10
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Fit For
Sisters
Andrew Luscutoff
Columnist
How to gain muscle
and build strength
Many topics in fitness
and nutrition are made con-
fusing. Fads come and go.
We jump from one workout
program to the next. These
waves of ideas, protocols,
and hair-splitting details
spawn an insecurity in
people about their exercise
regimen. Debating whether
or not what they did in the
past still has relevance, they
jump from one protocol to
another.
Weight-training with the
goal of muscular strength or
muscle gain has been over-
complicated in recent years.
There are high-repetition/
low-weight models, high-
weight/low-repetition pro-
grams, protocols which use
tempo (speed at which the
weight is lifted), rest periods
(time between sets), circuits
(multiple exercises in a row)
and many more details.
It is no wonder that this
all creates bewilderment for
the common exerciser.
Weight-training, boiled
down to principles, couldn’t
be simpler. Consider the
biological principle coined
by German anatomist Julius
Wolff, stating that the tis-
sue of a healthy animal or
human will adapt to the
environmental pressure it
is placed under. If a person
is regularly exposing their
musculature to the rigors of
heavy lifting. It will respond
by adapting the muscle
recruitment and fiber size for
additional strength.
A recent piece of research
published in the Journal of
Applied Physiology expands
on this simple principle.
The researchers asked the
question whether or not it
was more effective to lift a
heavy weight fewer times,
or a lighter weight many
more times. The constant
in the experiment was the
effort in which the partici-
pants trained at. They lifted
until they reached muscle
failure, which they could not
longer produce a lift at the
given weight. It is important
to mention the subjects all
were experienced, and the
length of their training was
12 weeks.
What did the results
prove? There was very
little difference in the
degree of muscle gain or
strength increases between
the groups. A slight advan-
tage to the heavy lifters in
bench press increase was
the only outlying result. The
researchers also looked at
blood panels for hormone
differences; again no signifi-
cance was observed.
What can be concluded
from the data? First, it
appears as if things aren’t
as complicated or intricate
as we fitness profession-
als want to make people
believe. The application of a
proper variety of exercises,
with the proper technique,
will produce results regard-
less of the minute weight/
rep details. When lifting to
failure, more of the muscle
fibers are activated. This
stress and stimulation on the
muscle produces strength
and muscle gain. A testa-
ment to Wolff’s law.
That does NOT mean
someone with bad form and
technique should be training
at maximal levels.
A proper weight pro-
gram will include training
all the muscle groups in the
body. It might even focus on
areas that are weak, building
them to match the strengths
of other groups to produce
FIRST-EVER!
PECIALIZED
a balanced, stable body.
Proper form must also be
priority, because negligence
of form will greatly increase
injury risk as the resistance
of the exercise is increased.
The study used trained
lifters.
One should start with the
basic movements, or perhaps
machines to get started. A
machine will provide a struc-
tured movement, and will not
allow the body to get away
from this. It’s a good thing
for working on strength,
but doesn’t allow stabiliz-
ers and core function like
free weights. A person who
is less experienced should
gravitate around a lighter-
weight-more-repetition pro-
gram. The same can be said
for seniors and children. A
seasoned lifter might decide
that lower repetitions and
higher weight is the better
approach.
No matter the prescrip-
tion of exercises, the goal
is always striving for the
benefit one set out for. The
study demonstrates that the
most important thing one
can do is push to the limit of
their strength. The body will
adapt to the stress placed
upon it.
Underneath the surface,
weightlifting involves a lot
of science. This however,
doesn’t mean it has to be
confusing or complex.
UMMER
SPrd
hosts ‘Kids’
appreciation
day’
The Sisters Park &
Recreation District (SPRD)
will be holding its first-ever
Kids’ Appreciation Day, on
Saturday July 30, from 10
a.m. to 1 p.m. at Village Green
Park in Sisters.
Val Selig, SPRD’s head
preschool teacher, said, “We
thought this would be a great
way of getting Sisters families
with young children together
so that kids and parents could
meet each other and our staff.
We are going to have a bunch
of fun activities and food.”
Activities planned include
a bounce house, face painting,
hula, air-powered rockets, and
a sack race. The event will
also include a barbecue, pop-
corn and snow cones.
The activities are all free
and for kids 5 and under. The
barbecue is open to every-
one for $2, (kids 5 and under
eat free). Free popcorn and
snow cones will be available
to all. Anyone with questions
is encouraged to contact the
SPRD office at 541-549-2091.
ALE
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— HURRY, LIMITED-TIME OFFER! —
Food Carts Open
Wed-Sun., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Corner of Hood & Fir • 541-549-2471
Free Live Music Fridays, 5 to 7 p.m.
Open 7 days a week • Craft Beer on Tap!
Trivia Night Wednesdays, 6:15 to 7:15 p.m.