EQUIVITA
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Contact/Location
    • Media
    • COVID Protocols
  • Services
    • Initial Fitness Review
    • Fitness
    • Group Classes
    • Massage Therapy
  • Virtual Studio
  • Partners
    • Equanimity
  • Blog

Kettlebell vs. dumbbell vs. Resistance bands, which makes you the strongest?

4/1/2021

0 Comments

 
Resistance training programs are typically designed on numbers: the amount of weight, the number of sets and the amount of repetitions. But have you considered why this is the accepted foundation for building strength? 

Let’s start with the “weight” or type of resistance. To the body does it matter if you are lifting a dumbbell or kettlebell? Does it make a difference if you are using resistance bands or your body weight or a plate-loaded machine? The short answer is yes, and the longer answer is hell yes. Free-weights, kettlebells and machines that have only round pulleys all provide a constant amount of resistance. Resistance bands, tubing and machines that have oblong paths for the cable have a variable resistance. In function, the variable resistance provides the ability to make the resistance greater at the point where the muscles are stronger and less “weight” in the weaker ranges of the movement. Exercises with free weights and body weight can also require more stabilization than exercises which isolate a movement which can provide a greater functional benefit but at the cost of maximizing the targeted muscle contraction. 

Once you have determined the type of resistance, based on your goals and what you have available to use, the next step is to consider your goals related to what type of response you want from your body. Every skeletal muscle has a ratio of fiber types from those that can generate the most power but fatigue quickly to those that can just keep going but aren’t very forceful in their contractions. 

While in daily programming I don’t find it very useful, textbook strength training programs are based on the 1RM (One Rep Max) reference point for determining the number of sets and reps. To determine your 1RM you select an exercise, like a bench press, and progressively add weight until you get to a maximum amount of weight that you can perform a full repetition with good form but that you fatigue when trying the second rep. This maximum number then provides the foundation for designing your program based on the percentage or maximum for each set and then number of reps per set. 

With a goal of stimulating the muscle to grow in size and strength, you would design your program to have fewer reps (2- 12) and more sets (3-8) and your focus would be to push as much heavy resistance as you can as many times as you can because that will challenge the body to activate as much of the fast twitch fibers of the muscle for a longer period of time. The strongest parts of the skeletal muscle are also the parts that exhaust the quickest and your goal of stimulating your body’s response to create more of those parts is realized only when you have made those muscles contract for longer periods of time. 

It is easiest to focus on the number of repetitions as the metric by which to measure the amount of time that the muscle has been contracting, but it also brings some error into the program. If the goal is actually the amount of time, wouldn’t it make more sense to have your exercises based on lifting a weight continuously for 30 seconds, 5 seconds or 90 seconds? There are programs built on this and, of course, this also brings other challenges. Aside from the obvious time-keeping issue, most exercises have points in the range of motion where the muscles aren’t being as challenged. Taking a pause at this point in the exercise feels like a break because it is actually allowing the muscle to recover some and that is directly contradictory to the goal. If the muscle is allowed to recover, even fractions of a second, then the stimulation for maximal gains to the body will be lessened. Resting, even briefly, during a set allows the body to continue the exercise without having to devote energy into building more muscle. The same is true if your set includes reps of 10 or 50, because it is not about the number of repetitions but the length of time that the muscle is continually contracting. 

Rest times for the muscle should be reserved for between sets where the intention is to provide enough recovery for the muscle to prepare for the next series of repetitions. From a few seconds to multiple minutes, the length of the time between sets should also be dependent on the goals. In general, the more rest between sets the more the muscle can replenish and the more force that muscle can generate in the next set. Of course, too much rest and the muscle will decrease in blood flow and not be as prepared to perform more work. 

The steps to designing a strength training program should begin with a clear focus of your goals. And these will certainly change over time, but you need to have an understanding of the response you are asking of your body before you can decide on the type of resistance and especially before determining the number of sets and amount of reps per set. Your body’s goal is to do what you ask in the most efficient way. It will only devote energy toward building muscle when that is the best option. Your selection and performance of exercise is how you tell your body that is the best option. 

As always, let me know how I can help.
Adam
0 Comments

A foot exercise for strength...from your foot to your NAVEL!

4/1/2021

5 Comments

 
Picture
In this newsletter, the staff of EQUIVITA focus on the Resistance Key of EQUIVITA’s Five Keys of Fitness, and this 3rd segment will demonstrate/examine the training of the foot using "short foot" exercises. The goals that influence this article arise from my personal interest in having a strong body for as long as I want one. Strong, smart feet feel important to that goal, AND I think our understanding of the importance of feet as it relates to powerful movement and/or movement longevity is poor, outdated, and littered in marketing myth.

The protocols that are feet specific, whether it be stretching the toes, or agility/flexibility drills or Short Foot exercises are recommended by most practitioners I have studied, to be performed every DARN day. In my observation many of us do not give our feet much provision in either training or consideration, we merely wear "good shoes" which may be the creation of largely outdated understandings that are a cost to the sensory function of our feet. Likewise, shoes can be seen as a structure of constriction that do not allow the foot to move force with power but encourages it to wither in braced, over padded, over lifted construction. So let’s power up.

Enter Short Foot

Short foot exercises are noted as the creation of a Czech physiotherapist named Vladimir Janda. By training the foot with Short Foot work, we can improve the control of the foot muscles and in turn create a more stable base of support for the leg, hips and the rest of the body. The ability to make a “short foot” is little about strength of the foot muscles, rather it’s more to do with the ability to use and control the intrinsic foot muscles. In other words, the ability to have these muscles “turn on”.

The words "turn on" nod to the way the intrinsic muscles of the foot--defined as group of little muscle that run mostly through the plantar arch--message upstream to the deep core to assist your body with the work of balance in motion. The deep core or inner core (goes by either) is made up of the pelvic floor, the diaphragm, the transverse abdominis and the multifidus. The deep core muscles, while only technically hosting one known Ab muscle, time off one another to assist you in staying balanced and up right during vertical movement of your body.

I find it very intriguing to continually learn how our amazing bodies stabilize us as we move like swift jungle cats on only two legs...it’s so interesting AND very lengthy to explain, so I have tried to lace this stuff together in the drawings below to provide some visual assistance. I have layered the deep front line of fascia with the muscles of the deep core and the intrinsic muscles of the foot, found mostly in your arch. I hope this seeds an image of why footwork and artful active control of the foot influence your best movement. When you practice the short foot exercises in the video instruction that Dr. Spichal has created, it is possible to feel the tightening in your lower abdomen when you draw the big to into a short position.
​

READY, SET...SHRINK

To begin, you may be seated or standing.

First roll a ball through the fascia of the foot. Dr. Emily Spichal recommends pressing the ball into the various places on the foot for a brief 5 count hold and moving around various places through the plantar arch, the heel and the toe box. I use a decent slow drag pressure roll, the point is to hydrate the fascia of the foot so it can better perform work and for that I think both likely get the job done.

Next wake up your toes by simply spreading the toes as wide apart as you can, if at first you need to assist the spread of your toes by using your hands, please do, the goal is to create new range opportunity towards widespread toes, and sometimes this requires assistance.

Now you are ready to isolate the big toe and the 4 toes separately. Press the big toe into the ground and lift the four toes and then press the four toes into the ground and lift the big toe. Alternate these foot positions 4-5 times--this exercise was also used last month in Top-quality Cardio Feet.

NOW you are ready to better engage Short Foot training. For this work I am going to direct you to a video created by Dr. Emily Spichal. She is a veteran at this training, and I think this does a great job covering a deceptively sophisticated concept, in clear, easy to follow instructions. She makes it clear how the foot communicates to the core, and I think if you practice with her video, you have a strong shot at feeling/strengthening the connection of your foot to your core.

HOWEVER, this video is shot so you can see her whole body, and I find it useful to see the foot close-up, to get the best results out of your short foot training. Please refer to the foot selfies below before linking to the video!

As you view the foot images here, notice that you only slightly lift the pad below the big toe. Dr. Emily states that you only want to contract at about 20% of your power, that cue should help the user keep the toes tugging against the ground without curling under...toes crossed!

Short Foot Exercise & Foot Activation with Dr Emily Splichal

Kick butt, with the strongest foot you got! If you have any questions about any of the content in this article, I am interested! Please feel free to email me at twise@equivita.com.
In robust health!
Tami

Sources:
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/49/5/290
Images:
https://www.theopclinic.com/op-explained/3-1-the-deep-front-line/
Myers, Tom. Anatomy Trains, Elsevier Ltd. New York, 2014
Special, Emily. Barefoot Strong: Unlock the Secrets to Movement Longevity, Dr. Emily Spichal, 2015
5 Comments

    EQUIVITA

    This blog is written and updated by the staff that support EQUIVITA. Individual blog posts are the thoughts of the staff member that submitted the post.  The content of these posts often support the thoughts and ideas of our organization, but do not always(and we scarcely use definitives) reflect the same thoughts or ideas of the organization as a whole.

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    Categories

    All
    1RM
    Abdominal Muscles
    ACSM
    Adam Grant
    Adam Milligan
    Adaptation
    Aerobic Exercise
    Ailments
    Alignment
    Allostasis
    Ankle Mobility
    Annie Dillard
    Anti-inflammatory
    Anxiety
    Arch Tightness
    Arthritis
    Ayurvedic
    Back Pain
    Back Spasm
    Barefoot Training
    Biomechanics
    Bloating
    Blood Sugar
    BMI
    Body Building
    Body Fat
    Body Scan
    Breath Awareness Video
    Calve Raises
    Carbohydrate Loading
    Cardio Exercise
    Carla Fox
    Charis Harris
    Clintonville Farmer's Market
    COVID 19
    Deep Core
    Deep Core Training
    Deep Front Line
    Depression
    Diaphragm
    Diaphragmatic Breathing
    Diaphragm Stretching
    Diet
    Diet Tracking
    Digestion Ease
    Disrupt Repetitive Force
    Dumbbell
    Exercise Recommendations
    Fascia
    Fatigue
    Fat Loss
    Feet
    Fitness
    Five Keys Fitness
    Flexibility
    Flexible Feet
    Flourishing
    Foam Rolling
    Focus
    Food Supply Chain
    Foor Exercises
    Foot Drills
    Fredrick Kaufman American Stomach
    Goal Planning
    Goal Setting
    Gut Garden
    Gut Microbiome
    Habitual Posture
    Health
    Hip Stabilization
    Homeostasis
    Human Spirit
    Hunger Awarness
    Hypertrophy
    Image
    Inner Core Training
    Intense Exercise And Nutritional Needs
    Interval Training
    Intrinsic Foot Muscles
    IRest Practice
    Katherine Baxter
    Kettlebell
    Killer Immune Cells
    Knee Pain
    Languishing
    Laughing
    Lean Mass
    Maria Popova
    Massage
    Metabolism
    Micronutrients
    Mitochondria
    Mood
    Motivation
    Multiplaner Movement
    Muscle Recovery
    Muscle Spasm
    Natural Killer Immune Cells
    Neti Pot Use Care
    Neurohormones
    Nutrition
    Ny Times
    Osteoarthritis
    Over Training
    Pain
    Parasympathetic Nervous System
    Pelvic Floor
    Pinched Nerve
    Plantar
    Post Exercise Replentishing
    Postural Alignment
    Program Repetition
    Protein
    Relaxation
    Reset
    Resistance Bands
    Rest
    Running
    Running Gate
    SAID Principle
    Satiety
    Seasonal Eating
    Short Food Supply Chain
    Short Foot Exercises
    Sinus Massage
    Sleep
    Sleep Training
    Stabilizer Muscles
    Stationary Machine Use
    Strength Training Plan
    Stress
    Supply Chain Food Managment
    Synovial Joint
    Tami Wise
    Throw Out Back
    Toe Exercises
    Treadmill Traning
    Treadmill Walking
    Trigger Point
    Vagel Reset
    Vagus Nerve
    Visualization
    Weight Training
    Well Being

    RSS Feed

15o8 Hess St.,
​Columbus, OH 43212
​614.298.8781
Copyright ­© 2022 Body By Me.
​All Rights Reserved.


Sign In/Register


EQUIVITA is proud to serve our community for over 20 years.

Picture