ISSA College of Exercise Science Weekly Wisdom

We are all juggling life responsibilities be it work, school, family, friends and recreation so much so that we often times relegate our recreation to the weekends.  In an attempt to make up for not exercising all week we tend to overdo it placing ourselves at risk for injuries.  Hamstring strain injuries are one of the most common types of non-contact injuries experienced during sports activities and exercise accounting for 12%–16% of injuries, with a reported re-injury rate as high as 22%–34%. These injuries typically occur during sports activities that involve rapid acceleration/deceleration and fast running like recreational weekend basketball, softball or football.  A common culprit in these reported injuries is a lack of flexibility in the hamstrings which also result in major muscle imbalances, which can predispose us to muscle injuries like patellar tendinopathy, patellofemoral pain, and the development of low back pain.  The eccentric contraction of the hamstrings that occurs during the late swing phase of running to decelerate knee extension has been reported to be associated with such injuries.

As parents, are the genetics we give to our kids or the lifestyle we live and model more responsible for their current and future health and well being?   Do the choices we make and how we eat within our families set the tone for our kids future health and well being?

Are HIIT training and Ketogenic Diets compatible?

Many a fitness enthusiast are ardent proponents of HIIT, while others are of very low carbohydrate high fat diets (VLCHF) more commonly known as ketogenic diets.  Understandably so, as there is a slew of available research to validate the efficacy of HIIT as well as ample evidence to validate the efficacy of ketogenic diets.  However, until recently no studies had examined the effects of long-term reductions in carbohydrate intake on HIIT performance. Carbohydrate availability and muscle glycogen content are primary components of metabolism and exercise performance with skeletal muscle increasingly reliant on carbohydrates as a fuel source as exercise rises in intensity. Thus, it stands to reason that restriction of carbohydrates availability, forcing greater reliance on fat as the primary fuel source, would adversely affect strenuous exercise performance, such as that needed for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) 

If you spend any amount of time in social media, then you have undoubtedly been bombarded with the latest and greatest tips from Instagram celebrities touting the keys to developing the best glutes possible.  While the aesthetic goals drive most of the desire, there is functional needs as well.  Hip extension is an important action in daily activities (standing, stepping and walking) and sporting actions (running, sprint-running and jumping).  Though several different exercises exists, a comprehensive understanding of which exercises best target the gluteus maximus (Gmax) and the magnitude of muscular excitation associated with each exercise is yet to be established which can account for the myriad of mixed recommendations floating on the Internet today.

Knowledge is power and educating yourself on how to develop safe and effective programs for kids can drastically improve your business success. 

In a study published by researchers at Appalachian State University, it was shown that the squat and the deadlift produced more activity in the trunk muscles (abdominals, obliques, and lower back) than three stability ball exercises specifically targeting the same muscles. It was concluded that the stability ball exercises (quadruped, pelvic thrust, and ball back extension) did not provide enough stimulus for either increased strength or hypertrophy therefore questioning their role in a sports conditioning program. Squats and deadlifts, however, were found to provide the necessary stimulus for hypertrophy of the back extensors.

Does it ever feel like you’ve lost your motivation? Maybe it’s disappeared into a never ending black hole, along with the hair ties and earbuds that you can never seem to find when you need them the most.

Dear College of Exercise Science Community,