AITank: Fitness Explained

Ever wondered why it is we get tired, sometimes to the point where we can no longer even move our limbs. Muscle fatigue is a topic of intense research and study as biochemists and biophysicists seek to explain what exactly occurs in our bodies that leads to such exhaustion. The 100 year old theory that fatigue is due solely to lactic acid buildup in the muscle cells has recently been contested as two newly discovered factors now are seen as playing roles in muscle exhaustion.Let me start off by saying that this is going to be a technical article, not terribly so, but more than you might be used to. Do not be afraid though, by understanding what is going on in our bodies we can then train in more efficient ways.

The lactate model of muscle fatigue can be summed up by saying that after partial depletion of our bodies glycogen stores, glycogen phosphorylase (the fight-or-flight enzyme) steps in to convert the now depleted glycogen stores into glucose, the basic energy unit for all cellular functions. This process is called glycogenolysis; after this occurs the resulting glucose is then converted to ATP or adenosine triphosphate, the basic energy unit for all metabolic processes. This is as far in detail as we need to go but what is important to know is that this production of ATP via the degradation of glycogen is very inefficient and the faster rate of the oxidation of glucose versus absorption of lactate results in excess lactate production.

With spring break and summer fast approaching, the number one question that will start to circulate is how do I tone up to get a swim suit body or get that mythic six pack so I can show the world. It starts with knowing how to plan a lean diet. Rule number one: never skip meals. Dropping the number of meals you take in per day lowers your metabolic rate and increases the level of nutrient oxidation. This means you will feel lethargic and what fat you have, your body will fight to keep as long as possible based on a primal survival instinct. Rule number two: eat 5 to 6 meals per day. This will kick start your metabolism leading to a higher basal metabolic rate, or BMR, and will stabilize your level of nutrient oxidation making your body more efficient at utilizing food you put in it.

With the basics out of the way lets talk details now. The goal for a leaning or cutting diet is to be high in protein, low in fat and have a decent amount of carbohydrates. If you wanted to talk ratios it would be approximately 42% carbs, 38% protein, 20% fat with the fats being primarily healthy sources such as olive oil, flax oil, fish, peanuts, fruits and veggies like avocado. Look for good carbs to come from items such as, oatmeal, whole grains, yams, beans, and pasta. For good clean protein look to chicken, turkey, egg whites, seafood like tuna, low fat or fat free yogurt, soy products and 2% and lower milk.

But only if you eat right at the same time. A lot of people are under the impression that doing hundreds of situps and crunches will make them lose fat. This is not the case. The ONLY time you will ever lose weight is when take in less calories than you use. For example, if I burn 2000 calories a day, I’d have to eat less than 2000 calories in order to lose weight, regardless of how many sit ups I do, how long I spend in the gym, and how many miles I run. So now that you know the basic principles behind losing weight, let’s talk about how to go about doing it.

Cutting fat is a no no. Cutting carbs is a no no. The only people who need to use extreme diets are competition bodybuilders and celebrities after they have babies, and there’s a 99% chance you don’t fit into either of these categories. Cutting fat is not the way to go because the body actually needs fat to function. It’s when it gets TOO MUCH fat and the wrong kinds that it starts showing it. In a nutshell: trans fat = bad, saturated fat = pretty bad, polyunsaturated fat = pretty good, monounsaturated fat = good. This doesn’t mean you want to drop your saturated fat intake down to 0, it just means you want to watch it and try to get more of the good fats (the best example of monounsaturated fat is peanut butter, so yeah PB&J’s are actually healthy).

Have you ever seen people attempting to do pull ups by swinging their legs and throwing themselves up? What about people who perform bicep curls by squatting down and then throwing their arm up as hard as they can? And let’s not forget those who struggle to do such heavy weights that they squirm and twist their body around until they finally realize they’ve picked up about a hundred pounds more than they could ever do. This isn’t the circus, leave the acrobatics at home. When you perform a lift, it is ESSENTIAL to have correct form. Good form = good lifts and good lifts will produce good benefits. Bad form = a bad lift and increased risk of possible injury, as well as looking like a total amateur. If you can’t perform a lift with good form, drop down to a weight you are more comfortable with. You’ll feel a better burn and see much greater gains in the long run. If the problem is you just do not know how to do a certain exercise properly, do not feel embarrassed about asking someone in the gym. We will begin building a video database of exercises categorized by targeted muscle showing step by step how to complete repetitions with proper form. Stay tuned.

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^ example of what NOT to do :/

All too often I am asked, “What should I be taking to help me get bigger ” and just as often to lose weight or get leaner. These people often times come prepared with a list of pills and and powders as long as a textbook. I sit there and wonder, can they really be serious. Often times they are, convinced by the marketing madness thrown at them by the major supplement companies out there. Well to those people whose breakfast looks like a bunch of pills and various powders, I want to hear this: have you seen any measurable progress towards your goal that you can attribute to this pseudo pharmacy you take in every day? If you can say yes to that question, please email me or leave a comment, I want to hear from you. Now to the majority that will have answered that question with a no lets start talking real sense.

There is one thing that almost all amateur fitness buffs forget to incorporate into their diet strategy and that is to take a good multivitamin. If you are active, you need more than the recommended daily allowance of almost all vitamins and minerals, and because of this multivitamins are essential. Having sufficient levels of vitamins and minerals promotes a strong immune system, steady metabolic processes, hormonal balance and mental alertness. They allow the food you eat to be utilized more effectively giving you the most out of each meal as many vitamins function as cofactors in the digestion of amino acids and carbohydrates. So what should you look for in a multivitamin? Mainly look for a complete pill that has all your vitamins minerals and anti-oxidants along with being low in iron. Two of the best out there are AST Multi Pro 32X and Twinlab Daily One. NOW also makes a very good multi-v, one for men and one for women named Adam and Eve respectively.

In later posts we will go in depth, and talk about individual vitamins and minerals, their effects on you, and then start talking specific supplements such as protein, glutamine and creatine.

A lot of people have been under the very ridiculous impression that eating as much protein as humanly possible will make them stronger. This is not how it works. You don’t have to gulp down 5 servings of whey at a time. You don’t have to eat protein bars before, during, and after your workout. In fact, EXCESSIVE protein will HURT you more than it HELPS you. The human body can only absorb a certain amount of protein before it starts going to waste (the cutoff is usually about 2 grams per pound of bodyweight, for serious bodybuilders - and in actuality is probably less, depending on your level of intensity). “But the more protein I eat, the bigger I’ll get!” This is true, but only up to a point, and after that point it just goes to waste. Apples are healthy but you wouldn’t sit around and eat an entire orchard in one sitting. Gulping down protein bars every hour is like staying up all night studying a subject you aren’t even taking.

Now that you know HOW MUCH you need, let’s talk about what KIND you need. There are different types of proteins as well as different qualities, and you want most of your protein intake to be high quality proteins. The BEST sources of protein are real foods, not manufactured products with sugar and fat thrown in to make them taste better. Peanut butter, chicken, turkey, salmon, nuts, eggs, milk: these are all great sources of protein. Rather than buying your groceries at GNC, grill up some chicken breast or boil some eggs.

Here is a routine I drew up that can be done in your bedroom without the need for any weights, dumbbells, or accessories. It is a full body workout and is not as easy as you may think. You should do the exercises in a circuit (no rest between exercises) in the order given, and once you have completed all of them, rest for 2 minutes and repeat the circuit twice.

- Wide grip push ups: These are performed like regular push ups but rather than placing your hands at shoulder width, take them out about 6 inches further. This will help to work your chest a lot more, rather than straining your triceps and shoulders. Perform 18-30 reps.

- Calf raises: Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, facing forward, and raise yourself onto your toes. Keep your legs straight and do not bend your knees as you come up. Perform 18 reps. If these are too easy, stand on 1 leg at a time and do them, and then switch.

- Door frame pull ups: Open your door to about a 45 degree angle and have your roommate hold it steady. Grip the top of the door and pull yourself up, keeping your back flexed. Try to concentrate on using your back and DO NOT use momentum to throw yourself up. Perform 8 reps. If this is too easy, close the door and grip the top of the door frame. This will help work on finger strength and forearms because it is a lot harder to hold yourself up.

It is 5:30 in the morning and the sun has yet to come up over the city. The wheels on this plan of mine have been set in motion and that means I have to feed the animal growing inside. A bowl of Bob’s Red Mill oatmeal, 4 egg whites and 2 yolks scrambled in olive oil, two slices of toast, a cup of yogurt and a tall glass of milk. Yah that sounds good; a meal that will stick to my ribs as my mom used to say and provide all the energy I need and then some for the morning workout. Clean carbs and some good protein thrown into the mix, oh and some good fats as well. Take my AST MultiPro vitamin and I am primed, ready to get under the iron. Contrary to what many believe, you cannot accomplish anything really without feeding yourself properly. Can’t lose weight, gain muscle, be mentally alert - nothing. That is of course unless you are in a state of ketosis and your body has rewired itself to operate in the most primal of survival modes. Want to lose weight, well listen here; there is no magic diet, there is no magic pill. If you have a medical condition that causes you to be over or under weight then that is a matter all unto itself. But for the rest of the people out there that are constantly looking for this lazy man’s out, you are not going to find it.

Every man, woman or child that has ever walked this Earth has faced obstacles in life. Small or large these trials are the blocks that forge who we are, defining our individual character through each success and failure. Some people seem to think that failing to succeed makes having tried at all a pointless fact. Ask this of those individuals: what do you accomplish by sitting on your ass criticizing me. We are never going to win every battle but it is impossible to win at all without first attempting. Arm yourself with passion for what it is you are trying to accomplish. True passion is the fire that breathes life into our souls and from this synergy a steeled mind is born. A strong mind is a formidable weapon to bear against any trial that may arise in life because believing is the first step to achieving any level of success. Believe in yourself above all else, that you can do what is needed to do the impossible or unthinkable, then get out there and work. Either at a desk, on the grid iron, on the 18th green or the final stretch on the tarmac, work with all your passion and then some. Push your limits. If you look at your performance and think you are doing good, push harder. Complacency casts all to many a rising star back into the shadows as there are always others who are going to want it more and will do what you will not to get to the top. So we will chronicle these everyday events, people conquering insurmountable tasks and will provide insight and wisdom as best we can to help you go farther and push yourself harder. This blog is aimed at exposing who we are, what we are made of and how nothing can hold us down unless we allow it. Be driven in life and watch as the objects standing in your way fall to the ground; this is the code.