Trigger Point Pain & What To Do About It

    We are all different, and yet we are all the same. Some of you view fitness as a hobby, some as a chore, and some as life itself! What links us all at certain times though is muscle pain. Textbooks will define muscle pain as myofascial pain syndrome, "myo" meaning muscle and "fascia" meaning band. You can call it whatever you want, but I am here to try and help you get rid of it.

     Discomfort somewhere along your muscle can develop for a handful of reasons; physical injury, poor posture, poor lifting form, inflammation, trauma and illnesses. Whatever the reason may be, the tissue has been damaged and surrounding fascia (strong connective tissue surrounding the muscle) becomes tight and inflexible, compromising mobility and performance. Even worse! This tightness can create somewhat of a domino effect,restricting joint range of motion, forcing you to move differently and possibly resulting in joint pain!

     Now that we understand the process, lets dig a little deeper. To the touch, these sensitive areas almost feel like knots! Don't worry your muscle hasn't detached itself, made a few wrong turns and then reattached. What has happened though is that a small section of muscle(s) have created an isolated contraction. This small area of angry muscle tissue can begin to restrict its own blood flow, irritating the area even more and the surrounding fascia. These little stiff areas of muscle have been dubbed TRIGGER POINTS...dun dun dun!

     The best way to think of a muscle trigger point is in relation to a gun firing. When you pull the trigger of a gun, it creates a loud BANG! That bang can be thought of as when we push or touch the sensitive area and it hurts right where we pressed. However, the gun also shoots a bullet, effecting whatever it was shot at. The bullet connecting with its target is the secondary pain a trigger point causes or formally known as "referred pain". Basically, pressing on a trigger point causes pain within the area you pressed on and also discomfort to another site within the body, usually far away.

     So now how do we fix this massive mess of inflamed, angry, tight tissue!!? It is actually not as hard as you might think. Many gyms and athletic stores carry the tools you need to free yourself from these nagging pains. The most common and easy to use equipment is; a foam roller and/or a lacrosse ball. The roller and lacrosse ball help alleviate pain in a few ways:
    
       - Massages the area to help break down and relax the contracted muscle
       - Increases circulation to the area, bringing more oxygen and nutrients (major healing properties)
       - Directly stretches the knotted up muscle fibers

     Before embarking on a solo journey to try and cure yourself, I would get together with a trainer who understands trigger point therapy or seek out a licensed trigger point therapist to guide and get you started! If you're one of those figure it out on my own types then its pretty easy to feel your way through this process.

     The foam roller is simple to use. Let's say that a trigger point has developed on your thigh. Lie on the floor, stomach down and place the foam roller underneath your thigh right on the tender spot. Lift yourself up on your elbows and slowly begin to pull forward and push backwards, gently massaging the area. You can rotate by flexing and extending your leg but remember to breathe from your stomach throughout the process and stay relaxed. Perform around 15 - 25 reps.


     The lacrosse ball is not much different, personally I believe that it is a little more intense and tends to stretch the muscle more. This time the trigger point is on your left glute (butt,bottom,booty). We're going to sit down on the floor and shift most of our weight to the right side and carefully line the ball up with the aggravated area. Once you're all set, slowly begin to shift your weight back to the left side, pressing into the ball, exhale and relax the entire time (trust me!). Now that the ball is really digging into the tight area, you can rock back and forth a little, massaging the area. Stay in this spot for about 30 seconds then relax, repeat for 3 - 5 reps of 30 seconds each.

     Next time you find yourself struggling through tight muscle pain give these methods a try. I’d love to hear what you think!



- Brig Van Etten CSC-

Move Fast to Lose Fast!

    When most people think of the word "cardio", the first image that comes to mind is grinding away for hours on a treadmill, at a snail-like pace. I wonder if they realize they are getting more of a workout re-positioning their cell phone, water bottle, magazine, blue-tooth, iPod, and iPad then they are cruising along on the "ellipti-mill". Does this sound familiar? I'm here to tell you that this type of cardio is not optimal for fat loss and won't get the job done
    
    However, if your goal is to have the skinny, soft look of most marathon runners then by all means stick to this program. On the other hand, if you'd like to look like a lean athletic sprinter then high intensity training is where it's at!

    Let's first back-track a little and go over why steady state cardio training is not the way to go. To start with, it takes a long time and honestly its just boring. The amount of time it takes is actually detrimental to your physique because long duration endurance training increases cortisol levels. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone that tears down muscle tissue and stores body-fat. The human body was not designed for this type of training, instead we were built for short bursts of action! Other negative effects of steady state cardio include:

- Decreases explosiveness and power due to increase production of lactic acid
- Can lower immune system function and increase production of dangerous free radicals
- Hips, knees and ankles take a beating
- Can increase inflammation throughout the body
- Hinders weight lifting abilities

     Now that we have a good idea of why steady state training is not the best route for fat loss, we can cover the reasons high intensity works. One of the most interesting aspects of high intensity training is a term called EPOC or Excess Post - exercise Oxygen Consumption. During strenuous training, your body is using above and beyond the amount of oxygen it normally does and in turn is burning more calories. What EPOC represents is the additional amount of calories the body is burning post exercise, in order to return itself to the state it was in prior to training. The harder you workout, the more you will disrupt the bodies internal processes, forcing it to expend more energy to return to a baseline level. Depending on the training, EPOC can last up to 24-48 hours and if that wasn't encouraging enough, there is evidence to show that EPOC can add up from session to session! Turning your body into a fat burning furnace! EPOC for steady state cardio usually only lasts for a couple hours post training. Other positives to high intensity training are:

- Short in duration (5-10 minutes)
- Will increase endurance capacity without compromising weight training
- Won't send cortisol levels through the roof
- Will preserve and possibly build muscle, while also burning fat

Here are some quick-start high intensity training examples to get you going:

          - Hill Sprints
                - 20 - 40 yards
                - 10 sprints
                - Work up to 95% effort on the last few reps
                - Keep rest periods short
     
          - Mailbox Sprint - Jog
                - Jog to mailbox, then sprint to next
                - Alternate back and forth for 10 - 20 reps depending on fitness levels
    
         - Training Ropes & Burpees (If your gym has ropes)
                - 25 rope slams
                - 5 Burpees
                - Continue for 3-5 rounds

        - Stationary Bike Intervals
                - Bike at a moderate pace for 1 minute and then go for a full sprint for 20 - 30 seconds
                - Alternate till you reach 10-15 minutes

* Perform these high intensity sessions right after your weight training or as a separate session completely, 2-4 hours apart.

- Brig Van Etten CSCS-

Start Juicing!

It is always fun to talk about things that can get us stronger, such as; a solid strength program, protein and quality fish oil. However, in order to get stronger & fitter we need to create a healthy environment within our bodies.

There is almost no better way to create this environment then by ingesting organic, nutrient dense vegetables. In the proceeding paragraphs we'll cover how to get the most out of your vegetables (literally) by using a juicer!

Vegetables provide the body with a whole host of vitamins, minerals and fiber. The issue is, when we consume vegetables in their raw form, we do not receive all the great nutrients they can provide. This problem occurs because all the good stuff in vegetables is deeply embedded in a complex mass of fiber called cellulose. Cellulose if very difficult for the body to digest and usually results in stomach discomfort (gas, bloating, nausea). With the stomach in this state, optimal absorption cannot take place.

This is where juicing comes into play! When vegetables are pushed into the juicer, they are ground up; pulverizing the tough thick fiber and ultimately releasing the valuable nutrients in liquid form. With the fiber almost eliminated, the breakdown process can be skipped and absorption can occur at a much more proficient rate, while preserving gut health.

The reason that fruits are not included is because without fiber fruit juice is like taking a shot of sugar! It is also wise to juice fruits and veggies separate because they require different enzymes to digest, possibly compromising gut health. The only exception is apples, the green ones are great because of their sweet flavor. Happy juicing!

* One of my favorite recipes to get you started!
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 green apple
- 1 chunk of ginger root
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 kale leaves
- 1/2 cucumber
- 2 large carrots

* Here is a short list of juicers that get the job done! Remember the better your juicer is, the more nutrients it will provide!

- Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer
- Breville Juicers
- Omega Nutrition Center Juicers

-Brig Van Etten, CSCS-

Miracle Supplement?

Many individuals have begun to understand the importance of a healthy diet and how it can help with body composition and improved performance. However, not everyone has tapped into the benefits of adding supplements to a well rounded diet. There are millions of supplements out there right now, which makes it hard to pick the ones that actually work! To be honest, there are only a handful of supplements that are worth buying, one being fish oil.

Fish oil contains omega 3's which when consumed supplies our bodies with Omega 3's EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids). The only other way we can obtain EFA's is if we decide to eat LOTS of nuts & certain kinds fish products.

Probably everyone reading this letter has at one time or another been told the benefits of fish oil/omega 3's, whether the information has come from a friend or your local physician. Just as a reminder though, below is a semi - short list of positives;

- Reduces inflammation
- Lowers the chances of developing a heart attack or stroke
- Improves asthma symptoms
- Increased focus in the weight room
- Reduction in stress levels
- Maintains joint and cartilage health
- Improves energy levels
- Reduces risks of blood clots
- Aid in muscle building FAT LOSS

Reading through the above list probably makes fish oil sound like a miracle supplement! Funny thing is, many health enthusiasts & fitness experts have called it just that! However, do not expect to just start taking fish oil & magically see all your issues disappear. Supplements are just what the name implies, they supplement your diet. It all begins with well structured diet & a sound fitness plan!

* Here are a few brands that Josh and I have experimented with over the years:
- Barleans Fish Oil (Liquid or Capsules)
- Twinlab Cod Liver Oil
- Puritans Pride Natural Flaxseed & Cod Liver Oil
- Stronger Faster Healthier Fish Oil

-Brig Van Etten CSCS-