So your knees don’t hurt now. That’s awesome! But, you want to keep it that way, right? Prevention is the best medicine, is it not? We want to do something before a problem arises, if we can, to keep it from becoming a problem in the first place. As they say “A stitch in time saves nine”. So, what can you do to prevent knee pain? What is that “stitch” you can make to save nine? Well, there are a few common mistakes that may lead to knee pain. The good news is there are things that you can do to avoid them.
1. FORM!
Exercise form is so important. Many times aches and pains are not caused by the exercise, but by doing the exercise incorrectly. Compensating and using our knees when we should be using our thighs, hamstrings, and glutes leads to overload on the knees. The knees are a small joint and if we aren’t careful we can end up putting all our body weight on that small joint to make up for weakness in certain muscles or lack of mobility in other joints. It’s kind of like putting the entire weight of a heavy door onto only one small hinge. The hinge would break and your door would fall. We don’t want our knees to break…
2. Ankle and Hip Mobility
If we want to prevent knee pain, we have to have mobility. Sometimes these compensations are due to weakness in the target muscles. However, they can also be caused by a lack of mobility in the surrounding joints, such as the ankles and hips. Lack of mobility in these joints can cause you to not be able to get into the correct position to put the load where it needs to be. Like water following the path of least resistance. Then the load gets put in the wrong place. In this case the knees. Then the knees become overloaded, leading to pain and discomfort. Because, again, it becomes like that single small hinge on the big door…
3. Stretching
There is static stretching and there is dynamic stretching. Static stretching is great for passive flexibility. Dynamic stretching is good for active mobility. Because static stretching is, well static, and more passive it is good for flexibility. But, if your focus is mobility the movement in more dynamic stretching is a more productive use of your time. Mobility is what helps us be able to put the load where it needs to be (ie the glutes, thighs, and hamstrings) and not on the knees. Like adding one or two much larger hinges for our big door. This helps reduce pain and discomfort much like the extra hinges would help support the door.
4. Foam Rolling
One way to help increase mobility is to foam roll. As I mentioned earlier, issues may not arise from the point of pain or discomfort, but rather in the surrounding joints. A good way to address this is to foam roll the hips and ankles as well as the knees. You can imagine knots in your muscles and tendons like knots in a string. Stretching would be like pulling the string. That’s not going to get the knot out unless you break the string. And we don’t want to do that. Foam rolling would be like working to undo the knot. Getting at the source, so to speak.
Knee pain doesn’t have to ever become a problem in the first place. If we make our minor “stitches” and take steps to avoid issues before they arise we can find ourselves in a much better and happier place in our training and our daily lives.
Knee pain is no joke! It can vary from a mild discomfort to debilitating pain or even require surgery. It’s an unsightly roadblock getting in the way of all kinds of things we do in our daily lives. Mild severity pain can be a major detour, keeping you from doing squats, as most squat variations put a quite a bit of stress on the knees. However, it is just a detour. We can still find a way to get where we’re going! For severe, or debilitating knee pain, please consult a physician and/or physical therapist. But, for mild pain and discomfort, there are several great alternative exercise that you can trade your squats out for. Lets go over my top five exercises to get you back on course!
Glute Bridges
Bridges are a great place to start! To do this exercise you lie on the floor on your back. Bend the knees bringing your heels towards your rear. Then push through your heels driving your hips up towards the ceiling. You should feel this, as the name suggests, in the glutes.
Feet Closer In V. Further Out
The intensity of this exercise can be easily adapted by changing your foot placement. To increase the intensity bring your feet closer in towards your rear. To decrease the intensity, place your feet further away from you.
Single Leg Variation
The intensity of this exercise can also be increased by performing a single leg variation. In this case you will simply perform the exercise, but instead of two feet on the floor you will lift one leg up in the air. Don’t forget to do this variation on both sides.
Step Ups
Not comfortable getting on the floor? Step ups are another option that dose not require getting on the floor and all you have to do is step! You will have a bench or a box or a stair step, anything sturdy, and step up onto it then step down and repeat.
The intensity of this exercise can be adjusted by varying the height of the step. For a more intense exercise you can raise the height of the step. For a less intense exercise you can use a lower height.
Another option to increase the intensity of this exercise is to use weights. You can simply step up onto your step holding a dumbbell or two or a kettlebell. Anything, really.
Banded Monster Walks
For this exercise you will need a mini band. Take the band and loop it around your ankles. Lean back into your hips a little. Step forward and to an outside angle with one foot and then forward and to an outside angle with the other foot. Take several steps forward followed by several steps backward. Then repeat the exercise.
The intensity of this exercise can most easily be adjusted by varying the resistance level of the mini band that you are using. Different bands will offer different levels of resistance, often color coded. Choose a level that is difficult, but that you can take several steps with and maintain good form.
Hamstring Curls
There are so many options with hamstring curls! One of my favorite is with a large exercise ball. You’ll lay on your back and put your feet up on the ball. Then raise your hips into the air pressing your feet into the ball. Next, roll the ball away from you, extending your feet and roll it back by bending your knees, bringing the ball towards your rear.
The easiest way to adjust the intensity of this exercise by varying your speed. Going faster or slower can make it more or less difficult. You can also slow down and focus on either just the roll out or the roll back in. This technique will make that particular portion of the exercise more difficult. Especially if you are focusing maintaining control and good form, as you always should.
Banded Lateral Walks
Back to the band! This is another exercise using a mini band. Loop the band around your ankles again and lean back into your hips. This time, take a step in one direction and continue in this direction for several steps. Then take several steps in the other direction back to where you started.
The easiest way to adjust the intensity of this exercise is, again, to vary the level of resistance on the mini band. The same as before, choose a level that is difficult but that you can take several steps with maintaining good form.
For knee pain approaching a more debilitating level always consult with a physician before starting any exercise program. Attend to any severe problems and put out the major fires first. For a more mild level pain, try these exercises in your weekly program in place of squats and see if this small detour can’t get you back on track!
Knee problems are common when it comes to squats. And it’s no fun to have knee pain. But, that doesn’t have to keep you from working out or doing lower body exercises because you have options. Today lets go over the top three options.
1. Chair Squat
Gives something to squat down to
The chair squat gives you something to aim for. It gives some support. Like a friend that’s always there to catch you! You don’t have to worry about falling when you are the descending phase of the squat. If you struggle with knee pain in squats, make friends with your chair and it’ll be there to catch you!
2. Goblet Squat
Keeps you upright and helps you avoid leaning over
The weight in the goblet squat is not about building muscle. Not for this exercise. The point of the weight for this exercise is to act as a counterbalance. It’s a ballast keeping your ship steady. It keeps you upright and from leaning over too much.
3. Wall Squat/Wall Sit
Reduces pressure on knees by having something to brace against
Pressure on the knees is a big deal with squats for those with knee problems. A great option to help reduce the pressure is to use a wall as a brace. Leaning against the wall gives the extra support and stability you need.
Add a ball to help roll
A ball can help you roll up and down the wall easier.
Or slide without a ball
Or, if you are able or don’t have a ball available you can simply slide up and down the wall.
Or just do isometric wall sits
Another option is to do isometric wall sits. In this variation you simply place your back against the wall and lower down into a seated-like position. Then hold this position for 30-60 seconds. Be sure to remember all the good form cues from regular squats!
Don’t let knee discomfort stop you from working your lower body. These are good options that reduce the pressure on the knees and helps avoid discomfort. Give these a try and see how they work!
Injuries happen. There is no real way to completely avoid injury if you’re going to be doing anything at all. You can minimize, reduce and mitigate injuries, but not remove them completely. So, what should you do when you DO get injured? Knowing how to take care of and heal minor injuries is a must-learn skill! There are a couple of acronyms you need to know when it comes time to heal injuries.
R.I.C.E
The older acronym is RICE. It stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. The idea was to completely de-load the injured limb. It was thought that complete rest would lead to better healing.
Rest
The first step, as mentioned previously, was a complete de-loading. The goal was complete rest and to avoid using the injured limb as much as possible. This could, however, lead to a dependence on and an overworking of the uninjured limb. As well as an atrophy of the injured limb.
Ice
The next step was to apply ice to the injured area. The ice was to help reduce any inflammation or swelling.
Compression
We would then apply compression. This was also to reduce swelling. Compression also provides support and limits unnecessary movement.
Elevation
Ideally, the injured limb should be raised above heart level but kept fairly comfortable and supported. The point is to reduce blood flow to the injured area and therefore reduce unnecessary inflammation.
P.O.L.I.C.E
A newer acronym is POLICE. Which stands for Pressure, Optimal Loading, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
Pressure
The first step in this acronym is to apply pressure to the injured area. This is a fairly instinctual response. The idea is to immediately reduce swelling and provide support. As well as cap off any bleeding that may have occurred.
Optimal Loading
The idea here is to get away from complete de-loading and, instead provide the injured area with a proper and therapeutic load level. This helps reduce dependence on the uninjured limb and avoid atrophy of the injured limb. With this approach, less work is needed after healing to get the injured limb back to its pre-injury usage.
Ice
The rest of the acronym is the same. The ice helps reduce swelling and inflammation.
Compression
Again the compression is to aid in reducing swelling and to provide support.
Elevation
Elevation is about controlling blood flow to reduce excess inflammation.
Why a switch?
The main change in the acronyms is the idea of Optimal Loading instead of a complete de-loading. The purpose is to avoid atrophy of the injured limb and overworking of the uninjured limb. This idea also helps keep the joints of the injured limb loose, because complete un-use of the injured limb tends to stiffen the joints. If we use the “Optimal Loading” technique the joints continue being moved through their ranges of motion and mobility is better maintained.
What does the switch mean?
The POLICE method creates a better overall healing environment. It also reflects a more holistic approach to healing injuries.
Which method is better?
One isn’t necessarily better than the other, per-se. However, the idea of continuing to work the injured limb that is adopted in the POLICE method does provide a chance for less atrophy and maintenance of Range of Motion. Which is very important to heal injuries.
The most important thing to heal injuries is to address the injury. We need to make sure we are not injuring ourselves any further or letting the injury go and develop into even more of a problem. The longer we let it go the worse it will get. Compression and support are important. We also need to think about swelling and inflammation. Another consideration to make is the usage versus non-usage of the injured limb. We need to decide if we are going to work the injured limb and to what level we are going to work it during the injury.
Got some weight to lose? What’s the first thing that many people say when they need to lose weight? “I need to go on a diet…” right? But, is that really the best way to lose weight? If it was would you be reading this article? I’m guessing that you’re reading this article because you’ve gone on diets before. Did you notice the “s”? You’ve probably tried a few diets, have you not? But, then, the weight comes back, does it not? So, then the question becomes “Why?”. Why does the weight keep coming back? Let’s take a look at a couple of the biggest reasons why the weight keeps coming back as well as a few tips to avoid the yo-yo.
A Diet is Unsustainable
All or nothing mentality
Do or die?… There’s a time and a place. For sure. But, there’s also a time and a place for increments. A time and a place for baby steps. Do we need to push ourselves? Yeah, sure. That’s how we grow. But, there are many times when do or die leads to… die… And, that’s not always a good way to make actual progress. An occasional “die”, in the metaphorical sense, is fine. (Please don’t actually hurt yourself!) It’s a part of growth and, again a time and a place. But, sustainable progress happens with baby steps and regular habits. Sometimes pushing ourselves may mean being consistent and disciplined in small habits. Maybe pushing yourself means continuing in those baby steps when you don’t want to, when you get bored, or when you don’t see progress yet. A diet doesn’t really allow for this kind of growth.
A Diet Can Lead to Crashing and Burning
Then no progress is made
The problem with huge changes all at once is that they can be crushing. It can all come tumbling down and all progress that was being made comes to a screeching halt. Think slamming on the breaks and rubber marks on the asphalt… Small and consistent habits, on the other hand, are like the trickle of water that wears away the bolder. With consistency, it doesn’t take a flood to make a difference. In fact, if that same amount of water flooded the bolder all at once, it wouldn’t make near the impact that the slow, steady trickle does. That flash flood uses all the resources in one go and there’s nothing left to continue making changes with. It all just… stops. A diet is more like the flash flood, small changes are the steady trickle.
A Diet Creates Stress
The unneeded stress isn’t worth it
Constantly worrying about what you’re eating creates a lot of stress. A lot of UNNECESSARY stress. Life already has so much stress. Then, if you’re working out and training, that’s stress on your body as well. Do you really need the stress of feeling like one chip or cracker is going to ruin your perfect little diet? Do you really need the stress of feeling like you have to prepare yourself a completely different meal because you can’t eat what your family is eating? It would almost be like sweeping and then throwing dirt on the floor. Why are you even sweeping? Not to mention there comes a point when the negative effects of stress may very well outweigh the negative effects of a small snack.
We want to REDUCE stress…
We want to, overall, reduce the amount of stress in our lives. Not add to it. Like the sweeping; we want less dirt on the floor not more, right? Just like it seems counterproductive to throw dirt on a clean floor, it seems counterproductive to try to build a healthy life and throw on a bunch of imbalance and stress. The truth is that things WILL go wrong. A diet WILL get cheated on from time to time. And stressing out over that doesn’t help attain the healthy lifestyle that you want.
Heightens Cravings
If you say you can’t have it, it becomes exactly what you crave…
Many times when we deprive ourselves of a certain thing, that becomes all we can think about. Which makes it all that much harder to withstand those cravings. For example; don’t think about a chocolate cupcake… See what happens. It’s the repetition of constantly telling yourself that you can’t have it that keeps bringing it to the forefront of your mind and awareness. Then that repetition begins to chip away at our willpower. Which can make other decisions and resolves harder to follow through on as well. Now, imagine enjoying a simple, delicious apple… You just need to give yourself something positive to have or do. Removing a negative thought or habit leaves a vacuum. We need to fill that vacuum with a positive thought or habit. Like replacing the chocolate cupcake with an apple. Otherwise, the negative thought or habit is going to come back and the cupcake will be all we can think about.
And some tips…
Tip #1: Strive for balance over perfection
Perfection is overrated and perfection will never be achieved. It’s pointless to strive for perfection because you will never get there. So, a better mentality to have is to strive for balance. Balance over perfection is a more productive mindset. Allow yourself wiggle room and space to get messy allows you to stay more consistent in the long run. What did Ms. Frizzle say on Magic School Bus? “Let’s take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!” Right?… With this mindset, you spend less time trying to get things perfect and more time actually getting things done.
Tip #2: Hit your macros
Rather than focusing on all the things at once, take it one step at a time. And, a great first step to start with is to make sure you’re getting your macros dialed in. It is important to make sure that we get the proper balance of Carbs, Fats, and Protein. And, yes you need ALL of those… At least in some proportion. No, Carbs are not inherently bad and neither are Fats. Fad diets that cut out macros or certain foods completely are like the tide that comes and goes. What you need is an anchor that you can hold on to through the waves. You don’t need to overdo it, however. Balance is key. And they need to be quality Carbs and quality Fats. Your Protein needs to be quality too.
Tip #3: Focus on small changes
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, right? It’s the consistent small actions that help complete big tasks and accomplish big changes. One bite at a time does get the elephant eaten. If you are renovating your home, you don’t have to do it all at once. Lay a new floor there, paint a wall here, hang a new chandelier over there. Before you know it you have a completely new home. Each task adds to completing the overall goal of a new home. It’s the same with lifestyle changes. A little here and a little there and before you know it you’ll have a completely new life!
Tip #4: Focus on habits
These small changes that you make eventually become automatic. Once they become automatic they become habits. Habits are what get you through your day. Habits are the glue that holds the fabric of your life together. It is also important to remember that habits do not tie us down if used correctly. Habits give structure. That structure allows us to be flexible and adaptable in life because we know that the important things are getting taken care of in the ebbs and flows and occasional tsunamis of life. To be flexible and make changes and adaptations you have to have a reference to start from. Habits provide that reference. Honey flows easily over the comb. But, without the structure of the comb, the honey would have nowhere to go.
A “diet” is only a temporary fix. Once it’s over or done behaviors go back to where they were before. If behaviors go back to where they were before your weight goes back to where it was before. Real change requires consistency. The only way to get long-term consistency is to take manageable steps. You have to remember that it’s a journey and not a destination. That means you have to keep going. The only way to get off the yo-yo diet is to quit yo-yoing your efforts…
You drop your keys. What do you do? A full squat? Bodyweight training is the best way to train for everyday movements. It helps in ways much different and much better than weightlifting for movements we do everyday. It’s also the best and safest way for beginners to train as they are just starting out. Let’s discuss just the top three reasons why!
Functional Training
Bodyweight training more readily mimics everyday movements. I like to refer to this as functional training. Functional training is walking down the road and picking up a penny. It’s getting yourself off the floor. What’s important here is that these are exercises and movements that will help us in our ADLs or Activities of Daily Living. These are things such as sitting down and getting up from a chair with squats. Or getting ourselves up off the floor with push ups and burpees. See… burpees have a purpose!
This makes bodyweight training a bit more practical in everyday life than weights. Why train movements that you don’t perform in daily life. Why train in only one or two planes when we move in three all throughout the day? Health should be useful. Health should make your life better. Training movements should make your everyday activities easier. This is what you get more of with body-weight.
Limits Excuses
Because there is little to no need for equipment, excuses that keep you from working out are limited and greatly reduced. There’s nothing to set up. Nothing to take down. Nothing to take up room in your home. There’s no need for fancy gym memberships. There is less that stands between you and a good workout! It’s like sliding down plastic rather than sand paper. There’s a lot less friction to stop you along the way and you get to the bottom faster. It also hurts a lot less…
It has been shown that the less that stands between you and a habit that you want to build, the more likely you are to do it. The less excuses that you are able to give yourself, that you are able to give to others, the more likely you are to get in there and workout.
Adaptable and modifiable
Bodyweight exercises are more easily modified to meet any fitness level. Bodyweight is also the foundation of any weightlifting you may do in the future. You cannot lift weights until you have good body mechanics and proper recruitment patterns. If you start lifting before you’ve laid the foundation of proper movement pattern via body-weight, your risk for injury is greatly increased. You are much more likely to injure yourself with weights if you have improper movement.
Bodyweight exercises are kinda like pay-dough, that you mold to suit your needs. And then change again as your needs change. Push ups can be done off the floor. Or they can be done off an incline. Or they can even be done off the wall. It just depends on your current fitness level. Squats can be done with a chair. Or free standing. You can do jump squats for more challenge. You can always find a variation or a breakdown that you can do!
Resistance training of some kind is very important to add into our routines. It can be difficult for beginners to master, however, with all the nuances in form and recruitment patterns. A great work around is to try bodyweight training! Bodyweight lays a great foundation, limits excuses and provides plenty of room for growth!
What is the REAL purpose of Thanksgiving? 🦃🤔 . . So many pilgrims died the first winter in the New World. Once spring came they started learning from the Indians how to farm the land, how to forage and hunt and various other survival skills. . . By fall they had a plentiful harvest. They knew they were going to be ok and were going to be able to have a future in their new home. They invited their Native neighbors to a harvest feast to give thanks to God for survival and providence. . . I’m most thankful for my friends and family and to be looking forward to 2021!
I’d love to hear what you’re most thankful for! Leave a comment 👇🏽 . .
“I’m on a diet.” How many times have you heard that? How many times have you said that? What about “I’ll start that diet tomorrow…” Yeah, that one always plays out, doesn’t it? Does tomorrow ever come? Maybe Little Orphan Annie was right. Tomorrow is perfect because it’s only a day away, but it’s also ALWAYS a day away… But, then when you finally do start that diet, do the changes ever last? Or do you eventually find yourself searching for that next “tomorrow”? Diets like this just don’t work. There are a myriad of reasons why. Today, let’s just go over the top three reasons why so many times people find themselves right back where they started, or worse…
Diets are perfectionistic
You expect to do too much too fast When you go on a diet you expect perfection from the start. You expect “I’ll always be this way” or “I’ll always do that”. But that is rarely the way it plays out in reality. Things happen. Life gets messy. And sticking to a rigid plan for any real length of time is pretty much impossible. Diets offer no flexibility. They offer no wiggle room. They offer no room to get messy or for real life to happen. This also creates a lot of unnecessary stress. It’s like, if you ever watched Magic School Bus, Ms, Frizzle’s catchphrase: “Let’s get messy, let’s make mistakes!” That’s the way the kids learned.
You go to extremes
Diets also tend to lead to extremes. You cut out an entire food group or an entire macronutrient. Or, you cut your calories WAY back. None of these things are healthy. Nor are they sustainable in the long term. You’re not going to be able to keep these types of extremes up for long. You may see the weight drop immediately. But after a few days, maybe a couple of weeks, or however long it is, these behaviors are going to come to be just too much to keep up with. Again, life happens. Then they’ll fade away. Then the weight starts to come back. And what do you do then? It’s the classic yo-yo going back and forth not really getting you anywhere.
Falling short causes discouragement and leads to giving up
All of these things lead to a situation where one slip is like walking off a cliff. It’s all gone. This can lead to discouragement and even depression. That’s when giving up happens. Giving up is the computer crashing without “saving file”. All that work, for nothing. All that time, for nothing. You might even end up worse than you started. It’s a paralyzing all-or-nothing mentality that achieves no real results. Therefore you have got to “save often” with small habits.
Diets still aren’t whole food
Meal replacement bars/shakes?? Keto candy bars?? Many diets have meal replacements of some kind. It could be shakes or bars or even “keto candy bars”. They could be for a whole meal or just a snack. The problem is that these replacements are still highly processed. It doesn’t really matter how “healthy” they say it is. If it’s processed you’re losing fiber and retaining sugar. Much of the digestion process is already done for you in processed food. The body likes to do its own digestion. What this means is that a lot of the calories you would otherwise be burning to digest the food aren’t being burned. That means that the food is inherently higher in calories. Something to think about is this; fiber is chewy right? Or crunchy? It gives your mouth and teeth something to work on. Well, your gut and your body need something to chaw on too. That is what works your gut and keeps food from passing right through. One more thing here, let’s be honest, is a meal replacement really all you’d eat for a meal? If not….then you’re packing on even more calories…
How do they get the food to last so long?…
So… These meal replacements often last quite some time…right? So… They’ve got to do something to increase the shelf life and make them last, don’t they? This could be an increase in chemicals to increase shelf life. It could also be an increase in sugar. Sugar acts as a preservative as well as a sweetener. Therefore many manufacturers use it to increase the shelf life of their foods. This is also the reason candy can last so long. Because it’s chalked full of sugar. Neither of these options are good for you. And you could argue that both are poison.
Whole foods are the best option- picked, hunted, or dug up
The best option is always whole foods. The fruits and veggies, the meat, the eggs, and so on. The kinds of things that you can pick, hunt and kill or dig up from the ground. This is food the way God meant for it to be eaten. This way you’re retaining fiber, you’re getting your micronutrients, your vitamins and minerals and added chemicals and preservatives are minimal (pesticides and herbicides are another post for another day).
Diets are temporary
Diets are not a permanent change. By nature, diets are only for a set time or to reach a set goal. After that, the idea is the diet will be over. What you need is a lifestyle change that you will stick to for the rest of your life. Lifestyle change is permanent. You are making realistic changes that will last the rest of your life. These are behavioral patterns that reach your goals that work for you. That’s when real change happens.
Not about meeting a certain goal and being done
Diets often have a focus. Such as “I’m going to lose ‘x’ amount of weight” or “I’m going fit into this dress/swimsuit”. The problem is that the diet often ends there. It’s good to have goals and something to work towards, however, in a diet, you often meet the goal and then go back to eating like you were before. If you think about this it’s really pointless. Because, if you stop you will undo any and all progress you’ve made. If an old train in chugging along and you’re shoveling coal to power it and you stop feeding the fire, what happens? The fire dies, and eventually, the train stops. Because you stopped doing what was required to keep it moving forward. If the train is on an incline it might even start rolling back… You’ve got to keep feeding the fire to keep moving forward.
Do what you did before, you’ll weigh what you did before
If you do what you did before, you’ll be what you were before. Going back to your old habits will bring back the old you. And it undoes all the work you’ve done in the diet. Why do all that work just to go back to eating junk and have it all undone? Being where you were before is a comfortable place. Because it’s what you’re used to. But, there’s a reason you wanted to change in the first place. Proverbs 26:11 in the ESV reads: Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. And Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. We need to learn and grow as humans. That requires change. To KEEP growing requires that we KEEP changing. Growth requires change, continued growth requires continued change.
Small manageable steps for life
Small manageable steps for life What makes real progress are small, manageable steps over the long term. That is the change that will last. Small steps that build into habits and become part of who you are will change who are. You won’t be going back to old habits, you’ll be building new ones. You won’t be going back to the old you, you’ll be forming a new you! You won’t be repeating your folly, you’ll be learning from your past mistakes. You’ll no longer be stuck in the loop of insanity…
So, maybe we need to get rid of the all-or-nothing thinking and crazy restrictions that come with “diets”. Maybe we need to just start living life. Maybe we need to quit focusing on meeting temporary benchmarks and focus more on sustainable results. And we don’t have to wait for tomorrow to take the first small step, either! We can take it today! Then we can start moving forward for real.
So, what do you think of when you hear the words “strength training”? What about “resistance training”? Are they the same? If not what are the differences? It’s a common mistake to think lump all resistance training under “strength training”. However, there are several different categories under resistance training and strength is just one of them. Today we are going to go over the different types of resistance training and what makes them different! So, keep reading!
Endurance
–low weight/high rep In this type of training, we are working on muscle endurance. Endurance means the ability to keep going for long periods. So, it would make sense that the reps range for this type of resistance training would be high, as the point is to train the muscles to lift for longer.
-Builds muscle endurance Lifting for longer builds muscle endurance. The body adapts to whatever demands we put on it. So, lifting for longer means that the muscles will adapt to meet a higher demand of time and repetition.
-Help with daily activities This type of training helps with the activities that we do every day that require stamina, endurance, and repetition. Things like walking, like sitting and standing or anything like that.
Strength
-high weight/ low rep This type of training targets strength. This time we want to lift heavier. As the weight increases, however, the reps must decrease in order to not put too much of a strain on the body. Therefore we are in a high weight/low reps zone.
-Builds muscle strength The higher weight demand results in the muscles adapting to lift heavier weight. This, in turn, builds muscular strength. However, time to lift isn’t as demanding.
-Help with daily activities This type of training helps with our daily activities that require lifting heavy objects for short periods of time. Things like loading heavy boxes or moving furniture.
Bodyweight
-No equipment One of the first things about bodyweight training is the lack of equipment. This is a great space saver and a potential time-saver in the set-up and take-down of equipment. This also means it can be done almost anywhere. This removes a couple of barriers that may potentially keep some people from exercising.
-Convenient When forming habits we want to remove as many barriers as possible. Removing the barrier of having to have equipment makes bodyweight more convenient for many people. Therefore making them more likely to workout. It is also more convenient because it can be done anywhere. Not needing equipment means you don’t have to be in a specific place near the equipment in order to workout. This is another barrier removed making it easier to exercise.
-Good for functional movement Many bodyweight exercises mimic natural moment patterns. This means it is more functional and realistic in everyday movement. We will be targeting and strengthening the movements we use in our everyday lives.
Bodybuilding
-mid weight/mid rep Muscular hypertrophy is best targeted somewhere between endurance and strength. Therefore it falls in a mid-weight/mid-rep zone.
-Not practical This type of training has no practical application in everyday life. The only real benefit is aesthetics.
-Hard on the body The mid-weight/mid-rep zone leaves you lifting fairly heavy for a fairly long period of time. This is quite hard on the body. Especially for the lack of real benefits received.
-Bulky has drawbacks Bulky muscles restrict natural movement and slow you down considerably. This means it is harder to move in everyday life and a certain amount of range of motion is lost due to the size and stiffness of the muscles. This combined with the weight of the muscles does slow down your movement and your reaction time.
Now you’ll think something completely different when you hear “strength training” won’t you? I hope this can also help you find the type of resistance training that is right for you! See you next time!
There are so many diets out there today. They all tout superb benefits that you cannot get any other way. Two of the most popular “diets” right now are a plant-based diet and a keto diet. But, what exactly does that mean? It can be hard sometimes to cut through the noise and find the right eating plan for you. If you take it and break it all down and compare and contrast you can make a better decision.
What is keto?
Low carb
Keto-type diets generally severely limit carbohydrates. Many people who do keto will not eat any carbohydrates at all. One of the biggest things limited or cut out completely in keto is breads and cereals. Any type of grain, really. Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel. The idea is that by eliminating the body’s main source of fuel, it will start to use other sources. The next source of fuel that the body will use is fat. Therefore, it is believed that you burn exponentially more fat this way.
High fat
Because keto is typically so low in carbohydrates the diets tend to be quite high in fats. Partly this is because fat is the body’s secondary source of fuel. If you are not getting carbohydrates you need the extra fat to avoid the body using muscle and protein as energy sources.
High protein
There, of course, tend to also be much higher levels of protein in keto diets. This is to help support the muscles and help make up the calorie deficit created by the lack of carbohydrates.
Plant-based?
Mostly plants
It is pretty much like it sounds. This is a diet that focuses on plants. Think vegan and vegetarian. Those are two of the most popular plant-based diets. Vegan, of course, being the most strict. Vegetarians being a little more flexible.
May eat fish, eggs or milk
There are other variations, as well. There are Ovo-vegetarians and Ovo-Lacto-vegetarians. Ovo-vegetarians are those who will eat eggs. Ovo-Lacto-vegetarians are those who will eat eggs and milk. There are also what are called Pescetarians. These are those who will add fish to their diets along with plant products and, often, eggs and milk.
What’s the difference?
Plant-based tend to be considerably lower in fat and protein
A plant-based diet is naturally higher in carbohydrates. Because of this, it will also be lower in fats and proteins. Plant-based diets include grains, beans, legumes, as well as fruits that are all high in carbohydrates. These also provide calories that do not need to be made up by consuming extra fat and protein.
Keto is extremely low in carbohydrates
As mentioned earlier, keto diets severely restrict carbohydrates. Often coming close to cutting carbohydrates out completely. Then what happens is you have a severe deficit in calories that needs to be made up. This deficit is closed by extra protein and fat.
Benefits of Keto
A good place to begin is by talking about the benefits of keto-type diets. It all boils down to three basic main benefits. These are a few of the main things that draw most people to a keto-type diet.
Lose weight fast
Because of the lack of carbohydrates and the fact that the body is forced to switch fuel sources, the weight will drop quickly at first. A lot of people get quite excited at the massive initial weight loss. Switching to burning fat as the body’s main fuel burns a lot of fat at first as well. This is something else that draws in a lot of people.
Appetite suppression
Many people find that they end up having less of an appetite on keto-type diets. Many times you can lose your appetite due to stress, injury, or illness. With a keto diet, you are inducing ketosis. This is where the body starts producing what are called ketones. After a while, the body starts using these ketones as its main source of fuel in the absence of carbohydrates. This whole process can be a form of stress on the body. The body is having to adjust and find new sources of fuel and create its own new sources of fuel.
Lower blood sugar
Because you are not consuming carbohydrates, you will not be replacing blood glucose as easily. This naturally leads to a decrease in blood sugar. This aspect may draw a lot of diabetics and pre-diabetics.
Drawbacks of Keto
Now, there are drawbacks to a keto diet as well. As there is to almost anything, really. These are just a couple of the main drawbacks that seem to stand out.
Harder to maintain over time
Because you are eliminating, or nearly eliminating an entire macronutrient from your diet, it can be quite hard to maintain in the long term. It becomes hard to find foods that fit such a restrictive diet.
Higher levels of LDL
A distinctive trend in keto-type diets is a considerable increase in meat and animal products. This also means a considerable increase in cholesterol. Consuming more cholesterol naturally means higher cholesterol in general. With higher cholesterol comes higher LDL, or the “bad” cholesterol.
No greater weight loss after about six months
There is also a trend that people do not see any greater weight loss after a period of six months than if they had not adopted a keto diet. As mentioned earlier, your body adapts to keto. In the beginning, your body is using fat as it’s main energy source. This is when the pounds shed. After a while, though, your body adapts. Then you hit a natural plateau, that is liable to happen with any diet.
Benefits of Plant-Based
Now we transition to talking about a plant-based diet. We will start by talking about the benefits of a more plant-based diet. There are many, so we will start with these main ones.
Plants are higher in vitamins, minerals, and flavonoids
Plants are higher in micronutrients. Micronutrients are things like vitamins and minerals. This would be things like carrots being high in vitamin A or broccoli and oranges being high in vitamin C. There are also what are called flavonoids. Flavonoids are antioxidant phytonutrients. These are the chemicals that give plants their color. These are things such as carotenoids in carrots. Antioxidants help fight oxidative stress caused by free radicals, hence the name antioxidant. This is good for cellular health.
Lower in cholesterol
Because you are consuming less meat, you will naturally be consuming less cholesterol. Cholesterol is only in meat and animal products. Plants have other forms of sterols, but not cholesterol.
“Cleaner”
A more plant-based diet can tend to be cleaner. Some people will point to the general agricultural practices of raising animals on a large farm. Another thing is that plants may have pesticides, herbicides, and what-not, there is still not the hormones and antibiotics that meat has.
Drawbacks of Plant Based
Harder to get protein
Because you are not eating as much meat or animal products you will not get as much protein. Obviously, the stricter you are the harder it will be to get the proper amount of protein. The strictest vegans who do not any meat or animal product or fish of any kind will obviously have the hardest time.
Meat may have special benefits
You also have to think not only about protein quantity but also protein quality and bioavailability. Bioavailability simply means the ability of your body to use a certain nutrient. The protein in meat may sometimes be of a higher and more bioavailable.
Results may vary
It will not be the same for everyone, of course. Different body types react differently to each of these diets. Some people find that meat makes them feel bloated. Other people may feel grains incite an inflammatory response. It just depends on your body and what you need.
Ultimately it’s up to you
Of course, what this means is that is is ultimately up to you which one you think is better. It depends on how you feel and how your body reacts. These are just a few things to think about when making your decision.
