Tag Archives: METABOLIC TRAINING

5 FINAL TIPS FOR RACE DAY

Final Marathon Race Tips

From Robert Forster PT

EXTREME HEAT FORECASTED FOR SUNDAY

This year’s marathon is going to be hot and dry, which could be a recipe for disaster if you are not prepared. Overheating is not only a performance killer, but also a serious threat to your health. Even more than cold and windy conditions – which you can dress for – the forecasted high temperatures Sunday (predicted temperatures are now at almost 80 degrees!) are a very serious factor for your enjoyment and survival. Please take measures to mitigate the dangerous stress caused by overheating.

Train in the Heat:

To increase your ability to deal with the heat Sunday, you should do your last few short workouts at mid-day. If that is not possible, wear light-weight long-sleeved clothing and leg coverings if you train early or late in the day, to get your body to accommodate exercising in the heat by increasing the amount of water in your circulatory system. Be sure to hydrate well before and after your workouts.

The reality of athletic competition is that you train for your best performance in the best of conditions, but you also have to prepare for the worst.

Dress For The Occasion-

For Sunday, dress in light and airy clothes made of synthetic materials that cover as much skin as possible and allow air to pass over your skin and wick the sweat away to evaporate and cool your body. It will be chilly at the race start, but do not wear too many layers. There is evidence that pre-cooling your muscles before exercise helps prevent overheating and preserves your body fluids, so do not wear much more than what you will wear during the race.

Start Drinking More NOW!

Begin today drinking more water and begin salting your food liberally at every meal from now to the race. Over the next few days, you can build up your plasma volume so you have more fluids to lose to sweat and still maintain your pace on Sunday. Build up to drinking 100 oz of water and other fluids per day WITH salt or a light electrolyte mix in the water. DRINKING LARGE AMOUNTS OF PLAIN WATER WITH NO ELECTROLYTES CAN CAUSE DEATH.

First Signs of Cramping-

At the first sign of cramping slow down, cool off, drink 20 oz of fluid and take your electrolyte supplement with salty foods if possible. Stretch and massage the muscle spasm gently, douse yourself with water, and lay down in the shade and rest for ten minutes before starting slowly again.

Start Slow-

The best strategy to improve both your enjoyment and your finishing time in the marathon is to start slow and get your metabolism into a fat burning groove. Your body cannot do it on carbs alone.

The reason the marathon continues to be a challenge for men and women today, 4,000 years after Pheidippides first ran from Marathon to Athens, is that the energy required for the average human body self ambulated 26.2 miles, is just beyond what the average human body holds in stored carbohydrate fuel.

Each year we see on the course where carbohydrates stores become depleted. Right around 18-20 miles too many marathoners “hit the wall” as their progress slows from fatigue and muscle cramping. Armed with this knowledge, all science based marathon training programs work to increase your ability to burn body fat for energy while you run. It is all about the pace. To avoid hitting the wall and losing lots of time in the last 6-8 miles you need train slowly and teach your body to burn fat. On race day, you need to start slow and find the fat burning groove. Your body will love it and you will love the time on the clock when you cross the finish line!

If you need personalized nutrition and hydration guidance before your event, give us a call to schedule your FREE Nutrition and Hydration Consultation at 310-582-8212 or email me directly us info@phase-iv.net.

Improve Cycling Performance Through Base Training

By Robert Forster, P.T., PHASE IV Founder & CEO

With summer right around the corner, making sure you’ve put in the work to build an aerobic base is more important now than ever. A lot is happening beneath the skin and improvements are not readily apparent by outward appearance. In fact, the low-intensity “Base Training” is where your most significant fitness growth will come. Impatient athletes may want to rush the early season preparation and get to the “hard stuff” too soon. Developing fitness is a recipe where adding the intensity ingredient too early will ruin the final product. In fact, to the extent you develop Base Fitness will dictate the extent of your peak fitness later. Like a pyramid-shaped building where the foundation needs to be broader than the upper floors, the Base fitness you develop early on must be broader than the ensuing layers of fitness you apply. For these reasons it’s important for the cyclist to intellectually understand the science happening under the skin.

Most cyclists have by now been exposed to some elements of Periodization Training ideology and have incorporated these principles into their training. The Eastern European concept of breaking the training year into cycles or phases is not as foreign as it once was and cyclists now realize it’s the most effective way to train. Furthermore, most understand the importance of a preparatory phase to precede the harder work that follows. However, confusion still exists as to what needs to be accomplished in the Base Training phase of their yearly program.

Developed by Soviet Era Sports Scientists during the Cold War, Periodization Training was developed in an attempt to dominate the world of sport. Specifically designed to avoid the performance plateaus and mental burnout in communist athletes; Periodization Principles were the result of controlled research techniques. In research, controlling variables is paramount and behind the Iron Curtain the Soviets were able to do so with impunity. Each country began, of course, with ethnically homogenous groups (Russians, Bulgarians, Germans, etc.) they then “centralized” their promising young athletes to isolated training facilities.

Ability to control diet, sleep, and environment while ignoring research edicts regarding things like consent, they manipulated exercise stimulus in search of the most effective training program design. The results may have been ethically corrupt; but proved to be scientifically sound. What emerged is a model of human adaptation that provides predictable outcomes when exercise is orchestrated in a scientifically rational sequence.

“FIRST THINGS FIRST”

Research from around the world has confirmed that development of substantial physiological infrastructure must precede the hard work of the competitive phase.

Without the necessary infrastructure developed through Base Training, the hard work to prepare for competition will not be as effective; and in fact may not be tolerated at all, and instead lead to injury or illness. Signs of inadequate Base Training include inconsistent performances throughout training and the competitive season, failure to achieve optimal competition body weight (fat loss or muscle gain), frequent illness or injury, chronic fatigue, and poor attitude and focus. In 35 years of designing programs I have found that athletes who wish to perform well consistently, avoid injury, and reach their greatest potential, must be scientific in their approach to Base Training.

To achieve this there are two distinct areas of preparation to be considered: Metabolic Fitness and Structural Integrity. Metabolic fitness translates to optimal cellular physiology in all the applicable systems of internal bodily functions: cardiovascular system, pulmonary system (lungs), nervous system, endocrine system (hormonal system), and the energy production systems in the muscles themselves.

Structural integrity speaks to the resiliency of the mechanical structures of the body. This includes muscles, tendons, fascia, ligaments, and bone. This aspect of Base Training is the least understood and most underdeveloped in recreational and competitive age group athletes. Too often an athlete in pursuit of optimal cellular fitness is sabotaged by insufficient structural preparation. As you ramp up the intensity of training, you will need a strong foundation of physiological and physical infrastructure.

METABOLIC FITNESS

The main limiting factors of metabolic fitness prove to be the circulatory system and energy production within the muscle cells themselves. (Improved heart and lung function and neurological adaptation to exercise occur more readily). Low-intensity workouts promote better vascularization of the muscles. By working the muscle at low-intensity (aerobic range) the blood vessels open as demand for oxygen increases. This stimulates a profusion or growth of the smallest blood vessels (called capillaries) into the working muscles. This “capillarization” is the vascular infrastructure that will be necessary later, when the increased work demands of interval training stress the working muscles, requiring a more efficient energy system to deliver oxygen and nutrients, as well as remove carbon dioxide and waste products. This process of vascular growth takes 8-12 weeks and requires that exercise intensity remains low.

The second metabolic adaptation necessary in Base Training is an increase of the muscle cells aerobic energy production factories called mitochondria.

These small powerhouse structures use fats and oxygen to make energy while not producing fatigue causing lactic acid and waste. Again, the stimulus for growth is low-intensity exercise of increasing duration. The body will meet the demand for aerobic energy production by increasing the number of mitochondria in each muscle cell. However, any intense exercise will cause the body to meet these demands through anaerobic energy production, and thwart your pursuit of aerobic efficiency.

Here lies the secret to vast improvements in performance. The aerobic machine can and should be developed to a much higher degree than most athletes are aware. Conversely, the improvements in anaerobic energy production are more limited. The challenges for athletes and coaches are determining the proper intensity of training to develop the aerobic energy system and secondly to determine when it is adequately developed.

Intensity training measures where lactate levels increase in the blood and therefore when energy production is primarily aerobic, and at what level of exertion a more significant contribution from anaerobic energy machines occurs.

Determining this LACTATE THRESHOLD is paramount in determining the proper intensity of work in the Base Training phase.

PHASE IV proprietary technology gives accurate, reproducible data that is reliable in determining the heart rate zones which you need to train to enhance your aerobic energy production capabilities. Once developed to the proper extent you will train better, have an easier time recovering and perform consistently throughout the year.

Aerobic training will develop your ability to produce more power (speed) while burning fats, which are in abundant supply, and thus sparing the limited stores of carbohydrates in your body. Higher intensity exercise (anaerobic) begins to burn precious carbohydrate and after they are gone (BONK!!) your day is over! In addition, relying on more of your power from the anaerobic energy systems results in fatigue producing lactic acid production.

These aerobic system adaptations require extended periods of low intensity exercise and can be seriously sidetracked with even an occasional bout of higher intensity work.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

What happens under the skin is crucial to athletic success. During Base Training the well-conditioned cyclist must develop physical and mechanical infrastructure to withstand the arduous task of hill work and interval training that comes later in the Periodization training phases. The forces developed in these harder workouts put great demands on joints, bones, tendons and fascia. Base training must address two primary areas of structural development: Biomechanical Efficiency and Musculoskeletal Resiliency.

Cycling requires a high degree of mechanical efficiency in terms of sound technique and form. Optimal technique affords the well-trained cyclist two advantages. First, proper technique provides the greatest economy in energy expenditure possible, i.e., movement that produces the greatest power for the lowest cost in energy. Secondly, proper technique avoids excessive stress on tendons, fascia, joints and bones.

Conversely, faulty technique wastes precious energy and overtax the mechanical parts of your body. Specifically, poor technique leads to early fatigue and further breakdown in the technique, which results in poor performance and puts stress on bodily structures resulting in injury. Developing proper technique in Base Training involves a sound flexibility program, weight training, and drills.

FLEXIBILITY TRAINING

Flexibility is defined as the range of motion of bones around a joint. Bones must have the freedom of movement to be positioned just right in the sequence of sport motion we call “proper technique”. Without adequate flexibility the muscles work overtime in an attempt to attain the best position of the bones. The muscles have to work harder as they fight the limiting effects of inflexibility. This exacts a cost on energy demands which accumulates during a race, and as a result fatigue sets in and performance suffers. Regular stretching will improve flexibility and promote efficiency while avoiding injury. (In addition, stretching promotes recovery).

A well-designed flexibility program addresses each of the major muscle groups in positions that promote relaxation of the muscles and associated structures and allows for ease of breathing. The target of your stretching program is the connective tissue elements of the muscular system not the fibers themselves. The red-blood rich muscle fibers are elastic and will stretch without much resistance. Surrounding each muscle fiber and wrapping the muscles into bundles is the white connective tissue, which inhibits range of motion. Additionally, connective tissue is the material of tendons, (which attach muscles to bones), and comprises ligaments, (which attach bones to bones at the joint).

Connective tissue is not immediately elastic and requires the application of slow sustained stretching to lengthen. Permanent lengthening of these structures equates to good flexibility and you are therefore one step closer to good technique. (See sidebar for stretching guidelines.) In bicycling, flexibility in the muscles of the pelvis and spine allow for the correct biomechanical position on the bike. Without this, the hips rock back and forth with each pedal stroke and you are unable to bend forward easily into the aerodynamic position.

STRENGTH TRAINING WEIGHTS AND PERFORMANCE

Done properly, strength training for the endurance athlete is in many ways the quickest way to achieve the structural goals of the Base Training Phase of cycling training: Joint Stability and Musculoskeletal Resiliency. Using light weights and FTS resistance band exercises will isolate the small muscles around each joint; and will not only help prevent injury, but will directly improve performance throughout the season. If you were to do nothing more than the low-intensity strength work of early season training, the payoff in developing musculoskeletal resiliency and biomechanical efficiency will benefit you all year.

JOINT STABILITY

Joint stability describes the blend of proper flexibility and adequate strength necessary to maintain optimal joint alignment throughout a movement. When aligned properly at the joint bones work as levers to multiply the force of muscle contraction, whereas misalignment of joints wastes tremendous amounts of energy and causes trauma and injury.

MUSCULOSKELETAL RESILIENCY

The tendons respond to the stress of the weight training by increasing in size and strength. This adaptation is not obvious on the outside, but is part of what’s happening below the surface that is so important. Likewise, the bones will become stronger through weight training as the muscle tug and stress the bones at the attachment of the tendon. Again this adaptation is critical to avoid injury later.

The Base Training weight program called the “Anatomical Adaptation Phase” must strengthen all of the often-neglected little muscles that surround joints. Typical cycling training creates imbalances in these small stabilizing muscles throughout the training year. Base Training is where these imbalances must be corrected to avoid injury and optimize mechanics. Since these are small muscles the weights must be kept light. For example ankle, shoulder and hip exercises requires no more than 2-3 pounds weights to start. Using heavier weights will only cause the larger stronger muscles to substitute and “protect” the imbalance. Furthermore, light weights and high repetitions will stimulate strengthening of the tendons, fascia and bones while avoiding over training these structures. The result is a musculoskeletal system that is resilient to injury.

Weight training further enhances performance by training the nervous system to stimulate more efficient muscle contractions. Muscle fibers are called into action in recruitment patterns dictated by the nervous system. Weight training fast tracks improvements in this important aspect of sports performance by burning in these nerve-muscle connection patterns quicker than sport training does. In addition, efficient movement requires one muscle to relax while the opposing muscle contracts.

Energy is wasted if this contraction-relaxation sequence is not seamless and smooth. Weight training facilitates this coordination by creating strong nerve impulses to the muscle which creates more coordinated muscle function and thus facilitates good form. The caveats to early season weight training includes using weights that are too heavy, working muscles to fatigue, and not stretching before, during, and after weight training sessions (see strength sidebar for guidelines).

By exaggerating certain aspects of cycling, specific drills are designed to strengthen muscles, improve nerve recruitment patterns and condition the mechanical components of your body. These drills should be done at low-intensity levels to start and only once per week until you are sure they are being tolerated. Drills require good flexibility and therefore stretching before and after is important to avoid injury. Basically, drills convert fitness you gain in the gym into functional gains on the bike.

SIDEBARS:

Base Training: Flexibility and Stretching

Benefits:

Stretching improves flexibility and therefore allows for correct mechanics or technique
Stretching is crucial as part of your warm up to perform better and avoid injury
Stretching after workouts improves recovery by “wringing” waste products out of the muscles and returning them to their normal resting length

When:

Before and after every workout and competition

How:

Long sustained stretches 10-30 seconds in positions that relax the target muscle and allow for easy breathing
How Hard (intensity)
Follow the subsiding tension principle by moving slow into the stretch position and tuning into the tension you feel in the muscle. If tic increases as you hold the same position you have over stretched and you need to back off. If it decreases you may advance the stretch slightly

How Many:

Stretch all muscle groups 3 repetitions

How Long:

Before and after workouts a 10-20 second hold is good, on the evening stretch problem areas lightly for 60 seconds each

Base Training: Strength Work

Benefits:

Increase Musculoskeletal resiliency (injury prevention)
Improve muscle fiber recruitment patterns to improve efficiency of muscle contractions
Improve relaxation of opposing muscle groups (antagonists) to improve coordination (better form)
Balance muscle strength around a joint to improve joint stability

When:

Two to three workouts per week per body part

How:

Moderate controlled movements of body part while exhaling on the lifting portion of the exercise and inhaling on the lowering portion of the exercise
Stop briefly at the end of each movement up and down

How Hard (intensity)

Use only light weights that you can perform twenty repetitions each set while avoiding lifting to exhaustion

Gauging Workout Intensity: How Hard Should You Go?

By Shelby Stoner, PHASE IV Exercise Physiologist

How many times have you hit the track, gone to spin class, or hopped on a treadmill to do your routine workout, and by the 5^th minute your heart is beating out of your chest, you’re hyperventilating, or dripping in sweat? Too often we go out too eager, too hard, or too fast and burnout too soon. And the problem isn’t just the pace, your legs or your lungs- it’s your heart rate. What many people don’t realize is that your heart rate is actually a measure of your exercise intensity, i.e. the harder the workout is, the higher your heart rate will go. And as most of us know, what goes up must come down. The key to understanding your exercise heart rate / heart rate zones is to understand what system you’re working- the aerobic system, anaerobic system, or your lactate threshold.

This is why we implement VO2 testing at Phase IV, in order to determine the fat-burning zones and heart rates where your body is efficient in using fat for fuel as compared to carbohydrates. If you’re working with a heart rate monitor, it’s easy to see exactly what zone you’re working in throughout the workout. However, if you don’t have a heart rate monitor or assigned zones (yet!), there are other physical markers to assess exercise intensity such as the “talk test.”

For example, if you are able to speak in full sentences while exercising, you are most likely performing aerobic (with oxygen) work, and can also be considered as fat burning exercise. The purpose of working in the aerobic zone is to accustom your body to favor burning fats over carbohydrates and spare muscle glycogen. In addition, the benefits of burning fat include that it is a much more efficient fuel providing more energy than carbohydrates per gram, it is abundantly available, and it does not produce lactic acid. Most of your training should be in this aerobic zone.

If you can only get out a few words at a time, you’re most likely at your lactate threshold. The purpose of training at your threshold is to train your body to metabolize lactate, and allow you to work harder yet maintain lower lactic acid levels. Training within this zone will elevate your lactate levels slightly, and helps improve your lactate tolerance. As your body adapts you will start to produce less lactate because it will be using more fats than before, and your body will be more efficient at removing accumulated lactic acid. The benefit of this zone is that you will be able to work for longer periods. Over time, you will be training your body to move faster without a large buildup of lactic acid.

Finally, if you can barely get out one or two words, you’ve probably found yourself in the anaerobic or submaximal zone. Training at submaximal levels can be used as part of interval training, which focuses on improving power output and anaerobic endurance when a lot of energy is needed quickly, but will not last long.

The benefit from using tools such as heart rate training or utilizing the “talk test” during exercise is to measure exactly which of these zones you are working in. Your body can become very efficient at burning fat for energy so it can last a long time. Over time, and with the right type of training, the pace at which you can do this will improve, i.e. running faster at the same heart rate. However, if you consistently push yourself into zones like the lactate threshold and anaerobic zones, you won’t train the fat burning system of your body. By consistently training at high heart rates, your body will become tired and fatigued, which will actually cause your heart rate to be higher while at slower paces. Eventually, exercising at a heart rate that’s too high for the purpose of your training will lead to a plateau, burnout, or injury.

So you’re out for a long run or cycle, and you notice your heart rate rising (without coming back down), your breathing becomes heavier, and possibly feel dizzy, what do you do now? It’s imperative in situations like these that you not only listen to your heart rate, but other physical markers such as your breathing or focus. Although you may want to be competitive while training with friends or beating someone’s time on Strava, it’s important to remember that workouts are not meant to be won or lost. So if you find yourself in a situation where you feel yourself pushing too hard, take a moment to slow down for a minute or two, walk for a bit, or stop altogether and take a few moments to gather your composure and breath. While it may seem counterintuitive, working harder isn’t always better.

While using the “talk test” is a great tool to see if you’re training in the appropriate zones, the numbers used from VO2 testing don’t lie. Scientific VO2 testing allows us to get an inside look at your exercise metabolism, i.e. how well your body uses fat for fuel while measuring your current fitness level and aerobic capacity. From the results of the testing, we line out specific heart rate training zones that are tailored to you and your own physiology, making each workout more effective and efficient.

Looking for personalized exercise and training guidance?

At PHASE IV we create customized daily training plans that are designed to boost performance and optimize your metabolism. Call us to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation at our facility in Santa Monica. 310-582-8212

The Missing Link From Your Training Program

By Shelby Stoner, PHASE IV Exercise Physiologist

It seems like you’re doing all of the right things, you’re training 4+ days per week, incorporating a variety of workouts, working in your Long Slow Distance, eating well (at least to the best of your ability), yet progress has stalled and workouts have become stale. So what’s missing?….

Recovery. It’s a simple concept, yet often overlooked and not properly implemented into your routine. Sure, you drink protein shakes after your activities or foam roll every so often, but in reality that’s not enough.

Training for success is a balance; a balance between achieving optimal performance or reaching your goal weight while avoiding the negative consequences of overtraining and the staleness conundrum. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s hard to recognize when recovery is needed as us highly motivated individuals usually respond to a plateau or drop in performance with increases in our training load without fully recognizing the signs of overtraining and overreaching. Consequently, it’s actually telling us that the training related factor leading to negative states is a failure to include adequate recovery in the training regimen.

It is apparent that in any training program there is a need for formally structured recovery processes. It is especially important to select appropriate recovery methods that are matched against the training stimulus. That is, the harder the workout, the greater need for recovery efforts. While recovery efforts cover a wide variety of modalities and tactics, some of the most common include active recovery (i.e. low intensity workout), massage, foam rolling, ice, and most importantly sleep! Among these different approaches towards recovery, 4 main categories have been identified: Nutrition and hydration, sleep and rest, relaxation and emotional support, and stretching and active rest.

1. Nutrition and Hydration

HOW MUCH you eat and WHAT you eat are major factors in the recovery process. Digestion is not only regulated by what you eat, it is regulated by what is taken in and assimilated. A poor diet with an insufficient caloric and fluid intake will decrease the capacity to tolerate physiological stress, a.k.a exercise! That being said, hitting your daily caloric requirements is important with the quality of those calories being even more important. Rather than reaching for a bagel in the morning, opt for organic steel cut oats with fresh fruit or nut butter. Organic oats offer a much healthier and less processed form of carbohydrates especially on days where your exercise intensity is higher. Fresh fruits also provide a quick source of natural, simple carbohydrates that are easily digestible along with the healthy fats offered in nut butters.

In addition, fluid intake is a necessity for maintaining performance capacity, weight loss, and overall health. Aside from keeping you hydrated, adequate water intake helps flush out toxins that build up in the body especially after exercise. It is imperative to replenish water stores that are lost from sweat and environmental factors as insufficient fluid intake will inhibit performance by allowing less glycogen to be stored in the muscle (we want to keep these stores high!). For starters, try and consume at least 64-80oz of warm/room temperature water daily and even more on exercise days!

2. Sleep and Rest

The most frequently mentioned factor for enhancing recovery is the most obvious one, sleep! When you think about it, sleep is your body’s natural mode of recovery! Not only do we need recovery from exercise, we need recovery from daily lifestyle and activities as well. This is why sleep is so important for improving day to day function, performance, and promoting weight loss. Sleep gives you more than just rest; it recharges your “battery,” a.k.a nervous system and replenishes your energy stores. Naturally the deeper and better you sleep, the better you reload. Not to forget, your hormones are working while you’re sleeping. Good sleep helps bring down harmful cortisol levels that accumulate as a result of stress and exercise. In a stressed-out state, cortisol levels are high which can hurt performance and goals over a long period of time. It’s important to help these levels return to “baseline” as excess cortisol promotes fat storage and is a contributing factor to the overtraining syndrome.

One of the best ways to ensure you’re getting GOOD sleep each night is to create a ritual. Lie down, meditate, utilize positive self-talk, read a book, or talk to another human being (Or if you’re like me, your dogs); all of these things can be relaxing and help slow your heart rate preparing you for a good night’s sleep.

3. Relaxation and Emotional Support

Regeneration strategies such as relaxation therapy, counselling, and massage have increasingly gained popularity with athletes especially in Eastern Europe as ways to recover from daily life and exercise. Eliminating or at least minimizing common daily stressors whether the source is occupational, financial, social, etc. is another strategy commonly used by sport psychologists to promote mental and physical well-being.

Relaxation techniques such as massage, foam rolling and myofascial release are also important to incorporate as proactive recovery interventions. These specific techniques help target problematic areas and promote blood flow and oxygen to the muscle to enhance the recovery process.

4. Stretching and Active Rest / Recovery

Stretching has effects similar to that of massage as it increases blood flow through the muscle. Stretching should be incorporated into your daily routine to help promote good posture and flexibility, as well as before and after exercise in order to help prepare the body for activity and prevent injury. Stretching in the morning after you wake and before bed is also beneficial especially in areas that are tight or underdeveloped.

While sometimes it may seem like a great idea to lounge on the couch after a long or hard workout, it actually may be in your favor to get up and moving. This is what we refer to as active rest, or active recovery. Active recovery is defined as low intensity exercise with the purpose of getting blood flow to your muscles and helping them recover. So while watching Netflix or taking a nap seems like a great idea, doing something more active like taking a walk, an easy swim, or hopping on an elliptical may actually speed up the recovery process. How do you know how hard to go? Essentially, an active recovery workout should keep you below a 4 on a 1-10 rating of perceived effort scale (see scale below). An active recovery day should feel light and rejuvenating, and serve as a psychological break. In this way, exercise is used as a therapeutic tool. Ultimately, not EVERY recovery day should be an active one, but don’t discount them altogether. Make sure you have at least one FULL recovery day where yes, Netflix and napping is allowed, and incorporate active recovery in the rest of the week.

Take Home Message

Just as you may track your calories or monitor heart rate during exercise, it’s helpful to keep tabs on your recovery. Even asking yourself simple questions like “How do I feel today?” or “Am I sore—is my soreness symmetrical?” and “How well did I sleep?” can expose simple measures of fatigue.

Most importantly, pay attention to your body. Are your feet starting to get a little bit heavy? Are your feet hitting the ground harder? Is that knee acting up more frequently? Nobody knows your body like you do. If you’re overly tired, call it quits; better you get the rest you need than hurt yourself.

In order to help keep track of recovery and prevent harmful overtraining, try using the Total Quality Recovery (TQR) process or the Wellbeing Quiz below!

…

Total Quality Recovery (TQR) Assessment Process

Evaluate your last 24hr training period.
Determine your score for each category:
- Nutrition
- Sleep and Rest
- Relaxation and Emotional Support
- Stretching and Cool-down

Nutrition (10 points)
- Breakfast – 1 point
- Lunch – 2 points
- Dinner – 2 points
- Snacks between meals – 1 point
- (This assumes quality, healthy balanced meals)
- Adequate hydration
  - throughout the day – 2 points
  - during/post workouts – 2 points
- (Environmental factors will effect greatly how much is an adequate intake of fluids)

Sleep and Rest (4 points)
- Good night of quality sleep (7-8 hours) – 4 points
- (Quality of sleep is measured using individual perception)

Relaxation and Emotional Support (3 points)
- Full mental and muscular relaxation after training – 2 point
- Maintaining a relaxed state throughout the day, finding ways to reduce stress – 1 point
- Here the goal is to use a variety of relaxation techniques (breathing, massage, etc.).

Stretching and Cool Down (3 points)
- Proper cool down after each training period – 2 points
- Stretching all the exercised muscle groups – 1 point

Tally your points. A total of 20 points are available and a score of less than 13 points indicates that recovery from training is incomplete.

…

Wellbeing Quiz

Assess your state of training and recovery by visiting these statements each morning. See where you are excelling in the recovery process or where you may need some work.

Assess yourself each morning against the following six questions/statements:
1. I slept well last night
2. I am looking forward to today’s workout
3. I am optimistic about my future performance
4. I feel vigorous and energetic
5. My appetite is great
6. I have little muscle soreness

Rate each statement on the following scale:
1. 1 – Strongly disagree
2. 2 – Disagree
3. 3 – Neutral
4. 4 – Agree
5. 5 – Strongly agree

If your score is 20 or above then you have probably recovered enough to continue with the training program. If your score is below 20, you may want to consider rest or an easy workout (active recovery) until your score rises again.

8 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

By Tina Paymaster, PHASE IV Functional Nutrition & Health Specialist

The journey to losing weight – easy for some and a frustrating enigma to many others. If eating “right” and exercising were the magical solution to dropping pounds, the weight loss industry wouldn’t be the billion dollar giant it is.

Yet so many people are still approaching weight loss with outdated thinking.

If you feel like you’re doing everything right and still not losing weight, check out the 8 reasons why you may not be losing weight and get your metabolism back on track.

1. You’re not eating enough

Seems pretty simple – eat less calories and you should lose weight. However, if you eat too little, you can actually end up gaining weight! Every person has a TDEE or Total Daily Energy Expenditure, which measures how many calories your body burns on a daily basis. Your RMR, or Resting Metabolic Rate, defines how many calories you need to eat just to sustain your metabolism. Many people walk into our facility after years of calorie restriction and yo-yo dieting wondering why they can’t lose weight. When calorie consumption goes too low, the body turns down calorie burning to match it and maintain balance. This is how the body avoids unwanted weight loss and starvation. However, for many, the consequence (typically a result of yo-yo dieting and over training) is a slower metabolism and potential muscle loss as well. Severe calorie restriction and also cause hunger cravings to increase leading to binge eating and overeating. Some studies show that it can take 8-12 weeks or even more to just stabilize your metabolism again after prolonged dieting and under eating. If you feel like you’ve been eating less but not losing weight, it would be a good idea to have a Resting Metabolic Rate Test done to see how fast or slow your metabolism is and how much you need to eat to support it and still drop those pounds.

2. You’re eating the same every day

If you’re eating the same way on your cardio, weight training and rest days, this could be why you’re holding onto weight. Your body requires more calories to support more intense activities and proper recovery. Otherwise, just like mentioned above, it will hold onto fat and even break down muscle for the energy it needs. On days you go for long runs or rides you will need more overall calories. High intensity exercise will require more carbohydrates and weight training days will require more protein. Our personalized nutrition programs take into account your daily activities and give you guidance as to how to eat to support them for the best results.

3. You’re overtraining

You’re hitting two back to back soul cycle classes a day, then hiking 7 miles on the weekend, getting in one HIIT class and doing heavy weight lifting three times a week. Sounds like dedication, but there is such a thing as too much exercise. Your body uses two types of fuel: carbohydrates and fat. When you’re doing high intensity exercise, typically your body is only tapping into carbs for fuel, leaving fat to stay stored right where you left it. The solution here is training your body to use fat as its preferred source of fuel through Periodization Training.

In addition, overtraining and not taking enough recovery days will lead to higher cortisol levels, which can eventually leading to adrenal fatigue, high blood glucose levels, hormone imbalances, muscle loss, weight loss resistance and even weight gain. This is why at PHASE IV, all of our personalized metabolic and strength periodization training plans emphasize daily, weekly and monthly recovery. “Basically, the Periodization model builds the athlete up to optimal performance with a stair-step series of methodical, progressive challenges and recoveries that strength your body and keep brain and brawn fresh.” It is “a model of human adaptation that provides predictable outcomes when exercise is done in a scientifically rational sequence.” (Healthy Running Step by Step by Robert Forster P.T. and Roy M. Wallack)

4. You’re doing the same thing over and over again

It’s been six months since you started your new workout routine and while you saw great results in the first two months, the scale the past few months hasn’t budged. Did you know that every 6-8 weeks your body adapts to the activity you are doing? The human body reacts to the stress of exercise by increasing hormones such as testosterone, growth hormone and insulin. This helps the body adapt to stress and become stronger. However, after about 8 weeks, the stress response fades because the body becomes fully adapted to that one type of exercise. Continuing the same types of exercise can not only result in “hitting a plateau” because of stale workouts, but also in overtraining and injury. Periodization training keeps your hormonal system peaked throughout the year which will help you optimize your metabolism, become a “better butter burner”, maintain peak energy levels and improve overall performance.

5. You’re not sleeping

Sleep is essential to weight loss. At night, our cortisol levels are supposed to decrease, allowing us to settle into a good night’s rest. However, being constantly stimulated throughout the day and staying up late disrupts this natural biological process. As discussed earlier, when cortisol levels increase, blood glucose levels increase. Overtime, this can lead to insulin resistance, Type II Diabetes, increased fat storage, increased hunger and weight gain. Make sure to prioritize sleep getting at least 7-8 a night and also incorporating daily stress reduction practices such as meditation, breath work, spending time in nature and yoga, to support more balance cortisol levels

6. You’re not drinking enough water

Thirst can often disguise itself as hunger. Therefore, not drinking enough water throughout the day can make you reach for food more often, even though what your body really needs is more H2O. In addition, when your body isn’t supplied with enough water, the filtration rate of the kidneys decreases, causing an increase in water levels in the body, which can tip those numbers on the scale as well. Aside from balancing water levels in the body, the kidneys also help to flush out toxins and it needs adequate water supplies to do this. Water also promotes regular bowel movements, another way the body removes toxins. Increased toxic load in the body can lead to digestive issues, immune suppression and weight gain. Some studies have also shown that drinking water increases Total Daily Energy Expenditure by 24-30% within 10 minutes of drinking water and the effects can last up to 60 minutes.

7. You’re eating too much too late

After 6pm your digestion begins to slow down as the body prepares for relaxation and sleep. However, many people are still eating the bulk of their calories at dinner time and late into the night. Stressful schedules and impaired digestion can often cause irregular eating habits throughout the day and strong hunger later in the evening because the body is screaming for food. However, when digestion is weak, your body can’t absorb nutrients or eliminate toxins and waste as efficiently. This can lead to digestive issues, reduced immune function and inflammation in the body. In addition, many people are less active in the evening and therefore are not burning off the calories they are consuming which can lead to weight gain. It’s best to eat the bulk of your calories earlier in the day, making lunch the main meal of the day, when digestion is the strongest.

8. You’re still drinking your calories

Aside from sugar-laden sodas, iced teas and coffee drinks which are obvious weight gain culprits, the focus here is on alcohol – whether it’s a margarita or straight vodka on the rocks, regular alcohol consumption can be the one thing standing in your way from losing those unwanted pounds. The fact is, your body can’t store alcohol, so it needs to metabolize it immediately. When your body is doing that, it puts metabolizing fat on the back burner. So if you’re eating a clean diet, getting your ZZZ’s but still throwing back a few drinks a night, you may want to give your body a break from the booze for a bit and allow your metabolism to focus on the fat.

At PHASE IV we do a variety of metabolic testing and create personalized science-based nutrition and training programs that will help you lose weight in a safe and sustainable way.

Contact us today to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation with one of our staff members.

PERIODIZATION: THE SOLUTION FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE

PHASE IV Science Based Coaching

An Excerpt from Healthy Running Step by Step by Robert Forster PT & Roy Wallack

If you just want to stay active and don’t care about getting faster or losing large chunks of time to nagging injuries, keep doing your regular workouts But if you want to improve, get fitter, stop getting injured, and maybe score a personal record at a race, your run-of-the-mill haphazard training won’t cut it. To kick your running up several notches, you have to train in a way that is good for your body, building it up and speeding it up while limiting the potential for injuries.

To do that, you need a strategy that is almost bipolar, in that it combines increasingly hard efforts with rest days and rest weeks. Over the weeks and months, this hard-easy schedule is the paradigm that gives your body time to heal, recover, and build bigger, stronger, faster muscles and connective tissue.

Sequence is the key. The science shows that you have to properly sequence your training to develop one aspect of fitness at a time and then use that as a foundation to build the next. In fact, to be your fittest by the time the starting gun goes off, you must be incredibly patient. You will spend a long time building a broad base of aerobic infrastructure and musculoskeletal resiliency before adding on layers of higher-intensity work such as hill training and intervals as you approach race day. This strategy is virtually foolproof, used by the world’s best athletes in every sport, and it’ll work for you if you have the discipline to follow it.

It’s called Periodization.

Basically, the Periodization model builds the athlete up to optimal performance with a stair-step series of methodical, progressive challenges and recoveries that strengthen your body and keep brain and brawn fresh. It starts with a goal (such as a marathon or 10k) and plans a workout schedule leading up to it, breaking up your training time for your targeted event into five training cycles or phases, each with a specific fitness goal in mind.

To learn how you can incorporate Periodization science in your training, contact us for a complimentary consult with a member of our Exercise Physiology staff. 310-582-8212 or email info@phase-iv.net.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE KETOGENIC DIET

By Tina Paymaster, PHASE IV Functional Nutrition & Health Specialist

It’s likely that by now you’ve heard the term “ketogenic diet.” Many athletes, personal trainers and even doctors are praising it as the optimal diet for weight loss and overall health.

Some of the main benefits cited have been:

Increased memory and cognition
Improved focus
Reduced headaches/migraines
Reduced sugar cravings
Acne reduction
Reduction in cancer cells
Heart disease prevention
Lower blood pressure
Lower blood sugar and insulin levels
Lower triglyceride
Improved cholesterol profile
Reduced inflammation
Improved energy levels
Improved gastrointestinal health
Beneficial in treating neurological conditions such as epilepsy, Alzheimers, Parkinson’s and MS
Hormone balance in women with PCOS
Improved fertility
Improved vision

With this long list of benefits, it’s no wonder more and more people are going “keto.” However, with any diet, there can be benefits and consequences and that’s what we’re here to discuss today.

WHAT IS THE KETOGENIC DIET?

The ketogenic diet is a low carb, high fat diet that puts the body into a state of ketosis. When the body is starved of carbohydrates, blood sugar levels drop and the the liver metabolizes fat into molecules called ketones to be used as energy.

A typical ketogenic diet consist of 70-85% fat, 15-20% protein and only 5-10% carbohydrates.

Typically when you eat something high in carbohydrates, the body will break down that food into glucose and use it as its primary source of energy since it’s the easiest molecule for the body to convert to usable fuel. Then insulin is released to help process the glucose in the blood stream and deliver it to various areas of the body. Since glucose is so readily available, the body won’t metabolize fat for energy because it doesn’t need to. If there is to much glucose, the body will store it in the liver and muscles as glycogen and eventually store it as fat. However, when the body runs out of glucose and glycogen, that’s when ketosis happens.

Therefore, by literally starving your body of carbohydrates, you force your body to reach for fat as its main source of energy instead of glucose, which can stimulate weight loss and other health benefits as stated above.

THE HISTORY OF THE KETOGENIC DIET

As far back as 500BC, Hippocrates, a physician in Ancient Greece also known as “The Father of Modern Medicine,” was treating and curing epileptic patients through fasting, which essentially puts your body into a ketogenic state.

From about 1911-1921, various doctors conducted research on the effects of fasting on numerous medical conditions, specifically epilepsy. Many patients in these studies saw dramatic improvements in their conditions from extended periods of fasting.

In 1921, Drs. Stanley Cobb and W.F. Lennox discovered that it was a change in the body’s metabolism that improved the epileptic seizures. This occurred as a result of the body going into a state of ketosis from fasting or a very low carbohydrate diet. Soon thereafter, Dr. Russel Wilder developed the Ketogenic Diet as an alternative to fasting and demonstrated its efficacy in the treatment of epilepsy.

In 1970, Dr. Atkins popularized the low-carb diet fad as a means for weight loss, which began with a strict 2-week ketogenic phase.

THE RISE OF THE KETOGENIC DIET

Changing your metabolism and forcing your body into fat-burning mode is a huge reason why the ketogenic diet is seeing its popularity rise in the past few years. Because of the extreme conditions the body goes under, there are often quick results – which is what everyone wants these days. However, according to Lisa Cimperman, R.D.N., a clinical dietician at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, the weight loss is primarily water weight.

With the rise of metabolic conditions such as obesity and diabetes and the continued obsession with looking like celebrities and Instagram models, more and more people are becoming desperate for quick solutions.

DANGERS OF THE KETOGENIC DIET

As with most extreme diets, there are pros and cons to consider. It’s important to remember how the ketogenic diet developed in the first place – it was meant to mimic the benefits of fasting on serious medical conditions.

Putting the body into these fasted states was meant as a means to heal the body from serious health conditions, not for long-term use to sustain health for the every day person.

There are certainly benefits to reducing carbohydrates from processed foods and refined sugars and flours. However, long-term adherence to a severely low carb/high fat diet can have its negative consequences as well.

Several studies have linked prolonged ketosis to gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The liver produces bile which helps fat to be absorbed into the blood stream. However, if the liver is congested and not functioning optimally as a result of poor diet and lifestyle habits, eating too much fat can cause serious health issues because your liver will not be able to process it, leading to gastrointestinal complications.

Other potential conditions that have been cited as a result of long-term ketosis are kidney stones, muscle cramps/weakness, hypoglycemia, impaired mood/cognition, nutrient deficiencies, skeletal fractures, loss of muscle mass, reduced immune function, cardiomyopathy, heart arrhythmia and menstrual irregularities.

The Inuit people from Alaska, who eat a primarily high fat diet from animal fat, have actually developed a gene to offset the prolonged effects of ketosis, because the human body is aware that this is not a one-size-fits all solution and extreme conditions and cause extreme consequences.

SO NOW WHAT?

At PHASE IV, we’ve been training athletes and the general public in shifting their metabolism to choose fat as its main source of fuel for decades. There are obvious benefits to this beyond just weight loss as noted previously. Increased energy, athletic performance and cognitive health are just a few.

However, restriction, deprivation and pain do not have to be part of the equation and can often lead to serious health conditions and loss of willpower.

Another important point to remember is there is no one diet that is the best for everyone. Ever go on the same diet as your best friend only to watch them shed weight and the scale not budge and inch for you? Every person’s physiology is unique. Using metabolic testing such as the RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) test and VO2 test can help determine your body’s unique needs.

The truth is, the body needs carbohydrates for basic every day functioning, just as it needs fats (that’s why the low-fat/non-fat craze of the 1980s didn’t work out so well.) The optimal way to train your body to burn fat is to do it in a safe progression, or what is called Periodization Training.

At PHASE IV, we often start clients on a less severe low carb, moderate protein, high fat diet and match their activity level to that. They start their training slow and easy to stay in their fat-burning zones. This is how you condition your body to choose fat over carbohydrates and literally shift your metabolism. These zones are determined by a VO2 test, so each client gets a completely personalized plan based on their physiology and metabolism.

As time and intensity eventually increase in the training programs, the macronutrient and caloric needs of the body need to change as well. This is necessary to avoid inflammation, low energy, poor athletic performance, loss of muscle mass and weight gain. This may mean increasing carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes and reducing fat.

You should never need to go on a severely restrictive calorie/macronutrient diet to achieve your health and fitness goals. In fact, doing so for a long period of time could actually slow down your metabolism and lead to poor fitness and athletic performance.

Want to learn more about how PHASE IV can help shift your metabolism into a fat-burning machine in a safe and effective way? Schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation with a PHASE IV specialist today. Call us at 310-582-8212 or send us a message here.

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METABOLIC EFFICIENCY: EXCERPT FROM “HEALTHY RUNNING STEP BY STEP”

Robert Forster, PT, founder of PHASE IV Scientific Health and Performance Center in Santa Monica has had over 35 years training some of the world’s best athletes in a variety of sports. Every program at PHASE IV is based in science and personalization and focuses on optimizing one’s metabolism. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to PR on your next race, lose 20 lbs or just improve your overall health. Everyone needs a healthy metabolism to maintain optimal health.

Authors Robert Forster, P.T., and Roy M. Wallack go into depth in their book Healthy Running Step by Step explaining why it’s important to improve your metabolic fitness and how to do it in a safe and effective way, avoiding injury and getting into peak fitness. Check out the excerpt below from his book and don’t forget to pick up a copy!

Excerpt from Healthy Running Step by Step, Chapter 4: Periodization Training

Metabolic fitness refers to how efficiently your body turns food into energy for both exercise and daily activities. Metabolic fitness has made the terms cardio and cardiovascular fitness antiquated because we now know that the majority of the improvements in endurance that come from aerobic exercise occur in the muscle cells—not the heart (cardio), blood vessels (vascular), and lungs, in which improvements in performance occur relatively quickly and then stop. Within the muscles, however, the room for improved performance is more profound and takes longer to achieve. Yet this is where the vast benefits of training are realized. The foundation of all fitness, whether your goal is to compete in the 100-meter dash or the marathon, is metabolic efficiency. Metabolic efficiency is defined as the ability to use more fat for energy at any intensity. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an Olympic athlete or a beginner age-grouper; the first order of business is developing your aerobic engine. This is the basis of Bob Kersee’s gold medal-winning success over eight Olympics; even his sprinters and jumpers first develop a huge aerobic foundation. Base training upgrades the aerobic capacity of the cells by forcing (stimulating) your body to make three key adaptations, or improvements: increases in mitochondria, vascularization, and glycogen storage.

Book Summary:

Healthy Running Step by Step will help runners of all ages and abilities understand the science behind every aspect of running: training program design, running technique, nutrition, recovery, flexibility and strength training and why running injuries occur, how to prevent them, and how to speed up recovery. Injuries plague the majority of runners, wrecking training plans and cutting running careers short by decades, but they are not inevitable. Authors Robert Forster, P.T., and Roy M. Wallack explain that nearly all running injuries can be rehabilitated quicker and even avoided altogether with the right training, strengthening, stretching, running form, and diet strategy.

Drawing from Forster’s three decades of training and treating Olympic athletes and more than 10,000 runners at his award-winning Santa Monica, California physical therapy and high-performance centers, this book emphasizes that better performance is inextricably bound to injury reduction and that a comprehensive, science-based training plan with built-in anti-injury “insurance” must include these crucial elements: Periodization training, Proper technique and footwear, Nutrition, Posture and flexibility, and Strength training. This book also includes detailed, step-by-step rehabilitation matrixes for the five most common running injuries: IT band syndrome, Achilles tendonitis, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and hamstring injuries. Using these unique matrixes as your guide, you’ll recover from injuries more quickly and understand what you need to do to prevent their reoccurrence.

Pick up your copy of Healthy Running Step by Step today!

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