There’s enough publicity in the media about the benefits of exercise and leading a healthy lifestyle that very few people can have escaped the mountain of evidence, anecdotal and scientific, to indicate that a more active lifestyle leads to a healthier, stronger and happier human. This latest post aims to give more scientific credence to this general notion by looking at some recent studies that give objective data on some of the effects that certain types of exercise have on our bodies. Whilst some of the data presented here isn’t necessarily new or ground-breaking, it does give more weight to the legions of print dedicated to showing that exercising has enormous benefits for every demographic and that by training smartly one can lead a healthier and happier life and even arrest some of the changes associated with growing older.

 Children and Exercise

The first area that has gained more media coverage than most in recent years is the realm of children and exercise and how as a society we should improve the next generation’s health. Parents are being bombarded with exhortations to raise their children to be aware of the dangers of processed food and a couch-style existence that can lead to obesity and years of health problems. Whilst the aim here is not to publish a guide on how to bring up the nation’s children it does seek to provide up-to-date scientific data and let well-informed parents make the parenting decisions based on this research.

Researchers at the Georgia Health Sciences University have shown that the cells in bone, fat and the pancreas all communicate during and after exercise. They analysed a group of obese school children and found that after 12 weeks of intensive training there was significant increases in bone strength, a reduction in insulin sensitivity ( reducing risk of diabetes) and less of the dangerous visceral fat ( the fat that surrounds internal organs and takes up space in the cavity between the abdomen wall and internal organs and which is potentially more deadly that than the fat that is on the outside). Whist this isn’t particularly surprising to anyone in the fitness or personal training world, what is interesting is that scientists found that they could determine how well or badly a child was developing in the aforementioned areas by measuring the hormone osteocalcin in the blood which is made by bone-producing osteoblasts.

This hormone according to bone biologist Dr Pollack may have an effect on the other areas. He states that “when osteocalcin is released in your blood, that hormone is talking back to the adipocytes, the cells that store fat, and the pancreatic cells that release insulin to improve energy metabolism”.  This suggests that due to the fact that fat and bone cells have a common ancestry coming from stem cells, a child’s early development and likelihood of becoming obese may be linked to their early lifestyle and habits. Exercise for children it would appear should be an important part of any child’s development.

The implications from this study alone would seem to lend weight (no pun intended) to the benefits of an exercise programme for children centred around strength exercise. Loading the skeletal system with weights has never seemed so crucial now there is more firm evidence to support the well-known fact that strengthening bones will also decrease the risk of metabolic disorders.

Exercise for Older People

Another mainstay of recent fitness literature is the theory on the benefits of interval training and most London personal training companies and fitness professionals will lecture and repeat endlessly to their personal training clients that long slow duration cardio workouts just don’t provide the return on investment and that short bouts of intensive training moderated with periods of less intensive exercise training are the best way to proceed. However, as one gets older the prospect of running, cycling or training at or near maximum is grueling to say the least. After all, training at or near maximum levels isn’t for the faint hearted. However, for those that are willing to take up the challenge and for whom age is but a number there is more good news, particularly if you though that your best days were behind you.

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology K.G. Jebsen Centre of Exercise Medicine have provided statistical evidence that 50-year olds can be as fit as someone 30 years younger.  The key to achieving this is the degree of intensity of exercise. The study showed that by increasing the intensity of exercise the risk of metabolic syndrome is reduced, the troublesome series of risks that can predispose people to type 2 diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular problems. 

Women whose fitness values were below the median Vo2peak (<35.1 mL kg-1 min-1) were five times more likely to have a range of risk factors in comparison to those in the highest quartile of Vo2peak (40.8 mL kg-1 min-1). For men below the median (<44.2 mL kg-1 min-1), the risk was even higher – they were eight times more likely to have a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors compared to those in the highest quartile of Vo2peak (50.5mL kg-1 min-1). The take away message from this study is that to maintain the benefits and reduce the risk of disease physical activity has to be maintained even if activity levels were high during younger years.

 Preserving Muscle Mass

It has often been assumed that the onset of old age was the main reason for a reduction in overall muscle mass and strength and an increase in fatty tissue. Whilst this is partially true, new science is beginning to challenge this assumption. It would seem that being active and in particular choosing activities that load the muscles can arrest the decline. Research at the University of Pittsburg has looked into the effects of vigorous exercise programmes of several age groups; 40 to 49 year olds, 50 to 59 year olds, 60 to 69 year olds and 70 plus and the effect on body composition ( i.e. fat to muscle ratio) and leg strength. Although, most of the participants in the study were very active, some athletes, it clearly demonstrated that there was little evidence of muscle deterioration in the older athletes’ musculature. The athletes in their 70′s and 80′s had almost as much thigh muscle mass as the athletes in their 40′s, with minor if any fat infiltration. There was a drop-off in leg muscle strength around the age 60 in both men and women. They weren’t as strong as the 50- year olds, but the differential was not huge and little additional decline followed. The 70- and 80-year-old athletes were about as strong as those in their 60′s.

Dr Vonda Wright who oversaw the study saw this as welcome news to the older exercising population. “…people don’t have to lose muscle mass and function as they grow older. The changes that we’ve assumed were due to ageing and therefore unstoppable seem actually to be caused by inactivity. And that can be changed”.

 Conclusions

As the above studies show there is a direct cause and effect between exercise – in all its many forms- and the condition of our physical health and wellbeing. They show that as a species we are designed to move and exert our bodies so the complex series of chemical processes that preserves our tissues and gives us the capacity to master our environment as well as stave off disease is achieved. The message oft-repeated, is that exercise increases the likelihood of leading a longer and healthier life allowing us to enjoy what we did in our early years right through to our senior years. The promotion of physical exercise programmes and the scientific research that underpins them seems set to continue and undoubtedly will lead to more advances in exercise training methodologies that will be adopted by all personal trainers in London.

Technogym Upright Bike

As part of the ongoing updating of gym equipment at our personal training sites we are pleased to announce that we have recently taken delivery of 4 new Technogym Upright Bikes at the personal training gym in Piccadilly. The bikes are fully interactive with multi media interfaces and have been well-received by members and clients alike. 

Further new equipment is planned for the early part of 2012 at our other personal training gyms including a new Power Rack at the Waterloo gym and new benches at the Tower Hill studio.

Home Gym Design in Kensington

The final stage of our latest home gym design project has just been completed. This week has seen the delivery and installation of all the home gym equipment ensuring the gym is up and running before the client moves in. The gym equipment selected for this home gym project was a Life Fitness Engage Treadmill, aTotalGym GTS, an X rack with 2kg – 20kg dumbbells, 2 stretch mats and swiss ball. Although compact, the gym has the right balance of fitness equipment to offer everyone at the house a challenging, effective and varied workout. As part of the home gym project some of the personal training team took each member of the household through a personal training session to ensure they make the best use of the equipment.

Weight Lifting Training

Much has been written about the benefits of weight training programs and how they assist in the creation of lean muscle tissue and the subsequent positive effects on the body’s metabolic rate, function and structure. Health and Fitness magazine covers frequently showcase well-muscled individuals who are a testament to the benefits of a well- structured resistance training program. They also tend to show young adults which may often leave older adults with the the feeling that perhaps weight training is for a certain age category only. However, as a nation we are now living longer and where once those of retirement age may have been advised that they should slow down, do less, relax and ease into old age gracefully, there has been a shift in attitude and behaviour. Being active in the latter stages of life is becoming the norm for healthy older adults and research is showing that the best way to maximise this resurgence in activity and keep functionally fit is to ( to use older terminology) pump iron or, to use its more contemporary epithet, resistance training. 

Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults

The UK Chief Medical Officers have produced activity guidelines on the various stages of human life and the amount and frequency that should be aimed for to maintain health and fitness and prevent disease. The physical activity guidelines for ‘Older Adults” (65+ years) is that they should aim to be active daily and over a week the activity should add up to at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate intensity activity in bouts of 10 minutes or more (or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity spread across the week). As part of this generalised advice there is a vague reference to focus on improving muscle strength on at least two days per week. Obviously, to prescribe specific resistance training programs to a diverse population would not only be practically impossible but also somewhat irresponsible, hence the more generic advice. However, perhaps more emphasis would be put on weight lifting training when one notices that between the ages of 50 and 70 years people lose 30% of their muscle strength and the high occurrence of fractures and falls that occur as one ages, often as a result weakened bones and musculature. Maintaining muscle strength in old age would not only arrest some of these changes but would also ensure the maintenance of mobility and improve older adults independence and give them the confidence to manage every day tasks independently. When one looks at the research into weight lifting training and the effects on older adults then it is clear that a weight training program should play a large part of an older individual’s exercise regime. 

Recent Research into Weight Training for Older Adults

Scientists at the University of Potsdam* have recently published their findings on the effects of weight training on older adults and given weight ( no pun intended) to the belief that weight training is the best way to preserve muscle mass and hence improve function and the quality of an individual’s life. This research enables personal trainers, fitness coaches and other health and fitness professionals who have for some time now been encouraging their clients to focus on resistance training programs, to devise bespoke weight training programs that actually have enormous impacts on their clients’ lives rather than broad based training programs that often times are ineffectual. The authors of the latest research set out to find the extent to which muscle atrophy can be averted into older age by weight lifting training and which intensities are useful and possible in persons over 60 yrs. As expected, they found that regular resistance training increased muscle strength, reduced muscular atrophy, and had other positive adaptations on tendons and bones. These structural outcomes had a preventative effect in terms of avoiding falls and injuries. The greater the intensity of the weight training, the greater the effect; an intensity of 60-85% of one-repetition-maximum (1RM) increased muscle mass, whereas in order to increase rapidly available muscle force higher intensities (>85%) are required. The optimum amount of (resistance) exercise for healthy elderly individuals was found to be 3 to 4 times per week.

As we continue to live longer and as the retirement age goes up, it will become increasingly important to maintain the ability to work for longer as will the need for independence in everyday life and leisure activities. A well-structured resistance program will ensure that the muscles are kept functionally strong, reduce natural muscular atrophy, decrease the incidence of falls and injury and consequently result in a much better quality of life, giving older adults greater options and choice in the activities they do in their senior years. The growing awareness in health and fitness circles of the importance of resistance training should ensure that older adults take part in the weight lifting training revolution and the nation as a whole will benefit enormously because of it.

*  Mayer, F;  Scharhag-Rosenberger, F;  Carlsohn, A;  Cassel, M;  Muller, S;  Scharhag, J;  The Intensity and Effects of Strength Training in the Elderly. Deutsches Aerzzteblatt International, 2011; 108 (21): 359-64 DOI

This week’s Blogpost is by Nat Pero, Head personal trainer at Morpheus who is very much an enthusiast of Kettlebell training, the training tool that has rapidly become the new accessory of nearly every personal trainer in London.  In this post he outlines 5 benefits of the Kettlebell training system.

Kettlebell Training

 5 Benefits of Kettlebell Training 

The ability to swing and rotate kettlebells gives them a unique set of benefits not necessarily experienced when using more conventional forms of resistance tools, such as dumbbells and barbells.

During my 10 years as a personal trainer in London, rarely have I come across a single training utensil that can be used to achieve virtually any fitness related goal.  More often than not the use of multiple pieces of equipment are required to achieve most objectives.  The Kettlebell however, is so versatile that programmes can be undertaken that take care of almost any training goal imaginable without the use of any other piece of equipment.  

There are obviously too many benefits to list in one article.  I have however, listed my top five benefits  which I think will appeal to all no matter what your training goal(s) may be.

No. 5) Improving Mental Toughness & Focus

Mental toughness determines whether or not you achieve your objectives, so for this reason alone it is very useful.  Without it you’ll become a yo-yo exerciser, forever taking two steps forwards and two steps back and ultimately not achieving your goals.  This applies especially to those who are new to exercise, as establishing a consistent regime can quite often be the hardest part. 

One of the key things I’ve noticed during my kettlebell classes in London is the improvement in mental toughness of many participants, particularly with newcomers and the slightly less experienced.  The reason for this I believe is unlike running on a treadmill, or pedaling away on a bike you actually have to focus on each repetition, correct breathing technique, weight distribution and the speed of kettlebell.  Even the most experienced users require high levels of concentration, making kettlebells not only a physical challenge but a mental one too.

No. 4) Multiple Muscle Groups Working Simultaneously

One of the main reasons kettlebell training is such an effective training system is its compound training (training multiple joints in one movement) format.  Due to their design, it’s very difficult to perform an isolation exercise (single joint) – So, training with a kettlebell is an effective way to condition multiple muscle groups quickly and effectively.

The vast majority of kettlebell exercises require several muscle groups to perform the action.  For example, the clean and press, is a huge compound exercise.  Hamstrings, glutes, biceps and lats are utilised during the clean; core, deltoids and triceps firing during the press.  So, eight muscle groups recruited!  This magnitude of muscle groups working simultaneously means rapid results and a big return on your workout time.

No. 3) Combines Cardiovascular Exercise with Strength Training

Strength training and cardio training are often seen as enemies.  One is the total opposite to the other, however the acquirement of both can send your training gains through the roof.  The general consensus is that to improve aerobic fitness and strength one must follow carefully constructed individualised programmes.  This route can reap rewards, however there is a way to improve both variables simultaneously (no prizes for guessing) without having to separate the two, saving time without sacrificing progress.

If you’ve participated in a kettlebell class in London* before you’ll be aware that sets can last for several minutes a time.  One of my favorite protocols I like to inflict during my kettlebell classes in London is called the Complex.  A complex consists of several exercises performed continuously for a set period of time.  For example, a complex might look like this: swing, high pull, clean, push press.  Perform one repetition of each of the aforementioned exercises on one arm.  Once this is achieved, change arms without breaking the momentum and repeat on the opposite side.  Keep this format going until the designated time period is up (could be anywhere between 2 and 10 mins long depending upon your level).

The high number of reps during this protocol places great a demand on your cardio vascular and strength endurance systems.

No.2) Posterior Chain Strengthener

The posterior chain muscles refer to the groups of muscles that run from the back of the neck down towards the heal, notably the calves, hamstrings, glutes, erector spinae (lower back), lats, rhomboids and trapezius.  The vast majority of kettlebell exercises recruit a number of posterior chain muscle groups, particularly the hamstrings, glutes and erector spinae.  

Today’s sedentary lifestyles dictate that we are seated for large parts of the day.  Over a period of time this leads to weaknesses within the posterior chain and chronic problems particularly in the lower back region.  Regular kettlebell training helps guard against this by keeping these often neglected, important muscle groups strong and active.

In fact, many participants in my London kettlebell classes describe noticing firmness in their hamstrings and gluteals.  A few even experience the disappearance of lower back pain after just a few weeks of regular kettlebell training. 

No.1) Development of Functional Strength 

Without question, the primary focus of any resistance programme should be to improve functional strength.  Functional strength refers to the strength needed to carry out everyday tasks, relying on multiple muscle groups working together as a strong unit.  A functionally strong person has good posture, walks and runs efficiently, lifts and carries effectively and is ready for the stresses and challenges that daily life presents. Functionally strong people also drastically reduce their risk of chronic conditions such as osteoporosis and lower back pain.  

If you would like to start kettlebell training in London, seek tuition from an experienced professional to start reaping the benefits and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Another path is to enroll in a beginner’s class.  There are many kettlebell classes in London that cater for beginners.  Sometimes, working in a group environment is more motivational than training individually.  Find out what suits you and start experiencing the full repertoire of benefits of kettlebell training.

*Kettlebell classes take place at our Tower Bridge and Piccadilly personal training gyms

Exercising during pregnancy has become increasingly popular due to the large amounts of research (see part 1 of this post) that suggests that  exercising throughout pregnancy is beneficial to both mother and unborn child.   However, the research begs the obvious questions about how much exercise is enough to obtain the positive effects outlined in the previous post and what are the safe upper limits?   The answers to both are essential for designing safe and effective training programmes.

Principles of Exercise Prescription,  Exercise Programming and Safety

The majority of prescribed exercise programmes will have 4 main components which will, by and large, determine the success/outcome of  any exercise programme.   These components are the type of exercise ( e.g, running, cycling, weight training etc), frequency ( how often it is performed), intensity (per cent of Max HR, amount lifted, rest periods etc) and duration ( length of time devoted to the activity).

When prescribing or embarking on an exercise programme during pregnancy, these components must be looked at carefully to ensure that not only is the programme effective and safe, but that it corresponds to the level and competency and experience of the exerciser.  Equally important is programme flexibility, so any programme can be adapted to accommodate the various stages of the pregnancy.   As Clapp states in his book on exercising during pregnancy;

” The benefits of exercise are different in early and late pregnancy.  Early pregnancy exercise improves the growth of the baby and decreases maternal symptoms.  Late pregnancy exercise maintains fitness, limits weight gain, and shortens labor”

So what type of exercise is most beneficial for expectant mothers?    There is clear evidence showing that weight bearing activities such as running, aerobics, and circuit style weight training have the biggest impact, quite simply because these modalities have the greatest impact on the physiology of the body and the resultant adaptations complement those of pregnancy.   In his research Clapp found that the exercise threshold necessary to achieve a weight gain and fat deposition reduction for someone starting exercise at the beginning of the third month was somewhere between 20 minutes , three to five times per week, and 40 minutes, five times per week.  Exercise type was weight bearing and intensity 55 per cent of maximum capacity.  He concluded that,

“Regular, sustained, weight-bearing exercise is the best type of exercise for pregnant women because it clearly complements the adaptations to pregnancy.    However, the proper frequency, duration, and intensity will vary from woman to woman.”

The approach to exercise prescription for healthy women during the reproductive process should follow the same principles and use the same tools as those used at other times during life.  A holistic approach that educates and integrates and balances the exercise with the reproductive process and other aspects of life.  Neither exercise nor reproduction exists in a vacuum, and both should be monitored regularly to assess progress.  Determining  type, frequency and intensity of exercise throughout the reproductive process should be based upon a woman’s fitness at the start and the goals she wishes to achieve.   Obviously, there may be a need to cut back should evidence of overtraining appear ( chronic fatigue, pain, loss of motivation, susceptibility to injury, common infection).  Conversely, an exercise regimen may need to be increased if inadequate progress is made.  Adopting a common sense approach and carefully monitoring responses ( of mother and baby) are two of the best ways to evaluate and assess training progress.

As more research establishes clear benefits to exercising during pregnancy, it is likely that there will be a change in attitude towards woman who exercise before, during and immediately after pregnancy.    

“Pregnancy is a normal physiological state, not a disease, and the benefits of exercise appear to be substantial for both the woman and the pregnancy…”  

Exercise in Pregnancy

Exercise in pregnancy has been a much often debated issue amongst the medical and fitness communities and each year sees new guidelines and approaches implemented to ensure expectant mothers feel safe and reassured to carry on, or even begin an exercise programme during their pregnancy.   This post aims to give some of the background to the debate, the main issues raised and the research that leads to the guidelines that are then adopted by medical practitioners and health and fitness professionals.

Background and societal origins of debate on Exercise in Pregnancy

For long periods of human history women regularly performed hard physical work for long periods while conceiving, carrying, delivering and nursing their offspring without causing any harm to them.   In many parts of the world of course, this is still the case.  Similarly, mammals hunt and forage whilst pregnant and give birth to healthy offspring.   Nature, seemingly has given us the means to carry on with our daily activities without having a detrimental effect on our young.   So, why is their so much debate on how intense, how frequent and the type of exercise in pregnancy women should carry out to ensure that not only does their unborn child remain safe but they themselves don’t suffer any adverse reaction.

The answer lies in our response to an unknown risk, which often times results in a knee-jerk response,  the corollary being to try to avoid that risk which in this instance means the fear that exercise in pregnancy will harm the unborn baby.     Of course, plenty of anecdotal evidence is used to support this fear, as there will be women who have been intense exercisers who have miscarried and this is then used as a possible cause of the miscarriage.  However, the causes of miscarriages are complex and research is still ongoing to find all the possible causes.     The end result of the debate has been by and large, a polarisation of views.  The cautious, conservative viewpoint is that exercise in pregnancy will cause too many physiological changes that could be potentially harmful, so a restrictive approach to exercise is advocated.    The more liberal approach is that exercise in pregnancy is not only good for expectant mothers, but an essential component in the life cycle.   These polarised views inevitably generates a whole host of research into the subject, some of which is outlined in this post.

Research and Studies

Exercise, done at the right frequency and intensity causes an adaptive response to the cardiovascular and muscular-skeletal systems.   Similarly, as any expectant mother can testify to, there are profound physiological changes to their bodies when they become pregnant.   These adaptations cause changes among others, to the circulatory system and the muscular-skeletal system and it is here that scientists looked to produce factual evidence that could solve some of the complex answers in the ‘excercise or not to exercise’ debate and more importantly, the effects exercise would have on the unborn child.

Pivarnalk et al. 1994 demonstrated that the plasma volumes, red cell volumes and total blood volumes of regularly exercising women during pregnancy are at least 10 -15 per cent higher than those that didn’t.   This means that women who exercise regularly during pregnancy have more circulatory reserve, which improves their ability to deal with both anticipated  (exercise and work) and unanticipated circulatory stress (haemorrhage, trauma).    Clapp in his book ‘Exercising Through Your Pregnancy’* states that starting regular, moderate-intensity exercise in pregnancy will limit weight gain and fat deposition.  However, another study suggested that high levels of physical stress in the workplace during pregnancy are associated with an increased rate of pregnancy complications, including premature birth ( Clapp 1996c; Luke et al. 1995; Mamelle, Laumon, and Lazar 1984).

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have demonstrated that physical activity before pregnancy can lower the risk of gestational diabetes by a half  and that exercise in early pregnancy cuts the risk by a quarter.    Another study at Kansas University has suggested that babies whose mothers do aerobic exercise during pregnancy may have healthier hearts and more mature nervous systems.   The so-called womb-workouts may have health benefits that continue into adulthood, lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and hypertension later in life.    These baby benefits are backed up by research in Auckland, New Zealand, which has shown exercise in pregnancy can prevent excessive birth weight in babies, resulting in fewer risks during birth and reducing likelihood of later obesity in the child.    Norwegian research, published in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Sept 2009 discovered that the odds of delivering a too-big baby dropped by as much as 28 per cent in women who exercised regularly in their second and third trimesters during their first pregnancy.

As some of the above studies have demonstrated it seems that exercise in pregnancy performed by women undergoing a normal pregnancy is associated with very little  risk, may decrease a woman’s risk of complications during pregnancy (hypertension, gestational diabetes) and may enhance weight loss post partum.    However,  there is still some reluctance in some quarters to trust the mounting body of evidence which continually supports the benefits of exercise in pregnancy.     Perhaps, the plethora of information, like much in the often conflicting world of health and fitness has lead to confusing messages about the type,  frequency and intensity that exercise sessions should be to ensure some of the benefits outlined above are guaranteed.    The next part of this blog post will look deeper into the exercise prescription of expectant mothers.

* ‘Exercising Through Your Pregnancy’ ,  James F. Clapp, M.D.

Diabetes and exercise

Over the next few weeks we intend to focus our blog posts on several special populations ( Diabetes, Pre And Post Natal, Back Pain, Heart Condition, Osteoporosis etc) and the exercise modalities and modifications that should be employed to assist these various but significantly numbered groups during personal training sessions.  The first blog in this series will look into the increasing prevalence of Diabetes, particularly the Type 2 version which is increasing at an alarming rate, exercise and diabetes and recent research into the area.  Before detailing the various exercise modifications and various recent research aimed at tackling the issue, a quick review of Diabetes and the complications arising from those who suffer from it is pertinent.

Type 1 Diabetes

In many ways the most severe of the two types of Diabetes, this develops when the cells within the Pancreas that produce insulin ( the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar) are unable to produce any of the hormone therefore rendering the person with the disease unable to process the glucose they have consumed and converting it to produce energy.   Between 5 and 15 per cent of all people with diabetes have the Type 1 condition and treatment is via daily insulin shots together with exercise and a healthy diet.

Type 2 Diabetes

Becoming more prevalent due to the increased consumption of sugar-laden foods and sedentary lifestyles, this form of diabetes develops when not enough insulin is produced or when the amount that is produced does not work effectively causing glucose levels build up in the blood, often referred to as insulin resistance.   Type 2 diabetes accounts for between 85 and 95 percent of all people with diabetes and is treated in various ways such as increased physical activity and dietary modifications, as well as insulin.

Recent research and implications for exercise programming

The number of adults in the world with diabetes has doubled since 1980, according to recent research by Imperial College London and Harvard University in the US.   Historically, most personal training programmes have focused on aerobic exercise as the main modality to help those suffering with Type 2 Diabetes.  However, recent research* which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that adding strength training could result in greater benefits particularly in reducing glycaemic levels.  The randomised, controlled trial based on 262 sedentary men and women all suffering from Type 2 diabetes, involved dividing the participants into 4 groups.   Group 1 were offered weekly stretching and relaxation classes;  Group 2 were given a resistance-only training programme, where they exercised three days a week; Group 3 performed only aerobic exercise, approx 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week;  Group 4 did a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training.   All exercise sessions were supervised and designed to have equal time requirements.

Whilst all of the ‘exercise’ groups reduced their waist circumference, only the combination group improved their maximum oxygen consumption compared to the control group.  Furthermore, while the resistance only training group lost an average of 1.4kg of fat mass, the combination training group (cardio and strength) lost an average of 1.7kg fat mass compared with the control group.  More importantly perhaps is the fact that the report states that it was the combined exercise programme that was associated with the greatest reduction in glycaemic levels.

Although it is abundantly clear that most exercise programmes for diabetes have a positive effect on health and disease prevention, it is clear that when dealing with specific populations it is important to have a good understanding of how certain personal training programmes for diabetes need to be carefully constructed in order to ensure successful outcomes.  Research and trials like the one above give vital information, providing personal trainers, exercise coaches and diabetes sufferers the tools with which to devise and implement beneficial and bespoke exercise programmes.

In the next post we will look into the often conflicting arena of exercise in pregnancy.

*Church, TS et al. Effects of Aerobic and resistance Training on Hemaglobin Alc Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.  JAMA.  Vol 304, No 20, pp2253-2262 -Nov 10

New Gym Equipment at Waterloo Gym , London, SE1

We have recently reorganised our Waterloo gym to create more exercise space which allows members and guests to train in greater comfort.    The free weights area has been enlarged and the extra weight plate storage racks and Olympic bar holders have made a huge difference to users overall gym experience.

In addition we have also added a new weight training bench and  a Life Fitness Dual Adjustable Pulley cable machine, which is ideal for functional training for sports as it has numerous exercise variations.   It also has a well-placed chin up/pull up bar to help strengthen the back musculature, in particular the latissimus dorsi.

How many times have you heard people say in response to back pain or tight shoulders ‘I have bad posture’ or ‘It’s because of my posture’? What posture is and how we understand it is the subject of today’s blog post.

One very well known figure in the health and fitness community, Paul Chek states that ‘Posture is the position from which all movement begins and ends’.

What is an ideal posture then? It’s when there is a good muscular and skeletal balance which protects the body against injury and progressive deformity, irrespective of whether these structures are at rest or working. In a state of ideal posture, muscles work and movement occurs most efficiently.

Poor posture not only takes away from aesthetics, it compromises how we were designed to function, eventually leading to pain and/or injury. The next time you are in a public place, have a look at the people around you and observe their different postures. You will most likely find that the majority exhibit poor posture. This is the result of a number of different factors, such as working in environments that are ergonomically incorrect, performing repetitive tasks with poor form or developmental dysfunctions during childhood. In my experience, a great deal of injuries that I see both as a trainer and in clinic could have been prevented if the individual had better posture.

In ideal posture, a line extending down the side of the body should run through the ear lobe, transect the shoulder, hip and knee joints and fall just anterior to (in front of) the ankle bone.

One of the best things that we can do to work towards achieving and maintaining good posture is to try and correct any muscle imbalances we have. There are many different imbalances that can occur (too many to go into in the scope of this blog) but one of the most common is associated with sitting at a desk for an extended period of time, something that is very common in many jobs nowadays. Long hours spent at a desk can lead to the shoulders rounding and the head migrating forward. Some practitioners know this as ‘Upper Cross Syndrome’. It is generally associated with some of the muscles in the chest becoming tight and some in the back becoming weak. If you work at a desk for a lot of the time there are a few things that you can do to help prevent this.

Firstly, stand up and have a quick shake about every 15 minutes or so. This in essence hits the ‘reset’ button in your muscles.

Secondly, stretch you chest a few times a day. One good way you can do this is to stand in a doorway, rest your hands on the doorframe and gently shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch in your chest.

Lastly, perform an exercise known as the prone cobra every evening. Lie on your front, place your hands a few inches away from your sides with thumbs rotated to the ceiling, and then lift your back up so that your chest leaves the floor slightly. It is important to keep your chin drawn back so that your neck remains straight and to draw your shoulder blades together (imagine you were trying to hold a pencil between them). Begin with holding this for 10seconds and then rest for 10seconds, repeating 6-10 times. The aim is to be able to hold this position for 3 minutes!

So how does one self-diagnose poor posture and muscle imbalances? Well, the best way is to have an experienced trainer or practitioner do a thorough asessment. They can then prescribe an individual set of exercises tailored to your individual needs, that will help correct any imbalances that may have developed.

Yours in health,

Doug