill pounder that should really test heal work. And it was easy. Simple. Dare i say natural. Was not thinking about stride.
So intriguingly, at least to me, after walking around daily in VFF's *indoors* my stride is such that it's now easy to run outdoors. On pavement. In as near to barefeet as one's likely to get with some kind of foot covering.
Now i've been doing z drills to work on the over pronation that i have in my asymmetrical stride, and i'm looking forward to getting the improvement checked in a few months, but in the interim, i know that having barefoot like footwear has made it possible for me to be more aware of my stride - to feel the whole foot move. That awareness is both challenging to achieve in shoes, and then challenging to apply in shoes, since shoes are typically too ridgid to respond to the whole foot move.
Consequences are that the issues with my back are also finding greater relief.
So in the end, here's what i'm thinking: i had a z health assessment that helped me find appropriate drills to address my gait issues; i practice these drills. But i also practice walking. It's something most of us do every day, everytime we stand up to move to somewhere else. Where i work it's a long building. So walking from one end of the building to the other (90 secs) is a lot of steps. That's good practice. With the VFF's i can be far more aware of my feet - feel what they're doing across each joint. IT's very cool. Really. I feel like i am more in my body, more aware and just feel better as a result.
The down side - if it is a down side - is that i just reached a point the other day where i couldn't stand wearing my winter shoes anymore. They just felt heavy and it felt like my feet were all trussed up, and i just said ok that's enough. Lucky for me, i guess, the weather has turned sufficiently in the centigrade to allow me to wear a pair of VFF Flows. It felt quite daring the other day wearing them in the real world - onto the train platfrom, onto the train, walking around an unfamiliar city. But it was great. It was really great. My feet did not feel weighted down or tied it. It may be difficult to believe that one's feet *could* feel so encumbered by cross country goretex runners (what my winter "boots" are), but that's how it's been feeling.
I'm not quite sure what i'm going to do about some time i have to spend this coming week where it's currently -20C. Suck it up and wear the shoes, i guess, until Vivo gets its boot sizing worked out, and be glad it's only for brief jaunts.
Fashionistas
There have been a number of places where people have said "those look really comfortable - wish i could wear them, but i'd never get away with it where i work"- I wonder if that's true. If one could wear black pumps, why not black vibrams? or black crepe soled shoes, why not black vibrams?
Not that one has to wear VFF's - there are it seems a variety of thin soled shoes that many folks in the z community and other free-feet-is-best spaces suggest. My past 5 month experience has been with VFF's - i've enjoyed how light and easy they are to shove in my pack to get to work or take on a trip. I also like how my feet have adapted to learning how to be multi-jointed instruments again.
So, if you're contemplating freeing your feet, only half a year-ish on, at least in my experience, it's been entirely worth it. Recommended highly.
Related Posts
- One year on in vff's
- VFF's and long boarding
- VFF's and proprioceptive goodness
- VFF's at airport security and in the cold
- the entire b2d vff article index (yes there's more!)
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Carbs or Protein before Bed? Not what you think
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Most of us have heard that having some slow digesting protein in our guts at night, making amino acids available for muscle repair after a hard day's training is a great thing.
We may likewise have been told to avoid carbs "they aren't necessary" i've heard one person write (yes i hear writing. all the time. creepy)
The thing is, some work around recovery suggests that it's just as important to get a good sleep - undisturbed and deep - for that growth hormone to release and do it's thing to. And guess what helps a good sleep? Yup. Carbs. Oatmeal and honey before bed, deeper sleep assured.
So, i'm gonna be looking into this further to get a handle on optimal ratios for best muscle/recovery blend...
to be continued... Tweet Follow @begin2dig
We may likewise have been told to avoid carbs "they aren't necessary" i've heard one person write (yes i hear writing. all the time. creepy)
The thing is, some work around recovery suggests that it's just as important to get a good sleep - undisturbed and deep - for that growth hormone to release and do it's thing to. And guess what helps a good sleep? Yup. Carbs. Oatmeal and honey before bed, deeper sleep assured.
So, i'm gonna be looking into this further to get a handle on optimal ratios for best muscle/recovery blend...
to be continued... Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Optimal Protein Blends - for carnivores and vegetarians alike
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The following post offers some quick suggestions for tuning your protein types to optimize uptake depending on activity.
Carter Schoffer once explained to me why different kinds of proteins are a good idea, rather than using the usual Whey Protein Isolate by whatever company. The reason that has a lot to do with it (if i'm reflecting this correctly) is absorption rate matching to task.
After a hard training session when the muscles are crying out for amino acids, a fast digesting protein is a good idea. For vegans, gemma or pea protein seems to have the best profile. For dairy-ok folks, hydrolyzed whey has the best profile - better than isolate.
For protein during the day and over night, when you want to slow down the absorption rate, and have a more steady state feed of protein happening, slower absorbing proteins.
For vegans, hemp protein is a slow digesting source. Here's a resource comparing different protein types, too. (if that link goes awry, here's another).
For dairy-ok folks looking for anytime protein, casein/milk blends are a good idea. Especially if you follow Precision Nutrition's of protein and greens with every feeding, and need the convenience of say a Super Shake during the day, this second protein variant is great to have.
You can shop for protein powders that pre tin these particular blends. Or you can custom mix the blends you want at trueprotein.com (there's also a trueprotein.ca). There are several advantages to the TP approach. One of them is experimentation: you can order a pound of any kind of blend you'd like or any flavouring you'd like and not be stuck with a ton of it.
For instance, Luke Neilsen recommends this blend for a great anytime protein.
The price works out to 1-3 dollars a pound LESS than Metabolic drive, Evopro by Cytosport, or Propeptide.
Now if you do want to use pre-packed blend, i'd recommend bulknutrition.com (aka 1fast400.com) - they have excellent prices, good shipping, and frequent 10% off offers for returning customers. They're also very fast at responding to customer queries.
For the blends and customer service, TP is hard to beat. They also do some bulk supplements as well, so it's worth comparing prices regularly between bulknutrition.com and TP.
If you do order from trueprotein, you're welcome to use my discount code as well for 5% off your next order. The code is MCS110 - you'll enter it at the end of the order cycle. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Carter Schoffer once explained to me why different kinds of proteins are a good idea, rather than using the usual Whey Protein Isolate by whatever company. The reason that has a lot to do with it (if i'm reflecting this correctly) is absorption rate matching to task.
After a hard training session when the muscles are crying out for amino acids, a fast digesting protein is a good idea. For vegans, gemma or pea protein seems to have the best profile. For dairy-ok folks, hydrolyzed whey has the best profile - better than isolate.
For protein during the day and over night, when you want to slow down the absorption rate, and have a more steady state feed of protein happening, slower absorbing proteins.
For vegans, hemp protein is a slow digesting source. Here's a resource comparing different protein types, too. (if that link goes awry, here's another).
For dairy-ok folks looking for anytime protein, casein/milk blends are a good idea. Especially if you follow Precision Nutrition's of protein and greens with every feeding, and need the convenience of say a Super Shake during the day, this second protein variant is great to have.
You can shop for protein powders that pre tin these particular blends. Or you can custom mix the blends you want at trueprotein.com (there's also a trueprotein.ca). There are several advantages to the TP approach. One of them is experimentation: you can order a pound of any kind of blend you'd like or any flavouring you'd like and not be stuck with a ton of it.For instance, Luke Neilsen recommends this blend for a great anytime protein.
Milk Protein Isolate - 30%It's recommended to include the aminogen protease and i prefer the BSL flavouring system but there again you can use any flavour/sweetener combo you'd like.
Micellar Casein - 30%
Whey Protein Isolate Cold-Filtration -40%
The price works out to 1-3 dollars a pound LESS than Metabolic drive, Evopro by Cytosport, or Propeptide.
Now if you do want to use pre-packed blend, i'd recommend bulknutrition.com (aka 1fast400.com) - they have excellent prices, good shipping, and frequent 10% off offers for returning customers. They're also very fast at responding to customer queries.
For the blends and customer service, TP is hard to beat. They also do some bulk supplements as well, so it's worth comparing prices regularly between bulknutrition.com and TP.
If you do order from trueprotein, you're welcome to use my discount code as well for 5% off your next order. The code is MCS110 - you'll enter it at the end of the order cycle. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Bones and Pistols: a start at B2D responses to readers' queries
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This post provides a summary of what research suggests about what we can do to enhance bone strength - and especially when we can do it. It also includes a preliminary review of Steve Cotter's Mastering the Pistol DVD. All because of what b2d readers want to know :)
A little while ago, i asked b2d readers if there were any topics of particular interest to them they might like to know more about. Ron asked about Why Hardstyle (implicitly perhaps as opposed to GS?) - a part of a reply to that is in a recent post on early impressions of GS training which may or may not help Ron's quest.
One of the other queries was from supercat strongman Adam Glass on bone strength:
I've been fascinated by bones ever since i had to study about bone formation for the CSCS certification. It's a topic i find rather overwhelming because SO MUCH is going on in bone. So rather than try to get into the intriguing complexities of bone development and growth, i've restricted myself to Adam's question.
A more detailed discussion of his question is over at geekfit. That seemed a more appropriate place for the article as it has finally given me something i've been looking for: an unequivocal imperative for desk jockeys in their 20's to get working out. Working out now for future ease from pain and disability may be about as exciting to think about as pension planning , but the results are in: bone loss is inevitable, and the best cure is prevention rather than treatment.
If you're interested in the topic, there's lots of detail and referenced research over at the article on geekfit, but let me quote the summary here:
Another topic posed by Jason was to write the next phase of the Bum as the Path to Sveltness . In that geekfit article i argued that since the butt hosts the largest muscle in the body, working it will have a big bang for the buck.
The Pistol and the Butt
As a preview to more descriptions of butt oriented effort, allow me to come back to the Issue i've been having with the Pistol. The pistol must be one of THE ULTIMATE butt working body weight moves, but i've been focusing on the weighted pistol. Adam gave me some great advice for slingshotting with a kb which i have tried with great pleasure and fried my legs too boot, and Irontamer David Whitely has volunteered to look at a video of my (pathetic attempt at) weighted performance. Rannoch suggested i look at Steve Cotter's Pistol DVD, and i owned a skepticism of any more sets of instructions. But then two things happened.
What i am looking forward to doing is a detailed review of the dvd once i've had a chance to work through it to "master the pistol" - which by Steve Cotter's definition is 10 body weight pistols on each leg.
One may ask (as i did ) why one would need another Pistol DVD since there is already Pavel's most excellent Naked Warrior which teaches both the one arm push up and the pistol, and includes variants of each.
One may ask the same question about why would anyone do another kb instructional dvd after the excellent book/dvd "Enter the Kettlebell"? And this is rather the same question as why are there a dozen textbooks all teaching stats? Part of the answer may be that different teachers/writers/coaches convey the same topics in different ways, and at different times, different approaches may connect more effectively than at others.
Alternative Approaches
Right now, after working through some of the Cotter DVD, there is a certain appeal to the approach. Rather than working pistols by working the same move on progressively lower boxes, there are a series of supporting drills and levels in the DVD.
The DVD provides:
Again, i'm not saying that one approach is better than the other. For my mental state right now, the Mastering the Pistol DVD seems a closer fit.
And here is where there may be a kind of philosophical difference between the two approaches. Cotter's focuses on drills and routines to build up the strength ultimately to execute the pistol as effortlessly as one might get up from a chair. In other words, the progression on the DVD implies that if you do all the preliminary levels, the end result will be the 10/side pistol.
Pavel's approach seems to be more about learning how to generate tension to succeed with movement. He does not quantify number of pistols done to master the move; rather he demos the types of moves that should be possible once the particular strength technique is mastered. The same technique is to be applied starting with the highest box necessary to do the move down to finally the fully in the hole bottomed out posture to do the move.
Naturally there is overlap between the two: Cotter uses progressively lower boxes as parts of his series, too, but again, there seems a philosophical difference especially with regard to the role of tension. That's not a bad thing; it's just different, and i think in a good way for me as a pistol trainee. I like more information.
To Boldly Go...
What i don't know is how Cotter developed his program, any more than i know how Pavel developed and tested his: did each of them test their approach out with 10 newbies to see what worked? Or did they just draw on their experience to say "this seems like a reasonable program to help build up the muscle skill necessary for this move." Dunno.
What i do know, is that, like having a couple texts on say statistics (and i have more than two because it's a topic that drives me crazy so the more insights i can get into ANOVA calculations the easier i breath) to get different material AND to get different perspectives on the same material, it seems there is much to learn from both.
So i'm flagging Cotter's program up as something that looks like an interesting plan to follow to build into the pistol - it even uses Adam's sling shot in level one (thought without the kettlebell :) ).
What it also confirms for me as i work through Level 2 is that, regardless of approach taken, it has been the right decision to get back to basics: to master the bodyweight pistol first - with perfect form for perfect reps (a focus in these moves) - before getting into the weighted variety. It may put off my Bete challenge, but c'est le gare.
This stepping back to perfect the bodyweight variant seems necessary. And as Pavel claims in the Naked warrior, doing the Pistol is a testament to strength, movement and agility, so why not get it right? Right now, it feels like Cotter's circling around and up to it program may be right for where i'm at.
I'll look foward to a more complete review when i'm done the progressions and see where that lands me relative to "mastery."
Tweet Follow @begin2dig
A little while ago, i asked b2d readers if there were any topics of particular interest to them they might like to know more about. Ron asked about Why Hardstyle (implicitly perhaps as opposed to GS?) - a part of a reply to that is in a recent post on early impressions of GS training which may or may not help Ron's quest.
One of the other queries was from supercat strongman Adam Glass on bone strength:
A few weeks back i posted a question relating to the subject of bone adaptation to stress- a law was recited back to me by several members. I would like to see some more information on bone growth-specifically how i can increase the resulting thickess and researched methods of enhancing bone strength.
I've been fascinated by bones ever since i had to study about bone formation for the CSCS certification. It's a topic i find rather overwhelming because SO MUCH is going on in bone. So rather than try to get into the intriguing complexities of bone development and growth, i've restricted myself to Adam's question. A more detailed discussion of his question is over at geekfit. That seemed a more appropriate place for the article as it has finally given me something i've been looking for: an unequivocal imperative for desk jockeys in their 20's to get working out. Working out now for future ease from pain and disability may be about as exciting to think about as pension planning , but the results are in: bone loss is inevitable, and the best cure is prevention rather than treatment.
If you're interested in the topic, there's lots of detail and referenced research over at the article on geekfit, but let me quote the summary here:
While studies have mainly focussed on post-menopausal women, bone health - in particular bone mineral density - is a concern for both men and women. The best cure for bone loss is prevention rather than treatment, and the best approach for this prevention of inevitable bone loss is to bank it up with extra BMD work in childhood, youth and young adulthood. The best approach to do this loading is with resistive force work: power training, stop and start sports.The Butt
Nutrition is critical for bone building, but will not cause bone building any more than simply eating protein will cause hypertrophy. While we still don’t know what the optimal prescriptions are for optimal bone mineral density building, all the studies looking at this effect show that doing nothing is the worst approach; better to do some fast load bearing activities - but not over doing it, or one may have the opposite than desired effect with microfracturing the bones beyond repair.
Because of the critical effect of bone loss post our alas early peeking in life, it’s great to know that we can bank up bone for future benefit by using it regularly and vigerously - at least a few times a week. If you’re reading this, you’re not too young to start the deposit, no matter what gender. Use it or lose it seems to be increasingly a way of describing our entire physiological system, and that is certainly the case with our locomotive, protective, rather magnificent living skeletal system.
Another topic posed by Jason was to write the next phase of the Bum as the Path to Sveltness . In that geekfit article i argued that since the butt hosts the largest muscle in the body, working it will have a big bang for the buck.
The Pistol and the Butt
As a preview to more descriptions of butt oriented effort, allow me to come back to the Issue i've been having with the Pistol. The pistol must be one of THE ULTIMATE butt working body weight moves, but i've been focusing on the weighted pistol. Adam gave me some great advice for slingshotting with a kb which i have tried with great pleasure and fried my legs too boot, and Irontamer David Whitely has volunteered to look at a video of my (pathetic attempt at) weighted performance. Rannoch suggested i look at Steve Cotter's Pistol DVD, and i owned a skepticism of any more sets of instructions. But then two things happened.
- after cold reflection i thought, my body weight pistols just suck too much: i don't "own" as the expression goes - the body weight pistol. So how get even heavier and do a weighted pistol. To me a weighted pistol is the bell is in the rack - not being used as a counter weight. Maybe no one else cares about that, but it's where i'd like to be. So i decided to get back to basics and focus on just getting more reps. back to the drawing board.
- i was at a recent event where the very rannoch recommended dvd was just sitting there, on sale. So dear reader, i bought one.
What i am looking forward to doing is a detailed review of the dvd once i've had a chance to work through it to "master the pistol" - which by Steve Cotter's definition is 10 body weight pistols on each leg.One may ask (as i did ) why one would need another Pistol DVD since there is already Pavel's most excellent Naked Warrior which teaches both the one arm push up and the pistol, and includes variants of each.
One may ask the same question about why would anyone do another kb instructional dvd after the excellent book/dvd "Enter the Kettlebell"? And this is rather the same question as why are there a dozen textbooks all teaching stats? Part of the answer may be that different teachers/writers/coaches convey the same topics in different ways, and at different times, different approaches may connect more effectively than at others.
Alternative Approaches
Right now, after working through some of the Cotter DVD, there is a certain appeal to the approach. Rather than working pistols by working the same move on progressively lower boxes, there are a series of supporting drills and levels in the DVD.
The DVD provides:
- flexibility exercises
- balance work
- strength prep work
- three levels of actual pistol practice prep
- doing those 10/10 pistols
- variations of pistols (including weighted)
Again, i'm not saying that one approach is better than the other. For my mental state right now, the Mastering the Pistol DVD seems a closer fit.
And here is where there may be a kind of philosophical difference between the two approaches. Cotter's focuses on drills and routines to build up the strength ultimately to execute the pistol as effortlessly as one might get up from a chair. In other words, the progression on the DVD implies that if you do all the preliminary levels, the end result will be the 10/side pistol.
Pavel's approach seems to be more about learning how to generate tension to succeed with movement. He does not quantify number of pistols done to master the move; rather he demos the types of moves that should be possible once the particular strength technique is mastered. The same technique is to be applied starting with the highest box necessary to do the move down to finally the fully in the hole bottomed out posture to do the move.
Naturally there is overlap between the two: Cotter uses progressively lower boxes as parts of his series, too, but again, there seems a philosophical difference especially with regard to the role of tension. That's not a bad thing; it's just different, and i think in a good way for me as a pistol trainee. I like more information.
To Boldly Go...
What i don't know is how Cotter developed his program, any more than i know how Pavel developed and tested his: did each of them test their approach out with 10 newbies to see what worked? Or did they just draw on their experience to say "this seems like a reasonable program to help build up the muscle skill necessary for this move." Dunno.
What i do know, is that, like having a couple texts on say statistics (and i have more than two because it's a topic that drives me crazy so the more insights i can get into ANOVA calculations the easier i breath) to get different material AND to get different perspectives on the same material, it seems there is much to learn from both.
So i'm flagging Cotter's program up as something that looks like an interesting plan to follow to build into the pistol - it even uses Adam's sling shot in level one (thought without the kettlebell :) ).
What it also confirms for me as i work through Level 2 is that, regardless of approach taken, it has been the right decision to get back to basics: to master the bodyweight pistol first - with perfect form for perfect reps (a focus in these moves) - before getting into the weighted variety. It may put off my Bete challenge, but c'est le gare.
This stepping back to perfect the bodyweight variant seems necessary. And as Pavel claims in the Naked warrior, doing the Pistol is a testament to strength, movement and agility, so why not get it right? Right now, it feels like Cotter's circling around and up to it program may be right for where i'm at.
I'll look foward to a more complete review when i'm done the progressions and see where that lands me relative to "mastery."
Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Address Movement; Address Pain: Z Health R phase Certification
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In the Staley/Tsatsouline Strength Seminar, Pavel tells the joke of the weight room: "How many of you have had shoulder injuries? Anyone who hasn't raised their hand, can't." Tweaks, injuries, low back pain, gamy knees, all seem to be part of the athlete's oeuvre. Despite this, athletic coaches have shied away from tackling pain. Most certifications, from the CSCS to the CK-FMS, encourage coaches to refer pain to the appropriate specialist. So i was very surprised when i read the seeming emphasis on addressing pain as a core part of the Z health Certification.
The Blurb for the ZHealth RPhase certification includes, as rationale for seeking out this cert:
I can think of no other certification i've seen that focuses on pain relief and learning about offering pain relief in a trainer/coach context. Isn't that where we, the humble trainers/coaches, are supposed to punt to the skilled therapist trained in working with pain as the main reason their clients come to see them?
The "punt" is exactly what we learned too in the CK-FMS: if in any of the three tests for pain or if in any of the 7 screens induce pain, punt - get thee to a medico, PT or other well educated practitioner of manual therapy. And that seemed right proper, too.
But as i practice more ZHealth (here's an overview of Z), have the opportunity to coach more people, and read more about brain plasticity and about the nervous system, i've started to understand better a very foundational principle of ZHealth discussed in the certification: address movement; address (an awful lot of ) pain. This understanding also seems to be what sets ZHealth apart from other more general joint mobility work: it's focus of joint mobility work as a path towards improved movement/function and consequent pain relief.
This is not to say that other systems of joint mobility do not enhance function and potentially reduce pain, albeit perhaps less directly/systematically. I am not aware, however, of other joint mobility approaches that look at movement so diagnostically and associates specific movement work with addressing movement issues. There is a well-considered mapping between poor movement and exercises to enhance performance by restoring or improving that movement along full range of motion in the way joints are supposed to move.
What comes out of this correlation between movement assessment and work to improve movement is that there is a strong correlation between poorer movement and a heck of a lot of tissue-based pain. Address the movement issue and the associated pain seems to be addressed as well. In having read now some of the sources that inform the Z approach, this connection just makes so much sense. We are SO interconnected: physiologically, chemically, psychologically.
So while it sounds on the one hand like Z pracitioners are dealing with PAIN right at the top of the charts, Z practice is about movement and the processing systems that come into play with movement: joints, muscles, and especially nervous system receptors - including those in vision and balance. That's cool. It's movement (and turtles) all the way down.
In ZHealth (hereafter referenced as simply "Z"), there are a few basics
I worked with a client recently who complained of knee issues - sufficient to keep her away from squatting and even swinging a kettlebell with joy. After an assessment, we worked intensely on getting elbow circles (a Z movement) working. I was happily taken aback at seeing her the next morning saying that the pain was gone. Just. Gone. I've heard other Z coaches say they've had similar results with knee issues, and i've heard Eric Cobb talk about how quickly the body can adapt - but to see it yourself - well, it's impressive.
What Z focus on movement also means with respect to pain is really to break the site is the source mentality. The neurological focus may raise the question, based on nervous/chemical/tissue responses, if someone's shoulder is sore, is adding more stimulus directly to that area necessarily the best approach from a nociceptive perspective? Might that just keep irritating an area potentially? Yes the limb will need to be worked - our bodies are also very much apparently use it or lose it organisms - but is that where we start? Z would say, (i belive), look at the overall movement. Now it says a whole lot more about taking someone's history and so on, but in terms of the Big Picture, if anything can cause anything, why think addressing the site (alone) is the best or only place to begin?
What Z practice is showing me (and i'm only speaking for myself here, at a very early level of Z work) is that it's harder to rationalize training people in sport (or any other endeavor involving movement) without knowing more about what's happening in our bodies holistically as we train. What is going on in the brain as we practice? what is going on in the nerves and muscle fibers as we learn particular habits of movement? How does this patterning relate to either the Perfect Rep in particular or more general well being and ongoing ability to perform?
Knowledge about the interconnectedness of all the systems in the body - muscle, bone, brain, nerves - is actually pretty new. From the research new ideas in just how plastic we are at repatterning - how adaptable - has only really been pouring out of research over the last 10-20 years, depending on area. Eric Cobb's work in Z seems to be right at the cutting edge of that research - i've written before about how that connection to bleeding edge neurological science informs Z and why i personally like it because of that grounding. I've talked about this as the Engineering of the Science behind Z- translating the findings of science into practical applications of Engineered technology. The advantage that Z has again in this translation process is the increasing number of Z certified pracitioners and their clients finding out how well this tekne works.
A key part of this tekne is helping the person move themselves better - this self-movement as opposed to being moved by another - is also grounded in leading edge science, neurology.
So while i don't say to clients "wow, i can heal your pain" - if someone says "i have this pain" or "there's a bit of a tweak here" i can say "let's see how you move." So far, because of this integrative approach of "anything can cause anything" i've been able to work with more people, and more kinds of people, more effectively - and often more quickly and happily, too.
If you've been thinking about doing a Z certification, please contact Kathy Mauck and Z directly (kathy@zhealth.net) and let her know mc suggested you connect to find out how to make this work for you. The cool thing about Z is that there are also real people on the other end of the web page/email/phone. They'll help you make accessing a z cert work for you. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
The Blurb for the ZHealth RPhase certification includes, as rationale for seeking out this cert:
- You have chronic, nagging injuries that inhibit your own performance!
(How can you hope to help others to optimal health if you aren’t there yourself?) - You’re totally frustrated with ‘cutting-edge’ exercises and programs which yield minimal results in pain-relief or enhanced performance for both you and your clients!
(Nothing’s worse than wasting time, money and effort learning a new set of protocols only to see pitiful, or even worse, NO results.) - You’re tired of losing good clients because of injury, poor performance or loss of motivation!
I can think of no other certification i've seen that focuses on pain relief and learning about offering pain relief in a trainer/coach context. Isn't that where we, the humble trainers/coaches, are supposed to punt to the skilled therapist trained in working with pain as the main reason their clients come to see them?The "punt" is exactly what we learned too in the CK-FMS: if in any of the three tests for pain or if in any of the 7 screens induce pain, punt - get thee to a medico, PT or other well educated practitioner of manual therapy. And that seemed right proper, too.
But as i practice more ZHealth (here's an overview of Z), have the opportunity to coach more people, and read more about brain plasticity and about the nervous system, i've started to understand better a very foundational principle of ZHealth discussed in the certification: address movement; address (an awful lot of ) pain. This understanding also seems to be what sets ZHealth apart from other more general joint mobility work: it's focus of joint mobility work as a path towards improved movement/function and consequent pain relief.
This is not to say that other systems of joint mobility do not enhance function and potentially reduce pain, albeit perhaps less directly/systematically. I am not aware, however, of other joint mobility approaches that look at movement so diagnostically and associates specific movement work with addressing movement issues. There is a well-considered mapping between poor movement and exercises to enhance performance by restoring or improving that movement along full range of motion in the way joints are supposed to move.
What comes out of this correlation between movement assessment and work to improve movement is that there is a strong correlation between poorer movement and a heck of a lot of tissue-based pain. Address the movement issue and the associated pain seems to be addressed as well. In having read now some of the sources that inform the Z approach, this connection just makes so much sense. We are SO interconnected: physiologically, chemically, psychologically.
So while it sounds on the one hand like Z pracitioners are dealing with PAIN right at the top of the charts, Z practice is about movement and the processing systems that come into play with movement: joints, muscles, and especially nervous system receptors - including those in vision and balance. That's cool. It's movement (and turtles) all the way down.
In ZHealth (hereafter referenced as simply "Z"), there are a few basics
- never move into pain
- anything can cause anything
- the site of the pain may not be the source of the pain
- poor movement is often the source of pain: address the movement, and address the pain.
I worked with a client recently who complained of knee issues - sufficient to keep her away from squatting and even swinging a kettlebell with joy. After an assessment, we worked intensely on getting elbow circles (a Z movement) working. I was happily taken aback at seeing her the next morning saying that the pain was gone. Just. Gone. I've heard other Z coaches say they've had similar results with knee issues, and i've heard Eric Cobb talk about how quickly the body can adapt - but to see it yourself - well, it's impressive.
What Z focus on movement also means with respect to pain is really to break the site is the source mentality. The neurological focus may raise the question, based on nervous/chemical/tissue responses, if someone's shoulder is sore, is adding more stimulus directly to that area necessarily the best approach from a nociceptive perspective? Might that just keep irritating an area potentially? Yes the limb will need to be worked - our bodies are also very much apparently use it or lose it organisms - but is that where we start? Z would say, (i belive), look at the overall movement. Now it says a whole lot more about taking someone's history and so on, but in terms of the Big Picture, if anything can cause anything, why think addressing the site (alone) is the best or only place to begin?
What Z practice is showing me (and i'm only speaking for myself here, at a very early level of Z work) is that it's harder to rationalize training people in sport (or any other endeavor involving movement) without knowing more about what's happening in our bodies holistically as we train. What is going on in the brain as we practice? what is going on in the nerves and muscle fibers as we learn particular habits of movement? How does this patterning relate to either the Perfect Rep in particular or more general well being and ongoing ability to perform?
Knowledge about the interconnectedness of all the systems in the body - muscle, bone, brain, nerves - is actually pretty new. From the research new ideas in just how plastic we are at repatterning - how adaptable - has only really been pouring out of research over the last 10-20 years, depending on area. Eric Cobb's work in Z seems to be right at the cutting edge of that research - i've written before about how that connection to bleeding edge neurological science informs Z and why i personally like it because of that grounding. I've talked about this as the Engineering of the Science behind Z- translating the findings of science into practical applications of Engineered technology. The advantage that Z has again in this translation process is the increasing number of Z certified pracitioners and their clients finding out how well this tekne works.
A key part of this tekne is helping the person move themselves better - this self-movement as opposed to being moved by another - is also grounded in leading edge science, neurology.
So while i don't say to clients "wow, i can heal your pain" - if someone says "i have this pain" or "there's a bit of a tweak here" i can say "let's see how you move." So far, because of this integrative approach of "anything can cause anything" i've been able to work with more people, and more kinds of people, more effectively - and often more quickly and happily, too.
If you've been thinking about doing a Z certification, please contact Kathy Mauck and Z directly (kathy@zhealth.net) and let her know mc suggested you connect to find out how to make this work for you. The cool thing about Z is that there are also real people on the other end of the web page/email/phone. They'll help you make accessing a z cert work for you. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Friday, February 20, 2009
GS kettlebelling First Impressions
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If you've touched a kettlebell, you may be aware that there are a few approaches to KB practice. One has come to be known as "hard style" taught by Pavel Tsatsouline, and certified RKC's (like myself). The RKC approach also refers to itself as a "school of strength." It's this approach i've been using in the Perfect Rep Quest.
The other style is usually called GS (for Girevoy Sport) or Kettlebell Sport.
The main difference between the two styles seems to be technique and goal. In Hard Style, with its focus on strength, there is a consequent focus on generating tension for power and strength. The technique is to generate tension to move a heavy object a few times. Alternately, the GS approach seems to be (i stress seems as i am new to this GS country) to focus on endurance for performance over time. This is not to say that strength is not a part of it - men compete with shoving 2, 32kg bells up and down in the clean and jerk for numbers in time. But the sport is really to see how many times that weight bell can get pumped in that move in that time.
So the technique to manage this is about optimizing efficiency rather than tension - endurance strength rather than power strength. In this respect the style of the key moves is different to support these distinct goals.
This weekend, i had the opportunity to learn GS style from Steve Cotter under the auspices of the new IKFF CKT certification hosted by Simple Strength's Rannoch Donald, and using the newly demo'd London Kettlebells competition bells with most welcome highly indestructible paint job.
The main thing i take away from this right now that it's another way to think about applying these oh so versatile fitness tools. Pacing is a nice idea. Going for time is the way i was trained in x-country running: forget about speed at first and go for time. That means taking as much recovery *within* a set as needed to complete the set. Recovery is not doing nothing: it's active. In an overhead squat cycle, the rest may be at the bottom of the squat with the bell still locked out on top, or it may be while standing. In the jerk, it may be bell up top or bell in the rack. So you're holding/balancing/maintaining weight, but it's not in motion. You haven't put it down is the thing.
The practice of someone watching the clock for you gets to be a little meditative. Focus without boredom. "1 minute - great"...."2minutes...."
IT's very much a different head space than the more GRRR of hard style.
I've heard some argue on various fora that the GS approach is superior for health and well being and longevity. Ok. Show me the research that says this is so. That shows for instance long distance runners are healthier into old age than power lifters. It's not clear to me why we'd need to get into a this style is better than that style. I would be very keen though to see real data about how/why these different approaches may favour different types of health issues.
Without that evidence, well we're just whistling dixie.
In the interim of such claims being certified, it is clearly established that GS is a sport in a way that hard style is not (this point is not in contention, i think :)). As such, for hardstylers too it may be fun to think about translating that hard style grr attitude into a competitive realm. Double 32 C&J'ing for time/numbers, gentlemen? For women, i learned that in the US, it's snatching, jerking or "long cycle" clean and jerking with one arm, and a 16. Though it seems gals use 24's in Russia. Nothing wimpy about that.
Indeed, part of the rationale for going long (in time) with these weights is that really, how big a deal is it to press a big ol' kettlebell once next to a powerlift with a barbell? Ok, put that way, ya a single kettlebell lift ain't that big, relatively speaking (pressing a 24 is still a big deal to me, OK? but i get the point). So what else can you do with a "lighter" weight? Er, press it again? and again?
So to aid the Sport aspect of this repetition approach to kb's, like olympic bars and plates, they're all a standard size. Many folks have spoken about the rationale for this standardization: the only thing that changes is the weight. There's something appealing about working the groove of a move with the same shape, whether an 8 or a 28. It is interesting to train and groove with one weight, and go up to the next with exactly the same form. It's cool.
The form initially seems a little freaky - bending back and curling over the bell, resting on the hip etc. Hence the benefit of proper instruction to learn how to do this without herniating a disk.
BJ Bliffert, RKC, told me about GS over the summer - and that if you're thinking about it, start lighter than you're used to working with in RKC style. From my brief experience to date, he's right. Because of the time element, greasing the groove, getting the form is a big deal - it's a whole new muscle pattern to learn and become efficient with. And brain theory would say it's also a whole new bunch of neural maps to put down. So as always with the perfect rep, looks like high volume low(er) weight is the way to go.
Right now i'm not sure exactly where the GS approach will fit into my training practice life, but i do really like the idea of timed sets as a component of that. Cotter talks about these as a mental discispline practice, not only a physical discipline to stay in there. Getting the mix of weight to time is then important - and is certainly where i was at with the timed sets we did on the weekend: balancing challenge of effort with tenacity of focus to keep going wihtout burning out. It was enjoyable in a rough kinda way.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi talks about this as flow: being in the space of something that is sufficiently challenging to keep you engaged, but not pushing you beyond your skills; using them without overloading them and so going into stress/startle mode. This is not to say that GS has a lock on flow with kettlebells - just that you're likely to find it there if you have the time to learn the technique and the opportunity to connect with someone who can teach you - so you do get the tech- nique, and do hit the flow. Right now the practice - learning the skill is part of a flow, too.
Right now, it seems like the IKFF is reaching out to as many continents as it can find, and there are a growing host of IKFF certified CKT'ers (also like me) out there. That said, i'm gonna be practicing the form a whole lot more for the time being to get it. I got the sense there was way more technique happening than we were explicitly taught. so for the nonce, i'm just working the sweep, the repose, the sweep, the repose, checking my grip checking the handle in the hand and again.
Initial impression? i don't know martial arts, but i hear that most martial arts types learn many styles. In a similar vein, i'm really glad to have had the opportunity to learn a new style, and now have the opportunity to think about how to take this new learning into my own physical practice.
(thanks to ken blackburn for the source image) Tweet Follow @begin2dig
If you've touched a kettlebell, you may be aware that there are a few approaches to KB practice. One has come to be known as "hard style" taught by Pavel Tsatsouline, and certified RKC's (like myself). The RKC approach also refers to itself as a "school of strength." It's this approach i've been using in the Perfect Rep Quest.The other style is usually called GS (for Girevoy Sport) or Kettlebell Sport.
The main difference between the two styles seems to be technique and goal. In Hard Style, with its focus on strength, there is a consequent focus on generating tension for power and strength. The technique is to generate tension to move a heavy object a few times. Alternately, the GS approach seems to be (i stress seems as i am new to this GS country) to focus on endurance for performance over time. This is not to say that strength is not a part of it - men compete with shoving 2, 32kg bells up and down in the clean and jerk for numbers in time. But the sport is really to see how many times that weight bell can get pumped in that move in that time.
So the technique to manage this is about optimizing efficiency rather than tension - endurance strength rather than power strength. In this respect the style of the key moves is different to support these distinct goals.
This weekend, i had the opportunity to learn GS style from Steve Cotter under the auspices of the new IKFF CKT certification hosted by Simple Strength's Rannoch Donald, and using the newly demo'd London Kettlebells competition bells with most welcome highly indestructible paint job.
The main thing i take away from this right now that it's another way to think about applying these oh so versatile fitness tools. Pacing is a nice idea. Going for time is the way i was trained in x-country running: forget about speed at first and go for time. That means taking as much recovery *within* a set as needed to complete the set. Recovery is not doing nothing: it's active. In an overhead squat cycle, the rest may be at the bottom of the squat with the bell still locked out on top, or it may be while standing. In the jerk, it may be bell up top or bell in the rack. So you're holding/balancing/maintaining weight, but it's not in motion. You haven't put it down is the thing.
The practice of someone watching the clock for you gets to be a little meditative. Focus without boredom. "1 minute - great"...."2minutes...."
IT's very much a different head space than the more GRRR of hard style.
I've heard some argue on various fora that the GS approach is superior for health and well being and longevity. Ok. Show me the research that says this is so. That shows for instance long distance runners are healthier into old age than power lifters. It's not clear to me why we'd need to get into a this style is better than that style. I would be very keen though to see real data about how/why these different approaches may favour different types of health issues.
Without that evidence, well we're just whistling dixie.
In the interim of such claims being certified, it is clearly established that GS is a sport in a way that hard style is not (this point is not in contention, i think :)). As such, for hardstylers too it may be fun to think about translating that hard style grr attitude into a competitive realm. Double 32 C&J'ing for time/numbers, gentlemen? For women, i learned that in the US, it's snatching, jerking or "long cycle" clean and jerking with one arm, and a 16. Though it seems gals use 24's in Russia. Nothing wimpy about that.
Indeed, part of the rationale for going long (in time) with these weights is that really, how big a deal is it to press a big ol' kettlebell once next to a powerlift with a barbell? Ok, put that way, ya a single kettlebell lift ain't that big, relatively speaking (pressing a 24 is still a big deal to me, OK? but i get the point). So what else can you do with a "lighter" weight? Er, press it again? and again?
So to aid the Sport aspect of this repetition approach to kb's, like olympic bars and plates, they're all a standard size. Many folks have spoken about the rationale for this standardization: the only thing that changes is the weight. There's something appealing about working the groove of a move with the same shape, whether an 8 or a 28. It is interesting to train and groove with one weight, and go up to the next with exactly the same form. It's cool.
The form initially seems a little freaky - bending back and curling over the bell, resting on the hip etc. Hence the benefit of proper instruction to learn how to do this without herniating a disk.
BJ Bliffert, RKC, told me about GS over the summer - and that if you're thinking about it, start lighter than you're used to working with in RKC style. From my brief experience to date, he's right. Because of the time element, greasing the groove, getting the form is a big deal - it's a whole new muscle pattern to learn and become efficient with. And brain theory would say it's also a whole new bunch of neural maps to put down. So as always with the perfect rep, looks like high volume low(er) weight is the way to go.
Right now i'm not sure exactly where the GS approach will fit into my training practice life, but i do really like the idea of timed sets as a component of that. Cotter talks about these as a mental discispline practice, not only a physical discipline to stay in there. Getting the mix of weight to time is then important - and is certainly where i was at with the timed sets we did on the weekend: balancing challenge of effort with tenacity of focus to keep going wihtout burning out. It was enjoyable in a rough kinda way.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi talks about this as flow: being in the space of something that is sufficiently challenging to keep you engaged, but not pushing you beyond your skills; using them without overloading them and so going into stress/startle mode. This is not to say that GS has a lock on flow with kettlebells - just that you're likely to find it there if you have the time to learn the technique and the opportunity to connect with someone who can teach you - so you do get the tech- nique, and do hit the flow. Right now the practice - learning the skill is part of a flow, too.
Right now, it seems like the IKFF is reaching out to as many continents as it can find, and there are a growing host of IKFF certified CKT'ers (also like me) out there. That said, i'm gonna be practicing the form a whole lot more for the time being to get it. I got the sense there was way more technique happening than we were explicitly taught. so for the nonce, i'm just working the sweep, the repose, the sweep, the repose, checking my grip checking the handle in the hand and again.
Initial impression? i don't know martial arts, but i hear that most martial arts types learn many styles. In a similar vein, i'm really glad to have had the opportunity to learn a new style, and now have the opportunity to think about how to take this new learning into my own physical practice.
(thanks to ken blackburn for the source image) Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
i just C&P'd the 20!
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ok, so not a deep post this; just personal celebration.
i just clean & pressed the 20k on the right side. first time. a bit of hip to get through the sticking point but not a ton, and the thing is it went up otherwise unassisted.
This is a big deal personally - had almost thought it wasn't gonna happen. Gives me hope that the 24 is not quite as far out of site as i'd thought it might be.
y'all go get your PR's too!
happy dance time
-later: the 20 on the right feels a bit right now like the 16 did on the left before i got the clean figured out: planets must align, everything be just so to get it; it's not consistent.
But the interesting thing to me, is that this time i *know* - or am at least pretty certain - that it's a technique issue now rather than a strength issue. So perhaps the same approach that worked for the 16L will work with the 20R, eh? to get that dialed in. (for those who haven't been following this, it's all part of the "perfect rep quest series")
Never imagined strength would be so rich a skill/experience.
mc
update: Feb 28, 2009
second 20k single - less hip and faster going up this time.
will miracles never cease!
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i just clean & pressed the 20k on the right side. first time. a bit of hip to get through the sticking point but not a ton, and the thing is it went up otherwise unassisted.
This is a big deal personally - had almost thought it wasn't gonna happen. Gives me hope that the 24 is not quite as far out of site as i'd thought it might be.
y'all go get your PR's too!
happy dance time
-later: the 20 on the right feels a bit right now like the 16 did on the left before i got the clean figured out: planets must align, everything be just so to get it; it's not consistent.
But the interesting thing to me, is that this time i *know* - or am at least pretty certain - that it's a technique issue now rather than a strength issue. So perhaps the same approach that worked for the 16L will work with the 20R, eh? to get that dialed in. (for those who haven't been following this, it's all part of the "perfect rep quest series")
Never imagined strength would be so rich a skill/experience.
mc
update: Feb 28, 2009
second 20k single - less hip and faster going up this time.
will miracles never cease!
update: Thurs. March 26
third C&P in dressing gown after breakie
update Friday March 27
fourth C&P in dressing gown after breakie.
hmm, a pattern?
have tried on other occasions before and since (like today March 27 - no go). Technique? New Moon? what??
update easter monday April 13:
recovering from a vicious cold, jet lagged, back from two weeks away and zero 20k attempts (no such thing available), popped it up once after breakie and ONCE AGAIN after lunch. no warm up no nothin' just up and then up.
that's 6 C&P's and the first double in one day.
i was gonna try for a third, but wanted to have a 100% success day.
May 2...
i haven't written down each c&p since the above - there haven't been that many :). Maybe one or two a week. and not on the same days.
But today, after a 5 min RKC snatch test prep (98 - personal record, and honestly was not killing myself, this is not the TSC; even saying that, there's a long way to go to double that for a GS event) - yes AFTER that, i did 5 C&P singles. Pauses between them: doing z health shoulder work. But there they were. Later that evening i snuck in one more. It wasn't until i went for the 7th that that was it.
What changed?
May 3...
after a vo2max row (rowing is very similar to snatching), i had a miss with the C&P - that usually spells zero for the day, but went back after recovery; did 1 C&P followed by a second complete press. hmm.
One thing that has changed - besides i'd hope the natural process of muscular adaptation: attitude. In keeping with what i've been learning in the Sedona Method about effortless this that and the other thing, i thought i'd try effortless pressing. That doesn't mean not tensing muscles as needed etc, but it's i dunno, perhaps a state of mind that lets the work happen without getting all fussed or psyched or something about it.
I don't know what to say other than, the day i approached the C&P of the 20 with that attitude is the day i got 6 singles, and the next day got 2 presses non-stop. Maybe it's just coincidence that on that same day the muscular strength was just there. but we'll see. this is something i plan to test in going for the 24.
it's a drag to need to wait a few days before doing heavy pressing again... drat that recovery.
May 31 - post RKC Denmark 09 assisting, post zhealth I phase.
Pavel gave me some hip flexor advice at the Cert to drive the clean more to awesome effect, and Eric Cobb gave me some great stance and eye work to get through the sticking point, with an eye towards the 24. Result: get home and I'm up to 9 C&P singles with the 20. We'll see when that 24 comes down (which means goes up, of course).
update easter monday April 13:
recovering from a vicious cold, jet lagged, back from two weeks away and zero 20k attempts (no such thing available), popped it up once after breakie and ONCE AGAIN after lunch. no warm up no nothin' just up and then up.
that's 6 C&P's and the first double in one day.
i was gonna try for a third, but wanted to have a 100% success day.
May 2...
i haven't written down each c&p since the above - there haven't been that many :). Maybe one or two a week. and not on the same days.
But today, after a 5 min RKC snatch test prep (98 - personal record, and honestly was not killing myself, this is not the TSC; even saying that, there's a long way to go to double that for a GS event) - yes AFTER that, i did 5 C&P singles. Pauses between them: doing z health shoulder work. But there they were. Later that evening i snuck in one more. It wasn't until i went for the 7th that that was it.
What changed?
May 3...
after a vo2max row (rowing is very similar to snatching), i had a miss with the C&P - that usually spells zero for the day, but went back after recovery; did 1 C&P followed by a second complete press. hmm.
One thing that has changed - besides i'd hope the natural process of muscular adaptation: attitude. In keeping with what i've been learning in the Sedona Method about effortless this that and the other thing, i thought i'd try effortless pressing. That doesn't mean not tensing muscles as needed etc, but it's i dunno, perhaps a state of mind that lets the work happen without getting all fussed or psyched or something about it.
I don't know what to say other than, the day i approached the C&P of the 20 with that attitude is the day i got 6 singles, and the next day got 2 presses non-stop. Maybe it's just coincidence that on that same day the muscular strength was just there. but we'll see. this is something i plan to test in going for the 24.it's a drag to need to wait a few days before doing heavy pressing again... drat that recovery.
May 31 - post RKC Denmark 09 assisting, post zhealth I phase.
Pavel gave me some hip flexor advice at the Cert to drive the clean more to awesome effect, and Eric Cobb gave me some great stance and eye work to get through the sticking point, with an eye towards the 24. Result: get home and I'm up to 9 C&P singles with the 20. We'll see when that 24 comes down (which means goes up, of course).
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Weighted Pistol Puzzle
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I own i have been frustrated by the weighted pistol. My body weight pistol is not a car wreck. On a good day, can even do that lovely hold your toe with leg outstetched while going up and down. But the weighted version - any kind of weight - is a challenge i canna crack. I wonder if part of this is the way a woman's center of mass is different from a guy's?
Anyway, i've finally been places where i can set up a rig to give adam glass's advice a go:
If you're just looking to get your body weight pistol happening, there are two sources: the best freebie is at Beast Skills. (i think the person's first name is Jim, but it's actually really challenging to find his name on his site!)
The best book/video on building appropriate strength/tension techniques, also featuring how to get a one arm push up, is Pavel Tsatsouline's Naked Warrior.
If you've had trouble with weighted pistols, and have found techniques to break the cycle and get success, please share.
I'll let you know how the sling shot technique progresses.
Feb 25: update here and prelim review of Steve Cotter's mastering the pistol Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Anyway, i've finally been places where i can set up a rig to give adam glass's advice a go:
- hang a band from something (adam suggests within a power rack/cage) to be able, effectively, to put one's butt in a sling to help with that get up from the ground sticking point.
If you're just looking to get your body weight pistol happening, there are two sources: the best freebie is at Beast Skills. (i think the person's first name is Jim, but it's actually really challenging to find his name on his site!)The best book/video on building appropriate strength/tension techniques, also featuring how to get a one arm push up, is Pavel Tsatsouline's Naked Warrior.
If you've had trouble with weighted pistols, and have found techniques to break the cycle and get success, please share.
I'll let you know how the sling shot technique progresses.
Feb 25: update here and prelim review of Steve Cotter's mastering the pistol Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Friday, February 6, 2009
quick update
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Hi folks,
just a quick update to say i've been on the road for over the past fortnight, just catching up. I'm sorry for no new posts in that period, and appreciate your patience.
Coming up in the next week or so:
bone mineral density and thoughts on enhancing it (for adam), how bands might bust plateaus, and vitamin d: how do you get enough? what is enough? no really.
see y'all soon.
mc - back where the UK seems to feel the ice age was too long ago to remember how to shovel. i sense there'll be ample time this millennium to rekindle those skills. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
just a quick update to say i've been on the road for over the past fortnight, just catching up. I'm sorry for no new posts in that period, and appreciate your patience.
Coming up in the next week or so:
bone mineral density and thoughts on enhancing it (for adam), how bands might bust plateaus, and vitamin d: how do you get enough? what is enough? no really.
see y'all soon.
mc - back where the UK seems to feel the ice age was too long ago to remember how to shovel. i sense there'll be ample time this millennium to rekindle those skills. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Summary of Perfect Rep Quest so far - article listing
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Over the past couple months i've been exploring the concept of the Perfect Rep that can be developed from both high and low volume cycles, as presented by Kenneth Jay's beast protocol, when combined with Time and 5rep of 10RM sets, as presented by Charles Staley in EDT.
The quest is not over, but there are enough posts getting potentially lost in blog world that i thought it might be useful to have one post that just references them all to date. Likewise, i've posted the links as a sidebar on the blog, too, just for the time being.
Thank you to those folks who have written to say they've found this series useful, and hope those coming to it for the first time may find something of use for your own program.
Let me know.
Coda
The quest is not over, but there are enough posts getting potentially lost in blog world that i thought it might be useful to have one post that just references them all to date. Likewise, i've posted the links as a sidebar on the blog, too, just for the time being.
That's the series so far. What's compelling to me is not just the strength gains but what a difference a wee month of focused attention on one move can bring. This is working this move only twice a week, but with progress i would not have thought possible even with focussed practice.
2008-11-21 Exploring the Perfect Rep: the Kettlebell Front Squat Revisisted.
This article takes a look at small adjustments in movement that have big effects - like head position in the front squat and the effect of the arthrokinetic reflex on strength.
2008-12-01 The Perfect Rep and the Role of Volume with Form
Why i got interested in Kenneth Jay's Beast Pressing protocol for improving pressing strength: what is high volume (lower weight) supposed to do for improving strength? How does the quantity of reps contribute to learning patterns? and how does this connect to strength?
2008-12-05 Perfect Rep Quest: Volume + Integrated Cardio
A quick reflection on using high cardio reps between these high volume sets to help support strength - based on research around "integrated cardio"
2008-12-14 Strength and the Perfect Rep: Volume Works
Six fold increase in heavy presses between two sessions of heavy volume work.
2008-12-15 mc's Version of KJ's Beast Pressing Protocol
Some folks wanted to know more clearly the aspects of my adaptation of Kenneth's beast pressing protocol. Basically, it's adding some EDT elements. Works for me, but i make no claims yet (a sample of one person being rather small) that this is an optimal approach. It works for me though.
2008-12-21 Perfect Rep & Insane Improvement from Breathing?
500% improvement on the heavy day from the last session? from breathing?
2008-12-31 The Perfect Rep, the Kettlebell Clean and 10 thousand Hours
This one is a longer piece about how all the above sessions came together to help fix my weaker side's clean to get the press. The problem: i could do many singles but zip series on that side. It seems the foundation laid in just over a month of high volume/low volume provided sufficient basis to unpack the clean issue and get it working to enable sequential C&P'ing. Practice really does make a difference. That seems so obvious, as i suppose the best solutions do, but the reasons why practice works seem more nuanced than anticipated.
Thank you to those folks who have written to say they've found this series useful, and hope those coming to it for the first time may find something of use for your own program.
Let me know.
Coda
2009-02-10 I just C&P'd the 20Tweet Follow @begin2dig
This is a celebration of sorts that yes, this stuff all really does work. This post has been regularly updated with experience with the 20. That's a touch more than a 1/3 my bodyweight, so i'm happy. 24 is in my sights.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Recommended Sites for Wellness and Workouts
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Adam Glass is a Strong Guy. I'd like to put that in perspective: he's a *practically* strong guy. That doesn't mean he's practically as in almost strong, but practically as in "fit for purpose," functional, expressive of same. Now, he does lots of cool strength demos, from ripping card decks to bending nails, closing grippers and pressing very heavy things up into the air from the ground, but fundamentally he is a grounded strength and fitness practitioner - all these prac terms practical, practitioner - all speak to expertise derived from lots of practice of skills.
I'd like to recommend his blog, Walk the Road Less Travelled, to you because he takes the time to shoot videos of him doing what he does, and he discusses it too. He has a rich section of article from strength training to practical tips on card tearing. Most particularly, i like the videos. They're kinda freaky and inspiring all at the same time. I also like the fact that Adam's gym looks pretty basic - in other words, proving once again we don't need tons of "stuff" to get strong, but it does take practice practice practice. it's just that practice of the right technique works. As Adam Glass demonstrates. Thanks Adam.
The next blog i'd like to bring to your attention is Georgie Fear's Nutrition Solutions. Ms. Fear is a registered dietician, trainer and phd candidate. Her site is full of nutritional goodness about the kinds of questions around food most of us have all the time - how much sugar ok; why peas might be worth a second look; isn't diet soda ok? how do you get vitamin d into your diet and why should you care?
Why should you trust Georgie's blog? For me, besides listening to her explain stuff in conversation (reflected in this post - just look for her name) on the blog and at the Precision Nutrition forum, she's a Registered Dietician. I only learned this past year that that qualification is a Really Big Deal - lots of university level education, practicums, exams. Where anyone and their dog can call themselves a Nutritionist, the RD really has been trained and is then grilled about knowing their stuff before they get certified by the Commission for Accreditation for Dietetics Education. That she's also now doing a PhD in nutrition suggests a serious interest and commitment to the topic. The style of the blog is well grokable. My guess is you'll be pleased you took a peek and have it as a reference.
Thanks Adam and Georgie for putting out the knowledge on strength and nutrition practice. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Adam Glass is a Strong Guy. I'd like to put that in perspective: he's a *practically* strong guy. That doesn't mean he's practically as in almost strong, but practically as in "fit for purpose," functional, expressive of same. Now, he does lots of cool strength demos, from ripping card decks to bending nails, closing grippers and pressing very heavy things up into the air from the ground, but fundamentally he is a grounded strength and fitness practitioner - all these prac terms practical, practitioner - all speak to expertise derived from lots of practice of skills.I'd like to recommend his blog, Walk the Road Less Travelled, to you because he takes the time to shoot videos of him doing what he does, and he discusses it too. He has a rich section of article from strength training to practical tips on card tearing. Most particularly, i like the videos. They're kinda freaky and inspiring all at the same time. I also like the fact that Adam's gym looks pretty basic - in other words, proving once again we don't need tons of "stuff" to get strong, but it does take practice practice practice. it's just that practice of the right technique works. As Adam Glass demonstrates. Thanks Adam.
The next blog i'd like to bring to your attention is Georgie Fear's Nutrition Solutions. Ms. Fear is a registered dietician, trainer and phd candidate. Her site is full of nutritional goodness about the kinds of questions around food most of us have all the time - how much sugar ok; why peas might be worth a second look; isn't diet soda ok? how do you get vitamin d into your diet and why should you care?Why should you trust Georgie's blog? For me, besides listening to her explain stuff in conversation (reflected in this post - just look for her name) on the blog and at the Precision Nutrition forum, she's a Registered Dietician. I only learned this past year that that qualification is a Really Big Deal - lots of university level education, practicums, exams. Where anyone and their dog can call themselves a Nutritionist, the RD really has been trained and is then grilled about knowing their stuff before they get certified by the Commission for Accreditation for Dietetics Education. That she's also now doing a PhD in nutrition suggests a serious interest and commitment to the topic. The style of the blog is well grokable. My guess is you'll be pleased you took a peek and have it as a reference.
Thanks Adam and Georgie for putting out the knowledge on strength and nutrition practice. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Running the Bells - Intense Kettlebell Cardio "Hill" Workouts
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When road biking, once a week, hill workouts were the mission. Strength to climb and endure the climb, when the angle is causing the heart to work harder is a great general workout too. Of course one of the great parts is coming down the other side for recovery.
Runners also use hill workouts to help develop speed (short fast steep climbs with lots of recovery) and longer hill climbs like cyclists for endurance/stamina.
It's possible to simulate the cardio aspects of hill workouts with kettlebells both for conditioning, endurance, and, of course, body composition/fat loss. Not sure if it will translate to the speed benefits, but i'd hypothesize there may be some carryover. But let's leave that question aside for the moment and focus on the endurance strength and cardio.
So, here's one way i've found to get a great endurance workout in, similar to my cycling hill workouts, and that may be more enjoyable or engaging than simply swinging for sets.
Running the Bells Set Up
Here's how running the bells works, and it's pretty simple. First, set the timer on 15 mins. Then, line up a set of bells, for me that's 8, 12, 16, 20, 24. I do 10 swings per bell going up, then come back down 10 each. The point is to keep swinging. That's different than most swing sets for time: it's not X swings then break, or swing for 2 mins then break. It's no break. The recovery is in the coming down the hill - the progressively lighter bells coming back down.
The no. of swings per bell can be varried too if you want to make the hills steeper or the flats longer. You could even line up bells this way if you wanted in a tour de france of varying sizes, eg 8, 12, 12, 16,12,20, 24, sudden drop to 12, 20, 12, 8, 8. Another alternative is to change the counts for the bells, do the number of swings of that size bell. etc.
It's (usually) about Time
What you may want to consider, though, is planning your route before you start. So set up either the bells or the rep scheme (or both) before starting so you have a strategy in mind, and progress you can monitor, and then adjust for the next time. And then keep going for time. You may want to give a run a test drive to see how it feels for you.
You may decide you don't want to work for time - that you say "i just want to run the course 3 times and just see how long that takes me"
For me, going for time may be a hang over from running/cycling, where time is about endurance, and you're looking at the distance covered in that time improving.
But also, when you're thinking about body comp goals, getting longer sets in is a good thing, so if you can do your hills non-stop for 15 mins (that 8 can come in really handy to be able to keep swinging non stop when forearms are no longer able to help hang onto the 24). When you're feeling really good, you can go for more sets. A typical hill workout on the bike was an hour. I'll tell ya, i have not done these hill workouts for that long with KB's. A couple 15 min sets has been it.
Variety, Endurance, Body Comp - and Grip
Running the bells is a way to bring some variety into my kettlebell practice, and let me focus on a different part of my conditioning - stamina/endurance - while burning a whole lot of calories, giving me a hybrid resistance/cardio workout, and hitting the backside and grip all at the same time.
Really - the grip work is not to be underestimated as part of an endurance workout. That just doesn't happen on a bike, and only partially on a rower. This grip work is just one of the many not so hidden benefits of kettlebells.
Let me know if you give Running the Bells a shot and how you find 'em.
mc Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Runners also use hill workouts to help develop speed (short fast steep climbs with lots of recovery) and longer hill climbs like cyclists for endurance/stamina.
It's possible to simulate the cardio aspects of hill workouts with kettlebells both for conditioning, endurance, and, of course, body composition/fat loss. Not sure if it will translate to the speed benefits, but i'd hypothesize there may be some carryover. But let's leave that question aside for the moment and focus on the endurance strength and cardio.
So, here's one way i've found to get a great endurance workout in, similar to my cycling hill workouts, and that may be more enjoyable or engaging than simply swinging for sets.
Running the Bells Set Up
Here's how running the bells works, and it's pretty simple. First, set the timer on 15 mins. Then, line up a set of bells, for me that's 8, 12, 16, 20, 24. I do 10 swings per bell going up, then come back down 10 each. The point is to keep swinging. That's different than most swing sets for time: it's not X swings then break, or swing for 2 mins then break. It's no break. The recovery is in the coming down the hill - the progressively lighter bells coming back down.The no. of swings per bell can be varried too if you want to make the hills steeper or the flats longer. You could even line up bells this way if you wanted in a tour de france of varying sizes, eg 8, 12, 12, 16,12,20, 24, sudden drop to 12, 20, 12, 8, 8. Another alternative is to change the counts for the bells, do the number of swings of that size bell. etc.
It's (usually) about Time
What you may want to consider, though, is planning your route before you start. So set up either the bells or the rep scheme (or both) before starting so you have a strategy in mind, and progress you can monitor, and then adjust for the next time. And then keep going for time. You may want to give a run a test drive to see how it feels for you.
You may decide you don't want to work for time - that you say "i just want to run the course 3 times and just see how long that takes me"
For me, going for time may be a hang over from running/cycling, where time is about endurance, and you're looking at the distance covered in that time improving.
But also, when you're thinking about body comp goals, getting longer sets in is a good thing, so if you can do your hills non-stop for 15 mins (that 8 can come in really handy to be able to keep swinging non stop when forearms are no longer able to help hang onto the 24). When you're feeling really good, you can go for more sets. A typical hill workout on the bike was an hour. I'll tell ya, i have not done these hill workouts for that long with KB's. A couple 15 min sets has been it.
Variety, Endurance, Body Comp - and Grip
Running the bells is a way to bring some variety into my kettlebell practice, and let me focus on a different part of my conditioning - stamina/endurance - while burning a whole lot of calories, giving me a hybrid resistance/cardio workout, and hitting the backside and grip all at the same time.
Really - the grip work is not to be underestimated as part of an endurance workout. That just doesn't happen on a bike, and only partially on a rower. This grip work is just one of the many not so hidden benefits of kettlebells.
Let me know if you give Running the Bells a shot and how you find 'em.
mc Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Thank you to b2d readers: what would you like to read?
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Over the past few months, some of you have been dropping by begin to dig (b2d) regularly, sometimes commenting; sometimes not. I'd like to say thank you for your visits, and glad you've occasionally found something worth your time here. I'd like to thank the folks in particular who have let their blogger id's show up on the page publicly as folks who grok b2d. Honored by your links. And to folks in general who subscribe to reader feeds, again, thanks for making b2d a part of your reading time. I was looking at the list of countries where folks have pinged from - that's super, and much obliged. Hope the weather's ok where you are.
If i may, i'd like to ask you all about tuning b2d.
Mainly the articles come from what's driving me in my own practice, and efforts to explore and unpack them, and present what i find back to anyone else who may have some of the same questions/interests.
If, however, there are related topics you'd like to see covered in b2d -- working out with kettlebells, functional movement, the science of same, and the such like -- that i haven't touched on, please let me know. I was writing recently about expertise and the 10 thousand hours required to get to that expert level, and one of the places i have that 10k it seems is doing research. So, i may not have The Answers, but i may know how to get a wedge into some of them.
Otherwise, i'd be keen to hear if there's something b2d brings that you particularly enjoy, and just want to see kept or enhanced?
Will look forward to hearing from you.
All the best
mc Tweet Follow @begin2dig
If i may, i'd like to ask you all about tuning b2d.
Mainly the articles come from what's driving me in my own practice, and efforts to explore and unpack them, and present what i find back to anyone else who may have some of the same questions/interests.
If, however, there are related topics you'd like to see covered in b2d -- working out with kettlebells, functional movement, the science of same, and the such like -- that i haven't touched on, please let me know. I was writing recently about expertise and the 10 thousand hours required to get to that expert level, and one of the places i have that 10k it seems is doing research. So, i may not have The Answers, but i may know how to get a wedge into some of them.
Otherwise, i'd be keen to hear if there's something b2d brings that you particularly enjoy, and just want to see kept or enhanced?
Will look forward to hearing from you.
All the best
mc Tweet Follow @begin2dig
Friday, January 9, 2009
EMS (electromagnetic stimulation/ electrotherapy) for rehab and active recovery
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I recently have had the dubious pleasure of working with an electro magnetic stimulation (EMS) and TENS (transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation) unit, along with z mobility work, to rehab a shoulder strain. Gotta tell ya, the results in terms of (a) speed of rehab and (b) maintenance of muscle performance seem impressive.
For those who have strained a shoulder muscle, you know that, depending on the intensity of the injury, you can forget about normal training with that muscle for weeks. SLOOOOW build back of performance. It seems EMS and z can help accelerate the recovery process. This isn't new information. In looking at various web sites on the usual rehabing of shoulders, several techniques kept recurring depending on strain severity: ice it initially (check), and use ultrasound and/or electrical stimulation, and from there, get one into a program to build back strength.
My understanding of the role of ultrasound is to help move waste products away from the affected tissue. This is what normal range of motion movement generally does. If you can't move, stuff can accumulate. EMS also has this effect.
The recommendation for EMS is listed as something a sports medical professional provides. This can mean seeing a doctor to get to a physio who has EMS gear, and getting in for appointments frequently enough to have a benefit. Seemingly not as simple as ice. Unless you have access to a portable unit yourself. We'll come back to that.
It may help to describe a bit about EMS/TENS first.
Most of us have seem electro-magnetic stimulation devices if we've ever seen infomercials about building up abs without exercise - or seen the Dragon movie with Bruce Lee sitting hooked up to a machine that's causing his muscles to twitch rapidly.
It's electrical impulses in our body that cause our muscles to contract, and that's where the money is in muscle growth: the work of contraction. Thus, EMS devices pass varying (low) levels of current through the muscle in varying cycles and intensities to stimulate muscular contraction. Taken to extremes, the same principle applies to the use of electricity in torture: the current causes extreme and painful involuntary contraction of the muscles. At appropriate levels, this approach to muscle rehab, as a quick look though pubmed research shows, has been used for treating a range of conditions including renal failure, arthritis, and stroke rehabilitation especially.
TENS is more often used as an analgesic, to stimulate endorphin responses. It's been used for pain management in a range of conditions and researched over decades.
Here's an entire chapter in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation on the use of EMS. Pretty well accepted techno for rehab/muscle building/performance protocols.
Rehabbing Tweaked Muscles
For sport rehab, which is where this story comes in, EMS has a long history of helping to build up muscle when voluntary contractions have not been as possible. In my case, pressing or snatching was not gonna happen, and i was loath to part with 2-3 weeks of training. So ok, i was fortunate enough to have access to a Compex Mi-Sport unit so thought i'd give it a go.
For the past week, each evening, i've been hooking up my arms to a rehab program of EMS - which feels like pulsing the muscles into forced fast contractions - bang bang bang - but not painful. For the past two days of this week, i've followed up rehab with strength building. The strength building is interesting: there's a sensor on the thing that detects muscle contractions. That is, you make muscle contractions while it's pulsing away - it stops if it senses you're not doing your contractions. Once your contractions kick in again, off it goes. There's timing built into this too according to research studies so, some programs have contractions for a set period and intensity, followed by an "active recovery" break. There's a pain program here too called "endorphic" - and it is. oh ya.
The results: accelerated recovery; maintenance of strength.
Within one week, the ROM without pain of my delt has improved dramatically. It's not 100%, but 85-90% yes. More than that, the other day i thought i'd see if i could press my 16 with the sore side. I could - nothing really pushing it - but yup, C&P'ing away - just for a test - wasn't really focusing on going for it; just if i could begin to work it again with weight.
Then i got a little cheeky and tried snatching - something that twinged considerably with an 8 the day after the strain happened and made me say "well that's it for swings, snatches and presses for awhile." Much to my surprise, it was ok. In fact, i was going back and forth non-stop for 10's a side with more ease than ever before. No pausing to put down the bell between tens. I wished i'd had a timer for my snatch test numbers.
Now, i'm not claiming that the EMS work made me stronger. Not at all. But having suffered through shoulder pulls in the past, i am impressed that within a week of easy therapy, not only am i able to get back to my training, but, it seems the EMS has kept the muscles from losing too much progress. The research wasn't kidding.
You may say that a week off is not going to kill anyone's progress - and may even be good for it. Ah! but i'd already had my back off week - this was an enforced second in a row. And maybe that's ok, too (though that's not really been my experience), but i do know i've not had such fast recovery from shoulder issues in the past. Based on the research, it also seems that this kind of repair is not unusual.
Indeed, the cool thing about the research is that it shows that combining weight training (or any training) with EMS is great for strength and power improvements as both approaches work the muscles somewhat differently. In some cases, EMS was able to improve torque over voluntary contraction (VC) alone, too, and likewise to improve muscle perfusion over VC alone, and help the CNS "to optimize the control to neuromuscular properties" when followed by sport-specific training. Chris Thibaudeau at T-Nation, in response to a question from John Berardi, goes into more detail about each of these benefits (citing older research than what i note above, showing this stuff has been around for awhile).
Active Recovery
While the unit has settings for various training programs, based on this past week's experience, i'm most interested in exploring it to support not only rehab, but active recovery. A quick glance at YouTube shows athletes using just such protocols - and claiming to get improved performance results. While one might be tempted to think that they're just saying this because the person has invested in a device, again, the research suggests that these things, in combination with regular training for enhancement, active recovery or rehab, have a strong benefit.
There's also some pretty weird looking applications being explored that the company has yet to put in their brochures - these are called Functional EMS - in other words, rather than sitting in a chair and being zapped, or simply flexing your muscles while being zapped, you do your activity in sync with the zapping. Back in 1998 this was done with the vertical jump; rehab protocols as well use this work *with* the stimulation.
There's a youTube vid of a swimmer claiming great improved results from active recovery with these (he has two on him. who's his sponsor??) And, since you'll find it anyway, perhaps the best "cult" video for EMS is this one, where the cyclist/reporter looks like he's in pain using it - and yes, you can ratchet the machine up to painful levels, but how clever is that? (i wrote the fellow in the vid about this protocol to get a copy of it. He said it's "experiemental" and has yet to be released to the public. uh huh). To quote zhealth, never move into pain.
Therapist in a Box
What is unusual is access to such a tool outside a clinical setting. Though that is changing. In the US, as Thibaudeau recommends, there's a product by compex, called the Sport.
In the EU, for some reason, there are a plethora of models. None of these is cheap gear. The Sale price in the US on the Sport is around 699 (from 899); in the uk, units range from just under £200 to over £600. And you thought a Beast kettlebell was expensive.
Is it worth the price? Well i guess that depends on what the "it" is and where that "it" fits into one's training sense. What i can say is that if i had had to pay 35 quid to go see a therapist for a session for 7 days of treatments, that's £245 right there - and usually a PT session is only 20 mins; the compex are 30-60. And would i have been able to schedule 7 appointments in a row? So, a week of treatments and one of the entry level units is more than paid for. That's almost scary - on demand rehab, recovery, strength support for the price of the therapy i would have needed this week, but wouldn't have gone to get, and i'm back training two weeks sooner than anticipated? and i'd still have the device?
This is a tool with some proven research chops for rehab, recovery and even strength/power enhancement. I'm very impressed with its rehab effect, pleased to see that that is backed up by research and not some fluke or me imagining an effect. While i have the opportunity, i will be checking out its active recovery effects further - and maybe the massage settings, too.
Anyway, this could be a device worth considering adding to your workout repertoire (by the way, full disclosure, i have no connexion with compex or any other ems manufacturer). Tweet Follow @begin2dig
I recently have had the dubious pleasure of working with an electro magnetic stimulation (EMS) and TENS (transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation) unit, along with z mobility work, to rehab a shoulder strain. Gotta tell ya, the results in terms of (a) speed of rehab and (b) maintenance of muscle performance seem impressive.For those who have strained a shoulder muscle, you know that, depending on the intensity of the injury, you can forget about normal training with that muscle for weeks. SLOOOOW build back of performance. It seems EMS and z can help accelerate the recovery process. This isn't new information. In looking at various web sites on the usual rehabing of shoulders, several techniques kept recurring depending on strain severity: ice it initially (check), and use ultrasound and/or electrical stimulation, and from there, get one into a program to build back strength.
My understanding of the role of ultrasound is to help move waste products away from the affected tissue. This is what normal range of motion movement generally does. If you can't move, stuff can accumulate. EMS also has this effect.
The recommendation for EMS is listed as something a sports medical professional provides. This can mean seeing a doctor to get to a physio who has EMS gear, and getting in for appointments frequently enough to have a benefit. Seemingly not as simple as ice. Unless you have access to a portable unit yourself. We'll come back to that.
It may help to describe a bit about EMS/TENS first.
Most of us have seem electro-magnetic stimulation devices if we've ever seen infomercials about building up abs without exercise - or seen the Dragon movie with Bruce Lee sitting hooked up to a machine that's causing his muscles to twitch rapidly.
It's electrical impulses in our body that cause our muscles to contract, and that's where the money is in muscle growth: the work of contraction. Thus, EMS devices pass varying (low) levels of current through the muscle in varying cycles and intensities to stimulate muscular contraction. Taken to extremes, the same principle applies to the use of electricity in torture: the current causes extreme and painful involuntary contraction of the muscles. At appropriate levels, this approach to muscle rehab, as a quick look though pubmed research shows, has been used for treating a range of conditions including renal failure, arthritis, and stroke rehabilitation especially.
TENS is more often used as an analgesic, to stimulate endorphin responses. It's been used for pain management in a range of conditions and researched over decades.
Here's an entire chapter in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation on the use of EMS. Pretty well accepted techno for rehab/muscle building/performance protocols.
Rehabbing Tweaked Muscles
For sport rehab, which is where this story comes in, EMS has a long history of helping to build up muscle when voluntary contractions have not been as possible. In my case, pressing or snatching was not gonna happen, and i was loath to part with 2-3 weeks of training. So ok, i was fortunate enough to have access to a Compex Mi-Sport unit so thought i'd give it a go.For the past week, each evening, i've been hooking up my arms to a rehab program of EMS - which feels like pulsing the muscles into forced fast contractions - bang bang bang - but not painful. For the past two days of this week, i've followed up rehab with strength building. The strength building is interesting: there's a sensor on the thing that detects muscle contractions. That is, you make muscle contractions while it's pulsing away - it stops if it senses you're not doing your contractions. Once your contractions kick in again, off it goes. There's timing built into this too according to research studies so, some programs have contractions for a set period and intensity, followed by an "active recovery" break. There's a pain program here too called "endorphic" - and it is. oh ya.
The results: accelerated recovery; maintenance of strength.
Within one week, the ROM without pain of my delt has improved dramatically. It's not 100%, but 85-90% yes. More than that, the other day i thought i'd see if i could press my 16 with the sore side. I could - nothing really pushing it - but yup, C&P'ing away - just for a test - wasn't really focusing on going for it; just if i could begin to work it again with weight.
Then i got a little cheeky and tried snatching - something that twinged considerably with an 8 the day after the strain happened and made me say "well that's it for swings, snatches and presses for awhile." Much to my surprise, it was ok. In fact, i was going back and forth non-stop for 10's a side with more ease than ever before. No pausing to put down the bell between tens. I wished i'd had a timer for my snatch test numbers.
Now, i'm not claiming that the EMS work made me stronger. Not at all. But having suffered through shoulder pulls in the past, i am impressed that within a week of easy therapy, not only am i able to get back to my training, but, it seems the EMS has kept the muscles from losing too much progress. The research wasn't kidding.
You may say that a week off is not going to kill anyone's progress - and may even be good for it. Ah! but i'd already had my back off week - this was an enforced second in a row. And maybe that's ok, too (though that's not really been my experience), but i do know i've not had such fast recovery from shoulder issues in the past. Based on the research, it also seems that this kind of repair is not unusual.
Indeed, the cool thing about the research is that it shows that combining weight training (or any training) with EMS is great for strength and power improvements as both approaches work the muscles somewhat differently. In some cases, EMS was able to improve torque over voluntary contraction (VC) alone, too, and likewise to improve muscle perfusion over VC alone, and help the CNS "to optimize the control to neuromuscular properties" when followed by sport-specific training. Chris Thibaudeau at T-Nation, in response to a question from John Berardi, goes into more detail about each of these benefits (citing older research than what i note above, showing this stuff has been around for awhile).
Active Recovery
While the unit has settings for various training programs, based on this past week's experience, i'm most interested in exploring it to support not only rehab, but active recovery. A quick glance at YouTube shows athletes using just such protocols - and claiming to get improved performance results. While one might be tempted to think that they're just saying this because the person has invested in a device, again, the research suggests that these things, in combination with regular training for enhancement, active recovery or rehab, have a strong benefit.
There's also some pretty weird looking applications being explored that the company has yet to put in their brochures - these are called Functional EMS - in other words, rather than sitting in a chair and being zapped, or simply flexing your muscles while being zapped, you do your activity in sync with the zapping. Back in 1998 this was done with the vertical jump; rehab protocols as well use this work *with* the stimulation.
There's a youTube vid of a swimmer claiming great improved results from active recovery with these (he has two on him. who's his sponsor??) And, since you'll find it anyway, perhaps the best "cult" video for EMS is this one, where the cyclist/reporter looks like he's in pain using it - and yes, you can ratchet the machine up to painful levels, but how clever is that? (i wrote the fellow in the vid about this protocol to get a copy of it. He said it's "experiemental" and has yet to be released to the public. uh huh). To quote zhealth, never move into pain.
Therapist in a Box
What is unusual is access to such a tool outside a clinical setting. Though that is changing. In the US, as Thibaudeau recommends, there's a product by compex, called the Sport.
In the EU, for some reason, there are a plethora of models. None of these is cheap gear. The Sale price in the US on the Sport is around 699 (from 899); in the uk, units range from just under £200 to over £600. And you thought a Beast kettlebell was expensive.
Is it worth the price? Well i guess that depends on what the "it" is and where that "it" fits into one's training sense. What i can say is that if i had had to pay 35 quid to go see a therapist for a session for 7 days of treatments, that's £245 right there - and usually a PT session is only 20 mins; the compex are 30-60. And would i have been able to schedule 7 appointments in a row? So, a week of treatments and one of the entry level units is more than paid for. That's almost scary - on demand rehab, recovery, strength support for the price of the therapy i would have needed this week, but wouldn't have gone to get, and i'm back training two weeks sooner than anticipated? and i'd still have the device?
This is a tool with some proven research chops for rehab, recovery and even strength/power enhancement. I'm very impressed with its rehab effect, pleased to see that that is backed up by research and not some fluke or me imagining an effect. While i have the opportunity, i will be checking out its active recovery effects further - and maybe the massage settings, too.
Anyway, this could be a device worth considering adding to your workout repertoire (by the way, full disclosure, i have no connexion with compex or any other ems manufacturer). Tweet Follow @begin2dig
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