One of the most difficult things associated with achieving your goals, is how to properly measure them.

We have scales. . .

It’s not difficult in the way that you may be thinking.  Let’s take the scale for example.  The scale tells you your weight, and nothing more.  It doesn’t distinguish between fat or muscle, and certainly can’t tell you if you’ve lose some fat while gaining an amount of muscle–  It just tells you a number that too many people put too much stock in.

Pictured: ‘The Enemy,’ to most people.

What about circumference measurements?

A tape measure can work well as well, but just like the scale, may not always be telling the truth (read: Not always your friend).  The problem with relying purely on these measurements is that the tape measure doesn’t know if you’re bloated.  Likewise, the tape measure is just as dumb as the scale in that it can’t tell the difference between different types of body mass.

What about X?

Unless you pay for really expensive testing, there will probably be an issue with the method of testing you bring up, and paying for really expensive tests every week or two is not practical.

So what do I do then?

Many trainers opt for the “Mirror Test,” and I’m definitely an advocate of this, as well!  Here’s how simple it is:

1. Stand in the mirror.
2. Observe.
3. Ask yourself, “How do I look in the mirror?”
4. Do you like the changes you’re seeing?  Assess.

Most people can’t really notice these changes since they see their bodies every day, and in that case, you can do the “Modified Mirror Test:”  Take some pictures regularly, and compare these.  What has the result been?  Sure, you can use the scale to get a very general idea of where you’re headed, but you must put very little stock in that number.  If you’re looking better, but weighing more, this is just as good as looking better but weighing less;  both are positive benefits, and you should not let that number on the scale hurt you!  It’s only a number!

Except three. It really is a monster.

The Mirror Test may not be scientific, but the end result of most plans should be achieving a sort of aesthetic, whether it’s an extreme case like bodybuilding, to someone overweight who wants to be healthier, or someone who simply wants to “tone up;” the mirror test will tell you all that you need to know, and is fantastic for your sanity!

Filed under: Body Building, Fitness, Health, Motivation by Gabriel DeVine
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Must be.

We’ve been working very hard on finishing up the website, and eventually I had to write some content that dealt with the results that can be achieved through personal training, or being prescribed a workout plan / nutrition plan.  When it comes down to it, I had to admit that I can’t guarantee anyone results.

The truth is, any trainer that “guarantees” success is doing something wrong.

How can you say that!?

Here’s what I ended up writing, and it is definitely true:  “Understand that results are not guaranteed–  All goals achieved are the product of four things: A solid plan, a committed trainee, dedication, and self control.  I am only providing you with the first item–  You have to bring the rest.”

You must have a solid plan in place based around tried and true principles, which is what I’m here for.  On top of that, you have to be committed to your goals–  Make S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) and commit to them.  You must be dedicated to your success.  More than anything, though, you must have self control.

Can you say I’m wrong?  As a trainer, I’m not the one cooking your meals.  As a trainer, I’m not the one whose goals are on the line.  As a trainer, I’m not there to remind you about your calories and macros.  As a trainer, I can’t guarantee you’ll do everything I recommend.

Can you be my “Personal Nanny”?

When it comes down to it, I’m your personal trainer.  I’m in charge of creating a solid plan, and taking all of the guess work out of your training and nutrition.  If you come to the table committed, dedicated, and willing to exert self control, we can achieve anything together.

Filed under: Body Building, Fitness, Health, Motivation, Nutrition by Gabriel DeVine
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I follow a dessert brand on facebook, and they posted a motivational picture yesterday that drew a lot of criticism:

The criticism?

• Looking like the woman in this pic is likely just as unrealistic as looking like a swimsuit model, so in that sense it can be damaging
• Those women have trained for YEARS for hours at a time not having to worry about jobs and work because modeling IS their career. They generally don’t have children so most likely can do cardio when it’s required and don’t have little ones sucking the energy out of them and in addition the majority NEVER use the supplements they represent. They use clenbuterol, dnp and other injectable “supplements”

(I was originally going to paraphrase the comments, but since I’m not mentioning names, nor which page these appeared on, I posted them verbatim.)

That’s true, right?  That’s unrealistic!

There’s a movement on Tumblr, and Pinterest called “Thinspiration.”  This is the idea that you should do unhealthy things to look unhealthily thin.  While I wouldn’t call the movement “unrealistic” as there are real, living people doing those terrible things. . .  I would call it damaging, unhealthy, and dangerous.

The thing is, the picture above is not a “Thinspiration” picture.  “Thinspiration” tells you to not workout because your legs will become muscular and you may lose out on a “thigh gap.”  “Thinspiration” tells you to follow unsound, and unhealthy nutritional advice to lose weight.

That picture is still an unrealistic body type!

No.  We’re not discussing a plastic doll, or an overly photo-shopped billboard.  We’re discussing a fitness model that has achieved those results.  It’s not unrealistic because someone, in reality, has gotten there.  She has a fit body from her training.

This is all a part of a much larger problem known as “fit shaming.”  It’s unacceptable to comment on an overweight person’s health or weight, but it’s okay to tear someone down for being in shape.  It’s a horrible double standard, and it’s harmful to many people on many levels.  (That is the subject of a much longer post one day.)

But it’s unrealistic for me!

Things are only “unrealistic” when you don’t work toward them.  While there are some people that are genetically gifted, that doesn’t mean they don’t have to work for they want;  In a similar fashion, just because you weren’t blessed with genetics doesn’t mean you can’t achieve what you want.  Genetics tells us only two things:  What you can’t do, and how difficult your journey will be.  What can’t you change?  Bone structure.  If you have a wide pelvic girdle that leads to “wide set hips,” you can’t change that.  What else can’t you change?  Muscle bellies.  “Full muscle bellies” are much sought after in competitive bodybuilding and are totally dictated by genetics; unless you’re planning to compete, this means nothing to you.

You said “How difficult your journey will be”?

We’ve discussed “Somatypes” before, and while they’re a controversial topic, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest they’re very real.  There are people who are naturally small;  people that are naturally more fit;  and of course, there are people that are naturally larger / fatter.  No matter what somatype you are, you can achieve your goals if you follow a proper nutrition and training program–  While you may be genetically predisposed to be fatter (like I am), that doesn’t mean you can’t have a shredded physique one day.

She’s still using “Injectable ‘supplements'”

That’s a cop out.  You don’t know that, and it’s rude to assume that someone who has a nice physique is using PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs) to get there.  You’re looking at someone you know nothing about, and are effectively calling them a liar, unethical, and in some circles, a cheater.  Sure, many use PEDs, but just as many don’t.  Just because someone how what you want doesn’t mean you should tear them down.

That’s great and all, but I’m too busy.

I always find this argument interesting, because for a long time, I was working between 50 – 60 hours a week at normal jobs, while also working toward my career in the entertainment industry, and trying to maintain a little bit of a life outside of work.  I still made time to prepare all of my food, eat clean, and train 5 times a week.  Why?  Because it’s important to me, and I will achieve my goals.  If you want it badly enough, you will make the time to do so.  I’ve heard of a lot of people discuss how they have no time to get in shape, yet they have plenty of time for partying, blazing through seasons of TV shows, and much more.  If you want it badly enough, you will decide to change your lifestyle.

As far as the argument that this is their job (on the subject of fitness models), you’re right.  It is, now.  It wasn’t, though, when they had to work their hardest to get in shape.  Maintaining a body type is a lot easier than achieving one, but no modeling agency wants a fitness model that is still bulking, or still cutting–  They want one that will sell.  So that model, the one whose work you’re devaluing, had to juggle a job to pay the bills, while preparing food, while training 5 days a week to get to the point where she could make this her job.

It all boils down to motivation.  How badly do you want it?

Filed under: Fitness, Health, Motivation by Gabriel DeVine
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It’s not the only reason. . .

Last week, I discussed how I went from following a ketogenic nutrition plan to eating what could best be described as “normal.”  My only goals for nutrition are to stay within my calories / macros, and eat as clean as possible.  Right now, I’m bulking, which means a lot of food over the course of the day.  So what does this look like?

Breakfast:

Italian Sausage with 3 whole large eggs and 3 large egg whites.  451 calories; 2g carbs; 30g fat; 43g protein.
1/2 Cup of Orange Juice. 55 calories; 14g carbs; 1g protein.

Pre Workout Meal:

Smoothie, which consists of : 152g Banana, 40g Spinach, 100g Broccoli, 140g Blueberries, 184g Strawberries, and 6g Fiber Supplement.  341 calories; 82g carbs; 10g protein.
112g Ground Beef with 350g Russet Potato and 1 tsp Olive Oil.  628 calories; 63g carbs; 30g fat; 27g protein.
56g of Granola with 1/4 Cup of Whole Milk: 293 calories; 43g carbs; 11g fat; 7g protein.

Post Workout Meal:

My Standard Post Workout Shake: 42g Honey, 4g Cocoa Powder, 32g Protein Powder, 40g Oatmeal, 16g Carbomax, 164g Banana, and Water.  622 calories; 119g carbs; 5g fat; 33g protein.

Dinner:

266g Chicken with Soy Sauce, 4g Butter, and 42g White Rice.  439 calories; 34g carbs; 7g fat; 62g protein.
108g Vanilla Ice Cream.  280 calories; 23g carbs; 19g fat; 5g protein.

Late Snack:

118g Low Fat Cottage Cheese with 16g Multigrain Chips. 169 calories; 16g carbs; 6g fat; 12g protein.

So where does that bring me?  3,306 calories; 394g carbs; 111g fat; 200g protein, which is pretty close to my calorie and macro goals.  I’m adjusting these weekly as my needs will gradually rise as I gain weight.

Filed under: Body Building, Nutrition by Gabriel DeVine
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Disclaimer:  If you’re happy with your keto diet, I’m not here to convert you over to eating carbs–  Merely here to help inform.

I used to follow a ketogenic nutrition plan–  I did carb cycling as a way to try and burn fat faster.  I would eat “No Carb” on my non training days (Less than 30g net carbs), and then on training days, I would indulge in carbs only after my workout.

I then started learning about how that’s not very effective for my goals, so I tweaked my plan to where I eat a small amount of carbs pre workout, a lot post workout, and none otherwise.  I thought this would be great.

Luckily, I never stop researching exercise, nutrition, and physiology, and have since learned that none of that was necessary.  I then switched over to eating a lot of carbohydrates daily, and started measuring all of my food using metric measurements–  In the 1.5 months that I did that, I saw more progress in my quest to lean out than the previous 4 months combined.

I’ll pass.

How can this be!?

When it comes down to it, eating a ketogenic diet to lose fat is not necessary.  While it’s true that it may slightly accelerate the fat burning process, it can also lead to muscle wasting, which is far from our desired result.  Muscle creates muscle definition (“tone,” if you will), so it’s more important to keep that and lose fat slower than to potentially lose some hard earned muscle.

“That’s great, but the guy at the gym says–“

It would take about 1,500 words to properly explain why a ketogenic diet is not necessary, and carbs are more important.  Bear with me while I try and sum it up in this post:

Proponents of ketogenic diets claim that the diet will turn your body into a “fat burning machine.”  The problem with that?  Your body is already a fat burning machine.  Unless you’re engaged in an anaerobic activity (Sprinting, lifting weights, etc.), your body will utilize an oxidative (aerobic) process for energy metabolism, and the process that yields the most ATP (muscular energy) per gram of substrate is “beta-oxidation,” a lipolytic (fat burning) process.  Almost your entire day, unless you’re exerting yourself, or have elevated insulin levels from a meal digestion, is spent burning fat for fuel.  That sounds like all the fat burning I need!

“But Insulin is the ENEMY!”

While it’s true that lipolytic processes are halted (or slowed) when insulin is circulating, that doesn’t mean that you will get fat, and it doesn’t necessary say that you will automatically store more fat that day.  As I mentioned before, the amount of time you spend aerobically metabolizing energy will outweigh the amount of time your body can’t, or won’t burn your stores of body fat.  It’s also worth noting that, while digesting carbs may turn off lipolysis, it also turns on glycolysis, a glucose (carb) burning  metabolic pathway.  The result of which is less carbohydrates to be converted and stored as fat when your glycogen stores are full and your activity / digestion is through.

Also keep in mind that insulin is anabolic, meaning you need it to gain muscle mass.

The Bottom Line.

Remember that fat loss is a numbers game.  While nutrition and clean eating are high on my priority list (and I feel it should be high on your list too), if you consume less calories than you use, and have a healthy thyroid, you will lose fat.

“I’m sticking with Keto Dieting.”

That’s fine.  Here are some things to consider though:  Dietary Fat has the lowest “Thermic Effect;” that is, it is digested the easiest, with the fewest amount of calories burned from the digestive process.  For this reason, your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) will actually be lower than someone consuming carbohydrates, and you should take this into account when figuring out your caloric needs.  The Thermic Effect can account for up to 10% of your RMR.

Realize that carbohydrates are muscle sparing, and fat is not.  If your body needs more carbohydrates to perform a task, it will take from circulating blood glucose or stored glycogen.  If it can’t find any here, it will turn to protein stores (muscle)–  Amino Acids will be deaminated, and the left over carbon will be converted to glucose.  If you have no stored glycogen to begin with, and haven’t consumed carbs pre workout, then your body will likely turn to this process (Termed “Gluconeogenesis”) sooner.

Finally, when switching over to a ketogenic diet, you will likely notice a drastic decrease in weight, and possibly even a “leaning out” effect when you first start the diet.  This is side effect of the lack of carbohydrates that many people mistake for real progress.  What happens?  Your body can’t store nearly the amount of glycogen as it could before (as the carbs aren’t there), and glycogen tends to retain a lot of water.  Your body ends up having less immediate fuel on hand, and is not as hydrated as it normally is, leading to a reduction in weight.

Okay.  So how do you setup your macros?

Scientific research supports between 0.6g / lb. and 0.8g / lb. of body weight for protein, which is the most important macronutrient.  For myself, I actually go slightly above this (Between 0.8g / lb. and 1g / lb.), and follow something closer to the bodybuilder recommendation of 1g / lb. of body weight.  From there, I figure out what percentage of my macros protein makes up–  Currently, that would be 22% – 26%.  From there, I figure out how much fat I want to consume.

“How much fat should I consume?”

The accepted appropriate range is 20% – 35%;  20% – 25% is advised for athletes.  I follow 20 – 33% for myself, as I tend to eat a lot of eggs and nuts.  From there, I use the remaining percentages for carbs by adding my fat and protein ranges together.

What it looks like:

This week: 3020 calories target; 165g – 200g protein; 67g – 111g fat; 306g – 411g carbohydrates.

That was quick.

Thanks for sticking with me.  I tried to sum up an entire subject of bioenergetics in less than 1,000 words (For the record: 971), and while it may be a little lean, it seemed to work.  If you have any questions, feel free to comment or Email!  Next week, I’ll post a nutritional snapshot so you can see what a clean bulk, with plenty of carbs, looks like!

Sources, Links, and More Reading

Filed under: Body Building, Nutrition by Gabriel DeVine
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It’s fall, and that means that most people will be starting up their bulking cycles–  I know I will be soon.  Why fall, though, and why bulk at all?  Well, to start, physique competitions take place in the spring, summer, and early fall, so you use fall and winter to bulk, and spring to cut down.

Great, but why bulk?

Bulking is an opportunity to add muscle mass, which is what will provide your body with muscle tone when you lose body fat.  Also, you can bulk if you want to increase strength and body mass, which have many benefits, including increased metabolic rate, and increased performance.  It’s not just for men, either–  Both men and women can benefit from a bulking cycle, whether short or long.  It’s very easy to make mistakes while bulking, though, and here are some helpful tips to help keep you on track!

Tip #1:  Keep your calories in check.

It’s very easy to say, “I’m bulking” while you scarf down pizzas and milkshakes.  However, many organizations recommend an increase of just 200 to 300 calories above maintenance requirements per day to bulk.  Bodybuilding lore says 500 calories above maintenance so you gain a pound per week.  Either way, bulking is not an excuse to eat whatever you want–  It’s almost a guarantee that you will gain fat while bulking, but eating an excessive amount of calories will increase the amount of body fat you accumulate, which will make your cutting cycle more difficult.  Aim to eat between 200 and 500 calories above maintenance, and stick to it!  If one day you end up going crazy, that’s fine–  It’s just a day.  Try not to make a habit of it, though, or you may be angry about it down the road. . .

Tip #2:  Focus on compound movements.

Work efficiently in the gym.  The big compound movements are fantastic for mass building, and they’re also good at training multiple muscles at once–  Why do triceps press, pectoral flyes, and dumbbell front raise, when you can just do the bench press?  If you spend all of your time doing isolation work, you run the risk of your training sessions stretching out way too long, which could lead to muscle catabolism, which is the exact opposite of what you want during a bulking cycle.

Tip #3:  Adjust your calories as you go.

Remember that as you gain muscle, your caloric needs will increase.  Be sure to weigh yourself regularly, measure body fat regularly, and adjust your calorie and macro nutrients accordingly.  This is especially important if you only eat moderately above maintenance, instead of the 500 or more calories above.

Tip #4:  Keep a workout journal.

While increasing the resistance / load isn’t the only way to increase muscle mass, it is an important factor.  Keep a workout journal as you exercise so that you can track how many reps at what resistance you’re doing.  If you repped out last time you did Squats at 185 lbs., it’s time to add weight.  Without a workout journal, it’s very easy to not know how much weight you did last time.  You can also use this to keep track of how you felt during certain exercises, different settings you used on selectorized machines, and much more.  While we’re at it. . .

Tip #5:  Don’t go to the gym to “workout.”  Go to “train.”

What’s the difference between working out and training?  If you workout, you spend just as much time chatting as you do lifting.  If you workout, you saunter around doing whatever exercise you think feels like a good idea.  If you workout, you may or may not warmup.  If you workout, you do 3 sets of 10 on everything.

If you train, you’re going to go into the gym with a plan.  You will warm up, and will have clear goals.  You will monitor your rest periods, know what weight you should be lifting, and and will track your progress.  You will know how many sets you plan on doing, what rep scheme you should be doing, and will train to failure (or near to it) rather than reach an arbitrary number and call it a day.  You will remain focused.

Training is effective.  Working out is a chore.

Filed under: Body Building, Fitness, Nutrition by Gabriel DeVine
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There’s often a lot of talk about my eating habits when we go out, because I’m cutting–  I’m eating at a deficit, and am being very careful so I can lose fat.  It’s not the easiest thing to do, especially while maintaining a social life, but it’s not impossible.  Often times, during these conversations, people bring up the person they know that is ripped but doesn’t have to worry about what they eat.

Body type and genetics aside, they’re already where they want to be.  Their caloric needs are at least 500 calories higher than mine, if not more.

How do you know their needs are higher?

If they’re not cutting, then they’re either eating to maintain where they are, or to gain weight, which by default, makes their calorie needs higher than me.  For example, my Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is 2850 calories–  To maintain my weight, I would be consuming 2850 calories;  to bulk up, I would eat between 3150 and 3350 (or more);  to cut down, I currently eat 2350.

To some people, that may sound like a lot, and comparatively speaking, it is.  (For example, Alissa’s calorie goals to cut are around 1800)  A quick look at how many calories are in a typical restaurant meal can reveal just how little 2350 calories is.  If I know I’m going out to dinner, I usually have to allot myself 1000 calories for the meal, and I don’t even drink.

One of the lowest calorie options on the menu– “Naked” Tenders and fries. Over 700 calories.

So just go crazy once in a while!

It’s not that easy.  While cheat meals are allowed, and necessary, you have to look at how consistent deviations can affect progress.  If you eat at maintenance, that means no fat was lost that day–  However, if you eat above maintenance, that means there’s potential for you to gain weight, thus setting you back on your path toward the goal.

Why do you bring this up?

Most people recommend bulking before cutting if you’re starting out.  I’m more inclined to recommend the opposite, which a minority of physique coaches and trainers recommend.  Cutting down isn’t easy, and the less time you have to spend doing so, the better.

Also, just keep that in mind if you’re out to dinner with someone who’s cutting.

Filed under: Body Building, Health, Nutrition by Gabriel DeVine
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I’m a big proponent of measuring everything you eat–  A lot of people think it’s annoying, but once you get the hang of it, there’s not a whole lot to it.  What’s more, once you start to understand the amount of calories in food, you find it difficult to not measure food.  More importantly, though, unless you measure what you’re eating, you have no idea how many calories you’re consuming, which is the most important thing to track.

Well I Measure!

Here’s an important note, though. . .  How do you measure your food?  I live in the U.S., so naturally, I would use Imperial measurements like ounces, or just the recommended serving size.  Then, I looked at the back of a bag of clean tortilla chips, and noticed that the recommended serving size was “9 chips.”  What?  9 chips!?  What size of chips are we talking about here?

Then I looked at the serving size on a bottle of Wazy Maize (A carbohydrate supplement), and I got this:  “1 Heaping Scoop.”  My heaping scoop may be way different than everyone else’s heaping scoop, so what does that mean!?

Basically, if you go by most recommendations, you’ll be lost.  If you’re doing that much and are happy there, at least you’re counting!  For someone like me, though, I have this urge to know exactly how many calories I’m consuming.

How can I be more precise?

The recommended serving size can come in one of two ways:  An imperial measurement, or as an amount of product.  Beside their recommendation is the actual weight of the serving, displayed in the highly accurate metric measurement of grams.  For an example, we’re going to look at a box of organic granola.  The serving size is 3 / 4 C, or 55g;  each serving contains 250 calories.  That’s a lot of calories in a relatively small amount of food, which means big variances in measurements equate to big differences in calories.  So here’s what 3/4 C looks like:

Three Quarter Cups.

Here’s what 56g looks like (My scale doesn’t do odd numbers, so I have to add 1g to the serving size):

56 grams.

Maybe that’s not a good comparison–  They look nearly identical.  Let’s compare the measurement on the scale.  On the top we have our Imperial measurement (3 / 4 C), and on the bottom we have measured it out in grams:

Almost a serving difference.

It’s amazing the difference when you’re accurately measuring.  For the record, by using the imperial measurement and not the metric, I was consuming an additional 181 calories.  That means that I thought I was eating 500 calories below maintenance, but it was closer to only 300 below.

My Recommendation

I’ve started transitioning over to measuring everything in grams.  I’ve been on a cutting cycle for some time now, and have been wondering why I haven’t been losing fat at the rate I should be.  This is probably a large part of the reason, if not all of it–  I eat granola nearly every day, and maintain a 500 calorie deficit.  Without knowing it, I was really only eating 319 calories below maintenance–  And that’s only one food I’ve looked at.  Now it makes sense why I wasn’t losing a pound of fat a week.

If you want to be as precise as possible, use the metric system.

Filed under: Health, Nutrition by Gabriel DeVine
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If you came here looking for a quick fix, or for a way to “cheat” the system and lose weight fast. . . You have come to the wrong place. If, however, you are looking for the way to lose fat the healthy way and keep it off, read on!

I promised the 2 Secrets to a Flat Stomach and here they are:

1. A consistent healthy diet.
2. An effective workout plan consisting of cardio and weight training.

A Consistent Healthy Diet:

Over the years I have struggled with fat loss. I have tried almost every diet out there to no success. Or I had some success with a few, but it was short lived and the fat and weight came back. It wasn’t until recently (when my husband became a certified personal trainer) that we learned the proper way to eat for a healthy attractive body. Your diet should consist of protein, fat, and yes, even carbs! In fact, this picture was taken after I had already had about 150g of carbs that day…no bloating! If you are looking for a great meal plan let us know! We are now offering meal plans that will keep you healthy and get you the physique you are looking for.

An Effective Workout Plan Consisting of Cardio and Weight Training:

Here is the deal, society has put the fear into women’s hearts that if they do weight training they will turn into the Hulk. This is simply not true. The body must have an excess of calories every day to put on mass. Also, women don’t produce nearly the amount of testosterone that men do, making it much harder for us to put muscle on. In my opinion, weight training can be more effective at getting results for your physique than cardio. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn! If you are looking for an effective workout plan tailored to your needs. . . We can help you there too!

This article may upset some women looking for a trick to get a flat stomach, but if you are looking to not only get results but be able to maintain them these 2 “secrets” are the only way to go.

Filed under: Health by Alissa Christensen
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A big part of the NASM OPT Model is identifying postural and muscle imbalances in clients, and I’m fairly certain that everyone suffers from some sort of imbalance.  I was shocked by how many muscles were potentially out of balance when I did my first self assessment, but I’ve noticed a drastic change in my flexibility and range of motion (ROM) ever since working on fixing the imbalances.

There are a number of different postural distortions, and plenty of different movements to identify muscle imbalances, but we’re going to keep it simple today by looking at one postural distortion, what goes into muscle imbalances, and what it means to those who suffer from it:

Lower Crossed Syndrome. A surprisingly hard picture to find.

Lower Crossed Syndrome (LCS)

This is characterized by an anterior tilt to the pelvis from an excessively arched back.  A way to spot this in the wild is by observing the waistband on one’s pants;  If, from back to front, the line of the waistband makes diagonal line downward, chances are you’re observing some level of LCS.  This is usually identified through a static postural assessment, where a trainer would look at your standing posture from the side. From this, we can identify what muscles are “underactive,” and which are “overactive.”

Underactive vs. Overactive Muscles

A muscle that is “Underactive” may also be referred to as “Lenghtened,” or “Functionally Weak.”  These muscles allow the distortion (or compensation) to occur because they lack the strength necessary to keep your body in correct postural alignment.  A example of this in someone with LCS is their transverse abdominis muscles.  The tilt in the pelvis puts the abdominal complex in a continuously stretched position, creating a weak group of core muscles that don’t have the strength necessary to keep the lumbo-pelvic hip complex in a neutral position.  Weakened abdominals also create a counterpart in their imbalance:  A muscle that is “Overactive” can also be referred to as “Shortened,” or “Tight” muscles.  These are the muscles that are continuously shortened / semi flexed, and lose a level of extensibility.  To expand on our example, with the excessively arched back from LCS, the erector spinae (lower back muscles) are continuously shortened, which leads to inflexibility in the back, and eventually low back pain.  It’s worth noting that these are two muscles mentioned as examples, but Lower Crossed Syndrome has an additional 5 overactive, and 5 underactive muscles.  Overtime, LCS can lead to hamstring strain, knee pain, and low back pain.

What can you do to fix it?

First, have a trainer assess both static and dynamic posture to identify postural imbalances.  Once you have your list of underactive and overactive muscles, you can do something about them!  For our underactive muscles, we’ve learned that they’re weak, so we need to make them stronger!  For the abdominal complex, great exercises would be planks and side planks to strengthen the core for posture.  For our overactive muscles, we need them to calm down and regain their proper extensibility.  Good flexibility training will take care of this;  and by “good,” I mean smart.  Start by foam rolling the overactive muscle to decrease muscle spindle activity, and be sure to hold on the tender area for at least 30 seconds.  (I’ll write a post soon about proper self myofascial release technique)  Then, static stretch the muscle for at least 30 seconds.  To improve muscle extensibility, you should engage in flexibility training 4 – 7 days per week.

And there’s your brief primer on muscle imbalances!  If you have any questions, be sure to post them or Email us!

Resources, Sources, and Links

Filed under: Body Building, Fitness, Health by Gabriel DeVine
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