Strength Training Secret #42: Complexes

Training Complexes: Barbell / Kettlebell / Dumbbell


If you've never heard of "complexes" before, the basic concept is that instead of repeating the same exercise for multiple reps to complete a "set", you sequence one rep of several different exercises right after one another and repeat the sequence several times to complete a "set". It's basically like performing a routine, instead of just mindlessly performing a typical "set".

This type of training is excellent to work a huge amount of musculature in a short amount of time, and definitely takes your workouts to a whole new level of intensity. The conditioning aspect of this type of training is amazing, as you'll find yourself huffing and puffing after repeating a sequence a mere two or three times. This workout may not seem difficult when you read it but you will soon be surprised. If you are not familiar with the exercises or movements, find a coach and learn how to perform them. You can get coaching with us at Advanced Fitness and shorten up your learning curve.

This type of training elicits an excellent growth hormone response as well, due to the large amount of full body work completed in a given time period. When you couple this with 1-2 times per week of strength training with heavier weights you will get a testosterone response as well.

I like to incorporate about 5 exercises into my complexes. Any more than that and you might start to forget what's next in the sequence. Here's an awesome barbell complex that really gets it done:

Example Barbell Complex

1. high pull from floor (explosive deadlift right into upright row in one motion);

2. barbell back to thighs, then hang clean (explosively pull bar from knees and "catch" the bar at shoulders);

3. barbell back to floor, then clean & jerk;

4. barbell back to thighs, bend over, then bent over row;

5. barbell back to thighs, then finish with Romanian deadlift

Use a weight that you can still handle for your weakest lift of the bunch, but keep it heavy enough to challenge you. Try to repeat the sequence 2-3 times without resting... That's 1 set. You could progress over time on this routine by increasing the amount of times you repeat the sequence in each set, or by adding sets on subsequent workouts before eventually increasing the weight.

For example, say you completed the above complex with 155-lbs for 3 sequences per set for 3 sets in today's workout. Next time you perform the workout, try to do 155-lbs for 3 sequences per set for 4 sets. Once you successfully complete 5 sets with 155, increase the weight 5 or 10 lbs next time, and drop back to 3 sets. This is a great way to make improvements over time, while cycling your training volume.


Now I'm going to show you a great kettlebell complex that really kicks my butt. If you don't have a kettlebell, you can use a dumbbell, but I'd highly recommend picking yourself up a kettlebell... very convenient to have around when you want to bang out a quick intense workout at home without going to the gym.


I've been training with kettlebells for a little over 2 years now, and can definitely say that they've dramatically improved my strength, body composition, and overall physical capabilities. If you're not familiar with kettlebells, they are an old eastern European training secret that has just started to take the US by storm over the last few years. Many elite athletes are using kettlebells as their preferred training tool for serious results.

I'd recommend just starting off with one kettlebell and learn all of the single kettlebell drills first, before delving into the double-bell drills. Just one kettlebell coupled with some bodyweight exercises can literally be enough to comprise your own home gym, without any other equipment necessary. Or a kettlebell can just be a great alternative workout to incorporate into your routines once or twice a week. Either way, it opens up a whole new world of training for you.

Example Kettlebell Complex

1. one arm swing

2. one arm snatch, keep the bell over head;

3. one arm overhead squat;

4. bell back down to bottom, then one arm high pull;

5. bell back down to bottom, then one arm clean & press

As with the barbell complex, repeat the sequence (without rest) 2-3 times with each arm. That's one set...and one hell of a killer set at that! Try increasing from 3 to 4 to 5 sets on subsequent workouts with a given weight before increasing your sequence reps. If you're not drenched in sweat with your heart beating out of your chest after that complex, you either went too light, or you are a mutant freak!

Since dumbbells are more accessible to most people than kettlebells, now I'll show you how to put together a good dumbbell complex.

Example Dumbbell Complex

1. upright row with each arm separately then both together

2. front lunge with one leg, then the other

3. back lunge with one leg, then the other

4. curl to overhead press

5. keep dumbbells at shoulders and squat

Again, the same type of sequencing and progressions explained with the barbell complexes work great with the dumbbell complexes. I think a great strategy is to alternate barbell complexes on one day with kettlebell or dumbbell complexes on alternative training days.

For example, you could do barbell complexes Monday, K-bell or D-bell complexes Wednesday, and back to barbell complexes on Friday. Maybe hit some sprints and bodyweight drills on Saturday; then Monday would be K-bell or D-bell complexes again, Wednesday would be barbells again, and so on. Give this program a try for a month (if you dare), and you will be one hardened mofo!

More About Sunscreens....Advertising Rules, Cancer and "Best & Worst" List

The federal Food and Drug Administration’s new sunscreen rules seem likely to do away with the worst hype in ads and on labels. The agency has barred the claims “waterproof,” “sweatproof” and “sunblock,” boasts that were never achievable. The FDA has, for the first time, set a minimum performance standard for sunscreens that use the term “broad spectrum” to denote that they provide a measure of protection from ultraviolet-A rays.

New Rules for Advertising Sunscreen Products

But the rules issued June 14, to take effect in the summer of 2012, address what’s on the outside of the bottle, not what’s in it. Nearly 33 years after it began considering regulation of sunscreen products, the FDA has yet to review or certify the safety of chemicals formulated into sunscreen products.

A particularly troublesome regulatory gap involves a vitamin A derivative called retinyl palmitate, often found in sunscreens and other products used on the skin. For some years, government and independent scientists have been investigating this chemical as a possible photocarcinogen – meaning that it may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions on sun-exposed skin.

Scientific Study Reveals that Common Sunscreen Chemical Gives Mice Skin Cancer….and Humans too!

The most recent government scientific study, made public last January by the National Toxicology Program, an interagency group housed within the National Institutes of Health, has demonstrated that retinyl palmitate speeds photo-carcinogenic effects on test animals. The study, entitled Photococarcinogenesis Study Of Retinoic Acid And Retinyl Palmitate and conducted at a federal research center co-hosted by the FDA and NTP, found that mice treated with small doses of retinyl palmitate and ultraviolet light developed skin tumors faster than untreated, light-exposed mice or those treated only with a control cream. There were more numerous tumors on every animal treated with retinyl palmitate.

This means that the sunscreen additive Retinyl Palmitate increases the rate of cancer formation in mice. That doesn't exactly sound like what we want in a Sunscreen.

Go to this website for more: www.ewg.org. Your family’s health is at risk.

Click here to go to our favorite Sunscreen Guide

Click here to see the Best Sunscreens for your family.

Click here to see the Worst Sunscreens for your family.

Pesticides in Your Produce

Everybody knows that you should eat your fruits and vegetables. But do you also know which ones could contain dangerous levels of pesticides? The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables far outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Use EWG's (Environmental Working Group)Shopper's Guide to Pesticides  (a download from our weekly newsletter)  to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all. 


The Environmental Working Group  (EWG) is an American environmental organization that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, environmental studies and corporate accountability.
 
The Shopper's Guide to Pesticide in Produce will help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can and should lower your pesticide intake substantially by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated produce. 


If you get our Email Newsletter, you can download a guide to print out and fold for your wallet or purse. Get on our email newsletter list from our website www.b2hc.com. A recent CNN article also addressed this growing concern. Check it out here. Oh and if you wonder whether pesticides are bad for you...just ask the bugs.

There is an interesting relationship between most produce farmers and the pesticide industry. Read the EWG article here for more about that.

The Dirty Dozen: The Produce with the Highest Level of Pesticide Content

Buy these fruits and veggies organic (1. = Highest Pesticide Content)

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Imported Nectarines
7. Imported Grapes
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Domestic Blueberries
11. Lettuce
12. Kale / Collard Greens

Clean 15

Lowest fruits and veggies in pesticide content (1. = Lowest Pesticide Content)

1. Onion
2. Sweet Corn (Buy Organic if you are concerned about GMO Corn)
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Domestic Cantaloupe
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

Chiropractic Found to be Cost-Effectiove....Again!

An important 2010 study evaluated low back pain care for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee’s intermediate and large group fully insured population over a two-year period. 

The 85,000 BCBS subscribers in the insured study population had open access to MDs and DCs through self-referral, and there were no limits applied to the number of MD/DC visits allowed and no differences in co-pays. Thus, the data from this study reflect what happens when chiropractic and medical services compete on a level playing field.

The researchers, led by an actuary, compared the costs of low back pain care initiated with a doctor of chiropractic with care initiated through a medical doctor or osteopathic physician. They found that costs for the chiropractic group were 40 percent lower. Even after factoring in the severity of the conditions with which patients presented, costs when initiating care with a DC rather than an MD/DO were 20 percent lower. The researchers concluded that insurance companies that restrict access to chiropractic care for low back pain treatment may inadvertently pay more for care than they would if they removed such restrictions. According to this analysis, had all of the low back cases initiated care with a DC, this would have led to an annual cost savings of $2.3 million for BCBS of Tennessee.

Liliedahl RL, Finch MD, Axene DV, Goertz CM. Cost of Care for Common Back Pain Conditions Initiated With Chiropractic Doctor vs Medical Doctor/Doctor of Osteopathy as First Physician: Experience of One Tennessee-Based General Health Insurer. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. November - December 2010;33(9):640-643.

Can Your Sunscreen Give You Cancer?

Sunscreens prevent sunburns, but beyond that simple fact surprisingly little is known about the safety and efficacy of these ubiquitous creams and sprays. 

FDA’s failure to finalize its 1978 sunscreen safety standards both epitomizes and perpetuates this state of confusion. 

EWG’s review of the latest research unearthed troubling facts that might tempt you to give up on sunscreens altogether. That’s not the right answer – despite the unknowns about their efficacy, public health agencies still recommend using sunscreens, just not as your first line of defense against the sun.

There’s no consensus on whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer.

The Food and Drug Administration’s 2007 draft sunscreen safety regulations say: “FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer” (FDA 2007). The International Agency for Research on Cancer agrees. IARC recommends clothing, hats and shade as primary barriers to UV radiation and writes that “sunscreens should not be the first choice for skin cancer prevention and should not be used as the sole agent for protection against the sun” (IARC 2001a).

Download one of our Sunscreen papers to find out more from our weekly newsletter. Sign up to receive our newsletter at our home page, www.b2hc.com.

What’s the deal with all these Laser Back Surgery Ads on the Internet?

If you have wondered about the new technology in back pain treatment. Read this below and check out the link to the Bloomberg business article.

The “deal” is a huge advertising scheme that has created a higher profit percentage than Google.  Between 2006 and 2009, Laser Spine profited $99 million performing spinal surgeries in their clinics. That’s a lot of money! If they are that successful financially, wouldn’t you think their surgeries are incredibly successful, restoring their patient to full, active lives? Read the Bloomberg Business article to find out…

For decades there have been studies published warning that the outcomes with back surgery are not as good as advertised. This appears to be another new technology that will cause more harm than good. Sometimes there is no "quick fix" to your back pain. Take a look at this spine-health post on FBBS (Failed back surgery syndrome).

Everyday Pollution Solutions

Your Guide to Going Green

1	Use cast iron pans instead of nonstick. Read about Teflon health concerns.
2	To avoid chemicals leaching into food, go easy on processed, canned or fast foods and never microwave plastic. Read about Bisphenol A, a toxic food-can lining ingredient associated with birth defects.
3	Buy organic, or eat vegetables and fruit from the "Clean 15" list. Find out more about the "Dirty Dozen."
4	Pregnant women should use iodized salt to combat chemical interference from the thyroid. Read about rocket fuel's effect on the thyroid.
5	Seal outdoor wooden structures. Order a test kit to find out if your wooden deck, picnic table, or playset is leaching arsenic.
6	Leave your shoes at the door. This cuts down on dust-bound pollutants in the home.
7	Avoid perfume, cologne and products with added fragrance. Search for personal care products that are fragrance-free, or check the products you're already using.
8	Buy products with natural fibers, like cotton and wool, that are naturally fire resistant. Use our list of products and manufacturers to avoid the chemical flame retardant PBDE.
9	Eat low-mercury fish like tilapia & pollock, rather than high-mercury choices like tuna & swordfish. Check our Safe Fish List to see which fish to avoid and what's safe to eat.
10	Filter your water for drinking and cooking. How does your tap water stack up? Search our tap water database to see what you're drinking.
11	Learn your personal body burden. Take a step-by-step tour of your home to learn the toxic truth about how household products contribute to your body burden of industrial chemicals.

Paleo Diet Food Pyramid

Adventure Race for Cancer

On April 16^th, Dr. John Wilkins and 2 of his friends will be competing in The Savage Adventure Sprint Race at Marsh Creek State Park: Downingtown, PA. 

The Race will consist of 5+ miles of wilderness running, 10+ miles of mountain biking and 5+/- miles of Canoeing. 

The Savage Adventure Race requires that the participants navigate by map through the State Park to find specifically marked points or landmarks. The race can take up to 6 hours to complete and may cover as much as 20 miles. Wilderness survival gear is required.

If you would like to donate to the cause, you can make your tax deductible donation to the American Cancer Society through us. You can drop off a check or mail one in made out to American Cancer Society.

Welcome to Back to Health Chiropractic

Drug-Related Poisonings Flood Emergency Rooms across America

"Some 700,000 Americans are taken to the hospital each year after ingesting drugs, both legal and illegal, a new study reports. And the care costs nearly $1.4 billion in emergency room charges alone." (NY Times Online March 3, 2011)

Wow! I am always looking for info regarding health care spending. This article in the New York Times caught my eye. Go to the NY Times Online by clicking the title to check it out.

JW

Find Your Favorite Caffeine Drink

Is it time for your child to start exercising...Mayo Clinic says YES!

Strength & Fitness training for kids is not about pumping iron or how much you can bench. Today's young athletes can enjoy greater success if they are instructed in proper movement patterns and the acquisition of speed, agility and quickness. Let's not forget about Power. Improving a child's Power is all about their athletic ability.

Parents generally do not understand what personal training for children is all about. Below is an article from the Mayo Clinic about this very important topic. Enjoy.

From: Strength training: OK for kids? (Mayoclinic.com)
For kids, what are the benefits of strength training?

Done properly, strength training can:

* Increase your child's muscle strength and endurance
* Help protect your child's muscles and joints from injury
* Improve your child's performance in nearly any sport, from dancing and figure skating to football and soccer

And strength training isn't only for athletes. Even if your child isn't interested in sports, strength training can:

* Strengthen your child's bones
* Help promote healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
* Boost your child's metabolism
* Help your child maintain a healthy weight
* Improve your child's self-esteem

What's the best way to start a strength training program for kids?

A child's strength training program isn't necessarily a scaled-down version of what an adult would do. Keep these general principles in mind:

* Seek instruction. Start with a coach or personal trainer who has experience with youth strength training. The coach or trainer can create a safe, effective strength training program based on your child's age, size, skills and sports interests. Or enroll your child in a strength training class designed for kids.
* Warm up and cool down. Encourage your child to begin each strength training session with five to 10 minutes of light aerobic activity, such as walking, jogging in place or jumping rope. This warms the muscles and helps reduce the risk of injury. Gentle stretching after each session is a good idea, too.
* Keep it light. Kids can safely lift adult-size weights, as long as the weight is light enough. In most cases, one set of 12 to 15 repetitions is all it takes. The resistance doesn't have to come from weights, either. Resistance tubing and body-weight exercises, such as push-ups, can be just as effective.
* Stress proper technique. Rather than focusing on the amount of weight your child lifts, stress proper form and technique during each exercise. Your child can gradually increase the resistance or number of repetitions as he or she gets older.
* Supervise. Adult supervision is an important part of youth strength training. Don't let your child go it alone.
* Rest between workouts. Make sure your child rests at least one full day between exercising each specific muscle group. Two or three strength training sessions a week are plenty.
* Keep it fun. Help your child vary the routine to prevent boredom.

Results won't come overnight. But eventually, your child will notice a difference in muscle strength and endurance — which may fuel a fitness habit that lasts a lifetime.


From: Strength training: OK for kids? (Mayoclinic.com)
Call Advanced Fitness (610-444-1711) to discuss our youth programs. You will be amazed at what youth fitness training has evolved to over the last several years. Once you see how our Assessment and Programming model works, you will understand why every major health organization is touting the benefits of strength training for kids.

5 Triathlon Training Mistakes

Check out this article to find out about common triathlon training mistakes.

Antibiotics on the verge of becoming completely useless

by Jonathan Benson

(NaturalNews) The journal Lancet Infectious Diseases recently published a sobering piece about how antibiotics are becoming wholly ineffective as treatments for infection. According to the report, even the most powerful antibiotics available are largely inadequate at tackling the emerging forms of new and powerful "super" bacteria.

Antibiotic overuse has become a pandemic problem. They are used in animal feed to make animals grow more quickly and they are handed out like candy by many doctors to people with almost any ailment. And they are simply not working anymore to fight infection.

Published by Professor Tim Walsh and his colleagues, the paper explains how a new gene called NDM 1 is changing the way infectious bacteria survive. The NDM 1 gene passes among bacteria like E. Coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and makes them resistant to antibiotics. Even carbapenems, the most powerful antibiotics available, are no match for these new bacteria.

"This is potentially the end. There are no antibiotics in the pipeline that have activity against NDM 1-producing enterobacteriaceae. We have a bleak window of maybe ten years where we are going to have to use the antibiotics we have very wisely, but also grapple with the reality that we have nothing to treat these infections with," explained Walsh in a recent Guardian piece.

According to Dr. Livermore, director of the antibiotic resistance monitoring and reference laboratory at the U.K. Health Protection Agency, the entirety of modern medicine could collapse as a result of antibiotics becoming useless.

"A lot of modern medicine would become impossible if we lost our ability to treat infections," he emphasized.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2...