The Bone Health Blueprint

Wow, what a great paper to break down for the last episode of 2022. This investigation has some hard-core truth to the benefits of moving our bodies throughout the day and how that can actually influence the health outcomes of our workouts. Not following along? Let's look at it from this perspective, you average 2500 steps per day or 8500 steps per day, perform the same hour jog on the treadmill, does your metabolism on the days following show a difference? Do the steps you take per day have any effect on how your metabolism will respond after the workout? And what's the threshold for steps per day to shoot for to promote the metabolic environment you're aiming for? These are all great questions, so let's dive in and see if we can make some sense of these fascinating data.

Article used for this week's breakdown:
Burton, HM & Coyle, EF. Daily step count and postprandial fat metabolism. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Vol. 53, No. 2, p333-340, 2021

This is one of my favorite methods to improve no matter your current level. As we all know, we are bound by the law of diminishing returns... the more we improve and enhance our abilities it requires more and more effort to continue the climb. And as we approach the top end, the level of effort only returns small improvements. However, there are ways in which we can engage our nervous system to improve things like strength, power, and work capacity without increasing our muscle size. It's all about how we engage our nervous system. We can "cheat" our physiology and engage more of our nervous system by using contrast, such as hot vs cold, fight vs flight, or fast vs slow. The dichotomy of fast versus slow is an easy way to immediately enhance our focus leading to better recruitment of muscles and more efficient movement. Be sure to tune in for the directions on how to utilize this approach and how it will help you improve at any level.

Should you spend more time focusing on strength training or aerobic training related to maintaining your fitness and hormone levels? This is a common and important question to ask yourself, and the answer will likely be very individualized based on you, your level of fitness, your training history, etc. The study in reference (sited below) looked at breaking down training into 3 groups: Strength training 3 times per week and endurance training 1 time per week; Strength training 2 times per week and endurance training 2 times per week; or Strength training 1 time per week and endurance training 3 times per week: all in relation to which would maintain or improve multiple levels of fitness over a 6 month time period. There is a lot of detail to read between the lines on this one with some great take away messages that can be applied to your current training program. Let's dive in!

Article broken down for this episode: 

Pihlainen K, et. al., "Effects of combined strength and endurance training on body composition, physical fitness, and serum hormones during a 6-month crisis management operation." Journal of strength and conditioning, 36(9)2361-2370

This has been an episode I've looked forward to for some time. I could sit and chat with Jim for hours on just about anything, but when it comes to fitness you might be surprised where the conversation goes. You might think we dove into discussions around certain exercises or specific volumes to apply for specific training outcomes, etc. But you'd be wrong. Those types of things are important and certainly have their value, but what most people need in their training is much more basic. A quote from Jim that makes this make sense, "I have to train people to get fit enough just so they can train." As we have become indoor animals and neglected our own biology, people need to look at their health and fitness from a different perspective if they ever want to achieve the goals they want from training. I hope the perspectives Jim introduces concerning our basic fundamental needs as humans so that our physiology and biology will operate at full capacity will prompt some basic changes to your everyday routine (that offer huge rewards). Jim is one of my mentors in the field of strength & conditioning, who has helped shape my views and perspectives around training and life in general. Thanks again, Jim for joining for this episode!

If you'd like to see more about Jim, he can be found on Instagram @gymlaird

You may have pre-conditioned thoughts about how a body builder approaches their day and time in the gym setting. But I'm challenging you to open up your mind to a totally different perspective. There is so much to unpack in this episode with Brandt Gess. We dive into conversations about daily training/movement from a slightly different perspective. Let me explain... The workout on the sheet may seem black & white, but it's in the grey area where the results lie. It starts with a checklist that you can use in your mind as you get geared up for the workout & continue applying as you work through your movement session. Continual body & mind feedback & active engagement of your brain to connect the dots may be the missing piece you need to get to the next level of goals or overall enjoyment out of your efforts. Brandt left me with a quote that I'll share with you as the listener, "the gym is a great metaphor for life." Consistently putting in the intentional effort towards your goal will only drive forward all other avenues in your daily life. 

Be sure to check out Brandt on Instagram @body.by.brandt and follow along his efforts in and out of the gym in his body building pursuits.

Tom has a really cool background in the world of exercise, that of an athletic trainer and a strength coach. Currently, most of his time & efforts are geared towards training and programming athletes and average joes on the online space. From these experiences, Tom has some great advice and tips for improving your workout game at home. On this episode we dive into topics ranging from the essential workout equipment for the home-gym (must haves) to conversations about how much time do we really need to spend working out to see desired results. The moral of the story is more about being consistent rather than focusing on how much time you do (or do not) have each day to devote to movement. Tom is a great example of how to be fit and stay fit, working from home and being with the family... and enjoying all of it. 

If you'd like more info about Tom, you can follow him on Instagram @strengthremedy or apply to work with him online via www.leveltencoaching.co/

When you type in Williamwallacefit on Instagram you'll come across a man with an incredible physique and work ethic. You'll wonder how he got there or if you're capable of having similar results. And what you'll learn about William's every day routine will likely surprise you... it's kinda "boring." I don't mean that in a negative way by any stretch of the imagination, but it would look eerily similar on paper, week-in and week-out. He's built a rock solid foundation for his routine, all hinging on what he needs to be the best version of himself to offer to his family, children, co-workers and friends. Movement and fitness is his outlet that gets him into that mainframe. A lot of tangible take-away messages from this episode, so pop your headphones in and let's get to it!

Thank you, William for sharing your time and insight. If you'd like to see more about William and his story, check him out on Instagram @williamwallacefit.

We've likely all been sore after a workout. Especially if we are new to exercise or back in a routine after a hiatus. We also tend to get sore post exercise when incorporating new movements or when performing more work than we typically perform. However, what about after all of those workouts where no soreness was noticeable. Does that mean the workout done the day(s) previously didn't add to the goal of improvement? Does soreness need to occur for our physiology to adapt to handle a greater workload? Or is there not a direct link between soreness and exercise induced muscle damage like we think it may present? These are some great questions and ones I dive deep into during this episode. Be sure to tune in and see for yourself!

Article used for this week's breakdown...
Schoenfeld, BJ & Contreras, MA. Is post exercise muscle soreness a valid indicator of muscle adaptations? Strength and Conditioning Journal.

I really enjoyed getting to know Josh and trading ideas and training philosophies during this episode. He and I both share a fear that helps drive our efforts for functional real-world strength... getting "old." Not that age necessarily creates the fear, but it's the fear of being trapped in your own body that many associate with getting older. However, he and I both know that approaching movement and fitness in a ruthlessly consistent yet sustainable way creates a life without boundaries. Be sure to tune in to catch all the tips Dr. Josh dishes out revolving around staying physically healthy while viewing your body and fitness from many different perspectives. 

The best place to find Dr. Josh and all of his amazing content is on Instagram @dr.josh.elzey

There are some days where the stars align and your body and brain are ready for structured movement. Then there are other days where you feel like exercise is the last thing you want to do... maybe because you're too tired, sore, lethargic, feeling lazy, etc. However, most of us know that some movement would likely make us feel better, but how much movement will get us to that place of feeling good. This episode will help you connect the dots with action based tools to help you know when to put the petal to the metal and when just enough is enough to get the job done.it's all about consistency and sustainable movement practices.

If this episode hit the spot, please leave a comment on what you think will have the biggest impact in your day. As always, I appreciate the support!