Stretching part two

This is the second installment that I lifted from Biomechfit.com .  I just wanted to add that stretching is beneficial but it is most beneficial when the tissue you intend to stretch is warm.  I can't count the number of patients I have that I can increase their hamstring flexibility and lumbar AROM simply by having them perform light exercises involving those muscles.  For example, I had a patient the other day whose straight leg raise went from 50 to 80 degrees in the course of about 45 minutes.  This is not a change in tissue length or stretch tolerance.  It is a change in tissue temperature and plyability due to increased blood flow.  Here is the lifted post.

Stretching Science Part 3: Effects on Performance

December 19, 2012 | Category: Movement Quality | 7 comments

Whether you want to run faster, jump higher, throw farther or play harder, you will need to move through an optimal range of motion to meet your performance objective. Flexibility is therefore an important factor in displays of physical performance along with strength, endurance, balance, agility and other fitness qualities. Static stretching may not be able to prevent injury or muscle soreness, but there’s no doubt about its usefulness when it comes to enhancing flexibility. Having said that, there are no universal requirements for flexibility, so the potential value of stretching must be evaluated in terms of individual needs and goals as well as any inherent limitations of stretching itself.

In that light, it’s worth examining the available evidence to determine if static stretching has any potentially negative effects on performance before engaging or continuing in a dedicated stretching program. Specifically, there are a few issues to consider: 1) the immediate short-term effects of stretching, 2) the long-term effects of chronic stretching and 3) the effectiveness of stretching as a warm up.

Acute, short-term effects of static stretching

An increasing number of studies are showing that static stretching, when immediately preceding physical activity, can actually have a negative effect on maximal performance. In a 2012 research review of the acute effects of static stretching, force output in strength, power and speed-dependent tasks was significantly reduced when the duration of stretch surpassed 60 seconds (Kay et al.) A previous review from 2004 came to a similar conclusion, finding that static stretching immediately before exercise is detrimental to performance in speed and power-related tasks (Shrier.) Performance losses have not been demonstrated, however, when stretching is limited to less than 45 seconds per muscle group.

Can shorter duration stretching provide much benefit? Well, one study showed that after a 6-week hamstring stretching program, the greatest increase in hamstring extensibility was gained when the duration of stretch was 30 seconds, with only a minimal increase in range of motion achieved by extending that stretch to 60 seconds (Bandy & Irion.) If your sport requires a maximal strength, power or speed component, then you can conceivably hold each stretch for 30 seconds to gain an increase in extensibility while avoiding any decrement in performance. Please note that the study referenced here used subjects who were classified as having “below average” flexibility, in which case you could indeed expect a relatively shorter duration of stretch to produce the desired effect. At some point, 30 seconds of stretching will stop producing gains and a longer duration will be needed for further progress.

Stretching routines should match flexibility requirements, which vary according to sport and sometimes even position within a sport

So, what about performing multiple stretches of 30 seconds as opposed to increasing the duration of a single stretch? Interestingly, another study revealed that repeated 30-second static stretches (alternated with 30-second periods of rest) may have a detrimental effect on short-distance sprinting times (Nelson et al.) There are no definitive explanations for why stretching might negatively affect performance, but a couple theories have been suggested. For example, it’s possible that stretching causes a plastic decrease in musculotendinous stiffness, which reduces the amount of elastic energy that can be stored and released, although not all studies have demonstrated a permanent loss of stiffness. Another potential effect of sustained stretching is reflex (or autogenic) inhibition, the process by which the Golgi tendon organ relaxes the musculotendinous unit in response to applied tension. This means that static stretching may be priming your muscles to relax instead of preparing them to contract more forcefully.

Many stretching regimens for team and individual sports do not exceed 30 seconds per stretch and should not interfere with subsequent performance. However, restricting the length of any stretch to a single set of 30 to 45 seconds will probably not produce maximal flexibility either. What if you need greater flexibility than can be achieved with a conservative stretching protocol? This issue may be resolved by engaging in lengthy stretching sessions only on days or at times which do not coincide with challenging training modules or competitions, or perhaps by placing stretching at the end of any workouts or events. However, identifying an ideal time to stretch by no means implies that more stretching is always better and some caution is in order before pursuing an intensified flexibility program.

Long-term effects of chronic stretching

Stretching is commonly performed with the intention of lengthening the musculotendinous unit, but an often ignored detail is the effect that stretching may have on other structural components of the joint capsule like ligaments and cartilage. Athletes who overemphasize flexibility may end up with hypermobile joints by increasing ligament laxity, and excessive stretching can even lead to degeneration in the articulating surfaces of a joint. This will place more of a demand on the musculature to actively stabilize the joints, which may not present a problem during slower, more controlled movements, even against a significant load as may be experienced in weight training. However, muscle cannot respond as quickly as ligaments against large, rapidly applied loads, especially with the torsional component present in many high-performance sports (Siff.) You should therefore consider your priorities carefully and identify the actual requirements of your sport. Do you really need more flexibility, or would the development of another aspect of physical performance like strength, stability, power or speed be a more productive use of your time?

Get ready for extreme stretching: if you fall, you die

As the late Dr. Mel Siff explains in Supertraining, “static stretching is insufficient to develop the strength, power, mobility and stability required in sport.” Passive stretching can improve passive flexibility but can only moderately enhance active joint mobility, which is a much more important quality for sports performance. On its own, passive flexibility offers no performance benefit and an increase in “range of motion is useless if not under precise nervous system control” (Sands.) The endless pursuit of an arbitrary goal of flexibility, just for the sake of being more flexible, makes little sense without having a practical application for it. Of course, flexibility requirements vary considerably depending upon the activity and sometimes change according to the role of a position within a sport. For instance, gymnastics demands greater flexibility than any ice hockey player needs, yet a hockey goalie will need to be more flexible than other teammates, especially in the hips. In other words, flexibility is specific.

So, if you need to do a full split in order to participate in your sport, then you’re probably going to spend a considerable amount of time stretching. As it turns out though, most sports only require average levels of flexibility. As an example, the popular sport of running doesn’t challenge the limits on range of motion in any way. In fact, good running economy actually depends upon sufficient stiffness of the tendons to store and release energy from each ground contact. Why would you want to potentially reduce this stiffness by means of static stretching? Contrary to popular belief, even deep squatting doesn’t require exceptional flexibility, but it does require good motor control. Enhancing motor control through a variety of dynamic movements involving all joints in the body will go a long way toward resolving limitations in mobility without much need for stretching. It’s true that stretches can provide some movement variety but stretching is not the only way to accomplish this, nor is it the most efficient.

Static stretching vs. dynamic stretching as an effective warm up

Stretching may be done without the explicit goal of a permanent increase in flexibility, and a common objective is to simply “loosen up tight joints and muscles”. For this reason, some may be reluctant to omit stretching from their pre-activity routine for fear of not properly warming up. If that is your concern, then be assured that aside from introducing an external heat source, the only way to literally warm up is by raising your metabolic rate and increasing blood flow, which static stretching cannot accomplish. A further limitation of static stretching is that you can only stretch in one plane of motion at a time, while sports typically require movement in all planes. Preparing your joints for all available multi-planar movement by means of static stretching is essentially impossible, like trying to heat every room in your house with a blow dryer. Before you can finish, you’ll have to start over.

Dynamic flexibility is much more important than static range of motion for performance in sport

Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, can provide an effective warm up by quickly raising your metabolic rate and moving your joints through all degrees of motion. This is a superior method for sports preparation because it more closely resembles what takes place in actual sporting performance. Athletes typically demonstrate a greater range of motion during the dynamic movements of their sport than with statically held positions, and some “studies have indicated that dynamic stretching can produce equal or greater results in dynamic and static range of motion tests” (Samson et al.)

Warming up for physical activity involves more than muscle extensibility, joint range of motion or blood circulation. Those are all key factors, but stimulation and potentiation of the nervous system is much more important. You can’t do anything without involving the nervous system anyway, so why not acknowledge its existence? Dynamic warm ups target the nervous system by enhancing “motor unit recruitment and firing frequency”, resulting in “an increased rate of force development”. As mentioned earlier, static stretching may actually reduce force output, which in actuality is also a product of the nervous system. In fact, whether we are discussing static or dynamic stretching, there’s compelling reason to dispense with the oversimplified concept of “stretching the muscles” to warm up. Think of engaging the nervous systeminstead, which ultimately has full control over muscle contraction and relaxation, cardiorespiration and metabolism, etc.

Practical application of the available stretching evidence

A 2008 study examined the effects of a dynamic warm up including exercises for balance, stability, strength, proprioception, and neuromuscular control for young female soccer players (Soligard et al.) This structured program not only provided an efficient warm up, but resulted in a very significant reduction in injury risk and did not include any static stretching. The study utilized the FIFA 11+ warm up program, as detailed in a full-length manual as well as in a nifty slideshow which I have linked to from the image below. While this routine was designed specifically for soccer players, it may easily be applied to other sports and adapted as necessary. Simply follow the pattern of starting with general full-body movements before moving on to more sport-specific drills:

Click this pic to view the FIFA 11+ Warm-up Program slideshow

In conclusion, the goal of attaining maximal flexibility is appropriate for some, but not all individuals. Remember, flexibility is specific. Even though some activities like gymnastics obviously demand high levels of flexibility, most sports and modes of exercise only require moderate amounts. Furthermore, passive flexibility does not necessarily transfer to dynamic flexibility, and athletes are typically more flexible dynamically than statically. If you currently possess the range of motion required for your training or sport, then you may not need to stretch at all. So weigh your needs carefully.

The currently available evidence provides some practical guidelines for stretching. Static stretching may be detrimental to the subsequent performance of maximal strength, power or speed-related tasks but this can be avoided if stretches do not exceed 45 seconds. Persistent, chronic stretching over the long-term presents the potential trade-off of gaining more flexibility at the expense of less joint stability. Finally, static stretching is ineffective as a warm up and a dynamic warm up should be performed instead. Don’t worry, your muscles won’t shorten if you don’t perform regular static stretching. Part 4 of this series will examine the effect of stretching on muscle length…

Sources

1. W.D. Bandy, J.M. Irion. The Effect of Time of Static Stretch on the Flexibility of the Hamstring Muscles. Phys Ther 1994; 74:845-85.
2. A.D. Kay, A.J. Blazevich. Effect of Acute Static Stretch on Maximal Muscle Performance: A Systematic Review. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2012; 44(1):154-164. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318225cb27
3. A.G. Nelson, N.M. Driscoll, D.K. Landin, M.A. Young, I.C. Schexnayder. Acute effects of passive muscle stretching on sprint performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, May 2005; 23(5): 449-454.
4. M. Samson, D.C. Button, A. Chaouachi, D.G. Behm. Effects of static and dynamic stretching within general and activity specific warm-up protocols. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine2012; 11:279-285.
5. W.A. Sands. Flexibility. In M. Cardinale, R. Newton, K. Nosaka (Eds.) Strength and Conditioning: Biological Principles and Practical Applications. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
6. I. Shrier. Does Stretching Improve Performance? A Systematic and Critical Review of the Literature. Clin J Sport Med 2004; 14:267–273.
7. Mel C. Siff. Supertraining Sixth Edition. 2003.
8. T. Soligard, G. Myklebust, K. Steffen, I. Holme, H. Silvers, M. Bizzini, A. Junge, J. Dvorak, R. Bahr, T. E. Andersen. Comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in young female footballers: cluster randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal. BMJ 2008;337:a2469.doi: 10.1136/bmj.a2469

Image Credits: Xavier Wallach, Brittany Wouts, Eric Lon, Cheryl Albaine

Stretching

I lifted this from another blog called biomechfit.  That blog has great material.  Stretching is good for you, but we don't really know its full benefit.  As a DPT we spent many months studying stretching.  When we think of stretching, we usually think about the type we do before and after a sporting event, and so this piece addresses that.  As it turns out, the effect of stretching is actually an increased tolerance to that stretch.  In essence, we train our body to override some basic self-defense mechanisms built into our muscles and joints.  There is no change in tissue length, which is a good thing.  That being said, there are changes when dealing with post operative patients, and people dealing with frozen shoulder and adhesive joints/contractures, but this takes prolonged stretching and is usually quite painful for the person.  So, without further detraction from the subject of stretching for sports injury and performance, here you go.

Stretching Science Part 1: Injury Prevention

September 28, 2012 | Category: Movement Quality | Leave a comment

Injury prevention is one of the most common goals of stretching, and many people regularly stretch before physical activity with the explicit goal of reducing their injury risk. In the meantime, a growing body of evidence has been calling many of the supposed benefits of stretching into question for the majority of the population. This may go against popular opinion in the health and fitness industries, as well as contradict what many in the public might consider as common sense, but there is turning out to be little credibility to the claim that stretching will prevent injuries.

Some individuals will surely object to this, stating that they don’t get injured as long as they stretch, as if other training variables have no bearing on the outcome. Congratulations on remaining uninjured, but if we are seeking supporting evidence for a mandatory stretching protocol, then we will have to use a sample size greater than one and also compare the results of stretching versus not stretching between similar groups. Sports scientists have attempted to do exactly that and while no study is perfect, some interesting results have been obtained.

If you found out that stretching was not as beneficial as you thought, would you still devote as much time and effort to it? Consider some of the available evidence and then decide for yourself…

Correlation is not causation

It can be undeniably tempting to identify patterns that support our beliefs and biases, but correlation never implies causation. One study published in 2005 concluded that a neuromuscular and proprioceptive warmup program resulted in a significant reduction in ACL tears among young female soccer players. Injuries were reduced among the intervention group by 88% in the first year of the study and 74% lower in the second year (Mandelbaum et al.) The program included stretching exercises, but it also included other more dynamic movements including strength exercises, plyometrics and other sport-specific agility drills.

This raises the question: was the drastic reduction in injury rate attributable to the stretching elements of the program, or to some positive effect of the more dynamic parts of the warmup?If stretching was not the only intervention, then we can not draw any conclusions about the benefits of stretching from this study, but other studies have controlled for stretching…

Hamstring stretches do not prevent hamstring injuries

The hamstrings are probably the most frequently stretched muscle group. However, in a 2006 study on professional soccer players in two European leagues, a hamstring flexibility program “had no effect on the incidence of hamstring strains” when comparing athletes who stretched to athletes who didn’t (Arnason et al.) How could this be? Well, the point of stretching the hamstrings is to increase their extensibility, right? But the authors explain that “most hamstring strains occur during maximal sprinting, when hamstrings are not stretched toward their maximum range.”

Did you catch that?

If most hamstring strain injuries occur during maximal sprinting, which doesn’t require maximal range of motion, then how much of an advantage can stretching the hamstrings possibly provide? The fact is that most positions in most team sports like soccer do not require very demanding levels of flexibility anyway. With that principle in mind, we really shouldn’t expect much of a benefit from stretching for the majority of the active population, and that’s precisely what larger studies have shown…

Stretching does not reduce the risk of injury in runners

Researchers at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia found that over a 3-month observation period, stretching before running did not prevent injury in a sample of over 2700 runners (Pereles et al.) The risk factors for injury were identified as age, weight, training load and history of recent injury, not the lack of flexibility or the absence of a stretching regimen.

If you read the study, you’ll notice that runners who suddenly dropped stretching as part of their warmup routine had a higher reported number of minor injuries, which might seem like evidence that injury is a consequence of not stretching. However, knowing that many people stretch because they want to prevent injury, it’s really no surprise if that same group is more likely to report a minor injury once they stop stretching. If injury was attributable to the lack of stretching, then we would expect to see a similar rate of injury among the group of runners who previously did not stretch, but this was not the case. Also, when looking at severe injuries that prevented running for 1 or 2 weeks, there was no difference between the stretching and non-stretching groups.

Stretching into your maximal range of motion will not prevent injuries in running, which does not require maximal range of motion

Stretching is basically useless for injury prevention

A 2011 Cochrane research review examined the results of six trials involving 5130 participants on the prevention of lower-limb soft-tissue injuries (Yeung et al.) The conclusion?

1) There was no evidence that stretching all lower-limb muscle groups will reduce the rate of injury in novice runners.
2) Hamstring stretches carried out three times a day does not significantly reduce the risk of injury.
3) Calf (gastrocnemius and soleus) stretching prior to training is not effective in reducing risk of injury.
4) Any stretching prior to or regularly outside of exercising is not effective in preventing injuries.

Wow. When you look at larger samples of an active population as these studies have done, you begin to get an idea of what works and what doesn’t, and stretching isn’t providing any clear benefit for injury prevention.

Too much flexibility may increase the risk of injury

Stretching is typically assumed to have a primary effect on muscle length, but any permanent structural change as a result of intensive stretching will occur in other connective tissues like ligaments (Siff.) Depending upon the sport or activity you engage in, this may provide the additional range of motion you need. However, the trade off for increased joint mobility is decreased joint stability.

One study that looked at ligamentous laxity or joint looseness in rugby players found that hypermobile athletes experienced injury at a rate 2.5 times greater than athletes who did not test positive for hypermobility (Stewart & Burden.) Obviously, some degree of flexibility is desirable and the authors acknowledge that “athletes at either extreme of the flexibility continuum are probably at increased risk of injury.” The point is, there’s really no substance to the argument that increased flexibility, which involves joint mobility, is always better and will automatically reduce the risk of injury. In some cases, hypermobility may even increase the risk of injury, especially in an aggressive contact sport like rugby that demands greater stability.

More effective strategies to reduce injury risk

You may be familiar with the maxim, “Train Smarter, Not Harder.” That doesn’t mean you should never train or play hard, of course, but you must be smart about it if you want to have any shot at longevity. Always going harder and longer just for the sake of proving you can handle it makes little sense, and training in a state of exhaustion, whether acute or chronic, may set you up for an injury. On the other hand, gradually increasing the volume and intensity of your training will allow your body and brain to adapt to higher loads.

Strength training can play a valuable role as well, and the study on professional soccer players referenced earlier found that a program of hamstring strengthening exercises resulted in a reduction of hamstring strain injury by 65%. If most hamstring strain injuries occur during eccentric loading within a normal range of motion, then training the musculature to withstand greater forces seems like a logical approach. Strength alone will not guarantee that anyone remains injury-free, but it certainly makes sense to develop it as part of a well-designed program.

Incorporating simple strength training exercises into your warmup can help reduce the risk of injury, while stretching has no effect

Finally, including a warmup is an important strategy for injury prevention but it doesn’t have to include stretching. Starting out with some general dynamic mobility drills can provide a gentle warmup in multiple planes of movement, and then more sport-specific drills can be used to step up the intensity of effort and increase bloodflow. The intensity, amplitude and duration of effort in your core workout or sport should also progress from low to high. Doing this will not only warm up the soft tissues in your body, but will also prepare your nervous system to execute the desired movements with greater accuracy, give you the opportunity to get a feel for your current state of preparedness and then allow you to make adjustments as necessary, allbenefits that stretching can’t provide.

Now, if you really just enjoy the way stretching feels, then you can probably continue as long as you don’t take it to extremes. If injury prevention is your sole reason for stretching, though, then be assured that you are pretty much wasting your time. But what about stretching to prevent muscle soreness (DOMS) or improve other aspects of sports performance? Won’t muscles become short or tight if they’re not stretched? Should you stretch if you have below average flexibility? These topics will be addressed in future posts…

Sources

1. A. Arnason, T. E. Andersen, I. Holme, L. Engebretsen, R. Bahr. Prevention of hamstring strains in elite soccer: an intervention study. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2006. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2006.00634.x
2. B. R. Mandelbaum, H. J. Silvers, D. S. Watanabe, J. F. Knarr, S. D. Thomas, L. Y. Griffin, D. T. Kirkendall, W. Garrett, Jr. Effectiveness of a Neuromuscular and Proprioceptive Training Program in Preventing the Incidence of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Female Athletes.The American Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol. 33, No. 7, 2005. DOI: 10.1177/0363546504272261
3. D. Pereles, A. Roth, D. J. S. Thompson. A Large, Randomized, Prospective Study of the Impact of a Pre-Run Stretch on the Risk of Injury in Teenage and Older Runners.http://www.usatf.org/stretchStudy/StretchStudyReport.pdf. Accessed July 21, 2012.
4. Mel C. Siff. Supertraining Sixth Edition. 2003.
5. D. R. Stewart, S. B. Burden. Does generalised ligamentous laxity increase seasonal incidence of injuries in male first division club rugby players? Br J Sports Med 2004;38:457–460. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2003.004861
6. S. S. Yeung, E. W. Yeung, L. D. Gillespie. Interventions for preventing lower limb soft-tissue running injuries. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD001256.DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001256.pub2

Image Credits: Marco Sal, Alex Joffe, westindiescricket

How to heal cancer?

Okay, so I don't seem to be getting much, if an traffic here, but that's okay. . . for now.  So, for a little insight into my personal life, let me tell you I am a Mormon.  not just any Mormon, but a faithful one, and as such I try to live by the standards of the church and to the One True God who leads His church - even Jesus Christ.  Well, one of the standards we (Mormon's) live by is the Lord's Law of Health, also called "The Word of Wisdom" - which was a modern revelation given through Joseph Smith, and is recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants section 89.  I'm not going to provide a lesson on the section, or go into too much detail, but there are a few pertinent points worth discussing. 

First the Lord states that grains and wheat specifically, are good for the use of man.  He also states that fruits and vegetables are good for us.  Note that in addition he mentions that meat should be eaten sparingly, and ideally during times of winter, but avoided if possible.  I love a good burger and bacon, and I've consumed many chickens, but over the last couple years, I've chosen to reduce the amounts and live more in line with these teachings.  

The Lord also states that we should avoid harmful drugs, tobacco, tea, and coffee (hot drinks) and alcohol, and that if we abide by these teachings the destroying angel will pass us by.  This promise is to all people who live this law, not just members of the church.  He does not specifically mention things like gluten, dairy, sugar, or caffeine.  There are many things he does not mention, and that is because He expects us to be agents unto ourselves, and we are not meant to be commanded in all things.  And this commandment, like all the others He has given, is for our benefit and safety, both temporally and spiritually.  I plan on discussing many of the "foods" I just mentioned, later on this blog, but for now, just know that if there is any "Diet" that I follow, it is the Lords recommended diet. 

That being said, we all make choices, and change is difficult, especially change that moves us more towards a Christlike life.  Well, in the link I have provided ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Fv3_Oqbgs )  you will here a podcast from one Dr Day.  She does not claim credence to any particular church, but she is most definitely Christian.  She discusses her journey through her bout with breast cancer, and how she beat it.  (She also discusses several other issues that are not necessarily related to this blog, but that I mostly agree with).  She mentions multiple times how our lifestyle has changed from 200 yrs ago to now, and how difficult it is for us to change from our current diet standards.  She also talks about a comprehensive approach to overall well being, including stress management, sleep patterns, diet, and exercise, as well as psychological, emotional, and spiritual aspects.  It is worth listening to, and that is why I have posted it here. 

Over time I will discuss many aspects of diet and exercise, both of which have many perspectives.  Not sure what I'll post next, but it should be a bit more specific, and less about me, but given that this entry deals with an overall view of how to manage ones health, and the name of the blog implies a Fix all, then I figured it would be appropriate.   

Burning Calories at Rest

Okay, so it has been a little while since I did a post, and I'm kind of short on time right now as it is.  Anyway, there is an ongoing, permissive idea that if you have more muscle you will burn more calories at rest - significantly.  This idea sounds great, and everyone likes to hear it because it makes loosing weight sound easy, almost effortless.  It's a lie.  We have something built into us called a resting metabolic rate, and it doesn't change when we are at rest.  When we are resting our vitals are working, expending energy.  Our muscles are resting - hence the term "resting" metabolic rate.  Think about it, if your muscles were so awesome at burning calories, then why are there so many fat people?  (I mean overweight).  Why then are the one time body builders getting fatter when they stop lifting?  It's because they aren't using the muscles at rest.  The bottom line folks, is that in order to loose weight you have to change who you are.  You have to change your lifestyle, and that takes great effort, purposeful, meaningful, forever change, and it is difficult.  The #1 factor in weight loss is diet - not going on a diet, or even a cleanse - but changing what you eat, how much, and how often.  Exercise is awesome, and it allows for increased abilities, but exercise alone, will not make you skinny.  Here is a sort of lengthy article I found which goes into more detail, and does a good job of explaining some fairly complex ideals.  It's worth the read.

Many people say that muscle weighs more than fat, but in reality, a pound is a pound. One pound of fat is going to weigh the same as one pound of muscle – just like one pound of bricks is going to weigh the same as one pound of feathers. The difference is, muscle and fat differ in density. Muscle is about 18% more dense than fat.  One pound of muscle occupies less space (volume) within the body than one pound of fat.

Cross Section Across Skeletal Muscle

Cross Section Across Fat Tissue

Five Pounds of Muscle Compared to Five Pounds of Fat

By looking at the photo below, you can see that five pounds of muscle (pictured on right) is going to take up less space in the body and be a lot less “lumpy” under your skin and in between your organs than the same weight in fat (shown on left).  In fact, the difference can be quite dramatic. I would much rather have five pounds of smooth, lean, dense muscle tissue inside of my body than five pounds of amorphous, bulky, gelatinous fat, and I am guessing you would too!  Besides being more compact in the body, there are also many health advantages to increased muscle mass.

Benefits of Having More Lean Muscle Mass   

Having more muscle mass in your body will:

• Create a leaner physique
• Reduce your risk of injury
• Increase strength, stability, power and endurance
• Improve balance and mobility
• Improve the way you feel about yourself
• Increase energy and vitality
• Improve athletic performance
• Create metabolic reserve in times of traumas such as (car accidents and burns)
• Increase your metabolic efficiency
• Improve insulin sensitivity and improve blood glucose control

These are just some of the many advantages of having more lean muscle mass.  Let’s focus on the last two benefits listed:  “Increase your metabolic efficiency” and “Improve insulin sensitivity and improve glucose control.”

Increase Your Metabolic Efficiency

Each pound of fat that your body stores represents 3,500 calories of unused energy. In order to lose one pound, you have to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories by either consuming 3,500 less calories over a period of time than your body needs or by doing 3,500 calories worth of exercise.

By increasing your lean muscle mass through resistance and body weight training, you will help your body burn more calories.  One pound of muscle will burn slightly more calories at rest than one pound of fat tissue at rest.

Focus on all of the Health Benefits of Having More Muscle Mass, Not Just on the Calorie Burning Abilities of Muscle

Health and fitness professionals across the world put a lot of emphasis on the “muscle is a high-octane calorie incinerator” concept and even exaggerate (sometimes unknowingly) the actual amount of calories muscles burn while at rest.  Fitness magazines, health experts like Dr. Mehmet Oz, and personal trainers across the country happily report that one pound of muscle burns an extra 50-100 calories per day than fat.  However, recent scientific research has proven this number to be inflated.  One such study was led by Claude Bouchard, an obesity researcher from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA.  His collected data over the years has revealed that one pound of muscle, at rest, burns aboutsix calories a day while one pound of fat burns about two calories per day.  Six is a lot different than the 50-100 calories that is often stated by others in the health and medical fields.

As a fitness professional, I do not like to over-emphasize the point that muscle tissue burns more calories than fat.  I feel it is an important fact to know, and can be used as a motivator when getting started with a fitness program, but I do not think it should be the primary driving force behind gaining muscle mass.  Yes, muscle is three times (not 50 times) more metabolically active at rest than fat, but the actual amount of calories that is burned is not a grand amount.  Granted, at the end of the day, any extra calories burned is a great thing, and when you eat healthfully (and mindfully) and engage in a proper resistance training program, you will increase the amount of  muscle in your body.  The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn while at rest and this is exciting.  However, it is pertinent for individuals not to become too crazed (or comfortable) with the notion that their resting metabolisms (rate at which one burns calories while at rest) are going to skyrocket once they begin weight lifting and gaining muscle. I have seen that often, when an individual puts too much focus on the calorie burning capabilities of muscle, it becomes very easy for that person to become:

• Relaxed about what needs to be done to get the results wanted and in return, becomes sedentary and may even neglect sound nutritional habits by overeating. If muscle is burning calories at rest, then there is room for overconsumption and inactivity, right? Wrong.

or:

• Overly obsessed with calorie burning through long bouts of cardio, weight training sessions and starvation. The main focus becomes all about decreasing fat, increasing muscle, and expanding the amount of calories muscle will burn at rest.  With this extreme approach, overtraining and poor health are often results.  More is better, right? Wrong.

The above behaviors are unhealthy, unbalanced, and unsustainable. I want people to get away from calorie obsession and start training with a balanced approach and with common sense.  It is important to look at all of the health benefits of muscle mass, not just one.  In my opinion, knowing that muscle can help balance insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels within the body is of greater interest than one pound of muscle burning an extra four calories more than one pound of fat. When the body’s endocrine system is working properly, it is much easier to maintain a healthy weight.  When insulin sensitivity and glucose management is screwed up, weight management (and loss) becomes a very difficult task.  Combine healthy insulin and glucose control with an increased resting metabolic rate (RMR), and you have a win-win situation.

Improve Insulin Sensitivity and Better Glucose Control  

In 2011, researchers reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism that muscle mass strongly correlates with improved insulin sensitivity within the body. It has been noted that with a 10% increase in skeletal muscle index (a measure of how much muscle is on the body), HOMA-IR (a measure of insulin resistance) saw a relative reduction of 11%. People with a higher insulin sensitivity have better glucose control and ultimately, lower rates ofdiabetes.  This is great stuff because when a person is insulin sensitive, he/she can handle glucose well, which means less dietary glucose will turn into body fat and less insulin is necessary to keep body systems operating optimally. The result?  A healthy functioning of the body’s systems.  This will create balance within the body as well as long-term and even permanent results, especially when it comes to battling the bulge.

Are You Setting Yourself up for Failure? Step Away From the Body Weight Scale 

While participating in a “weight loss” program, solely depending on a standard body weight scale to track your progress can cause frustration and may even set you up for failure. Although you have been busting your buns in the gym and eating healthy foods, the scale may still display your weight as being the same as when you started, even after a few weeks of exercising.  This can create extreme disappointment and ultimately cause you to quit your program.

I can confidently assume that many of you reading this article know exactly what I am talking about.  We have all been there at some point.  It is that all too familiar feeling of anticipation you experience while you are standing on top of the scale, looking down, waiting to see what the wonderful magical number will read, anxious for it to be lower than the last time you stood in the very same position.  The number flashes in front of your eyes, it reads the same, as if the scale was frozen in time.  You shake the scale, reset it, step on and do the whole process over, only to find the end result is the same.  The number has not shifted, not even a fraction of a pound.  If you are experiencing this type of despair, I suggest that you step far away from the scale (put the scale out of sight) and shake off the dissatisfaction you are feeling and think for a minute.  Assess all that you have been doing and consider all of the other methods you have used and should be using to track your weight loss journey and progress.  Have you used other markers to track your progress?

The Scale does not Represent Everything that is Happening Within the Body

When the number on the scale does not budge, it is important to remind yourself that the scale only shows you a snippet of what is happening.  It is only expressing your total body weight – which includes fat, muscle, bones, organs, skin, etc. and not the composition of that weight within your body.

Your total body weight represented on the scale may be the same as when you started your weight loss program, BUT if you are building muscle mass and losing fat tissue, your body composition will be much different.  Remember, as mentioned before, muscle and fat differ in density. One pound of muscle is going to occupy less space (volume) within the body than one pound of fat.  When you have more muscle and less fat, you become more firm and will lose inches from places such as your waist, hips, buttocks, thighs, etc.  Seeing the same number on the scale is not always negative.  Again, we need to set our minds on other indicators of health and wellness.

Cross Section of a Skeletal Muscle (200x) Showing the Muscle Fibers (Red) and the Fat Cells (White)

Focus Less on the Body Weight Scale Readings and Use Other Methods to Track Progress

When you become less obsessed with scale readings and more focused on what truly matters with your program, success will follow.  This is why it is important to use more than one method to track your progress.  Some of these methods include circumference/girth measurements, the old-fashioned “how-do-your-clothes-fit-and-feel method,” and body composition testing.  When you put all of these assessments together, you will create an accurate picture of what is truly happening within the body.  By using this data, you will be able to distinguish whether or not you are on the right track with your health and fitness training programs.  Body composition testing is a great assessment tool to use when embarking on a fitness program.

What Is Body Composition?  

Body composition is the term used to describe the different components that, when taken together, make up a person’s body weight. The human body is composed of a variety of different tissue types including lean tissues (muscle, bone, and organs) that are metabolically active, and fat (adipose) tissue that is not.

When you determine your overall body fat percentage (through hydrostatic weighing,skinfold caliper measurements and/or bioelectrical impedance), you will get an accurate sense of how much of your body is made up of fat and how much is made up of lean muscle mass.  Girth and body composition measurements are important when tracking a fitness program where “weight loss” and improved health is the main goal.  When the body has a greater percentage of fat compared to lean muscle mass, the body will appear heavier than when that number is lower. High body fat percentages mean heightened risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure.

Visual Representation of What Various Body Fat Percentages Look Like

As you can see from the diagram above, if we put a physically active 160 pound woman with a 25% body fat next to another 160 pound woman who is inactive and has a 45% body fat, we will visually see differences.  The woman with the 25% body fat will most likely look more fit, have more muscle tissue, and because of this, will need more calories to keep all of the systems in her body running efficiently.  The more muscle mass will cause her to burn a tad more calories than her 45% body fat counterpart, even when she is at rest.  The leaner woman may even be able to eat slightly more calories a day and still maintain her bodyweight as compared to the woman with more fat tissue, while the woman with the higher body fat percentage would gain weight if she consume more calories.

Take Away Body Fat and Add Muscle 

Just think about it – if your weight stayed exactly the same (according to a standard body weight scale) and we theoretically took off 5 pounds of fat from you and replaced it with five pounds of muscle, you will weigh exactly the same, but because muscle is more “dense” than fat, the five pounds of muscle will take up less volume and you will appear slightly leaner, thinner, and/or more toned.  Although the number on the scale did not lower, you are certainly more healthy, fit, and are on the right track with your “weight loss” program.  Sometimes it helps to see a visual of this concept.  Below, I provide you with just that, a visual representation of how one body can stay the same weight, but look noticeably different.

Let us Compare 

Below are visual examples of how the same person can look different even when she (or he) weighs the same amount.  The two before and after photos are of different people who have changed their physiques by working out and eating healthfully.  By increasing muscle and lowering their total body fat percentages, they both have been able to alter the way their figures look and feel. Their weights stayed the same. See for yourself by looking at these before and after photos:

Before and After Photo #1:

This woman stayed the same scale weight (160 lb.), but noticeably altered her physique by lowering her percent body fat:

Before and After Photo #2:

This woman stayed the same scale weight (160 lb.), but noticeably altered her physique by lowering her percent body fat and losing 4.5 inches from her body.

Water Balance and Weight Fluctuations

Another important thing to factor when tracking weight loss is that the human body can naturally change several pounds a day in scale weight from water balance alone. This is not fat or muscle weight. If you choose to micro-manage your weight by weighing yourself frequently (several times per week), you may see fluctuations that have nothing to do with changes in fat and/or muscle. Weigh yourself before going to bed, and then weigh yourself in the morning when you wake up. You may see a 2-5 pound difference and this is completely normal.

Always Use Several Assessment Tools to Track Your Progress   

I cannot stress this enough.  The most accurate way to assess your health and fitness progress is to use a wide variety of body measurements and health markers.  The more, the better.  It is silly to only rely on a body weight scale.  The number on a scale conceals the truth of what is happening within the body.  To get a correct picture of your progress, you must use several different methods of collecting health and fitness data.

Before you get started with a program, gather as much baseline information as possible.  This includes circumference and percent body fat measurements, strength and flexibility assessments, blood pressure, and a body weight scale reading.  If possible, gather recent health data (blood lipid profile) from your physician and put it with your assessment paperwork.  One of the best things you can do is to take a picture of yourself.  This may be one of the hardest things to accomplish before starting a weight loss program, but it can be one of the most rewarding (down the road, of course).  Be sure to take photos of your body from all angles.  This will allow you to see your transformation and results clearly.  Create a journal to record your journey.  Before you begin, take notes on how you feel emotionally and physically.  Write down how your clothes feel and fit. As the weeks pass by, write down anything else that comes to mind.  Write about your stress levels, your sleep patterns, etc.  Use it as a fitness resource to record your workouts and use it nutritionally as a food log.

Enjoy the Process – Do Not Perform Assessments Daily or Weekly

It is important not to repeat assessments on a daily or weekly basis.  While your program is underway, let yourself walk away from the dizziness of comparative measurements.  Look at your new program as a chance to be mindful of what you are actually doing.  When we obsess over measurements and numbers, our vision can become cloudy and muddled by criticism, disappointment, expectation, etc. As humans, we are very competitive and hard on ourselves. Often, the emotional challenge of getting through a fitness and lifestyle program is the most difficult.  Why put extra pressure on yourself by measuring, weighing, and negatively critiquing your progress?

Enjoy the process as much as possible, and do not sabotage yourself by hopping on a scale every day or every week.  This will take a lot of willpower, but once you are able to step away from constant measurements, you will free yourself from the number game, and this will allow you to experience that the program you are doing is about a lot more than just weight loss.  Your program may start off labeled as a “weight loss” plan, but for it to be successful in the long-term, it needs to become a “lifestyle” plan, one where you adopt healthy and realistic habits that will stay with you long after you reach your initial fitness and wellness goals.  Instead of focusing on the scale number, direct attention to how your energy levels are, how your clothes are fitting, how you are sleeping, and how you are looking during the program.

Perform a second round of assessments and measurements 6-8 weeks after your first recordings. Compare these results with the benchmarks recorded on day one.  If you are patient and diligent with your new program, your results will show you that all of your hard work is paying off.  Seeing changes in your measurements for the better is very encouraging and may be just what you need to propel you through to the next phase of your lifestyle program.

Want to Increase Muscle Mass? 

Eat real, clean foods, train smartly and efficiently (ditch the chronic cardio), keep cortisol levels low, sleep and rest when needed, and remember to lift heavy things. Proper nutrition and mindful lifestyle habits are huge components to gaining muscle mass.  Resistance training is also a potent stimulant of testosterone production, an important factor that favorably effects protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy within the body.  So remember to lift heavy things every now and again to promote the production of this hormone.  Strive for balance when it comes to implementing a new weight training and nutrition program.  Enlist the help of a fitness and nutrition professional whenever you have uncertainty on how to put a complete program together.  Do not be afraid to ask for help.

Stay Motivated, Get Your Own Pet Fat Replica 

A great way to guarantee success is to find ways to stay motivated during your program. Motivation may come from working with a personal trainer, telling a friend about your goals, and/or creating a fitness a nutrition vision board.  Sometimes it even helps to stay visually motivated by having your very own pet fat.  Yes, you read that correctly, you can adopt your own pet fat by visiting MyPetFat.com.

My Pet Fat

This jiggly replica of one pound of fat has the power to keep you on track with your health and fitness goals. I have known people to put this little guy inside their refrigerator, in their pantry, on their desk, and in their purse.  It provides a constant reminder of what one pound, 3,500 calories of unused energy, looks like within your body.  When a client comes to me disappointed that they have only lost one or two pounds of fat, I have them put the fat replica in their hand (same one as in the photo on the left) for a visual representation of what they just removed from their body.  Seeing how much space one pound of fat takes up can be quite motivating.  If adopting a pet fat is not an option for you right now, feel free to stop by my fitness studio to see my pet fat for a friendly reminder of how gross one pound of fat looks like.  :)

Conclusion

Remember, a pound is a pound. One pound of fat is going to weigh the same as one pound of muscle and one pound of muscle occupies less space (volume) within the body than one pound of fat.  The several benefits of muscle mass (such as improved insulin sensitivity and increased metabolic efficiency) make it worth one’s while to implement a strength training program that will build muscle within the body (and lose fat).  When participating in a program, do not set yourself up for failure by using a body weight scale as the only method to track your progress.  Collect as much assessment data as possible and do not let yourself obsess over numbers, whether they be in the form of calories or body weight.

Get help when needed, whether it be from a fitness/health professional or a motivating friend. Proper nutrition and mindful lifestyle habits will be integral when it comes to gaining muscle mass and improving body composition.  Embrace your experience and learn from your accomplishments and failures.  Remember, to achieve long term results, it is important to approach a new program realistically and with a positive attitude.  After all, you are making a lifestyle change, not just a “weight loss” change.

I Want to Hear From You:

What are your thoughts on this subject?  The scale numbers bring a lot of us down, sometimes to the point that it paralyzes us from moving forward with our fitness regimens.  How do you not let the readings on the scale stop you in your tracks?  What helps you stay focused when it comes to a fitness regimen?  Please share your experiences by leaving a comment below.  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Wishing you health and happiness,

- Jennifer M. Regan, MovNat MCT, C.H.E.K HLC, NASM-CPT

 

References:

1. Hitt, Emma. “Muscle Mass Linked to Risk for Insulin Resistance.” Medscape Medical News.Web. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/747526 Aug 04, 2011
2. Fell, James. “The Myth of Ripped Muscles and Calorie Burns.” Los Angeles Times. May 11, 2011. Web. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/16/health/la-he-fitness-muscle-myth-20110516
3. Sisson, Mike. “How Many Calories Does Muscle Really Burn? (and Why It’s Not About Calories Anyway)”. Mark’s Daily Apple. The Blog Studio. Web. Aug. 10, 2012.
4. Srikanthan P, Hevener AL, Karlamangla AS (2010) “Sarcopenia Exacerbates Obesity-Associated Insulin Resistance and Dysglycemia: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III.” PLoS ONE 5(5): e10805. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010805 http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0010805
5. Srikanthan P, Hevener AL, Karlamangla AS. “Relative Muscle Mass Is Inversely Associated with Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes.” Findings from The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey JCEM jc.2011-0435; doi:10.1210 Web 2011.