AMA: Health/Fitness - Clinical Exercise Physiologist

[JAMES-L67]

Hi guys,

So I am just about finished my Masters of Clinical Exercise Physiology. Before this, I completed a Bachelor in Exercise and Sport Science, and have been involved in the health and fitness industry for a decent while.

I'm offering to answer any question you might have about fitness, health, anatomy/physiology etc.
Examples:

• Does "x" supplement work?
• I have Diabetes, what should I do to help?
• What can I do to manage lower back pain/shoulder pain/hip pain etc.

I will try to answer all of your questions, but as I am in my last 6 months of the degree (and working on my fastlane business) I might take a while to reply now and then.

Thank you for reading,

James

 

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[StompingAcorns]

I'm offering to answer any question you might have about fitness, health, anatomy/physiology etc.

James

I don't have any questions, but I thought I would share something that has happened to me recently, in case it helps someone else. I've been pretty active over the years, off and on, either weight lifting, dancing, hiking, running, etc. I started lifting weights again in Dec. I moved recently and so had to find a new gym and a trainer, whom I like very much. But I got sick and threw up the second time I was there. I had just gotten over a respiratory illness, so I thought perhaps I wasn't sufficiently recovered. The next time, I got nauseated again, and he told me to start bringing Gatorade to drink, saying it might be a blood sugar issue. Well, I'd worked out fasted plenty of times before, so that really surprised me. But I did as he asked and started bringing Gatorade. And threw up again. He asked me a few more questions about how I felt and told me it was lactic acid buildup. So I went home and found "lactic acidosis" and read up on it. Evidently, the training is too intense for me in that my body can't process the lactic acid fast enough, which translates to - not enough rest between sets or exercises. So I told him I was going to take it slower and rest more. Which I did this week, and it worked out better. I still started to get that icky feeling, but I stopped right away each time and took more laps around the gym. This was sufficient to keep it at bay and let me complete my workout. And I didn't drink any Gatorade. I much prefer water, anyway.

I'm not trying to train to be a professional athlete of any sort, so for me, the right solution is to slow it down. I don't see the point in training so hard that it makes me sick each time. I'm fine with it taking longer for my body to adjust to what we're doing.

 

[JAMES-L67]

Hi @StompingAcorns , thanks for your reply!

It's interesting because there is actually a lot of debate over WHY your body will throw up after a bout of heavy/intense exercise. So far, the best theory is that it's one of the only ways your body can force you to actually stop exercising. Considering your situation, I would have a guess that you were in fact pushed too hard too early, and as you say it will adjust over time. It's important to consider factors like these when starting out, as you could just as easily said "Stuff that!" and never gone back!

 

[StompingAcorns]

Hi @StompingAcorns , thanks for your reply!

It's interesting because there is actually a lot of debate over WHY your body will throw up after a bout of heavy/intense exercise. So far, the best theory is that it's one of the only ways your body can force you to actually stop exercising. Considering your situation, I would have a guess that you were in fact pushed too hard too early, and as you say it will adjust over time. It's important to consider factors like these when starting out, as you could just as easily said "Stuff that!" and never gone back!

It took another 4-6 weeks until I could finally complete a full hour of training with him without barfing. I learned to tune in to when the ickiness first started and slow it way down, resting a lot between sets. Now I can go full out for about a half hour, start resting more, and complete the second half hour with no problems. What I have noticed is that I'm not getting that endorphin high much yet, though. I got it once a couple of weeks ago, and said, wow, I forgot how good this is supposed to feel. I have to say, not having that awesome feeling at the end of the workout has made it harder to get enthusiastic about going to the gym. So yeah, I agree - a really great trainer would probably try to hit that sweet spot so the client is getting that endorphin rush and feeling good about the workout.

It took me awhile to figure out why this happened to me when I'd already been lifting for a couple of months. When I first started lifting (in my old location, Dec-Jan), I was doing total body workouts 2-3 times a week. We would hit a little bit of everything in one hour. In my new location (Feb-now), he had me doing a 3 way split for 3xweek - legs/core, chest/back, shoulders/arms. He also tends to do what I think is called supersets - alternating two exercises back to back. So I was going from one exercise to the next for 6-8 sets with very little rest. And he's had me in the 10-20 rep range whereas I was focusing on the 6-12 rep range before. I.e., the intensity changed in multiple ways. When it added up, it was too much for my body to handle. This was a new and interesting learning experience....but not one I care to repeat.

And after all this - he told me the other day I'm performing at about 10-20% of what I should be capable of doing. Sheesh, lol.

 

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[JAMES-L67]

And after all this - he told me the other day I'm performing at about 10-20% of what I should be capable of doing. Sheesh, lol.

I'd say it's time to find a new trainer!

As you mentioned, super sets are a way to increase intensity and total volume of work you put out in a session. While they are great for keeping the total time of a workout down, incorporating them throughout an entire hour session is generally a bit overkill, especially if you are relatively new to training (<12 months).

Also, I would recommend you stick to your old protocol of 6-12 reps per set. This is generally referred to as the ideal rep range for eliciting muscular hypertrophy (or growth), which will give you the most health benefits whilst also keeping the injury risk low. Higher rep ranges (beyond 12) are considered ideal for muscular endurance, however unless you are a decathlon competitor or a lumberjack, it's not particularly relevant to the greater population.

For interests sake, Australian guidelines (very similar to US guidelines) recommend 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity on most days of the week, and at least 2 60 minute sessions of moderate intensity resistance training per week.

 

[StompingAcorns]

I'd say it's time to find a new trainer!

As you mentioned, super sets are a way to increase intensity and total volume of work you put out in a session. While they are great for keeping the total time of a workout down, incorporating them throughout an entire hour session is generally a bit overkill, especially if you are relatively new to training (<12 months).

Also, I would recommend you stick to your old protocol of 6-12 reps per set. This is generally referred to as the ideal rep range for eliciting muscular hypertrophy (or growth), which will give you the most health benefits whilst also keeping the injury risk low. Higher rep ranges (beyond 12) are considered ideal for muscular endurance, however unless you are a decathlon competitor or a lumberjack, it's not particularly relevant to the greater population.

For interests sake, Australian guidelines (very similar to US guidelines) recommend 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity on most days of the week, and at least 2 60 minute sessions of moderate intensity resistance training per week.

Thanks for the info! I follow another trainer online, and he emphasizes the 6-8 rep range as well for muscular growth. My current trainer is old school - won some bodybuilding competitions and trains mostly athletes, not us regular folks. I appreciate your sharing the AU guidelines, too.

 

[Tapp001]

Hi!

So, I hear about people who get so into exercising that they feel 'wrong' if they miss a day. I've tried to get into a regular routine before, but I have never management to hit this point. I want to know: is there a way to super-charge the exercise habit or addiction, so I can get to a point where it takes willpower to actually NOT exercise faster?

Please disregard if this makes no sense!

 

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[JAMES-L67]

Thanks for the info! I follow another trainer online, and he emphasizes the 6-8 rep range as well for muscular growth. My current trainer is old school - won some bodybuilding competitions and trains mostly athletes, not us regular folks. I appreciate your sharing the AU guidelines, too.

No worries! Hope I helped at least a little!

Hi!

So, I hear about people who get so into exercising that they feel 'wrong' if they miss a day. I've tried to get into a regular routine before, but I have never management to hit this point. I want to know: is there a way to super-charge the exercise habit or addiction, so I can get to a point where it takes willpower to actually NOT exercise faster?

Please disregard if this makes no sense!

No this makes total sense! I feel that way myself, but unfortunately I don't believe there are any quick ways to reach that kind of feeling. When you get to this point is when it becomes a part of you, a part of your lifestyle. The best advice I could give would be to educate yourself regarding the benefits of exercise, have a clear but realistic goal in mind, and stick with it. For me, I enjoy the feeling of having a more visually appealing body (vain but I'm not afraid to admit it) as well as the immense positive health benefits. Not only do I feel great while and after being at the gym, but I enjoy knowing that I am actively taking control of my life and my body, and creating something from myself that not all people can or will do.

Starting with an objective in mind will help you to build the habit of exercising, and from that, the addiction will come!

 

[Tomekmeister]

Hey! Thanks for hosting this AMA
I'm almost 18 male and I've been lifting weights for over 2 years now. Even though my physique has improved a lot, I still have kyphosis, lumbar (hyper?)lordosis and shoulders rotated forward. Do you know any tested ways to "fix" this kind of posture? It has always been there, but now it really bothers me, because I started caring about my body.

PS: My back is the best developed and strongest muscle group in my body, so it's not that.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I've been training since I was a 14yo weakling. What I need the most is a nutritionist - do you have one that you partner with? Because that would be a great way to boost sales, especially for (ahem) 'women of a certain age'

 

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[JAMES-L67]

Hey! Thanks for hosting this AMA
I'm almost 18 male and I've been lifting weights for over 2 years now. Even though my physique has improved a lot, I still have kyphosis, lumbar (hyper?)lordosis and shoulders rotated forward. Do you know any tested ways to "fix" this kind of posture? It has always been there, but now it really bothers me, because I started caring about my body.

PS: My back is the best developed and strongest muscle group in my body, so it's not that.

For any musculoskeletal pathology, the general consensus on the best way to treat it is "First lengthen, then strengthen". What you might find is the issue is tightness in the antagonist musculature, which is pulling you into the kyphosis and lordosis. A typical example would tight hip flexors pulling your pelvis into anterior tilt, which would then manifest into increased lordosis. Do you many exercises for your abs? Especially hanging leg raises and situp variations? Also, do you find yourself sitting for long periods of time? These combined will work to shorten the hip flexors.

Here is an example of a good hip flexor stretch:

As well as this, it may be that your glutes are weak or aren't firing correctly. Some glute activation work before a leg session will help with this. Try something like a leg lock bridge:

For the kyphosis, have a look at stretching pec major and minor:

As well as strengthening external rotators of the shoulder:

I've been training since I was a 14yo weakling. What I need the most is a nutritionist - do you have one that you partner with? Because that would be a great way to boost sales, especially for (ahem) 'women of a certain age'

Unfortunately I don't have any nutritionist partners as of yet, but definitely something I will look into in the future!

 

[Tomekmeister]

For any musculoskeletal pathology, the general consensus on the best way to treat it is "First lengthen, then strengthen". What you might find is the issue is tightness in the antagonist musculature, which is pulling you into the kyphosis and lordosis. A typical example would tight hip flexors pulling your pelvis into anterior tilt, which would then manifest into increased lordosis. Do you many exercises for your abs? Especially hanging leg raises and situp variations? Also, do you find yourself sitting for long periods of time? These combined will work to shorten the hip flexors.

Here is an example of a good hip flexor stretch:

As well as this, it may be that your glutes are weak or aren't firing correctly. Some glute activation work before a leg session will help with this. Try something like a leg lock bridge:

For the kyphosis, have a look at stretching pec major and minor:

As well as strengthening external rotators of the shoulder:

Great reply! I am definitely going to do everything as you said starting from... right now!

Before I've been doing abs whenever I felt like it. Since 2 months ago I do it 3 times a week. Hanging leg raises is my no.1 excercise, should I stick to it? I've got trouble doing abs while laying on my back, because my back is so bent it takes all of the work. I put hands under my glutes to keep straight form, but then again my abs isn't doing 100% of what it should.

Thank you for the time you took to help me, great value post.
Have a nice day / night

 

[biggeemac]

Been feeling no-so-great after sleeping lately with neck and back discomfort.....just a general achiness. My posture also seems uncomfortable to me as well. My head leans slightly forward. My wife captured this photo while I was working of my natural posture. Any thoughts on how to tackle this with pillow/mattress/exercises/other ?

 

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[JAMES-L67]

Great reply! I am definitely going to do everything as you said starting from... right now!

Before I've been doing abs whenever I felt like it. Since 2 months ago I do it 3 times a week. Hanging leg raises is my no.1 excercise, should I stick to it? I've got trouble doing abs while laying on my back, because my back is so bent it takes all of the work. I put hands under my glutes to keep straight form, but then again my abs isn't doing 100% of what it should.

Thank you for the time you took to help me, great value post.
Have a nice day / night

No problem!

Hanging leg raises are a great exercise, BUT (and it's a big but), make sure you are getting the right motion in. A lot of people will only do what we call hip flexion, or bending at the hips. Although you will feel it in the abs a bit, this targets the ilipsoas and rectus femoris muscles (AKA the hip flexors) mostly. The way to overcome this is to make sure your abs also do some isotonic work, or motion creating. The primary function of the abs is trunk flexion, which is forward bending of your torso. Thus, to get the most from a hanging leg raise, try and tuck your bottom underneath you at the top of the movement. Here is a great (and very very advanced) example of what I mean:

As a tip, for ANY ab exercise involving forward bending (sit-up, crunch etc.) try to get your shoulders as close to your hips as possible, rather than to your knees, and should bring you into posterior pelvic tilt. This video explains pelvic tilt, which is also important for glute activation:

Please feel free to ask about anything else you need help with

James

 

[JAMES-L67]

Been feeling no-so-great after sleeping lately with neck and back discomfort.....just a general achiness. My posture also seems uncomfortable to me as well. My head leans slightly forward. My wife captured this photo while I was working of my natural posture. Any thoughts on how to tackle this with pillow/mattress/exercises/other ?

Hi @biggeemac

Is the back pain in the upper or lower back? From your posture, you also exhibit some of that kyphosis we were talking about before, and what we call forward head carriage, which is that leaning you mentioned. I would recommend looking into those pec stretches I listed before to help expand you chest, as well as the external rotation exercises.

For the forward head carriage specifically, you could have a go at chin retractions. Essentially you are tucking you are tucking you chin in slightly, then pushing your head backwards. A good way to do this is standing against a wall with a rolled up towel behind your head. Here's an example:

For efficiency, you could do the external rotations while doing the chin retractions, if you are able to coordinate it!

Hope that helps

James

 

[Sowexly]

Do you believe that Metformin (Glucophage) has a favorable effect on fat-free body mass for non-diabetics in athletics?

 

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[JAMES-L67]

Do you believe that Metformin (Glucophage) has a favorable effect on fat-free body mass for non-diabetics in athletics?

Interesting question!

Personally, I think the gastrointestinal side-effects would outweigh any benefits. As well as this, Metformin suppresses liver glucose production, which is fine if you have diabetes, but can leave some people feeling abnormally fatigued. I would think that if you had an adequate diet and exercise regime, that would be sufficient.

James

 

[BlakeIC]

Hi!

So, I hear about people who get so into exercising that they feel 'wrong' if they miss a day. I've tried to get into a regular routine before, but I have never management to hit this point. I want to know: is there a way to super-charge the exercise habit or addiction, so I can get to a point where it takes willpower to actually NOT exercise faster?

Please disregard if this makes no sense!

You need something that drives you

If you can't stick to a workout routine then that shows you that isn't really what you want

 

[JAMES-L67]

You need something that drives you

If you can't stick to a workout routine then that shows you that isn't really what you want

Yep, just like being an entrepreneur, a healthy lifestyle needs a "Why"

 

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[Almantas]

Been weightlifting for almost 10 years now. Had numerous transformations (fat to fit and fit to fat) during those 10 years. What one should always remember is that health is our life vehicle that will help us achieve our greatness. Fitness is not necessarily about having six pack or attracting pussies, it's about changing your lifestyle, habits and your version of yourself. Stop looking for motivation, be your own motivation.

 

[JAMES-L67]

Still here to help everybody!

 

[BlakeIC]

Still here to help everybody!

So what are current results?

 

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[JAMES-L67]

So what are current results?

Regarding what sorry?

 

[BlakeIC]

Your

Regarding what sorry?

My bad, i was on mobile + in a hurry when I typed that

I mean in terms of physical fitness push ups, bench, mile run etc

I am just curious as to what your physical shape is

 

[JAMES-L67]

Your

My bad, i was on mobile + in a hurry when I typed that

I mean in terms of physical fitness push ups, bench, mile run etc

I am just curious as to what your physical shape is

Current stats:
Height = 185cm
Weight = 87kg
Bodyfat = 13/14%
Bench = 117.5kg
Squat = 155kg
Deadlift = 187.5kg
Haven't recorded any cardio-related stats in a while, but completed Tough Mudder in November 2015 if that counts for anything!

 

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[BlakeIC]

How long have you been working out?

For being 87kg and a bodyfat of 13% why arent your lifts higher?

 

[Belcher]

How long have you been working out?

For being 87kg and a bodyfat of 13% why arent your lifts higher?

Probably because he doesn't train to be the strongest guy in the gym? Not everyone trains to be a powerlifter or strongman. Those are solid numbers for his body weight and goals.

This is an AMA serving people with any queries related to any problems they may have that's exercise related, not how much he can bench.

 

[JAMES-L67]

How long have you been working out?

For being 87kg and a bodyfat of 13% why arent your lifts higher?

Thank you for your insight

 

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[BlakeIC]

Probably because he doesn't train to be the strongest guy in the gym? Not everyone trains to be a powerlifter or strongman. Those are solid numbers for his body weight and goals.

This is an AMA serving people with any queries related to any problems they may have that's exercise related, not how much he can bench.

Edit: and you don't have to train like a power lifter to get strong in the first place

I questioned simply because I weigh 10lbs less than him and my lifting stats are much higher and I don't train like a power lifter at all

 

[BlakeIC]

Thank you for your insight

I wish you the best of luck then

Not how I meant for this to turn out