Facebook | Malea Jensen

Facebook | Malea Jensen

Postactivation potentiation (PAP) is a phenomenon that has recently gained popularity in the strength training community. The underlying principle surrounding PAP is that prior heavy loading induces a high degree of central nervous system stimulation, resulting in greater motor unit recruitment and force, which can last from five-to-thirty minutes.

The word potentiation refers to the ability to do one exercise with the purpose of enhancing the performance of a second movement that immediately follows. By lifting a heavy weight and then immediately following that lift with a lighter one basically preps your your muscles to lift the lighter weight much easier. The heavy weight stimulates your central nervous system to recruit more motor units than it would have otherwise used on the lighter weight.

Quite literally, you can become stronger in seconds.

Did I catch your attention yet? By employing PAP in your training, you may be able to blast through a plateau. To put PAP to the test, I decided to include this concept in my squat training this morning.

Here's how the technique works if you are squatting. Let's say your max one rep front squat is 190 pounds. After a good warm-up, the protocol calls for a heavy lift at 90 percent of your one rep max, or about 170 pounds. Then after about 3-4 minutes, reduce the weight to 80 percent of your one rep max. In this case, about 150 pounds. Do this set for as many reps as possible. After another 3-4 minutes, do another heavy set (90 percent of max), followed by another set of reps at 80 percent of max. Do no more than three one-rep heavy sets and three lighter sets per exercise and do only one such PAP activity for one bodypart.

It worked! The single rep heavy weight excites the central nervous system, calling on it to recruit more muslce fibers than would normally be recruited to do the lighter weight set in some other pyramid fashion.

You can use this technique not only with squats, but also with barbell bicep curls for biceps, barbell military press for shoulders, barbell bench press for chest, close grip bench for triceps, and barbell bent over rows for back.

Try this method for 4-6 weeks and then move on to another technique. You can come back to it at a later time especially if you have a lagging bodypart.

You have probably heard me talk about muscle confusion in the past. The idea behind 'Muscle Confusion' includes many common workout sayings including, but not limited to:

"You've got to change your routine a lot or your muscles will get used to the same one and stop growing."

"You've got to 'trick' your muscles and keep them guessing."

"If muscle growth hits a plateau, you have to 'shock' the tissue in order to resume progress."

"Changing your workout routine often will give you a better 'pump', which leads to more muscle growth."

Although these sayings might be true to some extent, the one point that is commonly missed when talking about muscle confusion is that of volume load. Yes, muscles CAN become adaptive to whatever you throw at them, but instead of talking about muscle confusion, lets pony up to the squat rack and talk volume overload.

You can talk muscle confusion until you are blue in the face, but if you never mention volume overload and recuperation, you are missing the boat. If the muscles are not 'volume overloaded' and adequately recuperated between those volume overload sessions (workouts), they simply stop making progress.

I have heard many trainers tell client that if their progress stops, they should simply "change their routine." Yet a simple change of routine typically yields little (if anything) for the following reason:

Here's a pearl for all of you...muscles are incapable of being "Confused!" Furthermore, muscles cannot be baffled, perplexed, puzzled, or even "bewildered" in any way.

Ok, I am guilty of this too. Clients come to me and tell me nothing is working for them. My first question to them is to ask what training regimen they are using. More importantly, I should be explaining to them that workout routines need to be somewhat rigid and the recuperation time between workouts needs to be flexible.

For instance, you know people who nearly go into a depression if they miss a workout because they think it will result in a setback. Their rest days between workouts are rigid - as if they've made a pact with their muscle tissue and the tissue has agreed to recuperate in the time that's been allotted.

I can attest to the above statement because that used to be me. Every Saturday was leg day, every Sunday and Wednesday was an "OFF" day where I only did cardio. Monday was chest, Tuesday was back, Thursday shoulders, and Friday was arm day. Talk about rigid...I was so rigid I was stiff as a board ALL THE TIME...sore that is, and plateaued in my gains.

Let's review: When you are not seeing results, ask yourself if you are challenging your muscles with enough resistance. Secondly, ask yourself if you are getting adequate rest between training sessions. Thirdly, ask yourself if you workouts are consistent. Finally, is your workout sequence flexible enough to allow rest days for recuperation.

Until next time, train hard and smart!

When new clients go to trainers, one of the first things that these trainers evaluate is how well the client can control his or her bodyweight.

For instance, if you have trouble doing a push-up, pull-up, or bodyweight squat, you have no business adding dumbbells, barbells, bands, Kettlebells or any other resistance. You cannot control an external load until you can control yourself!

Performing bodyweight exercises is not very exciting and can be disheartening when you find out just how weak you really are, but if you want to get stronger and more fit, you must make bodyweight exercises a part of your routine early on. Likewise, if you have been training for a while and have hit a plateau, bodyweight circuits can help you get through sticking points or jumpstart use of muscles that you have been neglecting.

If you're thinking to yourself..."I don't like doing pull-ups! My first thought would be that you can't do them and that is why you don't like them. Either you are not strong enough, or you weigh too much. Trust me...once you start doing them on a regular basis, you will get stronger and you WILL get better at them.

Enjoy your workout!

Earlier today I presented a lecture on Designing an Exercise Program. For those of you who were unable to attend I will give a brief synopsis.

As you all know, the recipe for success usually involves the most basic tools, whether it be baking chocolate chip cookies or manicuring the lawn of your dreams!

When it comes to strength training, its never out of the question to bring back the basics. Whether you are a novice looking for a place to start, or a seasoned gym rat doing bicep curls with bands while standing on one foot atop a bosu, you need to make sure the fundamental lifts are still a part of your program.

Think of it this way, a doctor always uses a stethoscope to listen to your heart, an otoscope to look in your ears, and a reflex hammer to test your reflexes. Likewise, as a strength trainee, you need to squat, deadlift, chest press, and military press. Those are the "big 4" as I like to refer to them. These are not the only things you should do, but every other lift supports your four main lifts. Everything starts with big multijoint moves and none of these require fancy machines or specialized equipment.

Everything you do in the weightroom has a cummulative effect. You need enough stimulus to get stronger, yet you don't want to go overboard. It's like driving a car...if you push the pedal to the metal all day, everyday, the engine will burn up. This is likely what most people do in the gym and they get burned out quickly.

Today I suggested different split routines including 3-on, 1-off; 4-on, 1-off; full body workouts on Mon-Wed-Friday and 5 day splits that work one bodypart each day of the week Monday through Friday.

Your body adapts very quickly so I also suggest maintaining a split routine for only 4 weeks and then changing things up a bit. Keep with the four main lifts and then structure your other exercises to strengthen weak points. For instance, when you do movements such as dips and chin-ups, you are also hitting your chest, shoulders, tris, upper back, and biceps in just those two exercises. Knowing this will get you in and out of the weightroom in less time, but don't forget to do your cardio AFTER your weight training.

I promised myself I would not talk about politics today, but I could not resist! Last nights Republican Scott Brown was elected to the U.S. Senate by the people of Massachusetts. This is the Senate seat Ted Kennedy held for decades. Ahhhhh, the agony of defeat! What this means in the big picture is that once Scott Brown takes Ted Kennedy's seat, the Democrats cannot bring health care legislation back to the floor of the Senate because it would presumably be blocked by a Republican filibuster.

So, then, is health care reform really off the table? Not hardly! How can the Democrats still get health care reform to Obama's desk in the face of Republican opposition on the Senate floor? The dirtiest and most foul option would be to deliberately stall Brown's swearing in until after the health care compromise clears the Senate floor with Democrat Kirk continuing to hold the Kennedy seat.

Ok, no more politics tonight. All I want to do is keep you informed if you are reading my blog. Lots of times, we are not hearing all that needs to be heard.

Moving on.........to something fitness related. Now this, I know a little something about. I realize learning the optimal workout and training technique can be a little daunting, but I am just like each of you......I crave knowledge about exercise techniques. But, keep something else in mind.....if exercise was the definitive answer to looking your best, there wouldn't be so many people slaving away in the gym for months at a time, and never really making changes.

People, you simply must get your eating under control! I wish you would just realize that what you've read in magazines, or seen on television is nothing more than carefully constructed propaganda.

All the prescriptions for exercise you read in magazines are pretty precise too, but you should know that you can train your body in a lot of different ways. Forget investing in the "cutting edge" and probably unproven programs and find a training method that is right for you. If you are training for a sport, you have to do certain exercises or drills for that specific sport. Likewise, if you are wanting to get big and lean, one person may be able to lift heavy and rest long periods while the next needs high reps and a faster pace.

Assess yourself! Have fun! Keep changing things up! Train hard and eat smart!

January 14, 2010 — As the airport at Port-au-Prince, Haiti, reopens and supplies begin to arrive after Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake, rescue workers on the ground are predicting the death toll to rise above 100,000. Approximately 3 million people — one third of the population of Haiti — have been affected.

Most of the damage is around the country's capital, and Port-au-Prince's 3 largest medical centers have been devastated.

The greatest need is for water and medical supplies, President Barak Obama said in a briefing Thursday morning, as he pledged $100 million in immediate assistance, with more to come in the days and months ahead.

"One of the largest relief efforts in recent history" is en route to Haiti, President Obama said, with 2000 US Marines being deployed from Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, today. The first waves of US rescue and relief workers are "on the ground and at work," he said.

"The president ordered a swift, coordinated, aggressive effort," Secretary of State Hilary Clinton told Meredith Viera on NBC's Today Show Thursday morning. "We've got the airport open, thanks to the US military. We've got our civilian search-and-rescue teams on the ground, thanks to [the US Agency for International Development] and [the Federal Emergency Management Agency]. We are doing all we can to figure out how best to attack the devastation all around."

"This is going to be a long-term effort," Secretary Clinton continued. "We have the immediate crisis of trying to save those lives that can be saved, to deal with the injured and the dead, to try to provide food, water, medical supplies, some semblance of shelter, and then to work with our Haitian partners, the government of Haiti, [nongovernmental organizations], others to begin the rebuilding process."

Médicins sans Frontièrs (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, is in the process of establishing a 104-bed hospital with an inflatable surgical unit, 2 operating theaters, 7 hospitalization tents, and a staff of 70 physicians and healthcare providers. Neurologists will be sent as part of the team to deal with head and crush injuries.

"There are hundreds of thousands of people who are sleeping in the streets because they are homeless," said MSF coordinator Hans van Dillen in an article on the group's Web site. "We see open fractures, head injuries. The problem is that we cannot forward people to proper surgery at this stage."

Transportation is severely disrupted, and supplies and medical staff will be approaching the affected area through the Dominican Republic, said Mr. van Dillen.

MSF is working to get more staff into the country, and the organization is also concerned about the safety of its own staff of 800 in Haiti, some of whom have not yet been accounted for.

Call for Healthcare Workers

Partners in Health of Boston, Massachusetts, a nonprofit organization "focusing on delivery of quality health care in poor communities," with ties to Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women's Hospital, issued this statement:

"We are deeply grateful for the multitude of people who have contacted us wanting to provide medical assistance. As patients flood to our sites from Port-au-Prince, we're finding ourselves in need of both medical personnel and supplies. In particular, we need surgeons (especially trauma/orthopedic surgeons), ER doctors and nurses, and full surgical teams (including anesthesiologists, scrub and post-op nurses, and nurse anesthetists).

"If you are a health professional interested in volunteering, please send an email to volunteer@pih.org with information on your credentials, language capabilities (Haitian Creole or French desired), availability, and contact information."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, has an advisory for healthcare relief workers and volunteers. The CDC cautions, "Because of their potential exposures, relief workers are at increased risk for illness and injuries. In addition, they should be aware of potential hazards, such as downed power lines and security measures that may be imposed (e.g., curfews to prevent looting). Those who provide assistance should also pay attention to their mental health needs before, during, and after their time in the field. Moreover, because relief workers' services are desperately needed, it is essential that workers remain healthy during their trip. In addition to this notice, relief workers should refer to the general regional travel recommendations for their specific travel destination."

The American Red Cross (ARC) says it is "contributing an initial $1 million from the International Response Fund to support the relief operation, and has opened its warehouse in Panama to provide tarps, mosquito nets and cooking sets for approximately 5,000 families."

The group is also sending 6 disaster management specialists to the disaster zone to help coordinate relief efforts.

"At this time, the [ARC] is only deploying volunteers specially trained to manage international emergency operations," ARC officials stress. "We are not accepting volunteers to travel to Haiti. If you would like to volunteer for the [ARC], please contact your local chapter." Ten dollars, charged to the sender's cell phone, can be donated to the Red Cross by texting "HAITI" to "90999." The group has received $3 million since that service was established 36 hours ago.

SHHH -- It's Wabbit Season and I am Hunting Wabbit. Look Wabbit tracks! "Hewwo, Woscoey Wabbit", are you there?

I planted three baby burning bushes three years ago..........and each spring I notice they are still "babies!" Hmmmm, what in the heck is going on? I went out to walk my lovebugs last weekend and I was horrified to find that something was eating my bushes! Whole branches were gone. It looked as though someone decided to take it upon themselves to prune my bush. But the remains were gone....branches and all. Some of the branches were still pathetically hanging off the bush. All that was left were my Christmas lights. Ugghh! I don't have a fenced in back yard, but I have not seen any deer...so no deer. I occasionally see a rabbit or two in my yard. Never squirrels (but that doesn't mean they don't exist). So......rabbits and squirrels?

And, here is what I found out from the guy at Menards........Squirrels do not eat these plants, but both rabbits and deer will. The tooth marks of both the rabits and deer will be similar. He told me that the most effective means of control is a good, tight fence that will prevent those buggers from getting near enough to eat the vegetation.

So, I bought the poultry fence he told me to get, but honestly, "Be vewy vewy quiet, I am still hunting wabbits" I have been following "wabbit twacks" through my backyard....fortunately, all my newly planted shrubs are under snow. The problem lies ahead when the snow melts exposing my delicate baby plants. So, I say to all wabbits near and far, I'm sowwy, Mr. Wabbit. I hope I didn't hurt you too much when I killed you!"

That kitchen spoon might be fine for stirring up some warm chili or perfect pasta sauce, but as a medicine dispenser it is lacking.

Household spoons are not a recommended medication measuring devices. If you took five different teaspoons from five different kitchens, they would all measure just a little differently.

Spoon dosing is a major cause of dosing errors and pediatric poisonings, according to a recent study cited in the Annals of Internal Medicine.


There are even some adults out there who aren’t even trying to measure, with some assuming a swig from a medicine bottle is sufficient.

While such disregard for expected doses is rarer when it comes to pills, there are some patients out there who assume that no matter what the medication may be, more is better.

More people than you would expect self-medicate, although an equally vexing problem would be people who miss doses or deliberately use less medicine than they’re prescribed.

Dosages are especially critical among children. While many medications may have some leeway, others, such as breathing medications and cough syrups do carry a possible risk of overdose.

In November, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled its Safe Use Initiative, a program aimed at reducing the likelihood of preventable harm from medication use.

In addition, the organization made public new guidance for companies that manufacture, market or distribute over-the-counter liquid medications packaged with dosage delivery devices such as calibrated cups, droppers, syringes and spoons.

Accidental overdoses can be caused by dosage delivery devices that are unclear or are inconsistent with the labeled dosing instructions, the FDA said in a news release, with many accidental overdoses resulting from confusion about exactly how much of a drug to take.

Bottom line, use an approved measuring device for medication dosing!

Happy New Year! Are you wondering what the top resolutions of this year will be? I have compiled a list.It’s no big surprise that most people’s New Year’s resolutions are about health. Good health is the foundation upon which all other things are built. This is true whether you are in the medical profession or not. The top “health resolutions” for 2010 are:

1) Get enough sleep (7-9 hours)
2) Quit smoking--if you ever started
3) Set realistic diet goals and maintain a healthy body weight
4) Eat well and get at least one half hour of exercise a day

These points cover the basics of health things you’d expect. Perhaps a fifth point should be: use your common sense. And, a sixth I heard from a freind, don't text while driving!