| Strength & Fitness
With Marty Gallagher
Special to washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, March 4, 2003; Noon ET Are you trying to lose weight, build muscle, get stronger or excel in a given sport? Maybe you're just hoping to slow the aging process, which exercise and good health habits can surely help accomplish. But male or female, young or old -- where do you start and what do you do? And if you're already an experienced exerciser or athlete, how do you fight your way off a plateau or avoid going stale? Over the past 20 years, Gallagher has written more than 200 articles for such magazines as "Muscle and Fitness," "Flex" and "Powerlifting USA." He has interviewed hundreds of the world's top athletes, quizzing them on the training tactics they used to succeed. Gallagher, a World Powerlifting Champion and fitness expert, takes your questions about every fitness topic under the sun. A transcript follows. Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. Marty Gallagher: Happy Fat Tuesday,
I got Dr. John's (Mac Rebbenack) 'Gumbo' playing here real loud at the Mountain Compound. Anyone know who Professor Longhair was? The man they called 'The Bach of Rock?' I've dug up a bunch of beads from years gone by and keep giving them to Ms. Maryland but so far she refuses to flash me. The day is still young...
I answered a boatload of questions from last week - excuse the typos - I did not have the time to reread, proof or spell check them as I ran out of time on every front.
So let's get started - who has a fitness-related question?
Washington, D.C.: Marty, Like the President, I like a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. On a scale of 1 to 10 how bad is having a two PB&Js for lunch if I am trying to watch my percentage body fat? Thanks. Marty Gallagher: Is this on level or are you a crank-yanker? Perhaps one of my old training partners with too much time on their hands trying to get a laugh at the old man's expense? Are you from Avoca? First, you say you like a good PB sandwich and in the next breath you demand TWO sandwiches. Just become a powerlifter and forget about dieting. Psychologically you appear to be hard-wired all wrong for this diet-thang.
Alexandria, Va.: In Sunday's paper a new Redskin was reported to be able to bench 225 45 times. Good/bad? Marty Gallagher: That rock: 25 is real good. Who was it? Position, size, height and weight? Of course it's an unlevel playing field and as a benchmark is more than a little at odds with rational thought. 225 to a 350-pound tackle is proportionally ultra-light compared to that same 225-pound barbell for a 205-pound defensive back. How about bodyweight for reps?
Washington, D.C.: For our softball team, our coaches have given us a weight lifting circuit. One of the lifts includes the dead lift. I have heard that this lift is one of the worst lifts to do, because it can cause injuries. What is your opinion? Thanks! Marty Gallagher: Done correctly the deadlift is the finest of all back exercises. No other progressive resistance exercise stimulates back muscles to the depth and degree that correctly done deadlifts can and do. Done incorrectly they can be deadly. The spine must be set and rigid, the back convex, the legs and erectors do the initial work and lats, teres, rhomoids and traps finish the movement. 5-8 rep sets done once a week will make an poor back into a good one and a good back into an outstanding one.
Arlington, Va.: My right hip often hurts after one or two days of moderate exercise (generally walking) so then I have to take off longer than I would like to. I've tried to "walk it off" but that generally increases pain. I suspect bursitis may be the culprit. Suggestions for ways to deal with the problem without foregoing aerobic exercise? Annoyed in Arlington Marty Gallagher: Can you pick another cardio mode? Why not try and get your aerobics in using a different form of exercise one that doesn't aggravate and reinforce the pain? Any time I encounter pain as a result of a particular exercise I bag that exercise. Why self-inflict a repetitive motion injury?
Columbia, Md.: Hey, Marty, thanks for the info.
1. Is it okay to do cleans in the same workout with deadlifts? If yes, which should be done first?
2. With taste being the only criteria, what type steak do you think is best and any cooking/recipe tips for same. Marty Gallagher: Try "progressive pulls." Incredibly taxing and effective. Start with a superlight weight and do precise power cleans for 5-rep sets. After you work up to a nice top set of five, add more poundage, say 20-30 pounds and begin doing 5-rep sets of high pulls, when you can no longer do high pulls, add weight and continue to do 5-rep deadlift sets.
It is a smooth progression between each of these three exercises; the real hardcore will reverse the procedure as they unload the deadlift plates to strip the bar.
Alexandria, Va.: What's the dumbest thing you've seen somebody do in the gym? Marty Gallagher: Oh, I'd have to ponder that for a while...I love the hobbit-like guys who wear an huge oversize lifting belt with their name emblazoned in magic marker on the back with a tiny dumbbell set on the squat racks so they won't have to bend down and pick it up. They tie up the sacred squat racks for 45-mintes doing three sets to pump up their 11-inch arms.
Which comes first -- lifting or cardio?: Marty: Love the chats, and appreciate your detailed answers. My question: I generally do both cardio and upper-body lifting at the same session (when I do lower body, I don't do cardio -- other than fast-walk to the gym, that is). Is it better to do cardio first, then lift, or vice-versa? Does any one routine burn more calories than the other? Thanks! Marty Gallagher: Generally speaking, a person should alternate periods of diet with periods of building muscle. You cannot diet 24-7-365. Usually these alternate periods are 12-weeks in length and during the diet, lean-out phase, cardio naturally takes priority over weights and is trained first. During periods of mass building, lifting gets the lead position. Optimally, cardio is done separate and distinct in the early morning - that way energy is at a maximum for both modes.
Arlington, Va.: Marty, I've heard you say in the past that for one type of press exercise the arms shouldn't go below parallel to the floor because of the potential for rotator cuff damage -- but I can't remember what exercise. Military press? Or should I be going below parallel on those? Thanks Marty Gallagher: That's a bunch of bull manure; partial progressive resistance exercises are worthless. Anyone who tells you partial reps are safe is flying in the face of fact and science. There is no rash of injuries as a result of doing full range of motion bench presses and overhead presses. The fullness of the motion is what causes maximum muscle recruitment and voluntarily shortening the ROM degrades the degree of muscular inroad. The danger of cuff injury is far greater for a tennis player or bowler than a lifter.
Knightdale, N.C.: I've heard you mention "eating clean" before in response to other questions. What do you mean by "clean?" -- no fried food, low fat? Low carbs perhaps? Marty Gallagher: Low fat, low sugar, minimal refined (man-made) carbohydrates
Prime rib derives 55% of its calories from saturated fat and is therefore is a 'dirty'food whereas trout or flounder are 'clean' protein sources on account of minimal fat content.
Reston, Va.: How does one transition from an Atkins-centric diet back to one with a more equal distribution of carbs, protein and fat without immediately gaining weight and feeling bloated. Atkins is so regimented it becomes very confusing (even frightening) to attempt to change eating habits. Marty Gallagher: My suggestion would be to never go there to begin with - at least not for more than a few weeks at a time.
The ketogenic approach is effective but I personally want fiber in my diet. Protein is a miracle nutrient for a serious exerciser but I want fiber pushing the sludge through my body and scrapping walls and linings clean as it passes through the digestive tract.
Arlington, Va.: OK, follow up about going below parallel on overhead presses: I'm glad to hear I can go further down without the risk of injury, but I swear I've heard you warn about rotator cuff injury by doing a lift incorrectly (by going too deep). Any idea what that exercise might have been? At this point I'm more concerned with spending all day wracking my brain than I am about tearing up my shoulder. Marty Gallagher: C'mon lets get a grip - do it this way - tell me what shoulder exercises you are intent on doing and I'll tell you if there safe - I suspect you are talking about the ineffectual upright row; word-of-mouth among top bodybuilders indicted that upright row advocates that went too heavy or pulled too high had a high incidence of injuries - plus there exist far better exercises for the traps and delts.
Hagerstown, Md.: Hi, I have a deadlift question. This morning I did 10x135, 10x185, 10x225, 8x275, 3x325. I just read I should be doing 5-8 set reps. Will this help me increase lbs. What should I be doing here? Thanks in advance. Marty Gallagher: I don't like to see folks new to deadlifting go too heavy and use low reps. 5-8 reps sets are recommended and use a deadstop between reps. A lot of injuries occur when rookie deadlifters figure out they can do more reps by bouncing the bar off the floor between reps. Sooner or later they miss-time a bounce and bang! Serious back injury. Deadstops for beginners and intermediate deadlifters.
Arlington, Va.: Dumb question here. How can you find a good partner to work out with? It seems much easier when you have a person to support, spot, and push you during workout. Marty Gallagher: It's not a dumb question at all; post a note on the gym bulletin board; ask the gym manager if he could help in setting up a training group. Look for people at or slightly above your level. Progress is radically accelerated in a group situation. Human nature makes you force that extra rep, heave that heavier poundage when other eyes are on you. Plus, you are a lot less inclined to blow off a workout when others are depending on you to show up and train.
Alexandria, Va.: I've always heard that if you do the press behind neck and go too low, it's hard on the rotators. Maybe that's what he's talking about. Marty Gallagher: Yes you are quite right - some athletes have terrible problems in the press-behind-the-neck and thanks for reminding me. I talked to shoulder surgeon one time and he explained that there is a difference in shoulder construction that makes certain individuals very adept at the PBN and for others make this movement a dangerous undertaking.
Fairfax, Va.: Hi Coach I seem to be stuck with biceps. I've hovered at 25 lbs. DB curls, seated on incline, for ages and ages. 3 sets x 10 reps. 30lb DB curls are too much-squeeze off about 3 reps only. Suggestions? Marty Gallagher: Blow off the 10-rep sets altogether.
Try 2x20 reps with say 15-pounds. Over time build that up to two sets of 25 reps with 15-pounds, then jump to 20-pound dumbbells and shoot for 2x20 reps once again - you need a total change; create some contrast to your current workout regimen in order to spark progress.
Silver Spring, Md.: Maybe Arlington, Va. was thinking about dips and weighted dips? Going too low too often could wreak havoc on the shoulders. Marty Gallagher: One variation of dips I use periodically calls for the athlete to lower all the way down actually allowing the bodyweight to stretch and elongate the shoulder and pec muscles. The muscles actually relax and from this pre-stretch position the athlete begins the upward push, extending all the way to a super-accented lock-out - which is held for several seconds before lowering all the way back down to the pre-stretch position. I have never had a hint of shoulder problem nor has any of the many trainees I've shared this technique with - of course it is possible....
Seattle, Wash.: Quick question, Marty. Just finished my first 12-week lean-out phase (M, 38, 6 ft, 198 lbs.). Dropped about 9 pounds. Am taking a week of lifting off before going into a building phase. Do I cardio this week or not? Thanks! Marty Gallagher: Congrats by the way - if you handle it right you can add ten pounds of pure muscle while holding your current low body fat percentile. Two key points: add no more than 1-pound of body weight per week (for ten consecutive weeks) and keep up the cardio. Not as much as when you were in cut-mode but dropping cardio altogether during a size-gain mode is a bad idea: the metabolsim slows, digestion is impeeded and a larger percentile of your weight gain will be fat.
Arlington, Va.: You said in a recent discussion that the weight a poster was lifting wasn't heavy enough to generate any kind of muscle growth, and that your grandmother could lift x amount. Well, your grandmother is lifting more than I am, but I still seeing my muscles grow and my weight go down. Go figure. Marty Gallagher: At your current level of development that is true - but unless you continue to add poundage and reps as you move down the fitness pathway stagnation will set in. You cannot continue to handle 10-15 pounds weights ad infinitum and expect to continue to make gains; at some point your muscles will acclimbitize to the current stress levels and no longer will they strengthen and grow. Once the muscle are used to a certain level of stress, progress ceases. This is why it is called progressive resistance training.
Alexandria, Va.: Hi Marty,
You rock! Are steamed shrimp considered a "clean protein source." I have never heard you mention them and they are one of my favs with a few drops of olive oil and some fat-free salsa. Also, can I be eating to many steamed veggies. Believe it or not, I have fallen in love with them since you recommended them on your show and I have read in some places that you can eat as much of them as you want. Marty Gallagher: Hey you could get ripped to shreds eating nothing but steamed shrimp and veggies six times a day! Eat on!
Marty Gallagher: I have to go now folks - enjoy the rest of your Fat Tuesday. Any unanswered question will be answered in detail and posted next week; if you had a question from last week check for it now - talk with you next week.
2-25-03 Questions
Thanks from Raleigh: Hi Marty -- I'm the overweight woman who e-mailed you last week to ask if my high heart rate during cardio should be a concern. You said look for the drop. So I have been watching and on average my heart rate does go down 40 beats or more in the first 60 seconds after exercise. Today e.g. from 168 to 118 in the first minute. Thanks for the peace of mind!
Marty Gallagher: Okay now lets zero in on the eating and exercise and make something happen – I don’t remember the rest of your fitness tale…were you existing on 1200 calories weighing 180? Was that you? Refresh my memory.
Arlington, Va.: I'm 6' 1" and 150 pounds. I’d like to get up to about 170 and still look lean and fit. How can I do this and still keep my cholesterol and fat down?
Marty Gallagher: Eat low fat food, drop sugar and booze, exercise hard, think righteous thoughts….
Northern Va.: Marty,
I'm having leg surgery in a few weeks and will have to change my exercise regimen for 4-6 weeks after surgery. Basically, I need to avoid weight training or cardio that involves standing during this time. So, I can't do squats or lunges or run. I was thinking about continuing with:
1. leg presses
2. leg lifts
3. leg curls
4. calf press
For cardio, walking and biking.
What strength exercises would you add to the mix that would keep me progressing with weight training for the thighs, glutes, calves, etc?
Marty Gallagher: Is it surgery on both legs? One leg? If its only one leg then the obvious answer is one-legged calf raises, leg curls, leg extensions and leg presses. If both legs are incapacitated I embark on an upper body specialization program utilizing exercises that allow you to sit, lie, incline or be braced.
Demon training -Arlington: I train like a demon and am trying to plateau bust. I eat a ton of beef, fish chicken and vegetables and at 30 have added running three to four times weekly to keep the gut down ... now I am looking for an edge to burn that last bit of fat around the midsection and still look like I throw steel around instead of a gumby-like marathoner. For a guy that gets up at eight and usually gets to bed at 2 a.m. that thing called work weighing in at 205 at 31-years-old, how should I be spacing my meals? Thanks again.
Marty Gallagher: Optimally you want to refuel every three hours. The exact timing depends on your particular reality and if the gaps are not totally perfect, so what, you’re still doing a hell of a lot better than gorging at the traditional three square meals.
Recycling the routine: For the last month, I have been using your three day split with 2 warm up sets and then 5-8 reps for the last 2 sets. The truth is I don't think that I have been pushing myself hard enough. (no progress, no pain the next day). Can I continue to use the routine/set/rep range but with more focus and intensity the next 4 weeks. Or should I find a routine/set/rep range? Thanks.
Marty Gallagher: By all means stay with what you’re using and see if by jacking up the focus and intensity you can elicit some results: I’d bet that the answer is yes.
Washington, D.C.: Marty,
I've been working out with a standard split routine (chest/bis, back/tris, legs/shoulders) for a while. I do this 5-6 times a week, 60 to 90 minutes each session. If I switch it up for a while to do just one body part per session (i.e., one 60-90 minutes session just for chest, etc.), would I be too burnt after 45 minutes for the rest of the session to be really beneficial? I'd be doing heavy weight low reps ... Thanks, as always.
Marty Gallagher: You don’t need 60-minutes to work a single body part – unless you are super strong – and you sure as hell don’t need 90-minutes to work a single body part. If you do sets with two minutes rest in between (a long time) you can perform 20-sets in 40-minutes. Twenty sets for a single body part is a lot: how about five sets of four different exercises?
Washington, D.C.: When I do cardio and finally get my heart rate up, it drops back to nearly normal in about 15 seconds. I have heard that you continue to burn calories after you do cardio, but if I'm dropping back to norm that fast is that true? I do about 40 minutes of cardio at a session. Is this a myth or a fact?
Marty Gallagher: Dude, read you HR monitor after a tough session and you’ll see you’ll remain 20-40 beats per minute above normal. All that fancy talk about elevated metabolism is simply another way of raising core temperature, increasing body heat and oxidizing additional calories through increased exercise.
Washington, D.C.: I've hit a plateau at 122! I am 5'4" and ideally I would like to lose 7 pounds. I weight train (for 1 hr) 2-3/week and do cardio 4/week (30 min). I eat relatively healthy. What can I do to drop the last few pounds?
Marty Gallagher: What can I say? Not a whole lot based on the scanty info provided. Obviously whatever you are doing has run its route and you’ve exhausted that particular direction. You lift 2-3 times a week, could you change your routine? You perform cardio for 30-minutes four times a week – could you go faster or further or more often? You indicate you eat ‘relatively’ healthy – could you tighten that up? Without specifics how could I offer more than common sense generalities.
Houston, Tex.: Hi Marty. After doing well the past two years, the past couple of months have been a struggle for me with regard to maintaining good exercise and eating habits. I seem to have lost almost all motivation and am struggling to figure out how to get it back. Have you ever gone through anything like this? Most especially, have you ever gotten tired of the gym routine? Changing workouts within the gym means nothing to me. I am so tired of going to the gym and hate knowing that I will have to do it for the rest of my life.
Marty Gallagher: Just hang it up. If you hate it that bad then forget about it; you’ll quit soon anyway so just quit now. If you cannot figure out a way to make it fun, you’ll never last. Obviously you’re not making any physical progress whatsoever. Progress is the great motivator but in your case it’s all cause and no effect.
Fairfax, Va.: Marty,
I am a 32-year-old male, 5'9" 155 lbs. When I was lifting 3days/wk I weighed 170. Due to not being able to lift as often and job stress I have shed some weight and mass. I would like to start a bulk-up/mass building phase with the goal of putting on 10 lbs. of muscle.
Lifting: Realistically, I will probably only be able to lift 2-3x/wk. With the bulk phase, should I concentrate totally on the large muscle group exercises? Could you suggest a high-level routine?
Nutrition: I currently eat three average-size meals and try to have a healthy snack 1-2x/day. What do you suggest for adding additional healthy calories? Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: Lift big. Eat big, rest big, grow big.
1. lots of squats, bench presses, overhead presses, cleans, rows, deadlifts, chins, pull-ups, curls and nosebreakers…seek to set new rep records and work in the 5-8 rep range.
2. Take in more calories: the more you spread out the calories the better off you’ll be. Optimally look to add one pound of bodyweight per week for 10-weeks. More than that and you risk adding body fat. We want only muscle gain.
3. Don’t drop cardio during a weight gain period. Cardio improves digestion, keeps the appetite kicking and prevents the metabolism for becoming sluggish.
Washington, D.C.: I am a 22-year-old female and I want to increase my arm strength, but I can't afford a gym membership -- what can I do at home to tone and strengthen my arms? My goal is to be able to do pull-ups (or at least one!).
Marty Gallagher: Try this – twice a week; standing barbell curls, seated dumbbell curls, tricep pushdowns and seated overhead tricep extensions. Do 2-3 sets of each exercise for 10-15 reps per set. Seek to get better over time by increasing top set reps or poundage.
Silver Spring, Md.: My routine is getting a little stale, and I'm not seeing the results that I was in the beginning (although I still am sore -- the good sore -- the day after I work out). Can you help? Some quick stats --I'm female, just about to turn 34, just at 6 ft tall, and weigh 165 (I lost about 25 pounds last year and I'm still losing some more, but very slowly). My current weekly routine is:
Mon--back extension (body weight)
front lat pulldown (40 #)
seated cable row (40 #)
t-bar row (35 #)
shrugs (50 # total)
nose-breakers (20 #)
tricep pushdowns (30 #)
all of these 3 sets of 12 right now
Wed--flat-bench press (45 #)
incline bench press (bar--40 #?)
pec fly (40 #)
decline bench crunch (3 sets of 20)
hanging leg raises (3 of 10)
concentration curls (10 #)
hammer curls (12 #)
standing ez bar curls (25 #)
all of these 3 sets of 12 unless noted
Fri--calf raises (55 #)
leg extensions (40 #) bad knees
leg press (120 #)
seated leg curl (55 #)
again, right now 3 sets of 12
I've only been doing weight training for about 4 months, and I swim and/or bike at least twice a week, with my heart rate between 70-85% of max (measured with a Polar HRM when I bike). Any advice for making advances? Any exercises I should change because they really don't do much? I'm trying to work in squats, but my knees are very bad, and most of the time even just doing them with body weight (experimenting with different foot positions, etc.) still is painful the next day (and not the good kind of pain).
Thanks so much!
Marty Gallagher: Day I drop the shrugs altogether; change the pulldown to underhand narrow grip, do the t-bar row first…drop the poundage and pause in the completed position; can you do dips? Make them your prime tricep exercise and finish with a couple of light reverse grip tricep pushdowns.
On day II use dumbbells on bench and incline and pause these reps in the bottom position; finish with one all-out high rep pec dec set to failure. Ab work should be one high rep set to failure in each ab exercise; pick two new arm exercises;
Day III start with leg press – change your foot position and drop the weight while purposefully slowing down the rep speed, super-set calfs and lying leg curls; kick the calf raises up to two sets of 50!
Denver, Colo.: Marty, got a couple of slightly bruised lower ribs a week ago in a skiing crackup. Any ab contraction or bending over was painful. (The skiing was great - well worth it). My ribs are still a bit achy -- but not too bad. I've been doing cardio, but have passed on any lifting and/or ab exercises in the interim. Any ideas on how to restart the lifting program, easing into the ab stress? By the way -- squats have made a huge difference in my weekend warrior skiing no leg pain or soreness despite pushing really hard.
Marty Gallagher: Relax and when you’re healed, hit it again. Rushing back too quickly risks reinjuring the injury.
Reston, Va.: Motivation. How in the heck do you get and stay motivated. I have strong desires to get into shape. I enjoy walking, biking, kayaking. I have a Total Gym and an elliptical machine but just can't seem to get into a routine. Any words of advice in this area?
Marty Gallagher: You have to periodically change the lifting, alter the cardio and use different approaches to diet. Training is fun for me and that’s why I do it; cardio is fun on account of I do it outside and combine high intensity cardio with a love of nature. I can’t say I love to diet but I make it a point NOT to diet year round. I also really enjoy cooking and find it a challenge to make clean food tasty.
Raleigh, N.C.: Hello Marty,
How long do you think it should take for a man to go from bench pressing 340 lbs. to 405 assuming he is lifting heavy twice a week? Could it happen in 6 months or a year or 2 years? Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: It is highly unlikely you’ll ever hit 400 unless you add 20-pounds of muscle to your body. Honestly, you might add another 20-30 pounds to your bench press if you stayed at this bodyweight and stayed at it long enough, but you need more muscle mass to push an additional 10%.
Chicago, Ill.: Hey Marty,
My dad is 59 and recently began following a Body for Life program. He's lost about 20 pounds in the first several weeks. He had a laminectomy between his L4 and L5 vertebrae when he was 42 however, and he recently started getting the feeling of his "back going out" during the day. He is doing lat pulldowns and DB rows for his back exercises, and he does relatively light squats. I'm thinking the problem may be that the program has him training to failure all the time on what is basically a bodybuilder program, and bodybuilders get injured backs a lot more often than powerlifters, who mostly never train to failure. He is using lat pulldowns and DB rows for back, and I know that some people recommend carefully starting deadlifting to improve back health. Any idea what kind of doctor or chiropractor he should talk to about this? Most doctors tell people with bad backs not to weight train, but they often don't know anything about the different types of resistance training. Do you know anybody with this condition who lifts?
Marty Gallagher: Sure do contact me at my e-mail for a phone number on someone who went through the exact same thing.
Youngstown, Ohio: What advice would you have for anyone entering the fitness industry as a trainer ... What are the newest fitness trends?
Marty Gallagher: Don’t do it – do you want to work early mornings and again late at night? If not you will miss out on the lucrative pre-work clients (a sizable market) and of course you have to train clients after work during the week. Do you like working weekends? I hope so because a successful PT makes a lot of money on the weekends. Sounds glamorous doesn’t it?
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: 1. I'm trying to gain about 10-15 pounds of muscle and build strength. What's the ideal number of reps and sets?
2. What works better for building the lower body: squats or leg press?
Thanks
Marty Gallagher: Two exercises per body part, 6-10 reps per set, squats trump all.
Laurel, Md.: I'm male/34/195, and have been lifting regularly, twice a week for the past year. I do one leg exercise per workout, alternating between leg press and strides. Lately, I usually feel significant tightness in my inner thighs during and after leg press. I'm limited by that more than by my leg strength. How far apart should my feet be and should I point my toes inward or outward?
Marty Gallagher: I’d drop the “strides” (lunges) as there are lots of better quad exercises. You need to periodically change you foot position to elicit different results. If an exercise is causing pain, stop doing that which causes the pain.
Arlington, Va.: Marty -- where do pushups fit in your program?
Marty Gallagher: No where.
Bay Area, Calif.: Hi Marty,
What are your thoughts on "Net Impact" carbs. Worldwide Protein Bars are now claiming that their bars, with a total of 26 (or so) carbs really have a value of 5 carbs. They say, and I quote "Glycerin, dietary fiber and carbohydrates (other than sugars and starches) in this bar elicit a negligible effect on blood sugar levels. Glycemic response is a very important issue -- get informed." Whaadya think?
Marty Gallagher: Nice rap – I have no clue about this specific product and prefer to offer no comment.
Washington, D.C.: Marty,
First off, thanks for all your great advice. You have been a great source of information for me. Now I need your help in devising a new weightlifting and cardio routine that I plan to start as soon as I can after my baby is born (in about 2 months). I have been working out throughout my pregnancy (just to keep some sort of routine), albeit at a VERY decreased intensity from my pre-pregnancy routine. (Before pregnancy I lifted 3x per week -- mostly free weights -- and rowed on a crew team for cardio.) My goal will obviously be to lose my pregnancy weight as quickly as possible. I am 33-years-old, 5’4, and pre-pregnancy, weighed 115 lbs. Below is my current weightlifting routine. I do one warm-up set of 10 reps and then 2 sets of 20 reps for each exercise. Most of the exercises are done on the Nautilus machines. Thank you!
Day 1: Chest
Chest press (45 lbs)
Pec Dec (40 lbs)
Over-the-head tricep extension (15 lb dumbbell)
Bicep curls (12 lbs dumbbell)
Day 2: Cardio (30 min. walking on treadmill)
Day 3: Legs and Shoulders
Leg Press (120 lbs)
Leg Extension (45 lbs)
Sitting Leg Curl (50 lbs)
Standing Calf Raise (40 lbs)
Shoulder Press (20 lbs)
Lat raises (5 lb dumbbells)
Day 4: Cardio – 30 min treadmill walk
Day 5: Back
Rows (15 lb. Dumbbell)
Lat pulldown (45 lbs)
Assisted pull up (on the machine) (80 lbs)
Tricep pulldowns (35 lbs)
Bicep curls (12 lb dumbbells)
Day 6: Cardio – 30 min treadmill walk
Marty Gallagher: You have a nice little routine and you should take off for a solid month after the baby is born. Then when you decide to get back into fitness, ease back in do a little bit of cardio and little bit of lifting and take your time. After you’ve laid off for a month, use this same program – introduced incrementally – you’re already familiar with it, have experienced progress using it and after a month layoff your body will be receptive to this regimen once again.
Indianapolis, Ind.: Can I achieve the same results by doing yoga that I would accomplish by lifting weight -- I do the power yoga with body as resistance.
Marty Gallagher: No. Can you achieve the flexibility bestowed by yoga using a weight training program? Of course not and it is equally ridiculous to think you can trump weight training for stimulating muscle hypertrophy. A lot of the yoga elite think metaphysics trump science – maybe in yoga world but not in Steelville.
South Riding, Va.: I found you through Muscle Media article, this is great info. I have been following Body for Life for 8 weeks now and have lost 10 pounds and dropped my body fat from 18 percent to 13 percent. I have been reading your stuff on building phases versus cutting. I still need to drop another 5 to 8 pounds. I was considering a 4 week change to my program going with light weight and high reps along with aerobic stuff to lose the pounds and get below 10 percent bodyfat. My current routine is 2 exercises per muscle group going 12,10,8,6 reps each exercise. When I'm in the cutting phase, how many exercises should I do per body part and what is the target reps?
Current routine is:
Monday
Shoulders (arnold presses, standing deltoid raise)
Triceps (close grip bench and barbbell skull crushers)
Biceps (spider curls)
End with superset of curls and tricep pushdows
Wednesday
Chest (incline bench, standing cable raise)
Back (cable rows, pullup assist)
Friday
1 leg deadlift with barbells
1 leg stepups with barbells
Wide stance squat
Front squat
Calf raises
45 percent donkey calf raises
I do abs separately 2x per week and 20 to 30 minutes of stair stepper or treadmill 3x per week. What can I do to drop more weight and also prepare myself for the next growth phase?
Marty Gallagher: What is a one-leg deadlift? That sounds like a circus act.
Look; think of it this way; let’s do some reverse engineering: each time you weight train, you have about 60-minutes before the point of diminishing returns. Past 45-60 minutes and available strength nosedives; to the point that further training is no longer productive or advisable. Muscular exhaustion temporarily impedes the target muscle poundage handling ability. The second question becomes; how often a week can you weight train for an hour? Once we’ve determined the session duration (no more than an hour) and the weekly frequency, distribute the critical core exercises and if any training time is left, fill it with secondary assistance exercises. Cardio is required, not optional. You can retain the cardio session duration and frequency and goose progress by going faster in your cardio sessions. Keep the reps in the 8-12 range and seek to increase either reps or poundage on the top set of each exercise. Very little mention of diet perhaps the key critical component in the quest for leanness – what’s up with that?
Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty,
I eat very clean during the weekday, and take one cheat day. However, I still have some confusion on the free day. Can we snack throughout that day? Or is 6 mini meals of our choice? Can you tell us more about it? Or what you might eat on a typical free day? Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: In the deep off-season I could walk from one end of the boardwalk to the other and consume 10,000 calories in 2-3 hours. I like stand up, walk away food and if I’m on vacation, figuratively and literally, on my cheat day I can fire down lots of calories. On the other hand if you are allowing yourself a ‘cheat day’ there are rules of decorum. In actuality a cheat day has degrees of cheat. Generally speaking, on cheat day eat three meals and a snack in the evening. Never gorge and never stuff. You are allowing yourself a wide selection of foods but don’t compound it by purposefully stuffing. Some folks will have a cheat half-day or a cheat meal.
Arlington, Va.: Hey there Marty,
I've just decided to run the St. Patty's Day 10K in 3 weeks and am looking for your advice in a basic training program. I'm in decent shape: put in about 5 miles/day, 5 days/week at about 8:15/mile, without pushing myself to the max. Realistically, I'm probably going to be able to work out 4-5 days a week. As a former 5K-er in college, I'm familiar with distance training, but haven't ever trained specifically for the 10K distance, and that "competitive hunger" is still there. What would be an appropriate long distance/work out combo for the next 3 weeks? I'm a 24-year-old female, 5'2'', 118 lbs. Thanks so much! Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: Why not forget about running altogether and join me in the Irish pub: we can drink dark beer and fire down shots of black bush while we drunkenly mock the runners as they speed past our sidewalk café table…I don’t have a clue about setting up a long distance running program and try and never offer advice about things I no nothing about. A man’s got to know his limitations.
Washington, D.C.: Marty,
I'm just learning my way around weight training, and I have a simple question:
While I feel my muscles working/burning during the session, I don't feel sore the day after, and I used to. Is this a sign that I need to up the weights/intensity or is muscle soreness NOT a sign of a decent workout. (and I do mean soreness, not pain.)
Thanks, Marty, and thanks for a great chat column.
Marty Gallagher: Actually it’s a sign of nothing. Just settle in, get six months of consistent training under your belt and periodically look in the mirror and step on the scales. Lifting is not about sore and pump – those are symptoms – lifting is about transforming the body, growing muscle, stripping off fat. Use your eyes and your common sense.
Leesburg, Va.: I have recently starting going to the gym and exercising. I am going on a regular basis trying to do 3 days of cardio and 3 of strength training. I would like to combine cardio and strength in the same day. What exercises would you suggest to get the best of both in one combined workout? I am also trying to limit my time in the gym to an hour. Thanks for your help.
Marty Gallagher: Forget about it! Combing cardio and weights is a lame freaking idea, the worst of both worlds. Lift weights – do cardio. If you only have 30-minutes to train do 15-minutes of serious weight training and fifteen minutes of serious cardio – not 30-minutes of some lame, ineffectual graft. It would be like transplanting a chicken’s head onto a goat.
Frozen burbs of Maryland: Hi Marty,
I love your chats! Unfortunately, I will be imprisoned with 35 13- year-olds at noon. Most importantly : How can I get an accurate body fat reading? Also, I read that form is more important than lbs. or reps. Sometimes I can feel my form is not great, especially the last few reps of the last set when I am struggling. How true is this when using free weights? Thanks in advance.
Marty Gallagher: Forget about body fat readings. Most are done incorrectly by amateurs using cheesy tools. Anyone who thinks they are going to obtain a scientifically accurate body fat assessment by allowing someone wearing a ball hat backwards to take half-ass measurements using a plastic caliper that looks like it came out of a cracker jack box is delusional. Use the bathroom scale, a good mirror and a tape measure to determine if you are trending in the correct direction. When form starts to break down terminate the set. Continuing to push or pull when technique disintegrates risks injury.
Largo, Md.: I enjoy jogging and running, unfortunately this causes a great deal of knee pain when walking up or down stairs. My doctor has diagnosed my condition as chrondomalacia. She recommended that I strengthen the muscles surrounding my knees. What type of exercise do you recommend and will I ever be able to run again?
Marty Gallagher: You understand that you have self-induced a repetitive motion-type injury and as long as you insist on doing that which induced the condition the condition will reoccur. One definition of stupid is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results. There is no exercise I can recommend that will make the pain disappear. Can you find another cardio mode and allow the knee to heal fully, totally and completely?
Baltimore, Md.: Marty,
I finally got off my butt and started working out. The ab exercises I did on Sunday are still killing me now! What can I do to avoid being so sore?
Marty Gallagher: You could quit and go back to being a couch potato.
DOS, delayed onset soreness, is most acute when muscles are subjected to new stress. If the stress is repeated on a regular basis the body adapts to the stress and the degree of soreness lessens.
Washington, D.C.: I have always been a regular at the gym and the exercise circuit. Jogging, walking, aerobics, but I have always had a problem controlling my weight. In the past six month I decided to try a new routine. In the last six months I have been doing spin classes 4x and weight training and aerobics 3x a week, and I also diet and I try for 1800 calories a day which I am good with most days, but I get frustrated when I see friends who do less than I do losing the weight, what am I doing wrong.
I have a history of being overweight, I have lost weight several times in the past only to gain it back. I realize now that for me diet an exercise will have to be a lifelong pursuit (I know I should not call it dieting, but developing better eating habits that would last a lifetime). Could you give me any tips or maybe a new perspective to keep me from giving up? I am really frustrated.
Marty Gallagher: List you weight routine and give me a breakdown of a typical day’s eating – type of food, time of day and rough amount. Are you having any fun? Do you enjoy the cardio portion or is it drudgery. We have to find a way to put fun into the fitness equation. Do you cook your own meals?
Arlington, Va.: My gym has a sauna available. What benefits would use of it provide?
Marty Gallagher: I used to use the sauna every time I worked out. After a brutal session I would shower with cool to cold water and hit a hot sauna. I would try and lay the body part I slaughtered in training directly on the hot boards. I could stand this for between 5-10 minutes before I’d get so overheated I thought I’d explode. Then back for another cold shower. I’d make myself shiver with the cold water and hit the sauna again. I’d repeat the sauna/cold shower procedure for 2-5 rounds. I read in the Soviet Sports Review that Russian scientists felt that doing this post workout caused the cells to excrete toxins and waste products. I always felt in an altered state afterwards and my muscle soreness was dramatically decreased next day.
Alexandria, Va.: My daughter is 13, but at over 5'9" tall, probably has most if not all of her adult height. She is interested in specific exercises to strengthen her leg muscles so that she can avoid the knee problems she has developed the past few soccer seasons. She also has developed asthma, triggered by exercise and seasonal pollens. Would strength training be of any benefit to her in this regard? Or a complication?
Marty Gallagher: That depends – what type of ‘knee problems’ exactly? It is foolish to recommend exercises for an athlete without knowing the type and severity of the injury. Surgery? Has a doctor offered an expert opinion?
Bethesda, Md.: Marty: No question -- just want to say thanks for your advice! I am ectomorphic, strong but skinny (5'8", 150 lbs.), especially in my legs. Following your advice, for a year I have "learned to love squats" and eaten much more, and now I need new pants! I have added an inch to my legs so far -- to all the readers out there, Marty's advice works! Now I'm learning to love bench presses..
Marty Gallagher: Very good Bethesda – these aren’t my methods, these are methods champion athletes have used for decades to whip themselves into top shape. I’ve simply detuned and diluted the severity of usage.
Washington, D.C.: I have noticed that after a really intense cardio workout such as spinning, my sweat has a pungent ammonia smell. I vaguely remember learning in high school biology that sweat contains uric acid and other ammonia-based compounds. Is this true? And is this strong smell normal? Thanks.
Marty Gallagher: Could be you’ve triggered ketosis. In the absence of carbohydrate and when subjected to high intensity exercise the body will use ketones for fuel and often the post-workout urine will smell of ammonia. Make sure you drink plenty of water and take in some carbs post-workout. If the condition persists, get checked out for gallstones.
Damascus, Md.: Mighty Mouse said you doubted my dedication, choosing my 2 year-old's birthday party over lifting, but, hey, we all have our weaknesses ... My program is still going well, although the squats have stagnated a bit (haven't been able to push the weight staying with 2 sets of 12). But the pullups and chinups are improving, and my shoulder presses have gone from a measly 10 dumbbells to 25 pounds dumbbells (I can't get the second set of 12 complete yet, but I am getting close). Likewise the incline benches have been going well. I'll probably write back in two weeks or so for a new routine, but wanted to say 'hey' and I am still pluggin' away!
Marty Gallagher: I have no secrets. My friend Frank Moran is coming to stay at the Mountain Compound for a week in late April. He wants to put on a small seminar limit to 6-8 people. You are invited as my guest. Hubby too, if he’s off a mind. Get a sitter and head up. We’ll firm the dates after I get back from steel head fishing at the Y2K River Ranch in Idaho.
Washington, D.C.: I do spin class about 3x/week. It feels like a workout, but what is it, really? I don't get out of breath but my legs kill afterward. Should I be doing something else for upper body?
Marty Gallagher: My aerobic mentor Dr. Len Schwartz, inventor of heavyhands and Freudian Psychiatrist, explained to me that aerobic capacity has two dimensions: senders and receivers. A sender is the hear pump, the lungs bellowing, the cellular return device in the muscles…receivers are the intake attribute of the lungs, the oxygen receivers located in the muscles. The capillaries and circulatory system act as highways. An influx of nutrients and oxygen are transported to the muscle where waste products and fatigue acids are removed for disposal. It sounds like you sender system are far better developed and your receivers struggle and fail to keep up.
Fredericksburg, Va.: I am interested to hear what you think about Pilates as a total exercise regimen. I have enjoyed doing Pilates and have stuck with it longer than anything else, but I am concerned it may not be enough.
Marty Gallagher: Show me the money.
I suspect Pilates is a fine system of light exercise but to compare its hypertrophy-inducing abilities to hardcore progressive resistance training is like comparing a Scotty Terrier to a Bull Mastiff – they’re both dogs but if you want muscle lifting is indispensable. Cardio is also indispensable – does Pilates have a cardio element? I suspect Pilates might be another valid arrow for the fitness quiver – like yoga – but as an end-all/be-all? Not for me.
Arlington, Va.: I am a nicely shaped female with one nagging problem -- saddlebags. They are the one part of me that stubbornly sticks around even though other parts of me have responded well to my good exercise and nutrition habits. I gained them last year when I had a stressful job and didn't exercise, but now that the rest of me is toning up from exercise, they aren't getting the hint. Do they respond best to cardio efforts or are there moves that target them?
Marty Gallagher: Everyone has one particular fat depot that is the last to go and holds on the hardest to it body fat. The human body is hard-wired from primordial times to hang onto body fat in case a famine occurs. Eating is the key, light eating of clean food combined with exercise is the key to oxidizing stored body fat.
washingtonpost.com: That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.
© Copyright 2003 The Washington Post Company |
