May 2018

Optimize your genetics with high intensity workouts - by Ralph Weinstein

Genetics influences can be found throughout the body. Lung capacity, maximum strength levels, flexibility, muscle fiber make-up, endurance and anaerobic threshold are just a few of your physiological attributes determined by your genetics. Genetic make-up will help you to pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses in the physical abilities of your body. Your genetic make-up also contributes to your body's response to training, diet, and other external factors.

How can you optimize your genetic code during your workout?

When strength training any area of your body, having proper form and technique is crucial to make sure you're working the intended muscle groups that you want to develop and grow. Maintaining proper form will prevent injury. When your body is misaligned it places your tendons, muscles and joints in positions that can potentially cause strains or tears. Each exercise requires proper form. This is also why it is important to have the instructor overseeing the entire workout.

Proper form helps to insure proper breathing techniques. When an exercise becomes difficult you might be tempted to hold your breath. Holding your breath (which is called Valsalva) provides an internal mechanical assist that can lead to dangerous increases in blood pressure and can prevent venous return of blood to the heart. Watch a competitive weightlifter lift a very heavy weight. They will hold their breath or let out a yell which demonstrates strength. We want to stimulate strength improvement as opposed to demonstrate strength.

We all have the same amount of muscles in our body; approximately 650 skeletal muscles. Yes, even

Arnold

Arnold has the same number of muscles as everyone else. Bodybuilders "thicken" their muscles through workouts and supplements. Your muscle fiber composition is already built into your genetics. Surveys show one in a thousand has the genetics to develop or thicken their muscles to the level of a body builder.

The body recruits muscle fibers sequentially starting with the most efficient slow twitch fibers. If intensity remains low intermediate and fast twitch fibers may not be recruited. As force requirement increases slow twitch, intermediate and fast twitch will be recruited sequentially until force requirement exceeds the rate of ATP production (fuel for muscular contraction). The ideal Total Results exercise duration will end in failure of a maximum number of fast twitch fibers but minimum time under load.

We want to achieve momentary weakening of muscle, or inroad. We begin with our 10 second positive and 10 second negative motion on each repetition. With each repetition your strength level diminishes and your level of fatigue increases causing you to tap the intermediate and fast twitch fibers. You have weakened your muscles and your strength level drops. This is where inroading begins.

You have reached the point you can't move the resistance. The instructor will ask you to hold for four to ten seconds and then have you safely unload. During those few seconds you have created microscopic tears in the muscles and, therefore, have achieved momentary muscular fatigue/failure. It is now necessary for recovery which generally takes at least 48 to 72 hours. During this time the microscopic tears will heal and your musculature will become stronger. You are then ready for your next workout.

Proper form, breathing and inroading during your strength training workouts will help you optimize your genetic code.