Strength Science
Ask Me Anything: Cardio Confusion
Dear Doug
Q: When doing cardio I have been putting time in on the treadmill. I try to do at least 45 minutes or an hour on a progressive incline because I figure the longer I spend on the machine, the more calories I’ll burn. Someone suggested I’m wasting a good portion of that time and could actually get a more effective workout in a shorter amount of time by applying interval training techniques. Is this accurate? What is interval training? How does it work and I can apply to more than one type of exercise?
Cardio Confused-
A: Thanks for your question. First off interval training is performing cardio vascular exercise at various speeds, intensities and even environments (incline, decline etc.) during your session. Compare 40 min. of treadmill running where the speed and the incline stay the same during the entire session (steady-state cardio) versus the same 40 min. of treadmill running where the speed and/or incline is changed frequently fast/slow and high/low during the session (interval training). Both sessions were the same amount of time but chances are the interval training will seem much more difficult to complete because of the way it shifts your heart rate and the speed your muscles perform at.
The Prowler is Great for Interval Training
Which is better to do? I know I say this a lot but it depends on your goals. If you are training to be the next Lance Armstrong then you have to put your time doing long duration cardio. If you fall in under the blanket of “most of us” where you want to keep or build muscle and loose a little body fat then the long cardio bouts are probably not the best for you.
I use this analogy quite often; think of two types of runners, the 100m sprinter and the Marathon Runner; which one would you rather look like? If you want the minimal muscle, skinny look then train more like a marathoner. If you want more muscle then be more like a sprinter. The sprinter never spends 30min. on a treadmill yet they have a ton of muscle and very low body fat.
Who Would You Rather Look Like?
Would you burn more calories and potentially more body fat if you just sat on a treadmill for 1 hour non-stop versus doing 5 x 60 meter sprints? The answer is no and it is due to EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption).
Without getting too nerdy, EPOC is an increased rate of oxygen intake following strenuous activity intended to erase the body’s “oxygen debt.” Oxygen (EPOC) is used to restore the body to a resting state and adapt it to the exercise just performed. These restoration processes include: hormone balancing, replenishment of fuel stores, cellular repair, and anabolism (muscle growth).
During these restoration processes EPOC is accompanied by an elevated consumption of fuel. After strenuous exercise, fat stores are broken down and free fatty acids (FFA) are released into the blood for fuel to aid in recovery.
In short, with interval training being more strenuous in a shorter amount of time, you may burn fewer calories during the workout but you will burn more fat AFTER the workout when the body is recovering. If you want more muscle, less body fat, and you don’t need to run marathons; then interval training is the way to go.
A Little Tension Goes a Long Way: Part II
In the first installment of the Tension Series we talked about applying appropriate tension to improve strength output and muscle coordination. By keeping ones body tight and engaged when doing any exercise one can achieve a significant increase in power almost immediately. In this second part, I will explain a principle that became popular by strength coach Charles Poliquin; the concept of the Time-Under-Tension Principle and how it may relate to strength and muscle growth.
The Time-Under-Tension Principle (TUT) refers to the amount of time the muscles are actually working while moving weight for a given number of sets and repetitions. According to the TUT principle; when comparing 10 repetitions of 30% of your 1-repetition maximum (1RM) in the squat to 5 repetitions of 80% of your 1RM; the set with the 5 reps at 80% may take longer to complete because the load is higher therefore it moves much slower.
According to Poliquin, “Muscle is not going to grow when your time under tension is inordinately low. Typically, and depending largely on your muscle fiber ratio (some people have more fast-twitch fibers than slow or vice versa), your time under tension should be anywhere from 30 seconds to about 70. Any more or any less is counterproductive over the long run.” Contrary to popular training techniques that stress more reps with lighter weight, Poliquin emphasis that muscle growth is stimulated when doing heavier weight with fewer reps if the time it takes you to complete the reps is longer. Meaning, the longer your muscles are under maximum tension the more muscle you can build.
In the training world, the TUT principle comes with mixed reviews. The jury is still out as to its overall effectiveness and its benefits for muscle growth and or athletic performance. I find that this principle works well with beginning lifters who are learning technique with lighter weight. Many beginning lifters will lower the weight too quickly and not learn how to load their muscles properly and execute lifts with proper mechanics. The TUT principle gives them a parameter to stay within while they are lifting so the weight moves smoothly and technique is not rushed. As the trainee gains more experience they can begin to experiment with different lifting speeds using different loads depending on what their training goals are.
If your goal is to get bigger, faster, you should definitely try this technique. I use to implement the TUT principle in my training methods when my primary goal was to gain muscle mass. I still use it from time to time when I’m learning a new movement or exercise. Stay Strong and let me know what you think.
A Little Tension Goes a Long Way: Part I
My gym has somewhat of an “open-door policy;” I encourage trainees to bring people to train with us for a day. Some call this policy cruel because they usually leave feeling muscles they didn’t know existed. I get excited when people come in to try our training methods because I get to do the two things I enjoy most; learn and teach. Inflicting pain is just a pleasurable bonus to the experience.
No matter who strolls in through the door, I initially see it as an opportunity to learn. Who is this person? How do they train? How is their technique? What are their goals? What do they share with other trainees I have seen? How are their training methods different? After I have done my brief survey through casual conversations and some light training observations; I begin to think, “Is there anything I can do to help this person get more out of their training and achieve their goals in a more efficient way?”
I recently had an opportunity to do this with Stephen, a great guy with a passion for training. He came down for one of our Friday sessions which is generally a free-for-all structure consisting of circuits, strongman type training and odd object lifting.
I talked to him about his current training routine, reasons for training and his goals. Like many males I have talked to over the years, he was lifting to increase his strength and to create a desirable physique. His current plan consisted of doing a mix of free weights and machines while following guidelines others have told him and what he had read in popular magazines. I concluded that his overall strength training execution could use a little work in order for him to reach his goals.
Before I started to chime in about what I think he should do, I wanted to do two things;
- Watch how he lifted
- See if he even wanted my help
I had my assumptions that his current leg work would most likely render his hips useless and unable to produce power for full body movements, and my assumption was correct. He was able to flip the tire but had trouble getting it started which showed signs of not being able to fire the hip muscles properly. In technical terms, Stephen’s technique produced a low rate of force development. The inability to get the 70lb keg overhead showed me his lack of muscular coordination as well as the absences of some technical lifting skills.
This is Stephen performing tire flips
We know that there are several factors for strength, some of which include:
- Muscle Size – Stephen has plenty
- Muscle Activation – He has some but not enough
- Muscle Coordination – Again, he has some but not enough
Both of his problems, most likely, stem from frequent use of machine exercises because they don’t allow him to stimulate the nervous system sufficiently for proper muscle activation and rate of force development. The machine’s fixed movement patterns and isolating nature do not allow maximal coordination the muscles need to complete full body lifts.
I could tell he was frustrated and eager to solve the problem so instead of overwhelming him with a ton of information and program design I decided to teach him only one principle to apply to two specific exercises.
The principle is simple; you have to create Tension. By simply activating, squeezing, tensing, firing (whatever you want to call it) every muscle, you can help your performance during any lift. I then showed him how to apply the tension principle towards two exercises I wanted him to add into his routine; the deadlift and military press. He learned how to tighten up his back and arms and drive with his hips. Stephen’s deadlift became much stronger, especially at the beginning of the movement after using these techniques. By tensing his abdominals, lats and glutes he was able to press weight overhead much easier.
I had the chance to catch up with Stephen and get answers to a few questions to see if his new way of training has helped him progress in his strength training; here is what he had to say:
Rise Above: How were you lifting before?
Stephen: I was too concerned about gaining mass by isolating the muscle I was working on and not using any others with the use of machines.
RA: Why were you doing it that way? (i.e. a friend told you, own instinct, an article…)
St: I just picked the machines that worked the muscles I wanted and I watched others at the gym and tried to copy the ones I thought would be beneficial. I noticed I wasn’t progressing as rapidly as I had before which made me think about my technique and wondered if I was doing it correctly.
RA: How did the training session we had change your mind?
St: I realized for the first time that I should use my legs and engage my entire body when doing any exercise. By knowing this I could probably press the keg but couldn’t because I didn’t have enough leg strength to help me get it over my head; it was an real eye opener. Plus, not being able to flip the tire [effectively] etc…
RA: When you tried this new tension technique did you feel different, did it take time to learn, did you notice immediate results?
St: I noticed immediate results. I’ve applied this technique to all my exercises and I definitely have more power. I never realized how much power comes from your legs. I’m now more focused on form and keeping my body tight and my legs grounded and engaged. I have applied this technique to other exercises as well and especially noticed big improvements in my ability to bench, overhead press and deadlift.
In the next part of this post I will go into greater explanation of tension and how to apply it successfully towards other strength training exercises.
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