MASS - Volume 3 - Issue 12 - Monthly Applications in Strength Sport

104 Pages·2019·7.474 MB·English

by  Greg Nuckols, Eric Helms, Michael Zourdos, Eric Trexler

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2019
M A S S
MONTHLY APPLICATIONS IN
STRENGTH SPORT
ERIC HELMS | GREG NUCKOLS | MICHAEL ZOURDOS | ERIC TREXLER
The Reviewers
Eric Helms
Eric Helms is a coach, athlete, author, and educator. He is a coach for drug-free strength and physique
competitors at all levels as a part of team 3D Muscle Journey. Eric regularly publishes peer-reviewed
articles in exercise science and nutrition journals on physique and strength sport, in addition to writing for
commercial fitness publications. He’s taught undergraduate- and graduate-level nutrition and exercise
science and speaks internationally at academic and commercial conferences. He has a B.S. in fitness
and wellness, an M.S. in exercise science, a second Master’s in sports nutrition, a Ph.D. in strength and
conditioning, and is a research fellow for the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand at
Auckland University of Technology. Eric earned pro status as a natural bodybuilder with the PNBA in 2011 and competes in the
IPF at international-level events as an unequipped powerlifter.
Greg Nuckols
Greg Nuckols has over a decade of experience under the bar and a B.S. in exercise and sports science.
Greg earned his M.A. in exercise and sport science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill. He’s held three all-time world records in powerlifting in the 220lb and 242lb classes. He’s trained
hundreds of athletes and regular folks, both online and in-person. He’s written for many of the major
magazines and websites in the fitness industry, including Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness,
Bodybuilding.com, T-Nation, and Schwarzenegger.com. Furthermore, he’s had the opportunity to
work with and learn from numerous record holders, champion athletes, and collegiate and professional
strength and conditioning coaches through his previous job as Chief Content Director for Juggernaut Training Systems and
current full-time work on StrongerByScience.com.
Michael C. Zourdos
Michael (Mike) C. Zourdos, Ph.D., CSCS, has specializations in strength and conditioning and skeletal
muscle physiology. He earned his Ph.D. in exercise physiology from The Florida State University (FSU)
in 2012 under the guidance of Dr. Jeong-Su Kim. Prior to attending FSU, Mike received his B.S. in
exercise science from Marietta College and M.S. in applied health physiology from Salisbury University.
Mike served as the head powerlifting coach of FSU’s 2011 and 2012 state championship teams. He
also competes as a powerlifter in the USAPL, and among his best competition lifts is a 230kg (507lbs)
raw squat at a body weight of 76kg. Mike owns the company Training Revolution, LLC., where he has
coached more than 100 lifters, including a USAPL open division national champion.
Eric Trexler
Eric Trexler is a pro natural bodybuilder and a sports nutrition researcher. Eric has a PhD in Human
Movement Science from UNC Chapel Hill, and has published dozens of peer-reviewed research
papers on various exercise and nutrition strategies for getting bigger, stronger, and leaner. In addition,
Eric has several years of University-level teaching experience, and has been involved in coaching since
2009. Eric is the Director of Education at Stronger By Science.
2
Letter from
the Reviewers
an you believe it’s the last issue of 2019? Neither can we, and we want to collectively take
C
a moment to say thank you for being a MASS subscriber. While our success in growing
the MASS subscriber base is something we each feel proud of, as it tells us we are provid-
ing value and utility, we are also incredibly encouraged that so many people value their continued
education. This bodes well for the fitness industry, and we want to thank you for making it a better
place.
With that said, this final issue of 2019 is a very interesting one! Guest reviewer Anne-Kathrin
Eiselt PhD, a neuroscientist, long-time trainer, and experienced CrossFit and powerlifting com-
petitor, wrote an excellent review of how and why our brains make us hungry. Also, Greg discuss-
es a seemingly science fiction-based intervention, as he reviews how lasers (AKA phototherapy)
may actually help you make gains. Additionally, Dr. Trexler reviews the evidence on betaine as a
body composition aid, and in his second article, the safety profile of sucralose.
On top of that, Dr. Zourdos reviews a study that highlights the practical limitations of low load,
high rep training, and also examines a study that compares various resistance training recov-
ery-marker surrogates, including HRV. Greg also reviews a study on bench press ROM which
suggests the efficacy of partial range of motion training is movement specific, and examines an
analysis of the peak performance age for both powerlifters and weightlifters.
To round the issue out, we have video content from both Dr. Helms and Dr. Zourdos. Eric
covers how one of the possible regulatory systems which influences bodyweight could be total
energy expenditure, a novel perspective given most hypotheses involve body fatness and energy
intake. Mike, in his video, takes you through the competition-day elements of a powerlifting
meet, covering both practical considerations and also a logical, tactical approach to attempt se-
lection to ensure you end your day with the largest total possible.
Once again, thank you. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege having your trust for the year, and
we look forward to putting out more reviews and content in 2020!
Sincerely,
The MASS Team
Eric Helms, Greg Nuckols, Mike Zourdos, and Eric Trexler
3
Table of Contents
6 B Y G R E G N U C K O L S
Improving Strength Endurance with Frickin Lasers
It sounds like sci-fi, but using a low-power infrared or near-infrared laser on your muscles between sets
may improve strength and strength endurance.
17 B Y M I C H A E L C . Z O U R D O S
Most People Find Low-Load Training to Failure Miserable
You may have heard that recent evidence suggested that low-load training produces similar
hypertrophy to more typical, moderate-load training. That may be true, but a new study shows that
people find low-load training to be pretty miserable in comparison to moderate-load training.
25 B Y E R I C T R E X L E R
Betaine May Promote Body Composition Improvements When
Combined With Resistance Training
Betaine, which is found in beets, spinach, whole grains, and seafood, has been used to improve the
body composition of livestock. To see if these effects also apply to humans, a recent meta-analysis
sought to review the small body of literature evaluating betaine’s effects on fat loss in human subjects.
Read on to find out if betaine might help you achieve your physique-related goals.
37 B Y G R E G N U C K O L S
Bench Press Range of Motion: An Exception to the Principle of
Specificity?
Much of what we know about range of motion specificity comes from single-joint studies and squat
studies. When we branch out to the bench press, things get more complicated.
49 B Y M I C H A E L C . Z O U R D O S
The Usefulness of Heart Rate Variability in Resistance Training is Tenuous
The potential benefit of heart rate variability in resistance training is its ability to track recovery and be
used as a readiness indicator. However, does heart rate variability actually correlate with performance?
This article reviews a recent study and examines the totality of the literature to provide some answers.
4
58 B Y A N N E - K A T H R I N E I S E L T
How The Brain Controls Eating Behavior
Many people find it difficult to follow a calorie-restricted diet. Is your brain working against you?
This review of neuroscience research helps explain why dieting makes you feel lousy, why it is so
easy to overeat hyperpalatable food, and how you can use this knowledge to your advantage.
72 B Y E R I C T R E X L E R
More Good News for Artificial Sweeteners: No Effect of Short-Term
Sucralose Ingestion on Glycemic Control or Gut Microbiome
Some view artificial sweetener consumption as a safe and healthy way to cut calories, while others
suspect that they’re too good to be true. A recent study found that one week of consuming high-
dose sucralose, also known as SPLENDA®, had no effect on glycemic control or the gut microbiome.
Read on to get the scoop on the potential health effects of artificial sweeteners.
86 B Y G R E G N U C K O L S
What’s the Best Age to Dominate Strength Sports?
If you want to maximize your competitiveness in powerlifting or weightlifting, at what age should you
anticipate being at the peak of your prowess? It seems that weightlifting is a young person’s game,
but many powerlifters are still improving well into their 30s (or even 40s).
98 B Y M I C H A E L C . Z O U R D O S
VIDEO: Powerlifting Game Day
MASS has many articles and videos on programming for powerlifting, but what can you expect at
the actual competition? This video breaks down everything you need to prepare, and what you need
to know about powerlifting game day as a coach and lifter.
100 B Y E R I C H E L M S
VIDEO: New Perspectives on Activity and Bodyweight
We are still uncovering the mechanisms of how humans regulate body weight. Typically, this is viewed
from the perspective of our body attempting to maintain a certain level of adiposity or mass during an
energy deficit or surplus. However, there are likely regulatory mechanisms related to total daily energy
expenditure that influence body weight as well.
5
Study Reviewed: Muscular Preconditioning Using Phototherapy Improves the Physical
Work Capacity of the Quadriceps When Applied Between Repeated Bouts of Resistance
Exercise. Borsa et al. (2019)
Improving Strength Endurance
with Frickin Lasers
B Y G R E G N U C K O L S

It sounds like sci-fi, but using a low-power infrared or near-
infrared laser on your muscles between sets may improve
strength and strength endurance.
6
KEY POINTS
1. Phototherapy between sets of isokinetic knee extensions improved torque,
power, and total work performed in a crossover study.
2. When digging into the literature, I was surprised to find that there’s actually a
considerable amount of evidence in favor of phototherapy; it seems to reliably
boost performance by improving recovery between sets, accelerating recovery
from training. It may even lead to larger strength gains and more muscle growth
over time.
3. Phototherapy works because infrared and near-infrared light interacts with protein
complexes involved in aerobic metabolism.
hen we think about the stim- sets, and one time they received a sham
W
uli our muscles can respond treatment. Peak torque, average torque,
to, light probably isn’t the first average power, and total work performed
thing that comes to mind. After all, bar- were greater in sets 2, 3, and 4 in the pho-
ring a catastrophic injury, your muscles totherapy condition. As it turns out, this
should reside safely under your skin, finding is right at home in the rest of the
mostly existing in darkness. When we literature on the topic.
think about stimuli for our muscles, we
generally think of mechanical stimuli,
Purpose and Hypotheses
electrical stimuli, and chemical stimuli
first, for good reason. However, certain
protein complexes in your muscles can Purpose
respond to light through a process called
The purpose of this study was to ex-
photobiomodulation.
amine the effects of phototherapy,
This responsiveness to light, specifical- compared to a sham treatment, on neu-
ly infrared and near-infrared light, opens romuscular performance of the quads
up the possibility for lasers to impact when applied between successive sets
muscle function (referred to as photother- of fatiguing training.
apy). That may sound like science fiction,
but actual science supports its efficacy. In Hypotheses
the present study (1), subjects complet-
The authors hypothesized that photo-
ed the same fatigue protocol consisting
therapy would delay the onset and ex-
of four sets of isokinetic knee extensions
tent of fatigue compared to a sham treat-
twice, in a crossover fashion. One time
ment, allowing the subjects to maintain
subjects received phototherapy between
higher torque and work output.
7
Figure 1 Timeline of study
Healthy volunteers
n=20
Volunteers excluded
n=1
Randomization for treatment order
n=19
Healthy volunteers
n=20
Familiarization training
Phase 1 72 hours recovery
5 minute warm-up 5 minute warm-up
Active phototherapy Sham phototherapy
n=9 n=10
Fatigue protocol Fatigue protocol
Phase 2 72 hours recovery
5 minute warm-up 5 minute warm-up
Active phototherapy Sham phototherapy
n=10 n=10
Fatigue protocol Fatigue protocol
Participants received a 72 hour recovery between familiarization training and start of phase 1, and between phase 1 and phase 2. All participants
completed both phases of the study
ages of 18 and 30 years old. Thus, it’s
Subjects and Methods
hard to know whether the subjects were
predominantly trained or untrained. In
Subjects
the limitations section of the paper, the
20 subjects volunteered for the study authors note that future studies should
(10 men and 10 women), with 19 suc- include highly competitive or elite ath-
cessfully completing it. The only inclu- letes, so we can safely assume that such
sion criteria were that the subjects need- labels wouldn’t apply to the subjects in
ed to be injury-free and between the this study, but they don’t mention un-
8
Figure 2 Exercise protocol
Pre-exercise Fatigue protocol: 4 bouts of 30 repetitions
4 minute 4 minute 4 minute
recovery recovery recovery
5-minute warm-up
treatment treatment treatment
on cycle ergometer
(active/sham) (active/sham) (active/sham)
Dose 1 Dose 2 Dose 3
Bout 1 Bout 2 Bout 3 Bout 4
Each subject completed a 5 minute warm-up on a cycle ergometer followed by the completion of four exercise bouts on an isokinetic dynamometer.
There was a standardized passive 4-minute recovery period between each exercise bout during which active or sham PBMT was administered to the
quadriceps muscle group.
trained subjects as a limitation. The au- iarization was quite extensive. In each
thors also note that they instructed the familiarization session (separated by at
subjects to refrain from lifting weights least 72 hours), the subjects completed
for at least 48 hours prior to testing. This the exact same fatigue protocol that was
leads me to think that most (or at least used during the experimental sessions.
some) of the subjects likely had some They performed familiarization sessions
degree of prior training experience. until their peak torque values differed by
less than 10% session to session. Thus,
Experimental Design all subjects had at least two familiariza-
tion sessions, with an average of 2.6.
The study used a standard crossover
design. After familiarization, subjects The fatigue protocol consisted of 4 sets
were randomly assigned to complete a of 30 maximal concentric isokinetic knee
fatigue protocol while receiving either extensions at an angular velocity of 75°
phototherapy between sets of knee ex- per second, with four minutes of rest be-
tensions, or a sham treatment. After 72 tween sets. Between sets, subjects either
hours of rest, the subjects completed the received phototherapy on their quads us-
same fatigue protocol, receiving which- ing a laser emitting near-infrared light, or
ever treatment they did not receive a sham treatment using the same machine
during the first testing session. emitting a different frequency of light at
a much lower power. The researchers
To the researchers’ credit, the famil-
9
Figure 3 Normalized peak torque for the four exercise bouts (marginal means) Figure 5 Total work for the four exercise bouts (marginal means)
Sham 2600
phototherapy
81
Active
phototherapy 2500
W)
B 78 *
ed PT (Nm/ 75 * al work (J) 22340000 *
aliz * Tot 2200 *
m 72
or
N 2100 *
69
2000
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Bout Bout
Participants produced higher peak torque (PT) during bouts 2, 3, and 4 Participants produced more work during bouts 2, 3, and 4 after
after receiving active phototherapy compared to sham phototherapy. receiving active phototherapy compared to sham phototherapy.
* = statistically significant difference of p < 0.013 * = statistically significant difference of p < 0.013
Figure 4 Average torque for the four exercise bouts (marginal means) Figure 6 Average power for the four exercise bouts (marginal means)
100 115
110
m) 95 W)
ue (N * wer ( 105 *
orq 90 po
Average t 85 * Average 100 * *
95
80 90
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Bout Bout
Participants produced more average torque during bouts 2, and 3 Participants produced more power during bouts 2, 3, and 4 after
after receiving active phototherapy compared to sham phototherapy. receiving active phototherapy compared to sham phototherapy.
* = statistically significant difference of p < 0.013 * = statistically significant difference of p < 0.013
took the important (though depressingly searchers assessed peak torque (normal-
uncommon) step of asking the subjects ized to body mass), average torque, total
in both experimental sessions whether work, and average power.
they thought they were getting the ac-
tive treatment or the sham treatment;
Findings
the subjects couldn’t tell them apart (p =
0.63), indicating that the sham treatment
During the first set of the fatigue pro-
was applied successfully.
tocol (before the first application of ei-
During the fatigue protocol, the re- ther treatment), normalized peak torque,
10