XGym

We at the X Gym pride ourselves in minimizing time spent in the weight room while still surpassing the results of traditional resistance training. More evidence recently published (in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research) confirm that shorter amounts of rest given between exercises and/or repetitions matches, and in most cases surpasses, the results (muscle gain) of longer amounts of rest and recovery during resistance training—thus decreasing the amount of actual time spent in the gym. The presence of serum growth hormone was greater in the individuals in this study who rested less in between sets than those who rested longer, resulting in equal or great muscle gain in less gym time. Once again, the X Gym philosophy is confirmed by the latest research, saving you valuable time.

Idaho Food Bank Foodraiser

Come out, have a drink, and support the hungry.

XGym Boot Camp to benefit Hati

Come out, shed some fat, and show your support for Haiti!

Acid Rocks

Think of everything you’ve ever, ever thought about lactic acid. Now, throw it out the window. Actually, only some of it. But to find out what parts of it, read on…

Lactic acid is completely malignant. In fact, recent research has shown that our muscles create it intentionally. We actually use it as a fuel source. Some of the recent research actually believes it to be the preferred fuel source for our muscles, but the jury is still out on those details. So, why is it bad, then? Part of what we believed to be true before, still is. Too much lactic acid is bad. An accumulation will give you the “burn” you’re used to when you perform intense exercises.

What does this mean, then? In a nutshell, lactic acid is a great source of fuel that our bodies create, but can be detrimental to performance if levels get too high. But, like almost anything in life, you can get good at what you practice. It’s called the SAID principle: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands. In other words, your body will start to change for the better, according to what you tell it to do. Since lactic acid is only created when we exercise, exercising is the only way we can “practice” utilizing lactic acid. The harder we go, the more lactic acid we’ll produce, thus forcing our bodies to become more proficient at using it.

This knowledge can also be applied during interval workouts. Instead of completely stopping between hard bouts, try walking, slowly jogging (or the equivalent to your given piece of exercise equipment). This will use some of the lactic acid that has been produced during the hard bouts, thus help keep its levels at bay.

You should go for the burn when you workout, so you improve the way your muscles tolerate it and to teach them to use it as well. The burn is your friend! The more it burns, the faster you are conditioning that muscle for the most rapid results possible. You will also burn more fat after exercise as your muscles respond with metabolic, chemical and hormonal changes to adapt, change and get stronger.

Look for Dr. George Brooks to continue studies on lactic acid for more updates in science.

Endurance

by Jamie V.

Training to build cardiovascular endurance can be a complicated endeavor. Knowing how long and at when intensity to maintain during a workout can be difficult to decipher, especially for beginners. Knowing that building endurance can be done a variety of ways will help hasten results and increase endurance capacity. A recent study on the Training Effects on Endurance Capacity (Comparison Between Continuous and Interval Training) found a strong positive correlation between interval training and endurance capacity in comparison to continuous training (increasing the intensity of a cardiovascular workout until exhaustion). After 15 weeks of training (3x/week), subjects training with intervals (10s. on and 20s. off x10 sets) showed a greater increase in endurance capacity versus those who did continuous training (working incrementally till exhaustion). In a short amount of time, the results were great…true X Gym style!

Feeling Better

by Mike G.

If you’ve ever felt better after a workout, congratulations, you’re human. Part of being human is experiencing a mood lift after exercise, mainly caused by neurogenesis and the release of endorphins. Often, studies of these occurrences and their relation to exercise are examined through running or some type of cardiovascular training (as opposed to simply lifting weights), but a recent study has revealed that resistance training can improve your mood too. Conducted by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, the researchers used the Subjective Exercise Experience Scale in order to survey the subjects’ self-perception of well being and attitude. Women, especially, were found to have a significant increase in positive well-being after one, single, bout of weight exercises, meaning that the affects were immediate. What does this mean? If you want to feel good, put down the drugs, and pick up the weights!

JSCR, Vol 3, Number 9

Take It Easy

By Jamie Valentine

The best part about making the decision to live a healthy lifestyle, is that there are often small and easy steps than can be taken to do so. With so many things to regulate, count, and watch when it comes to balanced nutrition, the more easy tricks and tips we can implement, the better. The American Heart Association's recent urge to the public to cut back on sugar intake is one of those quick tips that is not only easy to follow, but has lasting health benefits. The AHA recommends that adult women consume no more than 6 teaspoons (100kcal) and men no more than 9 teaspoons (150kcal) of sugar daily. Yet the average American consumes about 22 teaspoons of added sugars on a daily basis (naturally found sugars don't count...this stat talks about those sugars above and beyond those found naturally in foods). One of the most common forms of added sugar is through soft drinks or fruit juices (like lemonade, etc). It is easy to forget about the added sugar when it comes in liquid form, but the amount that we are actually consuming can be extremely high. Kicking soda or juice habits is a quick way to decrease added sugar intake--Drink water instead! Sugar plays a major role in the obesity epidemic and taking small steps to cut it out our diet can have multiple positive repercussions.