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WHAT WE'RE READING
The Body By Science Question and Answer Book
By Doug McGuff, M.D. and John Little
Reviewed by Denise Morton, CWSS Partner Dr. Doug McGuff, an ER physician and owner of a High-Intensity Training (HIT) facility, along with his co-author, gives us a wealth of science-based answers to any question you might have about health, fitness and strength.
Dr. McGuff is highly regarded in the HIT community for his authoritative experience in supervising over 150.000 workouts combined with his medical knowledge. It is packed with seven sections--Health and Fitness, Bodybuilding, Special Needs, Training, Nutrition, Athletics and Safety. Particularly interesting is how the book explains why and how high-intensity strength training is the best way to rehabilitate the most common injuries--from rotator cuff issues and knee replacements to lower back pain and arthritis. The authors give us the "truth" from VO2 Max testing and real cardiovascular health as well as the realities of nutrition and the "insulin problem."
This second book is designed as a companion volume to their first book, Body by Science. The follow-up Q and A format makes it easy to target specific areas of interest and consequently serves as a reference kind of handbook for High Intensity Training.
Look for a copy in the CWSS Reception area or you can order on Amazon.com. For more information visit www.bodybyscience.net
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CWSS MANGO SALSA
Mangoes are in season RIGHT NOW!
Ingredients
*1 bell peppers, seeded and chopped into 1/4-inch squares
*1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
*1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced, using as much as you can handle
*3 just-ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch square chunks
*1/4 bunch cilantro, washed, dried, de-stemmed, and chopped
*Juice of 1 lime
*Salt to taste
1. Mix everything together in a medium-large bowl and season to taste with salt
2. Add more lime juice if needed
You can also add peeled and chopped cucumber to the mix.
Recipes submitted by CWSS Fern Bogot. Fern Bogot is a Chicago-based Health Counselor and Para-professional chef. |
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THE NEED FOR INTENSITY
By Keith Morton
CWSS Partner
To review, the four components of productive exercise are:
BRIEF
INTENSE
INFREQUENT
SAFE
The most difficult and the most needed for success is intensity. So interesting how polar opposite that statement is from conventional wisdom. Aren't we told to "just move"? Don't we see lots of pictures of women working with 2.5 lb dumbbells? Is there anything LESS intense than walking, which everyone says is good exercise? Rarely do we ever meet a walker or an advocate of light weights that is actually in good shape. They go through the motions but rarely accomplish much.
In order for exercise to be useful, it must force the muscles to have a reaction from the stimulus. The process needs to create "good damage" so the muscles can heal and come back stronger. Therefore the muscles must be worked harder than they are "used" to. This is accomplished by increasing the load or doing more reps. Doing many sets isn't as productive as taking one set to a very high level.
How high is high? To what we call failure. "Success through failure". We have to train ourselves to get that last drop out. When I'm training, I always ask myself "Can I move it another inch? A quarter of an inch?" Then we perform a static hold for 10 seconds. (our static strength is stronger than our positive)
As Drew Baye says "Beginners unaccustomed to training at a very high level of intensity often mistake a moderate level of fatigue for muscle failure". They're just not used to the discomfort. Invariably they have more left but never really worked hard. They're used to doing 10 reps and putting the weight down. The good news is there is a path to the promised land. It's simply practice with a qualified trainer. Each session, confidence will increase. The trainee gets competitive with themselves.
In closing, one of the most gratifying experiences of being involved at CityWide is starting a new client as an intro. Seeing how intimidated they are in the beginning. Seeing them stop early. Then a month later, observing how hard they work. How good they feel. They get it!!
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BEAT CHICAGO'S HOT SUMMER BY STAYING HYDRATED
By Denise Morton
CWSS Partner
Our hot summer days mean paying attention to your water intake to stay hydrated as the body often sweats to keep itself cool in these hot temperatures. Once you experience thirst, you are already dehydrated.
How much water do you need?
It's likely more than you currently think.
General water recommendations have been a topic of controversy. The actual research determining water needs does not appear to exist and different respected nutrition organizations differ on hydration needs. General recommendations, however, under average environmental conditions suggest 60 to 90 ounces of water (that's 8-10 glasses) per day if you are burning 2000 calories a day. With the summer heat, those guidelines should be slightly increased.
Water: Did You Know?
-Water naturally suppresses the appetite and helps the body metabolize stored fat. If you think you might feel hungry, first try drinking a 6 ounce glass of water.
-Low sodium levels are associated with dehydration. If you become dehydrated, along with increasing your water, drink V8 juice to restore sodium. Coconut water (found at Trader Joes and Whole Foods) is a great choice to replenish electrolytes without the sugar found in Gatorade.
-Leg cramps are generally a result of dehydration. Headaches sometimes are caused by a lack of enough water.
-When the body doesn't get enough water, the colon is a primary source of siphoning the water from the body's internal sources and results in constipation. Water can relieve constipation.
-Water constitutes 55 to 60 percent of an adult's body weight. When you lose 5 pounds, did you lose "fluid" (or water) or did you keep your water intake at the recommended level and lose actual fat (if you are strength training, fat will be lost before muscle).
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