ACE

Fitnessmatters®

$5.00

Volume 16

Issue 2

March/April

2010

AmericAn council on exercise® A non-profit orgAnizAtion

StaffPublisher Scott Goudeseune

Chief Science Officer Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D.

Editor Christine J. Ekeroth

Art Director Karen F. McGuire

Associate Editor Marion Webb

Production Nancy M. Garcia

Mission Statement The American Council on Exercise (ACE)® is a

non-profit organization committed to enriching quality of life through safe and effective physical activ-

ity. As America’s Authority on Fitness,™ ACE protects all seg-

ments of society against ineffec-tive fitness products, programs and trends through its ongoing public education, outreach and

research. ACE further protects the public by setting certification and

continuing education standards for fitness professionals.

This publication is not intended to provide medical advice on personal health issues, which

should be obtained directly from a physician.

Editorial adviSory BoardNancy Clark, M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian with additional training in exercise physi-ology, is the director of nutrition services for SportsMedicine Brookline, one of the largest athletic injury clinics in New England. Clark specializes in sports nutrition, wellness and the nutritional management of eating disorders. She has authored several sports nutrition books and contributes to numerous publications.

Dale Huff, R.D., is co-owner of Nutriformance and a former area manager for First Fitness in St. Louis, Mo. He has extensive experience designing and managing personal-training programs and has worked in various clinical settings as a dietitian. He also is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer.

Steven F. Loy, Ph.D., F.A.C.S.M., is a professor of kinesiology and director of the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at California State University, Northridge. He is executive director of the Southwest Chapter of ACSM and is the wellness coordinator for the Los Angeles Fire Department. He has overseen several ACE-sponsored studies of exercise equipment.

Suzanne Nottingham is founder of Sports Energy in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. She is a well-known programming innovator for outdoor, sports and balance conditioning, and was IDEA’s 2000 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She is currently the fitness director for the Double Eagle Resort & Creekside Spa in June Lake, Calif.

Michael Pratt, M.D., M.P.H., coordinates physical activity research and health promo-tion programs within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He is board certified in general preventive medicine and public health and is a fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine. He has published numerous articles and spoken widely on the health aspects of physical activity.

William C. Whiting, Ph.D., F.A.C.S.M., C.S.C.S.D., is a professor of kinesiology and director of the Biomechanics Laboratory at California State University, Northridge. He is a past president of the Southwest Chapter of ACSM and co-author of Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Injury.

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© 2010 American Council on Exercise

We have some exciting news to share with you! ACE has been working diligently to find new and more effective ways to enhance and increase the amount of health and fitness information we offer you every month. In addition to taking advantage of new technologies, ACE is working with IDEA

to leverage each organization’s highest quality services and offerings. Through this initiative, ACE will now begin offering all ACE-certified Professionals a co-branded edition of the award-winning IDEA Fitness Journal, which is published 10 times per year and features great opportunities to earn continuing education credits (CECs). Additionally, ACE-certified Professionals will begin receiving a monthly edition of ACE Certified News in an electronic format, which also will include opportunities to earn CECs. By delivering your information electronically, we can enhance your learning experience through the use of features like videos and exercise demonstrations.

So there is no interruption in the delivery of your publications, we want to be sure we have your correct mail-ing addresses—both physical and electronic. Please take a moment to visit our Web site at www.acefitness.org and make sure your account information is up-to-date. And while you’re there, sign up for our monthly Health eTips e-newsletter, which is a convenient way to receive health and fitness news geared to fitness enthusiasts of all levels.

And finally, in addition to the changes already mentioned, we will be discontinuing ACE FitnessMatters and the May/June 2010 issue will be the final one we publish…at least for now. If you are a paid subscriber to ACE FitnessMatters, and your subscription continues after July 1, 2010, we will pro-rate and reimburse you for your remaining issues. No action is required on your part and you can expect to receive a check four to six weeks after July 1.

In the meantime, please let us know if you have any questions and look for more information about our new editorial offerings in the coming months.

AMERiCAN COuNCiL ON ExERCiSE

2 March/April 2010 • ACE FitnessMatters

“all the news that keeps

you fit…”

Page 10

Page 14

Page 4

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C o n t E n t s March/April 2010

Cover StorySpeed Camp: Go! Go! Go! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Driven by the increasing importance—and potential financial reward—of speed in track, football, basketball and other sports, a mini-industry has emerged over the past decade that promises to train athletes to not only run faster, but with greater efficiency and strength.

inside this issueWhy Exercise Makes You Less Anxious . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Scientists have known for some time that exercise stimulates the creation of new brain cells (neurons) but not how, precisely, these neurons might be functionally different from other brain cells.

Krank it Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Can the latest exercise machine from the inventor of Spinning live up to the hype? Exclusive ACE-sponsored research examines the effectivenss of the Krankcycle and Kranking.

Exploring the Role of Prophylactic Ibuprofen with Exercise: Does it Help or Hurt? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Many competitive endurance athletes use ibuprofen and non-steroidal anti-inflamma-tory drugs (NSAIDs) hoping that they will mask the discomfort of joints pounding con-crete at high speeds. Yet despite their widespread use, NSAIDs may do more harm than good, especially when the drugs become a regular part of an athlete’s routine.

Workout Watchdog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14The latest fitness gadgets promise to track more than just your steps, but is all that added information worth the cost?

CEC Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

ACE FitnessMatters • March/April 2010 3

For years, both in popular imagination and in scientific circles, it has been a given that exercise enhances mood. But how exercise, a physiological activity, might directly affect mood and anxiety — psychological states — was unclear. Now, thanks in no small part to improved research techniques and a growing

understanding of the biochemistry and the genetics of thought itself, scientists are beginning to tease out how exercise remodels the brain, making it more resistant to stress. In work undertaken at the University of Colorado, Boulder, for instance, sci-entists have examined the role of serotonin, a neurotransmitter

often considered to be the “happy” brain chemical. That simplistic view of serotonin has been under-mined by other researchers, and the University of Colorado work further dilutes the idea. In those experiments, rats taught to feel helpless and anxious, by being exposed to a laboratory stressor, showed increased serotonin activity in their brains. But rats that had run for several weeks before being stressed showed less serotonin activity and were less anxious and helpless despite the stress.

Other researchers have looked at how exercise alters the activity of dopamine, another neurotrans-mitter in the brain, while still others have concentrat-ed on the antioxidant powers of moderate exercise.

Anxiety in rodents and people has been linked with excessive oxidative stress, which can lead to cell death, including in the brain. Moderate exercise, though, appears to dampen the

Researchers at Princeton University recently made a remarkable discov-ery about the brains of rats that exercise. Some of their neurons respond differently to stress than the neurons of slothful rats. Scientists have known for some time

that exercise stimulates the creation of new brain cells (neurons) but not how, precisely, these neurons might be functionally different from other brain cells.

In the experiment, preliminary results of which were presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Chicago, scientists allowed one group of rats to run. Another set of rodents was not allowed to exer-cise. Then all of the rats swam in cold water, which they don’t like to do. Afterward, the sci-entists examined the animals’ brains. They found that the stress of the swimming activated neurons in all of the brains. (The researchers could tell which neurons were activated because the cells expressed specific genes in response to the stress.) But the youngest brain cells in the run-ning rats, the cells that the scientists assumed were created by running, were less likely to express the genes. They gen-erally remained quiet. The “cells born from running,” the researchers concluded, appeared to have been “specifically buffered from exposure to a stressful experience.” The rats had created, through running, a brain that seemed biochemically, molecularly, calm.

By Gretchen Reynolds

Phys Ed: Why Exercise Makes You Less Anxious

R

Rats that ran for at least six weeks

exhibited less stress-induced anxiety.


Continued on page 13

effects of oxidative stress. In an experiment led by researchers at the University of Houston and reported at the Society for Neuroscience meeting, rats whose oxidative-stress levels had been artificially increased with injections of certain chemicals

were extremely anxious when faced with unfamiliar terrain during laboratory testing.

But rats that had exercised, even if they had received the oxidizing chemical, were relatively non-

chalant under stress. When placed in the unfamiliar space, they didn’t run for dark corners and hide, like

the unexercised rats. They insou-ciantly explored.

“It looks more and more like the positive stress of exercise prepares cells and

structures and pathways within the brain so that they’re more equipped to handle

stress in other forms,” says Michael Hopkins, a graduate student affili-

ated with the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory Laboratory at Dartmouth, who

has been studying how exercise dif-ferently affects thinking

and emotion.

“It’s pretty amazing, really, that you can get this translation from the realm of purely physical stresses to the realm of psychological stressors.”

The stress-reducing changes wrought by exercise on the brain don’t happen overnight,

however, as virtually every researcher agrees. In the University of Colorado experiments, for instance,

rats that ran for only three weeks did not show much reduction in stress-induced anxiety,

but those that ran for at least six weeks did. “Something happened between three and

six weeks,” says Benjamin Greenwood, a research associate in the Department of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado, who helped conduct the experiments. Dr. Greenwood added that it was “not clear how that trans-

lates” into an exercise prescription for humans. We may require more weeks of working out, or

maybe less. And no one has yet studied how intense the exercise needs to be. But the lesson, Dr. Greenwood says, is “don’t quit.” Keep running or cycling or swimming. (Animal experiments have focused exclusively on aerobic, endurance-type activities.) You may not feel a magical reduction of stress after your first jog, if you haven’t been exercising. But the molecular biochemi-cal changes will begin, Dr. Greenwood says. And eventually, he says, they become “profound.”

© 2010 The New York Times. Reprinted with permission.

Re: “Kettlebells: Twice the Workout in Half the Time?” January/February 2010

As a kettlebell enthusiast, I was excited when I heard that ACE had completed a research study reinforc-ing the benefits of kettlebell training. But then I got to the end of the study and found that ACE had one of their

own experts—someone who isn’t certified in kettlebell training—develop a kettlebell program. The program itself isn’t bad, but there are two egregious errors that should be corrected, if possible. First, the photos of the fitness model doing kettlebell swings show them being done improperly: He is bending his knees too much, and not folding enough with his hips. This is a common problem I’ve seen when people who aren’t familiar with kettlebells attempt to demo the swing. The position when the kettle-bell is between the legs should be similar to the body position at the bottom of a Romanian deadlift. You’ve noted that the swing works the glutes and quads. It might, the way it’s being demonstrated! But it should actually work the glutes and the hamstrings.

The second error is the advice given on the size of kettlebell to use. Traditional kettlebell training usually calls for 12kg starting weight for women, not 8kg (18lb) as you indicated. And sizing down to a lower, lighter weight is more likely to induce incorrect form. When the kettlebell is too light, people tend to ignore the hip drive and lift with their arms. A heavier weight forces the correct movement, because the arms are typically not strong enough to cre-ate the proper move on their own.

I understand that ACE didn’t want to use non-ACE certified trainers to develop the program, but having the article and program reviewed by a certified kettlebell instructor (RKC, for instance), or even by one of the kettle-bell enthusiasts you used in the study would have identi-fied these issues before you went to print.

—Liz MuirheadACE Responds

Thank you for your feedback and your comments on our recent Kettlebell study and article. With regard to your comments on the workout, I understand your opinion is from the standpoint of one who has learned their tech-nique from one of many kettlebell organizations that focus

Lettersto the edtior


hen it comes to group fitness classes, few have enjoyed the longevity of Spinning.® This high-intensity, high-ener-gy indoor cycling class was first launched in the late 1980s and is still among the most popular offerings at clubs and gyms across America today [ACE sponsored one of the first

indoor cycling studies, published in ACE FitnessMatters, Nov./Dec. 1997].The man behind the indoor cycling phenomena is former champion ultra-

distance cyclist-turned-fitness-guru Jonathan Goldberg, best known in the fit-ness industry as Johnny G. For nearly 20 years, he rode high on the popularity of Spinning but then in 2004, Johnny G. was sidelined with a virus that dam-aged his heart. No longer able to safely cycle the way he’d been accustomed to, he became depressed. Then he remembered years earlier having seen a wheelchair-bound athlete competing on a handcycle. That vision stuck with him and was the seed that eventually grew into Johnny G’s Krankcycle.

The Krankcycle resembles a conventional Upper Body Ergometer (UBE) in which you sit and essentially “pedal” with your hands. The UBE is standard issue in rehab environments, but healthy exercisers have traditionally paid lit-tle attention to the machines in the gym environment. Basically a souped-up

Krank it up!Can the latest exercise

machine from the inventor of Spinning live

up to the hype? Exclusive ACE-sponsored research

examines the effectiveness of the Krankcycle and Kranking.

By Blake Boyer, M.S., John Porcari, Ph.D.,

and Carl Foster, Ph.D., with Mark Anders

W


Continued on page 8

UBE, the Krankcycle enables exercis-ers to sit or stand, and its crank arms can be “pedaled” independently for a wider variety of movement patterns and combinations. Johnny G. officially launched the $2,200-machine, manufactured by Matrix Fitness Systems, last year at a major fitness tradeshow. Since that time, there’s been significant buzz about it and the Spinning-esque group exercise class called Kranking. As of January 2010, approximately 1,300 Krankcycles had been sold and an estimated 35 clubs nationwide (including California-based Club One and Frog’s) currently offer Kranking classes. Given its early success, ACE decided to put Kranking to the test.

The Study To analyze the average calorie

burn and exercise intensity of a typi-cal Krankcycle group workout, ACE enlisted the help of the research experts at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse Exercise and Health Program. The team, led by John Porcari, Ph.D., and Blake Boyer, M.S., recruited 12 volunteers, male and female, ages 20 to 30 years, none of whom had ever used a Krankcycle previously. This type of participant was selected because he or she closely resembles the average fit-ness center user who would most likely attend a Krankcycle class.

Prior to beginning the actual study, all subjects performed three to five “habituation trials” on a UBE in which they built upper-body endurance and became accustomed to the hand cycling–type modality.

Next, researchers at the Human Performance Laboratory conduct-ed a maximal exercise test on each subject using the UBE machine. Throughout the maximal test, oxygen consumption (V

•O2max), heart rate

(HR) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were constantly monitored. Once a fitness baseline was established for typical upper-body

aerobic-type exercise, all 20 subjects participated together in a 30-min-ute Krankcycle class held at Wisconsin Athletic Club in Milwaukee. The class was led by Krankcycle’s head of training and education, so it mimicked the standard Kranking class format in which each stu-dent is equipped with a Suunto heart-rate monitor and his or her own Krankcycle. As the class begins, the students follow the instructor’s cues regarding tempo and Kranking technique, and every student’s heart rate is projected on a video screen at the front of the room. The instructor uses the projected heart rates to foster competition and motivate each student

Krank it up!

Learn more about the Krankcycle and see

Kranking in action at www.krankcycle.com.

WEB SIGHTING


to keep his or her exercise intensity within specific, choreographed heart-rate zones. Researchers also measured RPE (both for total body and arm-specific) with every participant every five minutes throughout the class.

The ResultsResearchers found that subjects burned an average of nine calo-

ries per minute and a total of 269 calories during the 30-minute Kranking workout. This average (and total) was based on a math-ematical relationship between HR and V

•O2 data collected during

the maximal exercise testing on the UBE (Table 1). It is important to note that these caloric estimates are substantially lower than the

real-time estimates generated by the Suunto monitoring system during the actual class session. The Suunto system estimated that subjects burned an average of 393 calories during the 30-minute class, a difference of 124 calories.

This discrepancy can be accounted for by the difference in the way the UBE requires subjects to stay seated while the Krankcycle employs both sitting and standing postures. “The Krankcycle uses more muscle mass than the UBE so you’d likely burn more calories because of the different standing positions,” explains Boyer. Therefore, Boyer suggests, the higher energy expenditure found by the Suunto system may more closely reflect the subjects’ actual energy expenditures.

Overall, the average heart rate for all sub-jects hovered around 154 beats per minute, which corresponds to approximately 86 percent of HRmax (Table 2). This indi-cates the Krankcycle workout was considered high intensity, according to the researchers. Following an analysis of the percentage of time spent in various heart-rate zones, the data showed that approximately 90 percent of the 30-minute Kranking class was spent at greater than 70 percent of HRmax (Figure 1). Researchers also noted that there were times during the class when individual subject’s heart rates were so high that they exceeded their HRmax determined from the maximal UBE test.

The average V•O2 during the workout

was estimated to be 25.0 ml/kg/per min-ute, which corresponded to 72 percent of V•O2max. Due to the large number of sub-

jects participating in the class simultane-ously, researchers were unable to measure oxygen uptake (V

•O2). Instead, like caloric

expenditure data, V•O2 was determined using a

mathematical equation based on the V•O2 data collected during the

maximal exercise testing on the UBE.

Table 1. V•

O2 and Caloric Expenditure During the 30-Minute Krankcycle Workout

Predicted V•O2 (ml/kg/min)

% V•O2max

Caloric Expenditure (Kcal/min))

Caloric Expenditure (30 min)

25.0 ± 5.90

72 ± 10.0

9.0 ± 2.93

269 ± 87.8

Minute 1Minute 2Minute 3Minute 4Minute 5Minute 6Minute 7Minute 8Minute 9Minute 10Minute 11Minute 12Minute 13Minute 14Minute 15Minute 16Minute 17Minute 18Minute 19Minute 20Minute 21Minute 22Minute 23Minute 24Minute 25Minute 26Minute 27Minute 28Minute 29Minute 30

Average

(Range)(88–127)(91–133)

(110–149)(115–140)(116–147)(124–162)(135–163)(127–173)(136–186)(125–173)(117–180)(126–178)(129–171)(128–185)(142–177)(135–194)(132–195)(138–195)(150–192)(131–169)(122–164)(126–185)(130–185)(150–187)(138–184)(142–188)(159–200)(137–201)(120–199)(112–197)

(137–172)

% HRmax62 ± 4.3 65 ± 4.7 73 ± 5.7 73 ± 4.4 76 ± 4.2 80 ± 5.8 84 ± 3.8 86 ± 5.3 89 ± 8.3 81 ± 8.5

83 ± 12.5 80 ± 7.7 86 ± 5.2 93 ± 8.2 93 ± 5.4 92 ± 8.0 91 ± 9.2 93 ± 7.8 95 ± 6.2 87 ± 7.3 83 ± 7.3

87 ± 10.2 92 ± 8.4 96 ± 6.2 94 ± 5.6 96 ± 4.7

101 ± 4.8 96 ± 9.0

90 ± 15.2 85 ± 17.9

86 ± 4.0

(Range)

Heart Rate111 ± 12.2117 ± 11.6130 ± 12.1131 ± 7.1135 ± 8.8

143 ± 12.5150 ± 8.8

154 ± 13.1159 ± 14.7146 ± 18.0149 ± 23.7143 ± 15.1153 ± 12.3166 ± 16.3166 ± 9.5

165 ± 17.2163 ± 19.3167 ± 16.8170 ± 13.1155 ± 12.0148 ± 13.6155 ± 20.0164 ± 16.1172 ± 12.9167 ± 12.1171 ± 12.3180 ± 11.1172 ± 18.1161 ± 27.8151 ± 32.1

154 ± 10.0

(56–70)(58–73)

(59–80)(67–84)

(69–84) (67–88) (77–90) (74–91)(70–97)(68–95)(62–97)

(69–91) (78–95)(82–109)(87–105)(76–100)

(77–102)(81–101)(84–102) (81–96)

(74–96) (74–101)(82–106)

(87–107) (88–105) (88–105)(89–106)

(78–107)(62–109)(58–108)

(78–91)

Table 2. Minute-by-Minute Heart Rate Response During the 30-Minute Trial


Finally, on average the total-body RPE was above a rating of 12 (on the Borg scale of 6 to 20) for 25 minutes of the 30-minute Kranking class, indicat-ing that subjects perceived the workout to be between “somewhat hard” and “hard” for the majority of the trial. Every time RPE was collected (five-minute intervals) arm-specific RPE was significantly higher than overall RPE.

The Bottom LineBased on their findings, researchers contend that Kranking is an

intense and effective workout that may build upper-body muscular fit-ness, boost aerobic capacity and burn calories.

In order to meet the American College of Sports Medicine’s recom-mendations for gaining cardiorespiratory benefits from a workout, you must exercise at between 64 percent to 94 percent of HRmax or 40 per-cent to 85 percent of V

•O2max. Kranking hits this mark in both cases. And

with regards to RPE, the subjects certainly described it as a hard workout. “At times the subjects were curs-ing me,” says Boyer, “but after-wards most said it was actually pretty fun.”

That said, due to the elevated HR associated with this activity, Porcari warns that Kranking could pose a risk to sedentary or older exercisers and those with underlying cardio-vascular disease. Naturally, you should consult with your doctor before trying a workout like this.

Because the average person lacks upper-body endurance and strength, most who try Kranking will experience noticeable strength and endurance gains. “Whereas Spinning mimics something people do in everyday life,” says Porcari, “the average person doesn’t do a lot of upper-body cycling in life.”

This is also what makes Kranking such a unique activity. “I think Kranking would be good cross train-ing for runners or cyclists,” says Boyer. “It’s a good mix of an upper-body workout that still provides cardiovascular benefits on days when you’re not running or biking.”

Beyond that, researchers point out that Kranking could also be effective and enjoyable for exercisers with disabilities or lower-body injuries. This, in turn, could help make the fitness club environment more welcoming to those with special needs.

Whether or not it will ever approach the popularity and staying power that Spinning has enjoyed remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Kranking is an effective workout and probably worth a second look.

This study was funded solely by the American Council on Exercise.

Figure 1. Average Exercise Intensity During the 30-Minute Krankcycle Workout

Time (minutes)

Per

cen

t of

Max

imal

Hea

rt R

ate

110—

100—

90—

80—

70—

60—

50—

40—| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30


Whether referring to electronic data, air transport or athletics, we live in a speed-obsessed society. Faster is always better. Driven by the increasing importance—and potential financial

reward—of speed in track, football, basketball and other sports, a mini-industry has emerged over the past decade that promises to train athletes to not only run faster, but with greater efficiency and strength.

By Jim Gerard

Across the United States, seasoned athletic trainers and former pro and college athletes help everyone from NFL line-men, to high school footballers dreaming of Division I glory, to middle-aged recreational rugby players turn on the jets in instructional courses known as speed camps.

These camps—with names such as Speed Explosion and the Combine Prep Industry (devoted solely to helping college footballers train for the pre-draft NFL audition)—number in the thousands and can last from days to months.

Reputable camps are run by kinesiologists, sports-specific conditioning trainers, physical therapists and former ath-letes or track coaches. Numerous camps use the names—but not necessarily the presence—of famous pro athletes to lure patrons. Fees range from $100 for an afternoon session, to many thousands, depending on the length and prestige of the camp.

These institutions have become increasingly sophisti-cated, emphasizing not just pure speed but strength, agility and overall conditioning. They promote their capacity to help players dash a fraction faster or leap a touch higher by identifying flaws such as wasted motion and teaching participants how to rectify them. For many athletes, these techniques have alluring potential. For example, at the NFL’s National Invitational Camp, better known as the Scouting Combine, milliseconds count. A sub-par performance in the 40-yard dash can raise questions about a player and hurt his

position in the NFL draft, costing him potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Many of the first speed camps, such as Velocity Sports Performance, focused purely on helping athletes become faster. SPARQ—an acronym for Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction and Quickness and now affiliated with Nike—was one of the first training methods (not a physical camp per se) that focused on overall high school athleticism, which it measured with a standardized test called the SPARQ Rating. (This has been dubbed “the SAT for athletes.”)

Sports-specific Camps Target Both Average Joes and Athletes

These days the camps are more likely to focus on sports-specific training, says Dr. Carol L. Otis, a consultant in sports medicine and founder of Sportsdoctor.com in Portland, Ore. “These camps are being used by high-school and college ath-letes, as well as laypersons looking to get into better shape or training for a marathon or triathlon.”

Matt Joyce, who works in the global athletic training divi-sion of Nike and helps run its Football Training Camps for high school athletes, says that the purpose of the training is to allow young athletes to gain an official measurement of their athleticism, using such criteria as the power ball throw, shuttle run and 40-yard dash. “The main thing is to give kids exposure to college coaches and the recruiting process. A


majority of the kids are going into senior year and haven’t gotten a scholarship, so they need to improve and get recognition.”

Vance Ferrigno, an exercise physiologist, president of F3 Training Systems in Greenville, S.C., and co-editor (with Lee Brown and Juan Carlos Santana) of Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness (Human Kinetics Publishing), strongly believes that the drills taught in speed camps can benefit anyone, from his mostly middle-aged clientele, to the disabled, to younger children, who he believes don’t get enough physical activity to cement basic athletic skills. “Even some high-school athletes sometimes lack the most fundamental biomotor movements and proprioception.”

Ferrigno’s words rightly suggest that the techniques taught in speed camps are not newly discovered or arcane secrets, but more an application and combination of pre-existing drills such as skipping, starting and stopping, backward shuffling, running the rungs of a ladder, cross-lateral patterns, box jumps, cone drills, parachute runs and general endurance exercises. (See “Resources” to learn where you can view examples of such drills.) “You might not be a sprinter,” says Otis, “but you’ll mimic techniques used by sprinters. [Speed camp instructors] also integrate speed with core training, balance, resistance, agility and plyometrics—it’s integrated dynamic training.”

Rett Larson, the director of coach-ing at Velocity Sports Performance in Newport Beach, Calif., says that their 500 exercises—permutations of basic, core movements—are based on years of training and designed to reprogram mus-cle patterns, activate the right muscles for a particular sport, make joints more mobile and flexible and produce power. “They’re not just about linear speed. The modern athlete must move in multiple directions, jump high and decelerate,” he says, and adds that most non-contact injuries, including those to the ACL, occur during deceleration and/or change of direction.

Everything Old is New AgainDavid McHenry, director of physical therapy at Therapeutic

Associates at the Portland Athletic Center of Excellence, reaffirms that at speed camps (and the exercise community in general), every-thing old is new again. “A lot of traditional training methodology is starting to make its way back into [the camps’] training programs. There has been a pretty dramatic shift away from much of the Nautilus-based ‘fixed motion’ machines and a migration back to functional training that’s hundreds of years old.”

It’s true that many of the techniques taught at speed camps were devised in the former Eastern Bloc nations in the 1970s. Through the 1980s and into the 1990s, they slowly made their way into the pro-fessional sports ranks, and more recently, have filtered down to high school and younger athletic programs.

Larson says, “The philosophy behind speed camps it to make ath-letes faster, not just by making them stronger, but [also] more effi-cient at running.” Initially, the company borrowed speed drills used

by elite runners (such as acceleration techniques) and taught them to athletes in all sports.

According to McHenry, many things can be done to help boost speed and quickness, including improving running form (stride length and frequency), glute-hamstring power and plyometric capac-ity, and decreasing “antagonistic muscle drag” by enhancing neu-romuscular coordination between muscle groups known as agonists (those that perform a movement) and antagonists (those that return the limb to its initial position).

He emphasizes that the techniques used in speed camps are not a result of improved technology, but rather scientific research of the last decade that has revealed how the body moves and how to achieve muscular force.

Many of the professional athletes who attend these camps are shuttled there by their agents; some of the larger agencies have

partnerships with camps such as Larson’s, to which they’ll send all their athletes. Others come at the instigation of their coaches or discover the camps through word of mouth.

Do These Camps Really Improve Athletic Performance?

The million-dollar questions are: “Do these camps help? And how would one tell?” Dr. Lee Brown, professor of kinesiol-ogy at California State University, Fullerton, says that performance improvements in skills such as the 40-yard dash and vertical jump can be measured, but not within a week or two. “Athletes can learn the techniques in a weekend, but that’s

not the camps’ function—it’s to give them the tools they need to improve their performance over time. Deconditioned people will logi-cally see the greatest gains, yet pro athletes, despite what may seem like marginal improvements—perhaps one-tenth of a second over a period of months—stand to gain the most, as that small fraction of time can transform an athlete’s career and life.”

Larson views the camps’ purpose as whetting the appetites of athletes and is skeptical of the constant testing done in some camps. “You can’t expect any athlete to make real progress, especially in a short period of time. [Velocity] has warehouse-size centers around the country offering far longer programs; most of them want athletes to sign up for anywhere from three months to a year. Most of our athletes train twice a week minimum for three months.”

As for the future, expect these kinds of camps to proliferate, fueled by the combination of athletes’ need for a competitive edge and an increase in camp marketing. As McHenry says, “Athletes have been working on getting faster ever since the gen-esis of sports. As the fitness industry and the ‘sports as a business’ concept continue to grow, you will see more of these types of pro-grams popularized.”

Resources If you’re thinking of attending a speed camp outside

of the ones mentioned in this article, make sure that the instructor(s) have a minimum of a bachelor’s (but pref-erably a master’s) degree in kinesiology and/or science of exercise and an advanced or sports-performance certification from an NCCA-accreditation organization. And look for coaches and trainers who have logged time in the performance realm (such as former athletes and/or strength and conditioning coaches).

To view some speed camp drills, visit the following Web sites:

• www.YouTube.com/velocitysport (Velocity Sports Performance)

• www.portlandpace.com (Portland Athletic Center of Excellence)

• www.grayinstitute.com (This subscription-based site features thousands of exercises.)


Exploring the Role of Prophylactic Ibuprofen with Exercise:

many competitive endurance athletes use ibuprofen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) hoping that they will mask the discomfort of joints pounding concrete at high speeds. Almost 60 percent of participants in the 2008 Ironman Triathlon in Brazil reported using NSAIDs sometime in the three months leading up to the event (Gorski et al., 2009). And about one-quarter of athletes competing in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney

reported NSAID use in the three days prior to random drug screening (Corrigan & Kazlauskas, 2003). Despite their widespread use, NSAIDs may do athletes more harm than good, especially when the drugs become a regular part of an athlete’s routine.

m

mm

By Natalie Digate Muth, M.D., M.P.H., R.D.

mm NSAIDs work by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are chemi-

cals made by the kidneys in response to stress and inflammation and are at least partly responsible for the swelling and pain associated with strenuous exercise. Prostaglandins also play an important role in maintaining blood flow to the kidneys during exercise. Some athletes take NSAIDs before a race in hopes of blocking prostaglandin production and thus preventing subsequent muscle pain and soreness. Several researchers have attempted to prove this reasoning with equivocal results (Reviewed in Howatson & van Someren, 2008). For example, in one study, ibuprofen taken before and after exer-cise lessened muscle damage (Pizza et al., 1999). In another, ibuprofen taken before 45 minutes of downhill running and every six hours for the three days following exercise had no effect on inflammation or muscle soreness (Donnelly et al., 1990). Overall, it is not yet clear whether or not NSAIDs help decrease pain during and after exercise. Researchers do agree, however, that NSAID use does not improve athletic performance (Howatson & van Someren, 2008).

Furthermore, NSAID use before exercise may increase exercise-related health risks. By blocking prostaglandin function, blood flow to the kidneys during exer-cise is lessened and the kidneys may not be able to function optimally. Some researchers postulate that NSAID use leads to decreased free water clearance by the kidneys, thus contributing to asymptomatic hyponatremia (low blood sodi-um concentration) during prolonged endurance events. For example, an obser-vational study of 330 athletes in the 2004 New Zealand Ironman Triathlon found that the six athletes who became hyponatremic had all used NSAIDs before the race. NSAID use was also associated with worsened kidney func-tion immediately following the race (Wharam et al., 2006). Nieman et al.

(2006) evaluated the role of NSAIDs on race time, perceived exertion during the race, delayed onset muscle soreness, and markers of inflammation in ultramarathoners participating in the 160km Western States Endurance Run. Researchers divided runners into two groups: one group of 29 runners had 600mg of ibuprofen the day before the race and 1200mg the day of the race and 25 controls that avoid-ed ibuprofen and all other medications. Notably, the

Natalie Digate Muth, M.D., M.P.H., R.D., is a resident at UCLA Medical Center. The information

contained in this article is general in nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional. Anyone considering use of prophylactic NSAIDs should first discuss

the risks and benefits with his or her doctor.


on the pure art of kettlebell training, However, as you may attest to given your own tech-nique development to this training modality, it likely has taken you some time to master your exercise technique. Our mission is to promote safe and effective exercise, and kettlebell training, without proper coach-ing, can result in potential harm to those who are unfamiliar with this type of move-ment. Therefore, given the prevalence of quad-dominant movement in women, we opted to utilize a modified hip swing (hip hinge) over the true kettlebell swing. It mim-ics the bend-and-lift movement (a primary movement of the human body) rather than an exercise (e.g., the Romanian dead lift, which is an advanced and unfamiliar exer-cise for many people).

While these exercises were actually reviewed by one of the leading experts on kettlebell training in the U.S. (who made a similar comment to yours), ACE’s mission is to emphasize and ensure consumer safety. Hence, when we considered the complexity of coaching a “pure” exercise, we opted to demonstrate a familiar movement pattern given its relevance to everyday movement and our capacity to instruct the hip-hinge movement through print format. You may have also noticed the lack of internal humeral rotation in the lowered position, again in the interests of safety to control spinal torsion.

With regard to your comment on weight, the suggested weights you mention are the position of some, but not all, kettlebell orga-nizations. Several organizations do suggest 18 lb and 35 lb as starting weights for women and men, respectively. Again considering safety issues, ACE does not agree com-pletely with your position that using a lighter weight is more likely to induce incorrect form. Research demonstrates that when individuals lack appropriate levels of stability and mobil-ity throughout the kinetic chain, they will call upon dysfunctional or faulty movement pat-terns when required to generate excessive force, which increases the potential for injury. Proper coaching at more moderate intensities, as opposed to the use of heavier resistance, is critical to coaching proper mechanics.

—Fabio Comana, M.A., M.S.ACE Exercise Physiologist

Continued from page 5

Letters to the editorrunners who used NSAIDs had elevated markers of inflammation. There was no significant difference in race times, perceived exertion, or muscle soreness. It also should be noted that another important risk from NSAID use during a grueling endurance event is that the analgesic may mask the pain from a serious injury.

Long-term use of NSAIDs may cause several adverse effects. For starters, blocking the natural inflammatory response to exercise inter-feres with collagen synthesis. Collagen provides strength to connec-tive tissues including muscles, tendons and ligaments. When collagen production is compromised, athletes become more prone to muscu-loskeletal injury and experience delayed healing following an injury. Furthermore, chronic NSAID use can lead to harmful effects throughout the body, including increased gastrointestinal distress and ulceration, blood thinning and risk of bleeding, cardiovascular disease and stroke, depressed immune response, and electrolyte imbalances. These risks are worth noting as a sizeable percentage of athletes have come to rou-tinely rely on NSAIDs, and view them as benignly as sports drinks or energy bars.

Ultimately, NSAIDs may play an important role in helping to relieve the pain and swelling after an acute injury or intense physical exertion, but the risks of their use as prophylactic pain mediators outweigh the benefits.

ReferencesCorrigan, B. and Kazlauskas, R. (2003). Medication use in athletes selected for

doping control at the Sydney Olympics. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 13, 33–40.

Donnelly, A.W., Maughan, R.J. and Whiting, P.H. (1990). Effects of ibuprofen on exercise-induced muscle soreness and indices of muscle

damage. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 24, 191–195.

Gorski, T., Cadore, E.L., Pinto, S.S., et al. (2009). Use of non-steroi-dal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in triathletes: prevalence,

level of awareness, and reasons for use. British Journal of Sports Medicine, Online first August, 2009.

Howatson, G. and van Someren, K.A. (2008). Prevention and treatment of exercise-induced muscle damage. Sports

Medicine, 38, 6, 483–503.

Nieman, D.C., Henson, D.A., Dumke, C.L., et al. (2006). Ibuprofen use, endotoxemia, inflammation, and plas-

ma cytokines during ultramarathon competition. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 20, 6, 578–584.

Pizza, F.X., Cavendar, D., Stockard, A., et al. (1999). Anti-inflammatory doses of ibuprofen:

effects on neutrophils and exercise-induced muscle injury. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 20, 98–102.

Warden, S. (2009). Prophylactic misuse and recommended use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by athletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43, 548–549.

Wharam, P.C., Speedy, D.B. and Noakes, T.D. (2006). NSAID use increases the risk of developing hyponatremia during an Ironman Triathlon. Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, 38, 4, 618–621.


W o r k o u t W A t C h d o g

Activity Trackers: Watching Every Step You Take (and More)GoWear® fit ($199–$312 .93) www .bodymedia .com

When it comes to staying healthy or meeting particular goals like losing weight or becoming more active, knowledge is power. After all, it’s hard to tell yourself you’ve been active during the day when your pedometer indicates you’ve fallen well short of your step goal for the day. Likewise, having a clear idea of how many calories you’ve burned may make it easier to limit what you consume.

The quest for more information is the primary reason activity trackers have become so popular. One of the most com-prehensive devices is the GoWear fit Lifestyle and Calorie Management System by BodyMedia. It features a lightweight armband that is worn around the clock to track a variety of physical characteristics, including calories burned and steps taken. This information is then downloaded and analyzed by GoWear’s Online Activity Manager, a subscription-based web-site that helps users track their progress over time. An optional display watch (sold separately) makes it possible to keep track of calories and steps on a minute-by-minute basis.

The armband itself is relatively com-fortable, although it is bulky enough to show through lightweight clothing; users are unlikely to forget they are wearing it, particularly if they experience skin irritation from the sensor (the band itself should also be washed regularly, especially if workouts are particularly sweaty). Like-wise, side-sleepers will have extra difficulty wearing it at night. Once a week, an alarm will sound to remind users to charge the device for three hours. The display watch looks similar to a bulky heart-rate monitor; a clip is included if users prefer to wear it on a belt.

When it arrives, the armband must be activated and three days of food intake must be input into the online Nutrition As-sessment tool so your average caloric intake can be calculated.

The monthly subscription fee for the online service ranges from $6.95 per month (if you sign up for a year) to $12.95 per month with no commitment. Even at the lower price, that’s nearly $84 per year, but without this online service the GoWear fit has limited usefulness. Likewise, without the dis-play watch, users must sync with the website throughout the day to know if they are meeting their daily activity goals.

Setting aside cost, however, the Online Activity Manager allows users to create daily calorie and step targets, input daily caloric intake, and analyze fitness data from the previ-ous four weeks. The display emits a series of tones when

goals are met throughout the day. Sleep duration and efficiency also are tracked.

The GoWear fit is not a heart-rate monitor, but instead calcu-lates exercise intensity and caloric expenditure by measuring galvanic skin response, temperature and heat flux. As such, it appears to offer a more accurate reading than activity trackers

that utilize a formula for calculating calories (weight, age, activity level).

For individuals who are looking for a way to meet specific weight and activity goals, the GoWear fit can certainly provide a lot of information, guidance and

even motivation. The Online Activity Manager is easy to navi-gate and provides a wealth of information and data analysis to help users make better food choices and become more active through-out the day. However, the relatively high cost of the hardware ($299 for both the armband and the display), combined with a monthly subscription fee, makes the GoWear fit appealing to only the most dedicated and numbers-oriented users. For those who are simply looking to better understand their activity and sleep habits, less-expensive and easier-to-use devices are available.

What we liked:• Accurate device for recording and tracking physical

functions and daily activity levels • Easy-to-use interactive website for uploading and

analyzing data • Great motivational tool for weight loss

What we didn’t like:• Relatively expensive, particularly with “optional” display and

monthly subscription fee for online tracking service. The device offers limited value without these two options.

• Armband can be bulky and uncomfortable to wear all the time

Continued on page 16


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I attest that I have read the articles in this issue, answered the test ques-tions using the knowledge gained through those articles and received a passing grade (minimum score: 70 percent). Completing this self-test with a passing score will earn you 0.1 continuing education credit (CEC).

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SAvE MoNEY BY tAkINg thE quIZ oNlINE FoR $15 to receive ACE Credits, mail this page, with a $20 Processing Fee for ACE-certifieds or $25 for non-ACE-certifieds, to the following address:ACE Correspondence CoursesAmerican Council on Exercise4851 Paramount DriveSan Diego, CA 92123

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A C E F i t n E s s M A t t E r s C E C q u i z March/April 2010

to earn 0.1 continuing education credits (CECs), you must carefully read this issue of ACE FitnessMatters, answer the 10 questions below, achieve a passing score (a minimum of 70 percent), and complete and return the credit verification form below, confirming that you have read the materials and achieved a minimum passing score. In a hurry? Save money by taking the quiz online at www.acefitness.org/fmquiz for $15 and gain instant access to CECs.

Circle the single best answer for each of the following questions.

1. Anxiety in rodents and people has been linked with excessive _________________, which can lead to cell death, including in the brain.

A. oxidative stress B. Neurotransmitters C. Antioxidant supplementation D. Caloric restriction

2. Which of the following statements about prostaglandins is NOT true?

A. Prostaglandins are produced by the kidneys in response to stress and inflammation.

B. Prostaglandins are at least partly responsible for swelling and pain asso-ciated with strenuous exercise.

C. NSAIDs taken before exercise will prevent muscle soreness by blocking prostaglandin production.

D. Prostaglandins help maintain blood flow to the kidneys during exercise.

3. today, most speed camps tend to focus on __________________.

A. Pure speed only B. Sports-specific training for both profes-

sional and amateur athletes C. helping NFl hopefuls improve

40-yard dash times D. highly advanced athletic skills

4. ACE-sponsored research on a krankcycle workout revealed that ___________________________.

A. It is not vigorous enough to bring about cardiore-spiratory benefits.

B. It burned significantly more calories than pre-dicted by the Suunto system worn by participants.

C. Participants spent approximately 90 percent of the workout at greater than 70 percent of hRmax.

D. Participants burned more calories exercising on an upper Body Ergometer than on a krankcycle.

5. Researchers believe that the positive stress of _____________ prepares the brain to handle stress in other forms.

A. Dieting B. Aerobic exercise C. Strength training D. taking risks

6. Which of the following is NOT true of many of the techniques used by sports camps to improve athleticism?

A. they were devised in the former Easter Bloc nations in the 1970s.

B. they are designed to reprogram muscle patterns and activate the right muscles for a particular sport.

C. they are based on fixed-motion machines that help exercisers avoid incorrect form.

D. they emphasize things like balance, core training, and agility, as well as speed.

7. According to the ACE-sponsored study, partici-pants in a typical 30-minute krankcycle workout can expect to burn approximately _________ calories.

A. 124 to 200 C. 256 to 413 B. 181 to 357 D. 353 to 517

8. In experiments on rats, the stress-reducing effects of exercise typically occurred after ____________ of training.

A. 2 to 3 weeks B. 3 to 6 weeks C. 8 to 12 weeks D. 3 to 6 months

9. According to researchers, which of the follow-ing is NOT one of the reported benefits of a kranking workout?

A. Improved aerobic capacity B. Significant caloric expenditure C. Increased upper-body muscular fitness D. Increased lower-body muscular fitness

10. Chronic, long-term use of NSAIDs __________________________.

A. Is generally considered safe B. Is believed to reduce an athlete’s chance of

musculoskeletal injury C. has been associated with increased risk of

bleeding and gastrointestinal distress D. May enhance collagen synthesis and strength-

en connective tissues

P10-023

4851 Paramount DriveSan Diego, CA 92123

and some may find the display watch unattractive

• Armband may cause skin irritation, par-ticularly during sweaty workouts, and side-sleepers may find it uncomfortable to wear at night

Fitbit ($99) www .fitbit .com For some people, jumping on the scale

every morning (or checking the fit of a certain pair of jeans) is enough to confirm when they have been overindulging and either need to step up their activity levels or watch their diets a little more closely. Others prefer a more structured approach and may keep a food or activity journal, which is one of the most often recommended tips for losing or maintaining weight. The Fitbit will definitely appeal to this second group by eliminating a lot of the guess work and analyzing the data for you.

The Fitbit is essentially an accelerometer that can track your steps, distance, calories burned and, in an unexpected twist, your sleep quality. The tracker is about the size of a Bluetooth device and clips on to your waist during the day and to a wristband while you sleep at night. A base station that plugs into your computer doubles as a charger, and the battery life of the device is estimated at 10 days. A blue display on the tracker itself reveals steps, mileage and calories burned for easy reference through-out the day. Users can either upload the information daily by simply passing by the base station, or detailed data can be stored on the tracker itself for up to seven days and generalized data can be stored for 30

Activity Trackers: Watching Every Step You Take (and More)Continued from page 14 days. The Fitbit website verifies the ac-

curacy of the device’s ability to track steps, although it can be fooled by activity such as a restless leg movement. Additionally, the device is designed to track walking and running, but is not appropriate for cycling or many other aerobic activities. Calories burned included an estimated resting metabolic rate based on the users weight and age.

The sleep tracking feature, which is triggered by pressing down on the control button for two seconds when going to bed and again when arising, certainly sets this device apart from most other electronic pedometers on the market. It is interesting, particularly for those who are restless sleep-ers, to see how long it takes to fall asleep and how many times per night you may be waking up. Total sleep time is also tracked and an overall efficiency rating is provided.

The Fitbit website is easy to navigate and includes numerous features that can either be enlightening or a waste of time, depend-ing on your dedication to tracking your activity and intake levels. There is definitely the danger of becoming a bit obsessive about tracking and comparing data from day to day, and the food log is particularly time consuming. While it is easy to record

basic foods, inputting combination or homemade meals is a chore. Additionally, although meals are broken down by fat, protein and carbohydrate content, it does not offer percentages. For example, if you are trying to keep your fat intake to less than 30% of your total calories, you’ll have to do that calculation on your own. The Web site offers additional features, including the ability to monitor weight-loss goals and compete with other Fitbit users.

One of the greatest benefits of the Fitbit compared to other pedometers is the free website access. Although the Fitbit is not cheap (retail price is $99), other trackers charge monthly service fees to main-tain information on their websites, which could be a deterrent to many users who could benefit from monitoring their activity levels. However, those who simply want to increase their daily activity levels could probably make do with a significantly less expensive pedometer.

What we liked:• Accurate and easy-to-use device for

recording and tracking workouts • Free interactive website for uploading

and analyzing data • Added feature of tracking sleep could

be helpful to troubled sleepers • Long battery life that reduces need for

frequent charges • Small size makes it easy to wear and

conceal

What we didn’t like:• Inputting food data is time consum-

ing and doesn’t provide important information

• High price if only used for tracking steps

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