Tom Nikkola | VIGOR Training

Tom Nikkola | VIGOR Training

By Tom Nikkola | VIGOR TrainingHealth & FitnessNutritionMental HealthFitness
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Tom Nikkola | VIGOR Training episodes

  • Eat Meals, Not Snacks. Why you shouldn’t eat every few hours.
    For much of my 20 years as a fitness professional, conventional nutrition advice said that people are better off eating four, five, or even six times per day than eating one, two, or three times per day. Early on in my career, I encouraged clients to eat every few hours, which meant that they snacked multiple times each day.
    In recent years, research has emerged showing that snacking may actually be detrimental to your health and weight management.
    My personal experience, as well the results coming from my personal training clients, reinforce my second nutrition guideline:
    Eat meals, not snacks.
    In case you were wondering, my first nutrition guideline is to eat high-protein.
    Why Dietitians  and fitness professionals recommend snacking
    Fitness professionals recommend small, frequent meals for a myriad of reasons. However, science doesn’t support them.
    In case you ever confront these reasons, I’ll briefly address them.
    To avoid a metabolic slowdown
    Each time you eat, your body burns calories to digest and absorb the nutrition from your food. If you measure your metabolic rate throughout the day, you will notice it rise each time you eat.
    That led people to believe that eating more often led to a faster metabolism. But, in reality, if you eat the same foods over two meals or six meals, the food has the same net impact on your metabolism.
    Along the same lines, some fitness professionals recommend eating every few hours to avoid going into a starvation state and slowing your resting metabolic rate. It turns out that idea is way off base, as well. Your metabolic rate actually increases even after a few days on a fast. It won't slow down after only a few hours.
    There’s no metabolic benefit to eating more often.
    To avoid muscle loss
    Aside from physique competitors or those with chronic wasting diseases, you don’t need to worry about losing muscle if you don’t eat every few hours.
    For most people who aren’t on steroids, eating more than three times per day is unlikely to help you build muscle faster, either.
    What’s most important is getting enough nutrition and total protein.
    To maintain a more steady blood sugar level
    To keep patients from riding a blood sugar roller coaster and messing with their medication, conventional dietitians recommend eating smaller, more frequent meals. 
    It’s sort of like recommending an alcoholic drink a little bit all day long rather than a lot all at once. 
    The issue for a person with diabetes is carbohydrates, just as the issue for an alcoholic is alcohol. Both should abstain from the substance that causes problems.
    The difference is, the person with diabetes can get cured and eat carbs again, whereas the person with alcoholism needs to abstain indefinitely.
    All that to say that the dietitian’s diet advice isn’t good for treating someone with diabetes, and it certainly isn’t good for the person without it.
    The Case Against Snacking
    Though the rationales above for eating more often sound good, research and experience don't support them. In fact, coaching people to eat more often likely contributes to obesity and health problems. It doesn't prevent them.
    I recommend avoiding snacks for multiple reasons. Some relate to your behavior. Others relate to your hormones and metabolism. 
    a “grazing” temporal eating pattern was modestly but significantly associated with poorer diet quality and adiposity among women
    Leech RM, et al.
    Eating often conditions you to eat often
    If you intend to eat five times per day, that means you’ll have to eat every three to four hours.
    Not long after your current meal, you’ll have to think about your next meal.
    It doesn’t take much for your thoughts about eating to become an obsession.
    If you eat less often, you’ll think about eating less often because you have to plan to eat less often.
    Snack foods are some of the most addicting foods on the planet.
    15 min
  • Eat Meals, Not Snacks. Why you shouldn’t eat every few hours.
    For much of my 20 years as a fitness professional, conventional nutrition advice said that people are better off eating four, five, or even six times per day than eating one, two, or three times per day. Early on in my career, I encouraged clients to eat every few hours, which meant that they snacked multiple times each day.
    In recent years, research has emerged showing that snacking may actually be detrimental to your health and weight management.
    My personal experience, as well the results coming from my personal training clients, reinforce my second nutrition guideline:
    Eat meals, not snacks.
    In case you were wondering, my first nutrition guideline is to eat high-protein.
    Why Dietitians  and fitness professionals recommend snacking
    Fitness professionals recommend small, frequent meals for a myriad of reasons. However, science doesn’t support them.
    In case you ever confront these reasons, I’ll briefly address them.
    To avoid a metabolic slowdown
    Each time you eat, your body burns calories to digest and absorb the nutrition from your food. If you measure your metabolic rate throughout the day, you will notice it rise each time you eat.
    That led people to believe that eating more often led to a faster metabolism. But, in reality, if you eat the same foods over two meals or six meals, the food has the same net impact on your metabolism.
    Along the same lines, some fitness professionals recommend eating every few hours to avoid going into a starvation state and slowing your resting metabolic rate. It turns out that idea is way off base, as well. Your metabolic rate actually increases even after a few days on a fast. It won't slow down after only a few hours.
    There’s no metabolic benefit to eating more often.
    To avoid muscle loss
    Aside from physique competitors or those with chronic wasting diseases, you don’t need to worry about losing muscle if you don’t eat every few hours.
    For most people who aren’t on steroids, eating more than three times per day is unlikely to help you build muscle faster, either.
    What’s most important is getting enough nutrition and total protein.
    To maintain a more steady blood sugar level
    To keep patients from riding a blood sugar roller coaster and messing with their medication, conventional dietitians recommend eating smaller, more frequent meals. 
    It’s sort of like recommending an alcoholic drink a little bit all day long rather than a lot all at once. 
    The issue for a person with diabetes is carbohydrates, just as the issue for an alcoholic is alcohol. Both should abstain from the substance that causes problems.
    The difference is, the person with diabetes can get cured and eat carbs again, whereas the person with alcoholism needs to abstain indefinitely.
    All that to say that the dietitian’s diet advice isn’t good for treating someone with diabetes, and it certainly isn’t good for the person without it.
    The Case Against Snacking
    Though the rationales above for eating more often sound good, research and experience don't support them. In fact, coaching people to eat more often likely contributes to obesity and health problems. It doesn't prevent them.
    I recommend avoiding snacks for multiple reasons. Some relate to your behavior. Others relate to your hormones and metabolism. 
    a “grazing” temporal eating pattern was modestly but significantly associated with poorer diet quality and adiposity among womenLeech RM, et al.
    Eating often conditions you to eat often
    If you intend to eat five times per day, that means you’ll have to eat every three to four hours.
    Not long after your current meal, you’ll have to think about your next meal.
    It doesn’t take much for your thoughts about eating to become an obsession.
    If you eat less often, you’ll think about eating less often because you have to plan to eat less often.
    Snack foods are some of the most addicting foods on the planet.
    15 min
  • What is Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia (VIPIT)?
    Good news for those who develop vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia after getting the COVID-19 vaccine! You might survive if you get treated soon after symptoms appear.
    If you’ve never heard of VIPIT, you’re not alone. It’s a brand new health condition caused by the new vaccines.
    VIPIT is one of many different adverse events reported so far. The May 7, 2021 VAERS report contained 192,954 total adverse events, including:
    4057 deaths
    17,190 serious injuries
    297 miscarriages or premature births
    1950 cases of Bell's Palsy
    181 cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome
    55,220 cases of anaphylaxis
    What is Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia (VIPIT)?
    Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia seems to be uniquely connected to the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines.
    (VIPIT) is characterized by the presence of two conditions concurrently: thrombosis (often in unusual sites like the cerebral sinus veins or splanchnic veins) AND thrombocytopenia.
    American College of Cardiology
    To make things a little more confusing, VIPIT is also called Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) and “thrombotic thrombocytopenic syndrome” (TTS).
    (In those who develop VIPIT, the vaccine) seems to induce the production of antibodies causing massive activation of platelets via the Fc receptor, resembling heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), but without previous contact with heparin (HIT mimicry).”
    Thaler, J, et al.
    In the case of VIPIT, some of the following symptoms appear four to 28 days after vaccination. This is important because people typically think of adverse events as taking place within 48 hours. That's not the case here.
    Symptoms of ThrombosisBack painBlood blistersBlurred visionChest or abdominal painDouble visionFocal neurological symptomsMultiple small bruisesPallor and coldness in a limbPersistent and severe headacheReddish or purplish spotsSeizuresShortness of breathSwelling and redness in a limbUnusual bleeding
    Most VIPIT cases have occurred in otherwise healthy people under 50 who did not have pre-existing health conditions. Rates are higher in women than men as well. If not treated quickly, mortality rates are as high as 50%.
    Thanks to one patient's medical team, the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis was able to publish a detailed case report of this 62-year-old woman. The complete case report is available here. I've summarized it below.
    Published Case Study
    She developed flu-like symptoms the day after vaccination, treated herself, and felt better the day after that. She then took a short trip and cross-country skied for several hours in Austria.
    On the 5th day, she developed chills, self-medicated, and felt better the next day.
    On the 8th day, she bit her lip and developed a large hematoma. The next day, she noticed another hematoma on her ankle and that her gums were bleeding.
    After much testing, the doctors diagnosed her VIPIT. Her treatment included:
    a fibrinogen concentrate
    HIT-compatible anticoagulation with short-acting danaparoid-sodium
    immunoglobulins
    prednisolone
    oral apixaban
    That's a lot of medication to offset the effects of a vaccine you could argue she didn't need.
    Read also: How are COVID-19 cases counted?
    Think for yourself. Don't let a celebrity do it for you.
    Based on all of the celebrity endorsements, the pleading and incentivizing by Democrat governors, and the shaming by Mainstream Media of those who choose not to get vaccinated, you might believe the vaccine is safe and well-proven. But, unfortunately, that could not be further from the truth.
    While it is true that the vast majority of people who've gotten one of the vaccines are alive and well today, they're not without risk. In addition, there is no long-term safety data to show they'll be fine long-term. Finally, don't forget that none of these vaccines were available a year ago,
    8 min
  • What is Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia (VIPIT)?
    Good news for those who develop vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia after getting the COVID-19 vaccine! You might survive if you get treated soon after symptoms appear.
    If you’ve never heard of VIPIT, you’re not alone. It’s a brand new health condition caused by the new vaccines.
    VIPIT is one of many different adverse events reported so far. The May 7, 2021 VAERS report contained 192,954 total adverse events, including:
    4057 deaths17,190 serious injuries297 miscarriages or premature births1950 cases of Bell's Palsy181 cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome55,220 cases of anaphylaxis
    What is Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia (VIPIT)?
    Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia seems to be uniquely connected to the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines.
    (VIPIT) is characterized by the presence of two conditions concurrently: thrombosis (often in unusual sites like the cerebral sinus veins or splanchnic veins) AND thrombocytopenia.American College of Cardiology
    To make things a little more confusing, VIPIT is also called Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) and “thrombotic thrombocytopenic syndrome” (TTS).
    (In those who develop VIPIT, the vaccine) seems to induce the production of antibodies causing massive activation of platelets via the Fc receptor, resembling heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), but without previous contact with heparin (HIT mimicry).”Thaler, J, et al.
    In the case of VIPIT, some of the following symptoms appear four to 28 days after vaccination. This is important because people typically think of adverse events as taking place within 48 hours. That's not the case here.
    Symptoms of ThrombosisBack painBlood blistersBlurred visionChest or abdominal painDouble visionFocal neurological symptomsMultiple small bruisesPallor and coldness in a limbPersistent and severe headacheReddish or purplish spotsSeizuresShortness of breathSwelling and redness in a limbUnusual bleeding
    Most VIPIT cases have occurred in otherwise healthy people under 50 who did not have pre-existing health conditions. Rates are higher in women than men as well. If not treated quickly, mortality rates are as high as 50%.
    Thanks to one patient's medical team, the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis was able to publish a detailed case report of this 62-year-old woman. The complete case report is available here. I've summarized it below.
    Published Case Study
    She developed flu-like symptoms the day after vaccination, treated herself, and felt better the day after that. She then took a short trip and cross-country skied for several hours in Austria.
    On the 5th day, she developed chills, self-medicated, and felt better the next day.
    On the 8th day, she bit her lip and developed a large hematoma. The next day, she noticed another hematoma on her ankle and that her gums were bleeding.
    After much testing, the doctors diagnosed her VIPIT. Her treatment included:
    a fibrinogen concentrateHIT-compatible anticoagulation with short-acting danaparoid-sodiumimmunoglobulinsprednisoloneoral apixaban
    That's a lot of medication to offset the effects of a vaccine you could argue she didn't need.
    Read also: How are COVID-19 cases counted?
    Think for yourself. Don't let a celebrity do it for you.
    Based on all of the celebrity endorsements, the pleading and incentivizing by Democrat governors, and the shaming by Mainstream Media of those who choose not to get vaccinated, you might believe the vaccine is safe and well-proven. But, unfortunately, that could not be further from the truth.
    While it is true that the vast majority of people who've gotten one of the vaccines are alive and well today, they're not without risk. In addition, there is no long-term safety data to show they'll be fine long-term. Finally, don't forget that none of these vaccines were available a year ago, and previous mRNA vaccines trialed on animals led to num...
    8 min
  • Research Shows Dietary Supplements Reduce COVID-19 Risk
    The prestigious British Medical Journal recently published a study that got little attention from Mainstream Media, probably because it wasn't about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The study showed that four dietary supplements significantly reduce COVID-19 infection risk.
    Using an app developed by Zoe Global, in partnership with King’s College London, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lund University, Sweden, and Uppsala University, Sweden, researchers reviewed data from more than 400,000 users.
    To summarize their findings:
    In the largest observational study on SARS-CoV-2 infection and dietary supplement use to date on over 400,000 app users from three different countries, we show a significant association between users of omega-3 fatty acid, probiotic, multivitamin or vitamin D supplements and lower risk of testing positive for infection with SARS-CoV-2.
    Louca P, et al.
    Interestingly, supplement use seemed to be more effective in women than men in relation to COVID-19.
    What makes these supplements especially effective?
    Vitamin D
    One of the many health benefits of vitamin D is its impact on the immune system. 
    Health care providers have known for decades that low vitamin D levels increase the risk of the flu and other infections. Vitamin D affects the function of T cells and B cells.
    It’s no surprise, then, that low vitamin D levels could increase the risk of COVID-19. In the BMJ study, vitamin D supplementation lowered COVID-19 risk by 9% for United Kingdom participants and by 24% for those in the United States.
    Another new study, published in The Lancet, also affirmed the protective effects of vitamin D supplementation.
    In summary, this updated meta-analysis of data from RCTs of vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of ARIs showed a significant overall protective effect of this intervention compared with a placebo control.
    Joliffe DA, et al.
    Multivitamins
    Though I’m a major advocate for multivitamin use, health care practitioners often question the health benefits of multivitamins. Because they include multiple ingredients, and the supplement market includes a wide range of qualities, the research on multivitamins isn’t as in-depth as that of the individual ingredients.
    However, there’s no doubt that most people don’t get enough of most micronutrients for optimal health. Any micronutrient deficiency has the potential to interfere with immune function, but inadequate zinc, or vitamins A, C, D, and E can all increase the risk of viral infection.
    In the BMJ study, multivitamin use lowered COVID-19 infection risk by 13% for those in the U.K., and 12% for those in the U.S.
    Read also: The Best Multivitamins for Men and Women.
    Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil)
    You might be surprised to see fish oil included in this list. When most people think of fish oil health benefits, they think of heart health, fat loss, brain function, and possibly muscle growth. 
    Omega-3 fatty acids help support a normal inflammatory response, and inflammation plays a significant role in the immune process.
    That said, it’s unclear exactly how fish oil reduces SARS-CoV-2 infection, but it does.
    The data from the BMJ shows fish oil supplementation lowers COVID-19 risk in the United States by 21% and in the United Kingdom by 12%.
    Probiotics
    It’s often said that “70% of your immune system lies in your gut.” Whether that’s an accurate percentage or not, the point is that your gut health plays a crucial role in immune function.
    That doesn’t mean your gut only protects you from pathogens that reach your gut. In reality, the bacteria in your intestines produce metabolites and other compounds that enhance immune function throughout the body.
    In fact, research shows that the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut impacts the function of immune cells even in the lungs.
    Alveolar macrophages act as patrols in the lung tissues, causing an immune response when they encounter pathog...
    8 min
  • Research Shows Dietary Supplements Reduce COVID-19 Risk
    The prestigious British Medical Journal recently published a study that got little attention from Mainstream Media, probably because it wasn't about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The study showed that four dietary supplements significantly reduce COVID-19 infection risk.
    Using an app developed by Zoe Global, in partnership with King’s College London, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lund University, Sweden, and Uppsala University, Sweden, researchers reviewed data from more than 400,000 users.
    To summarize their findings:
    In the largest observational study on SARS-CoV-2 infection and dietary supplement use to date on over 400,000 app users from three different countries, we show a significant association between users of omega-3 fatty acid, probiotic, multivitamin or vitamin D supplements and lower risk of testing positive for infection with SARS-CoV-2.Louca P, et al.
    Interestingly, supplement use seemed to be more effective in women than men in relation to COVID-19.
    What makes these supplements especially effective?
    Vitamin D
    One of the many health benefits of vitamin D is its impact on the immune system. 
    Health care providers have known for decades that low vitamin D levels increase the risk of the flu and other infections. Vitamin D affects the function of T cells and B cells.
    It’s no surprise, then, that low vitamin D levels could increase the risk of COVID-19. In the BMJ study, vitamin D supplementation lowered COVID-19 risk by 9% for United Kingdom participants and by 24% for those in the United States.
    Another new study, published in The Lancet, also affirmed the protective effects of vitamin D supplementation.
    In summary, this updated meta-analysis of data from RCTs of vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of ARIs showed a significant overall protective effect of this intervention compared with a placebo control.Joliffe DA, et al.
    Multivitamins
    Though I’m a major advocate for multivitamin use, health care practitioners often question the health benefits of multivitamins. Because they include multiple ingredients, and the supplement market includes a wide range of qualities, the research on multivitamins isn’t as in-depth as that of the individual ingredients.
    However, there’s no doubt that most people don’t get enough of most micronutrients for optimal health. Any micronutrient deficiency has the potential to interfere with immune function, but inadequate zinc, or vitamins A, C, D, and E can all increase the risk of viral infection.
    In the BMJ study, multivitamin use lowered COVID-19 infection risk by 13% for those in the U.K., and 12% for those in the U.S.
    Read also: The Best Multivitamins for Men and Women.
    Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil)
    You might be surprised to see fish oil included in this list. When most people think of fish oil health benefits, they think of heart health, fat loss, brain function, and possibly muscle growth. 
    Omega-3 fatty acids help support a normal inflammatory response, and inflammation plays a significant role in the immune process.
    That said, it’s unclear exactly how fish oil reduces SARS-CoV-2 infection, but it does.
    The data from the BMJ shows fish oil supplementation lowers COVID-19 risk in the United States by 21% and in the United Kingdom by 12%.
    Probiotics
    It’s often said that “70% of your immune system lies in your gut.” Whether that’s an accurate percentage or not, the point is that your gut health plays a crucial role in immune function.
    That doesn’t mean your gut only protects you from pathogens that reach your gut. In reality, the bacteria in your intestines produce metabolites and other compounds that enhance immune function throughout the body.
    In fact, research shows that the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut impacts the function of immune cells even in the lungs.
    Alveolar macrophages act as patrols in the lung tissues, causing an immune response when they encounter pathogens....
    8 min
  • Muscle Cramps (Charley Horse): Causes & how to get rid of them
    Some people deal with muscle cramps (Charley horses) on occasion, and others experience cramping multiple times each week.
    While they aren't harmful, they can be pretty painful. And while the exact cause of cramping isn't known, you may be able to reduce the likelihood of getting them.
    In this article, I'll address the following concerns:
    What is a muscle cramp (Charley horse)?
    A muscle cramp is a "painful, spasmodic, involuntary contractions of skeletal muscle during or immediately after physical exercise" (Schwellung MP et al.).
    A cramp isn't the same as a muscle spasm. Spasms rarely cause pain and cause light, repeated contractions as opposed to a constant and significant contraction.
    A Charley horse is a muscle cramp in the leg. The slang term stems from baseball as far back as the late 1800s.
    Muscle cramps usually fall into two categories:
    Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC): Cramps that occur during or immediately after exercise in the muscles used during training or prolonged physical labor or activity.
    Rest cramps or nocturnal cramps: Cramps that occur at night, most often in the thighs, calf muscles, or feet.
    Pregnant women and older people are more likely to experience rest or nocturnal cramps. They are not the same as restless leg syndrome.
    What causes muscle cramps?
    We often assume scientists know everything about the human body. Yet, there’s a lot we don’t yet fully understand. The cause of muscle cramps is one such issue.
    Exercise physiologists and scientists fall into two camps when it comes to the cause of muscle cramps. They believe cramps are caused by:
    Dehydration or electrolyte imbalance
    Nervous system excitation
    Though most people have been sold the idea that cramping is about hydration and electrolytes, the evidence shows that’s probably not the primary cause.
    Electrolyte imbalance and dehydration
    High-quality research dating back to the 1920s and 1930s showed that physical labor performed under high heat caused cramping. Miners, ship’s stokers, and construction and steel mill workers were prone to muscle cramps.
    Researchers observed that drinking plain water made the cramping worse.
    Back then, they could measure blood levels of chloride, but not sodium, and noticed that low chloride levels were associated with higher rates of cramping. Today, we know that chloride and sodium levels go hand in hand, and sodium is the more significant concern.
    In reality, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium all play essential roles in muscle contraction and relaxation, which is why most electrolyte replacements contain all of these micronutrients.
    Soccer, American football, and basketball players often cramp as well. Some research shows that football players who sweat out higher concentrations of sodium are more likely to cramp.
    When it comes to the electrolyte hypothesis, one thing is clear: Drinking plain water does not reduce the occurrence of cramps. It increases it. 
    When you drink only plain water while excreting significant amounts of sodium (salt) through sweat, you dilute your body’s sodium concentration. 
    In a controlled environment, severe restriction of dietary sodium intake can result in hyponatraemia and may be associated with generalised skeletal muscle cramping in the absence of exercise.
    Maughan RJ, et al.
    Consider that statement in light of today’s salt-demonizing dietary recommendations.
    If you severely cut back on salt intake or drink an excess of plain water, you can cause hyponatremia. Older adults often have pre-existing medical conditions or take medications that may disrupt their electrolyte balances. Following a low salt diet may lead to ongoing problems with cramping.
    As an example, the use of low-sodium dialysis fluids in renal patients may trigger muscle cramps.
    Though some research shows consuming electrolytes during intense physical activity reduces the occurrence of EAMC,
    17 min
  • Muscle Cramps (Charley Horse): Causes & how to get rid of them
    Some people deal with muscle cramps (Charley horses) on occasion, and others experience cramping multiple times each week.
    While they aren't harmful, they can be pretty painful. And while the exact cause of cramping isn't known, you may be able to reduce the likelihood of getting them.
    In this article, I'll address the following concerns:
    What is a muscle cramp (Charley horse)?
    A muscle cramp is a "painful, spasmodic, involuntary contractions of skeletal muscle during or immediately after physical exercise" (Schwellung MP et al.).
    A cramp isn't the same as a muscle spasm. Spasms rarely cause pain and cause light, repeated contractions as opposed to a constant and significant contraction.
    A Charley horse is a muscle cramp in the leg. The slang term stems from baseball as far back as the late 1800s.
    Muscle cramps usually fall into two categories:
    Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC): Cramps that occur during or immediately after exercise in the muscles used during training or prolonged physical labor or activity.Rest cramps or nocturnal cramps: Cramps that occur at night, most often in the thighs, calf muscles, or feet.
    Pregnant women and older people are more likely to experience rest or nocturnal cramps. They are not the same as restless leg syndrome.
    What causes muscle cramps?
    We often assume scientists know everything about the human body. Yet, there’s a lot we don’t yet fully understand. The cause of muscle cramps is one such issue.
    Exercise physiologists and scientists fall into two camps when it comes to the cause of muscle cramps. They believe cramps are caused by:
    Dehydration or electrolyte imbalanceNervous system excitation
    Though most people have been sold the idea that cramping is about hydration and electrolytes, the evidence shows that’s probably not the primary cause.
    Electrolyte imbalance and dehydration
    High-quality research dating back to the 1920s and 1930s showed that physical labor performed under high heat caused cramping. Miners, ship’s stokers, and construction and steel mill workers were prone to muscle cramps.
    Researchers observed that drinking plain water made the cramping worse.
    Back then, they could measure blood levels of chloride, but not sodium, and noticed that low chloride levels were associated with higher rates of cramping. Today, we know that chloride and sodium levels go hand in hand, and sodium is the more significant concern.
    In reality, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium all play essential roles in muscle contraction and relaxation, which is why most electrolyte replacements contain all of these micronutrients.
    Soccer, American football, and basketball players often cramp as well. Some research shows that football players who sweat out higher concentrations of sodium are more likely to cramp.
    When it comes to the electrolyte hypothesis, one thing is clear: Drinking plain water does not reduce the occurrence of cramps. It increases it. 
    When you drink only plain water while excreting significant amounts of sodium (salt) through sweat, you dilute your body’s sodium concentration. 
    In a controlled environment, severe restriction of dietary sodium intake can result in hyponatraemia and may be associated with generalised skeletal muscle cramping in the absence of exercise.Maughan RJ, et al.
    Consider that statement in light of today’s salt-demonizing dietary recommendations.
    If you severely cut back on salt intake or drink an excess of plain water, you can cause hyponatremia. Older adults often have pre-existing medical conditions or take medications that may disrupt their electrolyte balances. Following a low salt diet may lead to ongoing problems with cramping.
    As an example, the use of low-sodium dialysis fluids in renal patients may trigger muscle cramps.
    Though some research shows consuming electrolytes during intense physical activity reduces the occurrence of EAMC,
    17 min
  • Plyometrics: Fitness and Performance Benefits for Non-Athletes
    What are the benefits of plyometrics? Trainers and strength coaches often integrate plyometrics into their sports performance programs for athletes. Yet, the benefits of plyometrics aren't exclusive to athletes.
    When used appropriately, plyometric exercises add variety to programming, provide a safe and effective means of improving movement proficiency, and can better prepare your nervous system to produce maximal force during training sessions, athletic events, and in everyday life.
    While I never rely exclusively on plyometrics for my online personal training programs, I often include at least one movement near the beginning of a workout. I'll explain what plyometric exercise entails, the benefits you can expect, and my rationale for including certain exercises in my training program.
    What are plyometrics?
    Plyometrics are exercises performed with maximal speed and power for short periods of time. Though plyos are a type of power training, they aren't the same as Olympic lifting or powerlifting.
    Plyometrics definition: A quick and eccentric (muscle-lengthening) muscle contraction immediately followed by a swift and explosive concentric muscle contraction. While you quickly complete an eccentric movement, such as dropping to the bottom of a squat position, your muscles load with elastic energy. This storing of power from the stretch response is called "amortization."
    If you pause between the eccentric and concentric contractions too long, you lose the energy created from the amortization. To qualify as a plyometric exercise, you complete a maximal power, concentric movement immediately after the eccentric contraction.
    The entire concentric-amortization-eccentric process is often referred to as the “stretch-shortening cycle.”
    In reality, we leverage the stretch-shortening cycle in everyday life as well as in athletics. Once you become aware of it, you'll see people use it to get out of chairs or move up the stairs, although they rarely use it to generate peak power.
    Plyometric Exercises
    Most plyometric training focuses on lower body movements, though some upper body plyometric movements exist. This is far from an exhaustive list, but the following are common plyometric exercises, many of which I include in my virtual personal training programs.
    Jump squats
    Triple broad jumps
    Clapping push-ups
    Depth jumps
    Jumping lunges
    Speed skater hops
    Box jumps
    Hurdle hops
    Single leg hurdle hops
    Jumping rope
    Medicine ball catch and toss
    Hand release pull-ups
    Novice athletes and exercisers use their body weight as resistance, whereas intermediate and advanced athletes and exercisers may add additional resistance with bands, dumbbells, barbells, or a weight vest.
    You can also vary the terrain to make plyometric exercises more challenging. Water, sand, and uneven surfaces add another layer or difficulty.
    Though you often see people use them in gyms, I never recommend using a BOSU for plyometric exercises. It’s an accident waiting to happen and adds no functional value to a client’s programming unless they're training for the circus. Sadly, though, I see many fitness professionals misuse the BOSU in this way.
    What are the Benefits of Plyometrics?
    Athletes have used plyometric training for decades to improve jump performance, lower body power, agility, and force production. Yet, non-athlete everyday Joe’s and Jane’s need these same abilities to function well in everyday life.
    Plyometric movements challenge stability, balance, agility, speed, and power, which help you navigate life as much as an athlete navigates an athletic field.
    In daily life, rapid force production is crucial in situations when balance needs to be corrected quickly after tripping, and its decline may be a major contributor to the loss of independence and falling accidents and injuries in older adults. Additionally, both agility and lower-extremity muscle power correlate well with bala...
    10 min
  • Plyometrics: Fitness and Performance Benefits for Non-Athletes
    Trainers and strength coaches often integrate plyometrics into their sports performance programs for athletes. Yet, the benefits of plyometrics aren't exclusive to athletes.
    When used appropriately, plyometric exercises add variety to programming, provide a safe and effective means of improving movement proficiency, and can better prepare your nervous system to produce maximal force during training sessions, athletic events, and in everyday life.
    While I never rely exclusively on plyometrics for my online personal training programs, I often include at least one movement near the beginning of a workout. I'll explain what plyometric exercise entails, the benefits you can expect, and my rationale for including certain exercises in my training program.
    What is plyometrics?
    Plyometrics are exercises performed with maximal speed and power for short periods of time. Though plyos are a type of power training, they aren't the same as Olympic lifting or powerlifting.
    Plyometrics definition: A quick and eccentric (muscle-lengthening) muscle contraction immediately followed by a swift and explosive concentric muscle contraction. While you quickly complete an eccentric movement, such as dropping to the bottom of a squat position, your muscles load with elastic energy. This storing of power from the stretch response is called "amortization."
    If you pause between the eccentric and concentric contractions too long, you lose the energy created from the amortization. To qualify as a plyometric exercise, you complete a maximal power, concentric movement immediately after the eccentric contraction.
    The entire concentric-amortization-eccentric process is often referred to as the “stretch-shortening cycle.”
    In reality, we leverage the stretch-shortening cycle in everyday life as well as in athletics. Once you become aware of it, you'll see people use it to get out of chairs or move up the stairs, although they rarely use it to generate peak power.
    Plyometric Exercises
    Most plyometric training focuses on lower body movements, though some upper body plyometric movements exist. This is far from an exhaustive list, but the following are common plyometric exercises, many of which I include in VIGOR Training:
    Jump squatsTriple broad jumpsClapping push-upsDepth jumpsJumping lungesSpeed skater hopsBox jumpsHurdle hopsSingle leg hurdle hopsJumping ropeMedicine ball catch and tossHand release pull-ups
    Novice athletes and exercisers use their body weight as resistance, whereas intermediate and advanced athletes and exercisers may add additional resistance with bands, dumbbells, barbells, or a weight vest.
    You can also vary the terrain to make plyometric exercises more challenging. Water, sand, and uneven surfaces add another layer or difficulty.
    Though you often see people use them in gyms, I never recommend using a BOSU for plyometric exercises. It’s an accident waiting to happen and adds no functional value to a client’s programming unless they're training for the circus. Sadly, though, I see many fitness professionals misuse the BOSU in this way.
    Plyometrics Benefits
    Athletes have used plyometric training for decades to improve jump performance, lower body power, agility, and force production. Yet, non-athlete everyday Joe’s and Jane’s need these same abilities to function well in everyday life.
    Plyometric movements challenge stability, balance, agility, speed, and power, which help you navigate life as much as an athlete navigates an athletic field.
    In daily life, rapid force production is crucial in situations when balance needs to be corrected quickly after tripping, and its decline may be a major contributor to the loss of independence and falling accidents and injuries in older adults. Additionally, both agility and lower-extremity muscle power correlate well with balance, and having greater agility and more powerful legs thus likely indicates improved balance,
    10 min

About Tom Nikkola | VIGOR Training

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