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August 2014 Newsletter
Slow Speed For Muscle Growth

 
 There's a big difference between a weight lifting contest and a work out!  Many even so-called experts are often very confused by the difference. 

When you're in a contest, the point is to lift as much weight as possible. You need to throw your body into it, jerk the weight and move it as rapidly as possible, using the momentum of the weight to help you.  In fact, the best way to improve your performance in a weight lifting contest is to practice the lifts in order to become better at throwing the weight to maximize momentum.  The more speed, the more momentum and the more you will lift.  In fact, by practicing the lifts to increase the speed anyone can increase the weight they lift without any strength increase. 
 
Unfortunately, speed and momentum dramatically increase the risk of serious injury as was seen in a recent national CrossFit competition. An instructor who was competing, severed his spinal cord while performing an Olympic-type lift and is now permanently paralyzed from the waist down.  Those who choose to compete assume a tremendous risk because speed in a contest is necessary to increase their lifts.

Fortunately for most people who are trying to increase their muscle size and strength, speed is not only unnecessary but is actually counterproductive!  The strongman contests that we see on TV or the lifting contests in the Olympics are competitions and are not what these athletes do to build their strength. They certainly practice lifting refrigerators or doing Olympic lifts for example before their contest but that's not what they have been doing for the last 10 years to develop their bodies!

When the goal is to develop strength and muscle, speed of movement inhibits results.  Building muscle requires just the opposite of what is required in a contest.  Momentum must be eliminated as much as possible, which means slowing each lift so that the muscles must do the work.  

When momentum is eliminated with slow deliberate lifts, each group of muscle cells (muscle cells contract in groups) is forced to work hard during the entire lift.  Every movement is a steady progression of one group of muscle cells after another, contracting in sequence and each providing microscopic amount of movement. 

For example, with a bicep curl, multiple groups must contract one after another to raise your hand. Each group of cells must be forced to work hard against the weight when its turn comes, if it is going to grow.  If, for example you begin a curl slowly and increase the speed as you go through the movement, the groups of muscle cells that contracted at the beginning during the slow part of the movement will gain strength rapidly, while the groups of muscle cells that contract later on during the faster part of the movement will have performed much less work and will gain strength much more slowly if it all. 

By keeping the movement slow, you keep the entire muscle working at that intense effort level, which produces the most rapid strength gains and muscle size increases.

Performing exercises at slow deliberate speed is often unpopular because it's much more demanding.  It's easier to go fast!  You get a little burn at the end of the exercise and you think you are accomplishing something. But you're using momentum rather than muscle to do much of the work. When it comes to building muscle, the more exhausted the muscle, the better the results.  Try slowing your lifts, you will feel the difference immediately!  

-Mike Arteaga
The Best Shoulder Rehab is Available to You

The Rotary Shoulder Machine is the best shoulder rehab machine ever built.  It is the only strengthening machine that strengthens the four rotator cuff muscles directly, working them through their full range of motion. 

 

For years few understood the importance of these muscles for supporting and holding the shoulder joint together.  The shoulder socket is very shallow in order to allow the tremendous range of movement that the shoulder joint has. The rotator cuff provides an  "extra" layer of muscles that surrounds the shoulder socket and holds the joint together. 

Strengthening these muscles can often provide tremendous support for the shoulder joint and often relieve shoulder pain.
Unfortunately, most local doctors and physical therapists are unfamiliar with this rehab machine.  One of our members with Rotator cuff problems was told to perform cable machine exercises to help with his shoulder. These exercises can be helpful but unfortunately quite rudimentary when compared to the results produced on the Rotary Shoulder Machine. 

This situation is not unusual because most gyms have only the most basic machines even if the have a lot of equipment.  Our goal for the last 40 years has always been to have the best rehab equipment available as well as the basics.  Unlike other gyms, we have trainers who are educated in their use.  If you are advised to strengthen particular muscle groups with suggested exercises by your doctor or therapist, always check with me or one of my trainers because we probably have a more efficient rehab machine that they are not aware of.

- Mike Arteaga
Hamstring Stretch
TechnoGym Hamstring Flexibility
TechnoGym Hamstring Flexibility
This machine allows you to gently stretch and lengthen the posterior muscles including the calf, hamstring and gluts. Watch this video to learn more. 
Employee of the Month

Congratulations Ben, our Employee of the Month for August!


 Ben has been a team member at Mike Arteaga's for 2 years.  Being an athlete and a coach, Ben brings his love of fitness to our team.  He is an important part of our front desk team as well as a manager on duty.  Soon he will be bringing his knowledge and passion to our circuit training team.  Ben is a full time student at Marist College and coaches football and lacrosse.  Thank you Ben for your hard work and commitment! 

Blood Drive
Blood drive


New York Blood Center is holding a blood drive at Mike Arteaga's in Poughkeepsie.

When: Tuesday, Aug. 5
Time: 2:30-8:30 p.m.
Receive 2 free Mets tickets!

Visit nybloodcenter.org for details. 
August
Health Tip
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"Stop eating crap,"  says Dr. Harry Lodge, New York Times best selling author of Younger Next Year.   Dr. Lodge devotes an entire chapter to this subject, because of the poor food choices so many of us make.
Sticker Contest


Have you put a Mike Arteaga decal on your car window yet? Be spotted and you could win a free personal training session!

The next 2 winners will be announced August 15!

Stop at the front desk to get your decal.
 
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