So recently I’ve been experiencing some shoulder clicking and pain, particularly during close-grip pull downs. After spending a few weeks trying to figure out what the problem was, I reevaluated my strength training routine and realized that it was severely lacking when it came to giving my rotator cuff muscles some attention.
But, what is the rotator cuff and why does it matter?
The rotator cuff is comprised of 4 small muscles: the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the teres minor, and the subscapularis. These muscles are responsible for stabilizing your shoulder joint at the glenohumeral head during rotational movements. To keep things simple, any time you rotate your arm around the shoulder, these muscles ensure that the head of your upper arm bone (the humerus), stays firmly in it’s socket.
Being such a small muscle group, why should you give these babies your attention? Well, for those of us that spend a large portion of our time each week lifting heavy weights attempting to get stronger, these muscles are critical to almost every movement we do. Many of the upper body movements that are done in the gym, including the king of all upper body lifts, the bench press, rely on these muscles to stabilize your joints. The bottom line? If your rotator cuff muscles are weak, you’re not going to be able to push as much weight or you’re going to get injured trying to.
For those of you that don’t care about your 1RM on the bench, or about lifting weights at all then…why are you reading this? No but seriously. Anyways, these muscles are important to every day activities as mundane as closing a car door or putting the groceries away on the top shelf. By giving these muscles proper attention, aging individuals can maintain a good range of motion and reduce fatigue during every day activity.
So how do you strengthen these muscles?
1) Don’t avoid your rear deltoid exercises when working shoulders (or back depending on when you want to incorporate them). Many individuals will stick to a few sets of light reverse flys or skip rear delts completely. Don’t do this, these exercises will strengthen your rotators cuff muscles too.
Try these:
The reverse fly
The rear delt row:
2) Incorporate specific rotator cuff exercises like those listed below.
Internal rotation cable pull (can be done in the opposite direction for external rotation)
Standing dumbbell external rotation
These movements will strengthen the small muscles of the rotator cuff, making your shoulder joint more stable for those heavier lifts, and reducing the chance of acute injury during lifting sessions or every day activity.
Now you know some basics about the rotator cuff and how to train it. Any questions?
Anyone who has taken an interest in their nutrition has heard some form of argument against or in favor of carbohydrate intake.
But, what is the significance of carbs for those of us that aren’t worried about our weight, but are more interested in the performance ramifications of our intake?
When it comes down to it, carbohydrates are a person’s main source of energy. Yes, we burn some fat and a little protein for energy, but the majority of our actions are fueled through carb burning.
What does it really mean to say that you are burning carbs though, what are carbs? The simple answer is sugar. Carbohydrates are foods that can be broken down into sugars for immediate use by the muscles.
So what’s the whole deal with the complex carb vs. simple carbs debate, and how should a performance athlete think about their carb intake?
It all depends on what you’re goals:
If you’re a strength/explosive based athlete who exercises/competes in short events lasting no more than an hour:
Carb intake before exercise should be your focus. Since you will be participating in events that require your body to produce energy quickly and efficiently, your body will most likely be burning more carbs (%) than a marathon runner. In these situations carb loading during the week leading up to your event should focus on a diverse mixture of complex and simple carbohydrates that will enable your body to store the energy it needs for your event. As you near the event itself (Night before, Day of), you will want to switch to simple carbohydrates so your body can quickly absorb the nutrients it needs for performance. Since you will not be competing for more than an hour to an hour and a half, you shouldn’t worry about your nutrition during physical activity, other than to keep hydrated and maintain your electrolyte intake.
For Endurance athletes competing/exercising for two hours or more:
to understand your carb intake as an endurance athlete you need to understand what types of sugars you’re ingesting. Our body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which can be directly transported to muscles for use, however many of the nutrition options out there provide you with other types of sugars which require longer digestion periods than glucose.
As an endurance athlete your carb-loading phase should follow a similar routine as the one listed above. Once you are properly fueled up, your focus should shift to your nutrition strategy during physical activity.
Have you ever tried eating during intense physical exercise? Running along, stuffing a Whole-Wheat Peanut-Butter sandwich down your throat as your trying to maintain an 8 minute mile pace for 2-3 hours. If you have, then you’ve probably experienced the resulting, nausea, bloating and discomfort as your body tries to digest the fuel you’ve just put in the tank. The problem is, your stomach needs blood to do its job, and that blood is being shuttled away to your muscles during exercise to keep them well oxygenated and fueled. So how are you supposed to keep yourself fueled and avoid hitting the wall during workout/race?
1) Our stomachs are not like cars, you can’t wait until the tank is on empty and then fill her back up all the way to full in one go. As an endurance athlete you need to be constantly supplying your body with fuel from the start to the end of your work out in order to keep your muscles properly fueled.
2) Think about the types of carbs/sugars you’re ingesting. When you first start your race your heat rate is going to be much lower than it will be later on, there will still be blood in your stomach and digestion will still be functioning at an acceptable level. At this point, feel free to provide your body with more complex sugars such as the Malodextrin based gels/drinks (Cliffshot, Ensure). You may not feel great after consuming these heavier substances but your stomach should be able to digest them earlier on without much problem.
As you move on during your psychical activity however, you should start thinking about the fact that you want to make your stomach’s job as easy as possible. As blood drains out of your stomach, digestion of the more complex sugars will become difficult, so as you go on, you should steadily simplify your sugar intake until you hit the simplest sugars possible (think, Coca-Cola and Red Bull). Yes, soda may seem counter-intuitive at first, but after prolonged physical activity your body needs fuel, and it needs it now, and the sugars you find in Cola are so refined that they can be absorbed quickly and transported to your muscles for fueling.
A Few Pointers:
Listen to your body: what happens if you’re half way through a marathon or Half-Ironman distance triathlon and you’ve been consuming malodextrin base gels when suddenly your stomach starts angrily protesting? You were planning on waiting until mile marker 20 in your marathon to switch to the simple sugars, what should you do? Listen to your body! If your stomach is telling you “too much, I can’t do it!” give it a couple of minutes and switch to coke and water, you may start to feel better quite quickly in which case you can return to your nutrition strategy.
Be flexible with your nutrition: This really is included in the previous point, but just to emphasize, if you have a nutrition plan, its fine to try to stick to it. But, if you start blowing up half way through your activity, throw the plan out the window and consume what makes you feel good, your body is really a great machine, it will tell you what it needs.
Caffeine is your friend: Yes, at the begging of an event a small dose of caffeine can give you the bump you need to get a great start in and as you fatigue caffeine will help you break through the mental haze that begins to accumulate during your hard effort. Think about picking up some caffeine based gels, Coke, or Red Bull, for when you need that extra bump.
Sources:
McCormack, Chris (2011). I’m Here to Win. Chapter 8. P. 170-175.
http://www.powerbar.com/articles/165/how-sweet-it-is-the-truth-about-sugar—sweeteners.aspx
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/organic/sugar.html
http://www.fao.org/docrep/W8079E/w8079e0k.htm
Chocolate Protien shake with banana and milk.
(picture previously posted)
When it comes to exercise many women avoid the weight room at their local gym. A few may wander over the to dumbbell rack and quietly grab a 10 pounder , try a few curls, and then retreat to the cardio equipment. The intimidation of walking over to the area where big men are training, stacking their bars with 45 pound plates and slamming 80 pound dumbbells to the floor, can be formidable
Beyond that many women ask “Why would I want to lift weights? I don’t want to look like a man.”
So why would you want to incorporate a weight training regime into your routine? Here are a few reasons:
Weight training will not cause you to bulk up: It is extraordinarily difficult for a woman to get to the point where she has bulging muscles and “looks like a man”. To reach that point takes many hours in the gym every day, for years on end, in addition to a highly supplemented diet. Women have 10-30 times fewer hormones that cause hypertrophy (the process body builders use to build muscle) compared to men.
In fact, the exact opposite occurs with women. Weight training will help you build strength and tone you, not bulk you up. So, don’t be afraid to hit those weights. In any case, if you really feel strongly that your putting on too much muscle and becoming “manly” the solution is actually very simple and pleasant. Train less.
More muscle = More fat burning: yes, the more muscle you have the more fat your body will burn. Not good enough? This doesn’t just apply to you while your working out. Studies show that a higher percentage of muscle leads to increased fat burning at rest. So, you can feel better about yourself when your sitting in front of the TV at the end of the day after a good weight lifting session.
It will reduce your chance of Injury: Are you an athlete? incorporating a weight training regime into your routine can reduce your chances of becoming injured by strengthening weak areas of your body and by helping fix any muscle imbalances that have developed as a result of previous injury or due to your training.
Additionally, bone density increases until approximately 28 years of age after which it declines until death. Weight training can help you increase the density of your bones before the age of 28 and reduce the rate of density loss after that time. This reduces the risk of developing such ailments as Osteoporosis.
Greater force production: want to be able to power up those hills faster on your runs? want to be able to hammer the pedals harder and longer for sprints on the bike? Lift weights. One of the obvious results of lifting weights is an increase in strength, which makes high intensity exercises such as sprinting up a hill easier/faster. This has an every day benefit too: it makes it easier to grab that heavy object out of the top of the closest, or open that stubborn jam jar.
It’s fun: no, but really, it is! There are few things better than seeing the amount of weight you can lift slowly creep up week after week as you maintain a consistent lifting schedule. But, its not just about the results, the process of learning how to squat/dead-lift/bench press, or any other lifting exercise can be very enjoyable. Give it a try, you may love it.
So regardless of your goal, think about adding in a weight training regime. Yes, it can be intimidating when you first start out, but after a few sessions of hanging out in the weight section of your gym, you’ll start to feel right at home. Not only will you become more comfortable, you’ll get stronger and fitter and maybe even have some fun while doing it.
Background Information:
Fascia & Trigger Points
Fascia is a specialized connective tissue layer surrounding muscles, bones and joints and gives support and protection to the body. It consists of three layers - the superficial fascia, the deep fascia and the subserous fascia. Fascia is one of the 3 types of dense connective tissue (the others being ligaments and tendons) and it extends without interruption from the top of the head to the tip of the toes (1).
Fascia is usually seen as having a passive role in the body, transmitting mechanical tension, which is generated by muscle activity or external forces. Recently, however some evidence suggests that fascia may be able to actively contract in a smooth muscle-like manner and consequently influence musculoskeletal dynamics (2).
Obviously, if this is verified by future research, any changes in the tone or structure of the fascia could have significant implications for athletic movements and performance. This research notwithstanding, the occurrence of trigger points within dense connective tissue sheets is thought to be correlated with subsequent injury.
Trigger points have been defined as areas of muscle that are painful to palpation and are characterized by the presence of taut bands. Tissue can become thick, tough and knoted. They can occur in muscle, the muscle-tendon junctions, bursa, or fat pad (3). Sometimes, trigger points can be accompanied by inflammation and if they remain long enough, what was once healthy fascia is replaced with inelastic scar tissue.
It has been speculated that trigger points may lead to a variety of sports injuries - from camps to more serious muscle and tendon tears. The theory, which seems plausible, is that trigger points compromise the tissue structure in which they are located, placing a greater strain on other tissues that must compensate for its weakness. These in turn can break down and so the spiral continues.
According to many therapists, trigger points in the fascia can restrict or alter the motion about a joint resulting in a change of normal neural feedback to the central nervous system. Eventually, the neuromuscular system becomes less efficient, leading to premature fatigue, chronic pain and injury and less efficient motor skill performance. An athlete’s worst nightmare!
What causes a trigger point to form?
The list of proposed causes includes acute physical trauma, poor posture or movement mechanics, over training, inadequate rest between training sessions and possibly even nutritional factors (4,5).
Self myofascial release is a relatively simple technique that athletes can use to alleviate trigger points. Studies have shown myofascial release to be an effective treatment modality for myofascial pain syndrome (6,7,8), although most studies have focused on therapist-based rather than self-based treatment.
General Guidelines
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Spend 1-2 minutes per self myofascial release technique and on each each side (when applicable).
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When a trigger point is found (painful area) hold for 30-45 seconds.
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Keep the abdominal muscles tight which provides stability to the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex during rolling.
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Remember to breathe slowly as this will help to reduce any tense reflexes caused by discomfort.
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Complete the self myofascial release exercises 1-2 x daily.
Adductor Self Myofascial Release
1. Extend the thigh and place foam roll in the groin region with body prone (face down) on the floor.
2. Be cautious when rolling near the adductor complex origins at the pelvis.
3. If a tender point is located, stop rolling, and rest on the tender point until pain decreases by 75%.
Hamstring Self Myofascial Release
1. Place hamstrings on the roll with hips unsupported.
2. Feet can be crossed so that only leg at a time is one the foam roll.
3. Roll from knee toward posterior hip.
4. If a tender point is located, stop rolling, and rest on the tender point until pain decreases by 75%.
Quadriceps Slef Myofascial Release
1. Body is positioned prone (face down) with quadriceps on foam roll
2. It is very important to maintain proper core control (abdominal drawn-in position & tight gluteus) to prevent low back compensations
3. Roll from pelvic bone to knee, emphasizing the lateral (outside) thigh
4. If a tender point is located, stop rolling, and rest on the tender point until pain decreases by 75%.
Iliotibial Band Self Myofascial Release
1. Position yourself on your side lying on foam roll.
2. Bottom leg is raised slightly off floor.
3. Maintain head in neutral position with ears aligned with shoulders.
4. This may be PAINFUL for many, and should be done in moderation.
5. Roll just below hip joint down the outside thigh to the knee.
6. If a tender point is located, stop rolling, and rest on the tender point until pain decreases by 75%.
Upper Back Self Myofascial Release
1. Place hands behind head or wrap arms around chest to clear the shoulder blades across the thoracic wall.
2. Raise hips until unsupported.
4. Stabilize the head in a neutral position.
5. Roll mid-back area on the foam roll.
6. If a tender point is located, stop rolling, and rest on the tender point until pain decreases by 75%.
Citation & Note
All text has been directly lifted from:
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/self-myofascial-release.html
this is not my original work and I give full credit to the authors.
Mental Tips:
Remind yourself of your goals: If you’re having trouble getting out of bed, remind yourself of your goal. Race coming up? Want to dead lift over 200?Trying to drop 20 pounds? Remind yourself why you set that alarm so early, why you’re doing all this work in the first place. Yea, you can say to yourself “I’ll just do it tomorrow” but you’ll know every day you push your workouts back is another day it’s going to take you to reach that goal.
Put motivating images/words near your bed: Pictures of athletes that inspire you, quotes/sayings/poems that motivate you. Anything that when you read/see it will help give you that extra push to throw of the covers and get on your feet.
Create a motivating playlist on your ipod: fill the playlist with whatever type of music that will help get you out from under the covers, whatever that may be, it can be clips from motivating movie monologues, intense Metal/Dubstep that will make it impossible to go back to sleep, or just feel good music. keep your ipod next to your bed with your headphones ready. When your alarm goes off, put in the headphones and click play.
Find a work out buddy: plain and simple, if you know your friend is waiting for you out on the trail or at the gym, you’re unlikely to leave them hanging just to get an extra hour or two of sleep.
Physical Tips:
Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room: Make sure it’s somewhere that you can’t reach at all from your bed. If your like me, and you can bear crawl half way across the room with one leg still in bed to reach the clock, while half-asleep, then it’s too close. Put that thing as far away from your bed as possible, and make sure its loud, no babbling brooks or chirping birds.
Lay out your work out clothes and anything else you need the night before: better yet, sleep in your work out clothes if it doesn’t bother you. Make it so all you have to do is jump out of bed, grab your bag and nutrition shake out of the fridge, and be on your way.
Get moving quickly, jump out of bed and stretch: don’t lay back down after your alarm goes off and debate with yourself about whether your going to get out of bed or not, because in your foggy state of mind, you’re probably going to lose the debate.
Go to sleep earlier: pretty simple, if your willing to sacrifice an extra hour with friends/family or with your television set to hit the sack earlier, it’s going to be a lot easier to get up in the morning.
Drink water: Yes, drink water before bed to help your body rehydrate and recover during the night. In the morning, a glass of water will help start various bodily functions including the digestive process, making it more likely that you’ll need to take a trip to the bathroom and get yourself out of bed. So, keep a big glass of water next to your bed for when you wake up.
Hi guys,
almost three years ago now, I started weight lifting on a consistent basis. I had no knowledge of the sport and as a result it was a pretty intimidating experience. But since then I’ve learned a lot. Here are a few things that might be able to help you if you are considering or have already decided to start hitting the weights at your local gym.
Create a specific training schedule that will focus on your goals: Too many beginning weight lifters will wander into the gym and float from machine to machine without much thought about what parts of the body they’re working. It helps to create a schedule that focuses on specific muscle groups on certain days. For example you can create a schedule that looks something like this:
Monday: Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Back & Bicep
Wednesday: Shoulders & Traps
Thursday: Legs & core
This would be a typical four day training schedule which, depending on your goals, is not a bad way to start. Within each of these days, you create a routine that will focus on the muscles that you want to target on that particular day. Regardless of what your goals are, you need to formulate a targeted schedule, so you can show up to the gym with purpose every time you go.
Do you work outs with proper form: Nothing screams newbie, like the guy/girl in front of the weight rack trying to bicep curl 50 pounds, leaning back like their doing the limbo, throwing there back and legs into the curl. NO. No. No. No. When you start lifting, lower the weight to something that will challenge you, but something that you can lift properly. Not only will you look like you know what your doing, you will also get a lot more out of your work out and greatly reduce your chance of injury. If you don’t know how to do a particular lift, look up the proper form on Youtube/Google, or ask a trainer at your gym to explain the proper form to you.
Leave your ego at the door: This goes off of the previous tip. There are so many guys in the gym that lift way more than they should be lifting, this results in poor form and injuries. When you get to the gym, if you can only bench press the bar with 10 pound weights on either side, and the guy next to you is pounding out reps at 225, then keep those 10 pound weights on that bar and do your reps with the most perfect form that anyone’s ever seen. Don’t try to up the weight because you don’t want to look weak. As long as your getting a good work out, that’s whats important. Stop staring at everyone else around you, put your earphones in, your head down, and get to work. If you stick to your training, within a month you’ll be breaking your old personal bests and it will feel so good that it won’t matter what anyone else in the gym is lifting. EXCEPTION: it will always be impressive to see the guy in the corner chalking his hands and dead-lifting 500 pounds, in those cases, go ahead and stare.
You come to the gym to train. So train: Don’t take 10 minute breaks between sets to talk to your buddy, don’t bring your book and read with it in one arm as your doing curls with the other, don’t be on the phone or texting constantly. Leave all the distractions at home, not only will you get a better work out, but the gym may even become your sanctuary, the only place you can escape to on a daily basis to get away from the stresses of life and clear your mind.
Find a training partner: Nothing motivates you to get to the gym like the knowledge that your buddy will be there waiting for you when you get there. There will be those days when you wake up at 6:00am during the dead of winter, it will be colder then a well-diggers ass outside, and you’ll be so tired you just want to roll over and fall back asleep. But, you don’t. Why not? Because you don’t want to let your training partner down, you don’t want them to show up and have to go through the whole work out without you. Not only that, but having a training partner enables you to work on your maxes (when you get to that point) by having the security of a spotter, and having someone there to correct your form when you start straying into injury inducing territory.
Alright, well these are some of the most basic tips I can think of. I hope you guys get something out of this. If you have any other questions about starting a weight lifting program, just let me know, I’ll answer them to the best of my abilities. Good luck to you with your training!
