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Those who follow me on Facebook will know that I frequently signify the completion of each of my workouts with a status that simply says “Dose”.   I do this largely to share the message with others that exercise, all by itself, is simply one of the most powerful tools we have for the prevention and treatment of many disorders, dysfunctions, and diseases.  I want them to know that Exercise is Medicine!

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More importantly, my hope is that by sharing when I’ve had my “dose”  this will incite others (even if it is just ONE person) to move that day and begin to make a difference in their own lives and the lives around them.

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Now, if I’m being honest, the phrase above isn’t my own. “Exercise is Medicine” is actually the name of an initiative coordinated by the American College of Sports Medicine and I have borrowed it because it is such a powerful statement and I think it speaks to a lot of people.  Because of this, I want to use today’s post to touch briefly on the medicinal (and almost magical) benefits of exercise.  More specifically, I want to focus on the improvements that can be had with exercise EVEN IF WE DON’T RESTRICT CALORIES.

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1. Improved Cholesterol

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Exercise alone has been shown to increase HDL (good) cholesterol, which is a valuable improvement for heart health.  And while some might argue that cholesterol is largely related to genetic factors and another faction might even argue that improving cholesterol isn’t linked to many “hard” outcomes (like improving mortality rates), I feel it is still worthy of attention and it is formally considered a risk factor for cardiac issues is most medical establishments.

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2. Decreased Triglycerides

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Triglycerides, in the simplest sense, are the fats that float around in our bloodstream and when they become elevated can put us at increased risk for heart disease. Exercise can burn off these fats and it has been shown (in many cases) to be even better than calorie restriction for this very purpose.

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3. Decreased Blood Pressure

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High blood pressure (otherwise known as hypertension) is a leading cause of strokes and it is often called “the silent killer” because you don’t necessarily notice the change happening as it slowly increases over time. Exercise can reduce both systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number) blood pressure thereby reducing our risk of stroke.

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4. Improved Insulin Sensitivity

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When we eat a carbohydrate (vegetables, fruits, starches, and candy) the sugars from those foods goes into our blood stream. Our pancreas then releases the hormone insulin to tell many of the cells in our body to take up and use those sugars. *Note to fitness peeps – Don’t crucify me here, I’m simplifying for the masses*

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When our cells become insulin resistant they fail to listen to the signals given by insulin (kinda like I do to my wife when she asks me to take the garbage out) and the sugars in the blood continue to rise. Left unchecked, this problem can become worse and eventually may lead to diseases like Type 2 Diabetes which can bring with it a whole host of other problems like vision loss, neuropathy, and kidney problems.

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The most incredible thing though, is that as soon as you begin to move your body shuttles the sugars from your blood into your cells for use, blood sugar normalizes, and your sensitivity to insulin jumps up drastically. In fact, this jump is so drastic that if you want to show the effects of exercise on chronic changes in insulin sensitivity (not just those from the most recent exercise bout) you have to wait FOUR DAYS to test for this. So the result is INSTANT and lasting.  The second you move…you improve!!!

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Add to that the fact that over time insulin sensitivity will become improved even while you’re not exercising if you continue to maintain that active lifestyle!!!  Whether you’re currently healthy, insulin resistant, or Diabetic exercise can help.

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5. Reduced Waist Circumference and Visceral Fat

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You’ve probably heard that certain body shapes are more at risk for cardiovascular issues and that is probably an understatement. While there is some research suggesting this is not the case, most professionals would agree that fat stored around the waist (more specifically around the organs – called visceral fat) is a ticking time bomb.

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Fortunately, exercise can decrease abdominal fat and waist circumference EVEN WITHOUT WEIGHT LOSS. I’ve seen cases where people are losing 8-10 inches off their waists in 6 months with no change in weight so not only does it look better, but they have drastically reduced their risk of death from cardiovascular causes.  So you can get new jeans and be healthier!  Score one for activity!

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6. Improved (or maintained) Bone Density

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As women get older – or for those who have had their ovaries removed – the risk for bone loss increases leading to hip fractures, immobility, and other complications increases. Simple higher impact activities or moderate resistance training can prevent bone loss and even increase it if you work hard enough.

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7.  Increased Strength

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I could go on all day about the virtues of being strong, but in terms of every day activites, it just makes life easier.  From picking up groceries and children, to lifting stuff at the gym getting strong is like a magic pill that helps make things that were once difficult feel simple.  Exercise can make you stronger and THAT is medicine.

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8. Stress Reduction

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Whether this is brought about by neurochemical changes in the brain or some psychological factor I don’t know.  Frankly, I don’t even really care.  To me, lifting heavy things helps to vent my frustrations through the iron.  But at the same time, going for an afternoon in the park with my wife and daugher, running on the climbers, and swinging on the swings does exactly the same thing for relaxing my mind and bringing me in touch with what is REALLY important in life.

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9. Increased Muscle Mass

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As muscle mass is corrlated with strength, metabolism, and absolute sexiness (okay…I made up the last one…but I figure it helps with that too) you can’t go wrong by getting active.  You’ll be stronger, leaner, and sexier for your efforts.  In fact, those who lose weight without activity tend to lose muscle mass, reduce their metabolic rate, and have a harder time overcoming plateaus.  So whether you’re dieting or not…movement is good.

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10. Weight Loss

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I’ve said in the past that I don’t think adding exercise to an already solid diet does a lot in terms of absolute amount of weight lost.  In that case, I think it comes down to more of what kind of weight is lost.  With activity involved, a greater proportion of the weight lost will be fat and more muscle will be retained so exercise obviously has a role here.

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But even without calorie restriction, moderate intensity exercise can bring about a weight loss if the appropriate amount of activity is done.  Below 150 minutes per week you’d be looking at 9lbs in a year, over 150 minutes per week and you’ll achieve closer to 18lbs in a year, and once you exceed 200 minutes per week (about 30 minutes per day) you can score yourself about 33lbs of weight loss in one year with NO DIETARY CHANGE!!!  Of course, changing your diet is good too, but in terms of health you could lose weight and become more active and you’d be reducing TWO risk factors for heart disease!

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Frankly, I could probably go on forever and talk about the effects of cardiovascular fitness on reducing mortality and so forth, but I think you already get the idea.  My two most major points are that exercise is NOT just about weight loss (although it helps) and that regardless of how much you’re willing to do, the benefits are incredible as long as you start.

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Even if it sounds like a HUGE leap for you…take small steps as I suggested HERE.  Plan week by week and set achievable action plans.  The medicine and the magic of exercise will pay off.  And when it does…you’ll feel awesome!  So walk, run, swim, dance, or lift.  It doesn’t matter.

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Exercise is medicine!  Just move and get your dose!

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*Note – I realize that I’m probably preaching to the choir here (or at least a lot of you) so please share this with those who need to hear it via Facebook, Twitter, email, or whatever method you can.*

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1.  Did the pendulum swing too far?

This is actually a bigger notion than I can possibly cover in a single bullet point, but looking at all the stuff that has come to the forefront of the industry I’m starting to think we’ve just become way to focused on dysfunction.

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2.  Doing it Backwards (not what you think you pervs)

Imagine if you went to the gym, walked on the treadmill to warm up, did some static stretching, rocked out a crazy intense workout including exercises on guided motion machines and isolation exercises like kickbacks and curls in conjuction with your squats and deadlifts.  Imagine you used a body part spilt training program.  And instead of intervals you did steady state cardio for 30 minutes afterward.

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The would be no screening, assessments,  breathing pattern drills, rolling patterns, foam rolling, or mobiliy drills.  But you were consistent, trained hard, and did so 3-4 days per week.

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Then imagine that you didn’t take any supplements and only hit 0.8 grams per pound of protein daily.  You also didn’t eat every 2-3 hours, didn’t fast for a day at a time, or even a portion of every day, but you did maintain a moderate calorie deficit every day.  You didn’t eat everything organic or free range, but you did try to eat mostly whole food and limit obvious junk.

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Would we not get stronger from the program above?  What about leaner?  Would we end up injured?  My guess is yes, yes, and probably not.  Sometimes I’m tempted to do everything “wrong” just to make a point that perhaps we need to focus on the fundamentals before we start stressing about the details.  If you’ aren’t training hard, eating well, and being consistent you can pretty much scrap the rest because you’re wasting your time.

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3.  If your parents are alive…go hug them.

I miss my dad every day.  You never know when they’ll be gone.

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4.  Wake and Shake

Here is a link to a great blog post by Nate Green talking about his morning protein shake.  In it he asks for a few protein shake recipe ideas from his readers and they come through…big time.  My advice, check out the post and comments section.  Print and stick on the fridge and you’ll have a great list of ideas for the coming few months.

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5.  Don’t Sleep on Your Stomach

Lying in this postion can put your lumbar spine in an excessively extended position for a long time.  If you have back pain that is exaggerated by leaning backwards and improved by bending forwards this point is especially true.  Sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees or on your side with a pillow between your knees will help to maintain a neutral spine.

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6.  How to Train for Power

Bret Contreras just posted this article on his blog last week and I think it provides a lot of really good insight on how we should (or should not) train for power.

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7.  I finally hit the newsstand mags!

I just received word last night from my friend David Barr that I’ve been featured in this month’s issue of Muscle and Fitness.  I’m totally stoked!

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8.  I have a weird fascination with making it into Men’s Health Magazine. 

I don’t know why, but when I started reading that magazine years ago I said to myself “I’m going to get published in here”.  By the end of 2011 I intend to be in that magazine even if I have to drive around the country and stick leaflets into every copy.  Just kidding.  Sorta.

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9.  New Sahrmann Text

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Just in case you didn’t know, Shirley Sahrmann has a new book out on October first!  Movement System Impairment Syndromes of the Extremities, Cervical and Thoracic Spines.  Should be interesting as her first text largely shaped my understanding of training.

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10.  Show & Go Sale is Ending

Today is the last day to get my friend Eric Cressey’s new product Show & Go at an introductory rate.  Don’t miss out as the price jumps at midnight.  And remember that there is a money back guarantee so if you’re on the fence you might as well get it.

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Bonus Randomness:  Little Known Fact

When Moses climbed Mount Sinai the Lord actually handed him THREE stone tablets.  The first two contained the ten commandments.  The third contained the 7 exercises of the Functional Movement Sreen.  Moses went on to live for centuries, moved to the United States, shaved off his beard, and changed his name to Gray Cook.

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In fact, Jesus wasn’t crucified because he was the son of God, but because he openly denounced the FMS.

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True Story.

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By the way, I think I’m going to hell for that one.  And FMS folks, I’m just kidding.  Don’t bomb my house.

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In light of my friend Eric Cressey’s new product release this week I got think thinking about how much his work has influenced me.  Eric is a super cool guy and I couldn’t help but think he might be just about on par with folks like Chuck Norris…or even Yoda.  As a result, I’ve put together a little comparison to see who comes out on top in terms of coolness.

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Closest Male Companion

Eric – Tall, bald, funny guy Tony Gentilcore.

Chuck Norris – His Fists.

Yoda – Cry baby Luke Skywalker who would’ve been so much cooler if he was a Sith Lord instead.

Decision:  Tough one, but I’d have to go with Chuck’s fists because there are two of them.

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Weapon of Choice

Eric – Olympic Barbell.

Chuck Norris – Lethal side kick.

Yoda – Lightsaber.

Decision:  Yoda wins hands down.

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Best Lift

Eric – 660 pound deadlift

Chuck Norris – He just holds the bar and reverses on and off to move it up and down.

Yoda – Whatever he wants.  Uses the force so he hardly breaks a sweat.

Decision:  Yoda.

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Previously Released Fitness Products

Eric – Magnificent Mobility, Art of Deload, Off Season Training Manual, Assess & Correct, Optimal Shoulder Performance, and more.

Chuck Norris – Total Gym. 

Yoda – Strength Training For Jedis.  (Okay…not really).

Decision:  Cressey.

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History of incredible resuts from grinding it out in the trenches with everyone from regular Joes to Professional Athletes.

Cressey:  Tons.

Chuck Norris:  None.

Yoda:  Zip.  (Unless you count cry baby Luke)

Decision: Cressey.

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While Eric certainly isn’t winning points for hanging out with that whacky Gentilcore guy…and he doesn’t have a lightsaber (that we know of), one thing is for sure.  Eric.  Gets.  Results.

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If you’re looking to get crazy strong and look good doing it check out Eric’s new product Show and Go.  You won’t be disappointed!

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www.showandgotraining.com

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The other day I mentioned my friend Eric Cresseys soon-to-be-released product Show and Go and asked you guys and gals if there were any questions you wanted addressed?  Sure enough, the great question below came through in the comments and I was able to ask Eric to comment.  Check it out!  (PS: I love having cool peeps on my email contact list.  And yes, I LOVE name dropping.  It gives me an inflated sense of self worth…which is awesome!  )

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Question:

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“While I have no doubt it will be chock full of his usual excellent content, as a natural amateur bodybuilder who has been seeing phenomenal results with my programming (and also paying plenty of attention to minimizing the potential deleterious effects of training primarily for show with less emphasis on go), I am wondering just how much there is to be gained from this product, since I have so many potential resources on my current “wish list” and far fewer dollars to spread around on that front.

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My initial thoughts are that this product will still be more go with better-than-average show, as opposed to maximum show with a good dose of go (which is what I have always been after, as beyond general health, I have no major concern about how much go I possess).

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Can you separate Go from Show?”

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 Eric’s answer:

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“It’s a great question, and here’s my take on it.

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From reading your inquiry, it sounds like things have gone well for you and you’ve got a fair amount of experience.  If you’re calling yourself a bodybuilder, I’m going to assume that you’ve got at least a few years of training under your belt.

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If that is indeed the case, you’ve got a nice luxury upon which you can fall back: it’s tougher for you to detrain (as compared to a newbie).  Additionally, while it isn’t a “luxury,” you have a smaller window of adaptation (and de-adaptation, for that matter) in front of you.  I gained 50 pounds in my first year of lifting, but nowadays – even though I’m five times as strong as I was then – if I can go up 3-4 quality pounds a year, I’m thrilled.

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What does that mean in the context of this discussion?  You can get away with trying new things over eight weeks (or even 16 weeks) to see how they work for you.

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Likewise, with your level of experience, you can borrow bits and pieces from new resources – and in the case of Show and Go, it might be some new exercises, a novel approach to fluctuating training stress, comprehensive mobility warm-ups, unique self-myofascial release strategies, some new options for metabolic conditioning, innovative loading protocols, or any of a number of other things.

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As for separating the “Go” and the “Show,” it’s virtually impossible.  As we’ve seen from some great writing from the likes of Chad Waterbury, Christian Thibaudeau, Charles Poliquin, and a lot of high level powerlifters, getting stronger is really important for getting bigger.  It’ll set the foundation for future success – and I know that for me, my gains skyrocketed when I switched to competing in powerlifting as compared to just rolling with “traditional” hypertrophy training – although I know that won’t be the case for everyone.

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All that said, there’s a money-back guarantee, so you really don’t have anything to lose.”

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All great points from EC!  And before you go, make sure to check out his new video on Mastering the Squat with the ever handsome model Tony Gentilcore.

Okay…it has been a while since I posted one of these, but I figured I’d drop a couple things I think are worthy of reading.

1.  Optimal Rest Intervals for Strength and Hypertrophy

 So you’ve probably been told that long rest intervals during training are important for strength and shorter rest intervals are for hypertrophy.  Well, I just found this site this week and Bryan Chung (who writes the blog) takes a solid look at a study that is examining these very things.  He’s not a coach or trainer, but he is a medical science researcher and sits on the board for the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine so he knows his stuff.  Check out the excellent research review HERE.

2.  Movement

As my readers probably know, I can be a little bit of a doubting Thomas when it comes to training and nutrition related information.  At the same time, I can appreciate when someone has contribued a lot of great stuff to this industry and I’m interested to see what Gray Cook will present in his new book Movement.  Recently Laree Draper posted the following three posts by Gray Cook on her blog and I think they made for some great reading.  Check out parts 1, 2, and 3.

3.  Webinar Notice

My friend (and PhD Candidate) Mike T Nelson has just posted a sale on three webinars this week and time is ticking as this is a limited time offer.  Although I have yet to review them, I’m excited to hear what Mike is going to say so I thought I’d share this with my readers as well.  Apparently there is a sport supplement review, a discussion on metabolic flexibility, and another on the neurology of movement.  If you’re interested you can check out his site HERE.   (Note this is not an affiliate link)

That’s it for me.  What are you reading?

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