Know Who You Are!

Now that I have your attention, I just merely want to communicate a very simple, yet still confusing ’solution’ to all that you ever wanted to achieve with regards to your health, fitness, physique and wellbeing. And that is…the more we know and understand about ourselves and our bodies, the more rapidly we will realize permanent and perfectly appropriate results. Information is everywhere and in abundance, but the truth is always unfailingly the truth! We must take control of our lives and our destiny and we can do this through the exploration and exposure of resonating, realistic facts. There is no magic bullet, no quick fix…there is only you and truth and the truth is and always has been right under your nose. The more you know, the more you know! Now my friends, if you don’t already know, learn and apply!

How Things Really Work!

Dynamics…defined as the branch of mechanics that deals with the motion and equilibrium of systems under the action of force or forces. In exercise, dynamics are specifically all of the applied mechanics to a particular movement and or movements such as, the sets, repetitions, angles, speed, velocity, resistance, position, plane of gravity and so on… And of all the training variables (dynamics) associated with strength development, there isn’t a more important or less specifically understood element than the repetition or repetitions. Perhaps the most significant factor in a personalized program of strength exercise is the number of repetitions performed per set. The specific reason is solely related to our muscle fiber type.

Muscle Fiber Types? What Are They?

So, you ask…what is a muscle fiber type? Well without getting too in-depth, here is the short version. All of our muscles are distinctively composed of Type 1 and Type 2 muscle fibers. Type 1 muscle fibers are frequently referred to as slow twitch, while Type 2 muscle fibers are commonly called fast twitch. And Type 1 fibers are characterized by being smaller in size, facilitating less force faculty and having a better endurance capacity. Of the two, they are the dominant muscle fibers in endurance activities such as marathon running, swimming and cycling. Type 2 fibers are characterized by being bigger, having a grater force faculty and less endurance capacity. They are the dominant muscle fibers in power activities such as weight training, throwing, sprinting, jumping and moving.

Explicitly and chiefly due to physiological differences, Type 1 fibers fatigue much more slowly and will complete more repetitions within a given resistance structure. On the other hand, Type 2 fibers fatigue more quickly and will inevitably complete fewer repetitions.

Test One (Research Study Example)

A point to ponder…in a research test study, particularly the results in which 88 men and women performed as many repetitions as possible with about 75 percent of their maximum resistance. Specifically, all of the subjects were tested for the maximum weight/resistance load they could perform one time on the nautilus 10-Degree Chest machine. After a five-minute rest, they completed as many repetitions as possible with 75 percent of their maximum weight load.

The greater portion of the participants (group one) performed between 9 and 15 repetitions. This group represented normal individuals with a relatively even mix of Type 1 and Type 2 muscle fibers. A second group completed slightly more reps, about 11+ and these were excellent power athletes (sprinters, jumpers) who typically have a higher percentage of Type 1 (low endurance) muscle fibers. And only a few of the subjects (group three) completed more than 15 reps, these are outstanding endurance athletes (marathoners, triathletes) who typically possess a higher percentage of Type 1 (high endurance) muscle fibers.

Consequently, it appears that individuals who have an equal mix of Type 1 and Type 2 muscle fibers more than likely would obtain optimal results by training at about 10 reps per set. It would also appear that individuals who have predominately Type 2 muscle fibers would likely obtain optimal results by training with fewer reps per set. Equally, individuals with preponderantly Type 1 muscle fibers should optimally train with more reps per set to achieve maximum results.

Test Two (Research Study Example)

Observationally, this study was supported by a follow-up test study in which the median-endurance athletes trained with nine to 11 reps per set, the low-endurance athletes trained with six to eight reps per set, and the high-endurance athletes trained with 12-14 reps per set. All of the athletes made similar improvements in muscular strength after eight weeks of training with a personalized repetition protocol. These results indicate that predominantly Type 2 muscles respond well to low-repetition training. Type 1 muscles respond well to high-repetition training and evenly mixed muscles respond best to mid-repetition training.

This is not to say that muscles specifically in and of themselves are conscious of the number of reps that are completed, or of any of the applied dynamics for that matter. The crucible to muscular performance and fatigue is the direct, correlative liaison between time and force. All in all, you can produce a high level of muscular force for a relatively short period of time and a low level of muscular force for a relatively long duration of time. Nevertheless, to stimulate strength development, you should emphatically only train your muscles contained by the anaerobic energy system. This system supplies great amounts of energy for up to 90 seconds of high output movement.

Training Principles

To achieve optimal strength results, the recommended is that you use enough resistance to fatigue your muscles within a30-90 second duration. Principally as a rule, individuals with primarily Type 2 muscle fibers should train in the region of 30-50 seconds per set. Utilizing the six second per rep rule (two seconds lifting and four seconds lowering), with the prime focus being the negative. This would consist of between five to eight reps.

Persons with predominantly Type 1 muscles should train about 70-90 seconds per set. At six seconds per repetition, this represents about 12-15 repetitions. Persons with an even mix of muscle fibers should train about 50-70 seconds per set. At six seconds per repetition, this represents about 8-12 repetitions.

Because more people possess a relatively even mix of muscle fibers, a 50 to 70- seconds bout of strength exercise is an excellent training recommendation.

If you choose to train in a slowed manner, completing 14-second repetitions (10 seconds lifting and four seconds lowering), you should use enough resistance to complete four to five repetitions. In this manner, the muscles again reach fatigue within the 50 to 70-second anaerobic range.

Training for Specificity

Depending upon the type of activity you are undertaking, you may want to adjust your training accordingly. To determine the optimum number of reps for a particular muscle group, such as the quadriceps, follow this procedure:

i. Perform 10 squats with relatively light weight.

ii. After a two-minute rest, perform five squats with a moderate weight.

iii. After a two-minute rest, perform one squat with a reasonably heavy weight.

Proceed in this mode until you determine the heaviest load you can perform once with the execution of proper technique. This is your maximum weight load.

Subsequent to about a five minute break, perform as many leg extensions that you can possibly can endure with 75 percent of your maximum weight load. This represents the approximate number of repetitions you should perform in this movement. For example, If you finish a total six repetitions, you in all probability have a notably higher percentage of Type 2 muscle fibers and should probably train with about six to eight repetitions per set. Antithetically, if you complete 12 or more repetitions, you more than likely have a higher percentage of Type 1 muscle fibers and should for greater results train at about 11-16 reps per set.

Through the course of applicational trial and error, it has been determined that the best strength outcomes are more consistently achieved when you correlate your training reps to your muscle fiber type. Although muscle fiber type may vary somewhat among muscle groups, we have found this factor to be relatively consistent in most people. And in doing so, I have been able to provide consistent results to my clients over the years.

But with that said, I have also discovered that too many fitness trainers do not recognize or understand this unconditional and vital aspect of designing an appropriate program for their diverse client profiles, and so subsequently these trainers usually lose a good deal of their clients prematurely.

Despite whatever muscle fiber type or types you possess, the key to maximum strength development is accomplished by way of high-output, peak-intensive, anaerobic exercise. The resistance should be sufficient to fatigue the target muscle group within 30-90 seconds of movement. This is best accomplished with a double progressive training system using a protocol of 8 to 12 reps. Begin by selecting a resistance that fatigues the target muscle roughly within 8-10 reps, then train with this resistance habitually until you can complete 12 repetitions with relative ease. After you have adapted to that stimulus, add 2.5 to five pounds and progress in the same manner until you can perform 12 reps with the new resistance. Through identically training in the optimum repetition range with your particular muscle type and by systematically escalating the repetition count and the resistance; safe, sound, solid and progressive movement toward your ultimate strength potential will be realized, not to mention if weight loss, fat loss or a leaner, sleeker, more healthier you is your objective, than this knowledge is crucial.

Now obviously this is not the absolute ’solution’ to the entire global state of obesity, depression, degenerative disorders or any of slew of religious indifferences, political positions or posturing, economical states or climatic conditions, but where the acquisition of fitness results is concerned, understanding your muscle fiber type/s and training specifically for personal benefit is truly a giant leap for mankind!

Kurt’s website http://www.kreatefitness.com, as well as his Provo Utah Private Fitness Facility Synergy Fitness Systems, specializes in in providing leading edge exercise and nutrition programs and the Neo Physis super premium supplement line. All of these superior products offer superior results.

I’ll admit, scam may be too harsh of a word for what I’m about to relay to the weight loss wanting public this New Year but many people’s efforts will end in frustration due to misleading information; not lack of commitment or follow through. In fact, people fail to get a fitness or weight loss result for one reason and one reason only: THEY’RE MISLED which eventually leads to lack of commitment, motivation, etc because they WERE’NT GETTING RESULTS!.

Scam would insinuate an attempt to defraud or lie but when companies are chomping at the bit to rake in beaucoup profits this year on “so-called weight loss solutions” millions will waste a good amount of time, energy, hope and yes, money on things that cannot possibly work to deliver long term success. So in essence you may as well be scammed.

This is going to be a four part series because there’s quite a bit of info and needed clarity to cover on each topic. The FTC has been on the hunt for bogus weight loss products since the 1920’s and the amazing thing is that many of these products are regurgitations of what’s been done in the past and you know what? I WANT YOU TO USE THEM! You’ll find out why I said that later.

So here’s Part 1 of the Top Weight Loss Scams of 2006.

1. Any Thing That Has The Word “DIET” In It.
Now how is this a scam you might ask? Diets are always going to be the number one choice for would be pound droppers and whether or not you choose to go weight watching, be like Kirstie Allie and talk to “Jenny,” go with Nutri-System, Atkins, South Beach, Dr. Phil, your own system of just “eating healthy,” etc, etc, etc I’ll bet you the vault at the Belagio in Las Vegas that future frustration will inevitably mount leaving yourself making yet another New Years weight loss resolution. I discussed the “Top 5 Reasons You Should Not Go On A Diet This New Year” in another article “Top-Five-Reasons-You-Should-NOT-Go-On-A-Diet-This-New-Year” so check that out for some much needed clarity on the matter.

So where’s the “scam part” with this whole diet thing? “Lose 9 pounds every eleven days, lose 30 pounds in 30 days, eat like a pig and lose weight, etc.” Those are just a couple blatant false promises that believe it or not many people allow their common sense to be bypassed and fall victim to these bogus claims. In all honestly, anything that has the word DIET in it has about a 98.99% chance of failing. Believing the diet “worked” in the past is the biggest trap diet victims fall into which always has them blame themselves for something that failed them.

That’s just the blatant false promises. Others are much more sneaky and although they are not scams in the literal sense they do in fact mislead people which adds to the frustration so many Americans face with weight loss.

A few people may be ticked off by this but America’s favorite weight loss center (name withheld) that has you counting points maintains the same failure rate as the rest of the diet industry. Sorry, but it’s true. Of course there are a “handful” of long term success stories out of the millions who embark upon the program but for those that have been to the meetings you know that pretty much every body there is a repeat customer. Well if the diet “worked” in the first place then why would you come back to it? If an eating program has you continually cut back on calories to keep that friendly relationship with the almighty progress tool (the scale) then you can be sure it’s a form of calorie deprivation that will inevitably slow metabolism. However, some credit should be given to them for the fact that they do seem to have a genuine concern for helping people lose weight even though the approach is flawed.

Here’s what I want you to do. If you’ve chosen to go on a diet in an effort to lose weight this year…I want you to go on a DIET if that’s what you’ve set out to do! I know this is harsh, but I want you to lose those deceptive 5-7 pounds the first week, I want you to cut way, way back on calories that will eventually slow metabolism, I want you to give up all those foods you love that you think are bad for you, I want you to experience those awful cravings you believe are a lack of willpower that will inevitably have you “blow” the diet and I want you to gain all of the weight back. Harsh, I know but here’s the one thing I DO NOT want you to do: DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF FOR FAILING! So yes, I am sincere when I say I want you to go on one of these commercial diets but I do however realize that there are health implications with certain forms of dieting so as a warning, exercise caution and consult your physician.

Stay tuned for Part 2: The Ephedra Free “Natural” Fat Burners Or Anything In Pill Form That Claims To Be a Solution In And Of Itself.

David Otto is a Personal Trainer in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. To receive David Otto’s e-newsletter “The Otto Report: Getting Real With Fitness,” simply send an email to celebpt@yahoo.com and request your copy.

Want to shed 10 pounds overnight? Need to drop a dress size before the big event? Odds are, the thought has recently crossed your mind along with many others’. This is no wonder when recent studies show that 60% of Americans are overweight. Let’s face it; more than half of us need to lose weight and because we’re Americans, we feel like we need to lose it fast.

Within the past few years, “fad” diets have exploded throughout America. Usually originating in or around Hollywood, these diets promise to help you lose an unbelievable amount of weight within a short amount of time. Sound too good to be true? Most likely, it is.

Because these diets are short-lived, your body will immediately gain its original weight back and sometimes, even more once you stop dieting. The logic behind this is your metabolism coincides with how much energy you are taking in and how much you are using. If you eat more calories than you use, your metabolism will slow down. The result: weight gain. On the other hand, if you use more energy and suddenly eat less, your metabolism will slow down as well. This is a defense mechanism your body uses in times of food shortage. When your caloric intake is far greater than your expenditure, your body will slow down in order to store as much energy it needs. As soon as you begin eating normally, your body is still in storage mode and instead of using the same amount of energy as before, it uses less. Your metabolism will first gain the weight back and then store extra because it has not yet recovered. The result: rapid weight loss during the diet and rapid weight gain after.

These diets are not meant to become a lifestyle. Who would actually want to drink 10 gallons of a special weight loss formula a day for the rest of their lives? If the malnutrition doesn’t kill you first, the expense surely will.

The only surefire way to shed those unwanted pounds and keep them off, is to find a healthy diet and exercise plan stable enough to continue throughout life without any detriment to your own lifestyle. You will still have to adjust to different eating habits if you are not used to a balanced diet (lie off the fast foods and expand your veggie horizons) and balance your food intake with some form of moderate exercise you enjoy and can do for the rest of your life. If followed correctly, you will actually be able to speed up your metabolism which will help you keep those pounds off and leave you feeling more energized.

For most people, developing and organizing a successful diet and exercise plan takes a lot of work. Fortunately, there are plenty of options and pre-developed plans online which will help you stick to a healthy lifestyle. Beware of fads. The idea of loosing your weight fast may seem tempting, but in the long run, a healthy diet plan will pay off much better than the latest craze.

Take your time, don’t exercise too much or eat too few at first, you won’t be able to keep that habit and will lose the battle quickly. Surround yourself with support. Diet along with some friends or with your spouse, the accountability and motivation will help greatly. Keep your confidence up. You may not see results right away, but once you begin to see a difference and feel more energized better about yourself, you’ll question why you didn’t start this sooner.

Briana Liebmann is a regular writer of original content articles for http://www.youseekit.com, where you can find original content on a variety of topics.

The original article can be found at http://www.youseekit.com/dieting.htm.

Mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer, continues to remain a challenge for the medical fraternity. This form of cancer is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma can be either malignant or non-malignant in nature. Perhaps the most important concern in mesothelioma is the inability to diagnose it at an early stage, as most people exposed to asbestos usually remain unaware of it. Since almost all cases of mesothelioma can be attributed to exposure to asbestos, it is also known as ‘asbestos cancer.’

Mesothelioma results when the mesothelium cells become abnormal and divide uncontrollably. If not detected at an early stage, the cancer may spread to other body parts. Malignant mesothelioma continues to remain the most critical of all, and curing the disease at this final stage is extremely challenging. Physicians use several techniques to determine mesothelioma, particularly advanced imaging techniques. To determine the stage of mesothelioma doctors use several tested techniques such as the Butchart system, the TNM system, or the latest Brigham System. A definitive diagnosis, however, is still being practiced through techniques of fluid diagnosis and tissue biopsy.

General physicians are not able to treat the disease because of their lack of any special training for the disease. At best, the general physician can suspect mesothelioma and refer the patient to a special group of doctors who are specifically trained in several areas of mesothelioma. Once in the care of the specialist, the patient is taken care of by the pulmonologist, the thoracic surgeon, the medical oncologist, the radiation oncologist, and pathologists and the respiratory therapist, in sync with the agreed line of treatment.

The arduous process of mesothelioma diagnosis is a difficult experience for patients and their near and dear ones. The long-drawn tests, endless consultations and frequent visits to hospitals add to the woes of the sufferer. There are several missions and charitable organizations that understand the plight of the mesothelioma patients and their family members, and offer their services in the form of psychological counseling and other services that seek to mitigate the pains to a large extent.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis provides detailed information on Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Mesothelioma Diagnosis Support, Mesothelioma Doctors and more. Mesothelioma Diagnosis is affiliated with Mesothelioma Asbestos Diseases.

An exciting study from Yale shows that intense exercise is far more effective in preventing and controlling diabetes than exercising at a leisurely pace (Journal of Applied Physiology, January 2006). That means that the diabetic who exercises hard enough to sweat and raises his heart rate above 80 percent of its maximum will be far less likely to suffer heart attacks, strokes, blindness, deafness, kidney failure and all the other terrible consequences of uncontrolled diabetes.

Inactive, healthy, non-obese women over 72 years of age were started in training programs of hard (80 percent of aerobic capacity), moderate (65 percent) and easy (50 percent). All three groups did the same amount of work, burning 300 calories per session. The intense group had a great improvement in their ability to use sugar and suppress fat formation, while the low intensity group had little benefit.

That means that intense exercise can help to both prevent and treat diabetes. The most tissue damage occurs immediately after eating when blood sugar levels rise the highest. After you eat, sugar goes from the intestines into the bloodstream. The only places that sugar can be stored are in your muscles and liver. When your muscles are not exercised, they are full of sugar and sugar has no place to go after it enters your bloodstream. On the other hand, when your muscles are exercised, they empty their stored sugar. Then when you eat, sugar can go from the intestines into the bloodstream and then immediately into the muscles, preventing a high rise in blood sugar.

The important news from this study is that the more intensely you exercise, the greater the protection from developing diabetes and the better the control of your diabetes if you already have it. A word of caution: 75 percent of diabetics die from heart disease and some people can suffer heart attacks during intense exercise, so check with your doctor first.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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The method know as 3d ultrasound is that can be used during early pregnancy, it can provide 3d pictures of the fetus. Most times these ultrasound pictures are rapidly captured and joined together and animated to created a 4d ultrasound scan.

Three dimensional scans works in the same manner to the traditional ultrasound except that the ultrasound scanning pulses can be sent from multiple directions. The ultrasound waves can be redirected back then captured to provide information to construct a 3d picture in very much the same way as 3d pictures. 3 dimesional ultasound scanning was devised in the usa.

It’s important to understand that sonologists worldwide always conjured 3d images of the body in their minds while doing 2d scans. However, until recently it was very difficult to do this type of reconstruction on patient data acquired using ultrasound. The advent of 4d scans for the first time allowed us a peek into the mechanics of thinking of a sonologist and hence letting us view the images on the ultrasound machine.

The 3d/4d ultrasound image should utilize ultrasound energy following the same limits as conventional 2d ultrasound to create the 3d images. There is no data to suggest any harm due to 3d ultrasound, its use in non-medical situations should be undertaken with an understanding of the risks.