FitGreyStrong specialises in the research, design and implementation of exercise-based programs that are specifically aimed to alter the trajectory of accelerated ageing caused by the sedentary lifestyles and poor nutritional practices of many older people.
As many of you would appreciate, deterioration in mental and physical function across the lifespan is an inevitable consequence of the human condition. On a global scale there will be more than 2 billion people aged over 60 yr by 2050; a doubling in little under 40 years. Such a radical change in demographics will pose significant health care challenges across the globe and have profound social, economic and political impacts on many aspects of life. Whilst sarcopenia and changes in musculoskeletal morphology have been shown to be predictive of, and correlated to, morbidity and premature death, it is the accompanying dynapenia where there is disproportionately greater loss of strength relative to muscle mass that is significantly more sensitive in predicting predisposition to disability, poor health outcomes and risk of mortality. However, reductions in skeletal muscle mass, strength and physical function in older adults, and the considerable negative effects that these changes have on quality of life and the ability to effectively carry out activities of daily living are all amenable. With the right dose and type of exercise all these things can be dramatically improved.
The live webinar titled “Why the strengthification of Generation X and Baby Boomers is the greatest health challenge of the 21st century” is scheduled to take place Tuesday 5th June 6.30-7.30 pm AEST (GMT+10:00). If you are interested in attending please register at fitgreystrong@outlook.com
The URL of the live webinar recording can be found here
or ⇓⇓
Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.
Researchconducted recently and published in the journal Medicineshowed that something amazing happens when you put intense mental effort into thinking or imaging you are lifting or moving with maximal exertion. Muscular strength can increase substantially and can match gains in strength made through more traditional intensive resistance training. What researchers discovered was that:
“strength of elbow flexor muscles, a frequently used large upper extremity muscle group during daily living, can be significantly improved by training of high motor effort combined with low-intensity muscle contraction in older adults, and the strength increase accompanied central signal augmentation that suggests an enhancement of descending command that was thought to have improved motor unit recruitment and activation leading to greater force production without changes in muscle morphology.”
Simple put, the strength of the elbow flexors – or colloquially known as “your guns” – were substantially increased in older adults after flexing the right elbow joint at minimal force whilst simultaneously mentally urging the forearm to pull upwards maximally. This type of ‘exercise’ is known as motor effort training or MET.
Title Page
Trial summary: Training involved contracting the arm flexors at 30% of maximal effort while at the same time mentally urging the forearm to pull upward (elbow flexion) maximally for 5 seconds followed by 5 second of rest; this was repeated 25 times. Following a 2 minute rest this was repeated again. Training lasted for 12 weeks with 5 training session per week. This training protocol was compared to traditional strength training where participants performed 50 trials of isometric right elbow flexion at 80% of maximum force for 5 seconds in each training session; 60 session were completed. Training sessions, trials and trial duration were the same between groups. The intensity of the traditional strength training group was adjusted every 2 weeks based on subjects’ newer maximum strength attained as participants adapted to the training.
Strength gain over 12 weeks
The current study is the first to show MET-induced strength gains in older adults with the improvements achieved statistically non-significant to traditional strength training. Strength improvements attained via MET appear to be modulated by an enhanced capacity to generate neurological drive from the motor cortex that then increases recruitment of motor units. What is particularly attractive about MET for older weak or frail adults is that it reduces problems and the risk of injury associated with performing conventional high-intensity strength training.
The authors conclude:
“The finding that the difference in strength increases between the MET and CST (traditional strength training) groups was statistically insignificant argues that training of motor imagery combined with low-intensity muscle exercise is a safe and effective method for muscle strengthening for vulnerable populations such as frail older individuals.”
Large increases in motor activity-related cortical potential
For local Townsville residents interested in FitGreyStrong’s Exercise Physiology services or exercise programs designed to improve health, physical function and quality of life or to enhance athletic performance, contact FitGreyStrong@outlook.com or phone 0499 846 955 for a confidential discussion.
For other Australian residents or oversees readers interested in our services, please see here.
Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.
Last October l presented at the Ancestral Health Society of New Zealand (AHSNZ) International symposium with the title of my talk: “Why the “strengthification” of Gen X’ers & Baby Boomers is the greatest health challenge of the 21st century”.
In this session I discussed a number of things in relation to ageing and the dynapenic/sarcopenic neuromuscular-related changes that occur. I explored how resistance training can potentially alter this trajectory, and reverse in some cases, this weakening process that occurs across the lifespan.
Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.
Since the publication of the first FitGreyStrong blog ‘Sitting yourself into your grave‘ just over 2 years ago (click on the link or see the picture below), there have been a significant number of milestones and achievements that I would like to share with all of my followers.
The last 2 years have been very busy and productive. There have been several scientific critiques and analyses published as well as many blogs. These have been specifically directed at those amongst us who identify as Gen X or Baby Boomers and have primarily focused on health, fitness and nutrition-related topics or issues. The following provides a summary of the FitGreyStrong journey:
Including the globally popular 10,000 word commentary on how diet affects energy expenditure and weight loss (see hereand here)
How resistance training can affect the course of ageing (see here)
The perennial favourite “12 Reasons Why All Older Adults Need To Hit The Gym” (see here)
Nearly 1000 followers on Twitter and close to 8000 tweets
Over 800 Facebook posts
Close to 400 Instagram posts and;
110 YouTube video’s
There have been some very popular FitGreyStrong blogs/posts/tweets/videos and I have listed a short assortment of these below.
Most popular blog
The most widely read blog with readers from over 20 countries investigates how strength training can alter the trajectory of ageing and reviews the seminal work of Maria Fiatarone and colleagues back in 1990 (see here).
Most popular Facebook posts
The top 3 most popular Facebook posts were:
The sitting-rising test (SRT) that showed that the ability to sit down and stand back up again in a cross-legged position could predict the likelihood or risk of dying in the next 6 years. There have been over 100,000 views, 17 shares, 92 likes/loves and many comments (see here).
Modifying the Thomas test for one of the best stretches for the quadriceps, iliacus & psoas major (iliopsoas). A great way to improve flexibility of these muscles and improve hip extension ROM. There were over 1,000 views, 5 shares, 26 likes/loves and comments (see here).
The study was undertaken to elucidate the range of training-induced neuromuscular adaptations in elderly humans recovering from a period of disuse. It examined the effect of three types of training regimes after unilateral (one-leg) prolonged disuse and subsequent hip-replacement surgery on maximal muscle strength, rapid muscle force rate of force development, muscle activation, and muscle size. The popularity of the post was generated by the muscle scans of the thigh showing just how powerful resistance training is at inducing change in muscle structure and function. There were approximately 5000 views, 6 shares and 22 likes. It was also widely shared on other Facebook pages (see here).
Most popular Tweets
The top 3 most popular Tweets were:
Age-related dynapenia is weakly related to sarcopenia and is why we must look beyond just muscle mass (see here).
Motor effort training and low exercise intensity increases muscle strength and descending command in aging (see here).
Counter to the energy surfeit model of obesity increasing energy expenditure may be better for decreasing percentage body fat than caloric restriction (see here).
Late last year the international journal, Clinical Nutrition, published a FitGreyStrong critique of: Thomson et al. (2016) Muscle strength gains during resistance exercise training are attenuated with soy compared with dairy or usual protein intake in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Clinical Nutrition. 35: 27-33 thus demonstrating that Exercise Scientists practising outside of academia have relevant and valid things to say about clinical research being conducted around the world.
Clinical Nutrition publication
The highlight of 2017, however, was being given the opportunity to present “Why the ‘strengthification’ of Gen X’ers & Baby Boomers is the greatest health challenge of the 21st century“ at the Ancestral Health Society of New Zealand conference in Queenstown in October where I postulated that muscular strength lies at the foundation of health, quality of life and functionality. The slide deck of this presentation can be viewed (by request only), so please either send me an email or use the contact form on the home page.
Presenting at the Ancestral Health Society of New Zealand
The future holds some exciting and challenging projects ahead so watch this space. Currently, FitGreyStrong is working on a journal editorial with some other researchers from around the world which will investigate and report on the importance of resistance training in older adults and the augmentative effects and safety of nutritional/drug supplementation.
Finally, I would like to express a big thank you to all those that have embraced FitGreyStrong and I hope to continue to bring quality information to all those Gen X’ers and Baby Boomers interested in advancing their health, quality of life and functionality.
Please share with those family and friends that are interested in ageing, health, exercise and wellness. The social media icons below will link it straight to your preferred platform.
Disclaimer: All contents of the FitGreyStrong website/blog are provided for information and education purposes only. Those interested in making changes to their exercise, lifestyle, dietary, supplement or medication regimens should consult a relevantly qualified and competent health care professional. Those who decide to apply or implement any of the information, advice, and/or recommendations on this website do so knowingly and at their own risk. The owner and any contributors to this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any harm caused, real or imagined, from the use or distribution of information found at FitGreyStrong. Please leave this site immediately if you, the reader, find any of these conditions not acceptable.
