Ask Me Anything: Muscle Recovery

Q:  I have questions about muscle recovery: Are there any hard and fast rules about the amount and types of protein I should consume after a workout? How soon after a workout should I eat? Are they a necessity, a luxury or am I wasting my money on ready-made protein drinks like muscle milk and EAS?

Also, what about muscle recovery as it relates to rest and time off in between workouts? I’ve been told that because your muscles need the time to recover and grow, you should not exercise the same muscle group two days in a row. Is this true? On my off days from weight training, I try to do a cardio workout, some stretches for flexibility and some push-ups and planks. If I worked chest and abs the day before, am I working against myself by doing the push-ups and planks?

Recovering from Reps-

A:  Thanks for the questions.  These are two good ones that come up quite often.  In regards to post workout nutrient consumption I feel that it is important to get something into your system immediately especially if your goal is to build muscle.  It may be difficult to consume whole food sources right after a tough workout, so a post workout drink may be best.  Your goals will determine what types of nutrients are in the shake.  If you are trying to increase your bodyweight/build muscle then you will want a shake that is high in protein and carbohydrates.  If you are interested in muscle maintenance then a very low carbohydrate protein drink may be right for you.

In terms of brands I would do a little research on reputable companies and then get a simple whey protein that is low in sugar for maintenance and one that has more carbohydrates for muscle building.  Check out this protein calculator that allows you to add your specific goals to the formula and it can give you an estimate of how much you should take in daily and per meal.

http://www.serranonutrition.com/index.php/tools/pc

My diet is one of high protein and I occasionally supplement with some whey protein after a workout.  I do try to get most of my protein for the day through whole food sources.

Shifting gears to your training questions it comes down to your goals and how you are training.  If you are trying to add muscle, splitting up body parts, and doing multiple exercises, sets and reps for these specific body parts then it may be difficult to work those muscles soon after.  If you are training differently and keeping the volume (number of sets and repetitions) low then you should not have a problem doing similar exercises the following day.

Tags: supplementation, whey protein

Should You Supplement? Get your Diet in Check First

A major part of my job as a trainer is to freely discuss healthy lifestyle choices with my clients. Naturally people are curious and want to pick your brain about what you do and what you think they should do. I feel a personal responsibility to provide my clients with objective and factual information so they can then make their own informed decisions. I have noticed that there are a few recurring questions that always come up. Besides the old, “How do I get rid of this,” it seems like the second most popular question goes something like this; “What supplements should I be taking to help me with _____?”

Honestly I can’t say I blame them; supplements are a multi-billion (yes billion) dollar annual industry and companies are hard at work advertising and marketing to make sure it stays that way. It’s inevitable that people are curious about different supplements and I would be hard pressed to find people who have not taken some.

But before I make any recommendations I always ask, “What’s your diet like?” I usually get the “I’m eating pretty good, you know, Healthy.” Then I ask “what is healthy?” Long story short most do not eat as healthy as they think, many lack some serious vegetable consumption for starters.

Before even considering supplements I always start people with getting their diet in check, and by diet I mean you DON’T follow a new fad of the week that got some Hollywood star ripped in 4-weeks drinking some special berry drink. I am talking about a healthy, long-term diet that you will create, accept, maintain, tweak slightly, and live by for the rest of your life.

Most people already know what healthy food choices are but they just don’t consume them often enough or they think they are limited with healthy food choice options; they could not be more wrong. If you are serious about your life and health, get: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why by Jonny Bowden Ph.D. C.N.S.

This is the best book I have seen on the topic of healthy eating because it is NOT a diet book. It is simply the best foods to eat broken up into their food group categories. No calorie counting and marco-nutrient ratios to confuse you. The book simply identifies what to eat and why you need to eat it. You will also gain a better understanding of where your food comes from and how that affects your body as well. You can pick up a copy on Amazon here.

But the question still remains, “Do people really need supplements”? The answer can be a simple No and/or Maybe. If your diet sucks no supplement in the world can make up for it. Remember, Supplementation is not Substitution. In a perfect world your diet is balanced, optimal for you and all the required nutrients are obtained; then supplementation would not be necessary. However not all of us eat correctly every day. We can’t always get wild, free range or organic fruits and vegetables which provide the highest quality nutrient content. This is when supplementation can be used to support all the vital vitamins and minerals you need on a daily bases.

In the next few posts I will talk about the products I use and you can decide if they are right for you. I will try to keep the information basic and easy to digest (pun intended). Nothing I write about will be unnatural or have harmful side effects. All of the products I refer to are endorsed by me though research and experiments I have done on my own; I do not get paid to endorse any of these products.  Now go get your diet in check and in the next edition I will talk about my favorite supplement and how it may benefit you.

Tags: diet, Nutrition, supplementation

Ask Me Anything: Gaining Distance on Soccer Kicks

More Kicking Power.

Q: Dear Doug,

I play sweeper on my varsity high school soccer team. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I practice, I can’t seem to kick the ball far enough to reach our forwards. Is there anything I can do to increase my kicking ability?

PS: I’m a girl and I only weight 105lb.

So Cal

A: Thanks for your question “So Cal.” When it comes to enhancing athletic movements I think it is important to look at a few different factors. In your case of kicking distance I would look at three primary areas:

• Kicking technique
• Strength and power production
• Flexibility of the hip and surrounding leg muscles

Kicking Technique:

There are several factors that contribute towards the optimal technical execution of distance kicking such as:

• How much range of motion (ROM) you kicking leg has
• The distance the supporting leg needs to be from the ball
• Where you strike the ball
• Proper body alignment when you come into contact with the ball

Ask your coach to check you out. Are you striking the ball in the right spot? Is your planted foot in the right place? Are you “following through” enough? Your coach should be able to answer these questions for you.

Strength and Power Production:

Call this a shameless plug, but this is what I teach. If you increase your strength with proper resistance training consisting of the basics (squat, deadlift, and single leg work) your potential power output can go up. Along with training the strength movements it is important to use this new strength in a “power” producing manner. Strength is just one component, the ability to use that strength effectively is a big key to athletic success, Things like box jumps, lunge jumps and kettlebell swings train the muscles to use the strength to produce and transfer power.

Flexibility of the hips and surrounding leg muscles:

Sufficient athletic technique execution and maximal power output is effected by the ability to move the limb through adequate ROM. In simpler terms; if your hip and leg muscles are tight they cannot move freely enough to produce the optimal power for long kicks. Stretch the muscles around the legs and hips paying special attention the hip flexors. When sitting in class all day the hip flexors tend to get short and tight, they may not be at their optimal length when you are trying to kick the ball later in the day. One of my favorite hip flexor stretches is pictured below.

Tags: athletics, kettlebell, soccer