My strength and conditioning update - progress after 6 weeks

I went again to see David Sutton today. It’s been just over a month and I have been working on strengthening the glutes, hams, hip flexors and improving unilateral balance. I was interested to see what he made of it. To be honest, the exercises he gave me originally started out as almost impossible to execute, and they now feel easy, so I doubted whether I was still doing them correctly! So much so, I asked my coach, Steve Casson to check for me a week or so ago!

The UKSCA definition of strength and conditioning is:   ‘the planning and implementation of physical preparation programmes for performance. It includes processes that result in physical adaptation through integrating fitness components into a programme which compliments other aspects of the performer’s development. This includes, although not exclusively, strength, power, speed, endurance, agility and flexibility’

The key in strength and conditioning, as opposed to weights, seems to be physical adaptation through integrating fitness components.  I remember him saying at a talk he did to my triathlon club, ‘what is the point training your muscles in isolation, that is not how you use them in your sport’.

Follow this link to see the written version of this talk, he supports everything with research.

The first time I saw David, he tested me on every element of strength, flexibility and balance. Very quickly, he decided that bilateral strength, core and balance was fine, so I was immediately told to stop doing things like squats, because I could do them well. What I was unable to do however, was single leg based balance exercises. So, for example I was completely unable to get up from a seated position using only one leg. I thought this was in general, a hard thing to do, till my husband demonstrated to me exactly how easy and straight forward it is for him to execute! So here’s me, one month on, getting excited about how I can now do something that it seems everyone else in the world could already do with their eyes shut!

How am I doing?

David is a fabulous in his ‘direct, no messing’ approach, which suits me great, because I am usually the one with a million excuses! So when he said he was impressed how much progress I had made, I really sat up and took note. Compliments are hard earned in this gym.

Apparently, am now ready to progress to the next step, and then this will prepare me for full plyometrics. Plyometrics is a method of training muscle elastic strength and explosiveness to enhance athletic performance. I have heard of this before, the RFU swore by it when I was training as a rugby referee, but clearly, on reflection, it wasn’t being executed correctly, if I am finding so many of the initial pre-plyometrics exercises difficult! Maybe the topic for future blog posts, when I actually get as advanced in my exercises as that!

What have I now been given to do?

Just when I thought I was mastering this thing, I have now got a different set of stuff to do, yes, all trickier than before. A lot of my work now involves single leg stuff, jumping on to and off a step, sideways, forwards, 2 feet to one foot, reverse, etc, a whole range of things that are sure to get people curious in my gym! My split squats are now with my foot on a bench and a weight across my shoulders. When I asked why there was the need for this, he told me originally if I can’t even balance on one leg, or use ham strings at all, imagine how much energy I waste simply trying to do that, energy that I could better use on trying to run faster! Logical I suppose.

To keep my swim strength up, I have been instructed to add in some clean and jerk. I was accused of being a wuss, and having pathetic excuses when I said I didn’t like doing them! Too many people stare at me! I am also working on chin ups. I can’t execute one without assistance yet though. Originally, he said I should be able to do it on the assisted dips /chin ups machine with only 15kg of help. With 26kg, I could only just manage it! Have you ever used one of those machines PROPERLY? When it comes to my central core, I am pretty strong. I can sit up easily, am good at the straight forward front and side planks. BUT – never have my abs ached like they do when I try to do these!! This is more than a shoulder / lat workout I can definitely confirm! So far, I can manage 2 or 3 with 12kg of assistance. I even at this stage get funny looks when I move the peg up that far. There’s only one more hole – 5kg. I am DETERMINED to crack this!! To rectify the fact that the plank is reasonably straight forward for me, I have now got to do side planks with one leg and one arm raised. Oh man, that is going to take some practice!!

What I like about this whole thing, is that I have had an explanation of why and how all the exercises are directly relevant to my three disciplines within triathlon, and David takes the time to specifically tell me what directly translates into what, from gym exercise to run movement, or whatever.

Progress?

Yes, I can definitely say I can see improvement, even within the things I have been given, and the fact that they got much easier. I think that I use ham strings more in running (and cycling) for sure, although not always automatically at this stage. Does this translate to improved performance? Only time will tell I guess. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so they say.

Strength & Conditioning – the verdict one month on

It has been around a month since David Sutton (@PerformTrain) and I met for our initial strength and conditioning session. Read about the initial meeting here and read about David Sutton’s philosophy on Strength and Conditioning here (or here for mobile version excluding the powerpoint file). 

What have I been doing?

David assessed me during our initial visit, and said that my weaknesses lie in my unilateral balance (ham strings and hip flexors mainly). He gave me a new list of exercises to do, with the aim of strengthening these areas, first mastering the technique before adding more weight during the next visit. These simple sounding exercises started off feeling almost impossible to me! (3 X 6)

·       Split squat, without weight

·       Single leg bridge

·       Stand from seated (on 1 leg)

·       Leg side raise

·       Step / stick squat

·       Split squat, with weight (dumb bell held on chest)

Also added was some upper body exercises that I already did, with slight variation:

·       Clean and jerk

·       Front squat

·       Straight arm pull down

·       Chin ups (with as little assistance as possible!)

How is it going?

Well, I have found massive improvements in the execution of the exercises, so much so that I asked Steve Casson when I met him recently, to check my execution because it seemed to be getting to easy! I can now easily get up from seated using one leg, when before I was finding it almost impossible. I recently asked my husband to demonstrate how well he could do that exercise, because I felt so proud of myself. It was only when he did it with ease that I realised how unique my weaknesses were. I had assumed that because I found it difficult, that must be normal and everyone would find it difficult!

I have found that my weight has decreased by a further 4 pounds and my body fat percentage and BMI has decreased by 0.6% I have changed nothing else, and have continued to eat as per the 3-2-1 diet plan. I know that this change cannot be solely attributed to strength and conditioning as there are many more variables that could come into play, but I definitely feel there has been a more significant change in my body shape and composition since I switched from weight training to strength and conditioning training.

What does this mean to my performance?

It’s a bit too early to say, but I definitely have noticed that my ham strings and glutes are much more engaged when I am running, and running up hills seems to zap my energy much less than it seemed to before. When I concentrate, I have found that the load on my quads when both running and cycling feels less imbalanced.

I look forward to hooking back up with him, for the next instalment of instructions!

Weight training or strength and Conditioning?

I went to see David Sutton a few weeks ago, (UKSCA strength and conditioning coach, and @PerformTrain on twitter) having listened to a talk he did at my triathlon club. I was impressed and intrigued by his slightly different approach to strength training. His philosophy seemed to be around training the muscle groups together rather than in isolation, as this is how you use them he said, exercises specific to the sport you take part in. All seemed quite logical really, so I wanted to see what he said about me.

I was told that it may take an hour to an hour and a half, and that I would need water. He was going to beast me he said. I felt scared!! I had a run hills session lined up that day as well, and really feared for what I had let myself in for!!

David has a very matter of fact theoretical approach, and constantly relates and transfers the exercises swimming, running or biking. This is one thing I like about him, no messing straight to it, and equally he takes no messing, which is good, because when it comes to pain and discomfort I am usually full of excuses!!

He took me through a series of exercises and drills, all of which sounded easy. He says that there is no point in doing more than 6 reps, and you are better in the long run doing less, with more weight. WHY? See my write up and his presentation which contains references here… http://www.melanieryding.co.uk/#/strength-and-conditioning/4546299698) or here for the mobile version (doesn't include the powerpoint  unfortunately) http://melanieryding.blogspot.com/2010/12/philosophy-behind-strength-and.html

This seemed like an odd way of doing things to me. I felt like I was doing an awful lot of sitting around in between sets!! However, don’t get me wrong, the exercises I was doing were flipping impossible at times!! Sometimes, I wasn’t able to even resist the pressure of his little finger!! I couldn’t even get up from seated using only one leg!! He had an amazing way of uncovering ALL my weak areas and declared it a wonder that I could run at all I had that many weaknesses that hadn’t been picked up before!

I mean, have you ever tried this: from standing, both feet slightly apart – jump forward, onto only one leg, knee slightly bent, and stay there so nothing moves. Do that 6 times on each leg, without wobbling.. harder than it sounds, I can tell you!

At the end of a session where I did only 3 x 6 reps and 2 min recoveries, it took 1 hour 20 mins and I actually felt ok. I thought I would be hanging off the doorframes sweating buckets. But it wasn’t like that. However, the aches came… it was 2 days later!!! I had serious abs aches, and I didn’t even do sit ups!! That’s what strength training is about, training your muscles together, rather than in isolation.

Since the visit, I have been doing the sets he gave me, which are all based on ham strings, hip flexors and unilateral balance, (my weak areas). I come away from the gym sweating and aching every time! I never do stand alone sit ups yet my abs haven’t stopped hurting since I saw him 2 or three weeks ago!! I daren’t complain though, because he accuses me of being a girly footballer if I do!!

I have noticed marked improvements already, however. I can in fact perform the exercises much better already, I can indeed now get up from a chair standing on one leg, and I cant wait to see how it transfers into running abilities later on down the line.

I look forward to our next rendezvous in a few weeks or so, and I have so far found it and incredibly enlightening experience.

Strength and conditioning versus weight training? Strength and conditioning gets my vote so far!!  

Does Fruit make you fat? ‘No Fructose Diet' – final verdict!

Here’s the reason I started this experiment: http://melanieryding.blogspot.com/2011/01/is-fruit-sugar-fructose-bad-for-you.html

Here’s the results from week 1: http://melanieryding.blogspot.com/2011/01/no-fructose-diet-week-1-verdict.html

What have I done so far?

·       2 weeks, no fruit (at all!) including no fruit drinks, nothing fruit flavoured, I checked everything I ate for fructose content.

·       I replaced fruit with rice cakes, small quantities of nuts, or ham or something similar.

·       I drank water / black coffee instead of fruit drinks.

·       I have still followed the 3-2-1- rules with regards to meal balance

During this week (week 2) I added back in sports drinks, but only to use during hard or long sessions.

How was it eating like this?

As I have already said, I found this type of diet exceptionally hard. It didn’t get any easier towards the end of week 2. In fact, now, where I would normally crave fruit, I am now finding my cravings have switched to cakes and biscuits. When I first gave up chocolate, it took 2 weeks to ‘get it out of my system’. All that seems to have happened in this case is somehow I have rationalised the fact that it’s ok to eat biscuits and cakes, because they are not fruit and its fruit I am not allowed!! Of course, this is a ridiculous train of thought! Clearly, there is a real risk here to my wellbeing, health, and training fuel mix!

I still found exercise harder at times, and to be honest felt a lot more lethargic during morning pre breakfast sessions. Some people say it was psychological, I honestly don’t think it was because it didn’t change at all throughout the past 2 weeks.

It is also worth noting this, the most important thing. During the past two weeks I have been ill, or one kind or another. First I got an eye infection, and then no sooner was I done with that, I got an ear infection. Now it needs to be noted that I am usually a very healthy person, and very rarely visit the doctor. I honestly cannot remember the last time (if ever) that I had an ear infection. It certainly seems a very large coincidence that the main food group that delivers vitamin C is omitted, and I become ill. I would definitely attribute this to eating less fruit.

I quite honestly am relieved to be ‘back to normal’ so to speak!

The results after 7 days

Weight difference: -2.5lbs

BMI difference: -0.1

Body fat % difference: no change

Water content difference: no change

The results from week 2 (compared to the result at the end of week 1)

Weight difference: no change

BMI difference: no change

Body fat % difference: no change

Water content difference: no change

TOTAL RESULTS after 2 weeks on a no fruit diet:

Weight difference: -2.5lbs

BMI difference: -0.1

Body fat % difference: no change

Water content difference: no change

What does this mean?

I had no idea what to expect when I started this experiment. I was I must admit, convinced by the research I had read. When I look back, a lot of research on this topic is USA based, and I read that they use a lot of high fructose corn syrup. It is also worth noting that the research quoted in my previous blogs does tend to focus on people with a much higher body fat % than me.

I tried to understand why the research suggests that fructose may be more likely to convert to fat, yet I had seen no change. Victoria Haigh (@fitvic on twitter) a nutritional advisor, reminded me that it may take up to 12 weeks to see a change, much like when you first start exercising? I guess she may have a point.

It is also worth noting that everybody is different, therefore the results will not be the same on everyone that tries this. You can see that by the comment Kris made on the first blog on this topic:

‘I actually was looking into this several months back - because I was doing all this good stuff and not "seeing" any changes. Then I started looking into the glycemic index. As a result, I actually did no fruit & no starches for 3 weeks - it was tricky, but I based my meals/snacks around protein and low GI veggies. And I totally noticed a difference. Now I eat fruit and starches (but they aren't the centre of my meals) - but the fruits I eat are typically apples, pears, berries & melons.’

However, there is no getting away from the fact that it actually made NO difference at all to me, and in fact I believe contributed to a weaker immune system.

Many people have said that surely the benefits of fruit outweigh everything else? I tend to agree. I was sent this article, which, although the research is in very early stages, is suggesting that polyphenols and flavanoids (found particularly in fruit) are key to rebuilding muscle. Is this why I ache so much more than normal?

‘In a 2006 edition of the prestigious science journal Cell, Lagouge and colleagues published a study whereby mice underwent a 15-week diet and exercise programme where they were either supplemented with resveratrol or a placebo. After the supplementation period, the results were striking. The mice which had been supplemented with resveratrol had a 33 percent higher peak oxygen uptake, and a near 50 percent greater run time to exhaustion.’
When the researchers took samples of the mice muscle and attempted to look further into the mechanisms behind these increases there was a 2.5 times greater area of mitochondria in the muscle.’ http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/nutrition-can-fruit-make-you-fitter-28854

I certainly think that without fruit and vegetables, I would eat a much less healthy diet. When I searched ‘does fruit make you fitter’ on the internet, I got an article that writes exactly that! Here, they say fruit and vegetables stave off other cravings. http://www.peertrainer.com/diet/why_fruits_and_vegetables_help_you_lose_weight.aspx

When you ask Google can fruit juice make you fat, the answer you will get is yes, because of the amount of sugar that is added to it during production!

I found someone else who tried this experiment too. This will show that different people will get different results: http://www.fitbuff.com/does-fruit-make-you-fat-the-truth-revealed-workout-recap-september-28-october-5-2008/

It’s interesting to note that when he decreased calories, he gained weight. I have in the past been told that in fact, the body goes into starvation mode if you don’t eat enough, and therefore you are more likely to store fuel as fat. It is also worth noting that his workload increased by around 15-20 minutes a day. David Sutton, my strength and conditioning coach (@PerformTrain) would, I imagine, say that is all you need of strength training to make a difference, regardless of diet.

There is no getting away from it, people are still saying excessive fructose consumption is bad for you.

'Fructose, especially its excessive consumption, may increase:

• the risk of abnormal blood clotting ailments and hypertension (high blood pressure)
• the risk of type 2 diabetes
• total blood cholesterol levels (it serves in part as the raw material for the synthesis of cholesterol within the body)
• LDL-“bad” cholesterol levels, and
• blood triglyceride levels, especially in diabetics (fructose has a greater propensity to increase serum triglycerides than glucose).

Excessive consumption of fructose may also cause:

• fatigue, especially in persons who are fructose intolerant
• insulin resistance, and
• obesity.

It is estimated that up to 33 percent of persons are unable to completely absorb fructose due to fructose intolerance (also known as dietary fructose intolerance (DFI) which may cause

• flatulence
• intestinal cramps (abdominal pain)
• bloating, and
• altered bowel habits (diarrhoea)' http://www.reducetriglycerides.com/reader_triglycerides_low_fructose_fruit.htm

I do not, however, believe that I excessively consume fructose.

What now?

I’m told that eating fructose based foods with protein Slows down conversion to glucose & regulates release of insulin. Insulin is needed to properly utilize the energy stored in carbohydrate. This process can be better explained here: http://www.shapefit.com/diet/sports-nutrition-during-exercise.html. Although this talks in an exercise context, the principles are the same. I'm also told that depending on whether an individual is acid or alkaline based determines where you get your Vitamin C from.

Interestingly, except for my early morning apple, I don’t often eat fruit on its own, certainly not in large quantities. Perhaps this is why I have seen no change.

In future, I think I might keep some of the habits (e.g. less fruit juice, snack on rice cakes, natural yoghurt rather than the likes of Muller light) however I will not be omitting fruit from my diet, I believe the positives far outweigh the negatives. I also read that strength training is the best way to reduce body fat %. But I think that’s a topic for another blog, perhaps! And then there's also the different fruits and how they have different fructose levels....

My conclusion: Science may suggest that fructose contributes to body fat, but science also suggests that it contributes in part to sports performance, stronger immune systems (as well as many other things I expect)! So where you gain in one area, you might lose in the other.