| Strength & Fitness
With Marty Gallagher
Special to washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, May 13, 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: Hello and welcome,
Applied fitness
Every two years we have a free curbside pickup in my area. For some reason, the county or state sends trucks up and down the road and they will take anything: old appliances, scrap wood, tires, you name it they'll take it. It snuck up on me this year and this morning my wife reminded me today was the day. "What time will they be here?" I asked, "11 a.m." she said. I had two hours. I live in a refurbished 105-year old house and we had two gigantic air conditioners, circa 1976. They weighed roughly 300-pound apiece and could cool about 20x10. Power sucking and inefficient, they had to go. One was in a second floor window and one was in the third floor game room. I pulled both and carried them bodily down to the curb. Next to the garage and a bunch of scrap metal, old chairs and paint cans. Now it was time for the grand finale: the kid swing set. This sucker was built to stand a direct hit with a nuclear weapon. I pulled one leg out of the ground and now I was committed. I flipped it over, grabbed a leg and began ripping it against the joint; I would break off all six metal legs and the two man swing one at a time. Eight legs and I had forty minutes. To the neighbors it looked like an episode of "world's strongest man" or perhaps a civilian going postal, Old Jim from two doors down sat down in his lawn chair to watch. It was hell; but I eventually broke every leg off and carried them curb side. I sat one end of the 15-foot main cross section in the bow of my maple tree and pulled myself skyward to crash down on it like a deranged ape. I bent it in half and got it curbside with 5-minutes to spare. I thought to myself that lifting and cardio give you a good combination of power and endurance and when you need to do crazy things in short order, it comes in handy. Cardio and lifting provide the balance ... anyway let's get started as I'm running late.
Duck, N.C.: Hi Marty, Is the "cage" you refer to in these chats the same equipment as a Smith machine? Thanks! Marty Gallagher: Duck, N.C., great town name.
I refer to a power rack -- a power rack has four vertical posts with holes drilled in the uprights every few inches. You place pins strategically and it allows you to do a bunch of key, core free-weight exercises without a spotter. The pins will 'catch the weight' if you miss a rep. Simply ride the bar down to the pins and walk away. Mine has a pulley attachment and I do chins and pullups on the crossbar. Invaluable.
Philadelphia, Pa.: Hey Coach, I found it very interesting you drink a shake right when you wake up, and go to bed. What kind of shake? I'm trying gain weight and was thinking I should add a shake or two to my diet. Do you recommend any brand? Should it be protein and carb heavy I guess? Thanks
Marty Gallagher: The first nutrients I ingest each day are contained in a protein powder shake. This miracle cocoction contains 50-grams of high BV protein, 12-carbs (slow release maltodextrin) no sugar and no fat. It mixes instantly with cold water and a spoon and tastes like an old fashion malted milk. I find it a perfect way to start my day -- plus the few carbs it contains will not mess up my low glycogenic, post-sleep state if I choose to do aerobics.
Washington, D.C.: Getting back on the wagon.
Marty -- after your 9-day fishing trip followed by your weekends of house guests ... how exactly do you get your mind back to the drill ... I mean what exactly do you do and say to yourself to ensure that you eat perfectly and work out diligently? Marty Gallagher: Well I don't eat 'perfectly' and I like to work out so that part is fairly easy.
I believe in the principle of 'creeping incrementalism' and like to sneak up on my fitness goals. I don't eat perfectly but I work towards it over time. I might not be profoundly strong or possessing max endurance at any point in time but I work towards it. I know where I am at, I know where I want to go, I have a road map, a plan, and I work towards it in small logical steps. Much more enjoyable then trying to go from lax to max in one step.
Great Falls, Va.: Coach, I'm a 6'1" 180 lb. male who's finally ready to get serious about squats and calf raises. I can now do 100 sissy squats and 150 hanging calf raises and wondered if you would recommend how many reps and sets, at what poundage, to start off with. I'm perfect in every other way so there's no need to ask what I'm doing with upper body, diet and cardio. Seriously, thanks for the chats, they've been a huge help. Marty Gallagher: Under confident people irritate me; as Arnold S. once said in a kind moment, "If you hang around with weaklings, pretty soon you get weak yourself."
100-sissy squats? do you mean real sissy squats? I'd like to see you do 100 the way I do them. 150 hanging calf raises? Explain that one to me ... Great Falls, are you loaded? If you're rich maybe you should hire me as a high paid personal trainer. We could go fishing.
Somewhere, USA: Marty, I've been reading through your transcripts and have much respect for your advice. Here's my situation -- I hope you have some suggestions. In college I was a moderate "for fun" athlete. I injured my wrist badly and now have bad arthritis in it. I gained weight, then lost it dieting, but am simply a small version of a fat person -- and I want my muscle back. I do do regular cardio though. I've tried asking my ortho and physical therapist for recommendations to work the upper body, but they have referred me to trainers, and at the gym I belong to, the advice is "well, um, don't use your hand?" Frustrated, since I can't find someone who specializes in this type of thing. Do you have any suggestions for exercises or resources for muscle building without using my right hand? The wrist is almost useless in bearing weight. Thanks Marty Gallagher: Well there's nothing wrong with your other hand now is there!
How about all kinds of one-armed machine bench presses, overhead press with single dumbbell, all types of one armed dumbbell curls and wrist curls, one-armed overhead tricep extensions, one-arm cable lateral raises ... plus with the bad wrist you could grab a pec dec handle at the wrists, below the hands - how about machine curls using the wrists, not the hands?
Lake Ridge, Va.: What do you think of metabolism-boosting and energy-increasing supplements. I am thinking of trying one called Total Lean from GNC and just wonder what you think about products like this. I need something that will give me a boost and some additional help for my workouts. Thanks for your help! Marty Gallagher: Forget about it!
Use that money to buy protein powder or sports nutrition bars or creatine monohydrate ...
If it has ephedra in it it is just one step away from legal banishment anyway. Lawsuits and trial lawyers ("not that there's anything wrong with that") are bringing ephedrine sellers to their knees.
Arlington, Va.: Marty, Love the chat - have been enlightened by the many new things I have learned on this! I am 5'4" woman, 28-years-old, 180 lbs. (lost 25 over the past year) and have been diagnosed with anxiety and heart condition (over the past year) that causes rapid heartbeat. Still I'm doing cardio 30 min. 3-4 times a week to try and lose more weight (of course also weight lifting, but that is a different story). Needless to say, when I do my cardio, my heart rate is already at 120 just in the first minute (I have one of those watches and I have been monitoring my heart rate for the past two weeks, been pretty consistent). It can rise as much as 169 in high intensity spurts or towards the end of the workout. When I weight lift it is much better (100-110 bpm). My doctor says there is nothing wrong, but I would like your (or the audience's) advice -- should I just cut down on cardio, ease back on intensity, or what? Hope I'm not being too "basic" here. Marty Gallagher: What is your resting heart rate? Strap on the heart rate monitor and take a nap. When you wake up, check the monitor. Let me know the number. Second, the next time you spike you HR to 169 or 170, stop and see how fast the heart rate drops in exactly 60-seconds. If its less than 12-beats in 60-seconds you could have a problem. Good athletes will drop 20-40 beats in a minute.
Washington, D.C.: Mr. Gallagher, I use a Polar M21 Heart Rate Monitor, which shows me calories burned and percentage of fat burned per cardio session. I've noticed that when I work harder/hardest -- at 75-85 percent of maximum heart rate -- and burn more calories, the fat percentage drops, however, when I average 60-70 percent of maximum heart rate during a workout, the percentage of fat burned is higher. What is the better approach if my personal goal is to lose 10 lbs. of fat (in 30-45 days, if you need a time frame). I'm female, 54-year-old. Thank you for your response. Marty Gallagher: I go by gross calories oxidized.
I seek to burn 500-calories in a session. I do not buy into the low-intensity. less-is-better angle. It takes too long to burn off the calories when you are traveling at 60%. I can burn off 500-600 at 80 percent in half the time it takes at 60 percent. On a good day I can burn off 750 in 45 minutes: that's something concrete to hang your hat on.
Fairfax, Va.: Marty, What kind of exercise would you recommend for us females who want to get our kegal muscles in tip top shape? Marty Gallagher: Here we go with this kegal muscle stuff -- is this like wood snipe hunting?
Somewhere, USA: I'd like to find a personal trainer to meet with me a few times to help me get started and make sure I'm doing things correctly. I have some orthopedic issues, so it needs to be someone who is knowledgable about injury prevention, etc. I live in Silver Spring. Any suggestions? How much should I expect a session to cost? Thanks. Marty Gallagher: Are you sure you don't want a rehabilitative specialist?
A trained medical professional is going to handle you differently than a personal trainer -- I would not want a PT providing exercises for a specific medical condition. As far as cost for PT's go, its all over the place; write my e-mail for a reasonably priced PT in your area. MGSO@supernet.com
Silver Spring, Md.: I love your chats -- and your frankness and am learning a lot from reading the archive. I am female, overweight (190) and wanting to get in shape -- should I clean up the diet and do cardio to lose some weight first before trying to start a weight program? And how soon could I expect to see some results? Thanks you inspire more than you know. Marty Gallagher: Hey Grrrl ... welcome to the mosh pit.
Good for you. I would become an outdoor walker. Find a park and walk for 30-50 minutes as fast as you can 4-6 times a week. Go early in the morning if possible. Simultaneously clean up that diet; throw out one bad food a week. In ten weeks you'll be eating clean and feeling better. Try and do some modified pushups using different hand spaces, also leg raises, frog kicks, crunches, free-weight squats, calf raises off a stairway ... write back after you've set all this stuff in motion for a few weeks and we'll plot the next step.
Alexandria, Va.: What kind of protein do you use? Fifty grams per serving is about twice the amount that am getting from a standard whey protein shake. Marty Gallagher: One serving (two scoops) provides me 33 grams of protein, 4 carbs and zero fat and sugar. I use three scoops on account of I like the taste and potency; hence the inflated stats.
Somewhere, USA: Thanks! Actually, believe it or not I never thought of doing one armed upper body work. I guess I was worried about uneven arm development. Of course, I'm a 'tiny' woman, so I doubt it would even show. I really want to play tennis again -- maybe try playing left-handed in the future. One more question -- where might I find a personal trainer in the D.C. area Marty Gallagher: Uneven arm size is corrected by using dumbbells exclusively: bench pressing, seated overhead pressing, curls, lateral raises, tricep work. Dumbbells force each limb to do its fair share of the work.
Re: Weight Loss Supplement: I wrote earlier about the Total Lean from GNC. I would like to try something that will give me additional energy and help me lose weight. I find it extremely hard to wake up for my early-morning work outs and feel i need a bit of a boost. Will taking protein powder or creatine help me do this? I thought those products help people bulk up and gain weight. Marty Gallagher: I've said it two or three times today already; I drink a protein shake first thing and this tides me over until later in the morning when I'm ready for a real meal. Nothing could be easier than making a protein shake that contains the nutritional equivalent of 15-eg whites and has around 220-calories. Plus it tastes great.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty, Does alcohol inhibit muscle's ability to recover from a hard workout? As long as nutrition holds, will the addition of two or three Friday drinks (maybe 6 drinks over the course of the week) negatively impact my work? If so, is there a threshold amount? Mark Marty Gallagher: I would not worry about 2-3 drinks a week.
Arlington, Va.: What are the best exercises to get upper arms in shape for summer's sleeveless styles? Marty Gallagher: Tons of curls and tricep work.
Too many folks get hung up on one or two pet arm movements and never change them and as a result cease making gains. Continually rotate in different arm exercises, vary reps and angles and poundage. Good arms are a result of hard work, variety and manifest by steady increases in poundage and strength.
Somewhere, USA: Maybe I am loaded coach -- or maybe it's you. I read or at least thought I read that you recommended being able to do 100 sissy's before tackling the weights. Hanging calf raises? Thought that was the term for standing on a stair so you could get a full range of motion. But hey, if you don't want to answer my original question that's cool. I ain't arguing with anyone who can sling around 300 lb. air conditioners. Marty Gallagher: A free-hand squat duplicates a regular weighted squat, technically speaking. A sissy squat is a totally different exercise and requires you 'lay-back' as you descend -- incredibly difficult. A calf raise done on a stairway and a hanging leg raise are two entirely different exercises so you'll pardon my total confusion. So which exercises are you referring to and what, exactly, is the question?
Wheaton, Md.: Does creatine have any place in a beginner's (lifting less than 1 yr) repertoire? Does it really work? I know you have to follow a loading/maintenance routine. Marty Gallagher: No.
It works for some folks.
So?
Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: Which protein powder shake do you use? All the ones I have tried taste like liquid chalk. Thanks. Marty Gallagher: There are tons of powders out there that taste great -- the problem is most are loaded with sugar -- write my e-mail for personal preference: MGSO@supernet.com
Washington, D.C.: Hey Marty! Questions for you: what's your take on Pilates and what's the best way to incorporate it in your overall exercise program? From what I've seen, it seems that some Pilates enthusiasts think that other than cardio, Pilates is all one needs. I just don't see how, esp. when you start out doing abdominal-type exercises first. Thanks for your help. Marty Gallagher: I have no clue since I have zero exposure to Pilates.
Washington, D.C.: Marty -- I'm a 29 year-old woman, 140 lbs., and I do cardio 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week. When I work out, my heart rate gets to 180-185 bpm, which seems a bit high to me. Is this high workout bpm (which is 95 percent of my age-realated HR max) a problem? I've even spiked above 200 bpm, which doesn't feel so good. So you know, my resting HR is around 70 bpm and I cool down fairly quickly after a workout. Thanks for your help. Marty Gallagher: What is your 60-second drop rate? How many beats does your heart drop after spiking? Look for a previous question on this procedure ...
Fairfax Station, Va.: Female, 39-years-old. Desperate to be able to complete an unassisted pullup by 40th birthday (6 months). I have access to an assisted machine, but can barely complete 10 reps with very little body weight taken off. What's the best routine to follow to achieve my goal? Marty Gallagher: Wherever you're at, make a determined effort to keep the current number of reps and, over time, reduce the amount of weight on the machine. Six months is roughly 24-weeks and if you could shave just a slight few pounds off the assisted machine every week for 24-straight weeks you'd be damned close to your goal ...
Protein Shakes: Hi Coach
I've been reading your above comments and am curious about something? Do protein shakes help with weight loss? I too always thought they helped people bulk up. Is this incorrect? Marty Gallagher: Calories are calories and if you eat too much you will add body fat and if you burn off more calories than you consume you will lose weight. Protein, in and of itself, is not harmful and less likely to end up compartmentalized as fat than say an equal caloric amount of ice cream.
Arlington, Va.: Re: High Heart Rate Marty, I just read your post -- I have noticed my resting bpm is around 55-60 bpm. In my watch I have it keyed for 60 because that is what I entered when I first got the watch. When I "spike out" (love that word!), it drops 18-20 beats in a minute. Is that bad? Marty Gallagher: 20 is good.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty: What do you think about Pilates as a fitness regime for a woman in her mid twenties who's been slightly overweight her whole life? Could Pilates be my sole workout? thanks! Marty Gallagher: No experience with Pilates so I cannot say.
Washington, D.C.: I know you mention you use a heart rate monitor on your walks but you never specified which brand? Could you tell us? Marty Gallagher: Polar M51 or M52 (I can't remember the number.)
Washington, D.C.: Could you recommend a book or Web site which illustrates basic lifting technique and form for a beginner? I currently use machines, but I'd like to move into free weights. I've seen your weight-lifting plans on the chats before, but I don't know what the exercises are. Unfortunately, there is no one at the gym to ask (work gym, unstaffed). Thanks for your help! Marty Gallagher: I'd go to Borders and sort through the fitness section. Are there Web sites that demonstrate technique? I think so but cannot direct you to any.
Marty Gallagher: Time to go -- I answered all the questions leftover from last week so check them out -- if you have a question left hanging today I'll answer it in detail and post it at the end of next week's show. See you later!
5-6-03 Questions
Kansas City, Kan.: Hey Marty, I was wondering if you could suggest any back exercises, specifically lower back exercises. My problem is that I only have access to dumbbells. About the only back exercises I can find with such scanty equipment focus on the lats. Any ideas? Are hyperextensions lying on the floor worthless?
Marty Gallagher: Hyperextensions done off the floor strike me as worthless. How about slow motion, stiff-leg deadlifts using dumbbells? Allow the knees to bend slightly and from this semi-flexed position slowly raise and lower the bells. Stay straight backed, keeping the back arched and tight. Rise up using the lower back as a hinge. 2-3 sets of 10-reps. You should feel this in the hams as they are happening.
WebMama: OK -- back getting in the swing of things. These are the lifts/exercises I do the most. What can I improve on? I am experienced enough to know when to add weight. I am 5'4, 154 lbs. Current Workout: (all reps are 2 X 10-12)
Upper Body
Pull ups (on machine)
Chest press
Incline chest press
Curl with dumbbells
Row (pull weights on machine towards me while sitting down)
Front raises
Military press
Pushups
Lower Body
Leg Press
Lunges (with weights)
Leg Curl
Leg Lift (raise leg behind me - "butt machine")
Calf machine Ab work everyday
Cardio - 30 mins.
Diet:
1500 Calories % Cals from Fat – 25; % Cals from Carbs – 55; % Cals from Protein - 20
I meet this fairly well but usually am a little low on the protein and calories.
Marty Gallagher: Okay –- what is the question? Is this workout representational? The diet strikes me as low, calorically speaking. I need to know the goal? Obviously if you do all this stuff and eat this way and aren’t progressing in any way, shape or form, you need to change things. I can’t tell you how or what to change too because I don’t know where you want to get to. Sounds like you need to change things around but I sure wouldn’t suggest lowering those 1500-calories any further -– on the other hand if you are only actually hitting the 1500-figure occasionally and the rest of the time you are firing down 3,000 calories per day then you need to tighten down.
College Park, Md.: Hi Marty; I'm a young thin guy (23 years, and about 158 pounds) who started working out by lifting free weights about 6 months ago. My knowledge of weight-lifting is limited, but I have made quite a lot of progress through determination. What I can't figure out is how to work the muscles of my back. My friend who works out at a gym all the time suggested some of the large equipment there, but I really like being able to work out at home. How can I work my back (especially the area around the shoulder blades) at home with free weights? Any advice at all would be great ... thanks!!
Marty Gallagher: My advice is to become a chin and pull-up master. Do wide grip chins, narrow grip, to the front, to the rear, multiple sets with various reps and grips. Use a bench to push yourself upward if you are incapable of doing reps on your own. Pull a heavy exercise bench to within a foot or two of the chin bar. Take your chin/pull grip and simultaneously curl your legs under you. Place your feet on the bench. Pull yourself upward and push down to the degree necessary with your legs. Straighten your legs to help complete the rep. Works like a charm once you get over the oddness. Chins and pull-ups will add slabs of functional muscle to upper and lower lats, teres, rhomboids, traps and mid-erectors.
Alexandria, Va.: Marty -- Upper body question: When I do my weight days, I do bench presses (flat on my back), and "upright" presses (sitting straight up and pushing the weights over my head). They also have 2 other incline benches set at angles between horizontal and vertical. I'm assuming that as you change the angle from full horizontal to full vertical, you are working different muscles. Which machine goes with which muscles? And while we're on the subject, what kinds of exercises should I do to build my "upper chest (from the shoulders to about half way to the nipples)? The lower part of my chest is fine, but the upper part needs work! I'm a 35-year-old male. THANKS!
Marty Gallagher:
1. flat bench lower pecs
2. incline press – 44-degree upper pecs
3. seated overhead press front deltoids
You have a lot of ‘spillover’ in that flat benches also stimulate upper pecs, front delts and triceps. Inclines hit more than just the upper pecs and spillover into front delts, triceps and lower pecs to a slight degree. Overhead presses spillover into triceps, side and rear delts, traps slightly and even upper pecs as most trainees will lean back as they press.
Minneapolis, Minn.: Marty -- been reading for the last several months and learn something new every week. Two things: 1. Squatting. My wife (29) and I (34) have become believers in the value of the squat. I'm writing because she likes to do sets with only body weight and will do 25 or more reps per set. Her form is great (truth be told, I must give her credit for improving mine). She has had knee problems in the past, but has been given a clean bill by her orthopedist. After a while am I correct in assuming body weight -- only squats will provide no benefit? While you're at it, could you also tell her you need "discipline and focus" in the weight room? It always bugs her when I say it, and I know she's reading.
2. Statute of limitations for workout at the "mountain compound." About three years ago she answered a trivia question (something about 70s rock) and you offered us a workout at the compound. Like a fool, I blew it off. We get back to D.C. frequently to visit family and would love to come up if the invitation is still good. If you're interested, here are our splits. She's better at mixing in cardio than I am -- I see it as a form of punishment.
Day 1 - back
Day 2 - legs
Day 3 - chest/shoulders
Day 4 - arms
Day 5 - off (sometimes Day 6, too)
Repeat
Thanks for all the help!
Marty Gallagher: Okay, let’s dissect this thing one item at a time.
1. You are dead wrong – there are a hell-of-lot of fantastic benefits to be had from free-weight squatting. Ken Shamrock has his Lion’s Den combat fighters do 500-rep sets! I would ask that she pause her reps in the bottommost position before exploding upwards. The pause will make it harder (a good thing) and prove beneficial for the knees (no bouncing where down becomes up) – how about working up to 2x50 then 1x100? Write back when you can do 1x100.
2. Maybe she needs a WalkMan and a pile of Iggy Pop CD’s so she can get fired up –- and not have to listen to your fevered exhortation.
3. If you can remember the question and the answer, we’ll re-institute the invite. Contact me at my e-mail: mgso@supernet.com.
Falls Church, Va.: Hey coach- I'm 27, male, 5'8, 169 lbs. and currently in the middle of a lean-out phase after completing a small rep/high intensity phase. I'm looking for a suggestion on where to go after this cycle. With summer coming, I'm not necessarily looking to put on excess weight that comes with a true mass-building cycle. The current workout is:
Day 1-
Flat bench 3x15, incline bench 3x15, cable crossovers 3x15, dumbbell or barbell curls 3x15
Day 2-
Squats 3x15, calf presses 3x10, assisted pullups 3x15, rows 3x15, nosebreakers 3x15
I also take a high-intensity martial arts class 2-3 times a week, which gives me good cardio training.
Marty Gallagher: 5-8 and 170…sounds like you are in good shape…I like the martial cardio sessions –- that’s how to make cardio zip by! Find some high-paced, intense activity that makes you sweat like a safari luggage carrier and the session is over before you know it. I would suggest lifting three days a week –- let me know if that is a reality. If you could train three times a week for an hour you could bust through to the next level. If that is not possible, change reps drastically in the exercises you are currently doing in your current two day routine. How about dropping 15’s to 5’s?
Rockville, Md.: Hi Marty. I was hoping you could recommend a book (maybe a few) on weight training and nutrition. I have bought several books to no avail. The ones I bought are all talk, they don't seem to say "OK, here is a workout plan and this is what you should be eating." I am about 80 lbs. overweight. When I was younger I was pretty athletic and did not have a weight problem. I went through a bout with depression about seven years ago, and put on all my weight at that time. Well, I think it is time for me to start on a program to get it off. Step one was stopping smoking (which I did a few weeks ago). Step two was slowly becoming more and more active (I now always walk the golf course instead of riding, I walk the dog a couple of times a day, etc). Now I think my body is ready to move on to step three which I think is being vigilant about my diet and doing cardio and weight training. I know I can do it, I just need a little direction that I have not been able to find. Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: Well Hell’s Bell’s, you got me! What am I? Chopped liver? What do you need a bunch of printing and pretty pictures on dead trees when you’ve got me? Live and in person. Stopping smoking IS HUGE! I would suggest you take an outdoor nature walk five to six times a week. Eliminate one nasty food (you know what they are) a week for ten consecutive weeks. I walk with a WalkMan and a selection of double-time musical renditions. As a trained ethnomusicologist I am particular, picky and persnickety. Walk and clean up the eating; one tiny bite at a time.
Fairfax, Va.: Hi, Marty.
Do you have any exercises that would make my thighs stronger? I go horseback riding regularly, and I need to be able to squeeze harder with my knees. I'm currently doing squats and calf raises three times a week. Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: My wife is a competitive equestrian rider and loves high rep free squats with different stance widths and toe positions. She swears it helps her inner thigh pressure ability and in extensive testing I have verified this in a variety of settings.
Denver, Colo.: Marty, The most recent fad at my gym is use of all sorts of inflatable toys during lifting to destabilize you so that you build core strength. D/B flies while laying on a fit ball, squats or curls while standing on inflatable pillows, or my favorite, push ups with two feet on one ball and each hand on a fit ball, that look like a parody of an imitation of a human Monster Truck. Obviously, I'm not a believer, and have had some good-natured lively discussion about the inflatable toys with others in the gym. Despite my disdain, I've started doing some squats while standing on the pillows to aid with balance and ankle stability for trail running, and it seems to help. It seems to me that all this destabilizing stuff results in diffusing the effect of specific lifts and makes it so that you can't lift as much with a specific exercise, resulting in less benefit to the target muscle groups. For example, if you do curls standing on pads, your biceps get less benefit. I also think that lots of lifts place a great demand on core strength when you have good form and you don't need to resort to tricks and toys to build it. Maybe use it as an occasional change of pace, but I don't think constant, intentional destabilization is the answer. What's your opinion on this? Can you back me up? Is it OK to laugh at "Monster Truck" pushups?
Marty Gallagher: Listen to what Lee Brown, a columnist for NSCA Journal had to say about ‘unstable environment’ training; “Training modalities are just like tools in a toolbox…I choose to carry many tools in my toolbox, unstable environment training being one of those tools. I will use each {tool} appropriately and in the best interests of my athletes.” Just another arrow in the quiver, nothing more and nothing less – so let’s not build a religion around it.
Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: I wrote several weeks ago looking for advice about getting started with weights. On your advice, I bought a bench and a 110 lb. weight set. Please help me know where to start, and when to increase weight/reps. I'm female, 110 lbs., 5 feet tall, mid 30s. Thanks for your help.
Marty Gallagher: Very good –- let’s get started
Day I
Free-weight squats 2-3 sets x 20-50 reps
Calf raise on stairway 2-3 sets to failure, one leg at a time
Bench press 3x10
Seated overhead press 3x10
Barbell row 3x10
Standing curl 3x10
Overhead tricep extension 3x10
Day II
Barbell squat 3x25
Stiff-leg deadlift (hamstrings)3x10
Incline dumbbell press 3x10
Lateral raise w/dumbbell 3x10
Chins/pull-ups 2x10/2x10 use modified or assisted version
Dips 3 to failure – use modified version if necessary
Seated curl 2x15
Hit abs at night while watching TV for 20-30 minutes: leg raises, frog-ins, crunches, side-busters…pick 2-3 ab exercises and do 2-3 sets to failure lying on the floor.
Arlington, Va.: Marty -
Love the chats -- keep up the great work. Hade a quick question about Creatin. I don't know too much about it. How do you feel about it? Is it OK to use, or is it just a step away from 'roids? Thanks.
Marty Gallagher: No, creatine mono is light-years from away from steroids…I would purchase a canister of protein powder and use it all in a week’s time. If I had any disposable income leftover I would invest in a box of sports nutrition bars. If I still had money left I’d buy creatine – on my list it’s a distant third.
Boston, Mass.: Hey Marty, I am thinking of using a creatine supplement before my workouts. Of the two kinds I've seen used, powder and liquid drops, does one form work better than the other? Is one absorbed into the body quicker? Thanks for your help. I've really been learning a ton.
Marty Gallagher: See the previous question. I use a powdered form when I use it -– most often I dump some in my post-workout smart bomb power shake.
Out West: You have only rarely talked about stretching, primarily focused on the folly of stretching cold muscles prior to lifting. How much stretching do you incorporate into your lifting routine? Do you stretch between sets? A round of stretches afterwards?
Marty Gallagher: Stretching the targeted muscle between sets is smart on two levels: you can improve range-of-motion and actually promote muscle growth. When a muscle has been blasted with a high intensity progressive resistance exercise it is particularly susceptible to elongating and it can be stretched further than when cold and brittle. A target stretch ‘re-sets’ the muscle for the subsequent set and there is some evidence that repeated stretching of a muscle can actually make the fascia (the sausage-like casing that encloses a muscle) more pliable. A fascia that is stretched is (potentially) more inclined to allow for muscle expansion. I think a strong case can be made that target stretching between sets of weight training is a damned smart thing to do.
Connecticut: Hey Marty -- Is it ever OK to just maintain muscle mass (meaning, not work to get bigger/stronger)? I'm a female, age 34 and I've been working out for many years. I'm happy with my physique and enjoy weight-lifting, but I'm wondering if it's OK to NOT lift any heavier than my current level. I switch my routine regularly so my muscles don't get stagnant, but does it matter if I lift the same amount of weight indefinitely? What are the pros/cons? Many thanks for your great advice!
Marty Gallagher: Why not go for more volume and less poundage. In the bench press you worked up to one set of 10-reps with 50-pounds. Rather than jump to 55 for 10 how about doing 3-5 sets of 8 with 50? Add work sets to side-step poundage or rep increases and still make progress. Another way to smoke the cat out of the bag, as my old KCIA boss used to say. For more detail provide more detail.
Under the Weather in Arlington, Va.: Hey Marty, An avid runner, it takes a lot to keep me from my daily workouts, but I've been slammed with the flu and just haven't had the energy to move much. This happens, I know, but am wondering how quickly one's body loses muscle tissue and how soon one's (formerly quick) metablolism will change? Figure even if the workouts are slacking, I might be able to monitor the eating better as I'm currently training for a 1/2 marathon ... female, 24, 118 lbs., 63 inches. Thanks!
Marty Gallagher: There is no handy-dandy formula since everyone’s physiology is slightly different and recovery from sickness or injury is totally individualistic. Just don’t try and come back too fast and too hard or you’ll end up worse off than when you started.
Damascus, Md.: Hi Marty, A couple of questions for you.
1. You had told me to keep the same template for weight training but to decrease the weight and increase reps to 20. I had been doing 2 sets of 10, did you mean to do 2 sets of 20?
2. As you said, losing weight is a matter of creating a deficit in calories. Is using your resting metabolic rate plus calories burned through exercise a good way to determine what your calorie count for the day should be? If so, I have seen varying methods for calculating this which come up with widely differing numbers -- how is it calculated and how far under should you go to lose weight? Going too far will put your body in starvation mode and prevent weight loss -- right?
Marty Gallagher:
1. I would go to 1x20 – 2x20 would likely blast you so hard you’d be toast halfway through the workout. Of course if you are a genetic cardio freak maybe you could handle it. If I do a set of 20 the way I’m supposed to, there is no way I could do a second set of 20 without a huge rest. I don’t have all day to train and I’ve got other exercises to tackle in my workout.
2. Look -– let’s get real; you could waste a ton of time trying to come up with some precise formula and again, this is such an individualistic thing that you could drive yourself crazy. I would attack it this way: first, establish a multiple meal schedule and stick to it; second, start cleaning up food selection. If you can eat something at the same times each day, optimally every 2-3 hours, you will establish and maintain positive nitrogen balance. Then, in phase two, clean up the foods eaten. This approach is incremental and manageable and more user friendly than trying to dick around with precise calorie burn calculations.
Ithaca College, N.Y.: Hey Marty: I'm just hoping I can share something with your readers. I have recently gotten past a plateau I had been at for a long time; I had 8 or 10 extra pounds I wanted to lose and despite my religious cardio and free weight regimen I couldn't seem to make any further difference. (This is even after I switched my workouts from early evening to the morning AND all but eliminated carbohydrates completely from my diet.) Finally, FINALLY, I stopped drinking alcohol for one week -- I'm a college student, so this was rough -- and I noticed a HUGE difference. I continued to cut back and pretty soon it was as if my body had been slightly swollen that whole time from drinking 4 or 5 nights a week. I took a noticeably different shape and felt and looked so much better overall. Since then I've maintained those skimpier drinking habits and I've managed to stay right where I want to be. I always knew beer and liquor were high in calories but I never knew just how much they were affecting my fitness.
Marty Gallagher Drinking 5-nights a week adds a ton of calories –- not to mention the bloat. Alcohol impedes body fat oxidation. If you have alcohol in your system there is no way the body can burn off stored body fat. In the off-season I drink beer on Friday or (not both) Saturday; in-season no booze.
Boston, Mass.: Hey Marty, Serious question here: if I am deadlifting and squatting with regularity, will I get shorter? Surely my body compresses during each workout, but is there any cumulative effect that you know of? Thanks.
Marty Gallagher: If you were a sub-teen I would think you might lose an inch or two. If you are a mature adult you’ll be fine.
Henrico, N.C.: I am 42 and I have been in the gym at least three times a week for six months. Never have I been big but I got love handles a few years ago and can't get rid of them. I have a 31 inch waist and weight about 155 pounds and 5'8" tall.
Marty Gallagher: Love handles are body fat repositories and until you get into a caloric deficit situation I doubt you will melt the love handles away –- you certainly cannot exercise them away. Body fat is not oxidized as a sole result of exercise and spot reducing, melting fat off a muscle by doing hundreds of reps, is a total waste of time.
washingtonpost.com: That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.
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