Stiff or Limber?

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By Adam Dowell

This day in age, there are so many new studies, it can be overwhelming deciding what to believe. I find it best to take many of them, especially with exercise physiology, with a grain of salt. I recently read in my quarterly ACSM Certified News magazine an article regarding Static Stretching. It discusses this point exactly, that exercise research is always changing. The article talks about how ACSM itself, in its Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, says “stretching exercises may help prevent muscle and tendon related injuries, muscle soreness following exercise, and low back pain. Further, it was stated that stretching exercises may lead to enhanced postural stability especially when combined with resistance exercises.” Whereas new studies coming out every month are saying “stretching exercises may lead to significant reductions in strength, power, and sports performance.”

 

Now this article has a lot of information I could regurgitate at you, but I want to share my opinion. Obviously the facts are there for these scientists to make these conclusions about reduced performance from static stretching, but intuition can also tell you a lot. For instance, when I don’t stretch, it’s a fact that I’m going to have neck and back pain. So I would rather sacrifice my sprint or jump performance, by fractions, and keep stretching. As a professional snowboarder for 12 years, my own research told me I’m a much better athlete when I am flexible, especially with such a dynamic sport as snowboarding. As a trainer, if I had a Track and Field athlete or a competitive weight lifter as clients, for example, I would do everything in my power to make them perform as best they could in their respected sport. Even if that meant telling them to not stretch directly prior to their event.

 

I should state a few key points that I did gather from this article. In some studies, reduction in performance was only reduced for up to 24 hours post stretching exercise. Reductions in maximal strength performance were not apparent when the duration of the stretch was less than 30 seconds. Also, performance was most likely impaired when the static stretches were held between 60 to 240 seconds.

 

When it comes down to it, everybody is different, and very few of us will ever need to worry about our stretching reducing our performance in the gym. If you’re training at your best and are flexible too, you’ve found your perfect medium. My best advice is stretch stretch stretch! But look into various ways to stretch, do some research on your own. Take a yoga class. I personally love fast, short hold, dynamic stretching with the facilitation of a rope. Know your own needs for your age group, for instance as you get older the need to keep a good range of motion all over is even more important that a 300 lb back squat or a 7 second 60 yard dash. All sports have different demands on the body, so ask around and experiment on your own to see what works best for you. If you would like to read the whole article that I read, it is ACSM’s Certified News, Third Quarter 2013, Volume 23, Issue 3, “Static Stretching and Perspective”.

“You’re Not Good Enough to Be Disappointed”…

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Wait, What? Seriously? Did you just read that correctly?

When I stumbled across this article, I was pissed. I mean, aren’t we supposed to be supporting our athlete’s through their progress in the gym, not telling them they aren’t good enough? I know, I’m going against every wrestling, lifting, football throwing coach out there.

But as I read past the title, I realized that Mr. James Clear is one to something; we have to work hard and learn the adequate skills before we get disappointed. I’m guilty of forgetting this when it comes to the gym, but none of us at Wright Training – coaches included – perform every lift perfectly . We are all there to improve our skills, gain strength, and move better. I’ve often told my athletes that the gym is “the only place where it is totally ok to fail”.

“The Richard Bransons and Jerry Seinfelds and Tom Clancys of the world see failure as a signal to re-commit to the process, not as a reason to wallow in disappointment.”

So you missed that clean or dumped the bar on your front squat? Take a deep breath, step back from the barbell, and think about the process.

What do you guys think? Are you good enough to be disappointed? Maybe it’s not at the gym, but on the hill or at a new job. Or do you need to cut yourself some slack?

Check out James Clear’s original article “You’re Not Good Enough to be Disappointed” here.

Lights Out!

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By Pip Hunt

“You can sleep when you’re dead.” How many times have we all been told this? Whether it’s a night out on the town, an early morning adventure, or taking a day off to relax, Jackson isn’t a town that condones taking it easy. It’s a wonder we’re not all walking around like  zombies. But the truth is sleep does matter. It matters to our energy levels; it affects what we eat, how we act, how we perform and how we recover in the gym.

If you are going to change one thing about your lifestyle, I encourage you to look at your sleep patterns before you look at anything else.

Why is sleep so important?

  1. Sleep affects how and what we eat - Leptin, the hormone that is released by fat cells that signals satiety and tells our brains that we are full, is dependent on sleep duration.  When sleep deprivation makes your Leptin levels low, your body up-regulates the production of  Ghrelin. Ghrelin stimulates hunger. This means that sleep deprivation signals a “famine response” in you body, even when your caloric intake is high if you are sleep deprived. We end up eating more (and usually more sugary foods) when we are tired.
  1. Sleep affects how stressed our bodies are.  - Cortisol, the “fight or flight” hormone, is secreted by your adrenal glands. While you do need Cortisol to maintain homeostasis in your body, constantly stressing your body will throw the balance off. Your body recognizes stress as: a lack of sleep, mental stress, physical stress from playing (or training) too hard, and even a poor diet. Increased  Cortisol levels will in turn a host of other problems like:

- Insulin sensitivity or a “pre-diabetic” state. Ever wonder why you crave       sugar more after a night of poor sleep? This is why.

- Disrupted sleep patterns. Cortisol is expressed during the morning, which signals your body to wake up. However, disrupted Cortisol levels are usually highest in the evening, which can either inhibit you from falling asleep, or wake up you in the middle of the night.

- Elevated Cortisol levels can also inhibit your immune system. Cortisol can block the transportation of T-cells, which communicate with Interleukins to create a cellular immune response. This means that people with elevated Cortisol levels can get sick more often.

  1. Sleep affects how effectively we can recover from a day in the mountains or at the gym.

- Growth Hormone is secreted while you are sleeping, and is excellent   at   repairing damaged tissue. If you impair your sleep, and impair your  bodies ability to repair itself.

- We create a higher level of inflammation in our bodies when we are sleep deprived. This higher level of inflammation can lead to poor performance because we are fatigued and sore from the previous session.

  1. Tired? Crazy? Feel like crying? Ok, maybe that last one is just for the ladies, but seriously, Go the F*** to sleep!

 

Tips for helping you get a better night’s sleep: 

1.  Give yourself a bedtime that ensures you will get 8 hours of sleep per night, and stick with it!

2. Turn off all screens, TV, laptop, maybe even you’re smartphone 1 to ½ hour before you hit the pillow. The blue light from the screens can disrupt our circadian rhythms.

3. Make sure you have adequate levels of Magnesium.

4. Get at least one hour of daylight (like outside daylight) each day.

5. Avoid caffeinated drinks in the afternoon, even if you think they don’t affect you.

6. Sleep in a completely dark room. Block out light from outside with dark curtains, and turn off all lights!

 

Sources:

The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Hormones and Metabolism  http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/502825

“The Psychology of Stress: Cortisol and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis”

http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/fall-2010/the-physiology-of-stress-cortisol-and-the-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis#.UoJHZKXrsmw

“How Light Affects Sleep” – http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-light-affects-our-sleep/#axzz2kRjkku5K

Athlete Profile: Kyle Dowman

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This past spring I enrolled in Crystal’s six week “Bike Fitness” class. I thought it would be a nice way to kick start my season and shake those off-season cobwebs from my legs. After about a million kettle bell swings and burpees, the snow started to melt and I was finally able to get out on the bike. What a difference.

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I come from a BMX/dirt jumping/downhill background and am currently racing “Enduro”.  An Enduro race consists of a series of “transition” stages, where you pedal your way to the top within a set period of time, followed by timed downhill sections; this is where it really matters. Those timed downhill stages are combined, and the fastest overall time wins. This style of racing rewards the most rounded rider that can descend, corner, jump and climb. A high level of skill, endurance and strength is needed to perform well in this type of event.

After completing Crystal’s “Bike Fitness” class, I was impressed by how good I felt getting on the bike on my first ride of the season. Usually those first couple of rides include keeling over, a ton of whining and basically, an overall weak display of athleticism. The way that Crystal’s workouts incorporate strength and endurance training, I not only felt strong off the bat, but I was already at level of endurance that I had never had that early in a season.  With those results I was sold on her class and decided to continue training for the rest of the summer.

The gains to my upper body and core had the most significant effects to my riding. Having a stronger upper body and core made me more balanced on the bike and allowed me to throw the bike around with more ease. As the summer went on and  training continued, it was easy to see that I was becoming a faster and stronger rider.

This past August was a real testament to Crystals training during the Enduro X at Steamboat race. The race was comprised of three timed stages, which were the longest stages I have ever raced. The first stage was a real doozy which included 3,000 ft of descending with a substantial amount of climbing. The winning time for that stage was 22:26,  a very long time to be gunning it for. The following and final day was comprised of two, pure downhill stages. The second stage was a bike park style trail with berms and jumps and the third was a gnarly, loose, and technical, downhill course, with winning times of 12:26 and 11:34, respectfully.  I ended up taking 6th overall in the pro class amongst a field of very talented and fast riders. Although I have a long way to go as far as technique and bike handling skills, there was no way that my level of fitness held me back during the race. Those long stages were long and physically demanding but regardless, I felt par for the course.

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Thank you Crystal for all your help and guidance, whipping me into shape. For all of those mountain bikers out there, I would absolutely recommend joining Crystal’s gym and taking your cycling to a stronger and more confidant place.

Hip and Knee Replacement, Part II

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By Nina Clark, CSCS

 

Prosthesis

The prosthesis , or artificial joint, is inserted into the body to replace the damaged portion of the joint. There are two main fixations, cement or cementless.

In 1977, designs made it possible for the implant to attatch directly to the bone without using cement.  The porous texture around the implant allows the bone to actually grow into the surface of the prosthesis. Cementless procedures require longer recovery time (6-12 weeks partial weight bearing) because bone growth is essential l for the prosthesis to be stable. The cementless technique is usually used for younger patients and those who are more active. This technique can be used in both hip and knee replacements.

Cemented joints recovery is very different. In this procedure it takes 10-15minutes for the cement to harden into a solid substance, filling the crevices and acting as a strong sealer around the bone. This allows for almost immediate ability to walk post surgery, which can translate to a quicker rehabilitation. One disadvantage of this type of replacement is the possibility of the cement loosening around the prosthesis over time. For all implants, the prosthetic steam and the cavity within the bone must fit together precisely, since new bone cannot grow to bridge the gaps larger than 1-2mm.

Recovery:

Recovery from a total joint replacement can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. The two initial goals of physical therapy are to 1: prevent contracture or tightening of the muscles surrounding the joint and 2:to assist the client in increasing muscular strength and stability. Most importantly, physical therapy helps the patient to perform activities of daily living (Roblero, 2007). Crutches or a walker are often essential tools during the beginning or recovery but it is important to move away from using these devises as soon as it is appropriate. Each person recovers from surgery at a different rate depending on age, current physical condition, and medical history.

Total joint replacements are extremely successful in most people. Nonetheless, complications do occur and need to be made known. Blood clots can occur in the lower extremities due to decreased activity. Pain, swelling, and redness in the claves or thighs are indications of blood clots. Blood thinners, anticoagulants and exercise all help in reducing the risk for developing blood clots. Infection can occur at the surgical site or around the prosthesis. Warning signs include fever, abnormal redness or warmth around the joint, persistent swelling, and unusual pain with activity or rest. Antibiotics are usually given as with any surgery before, during or after the procedure is done to help prevent infections. Loosening of the prosthesis within the bone is one of the main long-term complications with a joint replacement. With excessive wear, the prosthesis may become unstable causing an increase in pain. This is most common with very overweight or active people both of which place an excessive amount of stress on the prosthesis. Dislocation of the hip is more common then any other prosthetic joint. This is where strength of the muscles and tendons around the joint are essential. The stronger the surrounding structure of any joint is the less likely it is to dislocate. Although hip dislocation is more common during the earlier stages of recovery, a risk continues throughout the lifespan of the replacement, especially if the muscles surrounding the hip are not strong. To limit this risk here are three tips. Limit the hip bending to 90 degrees, don’t let the affected leg cross midline of the body, don’t rotate the leg to far inward or outward when standing, walking or turning. Mitigating these movements will lesion the likelihood of dislocating the hip.

Strength Training & Exercise

All joint-replacement patients are strongly encouraged to continue regular exercise and stay active. If the muscles are allowed to weaken from inactivity, the patient is at increased risk of falling, which according to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, falls are the leading cause of repeat joint replacement surgeries (aaos,org, 2004). The muscles around the surgery site are weakened from both the lack of activity prior to the surgery and from the incisions that have disrupted the muscles integrity. In a study published in 2005 (Mizner et. Al) showed in 1 month after a total knee replacement, quadriceps strength in the involved leg decreased by 62% compared with the preoperative test.

Low-impact activities are most appropriate for any patient these include walking, swimming, golfing, bicycling, and ballroom dancing. Activities that put a larger amount of stress on the joint include running, skiing, horseback riding, tennis, contact sports etc. As I previously mentioned the more stress you put on the joint the quicker it will wear down nevertheless, depending on what sport and activities you enjoy it may be worth the risk. The following are some exercise that will help you gain strength so that you can perform to help you strengthen you lower body in order to return to sports and activities you love.

Aerobic  Exercise:

  • Recumbent bike  
  • Elliptical machine
  • Treadmill

Beginner Exercises:

1-    Quad Push: sit or lie on the back with the involved leg straight. Push the back of the knee down toward the mat, attempting to straighten the leg as much as possible. Hold for 5 seconds. This strengthens the quadriceps.

2-    Straight leg lift: lie lat or propped on the elbows with the involved leg straight. Bend the opposite knee. Keeping the knee straight, lift the leg approximately 12 inches off the mat. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat.

3-    Side laying Abduction: lie on the side opposite of the involved joint. Bend the knee on the bottom and keep the upper knee straight. Lift the straight leg off the bottom leg. Hold for 5 seconds. Then lower the leg and repeat.

4-    Side laying Adduction: lie on the side of the involved joint. Place the sole of the top foot behind the straightened bottom leg. Lift the bottom leg up off the mat. Hold for 5 seconds. Then lower and repeat.

Intermediate Exercises:

1-    Standing Knee Extension: Stand with the resistance band around the upper portion of the calf with the other portion of the band attached or something sturdy. Begin with knee slightly bent then straighten the knee against the resistance of the band.

2-    Standing Knee flexion: The same set up as the extension but pull the band forward keeping the knee straight

Flexibility Exercises:

1-    Supine hamstring stretch

2-    Standing hamstring stretch

3-    Heel to Buttocks

4-    Calf stretch