Healthy News for Healthy Nation

Visionaries aren’t identified as such until they’re found facedown on their drawing boards. But when we set out to find the forward thinkers of fitness, we limited our search to the living — and expanded it to include M.D.’s and Ph.D.’s. The result? Five giants of the gym.

1. Micheal A. Clark, D.P.T.

Whereas most fitness experts would be hard-pressed to provide one or two rave references, Clark can pull out 12: the Phoenix Suns basketball team. In his role as their sports-medicine consultant, he made the Suns the most injury-free franchise in 2005. Fortunately for us, Clark is also president of the National Academy of Sports Medicine, which means his systematic approach to injury prevention reaches tens of thousands of personal trainers.

His exercise tip to train by: Don’t limit your potential with a traditional workout. Instead, combine exercise approaches. Here’s one way: Start with static stretching, active stretching, and foam-roll exercises. Next, prepare your muscles for strength training with core work (see #3, Mark Verstegen), plyometrics, balance training, or moves that develop speed and agility. Then do your strength training and finish with cardio.

2. William Kraemer, Ph.D., C.S.C.S.

We think of Kraemer as the Jonas Salk of strength training: His research has helped wipe out the plague of puniness. “Much of what we know about resistance training is the result of many careful and well-controlled experiments Kraemer has conducted,” says Steven Devor, Ph.D., a Men’s Health exercise-science advisor. Nor is Kraemer resting on his weight-lifting laurels: His muscle lab at the University of Connecticut continues to test theories that affect the way we train.

His exercise tip to train by: Work on your strength, size, and endurance every week by using what Kraemer calls “undulating periodization.” Undu-what? Just vary the weight and reps every session, instead of lifting the same thing every day. Do four to six reps on Monday, eight to 10 on Wednesday, and 12 to 15 on Friday. (Use the most weight you can lift with perfect technique.)

3. Mark Verstegen, M.S., C.S.C.S.

When he isn’t fielding your fitness questions in our “Hey, Muscle Guy!” column, Mark Verstegen is giving clients the secret to becoming seriously strong, fast, and flexible: a solid core, including strong abs, back muscles, and hips. Verstegen’s most-recent hard- core creation is Brian Roberts, the Baltimore Orioles second baseman who used the trainer’s program to transform himself from a singles hitter to a threat to go deep.

His exercise tip to train by: Ignore the Major League juicers. Nobody needs that. “Roberts focused on stabilizing and using his core to produce explosive power,” says Verstegen. Check out his recently revamped interactive Web site, coreperformance.com, for customized advice on building your own core. It creates tailor-made training plans and diet strategies while monitoring energy levels, sleep patterns, and other factors that can sabotage or supersize your results.

4. Nicholas A. DiNubile, M.D.

In our mad rush to build muscle, we forget that big biceps and killer quads will be all show and no go without a strong infrastructure. That’s the unsexy sermon Dr. DiNubile has been delivering since he was on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports in the ’80s. “Staying active on a frame that has imperfections is a big challenge, and the fitness world has to step up to address that,” says Dr. DiNubile, author of FrameWork: Your 7-Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones, and Joints. His exercise tip to train by: Rotator-cuff problems are the top ailment for men who lift weights, according to Dr. DiNubile. If you suffer from shoulder pain, lay off overhead lifts like the barbell military press and focus on exercises that develop your rotator cuffs, such as internal rotation and external rotation with cables or resistance tubing, he says.

5. William O. Roberts, M.D.

You’d think the president of the American College of Sports Medicine would have been wowed by T.O.’s miracle comeback at the Super Bowl. Instead, Dr. Roberts was dismayed; it sent the wrong message about injury rehab. And it wasn’t the first time Dr. Roberts had publicly weighed in on an issue: He’s criticized baseball for the steroid scandal, hockey for its legitimized violence, and even runners for underhydrating. (Dr. Roberts is now president of the American Road Race Medical Society.) Simply put, he’s the conscience of active men everywhere.

His tip to train by: Aim lower. “I usually encourage men to stay near their high-school graduation weight,” says Dr. Roberts. To that end, focus on food, not supplements, so you aren’t searching for a “fast track to fitness.” Also, adjust your diet to your workout regimen. When your output decreases, so should your input.

To find out exaclty what proportions your plan should be, check out Men’ s Health Personal Trainer . Your plan will be backed by 12 resident experts who will be there to make sure you have a firm grasp on your school-age poundage. Join Today

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How do I get started?

Start walking for a length of time that feels comfortable–anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. Once you can walk for 30 minutes easily, sprinkle 1- to 2-minute running sessions into your walking. As time goes on, make the running sessions longer, until you’re running for 30 minutes straight. For more running tips, visit our Web site at www.runnersworld.com and click on “Getting Started” on the left-hand side of the home page. Is it normal to feel pain during running?

Some discomfort is normal as you add distance and intensity to your training. But real pain isn’t normal. If some part of your body feels so bad that you have to run with a limp or otherwise alter your stride, you have a problem. Stop running immediately, and take a few days off. If you’re not sure about the pain, try walking for a minute or two to see if the discomfort disappears.

Do I have to wear running shoes, or are sneakers fine?

Running doesn’t require much investment in gear and accessories, but you have to have a good pair of running shoes. Unlike sneakers, running shoes are designed to help your foot strike the ground properly, reducing the amount of shock that travels up your leg. They’re also made to fit your foot snugly, which reduces the slipping and sliding that can lead to blisters. Visit a specialty running store to find the right shoe for you.

What’s the difference between running on a treadmill and running outdoors?

A treadmill “pulls” the ground underneath your feet, and you don’t face any wind resistance, both of which make running somewhat easier. Many treadmills are padded, making them a good option if you’re carrying a few extra pounds or are injury-prone and want to decrease impact. To better simulate the effort of outdoor running, you can always set your treadmill at a 1-percent incline.

Where should I run?

You can run anywhere that’s safe and enjoyable. The best running routes are scenic, well lit, free of traffic, and well populated. Think of running as a way to explore new territory. Use your watch to gauge your distance, and set out on a new adventure on each run. Ask other runners about the best local routes.

I always feel out of breath when I run. Is something wrong?

Yes, you’re probably trying to run too fast. Relax. Slow down. One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is to run too fast. Concentrate on breathing from deep down in your belly, and if you have to, take walking breaks.

I often suffer from a side stitch when I run. Will these ever go away?

Side stitches are common among beginners because your abdomen is not used to the jostling that running causes. Most runners find that stitches go away as fitness increases. Also, don’t eat any solid foods during the hour before you run. When you get a stitch, breathe deeply, concentrating on pushing all of the air out of your abdomen. This will stretch out your diaphragm muscle (just below your lungs), which is usually where a cramp occurs.

Should I breathe through my nose or my mouth?

Both. It’s normal and natural to breathe through your nose and mouth at the same time. Keep your mouth slightly open, and relax your jaw muscles.

Should I be doing anything in the gym to build my fitness?
Working on stretching and flexibility is always helpful, especially to prevent injuries. Men’s Health Personal Trainer has a Weight Training for Runners program as well as experts who can answer any questions you may have.

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The typical hard-core lifter looks at exercise machines and thinks: worthless. But that’s not fair. The problem isn’t with the machines; it’s with the lifters.

Most men — if they use a machine — don’t venture beyond the faded directions that were slapped on in the factory.

Trouble is, an exercise machine circuit repeated day after day, year after year, is about as challenging as the workout routine of a fit 60-year-old woman.

Exercise variety is the path to better and faster muscle and strength gains — which is why serious lifters head for the free-weight room, where the iron isn’t attached to contraptions and the variations are endless.

We offer a third option: new operating instructions. This article will show you how to make exercise machines work better for you. You can use these strategies as training tools in your free-weight routine, or to add juice to your tired machine workout. The end result: more muscle.

CHANGE YOUR BODY POSITION

Most machines have a fixed path of motion, meaning your first lift and your tenth are identical, says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. This can lead to “pattern overload syndrome,” similar to carpal tunnel syndrome. You need to challenge your muscles from a variety of angles.

The Benefit: You’ll build bigger muscles and avoid overload syndrome.

• When using “sit-down” machines such as the leg extension and seated chest press, adjust the seat position by an inch, up or down, between sets.

• On the leg-press and squat machines, place your feet farther apart or closer together.

• On machines that have multiple handles — the shoulder-press and row machines, for example — alternate your grip between palms facing forward and palms facing each other.

DON’T BRACE YOURSELF

Imagine that there’s wet paint on the support pads of the machine, says Gunnar Peterson, C.S.C.S., a trainer in Beverly Hills, California.

The Benefit: You’ll strengthen your core muscles for sports. Three examples:

• Lat pulldowns: Don’t always put your knees under the roller pads.

• Leg extensions: Sit upright on the seat without using the back support.

• Hip extensions and rows: Avoid bracing your upper body on the chest pad.

DO SINGLE-ARM NEGATIVES

This means overloading your muscles during the eccentric — the lowering — portion of the lift. Choose a weight that’s about 60 percent of the amount you can lift five times, and push the weight up normally.

At the top of the move, pause, then remove one arm from the handle and lower the weight as slowly as you can. Do four sets of five repetitions, switching arms each set.

The Benefit: This can lead to greater muscle growth than you get from conventional lifting. But limit it to once a week, says Cosgrove. Heavy eccentric training causes more muscle damage than normal lifting, so your muscles need longer to recover.

EXTEND YOUR SETS

Try this on biceps and triceps machines that have separate handles for each hand. Choose a heavy weight that you can lift only six to eight times with one arm. When you can’t perform one more repetition, grab the other handle with your opposite arm — so you’re using both arms to lift the weight — and do eight to 10 more repetitions.

The Benefit: Greater growth, because you’ll exhaust the muscle fibers in the first arm, says Tim Kuebler, C.S.C.S., a trainer in Kansas City, Missouri. Do four sets, alternating the arm you start with each time, every 4 days.

Or try combining a biceps and triceps workout by alternating exercises and arms, so that you do a right-arm curl, left-arm extension, left-arm curl, and right-arm extension. Rest for 60 seconds, then repeat one time.

COMPENSATE FOR POOR DESIGN

When using the seated-squat machine, place a rolled-up towel under the arch in your lower back. The change in posture creates a line of motion that’s more consistent with the way you naturally squat, allowing your lower back and hips to move slightly behind your heels.

The Benefit: It reduces your risk of injury and better trains your muscles for the way they’ll be used in real life, says Cosgrove.

FINISH WITH DROP SETS

On your last set of an exercise (free weight or machine), perform the same move on a “selectorized” machine such as Nautilus, Universal, or Cybex. Start with the most weight you can lift six to eight times and do as many repetitions as possible. Immediately drop the weight by 20 percent and do six to eight more repetitions, then drop the weight by 20 percent again and do a final six- to eight-repetition set.

The Benefit: Your muscles will be forced to work harder than ever before, and you’ll gain strength, says Peterson.

COMBINE CABLES WITH DUMBBELLS

By attaching cables to your wrists when doing the dumbbell bench press, you’ll add horizontal resistance to the exercise.

The Benefit: “It forces your muscles to work against both vertical and horizontal resistance,” says Michael Mejia, C.S.C.S., Men’s Health exercise advisor. Here’s how: Put a weight bench in the center of a cable station, perpendicular to the machine. Select fairly light weights on both weight stacks. Fasten a pair of ankle straps to your wrists and hook the straps to the low pulley of the cable station. Grab a pair of dumbbells (have them handy!) that are half the weight you’d usually use, lie on the bench, and hold the dumbbells at the sides of your chest. Perform a standard dumbbell press by pushing the dumbbells up and in, until your arms are straight and the dumbbells are almost touching.

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Because of its ability to target the entire core, the Swiss-ball crunch should be a staple in your workout.

The exercise primarily works the rectus abdominis, or six-pack muscles, and the transverse abdominis. But when performed properly, it also calls on muscles that stabilize the hips and lower back.

Problem is, many men position themselves incorrectly on the ball and don’t fully engage the transverse abdominis, which is a band of muscle that pulls the abdominal wall inward to protect you and helps activate other muscles.

Pull your belly button in toward your spine and hold it there throughout the move so you keep the transverse abdominis contracted.

Once you’ve mastered the move, you can add resistance with a medicine ball held at arm’s length toward the ceiling or a weight plate held behind your head. Perform three sets of eight to 12 repetitions, resting for 60 seconds between sets, once or twice a week.

1. Sit on a Swiss ball with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Walk your feet forward as you lie back on the ball. Stop when the ball is under your hips, lower back, and middle back, knees bent 90 degrees.

2. Your lower back should feel like it’s curved around the ball. Keep your head in line with your upper body. Place your hands behind your ears and draw in your abs.

3. Raise your chest up and slightly forward in a crunching motion. Do not pull on your neck to initiate the crunch. You’ve reached the end of your range of motion when the middle of your back loses contact with the Swiss ball. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.

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