billycraig

<8 is for max strength 8-12 is body building 12-20 is strength and endurance zone Rest periods in strength training should be between 2-8 mins (typically I use between 3-5). The higher the training intensity and the larger the individual the longer the rest period should be. As an estimate I'd say work at 12-15 reps with an intensity of -1 (so you can't pick it up anymore than once) Use a tempo of 3-0-3 so your doing a max of 90 seconds with each set and you'll build really good endurance and get strength gains. This will also act as good cardio for you if you breath properly while exercising (you'll not get very far holding your breath for 90 seconds). Do exercises standing up (not seated or on machines) as it requires more neural input. Above all don't cheat, if its getting easy and you could do 2 or 3 more check you haven't speeded up (I use a stop watch) and then increase the weight so you can only manage the right number at the right pace. I'd suggest 60 secs rest periods. You should be finished training within half an hour. Any longer and your either talking too much and getting extra rest or working too easy so you can continue longer. I aim to have my clients finished training within 40 minutes and eating by 60 minutes (quality meat/fruit/veg not twinkies though )

I do most of my (useful) studies in the US with some pretty switched on guys. I get very frustrated by the lack of decent nutrition education here in the UK. My teacher in the states is always mentioning twinkies though and looking disgusted although I've never actually seen them myself. I was thinking about my up and coming attempt at the scott. Last year I used bottled water with a pinch of sea salt. However this year I'm injured and am going to need everything I can to make it out the first field never mind the finish. I wouldn't dream of putting some of the junk thats out there in my body but I've decided to use coconut water either from fresh green coconuts or from HERE as a sports drink for the day. Very high in potassium so it may be useful for you?

Think I know who you mean, pretty handy on a Beta...?

It was up for serious

Amazing!!

Not sure, it was on my old website which I lost a while ago. Was aimed at personal trainers updating assessing rather than guessing when training clients so wouldn't be that much use. If I find it I'll send it you.

Done one mini ebook and have a plan for another, we'll see if I have the patience (or time) to finish it though.

Theirs definatly a lot more interest in muscle balance nowadays. Ryan Huges has started studying at the same institute I train at. My mentor had him as a client and pointed out that all his injuries are right sided. Sinces then he's been getting the MX world looking a lot deeper. Sublaxion of the atlas (bit your skull sits on) has ramifications all the way down the body. Mines out from a big crash years ago, I've shifted it back many times but it won't hold due to me not giving it enough recovery time. You'll never train and get rid of pump, you may tolerate it for longer periods but the key is balance within the musculoskeletal system so you have to work less to get the desired movement. Think of it like a bike wheel, if its buckled and you tighten every spoke (bodybuilder) its still buckled but now brittle. Loosen every spoke (yoga) and you still have a buckled wheel that's ready to collapse anytime. Proper training needs a wheelbuilder (well trained practitioner) that understands what needs loosening and what needs tightening. I usually see, tight chest, shoulder etc and very poor back muscles. Get a photo taken from the side and look how much you pull forwards. This combined with proper hydration/nutrition and the ability to supply said muscles with oxygen and remove toxins quick enough, will go a long way to solving your problem but bear in mind that the finger is really for more complex movements hence why its so well inervated with nerves (so you can do fine motor patterns) and using the clutch and front brake is just past its normal activity for prolonged periods.

I've used this one Ossur several times after the same injury. Pretty restrictive but its a very tricky bone to heal well. They do quite a few different types. Always get good service from them.

Not really sure what your actual goal is, if its strength and you cut your rest period short then your not using the right energy system. Let me know what effect your after and I'll give you an example program.

I'd go for good quality water with a pinch of Celtic Sea Salt (82 trace minerals) and drink your body-weight in KG x 0.033 everyday (not just for a few days beforehand) and then include extra for the trial. Carb loading isn't really that effective, once the muscles/liver are full it just stores as fat.

Neither really, their all full of junk and high in sugar which will seriosly deplete you of vitamins and minerals in the long run. The book vitamin robbers by Mindell explains a lot about this topic. A typical bar has; Brown rice syrup: sugar from brown rice Whole oats: Pretty good Rice crisps: Plunge cold, cooked, white rice into boiling water and it puffs out like popcorn. Roast it and you have a crunchy, easy to digest product completely devoid of nutrition. Eat enough of it, and it will send your blood-glucose through the roof. Think of the popular breakfast cereal known as Rice Crispies. Same thing and its junk. Sugar: Pretty simple Salt: Table salt as well which increases hunger Barley malt: Boil the barley until all the starches are converted into sugars. The process is known as malting. Breweries use malted barley to make beer. Power Bar is using it because it makes bland, puffed white rice taste better

You've obviously never seen me walk my bike through a section

I do various tests on clients aimed at testing levels as people love to see facts. Never ceases to amaze me that people need proof before drinking water :-) I suggest evian because its mineral level is good 309 mg/l dry residue, its pH is 7.2 which is about right and the overall balance is good between calcium, magnesium, potassium etc. To work out your required amount take your weight in KG x 0.033 which gives you the amount in litres per day. This is just a normal day though so more is needed for sport/heat etc. Split it well throughout the day as well. Its also worth bearing in mind that sugar leaches calcium from the body as well so a diet high in carbs isn't too beneficial. Milk isn't the great calcium source its sold as either as pasturization leaves it unusable, green veg is a far better source. (Disclaimer: In my opinion based upon my clinical research)

I'll do my best, to help my athletes (and myself) I cover all bases, cramping or locking of the muscle is likely to be caused by poor temp change, oxygenation, dehydration or low electrolytes in particular potassium, sodium and calcium. I've mentioned before about oxygen playing its part in energy production so lactic acid build up is worth thinking about. In order for a muscle to work an action potential must occur, an action potential needs adequate sodium, potassium and calcium, a lot of my heart patients (low sodium dieters) suffer bad cramping. So ensuring your getting adequate electrolytes is critical. Its no use trying to just do it on the day you ride as its a little late. I'd suggest, massage to improve blood flow, build up lactic tolerance, focus on controlled breathing (I bet you hold your breath when its tough), good quality water (evian) with a pinch of celtic sea salt (There is no real creditable scientific evidence to support the widely held claim by the sports nutrition industry that intake of specially composed and intensely marketed electrolyte drinks has any advantage over intake of sea salt and water to counter these electrolyte disturbances and muscle cramps, remember who pays for a study gets the results they desire). Eat potassium containing foods such as bananas. I'd also look at posture and see how your good your muscle balance (or imbalance), poor posture makes muscles over work so its no wonder they fatigue. Hope that helps

Fantastic training method particularly for things like the Scott and the SSDT, I use a similar but even more a more harse method, or I will do when I can walk (42 days till Scott D Day and I'm not walking which wasn't in my training plan at all). Doing this your not really building real strength as despite the legs getting a break your body will still be forced into the wrong energy system for that, so its weight loss all the way I'm afraid, as long as diets good. I've wrote about it somewhere before but have no idea where or what it was under, basically your body has various energy systems with which it can produce the energy required for various activity. The various systems take different times to recover hence the reasons for different rest periods in a training plan. Its always funny seeing a gym member that wants size and strength but cuts their rest period short or someone wanting fat loss chatting for minutes between sets. What you are doing is working on lactic acid tolerance. When we exercise at a level where more oxygen is being used than can be replenished, lactic acid is formed. As this builds up, it gradually forces the body to slow - it is the body's way of telling you that you can

Pretty simple really, for most of the people its the only way they can complete the exercise. In most peoples eyes increased weight = results. Back when I worked in gyms I routinely took on clients and had to educate them and bring them back to where they actually should be. Lots a clients (mainly men) didn't like training alongside me because they struggled to lift much weight and would rather do it wrong and lift more. One guy used to pay me

Bench Pressing will isolate pec major/minor and anterior deltoid (chest and front of the shoulder) which are exactly the muscles a trials rider doesn't want to train excessively as it will give you excessive kyphosis of the spine (hunchback). Unless your sport needs you to lay on your back lifting a heavy weight (wrestling maybe) its no use to you. The only use it may have for trials is if you get stuck under the bike. I used to continually question why Derby County trained their players to bench press but then footballers spend half their life on their backs. Sports people and the general population need to integrate muscles so they work together (functionally) in a way that mimics their sport or activity of daily living (walking etc), if you want to work the chest a standing chest push on a cable machine would work far better, as you'll have to balance which requires a whole kinetic chain of muscles to work. In terms of weight, don't get tricked into going to heavy as you'll loose technique and flexibility but also don't get fooled by the high reps/low weight theory (which is right if you need that type of training but people, even gym staff rarely understand how to program it). Remember trials is very physical and intense at times so I'd suggest going for 10-12 reps with a tempo (rate at which you do 1 rep) of 3-0-3 meaning 10 reps would take a minute. For this set of 10 reps the weight should be heavy enough that you could lift it 11 times only (the 10th should be your last decent one). If you can do anymore your not overloading yourself (i.e. your not having an effect) Heavy weights are good but its important to understand what heavy weight is, many people simply add weight cos they think they can do better and are blissfully unaware that they're lifting quicker and so have less time under-tension (TUT). Riding is always a good way to get fitter/better on a bike, but, lifting weight in a controlled environment is a safe (if you know what your doing) way to overload yourself and improve. A lot of my clients are builders who lift heavy weights all day. They always complain that they lift enough, but in my clinic I take them heavier to ensure that the demands of work are not their 1RM hence the reason they never blow a disc like their work mates.

Sorry, no chance I'll make it as they've kept me in hospital. Hope you some volunteers. Like the idea of early numbers doing a section though as I always seem to come out with an early number.

May (and its a very small may) be able to come and help Gaz. I emailed the sec last night to say its unlikely I'll ride. I was due to have my knee operated on this morning but its postponed until tomorrow now. If I'm fairly mobile I may still come over

Cheers, I've been searching for someone who has a fax but can't find one. My dad and mate rode so I'll just look at a copy of theirs when they get them. Thanks for the offer though.

Will the full results be online anywhere? I observed and fancied seeing how everyone did.

How did you both guess