AROHEAD - FITNESS BLOG

AROHEAD - FITNESS BLOG
PIMPRI, PUNE 411018

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Weight Training & Muscle Fiber Type Changes October 21st, 2007 by Paul Johnson


You may have heard bodybuilders claim that weight training causes yourmuscle fibers to actually change types. The idea is that by specific weight training, you can help cause muscle fiber changes, which in turn make it easier for future muscle growth.
The muscles are made up of three major fiber types, I and IIA and IIB(roman numerals standing for type 1 and type 2A and 2B). Type 2 are fast twitch and for power.  Type 2 contribute to most muscle growth(hypertrophy).  TypeIIB are the most responsive to muscle growth and are colored  white unlike the rest, which are red.  Type one are slow twitch and mainly for endurance. Type once can still grow in diameter, but it’s not as significant. Each fiber type responds to different types of weights and rep ranges. Type 1 responds best to high reps light weight, whereas type 2 responds best to heavy weight with low reps per set.
The belief is that through training, some of these fiber types, will “act more like”, either a Type 1 or 2 fiber.  In addition, you will also stimulate certain muscle fiber types for hypertrophy better than others. In order to do this, you must gear the weight training routine by the weight and reps you use. If you lift heavy with low reps to failure, you should get a increase in proprotion of type 2 fibers.
Muscle Fiber Type Research Studies:
A study published J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2000 Jul;55(7):B336-46 was done on 18 untrained older men. 9 did resistance training, while the other 9 served as a control. They did the resistance training for 16 weeks, 3 sets of leg press, half squat, and leg extension at 6-8 reps to failure with 1-2 minutes rest between sets. The results showed that I, IIA, IIB, fiber types all increased sized significantly.  One interesting effect was that the proportion of  type IIB fibers decreased and IIA fibers increased.  Type IIB are a little more responsive to hypertrophy, but all fiber types hypertrophied, leading to a overall muscle size increase.
Another study published in (Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1990;61(1-2):37-41) was done on 12 college age men, comparing endurance resistance to strength training resistance excercises. One group did 7.5 weeks of muscular strength resistance training(heavy weight low reps), then took 5.5 weeks break, then continued for 7.5 weeks doing the endurance training(high reps lighter weight). The other group first started endurance resistance, then went to strength. The results showed that for the first phase, both types of training increased the fiber size of I, IIA, and IIB. However, the group that did strength phase 2nd, showed a increase in size in the I and IIB fiber types, but the endurance group in the 2nd phase showed decreased size in all fiber types. This study suggests that both types of training increase all fiber type sizes, but switching to endurance training after strength training, will reverse the hypertrophy gains.
Finally the study (Eur J Appl Physiol. 2002 Nov;88(1-2):50-60. Epub 2002 Aug 15.) was done on 32 untrained men for 8 weeks. They were divided into 4 groups (low rep, intermediate rep, high rep, and control). The low rep group did 3-5 reps to failure for 4 sets with 3 minutes rest between sets. Intermediate group did 9-11 reps for 3 sets with 2 minutes of rest. The high rep group did 20-28 reps with one minute rest. The excercises chosen were leg press, squat, and knee extension 2-3 times a week(2 for first 4 weeks, then 3 times a week for final 4 weeks).  All muscle fiber types hypertrophied except in the control and high rep group. All groups however, did have a decrease in proportion of IIB fibers and increase in IIAB fibers. IIAB fibers will have less of the ability to increase in size than IIB. This study suggests that the muscle fiber type changes happened equally with all training groups, however the lower rep ranges were most effective at inducing overall hypertrophy. It appears that not even the 3-5 rep group could change the fibers to pure IIB fibers.
These studies show interesting results because it appears the common types of rep ranges bodybuilders do, will not change your muscle fiber to a higher proportion of IIB fibers(the ones most responsive to hypertrophy).  It appears you might have to use an extremely heavy weight, one that would cause failure below 4 reps, to have a switchover to more pure IIB fibers.  Focusing on only one type (IIB) is not the goal of bodybuilders however, as you would then be neglecting the other fiber types.   Using very heavy weights is also hard on the joints and increases risk of injury. Even though there was no switchover to more proportion of IIB fibers in these studies, these more faster twitch fibers(IIB, IIAB, IIA) seemed to respond better to the heavier weights and thefore there was more overall hypertrophy.
Studies have also shown that there is a wide variance in the proportion of Type 2 to type 1 fibers, not only between each muscle, but between individuals. This is one major reason why, some people struggle to gain muscle, while others gain it with almost no effort. This is also why some people are more fit, for strength lifting or sprinting, while others are more suited for running or other endurance activities.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Young Arnold Schwarzenegger :)


Arnold Schwarzenegger is without any doubt one of the biggest stars Hollywood has ever known. And then we aren't only speaking about size. He's also the proof that everybody with a dream and a lot of perseverance can realize his dreams. Arnold was born on July 30, 1947 in Thal (4 miles from Graz), Austria. He grew up on the second floor of the 300-year-old home at 145 Thal-Linak with his parents Gustav and Aurelia and his older brother Meinhard.
  Although the Schwarzenegger household came with Gustav's job as a police commandant, it had absolutely no modern amenities (no plumbing, no central heating, no phone, no carpeting and just a few lights. For many years they didn't even had a refrigerator. Can you imagine? Arnold and Meinhard would have to fetch water from a well 150 yards away from their house).
  He started his career in Graz, Austria, with only one thing in mind: capturing the Mr. Universe title. The costs to be a member of a gym were too high, so he equipped his own gym in the basement of his parent's home. But in 1961 he met Kurt Marnul, the former Mr. Austria. Marnul was impressed of Arnold's body and asked him to train in the Athletic Union in Graz. And of course he wanted that. In 1965 he enlisted in the Austrian army (where he served as a thank driver at the Graz Tank Unit Panzer battalion from October 1, 1965 until the end of September 1966), but to compete in Stuttgart, Arnold had to go A.W.O.L and for that he was jailed when he came back. But he won the competition and was awarded the title of Jr. Mr. Europe. By the age of twenty he's named Mr. Europe and he also was the youngest Mr. Universe in history. Later in his career he won many other titles and he decided to try his luck somewhere else. The obtaining of the Mr. Universe title seemed to be a good reason to go to Hollywood. He arrived in America in 1968.
  After a brief stint as a road worker in Santa Monica, California, he competed with his boyhood idol, Reg Park in 1970 and won the Mr. Universe title again. In 1970 he also wins his 1st Mr. Olympia title. But there's more; he also stars in his first movie, Hercules in New York! And again in 1971 Arnold wins his 2nd Mr. Olympia title.
  But 1971 is also the year in which Arnold's older brother Meinhard died in a car accident. 2 years later Arnold's father, Gustav Schwarzenegger also passes away.
  After winning his 6th Mr. Olympia title in 1975, Arnold retired from the sport of bodybuilding. 1977 brought Arnold a lot of success. He writes a bestseller (The Education of a Bodybuilder) and he wins a Golden Globe Award for his role in "Stay Hungry". He also was named "honorary weightlifting coach" for the Special Olympics International (a post that he still holds today).


More pictures available at:
http://acidcow.com/famous/13631-young-arnold-schwarzenegger-100-pics.html

RESPECT As his physique started developing, so did his self-confidence. Very soon he discovered the thing somebody described as the "power of size". And, as his muscles grew, so did the respect he was receiving from his peers. The growing of his muscular mass, started influencing his relationships with other young men and, of course, with women too. He realized that some women were decidedly turned on by his physique, whereas others seemed to be disgusted by it. "I wanted to become even bigger, so that I'd be able to really impress the girls who dug muscles and... irritate even more the ones who disliked them."
MISTAKES Even Arnold made mistakes. "I was pretty inexperienced - he
says - so I was observing other bodybuilders' routine and tried to imitate them. There was a famous bodybuilder who smoked cigars and drank whisky, so I thought that if I did the same I'd be winning too! God, how awful I felt!

So, I learned the hard way never to do that again, backstage, or before a contest." Mistakes could also be of a psychological nature. Arnold recalls that, while he was on the flight to London, in 1966, to participate in a contest, he started looking at the pictures of men he would have to compete against. "I started thinking: I can beat this one, but I can't defeat that one and so forth. In so doing, I had already defeated myself - mentally - even before I set foot on stage for the competition."FIRST VICTORY The first step toward stardom for Arnold was the junior Mr. Europe, held in Stuttgart in 1965. In those days, Arnold was drafted in the army and he asked permission to attend the contest, permission which was denied. He left anyway. In spite of not having the vaguest idea about how to pose, he won anyway and that first success officially started his bodybuilding career. Upon his return to military camp, he was punished with one week in detention, however, his victory seemed to favorably impress his commander, who - from then on - encouraged him to persevere in further training.
THE IDOL Finally, Arnold met his idol, Reg Park, and started training with him and even went to visit him in South Africa, where Park lived. Arnold claims he learned a lot from Park like many useful tips on how to better train the parts of his physique more in need of development. Most importantly though, he learned from Park how to improve himself as a human being. "At the time I was just a punk, a bully, always ready to show off. I used to get in fights almost daily. Coming in contact with Reg helped me getting rid of my behavioral problems. He was such an accomplished gentleman and it certainly wasn't difficult for me to admire him and wanting to emulate him."
ASCENDING TOWARD STARDOM The beginning of Arnold's true ascent towards the top of the bodybuilding ranks took place in 1967. He went back to London to compete for NABBA Mr. Universe and, as he had promised, he triumphed. To achieve that, he had to defeat Dennis Tinnerino, the freshly crowned Mr. America. Arnold is still particularly fond of that memory: "I beat them all, including Tinnerino. That was the first time I heard the crowd calling out my name out loud." Taking notice of this important victory, among others, was Mr. Joe Weider. "I kept hearing about this massive young athlete," says Joe, "so I asked my European associates to find out more about him. I already knew that someone like Arnold would be very beneficial for our sport.[from BodyBuilding Universe]




Deadlift mistakes errors funnies


Deadlift is one of my most favourite moves as it has a lot of real world benefits.

Proper technique on Deadlifts is crucial to lift big weights, gain muscle and avoid injuries. Yet there are guys who have been Deadlifting for 5 years and who are still making dumb mistakes, waiting for an injury to happen. Worse, these guys pass on bad Deadlift advice to new lifters who don’t know the difference.

Here are a few Deadlift mistakes, including many I made when I began Deadlifting , that you better avoid unless you want to look really stupid.


1. Doing Deadlifts Top-Down. By walking the weight back out of the Rack, and doing each rep top-down as it was a Squat or Bench Press. Why do you think it’s called a DEADlift? Because you’re supposed to start from the floor.


2. Not Hitting The Floor on Each Rep. By doing Deadlifts from the safety pins of your Power Rack (these are Rack Pulls) or by not touching the floor on each rep (Romanian Deadlift-style). Either way, this mistake is like not hitting parallel on Squats or not touching your chest on the Bench Press: you’re doing partials.

Some Deadlift bouncing the weight up, others let it rest for a second, but the bar should always touch the floor between reps. Again, it’s called DEADlifts.


3. Wearing Gloves. Gloves add inches to the bar which kills your grip strength. Worse, they don’t prevent callus formation anyway. What will: Deadlifting with a correct grip – bar NOT in the middle of your hand, but close to your fingers – and using chalk (if your gym doesn’t allow it, get an eco ball).


4. Rolling Your Shoulders. Guaranteed way to wreck your shoulders. Never roll them at the top of your Deadlifts. Just pull the weight from the floor, lock your hips & knees, and keep your shoulders back & down. If you want bigger traps, increase your Deadlift and eat more so you actually gain weight.



5. Standing Too Wide. Deadlifts are NOT Squats. If your stance is too wide, your legs will get in the way of your arms on each rep. You could Deadlift with a wider grip, but then you’ll have to pull the bar higher which makes the same weight more challenging. Simply narrow your stance to give your arms room.


6. Starting With Your Hips Too Low. You’ll keep hitting your shins and the bar will end up too much in front of your body (which is more stressful on your lower back and less effective for strength). Again, Deadlifts are NOT Squats – start with your hips higher so your shoulder-blades are directly over the bar.



7. Hitting Your Knees. If you break your knees too early on the way down, you will hit them (which obviously hurts) and the bar will end up too far in front of your body for your next rep (see #6). Lower the weight by pushing your hips back first and only bend your legs once the bar reaches knee level.


8. Curling The Weight. Starting with flexed elbows and then straightening them right before you pull is useless – there’s no way you’re ever going to curl what you can Deadlift unless your work weight is too light. Keep your elbows locked by squeezing your triceps so you don’t end up ripping your biceps tendon.


9. Deadlifting In Running Shoes. Any shoe with air or gel filling doesn’t work for Deadlifts because its sole is compressible – it’s unstable, causes power loss, and messes with your technique. Get shoes with hard soles like Chuck Taylor’s or Deadlift barefoot like I do (closer to the ground = more weight).


10. Looking Up. Usually to check your Deadlift technique in the front mirror. Problems: your hips will end up too low (see #6), you can twist your neck, and the mirror only gives info about the front plane. Stop looking in the mirror, keep your head inline with your torso and check your technique by taping yourself.


11. Pulling Instead of Pushing. Deadlifts are a pull, but since you have to use your hip muscles it’s better to think of them as a push. So instead of pulling all the weight with your back, push through your heels, force your hips forward once the bar reaches knee level, and squeeze your glutes at the top.


12. Hyperextending Your Back. Repeatedly leaning back at the top is as bad as Deadlifting with a round lower back – you will get a hernia. And unless you’re competing and want to make sure that the judges see you locked the weights, there’s no need to lean back. Just stand tall with locked hips and knees, done.


13. Stiff-legging The Weight. Starting with your hips sky-high, the opposite of mistake #6. This, a Stiff-legged Deadlift, is more stressful on your lower back and less effective for strength because you’re not using your legs. Deadlift with your hips lower so your shoulder-blades end up over the bar.

Finally, do not waste your energy worrying about what other guys in your gym are doing. If they ask you for advice, give it. If not, mind your own business and lead by example by making sure that you’re Deadlifting with proper technique.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

How to prevent heel slippage from your shoe - from Zappo's

 
In most sports shoes an extra eyelet is already built into the shoe, and if that doesn't work then there's another technique in lacing that you can use to actually pull up the material in the back of the shoe to tighten the heel. So just because a shoe feels loose, doesn't mean it's the wrong fit. 

After this video just came across another one from Runners World about tying your shoelaces. Gasp!!Were you let in on this secret?


 
Next Video: How to use toilet paper!  

Monday, June 20, 2011

How to select the best Badminton strings to suit your game


How to choose the best badminton strings to get the most out of your game?

There is an overt emphasis amongst players to get the best racquet but they neglect an important aspect of the racquets, the strings.
Mostly players use the badminton strings that come with the pre-strung racquet. Racquets are normally strung with factory strings that are quite durable and thicker than high performance strings. Normal thickness of factory strings varies from 0.78 to 0.90mm.

Mostly players do not bother changing racquet strings until the string breaks!When passing on the racquet for restringing players are often clueless regarding which string would suit them best. So they leave making the choice to the stringer.
The purpose of this article is to point out the different qualities of strings so you can make a better selection when the time comes to restring your racquet.

Types of strings:

Strings can be very broadly classified into thin strings and thick strings.

Thick strings are more durable and give more control but not as powerful. Thinner strings will give you more power but they don’t last long.

Parts of badminton strings:

The badminton string consists of 3 parts:

1.Inner/Centre Core 2.Outer core or Jacket 3.Outer Coat

1. The inner core is the central load-bearing member of the string. It provides strength and determines the majority of the string's response characteristics: how much it will stretch when strung in the racquet, how much more it stretches when hitting the shuttle, and how quickly it rebounds. Multifilament cores are made from thousands of very thin fibres twisted and/or braided together, but not chemically bonded. They're free to stretch somewhat independently from one another. As a result, multifilament cores are less stiff, or more resilient, than monofilament cores of the same material. This translates into sustained string performance and more gripping action for better shuttle control.
2. Outer core or jacket: Most monofilament jackets are twisted over the core, while multifilament jackets may be either twisted or braided. Twisting provides a smoother surface, making it easier to string the racquet. Braiding the multifilament jacket over the core produces a more textured surface than twisting does, for more bite.
3. Outer coating: Multifilament strings normally have a resin coating on the outside to provide some degree of durability. Other materials used in coating strings include Titanium hydride, Kevlar , Vectran and Zyex.

String tension and power-control:

A lot of players are under the impression that higher the tension better the power and harder your smashes. The opposite in fact is true. Lower tensions give your string a trampoline like effect and hence harder smashes can be achieved with a lower tension.

Higher tension gives more control.

Advanced players, who can generate a lot of power, prefer stringing at higher tensions of 24-26lbs to get more control from their smashes.
For club level players the ideal tension should be between 18 and 22 lbs depending on the nature of play.
Test it yourself before you settle on some strings that are good for you.
Try at least 5 different strings to find one that suits your game!

Smash hard and happy hunting!

What's the difference betwn a replacement grip and an overgrip - Badminton

Replacement grips are the ones that come with the racquet when you originally purchase it.It has an adhesive on the back and goes directly on top of the wood part of the racquet.
They come in differnt types soft PU,leather etc.They are heavier,thicker and last longer than the overgrips.
Things to look out for when comparing replacement grips are cushiness or softness,durability,sweat absorption and tackiness.Higher the tackiness better the grip on the racquet but more friction with the hands.
They need to be replaced as soon as signs or wear become evident.

Overgrips are the ones that are supposed to be put on top of the replacement grip.They are a lot thinner than a replacement grip and dont have an adhesive on the back.They also weigh a lot less and dont last as long as the replacement grips.The same points have to be looked out for as for replacement grips.
They need to be changed more often as soon as signs of wear become evident.

It is highly advisable to change the factory grip as soon as it is purchased as they are normally of an inferior quality.Playing with a bad quality grip or a grip thats either too big or too small can lead to injuries.So its best to experiment with the exact fit.

It is best to experiment with a lot of different combinations i.e 1 replacement grip+1,2 or 3 overgrips to find out which suits you best.Men with small hands and women generally prefer just the replacement grip, while those with big hands like to bulk up their grips.

Please note that this article is written with mostly badminton in mind but also applies to squash and tennis to an extent.

How to select the best Badminton racquet for your style


Which is the best badminton racquet for you?
The search for the best badminton racquet, can be a bit daunting as you have to choose from a vast array of racquets, that have flooded the market.
The selection should start, with a little self analysis.

Self Analysis:Just assess your own game.Do you consider yourself a beginner,intermediate or an advanced player?Ask a friend,for his/her opinion of your game as well.
Also,ask yourself if you are a better aggressive smash oriented player or you are more of a control player who prefers accurate placements around the court.Again ask your friend for an opinion of you, to remove any self bias.
If you are an advanced, smash oriented player lets call you a Warrior and if you are a control based player lets call you a ControlFreak.
Once you have analysed your style of play,the selection is relatively easy.
We wont go into minute details in this article,as the scope of this article is limited.Please email zen@zensports.com.au for any additional questions ,regarding racquet selection.
Racquet selection can be made, depending on the various qualities of the racquet:
1.Racquet material:If you are relatively new to the game and are not sure how long you would be playing, invest in a cheaper graphite alloy racquet.Do not use racquets that dont have any graphite in them, as you might end up hurting yourself.
ControlFreaks and Warriors have a wide range of racquets to choose from.There are various grades of graphite ranging from
A.Graphite Aluminium Alloys
B. Graphite Carbon[ZenUchi10,Saya77]
C.High Modulus Graphite[Attack522,StingTi6000]
D.Nanocarbon [Entire Zen Katana Nano Range]
There is no one answer on what is good for you.It can only come from trying out and experimenting different grades of racquets.

2.Weight:Racquets have become incredibly light these days,ranging from as low as 79gms, to 92gms.Anything heavier than that might be hard to play with and might result in injuries.Generally, ConrolFreaks might benefit from a lighter racquet[80-85gms] and Warriors from a heavier racquet[85-90gms].

3.Balance:If you are a Warrior you might prefer a head heavy racquet[balance 280-290mm][Zen Katana791,KatanaType98,Attack522] and if you are a ControlFreak you might be better off with a balance of 295-300mm[ZenKatanaTypeXO,Zen Sting]

4.Flex:Racquets can be Highly Flexible[Zen Sting]or Highly stiff[Katana791].ControlFreaks would be better off, with a highly flexible racquet and Warriors can get more out of a highly stiff racquet.

5.String thickness and String tension:Generally thicker strings, 0.75mm to 0.85mm strung at 24lbs-26lbs are preferred for ControlFreaks and thinner strings 0.65mm to 0.73 mm strung at 20lbs -23lbsare preferred for Warriors.Higher the tension,better the control and lesser the tension better the smashes.Warriors though might benefit from using thin strings and stringing them at high tensions.This is a very broad generalisation and there are a lot more variations to this depending on the style of play.

6.Grips:Grips have become smaller and lighter with the latest to hit the market being G5.Consider replacing the original factory grip with a replacement grip as this gives much better traction and control.If you have big hands,or like a thick grip put one or two overgrips on top of the repalcement grip.The replacement grip goes directly on the wood part of the racquet.

If you consider these 6 points during racquet selection the rest is relatively easy.The important part is knowing your own game and making the right choice accordingly.

Friday, June 17, 2011

All I want to do is bicycle, bicycle, bicycle.



Bicycle Race" is a single by the English rock band Queen.
The song is notable for its video featuring a bicycle race with nude women at Wimbledon Stadium, which was edited or even banned in several countries. The song has a very unusual chord progression with numerous modulations, a change of meter (from 4/4 to 3/4) in the bridge, and the multitracked vocal and guitar harmonies.

The song was written by Mercury and was supposedly inspired by his observing a leg of Tour de France. It starts with a chorus unaccompanied by instruments. The chorus is followed by two verses connected with a bridge, both followed by a chorus. Around the middle of the song there is a solo played with numerous bicycle bells. During the live performances, it was often played by the audience who specially brought the bells for this purpose. The song has a very unusual chord progression with numerous modulations, a change of meter(from 4/4 to 3/4) in the bridge, and the multitracked vocal and guitar harmonies.
The video for the song became scandalously famous for featuring 65 naked women, all professional models, racing at Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium. It was filmed by Dennis de Vallance. The group rented the stadium and several dozen bikes for one day for filming the scene; however, when the renting company became aware of the way their bikes were used, they requested the group to purchase all the bicycle seats.The original video was banned in most countries.It was replaced by an edited version where nude close-ups were covered by various inserts.[ FROM WIKI]
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice
You say Lord I say Christ
I don't believe in Peter Pan
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my

Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties oh yeah
Fat bottomed girls they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah
On your marks get set go
Bicycle race bicycle race bicycle race

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
Bicycle race

You say coke I say caine
You say John I say Wayne
Hot dog I say cool it man
I don't wanna be the President of America
You say smile I say cheese
Cartier I say please
Income tax I say Jesus
I don't wanna be a candidate for
Vietnam or Watergate
Cause all I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like



Some food and nutrition basics


Sports Nutritionist and Personal Trainer, Karen Norris, talks about what constitutes a healthy balanced diet.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

MUSCULAR STRENGTH ASSESMENT:


MUSCULAR STRENGTH ASSESMENT:

Unilateral Squat and Reach:
It can uncover potential strength imbalances between medial and lateral aspects of the knee joint. It can also test if you depend a lot on your quads during squatting type movements.

How to execute:
Select an object that is 10 to 12 inches high. Place it 12 to 18 inches in front of you depending on how tall you are. Now stand on one leg by bending the non-working leg 90 degrees. Begin to simultaneously squat down and reach forward to touch the object. Make sure you are sitting back onto your heel as much as possible and your knee in staying in line with your hip and foot. Pull your abdominals tight towards your spine.
If you are able to descend all the way down into a parallel squat with your knee in line with your foot, touch the object and stand back up you did okay!

Analysis:
Good levels of strength in glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors with good coordination between both sides. Minor imbalance on left side which is within normal limits.

Incline Bench Press / External Rotation :
Find out your 1 RM or 1 repitition maximum on an incline bench press.Calculate 9 percent of it.
You should be able to do atleast 8 repititions of 1 arm external rotation exercise.

If you are unable to do atleast 8 reps then your external rotators are weak.
Taking the time to strengthen these external rotators and deemphasise lat and chest work would help you decrease the possibility of a shoulder injury.






Flexibility Assesment


Flexibility Assesment:
OVERHEAD SQUAT:
To execute the drill properly requires a significant amount of flexibility around the
shoulder, hip and ankle joints.

How to execute:
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and descending into a squat. Take a light stick and hold it with a wide grip.Position your feet to point straight ahead or slightly out to the sides. Next, raise the bar over your head until your arms are completely straight outside of your peripheral vision. Now squat without allowing your arms tocome forward, rounding your back or letting your heels come off the ground.
Analysis:
Limited flexibility of hip flexors, quads, calves and shoulders.
The fix:
Incorporate flexibility training of 10 to 15 minutes atleast twice or thrice a week.

TRUNK ROTATION:
Restrictions in your ability to rotate the torso indicates tightness in the oblique muscles, in the side that you are turning away from. Tightness / disparity on each side can alter your ability to perform several important lifts. Greater stress is incurred on one side than the other setting the stage for injury or lopsided development.

How to execute:
Sit on the floor in the threshold of a doorway with your legs crossed and one foot on each side of the door jam. Next, fold your arms across your body and touch your fingertips to your shoulders as shown. Once in this position, rotate as far as you can to one side, keeping your back straight and your shoulder blades pinched together throughout the movement.
Analysis:
Optimal trunk rotation on both sides.

ARCHED BACK GOOD MORNING:

The goal of this test is to lean forward at the waist while maintaining a slightly arched back to assess the functional flexibility of the hamstrings.

How to execute:
Take a stick and keep it along the upper part of your trapezius as if to perform a set of squats. Maintaining a slight bend in your knees, lift your chest up to create a nice arch in your lower back. Now all you have to do is lean forward at the waist without rounding your back or straightening your legs.
Analysis:
Limited hamstring flexibility.
The fix:
Hamstring stretches twice a week.







Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Postural Assesment - Roshan Mirchandani

Just putting up a few tests to have a look at the way the body functions as regards to Posture, Strength and Flexibility. Mr.Mirchandani has volunteered for this. Thanks very much for that.

1. Pencil Test : 
    Grab a couple of pencils in your hand and leave your hands loose and hanging to your sides.
    Look down at your hands. Where are the pencils pointed?

SLIGHT INTERNAL ROTATION AT THE SHOULDERS
In this case, you can notice the pencils are pointing slightly inwards.
Inference: Slightly high chest work causing the shoulder to rotate internally and pull the shoulders slightly on the inside.
The fix: Stretch the pecs, lats, anterior deltoids and biceps during workouts. Strengthening the muscles that cause external rotation at the shoulder and cause retraction of the scapula.
Comments: Slight internal rotation at the shoulder is common among most gym goers as they tend to hit the "mirror muscles" harder than the back muscles. 

2. Pelvic Tilt:
Stand relaxed with your back to the wall and your feet approximately 1 foot out in front of you.Make sure rear end, shoulder blades and the back of your head are all in contact with the wall.Try to slide your hand just above your waist.
Mr.Mirchandani could get about a finger in that space.
Conclusion: Pelvis is posteriorly rotated indicating tight hamstrings and erector spinae. 
The fix: Include lots of hamstring stretching and specific exercises to strengthen the erector spinae.

3. Foot placement
    
Simply stand relaxed and look down at which way your feet are pointing. 
 In this case they are pointing  at 11 and 1o'clock.
Conclusion: There are a few things that could be going on here. It could be a combination of weak glutes and tightness in the Tensor Fascia Latae and Ilio Tibial Band on the lateral part of the thigh.
When too tight these two work together to inhibit the glutes from preventing the internal rotation of the femur[ upper thighs turning inwards] . In an effort to compensate for this internal rotation, there is usually external rotation going on at the ankle[ feet turned inward] to prevent you from falling over. It might also be a case of tight adductors and weak abductors.
The fix : Strengthening exercises of the hip extensors and abductors. Stretching the ITB, TFL, adductors and hip flexors.







    

Friday, June 3, 2011

Arohead Bicycle Club

A bunch of guys at the gym got together and have decided that we would be meeting every Sunday morning for a ride.
The idea of starting a bicycle club was to promote the following:
1. Use the bicycle if the distance is within 5 kms
2. Use the bicycle atleast 3 to 4 times during the week
3. Do four small journeys [ 100 - 150kms] in one year.
4. Do one long journey [ 300 to 400kms] once a year.
5. Promote the cycling culture within your group of friends and family.
6. Use the car only when absolutely necessary.


Just thought this picture was incredibly beautiful

http://www.phred.org/~josh/build/jig1.jpg

It is the Vitruvian bicycle, isn't it?

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Bike gear mechanism

Ever wondered how bicycle gears  work. This site explains it really well with some cool animation.

http://www.sobjoy.com/gears.html

The rains are here and I have bicycles on my mind!

My brand new "Ferrari" getting tattoed with my name!


Just got another bike called "Fantom Ferrari" from a shop in Budhwar Peth!Goes like a Ferrari and smooth as butter.Will be training on this one over the next 3 weeks. Planning to climb Sinhagad with it! 18 speed Shimano derailleur and alloy body.