Bilateral facilitation versus Bilateral Deficient

        When you're at the gym you have choices for exercises. Which equipment should I use? Should I use machines? What is the best training split? Which exercises are better?

    All of those are legit questions that can only be answered through experience. With experience comes experimentation with different machines or styles of training (or it should....). I used the lat pull down for 6 weeks. Ok cool now I'm going to switch it up and go with pull-ups for my back. Upon time and dedication, adaptations occur. We touched on some of those adaptations in past articles. One of the more hidden adaptations is bilateral facilitation and bilateral deficient. 

So, how does bilateral facilitation and bilateral deficient apply to the gym?  In the words of Yoda, "Patience you must have, my young padawan"

    Bilateral exercises are exercises that use two limbs (Bi=two). This can be bench, squat, deadlift. Any exercises that use two limbs. Unilateral exercises use one limb (Uni=one). Single leg squat, Bulgarian split squat, one armed row, etc. Any exercise that uses one limb is considered unilateral. In terms of which training style is better-they both can be used in the gym effectively. Slightly changing an exercise can create new stimuli for the body and create new adaptations. My advice-switch it up every so often. If I am also doing leg press, then sprinkle in single leg leg press or if I am continuously doing two handed rows then switch to one handed row.    

    Before getting to how these terms apply to the gym, we first must define them. Bilateral facilitation is the force produced by both legs is greater than forces produced unilaterally. Meaning that my squat total is higher than Bulgarian split squat. For example, if I can back squat 200 pounds and use 40 pounds for Bulgarian split squat then I would have Bilateral facilitation. 200>80. (40 pounds per leg x2 legs=80 total pounds)

    On the other hand, Bilateral deficit is the max force produced bilaterally is less than the sum of forces by each limb. Using our example above if my squat is 70 pounds and I can use 40 pounds for Bulgarian split squat then I would have a bilateral deficit. 70 pounds squat<80 pounds for Bulgarian split squat.

      In terms of training, we would want to be strong enough for bilateral facilitation. Bilateral facilitation typically comes from stronger, more experienced lifters that have been training. Bilateral deficient generally is from untrained, weaker, less experienced lifters. Bilateral deficient can also come from folks rehabbing an injury. As you get stronger Bilateral facilitation should take place over Bilateral deficit.   

     

Tire flipping basics

     Tires are becoming more and more popular within gyms. Tires for flipping, tires for sledgehammers, tires for sled drags, I have even seen half tires that are linked to a machine to ensure tires remain stationary. They are a nice change up to lifting with barbells and dumbbells. Are they a replacement for barbells and dumbbells? The jury is still out, but it looks badass flipping tires.

  With increased tires across gym. How do you know which one to choose?

I got you

    We will go over recommendations and basic techniques to lifting tires. 

    To start the tire should not be taller than you. Bigger tires present an increased mechanical advantage, so unless you super jacked your most likely not going to be able to flip it. Additionally, the bigger the tire the bigger the lifting distance. Unless you have ample room then flipping a gigantic tire isn't going to be practical. 

    If you are tall then narrow tires are going to be more challenging while wider tires are going to be harder for short folks. This again is due to the increased mechanical advantage. Another element to watch out for is the tread. A worn-out tread is going to create more of likelihood that the tire slips out of your hands.

    Once you have established the right tire for you then it's time to lift it. You got three techniques to choose from. Sumo, Back lift and shoulders against tire. Sumo is very similar to a sumo deadlift technique with a wider, shoulder width stance and a supinated grip between your legs. Upon lifting the tire switch your hands to a pronated grip and push the tire away.

    Back lift style is your more traditional deadlift style. More of a narrow, hip width stance with hands outside the legs. Much like Sumo style you would lift the tire then switch grip and push the tire to complete the lift.

    Shoulders against tire is exactly how it reads. squat deep enough so that your shoulder is against the tire with your chin on top. Extend the ankles, knees and hips (triple extension) then once the tire is halfway up hit the tire with your quad to push the tire up then switch grip to pronated grip then push the tire the rest of the way down.

    Which method is the best?

    Depends on you. Are you taller? shorter? how big is the tire? all of these factors count in selecting a tire flipping technique. I prefer the sumo style because I can use my legs more, but I am also on the shorter side of life. If your taller maybe you like the shoulder against the tire because of the triple extension. Try all three and make the determination. 

Adding resistance bands to your workout

      In a previous post we deep dived adding chains to your workout. In today post we will deep dive adding bands to your workout. From a practical standpoint, bands are easier to add to work out since 99% of gyms have some sort of bands while only a few gyms would have chains. Bands also tend to be cheaper than chains.

     I have been to some gyms that keep the bands out in the open and other gyms that keep it behind the desk, and you have to "sign" them out. In a previous gym that I worked out at had bands available to "sign out", however after a while the bands would go missing.... always confused me. If you have someone sign out equipment and have cameras then how do you "lose" equipment? Perhaps it wasn't worth it to investigate the band thief, but to not replace them was puzzling to me. Anyway, back to the post.

Color of the band correlates to thickness which aids in calculating resistance 

    Calculating total load with bands is similar to using chains to a degree. While a chain is weighs what it weighs a band may vary on resistance depending on composition (how thick the band is or how stiff the band is. Typically designated by color) and the deformation of the band (how much is band stretched). Hooke's law dictates that tension is equal to stiffness x deformation. As you can see it is possible to calculate total load using bands, but it can be complicated (and requires math.... who TF wants to do that much math in the gym?). Additionally, the age of the band plays a factor in tensile strength. An older band loses tensile strength over time while a brand-new band is operating at full capacity. Once the total load is determined then the peak load at the top of the lift is averaged out with the total load at the bottom of the lift (exactly the way we measure total load of chains)   

    The premise behind using bands is to increase power through force development during the concentric movement. To some degree this works; in studies ranging from 20% to 35% of the total load using bands have shown to increase peak power. Replicating those total loads is difficult due to the reasons listed above.

    Are bands worth it? 

    That depends. If you're looking to calculate exact resistance in terms of a total load to ensure your hitting desired rep range, then I am not sure bands would be the way to go. If bands are added to body weight exercises to make them harder (or easier) then I would fully endorse them. Pushups typically only account for 80% body weight; adding bands to pushups would push the total resistance higher. Reverse crunches are another body weight exercise that bands benefit from to increase tension during the movement.      

Adding chains to your routine

     More often than not in our training we stick with what the basics.... dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc. (for the record.... nothing wrong with that!). Dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells offer a constant external load-meaning that a 35lb kettlebell is weight 35lb. When you swing a 35lb kettlebell the weight does not change its 35lb throughout the movement. 

    Two ways to change it up a bit is to add chains and resistance bands to resistance training activities. Chains and resistance bands offer different resistance throughout the movement. This change in resistance is what us fitness nerds call variable resistance.

This article will focus more on chains. If I may paraphrase Bane, "Now's not the time for bands.... that comes later"

    To calculate the additional force of the chains (bands are calculated a bit different). Take the weight of the chain at the top of the movement and average it with the weight at the bottom of the lift. For example, if I hang 16 pounds of chains to the lift that means the bottom of the lift is 0 weight added (once chains hit the floor the resistance becomes zero). 16 +0 is 16 then divide by 2 is 8. Meaning I have added 8 pounds of resistance in total to the exercise. This factors in if I am attempting to hit a certain rep range with a certain load. We know that certain loads and reps elicit certain adaptations within the body and certain loads and reps are more appropriate depending on the timing of your training. Ideally, we would not want to over tax ourselves when we are peaking for an event. 

    The use of chains can be accomplished two ways: Wrap chains around the bar from a fully extended position (if you do it from the lowest position then the weight of the chain may or may not be fully extended). Another way is to wrap a lighter chain around the bar while fully extended then add chains to the bottom of the lighter chain. 

Chains are designed to make basic lifts harder-thus should only be used by experienced lifters that have already mastered techniques.

Example of hanging chains from lighter chains

    
       What is the benefit from adding chains to a workout? For one it effects the velocity of the movement. As explained before adding chains creates a harder concentric movement and an easier eccentric movement-meaning that the user will accelerate the bar at a faster rate. Remember power is force over time so increases force in a decreased time frame will theoretically improve power. Secondly, due to increased weight at the top of the lift more neural activation is needed to lift the weight thus increasing the post activation potentiation. Thirdly, since the bar speed is decreased at the bottom of the lift it may cause a more rapid stretch shortening cycle for the top of the lift. The difference between the eccentric to concentric can be compared to the amortization phase during plyometric movements.

Are chains worth it?

    Maybe.

     With more time the theories of increased power due to chains may be proven within the fitness community; currently these are just theories. The amount of time and effort to place chains, calculate resistance and use additional spotters could be counterproductive in the gym. On the other hand, loading the bar with chains and lifting does look badass, so maybe the juice is worth the squeeze.

Why planks suck

     Ever been at the gym wrapping up a workout racking your brain on what to do for abs? Going through the mental checklist.... did cables yesterday, did leg raises the day before......you know what I'll do some planks. I'll put on a video, and the time will fly by. You get down into the plank position then it hits you.... these suck.... YouTube distracts for 30 seconds before your core starts shaking like a stripper. You make it to a min (feels like 30 min) collapse then call it a day. Yep, those are planks. Forget water boarding planks are true torture. 

    What do these things do anyway? Your core hurts so it must work that.... right?

    To a degree they do. Planks isolate the core without upper body or lower body movements. Planks work the deep muscles along the Anatomical core or in laymen's terms the muscles that originate the axial skeleton. The core itself is responsible for generating forces during concentric muscle actions and to resist motion during eccentric and isometric movements. Any integrated kinetic chain movements that aid in transferring torque. Movement s such as kicking or throwing utilize these forces. A strong, stable core can theoretically generate more force.

    Since planks work the core, they have to improve force production, right? Not so fast. Planks are best suited for spinal stability and to reduce injuries.... not to produce a strong core. A more effective way to generate force and core stability are ground based free weight exercises. Thats right exercises such as squats, deadlifts, standing shoulder presses, and farmers walks are better for core stability. Additionally, ground based free weight exercises have a direct application to sport improvement. Due to heavy weight creating instability your core has to work hard to stabilize your body during the lift or movement. Truck rotations using a cable or Pallof presses are also good for core activation and have sports applications. 

    Next time you're at the gym looking for a core workout think ground-based free weight exercises over planks. 

The lack of sport applications is why planks suck.    

   

An exercise technique using car science

    In a previous post, I used car metaphors to distinguish between muscle spindles and GTO. Muscle spindles are the sensors of the body while GTOs are the circuit breakers. In today's car metaphor/exercise metaphor is Pascal's law. Pascal's law has applications throughout the science world. In this case we will look how fluid is impacted when pressurized. When fluid is in a cylinder and is pressurized pressure is exerted in all directions equally for liquid cannot be condensed. Think about coolant in your cooling system. When under pressure the upper and lower hose become solid and rigid (if not then you got a problem...get it checked out). 

    When you use the Valsalva maneuver, you are trapping fluid in the lower torso to make the back rigid. How do you preform the Valsalva maneuver you ask? Great question. When performing loaded structural exercises such as deadlift, or squat (back and front apply) hold your breath before the movement then as your completing the movement exhale (please please please exhale.... don't be like those dudes on YouTube that hold their breath and pass out!). Holding your breath during the movement builds intrabdominal pressure within your back creating a neutral spine. From the side your back will look like a tabletop back. If you ever hear "tabletop back" as a coaching cue, then that is what they are referring too. Using the Valsalva maneuver during heavy (emphasis on heavy) structural exercises that load the spine one way to ensure that you create a neutral spine enabling a safer lift. 

    The drawback to using this maneuver has already been mentioned-you could pass out. Holding your breath restricts oxygen to the brain thus causing blackouts. Think about getting put into a sleeper hold-same concept. Another and less serious drawback are that you inadvertently create high blood pressure. Folks with high blood pressure or older populations should not use this maneuver due to this.