haiku

dressed in BBQ

nestled inside a steak roll

your time is fleeting

Pull Your Weight

There is something to be said about mastering the pull-up and chin-up. It is incredibly empowering to be able to pull one's bodyweight.  In the event of a possible inevitable zombie apocalypse, those who can leap over walls and pull themselves onto rooftops will have an obvious advantage.  Even if you don't believe in zombies, I hope that by the end of this blog you will be inspired to incorporate these often underrated (and frequently avoided) exercises into your workouts. 

Back in 2008 I read an article in Men's Health magazine declaring that if a man cannot perform a set of 8 pull-ups followed by a set of 8 chest dips, he has no business attempting any other upper-body exercises. While I appreciate its sentiment, I do not agree with the smug delivery.  Pull-ups are not for everyone and I do not discount anyone who favors other types of exercises.  As a martial arts practitioner, I find that pull-ups and chin-ups are ideal for upper-body conditioning.  To maximize the contractions and range of motion, I perform these exercises from a dead hang and explode into the contraction, retracting my shoulders and bringing my chest to the bar as fast as I can.  I then spend about 2-3 seconds focusing on the negative resistance as I return to the dead hang. 

Performed with a pronated (overhand) grip at slightly wider than shoulder-width, pull-ups primarily target the fan-shaped latissimus dorsi muscle or "lats". These are great for developing a wider back which also creates the illusion of having a slimmer waist. The rhomboids, middle trapezius, teres major, and teres minor are among the synergists that assist in the pulling motion. The wider your grip, the more you isolate the latissimus dorsi. However, doing so also limits the range of motion and places additional strain on the rotator muscles. Those with trouble rotator cuffs may find a wider grip to be painful, so experiment with grip width to find your "sweet spot".

Chin-ups or "chinning" is done with a supinated (underhand) grip that is slightly wider than shoulder-width. It integrates and recruits more muscle groups than the pull-up, making the exercises slightly easier to perform.  The chin-up also targets the latissimus dorsi, but unlike the pull-up, there is considerably more recruitment of the rhomboids, teres major, levator scapulae, middle trapezius, and lower trapezius. Virtually every muscle in your upper back is engaged during a chin-up and developing these muscles will result in a thicker back and neck. The chin-up is also a great bicep exercise since it targets both the bicep brachii and brachialis. 

To varying degrees both exercises will improve grip strength and forearm musculature, as well as develop the back, shoulders, and biceps. However, I was surprised to learn that that they are also amazing core exercises. This realization inspired me to develop my I.C. Abs Program.  I have stated in a previous blog that a basic primary function of the core muscles is protecting the spine by stabilizing the midsection. During a pull-up or chin-up, there is a natural tendency for the legs to swing and the midsection to curl or bend at various angles, making it more difficult to complete the movement. The body will intuitively attempt to correct for these extraneous movements through tightening of the core muscles. This method of tightening is also referred to as an isometric contraction because the muscles are in a static position. A more comprehensive instructional blog on isometric core exercises is in the works that will include my workout routines. In the meantime, Menshealth.com has featured some great isometric core exercises that can be performed with a basic weight plate.

Exercise Buffet

It seems to me that many people would exercise more if they had the motivation. The first thing a person should consider before starting an exercise program is identifying the purpose. Why do you want to exercise in the first place? Through this, what do you hope to achieve? More importantly, are your goals reasonable? Know your abilities as well as your limitations. Set a few goals that can be incrementally measured and document your progress. In addition to what you can see in the mirror, be mindful also of your increased energy levels throughout the day, more restful sleep, and improved confidence.

Once these fundamental components are figured out, it is time to design a workout plan. In planning, consider budget and availability. Is there access to a gym? How much time will be set aside each week? Consider the current fitness level and any pertinent physical or health conditions. It is advisable to check with a physician first if there are doubts. To monitor and evaluate progress, I find it helpful to keep a fitness journal to record my goals and track my improvements.  Notably, a successful fitness plan is personal, flexible, enjoyable and fun.

Personally, I do not enjoy the traditional abdominal exercises.  I eschew crunches, sit-ups, v-ups (basically, any exercise that ends in "ups"). I refuse to do anything that involves that padded "high chair" looking contraption. These have long been considered the standard repertoire for developing abdominal muscles, but I find them inefficient and incredibly boring. Instead, I view exercising as going to a buffet. Besides being things I both love, both activities offer a great deal of variety. I can pick and choose the things I want and pass on things I don't. The concept of individual choice is a powerful tool in strengthening one's intrinsic motivation and is vital for success.

I resolved my dilemma by researching compound exercises that target the core muscles in tandem with other muscles. Compound exercises resemble real-life situations more than isolation exercises, resulting in a more balanced and lean, athletic look. I wholeheartedly endorse compound exercises and they make up roughly 90% of my workouts. An added benefit of compound abdominal exercises is that I am developing my washboard abs with very little perceived effort. 

28 Days Later

It has been 28 days since I stepped back into the gym.  My focus has been increasing overall muscular strength with special attention on core strength.  I have also been keeping my heart rate within my target zone to build muscular endurance, stamina, and to maximize fat-burning. 

I do not enjoy performing sit-ups or crunches and I choose not to do either in my workouts.  I have no use for doing 100 sit-ups or 200 crunches.  The majority of my core-targeting exercises are isometric.  I mix it up with dynamic excerises such as axe chops that still require a stable core.  The main functions of our core muscles are to stabilize our midsection and protect our spinal column.  It is logical to perform exercises that reflect these muscle functions.

The images of my relaxed (top) and isometrically contracted torso muscles were taken 28 days after I started my training.  These photos officially mark the beginning of my "I.C. Abs project" (Isometric, Crunch-free Abs).  It's pronounced "I see abs".  Get it?  Pretty clever, right?

Eat Yourself Thin

I enjoy food and as such, I do not deny myself of the joys of eating.  I do not count calories or carbs but I am mindful of what I eat and when I eat it.  I will still eat the occasional donut.  Our bodies are most sensitive to insulin in the morning which is why breakfast should be our biggest meal of the day.  Because our cortisol levels are highest around this time, skipping breakfast actually promotes weight gain.

Starchy carbs like breads, rice, and potatoes should be consumed earlier in the day.  After 6:00pm switch to more "watery" carbs such as squash, broccolli, and dark leafy greens.  I also make sure my meals have enough protein to balance out the carbs.  Generally my meals are comprised of about 50% protein, 40% carbs, and 10% fats.  Proteins take longer to digest which is why protein-dense foods keep us satiated longer than carbs do.  Proteins are more difficult to digest, stimulating our metabolisms to work harder which results in more calories burned. 

Another tip is to listen to our bodies.  Whenever I am hungry, I eat.  Eating five to six smaller meals a day prevents me from wanting to indulge in two or three giant meals.  I have trained my metabolism to use what I eat as immediate fuel.  My body knows that in about two hours, it's going to have more food.  If we force our bodies to go hungry, when we finally do eat, we tend to over eat.  This behavior conditions us to store more fat since our bodies don't know when the next meal is coming.  This is why conventional diets don't work.  Food should not be viewed as a source of punishment.  It is meant to be tasted and enjoyed - responsibly.

Choose to be Healthy

The basic rule to losing weight is expending more calories than is consumed. Creating a caloric deficit forces the body to start burning fat for fuel. Are you with me so far? Through virtue of this concept, the "secret" to losing weight appears simply to eat less and exercise more. Sounds easy, right? Many of us already know this.  Yet currently the number one health concern among children in America is obesity; second place goes to cancer with drug abuse rounding out the top three.

A 2005 survey by market research firm NPD Group shows that 62% of adults and 34% of children in America are either overweight or obese. Why are so many of us overweight? Who do we blame? Society? The media? Our parents? The answer is all of the above. We blame society for the deficiencies in our social health policies. We blame the media for conditioning us to reward ourselves and our children with food. We blame the parents for not teaching us to make healthier choices. We blame others instead of holding ourselves accountable for our own decisions.

Before we can make changes to improve our lives, we need to transform our perception of choice. Embracing a healthier lifestyle begins by embracing the fact that we all choose how we treat our bodies. We may not always want to accept the consequences of our options, but there is always a choice. Think of all the excuses we have used for not exercising. How often has the culprit been work, school, or the kids? The excuse is usually I don't have time instead of the truth which is I won't make time. Again, it boils down to choice. We convince ourselves that we do not have time to exercise. If we want to exercise, it is our responsibility to make time for it in our schedules. Acknowledging that we are the directors of our own lives empowers us and effectively inspires us to generate positive changes.

On the Right "Trac"

Holy freakin' crap. I just had my first workout using the HumanSport strength training machines by Star Trac. How can I describe how this system works? It feels like I'm using dumbbells/kettlebells but with the negative-resistance benefits associated with typical weight machines. The weights are pulled or pushed via non-linear, multi-lateral "tracks" which reminded me of training with gymnastic rings or resistance bands. Because of each machine's versatility, I was able to quickly maneuver from exercises to exercise and completed my once 90-minute workout in about half the time. My muscles still feel pumped nearly three hours post-workout! A more in-depth review is in the works. Can't wait? You can learn more on their website.