This is a quickie..I know I have to follow up with the Unstable Training thing...it will happen soon enough. But, I had to comment on a conversation that I had with a coach recently. He is a cycling coach...kind of an old school maverick. He advocates a machine based training approach for the legs....loves the leg press (disagree) 'cuz you can "push alot of weight". He wants his triathlete to get stronger (agree) because they really need to "ride the #@$%! out of the bike".
OK...gotcha coach. We both agree that the athlete needs to get stronger through resistance training. Why the leg press? Given the clients history of low back pain and the unilateral use of the legs with cycling, the leg press is what you don't want to use.
I can't in good conscience find any reason to use it for the following reasons: 1) Per Dr Stuart McGill it produces way too much spinal compression forces on the lumbar spine. 2) The leg press robs the key stabilizers of the hips, spine, knee and ankle of work. Getting these stabilizers to work functionally would be beneficial to this athlete during the run, bike and daily life activities. 3) The leg press is not a big bang for your buck exercise which is so important when strength training time is precious and brief...typical of a triathlete. I could go on and on but I said I would make it brief and it's getting longer:)
Solution? Master the use of your body weight in multiple planes of movement...via variations of lunges and squats. Once that occurs then add resistance...free weights, weight vest, bands, etc. I'll video some variations that most trainees have seen but you never know.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Value of Unstable Training?
It's very common place to see unstable training devices in the gym these days. BOSU's, Stability balls, dyna discs etc are examples of devices that are used with this method of training.
The rationale for using such devices is to provide an unstable surface for the upper and lower extremities so that there is an increase in stabilizing muscle activation and proprioceptive demand on the patient or client. Note...I wrote patient first. Unstable training originated in the physical therapy clinic as a way to rehabilitate an injured limb to meet the demands of everyday life. It soon found its way into the fitness arena where it is now the norm to see healthy people using these devices.
The question remains...does research back the assumption that more stabilizing muscles are activated during unstable surface training?
In an article that was published in the May 2007 edition of Manual Therapy, graduate students of Canadian Memorial Chiropractic looked at EMG activity of the scapulothoracic (shoulder blade) muscles when perfoming a pushup on a Swiss Ball with their feet on a bench. A pushup with a plus was also evaluated with hands on different support surfaces.
The results demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between placing the hands on an unstable vs stable surface. What was found to have a greater affect in activating the scapulothoracic muscles was foot position. Elevating the feet above the hands had a greater influence on the shoulder stabilizers vs the Swiss Ball.
What to draw from this? Often times we rely upon anecdotal information as a rationale for making exercise choices. This article is an example of what we have always thought to be true may not necessarily be the case. In my next post I will look at the differences between balance and stability training...does the research back up the prevailing philosophy found in the fitness setting?
The rationale for using such devices is to provide an unstable surface for the upper and lower extremities so that there is an increase in stabilizing muscle activation and proprioceptive demand on the patient or client. Note...I wrote patient first. Unstable training originated in the physical therapy clinic as a way to rehabilitate an injured limb to meet the demands of everyday life. It soon found its way into the fitness arena where it is now the norm to see healthy people using these devices.
The question remains...does research back the assumption that more stabilizing muscles are activated during unstable surface training?
In an article that was published in the May 2007 edition of Manual Therapy, graduate students of Canadian Memorial Chiropractic looked at EMG activity of the scapulothoracic (shoulder blade) muscles when perfoming a pushup on a Swiss Ball with their feet on a bench. A pushup with a plus was also evaluated with hands on different support surfaces.
The results demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between placing the hands on an unstable vs stable surface. What was found to have a greater affect in activating the scapulothoracic muscles was foot position. Elevating the feet above the hands had a greater influence on the shoulder stabilizers vs the Swiss Ball.
What to draw from this? Often times we rely upon anecdotal information as a rationale for making exercise choices. This article is an example of what we have always thought to be true may not necessarily be the case. In my next post I will look at the differences between balance and stability training...does the research back up the prevailing philosophy found in the fitness setting?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Athleticism
Pretty impressive, eh? Ken is a personal training client of mine at the Ultimate Gym in Charlotte, NC. He is down about 55 lbs since beginning in early August. He busts his tail every workout session. What is most impressive in my opinion is his athleticism. Athleticsm is hard to define but you know it when you see it...and Ken has got it!
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