Are Isometric Exercises Worth the Trouble?

As I have discussed past blogs, to gain the most benefit from my time investment (as far as exercise), I find it mandatory to incorporate some form of heavy, intense resistance training. The reason(s); managing muscle mass and body fat are the priorities when fighting the gambit of metabolic diseases (diabetes, cholesterol, etc…) and as always, keeping those……..masculine feelings. And heavy, intense resistance training is the prescription. So when faced with limitations due to travel, due to lack of facilities, due to lack of equipment….. how do you accommodate this need to lift something heavy? You have got to study and try new things if you want to keep up with that Last 10 Pounds.

So in my last blog, I told you I would do some homework and give various forms of Isometrics a shot. There are a couple of reasons I would like to roll isometrics into what I consider a pretty successful resistance program. The first reason is just curiosity.

The other reason; if I can’t routinely find a place to get a good old fashion heavy weight session, I had better come up with something more than a spur of the moment change based on circumstance; I need a plan based on what I have access to.  And here in Japan, it looks like ‘heavy’ and ‘free’ weights maybe outside of normal.

Before we get too far along, I think I need to define what I consider an Isometric exercise. Basically, an Isometric is a stationary muscle contraction. And I think there are two distinct variations of Isometric training;

• Static – This type of exercise is completed by loading the muscles with bodyweight against gravity or pitting muscle against muscle. This would be like ‘Arm Wrestling’ yourself. There is very little movement other than the tensing of the muscle.

• Loaded – This type of exercise has an eternal weight involved or you are pulling/pushing against a stationary object. So if I stop a bicep curl in mid position and hold it, this would be a Loaded Isometric. Or if I were to pull on a rope tied to a tree with all my strength, trying to pull the tree out of the ground, this would be a Loaded Isometric. Keep in mind that Loaded Isometrics are still stationary; no movement.

If you are moving, it is a Dynamic condition and not considered an Isometric.

At the K-Fit gym in Kakegawa, there are two guys that show up regularly. One is a local bodybuilder and trainer and the second, one of his trainees. How do I know this? The trainee’s wife speaks pretty good English and she is a regular at the gym; she told me. Now when I watch this duo’s weight routine, I notice that a good portion of their weighted sets are light to medium weight (maybe 50% to 70% 1RM) with maybe 6 to 8 reps and then a static hold. And after a few seconds (in the neighborhood of slow 10 count) at a holding position, the guy that is resting starts to lightly push on the bar, applying more and more pressure until the guy lifting the weight fails. Then they swap positions and start again. Both of these guys are pretty lean; more of a Defined look – at or just below10% body fat. I consider what these two are completing is a form of Loaded Isometric.

If you do a Google search on Loaded Isometric or just Isometric Exercise in general, there isn’t a whole lot. There are your standard references to common Static Isometrics; planks, bird-dogs, wall squats, superman’s, etc… but not a whole lot on Loaded Isometrics or Static Isometrics associated with muscles other than your lower back. There are your standard forums and sales pitches; but anything believable or realistic is pretty rare.

That being said (not much believable), one of the Internet articles I had read form the Boxing site boxingscene.com flat stated that if you completed Loaded Isometrics that simulated a lift you were going make 10 to 15 minutes before you make the lift, you could gain 15 to 20% on the lift. WOW!!! So if I simulate a dead lift, pulling as hard as I can on a pined bar for a few seconds, 10 to 15 minutes later I could add 15 to 20% to my 1RM; again, WOW!!! I will definitely give this a shot and report back. The article link is;

http://www.boxingscene.com/build-muscle/7086.php

Another site I bumped into and found interesting, a blog from rosstraining.com showed how one individual built his own Isometric Pull Station. It was basically a 4’ X 4’ sheet of ¾” plywood, with 3 parallel 4 X 4’s secured to it. He had installed eye-bolts in the 4 X 4’s. He would attach chains with a handles at various lengths, stand on the plywood platform and pull; e.g. a Loaded Isometric. He could simulate squats, deads, rows and curls. And if he used a bench and a bar between two chains, he could get in bench and shoulder presses. He could do all of these at various heights or muscle contraction angles. And to add just a bit of dynamics to the pull, he would add a spring set. Hell, I think I would add a spring scale and actually gage the tension of the pull and then add several pounds per week, sort of like a standard weight progression. If it is determined that some form of Isometrics does help, I will build one of these stations for home use, and they are quite simple. The link to that blog is;

http://rosstraining.com/blog/2009/02/23/homemade-isometric-tool/

There were also sites that presented a relatively negative review of Static and Loaded Isometrics. The first came from NASA’s research and the second from general medical sites like the Mayo Clinic web-site.

The International Space Station astronauts had used (or maybe still do use) some form of Isometrics to help sustain muscle and bone mass while weightless. The article didn’t describe the type of Isometric performed although in a weightless situation; I want to believe they were a version of Loaded Isometrics (similar to a Pull Station described above). However, based on NASA’s own research, they found that while Isometric exercises prevent the withering of muscle, they did not stop the decline of contractile proteins, e.g. continued myofibril degradation. What I think this means is that there is no hypertrophy related to the performance of Isometrics, just strength maintenance.

A second negative of isometrics that I found interesting concerns the ‘burn’ you feel as you continue to hold isometric tension. The burn is actually blood flow through the muscle being restricted due to the contraction. Since blood flow is restricted, waste products from the effected muscle are not flushed as they would be from a contraction that progresses into relaxed extension. Plus, as you hold the contraction, both systolic and diastolic increase whereas when moving a weight, only systolic increases are seen. That’s why it’s important to breath during an isometric contraction; it relieves pressure on the diastolic side.

I also went through Amazon’s and Apple’s list of e-books and found the same vagueness. There just isn’t a lot written on the subject. I did buy David Nordmark’s book, Power Isometrics. This book is strictly Static Isometrics, nothing loaded. The only reason I bought this book; it shows the proper technique to complete Static Isometrics. After reading through the book, I’m not absolutely sure that these exercises by themselves will be what I’m looking for. However, I am willing to give these a shot as part of a morning run routine. On short run days (anything less than 5k) and on days I cannot make it to the gym, I will try to complete 2 sets of back, ab, pec, trap, hamstring and quad Static’s, e.g. major muscle groups, pretty much a whole body routine. I will probably be completing these during my stays in Osaka. In Osaka, my runs are generally quite a bit shorter due to morning time constraints. However, I should be able to fit this routine in just before jumping in the shower. The run will make a good warm up.  The protocol will be; 2 reps per set, 1^st sets at 100% effort for 5 to 10 seconds and the 2^nd set at 60% effort for a 30 second to 1 minute hold. I will publish the routine once I get her on paper. And of course, I will publish the results after a few months of trial.

As far as Loaded Isometrics, for the time being, I will add these to my existing weight routines. During my lifts I will attempt to hold the weight for a 5 to 10 count at the hard spots between full contraction and full extension. I’ll try to do this for as many sets as possible with improvement shown as increased duration or including the hold on heavier sets. And after a few months of trial, I’ll also publish the results.

Anyway, what I am hoping for is that the addition of Isometrics during the weeks where I don’t have access to a full gym; e.g. the ill equipped tiny, tiny Konami gym in Sakai, Isometrics will allow me to make gains or at least limit losses.

Never compromise; always push forward in your efforts to conquer that Last 10 Pounds.

MMJennings

Taiwan Update, Masculinity and Creatine

As you know, I have been working in Taiwan over the last 6 months. This job has been a great opportunity to experience a completely different culture and it gives me a better insight as far as controlling that Last 10 Pounds.

Yes, my last weigh-in in the U.S. was 190 and I am now at 176. I have also reached two new personal bests; a calculated 1RM of 275 on bench and a calculated 1RM of 414 in the Squat Rack. The actuals were 225 by 8 reps on the bench and 330 by 8 reps in the rack. And since my last blog entry two months ago, I have started back on BCAA’s and believe it or not, with all of my whining about Creatinine, I have added Creatine to my supplement list.

So first let’s digest some KPI Figures;

• My weight is at 176 lbs.
• My ‘calculated’ 1RM Bench to bodyweight ratio at 1.56.
• And my ‘calculated’ 1RM Squat to bodyweight ratio is now at 2.35.
• As of the last blog entry, these values have increased 10% on bench and 4% in the rack.

A 10% gain is substantial and NOT in line with any previous trends. The 4% gain is believable and is a normal progression for my frame size, age and personal goals.

As the numbers suggest, could I have really gained strength and lost another 4 lbs.? Is this possible and if so, how much is fat loss and how much is lean mass gain?  Or more correctly, I think the question should be what exactly did I lose the first few months in Taiwan and what has been restored?

Looking at the KPI’s from my last blog, you should note that even though I did not lose too much in the strength department, in reality I had made no gains and in some respects may have had a net loss. And I’m beginning to suspect that I claimed a Fat Loss victory too soon. A little ‘Monday Morning Quarterbacking’ would suggest that yes, while I lost weight the first few months in Taiwan, it was a combination of muscle, fat, water, bone and sinew; CATATONIC, just the effect I was hoping to avoid. And I would further speculate that between the supplements (BCAA and Creatine), a more relaxed work and home routine (better rest) and eating ‘just that much cleaner’, over the last two months (December through January) I have made definitive strength gains and a notable weight loss. This is where I want to be; strength gain and fat loss. Still 10% is a bit much. We’ll wait and see if this is repeatable. 

Supplements

Several blog entries back, I had mentioned trying Tribulus to improve my T-levels. I’m here to tell you this stuff is crap; it does nothing to improve metabolic issues. If it did improve testosterone levels, it was minor. The only reason I would try this supplement a second time, even in a ‘supplement cyclic mode’, would be to show before and after blood work results. It does NOT have any immediate effects like vitamin B3 or B6 and there is no relief from fatigue like I see with BCAA supplements. So save your money, invest in BCAA’s and a good stout vitamin B complex.

And as last note before I drop the subject of Testosterone; check out Mark Wilson’s site on low testosterone. The web link is; http://www.boost-your-low-testosterone.com/. I like this site; Mark has done a great job. I like his daily e-mails. They are very inspirational as far as ‘get off of your butt and do something’ (lose fat, eat clean and exercise). I like the fact that he does NOT endorse traditional testosterone treatments; e.g. creams, shots, pills, etc… These ARE man killers and more importantly, masculinity killers. He also attacks some of the chemicals and foods we are exposed to DAILY that cause a testosterone, estrogen imbalance in our systems; if you’re a guy steer clear soy and phenols or at some point you may find yourself looking at purses instead of wallets. However, I do not think nor does my personal experience reflect that the supplements recommended are as effective as claimed; even if cycled. Of course my experience is posted above; very minimal. Intense exercise, diet and muscle mass improvements (fat loss) are what I would focus on; period. I also have to warn you that Mark is very vocal when it comes to the more private matters of self-gratification. Don’t get me wrong, I agree whole heartedly with Mark that porn is bad ju-ju and that perpetual self-abuse in that department is draining, both emotionally and physically. I reiterate, taking part in these private rituals, in my opinion, is a form of emasculation. All MEN should practice restraint. As far as Mark’s site, what I don’t like is all of the enlargement and other ‘to the edge’ techniques he touts; its distracting and I think most men, if they just lost the ‘belly’ and gained a bit of muscle, that once they can actually SEE what they have would be satisfied with what the good lord gave them.

The Creatine is something new for me and comes from reading numerous articles on Creatinine (see previous blog entries). Some articles I had read suggested that Creatine could add 5 to 10 lbs. to your lifts in a matter of weeks and they may be correct, based on the gains I’ve seen in the last two months. However, to prove it was the supplement, when I run out of this batch, I’ll wait several weeks then retest my bench and squat. We’ll see if we really gained or if it was just the chemicals.

I was having a heck of a time trying to source any type of supplement that you would normally see in the U.S. here in Taiwan. I could find just about any kind of ‘Herbal’ supplement or buy bucket loads of Cialis of Viagra, however, I could not find (and still can’t) simple things like protein powder, BCAA, Creatine, etc…. or any other of the more popular supplements for active individuals.

For those of us that are on the other side of the world, the iHerb website (www.iherb.com) has all of the popular brands and ships internationally. Their prices are better than BodyBuilding.com’s web-store on both product and shipping. So I can get all of my magic elixirs from a single source; just need to think a few weeks ahead.

So from the 1^st of December through February 20, 2013, I have been actively taking 6 grams of BCAA’s and 5 grams of Creatine after my morning cardio routines. And yes, just like before, the BCAA’s pretty much eliminate fatigue after a good run and/or bike ride. And if the Creatine supplements are helping in the strength department, I shouldn’t be complaining. As far as my concerns I have with high Creatinine blood serum levels, I’m hoping that the focus on drinking Lots and Lots of water is the right answer. I’ll find out at my next physical and blood work, wont I?  

Also note that I have not been using any supplements before or after the evening weight routines. The reason; I just don’t feel the need, no fatigue. However, if there is a running session the morning after an evening in the squat rack, my legs are telling me they’ve been ‘spanked’. Although immediately after, there are few fatigue issues.

Sharing My Concepts

I also now have a workout partner; another American in Taiwan. She is an engineer working with my team on the project I am assigned too. She was initially interested in straight weight loss; just dieting. Then she read a magazine article (or two) that lead her to ask about muscle burning more calories and if the more muscle you carry would help in the weight loss department. That lead to conversations about fat loss instead of strictly weight loss and that just dieting (starvation conditions), your body has a preference to digest its own protein (your muscles) instead of its fat stores. Yep, she had no concern for what was under that layer of padding, just the thought process that weight loss was fat loss. And after discussing this issue at length she thought that maybe, just maybe, a little ‘intense’ exercise and putting on a bit of muscle (toning up) plus eating a cleaner diet has its place; e.g. let’s try Fat loss instead of Weight loss.

So several (maybe 10) weeks ago she started with light cardio and more recently has moved up to joining the Word Gym in Taichung and sharing my weight training routines. As you know, I am a dedicated believer that the Basic Core Lifts (squats, deadlifts and benches) are the best. And that I like the modified drop sets when performing those routines. They do work and work very well.

Has she made progress? We’ll see! The gym did a simple body composition assessment when she joined. World Gym uses an ‘InBody 220’, a bio-impedance device that looks at weight, BMI, percent lean and percent fat. I am not a big fan of these devices but at least it gave us a baseline and we can measure progress from there. And she’s finally coming around to tracking weight lifted to bodyweight ratios as another measure of Losing The Fat. As time rolls on, I’ll include her progress in future blogs.

Cheating Death Another Year

Well, its a few days after my birthday and for a gift to myself, I went out for a 10K jog. And, I have also recently seen two substantial personal bests; a 270 pound 1 RM bench press and a 400 pound 1 RM Squat. Now these are calculated 1 RM’s; the actuals were 215 X 8 on the bench and 320 X 8 in the squat rack. So at 57, being able to jog 6 miles plus being able to move a substantial amount of weight, I feel pretty good about myself. However, I do have one beef; I’m still working on that Last 10 Pounds.

Key Performance Indicators

Over the last several posting I have been talking up Key Performance Indicators (KPI) as a means to measure progress and as a guide to make program changes if progress is not seen. KPI’s really do work, especially if progress is slow. And as you age, you will find progression to any new physical goal, be it weight-loss or cutting a few seconds off of your 5K times to stacking an extra 5 pounds on the bar, is frustratingly sloooooow.

As an example of slow; it has taken me 3 months of work to move my Bench Press ‘Calculated’ 1RM to Bodyweight Ratio from 1.3 to 1.4. This is only an additional 10 pounds on the bar. And the way I got there wasn’t just throwing additional weight on; it was working at lower weights to get the Total Weight Moved from 11500 lbs per bench training session to 12860 lbs per bench training session. That’s right folks, in one warm up set and 3 drop sets (double sets, about 20 minutes worth) you can move a substantial load. And by monitoring the change in Total Work, you can gage when you can add to the top end weight to improve your 1RM. Now this routine is not anything new, it’s actually a form of Volume Training, lots and lots of reps at 60 to 75% of your 1RM in any single training session and working right up to the point of failure.

Previously, just adding weight and completing a fixed number of sets and reps, I would feel VERY uncomfortable as I approached a new max load (a new 1 RM). These higher intensity lower rep workouts just did not work for me and I bet any of the older guys reading this may agree; you need the volume not maximum intensity. By concentrating on jacking up the total workload or Total Weight Moved per workout, when I finally do add weight to improve that 1 RM, I feel very confident that I can handle it, no anxiety and more importantly, no injury worries. 

Even though it’s a slow progression, this training strategy is working, not only for bench presses, but for squats, cleans or any other core lift you want to include. And the reason I know this training method works for me is the KPI’s I use to track progress. Wright It Down or you’ll lose track of where you’ve been and where you’re going.

Again, the Key Performance Indicators I use are;

·        Weight,

·        Waist size at the navel,

·        Core lift ‘calculated’ 1RM to bodyweight ratio,

·        Core lift Total Weight Moved, and

·        Total Cholesterol / HDL ratio (<2.5) and LDL / HDL ratio (<1) at 10 mg daily statin dosage.

If you want more information on the Drop Set or Volume Training methods I use during my workout routine, there is a downloadable version in the Documents and Standards in the upper right of this Blog Page. If you need help developing your own KPI’s, just leave a comment against this Blog and I’ll get back to you.

Intermittent Fasting

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I have undertaken an ‘Intermittent Fasting’ routine two days per week; on Sundays and Thursdays. On these days, I do not eat from 9:00 pm (after dinner) until 4:00 pm the next day. Now a 2 day a week, 19 hour fast doesn’t sound like much but it allows me to eat just about anything I want the rest of the week. And, I think it is the major reason that my total body fat levels have dropped to the 15% range or less. However, once you reach that new fat/lean equilibrium, even if you’re workouts include fairly heavy resistance training combined with a good weekly cardio routine (mix of intervals and slow runs), don’t expect to loose much total weight after the initial drop. When I started this routine, I was at 200 pounds and probably in the 22 to 24% fat range. I dropped a good 12 pounds initially but have been sitting at the 187 pound mark for over 8 months. I haven’t given up the quest for another 7 to 8 pounds but, I feel awfully good at this weight and if I can continue to make strength gains without gaining total weight (again KPI’s), I can live with it. Why? Because I know deep down that for every new muscle fiber developed based on strength gains, another glob of fat bites the dust.

Folks; the bottom line is ‘Intermittent Fasting’ works without any negative health affects. In fact if you are prone to any number of middle age metabolic conditions that define a pre-diabetes condition, e.g. insulin resistance, high cholesterol (like the majority of us), then intermittent fasting should be a tool in your arsenal toward better health and fat loss. It just plain works. 

Added Sugar

Outlined in my original posting, A Book Is Judged By Its Cover, I hade a short paragraph on the White Food, e.g. rice, potatoes, wonder bread and of course, sugar. Since that posting I have had a change of heart as far as additional sugar is concerned. I had originally posted “keep any additional sugar under 40g per day”. That’s ADDED SUGAR folks, not starch that converts to glucose like found in a potato or the natural fructose you get when you eat an apple or an orange or even the lactose from a glass of milk, what I’m talking about is good old fashioned white sugar (sucrose). My latest dietary advice to you; strive for as close to ZERO as you possibly can when it comes to Added Sugar. And, if you see added ingredients like corn syrup, fructose or High Fructose Corn Syrup, get as far away from that product as you possibly can.

Corn syrup, concentrated fructose (fruit juices) and High Fructose Corn Syrup have no place in a human diet. These forms of processed sweeteners are not only concentrated (any fiber is removed) but they are not metabolized the same; your insulin response is muted along with reduced hormonal triggers (leptin) that tell your body that you’re full and to stop eating. These sweeteners are Designed To Make You Fat!!!!

Now good old fashioned white sugar (50/50 glucose and fructose) is almost as bad but it has its place, you just have to know when and how and Not Overdo. For example, to spike your insulin and allow your muscle cells to uptake amino acids (proteins) after a good hard workout (resistance or cardio), you need a fast acting (high glycemic index) carbohydrate and a protein source. The ratio of carbs to protein should be in the neighborhood of 3 or 4 to 1. An 8 glass of chocolate milk has about the right ratio; it’s just a matter of getting the added sweet stuff from sugar and not corn syrup. To date, the only chocolate mix with ‘sugar’ that I have found is Nesquick® powder. All of the rest have some variation of a corn based sweeteners. And, if you add a scoop of protein powder to your Nesquick® and your 8oz glass of milk, you have your own variation of Muscle Milk®. However, at 13g’s of added sugar, that’s pretty much it for the rest of the day.

So for the next 2 weeks, I want you to read the labels, find the added sugar amount and Write It Down. Once you have a total, divide that by 14 and that will be your daily Added Sugar intake. I bet its closer to 100g’s than not, mine was. Generally you’ll find the added sugar content on the nutrition label, under the Total Carbohydrate heading. Once you figure out what, when and why you’re taking it in, make a change and reduce it, get it under that 40g mark or better yet, as close to zero as you possibly can. You’ll be amazed at the changes in you’re workouts, your sleep and your waist line. And the reason for the 14 day average, some days those M&M’s or that piece of blueberry pie is just irresistible, so if you loose control one day, there is always the next to regain lost ground.

Last note on Added Sugar and a fun fact or just something to think about - if you were to eat 40g’s of sugar each day over the course of a year, that’s the equivalent of eating 32 pounds of the white stuff. That’s one hell of a lot sugar and with only 50% of it having any metabolic value.

Nesquick® is a registered trademark of Nestle Corporation

Muscle Milk® is a registered trademark of Cytosport, Inc.

Supplements

As posted previously, I am pretty satisfied with the meds and supplements I take. These include a Fish Oil, a general Vitamin, B6, B3 and B12 plus meds (Lipitor, baby aspirin and omeprazole). In my opinion, they all do their job. Additionally, the sports related supplements I consume include whey protein and BCAA’s. And as stated in earlier posts I have been searching for a ‘T’ booster to get me back into at least the ‘low normal’ range for this essential hormone.

As far as boosting ‘T’, I’ve started out with Tribulus Terrestris. This concoction is made from the same plant that brings us ‘Goat Heads’ (thorns) and seems to be the most recommended with the least side effects listed. And, I’ve started out cycling this hormone booster. Why cycling? The more than several web articles I reviewed recommended either an 8 week on 4 week off cycle or once every 7 day trial. I’m trying my own variation; Friday and Saturday doses then the rest of the week clean. I’ve also started cycling BCAA’s. Now cycling BCAA’s has an interesting story line….

BCAA’s also affect the neurotransmitters associated with brain function, specifically how serotonin is metabolized. From what I have read on the subject, BCAA’s reduce the brains uptake of tryptophan and its cascading production to serotonin. In layman’s terms, if I translate this correctly, this effects your perception of fatigue and allows for extended max performance periods. In this respect BCAA’s would be a good thing however, disrupting the natural equilibrium of serotonin causes mood changes that may be different for different individuals. In my case, it seems to work as a mood booster. I found this out quite accidentally by letting my stash run dry and the local health supplement store I use being out of stock. After a week of laying off the BCAA’s, I had an overwhelming feeling of gloom and doom, e.g. a perpetual rainy day grogginess. My job performance was impacted as was my general attitude toward daily chores around the house and even basic grooming habits, not to mention a performance drop in my workouts. It took a second week to finally feel myself again. Keep in mind that I had been supplementing with BCAA’s for over 4 months straight prior to this.

Now I cycle; 60 days on and 2 weeks off. The first iteration of this cycle was pretty successful, at least I knew what to expect. And the grogginess, it came as predicted but only lasted a couple of days. I could plan around it, nothing stressful.

So the moral of the story is, Write It Down; what you take, when you take it, how you feel, any improvements noted and any negative effects noted. With the exception of vitamins and protein powders, I would have to highly recommend supplement cycling. This way your body has a chance to recover from the additional compounds and you won’t be dependant on something that isn’t a positive to your overall health goals.

And as far as the Tribulus, I’ll keep up my minimalist cyclic dosage and see if there is any impact on ‘T’ with my next blood work.

Summary

So for all those out there that really give a crap about how to keep healthy and make progressive and beneficial change, the key is Performance Indicators and documenting what you are doing; Write It Down.

Be the best you can be by knowing where you came from.

MMJennings