Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Pain and A Shot to the Nuts

Here is a very interesting view of muscloskeletal pain based off the Neuromatrix of Pain.

Special thanks to Scott Perry, Z Health MT(p) for sending this study to me.

Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Pain:
Dynamics of the Neuromatrix
Partap S. Khalsa, D.C., Ph.D.

And just to keep your attention, watch this and then continue reading



Understanding pain is very important for athletic performance since it is virtually impossible to achieve the highest level of performance while in pain.

If you don't believe me, go run 100 meters as fast as you can. Rest completely. Now before you run again I am going to kick you in the nuts really hard. Any bets on which time will be faster?

See older related posts (just click on them)
Pre-emptive Analgescis--what is he talking about now?

Pain Perception and the Neuromatrix--Guest Blog by Katelin Bigelow

Pain and Performance

Performance Research for January: Protein Synthesis (aka Build Muscle)

I am behind on some cool research, so I have jammed a bunch into one long post. Be sure to look towards the end for a new study on protein and carb timing while in a FED state (translation-more applicable to the standard athlete since most are not fasting).

Here we go!
Vps34 is activated following high resistance contraction.


Mackenzie MG, Hamilton DL, Murray JT, Taylor PM, Baar K.

University of Dundee. Following resistance exercise in the fasted state, both protein synthesis and degradation in skeletal muscle are increased. The addition of essential amino acids potentiates the synthetic response suggesting that an amino acid sensor, which is involved in both synthesis and degradation, may be activated by resistance exercise. One such candidate protein is the class 3 phosphatidylinositol 3OH -kinase (PI3K) Vps34. To determine whether mammalian Vps34 (mVps34) is modulated by high resistance contractions, mVps34 and S6K1 (an index of mTORC1) activity were measured in the distal hindlimb muscles of rats 0.5, 3, 6, and 18 hours after acute unilateral high resistance contractions with the contralateral muscles serving as a control.

In the lengthening tibialis anterior (TA) muscle, S6K1 (0.5h=366.3+/-112.08%, 3h=124.7+/-15.96%, and 6h=129.2+/-0%) and mVps34 (3h=68.8+/-15.1% and 6h=36.0+/-8.79%) activity both increased, whereas in the shortening soleus and plantaris (PLN) muscles the increase was significantly lower (PLN S6K1 0.5h=33.1+/-2.29% and 3h=47.0+/-6.65%; mVps34 3h=24.5+/-7.92%). HPLC analysis of the TA demonstrated a 25% increase in intramuscular leucine concentration in rats 1.5 hours after exercise. A similar level of leucine added to C2C12 cells in vitro increased mVps34 activity 3.2-fold.

Conclusion: These data suggest that, following high resistance contractions, mammalian Vps34 activity is stimulated by an influx of essential amino acids such as leucine and this may prolong mTORC1 signalling and contribute to muscle hypertrophy.

My notes: More data that protein around training time is a good thing!

Voluntary Wheel Running Initially Increases Adrenal Sensitivity to Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone, which is Attenuated with Long-term Training.


Campbell JE, Rakhshani N, Fediuc S, Bruni S, Riddell MC.

York University. Although exercise is a common and potent activator of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, the effects of exercise on the acute stress response are not well understood. Here, we investigated the effects of short (2wk)- and long-term (8wk) voluntary wheel running on adrenal sensitivity to ACTH stimulation and the acute stress response to restraint in male rats. Diurnal glucocorticoid (GC) patterns were measured on days 7 (all groups) and 35 (8 wk groups). Rats were subjected to 20 minutes of restraint stress on either week 1 or on week 7 of treatment to assess HPA activation. One week later, exogenous ACTH (75 ng/kg) was administered to assess adrenal sensitivity to ACTH. Following this, adrenals were collected and analyzed for key proteins involved in corticosterone (CORT) synthesis.

By the end of week one, exercising (E) animals had a 2-fold higher peak diurnal CORT levels compared with sedentary (S) animals (p<0.01). style="font-weight: bold;">

Concluison: These results show that volitional wheel running initially causes hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal -axis, due to enhanced adrenal sensitivity to ACTH, but that these alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal activity are completely restored by 8 weeks of training.

My notes: Very cool study that shows ACUTE (short lived) effects may not (and normally do not) hang around when viewed over a longer time frame.
Also note, this was VOLUNTARY wheel running and the results may be different if they force the little buggers to run on the wheel. Higher stress = even higher cortisol.

Age-related differences in dose response of muscle protein synthesis to resistance exercise in young and old men.

Kumar V, Selby A, Rankin D, Patel R, Atherton P, Hildebrandt W, Williams J, Smith K, Seynnes O, Hiscock N, Rennie MJ.

University of Nottingham, School of Graduate Entry Medicine and Health, Derby, DE22 3DT. We investigated how myofibrillar protein synthesis and muscle anabolic signalling were affected by resistance exercise at 20-90% of 1 repetition maximum (1 RM) in two groups of 25 each, postabsorptive, healthy, young (24+/-6 y) and old (70+/-5 y) men with identical body mass indices (24+/-2 kg.m(-2)). We hypothesized that, in response to exercise, anabolic signalling molecule phosphorylation and MPS would be modified in a dose-dependant fashion, but to a lesser extent in older men. Vastus lateralis muscle was sampled before, immediately after, and 1, 2 and 4 h post-exercise. MPS was measured by incorporation of [1,2-(13)C]leucine (gas chromatography-combustion-mass spectrometry using plasma [1,2-(13)C]alpha-ketoisocaparoate as surrogate precursor); the phosphorylation of p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70s6K) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1(4EBP1) was measured using Western analysis with anti-phosphoantibodies.


In each group, there was a sigmoidal dose-response relationship between MPS at 1-2 h post-exercise and exercise intensity, which was blunted (P<0.05) style="font-weight: bold;">

Conclusion: The results suggest that in the postabsorptive state (i) muscle protein synthesis is dose-dependant on intensity rising to a plateau at 60-90% 1 repetition maximum; (ii) older men show anabolic resistance of signalling and muscle protein synthesis to resistance exercise.

My Notes: There are more and more data to suggest that the response of older adults to the same amount of protein is different. I talked about this briefly in a recent newsletter (sign up on the upper right of this blog) and this is another study helping that argument along.

Nutritional consideration in the aging athlete.

Tarnopolsky MA.

Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. tarnopol@mcmaster.ca OBJECTIVE:: To evaluate the evidence for dietary recommendations in older adult athletes. DESIGN:: Interpretive review of the literature.

RESULTS:: Regarding resistance training, a protein intake of slightly more than 0.8 g/kg/d is
required to optimize gains in muscle strength.

The early provision of protein and carbohydrate following a weight training session can enhance resultant strength and fat-free mass gains. Supplementation with creatine monohydrate (approximately 5 g/d) can potentiate some of the gains in strength and fat free mass attained through resistance exercise training. Regarding endurance exercise training, there are no studies evaluating carbohydrate loading, during-event, or postexercise carbohydrate/nutritional replacement in older adults.

CONCLUSIONS:: The amount and timing of dietary protein is important to maximize strength and gains in fat-free mass during resistance exercise training. Creatine monohydrate supplementation can potentiate some of these gains during the first 4 to 6 months of training.

Older adults should consume adequate carbohydrates during endurance training (6-8 g/kg/d) and may benefit from the provision of carbohydrate and protein in the early recovery phase following endurance exercise to maximize glycogen re-synthesis for a subsequent exercise bout.

There is no scientific reason to assume that older athletes will respond differently to the pre- and during-race fluid and carbohydrate replacement strategies suggested for younger athletes.

My Notes: Note that the last few lines in the conclusion take about ENDURANCE training not strength training! Creatine is good---word!

Coingestion of carbohydrate and protein hydrolysate stimulates muscle protein synthesis during exercise in young men, with no further increase during subsequent overnight recovery.

Beelen M, Tieland M, Gijsen AP, Vandereyt H, Kies AK, Kuipers H, Saris WH, Koopman R, van Loon LJ.

Department of Movement Sciences, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. milou.beelen@bw.unimaas.nl We investigated the effect of carbohydrate and protein hydrolysate ingestion on whole-body and muscle protein synthesis during a combined endurance and resistance exercise session and subsequent overnight recovery. Twenty healthy men were studied in the evening after consuming a standardized diet throughout the day. Subjects participated in a 2-h exercise session during which beverages containing both carbohydrate (0.15 g x kg(-1) x h(-1)) and a protein hydrolysate (0.15 g x kg(-1) x h(-1)) (C+P, n = 10) or water only (W, n = 10) were ingested. Participants consumed 2 additional beverages during early recovery and remained overnight at the hospital.

Continuous i.v. infusions with L-[ring-(13)C(6)]-phenylalanine and L-[ring-(2)H(2)]-tyrosine were applied and blood and muscle samples were collected to assess whole-body and muscle protein synthesis rates. During exercise, whole-body and muscle protein synthesis rates increased by 29 and 48% with protein and carbohydrate coingestion (P < p =" 0.89)." style="font-weight: bold;">

Conclusion: We conclude that, even in a fed state, protein and carbohydrate supplementation stimulates muscle protein synthesis during exercise. Ingestion of protein with carbohydrate during and immediately after exercise improves whole-body protein synthesis but does not further augment muscle protein synthesis rates during 9 h of subsequent overnight recovery.

My Notes: Most studies of this type are done on fasting subjects, so it is cool to see more work done on subjects in a fed (they ate recently) state as this is more applicable to most athletes.

Is heart rate a convenient tool to monitor over-reaching? A systematic review of the literature.

Keeping you up to date on the cutting edge of research, we march on.

Here is a great review on the use of heart rate to monitor performance. This study was looking at over-reaching. The literal definition of over-reaching is " To miss by reaching too far or attempting too much" While some athletes may use this to push their body in order to allow for super compensation (an increase in performance after a period of hard training) , too much pushing and an over reaching state can turn into over training syndrome (OTS).

While OTS is rare, if you hit it you are down and out for MONTHS! Again, while rare, it can happen in elite athletes. If you are only exercising 5 hours a week, you don't have to worry about OTS so get to the gym! Even elite athletes that exercise for many hours a week will never reach an OTS state.

Keep in mind that this is a meta analysis (pooling of studies) and this was done in ELITE athletes. There are also many ways to determine heart rate variability (HRV).

Is heart rate a convenient tool to monitor over-reaching? A systematic review of the literature.

Bosquet L, Merkari S, Arvisais D, Aubert AE. Département de Kinésiologie, Université de Montréal, CP 6128, Succursale Centre Ville, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3C 3J7. laurent.bosquet@gmail.com


OBJECTIVE: A meta-analysis was conducted on the effect of overload training on resting HR, submaximal and maximal exercise HR (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV), to determine whether these measures can be used as valid markers of over-reaching.

METHODS: Six databases were searched using relevant terms and strategies. Criteria for study inclusion were: participants had to be competitive athletes, an increased training load intervention had to be used, and all necessary data to calculate effect sizes had to be available. An arbitrary limit of 2 weeks was chosen to make the distinction between short-term and long-term interventions. Dependent variables were HR and HRV (during supine rest). Standardised mean differences (SMD) in HR or HRV before and after interventions were calculated, and weighted according to the within-group heterogeneity to develop an overall effect.

RESULTS: In these competitive athletes, short-term interventions resulted in a moderate increase in both resting HR (SMD = 0.55; p = 0.01) and low frequency/high frequency ratio (SMD = 0.52; p = 0.02), and a moderate decrease in maximal HR (SMD = -0.75; p = 0.01). Long-term interventions resulted in a small decrease in HR during submaximal (SMD = -0.38; p = 0.006) and maximal exercise (SMD = -0.33; p = 0.007), without alteration of resting values.

CONCLUSION: The small to moderate amplitude of these alterations limits their clinical usefulness, as expected differences may fall within the day-to-day variability of these markers. Consequently, correct interpretation of HR or HRV fluctuations during the training process requires the comparison with other signs and symptoms of over-reaching to be meaningful.

Testing Basic Assumptions in fMRI : Anticipatory haemodynamic signals in sensory cortex not predicted by local neuronal activity

What if the fMRI signal isn't always linked to neuronal activity for those cool brain studies? What then?

I've actually wondered about this for years since without that basic assumption, what are the studies telling us? Hmmmm. This one below was recently published in Nature, so not just some low tier journal by a couple of screw offs in their back yard.

While this study was only performed on 2 animals, it is very interesting.

To quote the researchers, "These findings (tested in two animals) challenge the current understanding of the link between brain haemodynamics and local neuronal activity. They also suggest the existence of a novel preparatory mechanism in the brain that brings additional arterial blood to cortex in anticipation of expected tasks."

Remember that the main task of the brain is to PREDICT. Maybe those areas that light up in fMRI studies are the ones that are NOT CURRENTLY in use, but WILL BE in use very soon.

So the next time you read a cool fMRI study, keep this one in the back of your brain!

Nature 457, 475-479 (22 January 2008)

Anticipatory haemodynamic signals in sensory cortex not predicted by local neuronal activity

Yevgeniy B. Sirotin1 & Aniruddha Das 1,2,3,4,5,6

1. Department of Neuroscience,
2. Department of Psychiatry,
3. W. M. Keck Center on Brain Plasticity and Cognition,
4. Mahoney Center for Brain and Behavior,
5. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
6. New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 87, New York, New York 10032, USA

Haemodynamic signals underlying functional brain imaging (for example, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)) are assumed to reflect metabolic demand generated by local neuronal activity, with equal increases in haemodynamic signal implying equal increases in the underlying neuronal activity1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Few studies have compared neuronal and haemodynamic signals in alert animals7, 8 to test for this assumed correspondence. Here we present evidence that brings this assumption into question. Using a dual-wavelength optical imaging technique9 that independently measures cerebral blood volume and oxygenation, continuously, in alert behaving monkeys, we find two distinct components to the haemodynamic signal in the alert animals' primary visual cortex (V1).

One component is reliably predictable from neuronal responses generated by visual input. The other component—of almost comparable strength—is a hitherto unknown signal that entrains to task structure independently of visual input or of standard neural predictors of haemodynamics. This latter component shows predictive timing, with increases of cerebral blood volume in anticipation of trial onsets even in darkness. This trial-locked haemodynamic signal could be due to an accompanying V1 arterial pumping mechanism, closely matched in time, with peaks of arterial dilation entrained to predicted trial onsets.

These findings (tested in two animals) challenge the current understanding of the link between brain haemodynamics and local neuronal activity. They also suggest the existence of a novel preparatory mechanism in the brain that brings additional arterial blood to cortex in anticipation of expected tasks.

Read the rest HERE

Weekend Update and Must See Video

Greetings and I trust your weekend was a good one! Jodie and went up north for the "Back to Hack" festival in Hackensack Minnesota. Our good friends Lisa and David were kind enough to host us and many of our friends up at their cabin. Good times were had to be all, even though it was around - 15 F for a temperature! Brrrrrrrr. I brought my kiteboarding gear, but no wind and that is stupid cold.

More updates soon and the report on the Z Master Trainer week will be up soon. In the meantime, check out this video at this link HERE (I could not find the video to paste it to my site)

Wow, that is some crazy movement!! Special thanks to Brad "Top Notch" for pointing me to that video. Amazing!

Research Review: The Protein Debate with Dr. Lonnie Lowery

The Protein Debate

As we saw in yesterday's post, nutrition can make a difference (even in stroke patients). I know that is a "oh duh" statement, but sometimes it needs to be said once again.

I sent this information out to my newsletter earlier this week with some more background data also; so if you are not on my newsletter list head over to the upper right and be sure to sign up now! I will wait for you.

Ok, now that you are signed up, I have some great new information to share. My buddy Dr. Lonnie Lowery was kind enough to drop me a line that his new review (done with Devia a graduate student) on protein. I love it when others go and do all the hard work for me, so I can just sit back and sip my coffee and read away.

To quote Dr. Lowery "It's also a handy lit review when confronted with the 'three myths' or uncertainties of ample protein intake"

Check it out below and you can download the entire article there for free too from the JISSN.

Let me know your thoughts/comments! Information on Dr. Lonnie Lowery's services can be found on Charles Staley's site by clicking HERE.

Go to the link below for the study

http://www.jissn.com/content/6/1/3

Nutrition and Stroke Patients: Better Motor Function?

Here is a cool new study from the Journal Neurology looking at the impact of nutrition in stroke patients.

Not that long ago, we believed that the brain would not change in the older years of your life. Now based on the new research of "neuroplasticity" we know that is NOT true! The brain has an amazing ability to learn, even as we get older, as long as we keep learning new things such as cognitive functions and new movements!

Check out some older blog posts on:

Stroke of Insight

Movement and Brain Deterioration? New Study

Neuroplasticity and Human Athletic Performance

New Study
This study looked at the impact of nutrition in stroke patients. We know the brain can change, but can nutrition affect it? If I were a betting man, I would bet a "Heck ya!"

The "standard" supplement was Resource Standard (127 calories, 5 g protein, 36 mg vitamin C per dose), and the "intensive" supplement was Novasource 2.0 (240 calories, 11 g protein, 90 mg vitamin C per dose). Both preparations, made by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, were administered as 120-mL doses every 8 hours along with multivitamins with minerals, in addition to the normal diet.

Patients receiving intensive supplementation improved significantly more than their counterparts on measures of motor function. Score one for better nutrition!

"These differences were perceived clinically important by the patients, their families, and the physicians and other health care providers caring for them," Dr. Rabadi's team reports.

A higher percentage of patients in the intensive group returned home upon discharge (63% vs. 43%, p < 0.05). If you are or have a loved one that is a stroke victim, 20% is huge!

The authors speculate that the benefits of the high-protein, high-fat supplementation were primarily due to their effects on muscle, as evidenced by the lack of significant improvement on measures of cognition. Imagine that, higher protein and more fat are anabolic--go figure! Plus the downsides are basically non-existent and perhaps a slight fat gain at a high enough dose; and you can just got back at that point so it is really a non issue.

I am excited to see more in the "main stream" medical community looking at the impact of exercise and nutrition

Here is the abstract

Intensive nutritional supplements can improve outcomes in stroke rehabilitation
M. H. Rabadi, MD, MRCPI, P. L. Coar, RD, CDN, M. Lukin, MS, M. Lesser, PhD and J. P. Blass, MD, PhD

From the Stroke Service (M.H.R., P.L.C.), Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, an affiliate of Weill Medical College of Cornell University; Biostatistics Unit at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research (M. Lukin, M. Lesser), North Shore–Long Island Jewish Health System; Departments of Public Health (M. Lesser) and Neurology and Neuroscience (J.P.B.), Weill Medical College of Cornell University; and Burke Medical Research Institute (J.P.B.), New York, NY.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Rabadi, VA Medical Center, 921 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 mhrabadi@gmail.com

Objective: Poor nutrition is a common complication of strokes severe enough to require inpatient rehabilitation. We therefore tested whether intensive nutritional supplements given to undernourished patients from the time of their admission to a specialized stroke rehabilitation service would improve patient outcomes.

Methods: Randomized, prospective, double-blind, single center study comparing intensive nutritional supplementation to routine nutritional supplementation in 116 undernourished patients admitted to a stroke service. The analysis included the 90% of patients who were not lost to follow-up due to acute or subacute hospitalization (n = 102; 51 in each group). The nutritional supplements are commercially available and Food and Drug Administration approved. The primary outcome variable was change in total score on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The secondary outcome measurements included the FIM motor and cognitive subscores, length of stay (taken from day of admission), 2-minute and 6-minute timed walk tests measured at admission and on discharge, and discharge disposition (home/not home).

Results: Patients receiving intensive nutritional supplementation improved more than those on standard nutritional supplements on measures of motor function (total FIM, FIM motor subscore, 2-minute and 6-minute timed walk tests, all significant at p < 0.002). They did not, however, improve on measures of cognition (FIM cognition score). A higher proportion of patients who received the intensive nutritional supplementation went home compared to those on standard supplementation (p = 0.05).

Conclusion: Intensive nutritional supplementation, using readily available commercial preparations, improves motor recovery in previously undernourished patients receiving intensive in-patient rehabilitation after stroke.

GLOSSARY: F-M = Fugl-Myer; FIM = Functional Independence Measure; FOOD = Feed or Ordinary Diet; LOS = length of stay; NIHSS = NIH Stroke Scale.

Research Update: Effect of Cold Water Immersion on Post-exercise Parasympathetic Reactivation

New sports Science Blog Added

I found a new blog entitled "Sports & Fitness Science: Blog on Sports Science and Fitness Science. Edited by Dr. Marco Cardinale, PhD"

I added it to my blog list on the right. Great stuff there.

New "Cool" Study
New study below on cold water immersion and its effects.

Some background first. Remember that the body uses sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation. Think of sympathetic as the accelerator (increases heart rate (HR) among other effects) and parasympathetic as the brake (slows down HR).

The body likes to have a balance of parasympathetic and sympathetic at all times. Acute exercise (in general) increases sympathetic stimulation. A proposed way to faster recovery (ability to do more work with a shorter period of rest) is to increase parasympathetic, the "rest and digest" component of the nervous system.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a way to look at the balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation.

Below is a study that looked at the effects of cold water immersion to see if it does just that. According to the study, the answer is yes if you are a male cyclist exercising at a pretty high intensity.

Special thanks to Cal Dietz at the U of MN (be sure to check out XL Athlete) and Jamie Carruthers Wakefield, UK for the following study.

Effect of cold water immersion on post-exercise parasympathetic
reactivation.

Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2008 Dec 12. [Epub ahead of print]

Buchheit M, Peiffer JJ, Abbiss CR, Laursen PB.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of cold water
immersion (CWI) on post-exercise parasympathetic reactivation. Ten male
cyclists (age: 29 +/- 6 y) performed two repeated supramaximal cycling
exercises (SE1 and SE2) interspersed with a 20-min passive recovery
period, during which they were randomly assigned to either 5 min of CWI
in 14 degrees C, or a control condition (N) where they sat in an
environmental chamber (35.0 +/- 0.3 degrees C and 40.0 +/- 3.0%
relative humidity). Rectal temperature (Tre) and beat-to-beat heart
rate (HR) were recorded continuously. The time constant of HR recovery
(HRRtau) and a time varying vagal-related HR variability (HRV) index
(rMSSD30s) were assessed during the 6-min period immediately following
exercise.

Resting vagal-related HRV indices were calculated during 3-min periods
2 min before and 3 min after SE1 and SE2. Results showed no effect of
CWI on Tre (P=0.29), SE performance (P=0.76) and HRRtau (P=0.61). In
contrast, all vagal-related HRV indices were decreased after SE1
(P<0.001), and tended to decrease even further after SE2 under N
condition; but not with CWI. Compared to the N condition, CWI increased
HRV indices before (P<0.05) and rMSSD30s after (P<0.05) SE2.

Our study shows that CWI can significantly restore the impaired vagal- related HRV indices observed after supramaximal exercise. CWI may serve
as a simple and effective means to accelerate parasympathetic
reactivation during the immediate period following supramaximal
exercise.

My Notes Again: While I have not done an exhaustive search on this topic in some time, I am not currently sold on cold water immersion for recovery purposes. This study is very interesting, but other data is conflicting. In the end, try it out and be sure to test your results to assess the effectiveness of it.

Does Fish Oil Make You Smart? Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Preterm Infants Fed High-Dose Docosahexaenoic Acid

Very interesting study below that is hot off the presses from JAMA. It once again shows the benefits of fish oils, especially DHA (EPA is the other fish oil). Expect to see fish oils in all sorts of products in the future! Maybe eating fish does make you smart? Hmmmm.

From an interview on Medscape (below), there was not a response in boys. Very odd.

"The lack of responsiveness of boys to the intervention is puzzling," the researchers write, "and the reasons are unclear."

"We can only speculate that there are differences in the metabolism of boys and girls that we do not yet understand," Dr. Makrides said during an interview. "The higher metabolic rate in boys may mean that they utilize much of the DHA they receive into energy. Also, boys may have a higher requirement for DHA. Clearly, this is an area of important research for the future."

The abstract is below and you can click on the title for the full study to read it for yourself

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants fed high-dose docosahexaenoic acid: a randomized controlled trial.

JAMA. 2009 Jan 14;301(2):175-82

Makrides M, Gibson RA, McPhee AJ, Collins CT, Davis PG, Doyle LW, Simmer K, Colditz PB, Morris S, Smithers LG, Willson K, Ryan P.

Child Nutrition Research Centre, Women's and Children's Health Research Institute, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Rd, North Adelaide SA 5006, Australia. maria.makrides@cywhs.sa.gov.au

CONTEXT: Uncertainty exists about the benefit of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the neurodevelopment of preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of meeting the estimated DHA requirement of preterm infants on neurodevelopment at 18 months' corrected age.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Randomized, double-blind controlled trial enrolling infants born at less than 33 weeks' gestation from April 2001 to October 2005 at 5 Australian tertiary hospitals, with follow-up to 18 months.

INTERVENTION: High-DHA (approximately 1% total fatty acids) enteral feeds compared with standard DHA (approximately 0.3% total fatty acids) from day 2 to 4 of life until term corrected age. MAIN

OUTCOME MEASURES: Bayley Mental Development Index (MDI) at 18 months' corrected age. A priori subgroup analyses were conducted based on randomization strata (sex and birth weight < 1250 g vs > or = 1250 g).

RESULTS: Of the 657 infants enrolled, 93.5% completed the 18-month follow-up. Bayley MDI scores did not differ between the high- and standard-DHA groups (mean difference, 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.0 to 4.7). The MDI among girls fed the high-DHA diet was higher than girls fed standard DHA in unadjusted and adjusted analyses (unadjusted mean difference, 4.7; 95% CI, 0.5-8.8; adjusted mean difference, 4.5; 95% CI, 0.5-8.5). The MDI among boys did not differ between groups. For infants born weighing less than 1250 g, the MDI in the high-DHA group was higher than with standard DHA in the unadjusted comparison (mean difference, 4.7; 95% CI, 0.2-9.2) but did not reach statistical significance following adjustment for gestational age, sex, maternal education, and birth order (mean difference, 3.8; 95% CI, -0.5 to 8.0). The MDI among infants born weighing at least 1250 g did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSION: A DHA dose of approximately 1% total fatty acids in early life did not increase MDI scores of preterm infants overall born earlier than 33 weeks but did improve the MDI scores of girls.

Nerve Flossing Z Health Style: I Can Rotate My Neck!

Z Health Level 4 Work
I've had some questions about what the advanced (level 4) Z Health work entails lately, so I thought I would use an example from an athlete last night. This is just one item that is covered and is not the whole course. This material has existed before and was not invented by Dr. Cobb or Z Health, but it is an amazing tool.

I had the athlete rotate his head to the left and right and found that it was less than ideal. Actually it would only turn to about a 45 degree angle (which is not ideal, but relatively common). I remember Kent Johnson saying at the Z Health Master Trainer eval in CA last week to "not confuse common with normal" and I am going to steal that one!

I noticed that his sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) on each side would "pop" out when he turned his head. The SCM is a longer, strap like muscle that runs from under the ear lobe to the sterum (top part of the chest) /clavicle area (mastoid process of the temporal bone and superior nuchal lin for all you anatomy geeks--you know who you are).

The main motor nerve is the accessory nerve so we did some nerve glide work (nerve flossing) for it, had him walk and retested. He gained about 2Xs as much rotation and was able to go almost to 90 degrees on each side. Welcome to the Owl club! Whooooooo whhhooo (you know, that noise owls make)
Nerve Flossing?
Nerve glides or nerve flossing is a technique where an exercise is performed while a nerve is SLIGHTY tensioned. Just like flossing your teeth, the nerve is moved a little bit through various tissue to allow better movement of the nerve itself.

Nerves are a HUGE priority for the body and since the body is survival orientated, it will go to great lengthens to protect the nerves. This includes shutting down muscular function and force production along with range of motion (ROM). Result--not good for athletic performance!

How Can I Do It If I am Fitness Professional?
Anyone interested in can sign up for the Z Health Level 4 cert, but you must do R Phase then I Phase first (which are both amazing). Drop me a line and I am more than happy to chat with you about it or call the Z Health office directly by clicking HERE for more info and be sure to tell them Mike T Nelson sent ya.

Full disclosure: I am not currently an employee of Z Health, nor do I make any money off of referring people to their certs. I do get a few bucks off future certifications that I take though.
What If I Just Want To Get Better Myself?
Keep in mind that any active joint mobility drill (like the Z Health R Phase exercises) also work to slightly move the nerves, lymph, blood, and active muscle etc by themselves! That is another reason why precise, active joint mobility work is so important. As always, make sure it is done in a relaxed state and NO pain!

You can purchase the R Phase manual and 2 DVD set on the link from the upper right.
Full disclosure: the price here is the same as anywhere else, and I do make a few bucks off each one. Again, I never recommend anything that I don't 100% believe in.

If there is a Z Health trainer in your area, that would be your best bet. You can never replace custom work for YOUR body.

Summary
Nerve glide work can have amazing effects very fast when it is the bottleneck. As with anything else, it is not always this easy, but about 50-70% of the time with the correct knowledge it can be!

Any comments/thoughts, let me know.

Selected References
A great review is
"Improving application of neurodynamic (neural tension) testing and treatments: a message to researchers and clinicians".Shacklock M.

His book "Clinical Neurodynamics: A New System of Neuromusculoskeletal Treatment" is one I own and is quite good.


The ones listed below are a good place to start and are taken from "Neurodynamics in a broader perspective". By Butler DS, Coppieters MW


Butler DS. Mobilisation of the nervous system. Melbourne: Churchill
Livingstone; 1991.

Butler DS. The sensitive nervous system. Unley: Noigroup Publications;
2000.

Butler D, Gifford L. The concept of adverse mechanical tension in the
nervous system. Part 2: examination and treatment. Physiotherapy
1989;75(11):629–36.

Coppieters MW, Butler DS. Do ‘sliders’ slide and ‘tensioners’ tension?
An analysis of neurodynamic techniques and considerations
regarding their application. Manual Therapy, 2007, accepted
pending minor changes, in press [Epub ahead of print; doi:10.
1016/j.math.2006.12.008].

Erel E, Dilley A, Greening J, Morris V, Cohen B, Lynn B.
Longitudinal sliding of the median nerve in patients with carpal
tunnel syndrome. Journal of Hand Surgery [Br] 2003;28(5):439–43.

Gifford LS. Factors influencing movement—neurodynamics. In: Pitt-

Brooke J, Reid H, Lockwood J, Kerr K, editors. Rehabilitation of
movement. London: WB Saunders; 1998. p. 159–95.

Greening J, Leary R. Letter-to-the-editor in response to the editorial
by Shacklock (doi:10.1016/j.math.2005.03.001). Manual Therapy,
2006 [Epub ahead of print; doi:10.1016/j.math.2006.01.004].

Hough A, Moore A, Jones M. Restricted excursion of the median
nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome. In: Proceedings of the second
international conference on movement dysfunction, Edinburgh,
2005.

Maitland G. The slump test: examination and treatment. The
Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 1985;31(6):215–9.

Moseley GL, Nicholas MK, Hodges PW. A randomized controlled
trial of intensive neurophysiology education in chronic low back
pain. Clinical Journal of Pain 2004;20(5):324–30.

Rozmaryn LM, Dovelle S, Rothman ER, Gorman K, Olvey KM,
Bartko JJ. Nerve and tendon gliding exercises and the conservative
management of carpal tunnel syndrome. Journal of Hand Therapy
1998;11(3):171–9.

Shacklock M. Improving application of neurodynamic (neural tension)
testing and treatments: a message to researchers and clinicians.
Manual Therapy 2005a;10(3):175–9.

Shacklock MO. Clinical neurodynamics: a new system of musculoskeletal
treatment. Edinburgh: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann;
2005b.

Shacklock M. Author’s reply to the letter-to-the-editor by Greening
and Leary (doi:10.1016/j.math.2006.01.004). Manual Therapy,
2006 [Epub ahead of print; doi:10.1016/j.math.2006.01.005].

Tuzuner S, Ozkaynak S, Acikbas C, Yildirim A. Median nerve
excursion during endoscopic carpal tunnel release. Neurosurgery
2004;54(5):1155–60.

Valls-Sole J, Alvarez R, Nunez M. Limited longitudinal sliding of the
median nerve in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Muscle &
Nerve 1995;18(7):761–7.

Neuroplasticity and Human Athletic Performance

It is all in your head?

The future is upon us and my crystal ball prediction for 2009 is that neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to change) will gain popularity and for good reasons.

I find the science in this area amazing. Just a few years ago we thought that the brain would not change and now we know this is not true at all. The brain actually has an amazing ability to adapt and change (just like everything in human physiology). Most probably seen the PBS special "The Brain Fitness Program" which is fantastic.

The key to this idea is that learning new movements can have a huge effect on neuroplasticity. While hardcore research studies in this area are a bit lacking currently, there is enough data to show that when we learn movements there are concrete changes in the brain. The keys to enhanced athletic performance are findings ways to harness this neuroplasticity as the brain and nervous system control movement. The flip side is also true, for optimal health, we need to learn more athletic movements and challenge the brain in new ways.

Survival vs Performance
The human body is wired for survival instead of performance. This really bums me out personally, but once we realize this we can optimize it for survival and see an increase in performance! I have a whole presentation I did at the Z Health Master Trainer Eval in California recently on this topic. The short version is that we need to first look how we get information.

Primarily it is from
1) Eyes (visual and eye muscle movements)
2) Vestibular (inner ear "balance")
3) Proprioceptive (info from the joints)

In order to optimize the body for performance (and pain reduction), we need to optimize each one of these systems. This is what I really love about the Z Health system, as it works to optimze each system and then combine them in a meaningful way. The result is superior athletic performance for virtually ANYONE. Everyone can learn to move more athletically and do things that they thought were not possible with the correct approach.

Below is a great article in Outside magzine on neuroplasticity. While I don't agree with their exercises and would do it a different way; there is some great information.

Timeto exercise your mind AND body! See these related posts

Movement and Brain Deterioration? New Study

Stroke of Insight

Z Health S Phase Wrap Up

Z Health Level 4 Wrap Up and Good vs Bad Calories

Neuroscience Research Updates for October

Z Health and Biomechanical vs Neurological Approach

Total Life Fitness
Clear Your Head
Wellness 2009 from

Outside Magazine, January 2009
By Nick Heil

Brain training is suddenly big business. But can you get smarter without geriatric video games or wildly expensive lab tests? As our Lab Rat learned, yes.

The mental calisthenics were pretty simple at first: Could I pick up an envelope off the floor? Did I know where I was? Then came the stumper: What day was it? "Wednesday … wait a minute." I glanced around the room for clues. Nothing. "It's Tuesday. No, Monday!" I blurted to Tonya Kydland, a psychologist who works at Cognitive Fitness and Innovative Therapies (CFIT), a brain-fitness facility in a leafy section of Santa Barbara, California. Kydland nodded and, wearing a serious expression, jotted something in her notebook.

TAKE ACTION: Sharpen Up

Think you don't need to work your noggin? Try this simple test: Have a friend read two random four-digit sequences to you (for instance, 5-3-8-9 and 2-5-3-8). As soon as they finish, repeat the numbers out loud, but in reverse order (9-8-3-5 and 8-3-5-2). Next, try it with two six-digit sequences, then two eight-digit sequences. If you failed to nail it, your short-term memory could use work. Try any (or all) of the following brain-building tools—which also promote long-term mental health—20 minutes a day, three times a week. 1. CogniFit (cognifit.com). Their MindFit DVDs are loaded with brain-benders such as the Stroop Test, which trains reaction time and memory. The program customizes difficulty levels according to each user's ability and has been shown to improve everything from general health to driving. 2. HappyNeuron (happy-neuron.com). These online entertainment-oriented games improve attention, language, and memory. Try "Heraldry," which requires you to memorize various coats of arms. 3. Nintendo Brain Age (brainage.com). This game for the pocket-size Nintendo DS features numerous brain-building challenges, from simple math problems to mega-popular games like Sudoku. 4. Six-string guitar. Buy a beater on eBay and commit yourself to practicing three times a week. And play scales, not just the three chords you need to hack through "Free Fallin'. " You'll improve your memory, keep your mind in top shape—and impress at the next cookout.

CFIT is a new kind of mental-health outfit. Unlike the exploding number of commercial enterprises that purport to sharpen the mind using various electronic games and gizmos, CFIT addresses the whole picture: physical fitness, diet, mental activities, personal relationships, and medical history. "The idea here is to provide a thorough baseline assessment, then set you up on a program that will optimize your lifestyle to promote cognitive health," says Ken Kosik, CFIT's founder and a professor of neuroscience research at the University of California at Santa Barbara. In other words, CFIT is an everyman's brain gym: You pay an annual membership fee of about $4,000 and make twice-weekly visits to the place, à la Equinox.

Brain fitness has become big business over the past few years. Cerebral-exercise computer games from companies like CogniFit and HappyNeuron generated $80 million in 2007, up from $2 million just three years earlier. An increasing number of high-end labs, such as Los Angeles–based Elite Sports Performance, help wealthy clients tweak attention-honing brain waves using EEGs and other state-of-the-art technology. CFIT, which is scheduled to be fully open for business by late 2008, offers something entirely different: an accessible, one-stop mind shop that promises to transcend the realm of the wonky and geriatric. For now, half of CFIT's pilot group consists of retirees with looming cognitive trouble—the most ready and willing clients of the brain-training world—but Kosik's vision is far bigger.

"I can see this sort of facility all over the country, for all kinds of people," he says. (There's talk of opening a second CFIT facility in San Diego, with more on the horizon.) "The time to focus on brain health is when there is no disease at all."

Until about 15 years ago, many experts believed the brain was hardwired, and that once mental deterioration set in, it was irreversible. But recent neuroscience research has convinced the scientific community that the brain is malleable into old age. This principle, called neuroplasticity, has neurologists racing to tweak the mind in order to improve sports and job performance—and even stave off or reverse problems like Alz­heimer's and Parkinson's. CFIT aims to prevent these illnesses, but also to teach people how to maintain their intelligence and mindfulness over the long term. And that pro­cess begins with the rest of the body. "People forget that the brain is an organ, like the heart and lungs," Kosik says, "and that it benefits from exercise and sound nutrition."

My first step was to come clean on how often I floss (only in that pre-dental-exam panic), whether I do drugs (uh—cough, cough—no), and how much red wine and chocolate I consume (plenty). Once the staff reviewed my general health, it was time for a little mind fitness. The exercises—involving a stationary machine called the NuStep, a cross between an elliptical trainer and a stationary bike, and a widescreen TV set up with Nintendo's Wii—were pretty basic at first. I experienced minor guilt pangs when, during a round of Wii boxing, I knocked out CFIT's petite director, Hether Briggs (well, her avatar, anyway).

I got my comeuppance during the neuropsychological evaluation. I aced a few of the initial tests, then struggled to remember what day of the week it was. I could repeat from memory a string of eight numbers in reverse, but for some strange reason I messed up while attempting the same exercise with just four numbers. At the end of our hourlong session, Kydland asked me if I could recall the questions she'd asked when I first entered the room (Do I wear glasses or use a hearing aid? How old am I?). I drew a blank. And then I felt a sudden chill. Was this a warning sign of bigger problems?

Before I mustered the nerve to ask this question, CFIT set me up with some mental exercises on a brain-training computer program called MindFit that involved various memory and hand-eye-coordination games. At first, it was about as challenging as desktop solitaire, but it got progressively harder, until I was floundering again. Clearly, I could use some more brain push-ups.

The next day I sat down with the CFIT team to review my performance and discuss a long-term DIY program. This is the most innovative and impressive aspect of CFIT: They put all the components of mental fitness together in a practical, manageable training program. In lieu of cool-but-mostly-useless brain scans that might show my frontal lobe lighting up like a Christmas tree (or not), I got smart advice that I could take home and apply immediately.

To wit: My physical fitness is fine; keep it up, Kosik told me. He offered nutrition suggestions, like adopting the olive-oil-and-fruit-rich Mediterranean diet, which, according to a 2008 study in the British Medical Journal, promotes a 13 percent reduction in the occurrence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Kosik also advocated a few supplements, like calcium, high-quality fish oil, and folate (a B vitamin that may prevent Alzheimer's). My team prescribed three 20-minute CogniFit sessions a week; though, to be honest, I'm more likely to commit my time to other equally effective brain-benders, like the Sunday crossword puzzle, Sudoku, learning guitar, or tackling another language—anything, basically, that presents fresh challenges. "The better you get at a given activity," said Kosik, "the less brain you use."

One of the most compelling things I came away with is also the simplest: the vital importance of friendships. "A healthy and active social network is probably one of the best predictors of long-term mental health," Kosik said.

"So I should keep playing soccer and going on ski trips with friends?"

"Absolutely," he said.

Before I left, I had to ask Kydland about my quirky performance during the neuropsych tests. Was this, as I feared, a sign that I'm on the road to senility? "Don't worry," she said reassuringly. "You scored completely within the normal range. You just weren't paying attention."

TAKE ACTION:
Reprogram Your System
Know that feeling when you want to keel over at mile five on your run? That's your brain playing mother hen. Sports scientists are realizing that everything from how fast you can run a 10K to how long you can bike at 20 mph is determined by the brain's understanding of the body's limits—a protective mechanism known as "anticipatory regulation."
"Job number one for your brain during exercise is to prevent you from working yourself to death," says Ross Tucker, an exercise physiologist and consultant to the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. This subconscious safety net is usually more conservative than it needs to be, unless you're an elite athlete. And research suggests that amateurs can boost their performance with workouts that safely recalibrate the brain's protective mechanism. Here's how.

1. Wear a stopwatch or heart-rate monitor and warm up with ten minutes of easy swimming, jogging, or pedaling. Increase your effort to the fastest speed you think you can sustain for 20 minutes. But don't look at your watch—hold your pace until you think you're near exhaustion. Stop and cool down.

2. Jot down your average pace (for example, 7:30 mile for a run) and the amount of time you held that pace (don't feel bad when it's not even close to 20 minutes). Repeat the workout once a week and try to sustain the same pace for a slightly longer duration each time. Again, don't look at the clock—push yourself by feel. Expect some improvement in your second try at the workout—not because you're more fit, but because your brain is comfortable letting you work harder.

3. In each subsequent workout, you should be able to go farther, thanks to improving fitness and a slightly less conservative brain.

—MATT FITZGERALD

The Death of Static Stretching

I will keep the one short.

Static stretching is overrated. There I said it.

Static stretching can be replaced by precise mobility work for about 95% of your needs. Remember that the brain is in charge and ALLOWS flexibility changes. For optimal changes we need to directly target the nervous system.

Why would you want to take a limb to and end range of motion and teach it to be weaker?

Everyone knows that static stretching makes a muscle WEAKER. Personally, I want mobility and STRENGTH at and END RANGE OF MOTION and this can be achieved with precise mobility work (I like Z Health).

Efficient movement and great mobility is the goal, but I don't think static stretching is the most effect tool to achieve it.

For those that want to argue using research, here you go

Decreases muscle strength/power (1, 2, 5, 9-11, 13-17, 21, 27, 30, 32, 34, 35)

Dose dependent? (22)

May be speed specific (31)

Dynamic motion is better (15, 37)


See the video at the bottom of a static hip flexor stretch (first part) then a precise mobility drills (Z Health cross body shoulder circle done in the same position) and then the "stretch" repeated.

Feel free to post your comments!


REFERENCES
1. Avela J., H. Kyrolainen, P. V. Komi. Altered reflex sensitivity after repeated and prolonged passive muscle stretching. J Appl Physiol. 86(4):1283-1291, 1999.

2. Behm D. G., D. C. Button, J. C. Butt. Factors affecting force loss with prolonged stretching. Can J Appl Physiol. 26(3):261-272, 2001.

5. Church J. B., M. S. Wiggins, F. M. Moode, R. Crist. Effect of warm-up and flexibility treatments on vertical jump performance. J Strength Cond Res. 15(3):332-336, 2001.

9. Cornwell A., A. G. Nelson, B. Sidaway. Acute effects of stretching on the neuromechanical properties of the triceps surae muscle complex. Eur J Appl Physiol. 86(5):428-434, 2002.

10. Cramer J. T., T. J. Housh, G. O. Johnson, J. M. Miller, J. W. Coburn, T. W. Beck. Acute effects of static stretching on peak torque in women. J Strength Cond Res. 18(2):236-241, 2004.

11. Cramer J. T., T. J. Housh, J. P. Weir, G. O. Johnson, J. W. Coburn, T. W. Beck. The acute effects of static stretching on peak torque, mean power output, electromyography, and mechanomyography. Eur J Appl Physiol. 93(5-6):530-539, 2005.

13. Evetovich T. K., N. J. Nauman, D. S. Conley, J. B. Todd. Effect of static stretching of the biceps brachii on torque, electromyography, and mechanomyography during concentric isokinetic muscle actions. J Strength Cond Res. 17(3):484-488, 2003.

14. Faigenbaum A. D., M. Bellucci, A. Bernieri, B. Bakker, K. Hoorens. Acute effects of different warm-up protocols on fitness performance in children. J Strength Cond Res. 19(2):376-381, 2005.

15. Fletcher I. M., R. Anness. The acute effects of combined static and dynamic stretch protocols on fifty-meter sprint performance in track-and-field athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 21(3):784-787, 2007.

16. Fletcher I. M., B. Jones. The effect of different warm-up stretch protocols on 20 meter sprint performance in trained rugby union players. J Strength Cond Res. 18(4):885-888, 2004.

17. Fowles J. R., D. G. Sale, J. D. MacDougall. Reduced strength after passive stretch of the human plantarflexors. J Appl Physiol. 89(3):1179-1188, 2000.

21. Knudson D., K. Bennett, R. Corn, D. Leick, C. Smith. Acute effects of stretching are not evident in the kinematics of the vertical jump. J Strength Cond Res. 15(1):98-101, 2001.

27. Marek S. M., J. T. Cramer, A. L. Fincher, et al. Acute Effects of Static and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching on Muscle Strength and Power Output. J Athl Train. 40(2):94-103, 2005.

30. Nelson A. G., N. M. Driscoll, D. K. Landin, M. A. Young, I. C. Schexnayder. Acute effects of passive muscle stretching on sprint performance. J Sports Sci. 23(5):449-454, 2005.

31. Nelson A. G., I. K. Guillory, C. Cornwell, J. Kokkonen. Inhibition of maximal voluntary isokinetic torque production following stretching is velocity-specific. J Strength Cond Res. 15(2):241-246, 2001.

32. Power K., D. Behm, F. Cahill, M. Carroll, W. Young. An acute bout of static stretching: effects on force and jumping performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 36(8):1389-1396, 2004.

34. Wallmann H. W., J. A. Mercer, J. W. McWhorter. Surface electromyographic assessment of the effect of static stretching of the gastrocnemius on vertical jump performance. J Strength Cond Res. 19(3):684-688, 2005.

35. Weir D. E., J. Tingley, G. C. Elder. Acute passive stretching alters the mechanical properties of human plantar flexors and the optimal angle for maximal voluntary contraction. Eur J Appl Physiol. 93(5-6):614-623, 2005.g

Performance Research: Heat and Caffeine and Central Fatigue

Greetings!

Just wanted to drop a quick note that I am on my way back from the Z Health Master Trainer Cert and I will have much more information for all of you coming up very soon, so stayed tuned.

On an excellent note I PASSED!!! I needed 90% or higher to pass and I made it! Whoo ha. Wow, it was a crazy intensive 6 day evaluation. I was up early every day and to bed late most nights working of Z Health stuff the whole time. I want to send a HUGE congrats to the the others that passed and to all that were there for their support! I could not have done it by myself alone! More info later in the week.

Here is a cool study below in the meantime on caffeine and heat and one other one on central fatigue.


No effect of nutritional adenosine receptor antagonists on exercise performance in the heat.


Cheuvront SN, Ely BR, Kenefick RW, Michniak-Kohn BB, Rood JC, Sawka MN.


USARIEM. Nutritional adenosine antagonists can enhance endurance exercise performance in temperate environments, but their efficacy during heat stress is not well understood. This double-blinded, placebo controlled study compared the effects of an acute dose of caffeine or quercetin on endurance exercise performance during compensable heat stress (40 masculineC, 20-30%rh). On each of three occasions, ten healthy men performed 30-minutes of cycle ergometry at 50% VO2peak followed by a 15-min performance time trial after receiving either (P) placebo, (C) caffeine (9 mg/kg), or (Q) quercetin (2,000 mg). Serial blood samples, physiological (heart rate, rectal, and mean skin body temperatures), perceptual (ratings of perceived exertion, pain, thermal comfort, motivation), and exercise performance measures (total work and pacing strategy) were made.


Supplementation with C and Q increased pre-exercise blood concentrations of caffeine (55.62 +/- 4.77 microM) and quercetin (4.76 +/- 2.56 microM) above their in vitro inhibition constants for adenosine receptors. No treatment effects were observed for any physiological or perceptual measures, with the exception of elevated rectal body temperatures (0.20 - 0.30 degrees C; P<0.05)>0.05) or the self-selected pacing strategy employed.


Conclusion: These findings indicate that the nutritional adenosine antagonists caffeine and quercetin do not enhance endurance exercise performance during compensable heat stress.

Opioid-mediated muscle afferents inhibit central motor drive and limit peripheral muscle fatigue development in humans.


Amann M, Proctor LT, Sebranek JJ, Pegelow DF, Dempsey JA.


University of Zürich and ETH Zürich; University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School. We investigated the role of somatosensory feedback from locomotor muscles on central motor drive (CMD) and the development of peripheral fatigue during high-intensity endurance exercise. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled design, eight cyclists randomly performed three 5 km time-trials: control, interspinous ligament injection of saline (5KPlac, L3-L4), or intrathecal fentanyl (5KFent, L3-L4) to impair cortical projection of opioid-mediated muscle afferents. Peripheral quadriceps fatigue was assessed via changes in force output pre- vs post-exercise in response to supra-maximal magnetic femoral nerve stimulation (DeltaQtw). CMD during the time-trials was estimated via quadriceps electromyogram (iEMG).


Fentanyl had no effect on quadriceps strength. Impairing neural feedback from the locomotor muscles increased iEMG during the first 2.5 km of 5KFent vs 5KPlac by 12 +/- 3%

Conclusion: Our results emphasize the critical role of somatosensory feedback from working muscles on the centrally mediated determination of central motor drive and power output.

Attenuated afferent feedback from exercising locomotor muscles results in an overshoot in central motor drive and power output normally chosen by the athlete, thereby causing a greater rate of accumulation of muscle metabolites and excessive development of peripheral muscle fatigue.

Caffeine Works Better for Men?

Just a quick one for all of you today as I am still at the Z Health Master Trainer Evaluation in California.

Special thanks to Dr. Tim for sending this one on to me.

Caffeine Works Better for Men - Yahoo! News

For older posts on caffeine, click on this link HERE

Inspirational Lyrics

As most of you know, I am a huge music fan. One of my favorite bands is the hardcore/metal band Hatebreed. Even if you are not a music fan of heavy music, you will probably find their lyrics quite inspirational.

For those that want to see the video, click HERE
(there is no code to embed it here)



I will be heard
--Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed

Now is the time for me to rise to my feet
Wipe your spit from my face
Wipe these tears from my eyes

Now is the time for me to rise to my feet
Wipe your spit from my face
Wipe these tears from my eyes

I've got to take my life back
One chance to make it right
I've gotta have my voice be heard
And bring meaning to this life

Cause I've trusted for nothing
I've been led astray
I've been tried and tested
But I won't accept defeat
Now I've done things I regret
And its time to reverse the rules
I just want to make good on
All the promises that I have made

I will be
I will be...I will be heard
I will be...I will be heard

Now is the time for me to rise to my feet (I will be heard)
Wipe your spit from my face
Wipe these tears from my eyes (I will be heard)

Through the worst we prevail
So our voices will be heard
Through the worst we prevail
So our voices will be heard
Through the worst we prevail
So our voices will be heard
Through the worst we prevail
So our voices will be

Now is the time for me to rise to my feet
Wipe your spit from my face
Wipe these tears from my eyes

Now is the time for me to rise to my feet
Wipe your spit from my face
Wipe these tears from my eyes

I've got to take my life back
One chance to make it right
I've gotta have my voice be heard
And bring meaning to this life

Cause I've trusted for nothing
I've been led astray
I've been tried and tested
But I won't accept defeat
Now I've done things I regret
And its time to reverse the rules
I just want to make good on
All the promises that I have made

I will be
I will be...I will be heard
I will be...I will be heard

Now is the time for me to rise to my feet (I will be heard)
Wipe your spit from my face
Wipe these tears from my eyes (I will be heard)

I will be

Lockouts as Warmups?

Mike,

I found the following article on dragon door:

Dragon Door Article

Sean Williams describes using 125% weight lockouts, as a warmup, then lifting 5 heavy singles. The idea is to trigger "ligament receptors" that will make an 80% weight feel lighter. Arthur Saxon mentioned this technique in one of his old books as well. Including occasional heavy lockouts within a cycle makes sense but this program seems too extreme. Your thoughts?

Andy Hendrickson, Minnesota

Thanks for the note Andy and excellent question!

The short answer is that yes, I think heavy lock out can help increase strength. A few thoughts though.

1) The heavy weight can "jam" the joints also, so doing some mobility work like Z Health is of paramount importance when using heavy lock outs. See this post HERE- Jammed Joints for more info.

Here is how I would set it up:

Z Health Neuro Warm Up before training
Z Health lift specific work

So if you are doing a bench press day, after a full Neuro Warm up do the Z Health specific work on a bench, in the bench press position.

So I would lay down, have my arms like there was a bar in my hands and do hand/finger/wrist,etc work in THAT position. This makes it VERY SPECIFIC to the lift. SAID principle.

2) Warm up to your working weight.then add a static hold
Do a heavy lock out starting at 100% of 1 rep max and add form there each week.

Notes:
When you are doing the heavy lock out work, the key is to be "relaxed". By relaxed I mean do not let the bar hit you, but hold it in the lock out position with APPROPRIATE tension (not excessive tension). You don't need to look like you just sucked on a lemon to hold it there.

Contrary to popular belief, adding tons of tension in your face will not help you lift (or hold) the weight. Once the weight is secure at lock out, take a few breaths and then set it back in the rack with the help of a spotter. While the time you hold it there can vary, 2-10 seconds is a rough ballpark.

IMPORTANT!
ALWAYS USE A POWER RACK. If something weird was going to happen, make sure the safety supports are set high enough that you won't injury yourself and their are collars on the bar!

People DIE every year from the bench press, so safety first always. Death and injury are very bad for performance.

3) Note any excess tension
If you have a partner, have him/her watch your face after the hand off and note any excess tension. Less tension is better while maintaining proper form.

Also notice the blink rate of your eyes--higher blink rate may indicate more startle and this is not good for performance (a basic tenant of the Z Health system, less startle = higher performance). Watch any elite sport and the athletes appear relaxed and make it look easy. That is your goal.

4) After each lock out, do some joint mobility for the main joints that were loaded to "unjam" them.

5) Note any changes in your movement after the lock outs to make sure they are good for your body. If your overall movement quality changes, then they are NOT good for you for you on that day. Strength training of all forms should make you stronger and INCREASE your range of motion.

Why does it work?
The key is that it allows your nervous system to handle heavier weights with less startle. Over time that equals increased performance. While the golgi tendon organ (GTO) is involved, newer research says that it is much more complicated.

I will only go with one study but Fallon, JB et al. (1) stated, "The responses of the various muscle receptors to vibration are more complicated than a naive categorization into stretch (muscle spindle primary ending), length (muscle spindle secondary endings), and tension (Golgi tendon organs) receptors".

Where does the signal from the GTO go? Yep, the brain!

Summary
Joint mobility work first
Safe heavy lock out
Joint mobility work again
Note any movement changes
Continue on to your working weights
Note any performance changes.

You can purchase the Z Health Neuro Warm Up 1 and R Phase from the link in the upper right hand side of this blog. Full disclosure: I do make a few bucks off of each purchase and there are very few products that I recommend and this is one of them.

Let me know how it goes for you!

REFERNECES
1) Fallon J. B., V. G. Macefield. Vibration sensitivity of human muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs. Muscle Nerve. 36(1):21-29, 2007.

More Z Healh Training and Testimonial Time

Greetings! I apologize for the less than normal posts here. I took 2 days off around Christmas time and it was great to spend time with Jodie and my family around the Holidays.

The rest of the time I've been working on some research and most preparing for the Z Health Master Trainer Evaluation that starts this coming Monday for 6 full days in San Diego California.

I am doing 2 presentations there and I have a bad feeling I will be presenting on the first day. My presentations topics are "Neuromechanics" and "Performance vs Survival-The Neurology of Threat"

In addition to those, we will be evaluated the entire time. Part of this involves picking a topic out of a hat and presenting on the spot in front of everyone. Yikes! Topics range from basic Z Health items to muscle tests, muscle innnervations, anatomy, neurology, and about 100 or so other topics! Anything that has been taught at Level 1-4 and the speciality course is fair game I hear. I am more nervous about that portion than anything else. I feel like I could study for another 2 weeks and still not be ready.

Why?
So why the heck am I spending about another $3,000 by the time I am done to fly out to CA and take 7 days "off"? To get better of course! My goal is better myself even further, so that I can help YOU the client/athlete. You are either getting better or worse. If you are not doing anything to better yourself, my view is that you are going backwards. Nothing is stagnant.

I have some blog updates already written and good to go for this week coming up, so stayed tuned. For all those that have emailed me, I will get back to you but it may be some time yet.

Any questions or anything that you want to see from me in 2009, please post it in the comments
Rock on!

Testimonial
I have known Mike for several years now and it is an understatement to say he knows his stuff! The highest compliment I can give is that the buck stops with him. When things get really difficult, Mike’s vast knowledge and research will get you an answer. He has worked with and trained under many experts in the field and he is relentless in his pursuit of information.

A coach is someone who gives you answers to your problems, unlike a critic who simply evaluates and criticizes. Mike will give you a SOLUTION to the issues you have. I have first hand testimony on this, as I could not have passed the RKC without his training and Z health expertise.

On top of that Mike is a great guy whose laid back approach will encourage you to reach your highest potential. Simply put, if you are not reaching your goals you should be training under Mike. Period!


Brad Ellingson at Top Notch Training
CSCS
RKC
Z Health Level 2 certified

Thanks Brad for all the kind words!

I have only 2 spots open currently for Fitness Consulting in 2009.

If you are a trainer looking to take your knowledge to the next level, contact me today at michaelTnelson AT yahoo DOT com for more information.